Insight

by Tina Engel

  Angelina left and as I turned back to the tables, there stood Rose, next to her physical body. I went to her and we held each other. I could feel her, touch her, she looked and felt alive but there on the table next to us, was Rose, her body.

  “Princess, don’t despair, I am not gone. I will never be gone.”, and she lay down on top of her body on the table. She opened her eyes then, and reached out and took my hand.

  “Shinar, keep her close. We are with you always.” And Rose closed her eyes.

  I don’t know why but I suddenly needed to give Rose my blood. Something inside told me to, just like with Brett. I felt him then, just slightly, I couldn’t get to him, but he was there just under my consciousness.

  I bit down on my finger and opening Rose’s mouth just a bit, squeezed a small drop of blood on her tongue and closed her lips again.

  I understood the role that she had to play. Rose was a part of what I needed to become whole, the fey that I was now. She also had to physically die in order to help the fey who lost their lives in battle, to go on, leaving their bodies to journey to Nirvana. Her role was vital and the sacrifice great.

  I went to Brett then and placed a kiss on his lips and whispered, “You are there somewhere, I feel you still, different, but I feel you. You will always be with me. I don’t know how I will go on, but I know I must. I wanted you beside me, and I still need you.” I bent down then, laying my head on his chest, wishing desperately for a heartbeat, no matter how slight, but there was nothing. I sobbed quietly for some time until I felt a hand on my back.

  I sat up and turning, there stood Lily. The sadness in her eyes showed the love that she had for them both. Lily still had the mark on her cheek, which she received down below in Hades, but it was a scar now. She was still so beautiful, inside and out.

  “Come Princess, Varda wants you. We are going home.” Lily said as she took my hand and led me out the door and up onto the deck.

  As we reached the deck, I saw that we were docked to the pier where we had first got onto the ship, when I first met my mother, Angelina. It was time for everyone to go home.

  The skies were blue, the breeze was calm, and the evil was gone, for now. The trolls came to me first, taking my hand and doing the traditional fey parting and I knelt down, hugging them all, one by one.

  Tobias came to me then, as several of the trolls carried Tilly’s body down the ramp and onto the docks. I knew her body was an empty vessel, but her essence still lived on. They would lay her body to rest in their home land but her spirit, her beautiful purple spirit, was free and at peace in Nirvana.

  “Princess Emilee, it has been a great honor to serve you and help you to save our home, our planet and others. Our home is always your home, please remember that.” Tobias said.

  I let him take my hand and do his fey good bye, but I then took him in my arms and we held each other for several minutes. I didn’t want to let him go. Tobias had done so much for me through this journey. He and his clan risked everything and many died doing so. He pulled away gently and with a smile filled with love and pride he turned and disappeared down the plank to the others.

  The wolf pack did the same, with their fey farewell and when Weylyn came to me he said, “Princess, you have helped us all see a different way of living. We thought of the humans as a bother, not necessary for our existence, but we were wrong.

  “We may not be able to interact yet with the humans, but I look forward to the day when I can make a difference, and help bring the two dimensions together.

  “I will admit, we liked to push the limits, so to speak, and enter the humans’ realm and cause a little mischief, but we will behave now. I promise.”

  I watched the trolls dig holes in the sand and disappear, leaving no trace. The wolves turned into their dog forms, let out howls that could curdle a human’s blood, and disappear up over the sandy hill.

  Albee was the next to approach me. He knelt down and took my hand and placed his forehead in my palm. He stood then and I did the same and we embraced. Albee and I had an interesting journey, just the two of us. It started with his tree. I thought it was he who tried to kidnap me, but of course it was really Stephan. And now here we were. He was here to help me, and give his life, if need be.

  “Princess, when you reach your home, plant the seed. A part of me will be there to help and protect you, and I will be able to come if you need me. Just call.” Albee said.

  He left the ship, and walked over to a tree not far from the docks. It opened up as another tree fey greeted him, and as he entered the tree, he looked back, waved, and it closed.

