Page 14 of To Fight and To Fold

By druids.

She hadn’t felt this safe since…

Thea awakened beneath a tree, the sun’s rays keeping her warm, her head pillowed on something soft. She blinked, clearing her vision, and found… Aaryn, staring down at her, a book gone limp in her hand as Thea had slept in her lap.

“Hi, sleepyhead.”

Thea blinked, clearing the memory and clearing it away with a toke of the pipe.

She was safe here.

She was home.

The sun was beaming the next morning, because what awoke her was the interruption of its welcoming rays.

“A new home and you didn’t even sleep in it, hm?” The archdruid stood above her, mirth curling her lips, hands on her hips.

Thea blinked, clearing her sight and sitting up.

“The moss was comfy,” she said, laughing at the absurdity. Around her, other druids were sleeping off the party, and the fire had burned to embers.

“Good morning. Coffee? Tea?” Vaelen asked.

“You spoil me,” Thea said, and took the hand Vaelen offered.

“Did you have fun last night?” she asked before leading her away from the clearing and toward the simple paths of Claw Hold.

“I haven’t had that much fun in…” Thea let it trail off, because she couldn’t quite remember. The knights of the crown were not nearly as fun as druids were.

“I can tell. I see you got this taken care of.” Vaelen chuckled and stroked a loving thumb over her left brow. Thea followed the touch with her own and felt the shaved notch rightly in place once again.

“Oh, that feels nice,” Thea murmured, and grinned. “Whoever did it must have had a steady hand.”

Vaelen barked a laugh, and Thea realized she had missed Cloud Haven so very much. “Lucky you!”

Thea scratched both hands through her hair, getting caught on the braids at her temples and sighing in annoyance. She gathered it at the back of her skull and secured it with a tie as Vaelen led her through training grounds and barracks and more small homes.

“I’m eager to hear of your time near the crown. The Second Guard, correct?”

“Yes. Sixth Guard for a year, Fourth for three months, Second Guard for six months." Thea filled her in on some of the basics as they made a short walk to another little abode.

Vaelen opened the door to what Thea had once understood to be her base of operations.

"You live here, don't you?" Thea asked with a disappointed sigh.

“I’m here enough I might as well.”

And it showed. The space was littered with various maps, land drawings, and dragon diagrams, as well as what seemed like hundreds of books and scrolls.

Thea noticed a small cot in the corner.

“Vaelen,” Thea scolded. “You do not sleep on that.”

“This from the girl who slept on moss last night?”

“Moss is probably more comfortable,” Thea retorted.

Vaelen waved a hand and went to the small wood stove to begin a kettle. “Don’t start with me. You only just returned.”