Land of the Moon

Chapter 4

The sun was starting it's descent in the sky when we entered the Rose Thorn Inn. We still had yet to speak to the Hunter's, to find out more information and anything Daniel may have left out from our earlier conversation. Ema was turning into the dining area when she ran into one of the female Hunters. The group was made up of three men and two women, the woman we ran into seemed to be a witch. She smelled human and I could smell the magic on her skin. Those who were magical, or did magic to shifters or vampires with a keen sense of smell magic smelt like something sweet. Though if you used magic for the darkness it carried with it the stench of rot. Few witches did team up with Hunters to help them with some fighting, but mostly being their healers and helping with defensive magic. Though this woman appeared slender she moved like a lethal cat. Sure of her movements and ready to strike while at the same time looking unaware just comfortable in her own skin. Her features were soft though her tanned skin making her brown-green eyes more prominent with her naturally rosy cheeks and her lips looked plump with a light dusting of pink though they were proportioned on her face well. Her wavy shoulder-length dark blond hair haloed her face making your eyes go straight to hers. Ema gave the witch a small smile apologizing for walking into her.

“Oh no, it is my fault for not paying attention.” The witch's voice was soft as well as her demeanor, quite the opposite of the impression she was giving off. “My name is Louisa, please pardon my rudeness.” She spoke kindly to Ema.

“You are not the only one at fault here, I am as well. Right, Cecily?” Ema looked at me with a smile. 

“She is right, she tends to let her mind wander when her feet are as well.” I smiled at the gasp Ema let out and the small giggle Louisa let escape. I watched as the two started to talk and become quick friends. Ema had quite the effect on people drawing them into her and her inner light. I scanned the room for the other Hunters finding them sitting at a table against the wall. As well as the young Hunter Ema was watching earlier to see him watching her now. I smiled, wouldn't this make Ema blush to know the boy who catches her fancy seems she has also got him curious and aware of her as well.

Ema, looked up at me when I let out a small laugh. The puzzled look she gave me only made me smile more. Louisa was now having us follow her over to the table to introduce us to the rest of her party. The young hooded man Ema was admiring earlier shifted so that his face was not visible for us to see. Louisa started introductions from left to right first with Mira, her long ruby red hair was braided making her bright green eyes pop on her face. Her skin was pale and kissed with freckles though her features were sharp and her body toned from years of fighting. She was a vampire not the fabled seductress nor the frightening monster of legend. Though vampires who did not succumb to their bloodlust did have a haunting beauty about them. Mira gave a small smile in greeting before Louisa moved on to the next Hunter. Next came Nikolaj, he was tall even when sitting. I could tell he was covered in muscle though not overly so since his body looked lean instead of built like Daniels and the man he talked with the other night in the Hunters group. His light brown hair brushed the tips of his ears making his dark brown eyes look darker on his cleanly shaved face. His face held strong features though his lips looked soft on his tanned skin. He was a shapeshifter or were as many mistakenly call their kind now. Nikolaj gave us a smile showing us his canines, he gave us a nod of the head as a greeting. After Nikolaj was Cairo he was the man that looked like Daniel though had his own unique features. He was an actual swordmaster, you did not run into many of them anymore. Cairo raised his mug to us before Louisa moved on to Vladimir, he was an elf and the youngest of this bunch. A small gesture of his hand is all that we received, though it made Ema smile. 

“There will be one more of our group joining up with us later on in our journey. I do not know if we will all be still traveling together by then or already on our separate ways.” Louisa softly spoke as she took her own seat.

Cairo got up from the bench seat he was on and grabbed two chairs from the nearby table. They wanted us to join them for the evening. Ema and Louisa talked quite a bit throughout the whole time we ate. Cairo was the leader of their small group. Though Mira was without a doubt the oldest out of the Hunters. Nikolaj made some jokes here and there making everyone laugh except for Vladimir who stayed silent this whole time. Though I could understand his reasons there were still some humans who did not accept the elves. Ema would sneak glances at him throughout the evening not knowing that he too was stealing glances of her. I watched as the evening came alive with the stories and laughter of everyone. The two men enjoyed their drinks as the women whispered secrets with Ema. It seemed as though Vladimir and I were the only two that were quietly enjoying our companion's lively conversations.

