Those Violet Eyes

The Gateway

Arwen 

We have been sitting around Aemma's dining room table for hours now. She has been bent over writing and reading, going back and forth between all her notes and my copies of the pages from the book Hastos gave me. Pushing my chair back I start to pace around the room again. I have been alternating between sitting and sighing, to pacing and huffing. My mind is still racing but my body is starting to tire. I run my hands through my hair, something I do a lot when I'm under pressure. The nerves in my stomach join with the anxiety running through in my head. Every part of me feels twisted so tight I could snap at any moment. I feel helpless for the first time in my life and I really don't like it.

“Aemma.......” I start but don't get a chance to finish. 

“Arwen, if you are going to ask if I'm almost done or if you can help me with anything. I am going to throw something at you” She doesn't even look up from the papers she is reading. One in each hand, she looks back and forth between the two, then down to a third on the table in front of her. She drops one of the pages onto the table and picks up a pen to write on the page in front of her. Edrahil looks up at me, a small sad smile on his face. 

“How about I make us some tea” He adds slowly getting up from his seat before heading to the kitchen. 

“Arwen would you help me make it?” He calls from the kitchen. I know he is trying to distract me from bugging Aemma before she loses it and hurls something deadly at me. Defeated I slump my shoulders and sulk into the kitchen like a moody toddler. This behaviour is so out of character for me, I didn't even behave like this when I was a toddler. I've just got through the doorway when Edrahil hands me a pair of scissors. 

"Can you please go cut some camomile flowers for the tea? Think you both need a little to help calm your nerves” I open my mouth to argue but at Edrahil's raised eyebrow I know he is right. Plus, it will get me out of the house, when just for a minute. I grumble but take the scissors from him and head out the back door into the small herb garden. 

It is a beautiful garden, full of every kind of herb. Aemma is very proud of it and she should be. The sun was just coming up over the hills in the distance, stunning rays of pink and orange light hitting small drops of due that still hang onto leaves and flowers. Like tiny diamonds, they sparkle as the light hit them. The rainbow of flowers just starting to open for the day. Everywhere I look is something magical. I stop myself, close my eyes and breathe in the goodness that is Aemmas back garden, her little Eden. The warm morning sun hitting my face, letting the tense feelings in my chest slowly loosen. Taking a deep breath in before opening my eyes. Now, where is the camomile hiding? I ask myself.  One foot in front of the other I make my way through the raised garden beds, running my hand over the plants as I go. I'm rewarded with heavenly smells, lavender, Lemon balm and chocolate mint being my Favorites. I completely forget why I've come in here in the first place, so taken with the serene feeling I'm getting just wondering through the plants. Just then I spot it, the pretty white flowers with the large yellow centre. That’s what I've come for, I cut five perfect flowers and turn to make my way back to the kitchen. Walking through the door Edrahil hands a cup of tea. Take it but look at him, he must have read the questioning look on my face because he let out a small laugh. 

"But I thought you wanted the camomile for the tea?” I am confused but take a sip of the soothing liquid in my cup. Feeling it warm me, from the inside out.  

"Do you feel calmer?” He asked with a grin 

"Well yes, but..”I confess 

“Then it worked” He declares looking very pleased with himself, all I can do is roll my eyes and take another sip of tea. I'll give it to Edrahil he makes a wonderful cup of tea.

"Right, you two can come back in here now” Aemma yells from the other room we had left her in. At the sound of her voice, I'm off like a rocket. Almost colliding with her as she gets out of her seat to stretch her back, she had been sitting in this chair for hours now, without taking a break. I say sorry for almost taking her off her feet, my nerves all lighting up again. I want to ask a million questions but don't know where to start. I forget I holding a cup full of hot tea. It slops onto the floor with my sudden movements. Aemma wraps her hands around my cup, taking it from me and setting it down on the table between some of her papers. 

"Sit down Arwen so I can explain what we need to do next” Her voice is warm and caring. She looks tired and I start to feel guilty for bringing my problems to her in the first place. The lines around her eyes are deeper and her skin has a slight grey colour to it. Edrahil walks around me and places his hand on his wife's shoulder before leaning in to kiss her forehead. She leans forward ever so slightly to receive his kiss. This tiny moment is so sweet, watching it makes my heartache. I never realised how much I longed to have this kind of love until I meet Everly. She changed me in that single night, I feel I will never be the same again but I don't want to be. I mentally shake myself off and pull out a chair, before sitting down. Edrahil and Aemma take the seats on either side of me. 

