The Realms of Ethair (10 page)

“
Pellinor, please,” she
implored.

He had never spoken to a Gate Keeper
before. Sentries kept well away from this Order. They were too
serious unlike their counterparts, the Black Guards. The Merleinans
presumed that the Guards and the Sentries disliked each other. He
continued to encourage the belief to sustain the reputation built
around them. They weren’t supposed to work with other Orders in
Merleina, not if the Forest Folk were not directly
involved.

Seeing a female shed tears was nothing new.
It was just human emotion. But every tree and spirit had felt her
and a cry of a Liyanna had never gone unheeded. Kelor-dan had
extricated himself from the duties of running a kingdom to aid
her.

The route Pellinor’s Sentries had taken were
days away from the palace courtyard. He was slightly annoyed when
the forest shifted beneath them and discovered the reason behind
it. The arrow he loosed was a warning shot against the beast to
move back.

The Captain and his fellow riders had been
away when Kelor-dan hosted a welcoming celebration for the young
woman. The whispers of trees about the existence of a Liyanna had
reached them in the western borders they safeguarded from unwanted
visitors. It had been centuries since he last heard of an outsider
be appointed that status.

When he asked the mortal for her name, he
had assumed that it was an ordinary human name and apparently lost
her way in the forest. His offer to return her to the dwelling
place of the Merleinans was declined and her familiarity with the
prince irritated him. Then, she refused to play his
game.

In one day, he had been denied twice of his
enjoyment. It was a record-breaking event in his life. This
realization amused him that Pellinor finally capitulated to the
tree-spirit’s plea.

He
shrugged nonchalantly.

After relating the incident to the Halfling,
he mounted his horse preparing to leave.

“Can I come with you?” Arturion asked. He had
not moved from where he stood.

“To the borders?” Pellinor feigned
ignorance.

The Gate Keeper’s expression was frozen in
place.

“
That’s the problem with your Order. You
take yourselves too seriously,” he muttered under his breath.
Loudly, he said: “As much as I would like to, I could not take you
to her. It would fail the purpose of granting her refuge in our
land; that is, keeping your people away from her.”

Gate Keeper or not, this one was
unnaturally still. One would have mistaken him for a stone statue,
Pellinor observed. He swallowed his exasperation with the
Halfling.

“What’s your name, Keeper?”

“Arturion.”

“
Hear me, Arturion.” The mare fidgeted
under him,impatient to be off as he was. “Do not be deceived by the
delicate form of a flower. Liyannas are stronger than they
look.”

Satisfied with the reaction it elicited
when he inadvertently let slip Karina’s position in their realm,
Pellinor nudged his horse toward Kelor-dan’s palace. He could still
feel Arturion’s eyes boring holes at his back until darkness
swallowed horse and rider.

The current Liyanna was amusing with her
display of affection for the prince. Mortals tended to fawn over
Kelor-dan’s human form, but the woman remained blissfully unaware
of his charms. He admired her intelligence for staying her ground
before a chimera and for having the common sense to avoid uttering
the abused human phrase of expressing gratitude to one of the
Forest Folk. No doubt, she would overcome her depression in a span
of days.

The Keeper, on the other hand, was
demonstrating a little more than his profession demanded. Most
likely, Arturion was still unaware of this fact. It wouldn’t be the
first time nor the last.

The Liyanna and her
keeper
, he chuckled at
the thought.

In ages past
, Kelor-dan used to blend in with the Merleinans. But, as
his forest expanded, his responsibilities grew and his interest
with the people of Merleina became limited to the concerns of his
domain.

His
kingdom and his subjects always came first that many were
surprised when a mortal girl had inadvertently diverted his
attentions from those he governed. They finally understood the
reason when they saw her in the feast. A Liyanna – or soon to be a
real Liyanna after their own heart. To have her in their midst was
an added bonus for she breathed and radiated life to every living
thing within her aura. Their territory would thrive exceptionally
with her prolonged presence.

The forest was abuzz with excitement ever since as
the Devatas happily pursued their duties. Their Sight assured them
that they would be able to watch over their beloved human provided
that she remained in their woods.

The palace and the forest blended
seamlessly. It was hard to determine where it began and
ended.
It
just is
, Kelor-dan had
said to her. It was useless to overanalyze a place where reality
and illusion were interwoven into the very fabric of the universe.
Elementals were scattered all over the forest, varying in size and
shape. They had a hierarchy among them, but there was also a spirit
of camaraderie. They nurtured and celebrated life. Their lives were
interconnected to the forest they resided in. They understood that
each has a different role to play yet equally important in
maintaining the ecological balance.

The tide of energy ebbed and flowed
continuously in Kelor-dan’s auric field. Its constant change and
pulsation made it appear like giant colored wings which extended to
the far reaches of his domain. It proved that he and the forest
shared a life bond, each dependent of one another’s existence.

In Karina’s world, it was easier for the
Devatas to leap at the opportunity of taking on a guise which
humans associated with their kind. And it seemed that this fact
still applied in the Devarian realm.

T
he first time Karina met the prince, she had thought he was
blonde underneath his hooded cape. It was only when the Devarian
women were fawning over him and outdoing each other by spouting
outlandish compliments at the prince that Karina realized the
truth. He has seen through her thoughts and altered his coloring,
sustaining his new appearance for a few minutes.

Kelor-dan changed his long hair back to the
dark brown and black of his woods to put a stop to the rivalry that
had erupted in his Court. He appeased them further by simply
stating that he preferred his original form.

