The Quest (The Hidden Realm Book 5) (33 page)

“Come sit by me. I won’t bite,” said Anthea suddenly in an amused voice. Cautiously, wondering if her mood had changed, Elerian sat on her right side. In silence, they enjoyed the fading rays of the evening sun and the pleasant chuckle emitted by the clear brook as it ran between its narrow banks. Birdsong filled the air and the leaves rimming the garden rustled softly in a warm breeze more suitable to midsummer than early fall in the heights. Elerian sighed and lay back, hands behind his head.

“Would that we could end our journey here and stay the rest of our days in peace,” he mused to Anthea.

“You would be bored in a matter of days,” replied Anthea abstractly as she used a charm to guide a wisp of green grass through the air, intending to tickle Elerian’s left ear with it. With a sudden, swift move, he caught the blade in his long, sinewy right hand.

“That is highly unlikely as long as you are nearby,” he responded dryly. Turning to confront his tormentor, he became captivated by the slim maiden with the laughing blue eyes who sat near him. Dressed in soft brown leather and healed of the hurts and privations she had suffered in Tyranus, she seemed like one of the elder race stepped out of the mists of time.

“You have paid no attention to me for two days now,” complained Anthea, her voice suddenly sad and her features assuming a melancholy look.

“That is breathtakingly untrue!” protested Elerian. “You have been angry with me since our first night here.”

“Have not!” replied Anthea lightly. 

“Why have you been so cold then?” demanded Elerian in an exasperated voice.

“Because it is fun to torment you,” replied Anthea, her blue eyes suddenly sparkling with mischief. “I knew all along that you and that rascal Ascilius were up to your usual nonsense.” Equal parts relived and irritated, Elerian suddenly reached for Anthea’s left hand, but she leapt up and danced lightly away, her silver laughter ringing in the air as her eyes dared him to give chase. Elerian refused to be baited, however, for her knew how quick she was now.

“You are no fun at all,” said Anthea pretending to sulk when Elerian made no move to rise. After a moment, she sat by his side, again, studiously ignoring him. Cupping her long, slender hands, she created an illusion in the air that took the shape of a fluttering, crystal butterfly with sparks of blue and red dancing inside its clear wings. Having come to magic late, she still had a child's wonder in her newfound powers that was reflected in her deep blue eyes.

The sound of heavy footsteps caused both Elerian and Anthea to look up, Anthea’s illusion vanishing as if it had never been. A look of fond welcome filled both their fair faces as Ascilius walked up behind them. He looked a new Dwarf with his leather garments properly cleaned, his long hair neatly tied back with a thong, and the end of his beard tucked into his wide leather belt.

“Go away you traitor,” warned Elerian. “You have caused me enough trouble.”

“That is a matter of opinion,” replied Ascilius complacently. “At the moment, however, I have no time for the lighter pastimes. I have been giving serious thought to our future, as should the two of you rather than idling about and indulging in childish illusions.”

Eyes sparkling with mischief, Anthea blew softly across her right palm. At the sudden gust of wind that sprang from her lips, Ascilius’s beard suddenly flew out of his belt, whipping back past his ears.

“Hold, you minx! Do not trifle with a Dwarf's beard!” shouted Ascilius in alarm as he seized his wayward strands.

“Belittle my power at your own risk then, Master Dwarf!” Anthea admonished him.

“You ought to have more control over your woman,” Ascilius said with mock severity to Elerian after he had tucked in his beard again.

“She is beyond anyone's control,” replied Elerian dryly. Looking sidelong at Anthea, he saw that she was now involved in creating an illusion of her mare Portia, studying its accuracy with a critical eye when she was done.

“She does have some skill,” said Ascilius generously as he examined the illusion.

“Only in the lesser spells,” replied Elerian, slyly watching Anthea out of the corners of his eyes. “I doubt that she will ever amount to much.” Rising suddenly in a single lithe movement, he ran behind Ascilius as Anthea abandoned her illusion, raising a stick off the ground instead with a wave of her right hand.

