ELO Read online

  Elo changed back into her curvaceous blonde body, startling Bree from her thoughts. Elo smoothed her thick white furs, which had evolved into a simple white dress. She went to her corner of the cave, searching through the supplies Joltrun had left for them. She cheerful said, “good morning, sunshine, I've tailored these to fit you, Joltrun already left. He'll be back in a few weeks. We caught your breakfast while you were sleeping." Elo tossed a bundle of clothes at Bree. "Go ahead, try these on."

  Bree began dressing. She slipped into undergarments, then a men's pair of trousers and a baggy shirt.

  Elo said, “well, you look like a lad, with that short hair of yours. I suppose Joltrun was just thinking practically." Bree smiled; she liked the clothes and was glad to be wearing trousers rather than a long smock or dress. Elo pulled out a shiny pair of leather boots from a knapsack.

  “Ah, well, The shoes might be a bit big, I can't be sure, I didn't want to put them on your feet when you were sleeping." Bree took the rough, worn boots and slipped them on. They were smaller than they appeared and fit her perfectly. She pulled them up, testing them. Bree stared at the shoes, the last person to give her fitted boots had been her grandmother.

  Tear's filled her eyes and spilled down her face. Elo hurried over, dabbing the tears away. Slaves did not get shoes, Bree thought. The entire time of her enslavement, she had been barefoot. Elo asked, "Why are you crying?" Bree wiped her eyes and mouthed the words "Thank you." Elo patted her shoulder, "it was nothing, love."

  After she ate a breakfast of greens and fresh-caught fish. Bree decided to explore the area outside the spring. She made a knotted sling with the thinnest of her furs then headed to the field where the white deer grazed in peace. The herd stayed a distance away as she walked amongst them. Some looked up at her wearily; others ignored her completely. All were under Bakura's watch. She stood up on the hill, watching the deer graze and mingle. She was easily twice the size of the other does and stag, and her pelt was a pale gold instead of the whitish-blue that graced the other deer. Bakura also had strange curving antlers that were unnatural looking, they were carved with thick totems, and beads hung from their spires. Bakura stared at her, then turned away, choosing to patrol the outside of the herd. Elo raced after Bree, leaping as she transformed into a frisky doe. It was unsettling to suddenly be accompanied by a deer almost the same size as herself. Bree stumbled and fell as Elo pranced around her. She said, “did I surprise you? I much prefer to be a deer. Four legs are better than two, after all."

  Bree smiled, and Elo chuckled. Elo said, “see you're already feeling better." Bree began heading for the woods, and Elo hesitated.

  She called, "the woods aren't safe; we're allowed to leave, but something bad might happen if I stay too long out." Bree looked back nervous at Elo, wondering what the deer woman meant. She gestured for Elo to explain. Elo complained loudly, "I'm not like Bakura, I can't read thoughts. Oh, fiddlesticks, I wish you weren't mute. It's hard guessing all the time. I'm sorry, I can always find my way back, It's just… It's nothing. Let's go. I'd like to see what your up too."

  Bree entered the forest and remembered when she and her grandmother would go trekking in the woods. Her grandmother would show her each and every herb and what was edible and what wasn't. The sun shone brightly through the trees, a light breeze filtered in the air. Bree could hear birds chirping, and small game skittered through the foliage. The forest was full of life and beauty.

  It was crisp days like this the Bree lived for. She could hardly ever remember a day in slavery that passed with this kind of beauty.

  Today felt like her first day a free woman; she wanted to spend it exploring the wood. The forest was emerald green, grass sprouted near the roots of trees, and the damp smell of moss assaulted her nostrils. Orange-brown leaves littered the floor, scattered blue and white flowers grew in the few patches of sunlight that pierced the canopy. The trees were massive and vibrant. Bree found herself stumbling over their roots as she clamored over. She peeled bark from a tree, and Elo grazed at its roots, asking.

