Chapter 2: Thorns Grow Best In A Valley Of Roses

Lily woke up to the hazy early morning sun. Her fruit basket was half empty, the birds had beaten her. She groaned but didn’t take any personal offence against the critters. She was still well within her territory, even if it was outside of the safety of her grove.

The knight was already standing over her, his figure casting a dark shadow against the bright lullaby that was the forest Lily had grown up in.

‘Let’s keep moving Miss Elf,’ he said firmly. Lily nodded, jumping up to her feet. She let the basket sway against her arm as she skipped ahead, pausing when she realised the knight was lagging far behind her.

‘Come on now!’ She yelled after him playfully, ‘Can’t you run just a little?’

He seemed to walk slower after she said that or maybe she was just imagining it. The sun rose high against a cloudless sky, Lily loved this kind of weather most. But it was hard to deny that it wasn’t hot.

‘Don’t you feel…’ Lily patted the knight’s armour, ‘A little bit uncomfortable? We’re not under attack now, you know.’

The knight shrugged; bits of moss fell to the floor as he did.

‘We could be,’ he muttered. Lily didn’t say anything back to him, he seemed to be lost in some kind of memory. She just slapped his back and smiled, ‘Focus, focus’.

He gave a quick nod and continued moving, Lily followed behind him.

Lily scraped her nails against his back, peeling bits of rust off. She wondered how he had let his equipment fall into such a state, weren’t knights supposed to hold some kind of standard? The metal wasn’t of any poor quality either, she could make an educated guess about that. When she was younger, her grandmother had met many knights travelling through their little grove. None had been so quiet or polite, always talking a great deal about their battles and victories. Except one knight. But he’d been different and it was long ago, Lily didn’t remember those kinds of things like other elves.

A tiny distant wagon was riding towards them from the distance. It was only a dot now but it wouldn’t be for long. Lily lifted her hood, covering her ears. They’d be safer that way. She didn’t want to cause any problems for the knight.

They stopped walking.

‘Was it not hot?’ the knight remarked, though he seemed good-natured. A genuine curiosity tinged his voice.

‘Mhm, it was,’ Lily mumbled, tugging at the hood, ‘But it’s easier to block out the sunlight this way.’

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She beamed at him.

He took her hood down, staining it a light red as his metal fingertips struggled to move.

‘Don’t lie,’ he said, continuing their walk.

‘It’s to keep us safe,’ she answered, covering her head with the hood again. But she smiled to herself. A real smile this time.

‘You are safe.’ He clutched the hilt of his sword, indicating its presence, ‘Your kind is safe with me, rest assured.’

Lily had some doubts but his words were so calming. So honest. She hesitated, then pulled the hood down again. She tightened the ribbons in her hair. She wondered if he noticed.

They continued walking in silence, passing by the wagon. Lily didn’t look up to see the driver, she was too afraid. Nothing was said, the horses neighed in complaint and kept moving forward. But still, she felt just a little bit better about herself.

‘Where are we now?’ the knight asked after some time had passed. Lily pointed at a boulder that poked gently out of the forest.

‘We’re about eighth ways to Stonehold Keep,’ she replied, ‘You’ll know we’re getting closer when the forest starts to thin.’

‘You’ve helped me greatly then.’ The knight looked back at her. She couldn’t tell why but she felt him smile. ‘Thank you,’ he said.

‘You’re most welcome’ she grinned.

‘Do you want to stop?’ the knight nodded up at the sky, it had turned a vibrant dusk of reds, ‘We’ve been walking this whole time.’

‘No, I’m okay,’ Lily lied. Her legs were killing her. But she felt like when she was walking next to him, there was something that was happening. And she wanted it to happen.

The knight turned, letting her walk forward. That’s right, she was leading him after all. She kicked up her feet and kept right on. The world spread out before her; a place she’d walked thousands of times before. They began to stray off the path, entering the untamed part of the woods.

The grass hiked its way up to her hips, Lily could feel half a dozen different insects biting against her skin. She’d wished she had dressed just a little better for this. She breathed in the cool air, wishing it could’ve been warmer for a little longer.

They found refugee from the overgrowth in a small hollow within the forest. Lily started another small fire, eating a little less then last time. She held out a type of berry to the knight, he shook his head.

Saddened, she ate it. He was a strange knight.

‘Thorne.’ He broke the silence between them, ‘That’s my name.’

The fire cracked and popped as if it was amused by what it was hearing. Lily gaped, unsure what she said back.

‘O-Oh is it?’ she stammered, laughing softly, ‘That’s a beautiful name. Means ‘homeward’ in old elven.’

‘Mhm,’ Thorne, nodded then shifted awkwardly,

‘Consequently, could you tell me yours?’

Lily stopped laughing.

‘Tell you my what?’ she teased, slyly narrowing her eyes.

‘You-Your name.’ Thorne stammered. He was well-trained on etiquette but unfortunately the nuance of teasing had been lost to him.

‘Ha!’ she giggled. Thorne looked at her, tilting his helmet slightly in confusion. She rolled onto the floor, feeling a tangle of grass mess her hair. Her stomach twitched as she laughed more.

‘You’re such a strange man,’ she finally made out, wiping happy tears from her face.

‘It’s Lily.’

He scratched at his armour, peeling off more moss. ‘Valley of the night,’ he said.

‘Mhm, that’s right,’ she nodded happily, ‘You sure are very knowledgeable about elves.’

‘It’s a beautiful name.’

‘Thank you, Thorne.’ Lily said, looking at him. His armour didn’t reflect any light from the fire. Lily liked that; it made him just that much easier to stare at.

And she felt that she was lighter then fire that day.