She couldn’t recall a meeting a knight with that name over the last two days. The number of new people at the castle was formidable, but she had paid extra care whenever the Tempest knights were introduced. Far more than she had with the others her father likely would have preferred her to remember. She was certain that the name ‘Idris’ had never been said.

“He’s my mage,” Sir Vincent explained. “We’ve been together since we were mercenaries. He’s a high mage, specializes in healing.”

“I’ve never heard of a knight having their own mage before,” Amaryllis frowned.

Especially not a high mage. How had that rumor not spread along with all the other gossip? It was far more impressive than some of the monsters he had slain. He wasn’t the only knight who had slain those beasts, but to have his own mage? And it sounded like they were partners, not paid as servant and master like the usual dynamic to be.

“Well, he’s essentially the Tempest knight’s mage now, but he didn’t officially join until I was knighted,” he shrugged.

“You said you were a mercenary for about five years, right?” Amaryllis tilted her head up to look up Vincent. “How long have you known him for?”

“I was around fourteen when we met so we’ve been together almost seven years now. Did a lot of commissions together before leaving the Minotaur’s. I probably trust him more than anyone else.”

Amaryllis nodded. That was not something a knight said lightly. Trust was a matter of life or death for him. From what she knew the ties between mercenaries in the same group were fragile at best. They must have gone through a lot to build a deep bond like that.

“That’s why I listened when he told me not to attack the dryads. I don’t think anyone else could have stopped me. I’ve seen the aftermath of a dryad attack before. The men were ripp-,” Vincent cleared his throat and shook his head slightly. “Anyways it was clear they were a strong foe and hesitating put us at a disadvantage. There were about six I could see so there were more I couldn’t. They were slowly starting to grow thorns along their bark as they sized us up.”

“What did they look like?” Amaryllis asked.

From what she’d heard dryads were always covered in thorns and could extend their limbs into thrashing vines to grasp people and kill them. She hadn’t realized that they grew their thorns in the moment. Could they manipulate their bodies further? She’d never heard of a creature that could do that.

“When they’re not angry they’re . . . what’s the word,” he tapped a finger on his chin. “They’re beautiful, but in an ethereal way. Like a mirage where you’re not quite sure if you can trust your eyes. Their bodies are made up of twisting branches and their skin matches the bark of whatever tree they’re bound to. Flowers and leaves sprout from their heads like hair, changing with the seasons. I’d say they’re rather mild mannered when they’re not protecting their groves.”

“And that ruin was their grove?”

“Yes,” he nodded.  “From back before it became ruins. Other looters had come by over the years and trampled their gardens each time. Even killing a few of the younger saplings that hadn’t learned to defend themselves yet.”

“That’s awful.”

Amaryllis was surprised at how quickly she was sympathizing with the dryads. But Sir Vincent had said they weren’t monsters. Wouldn’t it be understandable to defend one’s home and children? There were a few legends where heroes were helped by dryads and nymphs. Perhaps there was a kernel of truth there that had been lost. The same as her dark magic.

“They didn’t attack, and they stopped growing their thorns when I let go of the hilt of my sword. That might have been the only time that place was silent. Neither side moved. Even the butterflies stayed still if you can believe it.”

“So what happened next?”

“Idris stepped forward with hands up, trying to show that we meant no harm. He called out in a few different languages. I think at least four before he found one they understood,” he chuckled softly. “The whole place came back to life after that. It was as if the spell the birds and bugs were under was lifted and they were back to flitting about as if nothing was amiss.”

“One of the elders came forward. She’s a head taller than me and her bark was rough, but she moved so gracefully. The roots at her feet would lift effortlessly but burrow back into the ground with each step. When she stopped before Idris it was like an oak that had weathered centuries was looking down at him and passing judgement. Never thought a tree would make me feel so uncomfortable.”

“What did she say?”

“That she doubted Idris’s reassurances. That they wanted us to leave. That we weren’t welcome,” he shrugged. “Nothing surprising in that. Idris managed to negotiate a peaceful departure, and a chance to return if we brought something to trade.”

“What did they want?”

Amaryllis struggled to think of what such a being would need.

“Seeds and saplings,” Vincent explained. “They were too cut off from the world to get new plants and were worried that their grove would whither. In the past elementals made contracts with humans to help get them since they can’t leave their groves. They offered Idris the chance at a contract if we came back with what they wanted.”

“Did the contract work out?”

“Of course,” Vincent snorted. “Idris would not let the chance to speak with the dryads go. He loves history and his research. The chance at an elemental contract on top of that was too tempting. We went back a few weeks later with a cart of saplings and different seeds for them to choose from. It’s the only time I’ve seen that mage readily opened up his coin purse.”

