Heart of Netis

Chapter XI: Netis

Dawn broke through the thin canopy of leaves, spotlighting the sleeping princess and maegiling. The gentle twittering of the dawn birds woke Netis, and she sat up. Concentrating hard, she thought of the little cheese pies that the Head Cook often baked in the mornings at the Idian castle. She held her hands out, and two steaming pies materialised in her palms. She sent a wake-up thought to Arriway, and he bolted awake.

"Breakfast." Netis offered a pie to him. Arriway took it, devouring it in a matter of seconds.

"You are ravenous." Netis noted.

"Where'd you get them from?"

"Oh, I summoned them from the castle kitchens."

"The cook's brilliant. Can I have another?"

Netis tutted and summoned a couple more.

"Let's get back on the journey, Arri."

It was just as they had cleared the woods, in the early afternoon, that they encountered the first other living being in two days. Arriway started.

"They're a maegiling."

"They're a what?"

"A maegiling. A non-human, usually has maegia. Sometimes maegiling are born without maegia though. Between the ages of three and seven, we are called belings."

"Oh."

The other maegiling was staggering towards them, crying to them for help. A strange creature was pursuing them, slashing a long barbed tail at them. The maegiling screamed and tried to defend themself. Netis grabbed a bow and a full quiver from the shadows.

Arriway stared. "Where'd you get those from?"

Netis grinned mischievously. "Let's just say the armoury at the castle now has one less bow and quiver."

She expertly nocked an arrow with a razor sharp edge and loosed it at the creature, severing its barbed tail. The thing squealed in frustration and charged around the maegiling, and straight at Netis. She nocked three arrows at once, and let them fly into the creature's heart. It let out a long, ear-splitting scream and began to crumple in on itself, finally melting into the darkness. Arriway rushed towards the wounded maegiling lying on the ground, and began muttering healing spells under his breath, while Netis collected her arrows and cleaned them. She knelt by the maegiling's side, and touched her hand to their forehead, healing a cut that was there.

"What's your name?" Netis asked carefully.

"My name is Ardnas. I am of the rare sexless and agender maegilings. I come bearing grave news. Your journey ahead is not easy. It will not end in harmony. There will be betrayal, and great, great pain. Brace yourselves."

Ardnas grew weary, and they fought to keep their eyes open.

"If you keep walking south, as you are, you will soon come to a cluster of low stone brick houses. That is my village, Ilmor. Tell them Ardnas has sent you, and you will be welcomed, given a bed and food. Meanwhile, I must go on to the castle of Idia and reassure King Ictance and Queen Oslea that the Princess is safe."

While Arriway saw to it that Ardnas was healed and rested, and equipped for their long journey, Netis scouted ahead a little distance to find out if the village was in sight- and indeed it was. She turned and jogged back, and Arriway was walking towards her.

"Ardnas has gone on their way. We have to get to this village by sundown. How far is it?"

"It is in sight, but looks far. You could always fly there."

"But you can't fly, and I won't leave you."

"Maybe if I found a horse- if I summoned a horse from the castle stables."