Power of the Emerald Moon
“You my child are the key to both co-existence and that of which whom makes the moon shine brightly in the intense night, take care and live long enough to justify.”
Thea snapped out of her Trance when she bumped into an unfamiliar woman, “Oof!” she groaned as she stumbled back, but caught herself before she fell. “I-I am very sorry miss, I did not mean..”
“Oh do not worry dear! Ha-ha-ha, I am quite alright, how about you?” laughed the rather large woman before her.
“..F-Fine.. Thank you..” Thea stuttered as she looked at the woman, then her eyes wandered to the collection of flowers which were displayed right next to where they stood. “Are.. These yours?”
“Aye lass they are, this is my flower shop,” boasted the husky woman. “You must just be visiting this town because all the locals know of me and come to me on a regular basis for flowers. Here sweetie, take this as a welcoming gift,” explained the shop owner as she place a flower in Thea’s hair.
“Ooh thank you Miss! W-What type of blossom is it?” Thea questioned as she beamed with delight, inhaling in the sweet fragrance of the blossoms.”
“That my dear is your basic red rose, the incarnation of lust and love itself”
“My gratefulness, thank you Miss! If you could answer one question before I depart, are there any demi-humans in this town..?” inquired the brunette.
“Demi humans? What an unusual question, but yes, near the docks.. Up the stairs and to your left past the bar..”the woman directed.
Glenn entered the lively town of Termina, and his first stop would be the flower shop. Almost immediately after he prompted through the gates he was greeted by the delighted shop keeper.
“Ah dear Glenn! You look well, what can I do for you today?” motioned the shop owner in a confident tone.
“ Good day Mary, actually I’m looking for a woman and am hoping you can aid me in her retrieval... She’s young, astonishing green eyes, lengthy brown hair, pale complection, about 5'5",slender.. She.. Has never been to Termina before, but has been residing at Viper Manor.. Her face would be new to you..”
“Hmm... actually, a woman was here earlier whom seemed to be quite confused.. She matches your description from what I can tell.. I gave her a rose, then she asked about demi humans.. I sent her towards the docks, you should find her there, I have no seen her come back this way.” Mary explained as she looked upon the familiar face before her, his expression changed as she delivered her news, and she saw something in him she’d never observed before.
“Perfect, my assumptions were correct, she is indeed here! My deepest thanks Mary, I was worried about her, but now I must depart before I lose her again,” commented the sandy haired knight.
“..You love her Glenn, you cannot hide it from me,” she watched as he blushed in response, but did not argue, “Oh how you’ve matured. I have not seen you this bright since your brother returned! ..I have a suggestion, take this violet with you...”
Thea sat now at the docks with her feet in the water, her shoes lay besides her and in her hands she held the bottom of her dress which was now pulled to her knees. She had found a male demi-human by the name of Cliff when she had arrived, they had spoken shortly but he had gone on his way. Although, she had found out what she needed to know. Marbule was indeed restored to it’s ‘original’ self, and the demi-humans were not killed in genocide. “ ‘Tis been so long since the event.. I have forever yearned to return, yet now.. I have so many new friends.. It is just...” the Brunette trailed off. Closing her eyes and inhaling as the cool breeze from the sea swept over her face in a refreshing zephyr, and she could smell the scent of the red rose which was tucked in her hair “I need to know...” she sighed.
“Need to know what?” said a familiar voice from behind her, which she immediately recognized as Glenn’s, wonder was present in his tone, but his natural warmth still drowned it out.
Smiling at the exquisite creature as she turned around, he knelt down next to the maiden before him. She seemed to have a confused expression on her face, but that did not stop him, “the flower in your hair, the red rose, fits you perfectly you know..”
“I-It does..” she questioned, looking into his face, then down towards the clear azure water.
“Yes truly..” he explained, “ See from growing up in Termina, I learnt some things from the people here, just happens the florist Mary taught me a bit about flowers. The rose represents love, protection, wishes, luck and healing, and thus is quite the popular choice.. The only thing that comes close of course, is the violet,” he smiled.
