‘You had to wait a very long time, and their wait will not be so long. Anyway they’ve spent the last two nights in bed together so it might not be that long.’
~~~~
Alex went to bed alone, as he did for the next week, and he dreamt. It was a mixture of his old ones and a new one in between. Dagur taunted him near a cave with many tunnels leading off, which were full of strange-looking creatures.
The dark elf grinned. ‘The portal will be open soon, and your world will be flooded with such creatures you have never seen before, then we will see how long your kind will survive.’
The worst part of his dreams was of Carrie, he told her of how he felt, and in the next instant she lay dead with her throat cut open. The first night Alex lay there shivering. Each night the dream happened over the week, he sat up in bed and wrapped his arms around his knees.
Are you going to talk to anyone about your mood? Said House.
‘Like who?’ said Alex.
You could try me.
‘OK, I dreamt of telling Carrie that I love her, and then she dies.’
Then do not tell her.
‘Of course I’m not going to tell her, but that’s not the point.’
She will be safe, is that not what matters?
‘Of course it is, but I do love her and will never be able to tell her,’ said Alex, ‘and it breaks my heart.’
I understand, but how would your heart be if she were to die? Would there be enough of you left to protect the children?
‘Nothing will ever stop me protecting them, but am I not allowed to be pissed off with the situation.’
You are allowed to be pissed off as much as you want.
CHAPTER FIVE
Eight Great Ladies
Livvy and Donna were finding it difficult to remember their lives before they moved into the mansion. Their training had intensified over the last two weeks, and had not left the woods during the time. The first five nights they spent listening to the sounds of the woods, and the animals which live there. It took them a day to start understanding the different noises, and they could also feel the moods of the animals. It was the visiting birds who did all the complaining.
During the following week they had to observe. They noticed a foxglove, which neither of them believed should be there, and they watched it all day.
‘It’s not real,’ said Donna.
Livvy touched it. ‘No, it looks real but I sense no life in it.’
‘What else do you feel?’ said Daralis, who had been watching them. There was always one of the white witches watching their progress.
Livvy rubbed her eyes. ‘Nothing, it shouldn’t be here.’
‘The other plants feel it, too,’ said Donna. ‘It’s disturbing them.’
Daralis waved her hand and the foxglove vanished. ‘Well done, ladies, now I want you to find all the ailing plants and breathe life into them.’
‘How do we do that?’ Livvy asked.
‘That’s what you must learn for yourselves, and use what knowledge you have gained since you started,’ said Daralis, and went back to a watching distance.
‘So where do we start?’ Donna asked.
Livvy put a finger to her lips. ‘I think we should find the plants which need helping.’
~~~~
Orlaith walked over to Daralis. ‘How are they doing?’
‘Very well, is it your turn to watch?’
‘Yes, have they found the foxglove yet?’
‘They have, and worked out it wasn’t real.’ Daralis smiled. ‘I have set them on their next task.’
Orlaith shook her head. ‘Oh no, not looking for sick plants?’
‘Yes, but don’t worry you only have to watch them for the first day.’
‘That’s usually the worst time,’ said Orlaith, she was the fourth oldest of the white witches. She watched Morven and Aileen go through this task as well as going through it herself.
The task was frustrating for those doing it as well as those watching. Finding the plants wasn’t too hard. It was the part of giving them new life which they had to work out for themselves, with no help from the watchers. It could take weeks, and make you want to give up.
‘This one is definitely sickening,’ said Donna, as she looked at a bluebell which was sagging low.
Livvy rubbed her nose. ‘How do we breathe life into it?’
‘I’ve no idea, but Daralis told us we have to use what we’ve already learned.’
Livvy studied the plant. ‘Let us sit here and watch it.’
‘I guess we could,’ said Donna, as they sat down.
‘What on earth are they doing?’ Orlaith thought, she sat down as she had expected to follow them looking for other plants.
‘What are you thinking?’ Livvy asked.
‘I can see it’s dying, not because it’s drooping low, but I can see inside and it needs water.’
‘Yes, its roots are trapped by a rock. Watering it wouldn’t be the answer we need, as the other plants wouldn’t have the same problem.’
‘Some will be dying off until next year,’ said Donna.
~~~~
They sat in silence just watching and thinking for days, with the bluebell sagging lower.
‘I keep thinking of Alex,’ said Donna.
‘My papa,’ said Livvy smiling, it felt like she hadn’t seen him or her other friends in a long time.
Donna nodded. ‘Yes, remember when we had those nightmares, and he sent his energy to everyone?’
‘Of course, we have to think of them getting better and our energy will heal them.’
‘How are we going to do this?’ Donna asked.
‘Sit facing me, and let us concentrate on all the sick plants.’
They sat crossed legs facing each other, and held hands. There was a glow to them as they floated off the ground, and a light golden glow filled the woods healing all the sick plants.
The watcher approached them almost in tears as it was so beautiful. She had never seen it done like this before, and so soon, but they had succeeded and that was all that mattered. ‘That was wonderful,’ said Briana, as she checked the bluebell that was now in full health. ‘You have one final task, and that’s to hide.’
