Dryad's Touch

by A. W. Graybill

  Turning a bit to the side, he frowned at his new attire. With a leather vest that had brass buttons outside his new linen tunic, he looked just like those men and elves who visited Vheria. Fallon was thankful his brother had paid for it; he was even thankful for the food given to him, but it all seemed too much far too soon. The few days he had been here made him question if he even desired to stay. Spending time with his brother almost made him forget why he’d come. It had been too long without any contact with Nara, and she was his intention.

  Evert slapped him on the back, grinning ear to ear. “Now you are Ghelian.” When the city slave, Helia, returned from a back room, Evert smiled kindly and took the glass of wine she offered.

  Slaves were somewhat a new concept to Fallon. He had always known about slavery. He’d spoken about the issue several times with Taruk, who had once been a slave himself. The orc eventually earned his freedom but for some reason continued to live out his life through Ghela or on the sea instead of in his homeland. Fallon didn’t understand.

  Evert had informed him of the cruelty most elf slaves endured. Those who had any magical abilities were stripped of them by being forced to drink or eat the root of a plant called thasian. The root made their blood crystals become dull and numb, making them unable to tap into the mana of the world. Quite often, it made them violently sick for a short time before shutting down the natural forces within their bodies, mimicking the cycle of a pregnant maiden. For the maidens, it made them more accessible to men and elves alike, able to take them without fear of impregnating them.

  There were different ways to administer thasian, but usually the slaves were tied down until the slavers were certain their ability to touch mana was dead. Some only took minutes, others hours or days. If they refused to take the root willingly, they were cut and had the paste pressed into the wound. This process left gruesome scars or caused infection. After a time, regardless of distribution, the effects wore off and the process was repeated.

  Fallon looked at Helia whose thin, sleeveless gown clung to her body as she moved about. He frowned every time he saw the scars tainting her arms below the purple sleeves, white lines against honey-toned skin.

  Despite how quiet she was, a smile had burst on her face the moment she saw Evert and it remained there. She flowed around him as she poured him more wine. Fallon had noticed this same pleasant reaction with most city slaves they came into contact with.

  “Why do all the slaves seem at ease around you?” Fallon inquired when the tailor went to the back rooms. Helia moved to offer Fallon a glass of wine, but he smiled and declined. Helia bowed her head and raven locks fell forward to reveal clipped ears.

  Evert shrugged, lower lip puckering at the question. “I treat them with kindness and respect, every one of them, including the orcs. Perhaps I’ve been here long enough that word of a smiling elf fool has gotten round. Here, sweetheart.” He handed the glass back to Helia who took it before kneeling beside them. “I knew Helia before she became a slave.” Evert’s expression softened when gazing at her. “And now she is property of the king. In the city to serve people like us, of no importance.”

  “You allowed her to become a slave?” Fallon asked, unaware how cruel the question was until he heard it and caught Evert’s glare.

  Before Evert could speak, Helia did. “He would have stopped it if he had a choice. But what good would it do if he were a slave, unable to help any living soul?” Evert looked at her again. A long, hardened gaze passed between them, and her smile fell as she bowed her head. Fallon’s brow furrowed, but he held his tongue.

  “I think perhaps we’ll speak another time, Helia,” Evert said at last. “When Ander returns from the back, tell him that I said thank you. I’ll be showing my brother more of the city now.”

  Helia looked down as she nodded and slowly stood. Wordlessly, she retrieved the glasses and wine and vanished into the back again.

  “We’ve been invited to a feast tomorrow.” Evert grinned, hand gripping Fallon’s shoulder, leading him out through the shop’s open door and onto the streets. No matter where they went, someone seemed to smile and nod to Evert. Even in an area where people of noble blood traveled through.

  They passed a shop where the scent of sweet rolls drifted to and teased Fallon’s nostrils.

  Evert tipped his head to a woman standing behind the shop’s windows as he said, “The feast is in honor of Nara.”

