The Sea of Change

by Tina Engel

  Then the swing below me started to move. It swayed back and forth as if someone was in it. I saw no one, but it moved nevertheless.

  I was dressed in the beautiful light blue gown, and my grandmothers cameo brooch was pinned on my dress, just over my left breast as if it had always been there. I looked down to see my diamond necklace hanging from my neck and reached up to feel the barrette in my hair.

  When I looked down again at the swing, Brett was pushing it, and in the swing was a little girl. She had long, curly hair that was the color of mine, and was wearing a pink dress with small white flowers. They were both laughing and seemed so happy.

  The little girl said to Brett, “Higher daddy, push me higher!” As she laughed.

  Brett pushed her higher and said loudly as he chuckled, “Is this high enough, Katie?”

  “Brett is a Dad and his daughter’s name is Katie?” I said, in a whisper. I felt a pang of jealousy. He’s married and has a child? Who is he married to, I wondered.

  Suddenly, Lily, my new feline friend, jumped from the branch above and leaped into my lap. She startled me, and I lost my balance and almost fell. I looked back down and the swing was empty, no one was there.

  I opened my eyes and I was in the dark. Rose was next to me, sleeping soundly. I heard purring next to me. I rolled over, seeing the cage where Lily was lying quietly, but looking at me intently. I reached down, sticking my finger through the bars of the cage and she licked me sweetly.

  “So Lily, what was that dream all about?” I said softly, not wanting to wake Rose. I looked over at the clock and it was just past midnight. I was wide awake now and felt very anxious and fidgety.

  “Well Lily, I guess I should get up and take a walk outside. I wonder if the stars are still out.”

  I got up and went to the window. The night sky was black, with millions of diamonds sparkling and twinkling everywhere.

  “Yes Lily, I think it’s a good time to go sit on the porch with my own thoughts. Do you want to come too?”

  Lily stood up in her small prison and meowed ever so softly. She too, didn’t want to wake Rose. I opened her cage and she jumped into my arms.

  We went out of the room and I closed the door, but didn’t latch it. I didn’t want the sound of the door closing tightly, to wake Rose. Downstairs we went, and out to the front porch.

  It was very dark out; there was no moon in sight, so the stars were extremely bright. They seemed just feet from the tops of the trees, just out of reach.

  I sat down on the steps so I could be right there under the stars. I could see the shape of the tree that Brett was sleeping in and knew that Eagle was up above, sleeping also. The frogs and crickets were singing their songs, and the fireflies were buzzing around. It was a mild night with just a light breeze that ruffled my hair at times.

  “What an amazing world we live in.” I said, to Lily.

  “Yes, it is Emilee.” Came a voice to my left, and looking up I saw Brett standing not far from the porch steps. “I see I didn’t startle you, were you expecting me?”

  I smiled up at him and realized that I wasn’t startled, and yes, I was hoping he would come to me.

  “I had another dream, and then couldn’t go back to sleep. Lily and I thought it would be nice to sit out under the stars for a while. I guess I was hoping that you would be out here. I was hoping we could talk. I have questions, and am ready to hear the answers if you will give them.”

  Brett came over and sat next to me. He sat rather close, but I liked it. Our arms were touching slightly and his leg leaned against mine. I so loved the gentle vibration that I felt whenever we touched. We didn’t speak for a while, just sat there gazing up at the stars and enjoying the connection that was there between us.

  Lily must have had enough of this, because she jumped off my lap onto the grass, turned to me, and gave me a look of disgust before she curled herself up in a ball and acted like she was asleep. Again, I was sure she wasn’t sleeping, but she was a good little actress.

  At this, Brett moved away from me and turned facing me, leaning himself against the post of the porch.

  “So Emilee, you’re ready for more answers to questions you have? I was wondering when you would get around to it. I couldn’t sleep either, after that dream of yours.”

