the Forest of Emmitaenu

Sanctuary

Lara was flooded by relief when they came out on the other side of the ravine and the path continued on this end. It persisted north into a cluster of hills, cutting its way through the earthy monuments.

"It's just past those hills," Lienkin promised. They trudged on, increasing the pace the nearer they got. There was a section of the path that led them into a cave and out the other side like a tunnel cut for trains. From here, Lara could hear the sound of running water. When they exited the tunnel, she could see the river flowing through the narrow valley.

"We're right on time," Lienkin whispered in her ear as dusk settled over them. The sudden sound of crickets chirping and frogs croaking filled her ears as if to confirm what he said.

"For November, it's not that cold," she pointed out. Then again, what did she expect from a rain forest. Ever since they moved forward from the clearing, they had been milling their way through the more tropical side of Emmitaenu.

Together, the pair of them walked straight up to the water's edge. Lara stared at Lienkin expectantly. Now what? She wondered. Although it was secluded, Lara still didn't feel like they were in the most secure place in Emmitaenu.

"Follow me," Lienkin released her hand and hopped on a stone sticking out above the water. He tried to spin so he could face her, but the rock was slippery and he almost lost his balance. Desperately he wind milled his arms through the air in a wild arcing motion till he felt safely balanced again.

Lara couldn't stop herself from bursting out in laughter. Lienkin raised one eyebrow and pressed his lips tightly together to keep from laughing with her. "Well you try it now," he coaxed before hopping to the next stone.

Grabbing two fists full of Jades skirt on either side and lifting it just enough to avoid getting it wet, Lara jumped on the stone and stopped to shift her weight and maintain her balance. One after the other they continued to hop across the river using the stones that seemed perfectly placed for just this purpose.

Lara's natural grace made the task easy for her. She was having so much fun leaping over the water that she forgot to watch Lienkin's movements. Before she could catch herself, she jumped way too soon and landed on the next rock before he had vacated it. She collided with his back, causing them both to sway and fight to keep their footing.

After a few detrimental seconds of struggling to stand, Lienkin gave her the rock and plunged into the water. Lara wasn't prepared for his sudden relinquishment and accidentally leaned into the empty air where he'd been. Without him there to stop her momentum she fell forward into the water too. She would have landed on top of him if he hadn't dived away in time.

Lienkin was consumed by a fit of laughter when she surfaced sputtering and flailing her arms in the shallow water. Her clothes were soaked and heavy, sticking to her like a second skin and her hair had turned into a wet burgundy mop that floated around her shoulders in the water. Below the surface she had to hold down her borrowed skirt to keep it from drifting to the top.

Her initial reaction to his amusement at her expense was embarrassment. She wondered how ridiculous she looked. Then, thinking about how ungracefully Lienkin had splashed into the water himself, she started giggling too. As their amusement subsided, Lienkin stared across the water and held her gaze.

"When I was very young, my father took me to the cove to see the mermaids. Right now Lara, you look just like one," he told her in earnest. His dark surfer boy locks were soaking wet and slicked back away from his face. Droplets of water clung to his eyebrows and eyelashes. One rolled down his cheek like a lost tear. The white cuffed shirt he was wearing turned into a transparent fabric and clung to his skin like static electricity.

Lara took one last eye full before he gulped in a big breath of air and slipped beneath the surface, swimming toward her.

"Lienkin," she hissed, although she knew he probably couldn't hear. She slouched to pin the skirt closed around her knees. She wasn't exactly dressed for swimming and now she wished she was wearing her jeans. Right now she'd bet they were a lot dryer than she was.

Lienkin surfaced right in front of her, and the minute he was steadily back on his feet, he placed both hands on her hips and tugged her gently against him. Although it was a very possessive motion, Lara didn't resist. He hadn't stopped hugging her since the moment she met him, literally.

"By the Immortals," he mumbled musingly. She waited for him to say more. Instead of speaking, he lifted one hand to stroke her cheek.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?" Lara questioned, breaking into the silence.

"No. It is just beyond the water. Would you like to see?" He asked. Lara could feel her face glowing with excitement.

"Of course," she answered, "isn't that why we came?"

"Is it?" Lienkin questioned in return, asking himself more than anything. She looked up into his eyes and nodded anyway.

"Lead the way." He smiled and Lara disentangled herself from his hug, tossing back long wet tendrils of hair the color a rose would envy.

Lara and Lienkin both slogged out of the water and finished the journey up the slope on the other side of the river. The sky was changing. The day was officially over and the sun retired for the night, leaving his last ray of light stretched like a rubber band across the empty sky, offering one last promise of tomorrow. She never would have seen it if they weren't looking over the top of a plateau.

"The king is an expert painter," Lara repeated Jades words quietly. Lienkin nodded in agreement, not finding the statement at all strange the way she had at first.

The plateau was covered in soft, moist, green moss and wild flowers with beautiful butterflies sleeping on their colorful petals. Looking out past the plateau the forest could be seen for miles around. Lara saw birds taking flight above the canopy of trees.

Everything she looked at was so perfect it was surreal. Lienkin walked toward the center of the plateau where a smooth boulder was located standing about knee high. From a small sheltered depression behind the large rock, he pulled out many different objects and sat them on the flat surface on top.

One of the objects was a candle. Another looked like a cup of rainwater. The last object was a wooden rod. Lara stared at him curiously. He gave her a lopsided smile that made her heart do a summer salt. Kneeling, Lienkin gathered a handful of dirt and sprinkled it around the candle in a circle while whispering to himself. She inched closer for a better view.

Slowly he traced the circle of dirt using the wooden rod and Lara shivered as a sudden breeze circumnavigated them. Still whispering, Lienkin closed his eyes in concentration. A tiny flame burst at the wick of the candle and Lara gasped in amazement. How had he done it? She wondered. Lastly he poured water from the cup over the circle of dirt, turning it from brown to black.

Lienkin stepped back, and in a strong voice he acknowledged the elements Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. He concluded the acknowledgement by saying the circle was cast. He turned to face Lara and smiled at her excitedly. She gave him an uncertain smile of her own and slowly walked toward him.

"What is all of this?" She asked.

"This," he responded with visible pride, "is my secret place. I perform my own circles here, and whenever I just need to be alone this is where I go. No one else knows about it, except for you." He lowered his eyes and inhaled deeply. "This is my sanctuary."