Chapter 17: Chance Encounters

Ilgor, don't shut yourself off from me. Please, I'm sorry I was so distant, I think I know how to fix this all. I hope. Please, Darling, I know I have been too quiet. Far too quiet, please let me back in. 

Year of Wrath 1232, Season of life D.34. Neaves

   "No, Neaves. Open your ears, calm your racing mind. I can hear your heart beating like a drum. What has you so worked up?" She told me, sitting up straight, cross-legged. Her dress flowed softly in the sea breeze, her hair billowing out behind her. Enthralling, I couldn't take my eyes off her, though I quickly looked away when I saw her ear twitch. That side-eye, I knew I had been caught.

  "I don't know why I can't calm down. I never thought I'd find this place. I half thought my visions were a lie. A test from The Ascendant Butterfly. I guess I've just been processing it all." My wings opened to catch the breeze on their own, wanting to feel the lift from the thermals off the cliff face. The warmth spreading through them filled me with a renewed source of joy, feeling the fire grow stronger in my wings. Folding my hands in my lap, trying to copy her, sitting up straighter.

  "The Valley is a long way off. You still haven't told me why you came here. All you said was that you needed to find me, but never anything beyond that. Tell me about your family, Neaves?" The Goblin woman asked as she lifted one of her ears toward me to hear better. Not sure, I knew what it meant, but it was nice to know that someone was, in fact, listening.

  "I don't have a family," I responded bitterly, suddenly not wanting to talk anymore. Pulling my legs up to my chest, resting my chin on my knees. The fire in my wings dying at the thought of the Shrine Guard I left behind, I wondered if Mother hated me, all of them.

  "What about Afjie? Isn't she like a mother to you?" She asked, turning to meet my eyes. My breath caught; they were like amethysts glowing in the sun. While we were both sitting like this, she was still far shorter than I, only coming up to the middle of my chest. 

  "How do you know about Afjie? I never told you her name." I asked slowly, trying to control my racing heart. Every time I talked with her, she stole my breath away.

  "Because this is a dream. You don't even know my name."

  I snapped awake, wanting nothing more than to fall back asleep. The comforting feeling of being next to that woman was already fading as my wing stung from the light rain. My small fire was nothing more than a ring of damp embers as the sound of thunder belted off in the distance. It had been weeks since I left the village, and the thought of Afjie's face as I left still hurt. That brief conversation with that woman in my dreams had made that wound open again.

  The long journey wasn't what I was expecting; it wasn't as easy as flying west like I thought it would be. Figuring I'd just be able to soar over everything and reach the Goblins in just a week or two, but the Butterfly had other plans for me, I suppose. I couldn't forget the sound of the anti-aircraft guns' bullets whooshing past me when I neared the walls of Huron. That coming war had put the humans on edge; to a degree, I couldn't blame them. 

    Having learned that was what they were, after listening to the various refugees who were making their way from the desert to friendlier territory. Many of them believe that being inside the borders of the Federation would be safer than being inside the Caliphate. At least in these lands, they didn't force their citizens to enlist in their armies. What that all entailed, I couldn't have begun to speculate. Though it was my fault that the journey was made exponentially more difficult for everyone. That airship that was throttled by the shockwave had crashed into the earth and caught fire. Burning the surrounding countryside like a pyre.

  They didn't know that the Mistwalkers wanted nothing to do with their conflict, but we are in the crosshairs of both sides, though. The Valley offered a lot to both of them, and they knew we were going to protect it. Still, being shot at on sight was not something I was expecting. Seeing the patrols of the soldiers, rifles in hand, more and more as time went on. Even way out here in this damned damp swamp. Now that was only redoubled, thanks to me. I put my people in the crosshairs even more than they already were. I was seen, I was identified, the humans had no way of knowing that the Mistwalkers wouldn't be a threat, but I gave them reason to suspect.

  I had taken to flight only to get my bearings, I knew I needed to get out of the country to fly unthreatened. Then again, I didn't know the humans had these things either. I had heard rumors and snippets of conversation when we went to watch that ship being built; they were kind to us then, at least. But now?

