“He will leave us, why should he help I disobeyed his orders, I brought this upon us both,” stammered Unyae rocking her baby in her arms.
“Come you must relax or the poison will quicken through your veins,” pleaded Elieor. Eveline ran from the shore up to the dying King and Queen, her face sore with grieve, how could it be? How could they die? It wasn’t right, what would happen to their baby?
“Our child Elieor, what will happen to our child?” cried Unyae sitting down on the throne. Elieor bent down and kissed his wife’s head.
“I don’t know,” he whispered, kneeling down before her. Eveline watched as the family huddled together in their finale moments. Eveline looked down at the crying baby and was stunned by what she saw. The child had hair like her mothers and her eyes were golden, she looked just like Eveline. Eveline walked around the throne and knelt down on either side of Unyae and Elieor and let her hand reach out to the babe, who instinctively stopped crying at her touch. Eveline choked back a cry as the baby held onto her finger smiling up into her eyes. Together they held still until a bright light filled the night sky. Eveline, Elieor and Unyae looked up as a comet flashed through the sky making for the island. Elieor got up and watched the light fall to the ground before them. Eveline held on to the baby’s hand as Unyae coughed, silver blood flowing from her nose and mouth. A figure clad in white walked towards the couple. Eveline cried in awe as she noticed Theodore striding up to them.
“Theodore!” she cried hoping he could hear, disappointed that he didn’t.
“My Queen,” Theodore bowed, “I am Cael, guard of Heaven, and I am here on behalf of your father.”
“He will not come,” cried Unyae, “he has left me to die.”
“Your father wants very much to be here your majesty, but has told me to tell you both that it is in the aid of Celestine’s safety that he remain away.” Theodore replied gently looking down at the baby with a smile on his lips.
“He will leave us to die?” Elieor whispered. Theodore turned to the King, his eyes sad and full of sorrow.
“My King has told me to tell you that he is not angry with you for loving his daughter, you will be honoured among the stars for protecting Unyae.”
Unyae bent over in pain, blood flowing from her. Elieor bent to her side coughing violently.
“Take her,” Unyae begged, “Take her away from here.”
Theodore stepped forward and lifted Celestine away from her mother, holding her close to his chest.
“Promise,” Unyae choked, “Promise to protect her, to tell her about us.”
“She will be protected,” Theodore promised cradling the crying baby in his arms. Elieor bent down and kissed his child, leaving blood on her cheek.
“Go!” he ordered, “I do not want her last memory of us to be this,” he begged taking his wife into his arms and falling to the ground, his body giving up. Eveline screamed out loud.
“No!” she cried “You must save them!” she yelled trying to get Theodore to listen. Theodore turned from them and was gone, the night becoming dark once more. Eveline turned and ran up to the dying couple, kneeling down in front of them, resting her hands on their arms tenderly.
“My love,” Elieor spluttered uncontrollably.
“My love,” whispered Unyae, her eyes beginning to close as her husband cradled her, leaning his back against the wooden throne.
“I will never regret loving you,” he whispered before closing his eyes and letting his head fall backwards.
“And I you,” choked Unyae, her eyes shutting slowly, her chest falling silent.
“No!” cried Eveline bending over the lifeless King and Queen crying. The world about Eveline faded away as she cried, her heart aching. She felt herself turnabout in the darkness, not caring where she would end up, just wishing she could stay with the King and Queen.
Eveline fell into deep water, finding her body suddenly reacting to staying alive, and her legs kicking wildly beneath her. Fighting she found her way to the surface, her eyes hit by the direct light of the sun. Opening her eyes she found them lingering upon her house in Keswick, nestled neatly between the lake and the trees. Swimming to the shore she fell onto the stony beach, rolling onto her back and closing her eyes. In the distance she heard children playing. Rolling onto her side she opened her eyes and spotted two children running in between the trees, a boy with brown hair and a girl with auburn. They were playing chase, and the boy was heading straight for her. Eveline got and realised that she wasn’t drenched with water as she should be.
