Avalon Isn't What It Used To Be

Chapter 23: Consecration

A week later, I stretched early in the morning with a smile and opened my eyes slowly to see Owen propped on his elbow looking down on me. My smiled dropped away immediately as I sat up quickly. Even after a week, I still wasn't used to waking up next to a giant. Thankfully, he still kept about a foots distance, no doubt knowing my uneasiness. 

"Good morning" he said softly, his voice reminiscent of silk.

"Good morning", I squinted my eyes at him with a sleepy smile before I plopped back onto the bed to stretch again.

"I have some work to do at the bar today. Did you want to come"?

I turned and crawled up onto my knees facing him, "Maybe later, I have some things to take care of at the pond". He nodded with a gentle smile as he turned and crawled out of bed. He grabbed a pair of pants from the basket at the foot of his bed and put them on while I stood up. I conjured my gold wings and flew to the window. And turned back to see him putting on a shirt.

"See you later", I shouted back taking flight out the window. I didn't give him a chance to say anything. I still felt awkward about what 'we' were. Maybe this was our fate, or maybe this was the start. As awkward as it was, my love for him felt right.

I flew to Shae with speed, landing on the branch that was my look out. But instead of our normal greetings the first thing Shae said to me was "company".

"Company"? I questioned as I turned around, and jumped at the sight of Meeks.

"Did you have a good night"? She laughed with a taunting smile.

"Ha Ha. Meeks", I laughed, "Give me a second to change and I'll be right out". I proceeded into my little room and changed into my red dress... I need to wash my clothes when I get back, I thought to myself and I untwisted the red straps of the dress. I flew back out of the entrance to see Meeks slowly walking deeper into the water.

"Ready"? She said glancing back at me, as I watched her legs fuse together with a dance of blue scales.

"Always", I said and I dove into the water next to her as she submerged.

We broke through the service of the river under the grass dome. I felt the soft plush padding of her palm close around me as she quickly scooped me out of the water and set me on the ledge, since the waves she makes when pulling herself out nearly drown me—we figured out the hard way 10 decades ago.

"So, Do you know why we were called back here"? I asked looking up at Meeks who had pulled herself onto the ledge. I watched as her scales sunk into skin, and her tail separated into beautiful naked mahogany legs.

"Not really", She said standing up to walk over to the pile of clothes she left in the shelves towards the wall of the dome. I conjured my wings and flew into the air as I wringed out my hair.

"Hm", I hummed before continuing nervously, "Do you think I'm in trouble for using the chain on accident a week ago"?

She paused briefly before continuing to slip into her emerald strapless dress with a sassy grin and half lidded eyes, "Doubtful Ya-ya. It's probably just another grove meeting about yet another mystic that we aren't allowed to transport here anymore".

I gasped with wide eyes as I floated backwards towards the exit, "Do you think it was Rikard? I bet you it's Rikard".

She joined me at the entrance with a lighthearted laugh as she flipped her ombre braids to her back and exited the dome first, "Probably not, knowing his luck".

Meeks and I made our way down the stone path through the grassy part of the Haven, passing ruins of the old dwellings along the way. 

After an hour of giggling and catching up, we saw the Hall of Mystics rising into view. The gorgeous round tower of white stone seemed to glisten under the bright violet star. As we entered, we noticed that the towering hall was uncharacteristically empty. We shared a puzzled look as we walked further inside and around white stone the pews.