FicWad

I was five years old the day I first met my elf-prince. My father and brother had gone up into the forest to hunt, and I had cried and begged to be allowed to go with them. The mountain, with its blue-gray and green peak perpetually shrouded with wispy clouds, had always fascinated me, even as a child. It was a place steeped in magic and mystery, the gateway to the kingdom of the engkantos and the abode of the Diwata/, daughter of the sky-god Kabunian and earth-goddess Alonan. I didn't care how many /maligno or evil spirits haunted the forest, or that the mountain was under the protection of the Diwata's fearsome Guardian. I wanted to see that wondrous place for myself, and that was that.

Finally, my sister and Tia Isabel had to drag me back inside, shove me into a room and barricade the door. So I did the only thing I could: I climbed out the window.

I thought I was familiar with the path my father and brother took. I'd seen them follow it into the forest often enough. But it wasn't long before I was gasping and puffing and forcing my aching legs onward, stumbling over tree roots, skinning my knees clambering over rocks, and getting more and more thoroughly lost. There was no sign of my father and brother, or anything remotely resembling a path. The sky grew darker as I worked myself deeper into unfamiliar territory, and my fear grew bigger and bigger until it was a great black hulking thing pressing down upon my chest, sucking out all the warmth inside me. When I slid down yet another rocky incline and twisted my ankle, I gave in to my fear and cried for my father, my brother, my sister, Tia Isabel, anyone. But the rains came down at the same moment, and my cries were lost to the storm.

In the cold, wet gloom, the forest seemed to come alive. Shadows shifted among the trees, eerie whispers drifted over the pounding of the rain. I huddled in a tight ball, trying to ignore the sick feeling that I was being watched. I would have welcomed even my sister's scolding at that point, just as long as she worked magic that would banish the /maligno/. But just before the shadows surrounded me and I would have shrieked my terror, warm golden light blazed down from the sky, stabbing through the trees and driving away the shadows.

I blinked. A young man stood where the light had been, seemingly oblivious to the rain. He looked to be around eighteen and was dressed in a dark, loose pair of pants and a white sleeveless shirt that hung open in front, leaving his arms and chest bare. Tied around his waist was a broad sash made of the exquisite black cloth, like the ones the northern tribes wore, with intricate gold patterns woven in so cunningly they seemed to twist and writhe like serpents. A narrower band of the same material adorned his forehead, the black and gold strips mingling with the silky waves of hair that fell well past his shoulders. His hair was dark but not like mine, with its tints of red and brown. His was a pure, iridescent black that glinted with all the colors of the rainbow where the light hit it. His skin was brown-tinted gold, his face was wide at the brow and tapered at the chin, and his eyes were long-lashed, slanted, and a startlingly luminous gold. I stared at him, my fear and pain forgotten in the presence of this vision of black and gold. I think I even forgot how to breathe.

"Amihan," he said as he knelt in front of me, "what are you doing so far from home?"

I nearly sighed. His voice was amazing. Soft and deep and mellifluous-I could almost hear the rushing of the wind and the rumbling of the earth in its timbre. I suddenly realized that he'd asked me a question. More than that, he knew my name. I waited for an answering frisson of alarm, but none came. With every instinct I had, I knew I could trust him. "I got lost," I answered, a tad shamefacedly.

He tilted his head, urging me to explain further. "I ran away from home. I followed Tatay and Kuya, but I couldn't find them. And then I-I fell and got hurt." My tears returned at the reminder of the mess I was in. "They must be looking for me," I sniffled. "Ate Sinag is going to yell at me again."

To my surprise, he smiled. "She probably will, but I think you'd rather be yelled at by your sister than be lost and alone in the forest, am I right?"

My mouth fell open at the way he seemed to read my mind, then I giggled. He removed his sash and wrapped it around me, then picked me up, settling my injured ankle over his arm. I nestled against his warmth, feeling absurdly safe in the arms of a complete stranger. "Where are we going?" I asked as he set off deeper into the forest.

"To a special place," he replied. "I'm no healer, Amihan, but I know someone who is. We'll have to do something about your injuries before I take you back home."

The rocking of his movements was making me sleepy. "Are we going to fly there?" I asked through a yawn.

Golden eyes twinkled with laughter. "Not at the moment, but someday, yes."

"Mm," I mumbled as my eyes drifted shut. "I wish you were my brother." I fell asleep then, coming awake briefly to find myself lying on a soft, fragrant bed in a room that seemed full of sparkling lights. My rescuer stood nearby while a pretty girl with striking blue eyes and pointy ears shook her head at him.

"It's not that," she was saying. "I'm just curious, Skyblade. You've never taken any interest in humans before."

Skyblade/, I thought. /His name is Skyblade.

"Can you do it?" he said evenly.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course I can. Sprained ankle, several cuts and bruises-not a problem. This little mortal will be better than ever by the time I'm through with her." She lowered her lashes. "You know, I would do a lot more for you, Skyblade, if you but ask."

"I know, Mara. You have my thanks." He smiled warmly at her as he reached down and absently brushed a strand of hair off my cheek. "I need to take her back by morning."

Mara sighed and moved away. He leaned over me, meeting my questioning gaze. "Sleep, Amihan," he said quietly, passing his hand over my eyes. "You're safe."

The next moment, I was being shaken awake by my frantic family. I found myself curled up underneath the duhat tree in our front yard, completely unhurt. Of Skyblade the elf-prince, I found no trace at all. Predictably enough, my family merely scoffed when I told them about my mysterious rescuer. Only my sister was silent, her face expressionless. In the end, I decided to go along with my family's explanation that I'd somehow managed to wander back home and subsequently indulged in some very vivid dreams. It was the first and last time I'd spoken of my elf-prince to anyone.





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Vocabulary again:

Kabunian - pronounced kah-boo-nee'-ahn, and yes, there really is a Philippine deity of that name