by Lynn McCain
After lying in bed awake for what had to be hours, I arose and sleepily walked toward the doors that led out to the terrace. The air was cool and the light from the moon reflected off the large lake beneath me. I stepped back in to grab a blanket and curled up on one of the chairs just outside. As I was getting comfortable, I heard something moving about. Looking to my right, there was Calev sitting on the terrace as well. The moonlight illuminated one side of his face and outlined the curls falling beneath his brow. He looked like an angel leaning over the edge of the banister, his black hair shining underneath the light. I usually had much more to say, but every time I looked into Calev’s face something within me grew quiet.
The terraces were attached with only a banister between them. Calev walked over to me.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you, Lily?”
“It’s not your fault. I just couldn’t sleep is all, besides, it’s beautiful out here,” I returned.
“Indeed it is,” he sighed as he reached out and grabbed my hand.
Although I tried to avoid it, like a magnet my eyes were forcefully drawn to his. I could not control the emotion that followed such glances. It would start with my heart, galloping within my chest and then move to my stomach, causing it to somersault around, finally it hit my knees, and like jelly they would all but fail me. Before I completely erupted, the door to Maleke’s room opened. Without noticing us he walked out, half asleep, and began relieving himself over the edge of the banister. Calev shook his head.
“Maleke!” he screamed, “Mind the lady.” Realizing he was not alone, Maleke rushed back inside.
“I think we better get some sleep as well,” he finished and with a simple goodnight and a crooked smile Calev too went inside.
I woke early the next morning completely rested. Someone had placed tea cookies beside my bed and a small glass of goat’s milk, my favorite! After dressing, I ventured into the hall only to find a damp, dark nook in the mountain. Where was I, I thought. The marble floors and the walls with gold inlay were replaced with moist rock from inside the mountain. Had I dreamed the entire thing? Confused, I turned to go back in my room, but no door was there. Just as I began to panic, Calev rounded the corner. I was so distraught that I ran straight into his arms. He in turn, comforted me and tried to explain.
“Tizipporah has taken your dreams and created within her mountain what she saw bring a smile to your face.”
As I looked around the dark cavern, I could hardly believe that just hours earlier music had filled the air and gold sparkled within the walls. Now mist from the falls filled the air, and the music was replaced by the sound of water crashing off the face of mountain.
Soon everyone joined us, as Calev tried to encourage us for the day ahead. Maleke was as surprised as myself to see that we really were inside of a damp mountain. He had only heard of such things before. His father told him stories about a girl from Eden, my mother, whose dreams filled the air and brought snow upon the land for the first and only time in Arcadia. At that, Maleke picked me up in his arms and danced right out of the falls. He quite playfully asked if I would dream up a large feast for breakfast, for he was starving! I could do nothing but laugh at his request.
As we prepared to leave, we noticed that Levona had not come out of the mountain. Calev began to search frantically for her, screaming out her name. She soon emerged from out of the forest.
“Where have you been?” Man’cheh sternly questioned her absence.
“I woke early and decided to go for a walk,” she snapped back at him.
“No one else gets out of my sight from now on, understood!” he roared back, never taking his eyes off of her.
“Yes sir,” She sneered back at him, joining the rest of us.
Fire raged in Calev’s eyes and when she got within reach he grabbed her by the arm, pulling her along. There was something evil about her, yet I could not quite put my finger on it.
The day ahead was filled with walking and more walking. I was glad to have Maleke and the other boys along on this journey. They did make it more enjoyable, with their impetuous behavior. I actually caught myself having fun, in spite of our endless voyage up the mountain. We journeyed through many small villages, all of which I was introduced as Lily, infused with all of Eden and all of Arcadia; the promised savior. I was surprised by their reaction. Most of them actually believed that I was indeed the one they had waited for.
The day was finally coming to its end when Man’cheh decided we needed to stop and get some rest. Honestly, for the last hour of our journey I had ridden upon Maleke’s back, totally exhausted. I could think of nothing I would like more than to just stretch out, even if it was on the dirt.
We had come to a village just beneath the top of the mountain. It overlooked all of Arcadia. It was obvious that, at one time, it must have been a beautiful place. There was a massive river that parted in to four heads that ran right through the entire land that was completely dried up. The area between each sector was overgrown and had abandoned buildings scattered throughout. I could not understand how it was that upon the mountain there was plenty and lush forest, abundance everywhere.
It was as if Calev could read my mind, for he answered my thoughts.
“Sad, isn’t it? When your grandfather left, his blessing was lifted off of the land. It became cursed with a curse. Only the mountains and surrounding forests are allowed to flourish because of Tizipporah,” he continued staring out over the land. “Reficul once worked for your grandfather. He was his chief servant. The two spent many years together. Then, one day there was a seed planted within him. He envied the King and jealousy rooted deep within his heart. Your father was next in line for the throne; that is why he captured him first. Reficul planned on killing your entire family. That is when King Channon escaped with you to what the Arcadians call Eden. He knew the only way to protect you and the future of our world was to take you out of it.” He sighed. “He knew from the moment you were born that you were the one. Not one other person in Arcadia was as fair as you nor did any other possess golden hair, and above all, you bore the mark of our ancestors upon your back.” A tear formed as he spoke.
