Emergence: Return of Magic book 1 (16 page)

He wondered why she loved him, or felt safe with him when
he’d failed so badly to keep Cynthia safe, but he had no doubt at all, that she
did love and feel safe with him.  He cared for her as well, her young
nubile body was incredibly sexy, but he found that wasn’t very important to
him, and really had nothing to do with his feelings for Cassie. 

An insight perhaps made because of Cynthia, he missed her so
much it hurt, but her hot little body was the last thing that came to mind, it was
her presence he longed for.  It made him feel a little scared, the grief
and anger were still there, and though Cassie’s love now evoked his other
emotions, he knew if he ever lost her, he’d lose his mind as well.  She
was his last link to his own tenuous sanity, he didn’t think he’d survive
another loss like Cynthia’s.  He wondered if there was anything he
wouldn’t do to keep Cassie safe, and decided there wasn’t…

Kurien sighed in relief when the mountains started to be
sharply defined on the horizon.  It would take them most of the day, and
possibly into tomorrow, before they reached his home.  The mission had
gone on a lot longer than he’d expected, and he’d had a lot of surprises.

He glanced over his shoulder at Arielle and Katie, who were
chatting together comfortably like old friends.  When they’d been attacked
two days ago, and had a little skirmish with those raiders, he’d been worried
about Katie’s reactions.  Obviously the woman had never needed to kill
someone before, and she’d taken it rather hard.

Not that it had slowed her down, she’d been pushing them to
increase the pace, and they’d be arriving home in half the time it took to ride
out, on the other hand they weren’t sneaking around either, and quite often
cantering down the road at a good clip.  More than once Arielle had needed
to restore the horses’ stamina with her priestess magic so they could endure
the punishing pace.

It was just that he’d just noticed a tightness in Katie’s
eyes, and her usual open smile had been strained.  Still, she seemed to be
bouncing back from it.  It was strange, she was here to help them, but she
was also… untried.

Bria had come back later that day, and had looked slightly
disappointed she’d missed the skirmish.  She’d also taken over the staff
training for Katie, and he’d been working with John along with Hendricks. 
They were both… pretty bad actually, but Nim had given them a solid start, all
they lacked now was experience, something that he and Bria had over a century
of.

He stole another look over his shoulder when he heard
Arielle’s sweet laughter, he was hoping they would have time to be bonded
before the aliens returned, but he wasn’t sure if that would work out or not,
timewise.

Bria rode up beside him, “So what do you think, how screwed
are we?”

He laughed, “As far as what?  Humanity is in flux, we
have aliens running around making trouble, and the new bearer is a baby. 
Very screwed?”

“I heard that!” declared Katie.

He blushed and turned, Katie was riding double with John,
and Arielle were a lot closer than they were last time he checked.

“Well…”

Katie made a face, “I suppose it’s true, we’ll figure it out
though.  Even if I have to knock some heads together.”

Bria snickered, “Good job Kurien.  Accurate, but not
very politically said.”

Katie gasped, “You too?”

Bria shrugged, “Dragons aren’t very political.  That
said, I’ll listen to what you say, you may be new and inexperienced, but you
have excellent instincts and can feel the balance.”

Nim sighed, “She is doing exceptionally well with magic, and
has the right attitude.  Young or not, it would be foolish to
underestimate the servant of Gaea.”

He nodded, “I get that, it sounded much worse than I’d meant
actually.  I was being flip.”

John observed, “That’s what humans call putting your foot in
your mouth, it happens.”

Bria snickered, “If it makes you feel any better, the other
two issues are much more worrisome.”

Katie shook her head and bit her lip.

He shrugged, “You’ll do fine, just stick to magic as much as
possible in a fight, for the next couple of centuries.”

Katie laughed, “Fine, I was planning that anyway.”

Arielle broke in, “We should pick the pace back up.”

Katie nodded, “It’s starting to feel really urgent, I can’t
say for sure, but I feel like it’s going to happen tomorrow around
mid-morning.  We need to be there when it does.”

He frowned, “My people and the dragons can fight back, we’d
been ignoring them because they didn’t do any damage, but we have the numbers
back home.”

Katie shook her head, “Hendricks needs to be there, if he’s
not… right now he’s more important than I am I think.  My job is to get
him there, and know where he needs to be.”

