Morning Diamond

Anything But That

“It’s about time!” Claire stated under her breath. Keith changed his shirt and sat beside her, offering her a clean shirt as well. Both brothers averted their eyes while she changed. When she finished she propped her elbows on her knees and rested her chin in her hands, eager to hear the explanation.

“Claire,” Ok it was serious. Keith never used that tone unless it was serious. She lifted her head and looked at him. “Oh, how do I begin?” Claire felt alarmed as she looked from one identical face to the next. Never in her life had seen them look so…intimidated. She gulped.

“From the beginning would be nice.” She offered, feeling unsteady and suddenly unsure if she wanted to hear what they had to say. “Why was our home attacked and raided?” She tried to sound calm, but the question came out in a weak squeak. Keith took a deep breath and met her eyes.

“That was not the beginning.” She was afraid of that.

“The world of Danyon is a simple place," Mark began. Claire glared, her unease instantly replaced with annoyance. She threw her hands in the air in frustration before glaring up at her brother.

“You can’t be serious! If you are about to tell me another child’s tale so help me I will belt you one!” She threatened, shaking a fist at her brother.

“No interruptions,” He commanded raising his free hand to hold a finger inches from her face to still any arguments. “Danyon is a simple land; a newer world, undeveloped and unsophisticated compared to Tyrell, but the people lived happy lives and worked hard. At one time they loved and they laughed, but soon all that changed.”

“One day a handsome stranger came to the land.” Claire interrupted, taking charge of her favorite bedtime story. “He desired the love of a maiden. Not just any maiden, but a maiden of beauty and grace. One he could proudly present to his family and friends. He traveled from village to village, until finally he found the woman he could claim as his own. She was the daughter of a sacred family; a family of witches.

“Upon seeing this handsome stranger, the young woman fell deeply in love with him and agreed to become his wife. He took her back to his land and built her a castle worthy of housing her beauty within its walls.” Keith chuckled at the quick summary.

“Her love soon grew cold when she learned of his deception and treachery.” Claire’s eyes grew large with Mark’s blunt statement. That was not part of the tale. How could he get it wrong, he’s the one that made it up? She opened her mouth to correct him, but he stayed her words with a raised finger and pleading look. “Let us finish.” He gestured for Keith to continue.

“The maiden learned her husband had betrayed her in the worst possible way. While she lay in her labor bed, delivering their first child, her sister labored with her own first born. A daughter. Both the son and daughter were fathered by the same man, but only the daughter survived the night.” Claire gasped.

“He slept with her sister?” Claire could not hide her revulsion. “I would have killed the man!” Both brothers glared at her. She covered her mouth and vowed to herself to remain silent for the remainder of their tale.

“The maiden’s disgust with her husband was strong. She locked herself away from him, hoping she would never have to feel his hands on her again, but he did not take her refusal well. He raped her before her healing time ended. Months later his actions rewarded him with a healthy baby boy.” Keith’s voice hardened as the tale unfolded, then he looked to Mark to take over.

“That day he decided to make a legacy to leave to his son. For years the man spent his energy building an empire. It wasn’t long before he had forced those in his territory into slavery. He grew rich, but he was not satisfied. I believe he had a void in his life which he tried to fill with power.” Mark shrugged and continued. “He made threats to other realms. Warning them to serve him or suffer. A short time later his wife delivered their third child. The child was stillborn.” Mark stopped, breathing deeply.

Claire had never heard this version of the story. In the past her brothers had always told it as though it were some romantic tale. “I always thought this was a beautiful story.”

“It should have been! With any other man but him, it would have been. We spared you the gory details because of your youth.” Mark explained. She nodded her understanding.

“So what happened?” She asked. This twist in the childhood tale intrigued her.

“He killed her!” Keith answered. Claire gasped. “Her rejection must have been too much for him. After her death he took their only living child and began building an army. Their son must have been around five or six at the time, we’re not sure.” He ran his hand over his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “We were still in our mother’s womb when it happened.” Claire looked at him slightly confused.

This fairy tale was of a different world, a different time, yet her brother just made it sound like he had been part of that world. Keith looked intently into Claire’s eyes. “We were born in the woodlands. We were only two when Leishmann’s army attacked our home and killed everyone.” Had Keith lost his mind and who was Leishmann?

“An old man in our village hid us away when the attack came. He gave us a potion that made us sleep for days while our people were tortured and killed.” Claire looked at Mark. “Your parents found us there. They took us away and raised us as their own.” He gestured to Keith so Claire turned her attention to her other brother.

“We were found with this.” He opened his bag and pulled out a tattered old book. The leather binding looked worn and ancient. Keith rubbed his hand gently over the smooth cover. “There is a passage in here about you.” She flinched. Had her brothers lost their minds? Maybe they were suffering from shock. What had she read about shock in her first aide class?

“Are you guys okay?” She looked from one identical face to another. “You’re speaking nonsense.” She was starting to worry about their sanity.

