by Ralph Smith
He went to the refrigerator, and got out the stew he had made the day before checking to see that there was plenty for the two of them. He put it on the stove to heat and got out the bread, and cheese. He realized that she never did say what she wanted to drink, so he poured a couple of glasses of ice water, and put on a pot for tea. He thought that might help her relax. He set out the bowls and put the bread, cheese, some fresh fruit, and water on the table. As he was stirring the stew she came out of the bathroom looking a bit refreshed, but tired.
He walked over to the table, and pulled out a chair with its back to the wall, and held it for her to sit down. “Here, have a seat and help yourself to some food, while I finish warming the stew.” He noticed her surveying the room and his choice of seating for her. She seemed to approve, and sat down putting her pack on the chair next to her easily within reach. “You never did answer my question, so I got you some cold water, and I’m making tea.” She gave him a smile of approval and picked up the water casually putting it under her nose. David pretended not to notice then saw her take a long drink.
“Oh, this is so cold, and there’s ice in it.”
“I hope it isn’t too cold for you, I can get you some without the ice.”
“Oh no, it tastes good, I just didn’t think it was cold enough for ice.”
“This is a refrigerator and freezer.” He opened the doors each in turn. “It keeps food cold or frozen, and we use it to make ice.” She leaned over to peer inside, and saw the variety of items on the shelves, most of which looked utterly foreign to her. Seeing her lean back, David closed the door, and went back to stir the stew. Leaning over, he inhaled through his nose and proclaimed. “I think that’s warm enough.” She watched as he turned the dial on the stove, and the flame went out. He took the pot to the table, and ladled some into each of their bowls, making sure he gave her plenty of meat. He set the pot back on the stove then joined her at the table.
Looking concerned she asked, “Who are you? Is this all a dream? Everything is so strange to me, yet at the same time familiar. Did I die tonight?”
He smiled, “You know me, just as I know you. I’ve spent my life seeing you day in, and day out, and apparently you’ve seen me the same way too. There will be time for us to learn about each other, but for now I trust what I already know. You didn’t die tonight. I suppose that, after all these years, it was finally time for our paths to cross. So eat and rest, and when you have your strength back, you can tell me everything. In the meantime, I hope my cooking doesn’t disappoint you.”
David heard the words coming out of his mouth, and was surprised again by how calm he was. He was as shocked as she was, but somehow, her dismay made it possible for him to be calm. He wanted so much for her to be ok; for her not to be afraid, that it made it easy for him to keep his own fears bottled up.
She slowly shook her head, picked up a spoon, and tasted the stew. It was warm and comforting, just as he was. "I've had worse," she said grinning, and with that, they both began to eat.
David did his best not to stare, but he could see the restraint she was using not to eat too fast. It was clear she hadn’t eaten recently, and under the circumstances, he wasn’t at all surprised. He had no idea how long she had been on the run from the soldiers. He felt a swell of affection for her rise in him, and his desire to help her pushed aside, all the confusion he felt over what had just happened. As much as he wanted to figure out what was going on, that seemed much less important, than taking care of her.
***
Aurora sat there feeling so overwhelmed she became numb. She had been moments away from death, and suddenly she was in a strange place sitting at a table with him. It was all too much to comprehend. A million questions swirled at the edge of her thoughts, but after such a tremendous physical struggle, her intense fatigue and ravenous hunger prevented her from thinking clearly. She had no choice, but to accept her circumstance until she regained her strength, and could try to make sense of it.
She savored each bite of food. It had been so long since she had enjoyed a proper meal, and with every mouthful she felt her mind clear a little more. One conclusion she had come to was that she was safe for now, and after these past few weeks constantly on the run that was something. She still had her mission, but she would not be able to complete it until she figured out what was going on. Obviously, she wasn’t in her land anymore, and she had no idea how she was going to get back. She needed to rest. As her hunger became satisfied, she became keenly aware of how tired she was.
