THE FLIGHT OF THE SWALLOW: RECONCILIATION
CHAPTER 3
Reunion
Ciri had been in bed for two full weeks, without go out even to contemplate the smell of flowers, or to breathe that magical air that Tir ná Lia emanated. The window of the room was not enough for her, she wanted to be out there, running, walking and saying hello to the only reliable friend she had, her little Roach. She had the idea of sneaking out of her chambers and taking a magic jump into the gardens outside. But Avallac'h warned that it was very dangerous, for strange reason her magic had waned and she could not even open a portal and move towards his home. Again Ciri was trapped with the elves, in this world of the Aen Elle.
This world was different from the first time; when she regained her strength, Ciri had a long talk with her mentor: Avallac'h. The Swallow apparently traveled here by accident, but accidents were not part of the wise elf's natural language. Ciri came to a different Tir ná Lia, where Auberon Muircetach still lives and was not poisoned, at least not yet. Where after she fled, the Dearg Ruadhri or Red Riders… as she knew them, would not go after her. And where much less Eredin Bréacc Glas will hunt her down. Where The Wild Hunt had ceased to exist.
They just gave up. They realized they had lost, when Ciri was the little teenager and left the place with Kelpie and Ihuarraquax. They simply accepted the fact that ultimately the Hen Ichaer would never be theirs again. They would pay for their sins with their blood, with the inevitable arrival of The White Chill. But all was not lost for The Alder folk. They followed at a forced marches in finding a method to be able to move, without counting on the help of the unicorns and much less with the help of Ciri. They wanted to leave the place so that The White Chill would not reach them, and for a strange reason, it gave them a truce ... it moved very slowly in that world, in that Tir ná Lia.
The Swallow felt calm and not a prisoner, rather a guest who fell injured in that place. King Auberon had strictly ordered for their recovery and care. Which each elf in the palace was forced to carry out orders. She was encouraged that Auberon Muircetach was still alive and that his attitude had changed since that last time. According to Avallac'h, the king was medicating for his underpants problem; and listened to Eredin's advice to let himself be treated. So the king has become lazy and very cheerful huh? Good for him. She thought
In that timeline Avallac'h explained, the teenage Ciri who fled that stormy night, because Auberon had fallen asleep soundly from the remedy Eredin had given him. The bastard didn't poison him.
The king forgot Eredin's warning. "Don't drink everything completely, just leave half the bottle, if you don't want to miss out all the fun and fall asleep in the middle of …well, you know ... what I mean ...".
Ciri laughed.
The nerves of the king of the alders played a trick on him that night, where the only thing that remained awake was his virility and a poor Ciri contemplating such an embarrassing act. Which she took the opportunity to flee.
Ciri continued laughing and she didn't care that her ribs continued to hurt and the blows that still afflicted her, it felt so good to laugh and forget. But her smile faded when Avallac'h had to speak of Eredin.
The Swallow became serious and the sparkle in her eyes faded. Avallac'h noticed that and a little more. The sage knew that sadness and fear mortified her. And Ciri also knew about the invisible abilities that the Aen Elle possessed in finding out your secrets, even the most intimate ones. She realized what Avallac'h thought of her.
Eredin had saved her life when she reached Tir ná Lia, and he also brought Roach to her care, while she recovered in the palace chambers. Roach remained in the barracks of the Dearg Ruadhri and Eredin's subordinates. They had also cared for the mare, they gave her food, water, they even examined her in detail in search of injuries or illnesses typical of equines; they changed her horseshoes and saddles, bathed and brushed her. They was not left her to attend a single day. Even one of the stallions had already mated with the mare.
Ciri faked a cold, sad little smile.
Her chest felt a horrible emptiness and she wanted to cry. But with Avallac'h present, she didn't want to.
"So ..." She paused for a long time
"Roach is fine ... and apparently she's not wasting time, she already has friends and even a boyfriend. And I… here. Mmm… I am wasting my time". She said
Silence returned to the room. But Avallac'h said nothing to Ciri's comment and continued speaking.
Apparently things with Eredin had not changed, he was still the arrogant bastard like always. The arrayan flowers, the fight on the bridge. Ciri was thoughtful for a moment, and stopped listening to Avallac'h's tale. He didn't know was that there were two details: her horse race against Eredin and her dinner with him. Ciri was dying of curiosity if that remained the same or if something had changed in this world. She wanted to know if she had also won or lost, and if at that dinner something else had happened. The wine had an effect or ... maybe not. Something happened that only she knew about. The Swallow bit her lips and blushed slightly. She knew her mentor would find out.
Like reading her thoughts. Avallac'h frowned and spoke calmly.
"Why don't you ask him personally?"
Ciri felt naked and discovered because her reaction had been so obvious. Sometimes she wondered if the sage also had enough power to enter her mind and see the chaos, and her thoughts.
"Mmm maybe ... when I can get out of here once and for all ". She said confidently.
It had been three weeks and he was still waiting to be free. Ciri missed the company of Avallac'h to see a familiar face. But this week he had not visited her. She began to doubt the elf sage more and suspiciously. Fed up with the confinement, she approached the door to try to hear what was behind it. Opening the door very slowly. Ciri's out.
Still wearing her nightgown, she walked over to a column and hid behind it. She didn't mind that the nightgown was almost transparent and left nothing to the imagination. She didn't care the cold draft of morning air seeped, through her body and her breasts would automatically react to the change in temperature. The Swallow saw two silhouettes who entered through a door and stood in the middle of that small room, talking to each other. Ciri tried to listen to them carefully.
Avallac'h and Eredin Bréacc Glas stood waiting for someone else and discussed something about Auberon's not-so-particular decisions. The two elves shared different decisions on how to deal with problems in a pleasant way, especially with unicorns in the last days.
