Shattered Dreams

by Shirley Wilkinson

  She pointed to the bag next to the door with a smile. He picked it up and held out his arm. “Let’s go then.” She turned to grab her coat before she took his arm, but he stopped her before she put it on. “You won’t need that.”

  She gave him a confused look but didn’t contradict him. She was sure he knew what he was doing. “All right. Lead the way then.”

  She was surprised to see Angelo waiting with Lee and Jacob but didn’t get the chance to ask about it before Galdren handed her bag to Lee and turned to Randy. “Is everything ready?”

  “Yes, sir. Your things are already there waiting for us.” Galdren gave him a nod before taking Avila’s hand and putting it on his arm.

  When they started off, both Lee and Angelo followed. This fact confused her for a moment, and then she realized Galdren had picked the two of them to accompany them as her own personal guards. She couldn’t help her smile at his thoughtfulness.

  When they arrived, Avila wasn’t sure what to think of the unremarkable building. It was tiny and paled in comparison to the public facility in Arinel. That one was a large, bustling part of the central travel hub in the city. Not everyone could travel via teleport, partially due to a lack of destination locations, but the cost was a daunting factor as well. Even so, it was a growing part of intraplanetary travel.

  When they entered, she was surprised that all the room contained was a large, raised platform with a pedestal off to the side. She had expected something a little different. There was only one person waiting for them, and he bowed when they entered. “Your Highness. Everything is programmed for your trip. Your things are already waiting for you on the platform. I will be happy to transport you as soon as you give me the signal.”

  Galdren gave him a nod before turning to gesture for the rest of the group to get on the platform. Several bags were waiting on the platform already, and Galdren turned back to the telepad operator once everyone was up. “You may begin.”

  Avila didn’t get a chance to think of anything else before she felt a tingling wash across her skin. It was sudden and unexpected, but the surprised cry didn’t even make it out of her lips before the room around her suddenly changed. She realized she was grasping tightly to Galdren’s arm when he chuckled at her. “I apologize. I should have warned you about how it would feel. I forgot that you have never traveled that way before.”

  She only gave him a shaky nod. She was afraid if she tried to speak, she might get sick. After she stepped off the platform, she took a better look around. There weren’t windows, but there was a skylight in the ceiling far above them. The room was much larger than the one they had just left, and a woman was standing a short distance away, bowing to Galdren.

  Avila hadn’t noticed that the rest of the group already had their things and was waiting by the exit while she looked around. When she realized they were waiting on her, she gave Galdren a sheepish smile. “I apologize for being so distracted.”

  He shook his head at her. “Don’t apologize. You shouldn’t forget that this trip is for you. Although I know you wanted to come to try to see into your past, that doesn’t mean I expect you to not look around. The spaceport is a wonderful place to visit, and I expect you will enjoy it.”

  She gave him one of her particularly bright smiles before following him out. Once they were outside, Avila couldn’t help but stop. The heat was instant and suffocating. She had known it would be summer here, but knowing it and experiencing it were two different things. She was instantly glad that the queen had convinced her to wear a dress.

  She was pulled from her thoughts when Galdren took her hand and once more put it on his arm. “I don’t want to get separated. We have transports waiting for us, but they are on the other side of the facility.”

  She nodded her understanding. She couldn’t help but wonder if he realized that his proximity to her in such a way might give strangers the wrong impression. Especially since they were headed into a busy port. Any worries she had about it were quickly forgotten when they stepped out of the private telepad’s enclosure.

  Avila felt like she was trying to look in several different directions at the same time. The sight of the massive spaceships in the distance was awe-inspiring, and the crowd was just as interesting. Although the exit from the private telepad led them into a hall that allowed them to circumvent the public portions of the spaceport, the large windows provided a clear view down into the crowd of people coming and going. When Avila caught sight of a flash of blue, she slowed to get a better look. She stopped completely when she saw a group of people whose iridescent skin flashed shades of blue and green when they moved.

  She remembered learning the basics of the Allied planets, but there had not been a lot of emphasis on anything other than the fact that all known races were humanoid. Still, only a couple of planets had races similar to those who lived on Aril. Avila was awed at the variety that life created under different circumstances. She was also relieved to note that she wasn’t as odd as she had been made to feel her whole life.

  She realized Galdren had stopped when she did, as her hand was still on his arm. She gave him a sheepish grin as she started walking again. “I apologize for that. There is just so much to see. Are you sure two days is enough time?”

  There was a teasing note in her voice, but Galdren seemed to realize she was only partially joking. He pulled her to a halt as he gestured around them. “Avila, do not feel rushed. We have nowhere to be. If you see something that you want to check out, let me know. That is why we are here. If we can not see it all in two days, then we will see more the next time we come. This is only the beginning.”

  Avila felt herself relax under his earnest gaze, even though she felt a familiar warmth warring for attention. She could tell that he meant every word of that, and it reassured her to know that no matter the circumstances, he was still her friend. He still cared.

