by Tina Engel
Brett looked at me as if it was going to be my decision, and as I opened my mouth to question this, I heard a voice in my head saying, “Emilee, it’s time to come home.” I looked at every face in the room and they were all looking at me. My mouth was open and they were all waiting for me to speak.
“Did you hear that?” I said. “Did you hear the voice? It was a woman, I’m sure.”
As I looked around the room, they all had confused looks on their faces.
Brett came over to me, and Rose took her arm away from my shoulder and turned to look at me.
“What voice Emilee?” Brett asked.
“Someone said it again, Brett! They said that it was time to come home! Didn’t you all hear it?” I said, in a panicked voice.
Everyone shook their heads as if to say no and I felt immediately sick. I said then, more to myself that to the others, “It’s in my mind. This person is in my mind. But who is she.”
I looked at Brett as he put his hands on my shoulders gently, and he said, “Emilee, we’ll figure this out together. We didn’t hear any voice but we believe you. She is calling you home and we will get you there. Are you sure it was a woman’s voice?”
I thought about it for only a second before I nodded and said, “Yes, I am sure this time. I just assumed it was a man and probably was my father in the beginning, because you were taking me to him.
At first, I understood the words but didn’t really hear them, I felt them. Now I hear them and can’t believe you all didn’t hear it too. But……”
I stopped then as I remembered back to the dreams when I stood on the sandy beach, looking out into the wild ocean and felt the urgency in the air and waters far out in the seas.
“But what, Emilee?” Brett said, and that brought me back to the living room with my friends.
“There were two different presences’ in those dreams, one pulling me towards the oceans deep and the other pulling me somewhere else. But where?” I said in a curious tone. “Are there two different, someone’s, wanting me with them?”
“We will figure this out together Emilee.” Brett said again “but first we must get packed and be on our way.”
Chapter five
Traveling home takes us in many different directions,
On many different roads.
Traveling home takes us through hills and valleys,
Waters and sky.
Traveling home connects us with many different people,
With many different personalities and desires.
Traveling home is life’s adventure.
Take hold of the reins, hold on tight
And let the wind blow through your hair.
Enjoy the ride. It’s worth it!
I was all packed, with my back pack in one hand, and Lily in her cage in the other. I carried them both downstairs, with Rose following. Brett was already downstairs with the others. Sara, John and the kids were packed also, and heading to a safer location for a few weeks. They had talked with their neighbors, who agreed to take care of the farm animals, fields and house while they were away.
Kimberlite and Eagle were both talking quietly in a corner. They seemed to be getting along better, but then Kimberlite plucked a feather from Eagles’ chest and I was afraid all hell would break loose, again. They both laughed and I had to chuckle at this.
They came over to the rest of us and Kimberlite said, “Well it looks like I will be heading to New York State by myself. I’ll communicate to as many fey as I can, and will travel with Queen Anahita if I can catch up with her.”
Kimberlite turned to Eagle, and said, “And you had better keep an eye on these three since I won’t be close enough to help if there is trouble. I still don’t like this boat idea, and will be glad when you are all on dry land.”
He came over to me, took my hand in the fey’s traditional goodbye with hand to forehead, and then grabbed me around the waist and squeezed me in a big bear hug.
He said, as he looked from Brett to Rose with a questioning smile on his face, “Keep these two in line. I think they’re up to something, Princess.”
So he thinks so too, very interesting, I thought.
Kimberlite smacked Brett on the back and reminded him to let me help, and then out the door he went. My diamond started to vibrate loudly; as I picked it up I saw Kimberlite’s face inside.
I heard him say, not in words, but in my mind, “Remember princess, I’m here. Talk to me if you need to. I can guide you at times, but trust your own feelings.”
I smiled at this and Brett asked me what I was smiling at. I told him Kimberlite was sharing something with me, but I didn’t go into detail. He had a secret with Rose so I was going to have a secret with Kimberlite. Okay, I know, childish, but it was fun and harmless.
I went over to the mirror and re-checked my human veil, making sure I looked human. I really liked this look. The longer I was fey, the less I remembered the human, Emilee Stevens. That life now seemed like the dream and this reality was the real one.
So much had happened in just a few months. It was the middle of May now and this all started in the middle of winter with me seeing faces in the trees. Then in March, with spring just around the bend, my life turned upside down. Now this was me but who and what exactly, remained to be seen. Would I be the savior for this planet that we called home, or the destruction of life as we knew it? I sure hoped I was the savior.
Sara came up to me and touched me gently on the middle of my back. She was looking into the mirror also, and smiled saying, “You are a beautiful young woman, Princess Emilee. Don’t doubt yourself. That can cause just enough weakness to get you all into trouble. Have faith in yourself, and in your friends around you. Then, and only then, can you truly succeed.” She kissed me on the cheek and turned, walked to her family, and they headed out the door.
We all left the farmhouse and I felt sad. This was a safe place that felt like home. Sleeping in a real bed with cotton blankets, taking showers in a real bathroom and eating meals at a table with a family; this made me feel normal.
