Crackle

Time to Face the Truth

Norella

Clem’s face is contorted. He’s on the verge of tears over a child that was never his. A child he never told me about. A child that quite frankly he doesn’t even know. Dahin not being his has hit him hard, but for me I feel a weight lifted from my shoulders. It’s one less crisis I have to handle and I don’t know if I can take on anymore crisis right now. I still have to get back and prepare for Zaya’s ascension. If I had to tell the population about an illegitimate child that I hadn’t even come to terms with yet… My population is not forgiving, and I’m not sure if I would have wanted them to forgive him for this. It’s enough to know that he was with someone else, but if he had really had a daughter before, I felt so empty and heavy at the same time when I learned that. Now, that feeling is gone. I’m still mad at him. He let me believe that my brother, Oh no my brother! With this thought Rayo spins towards me, “Yes, we will talk about your brother. We will talk about how you have treated all of my followers. But right now, we need to help Dahin.” He turns back to Ojo standing over Dahin, “Don’t touch her yet. This will require more than just us.” Rayo makes his way to Ojo’s side, looks at the feast on the table and walks behind Dahin’s chair, when he looks back up the feast and the table has vanished and in it’s place is a healing bed. Dahin’s body lifts from the chair and floats over to the bed gently landing with her on her back, green light still glowing behind her closed eye lids. In the next moment a table with jars of various spices and herbs appears next to Rayo. Rayo reaches over the table and starts to empty some spices in herbs into a large bowl and then grinds them with a massive mortar. “Rayo do you really think that’s necessary? That mixture is just as likely to kill her as it is the heal her, and we just got her.” “Trust me my love. She is ours; she is a fighter. She will come through this.” He’s still grinding the mixture together when he looks up at the rest of us that have slowly gathered on the opposite side of the bed. “In the meantime, we can discuss what we need to and get you all back.” “Yes, I would love to know why we were all here.” I say to Rayo. “I know that my mate is lenient with her followers, but make no mistake Norella I am not Ojo, and you will show me my due respect. Are we clear?” Who does he think he is talking to? I belong to Ojo not him. I think to myself looking up at Rayo. “Are we clear?” He says again more sternly this time. “We are clear.” I say sulking that Ojo is so distracted she doesn’t come to my defense. “Good. Now, you all are here for a few reasons. First, was to bring our daughter to us.” He made a pointed look at Zeya, “and for that I will always be grateful, but that task is not complete. She is currently in the Fire tribe. I need you to take her body out of the castle, Zaya. It would be even better if you could get her out of the fire tribe completely. As it stands the fire tribe lies between too many fissures in time and space and I cannot pinpoint her location to bring her here until she is distanced from the castle. So, you’re going to move her, and then you’re going to tell Nemian to take charge of Fire Tribe. He will see the tribe through the upcoming trouble that you all have brought to the fae. Say your goodbyes, you won’t see your parents again until the eclipse.” Rayo speaks quickly and definitively, but if he thinks I would let him put my brother in charge of one of my tribes he has another thig coming. “She will not tell Nemian any such thing.” I say firmly, “ Nemian couldn’t lead himself out of a paper bag, and you want him to lead one of my tribes? Ha” “Your tribes?!” Rayo’s voice booms in my ear, the room begins to feel heavier with his power and Ojo finally looks up from Dahin. “These tribes have never belonged to you! These are our tribes and we have blessed you to rule them as our representative. I’m not sure what Ojo saw in you to choose you, but she did and that was her choice to make. You have proven her to have made a mistake over and over again. In this at the very least swallow your tongue and listen. Nemian has run the tribe for decades. The incompetent fae you chose was not up to the task and was soon overthrown for the safety of MY tribe. He raised Dahin, taught her how to rule and how to worship, he was instrumental to my plan and no one, not even you, will degrade him in my presence.” I take a step back lowering my gaze. How was I supposed to know Nemian had ruled? Actually, I should have known. Each time I visited the fire tribe my appointed ruler was there, ruling. They had tricked me for decades and I never knew a thing. I instantly become angry. Ojo herself didn’t even tell me. I knew that the fire tribe was near and dear to Rayo and perhaps Ojo herself didn’t know, but I find that hard to believe. “So as I said, Zeya say your goodbyes and accomplish the tasks I’ve given you. Zeya turns to me and Clem. “I have to go mother, father. I’m glad I got to see you no matter how… complicated this has been. I just want you to know I’ve been doing well with the tribes. They’ve all agreed to join us on the eclipse. I only have the wind tribe left, And mom,” Her excitement warms my heart, “They’ve all extended sisterhood to me. It’s been a learning experience, but I’m so blessed you trusted me with this. I promise I won’t let you down.” I reach out and hug her tightly. I don’t want to let her go again. I feel the tears threatening my eyes. I’ve cried so many times lately. I will not cry again. “I love you Zeya. No matter what happens from here on remember that.” Clem steps up to us and Zeya breaks our hug to hug him. “I wish you had told us both, but I’m sure you had your reasons. Knowing that Dahin isn’t yours should make you feel better about abandoning her, but for me…I need time to deal with this. I don’t know that I’ll ever see you the same dad, but I still love you. I hope you get the answers you want, the answers we all need. And I hope that this time you don’t keep things to yourself.” She gives him a quick peck on the cheek and then turns to Ojo. “I will bring your daughter to you. Please help her. She’s become very dear to me in a short time. Even knowing she’s not my blood sister doesn’t make her any less my sister.” She gives a small chuckle, “Even if she hasn’t