By Joseph Sullivan

The elves were mysterious and unknowable at the best of times. Reputed to have been at the height of their power in ages past, they had now mostly faded from the world, with some staying behind, hidden away in areas secluded to all that came after them. Whenever they did appear, it was usually a sign of great significance, deep meaning, and, more often than not, frustration from humans at not knowing whatever they were on about.

This was proving very quickly to be one of the latter occasions.

“So, you say you encountered the elves off the edge of the forest, right?”

“Yes, that’s right…”

Cantrel, the peasant farmer, had been telling all in his village about a recent encounter he had with elves in the forest near where he lived. His tale had drawn the attention of Reltanna Lirane, a wandering wizard who wanted to find out as much as she could about this.

“Alright…” she noted down everything eagerly, hoping this could be the chance for a real breakthrough in her studies of elf lore.

“Well, there I was, having just came out of the tavern. I’m a popular man there, let me tell you. And it was such a nice night, I decided to take a stroll around the village…I’m a bit of a man about town…”

“Uh-huh,” Reltanna nodded. “And how much had you had to drink at the tavern?”

“Not, uh, not much…” Cantrel scratched the back of his balding head. “Like, five or six ales? I had lost count. But that’s not the important part of the story, I’m getting to that…”

“Um…” Reltanna grimaced, pausing in her writing. “Right. Yes. Go on.”

“So, I was wandering about, right? It was pretty late, and I thought maybe I should get on home, because I’m, uh, responsible like that. But out of the trees came these people, these really tall, slender people with pointy ears, and they were shining in the night like big lights…for a second there I thought I was seeing starlight walking towards me…”

“Right…” This is similar to a lot of elf tales so far…

“And I remember one of them saying something, something like ‘Cantrel, Cantrel, come with us,’ right?” he imitated a high-pitched, wispy voice, which was difficult given his own gruff, deep way of speaking. “Like they knew my name, and I went with them, not so much because I wanted to but because…I don’t know, I guess I was compelled or something! Next thing I knew, everything started to get brighter, like really, really bright…and that was all!”

“And you don’t remember anything else after that?” This is…inconclusive…

Cantrel shook his head. “Nope. But I think I do. I think they did things, like they studied me…those elves, they’re wizards, even better wizards than human ones…and they made me dance! They had this elf dance, like they were jumping around in a circle, and I kind of remember jumping around a lot…I think I was going around and around…”

“Well…” These things had been said about elves before, by sources far more reliable than this farmer, who, by his own admission, was a drunk. “Those things certainly line up with a lot of stories about elves, so there’s precedent for a lot of this…” I don’t think he has anything more to offer in terms of his story. “Is, ah, is that all?”

Cantrel paused. “Wait…no, no, it isn’t!” his face lit up again, with what seemed to be either fear or excitement to Reltanna. “I remember there being an elf maiden, like a beautiful elf maiden…the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen…elves always look really good, yeah?”

“Um…that’s usually what’s said, yes…?”

“And she said to me, ‘Cantrel, Cantrel,’ in that voice,” he was getting more animated with his telling now, as though describing this elf’s appearance through the movements of his hands. “She went, ‘It has been so long, the elves have been away from the humans…come, let us join our two people as one…’ and, well…” he grinned. “Heh, I know you said you wanted to know everything, but I’m not sure it would be right of me to tell everything when—”

“That’s—yes, you can stop there,” Reltanna nodded quickly. “That…uh…that’s not part of what I heard from the other villagers I’ve spoken to, did you not mention that part of the story?”

Cantrel’s eyes widened. “No.” He paused. “That part, I did not think the other villagers would…” he paused. “…respect the, uh, elf woman, and…uh…they might think I was making it up…”

“…and you’re just telling me this part?”

“…well, yeah…” he said, almost sheepishly. “It’s important for…uh…study, right? Does that mean that this will show up in records?”

That’s assuming I write that up. “Yeah, it’s possible…”

Cantrel smirked. “That’ll show her…” he said, as if to himself.

“What?”

“Oh!” Cantrel’s eyes widened even further this time, seeming shocked that he had been heard. “Uh, nobody…”

“Did you want to prove anything to anyone?”

“Uh…no, most assuredly not…” Cantrel’s eyes began to dart around the room. “But, uh…you’re talking to other villagers, right?”

“I’ll have to, to know if they’ve seen anything…”

“Then I hope you remember it’s not my fault, right? That not long after my wife leaves, an elf woman should take a liking to me? That’s just, uh, that’s just what happened, and all…”

“Oh, yes, definitely,” Reltanna said quickly, nodding nervously. “Well, now that I’ve gotten your full story, I will most assuredly be writing this all up, very important, ah…” she stumbled over her words while opening the door behind her. “Important to elf lore…”

“And she had the nerve to take the children, too…” Cantrel scoffed to thin air.

“Yes, okay, farewell, now!” Reltanna waved quickly as she closed the door, leaving the farmer’s house.

Walking back down the street with precious little to show for her journey to this village, Reltanna almost cursed herself for making the trip here in the first place. But as she walked, she got a view, just over a nearby ridge, of the forest Cantrel was referring to. It was thick with dark trees, its inside shielded from most sunlight. It seemed dangerous, mysterious, and in its own eerie way, inviting, bringing a spark of both hope and doubt to the wizard.

For all I know, even if his story is nonsense, there might actually be elves in there…

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