"Who are you?" the girl asked of Sha'n. "No outsiders are allowed in the
Druma." She swished quickly and branches of the tree swooped down to grab
Sha'n by the feet and turn him upside-down, so his long white-blonde hair
fell in thick wispy lines. His dark green eyes widened in surprise. His
features twisted in indignation.
"I am no outsider. My home is here as much as yours is." The girl's eyes were huge as he swishes his own command, and the tree quickly unravels itself from his legs. He dropped to the hard floor again, hitting his head this time. The girl was up out of the bed in a flash, and at his side with concern in her eyes. She helped him up, then looked up into the branches of the tree, frowning playfully. She was now friendly and happy, despite the early hour.
"How do you know the language of trees? Let alone understand Abrassa, who has such an odd accent?" She smiled warmly at him, and the sunlight played off her hair and made it glow. Sha'n gaped at her.
"Abrassa?" he looks around, the size of the tree and it's age finally making sense. "The legendary Abrassa? So then that would make you." his voice trailed away, and he looked away embarrassedly. ".Rhia."
Rhia blinks, confused. "You know me?"
Sha'n sat upright, talking in a rush. "Of course. Abrassa talks to the other trees, after all. I've heard about you." He smiled at her. "You look very different than I pictured you. You're very -"
"Rhia!" A male voice shouted from outside, "Rhia, are you home? It's me, Merlin!" Rhia was up in a flash, leaning down the staircase but staying in the room.
"Hold on a minute, Merlin." She turned back to Sha'n. "Hide somewhere. My brother will think things that aren't true if he finds you here. Climb back up to the top, hurry!" She swished a command, then, as Sha'n is hoisted back up into the topmost branches of the tree by curling vines, she swished a louder command. The tree shook and the bark creaked as a hole opened up near the base of the trunk. Through a curtain of leaves Sha'n could see the light streaming in from the hollow trunk. Rhia walked down the twisting steps to greet her brother.
The two walked back up together. Merlin was saying, ".needs help building something, but the won't tell me what it is. Mother trusts him, naturally, and says I should help him, but I have a bad feeling about the whole thing."
Sha'n could see how they are related. They had the same color hair and similar facial structure, but Merlin's face was scarred where Rhia's was smooth, and his black eyes seemed to be clouded over, like he can't quite see out of them, while Rhia's eyes were clear and bright. Rhia was a good actress, and doesn't even glance up at Sha'n.
"Did she say what it is for? Maybe that will help you decide."
Merlin shook his head, pounding his long twisted hemlock staff on the hard wooden floor. "She wouldn't even tell me that. You would wonder what in the world the dwarves would want with anything to do with anyone else."
"Yes. It is odd." Rhia's voice was troubled. "I can only hope it doesn't turn out like when she wanted you to help her after Wings of Fire woke up."
"One can only hope." Merlin paused, pondering. "Would you help me, Rhia? I have a feeling I'll need you."
"Is this my brother, asking me for help? My fearless brother who never asks for anything but always needs it?" She nudged him gently. "Of course I will, silly. What else could I do but that?"
Merlin pounded his staff on the floor again. "Excellent. I must go now. I need to ask Hallia if she will help as well. Will you meet me at Cairpre's home in one week? I will know more by then."
"Of course, brother. I will see you then." Merlin made his way down the spiral staircase, running his hand along the wall as he went. The tree's back creaked closed again behind him, and Sha'n turned to watch him march off into the forest. Once Merlin was gone Sha'n picked his way back into the room, squeezing through the biggest gaps he could find. He lowered himself to the floor, and Rhia turned to him, her eyes full of worry. He spoke first.
"I'm coming, and you can't stop me."
"I am no outsider. My home is here as much as yours is." The girl's eyes were huge as he swishes his own command, and the tree quickly unravels itself from his legs. He dropped to the hard floor again, hitting his head this time. The girl was up out of the bed in a flash, and at his side with concern in her eyes. She helped him up, then looked up into the branches of the tree, frowning playfully. She was now friendly and happy, despite the early hour.
"How do you know the language of trees? Let alone understand Abrassa, who has such an odd accent?" She smiled warmly at him, and the sunlight played off her hair and made it glow. Sha'n gaped at her.
"Abrassa?" he looks around, the size of the tree and it's age finally making sense. "The legendary Abrassa? So then that would make you." his voice trailed away, and he looked away embarrassedly. ".Rhia."
Rhia blinks, confused. "You know me?"
Sha'n sat upright, talking in a rush. "Of course. Abrassa talks to the other trees, after all. I've heard about you." He smiled at her. "You look very different than I pictured you. You're very -"
"Rhia!" A male voice shouted from outside, "Rhia, are you home? It's me, Merlin!" Rhia was up in a flash, leaning down the staircase but staying in the room.
"Hold on a minute, Merlin." She turned back to Sha'n. "Hide somewhere. My brother will think things that aren't true if he finds you here. Climb back up to the top, hurry!" She swished a command, then, as Sha'n is hoisted back up into the topmost branches of the tree by curling vines, she swished a louder command. The tree shook and the bark creaked as a hole opened up near the base of the trunk. Through a curtain of leaves Sha'n could see the light streaming in from the hollow trunk. Rhia walked down the twisting steps to greet her brother.
The two walked back up together. Merlin was saying, ".needs help building something, but the won't tell me what it is. Mother trusts him, naturally, and says I should help him, but I have a bad feeling about the whole thing."
Sha'n could see how they are related. They had the same color hair and similar facial structure, but Merlin's face was scarred where Rhia's was smooth, and his black eyes seemed to be clouded over, like he can't quite see out of them, while Rhia's eyes were clear and bright. Rhia was a good actress, and doesn't even glance up at Sha'n.
"Did she say what it is for? Maybe that will help you decide."
Merlin shook his head, pounding his long twisted hemlock staff on the hard wooden floor. "She wouldn't even tell me that. You would wonder what in the world the dwarves would want with anything to do with anyone else."
"Yes. It is odd." Rhia's voice was troubled. "I can only hope it doesn't turn out like when she wanted you to help her after Wings of Fire woke up."
"One can only hope." Merlin paused, pondering. "Would you help me, Rhia? I have a feeling I'll need you."
"Is this my brother, asking me for help? My fearless brother who never asks for anything but always needs it?" She nudged him gently. "Of course I will, silly. What else could I do but that?"
Merlin pounded his staff on the floor again. "Excellent. I must go now. I need to ask Hallia if she will help as well. Will you meet me at Cairpre's home in one week? I will know more by then."
"Of course, brother. I will see you then." Merlin made his way down the spiral staircase, running his hand along the wall as he went. The tree's back creaked closed again behind him, and Sha'n turned to watch him march off into the forest. Once Merlin was gone Sha'n picked his way back into the room, squeezing through the biggest gaps he could find. He lowered himself to the floor, and Rhia turned to him, her eyes full of worry. He spoke first.
"I'm coming, and you can't stop me."