poemtry and prose

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 satified 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.