His attention snapped back when Riel let out a laugh, Ava looked alarmed at her, but she just looked down at his little form. His hand was glowing slightly and he was tracing circles around Riel’s stomach and there was a little bump that seemed to follow his hand around, then he stopped and his little form leaned in and whispered, “Baby, baby, ‘ello.”
Fera gave a big kick or punch, Riel gave a small gasp and a slight jump, but then her stomach seemed to give a slight glow, and his little hand was back on it. Ava, Riel, and Desree all three looked slightly stunned. Then the two women started speaking a language Vance couldn’t understand, but the memory started to fade out as he watched himself fall asleep cuddled on Riel’s stomach.
He waited to come back to the barn, but the memory changed, like it did when he was in Fera’s last memory.
The room was lowly lit, he knew it the second he looked around, it was his bedroom, it was dark blue and light green and there were dragons everywhere, he remembered loving dragons.
His little form was in bed, but not asleep, he was sending little fireworks into the air. A form walked into the room.
“Mama?” He asked
“Shhh, its ok, it’s Riel.” She went over and though it looked tough in her condition she got down on the floor and ran her fingers through his hair. “I have to go sweetpea, but I wanted to come say goodbye to you.”
“No.” The tone was strong and not unwavering for someone so small, it was clear he did not want her to go.
“Shhhh, I will see you soon, and when I see you Fera will be here.”
His little face was scrunched up like he was thinking about it.
“Van, she is going to need you, can you be a big boy and protect her when she gets here?”
He sat up more and touched Riel’s stomach again and it lit up, from the inside and from Vance’s hand. “Mine.”
Vance laughed at his little form. He held true to at least one thing- Fera was his, always has been and he would do everything to make sure she always will be.
Riel got up and kissed Vance on the forehead and told him to sleep sweet. Ava was now in the doorway watching.
“Riel, do you think he is the one Andler was talking about?”
“I cannot presume to think anything anymore, but I have to take everything a day at a time and put all the love into her I can before I have to go.” Her voice was bittersweet.
“You don’t have to do what you’re thinking, Riel give us time and we can come up with something, we can hide you?” His mother’s voice was strained and sounded like tears were close.
“Hiding is asking me to leave Goodale, I can’t, and they don’t want me they want her, but bluffing them, buying time, it will, it has to work.”
Vance was no longer watching his real mother, and Fera’s, he was pacing the room, he needed to know who he was, why was Riel there. Everything is connected but cloaked in such secrecy the dots are impossible to connect.
“I have to go, the carriage is here and it is over a day to get home, and I think she will come early, I get feelings from her, she is impatient, good luck Ava, I will miss you.” She leaned in and kissed Ava’s cheek and left.
The memory faded out as his mother was tucking him in bed.
When the barn was surrounding him again, he couldn’t move or talk, he did not want to, he wanted to shut his brain off, his control was all but gone, he felt the wetness on his cheek, tears of pain, confusion, frustration, and sheer loss washed down his face.
Desree was trying to let him take his time, but she knew they were running out. She needed to address the rest of it, but if she did not give enough time the consequences could be catastrophic.
As his breathing became less erratic, she handed him a hanky. He looked at her, the mix of emotion playing across his face.
“Why, all of it why?” Vance was not sure he wanted all the answers, but his head was pounding, his body was buzzing.
Desree was wanting to take him in her arms, and treat him like the baby he would always be to her, but right now he was like a force of nature, true to who his father was.
“Whys are hard, I am bound by so much, I am sorry, but what I could say, for Bliath, for justice, what is right or can be right, and for her, for Fera.” She let out a ragged breath, his eyes locked on hers, “Vance, you are going to get your memories back, you will sort through them, and find a way to the truth.”
“How did they know each other, my mothe..” He trailed off he couldn’t call her his mother especially to Desree, she was just as much if not more his mother. “Ava, how did they know each other?”
