Bridge Between the Worlds

by R. B. L. Gillmore

  Her parents also noticed this terse behaviour and dared to ask delicately, “so, would you like to tell us exactly what happened last night? We take it the events didn’t exactly run smoothly.”

  “If we’re gonna try somethin’ like this again,” Snipping began with a voice that was clearly angry but trying to be polite, “then the girl needs some trainin’ on ‘ow to open and block ‘er dream zone. If she opens it in the sky for me again...”

  Amy’s father snorted into the coffee he was drinking, her mother smirked quickly before regaining control and straightening her face. Fortunately, Snipping was too distracted by cooking to take much notice. Amy’s father winked at her with a cheeky smile.

  “Training can only be provided by the Arbiters now,” her mother said. “All the elves are gone and I do not hold the power anymore.”

  “Then it’s time that the Arbiters were able to make contact with ‘er. Frankly it’s incredible that they ‘aven’t already. Ya haven’t been doin’ somethin’ to block ‘em out ‘ave you?”

  Both of Amy’s parents shook their heads. Snipping seemed confused at first but quickly continued.

  “Well that’s strange. ‘ave either of ya been able to contact the Arbiters?”

  “No. We only tried very recently but without success. Without my ability to control my dreams it is exceptionally difficult to track them down or even to draw their attention.”

  “Then we gotta wait for the Arbiter’s to find Amy while we try to work this out.”

  “Well. It didn’t work but it was worth a try. We will need to consider our next move.” Laszlo was very matter of fact and clearly didn’t want to linger on the failure of the night before. “I don’t think there is any need to worry about anything today Amy. Perhaps it would be best if you and Martay tried to relax. Have a day to yourselves.”

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Eva stood perfectly still on a thickset branch that sprouted about halfway up the tree. A breeze was stirring the leaves around her but did little to disturb her foothold. From the ground she would have looked like an odd shadow and nothing more. She wasn’t wearing black. Black was only worn by fools who thought that the darker their clothes, the more invisible they became at night. Years of fighting in the King’s elite reconnaissance regiment had taught her far more advanced techniques of stealth. When she had been very young she had even been part of the group that served a year with one of the elves. The experience had left an impression which would never, ever leave her. It had shown her just how helpless humans could be and, more importantly, that if you enjoyed a position of power over the lives of others, you had to exercise careful judgement.

  It had been an unexpected lesson while she and her team has been training with the elf. One day he had commanded the team to kill a tethered deer. Eva remembered that harrowing event as if it had happened seconds ago. Only one member of the team had fired a shot on the command without hesitation. The deer had been tied to a post a mere twenty meters away from them. The task had been laughable. After all, they had been chosen because they were exceptional marksmen.

  When the Elf had commanded, ‘kill the deer’, they had all stared at each other in disbelief. What was the point? They had all trained on traditional targets with the elf over much greater distances. Stefan on the other hand had shrugged at the looks, drawn an arrow and fired a nearly silent shot, straight and true towards the deer’s heart. The deer had not flinched at all. It had stood as calmly and innocently as an infant.

  To their amazement, the arrow had dissipated into water a meter before the deer, showering it in a light mist but leaving it totally unharmed. The deer flicked one of its ears to shake some water off. The elf had gazed at them solemnly.

  “Have any of you seen me eat meat?” he had asked. They all shook their heads. “Would the shot have been a difficult one? Something you could have learned from?” They shook their heads again even more slowly. They hadn’t known where the conversation was going and they had just witnessed magic for the first time, which terrified them. Sorcerers were shunned and feared in the Kingdom. They were usually executed but only after they killed a lot of the people trying to detain them. The elf had moved and the team had flinched but all he had done was clasp his hands behind his back.

  “If you learn nothing else during your time here, learn this.” He had said. “Whatever your superiors might try to tell you, the motives behind their orders are important and they are most definitely your business. If you have power, then nothing excuses you from abusing that power. Especially not orders.”

  The air had seemed icy and still in the silence that followed. Eventually Stefan spoke up.

  “I am sorry sir.”

  “If you truly mean that then learn and do not forget.”

  Eva had certainly never forgotten.

  She peered through the leaves thinking about the information she had gathered. The command had come from one of the Duke’s personal advisers, bearing the Duke’s genuine seal, and she believed the Duke to be a good man. The messenger had elaborated somewhat, explaining that the man to be assassinated was a known traitor who had been feeding information to the stealthy forces raiding the Southernlands. Eva had heard about the mysterious raids. An insider passing on information seemed plausible and if it was some kind of noble then it would make sense for the Duke to want to keep this quiet. A nobleman turning traitor would cause serious unrest if the people got wind of it.

  The clatter of hooves on the cobble road wafted on the air bringing early warning of the target’s arrival. It was a still night. Eva still had plenty of time but was sure to detach her bow from the bracket on her back and nock an arrow. Then she watched and waited.

