The Fae World: Eorith: Luke: The First Arrival (part 2)

[k_a_webb]

Part 1

“You wanted me to see you.” Luke wasn’t certain whether he was scared or not, because there was something about Twyla that made him think she might actually turn out to be his protector. He didn’t know why he thought that, though, and that worried him. “So you could take me to Mouse.”

Twyla nodded. “Mouse was our leader even before he found our sanctuary, but finding it proved that we were right to chose him. He believes he is one of the last of his race and I, as much as I hate to, think he might be right. Other scouts have gone out looking, trying to find others of his kind, or mine, or any we know is dwindling, only to return with bad news. There might never be good news, although…” She studied him. “Your arrival might be.”

Luke bit his lip. “Why do you think that?”

“The way you smell. I rely on my sense of smell, and my ability to hide, so I know when someone smells like they’re a good person and when they don’t. You, Luke, definitely smell like a good person, although I do have trouble with your appearance. Unfortunately you look like one of the races we were fighting in the Great War, which means there is a chance someone might attack you when we enter the city. Be prepared for that, defend but don’t kill, understand?”

“Understood, Twyla.”

“I will protect you too. They will listen to me, because I have been a scout for many decades.”

“Does that make you old, by your standards?”

“No, silly two-legged. My race lives for hundreds of years and by our standards I am still very young, but that is even younger when compared to some of the other races – Mouse lived through the Great War, which lasted for over a thousand years, and he remembers what our world was like a thousand years before that.”

“My race only lives for around 70 years, so if I’d been a scout for decades I would be old by my races’ standards.”

“Really? That is a very short time. I cannot imagine living for such a short time, although many lives were cut short during the Great War and I know that I was lucky to survive it myself. My mother died in childbirth and if another of my race had not come across us when he did was would have died too. We were fortunate to survive. Unfortunately that has become normal for us, now, and that is why I have not yet had my first litter, although that is not normal.” Twyla sighed. “Knowing that two of my sisters are already dead is hard for me to cope with some days, as I work with some of her children. Most days it doesn’t have that much of an effect on my every day life, but there are those when it hits me all over again that they really are gone, and it still hurts.”

“The pain of losing someone is one that never really goes away.”

“You have lost someone yourself?”

“I have.” Luke sighed. “No matter how much time passes I still miss them and I will feel the same way about the family I left behind when I came here.”

“How did you come to be here, Luke?”

“Even though I’m not certain I believe that magic is the reason I’m here. On my world there came to be a race called the fae and their magic has affected it in ways that we never expected it to. The most surprising thing it did, or at least the most surprising thing to me, was that it affects works of fiction, so what I think happened is that I played a computer game and playing that game is the reason that I’m here. I doubt there is any way back, no matter how hard I wish for one, so all I can do is accept what has happened as best I can, and hope that I don’t end up dying because of the similarity between me and the race that brought about the destruction of others.”

“Hopefully, if you can speak as well as you did then, I think you will be safe.” Twyla looked at him. “Be ready with your words, Luke, and convince Mouse that you will be an asset to us, because you will, of that I am certain.”

“Thank you… I think.” Luke managed to smile at her. “I do appreciate the help, Twyla, because I do want to survive my meeting with Mouse.” He brushed a hand through his hair. “Is there anything I shouldn’t ask him?”
“No, Mouse likes questions and by needing to ask them you will hopefully prove that you are not one of them. They know all about Mouse’s race, which is why they have done everything they can to rid the world of them.”
“I take it they have a form of magic that the other race wanted to eradicate.”

“Clever two-legged.” Twyla nodded. “They do and so does my race, but I will not tell you too much about that, as you need to show that you don’t know anything to Mouse. It will makes your survival much more likely.”

Luke nodded. “You want me to survive?”

“I find that I do, yes, even though I do not know you all that well. Like I said you smell right and I trust my sense of smell. You are meant to be here, Luke, you are meant to survive, and I will become your protector when that happens.”

As they stepped through the gateway that led into Twyla’s sanctuary they both fell silent. Until that happened Luke hadn’t realised how close they were to it, which probably had something to do with the wards, and he did his best to appear calm, even though he had difficulty slowing the rate of his heart beat. There was a chance he might end up dead, if Mouse decided he was too much like a race that had tried to kill him, which was understandable. Of course understanding why didn’t stop Luke from hoping that Mouse would listen before acting.

Mirrored from K. A. Webb Writing.

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