Carved in Stone

by Stein Willard

  Sober and in the light of day, everything seems so different.

  Impossible.

  ***

  It was still too early for the serving staff to be up and about and Aspen soundlessly made her way to the kitchen. Aka was always up at the crack of dawn. Aspen had bumped into her a few times before on her wanderings through the house. The woman always made coffee before she began her morning prayers. As she entered the kitchen, she smelled the coffee and smiled. Thank the heavens Aka was a creature of habit. Thanks to her nocturnal existence, she had enough time to explore the kitchen area. It was the only time that she could meet with Aka or Sadik and they would sit around the island, indulging in a late-night snack. She found a couple of travel mugs and filled it with liberal amounts of coffee. After all that wine, Aeron would surely be grateful for the coffee. She was busy rummaging through the fridge for cheese and grapes, when Aka spoke behind her.

  “Good morning.”

  Jerking upright, she cursed under her breath when she bumped her head. She turned to face Aka with a frown, but found the other woman beaming back at her. She came over to kiss Aspen’s cheek. “Let me see what I can pack for you and your ladylove.” She put extra emphasis on ‘ladylove’ and Aspen smiled at the heat that settled in her stomach. She had told Aeron as much as she could about her life with Phage, their dreams and love. Aeron had listened, but Aspen wasn’t sure exactly how much the other woman believed. But at least she had listened.

  “Here. This will tide you over until I send something more.” Aka held out a small wicker basket. Aspen placed the travel mugs in the basket and hastily thanked Aka. She was eager to get back to Aeron.

  Her face fell when she entered the cave and found the spot where she had left a sleeping Aeron, cleared up. She had hoped to find Aeron still asleep, and had relished the idea of crawling into her beloved’s arms again. She placed the basket on the nearby table and walked deeper into the room. Since Aeron was already up, she flicked on the light switch and took the two travel mugs.

  “Aeron?”

  “I’m back here.”

  She rounded one of the desks and a row of cabinets before she saw Aeron. The blonde stood before a life-sized painting of Phage. She joined her before the painting and held out the travel mug. Aeron accepted it with an absentminded ‘thanks’. They stood there, looking at the painting of Phage, who appeared imposing in her full battle armor. Her eyes, hard and focused, stared back at them as if to gauge their reaction to her. Aspen took a sip of coffee and cleared her throat.

  “She was one of the best warriors ever to walk the earth.”

  Aeron didn’t say anything, but when she spoke after a few minutes of silence, it was not what Aspen had expected.

  “We could pass for twins. Was that how you found me?”

  “No. Over the past three millennia, there were at least eleven doppelgängers of Phage.” Aeron’s head turned sharply to look at her and Aspen nodded. “I have met with each and every one of them.”

  “And?” Aeron prompted sharply.

  Aspen turned to look at them. “Unlike with you, I couldn’t sense Phage’s essence. It was only with you in close proximity that the dreams began.”

  Aeron turned back at the painting. “It’s still so much to take in.” She looked at Aspen. “I…I don’t know how to process all this.” She threw her hands wide. “It doesn’t make sense at all.”

  “I know.” Aspen heart was breaking as she said it. What did she expect after a few hours with Aeron? The woman wasn’t going to change her mind overnight.

  “You do?”

  “I can image what it must be like for you,” Aspen said quietly, trying to ignore the fear threatening to choke her. She knew exactly where this conversation was leading.

  “Then…” Aeron swallowed hard. “Then you’ll understand that I’ll need some time to work this all out.”

  Aspen smiled up into the troubled golden eyes, even as her heart was shattering inside her chest. “I understand.” There is no way she could hold Aeron here against her will. She turned and walked to the exit. She’ll disengage the code until Aeron has left. “I’ll have Sadik prepare the helicopter for take-off. You could use the time to say your farewells.” Not waiting for a response from Aeron, she let herself out. With all the pain Aeron had cost her since her arrival, she at least left Aspen with one gift.

