Isildilia.(Book 1 of the White Lily trilogy)

chapter 13- a dangerous lie

    That was the pattern for the next two days.

Isildilia was always accompanied by the small girl when she wasn't in the inn.Valin and Dakelo in the meantime held sparring matches behind in a small courtyard. The days seem to fly by very quickly for Isildilia. On their final night, she lay face up on her bed and stared at the ceiling. This would probably be her last time in a comfortable bed for a long time to come. She could sleep soundly here as, due to the window's position, the moon could not trouble her.

Next door she heard Valin and Dakelo in a muffled discussion. However, the wall was thick enough to block her from hearing any distinct words. Soon after, the sound of Valin's flute drifted through the walls. Isildilia shut her eyes and started to hum along to the unfamiliar tune, almost unaware of her doing so again.

Once again she found herself sat in the endless field of flowers. She must have fallen asleep. But unlike the last two times, she was now sitting right next to the rock. She looked behind her but the petals and flowers had covered crept over the path she had made. Turning her attention to the rock, she looked around. The rock protruded out over a small body of water, which was perfectly circular. She could not see how deep it was , as it went to such a depth the water turned black.

She couldn't make her way to the edge of the water, so she climbed up the rock and pulled herself along, right to the very edge. She looked down into its depths but saw nothing other than her own reflection staring up at her. She blinked and so did her reflection. Then her reflection blinked again, but Isildilia hadn't. She stared back waiting to catch it doing it again. The air started to resound with the echoing sound of someone tapping on a piece of glass. Isildilia looked around for the source, which was growing increasingly louder.

It wasn't in her dream. She was lying face up on her bed, but the sound still continued on her window. She crouched up to see what it was. She was shocked to see it was Litz pecking at the window. At first Isildilia didn't see him, as he blended in with the night sky. She unlatched it and he fluttered in, causing a racket as he did so.

"Be quiet ," Isildilia hissed. Litz bowed his head in apology. Isildilia listened to see if anyone else heard him. "What is it?" Litz opened his beak to speak but stopped as Isildilia's door opened. Valin was standing in the doorway looking absolutely furious. He marched right over to Litz.

"What do you think you are doing?" he hissed. Litz hopped around and hid behind Isildilia. "Do you know that if you got caught you'd have put all of us at risk? Did you not think about that before you pulled this stunt?" He seemed to spit out every word in a rage. It reminded her of when he'd shouted at the foresters days ago. He stared with eyes unfamiliar to Isildilia and she was scared. Her hand slipped to her thigh, brushing against the knife still strapped against her skin. Valin shut his eyes and he started to take deep, calming breaths. They both watched him, seeing what he would do next. After a while he opened his eyes again, looking like the Valin she knew.

"I apologise for that," he whispered. Litz hopped back over, now the danger had passed, and started to preen Valin's hair, then he proceeded to whisper something in Valin's ear. Valin uttered a mumbled thanks and Litz departed through the window and into the night.

Once Litz had left, Valin sank onto the bed next to Isildilia, resting his head in his hands.

"Valin? Is something wrong?" she dared to ask. He hesitated then shook his head. "Are you sure?" He nodded, although Isildilia knew he was lying.

"I'd better get back to my room," he muttered. But when he reached the door, he couldn't get through. All of a sudden, he stopped when the sky cleared behind them. Like with Isildilia, the back Valin's clothes suddenly ripped as his own wings burst from his back. It made him too wide to walk through the door; they clunked on the frame, making him wince. But unlike Isildilia, he could move them freely. He stretched them out to the full width of the room, and then pulled them back in again. She heard him mumble a curse to himself. Isildilia stood up. She walked over to Valin with great curiosity. She staggered forwards and Valin had to catch her, as her wings slipped out from her back; her clothes were already ripped from the previous times. Valin had re-assured her before, that as time passed; it would become easier and less painful. But she had yet to experience it.