Kingdom of Zuland, The South Border, Present day.
Elegliss was the opposite of the Undergrove in every way. Birds chirped freely as warm winds embraced the trees.
Anaria took a seat on an old trunk that was far away from rest of trees. She felt an uneasy feeling in her gut as the woman before her bandaged her ankle.
"I don't know why we pick up strays," she mumbled.
Anaria titled her head. "Thank you for helping us. We couldn't have escaped without your help. What is your name?"
"Not one you have any business knowing." She tightened the wrap. She had dusty blonde hair that was held back with a scarf.
Anaria winced lightly as the woman patted her ankle. After the red flash they were transported Elegliss, a village built high up in the trees. Unlike any other towns she had seen before; the homes here were built into the trunks of the surrounding trees. Kylune Trees. She had read about how their trunks could grow the width of three carriages, but never had she heard of people living within them. The rest of the village's feats were also admirable. Sunlight divided by the massive canopy above them, soil at their feet, made possible by the town's anatomy which was much like an immense wooden crate hanging above the swamp below. It had large walls that barely reached the canopy as well as a wooden bottom—at least that's all her caretaker had mentioned.
The woman stood and patted down her leather armor.
A man in the distance waved his arms widely. "Nell! Once you finish up, Ren wants you to bring the newcomers to the cradle."
Anaria smiled at the woman. "Nell? That's a beautiful name."
Nell glared down at her. "Get up and follow me."
Anaria slumped her shoulders with a slight frown as she got to her feet. She quickly shook away foul thoughts as her smile returned. The woman had saved their lives, that was enough for now, maybe in time she would return her fondness.
~0~
Anaria admired her new garments as she looked into a large mirror. Her old tunic and skirt were taken away to be washed and cleansed of all the grime, blood and mud. She was given a warm bath alongside fresh new attire. Luckily, her new clothing was of her liking, a short rose-colored dress with the shoulders cut with fur boots and black gloves. She walked out of the dressing chamber and into the bedroom of the woman responsible for gifting her the lovely dress.
"Oh, you look stunning, my dear," she said as she embraced her. "Oh, where are my manners? I've yet to introduce myself—I'm Niolith. Niolith Lordes, sister to that sour sarp you met earlier." She pointed at Nell who was leaned against the wall with a frown.
Anaria returned a smile. "Nell?" she asked.
"That's the sarp," said Niolith as she giggled.
Nell scoffed looked away.
Anaria took a second to admire the quaint similarities between sisters. They both had silk-like blonde hair, small faces with sky-blue eyes. The only differences being that Nell was dress as a warrior; armor and short hair while Niolith played the part of the maiden with a tan blouse and her long hair tied back in a bun. Both looked to be at their middle ages.
Niolith clasped her hands together. "Now, 'bous we go meet with your brother and husband?"
"Husband?" echoed Anaria.
"Oh," she muttered with parted lips. "Was the stern-faced boy not your husband? Xeto, I believe his name was. Asked for you often, I 'sumed you were his dear."
Anaria's cheeks grew warm as her stomach churned. "I—"
"She's red as runeberries," exclaimed Nell. "Looks like they may be dearies."
"Stifle it, Nell," said Niolith with puckered lips before returning a smile to Anaria. "It's ok, sweet sarp." She patted her shoulder. "I was the same when I met my husband. Come, I'll introduce you to him, he's the one that found your friend, Xeto."
They were greeted by an orchestra of birds as they left the home.
"Come, come," urged Niolith as she took hold of Anaria's hand.
Anaria's gaze leapt from side to side as she admired the beauty of the homes carved into the trunks of the trees. They left the residential area and entered a thin lined forest that awaited behind the homes. A forest within a forest…
Niolith's eyes filled with joy as she met eyes with a large burly man who stood under a parasol of leaves, in his arms was small bundle wrapped in white blanket.
Niolith took the bundle in her arms as her husband wrapped his arm around her. "How's my little sprite doing?" she said as she moved aside a part of the blanket, revealing a soft-skinned infant that wriggled lightly. "Are you sleepy, my little Miara?"
Her husband lightly ran his finger on the child's cheek. "I think I bored her with my stories." He smiled as he looked down at his wife. "It has only been a week since her birth. You shouldn't be out of bed."
"Nonsense, Ren. I could never simply lay in bed like a pampered queen when there's work to be done."
She patted the large man's shoulder. "Oh, this is Anaria." She extended an arm out to her. "Come here, sweeting."
Anaria eased slowly towards the couple. "I'm pleased to meet you, sir. Now that I have the chance, I wanted to thank you for helping us in the marsh. But how did you know about us?"
Ren broke away from his wife and gave a slight bow. "Think nothing of it…And it's not often the monsters down below get riled, so when we heard the commotion, we followed it and found you lot."
"Ren," called a man's voice from the forest behind them. A frail man appeared from behind the thick greenery. "We have a problem."
Anaria smiled as Xeto and Roy followed behind the man; they were a good distance apart and didn't share glances.
She felt a tug in gut as her smile declined, she hated to see them against one another. They were friends she only hoped they'd open their eyes to it. She was partly to blame, seeing as their anger stemmed from her safety. But like all emotions, they were simply misdirected, she clasped her hands together as thoughts on how to repair their relationship filled her mind.
Ren crossed his arms. "What's the problem?"
The man glared back at Xeto and Roy as the Lionslayer followed slowly behind them, his wrists clasped in shackles. "One of them is a Zuland soldier."