#jayroe

Any driders that were to be found in the forest were feral and highly dangerous, which made the drider family he brought food to daily a very interesting find. Jayroe had often wondered if they had come from the drider castle or if they were trying to go to it. He wanted to ask Sidae about it, however, Jayroe lost the nerve to ask every time he thought about it. Somewhere deep in his mind he knew that he shouldn’t, as though it were taboo or something. Somehow, he knew they had come from the castle, the way in which Sidae spoke told him as such, but he couldn’t figure out why they left the castle. He hoped it wasn’t anything serious, but by Lycas’s constant mistrust, he couldn’t help but feel as though it was just that.

Wheeling the wagon behind him, panting, and thinking hard about what to do and what to say, the rustling of the leaves made Jayroe come to a stop. Glancing up he caught sight of the familiar glaring vibrant green eyes as Lycas emerged from the mist. The earth thudded with the sound of bouncing feet and Kai leapt forth from the mists, her arms wrapping around him in a tight hold. “Jayroe!”

“Kai, sweetie!” He wheezed out a laugh as she squeezed him tight. “Good to see you too.”

“Did you bring me something?” She asked and immediately began to scrounge around in the wagon.

“Of course,” he laughed and dusted himself off a bit as he turned to see the usual glaring Lycas. His green eyes went from his sister finding the stuffed toy cat Jayroe managed to buy in the market today to Jayroe with a disapproving look in his eyes.

“You’re late.” He growled out, glancing around to make sure Jayroe hadn’t been followed.

“Sorry ‘bout that.” Jayroe huffed and placed his hands on his hips. “The rains are coming early this season and I –”

Lycas rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. Jayroe let out a quick sigh then smiled at him. He stood up with his hands up “Right, sorry. I brought a little more for y’all because of the incoming rains.”

“Good.” Lycas grunted as he walked over to the wagon. “We’ll be needing it since we’ll be moving soon.”

The air wrapped him in a cold blanket that shook him to his core. “What?”

“The egg is getting heavier.” Lycas said simply. “My mom needs a safer place for the egg to hatch in.”

“Are you not safe now?” Jayroe ran a hand through his hair hoping to shake his brain into action. Had something happened while he’d been away? “I’ve been getting rid of traps when I find them and – ”

“It’s fine.” Lycas gritted his teeth, his nostrils flaring as he glared down at Jayroe.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Jayroe could hear the desperation in his voice and could only push his insistence.

“No.” Lycas hissed lowly, his hands gripping the side of the wagon tightly enough for the wood to groan under his touch. “You’ve done enough already.”

Without giving Jayroe a chance to question him, Lycas picked up the handles of the wagon and carted it away into the mists. Singing happily behind him, Kai hugging the cat doll tightly to her chest. Kai’s hand went to his and laced their fingers together as she pulled him along. “Mommy wanted to see you today.”

“Oh yeah?” Jayroe looked down at her, searching her warm green eyes for some sort of answer. “What for?”

“I don’t know.” She hummed softly as she pulled him into the mists. “Mommy and Lycas talk about things in secret when I’m supposed to be asleep, so I don’t know why mommy wants you to come to the nest, but it’s not for anything bad. . . At least I don’t think so. . .”

That did little to ease his concern for the expecting mother and only made his worried thoughts that more troublesome as he feared for the worst. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and earned a smile as they walked. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

It was a good thing that Kai held his hand and led the way through the mists because the deeper they went into the forest, the thicker the mists became and the less he could see. He would have gotten lost if he ever got the foolish idea to try to follow them to their nests before now. Their concern for being found by other humans was almost unmerited since it grew more difficult to walk through the forest as the roots and rocks all seem to grow larger. Any human that dared to go this far in the forest was either very brave or entirely foolish for even though he was being guided by Kai, there was a massive ominous feeling that prickled the hairs on the back of his neck. He really hoped they weren’t in danger; Jayroe had no idea what he could do to help them, it he could even help them at all.

Kai pulled him from side to side until they stood at the mouth of a cave where a boulder and a tree met. Lycas paced back and forth anxiously, the hairs down his body raising on end as he searched for things Jayroe couldn’t see in the treetops. The wagon was empty and waiting outside the cave and with narrowed eyes, Lycas glared at Jayroe as he and Kai approached.

“You took too long.” Lycas scolded Kai as they met him at the mouth of the cave.

“He’s only got two legs, Lycas.” She pouted as she pointed to Jayroe’s feet. “He doesn’t walk as fast as us!”

The corner of Lycas’s mouth almost twitched into a smirk, however, he held his mouth as firmly in a line as he could in front of Jayroe. “You go on in, Kai, I need to talk with him.”

Kai frowned as she looked from Jayroe to her brother. “Don’t be mean to him.”

“I’m not, now go.” He rolled his eyes and shooed her on into the cave. hugging the cat toy closer to her chest, Kai disappeared into the depths of the cave while Lycas turned and looked to Jayroe. Jayroe hoped he appeared calm outside for his heart was pounding with worry inside his ribs.

“You needed to tell me something?”

Lycas grunted and tilted his head to the side. “Watch your mouth when you see her, and don’t mention anything about the egg.”

Jayroe wanted to ask what the drider meant by that, but Lycas turned his back to him and shuffled into the darkness of the cave, stopping, and waiting only a half-step into its depths. Lycas’s green eyes turned to see if Jayroe was following, and it made him jump into rhythm and follow the impatient drider. Lycas had enough patience to wait until Jayroe caught up before leading him further into the cave. Dead leaves crunched underneath his feet and the temperature dropped and left a chill in the air. It was strange to him how deep the cave went, it was almost unnaturally long for a cave, then again, they were driders and could burrow their way into anything. It was a solid burrow, and he almost didn’t notice the sloping of the floor if it weren’t for the way the gravity pulled the lantern in his hands. It was only when Jayroe passed the lantern between his hands to keep some sense of heat to them that he realized they were underground.

There was Sidae’s humming, Kai’s laughter and pale light up ahead that glowed with warmth. Lycas suddenly grabbed Jayroe’s shoulder, his claws digging into his shoulder as he got his attention. “Remember,” he hissed, “not a word about the egg.”

Lycas entered the burrow and was happily greeted by his mother and left Jayroe standing with a ball of nerves of worry about what to anticipate the moment he saw her. It had been a few days since he’d last seen her, but the egg had seemed fine then, surely nothing had happened to it. It wasn’t until he stood in the light that he saw why Lycas had warned him. Sidae’s back was to him while she fidgeted around their living area and Jayroe saw the egg had nearly tripled in size on Sidae’s back. He bit his tongue to keep his mouth from falling open at the sight and was thankful that Kai tackled him to the ground again. It winded him enough to knock whatever shock had taken him and returned him to a better mindset.

“Kai, dear, don’t jump on Jayroe like that!” Sidae scolded as he sat up, Lycas pulling his sister off the human.

“It’s all right.” He laughed lightly as the beauty of Sidae’s smile filled his vision and she helped him to his feet. “I’ve had worse.”

“Still, she should know better.” She shook her head with a sigh and reached her gentle hand out to him, her long fingers rearranging his hair right and tucking the collar of his shirt down. “It’s good to see you, Jayroe.”

“And you, Sidae.” His smile was broad, and his heart was loud in his chest. “Looking better each time I see you; I might add.”

“What else can I do when you bring such nourishing food for us?” Her voice was light and playful and knew just what to say to make his heart want to dance with hers. “Please, do come in.”

Though it was a burrow deep below the earth, it was a place full of warmth and plenty of silk. Carefully decorated panels of silk as big as tapestries hung on the walls and made the burrow appear even larger than what it already was and gave the illusion that there were windows. Jayroe kept his eyes on the walls, studying all the details he could to prevent himself from staring at the large egg on Sidae’s back. It was so swollen he was sure that it would hatch any day now. He hoped it would so it would lighten some of that burden, he knew it just had to be heavy.

“Come, I’ve prepared something for you.” Sidae spoke happily as she turned and led him into another part of the burrow.

“Should I be worried?” He joked lightly as he continued to stare at the intricate designs of the silk tapestries along the walls.

“Far from it.” She shook her head as she pulled back a silk curtain and bade him enter with her hand. “It’s just in here.”

The doorway was small, just big enough for Lycas to enter easily, but it would not fit Sidae. He tried not to let the question appear on his face, but something gave him away and she chuckled at him. “What is it I should be looking for?”

“You’ll see.” She chimed happily, a sparkle of glee in her eyes as she held the curtain to hide the lower half of her face.

Not sure what to expect, Jayroe stepped inside and saw that it was a storage room full of bolts of fabric, all silk. Drider silk. Drider silk was rare to come across as it had limited quantity of exports from the drider castle, and it was practically a myth for a backwater village like Drusilla. Jayroe had no idea what to make of this, what to say, what to do. “Sidae?”

“Choose anything you see there.” Sidae encouraged, her head peeking in the doorway. “Anything that catches your eyes, just take it off the wall.”

Her words were overwhelming, and Jayroe didn’t know the first thing about choosing such a thing. He could see the intricate patterns, everything from stripes to polka dots, to lace to woven pieces, but he wouldn’t know what to do with it when he picked one. He could give to Aisley, maybe she’d make a dress out of it? But if that was the case then that would mean she’d need to be here to pick it. Per her request, he studied them, taking the time to look at each of them, but he grew more nervous the longer he took to study them.

“How can I choose?” He muttered and ran a hand through his hair.

He didn’t want to offend her, assuming this was her handiwork, but this was too much for a dairy farmer to decide. Not to mention it would look highly suspicious for someone of his status owning Drider silk as fine as this. With a shaky breath and a heavy heart, he left the storage room and weakly smiled at her. She was smiling widely, but it shrunk as she saw his hands were empty. She quickly tried to recover her smile, but Jayroe had already seen the worry in her eyes. “You didn’t find anything?”

“Oh, I found plenty,” He dragged his hand across the back of his neck. “But it’s too fancy for someone like me.”

“Surely not!” She gasped and side stepped so she could close the door behind him. “You’ve been nothing but kind and generous since meeting my children and I, you deserve only the finest of silks to offer. I am only sorry my silk is not as good as it could be, with me carrying this egg. . .”

She nervously glanced at the giant egg attached to her and Jayroe, remembering Lycas’s warning, refused to look at it. However, he knew he had to say something to sooth her worries.

“Your silk is the finest thing I have ever seen, Sidae.” Her head slowly turned back to him, those green eyes nearly glowing as a faint blush dusted those sharp cheeks. “Other than my sister who would probably love to make something with your silk, I have no true use for it. It would be a waste on me.”

She blinked incredulously at him, and he felt his own face burning at the question. “You don’t have a mate?”

“N-No.” He cleared his throat and did his best to smile and cover up his embarrassment. “No, I don’t have a wife or a girl, or anything of that sort.”

“How ever could you not?” Her mouth fell open and she shook her head in disbelief. “A male as attractive as you, hardworking too, surely you’ve caught the eye of someone.”

He bit his lip as he silently wished he’d catch her eye but refrained from saying anything that could make their relationship strange as he knew there had been a few girls in the village that took an interest in him once but didn’t last for long. For all he knew she was being polite and probably saw him as something ugly, compared to her he was. Hair as rich and full as honey that trailed down like a waterfall down her back with green eyes as vibrant as grass after the rain, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

“There’s few and far between and most of them are already taken.” He shrugged casually, trying to shrug his own feelings aside. “Besides, with all the work I do, I couldn’t properly court someone.”

Her brows furrowed as she tilted her head to the left and her honey-fall of hair rolled over her shoulder. Something inside his chest squeezed at the sight and it took a great deal of control not to reach for her hair and tuck it behind her ear. “Is there someone who’s captured your interest whom you wish to court?”

Like his sister Sidae knew how to ask the question he wanted to answer least. How could he answer her without scaring her off?

“I, uh. . .” He licked his lips nervously and tried to think of a proper explanation. “It’s complicated. . .”

“Is helping us getting in the way of your happiness?”

“No!” He didn’t dare let her think she was a problem in his life when she was anything but that. Helping this small family had given him a new purpose in life, for the first time in years he felt alive. He wouldn’t trade Sidae, Kai, or even angry little Lycas for anything. “No, me helping ya’ll is something I do with pride and pleasure, and I would not have you thinking it otherwise.”

Her brows furrowed, a frown creeping on her face as she studied his face. He knew she was looking for any signs of him spouting nonsense, and his only fear was that she would somehow see the truth and how much he cared for her. His throat nearly closed with the tension of the silence before she broke out in a smile. He wasn’t sure what she saw or if she found what she was looking, for, but he was silently thankful that she dropped the matter and said nothing more. With a wave of her arm, she led him into a dining sort of area where Lycas and Kai were already seated at a table laid out with plates and bowls and even silverware. Jayroe had never thought of the way driders ate their food, terrible images of tiny spiders capturing their prey in silk cocoons came to mind but seeing them sit at the proper table was not what he had envisioned, though it was a pleasant surprise.

The food thankfully consisted mostly of fruits a few vegetables and quite a few mystery things that Jayroe didn’t dare ask about. It was interesting both in texture and flavor, however, he was pretty sure he didn’t want to know what exactly it was that he had eaten in case it turned in his stomach. The meal went without a hitch and after the meal it was almost strange to see the grumpy Lycas playing with his sister. Jayroe and Sidae still sat at the table sipping on tea watch as they played. A content smile painted Sidae’s beautiful features and it took everything in Jayroe not to keep stealing glances at her whenever he sipped his tea.

It was both pleasant and strange to sit with her like this, watching her children run around the large living area, laughing, and shrieking and occasionally growling, it was almost normal for Jayroe as if he were somehow supposed to be a part of their world. His heart swelled with hope at the idea, but he was also aware that he was only temporarily in their lives and unless Sidae wanted him to stay, he would never be a permanent fixture in their lives.

“It always makes my heart happy to see them so carefree.” Sidae sighed as she set her cup down and repositioned herself, her vibrant green eyes happily watching after her children. “They didn’t get to have many chances to just be themselves at the castle. . .”

Jayroe’s ears were burning to know more about this secret life that they were all so tightlipped to keep from him, but it was not his business, and he knew better than to pry. He cleared his throat roughly before quickly sipping on the hot tea. “They’re good kids. Kai is so bright, and even though Lycas is grumpy I know his heart is in the right place, even if he’ll never trust me.”

Sidae’s hand gently touched his shoulder, and he took the opportunity to look up at her beautiful smile. “It warms me to know you see his goodness, not many do thanks to his fierce exterior.”

Jayroe could only smile and give a curt nod of understanding, even though he felt as though he knew nothing about them or their troubles.

“You’re allowed to ask, you know.” Her words were soft, and he was certain those vibrant green eyes could somehow read his mind. “About us, I mean. You’ve done so much for us in such a short time, you’re allowed a few answers to whatever questions you have.”

It was tempting to just ask why they were here, what it was they were running from, though that much was obvious. They were running from something in the castle, though who or what was still a mystery. However, Jayroe still didn’t want to pry, it just felt wrong. He threw on a quick smile and spoke dryly, “Who am I really to ask?” His hand involuntarily balled into a fist. “I could somehow put you three in more danger by knowing anything about you than nothing at all.”

She hummed thoughtfully to herself then picked up her tea and spoke so softly that Jayroe didn’t hear. “You’re more a father than the two males I was bred with to bring the life of those two into this world.”

Jayroe took a deep breath as her words ran loudly in his head. He didn’t want surprise to paint his face and kept as calm as he could as he looked at Sidae. She still had a smile on her face, but it was somehow hard and there was a deep sadness in her eyes as the recent painful memories have resurfaced.

“I’m sure you’ve had quite a few assumptions about us.” She held her cup of tea in two hands, her fingers delicately and nervously tracing the rim of the cup.

“Nothing bad, I swear.” He tried to sound assuring, but he could even hear the worry in his own voice.

“That’s good to hear.” She laughed weakly and her vibrant green eyes stayed on her children as they played. “Others of our kind do not think as kindly as you and have no shame in frowning at the lower position my poor children and I hold.”

His brow furrowed, but he said nothing so Sidae could choose whether she wished to continue. This only seemed to further cement just how different and far apart their worlds were, but he so desperately wanted to help her somehow.

“In short, I am, no, was a breeder meant to produce strong fighters for the Drider King’s coliseum to fulfill their roles of crude entertainment in our small society.” Her fingers nervously tapped against the cup in her hands and Jayroe desperately wanted to reach and hold her hand to comfort her. Sadly, he feared that would have the opposite effect and sat quietly for her to continue. “I met Lycas’s father when I was thirteen and then Sidae’s nearly five after that. Both of their fathers were gladiators in the king’s fighting ring, which was so sad as they were both kind to me and they both suffered terrible fates as they fulfilled their roles.” Sidae’s brow pinched, and her fingers tightly held the cup and her breath hitched. “The most recent male I had was regretfully more feral than they had realized and was not as kind when he hit his heat. . .”

Her hand subconsciously went to her chest and pet a faint scar that was hidden by the length of her hair. It was a black line against her pale skin, and Jayroe never would have noticed it had she not made a notion to it. Anger boiled within Jayroe and though he knew that Driders were dangerous, he wanted to fight for her honor.

“I’m afraid he and I didn’t get along very well, but he did fill the children’s minds with stories of this place.” She waved her hand to the giant cave in which they sat. A small bead of sweat rolled down his neck as he realized this was a den large enough to house several large Driders. “He told us about this place as he helped us plan a great escape and even gave me the exact details in order to find it.”

“He did not come with you?” He could have kicked himself for asking such a ridiculous question when she winced and tried to quickly cover it with a smile.

“No. . . He sacrificed himself to ensure we were able to run away.”

It felt as though a rock wanted to bury its way in his chest. “I’m sorry . . .”

“You couldn’t have known. . .” She winced again and looked over at Lycas. “I wish I could say I mourned his loss, however, I did not. There was no love between us so much as the obligation to rely on one another to survive. Though I do wish he wouldn’t have died the way he had. . .  Lycas had taken a great liking to him.”

Jayroe’s eyes widened at the news and chose to look at Sidae rather than gawk at the kids. Sidae met his gaze with a smile before she brought her cup to her lips to take a quick sip.

“Lycas is not as big as the other Driders.” She spoke even softer and turned her eyes toward the cup in her hands. “I fear he may never be as large as other Driders; however, I secretly am grateful that he will never be as ferocious as his father. You see, he was considered the runt of his brood and it was only thanks to his size that I was even remotely allowed to keep one of my children.”

He almost didn’t dare ask the question that came to his mind, but his tongue moved before he could stop himself. “What of the others?”

“Taken to be breeders or fighters.” Her brow pinched and she sipped her tea again. “I was only lucky to keep Kai because she was not deemed as beautiful as the others and would have been mercilessly thrown into the fighting ring.”

Jayroe didn’t think his heart could hurt much more or could want to help this family any more than he already was, but the more he learned about them the more he was determined to keep them safe from all harm. When the urge came to take up Sidae’s hand he did not fight it and held it tightly. Her head tilted to the side as she watched him fight the urge to cry.

“I swear, I will keep your family safe.” He stared into those vibrant eyes, swearing those words into both his heart and his soul.

“You don’t –”

“I do.” He would not allow her to deny him this. Jayroe was human and far weaker in comparison than a child Drider, but he would not let any more harm come to this family. Even if he had to abandon his own to protect this one, he would. “I want to help. I will keep you all safe.”

Something flickered in Sidae’s eyes, something that Jayroe couldn’t quite place, but when she squeezed his hand in return, he knew that she would allow him this honor of keeping them safe. A new spark had lighted his soul that even Lycas’s growling and glare at their joined hands while he held a sleeping Kai couldn’t deter him from accomplishing this goal.

Jayroe should have known better that the simple life of providing them food was only going to get more difficult as Lord Colquett would hire outside sources to make his life that much more difficult. The following morning had consisted of the entire family going into town because there was news of visitors soon to be staying in the village. A bead of cold sweat nearly froze him to the bone at this news, but he did as he was told and helped get the house ready. Little did he know that not only would there be Holy Knights coming to their small village, but there would be Dark Knights with Orcs and Drow in toe too. A wave of panic had washed over him when Lord Colquett had announced that they were here to eradicate the Drider problem they were having; except that there wasn’t a Drider problem as he had personally made sure of that.