“Here now! Leave me out of this,” said Ascilius in an alarmed voice as Anthea attempted to whack Elerian on the shoulders with her branch. Leaping out suddenly from Ascilius’s broad back, Elerian wrapped his arms around her waist, carrying her backwards onto the soft turf. Half laughing, half serious, they began to wrestle, but neither could gain the advantage over the other, Anthea’s quickness rendering useless Elerian’s greater strength.

“Cease your play you two!” shouted Ascilius, struggling to contain his own laughter. “It is time to think about moving on. If we cannot reach the coast before the leaves are off the trees, our journey will become even more difficult and dangerous.”

“We could leave tomorrow,” replied Elerian, abruptly breaking off his fruitless struggle with Anthea. “We are all well rested now and have plenty of provisions. Let us tell the others so that we can begin our preparations for the journey tonight.”

Hand in hand, Elerian and Anthea followed Ascilius down to the great room of the Elf home where a bright fire burned on the hearth, the flames reflected by the polished walls of the room. In front of the fireplace, Cordus and Cyricus were already preparing dinner. Behind them, sitting together on chairs drawn close to the hearth, Dacien and Triarus carried on a quiet conversation while Forian sat a little to one side of them, fingering the small golden harp Elerian carried in his pack.

Ascilius’s announcement of their imminent departure was well received and, after dining on the tasty stew prepared by Cordus and Cyricus, everyone gathered in front of the fireplace for the last time to talk and finish their drinks.

“Time to rest,” announced Ascilius at last as the hour grew late, “for on the morrow we will leave at first light.” Most of the company took his advice and sought their beds in the rooms which opened off the main room, but Elerian and Anthea remained by the fire, sitting on the floor now as they talked quietly together.

“With a bit of luck, we will sail the ocean soon on some swift ship, bound for the south coast of Tarsius,” said Elerian contentedly to Anthea, who now sat in his lap with his arms wrapped around her slim waist.

“I have never sailed on the ocean before,” she replied, sounding eager at the prospect of a new adventure.

“Nor I,” replied Elerian. “It is likely to be quite dull, I think, being confined to a small vessel for what will likely amount to a number of weeks. I am glad that Ascilius will be with us,” he concluded with a gleam in his gray eyes.

“I forbid you to play any more tricks on him,” replied Anthea at once, her stern voice carrying a warning.

“Why I only meant that he is good company,” replied Elerian innocently, two fingers of his left hand crossed behind his back. He and Anthea fell silent then, each silently delighting in the deep love that formed an unbreakable bond between them until Anthea finally drifted off to sleep in Elerian’s arms.

Early the next morning, Ascilius, who woke first of all the company, found them sleeping together in front of the now cold hearth. His roughhewn features softened as he observed their fair features and intermingled dark locks, for Anthea had fallen asleep with her head pillowed on Elerian’s chest.

“May their troubles be at an end at last,” thought Ascilius to himself, “for they are dear to me, like the younger brother and sister that I never had.”

Elerian opened his gray eyes then, causing Ascilius to harrumph loudly and cover his mouth with his right hand as if he had suddenly gotten something caught in his throat.

“Time to get up you laggards,” he said gruffly as Anthea, too, woke up and cast a fond look his way with her deep blue eyes. Stamping about and shouting a bit louder than was necessary, Ascilius roused the rest of the company while Elerian and Anthea prepared a last warm breakfast for their companions. Then, taking up their packs, Elerian and his companions left the valley, carrying with them the great store of majum, chestnuts, dried venison, and raisins that Ascilius had prepared with his magical arts while Elerian and Forian explored the valley.

When they emerged from the passageway out into the clearing before the cliff, Elerian covered them all with an illusion spell. Hopeful that the passage of a few more weeks would bring them in sight of the western sea where they could begin their journey home, he and his companions set out under a blue sky and bright sun for the pass over the Murus.