The Binding

by L. Filloon

  I feel a warm breeze in the air and I slowly let the smaller branch go. I want to feel the breeze cool my warm skin . I let go of the limb completely , putting my trust in the young oak to keep me from falling. Young oak? I think to myself. I look down at my leafy platform again and then at the entire branch I’m standing on. How do I know she’s young? Or better yet, how do I know she’s a she?

  “Because you know of such things, Lilianethia, daughter of Senestra,” says a soft voice beside me, “and yet, you don’t .”

  Standing on a nearby branch is a small child. She’s cover ed with dirt and her hair is made of dry crumblin g leaves. The brown sheath she’s wearing is made of tree bark. Her soulful brown eyes stare ahead, looking at the lights that dance around the valley. I’m shock ed to find that she’s the same little girl from m y dream , but in my dream she’s clean with beautiful blonde hair and eyes that dance with mischief. As I stand on my own branch , I realize tears are running down my cheeks.

  She turns to me and says, “Cry not for the dryads of this land, Child, for we have lived for millennia before man and Sidhe were even a thought in the Great Creator’s plan s . We are the children of Mother Earth and we shall survive even as man and Sidhe alike parish.”

  I fall to my knees , crumbling before this beautiful child. She seems to glide just above the branches as she approaches to stand inches before me. She’s so small that even though she’s standing, we are eye to eye with one another .

  “I’m sorry,” I say trying to control myself. “I don’t know what I’m feeling, but I do feel something. I just can’t explain it. All I know is that it hurts me to see you, to see you like this and not like in my dream.”

  “Dreams are stages where lies and truths intertwine in an endless dance. It is in the waking world that you must decide what is real and what is not.”

  “Are you real?” I ask staring into her eyes.

  “Yes, Lilianethia, I am real , ” s he replies . With a small smile , she offers, “My name is Asi.”

  “Lily. Please, call me Lily.” Again she smiles as if she already knows my preferred name.

  I stay kneeling before her as I reach out slowly. I touch her small face and feel the dryness of tree bark . I reach up touching her hair of dry leaves. At my touch the leaves crumble and fall . Appalled, I pull my hand back quickly horrified at what I’ve done . Before I can pull away completely, she reaches out and catches my hand. Her tiny hand barely wraps around my wrist, but there is strength there and I l et her pull my hand back toward her.

  Holding my hand only inches from her face she says, “You can heal me, Lily, but you must believe in your heart that you can do it. The Binding has set you free. All you need now is to believe you have the will to make it work.”

  I stay my hand and ask, “The Binding? What’s the Binding?”

  She reluctantly releases my hand and say s , “Your betrothed has used the Binding to save your mind from the pain of the oak. She’s slowly dying and you have felt her fear and anguish over the prolonging of her death. If the young prince had not used the Binding, you would have been driven into madness and you too would slowly die like the oak.”

  I look down at the leaves that support me and I stroke them with my fingers . The oak trembles throughout her branches at my touch. I quietly smile at her and a deep sorrow overcomes me. I bring my hands to my chest trying to hold back my emotions. Tharin had saved me from the oak’s anguish?

  I finally look at Asi and say, “How? How do I shut it off? I don’t want to feel her pain anymore. It’s too much.”

  “I’m sorry, Lily. Since the Binding, your mother’s blood has been fully awakened within you. You will feel all of nature around you and you have to learn how to filter it. Tharin will help you. He helped you through the Binding and brought you back from your sorrow.” Reaching out she touches my shoulder and the oak’s anguish disappears, “You are stronger than you realize.”

  “My sorrow?” I ask wiping at my eyes and swallowing hard.

  “Yes. The place you run to hide , a place that has kept you in the dark and has kept you from realizing who you truly are.”

  I look away from her toward the light. After a moment, eyes still on the city, I ask , “This Binding you’re talking about, what is it?”

  “Don’t you remember?” she asks.

  “No.” I respond turning back to her.

