The Trade: Elswyth

He started to put her in her chair, but she gripped him and wouldn't let go, so he sat down with her on his lap.

"Sit with us," Elswyth said quickly to Dabria, catching her arm.

"She has other things she must attend to," Bela announced from behind. "Go on, Dab, see to your..."

"You would deny me a friend a companion out of pettiness?" Elswyth demanded, turning to Bela now. "If she had pressing matters, she would not have been sent. You are sending her away only because I asked her to stay."

"She has nothing to do with you!" Bela snapped, pulling herself up to her full height.

"Bela," Damon said gently. "Why don't you have a seat. Dab, join us, please. Your chores can wait. Good morning Zay, El."

"Elswyth," she corrected him quickly. "My friends call me El."

"As you wish," he answered, sounding strained. "Zay, I was told you took her above yesterday? How did that go?"

"Fine, though I am not sure she really likes going above that way."

"I am told you intend to take her again once you start working again. The day you go back, I was told."

"Yes."

"If she does not like it, is there a reason?"

"Yes," Azazel answered, shifting Elswyth to his other arm as food was set on the arm of the chair. "It is a personal reason."

"I see. I looked among the list that day, is it because..."

"It is personal and... She will find out soon enough. We intend to go to the library after we eat and find her some books."

'I see," Damon said lightly, not pressing the issue.

Elswyth was curious now, though. What was he hiding?

"You should see the adorable little room he formed for her within the trees!" Dabria offered. "It is a bit confined for my tastes, but it is perfect for her. Zay can't even stand upright in it!"

"I would like to see it," Damon nodded.

"Once I have finished it," Azazel said quickly, feeling Elswyth go tense all over. "It's just a cubby now, I will be working on expanding it the next several days."

"Making yourself weak and vulnerable while you are alone with... her," Bela sneered.

"She makes herself vulnerable to me just the same," Azazel answered hotly. "She puts as much into it as I do.If you cannot stop with the jabs and rude remarks, we will go. I will not force her to put up with it."

"You rise above yourself!"

"I am married, now. I am no longer under your purview to admonish and raise."

"Have you bedded her yet? It is no real marriage unless you..."

"Stop worrying about your son and his marriage bed!" Elswyth snapped. "It is obscene the way you obsess over it! Worry about your own and perhaps you would be less disagreeable! Your husband as well! Azazel, if you wish to stay, that is well and good, but I will wait in my old room!" she hissed, starting to climb down off of him.

"My love," he whispered, holding her and pulling her close. "We will both go if she says another word!"

She had gone still and warm to her toes when he had spoken. My love. Not El or little El, but My Love. She moved closer and hid her face in his shoulder, unable to stop the small smile that kept creeping up on her lips.

He went still as well, smelling her elation and warmth for him.

"Your attitude is..." Bela began.

"Bela! That is enough!" Damon snapped. "Zay, Elswyth, please stay and dine with us. She will say no more. If she does, I will banish her from the hall while you are here," he said darkly, staring Bela down.

Red faced, the woman sat, her arms crossed and her eyes glaring daggers at Elswyth.

Elswyth did not see her, or even hear what Damon had said. She was holding on to Azazel, her face pressed into his neck as her fingers slid into his hair. He hadn't heard either. He was looking down at her in wonder, his heart soaring.

The room and everyone in it may as well have not existed for either of them as they held each other.

Dabria giggled, noticing that the two were lost to the room. "Zay!" she called loudly, nudging him. "Try some of the fruit, it is ripe for once! It's good!"

Azazel blinked at his sister, then looked back down at Elswyth quickly. He jostled her slightly. "Are you hungry?"

"Not even a little," she answered in a whisper.

"Eat for me?" he asked her, his lips quirking in a smile. "We have a lot to do the next few days, we will need our strength."

"As you wish, then," she answered, pulling away and peeking up at him. "Will we be finishing our little home?"

"Yeah," he smiled softly. "Your little room will be our home soon."

She blushed, but smiled as well and looked down at the plate full of food.

She let him feed her bites, ignoring everyone else as much as he was. They weren't aware that half the room was watching them now, most of them amused.

Bela alone stared venom at them, at Elswyth.

