Pilfering The Past

[Yvonne]

Yvonne skirted her way around the fae folk and hid on the other side of the immense tree trunk. Her black fingertips trailed lightly along its bark skin, connecting with the tree as she tread softly, up and over its crooked roots. On this side the wind ceased freezing her to the very bone and only its howling voice whistled in her ears. Perhaps the fire fae and her dangerous magic wouldn’t find her here.

Someone else did though, a woman much taller than she with a tail strong enough to swat a hybrid through the air and out into the rain again. Fins protruded from it and those looked dangerous too, but the stranger’s body language didn’t suggest aggression. Raven-black hair spilled from their temples - as dark as her own strands - and her skin followed suit. The woman with tail fins seemed to have no compunctions about revealing her attractive, voluptuous figure to the world and Yvonne tried to avoid staring overly long.

She failed.

The half-and-halfling had never seen her ilk, so she couldn’t help it. Her shimmering silver eyes took her in, absorbed her - mind a-whirl in a maze of thoughts, but for all her knowledge of the world’s species she hadn’t encountered this one before. Was she half human, half drakari? That couldn’t be right. She hadn’t known drakari to bear tail fins like hers.

Realization set in reminding the petite mage her discourtesy grew over time, that most people liked conversation before any ambitious ogling. As Yvonne tried to recall the words which had been spoken between them, the puzzling woman took a large gulp from a water-skin, probably thinking her a mute by now. The only words which came to her mind were home brew. More than enough to start a conversation.

“Been home brewing almost as long as I can remember, since me years as a wee lass. Would tha right of it be yer an appreciator of fine spirits then? What be that ye be drinking there?” Yvonne questioned curiously, deciding to leave the subjects of names and races for a better time. It would be obvious her curiosity extended to those things as well, but her manners were plentiful when she remembered to use them.

A second shape’s movements flickered in her peripheral vision and she turned to see who else would be joining her at the base of the tree. Her silver eyes widened with a mixture of anxiety and surprise, but her lips curved upward with a generously warm smile. She beckoned Fennik over with an accepting hand, her maternal instincts drowning out the fear of him she felt.

His youthful, childlike appearance filled her with happiness. His emotive green eyes, his twitching antennae and swiveling ears. His bare feet must be so cold in this unfortunate weather, and she made to say so - but of course, Fenn was a frost fae. What was cold to him? Second nature? First nature? They’d only met recently but already shared a history Yvonne knew she could never forget. He was a troubled little Fae and he’d needed some help, so of course she had helped him. Doing so had also resolved one of Donnalaich’s ongoing mysteries and everyone benefited from her actions.

Everyone except her. She’d managed to soothe his traumatized mind at the expense of her own. She’d never felt a more frightening experience than trying to cast her first spell. She didn’t understand what she had dabbled in - her intuition, her blood guided her and nothing more. Her attempt worked, but not without a wild surge surprise previous, and the whole ordeal felt like it was completely and utterly forbidden. What had she done?

“Fenn! Yer out and about in this downpour? What be yer thinking ye silly rascal? Come, nestle in among the tree roots here and keep tha wind off. We’ll get a campfire started and melt yer icicles, hang on a minute okay?” Yvonne suggested, her tone worried for the fae’s well being.

I did tha right thing by Fenn and I helped this city stabilize before tha next winter. I made a wonderful, mischievous little friend, mayhap at tha cost of dark elven approval. I might never be able ta return home, but… mama would understand. I can only be me. Not who they want me ta be. If that becomes a problem in tha future I’ll deal with it then.