"I haven't been back since I was given this to wear." Anna says as she helps Ari up from the wheelchair.

"Better let me go first," Ari says softly. She starts taking her top off even as she starts walking.

"What is she doing?" Alexis says stopping and staring as Ari goes through the vault door and disappears.

"She's taking off the clothes that will cause us trouble. She's getting you permission to enter without the proper clothing." Anna explains even as she changes. She's not so daring, she changes in the vault itself. The corridor is too exposed for her. The clothing is too exposed for her, even the modified version they are letting her wear.

Soon Ari returns. She walks with more strength and purpose than she normally does. She beckons the other two forward. She looks over Anna carefully and makes a slight change to the clothing.

"They are waiting for you Alexis." Ari says and walks forward with the nearly trembling nurse.

"Nearly complete now," One guard says.

"One still remains to be found," The other guard replies.

Ari turns to Anna, "Is Dr. Jaylen your aunt?"

Anna nods, "She wanted to do something to help others. She got tired of all the endless raiding and death."

"They need her to come here. Once you are freed of watching me, you will need to bring her here. Even if she doesn't want to find some way to convince her. She is needed for whatever the trees have planned. After the tribunal gets here it will be far more difficult to get people in and out of here." Ari tries to give Anna a sense of urgency.

"I'll do my best Ari, but Jaylen has always had a mind of her own. She refused to take over when I inherited at an age much to young. I'm not sure that I can get her here but I'll do the best I can." Anna says not just to Ari but to the trees as well.

Alexis in the meantime looks around her in wonder. She'd never seen anything like it. The trees were taller than the castle itself. The ground was soil and the dead remains of leaves and other plant material. Grass grows abundantly and tempts her to just lie down and take a nap.

"Alexis, come on, when the men are through they'll be sending in hopefully hoards of people. Let's get out of the way." Ari leads the way to the springs.

Anna sits down and just lets her mind wander. She knows that Ari won't leave the forest.

Alexis looks around unsure of what to do.

Ari jumps in the pool of water that surrounds the springs.

Suddenly Alexis desires to do the same. She swims to the center and finds herself refreshed.

"The first time I jumped in I froze. This time I needed to be refreshed and so I was." Ari says floating on the water.

Alexis doesn't say anything she too just floats and lets her worries and fears float away.

"He likes you, you know." Ari says suddenly.

Alexis startled sits up and promptly chokes on some water. When she could speak again she demands, "What are you talking about?"

"Jeshua, he likes you." Ari says and stands up in the water. It isn't really that deep so the water comes up to her waist. She takes her hair and wrings the water from it. The queen had forbidden her to cut it shorter than butt length. It gets really heavy when wet.

Alexis smiles and stands rather than trying to sit in the water. "What makes you think that? He likes women all women Ari. He's a womanizer, he loves them, and yes he'd protect them as well."

Ari just smiles and continues to wring out her hair. So much hair takes awhile to wring out.

"How'd you get your scars?" Ari asks in the silence that followed.

"My father is or rather was an alcoholic. He'd come home and if he got mad he beat us. Beat my mom to death one year. Got sent to jail for that one. Got raised by the state after that. When I got old enough I became a nurse so that I could help heal those hurt by others. When the army recruiters came I didn't have anywhere else to go or anyone to miss so I joined the army as well.

"I received word about a year ago that my father died. Liver failure so they say. Didn't surprise me but," Alexis shrugs, "He beat me and hurt me, but I still loved him. I guess I need psycological help."

"Well he was your father so it's only natural you loved him. But I'd still get that psych help for the abuse issues. Stop the cycle and all that." Ari stops. It's not her place to give Alexis advice.

"Jeshua is coming. There are clothes for you by your uniform. You should get dressed before he gets here," Ari says.

Alexis looks startled then runs for the shore. She makes a lot of noise as she splashes forward. She's not ready for Jeshua to see her like this. She finds a towel and some clothes by her folded uniform. She dries off but looks lost as she lifts up the expected clothing.

Anna comes over and helps her. Ari knowing that Anna might not know herself comes out and fixes the outfit to properly fit Alexis. She had been right to ask for the modified version. It covers the scars that Alexis has.

Ari knows when Jeshua is about to come and casually wraps the towel around her. It wouldn't bother her but she knows that it would bother Jeshua to see her.

Alexis sidles up next to her and whispers, "You say Jeshua likes me, well he says that Grey is crazy about you. I think you are both crazy, personally."

Ari is amused. It doesn't matter if Grey is or not. Her time is almost up. Tomorrow or the day after at most. She hopes tomorrow. She's not looking forward to being crippled by the pain the poison will cause her.

"Hello Jeshua. How's the arm?" Ari asks as Jeshua walks around the tree. The man is like a panther and if the trees hadn't told her that he was coming she would have been startled into jumping a foot in the air or more.

