Aliandra: nymph: Book 1 The Nymph chronicles (5 page)

BOOK: Aliandra: nymph: Book 1 The Nymph chronicles
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Grandma soon set up the schoolwork and Rom was happily perched on her bed.

 

"No rest for the wicked, hey Rom?" grinned Ali as she began to tackle math problems on the white board. Grandma came in regularly to write down her solutions. Solving problem after problem took so much of her focus that it, Ali suspected, it was becoming more like meditation. The sphere began to mist up because of her scent and Ali had to wipe it clean with her hand. As night set in Ali's exhaustion hit her and she slept soundly.

 

In the morning grandma entered with a large jug of ambrosia and a funnel.

 

"Ali, I have some ambrosia for you to try to drink. You need to keep up your fluids. The funnel goes with the sphere so we can get food and drink into you during the keening. I will pour it from the top and you put up your hand when you want me to stop. Rom, you can go outside and hunt" ordered grandma.

 

As Rom sauntered outside, Ali got on her knees and tilted her head up as grandma inserted the funnel and then tipped the ambrosia into it. She drank greedily as the ambrosia soothed her aching body. Finally Ali raised her hand to stop.

 

"Rest now. Work on the problems later. While you are doing that, the elders will be scattering your bathwater over different parts of the forest to throw the immortal hunter off the scent, so to speak. Your scattered diluted scent may make the braves dazed and confused if they get caught up in it but they will have to deal with that. They were discussing about setting up traps for the immortal using a little of your stronger scent essence. I will keep you updated" said grandma.

 

Ali couldn't work up any interest in the outside world right now. She was feeling a little drunk on ambrosia and was wondering if she could stay inebriated on ambrosia for the entirety of her keening.
This ain't so bad. I hope grandma has plenty of ambrosia as backup for the next few weeks.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 9

 

 

 

 

 

The immortal hunter settled down in his cave as he watched over the Peyton fortress.

 

Hundreds of braves were sent into the forests to patrol and hunt for the immortal trespasser. All elders stayed close to the fortress. The walls of the fortress were scrubbed and bleached to remove any sign of Ali's scent.

 

Trak had followed the trespasser's trail leading toward the fortress before it vanished. Trak, Donny and Kitch  met their father outside the fortress gates to advise him the trespasser knew Ali's location. Their father ordered more braves to be sent around the surrounding area and into caves to hunt him down.

 

The immortal watched an incensed group of braves close in on his position and he worked out his next move. He was bemused by the extreme response to his incursion. He hid as the group passed by him and he followed them to eavesdrop on their conversation. A word, a name, was repeated by the outraged braves. Ali. The cave system was swarming with braves so he considered it was time to withdraw back to the underworld.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 10

 

 

 

 

 

Ali tried to focus on the problem before her but her thoughts swam hazily around her head.
Three weeks in a little glass bubble. I am going to kick that hunter's ass if I ever meet him.
The pain of the keening was not exaggerated as wave upon wave of cramps shuddered through her body. To add insult to injury, Ali was seriously grumpy and hormonal. The elder women tended to Ali constantly with drinks of ambrosia, nourishing soups and food mash pushed down the funnel. Containers were constantly filled with her scent and stored in rooms beneath the fortress.

 

Outside was a constant hive of activity as the braves and elders kept a watchful eye on the fortress and regularly set out to seek any further signs of the trespasser. Rom scratched at her door to be let in. An elder opened the door for him and closed it behind him. Rom sprang up on the bed.

 

"I am so jealous of you right now, Rom" growled Ali.

 

Rom playfully rolled on his back and began purring like an engine.

 

Grandma knocked and entered. "How are you doing, Ali?"

 

"Gloriously! I'm just about to put on my bonnet and promenade down Main Street" answered Ali.

 

"Still enough energy to be sassy. You are fine" responded grandma.

 

"Grandma, the focus and problem solving has helped so far but I feel something big building and the more I clamp down on it the more powerfully it pushes back. I cannot stop the shaking and it grows worse each day. It is like a tidal wave with a force building it beyond anything I can stop. It is going to crash through soon and I just hope this sphere survives it. You must evacuate" said Ali.

 

"We will clear the area. How much longer can you hold it back and what do we need to do?" asked grandma.

 

"Two days, maybe three. Clear the fortress and the surrounding area. Take Rom and all the animals to a safe distance. Keep back at least a kilometer from here and wait. You will know when it is over" said Ali.

 

"I will arrange it now" replied grandma.