It was that panic and that desperate desire to keep that family safe that made him speak out and publicly question Lord Colquett. Everyone knew that there was no real threat from the Driders, not when they were supposed to be protecting the village, especially since there hadn’t been any more complaints about missing animals. Still, he was quickly shut up and his father was quiet the whole ride home. Jayroe never spoke out of turn like that, he knew his place and he knew there was a time and a place for such things. His sister was nearly in tears to know that her beloved cow Peiper was going to be used as bait, Fralick did not seem to be deterred one way or the other, however, Jayroe couldn’t stop bouncing his leg as he tried to think of someway of warning the Driders.

Both of his siblings jumped from the wagon and went to the barn, Fralick to pretend to do his chores while Aisley to go cry over her cow, however, as soon as Jayroe moved to leave the driver’s seat, his father held onto his elbow. “Sit here a minute, son.”

Jayroe looked down to see his father deep in thought, his brow wrinkled in concern and Jayroe wanted to do anything but sit. Still, he did as his father asked and tried to stop his leg from bouncing.

“You gonna tell me what’s been in the forest that’s kept you there most mornin’s?” His father’s brown eyes had far too much knowledge in them as he raised a brow at him. Jayroe licked his lower lip nervously and tried to think of the best way to explain this to him. “You were extremely late coming back from town yesterday.”

“Pa, I . . .” He laced his fingers together and clenched his fingers tightly. “I want to. . . but I can’t.”

“Can’t, huh?” He merely sighed and scratched at the scruff on his chin. “Why’s that?”

Jayroe winced at the question, the guilt of keeping the truth from his father gnawing at his heart but the need to keep Sidae her family was so much stronger. “I made a promise.”

“And you don’t like breaking your promises. . .” His father clicked his tongue and slowly nodded his head. “It’s Driders, though, ain’t it?”

“Pa, I –”

“I know you can’t tell me, promises and all that.” His father waved the concern away and looked at him. “I just need you to say yes or no to my questions and then I’ll let you go.”

Jayroe bit his lip but nodded as he conceded to his father’s simple request.

“Has whatever it is you’ve been giving the leftovers to is in the forest?”

A direct his that made him wince, but nod as he spoke the truth. “Yes.”

His father didn’t seem to upset about this and nodded in understanding. “Is what you’ve been doin’ the reason why there haven’t been any more ‘Drider issues’ here in town?”

A faint smile flickered on his face at his father trying to be so lighthearted about this situation, and Jayroe nodded again. “Yes.”

His father merely hummed with a nod and ran his hand through his hair. “These Driders your takin’ care of, they dangerous?”

“No.” He shook his head immediately, the need to fight rising within him. “They’re no more dangerous than Aisley whenever that idiot Tom comes around.”

“I see.” He grunted and tried to hide his smile behind his work gloves. “I’m almost done, son, then you’ll go see them. Are they close enough where they’re gonna get caught by these interlopers we got in town?”

“No.” He hesitantly shook his head. The Holy Knights would have to be willing to go deep into the forest to find them, and even if they did, there was too great a chance they’d get lost.

“That’s good to hear.” His father leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “You got a thing for whoever it is you’re wantin’ to protect?”

Jayroe’s face warmed and his neck felt uncomfortable with sweat at the question. “Pa –”

“Don’t ignore the question, son.” A crack of a smile formed on his father’s face. “I ain’t seen you this determined in a while, especially not over any of the girls in town. Whoever it is must be pretty special for you to be keepin’ secrets from me and nearly puttin’ your life in danger every day by goin’ into the forest.”

He gulped at his father’s strange abundance of knowledge of Jayroe’s actions, but then again, it was a small village, and it was hard to not take notice of such things. His father was kind enough to allow all his kids a bit of privacy, they were all nearly grown and should be starting their own families, but as there wasn’t any boys in town good enough for Aisley and none of the girls caught Jayroe or Fralick’s eye, their father didn’t mind them doing as they pleased so long as they worked on the farm with him. Their father only ever got involved if there was a big issue that one of them caused or if there was some sort of need for concern, otherwise he trusted them to make valid reasons to do what they did. They were extremely blessed to have him for more reasons than one and Jayroe couldn’t find it in his heart to keep too much more information from him.

“I do like the woman and her kids that I’m trying to keep safe.” He admitted so quietly he hardly heard his own voice. “I really do, they’ve been through more than I can say and only want a little bit of peace. They don’t cause harm and keep to themselves. . . but yes, I do have a thing for who I’m trying to protect.”

“We got a few hours before our house guests arrive,” His father clapped a hand to his shoulder and Jayroe suddenly felt strangely encouraged. “You better get on out there and warn them of the nasty storms that are to come.”

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

Here in Part 3!

I hope you’re enjoying this so far!

Please leave a comment or a review and reblog! Thanks for coming along the journey with me, stay tuned for more!

“Hold on, little one!” He called out to the child, hoping it would hear him. “I’m coming, don’t move!”

The crying became frantic, and he heard the creaking of metal as the child became even more desperate to free themselves. The more they tried to free themselves the worse their cries became. Jayroe prayed he had his emergency kit on him, normally he didn’t carry it on him because he could easily throw a cow over his shoulder and tend to the beast at home, however, a child would be much more difficult to handle without it. When he finally made his way into a clearing, the sight before him was not one he’d ever anticipated. He stopped in his tracks and gawked at the sight before him, hesitating on what to do.

There was indeed a child caught in a bear trap, however, it was not a human child. It was a drider. Despite being a drider, she was a petite thing that looked like she hadn’t eaten in ages with shaggy honey blond hair and two pairs of vibrant light green eyes that currently had tears streaming down her face. Her hide was covered in the same shaggy honey color with traces of brown and gray that trailed down her legs. One of the middle legs on the left was caught in the bear trap and with black blood oozing from the wound. A pitiful and mournful cry escaped the poor girl as she frantically tried and failed to free her caught legs. His heart broke at the sight, and he instantly went over to her, slow and cautious but taking wide steps to make it to her.

“Hey, hey, hey,” he spoke in a soft voice, and she gasped at the sight of him as more tears poured down her cheeks. “You need to stop struggling.”

She gasped at the sight of him, her actions becoming more frantic as she shook her head in fear. She hissed in a painful cry and continued to try to pull the trap from her leg. “D-Don’t hurt me!”

“I don’t plan to.” He set the lantern down on the ground and held his hands up in show he meant her no harm. “I just wanna get you out of that.”

She hissed again, a reflex to intimidate him, and even growled at him. “Get away from me!”

“All I wanna do it help, I swear.” He said cautiously as he drew nearer.

“I don’t trust humans!” She whined out in pain and struggled again and caused the beartrap to bite harder into her leg.

“I know you’re scared, and you don’t know me, but I’m Jayroe. I’m not here to hurt you.” He spoke as calmly as he could all the while frantically trying not to think of all the dangerous possibilities this drider could do to him. “You gotta stop moving, sweetie, it’s only going to get tighter the more you struggle.”

Her chest fluttered as she cried and sputtered, and she shook her head again. “N-no!”

“That hurts, right?” He pointed out the obvious as he took another step forward as she looked down at her leg.

“Y-Yeah.” She nodded weakly, her lower lip quivering as the tears just couldn’t stop.

“You want it off, right?” He asked as he was just arms reach away from her now.

“Y-Yeah.” She nodded and winced as she tried to move her foot, the other legs around her tense and the hairs on her body standing on end.

“Okay, I’m going to get it off, okay?” He didn’t take his eyes away from her as his hands slowly touched the earth near the trap. Beartraps are designed so they are almost impossible to directly pry the jaws open like the poor little drider girl before him had been doing. Careful to avoid the end of her appendage caught in the trap, Jayroe pulled out a four by six wooden wedge that was roughly the length of his arm and just a few inches thicker than her trapped leg, from his pack and carefully tacked it into place in the bend where the two parts met. Carefully tapping it in with the hammer, it helped to provide a little wiggle room for the girl’s appendage.

“Don’t move yet sweetie.” He warned as he carefully worked his boot under the trap and on the left side just over the spring. “This part is tricky, and I don’t you anymore hurt.”

She whimpered as her hands dug into the earth but nodded all the same as she watched his movement. Jayroe wasn’t heavy enough to completely pry the thing open, but all he needed to do was get a little more room there for her to get her leg out. Careful and slow to stand and put all his weight onto the spring as possible, he pressed down on the wedge, and it creaked as it opened more.

“Don’t move yet.” He nervously licked his lip as he felt his sweat dripping down his brow. “Wait till I tell you, okay?”

She gulped and made a noise but didn’t move yet. He let out a slow breath as his hand reached down to the keylock that would reset the trap. He wasn’t strong enough to pull it free all on his own, but he could manage enough to get her foot out. He panted and adjusted his stance and looked at her once to see her just as nervous as he. “On the count of three, okay?”

She whimpered but nodded.

“One.”

She gasped and her entire body trembled.

“Two.” His muscles tensed as he mentally prepared himself for what would happen next. “Three!”

As fast as he could he pulled on the lock as he simultaneously stepped on the spring and jammed the four by six as deep into the trap as he could. The trap creaked and fought against him, but with the plank of wood twisting in just the right angle, her leg was free. The moment it was, she drew it closer to her body and shuffled away from the trap while Jayroe fell backwards. The angry little trap the plank of wood ruthlessly as it fell on its side. He heaved a sigh of relief as he sat up and looked at the drider girl. She was very young, though she as she sat huddled together, she came up to his waste. Jayroe wiped his brow as he picked up his lantern and carefully approached her. “How you doin’ sweetie?”

“It hurts.” She whimpered and aggressively rubbed the tears from her face.

“I know, sweetie,” he tried to offer her a smile, though he wasn’t sure if it would do her any good. “Let me have a look at it.”

He set the lantern back down on the ground and carefully examined her leg. Her hair was all matted and covered in the black blood so he couldn’t properly get a good visual on the wound. As careful and gentle as he could, he smoothed back the hair on her leg as the others around him twitched at his motion. The wound didn’t appear to be too deep, but he couldn’t quite tell, and would rather have it wrapped up than take a terrible chance of fate. Without hesitation he dug around in his back for his emergency supplies and quickly applied some poultice to the wound. She winced and twisted her head away from him, but she did her best not to flinch too much for him.

“You’re doin’ good, sweetie,” he cooed softly as he worked, hoping it encouraged her despite the pain.

She whimpered as her long fingers dug into the earth. “Kai.”

“You’re doin’ great, Kai.” He continued to apply the poultice until it was wrapped all the way around the wound, a vibrant green to match her eyes. “I’m almost done.”

“W-Why are you helping me?” She sniffled as she sat up and watched him work.

“Because you’re hurt.” He said simply and calmly. “I don’t like seeing others hurt.”

“B-but I’m a drider. . .” her brow furrowed and tilted her head to the side. “Humans hate driders, my big brother says so.”

“Not all humans.” He shook his head and laughed lightly and tried not to gulp. It was good to know that this little one wasn’t entirely on her own, though it was a terrifying thought to think of an angry older brother suddenly seeing this. “I certainly don’t.”

“But you don’t know me.”

“And you don’t know me.” He smiled widely at her as he finished rubbing in the poultice. “I’m not like most humans, Kai. I like everyone so long as you aren’t mean.”

All four of her green eyes widened at this and he bit back a laugh.

“Are you mean, Kai?” He asked playfully and she immediately shook her head no at him.

“N-no, I’m not mean, I’m not mean at all!” She spoke quickly. “I’m the nicest drider next to my mommy!”

“Oh yeah?” He chuckled. “Well, that’s good to know.”

She looked down at her leg and wiggled it a bit in his hold. “It doesn’t hurt much now.”

“Good.” He smiled in relief at this. “I’m glad, I don’t like to see you hurt. Do you think you can stand?”

Her tongue poked out as she pushed herself off her side and stood on the other seven legs. Jayroe held his hands out in case he needed to catch her as she delicately applied a little pressure to her wounded leg and winced. If she were to fall, Jayroe was certain that he’d only lighten her fall and wouldn’t be able to properly catch her, but luckily, she was able to stand on her own.

“Easy now.” He said as she put her foot down. “You’ll need to rest for a few days before you can really walk on it.”

“B-but I can’t rest!” She gasped and shook her head. “I have to help my brother hunt!”

“Don’t tell me you’ve been the one hunting my cows.” His smile faltered at that news, but he tried not to let it show on his face. She quickly sucked in her lips, her face burning a deep shade of pink as she twisted her face away from him. Though he hated to admit it, it was a winning point for Lord Colquett to use the beartraps to prevent the driders from taking the animals.

“We don’t go to the village.” Kai spoke softly as she peeked over at him. “We only take them when they’ve gotten too deep in the forest. . .”

“Surely there are other things you can hunt.” He tried not to allow his face to show how crestfallen he felt. “Rabbits, birds, something else besides the cows and sheep that get lost here?”

“We would, but they’re not enough.” Her slim shoulders slumped as she looked at him. “Mommy’s got to have a lot to eat since she’s been carrying the babies –”

Babies? There was a promise of more of them scuttling about in the forest? As much as he wanted to remain positive about this situation, this would complicate matters in the village. Before Kai could finish explaining her reasons for stealing the cows, something sticky and tacky clung to his shoulder and dragged him away from her and into a direction where a ferocious hissing was. Jayroe was yanked across the clearing by a strong web until he was thrown onto his back and pounced on by a not so friendly drider. Hissing and snarling the male drider above him had similar features to Kai, only he had a deep scar that covered the left side of his face.

“What have you done to my sister!” He snarled out, his teeth just centimeters from Jayroe’s face. “I smell blood!”

“Lycas, no!” Kai cried out as she tried to move forward, but she couldn’t move quick enough. “He didn’t do anything!”

Lycas stopped hissing and snarling long enough to look over at his sister, his hold on Jayroe firm and unrelenting as he kept him pinned to the ground. Jayroe could only stare at the angry drider above him and prayed he would go to his sister rather than try to kill him, but at the tightening grip on his neck, it didn’t feel likely. Lycas bit at the air and glared back down at Jayroe. “You hurt Kai!”

“I stepped in a trap.” Kai admitted shyly and Lycas became silent as his eyes narrowed in on her wounded leg. “He helped free me.”

“Helped you?” He raised a brow in disbelief and looked back to Jayroe. Jayroe instantly nodded his head in agreement and pointed over to the discarded trap that still had the plank of wood. “Why would a human help you?”

“H-He’s really nice, Lycas.” Kai dared to step closer, wincing as she stepped on her bad foot. “He got the trap off of me, and even put some stuff to help the pain go away.”

Lycas growled lowly as he looked back to Jayroe. “Are you alone?”

“Yup.” Jayroe nodded his head quickly and tried to keep his voice calm. “I came here looking for a lost calf when I found her.”

“How do I know there aren’t others in the forest?” Lycas’s voice sounded splintered as the hair on his body stood on end.

Jayroe tried to think of something quick, something believable, but he could only tell the truth. “I it’s too early in the morning for anyone else in the village to be awake right now, and I came here looking for the calf, I swear.”

“There have been many humans wandering the forest lately putting down more of those evil traps out.” Lycas didn’t seem particularly pleased with his answer and tilted his head to the side. “You knew how to get out of that trap pretty fast, how do I know you’re not one of them?”

“Y-You don’t, but I’ve been stuck in one before and I know it hurts like hell.” Jayroe gulped. “You can look at my right leg and see that I still have the scars from the time it nearly broke my leg if you don’t believe me.”

Lycas glanced at the leg but made no motion to see if Jayroe was telling the truth or not.

“We don’t even own any of those on our farm.” He spoke truthfully, but his racing heart was not helping this situation. “My dad was terrified of one of my siblings having the same accident as me and had them melted down into the shovels on the farm. I only came out here to get the baby cow.”

Lycas had the same vibrant green eyes as Kai, but his were far from friendly as he continued to glare down at Jayroe. “There was no cow.”

“What?” He gasped, but there was no way for Jayroe to move. “But I’m missing three!”

“Lycas, please,” Kai managed to wobble over, “just let him go.”

“Why should I?” Lycas growled as he looked at his sister. “He’s a human, and nothing good comes from them!”

“Lycas.” Kai reached her hand out and touched his arm and he froze. “We’re not in the castle anymore, J-Jayroe isn’t like the other humans.”

“What, just because he helped you?” He jerked his arm free from his sister and his hold on Jayroe lessened.

“Yes!” Kai grabbed his arm again. “He could have left me there!”

“And he could also go and get other humans to go and hunt us down!” Lycas raised his voice, the hairs on his body reverberating down his body. “We can’t trust him!”

“I won’t!” Jayroe gasped out and held his hands out, palms up in surrender. Lycas’s intense gaze returned to him, and he almost regretted saying anything at all. “I won’t tell anyone. I swear.”

“Your word means nothing to me, human.” Lycas’s grip tightened again, and Jayroe froze. “Humans are quick to lie in order to save their own skin.”

“Then let’s make a deal,” Jayroe spoke quickly.

“You have nothing you can offer me of value human.” Lycas shook his head, his fingers twitching and ready to squeeze the life out of him.

“I do!” He wheezed and tried not to touch the threatening drider. “I have something of great value to you.”

“And what would that be?” Lycas scoffed in disbelief.

“Lycas!”

“Food!” Jayroe said quickly, his hands sinking to the ground at his sides. “I can get you food.”

Lycas suddenly turned his glare on his sister and let his hand go slack. “What did you tell him?”

“Nothing,” Kai shook her head, her hands hiding behind her back as she took a step away from him.

“Kai.” Lycas moved his hand, so it was no longer on Jayroe’s throat and replaced it with his foot as he stood to his full height to look down at his sister. “Why would he say food if you hadn’t said anything?”

Big fat tears began to form in the young drider’s eyes and Jayroe’s heart went out to her. Kai shook her head and shuffled to the side. “I didn’t –”

“You guys are the ones that’s been taking the animals, right?” Jayroe spoke up quickly to bring the unwanted attention back to himself. “The cows, the sheep, all the ones that’s missing –”

“We did not steal them, human.” Lycas hissed as he turned his attention back to Jayroe. “They wander into our territory, they become free game.”

“Yeah, well, they’re not so free if your little sister is getting caught in a bear trap, is it?” Jayroe frowned up at the male drider and received a growl in return. “Look, I don’t know why you guys keep taking the animals, but if you think getting rid of me is going to make the traps suddenly disappear, then you’re wrong.”

The growling stopped and Lycas merely glared down at Jayroe. The drider hadn’t killed him yet, so Jayroe took it as a good sign.

“Look, I get it that you guys need the food, but if you keep taking the animals, the other humans in the village are going to be the ones that are going to come out here.” Jayroe reasoned carefully with the male drider. “Not all of the humans would be willing to come to some sort of agreement, and if you promise not to kill me, then I’ll do what I can to help you.”

It was clear as day that Lycas did not like Jayroe nor his idea of a deal nor his reasoning, but it was true that things would only get worse if they continued. With great reluctance and much growling, Lycas fully released Jayroe and took a step back. Fresh air came to his lungs, but Jayroe moved slowly and surely to make sure he didn’t make any sudden movements to startle the male drider. When he got to his feet again, though, he noticed that Lycas was just barely bigger than his sister and had more scars that littered down his body.

Kai scooted closer to her brother and awkwardly stood between him and Jayroe, and though it did give him a small relief for that, he was worried about her injury.

“All right, so,” Jayroe cleared his throat and dusted himself off as he looked at Lycas. “What kind of food do you need?”

“Meat and fruits.” Kai answered with a faint smile.

“Kai!” Lycas cut her a sharp look, but she didn’t look at her brother. Lycas in turn rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

“Lycas, mommy needs help,” Kai frowned and stomped a good leg as she looked at him. “We can’t do it on our own!” Lycas opened his mouth to argue, but Kai quickly turned back to Jayroe. “Mommy needs more fruits for nutrients and meats for strength.”

