Chronicles of Eden - Act V (45 page)

“Complica, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s my fault,” Complica whimpered.

“No it isn’t, you didn’t do anything wrong, Complica.”

“Yes I did,” Complica said looking up to her with teary eyes. “It was my fault those humans took me away.”

“What do you mean?” Daniel asked. “Why did those humans kidnap you in the first place?”

Complica looked down and wiped the tears from her eyes then turned to him with a frown as she held onto Triska’s hand.

“A few days ago I found three humans riding their horses near our grove. I wanted to bring them home so mama could use them to give me more sisters.” The group exchanged concerned glances from that while the little girl lowered her head and sniffled. “I made a mistake with my bait for them. I told them I could make rocks into gold; I was supposed to have said my mama could make rocks into gold so they would follow me home. Instead they tied me up and took me away before I could correct myself.”

“Why would you lie to them like that?” Specca asked shaking her head.

“It’s one of the baiting methods we’re taught in school,” Luna explained. “We say we can make rocks into gold so the men will have sex with us.”

“So the reason they kidnapped you was because you told them a lie?” Triska asked. Complica nodded and looked up to her with tears dropping from her cheeks.

“I messed up my lie so they took me away. They took me to that spooky village and kept me prisoner in that old house. And to make sure I couldn’t fly away they… they…”

“They cut your wings,” Specca softly finished.

“I told them I didn’t mean
I
could do that but they wouldn’t believe me,” Complica whined as she lowered her head and held her hands to her face. “Then right after they left me in that room I heard them screaming outside. I looked out the window and saw swarm raping them. They raped them all day and night, and then when the men were too tired to keep going they ate them.”

“Well, that explains why we didn’t find those bastards in Rackleholm,” Triska mentioned with a shrug.

“I’m glad they got what they deserved for hurting you like they did,” Specca sympathized with a nod.

“Swarm had infested the entire village,” Complica whimpered. “I couldn’t leave the house, I was too scared to go out into the hallway, I was trapped there. During the day I hid under a blanket while they kept hissing and buzzing around my room, and during the night I cried myself to sleep because they were right outside sleeping too.”

“You couldn’t run,” Triska empathized as she held the girl with one arm. “You couldn’t even fly out the window. I’m so sorry, Complica.”

“How did you survive for days like that?” Daniel asked.

Complica sniffled and looked down while wiping a few tears from her eyes.

“There was a big hole in the corner of my room. Inside it I had all the beetles and worms to eat that I needed. Some of them were pretty tasty.”

“Well, that’s fortunate,” Specca commented with a disgusted face.

Complica trembled then hugged Triska and buried her face in the girl’s side.

“Thank you for saving me, thank you so much,” she sobbed as she broke down crying. Triska held her gently and looked around at the others as they watched the young princess crying in her arms.

“This is why Daniel needs to talk to the monarch,” Triska reasoned to Luna. “This is what happens when your lies catch up to you. If she never would have told that lie in the first place none of this would have happened.”

Luna nodded while trying to hold back her tears; her heart breaking at seeing her princess having been grounded for life after her attempt to bring humans back to the grove backfired horribly on her.

Daniel sighed quietly as he glanced around at seeing all the girls falling silent with concern before he lightly clapped his hands together.

“Listen, it’s late. We’re all tired from this ordeal, and we have two butterflies who have been wounded. Let’s rest up tonight and then take Complica to see her mother tomorrow when we’re all feeling better. We could all use a good night’s sleep before we go see the monarch.”

“But what about the swarm?” Luna nervously asked. “They could come here to Flairwood, we have to tell them.”

“We will, but not now,” Daniel said raising a hand to calm her. “The swarm aren’t coming here anytime soon, right now they’re all falling back asleep in Rackleholm and won’t be moving again until tomorrow. We still have time, they won’t even be flying straight for this place when they wake up, they don’t know about it yet. Let your people sleep tonight, because if they really do have to leave Flairwood they’re going to need their rest.”

Luna nodded and looked down with worried eyes as the thought of swarm being anywhere close to her home caused distress with her still.

“I think that would be best,” Specca agreed. “Flairwood isn’t in danger tonight, and we can’t even leave until Lucky returns to us. For now we should take the time we do have to rest.”

