Pawn, volume 1 of Different Worlds

3. Away from everyone's eyes

POV: Aisha

My tail still aching, I finally arrive at The Cliff, gateway to the only Minsk village in the close surroundings where I live- Argondis.
I look down and see the limpid lake, its depths not known and a mystery to me. I then raise my head and look before me as I take a step forward into thin air.
I feel the solid bridge below my feet and smile in reassurance—every single time I use the invisible pathway, I still fear a mistake in Granny's enchantment, a problem, even though deep down I know she isn't capable of such a grave mistake, she took part in the war and has managed to keep the village hidden for almost two decades.
I walk, holding my heavy charge tight in case he would slip, although I seriously doubt he would wake up before a while after how I knocked him out.

After five minutes, I have crossed the gap separating the big pile of rocks and the waterfall. It would reach up to twenty five meters and the water became white when it touches the lake because of the crushing impact. It was beautiful and peaceful, despite the noise, not what one would expect to be the hideout of the most searched for revolutionary operator in the southeast, which was exactly the reason it was such a good 'home'. After all, I had lived here for a little less than ten years and I have yet to see someone in Maikril suspect a thing.

I arrive in front of the rushing waterfall and pronounce three distinctive words, opening a small gap in the curtain of water that I know will close back in a matter of seconds. I take a step forward and close my eyes shut. A flash of light almost swallows me up but all I do is smile : this light, is the sign I've arrived.

*****

Looking after my prisoner with an insistent look, I can feel the eyes of the guards in my back but decide to just ignore it in the name of laziness.
It's been nearly an hour since I have come back and not once have I spoken a single word, as if that would have broken my luck going up with Granny's fury. So far, so good, she hadn't yet come to break my silence and peace with a morally correct remark. Just as my thoughts turn to the boy laying in front of me, a 90-inch tall Elvlin comes into the room, clearing their throat.

-Madam Green requests your assistance, she is waiting for you in the Upper Branch.

Madam Green, the leader of this forest's Elvlins and past revolutionary against emperor Blaze. Even though she was only around 100 years old, she was respected a lot. She had welcomed me in when I was about 6, after my dad saved me by sending me into forest.
I call her Madam Green in public, like anybody else does, but when we are alone, I call her Granny, because that's just how close and important I see her as.

She doesn't show it much, but she loves me, I know she does, but sadly that won't ever stop her from punishing me for safety reasons...

The messenger then scrambles away without another word and I know I am in the deepest depths of trouble as I regretfully stand up and head off, just when I had started to think she wouldn't mind...

*****

After I had given the order to the guards to watch over the prisoner closely, I scale the Mother tree, where the eastern forest Elvlins reside, taking all of my time, wishing to delay the most I could the moment I would have to confront her. But, sadly, luck has never been my forte and inevitably, I end up waist to nose with Granny after merely five minutes.

I am but a meter away from her but I can see anger, frustration and disappointment seeping through her sharp eyes.
I had screwed up bringing a human—a soldier, as if it couldn't get worse. I knew, for one, that she couldn't stand the very sight of a human being and the reason Granny and I have been coexisting so well was that she had that sense of duty and felt as though she had to form me for when the gods will eventually want my help. Though she's mentioned once that she thinks of me as a precious pupil, or so she said. Nothing else. Nothing more.