They spent the next week together, growing the room, moving the rest of her things in and then his things as well as it got bigger and bigger. Neither of them cared that they were both beyond exhausted at the end of every day, falling asleep next to each other, holding each other.

Azazel smiled more than he ever had in his life in those days, smiling with her, holding her, stroking her hair as she read. He saw a side of her that she had not shown at first, the soft side of her. The loving side of her.

He took her with him to the sparring room and to meals and to the library as well. They got into a routine in those days.

When the day before he would finally go back to work came, she felt a bit lost. He had built her a hanging garden up around the rim after he had widened the rim even more. He had planted three more trees down on the island, all of them fruit trees and she had shown him how to garden and take care of the trees. She was wrist deep in dirt when he said he was going to go to the sparring room with his brother.

"Should I wash up, or... would you want to go alone?" she asked, encouraging the strawberries to grow as best she could. She couldn't speak to them as she could the trees, but the roots of the trees could speak for her if she could reach the roots.

"If you want to stay here, my love, I can go alone. I will be back soon, he never wants to spar long. He gets frustrated easily."

"Ok! I will be here then! I need to go up and see about the potatoes," she smiled, trying to swipe a stray curl off her cheek with her wrist.

He grinned and hooked it behind her ear, then wiped the dirt off her cheek with his thumb. "I'll be back soon."

She was washing up in their home when he came back, sweating and smiling happily. "Dorance showed up as well," he told her as she spun. "They wore me out!"

She flew to him and hugged him, happy to see him back finally, then turned and pressed her lips to his without thinking about it.

He froze, his eyebrows climbing as he held her arms and she blinked, then blushed.

"I... I... sorry... I just..." she stammered.

"Don't," he breathed. "Don't be sorry! Thank you... I have wanted... I have hoped for you to want... I..."

She blushed even harder and buried her face in his chest, hugging him and hiding from him.

They were both quiet at dinner that night with his family. She had started sitting in her own chair only because it was easier to eat that way. The sooner they ate, the sooner they could leave.

Bela had cooled off with her anger and insults, but she still glared murder at Elswyth every chance she got. Damon was much nicer, acting as though nothing had ever happened, always being nice and congenial.

Dabria always stayed close, getting more and more close to Elswyth until they smiled when they saw each other.

She was happy.

She peeked over at him as he was talking to one of his brothers, one of them he had been sparring with, then caught Bela giving her a calculating look and quickly looked down.

"So," Bela said congenially. "You go back to work tomorrow and you are bringing your little wife with you. Is it because if WHO you reap tomorrow?" she asked with her vicious smirk. "I understand she was at the..."

"Leave it alone, please," Azazel said quickly, sitting up. "I... I have decided that she probably shouldn't come after all."

"What?" Elswyth asked, hurt. "You said I could come! And... I want to go! I told you, the feeling isn't gone, it's just..."

Azazel quickly stood and turned, going to a knee in front of her and taking her hands. "I know, little love, I just... I had made plans for tomorrow that I no longer feel are necessary!"

"It's that boy!" one of his sisters laughed wickedly. "The one you were so enamoured with. He wanted you to see how terrible he was! Punish you by showing you he wasn't so wonderful as you imagined!"

"Fian! Enough, do not speak of things you know nothing about!" he snapped.

"But I do! You told Bal over a month back now and he told me all about it!"

"Is that true?" Elswyth asked Azazel sadly. "You wanted to show me that Wren was awful?"

"No! I mean... yes, once. A long time ago, but not anymore. I don't care anymore! You can stay home and..."

"No... I will go," she said quickly, anger spiking into her sadness. "I will go and you will show me what you wished to show me. Once it is done, it will be over with, yes? You will no longer see him as a threat?"

He looked away, ashamed.

Elswyth turned to Bela. "Are you happy now? You got your jab in, sowed your discontent? Got your minion to do your dirty work? DO NOT DARE say she isn't your minion!" she yelled when Bela opened her mouth. "She looked to you the entire time for encouragement and to make sure she was putting it correctly. You told her to say it. After tomorrow, I will be free of you as well. I will go and I will see what he wished me to see, but tonight is the last that YOU will see of me, Bela. I will not return here unless you are not here. I am tired of your petty anger and hate and always trying to cause troubles for us. You could not let us just be happy! You are truly the most evil thing I have ever laid eyes on, and on my word, you will never lay eyes on me, or any child of mine and Azazel's again. Consider yourself dead to me. Azazel, I wish to go home now."

