TELLING THEIR PARENTS WHAT HAD REALLY HAPPENED early that Saturday morning would not really have altered a thing, they would not have believed them anyway. And if they had thought that the children were lying, it would only have made matters worse. 

So they had kept quiet, letting Mum and Dad believe they had gone up into the attic even though forbidden. 

They all took baths, ate some breakfast and then sent back to their rooms—to think about what they had done—Mum and Dad said.  

Danielle spent the time catching up with her homework and using her computer. George thought about doing a bit of his homework, but promptly gave up and played his latest computer game. 

Jessica meanwhile had gone back to bed and slept for some time. Her exploits in the castle had tired her — but other than that she seemed to have suffered no ill effects. 

 After an early lunch—and because it was still raining—Mum and Dad decided that they would all go to Shrewsbury and do some shopping. They spent time looking around the shopping centre followed by dinner at a restaurant down by the riverside. 

It was early evening when they arrived back home. The rain had stopped and the sky was brightening out of the valley. Dad said, that according to the weather forecast Sunday was going to be hot. 

After watching some TV and enjoying a light supper the children decided that they would go to bed early. It had been a long wearisome day and tomorrow afternoon they were going to visit Nan. So with good-nights all round and a final warning from Dad to stay out of the attic they had gone upstairs. 

 At first, Danielle could not sleep, there were just so many questions to ask the Elves next time they met. 

How exactly had the events with the witch and the castle come about? 

Would it happen again? 

What would have happened if they had not stopped Caranaxus from bringing back the Warlock? 

And most important of all, what had happened with Jessica, what were these unusual powers that the Spellcaster had spoken of and what part did they play in the Warlocks plans?

If all they had been told was true, and they were in great danger, perhaps they should tell Mum and Dad. Try to explain to them exactly what was happening. 

But without credible evidence would they believe them? 

Danielle doubted it. They did not have any evidence, credible or otherwise. 

These and other things spun through her mind as she tried to sleep. 

What had been the problem with the Elven Prince when Jessica asked about the Queen? 

And one more thing. Something that had not registered with them at first, something they only realized later. 

Where were all the Elven children? Were there any Elven children? 

But eventually, she drifted off to sleep. 

She was not sure what it was that woke her. She lay still for a moment and listened. It came again — a gentle tapping. She got out of bed and crossed to the window. 

Cautiously she pulled back the curtains and peered outside. 

Overhead thousands of stars dotted a cloudless sky.  A full moon hung above the valley, casting its pale glow over the landscape below. Princess Meriol hovered there, bathed in its light. Quietly, Danielle unlocked the catch and slid open the window. A warm breeze carrying the scent of garden flowers wafted in, it gently rippled the net curtains. Meriol flew into the room and settled on Danielle's bed. 

'Rosewing, it's the middle of the night,' Danielle said, stifling a yawn. 

'Sorry, I forget,' replied the Princess of the Elves. 'Time means little to us in our world. I needed to find out if you are all well, and everything is fine with your parents. But I can come back at some other time.' 

'No, it's okay,' smiled Danielle. 'Now that you're here, there are things I need to ask you.' 

'Ask away, I will try to answer your questions.' 

Danielle settled down beside Meriol and told of her fears about Jessica; what had happened to her in the castle? Why did Ravengaard want her? And if he tried to return, would they be able to stop him again? 

The Princess looked reassuringly at Danielle. 'In certain human families, there is a lineage of magic. It has been passed down through the ages from one generation to the next. Sometimes it misses a generation, sometimes the magic manifests in such a small way that it is scarcely noticeable. It seems your sister, and maybe you and George may have some magical powers, possibly triggered by the magic that resides in this area. If so, we need to find out the extent of them and how best to help you cope with them.' 

 Danielle listened in amazement as Meriol continued. 

'Altard and the other Spellcasters will assist you in any way they can. Do not worry we will let no harm befall you. At this moment, we have little or no idea why Caranaxus coveted your sister. It is possible it is connected to bringing Ravengaard back to earth. But how we do not know. My father is studying the Elven scriptures to see if they contain any helpful information.' 

She grasped Danielle's hand in her own, smaller hands and continued. 

'As for Ravengaard, thousands of your years have passed since he last strode these lands. In the war between Mankind and the Elves, the Warlock sided with Mankind. But his powers grew and he saw he could take it all for himself. It is told that he tried to enter into a pact with the Nameless Ones from the darkest pits of Hell. Thankfully before these plans could be finalized, Man realized Ravengaard was the greater of two evils and united with the Elves and their Allies against him. It took all our combined power and a great many deaths. But finally, with the aid of powerful magic, we banished him and most of his followers from this land. But now it seems others are trying to undo the magic which cast him out. They seek to return him to this world. Should they succeed, I do not think we would be powerful enough to stop him this time.' 

