Chapter Seventeen
Guy Talk
While Tatyanna was conversing with Terran, Dimitri decided it was time to give Emmett a dose of reality. Once the fire was going, he walked over to his friend and hit him hard in the gut.
“What the hell was that for?” Emmett wheezed out.
“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Dimitri countered.
“What are you talking about? I was trying to set up camp.”
“That's not what I'm talking about. I saw you brush away Tatyanna's hair earlier. What the hell was that? Do you have feelings for her?”
“No!” he said vehemently.
Dimitri raised an eyebrow in question.
“I don't,” Emmett stated again.
“I don't believe you.”
Emmett glanced in the direction Tatyanna went, thinking for a second. “I don’t know how to explain it.”
“Then try. Because you have a death wish if you try to start something with her.”
“Funny you should say death wish.”
Dimitri gave him a peculiar look. “What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing, forget about it.” Emmett stopped to take a deep breath, and then turned to look in the direction in which Tatyanna had walked. “I've spent my entire life watching out for her. She means everything to me, and...yeah, maybe I do have feelings for her, but I know it can never be. A part of me is in awe of her, and what she can already do, what she has taken on with little faith, and another part of me longs for her in a way I shouldn't.”
“And your death wish comment?” Dimitri asked, sounding angry.
“I don't need to have a death wish, because I know I'm already dead.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“It means Queen Adele came to me, and told me she wanted me to be there for Tatyanna. I was to keep an eye out for her, and my services would no longer be needed after we drop her off with Marek. I can't be in her life permanently.”
“Wait…what? Back up dude. The queen told you that you would die?”
“Yeah. She did. She came to me right before her death, and told me I would die, shortly after meeting up with Marek.”
“You're dying? Since when?” Cale asked, coming into the conversation.
“Who invited you?” Dimitri said angrily.
“What? I just heard Emmett say he was dying. I was curious. So sorry for asking a simple question.”
“For your information, I said I would die, not that I was dying.” Emmett furrowed his eyebrows. “I don’t need to justify what I say to you. Just go and slither back to where you came from.”
“Whatever. I don't need to take this,” Cale said, walking toward a tree away from the other two guys.
Dimitri and Emmett stared at each other. “I don't know what to say,” Dimitri finally managed to get out.
Emmett shrugged. “What's there to say? It's been nice knowing you. Don't replace me with Marek.” Dimitri punched him in the arm. “Ow. What the hell?”
“Stop being so flippant. Don't joke about your death. We will find a way around it.”
“Really? You think it will be that easy? You think I haven't thought about it?”
“Look, just leave. Head back to the bar, and stay there.”
“I'm not running away. I made a promise to the queen. No matter what happens to me, I will not be a coward and turn tail.” Dimitri wasn’t sure what to say, and tried to lean in to give him a hug, but Emmett pushed him off. “What the hell? Don’t be turning into a girl on me. We still have time. This isn’t goodbye.”
“I know it's not. But knowing what I know now, you need to start distancing yourself from Tatyanna. She will be hurt enough when you do die. Don’t make it worse on her.”
Emmett paced away from his friend, running his hands through his shoulderlength hair. “I know, I know. You don't have to tell me. You have to believe me, D, I never meant to fall for her. And you are right. I'll try to distance myself from her.”
“You better, or I will beat some sense into you.”
Emmett smiled weakly, “I'd expect nothing less from you.”
The two gave each other a brief hug, and then went back to setting up camp, as if they had never had the conversation.
Chapter Eighteen
Change of Plans
Left with no other option, Tatyanna walked toward the center of the clearing and met up with Althea, who sat waiting for her. She pet the wolf affectionately for several minutes, without moving. Terran's parting words continued to echo in her mind. I don't trust your friends. Did he mean just her current friends, or the people she would meet? She probed both Emmett and Dimitri, but all she saw was devotion and loyalty from both men. She didn't get a sense of hidden motives from them.
Althea licked her fingers and whined softly. Tatyanna crouched down so she was face-to-face with the animal. “I wish I knew what you were thinking. I wish I could communicate with you.” Althea nudged her hand again and licked it. “What is it, girl? Is it about Emmett?” she asked in a hushed tone, not wanting to get her friend's attention. Althea dipped her head up and down. “Is he trustworthy?” she asked the wolf. The wolf didn't answer her, instead looking her straight in the eye, as if she was a complete idiot. “Okay, okay. I get it.”
Tatyanna glanced over to where Dimitri was sitting, and looked back at Althea who continued to look at her the same way. “Okay, I get it. Stupid thought. I won't dare voice it.” Althea looked to be smiling at her, and Tatyanna laughed. “Then that just leaves Cale.” Althea growled low, and that was enough for Tatyanna to know it was Cale who Terran had been referring to. Truth be told, Tatyanna didn't trust Cale either. There was more about him than he was sharing with anyone.
“Come on, girl. I think it is time we went to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a new day,” she said, walking toward the fire where her bedroll had been already laid out for her. She didn't say anything to Emmett or Dimitri, even though they both gave her a questioning look as to where she had been. She rolled over so her back was to the fire, and was surprised to find Althea coming over to lay with her. She knew without a doubt Althea would always protect her, and with that thought, she was finally able to close her eyes.
