Gunner sighed and closed his eyes. “I do not know what I can do, Leanna. I did all I could when I sent you both back here.”
“How is Keith?”
“He’s in good health, but he misses you terribly.”
She started to cry. “Tell him I love him and I’m carrying his son. He’s healthy.”
Gunner started to fade. “I’ll see what I can do, Leanna. I’ll...”
Keith watched as Gunner appeared before him out of nowhere. “Where did you go?”
Gunner sat at the table with Kolten and Keith. “T'was Leanna. She’d been reading the old scrolls in that place she works.”
Keith could picture her sitting on her bed at night, reading. Just as she’d done the night he spied on her. “Is she all right?”
“She said to tell you she loves you and your son is healthy.”
“He’s born?”
“It won’t be long now.”
It was apparent that Keith missed her so much. “It was worth it. What did she want?”
Kolten knew in his heart what was wrong. He had sensed her sadness, felt her pain. He missed his Jewel, his Amber, whatever she wanted to be called, so badly it hurt. “Tis Amber, isn’t it?”
“She’s very ill. She won’t eat right. She misses you horribly.”
Kolten stood up. “I can feel her broken heart in mine. I can feel her tears at night and I feel her breathing growing more and more shallow. She needs me, and again I’ve let her down.”
Keith touched his brother’s arm. “Kolten, there is nothing you can do.”
Kolten walked off. Once again, he was powerless over fate. Why was it that he loved so much but was ripped of her again? What kind of madness allowed a love so deep to be ripped apart?
He just wanted to be left alone to think. She would always be in his heart. If only he could speak with her. He could convince her to take care of herself and their child. If only he could just hold her for one last time. It wasn’t fair.
* * * *
Bess held Masias’s hand. “Do you know what you’re risking?”
“I’m an old man, Bess. I do not wish to live forever any longer. ‘Tis what I want, and do not be arguing with me.” Gunner grabbed his hand and they disappeared.
Gunner stopped in front of the cave entrance. Two male servants stood before him and Masias with bow and arrows. “What is it that you want, Gunner?”
“Tell the Queen that Masias wishes to speak with her.”
One of them left and returned rather quickly. “She will see you. But she will see only Masias.”
Masias walked down a dim hallway. The servant pulled him into another room. As soon as he entered Masias recognized her voice.
“What is it you want, Masias?”
“I want the girls back. I want my sons happy.”
Queen Verde, Queen of the Fairies, watched Masias closely. It excited, yet saddened her to see the mighty Masias begging. She adored him in a way she shouldn’t and had hidden for years. She walked closer to him. “What are you willing to give me for this?”
Masias sighed. “Well, my eternal life. I’ll give you parts of the ancient scrolls.”
“You’re willing to give me your life for your sons to have these women?”
“The lasses are carrying my grandchildren. Aye, I’m willing to give up my treasures for them. But one other favor. I want all my descendants to have eternal life.”
The Queen stared at Masias. “Do you promise safety forever for us?”
Masias nodded his head. “As long as my descendants walk these lands, your safety will be guaranteed.”
She noticed the scrolls he carried in his hands. “You have a bargain, Masias. On the next full moon, the girls will return. But once they’re here, they’ll never be able to travel again. They’ll also be immortal, as will their children and their children’s children.”
Masias bowed to her. “You have my word, your Majesty.
He reappeared in his room. Bess jumped off the bed, running to his side. “What happened?”
“It’s done. Now I’m going to show you how much I love you and always have.”
Bess blushed. “Masias, you dirty old man, what are you doing?”
He smiled. “I vowed to never love another after Hanna died. I couldn’t take living on and on while those around me died. I’ve made sure that my sons will never have to go through that. They’ll live on together forever, as will their children and their children.”
Bess hugged him. “We will live together forever also, Masias.”
* * * *
Later that evening, Masias had Bess bring the boys to the main hall. He needed to speak to them. He told them of his choice, and of going to the queen. “There is no need for anger. I’ve made a choice; I’ve already done what needs to be done. I’ve given up my immortality.”
Keith roared, “Father, what is more important then your life?”
“You two, my sons. Your lives are more important.” He wouldn’t tell them what he meant. He’d spoken and that was that. They knew better than to question his judgment.
* * * *
As the days passed, Leanna became more and more scared for Amber and the baby.
She’d had to downright force her friend to eat. Amber was thin, and looking deathly ill. Leanna looked up at the moon.
“Please, Gunner, help us out.”
As soon as the words were out, she felt the old familiar sensation. Her world started to spin. She felt herself flying through the air. The temperatures were hot, then cold and dry, then raining. She hit the earth with a thud and grabbed her stomach to make sure she was okay. She stood up and looked for Amber, discovering her lying not to far away. She looked up and saw the castle. “Oh, dear God.”
She ran to the castle as fast as she could. It was morning and the air was chilly. She banged on the doors loudly and soon Bess opened the doors. “Oh, honey, you’re back.”
Leanna hugged Bess, but quickly let her go. “Where is Kolten? We have to get Amber.”
