Tapestry of Worlds : Part One - The White Raven Awakens

by Hadley Thorne

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  The truck jostled and woke Erika up. Startled, she cried out, "Grim!" But Grim and the Professor were gone along with the forest.

  "Erika, are you ok?" Felix asked, giving her a look of concern.

  Unshed tears sparkled in eyes, "I saw Professor Stewardsen." She brought a trembling hand to her head, "He isn't dead."

  He shifted the gears down as they came upon the turnoff at the barn that would take them up to the James' house, "That is good, isn't it," Felix asked, casting a glance her way.

  Nodding her head, "He seemed to be in some sort of stasis, but his fylgja was with him and fine." She was relieved to know that the Professor was alive, but where? Well, wherever he was, she had to find him.

  Realizing they were now on the drive up to the James home. Erika began to be overwhelmed with excitement, especially when she spotted her Tahoe in the drive. The ranch-style home's carport was full of familiar faces as they pulled up. Erika was thrilled to see Mamaw and Papaw James sitting in their respective rocking chairs with Millie, Hermit, Tanna, and the dogs sitting in a semi-circle around them.

  Whoever had the dogs' leashed must have dropped them because the next thing she saw was the two German shepherds racing towards the truck. Felix had barely rolled to a stop when Erika jumped out to hug the great fur beasts. Hansel knocked her to the ground laughing when he tackled her, giving her kisses while barking and whining at her. But Erika was surprised to see Gretel was more aloof. She wagged her tail and made whining noises, but the moment Felix stepped out of the truck Gretel pinned her sights on him. Like an explosion of fur and fang, she ran, jumped over the truck's hood, and hit him like a missile. Pinning Felix to the ground, Gretel looked like a savage beast as she shook his arm locked in her jaws.

  Horrified, Erika called, "Aus! Gretel!" The shepherd hesitated, but it was not until Erika yelled, "Pfui!" that she released her prey. Looking rather pleased with herself, the dog wiggle-wagged her way over to Erika, jumping up and down and barking at her gleefully. On the other hand, Hansel just pushed her out of the way as best he could to get his pets without his sister's interference.

  "Oh, Felix," Erika exclaimed, walking around the truck, "Are you ok?" He scowled in response, holding his arm where Gretel had grabbed him. Erika grimaced when she saw his arm was beginning to bruise. "Oh, man, you are so lucky. Gretel did not use her teeth. She was just mad I was with you and giving you a warning," she continued offering him a hand and helping him up, "Or establishing dominance."

  "Erika," a gentle voice called to her in a drawl that spoke of southern gentility. Turning around, Erika saw Miss Eliza Mae James ambling towards her. The little lady walked with a hand-carved cane, a straw hat, faded blue jeans, and a pink gingham blouse over a white T-shirt. She was still an attractive woman, but a lifetime of hard work in the sun had left her wrinkled and tired. Laugh-lines softened her face as she reached out to hug Erika, "Welcome home, honey." Flying into the hug, Erika momentarily forgot about Felix. Miss Eliza pulled back and looked over her shoulder to where Felix lay on the ground, "Your friend, ok, honey?"

  "Phish," Erika said, waving her hand, "Other than bruised, he is fine. Gretel didn't use her teeth." She hugged the woman again, pulling back when Felix joined them. "Miss Eliza, this is my friend, Felix."

  "Pleasure to meet you, Felix," Miss Eliza told the brooding man, giving him a tight hug as though he too was family, "Any friend of Erika's is family. Come on up and sit awhile." Laughter from the carport trickled down to them, and Erika turned to look at her friends. She searched the group for Becca and Z but did not see them.

  "Miss Eliza, have Becca and Z made it down?" she asked, smiling up at her friends.

  "Not yet hon. The earliest flight your beau could get back to Birmingham was late this evening - they are gonna pick him up, and then all drive down together." the old woman told her, touching her face with a gentle smile. Should be here sometime tomorrow morning.

  Erika flashed her a smile as her spirits soared. "I will go say hi to Mr. Bill and the others," she said, giving a half hug before dashing up to the house with the dogs close on her heels.

