Cassie sat straight up in bed. The image from the dream rattled her mind and while it disturbed her a bit, it seemed more like a warning not an outcome. Hazel slept next to her, his still form snoring softly. Cassie smiled, it comforted her to see him still next to her. The fire dwindled down, having burnt most of the wood during their sleep. It was dark but a small light started creeping through her window.
Hazel opened his eyes. “Oh crap! Do not tell me that I fell asleep.”
Cassie nodded. “I was sound asleep by the time my head touched the pillow. So I do not know how long you have been here. It seems dark out still, so I think we are okay.”
It sounded more like she was trying to reassure herself, than to make excuses. Hazel turned his head towards the window, confirming that it was still night but not for long. “I should leave. The sun rises soon and I do not want any trouble for not being in my quarters.”
She nodded. “I understand. I do hope I do not cause any trouble for you. As much as I want you to stay, I know you need to go back and get ready. Do you know when they what us to gather in the Chamber Room?”
“No I do not. But I am sure it will probably be a bit after first sunlight. It will take a better part of the day to hit Vertley. And I want to get there before sundown, as it gets colder there and the roads, as I told you before, sometimes are not the friendliest to travelers.”
Before he got off the bed, he reached over and gave her a big hug. “Thank you for a wonderful night. And for the nap. I enjoyed it. Like I said, if you need anything I will just be down the hall. Second door on the right.”
“Your welcome,” Cassie said. “Now go, and I will see you in a little bit.”
He smiled and walked over to the door. He placed a hand on the doorknob and pressed an ear to the door. There was no sounds coming from the hallway. Slowly and silently, he turned the knob, and opened the door. He pressed his head between the door frame and door before slipping out. And just as quietly as he opened the door he closed it behind him, a small, almost inaudible click as the door fell back into place.
The fireplace popped and crackled as the dying embers gave out the last bits of light they had to offer. Cassie knew she was no going to get any more sleep. Yawning she stretched the remaining bits of sleep out of her muscles. She felt rested, even though she had no idea of just how much sleep they really did get. But the dream that woke her, puzzled her more than the amount of sleep she had received. Grabbing the top blanket off the mattress, she wrapped it around her. The room was still warm but the air felt cool against her skin.
Cassie moved over to the chair and window. If the window had been a few feet wider and the glass covered with bars on the outside, it would have passed for her window back at Blackwell. If the chair had been brown and vinyl, smoothed over with years of use, it would have passed for her chair as well. She was glad that both the window and chair were different. Cassie pulled the blanket around her feet, and bent down to sit in the chair. It made a small creaking sound as it shifted its weight. She leaned over towards the small table and smelled the petals from the flowers that sat inside the vase. They looked fresh and Cassie could not tell if they had been replaced since she last saw them or if it was just how they were, able to survive for long periods of time cut, sitting in water. Lavender and rose filled her nose. She breathed deeply and turned her attention towards the window.
Unlike her window at Blackwell, Cassie did not see any trees. She was not even able to see the ground. But she did not care. The clouds outside, swirled, having descended low to the ground sometime during the night. Their dark black gave way to a lighter blue and then a small hint of pink drifted over them. The sun started rising. The colors slowly cascaded from the pink to orange to red and the mixing with the blue to give the top of each cloud a light violet color. And then she saw a line of green entering the sky. It rose from the ground, pushing it’s way up and then out running away and parallel to the ground. Cassie gasped.
The will-o-wisps were the ones casting the green light and forming the line. As the sun rose, painting the clouds with color, they rose into the air floating their way back to where ever they stayed during the day. She was not able to tell just how many of them were there, but the length of the line appeared to last for a few hundred feet, at least. She watched the flock hover into the air, growing smaller as they floated beyond her view disappearing into the clouds. “Too bad I do not know how long I will be in this world,” Cassie thought, “there is so much I would like to see and explore.”
