They walked out into the hallway. The sun had faded, casting orange and yellow glows on the tapestries hanging on the walls. Cassie felt that something seemed out of place, as they headed back to the main room. It almost seemed too quiet. She did not see anyone wandering the hallways and heard no voices.
She wondered where Hazel and Stick were. Neither one of them had bothered to visit her in the room she was staying at. Of course, she was trying very hard not to let her overactive imagination get the better of her. Pushing thoughts of them being locked away in some dark dungeon, a madman hovering over them holding pliers ready to rip their wings and limbs to shreds. She shuddered, dismissing the thoughts and pushing them as far back into the corners of her mind as she could.
It continued to be silent when they got back to the side door of the Elder’s Chambers. Cassie held her breath, fearful of what was happening on the other side of the door. Celan paused before pushing the door open and winked. Fear gave way to shock and excitement when Cassie saw what awaited her on the other side.
Long tables occupied a third of the floor. Cassie was not sure how they got them all there, either by faerie magic or hard work and effort. Hanging above each table, suspended by no wires or strings, were lots of candles. Their flame flickered illuminating the room with a soft but bright glow. The walls had been decorated with boughs of ivy and pine. The whole room smelled of incense and flowers. A table runner of purple and black, beaded at the ends, spanned each table. Vases of flowers and pine boughs decorated the tops of each table as well. Silver and gold silverware glinted from the light of the candle.
About 200 faeries were seated at the tables, talking and making merry. Each and everyone was dressed in their finest garments. Some wore no clothes, their bodies pained with bright colors. The sight of it all amazed Cassie, there were creatures seated before her that even in her wildest dreams she would never dared to think existed.
The Elders were seated at a special table placed directly in front of their thrones. They too also had their finest clothes and robes on. A cat sat next to Innowen. Cassie thought nothing of it, except that there were two soft and puffy wings extending from the cat’s back. When the door opened, revealing Celan and Cassie, all heads turned to face them. Their voices stopped mid sentence as well. It stretched and yawned as Innowen bent down to pet it. Everyone stood up at the same time, and clapped and cheered as she walked into the room. Cassie had never seen anything like it before in her entire life. Her face flushed bright red as she was not sure she deserved all the attention. Even Celan was grinning and clapping.
Atim walked over to her. He placed his arm around her shoulders, “You look beautiful. Just like a faerie princess.”
“Thank you,” Cassie said. “But all this cannot possibly be for me?”
He nodded. “It is. Not only is our formal greeting to you, but it is also to thank you for all that you will do for us. All your help.”
Cassie felt flustered. She opened her mouth again, but closed it. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Something was rushing at her fast.
“CAAAAAASSSSSSSIIIIEEEE!” the tiny body screamed. Stick was running full speed towards her.
Cassie bent down to the ground, her arms stretched out, and braced her body for Stick. The little faerie, fully grown, came only up to her knees. And yet, as tiny as she was, she was still able to knock Cassie back a bit when she reached her friend.
“Hey, Stick,” Cassie said, hugging the tiny faerie gently. “I missed you.”
“Me too. I am so glad that Hazel found you. You had us very worried. We had no idea where you went or what happened. One day you were there and then the next, you had disappeared. Talk about some magic!”
Cassie smiled and laughed, “Well, I will tell you all about it when we got time.”
“Oh right,” Stick said, growing blue with embarrassment. She had forgotten that she was surrounded by 200 of her peers and looked up at Atim. “Sire, please forgive me. I was excited. It has been awhile since I got to see Cassie.”
Atim looked down at Stick, “That is quite alright little one. I understand. How about you show the daughter of Adam to her seat?”
Stick nodded, “You bet. I can do that. Come on Cassie. You are going to love this!”
Cassie looked at Atim, who nodded. Stick practically dragged her to her seat. They had placed her at the head of one of the tables. Hazel sat to her left. He was wearing a formal suit of all black leather, the pants tucked into the boot tops. His hair had been combed back and Cassie felt her body temperature raise. He looked very handsome. She never realized just how handsome he could be. She smiled at him and he smiled back.
Then he stood from his chair, stepped behind her chair and pulled it from the table, “Milady,” he said. It was a sincere gesture and if the room had not been filled with so many well dressed fae she probably would have giggled for this was a side of him she never saw.
She sat in the chair as he pushed it up to the table. He then picked Stick up and placed her on the table. There was a tiny place setting complete with a thimble sized glass for her to drink from. Stick bowed at Hazel and sat down.
Atim walked back to the front of his table and cleared his throat. All the eyes in the room turned towards him. “My esteemed friends and colleges, we gather here today to welcome and celebrate the coming of Cassondra Brown, daughter of Adam. She has traveled from afar and has agreed to help us search for a cure and end the dreaded plague that has struck our world.”
A few voices murmured as some of the faeries strained their necks to get a better view of Cassie. She sat motionless and watched closely as the Elder spoke.
Atim clapped his hands. “May the festivities begin,” he announced, taking his seat on his throne once more. The room erupted in cheering as server faeries walked into the room, one by one, carrying platters filled with sweet smelling food. Cassie’s mouth watered. She had never seen anything like it. Plates of fresh vegetables and fish and soup and salads materialized from nowhere on the tables. Celan walked over to Cassie and laid a plate piled full with roots and berries and a purple fish meat. Cassie thanked her as Celan gently placed the plate in front of her. Cassie wished that Celan was seated next to her, enjoying the party with her instead of serving her. But the faerie winked and looked happy to serve.
Hazel also received a plate as well. “You will enjoy this. The fish is from the coast and it is rare for this time of year. The fishermen go way out, beyond the islands in search of their spawning grounds.”
“It all looks so good. I am starved,” Cassie replied, placing an Celtic embroidered napkin in her lap.
An elderly fae sat on Cassie’s right side. During the feast, he spoke to her of his lands to the North and about the damage the plague caused to his lands. His tales, broke Cassie’s heart and she found it hard to eat the meal. More and more plates arrived, as the fae ate. Stick had a plate of greens and roots before her. She slurped the roots as she ate, which humored Cassie.
“So we leave tomorrow,” Hazel said. “Stick and I have prepared packs for our trip and we have lots of jerky and fruits to last the trip. We also have clothing and ropes to keep us warm for when we get to the mountains.”
Cassie nodded, “Do you know where we are going? Have you been there before?”
“I have been around those areas, and know of a few towns we can stay in and ask questions. But I have never gone into the mountains. At least not alone. We consulted a map and have planned the fastest and least dangerous trip. Do not worry, we will be fine.”
“I always feel safe when I am with you,” Cassie said, reaching for a goblet that was filled with a thick red liquid. She took a sip and the sweet, sticky taste warmed her lips. “Wow. This is good. What is it?”
The elder faerie leaned over, “‘Tis Elderberry wine. The best of any Stonehaven cellar. Drink it slowly, least it all go to your head.”
Cassie never had any alcohol before. So she drank it slowly, fearing that it would go to her head and make her sick.
Midway through the feast, Bridget stood. Once again the hall filled with silence. Even the faeries serving and clearing the table stopped in honor and respect. “I wish to make a toast.”
