Dragon's Blood

Dragons

Iyla continued to walk with Bill following her conversation with Sam. He teased her for walking barefoot whilst he constantly tripped over roots and rocks, and had to stop regularly to remove things from his trainers. She welcomed some more light hearted conversation and Bill didn't ask what Sam had told her, even though she was sure he was curious. Once again, she felt grateful that Bill was there, she needed a friend, she needed his humour. He wasn't treating her any differently or looking at her like she'd grown a second head or anything which, under the circumstances, was pretty amazing.

It was dusk when Alona finally brought their little group to a stop.

"Haven," she said simply.

"Where?" asked Bill, all he could see was more trees.

"I can see it!" said Iyla, "Look closely Bill."

Bill squinted and looked hard at the trees in front of them. Sure enough, something did look different. The curve of a tree, the angle of light, the more he concentrated, the more he could see. Graceful organic structures which were part of the trees themselves, growing and alive as the forest around them, delicate walkways that curled and twisted up into the forest canopy high above them and occasional flashes of movement that he could not quite be sure were really there.

"It's so beautiful," whispered Iyla, she could see Haven much more clearly than Bill who was looking so hard he was beginning to get a headache.

"Relax Bill," said Sam, "The longer you spend here, the clearer it will be."

"It's like all I can see are the ghosts of something that used to be here," Bill said, "It's weird."

"You'll get used to it," said Sam and gently encouraged Bill forward to follow Alona.

On the pathway in front of them, two elves appeared as if from nowhere. Like Alona, they were tall and slender, dressed in the colours of the forest so that they too seemed a part of it. They had their bows at the ready and didn't look particularly friendly.

Alona spoke to them in a language Bill could not understand. It was gentle and melodic, the tone low and the words like poetry; he felt he could listen to it forever. He looked at Iyla and could see that she too was listening avidly. "I wonder what they're talking about." he said quietly.

"They are making sure we are who we say we are," she explained to Bill in a whisper, "Chiro and Arden had told them to expect us but they have to be careful of course," Bill looked at her in amazement.

"You can understand what they're saying?"

"Can't you?"

"Er-no,"

"They are speaking Elvish," said Sam, "Iyla can understand because she is half Elf."

"Right," said Bill, and then with a hint of resigned sarcasm, "Makes perfect sense."

Alona had finished speaking and, apparently satisfied, the two Elves nodded to her and proceeded to lead them into Haven.

"We will meet with my father," Alona said, "And then you can eat and rest."

As they walked through the beautiful Elfin architecture, they were aware of eyes watching them but saw no-one. It would have been quite disconcerting were it not for the feeling of peace and complete security that hung in Haven's air.

Alona led them to one of the winding walkways, which meandered up and around the biggest tree Iyla had ever seen in her life. As they climbed higher and higher, the branches of the great tree began to form a building, an ornate structure growing as part of the tree itself.