Her head tilted to the side in confusion.
“How do you…” She gasped, her eyes widening. “You watched me climb that vine in Auryna, too, didn’t you?”
“It was quite the sight.” I winked as I walked past her. “Come on, let’s go before Doran leaves us here. We’ll be taking the same route until we split little ways south at the fork.”
* * *
We split from Doran’s group about an hour before we made it to the woodland that surrounded Nautia.
Ara tensed as we neared it.
“This one isn’t like the Cursed Wood,” I said as we entered the forest and were swallowed by green.
The trees were thick with age and their sweet-scented foliage created a dense canopy overhead. Sunlight poured through the gaps, creating beams that illuminated the forest floor. The narrow trail was lined with ferns and other emerald green underbrush. The lively sound of birdsong rang from somewhere in the distance, filling the forest with its lighthearted melody. Peeking over my shoulder, I watched as Ara visibly relaxed, tilting her face to look at the trees. Her lips parted in a gasp and I smiled.
“No, it’s nothing like the Cursed Wood,” she breathed. “Nothing like any wood I’ve ever seen.”
“According to legend, this forest was blessed by the Goddess.”
“I believe it,” she mumbled.
“Me too,” I whispered. “We aren’t that far from Nautia now.”
“What is it like? I know Alden and Ara are from there, right?”
“Yes, they were. Nautia is a beautiful town. It dead ends on a peninsula that is surrounded by the sea and it’s almost unreachable from the border, so it hasn’t been affected in the same way as the other villages.”
“What about the people? I know the majority of those from Blackburn are warriors and fire workers, so what about Nautia?”
I stifled a smile. “Been reading up on Ravaryn, hmm?”
Her cheeks tinted pink. “Yes, so? Would you rather me not?” she asked sarcastically.
“No, by all means, feel free. Actually, I would prefer that you do. Ravaryn’s people are just as diverse as the magic here,” I said. “The majority of the Fae in Nautia have magic related to water, hence, being so close to the sea. Some can move water, some can turn into water entirely, and then there are those like Ara, your grandmother, who could pull the rain from the clouds.”
“But she wasn’t a Storm Bringer?”
“No, that title is reserved for those who can form the storms and call to the electricity it creates, the rain and lightning together. It’s extremely rare. Besides Vaelor, there has only ever been one other recorded Storm Bringer, but that was a millennium or two ago.”
“Ah,” was all she said.
“That was one of the reasons Vaelor was king. Don’t get me wrong, he deserved the title because he was fair and kind, so I’m told, but also because he was blessed.”
She didn’t respond that time, so we continued in silence.
As we neared Nautia, the ground became softer in some areas, indicating wetland. When a small trail split off from the main, I halted the cohort, jumping down from my horse. Ara hesitated when I offered my hand but took it cautiously and dismounted. Keeping her hand tightly in mine, I led her down the footpath too small for a horse.
“Where are we going?” she asked from behind me.
I didn’t respond, grinning ear to ear.
As we strolled, the ground became covered in thick, green moss and small round stepping stones replaced the dirt path. We continued, stepping from stone to stone, until they carried on into a shallow pool of crystal clear water and she paused, glancing at me. I nodded, tugging her forward. We stepped into the cool water, lit green with the moss underneath.
Once we reached the end of the trail, it opened into a small clearing, and golden sunshine washed over us. An audible gasp escaped her.
It was the kind of wetland only found in these woods. Through the water, wildflowers sprouted, painting the clearing in a rainbow of pastel colors that swayed in the breeze. We carefully trod through the blooms as the breeze wafted the scent all around us.
The scent reminded me so much of Ara, it almost knocked me from my feet. This. This is what she smelled like. Happiness and warmth and wet and wildflowers. I halted and inhaled deeply as she strolled to the small, grassy knoll in the center.