The little girl woke up with a start, her eyes wide as if she had just escaped a nightmare. The sound of the storm still seemed to echo in her mind, but as she opened her eyes, the scene before her was completely different. For a moment, she lay still, out of breath, as her senses filled with the beauty surrounding her.
The air was fresh and pure, carrying the scent of wet grass and wildflowers. Sunbeams filtered through the tree canopy, casting golden patterns on the forest floor. The leaves swayed gently to the rhythm of a breeze that seemed to sing a tranquil melody. The world around her was vibrant, the colors more vivid than anything she had ever seen before. It was as if nature itself was pulsing with life, and she was part of it.
Still dazed, the girl slowly sat up, her fingers touching the soft moss-covered ground. Her heart, which had been racing in fear before, now seemed to slow down, calming in the serenity of the place. Her eyes wandered, absorbing every detail, until an unexpected sound broke the silence.
"Good morning."
The voice was soft but had a clarity that caught her attention instantly. Surprised, she turned and saw a boy sitting a few meters away. He seemed very young, perhaps still a baby, but there was something unusual about him. His very dark red hair shimmered under the sunlight, and his eyes held an intelligence far beyond his age. He held a small book in his hands but set it aside when he realized she was awake.
The girl blinked a few times, trying to process what was happening. Still confused, she hesitantly asked, "Who... who are you?"
The boy gave a slight smile before replying. "I'm Kael. And you?"
She took a moment to respond, as if trying to remember who she was after everything that had happened. "My name is Sylphie... I... I ran away." Her voice trembled slightly as she said this, and the events of the previous night began to weigh heavily on her mind.
Kael tilted his head slightly, as if analyzing the information. "You seem tired. You must have run a lot." He pointed to the ground beside him. "You can rest here. No one will hurt you."
There was something in the way he said those words that calmed her. Sylphie was still scared, but the kindness in Kael's voice was undeniable. She hesitated, but finally, she moved closer, sitting beside him. For a moment, both sat in silence, simply listening to the soft sounds of the forest.
Sylphie couldn't help but glance at Kael again. He was so young, yet there was something about him that felt so... secure. As if he wasn't just an ordinary boy. "Why are you here alone?" she asked, her curiosity beginning to overpower her fear.
Kael smiled faintly, a smile that seemed to hide more than it revealed. "I'm not alone. My mother is nearby. She should show up soon." He looked at her seriously. "But what about you? Why were you running?"
The question made her swallow hard, the memories flooding back like a wave. "They... They were going to sell me... or hurt me. I didn't want to stay there. So I ran." Her voice was now a whisper, and she lowered her eyes to the ground, clasping her hands on her knees.
Kael didn't say anything for a moment, but then, with surprising gentleness for someone so young, he placed his small hand over hers. "You're safe now. They won't find you here."
Sylphie looked up, meeting Kael's gaze. There was something in him, something she couldn't explain, but it made her believe his words. For the first time since escaping, she felt a spark of hope.
Before either of them could say anything more, the sound of firm footsteps echoed down the hall. The door to the room opened with a soft creak, revealing two figures that exuded an overwhelming presence.
Elion entered first, her long red hair flowing behind her like a living flame. Her crimson eyes gleamed as they fixed on the girl beside Kael. Soon after, Eva appeared, her usual red leather coat swaying with her movement. The contrast between Eva's imposing posture and Elion's cold grace made the scene even more intense.
Elion stopped, crossing her arms as she observed Sylphie closely, a hint of jealousy in her gaze. "How are you?" she began, her voice firm but not hostile, "And who are you?"
Kael looked at his mother without hesitation, his tone calm and clear. "Her name is Sylphie. She was running... I think it's that case you two were talking about yesterday... I think we should shelter her for now and take care of her wounds." He said, noticing how nervous his mother got at just the mention of "sheltering her."
'This possessive crazy woman... is she already jealous?' Kael thought.
Elion's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't say anything immediately. Instead, she looked at Eva, who shrugged as if already expecting the question that would follow.
"Not a bad choice," Eva said casually, leaning against the doorframe. "This girl clearly went through something horrible. You're not going to send her away, Elion?" she teased with a smile.
Elion remained silent for a moment, her gaze moving between Sylphie and Kael. Finally, she sighed, uncrossing her arms. "No. If Kael decided to help her, then she can stay. But..." Her eyes narrowed, focusing on Sylphie. "I want to know exactly where you came from and who's after you."
Sylphie swallowed hard, her hands trembling slightly. She opened her mouth to speak, but Kael gently squeezed her hand, encouraging her.
"I... I was captured," she began, her voice low but determined. "They said they were going to sell me... or sacrifice me. I managed to escape, but I don't know if they're looking for me."
Elion's face hardened, and Eva, who had seemed relaxed until then, straightened up, her eyes gleaming with interest.
"Slave trade," Eva muttered, as if the term alone was enough to ignite her anger. "I think we've found another piece to the puzzle."
"They're close to my barrier," Elion stated, her voice low and cold. "If she ended up here, their camp isn't far off, they haven't breached my territory yet, but... we need to know where they are. Seems like we've got a big problem on our hands."
Sylphie looked at the two women, her small body almost shrinking under the intensity of the conversation. "I don't know who they are... They separated me from my mother... We've been traveling for two weeks..."
Kael turned to Elion, his eyes analyzing the elf. "She's still scared, let her rest... She can stay, can't she?"
Elion looked at him for a long moment before sighing again. "Yes, she can stay. But this won't be easy. If someone was hunting her, they won't give up easily... She's a Dark Elf, a rare commodity." Elion said without hesitation.
"Leave it to me," Eva said, a predatory smile curling her lips. "I'll find out who's behind this. But, Elion, you know what this means, right? More problems for your long-desired 'retirement.'"
Elion rolled her eyes. "I never had the illusion that this would be easy. Do whatever it takes, but I want answers quickly."
Eva nodded before turning to Sylphie, bending slightly to be at the girl's level. "You're strong to have escaped on your own. Now, you're in good hands. No one will hurt you here, understand?"
Sylphie nodded slowly, still nervous but feeling a strange trust in those words.
Elion approached, kneeling next to Kael and Sylphie. "Listen, little one," she said, her voice softer now. "While you're here, you're under my protection. And that means no one, absolutely no one, will hurt you."
Sylphie looked into Elion's eyes, feeling something warm and reassuring in her words. For the first time in a long while, she felt like maybe she could trust someone again.
'Ah... this crazy woman... she's trying to please me just to score more points with me, isn't she?' Kael thought for a second, before receiving confirmation... Elion winked at Kael, making his face turn red...
'SHE IS!
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