All was quiet and serene in the Forest of Silvae. The Naiads and Dryads were sitting in their little groups, chatting about what happened where and who was there when it happened. The plants in the Meadow swayed in the gentle breeze, and a gentle rustling came from the Trees. A faint rumble shook the ground as they laughed their deep laughs and danced through the earth as though were water. The Dwarves, however, were nowhere in sight above the ground. They chose to hovel themselves into the earth to count their ever-growing stash of jewels and ores. Some Elves in the Forest danced and sang, while others sat happily to write poetry.

The rulers of Silvae were all sitting in a large circle. The Queen of Naiads and Dryads, Cynthia, sat looking very queenlike upon her wood, coral, and water lily throne. Arianna, sat on her throne made of intricately intertwined vines and flowers. She too, looked queenlike, though her title was Watcher over the Plants and Animals. Gideon, Father of the Trees, stood in the earth looking very noble indeed. Du'hothgar, King of the Dwarves, looked and acted like this was the worst place he could be in the whole of Silvae. Finally, Adreon and Larya, King and Queen of the Elves sat next to each other on thrones made of silver and both looked serene and serious.

All six of these exotic people were watching, stone faced, at their Protector, their High Queen of the Forest of Silvae: Tiavel. Tiavel wasn't the only person they were watching. A young girl, no older than fifteen, was standing at her side looking very scared. It wasn't so much as the girl standing before the Elders of the Forest, but her appearance. What she wore was vastly different from the exotic linen dresses that the Elders were all wearing. The young girl wore black trousers with black leather boots and a billowing blood red blouse that flowed over her in a mimicry of a bloody waterfall.

A gentle voice that sounded like the strings of a superb violin spoke from from Tiavel as she sat poised on her throne-- which was the largest of all the thrones-- spoke. "Elders of the Forest, we gather here this quiet morn to speak of the tale of Arianna, Watcher over the Plants and Animals of the Forest, discovered nigh over thirty minutes ago." Tiavel looked to her right at Arianna and gestured to her. "Tell your tale, O Watcher of the Plants and Animals"

Arianna glanced over at the young girl who's natural brown curls were obscuring her face from view as she now sat cross-legged by Tiaviel's feet.

Taking a breath in, Arianna began her tale.

"I was in Borras when I felt it." Arianna described as she simultaneously placed her hands over her heart indicating that that is where she felt. "It felt like my heart was suddenly cold and was shriveled up.

"I immediately flew from Borras and made my way as fast as I could go to where I could feel the plant dying. Dying in agony.

"On my way there, I found Tiavel, so I cried to her. 'Tiavel, Tiavel! You must come to my aid, one of my people are dying!' and so Tiavel followed me, leaving whatever task she was doing." Arianna spoke with such passion, such sorrow, such remorse, that everyone in the Elders circle could feel the need to comfort her obvious suffering.

"When we made it to the Meadow, that's when I saw her!" Arianna pointed a shaking finger at the young girl with the flawless curls. "She held the flower and was picking more to make her 'bouquet.'" Arianna now had tears in her eyes.

"When we stormed to her and demanded to know what in Olympus's name she was doing. She-she just looked at me and said. 'I'm making a bouquet for my little sister."

The young girl was not looking up at Arianna in all of her heartbreaking anger and sorrow. "And when we asked her what she was doing in our Forest, she looked at us if we were crazy. Do you know what she said?!" Arianna could no longer hold in the tears. They made their way down her dramatic cheekbones and onto the trodden earth at her feet.

Everyone in the Elder gathering looked at Arianna expectantly. Even the young girl seemed to be holding her breath. Waiting.

"She laughed! She-she laughed and said 'Oh, don't be silly, this is my father's forest now. He bought it for the company he is going to build here in this Forest.'"

Everyone in the Elder Circle gasped, save for Tiavel and the young girl.

Gideon and his deep voice broke the stunned silence as everyone digested the news. "This girl and her father are going to level our Forest. DOWN MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS!" He finished in a roar that almost knocked Arianna off of her feet before deciding she should sit down.

Everyone's eyes traveled to the girl at Tiavel's feet, waiting for her to give an explanation of her father's actions he plans to take. The girl noticed everyone's eyes on her and squeaked. Her voice was shaky as she said her and her fathers intention with the Forest. "W-we plan on leveling the F-forest to make room for f-father's c-c-company." She whispered barely audible, but it carried through the quiet of the Silvae Forest.

Everyone looked around, clearly shocked. Adreon leaned forwards, resting his palms against his knees. His eyes were a fierce blue and seemed to see right through the young girls scared face. "What is your name, child?" He asked, his gruff voice sounding oddly baritone.

"Jordan." The girl said firmly.

"And how, pray tell, did your father acquire our Forest?"

"We bought it." Jordan replied simply.

"Indeed." Mused Adreon, leaning back and stroking his black beard. "When will he commence this so called 'company?'"

"T-tomorrow at noon." Jordan replied. A stutter slipping into her words.

Adreon scowled and turned to Tiavel. "I request to gather my armies together to fight this unwanted nuisance."

