Denial of the Whisper

Chapter Seven.

Chapter Seven.

Ilyria.

What Dylana told me... it almost sounded like a dream. A city, where people lived in peace. A city, that respected equality, that respected humans, even though none lived it in. They chose not to. The humans had their own city, Hintras. And their city was protected by Ilyria, just like the whole territory of High Ilryn was. According to Dylana, underneath the city were a bunch of hot springs and a tunnel system, some houses even had deep cellars with various floors below. Some of them were even connected, but some were also blocked by spells that would only let certain people enter. It all sounded too magical, too fabulous, too much as if she made half of it up. But just because I had not known such things existed, didn't mean they couldn't.

I listened to her, let the information sink in, my mind already forming pictures in my head, of what it might look like, underneath the houses of Ilyria. According to Dylana, the 'City under the City' was something that belonged to Ilyria as much as the steep hill where the castle was set upon, her own house being just at the foot of exactly that.

"I can show you the city in a few days.", Dylana offered.

Wordlessly, I looked at her, took in her beautiful face once more. Just right from the beginning I had known that she was a Fleyr, but it hadn't been her ears that had told me that, it had been... something else. She just seemed to glow in something, something that I hadn't been able to put my finger on. Something was just off.

Dylana was watching me intently just like she had the whole time while speaking. My silence seemed to unsettle her, because she continued to speak after a few minutes "You can talk with me, you know?"

I looked at her, and my mistrust must have shown itself clearly upon my face. "Where do you come from?", Dylana then asked, her tone casual.

"As if you don't know. Srin, this soldier. He bought medicine from me weeks ago, and days after that, Caaln arrived. He knew where I was, and I believe you know, too. I'm not that dumb to believe that all of this was a mere coincidence. I am human, but I'm not dumb." I murmured and washed my arms once more.

She winced at that. "First, you are not a mere human. And even if, I couldn't care less. Second... I don't believe that you are dumb. But I do believe, that you are a bit stupid, especially for hitting Caaln. Don't get me wrong, he might have deserved it, but he was only following orders and..."

"Whose orders?", I quickly cut in.

Dylana stopped her brabbling and simply answered "Caaln is Head of the Guards."

"I thought he's the commander. They called him that when we crossed the bridge."

She smiled "Yeah. He is. The Head of the Guard is the commander of the whole armies of High Ilryn."

I froze and stared at her in shock.

The commander of the whole army.

"You look as if you'd seen a ghost", Dylana chuckled and reached for a big fluffy towel, probably the biggest one I'd ever seen. I didn't move at first, but then, I took it, unfolded it and tried to cover myself as I stood up.

Her gasp stopped me. "What's happened with your ribs? Gosh, they are purple."
I quickly tried to cover myself, but her hand on my wet shoulder stopped me. "By the Sladowran, what happened? Caaln... he wouldn't..."

"When he told me to come with him, I fled."

"And then?", she inquired.

"He caught me. I fell against a tree."