She had never seen a real Devata before and based
her perception of them through her readings and the films she
watched like the Lord of the Rings. Their outward appearance was
similar to hers and the Merleinans save for a few exaggerated
features. Their big dark almond eyes; pointed ears; long limbs; and
the absence of the philtrum, the cleft found between the nose and
the upper lip, distinguished them from the human race.

Kelor-dan took her up the winding staircase,
making no mention of the tear tracks and dirt on her face. Along
the meandering steps, he pointed out his favorite spots and drew
his guest into the tales revolving around his kind. Most of it was
exaggerated to create the desired effect on his young human
friend.

They had reached the landing with Karina
holding on to his arm. Her shoulders shook as she tried to regain
her composure.

“
Please stop. I can’t – breath – anymore,”
she said between gulps of air and mirth.

“As you wish.” As soon as the words were out,
the laughter died.

“You weren’t using your Glamour on me, were
you?”

“I helped you stop.”

Mentally, Karina kicked herself for being
suspicious of the prince’s intentions. He was a perfectly good host
and companion.

“You should learn to ward your thoughts and
emotions. It is as clear as the Sinta Lake near your lodgings.” He
led her to another flight of steps.

“
I suppose I should,” she
grimaced.

“
I do not wish to interfere with your
problems, but I must know why you sought me out. Is it your desire
to see the wonders of our world? Or, am I the sole purpose of this
unannounced visit?” he teased.

“If I am as transparent as you claim me to
be, what do you truly see?”

“Sorrow. Helplessness.” He cupped her face
with his hands, his fingers grazing her cheek. “And love.”

Her eyes brimmed with tears. She turned
her face away from his unrelenting gaze and fought for
composure.

“
Can I stay here for a few days?” Karina
asked when she was confident her voice wouldn’t break.

“As long as you like.”

“
I haven’t spoken to Kala—”

Kelor-dan gently pressed his fingers to
her lips and said: “I will make arrangements for a message to be
sent to them.”

A weeping willow stood before them. The
branches drooped low that its long and narrow leaves touched the
floor. The prince swept the leaves aside and gestured to Karina to
enter.

It was brightly lit inside and showcased a
suite of rooms. The furnishings were elegant and simple in
design.

“
I hope it is to your liking. We have
endeavored to imitate parts of your human dwellings. Our Merleinan
friends do not use beds and chairs. We have installed some pieces
in your chambers,” Kelor-dan said.

Karina
looked into her quarters. A queen-sized bed in the master’s
bedroom, a dressing table with a rich assortment of combs and
jewelry, and a wardrobe comprised of clothes of different styles
and color, from shirt and pants to ball gowns. The bathroom looked
ordinary except for the constant warmth of the pool and the small
waterfall on the side. There was also a study room and a receiving
area.

She could not contain the smile that tugged
at her lips as she returned to the prince’s side.

“I’ve never had so many before. I don’t know
what to say.”

“Is everything to your satisfaction?”

“Yes.”

“I am pleased to hear it. I will leave you
now to rest. No one will disturb you. If your require anything, you
may call on Theona. She is the spirit of your willow tree.”

“
Kelor-dan, why did you let the creature
come near me?” The beast she had encountered was still fresh in her
mind.

“
You were in no real danger. The creature
is a variant of one of your mythical beasts, a chimera. They are
the result of the cloning experiments made by the Atlanteans and a
group of beings from another planet. It was an age when they strove
to perfect the human body. The chimera will attack only when they
have been hurt. Nonetheless, you have gained another friend in
Pellinor.”

The prince pulled a leaf that had snagged in
her hair.

“
There are many things I would like to show you. I
hope you will love my home as I do in the next few days.” He leaned
in and kissed her cheek. “Sweet dreams, my dear
Liyanna.”

The Sentries of the forest were always
coming and going, weaving through the trees, their destination
known only to them. They rode their steed bareback and without bit
and bridle. They were so attuned to their mounts that they seemed
to be an extension of each other rather than horse-and-master. She
had glimpsed Pellinor a few times. Once, he smirked at her when no
one was about. The other time she saw him, he frowned, turned his
back on her and shook his head. Karina doubted that there was any
friendship between them as the prince believed.

Kelor-dan wasn’t always there for her.
Theona arranged some of the entertainment to divert her. Despite
Karina’s rank in their society, the tree-spirit found her charge
amusing and loveable just for being human. The mortal’s
inquisitiveness and love for learning was refreshing. She was quick
to laugh and her vivid imagination equaled the children of the
Devatas. Her appreciation for nature and her warmth towards other
creatures won over the tree-spirit’s affection. Karina’s strong
intuition and open-mindedness enabled Theona to correct some of the
former’s misconceptions about their race.

The tree-spirit noted that the light and
air within Karina grew stronger by the day and her earth body
became weaker. It was certain that Kelor-dan noticed it but never
seemed to broach on the subject. Worst of all, Karina stubbornly
disregarded her condition.

On the fifth day, Theona’s concern grew as
she saw their Liyanna still lying in bed with a dark cloth over her
eyes and the lights dimmed. She made the exception of abandoning
her tree to fetch the prince.

Karina
felt and heard Kelor-dan’s presence in her bedroom. A chair
was lifted and deposited beside her bed. She keenly heard the wood
creak beneath Kelor-dan’s weight, resisting the urge to cover her
oversensitive ears.

“
Hi,” she said as low as possible. Even the
sound of her voice hurt.

“
Hello,” he returned.

She had taught him that greeting and was glad
he remembered it.

“Why were you crying in the forest?”

She had been expecting the question for a
while. Kelor-dan had earned the right to know the real reason that
made her flee Merleina. With a shaky breath, she said: “It’s
because I couldn’t go home. Knowing that I can never go back, I
wanted to run away from reality.”