The idea of ever having to leave Hazel, Stick and her new friends so soon just after meeting them and after all they had done for her saddened Cassie. She quickly changed those sad thoughts into more optimistic ones, as she was also thankful for having been given the opportunity to visit Hazel’s world at all. She longed for a camera and a journal and pen, a book at the very least, so that she could capture in words and images what things she did see and do. Cassie closed her eyes, committing to memory everything she could remember from first arriving to this place to that very moment. She refused to let these memories get lost inside her mind when she did return home.
The sun rose higher and higher into the sky tainting the walls and room with hues of pink and orange. She looked across the room, towards the door to the washroom. “They will come for me soon,” she said out loud. “I better wash up and get ready.”
She stood up, dropping the blanket into the chair. She grabbed the clothes Celan had laid on the chair and walked into the washroom. As if on cue a white porcelain decanter filled with steaming hot water appeared on the counter, next to the basin. Cassie took the decanter by the handle and poured some of the water into the bowl. Tentatively she carefully stuck a finger into the water, testing the temperature. It was hot, but not scalding hot. Cassie pushed the sleeves of her nightgown back to her elbows and cupped both hands. Then she dipped them into the bowl, letting the water wash over them.
Then she bent forward a little bit and rapidly withdrew her still cupped hands from the basin. The water splashed over her face, warming her cheeks, washing the remaining dirt and sweat from her skin. She disrobed, standing naked in front of the basin. Someone had placed a wash cloth sat next to the basin and Cassie grabbed it next. Dipping it into the still warm water, Cassie sponged her body off, cleaning it the best she could, and then towel dried her body. She had no idea how much time she had to get ready and did not want to keep Hazel or Stick or the Elders waiting any longer on her than they had to so she declined the allure of another long bath. “I can always take one later, if we end up staying in Vertley,” she decided. “After all the walking we will do today, it just may be better that I wait anyways.”
She grabbed the shirt first. The fabric felt soft and light, like handspun cotton. It had been died green, a piece of brown leather threaded through 3 eyelets. She put her arms thru the sleeves and then over her head. It was loose fitting; Cassie flapped and twisted her wrists, watching the ruffled, fabric hanging loose around her fingers swing and sway with each twist. “I gotta get Mom to make me one of these shirts when I get home. It is just too cool and comfy.”
She pulled the ends of the leather so that the shirt came together. While it did fit her, she was modest about her body. She looped them into a bow hoping they would not come undone and exposing her body. The pants were next. The pants were made from a soft leather. Cassie contemplated asking Celan for her jeans, the pants they gave her looked too warm for the weather. A wave of guilt washed over her, and she put the pants on, figuring that they knew the weather better than she did and even if it was sunny out, she would need their protection when they climbed into the mountains. They were a little loose around the waist and a bit long in the leg, but they did fit her and she was fine with them.
Before she left the wash room, Cassie stared into the oval mirror. The previous’ days hiking in the warm sunny weather helped to bring color back into her face and hair and eyes. The deep dark circles that plagued her eyes as a result of all the medicine Blackwell forced her to take vanished. She smiled, watching the self she knew best smile back at her. Then she quickly ran her fingers through her hair, combing it back into place. The braid Celan placed had left waves in it and Cassie decided that they suited her. The leather strap that held her hair in place during the party was also sitting on the counter. Cassie grabbed it, in case she wanted to tie her hair back later, to keep it out of her face.
She left the wash room and went back over to the chair. While the sun rose, the room started to heat up again. The floor already warming up to the light. She pulled the calf-length boots over to her. The sole was thick, much like the height of her old doc martens she had to leave behind at home. The leather was soft, but not as soft as the pants she now wore. Taking each boot into her hands, one at a time, Cassie tugged and stretched them out a bit, attempting to break them in a bit before they would hurt her feet from a full day’s hike. She put her hand inside the boot and was greeted with a ball of fabric. They had even placed her socks, cleaned even, into each boot.
