Fire and Fantasy: a Limited Edition Collection of Epic and Urban Fantasy

by CK Dawn

  I sighed as I stood from my place at the kitchen table, wondering what my young charge was up to.

  Outside I found the five-year-old girl was twirling around with a wreath of flowers around her head.

  “What a beautiful wreath on your head,” I smiled at her antics. I had only been with the family as Lucy’s governess for the last couple of months. At sixteen, I had left my family to avoid an arranged marriage. Lucy’s mother knew of my family and after I told her the truth she hired me on immediately. She was happy to help someone get out of the situation she herself had been in at the time of her own marriage.

  “Look here is one for you,” I kneeled down and Lucy placed a second wreath on my head.

  “Thank you,” I gave her a curious look, “did you make these all by yourself?"

  She smiled at me showing off a gap where she had recently lost a top front tooth, “No, Mr. Thomas helped me.”

  My breath caught in my chest, “oh really well I will have to thank him,” I glanced around the garden and was somewhat relieved, that Lucy’s father’s assistant was nowhere to be seen. “Let’s go inside and start your reading lessons,” I told her and led her into the house with her complaining the entire way inside.

  That night after dinner, I had time to myself because unlike most society parents. Lucy’s parents actually liked to put her to bed themselves at night. I decided to sit in the garden before it got too late into the evening. I usually sat out alone when I got homesick and missed my sisters.

  The rattling of a rock on the path behind my seat caught my attention. It didn’t scare me because I was expecting him.

  “Trying to sneak up on me?” I smiled and patted the seat beside me.

  “Didn’t work?” He asked.

  I glanced at him to see him acting put out before he sat down.

  “Nope,” I laughed at him again, “thanks for the wreath of flowers earlier. Lucy was really proud of them.” I shook my head. “She talked about them and Mr. Thomas all afternoon long.”

  He laughed, “she twisted my arm so that I would help her,” Thomas held his hand to his heart. “Did her governess like the wreathes?” He reached over and took my hand and squeezed it in his hand on top of my skirt that was spread out of over the bench between us.

  “She loved them,” I smiled.

  And we both started to laugh.

  As our laughing died down, I looked at him to discover him staring pensively at our joined hands. He still wore his suit he had worn to the bank that day with his vest still on and his collar undone. His overgrown black hair was even covering his eyes.

  “What is it?” I asked him.

  “Eva, in six months when I finish here,” he swallowed nervously, “let’s go to my home in America together.”

  I smiled, “okay,” I told him quietly. Thomas didn’t have to ask me twice.

  “We already have a home and I will have a job at my father’s bank,” he kept on talking.

  “Yes,” I told him again.

  “I will be able to take care of you and my family will love you.”

  I shook my head and stood up to face him.

  He stopped talking finally with fear evident in his eyes.

  I took his face in my hands, “I said yes,” and I bent down and placed my lips onto his.

  Surprised consumed him before he responded to my kisses. Usually he was the one to instigate any of the kisses we had previously shared.

  When I pulled away from him, I gave him a small smile, “I’ll go to America with you,” I repeated.

  For the remainder of our time in the garden, he told me about his family and about life in America. I had only read about America in books and in papers so I couldn’t wait to experience life in New York with him.

  For the first time in my life, I was happy and the expectations my parents had set out for me were gone. There was no arranged marriage and I was free. I could live the life that I wanted and the life I wanted was in New York with Thomas.

  With a sigh of regret I stood up, “I better turn in, Lucy will be up early and the maids are starting to turn off the lamps.”

  “I’ll walk you to your room,” he said taking my hand.

  Giddily I smiled, “why thank you, sir.”

  As we entered the manor, we could hear a commotion at the front of the house. It sounded like the butler, Marcus, was turning someone away.

  “I wonder what is going on,” Thomas said curiously, “I’ll go see if he needs some help.”

  “Sir I insist you leave,” Marcus was saying.

  “Eva Bloome is at this house and I insist I must see her,” the man at the door said.

  My breath caught in my throat. And I started to head to the door myself.

  “Sir, please leave,” Thomas was now saying.

  I made it to the door, “Father,” I whispered.

  They all turn to look at me.

  “Eva,” he frowned, “stop this madness now. You are going to come home with me to London tonight.”

  My words caught in my throat.

  “Now, Eva,” he held his hand out to me, “get your things and come along.” He frowned, “your mother is desperate for you to be home and Joseph Winthrop will not wait for this insanity much longer. Your marriage should have taken place a month ago”

  “No,” I finally spoke up, “tell mother I am fine,” I stuttered, “I will write her a letter. But I will not be marrying Mr. Winthrop,” I nearly yelled at him. Fear took hold of me because I had never in my life spoken to my father in that way.

  “Young lady,” he growled, “you are only sixteen years old and will do as you are told.”

  “I can’t,” I pleaded with him, “I just want to be happy, please.”

  “You will bring disgrace on our family name, for these stunts that you keep pulling.”

  “Please, I won’t even be around,” tears prickled at my eyes, “in six months I will be moving to America and you will never have to worry about me again. Or your family name.”

  “No, young lady.”