Thea was quite amused by his knowledge upon symbolic blossoms, and even though she saw not the point, she listens attentively, yet still gazed into the clear liquid.
“The violet would be the roses pair, per say.. Representing love, luck, protection, courage and healing..And I just so happen to have one,” the damsel brought her gaze back to him he tucked the violet into her hair with the rose. “Aye they even complement your wine coloured dress lass, you should have no worries, with the help these blooms shall give you.”
The two sat in motionless silence for a few moments, neither sure why exactly, Thea gazing into the water, as Glenn observed her as she sat before him. Though to his surprise, the delicate woman turned in the flash of a second and threw herself at him, knocking him backwards from his knelling position, crushing herself into his arms to bring them both in to strong hug.
Astonished by the unforeseen aggression from the usual subtle girl, Glenn wrapped his arms around her, yet still he wondered what was going on and about what she was talking earlier of, yet nonetheless enjoying her voluntarily being thrown into his grasp. Though as she repositioned herself in his embrace, he felt wetness upon his cheek, “ Are.. You crying.. Thea? What is wrong?” asked Glenn with worry.
Thea shocked that he noticed such sat up, pulling herself away from him, indeed she was crying, tears now filled her eyes, and stained her face, “Glenn...” she breathed, “I need to talk to you, do you know somewhere quiet that we can go..?”
Nodding the swordsman brought himself to his feet and then helped the brunette to hers, and the two set off side by side.
The dragoon stood next to the tear stained woman, her crying had come to a halt for now, yet it still felt as though his stomach were in knots and his lungs about to burst. He was both anxious to hear what she had to say, yet at the same time scared, and concerned for why she wept. “Thea..?’ he questioned as he looked over at the wine clothed figure before him they stood quite close, yet not touching at the moment
The duo were stationed upon the spacious outdoor balcony, in the west wing, which of course was on the top floor of Viper Manor. It was now late evening, the time had passed fast today Thea thought to herself, a cool wind had risen as the sun had started to set, and now she looked across the sky, watching the last sliver of the golden sun disappear behind the horizon, the sky shone in brilliant colours of vibrant yellows, oranges and magenta. Yet, even though she was almost imploding with information she wished to share, she could not bring herself to tear her eyes away from such a sight, she knew darkness would quickly follow. “The sunset is brilliant tonight Glenn... do you think..?” the green eyed fem commented as the breeze fanned out her brown locks behind her.
“Yes quite, but...” he drifted off, wanting to comment, but hesitating as not to pressure the maiden into revealing what she wished to say.
“Yes I know, we are not here to speak of sunsets or such.... but I must ask... we will not be interrupted?” inquired the damsel as she turned now to look at the man before her, becoming more and more handsome every time she looked upon him, she silently commented on his beauty within her own mind. The breeze not only blew her hair back, but his ashen locks and as well the mauve ribbon which held back his hair. It once again caught her attention, twirling, almost dancing on air against the wind currents.
“Yes.. I am sure of it, General Viper never comes out past this time, Karsh and Marcy are either in their rooms or out on the ground, and Dario, Riddel and Norris are on a mission in Hydra forest, they shall return tomorrow afternoon some time. We shall not be interrupted milady, feel free to share what you need say.”
Nodding in comprehension the brunette shivered against the cool breeze then spoke to the male before her, while she looked over him as usual , he was dressed in brown breeches and a olive green silken shirt this evening, she liked the attire, it suited him well. “ I must tell you something... I have never told any other human this before, it is my past.. And a detailed one at that. All I ask is that you do not comment while I am explaining....”
“Very well,” he replied, and seeing her shiver draped the forest green cloak, -which was usually attached to his armour- that he had picked up on his way to the top floor when they’d reached the manor, around them both. Moving closer to her now to keep her warm, her felt her press her small frame against his chest as the cloak incased them both.
