Essentia (9 page)

        Chapter Eight

         Thegan

              This woman that has shown up in our lives is an intriguing creature, and beautiful as well. Evan after everything she has been through, she still listened to our story and believed us. That in its self is shocking. I have met many people in our journey, and not once did I ever trust another with our secret. We only met her two days ago, but for some reason, confiding in her seemed like the easiest thing I have ever done. Something has to be different about her. I wish we knew about her past, but even she doesn't know any of it. She has never met her parents. Doesn't know where she is from. Doesn't even know her real last name is. The last name she has, came from a foster family. Poor girl, not knowing who you are has to be rough on her. Maybe we can help her learn her past somehow. For some reason, since we met her, I can't help but think there is a certain familiarity about her, which puzzles me. Her voice I believe. Maybe I have heard it before, but that can't be. We only met her recently. Maybe it is just a coincidence. No point in over thinking on it. Bohyne has placed her in our care for some reason, and I guess we just have to wait for what she has planned.

    "I feel bad for her," Aiden says, drawing me out of my thoughts. For a moment, I forgot that Aiden was in the room with me.

    "As do I Aiden," I replied. Saddened by the things the poor creature has already been through today alone. A little while passes as Aiden, and I carry on some small talk. We have been waiting on Enre, so we all talk together about the issues at hand. Just then Enre walks back into the room. "Enre did you get your princess settled in?" I ask him.

    "Yes brother, I gave her some lavender tea to calm her nerves. She is asleep in my bed now. She also told me to say to you both goodnight and thank you again." He says with a smile.

    "That young lady has a kind heart," I tell him. It is as undeniable as her beauty. That is what Enre needs in his life, someone caring.

    "Yes, she does. She is very... What's the word... Unique. Most people would have left the room screaming if they had found out about us. She didn't, she accepted it all." Stumbling over his words. "She is not only kind but strong as well Brother," Enre says, with an almost faraway look on his face.

    "That she is, but What I would like to know is, why is she being targeted?  From what we know, she does not have a connection to our world or anyone from it." I say to him. It is a very curious situation.

    "From what I figure, these followers of Ivar must have been watching our moves, and have seen her with us. That still doesn't explain why they destroyed her house and killed that defenseless feline pet". I say to him. The scene was awful.

    "They had to have been following her to know where she lived and where she was going tonight. They did that to her house but not the bookstore right?" Aiden asks.

    "Your right, when we left the house, we went by her book shop, and nothing had happened there. So it's rather unclear what the reason behind the attack was at this point." Enre added. Unless they had not had a chance to get to the Bookshop yet. Maybe Enre and Terra made it there before they could.

    "One thing is for sure brother. We need to keep her safe. I have a feeling that she is connected to all of this somehow, we just need to find out what before something else happens to the poor thing" I divulge to him. I really wish we knew what her connection was.

    "Your right Brother, she has to be kept safe," Enre say in a worried tone. Wringing his hands together. He is already too deep. I can see it on his face.

    I put my hand on Enre’s' shoulder to try and ease some of his worries. I say to him "Enre, Myself, and I'm sure Aiden will agree, will not let anything happen to your Princess if it is within our control. You have my word, Brother". And I would do anything to keep from crushing Enre.

    "You have my word as well lord Enre. Myself and my men will do whatever we can to help". Aiden stated. He has a small army of men here himself.

    "Thank you, Aiden. That is much appreciated" I say to him. I hate to admit, but we are going to need all the help we can get. Especially if Ivar's followers succeed in breaking him out of confinement.

    "So Aiden, did any of your men find the people that were spying on us earlier at your club?" Enre asked Aiden. I had forgotten all about that.

    "Yes actually, one of my bodyguards caught someone being very suspicious and we have him detained at the club. I told my men to keep an eye on him until we can come interrogate him." Aiden told Enre.

     "Very good. Maybe this man can shed light on what's happened." Enre says with a wry smile on his face. I'm sure he is just worried about our lovely guest.

    Remembering something that I noticed about her I shared my thoughts with the others. "Come to think of it, the young lady in there, is unusually intuitive when it comes to her surroundings. She noticed that she was being watched the day that I met her, and she did the same at the club. Not many people are that attentive to the goings on around them."

    "I noticed that too, but it may just be a trait of hers." Enre says "True. It could be. I'm sure we will have a better understanding of her as time goes by," I say to Enre.

    Enre looks as though he is perplexed. Like he is trying to piece his thoughts together "She is an enigma Brother, a puzzle I wish to solve. Is it bad for me to have these feelings this way, knowing we still have such a long journey ahead of us?" Enre looks as though his thoughts are a pain to him.

