Author's Note:
Hello, everyone! I'm so happy that this story now has over 500 views! I know that the actual amount of readers is smaller, but I appreciate each and every one of you! This chapter will be heating up, so stay sharp!
-Tangent
As it turned out, the party did not depart for Candar the following morning, courtesy of a massive thunderstorm that lasted several hours. Indeed, it was not until the early afternoon that the group, joined by Emma and Nicholas. Emma carried her own magical pack that was packed with various supplies. Her sword, shield, and dagger were strapped onto her hauberk, and she was wearing light armor.
"Where's the rest of it?" Rye asked, and Emma smiled.
"It's magic, like Ean's claws. I can summon it over me at any time, although it takes a little bit of concentration."
"That's cool!" Jack said from her other side. "I wish I has something like that." Nicholas trudged behind the group, carrying his own backpack that was smaller than the others.
"Medical supplies." He had muttered when Ean raised an eyebrow. In the front, Gavin, Iya, and Ean were talking about something to do with Eredar when Jack called out to them.
"How long until we reach this place you were talking about?"
"Grimm's Farm?" Ean said. "It's two or three hours away, so not far. We might have to rest there tonight, if it starts storming again."
"And we can check on some friends." Iya said, and Rye nodded. The rest of the party had not been to Grimm's Farm yet, and some were excited at the prospect of going somewhere new. Nicholas, however, merely grumbled underneath his breath:
"Tsk. Savages." Ava glanced at him sharply, but did not say anything. She had sent a message to her crew, telling them to remain camped in the forest until they returned, and that Uthar would supply them with food and water. She glanced up at the clouds, seeing the darkness begin to gather once more.
"We'd better move quickly."
Roughly two hours later, the group saw the sign planted in the ground next to the road:
Grimm's Farm – Everyone Welcome!
As they drew closer, Ean saw that there seemed to be a clearing on the left side of the road, where the trees had been cut down. In the middle of the small clearing stood a foundation for what was soon to be a small little house.
"That wasn't there before…" Rye muttered, but Ean had seen the man standing to one side of the frame, splitting firewood. He was dark-skinned, and Iya began to smile.
"Geralan!" Ean called out to him, and the man turned.
"Who- oh! It's all of you!" He smiled widely as he ran over to shake hands with each member of the group. "This place is excellent! Lots of trees, livestock to tend…"
"I'm glad to hear it." Ean said. "Where's Simini?"
"She's inside, with Ivy. Those two have taken quite a liking to each other, you know." Iya let out a small laugh.
"I'm sure they have."
"Oh, but where are my manners?" Geralan said, wiping his forehead. "I was just working on the house for Simini and me, but I'm sure they'd like to see you straight away. Say, what brings you here, anyway?"
"Just checking up on things." Ean said. "We might need to stay the night, too."
"Plenty of bunks, then." Geralan said as the group strode up the path to the farmhouse. The fields had been revived, with green sprouts and stalks growing everywhere they looked. To the left, cows and chickens milled in their pens, enjoying the cool air that came after a storm. "Mike is in the barn, making food for the animals. He'll stop in presently, I expect. Good man, that one."
"It looks a lot better." Ean said satisfactorily. "I'm glad that you're here to help." The group moved up the steps to the farmhouse, and the Serian opened the door.
"Ladies, we have company." Ivy appeared in the doorway, looking confused.
"Who would be…" She trailed off at the sight of the eight adventurers, most of whom smiled at her. "Master Ean?"
"Don't call me that." The elf said, stepping forward and hugging her. "Just Ean is fine." Still surprised, the woman returned the hug, looking around her at the four new faces.
"I remember Iya, Emma, and Rye. But the others…"
"They're friends." Iya said. "We can explain inside."
"Oh, of course. Please, excuse my rudeness." The woman let them in, calling Simini from somewhere inside. She appeared, and was equally stunned to see the entire group. After they exchanged greetings, Ean had a chance to look around the inside of the house. It had been thoroughly cleaned, and Ivy had taken the chance to have Mike paint it a different color. Across the room, Ean saw that the oven was lit and bread was rising inside. It smelled quite good.
"Come, sit down." Ivy said, leading them into the living room, where Ean saw a number of chairs and couches scattered throughout the room. "Will you stay the night?"
"I think so, yes. It's not too much of a bother, is it?" Ean asked, and she shook her head vehemently.
"Not at all! Mike should be coming in shortly, and we can have an early dinner." Emma and Iya volunteered to help, and the woman put them work chopping vegetables and dicing meat. The others sat in the living room, chatting to each other quietly. Nicholas sat in a chair in the corner and did not speak, merely listening to the conversation around him.
When Mike arrived, there was another round of greetings, and Ean called everyone to the living room for a quick introduction.
