Maybe that’s what the shadows meant; the shadows that’d scared me so much.
I heard someone in the living room and walked out to meet whoever it was. Raighne. I practically drooled at the handsome Adonis in his leathers.
Quickly glancing down at my plain gown, I hesitantly looked back at him.
“I’m not wearing those things. They cover nothing. Can’t we go and get normal clothes for me?” I tried the best pleading face I could, but he just shook his head and smiled.
“You have to intermingle with your society, and that means dressing in what they dress in.” He turned me around, and pushed me back into the bedroom. His touch sent a trace of warmth down my back, and I stiffened at the feelings it woke inside of me, knowing I had to try and bury them as quickly as possible. I already had enough problems.
“Elora doesn’t wear that crap,” I whined. “It’s a matter of dignity.”
“Elora does not fight, my dear. You are not going to win this one, so go get dressed or I will have to do it for you.” He took a step forward as if to prove his point.
“Touch me and die.” I was waiting to blush but nothing happened. And Raighne didn’t move an inch. I sighed. “Fine. I’ll wear the clothes, but on one condition only.”
Raighne lifted his eyebrows and leaned against the wall, as he waited to hear my condition.
“I want pants.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but I walked right up to him, ready to stand my ground. Raighne straightened himself into his full length, forcing me to aim my gaze higher.
I swallowed hard. “Let’s understand one thing, Raighne. I don’t like your society and I don’t agree with how it works. I believe in equal rights for all which, by the way, your people don’t. I don’t believe in exploiting my body just because the rest of you dress that way. And,” I leaned in. “Listen very carefully now, I will not change who I am and how I talk for anyone! You people left me on Earth, and now you can just accept me for who I turned out to be.” I took a deep breath and stepped back to put some distance between Raighne and myself.
“I will see what I can do about getting you into…pants.” Raighne said nothing else as he left in a hurry, though I was sure I caught a smile as he exited the tent.
~*~
I looked at myself in the mirror, feeling quite pleased with the results. I did compromise and wore the top that was in my cupboard, but with the pants and boots the whole picture didn’t look half bad. I had everything covered that I wanted covered.
“Okay. Alchera. Alchera. Alchera.” I repeated my name over and over like a mantra, hoping to get used to it faster that way, and at the same time trying to build courage. It was time to go face Alandra.
“You are talking to yourself.” Raighne’s voice was filled with laughter, though his eyes were full of something else; something I couldn’t quite place.
“You would too if you were as mental as I am.” Insults came naturally to me. It was a way to hide my embarrassment.
“Mental?”
I rolled my eyes. “Sorry, I forgot I was stuck on a planet of apes. Mental means insane.”
His face hardened. “You are not insane! Stop talking down about yourself.”
I couldn’t help but squirm under his steady gaze. Looking away, I tried to escape his eyes. Grabbing my jacked off the bed, I shrugged it on as fast as I could, feeling some comfort from it. It was all I had from my former life. It was still hard to fathom that the life I’d known had been a lie - a ‘set’ created by these people where I was a pawn placed there to live out painful years until they felt they needed me again. And now it was all about to disappear; all the pawns that’d been placed there by God would soon be destroyed by their Creator.
“Do not do that to yourself either.”
I glanced at Raighne, shaking my head. I didn’t understand what he meant.
“It does not help to dwell in the past, Alchera. Choose to live for this hour only. Once you let this moment pass you will never be able to retrieve it, and it will become another memory to mourn.”
When I didn’t respond, Raighne moved closer and lifted my chin until I was looking into his eyes. “Alchera, speak to me.”
“It’s my life that’s gone, Raighne.” My voice sounded as empty as I felt.
“No, it is not gone.” He held my face in his hands, standing so close to me I had to fight to stay in control of my senses.
“Everything about me has been lies! I have no past, no future. I know nothing. My big purpose in life is about these ten people and, after that, there’s nothing else.” I placed my hand on his chest, took a deep breath, and then pushed him gently away. “I guess I have a lot to deal with right now so I’m feeling a bit low. After all, I just lost my best friend and it hurts a little bit more than I expected it would.” Walking past him, I headed for the door.