Bess yelled up the steps for Masias. She turned to Leanna. “The boys have gone to Lairdom to check on the villagers.” Masias slowly walked down the steps and hugged Leanna. “Let’s go and get her.”
Bess stayed by Amber’s bed for two days, feeding her. Leanna waited patiently for Keith’s return, but he never showed. She went into Amber’s room and saw her friend still sleeping. She was exhausted, so decided to retire to her own room, where she soon fell asleep.
As soon as they made it inside the castle, Kolten saw Bess standing with her hands on her hips. “You best have me spices, lads. Oh, and how are the villagers?
Keith threw the satchel to her. “Why do you look like you lack sleep?”
Bess smiled. “Your da wishes to speak with you.”
Keith walked into the parlor. “We’re tired.”
Masias was standing by the fireplace smoking a pipe. “Now it’s time for you to understand what I gave up and for why.”
He sat them down and told them about the Queen and the scrolls.
Keith looked at his father. “But the full moon was last night.”
Masias pointed up the stairs. “And there are two lasses upstairs.”
Kolten and Keith jumped up but Masias stopped them. “Amber is very ill, Kolten. Bess has spent the last two days nursing her.”
From behind them Bess entered. “The poor girl is dying of a broken heart.”
Kolten ran up the stairs and into Amber’s room. She was really there. He raced to her side and knelt down by the bed. He gently picked up her hand and kissed it. “Oh, I have missed you, my love.” She was deathly white, but still looked like an angel lying there peacefully. He belly had grown and her breasts ripened with milk. She was lovely. Her golden blonde hair was spread across the green pillow, reminding him of when he first saw her, lying in the grass. He knelt down to smell it; he’d missed the scent of lilacs in her hair. Oh how he had longed to see her, to touch her.
The door opened be
hind him. “Kolten.”
He stood up and turned around. Leanna’s belly was huge with child, too. He hugged her. “She will be fine now, Leanna. I will see to it.”
The door opened again. Leanna saw Keith enter the room and all the months of pain crashed down in her heart. She began to cry at the sight of Keith. He quickly took her into his arms. “I thought I would never see you again.”
Keith kissed her.
Kolten sat on the bed. “What did you do to yourself, lass?”
Keith and Leanna left the room just as Bess entered.
Bess looked at Kolten. “Raise her head, lad, and let me feed her.”
She scooped spoons of soup into Amber’s mouth. “She loved you so much she would rather die then be without you.”
When Bess left Kolten held Amber in his arms. “I’m here now. You’re never leaving my side.” He kissed her lips and lay her back down while he put some wood on the fire. Kolten sat back down on the bed. He felt her move and looked down at her. She slowly opened her eyes and stared at him.
“I missed you, Kolten.”
He leaned down and kissed her lips. “I ought to beat the tar out of you for not taking care of yourself.”
Amber closed her eyes then opened them. “Don’t you understand that I’m not living if I’m not with you?”
Kolten kissed her again. “You will be with me forever.”
* * * *
It took a couple of weeks, but Amber made a complete recovery. Kolten spent all his time caring for her. Both Kolten and Keith watched as their women grew bigger and bigger.
It was late at night when Kolten, Keith and Leanna came in from a walk. Leanna had decided to go for a walk to help calm the cramps she’d been having all day. They walked in, and Masias met them at the bottom of the steps.
“The time has come, son.” He pointed up the steps. “Bess is in there with her right now.”
Kolten ran up the steps, but Bess had locked the door and would only allow Leanna in.
“’Tis not the place for you to be right now. She’s fine, now go." He stood in the hallway pacing up and down the walkway for what seemed like an eternity. When he heard the baby cry, he stopped dead in his tracks. His son was here.
Leanna walked out. “It’s a boy, Kolten.” She walked back in the room and locked the door. A few minutes later she reappeared. “It’s a girl.”
Kolten looked at her. “Do not be coming out here again.” She laughed and walked back in.
After Amber was cleaned up, Bess opened the door. “She’s doing great. You can come in now.”
She looked at Keith. “You best be going and getting some more hot water. I fear me night has just begun.”
Keith looked at Leanna who was lying on the bed by Amber holding her own stomach. Keith picked her up and carried her to her own bed, then rushed to do as he was told.
Leanna gave birth to their son in the middle of the night. He was a big boy, and she instantly fell in love with him. Keith held the baby and watched her drift off to sleep. The baby slept peacefully, and soon Keith slept, too.
The next morning, Amber and Leanna were both downstairs eating breakfast when Masias came and sat down.
“I tell you, this immortal thing is great. Do you realize that we’re already healed? It would take six weeks to heal if we were normal.”
Masias laughed at Amber. “It certainly has its advantages.”
Leanna winked at her father-in-law. “Please don’t tell Keith yet.”
Masias laughed. “When are you two going to learn that those boys can read your thoughts? They know what you’re thinking, they know what you wish for and they know when you’re hiding something. Now you, too, have that gift.”
He moved closer to the girls. “You have many powers. You can come to them in dreams. You can read people’s thoughts. In ways your powers are stronger then the male’s because the Queen is a female.”