"We have a lot of new faces here, so will everyone please introduce themselves?" The inhabitants of the farm went first, followed by Jack and Ava. When it came to Gavin, he hesitated for a moment.
"Uh… I guess I'm Gavin. I'm a warlock, and…" He stopped for a moment, because Ava had let out a tiny snort. His eyes flashed dangerously, but he took a deep breath and continued. "I like books and research." He sat back down, and Nicholas rose slightly.
"I'm Nicholas." He muttered. "Healer, blah blah blah…" He sat down quickly, and Ean frowned slightly. He'd hoped the prince would be a bit more enthusiastic.
"As in, Prince Nicholas?" Mike asked, and the man nodded. Immediately, the man fell to his knees. "A thousand pardons, prince. I did not know-"
"Don't treat him any different." Ava interrupted. "In fact, you can make him do the chores if you want." Mike stopped, looking confused, but Ean gave him a subtle nod, and the man stood up. It was Gavin's turn to chuckle, and Nicholas glared at him ferociously. Sensing an argument, Ean intervened quickly.
"Gavin, can you go outside and grab the packs from the porch? It looks like we'll be staying here."
"I'll help!" Jack chimed in, and the two exited the room. Gavin looked back at the door, and he saw both Ava and Nicholas giving him distrustful looks. He felt another rush of anger, but he stepped outside before it could consume him.
I don't know what I even did to them, and they treat me like trash.
"Gavin?" Jack said quietly. "You okay?" Gavin looked up and realized that he'd been staring at the wooden deck.
"I suppose." The man said, grabbing one of the bags. "Come on, it's starting to rain." Indeed, the sky had turned a dark grey, and the faint sound of raindrops on the roof could be heard. Jack did not move.
"Gavin…"
"What?" The warlock said irritably. "I'm fine!"
"If you say so." Jack muttered, grabbing the rest of the packs and dragging them after the man.
Dinner was a quiet affair, with only a few snippets of conversation passing between the people at the table.
"Traveling makes me hungry." Jack muttered, tearing into his third piece of bread.
"You're a growing boy." Rye pointed out, and Iya smiled.
"True, but all this walking doesn't help either."
"Just don't choke." Jack managed to finish his meal without such an accident, and he stood up.
"I'll take the plates to the sink." He grabbed the dishes from Iya, Ean, and Mike and carried them over to the sink.
"What a polite boy." Ivy murmured, taking a sip of her tea.
"He didn't start out that way." Ean said. "But I'm glad he's growing up."
"He'd be a good farmer, with that work ethic." Mike said, and Rye chuckled
"He was always a hard worker, but he needed to direct that energy into something positive. It seems like Ean just has that effect on people." The elf flushed slightly at the compliment, but did not deny it.
After dinner was cleaned up, the residents joined the party in the living room, where they sat and talked for a while about various things. Ivy was talking about getting somebody to sell their produce in the city when the harvest came, and Rye agreed with the idea.
"I'm sure Ella would let you set up a stand. After all, farms like this are rare nowadays."
"I'd be happy to do it." Geralan said. "But wouldn't it be a good idea to expand the farm a bit more? More animals, I mean."
"We might be able to get more livestock from Seri, but I'm not sure. I'll look into it." Ean said, and that was that. At one point, Gavin got up and left the room, saying something about "fresh air." Iya seemed slightly upset at this, but did not say anything. When the clock struck ten, Ean rose and stretched.
"Well, I think it's bedtime."
"I agree." Mike said, rising from his chair as well. The others murmured assent and began moving to their rooms. Iya and Ava would be sleeping in the same room as Ivy, and the rest of the men had their own room containing bunk beds. Geralan and Simini had a room upstairs, as was befitting the only married couple.
"I'll put the cups in the sink." Ava muttered. Everyone had disappeared down the hall, and she could only hear a faint noise coming from the men's room. She set about washing the porcelain cups out, before setting them out to dry on a nearby rack. Suddenly, the front door opened behind her, and Gavin stepped in.
Uh oh. The warlock met her eyes for second, and she suddenly found that she disliked him even more when he didn't look angry.
"I'm going to bed." She said. "Do whatever you want." She rose and headed towards the living room, but Gavin stepped into her path.
"Listen, you want to talk about this?" He set his book down on the nearby table.
"Talk about what?" She said in a dangerous tone.
"About you treating me like garbage." Gavin said, and his voice was slightly tighter than normal. Ava felt her own temper rising, and she knew she probably shouldn't take the bait, but:
"I see nothing wrong with that, warlock." The man's eyes flashed, and he clenched his fists slightly.
"I have done nothing to you!"
"You think that matters? I've met your kind, and you think humans are just your playthings, something to amuse you when you get bored!" Gavin's eyes widened, but he felt a surge of anger, and he said the first thing that came into his mind:
"I see now. You are attracted to me, but you just don't want to act on it."