'What about your allies?' Danielle asked. 'Could they not help you?' 

Meriol shook her head. 'After we rid the world of the Warlock the uneasy truce between Man and Faerie did not hold and the war continued. But we grew weary of war, a war we could not possibly win, so we locked ourselves away behind a veil of magic and disappeared from the eyes of man. Our allies, the Dwarves, and Gnomes apparently fought on. But they were vastly outnumbered and driven back into the hills and forests until they too disappeared. The Gnomes are still around, but they split into warring tribes that would take time to unite. As for the Dwarves, they disappeared from the world we know. It is uncertain what became of them.' 

 'Can't you find out? If you have survived all this time, perhaps they have,' queried Danielle. 

Meriol thought for a moment. 'You could consult with Oaktooth, the Whispering Tree, perhaps it knows what happened to them.' 

'Oaktooth...the Whispering Tree?' Danielle asked quizzically. 

'Yes, in the field that fronts this house, down past the orchard stands a big old tree surrounded by brambles and nettles. Legend says he was the first tree that grew here, all other trees flourished from him. When man devastated the great forests, somehow he survived. He unjustly blames the Elves for his plight. He thinks that if we had stayed and fought on the great forests of old would still be here. He is mistaken of course, but he is too obstinate to understand.' 

Even after all that had befallen them in the last few days, Danielle was unsure whether she believed Meriol's story about the tree, but she could see no harm in having a look. 

'We'll see if we can speak with him tomorrow,' she told the Elven Princess. 

'I had better leave you to get some rest now,' she said softly. 'My guard awaits below; they will be getting worried. 

She walked to the window and climbed onto the ledge. 'I will see you tomorrow evening,' she smiled. 'And good luck with Oaktooth.' 

'Wait there was one more thing I need to ask you...' Danielle called out, '...where are all the Elf children?' 

But Meriol was gone. 

Danielle ran to the window and looked out. The Elves had melted away into the woodland and all was quiet. Above the house, the stars still twinkled in the clear night sky. But the moon had now disappeared over the roof as it climbed its way across the night sky toward the far horizon. 

She fastened the window behind her and climbed back into bed. 

Tomorrow, she thought... 

She closed her eyes and she was soon soundly asleep.

It was mid-morning when Danielle awoke, she jumped out of bed and drew back the curtains. It looked like it was going to be a lovely day, the sun shining brightly in a cloudless blue sky.

She washed and dressed and went downstairs.

'Good morning sleepyhead,' Mum greeted her as she poked her head around the kitchen door.

George and Jessica were having cereals for breakfast while Mum stood by the sink preparing vegetables for dinner. The smell of roasting meat filled the kitchen.

'Morning all,' Danielle said cheerily. 'Where's Dad.'

'He's gone down the shops to get the Sunday papers,' Mum replied.

'Morning,' said George and Jessica together.

'We were going to come and get you soon,' Jessica said through a mouthful of cornflakes.

Danielle filled a bowl with cereal and milk and sat down beside them.

'Ask if we can go out and play,' whispered George, thinking his mother could not hear him.

'I'm not deaf,' she said. 'I'll see after you've eaten your breakfast and completed all your homework.'

'I've done all mine,' said Danielle.

'Me too,' George put in, although she knew he was probably lying.

'I will be checking,' said Mum sternly. 'So you had better not be telling lies.

They soon finished their breakfasts and placed their bowls in the sink.

'Help me tidy up and put the recycling out, then you can go outside for a little while.'

'Can we go for a walk down by the orchard?' Danielle asked.

'Yes, but don't go too far, we are going to have an early dinner, then go over to see Nan.' Mum stressed.

'Okay,' the trio said as one.

They walked across the garden and crawled through a hole in the hedge. The field dropped gently away in front of them. At the bottom of the slope, the River Coblyn flowed alongside the roadway, its waters swelled by the recent rainfall.

Except for birdsong and the distant peal of the church bells in Coblynbridge, all was silent. High above the azure sky marred only by the vapour trail of a plane as it jetted off in search of far-off lands. The sun, slowly moving on towards midday, beat down on the three children. All around in the long grass, still a little damp from yesterday's rain, grasshoppers chirruped and leapt away as they passed by. Buttercups, cowslips and tall white daisies were just some of the many wildflowers that grew in the meadow. Large purple headed thistles appeared to march solemnly down the slope like a ragged regiment of soldiers. Bees and other insects buzzed around the flowers collecting pollen. The bees taking it back to their hives that were down in the orchard.

The field and orchard belonged to Farmer Price who owned the farm on the other side of the main road. When it was ready, so Dad said, the honey and fruit would be collected and taken and sold at the market in Ludlow. The children had looked a little disheartened by that news. But Dad told them not to worry, the farmer had said that when the fruit ripened, they could have as much as they liked.

