Folk Lore (5 page)

“Well I have,” she replied indignantly with a defiant set to her chin.

“Humans possess compassion which many folk cannot replicate. It is due to this empathy that humans can heal themselves and others.”

“I can heal?” 

“Yes.”

“How?”

“I shall see if we can tune into your gift.” 

Keelor stood and removed the staff strapped to his back. He held it before him and spoke a few words once again in a foreign tongue. His staff transformed into a long, thin knife. He promptly cut into his wrist and began to bleed profusely.

“What are you doing?” she cried, suddenly filled with compassion and love.

“Seeing whether you can heal me.”

“I don’t know how.” She stood next to him watching the blood spill down his hand to the ground. What was he doing? She didn’t know what to do. Her chest constricted.

“Listen to your emotions, they will guide you.”

“You could bleed to death.”

“You had better hurry, then.” And he actually smiled which quickened her pulse.

Sera felt an instantaneous overwhelming need to nurture Keelor. Closing her eyes, she focused her energies on the sentiment. Her hands grew hot and she opened her eyes to discover they glowed in a hue of bright orange.

“You’d best hurry, Princess. I am feeling faint,” he mocked and the glow in her hands almost faded as her annoyance at his smugness overcame her.

She refocused and the glow returned. She placed her hands upon the open wound and watched in amazement as his skin repaired until all that remained was a thin white scar.

“Wow,” she exclaimed. “What if I hadn’t been able to do it? You could have bled to death.”

“A little dramatic, besides I knew you would. See this is why mixed folk is illegal. Imagine a fighter, with the ability to heal, used for evil.”

“Glad you knew I could,” she mumbled and he smiled smugly. “It could be used for good though, a combined folk.”

“From past writings combined folk have always used their power in a detrimental way. The circle believes the power is an aphrodisiac and it controls them. Offspring from mixed folk always sought more.”

“Are you telling me, Keelor, you don’t feel this connection between us?”

His face remained impassive so she touched a hand to his face.

The feel of her warm hand against his cool skin sent fire through his veins. An uncontrollable desire to return the gesture overwhelmed him. Without any power over his body, he touched her face with his hand, to discover the skin on her face was warmer than her hand and incredibly soft.

“I told you your eyes matched the river and I find solace in the river. At this moment I find the same peace in your eyes, however I must uphold the law.”

“It's your stupid law, not mine.” Her brow furrowed in the same endearing way as before. He found it much harder to remain in control now.

“Only in your eyes.
It is part of your life whether you like it or not.”

“Please, Keelor, I have never felt an instant need to know someone as much as I do you.”

She looked at him with yearning and was the most beautiful vision he’d ever been privileged to behold, more beautiful than the scenic lands which surrounded them. Her music river eyes were full of desire and almost pleaded him to do exactly what he was forbidden to do.

Lifting his other hand to cup her face, he brought his lips gently to hers. They were soft and full and the moment they touched, she plunged her hands into his hair and deepened the kiss. It was like coming home and nothing he’d ever encountered before. She tasted sweet, like strawberries and the aroma emitting from her hair and skin was making him dizzy.

Sera felt faint and exhilarated all at once. She knew these were the lips she’d been waiting her whole life to find. His soft white hair beneath her fingers felt like silk. His cool hands on her face sent tingles down her spine and she was suddenly breathless.

“What is going on here?” Sampson’s voice broke through their passion. Keelor abruptly pulled away and the detached look returned to his face.

“None of your business, Sampson,” Sera replied a little harsher than she intended.

“It is very much my business as I have sworn to protect you and that is in every way including ensuring you uphold the law.” He experienced a stab of guilt at lecturing Seraphina for doing what he’d been doing with Angelique moments before.

“Sampson is correct, Princess Seraphina. I lost control after seeing you find your power. It will not happen again.”

7

Elfin Village

After depositing her into a small grassy hut which was to be her lodgings while they remained within the mystic lands, Sam told her he would be in the hut next door if she needed anything. He then informed
her the
circle would convene again the following morning.

Once she’d calmed down, firstly from her annoyance at Sampson for involving himself in her business, and then from the overwhelming emotions encountered from her kiss with Keelor, Sera began to examine her surroundings.

The hut was cosy and inviting with a generous hammock like bed hanging from the tall roof. The various trunks and hand crafted wooden furniture within the circular wall were beautiful. If her senses were not reeling quite so much she would have appreciated its simple magnificence. Although small, it was spacious and she instantly fell in love with something else elfin.

She’d asked Sampson where Keelor’s lodgings were and only received a scornful frown from her protector. How strange it was to think of her best friend in this way. Whatever he was to be for her now, it was none of his concern who she did or did not kiss. She wondered if he was jealous. No, Sam didn’t feel that way about her, she would have noticed before now.

There was a sharp rap on her door and she jumped. Her heart sped up with hope. Perhaps Keelor sought her out, wanting to relive their intimate moment as much as she longed to. She opened the door to find Nermo standing on the other side.

She took him in for a moment before inviting him in and pondered if this was going to be frowned upon too but she didn’t care. Sera realised she paid little attention to him earlier, certainly less than he did her.
Sera was
surprised by his height as she now discovered he was the same height as her.

His slight strong stature was larger than she initially thought and his attractive face was intriguing and his eyes electric blue. Although
she didn’t feel the same pull and attraction she felt with Keelor, she found his presence soothing with a trace of electricity.

