by D. J. Holmes
* * *
“What do you mean that our sons are here, Snow Flower?”
“Since the time I left to be with them, I’ve never felt their presence until just a little while ago.”
Daniel states, “A mother can always feel her children. Just a minute, let me ask my staff.”
“I’m concerned though. I can’t feel them anymore.” Looking at Blue Cloud she asks, “How did you know that I was here?”
“I didn’t. I was asked for my help and realized it was you.”
Going to his Security Chief, Daniel asks, “Have we had any disturbances lately?”
“We had two very short glitches coming from the Hall of Corridors. But I didn’t think anything about it because we have that same thing anytime that fish decides to stick its tail through the portal.”
“Do you have any visuals of the Hall of Corridors?”
“Always, Daniel….”
“Rewind it and let’s see if it was the fish or not.”
“OK.”
“Rewind it for fifteen minutes. Then let’s fast forward it until we see something.”
“Great idea, Daniel….”
“Say… It looks like two little boys. Wow! Look at that one ride the fish. He’s good!”
“Thank goodness. There they are. Let’s continue watching them and see what happens. I want to know why their mother can’t feel them now.”
After Daniel watches both boys being pushed through the portals, he asks, “Would you please document what time each one entered their portal. We have to know the precise time, so that we will know where they are in the universe.”
“Yes, sir, I’ll document the time.”
Returning to Snow Flower, Daniel reports, “I know where your boys are. Would you like to see?”
“Yes, of course.”
“All of you… please come with me.”
Following Daniel, to the Security Division, Snow Flower, Evan, Jon and Julia are shown the visual of the boys in the Hall of Corridors.
“Wow, look at my son ride.” Evan expresses with pride. “He’s doing a great job, don’t you think Snow Flower?”
“Yes, Husband, he looks just like you.”
“So… which one is which, Evan. I mean Blue Cloud.”
“The one riding the fish is Gray Wolf.”
The visuals show Running Deer running to help his brother.
“No, Running Deer, stay away from the tail. It will be dangerous,” Evan cautions.
“As always, Running Deer runs to help his brother,” Snow Flower proudly states.
With the silence of the hall and the absence of the two boys Snow Flower asks, “Where are they now, Daniel? I can’t see either of them.”
“Yes, what just happened, Daniel?” Jon asks.
“Running Deer was shoved into a portal across the hall from the fish. Gray Wolf was bucked off and shoved into a portal just down the hall from the fish, on the same side.”
“So, where are they now?” Evan questions.
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. They’re in another dimension and another part of this universe.”
Anxious, Snow Flower asks, “Can we go and get them?”
“If you enter the portal now, you will not enter the same place that your boys entered. You could be hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away from them.”
“If we can’t, can you Daniel?” Snow Flower pleads.
“I can only enter a portal when someone is waiting for me to help them, as I have for Jon and Blue Cloud.”
“Daniel, I came here to get my boys. We know where they have gone. So, how do we get to them?” Snow Flower demands, as any mother would.
“…You and I mean all of you, if you so choose, will be able to enter the portals in a week. By that time, the portals will have repaired themselves from being entered without permission.”
“…A week?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, but if you want to enter the same place that your boys entered, you will have to wait. Blue Cloud, and Snow Flower, what would you like to do?”
“We’ll wait, Daniel.”
For right now, would you like to take a tour of the Hall of Corridors to see where your boys were?” Daniel asks.
“Yes.”
Walking toward the Hall of Corridors, Daniel notices that the doors are slightly ajar. Opening the door and walking down the hall, he notices the water from the fish. “Here is where the fish had its tail stuck through the portal. Do you see the water?”
Daniel continues, “Let’s walk down and make sure what portals they entered. The waves will look quite a bit different on the portals that they entered, than the other portals. Jon, and Julia, will you go across the hall and check the portals on that side? Evan…Blue Cloud, and Snow Flower, will you walk down the hall and check this side?”
Reporting back, Jon says, “Daniel, here is the one that, Running Deer, went through.”
“And here’s the one that, Gray Wolf, entered,” reports Snow Flower.”
“Both of these portals are very interesting eras. I want you to know, that my staff and I will watch your boys visually and make sure that nothing happens to them.” Daniel then cautions them, “But, as soon as you reach them, their safety will be in your hands.”