  "Erika, darling," the old southern gentleman declared, "So happy to see your face again during these troubling times." Unlike his wife, Bill James had spent most of his adult working first as a prominent local veterinarian, and then as a professor of Veterinary Medicine at Chimneyville University. He had a stroke and was forced to retire ten years prior and now spent his days gardening while Eliza ran their farm.

  "Mr. Bill," Erika squealed in delight and gave the older man a tight bear hug. Tears spilled from her eyes as she admitted, "It sure is good to see you too, sir." Over the past few years, the couple had become honorary grandparents for her since her own had died before she was born. She had gotten to know them when she would cut class with Becca once a month to drive up to the ranch. They would have lunch with Mr. Bill and go horseback riding with Miss Eliza.

  Millie, Hermit, and Tanna were standing waiting for her to finish hugging Mr. Bill. Millie squealed her name when she turned to them, giving her a big hug, "I have been so worried! Girl, you have no idea how happy I was when I heard from Ransom you were coming home."

  Picking her up, Hermit swung her around, "Glad to have you back, sis."

  Tanna approached her with a weary smile and said in a low voice, "Relieved to see you back - these two need a handler, and no, I don't mean the dogs." Erika laughed in response. She could only imagine the bickering the two friends had fallen into without the presence of someone who knew how to navigate the ups and downs of the duo's friendship.

  "Bill, why don't you help me fry up some chicken for these young folks and let them talk," Miss Eliza announced as she and Felix walked up from the car. Gretel huffed at Felix when he came to stand next to Erika and sat between them, showing her teeth when Erika was not looking. Hansel, on the other hand, took Felix his tennis ball and dropped it in front of him. Cocking his big block head expectantly, he wagged his tail and looked at the strange man. Felix looked at the one-hundred twenty-pound German shepherd and then at Erika, she just shrugged. Picking up the tennis ball, he threw it for the shepherd who ran after it. Once he retrieved his ball, Hansel went to sit next to his sister and chewed on the ball, happy with the world. Gretel chuffed at him and laid on Erika's feet.

  Miss Eliza had sat the crew down to eat a southern-style lunch of fried chicken, black-eyed peas, cornbread, rice, and gravy. The girls had offered to clean the kitchen for the older woman while the boys helped Bill pick vegetables in his garden. After everything was put away, the couple had settled down to watch the Outlaw Josey Wales, and everyone else had gone outside. Once they were alone, Erika caught everyone up on everything from Velvet, Roxi, and their new state of being, to Preacher Tim and his Brotherhood of the Church of Apocalyptic Blessing being responsible for the bounty being placed on law enforcement. She then insisted that Felix tell them about the Corruption, the Black Queen, and the Ragnarök Gates.

  Hermit and Millie looked dubious at first while Tanna had just shifted around uncomfortably before excusing herself. Erika excused herself and followed Tanna to where she had walked to the fence line where some of the James' quarter horses were grazing.

  Coming to stand next to Tanna, Erika rested her arms on the top of the wooden fence and gazed out at the beautiful scene in front of her. The horses were grazing in the pasture around a small pond in the background with ducks and swans milling about. "Tanna," she began, searching for the right words. "I know this sounds crazy.

  "Erika, it actually doesn't," Tanna replied, stretching her hand out to stroke the nose of a curious red filly. "I just don't want to hear it. I told you – I believe the more you acknowledge this sort of power, the more it is drawn to you."

  "I can respect that," she sighed, "I appreciate your honesty. And I totally get if you want to stay here with the James Family instead of going with us. And I mean that as in the long term too. They would love to have the company
, and to be honest, it would probably make me feel better to know they had someone staying with them."

  "Thanks for understanding," the strawberry-blonde told her, scratching the filly behind the ears. "I will definitely stay with them tonight and consider staying on past that."

  Erika patted her friend on the shoulder. She would miss Tanna's gun and steady grasp of reality, but she knew what lay ahead of her and her friends was not for everyone and did not want the woman to go only out of a misplaced sense of loyalty. She had a feeling that things were going to get worse before they got better.

  Walking back up to the house, Felix approached her with a nod towards Tanna, so Erika explained and asked him to keep her company while she spoke with Hermit and Millie about going to the professor’s. Nodding, he went to join Tanna on the fence line.