“They were very close friends, what I can say is, Riel went seeking the truth about her past well more like her mother’s, and found me, and in return found your father, but they are only friends if that is what you are asking?”
Vance felt some relief in that.
“Desree, she called me Van?”
“Yes, that was your nickname, you loved Riel so much, and she was one of the first people to hold you after you were born.” She half smiled.
Vance blew one big breath out and the air crackled “You need something mom, you better ask it sooner rather than later?”
“I have to leave too, I need you to ready my horse, our stuff is packed and behind the house, it was not part of the plan I know, but if it plays out like, well just please?” Desree looked worried, and she normally was a rock. Vance never remembered seeing her conviction waver.
“Who is going with you, you said our stuff, or are you coming with us?”
“Larin is not going to be safe here, and after you skirt Fera away, Leo will not forgive you, and in return more than likely myself as well. Fera’s crazy energy did the same thing to Larin that your father’s energy did to your mother’s and I….I don’t think it will be reversible. Oh Vance, this kingdom would drown her or burn her, or someone would kidnap her to know the past, and future.” Desree was shaken.
“Mother, you are kidnapping a princess, if you were caught? Are you coming with us?” Vance was worried, Larin was like a little sister, and she had helped him so much in the last few days.
“No, we ride South, but they will think we are with you, or you with us they will divide and look for us so that betters our odds. Everything changed this morning.”
Vance assured her that her horse would be ready to go, they said their goodbyes, both of them felt heartbroken.
Chapter 21
Vance watched Desree walk out, he was very heavy hearted. Getting up and brushing off his pants, he knew he had more work now to get Desree’s mount ready.
As Vance worked, he found himself ranting his frustrations to Oren, and true to his form, he would snort where Vance needed him to as if agreeing with a punctuating point.
It was late afternoon when Vance led Desree’s horse behind their home. Standing back giving it once last look, he could not help but think how the one in his earlier memories was so much more regal, making him wonder again about his real parents. The home before him was a small servants cottage, made of white stones and a grayed out bark roof, that most of the time leaked in more than one spot. He had his own small room, as did Desree, there was a small kitchen and a seating area, that most of the time was used as a clinic. Desree would heal anything that needed or sought her help. She even taught him some things along the way. His head hung low as he turned his back on his life that was apparently never really his.
Back in the barn Vance was going over the packs one more time when Larin came in and cleared her throat, “I came to tell you goodbye, I am leaving too, but you knew that.” She sounded conflicted and for someone so young, it was impressive in its own way.
Vance lifted a brow and smiled at her, “Don’t you mean see you later Laringator?”
She threw her arms around him, “Yes, please, please remember who you are, I mean who you are now, and me, and Desree, she only was following an order, and loves you, and Fera, and Bliath.”
“Whoa easy there, kiddo, I cou
ld never forget you, and Desree is my mom, and kids get mad at their parents, I think it means they are doing their job. I just need time and I think I will have a lot of that soon enough.”
Larin hiccupped and in that moment she reminded him of Fera, how whenever she got really upset she seemed to get the hiccups, maybe it was a girl thing, he laughed inside his head.
“My mom will hate me, so will my dad, and Leo, and Landon, they won’t understand or try. I saw it, they will send me away, and try to forget about me, it is not fair, I am me, and what I saw, it was so bad, I am not a freak right?” Larin’s little body shook, whatever she saw must have been very bad. Vance pulled her tighter into a hug, “No, you are not a freak, Desree, Fera, myself, we will always love you. No matter what!” She shook her head yes like she understood.
“Hey Larin want to see something really freakish?” She smiled up at Vance and he took her hand and led her to the back of the barn, and told her to stand back. Vance slowly let his energy come to the rest in his fingertips, then flipped his own switch, and made fireworks dance around his hands. Larin clapped with delight.
After a few minutes he let the show end. He went over and hugged her, she spoke softly but with much seriousness, “Go North, if you don’t go North you will find a bad trap, go North.”
