One Crown & Two Thrones: The Guardians

by Isolde, Siobhan

  “Yes?” she replied gently, her golden gaze meeting his own.

  “Your eyes,” he pondered outright. Eveline brought her fingers to her eyes and touched them gently, feeling her eyelashes rub against her skin.

  “Are the same as yours,” she replied, shocked. “How can that be?”

  “There is not time to explain,” replied the man sternly. “You must stay safe in Bath, there are those that wish you harm, for reasons you are yet to find to understand.”

  “But why? I am only a young woman from Keswick, why would anyone wish me harm?” Eveline asked passionately needing to understand.

  “Have you always felt you were just a young woman from Keswick?”

  “Everybody questions their purpose in life and who they are,” replied Eveline firmly.

  “You don’t just question life Eveline, you question your heritage,” whispered the man, letting his other hand settle upon her un-touched shoulder. Eveline felt a flood of pain rise up within her as she looked into the golden eyes that gazed down at her in an almost fatherly fashion.

  “Yes, always, I’ve never felt,” she choked, “right with the world.”

  “Have you never wondered why?”

  “Countless times,” she sighed heavily, “with no answer and it doesn’t help when you’re an orphan,” she wept silently.

  “The world is changing, and so is yours, I will come for you when it is time,” soothed the man, stepping back as though merging with the altar. “Promise me, you will heed my word? You are precious to me.” A great light filled Eveline’s vision and a sudden bolt awakened her and she found herself lying on her floor, out stretched and wet with sweat. Morning light swept into the small room, enriching it with a slight warmth, casting its rays of light over the vase of cotton that lay on her writing desk and Eveline’s oak wardrobe, the winter dust dancing in the light. Silently she lay, her eyes wide and pinned on the cream ceiling above her, her heart pounding hard against her chest.

  “It was just a dream,” she reiterated gently to the emptiness “a dream.”

  For a long time, Eveline lay quietly on the floor, trying to ease her mind, calm her aching heart and find balance once more. Slowly and in a daze she rose to her feet, turning to the end of the bed where her suitcase lay, clutching it and leaving her room behind, still in her Sunday clothes. Setting the suitcase down at the front door, under her brown winter coat and scarf, Eveline went to the fire, which was nearing its end and placed a hand on the hearth and another on her hip, breathing in deeply and casting her eyes down at the dying embers. After a few moments of quietness and remembering that she had made up a small breakfast for herself to eat on the way to the station she made for the kitchen, stopping when hearing a knock on the front door. Turning from the kitchen she walked to the red door and opened it, coming face to face with Samuel the milkman.

  “Morning Samuel,” she smiled bleakly at the old milkman holding a crate of milk in his hand.

  “Morning Eveline, beautiful day aint it?” he asked merrily, noticing her weary eyes and frowning slightly. Eveline forced a smile upon her face as she took the crate of milk from him.

  “Would you like a scone Samuel?” asked Eveline turning to make her way back to the kitchen motioning Samuel to follow her. Samuel coming in and closing the front door followed Eveline through the front room towards the kitchen, taking off his tweed hat.

  “That’s awful nice of you miss, it would warm my belly,” replied Samuel, eyeing the small cottage with envy and following the pretty young Eveline into the cosy kitchen.

  “How are the children?” Eveline asked, wrapping a few scones in a handkerchief her back turned. Samuel stood by the doorway gazing around at the kitchen, a kitchen he knew very well, since he was old friends with Estelle.

  “Awk you know, winter is hard up here, they be cold most days but we try to keep them as warm and fed as is possible, hard when everyone is on rations,” replied an optimistic Samuel, his thinned grey hair shimmering in the morning light, his blue eyes ablaze with merriment, as though untouched by the harshness of winter and war.

  “And Paul? Has he written?” asked Eveline handing the small bundle of scones over to Samuel, letting her warm hands hold his own in friendship. Samuel’s eyes lowered in sadness at the sound of his only son’s name.

  “Aye he has miss, not one for babbling my Paul, harsh winter over in France,” he choked following Eveline back through the kitchen and out into the front room coming to the front door and looking down at her suitcase. “You going away miss?” he asked in curiously.

