Bliath: Shattered (9 page)

When he got to Oren’s stall, he saw him awake and pacing in a circle.  “Good morning Oren.”  Oren let out a huff, “Now Oren is that anyway to greet someone who has brought you breakfast?’ With that he produced the two sweet rolls, and that got Oren’s attention. Vance put them in the feedbox, and he was pretty sure Oren didn’t even chew them.  “You know she is better today.  She used energy magic, on her own, well practically on her own and it was amazing.”  Oren did not like what he was seeing in Vance’s expression or tone, so he did the only thing he could think of and bit him, not hard, but with enough of a sting to it.  Vance yelped and swatted at Oren, not that Oren minded his point was made.  Vance glared at Oren “I get it, you two have a special bond, but buddy, you’re a horse, and she is human, well Elven, hmm Dwarven…not a horse, that is what she is, someday she will get married, have children, and you will have to share her, better learn now.”  There was fire in Oren’s eyes, he kicked the side of his stall.”  Vance saw he got his point across, he smiled to himself, and walked off to tend the other horses in the barn.  

Vance tried not to rush the chores, but the nervous excitement was bringing strange new energy to him.  He couldn’t pin point what it was but Fera had done something to him.  As he worked he thought, sure there had been plenty of girls in the kingdom that tried to flirt with him, or get his attention and some were even very pretty, but none of them could spark anything with in him, and from the moment he laid eyes on her in the woods, scared, covered in blood, dirt, and sweat, but still brave and determined, he was hooked.  Then when he caught her and the wave of energy shot throw him, it was like his own energy reacted with it, and now needed it.  He saw people that would come to Desree begging for help, they were strung out on one thing or another and needed something to take the edge off needing it again, he knew she was his fix and nothing would be able to take the edge off of being apart from her. 

A small voice brought him out of his trance, “Are you going to feed Snowflake his oats or just stand their teasing him, because that is not nice and he is not happy about it.”  Vance promptly dumped the oats in the feedbox and apologized to Snowflake.  He turned back to Larin, “Is everything ok?”  She twirled over to him, “Yep, I just thought I better come get you, she will wake up soon, and you need to be there.”  He looked down at her, “Larin, how do you know these things?  Can you read human minds too?”  She laughed like he had just said the funniest thing in the world.  “Do you really want to know?”  Vance nodded “Um yes and no, I can hear some things but you have to be thinking really hard, but I also just know things, and when I get the feeling that I just know something, I am usually right.”  She shrugged like it was no big deal.      

Vance looked at her puzzled, humans normally do not have that much power, “Ok tell me something you know?”  “Vance, when I know something you need to know I will tell you, and you didn’t say please.”  She stuck her tongue out at him.  “Very well Larin, should we go inside?”   “No, not yet.”  She said.   “Really, why not?”  Vance questioned.  Larin gave him a look of being an idiot, “Because you need to make your mother tea, and since my brother is there, you might want to make him one too, so you um don’t seem rude.”  Then Vance swore he saw her wink.  Vance’s jaw dropped, he forgot all about the tea and the fact he was supposed to drug Leo, but Larin knew and he wasn’t quite sure why she seemed ok with it.   He went to go make the tea, and Larin went ahead into the castle to make sure the broth was ready.

Chapter 12

As Vance made his way to the Rose room, with two cups of tea in hand, he was not sure about a few things, one he felt guilty for drugging the prince, who wasn’t just a prince but in some ways a friend, he kept telling himself that drugging was such a harsh word, it was more like assisting him to sleep.  He was also thinking about Larin, and how after the last few days, she had to be gifted with sight magic.  That was odd for a human, and most of the people around here wrote it off as some sort of quirky silly behavior. 

When he walked in his mother was changing the bandage on Fera’s arm, the wound was healing very fast, but to keep up appearances Desree re-bandaged it.  The Prince was reading in the corner of the room.   Vance first brought him a cup of tea and then set his mother’s down on the night stand where she was working.  Vance looked back over and Leo, Leo didn’t even question the tea, he just sipped it.  A few seconds later he looked up from his book and asked, “Vance what is in this?”  Vance paled and fumbled with his words a little “uhhh umm honey, and uh redkin berry, that is why it is sweet.”  Leo smiled “It is good, I shall have to let my mother try it, she loves a good cup of tea.”  Vance then blushed, “As you wish but it is best fresh so drink up, and I will make your mother her own batch whenever you request.”    Within a few minutes Leo was fast asleep. 

