‘But I tried to help them, Fay. I have to try again, even if I can only get one out.’
‘People you don’t really know; strangers? Why would you want to rescue people without names, without faces?’
I was shocked at that and couldn’t speak for a while.
‘Didn’t you do the same thing for me?’ I asked her quietly.
She smiled her warm smile and her eyes grew soft.
‘Why don’t you travel with me for a while and tell people your story? Who knows what good it might do to people?’
Chapter Seven - The Quest
‘Was it their fate to end up there and was it mine to escape? I sometimes ask myself,’ Tana Woodwolf bit her lip in thought. ‘And was it a coincidence that I met someone who told me how to be free? I don’t know. I once heard someone say that there is just a fine line between fate and coincidence and it is up to you to listen to the signs and follow your own heart. I don’t know. I just hope I will understand someday. In the meantime I pray for those poor souls to be rescued every single day.
The wizard is still alive today. I have not been back yet, but I know. I just do.
Instead I went home and held my mother tight and we have never been more close. She and my father had looked after my farm, not knowing if I was dead or alive, but always hoped. The year apart had made us all realise what we thought we had lost. I visit my parents as much as I can now and I understand our time here is precious and nothing is gained with harsh words and negative thoughts.
I have dedicated my life to finding a way to defeat the wizard; that has become my fate. I myself do not posses magic, whatever Fay might tell you,’ and she smiled sadly at her friend. ‘But maybe I can find someone who does? That is why I spread this story, but also to bring a bit of awareness into the world.’ She looked at Fay who nodded approvingly back at her.
‘Fay here travels with me on my quest, my search. And even though deep in my heart I know that it will possibly take me years until I succeed, if I ever will, at least I am trying. For I am not the kind of person who can just walk away and ignore evil when I see it, nor can I forget,’ Tana gazed at the people around her, their faces, their eyes so similar to the ones in that strange land of the tower.
‘What I’m trying to say is this; be good, do good for who knows… you might like me, like them…’ and she stared into the distance with sad eyes. ‘end up at the tower.’
She sighed, making eye-contact again. ‘But know this; if you ever do; random acts of kindness, compassion and the goodness that is in all of us might just save your life one day, quite literally.’
The people in the circle nodded approvingly at each other. She could tell that they had liked the tale, but Tana could still see the bit of confusion in their eyes, had she not started it by saying that it was a true story?
That was something that bothered them. They began to ask her inane questions, such as: ‘Does the wizard really exists?’ and: ‘Did you ever go back just to find out if anything has changed?’ and: ‘Did you ever go up the stairs to meet the wizard?’
She sighed and answered wearily and slightly annoyed, ‘I wouldn’t be telling you this story then would I?’
Sometimes in a village her story fell on deaf ears and at those times she struggled to carry on with her quest. But then Fay would talk courage into her, although her friend admired her perseverance, she wasn’t so sure that by telling people this tale that she could do anything other than providing people an entertaining fantasy story. Most people didn’t get the message.
Tana sincerely wanted to help the other prisoners, rescue them so badly, it would take her some time too realise what Fay already knew: that no one would be able to help her. Hence she suggested she tell her story instead.
But if reality ever did kick in, Fay would be ready for her to accept this and move on.
If it weren’t for Fay, Tana would already have given up her own almost impossible quest. She wasn’t alone anymore, neither of them were; the human and the comyenti were of the same spirit.
Fay had revealed to Tana her secret after many months of travelling together. Her name hadn’t been Fay Rosinhill really; that was the name of her father and the village she was born and raised in. Her real name was Fay Comyenti, after her mother as tradition goes; the last known living comyenti.
They had been travelling together for over three years now and had been on many adventures during their journey. When Fay finally trusted Tana enough she had told her about her dying species and her own quest. Their friendship gave them both the strength and courage to go on; hope in finding others like them with the power to do good and thereby change the world for the better and defeat evil in the hearts of men. And who knows perhaps one day they would be strong enough to face the wizard? Anything was possible with that kind of vigour in their hearts.
Fay had her own search; she hoped to find others of her kind along their travels, but had to take care not to be discovered. She had the power of merging her mind with animals and could call upon their powers if need be. That was her magic. Her emerald eyes would shift colour and the tips of her ears were unusually long. Fay never entered a village without her equally green headband.
Tana got up and stretched her sore legs while the people still fired questions at her and at Fay. She looked around and as always wished to hear anything about anyone knowing a magician of some kind, but as always it was just the local medicine people or fortune teller. B ut they just weren’t a threat for the wizard, unless, maybe, she could bring them all together to bring down the wall…
‘You need a lot of good people to bring down that wall.’ Fay reminded her again as if she had read her mind, patting Tana on her shoulders and leaving her hand there to rest, to give the other woman strength.
Tana nodded, for in her heart, she knew Fay was right as usual.
But these people would re-tell the story again and again, just as she intended and then more people would know and the chance for both prevention and help would grow bigger.
All that Tana and Fay could do now, was to hope that people would pass on their story in the right words. But most of all; pass it on, not as another fairytale, but… a true story.
THE END
A SPECIAL REQUEST
Thank you for reading this. If you enjoyed this story, I’d be so grateful for your favourable review of it. Just a sentence or two saying what you liked about Chained Freedom will help others discover it and help me to serve you better with future books!
Listen to the book here: http://www.booktrack.com/read/d9408688c713442e8476cf3a46693f5a
Also by Natasja Hellenthal:
The Queen’s Curse
Call Off The Search (Comyenti Series #1)
Children Of The Sun (Comyenti Series #2)
The Comyenti Series Book Bundle, Volume 1 and 2
City of Dreams
Keep up on Natasja’s latest news and projects:
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Table of Contents
Chapter One - Not A Fairytale
Chapter Two - Prison
Chapter Three - The Magic Wall
Chapter Four - Fay Comyenti
Chapter Five - The Great Escape
Chapter Six - On The Outside
Chapter Seven - The Quest
Chained Freedom- A Free Fantasy Page 4