“Okay, meats and fruits.” He nodded his head, it was simple enough, but he knew the quantity he’d need would not be easy to acquire. His mind instantly went to the butcher and the scraps that he left for the dogs, but it was all bones and fat and that wouldn’t be nearly enough to feed a pregnant drider nor the two before him. “Anything else?”

“Mommy needs to have this much.” Kai held her arms out to a width of three feet.

“She needs more than that, Kai.” Lycas grunted and narrowed his eyes back at Jayroe. “A full-grown cow is enough to fill our mother up for a few days, if that helps put it into your perspective.”

“How many days?” Jayroe gave a curt nod.

“Three at most,” Lycas shrugged. “We give her plenty of snack throughout the day to the point she doesn’t have to have a big meal every day.”

“Right.” Jayroe nodded his head, understanding the mission, but he had no idea where to start. A cow weighed a ton, and most of the calves averaged out to be ninety pounds give or take; their mother must be large, especially if she’s carrying more of them. “Where should I come to deliver the food, then?”

“Here.” Lycas grunted as his back legs worked the silk free from the spinnerets and made a large rope. That sticky tacky rope latched itself to the bear trap still angrily biting into the bit of woods between its jaws before Lycas threw it into the air and over a tree branch. The webbing spiraled and tangled and stuck until the beartrap dangled from the high branches like an ominous windchime.

“You will wait here until I come for you. Do not come looking for us.” Lycas growled with his hands balled into fists as he stood before Jayroe.

“I won’t.” Jayroe held his hands up in surrender. “I swear I won’t.”

“And you better not tell anyone else about us.” His voice shook with anger, “I will get rid of any and all that I find.”

“I swear that I won’t tell anyone.” Jayroe snapped back quickly, “However, I highly suggest that you don’t try to make any sorts of attacks. When people go missing in the village, they tend not to think about their actions.”

“It doesn’t matter to me what sort of stupid decisions you humans make.”

“It will if they get the stupid idea to burn the forest down to the ground.” Jayroe clipped back, his voice calm and his face composed. There had been debates on more than one occasion where Lord Colquett wanted to burn the forest down to the ground to expand and help open trade routes. He’d only been successful in burning a single tree before a bear nearly mauled him. Though it was highly unlikely for it to happen with all the strange and wild creatures that lived in the forest, Lord Colquett had a horrible habit of being the loudest one in the room and doing whatever means necessary to get what he wanted.

“The forest won’t go down that easy.” Lycas scoffed. “Not with the deeply rooted magic that lives here. That threat doesn’t mean anything.”

“It isn’t a threat, merely a warning.” Jayroe sighed. “Humans tend to do stupid things when they’re afraid, and it often times ends up hurting everyone one way or another.”

“Keep your warnings and concerns to yourself.” Lycas huffed as he turned to Kai. “We’re done here, it’s time to return to the nest.”

Kai was able to offer a small smile and a little wave to Jayroe before she was herded back to into the mists leaving Jayroe with the little nerves of steel, he had left to seep out of him and cause his knees to wobble. He fell onto his hands and knees, his heart pounding in his ears before he let out a sigh of relief and rolled onto his back. He’d met not one but two driders in a single visit and just barely walked away with his life. Though he managed to survive an encounter with driders, now he needed to somehow provide enough food for them too.

A foolish part of him was tempted to leave and never step foot in the forest again, however, he already agreed to do this, and he would see it through the end. Now he just had to figure out how to exactly do that. The Violet Oaks were the home of many feral creatures, driders and bears alike, surely there was plenty here that could be hunted and used as food. He’d have to go back home for his crossbow, his knife would hardly do anything for hunting, but he also could spend all day here in the forest either. Getting up to his feet again and snatching up his lantern, he did remember that there was a pond not too far from the farm. Though he wanted to get this done as quickly as he could, his fishing pole was at the barn and no matter how he thought about it, he’d have to go home for supplies one way or another. Perhaps if he was lucky driders could stomach fish.

It wasn’t until he arrived back home that Fralick deemed it a worthy hour to inform him that the calf never was lost and that he’d miscounted this morning. Jayroe could have strangled him for that, but he was too distracted in trying to come up with a plan of how to care for a family of driders. Fralick already got a scolding from their father and their father was generous enough to allow him to take the morning off so he could eat and make his deliveries in town. It was while he was delivering the milk and cheeses and such to the village that the idea came to him.

Jayroe worked on a dairy farm, there was plenty of food to go around – so long as the driders could stomach it that is. There were always a few gallons of milk that either went to waste or was made into soaps since it couldn’t be stored for more than a day, and what could put meat on your bones more than milk and cheese? Jayroe had a skip in his step as he made the morning deliveries, making exchanges and such as he no longer fretted the outcome of providing for the driders. He’d take the leftover milk and goods to the driders, and he’d even throw in a few things from the market too! How had he been so panicked about this earlier?

That high he’d been on gradually descended back into the pit of panic when he returned to the forest though. Jayroe had to leave his horse close to the entrance, the poor thing refused to venture too far in the purple mists, and he had to tie the horse off to a tree and haul the wagon into the forest. By the time he’d reached the clearing where he was supposed to meet Lycas, he was sweating and fretting and exhausted. The hissing tipped him off to Lycas’s location in the trees, and he was too tired to be terrified.

“C-Cut that out!” Jayroe panted with his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. “I’m here with food, as promised.”

The hissing thankfully came to a stop and Lycas slowly descended the tree he’d been hiding in. “You’re late.”

“You did not give me specific time to be back by.” Jayroe clipped as he leaned back against the wagon. “Besides, this thing’s heavy.”

Lycas looked over Jayroe’s shoulder, his brow furrowed and a deep frown on his face. “Where is the food?”

“Here.” Jayroe threw his thumb over his shoulder. In the wagon stood three full milk tanks, two cheese wheels, a couple baskets of left-over vegetables, and even a few loaves of bread; all things he couldn’t bring back to the farm.

“I see no meat.” Lycas carefully inspected the items in the wagon and looked far from impressed.

“The butcher was bein’ a royal ass today and I did not have the energy to put up with him and properly barter with him.” Jayroe wiped his brow. “Don’t be ungrateful, this was hard to get here unnoticed and it was especially hard tryin’ to pick through today’s selections in the hopes you might like something.”

“You should have known better.” Lycas grunted as he looked down at Jayroe. “You’re the one that readily agreed to help us.”

“Aye, that I did.” Jayroe huffed, his impatience getting the better of him. “And I intend to do so, but I won’t be takin’ that disrespectful tone either.”

“Listen here human –” Lycas’s hair bristled down his body, but there was the rustling of leaves and the sound of his name echoing on the wind that prevented him from moving forward.

“Lycas?” A voice sweeter than honey called from the forest, vibrant green eyes peeking through the purple mists. “Lycas, are you still out here.”

Lycas’s whole body trembled, his hands opened and closed nervously, and he seemed to be more panicked than Jayroe. By the looks on the kid’s face Jayroe wasn’t sure if he needed to hide or stay. He didn’t even have the chance to question what was happening when a drider woman with honey blonde hair with rivers of coffee trailing down her body suddenly entered the clearing.

It was clear as day that this drider was Lycas and Kai’s mother, the eyes and hair alone was a giveaway, however, she stood at least three feet taller than Lycas and that put her at nearly ten feet tall with those long legs of hers. Jayroe hadn’t liked many girls in the village, they were nice and had pleasant faces, but most of them too short when they stood next to Jayroe save for the eldest Yates’s girls, but they were already married off and on the verge of starting families soon. In this moment with his heart pounding in his ears, either out of fear with the situation or the immaculate beauty that stood before him, Jayroe knew that he liked his women tall. The drider beauty that came peering out looking for her son completely captivated Jayroe, in more ways than one.

“Lycas?” Her voice was like a song as she looked at her son. “Who’s this?”

“A human, momma.” He dipped his head down in respect and shuffled to the side like a child who got caught doing something they weren’t supposed to.

“I can see that this is a human, Lycas.” She smiled gently, her face looking very tired. “I asked who he was.”

“I’m Jayroe ma’am.” Jayroe dared a step forward and drew those dazzling green eyes on him. “I’m here to make a delivery to your son here.”

“A delivery?” Her brow pinched and she glanced over at Lycas. Lycas’s eyes were wide in surprise and his hair stood on end. “What delivery?”

“I, um. . .” Jayroe licked his lips nervously and tried to calm his heart. “Food, fresh milk and cheese, and few things from my family’s garden.”

“Well, that’s. . .” her eyes widened at the news and tilted her head to the side, “kind of you. Have you known my son for very long?”

“No ma’am.” Jayroe shook his head as he spoke the truth. “I came out looking for something I’d lost in the forest this morning and came across your daughter and your son.”

“Are you the one that helped Kai?” She crooned as she tilted her head in the other direction. “She was telling me about their hunting endeavors this morning.”

“Yes ma’am.” He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or not that Kai had mentioned him to their mother, though he couldn’t fault her for speaking up. She was a kid Afterall, and they have habits of talking about adventures and such. “She was caught in a trap.”

Her smile faltered and she glanced over at Lycas who visibly slouched and shuffled to the side holding his arm in shame. “I see.” Those green eyes flicked back to Jayroe, and he was nearly ready to give her his heart. “I surely hope you’re not the one that’s been littering the forest with those dreadful things.”

“No ma’am.” He frowned and shook his head and he really wished he had something to do with his hands instead of avoiding fidgeting with his gloves. “Both my father and I are against them; I’ve been caught in one before and nearly lost my foot.”

“That would explain how you were able to get her out of the trap.” She hummed and looked him over head to toe. “You also put a salve on her?”

“A poultice, actually.” He felt a small sense of pride rise within him. “I just wanted to close the wound to keep it from getting infected.”

“How kind of you.” She smiled sweetly at him, and Jayroe wasn’t sure if his heart could take another hit like that. “Thank you, for saving my daughter, and for helping my son hunt.”

“It’s not a problem ma’am.” His mouth was running without thought and he knew if he didn’t reel it in some, he’d giving himself more work than he could handle; but it was already probably too late for that. “Not a problem at all.”

“You’re sweet.” Her smile made her eyes crinkle and the small laugh she gave at the end made his heart flutter like he was a teenager again. Could her four eyes see him turning into putty for her already?

Lycas huffed and crossed his arms and caused those pretty eyes to look away from Jayroe. “He’s only doing what I asked of him, momma.”

“I know, my son.” She reached out and patted the top of his head. “You did a good thing reaching out to him, I’m proud of you, Lycas.”

The hairs along Lycas’s body finally settled upon hearing that, though he still cut a quick glare to Jayroe. The mother drider smiled kindly down at Lycas as she pressed her forehead to her son’s in a nod of trust before taking a step back. “Now, Lycas, please be a dear and take the wonderful things Mr. Jayroe here has brought us to the burrow.”

The hair on his body spiked up again as he looked from his mother to the wagon to Jayroe and his whole body shook. “Momma, you don’t need to be alone with this human!”

“Lycas.” Her voice turned stern as her smile slowly began to tip down into a frown. “I am a grown drider and I can have a conversation with a human for a few minutes while you take the food back to the burrow. Mr. Jayroe doesn’t appear to have any ill will towards us, do you, Mr. Jayroe?”

“None, ma’am.” He quickly shook his head. “A-And Jayroe is fine, I’m not married and have no claim to being a sir or a mister, ma’am.”

She hummed thoughtfully at this and gave him another sweet smile to knock another arrow in his chest before turning back to her son. “You heard him, Lycas. Be good for me.”

Despite the warm fuzzies from the feathers of arrows that the drider mother gave Jayroe, the pointed tip of those arrows came from glare Lycas aimed at him. There was a low growl and a stomp, but the hair on his body eventually calmed down and Lycas stalked over to the wagon to pull the cart off into the forest. The drider woman waited until her son was out of sight before bending down to get to Jayroe’s level. She smiled again and looked at him thoughtfully. “Do tell me, Jayroe, did that boy try to kill you?”

“No ma’am –”

“Sidae.” She said abruptly with a shy look in her eyes. “If I’m to call you by your name, you are to call me by my own. Like you I’m neither married nor titled with such formalities.”

“Sidae.” It was liquid gold on his tongue and warmed him from the inside out. “He didn’t try to kill me so much as try to protect his sister earlier today. I don’t hold it against him, I’d have done the same thing.”

“It’s good to see that a human like you has such a kind heart, Jayroe.” She sighed softly, her smile becoming wearier as she glanced over her shoulder. “He’s been through so much. . . When Kai told me what happened, I was terribly worried. . .” She bit her lip, and it was clear as day to Jayroe that there was more than one trouble that seemed to be heaped upon this family. “He’s a good boy, but I am loath to admit that he’s suffered greatly at the hands of other humans and won’t take very kindly to you.”

“I can understand that.” Jayroe grimaced at the news and could only assume how the poor kid got all those scars. “He hasn’t done anything to me, Sidae, so there’s nothing to worry about there.”

“I only wish that were true.” she sighed with a weary smile. “As much as I hate to say it, you humans are the least of my concern, for I fear that I do have much bigger things to worry about.”

His heart pricked at hearing this, and he couldn’t fight the urge of doing something to help. “Might I inquire what sort of trouble, Sidae?”

She bit her lip and glanced over her shoulder and shook her head. “It’s best if you don’t. . .”

“Is there anything I can do to help at least?” He nodded in understanding, though he desperately wanted to know what was going on.

“You’ve done more than enough, Jayroe.” She reached out and touched his shoulder and his heart practically leapt out of his chest. “I really can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me and my family today, but I really must insist you try not to get too involved. It wouldn’t be good for you, and it would put you and your family in danger.”

“I understand, Sidae.” His smile hurt and his heart squeezed at her words and did his best not to find some sort of reason to argue. “Though, I hope bringing food here for you won’t cause you too much trouble. I’m sure that Lycas is very capable at hunting and providing, but with little Kai being hurt, I’m sure he’d like a little extra help.”

Her eyes widened as her hand fell away and she was silent for many minutes before she finally smiled at him. “If he will allow it, then I see no problem with it.”

The creaking of the wooden wheel drew their attention to the mists as Lycas reemerged with a scowl etched into his face and pulling the wagon like a wheelbarrow. Jayroe wasn’t sure how good drider hearing was, however, by the hairs standing on the back of his body, he could only assume that it was pretty good.

“Quick as ever.” Sidae smiled sweetly at her son as he wheeled the whole wagon back over to Jayroe.

“You need to go back to the nest, momma.” Lycas frowned despite his mother’s head pats. “It’s not good for you to be up and about.”

“Since when?” She laughed lightheartedly, but Jayroe could hear just how tired she was. Lycas didn’t comment on his mother’s words and turned his pointed scowl back to Jayroe.

“Would you like me to take the wagon back to your horse, Jayroe?” The question was stiffer than a board and pricklier than a thorn, and it nearly took Jayroe by surprise, however, he could tell that Lycas wanted to discuss something with him.

“Yes, please, if it’s not a problem.” He glanced over at Sidae who seemed to be all too pleased at Lycas attempting to get along with Jayroe.

“Don’t be long, Lycas.” She patted his head again as she turned to leave. “It gets darker in the forest.”

Lycas nodded and turned to watch his mother leave. “Yes, momma.”

“I hope you make it home safely, Jayroe.” She gave Jayroe a final look before walking off into the mist. With her back finally exposed to him, Jayroe could see he giant ball of silk resting on her backside. It was no wonder the poor woman looked so tired; it was a massive egg on her back! It only raised questions in Jayroe’s mind, though he knew he had the wrong drider in front of him to have any of his questions answered.

Lycas kept his eyes on his mother until she finally disappeared in the mist before hissing under his breath as he glared down at Jayroe and sizing him up. “What are you plotting, human?”

“Nothing!” Jayroe held his hands up in surrender and took a few cautious steps back. “All I wanna do is help.”

“What do you want?” He snarled with a click of his teeth. “You humans never do anything freely.”

“Hate to break it to ya kid, but I ain’t like a lotta people.” He huffed with his own scowl. “I don’t know your story and I’m not gonna ask, but it’s plain as day you need help, whether you like it or not. Between your mother and your sister, you got a lot on your plate.”

“It’s none of your business.” He growled lowly, his eyes narrowing in another glare.

“No,” Jayroe agreed. “But I am willing to help. I did promise to bring you food, after all.”

“You think what you brought today is enough?” He scoffed as he showed the empty wagon. “That’ll barely last the night.”

“Then I’ll bring more tomorrow.” Jayroe said quickly, trying to figure out a way to reason with the kid. “I’ll bring what I can every day to you until you can come up with something better. So long as you bring back the empty baskets and things, I’ll make sure you have enough food for as long as I can.”

Lycas snorted and crossed his arms as he looked Jayroe up and down. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because you need help.”

“I’m a drider.” He shook his head in disbelief.

“I’m a human.” Jayroe shrugged. “My brother’s dating a Fae, I think? But he doesn’t really know what he is either. Regardless, what does it matter what you are?”

“Humans don’t help driders.” Lycas said in finality. “They use us then get rid of us.”

“Well, I don’t have anything to use you for, except for pushing the wagon over to the horse, and even then, I’ll do it myself.” Jayroe huffed and walked past him to grab the wagon to prove his point. Pieces were forming together in his mind, but Jayroe wouldn’t dare ask Lycas any questions just yet. “I’ll be back tomorrow.” He wheezed as he pulled and tugged and silently wished Lycas would at least give it a nudge in the right direction. Lycas easily stepped aside so as not to be remotely touched by Jayroe and watched as Jayroe picked up an am and began tugging the wagon. His whole body screamed at him the moment he started doing so, but he would do it regardless. Jayroe would prove that he was trustworthy, and as mad as the idea was, he was determined to help the drider family.

TO BE CONTINUED. . .

Here in Part Two

I hope you’re enjoying this so far!

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Thanks for coming along the journey with me, stay tuned for more!

It was a miracle short of a blessing that Lycas was out and about hunting and gathering for Jayroe to warn him of the recent news from the village and he took it as well as Jayroe had anticipated. There was his usual hissing, the cursing of humans and why they were so insultingly inferior to driders, but all in all Lycas promised to keep his sister in their nest and to inform his mother of the current situation. Jayroe wanted to go with him to tell Sidae himself, however, he would have to be back to help with the stake out with the cow. Instead, Jayroe promised Lycas that he would still bring him food, but that he needed a few days to figure out what to do and how to do it so unnoticed. The moment he arrived home, panting, sweating and flat out exhausted, the guests strolled onto the farm and inspected everything from the livestock to the tools they used as they prepared to take the pregnant Pieper out to the field to be used as bait.

Jayroe had already been sweating thanks to the run and even if he hadn’t been, he certainly would have been while taking the cow out to the field. He was escorted by two massive Orcs and a few of the Holy Knights, all of them gilded in the armor and looking much more intimidating that he had originally anticipated. The Orcs were surprisingly positive about the whole thing, promising they’d do everything within their power to keep her safe while the Hole Knights didn’t provide much hope of survival. Thankfully the Orcs kept their word. The cow Pieper had thankfully gone unharmed, practically ignored by all sorts of nocturnal carnivores, and gave birth to some healthy calves that night. Aisley hardly left Pieper’s side and the house guest and Dark Knight Orc that was stationed at their house was quick to be her shadow and handled so many things around the farm. His father had been secretly worried that the Orc wouldn’t be cooperative and refuse to help around the farm, but lo be behold the Orc did more in a single day than the three of them could do in a week. It was good to know that their father’s burden could be lessened, and even buy Jayroe a little time to sneak off into the woods.

It did, however, take him three days to bring more provisions out to the driders after that day and filled him with guilt. He would have gone sooner, tried to go the day before, but he needed to carefully watch both the Holy Knight’s movements as well as the Dark Knight’s movements. They worked in two’s, scouted in threes, and rarely went too far alone.

