Hierarchy (Book Four of the Torrent Skies Saga)

Chapter Fifty-Two: Wishes Do Come True, Pt 1

After the remainder of their stay in Etamil, they went directly to Ilistrish. It was something they had discussed already. Katerin needed to visit to fulfill a request from her mother, and Fykes was endeared to the idea of the place, so with only a bit of bargaining from them both, they had agreed to end their time away from home, there.

As the teleportation spell finished, Telemir gestured grandly.

A soft tinkling of sound could be heard upon an unusually warm breeze for this late spring. The smell of early blossoms was like perfume above the vibrant grove before them, and the entire atmosphere seemed different. Greens, oranges, soft purples and pinks, all of them painted the city like it was a canvas. Garden's stretched, trees grew from rooftops of grassy knolls. The streets were packed dirt, somehow free of mud, with soft mosses winding along them. The sky, even, seemed bluer and more content.

The whole of the place looked as if it had materialized out a storybook. Riverside docks had small boats tied to poles, and this was where Katerin, Fykes, and Telemir stood. The elves and other peoples of Ilistrish walked barefoot as they worked and traveled. No one cast any strange glances at them, only smiling and waving as they passed.

The perfume of new blossoms was almost intoxicating, as Telemir said his farewells, and left Katerin and Fykes to their newest adventure.

For nearly fifteen days, the two explored the verdant town. They watched performances upon the stages, listened to storytellers around the bonfires at night, played games of chance at one of the many taverns, ate dinners in every place they could, including the hall where each morning and each night, meals were offered free of charge, for all who would enjoy. Ilistrish seemed to be fond of plants above everything else. Some days, the pair simply strolled around the town, marveling at the gardens. They grew plants to such large and vibrant sizes, that Katerin thought Fykes might never want to leave. He adored them, and each chance he got, he asked their tenders how they managed such feats. When Katerin finally had the courage to try it, she learned that the mosses on their roads were softer than the finest of carpets, and being barefooted really was pleasant here. There were no sharp stones, no sticks, splinters or thorns.

Every morning the birds sang, and the wind chimes awoke them, and they continued exploring, as if living within a dream. They had two days left of their agreed upon time, when Katerin awoke the next morning. For all the peace she felt, all she wanted was to curl up in the blanket, and watch the hummingbirds on the flowers outside their window.

But with a groan, she rose, dressed, and combed her hair. It was down to her shoulders again, and regaining some of its old wavy attitude, made worse by the bath she had yesterday, and the neglect she'd shown it the night before. It was a tangled mess, but tending it only gave her more time to admire the birds and the squirrels outside.

Fykes stirred as Katerin thanked the innkeeper for a pitcher of coffee, a platter of fruits and cheeses, and a small dish full of walnuts. Meat was not a very popular food choice in Ilistrish. Not all the elves were against hunting, but they had decided that their town could provide plenty of food without it, and they were not incorrect. Fishing was a much easier job, with the town so close to the river. And the shepherds here had peaceful, happy flocks of animals. She had even heard the shepherds speaking to the goats and sheep as if they were friends, and she still wondered how the goats, at least, did not wreak havoc in the gardens. An Innkeeper had told her it was an old art of conversing with beasts, and she supposed that it was not so strange an idea, after all.

Katerin sat beside Fykes, and plucked her favorites off the platter, offering it to him.

He gave her an almost pouting look, as he poured himself some coffee. "Are you sure you don't want to join me in the square, today? I heard there will be acrobats performing. They drink fire, or so I hear."