Elf on DND

[WP] All Elves are gifted with Nature magic but those of royal blood, the High Elves, can communicate with plants and animals - and it’s driving you nuts. Overwhelmed by gossiping birds and the constant chatter of trees, you run away to the city to get some peace and quiet.

*****

“He’s in his room again,” the voice said, it was a low guttural voice. “Samuel. Go tell his father.”

Samuel, an aging sparrow flew off the branch. There were three more sparrows spread throughout the treetop that overlooked the prince’s room. In charge of the sparrows was Thomas, a flying squirrel. Thomas had overseen the palace for years now under the King, eliminating invasive animals, warning the guards of humans that had managed to find their forest, guiding traveling merchants to their roads.

Thomas glided to the windowsill of the prince and he knocked on it gently. Prince Radik was under his bed, under multiple layers of bedsheets, his ears covered.

“Sir,” Thomas yelled through the window in his low voice. “Do you need assistance?”

Thomas considered breaking through the glass, he considered it more than three times before the prince’s father came in through the door.

“Radik,” The King said. “Get up at once. I will give you three seconds to show yourself.”

Three seconds passed and there was no sign of any movement.

The King lifted his hand, a single finger and the contents of the room were in the air. At first they simply floated, Thomas flew back to the safety of the treetops, but he watched as the items swirled around the room. Including the prince himself.

“Father!” Prince Radik said. “Please stop!”

The room slowed to a stop and Radik was covered in a few cuts and scrapes. He started to cry.

“I know this isn’t what you were expecting from your birthday, Radik.” The King said. He put a hand on his son’s shoulder.

“They’re everywhere,” Radik said. “I can’t stop the voices and they talk so much.”

The King looked out the window, almost directly into Thomas’ beady eyes. Thomas shrugged. As elves aged, they gained levels of nature magic, the strongest elves of the most royal blood gained far stronger magic. The King and anyone who shared his blood gained the ability to communicate with animals.

“You’ll learn to control it soon,” The King said.

“I won’t,” Radik replied.

“You must.” The King said.

The communication was constant and it was still magic and so it required a great amount of strength and soul to talk to the animals, to listen to them. The sounds of nature were no longer something Prince Radik looked forward to hearing as he sipped his morning tea. He could no longer enjoy his afternoon lessons in the pastures or his nighttime walks.

He heard every voice in the forest and the voices had a lot to say.

“Thomas,” The King said. “Come.”

The window opened, The King’s doing, and Thomas glided through it.

“Sir,” Thomas said, kneeling down. Thomas wore a leather belt lined with metal darts. In his arms, he carried a miniature crossbow.

“Your thoughts?” The King asked.

Prince Radik was in tears, lying in fetal position covering his ears. It would be no help though, Thomas knew.

Thomas closed his eyes and listened to the voices around them, there were mice in the walls (they worked for the family, but they were there nonetheless), birds circled the estate, and there were wolves in the distance cackling away at whatever joke they came up with to entertain themselves.

“There are many voices as you know, Sir.” Thomas said. “There are more animals now that work in your service than there were in the entire forest when you came of age.”

It was true, The King had nurtured the forest back to life, the first of his family to do so.

“It may be too much for him, Sir.” Thomas said, he bowed. He didn’t want to offend The King and he saw how much pain Radik was in. He’d watched the boy grow up afterall, Thomas served the family.

The King simply waited, he waited for at least a full minute, the sounds of the animals failed to cease. Prince Radik added to the noise with his whimpers.

“Send him to the city,” The King said.

There was silence in their immediate vicinity. Any creature that had heard The King had stopped talking and Prince Radik himself looked up at his father.

“The city?” Radik asked.

“Is that safe, Sir?” Thomas asked.

“The humans have suffered heavy casualties from the recent plague and it is known that the rats there were the ones who spread it.” The King said. “There are very few animals there now.”

“Bu-” Thomas started to say.

“You will oversee his stay,” The King said. “I will send reinforcements. The reinforcements will be other animals. Use this as a time to train him, Thomas.”

Thomas nodded. The animals around them started talking again.

“Thomas, I need you to help him.” The King said. “I know I said that I wouldn’t ask you to do this again.”

“I understand, Sir.” Thomas replied. “He needs another human there with him.”

“I’m in your debt,” The King said. He raised both his hands and a cloud of magic surrounded the two of them. Thomas grew then, many times in size, losing his tail, growing into the size and shape of a human. His eyes had grown and he couldn’t hear the animals anymore.

He was disconnected from his body and The King was bleeding from his eyes. He wiped the blood away, noticeably out of breath.

“Thank you, Thomas.” The King said.

It took the better half of the afternoon for them to pack Radik’s belongings, he needed covers for his ears, documentation for his stay, human currency. He needed a lot and it didn’t help that Radik was mostly immobilized until they left the forest.

He slept soundly then on the road. Thomas, now human, guided the horses. The horses, Moxie and Dash, were both born mute. Not a terrible condition for a horse and they made up for it in strength.

The city was a few days away and Radik woke in the middle of the night, the sounds of the animals decreasing with their growing proximity to the city.

“Are we there yet?” Radik asked.

“Not yet,” Thomas replied. He coughed, he wasn’t used to talking with his human voice yet. It took him a couple days to get used to it last time.

“Why did my father suggest the city?” Radik asked.

“For you to grow,” Thomas said. “There are no animals in the city.”

Radik smiled and he fell asleep again, unknowing of the dangers that the city held. Thomas’ heart beat quickly as they neared the city. It wasn’t a good place, Thomas thought. The King knew it himself and he didn’t want to question The King.

They trekked forward, away from the voices, but closer to the depths.

*****

THE END