  It has been millennia since she’d been outside during daylight. Aspen had missed seeing the rays of the sun bouncing off the sea.

  As she walked away, the sight began to blur.

  ***

  Aeron was strangely numb as she sat next to Sadik, the beautiful sun-kissed landscape of the island passing beneath them. She had said her goodbyes to a stunned Aka before Sadik led her away to the helipad. No doubt mother and son were confused by her sudden departure, but that explanation she left to Aspen. As soon as she had her apartment packed up, she would fly out to the States and forget about this surreal episode.

  They transferred to the jet at the main airport and she was surprised at her ability to still conduct a meaningful conversation with Sadik about the latest projects and excavations on the Heritage’s Annual Calendar, despite the bizarre feelings churning within her. She had no idea how to interpret them, nor how to expunge them. It was with great relief that she waved off Sadik after he’d dropped her in front of her small apartment. With increasing despair, for some strange reason, she watched the car until it disappeared around a bend. She dragged her feet as she let herself into her apartment, only to burst out in tears at the sight of an unkempt Harry eating a bowl of cereal. He no doubt was broke again and came over to raid her stock. He flew to his feet and despite their height difference, managed to hug her tightly. The familiarity of her old friend’s presence and his effortless kindness, was too much for her overburdened psyche to handle. Harry led her to the couch and held her until only hiccups escaped her lips.

  “Feeling better now?” Harry looked utterly confused and equally spooked. “I didn’t expect you back until tomorrow.”

  She nodded and sat up, leaning her head back. “She…she let me go.” At Harry’s silence, she turned her head to look at him. He was staring at her with wide eyes.

  “If you were held against your will, I would think that’s a good thing, don’t you?”

  Aeron sighed deeply. “You don’t understand…you can’t understand.”

  “Now that’s plain rude to underestimate my intelligence like that, Airhead. If you tell me what happened, then maybe I could help.” Harry left to pour them both some coffee. After the first sip, Aeron pulled her face. It was nowhere near as good as the fragrant brew of Aka. Meeting Harry’s indignant gaze, she smiled weakly and took another sip. She used to like Harry’s coffee, but it seems that after her stay on Lesbos nothing would be the same again.

  “Tell me what happened to you, Aeron.”

  “I met her.”

  “Who?

  “Aspen. I met Aspen.”

  Harry frowned. “Am I supposed to know this Aspen?”

  “Aspen, the Last Queen of Galatia.” She threw a careful glance at Harry. He stared at her, a look of alarm in his eyes which slowly morphed to suspicion. “Please, Harry.”

  He shrugged. “I want to believe you. It’s just difficult to comprehend, seeing as Aspen has been dead for almost three thousand years.” He carefully took his coffee cup and gave it a sniff. “It’s not spiked.” He took a small sip and sat back. “You have to admit that it doesn’t make sense.”

  Aeron came to her feet. “You’re right. I think I’ll take a shower and a nap.” She left Harry staring after her.

  CHAPTER 24

  Aka carefully placed the tray with breakfast on the step leading to the exit of the Vault. A tear trickled down her cheek as she stared up at Aspen, once again frozen in her marble prison. It has been a few hours since Aeron left and, soon after her departure, an oppressive gloom had started to fill the house. Looking at the statue before her, she now knew why. Aspen
had given up. She had never thought she would live to see the day that Aspen would willingly choose her marble prison. She could not allow that.

  Aka wiped a tear from her cheek. “I know you can hear me. I just want to let you know that I will not stand by and watch you both mess up the ending to a wonderful fairytale.” She touched the cold marble, her eyes pleading. “I never thought you would find her in my lifetime, but you did. Now is not the time to just give up, Aspen.”

  She picked up the tray and left the Vault. She will not stand by and watch this tragedy unfold. For surely, this was a crime against love.

  ***

  There was a soft knock on her bedroom door. “Aeron? Are you okay in there?”

