Waterfall (75)

Two hours later, Saxum made his way to the dining hall, nodding to workers as he passed by. The castle buzzing with movement as the people made ready for the Harvest.

He entered the hall to find soldiers and workers alike taking their meal, candles lit along the length of the table and glowing stones giving the room a warm ambient glow.

Lucius sat at the head of the table, silently observing his people, his food untouched.

"Good evening Lucius.", Saxum said cheerfully, taking the seat beside him.

Moments later food and a goblet of wine was placed in front of him by a particularly attractive galaxian, who he thanked and in turn who giggled as she walked away.

"You seem particularly sullen my lord. To what do we owe the pleasure?", he asked teasingly as he began shoveling food into his mouth.

"Coruscare has accepted the invitation to the Harvest. A part of me had hoped he'd be indisposed and unable to attend.", Lucius said with controlled anger.

Saxum halted his eating.

"And he was invited upon Caeli's request.", Saxum said quietly, more a statement than a question. His own feelings towards the Lord of Fire and Light not particularly positive.

Long ago, when more dragons populated the earth and ruled various municipalities, he had fallen for a dragon nobleman's daughter, not long after, he lost contact with the woman. Shortly after that, finding out she had gone to Coruscare's bed. And even less time after that, perhaps even the next day, Saxum hardly recalled, Coruscare parted ways with the girl and she fell in love with another dragon.

When Saxum met her to ask for her hand, under the impression the relationship had ended because of her feelings for him, he discovered her new lover, and fiancé.

He remembered her words to this day.

*Really Saxum, you're sweet but I now understand the consequences that come with being a lover to one of the Five. It's hardly a walk in the park. I just don't want to commit to your past, or your future. I want a simple life, and someone who will stay by my side, not running off at all hours to tend to his kingdom. I'm so sorry.*, she had explained and his heart had shattered into a hundred pieces.

Coruscare had been at the center of that heart break, the bastard.

"She has questions for him. She has already asked once for assistance in helping contact him. Unfortunately, I can deny her nothing.", Lucius sighed. "If you choose to return home and avoid his presence I'll not blame you in the slightest. If I could, I would."

Saxum nodded.

"Not to worry, I've done nothing wrong. He's the one who should feel shame. I'll not have him ruin a good time. I do apologize ahead of time if I do something foolish, I'll do my best. Best behavior and all that.", Saxum said waving his hand dismissively.

Lucius nodded sagely.

"That's all any of us can do, truly.", he said with a sigh.

Saxum lowered his head and leaned towards his friend, keeping his voice low.

"And this mysterious attacker that cast the spell on you. Any leads?", he said nonchalantly, moving his food about his plate, his hunger suddenly vanishing.

Lucius shook his head.

"Not truthfully. I've learned that it was during Harvest. I remember very little. Einar reports that it must of happened the night of as I couldn't be found the next day, and the days there after. I had no visitors to the kingdom so whoever it was is either disguised as a citizen, or the spell was cast upon me from a distance. As of yet, no one has made an attempt on the throne since my disappearance. As you've said before, they must be powerful. Powerful enough to cast the spell and powerful enough to do it without being caught. The details I haven't discovered yet.", Raven said thoughtfully. "According to Coruscare, he was unaware of my disappearance and my whereabouts. Despite my dislike for the bastard, I've no reason to suspect him."

"I see. And Aqua?", Saxum said with silent menace.

Lucius turned to him.

"She would be capable. And she is foolish. But it's a stretch in my opinion. Water covers more than half of the planet, her dominion large, her people safe from the humans under the water. I have difficulty coming up with a reason for why she would do such a thing.", Lucius said absently twirling the wine in his goblet.

"I'll look into it. After the Harvest I'll pay her a visit and see what I can find.", Saxum said decidedly.

Lucius nodded.

"Thank you. Leaving isn't an option at the moment. The kingdom is deeply hidden but Caeli was attacked by a galaxian, meaning she could come for her any day.", he said, worried.

"And this Callon? Of Flumen? She is his servant? Does he realize the insult him and his wench have brought against you?", Saxum said, anger boiling beneath the surface.

How could someone in charge of a city and its people be so vile? And how could the woman condone such behavior?

"I don't think that he realizes the connection between Caeli and I. As a night elf I would hope that he'd have more intelligence than that if he did know. I am disappointed to see such behavior in a child of the night. But they will pay greatly should I ever encounter them. I fear that the last of them has not been seen. The councilor seemed persistent in his pursuit of Caeli.", Lucius said darkly.