    I need to say something to ease his mind. But what, yes this woman coming into our lives at this moment is not ideal, but it can't be helped. It's as though she was sent down to us by Bohyne herself. So I say to him, "Brother, this woman has a purpose, as to what that is yet, I do not know. What I do know is, you care for her and that it is Good for you to experience another's love. The only other person I have seen you actually care for is me, and as much as I love you brother, I cannot love you like that beautiful creature can". The pained look on his face vanishes and we all have a good laugh.

    "Thank you, Brother.  I needed to hear that," Enre says to me. Smiling the way he use too.

    The hour is getting late, and we have many things to do tomorrow, so I say to Aiden. "Aiden, we have an extra room if you don't mind staying to help us guard our young guest."

    "It would be my honor My Lords, but if it is alright with you I would like to go home for tonight to gather a few things up to bring with me. I will meet you tomorrow morning and will stay from then." Aiden says.

    "That will be quite alright Aiden. We will see you in the morning, say 9:00 am." I say to him. I am glad that he is going to help us.

    "Very well My Lord. I bid you both good night." Aiden then bows and leaves the loft. His men must still be waiting for him downstairs.

    "We should get some rest Brother. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be strenuous. “I say to my Brother. I have an undeniable feeling that it's going to get a whole lot worse before its said and done.

    "Yes indeed, I will check on our guest and do just that, Goodnight Thegan," Enre says with a yawn.

    "Goodnight Enre," I say to him, then I go to fix me some tea and head to bed. I pray to Bohyne that nothing happens in my dreams tonight.

        Chapter Nine

           Terra

    The storms are awful in my dream tonight. The mood I was in when I went to sleep must have something to do with the rage I am feeling in my dream. My skin was being pelted with heavy raindrops, while the wind whipped my hair around my head. The general feeling under my tree was always pleasant, but tonight I only feel agonizing sorrow. I keep hollering out for the voice that was in my dream before, but I do not hear it, if only it would return, I wouldn't feel so...Alone. I notice that there are leaves all over the ground. As I look up, the site I see is startling. My tree is losing its leaves. Is it dying? What will happen if it does? The thought of this scares me, and I holler out into the field, only to hear silence in return. I lean against the bark of that giant and sink to my knees. Tears are running down my face. The overwhelming sadness that overtook me hurt my heart. If only there was something I could do to help.

    Just then, it felt like I was being watched. I quickly jump up and hid behind the Wide tree, looking around for whoever or whatever it is that is watching me. Then I notice someone standing down by the tree line. Barely a shadow, as it was far away. So I holler to them "HELLO" but they are so far that they cannot hear me. So I wave my hand, stunned that the person waved back. After a few minutes the person seemed to be walking towards me, but in an instant, they were gone. Just vanished into thin air. 'Hmmm, that was weird.' I think to myself.

    "Bohyne... Help... Me." The voice, I hear it again.

    "Hello," I say to the wind that carried that voice to me. Aware of what might happen if the voice belonged to someone that wished me harm.

    "Hello. C-Can you hear me?" The sad voice says. With an unsure tone.

     "Yes. Are you alright? Can I help you?" I ask the disembodied voice. If there is anything I could do to help, I would.

     "Please help me Bohyne, I cannot handle the pain anymore." The weak voice says. "AHHHH No, No more" The man screamed, begging for help. But there was nothing I could do.  

     "I'm sorry, I don't know where you are," I say to the man. Tears stinging my face. How do I help someone I cannot see?   "What is your name?" The voice asked weakly. Barely above a whisper.

    "Terra," I tell him my name, hoping he will tell me his. Just then a bolt of lightning struck my tree, and a Big Branch came falling down, pinning me to the ground. Part of the broken branch cutting my leg wide open. I screamed out in pain "AHHHHHH."

     Next, I was being shaken awake. I felt really weak for some reason, and I couldn't open my eyes. "I think she has lost too much blood brother, Terra honey if you can hear me, you have to open your eyes, come on My lady please wake up," that sounds like Enre. "Please Bohyne, let her be alright, come on Princess You have to wake up, please" I felt drops of something wet on my face. Is Enre crying?

    I force myself to open my eyes, If only a little. Enre was right in front of me his eyes closed, mumbling something. Is he praying? "Enre," I say my voice almost failing me.

    "Princess," Enre says almost relieved. "I thought I lost you, you have lost so much blood. I thought the gods were being cruel and had taken you away from me" He says just above a whisper. How would I have lost blood? What is he talking about?

    "I am alright," I say to him. Not really knowing what is going on.