It took her only five minutes to lace each boot on. Cassie stood, once they were fully laced and bounced. Each boot gave a bit under hear weight but held. She walked over to the other side of the room, feeling the soles bounce the bottoms of her feet just a little bit. She was testing them out, twisting and turning and scrunching them, to make sure they would support her across any terrain their journey would lead them. Satisfied with the quality and support, she returned to the chair.
And waited for Celan or Hazel or someone to tell her it was time.
Luckily she did not have to wait very long. So she did not have much time to worry or freak out about what agreed to do the other day. The knock and squeak of the door opening, brought her attention from the window to the presence at the door. Two faces peered in from the space.
“Hey! You ready?” It was Hazel. Stick waived for Cassie to follow them.
It was time. “Yes, I am ready. I think.” Cassie took one last look around her room as if she had forgotten something. And then she followed her friends into the hallway.
Two large framed backpacks sat up against the wall. Hazel picked one up and handed it to Cassie, “Here, this is for you. It has a sleeping bag, parka, some gloves, jerky, the stones, a map and a canteen inside it. I tried to make it as light as I could, putting more stuff and all of Stick’s gear inside mine. Try it on and let me know if it is too heavy.”
She took the pack and pulled it onto her back. It was heavy, But not so encumbersome that she would have trouble hiking all day with it on her back. She bounced on her toes, adjusting the weight so it hit all the right places. “This is fine. I think I can handle it. Thanks. And if yours is too heavy, let me know. I want to pull my own weight, so you do not need to baby me too much Hazel.”
He smirked, “Okay. I will. I just may give you all of Stick’s stuff, since it fills half of my pack.”
He laughed as Stick hit his leg, “I did NOT bring that much stuff. And since I am smaller it does not take up all the space.” She stuck out her tongue. Cassie laughed.
It felt like old times again. The three of them, getting ready to set off on another adventure. Except that this adventure had a greater impact than their games. The fate of the fae hung in the balance, and if they failed, there would be no more adventures with Hazel and Stick. Cassie put that image out of her mind, they were not going to fail. She would not allow it.
The walked with their packs on back to the Chamber Room. The tables, candles and decorations had been removed and cleaned up. The three Elders sat stately in their chairs. Innowen’s winged cat sat curled in a ball on her lap. They were joined by three other faeries, all hooded. Cassie presumed that they were the seers. One held a sprig of sage in her hand. Another held a clay bowl. The third had 3 pieces of string in her hands.
Atim stood, “I hope that you all had a good time last night and slept well?”
The three friends nodded removing the packs. Cassie stood between Hazel and Stick who bowed, “We are ready to begin our trip,” Stick said.
Bridget waved her hand and the three seers stepped forward. “These are our most trusted mystics. They were the ones who found you, Cassondra, daughter of Adam and devised a way to transport you safely to us.” Cassie looked at them.
“Before we send you off, out into the world, we wanted to give you a gift and a blessing,” Bridget continued. The seer holding the stick of incense stepped towards them. A small red light burst from the sage and smoldered, sending a thin ribbon of smoke into the air. The seer walked over to Stick and waved the sage around her, starting at the top of her head, passing downwards to the faerie’s feet and then back up again.
“We ask that the Goddess and the Gods cast out impurity from your bodies. That you may start your journey healthy and whole, free from the dark that clouds us all,” the seer whispered. She moved to Hazel, and then to Cassie. Cassie closed her eyes as the smoke and scent of sage cleared her mind and spirit.
The second seer stepped forward as the first one moved back before the Elders. Bridget continued to speak, “The wine in this bowl comes from the first cellars. Legend has it that the water used to grow the berries and wet the mash came from the center of our world, when it was still young and pure. To drink from the vintage is to bestow great honor and longevity upon you. Typically it is reserved for only the greatest of Elders. However, with the fate of our world resting on your shoulders, we thought it was proper that you have some.”
