Folk Lore

by Joanne Ellis

  “What will it matter? He’ll be banished along with Angelique. They broke the law, even if it was to save his life.

  “Yes to change a human is against the law.”

  She stopped crying abruptly hope in her eyes.

  “Maybe the elders will consider changing the law. He could be her protector and stay within the circle. He’s not just any human but a chosen one.”

  “I highly doubt it, Seraphina.”

  “Those laws have been in place for a long time, Keelor, perhaps it’s time they changed,” her voice held conviction. “I will talk to them, ask them to reconsider.”

  “I do not think this a wise idea, Seraphina. You are upset, it will be alright. He is still alive, if that is how you can refer to a vampire. He will be able to live in the human world with Angelique however they will be banished from the Mystic Lands. A new princess will be appointed and they will be able to live within her clan.”

  “Things will never be the same. He will no longer be my protector as by law, he can’t be. He will always have a craving no matter how small to bite me and I will have lost my best friend. If I come across the vampire who bite him ...”

  “What will you do, Seraphina? The vampire who bit Sampson was a cross breed. A hazer who had been changed which was why Sampson was unable to fight him off. This is why mixing blood is dangerous. The creatures we encountered today were like nothing I have ever seen before. They would change into wolves which moved at vampire speed and then were upon you in vampire form before you could blink. We were fortunate we didn’t lose more today. These cross breeds were feeding on all folk not just humans. You have no comprehension of what we face.”

  She sighed, totally lost and for the first time since entering the mystic lands was afraid. Sera no longer had Sampson to protect her whilst her inexperience would never prepare her for the evil they were up against.

  “What about Nermina?” she finally asked in a small voice.

  “I believe our only alternative is to wait for Mecaldorf to state his intentions. It would take a large army to defeat the masses we fought today. I may have killed dozens of them today however there were much more where they came from.”

  “If Sam is no longer my protector, what happens now?”

  “Unfortunately there are few who are born and trained as a chosen one. When your father was killed, Annaphina was given another until Sampson came of age and was fully trained to protect you both.”

  “Why haven’t I met him or know who he is?”

  “He would have been close by and you would not have known it. He was probably a neighbour.”

  Sera thought about their neighbours for a moment and suddenly realised Mr Jacobson living next door probably filled the role. Anna and he were good friends and now she thought about it spent a lot of time together. He had a son a little younger than Sera.

  “What happens now then?”

  “I would presume this is one of many discussions the elders will undertake. I am unaware of who is next in line within the humans.”

  Sera stared at the river she knew gave Keelor peace but could find none herself. Sam was lost to her now and it felt like she was losing part of herself. Neither spoke for many moments as they sat in compatible silence until she broke through it.

  “Is there more than one elfin trained as a protector?”

  “Yes, elfin are better warriors than humans and do not have to be born within a chosen family, if given adequate training. Therefore there are more options however it is usually preferable they come from a chosen family as they have extra powers which other Elfin do not possess. Keela has chosen Calzu as her life mate and protector. When they marry he will take my place and I his.”

  “What place does he hold now?”

  “Commander of the elfin army.”

  “This doesn’t please you?”

  He looked at her in surprise and he wondered how she could know this.

  “No,” he finally answered after staring into her indigo eyes and deciding on his response.

  “Why?”

  “It is in my blood. I have come from a chosen family. My father and grandfather were trained protectors however they did not fulfil this role as there were others at the time that were given the role so blood lines would not be crossed. You see if a princess marries her protector their offspring become the princess and sons are trained to be protectors in case a new princess was required to be appointed and he would become her protector. There are always two or three families that can supply new chosen ones in the event of banishment or worse. This ensures pure blood within the same folk. Therefore a protector is required from another family, much like Sampson and yourself. It is complicated and when a protector is assigned blood lines are traced back to make certain they are not related.”

  “Yes it is a little confusing but I think I follow. Does this also mean when an elfin princess chooses her husband he must be a chosen one and not related along the way? Perhaps your folk only have slightly more choice than I do.”

  “Yes they have more choices there are usually a dozen who could take on the role. Elfin from chosen families are preferable however not a prerequisite.”

  Her eyes suddenly lit up again and Keelor almost didn’t want to hear her newest brain storm.

  “We could go to the elders and not only convince them to allow Sam to stay in the circle but also to let you be my protector when Keela gets married. It solves all our problems.”

  Many emotions crossed over Keelor’s face before he responded and what he wanted in his heart were not the words he spoke aloud.

  “The law cannot be changed and a mixed folk chosen partnership cannot occur.” Though his heart ached for it to be true.

  “Where does it state in the law a protector and princess cannot be mixed?”

  “Number one.”

  “No it simply states a relationship and marriage cannot occur. What if I decide I do not want to marry? You could be my protector.”

  He shook his head. “You are choosing your own interpretation of the law. It is merely known mixed folk cannot form partnerships.”

  “I intend to argue the interpretation with the elders.”