"I almost pity those poor souls, I've seen what you're capable of.", Saxum said without thinking. "Sorry friend, I didn't mean it like that."

Lucius lifted his fingers in dismissal.

"I'll not hide from my past, nor do I intend to hide it from Caeli. Best get used to facing the truth.", he said with a sigh. "I have something to do but I'll meet you in my study once I've finished. We can talk more then.", Lucius said as he nodded to his friend and stood.

Saxum waved a hand in understanding as he took another bite of whatever roasted meat was given to him, chewing quickly, his thoughts on the red dragon.

——————————————————————————

*You think I'm special Eli?*, Coruscares voice echoed through her mind.

The image of him leaning in close as he gave her a look of hopeful anticipation, filling her mind.

Caeli stood in the mirror, dressed in a black velvet dress with long sleeves, the neckline sweetheart and more revealing than she had worn since her arrival at the castle.

She shook herself from the recollection and cleared her throat.

"Are you sure this is alright?", she asked Lynx hesitantly.

Lynx continued to adjust strands of Caeli's hair, placing small flower shaped pins to hold the hair in place to form a loose braid.

"You look lovely Caeli. A perfect lady. No need to worry.", the woman said warmly. Pleased with herself and the dress she had chosen for the woman.

She had told the others not to interfere with Caeli and the lords relationship.

That didn't mean she couldn't give subtle pushes in the right direction, though.

Caeli took a deep breath.

"I apologize that I'm not quite ready to eat a meal with others around. I still spill quite a bit.", Caeli said nervously.

Lynx waved her apology away.

"The lord invited you, IF you felt up to the endeavor. No personal offense will be taken. Besides, I think the more important portion of the evening will be his plans for you afterwards.", Lynx said coyly.

Caeli felt her body warm, unsure of what Raven had planned.

"There, all set. I believe your escort is here as well.", Lynx said, moving to the bedroom doors and opening them to allow Bat to enter.

He trotted excitedly to Caeli and sat at her feet, leaning against her gently and awaiting her usual affections.

With a laugh, and a loving scratch, she got on his back and the trio made their way downstairs.

Coruscare put carefully, out of her mind.

She feared handling the memories of him too much, lest she see what she already knew to be there.

——————————————————————————

Raven stood in the foyer with a cloak for Caeli over one arm and a parcel cradled in the other and felt a fool.

His clothes were too tight, and not the right color. His breath was surely atrocious and he should have went with the linen shirt instead of the stuffy dress jacket he wore.

He wedged a clawed finger between his neck and his collar and tugged at the uncomfortably tight outfit.

He heard them enter before he saw them.

Turning he watched as Lynx lead Caeli, astride Bats back, into the high ceiling-ed room.

The sight of her always halted his breath.

Wearing one of the perfectly fitted dresses he had made for her, her hair prettily pulled away from her face, adorned with some of the onyx flower pins he had purchased for her.

Her starlight hair almost glowing against her dark clothing, looking every bit a child of the night.

"Good evening.", Raven said bowing deeply to the trio. "Are you ready?", he asked stepping forward to gently drape the cloak over Caeli's shoulders.

Caeli nodded to him and Lynx.

Lynx curtsied deeply and winked at Caeli before making her leave.

Caeli lifted her good hand to run her fingers across the cloak, a deep red color, the material similar to her mothers.

"This is beautiful.", she said quietly.

Raven shifted between his feet.

"I thought you might like something similar until we can retrieve your cloak back.", he said.

His gesture warmed her heart.

"Thank you, very much, my lord.", she said with true appreciation. The material comforting in its familiarity. Several small pockets sewed inside, just like her mothers.

"Shall we?", Raven asked holding out a hand for her and Bat to go ahead of him.

They made their way out of the castle and headed in the direction of the moth nest.

"Would it be pointless to ask what we are doing?", Caeli asked teasingly, to which Raven chuckled and said nothing.

They made their trip to the nest in comfortable silence, stopping in front of the opening.

"One moment.", Raven said before loosing a hollow whistle from his skull.

A moment later Caeli saw movement from the top of the nest.

It was a few minutes before the creature was close enough for Caeli to make it out.

A massive white moth fluttered it's way to the ground, shimmering dust floating around it with each beat of its wings.

The moth landed and approached Raven, nudging his hand.

Raven pulled what looked like an orb of liquid from a pocket and fed it to the moth.

"Sugar water encased in gelatin. It's often used as a training treat for the moths, they love it.", Raven said, suddenly feeling that it was necessary to fill the silence between the two.

"She's beautiful.", Caeli said in awe.

Raven nodded.

