424. Of irritation, development and a little bit of danger

Cassandra Pendragon

In all honesty I wasn't exactly thrilled with how the two angels acted. Ahri I could at least understand considering everything she had told me and I had said, even though I didn't agree, but Sarai's behaviour had taken me off guard. Then again I hadn't been alive for long and hadn't spent millennia as an immortal. Turning one of my mortal family into an angel couldn't sit well with her. Perhaps I should have guessed that something was there when she had dangled my sister above a frozen forest by her tails.

With a silent sigh I pulled the girls closer and spread my tails over Archy and Estrella. They, as well as Lancelot, Constantine and a tall fey in a red dress I didn't recognise, had been knocked out cold, but they hadn't been harmed. Mostly because Sarai had only allowed her power to surface after Ahri and I had arrived. 

On the other hand, Lilith and the tiny fey I had freed had had it a bit more rough. One a flimsy construct of magic the other a thumb sized princess of the past with a waning connection to her home. Yeah, they hadn't taken the assault of an immortal's anger in stride and against my better judgement I used my wings to scoop them up and cradle them close to my stomach.

Once I had taken care of our more breakable companions I focused back on the two angels who were still engaged in their staring contest. Or so I had thought. It still looked like they were nose to nose, trying to kill each other with glares alone, but in reality they were frozen, their eyes blank, their faces rigid. 

"What the…," I mumbled and carefully took a step closer while my wings slithered around the two immortals to seal them in. Inadvertently I sniffed the air, filtering out the scent of frightened foxes and humans and the heavy, sweet taste of cherry blossoms, but even then I could barely smell Ahri's tantalising flames or Sarai's heat. Both were muted, distant, and for a short but agonising moment I felt as if the ground had vanished underneath me. My heart sped up to a rhythm I could have danced to and I already felt my magic uncoil within my core, but then my rationality kicked back in. With a stray thought I reached for Ahri and the jolt of panic immediately petered out when I felt her presence, safe and sound and surprisingly far away.

With a tug on my tails Reia asked quietly: "what's going on? I… what are they doing?"

"I wish I knew." I tilted my head to the side and listened for a moment. "Seems like they're arguing the finer points of guardianship somewhere a little safer. Or rather a little sturdier. Don't worry, they'll be back soon. I hope." With a defeated sigh I looked around. "Until then I should probably use the time for some house cleaning."

"In case that's more than just a metaphor I'd surely like to know what you mean," Greta made herself known. The dryad still stood no more than an arm's length away, but within her own tree she was practically invisible when she remained unmoving. I shook my head and granted her a tired smile.

"It's not. But if you don't mind I would love to have a look around. Later. First I have a promise to keep, though." My wings vanished and Lamia appeared behind me, dishevelled and pale, but very much unharmed. At the same time I gently caught Tinker Bell and the quivering speck of eternity Lilith had been reduced to in my hand. The floor was also littered with unconscious people, but as long as they were asleep I didn't have to worry and thus I wasn't in a hurry to wake them up. Move them out of the way, maybe, but even that seemed like a wasted effort.

"Once the realms have merged I'm going to take a few weeks off," I grumbled under my breath. This time I actually meant it, though. I had more than enough personal stuff to deal with and the goddamned world could very well keep spinning on its own for a while. How many friggin apocalypses could even be triggered within two months? We surely had reached the quota by now. "Let's take this somewhere less crowded and fix you, Lamia. Provided you haven't changed your mind." The phoenix looked at me and the two rigid angels with wide eyes before her gaze darted to Reia. My sister gave her a reassuring nod and reached out to pull her to her feet. 

When Lamia's dark tresses swirled through the greenish, soft light I thought I saw the echo of black flames and silver sparks dance in their wake for a moment before they vanished. Shit. My magic was already eroding hers. It was about time to get my spark out of her and replace it with something less volatile. Something cold. Fire and ice… truth be told I was curious as all hells how the phoenix would turn out.

My gaze darted to the window like openings in the wood around us, but the sounds from outside hadn't changed. If anything they had gotten more distant, as if everyone had decided to explore the gargantuan canopy. Just as well. "Is there another tree cave close by," I asked the dryad.

"No, but I can easily make one." With a jerk of her head towards our unconscious guests she added: "I can also simply take this lot outside."