  She stood up abruptly and when he saw her determined look realised she was serious.

  “Seraphina,” he said firmly, grabbing her arm gently. “You cannot do this.”

  “Why? Because you find the idea of protecting me distasteful. You have been avoiding me so I assume being around me is not in the least bit interesting or appealing to you. I’m really not surprised as your folk are all so beautiful and ...”

  He cut her off with a kiss as he’d craved to do over and again in the past days. The feel of her warm full lips against his sent surges of desire and electricity through his body and as he buried his hands in her hair he knew the impossible had become possible. The fact he’d been denying since first laying eyes upon her beauty, he was in love with a human.

  She pulled him close savouring the passion and needing the comfort. They stood for endless seconds, minutes, appreciating each other, loving each other before he stopped as brusquely as he begun.

  “What are you doing to me?” he asked rhetorically not really wanting an answer. “I will not break the law!”

  “You kissed me!” she cried. Fresh tears ran down her cheeks.

  “You are confusing me with your emotions, your helplessness and your bravery. You are a contradiction and my need to protect you overpowers my control.”

  “See you want to protect me. We could talk to them, we could be together.”

  “I cannot break the law and leave my home for love. The elders will not change the law for anyone.”

  “You mean you won’t break the law for me!” she said indignantly and stormed off leaving him totally torn and totally in love with her.

  18

  Newfound Power

  How Angelique and Angeles managed to drag a newly changed protector vampire to the hazer village, Angel would never know. It took all th
e strength of two powerful vampires to bring Sampson to a place he could feed without consequence. Audrey was waiting for them, fresh animal blood ready to satisfy Sampson.

  She handed him the goblet and he drank it quickly, hungrily. He drank two more dry before he was satisfied or as much as a vampire could be on animal blood. Now that thirst wasn’t on the forefront of his mind he began to take in the enormity of the situation. He was now a vampire who thirsted for the blood of his best friend. Even now as he thought of her aroma, his throat began to crave and tighten with thirst. Sam pushed it down as deeply as he could.

  “How are you feeling?” Angelique asked him her voice even more harmonious with vampire hearing.

  “Invincible.” She giggled a little before her face grew serious again.

  “Do you understand the consequences of what occurred here today?”

  “Besides the fact you look more beautiful than you ever have.” Sam stepped forward and put a hand to her face. “That your skin now feels warm to me and how I will be able to do this.” He kissed her deeply and neither considered stopping until Angeles cleared his throat. “Or that I want to kill my best friend, and you and I will both be banished from the circle and the lands.”

  “I told you she smelt good,” Angeles quipped which only received a glare from Angelique.

  “You will become accustomed to all of these things and your thirst for Seraphina will become ... manageable.”

  “I doubt it. I crave to taste her every time I am around her and can barely control it. I have been fighting the urge to bite ‘good humans’ for hundreds of years,” Angeles added.

  “You’re not helping, Angeles,” she warned.

  “I wasn’t trying to,” he mumbled.

  “She will be really hurt by my actions. I should go and talk to her.”

  “I think you should wait a bit longer, feed a bit more, to be safe.”

  “I think I can handle it. I have to see her, who knows how much longer we’ll be allowed to stay here. We have broken the law more than once. I doubt they’ll allow us to stay, especially as you have now announced your feelings to everyone.” He said with a smile.

  “You heard that?”

  “Yes I was in pain but I could still hear what was happening. In one way I’m very glad it did because now we can be together no matter the consequences.”

  “Yes but you will no longer be in the circle or Seraphina’s protector.”

  “I’m going to plead our case to try and become yours. The only reason you changed me was to save me and the elders allowed you to do this. You didn’t bite me so technically I believe the law wasn’t totally broken.”

  ‘What about me?” Angeles asked.

  “I’m sorry but I don’t know,” Sam said.

  “What about our relationship?”

  “We are both vampires now so it is allowed. I really want to talk to Seraphina but there is something we haven’t been able to do before now that I long to do.”

  Pulling her into his arms again, Sam kissed her more passionately, fervently and for longer than they’d ever dared before. They both appreciated how wonderful it was to kiss as they’d always wanted to. He took her hand and led her towards the forest where he could finish what they could never start before.

  Inside her hut Sera paced anxiously which did little to quell her frazzled nerves. When would they be brought before the elders to learn the next moves and the verdict for Sam? Why did Keelor insist on kissing her till her knees went weak and then repelling her with the same lips which passionately consumed hers moments before. He was becoming a very difficult elfin indeed, if it was possible for him to be more so.

  She waited impatiently for her mother to come. Anna, as she always did, would know Sera was distressed and she was mighty distressed at this moment.

  Everything had definitely gone pair shaped this afternoon and well laid plans had fallen by the way side. Nermina was still within the confines of Mecaldorf’s intimidating castle surrounded by powerful mixed creatures the likes they’d never seen or heard of before - well everything was new to her but it was all new to the others.

