The Tale of the Huntress

14. First Lesson

"I apologize for my actions last night," the huntress began as the misfit family sat around a small table at the diner near their inn. Armageddon peacefully dozed beneath his friend's seat and Lilium scarfed down her pancakes with a gleeful grin on her face. "I don't remember all of what I said but I recall having an attack."

Iridian didn't reply but nearly cringed at the mention of the night before. It was very different to see Nova as a fiery individual with the stubbornness of a mule and then watch her crumble away to a tormented soul. After only meeting her less than a day before, he felt he had known her more deeply than even the Queen of Vish'mi who had apparently been her longest kept acquaintance.

"Momma you were saying something about Arc-art-uh I can't remember how to say it. And you also were talking in your sleep about jewelry," Lilium piped up. Both Iridian and Nova blinked at the child with wide eyes as the innocent girl smiled up at them with blueberry sauce staining her mouth.

"Arcturus. You mentioned the name yes," Iridian said pretending to correct his daughter but actually wanting to hear who this important figure was in Nova's history. However, she caught on and gave him a sharp glance as if to tell him that questions about her life were unwelcome.

"My brother," she replied harshly. Iridian had no sense of when to stop pushing her so he popped a berry in his mouth off of his own pancake and nodded once.

"And what happened to him? You were saying these strange words that I recognized as the language of Ras'pius."

"He's dead," she glared daggers into his face and he gulped, fearful of the predatory way her eyes sharpened. She continued to eat in silence as Lilium filled the quiet void with four year old ramblings. They finished breakfast and left without anymore exchanging of words unless it was to talk to the only bonding element they had, Lilium.

"I thought that we could start her training today. She might only be a child but a whisperer's magic grows quickly after their first display. I heard from Lilium that she stopped bad guys. May I ask what happened?" This was new to Nova coming from the hardheaded elf. He was actually polite when asking for a backstory this time so she decided to oblige his request if only for this one thing.

"I was taking her home from Lady Mathilda's house," Nova began and a shred of worry filled her heart over the friend that she'd abandoned. "and a group of soldiers grabbed us. When she saw I was going to get hurt, she shrieked and golden light came from her."

Iridian nodded along with her explanation and motioned for them to turn after the next building to continue on a path towards the forest. Lilium rode on the back of Armageddon, watching every butterfly and bird that flew above her with gleeful interest as he took to glancing around for anyone who might snatch her from him. Few even glanced their way as they walked through the town which confused Nova as to how these people were comfortable with an Axius in their midst. Then another question popped into her head and she muttered a curse under her breath having not thought about it up until that point.

"Iridian, what town is this?" She asked. He paused in his step for a second before resuming. It was then very clear to the huntress that he was a very forgetful man.

"We are in Senithe, Jeccaur," he spoke and put his arms out to the landscape around him like it was a grand welcome to the unfamiliar place. Her eyes went wide with shock realizing that he had truly meant they were across the map from the Queen.

"That's...how did you manage to transport us to the elven continent?" Nova questioned with a baffled expression. He smirked and the huntress nearly told him that she didn't want to hear it anymore but her curiosity outweighed her annoyance with him. They had finally arrived at the forest's edge at this point and Iridian was the first to venture in while Nova positioned herself behind her friend and daughter in case anything happened. He turned his head enough so he could talk clearly to her but still watch where they were headed.