Earth: The Elementals Book Two: The Elementals, #2

Chapter One

Tree Sprite

She ran through the forest stopping to throw her arms around a silver birch tree. Her face lit up with sheer joy from feeling the nature that surrounded her in every fiber of her being. She kicked at the leaves and inhaled the woods like the scent was a drug, and she couldn’t get enough.

She should’ve been more careful was what she would tell herself many times over the next year. She should’ve paid more attention to whether she was alone. If she had been cautious, she could have avoided the fate she faced. If she had been cautious, she would have never experienced a love so powerful that she would contemplate giving up eternity for it.

Daniel was mesmerized. He watched her appear seemingly from out of nowhere. It was as if she emerged from the trunk of a tree. He knew he must be seeing things. The darkness draping the forest in shadows was playing tricks on his mind. Still, only a tree sprite would dance around in sheer giddiness like this. Of that he was most certain.

He dismounted his horse and walked closer. She took no notice of him. Even through the darkness, he could see her beauty. Her skin was dark light the night, and her long black hair appeared softer than most women of her descent. She was almost close enough he could reach out and stroke it.

Daniel snapped to attention. She was a sprite who had him under her spell. He looked behind him ready to make his retreat before she saw him. It was too late. With a gleeful giggle, she turned and ran straight into him.

He didn’t know what to do. He could only stare into her beautiful oval eyes. Frightened eyes. Terror spread across her face, and he sensed that she was about to dart away. He grabbed her arm and said sternly, I will not bring you harm, but you are in grave danger.

Her eyes searched the forest behind him looking for a way to escape.

Daniel relaxed. Listen to me, woman. You needn’t have worry of me, but you are not safe here. Do you understand me?

He stood waiting for an answer. From where did this lovely creature appear? He had never seen her before, and someone with skin as dark as his would’ve been remembered. Daniel began to wonder if she even spoke the same language.

She opened her mouth, but thought twice about speaking. She nodded at him.

Good. Come with me. I will put you up for the night, and tomorrow I will get you home.

He led her back to his horse, not letting go of her arm because he feared she would run. Too many evils lurked nearby for him to leave her be. The people here...they’re friendly. They don’t mind how people like me and you look. Others are not as nice. Wars have been raging. Armies pass through close by. You have to be careful. It’s not safe for a woman out here alone.

She understood what he was trying to tell her. He helped her onto his horse, and he sat behind her. They ventured out of the trees to a path that ran along a fence. They followed the fence to a small home. Daniel told her to go on inside out of the chilly air while he tended to the horse.

Worry wracked her mind. She had been here for five minutes before she failed. She didn’t mean to, but that wouldn’t matter. She needed to find a way out of this safely and proceed with caution for the next year. Maybe by fixing her mistake some compassion would be shown to her when she returned.

The home was tiny. It was perfect for one man. There was a hearth and a table with two chairs. The far wall saw a pile of furs on the floor. She looked around, but her eyes kept returning to the fur. That’s where he slept. She sucked her breath in and wondered where she would be laying her head that night.

The door opened behind her, and he walked inside. The two of them was enough to make the room feel crowded. He began taking off his outer garments and hanging them by the door. Where are you from? he asked.

She didn’t know what to tell him. She had never thought about having to form these human details as she wasn’t supposed to interact with anyone for any reason. She wasn’t even entirely certain where she had emerged. The weather was cold enough that she could rule out some locations, but she hadn’t seen enough to narrow it down much more than that. He took her silence for fear again.

My name is Daniel. I’m from a small village that requires two months travel by boat to reach. It’s a long story how I came to be here, he looked at her and waited, hoping she would contribute.

Do you have a name? Still she didn’t answer him. You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to. You have no reason to trust that I am not a bad person. I will deliver you safe and sound in the morning to wherever you desire to go. Then you will see.

He walked to the hearth and pulled a pot from the side. He set it on the table and lifted the lid, stirring the contents. The aroma drifted across the short distance to where she stood, and she felt her stomach churn. She hadn’t realized how hungry she had become until she smelled the stew. Or rather, she hadn’t realized the gnawing in her mid-section was what hunger felt like.

Are you hungry? he asked her, and motioned to a chair.

Yes, she sat down quickly.

She speaks! His laughter roared out heartily.

She looked down at her hands nervously wringing them. She should not have spoken no matter how harmless it may seem.

He served up two bowls of stew and placed one in front of her. She began eating it fast, not taking time to taste it. He watched her wondering how such a beautiful woman found herself alone in the woods this time of year far from any encampments or villages. She caught him watching her and stopped.