extended sisterhood to me from the fire tribe. I’ll see you soon. When I restore the connection to wind tribe.” With that she closes her eyes; a Crackle sounds off in the room and Zeya is gone. “Now,” Rayo says, “I didn’t want to discuss everything with you while your daughter was here, as I know you both wouldn’t want her to know everything, but I will not keep things from my representative. His secrets aren’t the only ones in this room.” Rayo says adding the crushed paste he’s been making to a bowl. He looks up and gives a pointed look at me. “So, I will give you a chance to tell him yourself about everything and then I will tell him myself.” I bite my bottom lip looking at Clem. How much should I tell him? I mean I had to tell him everything now didn’t I or else Rayo himself would. “I guess I have no choice now do I? I orchestrated the curse to activate. I have designed the portals to syphon power for use in times of need. I have continued to monitor how things are playing out through a sprite that’s in our home right now. That’s how I knew about Dahin. I did everything for the betterment of fae, truly the betterment of our world and it’s all going to work out.” The look Clem is giving me is nothing I’ve ever seen from him before. His eyes are stone, the light that normally sparkles in them when he looks at me is gone. It’s as if he doesn’t know who I am anymore. “You did all of this and didn’t think you should tell me? Didn’t want me to help you? Or even help talk you out of it?” “I’m not the only one with secrets Clem” I say looking pointedly at Dahin, “Perhaps if you had shared yours with me, I wouldn’t have felt like I needed to be perfect all the time. Like I had to carry everything alone.” He feels the sting I set out to give. His eyes soften with the realization that I kept secrets but so did he, neither of us had a foot to stand on here. “Is that all you plan to tell him?” Rayo’s voiceis calm and even. “That’s all there is to tell him.” Rayo snorts a bit, “and the divine being that you’re keeping hidden?” “That’s not my secret to tell, but I guess I don’t need to tell him anymore, do I?” “A divine being Norella? How can you even hide one of those? They’re massive!” “It’s just an egg of one and it’s dormant. It’s been passed down for centuries a secret amongst rulers.” “Amongst rulers, but not me huh? Do I not rule at your side? Norella for crying out loud it’s as if you don’t trust me at all.” “I don’t” the words fly from my lips faster than I can even register I’ve spoken, but I can’t take them back they’re out there now. “Clem, I love you, but from the first day we met I knew that all you wanted was power. You wanted to be the most powerful fae and you’ve become that. You are the Deja Rayo. You are the male ruler of all fae. You possess the power of all the elements and a connection to Rayo. I couldn’t trust you. You are the only other fae with the power to overthrow me. You’ve always been a threat and you know it.” “Do you hear yourself Norella?” Clem’s eyes are wide with shock. “A threat? I am your mate. I have never been a threat to you.” It’s my turn to chuckle. “Never been a threat Clem? You set out with the intention of marrying me, even before you knew we were mates. Even though you thought you had a child on the way. You casted your prospective life with the queen of the fire tribe aside because you saw a chance at being with the Deja Ojo instead, and I was supposed to trust you?” “Norella, it’s been decades since then. I thought over time I would have earned your trust, but it seems you never had any intention of giving it to me.” “I would eventually. Just not yet. Not until this is all over. I do love you Clem.” “I love you too Norella, but we have things we need to work on if we are ever going to be able to get past the lies and secrets.” “I’m sorry to interrupt you, truly I am, but we really must get to the point of you both being here.” Rayo says not one bit of sorrow in his voice. He just turned my marriage upside down and now he wants to move on with the conversation like nothing even happened. He hands the bowl to Ojo and slightly opens Dahin’s mouth without touching her. “Slowly give this to her. It is all we can do until her body gets here. Now you two have put everyone in quite the predicament. Most of all you’ve put the fae in danger and you don’t even know it. You started a war that you think will be ended smoothly, but did you ever stop to think about if the other races attack you before the tribes can summon the power to open the sky gate? That reserve power will be useless then wouldn’t it? And how exactly will you end the battle once it has begun, if the other races do not agree to parley?” Rayo is looking directly at me waiting on an answer. “They will parley, and if they do not, they will be beaten into a parley. At which point we can still create the council and look all the better for it. As far as them attacking us before the sky gate is open. That simply cannot happen. Which is why Mijena is working the other side of things, coordinating the other race’s attack.” “You really think the other races are giving Mijena all of their information? If they find a way to end a war before it even can begin you better believe they will.” “But, Mijena hasn’t just joined the other races together. She’s made sure that at least the Elves will stall any early attacks by getting them on the fae’s side of things. They don’t want to share power with the humans anymore than she does, or than the fae do. They don’t see the value in a world peace the way that I do, the way that Ojo herself does.” At the mention of her name Ojo looks up barely paying any attention to this conversation then resumes giving Dahin the concoction. “You think you have all the answers. Just know that whatever happens from here on is on you two. We will not step in. You are on you own. We have other things to worry about, you got it?” I look to Clem who grabs my hand. “Whatever happens we will face it together.” He says, and somehow despite all of the lies and the secrets I believe him. We will get through it together. I give Clem’s hand a squeeze. “We got it. Is there anything else? We also have things to worry about.” I say to Rayo who growls under his breathe before turning back to Dahin and Ojo. “No there’s nothing else. Get out of my sight” And with that I open my eyes back in the temple.