“Ok from what I've translated this should actually be very easy, we just need to find a place that has a lot of magic” Aemma starts picking put a piece of paper and handing it to me. On it is the same rune circle but now around it is a list of instruction on how to open the gate. I read the list and then look up at her in shock. 

"Sage? That’s it? That’s all we need?” I'm floored, it can't be that simple, turning the page over to see if there is more on the other side. 

“It's not quite that simple, yes all we need is to burn some sage to make the circle, but we also need to draw this circle in the earth. Then it will draw power from you to open it, the more power you have to give the bigger and longer the gate will stay open” She explained taking hold of my hand, making me look at her, she soft blue eyes looking deep inside me. 

"That is the dangerous part Arwen, it can take too much of your power. it's been a long time since someone opened a new gate. We just don't know what it will take” Holding her eye contact. 

“I have to try Aemma, I have to get to her” I announce definitely looking more confident than I feel right now. 

"How will he get back?” We both turn to look at Edrahil, his question hangs in the air between us all. My heart drops as it dawns on me that I hadn't thought about that either. There are so many things we just don't know about how this all works. I had only ever travelled between the two worlds once before and that was through an ancient gateway. It had been made many years ago before the wars by a powerful elder who gave his essence to keep the gate open for everyone. This gate had been destroyed just hours after I had come back through it. Wildlings have been targeting gates and temples for years, destroying as many as they can along the way. 

"You will have to shut the gate on this side to save power when you get over there, but you should be able to create another gate on the other side if you find a place with enough magical force. It will take more of your power to open it from that side, but if anyone has the strength to do it, it's you Arwen” Aemma just manages to finish what she is saying when a frantic knocking starts on the front door. We all turn sharply at the sound. Edrahil is on his feet in a second. I too am up and stand in front of Aemma shielding her from whoever is behind the door. Edrahil has his hand on the handle about to pull the door open when we hear a voice, a squeaky voice. That of a teen boy in distress. It goes an octave too high before it cracks and drops to a normal tone before climbing again. 

"Please Mister Edrahil sir, I need your help. I need to find prince Arwen, and, and, and, Mister Edrahil sir are you home, sir?” Edrahil swings open the door and Hastos falls backward in surprise. Landing hard on his butt.  Edrahil grabs the boy by this shirt and pulls him inside, before setting him on his feet. Hastos's knees wobble like they are going to give out, but he manages to right himself. His head turns from side to side quickly searching, as soon as they fall on me, he turns and runs at me stopping just short of running right into me.

"Prince Arwen I'm so glad I found you, I want to come with you. I've found the book we need to help you find Everly, sir. I can help you. Please let me come with you” Looking every bit the sixteen-year-old child he is, Arwen can't help but smile a little as Hastos bounces up and down on the balls of his feet. Waiting for Arwen to answer with his head bowed.  

"Yes, Hastos you can come with me” I agree, both Hastos and Edrahil look at me shocked, I don't think they were expecting that. Or that I would give in so quickly. A missive smile breaks across Hastos's face while Edrahil holds the bridge of his nose between his fingers, slowly shaking his head.  

"When do we leave?” Hastos is beaming now. 

"We leave now” I announce to them all "We have no time to lose”  

"We will need to pack so things to take with us, there's no point running through the gate with just the clothes on our backs. We don't know what we will need on the other side” I hate that Edrahil is right, he is always right. 

“I'll sort the sage, go sort the other things you will need and do it fast" Aemma is almost pushing me out the door now, I think she wants to have a moment with her husband before we all go through this. I take the hint and grab Hastos by the shoulder, steering him towards the door.  

"I will take Hastos with me and we will meet you at the stables when you are ready” I say over my shoulder, Edrahil and Aemma are already locked in an embrace. Not long now and I will be able to hold Everly the same, just that thought is enough to push me through the doorway. To feel her skin on mine and smell her hair, we might not have known each other long but the feeling she gave me are locked in my mind and heart. I have never felt anything like it before.