by Julie Eads
Maggie decided to shoo the guys out of the kitchen and into the living room. I was shocked that Lorcan hadn’t demanded to stay and watch over me but thankfully he followed Knoll into the living room, leaving me alone for the first time today.
“He is so serious,” Maggie whispered, once she was sure the men were out of ear range.
Laughing, I replied, “I know. He most definitely takes his job seriously. I don’t know what they do to people on the Isle of Fire and to be honest I never want to find out.”
“I have heard horror stories,” Maggie said, leaning over and whispering, “Too bad you can’t see him though; he is very nice to look at,” and she giggled.
Slapping her arm lightly, thankfully not missing. “Don’t get me wrong,” she declared, “I love Knoll but there’s no harm in looking,” and I listened happily at her beautiful sing song laughter. I had never been like this with her before. We were behaving normally, as if all of the crazy events that had occurred in our lives hadn’t happened and we were two happy normal sisters making dinner and talking about guys; it was exceedingly nice.
Maybe, I figured, was now a good time to talk to her about my issue with Declan so taking a deep breath I asked her, “I was hoping to talk to you about something.”
Pulling the chair out next to mine Maggie sat down and briefly put her hand on mine; it was her way of letting me know she was ready to listen so I started explaining, “I love Declan.” It felt strange saying that to her but I continued, “We have so much fun together and he makes me so happy, but when we are in public I seem to freeze up. For some reason I can’t tell him that I love him and, there are times when he takes my hand that I feel strange and embarrassed; not to be with him but because he wants to touch me.” Stopping speaking I ran my hands over my face. “I know it sounds stupid. I just don’t know what’s wrong with me,” I concluded.
Silence reigned in the kitchen, although I could hear Maggie rattling her nails against the counter top as if she was contemplating over what I had just said before responding. Finally, taking a breath she replied, “I don’t think there is anything wrong with you Mina. I think it’s hard for you to accept people’s affection and to acknowledge it in public because you blame yourself for what has happened to you. Or,” and she hesitated before continuing, “And, please don’t slap me for saying this, but just maybe you and Declan aren’t meant to be together.”
Her words caused me to feel irritated and offended that she would say such a thing. Declan was kind and so very handsome; he treated me wonderfully and he, according to Willow and our parents, was my soul mate. He apparently was the ‘one’ who I would spend the rest of my life with; the one who, if anything happened to him, meant I would die of a broken heart or be alone for the rest of my life. Finally I responded to her, “You have been trained by Willow, how can you think that?” yet it seemed to come out sounding as thought I was a lot less hurt than I really felt.
Maggie sighed saying, “I can say that because everyone is so sure that he is your one and only, that your animals have joined together as one and blah blah blah. BUT Mina,” and she stressed the word, “You don’t have a spiritual animal yet and his has only just been awoken not that long ago, so how can something be certain and set in stone when all the cards aren’t laid out in front of you? That is like saying you can win a poker game with just half a deck of cards. How do you know what hand you could have, if you just settle for the one that people have dealt you? As a healer I have been told over and over again that I must be with a guardian. I have had no choice. But, I didn’t let that stop me from dating other royals and making mistakes.
When I met Knoll I knew he was the one and not because some mystical thing told me so. I knew it because no matter where I was or who I was with he was all I wanted! It didn’t matter that he was a guardian,” and she paused to allow her words to sink in to mind. Then she continued, “I am not trying to say that you don’t love Declan, or that you won’t spend the rest of your life with him, just be sure he is the one you actually want and not the one you think you want. I have seen too many girls fall for the wrong person. They end up living their lives by telling themselves that something is wrong with them, because they feel they should be happy with their choice. Just think Mina first.”
As I sat taking in everything that Maggie had said to me I wondered if she right. Maybe I was pushing myself to fulfill a prophecy with Declan or did I really love him?
“She is right you know,” proclaimed a voice behind me. “My apologies; I didn’t mean to overhear your conversation, I simply came to get a glass of water.” It was Lorcan and he had heard God only knew what. I could have died of embarrassment.