"How'd you know it was me Ari?" Jeshua asks because he knows that she hadn't turned around or heard anything.

Ari sighs, "The trees told me." She waits for Jeshua to say something or back away from her because he thinks she's insane.

"Is that how you knew that someone had died last night?" Is what he says instead.

Ari bows her head. Her cousin. That pain is still fresh. She's still not sure what to believe about him. But she loves him anyway. She can't help it. If she had more time she would need to get counseling as well.

"My cousin. The trees told me that the prince was dead. That was why Grey and I spent the night in the castle. We went to the prince's room. He'd left me a gift, his diary. I spent a good part of the night reading that and another part crying over his death."

Ari turns and faces him. "I know, Jeshua, that to you and the rest of the world he was a bloody monster. I've seen him come back to the castle covered in blood and with a light in his eyes that spoke of his enjoyment. I am well aware of the monster he was.

"But he was my protector against the dictates of the queen. There wasn't a whole lot he could do. To go against the queen would have meant his expulsion from the protection of the Aelven society. He'd be destroyed by the world and things would be worse for me than ever. So he did what he could.

"I know that doesn't absolve him of his crimes. But I did love him," Ari says.

"And you don't now?" Jeshua asks softly.

"I read something, that perhaps he wasn't the protector that I thought him to be. I still love him, but now the pain hurts. I can't ask him and the event, I don't even remember it." Ari says plaintively. She didn't really expect Jeshua to understand but he does far more than she thinks.

"People make mistakes. Sometimes we get lucky and people don't remember the mistakes we make. Sometimes when we remember and it haunts us. That he wrote it down sounds to me like maybe he regretted what he did. He wanted you to read it right?" Jeshua asks and Ari nods miserably. "Then he wants you to know and hopes that you'll forgive him. He didn't ask for forgiveness for anything he's done. But this mattered to him."

The trees rustle and Ari looks up. "Someone is coming Jeshua."

Ari isn't sure what the trees are saying it's so garbled as they are all talking at once.

Jaylen walks over to them. "You come to us improperly." The trees say in an angry tone from Jeshua.

Jaylen is startled at first then unconcerned and shrugs.

Ari steps forward. "You shouldn't be so nonchalant about the anger of the trees. Hold still while I talk to them, please."

She then talks to Jeshua, "This is the one you need for it to be complete is it not?"

Jeshua nods, "That is so, but she comes to us without preparation, without warning."

"She came because the general issued the invitation earlier. She didn't wait until the general was done with his work and could prepare you. Others will follow, but hopefully not before the general returns." Ari says coolly and hopes her words are true.

"Very well, we will overlook it this time. But in future we will not." The tree says using Jeshua's voice. Ari could tell it wasn't happy.

"Clothing will be made for her. I suppose the modified version for her as well?" Jeshua's voice says.

"Yes, not many females will be comfortable with so much of their bodies being shown to the world," Ari says.

"We are not the world." The voice is amused. "But we understand. The females don't want to be seen by strange males."

"Exactly. The Aelven taught me differently than the rest of the world. There are females that won't mind the lack of clothing but most will."

"Very well." The voice says and leaves Jeshua.

"I hate it when they do that. Oh hello Dr. Jaylen. Decided to look at the vault did you?"

"What the hell was that all about?" Jaylen asks. She's not scared but she is thrown off center by it all.

"What that? The trees can't speak to us easily so they use another human as a surrogate if you will. Jeshua was the unfortunate choice this time." Ari says with unconcern.

"You should bathe in the springs. It's not required, but it might help. When you get out there will be an outfit for you to wear. In future you should wear it when you come, it signifies you as a friend. They weren't happy about you showing up unprepared and alone," Ari says.

Jaylen is looking at Ari's outfit. "I won't look as good as you in that thing," she warns.

Ari smiles, "Don't worry, they have a modified version that has more cloth to it. Anna and Alexis are wearing it. Oh, and when you go into the springs you might want to think of refreshing rather than cool. Just trust me on that."

Jaylen isn't sure what to think at this point but finds herself undressing. "Young man please take yourself elsewhere if you would."

"Jeshua would you come with me?" Ari asks and pulls him over to the springs. Once there she trips him into the water.

"Don't worry about the cast Jeshua, let the water in. Trust me." Jeshua shoots angry glares at Ari but does as she instructs. At first the pain is terrific but soon it subsides and he finds himself relieved of all the pain.

He stands up and looks at her in wonder. "What did you do?"

Ari shakes her head. "I didn't do anything. The water has great healing properties. I've been wanting to dunk you from the time I saw you at breakfast earlier. I knew you were hurting, but at first you weren't here then we were talking.

"You can come out now and save me from a vengeful nurse and Dr. if you would," Ari smiles as she says it. If she has to she can stop the two from hurting her.

