(Note: This story and all characters within are the sole property of the author, and is under the protection of
Later that morning Feryl and Grenwyn set out to search out the area to see if there were any more signs of trouble, and to gather some food for the next leg of their journey. That left Mynix to watch over and care for Laith. She sat by his side, and wondered at the thoughts that must be passing through his head.
Finally, Laith started to wake. He opened his unfocused eyes, and looked at Mynix, as tears began to form, but did not flow. She went to him, and held him against her like a mother would a child. It was a while before any words passed between them, but over the weeks they had formed an unspoken bond of friendship, and no words needed to be said for them to find comfort in eachother.
. “I have a confession…” Laith began, and he relayed to her the story of his prior meetings with Faelyn, the woman she had only known as Feryl. He told her of the identity of the ghasts that attacked them, and his fears of their significance. Mynix did not judge him, and did not offer him advice. She listened as he confessed, and when he was done she sat with him in silence and held his hand. They sat this way until the others returned from camp, Feryl was very happy to see he was awake and punched him lightly in his uninjured arm, and scolded him for “being a hero” which everyone knows can be interchanged with being a fool. They all laughed together and decided to set out for a new camp first thing in the morning.Laith played the cheery companion, and savored the moments. He was afraid that once he was exposed, that all of this would come to an end, and he would be exiled once again.
Feryl and Mynix had wandered off to a pool nearby to bathe, and that left Grenwyn and Laith alone at the campsite. Gremwyn had long suspected Laith knew more than he let on, but it wasn't until he saw Laith's reaction to the ghasts that attacked them that he felt he had the evidence to bolster his suspicions. Now that he had him alone, he would find out those secrets, one way or another.
“What’re ye hiding boy?” Grenwyn asked, startling Laith out of his thoughts. “I got a feeling ye didn’t just happen by the night of the attack at the shop, and I’m thinking ye know something more about Feryl too!” the dwarf growled, “And I’d have to be a durned idiot not to notice that you KNEW that ghast last night.” Laith noticed that Grenwyn held his Bone Hammer in his hands and felt very uncomfortable with the sight. ”I be expecting some answers elf, unless ye want me to be beatin them out of you.” Laith knew enough about dwarfs to tell that Grenwyn was only partially kidding about the beating. Laith sighed and knew he could keep his secrets no longer. “I knew Feryl, by the name of Faelyn Firecloud," he began, "and I fell deeply in love with her the day I met her, though I doubt she would remember me even if she could.”
“She rescued me from certain death on the roadside after I had been lost in a winter storm. She carried me to an inn and paid for my care and board. The inn keeper, rest her soul, told me that Faelyn stopped in each day to check on my status, although she never came to my room.” he said a bit despondently. Laith went on to explain how he had met with her lover, and the words they had exchanged. He told of his quest to make something of himself, and to expose this Dastrius for who he really was. Finally he came to the hunt of the Black Stag and his eventual return to the ruins of Sparrow Haven, where he followed their trail back to Grenwyn’s shop and stood guard over them. “The ghasts…”he said, suppressing an involuntary shudder, ”They were…I think..at least the one I fought..were the residents of Sparrow haven.” He said “ The one that attacked me, she was once the Inn Keeper I told you of.” Grenwyn let out a long, low whistle.”That’s a heck of a confession boy.” He shook his head, once again at a loss for words. “Are you going to tell Faelyn, I mean, Feryl?” Laith asked quietly. “I don’t know boy, I don’t know..” and that was all they said for the rest of the night.
The girls came back, moonlight glistening off of the water on their skin, and sat close together by the fire to dry. Laith couldn’t help but stare. They looked like the sun and the moon. Feryl’s radiant red hair, finally shoulder length after being burnt off, her golden skin stretched over well honed muscle. She looked like a perfect living statue of a goddess. Next to her sat quiet Mynix. Her hair was Black like a night sky, and her pale skin looked the color of moonlight. Mynix was plain of feature, and at the stage of adolescence where she was a bit too skinny, and all arms and legs. Sitting next to Feryl and the fire however, a beauty seemed to be reflected in her, and danger and mystery swam in her eyes. “Don’t think I’m not noticing your ears,” Grenwyn said as he went about packing their bags. Laith hadn’t been among elves or elf-friends in so long, he had almost forgotten his embarrassing habit. He decided to go for a bit of a walk and a cold dip in the forest pool.
Feryl and Grenwyn had done a thorough search of the area again that evening, so Laith was reasonably sure he could safely enjoy a few minutes away from the group. He slid slowly into the water, his browned skin tensing at the cool sensation. The curls of his golden hair floating on top of the pool for a bit before sinking down. His chest felt so heavy, he had so much on his mind that he could not breath, he lowered himself below the waters surface for a moment and considered staying there, until he thought of Feryl outshining the firelight, and he made his way back to the surface. Suddenly he felt very warm.
“Feryl, I’ve got something to tell ye,” Grenwyn said to her after Mynix had laid down for the night. ”I’ve found some things out about yer past, and I think ye should be knowin them,” Feryl had a sinking feeling in her stomach, she swallowed down the growing lump in her throat and nodded for him to continue. “Yer name is Faelyn Firecloud, and you were from the former town of Sparrow’s Haven” at the mention of her name, her head began to spin, wasn’t that the person Laith had said he loved, she caught her breath and asked the question she knew she did not want the answer to, “What do you mean former?” She asked, tears already forming in her eyes.
