by K.L. Bauman
Ayden stirred beneath the weeping branches of a willow tree. Soft voices whispered through the leaves, caressing his thoughts as he woke. He was lying on a bed made of luxurious leaves and fragrant flower petals; their sweetness wafted in the air as Ayden's body pressed against them.
"You would have never been close to death if you didn't carry human blood within your veins," a strong voice spoke. Ayden sat up slowly and looked toward the source. He tried to remember who the vaguely familiar fae was. A shadow of a memory crossed his mind-the palm of a hand smashing against his forehead. But even before that, Volos had said, "I bring you your grandson, Ayden?"
"You're my grandfather," he stated bluntly.
"Yes. But for many years, was determined not to be," the fae said. His face, which was tanned and young looking, remained stern; but his eyes were soft and sad.
"Why?" Ayden questioned.
Arion handed Ayden a beautiful, shiny, green apple and instructed him to eat. Ayden took a bite and closed his eyes with pure pleasure at the taste of the sweet, succulent fruit. When he opened his eyes, his grandfather was smiling broadly.
"You've never tasted fruit quite the same, have you? Well, I suppose I'm to blame for that, as well. I beg your forgiveness, Ayden. I've been a stubborn fool far too long. And it nearly cost you your life," Arion spoke and his face resumed a stiffer look.
He explained, "I was furious with your father when he brought his half-human bride to my peaceful world. I never was fond of humans back then. I thought they were an evil, corrupt race consumed with selfishness and greed. I didn't see until many years later that all humans are not the same. Your grandmother, Freya--though she doesn't know it--helped me to see that."
Ayden swallowed a bit of apple before asking, "Then why did you stay away? Why haven't I seen you before now?"
Arion lowered his head. "Because I was full of pride and shame. Not only did my son marry a half-human, but he shortened his last name from 'Greenwillow' to 'Green' to blend with the human world better. That was quite a blow to my ego. But, because of that pride, I never had a chance to make amends with your parents. And I didn't have the courage to face my only grandson."
Ayden stared into his grandfather's glistening eyes. They were the exact color of his own, but were wizened with years of experiences. "Well, I'm here now. And I don't hold anything against you. I'm only sorry we didn't meet sooner," Ayden said quietly.
Arion smiled warmly. "You are your father's son. So forgiving. I am glad you are here."
"Me too. How did you heal me?"
"Fairy magic, of course," he said and smiled secretively.
"I'm feeling pretty good. Could I take a quick look around?" Ayden asked eagerly. He wanted to see some of his father's home. "We can't stay long. Freya is sick and-"
Quieting Ayden with a raised hand, Arion said, "I know all about what is going on. I will give you a quick tour, and then you will rejoin Volos and your friends."
Arion placed his hands on the ground and smiled over at Ayden. "What are you doing?" Ayden asked nervously as he felt something push against his back. He leapt up and looked back with shock to see leafy vines receding into the ground. The strange sensation of de?ja? vu struck an uncomfortable chord as Ayden watched the vines disappear under the bed of leaves and flowers.
He turned and looked questioningly at Arion. "I am an Earth Shepherd. I can summon any living plant to do my bidding. And I can also cause things to grow and help dying things to be restored," he said as he looked at Ayden knowingly.
"That's how you healed me."
"Yes, that is how I helped to heal you. A very special berry assisted in the cleansing of your blood," Arion said.
Ayden thought back to his lessons with Freya of different plants used to help rid the blood of poison. "You used sloe berries, right? From the black thorn tree?" he asked.
Arion raised his eyebrows. "You surprise me, Ayden. Yes, you are correct. Well done," he stated, looking pleased with his grandson. Then he continued, "But, I never take from the earth without giving something in return." Arion reached into his pocket and spread some kind of sparkling seed across the flowering bed. New flowers sprouted and blossomed over the ones Ayden's body had crushed.
He turned to Arion. "So, was my dad able to do what you do? Could he make plants do whatever he wanted?" Ayden asked eagerly as they began to walk.
"Yes, of course."
"Then, can I do those things, too? I mean, since I come from a family of Earth Shepherds?"
Arion sighed, "You are only part Earth Shepherd. You are the first of your kind, Ayden. I'm not sure if it can be done."
Ayden's heart sank as his eagerness fizzled away. "But, nothing is impossible," Arion said, giving him a hopeful look.