After a bowl, and a half of stew, two pieces of bread, some cheese, and fruit, she took a breath, and said with a sheepish grin, “I have to admit I wasn’t entirely truthful before. This may be the best meal I’ve ever had.”
David chuckled, “Then, you certainly have had a rough time of it. I’ll be sure to make you something better next time.”
She was meticulously eating every scrap of food he put out well after David had stopped eating. Seeing her slowing down he spoke, “I have a guest room for you to sleep in tonight, and there’s a private bath so you can soak in the tub or take a shower if you’d like.” He half expected her to ask what a shower was when she said,
“I don’t know if I should stay.” Her face suddenly saddened.
“Why would you think that?”
She looked into his eyes, and he was surprised to see how sad she looked. “You’ve been remarkably kind to me and I’m afraid I may be putting you in danger. All this is so grand, and no one since I was a young girl has served me like this. It’s all so confusing, and I …” She broke off, her words trailing into silence.
“Dear Aurora, I’ve already told you. I’ve known you my whole life. I’ve seen you in small glimpses through a window I couldn’t open. I’ve seen you grow from a child to a woman. I don’t understand it any more than you do. I’m just as confused and frightened, but there’s one thing I’m certain of.” He paused, “Everything in my life, and probably in yours is going to change. In fact, it has already changed. From the moment I left this house, and headed to that meadow where I found you, my life has been irrevocably altered, and I have embarked upon that path with no regrets. So, you are going to stay here, and get some much-needed sleep. I’ll stand watch over you, and not allow one hair on your head to be harmed.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but her voice failed under his gaze. "Now that we have that settled, on to more important matters," he said. She closed her mouth and looked concerned. “Would you like some more to eat?” He smiled warmly at her.
"No, thank you, I've had quite enough."
David stood, and began clearing the table; “There are some clothes here that belonged to my mother if you’d like something to sleep in. I think they’ll fit you well enough. I’d imagine your leather might need a rest too. If you’re ready, I’ll be happy to show you your room, and we can pick out something for you to wear.”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
He reached out to take her hand, and without hesitation, she took his. As she rose from the table she wobbled unsteadily, David put his arm out to catch her as she staggered into him. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, I think so. It was a long day, and it has been two days since I ate anything more than a biscuit.”
Standing there with her leaning against him, he could feel his heart pounding, and a tingling sensation ran up the back of his neck. Her outdoors scent filling his nose, her warm strong body against him, he could have stood there for hours. She looked up at him, and her face was close to his. Their eyes met, and he suddenly felt weak, too.
“Are you feeling better now?” He managed to ask in a soft voice.
“Yes, I’ll be fine.” She said. They slowly separated, and he gently held her arm as they walked back to the living room.
“This is the living room, although I don’t spend much time in here since my parents…. I can make a fire while you change if you want to sit up. ”
The room was filled with comfortable
looking furniture, a couch, and some armchairs, the kind of room where a group of people could sit around and talk in front of the fire. “And back this way is the den, this is where I usually sit, and relax in the evening.”
This room seemed to fit his personality better. It had a large overstuffed couch and chair, reading lamps, and a television. He thought she probably had not seen a TV either, but left that for another time. “Back here are the bedrooms, the guest room is over there to the left, and this room to the right is … was my parent’s room.”
They walked in through the doorway. The décor was simple; a large bed, a couple of dressers, a door to some closets, and another to the bath. On the walls, the top of the dressers and the nightstands were pictures, lots of pictures. “This is my mother’s dresser, and through here is her closet. You can pick out anything you need. I’ll give you a minute while I finish cleaning the kitchen.”
Looking a little lost she said, “Thank you. I don’t know what to say.”