Raighne yanked me to a stop and had me facing him before I could blink. “Now you get to listen to me. I did not pretend to like you, nor did I pretend to care for you. Everything I said and did back on Earth was real. I was always being myself. When I found you, when I saw you so alone and vulnerable, it broke something inside me. I would gladly lay my life down if it meant we could turn back time and spare you that life.” He took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair.
I really wanted to believe him, but I was so scared of being made a fool of again. His eyes immediately flickered to mine and he shook his head once, as if he’d heard what I was thinking.
“Alchera, I am your guardian and you are my sole purpose for living. I would never intentionally harm you. You have to believe me.”
He reached for my hand, though I pulled away in time and started for the door. I wasn’t worth any of this. I wasn’t worth him. My future held nothing, and I was not going to take him down with me. I gathered all the strength I could before delivering the biggest lie I’d ever told.
I squared my shoulders. “I’m here. I’ll do as I’m told. But remember one thing. You’re only my guardian, whatever that means. Please keep your focus on only that. I’ve had enough pain and rejection to last me several lifetimes. I don’t need your friendship—”
“Stop!” Raighne’s voice boomed through the living room, and with a speed that shocked me he instantly closed the gap between us. All my bravery left me in that second and I covered my face with both my hands. I didn’t want him to see me being weak and vulnerable. I didn’t want to be just another girl, but I couldn’t hold back the sob and the tears that followed.
“You can never lie to me, Alchera. I will always know if what you speak is the truth. You need my friendship - now more than ever.” Leaning his head closer to mine, he spoke his next words with urgency. “The day I was made your guardian we were joined together in a bond before Awo. That bond can never be broken. It is even stronger than the bond of marriage. The relationship between a guardian and his charge comes before that of the charge and any partner she may have.” Raighne smiled down at me. “That is what we share, Alchera. Our futures are woven together until the day we breathe our last breath. I hope you are ready to look into my face every day for the rest of your life.”
His arms wrapped around me and it felt…heavenly. Knowing that I would see him every day of my life and that I would be important to him - more important than any other girl out there - made my soul sing.
Before I knew what was happening, Raighne seized my lips with his own. He kissed me with so much passion that he left me breathless and stunned.
“There is no other I care for,” his strong voice was a whisper. “You need to get your focus back on your training and your chosen ones. Get yourself out to that field for training.” He let go of me and stood silently, as I headed out of the tent.
~*~
I walked to where Fleur was standing; my mind a big confused ball of mush. I still wasn’t so sure where I stood with Raighne. One thing I knew was that he did care for me, and that fact alone made me happier than I’d ever been. Whatever we h
ad was not a public thing, but I was okay with that. For now I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Raighne had kissed me and it was so…right.
“You are looking rested today,” Fleur said, in a teasing tone. “Sleep well?” She was wearing leathers, too, and so was everyone else around us. I must’ve been really tired the day before for not noticing it sooner.
“I slept like a baby, thank you. I can’t remember when I’ve slept so well.” My mind drifted to Alandra and the training session that was waiting for me. I was so deep in thought that I didn’t notice Fleur speaking.
“Hellooo? Goodness, Alchera. Are you there?” Fleur was waving her hand in front of my face, to get my attention.
“Sorry. I just spaced out for a second.” I picked up my pace a little, wanting to get this freak show over with as soon as possible.
“What were you thinking? That is, if you do not mind me asking?”
I smiled. “I was thinking of how my sister is going to kick my ass.”
Fleur gasped.
“Oops, sorry. I mean, how my sister is going to kill me today.”
Fleur issued a small, soft laugh. “Do not worry. I will be there.”
“Great,” I snickered. “Someone to pick up the body.”
