Chapter One Hundred And Forty - Reunification Of Lovers

A gentle melody sang upon the wind, drifting in amongst the slumbering branches, which seemed to sway softly to the hidden beat of the pretty tune. It called out to those who could hear it, gently awakening some from their dreams, including the man, who had been softly snoring in bed beneath the roof of root and tree hollow. With a yawn, he reached over to note that the other side of the bed had already cooled, though he was well aware that there would be no one there on hearing the flute play.

He yawned once more, waddling over to the water basin to wash the sleep room his face before moving to the door of his home. The one he expected to see was not there and he was not on the root crop that sheltered his house either. He tutted in annoyance, before heading to where the sound seemed to emanate from, before stopping beneath the canopy of a huge, sleeping tree. "Seven, you just get your little bum down here," he called up. "You are aware of how dangerous it is to climb trees!"

The flute ceased its soothing ditty and a lithe form descended the branches to land without injury before him. Leif sighed. Seven was in his 'child' state. He had coined this phrase to describe when the boy was before him but also unreachable of mind, for the innocent expression that always seemed pinned to his face once in this state. Mostly, he seemed to be able to emerge from this state at will, but Leif had also discovered times when that was not so. This seemed to be one of those times.

"Come in for breakfast," Leif urged the boy, who followed without a word, only for both to be stopped by Elder Calarook. He came bearing gifts. It was a thick bangle. It appeared to be made of wood then lacquered black. A scale pattern was carved onto it and with its two red crystals, it gave the appearance of a fat snake biting its tail. Leif glanced at the actual snake wrapped like a choker about the boy's neck again and realised what his Uncle was implying. Leif did not feel like correcting him.

"Please, would you do me the honour of wearing this?" The Elder asked the boy. Seven automatically went to reach for it, but Leif stopped him. He knew that Seven would respond to requests and commands without thought in his child state, which was too dangerous in these circumstances. The Elder's eyes narrowed, fixed upon Leif's grip about the boy's wrist. "Are you interfering, Nephew?"

"I am referred to as Witch Sanguine by you and any other Elder, Elder Calarook," Leif replied with slight warning. Of course, his Uncle chose to ignore this.

"You failed to answer my question, young man," Elder Calarook said angrily. "Your disrespect is duly noted, by the way, I fear it will influence Seven's opinion of me and that, as his Guardian, is unacceptable!" The Chief had finally granted Leif's guardianship of Seven, during which Calarook's protest had gone unheard beneath the happy agreement of the other Elder's.

"Seven, go back into the house," Leif commanded the boy softly, who went directly on his way, before Leif turned to the older man. "Elder Calarook, as far as Seven and his future husband are concerned, as his guardian my opinion actually does count. I have not tried to influence him in anyway, but should he decide that he also dislikes you due to your inherent disrespect for me as Witch of this village, then that is his own choice."

"You are junior to me in our bloodline," Elder Calarook stated, "And as such you will provide to me filial respect, boy!"

"I am your Witch," Leif spat, angrily. "My name is Witch and as you are my maternal Uncle and I have never shared a name with you, my respect to you is equal to any other Elder of this village. You are not the Chief and you are not the Record Keeper so therefore you are not my equal. You would be well to remember that, Elder Calarook!" He stormed away on his heel, not giving the man space to retort, he headed to his small haven, grumbling beneath his breath. He paused to breath out the last of his ire before gripping the handle of his door.

Before he could open it, the door swung back of its own accord and a coherent Seven shot out of the door and raced towards the village border, leaving Leif startled, before his mind caught up with him enough to give chase. Slightly out of breath as he closed in on Seven, he huffed out his question; "What are you about, Seven?" But the boy did not answer, just stared beyond the bush line, hoping from one foot to the other.

*****

Five grabbed Six by his slender arm and pulled him directly upward as if he did not have the additional burden already clinging to his back and neck. However, it was slightly too late for the dangling boy, his skin was already beginning to rash and blister from the digestive juices upon his skin that had oozed from the red leafed plant. He stepped a few feet away from the plant as it was claimed by Elyas' fire then unceremoniously dumped the boy onto the ground, where a torrent of water fell over his body, washing the vile fluid off of his skin.

The group that numbered ten, four ex-magi apprentices and six former assassins had made their way deep into the forest after an arduous journey.

Five had encountered the white viper that had held a message but was without its new master in the shadowed, untamed area close to the Kingdom's gate to the surface. But none of the assassins had retained much knowledge, if any, in regards to reading. It had been unnecessary. So One had decisively kidnapped a guard and forced him to read the message.