“William wait, mummy said we aren’t to go near the water!” screeched the little girl, her auburn hair flying behind her as she made a stop in front of William who was laughing.
“Oh Eveline, you’re a cold sore sometimes,” he teased taking her hand in his own.
“That’s a mean thing to say William!” Eveline huffed loudly, folding her arms across her petite frame. “You’re meant to be my best friend,”
“I am your best friend silly!” answered William giving her a friendly tap on the shoulder.
“Last one back to the house!” announced Eveline turning on her heels and running back up the path through the trees. William waited a few seconds before running after her. Eveline smiled, she couldn’t remember that day, but she remembered the countless days she had spent with William, they had grown up together, they had been best friends and she had discarded his love, friendship and loyalty in the space of two days. Shortly after the children had upped and ran away Eveline found herself following them, deep in thought. As Eveline passed under the oak, fir and willow trees, the sky suddenly changed and the ground beneath her. The sky became dark, and rain began to fall. The ground beneath her was laden with autumn leaves and puddles and she raced to find shelter.
“Will this ever end?” she asked the world, raising her hands up in defeat. Sighing loudly, Eveline stood under the cover of a tree and waited for the rain to stop. As she leaned against the tree looking up through the nearly bare branches she heard muffled cried and footsteps coming. Eveline felt a chill fall down her spine, there was something about this day, something about the way it felt that reminded her of a day she had spent the last fifteen years blocking. It was the day of her parent’s funeral and just as she remembered, her seven year old self ran past her crying. Eveline jumped forward and followed her younger self, she knew where she was headed. Thunder rolled in the background as Eveline stopped just behind her younger self, who was now on the ground crying her heart out, the cold water hitting her knees roughly.
“Get up,” Eveline called, but her younger self didn’t hear her and she knew it was useless trying to intervene.
“I hate you!” the younger Eveline cried out, thrashing her hand into the water violently. “You take everything, everything away from me!” she went on, taking time to breathe. Eveline felt sorrow for her younger self, dressed in a black pinafore, her auburn hair tightly tied up into a knot. She looked pale, thin and withdrawn, unalike the young girl she had just seen playing with William, she had lost a part of herself. Eveline had lost her security, her parents were her best friends, they were kind, caring and gentle and most of all they absolutely adored one another and Eveline was certain that this made all of the difference, to be a part of a unit dependant on love.
“You will get stronger,” Eveline whispered to her younger self as she sobbed uncontrollably, shouting at God and damning him to eternity. She moved forward, knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder. The younger Eveline must have felt the touch because she flinched instantly and turned round. For a moment they both stared at one another silently.
“Hello.”
“Hello,” replied Eveline.
“Hello,” replied another voice. Eveline turned her body around and stared across at a man. She didn’t remember this happening, maybe she blocked it out as well. The man was dressed in a smart suit covered with a heavy coat, topped with a hat, scarf and gloves. He looked familiar Eveline pondered, taking in his fe
atures which were altogether strange. She couldn’t put an age on his, his eyes were golden like her own, his hair silver but his skin unwrinkled and smooth.
“Are you lost?” The younger Eveline asked, staying put but wiping her nose on her sleeve.
“No but I have a feeling you are,” replied the man coming forward a little.
“I’m not, my house is over there,” stated Eveline pointing up at the distant cottage beyond the trees.
“Yes so it is,” the man smiled, “but that’s not what I meant.”
“What do you mean?” Eveline asked frowning.
“You are on your knees crying, I think you are a little lost,” the man stated matter of fact. Eveline watched the young girl scrunch up her nose in stubbornness. “Would you like to talk about it?”
“Do I have too?” she replied flatly.
“No, you don’t but why don’t you try,” the man smiled coming forward and offering her his hand.
“I’m not meant to talk to strangers,” Eveline said sharply.