  She tilts her head to the side looking at me , “That is interesting. You wi ll find your answer with Tharin.”

  I throw up my hands in frustration, “Then what can you tell me, Asi? What?”

  “I can tell you that you are a descend ant from a great line of healers. That you are not only a healer of man, but of Sidhe and all denizens of Velesi, including Mother Earth. I can tell you that you hold the key to the most powerful of h ealers himself, Death. I can tell you t hat you hold the will to all living things in both man and Velesi realms because you carry the blood of both of our sister Senestra and the human John Michaels. I can tell you that you will be tested for the sake of a loved one. I can tell you that Tharin is your destiny and only he’s able to reach you. I can tell you that you will rule by his side and together you will oversee both realms of man and Sidhe. And, I can tell you that if you don’t do all that I have said, Tharin will be lost to you forever, and the realm of Velesi will be no more.”

  My mouth open s , stun ned to hear all that she’s saying . I don’t know what to say so I keep quiet, nodding.

  She laughs at me saying, “You are a strange one, Lily. Here,” she takes my hands into her small ones, “close your eyes.” I do as she commands, taking in a deep breath.

  “Good,” she continues, “now I want you to picture us in your mind as we are right now, on this branch, together.”

  Asi goes on to build the image into my head and I see us as if looking into a mirror. Then she continues to build the oak into a fuller, greener version of itself until we are surrounded by nothing but oak leaves, green and lush. The sky has disappeared including the Las Vegas Valley and the leaves are so full , I can’t even see the oak’s trunk.

  “Open your eyes, Lily,” she quietly commands, and when I do, we are in the cocoon made of the lush leaves. I rub at my eyes to make sure they aren’t s till close d , t hat I’m not still sitting in the image that Asi created in my mind.

  I look around in awe and breathe in the full scent of the oak, laughing at the wonder of it all.

  “Am I still awake, Asi?”

  “Yes, Lily, you are …in your mind . This is the power of your kind, the Sidhe. It’s your heritage, a part of your destiny. This is a shield to protect you from any attacks against you emotionally, mentally and physically. You will come across many like this oak in the world and in Velesi , dying and full of pain. You must build a shield, a barrier around you to protect you from their pain. This is the simplest of defenses that I can now show you . You will learn to create stronger defenses against unintentional attacks, whether from those who suffer it or those who will create it. Even against the evil one who has taken over your brother.”

  “Evil o ne?” I turn to her quickly, “Asi, do you know who it is?”

  “No, but Lucas isn’t your brother, Lily.”

  I nod already knowing that he wasn’t , at least not at the moment . I have to find some way to r elease him from the hold that this “e vil o ne” has over him. I knew from the moment I saw him at the park that he couldn’t have wanted me dead, not my Lucas.

  I stand looking around me , then down at the dryad and ask , “Please show me how this is done, Asi. Teach me how to protect myself.”

  She smiles at me taking my hand once again.

  “Close your eyes, Lily and see the barrier around us. Mentally peel the branches back, one by one. See them move away from you, leaving you expose d to the world around you.”

  I do as I’m told . It takes me a few tries, but then I watch as the lush branches slowly open. They move reluctantly away from me and I can start to see th
e valley of lights . The night skies open up completely once again. I can feel the breeze on my face and the gentle sway of the branch that I sta nd on. When I open my eyes, we a re back in the open.

  I look down at Asi questioningly as she says, “Feel the oak around you, Lily. Feel her anguish, her love for you, and her slow death.”

  Again the overwhelming sorrow of the tree hits me and with a quick twitch at my hand Asi says, “Now , will her grief away from you, Lily. Wrap your mind, your spirit in your cocoon now, quickly.”

  As I’ve done before , I concentrate hard, ignoring the oak’s pain. I finally see the lush branches wrap around me protectively and the oak’s pain is cut off from me . And, I know what I must do. I can’t allow her to suffer any longer. Without opening my eyes, I say, “Please don’t make me do this.”

