The Dragon's Blood (Part 68)
In which young Elyoner Dare ignores warnings...
68
“But, of course I didn't stay away. Oh I tried to, that little girl I once was tried to stay as far away from that place as she could, but as you know we can't combat our nature no matter how hard we try, and I eventually find myself there, between the trees, ready to see whatever lay beyond, vision be damned.”
“I did try, my husband, I did, I did. For days I kept my sister and I busy, playing within the house, keeping ourselves occupied with books and rhymes and when we could, by spying on my father and the mysterious Blackmoon.”
“We didn't see our visitor much, at least I didn't. He stayed in his rooms, venturing out only to meet with my father in his study and to accompany us during our daily meals.”
“I witnessed no further visions in his presence, in fact the stranger barely paid me any heed during this time, much like Drake and the others. Father and he were too involved in their schemes of conquest for him to notice me.”
“And so on the fourth day, I excused myself from my sister and snuck away. I was outside the estate in no time, making for that dreaded spot, curiosity, fear and apprehension driving my little child mind from my home and out there at last.”
“There was no reasoning to this at all, not to an innocent, curious child, only that driving force bringing one foot down in front of the other, step by step until I arrived in the clearing not too deep into the woods, the clearing where in the vision I'd seen something horrible.”
“What I found there when I finally arrived was like something out of a dream.”
And she stopped, her eyes there again, seeing what she'd seen, one hand coming up, perhaps making to touch it, one head cocking to the side. A look of awe came over her, fear and wonder simultaneously working throughout those features he loved so greatly.
Ananias reached out for that hand, taking it in his and squeezing.
“My love, you can stop now. You need go no further,” he tried to ease her yet again.
And again she ignored him, still there, her story continuing.
“There was an indentation in the grass in the center of the clearing, the grass pushed down in a perfect circle. It was still there, it had not been cut, only flattened, as if by some giant hand.”
“Inside that ring were the strangest little creatures, little, tiny people. There were four of them, all naked with little wings like those you'd see on a butterfly, small and delicate in appearance. They wore little smiles on their beautiful faces as they danced all about each other, singing and laughing, their voices like little bells, their laughter infectious, their hair the color of sunshine.”
“I was enchanted. These were no monsters, no giant hoary demons hiding in the trees, ready to pounce at me. These were beautiful creatures like in the tales of the Fae. Their wonderful frolicking drew me to them, an innocent little child awakening in a wonderland. I'd forgotten the warnings of the strange man with the eyes of a falcon in my awed amazement.”
“I approached them, making to join them in their games and it was then that they noticed me, as all four sets of tiny eyes turned to me at once.”
“The laughter ended then, the frolicking, the dancing, all of it.”
And now all awe was gone from his wife's face, replaced with nothing more than horror. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she relived whatever monstrous event was coming next.
Ananias squeezed harder, giving up trying to stop this tale from coming to it's conclusion, despite his every instinct. She was going to finish no matter what he did.
“Their faces, they changed, they were not beautiful anymore. They turned from the faces of angels to the faces of demons, long fangs growing from straight teeth. Green shining eyes giving way to night black ones, large, alien and utterly malicious.”
“My feet gave out from under me and I cowered, my husband, cowered in fear as they left their ring and came closer and closer.”
End Part 68
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