Secrets and Fears

Same.

"I've got some words to break with you. Meet me outside."

Ayla called at Vulcan and walked out of the house. She heard Prium calling at her,

"Rude phantom."

She didn't care. Prium turned to her father,

"Don't tell me you'll just go to her."

Vulcan took a glance at her and stood up. He walked out without answering. He heard Prium scorn,

"Had no idea that she now orders you around."

Vulcan looked back at her, he was standing at the doorstep. He twitched his eyes and shook his head, then he walked out.

Ayla was standing at edge of the extended base of the building. The whooshing wind danced in glee across the lips of the lapping water.

"What's this about?"

Vulcan stood beside her. Looking away from that place to the end of the water opposite him. From distance, he could count the numbers of granite stones being washed by the excitement of the flowing water.

The path which led into the forest from the water seemed less throdden from far. But all of them did know that that was nothing close to the truth.

Vulcan's views and perception were distracted by the voice of Ayla. Actually, he hadn't come out to appreciate such natural attributes,

"It's about Athena."

She had came on. Vulcan looked at her. He could only catch the swell of her round cheek.

"What about her?"

He muttered. She looked at him, he felt a quick surge pace his veins and reins. He couldn't explain why but a part of him wanted him to think that she had used being-a-nymph as an advantage over him.

"She will be here in no time."

Vulcan nodded his head. The memory of what he shared with Tahni paced his mental ken. He wanted to bring it up, but he was wise enough to be quite direct about it.

He looked away from her and brushed his point,

"Since when have you known?!"

He wanted to stop there but felt nudged further by his own enthusiasm,

"Since when have you held it back from me?"

Ayla smiled, twas pressured and plagued with expectations. She looked at her,

"Since three weeks ago."

Vulcan's eyes widened at that. He seemed to had been disappointed. Probably he thought that she would lie and deny, but there she was owning up to the stance.

He couldn't help it,

"Why then have you held it back from me?"

"Because I love you and didn't want her back. Because if she comes, you'll forget totally about me."

Vulcan couldn't hold back the shock. He turned to face her. She still held the old position, facing the water to the forest.

"I think old age is messing with me. I guess my ears are playing tricks on me."

She turned to face him, he wished he could read her thoughts through her face. But her gentle eyelids were flapping to the tune of her beautiful face.

"Should I kiss you to prove to you that I've been in love with you since a while now?."

Vulcan scoffed. He wasn't sure if that was the right expression but the fact was that he never expected Ayla.

"So it's true."

He said finally and walked off that place, he returned there as Ayla followed him with the close gaze.

"Father, look!"

The both of them heard a call from the door of the house. They looked. Twas Tahni, standing, and looking towards the forest. 'Not now, Tahni', Vulcan almost said.

The only question Vulcan could think best to ask was,

"How long have you been standing there?"

Tahni shot him the what-the-hell-are-you-doing kinda stare. But then she squinted her eyes, the sun messing with her face,

"Just now. Why?"

"Nevermind."

He snapped and turned to look in the direction she had called them to. Tahni walked up to them and stood in the middle of both. They looked to the end of the water to the West by the forest, the path which led into the creepy forest.

At the shore were two ladies who seemed rather identical.

"Those are the princess and Aynea."

Ayla said. Vulcan shot her a glance. The way he looked at her at that moment was very different. He didn't know why. He couldn't explain how at that moment, but he knew too well that he wasn't considering her as a slave-girl anymore.

"That seems true. Though I can't see the other lady clearly, but the one with her has the legs of a goat."

Tahni paused and turned to Ayla,

"What do you think they are doing here?"

Ayla looked away,

"Dryads have a strong sense of smell for every creature they had once had a contact with, whether direct or indirect, pleasant or unpleasant."

"You think they tailed us here?"

Tahni quizzed,

"Obviously."

"But they can't see us, right?"

Vulcan break the odds at last. The both of them turned to him as he tried to catch the reaction of Ayla. He let his eyes slid off her face to the swell of her boobs, whose cleavages were lively. He hadn't imagined his lips taunting the nipples ever, but at that moment, he couldn't help it. His cock seemed to be heaving sighs to the thought.

"We can't be sure yet. Only time will tell --"

Suddenly, Tahni screamed,

"Aynea!!!!!"

"What are you doing?"

Vulcan quickly put his palm to cover Tahni's mouth. But it seemed too late. Aynea looked in the direction of the voice. They could see the Princess discussing indistinctly with Aynea.

"Is there any possibility that we've been caught or seen?"

The pitch of Vulcan's voice was pressured. He was jumpy.

"Yes, Dryads have many gifts like we Nymphs. The only difference is that, we are aware of ours but they aren't. Circumstances make them realize theirs."

"So what now?"

Vulcan's voice trembled. Ayla smiled and shot,

"We'll just wait and watch."

"I'm sorry."

Tahni pleaded but none of the twain said a thing. They kept their eyes on the shore probably hoping dearly that another battle do not break out between the both parties.

Suddenly, Aynea held unto the princess and they both turned their backs. They began to walk back into the forest as Vulcan sighed.

Ayla affirmed,

"One of many things I forgot to say, Dryads are full of tricks."

"You mean it's not over?"

Vulcan's voice was high that time. Ayla's tender eyes weighed his fear, as she walked past Tahni to him,

"There are somethings even I don't know."

She pushed her finger into his chest and then walked back into the house. Tahni who had been watching the unusual advances between her father and the Nymph tossed the am-I-missing-something kinda stare at her father and called,

"Dad?"

But Vulcan took a glimpse at her then walked into the house too. Tahni was left to make whatever she would of the situation.