“Well now. I told you they consider us servants.” The sergeant put a hand on the hilt of his sword. The subtle gesture caused the other guards to straighten and become alert. “You didn’t do anything stupid, did you?”
The air became tense and the companions knew things could go very bad, very fast. Tathan waved for everyone to relax. “Nah, nah. It isn’t like that. I haven’t stayed alive this long because I’m stupid or anything.” Liselle and the guards frowned while trying to interpret what he just said. “We didn’t do nothing stupid or cause any trouble. We behaved,” he reassured the guards.
The sergeant took his hand off the hilt and relaxed. “Aye then. You didn’t seem the sort when you came through, but you never know.” The guards relaxed and went back to looking at the trees as though hoping something would happen just to relieve the monotony. “So does this mean you’re leaving?”
“Yeah. We’re going back to the west,” Tathan said. “Maybe we’ll head to Dralin after that or something. I hear there’s always adventure there.”
“Aye. Dangerous city though.” He looked at Tathan with concern. “Do you think the Druids will let you through the forest again?”
Tathan shrugged. “Well they let us come here didn’t they? I don’t see why they wouldn’t let us back.”
Sergeant Soam didn’t look convinced. “I hope so. I’ll say a prayer out after you if nothing else.” He clapped Tathan on the shoulder. It was much softer than Sir Danth’s gestures of friendship. “Safe journey to you.”
“Thank you for that,” Tathan replied with a smile and a similar clap on the shoulder.
They walked south next to the wall until they reached the end. From there, they headed into the forest. None of them noticed two pairs of dark-green eyes watching from atop the wall.
Chapter 4
The Willden Forest was one of the largest in the world. A person could walk for a month in any direction and still not escape it. It was home to many dangerous creatures and even the occasional dragon, a fact Vevin verified. Most people wouldn’t set foot in it, claiming the forest was haunted.
The one group residing in the forest was the Druids, humans with an affinity for trees and nature. Some said there was at least one Druid in every forest of Ryallon, while the Willden had many. Each forest also had a Mother Tree, a sentient being with magical powers, who managed the well-being of the forest. The one in the Willden was ancient and powerful. It was she who had had charged the companions with learning more about Rojuun.
It didn’t take long before the party was traveling through thick woods. The forest was alive with the sounds of birds and other denizens, a few of whom stopped to glance at the visitors. Light filtered through the thick trees down to the underbrush below. Moss covered the rocks and fallen logs while various insects industriously went about their business. The crisp scent of pine and other trees mingled with rich earth. Tathan found the path leading to the small druid village where their horses waited.
Liselle was thrilled to see wildflowers once more. The flowers in the tunnels of the Rojuun were nice, but they weren’t the same and Puujan didn’t have near enough to satisfy Liselle. Forest flowers were hardy plants that took whatever the trees and underbrush left them. They added bright spots of color to the muted browns and greens of trees, earth and moss.
As the companions walked along the path, flowers turned toward Liselle, hoping she would notice them. At first, she restrained herself, but it didn’t take long for her to dash around to touch them. Tathan stopped for a moment, concerned when she went off the path.
Vevin followed her, doing a new enthusiastic dance. He was swinging his arms back, forth and above his head while jumping from foot to foot. A few spins and somersaults were thrown in as well. Tathan relaxed. The flowers would keep Liselle safe and if they didn’t, well . . . Vevin was a dragon and the forest didn’t have anything more dangerous.
“I believe she is safe, Master Tathan,” Sir Danth said, thumping him on the back. Once again, Tathan staggered under the blow. “Let them run off to pet flowers and dance as they will.”
Tathan sighed as he rubbed his shoulder. “Perhaps you’re right. They’ll catch up with us.” He turned to continue along the path with the knight.
Liselle loved the flowers. She understood what they told her, though they didn’t use words or thoughts to convey their messages. It was in the way flowers moved and opened their petals to the air. Each flower had something to say. At times, it was something as simple as ‘look at me’. Other times, there was a deeper meaning.