Thankfully they didn’t go too far into the forest, they went as far as the violet mist was thinnest which meant they could only go about five meters in; however, that was still more than what Jayroe liked. The nest was give or take fifteen meters out, and though it was difficult on human foot, all it would take was a misstep or wandering too far from the nest and the driders could be spotted. It filled him with such worry that he could hardly sleep, not that he was getting much sleep as he tried to watch the Orc and his strange morning habits and routine. Timing was everything for him to sneak out before the Orc went to the forest, before Aisley woke up to make breakfast, and before his father woke to check on their stock and crops. Fralick had always been the one to get up last of the four of them, but lately he’s been getting up earlier to sneak off to go and see his boyfriend at the Yates’s farm. There was roughly an hour and a half of time where the rain lapsed and was just a drizzle for Jayroe to sneak out before the Orc awake for the day to do his usual habits and routines.

Though it was nice to have the Orc’s help in the house and on the farm and he was extremely good to Aisley, it was the presence of the Holy Knights that set both Jayroe and Fralick off. Although Jayroe wasn’t sure of what the specifics, there was something otherworldly about Brishen and Fralick was worried something was going to happen to him the moment he looked away from him. Jayroe, on the other hand, constantly worried about something happening because he kept looking for his driders.  Jayroe was silently envious of his younger brother for the lone fact he could see the person he was worried about much more openly without the constant fear of being followed. The Orc was a good fellow and he made Aisley happy so Jayroe didn’t want to hold any ill feelings towards him, however his position as a Knight impeded on any good feelings Jayroe could have towards him while the lives of the driders were at stake.

Timing was of the essence in everything that Jayroe did since the Knights had arrived, from his chores to his civil duties, he had to constantly watch the time as well as all the newly set out traps in the forest before sneaking off to the forest. The Orc was kind enough to offer them space and not to follow them, but Jayroe felt the eyes of the Orc wherever he went and could not get rid of the sense of dread that he was being followed wherever he went. As if it weren’t already so difficult, the rains came early, and the mists have only grown thicker. It was a small relief that the mists were so thick, however, it made it a challenge for even him to go trapezing through the forest to deliver food to Lycas as he could hardly see his hand in front of him.

His boots squelched in the rain, water creeping into them and soaking his socks as he pushed his feet to carry him quickly through the rain until he could reach the cover of the forest. The thick branches of the trees acted as an umbrella and kept most of the rain off him, though the rain still managed to find a way to soak him to the bone. He could only hope that the oil skinned rucksacks he had all the food in kept it dry. It was cold enough to where he could see his breath, and it was almost cold enough to make him want to return home, but he couldn’t yet. He was determined to bring more food to the driders one way or another. Even though the three of them claimed to have enough food currently, Jayroe was aware that whenever the babies were born there would be more mouths to feed, and though he had no clue what baby driders ate, he wanted them to have too much rather than not enough.

Determined on getting to the driders he didn’t properly look where he was going, and his foot caught hold of a tree root. The rucksacks went flying forward while Jayroe was unceremoniously yanked backwards by a web just in time for him to watch a series of aggressive claw traps and bear traps snap shut. Jayroe landed hard on the ground, the wind completely knocked from his chest, and had never been more relieved to see a glaring Lycas. Lycas growled lowly as he withdrew his web from Jayroe. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

Jayroe groaned and tried to catch his breath as he sat up. “N-No. Just trying to get out here and back home before the rain gets too much worse.”

“Stupid human, I thought you were better than this.” Lycas grunted in response and turned his glare towards the traps where the rucksack landed. “You of all people know we’re not leaving any time soon and that there isn’t any hurry to get to us.”

Jayroe thought he caught an underlying tone of concern in his voice as Lycas shot his web at the rucksacks that had flown forward earlier and brought them back towards the safety ring outside the traps. However, the concern was quickly smashed away as Lycas tossed the rucksack into his arms. The little air that had returned to Jayroe’s lungs was immediately squashed away with the weight of his bag. Once he managed to get to his feet again, Jayroe asked, “What are you doin’ out in this? Why aren’t you home with your mother and sister?”

“Humans in metal have been lurking in the forest lately.” Lycas scowled at the trees around them. “They lay traps out where the mist is thin and keep trying to dig deeper. I move their traps further away to confuse them. I just saved you from my death trap.”

Jayroe huffed and blew some of his hair out his face as he worriedly looked at the young Drider boy. “They’re out here lookin’ for you, Lycas. You really shouldn’t be out here right now.”

“I know that, human, you don’t need to remind me.” Lycas growled, his lips curling back in a snarl and baring his teeth at him. “However, it is better for me to try to draw them away from the nest and give them a good chase than let them get to close.”

A chill frostier than the rain ran down Jayroe’s spine and his gut twisted into knots. “How close have they gotten?”

“This far.” Lycas crossed his arms and tossed his head in the direction of his literal death trap. “They come this way frequently, so I’ve been tossing all their traps here, so they’ll know how it feels to step in one.” Jayroe grimaced as he remembered how long it took Kai to recover from her leg wound. It took her a few weeks to fully recover and was a bouncing ball of energy the moment she was allowed to walk again. “You’re lucky I stopped you when I did, else you’d be nothing but ribbons.”

Jayroe hadn’t seen just how many traps there were because of the mist, but thanks to the mists swirling because of their recent movement, he could see the tiny sharp spikes glittering in the eerie lights of the forest. Jayroe wouldn’t have been ribbons so much as he would have been pieces with many chunks taken out of him. His hand subconsciously went to his neck at the thought, and he silently wondered how Lycas was able to move the traps without setting them off.

“We’ve lingered here too long.” Lycas grunted as he turned to go the nest. “Come, my mother wants to see you.”

His heart leapt in his chest and his voice cracked at the thought. “S-She does?”

Lycas rolled his eyes at him at his voice change and shook his head as he turned his face away from Jayroe. “The egg will be hatching any day now. Once it cracks, I won’t have any time to leave the nest except to occasionally hunt and scavenge.”

“How many is your mother expecting?”

“She was the strongest of the breeders and always raised nine or ten.” Lycas answered and shook more rain from his hair while Jayroe’ eyes widened.

“Nine or ten?” He nearly dropped the rucksack. That was going to be more of a challenge to provide for that many mouths to feed, he’d have to start his own farm out in the forest to provide for them all; and he’d gladly do it if Sidae needed it.

“That’s usual for our kind as wolf driders. We’re supposed to live in a pack.” Lycas shrugged, but his movement was stiff, and his hands balled into fists. “Having the young taken from their mother to be raised for sport is not usual for us. Not that you’d understand, human.”

Jayroe did his best to let that last comment fly over his head as they walked. He could understand that the young drider was overly protective of his mother and sister, rightfully so and only wanted the best for them; Jayroe wouldn’t fault him that. He would, however, fault him for being unnecessarily rude about Jayroe’s lack of knowledge of their kind. It probably wouldn’t help their relationship for him to tell Lycas that he knew of their past thanks to Sidae telling him, and instead tried to be more positive in his response.

“Then I am glad you’ll be able to stay together this time.” Jayroe grunted as he adjusted the rucksack on his shoulder. “I’ll make sure ya’ll stay together.”

Lycas gave Jayroe a look that for once wasn’t a glare or a scowl, but it was a far cry from being positive. Lycas turned his eyes forward with a scoff, “It also won’t be safe for you to keep coming to us in case you’re followed.”

Jayroe frowned at the Drider’s words; however, he knew he was right. Despite the need he felt to protect and do whatever it took to protect this little family, he knew that until the Knights in the area left that it would be increasingly difficult to provide for them. It already killed him that it took him three days to come out here to bring supplies. Jayroe asked in a hushed voice, “Do you have enough food in the nest?”

Lycas’s lip twitched irritably as he walked slower for Jayroe to catch up. “It’ll hold us over. It will be difficult for a while, but we will manage for the time being. With or without your help.”

Again, Jayroe frowned and chose not to acknowledge the rude comment and instead think of how to better help them. Jayroe’s mind reeled as he mentally counted the stock his own family had built up for the upcoming winter season and just how much he could borrow. Between them hiding from other Driders as well as from the Knights, Jayroe feared that Lycas or even Sidae would go long periods without food to provide for the younglings. He hated the idea of them starving themselves, they’d all started to put a little meat and muscle on their thin limbs and finally started to look healthy. Jayroe shook his mind free of those troublesome thoughts, he couldn’t focus on the negative possibilities and had to focus on what it was he could do now.

“How soon do you need me to bring food again?”

Jayroe was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed that Lycas stopped walking until he bumped into his hindquarters. There was the obvious hiss in repulsion at the action, however, the leg to his chest pinning him to the muddy dirt had not been so obvious. A puff of air escaped his lungs and they burned to have it back again. Jayroe had to resist the instinct to grab Lycas’s leg to shove it off him as the crushing weight of his leg kept him pinned, however, Jayroe also knew that if Lycas really wanted, he would have killed him by now.

“Why are you so willing to help us?” His voice shook with emotion and clicked his teeth together, his brow angrily wrinkled as he looked down at Jayroe. “Helping us may gain my mother’s favor, but it won’t gain her affection towards you!”

“That’s not why I’m doin’ it.” The painful reminder stabbed at his heart, then again that could have just been Lycas’s foot. Jayroe grunted and his fingers dug tightly into the dirt beneath him as he tried to keep his hands to himself and refrain from touching the young and angry drider. “I – I know that nothing I do will win her affection.”

“Then why?” Lycas snarled as a pained look flashed in his eyes. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because you need the help, even from an annoying human like me, especially then.” Jayroe answered honestly and let his body go limp. His brow furrowed in defeat, and he just sighed. “Look, if someone found ya’ll, you need someone who is wholly on your side and would want to keep ya’ll safe from harm. Whether you like it or not, I’m the one that is going to do it. Your little sister Kai needed help getting out of the trap, your mom needs help moving around, and though I know you’re strong enough to handle a lot of this on your own, I know you need help too, Lycas.”

“I don’t need help from a stupid human like you.” There was more pressure applied to his chest, but not real weight as Lycas snarled lowly.

“Maybe not.” Jayroe laughed weakly. He’d had this conversation so many times already in his head. “But I’ll still help you because I want to. It’s the right thing to do.” Jayroe looked up into those angry green eyes seething with an untamable rage. “I’m not doin’ this to take something away from you, Lycas. All I wanna do is keep y’all safe and well. I swear.”

Lycas’s angry green eyes flicked back and forth repeatedly, his body nearly shaking as he struggled to accept Jayroe’s words. From this angle, Jayroe could see all Lycas’s scars that ran down his face, his neck, his shoulder, and even his chest. He wasn’t sure if they were battle scars from a drider fight, however, he could tell that it was done with a weapon like a dagger or a knife. Somehow, Jayroe knew that it wasn’t from a fight with a drider, he had a gut feeling that it was done by a human.

“Even if you’ll never trust my words.” Jayroe tried to smile through the pain of the weight of his words and the pressure of the foot keeping him pinned to the ground. “I can only hope that my actions prove that I’m not just in this to save my own skin. Even if you hate me, Lycas, I care for you, your sister, your mother, and even your soon to be brothers and sisters. If I can help it, I won’t let anything happen to y’all.”

Something conflicted in Lycas’s hard scowl, and try as he might to hide it, Jayroe felt as though he were somehow reaching the kid. He could only hope that Lycas knew how much he meant those words; how much he really would do anything to keep them all safe; even at the cost of his own life. With a growl Lycas eventually got off Jayroe and allowed him to get up and led the rest of the way to the nest without another word shared between them.

They were immediately greeted by the bouncing Kai who practically tackled Jayroe to the ground the moment she spotted him and a sweet welcome from the beautiful Sidae herself. She had a silk shawl wrapped around her shoulders and hugged it closer to her as Jayroe entered the living area. She had a little more color in her cheeks as well as a little more meat on her bones compared to the last time, and she only looked that much more beautiful to him. Not to mention the egg was larger than ever and looked nearly ready to burst. She brightened up the room with that smile and the chill that had lingered on Jayroe’s skin practically melted away at the sight of it.

“My, my, if this isn’t a surprise.”

“You’re looking well, Sidae.” He returned the smile, but it couldn’t compare to her majestic beauty. “I’m glad to see that the water doesn’t get in here.”

“Oh no, we’re several yards under the surface.” She laughed lightly and rested back a little. “Which is especially good since the weather seems to grow colder each day.”

“The winter season will probably come early.” Jayroe nodded as the reminder of the cold outside made him feel cold inside. A slight shiver went through him, and despite his best efforts to hide it, those vibrant green eyes spotted it nearly immediately.

“Did you travel through the rain?” She gasped as she quickly unknotted the shawl about her shoulders and tossed it over his head. “That’s so reckless of you!”

“I’ve been through worst.” He laughed lightly as she tried to towel down his wet hair with her silk shawl that had little to no effect in absorbing the water that clung to his skin. “Besides, it is worth it to see your beautiful smile.”

For whatever foolish reason the cold weather had given him a boost of courage to say something so flirtatious, though he couldn’t say he was displeased with the reddening in her cheeks. She stopped trying to towel him off and merely looked at him with surprise and something else in those vibrant green eyes. A cough behind them broke them out of their trance as Lycas tossed a towel over Jayroe’s head and took a place beside his mother.

“Go dry off before you leave a puddle.”

Jayroe glanced between the cross looking Lycas then to Sidae as smiled at her son and gently patted his head, combing her fingers through his hair. “Thank you, Lycas. You’re such a good son to me, always helping me. I’d be so lost without you.”

A faint glimmer of a smile crossed Lycas’s face and the hairs on his body bristled at his mother’s words before he turned his face away. “How are you feeling today?”

“Much better now that you’ve brought a guest.” She hummed happily as Lycas withdrew from her hold and replaced a cup of tea on the table before her. “I fear that with the rain outside we won’t be having him around much longer.”

“I’ll still make it despite the rain.” Jayroe promised with a smile as he took the seat across from Sidae. He chose to ignore the glare Lycas threw his way for no matter how much the boy tried to intimidate him, he’d do everything he could to protect them. “Where’s Kai?”

“Down for a nap in her room.” Sidae responded as she glanced in the direction of their rooms. “She was a little more bouncy today than normal and tuckered herself out.”

“Sounds like she’s recovering quickly.” Jayroe’s heart warmed to know that Kai was persevering so well. “Is there anything you’ll be needin’ for when the young ones come?”

She smiled warmly at him as she waved away his offer. “Oh, no, we’ll be just fine.”

Jayroe tried not to let his smile falter at her words. She had a habit of doing that when she was worried or unsure about something didn’t want to make a mountain out of a mole hill. With the egg ready to hatch any day and the dangers of the knights so near, he didn’t want her brushing her issues and concerns aside.

“You’re sure? Do you have enough blankets?” Jayroe pressed politely, hoping to coax something out of her by carefully prodding. “Need any toys, books, anything like that?”

“We spin silk, Jayroe, there’s plenty of blankets here.” She giggled at his worry and Jayroe wanted to hold the apples of her cheeks with how full they became with her smile. “They’ll be too small for toys and won’t even read yet.”

“Still, they like to hear things, I can always bring something to be read to them.” Jayroe hoped he didn’t sound desperate as he tried grasping at straws for some sort of reason to continue to be here.

“Jayroe, it’s all right, we will be fine –”

Crack!

Whatever else Sidae meant to say died on her lips as she suddenly gripped the couch she sat upon tightly as a tiny crack echoed like a loud slap as the egg on her back suddenly began to move. She suddenly began to pant heavily as the egg on her back had crackled and began to fall apart. Her usual vibrant green eyes were wide with a strange fear as a hand broke free from the egg behind her. Sidae shrieked as the egg continued to crack and more hands began to protrude from the breaking egg.

“Sidae?” Worry coated his voice and Jayroe had no idea if something was wrong or how to even help her in this.

“I-It’s hatching!” She raised her voice; a slight panic rose with it and filled her eyes as she called out. “L-Lycas, its hatching!”

Jayroe had witnessed many births, a few in the village from expecting mothers, but mostly cows, the birth of a drider was not one he’d ever anticipated seeing. It was not like the bloody live births of mammals as it was an egg that they were born from, it was a fight for survival to break free from the egg with little hands and legs scrambling and shoving one another to break free. It appeared to be just as painful as live birth for Sidae as she gritted her teeth and tried to keep from crying out. Multiple limbs broke free from the egg as they tore their way of escape open. Lycas was there in a heartbeat, already behind her and assisting the newborn driders in hatching from their shell.

“I-I’m sorry, J-Jayroe.” Sidae gritted out as her hands slid to her hair ready to pull tendrils out, but Jayroe stepped forward and held her hands to keep from ripping her beautiful hair out.

“W-What can I do?” Jayroe asked as Sidae’s grip on his hands was bone crushing. Another scream gritted through Sidae’s teeth and Jayroe knew she was holding back from possibly breaking his wrists. Already Lycas had pulled two baby driders from the egg, both already sprinting around his legs and darting towards Sidae.

“Keep her calm!” Lycas called as he bent over into the egg to continue the assist. “Let them come to her but keep her calm. There’s more this time than any before and I’ve got to get them out before they break her back.”

Jayroe didn’t know what that meant but he nodded regardless and looked to Sidae as she rasped through her teeth. He couldn’t imagine what pain it was she felt and wanted nothing more than to take the pain from her; but he couldn’t even do that.

“It’s going to be all right, Sidae.” He soothed and cooed calmly as he reached a handout to touch her cheek and smooth away the hair that stuck to the sweat of her forehead. “You’re going to be okay.”

“I know!” She huffed and tried to smile as she tossed her head back, her hands still gripping his one while the other balled into a fist. “It just hurts!”

“I know, I know.” He cooed and petted her hair and ran his fingers through her hair. “But you’re doin’ so well and you’re nearly done.” Another scream ripped from her throat and another piece of his heart was ripped out at the sound.

“Four more!” Lycas called from within the depths of the egg as more drider infants came scurrying closer to their mother. Already there were eight newborns, all clinging to her leg tightly as if seeking comfort there.

“Four more, Sidae, only four more.” Jayroe hoped that would be enough to sooth her in this moment, but another cry of pain gurgled in her throat and tears streaked down her face. Jayroe’s heart clenched at the sight, and he held her hand tighter as he pressed it to his chest as if to ease both of their pain.

“N-No m-more.” She sniffled and shook her head, her eyes screwed shut and unable to see the strong and beautiful little driders clinging tightly to her feet. “I-I can’t –”

“You’re almost done, Sidae, almost done.” Jayroe squeezed her hand as tightly as she squeezed his and pressed his forehead to hers to remind her that he was there with her, that she wasn’t alone. She cried and whimpered and clutched to his hand.

“Last one!” Lycas called as he dove in once more to pull out another drider so that the twelve infants, five girls and seven boys, could cling to their mother. The moment the last one was pulled free, Sidae collapsed and the drider babies took that as their chance to huddle closer and cling to her tighter. Though there was no blood nor mucous like mammals, there was plenty of broken egg shards and torn silk littered the floor. Lycas was behind his mother cleaning up most of the broken egg bits from her hindquarters while she exhaustedly clung to her newborns in her arms.

A tired sigh escaped her as she held her babies firmly against her and offered a tired smile to Jayroe. “Sorry. . . sorry you had to see that.”

Jayroe shook his head and shushed her as he smoothed down her hair and held her hand. “Think nothing of it. It’s all right.” He silently thanked the gods above that they blessed him with this moment to share it with her and to know more about Sidae. “How are you feeling?”

“Sore.” She grimaced and her brow wrinkled in exhaustion. “Lighter, but very, very sore. This was a heavy brood to carry, and it nearly broke my back.”

Jayroe glanced behind her to see Lycas carefully and silently removing all the egg shards from her hindquarters and could see how the weight of it had sunken in a few spots on her back. He couldn’t imagine the pain she was in.

“I can’t imagine what this looks like.” She laughed weakly and brought the sleeping infants closer to her. “You must think me rather ugly.”

“Never.” He said instantly, his hand tightening in hers and he had to resist the urge to kiss her. “You’re beautiful, Sidae.”

Her eyes widened in surprise, fear glistening in her tears, and her voice was quiet. “Even after this?”