Everyone, including Cassie, Hazel and Stick, raised their goblets.
“To new friends. And to old ones who could not be here with us to feast. May we all live long lives and celebrate the magic. May the fallen never be forgotten.”
A chorus of voices rose out, “To new friends. To the fallen.” Goblets touched goblets ringing out. Then all was silent as everyone sipped elderberry wine.
Servers cleared the remaining plates of food. Cassie felt warm, fat with food. “That was delicious,” she said. “I do not think I can eat anything else.”
Hazel laughed, “Oh but this is only the beginning Cassie. You have desert to eat. And watch.”
Once again, plates materialized in front of each faerie. Instead of being filled with roots and meats, they contained sweets of fruits and chocolates and pastries. Creams and donuts and cake appeared across all the tables.
“Oh my god, it looks soo good. But I have no idea on where to begin.” Cassie said, her eyes darting between each plate.
Stick stood up, “I can help you choose.” She wandered around the table pointing to a pastry, jubilee of fruits and a piece of cake. Each item she pointed at then disappeared from its position. Appearing on an empty plate sitting in front of Cassie.
“Hey, thanks,” Cassie said, staring down at the mountain of sweets.
Hazel put his finger in some whipped topping, “mmmm… i hope you save some for the rest of us, Stick!” he teased. Everyone at her table broke out into laughter. Cassie thought Stick was right, the tiny fae definitely knew which sweats were the best.
The gentleman leaned back in his seat, a belch escaping his lips. “Excuse me,” he said raising his napkin to wipe a speck of cake from the corner of his mouth. “My that was a great feast! I cannot remember the last time the obelisk had such amazing food.”
Cassie nodded. The food was definitely hitting her bloodstream and her eyes started glazing over. Atim stood once more. “One more toast,” he called out.
Again glasses raised high in the air, poised.
“To Cassondra, daughter of Adam. May the gods smile and bless you and your travels. May you find information that may lead to curing the plague.”
With those words, everyone stood from their seats. They raised their glasses higher in the air. Cassie blushed and averted her gazed downwards, keeping seated in her chair. “To Cassondra,” the room roared. Hazel looked at Cassie, his eyes filled with love and compassion. He bent down, and whispered into Cassie’s ear, “You better say something before they go crazy.”
She nodded. Cassie rose from her seat once the room calmed down. “Thank you, thank you everyone. For your warm welcome and generous hospitality. While I cannot promise you that I know a cure exists for this evil plague, I promise you I, we,” she looked at Hazel and Stick, “will do our best to gather information that can be helpful.” She then raised her glass, “A toast, to you. My new friends.”
Cheering erupted from the floor as her words were met with another round of goblets clinking together. Cassie sat back down in her seat once more.
“Well done,” Hazel teased. Cassie playfully slapped his arm. “So what next?” she whispered.
As if he heard her words Atim clapped his hands again, “Friends we are not done yet. For the night is young and there is still much to celebrate. Please turn your attention to the floor before you and watch the finest dancers in all of the realm.”
Everyone turned their heads and attention to the back of the room. Cassie had to stand up in order to see what everyone was looking at. There in the back, were six faeries. Some stood, holding pipes and strange guitar-keyboardish instruments. Others sat, hunched over large handmade wooden drums with animals carved into their bases or with tiny drums precariously poised in their laps. It was a band. Cassie leaped up and down, she was finally going to hear the music from Hazel’s world.
They were all dressed like medieval court jesters. Two of the members had tall poofy hats on their heads that slouched down over their eyes. The hats were brightly colored, in black and red and orange with beaded spirals and moons and stars woven into them. One was holding a hand pipe while the other held the strange stringed and keyed instrument. They also wore white poet’s style shirts tied with a belt over a pair of baggy, bi and tri colored pants. The faerie with the pipes wore purple and pink pants while the other’s were green and blue and red. Another faerie, had a feather stuffed into her hair, standing almost three feet from her head. The plumage from the feather was an inch thick and changed chameleon colors from purple to green. Cassie was not sure what she had on. It almost looked like she was not wearing any clothing at all. More swirls and spirals and stars covered her body in bright colors. Without having gone forward and looking at the two closely, Cassie figured that it was either body paint or some sort of tattooing. Another faerie wore similar body paint or tattooing but had her hair standing spiked up with green and red ribbons tied to the tips. The fifth faerie, a male also had his hair spiked and ribboned, but what he wore almost sent Cassie into major giggle fits. The rest had ribbons woven in and out of their hair which was spiked or tied in knots positioned at weird angles on their head.
The last wore what appeared to be a real human ballerina tu-tu. He also held a set of hand pipes although his were smaller than the other player’s set. Cassie quickly covered her mouth with both hands after identifying what that was. She did not want to be rude but the humor of seeing a man, human or fae, wearing a traditional female costume sent her body into spasms of laughter. Hazel turned at her when he saw her place her hands over her mouth, “You okay?” he asked, leaning over and whispering in her ear. She turned her head, her hands still covering her mouth and nodded her head empathically. She still was unable to speak without breaking out into a fit of giggles.
Once she finally regained her body, Cassie removed her hands from her face. She inhaled deeply, casting out all remaining thoughts of laughing. She then looked over at Stick who perched on top of Hazel’s shoulders. Cassie wondered if her tiny little friend was going to go join them at some point during the night and sing her madrigals in front of the crowd. Stick smiled back at Cassie and nodded at her. It was almost as if she read Cassie’s mind and knew that she was going to ask Stick to sing for everyone.
The lead, who ironically was wearing the tu-tu, stepped forward. He looked around at the gathering and paused. Almost ten seconds passed and then breathing deep, he stretched his arms out wide, “Ladies and Gents, Sire.” his deep baritone voice boomed. “Welcome. We are The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band. Proud entertainers, fine musicians and merry makers. And we, the members of The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band are here to put on a musical show the likes you have never seen before.”
As the faerie spoke that last line his eyes crossed the room over and met with Cassie’s. It was for her benefit that his troupe were here and he knew it. Her face beamed with child-like amazement, her mind wondering what was going to happen next.
“And we are here to party. So, if it please the Court, we would like to decree that for the rest of the evening that everyone has a good time. That everyone makes merry, dances, sings and enjoys the performance,” he cried out, his voice booming over everyone. Atim clapped his hands and nodded, sealing the decree and making it official. The room exploded with sounds of applause and howling. Cassie also clapped her hands, ready to see what the troupe could do.
A steady beat rose over the cheering voices. Thump, thump, thump, following the sound of a heartbeat. The two drummers on the floor shook the room with their beat. Then the fae holding the hand drum started beating a faster, higher rhythm, snap, bang, snap, bang bang, snap, bang. This went on for about two minutes. Cassie watched the fae around her, many had their heads bowed low, their eyes closed, swaying to the beat of the drummers. The elderly fae, returned to their seats and admired the ruckus from as far away as they could, However, their bodies could not escape from the music, for their feet had all started tapping to the large sounds of the drum beats.
