The Light of My Hearts
Up a Tree

Helia parried a blow from a lanky goblin’s axe, side-stepped, and plunged her blade deep into his guts. Purplish blood spilled out, adding to the layers already on her blade. The goblin wheezed its last, dropping dead to the ground. Helia breathed heavily, exerted from her efforts to slay the group of about eight goblins; a manageable number by her standards. Gillam had run after a second group that had splintered from the first. She could hear him fighting nearby.

After the Devil Toad job and passing through Blue Valley, they had gone through two weeks of jobless wandering. They had plenty of money, but it was still a tedious existence. The feast or famine aspect of slaying could be jarring for the uninitiated. Still, Gillam never complained. Helia considered that to be a blessing. She couldn’t stand a whiner.

However, these goblins weren’t a job. They were on their way to visit Twillow and Kendrick and had been ambushed a few miles into the forest. Goblins were a race of shorter, grayish green, long-eared, humanoids known for being notorious bandits, thieves, and murderers. They took great delight in jumping unwary travelers on the roads and had a particular fondness for weapons and exotic spices, which they collected with a religious fervor. These goblins figured they could pilfer from them.

Big mistake.

The redhead kept her sword at the ready just in case more goblins decided to try their luck. None appeared right away. Though it felt like a victory, goblins were like ants, there was always a larger group nearby. Sticking around would be unwise.

It wasn’t long before Gillam returned.

Helia wiped off her blade, “Get ’em all?”

The fae seemed to have an uncomfortable look on his face which Helia noticed.

“Some got away?”

“No…”

She frowned, “Then what’s the problem?”

“I…let one go.” He admitted.

Helia paused, “What do you mean you ‘let one go’?”

Gillam sighed, “He…begged me to spare him.”

“You can speak their language?” Helia asked with incredulity.

Goblin was a strange, inhuman language. They could learn the human language, but it always sounded bizarre when they spoke it; like a growling snake speaking. Humans had trouble speaking the goblin language because of its bestial quality and on top of that goblins in general were quite xenophobic to other species so getting to learn their language was damn near impossible.

“It’s a slightly different dialect here, but I could understand him.” Gillam explained.

Helia shook her head with dread, “Please tell me you didn’t just let a goblin bandit go.”

“I…I couldn’t kill him. He was begging for his life…”

The woman’s head pulled back as she stole several urgent looks around, “Oh…dammit, Gillam!”

“But…!”

“But nothing! You never, NEVER let goblin bandits go!”

It was then they could hear a faint sound growing louder. The sound was like shouting mixed with guttural croaking.

“Shit! We need to get out of here…NOW!”

Helia rushed back to where she left her horse.

But just as she was nearing the bay gelding, a hissing sliced the air in front of her. She stopped, just soon enough to feel the thatch of an arrow, graze her nose.

“SHIT!” she swore, jerking to a stop.

A second hiss and Hershel squealed in pain, rearing up and kicking wildly as an arrow embedded in his haunch. Hurt and terrified, the horse bolted.

“No! No! NO! DAMMIT!” Helia swore, vainly running after him.

But it was no use. He was gone. Helia swore repetitively as the undulating, battle croak of several dozen goblins suddenly filled the forest, and more arrows struck the ground near her. They were coming to get them in force.

“Hurry! Fly!” Helia shouted, sheathing her blade, and sprinting away from where the arrows were falling.

Gillam buzzed his wings but where they stood the vegetation was too dense and he couldn’t get a good rhythm to fly. So instead, he ran after her. The sounds of a horde of goblins grew increasingly louder as they crashed through the trees behind them.

Helia was ranting angrily as they ran, “THAT is why you don’t let goblins go! You let one go they bring the whole damn pack down on your head!”

“I’m sorry, Dyashra!”

“Stop calling me that!” she yelled with frustration.

“Sorry!”

