“Yes,” he said, and he could feel the bile rising in his throat.
“I love you,” she said.
“You don’t,” he warned her. “If you did, you wouldn’t do this.”
She frowned and stroked his cheek. “You don’t understand, but I promise that you will. As soon as this is done, we’ll be together.”
“I may be your proxy, but I don’t have to stay in your dream.” With that, he closed his eyes and pulled himself to the waking world.
It was dark, and Dwennon slept on the mattress nearby. Eldred took a deep breath and prepared himself. He would do what was necessary.
Chapter 23
James had been recovering for the past week, and each day he’d asked to leave to see Briar Rose. Dwennon had convinced him that he needed to wait, that he needed his strength to return. Eldred was as willing as Dwennon to convince the young prince to stay put and regain his strength. Too much so. Eldred seemed almost happy that they couldn’t leave, that they wouldn’t be going to Briar Rose.
There was something a bit off about Eldred as of late, Dwennon thought as he sat in his room at James’ castle and watched the sun rise. They were scheduled to leave today, but Dwennon had concerns about the younger fairy. Eldred seemed distracted and melancholy. Dwennon was hesitant to discuss it, as he didn’t wish to intrude on Eldred’s private affairs. But it had been obvious to all that he loved Maurelle, and at one time, Dwennon thought Maurelle loved him, too. But she’d spent almost two decades holed up on her throne, ruling on high, seeming to enjoy power more than anything else. Her rule had surprised Dwennon, given that he was an oracle. While he hadn’t particularly looked into her future, he hadn’t expected it to be like this. He supposed he should have kept closer tabs on her, for Maurelle was wounded, and wounded people tended to be the ones who were volatile and prone to changing futures.
But he’d always looked at Maurelle as someone of little consequence. She always sat quietly at the side. She always chose to sit and listen, rarely interjecting her own ideas. He’d thought she was simply disinterested in the goings on, so she chose not to participate, but the truth was, she had been a keen observer, watching with a critical eye. And when Blissa abdicated and divested herself of fairy magic, Maurelle had stepped into the spotlight. She was queen, and he had expected a quiet, uneventful rule. He’d expected her to marry Eldred and to perhaps carry on the line, one that was less illustrious than Blissa’s would have been, but one that was, nonetheless, a royal line.
And perhaps she would have done so. Perhaps, had three or four years passed since Blissa’s absence, Maurelle would have given into her feelings for Eldred. Only, her ascension to the throne was met with a certain nothingness. Maurelle had always been one who was in the background, and despite moving to the monarchy, she was still thought of as a background figure. She was still thought of as someone who was simply holding the place until a more powerful relation of the royal line might be found.
If Maurelle had had time to show her ability, it would have helped. But only a year after Blissa’s departure, her daughter was born. The announcement was sent. It listed her as an heir to the throne. And people said the obvious, that Maurelle would be removed when Briar Rose came of age. She was essentially a lame queen, waiting for a couple of decades to pass before she would be forced to pass the crown on. He should’ve seen how this would infuriate Maurelle. He should have seen the outcome and been able to warn Blissa. She could have smoothed it over, had she known. Blissa, with or without her powers, was a master of diplomacy. She could’ve gotten Maurelle to understand. But once Maurelle was angry, there was no forgiveness in her heart. None. Ever.
He worried what Maurelle would do to stop James. Dwennon stood, left his chamber, and slowly made his way down to Eldred’s room. He’d try to talk with him about his hesitancy about leaving. Did he know what Maurelle planned? Was that his hesitancy to leave?
It took him a while, with his slow gait, to make his way to Eldred’s chamber. He knocked and after a few moments, Eldred opened the door to admit him.
“Dwennon,” Eldred said with a smile that didn’t quite touch his eyes.
“I wanted a word with you before we left on our journey,” Eldred said, without preamble. He found it best to simply get to the point with people. Hilly sometimes preferred more flowery words and chit chat before launching into a matter of delicacy, but the stakes were too important for such things. And he didn’t think Eldred needed such accolades up front to be honest with him.
Eldred nodded grimly. “Yes,” he said. “What is it you wished to discuss?”
