#atozchallenge: Naiads

Previous: Mermaids

Jane stifled a scream when a hand landed on her shoulder.
“There – I’ve found you. The naiads were actually right,” Euthalia said. “You know how fluid they tend to be with places and times. I looked for you at the adlet’s house, but you’d left. The trees said that you’d gone to the river, so I returned, but the Ghillie Dhu had wandered off somewhere and the only ones who would tell me anything were the naiads. Some of these nymphs! Althea is such a bad influence on them; just because the Ghillie Dhu said I’d done the right thing, she’s gone and told all the nymphs not to speak to me anymore! Why, what’s the matter?”
“My father -” Jane looked back to where she’d last seen him, but they were long gone.
“He’s looking for you, I know. Your sister told me last night. That’s why I was looking for you. I’m sorry I took so long -”
“No - he was just there when you startled me.”
Euthalia looked to where Jane was pointing and shrugged. “Well, let’s follow after him then. Didn’t he see you?”
“Hold on. Before we go anywhere with you, who are you?” Ataneq asked. “How do you know so much about Jane?”
Euthalia introduced herself and told them briefly about her meeting with Mary the night before and then listened as Jane described what she had just seen.
“Come on then - we don’t want to lose him. I’d rather get you out first, of course, but it sounds like he’s in trouble.”
The three of them set off in the general direction the imps were headed in. They soon found themselves back at the stream. Jane watched warily for the kelpie to appear. Instead a translucent girl stepped out of the waters and stared at them. Jane shied away.
“Is she dangerous?” the girl asked Euthalia.
Euthalia shrugged. “Are you?”
“Is she a naiad?” Jane whispered to Ataneq. He nodded.
“She’s really pretty.”
“Come on, stop whispering. They’re headed this way,” Euthalia called as she ran ahead of them. Jane and Ataneq sprinted to catch up.

The imps stopped, backing into a circle, with Darrick in the middle.
“Have you found your senses, elf-man?”
Darrick nodded, his eyes clear again.
“Good. We need all the help we can get.” The imps released him and he sat up, rubbing his head. Silently, he surveyed the naiads that streamed out of the water to surround them.
“What do they want?” he asked.
“We don’t know.”
“Why do you come here?” they seemed to speak with one voice, a low dulcet sound. “Why do you carry the wrath of the Queen to our fair banks? Why do you come here, hated of all? Who gave you permission to enter our land?”
The women circled them, drawing nearer and nearer.
Darrick swallowed hard. “What do we do?”
The imps chattered amongst themselves, a cacophony of sound that rose higher and shriller.
“Stop!” A voice rang out amidst the noise. As one, the naiads turn to face the newcomer.
“Leave him alone,” Euthalia cried. “Back, back to your waters, my friends. Keep your hands pure and clean.”
Hesitantly the naiads moved as Euthalia urged them.
“Why should we listen to you?” one asked as she returned to the stream. “The Queen is angry. She comes! She comes.” With that final cry, the naiads disappeared into the stream.
In the tense silence, they could hear a heavy thumping in the distance. A sob escaped Jane’s throat as she ran to her father. Darrick held her in a tight embrace.
“We are off now! Our mission is over! The Witch’s daughter has been found. Goodbye!” The imps scurried off in a rush, leaving Darrick bewildered. The dryad stood staring worriedly into the distance.
“What’s going on, Euthalia?” Darrick asked.
“I don’t know, but I don’t like it,” she replied.
The thumps grew steadily nearer.

Next: Ogre
Back to the theme list.

---

From Wikipedia:

In Greek mythology, the Naiads (Ancient Greek: Ναϊάδες) were a type of nymph (female spirit) who presided over fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of fresh water.

#atozchallenge: Dryads

Previous: Centaur

Mary stood watching the trees. They seemed to be crowding onto the path, blocking out the moonlight. Behind her, the sound of Charon’s hooves grew faint. The silence of the trees menaced her.
Charon stopped and turned back to look at Mary.
“What’s the matter?” he called.
“I’m afraid,” she replied.
Charon hesitated unhappily. He didn't want to leave the child alone and yet he would get into a lot of trouble with the Council if he were to go any further. The wind stirred lazily amongst the leaves and his face brightened.
“Euthalia!” he cried, a smile growing on his face. Mary turned to look at him. He was looking deeper into the forest, his back towards the path.
“Euthalia!” Charon cried again. “I have need of you, friend!”
The whispering amongst the trees grew as he called for Euthalia over and over again. Mary backed away from the darkening path until she bumped into Charon. Charon held a protective arm around her shoulders.
“Don’t worry, child. Euthalia will help you.”
“Who is he?”
“She’s my friend,” Charon said as a lithe young woman stepped out from among the trees.
“Associating with humans now? How delightfully naughty of you, Charon. What would Sophea say?”
Charon blushed. “I found her alone in the forest. She was lost and needs help to get home. Can you help her, Euthalia?”
The dryad seemed to almost float over the grass as she circled Mary, inspecting her with her sharp eyes. “Help a tree-killing human?”
“She’s just a child…”
“We - my family does not harm trees, friend dryad,” Mary spoke up, her dark eyes round with wonder. It seemed as if she had stepped into an unknown world this one night.
“You can say anything you like, child, but can you prove it to me?”
“My father is Druid,” she said, pressing down the butterflies in her stomach. “We honour and revere the great oaks of this nation.” The words her father had spoken often echoed in her head. She hoped she was saying them right.
"A druid? In these British Isles? Do they yet survive?" Euthalia said with some astonishment. "I long thought their breed had died out, banished by the Romans, persecuted by the Christians, all that they stood for stripped away."  There was a sadness in her voice, in the way she stood, like a drooping tree.
"He is seer and sorcerer, if you like," Mary said, a little miffed by her reception.
"What is his name?"
"Darrick."
Euthalia spun like the wind, the leaves chattering behind her, the boughs bowing in conspiracy. Stopping nose to nose with Mary, she asked breathlessly, "Darrick Oak-knower?”
Mary nodded.
“Does he know you are here?” Euthalia asked.
“No - he is out searching for Jane, my sister.”
“Ah.” Euthalia closed her eyes, standing as still as a tree, only her hair waving in the soft breeze.
Mary thought she seemed to grow a little translucent, her pale hands taking on a slight tinge of green. She blinked, and rubbed her eyes. The dryad was staring at her curiously, as solid as Mary herself.
“She is safe,” Euthalia said. “Come, let us bring you home before your father has another fright in the night.” She took Mary’s hand. “Goodbye Charon. May the stars be with you.”
“Thank you, Euthalia. May your leaves be ever green.” Charon cantered away as the two girls walked down the path.
This time, the trees seemed to open the way as they passed, allowing the moonlight to shine on them. The feeling of oppression faded away.