  I turned to see Jordan and Angelina, my mother and father, together holding hands as they watched their new friends leaving too. They were together, finally, after being apart for so long, thinking that the other was dead.

  Jordan, was punished for something he had never done. Such suffering he endured thinking he had killed Angelina, an elder, all to play this game, as they waited for me to come and hopefully stop the destruction of humans’ earth and Terrafirma, as well as others out there that I have yet to meet.

  Angelina, lived a lie, being the wife of a fey, Proteus, whom she loathed, just to keep me safe, not knowing that the love of her life, my father, was alive. They both endured such pain, but now together, they could have a life.

  And what of Proteus? Where was he, and what was he up to now? I wondered.

  Angelina and Jordan looked at me with smiles of love and admiration, but I admired them so much more, for the sacrifices that they suffered, for me. They came over to me, each hugged me and let me know that they would be down below with Varda.

  Captain Adam Banks was barking orders to the deck hands, getting the ship situated for a long stay, for Adam was saying something about his ship in the human realm, needing to be ready to set sail soon. He looked over at me and winked as he headed back up to the control room.

  I hadn’t seen Douglas since I had boarded the ship and assumed he was with Varda, I knew that the two of them had a special relationship, they loved each other, but how far could that relationship go, with Varda being, well, whatever she was? Could she trust and truly love and give herself to another? Her responsibility was so great, could love ever not get in the way, and cloud her judgment?

  Suddenly, an eagle came flying overhead, and as it landed on deck, Eagle transformed.

  “You didn’t survive the battle with the goblins, did you? I asked.

  Eagle went over and sat on the edge of the railing and shaking his head, replied, “My physical body was poisoned, and they took one of my hearts. There was nothing that could be done for me, but Varda needed me still, as did you and Brett, so she gave me the ability to stay in physical form temporarily.

  “I was her eyes, when she needed me. I could see things at times that she couldn’t, when she was spread too thin with you, Rose and Lily.

  “After my physical body died, Varda took me someplace, a place known only to her and the others, Poseidon, Zeus, and Ares, and other special beings who watch over this ball of dirt that so many realms call home.

  “That is where I took her, Varda, just past the sun, when she needed to stop Poseidon from interfering any farther, when he had the water beast inject you with his venom, speeding up your development and increasing your strength.

  “Your wings, by the way, Princess, are beautiful and I enjoyed flying with you.” And Eagle smiled a melancholy smile.

  “You have to go now, don’t you?” I asked sadly.

  “Yes, it’s time, but just know that when you take flight, I will be with you. I will always be watching over you.”

  “Brett?” I said, “Will you be with Brett?”

  Eagle smiled and answered, “We will all be with you, never fear.”

  Eagle came over to me and hugged me, extended his wings and wrapped them around us in a cocoon, then released me, turning into a bird and as he flew away, he disappeared.

  Lily was standing at the edge of the ship, staring out at t
he hustle and bustle of the fey down below, doing what they do in their everyday lives. She turned to me with sorrow in her eyes, turned into her cat form, came over to me and jumped into my arms. She stretched up, wrapping her front legs on each side on my neck, and nuzzled her wet nose against my neck and started to purr. She was tired and weary. This was what she needed at that moment.

  I carried Lily down the steps to the dining area, and found Varda, Angelina, Jordan, Douglas and Liam, as Trevor poured what I assumed was coffee or some kind of steaming brew. It smelled like coffee and I had a warm sensation come over me, like a little bit of normalcy. Hot coffee, a simple drink, but normal.

  Trevor came to me and handed me a mug as I put Lily down. Trevor wrapped his hands around mine as I held the mug. Trevor said nothing, just smiled and kept his hands there for a moment or two and then went into the kitchen area.

  I looked at Liam and said, not meaning to be rude, but it did come out that way, “I prefer Kimberlite.” As a tear escaped down my cheek.