  Still, it wouldn’t do either of them any good for her to start acting like a fool in public. Instead, she managed a nod. “Thank you. I’m sure there will be lots to see.” Galdren gave her a smile that made her need to look away. He was already too close. When she thought about that in conjunction with the windows, she wondered again at what he was thinking, but it didn’t take her long to notice that the glass was one-way. That was a relief.

  They continued walking, and eventually stopped at a waiting extended hovercar. Even though the vehicle had come from a reliable source, it still took the four guards nearly an hour to go over it thoroughly to ensure the occupants’ safety.

  While they worked, Galdren took Avila to the side and pointed out some of the things they might see while in Blathane, the community they were scheduled to visit. It was a strange feeling for her. Some of the things he mentioned went straight over her head, but others felt oddly familiar. Even some of the customs or items she didn’t recognize by name initially, she felt drawn to when he showed her pictures. It was both frightening and exhilarating to know that at least a small part of her past was in reach, even if she couldn’t remember it directly.

  By the time the hovercar was deemed safe, Avila was so excited that she could barely sit still. It would take them another hour and a half to get out of the city and to their destination. She could hardly wait. To try and keep herself occupied, she stared out the window.

  When Avila heard Galdren chuckle, she looked back with a frown. He immediately shook his head as he said, “Please don’t stop on my account. I just realized how refreshing it is to see you enjoy the sights. I have been here often enough that I sometimes forget to notice all the wonders. It’s pleasant being reminded of them again.” Avila wasn’t sure how she felt about that sentiment, but there was too much to see to let it worry her for long.

  When they arrived in Blathane, the first thing they did was head to the hotel where they would be staying. It was a small enough community that there were few choices. When they walked in, Avila was taken aback to
see people standing at attention in castle livery. There were more than just a few, too. She looked over to Galdren to ask what that was about, but he preempted her.

  “They arrived yesterday to secure the location. They will remain until after we leave.”

  Avila was once again reminded of how different this life was than anything she had ever known. It was nearly stifling. Thankfully, the feeling did not last long. Randy dealt with the arrangements, and they were all up to the suite of rooms in short order. She was thrilled when they walked in to deposit their things. The room was tiny compared to her suite back at the palace, but it was cozy.

  The sitting room had a desk and several chairs. She was pleased to see there were two sleeping rooms, which were both connected to the bath. That also had everything she had gotten used to recently, though again, on a smaller scale. She had to repress a chuckle at how her perceptions had changed. Less than a year ago, she would have thought the rooms were the most opulent thing she had ever laid eyes on. A little part of her mind wondered how she would feel if she were forced to go back to her old life and home, and realized she would be disappointed. It was funny how things changed when she wasn’t paying attention.

  The group hardly did more than drop their stuff off. Galdren asked Avila if she wanted to freshen up, but she was too excited to see what was out there. She didn’t bother to do more than splash some water on her face to help cool her off before they were off again. Galdren had barely been able to slow her down enough to remind her to be mindful of the heat. Her only response was to grin before she dashed down the stairs. The rest of the group was hard-pressed to follow in a dignified manner. At least she remembered that people were watching when they made it to the foyer and slowed as well.

  Instead of taking the vehicle again, the group opted to walk. The streets were crowded, but not as much as they would have been in Arinel. Plus, most people moved out of the way before anyone had to say something. Avila cringed internally at the fact that there was no way she would be able to experience the city to its fullest—not when there were four hulking guards with weapons nearby and even more following at a distance. She was shocked that the streets hadn’t cleared out completely at their arrival.

  At least Galdren was doing his best to keep her preoccupied. He kept pointing things out as they walked, and it wasn’t long until she forgot the limitations of the trip. As she looked around, the confirmation that she was not alone in the universe was both thrilling and overwhelming. When she caught snippets of speech, the accents and even the occasional foreign word made her smile brighten. The accents were much like the one she had when she first arrived on Aril. Hers was all but gone now, but hearing it from others was like music to her ears. It was just confirmation that the people around her really were from the same planet—from Talamh.

  After the group of six had been wandering for well over two hours, they made their way to a section of the town where there were many businesses. Avila wasn’t interested in shopping, but it was fascinating to see the different specialty shops. Some of the things, especially the food items, she had never seen before, though others did tug at her forgotten memories.

  While they were looking over a line of wrapped baked goods, the shop owner came out to greet them but froze when he caught sight of Avila. The man’s eyes widened, and he stood there with his mouth open. That lasted for several seconds before too many things happened all at once.

  The shop owner fell to his knees and reached out to Avila. Immediately, Galdren pulled her back and pushed her toward Angelo, who was next to her with his gun up as soon as she was secured. Both Randy and Baxter did the same for Galdren. They all froze like that when the man finally started to speak.

  He had ignored the rest of the group’s actions; his eyes never left Avila. He was still holding his hands out, but he did not try to grab her. Instead, it looked as though he were entreating her. His voice was broken as he said, “Your Majesty, you are alive! Our hope, our light, it has survived. We thought you dead with the king.”

