10. I do!
10
I do!
Nidori
T hese trees were amazing . Huge. Sure, everything had been huge since I had left the glade. Being under a foot tall in the big folk’s world was quite overwhelming.
I had hidden a lot, watching, as I made my way to the forest. People milking cows. Riding horses! Real horses! I slowed down to listen to the sound their hooves made on the road. No balls or galas yet, though. But so many families. People, living their lives together, coming home, supporting one another.
It was amazing. And terrifying.
I had landed on the forest floor, trying to get my bearings. My hand sank into the ground, connecting with the root system that ran deep underneath the trees. It was mesmerising, how massive these roots went down. I sent a friendly greeting to the trees and then explored, planning a path to the mountains.
I paused as something moved nearby, drawing me back to my immediate surroundings. Something was definitely coming closer.
I jumped into the air, nervous as two people rounded the trees .
“Hello?” I said, my voice squeaking. This was the first time I’d actually met people. I should get off the ground. They were so big, even the tops of their boots were taller than me, and they didn’t appear to notice me. I jumped into the air, partly because I wanted to see their faces and partly because they were getting dangerously close to stepping on me.
“Look, it’s a sprite, Ned,” said one of them. They were dirty, and one of them had broken teeth.
“Reckon we can make it dance?” asked the second.
I blinked. “I like dancing,” I said, brightening. Sure, it wasn’t perfect with these two…smelly big people. But still.
One of them laughed, and I cocked my head. Where was the music?
I opened my mouth to ask, but one of them raised their hand and summoned a fireball.
Wow. It was beautiful, the flames constantly moving and changing. I stared at it, my fascination broken as the person threw it. Right at me.
I shot up, mind reeling. The fireball exploded on the tree behind me, blackening the strong bark with a large scorch mark.
“Hey!” I said crossly. “That tree didn’t deserve that!”
One of them laughed again as the other readied another fireball. They…didn’t care. As another fireball launched at me, I realised they were trying to hurt me.
Wood rot and aphids, what bad luck .
I wrung my hands. I’d never had to fight anything before. The taller one sneered and turned to me again, and the smaller drew a bow. I lurched forward, vines shooting from the ground and entangling the two figures I was facing.
I backed up as the taller one raised his hands and heat blistered the air as my shoots disintegrated .
Oh, no. That was really, really not good.
Time to leave. I turned and sped towards a tree, an arrow thankfully missing me. I tried to fly up, but there was magic above me, stopping me from going too high. I started to really panic, heart racing and eyes stinging.
I heard their feet pounding on the ground after me and sped up. I needed to find somewhere to hide.
There was a hollow tree up ahead, and I ducked inside it.
“Come back out, fairy!” one of them shouted.
“I’m a sprite,” I muttered sadly to myself.
I hunched down, panting, praying they wouldn’t find me here. I wrapped my arms around my legs, trying to make myself as small as possible, and stared at my hands. I could hurt them, with my magic. I didn’t want to, but if they found me, I’d have no choice. I sniffed, a tear leaking from my eye.
I jumped as a voice spoke from next to me. “You look like you’re in trouble.”
I stared at where it had come from but couldn’t see anything. Reaching out to the network of roots that spanned the forest floor, I sensed a big person crouched beside me. As I looked, he appeared, shedding the invisibility that had shrouded him. My surprise was quickly forgotten as I took him in. He was most definitely not stinky or dirty. He had a warm smile on his face. His hair was pale, fluffy and curly, and his eyes were a pale, mesmerising blue. Handsome, just like the heroes in my stories.
“Can you help me? Those people… I want them to stop,” I whispered to him, standing up and edging closer.
“I can do that,” he said, leaning in and looking down at me. He smelled like a forest in winter. “But… I only protect things that are mine. Will you be mine? ”
My breath caught in my throat. Be his?
Less than twenty-four hours of freedom, and I’d found someone who wanted to be family .
“Really?” I asked, hesitating. “I’m worth that?”
“A drop of your blood, sweetheart, and the deal’s complete.”
Blood, the strongest bond.
This was real. A real-life proposal. I could feel my heart thudding in my chest as I unfurled a vine from my sleeve and grew a sharp thorn on it, pricking my finger. I raised it up towards where he was crouched, standing on tiptoes.
“I accept,” I said breathlessly.
He kissed the tip of my finger carefully and licked the tiny drop of blood from his lips. He closed his eyes for a moment, then looked at me with a smile.
“It’s done, then. I’ll go deal with those two. Be right back,” he stood and disappeared again. I could sense his footfalls through the network of roots I was connected to. He went straight towards my attackers. I clambered up to a hole in the tree, peering out. They were lumbering about. One had a stick he was using to poke into bushes, and the other had fire in his hand, crackling as he peered around.
Suddenly, he jerked backwards and fell with a cry. I gasped, my hand covering my mouth. Blood seeped from underneath him. His companion turned to him, slack-jawed. I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to see. I didn’t want anyone hurt. I heard another scuffle, and then I heard him call out.
“You can come out, my little one. It’s safe now.”
My heart was thundering in my chest. I slowly flew up, coming out of my hiding spot and toward him.
“Are you all right?” he asked .
Another tear fell down my cheek as I hovered before him. “Are they…d-dead?” I managed to ask, looking at the bodies on the ground. They weren’t moving. I started hyperventilating.
The stranger’s eyes darted to the bodies and then to me. “…No?” he said, cocking his head to the side. “Um, they’re just… um, sleeping.”
I let out a sigh of relief, my body relaxing. “Wow. I guess humans have a lot more blood in them than I expected. I thought, for sure, they were dead.”
He shrugged, smiling, and I flew towards his chest and wrapped my arms around his neck in a hug. His skin felt warm, and my heart filled with joy. I’d always wanted to hug someone, and now that I was doing it, it was the best feeling in the world.
“Thank you!” I said, peeling off and looking up at him. He looked surprised, so I backed off a bit. I thought big folk were used to affectionate touching, but I had zero frame of reference. Sprites didn’t touch each other like that.
“You’re very pretty,” I whispered, blushing. I tucked a loose curl back behind my ear.
“What a lovely compliment from a lovely little lady,” he said, going back to his handsome grin.
I giggled, the tension inside me breaking. He tucked the dagger back into its sheath. I came closer again, hovering by his head. “Can I touch your hair?”
He laughed and nodded, spreading his arms out.
I landed on his shoulder, sinking my hands into his soft curls. They were lovely .
“I’m Kaine,” he said. Right. We should probably know each others’ names.
“Oh. I’m Nidori. I’m here on a secret quest. ”
“What are the chances, my dear?” he said, showing me a golden brand on his palm.
I lifted my own brand, pressing it against his giant hand. “It’s perfect,” I said, grinning.
“Indeed. And you must be someone very special to be chosen by a deity.”
I practically glowed with pride. “Yes! They say I’m the most talented woodweaver they’ve seen in centuries,” I said, desperate to make sure he didn’t change his mind about marrying me.
“I think we’ll make a very effective team,” he said, beaming. It made him even more beautiful, which I didn’t think was possible.
“All right!” I replied, flying into the air and clapping my hands. “This is a great day,” I said. “I'm free, I'm on a quest, and now I have you .”
His eyebrow quivered, and he hesitated for a second before replying. “It’s a very great day, indeed. But here’s a tip, darling. If we meet anyone else, don't stop for pleasantries. Just stab them.”