Awaken (21 page)

“
How did you know...?” I
say.

“
That you were a new blood?
Well if your rapidly healing wound wasn’t a dead giveaway it would
have to be your resemblance to her.”

I frown at her, puzzled. “Her?
Who?”

“
Jenna...Jax’s sister, and
my daughter. You remind me of her so much. Oh not in appearance
other then the hair of course, but your temperament and
stubbornness and sadness. In that you are very similar.”

I am surprised by this revelation. “I
didn’t know Jax had a sister.”

Not that he would have told me
anyways...we ain’t had much of what you would call civilized
conversation in the time we’ve known each other.

She sighs again and sits by me on the
bed. “No he doesn’t talk about her at all anymore.

But as children they were
inseparable....he loved her very much.”

“
This is her room ain’t it?”
I say. Vi just nods and looks around fondly.

“
All these dolls...Jax made
them for her, or found them, over the years. It was the one thing
that made her happiest.”

“
She was ...odd? Like me?” I
say, already knowing the answer. At first I don’t think Vi is going
to answer...but then...

“
We didn’t know. Oh we had
heard stories, tales of new bloods and such, but we never imagined.
We thought them to be myth...camp fire talk.” She gives a harsh
little laugh. “There were signs...things I should have seen, but I
guess I didn’t want to see it. Jenna was always....different. We
lived a simple life, the four of us....a happy life. We had our
hardships, what life doesn’t? But basically we were happy. Gray
Valley was pretty much left alone by the Prezedants Army...as long
as we paid our taxes, gave them most of our crops. But then it all
changed.”

Her face hardens and even though she is
sitting next to me on the bed, in her mind’s eye she is far far
away.

“
HE came one day. I don’t
know how he found out about her. Maybe some trader passing through
recognized her for what she was. I can’t rightly say. But they
came, an army of them. He tried to take her from us. They dragged
her from the cabin. She was crying...screaming as they tried to
lock her in their traveling cage. Why? I wanted to know! What has
she done? She is just a little girl...an innocent little girl! Jax
and his father were in the fields with the other men but they came
running at Jenna’s cries. Her father...he attacked the guards
putting her in the cage. He was a strong man, my husband, but he
stood no chance against their weapons. They killed him with no more
thought then as if they were slaughtering a hog. Jenna...she
couldn’t handle seeing her father cut down in front of her like
that. She....she...”

Vi stops speaking but she don’t have to
say what happened. I know what Jenna must have gone through. I
already experienced it .... chi. My hand reaches for hers and she
holds it tight.

“
She couldn’t handle it, my
Jenna. She wasn’t strong enough...not like you. It overwhelmed her,
destroyed her. And even though I was there to see with my own eyes,
I can’t really explain what happened....” I watch Vi struggle to
tell me, holding my breath, scared for what I will hear.

“
I watched as this
light...it formed around her. The two guards holding her, they fell
immediately, dead from what I cannot say. Then the light got
brighter and she started screaming, as if it were hurting
her...burning her. The villagers that had come running at her cries
to help...they started falling too...dying just like the guards. I
tried to run to her....I needed to reach my little girl but Jax had
ahold of me and he wouldn’t let me go! He knew it was too late.
That I would die just like the others. That I couldn’t help her. I
couldn’t help my little girl....” Her voice trails off and I think
she is done, but then she starts talking again.

“
By the time it was over
nine other innocent villagers had perished, and of my little
girl....there was nothing left. It was like she had burnt away on
the inside and left an empty, hollow shell.”

Tears fall freely down her cheeks but
she don’t try to stop them. We sit in silence for a bit, me holding
her hand while she remembers the horrors. Finally she speaks again
but this time her voice is hard and unforgiving.