Some more arrows whizzed by them, striking the trees and bushes they passed. Ahead, they could see a clearing of the trees and Gillam urged Helia ahead of him. When he had the room his wings thrummed powerfully, billowing the leaves around him as he took off. He gained momentum and flew in behind Helia. She heard his wings but didn’t expect to be taken aloft when he touched her back.

“Grab onto me!” he shouted.

Helia twisted herself around and threw her arms around the fae’s neck. Gillam swooped her legs up in a cradle carry and flew up higher to get into the open air. His ascent was not very speedy given the extra weight and he paid the price. Several arrows passed them and one sliced through the membrane of his right wing.

His wings stuttered briefly as the sharp burning pain made his rhythm stumble. Helia instinctually gripped him tighter, fearful they were about to plummet to their death. But Gillam managed to ascend the canopy of the forest and land in the branches of a very tall pine. Helia let go as he put her down and she firmly hugged the tree trunk. Granted, they were shielded from view by the tree canopy and were now safe from the goblin attack, but the height was intimidating.

They were quiet for a time, Helia seething in silence and Gillam not knowing what to say.

Finally, Gillam spoke, “Are you all right?”

Her reply was terse as she refused look at him, “I’m up a tree hiding from goblin bandits, my horse is gone and injured somewhere and most of our supplies are with him. This is not what I’d call ‘all right’.”

The fae lowered his head, “Forgive me for putting you in this situation.”

“Later…I’ll forgive you later. Not now.”

Gillam looked ashamed; a student admonished by his favorite teacher.

“I…I will make this right. I swear it.”

The fae unexpectedly took off and flew away. He looked like he was limping midair due to his pierced wing membrane.

“Hey! Don’t be a fool! You need to get that wing injury fixed!” Helia protested suddenly.

He looked back but said stalwartly, “I will make this right, first.”

The fae flew speedily until he was out of sight. Helia made a noise of frustration as she tried to make herself comfortable despite the height of where she sat. Truth be told, it wasn’t the first time she’d been chased up a tree by some creature out to kill her. But goblins? It was avoidable…and humiliating.

What was Gillam even thinking letting one go?

As she sat for about an hour, Helia shook her head. It was a rookie mistake. He probably didn’t know. It still didn’t make the situation better, but her anger was shrinking. That is until she noticed the trees to the east bending and swaying unnaturally…as if something really big was moving through them.

Her eyes hit the top of their sockets as she groaned to herself, “Oh…shiiiit.”

Of course, Kendrick would show up right when she was looking like a treed cat. Anyone else would be praying to every deity they knew that the Gray Shadow wouldn’t find them and eat them…she was praying he wouldn’t find her just so she wouldn’t have to endure the crap he’d put on her for getting chased up a tree. Then again, he might not come this way or better yet not see her at all. But…he’d probably smell her. All she could do was watch the trees moving in the distance and hope he didn’t come this way.

But luck wasn’t on Helia’s side today.

In a few minutes the disturbance parting the trees veered toward her and she could already feel the vibrations from his footfalls. She waited until finally he appeared from the trees nearby. Helia’s head pulled back in surprise, her blue eyes going wide.

It wasn’t Kendrick.

It was most definitely a giant and he almost looked like Kendrick. But there was a band of cloth covering his eyes, his black hair and beard were peppered making him appear older, and he carried a bare tree that he used as a walking stick.

Was this giant blind then?

Helia was very confused and quite a bit more nervous. She was under the impression that Kendrick was the last of his kind. And yet there stood another gray giant just below her tree.

Did Kendrick know about this? But more importantly, was this giant like Kendrick when it came to trespassing humans? If that was the case, she could be in very big trouble if he found her. She cursed, realizing the giantsbane she bought was in her saddle bag. All she had was her sword and a few daggers on her weapon belt and if her first battle with Kendrick was any indication, that wouldn’t be enough.

But this giant was blind. Maybe if she stayed still and quiet, he’d move along and never be the wiser?