"She's our only white moth. The only one hatched since we've had them. She's not taken to anyone as of yet. I thought perhaps, what with your affinity for creatures, you two would get along.", he said sheepishly, avoiding Caeli's gaze and petting the moth absently.

Caeli turned to Raven in surprise.

"You mean, she is a gift?", she asked.

Raven nodded.

"Should you want her.", he said simply. He reached out a hand to Caeli and beckoned her forward.

Caeli carefully slid off of Bats back and gave him a pat before moving forward.

She took Ravens hand, without hesitation he noted, and stepped closer to the large creature.

Standing on the ground, the moths head was level with her own, it's neck too large for her to wrap her arms around and touch. It's wings the length of her body, and it's mane as soft as a cloud.

The moth purred appreciatively when Caeli buried her hand in the moths mane.

"My lord, I know that you want me to accept your gifts but… this is all too much.", Caeli said sadly. "You've already given me too much."

She turned to meet his gaze on the other side of the moths head.

"Yet, not nearly enough to repay what you've given me.", he said, his voice low and deep.

Caeli felt a heat burn in her core, strange and unfamiliar.

Raven could feel the increase in temperature around her body. The heat rising to her face and causing her to skin glow in the dark.

He stared involuntarily. Unwilling, and unable, to pull his eyes away.

Caeli fell silent, meeting his gaze.

She still didn't understand what made her different than any other, and her impression was certainly that the circumstances were unusual for the lord.

"Do you have a potential name for your new companion?", Raven asked, breaking the silence in an attempt to steer the conversation away from deeper topics.

He didn't want to lie to her, or withhold the truth, but he didn't want to influence her decisions regarding him either.

To be honest with her about his feelings would undoubtedly change her perspective on the matter. For better, or for worse.

And if he didn't stop acting like a whelpling, he'd be forced to explain himself.

Caeli shook her head.

"I haven't the slightest clue. Perhaps, Argenti?", Caeli said hesitantly.

A moment later the moths body began to vibrate. And in a puff of air the moth grew two inches taller and longer and it grew another set of wings.

Caeli and Raven both stood in shock and covered in silver dust..

"I did it again.", Caeli said in despair.

"Hmm, but not to the extent that you've achieved in the past…", Raven mused aloud, less concerned with the new enormity of the creature and more in the difference in the Naming's effects compared to when she had named him.

The thought occurred to him that she no longer had the Seeing Stone in her possession.

"Perhaps because I am weaker than before.", she mumbled sadly to herself. "Sorry Argenti."

"Hmm.", Raven replied. Also a viable theory but less likely.

"The scientific term for silver. I think it suits her well.", he said chuckling as he looked down at himself and at Caeli. "Argenti it is then.", he said patting the moths thorax.

With another low whistle the moth lifted itself into the air and re-entered the nest from a hole closer to the top of the tree.

"Once you feel up to it, we can teach you how to ride. Admittedly Einar would be your best option as I don't use them very often.", Raven said abashed.

Caeli nodded.

"I suppose you usually take your larger form for travel if flying is required. Otherwise you likely teleport, no?", she said.

Raven was only slightly surprised that Caeli had paid such close attention.

"Indeed. Sometimes flight is necessary when places are beyond my reach to portal to. I'm at my strongest at night, in the absence of the sun. Occasionally, the time of day makes it difficult to conjure.", he said honestly.

She nodded seriously before turning to smile at Raven. Oblivious to the dust that clung to her clothes, hair and face.

"Thank you, again, my lord. I excitedly anticipate learning to ride her.", Caeli said, unable to hide the genuine giddiness she felt at the idea of riding the moth.

Raven gave her a curt nod before pulling a wrapped parcel from his jacket. He changed his mind and slid it back into the inner pocket.

He glanced at her to see if she had noticed the package. Once he affirmed that she had not, he stepped forward to gently pat at her clothes to shake the dust to the ground.

"There's something else I'd like to show you if you're feeling up for it.", he said nervously.

Caeli nodded excitedly. Laughing as she patted his clothes clean in unison.

"May I?", he asked before she nodded and he gently lifted her onto Bats back.

Raven took a handful of steps back and in a swirling of black mist, transformed into the creature Caeli had initially met after his naming.

His body grew bigger than a bear, large wings unfurled from his back.

He pushed off of the ground and rose slowly into the air, and Bat followed.

Caeli wrapped her hand around the rope adorning Bat's neck, afraid that her lame arm would fail her in the sky.

The two stayed close to the ground and flew over a thicket of smaller trees before arriving at a clearing.