“
He watched it all
happen...the death, the carnage from atop his horse. He watched
them shoot my husband and my baby girl destroy herself. He ordered
his remaining men to take four other children as our punishment for
resisting them.” Her voice breaks again but she continues on. “And
when it was over.....after so many people had died...after he had
destroyed so many families…you know what he said? ‘Pity, she may
have been of use.’ I will never forget that as long as I live! She
may have been of use! So don’t you dare feel remorse for what you
did to those bastards! You saved my boys life and the lives of Finn
and Tater.” She nods at my questioning look. “Yes Finn told me what
happened...most of it anyway. And I know that’s some of what’s been
keeping you awake at night and causing your grief. So don’t you
dare shed another tear over any of it! You, my child have been
touched with a special gift. Why you have been able to handle that
gift while my Jenna was not…well that is for the gods to know. You
have been chosen for a reason and what you do with that gift is up
to you. But let me tell you this. As long as that...evil creature
lives no one is safe!”

She stops talking but continues to hold
my hand tight. We sit for a bit in silence as she struggles to
compose herself, to lock those horrible memories away again and I
try to take it all in. What had happened to Jenna...it scares me.
Vi had said it was like she had burnt from the inside out and I
kinda know what she was talking about. The Chi...well it had felt
like my blood...my whole body was aflame. But why hadn’t it killed
me like it had done to Jenna? And what must have it had been like
for Vi...what she must have endured to witness not just her husband
but her child perish in front of her and be so helpless. Kind of
like me and Rivercross I guess. But I don’t say that. There was
nuthin I could say to help take away any of that pain...I know that
first hand. So I just keep holding her hand as she cries. Finally,
she gives my hand a little shake, stands up, wipes the tears from
her face and smoothes out her dress, her emotions back under
control again.

“
I’ve said my piece...now
get up. You’ve wasted enough time.”

I don’t want to do that. I’m too full
of fear and questions. I don’t want to get up but I also don’t dare
oppose her, sides I don’t think it would have done any good
anyways. I kind of could see where Jax got his stubborn streak from
but I ain’t telling her that! I stand up tentatively, surprised
that the pain I was expecting don’t come.

“
Don’t worry, it’s almost
healed. One of the advantages of your kind.” She taps me on the
nose gently as if to take the bite off of her words. “And just in
time too ...I have a surprise for you.” She turns to leave the room
but I grab her arm.

“
Wait...there’s one more
thing I need to know. Jax....he blames Jenna for what happened
don’t he? For drawing the Prezedant here. For his pa’s death. For
the villagers. That’s why he...why I disgust him so much,” I
say.

She nods and gives me a sad little
smile. “You have to remember, he was barely past being a child
himself when all this happened. He didn’t understand. He needed
someone to take the blame for his loss, to help him make sense of
all that happened. Someday he will understand. He will forgive her,
of that I have no doubt. Now come with me...your surprise
awaits.”

**************************************************************************************************

Surprise ain’t ever been a good word in
my opinion. The scrub tub full of hot water she had waiting for me
I had appreciated since, I had to admit, I was starting to smell
pretty ripe. Her washing and braiding my hair with tiny ribbons, I
had tolerated since they did a fine job of hiding my white stripes.
But this! This was ridiculous!

“
Stop fidgeting Tara. You
look lovely.”

“
I cain’t help it...it’s
itching me something fierce!” I skulk along behind Vi, tugging at
the constricting frilly neckband of the stupid dress I was wearing
and fully aware of all the curious onlookers. How she had talked me
into wearing this ridiculous getup I still cain’t figure out. I had
taken one look at the ruffled contraption earlier when she had
showed me and backed away in horror.

“
Oh no! You ain’t getting me
into that,” I had told her but she was insistent.

“
You don’t have much choice
child. Your own tattered bloodied clothes I burnt and until I can
get a pair of Jax’s trousers altered for you, this is your only
option.”

“
Fine then, I’ll just wait
in bed ‘til you’re done the altering,” I had said but she wasn’t
having none of that.

“
You will do no such thing
young lady. Tonight is a grand event, a betrothal celebration! You
can’t miss this. We have been saving for this all year. There’s
going to be music, dancing, storytelling...and the food oh my!
Roasted rabbit, meat pies, fresh corn, sweet biscuits. Why just
thinking of it is making my mouth water.”