Shortly afterwards I heard Maggie walk out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with Lorcan, as she went to tell Knoll that dinner would be ready in ten minutes and asked him to come and help her set the table.
“What do you know about love? You won’t even be my friend,” I stated peevishly.
“But, I do have a heart Mina, and I know about love and loss,” declared Lorcan. “I also know how difficult it is when people try to decide for you, saying that someone is who you are supposed to be with. I did the same thing; I fell for someone who I thought was my soul mate only to get my heart ripped out when I was proved wrong. Just be very careful who you give your heart to Princess and remember a broken heart is not something that is easily fixed.”
Swallowing hard I didn’t know what to say to him; he had sounded so defeated in that moment. There he was bearing himself and opening up to me which I am sure went against everything he said he would do. Following him through to the dining room he suddenly leaned towards me and whispered so only I could hear, “And for the record, I don’t think being your friend would be a bad thing. It’s just easier for me this way.” There was nothing I could stay.
It was strange sitting at the table without my parents being present. They usually lead the conversation, asking how my day had been or bringing us information about the village and what was going on. Yet, even though they were absent, sitting at the table this evening with my sister, Knoll and Lorcan it felt just as complete. Maybe all changes didn’t have to be for the worse, maybe in time Lorcan and I could be friends.
After a delicious and filling meal we made our way into the living room, deciding to play a game. I was surprised, and a little worried about the adults in the room, when the game decided upon was twenty questions. Knoll decided to start first by asking, “Lorcan. Is it true that on the Isle of Fire, the royal men have more than one wife?”
With a smile in his voice I heard Lorcan respond, “Yes, it is true. Usually only the royal men have more than one wife; although some guardian has had the choice of more than one. Maggie giggled as Knoll loudly kissed her all over her face saying, “Guardians are smart, and this gorgeous one sitting right here is the only woman I will ever want.”
Then it was Lorcan’s turn. I was readying myself for a dull question when he said, “Mina,” taking me off guard by not calling me princess. “Is it true that you are expected to be the prophesied one?”
I began to reply but Maggie interjected asking, “What? Are you talking about?” She waited for a few seconds and then continued on saying, “Anyways you have to wait until it’s your turn Mina.” For some reason she sounded irritated and I wondered how many people really thought I was the prophesied one.
Deciding to answer him I said, “Yes. I guess it is true. That everyone thinks I am supposed to be the one. BUT, spoiler alert. I am just a blind seventeen year old girl who is going to most likely prove to be a great disappointment to them,” and I laughed at what I hoped sounded like a joke. It seemed I had done the right thing and discovered I had reunited the mood. We were all having so much fun and I felt my doom and gloom personality had come out and tried to ruin it. Or so I had thought until Lorcan took me by surprise by bursting out laughing. He had a nice laugh, not too loud nor obnoxious but a deep, haughty laugh.
Apparently it was
now my turn to ask someone a question and I was glad we were still playing. I chose to ask Lorcan but instead of asking him what he meant by his comment that it hadn’t been the first time he had heard of me being the one; I decided not to darken the mood with that stuff. So I asked him, “How old are you Lorcan?”
Suddenly Knoll laughed out loud saying, “I hate that question. It always reminds me how many years I have on ya kid.” Rolling my eyes I sighed teasing Knoll by telling him, “You are thirty one years old so that is hardly cause for alarm, and anyway I didn’t ask you.” And I turned to where Lorcan was sitting, waiting for his reply.
“I am nineteen years old,” Lorcan said.
“Wow!” I said, surprised that he was a guardian at such a young age. And I wasn’t the only one who was surprised.
“Hey, I didn’t become a fully-fledged guardian until I was twenty three!” Knoll admitted with some curiosity and maybe a hint of jealousy in his voice.
Lorcan explained, “On the Isle of Dóiteáin we start to train at a very young age.”
“That must have been hard,” stated Maggie in a soothing maternal voice. She was always so caring of others.
