Looking at the man's outstretched hand, Aglais hesitated momentarily before accepting it. With his help, she rose gracefully from the forest floor. "Thank you," she murmured, glancing at the slain beast. "My name is Aglais."
Her gratitude was sincere, yet her eyes lingered on Wayne's now-revealed pointed ears and amber eyes. She knew the customs of her dryad kin – to expel or even kill human intruders. But Wayne was no mere human, he was a witcher, a mutant, and seemingly of elven descent.
Though dryads held no animosity towards elves, their shared history of resisting human persecution did not extend to welcoming outsiders into Brokilon. As a young dryad, Aglais was bound by these traditions, unsure how to proceed.
The witcher's smile remained warm and understanding. Sensing her unease, he reached into his pocket, took out a handful of colorful high-end candies, and handed it to the girl.
"Aglais, a beautiful name indeed," Wayne replied with a warm smile. "We can await your companions together here. This candy is my own creation, a flavor you've surely never encountered."
The sweets were meticulously crafted, infused with high-quality ingredients. To put it simply, they were the most exquisite candies in existence, designed to captivate those unfamiliar with such delights. Even seasoned sorceresses like Triss and Yennefer had praised his confections.
Aglais, the young and inexperienced dryad, hesitated briefly before accepting the offered sweets. With gentle encouragement from Wayne's eyes, she unwrapped one and popped it into her mouth.
"So sweet!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening with delight. A blissful smile spread across her face as she savored the sugary treat.
Wayne, meanwhile, admired her natural beauty with an artist's eye. A minute or two passed in contented silence before he heard rustling from the trees above. He glanced up to see four dryads, armed with bows and arrows, watching him warily.
The apparent leader, a mature and statuesque dryad, called out sternly, "Who are you? Why are you in our forest? What have you done to Aglais?"
Unable to discern Wayne's features clearly from their vantage point, the dryad's tone held a note of lethal intent. It was clear that a wrong answer could result in a volley of arrows.
Wayne remained unfazed. He stepped back, distancing himself from Aglais, and raised his open hands to show he bore no weapons.
Aglais, startled from her sugary reverie by the voices of her kin, turned to them and quickly intervened. "Marika, hold your fire! Wayne is an elven witcher. He saved me from a panther. He is not our enemy."
The dryad named Marika hesitated, then descended with her companions. Upon seeing Wayne's unmistakable witcher features and elven lineage, they relaxed their stance. Marika, clearly the leader, glanced at the candies in Aglais's hand before addressing Wayne formally.
"Thank you, Witcher, for saving our companion," she said with a bow. "However, I must inquire as to your presence within Brokilon. How did you bypass our outer defenses?"
Wayne nodded in understanding. His flying carpet was concealed within his pouch, leaving no trace of his arrival. After a brief pause, he answered, "Marika, I possess a magical item capable of flight. While traversing Brokilon, I heard Aglais's cry for help and intervened."
"However," Wayne continued, "having encountered you, I have a request. As a witcher who takes on various contracts, I inquire if Her Majesty the Dryad Queen has any tasks for a witcher like myself. If not, I will continue my journey elsewhere."
Marika, surprised by the unexpected request, considered Wayne's elven heritage and his rescue of Aglais. After a brief pause, she addressed the young dryads. "Aglais, remain here with the witcher. I will return to Duén Canell and consult with the Queen. Do not act rashly until my return."
Turning back to Wayne, she added, "Witcher Wayne, I will relay your inquiry to Her Majesty. However, until I bring you her answer, please remain here and refrain from wandering. This is the forest of the dryads, and we do not welcome outsiders." With that, she swiftly departed into the forest, her agility surprising for her size.
Wayne watched her go, then turned to the remaining dryads. He generously shared his high-quality sweets with the three newcomers. Aglais, already enraptured by the candy, eagerly described their deliciousness to her companions. Soon, all four young dryads assigned to guard Wayne were lost in the bliss of sugary indulgence.
While the dryads indulged in the confections, Wayne observed their forms with an appreciative eye. Aglais, he noted, possessed the most striking physique, her curves accentuated by the subtle definition of well-toned muscles. He couldn't help but wonder if he would have the chance to explore those curves further.
Approximately half an hour later, Marika returned, bearing Queen Eithné's response. "Witcher," she announced, "Her Majesty invites you to Duén Canell, our home. She has indeed tasks that may be suitable for a witcher's skills. However, before entering, we must blindfold you. Please understand this precaution; we cannot reveal our dwelling's location. Rest assured, we dryads always uphold our word and will not harm you."
Wayne accepted this tradition without hesitation. His strength, augmented by his green dragon scale armor, rendered him unafraid of the dryads. Within Brokilon, only the powerful Queen Eithné posed a potential threat. Ordinary dryads, even with their numbers, could not deter him with his Elder Blood and honed abilities.
Relieved by Wayne's compliance, Marika instructed the other dryads, "Let us return to Duén Canell." She paused, fixing Aglais with a stern look. "You were meant to patrol with us, Aglais. Were it not for Witcher's intervention, your recklessness could have resulted in grave injury."