She understood their messages though. They wanted her to go somewhere. Liselle knew Vevin was behind her, but worried about Tathan and Sir Danth. Looking back, she saw that they had moved out of sight. Thinking about it for a moment, she realized the two boys could take care of themselves.
“Where are we going, dearest?” Vevin was smiling and dancing. It was as though the forest had revitalized him too.
“I don’t know.” Liselle reached down to caress another flower as she passed by. “The flowers want me to see something so I’m going where they’re instructing me to.”
“Oh.” He stopped moving. “I’m really smart you know.”
Liselle stopped too. “I know, darling. I didn’t think otherwise,” she assured him, wondering what brought the statement on. A bird chirped merrily from a nearby branch, watching them with interest.
“How do you know what the flowers are saying?” he asked in puzzlement.
“Well . . . They move in certain ways and . . .” It was difficult to explain. “They hold their petals and leaves in specific positions I guess.” Liselle spread her arms out. “I don’t know how to describe it.”
Amazement swirled in his eyes. “I’m smart, but even I can’t understand what the flowers are saying. I think you’re even smarter than me.”
She reached down to smell one that was trying out a new fragrance. Liselle moved her hands, body and facial muscles in such a way as to tell it she agreed that the scent would attract more butterflies. The flower was happy because it liked butterflies. “It’s not a matter of being smart. I just understand the flowers. I understand the trees, bushes and other plants as well, but flowers are the most important.”
Vevin tried to look at what the flowers were saying again. He adjusted his eyes to examine them in microscopic detail, but still didn’t see anything resembling language. With a sigh, he let his vision go back to normal. Then he went back to dancing along behind Liselle as she moved from flower to flower. “The flowers really are pretty. I never looked at them much until I met you.”
“That’s alright. I forgive you,” she replied with a smirk. “You might like to know that the flowers like you back.”
“They do?” he asked in surprise. He had never considered how flowers might feel about him. He also didn’t know what to think about Liselle forgiving him when he hadn’t done anything wrong . . . at least not by his perception. He was wise enough not to press the issue. “Why do the flowers like me? I’m very glad they do, but I’m curious.”
“Flowers like dragons. Dragons don’t step on flowers no matter what form they’re in,” Liselle explained.
“We don’t?” Thinking back, he couldn’t remember a single instance when he had stepped on a flower or hurt one. “Huh, I never even realized that.” Vevin looked at the flowers nearby and realized that he instinctively went out of his way not to harm them. It was a subtle impulse that required no conscious thought or decision.
“They also like you because you’re big and strong. You love and protect me too,” Liselle said with a shy blush. “It makes them happy to know I’m safe.”
Vevin took her by the waist, turning her to him for a kiss. Vevin held her in his arms for a moment after the kiss. “How do they know you? Are all flowers connected?”
Liselle thought about the question. “They’re each individuals, but they all have certain types of knowledge and an awareness that other flowers exist. Sometimes they talk abo
ut me. Birds, bees, butterflies and other insects gossip with them as well.” It wasn’t a very good explanation, but it was difficult to tell people how flowers worked. “They also communicate to the ground. Even the air carries messages,” she told him as they continued their walk. Vevin had stopped dancing in order to concentrate on her words. “Plants and trees are able to commune too, although trees spend most of their time looking at the sky. Sometimes the flowers just know things. I don’t know how they know it, and neither do they, but they know.”
Vevin nodded as he listened. He had never realized there was so much communication going on. Dragons were smart, but their power made them egotistical. He would have to remember not to be so arrogant in the future.
“Just like people, most of the communication isn’t all that important,” Liselle continued. “But every once in a while something significant happens and flowers talk about it.” She caressed a group of blossoms, smiling happily at them before moving on.
“What do the flowers think is important?” Vevin asked.
Liselle stopped and turned to him, a grave look on her face. “Me. The flowers think I’m the most important thing in the world right now. They talk about me all the time.”
Vevin was still as the weight of her words settled. “You’re important to me too. I will do everything I can to protect you, Liselle.”