  What she eventually saw stunned her. As the head rider of a small group passed through a shaft of moonlight she recognized him. “Surely not,” Eva thought. Why would any sane man in the Kingdom believe that Samuka was a traitor? Could the clerk have been right? Could Samuka really be aiding the raids in the south? His own lands? She saw a disturbing kind of logic to it. The man in control of the defenses had the best ability to help an enemy get around them if necessary. Surely he wouldn’t though. Samuka had received the same training as Eva with the elves. In fact, he had been the team’s captain.

  Eva was running out of time. She hesitated another second, then decided to follow her instincts. She leapt down from the branch, landing with cat like grace, and started to wave down the riders who were now quite close.

  The horses whinnied and champed at their bits as they were suddenly reigned in. There were seven of them altogether and Eva was wise enough to return her arrow to its quiver before they got the wrong impression.

  “Samuka! It’s Eva. What brings you to the North and causes you to ride this road so late at night?”

  “Eva? Is it really you?”

  Eva removed her hood so that her face could be seen in the pale moonlight.

  “My dear lady!”

  Samuka swiftly dismounted and embraced Eva in a brotherly way.

  “What on earth are you doing out here alone? I did not think the rangers had been in active service for some three years now?”

  “You would be right friend but listen, can we speak privately for a moment? This is extremely urgent.”

  Samuka nodded meaningfully to his followers and then started to walk a little further up the road with Eva.

  “You did not tell me why you were here Samuka? You are a man of the south.”

  “Politics my old friend and I am sorry to say it has not been good politics.” He began to explain the recent events to Eva.

  Behind them the lieutenant shifted uneasily in his saddle. He was no stranger to bizarre orders from the Duke. Not lately at least. His last order had been positively inexplicable. Guard Samuka as far as the midlands then return home. If anything were to happen to Samuka in that time, leave him, return and report directly to the clerk who had passed him the written order.

  As the lieutenant watched the dwindling backs of Sam
uka and the stranger he suddenly felt this was a very bad place to be.

  “Samuka we do not have much time. Tell me, do you remember the day with the deer in our training?”

  Samuka’s face blanched. Of course he remembered. Lately more than ever.

  “What of it?” he replied stiffly.

  “It is the only reason you are alive. I was sent to kill a man who had been colluding with enemies in the south. The order was sealed by the Duke!”

  “Who gave you the order?”

  “A castle clerk. I know a few but I didn’t recognize this one. Samuka, you must get to safety. If the Duke has really signed your death warrant… Are the riders with you your own?”

  “No, they…”

  Samuka and Eva spun around. The night air was shattered by hooves once again pounding the cobbles as the horsemen departed swiftly.

  “What do you make of that?” Samuka asked.

  “Nothing good. I imagine they could have been under orders to leave you stranded once I caught you… no witnesses that way of course.”

  Samuka frowned. “That seems disturbingly plausible. Though it may work in our favour. No witnesses to my death also means no witnesses to my survival.”

  “If the Duke and his clerks were smart they would have planned a way to confirm your death without my own word.”

  “I am not so sure. The Duke has been very arrogant lately. He may have overlooked that if he has forgotten we know each other from long ago. Which, clearly, he must have. Who would be foolish enough to send an old friend to kill me.”

  “Nevertheless, the troops will undoubtedly recount our meeting and that will cause suspicion. Perhaps I should hurry back and lie that you are dead. It could buy a little time of confusion in which you could get away safely.”

  “Except that I will not hide before first warning my people that the Duke will not send them aid. They must move! It is obvious I cannot stay to help them now and I was of little use to begin with.”

  “I have no objection but there is something you are not saying. Spit it out!”

  “If I show myself so soon, the Duke will realise that you lied before you have time to get to safety yourself. Lying about my death will make you a traitor.”

  “A risk I would gladly take.”

  “No. I will not burden you like that. If we leave now we should have, say, two days head start? Unless they have another ranger willing to track us we will make it safely to the Southernlands.”

  “Won’t running together make people believe that the Duke was right, and that us fleeing is a sign of our guilt?”

  “All the more reason to speak to my people before we leave the Kingdom.”

  “And where shall we go?”

  “To the elves. Something very dark is going here. If anyone can help us, it is the elves.”

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Chapter 6

  Amy lay gazing up at the sky, turning her head now and then to see how Martay's painting was coming along. It was a beautifully clear day but Martay's painting was dark and cold. He was painting pre-storm clouds above a dim looking village.

  The leaves were occasionally stirred by a breeze and with the sun on her face Amy felt immensely comfortable. She was watching Martay's delicate hand strokes, back and forth in a hypnotizing rhythm. She didn’t mean to but she actually drifted off to sleep. Martay let her be. She looked exceptionally worn out but peaceful where she lay.

  She was by far the most beautiful girl he had ever met in his life. She was one of a kind, he thought, and not just because of her crazy ability to create things from her dreams. That didn’t change the way he felt about her. She had always been special to him.

  She twitched slightly in her sleep. Martay didn’t think much of it until it happened again, and again shortly after. Her face, previously calm and peaceful was now lined with concern. She was clearly having a bad dream. In the distance Martay heard the growl of thunder. That was strange. The day had been perfectly clear all morning. Scanning the sky all around them revealed a build up of black, menacing clouds on the horizon that definitely hadn’t been there an hour ago. They were moving fast too! Exceptionally fast!