Then the unexpected happened. All the Chamber lights went out. Cassie hopped, a bit startled at the loss of the light. Just when her eyes began adjusting to the dark, two glowing balls appeared. They glowed bright green. Slowly, moving to every other beat of the heavy drums, they started to spin. Their tempo soon quickened, matching the faster and higher pace of the smaller hand drum. As the balls swung faster and faster the color of the spinning balls also changed, going from a neon green to bright orange. It was the last color change when Cassie realized something about the spinning balls. They were now on fire.
Cassie stepped forward towards the light. It mesmerized and captivated her. They spun tall, then grew short, making intricate circles around one another. Then, they snapped back to being long and wide and then they wove figure eights, all the while never missing a beat. She wanted to see who was behind the dancing, spinning balls of flame. Hazel followed, Stick still on his shoulder. The balls leaped and moved, their unseen faerie carrying them around the dance. The drums, continued to weave their hypnotic beat.
As Cassie crept closer she heard the whooshing sounds. The balls floated above an invisible head, one circling high, while the other circled around in front of the body. Magic was not causing the balls to spin, chains were. The balls were attached to chains and someone or something was holding them. And yet the glow from the flames did not expose the mystery dancer. It was like it did not exist at all. That it was Darkness itself holding onto those chains. Cassie was in awe.
Then suddenly, she heard more whooshing sounds behind her. She spun around and saw a second set of glowing balls appear, attached to another set of chains. These balls glowed bright blue and changed to red flames as they spun faster and faster. The first spinner walked over to where Cassie stood. They spun the flames around her, close but not close enough to catch her hair or clothes or skin on fire. Then they danced around her. Their fingers weaving trails of lights over and around and away from her. She felt like she was being bathed in a glow of flame, cleansing her and birthing her into a new world. The balls spun faster and faster as the drums continued to beat, climaxing in a flurry of sound. And then, when she thought she could not take it anymore. The balls burned out. Leaving everyone in the dark again. The drums absolutely silent. The song had ended, leaving Cassie breathless.
The audience started clapping and the candles relight themselves with a small poof sound. Cassie rejoined the members, still trying to understand what had just happened. The lead faerie stood forward again, and winked at her, “Ladies and Gents, Sire, we now would like to invite a court favorite up from the audience to sing a tale of love and sorrow. Hazel, would you be so kind as to bring your companion, Stick, up in front, we all would appreciate it muchly.”
Hazel nodded and grabbed a nearby chair. He walked over to where The Fabulous, Gobble Rachet and Clanking Chains Band stood and set the chair down. Then he crossed his right hand over to his left shoulder. Stick hopped from her perch into his hand. He lowered the pixie down into the chair. “Thanks,” she chirped.
The hand drum started beating out a slow dum, de dum, de dum beat. Both pipe players tapped their feet, getting used to the tempo and then they started playing a long and sorrowful melody. Five bars into their song, Stick closed her eyes.
More melody passed and then a high soprano voice rose from the little faeries chest. Stick started to sing. Instantly, Cassie recognized the song, it was one of her favorites, One Tin Soldier. While she did not want to hog the spotlight she also found herself mouthing the words while Stick sang the song.
“Listen people to a story
that was written long ago,
’bout a kingdom on a mountain
And the valley folks below.
On the mountain was a treasure
Hidden deep beneath a stone,
And the valley people swore
They’d have it for their very own.
Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of heaven,
you can justify it in the end.
There won’t be any trumpets blowing,
come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after
One Tin Soldier rides away.
So the people of the valley
sent a message up the hill,
Asking for the buried treasure
Tons of gold for which they’d kill.
Came the answer from the kingdom,
With our brothers we will share,
All the riches of the mountain,
All the treasure buried there.
Now the valley cried with anger,
Mount your horses, draw your swords
And they killed the mountain people,
So they won their just rewards
Now they stood before the treasure
On the mountain dark and red
Turned the stone and looked beneath it–
Peace On Earth, was all it said.
Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat and friend,
Do it in the name of heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won’t be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after-er,
One Tin Soldier rides away”
When the song ended, Cassie had tears in her eyes. But she was not the only one. Several other fae were also in tears. Lovers wrapped their arms around one another holding onto the love they shared. Again, everyone clapped as Stick bowed and turned to praise The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band and the lovely accompaniment they gave her.
Stick hopped down from her chair. A few fae gathered around Stick in admiration, shaking her tiny hand in praise. The band lead whisked the chair away as the band broke out into another set of songs. While most of the older fae still sat at their tables listening to the music, enjoying a night of partying, some of the younger fae took to the floor and started dancing to the music of The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band.
The music died down once more. “Whew-ie,” The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band lead called out to everyone, “you faeries sure know how to party. You guys keep dancing like this, we can play all night long. However, we think a small break is in order. So go back to your tables, grab a goblet, fill it with Elderberry, and watch as we continue to entertain you.”
People scattered off the floor, heading back to their seats. Cassie picked Stick up and placed her on her shoulder. Then she and Hazel wandered back over to their seat.
“Boy, am I ever thirsty,” Stick said, grabbing the thimble and downing the rest of her wine in one big gulp.
Cassie nodded, “Me too. I have not danced like that in ages. I wish that tonight would never end. It has been a long time since I have had this much fun.”
Hazel smiled, his eyes still showing a glint of sadness behind them. Cassie noticed how silent he had been. She dragged her chair over to him and sat down. Playfully, she bumped into him, “Hey! You! You have hardly said anything all night. What is on your mind?”
He leaned into her, “What? I can barely hear you over the music?”
Cassie looked up, The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band started playing some strange stringy tune. It sounded as if it had come from the Middle East. The hand drum strummed a strange 3/5ish beat. Standing on the dance floor were 3 faeries. They wore bright red turbans, gold and silver pins decorated with bells clasped the turbans tightly. Two of the women wore half-top choli shirts, with only one long sleeve extending past their fingers. The third dancer wore no shirts. Her small perky breasts bare, save for small circular hoops hooked thru each nipple. Small bell charms dangled as the dancer shimmied her torso. All three dancers’ bottoms covered in similar costumes. Layered skirts, a black gauzy see-through skirt sat on top of a deep, blood red skirt that twirled around their bodies when they spun. Underneath the skirts, the topless dancer wore black harem pants made of a soft and velvety material. The other two wore similar harem pants but instead of being black, theirs was red.
They wore paint on their faces. Black lines and swirls wove in and out in patterns on their cheeks and foreheads. Tiny gemstones decorated the space between their eye brows, where their third eye sat. Thick rings sat upon their fingers, sometimes reaching up to the first knuckle. Short and long necklaces dangled from their necks. Cassie thought the whole ensemble looked rather heavy for their bodies to handle.
Leather belts with spike studs hung loose around their waists. Tiny gemstones were glued to where their bellybuttons should have been. Cassie felt it odd that the human-sized faeries did not have any belly buttons. She wondered how children faeries got born. Were they made, appearing out of nowhere? Or brought to their parents by some stork? Perhaps they were hatched coming from eggs lain in nests made from fabric and wood? She made a mental note to herself to ask Hazel or an Elder before she departed from this world.
