A/N: Here it is! I'm sorry that it took so long, I had a few things to take care of and besides this chapter is very long by my standards. I hope this waiting will be worthwhile.
As always, I want to thank Redworld96, who made such a beautiful fanart for this chapter and helped me quite a bit with her suggestions and ideas; I suggest you to go check her on Tumblr, Twitter or Deviantart to see all the wonderful art she is making for this story. And thanks to Trig, who beat read this and helped me fix some things, in addition to making me smile and laugh with her lovely comments.
Enjoy!
Chapter IV: Do not touch the Tree
King's eyes snapped open and he rose, his mouth gasping for air as he frantically looked around. For some terrifying moments, the darkness around him was like a cage, his laboured breathing the only sound reaching his ears, and the only thought he could discern in the storm that was his mind was that he was in danger – he was about to die . The urge to spread his wings and fly away – it didn't even matter where – was so overpowering that he almost lifted and left. Then, when he moved, something soft and warm brushed against his arm making him jump, and when he turned abruptly sleepy violet eyes met his gaze. Diane. When her name came to his mind he was finally able to breathe again, almost shaking, relief traversing his body like a jolt and driving out the tension that had tightened it until that moment. He was in his bed, in his Forest, with Diane. He was safe. He was safe . He closed his eyes, the air reaching his lungs feeling almost like a blessing, and he was about to let himself fall on the mattress again when a gentle touch reached for his cheek.
Diane had lifted her body to come closer to him, her hair loose and messy on her shoulders. She seemed a bit more awake than before as she looked at him with tight, concerned eyes, caressing his skin with her thumb. "Another one?" She simply asked, and when he nodded, his throat feeling too sore to let him speak, she sighed, her other hand reaching for his neck so that she could pull him closer, holding him and taking him with her when she laid down. It took a moment for him to follow her movements and hold her back, his own hands reaching for her back, digging in her smooth skin – he wanted, no, he needed to feel that he was really there, with her, that he was safe. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply her flowery smell, and relaxed in her embrace.
He didn't know how long they laid like that, his arms around her chest and her hands caressing his hair and back, slowly tracing lazy paths on his skin. He just knew that when Diane spoke again, his heartbeat had slowed down, now a calm and regular thud in his ears, almost a hypnotic and relaxing sound. "Harlequin," she said softly, her warm breath tickling his ear, "do you remember this time?"
Of course, he didn't. Those nightmares – or what he supposed were nightmares – had been visited him for almost two weeks by now, waking him up in the middle of the night, sweat coating his skin and his body almost froze by terror – or, a few times, mind blinded by rage, needy to react, to fight back and to kill. Yet, he could remember nothing of what he had dreamt. Only shadows; people running and flying around him; fire, sometimes, dancing around him, its tongues moving closer and closer to the place he stood up until they brushed him and burn. It didn't matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember more, nor understand where those fragmented images came from. They weren't from his past, he was sure about it; but then, why were they in his mind?
He let out a sigh of frustration and raised his head to look at Diane, their faces so close that their noses almost touched. "Nothing, as usual."
She nodded, not at all surprised by now – she was getting used to that answer, he thought bitterly. He couldn't help but feel his heart aching noticing the tired look in her eyes. Her skin was warm under his fingertips when he lifted his hand to cup her cheek, "I'm sorry I woke you up. Again," he whispered.
Despite the tiredness, a smile formed on her lips, as she leaned against him, touching his forehead with her own. "Don't be silly, you are not doing it on purpose," she whispered. "Besides, I don't want you to face this alone. You would do the same for me."
He nodded, mind still clouded by exhaustion and fear, but extremely grateful to have her by his side, to be loved by her. Once, he wouldn't even have hoped that they could have been like this. Sinking his fingers in her hair, he bent down and finally met her lips, smiling against her when he felt her hands pushing him closer, a satisfied hum coming from her throat. She breathed in before moving away, her fingers still laced behind his neck; her eyes studied his face for a second before she bit her bottom lip. "Have you thought about what I told you? About asking Merlin?"
Right. She had proposed it a few nights before – he hadn't slept well for a week by then, and they had both started worrying. After all, it wouldn't have been the first time one of them asked for Merlin's help with something like that. Nightmares weren't uncommon for them and the rest of the Sins, not even before the war.
"I did, it's just …" His fingers fidgeted and started to play with a lock of her hair, "I don't like the idea of getting to use Merlin's magic, it's too strong. What if something happens and I can't wake up?"
"Nothing will happen, not for a few days while we solve this problem," she grinned, raising her hand to caress his cheek, "and remember that I will be with you, I can protect us both."
"I know," a smile formed on his lips, "but anyway, before resorting to magic, I could ask Gerheade. She used that herbal tea when I was younger, to help her to sleep. Maybe it could help."
It wasn't the first time he had thought about that solution in the past couple of days, but talk with his counselor had been … difficult, in the last week. Every time he saw her, he felt like he had to speak to her – the urgency to do that was so sudden that he immediately opened his mouth ready to say something, and then closed it, not knowing exactly why. It was getting frustrating and worrying, but it was probably just the lack of sleep. Besides, he didn't want to make her worry. His stomach clenched every time he thought about the concern shining in her purple eye when she saw him, back since the time he had almost lost his temper with Aed. No, he didn't want to worry her. She didn't deserve it. Yet, asking her for something helping him to sleep … maybe he could have explained his situation, and she would have understood that she didn't have to worry too much.
"I will do that," he murmured, looking into Diane's eyes, "and if it doesn't work, I will ask Merlin."
"Good," Diane smiled at him, before placing one last kiss on his lips, "now, try to sleep with me, okay?"
He nodded his head and buried his face in her hair, encircling her with his arms to hold her closer. "I will try."