I stood there, looking back at the farm house as we reached the road to the future. Leaving the past is always hard. We know what was there. We learned how to adjust and survive in that time, whether we liked it or not. The future, though, is unknown. It is scary and dark. We may be able to see a little up ahead but there is always a bend in the road, and who or what is around that bend, we don’t know. Trust my instincts and my friends, Sara told me. That’s what I intend to do.
Brett came up next to me and our arms barely touched, but that safe connection was there, always there. He said, “Ready Emilee? It’s time to go. “They’re waiting for us.”
John, Sara and the kids were in the truck; Rose and Lily were already in the back as we turned away from the farm. We walked over; I threw my pack in and crawled up, sitting next to Lily’s cage. Brett sat across from me and our feet touched slightly. We were going to be okay, I felt it, deep within me.
John was going to drop us off at the Lake shore where I was told a boat waited for us. A friend of John’s was going to take us to the other side of Lake Erie. As we drove over the bridge, I could have sworn I saw a large shadow moving just under it. My imagination, or Queen Widow, I didn’t know but didn’t bother to say anything. If it was the Queen, there was really nothing we could do about it. If she was going to follow us, then so be it. We would continue this journey, taking it one step at a time. It was amazing how calm I felt at that moment.
I took my diamond in my hand and it was glowing a light yellow, very calm, and humming almost a tune. I felt at peace and decided I was going to enjoy it for as long as it lasted. I was leaving the past behind and heading towards the future, and I was calm. I just smiled as I thought how the old me, would have been anxious and cranky.
As we arrived at the dock, the skies were getting gloomy looking, with dark clouds coming in. The wind was starting to blow and Lily didn’t seem the least bit happy. We stopped and John helped us get
our stuff out of the truck.
We said our goodbyes and I held Sara longer than I had planned, as we hugged. I just didn’t want to let her go. She seemed to be the normalcy in this crazy life I was living. I released Sara and she kissed me sweetly on the cheek, got in the front of the truck and then they drove away.
I stood there, watching them get smaller and smaller as they headed away from us. “Will I ever see them again?” I asked, as Brett came to stand next to me.
“The future holds many different roads Emilee. I can’t believe they won’t be on one of those roads we take. We are all intertwined somehow. I’m sure we will see them again.” Brett said, as he turned, picked up Lily’s cage, and we all walked down onto the dock and out to where a boat was waiting.
It was a moderately large fishing boat, and as we walked up the steps and got on board, I could see it was full of equipment. I don’t fish, so didn’t really know what it was all for. There were large fishing poles attached to the sides, and nets, big and small. It smelled of fish and sea air. I knew it was a fresh water lake, but it still had a smell of the sea.
There were 5 men that I saw, who were getting the boat ready to sail. As I looked at these men, I knew they were fey of some sort. I could see the shimmer of their glamour. I could almost see through it, and thought they looked very much like Rose in her features. I wondered if they were pixies too.
The owner of the boat came down from what I assumed was the control room and started to talk as I was looking around. His name was Captain Adam Banks and this was his boat. He was tall, with sandy blond hair and intense blue eyes. It seemed that blue eyes were common with these fey. Yes he was a fey too. I could see that his appearance was just a veil like the others on board, but if I was seeing correctly, he resembled Brett rather than Rose. His human veil, though, was very nice looking.
He was rugged looking and you could tell he had worked on the water most of his life. Well, that was the appearance he wanted humans to believe. The captain was extremely tan and muscular, and had a diamond earring in his left ear. But those eyes were what I keep going back to as he looked at me when he talked. His face was kind and his eyes were genuine.
Captain Adam Banks talked about the type of fishing they did, and that we would be trolling as we headed to New York State. It would take us three days to get there.
I asked what trolling meant and he chuckled some, realizing that I was new at this fishing business. We walked over to one of the large fishing poles and he showed me the line that was on it. It had lots of hooks, and he explained that as we moved through the water slowly, the lines would be out and the hooks all would have bait on them to attract the fish.
He then took me over to a hatch in the bottom of the boat. He lifted it up and showed us that it held a tank of sorts, which kept the fish alive and healthy until they got to shore, where they sold the fish at the waterfront in Westfield New York.
I was very intrigued by this way of life and asked if I could watch the men at work, if I promised to stay out of the way. Adam laughed at this and told me I could watch and if I wanted to help, they could always use extra hands. I wasn’t sure I wanted to help, but maybe it would be fun. Adam took us around the side of the boat, which had a narrow walk way that led to a door to the inside. We went down some steps to the cabins where we would be staying. Rose and I would share a cabin and Brett would bunk with the other men. The Captain had his own room, next to ours.
We would eat in the mess hall, as he called it, with the rest of the crew. I found out there were 8 men here. The cook was in the kitchen, or galley was what he called it, and the other man that I hadn’t seen yet was still on shore getting supplies. I wondered if they were fey too and what kind. I would ask Brett about these fey when we were alone. We would be leaving for the open waters as soon as this other man returned.
Adam and Brett left Rose and me alone to settle in, and I let Lily out of her cage. This was going to be very interesting with Lily. How was she going to go to the bathroom in this cat form? I looked at her and asked her this question. She just looked at me as if I was stupid, sat down on a bed and proceeded to clean her tail.