"I have been delayed, I will join you soon, hopefully, Elyas."

Once the message had been read, the guard had been knocked unconscious.

"We have the snake," Two had pointed out as they were pondering over their options. "Why bother to wait for this other person? It seems as if he is unaware how long he will keep us waiting."

"Waiting? I don't like waiting," Six had complained, already pacing the grounds as if in dread. "I don't want to wait. Can we not wait?"

"Don't wait," Five had agreed and reached over for the viper, who had hissed at him, forcing him to retract his hand. "No waiting. Will go to Elyas."

"Oh, I see," Six had clapped proudly, "if he cannot come to us, then we will come to him? Then we will no longer have to wait right?" Five had nodded in agreement.

Two did not agree. "I think this will be a waste of our time."

As easily as they had slipped out of the city, they slipped back in, though this time they did not leave death in their wake. Five had suggested that they go to the mage halls, believing that Yang would guide them. Since finding out that the assassins would attempt to locate Elyas, the snake had been quite obedient, curling up on Five's plentiful shoulder. However, Eight's appearance was not that different from a beggar from the shadows of the commoners section, there were sneers and comments of disgust. Her small heart had been shaken and she accidentally knocked over a small house plant, a burst of her aura infecting it at the same time. All hell had broken loose. As luck would have it, this very disaster had allowed Elyas to escape what confined him. His friends had also wished to join them, their presence had become welcome as the assassins realised that no matter how trained they were, they were in for a world of unpleasant surprises upon the surface world, the red poison ivy was simply one of those.

"Itches!" Six dared complain and began to scratch at the damaged skin. Two slapped his hands away, causing him to whimper.

"You wouldn't have wandered into that plant if you had been paying attention to your surroundings rather than that flying thing," Two reprimanded, not that the surroundings in this area were easy to view. The boy magi and the white snake had led them to an area surrounded by thickening fog.

"I know, I know, but you saw it, right?" Six whined as his hands wandered in claw like formation to his exposed arms. "It was cute, right? That blue bat like thing?" He looked pleadingly at Five and Jenefer, who happened to be clinging onto his back, her leg still injured.

Eight tugged on Herebert's robes and whispered into his ear, before stepping away shyly and starring at her feet. "Eight says that it wasn't a bat, it was the flowerhead of some type of plant."

"Oh," came a voice that seemed to emanate from the lingering fog close by. That would be the flower of the Robin Fern." With a shared look of consensus, Five and Elyas and the group hurried forward towards where they had heard the voice. The fog thinned, leading to a clearing that was partially shadowed by low clouds and bordered by the heavy mists. A body leapt at Elyas, forcing him to brace himself and catch it. Any tension, that he had not realised was stiffening his frame, seemed to melt upon contact with the other person and he wrapped his arms around them and sighed in pure relief.

Seven peppered his face with kisses. Five looked at the pair with curiosity. He had wondered why Elyas had wished to help him find Seven, but was too desperate in his own need to question it too much. Without Seven to protect, he had felt that he had nothing to live for. Now he was more content and Seven seemed to have changed as well. There was much to consider. Instead he glanced over at the half-dressed man who had been with Seven and his mind fell blank.

"You're intended, I presume," Leif asked Seven, his own eyes slipping to the largest man in the group, his muscular form a surprising feast for the Witch's senses.  He hadn't thought that he might enjoy the sight of a formed chest and broad shoulders straining beneath the black fabric which was similar to that which Seven wore upon his own arrival and which he still preferred to this day.  In fact more than half of the group dressed similarly.

"Hmmm," Seven hummed an agreement, before sliding down the taller boy's frame and moving to Five's side and giving him a warm hug of his own.  "And this is my big brother, Five.  And that is One and she is...."

"Slow down, Seven," Leif had never seen this side of Seven, let alone heard it, but it delighted him none the less.  "I believe you ought to bring your friends to the village hall for now, so that we might talk and you can introduce me to everyone then.  I shall also ask the village chief and Record Keeper to attend, if that is alright with you.  That way you will not need to explain things twice."  Several warriors had slowly approached, wary of the outsiders, but aware that the Witch was present and accepting of these people.  The tall, curvaceous woman winked at them, causing them to blush, but puff out their formed chests in order they might impress her, even if their chances were slim.  The Elders would definitely be interested in her lush figure.  Leif asked them to request the Chief and Record Keeper's presence in the hall and began to guide the outsiders there. He watched as Seven's hand slipped into the robed boy's hand with a warm smile and shook his head. He wondered what the Elders would think of this and grinned inwardly with anticipation.