The Comyenti Series Book Bundle, Volume 1 and 2 (Epic Romantic Supernatural Fantasy)

by Natasja Hellenthal

  ‘Did humans hurt you, Grobo?’

  ‘Tinypeoples always hurt giants, mammy told Grobo. That’s why we hide.’

  Sula nodded at that statement, thinking about her own mother who had pretty much said the same thing to warn her!

  She turned to Felix.

  ‘You have to promise him, Felix.’

  ‘Yeah, of course,’ he gazed up at Grobo. ‘I promise on behalf of the village people you can keep some of our food and we will not hurt you, if…you do not steal our barn again,’ Sula stepped on his foot. ‘Ouch, why did y-’

  ‘Grobo agree. Sula and Felix friend of Grobo?’

  ‘Yes, friends,’ Sula said smiling up at him. They all nodded, relieved.

  Chapter 6 Understandings

  Sula and Felix went back to the village to inform the villagers about the return of their barn with enough food remaining for the rest of the winter.

  ‘I don’t know how you did it Sula,’ Felix mused a little quietly rubbing his hands together while they walked through the mountains back to the village. The snow crunched beneath their feet and the day promised to be another grey and snowy one.

  ‘Well, you were there. What did you see me doing?’ Sula pulled her hat tight over her ears. She knew now why they called these mountains “The Windy Mountains”.

  Felix stopped walking and stared at her, then smiled.

  ‘You listened, didn’t you?’ he replied rhetorically and was rewarded with a big grin from her, as they made their way over the last mountaintop and headed down into the sheltered valley away from the wind.

  ‘But I still don’t feel I could have done what you did. It simply wouldn’t have crossed my mind.’ he added in all honesty. Sula stopped in front of him and stared at him intently.

  ‘But would you...if there was a next time?’

  Felix timidly stared at his boots and answered gingerly, ‘With this knowledge I have gained, I would surely try!’

  She touched his broad shoulder lightly.

  ‘Well, that’s a start. Although I believe trying isn’t the same. You shouldn’t think too much. You either do or don’t. But of course I didn’t even know if I would succeed.’

  Felix shook his head at that, grinning, ‘But at least you did it and succeeded. It must be that you are brave and I’m so...foolish.’

  A smile flickered across her face, her eyes shining. Again it touched his heart how beautiful she was, how divine. Her mouth twitched and her words when she spoke did not conceal her laughter, ‘You Tinypeoples all are!’

  ***

  All the villagers had gathered on the main plaza, which was bordered by Beech trees, when the news spread. Happiness and relief filled the winter air. Felix explained that the mountain giant was not as malicious as they had thought and that Sula had talked to him and made him promise to bring their barn back; no villager had ever even considered doing that.

  Many questions were fired at him, while Sula hid herself behind one of the trees to watch Felix deal with the confused men and women. He promised to tell them the whole story after the giant had been to return the barn and asked them to stay on the plaza and wait patiently.

  They were talking and laughing quietly amongst themselves when suddenly all they could hear was the loud thud of the giant’s feet as he made his way down from the mountains.

  I wonder why they didn’t hear him last time? Sula thought.

  All the villagers were standing frozen in anticipation. When they eventually saw the big clumsy giant carrying their barn, Sula could feel the tension rise in them.

  They always feared him, or were told to fear him.

  Sula tried to forget about them and started walking to greet Grobo and the people of the village followed her from a safe distant in amazement. Felix only smiled when he broke free of his people and walked proudly beside her.

  ‘Thank you, Grobo,’ she said when he put the barn back where it had stood before.

  The child giant looked at the villagers with big frightened eyes. Sula understood the reason why perfectly well.

  ‘Grobo go now,’ he announced.

  ‘We will always be grateful, Grobo,’ Felix said to him stepping forward from beside Sula. ‘Please remember that.’