  “Miss Bloome,” the soft firm voice of Mr. Stephenson, Lucy’s father, spoke up, “I ignored the warning signs and went with my wife’s pleas to let you stay, but if your father is here to retrieve you.” He sighed, because he knew his wife would not be happy with him, “you will leave my home tonight and go with your father.”

  “But sir,” Thomas started to speak up.

  “Mr. Stephenson looked at him, “we will discuss this tomorrow go ahead and go to your room, “This is Mr. Bloome and Eva’s personal business. It is no concern of yours.”

  Thomas begrudgingly left with one sorrowful glance back at me, because he had no choice in the matter. It was important for him to finish his apprenticeship under Mr. Stephenson.

  My shoulders started shaking, I was so angry and was trying to figure out if I could somehow get out and leave again. Maybe Thomas will leave with me.

  Somehow my father had sensed my thoughts and asked if Mr. Stephenson could have someone retrieve my things. He didn’t want to let me out of his sight.

  Defeat consumed me as the butler put my bag into the carriage that my father had brought.

  After we were settled into the carriage, we heard a voice chasing after it.

  “Wait, wait,” it was Thomas yelling.

  My father huffed, “go on boy, we have a long trip back to London.”

  “Sir, let me marry your daughter.”

  My heart swelled and I hoped my father would listen to him.

  “Have you lost your mind?”

  “My family is very wealthy in America,” Thomas told him, “we own banks and I am in love with her and will take care of her.”

  “My daughter is not going to live in America.”

  “Sir, just listen.”

  “Excuse me, Mr. Bloome,” Mr. Stephenson came back out. “I assure you my apprentice will bother you no longer and will be on the first boat tomorrow out of the country.”

  He then had two of his hired g
uards take a struggling Thomas by the arms.

  “No,” I screamed and tried to get out of the carriage but my father blocked my way, “let him go.” Tears were running down my cheeks.

  “Eva, I will come for you,” He yelled as they drug him away.

  “Sit,” My father told me. He took one last look at Mr. Stephenson, “I apologize for your trouble, and this one has always been more stubborn than a mule.”

  Once we were in the carriage and on the way again. I silently stared out of the window as tears streamed down my cheeks.

  “You may be angry at me now,” My father finally told me, “but one day you will forgive me and know that I did the right thing for you.”

  “Never,” I muttered.

  My father’s only response was a grunt.

  Within a month, I was forced to marry Joseph and never saw Thomas again even after my secret attempts to find him.

  “Wake up,” somebody was shaking my shoulder.

  “Huh, what?” My eyes were too blurry to see what was going on.

  “You were having a nightmare.”

  My eyes cleared up and I could see Liam standing over me. I reached up and started to wipe my eyes and could feel the wetness on my face.

  “Not again,” I said to myself.

  “What?” He asked.

  “Nothing,” I looked into his concerned green eyes, “Sorry I woke you up.”

  “It’s fine,” he said, “you probably woke the whole lake up anyway.” He shrugged.

  I shook my head and rolled my eyes at him.

  “I’m joking,” he frowned, “so what was your dream about?”

  “Nothing,” I told him.

  He looked at the door of the room and back at me. I was sure he was trying to decide to bolt or keep talking. “Uh, look, if you ever need to talk about your dreams.” He looked at the door again, “you can talk to me.”

  “Thanks,” I nodded, knowing it was really the last thing he wanted. It was a nice thought though.

  “If anyone knows anything about them,” he kept talking, “it’s probably me.”

  “Okay,” I said softly.

  “Yeah, I probably know most of them anyway,” he nodded more to himself.

  I didn’t know what had come over me, but all of a sudden I could see the similarities between the two of us and Eva and Thomas. “Shut up,” I spoke up.

  He looked at me stunned.

  And before he could say anything else, from my spot on the bed I reached up to his bent down figure and kissed him the same way that Eva had kissed Thomas.

  Twelve

  It took just a moment and Liam began to respond to my kiss. His lips were as smooth as I had imagined from my dreams.

  He quickly took over and his kisses were as tender as they were insistent.

  As he leaned over me more, I sunk down in the bed’s soft mattress.

  “Ouch,” I exclaimed as Liam lost his balance and fell onto the bed and on top of me.

  We both seemed to become aware, when Liam stood back up.

  Liam’s eyes were wide, “I’m sorry,” he told me and bolted from the room.

  “Wait,” I called after him.

  But there was no response from him and I could hear the door to his room shut, followed by the lock click into place.

  “Oh great,” I said to myself and flopped back onto the bed.

  I covered my face with my pillow, “Argh,” I couldn’t believe how I just messed up everything with Liam.

  I didn’t even bother getting up to shut the door of the room before I tried to fall back to sleep.

  The next morning when I woke up there was no Liam in the kitchen like there normally was. There was only a note on the counter that said that he was out for a walk.

  “Things just got awkward,” I told myself as I set out to make coffee for myself.

  I sighed as I waited for the coffee to brew, because while things were already strained between us because of all our past lives being intertwined. I think that the kiss just brought all of that to the surface.

  After I had finished off my coffee and a muffin he still hadn’t come back to the cabin.

