Daughter of Earth (Tales of the Guardian) (11 page)

     Emily sat up quickly and turned to Alexander.

     “Do you really need to speak to Damarus so cruelly? He’s only trying to help. These little snide remarks just aren’t you.” She tried to speak softly so her voice wouldn’t carry too far.

     Alexander watched Damarus leave, his lips curled up as if he might say something rude again, but then his features softened. His face reverted to the gentle and compassionate one Emily knew, the one she’d grown accustomed to over the past months.

     “I didn’t mean for my comment to be an attack,” there was sincerity in his voice.

     She was happy to hear it.

     “I know you’re still upset about what was discussed in the Great Hall the other day but I need you to try and move past that. For me, please try.”

     “I am trying but obviously it’s not quite enough.” Alexander shook his head. “I’ll try harder, but that’s all I can promise.”

     Alexander grabbed her hand and squeezed it, gently offering a physical seal to his promise.

     His soft touch warmed her heart and she felt the instant and addictive relaxation overcome her.

     A tiny, intangible wedge had weaseled its way between them. If only they could forget the controversial things going and put a stop to it before the wedge was driven even deeper.  But she couldn’t turn her back on the very beings caught in the fight between good and evil and she was certain Alexander would eventually accept the fact she was willing to spill her blood for his kind. It was the right thing to do.

     “Well,” Emily breathed out, “I suppose we should go and see Aldara. I told her today would be the day I would go with her to the…” she hesitated a moment, “…uuummm the sacred pool.”

     She finished her sentence quieter than she began, glancing nervously at Olivia.

      “Yes, we should get going. I believe Aldara was expecting you quite a bit later but I will go ahead to let her know you are ready.”

     Olivia quickly packed up the items she’d brought and excused herself.

     Emily looked at Alexander, uncertain of the expression on his face. Today would be the first day to begin her role in replenishing human blood to the sacred pool. The two had not discussed the matter since they had come to a partial resolution in the meadow. It was definitely the ‘elephant in the room.’

     To her joyful surprise he did not look upset or displeased, as she’d anticipated. He had just promised he would try harder and the fresh vow was undoubtedly influencing his current disposition.

     “I guess we should get you to Aldara then.” He stood and offered both hands to help pull her up.

     They walked to the Gathering Stone hand in hand. Alexander joked lightly about some of the features they passed as they strolled by. It was refreshing to hear him speak so playfully.  She’d missed it the past few days.

     When they reached the meeting spot, Aldara stood there waiting with Olivia by her side. The Elder’s utter beauty seemed to dwarf Olivia, making her somewhat transparent to the naked eye. By no means was Olivia lacking in physical loveliness, but Aldara seemed to radiate a glow from within, as if her very heart manifested itself in her physical countenance.

     She greeted them both with a hug. Emily welcomed the feeling but then stepped back to observe Alexander’s reaction to the gesture. He allowed her embrace but gave a half-hearted squeeze back. It was obvious he hadn’t completely forgiven his leaders and still, in fact, harbored some angst.

     “If you are ready, I will take you now. Olivia you will need to remain here. Alexander, however, is welcome to come. If you wish,” Aldara turned her gaze in his direction.

     He gave a silent nod and the three began walking down the eastern path she indicated.

     They walked in silence for a time, no one was quite sure how to start a conversation or even if a conversation would be appropriate. It was Alexander who finally spoke up.

     “Where exactly are you taking her?”

     Aldara glanced over her shoulder to acknowledge she’d heard him, but she continued to walk forward. “I am taking her through the eastern forest and the Woods of Creo to the Pool of Tibess.”

     “The Woods of Creo? We’re really going back?” Alexander’s asked in disbelief.

     “Yes, you are truly going back, my son.”

     “Emily, it would be good for you to know that Guardians are not permitted past the eastern forest. Once they emerge from these woods for the first time with me they are never allowed to return. This is so we might keep the Woods of Creo sacred and undefiled as well as keep the Pool of Tibess hidden.”

     Emily glanced around her as the path continued through giant trees that thickly covered the area. Tall and strong magnolia trees intermingled, creating a green canopy above them.

     “If you don’t mind me asking,” Emily paused to give Aldara a chance to shoot her down before she even released her question, “why are Guardians not permitted back to these woods? Why have you kept them in the dark about their creation and this pool?”

     Emily asked more for Alexander’s benefit than her own.

     “It wasn’t always like this. In the very beginning we spoke openly of our creation and allowed access to these woods and the sacred pool. But, it soon proved to be detrimental to our kind. Some Guardians began to tamper with the creation ceremony. They experimented with what they knew to see if they, too, might bring about others of our kind. They were taking it upon themselves and the responsibility was not theirs.”