"W-What?" Ava said, her own eyes widening. "Of all the insufferable-"
"You're scared of me." Gavin spoke over her. "You're scared of being too close to me. And you know what that means?" He leaned a little closer to her, his eyes filled with anger. In the back of his mind, there was voice telling him to stop, but he ignored it. "You are a coward, Ava." The woman took a step back, and Gavin locked eyes with her. Her eyes were filled with so much hatred that it was wonder she didn't turn red.
"You don't know anything about me. I'd rather die than be anywhere close to you." Without warning, Gavin's temper boiled over, and he snapped the cruelest thing he could think of at that moment:
"Watch your mouth, human. I could trap you in a web of spells so deep, you'd never be the same again." The moment the threat left his mouth, he wished he could take it back. Ava took one more step back, and there as no words for the emotions he saw in her eyes. "I…"
"Get out of my way. Speak to me again, and I'll… I'll…" She did not finish. Gavin moved wordlessly, and she stormed past him and out of sight. The warlock stood there, his blue eyes wide.
What have I done? Leaving his book on the table, the man strode off out the front door and into the stormy night.
The red-haired man was hunched over a scroll, muttering the incantations under his breath as he focused on casting the spell. This was by far the hardest magical challenge he had ever faced, but he knew that he would have to succeed if he wanted any chance at a future. With a burst of pink and blue light, the spell failed, and he was knocked back a pace or two from the force.
"Damn." He swore under his breath, turning to face the toxic swamp that created the border to New Witchwood. It was not a comforting sight, with the gases rising from the sludge that bordered the blue soil of the town. The twisted grey trees loomed overhead, framing the dark sky.
"What are you doing?" A voice came from behind him, and he whirled to see the last witch he wanted to see at the moment: Glinda. She was short, with long green hair. She was wearing her normal black and blue robes. Stuffing the scroll back into his bag, Gavin shrugged.
"Just working on something." Glinda was the only person he could call a friend, but she was more of an acquaintance. She glared at him for a moment, but then relaxed.
"Just don't get yourself killed." She looked towards Gavin's house, which was made of the same wood as the trees. "I swear, you get into more trouble than ever these days. Upset because none of the witches will go out with you?"
"No." Gavin said, a little too quickly. To tell the truth, he did care. A lot. For some reason, no witch in New Witchwood would even look at him, let alone date him. They said he was 'too pretty', and 'not enough like a witch'. To tell the truth, Gavin was more handsome than most warlocks, who sprouted scraggly beards and grew long manes of hair. His red locks, however, were always meticulously groomed, and his strong jaw was prominent on his face.
"Riiight." Glinda said. "Well, just though I'd check on you. Are you going to the festival later?" The warlock groaned. Of course, how could he have forgotten Halloween? The festival was time for evil curses and ugly hags, and as such, he had no part in it.
"Maybe." He muttered, turning back to his house. "See ya, Glin." He stepped inside his house, shutting the door behind him with a thud. The mention of Halloween had thoroughly soured his mood, and he slumped down on his bed with a sigh.
"Maybe I should leave." He said quietly, staring at the ceiling. He was only twenty-three, and warlocks lived for a very long time. He had considered moving to one of the other kingdoms in the world, but everybody shunned warlocks and users of dark magic. As Glinda constantly reminded him, his place was with his people, even if they did not approve. He pulled the crumpled scroll from his pack, glancing over it again.
"I must have forgot something… a restraining clause, maybe…" He muttered, once again engrossed in the potential spell that he had written a few months ago. Making a few correction, he sat up on his bed, reading over the paper again. It seemed right, but…
"Do I really want to do it?" Gavin whispered. "What if it doesn't work? What if they hate me even more?" He stood, tossing the paper onto a nearby table. He needed some air, and there was only once place to get it.
He was sitting on one of the cliffs on the edge of New Witchwood, looking out over the forests that guarded the town. The air was so much cleaner up here, away from the swamp. He was able to think and be alone, for once. Mulling over his spell, he gazed out over the distant trees and recalled some of his more unpleasant memories. Being taunted by the other boys in school, which had evolved to outright violence in his teens. Thankfully, he soon grew into his own magical talents, which were considerable. The attacks had soon stopped, and most of the townspeople had resorted to shunning him quietly.
"Well, well…" Gavin stiffened at the sound of the voice behind him. It was Hilda, of course it was. The witch who hated him more than anybody else, who went out of her way to humiliate and degrade him.
"What do you want?" He said quietly, not turning around. She laughed, an ugly little sound.
"I thought I'd just come ask you… who's your date for the festival?" The warlock clenched his fists. She knew he had nobody. She'd seen to that. His silence spoke volumes, and Hilda chuckled. "Don't have one? What a shame…" But Gavin had had enough. With a sudden movement, he stormed past her and back down the hill, hearing her laughter echo behind his back.
