Emerald And Aharon

Chapter Six

I headed into the woods, traveling forest paths that I had known for years. I HAD to calm down. “You should have hit her,’ a voice that sounded like Auron. "Damn that honor of yours, you should have laid her on the floor like that son of a b***h Yarov.’

The trees were thinning out, giving way to a natural clearing. I sank down to the ground, my face in my hands, the pain and rage coursing through me like poison. I don’t know how long I sat there, trying to calm down. I felt the air grow colder, and could hear an owl in the distance.

‘By the gods Desiree, why?’ I thought to myself, ‘I always tried to make you happy... You were happy... Once... Where was your integrity, your honor...?” I didn’t know what she was thinking, but I would find out.  She’d get hers, just like that bastard Yarov did. She’d...

A woman’s voice interrupted my thoughts, “Aharon?” I felt a hand on my shoulder and I jerked away.

“It’s me, Emerald,” the voice continued. Emerald? What was she doing here? Hadn’t she left? A part of me was glad that she was here.

“You can’t go back tonight; there must be somewhere you can go to regroup.” I turned my head and looked at her and she touched my cheek for a second.  All I could think at the moment was how beautiful she looked in the moonlight. I watched her look around for someone. “Where is Alleyne? I didn’t see her with you.”

“With my brother,” I finally said, my voice raw, “I had a bad feeling so I left her with him.”

“Then I am taking you to your brother’s,” she said and turned to leave, I think she turned before she saw me shake my head no. Auron would only see my coming back as proof that he was right about Desiree and what she had been doing while I was gone. I really didn’t want to deal with Auron’s I told you so's and the lectures that would follow.  He’d been right about Desiree all along, and I think that hurt just as bad as what Desiree had done. That he had seen what I chose to ignore. I don’t know how long Emerald was gone, but I heard her come back with 2 horses, hers and Nightshade in tow, Fire bundled in a contraption that looked like a bunting.

I watched her and found myself thinking back to the nights I was trying to keep those green eyes of hers out of my mind and how she haunted my dreams.

“Aharon, come on, we have to go to your brother’s,” I didn’t move.  I didn’t want to move, moving just caused more pain or would bring more pain, and I didn’t want anymore.

My eyes went from her to the bundle next to her, sweet little Fire. She was content with Emerald, and I could see Emerald cared for her, Alleyne would be well taken care of with Auron and Aurianna, and she wouldn’t need me.

“Fine, if you won’t move for them, move for me, and what could be between us,” something inside me pushed me to move though another part of me wanted to fight it.  I climbed into Nightshade’s back but I had no clue as to where we were going, as I didn’t pay attention.

After what seemed to be hours we came to the village of Seran and soon Auron’s house.  There were no lights on but I would be that Aurianna would still be awake; it was rare that the woman slept.

“Who goes there at this hour?” I heard Aurianna’s voice demand as she held up a lantern to see us.

“My name is Emerald, and I am seeking Aharon’s brother.  He needs to stay in his home for tonight.”

“You found his home; I am his wife, Aurianna.” She approached us and Emerald carefully handed down Fire to her. Aurianna looked from Fire back to her and Emerald simply said, “I’ll explain what I can after I get these 2 bedded.

Aurianna nodded and turned her attention back to me and marched me inside. “Out with it,” she said as she led me to one of the spare rooms down the hall from the kitchen and placed Fire in Kalia’s old crib.

“Desiree,” was all I said, had the energy to say.

Aurianna nodded her head and stated, “I will get the rest from Emerald, and you are going to bed.” I didn’t argue and I took off my boots and cloak and stretched out on the bed, feeling that sleep was an unreachable goal.

I heard the door open and close again and guessed that Emerald had come in from bedding Nightshade and her mare.

“I made Aharon go to bed; Fire is with him, he’ll be ok for now. What happened? What did my sister do this time?”

It was quiet and then I heard Emerald’s voice, “Aharon walked in on her with another man, as he was leaving Aharon was arriving.” 

Oh yeah he was leaving, on a one-way train to hell because that’s where I sent him.

“What did he do?” Aurianna asked.

