Worst of all, there was nobody to take care of her. Oh sure, these people, or whatever they were, would rescue her and keep her safe . . . hopefully, but they wouldn’t bathe her, or make her a pretty new dress. Liselle had offered her one of the Rojuun robes, but there was absolutely no way she was going to put that on. She didn’t want anything to do with the Rojuun and would rather walk naked.
Tathan wouldn’t be allowed to see her naked though. Boys couldn’t see girl princesses naked, it was against the law. She wondered if he would stare at her. He would probably even touch her. Anilyia felt warm all of the sudden and her breathing was rapid. It would be nice if he touched her when she was naked.
“Oh!” she stumbled over a rock and fell into his back. He turned quickly to catch her, holding her in his arms. Warmth flooded Anilyia’s body and she felt dizzy.
“Are you alright, Your Highness?” he asked with worry in his voice.
She didn’t trust herself to answer, simply burying her face into his chest. No man had ever touched Anilyia or held her and she didn’t understand the sensations she was experiencing. She just wanted Tathan to hold her and touch her, even if she was naked. A part of her was disappointed that her dress was still on and that part was confusing her to no end.
“We’ll rest soon, Your Highness,” he assured her. She didn’t see the worried looks Tathan exchanged with his companions. “Come on, let’s get someplace where we can sit down and get food in you.” He took her hand and led her down the tunnel.
A few minutes later, he found a good sized cave with a river running through it. The truly amazing detail about the cave was that it sparkled brightly. The sparkling effect came from quartz crystals filling the right side of the cave.
“Ohh, pretty,” Vevin remarked appreciatively. It was beautiful. Insects and tiny birds flitted back and forth to different glowing plants, many landing on the crystals. Every movement made little dots of light dance around the cave. It seemed so alive.
“Let me have the blanket, dearest,” Liselle said to Vevin, who handed it to her. Anilyia absentmindedly wondered where he kept it. Then she remembered that he was a dragon and she didn’t want to know. She went back to staring at the pretty lights with the others. Even Sir Danth was entranced by the beautiful colors of the cave.
Anilyia felt hands on her shoulders. It was Liselle. “Come sit down. I’ll get you some food and you can rest.” The princess shrank away from the touch and made to dash into Tathan’s arms. Liselle stepped between them, preventing the escape. “I know I scared you and I’m sorry. I’m very sorry.” There was sincerity in her grey eyes . . . and no hint of the ghostly fire. “You’re safe. I promise not to hurt you or light you on fire,” she reassured the princess with a gentle smile. Anilyia wasn’t convinced, but allowed herself to be led to the blanket.
The companions ate food prepared by Liselle and Vevin, all the while admiring the cave. As soon as she was done eating, the princess fell into an exhausted sleep.
***
The next morning, Sir Danth suggested they spend a day in the cave resting and recovering their strength, but was immediately outvoted by everyone else. They wanted to get out from underneath the rock and view open sky once more. The knight had done some scouting down the other two tunnels while the rest slept. He discovered one of them was a dead end, but the other led to another large cavern with more tunnels. Liselle confirmed that they were going the right way.
That next day was all a blur to Princess Anilyia. She held onto Tathan’s hand the entire time as he led them through countless tunnels and caves. It was midnight when they finally stepped out of the last one.
Chapter 25
The companions gazed at the stars in elation. Mountains attempted to touch those stars with their peaks, but failed, as the twinkling lights were much too high. The trip from the depths of the world had been a bizarre experience for Liselle. She learned a great deal in the cavern with the unnatural taint. The world of Ryallon didn’t mind the existence of the Rojuun, but it did mind what they did in that cavern.
Ryallon. It was the name of the world they lived on, but it was also something more . . . an entity in and of itself. Ryallon wasn’t a god, nor was it a person. The world had a consciousness, a survival instinct so to speak. The enormity of that consciousness was more than Liselle would be able to handle if Ryallon were to concentrate on her completely.