He stood several feet shorter than the tree she was in and as he passed beneath her, he paused in his walk, smelling the air deeply. His head quirked. With a deft movement his walking stick reached out and tapped a tree to the right and then swept back and struck her tree, shaking it. Helia grasped the trunk to prevent herself from falling. But much to her shock and horror the tree continued to sway, as if not stable on its trunk. In fact, it was beginning to fall over. With desperation she hugged the trunk in front of her as it leaned precariously, cracking and whining.

“Shit!” she cursed, trying to finagle a way off of the toppling tree, and not succeeding.

Gravity pulled hard, yanking the tree at speed toward the unforgiving ground. The deafening knell of snapping branches surrounded her, scraping against her viciously. She couldn’t help but scream and close her eyes. And suddenly, it all stopped with a forcible jerk. Helia gasped repetitively, instantly realizing death had merely glanced her once again. That is until she saw the huge gray hand just a branch lower than her, holding the whole tree up. Her eyes drifted up the length of his massive arm.

The giant’s head slowly tipped in a manner that almost appeared to be looking at her. He sniffed the air again and his brows went up behind his blindfold.

“Huh! Well, well. How did you get all the way up in this tree, little woman? Goblins chase you up there?” he asked in a deep voice.

Helia didn’t make a sound. Yet she found it amazing that he detected her so precisely. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.

He then smelled near the tree deeply, “The base of this tree is rotted. It’s no wonder it fell down.” An embarrassed frown crossed his mouth, “I do apologize for bumping my stick into your tree. You’re not hurt, are you? I think I smell blood.”

Helia then noticed a few scratches on her arms made by the sharp branches.

She silently shook her head in disbelief. Was he really blind? Was he getting all that information from smell alone?

At last, she decided to speak, “Just…some scratches. I suppose the scent of blood makes you hungry?”

He chuckled, “That’s a morbid assumption.”

With a slow movement his other hand laid his stick aside and then his hand appeared beneath her. Automatically, Helia pulled a dagger at the ready since her position made drawing her sword too cumbersome.

He paused upon hearing the blade ring faintly as he scented again, “No need for that, little woman. I just thought you might want help getting down?”

Though powerful, his voice was gentle and kind sounding. Helia still wasn’t taking any chances. The blind giant smiled. Helia stared at him. His smile was so familiar…

“If it means anything, I can promise I won’t hurt you. Gravity probably won’t make such guarantees.” He assured.

Of course, he was right. But that still didn’t alleviate the slayer’s paranoia.

Helia gestured at him with her dagger, “Just who are you, anyway?”

He dipped his head a bit, “My name is Alec. And who might you be, little woman?”

“Helia.”

“Charmed.” He smiled again, “Hm. You don’t smell very fearful. Typically, humans are very afraid when they see me.”

“You’re not my first giant. Hence why I don’t trust what you might do.”

“I see…” His dark brows flicked up again, “Well, can I assist you and then ask you about that?”

She eyed him and his hand, “Slowly… don’t make me use this.”

He nodded, “I understand.”

The redhead slowly stretched her legs down until they met the gray flesh. At last, she released the rough bark and felt herself sink into the pads of his palm. She gripped her dagger tightly, ready for any deception on his part. But the huge hand that held her was very relaxed and dare she say soft. She recalled Kendrick’s hand always felt poised for malice, tense even, like a trap ready to slam shut. After they became acquainted that malice became more playful…but a cat with a mouse playful. She almost always had to be on guard.

Strangely she didn’t feel that way now.

The giant let go of the tree, letting it fall down.

“UNHAND HER THIS INSTANT!” Gillam suddenly shouted from above.

Alec startled slightly as did Helia. The woman whipped her head around to see the fae flying in with his Star Sword drawn back with menace.

He was only a few feet from delivering a harsh blow when Helia shouted, “GILLAM! STOP! Stand down!”