Larin came bursting in with a huge tray, and the cook chasing after her.  “I tell you, that child is going to be the death of me.” The exacerbated cook huffed.  Vance stifled a laugh and Larin smiled up at him as he took the tray from her and set it on small table on the other side of the room.  The cook fanning her red face, leaned against the door frame, “I turned my back for one minute and she helps herself, broke a few of the good dishes, if she would have dropped the full tray, burnt herself, cut herself, well it would be my head.”  Desree went over to the cook and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “We got her now, and Vance will make sure she doesn’t bother you again today.”  The cook’s beady eyes narrowed on Vance, she pointed at him with a wooden spoon, “Boy, make sure you do or I won’t have a blind eye to missing rolls.”  She turned and left, Vance blushed a little. 

“I think you two have things covered in this room for a little bit.  I’m going to go freshen up, and tend to some other things” Then Desree was gone too.

Vance took to pacing about the room, while Larin just stared at Fera.  Vance was starting to think that he was crazy to listen to a child, when that child intruded his thoughts.  “She is really beautiful isn’t she, she is a sleeping beauty, but she isn’t really asleep.”  Larin sighed.  Vance smiled at Larin, then back at Fera, “Yes.” Is what he whispered.  He stopped by the head of the bed and gently touched her cheek.  He gasped, her eye’s fluttered open.  He froze.

Fera’s world came into focus, she looked around the room, she couldn’t really remember too clearly where she was, she saw a child sitting next to her with the cutest freckles, across the room there was a man asleep in a chair, then she turned and saw the most dazzling pair of green eyes she had ever seen.  Her brain was so foggy, she wanted to look away from him, but couldn’t.  “Fera” he said to her softly, a smile spread across her lips, the fog cleared a little, she knew him, it was not a dream, or a hallucination. She mouth “You” her throat was so dry and hurt, she could barely make a sound come out.  He fell to his knees on the side of the bed and grabbed her hand.  She didn’t try to pull away. “Yes Fera, me.”  

“Excuse me.” Said the littlest voice in the room, even then it was hard to break their gaze.  “Fera you only have a few hours before you go back to limbo, so I think, you need to eat a little, well more like drink, it is liquidized food, and talk, my brother will wake and Vance will have to go. Then you will go back to your limbo place. Then this whole process will repeat and then you….” Larin for some reason stopped herself.  Fera looked from the girl back to Vance then back to the girl.  “I know things,” Larin said with a smile.  “Yes she does.”  Vance agreed.  Larin handed Fera a glass of water. Fera took a sip, it felt like sweet relief, she wanted to take big gulps, but fought the urge, knowing it would make her sick, and the thought of getting sick in front of Vance made her embarrassed.   After a few more sips of water she smiled at Larin, and in a weak tone thanked her.  Larin beamed like she was just given the best reward.  Without taking her eyes off of Fera, Larin said she was going to the play room for a bit and when she came back it would be time for Vance to go, then she got up and left.  A second later she peeked her head back in the door “Oh and Vance I swear I will stay away from cook.” She gave them a mischievous grin and closed to door.

Fera’s attention was back on Vance, she looked worried and she was, “Why do you have to go when her brother is here? I don’t want you to leave.”  Fera’s voice might have been weak, but her eyes were pleading with him.  Vance was still on his knees, holding her hand, he didn’t want to admit he was a commoner, he feared she would feel he was so far beneath her, he knew he was, but for now he could pretend she would not care.   He knew it was only a matter of time though.   He dropped his gaze, “I-I am...’  he hesitated and decided to explain it the other way around, “Larin, that little girl, is a Princess here, and her brother is, of course, a Prince, he is Leo” he gestured to the chair, “and is here already, he just is asleep, very soundly.” 

“Vance.”  She said his name, his head snapped up, “I still don’t understand why you would have to go.”  Vance dropped his gaze again and his face reddened, “I am a servant here, I am in charge of the grounds and the stable.  Do not get me wrong, Leo is very nice, but he has taken a liking to you and seems, for lack of better words, territorial.”  He couldn’t look up at her.

