Getting Lost Ch 03

Getting Lost

is a science-fantasy serial presented in 6 parts. I recommend reading

Getting Lost 1 & 2,

or the tale might not make sense. I want to thank Krellyn, Leah Harvey, and RNebular for editing.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy it!

Guinevere A. Hart

**********

Hibreon

Although Sabrael had instructed her to stay in the ship while he slept, Lotus was too curious to do what he asked. She woke in the morning and checked his room to make sure he was asleep. She picked up her needlework and made a quiet exit. The first couple of times she snuck out, she only sat in the sun with her embroidery. The draw of a new world to explore was too much to resist, and she began to wander further and further from Luma.

Images from the drones could tell her a lot about where she was. The ship was hidden beneath the ocean's surface, just off of a rarely used strand of beach. Beyond that were sparsely forested hills eventually becoming deeper woodlands. Just a few miles through those trees was an entire village of elves like her. They even spoke the same language she did. Lotus wanted to go there, to Raelinholm, but Sabrael warned her to stay away until they knew more. She wasn't supposed to go anywhere without him, but he hardly ever left the ship. So, Lotus roamed on her own.

Her most recent wanderings led her to a sizeable clump of blackberry bushes, and it was her new favorite spot. She laid out her blanket and dumped her sewing basket in the middle of it. After plucking a small basket full of berries, she sat down to examine her hands. She used her magic to instantly heal the superficial scratches she'd endured while gathering her snack. Lotus looked to her sewing then, while her thoughts circled around how to get closer to the elves without getting too far from Sabrael.

As the sun was at its highest, and her snack was long gone, Lotus heard something moving through the scrub on the hill. A twig snapped, and her spine straightened. Her ears tilted forward, straining to identify whatever it was. Though the drones never revealed any demons on Hibreon, and even though she could hardly recall her early childhood in the Infernal Tempest, fear was something her entire body remembered.

While energy spurred outward from that fear, demanding she get up and run, Lotus got herself in check.

There are no real monsters here, just animals and people. It's safe and I'm okay

, she thought. She forced herself to be still, even when the noisy thing came closer. Her marks lit up while power came to her hands, just in case.

Then the thing stopped just outside her clearing. The stout creature had four legs and was covered in short brown fur. Its tongue lolled from a squarish snout. It picked up floppy triangular ears and cocked its head with curiosity as it regarded her.

Dog

, she remembered from her lessons. And judging by its fine leather collar and medallion at its neck, it belonged to someone.

The dog lifted its head and barked twice, a deep woofing sound. Then she heard somebody call out from a distance. "Kortahn!"

The dog, whose name was loyalty in her language, looked back once and woofed again. Lotus winced and pleaded with Kortahn, "Shh! Go back to your person," she whispered.

Apparently, that was an invitation. The dog cheerfully padded towards her, his long whip of a tail wagging behind him. She tentatively reached out to pet him while he sniffed her and her things. She couldn't suppress a giggle when a big sloppy tongue lapped at her face and ears.

Their meeting was interrupted when a male elf spoke up sharply, "Kortahn! What are you..." He trailed off in mid-scolding, momentarily speechless at the sight of his dog's "quarry". To Lotus, he stuttered, "Oh, uh, hi? Ah, s-sorry."

Through tight lips he scolded the dog again, "Kortahn, get over here, now!" Instead of obeying, Kortahn rolled over so Lotus could give him belly-rubs.

The elf sighed and came for his dog. He knelt down and apologized again. "Sorry, he's young and still learning, though not very well apparently." He said the last part with a shrug and chuckle.

Lotus studied him. His hunting leathers were worn from frequent use, but they were well made. Peeking from under the coat was a fine linen shirt. His thick sable braid was woven through with a gold ribbon, topped off by a small gold circlet on his brow. The elf, she thought, was someone important.

In his amber eyes, she saw intellect, humor, and a little shyness. She reached out with her mind to touch his surface thoughts to confirm what she saw in him. From that subtle probe, she knew he meant her no harm, and he was just as curious as she. Lotus could see a hundred questions race through him at once. He settled on a grin and a statement. "He likes you!"

"I like him," Lotus said. "He's happy." The dog's happiness was contagious, and though she wasn't supposed to talk to him, she was delighted to meet someone like herself.

