"When the yin and yang collide a dragonchild will restore the balance and bring harmony to the whole."
Chapter 1- Of running away from marriage and meeting someone new
The sudden thundering of her heart was deafening, overpowering her sense of hearing and soon the sound of her own heart beating against her breast was the only thing she could hear. An elf crouched atop a branch of a low bearing tree. Sensing that no one was following her, she skillfully leapt from branch to branch with the natural skill granted to an elf until she landed softly onto the forest ground. She looked around a moment, found her secret stash and dashed over to retrieve it. She wondered why her pursuers were lost so easily. Remembering where she was, she found her answer, the Forbidden Forest, so named for the way anyone could get lost no matter what item they used. The sun hung low and tall trees blocked what little light could be had. Night already came upon her. She quickly picked up her things as a slight chill ran down her spine and she pulled her long dark cloak a little closer. With a wistful longing she wished for the comfort of her warm bed, a thought she quickly dismissed. "I came out here to go adventuring. It can't be that bad." Her whispered thoughts seemed louder than they should be and again she shivered. The woods began to darken and take on a more threatening look. Then her ears picked up a sound and straightened, as did the elf. The sound of hooves alerted her, though faint. She leaped back up into the low branches not, wanting anyone to know where she hid and dashed with an inhuman speed through the trees. She judged herself safe as the sound had disappeared and the elf leaped down back to the ground. A second later she found herself swinging upside down, her foot caught on a rope. She tried to extend her arms so that she could reach the rope and cut it, but the rope, not secure for her weight, snapped and she fell, crashing onto the ground. Then there fell darkness.
The elf slowly opened her eyes, and her hazy vision took in her surroundings. Above her the grayness of morning lightened the sky, revealing that night had passed, a fact that she was thankful for. The sounds of the morning birds filled the air, woodpeckers could be heard in the distance, she could also sense a nearby stream. Her leg throbbed and when she wiggled her foot experimentally a jolt of pain shot up her thigh. She touched her head where she had landed on it, felt a small bump and groaned. The elf gritted her teeth at her misfortune and more than ever wanted to go back home, but she knew in her heart that she could not do that. She caught a wisp of something close by and a short scramble later she was crouched on the forest floor, her daggers out and clearly shown. "Who's out there?" she called but beyond her all she could see consisted of a small fire, its warm glow beckoning to her and a small blanket laying on the floor. A pot hovered over the fire and the smell of its contents reached her nose. She sniffed the air around her, though not exactly the best smell in the world, it smelt attractive enough to get her appetite up. She looked down and saw an overturned bowl with its contents spilled on the ground. She poked her dagger in the spilled contents and sniffed what turned out to be porridge. Then she realized something stood behind her and twirled around instantly coming face to face with a large silver wolf. It stared at her with unwavering, intelligent eyes as she crouched motionless, waiting for this enormous creature to make the first move. The wolf sat down and continued to stare at this strange figure. Not knowing what to do she slowly stood up. Then her leg began to throb again and lost support, making her stumble to the ground. The wolf cocked his head in curiosity.
A man from behind called out, "Fang, it's ok." His voice sounded pleasant to her ears and the wolf turned and walked off to the fire. The elf lifted her gaze and saw an amiable face. Before her a man in a heavy cloak sat on a log, rubbing down the now grinning wolf. His face, partly covered by his long dark blond hair looked around twenty and of elven descent, a welcoming sight. In his hand he held out another bowl filled with the porridge. "Good at least your ok. You've been asleep for many hours. Do you want some food?"
She stood up, her leg aching as she did so, walked over to him, nodded, then took the bowl from his hands. Getting closer to him she noticed he wasn't pure elven breed. She paused and asked, "Who are you?" The man gave a slight smile and looked up. Not sure if she should do the same, she stared at him.
"My name is Cypress Oakenhart and I am a wandering druid," he noticed her look, "and, yes, a half-elf. I found you laying the ground, you had a nasty gash on your leg. I did what I could to stop the bleeding, but I have not yet finished healing you. I needed to make sure you would wake up." His face then changed from pleasant too serious, "but what is an elf doing around here in the Forbidden Forest?"
She looked down at her leg and touched the clotted blood, then spoke, "My name is Aramina Dragongem but the rest of my story can wait because I really am hungry." The druid's face turned pleasant again and he nodded. Aramina took it as a sign to go ahead so she gulped down the contents of the bowl. She handed the bowl back and asked politely for seconds. Cypress stood up and walked over to his kettle and drew more of the porridge into the bowl and handed it back to Aramina. She seemed to be satisfied with her second filling and sat back onto the ground contented.
