Crimson Cove

Feeling him

The dreams came crashing in around her. It was him, he was there, inside of her head. She felt the soft caress of his hand on her cheek.

You cannot be here. She whispered into the dark.

I am here. I always have been. I waited for so long to see your beautiful face again. There is nothing on this palnet I could love more than you Neytiri.

Her eyes shot open. His scent surrounded her. She could not see him, only felt his pressence.

Why do you not show yourself Hrolf? I know you more than you think.

No, you know only what they have let you see. I can show you far more than they ever could. You are mine. My life has only been for you.

Why do you not come to me then, I hear you, can even feel and smell you, but where are you? She asked as she turned looking for him.His fingers laced into her long soft black hair. Turning her to him gently he looked deep in her eyes.

I am right here. I will never leave your side. I am yours and you are mine. It has always been.

He pulled her to him holding her tightly he kissed her lips so tenderly feeling her tremble in his arms. She felt his need for her explode inside her mind. He was everything to her, she knew it the moment she first saw him. As they released the kiss she gazed into his eyes feeling right for the first time in a long time.

Let me show you what you are to me, please. His eyes were tender, begging for a chance to love her.

Yes. Was all she could manage to say.

Gathering her in his arms he lept from the branch of her tree with ease. She had no fear of him. As he turned away from her tree he headed for a small clearing, the same one her mother had met with him in every time her came to the cove. She realized he was going to show her his memories, their moments together. As he set her down beside the same bush she saw her mother walking amongst the flowers on the edge of the clearing.

She was holding hands with him, he was small, samller than she had seen in her mothers memories. It must have been from the first moments on the island.

Saffron, why do you and I feel so close all the time?

There is a tie between us that only you and i know about. It is one that will come when your soul meets the one you will be forever tied to. I have seen this for sometime now. I simply do not know when it will happen yet.

The small child tugged her hand. Saffron leaned in to hear what he was s aying.

It's already happening. I feel it has gotten stronger.

Saffron smiled at him. I know, I feel it too. They walked to the edge of the clearing together, your father will be looking for you, you must not tell him where you have been. Your uncle has not spoke to him yet about me. As you know I should not be here. I was not part of your people.

I know you are not like us, I know you speak to the winds, and I know you hide yourself from all who might harm you.

You see more than you say. She smiled warmly.

I feel it more than anything.

Go back now, we will see one another again soon. You have my word.

The young boy ran to the woods going back to his family. When her mother turned she could see a slight glow surrounding her. Her mother gently ran her hand down her flat stomach caressing it gently. Neytiri felt she was pregnant with her more than feeling it she knew.

I have known from the very start that there was something more there. I felt you before I knew you.

As softly as he spoke she heard every bit of the depth of his love for her. A breeze shifted and they were seeing her mother in the same clearing months later. She had dug a shallow pool and she had filled it with warm water. As she sunk in the water she kept her night gown on. It was her birth, she had heard her mother tell her how peaceful it was. The trees had bloomed and smelled sweet. The warm breeze felt refreshing and comforting on their skin.

How do you know this?

I was there. He pointed accross the clearing to her tree. Hiding in plain sight. I had to be here. To make sure you came in to this world safely.

She gazed across the clearing seeing him sitting beside another bush barely hidden from view. He sat with his legs crossed watching Saffron relax in the water. There was a bright green light that suddenly burst in the sky above her mother. It lingered as her body brought fortht the child from within her. Lifting the small baby out of the water she searched her face. The bright green light drifted softly around them settling in the baby's eyes coloring them a beautiful deep emerald. They heard her speak loudly enough that they knew the boy heard her.

I know you are there, you needn't hide Hrolf. Come to me, she wants to meet you.

The little boy looked scared for a split second, but he got up and ran to them in spite of it.As he approached them he slowed down sliding up right beside Saffron with ease.

Hello little prince. Why did you stay hidden?

His young face looked up at her, Because she needed me to wait. She spoke inside my head saying she had to come here alone first. Do you know why?

No Hrolf I do not know why, I only know she had to be blessed with light first.

The green, it was real?

Yes, of course it was Hrolf. It was her gift, it is what will keep her strong when I am gone one day. Look at her, she is pure light, one nobody will ever be able to break. She said softly as she handed him the small baby.

He looked at Saffron, Can I give her a gift first?

She looked at the boy, Of course you can.

He jumped from his spot running back to the bush, when he returned he has a small black fur he had made for her himself.

I worked hard to make this fur as soft as I could for her. I scaped for days so that she could have the softest blanket to lay upon at night. Saffron took it from him.

It's beautiful Hrolf. The pelt was soft as suade leather and warm enough to weather any cold that had crept in.

He wrapped the baby gently in the blanket holding her gently to his body.

I will love her until my last breath, and beyond. He saw her tiny smile and felt her warmth laying in his arms as he kissed her forehead.

I have no name for her Hrolf, it has never revealed itself to me. I do not know what to call my little princess.

Her name is Neytiri, Goddess of Nature.

How do you know that Hrolf?