  I was fortunate that I was able to soak in a full day's worth of sun a few days back, in an abandoned house where the roof had collapsed, which made for a decent spot. The walls were still intact, and there wasn't anyone around to see me. Breaking one of the windows to get in, but I was clumsy and tore a fair portion of my traveling clothes. It was a relief that Azu hadn't lied about needing that. The fire in my wings flared to life at sunset, and my magic returned. It felt like it was stronger now. I wondered if I could do that wing crumpling thing she had done for myself. But, then again, I wouldn't be able to use my magic until I could recover.

   Either way, I was angry with myself, I had taken to flight last night to see where I was. Only in my exhaustion, I didn't see that the sun had set over that mountain range in the west, and I didn't know the stars as well as I should. Ended up going further south into this swamp rather than west, where I could smell the dry breeze of the vast plain. Irritated, my clothes, which were made for the Valley, that didn't have much in the way of trees and thick brush, kept getting snagged on every branch possible.

  I suppose I should be happy I hadn't torn a wing. I'd be land-bound for a while if that happened. Still, wet, cold, hungry, and clothing not holding up to what I needed, I really needed to figure out a different plan. I had run out of food about a week back, again. I thought this wouldn't take as long as it would. I was only about a three-hour flight from the Valley, but I had to come all this way on foot since I got in range of the city...

  Something broke a branch in the thick undergrowth. Reaction kicked in as the fireball came out of my hand, hit whatever it was perfectly. Tamping out the charred embers of the trees and grass as I went to go look at whatever I just incinerated. Fur burned off, an instant death. A rabbit, though not one I had ever seen before, had stubby little goat horns growing from its head. "Maybe my luck isn't so bad," I spoke to no one in particular, my stomach growled far louder than my words anyway. I figured I had cooked at least the other side of it perfectly; the side that got hit was charred, and picking it up, I dug in.

***

  The cloak felt strange on my wings. I had traded a few more of those goaty rabbits to a traveler for his big, billowing cloak. The shawl that Ryhs had given to me was taken away in one brief but severe windstorm not too long ago. He was surprised at first, though he looked about as hungry as I was, so our little language barrier didn't seem to matter to much to him or me. Pointing at his cloak, then to the rabbits, he nodded, and we traded. Simplest human interaction I had in my life.

  I figured that even though my eyes were red, I could play that off somehow, but the wings... I couldn't do anything about it, beyond hiding them. Besides, the cloak had buttons up the front. My clothes were beyond repair by the time I traded that man; he got a show out of it, I'd guess, the way his eyes wandered from me to the meat. A different kind of hunger won out for him, a benefit for both of us. Would need to find something that fits me from these humans, couldn't run around practically naked under a cloak forever. Though I wondered if I could have traded my body for some more practical clothing. 

   He seemed more than eager, kind enough to let my, at least to human sensibilities, immodesty go. That massive pack on his back would have bound to have more than enough. Having wasted a few hours trying to find him later on, I eventually gave up on that idea after I got lost again. It isn't that I had any particular attachment to keeping my virginity; I had lost that years ago with a boy in the Clan. And again, with a more adventurous woman from a distant part of the Clan, one who didn't particularly care, she was an outcast like we were. Practical trades when I didn't have much to trade were more on my mind.

  Beyond the simple fact that I would also need to take the damned cloak off to fly up and see where I was, a bit more embarrassing than I was willing to admit. Still, I was able to walk the roads now; only a few people stopped me to ask why I wasn't wearing boots. One of those interactions gave me a perfect cover story, though. I was able to understand enough of the language to get what I needed.

  A young woman walked over, with a pair of tatty jute sandals, and held them out to me. She said something, but I didn't catch it, something along the lines of "Help, If can." Though she stepped back when she saw my eyes, she didn't run away. She had deeply tanned skin, head wrapped in some kind of shawl like the one Ryhs had given me. Eyes that swam with an ethereal beauty, the color of a hailstorm cloud just before the thundercloud struck. She was small, even with the heavy pack on her. Far shorter than I, then again, most humans were.

  The dusty road to the west of the city was at least better than that gods awful swamp. I was happier when I figured out I was heading in the direction I actually needed to be, closer to just being able to fly to where I wanted to go. "From Fuhjimi? Look... like... beast folk." I nodded my head and tried my best at thanking her.