Cassie raised an brow and looked over at Hazel. His face and colors displayed shock; it was the same with Stick. Indeed, it was a great honor, even though Cassie felt that Bridget was laying it on them a bit thick.
The seer walked up to Cassie first. She bowed her head as she offered the sacred wine. Cassie took the bowl with both hands, looking into it as she lifted it to her lips. The liquid was thick and dark, an drink of antiquity. She closed her eyes and closed the top of her lip over the edge of the bowl. Slowly and carefully she tipped the bowl towards her. A stream of wine kissed her lips and trickled down her throat. It tasted woody, mixed with a hint of white grapes. It warmed her body as it traveled down her throat. She swallowed and brought the bowl down from her mouth, offering it back. The seer bowed her head again and moved over to Stick. She helped the little faerie with the bowl as Stick took a sip from it. Stick shuddered and closed her eyes. Finally, the seer went to Hazel. He also shuddered after drinking the wine. The seer stepped back into line, as the third seer held out her hands. Three silver medallions dropped from the black cords they hung from.
The seer stepped forward. Again, Bridget’s voice called out, “The silver that cast shape to these medallions was bled from the veins that the mountain you will climb. The symbol carved into them is also the same symbol that we three wear as an emblem of our reign. While they act as a token of our honor and gratitude, they also grant you safe passage through this land and act as payment for services or meals you may need during your trip. Innowen and the seers have also blessed the medallions with charms of protection and luck. Wear them with honor.”
The seer placed a medallion around their necks. Once Cassie received hers, she immediately placed one hand around the heart shaped metal. It felt cold and hard in her hands, the pattern of the Elder’s Celtic symbol pressing their lines into her skin. Cassie felt honored and she wished that she could have given each Elder something in return.
A tear rolled down Bridget’s cheek as she struggled with the words. Innowen stood, sensing the pain. She placed a hand on Bridget’s shoulder and spoke for her, “May Goddess bless you all. And may you three return to Stonehaven safe and sound with news about your findings.” Atim had walked over to the other side of Bridget and the three of them bowed their heads in honor.
“Thank you,” Cassie called out to them, speaking as bravely as she could, “I promise we will return. And with good news too.” She then bent down and grabbed her pack off the floor. Hazel nodded and did the same, pausing to let Stick climb onto his shoulder.
The three friends looked at each other, and without words, they slowly moved back to the hallway with the elevator to take them to the ground and out into Stonehaven. Cassie glanced over her shoulder once more before disappearing from the Chamber Room. The Elders still stood gathered next to each other, Bridget silently crying.
When they left the Obelisk, Stick was first to break the silence, “So guys. I am starving. And I know you both probably are as well. What do you say we start our journey off right by eating some breakfast?”
“Sounds like a good plan. We can go over the map while we eat, so Cassie can get an idea of where we are headed,” Hazel replied. “And you are right, I am hungry.”
They walked past the Obelisk, heading into the opposite direction than Cassie and Hazel arrived the day before. The streets were once again bursting with activity, people trading wares and exchanging services. Heads turned towards them and children hovered near as the three past by. Apparently the news got leaked out and all of Stonehaven knew who they were and what they were doing. Cassie blushed uncomfortably, the teasing she endured at school made her uncomfortable when people looked at her for long periods of time.
They entered a small cafe made of wood and mud. Hazel explained to her that the sign above it’s door read, “The Horsefly.” They grabbed a table, carved from a stump of a large tree, near the window letting the sun warm them.
A barmaid floated over to them, a feather and pad in hand, “Hello, welcome to The Horsefly. What can I do ya for?”
Hazel became the undesignated spokesperson, “We will have 2 bowls of porridge and this little one here,” he pointed at Stick, ” would love some berries and Flax leaves. Oh and three glasses of water, please.”
The faerie noted their emblems as she took their orders, “Okay. Got it. Coming right up and she darted off to the kitchen to place their order.