  Aeron quickly wiped at her wet face. She couldn’t stop crying and she wasn’t even sure why she was crying. It was her decision to leave. She was supposed to be fine with this. For the umpteenth time since her return from Lesbos, she saw Aspen’s face before her. It will take an eternity before she would be able to erase that memory from her mind. At that moment, even smiling, Aspen had looked so heart-wrenchingly sad. But still she allowed Aeron to walk away.

  “Aeron?”

  She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. “Yes, I’m fine, Harry.”

  There was a short silence.

  “I’m expected at the office, but I can stay if you need me.” She heard the sincerity and concern in her friend’s voice and smiled. Aeron knew he would stay if she asked him to. He was the most loyal and caring person she knew. But she couldn’t ask him to stay. Harry’s work was his life. He revered it, craved it. It made him who he was. A modern-day explorer, just like those Indiana Jones movies he loved so much.

  “I’m really okay, Harry. I’ll probably sleep for a while.”

  “Could I come by later to see how you’re doing?”

  Hearing that, a fresh tear trickled down her cheek. “I would appreciate it, Hairball.”

  “I’ll be back this evening. Call me if you need anything.”

  “I will.”

  When the front door closed a moment later, she rolled onto her back. She doubted she would get any sleep. She knew instinctively that any attempt to sleep would be interrupted by a myriad of visions. To think she had thought them nightmares before. Maybe she needed to put more distance between the two of them. If her parents weren’t due in two weeks’ time for a visit, she would’ve flown to the States as soon as she’d sorted out her apartment. She sighed deeply. She would need a good explanation to convince her parents that she was indeed fine and not running away from something…or someone. Someone in whose arms she had slept last night. Strangely, she had a dreamless sleep last night. Maybe because the object of her dreams had been the one holding her. She closed her eyes and almost immediately the familiar dark eyes swam to the foreground. Aeron stubbornly kept her eyes closed, mentally willing those sad eyes to fade away.

  It didn’t.

  Instead, she was drawn deeper into a maelstrom of ancient memories and sounds.

  ***

  Aspen’s eyes shot open and with awareness came rage. Locked in a wooden crate, she could feel that she was in motion, but the fact that she was being kidnapped, was not what fueled her temper.

  She was awake and that meant only one thing.

  Before she could further work herself into a frothing frenzy, the vehicle came to a standstill. There were mumbled voices and then it was quiet. She thought to bang against the crate, taking her helpless anger out on the inanimate object, but held back. She didn’t want any undue attention. She didn’t even know where exactly she was. All she knew, was that Aeron was nearby.

  Instead, she took a deep breath, realizing that she was totally helpless at the moment. A few minutes later, she was in motion again. This time she was being wheeled somewhere.

  ***

  It took Aeron a while to realize that the incessant buzzing wasn’t part of the vision she found herself in. Firstly, because she was standing on a training field, surrounded by a sea of sweaty men and women. Nothing within sight could produce such out-of-place sounds. Now that she knew that her visions were actual memories of a previous lifetime and not the repetitive ones of her dying, she had begun to actually enjoy them. Thus, the disturbance wasn’t entirely welcome. She glanced at her alarm clock as she got out of bed and frowned. She had in fact been sleeping for close to four hours. Even then, it was still too early for Harry to be back. The only other person she could think off, was Caroline.

  She threw on a dressing gown and went to answer the door. She swung the door open and gaped at her visitor. Before she could say anything, she was unceremoniously pushed out of the way and four men wheeled a large wooden crate into her tiny living room. She stared in mute shock as the men deposited the crate, nodded and left. She swung her gaze from the crate to her silent visitor.

  “What…what is this?”

  “This,” Aka said firmly as she held up a crowbar, “is me trying to save you both from yourselves.” She walked over to the crate and expertly began to heave it open. The crate opened to reveal a positively fuming Aspen.