Raven slowed to pace the gargoyle so that he could glance at the small woman as the nights light shone on her and the wind blew through her hair.

Her expression filled with peace and happiness was a powerful tonic.

Caeli could vaguely hear moving water before she saw it.

They landed inside of the clearing, a wide pool at the base of a small waterfall sat at the edge of a glade where a small rock ledge rose above the ground about fifteen feet.

Caeli could feel the moist heat that radiated from the spring before they approached it.

Both Raven and Bat stopped a few feet from the waters edge.

Raven transformed back into his humanoid form and came to stand beside her, asking, then assisting her to the ground before escorting her to the waters edge.

The water was shallow aside from right beneath the falling water where it looked as though it would reach her hips if she waded in.

"You see those glowing rocks lining the bottom of the pool? It's all quartz, just like the stones we use to light and heat the castle. This pool has slowly been carved out by the waterfall over time. When I first was born it was little more than a puddle. The kinetic energy from the falling water charges the stone, causing to to glow and radiate heat. A lengthy explanation for a natural bath, isn't it?", Raven said with a chuckle.

Caeli carefully crouched to place a hand in the water.

"It's perfect.", she said with surprise.

The water was warm, warm enough for steam to gently coil from its surface, but not uncomfortably hot.

Raven nodded.

"I frequented this place often the first hundred years of my life. I have many fond memories of this place and I thought you might enjoy it too.", he said with a smile in his voice.

The next moment, visions of her bathing in the pond of the valley flashed across his mind.

Her body painted in silver moonlight, causing her wet skin to glisten.

Raven swallowed hard and worked at his collar, that was once again too tight.

Caeli smiled and placed her hand back in the water. She felt something brush her fingers once, then twice.

Suddenly a fish like creatures head appeared above the surface of the water, seemingly to stare at her quizzically. Caeli froze, unsure of whether or not the creature would be friend or foe, her brows raised in startled surprise.

Raven chuckled.

"Water spirits. Very small and weak ones. There's nothing to fear, they're harmless.", Raven said placing his larger clawed hand into the water beside hers.

He cupped his palm and lifted a handful of water into the air.

Caeli watched as a fish, composed of what looked like smoke and water, flitted excitedly in his hand, before stilling in his palm.

"They were some of my first companions, if you want to call them that, when I was a child.", he said, quietly, as though he didn't want to disturb the spirit.

Although it was sensible, Caeli had not considered that Raven had likely been alone deep in the forest after his birth.

If the legends were true, the Five were spawned all over the planet, in different areas. And it wasn't until some time later other creatures were created, even then, a small number compared to life at present.

Caeli's heart ached to think of Raven as a drakeling, alone and in the dark.

She pulled her hand from the water to rest it on the wrist of the large hand holding the water spirit.

"That must have been very lonely for a child.", she said sympathetically. Recalling her own loneliness growing up as an unwanted child with her aunt and uncle, and as an isolated one with her parents in the past.

Her touch was soft and warm and impossible to ignore.

He nodded before meeting her gaze.

The sadness he saw there, meant for him, seized his heart in a deathly grip.

"It was at first. But it doesn't take long to resign myself to such a quality of life, before long I became accustomed to it. And in adulthood, preferred it.", he said simply. His arm still suspended with the water spirit in hand. Reluctant to move lest he shake the tenuous connection between himself and Caeli in that moment and cause her to pull her hand away. "Did you have siblings?", he asked all of the sudden.

Caeli shook her head but kept her hand on his wrist.

"I am an only child and my relatives had no children of their own. My only friends were the three house spirits I met when I had first gone to live with my aunt and uncle. And the towns librarian.", Caeli said, smiling sadly at the thought of Spark, Drop and Crag. Recalling Demetri's kind smile.

It seemed like an eternity ago that she said goodbye to them. She hoped they were still alright, unsure of what happened to house spirits if their home was destroyed and there was no one to leave them gifts.

"They are my first memory of my home with my aunt and uncle. I remember, I used to place gifts out for them each day. I think my mother taught me that. After a few days they appeared to me, asking me my name, asking why I left gifts for them since most humans stopped doing it years ago. They were so curious. It wasn't long before their stories beckoned me to the wood where I met many Folk. None such close friends as the house spirits but always kind and joyful. I knew then that all the horrible things humans said about Folk were dangerous lies and manipulations.", she said, furrowing her brow, thinking of the innocents lost to the black market trade, like the one in her very own village.

"And your human guardians condoned this?", asked, his surprise thinly veiled.

Caeli shook her head and retracted her hand to rest her forearm across her bent knees.