"See you tonight! Or, not…"
The sun had gone down now, and Gavin could hear the festival beginning to start. As was the tradition, it would go into the wee hours of the morning, until the sun began to rise again. But he was not concerned about that now. All he looked at was the parchment in his hand, reading the language inscribed upon it.
"I'm tired of being hated for who I am." He muttered. "I want it to end." And with a sudden flourish, he rose from his bed and moved to the center of the room. As he began to chant, he could feel the vast magical energy building inside of him, threatening to break out and destroy him and everything else.
"No." He spoke as he raised his fists high, light beginning to shine brightly in his palms. "I am the master of my own spells." He continued with the incantations, scarcely pausing for breath as the light grew brighter and brighter. With a shout, Gavin concluded the spell and thrust his hands together. With a bright flash, the light flared and died out.
"That wasn't supposed to happen." He said, looking around. Still, he felt as though something had happened. His perception of time felt slightly distorted somehow, and he reached out with his magic. He froze, terror beginning to seep into his brain. Energy was building all around him, changing the very structure of his world. He opened his mouth, trying to cast a counterspell, a charm, anything, but with a blinding blast of heat and light, his whole house was engulfed in a wave of magic. He had time to scream once before it swallowed him whole.
It was nearly dawn when Gavin emerged from the forest, damp and muddy from his night out in the storm. He had barely left the farm when he had begun to run, reliving memories he had long thought to be buried. He could still hear his own mocking, cruel voice taunting the woman in the kitchen, and he cringed.
I deserved that. All of it. But I still don't know that I can apologize. He knew that Ava wouldn't accept it, anyways. He passed the sign to Grimm's Farm, and he saw a familiar figure sitting on the porch, a blanket pulled around him.
"Gavin!" Ean cried, jumping to his feet as the warlock drew closer. Even from a distance, he could clearly see the mud and water covering the man. "Where did you-"
"Stop." Gavin croaked, his throat dry. "Please, Ean." The elf's eyes widened, and he fell silent. The warlock opened the door and stepped inside, the elf following suit.
Thankfully, nobody else seemed to have noticed his absence, or if they had, they did not comment. Iya was clearly aware that something had happened, but he knew Ava would not have told anyone. He went straight to the bath, scrubbing himself violently until all trace of the mud and dirt was gone. But no matter how much he scrubbed, he could not rid himself of the sick feeling that was bubbling inside of him. When he emerged, wearing fresh robes, Ean was waiting for him in the kitchen. Nobody else was awake, but he guessed that Mike was probably in the barn, tending to the livestock. Ean passed him a bowl of fruit wordlessly, and he ate ravenously, replenishing the energy he had lost over the course of the night.
"It is none of my business, I know." Ean said. He had sat down across from Gavin. "But I trust you, Gavin. More importantly, I care about you. We care about you." The words stabbed directly into his heart, but he did not flinch. "So no matter what it is, I'd never think less of you." For a moment, Gavin considered telling him everything. But his mouth refused to open, and his courage faded away as quickly as it had appeared.
"I… I can't, Ean." He whispered. "I've made too many mistakes to name."
"We all have." Ean said, not quite rudely. "You think any of us are an exception? Do you think Ava is an exception?" Gavin jolted upright at the mention of the woman, and Ean nodded, as though he had known the whole time.
"How do you…"
"She's been glaring at you ever since Seri." Ean said. "Iya pointed it out to me."
"What does it matter?" Gavin muttered, putting his head in his arms. "I don't want to be her friend. I don't want to be anything to her."
Liar. Ean looked like he wanted to say more, but didn't, and they sat in silence for a long time.
Breakfast was a quiet affair, with everybody seemingly mulling over one thing or another. Nicholas only came reluctantly, grumbling something about "an ungodly hour", while Ava refused to appear at all. When everybody had finished eating, Ean stepped outside to look at the sky.
"It seems to be clearing up. We're leaving for Candar, everyone." The party set about packing up the few items they had taken out while Gavin moved to do the dishes. He had just finished washing a plate when he felt a presence enter the room behind him. It was her, he just knew it. The warlock did not dare to turn around until he heard the front door close, letting out a heavy breath. What was he going to do now?
I have to apologize. I'll try to find a time in Candar, I guess. After the dishes were done, Ivy saw them off with a cheery wave, promising to have the farm in even better shape next time they came by.
"Wait!" Geralan had come hurrying from where he was working.
"What is it?" Ean asked, turning around to face the man, who reached into his pocket. He pulled out a folded piece of paper.
"Candar is the city of love, right?" Ean nodded. "I've heard that there was a place to bring confessions of love before one of the nymphs, so I wrote this poem as an offering." He handed the piece of paper to the elf, who took it. "Can you please bring it there?"
"Sure." Ean said. "Actually, we are looking for the same thing you are, so it'll be no trouble."
