Background
Eldavyan D’Lur was the first born of Thyrran and Ellhirra D’Lur. Ellhirra was a member of the D’Lurian royal court and was master of the Crimson Guard, the elite soldiers that protected the D’Lurian court. She was obsessed with the defense of the court and the elven people as a whole. Known for her nurturing demeanor, elves that were not members of the Crimson Guard came to her for advice and for defensive training. In her spare time and when not training the Guard, she obliged the seekers whole-heartedly. Over many years, Ellhirra trained thousands of elves, but one day had to put her love for defense to the side in favor of a new adventure: the joys of pregnancy. It was her first child and she wanted everything to be perfect. Months after inception, Eldavyan D’Lur was born.
As a babe, he did not possess the remarkable features that made elves exquisitely beautiful. His eyes did not possess the usual almond shape that elves were known for, but instead were wide and held the shape of a pecan nut. Eldavyan had a strong chin uncharacteristic to his heritage. As he grew older, these features became more pronounced and he became known for his uninspiring homeliness. Nonetheless, his parents loved him dearly.
Growing yet older, Eldavyan’s personality complimented his less than average beauty and he won the friendships of many elves at his young age. Four years after his birth, his parents gave birth to his brother, Ellar D’Lur. Ellar possessed the usual physical traits of an elf and was beautiful to all that beheld him. Eldavyan held no spite for his brother and loved him as much as his parents did. He even helped his mother in caring for Ellar. During those times, there was no rush of society, no impending responsibilities that loomed overhead. Eldavyan and his mother held conversations on almost everything, especially the future. Times were simpler, then.
Eldavyan matured to the age of training and during his growth he fell in love with Qallique Illpathir, goddess of magic and knowledge. He was gifted both in swordplay and divine understanding, thanks to those talks with his mother. He was sent to the Priory of Metaphysical Coalescence, a monastery that trained individuals to understand the powers of divine magic and act as a direct conduit to their personal deity. He began to study as a paladin, a proud and holy warrior for Qallique. During his indentured education, he met a female commoner called Fhirya Talysyl.
Fhirya, the beautiful maiden, enraptured his soul and ensorcelled his heart. At first sight, they both shyly smiled and Fhirya continued on her way, leaving Eldavyan in a trance as he watched her walk away. The next day, he waited for her to pass by again and told himself that he would approach her. He was a paladin, he told himself, tried and true. He has read of demons and knew he possessed the courage enough to face one—but when he saw Fhirya’s celestial features glance at him as she walked down the pathway just outside the Priory, he thought of his humble appearance. His courage was sucked out of his proud mortal shell and he was left a smiling pool of melted elf. Before he realized it, she had gone.
The next day however, he managed to gather up his strength to speak to her, and since that day they have been nearly inseparable. They spent every day together and she was even present during his severance ceremony, the climactic completion of his years at the Priory.
As a gift, his father presented him with a magical shield that would protect him from the negative energies of life. The King himself, being uncle to Eldavyan, gifted him a magical heavy mace and the queen presented magical banded mail armor as reward. Eldavyan could never be happier—so he thought.
A time came when he had to separate from Fhirya for a short while. He was to quest after his chosen mount in the wild plains and spent many nights alone during his quest. He thought of Fhirya often and wished he had taken a token of hers with him to keep him company. He faced many battles during those nights, however, and pleaded with Qallique to protect him, at least long enough to make it back to his home and tell Fhirya that he loved her. It was at that very moment that the largest horse he had ever seen appeared on the edge of his vision. It was night and Eldavyan could not make out accurate detail, but he knew that this horse had a certain intelligence that set it apart from its kind.
The elf approached it cautiously, speaking in calming tones in his native language. He called her Shyl, the elven word for heart, and embraced her company and companionship, for he was indeed lonely in those vast plains. He spent the rest of the night and the following morning with Shyl, pushing his limits farther and father to get a feel if this creature was indeed to be his special mount.
The final test came to pass as Eldavyan mounted her. Shyl did not resist or even whinny in protest. Eldavyan knew, then, that this magnificent creature was his spirit-linked steed. He rode her all the way back to his homeland.
He flew into town, pulling just short of the stablemen at the gate. He kissed Shyl’s forehead and apologized for leaving her with the strange elves, but he had told her on the way home that he had to talk to Fhirya. He felt that Shyl understood.
Eldavyan raced across the city to Fhirya’s hovel on the outskirts and knocked eagerly on her door. After a brief encounter with her mother, Eldavyan rushed passed the woman to find his love sitting in front of a fire. She looked up at him with glee, set to foot, and hugged him with all her might. Eldavyan returned the expression ten-fold, repeating over and over that he missed her and thought of her during his entire excursion.
Her mother looked on from the doorway with a growing smile.
Amid the silence, Eldavyan whispered his love for her, making his heart soar high above like an eagle. She tittered with excitement and was speechless at his proclamation, while her mother’s smile grew wider still.
That day passed and grew into several as Fhirya, too, expressed her love for Eldavyan. In his success, Eldavyan began to train under his own mother as a Templar for Qallique Illpathir’s holy temple. There he remained, happily, until one day when the Queen herself called him to her side.
She announced that he was to travel to a distant world to aide in gaining a foothold for a new civilization of elves. It seems that the tyrnadors did not compromise with elven diplomats and that the elves, as a whole, were to find another world to call home. Queen Anoria wished him to accompany those pioneer elves to represent Qallique in their efforts.
Eldavyan was honored and deeply sorrowed at the same time. His life with Fhirya was just beginning and this quest has been placed upon his shoulders. His deity had called for him and he could not deny it. In the face of Queen Anoria, he held his composure and accepted the quest with honor and without reservation. When her magnificent presence faded from view, he became overwhelmed with the thought of informing his love. With sadness untold, he departed the royal palace and counted every step from the base of the steps to Fhirya’s front door: 8,343.
She openly wept when the news struck her and he wrapped her up in his arms, holding her closely. He spent the night with her and her family, hardly even passing into his meditative trance. He memorized every last moment he shared with her that night.
The following morning, when it was time for Eldavyan to depart, he said his farewells, received numerous hugs from the Talysyl family and stopped to compose himself before saying farewell to his love. He kissed her for the first time and while his senses were set aflame, his eyes welled with tears.
“I will return,” he promised her. “Shyl and Qallique will watch over me.”
Swiftly, after the kiss, he turned on his heel to mount Shyl and to keep those gathered from seeing his tears. She caught hold of his arm, though, and spun him back around with but a gentle pull. He looked over his shoulder and slowly turned with her movements.
“Take my bow,” she said with her voice quivering like an arrow shaft. It was the treasured heirloom of the Talysyl family, the only true wealth they possessed. It was her way out of poverty, her one hope to bring her family out of the hovel that they had all grown up in. It was her way of life and the basis of her philosophy.
Eldavyan, louder than he intended, outright refused to take the weapon. Taken aback but not yet defeated, Fhirya thrust the bow into his gut and grit her teeth determinably through the tears that streamed down her face. “Take the blessed bow,” she said through her sobs. “It will remind you of me and remind you that you have pierced my heart with a bow more valuable and sacred than this I hold now.”
Eldavyan could not hold back the tears any longer and they flowed freely down his chiseled face. His eyes looked toward her father and searched for any signs of disapproval. In his years of wisdom, her father bade him to take it. Nodding his head in defeat and grasping the bow, he held her tightly in a hug that he can never forget. Without another word, Eldavyan mounted Shyl and slowly made his way toward the palace gates—8,343 steps away.
