Sword in the stone.

Chapter Fifteen: A Fiend and a Friend

Ahn's POV

I sigh looking at the books on Dryads. River looks through one of them. He asks, "are these any bit helpful?"

"A little... thank you."

"So, it's not all that helpful?" he asks.
"They are helpful... just not as much as they could be," I say awkwardly. He looks over confused. I reply, "well, I mean... it doesn't tell me how it all happened to me... and why?"
"Huh?"
"Why this happened... like I've looked at the photo thingies and I'm the only one who looks like this... why do I have flowers?"
"Flowers? Oh! To be honest you look like Lady Halira... you remember her helping you?"
"Yeah... but it doesn't explain why I look different."
He sighs and rubs my back before adding, "I get it."

"Do you think I'll end up like her?"
"Maybe, maybe not. I'm not quite sure. I don't know... well anything about Dryads or their magic. But maybe?"
"Right... I'm sorry...I still can't believe I have magic now... like actual magic and it's not just like a video game."
"Video game?"
"Oh, it's something from our world a lot of people play them... I did when I went over to my friend Josh's house... He didn't seem to mind that I was different though which was nice."
"Different?"
"Well, I kinda always knew I wasn't a girl and he'd get me clothes that I could wear over there. He never said anything besides 'do you wanna change into something more comfortable?'"

"Mhm? Who is Josh?"
"He's a friend I made in college before I had to drop out."
"Why'd you have to drop out?"
"I came out to my family, and they didn't like it... they thought college was the reason I was like that so they messed with my scholarships, and I couldn't finish attending... I was told I was incredibly intelligent, but I wasn't smart enough to figure out how to get more money without help."
He nods looking sad and kinda guilty. I look over. He sighs, "Sorry it's just things like that aren't common here and I still am getting used to the fact your family didn't accept you for who you are."
I nod softly, "sometimes I don't get it myself."
He looks away, "Yeah... I mean how could they do that to you?"
"I don't know... I don't need to know anymore anyways... I'm here now... and y'all are good to me."
"Well, I'm glad to hear that you're happy here."

I nod before I flop backwards onto the bed. I ask, "what do you think Mayor Dartial is doing?"
"Knowing that it's Thursday and with the news about Dotas? Probably a meeting until three then he'll drop by since he's added that into his schedule, eat with us then go home."
"I wish that were true," I hear. I turn. Ari. I smile.

"Hi, Nurse Ari!"
"You don't have to call me that!"
"Right, sorry Ari."
"Don't worry about it, Ahn! You're so new to this that it's understandable, okay?"
"Oh–okay."

She pats my shoulder before looking at the pile of books. She frowns then looks over, "Still trying?"
"Yeah... I just wanna figure out what I am."
"I get it... you wanna feel like you belong... it's normal."
We hear rustling. I tuck in feeling some panic. River gently pats my shoulder. He asks, "Who's there?"
"Just me," Carmine says as she walks past the room. I look up at River confused. He had her in a room downstairs! She asks, "What's wrong?"
"Isn't your room downstairs?" I ask. She nods. I ask, "So um, why are you up here?"
"Ah, oh just checking in on you."
"That's my responsibility," Ari says softly, "So try again... I don't think Mayor Dartial would like it to find out that his son's girlfriend is a liar."
"Well, more of a check to see that you were all here."
"What?"
Before we get any more answers from her, she disappears. River looks at Ari, "Worth it?"
"I'd say so... she's acting strange."
"A battle?" I ask fearfully.

"It'll be okay... you just hide here."
"No... I can't you've been too good to me."
"Fine, I'll call Uncle."
I feel something, then pull us down. An arrow in the wall right where River was standing. I knew it. Ari nods as do I. We're under attack.