  Aeron’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of the other woman. She took an involuntary step closer, drawing Aspen’s dagger-like stare from a surprisingly unaffected Aka. For a few seconds they could only stare at each other. It felt like ages since they’ve last seen each other, and not a few hours. Looking at Aspen, Aeron was once again astounded by the woman’s beauty. At that very moment, Aspen indeed looked like some pissed off, kidnapped queen. Her hair was a bit mussed and the dark eyes were staring back at her warily. She said the first thing that came to her mind.

  “I’m sorry Aka kidnapped you.”

  Aka dropped the crowbar on the coffee table with a loud clank. “Well, I’m not.” She pointed at the small sofa. “We need to talk.” When they hesitantly looked at each other, Aka sighed dramatically. “Please.”

  The size of the sofa didn’t leave much space between them and Aeron was almost immediately assailed by the spicy scent of Aspen. It took all her willpower to focus her attention on Aka and not the woman next to her.

  Aka leaned back in her seat. “I can’t imagine to understand what you two are going through, remembering each other and your previous life together. What I want to say to you is strictly from my observation of the two of you.” She smiled faintly. “You’re in love with each other.” Aeron blushed and saw Aspen squirm at the statement. Aka leaned forward as she studied them both with sharp eyes. “I wished you could’ve seen the sparks flying off you when you met for the first time the other night. It was the most beautiful thing to behold.”

  Aeron felt Aspen’s eyes on her and swallowed. Was what Aka said true? Could she be in love with Aspen? Was it even possible to fall in love after only knowing each other for a few hours? Less than twenty-four hours, for that matter? This was the kind of nonsense that misguided authors sold to the world. Everything about her was rooted in science and needed a logical explanation. But then why did she feel like she was wearing her skin inside out when Aspen was around? Her whole body was rioting. And then there was that strange fluttering in her stomach.

  Nothing seemed to make sense to her at all.

  “What is keeping you from being together?” Aka asked bluntly.

  ***

  Aspen felt her heart break at the direct question. Would they even understand if she tried to explain it to them? Could she expect Aeron to remember her promise? She felt a solitary tear trickle down her cheek. She was so tired of waiting. Of fighting. The gods have won.

  “She’s not Phage. I was mistaken.”

  It nearly killed her to say it. But she held herself together with sheer determination. It was time to let Phage go. She looked up to see Aka staring at her with horror in her eyes. She wasn’t brave enough to face Aeron, not when she was scared of seeing Phage’s eyes looking back at her.

  “How can you say that?” Aka was halfway out of her chair, her body taut with anger. “How could you sit there and tell su
ch a blatant lie.”

  Aspen allowed Aka’s anger to wash over her. “Because it’s the truth. She’s not Phage. She might look like her and have her memories, but she is not Phage.” Next to her, Aeron sat as stiff as a board. “Phage is really gone and it is time for me to realize that and move on.”

  Aka spun away on her heel. “You are…”

  “What do you mean with ‘move on’?” The quiet question, silenced the room like a gunshot.

  Aspen turned her gaze on Aeron. Oh, Phage, my love. I’m so sorry, but I’m too tired to fight anymore. She searched Aeron’s anxious eyes. Phage really wasn’t there.

  “I need to let go.”

  “You are going to give up after only one day?” Aka snapped at Aspen.

  “A day longer than it was supposed to take.” Now that she had said what needed to be said, she wanted to leave and put as much distance as she could between her and Aeron. She had done right by Aeron. She was free to live out the rest of her life without the burden of Phage or herself weighing her down. She rose from the sofa, only to find Aeron rising with her. It took a lot of effort not to walk into Aeron’s arms. She smiled up at Aeron. “Sadik will make sure that you have access to all the Galatian artefacts you need. You’re a great scientist and it’s time that you prove that to the world. You need to tell the world about Phage and her exploits.” She walked to the crate and stepped in. “I’m ready when you are, Aka.”

  CHAPTER 25

  The knife slipped and before she could move her hand in time, the blade ran over her finger. Aka threw the knife down and rushed over to the tap to run cold water over the wound. Unexpectedly, the wall cracked and she found herself sobbing as she treated her wound. Gentle arms slid around her and she leaned back into the embrace.