“Evan,” Jon asks, “Would it be all right if Julia and I helped you and, Snow Flower, find your boys?”
“Jon, I can’t tell you how much that means to me. Yes, I would love to have your help.”
“Jon, and Julia, Blue Cloud, and Snow Flower, would you like to hear my plan?” Daniel asks.
“Yes, Daniel.”
“Jon and Julia, you will go into the portal after Running Deer. Blue Cloud, and Snow Flower, you will go into the portal after Gray Wolf.”
Continuing, Daniel adds, “I will have a training camp ready for all of you to start in the morning. We have a week to prepare. Are you ready?”
“That sounds great Daniel.” Snow Flower looks at everyone else. “Are we all in agreement? Daniel will be our captain and train us. He will show us the way to find and bring home Running Deer, and Gray Wolf.”
“It sounds great, Snow Flower.”
“Daniel, how early do you need us to be ready in the morning?”
“Training will start right after a light breakfast. Your training clothes and gear will be brought to you each morning with a knock on the door, and set outside your room as a wakeup call.”
“Be ready to work hard. You must be ready to protect yourselves and your sons.
“Before you leave for a good night’s sleep, I would like to ask you to concentrate on relaxing, and opening your mind, so that all of the talents that you have had throughout your whole life, will return to you. In this way, the training that you will receive this week, will be ingrained quickly, and your chances to return safely will be increased. Now, good night my friends, morning will come quickly.”
The morning sun begins to enter through their windows.
KNOCK, KNOCK.
“Wake up call.”
“Blue Cloud, is it morning already?”
“Yes, my Wife, look at the window, the sun is shining.” Opening the door, each couple looks at the equipment left by their door.
“Wow! Look at this, swords along with bows and arrows. Do we ever have our work cut out for us?”
“Daniel said that we were to meet in the dining room for breakfast first, right?”
“He said that we would have a light breakfast and then the day would start.”
In the dining room, Blue Cloud and Snow Flower, Jon and Julia, are sitting down at the table.
“Good morning, students. Everything is prepared for the full week’s agenda,” Daniel announces.
“Each day you will have language, culture and cooking classes in the morning and evening. Just after lunch you will have horseback riding, fencing and archery. By the end of the day you will be glad to have a good night’s sleep,” Daniel says with a smile. “It will be a rigorous schedule, but b
y the end of the week, you will be glad for the knowledge that you will have gained. Follow me please.”
Walking out to the beach, everyone is surprised at the training area that has been created.
Evan looks at Julia, “And we thought that the police academy was intense. Look at this place.”
“Oh, my goodness, too bad that we won’t be partners here, you helped me through it Evan.”
“Knowing what I know about Jon, I think that you will get a lot more help with this equipment from him Julia.”
“After reading his notebook you could be right,” Julia responds with a huge smile.
Throughout the beginning of the week, the wake up calls seemed to come earlier and earlier, as everyone drags in from the night before. By the end of the week everyone begins getting up before the wake up call. Their riding skills have become as good as any professional. Their fencing and archery skills have improved to the point that they hit their mark every time. And, by now, they have each learned two new languages, how to cook local delicacies and understand the different cultures.
Snow Flower, excitedly talks to Julia. “Can you believe it? Two more days and we will leave to get my boys?”
“The time has gone by quickly, hasn’t it? Snow Flower, Jon and I have been talking. We’d like to get married before we leave. What do you think?”
“That would be so wonderful, Julia. Have you thought about when you’d like to have your wedding?”
“What about the evening before we leave?”
“…Tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“Great! It would give me something else to think about, and the time will go quicker. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Yes. I would like you and Blue Cloud to stand with me and Jon during the ceremonies.”
“How are we going to get ready in two days?”
“I’ve already talked with, Daniel. He said that he would take care of everything, including our dresses.”
“Isn’t he something, Julia? He can arrange anything in any amount of time.”
As morning dawns, Daniel makes an announcement. “You have progressed so well, that we will only work on our projects for half of the day. In the evening, Jon and Julia will be getting married on the beach, as the sun begins to set. Your attire will be given to each of you right after lunch.”