  "What are we doing here?" Bree gestured to the plants wishing she could explain. Instead, she began gathered herbs that she recognized and peeling bark from trees she knew where safe to harvest. She recited the names of useful plants: fennel seed's, lia's wort, liar's tongue, red bark from the rosewood tree. She remembered being a small child squatting beneath her grandmother's shadow as the old woman recited to her local herbs' names. She could almost hear her grandmother's voice "this is rosemary from a land far away; traders spilled the expensive seed on their travel's, and it's been growing in these woods ever since. "

  Bree foraged finding fungus growing under the roots of a large oak. The memory of her grandmother lectured lingered. "Now remember, mushrooms with the closed brown cap are safe, but if their skinny and twig-like at the shaft their only good for pain medicine. Otherwise, they will make you sick and delirious if you eat them raw." As Bree traveled deeper into the woods, Elo seemed to grow more nervous. Bree was enchanted by the tall trees and the way the woods felt alive. The forest that she grew up in was neither this colorful nor lively. The trees seemed to breathe gently. Bree could hear them. They reminded her of the heartbeat of an infant. She picked poppies and beautiful tiny red roses that grew on bushes in a nearby meadow. She felt dew on her fingertips when she plucked flowers. Bree tasted the soft musty mushrooms that developed in the cracks and crevasse of a massive fallen tree.

  "Your awfully fast for a two-legger," Elo said, huffing. Bree continued to fill her sling full of wild roses, mushrooms, and edible herbs." She took a deep breath, her thoughts racing, the forest was so beautiful, it's was like the old world's forest. The one with stories of monsters, fairies, and imps. Her grandmother told her tales of the fae dancing in the moonlight. Her grandmother had told her a story that she fondly recalled as she continued to pick a cornucopia of wild mushrooms.

  “I was a wee girl child, and I went into the forest when I not ought to have. My grandfather was a woodcutter, a wild man, and he would tell me stories of the fae. I went looking for the fae one night, so excited I was after a bedtime story about woodlings. The woodlings are tiny folk; they are different from elves because they have wings and green sharp bodies. I went to the ancient ruins, and I saw em. I heard the sound of music and found them dancing around in a circle. They ain't like you and me though. They look like little people, with wild eyes and hair like tree branches; they wear plants from the forest and look dam vicious. Mischievous marvelous bastards, they made me dance with them, taken by the happy madness, I danced until my feet blistered and I feel asleep. When I came to the next morning, I was covered in flowers, and they made me a crown of daisies. My grandfather found me, everyone thought I was dead, but he knew where to find me. I never doubted him after that. The fae are real, good folk, but mischievous in a way you and I are not. They only appear to you if you have the heart of a child; they don't like folk who doubt and will get up to mischief if you say you don't believe in them. If you get on their wrong side, they'll steal your teapots, socks, and even your underthings to make a hammock out of."

  This forest, Bree thought, was just the place she believed the fae would live. Unlike the dead woods of her own world. She was enamored with the emerald green forest, where insects crawled, birds sang loudly, and the occasional squirrel could be seen hanging on the branches overhead.

  Elo stopped to catch her breath and sit in a sun patch for a moment. Bree continued going farther, and before Elo could catch up with her, she found herself following a trail. The trail let out to a bubbling stream, and as she tiptoed to the stream edge, she spotted him.

  He had come from the woods without noticing her. In the sunlight, she could see the monstrosity he was and found herself frozen, staring across the stream. He was a twist of vines that covered his antlers and fur. His eyes were cat-like slits, and he walked on four cloven hooves. Shaking his thick hide, he changed to that of a burly man. Half-naked he was crudely groomed; his re
d hair ran past his waist, and it was decorated with vines and flowers from the woods. He wore a fur wrap around his waist, and his legs were wrapped with leathers and vines. He beard was groomed and had been neatly braided.

  Bree stared, frozen her heart in her throat. The man bent down and drank from the stream. Bree stared unashamedly; the man looked as if he were carved from nature. It was as if he were one of the fae or a creature from another world and time. His red dreadlocks obscured his face, and his thick beard was sopping wet.

  Suddenly he froze and looked up. Bree met his eyes. His eyes were dark brown, like two shiny polished stones. Bree found herself stepping forward, and for a reason she could not explain, she offered him a sling of flowers, mushroom, and herbs.

  She wanted so badly to thank him. She mouthed the words "thank you," hoping he could understand the whisper of her voice. He stared at her then at her offering. Panic seemed to set in on his face, and he changed. He was a snarling predator with fangs and a vicious look. His body transformed, stretching, bulging with muscles until he was not a man but a monster who's shaggy fur covered all of his body. He stared at her, his eyes wild, and he screamed a horrible scream. Bree did not flinch; something inside her refused to give in to her bubbling fear. Animals did not scare her, other people, ordinary people did. Normal men, particularly angry men, terrified her, but the fact that she threatened him made her less afraid. He left, disappearing into the forest.