She nodded. “I know, darling. Please don’t tell Tathan or anyone else. I don’t want them to be concerned.”
“I won’t. I think Tathan worries about you a lot anyway and I won’t tell anyone else at all.”
“Thank you.” She continued in the direction the flowers wanted them to go. Before long, they came across a barrier of trees. The flowers were heavy, their fragrance filling the air.
Two trees and the bushes in front of them moved aside. A ray of light burst from the opening. Liselle passed through the opening, trusting that flowers wouldn’t lead her into mortal danger.
The light was even brighter on the other side of the trees as though the sun had moved to the middle of the small clearing they now stood in. Even the air was warmer. Vevin and Liselle shielded their eyes from the glare.
“Pardon me. I didn’t mean to shine so bright, but I’m excited to see the Child of Flowers,” a beautiful, feminine voice said from within the light. The radiance dimmed, revealing a bird with long plumage the color of the sun. There was a burbling spring next to a large rock in the middle of the clearing. It was on this rock that the bird set.
Liselle looked around and saw beautiful flowers she hadn’t known existed. She leaned down and caressed them with her fingertips, keeping an eye on the bird while doing so.
It was bright yellow and glowed like sunlight. Liselle couldn’t look directly at it, so she kept her gaze to the side, much as one would when trying to look at the sun. The pool of water near the rock looked fresh and Liselle sensed magic coming from it.
“I am Yebisu, the Yellow Bird of Sunshine,” it proclaimed. “I have a great need to talk to you, Liselle of the Flowers. The flowers agreed that they would ask you to come.”
“Hello, Yebisu,” Liselle said politely. “What is it you need to talk about?” She wished Tathan were here. He would know all the right things to say and ask.
The light from the bird flared, filling the clearing. Vevin and Liselle shut their eyes, shielding their faces with arms. The light gave off heat as well. Liselle noted that even the flowers closed their petals to shield from the brilliance.
“I’m so sorry. I tend to blaze when I’m excited,” Yebisu said in a flutter. The light dimmed once again, even more so than before. “I promise to restrain my brilliance for as long as possible.”
Liselle was able to look closer after her eyes adjusted. Yebisu had a large body about the size of an eagle. Its enormous wings and tail feathers were folded back. An orange crest stood high atop her long head. The beak was bright red, the color of flames. It was the most majestic bird Liselle had ever seen.
“She’s a showoff,” Vevin whispered in Liselle’s ear. He wasn’t impressed at all.
“The flowers like you even more than they like me, Child of Flowers.” Yebisu seemed a bit irritated by the fact. “I bring warmth and light even on rainy days. I am a child of the sun, conceived from a sundrop cast in a dark place to bring life.” She spread her wings wide, showing feathers like rays of light. “That was ages ago and that once dark place is now a place of life and sunbeams.” The Yellow Bird of Sunshine dramatically folded her wings back and settled down with head held high.
Liselle decided to try flattery. It was what Tathan would do. “You are beautiful, Yebisu. The very sight of you warms my bones and makes me want to stretch my arms the way a flower stretches its petals to the day.” She stretched mightily to emphasize.
Vevin rolled his eyes. “Egads.”
Liselle came out of the stretch and swung an arm to smack him in the chest, eliciting a yelp of surprise. “Ignore my companion, Yebisu. He’s being silly.” She glared at him playfully and linked an arm to let him know she still loved him.
“I understand. Dragons think they’re better than everyone else,” the bird said in a snobbish tone.
Liselle turned a narrowed gaze upon Yebisu. Blue fire began to fill her eyes.
The bird of sunshine saw the expression on Liselle’s face and the fire in her eyes. She started fidgeting, hopping from one foot to the other while looking around for some sort of escape. “Now, now. I didn’t mean anything by that. I need to talk to you, it’s important!”
“Very well. What is it you must speak to me about?” Liselle asked with hand on hip.
“It’s very important,” Yebisu declared, bobbing her head up and down vigorously.
“Well then you had best tell me then, hadn’t you?” Liselle persisted.
