Starlight (Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-One

Arik didn't stop the stallion until the midday sun was high and the forest surrounding him was thick. He knew that the horses needed to rest from the hard ride. The Halfling dismounted and reached up to help Annika down. As soon as Arik placed her on the ground she stumbled. Arik caught her and Annika smiled up at him and assured him that she was alright. He wasn't sure if her legs were sore from the ride or weak from what the Sprites had done to her, but he could sense that it was most likely the latter.

     "Is she alright?" Ro asked as she dismounted the mare.

     Arik simply nodded in Ro's direction and then turned his attention to Annika who had moved to sit in a nearby patch of wildflowers.

     "How long are we stopping for?" Ro asked the Halfling.

     Arik turned to face her, "Just long enough for the horses to rest."

     Ro nodded, "Alright."

     Ro began to stretch, lifting her stiff arms above her head. The sun was hot on her skin, but it didn't burn her. It felt nice and relaxing. It wasn't like the brutal sun of a Texas summer. She knew that would be one thing about her realm that she wouldn't miss. Ro made her way towards Annika and watched as the little girl tied wildflower stems together.

     "Beautiful." Ro told her.

     Annika smiled, "Flowers are beautiful."

     Ro's eyes widened, "You understood me?"

     "She has been practicing." Arik said from behind her.

     Ro turned to face Arik and then turned back to see Annika holding up a necklace made of yellow and red wildflowers. Ro smiled and took the necklace from the little girl. She slipped it over her head and rubbed one of the soft petals between her fingers. Ro had made these flower necklaces before when she was Annika's age, but they were never this pretty. She wasn't even sure if the flowers she used were real flowers, they could have been weeds for all she knew.

     "Thank you, Annika." Ro smiled.

    Annika began to tie more flower stems together, "I love flowers."

     "Arik told me that you did." Ro said with a quick look at the Halfling. Arik smirked and turned away from the humans to attend the horses. Ro watched as Annika's small hands worked quickly to finish the second necklace. When she was done she placed it around her own neck. "It looks good on you." Ro said to her. Annika smiled. Ro wasn't sure if the little girl knew entirely what she had said, but she knew she at least knew it was something good.

     Ro noticed Arik leading the horses away from them and knew that he was probably taking them to find water. She stayed with Annika and watched as she played in the flowers and laughed at the butterfly that landed on her tiny hands. The butterflies were glittering in the sunlight and it made Ro wonder if they were the reason she always saw the sparkles in forest. A butterfly landed on Ro's hand and she watched as it moved its wings up and down.

     "Schmetterling." Annika said pointing to the insect.

     "Butterfly." Ro told her. "It's called a butterfly."

     "Butt...er...fly." Annika said, "Butterfly."

     Ro smiled wide, "Yes. Butterfly."

     "Beautiful butterfly." Annika said with a laugh.

     Ro found so much happiness in the laughter of a child that had lost so much. Annika's smile made Ro forget about sad memories and her unknown future. She didn't think about being a wanted woman. All Ro could think about was making Annika laugh again and she did. Ro picked a handful of flowers and threw them in the air above them and Annika giggled as they landed in her hair. The little girl began to pick them out and threw them at Ro who playfully dodged them with a smile.