DAHLIA

I’d never known father to be an anxious man.

I could count the number of times I’d ever seen him worry on one hand.

So it was both a surprise and a cause for worry when the strong stench of anxiety saturated his study.

It all started this morning when Qir trotted over the beaten path that lead to our home and delivered a letter with a royal seal.

I wasn’t worried when I collected the letter because the elves had never caused us too much trouble but then again I’d never met any of them face to face.

If only I’d known.

Even I couldn't predict the disaster that was to come as I handed the letter over to father. His usual calm demeanor disappeared as he read it.

A notice. That was what was in the golden envelope. That was what caused father's heart to race.

Alek and Anuk emerged from their respective rooms.

They probably smelled the flood of emotions that filled the room.

Anuk was the first to speak.

‘What’s going on?’

Father looked up at her worried face before he handed the letter over to her and Alek to read.

Both their faces contorted in fear as they read the beautifully written words.

‘We can’t let him come here.’ Alek whispered, as her arms wrapped around her lean frame.

Father sighed and slumped into his chair.

The notice could not be declined. A visit from an elf was considered a blessing. To reject it was disrespectful.

A disrespected elf was a dangerous elf.

Father was bound to the forest so leaving was impossible. If the three of us left on our own we would be immediately picked off and forced into a life akin to death.

If we were lucky they’d take all three of us together.

All four of us sat on the seats in the study, so as not to lose our footings.

I took the seat which was closest to father. He must have sensed the regret I felt and smiled warmly at me. A visit from anyone shouldn’t have been a cause for concern.

Anuk and Alek could transform at will and appear human for extended periods of time. I couldn’t.

I was the problem. The weak link.

I sank further into the soft cotton seat.

‘Why doesn’t she just hide in the forest?’ Alek softly muttered, her small voice echoed around the room.

Everyone’s ears perked at the suggestion and I sat up, surprised that the thought of hiding in a place so familiar hadn’t crossed my mind.

Father shook his head in disapproval. The heaviness in my heart returned and I sank back into the chair.

“She can’t go far from the house. What if he comes with an entourage?”

He was right. I could outrun an elf or two, but a group of magic wielding guards was a different story.

I tugged at the stray cotton threads on the seat as I racked my brain for solutions. Alek’s idea had a lot of potential. I was the queen of the forest after all.

The corners of my mouth lifted as I remembered how i received that title.

Suddenly a thought appeared in my head.

I almost stumbled out of my seat.

“What if I hide inside the lindel tree?’

Father’s eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. Alek sent a smile reserved for pitiful children while Anuk rolled her eyes

“I don’t know if you can read the atmosphere Dahlia, but now isn’t the time to play hide and seek.”

I ignored Anuk’s harsh words and explained my idea to father. The lindel tree was a large, sturdy tree not too far from the house. If I hid in the hole in the middle I would have a great view of the house while simultaneously remain undetected.

‘I can fit and if Anuk couldn’t find me when I hid there’ I paused and smiled at Anuk’s narrowed eyes ‘I doubt that elves would.’

A moment passed as father contemplated the idea before he finally sighed and got up.

‘Show me the tree.’

I smiled in victory. All the time I spent in the forest finally paid off.

‘We’re all dead.’ Anuk quietly muttered as father and I walked past her. Her gaze was now directed at the seat that father had stood up from.

In response father stopped and sent a scathing glare in her direction.

‘If you have a better plan I’d love to hear it.’

I winced as Anuk clenched her sharp jaw and dropped her gaze to the floor.

They’d always been at odds with each other but it seemed to be reaching a painful crescendo. I didn’t want a part of it.

I grabbed one of father’s brawny arms and dragged him out the door that led outside.

The forest seemed to welcome us immediately we stepped out. The winds encircled us and the sun showered us in warmth. This was the power of a Druid.

I once asked father how he did it but he just smiled at me.

I manoeuvred my way around the forest foliage as I led father to the aforementioned tree. We walked a good number of steps before we stopped in front of a massive tree, as old as the forest itself. At its base laid the charred remains of lindels long dead.

Why they had chosen to return at this tree, I would never know.

‘Leave it to you kids to find the strangest things.’ Father murmured as he bent down to investigate the remains.

I looked upward at the high branches as well as the massive hollow hole in the middle of the tree. It’s entrance looked small but hid a spacey interior.

Father stood back up and smiled to himself.

“I can’t believe I missed this”. He joked. “The years must be catching up to me”.

I rolled my eyes at his comment. He could pass as a human male in his prime. Not a strand of grey appeared on his curly black hair and his skin was taut and spot free.

He sighed as he stared at the hole. ‘Well I know you can fit in there’.

”And it’s easy to see the house from here”. We both looked back in the direction of the house. It was a clear view.

I put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. He tried to smiled but the edges of his lips were burdened by worry.

“I’ll be alright. It’ll only be for a day”. I said.

The wind around me quickly shifted as he pulled me into a warm hug and buried his face into my hair. Like a mother comforting her child. He knew I hated it. I squirmed out of his arms and glared at him. In response his smile widened into a grin.

“Well, let’s get started.”

………………………………………………………...

I wriggled around the wooden interior of the tree in a bid to find a comfortable position to sleep in. I’d give anything to be beneath my soft sheets.

To hide the rest of my presence, lavender and sandalwood sticks were lit and placed around the compound. The sweet, soothing smells cocooned the house and even crept into the dark forest.

I carefully rested my head between my legs and my back against the rough bark, as the familiar sounds of the forest lulled my rattled mind to sleep.

Tomorrow’s going to be better.