“Especially after this.” He smiled warmly at her and brushed his lips to her fingers. “You’ve just brought twelve precious lives into the world, how is that not beautiful?”

Sidae froze and merely stared in disbelief at Jayroe, but he spoke truthfully from the heart and hoped she could feel the truth in his words. He did not want her to think that her children or her being a mother was a burden to him for it wasn’t. It was a privilege that he took with pride and now that there were twelve more mouths to feed, he wanted to do more for her; if only the knights weren’t here then he could slip away and be here for as long as she needed him.

“You are a strange one, Jayroe.” She sounded mystified as her fingers curled against his own. “Once males have seen young life come into the world, they flee from them and find responsibility elsewhere.”

“If that makes me strange, I’m strange.” He shrugged and smiled at her. “I’m not goin’ to let you do this alone, Sidae. I will protect you and your family; you deserve happiness too.”

Again, something flickered in her eyes and tears nearly threatened to burst free from her eyes. Jayroe would happily wipe those tears away and offer her as many comforting words as she needed to hear, however, he had already been gone for too long and though this was a dire emergency, he needed to leave. As if sensing that his time of departure were near, Sidae offered him a more genuine smile with another squeeze to his hand.

“I should rest now.” Exhaustion coated her throat, and he knew she needed to rest. “You should probably go, else they come looking for you.”

“I’ll be back.” He promised and pressed the back of her hand to his chest. “I’ll bring as many things as I can.”

“You alone are fine.” The corner of her mouth curled into a sweet smile and there was a tint of pink to the apples of her cheeks and only pulled on Jayroe’s heartstrings as he wanted nothing more than to bend down and kiss her cheek. Instead, he settled for her hand and quietly slipped away. The moment his hand slid from hers, her vibrant green eyes hid behind their lids, and she lapsed into a slumber where she lay.

Jayroe did his best to remain as quiet as he could as he retreated to the entrance to join a quiet and glaring Lycas. Kai stood in the doorway of what Jayroe assumed to be her room, her little head peeking out and watching.

“You can go see momma now, Kai.” Lycas encouraged and flicked his head in their mother’s direction. Kai looked from her brother to Jayroe before quietly scuttling over to her mother and finding a place to snuggle in the mix of her new brothers and sisters.

Tired from the excursion of bringing the driders into the world, neither Jayroe nor Lycas spoke as they traversed the long hollow hall that would take them up to the surface. The scowl on Lycas’s face nearly seemed permanent as he kept his gaze forward, but his fingers kept tapping along his crossed arms. Something seemed to be bothering the young drider, and though Jayroe would offer him a penny for his thoughts, he was certain that Lycas didn’t want to share anything on his mind.

“Looks like things are goin’ to be a handful around here.” Jayroe teased lightly, probing, and testing the waters with the young drider. Lycas merely scoffed as though the fact were obvious but didn’t say anything further. “I plan on bringing some toys for the kids, do you want me to bring you anything?”

Lycas stopped in his tracks, his hands balled into fists as he turned and looked down at Jayroe. For the first time in a few weeks Jayroe felt threatened by the drider’s presence, but he wouldn’t dare let it show. “No.”

Lycas turned to walk away again, but Jayroe somehow wanted to young drider to rely on him.

“Y-You’re sure?” He tried to prod through his own memory to think of the things that Lycas liked. Cheeses and grapes and things to keep his hands busy.

“I’m indebted to you enough as it is, I don’t need anything else to make it worse.” Lycas snapped, all the hair on his body stood on end as he hissed.

Jayroe almost couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What?”

“You’ve done enough.” Lycas repeated and tried to pet the hairs on his arms down as he turned his face away from Jayroe. “You’ve helped my family enough and I’m already indebted to you, I don’t want anything else from you.”

“But – ”

“I don’t have a need and want nothing.” Lycas hissed as he turned those green eyes that for once wasn’t full of anger. “I just want to take care of my family, is that so much to ask for?”

It was obvious that this was more than just a simple matter of the young drider’s pride that hang in the balance, but his very life as well. As the only male drider of their cluster, it was supposed to be his duty to protect his mother, sister, and now new siblings, and that role had almost been snatched away from him by Jayroe. Lycas was only a little older than he was when Jayroe lost his mom due to her bringing Fralick in the world and he was all too familiar with that look of helplessness, that need to somehow prove he was worthy to take on the heavy responsibilities of those much older and bigger.

Though Sidae had been vague in telling him some of their story, Jayroe remembered her saying that the male drider who was supposed to be with them now died protecting them. If that male drider had still been around Lycas would be learning the ways to survive by him rather than having to figure it out on his own and he wouldn’t be so alone in that responsibility. His heart went out to Lycas and he wanted nothing more than to hug the drider and tell him how much of a good job he’s been doing to protect his family now, but he somehow knew that he wouldn’t take it well.

“No, it’s not.” Jayroe conceded in defeat, his shoulders sagging as he had to fight the urge to hug the poor kid. “But if you change your mind, just let me know, okay?”

Lycas huffed and wound his arms tightly to his torso to cross his arms again. “Come on, you need to leave.”

For the first time of his many escorts to the surface, there was no tension between them nor a threatening aura around Lycas as he guided him through the mists and set him on the right path again. Jayroe took that as a sign of hope that they could somehow form a friendship, that Lycas wouldn’t entirely hate him.

The walk home gave Jayroe plenty of time to think and ponder about what to do moving forward now that he knew just how many little ones there were. He couldn’t help but wonder if he couldn’t somehow get a cow down there, so they’d at least have some source of food for a while, get some clothes down there so Sidae didn’t have to spin so much silk and what sorts of toys they’d like. However, all thoughts of the future with the driders came to an abrupt halt when the hulk Orc that had been staying with them was the one to greet him at the gates upon his return to the farm.

There was a friendly enough of a smile on his face, but Jayroe could see there was suspicion in Evreaux’s eyes as he nodded to him. “You sure were gone a while.”

“I like to take my time on my walks.” Jayroe shrugged lightly to hide his racing heart. “I have to be especially careful as the mists get thicker when it rains.”

“Never can be too careful.” Evreaux hummed in agreement and nodded his head. “Good to see you made it back okay, though.”

Jayroe didn’t have a chance to question what he meant by that before Evreaux turned and went on his way. It sounded like a warning, as if Evreaux knew what he was up to and only wanted him to be careful as he had no reason to stop him, yet there was something deeper to his words that planted a seed of worry in his heart. Jayroe shook his head and clawed at his chest to remove that seed of doubt and fear before it could take root. There was too much at stake for him to back down now, and he thought he would heed the Orc’s warning, but he wouldn’t stop seeing the driders that had already made a place in his heart. They needed him almost as much as he needed them, and he wouldn’t let anything happen to them.

I hope you’re enjoying this so far!

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

Here in Part Four

Please help me out and give me some name ideas for the 12 babies! Drop a name in the comments and who knows, we might have a new drider story soon!

Please leave a comment or a review and reblog!

Thanks for coming along the journey with me, stay tuned for more!

“Jayroe, are you sure about this?” Sidae asked quietly as they all stared up at the hill where his family lay in wait. “I know they’re your family, but what if they don’t like us?”

“There’s nothin’ to worry about when it comes to my family. They’ve been caught up with the recent events in my life, so they know about y’all and they’re not ones to judge you by your pasts.” He smiled and hoped he sounded more confident than he felt as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Besides, both of my siblings have non-human counterparts to their lives. They’re all really looking forward to meeting y’all.”

“I’m so excited to meet them!” Kai’s little feet shuffled excitedly, her bow bouncing atop her head while she clapped her hands. Kai’s excited energy gave him more of a confidence boost and filled him with a warmth he could only hope to share with her brother and mother.

“They’re going to love y’all.” He smiled warmly at Sidae and held she continues to hold his hand. She surprised him by t giving it a ferocious and nervous squeeze and nearly lit a fire down his back as she laced their fingers together into a firmer and more intimate grip. “They’re not going to judge you for what you are, who you are, or where you came from. I promise.”

“O-Of course.” Sidae tried to smile, but Jayroe caught the nerves in her voice and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and a gentle press of a kiss to the back of her hand.

“Everything’s goin’ to be fine.” He looked up in those vibrant shaking eyes and spoke softly to her. “Nothin’ bad is goin’ to happen to you or your kids.”

Sidae let out a shaky breath and gave a quick nod before glancing over to Lycas with a worried look. Jayroe couldn’t help but follow her gaze to see Lycas still remained in the shadows of the trees with the wagon handles clenched tightly between his hands. The wood creaked and crattled as his hands nervously shook, the hairs on his body kept rising and falling with his nervousness and Jayroe knew he needed to talk to him. Releasing Sidae’s hand, Jayroe slowly approached the stone-faced Lycas. His green eyes were focused forward to the farm atop the hill, full of distrust and refusing to move further from the safety of the shadows until Jayroe’s hand touched his.

“You okay, Lycas?” Jayroe asked softly so that only he could hear.

His whole body went rigid with the building tension within him, and Jayroe could see that the hair on his body was arching and bending and getting ready to rise before very slowly settling down. “I-I’m fine, human.” He gruffed and flexed his fingers under Jayroe’s hand. “Just ready to get this over with.”

“That’s a shame, ‘cause I know my family is goin’ to really like you.” He spoke honestly and held the young Drider’s gaze.

Lycas shook his head with a scowl. “You can’t know that.”

“I do, actually.” He said pointedly. “They are the ones that raised me, and if I like you, I know they’re going to like you.”

“You don’t really like me, I’m just my mother’s son.” His voice clipped, sharp and painful and full of fear as his mouth formed a tight line.

“I don’t just like you cause your Sidae’s son. Believe it or not, you’ve got many good qualities about you that I respect.” Jayroe bit the inside of his cheek. “I know we got off on the wrong foot when we met, but I thought we overcame that with everythin’ with the monster hunters.”

“Would you have saved me if you never knew my mother?” Lycas snapped, all the hair on his body trembling as it stood at attention.

“Yes.” Jayroe answered without hesitation. “I saved Kai without knowin’ your mother, I sure as hell would have saved you too, Lycas. I did, in fact.” He dared a smile and did not receive one in return. “I don’t like seein’ others in trouble or in pain. I wish I could have met you sooner to have prevented all the pain you’ve suffered from now.”

Lycas’s brow furrowed, and his frown only deepened as he looked away. “Why are you trying so damn hard to be a father? It won’t gain you any favor with my mother and it sure won’t gain any favor with me.”

Jayroe’s eyes widened. “I’m not. I don’t think I’ll ever be someone you see as a father. I would never force that idea onto either. I’m a human, which seems to be pretty detestable to you after everythin’ you’ve been through, and all I really wanna do it help y’all. Yes, I feel something strongly for your mother, but that does not mean I’ll force myself onto you as a father. I know you’ve already had two that you really look up to, and I would never ask that you call me father or dad or whatever. Callin’ me Jayroe instead of human might be nice, but I’ll take what I can get, and I won’t ask anythin’ more from you than what you’re comfortable with, Lycas.” He nervously licked his lips and let out a sigh. “If that never happens, that’s okay. I’ll always be here if you need me.”

Those green eyes seemed to cling to every word that came from Jayroe’s mouth and the hairs on his body finally went flax again. Just when Jayroe thought he’d finally reached him, the light in his eyes dimmed and he tore his gaze away from Jayroe. “If they take one look at me, they’ll be terrified of me. Everyone is.”

“No, they won’t.” Jayroe insisted and felt a pang of guilt for his words.

“They will.” His hands trembled furiously under his hold. It was as if he were trying to keep this distance between not only Jayroe, but also the population of humans as well. Jayroe firmly but gently grabbed Lycas by both of his wrists and forced Lycas’s attention on himself.

Any other time before his run in with monster hunters would have left Jayroe shaking in his boots with the look angry Lycas gave him now, but he knew that this sort of reaction was just his quick line of defense to push and wall up before he could get hurt and he could see the genuine concern and a hint if fear buried under the layers of anger. Lycas’s hand slipped from Jayroe’s grasp to cover the left side of his face lined with scars.

“If they see me, they’ll fear me.” He repeated, his voice trembling with a plea that he was somehow wrong, but a terrible confidence that he was right. It had never occurred to Jayroe that Lycas would be self-conscious about his scars, not after he used it as an intimidation tactic for so long, but it was slowly making sense to Jayroe why Lycas was growing more hesitant the closer they got to the farm.

“They won’t.” Jayroe repeated, urgency and finality in his voice as he tried to calmly think of how to convince Lycas that all would be well. “If, for whatever reason you feel otherwise, we’ll leave immediately. No questions asked. All I ask is that you at least wait until you eat the food.”

Lycas’s brow pinched, his green eyes wavering in disbelief as he stared down at the human before looking up to his mother as she placed her hand on Jayroe’s shoulder as she came to stand behind him. “Jayroe is right, son. If you don’t feel safe for whatever reason, we’ll leave immediately.”

Lycas didn’t say anything and quickly cast his gaze to the ground before Kai came to dance around his feet with a hug to encourage him as well. There was nothing said aloud, but they all knew that this would be a family effort and they would all go, or none would. If Lycas wanted to turn and leave this very moment, Jayroe would explain things to his family and simply go with the Driders. With a shaky breath, Lycas stood straight and pulled the wagon forward and towards the farm.

After everyone had received careful reassurance and urging, Jayroe led the family of Driders out past the tree line, up the hill, and onto his father’s farm. The cows were lying in the pasture ready to lull themselves to sleep for the evening, there were lanterns all aglow leading to the main barn where all the cows were kept, and gentle signs of welcome with food on the wind.

The first few things Jayroe did the moment he woke that morning was help Fralick muck out the stalls in the barn to create a safe contained and sanitary space for the baby driders to rest and possibly play in. Jayroe knew their sleep schedule well and he also knew they weren’t going to be able to handle much human food besides milk just yet and wanted a safe place for them to play in so both he and Sidae didn’t have to worry about their wellbeing. Aisley was all too excited to pull out their old toys and blankets and trinkets for the baby driders and was even more excited to pull out a few dresses for Kai. Though his father hadn’t outrightly told them, Jayroe knew his father was excited to meet the driders. He was so glad to see all their hard work being paid off.

There had only ever been a handful of tales where people from Drusilla had seen the driders that protected their small village and lived to tell the tale, Sister Lidwina and Mother Agnes being two of the few who had and were a thing of myth and legend to behold. Jayroe had been blessed to see so much more and learn more about them than anyone in their entire village had before. Now that a whole family was about to wine and dine with them, Jayroe had left careful instructions to his father about having a wide-open space for the driders for the evening meal and to not make them feel trapped; it was the last thing any of them needed after everything they’d been through.

His family were bringing out different plates and dishes out to the barn when they finally rolled up. Aisley nearly tripped over her feet when she ran to put the dish down to run out to meet them with their father and brother slow in tow. Though the driders stood composed behind him, he could feel the nervous look in their eyes.

“Aisley, not so fast.” Jayroe grunted as he patted her back and quickly glanced over his shoulder. “We don’t want to go scaring the guests, do we?”

“No, never!” She gasped and took a step back to look at the beautiful driders. “My if I haven’t seen the prettiest eyes in all the land.”

“T-Thank you.” Sidae nervously laughed and smiled at her.

“I think your eyes are prettier.” Kai said as she tiptoed out from behind Jayroe to peek at Aisley. “They’re green and brown.”

The moment Aisley laid eyes on Kai Jayroe was sure he was going to have to throw a leash on her to keep her from squealing in excitement. She had that same excited sparkling look in her eye whenever she saw an adorable baby or calf. Aisley ducked down and kneeled to a smaller level to be closer with Kai and held her hand out.

“Your eyes are by far the prettiest.” She beamed and held her hand out to Kai. “I’m Aisley and I’d very much like to be your friend. I like your dress too.”

Kai’s eyes sparkled nearly as much as Aisley’s before she cast a quick glance to her mother, received a quick nod of approval, and accepted Aisley’s hand. The two were nearly vibrating with squealing energy and immediately darted off towards the barn talking a mile a minute about things Jayroe couldn’t quite understand in their excitement.

“Well, that was my sister.” Jayroe cleared his throat roughly as he smiled back at Sidae. “This here is my father and my brother Fralick.”

“Pleasure to meet you ma’am.” His father beamed up at Sidae with Fralick offering a nervous smile behind him.

“The pleasure is ours.” Sidae’s cheeks tinted pink with embarrassment as she rested a hand on Jayroe’s shoulder as well as Lycas’s. “Your son has done so much for us. Though we did our best to get by on our own, he certainly helped us out when we needed it most.”

“Come on, let’s get these little ones into the barn where they can nap to their little hearts’ content.” His father flicked his head in the direction of the barn and led the way.

Once they were all on the farm everyone’s nerves seemed to finally settle down. Jayroe’s family was just as welcoming and loving as he anticipated and so much more. With Aisley making fast friends with Kai and even teaching each other a few stitch knots there was little to worry about from them. Fralick was relatively shy but was able to loop Lycas in light and casual conversation off to the side while his father thoroughly enjoyed talking to Sidae about literally everything. He had heard Sidae laugh before, but his father told some sort of joke that made her snort and Lycas laugh out loud.

Conversations were light and playful all through dinner and even after some of the drider babies woke and started crawling around. Sidae had been worried that the twelve of them would be a lot to handle all at once, but after running a dairy farm for so long, his human family was able to prove to his drider family that they weren’t anything to be worried about at all. With books to read, toys to be played with, and new things to see, the baby driders were easily entertained and easily tuckered out again. As Jayroe stood off to the side watching the best of both worlds co-exist with one another, a part of him hoped that he could somehow keep them all together like this, that he and the driders wouldn’t have to leave and they could all be one big happy family. He knew it would be too good to be true and even if his human family loved the driders as much as he did, there was too much conflict in the village and too many dangers seeking them out for them to stay here for much longer. Even if it was just for a single night, Jayroe would cherish this moment in time forever.

He’d been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn’t heard Sidae come to stand next to him and only just barely felt her presence as the wind blew. He stood on the porch while she stood on the ground, standing like this he was finally level with her, taller even.

“They are as loving and wonderful as you said.” She beamed as she rested her elbow on the porch beam. “I almost feel silly for being so worried.”

“Don’t be.” He shook his head with a smile. “They were as new to you as y’all were to them. They were terrified they were going to offend or scare y’all away.”

“Never!”

“That’s what I told ‘em.” He chuckled and laced his fingers together. “Still, it’s nice to see everyone getting along so great. Especially Lycas. . .”

His eyes slowly moved in the direction where Lycas and Fralick stood discussing things with their hands. Sidae hummed happily and leaned a little closer to him until their arms were touching.

“I couldn’t agree more. After Lycas was betrayed by a human when he was young, I never expected him take to any of them again.” Her hand slowly came to rest on his wrist and Jayroe felt his heart jump all the way down to his boots. “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done.”

Those green eyes turned in his direction and he tried to keep his heart in check and his mind from wandering with how close they were. “I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.”

“You’re far too kind.” Her hand slowly trailed to his, her fingertips resting on his knuckles and making his heart bounce and the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. “I know it hasn’t been easy, Lycas has arguably suffered more betrayal than I have and doesn’t trust easily because of it. The fact he trusted you and your words speaks more volumes than you could ever know.”

That helped keep his heart in check real quick. He had to release a slow steady breath to keep himself calm and his voice even. “It means more to me than you’ll ever know to hear you say that.”

“I mean it.” She squeezed his hand, and he easily relaxed his hold for her to slip her fingers into his palm. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen him this relaxed in the presence of humans.”

“I take it a human is what gave him most of his scars?” He wetted his lips to hide his nervousness and the clench of his heart when Sidae nodded.

“Some were due to the scramble of escaping the egg.” Sidae’s smile faltered and her hold on his hand stiffened. “The ones on his face and throat were due to a human boy he had befriended and then was betrayed by whenever we were making our escape. . . His friend had been the one to alarm the others that we were escaping.”

