Chapter 2

 

 

As it turned out, Jena was kept later than either of them expected. Queen Erin had numerous questions and requests, as she wanted to make sure everything was ready for the festivities. Would there be enough space in the dell for all the elves and dwarves? Did Jena think they would bring enough food? What songs were to be played and sung? How late were the youngest gnomes going to be allowed to stay up?

 

It was almost midnight before Jena was finally dropped home by Tani and another fairy called Arlin. When she got into bed, her head barely hit her pillow before she was asleep.

 

But she didn’t sleep in, waking in the early hours and after washing, heading to the kitchen. Her mother, Polly, was bustling about cooking. Her dad, Timon and Dom were seated at the breakfast table eating omelettes.

 

‘Morning, sweetheart!’ her mum said as Jena sat down at the table. ‘My, what a day we have in store for us!’

 

‘It’ll be really exciting,’ Jena said. ‘We’ve never had so many folk coming to the Quiet Woods at once. Queen Erin says it’s been ages since such a large gathering occurred.’

 

‘I suppose you’ll be dashing off into the woods to meet the first elves and dwarves?’ her mum asked.

 

Jena nodded.

 

‘And you, Dom?’

 

‘I’m going to wait by the old log in the dell, mum,’ Dom replied through a mouthful of food.

 

‘Beds made? Rooms tidy?’ their dad suddenly asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

 

‘Yes, dad!’ they replied together.

 

‘Good!’ he said and resumed eating.

 

Their dad was a gnome of few words, except when he sang. He had a very good voice and once he got started it was very hard to get him to stop. Dom said that the reason he didn’t talk much normally was because he used all his voice up singing.

 

They finished breakfast and Jena and Dom headed out of the cottage. The sun was just peeking above the trees and another fine day was promised. Other gnomes were up and about, hurrying about the village on errands or doing chores around their cottages. There was an air of excitement amongst them all that was hard to miss.

 

‘Now don’t get up to any mischief today, Dom,’ Jena said to her brother.

 

‘Who… me?’ Dom replied in mock innocence and he watched Jena roll her eyes at him and wander off.

 

Dom headed off and shortly collected Toma and several other friends. They headed out of the village and across the dell to the south. They headed toward a large old log lying near an edge of the woods. But they were only about half way to it when a loud voice called out.

 

‘Dom!’

 

Dom looked around at the voice and a wide grinned split his face.

 

‘Lore!’ he yelled back in delight.

 

He and the other gnomes began to run toward the young, broad-shouldered dwarf who appeared out of the trees. He was carrying a large pack and a sharp looking axe poked from his belt. He dropped to his knees as he reached the gnomes and shook everyone’s hand with a finger.

 

‘Hello, everyone! It looks like we have a fine day to start the festival.’

 

‘It would have been awful if it had been raining,’ one young boy said and everyone agreed with nods and murmurs.

 

‘How come you’re alone?’ Dom asked. ‘I thought you’d be arriving with your mum and dad.’

 

Lore’s father was Brodon, the King of the Dwarves and his mother, Merrill was Queen. Lore was their only child and heir to the throne. They lived in Dwarf Gate, a huge citadel high in the Chill Mountains to the north. It was so named because it was the gateway to the dwarf kingdom. Other smaller villages and their mines were scattered throughout the mountains.

 

‘I’ve been away from Dwarf Gate for a week or more,’ he replied. ‘Dad wanted some messages taken to some of our mines in the east, so I volunteered.’

 

‘Well, it’s good to see you,’ Dom said. ‘We’re going to sit on the old log and watch everyone arrive.’

 

‘Sounds like a good idea to me,’ Lore replied.

 

They headed over to the tree, Lore walking slowly so the gnomes could keep up with him. Shortly they were all seated on the log, Dom and the gnomes sitting on either side of him. They had an excellent view of the dell and the village.

 

‘How long will it be before the first arrive?’ someone asked.

 

‘Soon, I think.’ Lore replied. ‘There are a good hundred dwarves coming and probably the same number of elves. Every dwarf at home wanted to come and in the end my dad had to pick the lucky ones out of a hat.’

 

‘Will Eldor be coming?’ one very young boy asked.

 

Everyone was eager to see the wizard, as he would probably perform some magical tricks for them.

 

‘The last I heard he was,’ Lore replied. ‘I believe he’s staying with elves at the moment, so he should arrive with them.’

 

The morning passed and more gnomes joined their group and chatted away. Lore had brought some food with him, quite a bit as it turned out. There were hard-boiled eggs, tasty oat biscuits, cheese and dried fruits. A picnic was soon underway and there was enough food for all.

 

Then around noon the first guests began to arrive, coming out of the woods to the west. Elves appeared, dressed in their forest green clothes and leading small ponies loaded with stores. Dwarves began to arrive as well, carrying everything they needed in packs on their sturdy backs. Tents began to spring up in the dell, large and small. By mid-afternoon the closest tent was only yards away.

 

Then a horn suddenly sounded shrilly.

