19-3
Vantaiga’s sleep became disturbed by a distant sound that drifted over the splashing of the small waterfall next to where she and Syffox lay. It was a harsh and garish sound that was out of place in her cavern paradise. It was reminiscent of banging pots, and it grew louder before suddenly stopping. Vantaiga was once again engulfed in the peaceful sounds of the water and her underground forest, but she couldn’t help but feel intruded upon.
She pulled herself away from Syffox’s warm body, immediately regretting the drop in temperature. She looked around with some annoyance only to find a large, heavily armoured man standing at the edge of the pool of water, shifting uncomfortably. It was Palatine, her forest protector. She did not like the intrusion but found it hard to be annoyed with the dutiful warrior.
She sat up and rested her chin on her knee. “Hello, Champion.”
Palatine flushed at her friendly welcome and struggled to find his words. He also struggled to find his manners and hastily dropped to his knee. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Goddess.”
Vantaiga was flattered by his courtesy. With the casualness of her forest people, she didn’t realise she appreciated it. But she couldn’t ask of him what she didn’t ask of the others. “Stand up. There is no need to kneel for me.”
Palatine tried raising his head but found it difficult to look beyond her barely covered skin. He felt more comfortable kneeling.
Vantaiga snickered at his awkwardness and grew some leaves along the vine wrapped around her. “Is this better?”
Palatine managed a stoic if not awkward “Yes.” His eyes were still having trouble fixing on hers, occasionally darting over her body and occasionally being distracted by Syffox lying naked beside her. “I’m sorry, Goddess. I need to talk with you.”
Vantaiga tried to take on a more serious air but found it difficult in the pleasant isolation of her paradise. “What is it Champion? You can talk freely here.”
“I’m sorry, Goddess, but it is my men. We are becoming too few to protect your forest.”
“You had an army. Why would you need more soldiers to protect a forest?”
“Some men have fallen and were beyond my ability to heal them. Some I was not able to convince to follow and have returned to their families. I also lost many initially fighting Lord Syffox.”
Hearing his name, Syffox awoke to their discussion. He slid himself behind Vantaiga and wrapped his arms around her. Vantaiga leaned back and enjoyed the warmth of his chest while he began to kiss her shoulders. She stroked his hair as she spoke. “You don’t have to worry about Syffox anymore. Who would strike down your soldiers, then? Surely loggers are no threat to your men?”
Palatine averted his eyes from the revealing casualness of the forest deities. “It is more than just loggers, my Goddess. It is pioneers and settlers, traders and hunters. There are even glory seekers that now plunder shrines.”
That statement made Vantaiga straighten up. “Pardon?”
“A temple was attacked… and the priests and priestesses driven off. By the time we arrived, the invaders were gone… and the temple looted.” The hardened soldier’s stoic fa?ade broke with remorse at reporting his failings to her.
“Why did no one tell me?”
Palatine paused and drew in a breath. “They called for you, Goddess, but you were busy here working on your new paradise. Their prayers can’t reach you down here.”
Vantaiga cast her head to the ceiling with a curse of frustration. “Can I get no peace? It’s not like I can even stay down here very long before I drain myself.”
Palatine dropped to his knees in shame. “Forgive us Goddess for not being able to protect your forest.”
The prefect’s penitence tempered Vantaiga’s annoyance. “Rise, my Champion. You cannot fight all the battles.”
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Syffox rested his chin on Vantaiga’s shoulder. “I can help you deal with these invaders.” He shot the prefect a coy smile. “I travel more quickly and strike a bit harder than your soldiers.”
Vantaiga jumped in. “ will deal with these invaders. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
Palatine rose to his feet with a new feeling of relief. “Thank you, Goddess.” There was a nervous pause. “But there is something else.”
Vantaiga took on a soft tone to assure him. “What is it, Champion? Please. As you may have noticed, there is nothing to hide in my paradise.”
Palatine blushed at her words and continued, “It’s just that whenever the settlers or invaders come…” The hardened soldier struggled to find his words. “…They come in the name of the other gods. The trees are cleared, and the land is initially given to Styiock or Argrian, but eventually it is taken by Aridus.”
Vantaiga’s eyes grew wide. “What do you mean by that?”
“Farmers and loggers come and cut or burn down the trees. We can chase them off, but then Aridus turns the soil to desert so the trees can’t grow back.”
