The Mage of Orlon: The beginning (11 page)

“
Fine let
’
s get some sleep Lela.
”

They both slid into the bed, but could not lay flat without touching.
Finally giving in Lela looked at Nate.

“
Hold me Nate, I can
’
t explain why I am so conflicted with you, but I am.
”

Nate held the elven princess, their bodies where pressed against each other.
Lela put her arm around Nate
’
s side.
In this embrace they fell asleep.

Ileana cocked her head in her bed straining to hear any sounds of love making, when none came she smiled.
Tomorrow they would be out on the trail and she could try to get Nate to notice her again.
Maybe this time he would take her up on her offer.
The loneliness was so hard to overcome, and maybe he wasn
’
t interested in her at all, but what could it hurt?
Ileana fell asleep with dreams of Nate being her mate, and the elven girl he was with going back to where she belonged alone.

“
Ileana come play with us!
”
The children chimed merrily.

This was Ileana
’
s favorite dream, the dream of the way she had always wanted her childhood to be, instead of how it had been.

Ileana ran towards the ring of four girls laughing without a care in the world. There were no invading armies that caused the forest to become a living nightmare.
No one left her out of games because she was different.
In her dream Ileana was popular, beloved by her family and friends.
The dream was a beautiful lie.

Ileana danced and played with her friends; they played, and ran most of the day.
Finally the children decided to play one last game before evening came, they were going to play hide and go seek.

Ileana did not want to play this game; the dread welled up inside her.
“
No, please she pleaded.
Don
’
t go.
”

The children laughed and disappeared leaving her to find them.
Ileana searched the village, but no one was there.
She was left behind!
Father, would know where everyone went.

Ileana ran to her home, but it was gone.
The forge where her father made the metal for his beautiful weapons was gone.
Panic seized Ileana.
She couldn
’
t be alone, not now, not after she had been so well loved.

“
Love, no one could ever love you, you are too strange a creature to deserve to be loved.
”
The mocking voice taunted.

“
Was it love that delivered you to Kyne
’
s door?
No, it was shame.
You are the child that no one wanted.
You can
’
t see, but you still manage to fire a bow, how strange is that?
You are a demon!
”

“
No!
”
Ileana screamed
“
A demon sent to ruin everything!
”
The taunting voice declared
“
It
’
s not my fault, and I am loved!
”

“
By who, Kyne?
He only took care of you out of obligation.
You are an unwanted thing!
You should have been left in the forest to die!
”

The forest changed from the pleasant lush green into a dead, thorn covered nightmare.
Vines shot from the trees and wrapped themselves around Ileana
’
s body, the thorns bit into her flesh!
The vines began to pull her into the forest depths where unseen animals waited to rip her tender flesh from her bones.

Ileana sat upright and screamed.
She was covered in sweat, and shaking despite the warm night air that surrounded her.
She looked around seeing nothing, only the sound of her heart racing told how bad the nightmare had been.
A few moments later, Nate and Lela where knocking on her door.

“
Ileana, are you okay?
”
Lela yelled.

The door opened revealing a nude, shaken, and sweaty Ileana.

Nate turned away blushing deeply.
Lela pulled the blanket off her back and wrapped the young woman up.
Ileana snapped back to herself.
She had forgotten she had visitors.
This was great; emotionally she waited for the berating of freak, and strange one.
When the insults didn
’
t come she eased a little, the muscles in her body unlocked.

This was not how Nate was supposed to see her naked for the first time!
Frustrated, she began trembling again, nothing ever went right in her life!
With all she could muster she managed an embarrassed smile and said
’ “
It was just a nightmare, I am sorry if I startled you.
”

“
It
’
s okay Ileana.
We were just afraid something happened to you.
Do you want to talk about your dream?
It helps sometimes to talk about bad dreams.
”
Nate said looking at the blanket clad woman.

“
No I am fine, sorry to have startled you in such away.
”

“
Are you sure you don
’
t need to talk Ileana?
”

Why was Nate pressing talking so much?
Could he like her enough to care?
But if that was true why was he traveling with the elven woman?
Finally she managed a slight grin, and with a slightly chipper voice said,
“
Not now, maybe in the morning.
”

“
Okay then good night.
”

“
Good night Nate, good night Lela.
”

After they left Ileana had a wonderful idea, she could drug the elf with a sleeping potion, and when the elf took her three hour long nap, she could seduce Nate.
This was brilliant, the boy won
’
t know what hit him.
The last thought she had before sleep over took her was Nate saw her naked.
An impish grin played across her mouth, as she wondered if he liked the view.

That morning Ileana was up early.
The nightmare that had worn her around the edges on so many mornings before, may have given her a way to snare Nate.
Ileana went into the forest to gather food for breakfast, and a couple of herbs for the sleeping potion.

Ileana decided to go to the hot spring that was behind the village for a nice bath, the nightmare had left her soaked in sweat, and well smelly.
The hot spring was easy to find, being as she had the bow with her, and could see the heat easily.

