Secrets of the Trees

12 - Flying Feet And The Past

Today, is the first time since being brought to Palladia, that I have not seen Deliah. She has been with me every step of the way, and coached me on everything. Now, she has begun a a dangerous quest, and now I am alone here with Kael, awaiting her news. At this point, there are so many questions still unanswered. And to be quite honest, it's been a little awkward so far.

During breakfast, during cleanup, lunch, more cleanup, collecting firewood, and cleaning tidbits of firewood from my dress, we have only made small talk. Kael has barely even made an effort to teach me anything more that could be useful in defeating the master. So, I pushed him for answers.

He was bent over, adjusting one of his wooden stumps around the firepit when I approached him.

"Are you done?"

"Done with?"

"Oh, I don't know, avoiding me perhaps? Or in nicer terms, accidentally not really ackknowledging me. And don't pretend you have know idea what I'm talking about. Deliah said you would help me today, not turn me into a little housemaid."

Pursing his lips, he paused before replying. "Because," again, another pause. "There is nothing more I can teach you."

"Excusez-moi?"

"Huh?"

"Excuse me, you know in French?"

"French?" His mouth savored the word, he enunciated the 'ch' part.

"Nevermind, not important."

"You are quite right."

"Don't go off subject now, what exactly do you mean you don't have anything more to teach me?"

Kael sat down on the stump he had just fiddled with, crossing one leg over the other, folding his hands in his lap, in a very sarcastic gesture. "I mean exactly what I said."

I rolled my eyes at him. Arrogant. "How can you teach me no more? You may be only a half-breed, but you are a magic weilder, and there is an obvious sharpness to you. Can't you show me something from your books, there are many-"

"It is a rare occasion, your highness, when I make a joke. There is nothing more to show you. You have improved already great skills in archery, and even with daggers, as few times as we have used them. Swift, in both reflexes and in mind are you. Magic, well that has already been learned too, since the epiphany you had of our languages.

As for history, that is something learned over time, not all at once. The only test left, is to see you fighting with people by your side since this war will not be fought alone. But there is only me, and you today, leaving that out of the question for the moment."

He was right. Deliah is just trying to help me, but Kael is right. When I didn't say anything back, he just shrugged his shoulders as if to say, 'it's true.'

 My eyes wandered from his dark, olive eyes, and black hair, which hung down his head, just inches below his ears, to the canopy above me. Green, was the scene, for miles of Acantha Wood, with the sun leaking through, making the leaves look transparent. This place had become my temporary home, but it won't be temporary in my mind. Such beauty cannot be forgotten.

A gentle breeze rustled the plants all around me, sweeping up a few leaves in its path. Suddenly, I felt the urge to just walk. Walk away from Kael, and his little house, and to walk away from all that kept me in this green confinement. At that moment, I wished I could fly. And so, I did. No, no wings magically sprouted from my shoulders, but my feet were light, dashing away.

He didn't try and stop me. Wind has caught up to my speed, almost carrying me as I run. To where, I don't know. In a direction not familliar. There was no caring about whether there were poisonous plants at my feet, or worry of bugs catching in my mouth as a laugh escaped it. Not a care. Just an undescribable bliss.