"Let them be. They might wake up. And right now I neither want to deal with Lilith, nor the fey, nor the human. Least of all I want to have Estrella and her brother around. It's going to be hard enough for Reia as is without an audience."

"You… you really want me to…," my sister asked hoarsely and with a pronounced tremor in her voice. Sarai hadn't actually hurt her, but she hadn't handled her gently, either.

"I meant what I said. Often what we do or what we've done is more important when it comes to magic than the spell itself or the power behind it. If you want her to become whole, you'll have to do it yourself. I'll just show you the way and maybe push you along in case your strength falters." With a forced smile I clapped my hands. "Come on then, girls. There's much to do and very little time."

"No wonder heroes always retire after their first adventure," Reia muttered. "I can't even remember the last time I was bored." Lamia chuckled dutifully at her side, but I didn't want to let that slide:

"You've chosen this," I said, more tired than angry. "I never…" She rolled her eyes.

"I know. And I'm not complaining. Not really. Thanks again, Cassy. For everything." I acknowledge her words with a nod and gently placed the heads of the two kids and the two tiny women on the cushion I had meditated on. The rest of the posse could wake up with stiff necks for all I cared.

"You're welcome. I think. Let's talk again in a couple of centuries. Provided the two us make it that far. And, for the record, you don't owe me anything. Not even respect. I'd like to think I have earned your trust, though. That's all that matters." When I was about to straighten again, after I had tucked Estella's hair behind her ears, I felt soft tails circle around my waist and a flurry of artic blue obscured my vision. With a stifled yelp I lost my balance when my sister pulled me into her. A moment later I found myself in her arms, her small head only a handspan away from my nose.

"Would you look a that," she smirked. "Yesterday the both of us would have been on the floor now." She kissed my cheek and the smell of snowdrops hit me when her hair mixed with mine. "I might not owe you anything," she added in a whisper, "but I'll still try to repay you."

"Is that a threat or a promise," I chuckled as I flipped her over and caught her at arms length. "Don't answer that." On impulse I placed her on my shoulders, even though she was a tad bit tall, not to mention old, to be carried around like a toddler. She still enjoyed it and buried her fingers in my raven black tresses with a bright laugh. Chances were she had actually meant to spur me on, but luckily she managed to suppress that particular impulse. A warm, serene smile tugged on the corners of my mouth and for a precious moment I felt entirely reconciled with my life.

With Reia on my back I took Lamia and Greta by the hand and pulled them through the improvised door that separated our cozy, but overcrowded tree cave from the green, verdant city Greta's canopy had turned into. The first thing I realised when I slowly made my way through the opening like a mother hen leading her chicks was the faint, but undeniably powerful smell of cherries. Everything, from the salty aromas of the sea to the more pungent taste of the city was laced with a sweetness I knew all too well. For years I had woken up and gone to bed with that exact smell in my nose and the memory forced a single tear from my eyes. Home. We had actually made it. We were back home. And I wanted to know what it looked like.

A shiver ran up my spine when rays of light, softened and tempered by uncounted leaves and blossoms they had passed by, danced across my body. I closed my eyes and relished in the sensation. The heat on my skin, the warmth around my neck, the sounds of life in my ears… creaking branches, the scurrying of animals in the greenery, the distant song of birds. I took a single step, my head raised, my bare feet whispering over hard, smooth bark, and a shower of falling petals caressed my face. I felt Reia's tails tighten around my shoulders and Lamia's fingers twitch. They weren't scared, though. They were just as amazed as I was.

My smile bloomed and I spun on the spot, my wings again wrapped around my living burdens to keep them in place. A bubble of joy grew in my stomach and shattered the lingering fear I still carried with me. Light condensed around us and we became insubstantial when my magic surged through me and into the souls of my passengers. A thought catapulted us into the green, living sky while my awareness gradually spread until the entirety of Greta's massive body appeared in shades of silver and blue before my inner eye.

The tree itself, even though far larger than Boseiju had ever been, was only the tip of the iceberg, or rather dryad. Underneath its massive trunk, easily as wide as a hill and as tall as a medium sized skyscraper, a maze of roots continued on into the distance and dug deep into the earth. Some unraveled into streams of pure energy, sprawling towards the far away seeds that had already blossomed into trees.

