More thundering hooves down the dark paths that should have been brightly lit, given that the sun was only beginning to set, yet the world around them still seemed to require a lamp so the travelers could see.

Sitting in the carriage that was among the knights who rode down the trail were three people whom the guards were charged with the travels. The group was arranged in an egg-shape, with one being at the fore, guideing the horse-borne group down through the woods. He had the figure of a thin man, with long hair and longer ears. He was an elf who guided the party into another kingdom so they could deliver a permanent item. The three people in the carriage were two men and one woman. The first two, on their own side were a man and a woman known only as 'Majesty' to those who would not meet their status. The queen and her king of the human country the forest split in two.

Here the woods were divided by the human side and the elven side, where the forest ran rampant. The last person in the carriage was their oldest son, the crusader they'd raised.

THere were two types of royalty in those days, the political royalty and the warring royalty. Political royal monarchs are the type who deal in treaties and fine words to meet their goals. The second kind are the kings who ride into battle themselves, rather than come to terms with another mans claim. Their son was a black sheep to their political family.

Not so long ago, the humans had been at war with another country, and it had been by his lead their men had won and returned, while the king had only sent him away out of paranoia. And for good cause; in the warring royal families, succession wasn't just handed down, it was taken. The crusaders name was Dante son of Danttro, who ruled with the spoken word rather than the singing sword.

And again, Dante was being sent away, this time to live among the elves who were more peaceful, to a life forever with their princess, in a position where he would never take power and could never become what he'd shown the capabilities of doing. There, Dante would be forced to give up the sword-weilding battles he'd come to love.

His parents had bound his wrists with rope, and though he probably could have thrown himself out of the carriage if he manuevered carefully enough, Dante was sat calmly across the carriage, his sword still at his hip, though the rope made it impossible for him to be a threat. He sighed as more hooves thundered down the path and they made their way inexorably into the growing darkness that was elf territory.

Her Majesty, Queen Erondra, sat stiffly and uncomfortably beside King Johnathan the third. She had never really felt comfortable in a horse-drawn carriage, especially at this speed. She much preferred walking to this. Too keep her mind slightly off the fact that they were thundering down the path, carried by four horses running at breakneck speed, she looked to the elf guiding the equestrian mammals. He was a handsome young man, but her husband, King Jonathan was so much better looking. He was renowned in their kingdom as the 'handsomest of them all.' All of the maidens wanted him as their own. Erondra detested jealousy, although, since she wasn't the most attractive of women, she was guilty of it herself at times.

'Oh, I will miss him..' Thought the Queen as she turned her head to her son, looking him over. She loved him so much, and didn't really want to send him away. He was a slight danger to the kingdom with his violent, rogue-like acts, but that didn't mean he needed to go.

Sending Dante to live among the elves with Princess Rokena would strengthen the bond between the humans and the elves greatly. Their alliance had been wearing thing lately, due to how barbaric some of the human armies had been. The elves greatly disapproved of violence unless it was completely unavoidable.

Erondra opened her mouth to speak, but the words seemed to be caught in her throat. After a moment, she managed to force out, "Son.. I will miss you greatly. I'm almost sorry that I have to send you to the Elven lands." She bowed her head, a tear coming to her eye. The growing darkness threw many things into shadow, along with Erondra's face. The tear was invisible as it slid down her nose and then landed in her lap.

"The things I've learned are almost enough for me to draw a sword enough to cut this rope and cast myself into the road among the horses hooves," he said softly, and turned his eyes from her to the window again. He had loved his mother, that much he knew, but the love felt diminished in his being thrown out of his own kingdom, and though he was sure he'd regret speaking like this now, he knew there wasn't another way for him.

His father shook his head softly and pushed his finges through his wives and sighed. " Dante, yo're a threat to those around you... Maybe one day, you can learn from the leves and become more civilized like them." Danttro shrugged his shoulders and shook his head softly. "Dante, you have a lot to learn, but I think soon you'll be there and that you'll learn quickly." he said, shaking his head and turning his eyes on his wife.

Dante grimaced and preoccupied himself with the road and sighed softly, leaning back and relaxing his tense posture to watch as the horses slowed and their guide returned to the side of the carriage.

