"Well my love, would you mind gathering some things for dinner tonight? We should make something special for our guest .", Ventus said, turning to Caeli and smiling warmly at her young look-alike.
Caeli gave a nod and placed a quick kiss on her mother's cheek.
"Do not worry my lord, my mother may be fierce but she is also kind. I leave you in her capable hands.", Caeli chuckled. She curtsied for Coruscare, lowering her head. She lifted it to give him a broad smile before making her way through the threshold.
He thought her smile would stop his heart entirely. The women of his past had always been enthusiastic enough but their joy had always been in the hoping that they would be had by the king of Ausia, the lord of fire and light. They often saw him as a conquest, something to be achieved or won. Never had he been privy to such genuine happiness in an individual. Even those that served him, they often wanted truly to please their lord, but only because of that very fact. Because he was their lord.
He nodded, stunned, as she walked off into the distance, the door of the cottage still open and allowing sunshine into the small dwelling.
He turned back to Ventus, his brow furrowed.
He opened his mouth to speak when Ventus interrupted.
"She won't be gone for long so we haven't much time. She travels quickly without realizing so she will return quicker than you'd imagine.", she said seriously.
Coruscare followed her into the part of the cottage that was considered the kitchen.
"Ventus, she woke for just a moment while we were together. I'm not sure what changed to cause that, and I have yet to figure it out. I have continued to spend the early mornings with her, speaking to her but to no avail. We need your help.", he said desperately.
"Is it not obvious? You are dragon, pure and simple my lord. The side of herself that is buried is dragon, the part that my husband and I must of hid for her safety. She feels a connection with you, perhaps not consciously, but it is there nonetheless.", she said, exasperated.
It was so clear she could not believe he hadn't understood it from the beginning.
Her face became stern.
"You're telling me you've made little to no progress and all because you did not know that?", she asked, tapping her foot.
Coruscares body went cold, as if the blood in his veins had become ice. Or so he imagined. He realized he couldn't feel anything at all, perhaps because he was projecting himself into Caelis mind and using it as a path in time to this moment. He was not with his physical body so of course he couldn't feel a thing.
He noted how funny it was that someone could be so accustomed to feeling that it could become an anticipated and self fulfilled response versus true physical response.
"I-I,..", he stammered. Perceiving his tongue to be a cold and heavy stone in his mouth.
He was going to die. In this small cottage and at the hands of an even smaller woman. He could hardly believe it. She would reach through time, using his ethereal body as a portal, and strangle him in his sleep.
"I told you to guide her. She needs guidance to find her other half, guidance from someone who can understand her. The human and the dragon Caeli for she is half and half.", she heaved a heavy sigh. "I know that it is easy to forget that fact. She is small and fragile to the naked eye, but that is only at a glance. I suppose I cannot fault you as you've seen little of her true personality due to her condition.", she said smiling sadly at the thought of her daughter lying comatose in his infirmary. How strange to imagine this large creature sitting at her bed side.
Coruscares mind instantly flashed to the first night he had bathed Caeli, her hair swirling around her in silver threads, her soft skin touching his as he held her close in the waters of the healing pool.
He was surely a dead dragon.
"How do I guide an unconscious being?", he asked slowly. Better to leave some things unsaid.
"You are here now aren't you? My suggestion is to continue visiting.", she said hastily, glancing through the open doorway, Caeli still had not returned, but their time was growing short.
It made sense to Coruscare, it was not long after the first "visit" that Caeli had her wakeful moment. Since then, he had not used the Catcher.
*So greedy was wrong.*, Coruscare thought to himself bitterly. After all these years, he should know better.
"But why does she need me when she has Faron? He himself is dragon, he could guide her while she is here with you both.", Coruscare said quietly, aware of their dwindling time alone to speak of such things.
"The spell. Every time Eli visits and her father is present, she is unable to see or hear of his lineage. The day before last, he turned into a dragon right before her eyes and she told me what a fine carriage it was that had come to retrieve her father for his mission. The spell is trying to protect her from herself. If Eli knew she was dragon, the information could be tortured out of her, or extracted with magic. We had to protect her from that.", Ventus said, her heart heavy. She slowly began washing vegetables in the sink, her back turned to Coruscare.
"Ventus, I cannot visit long, I am not even sure that I can visit often. The effects of the Catcher are heavy, I find… I find sometimes that I would rather not return.", he said softly, watching the open doorway, waiting for Caeli to return.
Ventus did not stop her task at hand. She simply nodded.
"It is natural for the soul to find freedom in release from its mortal body. That is why death is the true peace. The paragon of freedom. You will never be more free than when you have been released from your mortal ties to the world.", she said, knowing all too well that if not for Caeli allowing her soul to wonder into the past, that she would never of gotten to know her daughter as an adult. Her rapid growth as a result of her own perception of time in regards to her physical appearance aside, Caeli was still Caeli.
The Caeli that had aged a little more with each visit was still Caeli. Her laughter, her intelligence, her kindness. No matter that only a few days prior she had been but a child.