While they waited, Hazel retrieved the map from his pack and laid it out on the table for all of them to see. He started explaining the route they were going to take pointing to Stonehaven first and then to two more towns. Vertley, where he hoped to stop and rest the first night and then to the second, Greycliff. Finally he pointed to their destination, the silver mountain. Hazel explained that it was 20 miles from Stonehaven to Vertley and luckily, most of the terrain was flat forest. Greycliff sat at the bottom of the mountain and it was from their that they would have a long, steep climb ahead of them.
Their porridge and berries arrived and Hazel put away the map. The faerie floated each bowl and plate down in front of them. Cups of water appeared from thin air and filled themselves full with water. They thanked the barmaid who flew off to attend to the rest of her customers. During breakfast they keep the conversation light, sharing their thoughts about the previous night’s festivities. Stick entertained Cassie and Hazel, babbling on about Eleric and the massage he had given her as personal farewell present. She also promised them that when they returned to Stonehaven, Elric would give them all massages.
They left The Horsefly a bit fatter and more energized. Hazel lead them through Stonehaven, back to the tall wall and gate. The gate looked exactly like the other, with two ogre guards standing next to their posts. This time, when the three of them passed thru the gate, the ogres stood at attention, their pikes standing tall and proud in their honor.
Once again farmlands stretched outwards from the town. Green grass and trees and red vegetables filled the spaces between farms. They walked down the past, Stick humming songs for them to pass the time. Occasionally dirty dressed farmers stopped what they were doing and looked up as the three past by their land. Some waived at them, others nodded solemly. When they passed the last farm, they paused for a moment. Cassie drank from her canteen and looked back at Stonehaven. “Fare thee well, Stonehaven. Fare thee well,” she thought, “I will see you soon. I promise.”
The land continued to spread out in the valley. Every now and then a few trees and bushes appeared. The ground grew soft beneath their feet, and soon they found themselves traveling alongside a brook. The water glistened in the sun, sending foamy bubbles up into the air as the water hit rocks lodged in the ground.
“If you look closely, you can see the goldmuppies swimming down river towards that waterfall,” Stick explained.
“Oh yeah, and this time I will not make you cross a big, scary waterfall,” Hazel chimed in.
Cassie laughed, defending herself, “I did not mind. It neat. And I did not say it was scary.”
Bushes grew close to the brook and as they walked further into the day they grew taller until golden leaved trees flanked them on both sides. Their branches shimmied in the wind that swept past them, sending them into a cascade of sound. The forest they had now entered was filled with these trees. Their roots digging deep into the soil and running towards the water that sustained them. Occasionally Cassie saw smaller blue and red trees clumping between the long canopies of the golden trees. It felt like summer but the amazing color of the landscape made it look like some small child’s color concept of what autumn was to be like.
They paused twice more during the day. Once to have lunch, by the brook, where they ate jerky and berries and drank water. They refilled their canteens with the fresh forest water as well. While Stick sunned herself on a rock, listening to the sounds of water, Cassie stuck her hand into the river, sprinkling the little faerie.
“Hey! That is cold,” Stick called out, rushing down to the water poised in retaliation. Hazel offered no help as he enjoyed the small war between his two friends.
They paused a half mile from Vertley. The sun casting late afternoon shadows over the trees. Traveling all day wore Cassie down. Not wanting to disappoint Hazel, she pushed herself. A bit too hard because her body stung and hurt all over. Somewhere nearby a twig snapped. Immediately Hazel dropped his hand to the hilt of the knife on his belt, his eyes scanning the area from when the sound came.
Cassie stood still, her eyes also darting around. Stick moved back into Hazel’s pack, preferring to keep her little body out of danger.
“Show yourselves,” Hazel challenged the forest. Laughter answered his call. They had been followed. Five green bodies dropped from two nearby trees.