Tiaviel looked straight at Adreon, and her gaze went to everyone in the room. Her emerald green eyes landing on Jordan the longest before saying.

"Permission granted."

***

Elven scouts were put on patrol to watch the humans leveling the forest, Arianna and Gideon winced everytime a tree was felled or a plant was trodden on. The humans didn't even notice that unnatural beings were beginning to gather around the clearing the humans have made. Several days passed and the people of Silvae were becoming restless. Unsupervised patrol parties would band together and make traps or throw nuts and fruits at the humans working below. Tiavel knew this, of course, but she herself had other things to worry about. Jordan has been trying to escape recently so Tiavel had no choice but to shackle the girl to one of Gideons many sons.

"What do you think?" Tiavel asked the quiet Queen of the Elves, Larya, while the Elders gathered at a table. They were discussing battle plans.

"War isn't necessary." She said, barely above a whisper.

This statement drew a groan from Du'hothgar as he then slammed his throwing knife against the wood and shouted. "War most certainly is the answer because these humans won't leave unless we fight them out Silvae!"

Still in a whisper, Larya spoke: "Precisely. We don't fight them out of Silvae. We scare them out of Silvae. Why do you think the patrol parties are already trying to scare them out of Silvae?"

"Larya!" King Adreon gasped. "You gave them the orders to assault the humans?!" His gaze was murderous as he stared dumbstruck at his wife.

"I did." Larya said boldly, lifting up her chin. "And I dare say it's working. The only reason the humans don't leave is because the Time Lock prevents them from doing so." She gave Tiavel a pointed look. "And we have the leader's daughter." Larya waved her hand to the tree, Afysa, who was holding Jordan in its leafy branches for arms.

Adreon's face was going from tan to dark red with anger at his wife. Tiavel noticed this, and knowing it wasn't her place, she intervened. Hoping to avoid a scene.

"She was under my orders Adreon." Tiavel said giving an intense green eyed stare at the Elven King.

That seemed to put him over the edge. King Adreon blew his top and started shouting a stream of steady curse words that upset many birds from their nests. Even the hum of machines and the humans working in the clearing stopped.

"Adreon! That is quite enough!" Tiavel shouted, trying to make herself heard above the raving mad Elven King. When he didn't quiet down Tiavel gave Gideon a look and Gideon then looked at one of his sons and Zedril wrapped his branches around the struggling king, covering his mouth. "Now, will you calm your temper?" Tiavel asked. Adreon finally nodded and Zedril unwrapped himself from the Elven King.

Tiavel rubbed her palms on her pale green dress and looked around the table at The Elders gathered around the table. "Now." She said. "Now, that everyone has calmed down. We can discuss why I gave orders to Larya."

Adreon scowled and stared at Du'hothgar's ornate knife stuck in the table next to him.

"Larya approached me a couple days ago and suggested that instead of letting Adreon and Du'hothgar assemble their armies for war, we should scare the humans out instead of killing them. It's much cleaner anyways." Tiavel fiddled with one of the sleek ruffles in her dress. "I agreed with her right away and have been trying to undo the enchantment that prevents them, and us from getting out."

"How did they get in, in the first place?" Queen Cynthia asked, her voice sounding of a bubbling brook and the rustle of leaves.

"I'm getting to that." Tiavel said glancing at Cynthia. "Continuing on. I discovered the other day while in one of the spots where my magic is weakest, that a tear in the Time Lock has been slowly working for ages. It has always been small enough where I didn't take much heed to it and so I ignored it. This has been my undoing. That is how the humans have entered our Forest."

"Hurry up and get to why you told my wife to go behind my back." Adreon scowled looking away from Du'hothgar's dagger.

"I'm getting to that." Tiavel said through gritted teeth, her eyes flashing dangerously. She took a breath to compose herself and continued: "After I found this rather large tear, a thought struck me. So I have been spending the past few days working on undoing millennia of magic layers to undo the Time Lock. Only recently have I been able to break through the final layer. Now, for the first time in a thousand years, our protection is diminished. And once the humans are gone, I will throw the dome back up from the Heart of Silvae." Tiavel paused looking around the table. "I have gathered you here today for discussion of this and the plan of action."

Tiavel glanced around and said. "Now, Elders. Does anyone have any ideas?"

Everyone was silent until Jordan broke it. "I have an idea," she piped up, making everyone's attention snap to her.

***

"Okay. Cynthia, Arianna, and Larya. You will set up traps away from the heart of Silvae and I'll go to the meadow and try and scare them out." Jordan said, finally able to get out of Afysa's sticky restraint. "You ready?" Jordan turned to Tiavel and Tiavel nodded and cast a spell that made bloody cuts appear on her face and arms from suggested brushes- though there was no pain- and a naiad by the name of Zawen appeared and expertly smeared mud all over her face and clothes. She looked like a huge mess when Zawen was done.

Jordan then ripped her silky top and a dryad came and stuck twigs in her hair. She looked up at the Elders around her and grinned.

King Adreon was the first to break the silence: "I think this human may actually be able to pull this off."