A few hours later King's eyes were open again, fixed on the wooden ceiling, his hand absently playing with Diane's hair and listening to the slow sound of her breath. He wasn't sure what had woken him up this time. Maybe another nightmare – but again, he could remember nothing. He snorted, pursing his lips. Whatever it was about, at least it hadn't been as bad as the one before, and he had managed not to wake Diane again. He glanced at her, a wave of relief and affection filling his chest at the sight of her relaxed features, her head on his chest and mouth slightly open. She needed to sleep. And so did he, he thought with a low groan, closing his eyes again, the by now familiar pressure in his temple seeming to become even harder to bear. But he couldn't relax. His mind seemed unable to rest, the thoughts constantly wriggling in his head in a confusing mass of which he couldn't understand anything. He let out a sigh before opening his eyes again; it seemed like for that night he wouldn't have been able to sleep more. He pressed a quick, light kiss on Diane's forehead – her eyes squinted as she inhaled deeply, but she didn't wake up – then he cautiously disentangled himself from her grip, his fingers lingering for a moment on her skin before he got out of bed.
A few minutes later he was outside, the morning cool air caressing his skin as he slowly flew through the trees, the dim light of the dawn illuminating enough for him to see clearly his surroundings. Apparently, no one else was awake – no Fairies or Giants, at least, since he could hear the far calls and the muffled sounds of the animals of the Forest. It never slept, not completely. Finally, his body started to relax and his mind to clear, not feeling anymore like the hornets' nest it had been a few minutes before. Still, he felt exhausted, as he had in the last few days. He crossed his arms across chest and while tracing circles and spirals as he flew, trying to understand what was happening to him. Nightmares wouldn't have been strange, they sometimes visited him during the night, but they had been different before – sporadic, and of course, he could remember about them when he woke up. Those shattered dreams, that feeling of constant tiredness … that wasn't normal. If he had been human, he would have suspected to be sick, but Fairies didn't get sick. Yet, there had to be something …
Half-closed eyes, he let himself slowly floating in the air, not minding where he was going – it wasn't important. When had it started? He remembered having nightmares for more than a week, but even before he had struggle sleeping, something that wasn't normal for him. It wasn't bad at first, but it had worsened fast, and he couldn't think of a single reason it would have had. Nothing had happened in those days that could have led to it, not that he had noticed, and before –
His eyes snapped open as he stopped abruptly, face turned towards the canopy of leaves. The tree. Before it all started, there had been the tree. He straightened himself out and ran a hand through his hair, his brows furrowed – how did he forget about the tree? But … he didn't forget. He had always known about it, in the back of his mind. Yet, it was weird that he hadn't thought about it at all, and he hadn't even spoken to Gerheade about it, although he knew he should have had. It had been like the memories of what he had seen had been hiding in his mind, right there but barely out of reach. There was no way to be sure about it right now, but it was possible – likely – that the tree had something to do with what was happening to him. There was nothing else that could have affected him, and the weird, disturbing magic he had felt in that place ... how could he not see it until now? King shook his head, jaw clenching. He had to speak with Gerheade about it, and if she knew nothing, maybe Merlin would have – but he couldn't let it slide anymore.
While he was flying the sun had risen enough to fill the undergrowth with lights and shadows and the sound of the Forest had changed, now consisting in the buzz of the bugs and the yells of the diurnal animals. King looked around, willing to understand where exactly he had ended up, and his brows raised in surprise when he noticed that he was farther from home than he had thought at first, somewhere in the Southern part of the Forest. It wasn't the first time in the last few days that he hadn't been aware of the passing of time – another thing that was starting to worry him. At least, it was late enough to go looking for Gerheade. His advisor had never slept much, she was probably already awake. He pursed his lips when his thought went to Diane – maybe she had awoken and now she was looking for him, and he didn't want to make her worry – but most likely, she was still asleep. She hadn't slept much in the last couple of night, he thought, a cold feeling of guilt in his chest. He would have checked on her later, after having talked with Gerheade. He breathed out and rapidly stared flying toward the center of the Forest. He knew he would have found her here.
It wasn't necessary to look for Ghereade, she was the one who found him. This time he felt her presence coming closer while flying through the trees, and so he stopped at mid-air, head turned toward his right to see her emerging from the branches, the sunlight shining on her hair and only earring.
She reached for him and bowed her head, greeting him with a low "Your Highness," before studying him from under her hat with her piercing, purple eye. "I didn't expect to find you already awake."
He ran a hand through his hair, shrugging. "I couldn't sleep," he cut it short – he wanted to ask her if she knew something that could have helped him, but before, there had to discuss something more important.
"Gerheade," he started, and then, mouth opened to speak, he stopped. The words felt like trapped in his throat, and when he pursed his lips with irritation before trying to talk again he realized that it was because he didn't really know what to say. There had been something he wanted to tell her not even a few minutes ago, he was so sure about it, and yet, nothing came into his mind when he desperately attempted to remember what it was about.
"Your Highness?" Gerheade tilted her head and raised a brow, uncertain in front of his struggle.
King shook his head in frustration – why he had felt that urgency to talk to her? It was something important, something she could have known, something … "How's Aed?" He finally blurted out, but as soon as the words left his mouth he knew it wasn't what he had wanted to ask her. Yet, he could do nothing about it, nothing but waiting for whatever it was to come into his mind. And besides, he had wanted to ask news from Aed, as he hadn't seen him since he had returned from his trip. "Do you know how he is doing?"
Gerheade blinked, then her expression softened. "I've seen him yesterday, your Highness. He was fine, his wounds healed perfectly, thanks to you. The physical ones, at least," she sighed, clasping her hands, a shade of melancholy in her gaze. His counselor fell silent for a second, before whispering, "I think it won't be easy for him to deal with humans for a while. It wasn't, for me."
King nodded, pressing his lips in a hard line. Even after he had found out what had happened to Gerheade, they had rarely talked about it – there wasn't much to say anymore. It wasn't his fault, of course, but he couldn't help but feel like something was crushing his heart when thinking how all that could have been avoided. However, there was nothing he could do to change what had happened to her; he could do something for Aed, though. "I won't ask him to," he said, "he will remain in the Forest as long as he needs, and I won't allow any human to approach him – and the others. He can have all the time he needs."