  Her voice returns like a soft breeze, “Can you not feel her pain, Lilianethia? Can you not hear her plea?”

  Yes, she’s right. I can feel the young oak’s anguish and I know what I must do . I don’t think I’m strong enough though. Her soft voice comes back again telling me that I am and to believe. I reach out to the oak and softly whisper to her, soothing her gently, quieting her suffering. I feel a tremor go through me as I feel her own tremor run through her branches, her leaves, her trunk and through her roots. She begins to vibrate as she sings of her final release and she gently lets go. I cry at her passing, but rejoice at her freedom.

  I open my eyes and know it’s done. I’m both fill ed with joy and sadness, but mostly joy. I look down at Asi and see that she has put my hand on her forehead. She now appears to me as the little girl from my dream , her eyes are close d and she has a peaceful smile on her face.

  She opens her eyes and after a moment says, “Thank you, Lilianethia. I will leave enough energy for this shell to give you the shelter and protection you need until your departure. As for the oak and me , you have released us from this world. We will leave this oak shell and replant and grow once more in another place ― somewhere in Velesi, perhaps.”

  I quickly kneel down before her again and taking her hand I say, “No. Than k you for everythin g.” I take her into my arms to hug her goodbye. She gently whispers her farewell and is gone. I hear her final words in my mind saying, “Trust your betrothed, Lilianethia. He is your destiny.”

  After a moment, I finally stand . I will the branch to return me to the circular room. Standing near the pathway is Phoris. The big Sidhe quietly waits for me and I see the tears in his gentle eyes. When I reach him he holds out his arms and I rush into his embrace. For a long while we stand holding each other as we grieve the passing of the young oak and her beautiful dryad.

  *

  Chapter Thirty-Three ~ Tharin ~

  “Tharin, we’ve got company. There’s something going down on the lower floors and it’s coming up the elevators fast ,” warns Mellis . He gives me a men tal picture of the lobby area. There are six of Mareck’s ogres near the elevators facing its doors, guns at the ready. Three are closer to the room and three more are ready with weapons standing close to Mellis.

  I look at Mareck pointedly and say, “Looks like your next appointment is here, or are they here for me?”

  Cessa moves to my side facing the door. Her hackles are up and I can sense the tension in her. Mareck also stands, turning to Golug and Tonug signaling them into action. Golug gives the signal to the other men in the room and they move into position.

  Eyes on the door, she says , “You’re my only appointment for the night, Tharin. No other invitations were sent out for this meeting. This one was private.”

  I’m up and facing the door and Alorn appears at my side in a blink of an eye. Mareck appears next to Cessa, her hand automatically rubbing at the back of the cat’s neck. She has a glint in her eye, a glint I remember too well. Both she and the feline are ready for a fight.

  Her eyes still on the door, Mareck says, “Just so you know, Tharin, I wouldn’t have turned you in for any bounty.” She glances over at me and gives me a knowing smile, and then she glances down at Cessa . “Besides, I don’t think Cessa could remain my friend if I turned you over for a measly twenty million. And, I can’t have that .” Cessa turns her head toward Mareck’s hand and licks it gently. The ogre warrior smiles back at the cat.

  Alorn and I glance at each other after hearing the larger bounty amount. I don’t know if I believe her about the bounty , as it’s widely known that ogres are greedy no matter how many riches they already possess , but I do believe her about Cessa. Whatever is happening outside it’s not part of Mareck’s plan. We hear the gunshots and guttural screaming from behind the door.

  “Mellis ?” I call out to my cousin. No response.

  Suddenly, the doors burst open and Mellis is thrown across the room like a baseball . A round his neck a blinking brown collar. St anding at the door is a wizard. Wors e , he’s a teenager . He’s wearing a long black coat, Matrix sty le. Dark sun glasses, dark clothes and his boots are also black with silver studs. I guess this is what he thinks looks badass in a fight. Very dramatic, but it doesn’t hide the fact that this wizard is young, just newly coming into his powers. Except for the very experienced, every wizard travels with a bodyguard. They need someone to cover their backs while they work their spells. This one has five assassins. He may be new to the game, but the female assassin closest to him, also dress ed in black, is all pro. I recognize her in an instant. She’s the leader of the quintet and a deadly one. The blinking collar around Mellis’ neck belongs to her , and her name is Lado.