  “I’m away to catch the train to Bristol, then on to Bath to join grand mama,” smiled Eveline, searching her coat pocket for her key.

  “Would you like a lift on my horse and trap?” asked Samuel, stepping out into the snow.

  “That would be a kind thing Samuel are you sure?” Eveline asked gratefully, thankful for the offer.

  “Off course Miss Eveline, anything for you,” quipped Samuel, taking her leather suitcase from her. “I’ll just go and put this on the trap and get the horse ready.”

  Samuel hurried off towards his horse and trap leaving Eveline to don her coat, hat, gloves and scarf. After locking the door and gazing upon the cottage once more, Eveline made her way to the horse and trap, Samuel holding out his hand to help her up. Safely up and secure, Samuel whipped the horse into motion leaving Eveline to look back at the cottage feeling melancholy and sad, wondering if she would return.

  The short trip into Keswick went by rather quickly for Eveline, who admired the beautiful scenery and the sleepy village now starting to rouse and to come to life, the miners leaving early for work. The village had boomed in population recently due to the rise in evacuees. However Keswick still felt the consequences of a considerable decrease in the male population as they had recently gone off to war. Eveline sat quietly as she thought of the young men, many with whom had been her friends, off fighting in a foreign land, alone and scared, wondering if they would ever return. In no time Samuel dropped her off at the train station kissing her tenderly on her cheek and asking after her grandmother.

  “Be sure to write to me if you need help Samuel?” Eveline said, taking her suitcase from his hands and turning to enter the small station.

  “Aye I will miss, just you keep safe,” he urged hugging her tightly before letting her go, jumping up onto his trap once again and heading off down the cobbled street towards the village centre. Eveline had arrived just on time, as the green steam train sat awaiting the early morning travellers. Snow began to fall heavily as she lifted a newspaper from a nearby paper stand, giving the paper boy his money and folding it under her left arm making for the train, allowing an elderly businessman to open the door for her.

  “Thank you,” she murmured as she stepped up into the train, mincing her way through the crowd of sleepy travellers. Finding a quiet cabin in the first class department, Eveline closed the door, set her suitcase to one side and carefully took off her coat, hat, gloves and scarf setting them down beside her. Sitting down and resting her fake fur scarf across her knees, Eveline reached into her breakfast box and took out a flask of coffee and poured it into a small cup before unwrapping her scones, already buttered and jammed. Taking the Daily Mail paper from the other side of the table, Eveline uncurled it to read the headlines. A quiet gasp left her body as she read the title, “JAPAN DECLARES WAR ON BRITAIN AND AMERICA”. Quickly as Eveline set down her cup whilst the train bolted into action, she read on; “Heavy bombing of Honolulu and Guam: Hundreds Dead.”

  Japan tonight declared war on Britain and the United States after launching full scale naval and air strikes on two of America’s main bases in the Pacific – Pearl Harbour, in Hawaii, and Guam, between Hawaii and the Philippines islands. Already the Dutch East Indies have announced themselves at war with Japan, and the formal British and American declarations are expected in a matter of hours…,

  Eveline read on, not noticing the door of her cabin opening, a man ente
ring. Dressed in a dark coat and top hat the newcomer sat down opposite her, shaking off the snow from his hat and smoothing his dark hair into place. Taking off his coat, Theodore smiled as Eveline’s facial expressions took on a rather dramatic demeanour as she read the paper causing him to feel curious. Silently, he watched as she raised her cup of coffee to her reddened lips, whilst sweeping back a fiery curl, behind her ear. Her golden gaze was hidden under her heavy brows, furrowed and concerned. Theodore, took out his own Daily Mail and found the same article, lifting his eyes to and fro to notice if she had registered his presence, unable to hide his smile. Theodore had waited for such a long time to be in her presence, he felt almost giddy. Taking out a small sandwich, Theodore, unwrapped it and began to eat it hungrily, his dark hair falling in front of his sapphire blue eyes.