"You won't allow any human here?" Her brows drew together. "No one? What about our allies?"
"I – ", he exited, for a moment not knowing exactly how to answer, then he exhaled, joining his hands behind his back. "Of course, our allies will be allowed here. It's just – I don't want anyone to be scared by them, I want them to feel safe."
Gerheade nodded slowly, but the lines on her forehead didn't disappear, nor did the shadow of concern in her eye. "Are you feeling well, your Highness? You are acting a bit … well, differently."
Letting out a sigh, King gave her a nod. He should have expected a question like that from her, after all the worried looks she had given to him. "I am, Gerheade, you don't have to worry for me. I'm just a bit tired, I'm having trouble sleeping – about that, do you know some remedy that could help me?"
"Something to help you sleeping?" Her eye narrowed as she put a hand under her chin, before making an affirmative sign with her head. "I can prepare something for you, it should help."
"Good. Thank you, Gerheade," he managed to make her a little smile, finally feeling like the burden on his shoulder was a bit more light. "I know I've been acting, hum, weird, but it's just exhaustion. It will go better."
Her mouth twitched and finally, she smiled back at him, seeming a bit more relaxed. "I hope you will, your Highness, I will make you something as soon as I can." She didn't move away, then, but kept looking at him, as if waiting for him to say something else.
He raised a brow, his mind running to Diane – maybe now she was awake, the light was bright enough to disrupt her sleep. He tilted his head, looking at her curiously, "There is something else?"
That seemed to surprise her. She widened her eye, then she pursed her lips, furrowing her brow, that look of apprehension and – what was that? Unease? – back in her gaze. "You – didn't you notice anything strange, Your Highness?"
"Strange?" He frowned, trying – really trying – to remember if there had been something different in the last days, but the only thing that came into his mind where his dreams, and why should she refer to them? "What do you mean?"
"Don't … don't you feel it?" Her voice came out low, not quite sure, as she was the first being surprised by what she was saying.
"What?"
"The Sacred Tree!" She blurted out, "it's been a couple of days by now – It doesn't feel right. Something is happening to It. Yesterday Merik told me that some of Its leaves are rotting, and you know that this shouldn't be happening – it had never happened!" She stopped a moment, catching her breath, her gaze feeling almost accusatory when it met his one. "You have a bond with the Sacred Tree, your Highness – you really didn't perceive anything at all?"
He stared at her, motionless, for a couple of seconds, eyes wide, before his hands twitched and his fingers started to fidget nervously as he felt a flush creeping over his cheeks. Nothing. He had sensed nothing, not even a hint of discomfort – and it shouldn't have happened. The Sacred Tree wasn't only what had chosen him to become the king, it had been the Tree that had given him life, and he had always been able to feel It, even better than all the other trees of the Forest. If something had happened to It – how could have he not felt it? And something so serious that apparently had damaged – damaged! – It …
What was happening to him?
"I – ", he swallowed, rubbing the back of his neck, "I didn't – I don't know, Gerheade, I didn't feel – I can't feel anything." Not even now, trying to focus on his bond with the Tree. It had always been like there was a string linking him to It. It was easy to feel it, deep in his mind, and it was here, he was sure – but it had never been so difficult to feel it.
His counselor kept staring at him incredulously, lips pressed in a hard line until they parted as she whispered, low, "Nothing?"
"It has to be the tiredness," he murmured, his voice coming out almost like a defensive whining, but he knew it couldn't be the truth, not entirely – he had been tired before, and it had never affected his connection to the Forest. "I will check it immediately, I promise. If I can't feel anything wrong, it's probably not so dangerous," he added. It wasn't clear if he was trying to convince more her or himself.
Silence fell over them as Gerheade studied him, arms by her side, her features pale. Finally, she inhaled deeply, her pupil flared and once again, a mix of concern and what looked almost like fear covering her face. "Are you sure you are fine?"
"I swear," he hurried to reassure her, "please, don't worry about me, I will be better as soon as I will sleep a bit more. I will immediately go to see what's happening to the Sacred Tree and I will take care of it. "
"Alright," she agreed after a couple of seconds, but her shoulders were still tensed and her skin pale, "I will prepare you that tea to sleep, but if there is something else … you can tell me, Your Highness."
"I know Gerheade," he sighed, "I know. But there is nothing else." Not that he knew, at least. "I will just inform Diane, then I will go to the Fairy Realm to check the Tree. I will take care of this." His wings shifted and he nodded at her, then turned and flew away, towards home. He didn't need to look back to know that she was staring at him.
Yet, it was late in the afternoon when King finally reached the passage for the Fairy Realm, and the light of the sun assumed an orange shade that gently enveloped the trees. The Fairies he met looked up and waved at him as he floated towards the large trunk of the tree that marked the connection between the Human and the Fairy Realm, ad he did his best to nod back to them even though his mind was elsewhere – it seemed to have become the norm, by now. He hadn't meant to be late, he really hadn't; when he had left Gerheade, he was determined to check the Sacred Tree immediately, just after advising his wife, but then … he wasn't sure about what had happened, then.
Diane was already awake when he had come back home, and it had been so awfully easy to lose track of time while talking with her, telling her that he had just gone to take a fly, and eating breakfast with her and then just chatting and working on a few things – their relationship with Liones and with Camelot, mostly. Before he knew, the sun was high in the sky and it was just when Diane had asked him if he wanted to go find Gerheade to ask her help that he had remembered about their conversation – and about what he had to do. Explaining Diane why he had to leave for a moment had taken some other time – his wings shifted nervously as her expression returned to his mind, violet eyes large and worried staring at him as she listened to his words. Even though she wasn't a Fairy and she couldn't fully understand what the Sacred Tree meant to them, she knew that it was important. And then, when he had tried to reassure her telling that since he had felt nothing from his bound it was probably nothing serious, she had asked it. "Is it possible – " a pause, her head tilted and bottom lip held between her teeth, "I mean, whatever is happening to the Tree, could it be the reason of your problems? Of the dreams?"