“Maurelle,” Dwennon said plainly. “You know her best of all. Do you think she watches for movements of this prince? Do you think she will try to stop him?”
Eldred shook his head. “I cannot speak to you of Maurelle,” he said, pain in his eyes. “You must use your own judgment when it comes to planning.”
Dwennon stared at him, confused at his stance. He’d said earlier that he had left Maurelle, that it had been too difficult to see her in what she had become. He’d said her wrath was great and that she was fueled by the only thing she had left space for in her life: anger and vengeance and protecting what she thought was due her. But now, he was saying he could say nothing. “You spoke freely when you joined me and offered to assist in our journey.”
Eldred nodded, and closed his eyes. “I know,” he said. “What I have said then is all that I can say on the matter.” Eldred opened his eyes and stared at Dwennon, as if begging him to see something. Only, Dwennon could not imagine what. “I loved Maurelle,” he said, finally. “More than I loved even myself. I have loved her for many years, and I decided last night that I would not speak of her again — that for me to heal, I needn’t speak of her again. I told Maurelle of my great love for her and vowed to be hers forever, if she would have me. And she found vengeance for her mother’s murder, for her cousin’s supposed betrayal more compelling. That should tell you what you need to know about our journey, Dwennon.”
Eldred reached up and grabbed his head, a grimace on his face.
“Are you having a vision?” Dwennon asked. Sometimes they came like that--strong, immediate, painful even.
Eldred shook his head. “No, just a headache. As you know, sometimes that happens. Especially, as I have not been receptive to visions since we’ve been here.”
Dwennon perked up his ears and regarded the young one more closely now. “You’ve been trying to avoid your visions?”
“When they are of her, yes.”
“Avoiding visions is not good for us,” Dwennon said softly. Oracles were meant to see. That was their magic, their gift. You had to accept the visions, be receptive to them flooding into you. If you didn’t, if you tried to block them, surging headaches would follow. Sometimes seers who sought to stop the visions went mad.
“I know the dangers of this,” Eldred said.
“Then why are you doing it?”
Eldred looked at Dwennon with an anger in him that Dwennon hadn’t noticed before. “Because I have no choice. I can’t see her again. But do not worry. I will be fine for the journey. It is only three days.”
Dwennon sighed and closed his eyes. His mind shouted Eldred’s name to the unstopping flow of time in hopes that a vision might present itself of this desolate fairy’s future. A vision so that he could tell this young one exactly how destructive this outcome might turn out. He waited a few moments for something. He found only silence.
It had been a long shot that he could pull a vision from the ether so quickly or so specifically, especially when he wasn’t attuned to Eldred. But he had hoped. He liked Eldred, and he didn’t want to see him in such pain.
“Driving yourself mad won’t make it better,” Dwennon said. “Even deep within the madness, you will know, and it will still hurt. Maurelle’s rejection of your love was unwise, but, as you and I both know too well, people often make choices that are to their detriment. Don’t make choices that are to yours.�
��
Eldred gave Dwennon a knowing nod and said, “I thank you for your wise counsel. I will try to follow its advice.”
* * *
James had secured his father’s permission to leave with the two men who’d healed him, but on one condition. James was to take one of the royal guard with him, a wise, older man named Bayard. The man was to be a lookout and keep the young prince safe.
While Dwennon had thought they’d be better off without a guard, Eldred had gladly agreed to it, telling Dwennon it was easier to appease the king than to fight him. But Dwennon had grave concerns for the guard. While he and Eldred would do their best to protect the prince using their magic, it would divide their attention if they also had to protect the guard. Mere mortals were no match for Maurelle.
They set off on horses, along with provisions for four days, even though it was only a three day ride. They wanted to be prepared for any unexpected problems. Dwennon had never wished more that fairy stones worked for humans.
They rode off at a good pace, making much headway, and when they stopped at a pond to let their horses water and have some lunch, Dwennon thought it best to approach James and see if he’d send his guard, Bayard, back.
He pulled the young man aside as Eldred and Bayard sat quietly eating salted meat. “I wanted to speak with you once more about your guard,” he said in a low voice. “I know your father wants him here, but I am concerned about his safety.”