  ‘And never forget your friends live here and should you ever be hungry again, please ask if the villagers have anything to spare,’ Sula added and smiled. ‘I’m sure they will share some with you. But remember they did work hard for it, so maybe you could help them in return?’

  Grobo simply nodded and yawned.

  ‘Grobo sleep now, wait for summer.’ And he turned around.

  Sula couldn’t help but still feel a bit sorry for him. He was all alone, an outsider. It was as if she watched herself going back to that cave.

  In her heart she had promised herself that she would check up on him after his hibernation period and teach him how to find food without having to steal. She had to make sure he was alright and could be self-sufficient.

  The villagers never bothered to come any closer and actually meet with the giant; fear still held them back and Sula even saw a couple of the men firmly holding rocks in their hands, ready for an attack. They greedily examined the barn when Grobo had left and divided the food amongst each other.

  Sula watched sadly as they carried away the sacks, even though she knew it was their food and they were hungry. Something just didn’t feel right…

  Before she knew it she felt two strong arms around her shoulders, Felix hugged her closely from behind. It made her jump, but the simple gesture felt very good. It gave her butterflies in her stomach. Suddenly he let go as she turned to him and he saw her face more closely.

  ‘I… forgot that you’re wounded,’ he remarked and pointed at the large cut on the side of her face. She touched it and felt the dried blood.

  ‘It’s nothing.’

  ‘Better let me take care of that, it must be cleaned or you’ll be sick and die with a full stomach!’ he called out with a hidden smile and then chuckled.

  Sula thought about why she didn’t seek human company before, for she had missed this side of it. She in fact found herself wondering about things she normally never questioned and that worried and confused her.

  I never ran away voluntarily; it’s the destiny of my kind to stay hidden, our duty, but should it therefore be mine as well?

  ***

  After dividing the food Felix talked to the villagers from a small stage that they normally used for performances and announcements back on the village plaza.

  Sula tried to blend in with the thin crowd, whilst Felix explained how it all began. She made sure she was right at the back, near the trees; ready to run in case of danger.

  ‘It was all Miss Sula’s idea. If it wasn’t for her we never would have got our barn back. Her courage is an example to all of us.’

  The audience started searching amongst themselves for her. Felix’s eyes found her just in time before she crept away entirely.

  ‘Come on, Sula… please.’ He beckoned at her to join him.

  She narrowed her eyes briefly at him in annoyance and they seemed to flash emerald! Then the villagers were already approaching her, offering her their friendly handshakes, nudging her gently towards the stage. Sula noticed each and every reaction of the people around her. Nature had cursed her with the gift of observation and the intention behind a look. It was almost impossible for her to ignore. Sula tried to control her fear, overcome quickly by emotions; theirs and hers; barely able to move…She felt a cold sweat coming on and her hand went to her hat, making sure it covered her ears. Felix extended his hand to her and she took it. His hand already felt familiar to her.

  He grinned when he pulled her up on to the stage, fighting off the urge to hug her.

  ‘Now, please give a warm hand for our saviour.’ Felix had not even finished speaking before everyone started clapping their hands. They even cheered and whistled, embarrassingly for Sula.

  It made her feel uncomfortable. She had alwa
ys felt ill at ease in crowds. She didn’t even know where this part of her personality came from; was it inherited, or nurtured into her system? Or maybe just genetically part of who she truly was. For the first time in a long time she wondered about these things.

  Felix tried to calm the crowd when he saw the discomfort on her face and wanted to protect her from them and from herself. But he couldn’t do anything for she was already surrounded by them. They were so grateful and relieved. She closed her eyes so as not to see all those people; blocking them out and she was thankful for standing next to Felix who radiated serenity.

  ‘People! Calm down and listen,’ Felix started. ‘Sula talked in reason with the giant whose name is Grobo,’ the noise subsided and the crowd calmed down. ‘Something we were afraid to do. I even tried to stop her, foolish me,’ and he grinned at her with that fresh boyish grin of his. ‘But she taught us all a very valuable lesson that I hope we will never forget.’