Tatyanna woke up when she felt a warm tongue on her cheek. She thought for a second Lilah was playing a trick on her until she heard a low growl and felt another lick on her cheek. She slowly opened her eyes, and saw bright blue eyes impatiently staring at her. Tatyanna smiled, pulling her blanket back over her head.
Althea looked at Tatyanna, and then the blanket, and then at Tatyanna again. When Tatyanna continued to sleep, Althea took a corner of the blanket into her mouth and started to drag the blanket off. Tatyanna groaned and tried to grope for the blanket, but it was too late; Althea had the blanket completely off her and was dragging it to the opposite side of the campsite. Tatyanna huffed in defeat then gave the guys a dirty look when she heard them laughing.
“I was still sleeping,” she said indignantly.
“You were burning daylight, Sleeping Beauty,” Cale called out to her from his spot against the tree he had slept beside.
“Fuck off,” Dimitri said to Cale. “You're one to talk. We woke your sorry ass up a few minutes ago.”
“Screw you,” Cale shot back, flipping the other man off.
“Enough,” Emmett yelled at both. “Grab your things. We need to pack up and head out.”
Dimitri and Emmett made fast work picking up their things, packing, and then putting out the fire, throwing dirt over the ashes. Tatyanna didn't have much to do. She slowly turned around in a circle, scanning the trees for Terran. She knew he was out there, because he said he would be, but more importantly, she could feel his presence. She wished there was a way to convince him to come out into the open, but knew if he was hiding that there was a more important reason than not trusting Cale. Tatyanna wondered what everyone was keeping from her.
She heard a cough behind her and whirled around. A dwarf couple
was walking toward her.
Tatyanna was mesmerized, trying not to stare at them, yet finding herself unable to look away. She had seen people with dwarfism before, but seeing someone carry a weapon, weighing more than he did, surprised her.
The male dwarf had light brown hair, shaved on the sides, and styled in a mohawk that went down his back. He had a scar which came straight down through his left eye and stopped above his cheek bone. The scar added to the menacing expression he wore. He was wearing leather bands on his hands and arms, and had several knives strapped to both legs. On his back, she could see two weapons sticking out above his head.
Tatyanna’s eyes moved over to the woman, who looked the complete opposite as the male. She wore a beautiful, dark blue dress and a matching cape that concealed any weapons. Her hair was as black as a night's sky, and she had it braided and tossed in front of her shoulder. The woman wore a kind expression, and Tatyanna knew they would become good friends. The woman met Tatyanna's eyes, and she smiled, as if she knew she was entranced by their appearance.
“Hello,” the woman said, with a slight lilt to her voice. “I'm Lilly, and this is Medowin.” she said, pointing to her companion.
“It's Medo,” the man said gruffly. “Just Medo. None of this Medowin nonsense, please.”
Emmett chuckled behind her as he walked up to the dwarven couple to slap Medo on his back. “Hey, man. It’s good to see you.”
Medo returned the greeting and smiled. For the first time, Tatyanna could see he was a genuinely good guy, and she felt herself warming up to the man.
“What's the plan? Are we ready to head out?” Medo asked the group.
“Yep, everything is packed up. Does Marek know we are coming?”
“Not yet. Haven't communicated with Marek for a few weeks. He knows you guys went over to her world to retrieve her, but he should be expecting her.”
There was that name again. Marek. Tatyanna had heard it several times now, and still didn't know who he was. Apparently, he was someone important, especially if they were going to go to him. But the thought of seeing Marek didn't sit right with her. It wasn't because she didn't know who he was, or anything like that. More that it felt like she was being pulled in another direction. Her necklace started to burn hot against her skin. The blue stone inside it was glowing. She thought back to what she learned about the necklace, that it contained her family's power and their power was a gift from the water element. She knew then what she had to do.
Everyone started to walk toward the edge of the clearing to leave. Dimitri glanced back at her, and asked, “Are you coming?”
“No,” she said, causing everyone to stop and look at her. “I want to go home.”
Dimitri swore under his breath, and walked closer to her. “Come on. We’ve talked about this. You can't go home. There’s nothing left for you there. We need you here, with us.”
Tatyanna shook her head with a hidden smile. “Not that home. My real home. I want to see where I am from. I want to see where I came from. I want to see where I belong.”
“Are you sure?” Dimitri asked her.
The necklace against her chest grew warm again, and she knew she had her answer. “Yes, I'm sure. I need to go there first. I'm sorry, Dimitri, I know this goes against your best laid plans, and I can't explain it, but I feel like I have to go home. Something is pulling me there, and I need to see it in order to continue with our journey.”
Dimitri contemplated Tatyanna, quiet for several moments as he raged an internal war. Althea cantered over to them and nudged Dimitri's hand. He looked down at her and smiled, before nodding his head. “Okay.” He turned and called out to the others. “A change of plans. We're heading toward Yemaya.”
Cale was the first to respond. “But, that's not part of the plan. We need to stick to—” He was cut off when Dimitri held up his palm.