They started off into a canter for a while, which made
conversation impossible.

At Katie’s urging, Arielle refreshed the horses twice before
they slowed down again for a while.  It was late afternoon before they
started into the mountains.  They were going to make it back tonight, but
it wouldn’t be until after nightfall…

It felt good to be home among the great trees. 

He heard Katie mumble something and turned his head with a
questioning look.

She blushed, and said, “It looks just like my dream,” and
she looked up into the city above the canopy. 

The trees were normal oaks of course, but the concentrated
magic of their elven tribe meant larger than normal growth, and of course grown
into useful shapes, like hollowed out rooms and homes inside of the trees of
themselves.  He led them to the stairway, a tree in the center of the
area.  It had a circular stairway running up, circling the
hundred-foot-wide tree multiple times.  Any elf could easily climb up any
tree, the stairway was for their allies to use, and in case of attack would
retract into the tree itself.

He said, “The council will want to speak to you, afterwards
you’ll be shown to a guest house.”

Katie nodded absently, a light smile on her face as they
mounted the stairs, “That sounds perfect, we should get some rest for
tomorrow.”

He reached back, and took Arielle’s hand, a statement to his
people of his intent.  He smiled when Arielle blushed prettily, and
entwined her fingers with his. 

“No one said nothing about no heights,” he heard the panic
in Hendricks voice and the man’s drawl was particularly strong.

Bria’s voice was amazingly soothing, “You’re just fine,
relax.”

The man muttered, but he was still coming.  The council
chambers was in this very tree, in the center of their village, or city. 
It was done that way on purpose, so visitors had no reason to go any farther, unless
invited of course.  He led them through the arched entry in the tree, down
a short corridor and through two wooden doors leading to the council room.

He looked behind and saw the same surprise and awe on
Katie’s face, and wondered what dreams she was talking about.  He nodded
to the council as they stood in front of the elaborately carved table, and
chairs.  His mother raised an eyebrow, glancing at his and Arielle’s
joined hands.  Trielle shot them both a smile, and Lian… didn’t look like
he cared at all.

Sianne spoke, “Welcome, I know it’s getting late, and the
enemy comes quickly, but if we could hear a more complete version of events?”

He went first, and they covered their mission, then sat back
and listened to Katie tell her story, starting from the dream of standing in
this very chamber, in an old man’s body before they were sent away to the other
realm, and waking up to the staff, and a tornado.  He listened fascinated,
she’d told him parts of the story before, on the road and around the campfire,
but she’d obviously glossed over the details.

He was surprised when the first question had nothing at all
to do with tomorrow’s threat.

Trielle asked Katie, “What would you suggest we do.  It
seems that the human governments in the area are torn apart, and things are in
chaos, should we approach them, or keep our distance.”

Katie frowned, “What do you need from us, from humans I
mean.”

Sianne raised an eyebrow, “We require peace, and to be left
alone.  We have no need of human assistance, or products.”

Katie tilted her head, “Maybe that’s the problem. 
Humans do not like to be in debt.  If you assist them, they will seek
redress, at least the ones with a sense of honor and pride.  Handouts are…
demoralizing.  On the other hand, if you separate yourselves completely,
humanity would be offended, and quite possibly jealous, and as absurd as it
sounds, angry you didn’t assist them when they were in need.”

Lian laughed, “So what does that leave us?”

Katie shrugged, “Find something to trade.  Without
sprays and technology human farms and animals will be subject to disease, and
the crops may rot and be infested with bugs or other animals.  Even if you
don’t need to trade, do it anyway, help, and charge.  Humans have their
own magic as well, but not as widespread, so… that’s my advice, help but allow
them their pride.”

Trielle asked, “You would have us lie?”

Katie shook her head, “No priestess, I am saying find
something they have that you need.  You use candles do you not? 
Clothes?  Soaps?  I am guessing you don’t create these things through
magic since it’s unrelated to the nature of the forest, perhaps you could trade
for those kinds of things?”

Sianne asked archly, “And what will our candle and soap
makers be doing when they’re out of business?”