  Briefly she glanced at him and noticed him swallowing a knot in his throat.

  The sun suddenly came out and the lavender clouds disappeared. Golden rays shone upon his now golden hair and made him look like an angel. Felix glanced back at Sula, who couldn't take her eyes off him, and held her gaze as he finished his speech, ‘Things are not always what they seem and only if we care to listen, truly listen to the other side of the story, will we forget our fears. You see,’ he licked his lips. ‘We only care for what we think we know, but what do we really know? We protect what we love; our families and our animals, but we only love what we understand. We only understand what we’ve been taught to. I say it’s about time we start to listen to our hearts instead of our brains and extend our love.’

  The men and women were silent at first, thinking, but then nodded in agreement at each other and Felix. Thankfully they all smiled at the two of them.

  ‘You’ll have to say something,’ Felix leaned nearer to Sula and whispered closely in her ear. The crowd waited patiently for the mysterious woman to open her mouth.

  They stared at her in wonder and Sula tried not to look at their faces, or their eyes, but she had to. They were so small and pathetic; yet in a group they seemed so very fearsome. She felt they could turn on her in the blink of an eye and even found herself looking at their hands for rocks or other weapons, like they had before when Grobo the giant came to their village. Mankind; the conqueror of Bhan, destroyer of species, the taker, the hunter, the builder, the oppressor. Powerful in their greed and arrogance. Strong with their weapons and in their unity. She didn’t feel she could trust these village people; today they loved her but what about tomorrow? They might very well turn their backs on her and might even try to kill her if they found out what she truly was. Humans could never be trusted completely, she had always been told by her mother. It had been drilled into her effectively over the years and many times she had experienced it for herself, so why would she change her attitude now? But then she remembered Felix’s words: “It’s about time we start to listen to our hearts instead of our brains and extend our love,” and grew softer.

  ‘Well,’ she started in a small voice touching her forehead and her hat slightly. ‘Felix already told you part of the story. Grobo the giant isn’t fully grown yet; he’s just a teenager really and not the brightest of giants. I believe he had been left by his mother to fend for himself far too early. He never meant any harm to you people. He was just hungry and took the food that was the easiest for him to obtain. He knows better now, he showed you that to you by returning your barn and its contents,’ she paused for a moment, quickly looking over the audience, feeling suddenly out of place. Her heartbeat slowed as she studied their faces, realising they were looking up at her, not down on her. They were like children in need of guidance.

  ‘I just hope that you can learn to live in peace with all the creatures you don’t know or understand so well and try to love them’, she said smiling at Felix, using his words. ‘What might seem like an evil act to you could actually turn out to be an innocent deed. Please try to look closer with open hearts and just see things for what they truly are. And listen, really listen to understand and feel for the behaviour of other creatures who are not that dissimilar from us. So that we can all live in harmony and no one has to hide away in caves, now wouldn’t that be something?’

  For a moment there was a deep silence, like the villagers were weighing her words on a pair of scales. But then another applause burst out for her, louder than before. She could feel Felix’s warm comforting hand on her lower back. It felt very sensual and a warm feeling grew inside her; a feeling she didn’t know she was capable of feeling.

  One other vital lesson the villagers learnt after having their one and only barn stolen was to have several barns to store their food in and not to rely on just one, however big. It was what they talked about for the remainder of the day. Sula would help them build those extra barns of course. That she had already decided, even though her instinct told her to leave as soon as possible.

  She had really done more than enough for Felix and his people; but it would be the final thing she could do. She just needed to ensure she kept her secret safe by not using any animal ability and simply limit herself to just being human, but could she?

  ***

  The villagers arranged a party to be held that evening especially for Sula and several dishes would be prepared using the returned supplies. After the speech, they all thanked her in person, although Oldevar, the man who had seen the wolf, looked rather suspiciously at her; not in an unkind way, but questioningly. It made her feel very uneasy and so she politely declined the invitation to the party for fear of exposure. Felix was disappointed, but he tried to shrug it off.