“I hope I am not disturbing you,” he stated. Though she thought it sounded like it didn’t matter whether he was or not. He stared at her with the same intensity as before and his scrutiny was flattering, coming from someone so attractive.

“No, I was just admiring my accommodation.”

“Our village is grander than these simple shanties.”

“You all don’t seem to like each other very much,” she stated noticing his critical tone.

“Oh, I did not infer any disrespect. We are all quite close actually, merely a bit of healthy rivalry.”

Sera immediately realised how close he was now standing to her and staring at her with an expression Sera had never seen before except on Keelor’s face before he kissed her.

“Why do you look at me like you do?” she asked him quietly.

“I told you, I have dreamt about
you,
however you are much more beautiful in the flesh.”

“How could you have dreamt about me when we’ve never met?”

“Our destinies are entwined. I have yet to discover how. As it is forbidden for mixed folk relationships, I am at a loss as to my intense attraction to you. I feel drawn to you like a bee is to nectar. My undeniable craving to kiss you clouds my mind.” His intense gaze caused Sera to avert her eyes. If he continued to stare at her like that, she might just let him.

“Oh,” was all she could manage.

“I am here because I require you to heal me.”

“Why me?
Can’t my mother or Sam do it?”

“Yes, they probably could but I want you to do it.” Lifting her eyes to his, she searched for answers in his expression. All she found was a dazzling smile and twinkling eyes.

“I’m not sure I can remember quite how I did it before.”

“You have healed already?” he asked surprised.

“Yes, Keelor decided to test my power.”

“He would,” Nermo mumbled. He stepped closer to her, if that was even possible and revealed a bite mark on his neck.

“The vampire elder had to bite me to incite a vision, and thankfully it was helpful, however I require healing.”

“I’ll try,” she replied and concentrated on the same compassionate feeling she experienced earlier with Keelor.

After a few attempts she managed to bring the glow back to her hands and placed them onto his wound which healed instantly.

“Thank you, much better. Those bites certainly sting.”

“You’re welcome.” She smiled, feeling satisfaction at being able to replicate her power.

Sera realised his hands were clasped on her shoulders so she looked into his penetrating blue eyes as he gazed at her.

“I know it is forbidden but I wish to kiss you,” he told her in a deep tone filled with ardour.

“I ...” she began to say but he cut her off.

“I didn’t ask.” 

He pulled her close and placed his lips firmly against hers. She brought her hands to his shoulders, with the aim to gently ease him away. Although she found him appealing, the attraction she felt for Keelor wasn’t present. Her attempts were futile as he was strong and his kiss was skilled. Her mind became muddled. What a day this was turning out to be.

Keelor paced his spacious haven restlessly, his emotions in turmoil. Usually so in control of his feelings, his discipline second to none, he found himself bewildered yet filled with a fever for Princess Seraphina.

How could something so totally forbidden feel so right, so emotive? It was merely witnessing her discovering her power, her awe at her newfound ability and her beauty which stirred such lust within him. That was all it was or so he tried to assure himself.

Keelor always took his chosen calling seriously as only a few elfin were born as and then trained to be protectors. There were only
two other elfin within the lands who could fulfil the duty he was honoured to uphold, should something happen to him.

He knew his vocation was dangerous and many elfin passed had lost their lives protecting their princess. As such, there was also another princess in waiting should he fail and harm came to Keela. Keelor upheld a detached emotional state in order to disallow any sentiment to deter his focus. He was not going to lose that focus now over the human princess. He’d nearly made the same mistake once, he wouldn’t be repeating it.

Regardless of his newfound feelings for Seraphina, he must keep them in check. Telling her it was all a mistake and that he would no longer be available to answer her questions was the only solution. Decision made, he walked towards her hut.

He discovered the door open as he ascended the stairs and when he reached the top, he froze. The human bewildering his mind was in a passionate embrace with the pixie. In an instant envy surged through him followed closely by the compulsion to pluck her from Nermo’s arms. What was this bewitching human doing to him? Why was she now in the arms of another?

“Nermo, kindly remove yourself from the human,” he demanded.

Nermo stopped his passionate assault on her lips but didn’t move his hands possessively holding her shoulders.

“What concern is it of yours, elf?” Nermo shot him an annoyed glance.

“You are breaking the law.”

“We were only kissing. That hardly constitutes a relationship.”

“He kissed me,” Seraphina responded quickly and it eased Keelor’s jealously a little.

“It is of no consequence to me. I believe Sampson and the elders would feel differently,” Keelor said. Suddenly possessive himself, he wanted to tear Nermo away from her and remove him from her hut. He wanted his hands on her.
His lips to taste hers again.

Instead he turned and left, returning swiftly to his sanctuary. His restlessness now tenfold and seeking no solace within his abode, he headed towards the river which did little to sooth his agitation.

8

Nermina

When Nermina awoke she found herself within a warlock’s confinement spell. To venture more than one step in each direction would cause her an injury she wished to avoid. Slowly her memories of the previous morning returned and her dismay increased. Nermo was captured within Cornelius’s bubble prison and had fallen into a sleep trance. She hoped the circle would be able to free him so he would not forever be gone from her world.

She loved Nermo as a princess loved her protector and more. She’d already declared to her mother how she would like him to be her chosen life partner. Unsure of his feelings for her, she wished with all her heart it was more than simply his protective feelings. Now that she feared for his safety, she vowed to share her feelings with him, if she could escape from her current predicament that is.