A sudden splash attracted their attention as they passed by a small pool. A solitary willow tree shaded its waters that supposedly bubbled up from deep underground. But except for the electric-blue damselflies that flitted among the reed beds, the only thing seen were ripples left by something diving beneath the surface.

As they made their way down the field, Danielle told her brother and sister of Rosewing's visit and recounted their discussion. She told them all they had spoken about, ending with the part about Oaktooth the Whispering Tree.

They skirted the orchard and its beehives; the children were still a little wary of flying insects and they did not wish to get stung for their troubles.

'So where is this Whispering Tree?' George asked.

'Over there I think,' Danielle said, pointing to the other side of the orchard to where a great thicket of brambles and nettles grew. Bindweed wound its way through the tangled mass, trumpet-shaped flowers a brilliant white against the greenery. The thorny shoots of the brambles grew so high that the children could barely see the jagged, gnarled, bare branches of a tree pushing up from the centre.

'Doesn't look much of a tree,' laughed Jessica.

'Look at the size of those brambles, how are we supposed to get near it anyway?' George wondered.

'There must be a way through,' Danielle pointed out. 'Let's look around.'

They skirted the tangle of brambles looking for a way through and had virtually completed a circuit when they noticed a place where the growth thinned a little.

Jessica was the first to spot it. 'Look here!' She cried.

'It could be an old animal trail,' said George picking up a nearby fallen branch. Using it to push aside the brambles and flatten the nettles, he led his sisters through the tangled growth. Twisting and turning, taking care not to snag themselves or their clothing on the wicked-looking thorns, they finally stepped out into an open grassed area.

The air was heavy within the confines of the brambles; it smelt of old growth and dampness. Compared to the heat on the outside, it was much cooler beneath the twisted branches which spread out above them. The tree grew in the very centre of the clearing; its trunk was huge, the bark distorted and knotted into strange shapes, ivy, and fungus of all kinds spread their spidery webs across the surface. Great tangles of moss covered roots radiated outwards from the trunk, thick and dripping with moisture. What little foliage that still flourished on the tree was concentrated at the top of the trunk where the main branches emanated. Above that, the bare branches spread, grey and finger-like, pointing at the sky.

Looking at the crooked tree Danielle could believe what Meriol had revealed about it being the oldest in the forest, it looked very very ancient indeed.

They picked their way carefully across, trying not the slip on the slimy roots and stood looking at the tree waiting for something to happen.

'I think it's dead,' whispered Jessica.

George laughed nervously. 'I know we've seen some strange sights recently. But can you really believe this old tree is alive and he's going to tell us something?'

'No,' Danielle replied. 'But listen.'

From deep within the trunk came a rasping sound, like someone in an unusually deep sleep.

'Hello Mr Whispering Tree,' shouted Jessica.

Still, nothing happened.

Jessica seized the stick from George, walked over to the tree and whacked it loudly on the trunk.

'Mr. Oaktooth,' she called again.

With a loud creaking, the tree stirred, stretching like someone waking from a long sleep. Overhead the branches shook and the leaves rustled, from within the earth came a deep hollow groaning. All around the roots twisted and writhed, causing the children to leap aside. On the trunk the bark slithered and cracked; something resembling a face began to appear. Two dark melancholy eyes blinked open, pinpoints of light flashed deep within, swivelling towards the children. Beneath them, a shadowy cavernous maw opened. The children took a step backwards.

'Who dares?' Oaktooth whispered.

Seeing the three small figures standing before it, it let out a long low moaning sigh.

'Bah! Man-children,' it rumbled slowly. 'What do you want of me that is so tremendously important it requires you to wake me from my slumber.'

Now that they had awakened the massive tree from its sleep, Danielle wondered if it had been such a good idea. But it was too late to worry now, she decided to get straight to the point.

'We need information, the Elves said you might be able to assist us.'

'Elves, Elves,' it practically shouted. "Do not speak to me of Elves; they left us in our time of need, withdrew into their own cosy little world and left us to be cut down and destroyed by mankind.'

'But that was years ago,' Danielle countered.

'To you maybe, but to one such as I, the oldest of my kind left standing, it is a mere blink of an eye,' the tree told them in hushed tones. 'I have been here listening, feeling, as all around me, my brethren have fallen. The Elves could have saved us, driven man back onto the plains whence they came, but they chose to run and save themselves.'

Danielle shook her head. 'But they said it was a war that they could not win if they had fought on they would also have been destroyed.'

'Bah! What would you, mere saplings, know, does that make it right to leave your friends and allies?' The Tree fell silent.

They gazed at the Tree waiting for something to happen.

'Mr. Tree!' Jessica shouted, prodding it with the stick once again.