“Larin, that will take us to the Elves.” Vance was confused, but he trusted her so much and knew her not to be wrong, so he said ok. The last thing she asked him as she walked to his old home was that only a child could ask, “Do you think that thing under my bed will follow us? I mean it might be nice to have something to really remind me of home.” Vance just smiled at her and watched her go.
He walked back in and over to Oren, “So are you ready?”
Oren nodded. “Good, I think it won’t be much longer, the weather looks good for now. I think there is a change of plans, I have a feeling we will be heading straight North, that means snow at some point.” Vance thought, “So this is what it has come to, making awkward small talk, with a nut job of an elven horse”. Oren pawed the ground as if to say he was thinking the same about Vance.
Vance did not see Leo and Fera come into the barn, but Oren knew Fera was close, he brightened and let out a whinny, he was trying to put up a wall, not wanting to hurt her mind, and he was not sure what to expect, but it had been the longest few days of his life, and sweet relief was so close.
Fera was so happy to be one step closer to everything, Leo was taking forever to get her to the barn, and she was trying to be careful and as Desree told her, keep up a mental wall since she could understand animals, and until she adjusted, if her guard was down it would more than likely over whelm her. She wanted to reach out so bad and find Oren with her mind, she missed him so much, he was always the best thing on any day. She also had questions for him, lots of questions, and she hoped he had some good explanation or she didn’t know what she was going to do.
She couldn’t take it any longer she ran in the direction she heard his whinny. Leo was half laughing behind her. When she turned the corner, she looked at Vance standing in front of Oren and her heart gave a confusing shutter, like there was something so odd and she could not place it, then she saw Vance advert his eye quickly. Fera went over to both of them, Vance cringed, he forgot to tell her Leo said not to even look at her.
Vance started to back away from Fera, who had Oren wrapped in a bear hug, and telling him how much she missed him. Vance saw Oren puff up his chest and stand a little taller, and glare straight at him, Vance read that as Oren telling him “see mine,” Leo walked over to stand next to Fera. After a few minutes Fera turned to talk to Vance, she was too caught up in seeing Oren to greet him and was feeling a little guilty in that moment. When she saw him, he looked tired and a little on edge, she went over and threw her arms around him, “Vance thank you for taking care of Oren, he looks good!”
Vance just turned bright red, and carefully removed her arms, and gave a small bow, while looking at the ground he talked to her, “It is my job, and I am but here to serve you Princess.” She laughed whole heartily, “Oh Van, you’re so funny,” she giggled again and mocked him, “I am but here to serve.”
Before Vance could use better judgment, he looked at her, she called him Van, how would she, why would she call him that, but before he could get the words out Leo was in front of them, and he was so far from amused, it was anything but funny, a vein was bulging out on his temple.
Vance was sure most of the kingdom could hear the yell, “I told you, you so much as looked at her, talked to her, you would be done, you forget your place!”
What happened next Vance could not have seen coming in a million years. Leo doubled back and punched Vance right in the eye, Vance felt energy ripple but he was keeping it in check, Leo commanded him to bow, and when Vance did, Leo kicked him over.
Fera stood in shock, what the hell just happened, Leo snapped but holy baby bunnies, he just hurt Vance, over me touching him, Fera felt power surge through her, her body heat up, she had no clue how to rein it in, Leo went flying backwards, and her temper was far from over, her verbal skills cut as bad as her magic, “Who do you think you are, telling people they cannot talk to me, or me to them, you are rude and impertinent, a sad excuse for a man to hit someone who clearly would not lay a hand on you out of respect, and because you’re a Prince you think you can get away with it, you are so wrong, to rule by force and fear is the true mark of a pathetic sniveling, coward!” Fera at this point was shaking, she was trying to hold her energy back, but the air was crackling.