Damon and Bela both stood to speak, but Azazel quickly touched her and sent her back to their little house.

What surprised her was that he sent her alone. He stayed back. She didn not know what he stayed back to say, but when he appeared minutes later, his face was red and he was angry.

"I am sorry, little love," he said gently. "I do not know why she holds on to her anger for you. I told them all that..."

"It doesn't matter, I do not wish to speak of her. Did you truly plan to hurt me tomorrow?"

"NO! No, I would never hurt you... I did plan on taking you and leaving you with the fauna prince all day. Well. With the water girl at her pond, until it was time for me to come. I no longer plan to do that, though, I don't want to see you hurt, not even in that way. Please, little love, I..."

"No. You will do as you intended. Take me to her and leave me with her," she told him angrily. "I will stay and watch what you wished me to watch, witness what you wish me to. When it is done, we will never speak of him again, understood?"

"Do not be angry, El!"

"Let it go," she demanded, turning away from him and his reaching hands. She yanked up a book and curled up to read as he sighed.

"Do not let her put a wedge between us, El!"

"Tomorrow, when this is over, we will go back like things were. Tonight, I wish for distance. Why don't you go spar some more?"

He leaned over her, smoothing her hair back. "If I do, will you kiss me when I return again?" he asked gently.

A smile tugged at her. "No more kisses tonight!"

He kissed her shoulder gently, something he did often now. "That is not never. Perhaps the day after tomorrow, when I come back from work?"

"We will see how tomorrow goes," she shrugged, hunching her shoulder down so he couldn't kiss her there again. It was entirely too distracting.

He lay down next to her, curling around her to hold her while she read and she couldn't stay mad at him. She relaxed in his arms until she finally fell asleep.

He woke her late the next morning, looking sad and somber as he sighed. "Are you certain, little love?" he asked.

"Yes. Take me to her and I will stay with her until you come. See what you wish me to see. Do not ask about it again, just do it. Let's get this over with," she demanded.

He sighed, but took hold of her as he pulled them both from their bodies.

She recognized the feeling right away, knowing she was on the earth, but not in the same place as the other elvenkind. They were in a reflection where they could not be seen or heard, but where they could see and hear. A place where souls could be moved from one place to the next.

She looked around at the few trees, down to the pond and she knew that Brooke was down there. She knew that this was where Fauna lived.

Wren.

He would be near here.

Azazel looked down at the pond, then gave Elswyth another sad look before leaving, going somewhere else until he was needed here.

Elswyth flew down to the pond and she immediately saw Brooke. She was swimming in slow circles under the water, stopping often and looking stressed, like she was waiting on something.

She turned and surfaced suddenly, looking up and Elswyth turned to follow her gaze. A huge raven circled in the sky, then came down and landed.

Wren.

He was still so beautiful, but he looked so incredibly sad.

He moved to the edge of the pond and sat down on a rock and Brooke immediately joined him, looking sad and pained.

"Are you certain?" Wren asked her.

"I am," Brooke told him sadly. "I have known for a few months now, it was why I was sent. I was going to die anyway, there was no reason to make another suffer. Had I known you would win, that there would be no suffering, I might not have come."

"We can still try to find someone to heal you, Brooke?"

"No, it is too late and there is no one who can heal me. Do not fear for me, Wren, I am ready. I will be happy to be free of the pain. Did you bring it?"

"I... no... I will, Brooke. I will go and get it, I just wanted to be certain. Beryl is making it now. I wish there was something I could do for you, Brooke!"

"You did, Wren. You did it. You won me away from Fire and you have treated me well. Given me happiness for the short time I had left. It is well, sweet Wren, you have been wonderful. Now, tell me. What is this Sil has told me about a wife for you?"

Wren scowled. "My family thinks to have me married by this time next week, but... I have other plans."

"Do you? Tell me! Is she beautiful?"

"Stunning. You met her."

"You speak of the forest girl? The tiny one that was taken by death?"