Daniel leaned back in his chair and stretched. He observed her as she tasted the rabbit stew he had prepared. Her eyes showed obvious approval. She began to spoon one bite in her mouth after another barely having time to enjoy the flavor let alone chew. Whoa, he told her. Slow down a mite. There’s plenty more if you want it, but eating like that will make you sick.

He broke off a couple pieces of bread and passed her one. Daniel continued to watch her with growing interest as she looked at it like it was something completely foreign to her. He sopped up some liquid from his bowl with the bread and took a bite. She watched him then did the same. He was convinced now there was something altogether unusual about her and was beginning to think she really was a tree sprite.

After they dined, he cleared the table and cleaned up. His father would laugh to see him doing the home chores while a woman sat staring intently at the fire. But, she was also a guest. A guest who it was becoming more and more clear was in need of his help. Daniel finished up and joined her by the fire. He had so many questions, but he was aware she wasn’t ready to provide any answers. ‘Perhaps by morning,’ he thought to himself.

He looked at the pile of furs along the wall. A pallet bed was hidden underneath. There would be no way the two of them could sleep together without being practically overlapped. He sighed which drew her attention. Daniel knew he would sleep on the floor and allow her the comfortable rest. She was after all a maiden in distress.

Since she seemed to understand him, he explained to her what he had decided about the sleeping arrangements. He took a pile of quilts and furs and laid them out between the bed and fire. His mystery guest tried to insist on letting him have the bed, but he refused.

She laid down on the small bed and covered herself in furs. This man had been exceptionally kind to her. ‘He plans on taking me to where I need to go tomorrow only I don’t know where that would be,’ she worried. How would she tell him she needs to be somewhere void of people or at least at the edge of them? She needed to devise a plan to leave here on her own.

His bed and blankets were comfortable and warm, and she soon found herself unable to stop the sleep that was overtaking her. Right before drifting off, a voice in the darkness spoke to her and her alone. She turned to the spot where Daniel lay, seeing nothing but a pile of blankets being illuminated by fire. My name is Anya, she told him quietly, before letting dreams overtake her.

Anya opened her eyes and for a moment she was with the other three on the flat rock filled with excitement of what lay ahead, then consciousness suddenly took over. She shot upright and looked around. The tiny cabin was empty except for her. The fire was blazing bright, and there was a new tempting aroma coming from the hearth.

This might be her only chance. She quietly crept from the bed. There was nothing to do except leave. The only possessions she had were the robes she wore, and she had worn them to bed. She walked softly across the floor so intent on leaving as quickly as possible that she paid no attention to the chopping noise outside. Nor did she take notice when it stopped.

Anya was about two steps from the door when it swung open nearly hitting her. She jumped back and let out a small cry. There was Daniel carrying an armload of firewood.

Good morning, miss, he told her with a smile. I’m sorry if I woke you. I have just a little bit of logs left to cut for the winter, and I’ve been meaning to get them done before the snow fall.

Anya didn’t say a word. She watched him stack the wood by the hearth before bringing the pan to the table. Let’s eat, his words came out like an order. Then I’ll take you wherever you need to go.

Anya nodded and sat down like she had been instructed. He served her some form of a frittata. The herbs danced through the air going in through her breath and having a direct effect on her appetite. It smelled delicious, but she waited for him to ready himself before she ate.

The taste did not disappoint. She closed her eyes savoring each herb that crossed her lips. Sage certainly, and basil she recognized. Anya tried to determine each flavor hoping this might be a dish she could recreate when she was on her own. Herbs grew wild all over the countryside, and Earth could certainly be able to find them with ease.

This time she enjoyed her meal he noticed. She ate the meager breakfast as if it were a delicacy that she would never experience again. He needed to take her home, but where was that his thoughts drifted off again. He had been plagued with worry and hadn’t slept all night because of it. Well, that and due to sleeping on the uncomfortable floor. If she had a home, a good home, she would not wish to linger here. What if she had managed to escape a life of cruelty, and he was trying to simply hand her back over?

You have to take her back he told himself as he had a hundred times while lying on the floor last night. If she is found here with you, your punishment will be severe. People of your kind are not tolerated well in these parts. You are welcomed not because of what you contribute, but because you cause no waves in doing it. You keep to yourself, do only what is necessary, and do it well, so no one ever has any reason to point a finger your way.