I looked back and all the others were busy around the fire while Levona slept in her tent. As I leaned over to wipe the tear from his cheek, he stopped me by grabbing for my hands and clasping his around mine. He rested his lips upon the tips of my fingers as he continued speaking.
“When my father was captured, I was left in charge of the family. My mother had already passed, and I was the oldest. I had to care for Maleke and Amaris, my sister.”
As he spoke his sister’s name, more tears followed.
“She was so stubborn, that girl. She refused to believe Father was gone and went out searching for him without my knowledge. By the time I found out, Reficul had already killed her.”
My heart ached for him as he spoke. “Calev, I’m-I’m sorry,” I started.
With my hand still in his, he stood to his feet and escorted me to my tent. My entire being cried out for him not to leave. My body ached as he released his grasp, craving even the slightest touch of his skin. Yet, that night, I cuddled up to my satchel alone and tried to sleep.
My mind filled with all I had learned about my life before Eden. I thought of Mother. She had lived a secret life here with Father, one that was unfairly ended. I thought of me being born in a magical land with talking animals and transforming creatures. Everything I had known about my whole life was a lie. Grandfather was a king, my father a prince, and me a savior to the people. Although I knew I was wide awake, it still felt like I was dreaming.
I became disturbed at how quickly I was forgetting Henry, how my entire body reacted with even the slightest touch from Calev. I cried out to the heavens in despair questioning the fact that so much seemed to be depending upon myself. Suddenly, within my tent a bright light appeared, and a tiny fairy fluttered before me. Taking both of my hands, she placed within my palms tiny balls of light. Immedi
ately, it was as if fire shot up through my bones and rested upon my head. My eyes grew heavy and I laid back, falling into a deep sleep.
When I woke later, I was being carried on a bed of leaves by Maleke and Azriel. We were just entering the village where Levon Amlachi had been living among the people. As my eyes opened, I immediately looked down at my hands. They looked like they always had, small and delicate.
Maleke was the first to notice I had woken. Placing the bed down, they helped me to my feet. I felt completely rested yet could hardly stand. Calev rushed to my side.
“Thank God. Lily, you are awake. You have been out for hours. Are you ok?”
I wondered if I should tell them about the fairy.
“I’m fine, just a little weak.”
As I spoke, Tizipporah landed on the road before us. By the expression on her face, we could all tell her news was not good. With each step she took in our direction, we could see the grief fall off of her and shatter on the ground like broken glass. We all became frightened by the sight of her. Death had entered her mountain, snuck in somehow like a thief in the night. Levon Amlachi’s life had been taken. Calev’s face hit the dirt. He banged his fist against the ground and cried out with a loud voice. Nobody made a sound; we didn’t know what to do.
After being consoled by Tizipporah, he regained his composer and stood to his feet asking to see Amlachi’s body. Once there, he instructed that no one enter. That is, except for me. I was still a little weak but was able to walk on my own by that time. Levona was fuming at the fact that Calev would not let her enter. Placing his entire body in front of mine, he held my hands behind his back. The entire room was covered in spider webs. Furniture was overturned and clothes lay in piles on the floor. It was as if a terrible storm had come through. Calev’s first thought was the Dark Winds. Yet Amlachi’s body lie in his bed perfectly covered up, as if he had been tucked in.
Calev paced around the room. I could tell he was desperate for answers. I just stood there staring at Amlachi, thinking what are we to do now? Just then, my palms began to grow warm within me. I saw the vision of me, as I had in the mirror back in the mountain, lay on top of him. I hesitated of course, for that was totally insane, but my hands began to burn so intensely that I could take it no longer. I hesitantly walked over to Amlachi, climbed upon his bed as if mounting a horse, and lay right on top of him, placing my hands into his. Calev stood watching, confused as to what was happening. I felt something racing within me and force its way into Amlachi’s lifeless body. Breathe and life entered him. His chest began to rise and fall. Totally freaked out, I leapt off of him and stood to my feet. I watched the dead rise right before my eyes. Calev ran to Amlachi and helped him to sit up.
Looking at me, he smiled, “How?”
I was already sitting down, completely drained asking myself the same question. Calev called for Tizipporah, but she could not enter. There was a cloud surrounding the entire place that was impenetrable. We would stay behind it the remainder of the evening until it slowly began to lift just as the new day approached.
During that night, once Amlachi regained his strength, Calev introduced the two of us. He was very old, and his sight had dimmed. Pulling me very close to him, he slid his old, weathered hand down my face, feeling his way across my features. He was overcome with emotion and began to weep. I too began to cry. He had waited for so many years for the fulfillment of the prophecy, and there I sat before him.
Wasting no time, Calev asked me to give Amlachi the book for him to translate. As I pulled it from my satchel, the cloud that was surrounding the house began to fill the room. Once in Amlachi’s hands, the emblem on the cover came alive. He ran his fingers over the face of it, feeling his way around and then opened its pages. His eyes had become so weak he was unable to see the markings clearly. Calev and I both became discouraged.
