The Princess' Harem
Chapter 102: Deep in The Whisperwood

Chapter 102: Deep in The Whisperwood

Finally, Eryndor’s bright gaze fell upon Arden, who flinched slightly under the ancient look, and then upon Kaley.

Kaley had been staring with his mouth open, since the moment the elf appeared from the stone. He’d heard whispers, old stories, of the Elves of the Deep Woods—guardians, ancient, living hidden, almost a myth in the human kingdoms of today.

Seeing one appear from moonlight itself shattered his understanding of the world, making the very air around him feel thin and strange.

As the healing light touched him, easing his magic’s drain and minor scrapes, the shock didn’t fade, it grew stronger. He felt a warmth, yes, a relief from the strain of his magic, but his mind was spinning.

*Elves. They’re real. He’s real. And he just... healed us.*

The ancient elf’s voice, when he spoke, was like the whisper of wind through leaves, musical and deep yet carrying great meaning. Eryndor moved to Viana, stepping close enough for her to feel the silent acknowledgment of their shared purpose.

His deep silver eyes fixed on her, then briefly swept to Rayne. "The stone you cary," his gaze flicked to the tablet in Arden’s arms, "it speaks of paths long forgotten and dangers newly awakened. Come. Follow the moonlight’s path."

He pointed towards a barely visible deer trail leading deeper into the woods, lit by the moonlight. Without another word, Eryndor turned and began to glide silently down the path he had shown, seeming to blend with the shifting shadows under the trees.

Kaley finally found his voice, a hoarse whisper directed at no one in particular, his eyes wide as saucers, still fixed on the spot where the elf had stood moments before. "...An elf. And actual... Elf."

Joel stepped forward, glancing at Kaley with a smirk. "Took the words right out of my mouth, Kaley. First time?"

He gathered his horse’s reins. "Don’t worry. You get used to impossible things around Eryndor... eventually."

He nudged his horse forward, following the glowing path the ancient guardian had shown.

***

The moonlight path led them deeper into the Whisperwood. The trees grew taller here, their branches weaving a thick roof that let only slivers of silver light reach the forest floor.

The air grew cooler, damp with the smell of rich earth and old leaves, a welcome change from the desert dust.

Viana rode at the front, glancing around her. Eryndor had vanished again, as silently as he had appeared. Yet, she could feel his presence, like a faint echo in the back of her mind.

It was like a new sense, strange but comforting. Sometimes, she thought she heard his voice, a soft whisper carried on the wind, guiding her, though she couldn’t make out the words. It was not a physical sound, but a feeling of direction, a gentle push in her thoughts.

Rayne rode beside her, his movements no longer stiff with pain. The healing magic performed by Eryndor had left him feeling stronger than before, though the memory of the sharp pain was still fresh.

He tested his ribs, flexing them gently. No ache. It felt impossible.

He glanced back, checking on his knight, Thomas, who was still pale but now sitting up straighter on the horse shared with Joel and Reyes.

The forest was thick, quiet, but every rustle of leaves made him scan the darkness for more of Arin’s men.

Behind them, Joel and Reyes kept a steady pace, their faces grim, still marked by the fight. Arden clutched the tablet, his fear still visible but now mixed with a growing wonder.

He kept glancing into the deep shadows, as if expecting Eryndor to reappear at any moment. Kaley rode close, his mind still processing the elf. The sight of Eryndor had shaken him more than the battle itself.

"Princess," Kaley said again with quiet voice, almost shy. "That... Eryndor. Why is he with us? Why did he help?"

He looked at Viana, his eyes full of deep curiosity and a new kind of awe. "I have studied old texts. Legends speak of elves, but they are often distant. This one... he healed us. And he knows of the tablet."

Viana glanced back. She chose her words carefully. "He is an old friend, Kaley. Not in the way you might think of a friend."

She paused and then smiled. "He helps when the land itself is in danger. He is tied to its life, its spirit."

Arden, overhearing, piped up, his scholar’s mind suddenly alight. "Yes! The ancient texts speak of such being! Guardians of the oldest forests, tied to the very life force of the land. They do not often show themselves to humans, it is true. But if the world itself sickens, if the land cries out... it would draw them out."

He looked at Viana, his eyes brighter than before, forgetting his fear for a moment. "It is truly remarkable, Princess, to see such a legend in the flesh. He must have a very deep connection to you, to help so freely and openly."

Viana looked at Arden, her expression calm. Her connection to Eryndor was indeed deep, tied to secrets only she and he knew it.

It was not just about the blight, or ancient legends. He knew about her past life, about her regression, secrets she guarded fiercely.

He had come to her directly, not in whispers, but in person, during the terrifying attack by the Magical Wolf in the forest. That encounter had forged a bond beyond anything others could understand, a shared knowledge that set him apart from any other being she had ever met.

They rode for hours, the Whisperwood growing denser around them, the trees pressing in, their branches dark against the moonlight. The path wound slowly upward.

Then, the forest began to thin. The trees became smaller, twisted. The air grew thinner, cooler, sharper, carrying the scent of dry rock instead of damp earth.

They were leaving the forest and climbing higher. The trees finally stopped altogether, giving way to a vast, barren landscape of jagged rock faces and sharp, narrow ledges.

They knew the Heart of the Sunstone Wastes was near, the place described on the tablet.

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