by S L Dearing
"Are you sure you're ok?"
Coeli smiled and whispered back to him.
"I'm great. Really."
Sam smiled at her.
"Yeah, you are that."
Coeli blushed and Sam kissed her again. Alia watched and felt that twinge again. Her baby was no longer a baby. Sam finally walked out the door and Alia stepped out from the shadows.
"Coeli Eleanor Stark."
Coeli spun around, her eyes as big as saucers.
"Mommy?!"
"Mommy, huh? And what was all that about, Young Lady?"
Coeli stammered and looked at the door and then back at Alia as she pointed to the door and the stairs.
"I… I… we… but we…"
"Uh huh."
Alia smiled and walked up to her daughter. She raised her hand and Coeli watched it slowly come to her face. Alia gently took Coeli's chin in her hand and smiled at her.
"Was it any good?"
Coeli sighed and smiled.
"You're not mad?"
Alia shook her head.
"No, you’re all growing up at your own pace and I can’t change that. I just want you to be happy. But you didn't answer my question."
Coeli blushed and smiled, nodding sheepishly. Alia looked stunned.
"So you…"
Coeli again nodded.
"Yeah."
"Wow…good for you Sam."
Coeli giggled and embraced her mother, smelling her hair. Then she looked into her mother's eyes and gasped.
Alia smiled and put a finger to her lips. Coeli hopped around and clapped her hands.
"Sean?"
Alia nodded and Coeli threw her arms around her mother's neck.
"By the gods, it's about time."
"So you're ok with it?"
"Oh, Mom…daddy's been gone for three years. It's time."
"C'mon, Kid, let's get some coffee."
They walked back into the kitchen as the castle began to stir. Vivian entered, looking stunned.
"Your Majesty? I think you should see this."
"What is it, Vivian?"
Vivian motioned for her to go outside. When she did, she was surprised to see ravens perched all over the village.
"What is this?"
Alisha came running up to her, followed by Vance, grinning ear-to-ear.
"Can you believe this? She's everywhere, Mom…everywhere."
Alia saw Sean walking towards her, wearing different clothes, and she felt herself blush as he winked at her. Mona Gantry walked over to them in a panic.
"Alia! I'm sorely concerned as ravens are a sign of the devil…what are we…"
Alia shook her head.
"Mona…Mona…the only reason the raven was ever associated with the devil was because the Romans, at that point Christians, did not like the power the pagans of Britain had and they associated everything pagan with the devil. This is a good thing. It means that the goddess is with us."
A raven landed on Alisha's shoulder and she stroked the bird.
"Totally good thing."
Mona smiled nervously as a bird landed next to her and squawked. Elena Petrulengo skipped towards Alia.
"Oh, look at this. It is wonderful!!"
Alia laughed as the pagans of the Fail began to celebrate. They brought out strips of meat for the birds to eat. Alia smiled as she watched. Maybe Sean was right. It was a great day.
78
Scott sat on the bench opposite Paul Stark's memorial. He was staring at the intricate artwork that surrounded the pillar, his face resting squarely in his right hand, which was resting on his knee. He appeared to be doing an impression of the Thinker.
Sam smiled as he walked up to his friend and sat down next to him.
"What're you doin', Bud?"
Scott continued to stare and shook his head.
"Trying to figure things out, Red."
Sam leaned forward and looked at the pillar.
"What things?"
Scott leaned back, resting both elbows on the back of the bench and sighed.
"When we left Pasadena to come to the Gathering, I thought things were gonna be way different then they're turning out. I never really expected to be with Sara, ya know? I thought we'd finally see one way or another if you had it in you to tell her how you felt and then you go all freaky and fall for Coeli, thus opening the door for Sara and me… and there was something that made me go for it. I never told you that."
Sam smiled and nodded.
"Yeah?"
Scott shrugged and leaned forward.
"Yeah, something inside… not the imp, but something else. It was like a voice."
"A voice?"
"Yeah, I don't know, I guess I'm trying to come to terms with staying here. Now that we're together, I can't imagine leaving Sara, but at the same time, Pasadena's my home. I don’t know."
Sam looked at the ground and nodded. Then he started to smile.
"It's funny, ya know…usually I'm the one sitting there, trying to figure things out, never sure about my next move."
Scott smiled and looked at Sam. In that moment, he noticed something different about his friend. There was a certain calm about him. Sam returned his gaze.
"Here's what I think, Bud…I think that Pasadena will always be our home, no matter what, but for me, my heart is here in the Fail. I don't care where I am as long as Shay is with me. I finally get it. I finally get what that memorial means and I get what the Gathering is all about."
Scott stared at Sam, hanging on every word.
"No matter where we go and no matter what we do in our lives, our parents will love us and support us and we'll always be able to go home, but we have to choose our future, whatever that is. My future is here with Coeli and I think your future is here, too…and I think you just needed someone to tell you what you already knew."
Scott laughed and nodded his head.