 

Ali heard more movement throughout the fortress as everything and everyone was moved out over the next two days. Grandma fed Ali just before she left with the final group of elders. They left Rom until last and he left grudgingly after Ali angrily ordered him to go with grandma.

 

That night Ali's body bent over double with the pain and she flung herself back and screamed with all her might. It was like a million hot needles pierced her skin and as Ali was out of her mind with the pain something broke through. Her sphere expanded beyond the size of her room and the stone crumbled around her. Ali screamed again as another wave crashed through. Ceilings collapsed around her, walls blew out and a rockslide drowned out her screams.  The sphere was half the size of the fortress and filled with her scent. Wave after wave continued to wrack her body as it trembled submerged in her scent. Days passed before the earth stopped trembling and the rockslides ceased tumbling down the mountain.

 

The braves had to be ordered to keep their distance. Trak, Donny and Kitch were out of their minds with worry and frustration at not being there to protect Ali. As soon as the forest went quiet grandma and the elders headed back to the fortress. The fortress was destroyed. Giant stones lay scattered over the forest floor. The male elders stood guard as Rom and the women entered to look for Ali.

 

The sphere was unbroken. Ali was sighted at the bottom of the sphere, she was unconscious with bubbles floating out of her mouth. Grandma sent word to the male elders Ali was alive and to bring back many scent containers, and keep them coming. Ali remained unconscious while the women drained the sphere of her scent over the next several days. Hundreds of containers were filled and sent directly to Poseidon.

 

The women agreed it was probably a blessing to Ali that she remained unconscious because it was expected that the trailing off period after her keening would take months. Ali's body had transformed from a girl to a woman, Conversations with the elders also indicated they detected her capacity, that would hold the source of her immortal power, had activated.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 11

 

 

 

 

 

When Ali finally woke she had been transferred to her bed. Rom lay next to her bed and he let out a loud growl when he saw her eyes open. Grandma rushed in and hushed Rom.

 

"He didn't wake me" whispered Ali.

 

"We got tired of him fretting at your door so we let him in. You are over the worst of it now, Ali. We took you out of the sphere only when we were sure you were releasing a little scent" whispered grandma.

 

"How long have I been out of it?" asked Ali.

 

"Four weeks since we found you. The worst of the keening took six days" replied grandma. "Do you feel up to eating?"

 

"Ambrosia?" asked Ali weakly

 

"I will get it for you" said grandma wiping away tears as she exited.

 

Ali found her bed had been transferred to an undamaged room downstairs in the fortress. Rom left her side in the evenings to hunt while she slept. Much of the rubble had been removed by the many braves and the fortress walls were partially rebuilt in the first few weeks. All braves were then ordered back to the main lodges while Ali recuperated outside the sphere.

 

As the weeks passed, Ali gained strength in her new body. Her appetite began to recede back to normal levels. The women elders took her new measurements and sent the information back to the lodges so the village women could start making Ali new dresses that fit her.  While she had to remain inside the tribal women got Ali to work on her cooking skills. She was shown how best to cook different types of meat and fish. New recipes and new herbs and spices entered her cooking repertoire. Ali loved experimenting with the different flavors and textures of the foods. Eventually the male elders instructed her how to make her bow and arrows.

 

"Ali, we need to talk" said grandma seriously as Ali sat at the table sipping a hot chocolate drink.

 

"Do we need to talk in private?"

 

"No, here is good" answered grandma. "The elders tested you for changes and any new powers you have developed as a result of your keening transformation. They found your capacity has activated. Capacity is the main difference between mortals and immortals. Every immortal has a different capacity for power storage. Some immortals with a large capacity but may have their power element as a gas. This is the case for many air immortals. Some have a small capacity but if their power element is a dense solid, like most earth immortals, then they may have equal power compared to the immortal with the gas element. Your capacity is still expanding which sometimes happens with water elementals. While you are still developing as an immortal you may use energy to the point of a complete energy drain to expand your capacity. You need to continue expanding your capacity and that means at least every day you must drain yourself of energy until the point of collapse. We are still testing your power element. The new power you have is to heal the earth. Anything or anyone that is earth element you can heal. What I must ask you to do on a regular basis is to heal the earth until you drain all your energy and then keep healing so your capacity grows. Healing the earth is a good way to drain your power quickly but it will also keep you very weak. Consider this as part of your immortal training program that we want you to do secretly" explained grandma.

 

"When do you want me to start?" asked Ali.

