The Shadow of Beauty

Ch 32: The Birchwood Estate

After a moment or two Twillow slowly pulled away and just looked at Kendrick; awed by the drastic change of her giant friend. He stared back at her but with purpose.

"Are you hurt? Did they hurt you?" his voice was on the edge of panic and vengeful action.

Twillow shook her head, "No! No, Kendrick." She pointed to Gillam, "That's Gillam. He's my brother. He and my other brother Elmry came to rescue me."

The word "rescue" made Kendrick flinch slightly. Did...did she think she needed rescued from him?

A hurt look flashed in his features, "R-Rescued you?"

Twillow noticed and shook her head, smiling gently, "Well...that's what they thought they were doing."

"Oh." Kendrick nodded, still seeming a bit disconcerted. Slowly he looked over at Gillam, giving him a look that wasn't fully friendly but not leaning into the "I must kill you" direction.

The tall winged fae sheathed his crystalline sword, noticing the look, "So you're the giant from before?"

Kendrick narrowed his eyes a bit, "I was...before you came around."

Gillam cleared his throat, "I can assure you it's a temporary curse. I hope there are no hard feelings?"

"Hm." He grunted sourly.

You'd better not be within my reach when this curse wears off...

Twillow reached up and barely touched his cheek to indicate his bruising, "Oh! Kendrick, what happened to you?"

"Just a little scuffle. Nothing serious." he assured as he kept his arms about her and sighed heavily, "You are all right. That's all that matters."

She hugged him again which melted him back to a calmer mindset, "I'm just glad you're all right. I didn't know what happened to you."

 A smile crept over Kendrick as he mentioned quietly, "I've-I've never held you like this before."

Twillow gave a small laugh, "No...you haven't."

She pulled away and then gestured to her friends eagerly, "Come on. Come inside."

"Twillow..." Gillam's tone seemed unsure and almost warning.

Bringing humans into the Birchwood Estate was probably not going to sit well with their parents. Their mother least of all.

"They're my friends, Gillam. I wouldn't dream of not inviting my friends into our home. And not to mention there's a party tonight and I'm inviting them. That's the end of it." She insisted firmly, knowing all too well what he was thinking.

He shrugged with a yielding sigh, "All right."

"We don't want to get you in any trouble, Twillow." Helia spoke with concern.

"Nonsense! You're my friends and my friends are not going to be left standing outside the Estate walls." Twillow insisted.

She led them over to a thick rose-looking thorn bush growing up the wall. It looked gnarly and impassible. But with a delicate hand, Twillow flicked her fingers in a pattern and the crawler seemed to spring to life, slithering down and away to reveal a secret door built into the wall. Her hand hovered in front of the door and magically it opened for her. Beyond it was a dark tunnel and beyond that they could see the "alien" garden that glowed and swayed with enchantment.

"Follow me." Twillow quipped, leading the way down a small path.

As the trio disappeared through the doorway, Gillam glanced at the two guards who also seemed perplexed by the events. He was needing to head off to his guard job but given what just happened he was thinking against it. He looked to Callan and Brun.