Dryad Bond
It's rumored that dryads can switch their soul bond to another being who willingly eats their fruit. Otherwise dryads are spiritually and physically anchored to the being that their seed grew next to, usually a tree.
I can understand that their are benefits to having a nature spirit permanently connected to you, especially if she looks like a pretty lady! But I don't know, eating fruit that grew out of someone's armpit? Feels a little... personal.
A dryad bond is an intimate, lifelong condition that forms when a mortal consumes the fruit of a Concordant Dryad. This act transfers the dryad's soul bond to the consumer, replacing their previous anchor, usually a tree, with a new living host.
Normally, a dryad is spiritually and physically linked to the being or tree that grew next to, or around, their embryonic seed. Under normal circumstance, this bond is unbreakable. But in rare cases, an exchange can be initiated by the dryad herself, using the fruit of her body as a conduit.
The consumption of the fruit is an intimate and private act that, performed in complete privacy.
Signs of the Dryad Bond
The bond is a mutual symbiosis, not a curse or an infection. This lifelong connection is akin to a marriage. The bonded mortal becomes a part of the dryad's ecosystem. If the mortal dies, the dryad may follow. If the dryad is harmed, the mortal experiences phantom pain. They echo each others emotions.
The bonded mortal (or mortals) may exhibit a faint green glow under their skin during times of intense emotion. They are more in tune with nature and the spirit world. They share dreams with their dryad partner. They thrive in the sun and they crave fresh soil and rain.
When the Oak Father came to me he had not had a partner since the Age of Gods. Now he had found someone new and he wanted to be bonded again! Of course I could not refuse my old friend. My bloodfire bibingka made their honeymoon happen! I was so happy to help them!
I think this is kind of beautiful.
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Thank you! I ended up liking it more and more as I wrote it!
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