Everlasting (3)

A fantasy story.

Previously:

Part one

Part two

Aereus woke up to a sight so strange and unfamiliar to his young eyes, he stared for quite a while blinking and trying to gather his thoughts. What he saw was a pair of beautiful dark eyes full of everlasting starlight. How was it possible?

“Do you always sleep like that?” A soft voice broke into his drowsy mind.

“What?”

“The sword. Do you always hold it in your sleep?”

Indeed, Aereus was holding his sword in a tight embrace. He had been sleeping for what felt like days.

“Where am I?” He thought out loud whilst getting up.

“Still here, in my humble shack, young warrior. You slept for whole two days and nights, and I see you are well enough to walk,” said Crane, the Birdling healer. Aereus made a few steps but immediately felt light-headed, and the sword he leaned upon kept him from falling once again.
“Sit! Sit and eat, young Aereus. Your friend has already eaten; she’s been up for a while,” said Crane.
“She’s not my friend,” Aereus retorted quetly, gathering his strength for another attempt to get up. However Ani, the Autumnian woman was quicker. She brought him a plate of stew, and a cup of water.
Thought reluctant, he took it mumbling “thank you”, and barely raising his eyes up to her. Aereus could not bear to see her - she was beautiful, slender, tawny and her steps light and graceful. Only a short tunic she wore, given by Crane.
“Eat up. I must leave you two, but I will return. You are safe here. But should you ever leave this shack, you won’t be able to return. Keep that in mind!” And with it Crane shut the door behind her. Aereus could swear he heard a crane bird’s cry above the shack.
He ate in stubborn silence but felt Ani’s eyes on him all the while. She examined his short copper-colored hair, his blue eyes, his muscled frame showing through the sheer linen shirt Crane had given him.

“Her Birdling magic is strong,” Ani said cautiously.

“Magic is dark business. I wish to know nothing of it,” Aereus said with his mouth full. The stew was good, he felt incredibly hungry, and Hebenians despised magic.

“Crane’s magic saved our lives. I have a suspicion this whole shack is enchanted. We must trust her words and not leave until we are well-enough,” Ani pondered out loud. The sound of her voice was pleasant, though Aereus did not want to admit it.

“I don’t trust folks meddling with magic. Birdlings, Autumnians… Where sorcery is involved, there cannot be trust,” he muttered with his eyes cast downward.

Ani gave a melodious laugh which made sweat break out on his back, though he didn’t understand why. Aereus gave her a bewildered look.

“You may not trust Crane or me, but I do trust you, warrior. You saved my life without asking anything in return. I am grateful.” She spoke softly, her big dark eyes were full of tears.

“You owe me nothing. Not even gratitude,” Aereus blushed like never before, staring at his own bare feet. “I have been taught to respect women with all my heart and protect them with all my strength.”

Ani kept smiling, while she walked up to take Aereus’ empty plate. She set it aside, asking, “may I take a look? I have grown up with the swords my father made but I have never seen a Hebenian sword.”

Without knowing any better, Aereus handed her the sword. She took it out the scabbard, and examined it expertly, giving the sword a masterful swing.

“You do know swords!” Aereus exclaimed with surprise.

“You may not believe me, warrior, but at least you do trust me,” Ani said, smiling.

“What?” Aereus did not understand.

“If a warrior trusts one with his sword…” Ani winked at him, returning the sword.

Aereus sat silent and stunned for quite a while. Indeed, why did he trust an Autumnian, the enemy of his forefathers, with his sword?!

***

Was it Crane’s magic or the magic of youth, or maybe the mysterious ingredients of the drink Crane kept giving the two, but they felt strong and well within a couple of days. Aereus secretly observed Ani but could not understand why his cheeks burned every time his eyes glided over the curves of her body. Nay, he should not! Ani was an Autumnian, his mortal enemy. But both her beauty, and her demeanour was completely the opposite of what Aereus had ever heard of Autumnian women. They are sluts from birth, they said. Dumb, ugly, shameless snakes.

Ani was nothing like it! Beautiful, soft-spoken, diligent…she was a bit shameless though. Aereus smiled to himself – her shamelessness made his heart race in a pleasant kind of way.

“What are you staring at, warrior?” Ani had wakened while he daydreamed.

“Nothing!” Aereus blurted out, “Crane’s been gone for a long while. I shall go outside and look around,” he attempted to change the subject.

Indeed, their host came and went when she pleased. Crane brought them food and gave them her potion but this time she had been gone longer than before. It was late morning; she had left in the dark of the night.

“I do long to go outside but Crane warned us…” said Ani.

The tiny window of the shack and the flames of the hearth had been their only source of light.

“You may stay and wait here,” Aereus suggested.

“No, no, I do not wish to stay alone.”

Aereus was lucky enough not to leave his sword behind, because the moment the two stepped over the porch of the shack, a strong wind came out of nowhere. Ani shrieked, holding onto Aereus with all her might – so tremendous was the power of the wind. Dust, twigs, and even small rocks hit them, but when the wind was gone, so was the shack.

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Thank you for reading! Read part four HERE