I looked at the spirit, her regal composure entirely shattered. "Who did you meet there?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper against the stillness of the lake.
"I don't know…"
Her face had transformed since our first encounter; the cool, detached mask of an immortal was gone, replaced by a raw, trembling terror. She collapsed to her knees, her hands clutching her head as she repeated the words like a broken prayer. "I don't know… I don't know… I don't know…"
Geri stepped closer, her thick fur brushing against my back. "Your hand," she urged, her voice low and serious. "The right hand, which bears the seal of my contract. Try to calm her with it."
"What do you mean?" I asked, looking down at my palm.
"Just try to pat her or rub her head with your hand."
I reached out, hesitant at first, and placed my palm upon the spirit's trembling head. Suddenly, a soft, cerulean light began to emit from my hand. The blue wing from Geri's contract flared into brilliance on my skin, casting a steady, cooling radiance over the elf.
The light seemed to wash the terror away. Her breathing slowed, the trembling ceased, and she stood up from her knees, her eyes clearing.
"Thanks for calming me down…" she said, smoothing her dress. She shot a sharp glance at Geri. "And you, animal—you need to teach your master her own power."
Geri huffed, a low rumble in her chest. "Surely I will teach her..." she muttered, then added in a voice so quiet it was almost lost to the wind, "If I want to."
"I heard that, you animal!" the spirit snapped.
I stood between them, utterly baffled by the exchange. "What just happened?"
"SEE!" the spirit pointed a finger at Geri. "Even your master still does not understand what just occurred!"
"It's alright; she will understand in some way," Geri said dismissively.
"So what just happened?" I asked again, more firmly this time.
Geri let out a long-suffering sigh and attempted to demonstrate with her paws. "What happened is your hand, like this—and she will like that—and the wing is like this… Understand?"
Before she could finish her nonsensical explanation, the spirit smacked Geri across the snout. "What the crap are you blabbing about?"
I turned to the elf. "So you know what just happened?"
"It is called Iremia," she answered, her voice regaining its haughty edge.
Geri's ears perked up. "Ah yes! Iremia, I remember it now…"
"Quiet, you animal," the spirit commanded, turning her full attention to me. "Iremia is a power of your kind used to soothe a spirit. It can be a gentle force of peace, but it can also be a weapon of the mind to control a spirit; it depends entirely on the heart of the wielder. Fortunately, your Iremia is a calm power. I find it hard to believe that animal didn't explain this to you."
"Now that you are calm because of me," I said, moving the conversation forward, "may you tell me what you saw that makes you so afraid?"
The spirit walked to a large, flat stone and sat down, her shoulders sagging. "Like I said, I don't know…"
"What do you mean by you don't know?"
"I don't know who she was, or her name," she whispered, her golden eyes fixed on a point in the distance. "When our eyes met, I was simply petrified. Everything around me seemed to freeze; no sound could reach my ears. I found her to be the most malicious thing I had ever encountered. My tribe… they were gone because of her."
"Malice, you say?" I mused. "Is it a coincidence, Geri, that you also encountered someone so malicious?"
"Really? That animal!" the spirit scoffed.
"Geri encountered her," I explained, "but she believed the girl lacked malice. It was only Geri's sister who sensed the true identity of that darkness."
"So she knew her name?" the spirit asked, leaning forward.
"Yes. It's Eris. I have heard that name in many stories lately."
"What do you mean by that?" Geri asked.
"She was well known as a paragon or saviour," I replied. "Like I told you, the tale has been twisted. It is difficult to say who is right and who is wrong."
The spirit stood up from the stone and walked toward me, her expression resolute. "Eris. I will remember that name. Now… let us proceed to our introduction. I am Alva. As you can see from my ears, I am an Elf." She extended her hand to me, as if expecting a formal handshake.
I took her hand, noting the strength in her slender fingers. "My name is Caroline; I am the princess of this kingdom."
Alva's eyebrows shot up. "Woahahaha… a princess is the chosen one? Your attire doesn't represent you as a princess; you look more like a peasant."
"I love it like this," I countered with a small smile. "It makes it easier to move than a heavy dress."
"You surely are a unique princess."
