Anilyia (6 page)

“It’s alright,” he replied in confusion.
Vevin liked hugging better than being yelled at though so he
wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her tight. They
stayed in each other’s arms awhile, swaying gently from side to
side. Swaying together had become one of their favorite
activities.

Liselle went to the flowers in the clearing
and spent some time touching them, listening to what they had to
tell her. When done, she had a deeper understanding of herself as
well as her relationship with flowers. The flowers growing here
knew things most didn’t. They helped Liselle to grow within herself
and become stronger spiritually and magically. She spent time
enjoying their aroma, which made them very happy. They explained
how much the bees and hummingbirds liked their scents and colors
too.

She finally turned to Vevin who was leaning
against the rock behind the pool. “Let’s go talk with Tathan about
the princess.” Then she paused. “You promise not to eat the
princess?”

Vevin held his hands up in surrender. “I
promise I’m not going to eat the princess.”

Liselle nodded. “Let’s go then. He’s
probably starting to get worried about us.” She linked her arm in
his and they headed through the opening between the trees. They
turned to watch as the trees closed back around the clearing.

The walk back to the trail was mostly
silent. Liselle continued leaning down to touch the flowers, which
were very needy all day. She didn’t mind though. They gave her as
much attention and energy as she gave them.

Upon reaching the trail in the late
afternoon, Vevin and Liselle turned toward the village. Shadows
were growing deep and it would soon be getting dark. A light breeze
was taking the worst of the heat away while the forest began to
fill with the sounds of nocturnal animals poking their heads out to
find food.

“There are Druids ahead,” Vevin said.
Liselle couldn’t see them at all, but trusted his word. “They’re
waiting in the forest on either side of the road, thinking to
surprise us. They’ll feel very good if we let them.”

Liselle smiled at the idea. Her lover was so
considerate of people and liked to make them happy. “Of course we
can let them surprise us.”

When they reached the point where the Druids
were hiding, Vevin gave Liselle’s arm a little squeeze to let her
know. She tried to see them with peripheral vision, but they were
too well hidden for her simple sight. The flowers knew they were
there though and pointed them out to her. There were four, two on
either side of the path.

The Druids stepped out behind them. “Hello,
Liselle of the Flowers and Vevin Dragon,” a male voice said.
Liselle let out a convincing yelp and jumped around to look at
them. Two of the younger Druids exchanged grins at their
success.

The speaker was a young man who was smiling
more modestly at their success. He had blond hair with tan skin,
blue eyes, a tattoo on the left side of his chin and a number of
piercings in his ears. A woman about his age stood next to him. She
had similar features indicating that she might be his sister.
“Welcome to the Willden. I’m Bromin and this is my sister Alicia.”
The speaker greeted them with a strong, deep voice and a smile
aimed directly at Liselle.

Liselle felt Vevin tighten his grip on her
arm and lean forward protectively. She saw that his sharp teeth
were bared while his eyes whirled angrily at the Druid.

Bromin saw the look and took a step back, as
did the other Druids. One of the younger men clumsily pulled out
his sword and aimed it at Vevin. It wouldn’t be much use
considering how badly the blade was shaking in his hand.

“I recommend you put that sword away,”
Liselle warned the man. “My lover is rather hungry right now and
you would make a tasty snack.” She knew Vevin wouldn’t eat the man,
at least she hoped he wouldn’t, but the feel of Vevin relaxing just
a bit when she called him ‘lover’ was what she had been going for.
It was fun to watch the Druid’s eyes grow wide at the statement
too.

“Dragons don’t eat people,” Bromin declared
in a hostile tone. “You can’t hurt us.” The Druid didn’t sound
certain.

Vevin’s voice became deep and booming, laced
with anger. It was his true dragon voice. “If you point a sword at
me or try to steal my mate, you are fair game and I can chew your
bones into pulp should it please me.” Purple lightning ran up his
body and through his liquid silver eyes. A wave of power burst
forth from the words, traveling through his voice into the
surrounding forest. Liselle felt it, but was shielded from its
effects at the same time. The Druids and other denizens of the
forest were not shielded. Bromin and his companions turned and ran
away as fast as they could. The one who had drawn his sword dropped
it.