  "Thank," I struggled with the next part. "Lost, not from here. Not know much of speech." I tried to sound friendly, but then again, I didn't talk with humans much at all. Other than ordering them out of the valley, I never picked up or had to learn much in the way of conversation with them.

  She smiled, handing me the sandals, then blushed furiously when the cloak opened for me to take them. Frowning and bright red like a sunset over calm waters, she grabbed the man next to her. I started backing away, putting one foot behind the other. I began thinking the worst, but she whipped her head back around and waved her hand in my face. A ring on her finger, then she pointed at the man who wore the same ring. 

   The man she was with was almost as tall as I was, with broad shoulders, a square chin, and shabby stubble covering most of his chin as well. His eyes were nearly the same color as hers. Though his skin was much darker. He turned to look at me, but the woman grabbed his chin and turned his face back the other way.

  I shook my head, not understanding, but apparently the worry on my face made her feel bad. She raised her hands and said something to the man, who set down the giant pack on his back to rummage through it. The woman sighed and gently moved him aside, his face now bright red like hers. Maybe she had told him what she saw.

  But she handed me a dress, a wrap, and a shawl. She wouldn't look at me this time and barked at the man who turned around. Taking them all, all I could manage was "Thank." Maybe not every human was so bad after all. The man began pulling some poles out of his pack, then a large canvas tent, and set about setting it up a short distance away from the road. But not far enough to enter the woods.

  She smiled again, though even I could feel the heat off her face; it was still bright red. She waved her hand. I figured she wanted me to follow them for a while. "Where are... going?" She asked me. Her voice was soft, but had an edge to it, like she was used to talking for long periods of time.

  "West." I knew the word and what it meant. But, added "Running away, safer." The look on the woman's face softened instantly, hearing that. An understanding in her eyes, telling something to the man again. Who pulled out a map, pointed to me, and then to a spot on the map. I suppose that was where we were, just south of the big city drawn on the paper. We were further west than I thought, noting the big open area further west where the forests stopped on their map.

  She grabbed my hand and made a motion like I was to point to where I was going on the map. The cloak opened up just as the top of my clothing fell away, finally having had enough of existence. The man covered his eyes while the woman shot him a look. I placed my finger over an area to the south of the big city, on the northern start to the peninsula. At hearing the woman say something, the man peeked at the map through his fingers. Both of them immediately looked concerned, spoke a word I fully understood, but the rest of gibberish to me. "Goblins."

  She smiled at me anyway, "We go with you." She took my hand and made me sit with her while the man finished setting up the tent. Pointing at herself, she said, "Asha." She pointed at the man and said, "Micael."

   Picking up that was their names, I said while pointing at myself, "Neaves." She smiled brightly as she closed my cloak. These humans were more touchy about my not-quite nudity than I would have expected. While I was embarrassed about what Azu had done, she was much more explicit. I was never brought up to be ashamed of my own body, but I knew there were dangers enough in traveling the human world. 

   She pointed again to the man, saying a word I didn't recognize. "My husband." She punctuated it while showing me her ring again. But she got up at my confused look and went over to the man and made him turn around and kiss her.

   She walked back to me, while Micael pointed to Asha and said firmly to me, "My wife."

   While I didn't know exactly what those words meant, I got the idea. The rings were symbols that they were promised in some way to each other. They were lovers and cared about each other quite a bit. Picking the only word I knew in the Common language, "Lovers." 

   "Yes and no," She said, something else past that, but I didn't follow. Micael returned to us while Asha rose and took my hand, directing me to the tent. She pointed to the dress and shawl in my arms and pointed at me. "Get dressed." She said, her cheeks having returned to her normal color. 

   Reaching up to only got so far as letting the cloak fall past my breasts before Asha grabbed the garment and tugged it back over everything. Blushing again, far more furiously this time, she pointed to the tent, "In there." She told me. She turned to check and see if her husband had seen anything, but his back was to us as he watched the road. 

   She pushed me into the tent and repeated, "Get dressed in here... hungry men... road." Catching most of her meaning, I dropped the cloak to the ground as the tent flap closed. Slipping the dress on, it was too tight around my chest and hips. But that didn't matter too much to me as I took the hem in my hands and began ripping it up the middle until it fit better so I could actually walk.