They would be quiet for a while and then they would make noise again. Until Avallac'h changed the topic of conversation. Because he knew that Eredin was stubborn and impatient.
"Are you aware that ... Zireael is not the same person who visited us long ago?" when she came here the first time". Avallac'h said
Eredin did not reply immediately.
"Yes and I hope she don't go around yelling and complaining. It's too annoying coming from a dh'oine. "
"Patience Eredin. It is a practical and simple goal that you must learn to domain. "
"To dominate? He snorted wryly. "Oh yeah!" Well, I know some very improper domination techniques even for you. But I don't think we are talking about the same or how that can help in the current situation. "
"She will seek answers and come to you and I insist, Zireael is not the same woman, there is wisdom in her eyes. I have never seen such progress, I am surprised because it has a very high chance of success"
"You should convince her that ¡her success! will finally serve us well… and about that… Why the hell does it have to be me, explaining such matters to her? I'm not her fucking babysitter." Eredin said in disgust.
"So what are you planning to do?" Avallac'h insisted again
"Better to stay aloof and distant. I already have enough trouble with the damn unicorns for that brat girl to come back and change the pieces of the game." Eredin commented.
"Eredin… Avallac'h said with a sigh and remembered that Eredin was very good at speaking with tones not very typical of a normal Aen Elle, he had learned the vulgar dialect of the humans. The Dearg Ruadhri forays into the human world has already taken their toll on the elf.
"…you've seen beyond her eyes, it's still there ... and it won't leave. Takes refuge; hides in a great wall of fear. And that is very bad for everyone". Avallac'h said in a very serious tone.
There was an awkward silence from both of them until finally Eredin spoke.
"I don't promise you anything Avallac'h"
"Knowing you, you keep all your promises in your own way of course". The sage replied.
A big smile appeared on Eredin. Showing off those famous pearl white teeth. Accepting the elf sage's compliment.
Out of nowhere Ciri appeared. She walked towards them very annoyed. Not caring that she was in underwear; approached to Avallac'h.
"You want me to become a prisoner, there is no doubt about that! and I am sure that you are making up something Avallac'h!. You have not changed at all! in nothing!. Ciri said yelling
"Don't you see that I'm healthy now! I healed a week ago and you lied to me to keep me locked up, and that's why you didn't have enough balls to look at my face!" She kept yelling at him.
Eredin was enjoying the scene that Ciri was already staging, he was very amused by how vulgar it was, coming from a dh'oine female, it was very rare and almost nil to find such specimens. He kept a long smile hiding his teeth. And it was erased when he began to contemplate in an obscene way; what her nightgown clearly showed. He raised his eyebrow and looked at her whole body. Realizing what Avallac'h had told him moments before. He discovered that she was no longer the shy and nervous girl.
The nightgown showed the body and the shapely hips of the dh'oine, her long legs, calves and her small breasts that unfortunately already reacted to the cold. Her long hair had grown too and it didn't fully cover her nipples which at that moment were like stones and there was no privacy there, not a bit ... because from Eredin's perspective, he had already seen it all. After pleasing his gaze, he noticed the small drawing on the crotch. Something the nightgown hadn't covered at all. He was magnetized by discovery and interest. Something very strong inside him wanted to snatch her nightgown and clearly observe that peculiar work of art, in such a very fine and peculiar place. He had an internal struggle with himself. In not succumbing to the charms of that particular female dh'oine.
He remembered the forays of the Dearg Ruadhri when they visited the human world, to catch and hunt their "preys." And when it came to dh'oine females he would always pick the best ones and take them to some dirty, sad corner. To satisfy his darkest desires. The dh'oine were treated like rag dolls, used, violated and throw out. Unaware of themselves, by the magical trance to which the Aen Elle were subjected. They were despised and educated to serve while they were alive and functional. Eredin knew that The Swallow was a rare and unique dh'oine. The Elder Blood in a delicate and fragile human body.
Eredin watched Ciri continue yelling and demand of her mentor. Eredin remembered when the little dh'oine had yearned for him. The very young brats like her act like this, because they begin to develop they prepare to mate, they are too annoying like flies. But ... this Swallow is no longer the girl I saw... I don't know what can be reflected in her eyes. He thought.
But something inside him had already ignited and he wasn't about to let the little flame go out.
"I'll get dressed and leave Avallac'h. I am fine and there is no need to take care of me". Ciri finished in a calmer tone.
She clenched her fist, took a deep breath, and then went to claim Eredin in an explosive tone. But it actually didn't.
"And you! I don't want to see you, or hear you, or talk to you, I don't want you near to me!". She said with her eyes closed and shaking her head from side to side in denial.
"Please!" Ciri told him in a sweet way, almost whispering, opening her eyes and looking into those green eyes of the elf, only to let her tears fall and she couldn't help but blush.
The Swallow put her hands to her face to prevent them from seeing her pain and shame and ran back to his rooms.
Eredin was surprised at the reaction that he didn't expect to come from her. Avallac'h already knew this. As always, he anticipated the situation.
"Interesting… Hmm, I'm intrigued Avallac'h. He said
He stepped forward, determined to go after her to face her. But abruptly Avallac'h cut him off with his arm. The gesture made Eredin go back and he spun himself.
"I want… I want to see that nice tattoo up close. You won't deny me, will you? He asked to Avallac'h. Eredin smiled wickedly.
Avallac'h did not answer and did not intend to.
The Sparrow-hawk was about to stalk the little Swallow. He arched his brow, looking in the direction of Ciri's chambers. And he left the place with that sinister smile.