“Bandits,” Cassie whispered, rushing over to Hazel. But she was not fast enough for one of the faeries grabbed her and pulled her into his chest. The creature smelled horrible, as if it had not taken a bath in months. Cassie held her breath and tried hard not to throw up. It smelled her, snorting loudly as he did it.
“Let her go!”
The other four faeries surrounded Hazel, prepared to fight. They looked at each other and then back at Hazel and laughed.
“No. I do not think so,” one of them said. From the looks of his colors and size, this was the leader. They did not have wings and their black hair grew straight and tall, cropped into spikes at the end. They wore pants but had no shoes or shirts. Knives were also tucked into each fae’s pants. “We know she is not from here. She smells differently, right Juklak?”
The faerie holding Cassie snorted again, “You are right boss. This one don’t smell like anything I ever smelled before. Tastes different too.” He licked Cassie’s neck. She kicked a foot back but missed.
“Let her go. You do not want her, trust me,” Hazel said, trying to think of some way to get them out of there without having to fight. They were still too far from Vertley to call for help. Suddenly an idea popped into his head.
The boss continued to taunt, ‘You are out numbered. And our weapons are much stronger than your tiny blade. I do not think you are in any position to demand such things from us.”
“Boss,” the third one chimed in over the laughter, “I wanna slit his throat. Can I? Can I? Then we can take the girl and sell her. I am sure we can get a lot for such a strange being. If she is as intelligent as she is limber, she may fetch a good slave wage.”
“Silence. Did I ask for your opinion,” the Boss turned towards the now cowering faerie, “No. We will kill him, all right. And I will take the girl and sell her, no trade her for wine and money.” He reached for his knife.
“I do not think you want to do that,” Hazel started, faking a cough. “You are right, the girl is special. But I really doubt she will fetch you much money or ale.” He coughed again, spitting phlegm onto the ground. “You see, she is a carrier of the plague.”
Their eyes widened at the statement. Juklak pushed Cassie hard from him and put his hands to his mouth, his nails ripping into his tongue, “You are not joking,” he said. “Gawd! And I licked her skin, I am a gonner for sure.”
The Boss held his ground, Hazel hoped the green man was as stupid as the others who backed away from Cassie. She walked over to him. Hazel coughed some more.
“You fools, do you really think she carries the plague? Look at her…” but doubt clouded his eyes. Hazel coughed some more, dropping his knife to the ground. He started shivering and held his sides tight, “Oh gawd. Stop. Oh the pain.” He reached out his arm to the Boss, “Help me.”
Cassie walked closer to the Boss, “If you do not leave now and let me get this poor boy to the town, he will grow sicker and vanish. And you will be next.” Cassie kept walking towards the green faerie. Terror crept over his face and he ran off into the woods, calling out for his cohorts.
Laughter came from Hazel’s back. Stick was howling with laughter, “Oh goddess, dear me. Hazel that was a bold and smart move you pulled there.”
Cassie helped her friend from the ground and hugged him. “Yeah good one. Thanks for saving me. Again.”
“I am just glad I did not have to fight them. I doubt I have enough energy to take on the lot of them. And I am sure they were not alone. Come on, let’s get to Vertley before anything else happens.”
The sun had just set behind the mountains, the last remaining rays of light lingering over the Vertley. Unlike Stonehaven, all the homes in this town were made of mud. The buildings were circular and only level tall. Roofs made from the large golden leaves capped each home. What also set these homes apart from Stonehaven was that at the center of every home, a the tall stock of a golden tree grew upward, covering each domicile with their canopy.
Small fires had been light outside. More green faeries huddled close to some of the fires, tending to kettles and pots filled with food. The smell of stew and freshly baked bread filled Cassie’s nose. Her stomach rumbled.
A green faerie approached them. He stopped and stared at the silver medallions. “Oh my, you are here. We have been waiting for you.” He pumped Hazel and Cassie’s hand and gave Stick a finger to hold as well. “I am Mac, leader of this little village. It is a pleasure to have you stay with us.”