“Kill him,” was all Emerald said, and I waited to see what Aurianna would say to that.

“It sounds like him, he probably deserved it. What of Desiree?”

Yes, what of Desiree? Emerald had to have seen Desiree when she went and got Fire. Was she happy, sad, mourning the sob?

“I hit her; I didn’t even realize I was going to until it had happened. She was crying her eyes out, not sure if it was because her lover lay on the floor in his own blood or because Aharon caught them, or that she was losing Aharon I don’t know. I caught them before, a year ago almost to the day.  He avoided the house after that as long as I was around, afraid I would finish what I started that day.” 

Emerald’s words made my blood boil anew, how long had Desiree been bold enough to cheat on me? Not just this past year, but how long before that? Emerald’s voice filtered through the red haze.

 “I probably would have. But over this past year Desiree had me watch Fire a lot and I didn’t stick around the house, I often took her out into the woods.”

The woods? Emerald had taken my daughter into the woods? What was she thinking; while there may not be any Isilk nearby there were other threats that could be just as dangerous.

As if Emerald heard my thoughts she continued, “I may be immortal and know how to take care of myself but I never strayed far from the village, I wouldn’t take a risk with her safety. She’s a delightful child.”

That made quite a bit of difference, and a voice from the back of my mind whispered, what are you worrying about? You know that Emerald won’t put your children at risk...”

The women’s voices pulled me out of the reverie I had fallen into. “Poor Aharon, no man deserves what he is going through, neither do his children.”

I could hear them talk more but it sounded farther off as my mind started to drift off to sleep. As I fell asleep I could still hear Emerald’s voice saying, "Poor Aharon" and "move for me."

After I had fallen asleep I dreamed I was standing on a cliff, looking out over one of the valleys of Aanavon. The wind was pulling my hair back, making it snap and wave like a cape in the wind. I looked down over the edge and saw the bottom of the valley far down when I felt someone shove me and I started falling. As I fell I felt someone grab my arm and I looked and saw green eyes stare into mine, Emerald’s eyes and I fell towards them.

“Daddy? Come on, get up!” I felt a pair of small hands shaking my shoulder and my eyes snapped open. When they did I found myself staring into Alleyne’s face.

“Okay, okay, I’ll get up, stop shaking me Alleyne,” I said. She stopped and took a step back and I rose and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

“Daddy, what’s Emerald and Fire doing here?” Alleyne asked as I walked over to get Fire from the crib. Emerald? What WAS Emerald doing here? Then it all came flooding back, Desiree, Yarrov, she had broken her vow, and I killed him. “They came back with me last night,” I explained.

Alleyne frowned, “where’d you go last night?” she asked, “and why did you take me?”

“I’ll tell you later,” I replied, putting an abrupt end to the conversation. Alleyne just shrugged and I scooped up Fire and we headed into the kitchen. As we walked in, everyone looked up at me.

“Good morning Aharon,” came Emerald’s voice and I turned to look at her.

“Good morning,” I mumbled as I carried Fire over to the old high chair that was Kalia’s and sat down next to her. Emerald placed a platter of pancakes on the table that was quickly dove into and sat on the other side of me. A piece of me felt at peace with her being close.  Yes I was attracted to her, but I felt it deeper than just physical attraction. I looked at her and finally said, “I want a word with you.”

She arched an eyebrow at me and I stood, taking her hand and tugging her up and led her outside away from Aurianna and her brood.

After a few moments I let go of her hand and faced her, looking into the same eyes that had haunted me over the past year. “I’m leaving Desiree. Last night was the final straw. My children and I both deserve better than what we are getting.” I fell silent, studying Emerald’s face, though she said nothing.

“But they need a mother, even a woman like Desiree is better than nobody at all.” I shook my head, knowing that was only partially true. “When I go home, whether it be tomorrow, or three months from now, I am renouncing my marriage vow and leaving.  I am taking Fire and Alleyne with me and I hope I never have to see that woman again.” I hesitated, I wanted to say more, but didn’t dare. I barely knew this woman; there is no reason why I should feel this close to her or that it was so right for me to be with her.

Oh Gods, now I’ve done it.