  After several minutes, Eveline realised she was not alone, and set down her paper and looked up at the handsome man, who sat before her reading the same paper, whilst also eating a sandwich. Eveline felt her body grow nervous and a rush of heat surge within her, staining her pale cheeks red. Eveline was not used to being in such close quarters with a handsome stranger, and kneaded her finger nails into her skirt, dragging her eyes away and letting them roam outside the window to the snow covered countryside that flew by.

  It was hard to concentrate on how the article had affected her with this man’s presence in the cabin she fumed. Calmly she thought of the poor women, men and children that were suffering worldwide, wondering what resolution could be procured when such evil roamed wildly and freely amongst the human race.

  “You look like you are deep in thought,” interrupted Theodore, watching Eveline’s face smooth as she let her golden gaze over meeting his own. Theodore tried to keep his shock to himself, hoping that it did not betray him.

  “I am, I was,” replied Eveline, her eyes widening at the beauty of his own sapphire blue eyes, so blue and deep. Theodore let his gaze wander, taking in Eveline’s beautifully set face, her elegant, freckled nose set atop beautiful rose bud lips, hugged by the sweetest of dimples. Eveline also let her gaze wander, as she skimmed the man’s square jaw, thin lips, high cheekbones, straight nose, beautifully craved out eyes, heavy black brows and his beautiful raven coloured hair, so black his skin was almost as white as the moon itself. Eveline let her gaze drop taking in his outfit; a beautiful single breasted navy suit, white shirt and dark blue tie. To his side lay a navy dot silk scarf, black leather gloves, fedora hat and a thick black coat. Theodore also let his gaze drop from Eveline’s face; the beautiful young woman with whom he had known all his life, wore a simple cream blouse, under a tweed jacket, which was tucked into an a line green skirt that fell to her calves, which were dressed in fine stockings, her feet buried within a simple pair of black shoes. Glancing back up at Eveline, he noticed a pair of small diamond earrings hiding behind her auburn curls. Theodore had only ever watched Eveline from afar, but to be so close, despite the rules and regulations of his job, was intoxicating, she was beautiful and obviously unaware of her beauty, which in a way made her even more desirable.

  “I am thinking about Pearl Harbour,” replied Eveline lifting her eyes to the passenger, a slightly flush burning her neck.

  “To be sure, it is all over the papers this morning, dreadful stuff,” answered Theodore taking a bite of his sandwich, gulping quietly as he smiled across at the miffed looking young woman. “War is a terrible business, never resolves anything,” he stated finally.

  “Oh, so you are not a supporter of the war then?” asked Eveline curiously and without offence, “I mean it is alright to not support war, sometimes I think I am the same, young men fighting for reasons they do not fully understand.”

  “Yes you are right,” Theodore began, “while the big men sit in their offices negotiating, the vulnerable, innocent, young men with no idea of the true meaning of war, go off and either come home changed or don’t come home at all.”

  “So if you don’t mind me asking, what is it you do? It is rare you see young men around,” Eveline enquired, curiosity taking a hold of her, so much so that she forgot her nerves.

  “Well actually I am back on leave, I was in Tripoli for eight months until I injured my leg,” Theodore lied, because the alternative would have frightened the very wit from Eveline’s body and cost him his job.

  “Oh how sad, has it mended?” asked Eveline kindly, her eyebrows drawn into a furrow of concern.

  “Well I have pain with it sometimes, but yes I am much improved,” replied Theodore crossing his left leg over his right and relaxing back into the seat. Eveline without knowing also sat back into her seat taking her cup in her right hand and bringing it up to her mouth, sipping on the warm coffee with delight. Setting her cup back down on to the table, Eveline looked at the young gentleman with growing interest.

  “And where are you headed too?” she asked shyly.

  “Bath,” replied Theodore gently bringing up a hand to cover his yawn “excuse me I haven’t had much sleep.”

  “Your excused, I haven’t had much sleep either, I’m afraid I may drop off at any moment,” smiled Eveline, feeling stupid and hot all at the same time. Theodore reached for his fedora hat and planted it on his lap.

  “I won’t mind if you fall asleep as long as you don’t mind much if I do?” asked Theodore who was in fact extremely tired after his long night shift.