Cypress held out his hand, "Here, allow me to complete my job." Aramina gave a nod of agreement. He silently muttered strange words and a faint blue light appeared from his hands that he had placed on her limb, slowly approaching the wound. The light gave off a peculiar warm sensation. When it touched the Elf's skin a wave of relief flowed over Aramina. She winced as she moved her leg but the pain vanished as the druid's spell went into effect. Aramina's face brightened up and she took Cypress's hand shaking it vigorously.
"Thank you, it feels much better now. Tell me, is there anything I can do in return for you hospitality?" The druid sat down, thinking. After a few moments he spoke.
"I suppose telling me what you are doing here is payment enough. Elves are a rare sight, and you are a beautiful elf at that. Elves just don't go around visiting humans, or half humans for that matter, every day."
Aramina blushed at his praise, "My story I can tell even if it seems a little dull. I was betrothed to the gray elf Prince Domikundo. My family lives pretty high up in the City of Eledandore so they thought it would be a good marriage for me. However I do not want to be married. I want adventure and not caught with a stuck up, pompous windbag who cares nothing about anything except for hunting and sword play." She sighed with exasperation, "Because of him and the betrothal I ran away from home three days before the wedding. So here I am. The only thing left to deal with, the imperial knights the prince keeps sending out to look for me. That's who I thought captured me last night, but as it turned out, it was only a vine." Aramina turned towards Cypress and looked questionly at him, "and now, my good sir, may I know why you reside in the Forbidden Forest?"
Cypress looked up towards the sky then looked Aramina in the eye. "The Forbidden Forest you call this? I call this place home. It is peaceful here and the animals won't judge me. As a half-elf I am an outcast, neither accepted in elven society, nor human. From my mother's love for my father and his for hers I came, yet I belong to none. I speak both elven and human, which is why you can understand me and thought I was an elf, but, as you proved, anyone can tell I am not true elven, or true human. So I stay out here in the wilderness, taking care of the animals and any adventurer who needs my service."
"I am sorry. I wish I could help you, for all the things you have done." Aramina moved closer towards the druid with an earnest expression on her face.
Cypress looked up into the sky again. The sun now cleared the eastern mountains and cast its glow upon the land below. He took in a deep breath then brought his gaze down upon Aramina. Something was troubling him and Aramina could sense it. About to say something, Cypress interrupted the thought before voiced.
"I hope you don't consider me a threat by any account." Aramina was confused by the statement and shook her head. "Good, then I have another favor to ask of you." Cypress paused as if to let Aramina say something but again he interjected with his own words. "I want to travel with you. Listen, I know you have problems with these knights trying to drag you back from wherever it is you said you came from, but I can help you get out of here. And as an offering I'll teach you what I know, like shapeshifting."
Aramina brightened up with a big grin "You can teach me shapeshifting? I thought teaching magic took a long time. How could you teach me in a such a short time?"
Cypress replied, "Well it is true, it does take a long time, but that is to master it, I myself am not yet a master, but I know the basics and can teach them to you. If you concentrated on one object instead of grasping the whole it'll be much faster."
"Well, I've always wondered what it would be like as a cat."
"Very well then, when we get a chance your first lesson, Shifting into a cat 101." Aramina smiled at his joke while Cypress continued. "So now we have made a deal we had better leave soon. I doubt that your followers would be so reluctant to sleep in." Cypress stood up and disassembled the camp, ready to go in a matter of minutes. He chanted other mysterious words and the campfire that had, just minutes before, been blazing with warmth disappeared into the ground. Cypress then signaled for Aramina and Fang to accompany him.
They walked through the forest for the rest of the day only stopping for a short luncheon. While walking they talked about the forest and the inhabitants that dwelled within. Cypress seemed an encyclopedia of the flora and fauna of the Forbidden Forest and Aramina learnt a lot. That night they stopped for dinner and decided to settle down for the night. Cypress told Aramina to sleep while he sat watch for the imperial knights. The druid watched her as she rested and his thoughts wandered as he admired her. She looked so peaceful, so serene. As he watched her, he marveled on how he had gotten so lucky. He held her as more beautiful than he could imagine, spectacularly so. When she looked at him, he could drown in her eyes, never wanting to be rescued. Her smile brought a certain glow into the area, and her voice sounded so clear and pure. Only a fool would let such a perfect being, a lady of such noble characteristics, pass him by. Aramina sighed in her sleep and turned over slightly. Her hand grasped the long dark cloak she wore and tried to pull it over her shoulders. Cypress arose and gently placed his own cloak over her exposed arms then settled down in his own place to watch over her once more.
| Home | Contents | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 |
| Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 |