   Asha walked back in as I was using the shawl to cover up where the dress would have given anyone a good look at me. I could deal with the chest being tight, just happy that Asha was endowed enough to be close to me. It wasn't terribly uncomfortable, and knowing now their reactions to seeing me bare-chested before, I wasn't willing to rip the rest of the dress for it to fit comfortably. Asha made a noise behind me, doing a little twirl for her, I asked. "Better?" 

   Asha froze as she spotted the wings on my back. I was actually quite pleased that the back hung so low, but her look stopped the smile on my face. Worry creeping back in, she raised her hands in a placating gesture. "No worry... surprised." Quickly removing the dress, much to Asha's blushing, I let the dress fall over my wings and retied the shawl. 

"Shawl...good attempt." She pulled her own shawl off her head as sandy brown locks fell from her face. Framing her quite nicely, though she stepped up to me and wrapped the other part around so that it hung past my rear, covering up even more. A facet I hadn't thought about, but apparently Asha couldn't overlook. "Better." She said simply as she took a small brass pin out of her hair and undid the knot where I tied the other shawl. Quickly rearranging so that it fitted better and fell lower to the ground, she pinned the fabric together, keeping it all in place with a brass ring that matched the pin. 

   "Thank... you." I stammered out, struggling to think of the human words. Asha smiled up at me as she scooped the cloak off the ground and waved at me to follow. Once we were outside again, she called to Micael making a grandiose gesture to me.

   He laughed as he lifted imaginary breasts on his chest and commented between breaths, "Falling out." Which only made Asha wag a finger at him, as she turned me around to show him my wings hidden under the dress. When I was turned around to face him again, he had a far different expression. While I couldn't discern the meaning, it certainly was a thoughtful look. 

   I was growing to like these two; they were kind. Apparently worried for someone they had never met before, he took a small pair of scissors out of a pouch and walked up to me. Cutting a deep V into the neck of the dress, my chest felt suddenly much better. "Better than before. Not as inviting." He said to his wife. I finally blushed at how much attention he was giving my chest. Looking over to Asha, but she was already rummaging through the pack again. 

   When she returned, she noticed my expression as Miceal was readjusting the fabric around my chest with careful hands. She giggled as she said something, only cocking my head at what she had said. I was just happy that this section of the road didn't have anyone on it right now; this looked far too conspicuous even to me. But she pulled something from a pocket on her own dress, producing a thread and needle. "He is... Tailor."

   Dawning realization passed over me as Asha wrapped another shawl around my shoulders to hide the rest of my wings. Afjie did the same thing for the Clan, Priestess, and seamstress. It hurt to think about her again so soon, Micael noticed my eyes growing wet. Grabbing my hand, he asked with as simple words as he could for my benefit. "Neaves, alright?" 

   Wiping the water from my eyes, I pointed at the needle in Asha's hand. "Mother."

   "Ah, sorry," Micael said, releasing my hand. The sun was beginning to hang low over the road now, the shadows growing long. Micael said something to his wife and left shortly for the woods. While Asha began collecting a few stones and clearing a small area in the center of the impromptu camp. 

   Arranging them in a circle, she put a pot out from the pack and set it next to the circle. Rummaging through the bag again, she pulled a few roots out and dried meat. Turning back to me, she asked, "Join us?" After nodding, she began peeling the roots. 

   "Help?" The question left my mouth before she had even finished the first root. She smiled and handed me a small knife and handed me a few of the roots. Recognizing them, they were wild radishes; they grew everywhere in the valley. Quickly peeling them as Asha watched my quick hands move far faster than her own work. Figuring she was going to try and make a stew of some kind, I got up and told her, "Wait here." 

   She looked up at me with a questioning look, but she didn't ask anything as I went to the surrounding area around the camp and began collecting various plants and tubers. Dandelions, sedges, plantains, and clover flowers, using my shawl like a basket, I brought the rather large load of plants back to the camp and began preparing them while Asha watched. Having finished with her own task. 

   Her eyes widened as I blanched the plants in a small fire from my hands. Plucking the charred spikes off the dandelions, roasting the other plants until both the dirt fell away and increased their flavor. Picking the small knife back up, I cut them down until they were bite-sized pieces. 

