The Open Sky: Eternal Forest Saga - Book 3

Chapter 10

 Back in simpler days, Sparrow used to love the sounds of the forest at night. The crickets chirping, the owls hooting, and the wind rustling the foliage formed a lullaby that helped her drift off to sleep. These days life was so stressful that what once brought her peace just felt like an amalgam of noise. She'd hoped coming home would have helped her sleep schedule return to normal, but it was now hours since she'd first tried to go to bed, and she was still wide awake.

Too many worries plagued her mind. The report from Mantis concerning happenings in Windsong in her absence was disturbing. Goblins had been seen on the southern border. Tensions with Tranquility were heightening. Even Seryan Ladybug had come to speak with the Rose. And then, of course, there was Dewdrop. With all the things to worry about, her personal feelings for the most untouchable faerie in all of Windsong were the hardest to push away. She wasn't supposed to think of her by that name or to envision the lovely face behind the makeup. She wasn't supposed to long for her touch, to wish the Lady would bring her to her bed so she could enjoy her embrace.

None of this was supposed to happen.

Admitting defeat, she stood from her bed and paced the room. Dawn was still many hours away, and she feared a night of no sleep would make her useless tomorrow. It gutted her that it wasn't even the truly important things that were upsetting her so much. She should be worried more about the city, about the growing tensions with Tranquility. These were what should be keeping the captain of the Thorns up at night. And they were, but all of these things were overcrowded by her thoughts of Dewdrop.

Pacing the room soon made her long for her blankets once again. The late summer nights were getting colder much sooner than in previous years. Soon, the leaves would start changing. This was usually such a joyous time. The elves would have their Harvest Festival tomorrow, and all the Lands of Order would be celebrating Shimmer-sehr the day after. Sparrow longed for simpler times when these late summer days held the promise of coming joy. Perhaps the unseasonable cold was a sign that even the Lady worried for the future of her forest.

Longing for warmth but not for sleep, Sparrow pulled the cover from her bed and wrapped it around her shoulders. Bundled up, she stepped from her hut into the crisp, night air. The foliage of Windsong's tree was thick and lush, but in the winter the stars were visible through the bare limbs. She would often stand out on the walkway like this, bundled in her blanket, and just stare up at the stars. With not even moonlight able to pierce the leaves, the view above was nothing but blackness swaying in the wind. She leaned against the wall of her hut and sighed. It was going to be a long night.

The sound of gentle footsteps to her right stole her attention. Sparrow's training kicked in. She dropped the blanket and assumed a battle stance. The likelihood of it being a threat and not just some neighboring faerie also unable to sleep was extremely slim, but one didn't get to be captain of the Thorns without at least some degree of constant paranoia.

A dark silhouette emerged at the end of the walkway. It was a woman, short and slender. Sparrow couldn't make out any distinct features yet, but she knew her neighbors well enough to determine it wasn't anyone living on her branch. "Who's there?" she called out. A gust of wind shook the foliage, letting a single beam of moonlight pierce the canopy and illuminate her face. Sparrow almost fell over in shock. "Dewdrop?!"

Dewdrop hurried across the walkway to her. As soon as she was within reach, Sparrow snatched her by the arm and pulled her through the drapery covering the entrance to her hut. Her heart pounded as she glanced through the curtain to see if anyone else was out and about. Assured there was no one, she pulled the curtain across the entryway.

"Sparrow, I..." Dewdrop tried to begin.

"What are you doing here?!" Sparrow whisper-shouted. "You can't be here!" Her mind was racing. The Rose herself was out wandering the branches of Windsong alone and out of her traditional attire. This was beyond unprecedented. Their relationship, whatever it consisted of, had gone from wrong to reckless, and now practically suicidal. At least before their meetings had been in spaces no other faeries were allowed to enter. This was out in the open now.