THE TROUBLE WITH AN ELF by Tom Townsend

TOM TOWNSEND

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Phone: 713-502-4377 3123 CR 2407 Rusk, TX 75785

THE TROUBLE WITH AN ELF
By
Tom Townsend

Read the excerpt below

Sci-fi; When the Jenkins household took in a foreign exchange student, Ryan never expected a girl as beautiful as Star. Much to his surprise, she turned out to be the Elfin Princess Elazandra from the World Of Fairie, and with her came big trouble both in his world and hers.
Reading Level 7^th grade and up.

Published by Royal Fireworks Press
ISBN 0-88092-525-6
$7.99 paperback

The Quest Begins

     Old Aileron, king of the Elves, looked up and saw his adopted daughter for what he feared would be the last time.
He stood in the tree shadows at the forest's edge. Before him, small, gray mushrooms grew in a circle near the edge
of a rocky stream.
     She is too young to do this thing, he told himself, just as he had so many times before. Through the ages others
had made this passage A few even survived. But most of them returned sick, in rnind more than body. They had
soon died unpleasant deaths, and their stars burned dim and red.
     Elazandra, fair daughter, the king called with his mind. "Sire, " she answered telepathically.
     The dappled unicorn on which she rode moved like a drifting phantom. It blended perfectly with the rocks and
trees as it picked its way carefully along the narrow path which led from the cliffs beyond, down into this valley
of mist and shadow. At the stream's edge, the unicorn stopped and listened. Its silver mane flowed like a
clinging mist as it looked to the right and left, before lowering its head to drink.
     The girl who slid from the unicorn's back. Aileron thought, did not much resemble the princess who might
one day have been Queen of the Elves. She was tall, at least by Elfin standards Her hair was a wild storm of
pale, flaxen curls, uncombed and held from her eyes by a single band of leather She carried a small bag as she
strode carelessly across the stream, splashing water over her high laced boots and onto her green tunic. A single
blue jewel dangled on a silver chain around her neck. Across her back hung a light. Elfin bow and quiver of
arrows. Only the jeweled sword at her side distinguished her as anything more than a common hunter or shield
maiden.
     Aileron held out his hand as she approached.
     She set down her bag, and kissed his bearded cheek. "You have been always in my dream world," she said.
     ''And you, in mine," he answered, as he held both of her hands. For a moment he gazed sadly into her golden
eves, so much like those of her mother
     She pulled away then and perched herself on a nearby rock "It is time, is it not9" she said and glanced toward
the circle of mushrooms.
     The king nodded sadly. "It is, but perhaps we have been mistaken Perhaps there is yet some other way."
     Elazandra shook her head. Wayward curls dangled in her eyes and bounced about the graceful points of her ears.
"I have spoken again with Grandolin " As she talked, she reached to touch gently the leaves of a withered fern which
grew beside the rock. "He agrees that this evil comes from beyond our world." She turned a leaf in her hand
and rubbed at the black and brown stains there. "It grows quickly It takes many forms, and it intends to destroy
us all '       "Perhaps, but—but, must it be you who goes to fight it's" Aileron asked Elazandra opened her mouth to
protest, but the king continued. "If you perish in that darkness, who will rule when I am but a star?"
     She shrugged, and stared at the ground. "I have sometimes wondered if Elves, or any other beings, truly
need to be ruled." Her father's eyes widened, and she said quickly, "You are not old. You will mate again and
bear other sons and daughters, ones of your own blood who will be far better suited to rule than I." Unbuckling
her sword belt, she offered him the weapon "If I perish, let one of them carry this."
     Aileron dropped his hands to his side, refusing to accept the sword.
     Elazandra leaned it against the tree. "Sometimes I feel that I was born only for this one quest."
     "I know." Aileron sighed "You have always read the lore of those evil creatures." He smiled faintly and
shook his head "Even as a kid, you held a morbid fascination for their dark world, although never shall I
understand why."
     "I am not certain they are all entirely evil," Elazandra said, then quickly dropped the subject. She looked over
her shoulder Just as the sun dipped below the bluff, and the sky turned to gold. "I must go," she said. "The
doorway will not remain open much longer."
     Aileron nodded sadly "Is there nothing else I can give. She picked up the bag. "Most of what I need,
Grandohn has given me The rest lies across the Faire Ring. It will be easy enough to acquire." Again, she
looked into her father's eyes. "From you, my sire, I need only your blessing."
     "That is a hard thing to give. Rather would I part with a dragon's treasure." He took her hands again and
kissed her. "But of course, it is yours."
     "Thank you," Elazandra said. She turned then, walked into the ring of mushrooms, and vanished.