Song of the chapter - Can't Live Without by Hollyn

Clanging and commotion woke Eliana from her fitful sleep. She had been comfortable enough on the sleeping mat, and surprisingly warm enough considering her simple clothing, still the same outfit she had put on to explore the fateful cave. But her mind nagged at her, even during sleep. She remembered the star filled sky, the dark cave which held a strange sparkle, and the odd heirloom stone still in her pocket. The noise from the opposite side of camp did nothing to ease the strain her mind already felt.

"What do you mean, you don't have coffee. Who in the world doesn't have coffee?" Harper's rant carried across the meadow, most likely scaring away any mountain creatures.

"I mean, we do not have what you are seeking. Ferlish folk drink tea from our tree leaves. We are surrounded by such trees, so take your pick and we shall make tea." Blaike replied as he was already packing up much of their supplies. He had said they would start the next leg of their trek at day break, and apparently he meant it.

"Tea...humph" Harper stomped away to gather leaves while Eliana stretched to help wake her body up.

Blaike took notice of her immediately and strode over to where she sat. "Did you sleep well?"

Eliana looked up at him, finding a shining face staring back at her, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "It was alright. Not the best night's sleep I've had, but no time to sleep in" She shrugged and started to roll up her mat.

'I see." Blaike stated, sounding disappointed, "Perhaps tonight shall be better." He reached out a hand to help her up. Eliana felt the same tingling warmth that she had the day before, sending a shiver from her fingers to her shoulder. Would she ever be able to calm down around this man?

Harper returned with a handful of leaves. "Is this enough?" she asked Blaike, holding the pile out to him.

He laughed, causing Harper to frown. "Yes, quite. One leaf will make the tea quite potent. That many will keep you awake for many days."

"Oh! Sounds stronger than coffee. I'm game." Harper pulled out one leaf and put the rest on the ground. Blaike had already heated some creek water in a small cup which Harper used to steep her tea.

Minutes later she was sipping the concoction. "What the...? Tastes just like coffee! Now we just need cream and sugar and I'll be good."

"You will be good?" Blaike shot his attention over to Harper at her statement. "I would give the Queen's crown to see that. Unfortunately, I do not have the luxury of cream and sugar. Perhaps when we arrive in the Realm they will supply you with what you seek." He added quietly at the end, "one can always hope."

Eliana smirked. It would be entertaining to watch those two as they all traveled, that was for sure. The three continued to gather their belongings and then got started on the day's journey. Eliana remained in her position just behind Blaike, while Harper walked next to her. The path they were on was twice the width as the original trail through the Forgotten lands. Eliana also noticed that the trees were not quite as massive. Still tall, they no longer seemed to touch the clouds. These trees were more typical, although very unusual compared to what she was used to back home.

Home. That was such an odd concept to Eliana. Stepping foot into the Ferlands had changed everything that Eliana knew to be true. Home seemed like a million miles away, and at the same time, right at her fingertips. The hike through the mountain pass kept her in awe. The land was breathtaking, everything she had seen making her shake her head in disbelief.

"This is just beautiful." Eliana remarked at one point on their journey. "Every curve or bend in the path brings me a new view of gorgeous."

Blaike scoffed at her assessment. "You have seen nothing of the beauty of this land."

"But these rolling, golden hills, the trees, even the sky is bluer than anything I've ever seen." Eliana protested.

"Yeah, it's amazing." Harper agreed. "Nothing like it on Earth. Literally."

"The land is a shadow of what it once was. The hills at one time were a green you couldn't imagine in any wonderings of your mind, the sky bluer than the most pure crystal, these trees robust. Now it is dying, and has been for a generation." Blaike said with all seriousness.

"Why? What's happened to make it this way? You told me there's no pollution." Eliana asked.

Blaike continued leading them as he answered, "Another question for Queen L'Orna. My words will not do it justice. But, you must understand that there are schemes at work here far more serious than a dead animal in a stream."

His answer caused Eliana to shudder, wondering at what he could possibly mean.

"Can't that guy answer anything? It's like he's been sworn to secrecy." Harper said to Eliana as she walked closely.

"Perhaps you are right." Blaike replied with a smirk. Harper's eyes went wide at his reply.

"How'd he hear that?" she whispered. Eliana just shrugged. Blaike, it seemed, was full of surprises.

Their walk continued as the sun moved across the sky. The sun of the Ferlands did not seem as unusual as everything else they had encountered, giving Eliana at least one thing that was expected. Certainly nothing else they had observed fit that description.

As dusk set in, Blaike declared that they needed to find a place of shelter amongst the trees. He insisted they were safe but wanted covering for their back nonetheless. He found a small space between a set of trees growing in close quarters with one another.

"This is as good as it will get with three of us to protect. I am going to rig an alarm in case something decides to enter this area." With that, Blaike set about linking a thin string around and amongst the trees they were seeking shelter between. After a while, he seemed satisfied with the results and pulled the excess string over to his mat.

"How is that an alarm?" Harper wondered aloud.

