Tatyanna

by Lindsay Johnston

  “There is another matter to discuss—”

  “No, there is not,” Kaia answered, knowing what her brother was trying to lead into.

  “You will forget who you are the longer you spend in that world without a connection to our world. If you asked Grandfather, he would allow you to keep your memories.” Terran begged of his sister, even as she shook her head.

  “The wisdom of Mother Earth will always stay with me, but I feel like this is the best move to make. It is best I forget who I am, but I won't lose my gifts. They will guide me, as they have guided every other advisor before me. When it is time to remember, I will,” she said, voicing an opinion beyond her five years.

  Terran gathered his little sister into his arms and shed the tears he had been holding back. If she could be strong, so could he, but he could already feel his heart shattering, and the tree at his back splitting into two at the loss of his sister and family.

  Tatyanna withdrew from Terran's memory, but didn't let go. As he had once held onto his sister, he now held onto her, shedding the same tears. Tatyanna was starting to understand just how hard life was for Terran, and harder for him to truly be the person he was meant to be, hiding who he was for all these years.

  “So, you see me as your little sister?” she asked, with a smile on her face.

  Terran looked up to see the gleam in her eyes, and he laughed. “Kaia had wisdom far beyond her years, but at the same time, she was also naïve and innocent, just like you. When I look at you, and talk to you, I often feel like I am with my sister, and it is a feeling I hold dear to my heart.”

  “What happened to your parents?” she asked him softly, not wanting to ruin the moment, but wanting to understand.

  “They died,” he said, refusing to give her anything more than that.

  Knowing what she did about her own parents’ deaths, Tatyanna realized she shouldn't have asked that particular question. It was hard for her to even think about it, much less put the memory into words.

  “What about this tree that's been mentioned? And a tattoo? What does that have to do with you?”

  Terran stood up and nodded at her once, before donning the forest green cloak he always wore. He dropped it at his feet, turning his back to her while pulling a dark green shirt that stretched over his muscled back as if it had been painted on him, up and over his head and dropping it to the ground. There he stood, waiting for Tatyanna to make the first move.

  On his back was a giant tattoo of The Tree of Life. The Tree showed at least three major branches: a blue branch located in the far North, a silver branch in the East, and a green branch in the West. Tatyanna looked to the bottom of Terran's back, and could make out a red area that seemed to be alive, like moving flames. Her hand reached out to touch it, but she immediately snapped her hand back when she could feel the heat, as if she was standing next to a real fire. Before her eyes, the tattoo on his back changed, and in the place of the tree holding the four kingdoms was now a huge gnarly tree stretching from the base of his back, up to his neck, and over his arms. The tree was bare, and looked broken and half dead. Terran slowly turned around. The tattoo continued to climb up near his face, down his chest and torso, including his arms and all the way down to his fingers.

  “Does the tattoo cover every inch of your body?”

  “Yes.”

  Tatyanna glanced at the phoenix tattoo on her hand, and was thankful that it only covered a portion of her hand and wrist. She thought she saw the phoenix move, but chalked it up to being tired. Tattoos couldn’t move, yet Terran's did.

  “Why did your tattoo change?”

  “It showed you what it could do. It looks sickly because it is. War is here, and I can't take the chance to heal the earth, like I need to, because it will make it easier for hunters to find me.”

  “What was the first picture of?”

  “The four kingdoms in their glory. What the earth could look like, if it was restored to its true glory. I can feel every tree that dies. I can feel the earth trembling in sadness, and begging me for mercy, but I can't answer it.”

  “You healed the earth in my kingdom, right?”

  “Because it also healed you. You needed to see, despite the darkness, there was still light. When we leave Marek's camp, you will see just how hard life has been all these years. You will truly see the darkness surrounding our world, and if we aren't careful, it will spread to the other world, too. It is important you understand this world, and what magic can do to a person before you try to take it on.”