Ileana disrobed and slid her body into the temperate water; the heat eased the tension from her.
All her muscles relaxed.
She traced her fingers along her own body, feeling her curves, she hoped Nate liked what he saw last night, and if she was lucky he might be seeing her nude again!
This thought gave her a wicked grin, it had been so long since she had someone just care about how she felt.
Her smile slipped away.

She began thinking of Kyne, her adopted father.
He would not approve of her drugging the elf and seducing her male partner.
Kyne had been the village weapon maker, and one of the fiercest warriors in the village.
Kyne
’
s prowess with a bow was nearly legendary.
Kyne
’
s reputation also had a negative affect for Ileana; it made the village boys afraid of talking with Ileana.

Being blind meant being different, but Kyne made certain that different did not turn into being helpless.
Kyne had taught Ileana to make a fire in the hearth that had been an adventure!
She already knew the forest well enough to gather fire wood, but actually starting a fire seemed impossible to her.

“
Ileana you have to place the tinder inside the pile of sticks or the fire will not catch.
”
Kyne
’
s voice was patient.

Actually now that Ileana thought about it Kyne never raised his voice to her, or acted like he didn
’
t want her.
He would spend hours with her teaching her what she needed to know to survive.
The lessons seemed to stretch on endlessly, but then the day came when he presented her the bow that let her see for the first time and the day he died.
Ileana felt the loneliness grip her once more.
She would not have it!
She was beautiful, independent, and self-reliant what more could a man desire?
She was better than the elf that accompanied Nate, and she would prove it to him!
Ileana pulled herself out of the hot spring, feeling the cool morning air chill her skin.

No, Kyne would not approve of what she was planning, but Kyne was taken from her by the bandits, and she was alone.
Ileana dressed and darted into the forest to get the food for breakfast that morning and the herbs needed for Lela
’
s food.

The air filled with the smell of fish and lemon, fresh roots from the forest, and fresh baked bread.
Nate roused from his sleep to find Lela on the floor of their room.
After they had returned from Ileana
’
s hut Lela decided to sleep on the floor instead of next to Nate.
Strange woman Nate thought.

“
Lela, wake up.
I think someone is cooking.
”

Lela cracked her eyes and stretched.
When she sat up the smell seduced her nose causing her stomach to growl.

“
It is probably Ileana; she seems to have taken a liking to you Nate.
”
Lela felt a twinge of something and wished she had not said the last part out loud.

“
Really, because I didn
’
t see it last night.
She looked like she was in shock, I mean she opened the door and was naked.
”

Lela rolled her eyes,
“
Did it ever occur to you that she might sleep in the nude, and most likely is not used to strangers spending the night?
”

“
I wonder if the food is for us, or if we are dinning on the pack rations again today?
”

“
Nate, why don
’
t you go out and ask her?
”
Once again that feeling happened again.
What was wrong with her?
If she kept pushing Nate to talk to Ileana he might, might, might what?
I cannot fall in love with another human, mage or otherwise.
They die too quickly, are way to rash, and are not very strong.
Lela what is wrong with you!
The debate waged its war inside Lela for a few more minutes until Nate spoke.

“
Okay, I will ask about the food.
Are you coming?
”

“
I will in a few moments Nate, go ahead without me.
”
Lela managed a smile.

Nate looked at Lela for what seemed like hours, and then turned and left the house.
As soon as Nate cleared the door way the smell of the food entrapped his sense of smell.
He followed the smell to Ileana
’
s hut, she could cook!
He felt foolish for thinking that, she might be blind, but she had to eat too.
Nate knocked on the door, a little afraid that Ileana might be nude again.
The door opened to a fully clothed Ileana.

“
Good morning Nate
”
she chimed,
“
How did you sleep?
”

“
Okay, thanks for asking.
How did you sleep, after the bad dream?
”

Her smile illuminated her face.
He did care about her!

“
Better, thank you for checking up on me last night.
”
Her cheeks burned from blood rushing to them.

“
Come in Nate, breakfast is almost ready for us, where
’
s Lela?
”

“
I almost forgot, I need to let her know you made this wonderful smelling food for all of us.
”
Nate turned to leave only to nearly run into Lela.

“
I am here.
”
Lela looked at Ileana
’
s face as she heard her voice the smile had faltered just a bit.

“
Well come in and be my guests!
I have prepared fish, thorny bush roots, and grain bread all gathered fresh this morning.
”
Ileana said with pride.

“
What herb is that on the fish Ileana?
”
Lela asked,
“
It smells divine!
”

“
I used lemon grass, some flecked ginger, and salt.
”

The three sat at the intimate table with plates dished up by Ileana.
Nate plunged into his food with gusto, while Lela slowly ate each thing one at a time.
Everything was going according to plan, the sleeping root was placed in Lela
’
s bread, and she had finished all of it!
In a half an hour Lela would be so drowsy they would have to stop and she would have Nate all to herself.