by Toni Cox
“There, that’s better,” Riker said, putting his hand on her thigh for just a moment.
Maia watched him as he went to mount his own horse. His calm confidence impressed her, but she knew he was trying hard to hide the other feelings within him. And he was succeeding; with her senses shielded as they were now, she was hardly able to feel what she had felt from him last night. Except for his touch, the hand on her thigh, even for such a short moment, had told her more about his inner feelings than she had wanted to know.
The thought gave her a strange tingling sensation and Fire snorted beneath her. Riker turned his horse and looked at her. He held her gaze for just a moment, then nodded to Maia and to Rothea, assigned to ride beside her, and gave the order to move out.
There were shouts of farewell from the small group of people assembled in front of the inn. Maia waved to them as she rode by. Then they were past and turned onto the Trade Route to follow its way north, keeping the towering mountains to their left.
They rode mostly in silence; Riker beside her and Rothea close behind. At noon, they stopped at a stream to water the horses. The Servers set out a small luncheon of fruit and bread and everyone gathered to eat. Maia sat a little away from the group, sharing a blanket with Riker. Rothea ate her lunch while she stood guard and Arahael attended to Maia and Riker’s needs. Arahael; an older Server with more experience; had taken over from Neth as her Server and Maia felt bad about how she had frightened the girl. However, it seemed the incident had not been mentioned, as no one else was aware of it. Maia was glad for it.
“Would you like some more water, Lady Maia?” Arahael asked.
“No, thank you, just an apple, please,” Maia answered.
When Arahael brought her the apple, she rose and went to stand with Fire. She held the apple out for him and let him bite it in half. She stood with him like that for a while, waiting for him to finish the apple. She felt bad about how her moods affected him, but her bond with him was almost as strong as the bond she had with Midnight.
She gasped and then blinked a few times as if she could erase what she had just seen in her mind. Her thought regarding Midnight must have opened her mind to his, and she was suddenly intensely aware that Midnight was watching her. She turned, scanning the flat country to the east and then the tall mountains to the west, but not even with her sharp eyes was she able to see him. Dragons had incredible eyesight and, for all she knew, he could be at least ten miles away or more and he would still be able to see her. She smiled at the thought that he must have been following them at a distance the whole time.
Somehow, she suddenly felt a lot calmer.
Fire nudged her, hoping for another apple, and she noticed that the Servers had already packed away the blankets and the food, and people were remounting. This time, she had no trouble to mount and was in position to move off before Riker had the opportunity to ask if she needed assistance. He nodded to her, trying to hide the smile that played around his lips and then mounted his own grey gelding.
Without a word, he fell in beside her and together they led their party northward toward Thala Yll.
That night and the following one, they made camp at the edge of the forest. As Maia had feared, her sleeping arrangements consisted of many unnecessary items; a commode with a small mirror, a light room divider for her to change behind, carpets to cover the floor and her own dishes for dining in her tent.
They had also provided blankets woven out of various materials, as well as furs for her cot. The nights were still chilly and, although Maia was glad for the furs provided, she was cold in her tent every night. She thought of Midnight and his warmth and, for the first time in a long time, she mind-linked with him and they shared their thoughts and feelings.
She learned from Midnight how she had behaved over the last six Moons and how it hurt others around her. Midnight learned from her the depth of the feelings she had for Blaid and what he meant to her. Maia apologised for her behaviour and accepted Midnight’s scolding. Midnight, on the other hand, conceded that Blaid might, indeed, be the darkness to her light and that maybe, just maybe, there was something within Blaid he had overlooked. Yet he still warned her to be careful of him and pointed out that there were other, safer, options open to her. He did not go into detail, trying to hide most of what he thought, but besides the rusty-red glow she knew to be Aaron, she also sensed someone Midnight thought of as a calm, blue sea.
She did not pry; she was just too happy that they were at peace again; but she would try to find out later who this mystery man might be.
By the time they reached the Horseman’s Inn on the fourth day, she felt more herself. As they were leading the horses into the stables, she approached Neth to make amends for the scare she had given her.
“Neth, I am sorry if I frightened you, it was never my intent. Please will you forgive me?”
Neth cast down her eyes and hid a shy smile. “My Lady, it is not my place to know what troubles a Prime. What you had to do to save all those warriors must have been terrible for you. I would surely have nightmares as well.”
Neth curtsied and returned to her task of unloading the luggage off the floating materium platforms.
Maia stood for a moment, reflecting on what Neth had said. What you had to do! It was no secret that what had saved them in the end was the fact that she, a Life Elemental, had teamed up with a Death Elemental, and together they defeated the army of Vampyres at Greystone. To her, at that moment, it had been the most natural thing to do and it had saved all their lives. However, in their culture, Life and Death did not usually come together. A meeting between the two most powerful Elementals in existence usually caused more damage than it did good. Their histories often spoke of terrible destruction should Life and Death ever come together. Although necessary, the Death Elemental was often seen as a pariah and usually lived a solitary life, wandering through the world, doing what he or she did best.