David smiled “You don’t have to say anything. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”
Aurora stood there as he left the room. She absent-mindedly set her pack down on the bed. Suddenly she felt a little silly that she was carrying it around, but she never let it out of her sight. Her survival often depended on it. She moved over to the dresser that he said was his mothers, and opened the top drawer. Inside were undergarments like she had never seen before. They were so smooth and soft, and they shimmered in the light. She had never felt cloth like this. She also found some thick socks that would be warm, and comfortable. In the next drawer were some long cotton nightshirts that would go all the way to her knees. She pulled one out, and held it up to look at. Yes, this would be comfortable to sleep in. She wandered over to the closet. David had put the light on for her. One side was filled with beautiful dresses, and she couldn’t help, but run her hands over them. There was another rack of shirts, and pants. Pants made of thick blue cotton she was sure would be extremely durable. She couldn’t imagine having so much to wear. She only had what she could carry with her. This life, his life, was so foreign to her.
She walked back out to the dresser and looked for the first time at the pictures. Immediately she knew they were of his parents, and him. She recognized him as the boy; she too had watched him grow from a child to a man. Staring, without seeing, at one of the pictures, suddenly something in the back of her mind tugged at her. She stared intently, not at him, but at his mother. There was something she couldn’t quite hold onto floating at the edge of her memory.
“Hi, did you find something to wear?” David stood leaning against the doorway, the sound of his voice caused the thread of her memory to slip away.
“Yes, thank you,” she replied. “I was looking at this picture, and there was something….” And her voice trailed off.
He walked over to her. “Oh, that’s a picture of me, and my parents. It was the day before the accident.” He said in a soft voice.
She paused not wanting to seem insensitive to his loss. “Something about her is familiar, but I can’t quite place it.” Her voice sounding a bit distant
“In my mind, when I saw you over the years, I often saw you with other people. Perhaps you saw her with me at some point.” He said reassuringly.
“Yes maybe that’s it.” She said, uncertainly.
“Perhaps, with a good night’s sleep, it’ll become clear in the morning.” He said with a smile.
She slowly replaced the frame onto the dresser as if it were a delicate object that could shatter if set down too hard. “You put this here?”
“Yes, it was the last picture of us together, and I felt it belonged with the rest of them.”
Not wanting to continue that conversation David said, “I took the liberty of starting a bath for you, why don’t you come this way, so you can soak for a while before you go to sleep.”
She grabbed her pack in one hand, and the borrowed clothes in the other, turned to him, and said, “That does sound good.”
She followed him out of the room, and watched as he gently closed the door, as if trying not to wake a sleeping child. As he led her down the hallway to the guest room, something about the doorways began to tug at her memory, too. She dismissed it, and thought to herself that he was probably right that she had seen glimpses of this place over the years.
“Here you go,” said David as he pushed open the door to the guest room. It wasn’t as large as his parents, although she expected as much, but it was decorated with comforting earth tones, and had a warm cozy feel to it. As soon as she passed over the threshold, she felt at ease, she knew she was safe in here.
“The bed has a comforter on it, which should be enough to keep you warm tonight, but there are extra linens in the closet. You can put your things wherever you wish. Tomorrow we can wash your clothes to get the road dust out of them. In here is the bath, and it works the same as the other one. The tub is almost full, and I put some bath soap in the water for you. The lavender will help you relax.”
She set her pack on the bed along with the clothes. She peered into the bathroom, and could see the steam rising from the water. It looked extremely inviting. “Where do you get all of the hot water? Is there a hot spring nearby?”
David turned, “Oh no, we make it with a heater in the other room.”
She smiled, “Things are just so different here than my home.”
David went in, and turned off the taps, and came out of the bathroom. Suddenly they were face to face again, and the smaller space made it more difficult to pass. David froze for a second, and felt a wave of nervousness wash over him, a thrill that ran through him. He looked into her eyes, and they seemed to see right into him, not with the same penetrating stare as before, but a longing to see inside him. He wanted desperately to embrace her, to hold her close to him, and never let go. Before he succumb to his feelings, he reached up, and gently placed his hands on her arms, and moved around her, increasing the space between them with his back to the door.
“I’m going to make a fire in the living room so when you’re finished if you want to sit before you sleep, you can warm yourself by the fire. I’ll leave the door slightly ajar, so if you need me just call out, and I’ll come. I won’t come back until you tell me, so you can get dressed in private. Take your time. There’s no rush.” She nodded her understanding, and he left the room.
