Laurel

3:13 Laurel

The morning came far too quickly. I wasn’t ready for it. Everyone thought we were going on a long march. That we would have weeks together before it all came to a head. I knew that wasn’t going to be the case, Basalt knew, and by now would have let Auris know as well. We were going to open our own gateway, magic never before seen in Fae. Large enough to march our entire army through at once. 

Anything else would be too slow. The Sunless were going to break free of the underground and spill out over the helpless villages that are scattered around Fortuna’s protected bay. I wanted to protect them. Those small villages were all like the Selkie had been. Living more or less in harmony with the wilds around them, building a society that worked with and cherished the natural world instead of seeking to dominate it. Only those societies, who understood the balance of life were ever chosen by Fortuna.

I had seen how the Sunless attacked, during my training with my father and Gotha. Swarming over a city, vastly over powering those they were attacking and swiftly ending the battle. Like army ants I had seen on The Discovery channel one night. The Sunless were armed with metal weapons, magic, and generations of war tactics training, Fortuna’s saved peoples had nothing but stone and wood tools. It would be a slaughter and one I was determined to prevent.

I sat up, and gently nudged Sky and Brydel, before doing the same with Delia and Sky before wiggling myself out of the bottom of the bed. I quickly washed my face, and changed into clean clothes. Today was the day we were traveling. The mood was strange in the bedroom, a lot of anxiety was echoing through everyone. Delia was exceptionally nervous thinking there would be a lot of hiking. She was more of an indoor and city life kind of girl. Brydel was almost cheery as he strode towards the pantry for a snack naked and proud as a jay bird as he went.

Sky and Aruis were being sweet with each other, extra cuddles and touches shared between them to help calm each of their nerves. It was enchanting to see them, in a way I guess they related to each other as they both tried again at becoming adults after languishing in protracted adolescence for much too long. The men they had grown into in such a short amount of time filled me with such burning pride that they were mine. We only had one chance in time to have everything happen at just the right moment. 

I couldn’t tell them. If they knew, even a part of it, it could throw off our one perfect shot at succeeding. I could only do as I was supposed to, one single thread of fate to follow. I had to be perfect. It had taken me so long to understand enough to be able to see the one path that would lead me where I wanted to go. I could do it. As long as I continued to believe in them, everything would work out. I was ready.

Delia 

I was so anxious I wanted to throw up. Which was something I hadn’t done since I was a young child. Mama always made fun of me when I was older and felt nauseated when I was nervous and would remind me of every year I had woken up in the middle of the night on the eve of every new school year and vomit. Being a child empath was difficult, I had too many feelings and so did everyone else in the room. 

I felt like I did way back when I was small and the world was too big. The world of Fae, life with Laurel, our mates, was almost too much, but I had faith. My heart knew this is where I was meant to be, I leaned on that for comfort as I kept pushing myself forward. I got dressed in comfortable, practical clothes, lots of loose, breathable cotton. Brydel helped to lace me into hiking boots, making sure the tension along the laces was just so as he went. Auris was fawning over Sky, they had been apart most of yesterday and the separation was too much for the sensitive dragon man. I smiled as I looked around the room, at our room. I had never felt so content or relaxed in my life. It was bliss.

But everything was changing just as I was getting used to how things were. Laurel was dressed similar to myself in practical earth toned cotton clothes, as were the men. Simple and practical for a long trip. Who knew how long it would be until I saw another tub, let alone a shower.