~*~
We headed to the field of death where Alandra was waiting. My stomach made nervous flips, as she waited for me to walk all the way to where she was standing. She was a whole head taller than I was, and she wore a sarcastic smile. I had an awful feeling I’d be seeing a lot of that ‘Jack-the-Ripper’ smile in my future.
“Peace be, Alandra.” I tried greeting her in the way I’d heard everyone else greet each other around here. Without responding, she gave me another once-over and then turned her back on me.
Well now, wasn’t that encouraging, Sid? We’re in for one hell of a training session if you ask me.
“Today you will learn how to hold a blade and attack me with it.”
Great! She didn’t even greet me and we were going to use actual sharp instruments that she could easily slice and dice me with. So much for pleasantries.
We walked to the other side of the field where she threw a blade at my feet. I jumped to the side, not wanting to lose any toes. The tool looked like a cross between a sword and a massive butcher’s knife from a horror movie. Maybe I could have an acting career…I could star in Alchera Takes Vaalbara.
“You need to actually pick it up, moron.”
Moron! Seriously? What happened to these people speaking perfect English?
I looked around and saw Fleur sitting on a hill waving at me. Picking up the blade, I waited for the next instruction - or, insult - whichever came first.
“Attack me, woman! Oh, patience be mine. This is going to be a very long day.” She sure didn’t sound like Raighne and Fleur. Her vocabulary was way closer to mine than theirs.
I lunged forward, but she hit my arm so hard the blade went flying, landing a few feet away. It made a funny ‘boing’ sound that I thought only happened in movies.
My arm stung where she’d hit it, though I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me wince in pain. I noticed then she had on some kind of armor. Hence, the pain I was feeling.
Great, Sid. She’s using steal against my bare skin. Now that’s a fair fight.
“Again.” She spat the word at me.
I retrieved the blade and lunged forward, this time from a different angle. In the heavy boots it was more a ‘drag’ than a ‘lunge,’ like I was walking through the La Brea Tar Pits.
But Alandra wasn’t finished. Morphing from “Xena” into the “Karate Kid,” she gave a high kick to my shoulder sending me staggering back a few steps. I was sure I heard something crack, but I bit down on my bottom lip, keeping my face as expressionless as possible. I could handle pain. A lot of it, before I‘d give the witch any satisfaction. I picked up the blade again and threw it at her face out of pure frustration. Alandra had to swing out of the way the ‘Matrix’-style. Happiness coursed through my veins when I saw the look of pure surprise on her face.
Good. The Ice Princess had feelings.
I lunged at her from behind. For that I got a backhand across the face that left me dizzy. Tasting blood, I stopped, and was awarded with a solid kick in the ribs. Again, I staggered backwards, but this time I couldn’t regain my balance, and landed hard on my butt.
She’d kicked the wind right out of me, and I wasn’t about to look around and see how many witnesses there were to my fall from grace. Getting up, I grabbed the blade and circled her, like I‘d seen the roman gladiators do in the movies. She had such a snide smile on her face; I wanted to punch her lights out. I didn’t like my sis one bit, and it had nothing to do with her kicking my royal ass.
Annoyed with her teaching methods, I stood up and spat the blood out of my mouth before attempting to speak. “Shouldn’t you be showing me how to fend you off rather than kicking the crap out of me the whole time?”
Alandra began circling and advancing on me at the same time. The bloody cow!
“This is the way I teach. Hopefully you will not be stupid enough to make the same mistake twice.” She lunged at me, and the next thing I knew she had me in a tight grip. My left arm twisted painfully, stuck between my back and her triple D’s, while her hand pressed a sharp blade to my throat…ready to slice.
“Now that I have you where I want you, let me make myself clear,” Alandra snarled in my ear. “I do not want to train you. I think of it, and you, as a waste of time. You are a weakling who will only stand in the way of saving the human race. You are nothing to me but a pure irritation.”
Her words settled deep into my core. Tightening her grip, Alandra pressed the blade further, cutting into my flesh as she continued her destruction, “You proved yourself to be nothing on Earth and you will do the same here on Vaalbara.” She threw me forward where I landed on all fours, my whole body shaking.
