Then
"How much farther?"
"Please understand, Miss Bramblehome, I've never been to your forest myself." William was as placid as ever. "The map indicates we are close."
"I ruh-recognized the last cru-crossroads." It was the first time Sarah had spoken all day, "From when I tru-traveled with..." She stopped walking and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. After a moment her eyes opened, though they refused to meet anyone's gaze. "It's not far."
"If we're that close, it should smell more familiar." Jix darted around them. Since being released, she hadn't been still for more than a few occasional moments, relishing her wings and her freedom. "We're upwind, but I should be smelling something familiar." She flitted up to Sarah's face. "Are you sure?"
The mage flinched backwards, keeping her eyes downcast. "I... I don't..."
William came to her rescue. "The map agrees, Miss Bramblehome. Let's keep moving." As the small party began moving down the path again, William fell into step beside Sarah. "I have one more 'Calm Emotions' for the day." He whispered. "But I'd like to save it to help you sleep. I will cast it if you like, however."
Sarah took a deep breath. William had alway treated her well enough, but he, just like every other intelligent being she'd encountered on their journey to guide Jix back home, was repulsive. It was all she could do to even stand near him. "No." she replied shakily. "I will nuh-need to f-function without it eventually." She took another steadying breath. "I will be better once I cast the shelter spell and lock the door."
"I can travel with you as long as you like." Replied William. "I can help with..."
"No!" The word came out more forcefully than Sarah had intended. She let out a breath and continued more calmly. "No. You have treated me well, but your church has not. I don't... I don't want any... association with them."
William nodded sadly. "I understand, and I am sorry for what we put you through. Once we return Mistress Fey to her home, we will part ways. I would advise that you do find a traveling companion. Someone you can trust."
"There is no one that I can trust." Sarah replied rather coldly.
"Despite evidence to the contrary, not all people are bad." When the mage didn't reply, William sighed. "Well, perhaps a good dog then."
"I know of an adventurous bear that might be talked into traveling with you." Jix interjected. "He would eat a lot though. And I bet people wouldn't like him much." Jix darted in a figure eight pattern around them. "Maybe a badger would be better, but they're cranky."
"Perhaps a horse." Put in William. "I'm told they can be good companions. Plus you can ride them." As William spoke, the crested a hill. He turn to gauge Sarah's reaction to his suggestion, when something caught his eye. "What is... Oh. Oh my."
"What are you looking at, priest?" Jix flitted around to follow his gaze. Over the hill, was a dark scar on the landscape. The ground was charred and the blackened skeletons of trees jutted intermittently towards the sky. The devastation stretched into the distance, disappearing over a far off ridge. "What happened here? This is awful! This is... This... Oh no! Nononono! It's gone! it's all dead! It's..." Jix's wings stopped working and she fell from the air.
Sarah was fast enough to extend her hands and catch Jix before she hit the ground. "Is that the forest? There were small fires, but nothing that would do this..." Despite the horror of her last visit to this place, what she was looking at now was equally as dismal. The once lush terrain was nothing more than a gray and black desert. All that remained of the vegetation that covered her escape was the occasional scorched tree trunk poking from the ruined earth.
William sagged, lowering himself roughly to his knees. He prayed for the souls of the creature that perished here, and for forgiveness. Demons were evil and destructive creatures, but he suspected his brethren may have contributed to this devastation. "Miss Bramblehome, I am so sorry for your loss."
The tiny woman's only reply was to vomit violently over the side of Sarah's cupped hands.
* * *
The small party made their way to the edge of the blackened earth. Jix did not even try to fly allowing Sarah to carry her the remaining distance. Once the line was reach, however, they could not bring themselves to cross it. William and Jix both said the area... felt wrong and Sarah's arm was alight with a 'pins and needles' sensation. Not that she would have passed the edge of the forest, even if it had been pristine. It was decided the would camp a fair distance from what used to be the tree line. William stood watch while Sarah cast the lengthy spell to conjure a sturdy cottage for the night.
Once inside, and behind a magically sealed door, Sarah didn't quite relax, but she felt much better. She carefully set Jix down on a pillow of one of the cottage's four sets oft bunk beds, and went about lighting a fire in the fireplace. She kept a careful eye on and a discreet distance from William.
William knew his presence made Sarah uncomfortable, so he didn't press her. Instead he looked to the tiny green girl curled up on her pillow. She didn't really like him either, but he felt he should help her if he could. She had just lost her entire world. He went to the bed next to hers and sat near the foot. He was still for a moment, entirely unsure of what to say. Fortunately for him, Jix spoke first.
