Tyler's Story (Tales of Quelondain)

by Chester, Mireille

  “How goes it, Heidi?” John sat beside her under the tree she’d adopted as her thinking tree.

  “Ok. You guys?”

  “Good. Have you given any more thought about whether or not you’d like to start for Sageden?”

  “Not yet.” She frowned and voiced the one question she’d been scared to ask. “How long can they keep him going like this?” The thought that he hadn’t eaten since he’d fallen nagged at her. Was it possible to stay alive on magic alone?

  Trista looked past John to her and Heidi once again thought to herself that the healer’s tattoo under her right eye looked amazing. The way the green vine curled from under the eye along the outside of it was so simple, so delicate.

  “This is the longest I’ve ever been able to keep anyone alive on magic alone, Heidi. I didn’t know him, but I’m willing to bet he was a determined man before this happened.”

  Heidi took a deep breath and nodded then stood.

  “Heidi.” John stood and gave her a hug. She smiled and hugged him back.

  “Thanks.”

  He kissed her forehead. “That’s what a pack is. We stick together, yeah?”

  “Yeah.” She left them with a wave and headed back to Trista’s house which was where they had been staying while she worked on healing Tyler. They were such a cute couple, she thought to herself. Since they’d arrived, the two of them had been nearly inseparable. She’d seen John grow more confident and at ease with others.

  She opened Tyler’s door as quietly as she could and made her way to the chair beside his bed. It was amazing how little weight he’d lost since his incident, though he’d definitely lost some. She brushed the dark bangs from his eyes and smiled when they insisted on falling back in their place. Her fingers traced the stubble along his jaw. She’d looked on worriedly as John had taken his razor and insisted on shaving him a week ago. Thankfully, there had been no accidental nicks.

  She sighed and laid her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. She brushed her thumb over his cheek lightly.

  “Wake up, Tyler.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  He could feel the stroke of her thumb, could feel her tears soaking into his tunic. By the moons, why couldn’t he just push past the last of the fog? He shook his head mentally.

  Alright, Tyler, he thought to himself. She needs you. Just get up. He took one deep breath then another. Heidi went completely still over him as his chest rose higher than usual. He moved his fingers and groaned at the pain that shot up his arms.

  Heidi gasped and stood. He focused on his arms and legs, each movement sending jolts of pain searing through his body. He opened his eyes slowly and squinted against the light, turning his head slowly until he saw her, her wide grey green eyes overflowing with tears, her hands to her mouth.

  He managed a small smile. “Hello.” He cringed at the sound of his voice, hoarse and scratchy from lack of use. He held out one arm slightly and grunted as she threw herself into his hug, her face buried in the crook of his neck. He wrapped his arms around her.

  “Shush, now. It’s alright,” he whispered. She shook her head and tried to calm herself.

  “It’s not alright,” she sobbed. “You’ve been lying here for two months, Tyler.”

  He hugged her tighter and kissed the side of her face. The urge to kiss her lips overwhelmed him. By the moons, the woman had a mate. He’d be lucky to get away with a slap. Why was she even still here? Why hadn’t John taken her to Sageden? He rubbed her back until her sobs calmed.

  “I’m alright,” he promised softly.

  She wiped her face with her arm and lay against him for a moment before looking up. He closed his eyes as she wiped the stubborn bangs away from them and her hand came to rest on the side of his face.

  “I didn’t think you were going to wake up,” she whispered.

  “I’m awake.” He looked into her eyes, trying to judge what would happen if he were to pull her up so he could kiss her. He put a bit of pressure with his arms and his heart beat harder in his chest as she followed it and pulled herself up so she could hold his face with both hands.

  “Don’t ever do that to me again.” She leaned down and gazed into his deep brown eyes, wondering what would happen if she were to touch her lips softly to his, just as she’d done countless times since he’d been rendered unconscious. His hands running up her back and tangling in her hair caused her to moan.

  Tyler held her against him, his whole body shaking with the effort it was taking not to ask for a kiss. Their foreheads touched lightly, their lips mere inches apart. He groaned as she closed the distance cautiously. The kiss was slow and tender, a shy dance of lips and tongues. Tyler was the first to pull back so that she could lie in the crook of his arm.

  “Why are you still here?” he whispered.

  Heidi shivered at the feel of his fingers running through her hair. “I couldn’t just leave you here. You almost died trying to save me.” She snuggled into his chest. “I couldn’t leave until I was sure you were going to be ok.”

  Tyler took a deep breath and kissed her forehead. Had he really thought she’d been planning on staying? He gave her one last soft look and sat up with a pained groan, his legs hanging over the edge of the bed. He rubbed his hands over his face.

  “What happened?” he asked. He glanced backwards at her and gave her a lopsided grin. “After I hit the ground. No, wait… before I hit the ground. What brought the Zerpanay down?” He glanced around the room. “And where are we? Is John alright?” When she didn’t answer him, he turned to look at her, his head cocked to the side. Her face was still flush.

  He took a deep breath and pushed whatever feelings he had for her down so they were hidden deep inside of him along with the memories of his brother.