Mine too but I wasn’t going to tell her
that.

“
I know what you’re trying
to do,” I had said. “And it ain’t gonna work.”

Shizen! How many villagers lived here
anyways? And what are they all looking at? Ain’t they ever seen a
girl in a dress before? Vi keeps smiling and waving at everybody as
we make our way through the village. Why she gotta be calling
attention to us like that? I cringe a little bit more every time
she calls someone’s name, wishing the ground would open up and
swallow me. A little dark haired girl, no more the 9 or 10 born
years runs right up to us and grabs my dress tail, nearly causing
me to trip over it.

“
I’m Nina,” she says smiling
at me like I was her long lost kin. “And you’re Tara. Finn told me
all about you.”

“
Is that so?” I say, still
giving anyone who dares look my way the evil eye. It don’t work.
They’re all still staring at me like I’m some weird sand lands
critter. I give up and focus on the child’s face in front of me
just so I ain’t got to be looking at everybody else.

“
Where is Finn?” I say to
her. I notice my words come out all breathless and high pitched
‘cause the dress is cinched so damn tight about my waist it’s
making it hard for me to breath. She just giggles and
points.

“
Over there at the table.
Him and Cat. Cat is so pretty...I just love her. She licks my face
all the time and her tongue is so cold!”

“
That it is,” I say,
deciding against mentioning the devouring incident at Finn’s
village to the girl. Poor kid don’t need to know where that tongue
has been.

I see Finn then, just like she said,
propped up against a table so laden with food that my eyes almost
bug out of my head. Vi wasn’t lying...there was so much food! Finn
is stuffing his pie hole so fast I’m scared he’s going to choke.
Cat is lying under the table chewing contentedly on a big old bone
but at seeing me she rears up and comes lunging at me. I brace
myself just in time as she rams her big head into my chest, rubbing
against me like crazy.

“
Okay, okay...calm down you
overgrown lap rat! It’s good to see you too,” I say, trying to push
her away. Finn spots me then and he ain’t no better than his beast.
He comes flying at me and his scrawny arms circle my
waist.

“
Tara! I’m so glad you got
better. I was so worried! You wouldn’t let me see you and I’m real
sorry about before...about being scared and all.”

“
Shush,” I say cutting off
his words. “I know you’re sorry, don’t say no more ‘bout it.”
Besides I don’t want to talk about that, not here in front of
everybody else. He just nods at me as if understanding, then slowly
looks me up and down as if suddenly realizing something different
about me.

“
Tara...are you wearing a
dress?”

“
What of it?” I say a little
more sharply then I intend to. “Ain’t no law against wearing a
dress is there?”

Vi smiles at the boy and tousles his
hair.

“
Doesn’t she look lovely
Finn?” she asks but he just shrugs.

“
I guess so,” he says,
eyeballing me doubtfully. Yeah, that really makes me feel a whole
lot better. But he don’t have time to say no more before Tater
comes lumbering over to us, a mug of ale in one hand and a huge
smile covering his flushed face. It was my first time seeing him
since our run in with the Army. If he was bothered any by what he
had witnessed me do he ain’t showing it.

“
Ah the sleeping princess
has arisen from her chambers at last. It is truly wonderful to see
you my dear, and in such fine attire. Being in the constant
presence of such a lovely lady as our Vi here has most certainly
rubbed off on you. Given a little more time I have no doubt she
could perform the impossible and turn you into a remarkable lady of
refinement.”

Typical Tater. I ain’t sure but I feel
there’s an insult amongst those words somehow. But I find I don’t
care. I am actually glad to see him, ugly wrinkled face and all. I
truly believed he would have abandoned us by now and gone his
separate way. He has no loyalty to us, why was he even still here I
wonder. But then my unspoken question is answered as a plump little
woman with rosy cheeks yells his name.