  Fallon had told Evert about Nara the other night, but they had not spoken of it again. He hadn’t asked his brother about Castien. The silence the others showed him brought about many questions, questions that begged to be released.

  “You would know a great deal about the noble families here, wouldn’t you, Evert?” Evert raised an eyebrow and nodded, taking a corner that led to a small set of stairs. “What do you know of Castien? I remember the others saying you knew him. You’ve yet to tell me about this.” When Evert halted so did Fallon.

  “I’ve been quiet for a reason.” Evert narrowed his eyes. “Why do you ask?”

  Fallon shook his head, locking a finger in his belt loop. “I have a strange feeling when I am around him. As I told you last night, he has taken to Nara and seems angry with me.” Fallon paused, looking towards the castle. “I feel that bitterness towards him as well.”

  Evert sighed, pushing Fallon forward into a walk once more. “That is exactly what you need right now,” he muttered. When they reached a corner, Evert pulled him into a space between the buildings where only enough light shone to illuminate his brother’s face. “You have to tell me what, if anything, he has done,” Evert said in a low tone, his hand pressing firmly into Fallon’s shoulder.

  “He’s not done anything, not really. I spotted them kissing in the forest on Vheria.” Fallon swallowed hard and lowered his own voice, sheepishly adding, “I might have told Nara to call the dryads, knowing they would attack him. He says he knew that I did it intentionally, but I regretted it instantly.” Evert slapped the wall beside Fallon’s head, anger flashing in his eyes.

  “Then she is his,” Evert replied before wiping his face. “You have to stay away from her, Fallon. It matters not if you talk to him, if you serve beside me. If you ever, ever see her, do your best to avoid her.” Fallon furrowed his eyebrows, not understanding. “Once he sets his mind on something, or someone, then they belong to him. Even if it is for a short time. He is dangerous and unchecked. It would be best to stay low when around either of them. Especially when it comes to the crown princess, he could be making a move towards the throne, and you do not want to stand in his way when he does. I am so very sorry, brother, that you have just lost a friend.” He bit his lip, eyes downcast. “I too have lost something of great importance…” Evert drew closer and said in a voice lower than before, “Swear to me you will have nothing more to do with her.”

  “I cannot do that,” Fallon responded.

  “You know Helia?” Evert did not wait for a response. “She was his plaything for a time until he grew uninterested. Many lovers have come and gone from his bed, including my wife, Unae.” Fallon froze, and Evert’s expression hardened even further. He pointed to the scar along his jaw. “I know firsthand how possessive he can become. The position he has, having command over the guard force of dragons and half-breed dragons, it does not come from his father’s position commanding the military. It comes from his ability to be ruthless and quick thinking, taking out anyone who stands in his way. In the king’s eyes, he is valuable. Castien has killed and hurt many within and outside the military arena.”

  “Then now would be the time to warn Nara,” Fallon hissed, but his brother shook his head.

  “I want to; I truly do. You’ve no idea how much I want to storm in there and take her. But when it comes to this, please listen, it will do you no good. If you care for her you will let her be. If Castien sees you care and you get in his way, he will find some way to cause you pain, even if it means harming her. If he slithers his way into being bound to her, and I’v
e no doubt in my mind that he will with the crown before him, he will become a very powerful adversary.”

  Fallon bit his cheek, not wanting to believe anything his brother told him. He had not seen Nara in a few days, and with the distance set between them, he doubted he would ever again after tomorrow night.

  Evert gripped his shoulder, eyes fierce when he spoke through gritted teeth, “Listen to me, Fallon. Stay away.”

  He didn’t know if he could.

  NARA

  “What?” Castien exclaimed, his eyes wide. He turned Nara’s hands over several times, searching for the injuries they both had seen. When the attendant returned with what Castien had requested, he dropped everything and leaned in to look at her hands.

  “Were you able to find a healer so quickly, My Lord?” the attendant marveled, his hands hesitating as though he wanted to touch her. Castien glanced at Nara before silently retrieving the items the attendant had dropped.