Next: Elves
Back to the theme list.

---

From Wikipedia:

A dryad (/ˈdraɪ.æd/; Greek: Δρυάδες, sing.: Δρυάς) is a tree nymph, or female tree spirit, in Greek mythology. In Greek drys signifies "oak." Thus, dryads are specifically the nymphs of oak trees, though the term has come to be used for all tree nymphs in general.[1] "Such deities are very much overshadowed by the divine figures defined through poetry and cult," Walter Burkert remarked of Greek nature deities.[2] They were normally considered to be very shy creatures, except around the goddess Artemis, who was known to be a friend to most nymphs.

#atozchallenge: Centaur

Previous: Baba Yaga

Sometimes a good gallop was what was needed to clear one’s head. So Charon thought as he galloped around the open field, stretching his muscles, putting on some serious speed. He came to an abrupt stop. There was something strange in the air tonight. He lifted his head and sniffed carefully, cursing his muted human nose. There were somethings horses just did better. Still, he could sense that something wasn't right. Something - he spotted it, a little shadow at the edge of the forest. Curious, he trotted over. And backed away.
The child stared up at him with wide eyes. Charon looked over his shoulder, wondering if he could gallop away and let the child think that she was dreaming. But no - she was reaching out to him, holding her hand out as if to touch him.
“May I touch you?” she asked shyly at the last minute.
“I suppose you could,” Charon said uncertainly. He knew he was going to get into trouble with Alexei and the Council. But what was the child doing out alone in the middle of the night? Her touch was gentle and hesitant; she stood on tip toes and stroked his flank with awe in her eyes.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked.
“Mother is sick and Jane didn't come home,” she said. “I thought I would help look for her, but I got lost.”
Two children lost in the woods? Charon thought to himself. How like a fairy tale. I suppose one of them will turn out to be a princess or end up marrying a prince. Or maybe eaten by a witch. Isn't that how all the stories go?
“What are you called?” the child asked, interrupting his thoughts.
“I am Charon,” he answered. “What is your name?”
“Mary. But I mean, what are you?”
“Why, do you not know? I am a Centaur,” he drew himself up proudly.
“A Centaur!” Her breath came out with a whoosh. “Father always said that those were children’s stories.”
“Aren't you a child?”
“Well, yes. I always supposed he meant that it wasn't real.”
Charon almost whinnied in annoyance. “Not real? I’m as real as you are.”
“Yes, but I suppose he couldn't know, not having met you.”
“At any rate, isn't it time you went back home? The moon is high in the sky - now is not a time for children to be out.”
“Yes, but I got lost.”
“Ah, there is that.”
“Do you know how to get back to my home?”
Charon shook his head. “We stay clear of all human habitation. I could bring you to a village, or point you in the right direction, but I wouldn't know if that were yours, so to speak.”
Mary sighed unhappily. “I don’t suppose you've seen Jane wandering about somewhere either, have you?”
Charon shook his head. He ran his fingers through his thick hair teasing them out of their sweaty clumps as he considered what to do. Then he looked up at the sky, tracing the arch of the stars with his eyes. “I suppose I will take you to the nearest village. It’s somewhere in that direction. Come along.”
Mary took his hand as they walked through the forest. Charon stared at her for a while, but didn't shake off her grip. He frequently looked up at the stars to check if they were going in the right direction.
“Can you tell the future?” Mary asked suddenly.
He narrowed his eyes. “Why do you ask?”
“Only Mother said that Centaurs could read the stars and I really wanted to know if she would get well again.”
“Hmph. We don’t foretell the future in that way. We read the signs of the times, but we’re not concerned with the individual workings of humans or horses.”
“Oh.”
“Anyway, we’re here, I think.” He pointed at a well-worn path through the forest. “This should lead you back to your village - or a human village, at any rate.”
“Won’t you come with me?”
Charon shivered. “I’m sorry, I can’t. I’ll be in enough trouble from letting you see me, as it is. We don’t like showing ourselves to humans. You - you won’t say you've seen me, will you? To any human?”
“I wont,” Mary promised. “Thank you,” she said as she let go of his hand and stepped hesitantly onto the path.

Next: Dryads
Back to the theme list.

---

From Wikipedia:

A centaur (/ˈsɛntɔːr/; Greek: Κένταυρος, Kéntauros, Latin: centaurus) or hippocentaur[1][2][3] is a mythological creature with the head, arms, and torso of a human and the body and legs of a horse.[4]

---

Need some love? Check out my giveaway here!