The Guards of the King

The female elf who stumbled into the human village was a guard for the prince's detachment of guards.  They were attacked and the prince was kidnapped.  He is a young man, but still untested and knows only a little magic.  The group that kidnapped the prince wants to ransom him not for money but for the king to abdicate the throne in favor of his cousin, who they support.  If a group were to follow the clues and rescue the prince they would find favor with the King of the Elves.