   She looked over to me and said a word I was unfamiliar with, "What about spices?" I looked at her and sighed, crossing my legs. I dumped the plants into the pot. But I pointed at it and asked. "Word?"

   Asha brightened as she seemed to put my use of magic out of her mind as she said, "Kettle." Pointing at various other things around me, I supposed that I would need to learn the human language quite a bit more if they were going to join me all the way to the goblin village in my dreams. 

   By the time Micael came back, I had already repeated and memorized several dozen new words. Even Asha's words made a bit more sense as she spoke to her husband. "She is quick, asking... new words. Magic." Micael looked over to me and held up quite a bit of dead wood, but all he managed to find was moss covered and somewhat damp. 

   Reaching for the wood in his hands, I stripped the moss off the wood. It was edible; it tasted like nothing in particular, but with a bit of washing, it added some volume to whatever was being eaten. These two looked like they were only collecting the things they could definitely identify, besides the dried meat they had. I held the moss up as the final rays of sunlight sank over the horizon, my turn to teach them a word. "Myritch, medicine, food." 

   Asha picked up on it quicker than Micael, "Myritch. Only that moss?" She asked as Micael tried to start the fire without much success. 

   Nodding to her, she smiled. "Tastes," I tried using one of the new words Asha taught me, "Boring. Edible." Both of them chuckled at the comment. Though Micael was growing more and more frustrated as the fire refused to start, the world was growing darker by the minute.

   Getting up, I tapped him on the shoulder and made a motion for him to back up. He did, thankfully, as I brought more of the damp wood around the small circle. With a quick spark, the wood began to steam as I poured heat into it, then it began to smoke, then it caught fire. As the small camp now had a pleasant amber glow filling it, I took the kettle and set it next to the flames, not in it. 

   Asha came over and filled it halfway with a waterskin and dropped the diced meat she had told me was called jerky into the water. I reached over to the rest of the pile of wood Micael had gathered, catching his eye, there was something like recognition in them. But I didn't stop to think about it as I dried the rest of the wood before sitting back down opposite them by the fire. The camp filled with the smell of cooking food, leaning back and enjoying the moment. 

   "Neaves," Micael said, getting my attention away from the slowly appearing stars. "Did you start fire?" 

   I pointed to the campfire and nodded. "Yes, Mother taught magic," I told them. 

   He only shook his head. Asha was looking at him now with the same questioning look as me. He pointed back the way I had come, back toward the city. "No, that fire." 

   Suddenly grasping his meaning, I looked away. They were friendly, yes, but I wouldn't have trusted them that much. Asha asked her husband something, words I didn't understand, as the next words fell out of my mouth. "Accident, didn't mean to." I felt Asha's eyes on me now. I knew I was hedging my bets with these two; they probably weren't important if they were refugees and on the road with so many others. 

   But news always had a way of traveling quickly among humans. Looking back over to them, Micael was running a hand over his face, while Asha stared at me with undisguised fear. Flushing brightly, getting on my feet, preparing to leave. "Thank you for clothes. Kind." I told them. If I stayed with them, they would likely be in more danger if any of the soldiers ever saw my wings. The Mistwalkers never traveled far from the Valley, save for Zelthuma, and my description had been circulated around from eavesdropping on patrols.

   Turning from their camp, I started to make my way down the road westward. I wasn't more than a few yards before a strong hand was set on my shoulder, stopping me. It was Micael, with a resolved look in his eyes. "Not mad. Don't blame you. Come sit." He said gently. 

   Back around the fire, Asha asked about what had happened. But my limited grasp of the language made the story more difficult to tell. Slipping into my own tongue more than would have been expected, until Micael held up his hands for me to stop. Neither of them understood any part of my story, not that they weren't trying, I didn't know enough of the right words to make it make sense.

   Asha fished out a few bowls from the pack, simple tin, no adornment, nothing particularly interesting about them. But dipped each of them in the stew and handed everyone a bowl. With a smile, she poured the rest of the kettle into mine. Perhaps my opinion on humanity was far too limited. 