James looked toward Bayard, then back at Dwennon, knitting his brow. “Why wouldn’t he be safe?”
Dwennon sighed as he spoke, trying again to frame the danger to the boy. “The fairy who cursed Rose is very dangerous. She does not want her to awaken, and as I told you earlier, she may try to stop us.”
“That is precisely why a guard can be of help,” James retorted, his face completely confident in his logic. Human rulers were like that, though. If they could not expand their minds to think of more at any given moment, then they assumed they understood all.
“She is a powerful fairy,” Dwennon said. “If she comes, Eldred and I will focus on protecting you, not him.”
James looked the small fairy up and down and put his hand to his chin. “But you are a fairy and so is Eldred. Surely, with two fairies against one, you would win.”
Dwennon almost laughed. Instead, he shook his head. “You don’t understand fairies, boy,” he said, plainly. “Generally, fairies are born with a set magic and that is what we use throughout our lives. Sure, we can hone our skills in our magic, become a master of the use of that magic, but we only have one area of specialty. Some fairy magic is common and standard. Most fairies can levitate things and many can transport themselves or objects, but beyond that, we have one particular skill which our magic controls. Eldred and I are oracles. Our magic allows us to see the pathway of time and glimpse ahead on the path. That is how we can see visions of what is to come. But like a river, the pathway of time flows and changes depending on what’s in its path. A large boulder, a stray channel, all sorts of things can redirect the flow of time. That is why oracles check often. My wife, Hilaria, is a healing fairy. Her powers allow her to help the sick become well. Rose’s mother, Queen Blissa, actually spent much time with Hilly as a child, because Blissa’s power was somewhat of a subset of healing. She had the power to control the emotions of others. Were she a cruel fairy, Blissa could even have filled people with hatred, anger, jealousy or rage. But Blissa was never that way. She has a forgiving heart. It’s why she fell in love with Edmund. It’s why, until she saw Rose in her enchanted sleep, I don’t think she ever really thought Maurelle capable of going through with it. But Maurelle is very capable of wicked things.”
James turned again to look at Eldred and then Dwennon. He folded his arms across his chest and examined Dwennon closely. “So, your primary magic, with the exception of levitating things, is to see the future?”
Dwennon nodded.
“And what is Maurelle’s magic? Is it as tame?”
Dwennon shook his head. “When Maurelle was a child, her primary magic was creature speak. She could speak with any creature of the wood. She could hear its thoughts and speak to it in a way it understood. Generally creature speakers are useful aids, in that the animals often see and know things in advance of humans or fairies. Also, if an animal is injured, creature speakers aid healers in helping them.”
James looked unimpressed. “So, when she sees us, she’ll what, ask squirrels to throw nuts at us?”
Dwennon took his cane and rapped James on the leg. “This is not funny. Creature speak is useful. The birds are probably on the lookout for us, reporting back our movements. After her mother’s death, she was particularly fond of ravens. And while she can ask the animals to attack us, they are sentient beings. They do not have to obey. Still, they are likely to offer their assistance to any fairy queen, especially one who understands them completely. But Maurelle’s creature speak isn’t the power we need to be worried about.”
“But you said, fairies only had one main power, the specialty they’re born with, along with some levitation. And since you and Eldred can levitate, we seem about even. I mean, you can see the future, and she can see the near past, with the help of her birds.”
Dwennon sighed and leaned on his cane. He had to tell the truth, but he wasn’t sure exactly how to explain it in terms the boy could understand. “When I said that fairies are born with one power, a single power they can hone, that is true … in most cases. But all fairy powers come from the same place. It’s a sacred place in our land, known simply as the Sacred Pool. It’s where the fairy powers emerge, and when a fairy is born, the Sacred Pool sends the fairy his or her powers. When a fairy dies, those powers revert to the Sacred Pool. That way, the proper balance of fairy powers exist. The Sacred Pool works on its own, by ancient fairy magic. It cannot be changed.”
