“How do we stop it?” Marek yelled as a gust of wind whirled past them causing the dirt to pick up and twirl.
“Only she can stop it. This is her pain that we are seeing. She needs to let go,” he shouted back.
Marek was only able to pick up a few words, but he figured out what he was saying. “Go!” he shouted toward the men and women who had gathered around them. “Get inside, and take care of your children!” He knew Tatyanna would feel embarrassed by the number of people who witnessed her meltdown.
He put his arm up over his eyes to protect them from the wind, as it continued to pick up, and a howl was heard throughout the trees, as if they were crying out with her. He was able to push through the wind and dropped down beside Tatyanna, wrapping his arms around her.
Tatyanna tried to push him off her and succeeded a few times, only for him to get back up and wrap her in his arms again. He felt her body convulse into sobs, and he gently rocked her back and forth, shushing at her. The more he tried to calm her down, the more the storm around them continued raging. Tree branches were flying all around them, and dirt was swirling around their heads. Marek positioned himself slightly so he would take the brunt of the damage, and tried to protect Tatyanna from her own personal hell as much as he could.
He sat there for so long his joints were stiff, but he continued to hold and rock her. He didn't even notice Tatyanna had stopped crying and was watching him. “Why?” she asked softly.
Marek brushed the tears from her face and marveled at her beauty. “Why, what?” he asked her, searching her face.
“Why are you here? Why did you stay? Why didn't you just leave like everyone else?” she asked, starting to cry again.
He smiled faintly down at her. “There is much to tell you, but now isn't the time. I didn't leave, because I want to prove to you not everyone leaves. I know you have questions, and I know you are upset. I will say the only reason people have been vague with you was because they were trying to protect you.”
“But, I don't want their protection,” she wailed. “I just want the truth.” She looked away from him and started to bite her lower lip. After a minute, she turned around to face him again. “I want the truth from you.”
Marek stared at her for several seconds, before nodding. “You give me hope, Tatyanna. I thought I had lost myself to this war. I will admit, I haven't been the best person, and I would try to lose myself in others. But, as soon as I felt you were alive and coming home, I had a sense of peace.”
Tatyanna shook her head in confusion. “I don't understand.”
Marek cupped her face. “That's what I'm trying to explain. You are like a beacon, Tatyanna. You are my light in a world surrounded by darkness. You make me want to be a better person, someone who is worthy of you. For the second time in my life, I can feel the sun shining down on me, and that is because of you.”
“When was the first time?” she asked, feeling the fight leaving her body.
“When I first saw you. We were only kids, but I knew then there was something special about you.” Marek leaned forward and kissed her.
With the touch of his lips, the fight within her left her completely. She felt everything around them stop and fall to the ground one last time. Marek started to pull away from her, but Tatyanna reached up to grasp his head and pull it back toward her. He smiled against her lips, as she initiated the second kiss. It was a step, a small one, but a step.
Tatyanna didn't want the kiss to end, but she was getting sore from sitting on the hard ground. When she pulled away from Marek, he let her without saying anything, just searching her eyes. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, shy and embarrassed at her actions. “I'm sorry,” she apologized softly.
“No,” Marek said. “You have nothing to be sorry about. After everything you've been through, I'm surprised you didn't lose it sooner.”
Tatyanna smiled weakly at him, and then started to stand up. Marek managed to get up first, and then held out his hands to her and she gratefully took them, brushing off her dress. “I think it's hopeless,” she said, as she continued to try to brush her dress clean. She stopped and glanced around, seeing the damage done around them.
Before she could even say anything, Marek stopped her. “Don't. No one was hurt, just let it go.” She nodded her head, but she continued to feel bad.
“Let's head back. I need to get ready for tonight.”
“What's tonight?” she asked, surprised when he took her hand in his.
“Capture the Flag. We play it as a way to keep our skills sharp, and to be prepared. I have lost a few men, and am training a new second. He is still a child in many ways, and I hope to make him grow up.”
“Lost?” she asked. “As in, died?”
“No, no,” he said. “They...left. They chose to follow someone else.” Marek didn't go into detail, and Tatyanna didn't push. She could see him clenching his jaw, and knew it was a sore subject.
“I understand,” she said, enjoying the feel of her hand in his. Before he could lead her to her cabin, she pulled back. “If you don't mind, I need to do something first.”
“Okay. Will you join in our game tonight?” Marek asked.
“I don't think I am up to being around people. Maybe I will just stay in.”
“What if I told you there was a way for you to watch the game without being noticed?”
“I would say I was interested,” she said, truly meaning the words.
“Good. Come to the square at nightfall.” he said, kissing her hand like an old fashioned gentleman. He squeezed her hand once before letting it fall to her side, and then walking away, turning around twice to look at her, a blush creeping up his face as he realized he was acting like a besotted fool.
Tatyanna grinned as she watched Marek trip over his feet. She had something she needed to do. She had made her choice, and walked off to find Cale.