"Thank you very much." Geralan said, bowing. "Safe travels!" And he hurried off, back to the foundation of his house.
"Interesting." Iya said. "Maybe this will help us."
After stowing the love poem in his pack, Ean led the party off through the forest once more. The others were somewhat quiet, except for Jack. He seemed to be refreshed by his sleep, and he was bounding around, checking behind trees and bushes and scouting the path ahead.
"The woods seem more… calm." Rye said, looking at Emma, who was walking next to him. She glanced at him, green eyes meeting the brown. He was a good deal taller than she remembered, but she finally felt as though she was on equal footing with the rest of the group.
"We killed a lot of the monsters last time." She said with a frown. "I heard Ella has been sending patrols to flush out the rest of them." With a jolt, Rye recalled that George had died in this very forest, and he immediately felt guilty.
"I'm sorry." He muttered, a bit quieter. "That was insensitive of me." Emma looked at him in surprise.
"No, it's… okay." She looked ahead at the path, where Ean and Iya were talking quietly. "I've had some trouble with everything that happened, but I think this is the best thing for me."
"I must admit, it feels good to have another warrior on the team." Rye said with a grin. "So I'm glad you're here." The woman flushed slightly and looked away, evidently embarrassed by the compliment. Ava moved up beside Emma, studying her closely. Rye didn't know what had happened, but the pirate was unusually quiet, especially since Ean and Iya, her favorite people to tease, were right in front of her.
"Uthar taught you, huh?"
"Yeah." Emma said. "I've been meaning to ask you, Ava: Would you train me when we have time. I've learned a lot, but you seem to know a lot more about sword fighting than I do. Uthar mentioned that you were 'the best warrior he ever knew', so…" The woman shrugged. The pirate seemed slightly pleased by the knowledge, and she nodded slightly.
"Uthar asked me already, actually. But my answer is yes, I'll help you learn as much as I can." She smiled slightly, and Emma smiled back.
"I appreciate it."
"I'll enjoy watching her beat you up." Rye commented, and Emma elbowed him in the side. He clutched his ribs in mock pain while Ava looked on with faint amusement.
It took them most of an hour to reach the edge of the forest, where they could see the walls of Candar in the distance. Even from a long ways away, the spires of the castle could be seen glittering faintly.
"Ever been here?" Ean asked Ava, and she nodded.
"Once or twice, but never for any particular reason." She began walking forward. "Come on, slowpokes." Ean stared at her back for a moment, then walked after her. The rest of the party followed suit in silence.
When they arrived in the city, the guards recognized Ean and let them in, explaining that they were being more strict on visitors to the city ever since Princess Ella had been kidnapped.
"It's no trouble." Ean had said, waving a hand as they passed through. The city had not changed much since their last visit, with much of the same shops and stands lining the streets. A poster in a newer stand was advertising a book, written by somebody Ean supposed was an author of great renown.
"I recognize here." Rye said, nodding to the stand. "She was the one who got her manuscript stolen by that other author. I snuck into the house and stole it back for her."
"Excuse me?" Emma said, thrown for a loop.
"Pfft, I bet you did like an amateur." Jack scoffed.
"It wasn't hard." Rye said, but the edge of his mouth had tilted upwards. Emma stared at him for a moment, then decided it was better not to ask.
"Yeah, Ella has mentioned them before. Apparently they're both famous authors, and are always trying to outdo the other. The public likes it, though." The green-haired woman said as they wound their way through the streets. Iya smiled at the thought of two grown women fighting over something so silly. Behind her, Nicholas was looking around with mild interest. Evidently, he had never been to Candar before.
"It.. passes muster, I suppose." He said, and Jack rolled his eyes.
"Course you'd say that." The boy muttered, but Ean gave him a look of warning. Nicholas seemed to have not heard, and he kept looking around as they entered the grounds of the castle.
"Emma!" A voice called suddenly, and Ean looked over to see Ella bounding through the gardens, followed by a guard who nearly tripped trying to keep up with her. She was wearing a dress that matched the color of the flowers, accentuated by the crown in her brown hair. Emma seemed equally delighted to see her friend, and they embraced for a few moments. When they separated, Ella looked around at the rest of the group, seeing a lot of new faces.
"I don't remember this many of you." She said after she had hugged Iya as well. "Uthar said you were coming, but not the reason why."
"We need some help." Ean said. "And we wanted to check on you after we heard about your kidnapping." At the mention of the event, Ella's guard stiffened slightly. The princess's face fell.
"Yes, of course. Please, follow me." The group filed into the castle, leaving the light of the midmorning sun behind as the doors to the castle were shut. Ella led them to the throne room, where she slumped down on the royal chair wearily.
"Are you okay?" Emma asked cautiously, and the woman nodded with a smile.