I decided to intervene on their fun evening of getting to know each other when Ema started yawning. The Hunters had mentioned before that they would be here for another day since one of the shops they needed to visit was closed today and would be open tomorrow. Ema smiled and leaned into me as I helped her up from the table. “It seems as though it is time for us to retire for the night.” I gave the Hunters a small smile as I led Ema away and up the stairs to our room. Ema was already asleep before we even got to her bed. As I tucked her in I remembered doing the same when we were younger and she would insist on staying up and to sneak out of the castle to the garden to stargaze. Though now it feels like that memory was a lifetime ago. Taking one last glance at Ema as I stretched before laying down on my own bed.

I awoke to Ema snuggled up beside me and hogging my blanket. So as a punishment for stealing my covers, I slowly pushed her off my small bed. Laughing as she startled awake from the small fall on the cold wooden floor. She looked up at me with sleep still in her eyes. Understanding finally dawning on her why she was now on the floor and not in her own bed. “I am sorry Cecily, I do not know why I climbed into your bed nor when in the night that I did so.” She stretched and yawned before getting up and moving to sit on her own bed once again. 

“It is alright, the only thing that happened was you stealing my blanket from me. Thankfully before you did sneak into my bed I had risen earlier to start a fire in the small stove so that the morning would not be so cold.” I smiled as Ema moved toward the foot of her bed to warm her hands by the small stove. As I got up to add another log to the small wood-burning stove.

“The room does feel nice and it is a welcomed luxury from the growing cold nights and mornings in the wilderness. Though we will soon be returning to those again.” Ema gave a sad smile, “I know we must and it only means we are getting farther in our journey. It just means that I am also getting farther from my home as well.” She was doing a good job of keeping her tears in so that only her eyes were a little moist and glistening with her unshed tears.

Not long after we awoke we ventured down in search of breakfast. We ran into Louisa on our way down who appeared not to be much of a morning person. For she was not as talkative as she was last night. She did greet us with a small smile and gave Ema a nod when she asked Louisa to join us. Occupying a small table near the far window we could watch as the sun brightened up Sage Village. Mira joined us not long afterward letting us all know that Nikolaj, Cairo, and Vladimir would join us this evening. So it seemed as though we would be having the day to ourselves, well at least us women. 

“You do not talk much do you, Cecily?” Mira stated softly over the small buzz that was growing in the room. Louisa just gave Mira a small smack on the arm for her comment. 

“Not everyone has to be chatty, she is not like the humans who love to spread stories they have heard. Granted those humans do help us by giving us jobs if the stories are true and not leading us on wild goose chases.” Louisa spoke to Mira with a small bite to her words.

“Cecily…” Ema started. 

“It is alright Ema you do not need to explain for me.” I gave Ema a thankful smile. “I do not talk much because I just do not have much to say. And I do just enjoy the way some people try to converse with each other.” This made all three women laugh and smile. 

After breakfast, Ema and Louisa decided that they would go out and visit the little clothes stores in the village. Mira and I followed behind them as if we were their shadows. Mira had a few men approach her as they tried to catch her attention. Though Louisa had to intervene a few times so that the men did not get broken or worse. Since these men seemed to be getting on Mira’s nerves. It was a good change of pace to see Ema smiling and getting to have fun, a carefree moment without the weight of what lay ahead on her shoulders lifted for a small time. We had visited quite a few shops before Mira and I had both become nauseated and had to cut Ema and Louisa’s shop venturing short. We decided to call it a day with the shopping and headed over to a small food stall with tables out front. The small stall was called Sara’s Sweets. They had a blood cherry pie with sweet whipped icing, an enchanting cinnamon bread, small lotus cakes, and sweet doughy dumplings. 

Mira had a slice of the blood cherry pie, Louisa tried a slice of the enchanting cinnamon bread, while Ema and I both tried the lotus cakes. We all ended up taking a bite of one another's to see what was better, Louisa even got a small order of the sweet doughy dumplings. The dumplings came in a set of three with three speared on a small stick, so Ema shared with me. Mira did not care too much for them giving the rest of hers to Louisa to finish. The sweet shop even had a few drinks though they were all tea. Which was fine since it complimented the sweets better. We ended up spending the rest of the afternoon at the small outdoor shop before heading back to the Rose Thorn Inn. 