As soon as lunch is finished, everyone is given their clothing for the evening. Snow Flower looks in the box that has been brought to her. “Julia, look at my dress! It’s gorgeous. Let’s look at yours.”
“I’m scared, Snow Flower. I don’t know if I want to see my dress before it’s time.”
“You have to Julia. How will you know how to do your hair?”
“Ok, ok. How would you describe your dress, Snow Flower?”
“Basically, this is gold elk hide, floor length and slit up the sides. Oooh, Julia, a leather headband with beaded strands and beautiful full feathers. I can’t believe it. It’s so beautiful! You would think that I was the one getting married.”
“Where are the shoes, Snow Flower?”
“I’m thinking, that because the wedding will be on the beach, that we will be barefoot.”
“You’re probably right.”
“Now, come on. Tell me about your dress, Julia.” Looking at Snow Flower, Julia smiles and says “You’re going to have to wait.”
“That’s not fair, Julia! I told you about my dress. Now, tell me about yours.”
“I want to talk to, Daniel first….”
Walking over to Daniel, Julia asks, “Is there a reason that my dress is red?”
“Yes, do you remember in the notebook, that Jon wrote how he would always remember the dress that he first saw you wearing in the Rose Garden, at the Abbey?”
“Yes, I remember now.”
“I felt that his first memory of you, as a young woman needed to be renewed at a better time. This is that time. Jon will be able to let go of his previous experiences, and your lives together now will forever flourish. You see, both of your lives have come full circle. This dress represents that circle, and the courage that sustained you both.
“I understand now, Daniel. Thank you for your insight.”
“Hurry, Julia. You only have three hours until the ceremony begins.”
As the sun begins to set, Snow Flower finally sees Julia in her dress.
“It’s beautiful. The material is so delicate that it sways with every step that you take.”
“Yes, I wasn’t sure at first, but after putting it on I just feel like it’s me. The small puffy shoulders make me feel like a little girl, but the long skinny sleeves going to a point at my middle finger, shows that I am a woman. And look at how the material is gathered in the middle, just below my bodice. That’s what makes the material move.”
“It’s stunning. What are the small white round pieces that are on your dress and crown?”
“They are called pearls. Daniel asked for the pearls to be added to make it look more stylish for this occasion. My crown is a half moon; a type of hat that the French women use to wear. Attached to the half moon, he added silvery white netting which, as you can see, elegantly covers my face and matches the color of the pearls.”
While Julia is telling Snow Flower about the details of her dress, Snow Flower is touching everything to feel the different textures.
“You are a beautiful bride, Julia. Are you ready to go?”
“Let’s look out the window before we go out there, shall we, Snow Flower?”
“Of course, I’ll count to three and then both of us will look through the first window that we see.”
“Ok, start counting”
“One, Two, Three….”
Turning around, both of them are caught off guard. “Julia, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
“Daniel has thought of everything.”
“There’s torches that mark our path and surround the whole area that we will be in. There’s enough fire out there to light the sky.”
“Oh…wow, two white horses and a Red Rose trellis, Snow Flower.”
“And the rose petals… look at all the rose petals.”
“It’s so beautiful that I just want to cry.”
“Don’t you dare cry. You don’t want to greet your new husband with red eyes.”
“Well then, we had better get down there before the tears start coming.”
“Good idea. Follow me.”
Walking toward the trellis of Red Roses where Daniel is standing dressed in white, Snow Flower walks toward Blue Cloud. Julia begins walking toward Jon.
“My Queen, my true love,” Jon says to himself as tears come to his eyes. “We’re together as we always wished we would be. Everything has been worth it, just to experience this moment.”
As Julia walks to his side, Jon comments, “My favorite dress, Julia. How did you ever find it?”
“Daniel found a visual and had one made up that is similar, but he added the pearls. May, I say that you look like a prince today.”
“Yes, you may! It looks like Daniel wanted us to look like we match.”
Turning toward Daniel, they hold hands as he begins:
“May you always look toward the stars and remember who brought you together.”
“May you always make your decisions based only on what is right.”
“May your lives be full of happiness; your house full of laughter.”
AND
“May your hearts always be in tune with one another, forever joined together in an inescapable bond.”
Blue Cloud hands Daniel the rings. Daniel has had white gold single bands made, with images of roses and stars embossed on the outside of each band.
