32. The Day the World First Saw Our Scale
Arlis’s record
We arrived in the village of Arden-Hall at dawn.
And for the first ti… all our caravans were together.
Nine large wagons.
Seventy crates.
Dozens of runic lamps.
Cloaks woven from moon-fabric.
Tools gleaming like stars.
Boxes of moon sugar.
Herbs that didn’t exist even in the royal greenhouses.
And dozens of elves—in green cloaks, with clear faces and proud bearing.
When we rolled into the square, people froze.
Soone dropped a basket of apples.
Soone fell to their knees.
Soone whispered:
— They’re… real… elves.
We stood there.
Silent.
As Zen taught us:
“Strength shouldn’t make noise. It’s visible anyway.”
33. The Arrival of His Highness
Prince Alverion arrived a little later.
Tall, in silvery armor, with eyes that looked as if they could see straight through people.
The royal guard surrounded him in a tight ring.
But when he saw us—
his gaze beca… not hostile.
Not arrogant.
But cautious.
Like soone who sees an unexpected equal.
He stepped onto an improvised platform.
The crowd fell silent.
And the prince began to speak.
34. Prince Alverion’s Speech
He spoke loudly, but without malice.
— We have all heard stories about the elves.
About your forest.
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About your strength.
About your traditions.
He paused.
— But before… they were legends.
And suddenly…
for the past months, the entire south has spoken of nothing but you.
He gestured toward our caravans:
— rchants claim your goods surpass the royal ones.
Healers say your redies work miracles.
Craftsn say your runes are purer than anything they’ve seen.
And the barons… say you are taking their profits.
Soone in the crowd laughed nervously.
The prince continued:
— But here is what I can say personally.
Today, I did not see a tribe of savages,
nor a secretive people—
and then he said the most important thing:
— I did not co with a sword.
I ca to hear you.
To understand your intentions.
And to decide who you wish to be to this kingdom:
enemies…
or allies.
The square froze.
All eyes turned to us.
35. The Forest’s Answer — The Speech of the Council of Branches
General Reim stepped forward.
But he would not be the one to speak.
On behalf of the Council of Branches, Selia stepped out—
small, quiet, yet with eyes so sharp that even the guards tightened their grips on their swords.
She said:
— We are not enemies.
We are the Forest.
We are a people who have only just begun to breathe freely.
We do not seek war.
We do not seek a throne.
We seek… peace.
And the right to be who we are.
She turned to the prince:
— But we will not allow anyone to take what we have built.
And we will not allow ourselves to be used.
Then she voiced our offer:
— We are ready to pay tax to the Crown.
An honest tax.
Direct.
Without barons.
Without plunder.
Without blood.
The prince raised an eyebrow—surprise flashed in his eyes.
Selia continued:
— We propose a eting with the king.
In seventeen days.
At a neutral place—on the border between the forest and the valley.
To discuss terms beneficial to both sides.
The crowd murmured.
But the prince raised his hand—and silence fell instantly.
36. The Prince — Stunned
He slowly walked around our wagons.
Opened a crate of runes.
Opened a container of herbs.
Lifted a runic instrunt.
Touched moon sugar to the tip of his finger.
And each of his movents was accompanied by the whisper of hundreds of voices in the square:
— That’s… impossible.
— How do they do all this?
— We don’t have masters like that!
The prince stopped before us.
And said, loud enough for all to hear:
— Your goods are worth more than everything the southern barons produce.
Your healers cure what palace physicians cannot.
Your runes… are at the level of ancient archives we believed lost.
For a mont, he smiled.
— You are not rely a people.
You are potential.
You are wealth.
When he looked at us again, there was seriousness—and interest—in his eyes.
— I will deliver your terms to the king.
And if he accepts—
a new era will begin.
An era where the kingdom and the Forest stand side by side, not opposed.
Then he said the words no one expected to hear:
— I want to see your city.
With my own eyes.
The crowd gasped.
Even General Reim staggered slightly.
37. The Council’s Decision — One Word
We looked at one another.
White Wolf tensed.
Gray Shadow vanished into shade.
Selia closed her eyes.
I held my breath.
And then the General said:
— Yes.
The prince smiled.
— Then lead the way.
The Forest let royal blood enter for the first ti.
And we knew:
From this day on, everything would change.
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