No words could properly convey the empathy and sympathy Jayroe felt as all the pieces suddenly fell into place. But Jayroe didn’t have to say anything or convey anything. He’d been with the driders long enough by now that there wasn’t really a reason to. Sidae smile and slowly laced their fingers together all the same.

“He’s come so far in such a short time; I really can’t thank you enough.” Her finger trailed tiny circles against his thumb as she looked at him. “If there’s anything at all that I can do to repay you. . . please, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Staring into those vibrant green eyes with his heart pumping so loud he couldn’t think, Jayroe was nearly tempted to ask for a kiss, but a single kiss wouldn’t be enough for him in this moment, and if he were more honest, he wanted to be more greedy with this reward. With more strength than he knew he possessed Jayroe held himself back long enough for the thoughts of reason to come flooding back to him.

“I’ll hold off on that reward for a little while.” His heart nearly dove into his stomach at his own words as the playfulness in Sidae’s eyes slowly slipped away.

“Are you sure?” Temptress that she was and knew how to weave her words into his heart, Jayroe had to be strong for what was to come next.

“Y-Yes.” His voice cracked out of spite of him trying to be strong and confident. “I can’t accept anything from you yet until you’ve heard a few things I need to say.”

She blinked curiously at him; her head tilted to the side in interest as she waited patiently for him to continue. With a shaky breath Jayroe told Sidae of the news in the town, of the monster hunters that had tracked them, how the driders from the castle were posted outside this village, and of the city of Dyrk and the place of opportunity it was becoming. He had left his hand relaxed so if she wanted to pull away from him in disgust, she could; but instead of releasing his hand she clung to it tighter. Sidae didn’t say a word save for an occasional question here and there of how this information came about as she absorbed his words. It was the longest conversation they had and the longer it went on the deeper his nerves buried themselves in his gut.

“So as much as I hate to say it, the Violet Oaks may not be safe for y’all for much longer.” He released another heavy breath to steady himself under those unwavering green eyes, but it did nothing to take the weight in his heart away as he chose to be bold. “With all that said, I think we should move to Dyrk.”

“We?” Not missing a beat her head tilted to the side, her hand flinching tighter to hold his hand with a soft gasp.  “Is your family wishing to move to Dyrk”

“No.” He shook his head and felt like he’d swallowed cotton. “No, my father said he plans to spend the rest of his days here. My sister will probably get married to her Orc come spring, and Fralick won’t leave his partner any time soon. . .” He hoped she couldn’t feel how badly his nerves shook but knowing her she probably could. “I was thinkin’ I could go with y’all if you wanted. If you were plannin’ on goin’ to Dyrk, that is.”

“It is the wiser decision to make, especially with how young the babies are, it’ll be easier to travel with them while their sleeping rather than having them run all over the place. . .” The corner of her mouth curled into a sly smile, but there was something that shook with fervor in her eyes. “But why would you come with us, Jayroe?”

He tried not to let the question hurt his heart. It was an honest and genuine question that deserved both an honest and genuine answer, even at the risk of breaking his own heart. He wanted to play it off that it was fine either way, if she wanted him to go or to stay, he would do either, but as he stared into those vibrant green eyes prettier than any precious jewels, he knew he couldn’t stay here in Drusilla anymore. Not if she weren’t here too.

“Because I want to go with y’all,” his voice was quiet even to his own ears as he spoke. “I want to do with you, Sidae, if you’ll have me, anyways.”

“I will always accept your company, Jayroe.” Her voice was just as faint and just as soft as his own as she carefully reached out with her hand to tuck a strand of his hair behind his ear. “However, a journey north will be difficult and unrelenting, there’s no telling when you’ll be able to return.”

Her hand came to rest at his cheek, and he held it there, trying to hold onto this moment for a little longer. Not looking away, unmoving and wrapped in this moment, Jayroe dared to let his heart speak. “That’s fine. My place isn’t here in this village anymore.”

“Why not?” She somehow felt closer in such a tight and close space.

“Because my heart no longer resides here. . .” He carefully squeezed her hand that rested on his cheek as he felt the flames rising up his neck as his heart grew bolder. Her eyes shimmered and it look like she was fighting back a smile as she stood so impossibly close. “If you do not want me, I will stay here, however, a piece of me will always be missin’ because you will always carry my heart, Sidae.”

The smile she’d been fighting back had somehow twisted and the shimmer in her eyes dimmed as she pursed her lips. “I would love nothing more than to have you come with us, Jayroe, but I cannot feel that if you come with us, you may never come back.”

“That’s fine.” No hesitation as his whole focus was on her.

“You always talked of starting a family of your own.” He could feel her withdrawing and that boldness in his chest began to squeeze in desperation. “I cannot give you that.”

He squeezed her hand, holding it tightly to keep her from pulling away, and carefully placed it over his chest where his heart thudded loudly in his chest.

“Sidae, you have already given me a family, even if they’re not my own I love them already as if they were. The babies, Kai, Lycas – and you Sidae. The greatest reward I could ever hope to have would be to spend the rest of my life with you.” She gasped and he dared to stand on his toes to be that closer to her, their noses touching, and their eyes locked on one another. “Whether you wish to stay here or go to Dyrk, it doesn’t matter to me, I will do whatever it is that you need so that you and your family is safe.” Her eyes glimmered with building tears and with a shaky hand Jayroe caressed her cheek. “I love you, Sidae, and I will follow you to the ends of the earth if you’ll have me.”

His heart raced faster than a horse in his chest, but he dare not move, dare not do anything to deter her from him. Sidae’s green eyes bounced back and forth with so many emotions he was sure he had overwhelmed her. Just as he was going to pull away from her, she leaned forward with a whisper, “I will have you, if you will have me, Jayroe.”

Sidae pressed those smooth lips to his own and the rest of the world somehow disappeared. Slow, steady, and even a little nervous their lips moved against one another in a strange harmony that finally brought a peace to his nervous heart. Their hands held one another closer, keeping them still in their kiss. When she slowly pulled back it was the railing of the porch that prevented him from chasing after her and made her laugh so warmly.

Fralick let out a whooping holler while Kai and Aisley gasped. His father smiled with pride all the while Lycas looked both unsurprised and unhappy at witnessing their kiss. Jayroe knew that he and Lycas were eventually going to discuss their relationship moving forward, but it was something that he could worry about much later. Like a ripple in a pond to start a change in an unmoving surface, Jayroe felt that his world was quickly changing, and he couldn’t wait to be a part of it.

If it hadn’t been made obvious to his family the night of the kiss, it was confirmed that Jayroe would be leaving with Sidae and the kids when two drider knights arrived to escort him from the farm the following Thursday in the dead of night. He wasn’t entirely sure how the driders knew so quickly. He’d assumed he’d have to write a letter to the drider prince, but they had somehow been informed by someone or they had been spying on them Jayroe did his best not to question as they were not forthcoming with their answers. There was a guarantee of good weather for the following two weeks and the drider knights wanted to quickly escort them to Dyrk before the winter chill set in.

with two dairy cows pulling the wagon, a bundle of knitted things for the driders, food for the road, and many tears and hugs, Jayroe and the drider knights departed from the farm and trudged through the Violet Oaks. It was a bit of a shock to Jayroe when he found Sidae and the kids all packed up and ready to go. Woven baskets from tree branches carried their canned food, carefully woven leaf and silk sacks carried water, and each baby drider were carefully swaddled in silk and sleeping. Jayroe was greeted with a glare from Lycas, a kiss from Sidae and a quick hug from Kai before she hid behind him as the knights carefully placed the babies into the wagon. It was obvious that his family was considerably on edge with the drider knights assisting and escorting them with how the hair on their body stood on end, but the knights were nothing but professional and handled the situation with great care.

For better or for worse the knights kept to themselves as they led the way while Sidae and the kids were tight lipped with raging anxiety it made him doubt his decision was the correct one. It was going to be a week’s journey and he knew he would have to do something to break the ice, for Lycas’s sake more than anyone. Lycas’s hackles never relaxed, and he followed behind the wagon to keep his green eyes on his family, but his gaze never strayed from the two knights leading them to Dyrk. They only took a short break at daybreak for the cows’ sake and so the little driders could stretch their restless legs and run out of energy in time to nap again.

Kai was able to relax and get most of her nervous energy through playing with her siblings, but Lycas refused to relax in the presence of the knights. Sidae stayed close to Jayroe, casually holding his hand, giving it a squeeze to remind him she was there, and snuck in a few kisses when she thought the kids weren’t looking. They were sweet and full of hunger and left a craving lingering beneath his skin, however, Jayroe didn’t want to do too much too soon. Between this big move and the knights escorting them, Jayroe didn’t want to overwhelm Lycas too much too soon.

“What have you told Lycas and Kai?” He asked as she ran a hand down one of the cows back.

“What do you mean?” She hummed as she held her hand out for the cow to smell her hand. If it weren’t for Jayroe rubbing down the animal’s back, she would have turned tail and ran by now.

“Well, about us.” He glanced up at her and could see her keeping an eye on her children.

“Partnerships are very different between our species.” She started slowly. “It is especially different for a breeder like me; however, I have told them that you are to be my mate; however uncommon that may be.”

He almost hated the way his face burned at the term mate, but it strangely felt comforting and somehow deeper than just marriage. “How did they take it?”

“Kai, of course, is excited for us.” She smiled weakly as the cow finally touched its not to her palm. “Lycas, though. . .”

“Didn’t take it well?” Despite the encouraging conversation he’d tried to have with Lycas that night before they met his family, he knew that Lycas was not ready to fully accept him as a leading adult in his life. That was more or less all right, he’d anticipated this sort of response and knew better than to push it.

“He did not seem surprised by the news, but he also did not seem to be disappointed either.” Her mouth formed a tight line as she stroked the long bridge of the cow’s nose. “I think he is happy for us, for me specifically, but I also believe that he is. . . frustrated.”

Jayroe could only nod in understanding. Their relationship with one another wasn’t on good terms, but it was far from being on the worst terms. Between fending for his family and saving his own life, Lycas had somewhat gotten over his grudge against humans, though that did not mean he would give Jayroe a warm welcome into his family either. Throw in a sudden move after getting somewhat settled into a routine and Jayroe would be frustrated too.

“I need to talk to him.” His eyes rolled over to Lycas as he helped scoop up his younger siblings and began to swaddle them in their silk blankets.

Sidae reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze and ignited his heart all aflame. “He respects you for what you have done for us and him, he just needs a little time. After so much change in such a small amount of time, he needs a little time to himself.”

Jayroe understood that, and though he would wait, his impatience of explaining himself to Lycas kept gnawing on the back of his mind. He by no means planned to replace either of his fathers or father figures, had not planned on lording over him, and wanted to be at least friends with one another before they got to Dyrk. He just wanted to somehow let the young drider know that, but he was also aware of the pressing presence the drider knights seemed to have over his nerves and knew he would have to wait until the time was right to talk things out.

I hope you’re enjoying this so far!

TO BE CONTINUED. . .

Here is Part 7

Please leave a comment or a review and reblog!

Thanks for coming along the journey with me, stay tuned for more!

“What are you doing?” Lycas had growled out, his arms crossed as he looked down at Jayroe, and shook his head. “You’re too weak to be getting out of bed this soon, human.”

“I need to get back.” His throat was dry and felt as though there was nothing but dirt in his mouth. “I don’t want my family to worry. Plus I to make sure there aren’t any more hunters or- .”

“You need to get back in bed.” Lycas grunted as he leaned down and helped Jayroe sit back on his bed. He kept a firm hand on his chest to keep him from sitting up. “Your father knows where you’re at, so stop worrying. Everything’s all right now. Just sleep.”

Between his aching body and being more fatigued than he realized, Jayroe obeyed the young Drider and was rewarded with a few sips of water before slowly slipping back into sleep. He could only hope and pray his father wouldn’t be too worried and that he’d have some sort of excuse for his absence should anyone ask. Despite his insistence of returning the following morning, it was Lycas that had told him he needed to stay and not to worry about word getting to his family of where he was. Though Lycas would not be friendly with Jayroe, the animosity that had previously been there was gone, and Jayroe willing allowed himself to trust and believe in Lycas’s words. Between the pain in his back and the muscle soreness from his fever, Jayroe didn’t complain much in the way of staying with them a little while longer. Sidae seemed relieved to learn that he had agreed on staying until the rain stopped and acted as the perfect hostess and bedside nurse, though it was hardly good for his constant racing heart whenever she smiled while working on him.

Kai was most excited to know that Jayroe would be staying with them while he recovered from his recent injuries and brought all her toys and her new brothers and sisters to play and tell him stories while he recovered to ensure the best quality entertainment. Lycas was always close at hand to help with the children and to keep Kai from being too rambunctious while Sidae nursed him back to health. Jayroe took both joy and pride in having the opportunity of reading to the little ones from the picture books he brought and telling them the same stories his father told him when he was young. Despite the twelve newborn Driders having plenty of little legs to run on, they moved in short jumping spurts and sprints before finding a place to curl up and go to sleep. Kai was most enthusiastic about nap time and was always quick to plead for a story before sleeping. He obliged each request and found that even Lycas and Sidae listened to the stories too. With a child and twelve small Driders always running around with hyper energy, story time before nap and bedtime became much appreciated by everyone: even Lycas.

It was during a nap where all the little Driders were asleep on his bed that Jayroe came to the knowledge that it was a little short of a miracle that all twelve Driders came into this world so healthy and strong. Sidae had explained that her last two eggs she had in the castle usually had two or three died in the scuffle of breaking free from the egg. Often there were what could be considered runts of the brood that were too weak to survive the first cold night in the stone cell she had been confined to and only had a handful of children in her arms alive and breathing. Lycas previously had been too young and too small to assist them in their escape from the egg, but she was relieved that he was able to assit them in their escape to prevent any of them from hurting one another with their spindly legs and arms to get to their mother first. The small Driders, specifically and especially wolf Driders, were particularly clingy and sought out warmth and clung to whatever heat they found, which resulted in Jayroe being forced to join them in nap time as they clung to him.

The little ones were numbered with a special shirt Sidae had made for them, mostly to keep track of them, since they still didn’t have names yet. They all looked just like Sidae with her green eyes and special freckles, and the only subtle differences that were given to them by their father were dark curls and darker skin on some of the children. There were twelve to name, five girls and seven boys, so he could understand how that would be quite the undertaking. When Jayroe asked about their potential names, Sidae had yet to come up with names for the children as they were still so young, and she wanted to see more of their individual personalities before choosing their names.

“Well, how long will that be?” He asked teasingly as he gently patted the head of one of the Drider’s in his lap. He didn’t like the idea of them being numbered like cattle, but he wasn’t sure if it was his place to truly offer up any names.

Sidae hummed softly to herself as her eyes looked over her children. “I don’t know, I’ve never really been given the opportunity to name my own children until now.”

His brow had furrowed and Sidae threw him a quick smile as she carefully swaddle the little ones in silken blankets and slowly hand them off to Lycas to take to their room. Sidae had waited until Lycas had left the room before turning to Jayroe and carefully scooping up a baby and swaddling it in the silken blanket. Her voice was soft and her eyes downcast as she swaddled another child.

“Driders are very different to humans in many regards, but perhaps one of the biggest is that humans are gifted with names whereas we have to earn them.”

“Earn them?”

“Yes, because so many of our ancestors were cursed to this form, many lost their names as well as their minds.” Sidae kept her eyes on her hands as she carefully wrapped her children, not daring to look Jayroe in the eye as she spoke. “When Driders are born, especially in the castle, we aren’t immediately given a name, often just numbered until we could prove ourselves worthy of a name if we survived long enough to adulthood or was sorted out early enough.”

She tucked her hair behind her shoulder as she released a heavy sigh and dared a small glance at Jayroe. “It’s survival of the fittest, the biggest, the strongest, even amongst the breeders like myself, and the king shows no mercy to anyone, not even his own son. . . Having a name is a gift that so few of us have since so few of us are allowed to live. . .”

This brought on many concerns and questions that Jayroe wanted to ask, the conflict evident on his face as he tried to figure out which to ask first, but Sidae either chose to ignore or could not address and instead explained the importance and value in the meaning behind the names they had and just how important they were to their lives as Driders. The primary reason that Sidae had never named any of her other children other than Lycas and Kai was the fact the honor of naming the child was given to the gladiator or father to name his offspring as it was his small chance of a legacy before he was to return to the battle and never see them again.

Sidae has been personally selected by the dreaded Drider king and had been given her name the moment she was bought. Sidae meant “era or time” as she was selected as a breeder when she was just barely older than Kai, only a few years ago, and was expected to carry on an era of legacies for the fighting gladiators in the coliseum. Though she was of simpler Driders in species, she had been selected from all the others because of her green eyes. It was only thanks to the ‘infirmities’ of her own children that Sidae was allowed to keep and name her own children. Despite his gruff demeanor, Lycas meant “bringer of light” he helped get Sidae through some of her darkest hours in the Drider castle and he was her constant light. Kai meant “sea” and she had been kindly named after her father who had come across the sea. It was fascinating to learn this, yet it somehow made Jayroe feel self-conscious whenever Sidae had asked him the meaning of his own name.

“Elder Spear Wolf.” His nose wrinkled as he answered her question and felt the back of his neck burn with embarrassment as he spoke the meaning aloud. Jayroe was the oldest and was named after his grandfather, it was a family name he’d been given, with little thought put behind it; not like the Driders who lived in this burrow. He’d tried to laugh it off and found that had somehow made his embarrassment worse.

“Though, I don’t think it suits me much.”

“Oh, no, I think it suits you!” Sidae shook her head with a smile. “You’re the oldest boy of your family, and the eldest one here amongst us. You’re a year older than me if I go by human years.”

Jayroe nearly broke out in a fever again from the heat of his flush as she continued regardless of how red his face had become.

“You’re bold enough to dare to stay in a Drider’s burrow and protect us from those that would dare to harm us,” she used her fingers to list all of the wonderful qualities, “Not to mention you’re incredibly strong to have survived your attack, you’re a leader, and just like a wolf you provide would for this pack of Driders!”

A sense of pride had blown up within him to know that she thought so well of him, yet it hurt to know that he could only ever have her respect and never her love. With each day he spent in the burrow, all fifteen of the Driders burrowed that much deeper into his heart. Not a day passed where there wasn’t a smile on his face in the company he was surrounded by and not a day passed that there wasn’t joy in his heart to be with them. He even managed to somehow get closer to Lycas, and though there was no more animosity and there was an underlaying level of trust between them, Lycas still kept him at arm’s length, and that was fine. Progress was made and Jayroe could live with the fact that even if Lycas didn’t like him for being a human, he at least liked him.

As the rains poured and his body took its time to recover, Lycas showed him no mercy in reconditioning him to walk and move his arms again. Though there was nothing broken, there were tears he had to be careful about else he would bleed out again. Where Lycas pushed him into his movements again, Sidae was quick to be at his side and help him recover either by rewrapping his bandages or rubbing a salve into his wounds. Her hands were smooth and a little chilly against his heated skin and he often had to hope and pray she couldn’t feel his racing heart at everything she did to him. It sometimes made his mind wander and imagine he felt a trail of kisses near his wounds. Jayroe was more spoiled and blessed than what he knew what to do with and as he got better each day, he found himself wanting to be sicker just to stay a little longer. He’d need to hurry home to carry out with his responsibilities there once the rain stopped, and he couldn’t help but wish and pray the rain would never stop. Jayroe had silently counted his blessings that all twelve came out healthy and strong and could only hope they would remain so even when he could no longer see them.

A whole week of rain and sleet and strange Drider dishes had passed before Jayroe was healthy enough and physically able to leave the Drider burrow. Lycas escorted him through the Violet Oaks, but his heart felt torn in two the farther he got from the burrow. Neither said a word as they travelled through the violet mists, Lycas was stoic as usual, but Jayroe could feel that his time with the Driders was somehow coming to an end, and he wanted nothing more than the heavens to open up and the sky to pour down more rain to buy him just a fraction more time with them. He wanted to be there when Sidae began naming the children, he wanted to be there to watch the children grow and become adults, it nearly broke his heart to come to terms with the fact that he couldn’t and that he more than likely wouldn’t. He would still provide them milk when things calmed down in the village, but he knew there would come a time that they would no longer need him and that they would probably have to leave soon.

