Dark Wood: Legends of the Guardians (3 page)

A
strong hand supported Aryaunna’s back as another took Elizabeth’s arm. “We
still have a ways to walk yet. Please, let me take her.” Looking up, Aryaunna
was surprised by the face that loomed above hers.
He’s chosen to appear
human for me,
she thought.

Elizabeth
looked up to him and studied his features openly. “Do I not get a say in this?”
she asked boldly.

A
smile crossed his lips as he stepped back fluidly. His chin was all they could
see beneath the shadows of his hooded cloak. It was a strong chin, with an
amused smile on fair lips. “But of course, my lady. Walk to me, and I will
allow you to make your own way.” He stood but ten paces from her. “Without
falter of course.”

Elizabeth
had always been independent. Challenging aid did not surprise Aryaunna in the
slight, though the gleam in her eye and the twist of Elizabeth’s lips did.
Pulling from Aryaunna, she walked slowly, light of foot across the whitened
earth. The air hushed as Lena and Aryaunna watched them closely.

Elizabeth
stepped so tenderly that even the crush of the snow underfoot could nary be
heard. Her fawn like grace brought her to stand before him. She did not falter
once. “You’ve succeeded.” There was a tenor of pride in his voice for just a
moment before it was displaced with a mild scorn. “At what price, I wonder? Is
your pain a worthy expense to compensate your ego?”

“Indeed,
it is.” Elizabeth smiled sweetly, even going so far to give him a small curtsey
before she turned on her heel to rejoin her seemingly stunned sister.

“You’re
going to regret that, aren’t you?” Aryaunna whispered under her breath against
her as she took her arm for aid.

“Oh
yes, I already do.” Elizabeth was generally mild natured, but there were times Aryaunna
wondered if that was no more than learned behavior from the Church. She had
another side to her, a side no one really even knew, for she had hidden it from
the world since she was six. Sometimes, she wondered if Elizabeth even knew it
was there.

Stooping
down, she swept the cloak up from the forest floor where it had been left to
lay. It was not too wet. It would at least help keep the wind off her. Aryaunna
twisted the cloak, allowing it to billow from her fluid motion until it lay
over Elizabeth’s shoulders, and clasped it over the one already in place. “Ary…
you need to stay warm.”

“I
am warm.” She smiled to Elizabeth, reassuring her the only way she could.
Looking back over her shoulder, she took note of the man watching them, despite
his hidden eyes. “Please, after you.”

“As
you wish.” With a bow of his head, he walked briskly past them to Lena’s side.
An exchange passed between them silently before he continued on. If not for his
cloak, he would disappear into the darkness of the wood. Lena remained closer
to them now, just a few short paces ahead.

“I
fear I must apologize to you, Elizabeth.” Their hands clutched together
tightly. Aryaunna’s other arm wrapped around behind her sister and held to her
side, trying to ease her every step in what way she could.

“You
must not. You cannot apologize for your destiny, Aryaunna. Though you have been
hidden from my own sight, it was never a doubt that the Fates had great plans
for you, my sister. Even our mother knew that.”

“Do
you not trust us, Aryaunna?” the man questioned. The sky was lightened for the
coming dawn, though the sun had not broken through yet. Aryaunna had bid them
to stop and let her sister rest. Her eye was ever watchful over Elizabeth.

“Trust
is not something that comes easily to me. I do not even know your name, or what
you look like. Forgive me if walking my injured sister into the valley of the
Hollow makes me anxious.” Elizabeth sat resting on a fallen tree, just ten
paces from them. Lena stood near her, eyeing her closely. It was not a
threatening gaze, but a knowing one. The cold, exhaustion, and Elizabeth’s
injury was adding up into a much higher threat than Aryaunna had realized.

Turning
back to face him, she let out an ill content sigh. “My name is Allos.” Raising
a hand, he pushed the hood of his cloak back. “You see me as I am, Aryaunna. I
am not of Drow blood.” Allos appeared as a harsh man, with his square cut jaw,
tight mouth and large frame. It was his eyes that gave away his kindness. His
head was as bald, and decorated with intricate patterns of blue ink. He was
older than the sisters, a few years senior to Elizabeth.

“You’re
human?” it sounded an accusation perhaps, but she did not believe it even in
slight.

He
brought the hood back up to protect him from the bitter cold. “Did I claim to
be? No, I am no more human than Lena is. Though I am hardly Drow, so I have but
one face to show you.” The Drow were Elvin bloodline. What she knew of them
came from the Church. Aryaunna had little to go on other than dark horror
stories of the creatures that dwelled in the Hollow.