And he had frozen still, brows raised and half-open mouth, because it could have been possible. The Sacred Tree was the source of his power and if something had happened to It, he would have been the first to feel that – him, he thought, concern tightening his chest, and Elaine, but he hoped that if something had happened to his sister, he would have known by now. It was foolish that he hadn't thought about it before, not even when Gerheade had mentioned it that morning – he should have had. But he should have had done many things lately, and maybe he was about to discover the reason he hadn't.
Finally, his feet hit the surface of one of the large branches of the tree, but when he put his weight on them for a second it was like his legs couldn't support him and gave up. A low cry of surprise left his lips and he stumbled, moving a few steps forward, but he managed to recover the balance, his wings spreading wide behind him, after a moment. King grit his teeth, clenching his fists with irritation – apparently, the lack of sleep was starting to affect his body as well. He really hoped he could have fixed it soon, he was sick to feel like that. He took a deep breath and tried to relax his mind, focusing on the magic that surrounded the tree. It wasn't necessary to touch its wood nor to be so close to it to cross the passage between Britannia and the Fairy Realm, but it simply made it easier, and in his current state, he would have taken advantage of that. In the blink of an eye, the landscape around him had changed, the flourishing trees of the Fairy King's Forest replaced by the wild nature of the Fairy Realm, with its gigantic plants – even higher than the ones of the Forest – with their long, entangled vines and huge fungi sticking out from the ground, almost covering it with their caps. When he raised his eyes, his gaze immediately met the enormous shape of the Sacred Tree, Its wide dark brown trunk filled with dark recesses and the long branches splitting out and creating a large, solid canopy. That view had always been reassuring for him – and for all the other Fairies; it was a reminder that something was watching over them, something that had always been there and that would always have been, no matter how many millennia would have passed, how many Fairy Kings would have followed. The solid figure of the Sacred Tree would have always been there, giving them magic and a home. Yet, the only feeling he could sense as he looked at it was a sudden clench in his gut that made him gasp, and then icy fear crept through his veins with the awareness that he couldn't stay there for anything in the world and – run away run away run away .
His body moved by its own will as he took flight and turned his back to the tree, breath blocked in his throat, then flew away as fast as he could, winds hitting his face, ignoring the calls of the Fairy creatures that had been there and attender his arrival. It took a bit more than a minute to his thoughts to reorganize enough to let him realize what he was doing. He stopped abruptly, his body still bent forward for the flight, eyes wide and cheeks flushed. What had happened? He had never felt such a compelling urge to run away – and he had faced the Demon King himself, for the Gods! Holding his breath, he slowly turned back. This time when his eyes finally landed on the distant figure of the Tree he managed to control himself, but he couldn't deny the nauseating feeling in his stomach nor the fear that still rested inside him. His entire body was yelling at him to go away and put as much space as possible between that Tree and himself – but, damn it, why? Why should he have been scared by the Sacred Tree among all, the same source of his life?
His fists clenched, and he took a deep breath, trying to relax a bit, then he started flying back, toward the Tree. It was obvious that there was something wrong with it, something that was affecting him, and he was determined to understand what it could have been. Yet, his heart raced as he came closer and closer, his breath rapid and irregular; it was like being pulled back by a magical force, though he was sure there was no magic in action, he would have felt it. Fighting the sick feeling that was now almost suffocating him, King kept flying, until he finally grounded on one of the large fungi that surrounded the old, enormous trunk. He needed to catch his breath, but it was being strangely difficult, almost as the air was rarefied like it was in the heights of the sky.
Eyes narrowed, he focused only on breathing for a moment, relaxing the muscles of his back. When he finally opened his eyes again, he wasn't alone anymore. Trying to put himself together, he managed to lift a bit the corners of his mouth as he nodded to the Fairies and the little Spirits who were approaching him, some of them making a sign back, some other just smiling and whispering his name with such joy that he couldn't help but feel a bit better, even though the nausea hadn't stopped.
"Fairy King!" A voice stood out between the whispers. King glanced at his left and waved at Merik, waiting for the other Fairy to reach him. He landed next to him, a smile spreading over his face as he looked at him with hopeful green eyes. "Lady Gerheade told you would have come!"
"Of course," King answered quietly, crossing arms across his chest, his head slowly nodding as he kept observing the people around him. The urge to fly away hadn't left him yet, and it was getting difficult to maintain a controlled expression, but he seemed to be the only one with that problem. None of the other Fairies showed signs of discomfort, and even though he was relieved to ascertain that, it was worrying. It meant that whatever was wrong, it was about him - or at least, so it seemed. "What's exactly the problem?" He asked, turning his head towards Merik again.
The smile disappeared from his face as the other Fairy coughed and straightened his spine, joining his hands in front of him. "It's the Tree, my King," he said, his voice serious and tinged with worry. "I'm sure lady Gerheade already told you about it, but It … It's different than before, I can feel that – and It has something wrong with Its leaves. Some of them fell, others don't look normal at all. The wood doesn't seem to have anything bad, though, at least for now." He interlinked his fingers and nervously glanced at King. "Do you know what could have happened?"
The look in his eyes was of pure trust, as it would have been enough for King to glance at the Tree to solve the problem, and the awareness that he couldn't do that and that he would have disappointed him – and all his people – abruptly hit him. He tried not to let his panic shows through his face, but he probably didn't do a good job since Merik brows flinched and he tilted his head, blinking. "Are you feeling alright, Fairy King?"
"Sure," King managed to breathe out, forcing a likely unconvincing smile on his lips, "I'm fine, just a bit tired. I – well, I don't know what happened, but I will take care of whatever it is. Can you," he took a moment to inhale, squeezing his arms with his hands in the attempt to resist the urge to leave, "show me those leaves you talked about?" Get closer to the Tree was the last thing he wanted to do, but he had to give It a look.