This was her daughter and if not for the freedom allowed to a soul without binding to its mortal body, she would not of had this opportunity.
And she could not deny her gratitude for it.
"Visit when you can and keep her alive in the meantime. I wish I had better answers for you my lord, I more than anyone else, but I simply do not. But I find comfort in knowing that she is in your care. You are a good leader, and a good friend. I have faith in you. And better yet, I have faith in Caeli.", Ventus said, tears stood quivering, ready to fall at any moment as she gazed out of the window that was above the basin.
"Ventus…", Coruscare said quietly. He turned his gaze to his large clawed feet, unsure of what to say.
"Goddesses above Coruscare, the days that she visits are so wonderful. She is exactly what I imagined she would be once she grew up. Head strong and steadfast, considerate and kind. I see so much of her father in her and my heart swells with pride. I beg of you to give her her best chance at life. I beg of you because I know what I would sacrifice if given the opportunity to save her life. I beg of you because that opportunity is precious. I beg of you because I am desperate and I love her so much.", Ventus's voice broke on the last word and her body began to shake as her tears fell.
Coruscare came to stand by Ventus and reached out a hand to rest it on her shoulder, to his surprise it rested there gently, he could feel the smallness of her shoulder. Things were becoming more... real.
"I will do whatever I can to help her Ventus. I swear this to you and Faron both.", he had been unsure of what to say until he said it.
Ventus took a steadying breath and gave him a ready smile.
"Thank you my lord. In hearing this I am greatly comforted.", she said shakily, trying to reign her emotions.
Coruscare turned to sit sat at the dining table.
He could not continue to make these promises without telling Ventus his tumultuous feelings about her daughter. It felt dishonest, even disrespectful.
Goddesses he was sure her and Faron both would have his head for having some of the thoughts he'd had since her arrival at his palace.
But he felt unsettled making such promises without disclosing his own feelings towards Caeli.
And what would they think? Would they still trust him?
If it were him, he would not.
"Ventus, I-", he started.
Caeli came walking through the door, a heavy basket in tow.
She had been humming a tune that seemed familiar to Coruscare but he couldn't quite place it.
Nonetheless, time was up. He had more questions for Ventus but they would have to wait.
"Mama, I couldn't find any lavender so I brought dandelions instead.", she said apologetically.
Ventus, now a perfect picture of composure after splashing water on her face from the basin and taking a few deep breaths smiled sweetly at her daughter.
"We will make do, we always have.", she said to Caeli.
The women proceeded to prepare the foraged items and took to making dinner.
They laughed with each other and talked endlessly, as if they could find no end to the subjects they could discuss with each other.
Coruscare watched, envious and in awe, as Ventus taught her daughter how to properly wash mushrooms, how to extract thistle milk for various spells or medicines for ailments. He watched as the women laughed boisterously when they accidentally bumped into each other as they worked meticulously in the small kitchenette.
Caeli turned and smiled at Coruscare, and Ventus followed suit.
Caught and red handed too.
He observed as Caeli turned back to her work but Ventus continued to gaze at him. Realization slowly dawning on her face.
And then he was awake. And wet.
Coruscare shook the water off of his head and sputtered droplets as he entered wakefulness.
His gaze darted to the side of the bed to find three grovelings with an empty bucket in the hands of the one that stood in the center.
They looked as though they had been in a struggle, each groveling on either side pulling at the arms of the center one.
The bucket clattered loudly to the floor and the grovelings began to shake like a leaf in autumn, clinging desperately to a dry branch.
"My lord!", they shouted in unison.
They bowed profusely as they apologized.
Coruscare lifted a clawed hand to silence them.
"Apologies are unnecessary. You did as you were commanded and I thank you for that, use of the catcher is no insignificant matter. Although I'm not sure why the water was necessary.", he finished raising a reprimanding brow.
The grovelings began to shake again. The center one was shoved forward by the others.
"My lord you would not awaken. We tried numerous times but you were lost to this world. Orchid said that Lady Syll had used water to wake you, it was our last resort I assure you.", the groveling warbled, fighting tears.
Coruscare sighed heavily.
*Syll*, he thought to himself.
"There is no punishment in store for you. But I am sure that you three understand this must stay between us. You are not to tell a soul of my use of the Catcher. I will be using it occasionally to try and wake the young lady and I need your cooperation to do so.", he said kindly, feeling a small amount of guilt for his initial irritation.
The grovelings nodded enthusiastically.
Coruscare gave a curt nod in response, considering the matter resolved before thinking of something else that needed addressed.
"Your secrecy must extend to Lady Syll as well,", he said hesitantly, "she would be quite... DISPLEASED should she hear of this…", he said so quietly the grovelings could hardly hear.
Displeased was probably an understatement.
The small creatures looked warily at each other before slowly nodding in agreement.
Coruscare gave another curt nod before remembering that he still had Caeli cradled in his lap.
He looked down at her serene face.
*What have I gotten myself into?*, he wondered to himself.