The
stories were much like that of what the Church said about the Guardians.
Monsters in the night that killed without mercy-that enjoyed their prey’s
pain. Demonic winged beasts that devoured the lands, and despised the Church
and all that it stood for. Aryaunna’s Guardians. The beautiful Dragons that
saved her from her own horror story. The Guardians that had infused her family
with their light thousands of years ago, entrusting the generations of her
family’s bloodline with a rare power.

Aryaunna
grew up believing them false, yet questioning at times if the Drow even
existed. But seeing their skin, so dark grey it was black, their impossibly
brilliant eyes and the blue hue of their lips hiding razor sharp teeth, it was
hard not to question what else in those stories had been true after all. Lena
was beautiful in her own dark way, but still yet she was frightening. Her long
lithe body sang the truth of her agile warrior nature.

“I
know what you have been told of the Hollow. I know a great deal about the
Magistrate and his control over the people. Tell me, Aryaunna, do you believe
the words of your Magistrate?”

“He
is nye
my
Magistrate. We were wards of the Church. Kenan is no home to
me,” her voice was dark with vehemence.

The
shadow of his hood engulfed his face as he leaned down to get a better look at
her. “Your anger burns you. I am sorry for this.”

“More
than anger has burned me, Allos. Much more than anger… Take us to your village.
I will not delay you longer. What will be will be. I will trust in the
Guardians to see to us, and to see that you keep your word.”

“Very
well. Gather your sister, we shall be there soon.”

“You
know, as far as we’ve walked, one would think they wanted to keep their village
a secret or something.” Elizabeth smirked as she nudged Aryaunna with her arm.

“Something
like that it would seem.” They shared a laugh that was too weak to ride the
air.

Allos
and Lena slowed until they flanked the sisters on either side. Before Aryaunna
had realized it, they’d walked into the thick of a fog. Something felt
different, as if something in the atmosphere had changed. The trees were still
dark, despite the break of dawn’s first light. Without thinking, Aryaunna’s
hand placed to the hilt of her old work knife.

Allos’
hand rose up slightly, signaling for her to stop. “We are here, Aryaunna.”

“But
I see nothing,” Elizabeth challenged.

“Our
homelands are protected with great magic. We will have to wait here to have
your senses cleared before you will see as we do. Mayla is coming. You will
feel her touch. Do not fear, you are safe here with us,” Lena explained. For
some reason, the only words that stuck with Aryaunna was the ‘with us’. If
Allos and Lena were not by their sides, would they have been so welcome?

Elizabeth’s
hand slid from Aryaunna’s arm to stand on her own. Did she have the same
apprehension? Could she see more than she should already?

A
warm pressure touched to the center of Aryaunna’s forehead. A finger touching
over her third eye, stroked in a long circle. Perhaps swirling. Slight moisture
cooled in the winter air where the warmth trailed.

As
if she’d been standing in a cloud, Aryaunna’s vision hazed over. Blinking her
sight clear, she could see the woman before her, as well the world which had
been hidden from her just moments before.

An
ageless woman stood before her, with skin as white as the very snow. Like Lena,
her lips were blue as the sky in the day. Her eyes shown like molten silver
poured right from the kiln, as did her hair. Radiant silver strands were
braided into a million braids yet still fell to her hips. This woman was not
what Aryaunna had expected to find in the Hollow.

Smiling,
the woman said nothing before moving on to Elizabeth. A small bowl, barely the
size of her hand rest in her palm. Dipping her finger into the bowl, she lift a
red coated finger to Elizabeth’s forehead. The symbol represented the circle of
life, a perfect spiral.

Gripping
Aryaunna’s hand in a bone crushing grip, Elizabeth gasped and cried out as she
collapsed. “Elizabeth!” Aryaunna cried as she caught her sister and stumbled
back into Allos, who kept them both from the ground.

“Bring
the Emissary and the Seer!” Mayla ordered as Lena scooped Elizabeth up into her
arms as if she were lifting a child. Allos kept a firm grip on Aryaunna’s
shoulder, righting her to stand back up to her feet. Without question, Aryaunna
followed after Lena, running to keep up.

The
Drow surrounded them, watching. Aryaunna had no time to acknowledge them, or to
see if their looks were that of worry, fear, or even disdain. “What happened to
her?” Aryaunna ran to keep up beside Lena who walked swiftly despite the weight
of her burden. “Is she sick?” Aryaunna didn’t question or fear that this
enchantress had done something to her sister. It seemed reasonable that if that
had been the case then the same would have happened to her.