"We are almost there," he said, bowing his head slightly and letting his eyes linger on each of their faces. "I'll go ahead to let them know we're coming,"he announced after being greeted with silence from the two men, and trotted off.

Erondra frowned at her son as he spoke. "Please don't, my son. I have no doubt of your abilities, but I wouldn't like to lose you completely. The guards would destroy you if you were to run."

As her husband tried to, she took his hands and looked at him solemnly. "He's not a threat, so much as a liability, Love. He's too wild. He just needs to learn control, which the elves will teach him." Erondra leaned against her husband's shoulder, a tired, sullen look on her face. She sat up and nodded to the horsemen, before they rode ahead. Wishing she'd said something, she took her place back against Danttro's shoulder.

The elven king stood there in the garden walk, where he entertained guests and looked up from his reading, where he stood to see the rider that had ridden ahead. "Back so soon? You must have hurried here," he said softly. "Was it a bother for you?"

"No my liege, only they were very anxious to greet you... Their son is...a special case." The rider said. "They've tied his wrists so he couldn't leave and escape them... he won't want to be here long," he explained. The King only smiled and shook his head.

"Let him come, and our diplomacy will soothe his need and he'll be fine," the elf said and closed his book. "Fetch my daughter and wife that they might meet the guests."

The rider nodded and stepped out of the area into the almost natural grooves in the trees that led into their castle and up the stairs, eager to carry out his orders.

The Queen Erondra sat up stiffly as they passed through the gates, and into the defined boundries of the Elven Kingdom. She never seemed to get used to the pure elegance and beauty that radiated from everything she saw. The change was instant, past the gates. Each thing, inanimate or creature, seemed to glow with an ancient magick. It was both therapeutic, as it brought a somber happiness to all that entered, but it also chilled those that weren't used to it to the bone. Where this beauty came from was a mystery to all, even the elves.

"..Danttro, I believe we're almost there." She whispered to her husband as she looked around warily. "I'm so reluctant to give up my only son.." She trailed off, suddenly looking sullen again. Not even the radiant beauty of the Elven world could cheer up a mother losing her only child. At this age, she was too old to bear another young, son or daughter, it didn't matter. Menopause had set in a few years back, and she no longer menstruated. "I wish we'd had another baby, back when it was possible. It would be less hard for me to give Dante up if that had happened"

"Why don't you just ask the elves to give up one of theirs?" Dante muttered, his eyes lingering on buildings and shapes in the distance. He sighed and shook his head softly, letting his posture be forgotten and tilted his head forward. His smile was undeniable. He didn't want to go, but nor would he have chosen to stay among the kingdom.

His mind drifted to what it had been like the last few weeks there along the people who were there. Too many spiteful looks had he suffered, and so many more men had spat on him, despite his rank. He had begun to loathe the people there. Too many days had been spent waiting and watching the ones who would speak ill of him, those who would never rise above him, yet still thought that he did things incorrectly.

The elven king stood atop the stairs, at the end of the road that led all the way to the castle, though it was not meant to be a road as such, he allowed the humans to beleive it so and bring their carriage built on laziness and grandeur down all the way to the base of the stairs. His sigh was gently and good-natured, wondering if his daughter would be ready in time to recieve their guests. He watched as down the road the carriage ambled along.

Danttro squeezed his wifes hand. "He'll return one day, more a man than I ever was," he promised her and looked to his son. "He'll thank us one day, I'm sure."

Dante made a face, and then caught his fathers' eye, turning his eyes back out the window. "At least you were kind enough to leave me with my sword... Are you not afraid that I'll kill the king?"

"You won't kill a king just to spite me, Even less reason for you to do it, if you think it will have anything to do with me..."

Appalled by her son's suggestion, Teh Queen said with distaste, "It's not the same, boy. It's just not the same.. " She shook her head and sighed, leaning against Danttro again.

"More a man than you ever were? I'd like to see that one, love.." She said, forcing a smile. Erondra was never good and bringing humor into a bad situation, but she did her best to try. "And hopefully he will.. Maybe the Elves will force some manners into him~" She found herself smiling impulsively at the thought. He never had been a very polite young man.

