A Land of Flowers and Fae

The Battle

Pyrrah dropped Elina on the sloping top of the tallest cactus. They were very high up. She did not like this at all. Larkspur buffeted her closer to the edge.

"Its just on the side here Ma'am. Don't worry, if you fall I'll catch you"

Elina wasn't very thrilled by that prospect. Getting caught by a sylph earlier in the day had been unpleasant at best. She shuffled to the edge of the roof and looked where Larkspur gestured. They were very high up. But there was a narrow opening. Perhaps big enough for her to slip through if she went in feet first. Larkspur whirled around her.

"I just checked, Dahlia is distracted. If you're quiet there's a ledge just inside you can land on. You'll have to slide down a pillar to get to the floor. I'll be right behind you"

"No, wait out here unless it looks like I'm in trouble. If Dahlia senses your magic we'll both be caught and I'll lose my chance"

The wind spirit hesitated.

"Be careful my Lady"

"I will' Elina said, steeling herself.

This was a very inconvenient time to not have wings. She backed to the edge of the roof and slung over the side, sticking her feet through the hole and resting her rear on the window's ledge. She felt around with her feet for a moment before she found a solid surface. She shimmied through the hole. Holding her breath the whole time.

She let out a long exhale when her head cleared the window and she was inside the dim interior of the cactus. It took a moment but her eyes adjusted. Dahlia's workshop was a mess of tables, shelves and columns. In the center of the room were seven high backed chairs, grown from the cactus itself. Another chair was positioned across from them with its back to the windows. It was empty. In the dead center of the room was a figure standing inside an opalescent barrier of magic.

Lavan

Her heart clenched at the sight. He was alive. And standing upright to boot. A female fairy was fluttering around him in circles.

They were speaking, but she couldn't quite make out the words. She needed to get down there.

With some maneuvering she latched onto the nearest pillar and shimmied down, hoping their talking would cover the scraping sounds she made.

She got to the floor, then crept closer to the chairs, ducking between tables and shelves. She made it to just behind the chairs. Judging by the strong magic on the other side, the Guardians were probably sitting in them. She heard a female voice, high and lilting. It would be pretty if it weren't speaking in a nasty tone.

" Ive known you for a long time master. Your face says it all. You're in love. Now that's no guarantee she feels quite the same. Do you think she'd come up here with the necklace if I threatened to kill you? Let's find out shall we? Maybe if you're lucky you'll get to die together! Wont that be romantic?"

There was a thudding sound and Elina ducked her head around the last chair in the line. Lavan had punched the wall of magic that kept him contained. His voice low and dangerous."If you so much as lay a finger on her, I swear Dahlia, I'll see that you die very slowly"

The dryad turned back towards the fairy lord so Elina ducked behind the chairs. She had to find a way to get him loose. She exhaled slowly and poked her head out from behind the chairs. Dahlia had her back turned. She was facing out a set of wide windows. She activated a spell and started to speak in a loud voice. It seemed like she meant to speak to Elina. It was encouraging that she felt like she needed to shout that loud. It meant she had no idea Elina was already in the room.