 

"As soon as you feel up to it. We wanted to give you time to rest after the keening so it is up to you when you want to start" answered grandma.

 

"Can someone show me how to do it?" asked Ali

 

"I can tell you. Come here and put your hands on the ground. Then you push your power into the ground and direct it to heal. Say 'heal the earth' in your head if it helps" instructed grandma.

 

Ali followed the directions and felt power travel down her arms as she directed it to heal the earth. After a few minutes Ali felt woozy but kept going until she passed out. An elder was called to carry Ali back to her bed to recuperate.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 12

 

 

 

 

 

"Ali! Are you ready?" called out grandma.

 

"On my way!" shouted Ali.

 

Ali hugged her heavy coat around her as she made her way into the fortress yard, with Rom in tow, where all the elders were waiting with saddled steeds.

 

"Ali, the weather is too warm for that coat. Take it off" ordered grandma.

 

"I am too embarrassed. The braves are going to be there and I ain't used to how my body changed yet" insisted Ali.

 

"Don't be so precious. You are going to have to show people some time, it may as well be now. Your new dresses fit you so nicely. Besides, every other woman has the same sort of body as you do. It is nothing out of the ordinary. Now give me your coat and I will pack it"  grandma asserted.

 

Ali passed over her coat then mounted her steed. The group made their way through the forest paths headed back to the main lodges. Braves on the outer patrols of the main lodges signalled to the main camp of the approaching group. Trak, Donny and Kitch joined a group of braves that raced to meet the elders and Ali.

 

The thundering of hooves announced the group of braves. As the groups met there was much joking, laughter and hugging. As Donny's eyes zeroed in on her and lit up in surprise, Ali's face flamed red in embarrassment. Donny made his way alongside Ali's steed.

 

"You had us all worried, little sister. It is good to have you back" said Donny.

 

Kitch approached with shock evident on his face "Ali? Ali, is that you? I hardly recognized you. Va-va-va-voom. Man, you are so curvalicious now. Well worth the wait. I can't wait to see all the reactions from the rest of the tribal dudes. Hey Trak!

Get a load of Ali. Gorgeous or what?" spouted Kitch.

 

Trak drew up close to Ali "Yep. Welcome home, Ali."

 

Kitch laughed "You are going to have some hot competition now, Donny. Wow! Just wow! I can't believe how hot you are. You make freckles look so hot. You were super cute before but now. Wow!"

 

Ali leaned toward Trak as her face flamed an even deeper shade of red "Does he have an off button?" she whispered.

 

"Nope" grinned Trak.

 

Trak and Donny quietly rode on either side of her as Kitch kept up his commentary all the way back to the main lodges. When they entered the main encampment Kitch enthusiastically noted all the stunned and slack-jawed looks Ali got from the braves as they entered the camp.

 

Over dinner Ali told grandma she wanted to visit her mortal folks to say goodbye before leaving for college. Grandma agreed on the condition Ali be back before the end of the week and she take two steeds with her, just in case. Ali agreed.

 

"Ali?" called Donny from outside her lodge. "Ali, we need to talk."

 

When Ali left her lodge and looked up at Donny he said "follow me."

 

They left the encampment and walked into the forest a little. Donny started "I heard you are going to visit your mortal folks tomorrow?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I will come with you."

 

"No!"

 

"Yes, I want to go with you in case you get into trouble" he insisted.

 

"No! It has been agreed I can go alone" said Ali firmly.

 

"Ali, you are killing me here. I want you as my girl and I want to protect you" he stated.

 

"Why?"

 

"Like Kitch said, there is plenty of interest around you now and it is only a matter of time before some hotheads start fighting over you.  Things may get bloody and that can be avoided if you are seen as my girl. No-one will challenge me. I always liked you, Ali. Even before the changes. I have been falling for you and I want you as my girl."

 

"Three conditions!" she said fiercely.

 

"Name them."

 

"One, you do not try to wrap me in cotton wool to protect me. I like my freedom. That means I go to see my family on my own."

 

"Agreed. What else?" he growled.

 

"Two, you do not assume our relationship is headed to marriage. I am too young to be making these decisions yet. Let it be based on friendship and attraction. We are honest to each other if we choose to opt out of the relationship at any time. No pressure!"

 

"Agreed."

 

"Three, you will teach me how to kiss. Properly!" she said sternly.

