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They stayed with the caravan for several more days, which made Aereth happy because it gave her more chances to wander off with Enid and Tai. Sometimes she and Enid snuck off alone and kissed, hidden in the back of someone’s covered wagon, or she and Tai would go off to the nearby ruins to spar, or the three of them would just sit together and talk. Enid seemed to warm to Tai, which made Aereth happy, though she still liked Aereth best, which made Aereth even happier.
Aereth even taught Tai to ride Lucky, which Tai was eager to do because they didn’t really have horses for riding in the caravan. Horses were only for pulling the wagons, and any horseback riding was unheard of. But now Tai could ride, and thanks to a few pointers from Aereth, she could fight a lot better as well.
“What do you dream of doing when you grow up?” Aereth asked Tai one day as she, Tai, and Enid were sitting on a hill, watching the nomad camp at the bottom of the green slope. Enid was sitting between them, her bright red hair loose around her shoulders as she hugged her knees.
“I don’t know,” Tai admitted, lifting her brows. “I sort of like being in the caravan, though I wouldn’t mind going on mad adventures! There’s so much in Vallinwir to see and do! Like slaying giants or fighting witches!”
“Yes, I want to explore as well,” said Aereth excitedly. “What if we all ran away together and became explorers? We could dive into old elven ruins, find lost things from the ancient times, battle monsters!”
“What have you fought,” Tai asked curiously, “besides me and those few bandits?”
“I’ve just sparred with my fathers,” Aereth admitted, “but one day I shall slay great monsters! Gweneth said there are half-men in the southern realms. Minotaurs and centaurs and fauns. All of them bloodthirsty and looking for battle!”
“Whoa!” said Tai excitedly.
“And there are ogres,” went on Aereth, “and goblins as well!”
“I’ve heard of goblins,” said Tai with interest. “Scavengers, right? Stories say they’ve always got good loot on them.”
“Stories are true,” said Aereth. “We fought goblins on our way here. They’re all over the countryside outside Sirione.”
Enid suddenly yawned, arching her back so that her small breasts lifted behind her tunic, and Aereth and Tai halted in their rambling to stare at them. Seeing that the other girls were mesmerized, Enid giggled at them and hugged her knees to her breasts to cover them.
“Honestly!” Enid scolded. “All you two do is rant on about slaying things and having sex with me!”
“What else is there?” said Aereth, perplexed, and Tai laughed.
The two girls had not, of course, had sex with Enid. For one thing, there was no way they’d ever get away with it, for they were being watched all the time by Zelda, who had placed a scrying charm upon Aereth, that she might see her in a reflective surface wherever she was just by whispering her name.
“When we are all women grown,” said Aereth, “we shall all go on adventures together. And at the end of each one, Tai and I shall get drunk and fuck you, Enid.”
Enid blushed a little and her pale lashes fluttered. “Aereth!” she cried, appalled but nonetheless pleased.
“And you shall enjoy it immensely,” said Aereth. She and Tai leaned close and kissed Enid hard on each cheek, so that she blushed to her hairline and giggled between them.
Aereth tried to keep her budding relationship with Enid a secret, but since they were all living in the same tent and eating at the same meals, it was nearly impossible to hide it from Zelda and the knights, and even Sune and Kare, who thought it was wonderfully cute that Aereth now considered Enid “her woman.”
The Knights of Falcon also seemed very amused by Aereth and Enid and thought them sweet. Zelda alone didn’t seem to approve, a fact which nettled Aereth constantly. It was as if Zelda were trying to keep Aereth a child forever. She did not actively try to stop Aereth from spending time with Enid, but she kept them separated whenever they were inside Sune and Kare’s tent together, often not allowing them to sit close and insisting that Enid continue to sleep in the same room as Sune and Kare, rather than cuddling at night with Aereth, as she so wanted to.
Aereth was a little relieved that she had an excuse to avoid sharing her sheepskin with Enid. Every night for the last couple days, she’d been having dreams of Elwenhal, dreams of Nimwe that left her breathless and aroused. She often awoke in the middle of the night, whispering Nimwe’s name and longing for the flowery scent of her hair.
The tug and pull of Elwenhal was growing stronger and the dreams more intense. Zelda and the knights didn’t seem to suspect anything was the matter – except for Cassandra. The sorceress-knight sometimes gave Aereth a searching look, and Aereth suspected that she knew what was happening, knew and said nothing, both for Zelda’s sake and for Aereth’s. For what was the point upsetting Zelda about something she could not change? Aereth was bound to Elwenhal and her time to return, it seemed, had come.
One sunny morning, Zelda and Enid had gone into the forest with Kare to gather herbs. Cassandra had gone with them, and Sune had gone to visit a friend, while Calain went off in search of Selene, who hadn’t been seen in hours.
Gweneth had decided to remain behind at the tent, caring for the horses and looking after her parents’ covered wagon. Aereth, as was typical, had chosen to stay with Gweneth. They sat around the barren firepit together, watching the nomads talking and laughing and carrying on at other tents. Gweneth was carving a chunk of wood with her knife, while Aereth sadly examined her blade.