Leo’s eyes widened, he was looking at Fera like he had never seen her before, she had magic, and clearly a lot of it. . . who was she really? “You’re a freak, and you will leave admittedly and take that with you. Both of you are abominations that should be destroyed,” dripped venomously from his mouth.
Fera lost it again and now Leo was raised up two feet off the floor, Vance was back on his feet, he was locked on Leo, he was going to kill him if he lost it, he went over to stand next to Fera.
Leo laughed at her like a madman, “That’s right freak show, keep it up I will make sure this will be the end of you”
Vance took Fera’s hand just trying to calm himself, but when he felt his energy mix with hers, she couldn’t hold it back, and manic fireworks of energy rippled out. One went right through Leo, and he dropped to the ground. Fera tried to let go of Vance’s hand but it was like it was welded to hers, and the more she panicked the more energy poured out, the hay was on fire, Leo was lifeless on the floor, Vance was desperately pulling now, adding to the manic energy.
Oren kicked open his stall and charged at Fera, he stopped dead in front of her, the sparks were scorching him, him pressed his nose to her, she froze in place, he gave her a gentle nudge, and let down his mental barrier letting his mind crash into her. He felt her mind waver and then let him in. “Fera, please, please, let go, you can do it, I am here, I have you, you are safe, Fera, please.”
His voice, Oren’s voice wash over her like a calming rain in sweltering heat, her breathing slowed, the fireworks faded, she let go of Vance. Vance fell to his knees, he was terrified of what just happened. Fera threw her arms around Oren, she threw her mind against his, “Oren, I am so so sorry, I could have hurt you, thank you, oh what have I done, I am a freak.”
Oren didn’t move, her voice in his head was amazing, it was like he could sense every part of her, and it took all he had to focus on stay how he needed to be.
“Fera you are not a freak, you are mine!” He sounded reassuring but unwavering “Fera, we have to go, we have to see if Leo is ok, and we have to go!”
“Oren, you’re mine too. Let’s go.” Fera let go of Oren and took a step back.
Fera could feel Oren’s emotion. He was worried for her, but love was the forefront of it, and contentment to finally talk to her. She put her wall back up and turned to Vance, he was still on his knees, and his face was is his hands, he looked up, with a mix of emotions. He had no c
lue what just happened, but in this moment they could not afford a repeat performance.
Fera was feeling guilt in mass amounts, she reached to help Vance up,
“No! You can’t touch me!” The second he said it, he knew it is not what he meant, and before he could correct himself he saw rejection, the hurt that goes hand and hand with it, and shock.
She took a step back, and turned around to go check on Leo, “Oh come on Fera, that is not what I meant, you know that, it is just you saw what happened, and we have to go.” He waited a moment, “Come Fera, look at me, Fera please?”
“I understand Vance, I am fine, let’s just get moving, ok?” Her tone said the opposite of her words. Vance got up and went beside her, Leo was breathing, that was a plus.
“Fera you have to let me explain…” Vance was almost pleading.
“Now’s not the time, open the stalls I am going to drag Leo out, and let’s go, please?”
Vance went to work letting the ten horses out and took Oren and Aloine to the back door of the burning barn, Vance felt like it was such a waste, but it would make for a good diversion to aide their getaway.
Fera came tearing around the back of the barn, she was out of breath, and was up and on Oren faster than Vance thought possible, he looked at her for an explanation. “They are here, there was funny looking soldiers going into the castle, we need to run.”
With that both horses were in a full gallop as they crashed into the forest for cover.
Chapter 22
After distancing themselves far enough from the castle, they came to a stop, to get their wits about themselves and figure out the best way to go. Fera slide off Oren, as soon as she hit the ground, she heaved, the combination of the day and the rich food Leo had made for lunch, was not doing fun things to her insides. When she stood up and turned around she had two sets of eyes on her, Oren and Vance seemed to be at a loss of words. “I am fine, lunch and an intense ride didn’t mix. What now?”
Bliath: Shattered Page 11