  He was suddenly Kimberlite with that teddy bear look that he would give me, and he came over and wrapped me in his arms. I sobbed quietly, and then spilling my coffee, we both stepped away as I apologized and hoped that I hadn’t burned him. Of course you can’t burn a rock and we both started laughing and the more I heard Kimberlite’s laugh, the more I laughed and cried, loving his laughter although knowing that he really wasn’t real.

  “Princess, I have been this rock for so many centuries that I kind of miss it too. Talking with Varda, we both think it might be a good idea if I stay this way for a while and stick around, just in case.” Liam said.

  I felt the lava pebbles deep inside the diamond around my neck, vibrate, and I knew that they were happy too. Kimberlite had a family down below, who didn’t know what his true identity was, and they didn’t need to. He was Kimberlite to them and that was all he needed to be.

  I saw Shinar then, over in a corner, curled up and sleeping. She had been through so much. Her life since she had hatched had been horrendous, enduring torture, as Mephisto tried desperately to turn her against me and towards his evil ways.

  I went to her and knelt down, placed a hand on her head gently. She didn’t open her eyes, she didn’t need to, for I could feel her emotions, hear her thoughts. We were one, different from Brett and I, for Shinar and I were one, joined and strangely, I felt Rose too.

  I looked to Varda then and asked, as I stood and walked over to her, “What of Queen Anahita. She hasn’t been around since we were in the city of Bermuda. Does she know that Brett is gone, that I killed him?” I asked, with a bit of irritation in my voice for even having to ask about her.

  “She is home, in one of her underwater springs. She did her duty by Poseidon, as she was instructed to do. She will stay with her fey, for now. We all have our next tasks, to get ready to join the humans and fey, slowly. There is no time for bitterness or regrets. Anahita and Brett were never meant to be, and they knew it, she knew it, and did what she had to and will continue to do what she has to, for the good of her fey.” Varda replied.

  “Queen Widow and her little ones? Tiny?” I said with sadness.

  “They are back in her forest, doing what spiders do. They seem to like to enter the humans’ realm and scare them. What can I say?” Varda laughed.

  “What now?” I asked wearily, “Where do I go from here?”

  “Home.” Varda replied. “You go home.”

  “But, don’t I have to figure out how to bring fey and humans together?” I asked, feeling confused and tired.

  Varda stood and came over to me. “You have done what you needed to do, for now. Mephisto cannot harm the humans’ earth or Terrafirma anymore. Stephan is no longer a danger either, and the grey spirits will still annoy the humans on earth and even in Terrafirma, but for now, we will let them be.

  “Remember, there must be balance. You can’t have good without evil, happy without sad, safety without fear, love without… Well you get the picture. We must have balance, for without it, we wouldn’t truly understand the good and appreciate it.

  “You still have work to do but for now, it’s time to go home. You are needed there, but you won’t be alone, I promise.”

  “Home, where is home?” I asked.

  Before Varda answered, Angelina and Jordan came over to me. Angelina took my hands in hers and said, “We are going home now, too. We have a job to do, keeping the peace here in Terrafirma. The water fey and land fey still fight with each other and that does give the grey wisps more energy to become unruly. Now that we are together, we can, and will be a force to reckon with, if need be.”

  “Your home, where?” I asked.

  I saw it then, as Varda put her hands on top of ours.

  I was there in the wheat field, the tree in front of me with the stone castle in the distance. It was beautiful, sparkling in the sunlight. The tree was standing tall and strong, the leaves so green and the trunk had an opening, I had not seen before. I didn’t feel worried though, for I knew that I would see what was inside one day.

  I turned and with the breeze in my face, could smell the sea water, and I heard the waves as they crashed against the stone wall. The wheat was tall and golden, and up in the sky was the red dragon. He wasn’t ferocious as before, he was beautiful, and then several more dragons joined him as they soared through the air.

  I could see the pond then, midway down the steep cliff, where the waterfall entered the small pond, where I had seen Brett disappear, back in one of my visions. Was he there waiting for me? I wondered.