"Huh," the elf remarked with chagrin, "He's a bit too happy, most days." He kept staring at her marks, while trying to look like he wasn't. No one had ever given Lotus a reason to be self-conscious about anything, so she just let him stare. She stared right back, thinking he was lovely. She wanted to touch the supple leather of his coat and the silk of his hair. Lotus reminded herself that she wasn't even supposed to be conversing with him.

At length, he plopped down beside her. "So, do I just call you Mystery Lady of the Hills, or do you go by something else?"

She shook her head, "I'm not mysterious. I'm Lotus."

He held out his hand and she placed hers in it. He lifted her hand to touch the back of her fingers to his forehead in formal greeting. "Well, Lotus, I'm Dakath'ahn of Raelinholm, and I'm very pleased to meet you."

She was right about his importance. Dakath was a prince, and Sabrael was going to have a fit if he found out. She'd just have to make sure he didn't. The prince sat quiet for a minute, just lightly holding her fingers in his, as if he'd forgotten about it. She didn't mind, thinking the touch was nice. There was an awkwardness about him that was both funny and sweet at the same time. With her free hand, she stroked Kortahn's fur as the dog stretched in the sun.

To break the quiet she said, "I've never seen a dog except in pictures. Are all dogs as nice as this one?"

He looked at her as if she'd said something crazy, but he answered. "That depends on the trainer, I suppose. All of my dogs are nice, including this one. Even if he is stubborn. Though, today, I'm glad of it." He smiled curiously at her and asked, "Lotus, how is it you've never seen a dog?" Then he joked, "Did you just escape from some evil ogre's tower? You're supposed to wait for the prince to come rescue you, you know."

The thought of Sabrael as a fairy tale ogre made her laugh. Through her giggles she said, "Pardon me for doing it wrong. Besides, I think Kortahn's beat you to it."

"If you're not busy, you could come back to the palace with me. I could teach you about dogs, and if you like, maybe you could keep a pup of your own."

She wanted to go with him, wanted to have a dog like his. The thought of Sabrael's somewhat unpredictable mood swings stopped her from accepting. She didn't believe her mentor would hurt a living creature, but it wasn't a risk she was willing to take. "No, I wouldn't be allowed to keep a dog, but thank you."

He looked seriously at her face for a long time, then quietly asked, "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

Lotus shook her head and grinned at him. "Not yet," she laughed and gave his hand a squeeze. "I promise, Dakath, I'm no damsel in distress. No ogres. No towers."

"That's good. So, where do you live?"

Lotus vaguely pointed off in the direction she'd come from. Dakath contemplated that for a while, then said, "The only thing out that way is the sea."

She knew she shouldn't say where the ship was. By way of distraction, she went back to petting the dog, but Dakath was undeterred. "You live by the sea then? With your... uh... husband... or, ah...?"

She could almost hear Sabrael telling her she'd said too much already. Lotus just shook her head again and smiled. Quickly, she started packing her things, fearful of the direction the talk was going. She gathered her sewing back into the basket.

Seeing that she was preparing to leave, Dakath scrambled. "Right, sorry. That was the exact opposite of smooth." A ball of thread rolled away, and he bent to retrieve it for her while he explained. "Look, I just don't meet many women who don't know who I am or don't care." He slumped his shoulders in frustration and finished, "They always want something from me."

He was gorgeous. She liked the sound of his voice and the way he smiled. He was important, and she assumed what he meant was that most people wanted his importance. What she wanted from him was

him

. She smiled and responded, "I don't want anything form you, Dakath. I have to go now."

"Let me walk with you."

"No."

"But... you're alone. What if something happens? Please, Lotus, let me help you?"

He started trying to take her hastily folded blanket from her. Chivalry on full display, Dakath was insistent on walking her home. And he was bound to get her in trouble with Sabrael. Her marks flared with her irritation, and she spoke a sharp, "No!"

"O-okay, sorry. I just- okay so, what's with the tattoos, anyway?" She turned to go, and he to follow her.

She stopped and looked back. He had a stupid expression on his face that made her laugh. "If I tell you, you'll let me go home...

alone

."

He shrugged in reply, but that was good enough. She said, "They're modifications. They show that my energy, my power, has been enhanced to make my casting stronger. Thank you for wanting to help me, Dakath, but I've been trained to take care of myself."