  For a while I decided to stare at the clock on the kitchen wall and wait, but after about thirty seconds it got boring quickly. So I went to the living room and turned on the TV while I laid down on the couch.

  I drowned my boredom and loneliness in the drama of daytime TV divorce court. It made me think of my past lives. Also I thought of how it didn’t allow people to live the lives they wanted. Fate just got in the way.

  For example, as I laid across the plush leather couch I watched as a man and woman fought over a dog.

  It was obvious the man loved the dog more. The wife was just angry over his infidelity. Why couldn’t they have waited for someone they truly loved?

  Oh, that’s right fate had to step in the way. And make everyone as miserable as possible.

  After a few more episodes of the same kind of bitterness and feuding, I heard the back door open and close.

  I immediately turned the TV off and sat up.

  “Hey,” I called out.

  But there was no response and Liam avoiding the living room completely. And I could hear him going up the back stairs and then moments later the door to his room slamming shut.

  “Fantastic.”

  I leaned back on the couch placed my arm over my face and closed my eyes.

  Hours later I woke up to find it dark outside and a blanket draped over my body.

  I smiled. Liam must have come down and covered me at some point after I fell asleep.

  The clock on the box above the TV displayed the time as being past three in the morning. I had been asleep for a while. I wondered if Liam was still awake.

  He wasn’t anywhere to be found downstairs, and when I walked upstairs I found his door shut with no light on underneath.

  I held a staring contest with the door for a few minutes. It won because I kept impatiently looking away, willing it to open with my mind and for Liam to step out.

  Impulsively I had even raised my hand to knock a few times, but decided it was best not to. It was probably best if I let him work out for himself whatever it was that he was working out in his head.

  Feeling rejected, I decided that even though I had lazed around the entire day and already slept for hours that I would try to get more sleep. Maybe in the morning I would be up before him so that maybe we could talk about the kiss.

  I couldn’t spend any more time napping on the couch, the stiffness in my back demanded that I stick to sleeping in the plush bed waiting for me.

  “Wake up,” someone was shaking my arm.

  “Huh?” Was the only thing I could say as I opened my blurry eyes to see Liam standing over me.

  I instantly perked up thinking that something was wrong, “What’s going on?”

  “Get dressed, we can go into that bigger town that we had stopped in on the way here.”

  Puzzled that he was speaking to me, I didn’t question that he was offering to get out the house, “Okay.” I agreed with him.

  He told me to get ready and then left the room and closed the door quietly behind him.

  Why is he speaking to me now? I wondered as I got out of the bed and started pulling clothes out the dresser I had stored the clothes I had brought with me in.

  He wasn’t going to get away that easily. He was going to talk to me about the kiss and why he had been avoiding me afterward. I decided that I would question him later in the car when he couldn’t run away from me. I’d let him get comfortable first.

  I smiled to myself and almost wanted to cackle at my plan. Almost wanted to. I just wasn’t one for cackling.

  I pulled a clean shirt over my head and paused. The kiss. It was all because of that stupid kiss.

  But instead of running he could have just said that he wasn’t interested.

  I reached up and softly touched the tips of my fingers across my lips. It had been days since we had shared the kis
s, but I wasn’t sure if I could ever shake the feeling of his lips on mine.

  The feelings had been powerful and I mourned at the thought that it might not ever happen again.

  Part of me wanted to scream, but I just had to wait a little while and I could find out what his feelings were. I felt like such a girl.

  After I was finished, I walked down the stairs to meet Liam.

  Downstairs I found him staring intently at a piece of paper.

  I had the uncontrollable urge to just stop and stare at him.

  His lips were drawn into a tight frown and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. The look on his face while harsh did nothing to take away from his good looks.

  I walked closer and realized that he was reading a map.

  He must have printed it out while I was asleep.

  “Hmmm,” I cleared my throat.

  He jumped and then quickly composed himself within seconds, “you ready?” he asked as he folded the paper and stuffed it into his pocket.

  “Yeah,” I nodded, “where are we going?”

  He looked doubtful for a moment, “well,” he said, “you know how you always complain about getting a decent cup of coffee.”

  “Yeah,” I laughed embarrassingly because it was true, I missed good coffee something terrible, “so?”

  “So I found a coffee shop in that small city we went through that isn’t too far away.”

  “Awesome,” I was surprised by his offer to take me for coffee.

  “Okay, let’s go,” he told me and I almost thought that he might be nervous as he held the front door open for me.

  The car ride to the shop wasn’t too long and his memory must be good because he didn’t look at the paper once. Too bad we didn’t have cell phones with GPS on them. Somehow I don’t think he would have used GPS anyway.

  We drove into the downtown area that was littered with small restaurants, boutiques and law offices.

  “This is a neat area I really like all of the murals on the sides of the buildings.”

  “Yeah, you wouldn’t guess this is here with all of the chain places when you first get here,” he said as he parked the car.

  I just nodded in agreement even if he wasn’t looking as I got out of the car.

  He led me down the sidewalk to a porch fronted store front that had teens around our age gathered around drinking coffee and playing on cell phones while they chatted about school and their lives.