  Martay hastily packed up his painting gear and knelt down next to Amy. He was looking anxiously at the sky as he shook her awake. She looked up and immediately noticed his worried expression.

  “Is everything ok?” she asked.

  “Amy, there’s a massive storm coming, the clouds…”

  He stopped short. The sky was perfectly clear, shining in rich sapphire blue. He dropped into Hungarian momentarily but Amy spoke enough to understand the words, “What the hell?” Martay seemed very put out.

  “Are you alright?”

  She had gotten to her feet and brushed away the loose leaves which had stuck to her clothes.

  “Amy, what were you dreaming about?” Martay's mind ran straight to the explanation standing in front of him.

  “What? Nothing in particular I guess. I was hiking somewhere. It was clear at first but then the sky started to go dark. It was just rain clouds sweeping over like a blanket. Why? What happened?”

  “I don’t know exactly,” came his reply, “but the sky was full with black clouds until you woke up, then they were just gone!”

  They stood facing each other for a while before they both started to grin. Just because they knew that Amy could dreamwalk didn’t make it any less exciting when it happened. They decided to head home. Amy in particular was keen to tell her parents about what had happened, more out of a strange sense of pride than anything else. The walk gave Martay time to think however.

  “It’s a bit strange though isn’t it? Before when you created things they were... what is the word… permanent! This time the clouds just disappeared.”

  “Yeah, I guess, but it was just clouds. Clouds dissipate naturally. Maybe it was just accelerated because you woke me up or something.”

  Martay wasn’t so sure. Clouds never dispersed that quickly.

  When they got into the house Amy interrupted her parents to tell them what had happened. The story caused her Mother to raise an eyebrow, which had a profound effect on her expression.

  “Martay,” she asked, “when you noticed the clouds building, did you feel any increase in the wind? Did the air feel colder at all?”

  Martay had to think for a while before answering. “Ahhhmm, no. All that I remember changing was the clouds.”

  Now Laszlo looked up at Amriel in surprise. She smiled at him weakly before turning back to Martay.

  “Cross dream empathy.” She said smoothly. “Dreamwalkers can broadcast their dreams and those broadcasts can be picked up by other minds that are open, or share some kind of connection with the broadcaster. I Imagine, Martay, you do a little daydreaming yourself? Yes? What you saw was in fact your mind converting the information from Amy into a format that you could comprehend.”

  “I…I…really?”

  Martay was taken aback. He tried not to express the sudden pang of excitement at the thought that he and Amy were somehow linked. It probably wasn’t even anything special, he thought to himself, but nevertheless his cheeks were turning red.

  “It was never an overly common occurrence but it can happen. Amy, how did the dream make you feel?”

  Amy had to think about this for a moment. It was exactly the sort of question her parents asked. It seemed completely out of context and yet when you tried to answer, you realised that you did in fact have something worth saying.

  “I guess I felt… scared? I mean in the dream I was out hiking and a massive storm hitting can be pretty dangerous.”

  Her parents nodded in agreement but didn’t seem overly concerned about this.

  “Did you feel anything else unusual?”

  “Well, it doesn’t make much sense but I guess I was getting that strange feeling like someone was watching me. Not a very strong feeling though, and that kind of thing is pretty normal in dreams I guess.”

  Laszlo’s eyebrows raised eve
r so slightly for a second before his face was clear again.

  “Yes, dreams can be very unpredictable. It is as you say, not an unusual feeling for the circumstances. Probably it is nothing to worry about in itself. The act of broadcasting your dreams however, this should ideally be brought under control, along with your ability to create. You should be able to avoid attracting attention when needed. The arbiters would ultimately teach you this but I would like you to get started straight away. Snipping, do you think you could help Amy with this?”

  “Yeah but I’ll only agree to trainin’ ‘er if she agrees to learn ‘ow dream zones are opened and closed properly. If she makes me fall ten thousand feet out o’ the sky again, help might start to mean getting a really good kicking.”

  Everyone laughed openly. Snipping on the other hand was still looking deadly serious and he let out a displeased grunt in response to their laughter. Nevertheless, it was settled. Snipping would start to give her some training.

  Amy worried that learning this new technique would be difficult. She had struggled to create things at will and still couldn’t do so consistently. However, over the next few days she surprised both herself and Snipping with her progress.

  She and Martay still had to attend school even though Amy thought it was a pointless distraction, but when she got home, she and Snipping practiced mind exercises. She had to hold images in her mind without getting distracted whilst Snipping tried to break her concentration. By the end of the week she had let Snipping into her dreams intentionally three times. Snipping didn’t let her slack off. Thanks to her success he wanted to try and push her boundaries even further.

  Finding time to do this was a problem. Amy had argued with her parents about why she still needed to attend school but they had been adamant. She struggled to understand why. If she could really create anything she wanted with a little training, what was the point of her school subjects? This argument had gone down very poorly with Amy’s parents, who had retaliated with an onslaught of lectures about the importance of understanding how the world around her functioned and what rules bound it together.