Fera was slightly stirred back to reality, she could hear a woman talking, and the boy from earlier, Vance. She really didn’t care what they were saying she felt so heavy.
“Vance, Leo is now out, he will be that way for a while, I can go talk to the horse now, but you will have to sit with her, her name is Fera.” “She is asleep, I think she will be fine for a little bit?” “You would think that.” Desree’s tone sounded like Vance was still a five year old, not the 19 year old that he was. “She is not asleep, she is stuck in limbo, she was magically bound and it is coming undone along with her world. She drifts in and out, she is trying to get a hold of what is happening to her, and her body is trying adjust. So please sit with her.” Vance was pale Desree’s words were careful and stern, this was serious more so than he thought. “Mom, what is going on, how do you know this?” “Now is not the time to tell you, I will go to her horse, please stay here.” She walked out with not another word. Vance paced the room, things were not adding up, turning back looking at the girl so helpless, it did two things to him: One- it annoyed him, she annoyed him; it was not so much her but the situation, and two- he felt drawn to help her but did not exactly know how. He went back to where his mom had been sitting at her bedside, taking the seat, he watched her. Her breathing slow and even, without thinking he reached across and brushed her hand. A shock wave much like that of static electricity ran through his whole body and he was drawn into darkness. He could still feel his body in the room, and if he focused hard he could hear Fera’s breathing. Vance pushed against the darkness with his mind; he seemed to move in it. He thought what his mother said about her being stuck in limbo, and what happened when he touched her hand. Vance whispered “Fera?”
Chapter 6
Vance could hear a soft sob somewhere in the darkness. “Fera, where are you?...It’s ok…it is going to be ok…..I will make it ok.”
Fera’s tone was edged with a mix of demand and apprehension. “Who are you, where am I and what did you do to me?”
“I did not do this to you, you did it, I can try to help I think. Can you walk to the sound of my voice?” Trying not to panic as well, Vance took in a breath and waited for her to reply.
After a moment that was shorter than it seemed Fera bit her lip and mumbled out, “Yes, I think so.”
“Ok, so I will talk to you, focus on walking. My name is Vance, we found you in the forest, with your horse, you are sick, and your binding is- ouch!”
Fera ran into him. Vance reacting grabs hold of her to keep her from slipping back into the darkness. “I am sorry; if I said I did not see you there will you forgive me for stepping on your toes?” Vance laughed at her joke, she must be going out of her mind and yet she jest, there may be hope yet.
“I think I kind of remember you from the forest, are you the big one?” Fera asked referring to Tuck.
“That would be a no, and I am not the blonde prince either.”
She mouthed an Oh that he could not see. “So where am I and what is my binding?”
Vance did not know how long he could safely be in her limbo and what he could do there, but if she was like him, she could or would be able to manipulate energy. Her magic felt like his but more wild.
Something clicked in his head. “Ok I do not know how long I have in your limbo, you are sort of trapped between your brain and the outside world. It is dark I think because you are scared and a bit clueless.”
At that her annoyance with this boy grew a little, she was not clueless or even if she was, who was he to point it out? He continued, “Try this, close your eyes and focus, feel the pull of energy around, it feels warm and when you draw it to you, it stings a little at first, I am going to try it, take my hands and feel what I am doing.”
Fera rolled her eyes at him even though he could not see, but took his hands. Fera felt a strange pulse, her hands started to warm and tingle, she let out a gasp.
“Ok Fera, I am going to give the energy to you, focus on it.” As he transferred the energy to her, he could hear her squeak, but she was holding it. “Very good, now get a picture in your head, picture green grass, a flowing stream, a bright sunny day.” He gave her a moment to get the picture in her head. “Ok keep that picture and let the energy go, it will feel like a switch being flipped within you.” Fera took a deep breath in, got the picture in her head, then let go. There was a bright flash, Fera stumbled forward into Vance, knocking them both over. When she looked around, they were no longer in the dark, but in the meadow that was in her mind. She gasped and scrambled back from Vance.
“Did you do this? Can you read my mind? This is what I was picturing!” Fera had seen Markus do this well close to this, but this was amazing.
“No you did for the most part, you know you're magical right? I just helped you gather the energy and focus.” Vance shrugged, had no clue what was up with this girl, and not sure if he really wanted to, she seemed like she may be more trouble than what she was worth. Vance could sense Desree coming, “Fera, I have to go, you are safe here, for now, if it gets dark again, focus on the energy around you and flip the switch.”
“Please don’t leave, I don’t understand what is going on, can’t I go with you please.” Fera’s desperation was clear as well as her anxiety, Vance felt for her, but he knew this was a bigger problem than what he thought and that he really should talk to Desree.
“I am sorry Fera, you are keeping you here, I know you don’t understand, but I have to go, I will be back if you stay here longer, you are not alone. Your horse is fine, you are fine, just rest.” Vance started to pull back he could hear Fera pleading, “Please Vance please don’t go please.” Vance felt the snap as he pulled further back letting go of her hand, but he did not pull back soon enough, Desree was standing in the door watching them.