We soon noticed that Amlachi was smiling as he landed upon a certain page. Back and forth, back and forth, he ran his fingers from one side to another and began talking to the air while answering as well. It reminded me of Grandmother. Calev questioned his ranting. He, in turn, motioned for me to come to him with much excitement. When I sat before him, he placed both of his hands over my eyes and began to chant in another language. I wanted to get up and run away, but I figured I was too far in to leave now. There I sat swaying back and forth and side to side with that crazy, old man’s hands upon me, whose chanting became so loud I could hardly hear anything else.
Soon he removed his hands from my eyes and uttered his last words, “HaMa’eiven Yavin,” laid back in his bed and was gone.
Calev and I both sat still not knowing what to do. As I opened my eyes, I quickly realized I was unable to see. I began to panic. Rushing to my side, Calev tried to wake Amlachi, yet he would not budge. His spirit had left his body, probably watching us from above.
With the cloud still surrounding us, we also could not leave. Calev turned the sofa back on its right side and guided me over to it. Once sitting himself, he pulled me toward him, holding me tightly against his chest. I began crying at the loss of my sight, well that and all the other terrible things that were happening.
Gently stroking my hair, Calev promised, “Everything is going to be ok. Don’t worry, I will not let any harm come to you.”
Although my sight had been taken, and I was in a place far from familiar, I had never felt so at home, so at peace, than I did that night resting in Calev’s arms. The world was in chaos all around me, and danger lurked outside the door, yet each time Calev’s fingers passed through my hair, I felt safer than I ever had in all my life.
I woke just as the sun was rising. When I opened my eyes, I could see light and everything began to come into focus. Excitement filled me. I lifted my head slowly off of Calev’s chest, trying not to wake him. Crossing my arms over him, I rested my chin upon them. I sat admiring his beautiful lips and found myself not wanting to look away, not wanting to ever look upon another’s face. But what of Henry you ask? I thought I would never see him again. Yet Arcadia was always full of surprises.
Chapter 8
After leaving Amlachi’s home in the forest, we began our journey down the mountain. Tizipporah informed us that the villagers had seen an unusually large amount of spiders the night Amlachi’s life was taken, so many that they all took refuge within their homes. She knew it was the work of Reficul. Those with allegiance to him were given the ability to transform into different creatures in order to deceive. His main armies, the Dark Winds, were actually individuals that could transform themselves as needed.
As we entered the outskirts of the village, a small girl slipped out from behind a tree. As I knelt down to talk to her, she looked over her shoulder back and forth, back and forth, as if she were terribly frightened. She told of seeing a woman standing at the entrance of the village spreading her arms out and thousands of spiders descending down, down, down, dripping off of her body like blood from a corpse. The young child stood there reenacting what she had seen, with arms stretched out like a crucifixion. I looked to Calev thinking we were both of the same minds. Levona had gone missing during the night. I thought it must have been her who had done this horrible thing. Calev, on the other hand, was blinded by his affection for her. He became even more worried of her absence, thinking she too could be in danger.
*
We made it down the other side of the mountain much quicker than our way up. Calev knew of only one other place to go. His uncle’s son, Shimshon, lived in Sector 5 just south of the mountain. The only problem was that I stood out like a sore thumb among the people of Arcadia. They with their dark skin and hair, and my fair complexion are like night and day. Calev took the dirt to make mud to rub over my face and hands. He placed fabric over my hair and leaves over my eyes, as if I were blind. He and the others led me into Sector 5 trying to look as normal as possible, for there were guards that patrolled the streets all day.
To say Shimshon was overjoyed at the sight of Calev would be an understate
ment. He grabbed him around the neck and began doing what all men do when they first see each other, that is, wrestle about. This must be universal even between realms.
Shimshon, or Shim as Calev called him, was quite a strange fellow. He marched to his own drum, you could say. He was very short and stocky with large eyes, and he spoke very quickly. He almost looked like he was of a different kind, very expressive with his hands when he spoke. As Calev introduced us, he asked me to remove my covering. My blonde hair fell at my back and my blue eyes reflected off of the light coming in through the window. At the sight of me, Shim tripped backwards over a chair and fell into the kitchen. Quickly regaining his composer, he jumped to his feet and turned to Calev who was trying to explain. But it seemed Shim already knew who I was. Running to all the windows in his home, he pulled the curtains over them, hiding us behind them. Without a word, he motioned for us to follow him. He led us over to a door just behind the pantry, and we began our descent into utter darkness. It smelt of dirt and mold in Shim’s little dungeon. It was there he began to tell of the search that had begun all over Arcadia for a girl of Eden. He had overheard some of Reficul’s armies receiving orders to capture the wicked creature.
Shim paced back and forth running his fingers through his thick, black hair.
“Does she bear the mark?” he questioned.
Modesty was no longer within me. Calev brought the torch toward me, as I pushed aside my clothing. Shim pulled a small book from within his back pocket and held it up against my back.
“Amazing,” he whispered.
Drawn on one of the pages was my birthmark, except on paper it looked like a map of sorts. Shim took a step backwards, bit down on his finger, and spun around, as if he’d had an amazing idea.