After they ate, he cleaned up again, but this time she studied his every move as if trying to learn from him. She grew more and more mysterious to him with every passing minute. At one time, he turned and she was directly behind him. She was so close that he bumped into her. Even though her body was fully covered in some crudely styled robe that did nothing for her figure, he could easily feel the curve of her breasts underneath. She stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest. He was about to apologize when he noticed a smile just before she turned her back to him.

This was too much. She was beautiful. Her cocoa colored skin was creamy smooth. She had straight black hair that hung below her shoulders. Her robes were tied with a belt at the waist that showed her dainty size. He had already been preoccupied with thoughts of her and now he had to add the feel of her breast to his overcrowded mind.

He cleared his throat, I’ll be happy to take you anywhere you’d like to go, Anya. Just tell me where your home is located.

A look of panic shot through her eyes, but it was fleeting. I can make my own way. Thank you for your kindness.

That is the most you’ve spoken since we met. I can’t let you leave alone. It’s not safe for a woman to travel unaccompanied anywhere, but certainly not in these parts. There are men traveling through this area more wild than any animal you may encounter.

It’s not far.

Good, he smiled. I’ll get the horse ready, and we’ll be off.

He gathered his outer wear and went out into the chilly morning to a small shed at the back of his cabin home. Daniel nuzzled up close to Cora, his mare, and stroked her mane. He took a treat from his pocket and fed it to her. He pulled the saddle over back and fastened all the while talking to her about the short ride ahead and how thankful he was for her companionship. For many years now, this horse had been the only friend or family he had in his life.

He led her around front and tied her loosely to a fence post. Daniel walked back to the cabin to collect Anya. The sooner he had delivered her safely, the better for so many reasons. It was a simple fact of nature that two people left alone for long would soon develop a relationship less than godly. He was already feeling a physical draw to this woman, and he was only human.

Daniel threw open the door, but saw no one. He entered his home and looked around. She was gone. For a moment he wasn’t sure if he felt fear or relief. This would save him the effort, sure. It would also be a risk to him if unsavory people saw them on the ride. He would be accused of all manners of impropriety for having a strange woman with him. The fear for her safety slowly boiled over and took precedent in his mind.

‘Dammit woman!’ he thought, and slammed his fist on the table sending cups and a jug airborne for a second before they landed upright on the table again. He knew he had to at least try to find her. He would never sleep a wink again knowing he had let her go to meet a countless number of ends all of which were worse than death.

He walked outside and surveyed the options. He would’ve seen her if she’d passed by the shed. She’d probably still be in sight if she had ran across the open field. There were only two prospects and one took her back to where he had found her wandering the woods the night before. He chose to look for her there. It was the closest he had to an idea of where her home may be. She had to be from somewhere near those woods.

He hopped onto his horse and took off. She couldn’t have gotten far on foot. If he didn’t see sign of her soon, he’d search the opposite route from his home, and that would be that. She had to know the dangers that lurked in these parts. It was her decision to risk it.

Daniel spied her within a couple minutes time. He called her name, but she didn’t acknowledge it. He halved the distance between them and called for her again. This time she veered off to the right straight into the trees.

He pulled the reigns up high and his horse came to a halt. He reached down and patted the side of her neck staring at the spot in the woods where Anya had disappeared. As much as he didn’t want any trouble, he was intrigued even more. The need to know her and why she was on the run was his only desire.

He dug his heel into Cora’s side and made way for the woods. She hadn’t made it very far. She was crafty he would give her that. She zigged and zagged trying to lose him the best she could. Daniel raced past her on her side and grabbed a low hanging branch pulling himself off Cora’s back. He swung out and jumped down on the other side of the tree directly in front of Anya.

She ran straight into him having no time to redirect her course. He reached out his hand to help her up, but she didn’t take it. She righted herself, and Daniel began to speak. You are more unruly than the children who fight each other in the street.

Anya fled again. He glanced down at her arms for a moment to see if she had been hurt from the fall, and she took the opportunity to run. He caught her within seconds. Daniel brought both arms around her from behind pinning her arms to her side, and they slunk down together to the mossy forest floor. Listen to me, woman! Daniel yelled angrily.

The shock of his anger startled her and she went limp in his arms. Fearing it was a ploy, he didn’t release her yet. If you don’t want to go home, fine! he yelled at her. But I can’t allow you to run off on your own like this.

He loosened his grip just a little to test her, and she remained perfectly still. Anya was breathing him in. He smelled of sweat, the wood fire, and evergreen. Somehow the combination was enough to alight all the nerve endings in her body, sending tingling sensations all over. She had no desire to move from his embrace.