Zeya

I open my eyes back in the receiving room of the fire tribe. Dahin is still beside me, but her body looks like it did when I was with Rayo and Ojo. Her skin is purple and behind her closed eyes a green eerie light is still glowing. I look to each element and quickly dismiss them from the circle. I get up and head into the hallway, where a fae is standing there. “Do you need some help?” She asks. “Yes. Dahin and I have communed with Rayo. Dahin has more that is required of her but for her to accomplish it she has to leave the fire tribe.” I try to explain as quickly and calmly as I can, but I’m a bit overwhelmed and know that I’m probably not making the most sense. “I need help moving Dahin’s body out of the tribe.” I finally blurt out. “Go get Nemian.” The shock on the fae’s face is undeniable, but she turns and runs down the hall. She returns shortly with Nemian in toe behind her. “What’s going on Zeya? Where’s Dahin?” I look at the fae. “That’ll be all Serrela.” Nemian says to the fae and she leaves. I slide open the door more and Nemian walks in instantly seeing Dahin on the floor. “Rayo protect us!” he squeals rushing to her side. “Don’t touch her!” I scream and he jumps back. “Why? What’s wrong with her?” he looks at me with worry on his face. “It’s a long story but we have to get her out of fire tribe. NOW.” “Out of fire tribe? Zeya have you lost your mind. It’s the middle of snow season who would be crazy enough to go out there, well I mean other than you.” “Rayo told us to get her out of the tribe, so either we get her out or we face his wrath, and from what I’ve seen of him, that’s a fate neither of us can handle.” Nemian’s face is pure shock. “You met with Rayo? How I mean, why did he give you an audience?” “Nemian I know you have a lot of questions, but we have to figure out a way to move Dahin out of the fire tribe without touching her and we need to do it now.” “Ok, I have an idea.” He says as he rises from the floor and rushes out the room. He comes back with a sled, several fur coverings, and an enormous fur blanket. He takes the large fur blanket and throws it over Dahin. “Help me roll her.” He says as he moves the sled to her side. I walk over to her opposite side and knell beside her careful not to touch her skin. We roll her and the blanket gently onto the sled. “There now we just have to unsuspiciously get her out of the castle and out of the tribe.” I looked at him as a smile spreads across my face. There were few times that I got to use this trick, but now seemed like an opportune time to take advantage of my skills. “I think I can handle that.” I say turning to the south. Wind I need you, cover us in your whim. A light breeze sweps through the room making my hair blow and the fur on the black wave back and forth. I felt the connection solidify and turned to Nemian. “No one will see us as long as I maintain this connection. We have to move quickly though. Us being so far to the north makes this connection weak.” Before I finish my sentence a bead of sweat trickles down the side of my face. This close to the source of the north is making me work overtime to maintain the connection. Nemian grabs the reins of the sled as I slide the door wide open, and he leads us out. I follow Nemian through rooms and down halls until we are back at the entrance that I came into the castle through. He drops the reins and stands in front of a wall, a few seconds pass and a fire sparks in the center of the wall spreading up and down to form a door. He walks through and I follow him. We now stand in the center of the massive snow dome with the enormous fire at our back. Nemian continues to pull the sled towards the smaller igloo that I had used to get into the fire tribe. I scurry to catch up to him and grab one of the reins from him. His heavy breathing lets me know he has begun to struggle with the weight of the sled. He looks to me about to thank me for the assistance when I hold a finger to my lips. People are in the courtyard doing chores and kids are running around. All of whom would hear him if he spoke. He gives a short nod and we continue pulling the sled. We make our way through the gate and into the frigid snow. The sun is shining brightly against the whiteness of the thick snow. A slight drizzle of snow is falling from the sky as we make our way away from the tribe. Thank