 

‘That’ll be my dad and mum arriving, probably with King Nemon and Queen Soria of the elves,’ Lore said. ‘Eldor and Nyssa should be with them.’

 

With all the tents up they couldn’t exactly see who was arriving. But sure enough they shortly caught sight of the wizard, white haired and bearded and carrying his magical staff. As he threaded his way through the encampment, Dom saw that Nyssa was with him. Jena was with her, sitting on the elf’s shoulder. Then Eldor gave a wave as he saw them and came over to the log.

 

‘Hello there,’ he greeted with friendly nod. ‘I see we have a picnic going on here.’

 

‘It just kind of happened, didn’t it, Dom?’ a boy asked.

 

‘They usually make the best picnic’s I think,’ Eldor smiled.

 

‘Is Moonwing with you?’ Dom asked, always happy to see the wizard’s owl.

 

But Eldor shook his head.

 

‘No, I had to leave him at home at my cottage,’ he replied. ‘Silly bird got into a fight with an eagle and damaged a wing.’

 

‘Will he be all right?’ a girl asked in concern.

 

‘Oh, yes,’ Eldor reassured. ‘He’s just feeling a little sorry for himself at the moment.’

 

‘Been up to any pranks lately, Dom?’ Nyssa asked him with a knowing smile.

 

‘Oh, a few,’ he admitted proudly.

 

‘You’ll have to tell me all about them,’ Lore said with a grin. ‘I like nothing better than hearing about your pranks.’

 

‘That’s because it gives you ideas!’ Nyssa said. ‘You and Dom together always spells double trouble.’

 

‘Ah… you have to have some fun!’ Dom said as Lore stood up and shouldered his pack.

 

‘Well, I had best go and see my mum and dad,’ he said. ‘Dad will want the messages I have for him.’

 

‘And I had better pay my respects to the gnome Elder’s,’ Eldor said.

 

‘And we’d better get home for a bath and change of clothes,’ Jena said, eying Dom.

 

‘We don’t have to wear our good clothes do we?’ he complained.

 

‘Of course we do!’ Jena said. ‘Don’t complain so, Dom. It’s not as though we have to wear them often, only on special occasions.’

 

‘I like my normal clothes… they don’t scratch!’ Dom muttered, but knew he wouldn’t be able to avoid it.

 

‘Well, we’ll see you all again later this evening,’ Eldor said.

 

* * *

 

A fiery red sunset greeted Jena, Dom and their parents when they stepped out of their cottage. All were dressed in their best clothes, with Dom fidgeting a little because they felt itchy against his skin. They walked through the village, joining a throng of gnomes heading toward the encampment. Lanterns had been hung from tall poles about the dell and elves were busy lighting them.

 

A large circle of tables and chairs had been set up in the middle of the encampment. To one side was a tall stack of logs, a bonfire ready to be lit later in the evening. Elves and dwarves were already seated and smaller tables had been placed on top of the larger ones for the gnomes. Jena and her family had a place on Eldor’s table and they were shortly seated amidst merry chatter and laughter.

 

Jena could see Lore and Nyssa seated a few tables down with their own parents. King Brodon was a large dwarf with a heavy ginger beard flecked with grey and King Nemon a tall elf with long dark hair tied at the back of his neck. Queen Merrill had fiery red hair and Queen Soria wavy blonde that spilled down her back.

 

With them was another female dwarf called Rena. She was Brodon’s younger sister and captain of Dwarf Gate’s guards and commander of its army in times of trouble. She wore the impressive guard uniform of black elaborately stitched with silver thread. Jena had only met her a few times and found her little gruff. But she knew Rena took her position very seriously. She was always ready for an attack by goblins or morgs and a wicked looking double-bladed axe was never far from her hands.

 

Dinner was shortly served and everyone fell to eating, enjoying a vegetable soup first, followed by freshly caught grilled trout and roasted wild fowl. The bonfire was lit and in its ruddy glow laughter and chatter filled the air.

 

But by the time sweets were about to be served, Jena was starting to get concerned. Where were the fairies, she wondered? They should have been here once night had fallen. She was alone at her table, Dom having wandered off to chat with Lore, whilst her parents were off talking with other gnomes.

 

She walked over to Eldor who appeared to be dozing in his chair and tugged on his sleeve. He came awake with a start and looked down at her with a smile.

 

‘Hello, Jena,’ he said. ‘Dozed off I did there. How can I help you?’

 

‘Where are the fairies, Eldor?’ she asked. ‘They should have been here by now.’

 

Eldor looked surprised.

 

‘You’re right, they should be here,’ he replied.

 

‘I’m a bit worried,’ Jena said. ‘Lately they have been slow to wake at dusk and their starflowers have been glowing a little dimly.’

 

Eldor sat up straighter at that.

 

‘Are you sure?’

 

Jena nodded.

 

‘Then I think we’d better go and see what’s keeping them,’ he said, then lowered his voice. ‘Just the two of us. Not a word to anyone else just yet.’

 

And everyone was so busy enjoying themselves that no one paid any attention to them as they left.