Grenwyn explained how he had found the town, and her, the lone survivor, and carried her back. “How did know find all of this out,” asked Feryl, “Have you known all along?” The dwarf looked at her with sorrow and pity in his eyes, “I knew part of it me girl, I knew how I found ye and where ye were from. The rest of the story came from Laith, he had known ye a bit in your past life, though he doubted ye would remember.” The dwarf’s voice caught a bit, “I’m so sorry me girl, I didn’t want you to have to relive whatever happened to you, I figured your mind would let ye know when you were ready, but I think ye might be in bigger danger than we thought, and I know now, I should have told you sooner.” Feryl hugged him and he held her close. “I understand you were only trying to protect me, and I know I wasn’t ready to know, I don’t know if I am now, but I think I want to know.”
Grenwyn looked at her, with pride and admiration in his eyes, “That’s me strong beautiful wild cat, I think ye had ought to be going down to the pool to have a talk with Laith. I’ve never seen one with a heart like that one, or one as stupid mind ye!” Feryl smiled at that and left to look for Laith. Mynix who had been pretending to sleep, smiled softly to herself, glad to see that all the secrets were being aired out, and hoping that would keep everyone’s mind off hers. “And you young lady,” the dwarf gruffly interrupted, “Have some explaining to do about that magic light ball!” Mynix couldn’t help but laugh, and soon Grenwyn joined in too.
For the second time that evening, Feryl thought her heart would stop, her breath caught in her chest as she saw Laith in the forest pool. The moonlight reflected off his golden curls, his skin, more bronze than gold, shimmered as the water reflected the firelight. Feryl felt an urge she had not felt in quite some time, and tip toed closer to watch him. His face seemed so familiar, and yet she still could not place it. Even with the knowledge of her past given to her tonight, she had no real memories of her prior life. He gazed up into the sky with a plaintive, sorrowful gaze, and her mind flashed back to the sight of her pulling him from the street, and into an inn, but that was all she remembered. She noticed her pulse had quickened and her heart was racing, and she knew at that moment she did not care about the past or the future, for the first time in a very long while, she knew exactly what she wanted, and regardless of the consequences, she would follow her heart.
“Laith,” she asked quietly, he turned quickly, both startled and embarrassed, and sunk down in the water in an attempt at modesty, which made Feryl smile. “I think you have some explaining to do,” she said. Laith knew that she had been told, and he felt his heart shatter again. He hoped she would release her anger and kill him then so that he would not have to suffer without her. Then, she began to disrobe and wade into the water. The look on his face, almost made her laugh, but she managed to stifle it, and spare his pride. Laith’s ears turned a deep shade of scarlet.
Laith forgot all modesty, and rushed to Feryl’s side. “Faelyn," he said, “you don’t know how long I have wanted to tell you, how long I have wanted to..” Feryl held her hand up to his lips, “I still don’t remember Laith, I don’t remember anything, and I don’t think I could be Faelyn again if I wanted to be.” She said, “I am Feryl now, and this is who I want to be. If you want Faelyn, I regret to tell you she is gone, but Feryl is here, and now..”she trailed off, suddenly embarassed by her own boldness “if you want me to leave, if I have been too bold..”she stuttered.
It was his turn to put his hands to her lips, and then he gently wrapped his arms around her, and drew her into him. He kissed her, and it was so much more than he had imagined, he felt her firm muscles pressed against him, and her strangely gentle touch as she ran her hands over his body. He could not breathe, and he liked that feeling, he had in his arms, everything he had wanted for so long. Feryl pulled him closer and their kisses intensified. They moved to the shore, and lay down upon the cool damp grass. Feryl would wait no longer, and they joined together. Feryl had no memories of her other encounters, but she knew this must be the best she has had. Laith thought of his other partners, and while he would remember each with special fondness, he knew they had held no comparison. They moved together, their golden and bronze skin shimmering in the moonlight. When they were done, no words needed to be said, they were pledged to each other, and the past was meaningless. When they dressed and walked back into camp, Feryl’s cheeks were very flushed, and Laith’s ears were quite the same. Feryl could have sworn she saw Grenwyn give Laith a wink, but she chose to ignore it.
The rest of the night they were left undisturbed, but Grenwyn and Laith knew that it would not be long before they were attacked again, and this time they might not be so lucky. They had been heading deep into the woods, without a specific destination in mind. Laith knew the woods around there better than almost anyone, and they thought that no one would be able to track them. They were obviously wrong. Laith knew if he returned to his village, he would be killed, which might not have stopped him, but it was likely his friends would be killed too, in order to keep the village’s location a secret. Grenwyn had brought up the possibility of heading towards a dwarven outpost deep in a canyon to the west. The rest of the party was not too pleased at the idea of going so deep underground, but they had decided it was their best option, and they began to head west.
(Note: This story and all characters within are the sole property of the author, and is under the protection of
1 comment:
Great story, I think I like Mynix the
best.
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