My thoughts touched the valley where I had met Lancelot, they brushed over the castle where Sarai had captured her prisoner and they spread through the falling petals where my spells already marshalled a first line of defence against our less civilised visitors. Information, impressions and sensations I wasn't used to flooded my mind and I had to channel some of my power to keep myself from getting lost in this brave, new world.

I admired the intricate, ramified network that was gradually beginning to cover our entire world while the shadow of my physical form circled ever higher through boughs and branches, past leaves and petals until I reached a wooden, natural platform halfway up. We whispered back into existence and in silent wonder we marvelled at a world I had thought lost forever.

Like the spokes of a wheel mighty boughs the width of small hills branched out from the upper end of the trunk far below us. They cut through the smooth expanse of green and pink like the roads of a city in three dimensions, connecting ever smaller branches into a gargantuan whole. Birds, rodents and a few curious but small lizards had already found their way into that paradise of countless dens, sweet nectar and an infinite amount of cherries soon to ripen.

The song of leaves rustling in the wind and petals dancing through the canopy was a welcoming, familiar murmur in my ears, barley disturbed by the faint echo of voices further down the tree. The sounds of the city, the ever present hustle of society, was absent, the noise swallowed by living walls that towered far higher than any human castle. Walls covered in fields of emeralds and rivers of jade where white and red blossoms gently soared through the air. "You're beautiful," I breathed.

"I think that's the first time I've ever heard you say that and boy have I tried when I was younger," Greta grumbled, but she couldn't hide her genuine smile, nor the pride she radiated like heat. "Still, thanks, I guess. Some credit must go to you, I suppose. Your growth still amazes me."

"Only in some aspects, only in some," I replied distractedly while I watched a magnificent, yellow kite inspect a suitable nesting place close by. "In others I'm still woefully naive. But thats why I keep you around, isn't it?"

"I thought it was for my exquisite singing voice and impeccable manners."

"Don't forget your cunning wit and sophisticated humour." I turned to the side, searching for a landmark that would tell me how high up we actually were, but my gaze couldn't penetrate the thick forest of leaves. Which made me realise that, despite the unbelievable size, I had only seen a small part of the entire tree. "How tall are you," I added quietly.

"I can't say for sure… and I'm still growing slowly. The magic you shared isn't spent, yet… twice Boseiju's size? Maybe more? On that note, a tree the size of a mountain suddenly growing in Free Land hasn't gone unnoticed, as you might imagine. Richard and your brother know that you're back and they're looking for you. I've let them in, but without help they won't find you."

"They can wait. Lamia is more important now. And then…" I rubbed my temples, the elation I had felt at the sight of our home already eroded by a headache that spiked uncomfortably every time I tried to figure out what I'd be doing over the next few days. A slender hand landed on my shoulder.

"One step at a time," the dryad said. "But I'm afraid you're not going to get around a long and boring gathering of people with some political power and truly inflated egos. In a way you'll fit right in. Except for the political power side of things." Reia pulled on my hair at that.

"Why does she get to insult you without any repercussions," she complained.

"She's still afraid I might set her hair on fire," Greta explained seriously. "Train them young and they won't bite once they're older. It's the same with most predators, really."

"I…," really didn't see how I was going to get out of that particular conversation with my dignity intact and thus chose to immediately change the topic: "shouldn't you be more worried about your friend? She's awfully quiet." I felt Reia shrug and her weight shift when she leaned to the side. Her tails twitched to keep her balance as she lowered her head to the young phoenix and whispered a few words in her ear. Lamia's eyes, still wide and lost in her fairytale like surroundings, quivered in response and she began nodding like a chick.

The vixen straightened again and gently wrapped her knuckles against the dome of my head. "Didn't you say she could stay like this for quite a while. Why should I be worried?" I bit my tongue and tried to ignore Greta's merry snort. For a moment I contemplated lying, but I discarded the idea almost immediately.

"It's nothing serious," I replied, even though I didn't like the nervousness in my voice, "but getting my spark out of her sooner rather than later is still a good idea. Besides, she's going to be out of it for a while and then I won't have to deal with the two of you anymore. Plus, I can also dump Archy and his sister on you. So the sooner we get this over with, the happier I'll be. Is there a faster path to your roots than through your trunk, Greta?"

"No, but again I can create one. This entire thing really is me. In here… I'm almost an immortal."