“No I believe you shouldn’t, but I mean you no harm I promise,” the man answered honestly. “Come let us go for a walk, you can lead me to your house if you want?”
“Do I have to go back right now?” Eveline sighed deeply.
“No, we can walk slowly if you wish,” the man offered, placing her hand on his arm and guiding her away from the lake. Eveline got up and followed the pair.
“Do you live here?” The younger Eveline asked the gentleman quietly.
“What do you think?” he asked inquisitively, his eyes smiling.
“You feel strange if you don’t mind my saying,” Eveline replied curiously.
“Does that frighten you?” the man replied softly.
“No.”
“So why are you in such a frightful state?” the man asked.
“My parents died,” Eveline cried, wiping her nose again and keeping her eyes lowered.
“My child how sorry I am for your loss,” the man sighed deeply stopping in his tracks and looking down at her.
“It was their funeral today,” Eveline choked “and I just feel so angry.”
“Off course you do, they were your parents, it is unfair that they should leave you here alone,” the man soothed, patting her hand tenderly.
“I just don’t understand why God would do that,” Eveline stuttered in between sobs. “Is He punishing me?”
“Why would God want to punish you child?” the man asked concerned.
“Because maybe I’m not good enough, maybe I play with the boys too much like my teacher says, maybe because I don’t pray enough or read my bible,” Eveline sobbed pathetically.
“Now you listen to me,” the man stated firmly causing Eveline to raise her eyes to him. “God would never punish you for foolish mishaps such as not praying enough, do you think Him so fickle?”
“I don’t know, I’ve never spoken to Him,” Eveline stated bluntly.
“Are you sure about that?” the man asked seriously.
“How do you know you’re talking to God?” Eveline shrugged.
“Because deep down, tucked away something inside of you is telling you that you are,” the man suggested looking down at Eveline as she gasped quietly, her eyes widening.
“But how do I know you are God?” she quizzed her arms folded in an act of rebellion. “You are just a man.”
“Give me your hands,” the stranger asked Eveline. Eveline held up her hands willingly. The older Eveline watched on in horror, awe and shock she most defiantly did not remember this.
“What are you going to do?” the younger Eveline asked nervously.
“I am going to give you something to help with the pain,” the stranger replied, letting his own hands hover above the child’s. The man closed his eyes and suddenly a small ball of light came alive in-between their hands.
“Oh!” sighed Eveline, her golden eyes wide with awe, “what is it?”
“This is a special light, it will stay in your heart forever and every time you feel pain, it will ease the pain away, it will bring you comfort and warmth when you need it the most,” the stranger said.
“Truly?” Eveline asked watching the little ball of light turn around in her palm.
“Truly,” the stranger smiled, moving the ball of light with his hand and placing it in her heart, the light fading. Eveline stood rooted to the spot, amazed by what she was witnessing, this was incredible if it was true. The younger Eveline held a hand to heart. “Can you feel it?” the stranger asked.
“Yes,” Eveline nodded, “My heart feels…, warm.”
“Eveline, I want you to know that I am not punishing you. I want you to know that my heart aches for the loss of your parents,” the stranger began, kneeling down to her height.
“Then why did they die?” Eveline asked innocently.
“I gave humans free will, this causes them to make good and bad decisions, the man that drove into you parents was drunk, his bad decision led to your parents death, it was not because I was punishing you,” the stranger replied gently, “you are very precious to me and I will always be watching over you.”
“Do you have a name?” Eveline asked curiously, fluttering her dark eyelashes causing the stranger to smile.
“My daughter used to flutter her eyelashes just like that,” he muttered under his breath.
“You have a daughter?” Eveline smiled.
“I had a daughter, but she died,” replied the stranger, “and my name is Heiden, my daughter was called Unyae and her daughter was called Celestine.”
“What does Celestine mean?” Eveline asked quietly, letting Heiden hold her hands in his own.