  When there was a knock at the door she shoved it open to find her best friend, the vampire, waiting on the other side. She was shocked that he was standing before her after only hours earlier wanting to kill her. Had that now changed? Before asking him in, she studied him in for a moment as she’d not been able to take in the full extent of his change earlier. He was now - next to Keelor of course - the most beautiful creature she’d ever seen. His arms which were strong and muscled before were now like sculpted marble. His face with his bright eyes, golden black hair and smooth skin was simply stunning.

  “Come in,” she said.

  He shook his head before asking her to walk with him. She shrugged and followed his retreating form. At first she found it difficult to keep up until he slowed his pace for her. There were obviously many things one would have to become used to when changing to a vampire. Once in step beside him she began her usual line of curious questions.

  “How does it feel? How does everything look now? Do you still want to drink my blood? How weird this has all become when only days ago I was normal, you were normal, now all this.”

  “Sera, please, one at a time and wait until we can sit and talk away from everyone, OK?”

  “OK.”

  They located a place within the forest far from the village and took a seat on a moss covered log. Birdsong surrounded them but Sera was in no mood for anything mystic.

  “You didn’t drag me out here so you could kill me did you?” she joked which only resulted in a deadly stare from Sam.

  “It’s not something to joke about, Sera. If I had managed to break away from Angel and Angeles today I would have.”

  “I realise how serious it is, Sam. It’s just easier to joke then be afraid.”

  “You’re afraid of me?” he asked and she realised he actually sounded hurt.

  “Should I be?”

  “Probably.” He paused and studied her face for a moment almost as though he was seeing it for the first time and she supposed in a way he was. “You look more beautiful through my new eyes. Everything does. I wanted to talk to you here because I don’t know if I can control myself within a small space especially as you smell so ...” He stopped.

  “Oh well, I suppose this way you won’t be forced to marry me now.” she quipped again.

  The same black look flashed into his eyes again and she decided to stop kidding around, he was dangerous and Sera needed to remember that now.

  “To answer all your questions, I feel invincible yet light and you thought I was quick before. Anyway it’s strange and will take a while to get used to. I feel everything much more now than before. Every feeling intensified. Everything has clarity. Your scent still raises my thirst and it’s taking all my self-control right now.”

  “What are we going to do, Sam?”

  “I don’t know. It depends on the verdict I suppose. If I’m banished it will make it difficult for us to see each other, especially if you choose to live here.”

  “I haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet. Keelor is driving me crazy and if you’re no longer my protector, you won’t be forced to stay here with me. Everything is such a mess.”

  Sera broke into tears and Sam’s heart lurched. He wanted to comfort her but was afraid to touch her and tempt his thirst.

  “Please don’t cry. I can’t comfort you,” he said in a bitter tone.

  Inching closer to her, Sam longed to touch her in the platonic comfortable way they always had but her aroma assaulted him and his thirst began to suffocate him. So instead of being able to do what he longed to do, he backed away and sat across from her as far as he could while still being about to hold her hand.

  “What’s going to happen to poor, Nermina? I don’t know her and I’m so afraid for her.”

  Sera’s compassion and anxiety began to grow and she felt a warm swelling feeling inside her chest similar to
the one felt while heeling and it overtook all other feelings. Almost immediately Sam made a choking sound, clutching at his throat. Sera, horrified at his sudden distress went on her knees as he writhed on the ground in obvious pain. As she got closer the heat in her chest intensified and Sam appeared to grow worse.

  “Sam, what is it?”

  “I told you your power was stronger than you thought,” Nermo’s voice came from behind her as he approached them through the forest.

  “Did you follow us?”

  Her worry disappeared and the heat began to subside to be replaced with irritation at Nermo.

  “Yes, I was coming to see you to enquire as to how you were feeling when I saw you both head to the forest. I was simply watching in case he tried to kill you.” His matter of fact tone indicated he expected nothing less of a vampire.

  “He wouldn’t hurt me” she told him with as much conviction as she could muster.

  Sam sat up and sprung to his feet. Whatever had been causing him grief had passed.

  “You don’t need to protect her from me, pixie,” he growled.

  “I beg to differ and by the way Seraphina was the reason for your discomfort just now.”

  “Impossible,” Sam replied with little certainty.

  “Her power goes beyond healing. It appears she can also disable folk as well.”

  “I doubt that,” she mumbled not so sure now.

  Nevertheless when this strong feeling surfaced so had Sam’s pain.

  “Do it again. Try and emulate the same feelings.”

  As Sera concentrated on her concern for Nermina, her anxiety over her change of relationship with Sam and her confusion over Keelor, the same warm feeling filled her chest and produced the same result on Sam. Nermo appeared impervious.

  Seeing Sam’s pain again intensified the feeling and he moaned loudly, so Sera concentrated again on her annoyance at Nermo and the feeling subsided once more.

  “Wow that is one powerful weapon you have there, Seraphina” Sam told her after recovering and adeptly jumping to his feet.