"Yes, I am. Ever since that ordeal we went through, I've just been a little more stressed than normal. But don't let it concern you." She sat up a little straighter, adjusting her crown. "What is it?" As Ean explained the situation with Eredar and the impassable cliffs, her frown only deepened.
"Very curious." She murmured as she studied the party. "I will summon my researchers at once, but I'm not sure that they will know any more than Uthar's."
"We can wait as long as we must." Iya said. "We can't give up hope." Ella smiled at her enthusiasm as she nodded.
"That's very true. There is another order of business to take care of, though." She pointed to Jack, Gavin, Ava, and Nicholas. "I recognize you, Nicholas, although I am surprised that you're here."
"Me too." The prince muttered, bowing slightly. "Honestly, why I even-"
"I'm Jack!" The boy said, cutting the man off before he could say something rude. "I was petrified for a hundred years or so, but Ean and others lifted the curse."
"Indeed?" Ella said, her eyes widening. "That is quite astonishing, young one."
"And it's all thanks to Gavin." The boy said, pointing to warlock, who turned to look at Ella. To everyone's surprise, he bowed to her slightly. "He's the warlock that freed me."
"I have never met a warlock." Ella said, a genuine smile on her face. Gavin's eyes widened as she continued. "I am most interested in the magic you practice, though. Perhaps we can speak later." Nicholas made a small choking noise, and Ava seemed stunned as well. For his part, Gavin seemed overwhelmed. Being treated with such kindness was a rarity for him.
"And you are?" Ella said, turning to Ava while maintaining her smile.
"Ava One-Eye. "She said shortly. "I'm a pirate from Seri, and I guess it's my job to watch the kids." Ella's smile grew a little bit larger, and she laughed.
"I suppose someone needs to." Clapping her hands together, she stood from her throne. "Now that we've taken care of that, would you all be staying in Candar tonight?"
"Yes, we were planning on staying at the inn." Ean answered, but the ruler shook her head.
"You may stay in the castle tonight. I'm sure my guards would be appreciative of the extra protection. And besides," The woman said serenely. "I rarely have my friends with me, so I would appreciate it." Seeing that Iya, Emma, and Ella all had their hearts set on the idea, Ean acquiesced with a smile.
"Of course, Princess."
"Perfect!" Ella said. "I'll have my servants show you to your rooms!"
An hour or two later, Ean found himself walking down the main street of Candar with Rye and Jack, who had already left their things in their rooms. Gavin had muttered something about the library and left, while Nicholas had stated that he wished to roam around the castle by himself for a little while. Ava, Iya, and Emma had gone to spend time with Ella, whom he suspected was doing worse than she had let on.
"Hello again, dear." A voice said from his left, and he turned to see the owner of the dress shop standing there. "Any luck finding that silk?"
"I'm sorry, but no." Ean said, recalling that the woman had asked him to find a bolt of silk for her. "I've been to Seri, but I didn't see anything like what you need."
"Oh, it's alright." The woman, Lenora, said. "I still have some extras, and there is not a lot of business lately. But if you, you know where to bring it."
"I'll keep it in mind." In truth, Ean had looked for both a jeweler's kit and a bolt of silk in Seri, but he had found nothing. Turning, he saw that Rye and Jack had moved over to a stand that was selling some sort of candied item. He began moving towards them, but an unfamiliar voice called out to him:
"Boy! Over here!" Turning around again, he saw an older woman standing near the fountain in the center of the square. He walked over hesitantly, seeing that she was carrying a small black box.
"Yes, what is it?" He asked politely, and she opened the box in her hands to reveal a collection of glittering gold and silver rings.
"Rings, my dear, for your special somebody." Ean flushed slightly.
"Oh, I… I don't have anybody like that." He stammered, but the merchant merely chuckled.
"Come now, boy, I can see it in your eyes: You're head over heels for some girl or another." The words caused Ean to flush even more and left him temporarily speechless. "Why not buy her a token of your appreciation?"
"I… I…" Ean stammered, but then he stopped, considering the idea.
Would Iya like this? The rings were simple, yet elegant in their own way, much like his elven companion.
"Oh, what do we have here?" Vincent teased him from the corner of his mind. "My, my, Ean…"
"Leave him alone." Amari said, but Ean could sense the laughter in her voice. Edward said nothing, but a sense of something like approval seemed to emanate from his presence.
Ean blinked for a moment, and then decided.
"Fine, I'll take one." The woman smiled with delight.
"Of course you will. Now, let me think…" She rummaged around in her box, picking through the various rings, before selecting a silver one with leaves engraved on it. "It's not magical, but I think it will suit your lady friend quite nicely."
"How do you-" Ean started, but she shook her head.
"I never reveal my secrets, boy." She named the price for the ring, and Ean paid her, placing the ring in a small box she pulled from her pocket. "Good luck with her, young man." Ean merely nodded and walked away, his mind still racing.