"Everything's gone." Jix said. "The dryad tree, the nymph pools... They were tied to the land so they're dead. I couldn't see the The Oak Palace, but I should've be able to with everything burned, so it's probably gone too,"
"Maybe some of your people escaped." William offered.
"None of my people would run." said Jix firmly. "And I would not even look at any fae that wouldn't defend their forest. But..." She paused. "You said you felt it too. Nothing could live there now."
"Not without being warped." said William. "The rift the demons can through and the demons themselves would have left traces of their energy behind. That's what we felt."
"Your church burned down my forest, didn't they." It was not a question. She didn't look up, but her voice was calm. Even.
"Possibly." William replied. "If they thought i was irreparably tainted, they would have. And you felt it. It's likely they had no choice." After several beats of silence, William pressed on. "What will you do now, Miss Bramblehome?"
"I don't know. I can't stay here."
"Perhaps another forest?" William asked.
"I wouldn't know where to go." said Jix. "This was the first time I'd left my home."
"I could help you." offered Willam. "We could research locations, perhaps offer transport. The church has..."
"I want nothing more to do with your church, priest." said Jix.
"A popular opinion of late." sighed William, stealing a glance at Sarah. Sarah! "In fact, I might know someone who shares your opinion who is in need of a companion.
Jix finally looked up and followed his gaze to the mage crouching by the fire. When she turned back, one eyebrow was arched in disbelief. "Really?"
Now
It wasn't until the door was closed behind them and barred with the magic rod that Jix could feel the tension drain from her captive's body. She suspected that the magical tether binding them together was loosening as well, though she didn't test it just yet.
"I thought you and that merchant were going to come to blows." Sarah said rather breathlessly.
"He was all talk." said the diminutive woman on her shoulder. "Probably a good thing, though. It might have been hard fighting him tied to you."
"Yes, maybe." said Sarah. "Thank you for negotiating with them about clearing the wagons. I'm more than satisfied with the arrangements."
"I know. I could feel." said Jix. "And now, since we have the place to ourselves..."
"Hmm? Oh."Sarah realized immediately that her ankles had been pinned in place. As she tested her bonds, she felt resistance on her wrists as well, which continued until she found them locked in place at her sides. She struggled for a moment, finding her neck free, before sagging. "What happened to 'Hot, green, love slave?'"
"I did say that, didn't I." said Jix with a grin. "I also said everything but your mouth was fair game." She heaved a large sigh. "I guess though..." Jix lifted off Sarah shoulder and hovered in front of her, both to make eye contact and test the new limits of the tether. "So what do you wish of me... Mistress?" The last word was a tease, and a successful one, judging by the feelings she got from Sarah.
"Uh, well, um..." Sarah stammered. "First, I'd like to conjure an 'unseen servant', to tidy up and keep the fire stoked. Then, I thought I'd undress myself, since my current ensemble is a little more complicated than my night shirt. Finally, I'd move to the bed, so that when I'm inevitably bound in place again, I'll be more comfortable. All of which requires me to not be stuck here." She gave her trapped body a shake for emphasis.
"Fine." Jix smirked as she waved her hand theatrically. "The bed, hmm? I wonder what you have planned for me."
"That reminds me. You might as well strip also." Sarah did formulate a plan in the stable while Jix was conversing with two ponies and a riding dog. She'd wanted to repay the tiny creature for the pleasure she'd experienced the previous night. She wasn't sure how well it would work, but there was only one way to find out. She cast the 'unseen servant' spell before shedding and dropping layers of clothing. The invisible, mindless servant dutifully picked up and organized each garment. When she was fully nude, Sarah went to sit on the bed, while the servant moved to stoke the fire.
Jix was wearing much less than Sarah, and divested herself much more quickly than her larger counterpart. She flitted about, watching the human undress, only a little surprised that she sensed much less embarrassment than the previous evening. "Well," Jix said, once the naked mage was seated, "you seemed so sure that I was going to chain you down that I would hate to disappoint you." She watched as Sarah followed her new bonds, until she was pinned similarly to the night before, wrists and ankles pulled toward opposite ends of the bed; neck held to the mattress.
Sarah struggled, arching her back, not only to make sure she couldn't move, but also to show off for Jix. "Oh no." she deadpanned. "I'm stuck. Whatever shall I do?" When a grinning atomie landed on her chest she went on. "You there, slave. I appear to be ensorcelled. I require you assistance."
