"So, what's my reward? I believe I won our little sword fight." Gwen said grinning from ear to ear. Seb scoffed.
"You ain't getting anything because you cheated. We weren't supposed to use magic." Seb said, his loss still burning away at his honour. How could he not predict her move, he thought. He was dumbfounded but proud that she had won. She wasn't only a great enchantress but also one of the best swordswomen out there.
"You didn't explain the rules of the fight, so nothing was off the table. Next time you should remember that." Gwen said confidently. Seb scoffed and looked away.
"Did I hurt your pride Sebastian?" she smiled flirtatiously up at him. The need to kiss her was once again returning. To push her on a tree and throw caution to the wind. Let his hands wander over her body and lips brush against her soft neck.
"Nope." he said and started walking away from her. Gwendolyn just started laughing and shook her head at him. She started jogging to keep up with his pace.
"What did you think of Phineas?" she asked now, excitedly. Seb stopped walking and grinned.
"He was amazing, first gnome I have ever met, I cannot wait to meet all of his other friends." Gwendolyn laughed at his giddiness.
"Me too, but I am getting tired, I have to talk to Izzy too, we haven't talked since forever." and then she yawned hard.
"Come, I will accompany you." Seb said and took her hand. Gwen stared up at him and smiled showing her gratitude.
____
They found Izzy just outside the camp, she was carrying a basket with herbs, fruit and vegetables. Seb ran after her to help her with the basket since it was overflowing with stuff. She looked confused seeing him next to her, but didn't say anything. She let him have the basket, she was so tired and waking up with Alex in the room just made her even more mad. She was angry not only with him but with herself too, she suggested them sharing the room, she kissed him and she had run after him. What she couldn't understand was why her chest hurt that way, she wasn't in love with him so why was the image of them kissing still hacking away at her heart? It felt as if a hole had taken hold of her heart and thrown her whole body in a pit of misery and self doubt. That's why she had left the room in a hurry and had volunteered to go pick some food and some medical supplies from the forest. The day was so beautiful but her mood wouldn't let her enjoy the warmth of the sun on her skin, the butterflies and bees all around or the beautiful colours of the flowers. She didn't shed any more tears, she had too much dignity to cry over so little, not when there was actual danger and death on their path. She had more pressing matters to attend to and teenage heartbreak wasn't on that list. She knew she would eventually forgive him, after all nothing much had happened between them. But she did feel betrayed by him and she wouldn't forget easily.
"Hey, what happened? Why are you so gloomy?" Gwen said nudging her friend. She could see something was really bothering her, Isabel always had a smile on her face and seeing her so down meant something serious had happened. Seb was long gone, so the two girls could finally talk together.
"Nothing much, I talked with Alex and he said it wasn't going to happen again and then he just stormed off. So I went after him to tell him that I really liked it and that I wouldn't mind seeing where it would get us and.. well I.. found him kissing someone else.. and that someone was Olivia" one single tear made it through the cold exterior Isabel had build around her. Her voice was monotonous, it didn't carry the slightly musical tone that Isabel always had. Gwen's own heart ached for her friend.
"Curse that pixiehead! You don't deserve to be treated like that Izzy. I didn't think Alex was so shortsighted, how can he not see how absolutely amazing you are.. I swear boys are so stupid sometimes." Gwen started cursing between her teeth, she was beyond fuming. Izzy just put a hand on her shoulder and spoke calmly.
"Gwenny I appreciate you looking out for me but what's done is done. I didn't love him and although it hurt being discarded like that I cannot sit and cry. There is an actual war waiting for us and we have to be prepared for it not think about such trivial things. It's not like we were in a relationship, it was just a kiss. I just need some time to forgive him even though I won't forget about it easily." she tried to smile a bit at the end but it looked more like a grimace than an actual smile. Gwen understood her friend's point of view but she knew she was hurting inside.
"Well if I can do anything for you, you let me know, you know I am here for you.
If you want I can tell Seb to go in the tent with Alex and you can come with me. What do you think?" she asked patting her friend on the back.
"No, I don't want him to think that what happened hurt me so much, I don't want to bother you either." Gwen looked at her friend as if she had grown two more heads.
"Izzy you know that you never bother me, you are my best friend and your company is always welcome no matter what. Even when you would come wake me up on Sundays to go spend hours on end in the swamp behind the Institute searching for rare frogs and other weird looking creatures with one eye I didn't complain, did I?" Bella started laughing out loud.
"Wha-aat?! You would complain non stop, you would make up excuses and say that you miss your bed."
"Well.. I would still come, cuz you're my friend and friends stick together even knee deep in mud." Gwen said and laughed along with her friend.
"And that's why I love you." Bella said and hugged her.
"I know Izzy, I am amazing. I love you too." she said and ruffled Isabel's hair.
"Oh, I was about to forget, do you want to come to a tree's birthday this afternoon?" Gwen said and smiled at her friend.
_____
Gwen and Seb hadn't explained where they were taking Izzy, just to watch out for the fireflies.
They were now staring at the sky for any sign of those small light carriers. The night had discended on their camp but every couple of meters magical fires were lit by the principal and the other professors.
Seb nudged Izzy and pointed towards their right.
"Look! The fireflies" he smiled goofily.
"Good job Seb. Let's go, we have to follow them." Gwen said and started walking.
"Guys will you tell me where are we going?" Bella said looking at them walking away.
"It's a surprise and you will love it." Gwen answered. They got to a small clearing deep in the forest, at the centre was a huge oak tree. Its trunk was so big it would need at least 6 fully grown men to hug it in its entirety. Many animals were already huddled in groups all around it. Suddenly one by one colourful little fires appeared. Every colour under the sun came alive in that clearing. Izzy was taken aback by the sheer beauty of that moment. She couldn't mutter a word though because in that moment everyone felt a groggy old voice in their heads.
"Thank you my friends, old and new for coming here to celebrate with me on this very merry occasion. I won't say how old I am, but just know I have seen lots of things since I was a small sprout several decades ago.. Have fun laugh and live through me and with me." and suddenly everyone smiled and rejoiced. Lively music was coming from all around and every animal hopped and played with each other. The three friends felt a wave of security and happiness engulf them. Izzy couldn't stop looking all around, she loved magical creatures and seeing these many rare gnomes all together was completely otherworldly. The tree had no mouth or eyes but he surveyed the scene and happily turned his branches here and there to the beat of the music. On the outside Gildor the tree was like a normal tree but his creased trunk gave him lots of years and wisdom. Gwen heard Phineas shouting her name from behind.
"Hi Phineas! How are you?" she asked politely and let him come on the palm of her hand.
"Me is good Gwenny and you? Who is your pretty friend?" he said and turned as red as his hair.
"Hi, I am Isabel or Izzy and I am very pleased to make your acquaintance" Izzy said and curtsied. Phineas smiled and tugged at Gwen's shirt. Seb just looked funnily at the whole scene even though his eyes stayed a bit longer on Gwen.
"Come, you have to meet me friends." he jumped from Gwen's palm and landed skillfully on the ground. Phineas's friends stood all together waiting for him to introduce them.
"Gwen, Seb, Izzy these are me friends Felix, Reuben and Penelope." Phineas only had eyes for Penelope. She had blue flowing hair, the greenest of eyes and had a dress made of rose petals. Seb could see the emotions behind Phineas furtive glances because they mirrored his own. Felix had yellow hair and purple eyes and he was dressed in green leaves and Reuben had purple hair and green eyes. Gwen smiled and shook their hands.