Tiram, Um'nic (Chapter the Twelth of this Tale)

Tiram forced the laughter off as he neared where he could sense the princess waited.1

As he stepped out from behind the trees, the girl called out.2

"Razmingle? Is everything okay?" A rustle as she shifted, waiting for a reply. "Razmingle?" She called weakly.3

Tiram stepped in front of her, she gasped and fell onto her back.4

"Trivisch?" He asked softly.  "Are you alright?"5

"Who are you? How do you know my name? Where's Razmingle?" She asked, jumping to her feet, glancing around.6

Tiram smiled and stood up straighter, revealing large black feathered wings on his back. "I'm Tiram. I know you because I was sent to resucue you. That faerie, Razmingle, is a banished faerie.  She is wicked and I have saved you from her. Where was she taking you, do you know?"7

Trivisch peered around Tiram, and seeing nothing, answered nothing. "What did you do to her?"8

He sighed, "I simply stunned her, she will be fine in say. .now, six minutes. Where was she taking you?" He asked again.9

"She was taking me to the faerie sisters that live in these woods." Trivisch replied, satisfied with his answer. 10

"I doubt she was, but if that is where you wish to go, I will take you there. She was going the wrong way." Tiram replied. Honestly, he had no idea where, or who these faerie sisters were. But the princess didn't know that. "Come, if we hurry, we can be there in just eleven minutes."11

A male voice called out and Tiram stared.  A boy? What boy was this?12

"Your eyes are like those who come from the north.  Are you an Um'nic?" 13

Tiram froze, Trivisch paused, then spoke.14

"Ahmherheekah," she spoke to Tiram, "is my horse in human form and is just making discoveries." She turned to the boy, who blended rather well with the trees, "Ahmherheekah, come, you can ask questions as we walk."15

The boy stared at Tiram, at his wings, his face.16

Tiram turned away, but could still feel the gaze.17

"Yes, I am an Um'nic." He replied, glancing at Trivisch, who seemed undaunted by it.  18

"I have never heard of them," she said, "Teach me about yourself."19

Tiram stumbled backwards. "You do not know of the Um'nic?" He asked, shocked.20

Trivisch looked confused. "No, I have never heard the name."21

Tiram frowned, funny, how his kingdom's enemies daughter did not know.  "There is not much to know, we are lower than the animals, but higher than the humans."22

He quickened his pace, going towards the entrance to his world, the opposite way, he assumed Razmingle had been going as Trivisch looked hurt and confused when he turned that way.23

"What are your wings of?" She asked, "I've always wanted wings."24

He grunted. Of course, humans wanted all that didn't belong to them. "They are raven feathers, coated in iron dust."25

Trivisch nodded and didn't ask anything else.  She reached up and snatched a leaf off a tree. She held it to her nose and sniffed.26

"Smell this," she said offering it out, "it's my favourite.  Rowden Wood, we use it for incense in the castle."27

Tiram sighed, then knowing better, decided to stay on her better side.  He took the leaf offered but cried out in pain as it touched his fingers. It fluttered harmlessly to the ground.28

Trivisch paled and took a step back.29

He glanced at his hands, the skin were the leaf had touched was frozen solid, ice and a layer of frost.30

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." She mumbled quietly.31

He shook his head. "Did you also know, this Rowden Wood, as you call it, is also called Tirtani?  It is what arrows are made of.  Um'nic have to protection against this type of plant.  Many kingdoms, yours included, have killed many my people with arrows of this wood."  His eyes darkened, Ahmherheekah whimpered.32

Trivisch stared at the ground, "I'm sorry, I was not aware. I have no idea. ." Her voice trailed off.33

"Come, let us continue, we are but four minutes away." Tiram started walking again.34

A shout, a scream and a huge burst of wind suddenly filled the air.35

Tiram braced himself against it.  What was that? He turned and saw the boy, Ahmherheekah, gripping tightly to a tree, terrified.  Trivisch, he noticed was peering between the trees.36

Her hair and dress flying about her, he watched her face a moment.  Confusion, fear and realization as if she were watching the future in a glass ball.37

She screamed and tried to leap through the trees.38

Tiram jumped forward, grabbed her around the waist and tossed her to the ground.  He whirled around to where she had been looking.39

A faerie and a different boy.  She had the boy, who was now unconscious pinned to the tree.  Her dark hair didn't move with the wind, but instructed it on where to go.  Then, the appearance of another faerie, weak against the wind.40

She looked shocked, and shouted at her.  He couldn't catch what they were saying, then the two faeries grabbed the boys hands and leaped into the tree, disappearing into the trunk.41

He turned back to Trivisch who sat on the ground.42

The wind died down. "Who was that boy?"43

"That was my servent, Wispin, a boy I've know for many a year." She whispered.  "What was he doing with the sister?"44

Tiram barely caught the last bit, "I'm sure, it's his own business, but we must continue, I'm sure she saw us," he lied, "and will be back to treat us the same."45

Trivisch stood, "but this is where I wanted to go, let them treat me like that.  That was one of the faerie sisters, I am going in there."46

She stood and pried Ahmherheekah's fingers from the trunk of the tree.47

Tiram frowned, his mind screaming no. He could not fail this mission, it was his last chance. He must get the princess to his land!48

But Trivisch had no desire to listen to Tiram.  She and the boy were walking catiousely towards the tree.49

"Hold up!" He called, flying to join them, "I'm coming."50