“Aridus has more than enough sand to play with already! Where is Hydar? His rains are to stop the fires and hold back the dunes.”
“I’m sorry, Goddess, but Hydar has not visited the forest since you returned from the heavens.”
Vantaiga collapsed her face into her hands. “Damn him. If I don’t coddle his balls, then he wants my forest destroyed!”
Syffox gritted his teeth to her words.
Vantaiga rose up and grew a cloak of short, hardened, needle-like leaves about her. “Well, the gods are not taking my forest without a fight. If you need more soldiers, then you will have them.”
She stepped to Palatine and without hesitation, grabbed him by the crotch through his armour. Shocked, Palatine gasped as she pulled a pleasurable pressure out of him. She then reached into her abdomen and pulled out a handful of seeds, combining them with the contents of her other hand. “From the seeds of the three of us, I give you the seeds of your new warriors.” She stretched out her hand and offered the pile of seeds to the soldier.
With a stunned grimace, Palatine extended his cupped hands. Vantaiga saw his expression and called forth a fearie with a small woven-leaf pouch. She placed the seeds in the pouch, and the fearie dropped it into Palatine’s hands. The warrior gave the pouch a blanched, quizzical, look as he held it between two fingers.
Vantaiga rolled her eyes. “Stop being so delicate. Plant these seeds, and they will grow into a new creature to fight for you. You will find them as fleeting as the fey of my paradise, as elusive as Syffox, and as loyal as yourself. They will be much more effective in the forest than armoured men.”
Syffox interrupted Vantaiga while putting on his clothes, “Goddess? Is it possible to make such a creature?”
Vantaiga looked back at Syffox defiantly. “In my domain, I make it possible. I am not playing by their rules anymore.” She considered further before returning to Palatine. “Do not tell anyone how these seeds came to be. I don’t wish to anger every god in the heavens.”
Palatine was still examining his pouch of seeds with concern. “Yes, of course, Goddess. I have no desire to tell the story of these seeds.”
Vantaiga found humour in his squeamishness, but she also had something for him that he would appreciate. “You should have armour more appropriate of the forest.” She summoned several of her paradise creatures. Each held a piece of dark, wooden armour. “The people of Kundz chose doom rather than my gift. You can display their foolishness with pride.”
The pickcys dropped the solid wooden armour at his feet. It landed with a dull thud instead of the harsh clank of metal. The warrior stood tall at the offer of the gift and the chance for redemption. “Thank you, Goddess. I will make you proud.”
Vantaiga’s face softened. “I am already proud of you, Champion.” She then turned coy. “Not all my followers serve me as you do.”
A vibrant rush came over the prefect. Words crowded in his head, but he could only say, “Thank you, Goddess.”
“Now go raise my army.” She turned to Syffox. “And you can have your Order arm them. I think they will enjoy that.”
Syffox nodded. “If things are turning as badly as the prefect says, then indeed they will.”
Vantaiga fixed him with a withering gaze. “But do not leave my forest till I come back. I will not let them strike you again.”
Syffox looked at her affectionately, warming her chest. “Thank you Goddess. But I don’t mind being struck down at your side as long as I open my eyes to your face.”
Vantaiga’s stern look melted into a sheepish grin. “Stop it.” She then faded into a tree and out of the cavern.
Once Vantaiga was out of sight, Syffox turned to Palatine to find the soldier fidgeting. Syffox smiled knowingly at the agitated officer. “She can be difficult to talk to, can’t she?”
Palatine caught himself and resumed his more formal air. “It is not appropriate for me to speak against her, my lord.”
“No, indeed it isn’t. But still, you wish you could.”
Palatine’s only response was a guilty nod.
Syffox waved his hand, and the soldier’s heavy metal armour was cast away and the lighter wooden armour strapped itself to the man’s limbs and torso. Syffox stepped back to admire the prefect in his new armour. The deep grain of the dark, polished, wood made the officer almost look like a living tree. “There, a gift from a Goddess to help protect her Champion, summoned from the very air with just a thought. It is not easy to confront such power and graciousness. You should be proud of her that she carries such magic and presence, not angry at yourself for being humbled by it.”
Palatine’s demeanour fell. “I’m sorry, my lord. I’m not accustomed to serving a Goddess.”
Syffox pulled up from the ground a walking stick that bloomed with ivy berries. He slapped the man on the back and gestured him forward. “Neither am I. Now let’s go raise some kids.”