Merik relaxed and nodded, his feet leaving the surface of the fungus and his wings flinching as he waved at him. "Follow me, Fairy King! We'll be there in a moment."
A gesture of greeting to the other Faires and then King was following him in the sky. Merik wasn't fast, not as he was, but for once he was grateful about it. Every movement toward the Tree made his gut clenched and his throat clamped, and he wasn't sure he could have done it moving faster. He carefully tried to keep a certain distance from the trunk, though, the idea of touching the wood sending thrills of pure panic through his spine. Merik stopped only when they had reached the mass of branches that erupted from the Tree, and he casually landed on one of them, pointing at the leaves that surrounded him. "Look at those! They don't have the right colour, and if you touch them – they are dry. But some others," he waved around, to the other branches, "are not. It doesn't seem to follow a path – we examined it, of course. It ... it simply doesn't make sense."
King tilted his head, putting a hand on his mouth, trying not to make the other Fairy notice his sharp breath as he bowed. Merik wasn't wrong, the colour of the leaves was darker than it should have been, and even though he didn't touch them – he couldn't have, the only idea of moving his arms closer made his muscles tense and rigid, unable to move – it was enough to look at them to see that their texture was wrong as well. They looked too thin, too dry, almost like during a drought – but that wasn't possible, not in the Fairy Realm, and to the Sacred Tree.
"When did this start?" He managed to ask, and even though he was trying to keep his voice firm it came out low and hesitant.
Marik shrugged, gaze fixed on the leaves. "I think Adir was the first to notice them, the day before yesterday, but it's possible that it started before and no one saw it. It didn't change much in those days though, whatever it is, it's not fast."
It was recent, then, more recent than his weird condition, but that didn't exclude that the two things could have been related. King swallowed, throat dry, still observing the leaves, and then he carefully tried to reach the Tree with his mind. It had been easy, before, his bond with it making it simple to feel its presence and its particularly complex essence. Yet, he couldn't feel anything from it, almost like there was nothing to feel except for the low murmurs that came from the plants around them, but it was just white noise if he didn't focus on it.
"Hum, would you want to touch them, Fairy King?"
Merik voice's dragged King back to reality. He blinked and turned towards the other Fairy, widening his eyes. "What?"
"I – well, we have tried, but it's not easy to feel It, it's … confusing. But you know how to make it, my King, better than anyone! Maybe if you'll touch It, you will understand what is wrong." He nodded, looking at him with anticipation.
He was right. Touching the Tree, establishing a physical connection with It, would have made things easier, but when he glanced at the darkening leaves and the old, rugged wood, he knew he couldn't do that. His body was frozen, and the only thought of lay his hand on whatever part of the Sacred Tree made him feel sick. He wouldn't have touched it, even though it didn't make sense, not after what happened the last time he had touched a tree. A glimpse of panic crossed his mind as he recalled the other tree, that had been so different and yet so similar to this one – the tree. The tree, he thought, eyes widening, that was the problem, it had to be! What had it done to him? It had to be stopped, he had to stop It, and to do that he had to –
But then he eyed at Merik and met his look of confusion – he was probably waiting for his king to do something – and his mind lost its track, thoughts confusing and dispelling, and the only thing he knew was that he had to speak, to escape that situation, because there was no way he was touching that tree. "Merlin!"
Merik's eyebrows rose then drew together at his exclamation, clearly puzzled. "What?"
"Merlin," King explained, words rushing fast out of his mouth as he still tried to make sense of the sudden idea that had formed in his mind. "She is a friend of mine. She is a mage, a very powerful one, she can help me with us without risking someone to get hurt."
"Get … hurt?" Merik asked hesitantly, crossing his arms. "My King … what's happening?"
Pressing his lips together, King shook his head. "I'm not sure, yet, but I promise, we will figure it out soon. Until now," he rapidly glanced at the branches around him, waving at them, "try to … not to touch anything of the Tree, okay? I have a bad feeling about it, and it's better to be safe."
Merik opened his mouth as if he was going to speak, then simply nodded, his expression still confused and a hint of worry showing up in his eyes. "If you say so, Fairy King …" He murmured, "but what – "
"I will speak with Merlin as soon as possible," he said, starting to slowly fly away from the Tree. He wasn't sure he could stay there anymore, the nausea almost unbearable by now. "But Merik – don't worry. We can solve it. Just ... be safe, and tell the others."
He barely stopped to hear the Fairy's puzzled and feeble "Yes", he was already flying down, as fast as he could, the feeling to be freed by a burden stronger every inch he put between the Sacred Tree and himself.
As soon as his feet touched the soft ground of the Fairy King's Forest, King let out a sigh of relief, the sickness that had tormented him until then feeling just like a memory. He knew that he should have been looking for Gerheade now, to tell her that he had gone to check the Tree and how he felt, but the mere thought of telling her that he hadn't been able to touch the Tree and that he still didn't have an idea of what was happening made him groan. Then, his mind ran to Diane. He hadn't been gone for long, maybe less than an hour, but he wanted to see her. Glancing at the sky, he noticed that it was almost dark, the pale shape of the moon barely visible over the line of the trees. It wouldn't have taken long to greet his wife, he thought, and then, he would have looked for Gerheade, he had to. Besides, she had promised him a tea.
Flying rapidly, he moved through the trees, trying to detect Diane's presence. It wasn't difficult usually, her strong power always stood out between the ones of the other Giants. It took a few seconds to find it, somewhere in the East part of the Forest, near to the place where the majority of her Clan still resided. Pursing his lips, he flew in that direction. There were many reasons why she should have been there, but he couldn't help but feel a hint of worry in his chest – he hoped nothing had happened. As he he came closer, her presence became more clear as did the others that surrounded hers, mostly Giants and a few Fairies. She wasn't exactly where the others were, he notices, furrowing his brows, but a bit distant from the largest group, and she wasn't alone, but at least it seemed like nothing was wrong. When got a glimpse of her figure through the trunks his body started to relax, a little smile spreading over his face. Then, he finally saw the Giant she was talking with. Slowing down, he narrowed his eyes – why was he talking to her, now? Diane didn't look very content as well, brows knitted and eyes hard as he stared at him, listening to what he was saying.