“They came out to us as soon as I dragged the wagon up, moving the wisteria aside as if it were only a curtain to let us through. Idris was so pleased he practically clapped his hands in excitement. The younger dryads directed me to dig holes for them to plant the saplings while he went off and talked with the elder.”

Amaryllis chuckled as she tried to imagine the large knight being ordered around by women made of tree branches. Or were they more like trees with a likeness towards people? Maybe it depended on their mood if they could grow to change their appearance at will.

“Turns out that place was better preserved than most. The dryads had called it their home for nearly five hundred years. They left the buildings of their late contractors intact, feeding mana into the magical devices that preserved them. It was a small school of sorts. A place for elementalists. That’s what Idris told me those who contract with elementals are called. It was hard to drag him away after they showed us the library.”

“A library?” 

Amaryllis’s eyes glimmered with excitement. She was certain she could learn quite a lot if she went to a library that predated the fall of the empire. Even her father and his forefathers had only managed to get a handful of books from the empire. But a whole library? Fully preserved too? That was a miracle.

“That’s the look he had,” Vincent gave her a bemused smile. “You must like reading too.”

“It’s a good way to pass the time,” she looked away, embarrassed to admit that her main hobby was to sit idly while he was so active. No doubt the hours she spent reading he was out training and horseback riding if he wasn’t on a campaign. “So how long did you stay?”

“A week that second visit, but different lengths after that,” he explained. “We split off to stop by there whenever we can. As a contractor Idris has put in several layers of illusion spells around the grove to keep it safe from discovery. Made a few magic devices too.”

“Do you think they’re safe then?”

“Should be,” he shrugged. “It’s not easy to get there, and they dryads are strong enough to defend themselves. The extra protections can’t hurt though. They’ve learned a bit of the common tongue over the past few years which should help them too.”

“Do you talk to them a lot?”

“Only small talk. The conversation would be limited anyways without the language barrier. I don’t know about plants or magic. They don’t know much about fighting or weapons or horses. We respect each other, and that’s good enough. It’s a peaceful place. I can relax when I’m there.”

“That does sound nice,” she murmured.

A knight was constantly on the move, fighting in battles against men or monsters. To have the space and time to rest would likely be rare. A spot to stop on occasion for a day or two would be a nice break.

“Meeting them made other ruins easier too. We knew that elementals might be lurking, not just monsters. So, we’d be careful to keep the peace. Move the plants aside, stick to the paths, leave an offering to show respect. The less destructive the better. Saw a few fairies and some sort of water elemental, don’t know what kind though. Only saw his eyes peeking out from under a lily pad.”

“Do the other Tempest knights go there?”

“No, we’ve never told them,” Sir Vincent shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t trust them, but it’s not my secret to tell. Especially to so many who ultimately take orders. Commanders change. I know Lord Atwater would never harm them, but who’s to say if that’s true for the next commander or the one after that? The dryads have long lifespans. Far longer than ours. The fewer people who know, the safer they’ll be.”

“So why tell me?” Amaryllis eyes went wide as she realized the weight of his words.

“We already have a few secrets,” he covered his mouth with his hand for a moment, rubbing a finger across his cheek as he thought. “And when I thought of things to tell you about, that was the best place. The grove has a wild beauty your father’s gardens can’t match. When I thought of this clearing you picked, well, I thought you’d like it.”

“Thank you for trusting me,” Amaryllis placed her free hand over his and squeezed tightly. “I promise I will never tell another soul.”

A natural lull fell over the conversation. She pondered his words while he stared out into the forest. The revelation of dryads as elementals was shocking, but fascinating. She glanced up at him. What other things had he discovered? His life was so much more exciting than her own. A sudden thought dawned on her and she couldn’t resist asking another question.

“So, your mage, Idris. He’s an elementalist then, not just a high mage?”

“Yes, I suppose that’s true,” Sir Vincent shifted awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. “I’d appreciate if you kept that quiet too. He’s chosen not to share that. Might not be good if the church finds out. They haven’t really declared a stance on elementals but . . .”

He trailed off. Amaryllis nodded her head. No doubt they would label them as monsters. The church did not view anything that wasn’t human in a positive light. The other races that used to live on the continent had faced their persecution before fading into obscurity. Even human traders from the Western continent were treated poorly by the more conservative factions.

“Don’t worry,” she tried to sound reassuring. “That secret is safe with me.”

It’s not like she had anyone to tell it to, but he didn’t need to know that.