“You know, you’re about as glum as Selene lately. But how can you be with Enid in your lap?” said Gweneth, her eyes on her work as she carved.
Aereth held down a blush.
“I thought Nimwe was your lady,” said Gweneth, frowning.
“Why can’t I have more than one lady? Mother does,” said Aereth at once.
Gweneth laughed and shook her head. “Ha. Your mother’s daughter indeed. Though you may want to take care that Enid is aware of Nimwe and consents to your tie to her, hmm? What if she doesn’t want to share you with another woman? You may find yourself in a world of hurt. Enid is small, but I’ll wager she can pack a good wallop.”
Aereth blinked. It hadn’t occurred to her that Enid would be jealous. She thought everyone had multiple partners. Zelda and the Knights of Falcon had set the standard of what was normal for her, but now she was realizing their circumstance actually wasn’t normal at all. Tai had called her strange, and glancing around at the monogamous husbands and wives in the caravan, she was starting to understand why.
“Gweneth . . .” said Aereth slowly, “how many girls are like me? Are there many Wilde Women?”
“Wilde Women are everywhere,” answered Gweneth. She paused and looked up at Aereth quickly, the girl’s words finally sinking in. “And who told you that you were a Wilde Woman?”
“I heard you talking,” Aereth admitted, unabashed. “When I was a babe, you called me a Wilde Woman.”
Gweneth sighed. “Well, we never meant for you to know. Don’t let your mother know that you know, eh?”
“But why? What is the shame in it? The Wilde Women are powerful and strong, and they live free from society. They are not at the mercy of men.”
Gweneth paused, and Aereth could tell she was choosing her words carefully. “Your mother’s not ashamed that your father was a Wilde Woman. She’s ashamed of the circumstances of your birth. I told you before, Goblin. Don’t bring it up around Zelda. You shall hurt your mother if you do, and tis my job to protect her heart.”
Aereth wasn’t satisfied with that answer. “But who is my father? Can’t you tell me that, Gweneth?”
“No,” Gweneth said calmly. She looked up, pausing in her carving. “I am a knight sworn in service to your mother. I have sworn to obey her, and Zelda hath asked me to keep your parentage a secret. I have already near disobeyed by telling you as much as I have, and what good is my word if I do not keep it? I am not Calain.” She snorted and went back to carving.
Aereth cast her eyes down in disappointment. Now she understood: if she wanted to know about her other parent, she would have to coax the answer from Zelda, and she knew Zelda would never tell her.
Gweneth continued carving. “It doesn’t matter, Goblin. You’ve got four fathers in us. Selene, Cassandra, and I bathed you, and fed you, and wiped your little arse. We are your fathers. And Calain, she came around late, but she has cared for you this long journey and loves you just the same as we.”
“Calain didn’t keep her word about something?” Aereth prompted.
Gweneth frowned and swore under her breath. “Damn that you catch every bloody thing I say,” she said with a weak laugh. “Never you mind about Calain. She is as I told my father: a good woman and my sister in arms.”
Aereth sheathed her sword on her back, took a breath, and asked the question she really wanted to ask, “Gweneth . . . What if I don’t want to live in Edhen? What if I just . . . left one night as you were sleeping?”
Gweneth paused and slowly looked up. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that I’ve been thinking about my future lately,” answered Aereth, “what I want to do and who I want to be. I shall be a woman soon. I do not wish for Enid to see me in that state while she is but a girl still! And I can feel the pull of Elwenhal growing stronger every day. Soon I shall cross over into that world, and I fear breaking my mother’s heart.” She glanced down and added sheepishly, “And I am afeared of breaking yours.”
Gweneth smiled sadly. “If you want to leave quietly for the fairy realm, Goblin, Zelda will understand. So will I and the other knights. We won’t be happy about it,” she smiled again, “but we shall understand.”
Aereth smiled in relief.
Gweneth went back to carving, though her hands were nearly shaking with emotion. She didn’t want Aereth to leave them anymore than Zelda did, but they knew the girl had little choice.
“If only Enid and Tai would grow at the same rate as I,” Aereth said somberly. “I would have to leave them behind even if I weren’t cursed by the fae.” She sadly cast her eyes down.
“But at least thou did meet some girls, made some friends, and had some fun,” said Gweneth, smiling. “How many girls did you kiss? Be honest!”
Aereth giggled. “Only Enid!” she swore. But she grew somber again as she said, “Gweneth, you shall take care of Mother and the other knights, shant you? Tell my mother that I love her?”
“Of course,” said Gweneth, a crack in her voice.
Aereth rose to her feet. “And know that I dost love thee as well,” she said, smiling. Then as Gweneth watched, she lifted her hand, and a circle of light divided the air. Aereth stepped into the light and through the portal . . . into Elwenhal.
And she was gone.