  I was back in the room, on the ship, my hands still in Angelina’s.

  “Where is this place, it is your home and mine? Is Brett there too, waiting for me? Is he alive somehow?” I asked in a hurried manner.

  Angelina looked to Varda, and Varda replied, “It is home to many and you will be there one day, when it is time. Angelina and Jordan will be there and will watch over Terrafirma and earth from there, for now. The future is open wide, Emilee. But you must rest now. It’s time to sleep and go home.”

  I didn’t understand what she was talking about. Angelina wrapped me in her arms and kissed my cheek and reassured me that we would be together one day, as did Jordan. I didn’t want to let them go. It felt like I had just found them, they were my parents, well my fey parents, but I had human parents too and I missed them terribly.

  Angelina and Jordan left the room as Varda took my hand and led me out the door and Shinar, awake now, followed. We went down the hallway and entered my room.

  “It’s time to sleep now Emilee.” Varda said, as she walked me to the bed, and I laid down. Shinar came over, and laying down on the floor beside me, she rested her head on my shoulder. Lily jumped up on the bed and curled up next to me, purring softly in my ear.

  I started to speak, to ask, why I had to sleep if I was to go home, wherever that was, but Varda waved her hand over me and I suddenly felt sleepy. I couldn’t keep my eyes open and then, darkness.

  Chapter 24

  Home,

  Family!

  Reality

  Or

  Dream?

  “Brett!” I yelled as I sat up in bed. Looking around, I was in a hospital room, with a hospital gown on. I had an IV in my arm and a small oxygen tube just under my nose. I removed the oxygen tube as the door opened and in came a nurse, a human nurse.

  Looking around, seeing the dull drab room, I realized I was back in the humans’ realm. The door opened again as the nurse started to fuss over me, trying to put the oxygen back under my nose as I protested. It was my parents, Katie and Willy.

  “Emilee” my mom said as she came to my side. “You’re awake, oh my god, you’re awake.”

  “Young lady, put this back under your nose this instant.” The nurse, insisted.

  I pushed her hand away, feeling confused and angry as my father, Willy grumbled, “Leave her alone, will you. She’s awake and doesn’t want that blasted tube in her nose.”

  I stopped f
ussing as I looked at my dad, his gruffness was so familiar and I started to cry. I was back home. Home?

  “Where am I?” I pleaded as I looked at my mom. “What happened? Why am I back here?”

  “It’s alright Emilee, you’re alright now, you’re awake.” My mom said, as she bent down and hugged me, a bit too tight.

  “We were so worried” she continued, as she let me go and sat down on the bed, next to me.

  “Do you remember anything?” my mom asked, with a strange twinkle in her eyes.

  I looked around the room again. There were flowers, sunflowers in vases situated around the room, music playing softly, my favorite; country, and cards, open and standing up on the windowsill and a table that was next to my bed.

  Looking outside, it looked like spring. The flowering trees were in full bloom; beautiful, and some trees with leaves not quite mature. But somehow, they were not as beautiful as in Terrafirma.

  “Remember what? And why am I in the hospital?” I asked, not wanting to say too much, remembering that she had known who I really was, supposedly.

  “Emilee” my dad started, “you were in an accident several months ago. There was an explosion, your house was on fire, pieces of debris everywhere. We couldn’t find you around the house and the firemen couldn’t get into the house to look for you. We thought we had lost you.”

  He took a breath as a tear rolled down his cheek and he wiped it off quickly before continuing. “We heard chaos and great commotion in the forest behind your house and went to investigate.

  “You were there, unconscious, bruised and scraped up, but other than that you were fine. We were not sure why you were in the forest, some wondered if you were blown from the house all the way out there, but we don’t really know. They didn’t know why you wouldn’t wake up.

  “Your scrapes and bruises healed but you wouldn’t wake up. You’ve been here in this blasted nursing home, not a hospital, ever since. They didn’t know what else to do for you.”