Alexis gets there first and makes sure that Jeshua can get out alright. "What the hell did you do that for Ari?"

"Major, let me see that arm." Jaylen says not even caring about her lack of clothing at this point.

"I'm fine. It doesn't hurt at all actually. For the first time since it was broken I'm pain free. Now leave poor Ari alone Alexis. Dr. after I'm relieved of my duty I'll go to the hospital and you can xray my arm again. I think you'll find it's healed."

Jaylen subsides and leaves Jeshua alone and looks thoughtful. She turns to Ari, "What is this place? It's like it's magic."

Ari smiles, "This place is magic. A full forest of trees taller even than the castle under the castle? The magic is in the very air you are breathing changing you even as you speak. I think you may find that you could wear the version of the clothing I'm wearing now and would probably show it off better since I'm all scarred up."

That's when Jaylen realizes that she's been standing awhile butt naked. She looks down and is amazed by what she sees. "Huh. I look better than I did when I was younger than you Ari. Refreshing not cold, I'll remember that." She says as she jumps in the water.

Jeshua hadn't noticed either. He'd been too busy looking at Alexis to notice anyone else around him. Alexis and he wander over to a nearby boulder big enough for them both to sit on.

"Was it necessary to get Jeshua wet?" Anna asks as Ari goes over and sits by her.

"He needed to get the arm in the water. I knew he'd argue and the others would as well so I did it the short and easy way."

"Those outfits we are given don't hide much to begin with but when they get wet they leave nothing to the imagination. No wonder Jeshua is so popular with the females. I've heard a few males wish that he was available, but they know that he isn't interested."

"What about Taren?" Ari asks, she already knows what Grey looks like.

"Very much like Grey. But he's not as hard, angry or mean. I have to warn you Ari, Grey can be very mean. I'm glad he didn't want me there to watch the punishments he would give out."

"I know Anna. The Aelven were terrified of him. It takes a lot to terrify them. But it doesn't really matter. I'll be dead in a matter of hours now. Tomorrow or the day after. One way or another," Ari says. She sighs, she would have liked to get to know Grey more. It didn't matter.

Anna doesn't know what to say. She likes this quiet young woman. She's intelligent, she understands violence by having endured it, but it hasn't made her bitter. She suspects there are great depths within the girl.

Grey is smitten. Anna smiles sadly. Grey has never liked a girl with enough depth to care when the relationship ended. Perhaps the relationship hasn't gotten deep enough for him to hurt too much when Ari dies in the next day or so.

The trees start shaking excitedly. Ari gets up. "Jaylen, Grey is on his way," she warns. Jaylen waves to acknowledge the information and then promptly goes underwater.

Grey looks around the springs and locates Ari. He heads over to her. She stands up and straightens the fall of her skirt.

"The punishments are done then?" Ari asks a little nervous by how intent Grey looks at her.

"Yes. I've sent the captains back to order things a bit. If there are any wishing to come they will be here soon."

"That is good. Thank you for the warning general. We will be prepared and will not injure those that come." This time the voice chooses Anna.

When the voice leaves she's shaking. Taren goes to her and they walk away.

Grey tries pulling her away as well but Ari holds him off. "Alexis, Grey wants to take me for a walk. When Jaylen finally has to come up for air help her get dressed will you? I'm sure Jeshua can help. He's a fast learner and has a fine eye for detail."

Alexis laughs and nods as Jeshua turns deep red from the top of his head to down his chest.

Ari, "I didn't know that blushes went that far down."

Grey was trying to hold in his own laughter. Ari had Jeshua pegged. He leads her off into the woods until they come into another little glade. This one without a pond taking up the cleared area.

"Grey, yesterday I told you I wasn't ready to dance with you. But," Ari bites her lip she is nervous about asking Grey this. "If the offer is still open I'd like to dance with you."

Grey bows to her, "Whenever my lady wishes." He wasn't mocking her, he was dead serious.

Ari smiles lighting up her whole face. Music drifts on the breeze. Grey takes her hand and leads her over to the cleared area. They start dancing and for a while Ari forgets everything. All she sees is Grey. Only having the steps burned into her muscles keeps her doing the dance.

Grey is a fast learner and although he'd never performed the dance he is able to perform it flawlessly. He never takes his eyes off of Ari while they dance which isn't strictly part of the dance, but Ari finds it's effect interesting.

The dance comes to an end and they are both breathing hard, but not from exertion. Grey gently moves her hair from her face and like her cousin the day before had he kisses her.

"I'm not the better man like the prince had suggested yesterday Ari. I just spent the last hour torturing four men for what happened last night. I'm an angry man covered in the blood of others." Grey wants her to understand that.

"Grey, why do you keep telling me that?" Ari asks impatiently. "I know who and what you are."

And Grey believes that she really does see the true him. So few take the time. He's rather blown away by the feeling of freedom that gives him.