Nocturne

☾ Chapter Fifteen ~ Nocturne ☽

She gasped in lungfuls of air, choking on her own breath, bolting to a sitting position, her eyes wide open but seeing nothing. "Relax, love, relax. Breathe. You're okay," murmured a voice as soft as the rustle of leaves in the wind.

Nocturne took a deep breath and opened her eyes to see a group of faeries surrounding her. There were the sylphs of course, still clustering in treetops and hovering over the pool, but there were also larger, stranger creatures like the one who was tending to her now.

There were nine of them, each as tall and graceful as ancient willows and were as similar as sisters, an inspiring nonet of elegant twins. They had green-tinted silver skin and pale green eyes, with hair of silver and green. Each had at least one strand of deep green leaves growing like hair from their skulls, the wind occasionally revealing a silvery underside to the long and slender leaves. The tree nymphs each wore robes of silver-green leaves and bark and when one offered Nocturne her hand to help her sit, Nocturne found her marbled brown-ish skin to be rough as bark.

"Welcome back, Nocturne."

"How do you know my name?" Nocturne asked curiously. The hamadryad who had greeted her smiled. "Luna told us."

She stood, helping Nocturne rise with her. The dryads gathered around Nocturne, their sylvan caretakers gathering around them. Some alighted upon the living trees, but most simply chose to hover respectfully. Sophie was one of those, Nocturne noticed, but Raven and Coriander perched together on one nymph's shoulder. When they noticed Nocturne looking at them, Coriander grinned and Raven gave a shy little wave.

"We have waited for your return for a very long time," observed one dryad.

"We gathered your blade from where you left it and placed it here."

"Since then, we have slept."

"It has been so long since we have seen a human."

"Welcome home," they chorused.

"I am Euterpe!" "I am Terpsichore." "I am Thalia!" "I am Clio." "I am Melpomene." "I am Erato." "I am Polyhymnia." "I am Urania."

The one who had helped Nocturne rise when she first woke up was "Calliope."

The hamadryads seemed to have no official leader, although they spoke of Luna with great respect and gratitude and Calliope generally took charge. They treated Nocturne like a crown princess, although the impression of fussing mostly came from there being nine of them to one Nocturne.

At noon though, they finally let her go. They seemed to agree it was time for Nocturne to return.

"Your adelfí̱ psychí̱ is waiting for you!"

"We can't provide for you here- I can hear your stomach rumbling, so don't argue, little one."

"You have a quest to complete."

As a group, the hamadryads and the sylphs ushered Nocturne out of the clearing. She stood and looked back at them. Most smiled, and some waved or made a friendly shooing motion. Coriander and Raven approached, carrying a strange bundle of blue between them. It was a circle of blue flowers, tied together by their flexible stems to create a simple circlet of blossoms.

The fae smiled and offered it to her. Raven looked nervous, yet hopeful, as if she wasn't sure if Nocturne would accept the gift. Nocturne's smile was wide and genuine as she let the sylphs settle the crown on her head. "Oh! Thank you! You have been such good hosts. I'm sorry I don't have anything to give you in return."

Coriander grinned and moved as if to reply, but another voice stopped him, dancing out from behind Nocturne. "Then you'll just have to come visit us again with something, won't you?"

Nocturne turned, surprise crinkling her eyes into a smile. "Sophie! I didn't expect to see you!" Sophie grinned. "I wouldn't have missed it for the stars." She paused. "Well, maybe I would have, when I met you. But I think you're worthy of my attendance," the tiny wind spirit joked.

Nocturne smiled. "Thank you, Sophie."

"It was a pleasure."

Nocturne started to leave, yet something called her back. When she looked at Sophie, it was as if she were seeing her for the first time. "I know your name," she whispered, the word startling her as much as the sylphs in their trueness.

A little gasp came from Raven, and Sophie froze in the air. "How?" came a whisper. She shook her head, as confused as the three moonsylphs, who were each staring at her in awe and fear. "I... don't know. It's written, as if in your hearts, and yet in the moon, in the way the wind moves and the sky dances. I don't..." Nocturne shook her head. "I don't know."

Sophie took a deep breath. "Can you tell... For all of us?"

Nocturne nodded.

"What... what are they?"

Raven and Coriander glanced at her nervously. "Sophie! You know what she could do."

Sophie glared at them. "I remember what happened as well as you do. Don't think to tell me off for this. I trust her. Luna trusts her. Do you?"

They nodded warily. "But... do you trust us?" Raven asked, their hands fiddling with the fine cloth of their garments. Sophie laughed. "Of course. And... It's been a long time since I heard my own name." She turned back to Nocturne and fluttered closer.

"Please."

Nocturne hesitated, then nodded. "Etemad Agapo. You are Etemad Agapo."

Sophie sighed, a sound that shook with power. Her body sank slightly through the air, her eyes closed. "Yes... Although I usually went simply by Agapo, back when I was younger and naïve, ignoring the warnings of those wiser than I..." She blinked and shook herself, wings pulling her back upwards to Nocturne's eye level.

"Thank you," Sophie murmured, one last time, and turned, a hand raising to flick away a miniscule tear. Her wings fluttered like two halves of a broken heart as she flew, disappearing into the trees, fingers clenching to keep her emotions locked inside.

Nocturne stared after the sylph, her own eyes wet. Should she call out? Try and apologize? Make sure she was okay?

Rocks and rubble that hadn't been there before speared her feet as she tried to stumble after the faerie. "Wait," came a voice, sorrowful and barely audible. A tiny hand brushed against Nocturne's cheek, too light too feel anything but the soft warmth. Raven floated before her, dark eyes sadder than faded moonlight.

"You've done all you can for her now. I know it's hard for you to see right now, but, Dlihcnoom, you have done more to help her heal than any of us could have, and trust me, we've been trying."

There was something about Raven's sad smile that bespoke a clarity, a truth Nocturne could not deny. She forced herself to turn away before she saw into Raven's soul as well.

"Hey. Look at me."

With reluctance, Nocturne turned her gaze back on the tiny spirit.

"You see me, don't you?"

Nocturne nodded.

"Then you know I am telling you the truth when I say that we are all truly grateful for you. And that means we need you to leave. Leave, and save our home."

The flowers adorning Nocturne's brow felt heavy and fragile in that moment. "I-"

"Promise me. Promise us you'll restore this place."

"I can't promise that! I-"

"Promise."

"I- I-

"I promise."