“Oh.” Fera didn’t know what to say, but Vance was not looking at her and she was getting the feeling that he was uncomfortable, so being true to herself, said what was on her mind “Vance look at me, please,” His eyes slowly met hers, “I would rather you stay, I feel like I know you, crazy right? But it sucks you can’t stay here the whole time I am awake.”  Vance was at a loss of words, and before he could think of what to say Fera’s stomach growled rather loudly and he jumped.  It was her turn to turn red.  Vance stood up and brought the broth to her, and like with the water, she had to control herself to eat slowly.   

Vance now sat in the chair next to her, he needed to explain as much as he could in whatever time they had.  “Fera,” he gently said, she took her eyes off her food and looked at him, he continued, “I need to explain a few things to you.  You can’t use magic here, they would not like it very much and if they find out who you really are, well, it would not be good.  You can’t tell anyone you possess it either ok?  My mother will mask it if you slip up on accident, but if she is not with you, you have to be very careful.”  Fera said she understood so Vance continued on, “You are getting stronger, and when you can stay out of limbo, or learn to pull out yourself, we will leave as I said last night, but I am not sure how we will leave yet, Leo will not take it well.  I will make sure you get the Dwarves safely, to your grandfather.  Things may seem a little rocky right now, but in the end everything will work out.”   “Vance, thank you.”  Fera meant so much more than thank you, but she didn’t know how to express it.  “So how are you feeling?”  Once Vance said it, it felt like a stupid question, she just smiled at him, “Better.”  This time she reached over and took his hand, and he felt it warm, then he felt her energy, it stung a little but felt astonishing.  She gasped, she could feel his energy as well, the sensation that it gave her danced up her arm and made her heart race.   Fera loved the feeling, and for the first time in a few weeks she really did feel safe and almost at home, but the thought of home made her stomach sour.  

Before she could dwell on it, the door opened, and Larin peeked in.  Fera looked warmly on the girl, she loved children. “Hi, Larin.”  Larin took that as an invitation and rushed the rest of the way and hopped up on the bed, knocking the now empty food tray off, before it hit the floor Vance caught it.  “It’s good to have lightning fast reflexes.” His mother’s voice came from the doorway.  Vance rolled his eyes at her choice of words, he stood up knowing his time was up for now. 

“I am going to draw you a bath, and get you out of that bed in a few minutes,” Desree said to Fera, then she turned to Vance, “When I get back to help her, you better be gone.”  With that she walked away.  Fera looked up at Vance, “Do I know her.”  He explained that she had been the one taking care of her for the last few days, and that she met her when she was a baby.  Fera rolled her eyes, “Like I’d remember that.”  Larin let out a giggle and Fera and Vance followed suit. 

Vance really didn’t want to leave but had little choice, “Good night Fera, don’t worry when you go back into limbo it will only be temporary.  Remember you have homework and I will see you as soon as I can.” 

She laughed at his words remembering the last conversation in limbo, “Not if I see you first Vance.  With all this homework talk you really do sound like Markus, if you ever get to meet him, he is going to love you.”  With one last smile he walked out with the tray in hand.   

Chapter 13

Fera had not been ready for Vance to leave, the room didn’t feel right without his energy in it.  Larin, who still sat on her bed chatted on, but Fera was not paying attention, she was daydreaming about Vance’s eyes and the way he said her name.  She came back to reality to hear the last half of what the little girl was saying, “so you need to be careful, things are not what they seem, it is kind of like shadows at night, when they look like monsters, because it is what your brain is telling you they are, until you turn on the light, then you see it really was your doll sitting on a rocking horse, not a giant Yuris monster riding in to eat your toes.”  Larin looked at Fera waiting for a response.  The only thing Fera could think to say was “Wow.”  “I know right?” Larin replied with a tone that clearly said this is a big deal.  The next thing Larin said truly took Fera for a loop, “You know Vance is in love with you, even if he doesn’t realize it yet, my guess is he will fight it cause he always does the right thing and you are above him, and the really funny part is my brother thinks he is in love with you but it is more of infatuation…..OH Desree is coming back, you are going to feel brand new after your bath.”  Before Fera could ask, say, or process what Larin had just said, she was gone and Desree was helping her out of the bed and down the hall to bath.