***

Jordan stumbled into the meadow, she had been running earlier to make it seem like she was being chased. Everyone's gaze turned to her as she ran straight to her father's trailer and yanked the door open.

"Dad! Dad!" She was a good actress and her father, Jacob, was thoroughly convinced.

"Honey!" He stood up, his coffee spilling on the blue prints. He paid no mind. "Where have you been? We've been searching and searching!"

Jordan put on her best scared face. "Dad, listen to me. We have got to go, I barely got away!"

"Away from what?"

"I don't know, but I wondered a bit too far and It's been chasing me all the way here. It looks like a huge tree/man." Jordan said, letting a frantic hint enter her voice. "We have got to go! It is really dangerous and if we don't move quickly he could kill all of us!"

That seemed to get her father motivated, he leaped forward and gave Jordan a big kiss on the cheek and a bear hug then ran out the door. You could hear his frantic shouts to get everyone up and ready to go.

Jordan grinned to herself and muttered. "Let the game begin."

***

King Adreon watched the proceedings from where Tiavel stood, at the Heart of Silvae. He hasn't been very supportive of this whole scheme but he guessed he could go along with it, because secretly in his head he loved this plan. Except for the one flaw he despised with every fiber of his being. Adreon grinned when he heard Gideon start smashing through the trees and bellowed loudly, this was part of Jordan's plan. Gideon would barrel through the woods and start trying to hurt everyone. It was a brilliant plan.

"Adreon, remember. True love is sacrifice, and sacrifice is true love." Tiavel said to him. Adreon nodded.

***

Once Gideon had smashed into the clearing these treacherous humans had made, he started flipping these contraptions that made loud rumbling and humming noises. He didn't like them, so he did as much as he could do them. Regardless if there were those pesky humans inside or not. Out of the corner of his eye, Gideon saw the flash of that Jordan-girl's blood red shirt and turned to her. He pretended to chase after her for a little, but the Jordan-girl had surprising agility and Gideon recognized he would not able to actually get to her if he tried.

"Holy Cannoli!" Shouted a plump man with dark curly auburn hair in surprise and fear. This made Gideon smile and he started to chase after him.

Gideon saw the progress of his work and saw that the humans were slowly making their way into the correct trail, to where Cynthia, Arianna, and Larya's traps were laid.

***

Tiavel closed her eyes. She was at the Heart of Silvae. A tall rock jutting from nowhere. She could feel the humans making their way to the outskirts of Silvae.

She knew the cost of throwing up the Time Lock all at once. She could have easily done it when she was younger, but she was older now. Her powers were not as strong as they used to be. No one knew this of course, no one knew that if she threw up this barrier without pacing herself, she would use up all her energy and die. No one knew this. Except maybe Adreon. This was the main reason he threw a fit.

Tiavel opened her eyes. "They are almost at the border." She said to Adreon.

Adreon said something pathetic. "You don't have to do this."

Tiavel laughed, tears were in her eyes now. "Just. Just be with me."

Adreon looked at her, studying her face. Trying to read it. "Okay." He replied.

***

Gideon crashed through the trees, some of his sons and daughters had joined him in herding the humans towards the border of Silvae. They were almost there. Then, Tiavel would throw the Time Lock up again and they would be safe.

***

"They are there." Tiavel said to Adreon.

Adreon stared ahead, trying to see what Tiavel could see.

"Stand back." Tiavel whispered. Adreon complied and watched Tiavel with his deep blue eyes. Fortunately he didn't say anything. What was there to be said?

Tiavel felt an uncomfortable lump in her throat. And without a seconds thought, she threw her hands up and a clear blue shining substance burst forth from her palms and enclosed the Forest of Silvae in a dome. The Time Lock.

Tiavel fell backwards, she faintly heard Adreon shouting to one of the dryads and to some of Gideon's sons and daughters to fetch The Elders to race to the Heart of Silvae as fast as they could. Their Protector was dying.

Tiavel saw Adreon fall on his knees next to her through blurry vision. She was quickly fading. She had five minutes at most.

"Just hold on a little longer, Tiavel. Just hold on." King Adreon whispered, his voice cracking.

Tiavel heard the rustling of leaves and several voices shouting her name before she closed her eyes and knew no more.

***

Adreon stood up once Tiavel, their Protector of the Forest of Silvae passed. His wife Larya came forwards and hooked her hand on his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. Cynthia and Arianna were hugging each other. Openly crying. Du'hothgar just stared at the place where Tiavel laid, and Gideon. Gideon was doing something odd. He was kneeling next to Tiavel and fiddling with something on his side. The Elders heard a crack and looked at Gideon in astonishment as he took one of his branch-like ribs and folded it in her hands over her heart. Gideon then bent down and breathed on the branch/rib and it started to grow.

It was slow at first. It elongated and sprouted roots and slowly started to encase Tiavel's still warm body. Then it grew upwards. Into a tall ancient looking oak tree.

Everyone on the Heart of Silvae starred in a speechless awe at the blessing Gideon had bestowed upon their Protector. Adreon was the first to break the silence. He quoted Tiavel:

"True love is sacrifice, and sacrifice is true love."

The End of the Beginning