"Lia!" Aria rushed across the clearing and dropped down onto her knees next to Elora. Joy graced her face at seeing the sleeping child in the general's arms, well and alive. "How does she fare?"
"She sleeps peacefully," Elora spoke. Lia shuffled around in Elora's arm, responding to her voice. Despite the tiredness in her face, the small child held a soft smile as her mother patted her disheveled curls.
"We should go before we have any unwelcome visitors." Elvin mounted his avealis with haste. Grey eyes flashed with worry into the distance. "Nessa, how are your wounds. Are you well enough to ride?"
Nessa nodded her head, flinching at the motion. "It has started to heal."
The proclamation was met with a worried glance from Estel, but she remained silent nevertheless.
"Let us go then." With Elvin's command, they all sprung into action.
Aria extended her arms and asked Elora, "should I carry her?"
"Ahh... yes" —Elora hesitated— "she is a little tender, so be gentle."
Aria's heart warmed. "Of course." With a reassuring smile she took Lia in her hands. She rose and walked to Elvin's flying creature. He clicked his tongue, and the avealis lowered its front legs, allowing Aria to mount it.
Once again, they flew—this time to the Alchadian kingdom.
As they flew back, Aria, now without death hanging on her shoulders, watched the earth beneath pass by. She cradled the sleeping child in her arms and leaned back, pressed into Elvin. Not that he minded. If his mind were not clouded with the worry of humans in his territory, he would dare even say he enjoyed it.
From this vantage point, Aria dazzled at the mother tree in all its glory. It really did not look of this earth, but nothing really did. The Alchadian kingdom was so different from what she was used to. Magic and nature were one and the same. An oranged field of trees surrounded the mother tree. It was as if the surrounding foliage had absorbed the bright sunset that kissed their leaves. Rivers ran all throughout, watering the land and navigating large wondrous mountains.
Aria took a deep breath and let the cold night air, rich with a pine smell, ease her mind. "Such a shame," she mused.
"What is?" Elvin asked leisurely from behind. Each arm holding on tight to the reign.
"That this place is so full of danger. It looks too beautiful not to explore."
"It is easy to fear that which one does not know and not as dangerous once you learn the way of the land. If it would please you, I can show you around when time is not such of the essence," Elvin spoke as he looked on. His attention being seized by the woman in his arms. "There are some breathtaking and magical places."
A smile tugged at Aria's lip at the thought and perhaps at something more. "That would be great. Near the castle, from up the balcony, I can see a field of flowers. I have wanted to visit it for quite a while."
"My mother also enjoyed watching them. It is the reason why we built the tower in that direction." His mind became lost in the past.
"That tower is truly fit for a queen," Aria stated, but there was a lack of excitement behind her words. "Prince Elvin, would it be possible, after I have gained control of my powers, to move outside the castle?"
"Do you find your sleeping arrangement disagreeable?" He was a little taken back by her question. That was one of the most refined rooms in the kingdom, fitted for royalty. Despite its practical use, he assumed she would be pleased there.
"No. It's all lovely, but if I may be candid... It feels suffocating. Most days I wake, someone brings me food, then Estel and Nessa escort me to the High Shveera. I enjoy my time there. But then I return and hear the click of the door locking...it's quite disheartening."
"I see..."
"I guess I was hoping that someday I would be able to get a cottage or something on the side of the kingdom. Like the High sheevra. Somewhere where I can roam free." Aria pondered how her life had changed. She had all the luxury she could ever want back home, but she was never truly happy. Her life had been filled with so much turmoil and hate. For once, while away from that, she found that she could breath in piece while working with the High Shveera
"I didn't realize you felt this trapped..." Elvin felt guilty. Despite her feeling of being here, she had been so selfless in helping Lia. She had even risked her life for the nymph when it had wronged her. Sure, he didn't think all humans evil as some did, but he didn't know them noble.
"I'm sorry," Elvin apologized in a solemn tone.
"What for?"
"For the circumstances that brought you here... for my role in that." He wondered if he should tell her why he petitioned his father for her life. But how could he? When he did not really know himself what he was doing.
"Was it always like this? All this hate?"
"I remember a time when humans were allowed to roam in fae land. No need to kill each other on sight. Granted, most humans didn't want to come here in the first place."
"Why did you attack? I never understood that?"
"I am not sure of what you speak of?"
"The attack that started the war? Why did the fae attack?"
"The human's intent to invade our lands started the war. I do not know what lies you speak," Elvin grunted out. The offense fell off his lips.
"What do you mean lies? I have visited the site and saw how an entire town was laid to ruin with my own eyes. The skeletons still stain the ground."
"Then your eyes fail you."
"Must you be so condescending? How am I to know you are not the one that tells lies?" Aria turned her head to glare at the prince. Her redwood hair danced violently against the wind.
The wind swirled around them as the avealis began its descent. Once they landed on the city, by the High Shveeran's hut, everyone dismounted. "Nessa. Estel. You may go rest. General Elora see to that the high sheevra attends to Lia and Aria," Elvin spoke.
"I feel fine," Aria stated. She was, but mostly she wanted to contradict the elf. "I am not done with our conversation."
"I am. There are more immediate things that require my attention." Elvin turned without further words.
Aria made to go after him, but a hand grasped her arm. "You should still have the High Sheevra see you, make sure there are no side effects to the poison. You can always speak to him later, " Elora added.
"I suppose." Aria relented and began to walk towards the hut, Elora following close behind.
The door creaked in the darkness as they entered.