Letting out a snort, King finally emerged from the trees and quickly reached Diane's side, floating right next to her head. "Diane," he greeted her, smiling softly – he was rewarded as she turned towards him, the corners of her mouth turning up and her gaze softening, the low whisper of his name on her lips – then he looked at the other Giant, smile disappearing, and tried to keep an indifferent expression, "Gonf."
The male Giant's lips parted only to murmur a growled "Fairy King," and then pressed together as his forehead puckered.
Since he didn't show any will to keep talking, King glanced at Diane. "What's happening? I hope everything is fine."
"Well," Diane began, rolling her eyes slightly, but the other Giant interrupted her.
"I was talking to the Giant Queen about a matter of the Giant Clan," he said, his voice gruff and low, eyes narrowing. His gaze remained fixed on King, and even though he didn't add anything else, it was obvious what he would have wanted to say. " Those are nothing of your business, piss off," or something like that. King's jaw clenched, feeling the sudden and unexpected desire to hit the man with his spear, but he managed to stay still, waiting for Diane to decide how to deal with him.
"Gonf, should I remind you another time that our Clans are now jointed? It's been years by now," Diane pursed her lips, shaking her head. "Whatever you want to discuss with me, the argument you were sustaining right now comprised, it's a matter not only of your queen but also of your king. Is that clear?"
Gonf borrowed his head and a low "Of course," passed between his teeth, but even without actively reading his heart, King could almost feel the rage and hatred that poured from him. It took him a physical effort not to react. He didn't mind what this man thought about him, but he couldn't stand to see him talking like that to his wife - nor, he realized, showing that kind of feelings towards her. He bit his lips, taking a deep breath. Diane was perfectly able to handle the situation and to defend herself if it was necessary. Still, he couldn't ignore the fact that having someone like Gonf in his Forest was dangerous - for his people, for his queen.
"I will leave, then," the male Giant finally added, before glancing at King from under his eyebrows, "there is nothing more we have to discuss, you made it pretty clear, Giant Queen." The last words were almost spat out.
King held his breath and for a moment his mind was blinded by rage – maybe he could have actually hit him with Chastiefol, to show him that acting like this had a consequence; and besides, they said that the Giants were very resilient, right? But then Diane stepped forward until she was right in front of Gonf, end even though she was at least two feet shorter than him, she seemed almost looking down on him, the incredible strength of her power surrounding her like an aura. "Exactly," she said, "the matter is closed. But if you wish to discuss it again, we can do it, although you should still remember what happened the last time that you challenged me on something like this."
The male Giant stiffened, gritting his teeth, his mind probably recalling the humiliating defeat her had suffered when he had openly discussed Diane's decision and then managed to challenge her to a fight. "Yes, Giant Queen," he said, a bit quieter, but his eyes still burned with anger. He rapidly turned his back to them and walked away, spine stiff; his figure soon disappeared between the trees.
King followed him with his gaze for a moment, lips pursed, then looked back at Diane. Her eyes were still fixed where the other Giant had been, shoulder stiffened, her expression a combination of irritation and worry. Then she let out a sigh and turned towards him, a weak smile forming on her lips. "Hey," she murmured, raising a hand to meet his own, "I'm sorry for … that."
King shrugged, wrapping his hands around her fingers. "You did nothing. What did he want?"
Diane sighed again. "It's just … let's go home, alright? I'll tell you on the way."
As she walked through the trees, King floating next to her head, she explained him, her hands nervously gesticulating in the air, that Gonf had come to find her because he wanted to build some sort of stone construction outside the Forest, where the Giant could have stayed "alone and without meeting beings from other Clans" as, he had added, it should have been. Diane grit her teeth, arms tightly crossed across her chest. "I can't believe he keeps asking things like that! It's been two years, he could have at least tried to adapt to our new life! And he … he didn't, and he doesn't, he keeps isolating himself, and the worst is, others listen to him! I just," she snorted, a hand reaching for a lock or her hair and starting to play with it, "I just would want them to understand that it's not necessary to be alone anymore. They can if they want, but at least, they shouldn't be so – so hateful and openly against everything."
"I'm sorry," King whispered, getting closer to her until he could reach her cheek with his hand. "But Diane, you did everything you could to help your Clan to adapt to change, and you succeeded with most of them. Whatever problem that group has, it's not something that depends on you."
"I know, but ..." She bit her bottom lip, looking away. "I can't understand why they are like this.
"Gonf had always thought like that," King murmured, nodding slowly, "since the first time I've seen him – I didn't even have to read his heart. He doesn't like me, the other Fairies and the fact that you are working so hard on changing the Giants' way of living. It's not your fault, Diane, he is just too closed and stubborn."
"He never liked me either," Diane mumbled as she stroked softly his hair with her fingertip, "apparently, I'm too young and too weird to be a good leader for the Giants. It doesn't matter how many times I defeat him in a fight, he will never change his mind."
"You don't have to make him change his mind, he had already too many chances."
Diane stopped and glanced at him, a brow raised. "So what should I do? Ignore him? Avoid him every time he approaches me and tries to convince me that what I'm doing is insane?" A little smile crossed her lips, "I can't keep doing this forever."
"No," King shook his head and looked at her blankly, following the sudden and yet so clear the path of thoughts that had formed in his mind. "You can always banish him and the ones who agree with him. Send them away, I will assure that they won't be able to put a foot in the Fairy King's Forest never again."
Diane's eyes widened and she stared at him, confusion spreading over her face. "What? Send them away?" Brows furrowed, she tilted her head, studying him as trying to understand if he was serious. "I can't do that, Harlequin. What I'm trying to do is reuniting all the Giants, not spreading them around Britannia! I don't even know what they would do, they could be killed – or kill and do harm to humans."