The experience in the tainted cavern had been life altering. Ryallon held her with water and protected her from the power while using her as a vessel for its will. It was different from with the plants while killing sstejj. Those plants were stupid and clumsy. Ryallon was intelligent and gentle. By the time the casting was done, not only had the cavern been cleansed, but Liselle had learned more about magic and how to channel its energy.
Ryallon also taught her how to listen to rocks and ground. They communicated differently than plants, but it was possible to read them. Whereas flowers always talked when they were awake, rocks never said anything, but it was possible to understand what they knew. In teaching this knowledge to Liselle, the world was able to guide her out of the tunnels to the world above.
Vevin, standing next to her, said, “You look pleased.”
Liselle smiled cheerfully at him. “I’m happy to see the sky.” The late summer night was clear and warm with a gentle breeze caressing her face. A river rushed by a short distance away, filling nostrils with its spray, while trees on the slopes of the wide canyon walls stood watch. The sounds of nocturnal animals mixed with the noise of water tumbling over rocks on its way to whatever ocean it would eventually find.
Liselle knew they would be able to get to the Willden Forest if they traveled upriver to the west. Another ancient road built by soldiers of the Kingdom of Morhain had been here although no one had traveled on it in centuries. Ryallon called it the ‘Lost Road’, but that was the extent of what the world had told Liselle about it. She could see the overgrown remnants of road to the east a little ways where a bend in the river had eaten away at it, and to the west where it followed the river.
“Where are we?” Princess Anilyia asked from next to Tathan. She had been staying as far away from Liselle and Vevin as possible. At first, the princess had stayed near Sir Danth, but the knight was a quiet and intimidating force. Tathan was nice to her so she began staying next to him instead, holding onto his hand constantly. Throughout the journey to the surface, she had remained quiet, speaking only when absolutely necessary. Liselle got the feeling it was out of character for her.
“We’re in the Northern Caaldith Mountains,” Tathan answered. “From here we go west to the Willden Forest, then to the Kingdom of Kethril to find a way to travel to Mayncal.
“The Willden Forest is haunted!” the princess exclaimed. “We know that even in Mayncal.”
“It’s alright,” Tathan reassured her. “The forest is friendly to us and we’re welcome there. It’s great to be out of those tunnels though!”
“Oh yes! It’s absolutely wonderful,” Vevin agreed. “I can’t wait to fly again. It’s been far too long and I miss soaring through the valleys.”
The princess looked at him with wide eyes yet again. She seemed to be terrified of Vevin even though he had promised not to eat her. Then she looked at Liselle, who smiled gently at her. Anilyia looked away and held onto Tathan tighter.
The princess was terrified of her. Apparently having eyes of fire didn’t endear people to Liselle. She made a mental note to remember that the next time she wanted to be diplomatic about something. Liselle was trying to smile more often and get on the princess’s good side. At the same time, there was no way she was going to be a servant and obey her every command. Luckily, Tathan and the rest didn’t suggest otherwise.
Tathan seemed entranced with the princess, who appeared to adore him in return. It was a serious problem considering she was betrothed and the future wedding was key to establishing peace between two kingdoms. If Tathan and the princess were to fall in love . . . She l
et that thought hang there for a moment. Something would need to be done about it, but right now, she wanted to concentrate on breathing in the fresh air.
Suddenly, there were packs on the ground by Vevin’s feet. “I have everybody’s things here. I can’t hold them anymore.” Liselle’s bow was there too.
“I was thinking we needed to take back our things anyway,” Tathan said as he grabbed his pack. Liselle picked hers up too and placed the bow and quiver over her shoulder.
She walked along the path a few feet and saw a small patch of flowers between the path and the river. They opened up and reached to her. She laughed and went to talk to them, touching each and every one with her fingertips as they told her how thrilled they were to see her.