Dakath's smile grew and he slowly nodded. She turned to go again, and he called after her. "Meet me here tomorrow at noon?"

She glanced over her shoulder and he smirked. "Well, you know, because Kortahn wants to get to know you better."

Lotus mirrored Dakath's smirk. "I'll meet Kortahn tomorrow at noon, if I can."

*****

She met her new friend again the following day. They talked until late in the afternoon. Rather, Dakath talked, and Lotus listened. She was sure she wasn't supposed to tell an early medieval elf nobleman that she'd traveled across the galaxy to study him. So she told him about her love of the sun and of nature, and she talked about her embroidery. She deftly evaded his questions by turning them around on him, getting him to speak of himself.

Like her, Dakath used magic, though his power was bound by runes and rules. He spent much of his time just learning his words, components, and timing. Such strictures were baffling to Lotus whose power was a simple manifestation of her will with that of the gods who granted her abilities.

The Eloua held Lotus in high regard for her magic. Her power was sacred, and so was she. At times, she'd felt more like an object, an idol, rather than a person. Dakath, however, suffered suspicion from his own kind for his studies. The elves of Hibreon were uncertain where magic came from, and some of their theories suggested demonic influences.

From her earliest years spent in the Infernal Tempest, Lotus knew there was nothing of hell in Dakath. He was like any sentient being she'd met after Sabrael had plucked her from a world full of monsters. Like everyone else, Dakath was simply a soul trying to make sense of himself and the multiverse that turned around him. "You're not evil," she told him.

He smiled and said, "Yeah, I know. I don't believe in demons, supernatural stuff, or even real evil, for that matter. It's

them

I have to convince." He turned his smile up to a grin and asked, "Do you want to see some magic?"

Lotus laughed and nodded her head. "Show me."

She watched as Dakath drew a complex rune on the tip of his finger. He then dipped that finger into a powdery substance he took from a satchel at his hip. He spoke spell words over his hand, and the rune lit up with a slight glow. Finally, he held the digit out and confidently told her, "Blow."

She raised a dubious brow, pursed her lips, and blew. The rune ignited, burning like a candle flame on the end of Dakath's finger. With a sheepish smile, he announced, "Lotus, you light my fire." His corny humor gave her a giggle. He shook the flame out and said, "It took me a month to figure that out. I don't want to tell you the number of times I burned myself doing it." He looked at her for a long time, like he was expecting something. Then he urged, "Well, your turn."

Lotus thought about it, then pointed at his satchel. "What's in there?"

With a shrug, Dakath removed the bag and dumped it on the blanket. Tiny sacks of powders and herbs, glittering rocks and baubles, a few jars half filled with the gods knew what, a spell book overstuffed with notes, a handful of ink blackened pen nibs, and a couple of wooden styluses. She picked up a stylus and held the dead dry wood on her palm for him to see. Lotus covered the stick with her other hand, warming it with her skin as well as her power.

She ignored Dakath's startled gasp as her marks lit up in response to her magic. With a gentle coaxing prayer, the stylus in her hands began to change. She could feel it move, and she uncovered it so that it had space to grow. A pine sawyer stood on her palm where the stylus had been. The insect wriggled its long antennae at her, momentarily confused by its instant state of being. She spoke softly to it, "It's okay. You can go." The bug climbed to the end of her thumb and took off.

Lotus smiled at Dakath, but he only stared at her with his mouth open. He shut it eventually, then tried to talk. "That was, um, you just..." He sighed and gave up. "You just ruined a perfectly good stylus."

She was about to apologize, when she saw the glint in his eye and the turn at the corner of his mouth. He put up his hands and laughed, "You win, show-off!"

"Your trick was good, too!"

"Yeah, right. You've got to teach me how you did that."

"I'm not sure I can." Not wanting to discourage him, she added, "I can't set my finger on fire. Of course, I'm not sure I want to." Dakath laughed with her, and their conversation turned to a competition of increasingly silly parlor tricks.

Lotus met Dakath again the following day and every day after. His awkward shyness quickly faded as the two of them became closer friends. Every day, he'd ask her to come home with him, and every day she told him she couldn't. But each time she said it was a bit harder than the one before it.

Dakath not only understood her silly humor, he was just as goofy as she was. She'd never met anyone who fit her as well as he did. She loved his laugh and the sound of his voice. She loved his dog, and even the weird complexity of what he called magic. Lotus realized that she was falling in love with Dakath.