Cale watched as he saw the sky darken and open up to a rainstorm rivaled anything he had ever seen before. He knew it was only a matter of time before Tatyanna exploded. He sent a message off to Larik, letting him know Tatyanna was fighting Marek with her power. It wouldn't be long now. He rubbed his hands together in glee. He could feel his plan coming together, and he couldn't wait to feel the power inside him once again.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Choices
Tatyanna walked around searching everywhere for Cale, but couldn't find him. She found herself wandering down the familiar path to the lake. She took off her shoes and stood in the water, watching as it lapped at her feet. Tatyanna had felt so drained earlier, but standing at the lake now, she started to feel energized. She knew she still had several hours until the evening, and toyed with the idea of going back to her cabin to take a nap, maybe even try out the gorgeous tub she had been eyeing earlier. Tatyanna was tempted to go back now, but she had something she had to do, before she could relish in the quiet.
Arms wrapped around her from behind. Tatyanna felt the familiar pang of disappointment when she didn't see Cale earlier, and knew she was making the right choice. She turned around in his arms, and he kept his hands on her waist. She leaned up on her toes, and gave him a gentle kiss on the mouth. When he tried to deepen it, she stepped away from him. His face held a quizzical look. “I'm sorry, Cale. If I led you on, I never meant to, but I can't be with you.”
“Can't, or won't?”
“Does it matter? I don't choose you. I'm sorry.” At her words, she saw a different side of Cale. His face turned red, and he spun on her.
“You choose him? Really? After everything he has said, and done to you? What about those women?” he lashed out at her.
“I was naïve enough to listen to your lies before, but I'm not listening to them now. I don't know why you tried to put a wedge between me and him, but I'm not going to hear it. I wasn't trying to be mean to you, but to let you off gently. I truly am sorry.”
Cale pulled her by her arms toward him and kissed her hard on her lips, nearly to the
point of injury. She tried to bring her arms up to push him off her, but he wouldn't let her move. She tried to move her face, but his own was pushing up against her. She didn't know what to say, and silently screamed for help in her head.
“ARGG!” Cale screamed as a rush of water came out of nowhere, pushing him off her. Tatyanna turned and saw the Lady of the Lake, her arms up ready to blast him again.
“You need to leave, or I will drown you,” the Lady said in an ethereal voice.
Cale slowly stood up, glaring at Tatyanna, taking a step toward her. This time, she was the one to defend herself, putting up an impenetrable water wall. Cale’s eyes were flashing red before he stomped away, his hands down by his side in tight fists.
Once he was out of her sight, she turned around to thank the Lady, but she was already gone. Tatyanna smiled to herself, feeling like she had her own personal guardian.
“There you are,” said a soft spoken voice behind her. Tatyanna turned to see the same pregnant woman from earlier. She was about the same height as she was, but with plain features and a tired face. She had one hand on her back, and the other one rubbing her swollen stomach.
“Are you sure you should be standing?” Tatyanna questioned, unsure if the other woman was about to drop a child at her feet or not.
The woman laughed, placing both hands under her swollen belly. “You should see the expression on your face,” she joked.
Tatyanna wanted the woman to stop, even more afraid of the potential outcome.
“Oh, I still have a few months before my due date,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes. “Thank you for the laugh. It’s been awhile since I could laugh about anything.”
Tatyanna couldn't keep her eyes off the woman's belly. “Are you sure you are okay? I can go back to the camp and grab one of the guys to come carry you...or something?”
The woman waved the comment away, smiling. “I'm sure. I'll walk you back to your cabin.”
“Uh...okay,” Tatyanna said as the woman interlocked her arm through her own, as if they were best friends.
“My name is Galena, and this is my fourth child. I have this down to an art form,” she said, patting her belly, watching with a wicked smile as Tatyanna blanched. “I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, but you look like your eyes are about to pop out of your head. I'll try to be nice, but you make it too easy,” she giggled.
Tatyanna started to relax around the woman's kindness. “I saw you earlier. Why are you here? Aren't you scared of me?”
“Well, first off, Marek has been pacing back and forth for the last half hour or so, since he parted ways with you. No one knew where you were, and he wanted to make sure you were okay, especially after what happened. And secondly, no, I'm not scared of you. If I were in your shoes, I think I would have lost it a long time ago,” she said, giving Tatyanna's hand a little squeeze. “You have had Marek in such great knots since you arrived, I couldn't wait any longer to meet the woman who finally has captured his heart.”
“His heart? No, I don't think that is right. We barely know each other,” Tatyanna said, warming at the woman's words.
“Indeed, you have. He has been with other woman, but they were more like empty flings, something to soothe his soul as a temporary fix. He has never cared for another woman before.”
“Are you sure? How do you know this?” Tatyanna asked her.
“I am betrothed to Damien, Marek's second.”
“Wait,” Tatyanna said, stopping in her tracks. “I thought Gavin was his second,” she questioned, thoroughly confused.
“Gavin?” the woman asked, laughing again, “He is still a child in so many ways. No, Damien and several men left to go on a mission. Gavin is just standing in. And from what I've heard, he is driving Marek crazy with his incessant chattering and distracted nature. I'm surprised Marek hasn't done anything to him yet, but it's only a matter of time. He is not a patient man, family or no family.” Tatyanna smiled, and she could actually see that in the two men.
