The Find - Prologue.

Autumn.

Across the Kuyriers Straits. On the island principality of Laerel. In the capital city Dalenthal.
Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy says "Never been here before".
In reply to Helbe the elven thief asking him "Been here before?".
As the two of them head up the road to the palace that overlooks the port city.
The spy Tanith, who is from the elven principality of Alínlae, which is on the mainland.
Sees that there's no gates, or walls around the palace grounds, which is half amongst the woods to the west of the city.
He spots structures and towers sticking up out of the trees. And in a clearing, a trio of large towers, that's the palace mews.
He sees a number of griffons on the towers, and on the park like grounds surrounding the mews.
Enjoying the sunshine of the mild autumn day, here on the island principality of Laerel.
"Can anyone just walk up to the palace grounds?" quietly asks Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
"Hardly" says the elven masterthief in a slightly dry tone of voice, who continues with "If anyone wanders up here without permission, they're redirected down into the city".
Dalin's eyebrows lift up in a questioning manner, and the young elven noble who is from here, quietly tells him "My grandfather's magic is powerful".
The elven spy originally from Alínlae, who is now a company commander in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
Nods in understanding, for even he's heard of how powerful Prince Raendril is. How Helbe's grandfather is one of the most powerful beings in the world.
There's a switchback in the road, and the spy Tanith gets a view back down to the city of Dalenthal, and it's port.
At the airdocks on the south side of the port, he spots the Quick Gull. Which brought him and Helbenthril Raendril from the lands Farque, as they and the rest of the group search for someone.
The road up the hill, curves again, and they're in amongst some of the trees now.
Then just after the highly talented elven magic user quietly tells Dalin "Though the palace definitely has other defences".
A figure steps out from behind one of the trees on the right side of the road.
"Well, look who's here" says the tall elf who is in halfplate armour, with a curved sword at his hip, and a longsword strapped to his back.
"The wayward one in the family has returned" says the tall elf, who is a couple of inches taller than Dalin.
"Cousin" says Helbe the elven thief as he and the spy Tanith come to a stop.
With a twist of his lips, as he tries not to grin, the tall elf in armour replies with "Cousin".
He briefly pauses, before he says "I'd hug you, but you know i'd like to keep my valuables upon me" he then adds "That's if you haven't already". As he pats himself down, as if he's missing something.
Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy has never seen Helbe the elven thief turn red with embarrassment as he does right now. Cheeks red, and a guilty look upon his face.
Which causes his cousin to chuckle, then say "Ah well, that's what you get for being a thief".
"My cousin Tailendril" says the elven master assassin to the spy Tanith.
The younger of the two royal cousins continues in a slightly dry tone of voice with "He thinks himself the funny one in the family".
"That's because i am" says prince Tailendril Raendril, who then looks at the elven spy and says "Well met Dalinvardèl of Alínlae" followed by "You may enter".
The spy Tanith nods, as he suspects his mind has just been read by the older and taller of the two elven cousins.
And the fact that prince Helbenthril Raendril warned him that someone would stop them as they entered the palace grounds.
Then Tailendril Raendril points at the right shoulder of his younger cousin, and says "You pixie, will remain with my criminal cousin at all times whilst on the palace grounds" followed by "Is that understood?".
He glances at his own right shoulder, then nods and looks back at his cousin, Helbenthril and says "Good".
The young elven noble who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque, glances at his right shoulder.
And sees Narladene the ground pixie, staring at what's obviously the sprite that's attached to prince Tailendril Raendril.
Helbe the elven thief can't see the sprite, but he knows one is attached to his older cousin.
"My mother and sister?" asks the younger of the two royal cousins.
"Visiting your father in Quinthain" is the reply of Tailendril Raendril, who is the captain of the warders of Laerel.
"That might not be a bad thing" murmurs the youngest grandchild of Prince Raendril of Laerel.
For though this is his first visit back home in over fifteen years. And he would of liked to see his mother and sister.
He knows he's missing out on a scalding from the two of them. And he doesn't have to listen to them telling him off, about his wayward and thieving ways.
"My grandfather?" quietly asks prince Helbenthril Raendril in the royal elven language.
"In the upper contemplation glade" replies Tailendril Raendril in the same language, who continues with "He's expecting you".
The elven masterthief nods, then he and Dalin continue on, after the elven warder steps back off the road, and disappears around the tree he stepped out from behind.
"You and your cousin close?" quietly asks the elf from the principality of Alínlae, where he previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland.
"Second cousin" says Helbe the elven thief, who continues with "He's a grandson of my great uncle Quinid".
"The Sage?" quietly asks Dalin who continues with "The same one who was lord Farque's councilor and teacher when he was young and alive?".
"The very one" says the elven princeling who continues with "My grandfather's younger brother".
The spy Tanith nods his hooded head, as he knows that the Raendril family has had a long connection with lord Farque.
The young elven noble who grew up here on the island of Laerel, leads them off the road, and onto a path, as he does he says "And yes Tailendril and i are close, he practically raised me since my father lives in Quinthain, and he rarely ever comes here to Laerel".
Dalinvardèl Tanith nods, as he knows prince Helbenthril Raendril's father, is the Warder of Quinthain, the elven forest city-state to the east of the lands Farque.
The spy Tanith then looks away to their left through the trees where he spots movement.
"Shit" mutters the elven spy as he sees a rather large snow leopard of all things, keeping pace with them.
"Relax" says the elven master archer, who continues on with "It's my sister's pet".
The highly talented elven magic user then adds "If it had wanted to attack we'd been dead already" he briefly pauses before saying "Well you'd be dead, I'd be fine".
