The Envoys

Will sat on the very same spot that he always sat on the final day of summer. The Vale had been quite for hours where it lay shrouded in mystery from the grey evening fog that swamped the green valleys. Somehow it was always a full moon on this day, providing the swimming fog with a deep silver light.

Will sat on top of one of the many hills, looking over the Vale by himself, as he always did on this day – but this time it was different. He could feel more tense, and despite the lovely view in front of him he did not manage to enjoy it. How could he, aware that the day he had been waiting for his entire life was only hours away.

- I knew you’d be out here.

Will turned around only to find his friend Henry giving him a friendly smirk. Although not being related by blood, people commonly mistook them of being twins; both having short brown hair, clear blue eyes and an athletic build. It probably didn’t help that they also were the same age, and that they used to share what little they had of clothes.

Orphaned when he was just a baby, Will often wondered what he would’ve done without him, as Henry’s family had taken him in as one of their own without hesitation. Their mothers had been childhood friends as they both had grown up in the Vale, but Will doubted that they’d kept much contact after his mother had left for the College in Nortage on the other side of the country. Will had endless respect for him, as Henry had always treated him as a brother, having to share everything with him despite of his own family not having much from before. A couple years ago, when the harvests had been particularly unfortunate, Henry had caught Will lying having eaten at the neighbors, swearing that he would kick his guts out if he ever starved himself again for their sake. He had made sure that Will didn’t feel like an intruder, never blaming him for taking up his space and eating by their dinner table. He was Will’s only friend, as most of the Vale was somewhat skeptical to him considering his background, and Will was certain that Henry would’ve been one of the popular kids growing up in the village had he not dragged him down with him, considering his kindness and good looks. But because of him, many of the other kids their age had stayed away from Henry as well, so it had always been the two of them together. No one else.

- I thought you were in bed, Will replied as Henry sat down on the green grass beside him.

- Couldn’t sleep. You’re not the only one that is nervous you know. It’s a big day tomorrow for me too.

- It’s a big day for all of us, I guess, said Will dreamily.

- Have you seen him yet? Henry asked him.

- Doesn’t he usually arrive around this hour?

Will replied with a shrug.

- He arrives at different times. Last year he didn’t show up before dawn.

- Why do you need to sit up here and wait for him though? I mean, you’re going to see him at the ceremony later anyways. Everybody gets to see him.

Will smiled.

- I’ve never managed to sleep on this day ever in my entire life, before I get a glimpse of him. I don’t know, I guess it’s evolved into some sort of tradition.

Henry rested his head on his knees while he looked over the green hills and valleys in front of them.

- I guess everything changes tomorrow, he said dreamily after a while.

- Or it doesn’t, and we both stay here, Will replied sarcastically.

- I don’t think that’ll happen, Henry replied.

- I don’t know why but I’ve always been sure that we weren’t meant to grow old here in the Vale.

Will knew very well what Henry meant and gave him a quiet nod. He had never felt home in the Vale, being dependent on others, without a trace of his family left. Although it indeed was a beautiful village, it wasn’t any more than houses, farms and markets. The only reason it was considered as one of the four main cities of Nalenya was because of its rich history, and although small the outer farms made it quite large in its total population. It was famous for being the very first village of the Nalenyans, which was the sole reason that the Lisadar festival had been arranged there every year since the War of Men. It was certainly not a bad place growing up – they didn’t have much, but they’d never been poor – it had just never felt right for him.

- And I don’t know if I am ready for that change just yet.

- Really? Will asked him a bit surprised. Henry shrugged.

- I know that you can’t wait to get out of this place – and I thought I did too – but now that the ceremony is approaching, I’ve been thinking that I actually like my life here in the Vale. Quiet and simple, with family.

- You’re not telling me that you’re not going to attend the Trials, are you? Will asked him in disbelief. The Trials was what both had been waiting for their entire life. Every year, a representative mage from the College would come to the Vale and select three envoys that could attend the College to practice their abilities – if they survived the journey. The rest would be prohibited from practicing magic ever again for their rest of their lives. It was undoubtedly the most important day for all sixteen-year-olds in the entire country who cared for their craft.

Three… Out of thousands.

- No, of course not. I’ve been waiting my whole life for it, just like you. It’s just that… well, your entire life gets flipped upside down, I guess. A life at the College is dangerous and complicated – the Vale is peaceful and simple.

Will let Henry’s words sink in for a couple of seconds.

- Yes, your life will be hard and filled with danger. But that’s the life that I was meant to live – to practice and learn what I love. What I am good at. To not be allowed to do magic anymore… I can’t think of anything worse, really.

- I know you can’t, Will. I know that you need to get out of here. I just don’t know if I am ready for it just yet.

They looked at each other for a moment, both thinking that from tomorrow they most likely would never see each other ever again, as the possibility of both of them being selected were almost nonexistent. As soon as the sun would rise from behind the hills, hopeful sixteen-year-olds from the entire country would arrive for the Trials, and Will could never imagine that two villagers from the Vale would be chosen. Last year was the first time in a few years that someone from the Vale had been chosen at all, a girl that Will only had exchanged few brief sentences with. He’d heard rumors that she had been the only one of the last year’s envoys that had managed to survive the journey to the College, but he wasn’t certain if it was true.

His thoughts made Will look at Henry’s face differently, noticing details that he had never thought about before, like to make sure that he remembered as much about his friend as possible before they would be separated.

Suddenly Henry turned his head, scouting over the hills down below in front of them.

- I think I see something, he muttered thoughtfully, pointing towards a dark silhouette way down below them in the dark horizon, riding on a brown horse along the pathway.

- Do you think it’s him?

- I don’t know, Will replied quietly, squinting in an attempt to spot the dark silhouette through the foggy evening mist.

- Might also be Olga’s father checking on the hens.

- I’ve never seen Olga’s father wearing a dark cloak before. It must be him, stated Henry confidently.

The dark silhouette emerged quietly from the mist, and Will could see him clearer now, realizing that it really was the person he had been waiting for all night. Despite that Will had been waiting on the hill on this very day since he was a child to get a glimpse of Griff arriving his village, he still looked just the same. He wore the very same black, long cloak that made him almost invisible in the dark night. His hair had always been short and grey, and he still looked as strong as ever, although his many days of travel had started to make their marks. One could also see that he would collect a few new battle scars every year he visited.

Griff had escorted envoys from the Vale across the country to the College since Will was a child. He was the one who had survived the dangerous job the longest, as his predecessors only managed a couple of years before they either resigned or was killed. Despite being one of the most respected mage in all of Nalenya, it was weird how little people actually knew about him, as he never did much of himself on his yearly visits during the Lisadar festival.

- Do you think he’ll recognize you? Henry asked him, as they both stared at Griff as he walked up towards the guards in the entrance of the Vale.

- I mean, he must have known your mother quiet well at the College.

Will could feel his heart pound towards his chest as Griff stopped to chat with the guards who immediately recognized him and let him in. Although he had seen him enter the village every year for most of his life, he had never actually spoken to him.

- I don’t know, Will replied absently, thinking about all the answers about his own family Griff might be able to finally provide him.