Meanwhile, inside the castle, Myarra, the Elven king's daughter was finishing her preparations. She had just tousled her hair perfectly, and was tightening the laces on her dresses corset. She couldn't find her boots and called out for her servant. "KYTARR! WHERE ARE MY BOOTS?!" She was extremely nervous for this new arrival.

Danttro smiled and leaned back against his wife, shaking his head with a silly grin on his lips and watching the tress pass by. He squeezed her hand and watched Dantes' sulking eyes, as he focused on the trees beyond the window and the buildings between them. Here they built around the woods, not through them.

Their houses were all strange shapes and their shapes were almost all in the pattern that suggested uniformity, yet artistic talent. Like a single artist was the one who drew plans for buildings in elf civilizations, no other. Maybe the elves would say that all great minds think alike. The Elf King certainly thought so and that was just how Li'Fensh felt about it. He was firm in his belief that Elves were the not more dominant, but certainly more pure. He only wished that they got along better sometimes. He shuffled his booted feet and glanced to a nearby servant, and waved him off in search of his daughter and wife.

Myarra pulled on her left boot as she hopped down the hall towards the grand entrance where her father stood. When she had her boot secured, she called out "DADDY! IM ON MY WAY!" She sprinted down the stairs, and then out to her father's side.

Doubling over, Myarra breathed heavily. A dainty little girl like her wasn't used to sprinting down stairs, but she recovered from her run quickly. "G..Good afternoon, father." She looked at the carriage slowly ambling it's way up the walk. She'd always favoured human men, and could clearly see Dante's face from the place she stood. He was incredibly attractive.. 'Oh, I hope he stays for a long time..'

"Li'Fensh" She paused. "Is looking quite healthy.. Last time he visited us, he looked fairly ill.. Maybe he was getting over something." Erondra looked fondly at the Elven King as they pulled the carriage around to the steps up to the castle. Two guards lifted Dante out of the carriage and stood on either side of him to ensure that he didn't stray from the set path that he was supposed to follow.

Erondra walked up to Li'Fensh and Myarra with Danttro, their arms linked. They bowed deeply together, and then Erondra began the greeting. "Good day, His Majesty, Li'Fensh, and Young Royale, Myarra. I am enthralled to be seeing you both again so soon. I must ask, Li'Fensh, were you ailing the last time we met?" She smiled and spoke with a pride that only a queen could.

Dante stood behind his parents, down at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at the lot of them, his eyes stopped on the girl and he was at least relieved she didn't come off as terrible now was she unattractive, but he still hadn't changed his mind. He looked from his hands to the other two, not sure yet what he would do.

Danttro smiled and shook the other kings hand happily, even though it wasn't there custom, the other king endured it and then embraced the human. "Danntro, Endora, it's been so long," he crooned, smiling at them with joy and pleasure at their reunion. "I see you've brought little..." He frowned at the sight of Dante bound, but then again at his newfound height. "No, you've brought me big Dante... Gods, Endora, did you sleep with a troll for him? He certainly doesn't look it, but he is big," He said, slapping Danttro jovially.

(Haha, I forgot what I named the king for a bit, and then was searching frantically for a 'LiFensh' today.... =P )

Danttro only smiled and shook his head. "You'd think he must have been standing on level stairs with us, he's gotten so tall... Dante didn't want this, but I trust you'll be able to..." THe human leaned close and whispered. " Teach him 'civility'?"

"Oh, I see how it is!" Li Fensh nodded and turned to Endora. "Ill? I was sick for a time with worry, but now I'm healthy as one of your roosters!"

"A rooster? Maybe healthy as an ox?" Danttro suggested.

"Oxen don't look healthy to me..." Li Fensh said, looking concerned.

Dante had to smile slightly, and stood patiently, while they talked. His mind drifted until it was brought back to the people gathered before him.

"Dante, come and meet my daughter, Myarra," Li Fensh said, stepping around Endora and Danttro with a smile. "But try not to stand on her stair, you might trample her," he teased. Dante nodded and took a couple begrudging steps forward and knelt awkwardly before her.

"I am Dante, and I've come from the land of men to meet with you," he said softly, wobbling as he tried to steady himself without hands.