"No, not really. I think they feared I had some hidden power to hurt them if they ever truly offended me. I'm not sure where they got the inclination but they'd avoid my presence like the plague. And the village treated me as an outcast. Until the very day they drove me away, actually. They suspected I was involved in the burning of the village because of my spirit friends. The only human that kept the company of Folk.", she said with a sardonic chuckle.

Raven placed the water spirit back into the water and rested his elbows on his knees.

"I'm so very sorry to hear that. At least when you're alone you're not be excluded. And if there's no one around, there's no one to point fingers. But I understand what you must have felt. The Five were worshiped as gods for quite some time. After the fall out between my mother and myself, I fell out of favor fairly quickly. Courtesy of the freshly jaded Goddess of All. I'm sure you've read the stories.", he said with bitter humor.

Caeli shook her head.

"One day, I hope, that if you want to talk about what happened with your mother, you feel you can come to me. No one should bear such a burden alone. Such heartache. I couldn't imagine.", she said shaking her head in disbelief. "I found only a few stories, many unpleasant but none that I believed you could actually do."

Ravens heart sank for he knew for a fact a couple of the stories were fairly true.

The vast majority were fabricated rumors that turned to legend and created his reputation as a monster.

But there were a few, violent and murderous, that were uncharacteristically accurate.

"Caeli, I am not perfect. I've made mistakes. I've hurt people along the way.", Raven said turning to gaze into the moving water, watching as more spirits materialized and swam leisurely through the water.

"I think that's true for everyone. I think what matters is who you choose to be in the present. How you plan to NOT be a product of your mistakes, or how to avoid making the same mistake again. It's what we learned and facilitate from our misdeeds that counts more than the misdeeds themselves. If someone never did things they regretted, how slowly they'd learn.", she said giving him a half smile. "And having this mentality won't prevent you from making new mistakes, but with each choice, we learn, we grow. And if someone doesn't, they are bound to fail in the end."

Raven stared at the small woman beside him. Her words seemingly wise beyond her years.

At each turn she amazed him with her capacity for kindness and understanding.

He nodded in agreement.

"I can see why you were treated as though you are different. Because you are. Not many humans are so wise, their lives short, it takes them years, even generations to make such realizations. Much to their detriment, and advancement, depending on what you're looking at. Are you sure you aren't part Folk yourself?", Raven chuckled.

Caeli was suddenly transported back in time to when she was a child.

This memory different than the others.

This memory from her true childhood, not from the one she experienced while Traveling to the past.

Ventus laughing at, her husband, Faron, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Caeli cradled in the other one.

They were saying something.

"Our little drakeling has dark hair…", Ventus said, her voice going quiet but her mouth still moving.

Faron's mouth moved silently before Caeli could hear him.

"….. older it will look like ours. You were the same way growing up were you not?", Faron said with a chuckle.

Ventus laughed and nodded.

Their mouths moved silently once more before they made their way inside.

A woman made of water suddenly appeared in the cottage they entered.

"…is Caeli. Caeli, this is Rivera.", Ventus said proudly, gently passing Caeli to the river spirit.

The same river spirit Caeli had seen in her flashes of memories before. Shouting.

Shouting her name.

*Eli!*

The woman's mouth moved but nothing audible came forth. She smiled sweetly and waved her hand across Caeli's face.

"…..bless thee with perception and influence….. a great leader one day…. been told in the book of prochecy…."

Ventus and Faron beamed and thanked the water spirit before Rivera returned the baby back to her mother.

"…. like the first Old Fae….. seeing as she is also….", Ventus said, her voice coming in and out of comprehension.

Suddenly Caeli was back in the Midnight Forest.

"Caeli?", Raven asked hesitantly.

He had been calling her name for the better part of a minute with no response.

Caeli blinked rapidly before hissing in pain and pressing the heel of her palm to her forehead.

"You're painful. What can I do to help?", Raven asked. He could ask inquire what happened later, in the moment he was more concerned about the fact that her skin had turned ashen, her face contorted in pain.

"Ahhhh.", Caeli moaned miserably.

At the sound, Raven felt a shock of urgency. Something was wrong.

Raven stepped back and transformed into the form Caeli had first met him in.

A tendril of smoke shot from his back and gently lifted her onto his back.

"Hold on if you can.", Raven said.

He felt Caeli's hands dig into the mane he had manifested for her to grasp and steady herself.

Seconds later they were bounding through the trees they had just flown above to get to the waterfall, Bat at his heels.

*Hold on, Caeli.*, Raven thought in fear.