You have to know the evil that awaits you out here on your own. Barely clothed at that! You should be thanking the stars above it was I who discovered you last night because anyone else would not have been this nice. I guarantee you that.

He let his arms drop. She still didn’t move a muscle. Daniel stood and took a step back. If she ran this time, he vowed to himself he would let her go. The risk he was taking by offering to take her back to his home wasn’t worth anything she had to offer him in return. He had a feeling expecting help with chores would require training in all departments first.

Anya continued to stay exactly where she was. Part of her wanted to run and knew she should do exactly that. She refused to allow herself to think about the punishment that would already await her for this brief interaction with Daniel. She couldn’t move. The closeness of his body, the scruffiness of his beard on her neck, and his smell kept her frozen in place. It was a powerful combination that had awoke a longing deep inside. She wanted more.

Let’s go if you’re coming with me, he ordered.

Anya scrambled to her feet and followed him to his horse where she dutifully climbed up for the ride back to his cabin. She knew he was angry with her. He had every right to be. She feared for the questions he would surely ask. She hadn’t created a backstory because she wasn’t supposed to have need for one. She didn’t want to add lying to her list of wrongs, but she knew she’d have to come up with something and quick.

They rode back in deafening silence. Anya leaned into him feeling the warmth emanate from his body. She hadn’t realized how cold she was until she felt his heat. Sensing this, he opened his coat and pulled it around in front of her. It smelled like him. Between his heat, the coat, and the stirring between her legs that spread like fire out in all directions, Anya quickly began to warm up. They arrived at the cabin in minutes. Too soon as far as she was concerned.

Daniel helped her down then took the mare back to the barn. Anya went inside and sat in front of the fire. Without him, all the warmth she was feeling faded, and she had begun to shiver again. He came inside and started rummaging around in a wooden box by the table. He slammed a pan down on the table then a knife. He was still angry.

He dumped a gunny of potatoes onto the table and picked one up and set it down. He picked up the knife, but immediately set it back down. Daniel slammed his fist on the table, and she jumped. You don’t want to talk? That’s convenient.

He began peeling potatoes, and Anya watched him carefully. She watched the blade of the knife cut through the tuber, stringing the outer layer off in slices. He tossed each one into the pot when he finished.

At least answer me this. What fate will I face by letting you stay here?

Anya wasn’t sure what he was asking. It was her that would be punished, not him.

Who will be looking for you? he asked, his voice softening slightly.

No one, Anya answered.

No one?

She nodded. She got up from the fire and walked over to him. She reached out her hand for the knife. He hesitated, but handed it over. Anya picked up a potato and asked, How many?

All of them.

She began to peel the potato the way she had watched him do it. He eyed her for the first one then took her seat at the fire feeling confident she knew what she was doing. ‘No one,’ he thought to himself, replaying her words in his head. It created more questions than it gave answers.

Daniel decided to wait before pressing her for more information. She wasn’t exactly forthcoming with details anyway. ‘She will see in time that I am a friend,’ he thought. ‘She can trust me.’

He watched her work at the table preparing what would be their meal to nibble on for the rest of the day. Suddenly he didn’t mind having the presence of someone else in his small home. It would do him good to have some company. She would have to continue to help out like this of course, and they would have to scramble now with the autumn weather leaving to make sure there was enough to last the winter for two.

As he watched her peel the potatoes, he noticed that sometimes her robes would move, showing the slightest curve of the side of her breast. He found himself staring at the edge of the robe almost trying to will it to move again and again. She turned to him, and he whipped his head back to the fire immediately. His face flushed hot, and he silently begged that she would think it was due to the flames and not his thoughts.

Anya peeled the potatoes feeling pleased that she was able to contribute. It was the right thing to do. She knew she wasn’t supposed to be there, but she was at least learning what it meant to be part of the human realm. To be hungry, cold, warm, nervous, or comfortable. She had lost track of the emotions and sensations she had experienced already in less than a day.

Daniel helped her prepare another stew. It didn’t go unnoticed that she followed his lead. When he peeled a carrot, she watched him then copied what he did. He wondered who this woman was who stood before him in rags, but acted like royalty who’d never had to do anything for herself.

Once the pot was on the hearth, he dug through his meager belongings and held some clothes out for her to take. This is the best I can do. I don’t have the means to acquire anything more right now, but it will keep you warm.

She smiled and took the garments from him.

"I’ll be