The Legends of Famora: Dangerous Waters

Chapter 3

    The next morning Dennis pleaded with his aunt for Taroh to stay, as Taroh continued to sleep. He could see his aunt even wanted her to stay, but his aunt was resilient. Her need to protect Dennis and their secret drove him mad.

    “She could be a spy from the Barron, for all we know. There is something different about this girl Dennis, unlike anyone I have ever seen before. We have no way to verify her story until Junee comes to visit, and that is two weeks from now. Barron will have sent his hounds by then.” Aunt Sarrah explained. I knew it, Dennis thought to himself. There is something unique about her. With Aunt Sarrah’s argument Dennis had to consider that the young woman might have charmed them to feel the protective instincts. According to his Aunt, Barron used the dark force, Odaire Spiritum, which was against the Dryadaliz ways.

    “…But her aura is so clean, and timid.” Dennis argued. He knew she saw it too. The light coming from Taroh was almost blinding, and the sparkle pulled at him anytime he was near her.

    “Yes, it seems that way.” She replied sinking into her thoughts. “Barron is deceitful, he will not give up until he knows every one of us is gone.” She added more to convince herself than Dennis.

    “And if she is who she says she is? What we just throw her into the wild, running for the rest of her life?” Dennis countered.

    “I have to protect you Dennis. More than anything.” She replied.

    “Then how are we any better than Barron?” Dennis asked rhetorically. He knew she would see reasoning in that, because it’s true. They would be monsters themselves, if they let her go knowing she was not Dryadaliz, and Barron would likely kill her on the spot just for wasting his time.

    “This is different. You will come to see that when the time is right. The girl must go.” She demanded.

    “So all those stories of standing up for whats right, and the principles of Dryadaliz mean nothing! At least, consult the moons before you make a decision.” He insisted. A knock came to the door before she could say anything else.

“It’s me, Junee, coming in.” They heard just before Junee stepped in. She wore a blue battered dress, and her dark brown hair pulled back in a braid. “I am so sorry to show up like this, but something has happened. Can we talk privately?” Junee directed the question at his Aunt, and Taroh chose that time to wake up.

    “Oh Theos!” Junee cried out, pointing at Taroh who had sat up from the make-shift bed. “It’s her!” Taroh’s eyes widened and her eyes darted for an exit.

    “Calm down, tell me what you know.” Aunt Sarrah instructed Junee.

    “Well she is part of the reason I am here.” Junee eyed Taroh suspiciously. “Can we talk outside?”

    “Yes, you two stay here.” Aunt Sarrah ordered them.

    After they walked out the door Dennis said,

    “Looks like you’re the topic of the day.” He joked. Taroh looked as a spooked deer.  She stood up and said,

    “I must go. The soldiers probably aren’t too far behind. I don’t want to bring you any trouble.” Taroh told him as she brushed the sleep from her dress. “I would like to take the horse with me though.” she requested.

    “So what’s your plan, then?” Dennis asked her.

    “I don’t have one yet, but I know I wanna find where I come from. I might join the soldiers near the castle grounds. They won’t recognize me there. The villagers believe me to be Barron’s daughter, so I figured I would start there since I lost the only clue I had.”

    Dennis choked on his tea, “Barron’s Daughter? Are you?” Dennis asked skeptically. His Aunt’s theory could be right.

    “I don’t know, but it’s the only thing I have to go on right now.” Taroh uttered. Dennis wanted to tell her to stay with them, but at the same time he did not want to make any promises he could not keep, especially if she was working for Barron.

    “I understand. Can you at least wait until Aunt Sarrah and Junee are back in?” Dennis pleaded. “I want to know more about you.” He blurted out.

    “No one has ever said that to me.” Taroh said frowning. “Actually most people avoid me. The scars make me look scary to the villagers, even though I have never really hurt anyone on purpose. I must be cursed or something. Except you and the pretty lady, you are different. No one has shown me the kindness as you have.”

    “I guess some folks are just scared of the unknown.” Dennis related. “I know one thing. You are special.” Dennis smiled. “My aunt and I stay here, away from everyone because she fears the unknown, but I want so much to get out of here and meet others.” Dennis confided in her.

    “No one wants to know me. They scurry away just at the sight of me. I’ve learned to stay in the shadows. Ms. Broom gets mad when I talk to anyone too. She said just a couple days ago that she didn’t want me around anymore, and no one would ever love me so she would be having to feed me forever.” Taroh shared with him. Dennis heart was heavy for Taroh, he wanted to pull her in his arms and take all the pain away. He decided to show him her favorite sight in the forest instead.

    “You wanna see something?” He asked her. “But it would mean sneaking out for a bit.”

    Taroh smiled. “Yeah.” Dennis grabbed her by the hand but Aunt Sarrah and Junee walked back in, and Aunt Sarrah immediately said,

    “We have to leave.” She stated. “Soon. Junee overheard the Captain this morning, Barron is sending the hounds out to find Taroh, and they will be here within a couple days.”

    “What are the hounds?” Taroh asked Ms. Sarrah worried.