“Your
sister is a Seer.” It was not a question, but Aryaunna nodded anyways. “My
blood has given her a vision. It overcame her in her weakened state. She will
recover. I worry more for what the winter’s frost has done to her now.”

The
Drow lived in a very natural village, almost as if it had grown into place
rather than having been built. Aryaunna followed the two into a place created
of raw stones, draped in ivy and surrounded with different plants and herbs.

Lena
laid an unconscious Elizabeth onto a wooden table. One so like and yet so
different from the tables she had worked at most all of Aryaunna’s life. The
wood was pure and white, carved with symbols of the Drow, and the Elements
alike. The Elements she easily recognized. “Who are you?” Aryaunna questioned
the mysterious woman who hustled to and fro, gathering supplies.

“Get
those cloaks off of her now,” she ordered rather than answering Aryaunna.
“They’re drenched and frozen stiff. Korena!” she called. “Bring up the
blankets, child.” The woman tended to the fireplace, tossing on a couple of
logs that were whitened with age, much like drift wood.

Lena
motioned to Aryaunna who stood by her unconscious sister’s side. Aryaunna slid
her arms behind Elizabeth’s head and shoulders, easing her up as Lena unbound
the cloaks and pulled them carefully out from under her. As she eased Elizabeth
back down, Aryaunna looked around the room more closely. Herbs hung from
ladders in the rafters, so thickly it appeared as if the ceiling was growing. She
was inside an apothecary Aryaunna realized as she looked at the shelves lining
every wall, filled with countless bottles and jars holding anything and
everything. She was in the home of a witch.

Looking
to the fireplace, next to the burning fire in the same stone pit was a massive
black pot. The coals beneath it heated a substance that was overwhelming in
fragrance, a zest of lemon, heady lavender, and something distantly familiar.
It was almost like eucalyptus but softer. “You’re a witch.” While the words
seemed an accusation, Aryaunna spoke with pure surprise and relief.

The
enchanting woman stopped grinding her ingredients in the mortar and pestle to
look up at Aryaunna. Half astonished by Aryaunna’s reaction she let out a
bell’s laugh. “Well, I suppose that is what I would be called in Kenan, yes. I
am a healer to the Drow, blessed by Guardian light, Emissary. You may call me
Mayla.”

“So
are we. My sister… well, our mother was a witch.” Looking down at Elizabeth,
she brushed her sister’s deep red curls back off her forehead.

“Yes,
I know. Annalee... She was a beautiful soul.” Walking over to the table, Mayla
brought with her a bowl with a folded cloth. Cleaning the blood from
Elizabeth’s forehead, she whispered under her breath quietly.

“You
knew our mother?”

“Mayla,
what’s going on?” A sleepy-eyed girl stood in an open doorway, her hand still
braced to the now open door for support. It was startling to see her. The girl
looked so very different from Mayla, and yet just the same with molten silver
eyes and hair, skin paled as snow. Her eyes were doe like though, filled with a
child’s innocence. A heart shaped face with a cupid’s bow mouth. The girl was
pure beauty.

“Korena!
It certainly took you long enough, girl. You could sleep through a raid of
Orcs!” She smiled as she turned to the girl. “Go and fetch the blankets, girl,
quickly!”

Scarce
minutes passed before Elizabeth had been shed of her excess clothes and covered
in coal warmed blankets. The blood, too, had been washed from her forehead.
Mayla had treated Elizabeth with tonic and a blessing of her people. “Your
sister needs rest, Aryaunna,” Mayla proclaimed whilst approaching them. “I’ve
given her something to help her sleep.” Mayla’s hand brushed Elizabeth’s cheek
and then gently pat Aryaunna’s hand. Her eyes were full of warmth and caring.
It was a look Aryaunna had not seen since being a very small child.

“Lena,
Allos, will you see that Aryaunna finds warm clothes and something to eat. She
shall need her strength.” Mayla looked back to Aryaunna before turning. “Your
journey has only just begun, Emissary.”

Aryaunna
could gather no words for response. Knowing she needed to let her sister rest,
Aryaunna leaned down, brushing crimson curls back and kissed Elizabeth’s forehead.
Warmth spread throughout Aryaunna’s entire body. The grace of the Guardian’s
enveloped her as she touched Elizabeth.

Aryaunna’s
light embraced Elizabeth completely. The magic that swelled between them was
powerful. “Rest well, my sister. Be at ease, and let your dreams be ones of
peace.” Elizabeth did not open her eyes, but Aryaunna could feel the peace wash
through her. It radiated from her body for the strength of it.