  I was shocked by his statement and I must have had a look of shock on my face, because Brett smiled a very kind smile and said, “Remember, we are linked. I try to stay out of your thoughts, as much as possible, but sometimes you force it upon me. At least, I think it is you who wants me to see.”

  I sat there not knowing what to say; not knowing if I should be angry or hurt or what? He was in my mind at times, when it should be private. I opened my mouth to speak, but still didn’t know what to say.

  I felt embarrassed then; if he saw the dream, then he saw himself there with a child named Katie and knew I was jealous.

  Lily then got up, turned herself around several times, laid back down on the cool grass and proceeded to clean her tail.

  Looking back at Brett, I said, “You saw the dream?”

  “No Emilee, I was in the dream.” He said, calmly. “So were you in my dream, or was I in yours?”

  Again, I was baffled, but this time not angry or embarrassed, but just confused over what he had just said.

  I said then in a questioning tone, “My dream or yours? I never thought of it that way before. How can we both have the same dreams? Maybe they aren’t dreams, but visions of the future?”

  I asked Brett to describe the Dream that he was in. Did I really want to hear my dream from his mouth? I didn’t know. But he shared the dream that he had and it was identical to mine, only through his eyes.

  He was pushing his daughter, Katie, on the swing and I was up in the tree looking down, with Lily in my lap. He described the sky and the wheat field, my dress and all. He described what Katie looked like. It was my dream, through his eyes. I then described my dream in detail also, but left out the feelings of jealousy.

  So we sat there quiet for a while, looking up at the stars and occasionally at Lily as she fussed over her fur cleaning, and then Brett said, “Maybe we should not try to figure this dream thing out, right now. You have questions and I might have answers, so why don’t we just focus on this for now?” He reached over and touched the back of my hand and I knew he was right.

  “Okay, you’re right” I said. “Do you want the questions one at a time or all at once?”

  Brett chuckled at this and had a sparkle in his eyes. “Give it to me all at once. It will probably be easier to handle that way.”

  So I did. “Well, I want to know more about my supposed father, Proteus. Is he a king, a leader or what? Does he think I am the chosen one or not? I wonder if my Mother Angelina is really water fey, or another kind. Are you bringing me to Proteus, and if so, why did Stephan say he was? I am supposed to trust you and the others, but how do I know?”

  When I was done talking, Lily stood up, walked to the bottom steps, and jumped back into my lap. She turned a few times and then laid down and just purred.

  “Emilee, maybe we should put Lily back inside before I try to answer these questions. It’s going to take a while, and I don’t trust this feline to hear what I have to say.”

  I didn’t like this, and told Brett that Lily could stay and hear whatever he had to say. If she was on the wrong side of this mess, then we would be keeping her as a prisoner and it didn’t matter what she heard or knew.

  Brett didn’t like this but accepted it, and started to answer my questions one at a time.

  “Emilee, to tell you the truth, we don’t know for sure that Proteus is your father. Angelina is your mother; we have credible people who were there when you were born. We do believe that Proteus believes you are the chosen one from the prophecy, and he wants you back in his control.

  “We found out just recently that Angelina and her family have disappeared from the city of Bermuda, and no one knows where they are. “Since she was raise
d in a region off the Gulf of Mexico that is where Proteus is searching for them. Proteus wants you back now more than ever. With Angelina missing and your lineage being questioned, Proteus is desperate for your return to him.

  “He loves you Emilee, and still wants to believe that you are his daughter. He feels he is protecting you by trying to get you back to the ocean.

  “Is he a king? Well, he likes to be called that, but what is a king but a leader or a ruler.

  “I’m working for the council, as I told you before. I was led to believe that I was taking you to Proteus in the beginning. The council wasn’t sure who to trust at first, even me. They were certain I could get to you before Proteus’s fey did, but I was left in the dark for some time as to what this was really all about.