    "No My Lady, you are not alright. Your leg has been cut very deeply. I have gotten the blood to stop, but there is more pain to come. I still have to stitch the wound up. Do you know what happened?" He tells me the severity of my injury. It is kinda numb at the moment. My leg has been cut open just like in my dream, but how is this possible? How does an injury in my dream become a reality? "I am going to need my brothers help to stitch your leg, My lady. So I am going to carry you in there so you don't have to be left alone ok" He says. Being too weak to speak, I simply nod to him. Then he gently lifts me up in his arms. The jarring was very painful, the numbness was gone, so I winced, "I am so sorry My Lady" Enre whispers to me in a sad and worried tone. He then carries me to Thegan's room. "Thegan, wake up, come on Brother I need your help, something has happened" He wasn't waking up, so Enre yelled at him "THEGAN, WAKE UP."

    "What is it, Brother?" Thegan says in an almost angry voice. Slowly raising up on his elbows on the bed. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

    "Something has happened," he says in a sad voice. Thegan then sits the rest of the way up quickly and looks at us. We are both covered in blood.

    Seeing the cut on my leg he says, "What in Bohyne's name has happened to her leg? Set her down on the bed and go fetch the binding, thread and stitching needle. And enre, you may want to get her some of the pain medicine in your bag. Hurry now, before this starts bleeding again" Thegan noticeably concerned then looked at me and asked in a quiet voice. "How did this happen to you?"

    "In my dream," I say so weakly that I'm not sure if he heard me or not. Not really even sure what's happening is real. This could be a bad nightmare or something.

    Then he sighs and says "Not you too." Huh. Not me to. Has this happened to someone before? I ask myself. I am so tired my eyes slip shut, but I hear Thegan’s' voice say. "You have to stay awake My Lady, just for a bit longer. I have to sew your leg up and get some of this medicine into you ok. So try to stay awake alright" All I can do is nod. My body just about too weak to even do that.   My voice is gone, it is taking all my strength to stay awake. "Here is the stuff brother, how is she?" Enre asked as soon as he enters the room.

    "Her wound is deep, but it should heal nicely. She is feeble from blood loss and pain. We will have to take turns watching her for the next few days to make sure she doesn't get a fever or infection in the wound. Come over and hold her leg for me so I can sew this up. Alright". I hear Thegan tell enre. Then he holds my head up and tells me "Open up your mouth Princess, this will help with the pain," he pours this nasty tasting liquid over my tongue and says "You have to swallow My Lady, it will help you I promise." I swallow the liquid, Trying not to wretch it up. Not long after I feel myself drifting off into a dreamless sleep. I don't know if it was because of the nasty medicine or if I passed out from the pain and loss of blood. All I know is that I couldn't feel anything.

        Chapter Ten

           Enre

    Thegan was stitching Terra's leg up, and the only thing I could think of was how I could not protect her. How am I supposed to keep my princess safe from harm, when I do not even know how this had happened. I promised her she would be safe. Will she leave me now, because I could not keep her from harm? 'Bohyne, please let her be alright' I pray to myself "Brother, This is not your fault" Thegan says to me. How is it not. She was all right, living a normal life before she met me. It is my fault.

    I look down at my hands, and my voice shakes as I say, "I-I couldn't protect her Brother, I promised her she would be safe here, I let her down." How was she going trust me now?

    "You could not have stopped this Brother," Thegan says to me in a dark tone. Does he know something I do not? How does he know that I could not have protected her from this? Thegan then says. "After I finish here, and you get her settled back in, I will tell you what I know." All I can do is nod at him. I am worried about what he is going to say to me. My brother never keeps anything from me. It must be bad for him to keep this to himself.   "There she is all sewn up and bandaged. Let her sleep here for now then we can move her to your room. Ok brother." Thegan says to me.

    I position her up on the pillows, and I elevate her leg with some extra blankets. I gently sweep her brown locks to the side out of her face. She is so beautiful, even in this condition. I place a small kiss on her forehead and cover her up. Looking back at her before I leave the room. She has been through so much today. Bohyne, why is this happening to such a pure hearted woman.

    I join my brother in the living room. When I look at him, he has a withdrawn look on his face. "Thegan, the confliction on your face is very worrying, tell me, please. What is going on?" I say to him.

    "Sit, I will tell you what I know," he says. I sit down across from him and wait for him to explain. He seems to be trying to gather the words. Thegan looks down and begins to explain, "It happened to her in a dream."

     "A dream? How is that possible?" I say to him. Since when can dreams harm you? I ask myself.

    "I'm not sure how it is possible. All I know is that it's definitely possible. I have hidden something from you brother, but you have to understand. I only hid it to keep you from worrying" Thegan says to me in a small voice.

    "What is it, Brother?" I ask him. He never keeps things from me. He has always told me everything.