“Mom, how long have you been there, how’s the horse?”
“Long enough to know you went to limbo.” She had that all knowing mom look written across her face, and she was clearly waiting for an explanation he could not give her. They were staring each other down, slightly waiting for the other to speak first.
“Vance”, it was barely audible, but both eyes focused on the weak, hauntingly beautiful, ethereal frame of a girl, in the huge bed. Fera was clearly still in limbo, but she was fighting it, and it would only make it worse. “Mom, if I touch her will I get sucked back in to limbo, I took her hand, that’s all I did.” “I would not just yet, she is fine, I will calm her after you leave. I will explain it to you once Leo comes out of the Blarice root and can sit with her. As for her horse his name is Oren and I believe he is an elven mount, they are very intelligent and somewhat quirky, treat him more like a person.” Vance turned to walk out when Desree called after him, “Go through the bags before Leo does and take anything unusual out, it might save her in the end.” Vance left the room, his mind was spinning, he felt like he knew the girl even more now, he did not want to leave the room, his annoyance over the whole situation was irritating him. His mother keeping things from him was something new too. Making his way to the stable, thoughts danced is his head mostly of the girl tripping them to the ground and her eyes.
Chapter 7
Vance stood in front of Oren, taking him in, he was more than sure that the horse was glaring at him in contempt and something he could not place? Taking Desree’s words into account and knowing that this is a very intelligent creature, he did the only thing he could think of and Vance started a one sided conversation with Oren. Standing in front of him addressing him like a person, “Ok Oren, I know you are not happy with me, and I am sorry, but she is safe. I know she is your friend.” An annoyed snort came out of Oren cutting Vance off, Oren did not care for this fool in front of him, the boy could not grasp their situation, and she was not just a friend, she was his and he was hers, friend indeed. He pawed the ground. Vance tried not to roll his eyes at the horse, he seemed almost human in his reactions and temperament, but his mom did say that he was an Elven mount and they are just as intell
igent as humans. “Ok, Oren I get it, you are just as smart as me, but I do not possess the magic I need to talk to you. You also, I am sure, can understand everything I am saying. I know you’re not my biggest fan, but I want to help her too.” Vance watched Oren’s eyes and body language for some sign of him listening. Vance went to reach for Oren’s neck, but thought better and ran his hand through his hair. “You know when I was in her room tonight, she pulled me, or I went into her limbo, it was well--” Vance trailed off, feeling slightly foolish talking to a horse, that seemed to have such disdain for him, he turned to walk away. Oren reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling him back, he might not like this boy, but he had to hear what was going on with her. Vance turned back to him, the horses eyes pleaded with him and Oren nudged him to go on. Vance told him what had happened, he was calmer knowing that she was being cared for. He knew after talking with the old woman, that Fera would be taken care of, that Desree knew her, that she met her, and her mother when she was alive. She was on their side, and in a few days if all went well they could get going again. He watched as Vance busied himself around the stable. He let himself drift to sleep, he would need the rest and whether he liked it or not - this was a safe place.
Vance went to the tack room, where he dropped Fera’s bags, sitting down on the floor and pulled the first one over. Hoping this held some kind of clue to what was going on he opened it. It was a few changes of clothes, and two sealed letters, both marked for Fera in different handwriting, he wanted to open them, but out of respect he set them aside. There was also a small med kit at the bottom. He carefully packed the med kit and clothes back in the bag, forgoing the letters, so Leo would not pry into something that might be very personal. Pulling over the next bag, he found several small satchels of food, varying from breads, to nuts and dried berries. That seems normal enough. The third bag was what his mother was warning about, it had a forbidden history book in it, a few maps that marked where she was going - well two possible routes either going to The Elves or the Northern Dwarves. This struck him as odd - he thought, maybe she was part Elven, but why the Dwarves then? Tracing her path back, she came from the Great Valley of Thoren, but Thoren was closed off and protected, mystery surrounded it, along with a lot of speculation. A blank journal, with another sealed letter in it, and a bag of coins was left at the bottom of the bag. Vance took out the history book, putting all three letters and the map in the journal for safe keeping. The rest he packed back up. He picked all three bags up, he was planning on taking them to her room, the Rose room, when he saw his mother making her way the stable. In the moon light he could make out the worry that her face held. Panic welled up in side of him, and his mind drifted back to Fera as he left her room, and her calling out for him to come back. He felt the need to drop the bags and run to Desree, but not wanting to show any form of weakness, he set them down and leaned on the stable door frame, trying desperately to appear collected.
Desree walked into the barn and looked at the boy, the man that she raised since he was almost two years old up and down. “You’re not fooling me kiddo, she is fine, still in limbo, but the temperature is starting to ease up.”
Vance let out a sigh of relief. “Mom I have so many questions…” Before he could finish, Desree cut him off, “My boy, I know, and please do not be mad at me, I love you as my own, I can tell you what I am not bond to, and I am sure some of what I say may only bring on more questions, but please hear me out.” Desree seemed to age before him, he had never seen her fear anything, but it was a fear mixed with worry and she was projecting it so strongly he could almost taste it. “Come Vance show me what you have taken out of her bags.”