  “I now know that the council believes Proteus is the one who started this revolt against the humans. If you are the one that the prophecy talks of, then he wants you with him before you reach your full fey potential, so he can guide your transformation from human to fey, in a way that he hopes will turn you against the humans. Then you will agree to help him destroy all of human kind.

  “This information about Proteus is still kept secret from most. The council doesn’t want more turmoil in the fey world than is already happening. Proteus doesn’t realize what the council suspects at this time, and we need to keep it that way. Not even Kimberlite, Eagle, Rose, Sara or John knows this. It is still speculation, about Proteus, and we don’t need rumors spreading.”

  As Brett spoke of Proteus and the darkness that seemed to be unfolding, around him, I wondered, could he be the dark one. And if he was, and if he indeed turn out to be my father, was I to be a dark fey too. I tried to shake these thoughts and continued to listen to what Brett was saying. I realized then, he wasn’t talking anymore, but looking at me in a strange way.

  Brett said then, in a matter of fact voice, “No, Emilee, you are not a dark fey. Even if Proteus was the dark one, and we don’t know if he is or isn’t, and if he is your father, that wouldn’t make you evil.”

  I watched Brett’s face intensely, as he said this, wondering if he believed what he was saying or just trying to convince not only me, but himself.

  Brett took my hand in his, and with a look of genuine determination, said, “Princess, stop these silly thoughts. If Proteus is or isn’t the dark one, we will face it together, but no one is saying he is the dark one, only that we fear he might agree with the dark ones view, of humans.

  I shut my eyes then, and in thought only, said, “Can’t stay out of my head, even for a little while?” and then opened my eyes and smiled, a meek smile, but a smile. I said then aloud, for him to hear, “These are fears I have, the more I learn about this fey that might be my father, but I will try to not dwell on them, for the time being. Would you please continue, but let me be alone in my thoughts, now and then.” This time I gave him a bit of a sassy smirk even though I was still feeling unnerved by what he was saying.

  Brett, still holding my hand, continued, “I had been watching you from a distance, for almost a year, before I allowed you to see me. As I told you before, the council wanted me to find a way to force your fey being to transform quickly, but I couldn’t do that. I didn’t want to take a chance on you not being able to handle the stress. The consequences were too final if it turned out badly. You needed time to grow into your fey self and learn about your powers on your own terms.

  “My friends believe that you are the chosen one, and trusted that my way was honorable, and that is why they chose to help me, going against the council, only, when there was no other way.

  “The gifts you were given were not approved by the council and they were dismayed, in the beginning, wondering who gave permission. It was Douglas who approved of these gifts, and when the council saw the positive result that these gifts produced, Douglas shared with them, his reasons for wanting you to have them. How he knew what gifts you would receive and why, I don’t know.

  “The gift Ana gave had to be approved by the council of fresh water fey, however. They are a small and secretive group, but very powerful and not to be trifled with. That gift is special and very few have ever received it.

  “There are many families of fey all over this planet, but there are two types within each family; light and dark fey. Just as in the human world, you have light and dark humans.

  “I am not talking the color of their skin; I am talking the essence within. Again it’s all about balance. You can’t have good without bad, happy without sad, positive without negative or saintly without evil. The light fey are those who truly want what is the best for all life. The dark fey have only selfish reasons, for what they do. Without balance it would all just crumble and turn to dust.

  “There is the ONE out there; the ONE who started this all. We are all children really, just of different ages and all still trying to understand each other. I am good Emilee, and so are Kimberlite, Eagle, Ana, Douglas, John, Sara and the Troll family.

  “Are there dark fey in their families? Yes, of course, but we are good and want what is best for all fey and humans. The dark fey really believe that without human existence this planet would be a better place. That’s not what we believe. We believe that without humans, the planet would eat itself up and die. Humans are the balance that the fey world needed. You are the one who can save us all, if you are truly the chosen one.”

  Brett paused for a moment and then said, “Do you want to ask me something?” With a look of curiosity on his face.

  I knew he wasn’t eavesdropping, in my thoughts, but was curious about what I was thinking.