The High Shveera stood there waiting for them. "I see you have returned," she answered amusingly at the entering figures. The candles that cluttered the hut highlighted the curve of her knowing and proud smile. "Well done, Aria."
"The prince would like you to take a look at them both. Aria sucked the poison into herself to buy Lia more time," Elora spoke.
"What?!" She turned around in a panic, fogged eyes opened wide. She rushed across the hut and grabbed Aria's head. Old wrinkling fingers wandered over Aria's pink cheek. It tingled where Ryina touched her skin. "That's not possible."
"What do you mean?" Aria asked, a little taken back by the High Shveera's tight grip.
"That poison is highly deadly to humans. You should not have survived." Ryina's head tilted like a crow as if getting the right angle would allow her to see through her blindness.
"But, I did," Aria spoke.
"Curious indeed. Perhaps a side effect of that nasty seal...perhaps something else." The High Sheevra let her hands drop and did the same for Lia. "I don't sense any residual poison in either of ye. But I will brew you a detoxifying tea. It will help you replenish ye strength."
"Thank you." Aria bowed her head in respect. Her hand rose and touched her neck, just where the seal was placed. She wondered, 'what exactly does this seal do?'
"Wait for a sunray while I retrieve the leaves," she stumbled out of the hut.
Silence.
"Huma — Aria," Elora corrected, "I would like to offer you my gratitude."
"No need to. It was the right thing to do."
"Perhaps... but you had no obligation to help." Elora kneeled down on the floor. "I don't know what will be enough payment for risking your life to save my daughter." She drew her blade. "I offer you my sword, other than my kingdom, if you ever have need of me, know that I will come to your aid."
"That's not necessary."
"Nevertheless, I offer it. I hope you will accept it."
"But—" Aria was at a loss for words.
"To deny it would be to dishonor me." The candle light danced on Elora's chocolate skin as she awaited Aria's response.
"I do."
"Then it is with your acceptance that I pledge my sword to you. Whether you summon me each day or a lifetime from now, no matter how the fortunes change, only death shall keep me from my oath. For my sword will be my weapon, and I yours." Silence took over the room. Elora looked up as if remembering something, "you must now take the sword and return it to me."
Aria's hands trampled as she reached forward, the weight of the moment plaguing her mind. 'I hope I am doing this right,' she thought. She lifted the sword with both her hands, twisted it in her arms, and returned the shining blade hilt first to Elora.
Elora stood. "Not only did you save Lia, but you also saved me from damnation. I don't know what I would have done if Lia died. I have been such a horrid mother—" her voice trailed until it became nothing.
"You can be a better one now." It was never too late to change, that was something Aria had learned first hand.
"I pleaded to the gods not to take her. That I would do better... but I don't know if I know how to..."
"My mother died soon after I was born, side-effects of the birth, I am told. So I never got to know her. I never went hungry. I always had a bed. But I constantly found myself longing for someone to hold me with pure love— someone to wipe my tears away and tend to my bruises. Someone to just love me unconditionally and true. That's what I wanted out of a mother."
"That doesn't sound too horrid."
"I am sure you will do great."
"You seem so natural with her."
"I was quite jealous as a child. My family hated me, and the servants knew better than to be nice to me or inspire my father's wrath. Then my sister came, and everyone loved her. So I shunned her, for why should she have why I couldn't. One day, I found her crying because she thought I didn't love her. It hit me like a cruel irony that I had been doing to her the very thing I detested. So I decided that I would love her, with all my might. But at that point, I realized I was so engulfed in hate and forgot how to. So I pretended, a hug here and there. Then a smile and a kiss on the head. Eventually, her smiles eroded away at the wall I had built. "
"Would you help me learn?"
"Of course." Aria smiled mischievously, "you know how we should start?"
"How?"
"With a hug!" Aria held out her arms wide in welcome.
Elora snorted, "in your dreams." Yet, she laughed anyway. Aria grinned, for she had gained a friend.
The sound broke then silenced the room, and Lia's eyes began to flutter open. "Mama?" she called.
Elora rushed to the side and examined Lia's face, "are you okay, Lia?"
"It hurts.." Lia's fragile voice wavered.
"It's okay. You will feel better soon," Elora reassured her. "Lia, why did you go into the spider garden. You know better than that?"
"It's true, mama. Isn't it. I'm half-human... Is that why you hate me? I wanted to show you I could be as strong as you...so... I went to the garden bu...bu... I couldn't hold the spiders like you could."
Elora's mouth gaped open, frozen, unsure what to do. She looked to the human for help.
Aria gestured to her arms by holding herself.
Understanding the silent advice, Elora wrapped her hands tightly around Lia. Her face contorted, overcome with emotions as tears dripped from her brown eyes. "I'm sorry, Lia, for the way that I have treated you. One day, when you are older, I will explain everything to you. For now, I will do everything to earn your love."
"Bu... but I already love you, mama," Lia cried as she clung on tight to Elora.
Elora sobbed into Lia's har. Snot mixed with tears, she smiled.
Aria let out a relieved breath. After such a long day, it would be a god-given gift to let the warmth of the bath soothe her tired muscles. She untied and unclasped her breastplate and let it hit the floor with a clack.
Her breath halted.
Dark gloved hand covered her mouth. Aria found herself gasping with eyes opened wide as she struggled to pry the hand from her mouth. Her mind fogged as a sweet dizzying smell caused her eyes to falter as she was dragged to the balcony.
The world around blurred as her consciousness began to falter. The strength in Aria's fingers was leaving her, so she kicked the table with as much strength as she could. The table fell, sending a loud crash through the room.
"Silence, princess. We are here for you."