‘Hide?’ said Donna.
‘Yes, you won’t need watchers anymore as you have to hide. I will send others out, but do not let them see you,’ said Briana, and walked back to the mansion.
~~~~
‘Are you sure?’ said Luella, after Briana walked into the hall.
‘Very sure, and I nearly cried,’ said Briana. ‘Now one of you has to go and look for them.’
‘What’s going on?’ said Alex. ‘Who are we looking for?’
‘Just Livvy and Donna,’ said Luella.
‘You’ve not lost them?’ said Alex, as he stood up ready to search the woods.
‘Sit down, we’ve just told them to hide and not let us see them.’
‘Then let me look, Mother.’
‘You can if you want, but once you see them you must not approach, and return here.’
‘Does that go for all of us?’ Blaze asked.
‘Yes, I’m afraid so.’
~~~~
Over the next few days they all went searching for the two women and found them every time. Alex searched again and found them hiding up a tree, they looked thoroughly miserable.
‘Remember when we visited Daralis’s cottage?’ he said, and walked away.
‘What did he mean by that?’ Donna asked.
‘I went there once with him,’ said Livvy, ‘and I asked how she could hide a cottage in a forest. We don’t just hide, we have to become invisible.’
‘How do we do that?’
‘The woods are ours, let us blend in,’ said Livvy, as she took her hand.
~~~~
It was Aileen who went looking and found them standing there, she giggled and ran back to the mansion.
‘Well?’ said Luella.
‘I found them,’ said Ai
leen, almost dancing with excitement.
Alex glanced up from the sofa. ‘You don’t have to sound so happy about it . . . we’ve been finding them for the last few days.’
‘No, they’re hidden, I can find them but you would never see them unless you use your powers.’
Alex stood. ‘Then I best go and take a look for myself.’
‘No,’ said Luella, ‘we’ll all go . . . I want all their friends to see this.’
After a few minutes they walked to the woods including, elves, pucas, gnomes, and pixies.
‘Girls, you can show yourselves now,’ said Daralis, and they appeared in front of a tree. Their skin and clothes matched the bark, which had made them look invisible.
Luella beamed at them. ‘We are called healers or white witches, and some call us great ladies. For so long there have been six of us, now we are eight.’
Alex reached them first and hugged both. ‘I did say you were great ladies.’
Thalion clapped his hands. ‘We have to celebrate this.’
‘It be very special,’ said Fergal.
‘That’s very kind of you, but I’m going nowhere until I’ve showered and changed,’ said Livvy, as she was getting hugs off all her friends.
Donna picked up Talitha. ‘And when we‘ve had some of Summer’s cooking, and caught up on all the gossip.’
‘I will cook your favourite,’ said Summer.
Claire stepped over to Alex who stood watching them. ‘You don’t have to look so smug . . . this wasn’t all down to you.’
‘It had nothing to do with me, but I would like to feel smug if that’s OK?’
‘Why would you want to?’
‘One is my daughter and one is a friend, and I love them both. I’m very happy at what they’ve just accomplished, and feel very proud. You could also feel that way if you wanted, as you helped them too.’
‘Maybe I would do if I knew what it all meant,’ said Claire, who didn’t seem to have a problem holding his arm.
‘They have just become more special than they already were, and in two thousand years they will still be walking the land looking after plants.’
‘You’re shitting me?’
‘Not at all, as I said, they’ve just become very special.’
~~~~
Alex woke the following morning after another dream of Dagur, and went downstairs. Carrie hugged him outside the canteen, and he half heartily responded.
‘Have I upset you or something?’ said Carrie.
‘No, why do you say that?’
‘I hug you and you don’t even notice it.’
‘I’m sorry,’ said Alex and held her tightly. ‘I had a dream.’
‘What about this time?’ Carrie asked.
‘Dagur, I’m going to have to call a meeting at the order before tonight’s celebrations.’
‘Can we have breakfast first?’
Alex smiled. ‘Of course.’
Aileen was already in there with Paige and Claire. She looked a lot different from a week ago. Carrie had styled her hair again, it was still long and blonde, but now layered.
‘Good morning, you two,’ said Aileen.
‘Good morning,’ they both said as they sat down.
Claire glanced across the table at them. ‘I don’t think you’ve ever said that to me.’
Alex shrugged. ‘You’re never that cheerful in the morning.’
‘I’m always cheerful,’ said Claire, grumpily.
‘Yes, dear, you are,’ said Paige.
Alex glanced up as the breakfasts floated through the air. ‘Are you making things out of crystal today?’
‘No, I’ll be too busy making Livvy’s and Donna’s first robes, and don’t you get disappearing either.’
‘I’m going to call a meeting at the Order.’
Paige looked up from her own breakfast. ‘Does it have to be today?’
‘He had a dream,’ said Carrie.
Alex dipped some toast into an egg. ‘We have to find the portal and soon.’
‘Yes, I understand that, but try to keep it short.’
‘What’s the problem? We’re always having celebrations over there.’