With there still being high chances of monster hunters coming to find them, and the Violet Oaks was a dangerously safe place, it would not be safe for long with an entire family of Driders growing so close to a human village. As much as Jayroe hated to think about it, he knew that they would either have to go deeper into the forest for safety or would have to leave Drusilla entirely. He could handle them going deeper into the forest, he’d manage and find a way to get to them, leaving though. . . that was a different story. His heart clenched at the thought and despite clenching his hands into fists, there was little else to distract him. As if he could read his thoughts, Lycas suddenly spoke up and nearly startled Jayroe.

“We won’t leave any time soon, if that’s what you’re worried about, human.”

Jayroe glanced at the young Drider who already stood taller than he and somehow seemed to have matured in such a short time. His green eyes no longer held anger towards Jayroe, but instead mild respect and trust was there as he watched Jayroe solemnly walk.

“Mom won’t leave until the little ones have either been named or start talking.” Lycas huffed and crossed his arms. “Besides, we wouldn’t leave without telling you either, so stop moping, human.”

It wasn’t much in the way of encouragement, but it brought a small smile to Jayroe’s face and enough peace to his mind to stop thinking on the matter any further. Neither said a word after that, but it was a peaceful and comfortable silence they walked in as Lycas dropped him off at their meeting point. It was almost surreal to return to a life he’d known so well after living in a dream for a week to the point it made each step gradually slower than the last for Jayroe hesitant to rejoin his family. When Jayroe arrived at the farm, Fralick had been in the field with the cows and his father was about to mount his horse when he stopped and spotted him. Both his brother and his father ran out to him pulled him into a fierce hug that was enough to make him groan about his still healing wounds. Many things had happened in his one week of absence and he almost couldn’t believe his ears when his father told him about the news over a quick breakfast.

The Holy Knights had been witch hunters in disguise ready to take some of the sisters from the church who had been falsely accused of witchcraft while the blacksmith’s wife who was a witch had gone missing along with her daughter. Lord Colquett had been taken to prison by the few honorable Holy Knights that were in the company and there was soon to be a wedding for Sister Bethea of the church and Sir Theron. In addition to all this, Evreaux was to properly court Aisley upon his return from escorting Sister Lidwina and her feral Drider to a city of Dyrk in the North. Drusilla was more or less back to its peaceful and spiteful state again while the happenings of the Drider castle were still vastly unknown to the plebeians and humans of society.

However, in a strange series of events there seems to have been a change of rulers and the prince has overthrown the dark king and is going about fixing things. Starting with the Driders in the coliseum, the Drider Prince was in the process of creating a rehabilitation center in the city for the changed Fae and feral Driders to ease their way into society and was to be a haven for Driders everywhere. After all the terrible stories that Sidae told him about what happened in the Drider castle, it all sounded too good to be true and like a fabricated trap to bring the runaways back into their confinement and imprisonment. A part of him wanted to tell Sidae about this revelation and changes in rulers, yet at the same time he wanted to do everything he could to hold onto them; but he couldn’t be that selfish. He especially couldn’t be allowed to be selfish if it meant giving them a happier future.

“How are your Driders? Think they’d be interested in a place like that?” His father asked as he sipped his cup of coffee.

Jayroe raked his hand across the back of his neck and bit his lip at the thought and tried to ignore the pang of hurt in his chest at the idea. “I-I don’t know, pa. Maybe? But I’d have to talk to her about it. She was really hurt by what happened in the castle, I don’t know if it’d be better for her to stay in the burrow or uproot all the kids and take them to Dyrk.”

“Kids can easily adapt.” His father gave a casual shrug, his eyes not leaving Jayroe. “They’re young and though not always willing to accept change, they will if it’s a better future and opportunity for them.”

“Except that I don’t think moving twelve infants is goin’ to be easy.”

His father’s jaw went slack as Jayroe began to recount him of what happened to him in the past week. His father listened wordlessly with a nod of his head and waited until he finished before asking, “Why are you here?”

His brow pinched at the obvious reasons he’d just laid out but answered anyways. “Because I was healed, and it was time for me to leave.”

His father knocked his knuckle against the table. “No, son, why are you here and not there?”

He slumped and held his coffee cup between his hands. “Because I can’t do anything for them out there. . .”

“Really?” His father’s bushy brows rose in disbelief. “Fighting off four monster hunters that nearly killed you, taking a few arrows to your back, and practically providing for this family for the last few months now somehow makes you think you really can’t do nothin’ for them?”

Jayroe’s eyes went wide in surprise, and he almost couldn’t believe what he was saying. However, the piece of him that was left in the Violet Oaks deep in a burrow was practically singing at his father’s words while another piece was so full of conflict at the idea of leaving his childhood home. He always knew one day that he’d marry, move out, start a family, start his own farm, but he always thought he’d be close at hand if his father or siblings ever needed him. Thinking about possibly leaving to go with the Driders to a new place entirely hadn’t been something he’d planned for nor been prepared for. It was a lot to think about so suddenly and Jayroe wasn’t sure how to go about any of it. As if seeing his conflict, his father sighed and slung back the rest of his coffee before setting the empty mug on the table.

“It’s obvious your place isn’t here on the farm anymore, Jayroe, and that’s fine.”

Jayroe couldn’t help but look his father in the eye as he spoke and tried to help guide his wandering mind.

“Aisley’s got Evreaux, and Fralick’s been seeing the Yates’s boy – don’t think I don’t know about that –” His father pointed an accusing finger at him before chewing on the inside of his lip. “The way I see it, you kids have found the places you’re all meant to be but are too scared to go after it.” He sighed then scratched his cheek. “Aisley is probably the bravest for tellin’ me out front about Evreaux, and it ain’t easy to tell your father you want to court and marry an Orc.”

“Well, she’s got less to fear when she’s got that mountain of a man wanting to marry her and would stomp anyone who got in his way.” Jayroe laughed dryly then bit his lip. “I know Aisley will be fine, and Fralick will find his way, but what’ll happen to you?”

“I’ll be here.” He gestured to the whole house as he sat back and crossed his arms, tucking his hands under them. “Aisley and Evreaux will probably stick around, maybe even move in and take over the farm. Evreaux seemed to really like the place and already started askin’ me how to tend to all the duties that happen here. I don’t have a clue what Fralick will do, but when he’s ready to tell me he will.” His father stared him in the eye, eyes of wisdom and knowledge prodding him. “As for you, Jayroe, I reckon you got a family out there that will miss you if you’re stupid enough to leave them out there.”

His father didn’t give him a chance to speak up or argue or even ask a question before he stood from his chair and went back to work on the farm. Aisley was in town and Fralick was out somewhere, and this left Jayroe all alone in the house. Though it was his childhood home, it somehow felt smaller compared to the burrow, in a strange way he suddenly felt cramped even though he was the only one in the house. Wanting to ignore that feeling, Jayroe stood and wandered from room to room, memories flashing in his mind and making him feel both melancholy as well as suddenly much older. He hadn’t realized how much he had to stoop under some of the doorways, though it had to have been much worse for Evreaux, and he strangely felt as though he had somehow outgrown the only home he’d ever known.

There was so much he didn’t know, so much he wanted to ask his father about and get his help on; especially with how to handle a young Drider who didn’t seem to hate him anymore but just barely tolerated him and ask him what he needed to do to get Lycas to like him. Sitting on his bed, Jayroe tried to map out his future by just a few small choices here and there but no matter what choices he thought he’d make, his mind kept going back to Sidae and the kids. Even his own room had felt small compared to the burrow he’d lived in for a week and as much as he hated to admit it, it was probably time for him to leave the nest. He tried to ignore it as he reminisced about childhood memories in this house, but it somehow seemed to make the conflicting feeling that much worse. Though his body was here, his heart was in the burrow.

Even when Jayroe sat in the company of his loved ones at dinner, that feeling of being at home was not there with him and made him feel that more out of place. While Aisley and Fralick talked about their days and teased one another about her courting and Orc, Jayroe’s mind was far away. Like many times before, his father was right and deep down in his heart he knew that he couldn’t not be a part of his own family’s lives, they were flesh and blood and he’d always have a place here if things somehow didn’t go well. He knew that if he didn’t do something about this now, he’d likely not see Sidae or the kids in the future. He spent the day with his family and waited until after dinner to talk with his family about what he wanted to do.

He’d cleared his throat to get their attention and as their merriment slowly died down so they could listen to him, and his voice shook. “I - I think I’m going to move out.”

His siblings had dropped their silverware, but his father didn’t seem to be that surprised. “What?”

“I’m going to move out.” He spoke a little stronger and with more confidence.

Aisley shook her head in disbelief. “But you only just got back!”

“You aren’t well enough to travel.” Fralick scolded with a scowl. “You better not be sayin’ that just to give me more chores! So help me Jayroe - !”

“That’s not the reason.” He hissed out and groaned as he had to go into the details of explaining where he’d been and where his heart truly was. He’d explained everything, all the secrets he’d kept about the driders and the dangers he’d faced in the Violet Oaks. He explained how he saved Kai, saved Lycas, fought off the monster hunters and even all the babies that Sidae had to take care of. Aisley’s eyes sparkled at the mention of their being babies, Fralick paled and apologized for his comment about the chores, and his father who had been listening silently and intrigued finally spoke up.

“You can’t leave until you bring them here for us to meet.”

That was how a day later he was steering his horse out to the forest line before tying him off and hauling the wagon out to his usual meeting spot. Fresh milk, cheeses, and a few knitted things that Aisley made when she heard the word ‘babies’ rested in the bag as he moved forward to meet up with Lycas. He was quiet like always, but Jayroe had somehow sensed his presence and this time Lycas didn’t nearly scare him half to death when he loomed out of the mists. His face was wrinkled in confusion, but he shrugged and helped haul the wagon back to the burrow. The mists weren’t as dense now that the rain had fallen into a dry spell and were navigable again and Jayroe noticed more things that what he had before.

“You just couldn’t stay away, human.”

“Lycas!” He yelped with a jump. Lycas chortled as he vaporated from the mists.  Jayroe had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t been listening out for Lycas.

“I’ll be honest. I hadn’t expected you to be back so soon.” Lycas tilted his head to the side and squinted at the wagon. “Already dragging that wagon out here? That can’t be good for you.”

He roughly cleared his throat and Lycas cocked a brow at him. “I’ll be fine.”

“What’s wrong with you, human?” Concern coated his voice as he looked Jayroe from head to toe. “Why are you acting nervous?”

“I’m not.” He answered too quickly and laughed at himself for trying to pretend he wasn’t. Lycas scoffed and crossed his arms almost immediately as he looked down at Jayroe. Jayroe’s nose wrinkled in agitation at the sight. “Don’t look down at me.”

“I can’t help that I’m taller than you, human.” A smirk curled the right corner of his mouth. Jayroe tried not to scowl too deeply at the strange playfulness Lycas exposed to him and heaved a sigh.

He couldn’t get sidetracked here, if he did, he’d lose the focus and the willpower to bring everyone over for dinner. The time clock was so shallow as it was, he needed to move quickly. “Have the kids laid down for a nap yet?”

This caught him off guard and Lycas’s brow furrowed. “They will soon, you know that. Why?”

If there wasn’t any pressure before now, it all came to a boiling point in his chest now. “Well, my family wants to have you all over for dinner.”

All forms of playfulness disappeared from Lycas’s face as it tightened into a firm line and his arms uncrossed and fell to his sides. Before he could open his mouth and question Jayroe about it further, Sidae’s vibrant green eyes appeared close by.

“Lycas!” She sang as she called for him and a small sense of ease came to Jayroe as he heard her voice. All the hair on Lycas’s body stood on end as he didn’t dare look away from Jayroe as the tension built within him. “Lycas?”

“We’re out here, Sidae.” Jayroe called out before Lycas could hiss out something to deter him from his mission. The glare Lycas gave him was as deadly and dangerous as when they first met and there was an underlying fear that he’d somehow messed up their progress.

“Jayroe?” Her voice hitched a new melody as she waved her hands through the mists and stood beside Lycas. “You’re back!”

“I’m back.” His voice shook as he agreed, and he suddenly felt more nervous than a cricket in summer.

“What brings you here?” She smiled from ear to ear, and it eased some of his nerves as he looked up at her.

“Well, a lot has happened in a week of my absence and.. .” He exhaled out his nose and flexed and relaxed his fingers. “And my family would like to have you over for dinner.”

“What?” She blinked in surprise and cast a quick glance at the still glaring Lycas.

“I-It’s safe now.” He gulped and tried to think of how to explain this. “The Knights are gone, the rains are mostly done, and my family wants to meet you. You and the kids. All of them.”

“How nice.” She wet her lower lip and ran a hand through her hair. “This is such short notice. . .”

“I know.” He rushed, not ready to hear her rejection, and ran a hand through her hair. “B-But they’ve been curious about ya’ll since you took care of me, and I’ve been takin care of you.”

“You told others about us?” Lycas hissed out, his body shaking as the hairs on his body stood on end.

“Lycas do not scold him when you were the one to speak with his father about where he was so they would not miss him for a week.” Sidae chided softly, but Lycs still didn’t relax.

He desperately searched her green eyes, hoping he could somehow convey everything without having to say everything out loud. It was too soon to talk of the city of Dyrk, to talk about the possibility of them needing to leave, and all he wanted was for her to meet his family and have a nice dinner. He was almost to the point of begging.

“Everything’s already prepared.” He was reaching for whatever he could think of to somehow convince her to come. “Tables, chairs, food – all you and the kids have to do is come. I e-even brought the wagon to carry the kids in.”

Her sweet and kind smile bloomed on her face and for a brief moment he feared she’d reject him. “Of course, we’ll go.” She reached her hand out and rested it on Lycas’s shoulder. “Lycas, help him bring the gifts in and lefts go get your brothers and sisters.”

TO BE CONTINUED. . .

Here is Part 6

I hope you’re enjoying this so far!

Please leave a comment or a review and reblog!

Thanks for coming along the journey with me, stay tuned for more!

Despite his worry, the constant rain has kept the Holy Knights out of the forest and mostly kept them in town where they’ve causing trouble for the church and stirring up Mother Superior’s bonnet pretty bad. It still didn’t give Jayroe any peace about them being in the village either, though, as the longer they seemed to stay the more permanent their stay would be here in Drusilla. Something was afoot and the storm only seemed to get worse each day. Evreaux had sadly been recalled to the church to help keep the not so holy Holy Knights out of the church thanks to whatever division they were causing to the sisters and Jayroe was almost as sad as Aisley. Jayroe had always kept his guard up while the Orc was out the farm, which was terrible because he really was a good fellow and never questioned Jayroe further of what his duties in the forest were, but Jayroe couldn’t risk any chances. Now though, the house felt too empty without his presence and the constant weather did not bode well for any in the house; especially his sister Aisley who looked for any and all reason to go into town to see him at the church. His father kept reading the same three books, Aisley kept getting frustrated with her knitting, and Fralick was just as antsy as he was to get up out of this house and go see those who didn’t live here.

Aisley already retired to her room for the day after not being able to go into town and Fralick was more than likely already off on the Yates farm and left the house quieter than before as it was just Jayroe and his father sitting in the living room. No matter what Jayroe did to distract himself, he kept stealing glances outside, as if expecting the rain to magically stop because he willed it to so he could go check on Sidae and the kids. Something kept bothering him every time he looked out the window. There was already a downpour that made it nearly impossible to see, but there was something worse brewing and it made him as jumpy as a cricket in July. His leg bounced up and down with the impatient jitters deep within him until his father let out a sigh. His father looked over his glasses with a hint of displeasure for having the second book of a trilogy he’s read for the umpteenth time interrupted.

“Jayroe.”

His head whipped around so fast he nearly threw himself out of his seat. “Sir?”

“Would you just go?” His father had exasperation in his voice and too much knowledge in his eyes as he looked to the door. “The rain isn’t stoppin’ any time soon and so help me if you keep distracting me with your impatience, I’ll throw you out there myself.”

A grin flashed on his face before he hopped to his feet and raced to the door. His sock covered feet jumped into his boots, a cloak was hastily thrown over his shoulders, and just as he was throwing the rucksack over his shoulder, his father called again.

“Jayroe, make sure you take a weapon with you when you go.”

A chill down Jayroe’s spine and he glanced over his shoulder to see his father scowling. The storm that was brewing only seemed to draw closer at his father’s words. His father never suggested carrying a weapon of any kind with the intent to harm outside of self-defense. Jayroe gulped as he blindly reached for the rucksack again.

“Somethin’ happen?”

“With the Knights causing trouble in town, I wouldn’t put it past them to be causing trouble in the forest too.” His father’s lips were in a tight line. “I haven’t heard nothin’ about no one getting hurt, but this morning Theron mentioned to me there were hunters or something skulking about.”

“Hunters?” Jayroe’s mouth felt incredibly dry, and all the worries made him think of the worst. “Like poachers?”

Jayroe could handle poachers, had to in the past to keep them from stealing cows, sheep, and even a few other critters that kept more dangerous things off the farm. Hunters, though, unless they were the standard hunters just looking for game to prepare for winter would be more of a challenge. Jayroe feared that it wasn’t human hunters, though and that they were somehow driders. Sidae had mentioned that they were originally from the castle, but would her pursuers really have found her already? Would the drider that she had mated with sell her and the kids out? No. No, the drider wouldn’t have been willing to give up such a secure place just to sell them out to save his own skin, if it would have saved him at all. If Lycas was anything to go by, the drider more than likely died trying to protect them and kept his honor and silence until the end.

“Something bigger, I’m afraid.” His father’s hand slowly crept into a fist; concern deeply rooted in his eyes as he stared at his son. “It could be nothing, but. . . Just be prepared.”

The storm crackled against Jayroe’s nerves it was so close and all the hair on his body stood on end as if he had been stuck by a bolt of lightning. Turning his eyes to the skies he saw just how furious the sky was and he couldn’t fight that sense of dread again. He couldn’t waste time thinking and needed to take some sort of action else something truly would happen to Sidae and the kids. Shaking his head of thoughts of fear and focusing on sound reasoning, Jayroe hurried out into the yard. He quickly stepped into the barn to grab a few tools, just his hunting knife and the hand scythe that was often used to harvest their patches of wheat. They were farmers not fighters so other than a few farmhand tools there wasn’t anything in the way of weaponry. He suddenly wished he would have told Evreaux about Sidae just to have a little more manpower and weaponry behind him, but the less that people knew about them the better. Taking a deep breath, Jayroe stepped out into the storm.

Jayroe had never been to the sea before, he’d heard of the dangerous life they lived whenever the ocean got angry and swallowed ships whole however, he was sure that the rain he stumbled through was just as terrifying as the sea in this moment. The desperation of wanting to know his family was safe was what was driving him. Jayroe didn’t bother bringing a lantern or a light of any kind, it’d get washed out before it even had a chance to light, and he couldn’t risk the hunters finding him and following him with a light. Even though Jayroe wanted nothing more than to run to the usual meeting spot where he’d find Lycas and hurry to check on the drider family, he knew he had to be more careful than that. He knew the path to the nesting burrow fairly well by now, Lycas had to slashed markers into the trees for him ever since the Knights came into town and they couldn’t meet up as frequently, and would go as far left as he could from those markers before circling back and going on the right path again. He probably looked like the village idiot or the madman running around back and forth nearly catching his death of cold in the monsoon of a rain shower, but he would look a fool if it meant saving his drider family.

It was cold and it was slick, and Jayroe was soaked to the bone and barely able to keep the rain out of his eyes. He’d always been strong health and had never believed in the wives’ tale of getting sick in the rain, but he was certain he’d get sick after all this if the constant chills running down his spine was anything to go by. It’d be worth getting sick knowing Sidae and the kids were safe, but he’d prefer to avoid getting sick. His guard was up with each passing turn and tracing through the trees, his hand casually patted his hip to assure his knife was still with him while the other hand tightly gripped the scythe. It could have been his paranoia of being followed, but he could sense something creeping up on him like a shadow ready to snare him and he would be ready for any sort of attack from either human or drider. He could handle a human, that much he knew, and he would go down swinging if he had to take on a drider.