"This is a thin cord, woven with strands of Fae gage. It is a fine metal that can be molded and manipulated. It also conducts sound, heat and vibrations quite well. I will tie the end around my wrist and ankle so that if anything crosses the cord, I will feel their movement and hear their breathing. It is quite simple, really." Blaike explained.

"I don't think so, Rambo. Nothing here has been simple." Harper said, without as much sarcasm as she would usually have.

"Well, for Otherlanders, I suppose you are correct." Her replied. Eliana guessed that Otherlanders was a Ferlish term for imigrants. "No matter now, you are here and this is your home... for the time being." He added as he cast a glance at Eliana. "Let us make camp and get some sleep. The earlier we start out, the better."

"How much longer to the Fae realm?" Harper asked as they set up their beds.

"Still seeking sweets?" Blaike laughed. "At our current pace, it will take at least three days yet. But if you two can move faster, we can make it two star rises from now."

"Ugh. I need a freaking translator!" Harper declared.

"I think he means at dusk in two days." Eliana clarified, to Harper and Blaike's surprise. She just looked back at the two of them and shrugged, "What? It makes sense, dusk is when the stars start to be visible."

"Yeah, whatever. Let's just go to sleep." Harper stated, to the agreement of all. They each took to their sleeping mats and settled in for the night.

Not long after Eliana had dropped off to sleep, Blaike shook her back awake.

"We must gather close" He whispered. The alarm must have been set off, was the first thought she had. Blaike nodded his head at her, reading the question in her eyes. Harper had already woken and crawled over to Eliana's mat. The three gathered close with Blaike's arms around each of their backs.

"Put your heads down and close your eyes. Make no sound. Keep only thoughts of joyful times in your life. Do not move until I tell you it is clear." He instructed quickly then put his head down and became silent. Eliana felt a sense of panic rise within her at what could possible cause the fierce warrior to be so unnerved. She obeyed his instruction, as did Harper.

As they sat there, silently waiting for the invisible threat to pass, Eliana began to feel something weigh down on her. There was a heaviness surrounding them, dark and ominous. She felt this thing, whatever it was, as though a powerful covering surrounding them completely. A sense of suffrocation took over her breathing, even her blood seemed to still at the covering. She remembered the instructions to think of joyful times. Her mind wandered to days walking among trees and meadows, nights looking up at starry skies. As the thoughts rolled forward, she instinctly reached into her pocket, grabbing her family stone. It was warm to the touch, as it had been before. However, this time the heat intensified. Eliana rolled it back and forth in her hands, an effort to keep the heat from burning her skin. A sense of power rushed through her and she felt it spring forward and cover the group.

A strange sound filled their little enclave of trees, much like a frightened whimper. Eliana felt Blaike stiffen at the odd noise. Then the heaviness left them much quicker than it had come. At once, Eliana felt light and relieved.

"What was that?" she asked as she turned toward Blaike.

"An Oprey. A creature which feeds on negative thoughts and feelings. They come upon you without warning. One moment you may feel normal and happy, the next you become desolate. Your mind is taken over by its power. Sword or bow cannot protect from this force that seeks to overcome your mind. Grown battle-worn warriors have succumbed to its force. Many are so devastated they end their own lives quickly after it overcomes them.

"And yet I have never seen or heard of an Oprey whimpering away in fear. Nor have I known anyone to wield a power against it. Usually the only defense is to hold to the positive thoughts that you carry within. And even then, it is not always possible."

Blaike's expression was one of disbelief, not understanding what had just occurred. Eliana wondered if it had something to do with her family stone, so she pulled it carefully out of her pocket. Blaike's eyes were immediately drawn to the object in her hands. He drew in a sharp breath as she opened her palm, exposing the rock.

"Where did you get that?" He whispered in awe.

Eliana threw her head in his direction, questioning his reaction to the rock. "It was left to me in my Grandmother's will."

"The StarStone. I thought it was only a legend." He said, almost to himself. Then he looked at Eliana, wide eyed. "Your Grandmother?"

"Yes. Aine Solveig."

Blaike stood up quickly and looked around, scanning the area for something, she had no idea what. Then he sat back down, quite a bit closer to her than he had been, Harper had been silently watching the entire exchange from just inches away.

"Do not repeat that name out in the open. It could bring us great trouble."

Eliana's eyebrows shot up in shock, "Why would that be?" What trouble could the name of a deceased woman possibly bring?

"She was the Seer which led the exile." Blaike replied, eyes boring into Eliana. His words caused a chill to run down her spin.

"Seer?" she whispered. What did that mean?

〰🖤〰

Thank you so much for following along on this journey! I really appreciate your votes and comments.

Apparently Aine has a reputation, and it looks like there's more to the story than just an immigrant from another land. The Starstone left to Eliana has a bigger story as well, the legends have become reality for Blaike. Layers, I'm peeling it off in layers...

I love Hollyn, and have been following her for a while. Can't Live Without seems like a love song, and it is one of sorts. But I hear the call of her homeland to Eliana as she travels further in to the Ferlands.

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