Eternal Entities

Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

Valgus looked at Spivi when Nağme finished her retelling of events. Spivi avoided the elf's gaze. He shrank himself. Valgus gave a small chuckle before he held out his open palm. In a sweet voice Valgus said, "I am not angry at you. Far from it in fact. So, would you please come here?" Spivi made a soft chime as he flew to sit in Valgus' palm. "Thank you Spivi. For all that happened you were very brave. Could you do me a favor and bring us some parchment and an ink quill?"

Spivi flew off Valgus' hand and grew. "I will get what I can Mister!" He flew out of the room in a hurry.

Nağme looked at Valgus in confusion. "You are planning something. What do you have in that head of yours?"

"Nağme, what are your thoughts on the boy?"

"What? He is a sweet boy. There is obviously something making him timid, but the music seems to make him come to life. He is a prime example of why I chose to become a bard."

"Does he have potential?"

Nağme scrunched her face before realization hit her. "Yes, Valgus. Little Spivi shows a lot of potential."

"Good, so we are on the same page. I will leave it to you then."

Nağme bowed her head slightly. As she lifted her head, the boy's father entered covered in blood. He looked shaken. He took a quick breath in and exhaled, "That was...something."

"Are our friends okay sir?" Valgus asked.

"No need for the 'sir', lad. Just call me Loro," the haggard fae offered. "As for your friends, they're going to be okay. The, uh, lady exhausted too much of her magic and stamina while her body was trying to heal. Same with the avinian. They need to rest now."

"May we go see them?"

"No!" Loro rushed the answer quite nervously. "It is, uh, best to just leave them be till the morning." He knelt beside Nağme and started to do a deeper examination on her wings. "It looks like it has been dislocated in some places. I am going to have to pop them back in. Where did Spivi go? I will need his help."

"Valgus asked him to get some paper to write with," Nağme explained. "Spivi is a wonderful boy, Loro, very kind with exceptional etiquette. You must be very proud."

"Haha! Well at least he got my sense of bedside manner and not his ma's. She was always so blunt with her speech."

Valgus spoke up, "If you do not mind me asking, where is his mother?"

"Ah, well, she sadly passed a few years ago," Loro had a bittersweet smile on his face. His eyes had a thin haze over them. "We faes may not have a long lifespan, but it was early, even by our standards."

"I am sorry to hear that," Valgus twirled his ring and hung his head.

"I think that is why he took so kindly to you. Your aura resembles hers." Loro gave Nağme a pat on the head. He got up and grabbed a few ointments and tools.

Nağme brought a hand up to one of her earrings. "I know what the loss of a mother is like."

Spivi returned with his arms full of writing materials. "Hello, Papa!"

"Spiv, I need you to help me set the young miss's wings. Give the young elf the things he has asked for and get ready with your pixie dust mixture," Loro instructed. Spivi nodded and handed over the items he brought to Valgus before setting up a bowl with various jars and bags in a corner. Loro put turmeric root in Nağme's mouth and had her lay on her stomach. Spivi came to her side with a bowl full of dust glowing the same turquoise blue of his wings. The father-son pair worked quick and smooth. As Loro snapped the bones back into place, Spivi would sprinkle the pixie dust over the area affected. Nağme gritted her teeth. The root of turmeric ground against her teeth. Valgus winced with each popping sound.

"Alright," Loro interjected, "that should do it. Spivi, start rewrapping the wings. Now, Miss Nağme, the pixie dust mixture will accelerate the healing process, but you should still lay off the aerial stunts for a day or two."

"Tch, okay Loro," Nağme winced as Spivi tightened her bandages. "I have something I would like to discuss with you Spivi."

"Yes Miss? What do you need?" Spivi wiped his hands on a small towel.

"Little One, how would you like to become a bard?"

"Wh-what?!"

"You show potential in becoming a wonderful bard. I plan on writing a letter to my teacher in Briarvi about taking you on as a student. Of course, if you and your father are okay with that."

Spivi's eyes sparkled. He fluttered in front of Loro, "Can I Papa? Oh, please!"

"But you don't have an instrument Spiv. There aren't any crafters in the village that make instruments either," Loro scratched his head.

"No worries, Loro. If Spivi can be my little helper, I can make him an instrument."

"I'll do whatever I can to help you, Miss! You can count on me!" Spivi bounced in place. He went back and forth between his father and Nağme.

Nağme giggled, "Wonderful! Tomorrow evening, bring me the best stick you can find. Any size and shape will do. I will take care of gathering the other materials. Understood?"

"Yes Miss!" Spivi responded. "I am going to be a bard!"

"Haha, you sure are boy. Now, let us leave these two to get their rest as well," Loro guided the excited fae out of the room. He gave a polite nod to Valgus and Nağme.

Valgus let out a sigh when their hosts were gone. "This should never have happened."

Nağme placed her hand on his knee, "It is okay My Prince. We may be bruised, but we have our lives."

"But you were put in danger all because of me," Valgus' breath got quicker. He gripped his fair hair in desperation.

"That is not true Valgus!" Nağme held his shoulders in an effort to comfort him.

Valgus started to tear up and his muscles tensed. Hos words were fast and frenzied. "If you never got involved with me, then you wouldn't have gotten roped into this stupid prophecy and be putting yourself in danger!"

Nağme made the panicked elf look her in the eyes. His storm-grey eyes met her clear sky-blue ones. "If we had never you, Aavistus and I would still be on the street in just as much danger! You saved us, Prince Valgus, and for that we will do all we can to repay you. Even if that means following you into the heart of Necaz."

Valgus wiped away his tears. He pulled her in for a tight hug, "Aavistus is so lucky to have a little sister like you!"

"Ouch! Mind the wings please!"

"My apologies! I totally forgot."

"It is fine, Valgus," Nağme gave an airy laugh, "and I think of you as my older rother too."

Valgus petted Nağme, "Aww. I love you, Nağme."

"Love you too, Valgus."

"Let us go to bed. We will talk to Vanajja and Aavistus in the morning."

Nağme got up and went to her own cot. She fell asleep on her stomach. Valgus drifted off soon after.