the self imposed rumination, she realized the Falkeries were
watching her…waiting for something. She could feel the tension of the servants,
but she didn’t know what it was they were looking for. Tia had tried asking
Cora – one of the Falkerie servants she had befriended – but Cora only shook
her head and promised she would learn when it was time.
It was impossible for Tia not to feel frustrated. She was
treated like a royal guest but began to feel more like a prisoner. Tia was
patiently told by Cora over and over that Roland wasn’t ready to receive her,
that soon she would be called before the council, and to trust them to know when
the time was right. Tia was more than willing to trust them, but the evasive
answers were beginning to get on her nerves.
Six months after arriving, Tia nearly wept with relief to finally receive a summons. The
imposed seclusion had bored the Druid woman nearly to tears. Anxiously
preparing herself, Tia braided her heavy chestnut hair and donned her
protective black cloak.
She wandered the finely decorated house and wondered if
the Falkeries would just let her move here. Tia never wanted to go back to her
village. While her kind had never understood her and ultimately bartered her,
the Falkeries had accepted her and sworn to protect her. She had lived with the
Druids her whole life and didn’t know anyone she could call friend. Roland was
her absentee bonded and Uren was chosen by the Gods to be her mentor. Cora,
however, was her first friend. She seemed genuinely pleased to be allowed to
hang out with Tia and Tia loved being around her. They had forged a bond in the
short time they had known each other.
Smiling,
she made her way back downstairs to the main room. She knew Cora was coming to
fetch her soon and Cora had promised
to allow Tia to ride a Unicorn the short distance to where the Falkerie Council
was waiting for them.
“A Druid on a Unicorn! Eek!” Tia was absolutely giddy and couldn’t help but
announce her glee to the empty room. It was truly an honor to be allowed to
ride one of the massive beasts, especially since they normally only allowed
Falkeries to ride them.
“Are you ready?” Cora inquired as she stepped inside her
doorway.
“Yes!” She squealed, hurrying toward the open door. “Will
I see Roland?”
“I do not know,” her friend replied calmly as she
motioned Tia to follow her.
Walking out of the guest quarters and into the daylight,
Tia gasped in awe to see a pair of Unicorns waiting on bended knee for their
riders. Steam blew from their noses in the frigid winter air, and their coats
sparkled like diamonds against the snowy background.
“Do you need help mounting?” Cora asked her.
“No,” Tia replied breathlessly as she easily swung
herself up onto the massive creature’s back.
“Hang on,” her friend grinned broadly as she swung onto
her own Unicorn and nudged it forward.
The pair of Unicorns immediately took off running at
speeds no normal horse could ever hope to reach. Tia felt the thrill and
exhilaration of riding something so powerful. Tipping her head backward, she
gave into the desire to feel the sunlight on her face and allowed the wind to
push her hood from her head. Laughing in the cold morning light, Tia knew she
could never feel this free again. As they raced towards the Falkerie city, she
admired the silvery city with the peaks of its castles seeming to reach the
sky.
Enchanted
by the connection she felt in holding the silken strands of the Unicorn’s mane,
she swore she could feel the beast’s approval of her pleasure. Joy hummed
through her veins and when she closed her eyes, she imagined it was her – not
the Unicorn – whose hooves were
watching her…waiting for something. She could feel the tension of the servants,
but she didn’t know what it was they were looking for. Tia had tried asking
Cora – one of the Falkerie servants she had befriended – but Cora only shook
her head and promised she would learn when it was time.
It was impossible for Tia not to feel frustrated. She was
treated like a royal guest but began to feel more like a prisoner. Tia was
patiently told by Cora over and over that Roland wasn’t ready to receive her,
that soon she would be called before the council, and to trust them to know when
the time was right. Tia was more than willing to trust them, but the evasive
answers were beginning to get on her nerves.
Six months after arriving, Tia nearly wept with relief to finally receive a summons. The
imposed seclusion had bored the Druid woman nearly to tears. Anxiously
preparing herself, Tia braided her heavy chestnut hair and donned her
protective black cloak.
She wandered the finely decorated house and wondered if
the Falkeries would just let her move here. Tia never wanted to go back to her
village. While her kind had never understood her and ultimately bartered her,
the Falkeries had accepted her and sworn to protect her. She had lived with the
Druids her whole life and didn’t know anyone she could call friend. Roland was
her absentee bonded and Uren was chosen by the Gods to be her mentor. Cora,
however, was her first friend. She seemed genuinely pleased to be allowed to
hang out with Tia and Tia loved being around her. They had forged a bond in the
short time they had known each other.
Smiling,
she made her way back downstairs to the main room. She knew Cora was coming to
fetch her soon and Cora had promised
to allow Tia to ride a Unicorn the short distance to where the Falkerie Council
was waiting for them.
“A Druid on a Unicorn! Eek!” Tia was absolutely giddy and couldn’t help but
announce her glee to the empty room. It was truly an honor to be allowed to
ride one of the massive beasts, especially since they normally only allowed
Falkeries to ride them.
“Are you ready?” Cora inquired as she stepped inside her
doorway.
“Yes!” She squealed, hurrying toward the open door. “Will
I see Roland?”
“I do not know,” her friend replied calmly as she
motioned Tia to follow her.
Walking out of the guest quarters and into the daylight,
Tia gasped in awe to see a pair of Unicorns waiting on bended knee for their
riders. Steam blew from their noses in the frigid winter air, and their coats
sparkled like diamonds against the snowy background.
“Do you need help mounting?” Cora asked her.
“No,” Tia replied breathlessly as she easily swung
herself up onto the massive creature’s back.
“Hang on,” her friend grinned broadly as she swung onto
her own Unicorn and nudged it forward.
The pair of Unicorns immediately took off running at
speeds no normal horse could ever hope to reach. Tia felt the thrill and
exhilaration of riding something so powerful. Tipping her head backward, she
gave into the desire to feel the sunlight on her face and allowed the wind to
push her hood from her head. Laughing in the cold morning light, Tia knew she
could never feel this free again. As they raced towards the Falkerie city, she
admired the silvery city with the peaks of its castles seeming to reach the
sky.
Enchanted
by the connection she felt in holding the silken strands of the Unicorn’s mane,
she swore she could feel the beast’s approval of her pleasure. Joy hummed
through her veins and when she closed her eyes, she imagined it was her – not
the Unicorn – whose hooves were
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