Vance took her to the tack room and pried back up the floor board he put the book under when he took her irritating horse to the barn. Taking it out he handed it to her, she did not seem surprised, she opened the book, and flipped to the pages toward the back. “Vance,” she said with almost a whisper, “I have taught you myself, as well as I could about the history of our world, that girl in that bed, you know her, you have met her, when she was a few weeks old, but you were still so young. Even then, you were so enamored by her.” Desree stretched her hand up and embraced her son’s shocked face, as she did the memory hit him like a punch in the stomach, knocking him to his knees. Images were around him, he saw a younger Desree, she was holding him, he was a little over two, if that, he was fighting to get free. A beautiful woman was sitting on a chair, she looked like Fera, fair skin, and dark hair but when her eyes looked upon him, they were a hauntingly stunning shade of violet. Her voice like a melody, telling Desree to put the boy down he was fine. Desree complied, and the young Vance totted to the couch, climbing up. He moved closer to the woman and peered into her arms. Vance watching his memory play out, let out a gasp, the eyes that gazed back into his were pure honey, they were Fera’s eyes. The lady with the violet eyes was talking to the younger him, but he could not look away from her. He watched as she put the tiny baby in his small lap. She helped him hold her. His face beamed and he giggled at Fera. Her tiny hand came up and touched his face. Vance faltered in the memory, he was sure it was Fera, but there was a mark, a magic birth mark on her wrist. If it was her, why did she not have it now? He snapped back when he heard the younger Desree speak. “Are you sure Riel you want to do this, only she can undo it and it will be very hard on her. Are you sure you want to seal Thoren, that much energy, that kind of magic, it could kill you.” Vance looked back to Riel, her eyes were so deeply saddened it pained him. She looked to him holding the baby, and whispered “I know” Desree nodded as she stood up going over in front of the younger Vance, she went to take Fera from Vance. Little Vance’s grip tightened on Fera, and with as much determination as a toddler could muster looked at Desree and said “Mine!”
Vance felt the floor lurch under him, he opened his eyes and he was down on all fours.
Looking up, he saw Desree, sitting on a bale of hay waiting for him patiently. “Mother, what was that?” His voice was beyond strained. “That was a memory; I gave it back to you.” “The mark on her wrist is gone, that was Fera wasn’t it, what is going on?” “Vance you can sit quietly and listen and I can explain to you what I am allowed to or, you can keep asking questions and get nowhere.” He sat down next to her. “My boy, I am sorry, your life, your fate, was chosen for you before you were even part of this world, I love you, you know I love you like my own flesh, and I would take away any pain you have, but the time has come where I must let go.” Her voice was pained, Vance took her hands that were resting in the book, and she continued on. “This war is their war, but we were all drug into it, fate she is a cruel mistress, we all must play our parts. The night you were placed in my arms changed my life forever.” Vance interrupted her, “Show me, do that memory thing again and show me!” As his world was fading out, he could hear Desree apologize.
Things were a blur people were running everywhere, he could hear some of them talking, saying things like they will be here soon, what are we going to do, and we need to leave. Everyone is so panicked. A woman, in her mid-twenties held him; she was trying to comfort him. She was telling him things like, mommy is here and he was ok, and daddy would come soon. He had her nose and creamy skin tone. Desree was walking over to them. Vance felt the tears on his face now as they were on the younger version of him, even then he knew something was wrong. That was his mother, the one he tried to remember since Desree told him that he was not really hers’ and seeing her in pain too was almost too much to handle. He felt love for her, her pain was so clear, and this was a memory, he could not make her feel better. A man walked up to them, and took Vance from his mother, his eyes were the same his, dark green, with the swirl of light green energy moving in them. He talked to them, telling them that the army was close, that there was little hope but he would make sure they were safe, and Desree, his mom, and he needed to leave now. His mother fought with him that he needed to come too. He kissed Vance’s head, taking a hand and put
ting it on his cheek, it warmed, sending a tingly feeling through him and whispering something in his ear that he could not make out or remember but he knew it was important. Telling him he loved him and that he needed to be a good boy for his mother, then placing him back in her arms. His father embraced them both kissing his mother. Desree and his father had a brief exchange and then Desree started pulling both the toddler and his mother out the door. His little form looked at his father and said “bye bye daddy,” like he would see him soon. They climbed into a carriage; his mother had tears running down her face. A few minutes later there was a loud explosion and the building they were in was gone. It was starting. His mother let out a scream. She looked at Desree, then handed Vance to her, she told her to keep him safe, that she knew what to do and how to handle things and to go to Thoren. Leaning forward she whispered in Vance’s little ear like his father had, then told him she loved him and one day he would understand. Kissing his forehead she left and did not look back. Vance started to scream for her and was desperately trying to free himself from Desree. The carriage started to shake and lightening was masked by the explosions going on around them.
Bliath: Shattered Page 4