   After the meal, Asha found a stick and began drawing strange symbols in the dirt. She began teaching me the written form of her language. While teaching me simple things first. Introductions, what things were, new words, and something she called grammar. She did this for hours as Micael listened; he had pulled another of Asha's dresses out and began working on it. Undoing quite a bit of stitching and startled me as he took a measurement of my thighs and rear end. 

   When I eyed him, I was marginally surprised that I understood him better. "You weren't shy before." He laughed. The tense moment broke as I began to laugh with him. I really was starting to like these humans a lot. He bent down and measured my legs and waist. He measured my shoulders and bust as well, without a hint of color in his cheeks this time. Then he went back to working on the same dress as before. 

   Eyeing it while he worked, noticing that it was made of a thinner material than the one I was wearing now. But he took out another shawl and began sewing it into the collar, draping it low across the back. High enough to cover where my wings would sit, and with enough volume that someone might mistake it for a hood rather than its real purpose. Asha said something I missed while I watched what he was doing. "Huh?" I responded. 

   She poked my chest to get my attention. Turning to her, she had a wide grin on her face. "He's mine. Not sharing." She said. Though Micael smirked over at us after hearing her comment. 

   Putting my hands up in the same gesture she made to me when I was inside the tent, "I'm no problem." I told her, but that only made her laugh as well. 

   Confused, I didn't even know where this was coming from. I looked over at Micael as if this was some kind of inside joke between them, but he only smirked at me. Asha finished with her laughing, coming back up to me and wrapping an arm around me. "Bad grammar, Friend. It should be I won't be a problem, not I'm no problem." 

   Another lesson in this confusing language, annoyed, I knew something that would make her drop this odd little game they were playing as I pulled my dress down and let my breasts drop out. Causing Asha to let me go and cover her blushing face. Pulling my dress back up, Micael was doubled over as he laughed. "Don't like your own tricks now?" He told his wife, his voice filled with mirth.

   A chuckle bubbled up from me as I joined him, understanding his meaning immediately. Asha went and slapped the back of his head as she crossed an arm over her own chest, as he continued laughing. Smiling at the two, thinking I would like their company the entire way to the goblin village, if this was how they were going to act. 

   A few hours later, under the stars, I watched as the world turned above. The slow journey across the sky, as each constellation moved to the rhythms of the cosmos. Asha had tried to make Micael sleep out here tonight, saying that the women should get the shelter. I firmly told them no, I didn't know what I was going to do in my sleep. Not that I had any real lack of control, but it was the dreams. 

   Sleep was refusing to come tonight, but things had suddenly gotten better. A week before I was lost, I couldn't tell north from south in the dark because of the smoke I caused. Couldn't fly because my wings hadn't healed. Couldn't speak with nearly everyone, clothes were torn to pieces from running around the woods for so long. Belly full now, things were nice. 

   Smiling at the thought of being taught common by Asha made me feel a lot better about the prospects of making it to the west now. When sleep finally claimed me, my dreams were pleasant. I sat on that cliffside again next to that goblin woman. Resuming our conversation from before, I told her of my family. 

   About how strong and brave Ryhs was, how Erlin always talked his way out of everything. Pyria was always the baby of the Shrine Guard; Afjie doted on her more than anyone else. She reached over and brushed the tears from my eyes as I started talking about Afjie. We sat for a long time, no words being spoken.

   Reaching out, I grabbed her hand and held it for what felt like hours. She said nothing, she never pulled away, she existed there with me in that dream, and that was all I needed. 

   I felt the sunrise on my skin in the waking dream, while in the dreaming dream, she spoke to me finally. "Regret isn't a crime. You are allowed to be sorrowful. I miss my Mother as well. Unlike you, I can't have mine back. You only feel that way because the choice exists for you, and you chose to walk away for now."

   I could hear Asha and Micael starting to wake. Turning to her, her eyes were glowing in the morning light. "What?" Was all I managed to ask. 

   "You are allowed to feel pain, you are allowed to grow. Don't make the mistake of bottling it away; you have a plan. You were never abandoning them like you think you are; you were always trying to save them." She said without looking at me. 

   "How do you know that?" I asked her as I heard the tent flap open, and Micael groan as he stretched. 

   "My name is..." Asha was shaking me awake as my eyes snapped open. Her face filled my vision with her smile as a sinking feeling filled my stomach. "What was her name?" I thought to myself.