Cassie turned her attention back to Hazel, whom she caught staring at her from the corner of her eye. Again she leaned in close, “I said,” she started, “You look lost in thought. You have not said much all night. What is on your mind?”
He nodded and shrugged, “I did not think I was acting anything out of the ordinary. I am sorry. Yeah, I have been thinking about our trip and route. But honestly, I am enjoying just being here with you. And watching.”
Cassie put her hand on his shoulder. She opened her mouth and started to speak but was suddenly whisked away from her seat. One of the dancers pulled her from the chair and out onto the dance floor. Cassie attempted to pull away as she protested but it was no use. They had her out on the floor and they were moving her body to their moves.
Hazel moved out of his chair and wandered over to a corner of the room. His eyes followed Cassie across the floor. He could tell she wanted him to come rescue her once again but he made no attempt to do so this time. He was amused and wanted to see her suffer it out. Everyone started to cheer and laugh as Cassie struggled to mimic their moves and dance. Her face turned bright red but as embarrassed as she felt, she was laughing and having a good time. And that made Hazel happy.
When the dance was over, Cassie skipped back over to him, “So much for my knight in shining armor. How come you did not attempt to rescue me this time.”
“First time is free, but any subsequent rescues are going to cost ya,” he smirked. “Besides, who said you needed to be rescued. You looked like you were having a great time out there. Not bad for a first attempt at that dance.”
Cassie’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, really? Do you think you can do any better? I would love to see you try and dance like that!”
They broke out laughing. “Yeah, well, you just be glad I do not wear dresses or skirts. Hairy legs, after all, you know. Not the sexiest thing.”
The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band struck up once more. However, they slowed down the pace this time, the pipes carrying the audience into a waltz. Couples filtered onto the dance floor. Even the Elders Atim and Bridget stood up and wandered onto the dance floor.
Hazel looked at the floor and then over to Cassie. He stood in front of her and then bowed, “Would milady care to join me in a dance?”
She extended her hand, “Why sire, you honor me. Of course I would love to dance with you.”
He took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor. She put her arms around his neck and he lightly wrapped his around her waist. They smiled at their youthful awkwardness, trying rather to enjoy the night. Atim winked at them as he spun Bridget into a dip. The young couple smiled back at the Elders. Cassie stepped forward, closing the gap between her and Hazel. She paused. And then she stepped closer still. Cassie was not certain whether or not Hazel took no notice of her small actions or he welcomed the closeness. Then she took the ultimate risk.
She moved her body as close to his as she could. She was not looking at Hazel, instead she turned her head to the right. She placed her head on his chest. The leather was warm, from having been warmed all night long with Hazel’s body heat. It was not cold as she expected it to be. Through the layers of clothes, she could her his heartbeat. It was strong and steady, beating a bit faster than she would normally imagined. She smiled, hoping that his elevated heart rate was due to the fact that she pressed her face into his chest. Closing her eyes, Cassie hoped that the night could go on forever. She felt safe, hugged by his arms, standing so close to him. There was no where on her world, his world or any other imagined worlds she wanted to be.
The waltz continued for a few more minutes. Cassie rested her head on Hazel’s chest the entire time. If anyone watched them, Cassie did not care nor did she see them. She kept her eyes closed the entire time. It was as if they were the only two in creation, no one else but the music of the stars surrounded them.
The music stopped. And Cassie felt her mind rush back into her body. The room, the smell of candle wax, elderberry wine and body heat flooded back into her senses. She lifted her head off his chest, a draft of cool air turning it red. They stared into each other’s eyes. Hazel broke the silence first.
He bowed, exaggerating every inch, “Thank you very much Milady. T’was a wonderful dance.”
She could not help but to giggle. “No, no, no. Thank You.” And then she attempted a flourished curtsey of her own. Her body jerked into position and she quick rose back up.
“So, you thirsty or hot?” she asked.
“You read my mind. Yes, my throat is a bit dry and I really could stand to go outside and cool off. This outfit is not exactly cool ya know.”
Hazel extended his right arm outwards. “After you.”
Cassie smiled and took the lead. They wandered in and out between dancing couples and groups of faeries chatting. Cassie looked around for Stick but did not see her. She figured that the little faerie had either left or gone off to go talk to some of her other friends. She was not even sure she would even be able to spot Stick with so many tall faeries around her. She lead Hazel back to their table and chairs.
She half expected her goblet to be empty but instead it had been filled back up with more wine. She grabbed the cup and turned around, looking for Celan or any of the other servant fae. But no one was around, not that she could see through all the bodies. Either they were touched by faerie magic and refilled themselves when they sat empty for a time or Cassie just was not as observant to the servants.
They sat in silence, drinking their wine, re-hydrating their bodies while watching everyone around them enjoying themselves.
“You know,” Hazel began, “the way they are carrying on, you would not dare to think anything bad was going on. I mean look at them, their smiles, their energy.”
Cassie nodded. She looked around. Not a spiky color appeared anywhere. The room swelled with red and green and orange and yellow happy colors. Even the notes floating from the instruments played by the members of The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band seemed to be filled with happiness as well. It was hard for her to imagine that anything bad could befall such a loving and magical place. She wondered if this was what was bugging him all night.
“It will be okay, Hazel,” Cassie said. “We will figure out what is going on. No matter how long it takes, we will hunt a cure down. I promise, I will do everything that I can think of to help you and everyone.”
She smiled at him, but it did not seem to lighten his weight. She touched his back, above his wings, and rubbed it. “I promise Hazel. I mean it.” His wings fluttered a bit as she touched his back. The movement made Hazel look like a dog who upon being scratched wagged his tale. He smiled at her.
“Thank you. So want to go check out the terrace?” he said.
Cassie blinked, she was stunned, “You mean the Obelisk has a patio?”
“Well, kinda. Come on I will show you.”
They both stood. “Oh wait. Hazel do you think we should let Stick and the Elders know where we are going?”
“Stick knows that we will be okay if we leave. Besides, we will all meet back here in the great room tomorrow anyways. I am sure she is fine. I know there are quite a few suitors she is teasing and stringing along tonight. She will be fine.”
They made their way out of the side door into the obelisk hallway. When Hazel stepped into the hall, the torches flared up, casting more light for them to make their way. The sun had long gone down, and the windows flooded the room with a soft white glow. Walking around the obelisk was more like traversing a maze. The stone black walls made everything similar to one another and Cassie had no idea which way they were going and where Hazel was taking her. She also was not able to gage the size of the floor, as it seemed a lot larger on the inside than when she saw it from the ground.
Hazel led her to a set of double doors. They were made of glass and had Celtic knots etched into it. He threw the doors open and they were both greeted by a very cold blast of air and moonbeams from the moon.
“Ahhh, much better,” Hazel said. He stepped onto the terrace. “Come on Cass, this feels so good.”
Cassie followed, shivering. The cold and fresh air did feel good but she still felt a bit too cold standing outside in her dress. She walked over to the railing where he stood. Both his arms sat firmly on the stone surface. His red curls waved in the breeze.