  “Heidi, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have… I know you love your Blake, and I’ll get you home to him yet.” He touched her arm lightly. “I promise.” He stood and sank back onto the bed, the wave of dizziness knocking flat onto his back.

  Heidi jumped to his side and helped position him back under the blankets. “You haven’t had anything to eat in two months. Stay here. I’ll go get you something to eat and some water.”

  She leaned over him to tuck the blankets around him. He closed his eyes and tried to hide his groan as the memory of her lying on him invaded his senses.

  “I could really use a mug of sloan if you can find one.”

  She raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged.

  “Water will do, I suppose.” He watched as she left the room and almost stood at her surprised cry.

  “Heidi, what’s wrong?” John’s voice sounded through the door.

  “Nothing, everything. He’s awake.”

  “Is he alright?”

  “He seems fine. He’s weak. I’m going to get him something to eat.”

  “If he’s fine, then why do you look so… devastated?”

  “I… Oh my god, John, I kissed him. He says it was his fault, but it was all me.”

  There was a long pause.

  “And this is bad because…?”

  Tyler stopped breathing as he listened for the answer.

  “Because I have to go home. I can’t stay here, John. What I feel for Tyler is… shit! I don’t know what I feel for him. I barely know him! I know what it feels like, but that can’t be it. Or maybe it is… I don’t know. But whatever it is that I feel for him, I can’t stay. I love Blake. I… I don’t belong here.” There was a short pause. “What?”

  “Well, I suppose I’d just assumed that after two months you’d decided to stay; that this was what you wanted.”

  “Oh, god, I don’t know what I want! I miss home, I miss my life there, and I miss Blake.” She took such a deep breath that Tyler was able to hear it through the door. “I think I could love him, John.”

  “So stay.”

  “I don’t know what to do.” Her voice barely made it through the door.

  Tyler took a deep breath. More than anything, he wanted to as
k her to stay, but her indecision was more than enough to make up his mind. He wouldn’t have her give up her life when she was so torn. The thought that in two years she might decide she’d made a mistake and decide to go home… He knew he was better off to let her go now than to live through that. He stumbled to the door.

  “What should I do, John?”

  Tyler pulled the door open and leaned against the frame for support.

  “You’ll go home, Heidi.”

  She jumped and turned, her eyes grey green saucers in her face.

  He smiled and was forced to close his eyes and lean his head against the door frame as another wave of dizziness washed over him. “You need to go home, Heidi. You just said it yourself. You don’t belong here.”

  John growled low in his throat. “Tyler!”

  Tyler’s own growl echoed his. “She needs to go home, John.”

  “By the moons, Tyler, I could have sworn…” John stopped short at a shake of Tyler’s head. The elder Maj straightened to his full height and crossed his arms over his chest. “Open your eyes, Tyler. You look her straight in the eye and tell her you don’t want her to stay.”

  It took a few blinks to get his vision to focus properly. When he finally found himself looking into her eyes, he clenched his jaw and did the one thing he didn’t want to do. “Heidi, you don’t belong here. You belong in the other world with your Blake and as soon as I get my strength back, I’ll make sure you get back to him.” He turned and started for his bed. His vision filled with spots and the last thing he heard before he fell face first into the floor was the sound of Heidi yelling his name.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Tyler looked up as the door opened and he tried to hide his disappointment when John appeared carrying clean clothes for him.

  “By the moons, man, I know I’m not a pretty little thing like she is, but you could at least smile when you see me.” John grinned and Tyler rolled his eyes. “Trista has given me strict orders to get you out of the house. Get dressed and we’ll head to the pub.”

  Tyler took the clothes from him. He’d spent the past week since he’d woken from his coma simply eating and sleeping. If Trista deemed him well enough to get up, he was wasn’t going to argue.

  He pulled the tunic over his head and slipped into the clean pants before pulling on his boots.

  They took their time walking through the streets of the coastal town. Tyler stretched to let his muscles know they were supposed to be working properly. He sighed as the stiffness slowly disappeared. The houses and shops weren’t unlike the ones in Growlen, though these all had a sanding of white sea salt over them, no doubt from the high winds that come from over the sea. The pub was a cozy place with a small dance floor and a stage for a band. A tall waitress with blond hair that fell in tight ringlets to her waist gave Tyler the once over as she took their orders.

  John chuckled. “How do you do that?”

  Tyler frowned. “What?”

  “It must be the dark brooding thing you have going. There are three women in this room and they’re all staring at this table. I’ll bet you lunch they aren’t looking at me.”

  Tyler grunted. “Let’s just eat.” He thanked the waitress, making a point of looking at his steak as he did so.

  Tyler took a swallow of the sloan John had brought him and took a bite of the food on his plate. “Alright, so catch me up on everything then. I can’t believe I’ve been out for two months and that I spent the past week sleeping.”

  John snorted then smiled.

  “It was Trista’s pack that saved us. They happened to be nearby and heard us yelling when the Zerpanay attacked. Trista’s father is a sorcerer. He’s the one that managed to nudge the Zerpanay hard enough so that it let go of you. When it became obvious that you weren’t going to wake up, they offered to bring us here.”