  “Not a word of this to anyone, Peter,” Castien muttered, eyes scanning the arena they stood in. Some feet away, the other men and elves in the area kept their distance and watched in anticipation. “Not a word,” he hissed again, causing the attendant to violently nod. Castien wrapped her hands in linen bandages before he helped put her gloves on. Wrapping a thick wool cloak around her, he used the pin he had placed on her gown to secure it.

  Nara looked towards the dragon while Castien prepared himself. A fog remained settled in her head. She knew Castien would never allow her to touch a dragon bare-handed again, at least not in the presence of others.

  He handed her a long strip of leather that strapped to the back and held two circular pieces of glass. “Those are goggles, they will protect your eyes from the cold air,” he informed her with a soft smile. After allowing her to survey them, he placed them over her eyes. Elves were made for land and sea, she knew, and after years of knowing Taruk she understood the gods had made the orcs to adapt to the harshest of climates.

  The dragon lowered itself to the ground, and Castien hoisted Nara onto the large saddle before he pulled himself up. The dragon’s saddle was similar to the horses’, the dark leather wrapped around either side of its wings and underneath its belly. Unlike the horses’, the backing rose high and two sets of straps with metal buckles could hold the rider or riders in place.

  Castien secured her tightly, tucking the thick cloak around her before he sat in front of her and secured himself. Shortly after, he took hold of the reins and pulled back on them. In an instant, the dragon lurched forward, wings spreading outwards, thick webbing with veins shone dull between the scales that lined it. Her heart leapt into her throat when it rose into the air, turning in great circles against the stone as it climbed higher and higher to pass the walls of the large enclosure.

  Closing her eyes, Nara clutched Castien while her heart thundered in her ears. The air around her turned colder with each passing moment, and the world weighed down on her when the dragon took on a vertical climb. For a moment she wondered if the hold she had on Castien’s waist hurt him. When she felt the pressure lift from her, she loosened her grip, but her eyes remained clenched shut.

  “Do you see it?” Castien yelled over the wind rushing past them. Nara shook her head, remaining honest with him in her time of fear. He laughed and patted her hand. “Open your eyes, Nara!”

  Nara’s eyes shot open and at first she stared at the back of Castien’s head. Then, looking down past the dragon, her breath caught in her throat when she saw how small the inhabitants below appeared. The dragon circled the city in a slow, lazy arc. Other riders circled the edge of the city or traveled farther out. She leaned forward in her seat as one rider and his dragon disappeared into a cloud and came out the other side.

  Castien chuckled. “See? Not so bad.”

  He cried out with a flick of his wrist, and the dragon lurched forward, jerking Nara backwards and causing her to hold tightly to Castien again. This time, she did not close her eyes. Wind rushed through their hair as he urged it forwards and down towards the castle that now appeared smaller than them. Reaching the topmost tower, the statues of Vhedril and Ghedril gleaming brightly in the sun, the dragon flew around them, coming close enough for her to see the finer details of the twin goddesses. Circling by the second time, the dragon lightly brushed the tip of its wing against the statues before pulling away.

  From there, with the wind howling in her ears, they passed over the ocean. Rushing by Kalana’s waters, he disrupted the resting grounds of seals and birds alike when the dragon flew overhead, its shadow enough to frighten them. Flying close to the reflective surface, the dragon was smooth in its stride, being careful not to disturb the sails of ships that were coming and leaving the port city. Though nowhere near as large as the sea vessels, the grand beast appeared as though it could do a considerable amount of damage to them and their inhabitants with the strength rippling in its body.

  Their shadow passed over farms, falls, and hillsides. Nara smiled as they came close enough to the ground to see children rushing after and pointing at the dragon. Climbing high in the sky, she looked across the land, and her smile nearly faded when she saw men and elves carrying large logs away from the edge of a forest. Darkened land marked a clear line between the forest and the grass dotted with flowers.