Katie frowned, “Perhaps they will be doing nature magic for
the humans, and bringing the candles back here to sell?  I don’t know, I
just know if you don’t trade with the humans, there will be an imbalance, and
if you let them starve, when at a wave of your hand you can heal their failing
crops, they will hate you for it.  If you don’t charge them, they’ll be
bitter and think you believe yourselves better, and it will create
friction.  I’m not saying that’s a cure all, but it’s a place to start,
humans love to trade.”

Lian spoke up, “I think she makes sense, but we should move
on now, what of tomorrow?  Are you certain that’s when they’ll attack?”

Katie shook her head, “It’s just a guess, based on the feeling
I have about the balance.  Next time I’ll be a better judge, but it can’t
be more than a day or two before the event I am here to address happens.”

Sianne asked, “And what will you be doing?”

Katie looked uncomfortable, “I would presume the elves and
dragons know best how to protect this city in the trees.  I will be
waiting with John, Hendricks, and whoever else wishes to stand with me.  I
believe the balance will tell me exactly where to go, maybe even exactly where
to stand, when the time is right.”

Nim said softly in a hurt voice, “I will be by your side as
well.”

Katie smiled, “I’d hoped you would my friend, but I didn’t
wish to speak for you.  You are my friend, and my mentor, but never under
my command.”

Nim smiled back.

Sianne replied, “Very well, and it is a pleasure to meet the
new bearer of the mantle of balance.  I’ll let you get some rest.
 C’belle will take you to your guest house, and be available if you need
any assistance.”

She nodded her head, and left, following the maid. 
Nim, Hendricks, and John followed her out.

Sianne smiled, “And you son?  Where will you stand
tomorrow?”

He smiled, “If it’s all the same, the new bearer could use
close up sword support, just in case something gets by her magic.  John is
coming along quickly, but I do believe he could use assistance tomorrow in
protecting her.  If it is permissible, I would also request Arielle and I
be allowed to bond tonight.”

Trielle asked Arielle, “You wish this as well?”

Arielle nodded firmly, her voice was hopeful, “I do high
priestess.”

Sianne shook her head, “What about the feast, you are my son
and heir, the people will expect a feast after your bonding.”

“We discussed that, we can have the feast tomorrow night,
along with the victory feast.  Will that suffice?”

Sianne frowned, “You want to be bonded before you go into
battle, is there something I should know?”

Arielle waved her hand, “No… I’ve had no glimpse of the
future from the goddess.  This is… we don’t want to wait, plus, it will
make us work together better in battle as well, sharing our thoughts and
magic.”

Lian nudged his mother, “They’re just young and impatient.”

Sianne smiled, “Very well, it shall be so.  One hour,
in the temple.”

They both nodded, and he kissed Arielle chastely, said
farewell to Bria, and then they went their own way.  They both needed
baths, and to put on clean clothes…

The after bonding feast was an open invitation party,
something to be celebrated as two elves joined together in a life bond, and
could easily grow out of control.  The bonding itself however was between
the two elves, the priestess, and the goddess, none others could attend. 
He had arrived at the temple first, which wasn’t really a surprise.

His mother Sianne had given him a hug, and a kiss before
sending him inside with well wishes.  He took in the room, Trielle was
standing in the center, the temple itself, was in a very old oak tree, and was
filled with life.  Flowers, soft loam, plants, and even smaller sized
trees.  Statues of three goddesses stood nearby, the three graces of
Charites, which had been adopted thousands of years ago as a human goddess in
the Greek pantheon.

Charites was not only nature, but also beauty, charm, and
fertility.  It was why the elves were so appealing to the eyes, and their
voices could charm the birds out of the trees.  The elves did not have an
abundance of children, but after the bond the first child would always come,
more following every century or two, elves that weren’t bonded… simply didn’t
conceive. 

He didn’t speak, Trielle was communing with the goddess, and
was enveloped in a white glow, so he waited.  Arielle did not keep him
waiting too long, and he caught his breath at the sight of her when she walked
in.  Her beautiful ash blonde hair was up, revealing the graceful curve
and silken fair skin of her neck.  Her smile, a smile filled with love
that was only for him, brightened his heart and steadied his nerves.  She
was in the white robes of a priestess, but those robes accented her beauty, and
clung enough to hint at the curvy smooth supple body beneath. 

She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen inside and
out.  He thanked the goddess she was sent on the mission with him, and
wondered if he’d have been stupid enough to keep avoiding her if she hadn’t
come.