“Well, nothing so far has gone according to plan. If you want to come with us, you can. If you can't, then fine. We are doing what Tatyanna wants. She wants to go, so we will go, without questioning her.”
Cale tried to say something, but Medo gave him a sharp glare. “You are nobody. You have no right to question the Lady Tatyanna. I will squish you like a bug, if you speak outside your rank again.”
Cale held up both hands in front of him in defeat. “Fine, whatever. You're the ones who keep saying we have to keep to the plan. I'm here for whatever.”
“Your enthusiasm is duly noted,” Medo replied, walking away from the man.
Tatyanna looked to everyone in her makeshift group. In one way or another, she imagined they all stood out like a sore thumb. Her, with her blue hair; Medo, with his mohawk and various scars; Lilly, with her calmness yet deadly aura that surrounded her; Cale, as the human, and Emmett and Dimitri. She still wasn't sure what the future held for her, or how she could help, but she was all in. Now was the time to start acting like a queen, instead of a scared child.
“Good. Since we have all agreed to change our plans, I suggest we head on out. No point in wasting daylight,” she said with authority. Emmett arched his eyebrow at her, while Dimitri smiled in approval at the tone in her voice.
“You heard her, ladies. Let’s go,” Dimitri said, gathering his pack from the ground as well as Tatyanna's, and began walking toward the edge of the forest. Tatyanna found herself in the middle of the group, with Dimitri and Althea taking the lead, the two dwarfs beside her, and Emmett and Cale bringing up the rear.
As they neared the edge of the clearing, Tatyanna couldn't help herself, and looked up into the tall trees, wondering if Terran was watching them. Would he try to follow, or stay behind in the safety of the trees? She wished she could speak to him. After a night’s sleep, she had even more questions than before.
Tatyanna held her breath as they walked through the clearing, expecting to feel the same sick feeling as the first time she traveled by magic. She was surprised she didn't feel sick at all...at least until she was able to fully take in the surroundings, and then, she did.
The earth around her was dead. She was used to seeing the beautiful lushness of the clearing, where everything was alive and vibrant. But now, she stood in the middle of the world where everything was black and gray, where life once stood proudly now drooped toward the ground and had given up. She could still smell a faint trace of a fire, and wondered how long things had been like this. Tatyanna walked toward what was once a willow tree, and felt a stirring in her blood. She reached out to touch the scarred trunk, and magic came to life inside her. Without meaning to, she was able to heal the tree completely and bring it back to the life it once had. It stood out in stark contrast to the other trees around it. She continued touching the tree, and could feel the life coming back inside it, thanking her silently for her attempt to heal it but that it would do no good.
Tatyanna quickly brought her hand back to her side in confusion, wondering what the tree was talking about. She glanced back at her companions, and saw awe in the dwarves’ eyes as well as Cale's, and a look of sadness in both Dimitri and Emmett's. Before she could speak, Tatyanna felt the willow start to die before her eyes. The tree which had, moments before, stood tall and proud, full of life and color, was slowly starting to droop like it had before. The color seeping out of it in teardrops, as the tree cried, and once again thanked her for her attempt.
“What happened?” she asked completely baffled. “I healed it. Why didn't it stay healed?”
“You are a healer,” Emmett said.
“I know! So what happened? What did I do wrong?” Tatyanna looked back to the tree, her heart aching.
“You are a healer of people and animals. But, not nature. That is not your gift. You can heal them all you want, but they won't stay alive, because you are not a part of them. Prince Terran is of the earth. He is the only one who holds the power to heal the earth, and to keep it alive. Your attempt was a worthy one, but no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to keep the tree alive.”
Tatyanna was livid
all of a sudden. “How dare he!” she shouted. “How dare Prince Terran live in hiding, while the world around him is dying. He has the power to bring it to life, so why doesn't he?”
Lilly, soft spoken as always, said, “Prince Terran is dead. He hasn't been seen, or heard from, in over fifteen years. If he was alive, he wouldn't stand for this.”
Before Tatyanna could correct the woman, she saw Emmett shake his head slightly, and she knew he was warning her to keep her mouth shut. More secrets. She constantly felt like she was being left out of everything. How could she even think she could help, when no one ever told her anything?
She looked at the now dead willow tree one last time, and sighed. “Alright. We're not doing any good just standing her. Let us continue.”
Tatyanna scanned the dead trees around them, searching for Terran. She had even more questions to ask him now, mainly wondering why he would let the land stay dead when he was the only one to bring it back to life. There must be a reason why he, too, had pretended to be dead all these years.
The longer they walked, the more tired Tatyanna became, and her surroundings never changed. They walked over dead branches, under hanging limbs, and still she had yet to see any signs of life. Surely there were other people that lived around here, maybe even towns. That was when it dawned on her. They were purposely avoiding coming across anyone. But, why?
Knowing stewing about it wouldn't give her any answers, she asked her companions, “Why are we avoiding the towns?”
Medo and Lilly flanked either side of her, and they held their weapons in both hands, as if they were preparing for an attack at any minute, never letting down their guard. Cale, she knew was somewhere behind her, making sure they weren't being followed, while Dimitri and Althea led the group, looking for...well, who knew what they were looking for.
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