His large wings flared wide, braking his charge to a stop. He seemed confused.

Alec slowly lifted one hand in a placating gesture, “I’m just helping her down, whoever you are. I’m not going to hurt her.”

Then, with a slow methodical crouch, Alec brought his hand to the ground, laid it flat, and allowed Helia to hop down.

“There you go, Helia. Safe and sound.”

“Thanks.” Helia slowly sheathed her dagger.

Gillam fluttered aloft, trying to make sense of the scene. His wing still looked injured, but he was doing his best to not allow it to slow him. Further away he had just found Helia’s horse, healed his arrow wounds, and was about to lead the animal back to Helia when the crackling of a falling tree and Helia’s scream sent him flying back in a panic. He happened upon the scene of a strange giant casting down a tree, holding Helia in one hand, and she had a dagger drawn. He thought she was in danger. But…it seems he was wrong again.

“Gillam you can land. It’s all right!” Helia shouted up at him.

The fae did so, but cautiously, “You…you’re not in danger?”

“Surprisingly…no. This is Alec. He saved me from falling just now.” She glanced back at the giant, “Oh. Alec, this is my apprentice, Gillam.”

Alec cocked his head a bit as he took in Gillam’s scent, “You’re a winged fae?”

“Yes.”

A smile once again split his face, “Huh! I happen to know another winged fae whom my son is courting. Do you happen to know Twillow?”

Gillam and Helia were immediately shocked by that sentence.

“You know Twillow?” Gillam asked with astonishment. “She’s my sister.”

“Is she? How ironic we should meet one another then!” Alec beamed.

“But…that means… Kendrick is your son?” Helia’s mental pieces to this puzzle were falling in place.

Alec gave a look of surprise, “You know my son’s true name?”

“Well…yeah. Twillow is my friend and…that’s how we know each other.”

She neglected to mention the less than savory particulars of their first encounter. Alec might have the same animosity for slayers that Kendrick did.

The blind giant huffed a laugh, “Very few humans know my son’s true name. He never mentioned you, though. But…sadly…that would make sense why you were hesitant to trust me. My son doesn’t get along with humans in general, sorry to say.”

Helia shook her head, “He never told me he had a father.”

She stared up at him, realizing now that they shared the exact same smile and jawline.

Alec shook his dark head, “That’s not surprising. My son tends to keep me a secret. Thinks it keeps me safe from slayers if no one knows about me.”

“I…I see.” Helia couldn’t help but feel nervous.

“Well, I am very pleased to have met you both.” He nodded, “Now your presence out here makes more sense to me. I assume you’re here because you’re going to visit Twillow and Kendrick?”

“Yes. But we got ambushed by goblins.” Gillam confirmed.

Alec smirked, “I could hear them and smell them getting riled up. Most are rude and quite…loathsome. But some aren’t so bad to talk to.”

“You speak goblin?”

“My accent is terrible.” Alec chuckled.

“They have a strange dialect here.” Gillam agreed.

“Ah. So, there are different goblins in your realm then?”

“Somewhat…they look pretty much the same. A bit more barbarous here.”

Alec nodded, “I see. I hope you both came out uninjured?”

“Nothing to fret over.” Gillam admitted until he saw the scrapes on Helia’s arms, “Wait! How did you get those?”

She looked at them but waved him away, “Just scratches from the branches.”

“Let me heal those.” He insisted.

“They’ll heal on their own.”

Alec grinned with a quiet laugh, “That’s a rare thing, young Helia.”

“What is?”

“A fae willing to sacrifice their energy to heal someone…a human no less.” He commented.

Helia glanced briefly at Gillam. He’d healed her ankle when she injured it fighting the Devil Toad and Twillow had healed her broken rib the year before. Twillow had said it didn’t use much magic. But if what Alec said was true, it was a special occurrence, though she wasn’t sure why.

The giant’s expression became concerned, “You do have the means to replenish yourself, Gillam?”