 

At that Donny pushed Ali up against the tree and began kissing her firmly. He lifted her arms around his neck as she hung on for dear life. His tongue teased her lips until she opened her mouth to his. His hard body pushed firmly against hers. Their breathing became rougher as the young couple passionately entwined and lost track of time.

 

When Donny finally returned Ali to her lodge he was reluctant to let her out of his arms. "I will see you in the morning. I will bring you our two best steeds to carry you. Telegraph us to let us know the day of your return. I will keep a lookout for you. If you are late I will come looking, OK?" he growled.

 

"Yes sir!" Ali saluted.

 

"Come here" he said as he cuddled her close. "I will take care of Rom while you are away. I will miss you. All the time you were away keening, I missed you. I was desperate to get to you when the keening was at its worst. I have never felt so helpless and anxious than those days. Hurry back. I love you Ali." he whispered in her ear.

 

"I know. Your father told me that you loved me on the way to the fortress" she smiled.

 

Donny kissed her long and slow before he let her out of his arms and into her lodge. Ali lay back and sighed in pure contentment as she drifted off to sleep.

 

By the time Ali got up at mid-morning, Donny already had the steeds saddled and ready. Food was packed for the journey. Donny lifted her up onto her saddle.

 

"I will ride with you as far as the forest encampment near the mountain pass. I will wait for word of you return and if things stay on schedule I will meet you again at the mountain pass" he said.

 

Kitch and Trak arrived on their steeds. "We are riding with you to the pass. Donny can't have all the fun. Congratulations, big brother! The whole main lodge is buzzing with the news of you and Donny. All the braves are now officially in mourning. Some advice from our momma to prevent a good relationship from going stale in the first few hundred years is 'Ali, he is a good man but keep him on his toes'" grinned an irrepressible Kitch.

 

"Will do" grinned Ali.

 

Trak smiled and nodded at Ali and Donny, then rode on. Donny, Ali and Kitch kicked on their steeds to follow. Kitch continued his commentary as they went.

 

"Trak has now given you his official nod of approved. He must be delighted. We all are. The elders have declared it to be a good match. We know you well enough to know Donny will have his hands full. We will have to send word to all the mortal women that Donny is hooked up and off limits. They will be crying in their soup tonight. When you hear wailing and the gnashing of teeth you will know they received the message" he laughed.

 

Donny took Ali's hand in his as they rode along. "Those women no longer exist to me. Don't worry" said Donny as he squeezed her hand in reassurance.

 

"Donny will be too busy staring down the braves who try to catch your eye, Ali" laughed Kitch.

 

"There are plenty of better looking women than me for their attentions" supplied Ali.

 

"But Ali, you are interesting. You don't blend in like plenty of others. Besides, after your encounter with the immortal hunter you have a rock solid reputation as a total bad-ass babe. Sure, there are plenty of good looking women around but if they are whiney, boring or clingy then we know that gets old fast.  Immortal men are on the lookout for beautiful women with a tonne of character, courage and spirit to choose as their ideal mates. You check all our boxes. We all love you, Ali. It was just Donny fell hard, deep and fast and then stepped up to the mark to claim you before anyone else had a chance" answered Kitch.

 

"Kitch, after that encounter with the immortal hunter I was shaking like a leaf and my knees were so wobbly I had to sit down with my head between my knees" said Ali.

 

"What is important is that you stood your ground and your aim was true. The rest was just adrenalin. Everyone gets that after the danger has passed. Most of us throw up after a battle too" said Kitch.

 

"Too much information!" announced Ali.

 

Kitch happily kept the conversation flowing around daring deeds, famous warriors and great battles. He told of their regular outings to cull multipeds. Ali insisted that she be included in their next culling venture. Donny ground his teeth together but said nothing to oppose the idea.

 

When the sun was high they passed food around and ate as they rode slowly. The sun beat down as if to declare the end of spring. Ali felt a deep contentment as birdsong filled the forest and the gentle breezes spread the scents of pine and healthy earth. The forest felt like her home.

 

They reached the forest encampment by mid-afternoon. Trak and Kitch took the steeds to rub them down. Ali followed a brooding Donny down to the riverbank. He sat down and leaned up against the trunk of a broad tree. Ali curled up on his lap, closed her eyes and listened to his strong heartbeat while encircled in the firm embrace of his powerful arms. No words were needed. Ali slept in Donny's arm until the night closed in. The Donny carried her back to the camp and he gently tucked her into her bed then tenderly kissed her goodnight.

BOOK: Aliandra: nymph: Book 1 The Nymph chronicles
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