“Check it out,” he said. “The moon looks so close to us that you can almost reach out and touch it from here.”
She followed his gaze. The moon was full and huge. Hazel was right, it did seem like they could reach out and touch the rocky surface. Either it was an optical illusion produced by the dark or the obelisk stood taller than she imagined. She then bent over the railing, looking down upon the town. They were too high up in the air to hear the sounds coming from the streets. Smoke slowly meandered upwards from many of the chimneys. Lights from the buildings cast strange shadows over the streets, shifting as the faeries inside moved around. The busy streets had quieted down, only a handful of people walked along the cobblestone. Cassie was able to make out small dots as they moved between the shadows and lighted lamp posts. The light from the posts appeared green and hovered.
“Hazel, I meant to ask you earlier today but did not have time. When we entered Stonehaven I saw those lamp posts, but no candles or bulbs. So what casts the light over the streets?”
“Oh yeah. That is right you do not know about those yet,” he said. “They are will-o-wisps. A family that lives here in town, raises them for that purpose. They go out into the swamps and forests west of Isorak and capture them. Will-o-wisps do not seem to have any intelligence, as far as we can tell. And they are relatively rare around here. So we handle them with care and treat them as honored pets. Their glow has lit the streets as far as I can remember.”
“Are they placed there at night and then removed?”
“No, like I said, they are trained. I am not sure if they sleep during the day or just hang out in some corral. At night, right as the last rays of sun fade over the horizon, the family releases them and they float right into the lamps. Maybe they stay put all night because the lamps offer them safety from predators while they eat? I am not sure. But in any case, when they feed, they cast off that greenish glow.”
“Neat,” Cassie said, hoping that they would be able to see the will-o-wisps up close before they had to leave in the morning.
She shivered again. Hazel saw her body tremble in the cold. He pulled his eyes away from the town and moon and stepped behind her. He then wrapped his arms around her, embracing her whole body. Cassie welcomed the warmth his body gave her and eased into him. The only sounds they could hear was the wind slowly moving past them and the calls of a nigh creature flying high above them off in the distance.
“You warm enough now?” Hazel asked Cassie.
“Mmm-huh. Thank you. I feel a lot warmer now. I cannot believe how cold it is now when it was so warm this morning.”
“This is normal for this time of year. Then again, where we are heading, it will get a lot colder. But do not worry, Stick and I packed warm clothing, boots and a parka so hopefully we will not grow too cold. We will rest at some towns along the way and when we hike into the woods we have wood and some stones to keep us warm.”
Cassie looked up at his chin, “Stones? How are stones going to keep us warm when it is cold and snowy out?”
“These stones are magical. All you have to do is say the activation word and they begin to heat up and they stay hot until you say the word to turn them cold again. Anytime anyone travels to the cold lands they take these stones with them. I have heard stories of men who did not take them with them and regretted it when they found themselves in a cold place without the ability to make fire.”
“Right on. I should take some of those back to me if I ever go home,” Cassie joked. “Do you know how much money I could make selling those to people? I would never have to go to school again, or work. I would be really rich.”
Hazel giggled with her, “Yeah right. I am SO SURE that the Elders would just sit by and do nothing while you take a pocketful of stones back to your world.”
“It could happen. You never know what can happen.”
“Yes, this is true. You do never know. Okay, I feel better now, do you want to head back in?”
Cassie pulled away from him, “Sure. We should go back inside. Someone might have noticed that we are missing and wonder what happened to us.”
Hazel held the door open for her. Cassie slipped past him and waited for him to join her in the hallway. He stepped backwards and closed the doors, making sure the wind could not blow them open again. They made their way back to the Chamber Room. As they got closer to the room, the music from The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band grew louder. The party was still going on.
No one notice that the two returned, much less that they left for a bit. The older Elders had retired for the evening. The two chairs stood empty. Cassie caught a glimpse of Innowen dancing with a group of faeries. She had a smile on her face and it was hard for Cassie to believe that someone so young could be an Elder for a Clan.
Stick found them first, “Hey you two, where did you run off to? Been looking for you guys for awhile now.”
Hazel and Cassie sat down on the floor against the wall, “It got hot in here, I needed to cool down. What is up? Did something happen?”
“Eh, not much actually. Everyone’s been dancing and drinking and having a good time. I was not too worried but after I took off to go talk to Eleric, I lost sight of you both.”
Stick hopped over to Cassie and sat in her lap. “So Cassie, what do you think of all this?”
“I am loving it, Stick. It’s incredible, amazing, magical, surreal. Never in a million years would I have thought that I be at a faerie party, much less standing in your world.”
“Yay! Parties are the best here. The food and wine never stops coming and there is always music, song and dancing. We tend to celebrate lots here. And I like to think that having you here, counts as a reason to party,” Stick said, wiggling her body.
“So what have you been up to, Stick?” Cassie said. “Hazel here says that you are a regular flirt!”
Hazel threw his hands up in front of his body, “Hey, do not look at me like that Stick. You and I both know you have a thing for a pretty face, or a pretty body.”
Stick frowned at him and then laughed, “Yeah, well. I cannot help it. So much eye candy around here, gotta amuse myself somehow. Besides, you two seamed preoccupied with one another and I did not want to disturb ya.”
It was Cassie’s turn to frown, “I hope you did not think I was purposefully ignoring you Stick. Hazel wanted to talk and I could not see you any where. I am sorry.”
“It is no big thing, Cassie. Like Hazel says, I found my own form of entertainment for the evening. Now if you two shall pardon me, I must get back to Eleric. And do not look so bummed out Cassie, I will see ya tomorrow. And we will have lots of time to chat and catch up on the road.”
Stick stood and hugged Cassie, “Thanks for understanding Stick. Now go have your fun. We will definitely chat tomorrow. Have a good night.”
Stick put her hand to her forehead and threw a mock-salute. Her body rocked to the music as she spun around. She was soon joined by another faerie her size. Cassie assumed that this as Eleric. He was bald and also did not have any clothes on. His skin was blue and contrasted with Stick’s brown body. They greeted each other by nuzzling noses and then hopped off to enjoy the night.
“Stick is so cute,” Cassie said as Stick disappeared. “I really do hope she does not think I ditched her. There is just so many things to see and stuff that I sorta feel overwhelmed. And then there is you, Mr. Worrywort.”
“Huh?” was all Hazel said.
“Like I said, you are so worried or worked up over something tonight that you barely seem here at all. Are you sure you are okay?”
Hazel nodded. While it was true that he was worried about the plague and what could happen to his world if it continued spreading, he also had something else on his mind. Something completely different.
He was thinking about Cassie.
She had always left him captivated. From the moment he met her, even till now. He wasn’t sure what it was about her. But he thanked the Gods for that day when he first met her. He had been wandering through the east woods and found himself lost. Somehow he had wandered through a portal and in the forest where she was playing. Back then there were a lot of portals, doorways that connected his world and hers. So it was very easy for someone from his world to walk through one of them and into hers if they were not careful enough or paying attention to where they were going. He rarely watched where he was going, preferring to focus on the trees and the land. It was much more interesting than staring at his feet.