  “What an arse, I'll be having a word with him." Elo emerged from the bushes behind Bree. Bree shivered, startled by Elo's sudden arrival. “He's an ass to two-leggers, even when it's his job to protect them. Though he could have taken your offer there," Bree took a deep breath. Had she gone mad? The young woman thought. Why did she approach a monster like that? Bree was drawn to Faelorn and the magic that surrounded him.

  Elo lead the way back to the spring. "Come now, dearie, I've had enough exploring for one day. I'm hungrier than when I left, and this part of the forest is hidden with danger. Otherwise, Faelorn wouldn't have been here." Bree looked at the deer, and Elo understood the questioning look. “Faelorn has a taste for trouble; that why he's in trouble with the Spirit of the King. Not that I blame Faelorn for what he does, but… you should know that he's a killer. He's more like a wolf than a deer, and it's part of his job. We wouldn't be able to change and graze in peace if it weren't of the lord of the forest." Elo stopped, she gazed directly at Bree. "Faelorn can't always control himself. You should watch yourself around him. He's a friend to changelings like myself but a normal person...who knows what he'd do. He doesn't like people." Elo sprang ahead, leading Bree back to her new home's safety.

  Bree remembered Faelorn carrying her from the woods before she had died. She remembered how gentle he had been with her. Kindness was not a trait among Man, but it was in Faelorn in her time of need. She struggled to recall what had happened that night, but she did remember his kindness. It had been the last moment of clarity she had before dying. Bree stopped heart in her throat, thinking of her death brought pain. The pain made her feel about her family and her old home. She and Elo walked towards the spring. Did she even have a home anymore, had her village rebuilt? The town had been a good-size at least two hundred people, and some had fled before the raid. Bree nervously fidgeted, holding her bundle of goods tight to her chest as Elo greeted the other deer cheerfully. It had been a long time since Bree had seen her extended family. Bree had seven other siblings, all of whom had disowned her after she had gone to live with her grandmother. Her parents were dead, but what of everyone else? She entered the cave to sullenly sit by the campfire.

  Remembering life as a slave was trying. It was as if her mind was surrounded in fog. Elo placed a kettle down loudly by the fire, startling Bree awake. She said," Sorry, love, I thought I'd put some tea on before I start making dinner; Joltrun left a knife and a few small knickknacks so that you can be comfortable while you're here." Bree smiled thankfully and began helping Elo. “He left a cauldron for cooking and a lovely lantern, so it's not so dark. He usually comes once a week to see us," Elo wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I forgot how much work you had to do when you're a normal person, though," Elo said, looking up with twinkling eyes and a smile. She shyly said, "you could choose to stay here and join the herd, then you wouldn't have to worry about cooking, the grass is good, and deer don't need to hunt to survive, we don't even need shelter." Bree tried to ask a question, but her voice came out choked when she tried to use her vocal cords. Frustrated, she made an embarrassing choking sound in her throat. Red faced, Bree thought, I just want to ask her about the herd and changelings! She fumed, frustrated.

  She tried to form the question again. “I...I…." her voice rasped, and she began coughing phlegm.

  Elo patted her back, then ran to the spring and refilled a water skin. Bree sipped and took a deep breath, her face purple. She sat down, gripping her head in anger.

  Elo continued chopping herbs and vegetables before dumping them into the pot.

  She said, "don't strain yourself, dear. There's no need for you to speak..." Elo looked down at Bree sympathetically. Bree clenched her fists.

  Elo said, "We should get Joltrun to treat you; He a wonderful medicine man. Patched you up when he found you in Faelorn's care. He helped me become part of the herd. I wasn't much different from you when I arrived. I was lost when I first came to the spring…" Bree cried gently, wiping tears; she had lost her voice so long ago. Screaming had been the only thing she recalled using it for when she was enslaved. Elo quietly cooked, giving her pitying looks. Eventually, as night began to fall, Elo left her entirely to rejoin the herd, who had moved back to the forest's edge. Bree sat alone and fell asleep, her throat sore and burning.