Chapter Eight
Years passed. Kolten and Jewel watched friends die, and their lives changed forever. Masias and Bess both passed on after a harsh winter. Leanna and Keith moved to Lairdom and, over the years, had a whole slew of children. Times were changing; new rulers were taking lands that didn’t belong to them. Castles were emptied and anyone not following the new ways was hung.
Kolten kept strong, but he knew that soon he, too, would be forced to live under a new ruler, the way others did. His eyes no longer shone, he wasn’t himself. Jewel watched him slowly wither away from the huge man he was to a darkened soul.
It was more then she could take. There had to be something she could do. And she turned to Gunner for help.
“What can I do about Kolten? He worries me so. He’s so sad.”
Gunner, too, had seen the change in his old friend. He’d seen it too many times in the eyes of immortals. They would get used to a certain way, then times would change and their lives were shaken.
“Talk to the queen.”
Amber sighed. “Take me to her.”
The male servants walked Amber to meet with the queen.
The Queen was beautiful. Her long blue hair hung down to her knees. Her face was white and her eyes an amazing purple. She emitted a beautiful glowing light.
Amber bowed to her. “I came to speak with you, Your Highness.”
The Queen motioned for her assistant and the male servants to leave. “My name is Queen Verde. I’ve heard many things about you.”
She touched Amber’s face. “Such beauty, yet such sadness shows in your eyes. What can I do for you, child?”
Tears fell from Amber’s eyes as she told the Queen about Kolten. How sad he was and how much pain it caused her in her heart to see him like that.
The Queen looked into a crystal ball. “His soul is lost, child. He belongs in this time and he belongs in his castle. Try to change him and he’ll die. Not as in physical death, but as in his soul dying.”
Amber fell to the floor in front of the Queen. “I’ll do anything. I’ll die for him, please just make him happy again.”
She gently lifted Amber’s face. “The only way to save him is for him to go back in time for him to forget all that happened. He won’t remember you, or your love, or anything that has happened since you were brought into his life. Your life will be nothing as it was before. You will be strangers, lost souls.”
Amber took a deep breath. The thought saddened her, but she had to. She had to let him be happy. Part of loving someone was letting them be what they truly were inside and to live where they wanted to live.
“What will it cost me?”
The Queen rose up and walked to her vanity. “I want your memory.”
Amber didn’t understand. “What do you mean?”
The Queen smiled. “I’ve enjoyed watching you and Kolten over the years. Your love has made me smile, and has even made me cry. I want your memory so you won’t know who he is. I want to see if you two will find that love again.”
Either way she would lose him. He wasn’t the same man she’d grown to love. Although her love never died for him, he was different and he was saddened. She couldn’t bear to see him like that.
“What about Keith and Leanna?”
Queen Verde put her brush down. “They, too, must go. There is no way Kolten can go back without his brother there.”
Amber stood up. “Then that’s what will have to happen. I know that Leanna is unhappy, too. Keith is troubled about the new times. I feel it’s up to me to do this. Please, Queen Verde, take away my memory. Take us all back and give Kolten and Keith the lives they love so much.”
The Queen smiled. “It will be done, Amber.” She walked out of the room.
When they arrived back at the castle, Gunner kissed Amber on the cheek. “You really do love him.”
“Yes, Gunner, I do.”
Kolten was sitting by the fire when she walked in. She moved closer to him and kissed him. “I love you, Kolten.”
Kolten tried hard to smile. He was so unhappy. The only thing t
hat kept him sane was his dear Amber. “I’ve always loved you, lass.”
She returned to her chambers and closed her eyes.
* * * *
Queen Verde looked at her assistant. “The deed is done.”
The queen in training shyly looked at her queen. “But why, my queen? Why do you tear them apart only to bring them together? Doesn’t this tire you?”
The queen stared into her crystal ball. “I will never tire of watching those two fight, only to fall in love. My own heart can never attach to another, so I will live through my pawns, sweet one. I know you may think I am evil, but I truly am not. My heart aches to live as they do, to have someone love me as much as Kolten loves Amber, or Keith loves Kolten, or how much a father loves his sons.” The Queen looked at her assistant. “I will send them back to a time they have never been. I will continue to do this as long as I can. I will make them different people or give them different roles. You see, I have the power to touch their lives with magic or ruin it forever.”
* * * *
Kolten woke up and saw Bess sitting near his bed. “Why are you here, Bess?”
“Oh, Kolten, you have been so ill.”
The door to his chambers opened. “Tis about time you woke up. I know you just don’t want to do any work around here.”
Kolten laughed at his older brother. “I don’t remember anything.”
Masias entered the room. “Son, you had the fever. You have been ill for three days now.”
His head was foggy but he rose out of bed. “I must get something to eat.”
Bess put her hand on his chest. “I do not think so, young man. You stay right here in bed and I will fetch you something to eat.”
Kolten, being as stubborn as he was, rose out of bed. “I am perfectly capable of going to get my own food.”
They followed him out of his chambers and down the steps to the dining hall.
* * * *
“Wake up, we have chores to do while Uncle Pat is away. Please, Amber, don’t anger him today.”
The Willing Warrior Page 8