Every other living creature with legs or
wings also escaped from the area. Birds flew into the air,
squirrels scampered from branch to branch as fast as they could,
and a porcupine they hadn’t seen ran through the underbrush in a
desperate attempt to escape. Liselle watched as insects of every
type vacated the area as well. She saw a snail atop a log moving
desperately away from the dragon as fast as its little
shell-encased body could go.

Even the flora reacted to Vevin’s power.
Trees bent away from him, some dropping leaves or needles in fear.
Bushes contracted into themselves as though to hide. Liselle swore
she could see moss struggling to move to the other side of rocks
and fallen trees. Worst of all, her flower friends closed their
petals and wrapped leaves around themselves in fear.

A moment later, the forest was still except
for the snail and a few tinier insects still trying to get
away.

“It’s called dragon fear,” Vevin said with a
huge grin on his face. His voice was back to normal. “I can’t use
it very often because creatures can build a resistance to it. But
it’s so much fun!” A new dance followed that Liselle absentmindedly
categorized the ‘fun dragon fear dance’.

She hadn’t realized how much noise a forest
produced until everything was still. “May I tell the flowers to
relax now?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh yes! I’m so sorry,” Vevin said. “The
flowers are safe. I won’t hurt them at all.”

Liselle communicated to the flowers that
they were safe. The leaves unfolded a tiny bit, but they did not
yet open their petals. A few of them were even shaking. Having a
dragon boyfriend was going to make life interesting. The snail was
still trying desperately to get away. It might succeed in making
the end of the log by midnight.

“How long does it last?” Liselle asked.

He looked embarrassed. “Well . . . it
depends on the individual creature. Some get over it in an hour or
so, others, like that snail, might be affected for days or weeks,”
he said, pointing toward the desperate creature.

“That’s so sad,” Liselle said. She walked
over to the snail and tried to figure out how to help it. After a
moment, she came up with an idea. She hadn’t used much magic since
the caverns, but decided it was time to try casting a spell. Being
around so many flowers had filled her with energy that she could
transform into magic.

Liselle stood straight, inhaling deeply to
focus her mind. The smells of the forest were wonderful. Vevin’s
dancing stopped and he frowned with worry as a magical wind brushed
against Liselle’s face. She gathered the energy around her while
moving her arms and fingers. Tathan had taught her about motions in
magic and she found they helped focus power.

It didn’t take much before she had the
energy needed. Liselle thought about how Vevin had released the
dragon fear. She discharged her positive energy in a similar way.
He had cast the spell when talking so she decided to do the same
thing. “Peace!” she shouted with power in her voice. The command
wasn’t deep and ominous like Vevin’s, but still reverberated
throughout the area. Magical wind brushed her hair and robe forward
as the ring of power spread out. It moved much more slowly than
Vevin’s had, rolling gracefully past trees and plants.

The snail stopped trying to get away.
Liselle got the impression it would be panting if able. The flowers
relaxed and opened their petals once more while trees straightened
their trunks. Vevin looked at her in amazement. “Wow. I didn’t know
anyone could counter dragon fear,” he told her with a smile. “You
really are powerful.”

She blushed at the compliment. Looking
around, it didn’t seem as though the wave of peace would reach the
creatures that had already left the area because it was moving much
too slowly. Liselle went to Vevin and wrapped her arms around his
waist once more. Vevin wrapped his arms around her again and she
rested a cheek on his shoulder. “The peace you sent made me feel
good, but I’m going to teach you how to shield me if you ever do
anything that hurts, alright?” he asked.

Her eyes widened in alarm. Liselle hadn’t
even considered shielding him from it. “I’m so sorry,” she said in
a worried tone, looking up into his eyes.

“It’s alright. I’m not upset,” he reassured
her. “I can handle most spells even if they’re potent. You just
happen to be more powerful than most and I want to teach you things
that might make you a better sorceress.”

Liselle thought about that for a moment.
“I’m a sorceress?” she asked.