  It was the middle of the night when Bree opened her eyes, startled by a form at the cave's edge. She sat up immediately and picked up her lantern, shining it at the entrance.

  A strange face looked at her under a moving bundle of leaves. Bree hurriedly grabbed the knife Joltrun had left for her. She shook nervously. The creature turned its head as if confused then held up a dead pheasant. Bree blinked the sleepy from her eyes. She realized who it was. She could see the brown eyes of Faelorn looking at her. Her heart leaped with anxiety. She put her knife down and sat back down. Placing the lantern, she watched as he sat nervously, transforming back into the shape of a man. He was bundled in a strange coat of sewn together leaves. He looked as if he had attempted to groom himself, he was clean shaven.

  “I'm-I'm- I'm-I'm Faelorn..." he stuttered nervously. Bree nodded. “I-I-I'm sor- so-sorry about earlier." He wrung his hands, flinging the dead peasant as he did so. Bree motioned to her kettle, offering tea silently. He stood awkwardly, shaking pale in the light of the softly glowing fire. Bree stared at him. He was like a creature from another place. His hair was wild and redder than blood. He jittered and made nervous motions. “I brought you a new spit-if you-if-if." he took a deep breath "if you have that um-other food, we can-can."

  Then as he turned redder and redder, losing his speech, Bree saw a tiny monkey-like paw reach out from the mass of leaves around his shoulder and pinch him on the face. Faelorn swatted the hand away only for it to slap him back. Bree heard a wicked sharp little laugh from the mass of leaves.

  Bree laughed a horrible broken sound. She covered her mouth, coughing. She was startled by her horrible laugh and the little black eyes that looked through the leaves at her. Faelorn quickly recovered, surprised by her laughter. He said,“I would like...to eat a meal together. I brought...I brought food and..." Faelorn sat down, holding the plucked pheasant awkwardly.

  Bree stared at the bundle of leaves on Faelorn shoulder. Faelorn held out his hand to the mass of leaves. He slowed his speech, shaking. "Don't...be scared...this is...Cael. He is my friend..."

  Bree was both excited and scared of what emerged from Faelorn's shoulders.

  It was a skinny little woodling. Its skin was green as the leaves in the trees and molted with spots of brow
n. Its hair looked like it had tiny leaves growing from it in vine-like strands. Its eyes were large and black and glinted with mischievousness. It wore a hat made out some leather material, and the creature was entirely naked. It had a sharpened stick slung onto it's back, and it grinned a wicked grin showing fangs. “Cael is one of the fae." The creature stared at her, leaping back onto Faelorn's shoulders. Bree started her eyes darting from Faelorn to Cael, who, after a good while, popped back inside Faelorn's leaf coat. Bree pointed at the spit holder, and Faelorn handed it to her. She helped assemble it over the fire, Faelorn sat awkwardly watching her, and he carefully shoved the plucked and gutted pheasant onto the spit and placed it gently onto the rack. They sat in silence, Faelorn occasionally rotating the spit, not looking at her directly. Cael eventually popped back out of Faelorn’s coat and began exploring Bree's camp. Bree hugged herself, staring at Faelorn and Cael with fascination. Faelorn was not at all the creature she had seen in the woods. He still looked the same but carried himself differently. He was taller than he seemed and up-close, he was massive. He had also shaved his wild beard and looked oddly boyish without it. He glanced at her nervously, eyes darting back and forth from her to the fire.

  He reached into his pack and pulled out writing charcoal and some thick paper.

  Faelorn handed her the charcoal and paper. “Joltrun told me that you can read and write. This is from him, you can talk to us through the paper." Bree held the charcoal shaking. She had not written with paper and charcoal in a very long time, not since her grandmother passed, she wondered if she could still write. She scrawled a question down, and Faelorn awkwardly scooted over. He asked,“Why did you save me?" Faelorn seemed taken aback. He quietly stared into the fire. Cael explored the cave, and Bree watched fascinated as the little fae climbed the walls with grace and ease. He gave her an unnerving grin and tipped his weird little hat to make her smile. Finally, Faelorn spoke, and when she looked up, his eyes were serious. “I did what I thought was right; the men were hurting you. You were in pain. I...understand pain. I have been the deer under the hunter's knife."