Most people did not even realise what that meant; they simply assumed he walked the land to take lives here and there, as he felt like. Sightings of black ravens, black wolves, or Razorback boars, were often seen as omens that someone would die. It was a superstition so ingrained within their culture that Maia could almost understand the fear the people had of Death. If she had to be honest about it, what did she really know about him? He had saved her life, on more than one occasion, during that war. He told her he could never lose her and then he had made love to her.
After that, she had only seen him once, in Silas’ cave. She would never be able to forget that night, it had been magical, but they had not talked or made any plans. He left and had not returned. Was his love for her just in her imagination? Was that last night they shared together just the final vestiges of the magic they wrought on the battlefield? Or was what she was feeling simply the hormones of a young Elf, who had experienced physical attraction for the first time?
She sighed. It was no use; she felt more confused the longer she thought about it. She glanced up to find that the horses had been led away and most of their possessions brought into the lodge. Rothea stood quietly off to the side, waiting for Maia to finish with Fire. Riker, who had not let her out of his sight since the incident at the Featherstone Inn, was also still in the barn. She felt guilty for having been caught daydreaming, hurried to take the saddle off Fire and checked his hay net.
“I am ready.” She finally said to Rothea, who nodded.
Riker offered Maia his arm and, followed by Rothea at a respectful distance, they made their way towards the inn.
“I promise I will be safe,” she pleaded with him.
Riker looked at her sternly, and glanced at Rothea holding their horses.
The inn had been crowded and noisy. Everyone wanted to meet her and speak with her and by the time she finally managed to eat her dinner, she was exhausted. Rothea had accompanied her to her room, but once inside, Maia could find no rest. She paced in front of the window, looking at the dark mountains beyond. Eventually she mad
e a decision and went to Rothea’s room to wake her. Maia had been surprised to find that Rothea was easy to talk to and more understanding of her needs than she had hoped. The woman had startling eyes; a mixture of green and grey, with an almost orange ring around the pupils. Even in the dull light of the night lantern, her hair shone bright red. Maia thought she was pretty.
Silently they had crept downstairs, out the door and to the stables. Riker caught them just as they were leading the horses out.
“I am coming with you,” he said firmly, and turned to Rothea. “Stay here while I get my horse ready.”
Moments later, they were all in the saddle and trotting through the forest towards the mountains. It was cold and even their thick coats could not prevent the icy wind from finding its way to their bodies. Maia shivered, but she knew she would be warm soon. Riker and Rothea, however, would have to spend the night huddled around a fire in the middle of the frosty forest. She had, of course, explained to Rothea what she intended to do and all she wanted was for Rothea to give Riker the message. However, Rothea had insisted she come along, and then Riker caught them and now both of them would not get to sleep in a warm bed tonight. Both insisted they would not return to the lodge, but stay within easy distance of her throughout the night.
Feeling guilty, she was about to suggest that they turn around, when she felt his touch on her mind. At the same time, the horses became aware of his smell and whinnied in fear. Quickly Maia reached out to their minds and calmed them. She jumped off Fire, threw the reins to Riker and darted off into the darkness. She felt Riker’s eyes on her until she eventually rounded a corner.
She did not have far to go. After about two hundred paces, the forest opened into a large, rocky clearing. Midnight’s massive black body perched on top of the tallest outcropping, waiting for her to emerge from the trees. Barely breathing harder, she ran through the clearing, jumping from rock to rock until she reached him. His unique smell, a mix of reptile and mammal, smoke, and fire, enveloped her as she ran to him, pressed herself against his large chest and he protectively lifted his right wing to shield her from the cold wind.
They stood like that for what seemed like eternity, both content with the nearness of the other. Eventually, Midnight released her from his embrace and they walked together to more even footing where Midnight settled on the ground for Maia to lie down on his leg. Nestled close to his shoulder, with his wing raised above her, she was as warm as she could be, even though the grass around them was grey with frost.
Finally feeling safe and, for the first time in many Moons, happy, she fell into an easy sleep with her Soul Dragon watching over her.
It was just past noon the next day when they reached the outskirts of Thala Yll. Unlike Braérn, which was a compact city with narrow, cobblestone streets, trading squares and timber-frame houses built two or three storeys high, Thala Yll was a sprawling development, with wide streets, single-storey houses with large gardens and animals wherever one looked. The wealth of the city was based on their livestock, and the city was surrounded in every direction by grazing land, interspersed by woodlands and freestanding trees. They had reached the grazing lands early that morning and rode through herds of grazing cattle, sheep, and pigs to get to the town.
The people of Thala Yll bred a variety of cattle, from Low-Land Longhorns and Albersand Greys to the smaller midland breeds. Maia even noticed at least three different breeds of sheep and goats, plus breeds of pigs she had never seen before. Some even looked like the fearsome Razorback boars, but on closer inspection it was clear these animals were smaller and lacked the distinctive razor-like spikes along their spines.
Maia loved how content these animals were, which spoke well of how they were treated. She had been to Thala Yll before, when she was younger, but then her senses had not been as finely developed and she had not noticed it as much.
