Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Sixty-Six: Blinding

"Come on, Fen," I chided her. "you don't want to turn into a pruned, do you?"

With an audible huff, Grifen got out of the bathtub. I wrapped the towel around her body and dried her off. Now that she wasn't wearing the poor excuse of a dress, I could see that every single bone in her body was prominent.

This kind of treatment didn't happen overnight or over a couple of weeks. It happened over months, maybe even a year. Long term neglect had taken its toll out on this little girl. A small boney hand pressed against my cheek, I looked up into her eyes.

"It's okay." Grifen voiced. I shook my head at her and continued to dry her.

"No, Fen, it isn't okay," I told her. "that was not what any living creature deserved should ever have to live through."

I finished drying her and handed her clean undergarments before helping her into the pants and sliding the tunic over her head. Pulling her long hair out from underneath the tunic, I adjusted the fabric until it rested on her body correctly.

The clothing was still slightly too big for her, but with a proper diet, she would fill out and grow into them. Spinning her around, I quickly braided her brown hair in a simple single braid before tying it off with a red ribbon.

"There you go," I said, standing up. "want to see yourself?"

Grifen nodded at me before following me into the room where a full-sized mirror sat. Positioning Grifen in front of the mirror, I saw her eyes widen slightly before she reached up to cover her red-eye.

"You don't have to hide your eye from anyone, Fen." I told her gently as I crouched down next to her. "we elves aren't like those in your village, to us, your eyes shine like rubies and emeralds. They are stunning and are a part of what makes you you."

Ever so slowly, Grifen slowly lowered her hand from her eye. I smiled at her in the mirror. Grifen's eyes and concentration went from the color of her eyes to the new clothes she wore.

Her eyes lit up at the bright colors as her finger trailed the elaborate stitching and embroidery. The vibrancy of the fabric stole her attention as she lovingly hugged herself.

"You like?" I asked her. She nodded vigorously back at me, giving me a blinding smile that I knew would melt hearts. A flutter of white wings drew out attention to Alethea who was now perched on top of the mirror. She was looking down at Grifen with a pleased expression on her face.

"Your outfit is very bright and warm, young one. I like flower patterns." Alethea said as a curl of smoke left her nostrils. Grifen beamed up at Alethea before turning to me and pointing at my stomach.

"Baby?" I nodded at her and patted my abdomen gently with a smile.

"It's a little girl," I told her. "But don't tell Murtagh, let's keep this a secret between us girls, shall we?"

A look of concentration crossed her face before a devious smile crossed her lips. With a firm nod of her head, Grifen agreed.

"Where is Murtagh, anyways?" I asked Alethea. "I thought he said he wasn't going to be long?"

"I know not, Thorn won't answer any of my calls. Shall I go and find them?" I shook my head.

"No, I am sure those two are just getting lost in their freedom," I replied before looking at Grifen. "how does a walk through the market sound? I am sure we can find some sort of fruit or vegetable we've never seen before."

A contagious giggle escaped from Grifen as Alethea glided to my shoulder. Side by side, the three of us left the room. Finding the market wasn't very hard. The vendors had a habit of singing cheerful songs to pass the time when their wears were not being sampled.

Grifen's eye's had almost left her skull at the large assortment of fresh produce and goods. I laughed at her expression and pulled her to the nearest berry vendor. The vendor as a kind man who offered samples of the different types of berries his family grey. To say that he had won Grifen's heart was an understatement.

To be honest, Grifen just about stole everyone else's heart as well. Now that she wasn't hiding behind a wall of dirty hair, her real personality shone. It was one full of brightness, mischief, and overall pure good. How her village ever thought she was a demon was beyond me.

Grifen now filled with excitement started to pull me around the market, curious about each of the items sold.

"She seems like a new child," Alethea commented from my shoulder as Grifen stared in wonder at a glass sculpture of a swan.

"That's why I am giving her time to heal," I replied as the glass vendor pulled out a tiny swan and offered it to Grifen. "She associated Grifen with her bad childhood, I hope that by calling her Fen, she can slowly heal from that hurt."

The look on Grifen's face when the vendor offered her a gift tore at my heart. Clearly, the child had never been offered something before. With light fingers, Grifen accepted the gift and cradled the swan in her hands. The vendor patted her head before pushing her towards the next vendor over, a baker.

"I'm glad to finally see a smile on the little one," The Vendor said as he turned his attention to me. I smiled and nodded.

"I as well." I replied. "she has gone through an experience I hope she can heal from."

"In your care, she just might."