“Indeed it was,” Lorcan agreed. Somehow, I felt like there was so much more to the story than he was telling; maybe one day he would trust me enough to tell me. Until then I would have to let it go.
I was listening to Knoll begin to ask Maggie a question when my phone suddenly started to ring. I still hated not being able to see caller I.D and who it was calling me. Answering it I said a simple, “Hello.”
“Hey beautiful. I’m sorry I missed your call, but I have been so busssssyyyy…,” it was Declan and as he spoke he let out a laugh, then it sounded as if he had fallen down or knocked something over.
“Are you ok?” I asked worried by the noise.
Declan just laughed before responding, “I’m fine babe; just partying! WHOOO,” he then yelled out loudly causing me to pull the phone away from my ear.
Starting to get a little annoyed I asked him, “Where are you Declan? Shall we come and get you?”
But I was met by silence but then relief when Eirnan came on the phone, thankfully sober and told me, “I am so sorry. I told him not to call you until he had sobered up.”
“Well,” I replied, “At least we know why he wasn’t answering his phone earlier,” and I must have sounded clearly annoyed as I spoke into the phone.
Eirnan hesitated before replying, “There is something you should know Mina. I feel it’s only right telling you that he got drunk at Thora’s.”
Suddenly I heard, “You son of a bitch!” It was Declan screaming at Eirnan, rather too loudly I might add, before obviously trying to grab the phone he shouted, “I told you nothing happened,” and then he leaned towards the phone yelling at me, “Nothing happened babe!”
Shocked by the call, at that moment in time I wanted to hang up the phone, but I didn’t as I was worried about him. Despite him being an idiot, after all he was usually so calm and collected; I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. When I heard Eirnan come back on the phone and ask me, “Anyways. I hate to do this to you, but I heard your parents were out of town tonight so can he crash at your place? My mom will never let him go home with me, and his mom; well quite frankly I just don’t want her to see him like this.”
To be honest I knew I didn’t want to see him like that either, but as I thought of everything Declan’s family had gone through, and his sweet little sister, I just couldn’t let him go home to them like that either. Finally I told Eirnan, “I will come and get him. We will be there as soon as can be,” then I hung up, not wanting to hear anymore of Declan’s drunken screaming in the back ground.
“Is everything ok?” Maggie asked, obviously concerned by the distressed look on my face.
Shaking my head sadly I replied, “No. Not really. I wondered if someone would go with me to get Declan; he is drunk and needs to sleep if off here.”
Without hesitation Lorcan volunteered, “I will go princess.”
“No.” Knoll suddenly spoke up, “maybe it would be better if I go, after all this isn’t my first rodeo. Besides, I have dealt with these damn drunk kids for years now.” I expected Lorcan to throw a fit and demand to go with us, but he actually agreed that maybe Knoll was better for the job.
Quickly we made our way out of the house. The cold of the bitter wind making me pull my arms closer to my body. It seemed winter was starting to come down on us. As we walked along, Knoll asked, “Where is he?” He sounded as annoyed as I was.
“At Thora’s! That is apparently where he was been drinking all day,” I stated, disgust and annoyance reflected in my voice.
“Now, don’t jump to conclusions Mina Bear,” Knoll told me, “Thora throws parties for the kids all the time. I guess it makes her feel involved.”
“Really” Well I can think of a few ways of involving her,” I said smiling, thinking back to how good it felt when I had hit her in the face. It wasn’t that I was usually the violent type but every person had their equivalent to a Thora in their life; that someone who lived to make other people’s lives a living hell.
As we reached Thora’s large brick house, I could smell the alcohol and hear people everywhere. Knoll told me that some were even passed out on the lawn chairs, whilst others were dancing to the loud, ear piercing music coming from the house. Deciding to call Declan’s phone, we listened for the ring making it easier for Knoll to find him amongst the crowd of drunken people. Knoll heard it first and told me to stay put as he knew it would be hard for me to navigate my way through the house with not being able to see it. After he left I stood there wondering how many people were staring at me.