Quite content that he had moved closer to her and relived her of the cold that would have soon overcome her, Thea smiled, then began with her story;
“I, to you, and everyone else here, look like any other normal human being, but I am much more than that.. I know you are familiar with both the demi-human race and the fairy race, as you have mentioned them in some of your previous stories to me. My kind is different from both... though you are quite familiar with such, even if you do not know it. I am a dryad, a healing sprite.. You have seen my kind most likely in your summon.. That of Sonja.. To my knowledge I am the only one of my kind left alive.. Or... that I know the whereabouts of..” with that Thea pushed herself away from the paladin she’d been huddled against, tears falling down her cheeks.
“T-Thea.. Wh-What is wrong?” Glenn exclaimed, reaching out and pulling her back towards his chest, he could feel her body sobbing against him as he tried to calm the poor girl. “Shh.. Please, it is alright, you are not alone you ha-”
“It is not that!” Thea cried out, weeping even harder against his chest, resisting his comforting touch. Even though she adored it so.
“..Wha.. But, what is it Thea?” Glenn squeaked as she tore herself away from him, and he let her, even though he was physically stronger and could’ve prevented her, he did not wish to harm the woman. He himself now wanting to weep as he saw his love in such a state.
“I... I....” Thea dropped to her knees weeping and hugging herself, “I am scared you would all abandon me for... what I am.”
With that the dragoon knelt and pulled the dryad into his arms, “ that shall never happen, race is not an issue to I, nor anyone else here, we welcomed you and cared for you with open arms.. Please, do no weep, it saddens me to see you in such a state.”
Then nodding she stood, wiping away the remaining tears from her face, relieved with the fact that her love would not leave her over such a petty issue, Glenn rose as well.
Continuing on like nothing had happened, Thea further explained, “ ... Even when I was born, very few of my kind existed, we had been wiped out, I remember when I was younger, my kind lived on what you refer to as Water Dragon Isle. Before the fairy’s inhabited the region, the dryads had originally lived there.. Then we lived in unison. Yet we had been wiped out, I am not even sure whom it was that destroyed us, ripped our home apart... but my kind was killed.. Our goddess whom we’d prayed to could not even save us, Sonja.. She is now and forever trapped as an elemental spirit. My whole race was destroyed.. My whole family.. Parents and my sister.. All my friend’s gone, but I was so young... my sister whom was older than me was even too young.. Genocide it was!” Thea began to weep again, wiping at her eyes.
“I.. am so sorry.. But, where were you raised all this time? Surely you were not alone?”
“No.. You are right, I was not alone, an old woman, demi-human actually, one of the few whom had never made her way back to Marbule.. She had taken me in, cared for me as her own.. She had told me stories of how she missed her home Marbule, and fretted that something may happen to it.. She died several months ago and I was orphaned once again.. That is when I came to the mainland.. And being concealed and cared for all my life I was not aware of such dangers that awaited me..”
“So that is why you did not know about the Dodo birds in the valley..” Glenn commented, now busying his hands with the mauve ribbon which had come to his front and ended in his grasp.
“Aye.. And why I went to Termina, to find out the true fate of the demi-humans and Marbule.. It was brought my know knowledge that both are thriving well.. And that the fairy’s once again inhabit my area.. Though.. I am still the last of my kind..
“My apologies..” announced Glenn, not sure of what to say, and still busying himself with the mauve ribbon, “I-”
Thea interrupted, “I am not looking for pity Glenn, just explaining whom I really am, to see if you.. would still accept me..”
It was now Glenn’s turned to make an unexpected moved, scooping the dryad into his arms he hugged her tight, the green light from the candles shone in the now dark, velvet like sky, reflecting off them, surrounding them, their colour. “Of course I would accept you.. I..” Glenn trailed off as the brunette looked at him with wonder in her face, “I-it has become quite cool, we should go inside, I would not like you to catch a cold.” Without waiting for any such answer from the woman he carried her inside.