Foxfire (The Blood Oath) old version

Chapter 10: Flames and Shadows

   

     There was so much he didn't understand in the world he was born into. The wind around his skin. The earth beneath his feet. The magic of bonding. Green forest teeming with unnatural life forms. There were much more things he shuddered to think of.

Drake stared blankly at the book on his hands. The red flowers in the Palace gardens did not prove any better a company than the brothers he had escaped from. Images of the night in the woods lingered in his mind. He saw her face, time and time again. Who could she be? The lady of woods she had called herself. She wasn't human, yet looked like a Lady dressed in a garment of pure sunlight. Her words echoed in his mind, the mysterious things she spoke of.

"What do you have there?" a tender voice sounded.

Drake jerked on the garden chair was sitting on and lifted his eyes up. "Elizabeth," his voice held excitement.

She looked different than he remembered back in Shearmark town. The wind pushed her hair to flutter sideways. She used her hand to hold on to her white flowing garment, belted loosely at her waist with a golden girdle. For a moment, he mistook her for a Princess of some distant land.

Elizabeth reached for the book on Drake's hand, "Mysteries of the Fair folks," she read the front cover.

Drake returned a smile, "you got me," he waved his right hand.

"Sounds interesting," she said and sat beside him.

He noticed a red scar running down her left arm. A brief episode of silence accompanied his gaze and then he leaned backwards on the chair.

"I came to see you at the healer's chamber, but the Sisters of Restoration would not let me in."

Elizabeth chuckled, "cold hags! They are good at their jobs though."

Drake spared her a glance and then burst out in laughter.

Moments passed and the silence continued. Drake couldn't handle the guilt. Should he apologize for dragging her into his mess of a life? He knew the question had arisen in both their mind. The men who had tried to take their life must have been sent by someone. She didn't seem to want to talk about it and he did not bring up the question.

For Drake, it was quite simple. The household of Henrik the Magnificent was not a garden of tranquility. Even if he didn't look too close, he would find more than a few who would want him dead.

Father paid him little mind for being a weakling. William hated him for being the son of a woman who had taken his mother's place as the Duchess. Edward hated him because his twin, William, loathed Drake. Philip was the only one with no real motive. Even though he was the eldest, he was not recognized as his father's heir for going against the Duke's wishes and joining the School of Divination.

Elizabeth continued to circle her gaze around the garden. It was like she has never seen anything so beautiful.

"So this is your real home?"

"Yes," Drake grinned, "I lived in this quarter with my mother."

"Quarter?" her voice held surprise, "where is she?"

Drake went silent. His eyes went upon the building surrounding the garden, watching a rush of clear water cascading down a fountain. Elizabeth said no more of his mother. Perhaps she noticed a hint of distaste in the conversation.

"So what's with the book?" she continued.

A bolt of enthusiasm surged through Drake's body. He leaned forward and opened his lips, but then his answer echoed in his head again and he felt reluctant to speak. Elizabeth would not stop staring at him. Drake sighed. He reached for her fingers and held them in his hands.