"What will happen to them is not something you should worry about," he shrugged, looking away, "we can't keep in the Forest someone we can't trust, and those Giants – we definitively cannot trust them. It's better if we throw them out."
"Are you – are you even listening to what you are saying?" Diane's sudden voice, mixed of surprise and worry, made him glance at her. She was glaring at him, her violet gaze so intense that he could almost feel it on his skin. "We won't banish those people just because they disagree with us, it's not how we can solve this problem! I can take care of them, as I did for the last few months, and try to make the see that what we are doing is good for our Clans."
"This is silly and dangerous," King grumbled, "they could never change their mind." He immediately understood that he shouldn't have said that, as he saw Diane's eyes widen even more and her nostrils flare, her hand retiring from his body and returning to her side. And he regretted immediately his words – he would have never wanted to imply that what she was doing was stupid, it was just that it was reckless and he was worried about what could have happened. But before he could correct himself, she was speaking,
"How … this is not silly! Caring about your people, wanting to make them understand and to protect them, it's not silly! You – you told me that, you always acted like that!" She exploded, clenching her fits. "You wouldn't do that! You didn't even think to banish the Fairies who didn't agree with the merging of our Clans."
"No, I didn't, because they didn't keep speaking against me and they didn't question every move I made! I am sure they won't betray us, they respect their king. And besides, the Forest is their home, it had always been. " He felt his heart aching when he saw the hurt in her eyes – why was he talking like that to her? He ran a hand through his hair and clenched his jaw, trying to find something to say to retire his words.
"This is our home too, now," she said, voice low and trembling with emotion, "and I can handle those Giants, they – "
"Are you sure?" The words escaped his lips before he could stop them, but he regretted them the moment he finished speaking.
Diane's lips trembled and she inhaled sharply, taking a moment before speaking, her voice low, almost a whisper. "I am. I thought you trusted me, Harlequin."
"I – I do trust you, it's just," he fidgeted his fingers, biting the inside of his cheek, desperately trying to find a way to make her understand what he really meant. "I don't trust them, and I don't want them to - to betray and hurt you - and our people."
"They won't," she stated, eyes shining with irritation, "they are not like that, and even if they were, they know I would be able to stop them." She took a moment to catch her breath, studying him with her intense gaze, making his heart racing - she had never looked at him like this. "What's happening to you? Why are you acting like that, this – this is not you!"
"I - I'm just trying to protect us and our people!" He blurted out, running a hand through his hair. He was done seeing people suffering because of things he could have avoided, and this - this looked like an unstable situation to him.
"Do you think I don't want that too?" She asked, the bitterness in her voice making his breath stop. His eyes widened and he opened his mouth to reassure her that of course he knew that she wanted that too, that he was just worried, but she shook her head. "Let it go. I … I need some time alone to think. And it would be good for you as well," she glared at him, a spark of rage in her violet irises, "you should reflect on what you said tonight." Then she moved away, her steps rapid and nervous, and before he could say anything else, she was gone.
King's first instinct was to follow her and talk to her, to apologize and to make her understand that he didn't mean that, of course he didn't, he knew her. He floated still in the air, his hand raised to reach for her, then he clenched his fist and lowered his arm. She was right, he could see it clearly now. It didn't matter how much he didn't like those Giants, he shouldn't have spoken like that to her, to his wife, to his queen, insinuating that she wasn't able to deal with her own Clan. And, he thought, his blood chilling, he shouldn't have suggested sending those people away. It would have been dangerous, both for them and for the humans who would have met them. It would have been selfish. Eyes fixed on his hands, his jaw clenching at the point it started to hurt, he wondered what in the world was happening to him, and what he could do to stop it.
Diane's eyes were open in the dark, fixed on fragments of the sky that she could see between the branches, eyes wandering over the dark blue sprinkled with distant stars. Sighing, she finally rolled on her hip, moving her gaze on the brown trunks around her. She couldn't sleep. Of course, she couldn't. It wasn't because of the grassy earth under her body – it was soft, and she was used to sleeping on way more difficult grounds, nor was the cool breeze on her skin. It was because of Harlequin - or, better, because of the lack of him. It had rarely happened that they had slept separated after they had become a couple, and now she could almost feel the absence of his body pressing against her own – his warm embrace encircling her when she was the same size as him, the feeling of him curling up on her skin, in her hand, in the crook of her neck, when she was a Giant. And besides, it was the first time that the reason why they weren't sleeping together was that they fought.
At first, she hadn't meant to spend the night alone, she just wanted a moment to calm down, blow off some steam and wipe away the tears that were about to fall from her eyes. She had wandered in the Forest for a while before she had felt calm enough to think about what had happened. It was still difficult to believe that Harlequin had spoken to her like that after everything they went through, and what he had said ... Choose an easy, ruthless solution just because he was worried simply wasn't like him, like the person he had become. He had spared Mael, for the Goddesses! And the Archangel had been a far more serious threat that a group of stubborn Giants. It wasn't the first time and the past few days that he acted so differently, and Diane started seriously worrying about it. Harlequin kept saying that it was just tiredness, but - but what if it wasn't just that? And now, the Sacred Tree had something wrong too, and she couldn't help but fear that it could have been something to do with Harlequin's behavior. After she had cooled down a bit, she had wanted to find him, to speak with his and understand what had happened, but she hadn't felt his presence anywhere close to home, and she had assumed that maybe he wanted to spend some time alone too. Even though thinking about how they were separated made her heart ache in her chest, perhaps having some time to really realize what he had said would have done him good. And so she here she was, laying on the ground - sleeping in their bed without him just didn't feel right – restless and very not likely to sleep.