  They both carried a sack full of various kinds of food to Felix’s home. He was surprised at her strength, even though she tried to pretend to struggle with the load.

  ‘You really taught me a good lesson today, Sula. I will never settle for anything less than the truth again.’

  ‘You were pretty amazing yourself,’ she replied lightly.

  Back in his house Felix lit the fire and poured some fresh water in to the pot to make some tea. Sula took off her hat and went to wash her face and hands and while doing so looked in the small round mirror that hung on the wall to check if her hair covered her ears. She also examined the wound; it throbbed a little now but it wasn’t as bad as it looked. It would heal well. Besides, it wasn’t the first time she had had a cut or a bruise and comyentis tended to heal quickly and without scars, even if she was only a halfling.

  Sula suddenly shrank back and a shiver went down her spine as Felix lightly touched her hair. She hadn’t seen it coming and it took her off guard, but she soon relaxed when she saw the bowl and a piece of cloth in his hands.

  ‘I’m sorry to startle you,’ he said apologetically. ‘I could clean the wound for you, if you'll let me.’

  Quickly she tried to grab the bowl and cloth from him.

  ‘It’s ok, I’ll do it myself,’ she said with her hands outstretched. But Felix kept the bowl held tightly to his chest.

  ‘Please, Sula, let me do something for you after all you’ve done for me.’

  Absentmindedly she stared in the fire, which popped and hissed, afraid the moment had come where he would discover her true identity by seeing her unusually pointy ears. Maybe he’d already seen them? She knew questions would then come, which always happened when people found out, but somehow she wasn’t afraid of Felix’s reaction. Until now, he had seemed fair and kind towards her and to animals as well, but still…you never knew. People’s reactions and attitude could be so awkward sometimes. That was something she was always wary of, especially when they were in a group. People could be so utterly mean. And the only species that drove her to despair, more times than she cared to remember, was humankind.

  ‘You’ve done more than enough already,’ she said thinking quickly. ‘You gave me shelter. I probably would have frozen if you hadn’t done so,’ and she regretfully sm
iled at him when she saw the hurt in his eyes. Felix wanted so much to do something in return for her. He felt inadequate after their meeting with Grobo.

  ‘So as a matter a fact you’re the one who saved my life,’ she continued. ‘Let’s say we’re even now.’ Sula reached for the bowl again but he held on to it. He suddenly looked at her with a wise mournful look; she had not seen in him before.

  ‘There is more than just life and death. Suffering is worse than death,’ Felix exclaimed.

  Sula was surprised, wondering what made him say that. She felt she couldn’t do other than allow him to clean her wound, whatever the consequence might be. She was already like wax in his hands anyway, worryingly so. She should never have let a human get so close to her. But somehow, it didn’t feel wrong…

  Sula stood before the mirror and looked into her own frightened eyes. The wound started above her right eyebrow and ended high on her cheekbone, close to the ear. Felix dipped the cloth in the boiled warm water, standing beside her. Her hair got a little in the way so he had to place a couple of strands behind her ear. She closed her eyes, pressed her lips tightly and held her breath.

  ‘It’s not that deep, don’t worry. It probably won’t even leave a scar if we treat it properly with the right herbs and ointments. So your beauty will remain, Sula.’ His voice sounded so close and he pronounced her name in such a lovely way.

  That’s the least of my worries, really!

  She could hear him drawing in a sharp breath and holding it. He didn’t say a word.

  Well, it doesn’t necessarily mean I’m not human, she thought. Throughout my travels I’ve seen humans with the oddest big pointed ears and I mistook them more than once for being like me!

  Tenderly Felix cleaned the wound until it started bleeding a little again. He got up and came back with a tiny jar containing a green substance.