"Yeah, Red, you're right. I guess maybe I was feeling a little guilty about leaving my mom and dad, I mean Henry isn't exactly the hardest worker, ya know?"
Sam smiled and looked at the pillar.
"He was a good guy."
Scott nodded.
"Yeah, I remember."
"I'm hungry."
Scott arched his eyebrows.
"The love of my life is coming and she's hungry."
Sam laughed and they stood up as Sara and Coeli came around a corner. Sara wrapped her arms around Scott's waist.
"I heard that."
Scott leaned over and kissed Sara. Sam hadn't heard anything as Coeli walked up to him and smiled, blushing slightly.
"Hey, Beautiful," Sam said.
She grinned and then Sam kissed her softly as Sara and Scott watched with confused looks on their faces as several seconds of kissing passed and Sam and Coeli were lost in each other. Finally, Sara tapped Sam on the shoulder.
"I'm hungry."
"Sorry."
Coeli mumbled an apology and they set off towards the Dining Hall as Sara and Scott followed. Sara furrowed her brow.
"Something's going on."
"Yeah, I thought that, too. They seem different, don't they?"
Sara looked at him and nodded, but was distracted by a large raven on a tent. It stared at her and she found herself staring back into its black, round eyes, until Scott tugged her towards him. Then she heard a voice.
"Tell her to come to me, Child…tell her it is time."
Scott tugged on Sara's hand again.
"C'mon."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Scott looked at her with a quizzical look and shook his head.
"It means c'mon."
"No, the other thing."
"What other thing?
"The other thing you said in my head"
"I didn't say anything else."
"Yeah, I know, you…"
"No, I didn't think anything else either. I told you to c'mon and then I was thinking about sausage. Did you hear something about sausage?"
&
nbsp; Sara shook her head as she allowed Scott to lead her through the door of the hall, stopping only for moment to turn and again look at the raven.
It was gone and she went inside.
79
Larry, Aaron, Sean, Duncan and Jeb were sitting at Donavan’s Pub. Jeb and Duncan kept staring at the ravens that were perched all around them. Larry leaned over and looked also.
“It's a little creepy,” he said.
Jeb looked him.
“Too Hitchcock for me.”
Sean and Duncan laughed. Aaron looked over at Sean as he lifted his ale.
“What’s up with you?”
Sean raised his eyebrows and swallowed.
“What’d’ you mean?”
Larry looked at him and shrugged.
“He’s right…there’s something different about you today.”
Sean smiled and shrugged.
“Just another day…”
Duncan set down his ale and smiled.
“Unless you just didn’t get enough sleep last night…”
Sean raised his eyebrows and folded his arms in front of him.
“What are you driving at, Worley?”
Duncan laughed and shrugged. Jeb looked at Larry and Aaron and shook his head.
“I hate it when I don’t get the joke.”
They all laughed and were continuing to drink, when Alia, Janeen and Connie walked in to the pub. Alia looked over at them and smiled as Sean followed her with his gaze. He finally broke away and smiled as he drank again.
All the other men watched this and then looked over at Alia, who was blushing. They looked from Alia to Sean and back. Janeen was also looking, and rolled her eyes. She then nodded at the men. The three looked at her quizzically as she dropped her shoulders and made a waving motion with her hands towards Alia and Sean and then Larry’s mouth dropped open.
“NO!”
Aaron did double take and grabbed Sean’s arm.
“Really?”
Duncan laughed as Jeb sat there with a confused look on his face. Janeen threw up her arms and sat down next to Connie. Sean put his ale down.
“Really what?”
Aaron smiled and sat back.
“Yeah, they did it.”
“Did what? Who?” Jeb asked.
He looked around the table and even Sean couldn’t help but laugh. They were so engrossed with their assault on Sean, no one noticed Alia had approached until she sat down.
“So what are we talking about over here?”
Sean looked over quickly and regained his composure.
“Nothing.”
Jeb shook his head.
“You got that right.”
That sent all the men laughing again. Alia looked around and smiled, then took Jeb’s hand.
“I think what the other gentlemen have figured out, all be it with Janeen's help, Jeb, is that Sean and I finally got together last night.”
Jeb looked at her and then Sean, who continued to smile.
“Got togeth…HOLY SHIT!!!! You did it? You finally told her?!?!”
Sean laughed and nodded.
“Well, she told me actually."
Grant and Ellen Turner walked up to the crowd.
"What's going on, Folks?"
They started to sit down when Aaron looked at them.
"They finally told each other how they feel… about each other."
Ellen jumped up and screamed, causing the entire pub to look. She ran over and hugged Alia as Grant smiled and sat down. He grabbed an ale and lifted it to Sean.
"Took you long enough."
Alia looked at them and leaned in.
"Please don’t tell anyone else…we haven't talked to the kids yet. I don’t want them to learn about it from someone else, ok?"
They all laughed and nodded.
80
"C'mon, let's go get some ice cream or something."
Lisa shook her head and sat cross-legged on the edge of her bed. She stared out the balcony doors and into the street below. Brandon folded his arms in front of him. He tried to appear annoyed, but his stomach was doing flips.