you for your help, I think to wind dismissing the connection. Sweat is falling profusely down my face. Between the connections and pulling Dahin I’m wiped, but my job isn’t finished yet I had to let Ojo know that we got Dahin. We don’t have any of the materials to make a circle and I don’t know how to connect to Ojo without a full circle. I look over to Nemian to tell him and find him crisscrossed in the snow with his eyes closed. I walk over to him and kneel beside him taking a closer look. Somehow, it looks like he’s connected to Rayo. I reach out to him to try and tap into the connection. I close my eyes and focus. When my eyes open, I’m once again in the dining hall with Ojo, Rayo, and Dahin. “Ah, Zeya you’ve joined us. Thank you for being diligent with your task.” Rayo turns away from us all and takes a few steps away from us and takes a deep breath. One moment later Dahin, the sled, and the fur blankets appear in front of him. Rayo lifts Dahin’s in the fur blankets and carries her over to Dahin on the cot. Another cot is conjured next to Dahin and Rayo places her body on the second cot. Ojo turns to Dahin’s body, then to Rayo. “Fix this Rayo.” She says her voice full of emotion. “I need her to be alright. I need the chance to…,” Ojo’s voice cracks. “I will Ojo. Go take care of Zeya. See them back everything will be alright.” Ojo walks over to me with tears in her eyes. “I know that you’ve seen a lot today. How are you holding up my dear.” Ojo’s question is genuine, but with all that she’s going through how could she worry about me? “I’m fine.” “You don’t need to worry about me Zeya. I love all of my creations, and you my dear are close to my heart. You will bring them all back from the cusp.” She stops there as if she doesn’t want to say too much. “Anyways, you have to get back and finish what you’ve started. If you need me, you know how to reach me.” She says lightly. I blink and am back in the snow shivering next to Nemina. “I’m not going back with you. I have to get to the next tribe. But, Rayo wanted me to tell you something. You will lead the fire tribe for now. He trusts you and has seen everything you’ve done for the tribe.” At my words Nemian’s face lights up. “He told me that he wanted me to rule, but he didn’t say the rest. I guess you showed up before he could. It has truly been an honor to meet you niece. You can rely on the fire tribe to be at the sky port by the eclipse.” We both stand brushing snow from ourselves and hug before heading away from each other. I needed to get to the portal and back to the cabin before I headed for the wind tribe. The south was much warmer than the north and the furs I had quickly covered myself in before heading out of the fire tribe were not going to fit in in the south. I started my trek through the deep snow towards the portal.

Clem

Norella had kept a lot from me, and as we sat on the balcony of our room watching the sunset I knew there was a lot we would need to work through. I look at Norella, her caramel skin glowing in the pink light, her brown hair sparkling highlighting the sprinkles of greys and blondes, her perfectly plump pink lips begging to be kissed. My goddess she is beautiful. I reach across the table and grab her hand drawing her attention away from the sunset. “I know there’s a lot on your mind, and even more that we’ve been through today. I just want you to know I meant what I said. No matter what happens from here on, we will get through it together.” I try to put all that I’m feeling into my eyes. I need her to know I mean everything I’m saying, especially what I’m about to say. “That being said, there can be no more secrets. I am not your enemy; I am not a threat to your power. I am your mate. I am here to support and protect you, but I can’t do either if I’m not in the inner circle. I should be so close to you that others think we are one. No, I should be so close to you we are one, Norella. There’s nothing I want more than I want us to be of one mind, one heart. I don’t want you to be a sister to me, I want to be you in every way.” I say this drawing on the traditional words to extend sisterhood to the Deja Ojo. “No more secrets.” Norella says looking into my eyes. I lift her hand to my lips and give it a kiss never breaking eye contact with her. “So about this sprite.” I say eliciting a small giggle from Norella.