“Well Princess” Rose said, “that is your bed, now that the cat has made herself comfortable on it, and I don’t think you need to worry about that. She will figure it out. She can turn into her fey self if she wishes.” Lily looked at Rose with a couldn’t-care-less attitude and just kept cleaning herself.
I went over to a small window and looked out. The window was at the level of the water. I could see just a few feet away from the boat; a water fey was just under the surface. This water fey was a very interesting looking creature. It was a grey blue color with perfectly round eyes. Its ears were flat against its head. It had two arms like humans, but its fingers were webbed together, similar to my toes. Its upper torso resembled a human, but from the waist down it was all fish. Yes, just like the mermaids in our childhood stories.
I was fairly certain that this water fey was a male. Then another one came into sight. I knew then, that the first was a male. Why, you ask? Well the second one had breasts that only a female would have. (Okay, I am assuming here!) I watched them, as they seem to be staring at me. All of a sudden they realized I could see them, and they swam away as if in fright.
I turned away from the window and asked Rose if I still had my human veil on. She said yes and asked why. I told her what I had just seen out the window. Rose informed me that if I look human, they assumed I couldn’t see them. They were in their dimension, and humans can’t see into that world. They were shocked when they realized I could see them.
“Rose” I said, “I know that the men on board are fey. I can see the shimmer of their glamour.”
Rose just looked at me with a little twinkle of pride in her eyes. She smiled and said, “You can see that?”
“Yes and they look like pixies, I think.”
Rose nodded, “Yes Princess Emilee, they are.”
“Captain Banks, however, isn’t and I wonder if he is the same as Brett. His veil is stronger and I can’t see through it like the others.”
Rose sat down on her bed and said, “Don’t worry about it right now. They are all friends, and here to help you. Talk to Brett later and I’m sure he will fill you in. I am just now learning that those who are helping us are not human.”
“Do you know, Rose, if the cook and the other man still on shore are fey or human?” I asked.
“No, I don’t, but if everyone else we have seen is, then I am assuming they are too. We will find out soon I’m sure.”
I walked over to my bed, or bunk as they call it, and letting go of my veil, I became Princess Emilee again. I scooped up Lily and lay down on the bed. She proceeded to walk on my stomach, turning around several times and kneading me with her front paws, before she settled down to sleep on top of me.
I chuckled as Rose mumbled something under her breath. She was trying to get along with Lily, but I feared we had a ways to go with this relationship. I closed my eyes to rest, but rest was not what I got.
I woke to a loud thump and sat up with a start. I realized that Lily was no longer on top of me. I looked over to Rose’s bunk and she wasn’t there either. I was alone. I turned around, put my feet on the floor, and stood. There was a small bathroom attached to our cabin, so I walked over and knocked on the door. There was no answer. I opened it, finding it empty, I was not surprised. I never have seen Rose enter a bathroom except when she brought me something.
I turned and headed back to my bunk. Looking down at my feet, I noticed that I was barefoot. I hadn’t taken off my shoes before I laid down to rest.
This is very strange, I thought. What do I do now? I should put on my human veil and go out to find Rose and Lily. I don’t think that Lily should be roaming around on her own and why would Rose let her out anyway?
I tried to put my human veil on, but couldn’t. It just wasn’t happening. I went to the door and opened it slowly. I checked to make sure no one was
in the hall. It was empty, so out of the room I went.
Captain Adam’s door was opened a bit. I went over and peeked in. There was no one there either. I stood there, just listening, trying to hear something, anything. I realized that I didn’t hear anything. There was no clinging or clanging of equipment, no engine running, no voices yelling, and no birds. When we got here, the seagulls were going crazy all around us. Now the only sound I heard was the water crashing against the sides of the boat.
I walked over to the stairs that led down to where I presumed the crew slept. That was where Brett was staying. I stood there just listening, hoping to hear a voice, any voice would do. There was nothing. I hurried down the stairs, starting to panic a bit.
The bottom of the boat was split into two long rooms. I peeked in the first one and saw bunks, the other door was closed. I entered the one with the bunks but saw no one. I walked to the middle of the room and looked toward the bunks that were attached to the outside wall of the boat. There were 5 small, round, windows above the bunks. I could see this room was completely under water.
Suddenly a face appeared in the window, staring at me. It was a water fey, and he didn’t look at all happy that I could see him. His face filled the entire window. I saw more movement, and as I looked to the other windows, I saw face in each. My hearts were beating so hard that I swear I could hear them. I turned and ran out of the room and headed back up to the floor my cabin was on.
At the end of the hall was a door that was closed. It had a sign that said galley, and I figured it was the kitchen. I went to the door and opened it slowly, and as quietly as I could. It squeaked, of course, since I really wanted to make no noise. As quiet as it was, any little noise seemed so loud.
I peeked into the galley, and saw that it was empty. I walked through the dining area, into the kitchen. There was no one in there either. Strangely, there were two large pots on the stove, just bubbling away, and fresh baked bread sitting on the counter. I went over, and reaching out to touch it, found it was still warm.