“Exactly. And, Squeak?” Daniel asked glancing to his silent mate. “Could you please watch over Falla tonight while she sleeps, and make sure she’s not in any pain if she comes to during the night?”

Squeak nodded with a squeak then showed confusion as she pointed to the bed then to Daniel again. He chuckled lightly and shook his head before looking around at the girls with a small smile on his face.

“All you girls can have the bed to rest in tonight, I’ll sleep elsewhere. Complica, Luna, and Falla too. You all deserve it after going through so much today.”

“But, Daniel,” Triska said with a saddened smile at him. “I really wanted to sleep with you tonight, especially after I was a little worried I wouldn’t have ever gotten to again what with the swarm trying to eat me alive earlier.”

“I know, Triska,” Daniel said with a caring smile at her. “And we’ll make up for lost time tomorrow, I promise. But right now it looks like she wants to sleep with you tonight.” He pointed to Complica with a knowing smirk before all the girls noticed the young butterfly was sleeping quietly while her hands were loosely holding onto Triska.

“The poor thing, she’s exhausted,” Specca softly said.

“She really likes you, Triska,” Luna mentioned with a small smile. “I’ve never seen her become so attached to anybody that quickly before.”

Triska smiled gently as she held the sleeping princess, watching as the young girl quietly dreamed with her antennae twitching slightly in her sleep. Holding her like that Triska felt a sense of warmth inside from seeing the innocent monster bonding with her like this. She then watched Daniel walking up to and then kissing her on the lips, something that made the warmth inside of her grow even brighter. He smiled at her then down to Complica as the princess gently nuzzled her head against Triska’s chest.

“Don’t wake her,” Daniel quietly said. “You girls rest up tonight. I’m going to sleep outside; I know my snoring can be very abrasive.”

“Nonsense,” Alyssa said with a wave of her hand. “I don’t even hear it anymore.”

“Me either,” Specca chimed in with a shrug.

“It never bothered me, Daniel, and it never will,” Triska assured.

Squeak shook her head with a squeak and a gentle smile at him.

“I don’t mind your snoring either, Daniel,” Luna mentioned while looking down timidly. The group watched her as she slowly glanced to Daniel and smiled a little. “Just saying, I never notice it myself.”

“Well, thank you for that, Luna,” Daniel replied kindly. “But I know Falla has voiced some complaints about it, and I don’t want to take a chance on waking Complica from what’s likely her first comfortable sleep in days. I’ll sleep outside away from the caravan tonight, I don’t mind.” He then walked over and knelt down before Alyssa while gently holding her shoulders.

“And if I spot Lucky coming I’ll be sure to come and get you, okay?”

Alyssa smiled and nodded before kissing him, with him holding her close for a moment before parting their embrace and winking at her. He stood up then kissed Squeak as well, the ant girl wiggling her abdomen slightly while he tried to stay focused and not lose himself in the euphoric sensation of her saliva. After he broke the kiss and took a second to regain his senses he walked over to the bed where Specca sat up on at the edge.

“I could sleep out there with you, Daniel,” she offered timidly. “I don’t mind, and I could make sure nothing bothers you in the night.”

“I wouldn’t dream of asking you to sleep on the hard ground with me when there’s a soft bed in here for you to sleep in,” Daniel mused before kissing her. She held onto him while her tail moved around and held him close by his back. After the kiss ended and he took a moment to remove her tail which didn’t want to let go of him he smiled and shook his head slightly.

“Stay here with them, Specca. It’ll be much more comfortable for you. And if Complica has any trouble sleeping then maybe you can read her a nice bedtime story, I’m sure she’d love that.”

Specca nodded with a soft giggle and sat back on the bed before Daniel turned to Triska who was watching him with a curious eye as she held Complica in her arms.

“But, Daniel,” she quietly mentioned. “What about how you used magic like that, you still haven’t explained what happened.”

“We can talk about it tomorrow, right now we could all use some rest, me included. Using magic like that took a bit out of me.”

Triska reluctantly nodded then looked down to Complica while Daniel glanced to Luna who was watching him with worried eyes.