     “Other Guardians began twisting the truths of our creation, distorting them to fit their own power-hungry desires. You see Emily, it can be difficult to feed someone a blatant lie, but if you take truth and contort it, mix it with a lie, then the dishonesty is harder to detect. This is what those first Guardians did. When they decided our creation and purpose did not match their own ambitions and wishes, they convinced others to follow them by feeding them a distorted truth. Many believed these things because it was so close to what they had already been taught. After the great dissent The Seer instructed the history of our creation, as well as the location, to be sealed. The knowledge was withheld from our kind until it was needed again.”

     It made sense to Emily. She could easily see the reasoning. After all, she lived in a world full of distorted truths. Her father had often issued the warning to ‘not believe everything she heard, or read’. Everyone seemed to have an opinion and was certain their opinion was right. But, how could everyone’s opinion be right? It was a confusing loop and, if Emily entertained it, would cause a headache and overwhelm her with uncertainty.

     Alexander interrupted her thoughts. “So you hid the truth because you feared we would do just as the Ancient Ones had? You don’t think we’re any different than them?” The heat of frustration once again crept into Alexander’s voice.

     Aldara stopped and turned toward him. Her face was filled with compassion, but also a hint of sadness. She ached for her son; she hurt when he hurt just as any birthmother, and she wanted to wipe away his pain. But pain was a personal choice one of few Guardians actually owned just as much as humans did. One either chose to move past or let it fester and drive them mad.

     For the first time Aldara wondered if her son might choose the latter. She was cautious as she continued. “No, I do not think you are as the Ancient Ones. You are different.”

     A smile swept across her face and then disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

     “But, you must come to realize everything has purpose, even this. Though everything may be hidden at one time, all things will manifest themselves in their due time.”

     She faced him for a moment, giving him an opportunity to respond but he remained silent.

     The three continued to walk down the path as it twisted and curved through the wall of trees that hugged its corners and edges. They soon came to a small opening where a dainty stream trickled, flowing delicately over rocks so round and shiny they almost appeared to be polished marbles. Emily heard Alexander take in a deep breath.

     This wondrous place was where Guardians were created. The stream fit the description and Alexander’s simple reaction spoke volumes.

     “Is this it, is this where you perform the ceremony?” Emily asked as she glanced around.

     Flowers sprung up around the water’s edge, drawing life from the liquid flowing effortlessly behind them.

     “This is where all Guardians are born,” Aldara opened her arms to indicate the space around her.

     “I can’t believe I’m actually here,” Alexander whispered almost too softly for the two women to hear. “I barely recognize it. I don’t remember much but it feels like this place is familiar.”

     “Guardians, though already physically grown when they’re born, are much like human infants in the sense that their minds and emotions are not fully developed. The creation memory becomes blurry to all Guardians, even myself, to an extent. I don’t remember all the details of my birth.”

     “So where is the Pool of Tibess?” Emily did not mean to sound impatient, but it was too late. She’d spoken the thoughts in her mind before she realized it. Her desire to see the pool came mostly from a feeling relentlessly tugging at her now.

     There was an urge growing inside her, an undeniable and incessant urge.

     “Through there lies the source of the revered waters,” Aldara pointed eastward in the direction they’d been heading. The path narrowed again, cocooned by the surrounding trees.

     Emily peered down the trail catching a glimpse of willow branches peeking from behind the giant oaks that acted as pillars on either side of the path. She began to move forward, unaware of Aldara or Alexander.

     She knew not if they followed her, nor did she care. Each step she took fed her curiosity more and more, a magnet inside her pulling her deeper and deeper into the forest. Soon, Emily knew exactly where she was and what surrounded her. This place was as familiar to her as her own home. It was the forest from her dreams.

     The willow branches fell low enough to brush and tickle her arms and face as she passed underneath. The sunlight became scarcer, yet it still penetrated through the leaves creating a soft glow. The tiny specs of light became prominent the further Emily went.

     She was tempted to pinch herself just to check and see if she was dreaming again. Everything was exactly the same, and as she neared the path’s end she saw precisely what she expected. Directly in front of her stood a giant stone building with huge pillars lining the front and sides.

     Emily heard footsteps behind her and knew the other two had caught up. Momentarily looking over her shoulder to assess their reactions, she wanted to see if their faces held the same awe she knew hers did. Alexander seemed completely amazed as his eyes surveyed the building before him.

     Wasting no time, Emily pressed forward up the stairs and into the building, the familiar pull growing stronger, just as it had in her dream.

     Once inside she saw the altar and dagger and headed directly to them. As she approached the altar, she held out her hand. When she was within just an inch she stopped. This was as close as she’d ever gotten in her dream. Her heart thudded in her ears, her pulse began to race. She took a deep breath, closed the last space between her and the dagger, and grabbed it off the two prongs.

     She carefully turned it over and over in her hands, inspecting the floral carvings which adorned not only the handle, but also the length of the blade.

     The dagger gleamed in the light shining down from the open roof above. A reflective glare rolled over her face, pestering her eyes, but she soon realized it was not from the blade she held in her hands. Taking a step up to get a better view past the altar, Emily focused her attention to the glistening water twenty feet or so behind it.