"Thanks" sourly says Dalin as the two of them continue along the path that winds it's way up the hillside where the palace grounds are located above the port city Dalenthal, the capital of the island principality of Laerel.
The path goes through both wooded areas, and more park like grounds. Where buildings, structures, statues and various other things can be found in both.
The spy Tanith sees the partial remains of a temple to the forest gods, right beside a newer looking structure amongst the trees.
Giving him a reminder that Laerel is not just the oldest and longest continuous nation in the Southlands. But it's the oldest, and longest continuous running nation in the entire world.
All to do with the noble family that's ruled here for more than five thousand years. The Raendril family.
Dalin glances at the youngest member of the Raendril family.
Who is relatively short for any elf, let alone a royal one. Who also happens to be a thief amongst other things.
And who though highly talented when it comes to magic. He's not particularly powerful in magic.
Unlike the rest of his family, who are some of the most powerful spellcasters in the world.
The elven spy originally from the principality of Alínlae, who is now serving in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque, as a company commander.
Wonders how the young elven noble even thrived here on Laerel, considering he's not particularly strong in magical power.
And the fact, he's an heir to the throne of Laerel. True, his mother, and older sister are ahead of him in the line of succession.
He still is an heir, and a direct descendant of Prince Raendril of Laerel. Who is considered the most powerful and influential spellcaster on two legs.
With only dragons being more powerful, and then only a select few.
"This way" says the elven masterthief, who points across an opening through the trees.
The two of them walk across what looks like a highly manicured lawn of all things.
As they do, Dalin looks in the direction of the palace mews, which he can see over the trees to their left.
There he spots a napping griffon on top of one of the towers, suddenly lift it's head up, and look in this direction.
"Ah Helbe" says the elven spy who is an officer in the armies of Farque, as he sees the large griffon spread it's wings, then launch from the top of the tower, and glide this way above the trees.
"What?" asks the elven masterthief, who as he turns to look at Dalin, the large griffon lands infront of the two of them.
Spreads it's wings, digs it's claws into the lawn, and lets out a rumbling growl before it squawks.
"Quick Strike" says Helbe the elven thief to the griffon, that does a happy looking flap before it waddles forward to the elven princeling.
The massive creature, the fastest flying animal in the skies of Volunell. Even quicker than dragons. Though not Greater Dragons. The mysterious beings that created the world of Volunell.
Puts it's head down low as it peers at the elven masterthief, who scratches it on the underside of it's massive head.
The griffon, which has the head of a eagle, and the body of lion. With wings spread down it's back.
Lets out a rumble of content as the young elven noble scratches it.
The creature, that has a wingspan of nearly seventy feet, opens an eye to study Dalin who doesn't get close.
The griffon instantly ignores the elven spy, and finds him inconsequential.
And instead, continues to enjoy getting scratch under the ruff, where the fur of it's body, meets the feathers of it's neck.
After a little while, prince Helbenthril Raendril says something in the royal elven language.
And reluctantly the griffon Quick Strike backs up, then lifts off and heads back to the nearby mews.
The highly talented elven magic user clears his throat, and says in a slightly embarrassed tone of voice "Ah, he's mine".
"Really?" says Dalinvardèl Tanith in a sarcastic tone of voice, followed in the same tone with "What with him being a royal griffon, and you a prince, i would never of guessed".
The elven masterthief rolls his eyes, then continues on his way, leading the spy Tanith across the rest of the lawn, to another path through the trees.
Dalin who earlier saw a few elves through the woods here in the palace grounds.
Here in this part of the palace, he sees no one else. Just him, and the elven master assassin who was born here, and grew up here.
The elf, who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland, the principality of Alínlae.
And who is now a company commander in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
Spots a building up ahead, it's a circular shaped building, with no walls, just four columns holding up the roof.
And like pretty much all the structures here in the palace grounds that Dalin has seen, it's made out of marble.
Infront of it, is a stone pool of water, also circular in shape. It's surrounded by stone steps.
In the center of the building, which reminds Dalin of a temple more than anything else.
Is a marble bench, upon which sits a figure. Similar attired as prince Helbenthril Raendril.
The elven princeling when they get to the pool, points to the steps, and quietly tells Dalin to sit.
The elven spy from the principality of Alínlae, sits down on the top level of the steps.
While the elven masterthief stands a bit further around the pool to the right, also on the top step.
The figure on the bench in the circular building stands up. The spy Tanith sees that it's a tall, almost bulky or muscular looking elf. Something you never really see, as elves are almost always lean and lithe.
The elf wears a hooded cloak and outfit, almost identical as the one worn by Helbe the elven thief.
Who reaches up, and takes the hood of his own cloak off his head, as the tall elf steps out from the building, and stands on the opposite side of the pool of water.
"So, my thieving grandson has returned" says the hooded figure on the otherside of the contemplation pool.
"Grandfather" says Helbenthril Raendril who bows to his grandfather, Prince Raendril of Laerel.
While Dalinvardèl Tanith drops his head as he sits there, and stares at the water in the shallow stone pool.
"Greetings to you Helbenthril and your companion, Dalinvardèl of Alínlae" says Prince Raendril who continues with "It's always a pleasure to have one of our woodland brothers from one of the mainland principalities visit us here on Laerel".
The spy Tanith just bows his head in response, unable to say anything in the presence of one of the most powerful beings in the world.
Switching to the royal elven language, the ruling prince of Laerel says "Why have you returned grandson?".
Helbe the elven thief, who knows his grandfather knows already why he's returned. As he would of read both his and Dalin's minds.
Says to the head of house Raendril "I, well we need your help with something grandfather" followed by "We need some information that probably only you would know" . . . . . .