Bloodroot Castle from The Search for Humans by Laura Knight ©1998
As Melusine recomposed herself, she noticed the sun had begun to set. She would never make it home by dark. She walked over to her makeshift bed she created years ago out of pieces of cushions and scraps of wood. A few blankets brought from home helped to make it more comfortable. She climbed onto the bed and sat cross-legged in the center. By closing her eyes and controlling her breaths, she relaxed into another trance, except this trance had a specific purpose. After twenty deep breaths, Melusine opened her mind to search for the familiar giggling of the Brownies that lived in Antaeus's attic. Soon she heard it in her mind, and a greeting was sent immediately once they recognized her. She asked if they would tell Antaeus that she would be staying the night at the ruins, as it was too late to return. Happily, they consented, and Melusine lay down to sleep.
The sun was high above the mountain when she woke, which was shocking since she never slept that late. Quickly she sat up and noticed three people watching her from outside of the ruins. She froze and stared at them as they were staring at her. When none of them moved she wondered if she really saw them or if she envisioned them as she had envisioned all the Humans the night before. As she stared at them, she noticed their auras. She had never seen auras in her visions. The aura surrounding the female was strong and bright, almost blinding if she didn't blink, so she assumed the female was an old, powerful Faery, except that she looked no older than herself. The aura around the dark male was significantly weaker and dark colors swirled within it; she assumed he was an Elf, but she based that assumption strictly on what she had heard about Elves from the Faeries and from Antaeus, since all Elves lived across the ocean. The other male, however, had an aura much different from any she had ever seen. Many colors swirled throughout, but most of the colors were weaker than even those of the Elf behind him. However, the colors themselves were beautiful, and she wanted nothing more than to stand beside him and twirl her fingers through the colors and watch them interact with her touch. As if responding to her thoughts, the shorter male began to close the distance between them. Her instincts told her to run away and keep as much distance from the strangers as possible. Instead she stood, but kept the bed between them. When he reached the crumbled stones that used to be a strong wall of the castle, he spoke.
"Hello. My name is Manann Mac Lir, but most everyone calls me Mac Lir. I have traveled a long way in search of you," he said and extended his hand toward Melusine. She stared at his hand, now within reach, and as she reached for it, she saw the colors of her aura jump towards his hand and dance with his colors. It was then she realized that she had met someone who could be a match for her, a mate for her, a Human who could fulfill her dreams. She looked up into his leafy eyes and smiled.
"Hello. My name is Melusine Pax. I have been waiting for you." She laced her fingers with his and felt the warmth travel from her fingertips, up her arm, across her chest, and down through the rest of her body. If the other two hadn't come up behind him, she would have never let go.
"Are you Human?" Mac Lir asked as he watched their hands part.
"Yes, I am. I didn't know there were any other Humans left on Earth."
"Neither did I until three days ago," He replied then turned to Blaize and Kathar. "Let me introduce my friends," he said with a sideways glance at Kathar. "This is Blaize Wintersweet and Kathar-Wa-Hasis. They have traveled with me in hopes of deciphering a prophecy I learned from a Bugul Noz."
Melusine paid little attention to Mac Lir's friends. She was talking to a Human, a man that could answer her questions, a man that would love her for no other reason than they were the last survivors of an extinct race. She motioned for him to sit beside her on the bed. Mac Lir looked at Blaize, and when she shrugged, he joined Melusine. They talked for hours about how they were raised, how no one seemed to want to tell them anything about Humans and what dreams they had had before meeting. After a couple of hours, Kathar interrupted them by suggesting they eat and find a place to sleep for the night.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you. We can go to my house for dinner and rest. Antaeus won't mind. It's only about a two hour hike over the mountain," Melusine said, wondering if Antaeus really wouldn't mind. She had just invited a powerful Faery, an Elf, whom all Faery Folk distrusted because of their similarities to Humans, and a Human male whom she never wanted to leave. She led them to her house without any Faery encounters.
Melusine and her new friends arrived at the Old Stone Cottage, as Antaeus liked to call his home, shortly before dinnertime. Melusine ran ahead to the garden where Antaeus was probably relaxing, to prepare him for the strangers.
"Taeus, I've brought friends for dinner," she said when she found him in his comfortable rocking chair in the garden. He put down his book and followed Melusine to the front of the house where he lost his breath upon seeing Melusine's new friends.
"Taeus, this is Blaize, Kathar, and Mac Lir, a Human," she said as she grabbed Mac Lir's hand.
Addressing Blaize, Antaeus asked, "Why have you come? What do you want with us?"
Manann answered, "A Bugul Noz told me I would find a Human here to help me with the prophecy that says Humans can return to Earth. And since Melusine is Human, I can only assume she is the one I was sent to find." The Dwarf glared at Melusine then entered his home.
"He may seem distrustful, but he's really very kind, and he is a wonderful cook. Come inside, we'll have a grand feast to celebrate our new friends," Melusine said and led Manann inside, still holding his hand.
Kathar had been watching Antaeus's reactions as Manann explained their presence. The Dwarf knew Melusine was not fully Human, anyone could tell if they truly looked at her. Her features were more graceful than an Elf's, her long hair shone like polished gold in the sun, and he doubted she had a hairdresser to help her keep her hair so beautiful. Her ever-changing eyes revealed nothing of her soul to him, but in her aura he could see glimpses of a crystalline place underwater. Her mother must have been an Anoon Faery, but why was a Dwarf raising her? He realized Antaeus would not reveal his daughter, but Manann had to know that she was not the person he was searching for. He would tell him after dinner.