Connections
She stood there staring at the doorway he had just passed through. It was all so much to take in. This place was so comfortable, he was so comfortable, and he made her feel safe. She had not felt safe since she was a young girl, and to accept all this was difficult. She had never met anyone like him. He was so gentle with her and yet, he had a quiet strength about him. She found herself in the bathroom with her pack and clothes not quite remembering moving. The hot water looked enticing, so she closed the door, and set her things down. She slowly began untying the bindings of her clothes. He was kind not to mention how dirty they were, and undoing the laces was a difficult task. As she slid her arms, then her legs out of her travel clothes, the leather sticking to her skin, she felt her body breathe in the fresh air. She reached down to touch the water, and found it to be as warm, and soothing as it looked. She carefully placed one foot at a time into the tub, and could feel the hot soapy water enveloping her. The hard smooth bottom of the tub wasn’t like anything she had felt before. She slowly lowered herself into the water, the warmth of it rising up her legs to her hips, and then her stomach. She leaned back to let the water cover her all the way to her neck. Resting her head against the back of the tub she sighed, all of her muscles rejoicing in the comfort they were always denied. She could smell the lavender he put in the bath, and took deep long breathes through her nose to savor it. After a few moments, she allowed herself to slide down, so her head went entirely under the water. She ran her hands through her hair to shake out any dirt, and rubbed them over her face. Sitting up, the cool air against her cheeks was refreshing.
&n
bsp; The room was so quiet she could have heard a pin drop. Now, all alone with her thoughts, she considered the events of the day. It was hard to imagine that a few hours ago she was so close to death. Although death did not frighten her, she knew she still had work to do. She absent-mindedly looked over at her pack. She had to deliver “it” that much was still true. Even as she considered her mission, the thought came to her. How she wished she could stay here. She felt childish for even thinking it. Her work was too important, but in this moment, her life, her struggles all seemed so far away. She always put her needs second, and ever since she lost her parents she had been single-minded of purpose. She would not; could not, fail in helping defeat the Dark One.
Yet somehow everything was different now. She heard David’s words in her head, “My life has irrevocably changed.” She knew that her life had changed too, and there was no going back. There were many people who fought with her, good people who stood tall against the Dark One, and she felt a strong kinship with them. But this man, David, was somehow different. He had touched her in ways no one else had, and in such a short time. Although it really hadn’t been a short time. She also had known him her whole life, known his determination, his strength, and his kindness. Somehow they were bound together, and somehow that bond was significant.
Then she thought of the prophecy, but that was too much to consider now. He was right. She needed some rest, and to gather her thoughts. She was always one to act, but knew that to act without thinking was foolish. She needed to know more, to understand why she was here, who he was, and how she ended up here. At least that’s where she would start. There was still time, not time to be wasted, but time enough to figure out what to do next.
***
He sat on the floor with his back against the couch staring into the fire. He was finding it difficult to clear his mind. He was listening for her just in case. His senses were all on alert. He knew they were safe here, but just the same, he was not about to let his guard down. Rusty was curled up next to him asleep, breathing slowly. His hand rested on the dog, feeling his warm side rise, and fall. He had thought about reading, but nothing seemed as intriguing as what had just happened. He thought about turning on the television, just for a distraction, but didn’t want the sound to keep him from hearing her. So he sat there, trying to piece the day together. One thing was certain, he didn’t have a clue what was going on, and that frustrated him. Then there was Aurora; she was a real live living person. After all these years, she was in the guest room of his home, not just a vision. If someone had asked him yesterday what he wanted, he would have said to meet her. Now she was here, and he had no idea what to do. For a brief moment, emotion overwhelmed him. He wasn’t ready for this. He had no one to turn to for guidance. He longed for his father’s advice, and counsel. He felt a tear escape as it ran down his cheek. Then he remembered she needed him to be strong, and he couldn’t let her down.