  It felt as though it had only been a short time in the air, but the position of Vhedril’s light told her differently when Castien pulled on the reins over another forest some ways from Ionus. The dragon, urged on by its rider, fell forward, hurtling towards the ground. Nara kept her eyes open, trusting in Castien and this beast that had not harmed her in the stables. At the last moment, it beat its wings back before setting its talons onto the land, coming to a final rest at the tree line.

  Unfastening himself, Castien turned and did the same to Nara before jumping down with reins in hand. After tying them to a tree’s great trunk, he ambled back around, lifting his hands up and urging her to jump. Nara forced her shaking legs over the side of the saddle before slipping down into his strong arms.

  “What do you think, Nara?” he beamed, removing his cloak, goggles, and gloves before taking hers off. Speechless, Nara simply nodded, allowing him to care for her while she gained control of her body. “You get to see things you normally wouldn’t and fly to places faster than you ever could by land or sea. We have the humans to thank for not just a second language but for the discovery of creatures we thought to be myth.” Tossing the articles of clothing to the side, he added, “Dragons are mightier than gods, they give us the ability to travel near as fast as they do and carry us on the wind like prayers.”

  “Nothing is greater than those who gave us life,” Nara remarked with a smile. No words were spoken as he looked her over several times before he leaned in. When he stole a kiss, Nara thought it was as sweet as the first time. Though less urgent, the absent power left room for her to explore her feelings and desires. Even only knowing him the short time she did, a deep bond held her to Castien; she felt warmth from him. She had a deep longing to be with him. Not knowing much about him did not matter to her; only the affection he rained down on her mattered. Only what she could give him in return mattered.

  On the grass in the secluded area he found for them, she again gave him all that she was. She allowed the thrill of flight to carry through her when he led her through their lovemaking. She gave to him without a guiding force pushing them together. She loved him while the trees nearby whispered their names, foretelling the paths that lay ahead.

  A light breeze swept across the land, coming with the sinking of the sun, Vhedril and Ghedril meeting in the sky for a brief moment. They watched the two lovers wrapped around one another, naked save for Nara’s hair tracing the length of her body. The comfort of the grass against the relief of his body satisfied her soul.

  Nara, with her head resting on Castien’s bare chest, breathed lightly while small fingers rested on his stomach, feeling his muscles and a soft line of hair, tracing the outline of the s
car on his side. Through the day they had made love between speaking of their youth, counting off things that were similar in their lives. Castien had gently loved her, allowing kisses to find every curve of her body while he spoke of the beauty she possessed. When he moved in waves across her body, he told her between their beating hearts how happy he had been since the gods united their souls. When he forced every last drop of pleasure from her, Castien assured her that their lives would be strong together, that he would be bound to her, not allowing anyone to come between the love he felt for her.

  When they found rest at last, she listened to the beating of his heart. His arms tight around her, she felt secure in a world that was not hers. Birds sailed across the sky and thought of how she had flown and how nice it felt compared to riding on the ship. She looked forward to when she would be in the air again, despite being told the king reserved dragon riding mostly for military. Castien had only been able to take her due to his position. But he told her when she became queen she would have complete power over flight.

  If she decided to stay.

  The last thing Nara heard before drifting into slumber had been the quiet clucking of the dragon, the sound of its claws digging into the earth, and the rustling of the trees nearby. Somewhere in the beginnings of her dreams, whispers tickled her ears but had been unable to make out what was said before the familiar sounds of birds and moving trees returned. The dryads taught her to listen to the earth while feeling its life force, and she had used it many times to lull herself to sleep. This was not a time she needed that comfort, lying so still on Castien, feeling his life pulse, but still she listened. Still she heard the familiar rustlings that had not changed between the islands and, she prayed, would not change in all of Arlania.

  She remembered running through a white light, its sound deafening, before spotting Castien standing tall and emotionless while bathed in a darker shade of light. When she approached him, feeling uneasy and troubled for his soul, she woke gasping and afraid. The fear was unknown, quickly replaced by some otherworldly feeling. Drumming of the earth started in her ears, and she sat up dazed, not disturbing Castien.