“Claire. Read.” Keith opened the book to a marked page and handed it to her. He pointed to a passage and sat back on his haunches, waiting. Claire looked to Mark but he too pointed at the book. She rolled her eyes and with a sigh, bent her head and read.

Moments later she put down the old tattered tome and took a deep breath. “A child of white will save the world? It sounds a little…unorthodox to me. What does any of it have to do with me? With us?”

“The day you were born Mother died during delivery. Father he…” Mark took a deep calming breath. “Leishmann came to attack the village. Father went to fight. We don’t know what happened to him. Marcel, the village Witch, took us away before we could learn his fate. She took us to a cave in the woods and there cast a spell that sent us here.”

“She sent us away to save your life, and ours. We raised you here in Tyrell, but we are not from this land. We are from the world Danyon and it is your destiny to return home and save it from Leishmann.”

“I’m a child of white?” She asked suspiciously. Her brothers nodded. “Tyrell is the other land, outside of time?” She attempted to clarify

“We are still unsure how that part plays out, but best we can tell, time passes slower in Danyon.” Mark provided. Yep, they have officially lost their minds. Her brothers were insane!

“This is crazy.”

“We moved around to protect your identity in case Leishmann and his men discovered the cave. We kept you from making attachments here so it would be easier for you to return home before your eighteenth birthday.” Keith stated.

They’re nuts! Her brothers have been interfering with her life because of some messed up belief they come from the world of their own imagination. Isn’t there a name for that? She’d have to look it up later.

“I am not sure where we went wrong. We have always been so careful. I don’t know how we missed the signs. How we got so careless. Leishmann was there under our very noses and we had no idea. They got so close. You could have been and hurt we almost allowed it to happen.” Her thoughts turned to the events that put them in their current situation. No. There is no way this is real, it couldn’t be. She gulped.

“It was Leishmann’s men who attacked our home?” Her brothers confirmed with identical nods. “They were after me?” Again with the nodding. “They want to kill me?” They had the decency to look guilty this time. “Because I’m a child in a book? A child of white?” She shook her head, mostly in disbelief. This all sounded surreal. “What am I supposed to be? A great warrior sent here from another world, how?”

“Marcel took us to a cave after you were born.” Mark reiterated, “She spoke some kind of spell and poof here we are, in Tyrell the world of insane people!” Keith chuckled at Mark’s quick description of the people of Tyrell. Claire rolled her eyes. Her brothers had always summed up the inhabitants of Tyrell in one word, Crazy. They claimed the people lacked respect for the beauties around them. Everything was rushed and nothing appreciated. Until now she had never understood why they talked about others as though they were from a different world. All along they had been comparing Tyrell to…Danyon?

“Fortunately, we can return now and escape the tortures of living in this horrific place.” Mark teased. Claire didn’t even crack a smile at his attempt to lighten the strained surroundings.

“We have to return before you turn eighteen.” Keith explained in a gentle voice, he seemed annoyed with Mark’s blunt remarks about leaving a world their little sister was very much a part of.

“Why are you so sure I am the ‘child of white’? It could be anyone.” She didn’t want to think about leaving Tyrell. The idea of being from another world scared her. How could she be what they expected her to be?

“You have white hair, you were raised in this world, but you are from another world. Fits into the prophecy,” Mark stated matter of fact with a light lift to one shoulder.

“We’ve been slowly making our way back to the original cave over the last couple years. We were planning on returning to it within a few days of your birthday, but I’m afraid we will need to return a little sooner.” Keith further explained after glaring at his brother.

“So let me get everything straight. Those men wanted to kill me all because some psycho from a different world thinks that I am going to put an end to his rule? I have until my eighteenth birthday to return to that world to overtake this man and his massive army. Do you realize how crazy this sounds? Have you seen me? I am not what you would consider ‘Olga the Warrior Princess’ type. How am I supposed to defeat some evil lord’s son?” She was mad. More than mad, she was mad and scared.

“The father, not the son!” Mark corrected.

“That doesn’t make sense. We have been gone for almost eighteen years! Is it realistic to assume the son has not taken over for his father? I mean he had to be around twenty three when we were sent here, right?" Both brothers looked at each other. Apparently they hadn’t thought about that.

“Rumors said Leishmann’s boy had been put in charge of a division of the army at a young age, but it was always Leishmann who led his men. The son was rarely seen. When we came to Tyrell, Leishmann was still quite strong and very capable of leading his army. There is no reason to doubt Leishmann will still be in charge. Besides not much time has passed in Danyon.”

“How would you know that for sure?” She crossed her arms and lifted a brow in challenge.

“It’s just speculation. We can’t know for sure.” Mark offered, eyeing Keith again. Claire rolled her eyes. Her brothers were getting too good at making things up. “We should get going. It will take about a week to get back to the cave.” Mark stated, effectively changing the subject.

“And then what?” Claire asked, resigning herself to believe her brothers.

“Not sure. Marcel spoke a spell that kind of just sent us here. We are hoping we’ll automatically transport back once we reach the cave.” Claire’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped.

“Keith, are you telling me you have no idea how to get back? What about the spell?” Keith suddenly looked guilty.

