A Night Under the Starry Sky

[Rowan Llyri-laer]

"Calla does not understand... She did not do anything wrong. She just wanted to speak with the monarchs..." She lifted her head up, the relieving view of the forest spread out before her. "Humans do not make any sense to her. Why did they want to hurt Calla when she did not do anything to hurt them? The... The trees do not hurt those who do not hurt them."

[UlricusBurgstahler]

Ulricus would sigh. "The trees are far more kind than we are." He'd begin looking around at the ancient wooden entities. "Here's the thing Calla, not only did you assault nobility by running toward the castle..." His voice would trail off. "But you also openly claimed rebellion." He'd bury his head into the neck of his horse. "I know you're new to this... But by the gods what's wrong with you?"

[Rowan Llyri-laer]

Roots would grow from the earth and wrap around the hooves of Ulricus's horse soon after his statement. Calla turned to face him, her brow furrowed, "There is nothing wrong with Calla. The only thing wrong is the way humans  act... Calla always wanted to be a human, she left her home so she could live like a human... But now she sees what they do!! Ulricus makes no more sense than the guards did, to Calla. He talks of dynasties ending but then calls Calls a fool when she tries to make a difference.  In the forest, trees that do not root do not drink. Calla tried to root and Ulricus calls her an idiot."

She dismounted from the horse with surprising agility, considering how weakened she had been when he rescued her. Her blissful aura had vanished and she simply gestured for Ulricus to follow, "Come."

[UlricusBurgstahler]

Ulricus would look down at the girl. "I don't think I want to." He'd say. "You nearly cost me my life, and even worse you cost me my rebellion." He'd shake his head. "And you don't listen. You didn't listen at the castle and you won't listen now." He'd turn to go, looking down at the horses hooves now bound to the ground. "I've brought you home and now I'm leaving. Let me go."

[Rowan Llyri-laer]

"No, it is Ulricus who will not listen! He is arrogant and can only see two feet in front of him. He saved Calla's life, but he is the bullheaded one. He will come now and if he does, Calla will let him leave after. He has her word." She folded her hands into some shape that must have been a flower nymph's way of swearing herself to her word.

[UlricusBurgstahler]

Ulricus shrugged, hopping off his horse. "You've been good deary." He'd say softly to the horse, kissing it's neck. He'd then untie the rucksack from the horses back, walking off in a direction quite unlike the one that Calla had wanted him to go in. "It's been nice knowing you." He'd state, meandering off toward the path he'd come from. He'd lay a hand in his sword expecting ambush. "Goodbye."

[Rowan Llyri-laer]

Roots grew up around Ulricus's feet as he walked, ensnaring him quite like they had his horse. "Calla does not understand..." She said softly, the anger fading away into sorrow. "She thought Ulricus was her friend...but he is not. He is not her friend at all. He is blind." She stared at him, though he couldn't see her unless he twisted his neck to an uncomfortable angle.

"Leave this place!" She suddenly yelled, the anger rushing back into her voice tenfold what it had been earlier, "Leave this place and never come back, Ulricus Burgstahler! You are no longer welcome to any woods that Calla knows." A briar grew from the girl's feet, jagged thorns growing every which way, until suddenly she would transform into a small bed of delicate, white calla lilies.

The roots would give slacks to both Ulricus and his horse.

[UlricusBurgstahler]

Ulricus would nod, walking back towards his horse. He's refasten the rucksack to the horses back and mount up. However before galloping off, he'd pull out a slip of paper from the rucksack and drop it onto the flower bed. He'd then ride off, kicking up leaves and dust as he went. "Goodbye Calla."

[Rowan Llyri-laer]

The briars and thorns began to retreat back into the snow as the lilies extended upward until they took the shape of the familiar antlered girl, once the clip-clop of hooves had faded into the distance. Calla sniffled, her eyes angrily watching the tiny figure ride off.

"What is this?" She blinked her eyes as the edge of a piece of paper came into her view. She grabbed it from a top her head and stared at it, puzzled.

[UlricusBurgstahler]

On the front of the piece of paper would be a detailed black and white drawing of Calla. The marks had been slightly smudged and the edges of the paper were singed suggesting that Ulricus drew it the first day they'd met in the woods. If she turned over the piece of paper there would be a short letter:
Dearest Calla,
I'm sorry that things ended up as they did.
It's just hard when you don't understand our customs.
Meet me in ((I'm too lazy to look up the names of places in SoTE)) in two weeks time and I'll explain everything to you. Maybe I'll take you up on your tree lessons as well.
Best Wishes,
Ulricus.