But somehow, he found himself in a very different forest than he originated in. Unfortunately, the same portal that lead him into her world, did not offer a way back so he had to wander around in order to find another way back to his own world. Hazel was young and the elders of his clan had not taught him the necessary spells to transport him to and from the worlds yet.
The fur and pine trees and aspens intrigued him. They were static and green, holding themselves to a single shape and color. When he spoke to them they did not return many thoughts back, which he thought was incredibly rude. He was in the process of asking one pine when instead of receiving an answer from the tree itself he heard a voice speaking.
“We will travel the world,” it said. The voice was high pitched and had a accent that was different than anything he had heard of in his world. “All aboard! Toot, toot. Fare thee well, little boat. Bye bye.”
He followed the sounds, creeping silently across the forest ground. He avoided all the dry stick and leaves decomposing on the soil. Finally after a few minutes he heard water accompanying the voice. He was near a stream. Hazel climbed a nearby tree, keeping himself hidden. The last thing he wanted to do was to be spotted and captured. The clan elders warned them not to be captured. The stories of the tiny fae being trapped in school-girl books between pages or having their wings pulled off by boys or adult scientists looking for proof of their existence. He shuddered at the thought of loosing his beautiful wings.
Through the leaves of the trees, Hazel looked around. Cassie was hunched over at the water’s edge. She was tiny and could have very easily passed for a faerie if she had wings on her back. But she was not. Her hair was long and red, and had been braided into a single braid. Two beads hooked together holding the braid in place. She wore a green t-shirt with strange markings on it and a pair of blue jean shorts. She was barefoot, her shoes having been tossed off sitting next to a tree. A good sized pile of pinecones piled up besides the girl.
Hazel perched in the tree. He knew that where one human was, there would be more. And he did not want any trouble. Nor did he want to be spotted. So he sat still and waited, figuring the girl would move on or leave when called for. Minutes turned into hours and no one came or called. The girl continued to stay at the river bed, occasionally leaving to gather more pinecones. Sometimes she hummed strange songs to herself. Something inside Hazel stirred and he felt compelled to step forward and met her. He felt sadness, for someone so young to be left alone for so long. If she had any friends they would have been gathered at her side.
A small part of him told him to leave, to slowly back away and get out of there before he was caught. He shook that feeling off as he climbed out of the tree. He then crept around behind her. And continued to watch, until she turned around.
“Hello. I’m Cassie,” she said smiling. And those words forever changed Hazel’s life. The few hours that he spent that first day, floating pinecones down the stream, listening to her tell him stories from her head, made him aware of the wonder and life that humans carried. It was true he had not been given a name yet and even after Hazel returned to his own world, he kept that name, accepting nothing else.
It took him only two hours to find another portal back to his own world. When he got back to his town, he refused to tell the elders where he had gone. He was afraid they would banish him from ever returning. And he did promise Cassie that he would be back the next day.
Hazel taught her many things when they got together. When she told him how easily it was to see colors and the hidden, Hazel knew she had been born with the gift of sight. Not many humans ever learned how to use that talent. It usually disappeared as they grew older. Therefore, Hazel took it upon himself to teach her how to develop it so she could use it to benefit her life and her world. First he taught her what the colors meant. And then he showed her how to change her own colors at will. Hazel was shocked at how fast Cassie learned each lesson and adapted to the new ways of seeing the world.
He also showed her how to see the colors from music as he played his pipes for her. Once she got the hang of seeing the colors, she would ask him to play for her hours at a time. And he would oblige. He loved playing music and watching her trance out. He would play long after his fingers and lungs and mouth tired.
He also taught her about the trees. He pointed out the differences between sick trees, those that had parasites on them, or copper illnesses growing in them and on their leaves, and healthy, happy trees that got enough sunlight and nutrients from the soil. He taught her how to respect them, by sitting under them and thanking them for all the gifts they gave her. Every time she picked a leaf, or a pinecone off them she would bow her head down in reverence and mutter a few words of thanks under her breath. Finally, Hazel taught Cassie how to speak to them.
It was the hardest thing he had to teach her, taking almost an entire year to get her to get used to their voice appearing inside her head and of their accent. Finally there came a day, when she started speaking to a pine, Cassie turned to him and said, “How rude. Did you hear what he just demanded from me?”
There was nothing Hazel could do but to laugh and hug her. Of all the trees, she liked talking to aspens and the droopy weeping willows the best. She tended to shy away from the pines and furs, “because they are gruff and do not like me at all” she said.
She also taught him about her world and her people. He learned about cars, and planes, weird machines that carried people from one place to another. Seeing those big metallic birds in the sky saddened Hazel. Humans were no different than his people. It was like they were apart of his race long ago but lost their ability to carry wings on their backs. And when that happened they also lost their belief in magic and all things fanciful. He tried to think about what it would be like to live without magic, without seeing unicorns run freely in the fields. But he could not. He could not survive without those things.
Their friendship grew and when she started attending “school” during the days, it was hard for Hazel to focus. He had grown close to her, when they were together he protected her. If anything came to harm her, he would have done anything to stop them from doing any physical or psychological damage to her. He hugged her tightly on the days she would rush out to the forest, tears streaming down her cheeks telling him how the others her age laughed and teased her. She refused to tell him who they were, because she did not want to cause any trouble or have him get caught. Anger swelled inside him. He hated how her world treated her gifts and talents, she was touched and they should have honored her talents.
As the years past, the brotherly feeling of protection gave way to something closer. Underneath that tough but soft boyish exterior, his heart warmed him. It beat fast when he and Stick would sing their portals open, to enter her world. She would throw her arms around them, her whole body smiling when they materialized from their own world. She had a smile that could melt even the coldest heart. And when they left her standing, he longed to bring her with him, take her away from her world and into his. Her world was a cold and mechanical world. A world that did not allow for the childlike wonder that she had within her. It was a world that did not even appreciate her gifts, her talent. At least in his world she would be respected for her gift. But it was against the rules. As it was, he was breaking the vow his race took so long ago. He thought nothing of it at the time, but his clan elders allowed the friendship to grow. While he wanted to question that decision he let it go, least they take it away from him.
The day she did not show up, Hazel panicked. Rage and fear pumped through his body. He and Stick searched for hours looking for Cassie. Images of her body laying broken somewhere or impaled on a tree branch filled him mind. They searched until sundown that evening, when it started getting to dark to call out or see her. Stick was tired, but Hazel refused to leave.
“Hazel, let’s go. I am getting cold and I do not think she is coming. Did you hear me? She’s not coming today?”
He refused to admit it, but Stick was right. There was nothing else he could do but to wait until the next day, and hope that she would be there waiting. Days grew to weeks and each day they would return to “Their” spot. And each day, Cassie did not return. Hazel waited. And waited. And waited. Stick grew tired and after five days of not seeing their friend, she stopped going with Hazel.