It was muscle memory that was guiding him as he moved forward, he was practically blind through the thickness of both the rain and the fog, and nearly deaf as all he could hear was the tumbling rain. There wasn’t much to be heard save for the pouring rain, yet of all the things Jayroe heard, it was sniffling. His heart nearly stopped as his feet paused, and he scanned the area. Jayroe squinted through the rain trying to find the source of the sniffling when a mournful cry full of pain and broke through the air. He knew something had happened and he could only hope that he could move fast enough to help. He prayed it wasn’t Sidae or the babies and that they were tucked away in the safety of their nesting burrow. It didn’t sound like Kai’s cries; she would be much louder and shriller and that only further filled Jayroe with dread as he pleaded with whatever gods heard him that it wasn’t Lycas. He was stubborn and strong, but he was still a youngling by drider standards and needed just as much protecting as his mother and sister and Jayroe would do everything in his power to see that nothing happened to Lycas and that he was somehow hearing things.

He looked to his left, then his right, but there was nothing on either side. A glance over his shoulder and a squint in front of him, and Jayroe still couldn’t see anything. The sense of dread didn’t leave him though as the crying and sniffling continued much louder over the rain. Though the driders he was looking for burrowed underground, he had known them to be in the branches of trees. His heart nearly fell into the pit of his stomach as he looked up and caught sight of a pair of glowing green eyes, ones he was so used to seeing angry and distrustful looking down at him. The largest cage Jayroe had ever seen was strung up in tree branched containing a very defeated and battered Lycas.

“Oh, Mother Drusilla,” He hissed out a loud whisper trying to get his attention and running under his cage. “Lycas!”

The sniffling stopped and those green eyes were wide as he looked down at Jayroe. His brow furrowed and he looked both mortified and relieved to see him for once. “Jayroe? What are you doing here?”

“I came out here to check on ya’ll.” He squinted through the thick mists and the rain looking for some sign of a rope or a chain for whatever it was holding him up there. “Lycas, how can I get you down?”

“There’s a rope. . .” Pointing a long bony finger from his cage, Lycas pointed to a silver rope, drider webbing woven into a rope so fine it was nearly invisible to the naked eye, that spiraled downed the length of a tree. Only drider webbing was strong enough to contain a drider and Jayroe did his best not to think of where the webbing came from as he sprinted over to the tree. Dropping the rucksack Jayroe immediately began sawing at the rope without thinking of just how heavy Lycas was and moved into action. It wasn’t until the rope was to the point of snapping did Jayroe realize the whole cage would plummet to the earth if he didn’t do something to lessen the fall. Hastily and without thinking, Jayroe latched hold of the webbing with his bare hands and planted his feet firmly against the tree to act as a sort of anchor for the rope to pass between so Lycas didn’t get hurt during the fall.

Between the cold and wet of the rain Jayroe hardly felt the burn of the rope between his fingers as it quickly slid past, and as hard as he tried to keep it from landing hard to the earth, but driders weighed more than humans and though he clung to the rope with all his strength, Jayroe was forced to let go of the rope as the cage came to the earth. Lycas made no noise to indicate he was hurt or that he was still alive, and Jayroe ran over to him praying he was somehow all right. The cage was bent and broken in a few spots and Lycas was flat on his back and wasn’t moving. Fear gripped his heart as he desperately gripped the slippery and broken bars of the cage and tried to pry them apart.

“Lycas!” He pulled against the metal bars with all his might trying not to think about the blood dripping and blending with the rainwater pooling around Lycas. “Lycas, wake up!”

Lycas groaned as he slowly rolled onto his side and looked up at Jayroe in surprise. His nose scrunched as he grimaced. “You couldn’t have warned me, human?”

If it weren’t for the given situation Jayroe might have laughed with relief at the insulting tone, but he just wanted to get Lycas out of here, and home safe again. “I’m trying to get you out of this cage, you grump.” Jayroe grunted and groaned as he uselessly pulled against the metal bars. “I know you’re probably tired, but I could use a little bit of your help here!”

Lycas’s eyes widened, however, instead of helping Jayroe open the cage, he pushed him back with a powerful thrust of his leg just in time to narrowly avoid being pierced by an arrow. Between his pounding blood in his ears and the pouring rain, Jayroe hadn’t heard any disturbances. Lycas cried out in pain as the arrow hit him instead and clutched his injured leg. Jayroe was quick to his feet and didn’t bother wiping the rainwater from his face as his eyes locked with an unfamiliar glowing yellow pair as a hunter pointed a crossbow at him.

“Step away from our prey.” The monster hunter gargled out from behind his facemask. “Leave and I will not kill you for trying to release the drider.”

There were two types of hunters that had magical glowing eyes, blue for witch hunters and yellow for monster species hunters. Jayroe wasn’t sure how many there were, they often ran in pairs of two or three, but he knew that they were here to take the driders away and he would not let them take his family from him.

“I don’t know who you think you are, AH, but you’re not takin’ my boy!” Jayroe yelled and snatched his knife from his belt and sprinted across the rain covered area with a battle cry. Jayroe had never been a fighter, avoided fights like the plague, and he avoided killing anything save to put it out of its misery, but he would be damned if he didn’t fight for his son. With a wave of anger and aggression that he had never quite known to fuel his actions, Jayroe merely followed his instincts.

The monster hunter was not perturbed by Jayroe and merely loosed his arrow at him causing Jayroe to nearly slip in the mud as he dodged the arrow. As Jayroe caught himself, he threw his knife with a simple flick of his wrist and completely took the monster hunter off guard when it landed in his eye. Curses in a language Jayroe didn’t understand spewed from his mouth as the monster hunter threw down the crossbow and held the wounded eye. With scythe in hand Jayroe charged towards the monster hunter and plunged it into the side of his neck before he could pull the knife free from his eye. It was quick, far from painless as Jayroe yanked both the scythe and the knife from the rigid body as the monster hunter gargled and bled out. It was perhaps too easy of a fight for a solo battle for someone like Jayroe, but he couldn’t think of the possibility of the reinforcements coming and only wanted to free Lycas. Kicking the crossbow away from the hunter, he bent down and quickly patted him down looking for a key. He thanked the gods there was a key on him and not one of his allies before rushing over to the cage, slipping slightly in the mud, to release Lycas.

Jayroe pulled the door back as far as it would go to give Lycas as much room as possible to squeeze out of the dented cage. Jayroe had somehow missed the injuries on the young drider before and it hurt his heart to see him like this, but he could get patched up when he got him home.

“You, okay?”

“I’ve been worse.” Lycas pulled himself from the bars and looked at Jayroe with such a bewildered expression. “Why are you here?”

“I had to come check on y’all.” He laughed roughly as they both stood to their feet and the adrenaline rush still coursed through him. “Had a feelin’ something was wrong. I’m so glad I did.” He risked a smile, but Lycas didn’t return it. “How’d they get a hold of you?”

“I tried hunting. . .” Lycas’s dragged a hand down the back of his neck as he avoided looking at Jayroe. “Just wanted to have something else to eat . . .”

“Are y’all low?” Concern coated his voice as he reached a hand out and touched his forearm. Lycas looked at his hand with a flinch but shook his head. That came as a small relief, but the relief quickly flushed out with more concern and Jayroe’s brow furrowed. “Then . . . why?”

“I just wanted to prove that I could help.” Lycas’s voice cracked, and he bit his lip. Despite the rain pouring over their heads, Jayroe saw the tears in the young drider’s eyes. “You’ve done better than I could and you’re a human. . . I should be better, I - I should –”

“You should head on home.” Jayroe gave his arm an encouraging squeeze and was met with more surprise in those green eyes. “Your mother is probably worried sick about you.”

“She was sleeping when I left.” Lycas’s brow pinched as both conviction and conflict swirled in his eyes. “She doesn’t know. . .”

“All the more reason you need to get on home.” Jayroe insisted and tried pulling him along. Jayroe pulled him all the way over to the tree where his rucksack was and handed it off to Lycas. “There’s food and a few toys for Kai and the little ones. I would have brought more, but. . .” He gave a shrug and a weak smile as he looked up at Lycas. “I’m sure you’ll figure out what to do with the stuff that’s in there.”

“I can’t go back.” Lycas frantically shook his head held the rucksack tightly in his hands. “The hunters are still out there, they’ll follow me!”

“Don’t worry about them.” Jayroe grabbed him by both elbows and tried to give him all the assurance the young drider needed. “I’ll take care of them.”

Lycas shook his head in disbelief. “There are three others, you can’t possibly –”

“I know I’m just a human to you, but I’m more capable than you give me credit for.” Jayroe clipped and put more authority in his voice. “You mean more to me than you’ll ever know, and I don’t want to see you get hurt anymore, Lycas.” Something shook in Lycas’s eyes at Jayroe’s words and though he’d love nothing more to somehow bond better, it wasn’t safe out here for him. “Get on home to your mother before she finds you missing. I mean it.”

Lycas wavered as he stared down at Jayroe before he took a step back and ascended into the trees. Jayroe stood in the pouring rain, his eyes following after Lycas and praying the stubborn boy would actually go home. He would have done more to make sure that Lycas was gone, but he needed to get the arrows before the others showed up. He took the few additional arrows the dying monster hunter had when there was a rustling behind him and the whizzing of an arrow that forced Jayroe to the ground. Three thudded into the tree trunk behind him and he saw three pairs of glowing yellow eyes emitting a furious glow for letting their prey go as they approached Jayroe. For all the confidence he gave Lycas, he knew he couldn’t take on three more of these guys, not in this weather. He couldn’t fight them one on one without getting killed, but he could outrun them; hopefully. He stuffed the small arrows in his pocket and with a quick roll snatched up the crossbow laying in the mud before rolling ove and hopping to his feet just as more arrows noosed his way. One grazed his calf with a stinging pain that was quickly soothed by the pouring rain as he ran.

Any sense of rational thinking hardly worked in his mind as his only instinct of drawing these three hunters away from the nest was the only thing making him move. Arrows were noosed one after the other behind him with only a few trees acting as a quick shield for him to duck around to avoid getting shot. The crossbow was unfamiliar and heavy in his hands as he ran and there was hardly a chance for him to restock it to have a fighting chance against his pursuers, but if they came close enough it was heavy enough to swing. His lungs screamed for air, his heart thundered in his chest, and his blood burned within him as he ran and ran and ran. The area was too thick with trees to fling his knife or his scythe or dare to take even one of the monster hunters on in combat, but that didn’t matter so long as they kept following him.

Using the warning markings Lycas had scratched onto the trees, Jayroe was leading them to the terrifying trap pit that Lycas had created. Between bear traps, magic traps, and a few deadly sorts of traps the Holy Knights had set up around the forest and Lycas had collected, one of anything that lay in that area would be enough to inflict enough damage to disable them if not kill them. He had the course charted in his mind and all that mattered was running, watching for tree roots wasn’t on the highest of priorities as he ran. One tree root was just high enough to catch his toe, but he was still able to keep going even after an arrow caught his shoulder. Despite the pouring rain and the unfamiliar weapon in his hands, Jayroe was somehow able to slip an arrow into the slot of the crossbow and blindly shoot one behind him. It missed and instead imbedded another arrow in his shoulder. With a strangled cry he flung his knife off in the direction the arrow came, though he had no idea if it came into contact with any of them as he kept going until he heard more strange curses.

He would have smiled at the mild success that he managed to hurt one of them if they weren’t so close to him. He couldn’t stop here, though, and kept going. Past the glowing mushrooms, ducking under the hanging moss Jayroe took them deeper and deeper into forest where the deathtrap awaited them. In all his running he hadn’t thought of how he was going to avoid falling into the trap so long as he succeeded in drawing them into the pit. He could hear how close they were behind him; he was running out of steam, and they seemed to get more of it as they drew closer.

Making a sharp turn, Jayroe tossed the crossbow aside and used the last of his energy to sprint towards the traps before throwing himself in the air in whatever sad attempt he thought he could leap over them. He didn’t look back to see how close they were behind him, he already heard their mangled cries of pain, he was too focused on the wooden spike he was about to be impaled by when something latched onto his back and yanked him backwards. The momentum of the action caused his teeth to rattle and to bite his tongue as he was pulled higher and higher into the air until he was in the safety of the branches and caught in young Lycas’s hold.

“God, you’re heavy, human.” Lycas grunted as he carried him across the treetops to a safer tree away from the trap pit. Jayroe couldn’t even properly scold the young drider as he was so winded and too relieved from the situation and downright tired as the adrenaline rush that had kept him warm faded, and the freezing rain suddenly chilled him to the bone.

“T-Thank you.” He weakly laughed slumped against Lycas’s shoulder as his body felt like shaky. “For once, I-I’m glad you didn’t listen to me.”

“I couldn’t go back to the nest.” Lycas scowled and put Jayroe on his feet again. “I couldn’t risk them finding me there and . . . I couldn’t let you die after saving me.”

If Jayroe wasn’t so tired and his blood pumping so loudly in his ears, he might have made some sort of comment to the young drider, but in that moment he was too happy to know that Lycas didn’t want him dead. “It’s good to know you don’t entirely hate me.”

His heart was elated, and his smile was big, and Lycs turned his face away slightly embarrassed with a scoff. That elation, however, seemed to take a lot more out of him than he had originally thought for the last thing he remembered was a concerned Lycas as he blacked out.

It was almost too quiet and too dark when Jayroe woke up, yet it was strangely comforting all the same. He couldn’t even hear the pouring rain on the tin roof like he normally did that somehow showed itself as the first sign that he was not in his own bed at home. His skin felt like it was on fire while chills kept him clutching the blanket to him and his body was weighed down by the soreness as he tried to push himself up to sit. He’d barely made it up on his elbows when cool delicate fingers gently pressed to his forehead and gently pushed him back down against the strange lump of pillow.

“It’s all right.” It was Sidae’s beautiful voice that soothed his nerves as he tried to gather his bearings. “You’re safe, Jayroe, feverish, but safe.”

His head slowly lolled to the side with his brow slightly furrowed with the fear that his dreams had suddenly become stronger and had somehow come to life. He didn’t dare open his mouth for the fear of saying something foolish and ruining something until he knew he wasn’t dreaming.

“You gave me quite the scare.” Sidae whispered as she placed a gentle ball of cold silk to his forehead to sooth the fire dancing across his skin. “When Lycas brought you here with arrows sticking out of your back, well. . . I feared the worst.”

“S-Sorry. . .” He tried and failed to hide the joy that her concern for him did to his heart and merely closed his eyes. “How’s Lycas?”

“In a lot of trouble.” She puffed out with a shake of her head as she gently patted another wet and cold silk ball to his neck and chest. “I can’t believe he went out in this weather, and when those horrid knights are lurking!”

Jayroe was glad he was coherent enough to realize that Lycas hadn’t explained everything to Sidae. It was probably better that way, so Sidae didn’t worry; at least not yet. She just had the children and the last thing she needed to worry about was the looming danger that wanted to seek them out. Monster hunters searching for her and the kids was something she needed to know about, but just not tonight. With that knowledge alone Jayroe knew he needed to warn her, to somehow help her plan to uproot her family from this burrow, but a tiny selfish part of him just wanted to keep them close to him just a little longer; at least until his fever passed and he could properly explain things. Jayroe kept quiet and tried to focus his gaze on the beautiful woman tending to him.

“He was worried about you, you know.” Sidae hummed as she continued to gently wipe the sweat away from his skin. “Lycas was so protective of you that he almost didn’t let me remove the arrows. He was worried that one of them pierced your organs and that removing it would somehow make things worse.”

Jayroe puffed out a laugh and Sidae’s motions stopped. “He’s not wrong.”

“What?” Those vibrant green eyes went wide and stared down at him in horror.

“If an arrow caught my heart or lungs, removing the arrows would have killed me.” His brow furrowed as flashes of pain flickered down his back at the mere mention of the arrows. “It’s a good thing I have thick skin, else this would have been worse.”

“Indeed.” She pursed her lips and continued wiping away the sweat from him.

“But how is Lycas?” Jayroe repeated and lifted his head to search for the young drider as the fever slightly mystified his brain a bit. “I know he was hurt is he –”

“He’s fine, Jayroe.” Sidae reassured and poked her finger to his forehead to push him against the strange, shaped pillow again. “I’ve already tended to his wounds and he’s laying down with the others.”

“Good. . .” He exhaled a small relief and relaxed against the strange pillow behind his head. “How are they, the children I mean?”

“Young and spry and making me feel old trying to catch up with them. This is the first time I’ve been able to keep them all, so I am admittedly overwhelmed by them, but I’m happy to have them.” She laughed airily and gently raked the tips of her fingers through his hair. “All healthy and strong, which is such a blessing since so many of them don’t make it. . . It is all thanks to the milk you brought us every day to make us stronger. ”

“They’re strong because of you.” Jayroe tried to encourage her with true words. The corner of her mouth curled into a smile and Jayroe couldn’t take his eyes off her mouth. Drusilla almighty did he want to have a taste of those lips, but he wouldn’t because he had more character than that; plus, she more than likely wouldn’t want anything to do with him. “They all have your eyes, strong, beautiful eyes.”

There was a small gasp on her lips and a faint pink dusted her cheeks as her vibrant green eyes only looked down at him. “You always say such sweet things to me. . .” Something flashed in those eyes, and he couldn’t help but foolishly hope for a kiss. “I hope it’s not because of the fever.”

“I mean it, Sidae.” He gave her cold hand a squeeze and hoped she felt the emotions that boiled within him. The fever that misted his brain was what gave him the confidence to say anything to her as it drowned out all of Jayroe’s inhibitions as he boldly reached for her hand as she went to withdraw it. She completely froze within his hold and stared wholly down at him. He had to resist the bursting urge to kiss her hand that he held for fear the spell that came over him would end too soon. “You’re strong and beautiful, a-and not just your eyes. Your hair, your smile, your hands. . . You’re not old, Sidae, you’re far too young to be thinkin’ that way, not to mention your figure –”

He nervously wet his lower lip and hoped that hadn’t offended her. Humans and driders mostly had similar anatomy save for the lower half, but he’d never seen a woman so soft as she. All the women in the village were workers, they had rough skin despite their efforts to moisturize, and far too many of them were vain. Not Sidae though, everything about her made him want to protect her and everything she loved.

“I-I’ve probably said too much. . .” He laughed nervously but still didn’t look away from her. “I know I’m just a human, but I think you’re beautiful and amazing in so many ways. . . You’re more precious to me than anythin’ else in this world, Sidae.”

The confidence left him just as quickly as it came, and he was worried he’d somehow messed this whole thing up as Sidae hadn’t said a word. The smile on her face only seemed to grow at his words, but he couldn’t quite see it as the haze from the fever slowly caused him to dip back into sleep. As hard as he tried to hold on to his consciousness and her hand, Jayroe dipped back into sleep again.

As Jayroe’s head rolled to the side, Sidae quickly caught it from falling off the silken pillow and helped right it. If Jayroe had been awake for a moment longer, he would have seen just how flustered she’d become and just how red her face had quickly turned at his words. Despite the powerful mates that Sidae had over the years, none had ever touched her hearts like this, none had ever stirred such an emotion of longing, none had ever given her the confidence that somehow everything was going to be all right in the end, and yet somehow this little human that had saved her daughter from a trap had done all that and more.

Silently so as not to wake him, she reached out with her other hand and brushed back the hair from his sweaty forehead to brush a soft but firm kiss to his forehead as she carefully removed the hand he held. An honest and adoring smile rested on her face as a finger traced his feverish lips. “What am I going to do with you, you sweet human?” A sigh passed her lips as she carefully pushed herself away from him. Her eyes didn’t leave him as she had to fight quite a few urges to have her hands on him again. “You’re everything I could have hope for and more. . . You’re just as precious to me, Jayroe.”

TO BE CONTINUED . . .