Tymora's Luck - Kate Novak [23]
"Greetings," the woman said in Elvish. Her voice was soft and deep, but there was a slight hint of disapproval in her tone.
"Soft light, sweet lady," Joel replied in the same tongue.
The woman drew back a step and giggled.
Joel stood and bowed. "My name is Joel. These are my companions, Jas and Emilo. If you make your home here, lady, please forgive our intrusion," he said. His words came slowly, since he was taxing his knowledge of the elves' language to its limit.
"I am Ada," the woman said. "Your Elvish is not very good," she chided.
"I have very little practice," Joel admitted. "But so sweet a voice as yours could teach me well."
Ada giggled again, lowering her eyes to the compliment. Then she slipped behind the tree and disappeared from view.
Joel circled about the tree, but the woman had vanished.
"Ada?" Joel called softly.
Jas moaned and rolled over in her sleep. Emilo snored on.
Something tugged away the strip of leather that held back his hair. The bard spun about. Ada stood behind him, appearing as if out of nowhere. Joel grinned. "How did you do that?" he asked.
Ada stepped closer to the bard. A sweet scent rose from her skin. She stroked Joel's long hair and smiled with pleasure.
Without thinking, Joel reached out and ran his hand through the green curls that crowned Ada's head. They were soft and warm.
Ada brushed her lips against the bard's, then quickly drew back. Giggling, she disappeared behind the tree again.
"Ada, come back," the bard called softly, circling the tree once more.
Ada appeared suddenly before him and wrapped her arms about his neck. Joel embraced her about the waist. As if in a dream, he felt no embarrassment whatsoever about kissing this perfect stranger. Her mouth was as sweet as her laughter, and her caresses made his heart pound. Joel couldn't understand why he should suddenly feel so enamored of this woman, unless he was indeed dreaming.
That was it, he decided. He was more tired than he thought, and he'd fallen asleep. He really should stir himself awake, he thought, but he had no desire to do so.
From the edge of the grove, a familiar voice called out in Elvish, "Hold, sprite! Release him."
Ada and Joel turned to the speaker. Finder stepped into the grove. The god wore the form he had possessed when he'd been mortal, that of an older man, but one still in his prime. His bearing was strong and regal, and his dark brown hair and beard held only the slightest streaks of gray. Joel found himself unable to speak but wishing he could tell his god that he didn't wish for Ada to release him, ever.
"I'm sorry, Ada," Finder said, "but you cannot keep him, He is mine, and I have far more important things for him to do than fetch you honeycombs and weave clover crowns for your hair."
"You should have to ransom one so fair and sweet," Ada said, tossing her head saucily.
Finder held out his hand. In his palm rested a large golden acorn carved from an amber so dark it seemed to have blood mixed into it. "To match your eyes," the god said.
Ada kissed Joel once more on the lips and stroked his stubbly cheek. Then she ran to Finder's side and snatched the acorn gem from his hand. With a laugh as thick as honey, she ran back toward the largest oak and disappeared like a ghost into the tree's trunk.
Finder moved toward Joel and set his right hand on the bard's chest, just over his heart.
Joel felt a sudden shock, as if someone had splashed cold water on him. Although the attraction to Ada remained, the enchantment he'd felt for her dissolved. "Finder," he gasped. He bowed formally, embarrassed at his behavior.
Finder chuckled. "Somehow I suspect that was the first dryad you've ever met."
"A dryad? That's some sort of tree sprite, right?" Joel asked.
The god nodded. "In my youth, you could always find a tree sprite in the Realms if you knew where to look… and were fool enough to do so. These days they are far more rare in the Realms. The ladies of the oaks wield one of the most powerful enchantments known to men. They