    “The Barron’s hounds are large beast, with a special nose to find Dryadaliz. Once they catch the scent they can follow it anywhere just about. They will know you have been here.” Dennis knew the hounds would not catch on Taroh’s sent, but if they brought the beasts this side of the river they would catch their own scent.

    “I need some air.” Taroh said and ran out the door. Dennis ran behind her. When Taroh stopped he whispered in her ear.

    “I know a great place to get some air.” He led her to a place up by the river. He knew aunt Sarrah would be furious, but this was a big burden on all of them now. They ran through the woods, away from the path Junee took here, in case any more soldiers came looking for Taroh.

    They were both panting by the time they reached the river’s edge. Across the river Dennis pointed out a small field of wild flowers. The colors were vibrant and a smile creeped across Taroh’s face.

    “I don’t know why they grow there, but they come every year. For just a few weeks.” Dennis claimed.

    “Oh wow, they are gorgeous.” Taroh exclaimed. “Thank you for showing me.” Taroh said with a short-lived smile. The weight of her dilemma on her mind.

    “I really hate that I brought you guys trouble.” Taroh claimed sinking down to the ground, in a crisscross maneuver.

    “Let’s just sit here for a while, get our thoughts together, and avoid my aunts wrath for a while.” Dennis chuckled.

    “Dennis they will be after me, I am not even sure how I escaped them this last time. If your aunt had not shown up when she did. I would probably be in chains or worse right now.” When Taroh mentioned his aunt rescuing them, she triggered the memory of Aunt Sarrah wearing a flowing gown and she looked like something of the storied he read about.

    “Why do people not come out here more? On our side of the bridge?” Dennis asked Taroh catching her off guard.

    “Well, I have heard that when men come hunting on this side of the bridge they return without their wits. Men who have returned would be no better than a newborn babe. Crying out through the days and nights for the woman in white. I have heard them wail when I was just a child. The wives ended up burying them. No one has ventured this side in years. Well… Until yesterday. I guess it was rumors though.” Taroh explained to Dennis. “How come you never came to the village? I have seen Junee about, but never you or your aunt.” Taroh asked him simply, but Dennis was not prepared to answer. He kicked himself for not being more cautious. No wonder his aunt wouldn’t let him go to the festival. He was careless.

    “Oh, we like to keep to ourselves.” Dennis replied trying to think of a better answer. “Aunt Sarrah lost a lot of family when the war broke out, and my parents were caught in the cross hairs.” Dennis told her, hoping she would be satisfied with his answer. Despite the intrusive questions, he soaked in the moment they were having.

    “Your parents… are they still around?” Taroh asked him.

    “No they died the day Barron took over. I was just a babe myself, and aunt Sarrah took me on as her own.” Dennis clarified for her.

    “I am sorry, I know what it’s like to not know your birth parents.” Taroh said solemnly. “Like missing a whole part of your identity.”

    “Yeah, I try not to dwell on it much. I am grateful for my aunt.” He said trying to change the mood.

    “Yeah, I was grateful for Ms. Broom.” Taroh sighed. “She did care for me many years. Made sure I had food, clothes, and a roof over my head.” Despite the supposed kindness that woman had given Taroh over the years, he was infuriated to know someone could make a girl sleep in a barn, and betray her to this fate. Although, if the woman had not cared for her, he might not have gotten this fortune to meet her. Dennis sent a thanks to Theos for letting him meet Taroh.  

    “I suppose your right.” He agreed reluctantly. They sat for a bit longer admiring the sight. Flowers were rare, and a field of them were unheard of these days. Junee had claimed one flower from a peddler was three whole silver pieces. He had not dared told Junee or his aunt of the field, in case they decided to pluck them for profits.

    He wondered what they were going to do, they had two days before the hounds arrived. Dennis shuddered at the notion of them being hunted like animals, but his aunt was a wise woman. She would know what to do, and he assured Taroh of that too.

    “I think we should head back, your aunt has been kind to me. I don’t want her mad at me.” Taroh said to Dennis. As they stood up to walk, they heard a loud splash rom the river. Dennis cursed because they had missed seeing what could cause such a splash.

    “Ugh. I wonder what it is.” Dennis said as he help Taroh to her feet.

    “I don’t know, but I am not sure I want to know if the fish are sickly.” Taroh declared.

    “C’mon just a little while longer to see if it makes another appearance?” Dennis pleaded with Taroh. She clearly had a hard time saying no to the beautiful man in front of her.

    “Okay. Just a bit longer. The flowers are worth it.” Taroh teased at him.

    They sat in silence for a minute. Taroh in her thoughts of how to save herself and who she might be, and Dennis wandering what his aunt had planned. He had never left the farm before, so part of him was excited, and part of him was worried. If Taroh went with them, she would be in more danger than if she went her own way. He wanted to protect her and he knew now that his aunt felt the same pull, and Junee had made it clear that Taroh was telling the truth. For a moment, he was grateful that his aunt would be the one to tell them what is best. He began to realize the decisions his aunt made were tough.