Firewind

Chapter 23-Althaea

I sat there biting my lip as Enialis carefully rubbed the salve that Stor had made into my hands. It stung but I already felt it's soothing and healing take effect. The salve was made by boiling the tiny seed of a mendid fruit, no bigger than a mustard seed, in water with eresiela flowers. Both were poisonous so it's funny how when combined they can actually heal something.

"There," he said, covering the burns back up, "That should do it."

I pulled my hands out of his grasp and stalked off. The leaves on the trees fluttered as a gentle breeze blew them out of place. The sun shone through the green fronds, making beautiful emerald hues on the uneven sand. The htraephim lazily attended to the flowers, their tiny hands filling with magic and stroking the petals of the delicate desert blossoms. The white light of the unknown sun was shining on the water of the lake, as the ogonae played on its surface. Everything seemed to be beautiful. Except for my foul mood.

Despite Stor making the salve, that didn't change how I felt about him and ritskilionosos. My mother had told me when I was younger that they killed humans just because they lived longer. And if I didn't believe her then, I most certainly believed her today. There was absolutely no reason that ritskilionoso should've burnt down my village and killed all of those innocent people.

Although Stor didn't seem like the person that would do that and even though he helped cure my burns, I just couldn't bring myself to trust him. My burns were healing quite well. The swelling was going down and the flesh was gradually returning to its normal colour.

I sat down at the base of one of the palm trees. I heard the small patter of feet. Scymitar came and sat down beside me, looking at me expectantly.

"What do you want, Scym?" I sighed.

Do you have any food? He whined I'm starving.

I tossed him a coconut.

And how do you think I'm supposed to eat this?

I rolled my eyes.

"Very carefully."

Too much work.

And with that, he slumped against my leg and fell asleep with his head resting on my knee. I shook my head. What a drama queen.

A htraephim came up to me, tilting her tiny head to the side as if confused. She held a flower and as I looked closer, I realized it was the flower I had left Diero. I sat up a little straighter and carefully held out my hand. She dropped the flower in it, still looking at me curiously.

"Thank you," I smiled.

"They found out about us," she whispered.

My smile faded. She looked like she was in a trance.

"Who found out what? Who are you talking about?"

"They're coming." she gave a little malicious smile and flew away as if nothing had happened.

"Did you see that?" I asked, poking the sleepy dragon.

Heard what? He complained. Quit bugging me. I'm trying to sleep.

***

Later, at midday, Kathra came and found me. She brought me some fruit and a leg of an aquatic bird that Stor killed and cooked up.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked.

"Not at all," I replied with a small smile.

She sat down beside me and tapped Scymitar on the head. He lifted his head and looked around with sleepy eyes. Kathra offered him some of the meat and he gobbled it down enthusiastically.

"How long have you known Stor?" I asked her after we had finished eating.

"My whole life, actually," she answered. "He is my dad's best friend and moved into the Inn my family owns when my Para and my Madara got married. My Madara's parents owned it before she and Para did. He's known my father since they were in their 20s. That's why I call him Okur."

"I did hear you call him uncle Stor sometimes."

"Mhmm," she stared out across the lake with a puzzled expression before saying: "Why does it matter so much that he's a ritskilionoso? He hasn't killed anyone. Well, not that I know of. But I don't think he would do it. Unless he absolutely had to."

"My whole life I've been told that they are evil; that they killed us Arian sprites for sport. I didn't know if I believed it at first. But now..."

"Now?" she pressed.

"My whole village was ransacked and burned by a ritskilionoso. My siblings and I are the only ones that escaped. My mentors, my neighbours, my friends and my parents weren't so fortunate. I can never forgive whoever did that. Why do they get all that power anyways? When they're just going to use it for evil?"

"I don't know," she touched my arm in a comforting gesture, "And I am sorry for your loss. But you don't even know my uncle. So please do not judge him for someone else's wrongdoings. Get to know him. He is really nice and has the most amazing stories."

"I will try to be civil around him. But right now, I think I just need time to think."

"I'll leave you to it then," she smiled before patting Scymitar on the head and heading back towards where the others were chatting.

Did your parents really die in the fire? Scymitar's voice was gentle and sincere for once, without a trace of whine in my head.

"Yes, they did," I sighed.

That's too bad. I never knew my family, so I don't miss them. But it must be very hard for you to have known them and have them taken for you for no reason.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't think the dragon could feel anything besides exhaustion and hunger. Tears ran down my face before I could even think about trying not to cry. I hugged the little dragon tightly. It lasted barely three seconds before he started squirming.

Ok, ok! He gasped. That's enough!