In the village in the forest that was never named by its people, Yanira slept soundly on a soft feathered bed. Her dreams were filled with nature’s blessings bringing a smile to her face, but as she slept, she had no idea that in the outskirts of the forest, Shuyu, her fiancé, was standing before the forest with rage in his eyes. By his side were Kaysan and Raul, who both had equally uneasy looks on their faces.

            “Are you sure about this?” asked Raul looking at Shuyu. Shuyu nodded and stated, “I want to get Yanira back this night.”

            “But isn’t this too rash? You might also hurt Yanira,” stated Kaysan trying to convince Shuyu from what he had decided, but Shuyu refused to change his plans. He wanted Yanira…even if it meant burning the whole forest to the ground.

            “Do it,” ordered Shuyu with a glint of rage in his eyes. Raul sighed pulling out an enchanted parchment from his bag. He tossed it into the forest and then announced in a loud voice, “Agnika desradaken!”

            The enchanted parchment flew open and flames burst from within beginning to engulf the trees in flames. Shuyu smirked as the flames began to crawl along the forest.

            Come to me Yanira.

            Back in the village, Yanira still slept, but she suddenly heard a horrified scream and woke up abruptly. Yanira sat up and ran to the source of the scream. Yanira pushed opened a door only to see Willow screaming non-stop with Farkas by her side trying to calm her down.

            “What’s going on?” asked Yanira as she approached the two. Farkas glanced at Yanira with seriousness in his eyes.

            “Willow just started screaming, but the only time she does this is when the forest is under attack.”

            “Attack?”

            Farkas nodded holding his sister’s shoulders trying to soothe her screams, but Willow began to hold her head with panic apparent in her face.

            “The forest…the forest…is dying. The flames…they burn.”

            Willow began to mutter this repeatedly making Farkas’s expression darken. He released Willow’s shoulders and began to run out the door pass Yanira.

Yanira took a glance at Farkas’s retreating form and then back at Willow, who began to sob nonstop.

“Willow, what is happening?”

Willow glanced at Yanira with tear filled eyes and muttered, “The king is killing the forest.” Yanira’s eyes widened as one thought appeared in her mind.

Shuyu is attacking the forest to get me.

Yanira clenched her fists and then ran through the door leaving Willow to sob.

Yanira ran out of the cabin and immediately saw the people of the village leaving their houses with bags over their shoulders and carts filled with children or livestock. The village was in chaos, but she saw Farkas leading them out of the village with gestures leading deeper in the woods.

“Farkas!”

Farkas glanced at Yanira as she approached him and stated, “You need to leave the village too if you want to survive the forest fire.”

“So you understood what Willow meant?”

Farkas nodded with anger clearly in his eyes.

“This fire was deliberate as far as I can tell, but we need to leave right away if we want to beat the flames that are approaching,” stated Farkas, but then he noticed the sadness in Yanira’s face.

“Yanira?”

“It’s my fault.”

“What?”

“Willow said that the king is killing the forest. My father would never do such a thing, so I can only think that Shuyu is responsible for the fire and that it is to get to me.”

Farkas frowned and yelled, “How could he reach you with a fire? That doesn’t make sense!”

Yanira clenched her fist saying, “I think he knows that I would react to the flames and try to stop it, since it is instinct for a priestess to protect nature.”

“But how could you…”

“I can use a water spell to stop the fire. I know how to do it and if the fire is out then your people can stay in this village.”

Farkas stared at her and then knelt to her level.

“Yanira, we promised to let you stay for the day. To let you remain in your kingdom longer before you are to be married.”

“I know and I am allowing you to break the promise. I want you and your people to live.”

Farkas stared at Yanira and noticed the tears building up in her eyes. Farkas clenched his fist and then used his knuckle to wipe away a stray tear that managed to slip out from Yanira’s eyes. This small gesture caused the tears to fall from Yanira’s eyes like a waterfall. Yanira wanted to stay in her kingdom for another day. She wanted to spend it in this village, but she knew that if she didn’t return this night then the villagers will lose their home.