  Chapter 35

  Millie placed the soul jars on the Tahoe's hood, "We have been scared to open them, but Hermit and I have gone over all the research the Professor had and the ceremony notes from that night."

  "If we go back to the Professor's, we can open the jars within the circle. It has not been released, so the original essence should be strong enough to undo what was done. We can release the watchtowers, and then we break that circle," Erika told Millie and Hermit while Tanna and Felix threw the tennis ball for Hansel. Gretel was at Erika's side. The female shepherd had refused to let her out of sight, going as far as to push past her when Erika had gone to the bathroom.

  "The question is, do we wait for Becca, Z, and Ransom, or do we go ahead and handle this?" Hermit asked, looking at the two women. "Will it make a difference?"

  "No," Millie and Erika answered simultaneously, then laughed at each other.

  "Seriously, we do not know what else is going on that might prevent them from being here on time. I say we go ahead and do it before they get here, and then we make our plan to go back to our camp and fortify," Millie explained, surprising both Erika and Hermit.

  Erika nodded her head, "I actually agree with Millie. We have the soul jars, we go release them, then we release the quarters, break the fucking circle, and get the hell out of there. Ransom and Z are going to have an agenda, and when they get here, we are going to be rolling hot."

  Hermit grunted, "That is the truth. Z and Ransom will not have time for something like this. They are going to want to grill Felix and go from there. Speaking of, Erika - what are you expecting to happen with this Felix cat. Will he be with us?"

  "I doubt Z and Ransom will let him," Millie added, casting a glance over her shoulder to where the mysterious Felix still played ball with Hansel and Tanna.

  "Yeah, I don't know," Erika said sullenly, "He is important to all this stuff going on. I mean, he knows a lot more than any of us was prepared for. If it were not for him, I never would have met the Elven Count or known about Velvet and Roxi being vampires." She sighed, "He did rescue me from Preach, too. He is an asset."

  "Is that all he is," Millie asked her softly," I have seen how he looks at you."

  Hermit looked her in the eyes then, his eyes fastening on hers intensely, "I know there is a powerful bond between you two, sis."

  "I know," she answered simply. Giving them a small smile, she added, "One thing at a time, right? For now- let us open these jars, release the quarters, and break that stone circle."

  Slapping his hand on the Tahoe's hood, Hermit said, "Let's do it."

  Millie went into the house while Erika headed over to Tanna and Felix. "You mind babysitting for me?" She asked Tanna with a nod towards the German shepherds.

  "Was hoping you would ask," Tanna smiled at her petting Hansel. "Don't know if your baby girl is gonna let you out of her sight, though." She indicated Gretel, who had not left Erika's side since they had been reunited.

  Laughing, Erika squatted and nuzzled the little female shepherd. "You can't go this time, baby. You got to stay and help Tanna and your brother take care of Miss Eliza and Mr. Bill for me."

  Millie came out of the house, struggling to carry a huge plastic tubby. Felix went to assist her and brought it to the Tahoe for her.

  "What the…." Erika started but then realized it was Millie, and she probably had to go in and pack the kitchen sink. "Hey lady, I would appreciate if you let the James’ know we will ride down to the Professor's to check on the livestock. No need for them to know how crazy things are."

  "No problem," Tanna told her as Erika bent down to Gretel and whispered, "Bleib with Tanna, love." The dog put her paw on Erika's hand as though to say please, forcing Erika to say more sternly, "Bleib, Gretel."

  Without looking back, she went to join the others at the Tahoe, Hermit tossed the keys, and she got in to drive, not looking back. Afraid if she looked around and saw the look of betrayal on Gretel's face, she would cave and let the dog come.

  "Erika!" Tanna called out, running after the Tahoe. Rolling down the window, Tanna joined them out of breath, "there is a pistol in the console, and the shotgun is in the back with two boxes of birdshot."

  Hermit and Millie gave one another confused looks. Erika laughed, "I love the way you roll, Tanna Lee. Do you need one?"

  "Got one in my purse, lady," she told her with a smile. She patted the Tahoe's door twice and tipped her imaginary hat to the group as she waved them off.