  Avila was stunned by the whole ordeal. Everything had happened so quickly that she wasn’t sure how to react. At a loss, she gestured for the man to get to his feet. “Please, get up.” He was older, and seeing him down on his knees made her cringe. She tried not to think about his words.

  The man started crying when she spoke to him. The guards, clearly figuring the man didn’t seem to want to attack, relaxed their stances but stayed alert. Baxter and Lee moved to help the man back into his shop, but before they could, a young woman came rushing out of the store and helped the man to his feet.

  The girl bowed to the gathered people and gave Galdren a scared look. “Please forgive us, Your Highness. My grandfather meant no harm, I promise.” Her eyes shot to Avila when the man continued to talk about the light returning. They widened for a fraction of a second before she lowered them and said, “I am sure there has been some misunderstanding. The past has been hard for him to let go of. Please do not take offense.”

  Galdren finally stepped forward and waved off the girl’s concern with a smile. “No harm has been done. Though, it might be best to have him rest for a moment. Too much excitement could be detrimental.”

  The girl gave him another quick bow before she looked around at the rest of the group. It was clear that she understood his meaning well enough. They didn’t want to cause a scene, and to prevent more drastic measures being taken, it would be best to get the man off the street. The girl’s eyes lingered with curiosity on Avila for a few seconds longer than the rest, but she tore her gaze away and bowed one last time. She then pulled on her grandfather’s arm. “Come in and let me make you some ciuin buaidh.”

  The old man resisted for a moment, but he finally noticed the five tense men as well. Fear passed through his eyes before they settled into resignation. He looked back at Avila once more before he turned to his granddaughter. They could barely hear him as he answered, “Yes, I think that might be good.”

  Once the two were back in the shop, Galdren turned to Avila with concern in his eyes. “Are you all right?”

  She nodded. She was more confused than upset. Plus, there was something roiling inside her that she couldn’t quite place. That man had been addressing her when he said “Your Majesty,” not Galdren. She hadn’t missed the way the girl looked at her either. What had that been about?

  She was pulled from her tumultuous thoughts by Galdren’s hand on her arm. His look was even more concerned than it had been. She managed to push back the unsettling feeling and give him a tight smile. “I’m fine. A little confused, but not harmed.”

  He did not look convinced. “Do we need to return to the hotel?”

  Avila shook off the last of her discomfort and took a step back. She avoided looking around again when she answered. “Not at all. It would be a pointless trip if I don’t get to see anything. Though, I will ask that we head to another street, please.” Galdren’s jaw was tight, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he nodded to the others, and they all fell into formation again, this time with Randy and Angelo out front.

  The next thirty minutes were still so tense that Avila hardly saw anything around her. Instead of looking at the shops and the novel differences, she found herself watching the people. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but she wondered at each glance her way. Were they looking at her because she was with the crown prince, or was it something else? It wasn’t until they stopped for lunch that she finally shook off her worries. No matter what that had been about, she wasn’t going to get answers by fretting.

  The rest of the day was uneventful. Avila was nearly overwhelmed by the amount of culture that surrounded her. So much of it was familiar, even though she couldn’t remember it.

  Galdren had arranged for them to have a special dinner, so they made their way back to the hotel to clean up. Avila had started to flag a little and was uncertain about making it through the dinner. However, h
er excitement and energy returned in spades when they arrived at the restaurant and the host bowed to them before he greeted them in Canain, the native language of Talamh. She was even more pleased to find that she understood him and was able to answer in kind.

  The host’s smile was bright when he stood and looked at Avila, and a moment later, he gestured for everyone to follow. “Your Highness, please follow me. We have a room reserved for you.”

  The meal was just as unique as the rest of the day had been, and Avila was surprised to find that the more she saw, the more it all came back to her. Not any specific memories, unfortunately, but the things that would have been seen every day on Talamh. It almost felt like the return of dear friends after a long absence.

  As the meal wore on, Avila was thrilled to interact with the servers and host. Even the owner of the restaurant came over. She did feel a little awkward when they had realized she could speak Canain fluently and switched to accommodate her, since that left Galdren and the others out. However, when she looked at him with a questioning glance, he shook his head with a smile and made a small gesture for her to continue. She was grateful for the chance, and took full advantage of it. She did try to make sure to translate for him often so he would not be entirely left out of the conversation.

  It was late when they finally made it back to the hotel, and even though Avila was dead on her feet, she still could not shake off her smile. When the restaurant owner had joined them, he was more than happy to tell her things he could remember of Talamh when she explained her lack of memories. She was sure part of it had been the fact that she was with Galdren, but she had a feeling that even if she had not been, the man would have been happy to share.

  She had noted the man’s melancholy, but he did not let it color his retelling. It saddened her to know that her home planet was occupied, which was why they were all on Aril. Still, the few people that had mentioned it to her had not lost hope that they would see their home again someday. It was enough to buoy Avila’s spirits. She wasn’t sure why, but she thought that maybe, it was because she hoped to see it one day too. Even if she couldn’t remember, she had a feeling it would be worth the wait.