“I have too many things to do here,” she would say, excusing herself. “Besides, I know you will tell me when she returns.” Stick had always been more of a carefree fae than he was. She was prone to going off on her own and finding things to keep herself amused.
Two weeks passed before Hazel finally gave into the idea that Cassie no longer was coming. Either she grew up, and had no more time for him or Stick or their childish games or something happened to her and she had to leave before giving them any message or sign. Hazel hoped it was the later but tried hard not to dwell on it. The plague came two days later, the message requesting human assistance followed shortly. In a way he had the plague to thank for bringing them together again. For if the Elders of the world had not sent out the message, then he would not have received permission or help to locate his lost friend. It gave him hope.
The seers saw Cassie locked inside bars. Her colors were muted and faint, but they did see her. They also saw Cassie constantly watched, surrounded by other humans. In order to get at her, he was going to have to use magic so he would not be spotted. The seers taught him how to slow time so he could slip in and get her out. It took him two days to master the spell and perform it just right. It also took the seers that long to be able to coordinate just the right moment to teleport him into her location.
He was not afraid of going back to her world with so many people. Hazel just wanted to help her, to get her out of there and back to where she could be normal. When the seers showed him what she looked like to them, it chilled his bones. It was like they had ripped her gift out of her body, like her soul had been separated from her prescience. It made him retch. He vowed to free her and bring her back to the Elders.
When he appeared in the Commons, everything was silent. The spell he carefully rehearsed two days before worked like a charm. A small smile crept over his face as he walked into the Control Room and waved his hands in front of the nurses sitting in their chairs. No one moved. Not even one flinch. Hazel contemplated repositioning one of the frozen bodies so that their coffee cup, frozen in hand, would spill into their lap. But he did not have the time to do so, and quickly went from room to room searching for Cassie.
The moment he saw her, felt her arms around him, was when he realized he cared more for her than just friendship. He never wanted to lose her again. He relaxed under her arms, spellbound. If they were not in such a dangerous place he would have spent all night with her arms wrapped around him. Unfortunately the spell did not last long. And then, here she was. In his world. Finally. Hazel silently vowed to the gods that he would never allow anything to happen to her again, the things she told him about that place she was in were worse than having his wings torn off.
He looked at Cassie sitting in the gown the Elders had made for her. She looked stunning. The time spent at Blackwell may have caused her to grow up a bit but Hazel still saw the child in her brown eyes. But yet, he was afraid to tell her what he was thinking. They came from two different places, two different worlds. She would grow up and be forced to live a mechanical life, away from her stories and play. They would mold her into something cold, and she would forget him. But he could never forget her. He reached out with his hand and touched her cheek. She was real, still sitting there. His skin felt the fire of her gift inside her face. She was touched. And so was he for knowing her.
Hazel had fallen in love with Cassie.
They hung out in silence, watching the others dance and laugh, their bodies melding into the wall behind them. Hazel wondered if this was going to be one of the last grand parties held at the Obelisk. That is, if they failed. He pushed all doubt and negative thoughts aside, least they jinx their task.
Cassie started playing with her hair. She had the braid twisted around her fingers. Her eyes drooped and Hazel could see she was growing tired. The food, the drink and dancing worked its charms around her and she grew sleepy. Hazel stood, and stood in front of her.
“Come on Cassie,” he said, holding out his arms to help her off the ground. “I think that we should probably head to our rooms and try and get some sleep before we need to wake up and be on our way tomorrow.”
Cassie nodded, “Can we go find Innowen and tell her we are going to bed now?”
“If you feel it is necessary, yes. We can do that.”
Standing, they scanned the room for signs of the Elder faerie’s crown and gown. Cassie spotted her first, “Hazel, across the room. Over there. Follow me, come on.”
She weaved in and out of the dancers again. It was late in the evening however, there were still a good 100 people in the Chamber Room dancing and making merry. Innowen was chatting and weaving to the music. Cassie stood next to her and waited for a break in their conversation.
“Elder,” she began, unsure of the proper way to address her, “I am tired and think I am going to go to bed. You know, get some rest so I can feel 100% ready to begin the trip tomorrow. Thank you again for this wonderful feast and party. I have never seen anything like it and never had anyone done all this for just me.” She waved her arms gesturing around the room and decorations.
Innowen nodded, “You are quite welcome. This is the first time in many years that we have had a son or daughter of Adam grace us with our presence. I am glad you had a good time. Now feel free to take your leave and go to bed. Celan has laid out some bed clothing for you and some travel clothing and suitable shoes for you to wear tomorrow. You have had a long day. If Hazel does not know what room you are in, he can call for Celan to lead you back.”
Hazel nodded acknowledgement that he knew where she was staying. “Do not worry, I can guide her back safely.” He winked.
They waived and wandered back through the Chamber’s side door. Cassie yawned and placed her hand over it, “Ooohers. Excuse me. I must be more tired than I originally thought.”
“You do not need to apologize to me,” Hazel said. “I know I pushed you hard today with all the hiking. I am so used to walking around these parts that I forgot that you had not been given much exercise in that place.”
“Yeah, it was not exactly like being in the woods back home, where we would climb trees and run and play tag,” Cassie shuddered.
Hazel nodded. They stayed silent the rest of the way to her room. The door was closed when they got there. And there they stood, not knowing what to do or say next. That awkward silence hanging thick in the air around them. Neither one of them wanted to leave. To end the night.
“So, here we are,” Cassie said.
Hazel laughed, “Yes. Here we are. So, um, I guess I should head to my room and let you get some beauty rest.”
“Yeah. I guess so.”
Neither one of them moved. They continued to stare at each other, their eyes locked. Hazel glanced over his shoulder to his room down the hall and then back to Cassie. He ran a hand through his hair.
“Well, uh… my room, is just down that way,” he pointed to a random door over his shoulder. “So yeah, feel free to knock on it, if you need anything. Anything at all. Just, uh, knock.”
Cassie said nothing, but looked over his shoulder to where he pointed. Her hand reached out for the doorknob. She paused before opening it and said, “Okay. I will. I promise.”
She took a step closer to the door. Hazel put his right foot behind him, getting ready to go to his room. He stopped. “This is stupid.” he thought.
And then he leaned over, and placed his lips softly on Cassie’s mouth. They were warm, covered with just the faintest hint of elderberry wine and smooth. When his lips connected with hers, he felt her body tense up and then relax. Hazel felt his wings flutter behind him. Her eyes were closed, as were his. Hazel let the kiss linger for just a few seconds, and then he pulled away. She opened her eyes, and stared at him. Her face flushed bright red, her hand still wrapped loosely around the door knob.
She pursed her lips, and then closed them. The kiss left her speechless. She had no idea what to do or say next.
Again, it was Hazel who broke the silence, “Yeah, well, um…” he cleared his throat, and felt the rush of blood enter his face. “Well, I will just be over there… if you uh”
But he was not able to finish what he was going to say. At that very moment, Cassie pounced him, wrapping both her arms tightly around him. He hugged her back, attempting to make the ferocity of her embrace, but could not do it for fear that he would break her. He pulled one arm from her grasp and swung open the door to her room.