Why did I buy something like that? Especially for Iya?
But even when he rejoined Rye and Jack, who noticed his flushed face immediately, he couldn't help but feel a pleasant tingling sensation in his chest as they moved through the marketplace.
The elf in question was currently leaning back against a bench, listening to Ella telling the group something about the castle. Ella was sitting next to her, while Emma was sitting on the edge of the fountain that sat in the corner of the small garden. Ava was standing a few steps away, and Iya got the strange feeling that she was uncomfortable. She wondered what Ean was doing right now…
"Interesting." Emma said, and the elf realized that she had zoned out for a moment. Her cheeks heated up slightly, but nobody seemed to notice. "But I did want to ask something else." The woman leaned a little closer, studying Ella. "You aren't feeling as well as you say, are you?"
"I had thought that as well." Iya said quietly, watching the princess's face droop.
"No." She murmured quietly. "I've… I haven't been sleeping well." Iya placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly as she continued. "Some nights I'll wake up and it feels like I'm back in the forest, and… and…"
"It's okay." Emma whispered, and the elf thought she could see tears beginning to form in the green eyes. "I have dreams like that too, sometimes. Where I wasn't fast enough to save you, or Uthar, or anybody." Ella took a deep breath, nodding to herself.
"And sometimes I just can't focus on what I'm supposed to be doing, and things like that."
"It's stress." Ava put in quietly, and the other women turned to look at her. "Your mind needs a way to cope with what the body has endured, and it doesn't always fit. I've seen people go mad." Her eyes were dark, and Iya could see the sadness behind them.
"You think I will?" Ella asked, but Ava shook her head.
"No, you're too strong for that, from what Uthar told me." Ella's head snapped up at the mention of the ruler of Thais.
"He- What did he tell you?" She seemed oddly panicked by the thought of Uthar talking about her.
"Just what happened, and that he knew you'd be okay eventually." Ava said with a shrug. "He cares about you, from what I've heard." Ella flushed.
"Yes, well… We write letters to each other from time to time, ever since that incident." She chose not to mention that reading the letters he sent was one of the only ways that she found helped her calm down. Emma raised an eyebrow, and Iya smiled.
"See? I told you." Ella blushed even more as she remembered their previous conversation about Uthar. Emma's eyebrows shot even higher, and even Ava seemed intrigued by this new idea.
"Oh, hush. As I recall, I told you much the same about Ean." Iya's face turned slightly pink, and Ava chuckled.
"You're right about that." Ella looked at her curiously, seeing the smirk on the pirate's face. "Those two are always taking to each other and cuddling up when they think nobody's looking. Why they don't-"
"That's a lie!" Iya said in a rather high-pitched voice. Her face was burning now, and she covered it with her hands in a feeble effort to disguise her embarrassment. Ella was laughing, and Emma had a small smile on her face. "And what about Emma and Rye?"
"Me?" Emma said in shock. "And Rye?"
"That is a fair point." Ava mused. "They also seem rather close, especially since they're so alike each other. Perhaps…"
"I'm going to hit you so hard when we start training." Emma muttered, turning away to look at a wall, and Ava chuckled again.
"You know, Ava," Ella said with a smile. "You seemed a little more mysterious than the rest of the group, but I think that you really are soft on the inside." The pirate looked at her, quite surprised by this statement.
"I don't think so." She said slowly, but Ella shook her head.
"Seeing you interact with them makes me think that you really do have a good heart. And that's a rare quality, especially in times like these." Her tone was soft, but Ava felt it hit home.
A good heart, huh? Unbidden, the memory of her shouting at Gavin rose in her mind, and she felt slightly sick. I think that's overestimating me…
"I… Thank you." Ava said at last, bowing slightly to the princess. "I can see why you'd be a good match for Uthar." Ella rolled her eyes while she blushed.
"Fine, I admit that I think he is handsome, and brave, and…" She trailed off, not wanting to say everything on her mind. "But we have other duties right now, and I don't want to distract him."
"Perhaps a distraction is what both of you need." Emma said quietly. "Nobody would blame you." Ella thought about it for a moment.
"Perhaps." She leaned back against the bench.
"Regardless," Ava put in. "I'm sure your true love will wait for you." Emma laughed, and Ella groaned.
"True love…" Iya murmured, the phrase ringing in her mind.
Yes. Draw the connection. The voice seemed to ring out inside her mind, and she looked up, startled.
"Wha…"
"Iya?" Ella said, looking at her. "Are you okay?"
The elf's mind was racing. The gardener had stated that true love had created the secret garden behind the door, and only a love equal to it could convince him to hand over the key. And they had something like that…
"Ean!" She blurted out. "Ella, do you know where he is?" She stood up, blue hair waving around her as she turned towards the door.
"He went out with the others to explore the market, I believe."