  On the way to the farm, Felix answered questions about the Corruption and how he came to know Erika and their group.

  "I just don't understand, the Professor has very detailed files on each of our supposed lineage," Hermit confided. "There is absolutely nothing indicating we are anything other than human."

  Felix adjusted himself to turn around in the seat so he could meet Hermit and Millie's eyes, "It is not just about your genetic ancestry, friend. But your soul's. Each of your soul's first incarnation was something other." Sniffing, he explained, "For example - your soul's scent is one of the Ljósálfar, Hermit." Looking at Millie, Felix inhaled again, "And you, Millie, you are something different altogether. There is a faint spark of Sjörå, I think."

  Eyes big, Millie asked, "What is a Sjörå, Felix? I have never heard of that.

  "The Lady of the Lake in your legend of King Arthur is a Sjörå. They are fey. More specifically, elemental water spirits who act as guardians, protectors.

  "You can tell that all just by smelling us?" Millie asked him, obviously impressed with his ability.

  "Smell, feel, intuit," he explained, "It is all simply different ways of explaining what works for you. The wolf in me is a hunter. The scent is important in tracking, so that is the easiest way for me to explain. But someone like Erika, she can learn based on feel. At first, she would say, - this person feels like Millie, then she would need to break that down. It is taking what you know and sorting through it and breaking it down into something you personally can identify."

  "That is incredible," Hermit muttered. Looking at him in the rearview mirror, Erika could see the wheels at work as he filed the information away for later.

  "Where is everyone," she murmured aloud referring to the fact they had not seen another person their entire time. They were turning off the road at the farm, having made the journey in no time.

  "I am guessing part two of the Black Queen's plan is going into place," Felix told her as Hermit got us to move the limbs and unlock the gate.

  "What is that?" Millie asked, scooting up to peer between them, her hands on the back of both Erika and Felix's seat.

  "I am pretty sure it has something to do with the cell towers and internet, but since I am not a techy person, she never explained it to me," he responded while Erika pulled through the gate and picked up Hermit.

  She drove straight to the grove by the circle. The Ash tree stood a haunting reminder of what had happened that night. Erika felt chilled just being here. The woods had a wildness, a feral feeling that it had not had before, and she could feel the off-kilter hum of the stone circle still vibrating with the strings of the quartermasters still present holding the space though broken and no longer
sacred.

  Millie pulled the tubby towards her. Taking off the lid, she began to rifle through it, pulling out candles, a black tablecloth, the soul jars, and then started tossing white clothing to Hermit, Felix, and Erika.

  "Put these on," she said, pulling out something for herself.

  Felix looked from Millie then to Erika and Hermit and started to protest, but Hermit stopped him by raising a hand, "Man, don't even try, just put it on." Casting a glance at Erika, she just nodded. They all knew when Millie had a notion, it was better just to go ahead with it.

  "What," the Mahogany haired brunette asked, giving them all a look of displeasure, "Tonight we will wear white because it symbolizes purity and holiness. And, guys, stepping into that unholy circle - we are going to need to do what we can even if it is color choice."

  "Well, no-one can argue with that," Erika said, taking the white gauze and lace dress, and a pair of cowboy boots. Millie had wrapped herself in a white saree when she returned, and Hermit had on a white button-down oxford. When she saw Felix, she fell out laughing. He had a sour look on his face, which only added to the ridiculousness of him wearing what appeared to be a pirate shirt with lace at the collar and sleeves. Hermit was stifling his own laughter, where Millie could not see him.

  "Don't laugh, Erika, it was the only thing I could find in Becca and Z's medieval garb they had stored at the James'," Millie shamed her.

  "I can't help it, Millie," she said, pointing to Felix, "How can someone that miserable looking be protected by a cloak of purity or holiness?"

  Millie straightened her back and was about to argue, but she fell out laughing after giving Felix a look. "OK, OK, I think there might be an old Hard Rock cafe T' shirt in there somewhere," she said, going back to the tubbie and coming back with a T' shirt. "It is probably going to be small, but at least won't be as ridiculous as the pirate shirt."