He frowned in thought. “No. Not really. I
just don’t know what you are. There isn’t another one of you
anywhere that I know of.”

“Oh.” She liked the idea of being the only
one of her that existed.

“Shall we continue?” Vevin asked. “I don’t
think our escort is going to come back for us and I know how to get
to the village anyway.”

“Yes. Let’s go.” They began walking back
along the path. A moment later, they came across the outer edge of
the spell Liselle had cast. It was moving very slowly in every
direction from the center where she had cast it. The trees and
plants in its path visibly relaxed as it moved over them.

“Let it go,” Vevin said. “It will eventually
fade. Until then, everything it touches will know peace, which is a
rare feeling for many things.” Liselle smiled at him and nodded.
They stepped through the slow wave of peace and continued at a
leisurely pace the rest of the way to the village, arriving well
after sunset.

Tathan was sitting on a stump at the
outskirts of the village while Sir Danth leaned against a nearby
tree. Lights from scattered dwellings cast a glow throughout the
forest. Tathan looked unhappy and Liselle became instantly
irritated by that fact. “Hello, Cousin,” she said with a hint of
challenge.

“Hi.” It looked like he was about to say
more, but restrained himself. “It’s good to see you,” he said,
standing as they walked up. He reached out to give Liselle a hug,
which surprised her. Tathan wasn’t one for displays of
affection.

“It’s good to see you too.” Liselle returned
the hug then looked at him, puzzled.

He sighed and stepped back with a shrug. “I
was worried about you. I know you can take care of yourself, but I
still worry.”

Liselle’s eyes narrowed. “You’re right. I
can
take care of myself. There’s no need for you to worry,”
she told him in a firm voice.

Tathan frowned. “Don’t talk to me like that,
Cousin. I’m not being condescending.”

His tone surprised her. Tathan had never
spoken harshly to her that she could remember. “What do you mean?”
she asked, unsure of herself.

“I mean that I worry about you, but it’s not
because I don’t think you can take care of yourself,” he said.
“I’ve been alone for years now with no one I like or trust.” Tathan
put his hands on his waist and looked at the ground. “You’re my
cousin, but you’re also my best friend and I don’t know what I’d do
if anything were to happen to you.”

Liselle leapt forward, grabbed him in a big
hug and started crying. She was doing a lot of that lately and was
going to have to figure out why, but she didn’t care at that
moment.

He held her against his chest. “When I think
about you being captured down in those caverns it sends chills up
my spine. I worry even though I know you can take care of
yourself.”

“Immbbmmphhlleeoo,” Liselle replied.

“What?” Tathan asked, loosening his
grip.

She pulled away and wiped her eyes on a
sleeve. “I worry about you too and you’re my best friend too,” she
said between deep sobbing breaths. “I know I can handle myself, but
sometimes I get a little scared and want someone to take care of
me.” Vevin handed her a handkerchief he pulled out of thin air. Sir
Danth raised a non-existent eyebrow at the trick.

“I understand that completely,” Tathan
agreed. “Sometimes I’m terrified and wish someone would take care
of me.”

“Really? You seem so brave and willing to
face danger.” Liselle used the handkerchief to blow her nose. She
looked at it wondering where Vevin had found it. It wasn’t in their
things and he didn’t have a backpack. Then she wondered where the
ones from the inn had disappeared to. She shrugged and blew her
nose again.

“Yes, really.” Tathan took her by the
shoulders. “Life isn’t easy for anyone, Liselle. Everyone feels
fear and wants to be comforted at times. It’s completely
natural.”

“Oh yes,” Vevin said at her side. “Even
dragons sometimes feel fear. I was very afraid when I thought you
might be hurt.” He did his reassuring dance. Liselle realized he
had been doing that one a lot around her lately. “The fear is not
always for ourselves, but sometimes for those we love.”

“So everyone is afraid sometime,” Liselle
said. For some reason, she hadn’t thought her companions were
frightened by anything. The knowledge that they felt fear comforted
her. She looked at Sir Danth who hadn’t said anything. “Even you,
brave knight?”