  Tatyanna stared out at the lake before her, taking in the small ripples in the water and the calming sensation being near the water brought her. “What is taking the others so long in getting down here?”

  Terran laughed at her naiveté. “You had a tree to help climb up the mountain. They have nothing to help them climb down it. The slide was the faster, and better, choice.”

  “So, why not use it?”

  “I think Medo is afraid of water. He will never admit to it, but as long as I have known him, he has shied away from it. I wonder if he can even swim.”

  “Really?” she asked, perking up on the idea the dwarf warrior had a weakness. That made him seem more human than deadly warrior.

  “You should use this time to freshen up, and change clothes. We will be entering Marek's camp soon.”

  “Where is his camp?”

  Terran pointed to the East. “About a ten-minute walk through those trees. His camp is hidden so they can detect any potential threat. If I counted my days right, there will be a celebration, for it is the lord's birthday.”

  “Will you tell me about Marek?”

  Terran smiled at her, “I will not. And before you get all indignant at me, this is one of those times where telling you won't do any good. You have to experience it for yourself. There are no words to describe Marek. What you see is what you get.”

  “Fine, a bath sounds great,” she said, walking toward the water, taking off the heavy cloak she'd spent the last several days wearing. It was dusty, and no simple bath could get her completely clean without soap and a miracle, but it would feel good to get in the water, and cleanse what she could off herself. Her socks and boots came next, and she glanced around her to see if Terran was still there, but he had disappeared into the woods to give her privacy. She quickly pulled off the rest of her clothes, and ran naked toward the water. She yelped out loud in surprise as the cold water touched her warm skin making her wish for warmth. The water grew hot, and steam was coming off her body. I wish for bubbles, she thought silently, and was tickled when bubbles started to appear around her, as if she were in a hot tub.

  She pushed off with her toes, relishing the feel of the water as it enveloped her. She took a deep breath, and then dove into the water immersing herself fully. ‘Let go,’ she heard a voice say in her head. ‘Breathe.’ Tatyanna felt crazy for listening to a voice in her head, but Terran's words played back to her. This was a different world than what she was used to, but she had to accept this world and what it could offer her.

  Tatyanna slowly let out the air she had been holding, and then as slow as the second hand on a clock, she breathed water into her nose, and then out. ‘It is your heritage. You are part of the water, as we are a part of you,’ the voice said. Tatyanna laughed at her ability to hear the water in her mind, opening her eyes.

  Tatyanna could see fish swimming around her. Unafraid, she reached out her hand. The fish swam up to her and nibbled at her fingertips. This was where she belonged. This was what she had been missing her whole life. She continued to swim deeper, watching the color of the water darken the further she swam. She felt like she could spend eternity there, but knew that something else was waiting for her.

  ‘Your friends will be here soon. We have a present for you,’ the voice said in her head.

  “What is it?” she asked out loud.

  Instead of answering her, Tatyanna felt the water start moving in a circular motion, starting first at her feet an
d then growing lengthwise in size. She was in a cyclone, spinning around her faster until she didn't know what direction was up or down. Tatyanna was lifted up, but unable to see anything outside of the dark blue water speeding around her. Her hair whipped around her by the force of the wind, and her body was tugged one way, and then the other, but she didn't know what was happening to her.

  ‘Do not be afraid. This is our present to you.’

  Tatyanna knew the water couldn't hurt her, but until she heard the voice in her head, she was starting to get worried someone had learned how to use her own power against her.

  ‘Have no fear, child. We are one, and cannot hurt the other. Welcome this gift for the queen you are and will be. You need to acknowledge who you are, and greet others as such, for them to take you seriously as a leader.’

  The cyclone continued to spin rapidly around her, and Tatyanna was helpless to do anything. She felt herself rising higher, and then the cyclone started to slow down. She could see that it was made up of water, and not air. She was no longer deep in the lake, but standing on top of it.