Finally, she sat down with a sigh and crossed her arms, leaning them on her knees. Maybe not looking for him hadn't been the best idea. She was still convinced that he was in the wrong, but at the same time, it would have been stupid not to notice that there had been something strange in their argument, in the way he had spoken and acted. And besides, the idea of him laying in the dark somewhere in the Forest, restless exactly like her made her stomach clench. She pursed her lips, closing her eyes, and tried to find his presence. He was not home, like before, nor he had got closer to the place she chose to sleep. Furrowing her brows, she looked for him in the surroundings and bit her lip, confused by the fact that it was taking so long to find him - it was easier, usually, his power so strong and familiar that she could have pointed it out anywhere. She felt him abruptly, a couple of seconds later, and immediately opened her eyes, a corner of her mouth lifting. She knew that place. She stood up, immediately starting moving in his direction; her wait was over.
Harlequin had shown her that place years before, the first time she had stepped in the Fairy King's Forest, the war just began and her memories still lost. From that elevated section of the ground, it was possible to have a vantage point on the rest of the Forest, and the view that opened in front of her when she finally reached the place made her hold her breath. The trees were beautiful under the moonlight, the light grass under her feet looking almost silver. It wasn't a surprise that it was one of King's favourite places, and that she had grown to love it as well.
Harlequin was exactly where she had known she would have found him, sitting on the ground with his back against the roots of a tree, facing the landscape, arms crossed over his chest. It seemed like he had just wanted to sit there for a while, but apparently at the end he had fallen asleep, his head bent down and his hair covering his face. It wasn't surprising, Diane thought as she approached him, smiling softly; he had been exhausted in the past few days. Yet, it wasn't a serene sleep, she realized the moment she was close enough to hear his rapid breathing. Quickly, she put a finger under his chin, making him raise his head so that she could look at him, and the expression of anguish in his face made her heart skip a beat. Another nightmare. She gritted her teeth before grabbing her pill bottle from her pocket and swallowing one. The second later she was kneeling next to him, cupping his face with her hands. "Harlequin," she shrieked, thumbs brushing his cheekbones, "Harlequin, wake up! Harlequin!"
His breath stopped for a second as opened his eyes, his gaze moving on her, the amber of the irises almost totally hidden by the blackness of the dilated pupils. He inhaled sharply, then he tried to speak, but only fragments of words came out of his mouth, nothing that she could understand. Diane let out a sigh of relief – at least he was awake – and come closer, still looking into his eyes. "Calm down, my love," she murmured, hoping that her voice could calm him - it had worked before, "it was just a dream."
King swallowed, eyes still round and face as pale as bone, and then he creaked, voice so low and broken that she could barely hear him, "They'll kill us."
"What?" Her eyes widened. Usually, it took him less than a second to wake up properly and realize that he had had another dream. She didn't remember him saying anything like that before. "Who kills … who – "
"They are our kind and they come to kill us all," he blurted out, voice raising in desperation, and it seemed like he wanted to add something but he couldn't, words trapped in his throat. Fear was so clear in his features that Diane's heart ached, almost torn apart - she hated to see him like that, fragile like glass and about to break.
"No," she said, trying to sound confident and reassuring, "no one is killing you, I promise you. You are safe, I'm here with you." She moved closer, touching his forehead with hers, "I'm here."
Harlequin closed his eyes, leaning on her, his breath slowing down. When he blinked and looked at her again, he seemed to finally recognize her and relief spread over his features. "Diane," he whispered, saying her name almost as he couldn't believe she was there, "Diane." And then his trembling lips met her own and his arms raised to make her move closer to him, holding her tight like he was afraid that she would have disappeared.
It took just a second to Diane to kiss him back, pushing back in the recesses of her mind every thought about their fight and the strange words he had whispered to her when he had woken up. She shivered, not for the cold, when she felt his hands caressing her skin over her dress, reaching for the buttons on her back, sighing when he stopped, moving away from her lips. He looked at her, lips moving slightly, but before he could ask for permission she kissed him again, deeply, her hands grabbing his shirt. She held him and comforted him with her embrace, her kisses, her love, until he fell on her, eyes closed and rapid breath, his arms still surrounding her in a hug and their bodies as close as they could have been. She waited, caressing his hair and back, until she felt him relax against her and she was sure he had fallen asleep. Only then she allowed herself to rest too, curling against him. The day after they would have had to talk about their argument, she knew it, and also finally had a serious conversation about his nightmares and his strange arguments. But for now, she just wanted to enjoy his warmth, the sound of his heart beating under her ear lulling her.
When Diane woke up, she didn't need to open her eyes to know that Harlequin was still there, his arms around her, his slow breath tickling her face. She smiled in half-sleep and inhaled his sweet scent, moving her arms to hold him closer and –
She froze. Her eyes snapped open as she raised, lifting the upper part of her naked body, and for a long moment she just stared at him, eyes wide and lips parted, not able to move or to speak. He was Harlequin. Of course he was him, she knew his smell and the feeling of his body against hers. But it had been years since she had seen him like this – smaller figure, shorter hair and tiny wings sprouting from his back. Her blood ran cold as the panic closed her throat, making it difficult to breathe - it was wrong, something was very, very wrong. Her hands rapidly grasped Harlequin's shoulder as she shook him, calling his name, "Harlequin, wake up!"
He immediately blinked a few times, eyes still clouded by sleep, and he lifted his head, looking at her from under his half-closed eyelids. "Diane? What's happening?" His eyes finally fully opened as he raised, staring at her with worry. "Are ... are you alright?"
Diane bit her lip and shook her head – why was he even worrying about her? –, lips parting to speak, but for a moment she couldn't find the words. "Harlequin, you …" she finally whispered, swallowing, "your body …"
"My what?" His brows drew together, but then he glanced as his own body. For a moment, he just stared, a puzzled expression on his face. Then he blinked, his face paling as he raised his hands, looking at them and then at the rest of him with astonishment. Abruptly he turned to look at his back, a surprised yell escaping his throat as he saw the tiny blue wings emerging from his skin.
He returned his gaze to her, eyes wide and pupil dilated, breath rapid and irregular. "What," he tried to say, but his voice broke. He had to take a moment, inhaling sharply, before he quavered in panic, "What's happening to me?"