Farkas stared at Yanira’s crying face and then placed a hand to her right cheek caressing it to soothe her sobs. Farkas felt that he wouldn’t get to see Yanira in a long time after this night and that made his heart hurt. He thought this pain was from the spirit, but then he realized that it was his own heart. Farkas leaned in and placed a chaste kiss to Yanira’s lips. Yanira’s eyes widened feeling the feather touch of Farkas’s lips. She had never felt something like this. She had been kissed by her family on the forehead and cheeks, but this was the first time to be kissed on the lips and this kiss alone made her heart race with warmth.

Farkas separated from her lips and smiled with a sadness in his eyes and whispered, “Let’s make another promise: when you are older and wiser and I am stronger and braver, let’s meet again; and I promise that this will come true this time.” Yanira smiled and nodded holding her hands to her chest as if in prayer.

“I promise, so please get stronger Farkas,” stated Yanira. Farkas nodded. Yanira placed a small kiss to Farkas’s cheek and then rushed off into the forest out of sight.

Farkas stared in the direction Yanira disappeared and felt tears begin to slip from his eyes.

I promise to see you again Yanira and it won’t be because of the wolf spirit in me.

Yanira rushed through the forest looking for the flames that caused Willow so much despair. As she ventured deeper she noticed that the sound of animals could no longer be heard and was replaced with the sound of burning wood and the smell of smoke. The smell was so strong that Yanira had to cover her nose and mouth. She soon came to a point where she could see the towering flames. It seemed like she was in Hell on earth as the flames climbed higher.

Yanira removed her hands from her face and spread her arms out, ignoring the smoke that was stinging her eyes.

“Adininaju No Kayishu Fibimi Sino!”

Water began to encircle Yanira and then rushed at the flames only to disintegrate at the contact of the heat creating steam. Yanira clenched her teeth and muttered the spell again only for it to fail once again. Sweat was beginning to fall from Yanira’s forehead and fear began to show in her eyes as she gazed at the increasing flames.

I need more power. Please spirits, please grant me this power. I want to save the people of the village. I want to save Willow…I want to save Farkas!

Yanira suddenly felt like she was enveloped in warm light. This felt familiar. It felt like the warmth she always felt when she was at the chestnut tree; a feeling that seemed to always say that it was OK and that she was not alone.

Yanira closed her eyes saying the spell again and the water around her increased a hundred times and rushed toward the flames. As the water swallowed up the flames, the trees that were burned began to heal at a rapid pace to the point that it seemed they were never burned. The water flowed through the forest like a passing wind.

As the water flowed, Yanira didn’t notice that a man with long white hair and golden eyes was embracing her with one arm. His entire form was glowing as the water was manipulated.

When the flames were finally dispersed, the water vanished and Yanira fell to the ground unconscious using up most of her power. The man with white hair supported her small body and then carried her in his embrace. He glanced down staring at her sleeping face. He smiled and kissed her forehead only for Yanira to smile and whisper a name he didn’t expect.

“Farkas.”

The man frowned running his hand through her short red hair.

“You are my princess.”

He hugged Yanira close as if she were going to disappear at any moment, but he suddenly heard the crunching of dry leaves and placed Yanira gently on the ground creating soft moss for her to sleep on. He then vanished leaving no trace of his body.

Out of the thickness of the trees emerged Shuyu. Shuyu smiled at the sight of HIS Yanira lying on the ground and immediately ran to her. He embraced her in his arms saying Yanira’s name repeatedly.

Kaysan and Raul soon followed and watched as Shuyu hugged Yanira with redness in his cheeks.

“He really did find her using the fire,” stated Raul with slight shock in his face. Kaysan nodded and then looked at all the trees that were previously covered in flames.

“The princess was training to be a priestess before right?”

Raul nodded and glanced at the healed trees saying, “She’s very strong to use water to not only destroy the flames, but to also heal the trees.” Kaysan nodded and let his gaze fall on Yanira’s unconscious form. It made Kaysan wonder if it was truly wise for their king to marry this girl when she seemed more suited to be a priestess, but the king’s thoughts were absolute and he knew that Shuyu would never change his mind in marrying Yanira.

Shuyu carried Yanira bridal style and began to leave the forest with her. Since he finally had Yanira back, he would forgive whoever her kidnapper was, but if her kidnapper ever appeared again in his presence, he would make sure that the kidnapper would suffer a fate worse than death.

Yanira slept unaware that Shuyu had her in his grasp again. She only had thoughts of an Anyion that she hoped to see again.

I want to see you again, Farkas.