Bliath: Shattered (5 page)

“Markus, I don’t know what to do?”  “Clearly Princess, you have taken to running around the castle in your pajamas.”   “Markus, I don’t care, most of the people here at one point or another, had diaper duty when I was a baby.  Why are you having me read the book, why am I tied to it in some way other than I am part of the races?”  “Princess, like any good story it pulls you in, I am needed in that meeting, why don’t you go read the next chapter, and when I am done we may discuss it more if you wish?” 
Fera made a huff sound and went back to the library.  She picked up the book, and returned to her comfy corner seat.  A Family Torn:

In the few short years after Ilsar’s death, this had became even more ridged in the Elven kingdom, the Queen for the most part had lost her happiness, but she was most aptly happy to take her misery out on Riel.    Her training was stepped up almost to the point of torture. Riel did not how much more she could take, and what would happen when she would break?

Riel had not seen her brother since that night; he was wanted, beyond wanted, she heard talk about him in deep with the rebel forces.  Sarion had a great deal of inside information. Knowledge about the inner workings of the palace, the queen, and just about everything in between, Sarion was a danger.   Riel never thought her brother would hurt her, he wanted to take her with him that night, but things happened so fast she could not think.  She wished she would have gone with him, but then she would be a trader too.  She loved her people, and things had an order and that order worked well.  Her first lesson from her mother was you cannot make everyone happy, however you can make them all mad.  Also, ruling was like parenting; if at least some of the kids or subjects are mad at you, you must be doing your job.  When Riel thought about it, her father was the loving nurturing parent, and her mother was the teaching one, and the only way they really functioned is all of them together, their balance was gone. 

The fifth anniversary of Ilsar’s death was soon to be marked.  Estreal was even more ridged, three days before the day that marked her father’s death, the Queen put Riel through the most intense training yet, though Riel knew she could over power her mother, teach her a lesson in survival as her mother put it, but that would make her no better than what they said Sarion was.  When the training was over, Riel was left with a bloody nose, a throbbing headache, and the most profound sense of loss.  The physical hurt was mostly caused from holding her power back, but at the very core of it, it was the love for her father and brother, that was causing the sense of loss.  

Riel had to get away, that night she snuck out, she used magic to conceal her shocking eye color, it was temporary, but donning an elven power cloak, she would definitely blend in.  She had no clue where she was going, but had to think.  Turning down a few paths, she happened to overhear a Common Elf say her brother’s name.  She ducked out of sight and listened, the rumors were true, he was with the resistance, in fact he was one of the leaders.  This was bad, dread seeped into her, she ran back to the palace to find guards waiting for her.  Estreal had locked and sealed her in her room until she could sort out why she left and where she went.  Riel had been in here room for three days.  Her mother had let her out that morning so she could morn with Estreal at the sacred tree, but promptly but her back in her room when they returned.  Riel couldn’t take it anymore.  She knew one day her mother might snap out of it but that could take years.  Riel knew if she was trapped or pushed any harder, she would be the one snapping, with her power that could easily take out the palace.  She came up with a plan, she would set an impulse through her mother’s seal in the room, making it fail, then set off the perimeter alarm with another strategically placed pulse.   The guards would be forced to check the area.  Before she would make her get away, she was going into her father’s study, even if Estreal forbid anyone from entering it, she had to get something out, something she could take with that was her father’s.  Riel waited for her mother to go to the sacred tree the next morning to carry out her plan.  Just as she thought, once she sent the energy wave into her mother’s seal, it rippled, and opened the area by the door, and then she triggered the alarm. 

Fera was slightly stirred back to reality, she could hear a woman talking, and the boy from earlier, Vance.  She really didn’t care what they were saying she felt so heavy. 