She told me. She speaks to me. She says we are connected through an old lineage from a life we were taken from to early. You brought me my Queen, We are as she says.

Hrolf, you cannot tell anyone she is here. Her father would have her to save his damned soul. Since he was bitten he cannot control his thirst, and your father only keeps his control because he has embraced his new blood. You know I can't allow them to know she lived.

I cannot tell them, I have to keep you both safe, for as long as I can.

Thank you Hrolf, I know you will. A haze fell across the clearing. Hrolf, you kept us safe. You could have saved your father and mine from what they became.

I could never let them have you. You are mine. His face hardened slightly at the thought.

As the haze drifted away they returned to see him slightly older, in his teens standing on the edge of the clearing looking to the trees that still stood gaurding the cove and their pressence. He walked to the middle and sat down. That's when she saw the little girl run from the tree to him. Her soft straight black hair swinging behind her she bounced in to his lap.

Rolo. She screeched in his ear as he wrapped her in a hug.

She must have been five, he was fourteen. They rolled in the grass giggling, until Saffron approached.

Tiri, go to our place and wait. I must speak with Rolo myself please.

Yes Mother. Neytiri's eyes misted over.

Missues. How are you today?

Fair Hrolf, I am fair. You know why I called you here today?

You need to know if I am sick too, do you not?

Good. We are both aware here. I cannot allow you to see Tiri again if there is a danger.

His head dropped. I know you wont allow her to become sick. But I am not. I have not been bitten, there is no disease in my blood.

My father is hunting me himself now, can I not come to the cove with you?

No child, he will kill us all. Stay safe, and remain hidden for as long as you can. I will see if there is a way to hide from them. The boys head had sunk almost to his chest.

Fear not Hrolf, the bond in your blood will keep you both together even if you are apart. She loves you, and I know you love her. One day when all of this is at it's worse you will be together and fight for your love and bond.

Why must we wait so long Saffrron? I would never let anyone hurt my sweet Tiri.

You will have your day Hrolf, she one day will come back to you, only not for a long time.

Hrolf became upset and turned away from Saffron. You won't keep her from me.

Saffron's eyes changed, becoming red with stength, And you Hrolf, will not take her before it is time. I will do all I must to keep her safe.

Hrolf walked away fuming from her words. The sky darkened and poured cold rain from the clouds as he left. The rain came hard and fast, then was gone a moment later. The clearing was beautiful once again. This time when Hrolf came in to view he was a man, a young man, but a man none the less. Saffron was prepared for him.

Do not take her from me Saffron, I swear you could never protect her or love her like I do.

You are a boy, you have nothing. Do not come to me with this until you believe you can actually provide complete protection for her, and never allow her any chance of death. You can't so go, get away from here. I will keep us all safe.

With that an enormous red cloud formed enclosing and encapsulating the woman. The earth split in that moment and everything from the cliffs on disappeared, taking her and Neytiri with it. His mind broke that second when he watched his entire life disappear in a moment.

He screammed No. In to the space left behind.

She watched as the ground swollowed them both up in front of his eyes. She felt his pain and despair. Underneath she could feel a pain from further away. A pain she was very familiar with, it was hers. Sh remembered running at her mother after the red haze engulfed thee cove. She cried so hard that night, she knew he was lost to her once the haze was put in place. She was only nine, but her heart had broken that day. Turning to him she saw his tears, felt his pain, shared in it with him.

That day was the worse day of my life. His eyes darkened even more from the pain.

I am here now, finish this so that we can move forward, and find the path we must follow.

The days, months, and even years after this day are much more of the same. I came here frequently hoping it was all a nightmare, that it had never happened and you would be here. I died inside with any stitch of hope I had when the cliffs devoured you.

Mother was only trying to keep us safe, until we were ready for the next step on our journey. She almost couldn't believe she was defending what her mother had done to them.

This day was the one thing that shaped my future, I became a wolf because it meant I could live forever, and I could find you one day, even if it meant giving up everything.

I saw you shift the first time. Mother and I were under Willow when we heard you scream.

You watched that.

Yes. She whispered softly.

The fieldd shifted around them, it flashed to that day. He had come to the clearing because it was thee place he felt the safest. There he sat waiting to become the wolf he knew would keep him alive. He looked at her face before looking in to his own.

This is the day I went to our fathers, I told them if they wanted to rip me apart for leaving them to do it, but I would die knowing all I ever did was love you.

What happened?

My father was ctually happy. He felt that if they had me in their little pack that I would lead them to you. It was what they had hoped for. If they had me they could get to you, or so they thought.

Is that why you are here now? She knew his answer, but wasn't sure she believed it.

No, I would never let anyone, or anything hurt you Neytiri, I love you with everything in me. I do not exist without you. We are over one thousand years old, and there has never been anyone or anything in my life that has mattered, save for you.

I do not know where we go from here Hrolf, but I know I have never felt this way for anything or anyone in my entire life, I have always felt you, loved you, but most of all I have always needed you. Everything else will find it's own way.