Tributes

Chapter Twenty Seven

Luke sighed  before turning away from the stream and looked back at the forest. Even over the babbling water he was able to hear the trees whispering around him. The trees were still were unrepentant about what had happened to him but they cared about him and that helped. Sometimes. He stood and headed back to the castle. Running up against a carriage on the way in.  He landed on the cab and shifted to sit next to the driver happily.

"Luke?" The driver  commented, vaguely surprised to see him. Luke recognised him too, though he couldn't think of the creatures name. He was one of Heilan's aides. It was entirely possible that the man had never told him his name, after all the fae were careful who they gave that knowledge to. "You're back?"

"Yes. Have been for a couple of days now," Luke smiled at the man. "Master has commanded that I remain for two more weeks but I needed a run," he yawned stretching his limb out. "Who's in the carriage?" He asked.

"Two of the humans for the castle and the Dungeon Master," The fae commented, his wording oddly neutral about the topic.

Luke blinked. "Either of them a tribute?" Luke asked calmly, tilting his head. It was strange for the fae not to directly say what the humans were intended for. It hinted that the man wanted to tell Luke something that he could not simply say out loud. Not too uncommon for a fae, but certainly not a game he was in the mood to play. Unfortunately those games existed for a reason. A fae could not lie, but they had spend millennia perfecting the act of misdirection and omitting information to suit their needs. Humans had no such compulsion.

"One. The girl," the fae offered.

"Thank goodness. Julia is getting a bit overwhelmed from all the boys," Luke chuckled. "Even with the younger boys being gentle souls, she's struggling."

The man smiled back at him but it didn't quite meet his eyes. "Master's tributes this time have had more lads than normal, I'll give you that," the Aide chuckled, "Though, if I remember correctly, the twins were supposed to be a lass so..." he trialed off thoughfully. A requested type was often ignored if a better suited soul were found. Abel's magic and its potential to be dangerous was far more important than any of the mortal girls in the twin's village. Anna, the girl in the carriage, had shined a little brighter than the other girls but wasn't anything too special on the surface.

"That so," Luke murmured, thinking over the numbers. "So what? 7 boys and 6 girls were requested. We are one girl down, two boys up. So we are looking at 9 boys and five girls, assuming nothing else happens," he reasoned. "Should be fun," he grinned widely, pulling back on the charming flirt mask he usually danced in. "Mind if I go say hello?"

"Could I stop you?" The aide asked half seriously.

Luke just gave him a wink making the fae laugh as he slung himself over the side. Gripping to the top of the carriage, he opened the door and slide into the carriage with little bother. "Hello," he beamed at the people inside. The Dungeon Master grunted in response, having heard him on the top. The other two looked at him cautiously. "I hope your journey hasn't been too bad," he commented, settling himself down on the bench next to the dungeon master. The girl was huddled against the boy. A familiarity there which made something in his mind tug. That wasn't a good sign. The suspicions raised by the fae's vague words shifted again in his chest and Luke made himself comfortable behind his act.

"Ignoring the storms, not as such. Thank you," The boy smiled friendly. Young man, actually, Luke noticed. He was old enough to have sex. Luke could smell it on him. He had a pretty enough face and his attitude seemed good too. The girl was younger though. Not as young as Paul, but younger than Julia. Most likely on the threshold of the normal ages given. "You are a member of the court?" The young man asked curiously.