"What are you looking at?"
Prince Aidan walked over to Annan.
"I'm looking for Irilanze... Have you seen her?"
"The elves are all busy with the Celebration. Maybe you'll see her in a few days, once she's free," he said with a smile.
"Probably."
Annan stopped scanning the distance and turned his attention back to the long procession.
He saw dwarves, short and stout as barrels; orcs draped in animal skins; beautiful, majestic metal dragons; sea folk trailing long wet streaks; shrill-voiced ratfolk; vampires and the Undying in light-blocking cloaks; and other rare peoples seldom seen in ordinary times.
Looking at them, Annan was already plotting how to stuff his wares into their arms and empty their pockets.
As everyone enjoyed the Celebration and Annan brewed his wicked plans, the forest became the eyes of the Dark Night, silently watching the Emerald Capital.
Most guests and elven residents had gathered together. This was the perfect time to wreak havoc...
Elves blended into the procession, watching every suspicious elven resident.
But nothing happened.
"They haven't made a move?" asked the high elf elder sent by the Elders' Council.
"The enemy is waiting for us to let our guard down." Samael Night Song had guessed how they operated.
“Are we supposed to sit around and wait for them to wreak havoc in Evanas?” the high Elf Elder said grimly.
"Normally, we can spot outsiders easily, but during the Celebration, the Elven Royal Court is full of humans."
“We should round up every human and interrogate them!” the high Elf Elder said fiercely.
Faced with such an outrageous suggestion, Samael Night Song had to remind him, "They aren't just monarchs and lords. The High King's envoy is here too."
“A thousand years ago, no one would have dared run wild in Evanas,”