“Yes. It won’t take much magic.” He blinked, “You know of fae magic?”

“Twillow explained it to me during one of our chats. I knew only a little from stories I’d heard as a young one. But to hear it directly from a source was enlightening.” He then nodded, “Well, I suppose I should let you continue on with your journey. You know where you’re going, I assume?”

“Yeah. We will be fine once I get my horse.” Helia insisted. “And thank you again for your help.”

Alec smiled, “Glad to. I hope we meet again someday.”

“Likewise.”

He felt around for his stick and gripped it, “Would you mind making some noise as you leave? That way I can tell where you are.”

“Um. Sure. No problem.” Helia agreed.

And with that they parted ways.

…

Gillam led Helia through the trees to where he’d left Hershel tied to a tree.

Gillam jogged ahead and untied the mount, “Here. I found him and healed his arrow wounds. Now we can be on our way.”

Helia expelled a breath. Her earlier anger and frustration had faded.

“Good work, Gillam.”

She noticed his wings raised just slightly upon hearing her praise.

“I’m sorry for messing up. I hope this makes up for my mistake?”

Helia took the reins from him, “Yeah. Yeah, it does.” Her eyes wandered over his head to the hand-sized tear in his wing.

“You healed the horse…but not yourself?”

His hand went to his shoulder, “Those arrows had iron in them. It’s harder for a fae to heal when the injury is caused by iron. But it will heal.”

Helia frowned, then tied up Hershel again, and the fae gave a confused look as she rummaged into her saddle bag, “Sit down.”

“What?”

She made a motion with her head as she gathered some supplies, “That wing needs some tending. I can patch it anyway.”

Gillam acted like he wanted to protest but the look she shot him told him he wouldn’t win the argument. So, he sat on the ground, wings up and flared. Helia had some leather patching and stitching twine in her hand, along with some salve. Fixing injuries was something she’d done since she was young when her dad would come home needing all kinds of medical attention. Her mother became a healer out of necessity and Helia was her assistant. Anything from stitches to setting broken bones, to making healing antidotes for poisions, she’d learned and used it all. Doing it on herself was difficult at times, doing for others was easier.

First, she cleaned the tear in the fae’s wing membrane with water and dabbed it dry. The crystalline structures shivered against the chilly wash. Then she began to stitch, using the leather slathered in a healing balm as a bracer. Though the membrane appeared delicate it was tough like drumhead and required a good amount of force to punch through. Gillam’s wings shuddered with pain.

“Sorry. But you’ve got to hold still.”

He stared straight ahead, trying to think about something else. Helia continued her stitches.

“Look… I’m sorry I lost my temper back there. I just…I just don’t like to lose.”

Gillam nodded with understanding, “I shouldn’t have made that judgement call.”

She sighed, “Normally, compassion isn’t a wrong choice. But as a slayer it’s also an easy way to get killed.”

The fae nodded again.

After a few minutes, Helia’s handiwork was done and she patted his shoulder to signal she was finished, “There. Doesn’t look natural, but it should hold that tear together until it can heal.”

Gillam’s hand reached back and grasped hers. She froze as his violet eyes met her blues.

“Thank you, Helia.”

Awkwardly, she pulled her hand away and went to put away her supplies, “Yeah…no trouble.”

Gillam stood up, gave his wings an experimental flutter, and watched her. Helia was putting everything back when she felt him approach her from behind. Her eyes darted a moment, and then both of his hands reached around and settled around her wrists very gently.

What the Hell was he doing?!

The woman froze, her first impulse to turn and smack the impertinence out of him. But his hands began to glow. With a slow, upward trailing, his fingers seemed to wipe away the scrapes on her arms. Helia blinked. Then, he patted her shoulder when he was finished. She hoped he didn’t see the shiver that goose-fleshed her skin.

With quick movements he closed the saddle bag, mounted the horse, and said, “Right! Let’s…let’s be off then.”

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