Just as I was starting to get worried I heard Declan yelling something. “Hey babe,” he said, putting his face too close to mine so all I could smell was beer and the strong stench of vodka.
“Let’s go,” Knoll said sternly and I felt Declan being pulled away from me as Knoll went on, “Don’t make me carry you Declan! Because, if I have to I will pick you up in front of all these people and carry you home like a baby.”
“The hell you will,” Declan shouted and pulling away he began walking and stumbling over everything in his path. Needless to say it was a long walk back home. By the time we walked through the castle door I was feeling tired and my annoyance level had risen somewhat. Suddenly Declan turned to me demanding, “Where am I sleeping? How about in your bed gorgeous,” and as if that wasn’t bad enough he grabbed my chin saying, “No, look over here I am over here!” and he forced my face round towards him. I couldn’t believe it; had he really forgotten I was blind?
Suddenly I heard Lorcan speak, “You will take your hands off of her and you most definitely will not be sleeping in her bed!”
Declan obviously hadn’t heard the tone of Lorcan’s voice as he turned on him and snarled, “Oh! Is that right? Just who the hell do you think you are to tell me what I can and cannot do?” Then turning back to me he spoke sarcastically, “Mina! Here is your big bad guardian, come to save the day! Is he good enough to sleep in your bed? Is that why I can’t?”
“That is enough,” Lorcan warned.
But Declan ignored the lingering threat, “Ohhh, so you are sleeping with him? You slut! After all everyone in town thinks you are! No one gets why I’m with a blind girl,” and laughed before carrying on and on in a drunken slur.
Until he didn’t, as someone announced, “You really shouldn’t have called her that.” Then Lorcan called in my direction, “I am sorry princess,” and before I could call out ‘what for’ I heard the loud noise of bone against bone and Declan was quiet.
Desperate to know what was going on I yelled, “What just happened,” calling out to anyone who would answer me.
Finally Knoll was the only one to chime in, saying, “He got what he deserved Mina that is what happened.”
Just then Maggie walked in saying, “Oh, my god! Mom and Dad are home!”
All I could sa
y was, “What?” Just when I thought this night couldn’t get any worse my parents had walked in the front door.
Eleanor was the first to speak, “My goodness,” she called out, “Why is Declan sleeping on the floor?”
At her comment Knoll burst out laughing, before declaring, “He’s sleeping all right.”
“Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on,” Liam ordered and the room grew silent.
Lorcan was the one to speak up, “Sir, this is my fault. He isn’t sleeping. I knocked him unconscious.”
“You did what,” I called out!
“Why would you do such a thing Lorcan?” Eleanor asked.
Lorcan swallowed before replying, “I was out of line and I apologize.”
But Liam wasn’t satisfied as he said, “I am afraid that isn’t going to be enough. Knoll what is going on?”
Finally Knoll began explaining about the evening’s event, “Sir, Declan was drunk. We brought him here to sleep it off and I’m afraid he called Mina a slut and accused her of sleeping with Lorcan as well as a lot of other horrible things. He was out of control so Lorcan shut him up.”
“Hmmm,” said Liam, then turning toward Lorcan he went on, “Well, my boy as he clapped Lorcan on the shoulder, I am glad you were here to defend my daughter. As for him,” and he pointed to Declan, “Take him home. I do not want him in my house, at least until he is clear headed.” I wanted to argue that his mother shouldn’t see him like that, but in all honesty after what he said to me, I didn’t want him here either. And so it was left to Knoll and Maggie who agreed to take him with them on their way to their new home. They then quickly excused themselves.
As I stood in the foyer with my parents and Lorcan, everyone was silent. I had a feeling no one knew what to say. Declan’s behavior had been so unexpected, not to mention the nasty way he had lashed out at Lorcan. Maybe he was as cute as Maggie said he was, or why else would everyone be acting so strange around him? I was thankful when my parents kissed me on the top of my head and went off to unpack and get settled in for the night.