They rode for another two hours before they reached the city centre and there a congregation of people already awaited their arrival. Children danced in front of their horses, chanting songs of welcome. Flags waved out of windows and women dressed in white strewed petals before them.
Led to a grand plaza where a band of musicians played Life Conquers All, they dismounted and Horse Masters came to lead their horses away. Fire threw his head in the air and danced in a circle around the stressed Horse Master trying to settle him. Maia laid a hand on his neck and spoke a few words. The stallion snorted and shook his head, but then allowed the man to lead him away.
“He will be all right,” Riker said softly into her right ear before he took her arm and led her up the steps of Thala Yll’s Grand Hall.
She could not help but smile at her companion; he was brave, being this forward with her. She was also amazed that he knew her so well, at the same time afraid of his feelings for her and how she was reacting to them. She wondered how she had never noticed it before. Was it only a recent development, or had Riker always felt like this about her? Could it be, because she had isolated herself from the feelings of others through the winter, that she was more sensitive to them now? Or was it the fact that she had experienced love and now knew how to recognise it?
The thought stabbed through her heart; was it really love she felt with Blaid? Was it love she sensed in Riker now, or simple infatuation? The questions were making her head reel.
Determined not to think about this further, she looked up as the massive doors of the Grand Hall opened and Lord Hazelwatch stepped through them. The black-haired lord of the city bowed before his princess, kissed her hand, and formally welcomed her to Thala Yll. He was followed by an entourage of flower-bearing children, who then swarmed around her, effectively separating her from Riker. He gave her a crooked grin and shrugged his shoulders.
Maia was ushered into the hall amidst the horde of children. She loved children; they were beautiful, wide-eyed, and innocent, and their Eläm was still so pure. Their exuberance was infectious and, by the time she had taken her seat, she was laughing with them. She did not even mind that they had set up a throne for her to sit on, or that they decorated the entire hall with candles and flowers in her honour. For the next half hour, while Servers brought cool fruit juices and iced water as refreshments, the children sang and danced for her.
“How was your trip, My Lady?” Skylor Hazelwatch asked, seated on one of the chairs arranged to her right.
“It was pleasant, thank you, although the nights are still rather cold,” Maia answered.
“You shall not suffer from the cold tonight, Lady Maia. Your accommodations are within Thala House, our finest guest house, I can assure you.”
“You honour me, Lord Hazelwatch.” She smiled at him.
“This here,” he indicated the hall, her travelling companions, the children and the Nobles that had joined them, “is just to welcome you. You are probably tired from your journey and we do not want to take up too much of your time this evening, so we will accompany you and your delegations to Thala House as soon as you are ready. We will have an official welcome feast planned for two days hence, to give you some time to settle in. Commander Hollowdale suggested that you might want to see the dragons. If it is all right with you, you can see the roosts tomorrow.”
“I would like that very much,” she replied.
She did, indeed, want to see the dragons. Not simply because they were dragons, but because she had fought side by side with Evandeor Hollowdale, Commander of the first Regiment of Thala Yll, during the war of Greystone. They lost good men and dragons that day and she had never really had the chance to thank him, nor the warriors under his command. She also wanted to see the families of those who had lost their lives during the battle in the forest in person, as she felt they had died protecting her.
“We will then commemorate our fallen from the war on the fourth day, for which we have planned to travel to the edge of the forest, where they were laid to rest in the Burial Grounds. It will be there that you will be able to address the people of the city. It has been hard for t
hose who have lost their loved ones. We thank you that you honour us with your presence; it will bring closure for many.”
They sat in a quiet corner of the dining hall of Thala House. The guesthouse was closed to all other business for the duration of their stay, so there were no other guests. Most of Maia’s retinue had either retired to their rooms or were visiting friends and family within the city. The Servers had been given the evening off and Commander Ridgewell and his men and women were stationed around the guesthouse; out of sight, but within calling distance.
She stared at the little candle flame on the table. It danced yellow and orange in the soft wind of her breath. The Servers of Thala House had already cleared the table of their supper, but left them with two glasses and a decanter of wine. She had only one glass, during dinner, but she could feel the alcohol working its way to her head. She was sleepy and uncommonly relaxed.
Riker lifted the decanter and looked at her enquiringly.
“I really should not,” she said, but then did not protest when Riker poured her half a glass.
“There is only a little left,” he said. “Enough for half a glass each. Then, if you still want to, we can take a walk to the stables and you can check on Fire.”
“Yes,” she said, taking a sip of her wine, “I’d like that.”
Riker smiled at her and she noticed again how handsome he was. His brown eyes were liquid in the sparse light of the candle and the way he looked at her awoke something that had been dormant for the last six Moons. Her heart beat faster. For a moment, she saw Blaid sitting opposite her.
Embarrassed by her own feelings, she quickly looked away and finished the rest of her wine.
Riker chuckled quietly. “Let us go, My Princess, the stables are a distance away and the moons have already risen.”
