Ch 2. A New Home

After what seemed an eternity to Detric, a change came over Jaci, she seemed less guarded, waved at a tree, and laughed
What Detric didn't notice was that in that tree sat a sentry, as with many others. After three days, they were in Jaci's territory.

“Welcome to the Sylvian Forests, we are safe now, and you can speak again”
“Sylvian Forests? what makes us safe? where are you taking me?”
“Sylvian Forests, the home of my people, we are safe because these borders are actively patrolled, if you had payed closer attention, you would have seen me wave at one of those patrols, and I am taking you to my village, now, tell me, what is your story, oh foolish prince?”
“Foolish prince? I do have a name-”
“You can speak again, and all you do is complain about being called foolish?” Jaci laughed again “You must admit, you are not the most intelligent adventurer to stride this earth....though that will change, if you wish”
“You will help me?”
“My people will, yes, but first, your story...lest you wish another quiet two days journey to my village, and then you may tell the elders...you want conversation, talk”
Detric was amazed at how much his new friend laughed, though often at him, it was not a degrading laughter like he had experienced in his homeland, it was a warm, friendly laughter...Detric felt at home as he never had, and began to tell his tale, telling of how, as the younger prince of a warrior king, his brother also a strong warrior, and how he had never loved combat as the men of his kingdom were expected to. He shared how he preferred music to war, stories to combat, and so was the laughing stock of his kingdom, at first behind his back, he was a prince after all, but as time went on, the jokes were told to his face....woman played music, men were expected to be soldiers and warriors. And so, he left his homeland and strode north, over the great mountains, to seek a new home. Jaci listened intently, having never ventured past the southern mountains, and surprised to hear that the kingdoms and dominions there consisted entirely of humans...no orcs, no elves, none of the creatures common in the North, and beyond that, most to the south did not even believe in the existence of such creatures, the Northern lands were a legend and a myth in the south, few men daring to venture over the great mountains. Fool or not, this Detric boy had heart, and he had some talent with music. The Source had a purpose for him after all
“Detric, what if you could use your music in combat? Music is more powerful than you have been taught..You will like Aloysuis, he is a kindred soul”
“Music and war? In war? Music has no place in combat!”
“You have much to learn my foolish prince” Jaci laughed once more
It had not seemed like two days to Detric, but there before him lay the oddest looking village he had ever seen...it seemed almost a part of the forest, not like the villages of his homeland, it appeared to have grown there, rather than built. Detric was beginning to like the northlands more and more. He had begun to realize that Jaci and her people were not humans, but elfkind, yet more myth becoming real before his very eyes, and he could not wait to see what other myth would indeed be reality. Detric was at home, for the first time in his life, he was home. He looked around him, there were no streets as he knew, more pathways and hallways through buildings that seemed to grow out of the trees, complementing the forest around, rather than displacing it.
Jaci led him to what seemed a central building, “Come, you must meet the village elders, they will decide if you may stay or not”
“Decide?”
“Don't worry, they'll let you stay, The Source has purpose for you, you shall see”
“The Source?”
“In time, you'll learn, if you are willing”