  I wasn’t sure what I was thinking, so I said, “No, I’m handling this fine, so far. Please continue.”

  A look of dread, crept into his expression, and he continued, “Stephan is a dark fey. He was my brother a long time ago, but this fey is not my brother anymore. My brother died long ago. Maybe it was when his father died, or when I was born and he felt slighted. I don’t know, but I have no allegiance to this fey and will protect you from him to the death. I failed once at keeping you safe from him and I will never forgive myself. I promise it will not happen again.”

  As Brett said this last statement, he put his hand to my cheek and brushed a tear away. I didn’t realize I was crying. Our eyes locked and I could see the honesty and truth in his eyes. I could see the love. He might not have been able to say it yet, but it was there.

  “Emilee” Brett said then, “I don’t know what you are or who you are, or what role you actually have to play in all of this. I do know however that you are very good and pure and selfless, and whatever role you do play will be very important, to all life, on this planet and maybe beyond. I will keep you safe with everything that’s in me. You are not just important to this mission, but also to me personally.”

  At that Lily stood up, jumped off my lap and into the grass below. It broke the gaze in which we were locked as Brett was saying this. We both looked down at Lily as she started to transform. She was becoming her fey self.

  So there she was, finally letting me see her true form. She smiled at us both, curtsied, and said very nonchalantly, “Truth or Fiction? You decide. I will be with you every step of the way.” She smiled a smug little smile and turned back into her cat form, once more.

  Lily then jumped over the banister of the porch and walked to the door, meowing to be let back inside. Brett and I looked at each other, with more curiosity than shock on our faces, and stood.

  “Well Emilee, it appears that this cat thinks she knows things that we don’t. Since she has heard all that I told you and things that most should not be privy to, maybe it is a good idea to keep her around.” Brett said.

  I looked at him with an expression of determination on my face, and said, “I know!”

  As Brett said good night, he reached up and brushed his fingers against my cheek. The tingling sensation that I felt at his touch reminded me of our connection and I hated to be apart, even for the night.

  I lo
oked up into his eyes and knew he felt the same. Brett broke the gaze first and turned to walk away. I picked up Lily and went inside the house.

  Brett stopped, turned, and reminded me to lock Lily in her cage for the night. Now that she had heard about the council’s knowledge of Proteus, we didn’t want her to share it with anyone. I wanted to trust Lily, but this information that I had just received was too sensitive, and I wished now that I had put her inside before Brett shared it with me.

  I went into my room, and as I closed the door and turned towards the bed, there was Rose sitting up looking at me.

  She asked, with a frustrated tone in her voice, “Where were you Princess? Did the cat need to relieve itself?”

  I chuckled a little and told Rose that I couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to wake her. I also shared with her the fact that Brett was outside with me and I was fine. Her expression lightened a bit then, and I went over and put Lily back in her cage.

  I crawled into bed and we both laid down to sleep. I did sleep and had no more dreams that night. Just before I slept though, looking at Lily, I could have sworn that I heard her say, “Good night fair princess.”

  Chapter three

  Mischievous Friends,

  What do you do with them?

  When I woke in the morning, I was alone in my bed. Rose was up and out of the room. I rolled over to see lily just lying there, cleaning herself just as patient as could be.

  “Well good morning Lily.” I said, as she looked up at me and yawned.

  She stood and stretched as much as she could in the prison that she was in. I got up and unlatched the door, let it swing open and out she came.

  Lily jumped up on the bed, and after turning around a few times, she lay down and continued to groom herself. I reached over and stroked her a little before I headed to the bathroom for a shower.

  As I stood under the flow of the water, I could feel my two hearts beating as one. It was a different feel than before. In the days prior, my hearts were beating sporadically and I had issues with dizziness, but this morning I felt stronger. If the spider venom was out of my system and my hearts were finally working in sync, then maybe I could continue to learn how to control my powers.