The Fates
Chapter 5

Celia was against the wall again with Rhale holding her up, this time he didn’t stop her when her hips moved but instead he pushed himself closer to her. His lips were mere inches away from her own…

“Celia, it's time to wake up.” Celia slowly opened her eyes, unwilling to leave the dream. She blushed deeply when she felt Rhale’s hand move a piece of stray hair away from her face and saw that he was crouching down in front of her.

“It’s almost time to leave, come and have some breakfast before we ride out again.”

“Did you sleep anything?” Celia asked as she stretched out while trying hard not to look at him.

How was she going to hold her feelings in check if she were dreaming such dreams about him?

“I do not need as much sleep as most.” Celia glanced at him, she couldn’t see any signs of tiredness on him, he looked as he always did.

His hair was perhaps more of a mess than normal, otherwise he looked as frightening as the first time she had met him. Rhale had sat himself down by the small table that was situated in the middle of the room and Celia thought that his huge figure almost looked silly on the small chair.

She forced herself to rise and went to sit by the table next to him, he handed her some bread and water and she gratefully took it.

She knew that if she did not eat anything now she would be ravenous before they had a chance to stop again. She was sore from yesterday, both from riding and from falling off Taurus. Rhale apparently noticed.

“Are you sure that you are not hurt?” he looked her up and down with concentration, almost like he was trying to see right through her clothes.

“I’m not hurt. Just a bit sore.”

“Are you sure about this? Today we will be riding non stop, we could go back if you changed your mind. It’s not too late for you to stay with Amos while I do this.”

“No, I’m coming with you.” Celia tried hard to use the same tone as Rhale used when he left no room for discussion and she thought that she was getting better at it. Rhale only smirked at her attempt.

“I do not want a repeat of yesterday, we are entering dangerous territory now and though your aim is good and you were brave, I need to know that you are safe, I will not be able to fight if you are putting yourself in danger.”

“I know. I will listen to you.”

“I am sorry that I got so angry”

Her mind immediately went to when Rhale had held her up against the wall and she blushed, she really did not want to speak about it, especially not after her dream.

“Let’s not talk about it anymore. It's over and done with and I will listen to you from now on.”

They finished their bread and then they were off again, she could feel that Taurus was on alert and Rhale sat stiffly behind her. She still had her bow and arrow, just in case but she trusted Rhale and swore not to use them unless she absolutely had to.

They were both quiet, trying to draw as little attention to themselves as they could. Soon it was hard to see much but Rhale seemed to know where they were going. At one point they had to stop and walk down a slope, but for the most part they rode.

At first, things were uneventful but Celia could not shake the feeling of doom that was pressing down on her, the forest was too thick, too dark and way too quiet. Still they rode almost all day without anything happening, they stopped once to drink and eat some dried meat, other than that they rode on.

She wondered where they were going to sleep for the night but she did not dare to speak, she was getting tired and her soreness had turned into full blown pain.

“There is a cave near here where we will make camp for the night” Rhale whispered and sure enough they soon came to a small cave.

“Stay on Taurus until I have checked that the coast is clear” Celia did as she was told and he soon came back “It’s empty, come on”

Rhale helped her down before he started to look for firewood, Celia tried to help but her body was shaking too much. Celia pulled the coat tighter around herself, the air was getting colder and she struggled to keep warm.

Rhale came back and they walked into the cave together, he soon had a fire started and she sat herself down close to it, thankful for the warmth it was giving.

“I know that it’s not very comfortable but try to sleep, I will keep watch.”

“Do you not need to sleep?” Rhale just gave her a weary look and she realized that if it wasn’t for her he probably would have continued on riding the entire night, the thought made her feel guilty.

“Don’t you ever need to sleep?”

“Every couple of days, one of the perks of being a demigod.”

“I’m sorry that we have to stop because of me.”

“Don’t ever be sorry for needing something.”

She nodded dumbly and tried to replace a comfortable position to sleep in but she was so tired that she could probably sleep anywhere.

“How did you know that the cave was here?” she asked just before she was about to doze off.

“I have been in these woods many times. Sleep Celia.”

“Get on Taurus now!” Celia awoke by Rhale's shouting, and she sat up in confusion, the fire was still going but Rhale was not in the cave.

“Taurus now!” He yelled from outside and she hurried out of the cave, once outside she gasped when she saw that Rhale was fighting three monstrous beasts. It was hard to see in the darkness but she heard the growling, she knew that sound, the beasts that had killed her mother had sounded the same.

Remembering her promise to Rhale she scrambled herself on top of Taurus and he immediately started to run. Celia desperately grabbed a hold of his mane and with panic she tried to grab the reins. As soon as she let go of his mane she could feel herself slipping, he was jumping over rocks and trunks and it took everything she had not to fall off.

“Please Taurus, slow down” Taurus made a strange squealing sound and she had the strange feeling that he was answering her but if he understood her he sure did not listen, as the trees grew fewer his speed picked up.

There were sounds coming from behind them and startled she realized that something was running after them.

Gripping him tighter she turned her head slightly and saw that one of the monsters was close behind.

“Okay, don’t slow down, go faster '' Celia could hear herself yelling, urging him on and he complied, his speed was unbelievable and Celia squeezed her aching thighs harder around him. Taurus jumped over a big rock and she knocked her nose hard on his neck but she paid it no mind

She tried to feel after her bow but realized that she had stupidly left it in the cave.

All of a sudden Taurus came to a standstill, they were no longer in the thick of the forest, instead before them was a big open clearing with a few impossibly big trees scattered around it.

Panicking she turned around, seeing more clearly now that the moon could shine through the forest canopy. The monster was quite a distance away but it was coming at them at an alarming speed.