She didn’t notice Princess Anilyia’s reaction when the flowers arched toward Liselle. Nor did she notice the princess trying to figuratively climb into Tathan’s body to get further away. It was just so nice to finally see proper flowers again and Liselle listened to them tell her about the weather and which insects they liked best and how carnivorous fairies always chased away the best hummingbirds.
Vevin came up behind her. “Dearest, I’m going to fly for a little while,” he said cheerfully. “Will you be alright without me for a bit?”
Liselle stood up. “Can I go with you?” she asked hopefully.
Vevin stared at her for a moment with a stunned look on his face. Then he asked, “Can you fly too?”
She frowned in confusion. “I don’t think so, but I’ve never tried . . . at least not since I was a kid,” she replied, grinning. “I was thinking I could ride on your shoulders like in the caves.”
He looked hurt by the suggestion and took a step back. “You want to ride me?”
“I don’t understand. I’m sorry if I upset you, dearest . . .,” Liselle stammered, putting a hand on his shoulder.
He frowned for a moment before answering. “I’m not a horse. Dragons don’t give rides to people or . . . anyone or anything.” Vevin took a deep breath. “In the dark caves, I put you on my back to rescue you. I did it like when I carried you after you passed out from talking to the world just the other day,” he explained to her. “But it’s insulting to ask to ride a dragon, even if he’s in love with you . . . especially if he’s in love with you,” he finished sadly.
Liselle burst into tears and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m so sorry, darling. I’m so sorry.”
He held her tightly. “No, I’m sorry. I should have told you. For some reason, I thought you already knew all of that.” He buried his face into her neck and she did the same in his. They stayed that way and swayed together for a few moments.
Everyone else had listened to the conversation with great interest, saying nothing. They left the couple alone and began to explore the immediate area. Tathan went to the bank of the river with Anilyia attached to his hand. Sir Danth walked up the path a ways to see if there were any immediate dangers.
They separated after a few minutes of holding each other. Vevin wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “I’ll go flying another time, darling,” he told her.
“No! Please don’t stay because I’m being silly,” Liselle exclaimed. “Go flying. It’s who you are and a vital part of what you do,” she encouraged him with a smile. “I’m alright here. I just didn’t know.”
Vevin thought about it for a moment. It was obvious he wanted to go, but at the same time, he didn’t want to leave her when she was upset. “Go,” she told him, shoving him away.
He gave her a big kiss, ran five long strides, and leapt into the air. Then he went dragon, thrusting into the sky with powerful wings. A piercing roar filled the air, causing creatures to scurry in every direction. Liselle smiled as she watched her beautiful lover accelerate into the starry night. She stared at him until his shape became a speck in the sky.
When she turned around, she saw Anilyia cowering behind Tathan who was grinning at the reaction. Liselle smiled at him happily. It was nice to be free of the caves. “Do we rest here, or continue traveling?” She asked.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m too excited to be out of those cursed caves to rest right now.” He turned to Anilyia who was still hiding behind him. “Can you continue awhile?” The princess stood straighter and nodded, still holding his arm tightly.
Sir Danth came back. “The road is clear. It’s a beautiful night with no danger other than our purple friend in the air,” he said with a grin. Tathan and Liselle chuckled while Anilyia hid behind Tathan’s back, looking at the sky in fear. Sir Danth took a deep breath, obviously appreciating the freedom as much as the rest. “I’m going to scout ahead some more. Follow as you will.” He turned and set a brisk pace while they followed at a more leisurely walk.
A little bit of undergrowth covered parts of the old road, but it was still mostly clear. The last few days had been a constant escape coupled with climbing up long inclines. Liselle’s legs were tired and a little wobbly from the workout. She could only imagine how bad the princess’s legs were doing.
Liselle closed her eyes and drew in small amounts of mystical energy from the night air, the rushing river, nearby flowers and the very world itself. She transformed the energy into strength and endurance for the three of them, smiling when she heard the gasp from the princess.
“Thank you, Cousin.” Tathan gently touched her shoulder. They walked alongside each other with the princess staying on the other side of Tathan.