Since the Hunters didn’t seem to know anything about our situation I left Ema with Mira down in the dining area while I dropped the few things we had, well mostly what Ema had acquired during our time out in our room. When I returned the guys had shown up and were sitting with the girls, I was the last to arrive. Ema sighed I assumed because Vladimir was sitting at the end of the table farthest from her and a bit out of her view. We all ordered the stew something small, warm, and easy on the coin pouch since we would be leaving tomorrow. The night ended early with some small talk about preparations for the morning before leaving.

Ema helped me build a small fire for our room before laying down, she seemed to be lost in thought and did not feel like sharing. She was becoming a little more entranced by Vladimir each time she saw him. Her curious crush on him was becoming more serious. The Hunters did not notice it though I do not know if Vladimir did or not. He did seem a bit curious about Ema as well as if they were drawn to each other but only letting their eyes freely follow one another. The journey would only get more complicated and much harder for her if she fell in love. She was already promised to another, an elf from a high family. If she fell in love it would probably break her heart to have to forget about him and marry another. Her marriage was already arranged from the day she was born.

Elves believed in finding love, however, for them a race that lived for a millennium was difficult at times. There were a few times where they mingled with other races though sometimes they did not always fare well and they fell in love and had families. Though many were with humans since the two races fared better in having offspring it was still very hard to outlive your other half so they ended up creating arranged marriages for some centuries, especially with the royal family.

“Ema will you be alright?” I quietly asked her as I rose to stand by the window. She did not answer me so I walked over and lightly smacked her leg. “Ema, are you paying attention to anything around you besides Vladimir?” I spoke sternly to her now.

She sat straight up in bed letting out a small gasp, “I am not just paying attention to him. I am aware of my surroundings.” She replied to me with a small glare.

“Oh is that so, then please tell me what I said a few moments ago when I was by the window,” I asked her sarcastically.

She looked away from me for a few moments before finally answering. “Alright, I was not paying attention. I… I just can't stop thinking about him. I want to know more Cecily. But it seems as though he wants nothing to do with me, well anyone. Whenever I see him my eyes follow him, I even asked Louisa a little bit about him. Though I believe it did not lead her to suspect that I have an interest in him.” She sighed, then looked up at me. “Cecily what am I to do? I know that since I was a child I was already promised to someone. But how do I tell my heart no? How do I know if this is just a crush and it will pass or if it is like the stories Meme used to tell me when I was little of finding the one who matched your soul, your other half. I remember her telling me that Soren was the other half of her soul.” Ema sniffled a little while wiping away the few tears that fell from her eyes. 

“Ema” I whispered as I sat down beside her and hugged her close. “Things will be hard, there is no right or wrong answer here that I could give you.” Letting out a sigh I continued on “yes your hand is promised to another.” I closed my eyes knowing that what I was about to say could change many things. “If you want to find out your feelings whether they are just an infatuation or true I will stand by you and help you through it all. But you do know that if they are true, you will still have to go before the Elves and marry the man you are betrothed to. If he is your true love you are still royal and you will have to follow through with the marriage.” I whispered the last part, my own heart hurting for her.

Ema turned her head into my chest hiding her tears and muffling her cries. I ran my hand gently through her hair soothing her till she was not crying as much. It was not long until her breathing became slow and even as sleep had finally overcome her. I laid her back on her bed and covered her up. Her eyes were still red-rimmed from all her crying. A sniffle escaped her every now and then even in her sleep. I brushed a few strands of her hair back from her face that had fallen. 

I slowly stood then went to the window taking one last look at Ema. I quietly slipped out the window gently closing it behind me. I whispered a small protection spell over it before jumping off the Inn roof and quietly sneaking into the forest. After running a small distance in, standing in the shadow of a tree I shifted into my wolf form. Since there were not many other creatures in this forest a wolf would not look out of place. It felt so good to be running free for a short while. I would soon have to return back to Ema and our room. But for now, my animalistic side got a small taste of the freedom it craved. I found myself following a deer trail along a steady river. The trail went on a ways further into the forest and further away from Sage Village. Crouching down by the stream I quenched my thirst with the cool water, which sent a small shiver through me. Looking up into the sky I saw that the moon had already moved on to its descent in the night. I took off in a run back towards the village. It was always thrilling running in one of my animal forms. When I started to near the village again I started slowing down my pace till I got to a walk. This time I was a little closer to the Inn when I shifted back to my human form.

Ema was still sound asleep when I returned, her breathing still slow and steady. The wards were still all in place and the Inn was as silent as it could be with its many guests.