Page 43 of Aofie's Quest
“Are you frightened?” I whispered.
She nodded, her breath coming short and fast. I held her arm, confused by her panic. What was she afraid of? True, the elves were impressive and their mannerisms even more so. They walked as gracefully as dancing and rode as though they were one with the stags. My dream of dancing in a glorious hall with Romulus returned and a furious blush came over my face. Something between Romulus and I had shifted after our sojourn in the hills of the gods.
Both he and Takari made me feel accepted, cared about, and sometimes, I had to admit, an itching to take up a weapon and fight came over me. Now, standing with the elves, I felt ashamed of my fears. Alone, I was weak, but fighting with others by my side would be different. If the elven warriors went out with us, perhaps fear would not overtake me and the bravery of others would encourage me. I lifted my chin, determined not to shame myself.
The bridge was made of wood, as though a tree had split open its roots and lain across the gap. White flowers and green vines grew up on either side and the white mists made it seem as though we walked in the clouds. A cool wind blew as we passed making me miss the heat of the summer sun. I shivered in my dress as we left the bridge and moved up the incline. My hand went to my chest as the clouds parted. Rising above us towered a crystal palace. It shimmered in the sunlight like a bright sapphire with an everlasting shimmer. Diamonds crusted the arched rooftops and I gaped in open astonishment. The elves were rich and beautiful; why didn’t the king and queen flee and stay in their kingdom? It clearly was well protected.
The elves dismounted from the stags, sending them off to the pastures that rose in the distance.
A series of smaller buildings surrounded the palace and elves glided to and fro, as graceful as the birds that wheeled through the sky.
Elves dressed in armor that glistened like sunlight lined the steps leading up to the palace and joined us as we walked. Lindir called out orders, speaking in a gentle tongue that flowered like music. The language of the elves, something I wished I knew. Longing stroked my heart.
We walked up the steps to the palace, rough-cut and wide, made for legs much longer than mine. At the top, rose petals floated down from a tree hanging over the palace walls and Lindir conferred with the elves who waited there. He waved over an elven lady, who beckoned Takari and I to her.
“Come,” she called, “the bathhouse is this way.”
I glanced back at Romulus, suddenly not wanting to leave his comforting presence, but Takari pulled me after the elven lady who led the way. Her pale-yellow skirts brushed the floor and her black hair was pulled back from her face, allowing her ears to display clearly. They lay flat against her skull, much like those of a wild cat. She folded her hands in front of her as she walked and soon two others joined her. Above us, sunlight beamed in from the crystal ceiling. We walked for what seemed like an eternity through halls with open rooms and closed doors. Once we were hopelessly lost, the elven lady pushed open double doors and steam poured out.
“The bathhouse,” she announced. “This is the one for ladies. Wash and cleanse yourself from your journey. We will find new clothes for you. For now, rest until your audience.”
Steam billowed around me, warm and comforting, unlike the mists of the Shrouded Gate. I blinked, taking in the series of hot pools. Elven women moved around them, some bathing, others drying and dressing while the white runes on their bodies glistened in the light. They ignored Takari and I as we padded across the smooth stone floor, pleasantly warm from the steam.
“Praise be to the goddess,” Takari murmured, slipping out of her clothes and wading into a pool.
I followed after a quick glance around to see if anyone was looking at me, still shy about my scars. Once I was immersed in the warm waters, my concerns drifted away. The pool moved around me as though there were fingers within, massaging my sore muscles and sweeping away the tension from traveling.
Taking a deep breath, I relaxed, my fingers brushing a stone seat. I lay back on it, allowing the water to come up around my neck.
I must have slept, for when I opened my eyes, the water had cooled and Takari lay across from me in a haze of blue. A cloud hovered above her and her eyes rolled while her lips moved, reading the symbols that lay there.
I sat up, lifting my shoulders out of the waters. Her nimble fingers came up and snatched the cloud of blue out of the air, curling it into a ball. The last threads of blue faded into the water. She lifted her head and caught my eye.
“Aofie?” She gave me a pained smile.
“What were you doing?” I asked, curious.
She shook her head, sending droplets across the water. “You don’t know much magic yet, but I cast a Finder’s Spell. The magic here in the realm of the woodland elves interferes with most spells but the air is clear. I thought it might work.”
“Did it?” I leaned forward. Who did she want to find? The elves had told her that a few of her people were here. Why didn’t she go to them and ask directly instead of casting spells in the bathhouse?
“No.” Her gaze drifted down to the waters and she rose. Turning her back on me, she climbed out of the pool and covered her nakedness with a towel.
I moved to join her although I sensed she did not want to speak about it. “Who do you seek?”
She shrugged. “It is of no consequence when he might be dead.”
I waited, unease shivering through me. Takari had many secrets and did not trust me fully, yet she knew all of mine. When we spoke in Elsdore, I’d assumed her words regarding choice were about her people and the scourge the angel of death had cast across the land. Now, I wondered if her search was the reason she’d gone to the witches instead of coming directly to the haven of the elves with Romulus.
“I had a son once,” she offered, her eyes lighting up. “Half nymph, half faun. The fauns used to tangle in the moonlight with the woodland nymphs and I fell in love.”
Love. I drew in a swift breath of air, spellbound. “What happened?”
Sorrow swelled through her words. “The child was sickly. He died after a few moons. Shortly after, soldiers raided the forest and the fauns disappeared. Overcome by loss, I searched, but only half-heartedly. I had a duty to my people, to my queen, and there was not much hope that the fauns had survived the attack. Now that everyone is gone, I want what I once had.” Takari squeezed my arm and spoke firmly. “Love is a beautiful power, but what love inspires you to do is even more potent. If love were magic, it would be the greatest spell ever cast, for when you love someone you find courage and bravery that goes beyond your expectations. You can fight harder, search longer, climb heights and descend into depths because of what love inspires you to do. For me, I only wish to stop hoping. I need to know if he is dead, so I can move on. It’s the not knowing that drowns me.”
My heartbeat quickened with fervor at her words, and the glory of something I did not understand. In time, I hoped I would. I yearned for a great, powerful love to befall me, and yet it had always seemed selfish when I was supposed to lay down my desires and save the world. Still, before love, I had to discover what I wanted, and how to proceed now that I was once again in safety.
I glanced around the bathhouse, which was quickly emptying. Only a few elves remained, dressing carefully in long silks and taking turns braiding each other’s hair.