“Vance, Leo is now out, he will be that way for a while, I can go talk to the horse now, but you will have to sit with her, her name is Fera.”    “She is asleep, I think she will be fine for a little bit?”  “You would think that.” Desree’s tone sounded like Vance was still a five year old, not the 19 year old that he was.  “She is not asleep, she is stuck in limbo, she was magically bound and it is coming undone along with her world.  She drifts in and out, she is trying to get a hold of what is happening to her, and her body is trying adjust. So please sit with her.”   Vance was pale Desree’s words were careful and stern, this was serious more so than he thought.  “Mom, what is going on, how do you know this?”  “Now is not the time to tell you, I will go to her horse, please stay here.”  She walked out with not another word.  Vance paced the room, things were not adding up, turning back looking at the girl so helpless, it did two things to him: One- it annoyed him, she annoyed him; it was not so much her but the situation, and two- he felt drawn to help her but did not exactly know how.   He went back to where his mom had been sitting at her bedside, taking the seat, he watched her.  Her breathing slow and even, without thinking he reached across and brushed her hand.  A shock wave much like that of static electricity ran through his whole body and he was drawn into darkness.  He could still feel his body in the room, and if he focused hard he could hear Fera’s breathing.  Vance pushed against the darkness with his mind; he seemed to move in it.  He thought what his mother said about her being stuck in limbo, and what happened when he touched her hand.  Vance whispered “Fera?”

Chapter 6

Vance could hear a soft sob somewhere in the darkness.  “Fera, where are you?...It’s ok…it is going to be ok…..I will make it ok.” 

Fera’s tone was edged with a mix of demand and apprehension. “Who are you, where am I and what did you do to me?” 

“I did not do this to you, you did it, I can try to help I think.  Can you walk to the sound of my voice?” Trying not to panic as well, Vance took in a breath and waited for her to reply.

After a moment that was shorter than it seemed Fera bit her lip and mumbled out, “Yes, I think so.” 

“Ok, so I will talk to you, focus on walking.  My name is Vance, we found you in the forest, with your horse, you are sick, and your binding is- ouch!” 

Fera ran into him.   Vance reacting grabs hold of her to keep her from slipping back into the darkness.  “I am sorry; if I said I did not see you there will you forgive me for stepping on your toes?” Vance laughed at her joke, she must be going out of her mind and yet she jest, there may be hope yet.

“I think I kind of remember you from the forest, are you the big one?”  Fera asked referring to Tuck.

“That would be a no, and I am not the blonde prince either.”

She mouthed an Oh that he could not see. “So where am I and what is my binding?” 

Vance did not know how long he could safely be in her limbo and what he could do there, but if she was like him, she could or would be able to manipulate energy. Her magic felt like his but more wild. 

Something clicked in his head. “Ok I do not know how long I have in your limbo, you are sort of trapped between your brain and the outside world.  It is dark I think because you are scared and a bit clueless.” 

At that her annoyance with this boy grew a little, she was not clueless or even if she was, who was he to point it out?  He continued, “Try this, close your eyes and focus, feel the pull of energy around, it feels warm and when you draw it to you, it stings a little at first, I am going to try it, take my hands and feel what I am doing.” 

Fera rolled her eyes at him even though he could not see, but took his hands.  Fera felt a strange pulse, her hands started to warm and tingle, she let out a gasp.

“Ok Fera, I am going to give the energy to you, focus on it.”  As he transferred the energy to her, he could hear her squeak, but she was holding it. “Very good, now get a picture in your head, picture green grass, a flowing stream, a bright sunny day.”  He gave her a moment to get the picture in her head. “Ok keep that picture and let the energy go, it will feel like a switch being flipped within you.”  Fera took a deep breath in, got the picture in her head, then let go.  There was a bright flash, Fera stumbled forward into Vance, knocking them both over.  When she looked around, they were no longer in the dark, but in the meadow that was in her mind.  She gasped and scrambled back from Vance.

“Did you do this?  Can you read my mind?  This is what I was picturing!”  Fera had seen Markus do this well close to this, but this was amazing.