“Well, here we are,” Galena announced as they reached the front of Tatyanna's cabin. “I will leave you here, while I assure Marek you are resting. He is most anxious to see you later. It is very entertaining to watch him.”
Tatyanna bid the other woman farewell, and then went to check out the beautiful tub. She entered her cabin and called out to Lilly, pleased to know she was alone. She had been traveling with her companions for weeks and should be used to having someone with her at all times, but she wasn't. She spent her life alone, and longed for the silence in a world full of noise.
She started to pull off her clothes as she slowly made her way toward the bathroom, stumbling and falling over into the walls as she went, longing to be able to soak in actual water with bubbles. This was what dreams were made, and she couldn't wait. She tumbled through the bathroom door, sighing in relief at the large oval claw footed tub. She wondered how to fill it up since there wasn't a faucet nearby. She saw a bucket sitting in the corner, and eyed it suspiciously, biting on her lower lip. She didn't want to get dressed just to fill up the tub with water, when it dawned on her. She could fill it up herself.
Tatyanna glanced down at her hands, feeling a warm tingling sensation in her fingers. She wiggled them toward the tub. “Water,” she commanded, watching in fascination as water started to trickle out of her fingers, and picking up speed as if someone had just turned the faucet to full blast. When the water was a few inches from the top, she said, “Stop.” Instantly, the water stopped. She stood there staring at her hands, turning them over as if she might see something on them. She smiled at herself.
Tatyanna dipped her hand in the bathtub, immediately pulling it back out, yelping in shock at the iciness of the water. She frowned, and kept looking back and forth between her hands and the tub, trying to figure out how to warm the water. She remembered how she was able to change the temperature of the water in the lake, and decided to attempt it again. “Hot,” she said, and watched in fascination as steam started to rise from the tub.
Tatyanna heard a slight rumble, and it was as if several invisible jets had been turned on. This was better than she had imagined it to be. She raised her leg over the high edge of the tub, and set it completely in the water before practically falling out of the tub backward at the heat. “Ow!” she exclaimed, and saw the heat immediately dissipate. “No, no, no,” she said quickly. “It's okay. I want it hot.” Tatyanna smiled as the water temperature increased.
She took a deep breath and gently put her foot into the water, cringing at the scalding heat. She took another deep breath and placed her other foot completely in the water. She stood there for several seconds, getting used to the temperature as she slowly lowered herself into the water, saying several unladylike words. She felt her entire body relax, one vertebrae at a time. She relished the feeling, and she never wanted to leave the warmth of the tub. She knew she didn't have much time until she was to meet Marek again, but oh, this was heaven. She closed her eyes, and smiled, wishing she had a glass of wine and music playing in the background. Instead, she thought of a dark-haired man, with beautiful blue eyes.
Marek continued to pace his small war room, contemplating what his next move should be. He ignored the people around him as he tried to process his thoughts.
“If you walk much longer, you are going to wear out the floor,” Kwyk said, sitting in the windowsill staring at Marek with amused interest. “Let me guess, you are worrying about the princess.”
Marek glared briefly at the older man, before going back to his pacing. Kwyk wasn't intimated by the younger man. He found the whole situation to be intriguing, and didn't want to miss a moment of the fun. He pulled out a short knife from the inside of his boot and started to pick loudly at his nails. The more Marek tried to ignore the man, the louder Kwyk became.
“For the love of it, stop with the noise!” he exploded at his friend. “I am trying to think here, and I can't do it while you are sitting there being obnoxious. Go bug someone else,” he said, wi
th his hands clenched at his side. Kwyk looked up from his nails and went back to picking at them. Before Marek could say anything else, he heard clapping from the doorway. He growled for being interrupted once again, and looked up in the smiling face of his dearest friend, Terran.
“Have you come here for a specific reason, or to annoy the hell out of me, too?” he asked, aggravated.
“What's got your panties in a twist?” he said, smiling, coming forward to clasp Marek on the shoulder. “What's up, old friend?” he asked, seriously this time.
Marek waved his arms around his body, stretching out his kinks, leaning his head to one shoulder to the next as he contemplated answering Terran. Before he could say anything, he heard a small voice in the doorway. “Ahem.” Marek closed his eyes briefly to calm himself down before going off on someone who didn't deserve his frustrations. He opened his eyes to see Galena standing in his doorway, with her arms around her enlarged belly. “The Lady Tatyanna is back in her quarters. She mentioned freshening up a bit before the games tonight.”
Marek felt his shoulders lighten, as one weight was relieved from his mind. “Thank you, Galena, for watching out for her, I appreciate your kindness.”
Galena waved his compliments away. “I didn't do this for you, sire, I did this for my own curiosity. I had to meet the woman who was able to bring our great leader down to his knees, and become a bumbling fool,” she said, laughing as Marek winced.
“I did not become a bumbling fool,” he said, grimacing.
“Oh yes, you did. Everyone is talking about it. We can't wait to see what you do next to try to win her affections,” she said, waving goodbye.
Marek wiped his hands over his face, debating what his next move should be. He turned to Terran. “I wasn't a bumbling fool, was I?” he asked, uncertainly.
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