'What, what,' it whispered.

'You were asleep again.' George told it.

'No, I was not,' said the Tree indignantly. 'Now where was I. Did I tell you I am the oldest living thing in the forest; I have stood here...'

'Yes, you've already told us that,' George cut in.

The Whispering Tree looked puzzled. 'Are you sure?'

'Yes,' said George. 'Before you fell asleep.'

'I was not asleep,' Oaktooth spluttered.

'Can we forget all that,' Danielle shouted over them. 'Look, the Elves said you may know the whereabouts of the Dwarves? Can you help us find them?'

'Dwarves?' Oaktooth questioned. 'Ha, the Corachod. Yes, I remember them.'

'But can you help us find them.' Danielle asked again.

The Tree fell silent again, it seemed to be thinking of an answer. Finally, it said. 'No, why should I, the Elves abandoned us in our time of need and...'

'You've already told us all that,' said Danielle angrily.

'I think it's gone mad being here all on its own,' Jessica suggested.

Danielle nodded in agreement. 'Look, there is a very powerful Warlock trying to return here from who knows where, if he succeeds everything will die, you, us, what remains of your forest, everything.'

The Tree looked puzzled. 'Who told you that?'

'The Elves. Look, we've seen what he can do, he nearly succeeded last time. If it hadn't been for my brother and the Elves,' answered Danielle.

'This Warlock...' Oaktooth started to say.

'Ravengaard,' George interrupted.

'That's the one, very powerful, they only just managed to defeat him last time,' the tree continued.

'That,' Danielle said sharply. 'Is what we are trying to tell you. Should he succeed in returning, the Elves do not think they will be able to stop him this time. That is why we need to find out if the Dwarves are still around, and if so try and forge an alliance with them once again.'

The Tree seemed to shiver, above its branches shook and rustled. It sighed heavily once more. 'Even if you are able to find them, I do not think they will help. The Elves abandoned the Dwarves just as they did us. They were unable to stand against the onslaught of man and were defeated; they retreated, I know not where, although I heard, long ago, that the remnants of the Corachod, the Dwarves, went...' Its eyes drooped and the Whispering Tree started to fall asleep once more.

Jessica hit it with her stick.

'You were falling asleep again,' she yelled.

The Tree shook and stretched sleepily; one eye blinked open and gazed balefully at Jessica.

'Would you kindly refrain from striking me,' Oaktooth said haughtily. 'When you are as old as I am...did I tell you how old I am by the way.'

'Yes, several times," George rolled his eyes at his sisters. 'Now you were about to tell us where the Dwarves might be hiding.'

'Was I,' whispered the Tree. 'Oh yes, as I was saying before I was interrupted.'

The Tree paused for a moment, and the children thought it was drifting off again. But then it let out a low moan and continued.

'Long long ago, a passing stranger recounted a story to me. He had been hunting in the hills above the forest. One night while camping near the entrance to some caves, he had been awakened by strange noises from deep within the earth. The following morning, he had set out to explore the cave systems, but got lost, he wandered for days seeking a way out. Finally, he collapsed with fatigue and hunger. He indicated that whilst in a state of delirium he had been rescued by a race of diminutive creatures who lived deep in the caves. They had borne him back to their city and nursed him back to health.

Later he found himself back at his campsite with no knowledge of how he had gotten there.' The tree let out a low groan once more, its branches creaked above them.

'I believe these creatures to be the remains of the Corachod, the Dwarf nation, returned to their land deep within the hills of what you now call, the Warlocks Chair.'

'If that's true, how could we contact them?' Danielle asked.

'That I am unable to help you with,' Oaktooth said softly, 'If they are there you will not get near them. It is said they can hear any sound from afar and evade any danger that may come their way. But as I said it was just a story told to me long ago, who knows if it is even true.'

Danielle thought for a moment. 'Well, it's a start, something to tell the Elves, maybe they can figure it out.'

'Maybe,' echoed Oaktooth.

'Well, we had better be getting back home now, thank you for your help,' She nodded to her brother and sister. 'We will come back and see you if you wish.'

The Tree seemed to ponder on her words for a moment. 'Yes, I rather thought you might. Let me know how you get on with your search. But heed my words. If you have aligned yourselves with the Elves; do not trust them, they have dark secrets. A glamour they will use to enthral you, bind you to their needs. Then they will abandon you. Did I tell you they left us in our time of need?'

The children looked at each other, turned and retraced their steps back through the tangle of brambles.

They stepped back into the field; the sun blazed down on them once again, hot after the coolness within the thicket. The children stopped and listened, from beyond the wall of brambles came a low rasping sound, Oaktooth was asleep once more.

'Come on you two,' urged Danielle.

They turned and made their way up the field towards the house.