Dwennon looked directly into James’ eyes, as he needed the young prince to pay careful attention here. “While regular fairies have only the magic they were blessed with, the ruling monarch has access to the Sacred Pool. In times of great need, in order to protect the fairy realm, the king or queen may pull powers from the Sacred Pool. Maurelle has done this.”
James’ eyes widened, the fear that Dwennon had wished to bestow upon the young man quite present now. “Which powers did she take?”
“I don’t know,” Dwennon said. “But Eldred assures me she has been there, and she has taken powers she feels will be of use.”
James swallowed and was silent for a while. Soon he took a deep breath and looked Dwennon in the eye. “Do you think you can combat her powers?”
“Not as effectively as I’d like,” he said.
James nodded. “If she wants to stop me,” he said softly, “then she’ll likely do it as we get closer to the castle. On the morning of the third day, I’ll send Bayard back. The three of us will face her together.”
Dwennon nodded. One less person to protect. “There is one more thing you should do,” Dwennon said.
“What?”
“If Rose comes to you in dreams again, be with her,” he said. “Even in dream sleep, her power strengthens you, and you will need every ounce of strength you can get in facing Maurelle.”
Chapter 24
Blissa and Rose had spent the day practicing. Rose felt she was doing well controlling the wind, but part of her wondered if it was only in her mind.
Yes, she knew that she was in dream sleep, so all of her practice, all of her feats were only in her mind. But would that be enough? When she awakened, would she have the skill? More importantly, would she be able to use the skill while she was still sleeping? Would she be able to aid at all in the process of helping James awaken her? Could she send a leaf on a breeze to guide James to her location? Or use the wind to ward off attackers?
“Mother,” she said to Blissa, who was sunning herself on a blanket, seemingly trying to enjoy this pleasant day.
“Yes, Rose?”
“Do you really think m
y powers can work to move things beyond the dream realm?”
Blissa sat up, and nodded. She tucked a stray red curl behind her ear and looked her daughter in the eye. “Yes, I do,” she said. “It already has. Hilly has seen it. I think, however, that you need to concentrate on having it work on the outside. I suspect your powers have been present for a while, but Hilly only stumbled upon them because you were dreaming of something in the outside, which projected your powers there. Do you remember any such dreams?”
Rose bit her lip and closed her eyes, trying to sort through her memories. For whatever reason, this enchanted dream sleep allowed Rose access to much more of her life than she could usually remember while with James. She thought back to her dreams. In recent months, they almost exclusively involved James. She could think of no others. She shook her head. “No, Mother.”
Blissa sighed, looking a bit down, but then smiled. “No matter dear. I think you’ll figure out a way to use them, regardless. Powers don’t bestow themselves upon fairies who are incapable of using them.”
Rose quirked an eyebrow. “Whatever do you mean, Mother?”
She turned to Rose, a look of surprise flitting across her face, as she raised her hand to her chest. “Oh my, I’ve never told you,” she said. “Well, all fairies hear the stories as children and since I’d given my powers back to the Sacred Pool, I thought you’d receive none, so I never bothered with the stories. It seemed almost cruel to tell of these things you wouldn’t experience. But you are experiencing them, so I suppose I should explain.”
Blissa crossed her legs and looked to the sky briefly before beginning. “There has always been magic,” she said, her voice soft and ominous. “From the beginning of time, before there were fairies, before there was man, before there were animals and trees and light, there was magic. It is this magic that sprouted all that we have come to know and love about our earth. The fairies were created by the magic to help take care of the earth, and each fairy at birth was bestowed a type of magic to help her care for all the things. There are fairies who care for the waters, and those who care for the trees, the animals, even fairies to care for people. The powers fairies receive are bestowed by the Sacred Pool, a place of magic similar to the magic that created all. When a fairy is born, she receives magic from the Sacred Pool. When she dies, her magic returns to the Sacred Pool, and it can be bestowed upon another fairy. What is important for you to know is that the Sacred Pool knows how best to distribute fairy magic. It will only bestow magic upon a fairy who is capable of using it.”
Dream Trysts: A Sleeping Beauty Story (Passion-Filled FairyTales Book 4) Page 13