  “Off course not,” smiled Eveline glancing at his long fingers, wondering if he played the piano like she did, wondering a lot actually. “My name is Eveline,” she announced her voice slightly coarse.

  “Lovely to meet you Eveline,” Theodore reached out his left hand waiting for Eveline to take it. “I am Theodore.”

  Eveline reached out her left hand also and set in Theodore’s palm tenderly feeling a wave of heat rush over her. Theodore kept his face as still as possible as he held Eveline’s hand in his own, feeling a strange sensation run through him and then quickly let go, setting it on his fedora hat, smoothing over the texture, giving himself something to do, other than think.

  “Nice to meet you Theodore,” muttered Eveline, feeling a little let down at his rash retreat. “Do you mind awfully if I read my paper?” she asked, needing to divert her attention elsewhere for want of humiliation.

  “Off course,” answered Theodore picking up his hat and setting down upon his face, “I may just close my eyes until we get to Bristol, is that were you are headed yourself?”

  “No, I’m for Bath as well,” smiled Eveline picking up her paper again and opening it to page two.

  “Ah wonderful.” muttered Theodore, pulling his fedora down over his eyes. For some time, the cabin lay still and quiet as Eveline read and Theodore slept, the more southerly they went the greener the landscape became. Soon however, Eveline felt herself drift into a soft sleep, letting her paper fall to her knees and her head slump back into the corner of her chair, her nose lifted to the ceiling. Before falling into slumber she opened the hatch of the window, drawing it down to let in a little air. The cold winter’s air now danced softly upon her face and curls as she slept. The cabin lay still as Theodore opened his eyes hearing muffled groans and looked across at Eveline who seemed to be struggling with a bad dream. Theodore unsure of what to do, got up from his seat and sat down beside her, watching and listening.

  “Stop!” she whimpered, her body jolting. Theodore felt helpless, he wanted to know what it was that was endangering her and felt silly all the while because he couldn’t in any way stop whatever it was that was causing her to be in fear. Lifting his hand, he gently touched her forehead with the back of his palm, she was cold. Looking over toward the window he noticed it was open and got up slowly, bending over to close it, accidently touching her legs. Abruptly Eveline jumped in reaction and opened her eyes, wide and frightened.

  “What are you doing?” she shouted, backing into the corner. Theodore held up his hands.

  “I’m sorry I was worried, you, you were having a nightmare and I closed the wind
ow so that you didn’t draw a cold,” he pleaded gently backing away and giving her space. Eveline closed her eyes and drew in a deep breathe before opening them again.

  “Sorry I didn’t mean to frighten you, I don’t really remember the dream,” she replied a little dazed, her eyelashes fluttering gently against her skin.

  “It didn’t sound pleasant,” responded Theodore still worried.

  “Oh it was nothing,” smiled Eveline waving away his worry with her hands. Carefully she drew herself upright and looked outside the carriage, they were passing a small town. Theodore, still sitting close by watched her. “Do you know where we are?” she asked, looking back at him.

  “We are an hour from Bristol,” answered Theodore meekly a little dazed himself.

  “Oh that’s good, I’m ravished.” she replied gaily, hiding her inner conflict and hoping that he would go back to his seat and forget about her nightmare so that she could calm down. Theodore upon feeling that she needed a little space and time, got up and moved back to his seat, lifting his fedora hat and placing it back onto his lap, his eyes on her.

  “Yes a little food might help,” he uttered, unsure of what to say, how strange, he had known her his whole life, she had known him a few hours, they were both lost in communication. Theodore wanted to shield her, but ever felt her need for space and his restrictions take over.

  “I’ve never been to Bristol before, I hear it is having a bad time of it,” Eveline mentioned lightly, looking out at the fields and letting her eyes gaze up at the sky. “It must be scary at night, knowing that you could be bombed, I wonder how they sleep.”

  “Most have shelters, and a siren will alert many to any German activity,” replied Theodore also looking up at the sky.

  “Yes I suppose so, up in the North we are kind of shielded from the practical and physical aspect of war, well we have evacuees and most of our young men are off fighting, but , well you know what I mean?” Eveline looked over at Theodore whose blue eyes were still engaged with the cloudy sky.