“About what you two said earlier, about wanting to leave,” he spoke up, with the girls looking to Luna curiously as she slowly nodded to that. “I hope you two will reconsider. It wouldn’t be the same without you with us.”

“Why do they want to leave?” Triska asked Daniel.

“They think they’re not wanted, Triska,” Daniel explained, with Luna lowering her head and closing her eyes. “But they are. The truth is I don’t want them to say goodbye.”

Luna slowly looked back up to him with worried eyes as he smiled at her.

“But, Daniel,” she softly said glancing to her sister. “We… we…”

“Belong here,” Daniel finished for her. Luna turned her eyes to him with a small jump as he nodded to that. “You do, both of you. Sleep here with your sister and those who care about you, and if tomorrow you both wish to leave still you can. We won’t stop you. Just know we’ll miss you if you go.”

Luna watched him for a while in silence before she looked to her sister and nodded once. Daniel glanced around at his mates as they all were eyeing him curiously before he started walking towards the entryway. Kroanette jumped a bit then quickly backed up out of the curtain, with Daniel chuckling at seeing her go before glancing back to the girls again.

“Daniel?” Triska asked softly.

“I was just thinking of something,” he mused with a small shrug. “I wouldn’t have gotten this far without all of you helping me as you have.”

All the girls smiled at Daniel while Luna glanced to him curiously. He looked from one of his girls to the next, feeling grateful for having met and gotten closer to them like he had, then rested his eyes on Luna.

“Thank you for being with me,” he said genuinely, as if right to her. Luna looked at him with wonder as she felt like he was just talking to her before he turned to leave again. He got to the curtain then snapped his fingers and glanced to Alyssa.

“Oh, Alyssa? Could you let the elf go outside? I’ll see to it she doesn’t make a sound to wake our sleeping princess.”

“What are we going to do about her?” Alyssa asked as she slowly waved her hand out in front of her, eyes glowing softly for a moment as she recalled her magic outside.

“I’ll handle it, you girls just rest and have a good night. I’ll see you all in the morning,” Daniel answered before he left the cabin. The girls all looked to each other curiously then to Luna as she kept watching the black curtain with longing eyes.

“Luna?” Triska asked quietly while holding Complica. “What was he talking about?”

Luna glanced to her then looked down to her sleeping sister while remaining silent. The other girls watched her just sitting there not saying a word then looked to each other again as they wondered about Daniel’s words while Complica slept soundly in Triska’s arms.

Outside the caravan Daniel hopped down next to Kroanette, the centaur smiling timidly at him before the two walked over to where Clover was lying on the ground. The vines around her were slowly receding and slinking back into the dirt, with Pip gently rolling in place atop them before dropping onto the elf’s tunic and remaining still. Clover held her breath as the fairy slept quietly on her chest before slowly and carefully raising her hands up to clasp over the tiny monster.

“Don’t you dare,” Daniel warned as he and Kroanette walked up to her. “If you harm her I will not forgive you.”

“Then get this thing off me right now,” Clover demanded.

Daniel knelt down next to the girl and pointed a finger at her face, the elf leaning back against the ground as he had a stern look in his eye.

“Before you say anything, know that the young princess who has been through hell the past few days is sleeping in our caravan right now. I don’t care if you’re mad at me or finally wish to say you’re sorry for your rude behavior, but either way you
will
keep your voice down, understand?”

“Daniel,” Kroanette quietly spoke with a curious smile at him. “It’s so nice to see you having a firm grip on the reins like this.”

Clover glanced to Pip then to Daniel and nodded slowly. Daniel then carefully picked Pip up in his hands and stood up, with the elf then quickly getting to her feet and backing away a step while scowling at him.

“Fine,” she grunted. “Keep the fairy, your choice if you want to get blown to pieces. I don’t care. But that centaur is-”

“Her name is Kroanette,” Daniel spoke up. “If you call her a centaur again like she’s a nameless monster of Eden I will test my luck and see if I can form my magic sword right now.”

Clover stared at him with a stunned expression while Kroanette blushed and held her hands to her cheeks.

“Daniel,” Kroanette softly said while lowering her head. “Now you’re just trying to make me blush.”