"Elswyth, yes. I still dream of her, Brooke. She and I were meant to be. I intend to find a way to rescue her. I have spoken to others and they will help me. They all agree that he cheated for her and that she and I are destined. She was so afraid when he took her... I have talked with Shadow and mountain, they have agreed to help. Sky also thinks he might, if we find a way, and Light said he would help. He joked that he might take her from me if he freed her, but... I fear it is not all a joke. He wishes he had her."

"I think many wished to have her... she was a sweet girl," Brooke sighed.

Wren half laughed. "In her way, she is sweet, yes... but she also has a fire in her. I like it."

"What if your parents make you marry before you can rescue her? They say that Death cannot be found unless they wish to be, they are not even of this plane. They are in another and rarely even get deliveries in the same...oh... oh, Wren," she sighed, clutching her stomach and curling up. "I know it is a lot I am asking of you, but please? I hurt so much and I weary of the pain. Please?"

Wren moved closer to her and stroked her hair back gently. "Of course, Brooke. I will go and get it... I am sorry this has happened to you, I think we would have got on splendidly in another life. You could show me your home and I could see all the animals near you and..." he sighed. "I will go," he whispered.

He eased her head out of his lap and stood, looking grave as he walked back to the huge raven.

Elswyth was devastated. It was happening like Azazel said, but not like he thought at all! He had no real choice, he was doing as she asked and helping her.

Torn, she followed him and flew next to the huge bird who kept looking at her as though she could see her. She wondered if she could?

"Hello," she called to her.

The bird cawed at her and to Elswyth,it sounded like a hello.

"Who are you chatting with?" Wren asked the bird, almost teasingly.

The bird cawed again.

"Where? I see no one!" he laughed.

He could talk to the raven and the raven could see her! Maybe talk to her!

"I am Elswyth!" she told the bird quickly. "Forest elf and Treespeaker!"

The bird cawed.

"Now you are shouting your name out?" Wren asked wryly. "Are you truly seeing things?"

The bird cawed again and again, her feathers ruffling as she spoke to her rider in a frustrated tone. Elswyth giggled, wishing she could understand.

"I see," Wren said sadly, looking around where the raven kept looking. "They will have her soon enough, no need to rush it," he said to the air almost petulantly.

Of course. The raven told him she could see someone in the death plane and he knew death was here for Brooke. He did not know it was her.

"Can you tell him it is Elswyth? And that I do not live in the death hive? I live in a cavern near the trees. I think it is close to the mountain elven! Elswyth Redwood of the forest elven! Treespeaker. Tell him to watch for the trees! I will find a way to get him a message with the trees!"

The bird cawed again, flustered and upset as she went into a dive to a village below.

Elswyth followed as closely as she could, trying to listen, but Wren did not speak again, he only looked confused.

When they landed, he bounded off of the raven and hurried into a small house nearby. Elswith looked around and spotted his house immediately. It wasn't like hers, a house grown into the tree, it was built around the tree with felled wood. She felt sadness for that, how the tree must feel always having to hold up a dead brother or sister. She flew to it and touched it and she was right. She could feel the heavy burden of the tree and how much he ached. She tried to bolster him and was pleased to find that she could reach him, even if it was by echo. She spoke to him and told him of her plans to get a message to Wren and he was eager to help, though he did not know how he could.

She was starting to get an idea. She held him and reached out to him, growing a single small branch into the window of Wren's home and then shaped it. It was easy to grow the limb into the jagged shapes of a mountain, but harder to curl it under and make a cavern. She managed a small map, then forced a single bloom within the cavern.

He would have to know it was her. Who else could speak to trees and have them draw a map for her with their limbs?

She was tired when she turned and almost panicked when she saw that the raven was gone. She spotted her still climbing into the sky and she caught up quickly.

"You almost left me behind!" she called to the raven breathlessly.

CAW!

"Are they back?" Wren asked, looking around.

CAW CAW

"Can you tell him it's me? Elswyth? Treespeaker? He will know if you tell him I am a girl and I speak to trees!"

CAW!

"A girl, is it? Why is she bothering you so much? Wait! She isn't after you, is she?!?"

"Tell him Elswyth! Forest elf! Treespeaker!"

CAW CAW CAW CAW

"Easy girl, I am sure they don't understand they are being bossy," Wren told her soothingly. "They are trying to talk to you?"

"To him!"

CAW