“We used the first letter of each word in the spell to come up with your name. We thought it would help us remember the words.” He looked at Mark so her eyes followed, expectantly.

“And?”

“We don’t remember the spell.” Mark offered.

“What? You are dragging me out in the middle of nowhere while an army of men- intent on killing me-is breathing down our necks and you have no idea how to get back? Great parenting!” She seethed.

“Hold on a sec before you get your temper up.” Keith jumped in to defend his brother. “We’ve had eighteen years to study that.” He pointed at the open book still sitting on Claire’s lap. “We believe there is a portal in the cave. Once opened it stays open for a number of years. Marcel told us to be back before you turned eighteen. We think that’s when the portal will close.”

“So you think we will walk in and whoosh the cave will suck us back to Danyon?”

“Yes!” Her brothers said in unison. She took a deep, calming breath. She definitely had her doubts, but it did her no good to dwell on them at this point.

“This is a lot to take. I need some time.” Claire stated. Getting to her feet abruptly, she gently shut the book and tucked it under her arm. She took several steps towards the cave entrance before Keith’s words stopped her.

“Bear, we don’t have time. We need to be headed out in a few minutes.” She turned and looked at him with her ‘just try to stop me’ look. “I’m truly sorry.”

“You guys have known about this my whole life and never once thought to prepare me for it. Now you think I can’t take a minute to wrap my brain around what you have just thrown at my feet?” She shifted the book to her other arm. “You never once thought you should at least mention it to me. Not even so much as a ‘Hey, Claire-Bear, you are a warrior woman destined to take down the most powerful evil lord in the world you were born in but know nothing about. Here have a peanut!’”

“Bear, you don’t like peanuts!” Mark joked.

“Oh Ha Ha, Mark, you are sooooo funny.” She turned to Keith. “Ok, clarify a couple things for me?” He nodded. “Were all the fairy-tales you told me growing up true?”

“Mostly. We changed the stories to protect you from the harshness, but gave you the basics so it wouldn’t be too much of a shock.” She shook her head. She could stomach that explanation.

“Ok. I can accept that.” She breathing deeply, “And all the training in martial arts, fencing and archery…”

“Were the only way we could train you to fight without telling you why. The training in archery and fencing were especially important because Danyon is a new world with none of the luxuries of Tyrell.” Mark interrupted.

“Are you my real brothers?” The words escaped her before she could stop them. “You said that father found you.” She accused. Mark moved closer to her.

“Claire in everything but blood we are your brothers. Nothing in this world or Danyon could change that. You are our little sister.” Tears spilled over and she wept. Of everything they had told her, this was the biggest blow. To learn her only family was not really her family hurt more than learning there were people who wanted to kill her. A painful silence hung between the three until Keith finally spoke.

“Claire-bear, I know we didn’t handle this as well as you would have wanted us to, but I promise, Mark and I thought we were doing what was best for you," Keith said, rubbing his hand over his bare scalp. "We didn’t tell you because we wanted you to feel safe for as long as possible. Knowing you are being hunted is a very hard thing to accept, and as a child you didn’t need that fear. We protected your childhood. We protected your happiness. We did the best we could; even knowing someday we would destroy it. We love you and to be honest I would do it again if only to watch you smile every day.” She looked at him wondering how she would ever feel normal again. “But through all the lies one thing has always been real; our love for our parents and for you. They adopted us as their own, just as we adopted you as ours. Claire, we are family.” Keith moved closer to her and held his arms out, offering her his comfort, yet not wanting to force it. Claire didn’t hesitate to move and allow him to give what comfort he could.

“I’m the target for some egotistical, control freak and I am somehow supposed to destroy him. I have been shot at, torn from my home, and now I have to return to a world that I know absolutely nothing about.” She hiccupped, holding Keith tighter as her fear grew. “All these facts are hard to deal with- doable, but difficult- but I could never lose my brothers.”

“Bear, do you believe we are family?” She nodded. “Then that is what we are and will always be. People don’t have to share blood to be a family. Family is made by love and acceptance. You are my sister in every sense.” She smiled weakly and allowed Mark to take her from Keith and enjoyed feeling her brother hold her like he had when she was little. She felt it then. Blood or not they were stuck with each other for life.

“I’m okay now.” She pulled back and wiped her tears and put her brave face on. She would be strong. “Just promise to stay with me. I’m going to need you both.” She took both of their hands. “If you are always with me, I know I will be just fine.” She took another deep breath then put a mischievous smile on her face, “So does the Prophecy say I can kick both your butts too? Cuz let’s be honest, I have wanted to do that since I was eight years old, and you know you have deserved it on several occasions.” They all laughed.

“Nope, just Mark's.” Keith laughed, ducking the swing from Mark. “We will travel as quickly and quietly as possible for the next several days. We need to be careful! I have no doubt Leishmann will have spies all over the area watching for us and will do everything in his power to stop us from returning. We have to be prepared for anything he throws at us. Are you ready?” She nodded, not feeling ready in the least. “Ok, let’s get going.”