“Taurus, we need to go! Please, run!” Taurus squealed loudly again and again while stomping his hooves on the ground. If she could not get Taurus to run they would soon be attacked by the monster so she desperately kicked at Taurus' sides.

Celia heard a loud noise that made her turn her head away from the frightening monster, in front of them half of the tree trunks were ripping themselves away from the tree itself and flew forward, right at the beast. The whole thing only took a few seconds but it took her brain a while to realize what she was actually looking at.

Taurus turned around and in front of them the beast that had been chasing them was laying on the ground, unmoving, his big scaled head twisted at an unnatural angle.

The things she had thought were tree trunks turned to face her and she realized that it was not tree trunks. Well almost at least.

It was women, their skin was a strange green and brown color which Celia realized is what had made her think that they had been a part of the trees. There were many of them, all of which had long flowing hair with the same color as bark.

Their clothing looked like it was made of the softest moss and even though they might have been the strangest things she had ever seen they were all incredibly beautiful.

They looked human, but not human at all. They looked to be nature itself, one with the forest, in human form.

One of them came forward, her face curious as she studied Celia intently. The ones behind her looked ready to attack at any moment and Celia had a feeling that even though they looked to be fragile they were anything but.

After the strange creature had looked at her for a while she turned her head and spoke to the others, or at least Celia thought she did. Her lips moved but no words came out, instead it sounded like wind and rustling leafs. Whatever she said made the other go back to the trees and Celia looked, bewildered, as they merged into them, actually becoming one with the trunks.

“Do not be frightened” Although she spoke with words this time her voice still sounded like the wind “You are safe here, we will guard you”

She was still studying her, her eyes as baffled as Celia’s were.

“Thank you for your help but I need no replace the man I was with, he stayed and fought more of those things” Celia said with panic in her voice, how was Rhale supposed to replace her, or worse, what if he was hurt?

“Whom is your companion, perhaps I can assist”

“His name is Rhale” Celia said meekly, all of a sudden she felt like she couldn’t breathe, her lungs refused to cooperate and she started chipping for air. Her body was reacting to what had occurred, she knew it but was unable to stop it from happening.

“Peaceful, breath deep” the woman said as she came closer “Rhale will replace you, come and have water from our spring”

Taurus bent his front legs and laid down, allowing her to get off him easier.

Celia's legs shook in protest as she tried to stand up and she still could not catch her breath, she sank down to the forest floor.

Celia felt as though the ground was moving beneath her and she could hear her own heartbeat in her ears, a loud whooshing sound.

“Drink” a big bended leaf was put before her “Our water is calming” Celia took it gratefully and drank the cold water that was on it.

Slowly the whooshing sound disappeared and she was able to take a deep breath.

“Thank you”

“You need not be concerned. Rest easy, your companion will come shortly.”

Taurus nudged the side of Celia's face and she looked at him, Taurus' dark eyes looked at her worryingly and he touched her nose with his muzzle.

“I’m fine, we’re fine” Celia told him, in her mind he was asking her about her nose that she had accidently knocked on his neck. Cela felt her nose with her hand, it was a bit tender but nothing more. “It’s okay” She told Taurus, stroking his mane.

“I’m Celia” Celia said to the tree woman when she could not stand the silence anymore but she got no answer “what’s your name?”

“I am a Dryad, we have no names. It is an honor meeting you Celia”

“It is an honor to meet you too Dryad” She knew very little of Dryads, all she could remember now was that they were protectors of nature.

“Thank you Dryad” Rhale’s voice came from behind her, Celia gasped and turned around instantly, he looked to be fine. Not a scratch on him as far as she could see, thank The Fates.

“You let one pass” Said the Dryad.

“There were more of them then I thought, I knew Taurus would lead her to safety.”

“Had I not understood what she was we would not have helped”

“Thank The Fates that you did. How can I repay your kindness?”

The dryad was quiet for a while but she looked at Celia when she spoke “Guard her”

“With my life, Dryad”

“Night is soon upon us, you may stay under our protection. Next day we will ensure you safe passing” The dryad then walked up to a tree and merged with it, like the others had done. There was no trace of her left.

“Are you hurt?” It took Celia awhile to understand that Rhale was talking to her.

“No, I am not hurt. Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“Rhale, what were those things? Were they the same creatures that came into my village?”

“They are the same creatures, they are called Hybrids.” Rhale said and sat himself down next to her.

“They have no formal name, so that’s what we call it, a hybrid. It is a mix between dragon, wyvern and hellhound, probably made with the help of dark magic”

“Dragon, wyvern and hellhound” Celia shuttered and looked behind her at the dead creature but Rhale’s hand came to her face and turned it so that she was looking at him instead.

“I forgot my bow and arrows”

“We will get you new ones”

Tears filled her eyes and Rhale pulled her to him, holding her close.

“You are safe here, had I known that the Dryads would help us I would have taken you here straight away instead of that cave. Good thing Taurus thought of it.”

“Was there a chance that they wouldn’t have helped?”

“It could have gone either way, had they not decided to help they could have killed you on the spot, they don't take kindly to intruders here. Your scent is what saved you.” Rhale’s arms tightened around her “Thank The Fates that they did.”

After a while Rhale went to unsaddle Taurus and Celia heard him thanking Taurus for what he had done. She was thankfully too but too tired to stand up, she must have only gotten an hour of sleep before those monsters had appeared.

“Try to sleep Celia.”

“Can you not sleep too? Aren’t we both safe here?”

Rhale came and sat down beside her again, his arm went around her and he pulled them both down into the softest moss she had ever felt.

“Yes, we are safe under the protection of the Dryads”

Rhale’s arm around her made her feel warm in the chilly air, although it was a lot warmer here than it had been in the thick of the forest and for that she was glad.

For the second time in Celia’s life she fell asleep safe and sound in Rhale’s arms.