At home on the ship, she shared her feelings only with Pol. The sil was happy for her. Though Pol didn't withhold her affection, she'd stopped having sex with Lotus. "Things are different now," she said. "You should be with Dakath." And Lotus agreed with her.

Meanwhile, Sabrael's attentions only increased. Since he was free to share his

thellimtok

with her, he did so as often as possible. The sex was always good, but Lotus had to keep her thoughts from wandering to Dakath. She could hardly tell him about an ylf'nim boyfriend when she wasn't supposed to leave the ship.

Having been raised among a people who communicate psychically with one another, she'd been taught at an early age how to guard her own mind. Sabrael was concerned that she kept herself closed to him. He blamed it on the long journey and the continued close quarters, and he didn't force the issue.

She was torn between Sabrael and Dakath. As her friendship and affection for Dakath grew stronger by the day, she wanted to be free of her mentor. She was forever thankful for all the Eloua had done for her. Sabrael had taken care of her for a little over a century, and she loved him for it. Now that they'd reached Hibreon, he seemed to need her, and she couldn't abandon him. Still, she wanted Dakath, and Sabrael's clinginess wouldn't stop her from sneaking out every chance she got.

One day, Dakath brought a basket full of food and a bottle of wine. She opened his picnic basket and grinned at the delicious smells of a real feast. He smiled with her and shrugged. Pointing at the blackberry bush, he said, "Season's changing, and we're about out of berries."

She'd picked the few remaining good ones for their snack while she waited for him. She pushed those aside in preference for the meal he'd brought. While she sampled bread and cheese, he poured the wine. "You know, my mother really wants to know who I've been canoodling."

"Canoodling? Is that a word?"

"Indeed, it's a great word. One of my favorites. Of course, it's even better when I'm actually canoodling someone."

"I'd like to help you," Lotus said, "but I'll need a clearer definition." She locked eyes with him, challenging his flirtation.

Dakath blushed and snickered at himself. He looked away, and she'd won. Now bashful, he hid behind his wine glass. "I'll uh, have to get back to you on that." He took a gulp of the wine and spoke into his glass. "Soon though. Real soon I think."

"Well, let me know. I'll take notes."

At a word from Dakath, Kortahn lay with his head between his paws. Though his eyes followed every morsel of food, every sip of wine, he stayed where he was told. His forlorn expression tried to play on Lotus' feelings, but she refrained from feeding the dog.

Instead, she dove into her own lunch like she was half starved. The processed meals on the ship were nutritious, but that was the nicest thing she could say about them. The ylf'nim made cheese that was light and delicate. The salad of mixed greens and vegetables had a sweet tangy dressing.

She didn't realize she was scarfing until Dakath looked at her with concern. "Lotus? Do you get enough to eat? At home, I mean?"

A dandelion green tried to escape, and she sucked it back into her mouth before it could get away. "Mm-hmm", she nodded while she shoveled in another fork full. Dakath laughed, but she didn't know what was funny.

Eventually, he brought more food from his basket of goodies. "Do you like pies?" he asked.

"I've never had a pie, but I'd like to try one."

It wasn't the first time he'd looked at her like she was crazy, and she hoped it wouldn't be the last. He held out a miniature pie as though he expected her to eat from his hand. She grinned and said, "Aren't you afraid I'll bite?"

"I imagine if anything of mine passed between your lips, it would feel like the bliss of the Eternal Empire."

It was her turn to blush. He was the corniest individual she'd ever met, and the twinkle in his eye said he knew it. She told him, "You're a weirdo." Then she leaned in to have a taste of the fresh fruit pie.

When the meal was done, they took a walk amidst the trees. They took turns tossing a stick for Kortahn. At some point, Dakath took her hand in his, and again she thought of his perfect fit. In that moment, she felt the whole multiverse moved just to put her beside him. She hadn't known or cared where they wandered to, until they came to clear space and a rough road.

Lotus froze, then turned back into the woods. "Come on," Dakath cajoled. "You've come this far. Come meet the family, then I'll walk you back, okay?"

"No. Walk me back to our spot now, Dakath. You're going to get me into trouble."

His shoulders slumped, and he sighed in frustration. "Trouble with who? Your parents? Take me to your place then. I'm great with parents."