Vevin noticed that Liselle didn’t seem too impressed by the bird now that it had insulted him. The thought made him feel warm inside.
Yebisu paused for a moment to consider her words before nodding. “Yes, I should tell you now. A bad thing has happened, a very bad thing with terrible ramifications.”
The vague responses frustrated Liselle. “I’m listening. Tell me what happened.”
“Princess Anilyia of Mayncal was kidnapped just weeks ago. It seems a little thing in the world but it comes with terrible consequences,” Yebisu informed them gravely.
“That doesn’t sound like a little thing at all!” Liselle exclaimed. A kidnapped princess was a major event in her eyes. The reaction caught Yebisu by surprise.
Vevin put his other hand on her linked arm and explained. “There have been many kingdoms, wars and kidnapped princesses throughout history, so to a long-lived creature such as Miss Sunshine over there, or myself, it seems like a little thing.
The bird glowered at Vevin for the ‘Miss Sunshine’ comment. “Yes. Most of the time kidnapping is a matter of ransom, political intrigue or evil purposes. This is different.”
“How so?” asked Liselle. “You mean it’s somehow worse than evil?”
“The fate of the world lies in the balance should she not be rescued,” Yebisu said ominously. “Princess Anilyia is destined to change the course of Ryallon.”
Liselle thought about what Tathan had told Mother Tree upon being informed that the fate of the world was in their hands if they didn’t take the quest presented to them. Tathan believed that entities used fate of the world arguments to convince adventurers to accept quests. She remembered the questions he had asked Mother Tree. “Will the fate of Ryallon really be decided by whether or not the princess is rescued? Will the world cease to exist if nothing is done?” Liselle asked skeptically.
“Most definitely it will cease to exist!” Yebisu exclaimed. She spread her wings and hopped from foot to foot in alarm. “Do not take my words lightly, Child of Flowers, for the fate of the world truly does lie in your hands. Only you can save Princess Anilyia.”
“Oh.” That wasn’t the answer that she was expecting. When pressed on t
he subject, Mother Tree had admitted that the fate of the world was not in jeopardy because of the Rojuun. Liselle wished Tathan were there. He would know what to say to . . . Miss Sunshine.
“Please, Child of Flowers. Please rescue Princess Anilyia and return her to the Kingdom of Mayncal. It’s more important than I can stress.” Yebisu held her wings forward, curling the tips in a pleading gesture. Light glistened along their length.
Liselle thought about it for a moment, glancing at Vevin who just shrugged. He seemed determined to be of absolutely no help. She turned to the flowers. They believed Yebisu to be sincerely worried, but couldn’t tell her if the fate of the world was in danger. That was beyond their understanding.
The bird was looking at her expectantly, moving slowly from one foot to the other. Yebisu was a powerful creature representing sunlight and warmth. Tathan had told her to be cautious about accepting tasks, but he was paranoid about everything. The only thing that was clear was that a princess had been kidnapped and needed to be rescued.
“Where is the princess?” she asked Yebisu.
Yebisu spread her wings, brightening a bit before folding them back. “In the caverns of the Rojuun where sunlight does not travel.”
“So . . . Princess Anilyia has been kidnapped, taken to the tunnels of the Rojuun and we need to rescue her or the world will be destroyed. Is that it?” Liselle asked, trying to get it all straight in her mind.
“Yes. The world of Ryallon will go ‘poof’.” Yebisu curled her wings forward and created a yellow ball of light between them that went ‘poof’ in a puff of smoke. Vevin giggled at the sight. He put his hands forward to create a purple ball of light. Then he made it go ‘poof’ with a puff of smoke. Both creatures’ orbs actually made a poofing sound. The biggest difference was that Vevin’s had purple smoke while Yebisu’s had yellow smoke.
“Poof!” Vevin exclaimed. He did it again, each time yelling poof. “Poof! Poof! Poof! This is so much fun Liselle. You should try it! Poof!” he said with another flash. Vevin started jumping up and down in circles, tossing out little light balls that went ‘poof’.
Anilyia Page 3