The two of them walked through a narrow path between two rows of hedges. Another willow-gate was at the end and they walked through. As he passed under the arched gateway, Ayden drew in his breath at what he saw.
Before them lay a vast open garden as large as the elvish city, Andor. But no hand-made structures could be seen beneath a deep blue sky dotted with cheery rain clouds. Weeping willows, black thorn bushes, apple trees, nut trees, and other flowering bushes of every type lined pathways and skirted around large, grassy areas. Fairies danced in circles, holding one another's hands and singing contagiously cheery music. Their hair and colorful attire fluttered around them as they spun like dandelion seed caught on the wind. The air sparkled around them and Ayden watched in awe as daisies, pansies, bluebells, and other flowers sprouted and bloomed where their feet touched the grass.
Other silver fairies danced on circles of stone and Ayden was even more amazed to see white powder floating softly down on them. "Is that snow?" he asked, mesmerized. The snow fairies didn't seem chilled as they continued their ritual beneath the small cloud.
"Yes, of course," Arion stated absentmindedly.
Shimmering winged fairies of every size and color fluttered from one spot to the next as they watered and cared for plants and flowers. Unicorns, rabbits, and delicate golden deer grazed on lush grass and sweet clover. Small gnomes, their faces covered with bristly hair, tilled the earth between large and lush patches of vegetables; and dew sparkled on leaves and blades of grass like scattered jewels. It was the most beautiful and magical place Ayden had ever seen.
"Welcome to Faylinn Cannelita, the Fairy Kingdom Gardens--our home," Arion said as he smiled broadly and stretched his arms toward the gardens.
The sparkling dew drops on the branches of a weeping willow caught Ayden's attention. He turned and studied the small glistening orbs of water. Noticing something strange, he examined them closer. He drew a breath of amazement as he watched the tiniest fairies move inside each droplet. They seemed to be quite busy, but he couldn't tell exactly what it was they were doing. The droplets rolled along with their movements, sometimes joining with other droplets as the fairies came together.
Suddenly, a cloud uncovered the scorching sun and the droplets began to evaporate. Horrified, Ayden turned to his grandfather, "We have to do something! They're all going to die!" He tried to shade the droplets, but there were too many.
Arion walked calmly to him and gently pulled him away. "Calm yourself. A dew fairy's life to them is as long as yours is to you. They are born the moment the dew is formed and complete their work as the dew evaporates to the sun. They are happy in their work and in their life."
Arion led him away from the willow. Ayden stared back at it for a few strides. It didn't seem right to just walk away. But in the end he allowed Arion to guide him through another part of Faylinn Cannelita. "On the other side of the garden is the Crystal River. It provides most of our water."
Ayden froze, "River? There's a river here?" he felt a little foolish when his grandfather gave him a quizzical look. "That's wonderful," he said as he attempted a smile.
The fae stared at his grandson and then grunted. "Poison must still
be having some after affects," he said half to himself before leading Ayden past a small stream. The sight of it made Ayden think of the river close by, and he had to force himself to stay calm.
Arion led him to an area enclosed by vines and branches. It felt like a secret hide-away. He asked Ayden to sit and then turned to face a wall of leafy branches. Ayden looked around, expecting to find a chair, but all he could see was a giant blue mushroom. As he sat down on it uncertainly, Arion turned around. "Not on that, boy! That's a toad stool!"
Ayden leapt away from the toad stool, and Arion motioned for him to sit on the ground. So toads are allowed to sit on mushrooms, but we have to sit on the ground? It didn't make much sense to Ayden, but he dutifully obeyed his grandfather.
"Let me see your sword," Arion said. Ayden awkwardly stood again and pulled his sword from its resting place and held it out.
The Earth Shepherd scowled, his face once again rigid. "This will never do. How have you gotten this far with such a crude weapon?" Ayden ignored his insulted feelings as Arion took the sword and placed it on the ground. He then touched the wall of vines and they opened up to him, revealing a hidden chamber. Reaching inside, he pulled out a long cherry wood case and placed it at Ayden's feet. Kneeling, he opened the case carefully as he said, "Now, this is a sword. Designed by me, and made by a friend with elvish steel. Once forged, elvish steel is unbreakable," he said as he slid the sword from the case and smiled proudly.