“It means star of the heavens,” smiled Heiden.
“Does she live with you?” Eveline asked.
“No, she is being looked after somewhere else,” answered Heiden sadly.
“Why?” Eveline asked a little confused.
“In my world Eveline, there are those that wish my granddaughter harm, and so I keep her hidden so that she may have a happy life away from danger and darkness.”
“Do you miss her?” Eveline asked gently, her eyes forlorn and dimmed by grieve.
“Every moment that goes by I wish her to be by my side,” Heiden whispered, “but she is happy and well looked after, to love someone is to put their needs before your own.”
“But you will see her again?” Eveline asked hopefully.
“When the time is right,” nodded Heiden, “now should we get you back to your grandmother, she is very worried about you.”
“She is quite dramatic,” sighed Eveline taking Heiden’s hand and following him back towards the cottage. The older Eveline was too stunned beyond words and simply let her feet do the work.
“Yes your grandmother is a very rare woman,” laughed Heiden, “but a great one at that, she has a great passion for equality and I respect that and I hear her cakes are heavenly.”
“It’s true her cakes are heavenly,” cooed Eveline smiling up at Heiden, “but her cooking is quite terrible if you ask me, I give it to the dogs when she isn’t looking.”
“I know you do!” teased Heiden.
“It doesn’t hurt her,” replied Eveline naively.
“No it doesn’t, but many children don’t have a great grandmother to cook them dinner and bake them cakes,” Heiden lectured gently.
“I know, that’s what our minister says all the time,” Eveline replied rolling her eyes, “But what can I do about it?”
“You can pray for them?” Heiden offered.
“Does it really work, praying?” Eveline asked seriously as they exited from the forest and walked over the field.
“Yes, if you truly mean what you say,” replied Hieden firmly.
“Oh then I shall pray every night, will you come and see me again?” Eveline enquired hopefully, for she dearly liked the stranger she had met. Heiden stopped near to the cottage and turned to Eveline, his eyes a little sad.
“I wish I coul
d, but I cannot, it would be too dangerous and I only want you to be safe,” Heiden replied causing Eveline to frown. “I am sorry I have to do this, but you have lifted my heart from a dark and gloomy place. I want you to know that I love you very much and that we will see each other soon.” Quickly he swiped his hands over her eyes causing her to blink. As soon as she opened her eyes he was gone and she shrugged as if nothing had happened, running towards the cottage a little happier.
Eveline watched her younger self enter the house, closing the door behind her and covered her mouth with her hand in shock. She stood in front of the house for a good ten minutes before turning to leave, wherever it was she meant to go, because usually at this point she would once again fall into a bottomless void of darkness. Instead Eveline was met by the stranger her younger self had just encountered. Silence loomed as she looked at the transformed Heiden, now fully himself, his long silver hair falling behind his golden robe, his eyes bright and gold, and his face still smooth and ageless. He smiled at her knowingly.
“Come,” he announced, “Let us walk.”
Chapter XII
Celestine
Eveline quietly followed Heiden, the sky changing to a beautiful summer’s day. The birds were singing and in the distance farmers were out in the fields, herding their sheep, the barks of the sheepdog travelling far. Instead of walking toward the lake, Heiden guided Eveline up the fields, walking amongst the wild flowers that bloomed brightly.
“You are probably very confused,” he began, not turning his head but just guiding her onwards.
“I think I should be, but strangely I am not,” she replied calmly, “this is a dream.”
“But who is to say that it is not real?” asked Heiden gently, his silver hair floating about behind him.
“Dreams are just the conjuring up of deep thoughts,” Eveline responded flatly.
“And what do you think? Is this just the conjuring up of a deep thought?” Heiden quizzed turning quickly to glance at her.
“When you put it so eloquently, I suppose it is if all of this really happened,” Eveline shrugged because she honestly didn’t know what else to do.
One Crown & Two Thrones: The Guardians Page 27