"I need him back here." Iya said, turning to one of the guards and asking him to retrieve her elven companion. The man glanced at Ella, who nodded.
"What happened?" Emma said, standing up. "Iya?"
"I think…" Iya whispered. "I think I know how to find Ceri." The eyes of the other women widened, even Ava, but Iya did not elaborate.
A few minutes later, Ean, Rye, and Jack came into the garden, out of breath.
"What happened?" Ean said, moving over to her and looking into her eyes. "Are you okay?"
"I think Ceri spoke to me." Iya said to him, causing Ella to gasp. "Can you retrieve your bag?"
"Of course." Ean said, turning to leave. "Ella, can you retrieve Gavin and Nicholas?" The princess nodded as Ean disappeared around a corner.
"Wait, Ceri spoke to you?" Rye said. "How?"
"I was thinking about what the gardener said about true love, and I think she helped me connect the dots about what we need. I think she wants me to find her."
"But how do you know?"
"Remember what Geralan said? Ivy told him that people would come here to prove their dedication to love, which means they must have come to Ceri. I think she'll only appear if we do the same." Jack's eyes widened.
"And we have Geralan's poem! You think she'll accept it?"
"No, we can't give it to her." Iya said. "Not yet, anyways. Ella, can you send for Wallace?" The princess looked just as confused as the others, but she nodded and passed the order to one of her guards. A minute or two passed, and Gavin and Nicholas appeared. They glared at each other, but did not speak.
"I've got it." Ean said, reappearing in the doorway to the garden. "What do you need?"
"The note Geralan gave us." Iya said as Wallace appeared, looking perplexed. He handed it to her, and Iya walked over to the elderly gardener.
"What is it, miss?" He asked, and she handed him the poem.
"We've brought you an offering of true love." The man's eyes flicked over the words on the page, and his knees began to tremble.
"This is…" He staggered to a bench and sat down, his wrinkly face filled with something like regret. "This truly is love, child." Iya knelt down next to him.
"Ceri spoke to me, Wallace. She told me to make the connection and give you this offering. You know where she is, don't you?" The gardener looked at her for a long moment. "I beg of you, help us."
A small silver key fell into her hand, and Iya looked up to see Wallace sitting there, his hand outstretched. His face was a mixture of sadness and joy at what he had just read, but she could see the sincerity in his eyes.
"You have made an offering, and I accept it. Go through the door, but do not judge me for what you find." With those words, the elderly gardener limped away and out of sight. Ella was staring at him, a strange light in her eyes.
"I never knew he felt so strongly about such things." She said, and Ean moved over to Iya.
"Shall we?" She nodded, and the rest of the party followed them over to the door hidden behind the moss. Ean inserted the key, and it turned with a sharp click in the lock. He placed his hand on the knob, and it turned smoothly.
"Are we ready?" He asked, looking at the party. "Be prepared for anything." With a twist of his wrist, the door swung open, and the group stepped through the opening in the wall.
The first thing Ean noticed was the colors. They were standing on the edge of a large field that stretched out in front of them until it met the walls of the castle. Plants and flowers of every color were blooming everywhere they looked, and he saw butterflies and birds floating through the air gently. At their feet was a small stone path, which led towards the very center of the garden. And in the middle stood a small marble pavilion, with pink wood accentuating the top and sides. It was empty, as was the rest of the garden. The voice in Iya's head had gone silent now, but she could feel its presence lurking somewhere in front of them.
"It's… beautiful." Gavin murmured, and nobody said anything. The garden was so full of life and light that it was hard to comprehend it all.
"Come on." Iya said, and moved towards the pavilion at the center. With each step, she felt as though a part of her was humming in harmony with the surrounding plants. It felt comforting and warm, and she found that she was not scared of whatever was inside a place like this.
The small pavilion had flowers growing on the side of it, and moss grew up the supporting pillars. As she stepped onto the wood floor, Iya felt a tremor run through the garden. The others felt it too, and they looked around for the source. Ean moved closer to her, eyes scanning the area.
"Welcome, travelers." The voice rang out, and Iya looked up to see a small ball of light coalescing in the middle of the pavilion. It began to distort, taking on a familiar shape that had arms and legs. The light grew brighter, and then faded away to reveal one of the most flawless women Iya had ever seen. He skin was pale, and she wore a dress that seemed to have a life of its own. With a closer look, she realized that it was actually made of plants and flowers, each flowing seamlessly into the other. Her features were slanted, and she had two pink wings that extended from her shoulders to the middle of her back. The pink hair that fell down her back matched the sparkling colors that formed her eyes. Rye made a choking noise, and the beautiful creature smiled, her delicate lips curving upwards.
"I am Ceri, the nymph of love. And you must be Iya Tiki." The nymph floated downwards, bare feet lightly touching the wood as she alit. "I have been waiting for all of you."