The sword was unlike any Ayden had ever seen. The blade was silvery-white and seemed almost enflamed with white fire as the light touched it. The guard between the blade and the hilt carried a design of two silver dragon heads facing each other; spiked flames curled upward behind their heads like fiery wings. Two more smooth spikes shot out below the dragon heads and pointed out to the side, and two curled downward toward the ribbed, curved hilt. The hilt widened at the bottom forming a diamond shaped pommel.
Arion rested the sword on his palms and held it out to Ayden. "For you, my grandson. May it serve you well."
Ayden tentatively took the sword from his grandfather. Expecting heaviness, he tightened his muscles in readiness against its weight. But the dragon blade was virtually weightless. Ayden took the sword out of the enclosed area and tested it. It felt as natural as if he'd been using it his entire life. He chuckled as he swung the sword around, slicing the air with its flaming white blade. Then, he turned to his beaming grandfather, "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."
"I may have an idea," Arion said, his eyes glistening.
Ayden looked away and studied the dragons as a thought formed in his mind. "Arion, my other grandfather also made weapons for me, and he also used the design of silver dragons. What made you decide to use dragons and not something else?"
Arion looked thoughtful for a moment. "May I see them?" he asked and Ayden pulled Phantom and Whisper from their cases. Arion didn't attempt to touch them, but folded his hands behind his back as he learned over to study their design.
"That is quite a coincidence. Perhaps the future holds a silver dragon for you. They are said to be good luck."
"Are there really dragons here?" Ayden asked, half afraid and half excited.
"Well of course there are. What a ridiculous question! You mean to say that you've never seen a dragon?" Arion asked, amused.
"Well, no. Not in real life," Ayden answered, embarrassed.
"Well, you're sure to see one or two where you're heading. Let's just hope Degus hasn't enticed them as she's enticed the pixies. Foolish creatures, pixies! That's exactly why they haven't been allowed in the gardens for quite some time. The ones you brought here will be closely monitored, of course."
Arion led Ayden to where his companions were waiting. They all chatted excitedly about what they had seen. Volos had also received a new sword, although not as elaborate as Ayden's; and Da'ewyn had been given a fresh set of silver arrows. Their excited conversation was interrupted by a sudden attack of non-stop chattering. Ayden turned and was surprised to see Daktari fluttering toward them.
Daktari rushed to the companions. "Well, I never! Didn't think I'd see any of you so soon. So sorry to hear about Freya, poor dear. I wish I could've helped, but I was needed here too, and, oh you know how hard it is when you're needed in more than one place. Are you staying long? Have you eaten, you poor dears? You look half starved!"
"Daktari, you're a fairy," Ayden stated the obvious. Daktari and several smaller fairies that fluttered around her giggled.
"Well of course, dear. You didn't know? Well of course you didn't, did you? I kept my wings hidden didn't I?"
Arion pursed his lips and looked at Daktari through narrowed eyelids. The plump fairy cleared her throat and smiled. "Well, we must be going--lots of work to do. You take care, hope to see you soon!" She waved furiously as she fluttered away.
Arion turned to Ayden and the others. "Now, our messengers--and, yes, they can be trusted--have informed me that Degus has moved away from the area where she believes the sword is hidden. Her focus is on other matters--something about shadow dwellers; doons, to be exact. She may also be under the impression that you are all lost and has made the mistake of thinking she has time to rest."
"Why would she think that?" Da'ewyn questioned.
He smiled, "A little bird may have told her. She has her spies, and we have ours. Also, you going off the path might have helped. But don't be fooled into thinking that she is no longer a threat. Once you have the sword, for I have faith that you will get it, she will not let you reach her without a fight. You will have to face many foes before facing her."
"Will you help?" Ayden asked as frogs leapt in his stomach.
"We will do what we can. We have the garden to protect. We cannot let Degus steal its magic. Our sister garden has already been overrun and is dying rapidly; we have had to send many of our people there for assistance," Arion said as his eyes burned.
"Why would she need the magic of the gardens?" Ayden asked, confused.
"She doesn't need it. But she wants control of it, just as she wants control of everything. It will fall to complete ruin if she has her way," Arion scowled. Then, his countenance softened. "But don't fret for our sakes. Fae folk have been around for centuries. We aren't going anywhere," he said. Then he continued again, "Now you must all go. Find the sword, and end Degus' evil. Then return here for a grand celebration!"
Fear and adventure danced with one another inside of Ayden as he said farewell to his grandfather and left the tranquility of the gardens.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Always Something