the Forest of Emmitaenu

Rivalries

[art by Valeria Bogado]

That's her! Lara realized she must be the witch Jade had sensed and whom she and Zeftx were racing around this natural barrier right now to catch. Somehow she didn't fit the profile Lara had imagined in her mind. When Zeftx promised to keep her safe, Lara had pictured the witch he was going after to be much more intimidating. She never would have imagined the wide eyed girl she was looking at now. She was so young she could have been a student in any of Lara's classes.

The girl trembled as she backed away from her hiding place but she never took her eyes off Lara. Neither one of them blinked until she had cautiously worked her way three rows deep into the trees. Then with a little squeak the witched turned on her heels and ran. Her retreat was followed by rumbling laughter. Lara turned to see the golden anomaly laughing so hard his hands were holding his sides together.

"I see you," she told him. He stopped laughing at once and his golden head tipped to one side.

"Lara, sweet Lara," he whispered softly. The way he pitched his voice when he said her name gave her butterflies in her stomach and her heart flipped. Stepping forward with his arm extended out toward her, he walked out of his invisibility barrier and she could see all of him again.

She could see the era blending clothing he wore, the white cuffed shirt under the same leather jacket from the day before, along with black slacks and similarly black moccasins on his feet. Waves of brown hair fell like feathers around his face from where he dragged his free hand through it while holding the other out to her still. Again she could see the deep mystery clouding his chocolate brown eyes but this time she sensed no armor.

All at once Lara was flooded with different emotions. She was glad to see him again, thrilled actually, but scared to have deceived her friends and afraid they would find out. She looked down at his offered hand and wondered what it would mean if she took it.

"I have waited to see you," he informed her. She was slow to react to his gesture and his words so he stepped closer and took her hesitant hand. Raising it to his lips, he pressed a delicate kiss to each knuckle while holding her gaze with his eyes. The soft touch sent chills up and down her spine and her brain turned to mush. Is this really happening? I mean to me, Lara Eliza Liam, from a small Ohio town no ones even heard of? She wondered in amazement.

"Fair one, sweet Lara," he spoke gently while still holding her hand up between them. "What are you?"

"I wanted to ask you the same thing," she told him. His smile came so easily, a quirky lopsided grin that would fuel teenage gossip for weeks if any of her classmates saw it. Then it faltered and he seemed distracted by something in the distance.

"I believe it is my turn now," he said but not to her. Lara looked over her shoulder to find what he was looking at but she saw nothing and no one there. "Come with me fair one, there is something I wish to show you." Then he smiled again and his talk of some little surprise felt like Christmas.

Lara let herself be lead by the hand not just because she wanted to see what he meant, but also because she was worried that Jade and Zeftx would return and find him. Now that the girl had run away they would come back to get her and she wasn't ready yet to tell them that she'd lied the last time they found her here. Afterwards when she came back alone, she could explain everything and apologize before Jade and Zeftx took her home. She just hoped they would forgive her.

The first place Tres went after running away from the clearing was Lienkin's cottage. She sprinted as fast as she could, her heart pounding, until she reached the village. She needed to warn the priestess she had seen the fair one, and what's more, the fair one had seen her.

When she found Lienkin's mother Leann, she was tending to her garden along the side of her home. Even when digging in the dirt the priestess illuminated power and beauty. Every movement of her hands over the crops was graceful like a dance but also diligent with purpose.

Leann was leaning over the plants, examining them with an expert eye, her wavy waist length pepper brown hair falling forward over her shoulders. The only thing holding it back from cloaking her entire face was a tiny barrette clipping the top portion in place. The sunny rays that had turned the fair one's hair deep red cast a golden tint to the crown of the priestess head like a halo.

Tres stopped to catch her breath from a combination of admiration and exhaustion after running. Lienkin's mother was everything Tres wanted to be. When she came close enough that Leann could hear her labored breaths, the priestess leaned back on her heels pulling her layered skirt around her knees and glanced up smiling.

"Good day to you, Tres," was all the greeting she could offer before Tres threw herself sobbing on the ground next to her. At first her complaints came out in incoherent cries but when she saw the flicker of annoyance cross her beloved priestess face, she sat up strait and tried to calm down.

"Now child," Leann addressed her, "Tell me what has upset you."

"It is the fair one," Tres started over. Leann's brows rose with her interest, showing the slightest signs of shock before tutoring her expression once more.

"Why should that upset you? Didn't I say at circle this was a good sign?" Tres became flustered, wondering if she misunderstood Leann's tone of voice when she'd given that message.

"I saw her, and I thought you wouldn't be happy about it." She confessed. Leann's face turned stern and Tres thought she had been very wrong about her interpretation.

"Did she see you?" Leann wanted to know.

"Yes," Tres answered miserably. Leann considered her reaction for a long moment.

"You were right to think I would not be happy about it. Did she follow you? Have you told anyone else?" Tres' eyes shot up at Leann's concession. She shook her head fiercely to answer no. No one had followed her and she had told no one else. "Good," deemed the priestess. "Listen carefully; here is what I want you to do..."