Yes, the Prince died, and the Moon Elves (and their allies from the Ocean) did invade the Sun-Bright City, where the Sun-King kept his throne. And Sun Nobles were defeated, and their King slain, armies fallen. Moon Elves marked up to Pretipaxae,called all lands East of it 'Their Own'.
Then they cut into lands of Sun-Elf, and theirs fresh-freed: equal pieces. Gave this middle-land to Humans, though we'd served the Sun Elf Kings. Humans East of this were cleared out, with great bloodshed from both parties. But the Human Lords were weakened, and most fled with West with their things.
So Sun Elf lands were greatly shrunken, and the Humans forcèd Westward. Moon and Sea Elves named this justice; they'd enforce these lines with blood. They took Royal Elven prisoners, them to question and face judgment. But set on Human lands no further, said "Now Peace: The War is Done".
What is a human to believe, then, of this strange tale's gruesome ending? Was Phemelius corrupted, by Dark Elves and his own doubts? And did Fia use and waste him, to advance her Evil scheming? From now her kind would live much better, and the Prince had been snuffed out.
Or was it that the King was wicked, and his fate then well deservèd? He was the noblest of High Elves, and his life lived far from War. By his sword only two Elves died—though, a broader thing is 'violence'. Were two Elf-kinds owed the vengeance they burned into Western shores?
One's view depends—I am supposing—on the world that person lives in. Or perhaps the world they wish to, if I may suppose again. You may live in such a simple world where Evil is containèd. Where you and yours are Good, so simply, and yourobstaclesshould end.
But as for mine, it is a gray one, full of rottenness well maskèd: many do harm they call 'righteous,' and their subjects play along. And 'Dark Elf' is an excuse-made, so that no one looks too closely: to seetheirEnemiesarePEOPLE, ortheir genocide as wrong.
What then for my world, complicated, by this murkening of Old Myths? Is the question, then, advantage: whether you win, or are lost? Might the fight go on forever, now the contest is shown naked? War not for Good but survival: just to Get, at any cost?
Or would Moon Elves now prefer to set things up so they could conquer? Misery would go on cycling, though some as I might feel it owed. Or maybe Humans, Sea, or Earth Elves would have turns at Domination. Such things are not blood-tied to Sun Elves, as the Prince and Yaphi showed.
So for you, I, Denbas of Sorman, have concocted one last riddle. Which I give to you in Lutesong, for indeed it is my trade:
If the Sun-Prince and the Moon-Bard
—and also I, a lowly Human,
Can see the truth about injustice,
And by our shared strength, see Kings bleed,
If even simple men, well nurtured,
Can come to an understanding,
Cut through lies we tell our children,
So they'll die to sate High greed.
For it isn't blood, but CHOICES,
Which make men and Elves un-kindly,
That no race, or tongue, or culture,
Is but 'monstrous' in its kind,
That great evil needs great power,
And will seek it, lie to keep it,
And the way of greatest criminals,
Is to make their deeds 'Not Crimes'.
Might we see these benefactors,
Building corpse-thrones for their sitting,
And realize them the Highest choosers:
The creators of the lies.
And see allegiance or excuses,
Or a cold, permissive hushing,
By the large mass of uspeople,
As what keeps them in disguise;
Is what keeps the kinsfolk dying,
Be they Human, or fey Elven,
When the mass with power bows, to Kings,
With High seats in their eyes.
Could we resist that domination?
Never accept it as fixèd,
Trust the love that comes by nature,
So all people might belong.
See that fears of men towards Moon-Elves,
Are but crown-built propaganda,
Are the lies that serve a purpose:
Sun-King's wealth, with Moonkin gone.
Liescreated for the use of men,
As bodies, implemented,
And any man can be a User,
And any Elf can join the song.
It may at times feel nearly hopeless,
Or, in truth: the 'worser option,'
Risk gives us cause to make excuses:
To hide away instead of DO.
But if a lowly Man can see through lies,
Andsomeday choose to face the danger,
Shake trained hatred, and turn traitor,
And fight Power,
Why can't You?