"So, Alva, may you seal a contract with me?" I asked. "If you have any wishes or conditions, speak them now."
"I have. First, regarding Eris: I want to know about her, and I want her…"
She didn't finish the sentence, instead smashing her own hand into her palm with a violence that spoke of a deep-seated desire for vengeance.
"Okay, I get it," I said. "Is there any more?"
"You said I was wrong about this soil," Alva said, her eyes searching mine. "I want you to show me what is the right thing—the truth of it."
"I think that condition will be accomplished within this month or the next," I replied confidently. "I will gladly accept it. Anything else?"
"Wait, wait, wait…" Alva's face was full of surprise. "What do you mean it will be accomplished this month?"
"I have ordered my people to plant peas in the land, not the same seeds as before. These peas will restore the soil's nutrition. After the peas, we will plant another variety. As you told your tribe, one must not plant the same seeds in the same land season after season. You were quite right, Alva; you simply lacked the time to find the ultimate solution. You will see the truth of your words in a few months."
"You are bluffing, right?"
"No, I am not."
Suddenly, she grabbed both of my shoulders, bringing her face inches from mine. "YOU ARE TRULY BLUFFING…" she cried. I saw tears begin to well on her lower eyelids.
"No, I am not," I said calmly.
She let go of my shoulders and turned away, her back to me. "Just imagine… I am hoping that my tribe could hear that… that they could have chosen not to believe that woman."
"Time has passed, Alva," I said softly. "Days change to months, months change to years, years change to decades, and decades change to centuries."
"You are right," she whispered, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
"Is there anything else, Alva?"
"There is nothing else from me... The most important one is the first."
"Are you sure?" I asked. "Even Geri set three conditions for me. The last was to hold a seed of doubt toward me."
Geri barked suddenly. "Don't tell her about that!"
Alva let out a small giggle. "Ha ha ha! What is that? You animal surely are unique and dumb for some reason. I think I have said enough; the first condition is the only one that truly matters."
"Great… so how can the contract be sealed between us?" I asked.
Alva walked slowly toward me. She took my right hand and lifted it to the level of my heart. Immediately, a brilliant blue light erupted from our joined hands. I felt a slow, burning sensation as a second wing began to be engraved onto my skin. Alva herself was glowing, her white hair and dress whipping about her as if caught in a gale. When the light finally faded, two blue wings were perfectly etched onto the back of my hand.
I looked at the mark, then at Geri, confused. "When I sealed the contract with Geri, it was not like this."
Geri looked away, suddenly very interested in a nearby tree.
I turned back to Alva. "May I ask you something?"
"Sure," Alva replied, her voice now bonded to mine. "Now that you are my master, you can ask me anything whenever you like. What is it?"
"What just happened? The sealing process was entirely different with Geri."
"What was the difference?"
"Well, with her it happened in a heartbeat. The wing was just there. This was... slower."
"What? There was no process like this?" Alva turned her gaze to Geri and marched toward her. "You animal! Why did you not let the proper sealing process proceed?"
"Because it was annoying and took too long," Geri grumbled. "It was better to be quick."
Alva began to babble and argue with Geri, who countered every insult with a growl. I stepped between them, raising my hands. "Well, well, well, we can just agree to disagree. Let's not waste more time arguing."
They both took a step back, refusing to look at one another. I asked Alva, "Will you keep your identity, or will you hide it?"
"Ah! About that.." She raised a finger and traced a circle in the air. In a flash of light, her ethereal dress transformed into a simple tunic and trousers like mine. Her pointed ears shrunk, rounding into a human shape. "Here I am."
"Great, to have a wood creature become human," Geri muttered.
"It's better than you, animal," Alva retorted.
"Calm down. How about we go back to the inn?" I suggested.
"And how will you introduce her to everyone?" Geri asked.
"As another new companion."
"Great, a 'new companion'..." Geri said in a low tone. She lowered her body to the ground.
I hopped onto her back, and Alva followed suit.
"Don't tell me she will be hopping onto my back as well," Geri groaned.
"Is there any problem?" I asked.
"Yeah, is there any problem for me to hop on your back?" Alva added.
"No…" Geri sighed.
With both of us secured, Geri dashed out from the clearing and ran toward the village.