Emerald And Aharon

Chapter Fourteen

I wasn’t gone as long as I thought I would be.  Khaliem and I knew the Isilk were searching for druids, and if we could lure them away, the Isilk wouldn’t attack Seran. But, you know what they say about the best-laid plans of men.

We had been gone for about 5 days, and a feeling of absolute dread washed over me.  I glanced around uneasily. It was a beautiful day; one that you knew was going to be good.  So why did I have this feeling? Something was wrong, very wrong. I glanced over at Khaliem.

Khaliem was looking back at me, and odd look on his face and I opened my mouth, “I’m going home.” As the words came out of my mouth, the feeling eased for a few seconds, and I knew it was the right decision.

Khaliem’s jaw dropped in shock, “what about the Isilk?”

“To hell with them” came my reply, “I’m going home.”

Khaliem nodded slowly, his face uncertain, “ok, ok, go home.  I’ll try and track and lure the Isilk on my own.”

“Goodbye Khaliem. Until we meet again.” I said before turning away and heading back home. I felt bad for leaving Khaliem; I knew I HAD to go home.

A few hours later I came close to the village and I smelled smoke and I hurried. As I reached the village I saw it was a mess. There were bodies everywhere, bodies of people that I knew and had known for a long time.  I healed some of them and was healing an old man whose name escaped me when I saw Aurianna.

She was sobbing, cradling a body to her, at first, I thought it was Auron’s but as I came closer I saw it was her oldest son, Daystar.  He had died fighting, taking up the fight against the Isilk like a man, and had died like one.

I touched her shoulder and Auri looked up at me, and I had to look away at the pain in her eyes. I headed to my house and I tried not to think about what may be waiting for me there.

It was still standing, but no life stirred, even the air itself seemed dead.  I felt my blood turning to ice and I ran the remaining distance and burst into the kitchen, “Alleyne!” I called, but got no answer.  “Desiree? Emerald?” Silence only greeted me and I sent a prayer to the gods that they weren’t dead. I started to walk through the house and as I came near the pantry I heard a small child crying, Fire!

I opened the pantry door, but no sign of her so I crawled to the back, following the sound and I heard Fire whisper, “mommy?”

I pushed the wall at the back of the pantry, revealing a small room hidden there and a tear stained and very frightened Fire who threw herself at me when she saw me.

“Mommy was screaming! Mommy told me to hide and then there was a lot of noise and Mommy just kept screaming!” she sobbed.

I sat down on the floor of the pantry with her, trying to calm her down while trying not to panic myself.  I rubbed her back and said, “Its ok Fire, it’ll be ok.”

Of course I wasn’t sure if that was the truth, what of Desiree, Emerald and Alleyne? Were they ok? While I was thinking I heard footsteps and I quietly stood and exited the pantry to be able to hear better.

“Mom! You didn’t heal her! You let her die!” Came Alleyne’s voice, so Desiree was dead.  Wait, no! She couldn’t be dead! I leaned back against the wall, not wanting to believe the words my daughter just spoke.

“There was nothing I could have done, Alleyne,” came Emerald’s voice.

“You should have been home! If you hadn’t insisted on going on that hunting trip we WOULD have been home and Mom would still be alive!”

I decided to go see for myself what was going on, and came into the living room.  “I was so scared Daddy,” Fire sobbed. “It was dark and Mommy kept screaming.” Fire had calmed down but she was still crying.

Alleyne and Emerald were there, Emerald facing me with her sword in her hand.  When she saw it was me she sheathed it, but didn’t move.

“Where is Desiree?”

She stepped aside, “I’m sorry,” she said quietly, and took Fire out of my arms and had Alleyne go with her outside.

It was obvious she had been beaten and r***d, though someone had pulled down her skirt so she had some dignity and decency.  The Isilk had left her to die after they had finished playing with her and I felt the anger inside me build till something exploded.

I knelt down and touched her cheek, mourning the woman she had been.  The sweet caring wouldn’t harm a fly when we had first married. I didn’t think about all the pain that had passed between us, didn’t think about the bitchy woman she had become after we had divorced.  I only thought about who she was, and that I loved her once. And I had let her die; it was my fault that the Isilk had come here in the first place. I lifted her limp body into my arms and whispered to her, “I’m sorry Desiree,” and carried her out of the house.

I buried her the next day, by the light of the moon.  I wasn’t really aware of anything but the shovel lifting the soft dark earth out of the hole that was forming before me.  I kept digging until it was six feet deep, then placed her into the ground and covered it with earth.

I could hear a woman’s voice drifting around me, but I didn’t pay attention to whose voice it was or where it was coming from, just kept my mind on the task at hand.

After Desiree had been buried, I hitched the cart to Nightshade and the girls packed what belongings they wanted to that were still intact and we left. Emerald didn’t come with use.  The last I had seen her was when she was dancing for Desiree. I didn’t approach her as she probably blamed me for what had happened and was angry at how I had left.

I didn’t want to leave her and as we rode away I felt like I was leaving a piece of myself behind, but I didn’t turn back. 

A few days later we reached my castle. It was quiet and empty, the hustle and bustle of yesteryears gone. Only ghosts and memories lived here now, with the exception of my daughters and myself.  At first Alleyne and Fire weren’t sure what to make of living there, but they soon got used to it. I began working with Alleyne, teaching her sword play, reminding me of the days past where Auron and I had done the same with Daystar.

Whenever I thought of those days my mind turned back to Emerald, how she laughed, or swung her sword.  I knew my heart was still with her but I always pushed it aside.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months with no sign of Emerald.  For a while I could make things feel normal but as time passed that nagging emptiness only grew.  I knew what that emptiness was, Emerald. I missed her, and if it wasn’t for leaving Alleyne and Fire alone, I would ride to find her.

One crisp cook morning in late autumn I was outside teaching Alleyne a better way to block when the gates creaked open. I heard footsteps come closer but I didn’t turn my attention to the newcomer, I couldn’t be distracted.

“Hello Aharon,” a familiar voice said. I froze and slowly turned to face the newcomer and there stood Emerald. Alleyne glared daggers at her and I saw that Emerald looked like she had just come from a fight.

“Hello Emerald,” I said back and wondered if she still blamed me.  It didn’t matter anymore; I would do anything to be with her again.  I gave a silent prayer of thanks to the gods for bringing her back and a silent vow I wouldn’t pass up the chance they had given me. As if in answer a light cold drizzle began to fall. Alleyne turned and ran inside and I grabbed Emerald’s hand and led her inside without saying a word.  Once we were inside I let go of her hand and faced her.

“What are you doing here Emerald?” I finally asked.  I kept the emotion out of my voice, though I hoped she was there because of us.

“What do you think I’m doing here,” she retorted back, a little nettled.

“I have no idea what you’re doing here Emerald my love, but if you would care to enlighten me I think we’d both be better off,” I replied.