  Tatyanna heard voices, and saw the rest of her friends were standing on the banks, waiting for her. She moved to cover her nudity, and saw that she was dressed instead. Her body was draped in chiffon, with a heart-shaped bodice; emphasizing her chest and making her feel more like a woman than she ever had felt before. The material flowed down her body, and with every step she could feel the material swishing around her legs, as if she were walking through water. She looked down and saw underneath her bodice were little water droplets that showed off her slim waist and wide hips.

  Tatyanna felt self-conscious and moved her eyes from each friend. Lilly bowed down before her. Both Emmett and Dimitri looked at her, as if they were seeing her for the first time. Medo was staring at her angrily, before he dropped to one leg, and Cale was looking at her hungrily, as if he were about to pounce on her. He was unable to bank the desire in his eyes, and she could feel the heat coming off him the longer she made eye contact with him.

  Tatyanna felt more exposed clothed than she did when she was naked. She brushed back a stray hair and realized her hair was dried and pulled back into intricate braids. She felt farther, and could tell that the braids were latticed together, and the rest of her hair hung freely down her slim shoulders.

  This is what the voice meant. They were dressing her as a queen, so she would be ready to meet the Phoenix Lord. She didn't understand the importance of it all, but it was apparent she be treated for the person she was to become, even if she didn't feel like a queen yet.

  Tatyanna gracefully walked across the water toward the rest of the group, noticing that Terran and Cale were the only ones who hadn't bowed down to her. “Please rise,” she said in a strong voice, was so unlike her own.

  Terran came forward carrying a new cloak the color of midnight, with water droplets hanging around the edges. “A gift, I presume?”

  Tatyanna walked straight toward the prince, noting his change of clothing. He wore dark trousers that showcased his muscled thighs, matched with a white shirt and a green hooded jacket. Instead of hiding his tattoos, he wore the shirt unbuttoned, and the hood off his head. He, too, wasn't going to hide anymore, and he was presenting himself as the future King of Earth. His eyes looked wild with worry and rejection, until he met her gaze, and she smiled, turning around and letting him drape her with her cloak. Tatyanna tied the cloak under her chin and held out her hand. He grasped it as if it were his lifeline, and the two of them walked toward the East, while the others trailed after them.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The Phoenix Lord

  “No, if we sneak into their camp from behind them,” the man pointed to the faded map on the old wooden table before him, “from the direction of the river, they will never suspect a thing,” he concluded harshly to the younger man standing on the right side of the table.

  “A surprise attack? Really? We have more men than they do. We can overpower them.”

  “Just because you are the new second-in-command doesn't mean you know anything. Rule Number One, Gavin, never underestimate the enemy.”

  “Come on, Mare. We’re just playing a simple game of Capture the Flag. It’s not real.” Gavin slugged Marek in the arm. “Stop taking everything so literal. Where is your sense of adventure? Where's your thirst? Your drive? You used to have a sense of humor. What happened?”

  “It vanished the day I found out my best friend was a back-stabbing traitor, and left to lead Prince Larik's men.”

  Gavin frowned, “Okay, so that was unfortunate, but still, this is just a game. Not a real battle.”

  “Everything is a battle, Gavin. As my second-in-command, you need to realize this. We are not playing this game to have fun. We are doing this to teach you strategy, to teach you to always be one step ahead of your enemy, regardless of what you are doing. If you weren't my cousin, I would have thrown you across this room already for your insolence,” Marek all but growled, pinching the bridge his nose in frustration.

  Gavin didn't say anything, but there was an annoyed look on his face. Marek turned back to the map of his entire land and studied it, searching for weaknesses in both his side and his opponent’s side.

  Gavin tried to wait out Marek's stubbornness, but became bored after standing there, staring at a stupid map for several minutes. He didn't see what the big deal was. They were playing a stupid game, and his team had the most men on it. They could overpower the women in no time, and capture the flag. The whole thing would be over in a matter of minutes. Overanalyzing the territory Marek already knew backward and forward wasn't doing him any good. The man needed to lighten up, and Gavin knew just where to start.

