times.”
She gracefully landed by his side and sat.
Her wings folded together and laid behind her like a cape. She told
him that even though he had been banished from the Heights, her
people felt grateful for him slaying the Great Corvus. Erik didn’t
know how the words “banished” and “grateful” could be in the same
sentence, but he thought it was ok. As long as he could see Auria,
it was fine.
Erik glanced at the old shack and asked
Auria about it, “Do you know who built the shack by the pond?”
“Oh, that is the house of Bri.”
“House? That small thing?”
“It is cozy, but he only uses it for rest.
He must be around here, watching us.”
“Watching us? You mean right now?” Erik
turned and stared at the woods around them.
“Yes. He does not know of you yet, so he
must be afraid.”
“But, is he a man like me, or a fairy like
you? Or something else?”
“Maybe you can ask him all your questions
when you meet him.”
After hours of conversations about their lifestyles
and experiences, Auria could not stay any longer. She floated up to
her home and Erik hiked back to the base.
From there on, Erik visited her every day
for a week. He waited by the pond and each time he brought her a
gift. The first day he brought her flowers; the second day he gave
her a small silver heart pendant; the third, he brought sweets.
Auria loved each present, and appreciated Erik even more for it.
But with each passing day, Erik ran out of ideas and the gifts got
crappier and crappier. The last of them were a cheap bottle of
wine, a plain ceramic tea cup with no designs whatsoever, a loaf of
bread, and a dandelion. You could only find so much in an army
base.
When Erik showed up with that last gift, the
dandelion, he felt two words could describe his intentions…
Complete Fail! If he had given these last gifts to an average
woman, she would have bent him over and beat his rump with a spiked
club. But, Auria wasn’t an average woman. She loved all the gifts.
They were things that she had never seen before. And she specially
liked the dandelion. It was a plant that didn’t grow in the forest.
When Auria blew air on it, the airborne seeds puffed and drifted
over the pond. Her smile bloomed as she saw them glide away. Her
joy and happiness soothed Erik’s heart and wrapped it with a veil
of tranquility.
“I have something for you,” said Auria. She
reached for the side of her skirt and took out a small necklace. It
was a wooden chip dangling with woven vine. The chip had a carving
similar to the painting back at her house.
“Since you have given me so many gifts, I
thought I should give you something in return. It is not as
glamorous as your presents, though.”
“No, no, it’s great!” Erik stated with joy.
He took it and put it around his neck. “It looks good. Thank
you.”
All those visits, from their very first
encounter to that moment, evoked a feeling that Erik thought was
long gone. It was hard to believe, but at the same time it was
happening. Erik was falling for her. He quickly grabbed her hand
and knelt. She looked at him confused and turned pale.
“Auria, the past days have been marvelous.
The conversations, the joy, the excitement has been more than what
I’ve experienced my whole life. I just can’t resist anymore and I
have to tell you.”
Auria remained still with her mouth half
open. Erik was starting to break a sweat. In a shy manner, he
spoke, “Auria, I think I love you”.
She smiled and looked at him like if he were
a cute puppy, “Oh, I love you, too.”
“You do?” Erik blurted out surprised.
“Well, of course. Just like I feel love for
my grandfather and Beam, and for my people. It is what makes us
care for each other and gathers us as a community.”
Erik shook his head with a wry smile, “I
don’t mean that kind of love. I mean the type that couples have,
mates.”
That’s when she got it. Her wings changed
rapidly to a stunning red. She raised her eyebrows so
She gracefully landed by his side and sat.
Her wings folded together and laid behind her like a cape. She told
him that even though he had been banished from the Heights, her
people felt grateful for him slaying the Great Corvus. Erik didn’t
know how the words “banished” and “grateful” could be in the same
sentence, but he thought it was ok. As long as he could see Auria,
it was fine.
Erik glanced at the old shack and asked
Auria about it, “Do you know who built the shack by the pond?”
“Oh, that is the house of Bri.”
“House? That small thing?”
“It is cozy, but he only uses it for rest.
He must be around here, watching us.”
“Watching us? You mean right now?” Erik
turned and stared at the woods around them.
“Yes. He does not know of you yet, so he
must be afraid.”
“But, is he a man like me, or a fairy like
you? Or something else?”
“Maybe you can ask him all your questions
when you meet him.”
After hours of conversations about their lifestyles
and experiences, Auria could not stay any longer. She floated up to
her home and Erik hiked back to the base.
From there on, Erik visited her every day
for a week. He waited by the pond and each time he brought her a
gift. The first day he brought her flowers; the second day he gave
her a small silver heart pendant; the third, he brought sweets.
Auria loved each present, and appreciated Erik even more for it.
But with each passing day, Erik ran out of ideas and the gifts got
crappier and crappier. The last of them were a cheap bottle of
wine, a plain ceramic tea cup with no designs whatsoever, a loaf of
bread, and a dandelion. You could only find so much in an army
base.
When Erik showed up with that last gift, the
dandelion, he felt two words could describe his intentions…
Complete Fail! If he had given these last gifts to an average
woman, she would have bent him over and beat his rump with a spiked
club. But, Auria wasn’t an average woman. She loved all the gifts.
They were things that she had never seen before. And she specially
liked the dandelion. It was a plant that didn’t grow in the forest.
When Auria blew air on it, the airborne seeds puffed and drifted
over the pond. Her smile bloomed as she saw them glide away. Her
joy and happiness soothed Erik’s heart and wrapped it with a veil
of tranquility.
“I have something for you,” said Auria. She
reached for the side of her skirt and took out a small necklace. It
was a wooden chip dangling with woven vine. The chip had a carving
similar to the painting back at her house.
“Since you have given me so many gifts, I
thought I should give you something in return. It is not as
glamorous as your presents, though.”
“No, no, it’s great!” Erik stated with joy.
He took it and put it around his neck. “It looks good. Thank
you.”
All those visits, from their very first
encounter to that moment, evoked a feeling that Erik thought was
long gone. It was hard to believe, but at the same time it was
happening. Erik was falling for her. He quickly grabbed her hand
and knelt. She looked at him confused and turned pale.
“Auria, the past days have been marvelous.
The conversations, the joy, the excitement has been more than what
I’ve experienced my whole life. I just can’t resist anymore and I
have to tell you.”
Auria remained still with her mouth half
open. Erik was starting to break a sweat. In a shy manner, he
spoke, “Auria, I think I love you”.
She smiled and looked at him like if he were
a cute puppy, “Oh, I love you, too.”
“You do?” Erik blurted out surprised.
“Well, of course. Just like I feel love for
my grandfather and Beam, and for my people. It is what makes us
care for each other and gathers us as a community.”
Erik shook his head with a wry smile, “I
don’t mean that kind of love. I mean the type that couples have,
mates.”
That’s when she got it. Her wings changed
rapidly to a stunning red. She raised her eyebrows so
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