  Tyler looked toward the door of the pub, half hoping Heidi would walk in. She hadn’t been around in almost a week.

  John glanced at the door as well. “Tyler… about Heidi.”

  “Leave it be, John.”

  “But…”

  Tyler took a deep breath and looked at his friend. “John, you heard how torn she is. If she stays here, she’ll forever wonder if she made the right decision. She’ll always wonder and she’ll forever doubt. What happens a few years from now when she decides she made a mistake?”

  John took a swallow of his sloan. “And what about you? Will you forever regret letting her go?”

  “This isn’t about me. It’s what’s best for her.”

  His friend raised an eyebrow in his direction. “Maybe it’s time you start thinking about yourself, Tyler.”

  “So, I should just keep her?” His mouth twitched and soon the two of them were laughing.

  “By the moons, Tyler, she’s not a pet. She’s human.” John grinned.

  Tyler’s eyes widened as Heidi walked into the room. She smiled shyly.

  “What’s so funny?”

  John choked on his swallow of sloan and Tyler laughed as most of it came back up his friend’s nose.

  “John was just telling me how funny I looked as I was falling from the sky.” He gave John a few hard slaps to the back to help get his breathing going again.

  Heidi’s smile disappeared.

  “Heidi. It’s alright. Everything worked out just fine.”

  John filled the cup the bartender brought and handed it to her. “Sit and have a drink with us. You are still a part of this pack, yeah?”

  She looked at Tyler and smiled at his nod. “Yeah.”

  They took a drink.

  “John tells me you’ve gotten quite good at sparring.”

  Heidi blushed and shrugged. “I’ve been practicing.”

  Tyler smiled. “That’s good.” He concentrated on his sloan, trying not to focus on how great she looked in a dark blue tunic, her dark hair loose, falling in waves just past her shoulders. He noticed the green bandana was tied to her arm once again.

  “How are you feeling?” Heidi noticed he had already put on the little bit of weight he’d lost since the last time she’d seen him a week before. She looked at her boots to keep from reaching over and brushing the bangs out of his eyes.

  “Good. I was thinking we could head out tomorrow. If the weather holds, we should be in Sageden before the snow flies and we can get you home.” He pushed everything down and gave her his best smile.

  Her grin mirrored his. “Good.” She downed the rest of her drink and left.

  “Wow,” muttered John. “That wasn’t the least bit awkward. The two of you are going to have a great trip in these conditions.”

  Tyler frowned. “You’re not coming?”

  “No.” John poured another drink for the both of them. “I’ve asked Trista to be my mate and she’s agreed.”

  Tyler grinned. “That’s fantastic!”

  John chuckled. “I agree.” He took a drink. “I’ve no family left that I know of and Trista is very close to hers. Staying here is the best option.”

  Tyler watched as Trista walked into the pub. John lit up at the sight of her and her smile beamed.

  “Hello, Love.” He pushed the chair next to his out with his foot.

  “Hello, my sweet.” She leaned over and gave him a soft kiss. “Tyler, how are you feeling?”

  “Great. Thank you.”

  She shook her head. “You had me worried for a while. I’d never had anyone stay alive on magic for as long as you did.”

  Tyler smiled. “Well, in that case, thank you for not giving up on me.” He finished his drink.

  “Was Heidi alright? I ran into her about an hour ago. She said she was trying to find you; that she needed to talk to you.”

  John looked pointedly at his friend. “I wonder what she might want to talk to you about.” He raised an eyebrow in his direction.

  Tyler frowned. “It doesn’t matter, John.” He turned to Trista. “She seemed fine. She just finished having a drink with us.” He stood. “I’m going shopping for sup
plies. Meet us outside tomorrow at daybreak if you want to see us off.”

  John groaned. “Daybreak? Fine, but only because this is the last time I’ll be getting up that early.”

  Tyler grinned and went to find what they would need for their trip. A window shop decorated with knives and daggers caught his attention. He stopped to look and smiled at the slender boot knife with a handle almost identical to the dagger he’d gotten Heidi. Without thinking, he went in, purchased it and a leg sheath, and walked back out. Once he’d bought all of the provisions they would need for the first leg of their trip, he made his way back to Trista’s house. He hated to admit that just moving around town had drained him. The moons were starting to rise and he was ready for bed.

  He paused in front of Heidi’s door, took a deep breath, and knocked.

  “Come in!”

  He walked in and closed the door quietly. She looked up then went back to packing her bags.

  “I, umm… Do you want me to wake you when it’s time to leave?” He put his hand in his bag and felt the knife he’d just bought.

  “Sure, that would be good.” She paid extra attention to the pair of pants she was folding.

  “Heidi…”

  She looked up and frowned at the look on his face. He looked scared. “Yeah?” He clenched his jaw, forced a smile, and shook his head slightly.

  “Nothing. Have a good night.”

  “You too.”

  He’d been about to turn to leave when a sharp pain in his head caused him to flinch and close his eyes.