Authors Note(s) : This story serves as our introduction to Derian, a new fantasy world I'm developing. In this story, we meet Aster and Demeter, a pair of adventuring mages as they travel through the six kingdoms in search of malevolent creatures and memorable experiences.
This story contains some light age play (mostly limited to the use of the word "mommy"), as well as some pretty serious dubcon. If either of those upset you, please turn away now!
All characters are over the age of 18 and appear as such (Aster is 20, Demeter is 28, and Caroline is probably in her 30s or something, for anyone wondering).
As always, thoughts and constructive criticism are welcome!
***
Aster stood nervously at the edge of the forest, where the cobblestone road ended, and the rocky trail began. Demeter had told her to stay in the inn while she went out in search of work, but after nearly four hours Aster couldn't bear it any longer. She remembered reading about how the Gale Forest was full of honeyseed, a delicacy she hadn't enjoyed in years. She almost couldn't remember what it tasted like. It would be a quick trip, just long enough to collect a small pouchful and soak in the warm afternoon breeze before returning to the prison that was the Grey Talon Inn.
But now, with the forest before her, Aster wasn't so sure. It was far darker than she imagined it, as if the canopy of leaves above were sucking up every last bit of sunlight they could. To make matters worse, there were no honeyflowers in sight. She had never seen any in person, but Aster's encyclopedia had assured her that the bright, almost luminescent, white petals were impossible to miss. She had expected to see a few, enough to guide her journey, at least, but all she could see were crab mushrooms.
Yuck.
Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to venture in after all. Even if she was successful in her hunt and returned with a carriage full of the sweet seeds, Aster was certain that Demeter would still scold her, reminding her how dangerous it was for her to wander off on her own and about the importance of "patience."
No. You can do this. You're not a child.
With a firm grip on her staff and a point to prove, Aster took her first step onto the dirt path before her. Knowing Demeter, she would be out until after the sun set at the very least. Aster would be back well before then with a belly full of honeyseed and a story to tell, proving that she was more than capable of taking care of herself.
Proving that she was a woman.
***
It didn't take Aster very long to get lost. The trail she selected was winding, overgrown, and faded. It would fork sporadically without so much as a cairn to lead the way, twist wildly from side to side, and sometimes disappear entirely before suddenly reappearing beneath Aster's feet minutes later as if it had been there the whole time. Aster followed it as best she could, climbing over boulders the size of stables and crawling under fallen tree trunks taller than her. She didn't dare go around for fear that she wouldn't be able to find the trail on the other side.
It didn't take long for the dirt trail to turn into nothing more than a vague suggestion of a path, the only indication of its existence being sparse, trampled plants. To make matters worse, Aster still hadn't seen a single honeyflower. Fear was beginning to creep into her periphery and Aster decided that maybe it was best to head back to the inn and venture out another time.
Defeated, she turned around and began to walk back. She could see a large, hollow tree trunk in the distance where the path had disappeared. Once she made it back there, it would be easier to retrace her steps.
Aster walked quickly, eager to return to the safety of the trail, filling with relief as she finally arrived at the tree trunk. She walked around it's circumference, waiting for the vegetation beneath her feet to turn into packed dirt, finding that it never did.
Aster stumbled backwards in confusion. The path had been clear here. She remembered it vividly. She remembered-
This wasn't the tree trunk she remembered. That tree trunk had a steerus nest inside. This one was empty.
Panic, which had existed as no more than a suggestion thus far, began to overtake Aster's thoughts, clouding her judgement. She glanced nervously around her, looking for any other hollow tree trunks in the distance to guide her. She saw none.
Trembling, Aster began to walk in the direction she suspected she came from, the dense trees of the forest masking any indication of the town she sought. Aster could hear Demeter's words clearly, warning her. Trying to protect her.
Demeter was right. Aster didn't know how to take care of herself in a place like this. She was lost, cold and alone, and the sun was setting. Some weary traveler would probably find her body frozen solid or, even worse, her bones, picked clean by some beast.
Why did she insist on being so proud? So stupid?
She wasn't meant to be an adventurer. She was meant to be a farmer.
The farm was warm. The farm was familiar. The farm was safe. There was nothing that could hurt her - not really. Nowhere to get lost. Nobody to trick or swindle her. Nothing remarkable at all.
Just like her.
Aster closed her eyes tightly, praying that she would open them and she would be back home. Praying that this was all a dream.
All you need to be an adventurer is a curious spirit.
Demeter's voice whispered soothingly into Aster's frantic mind, calming it. Those were the words Demeter had spoken to her the night before their adventure began. Aster had been afraid then too. She didn't think she could do it. She
knew
she couldn't do it. But Demeter knew she could. She believed in Aster. Saw something in her that Aster didn't see herself.
Aster tightened her grip around her staff with a deep breath.
She could do this.
Gently, she dug the end of her staff into the soft earth below and began to focus. She focused on the sounds of the forest - the rustling of the leaves, the buzzing of insects, the trampling of small feet - letting them flow through her. She focused on her skin - the cool breeze brushing gently against it, the small speckles of sunshine dancing warmly across it, the dry wood grasped firmly in her hands and firm ground beneath her feet - memorizing the sensations as they washed over her. She focused on the smell of the forest - the earthy dirt, the sweet flowers, the woody trees, the musky leaves, the crisp air - breathing deeply and deliberately, welcoming all sorts of scents she had never experienced before.
Aster opened her eyes slowly, amazed by what she saw. The forest looked so beautiful. The boundless greenery which had been so intimidating just a moment ago was striking now. There were so many shades of green, so many different shapes and textures, so many species of plants, all living together in harmony. The entire forest was covered in a faint dew, making the vibrant green foliage glisten beneath the small rays of sunlight that managed to sneak their way past the towering canopy above.
The lime green and spindly suckleweed.
The egg shaped, emerald leaves of the dragon's nest.
The dark green bark of the midnight oak.
It was all so stunning. So peaceful. Aster could sense the path she had taken to get here. All she had to do was follow it back.
The sweet smell of honeyflowers suddenly struck her nose.
Excitedly, Aster eyes shot open, the scent immediately disappearing.
Drat.
With another deep breath, she refocused her energy, searching longingly for the scent.
Slowly, she stood up, careful to maintain her focus this time. She took soft, careful steps in its direction, using her eyes to watch her footing while her nose led the way. The scent was growing stronger and stronger, as was her excitement.
She glanced upwards. There it was.
It was even more beautiful than she had imagined, glowing like moonlight.
Aster's focus became singular as she rushed towards the dazzling bed of flowers. There must be a hundred! She tossed her staff to the side as she dug into a flower hungrily, withdrawing several small white seeds with pride and quickly shoving them into her mouth.
Oh, my gods.
They were even more delectable than she remembered. They were sweet and soothing, the flavor sliding down Aster's throat like...well, like honey. She began to pluck at the flowers wildly. Collecting small handfuls and tossing them into her mouth all at once. She was so enamored by the flowers surrounding her that she failed to notice the pair of eyes spying on her from the trees above.
Only after her mouth was full did she begin to slow down. She unclasped a small pouch from her belt and began to fill it up, returning to the flowers she had already attacked to make sure they were picked clean. After her pouch was full, she reattached it to her belt and collected one more handful of seeds to snack on as she made her way back to the inn. She could tell that sunset was only an hour away, and she really didn't want to get back after Demeter.
Aster stood up and immediately crumpled back down to the ground. Her muscles felt weak, as if she had just woken up.