‘This is a special one, where everyone will be dressed in their finest.’
‘Don’t worry . . . I won’t let them down.’
‘What was the dream about?’ Claire asked.
‘Dagur, he told me the portal will be open soon, and all the creatures there will be free to come out killing anything in their path.’
‘If it was in your dream, it means you will face him again before it opens.’
‘Yeah, that would be true I guess.’
‘How many are you taking to this meeting?’ Paige asked.
‘Not sure, do you need all the great ladies?’
‘No, but don’t be too long.’
‘Do you want to come?’ Alex asked Aileen.
‘No, thank you. I don’t think I would be much help, but if you are taking Adair then it would be better if you took Morven.’
‘You do yourself an injustice, and I’ve a feeling it’ll be the great ladies who solve this.’
The meeting room at the Castle was full.
Torgon sat with his fingers interlocked. ‘From what I remember the creatures would be in a Dark World which is sealed.’
Alex leant back. ‘If the portal was sealed, how did the vampire get out?’
‘Maybe it can be opened temporary,’ said Adair.
‘Dagur might have used his powers,’ said James.
Alex shook his head. ‘I’m not sure the creature was substantial enough for him to hold on to.’
‘If he could,’ said Blaze, ‘would he not have put it somewhere a lot closer?’
‘And why not bring more than one out,’ said Joseph.
‘There was a world I read about a long time ago,’ said Korzak, ‘and I believe it was that world. It was said that the portal could only be opened on this side and only for so long, as the monsters on the other side were so evil they were not to be let out. It might be the reason we cannot find it either.’
‘It makes sense,’ said Alex. ‘If Dagur opened it, the vampire could have been waiting for its chance.’
‘But wouldn’t he be trapped inside it,’ said George.
Adair rubbed his beard. ‘Not if he can translocate back out.’
‘Then why not keep doing it and let more out?’ said Victor.
‘It uses a lot of his strength to do so,’ said Alex, ‘and maybe a lot more from that world.’
‘I could tell you more if I saw the portal,’ said Korzak.
‘Why is this portal so hard to find?’ Thalion asked.
‘Because the Elders did not want it to be found.’
‘I thought they couldn’t be tampered with.’
‘Normally you can’t, but nothing stopped them. It was almost as if it agreed with them that nothing should ever leave.’
Alex looked at the goblin. ‘Where are the other portals to that world?’
‘As far as I know there was only ever the one.’
‘Which leads us to the main problem of finding it,’ said Torgon.
‘We’ve had no luck with any of our equipment,’ said Henrik. ‘If Dagur does appear again to open the portal, he will have to be very quick with the soldiers we have there.’
‘So he might be trying to find a way to open it permanently,’ said Joseph.
James stood. ‘We must find a way to stop him or find another way to keep it closed.’
‘Are all the monsters in there from here?’ Alex asked.
‘No, not all of them,’ said Korzak. ‘When the great change came, all the other worlds were created for the new residents.’
Torgon raised an eyebrow. ‘You know more about it than we do.’
‘The Elders told me this, they never said why or what creatures were moved. They did tell me, however, that your world was created from new, and we were meant to go there along with you.’
‘T
hat’s hard to believe,’ said Thalion. ‘No offence, I could see why you should be there.’
‘None taken, but you have to understand that your world had been growing for thousands of years before you went there. During that time the illness came over the goblins, it did not just affect their bodies, but their minds as well.’
‘Were they all like you in nature before?’ Alex asked.
‘Mostly,’ said Korzak, as he smiled in remembering a long time past. ‘There were some horrible ones too, not nasty or evil, but horrible.’
‘So, just how old are you?’
Korzak’s ears twitched. ‘I’m not altogether sure, and our days are the same as yours for some reason, at a guess I would say we have been there two thousand years.’
Torgon nodded. ‘Yes, that’s about right.’
‘Then double it, add some more, and that’s how old I am,’ said Korzak. ‘No, treble it.’
James sat back down. ‘What did you mean for some reason our days are the same as yours?’
‘Well our worlds are so much smaller than yours, so shouldn’t the days be shorter?’
‘Maybe,’ said Joseph, ‘but I think it has more to do with how close you are to the sun.’
Torgon leant forward. ‘Unless we are one world all connected like James said.’
‘There is an hour time difference between here and the Elf World,’ said Joseph. ‘Does anyone know the difference between here and the other worlds?’
‘It is two hours from here,’ said Victor, ‘three hours to the Dwarf World, and four to the Goblin World. That is of now, and not when some put their clocks back in autumn.’
‘You’re an hour ahead of us at the mansion, but the time difference might mean James is correct.
‘Then Victor,’ said Korzak, ‘you should measure the other worlds, and we can see if they match anything on this world.’
‘That’s an interesting thought.’
‘I want to know how Dagur could break the spell,’ said Alex, frustrated that the meeting had gone away from finding the portal.
Adair glanced over at him. ‘You have to remember he’s been around a long time, searching for answers, and going along unnoticed.’
The Final Destiny: Vesta Mansion Trilogy - Book Three - Fantasy Page 8