My first instinct was to go for her but I held back, knowing I would come off badly in a fight. Instead, I got up and walked away. Enough was enough. There was training, and then there was standing around like an idiot allowing someone to abuse you. I could take the physical kicking and hitting, but what she’d said was quite enough for me to call it quits.
I would hate to see the monster who’d trained her.
~*~
I’d been walking aimlessly for about ten minutes when I saw Raighne running towards me out of the corner of my eye. Don’t ask me why. Maybe it was the Sid in me, or maybe it was the disappointment at doing so bad in my training session, but I ran in the opposite direction as fast as I could.
My wounds were aching something terrible, but I didn’t care. I didn’t want Raighne to see how Alandra had managed to kick my butt after all.
Now, if I’d been thinking less of Raighne and my broken pride, perhaps I would’ve focused on where I was going and wouldn’t have run into the guy. But, no. I literally went nose first into his back and, once again, fell on my butt.
“Damn!” I was holding my nose, realizing this was one of those moments where I wished I had a remote so I could press pause and then erase the last few hours.
Even Sid had abandoned me. He’d left me on my own to face whatever was going to happen next.
“You must be Alchera.” The voice addressing me spoke with such loud grandeur, that I nearly jumped out of my skin. The man in front of me had black hair with silver streaks like mine, and the same emerald eyes that stared back at me from my mirror. “Welcome back. I am Aurian, your brother.”
It was a good thing I was still on my butt because my legs would definitely have given way. “You’ve got to be freakin’ kidding me!”
He laughed heavily. “You are just as the rumors have claimed you to be.”
The fact that he was making no attempt to help me up stoked my anger into a full blown rage. Here I was, on the ground, and all my brother could do was stare at me like I was a mere peasant who worked on his land. As-
bloody-if!
I got up slowly, trying not to wince from the pain. Shooting him what I hoped was a look of death, one that should’ve had him pushing up daisies, I attempted to walk away.
“I have said something to upset you?” He raised his eyebrows lazily.
“No shit, Sherlock, how did you guess?”
Raighne’s hands appeared on my shoulders and the sharp pain that shot through me made a scream erupt from my lungs. I wasn’t altogether sure how I moved so fast, or how I landed back on my feet a couple of meters away from them.
My breath was coming fast, as my eyes were wildly jumping from Aurian to Raighne. I slowly straightened myself out and threw my hair back so I could look at my shoulder. The blood from Alandra’s cut in my neck had run down my skin, and my shoulder was turning purple.
“What happened to you?” Aurian’s voice boomed over me, shocking me back to the present. My head snapped back up and I registered the horror on their faces. “I went into training as instructed.” My words dripped with sarcasm. “At least she hasn’t killed me yet.” I didn’t know if it was from the beating Alandra had given me, or the fact that I had a brother and he hadn’t bothered to come greet me when I‘d arrived. Then again, maybe I wasn’t allowed to see my parents or, they, just like my brother, weren’t interested in seeing me again.
Back on Earth I was an abandoned teenager…a freak. On Vaalbara not much had changed. I was no longer a teenager - now I was a young woman with a destiny who was still a freak and still abandoned. The only difference was now I had the confidence to stand on my own two feet.
“You stand there with your mouths hanging open, as if you actually didn’t expect Alandra to do such a thing. I warned you Raighne. I told you she didn’t like me, but you refused to listen, and look what happened.” I threw my arms into the air. My anger was growing the longer I stood there looking into their stunned faces.
“And you?” I scoffed. “You call yourself my brother. I have no family, sir. I am still the orphan who was left on Earth to fend for herself.” Unfortunately, I couldn’t hold back the tears and had to grind the words through my teeth. “Tell your parents and sisters not to make that same mistake. I don’t let people walk over me; I don’t let people abuse me; and, I certainly won’t be made a fool of anymore!” I turned to walk away.
Vaalbara; Visions & Shadows Page 9