“No you did for the most part, you know you're magical right?  I just helped you gather the energy and focus.”  Vance shrugged, had no clue what was up with this girl, and not sure if he really wanted to, she seemed like she may be more trouble than what she was worth.  Vance could sense Desree coming, “Fera, I have to go, you are safe here, for now, if it gets dark again, focus on the energy around you and flip the switch.”  

“Please don’t leave, I don’t understand what is going on, can’t I go with you please.”  Fera’s desperation was clear as well as her anxiety, Vance felt for her, but he knew this was a bigger problem than what he thought and that he really should talk to Desree.

“I am sorry Fera, you are keeping you here, I know you don’t understand, but I have to go, I will be back if you stay here longer, you are not alone.  Your horse is fine, you are fine, just rest.”  Vance started to pull back he could hear Fera pleading, “Please Vance please don’t go please.”  Vance felt the snap as he pulled further back letting go of her hand, but he did not pull back soon enough,  Desree was standing in the door watching them.

  “Mom, how long have you been there, how’s the horse?” 

“Long enough to know you went to limbo.”  She had that all knowing mom look written across her face, and she was clearly waiting for an explanation he could not give her.  They were staring each other down, slightly waiting for the other to speak first.

“Vance”, it was barely audible, but both eyes focused on the weak, hauntingly beautiful, ethereal frame of a girl, in the huge bed.  Fera was clearly still in limbo, but she was fighting it, and it would only make it worse.  “Mom, if I touch her will I get sucked back in to limbo, I took her hand, that’s all I did.”   “I would not just yet, she is fine, I will calm her after you leave.  I will explain it to you once Leo comes out of the Blarice root and can sit with her.  As for her horse his name is Oren and I believe he is an elven mount, they are very intelligent and somewhat quirky, treat him more like a person.”  Vance turned to walk out when Desree called after him, “Go through the bags before Leo does and take anything unusual out, it might save her in the end.”   Vance left the room, his mind was spinning, he felt like he knew the girl even more now, he did not want to leave the room, his annoyance over the whole situation was irritating him.  His mother keeping things from him was something new too.  Making his way to the stable, thoughts danced is his head mostly of the girl tripping them to the ground and her eyes. 

Chapter 7

Vance stood in front of Oren, taking him in, he was more than sure that the horse was glaring at him in contempt and something he could not place?  Taking Desree’s words into account and knowing that this is a very intelligent creature, he did the only thing he could think of and Vance started a one sided conversation with Oren.  Standing in front of him addressing him like a person, “Ok Oren, I know you are not happy with me, and I am sorry, but she is safe.  I know she is your friend.”  An annoyed snort came out of Oren cutting Vance off, Oren did not care for this fool in front of him, the boy could not grasp their situation, and she was not just a friend, she was his and he was hers, friend indeed.  He pawed the ground.  Vance tried not to roll his eyes at the horse, he seemed almost human in his reactions and temperament, but his mom did say that he was an Elven mount and they are just as intelligent as humans.  “Ok, Oren I get it, you are just as smart as me, but I do not possess the magic I need to talk to you.  You also, I am sure, can understand everything I am saying.  I know you’re not my biggest fan, but I want to help her too.” Vance watched Oren’s eyes and body language for some sign of him listening. Vance went to reach for Oren’s neck, but thought better and ran his hand through his hair.  “You know when I was in her room tonight, she pulled me, or I went into her limbo, it was well--” Vance trailed off, feeling slightly foolish talking to a horse, that seemed to have such disdain for him, he turned to walk away.  Oren reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling him back, he might not like this boy, but he had to hear what was going on with her.  Vance turned back to him, the horses eyes pleaded with him and Oren nudged him to go on.  Vance told him what had happened, he was calmer knowing that she was being cared for.  He knew after talking with the old woman, that Fera would be taken care of, that Desree knew her, that she met her, and her mother when she was alive.  She was on their side, and in a few days if all went well they could get going again.  He watched as Vance busied himself around the stable.  He let himself drift to sleep, he would need the rest and whether he liked it or not - this was a safe place.