The room was warm inside, the fire having been tended and kept light throughout the night. The sheets on her four poster bed had been turned down. Exposing a silk bed sheet covering the mattress. A nightgown, made of linen and gauze, laid on one side of the bed. A pair of custom boots, with a hard sole, sat unlaced in front of a lounge chair. A long-sleeve poet’s shirt and black pants had been carefully laid across the back of the chair.
Cassie continued to hold onto Hazel. They clumsily walked over to the bed. “Cassie, come on. You will have to let me go sometime tonight so you can get some sleep.”
“No I do not. I can sleep just like this,” the muffled response came buried deep from his chest.
Hazel laughed and patted her hair. “You may be able to sleep this way. But I cannot.”
He carefully pried her from his chest. She looked small and fragile and a bit sad. “Hazel,” she began. “Can you please stay with me. Here, tonight? I know I would feel safer with you here. That and I just do not want to be left alone.” She bit her lower lip, anticipating his answer.
Hazel backed from the door, and sighed. Truth was, he did not want to leave either but he also was not sure how proper it was. “How about this. You get ready for bed and I will stay with you until you fall asleep.” He felt it was a fair compromise and it satisfied the fear he had of them being caught.
She looked up at the ceiling, weighing the request, “Okay. It is a deal.” She grabbed the nightgown off the bed and wandered into the bathroom and shut the door. Hazel sat down in the chair, next to the fire. The flames danced and leapt off the wood as it consumed it. The sound of water splashing in a basin interrupted his reverie. Five minutes later, Cassie, with her hair down, brushed and her face washed clean emerged from the bathroom.
“Thank you,” she silently said as she crawled into the bed opposite him. He walked over to her, pulled the covers over her and then kissed her once more on the forehead.
“Sweet dreams,” he said, going back over to the other side of the bed to rest his eyes.
Cassie snuggled deep into the bed. She wanted to snuggle close to Hazel but decided against it. She did not want to press her luck, after all. The softness of the bed and Hazel’s breathing lulled her deep into sleep soon after.
Strange dreams filled her mind that night. Cassie dreamt of a big cavern. Snow caked the entrance, but light flicked from inside the cave. Someone was inside. Cassie looked around her. It was dusk, and the sun had just started to descend behind the mountains. A few snow-dusted trees stood thin and short. Cut by the powerful surges of wind blasting at them from being high up in altitude. It was cold but Cassie did not feel cold herself. She had on a warm parka, fur lining a hood. She was alone, Hazel and Stick were nowhere to be seen.
“Stick! Hazel?” Cassie called out cupping her hands to her face. She waited as her words echoed.
Nothing. Silence. And then the wind picked up.
Cassie hugged the hood of her parka closer to her. She headed for the mouth of the cavern. The walls were smooth and white, and bare. Who ever lived here did not write anything or made no attempt to mark the walls with writing. The sweet smell of sage and incense filled her nose and she trekked further back into the cavern, allowing her nose to guide her to whomever lived inside.
Small crystalline formations littered the ground of the cavern. They were few and spread out and were not large enough for Cassie to trip over. But they were clear and Cassie caught tiny fragments of herself and her body in them as she made her way. Visions of old hags and witches with warts filled her mind with suggestions as to who lived in the cave. That is, if the inhabitant was a woman. If it were a man, he was probably old and wizen, his beard dusting the ground. Or maybe he was old and hairy and dirty and missing teeth. She hoped that whomever it was, was not someone old and dirty with missing teeth. Cassie shook her head clear of such silly images.
The smell grew stronger and soon Cassie was able to see smoke drift from several incense sticks.
“Hello, anyone there,” she called out into an empty room.
A fire complete with cauldron sat on a fire burning in the middle of a room. Hand made shelves lined a wall above a make shift bed. Holey blankets hastily drawn over the mattress. No one answered her calls.
Cassie wandered over to the bookshelf. Five thick handmade tomes lined the tiny shelf. The books were well used and had their pages spilling out from between their covers. None of the books bore a name. To the left of the books, sat a tiny little inkwell with a long purple quill capping the bottle. Who ever lived here, lived alone and spent most of their time writing and making spells.
“Hello?” she called out again. Yet again, the cavern stayed silent. The only sound creeping into it was the wind rushing quickly past the opening in the cave.
Fear and curiosity started getting the better of Cassie. Her heart started beating faster, and louder. As if it were trying to escape from it’s spot in the middle of her chest. Although she was not warm, she pulled the parka closed, hoping that it would muffle the sound it made. It seemed very loud to her. She sat down on the bed, as it were the only elevated place to sit. The room, with it’s sweet smells, did not feel or seem horrible. Cassie tried to relax.
Minutes past. Still no one came. Cassie grew tired watching the flames jump and dance around the bottom of the cauldron. Several sticks of incense burnt themselves out. Cassie wondered whether or not to be polite and light some more, but she had no idea where the owner of the cave stored them. Fifteen minutes past. The shuffling started. Slowly and muffled at first.
Someone was coming down from the opening. Towards her. Excitement pushed adrenaline through her body. Her heart beating so hard it made her chest move. She was finally going to see just who lived in the cave, in such modest accommodations.
The shuffling grew. Cassie stood up and positioned herself behind the cauldron, using it as a natural barrier in case the person did not want unwelcome guests. She was also using the light from the fire as a flashlight so she could see all the details of who was coming down the path.
A hooded figure wobbled in the distance. Cassie could make out human like features but that was all. Their face well hidden by the hood. The figure finally arrived and stepped out from the shadows. Indeed it was human, for no wings appeared on it’s back or fluttering beneath the cloak it was wearing. Cassie could tell it was a woman, for it had two small mounds growing from the chest. It stopped across from her. Nodding in acknowledgement of the uninvited guest.
Cassie held her breath and did not say anything. The woman had a thick woolen cloak, brown and damp from weather. Small moth eaten holes appeared sporadically in the fabric. Some of them had been sewn sloppily extending the life of the cloak. Brown boots, well-worn, peaked from the bottoms of the cloak. The toes of the boots looked thin, giving Cassie the impression that the woman did not make many trips into the nearest town or have anyone to send into them when she needed certain items.
The figure continued to stand, saying nothing, the hood still masking her face. Cassie held her breath, slowly inhaling and exhaling only when she could hold the air in her chest no more. She forced her body to relax and her heart to slow it’s rapid thumping. The woman slowly lifted her arms to her face. Long white fingers, nails trimmed short, grasped the edges of the hood. Cassie was finally going to see who the mystery host was. She widened her stance, preparing to bolt in case she needed to make a fast getaway.
The hood moved back giving a silent whooshing sound. Long brown hair tumbled from the hood first. Flecks of grey specked it as well. The woman had lived here in seclusion for a long time. A tinge of sadness filled Cassie’s heart, as she could not understand what could drive someone to live a life of a hermit.
Then she saw the color of the crone’s eyes. They were brown, like hers. Cassie gasped as recognition filled her body. She was not looking at some new person, she was looking at herself. What she had become. Fear took over all her senses and she screamed out in tears and pain.
