Emerald And Aharon

Chapter Thirteen

I took Alleyne on the camping trip, teaching her a few more of the old ways that could only be done at night and how to hunt.  It was the first opportunity I had, now that she was old enough. It also helped put some space between Desiree and myself after the exchange we had.

Alleyne enjoyed learning to track and how to catch game unaware and quickly bring it down.  She didn’t care as much for the tricks I tried to teach her with magic. She and I also talked about her father, and her older brother Accalon, who wasn’t around that much.

After 3 days, we headed back home.  Ember was carrying our game; Alleyne was riding her horse Silver.  It was a beautiful morning, a warm and pleasant that promised to be a gorgeous spring day, but something felt off.  I was worried, on a day like this; an off feeling was never a good sign.

As we came closer to the village, I could smell smoke, and I quickened my pace.  The village came into view, and I stopped dead in my tracks, staring at the scene before me. There were buildings that were still smoking, others were charred ruins. Bodies lay everywhere, some were dead, but there were others who were still alive, though in agony.  Alleyne climbed off Silver and she stood next to me, “Do you think Mom is ok?” she said in a hushed voice.

I opened my mouth to say that she was fine, but the words never came.  I couldn’t force the lie out of my throat, if the village was in this bad of shape, there was no telling what shape Desiree and Fire was in.

We made our way to the house, I would stop to help those that I could with the healing herbs I had in the pouch at my side or what little healing magic I knew.  If they were too far gone and suffering, I ended their suffering after having Alleyne turn her eyes away.

When we stood outside our home, it was still standing, and was relatively unharmed, like some of the other homes in the village, but no life stirred and I glanced at Alleyne, “stay here and keep a lookout.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but I sent her a look that stopped the argument and she nodded her head.

I headed inside, my sword in hand and I made my way through the house.  It was in disarray, furniture tossed aside, things ransacked and I found Desiree, lying on the floor, blood everywhere.  I came further into the room and my blood boiled, the Isilk had beaten her, r***d her, and then left her for dead. I straightened her skirts and she opened her eyes flailing an arm.

“Desiree!” I quickly grabbed her hand and knelt down next to her, leaning so I could look into her face.  

“It’s alright Desiree, it’s me.”

She focused her pale green eyes on me, “Emma,” she breathed, “thank the gods...” she squeezed my hand and I squeezed back.

“Take care of them, Emma, they need you.”

I touched my forehead to hers, “Desiree, they need you to,” I started to push what magic I knew to her, but I could feel it balk, like it was hitting a wall.  I squeezed her hand again, but her hand went limp. She was gone. I leaned back and passed my hand over her eyes and closed them.

I took a deep breath and stood, only to hear Alleyne’s voice, “Mom? Mom!!!” and in a flash she was by her side, and she hugged her.  After a few moments she looked up at me, anger in her eyes, “you didn’t heal her! You let her die!”

“There was nothing I could do Alleyne, I was...”

“You should have been here!  If you hadn’t insisted on going on that trip Mom would still be here.  You could have stopped them!”

I didn’t protest, she was right. Desiree’s death was my fault.  If I hadn’t let her get under my skin I would have waited on the hunting trip, and now Fire’s death may be on my hands as well.  I heard footsteps coming from the kitchen and I whirled to face the potential threat. I may have failed Desiree and Fire, but I would be damned if I failed in protecting Alleyne.

I heard a little girl sobbing, and a part of me was relieved, Fire was alive!  But in what condition? Aharon came into the room, carrying Fire. “I was so scared, Daddy,” she sobbed.  “It was so dark, and Mommy didn’t come back!!”

Relief flooded through me, Desiree had managed to hide Fire away from the danger.

“Where is Desiree?” Aharon demanded.

I stepped aside, “I’m sorry,” was all I said and took Fire from him, shooed Alleyne out to give Aharon some time alone.  As we left something exploded, and I was the last one out the shrapnel hit me and I winced.

The next morning, Aharon buried Desiree in a small grave.  I had wrapped her body, and the girls watched, Fire and Alleyne both crying.  As he laid the earth over Desiree, I sang the old songs. After the last shovel full of earth was placed, he took what was left of their possessions and the girls, and left.

I didn’t go with them. I sang and danced for Desiree, though she wasn’t immortal, she was my friend.  I had to honor her as one even though there were times we were at odds against each other.

After I finished dancing, I stayed near the village, helping the survivors rebuild. I figured I should leave Aharon alone, he probably blamed me for Desiree’s death, and I couldn’t blame him. I should have been home, that was the bottom line.

As time passed, something didn’t feel right with me staying behind. I never stayed in one place for very long before I met Aharon.  I never had a reason to stay in one place, or if I did, I often got chased away by the locals. I sat in Aurianna’s kitchen staring off into space and she set a cup or tea down in front of me, “go after him.”

I shook my head and focused on her, “what are you talking about?”

She sat down across from me and gave me a stern look, “you know exactly what I am talking about. Go after him.”

I sighed and took a drink from the cup she had set before me, pretending that I didn’t know what she was talking about.

“Are you really going to mope about here wishing you were with him?  If that’s all you’re going to do go else where. I have no time for people who won’t help themselves.”

I smirked, she was right.  I should go after him. I missed him terribly.  I also missed Fire and Alleyne. I looked at her, “Ok, you’re right, but where would I start?”

Aurianna smiled,looking pleased with herself, “easy, he gave you his necklace, use it.”

I touched the necklace and arched an eyebrow, “you know I can’t teleport blind.”

Aurianna shrugged her shoulders and sipped her own drink, “didn’t say you had to teleport; use it like a compass.  It’ll point the way.”

I stared at her for a few moments and then bolted out the door.  “Give him our greetings!” she called after me.

I waved acknowledgement and quickly got Ember ready to ride and was off.  I knew the direction he had taken off in that hard month ago, and that’s where I started.  It took me a few months to find him, but I did.

He was living in a castle north of the village, and I paused at the gates outside. I took a deep breath and pushed open the gate and came into the courtyard.  His back was to me, teaching Alleyne swordplay. She saw me first and glared daggers at me but I said nothing. She could blame me for her mother’s death as much as she wanted, I wasn’t going to argue.

I glanced down at myself and I wished I had paused to clean up; it looked like I had been dumped on his doorstep from a battlefield. I looked back up as Aharon turned around and our eyes met, “Hello Aharon,” I said quietly.