“Thank you,” Hazel said. Cassie nodded as she was too tired to speak.
“I trust you had a safe excursion?” Mac asked. Hazel told him about their unexpected visitors. “Most unfortunate. I am sorry they picked the wrong folks to heist. They are outcasts of our society. Having taken to a way of fighting that is far from our peaceful existence. I am sure they will not bother you anymore from you have told me. Heck, they may never come back here again either.”
Mac lead them through the village. Green men and women followed them as he proudly talked about his village. He then stopped at a clearing, a small table had been set up. Two candles flickered, the only thing of interest. “I apologize for our humble accommodations. Like I said, we keep to ourselves and tend to eat in the burrows.”
They sat down around one of the tables. Two green fae walked over and set plates in front of them. A bread bowl filled with a starchy soup sat in the middle of the plate. A spoon carved from wood sat besides it.
“Thank you ladies,” Mac said. “That will be all. Enjoy your meals.” The two women bowed and walked back to their homes.
Mac bowed his head, saying a few words to honor the meal. Then he picked up his spoon and pushed it into the soup. Hazel tore off a bit of bread and handed it to Stick who happily accepted it and started eating. Cassie also put her spoon into the bowl and started eating.
At first, she thought they were going to eat yet another meal in silence, but then Mac put his spoon down and started asking them questions. He was full of questions, wanting to know where Cassie came from, what she saw, what her world was like, how the three of them met. Sometimes he rambled off two or three questions at a time, making it hard for the tired Cassie to remember what she was saying as well as what he asked.
Hazel intervened, “Mac, this stew is wonderful. Can you tell us how you made it?”
Mac stopped and blinked, “Well, the recipe is quite modest actually. We use water, of course, for the broth and then cut bark from the trees and tublars from the ground. The bread, well we have grain imported for that.”
Cassie thought Mac was modest. He seemed more interested in their stories than sharing any knowledge on his people and culture. She figured that it was just apart of their culture, and kept secret. When they had finished eating, Mac took them to a large bonfire. In the middle a fae stood, waving his arms while he told a story. Children sat at his feet, entranced. They sat down as the storyteller finished his tale and then clapped. In a gesture of thanks, Stick stood next and graced the whole village with her voice. She sang a rowdy bar tale first, the men shouting out when asked, in return to her lyrics.
After that, she calmed the night down by singing a ballad sung in her native language. Cassie thought the language sounded like two chickadees singing their springtime songs. When Stick finished, everyone cheered and thanked her for her voice. The fire raged on and the faeries broke into small familial groups, speaking in hushed tones about the daily chores.
Cassie leaned against Hazel’s feet, the fire lulling her into sleep. Stick had crawled up in his lap, and had fallen asleep as well. Mac walked over to them, “If you would like, I can show you where you can rest for the night.”
Hazel nodded, carefully scooping Stick up into his hand. She shifted, lost in dreamland and relaxed. “Cassie,” he whispered. “Come on. Mac’s gonna show us our beds.” She rubbed her eyes and stood. Luckily their burrow was close to the bonfire. It was smaller than the others. Three beds surrounded the perimeter, three lamps sitting on three tables, giving them light. They thanked Mac and got ready for bed.
Cassie slipped under the heavy blanket. The mattress was not as soft as the one at the Obelisk, but her body did not care. She fell asleep to the sounds of Stick and Hazel snoring in their own beds.
When Cassie woke the next morning both Stick and Hazel were not in their beds. She looked across at Hazel’s bed, it had been slept in, as the sheets were messed and pulled back. His boots were missing as well. Warm air circulated through the small hut, but the strong smell of sleep and sweat clung to the air. Cassie sat up in the bed, and grabbed her boots. She pulled them on her feet but did not lace them up. She was more concerned with where her friends went and why they did not wake her up.