  “Are you excited about tonight?” he asked, starting to hop from one foot to the next.

  “Tonight?” Marek asked, half paying attention.

  “Yeah, remember? Your birthday celebration? The scaffold has already been built. It's much higher than it was last year. I can't wait for tonight,” he said, growing more excited for the party that evening.

  Marek glared at the other man, reminding himself he couldn’t hurt family, no matter how tempting it was. “If I had my way, I'd spend it alone.”

  “Spend it alone? Or with someone special?” Gavin asked, oblivious to the harmful thoughts his leader was having.

  A young girl, with raven hair, popped into Marek's mind. He had thought of Tatyanna over the years, wondering if she would ever find her way to him, and if she turned out to be the beauty she was destined to be.

  “No, no one special,” he said vaguely. He didn't think the younger man would understand about Tatyanna, and how she would be everything to him some day.

  “Why not? There's plenty of women here who would jump at the chance to share your bed. As long as I've been here, you've never taken any one before. Why?”

  “Because I am a leader. My pleasures come last, if it means keeping my people alive,” Marek said, with more irritation in his voice than what he was going for. He missed his best friend. At least Damien respected me enough to leave me to my thoughts until I was ready to discuss the plan.

  Something must have happened, and now only Marek and a handful of others knew the truth about his old comrade, that he had deserted them, taking some of their best men and healers with them, and joined Larik's side. The man even left his wife and kids behind, and Marek didn't have the heart to break that woman's heart. So, he lied to everyone, and said that they were on a mission. He wasn't sure how long he could keep the charade up for, and in the meantime, he was training his cousin to be a leader. It was all a joke. If that world wasn't in peril, he might even laugh at the absurdity of it all.

  Deciding to loosen up, Marek joked with his cousin. “Maybe I am getting old, and have forgotten how to have fun.”

  Gavin laughed, pounding on his back again, “That's the spirit. And you may look like you are a hundred years old, but by tonight, you will be a young man again.”

  Marek looke
d down at his gnarly hands and hated how the phoenix in him caused him to age into an old man every year until his birthday night. Compared to Gavin, he did look ancient, with his pastry white, wrinkled skin, long white hair, and hunched back. The only thing that gave his true age away were his startling blue eyes. No matter how old he appeared to be, his eyes never aged.

  Looking at his cousin, he could see the contrast between them. His cousin was a picture of youth, just barely twenty, with wavy golden hair he hardly ever brushed and kept long to his ears, saying women loved running their hands through the silky strands. They shared the same square jaw, pointed nose, and masculine build, but that was where their similarities ended. Sometimes Marek was envious of the younger man’s ignorance, but unfortunately for him, he had to grow up at a very young age.

  “If I had my way, I'd do without the birthday celebration. We have too much to prepare for. But...” he said, holding up his hand before Gavin could interrupt, “I did promise to show the Phoenix tonight, and regardless how I am feeling, I keep my promises.”

  The younger man whooped, and jumped in the air with glee. “Awesome!”

  They two turned toward the door of the meeting hall, and Marek watched his old friend, Kwyk, enter the room. Kwyk was as annoying as Gavin, but as quiet as a mouse, and quicker than any other person he knew. He was glad the old thief was on his side. “What is it?” he asked, starting to roll up his maps to store them on his bookshelf.

  “There's a group of people making their way toward the camp. Are you expecting anyone?”

  Gavin punched Marek in the arm, “Mare, you invited entertainment? You shouldn't have, but thanks, I was getting tired of the same women day in and day out.”

  Marek clenched his jaw, and mentally told himself not to harm his cousin. Don't do it. It’s not worth the trouble of hearing him cry all night. “No, I am not expecting anyone,” he said, refusing to look at Gavin, afraid he would pop him one.