“What happened down there?” Tathan asked. “Vevin said you were talking to the world and it was too much for you or something like that.”
She nodded. “I did. Ryallon worked through me to do that cleansing, but the world is vast and far beyond my understanding. It didn’t take long for me to begin losing myself. Ryallon recognized what was happening and released me.” Liselle rubbed her temple. There was still a lot of knowledge she hadn’t come to terms with and she had also forgotten a great deal. The stuff that felt important was still there.
“Can you still talk to the world?” he asked.
Liselle shook her head. “No, Ryallon will never try to touch my mind again. It’s too big and I would likely die. I still remember some of the things I learned. Things look and feel different in some ways, but I’m starting to get back to normal.” She took a deep breath and stretched her arms above her head. “What happened is beyond my understanding, but I promise I’m alright.”
“That’s good enough for me,” Tathan replied, relief washing across his face. “I was worried about you. The magic you’ve been channeling is more powerful than anything I’ve seen in my life and it scares me.” He shrugged apologetically. “I know you can take care of yourself, but it’s just so much!”
“It scares me too, but at the same time it’s a lot of fun,” she replied with a shrug of her own. “I like using magic and learning new things. Many times, it’s too powerful and I don’t like that. What I like is making things feel better.”
“Like healing and giving us energy?” Tathan asked with a grin. Liselle grinned back and nodded. He held her hand with the one not owned by the princess. They walked together, enjoying myriad sounds and unsullied smells of the mountain night.
Sir Danth stood at the edge of a stream that had washed out the ancient road. It came through a shallow canyon that cut into the hills to the left, and then it merged with the river on their right. He was staring at a point in the distance. They walked up to him, but he didn’t seem to hear. “Sir Danth?” Liselle asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.
He jumped in surprise causing Liselle and Tathan to exchange a glance of worry. “Oh! I didn’t see you there. It truly is a gorgeous night, my friends,” he mentioned with a smile. “I believe I have seen enough caves for one lifetime. Let’s stay above ground from now on.” They agreed vigorously, even the princess. He gestured toward the stream. “It meets the river here and the water’s deep. I think we should go upstream a ways and find a place to cross.”
The flowers wer
e telling Liselle that there was a nice place to rest in the shallow canyon where she would be safe. “There’s a place to rest up in the canyon. Let’s go find it.”
“Alright, that sounds good,” Tathan replied. Sir Danth led the way with Liselle right behind.
“How does she know there’s a place to rest there?” Princess Anilyia asked Tathan. “Why do you just accept it without asking for details?”
The question irritated Liselle, though she let it go. Tathan answered, “The flowers probably told her it exists. Since traveling with her, I’ve grown used to the fact that she’s extremely weird.”
Liselle stopped to glare at Tathan. When she saw the wide grin on his face, she stuck her tongue out. Turning to the princess, she finished the explanation. “I’ve always been able to talk to flowers. They let me know things. These flowers,” she gestured at nearby blossoms that had opened at her approach, “tell me there is a pond a little ways up the valley. Bees, butterflies and birds heard about it from the flowers that grow there.”
“You mean you really speak to flowers?” Anilyia asked in disbelief.
“Yes. Flowers have always been my friends,” Liselle answered. They continued walking again. Anilyia looked as though she were going to say something else, but refrained.
After traveling through the light brush for another ten minutes, they came around a bend in the canyon to see a small waterfall at the end. At the bottom was a good-sized pool. “Ohh, that looks wonderful,” Liselle said with a little clap. Turning to Tathan she commanded, “You two boys set up a camp on this side of the bend. Princess Anilyia and I are going to take a bath!” She handed over her bow and quiver, grabbed the princess’s hand and tore her away from Tathan.
Liselle desperately wanted to bathe. She had a bar of soap in her pack as well as a towel allowing her to wash her face and hands in various streams underground, but this pool looked divine. She knew the princess would want to clean up too, regardless of the fact that she was trying to escape Liselle’s grasp.
Anilyia Page 26