Someone had been in the hut while she slept. A platter sat next to the lamp on the little table next to her bed. Sitting on the platter was a pitcher made of wood, a wooden bowl, and a towel that was ragged. “I guess my wish for a nice warm shower and bath today are outta the question,” she said to the pitcher. She stepped over to the pitcher and poured some of the contents into the bowl. Water fresh from the brook poured into the bowl. She dipped the cloth into the water and sponged herself off. The cloth felt like wool, and was rough against her skin.
“Oh hey. You are awake,” Hazel’s voice came from behind her.
She dropped the cloth back into the bowl, “Just woke up and was going to go look for you two. Have you been awake long?”
“Only for a few hours. Since we do not need as much sleep as you do, we decided to let you sleep in. It looked like you needed the extra sleep.”
“Thanks,” she said, a bit disappointed that she missed out on the sunrise.
“We have been talking to Mac. He is quite the character. During breakfast I showed him the map and what I thought was the best route. He suggested a different way to get to Greycliff. One that will have us there by lunchtime. He also mentioned that he had heard rumors of a hermit in the mountains. No one knows who, apparently no one has seen this being in years. But it looks like the books and seers were right.”
Cassie smiled at the hopeful news, “That is great. And yes, Mac is one interesting guy. He seems more interested in us and our stories than in telling us about himself and his village. I do not mean to sound negative, but you know me Hazel. I am very curious about your world and they seem very secretive.”
“I do not know much about these faeries. We do not see many of them in Stonehaven. But we know that are peaceful, tree spirits that prefer solitude and inner meditation to the city lifestyle. They are 100% self sustained, keeping small farms of tublars, and some herds of trabbits for clothing and cloth. Occasionally, one or two are born with a worldly curiosity and those fae end up being outcast, like the Bandits we saw last night. Usually, however, they are not that mean.”
“Thanks. I will keep that in mind the next time Mac speaks to me. Speaking of which, can we go outside? I have not been outside yet and there is so much I want to see.”
Hazel parted the cloth door, allowing Cassie to walk past him. She squinted in the bright morning light. The village appeared different, more calm, in the daytime than it did at night. No one was in sight, leaving the place silent as a ghost town. Cassie figured that they were tending to the trabbits or out pulling tublars. Mac emerged from a nearby hut and quickly walked over to them.
“As yes, you are finally awake,” he said, patting Cassie on the shoulder, ‘I trust you slept well?”
“Yes I did, the bed was comfortable and the blanket warm. Thank you for sharing your village with us.”
He waved his hands, “The honor is all ours, milady. Are you hungry for breakfast? I do apologize for not having sent for you sooner, but your friends were quite animate about allowing you to get a full rest.”
Cassie nodded, “Yes I am a bit hungry. But you do not need to go out of your way to feed me, I can always eat some of the rations we brought with us.”
“Nonsense,” Mac replied. He lead them back into the clearing where the table still sat. He pulled a chair out for Cassie and then ran off to another hut. She looked around her, taking in the scenery. It looked like they were sitting at the foot of their mountain, for it was very close and tall. Taller than she originally thought. She hoped that the people in Greycliff could tell them exactly where the hermit lived. She hoped that he did not live at the very top of the mountain. It looked like it would take a week or two to scale it. And she was not ready for that.
Mac returned from the hut with a plate topped with fresh berries and a square patty that reminded Cassie of an egg omelets. He set the plate in front of her and gave her a fork. Unlike the night before, Mac allowed Cassie to eat her meal before asking her some more questions. Again, she tried to answer them to the best of her ability, embellishing her answers with details that delighted Mac’s mind.
Sometime later, Stick appeared. She had been off stripping bark from some trees and gathering roots to refill her portion of the food in Hazel’s pack. She hopped on the table, smiling a hello at Cassie, and listened to the tales that were spoken. They left awhile later, allowing the food to settle in Cassie’s stomach first. Mac and a few of the other villagers waived goodbye as the three set off for Greycliff following the instructions to the short cut Mac gave them.