"C'mon."
"Leave me alone."
"Are you still mad at me ‘cause I wouldn't listen to your stupid dream?"
Lisa's face tightened a little and she looked over at her twin.
"It's not stupid!! Something is coming and it's big, but no one listens to me ‘cause I'm small. Something bad is coming, Brandon. I thought you'd believe me!"
She turned away from him and started to cry. She brought her knees up to hide her face as her long, auburn hair fell forward and she wrapped her arms around her legs. Brandon dropped his arms and his shoulders as he walked over to Lisa's bed. He climbed up and patted her shoulder.
"C'mon, Lise, don't cry...I'm sorry."
Her sobbing began to subside and she looked over at him. He reached into his pocket and took out a hankie and offered it to her.
"Thanks."
She blew her nose quietly and wiped her eyes.
"Sorry," she said.
Brandon shrugged.
"Me too. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I do believe you, but you really didn't say anything, just that something bad is coming. What kind of bad?"
Lisa shrugged and bit her bottom lip as she allowed her breathing to shudder from the residing tears.
"Just like the dreams we've all been having, but this one was like Amanda's. Everyone kept disappearing and I was alone and it was dark. Then when I could see again, everyone was dead."
Brandon's mouth had dropped open and the flips in his stomach were now knots.
"Everyone?"
Lisa nodded and wrapped her arms around her knees again and stared out the door.
"I believe you, Lise."
Lisa looked at her brother and smiled slightly. Brandon was looking out on the street as well.
"We have to find Coeli."
Lisa shook her head.
"Why?"
"’Cause, she'll believe us and then they'll believe her."
"You really think she will?"
Brandon nodded and smiled.
"Yeah, Shay always believes us."
"But then what happens, I mean after Coeli gets Mom to believe her, what then?"
Brandon shrugged.
"I don't know, I'm ten.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you think it will stop your dream from happening?”
Lisa shrugged. Brandon stood up and put his hands on his hips.
“Ok, let’s go.”
Lisa wiped her face and climbed off the bed. They walked to the door, and Lisa reached out and took her brother’s arm.
“Brandon?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
Brandon smiled and shrugged.
“I’m not doing anything.”
Lisa smiled and they set off to find Coeli.
81
Thomas Blaylock had gathered thirty of his men along with Brollen and Father Leon. They now stood in the courtyard of the black castle. Father Leon was staring at the entrance.
The broken body of Monsignor Klaus was now hanging from the gate in a mock crucifixion. His face was twisted in horror and bits of his flesh had been ripped away by the falcons. Leon shuddered as he watched a young falcon tear at the monsignor's shoulder.
Leon looked away, but immediately stiffened as Blaylock put his arm around the priest's shoulders.
"Beautiful sight isn't it?"
Blaylock smiled as he stared wistfully at the corpse. Father Leon let a tear slide down his cheek. Blaylock laughed and slapped Father Leon on the back.
"Time to go, Padre!! Saddle up!!"
Father Leon looked around and up at the giant steed. He tried to get his leg in the stirrup, but he couldn't reach. Blaylock sat on his horse and watched. He sighed and motioned to Brollen, who strode over and picked up the priest and tossed him onto the back of the horse.
As the soldiers climbed onto their horses, the Shap
e came out of the castle. He walked over to Blaylock, who leaned over as the Shape quietly gave him instructions. When he was done, Blaylock was grinning.
The Shape then moved to the center of the quad and raised his hands.
"Make sure she follows you…and make sure that no harm comes to those you bring back."
He began to chant ancient words and from the archway a spiral of wind appeared and grew bigger and bigger until it was twenty feet in diameter. The center was black.
Blaylock looked over at Brollen and sighed, then turned back to the swirling mass and yelled.
"AAAGGHHHH!!!!"
He charged his horse forward and Brollen, his men and Father Leon followed. They all moved into the blackness and vanished as the great mass closed and disappeared behind them.
Moments later, the vortex opened on a hill. The silence was broken when the Horde thundered out of the blackness and the horses’ hooves connected with the ground. They traveled a hundred feet or so before they stopped. Blaylock turned around to make sure they had all gotten out. Father Leon was missing.
Blaylock leaned on his saddle horn and yawned as the mass began to close. As the maelstrom had shrunken to ten feet, the beleaguered priest emerged, only instant before the transport closed behind him. He stopped his horse and looked around as he shook, his eyes wide.
"Try to keep up, Padre…we're not babysitting."
He looked at the priest and shook his head, then turned his steed west. In the distance was a mountain and on top a castle. Father Leon could just barely make out its flag, a great bronze unicorn. The priest lowered his head and quietly cried.
82
Albion Merganser moved quietly through the village. He rubbed his eyes as he continued to think. He hadn't slept much as he had spent most of the morning trying to come up with a plan. How could he get them out? There were always two guards and there were only two keys. One the jailer carried and the other Sean carried. How could he get them to open the door?