  The instant the doors flew open, both Alorn and I are on the move. All Sidhe have natural speed and accuracy, honed for battle we are a force to be reckoned with. Alorn leaps up into the air and catches Mellis who is out cold. The instant they land , he uses his Shadika knife to break the collar, before it’s able to slowly strangle Mellis to death. The blade is one of the few weapon s that can remove an assassin choke collar, especially one that has been imbued with a wizard’s spell.

  Mareck’s remaining men in the room start firing instantly, aiming toward the door but hitting nothing. Their bullets ricochet off of an invisible force that surrounds the wizard as he chants softly. Lado spins into the room with whirling blades taking out the nearest of Mareck’s men . With a flash of her hand , she shoots out a blinking brown collar at Mareck whose aim with a gun is not as accurate as if she had a blade in her hand. Just as fast, Cessa springs into the air catching the collar snapping it in two with her massive fangs. Mareck , not missing a beat , continues shooting at the remaining assassins. Golug has an automatic and shoots in a frantic spray after the nimble assassins, actually hitting one . Tonug covers Mareck’s back with a Glock, but like his boss, always a shot too late to hit any of the moving targets.

  Alorn propels himself forward cutting between Golug and Tonug. He hits Mareck from behind taking her down seconds before the wizard’s bolt of lightning shoots past where she once stood. Golug and Tonug dive in opposite direction s , but the wizard isn’t finished . Red floating balls shoot from his hands and speed toward the ogres stopping just above them. Both spheres start spinning as a shower of tiny pointed daggers rain on them. The ogr es escape a painful death as a shield suddenly appears around them, prev enting the mini daggers from ta king them out. The two ogres have their arms up trying to cover their faces , but once they realize they ’re still a live, they look at each other and turn to Mellis.

  Mellis, seeming to have recovered from his ordeal with the choke collar, is up in an instant and moves forward to stand next to Alorn. Mareck, in frustration, throws her gun aside and heads toward the far wall. Located above a mantle is a glass case with a sword in it. She hits the glass case with the back of her fist and it shatters into pieces, the sword falling into her waiting hand. She turns back to the two remaining assassins who have come to a stop. The smaller of the two stands facing her, the larger one facing Golug and Tonug. Cessa, with blood on her mouth from one of the dead assassin s , moves in close to Mareck’
s side eyeing their opponent with fangs showing and ears pulled back.

  Mellis and Alorn face off with the wizard. To prevent the wizard from casting another spell, they have to remove an element that’s needed. Mellis puts up a shield around Alorn and himself, while Alorn begins to pull the air from around the wizard.

  I track Lado’s movements and leap forward as she cuts down another of Mareck’s men. We come face to face in a standoff. We slowly circle each other and I end up with my back to what’s happening at the front entrance. In warfare , trust in your allies is a strong weapon. I had to trust that the ogres and my cousins would handle things with the remaining assassins and wizard while I deal with Lado.

  “Ah, Prince Tharin,” she greets as she sinks low in a fighting stance. “I’ve dreamt of the day I would face you again.”

  I pull out the Shadika hilt from my coat and the sword blade extends out to it s full length. I call her Tazo, after the wife of the Sidhe warrior from the Far East . Tazo is a parting gift from one prince to another . Her blade is like no other ― made of a rare metal only found in the Far East and as far as I know, Tazo is the only one in existence. Her blade is slender and blood red in color that’s so deep and rich , it looks almost black. The blood color can be seen in the reflection of light at certain angles. Lado’s eyes widen with greed as they lock onto Tazo. She looks at it as if she can almost feel the blade in her own hands once she has taken it from me. The assassin is well trained and deadly. But, I’m better.