“Now is the time to exchange rings. Jon place this ring on
Julia’s finger…now Julia, place this ring on Jon’s finger.…”
“Jon and Julia, with all the powers that I hold, I pronounce you Husband and Wife! You may now seal your union with a kiss.”
&
nbsp; The kiss of a life time passes between Jon and Julia as their hearts explode in an eternal happiness that completely fills their souls.
White horses are brought to them, and they ride away to a cottage that Daniel has arranged for them to stay in.
In the morning, Blue Cloud and Snow Flower are excited, laughing and running around the outside of the cottage, yelling and banging on drums.
“It’s time… It’s time to go… Get up... It’s time to get our sons.”
Coming out of the cottage, Jon and Julia hand Blue Cloud and Snow Flower swords and Red Rose Rings on a necklace for both of them to wear. In exchange, Blue Cloud and Snow Flower supply Jon and Julia with handmade bows and a quiver each, full of arrows.
Walking to the Hall of Corridors, they meet Daniel who tells them, “One thing that I can say, is that no harm will come to Running Deer and Gray Wolf, until after you find them. I don’t know how long it will take to find them, or where they will be found, but I can promise you that no harm will come to them while you are looking for them.”
Daniel continues, “My Children… remember that each Corridor has a different sense of time. We won’t know if the son you are trying to find will be the same age he is now. Or, if by the time you find him, he will have grown into a man.”
“Here is a bag of essentials that I feel that you will all need. I have also made a bracelet that has special powers for each of you. Do you see the rectangle flat crystal on top of each bracelet?”
“Yes.”
“When you need help or information, tap on the top three times.”
“What will happen when we tap on it three times?” Blue Cloud asks.
“I can only tell you that I will be there for you. Wear it on your left arm, just above your elbow.”
“Thank you, Daniel, for everything that you have taught us. Hopefully we will see you soon.”
Treysen runs down the Hall of Corridors. “Here they are, Daniel. We just finished them.” He hands the lockets to Daniel, who then distributes them to Snow Flower and Blue Cloud, Jon and Julia.
Snow Flower opens her locket first. “Blue Cloud, there is a picture of both Running Deer and Gray Wolf.”
“Yes, I thought that it would make your search easier if you had a picture of them.”
“I can’t tell you how much this means to me…to all of us, Daniel.”
Turning to Jon and Julia, Blue Cloud says, “Yes, these pictures will help a great deal…but there is something that we forgot to tell you that may also help you to find our son. When they were born, they each had a birth mark, the mark of a star, just over their hearts.”
“The pictures, and knowing about the birth mark, will help a great deal….Now the question that I have for you, Daniel, is can we send messages back and forth through these bracelets?”
“That is an excellent question, Jon. The answer is, yes. You can talk to each other through these bracelets.”
“So we can talk to each other, even though we will be in different eras?” Blue Cloud asks.
“Yes, actually we can have a three way conversation. But now it is time for all of you to enter your portals.”
As Daniel walks over to Jon and Julia they say to him, “Good bye, Daniel. Every time we look at the stars, we will think of you.”
“I will do the same, Jon, and Julia. May you come back in due time,” as they enter their portal, it closes behind them.
Walking over to Blue Cloud and Snow Flower, he says, “Good bye, Blue Cloud and Snow Flower. Hopefully, I will see you with your son shortly.”
“We will all see you soon, Daniel,” and they enter their portal. Stepping through the portal, it closes behind them.
“Treysen, do we have a visual on our couples?”
“Yes, sir…. Everything is going well so far.”
“Let me know if anything goes wrong.”
“I will, Daniel.”
Are Jon and Julia able to find Running Deer?
Will Blue Cloud and Snow Flower be able to find their son Gray Wolf?
Read of their adventures in Mysterious Destiny (Bright Lights and Thunder) currently being written.
UPDATE: MYSTERIOUS DESTINY
(BRIGHTS LIGHTS AND THUNDER, PART 1)
Will be released February 2012
This has been revised and will be released early in 2014
Keep up to date on the specific release day of each book in the
Mysterious Destiny series on the following web site:
www.snowflowerpublishing.com
www.mysteriousdestiny.com
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