by Tina Engel
Brett and I spent time together, alone, when he was fixing things around the house. I would sit and watch and he didn’t seem to mind. It became routine, so to speak. I asked him questions about his past but never got any answers. He was a mystery and he liked it that way.
Brett remarked often that he should go with me sometime on my walk in the woods, to see just what it was that I was so drawn to. I always told him I would love that, but he was always too busy when it was time to go for my little adventures in the woods.
I asked Brett about my house, and the basement, what it was like, what he saw and if he would take me down there, but his answer was always, “It’s too dangerous and your mom would kill me, if I took you down there.”
At times I would sit in the kitchen with mom as she cooked, or out in the garden, helping her prune plants, water them, dig just to dig, and she always talked to each plant. I wanted to question her about Terrafirma and what she knew, but never quite knew how to start.
I brought up the subject of my brother and sister, before me, and with a twinkle in her eyes, she sat down in the grass and shared memories of her pregnancies, her feelings and her sadness.
When asked about her pregnancy with me and my birth, she gave me a queer look, looked up at the sky then and shared that story. I had been born, premature, and lucky to have survived. My mom had been walking in the forest, 8 months pregnant, when she went into labor. The pain was excruciating and she couldn’t get back to the house. A woman came to my mom and I was delivered right there in the forest.
Mom looked at me then and said, “It was all written in the stars. She held you for a moment, gave you a kiss on the forehead and whispered a story in my ear, before Willy came crashing through the brush. When he got to me, she was gone.”
Mom smiled then and with a look of knowing in her eyes, she said again, “It was written in the stars.”
Several months passed, and after dinner one night, with a beautiful full moon, Brett asked me if I would like to take a walk. He was feeling restless, as he put it, not sure why, and thought a walk would do him some good. I was thrilled that he asked, and I said, yes, of course.
I wanted to go into the woods, but Brett being Brett, still protective, thought the woods would be too dangerous at night. I teased him a bit, trying to get him to change his mind, but to no avail. He stood firm, saying that he was protecting me.
As we headed down the front steps towards the tree, Brett stopped and had a questioning look on his face as he faced the tree. “What are you feeding this tree?” He asked with humor in his voice. “It is growing at an unbelievable rate.”
I just smiled and shrugged my shoulders and said, “I just talk to it daily and give it water. It is just happy to be alive, I guess.”
We continued to walk down the sidewalk, past the lot where my house once stood and as we walked by, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash. Turning quickly as I stopped, I saw a glowing mist rising from the basement opening.
Brett stopped a few feet in front of me and turned to see what I was looking at. The glowing mist vanished, but I knew I saw it, and I was sure that it was time I entered the basement. I felt that it was time.
“What’s wrong, Emilee?” Brett asked, as he stood next to me looking in the direction that I was looking.
I didn’t say anything at first, but looked from Brett’s face to the area where I saw the mist. Then I asked, “Did you see that? A strange mist was drifting out of the basement. We should go and check it out, don’t you think?”
Brett chuckled and with a smirk, said, “You will say anything to get down in that basement. What is it that you think you will find down there anyway? I have cleaned everything out. I promise.”
I gave him a pondering look and whispered, “The past.” But decided to drop it then. I didn’t want to spoil the evening, the moon was so beautiful and the air, cool, with just a slight breeze that would tousle my hair just a bit.
Brett just stared at me as he waited for my answer. The breeze drifted across my face and blew a strand of hair across my eyes. He reached out and brushed it away, tucking it behind my ear. The touch of his finger as he did this, caused a slight zing, like static electricity when you touch someone after rubbing your stocking feet in the carpet. We both had stunned looks on our faces, he felt it too.
He started to pull his hand away, as he said, “I’m so sorry. That was sure strange, there must be electricity in the air tonight.” As he laughed slightly.
I put my hand up to stop him from moving his hand. “You felt it too, didn’t you? It’s still there.” I said, and then immediately felt foolish, and figured I just ruined our walk.
Brett lowered his hand, but as he did, he turned his hand and held mine as we lowered them. His smile was sweet, but his eyes had an intense gaze as he looked at me.
“I feel a lot of things when I’m around you princess.” Brett said, as he started to bend down and I just knew he was going to kiss me.
Suddenly something ran between us, and as we looked away from each other a few feet in front of us, was Lily, looking at us with disgust.
Brett let go of my hand and said, casually, “Still want to take that walk with me?” As he held his hand out in front of us. “I think Lily is going to be our chaperone.” And Brett let out a nervous laugh.
We walked around the neighborhood and up a hill, where we had an amazing view of the moon as it rose in the sky. The stars were out, and I felt like we were a part of them. We sat on a bench, and Lily, well, she was right in between us, acting all smug and sassy. It was alright though, it all felt right.
Brett reached behind and put his arm around my shoulders quietly and even though I knew that Lily was aware, she didn’t let on that she knew. She just looked at me, gave me a sly wink and settled herself down and proceeded to purr.
We had stayed out later that I realized, and when we got home, Mom and Dad were in the living room with looks of curiosity. It was Rose, however who had no problem scolding us as she came down the stairs.
“Where have you two been? We have been worried sick!” Rose scolded. Looking at Brett then she continued, “You know that Emilee is still getting her strength back, and the cold air isn’t good for her!”
Brett suddenly had a look of embarrassment but it quickly turned to a matter of fact attitude, as he said, “The air is cool but not cold, and I think that the fresh air is good for her. After all, you take her into the woods every day, and she comes out looking healthier each time. I think the fresh air gave her nice rosy cheeks, tonight. Besides, Miss Lily here decided to join us and kept us out of trouble.”
Mom and Dad started to laugh, as Rose just huffed and insisted that I turn in for the night. She came over to me, took my hand and led me upstairs with the intent on helping me.
I heard them all laughing as we climbed the stairs, and looking back at Brett, he had a quirky smile as he said, “Sleep well Princess.”
When I reached my room, I informed Rose, as kindly as I could, that I didn’t need any help. The look on her face changed my mind quickly, for I remembered then, the sadness in Rose’s eyes when I said that to her in Terrafirma. When I didn’t need her blood anymore. It was the same sadness.
I let her draw my bath, for I was a bit chilly but reassured her that I could bathe myself and get myself into bed. She insisted that she pull my bedding down for me and I agreed. I told her goodnight as I shut the bathroom door and just smiled. I didn’t ever want to hurt Rose. She was so special to me.
I didn’t soak for long because I was suddenly exhausted. Maybe Rose was right, I was still regaining my strength, but I had been feeling well for weeks now. I got out of the tub and walked over to the mirror, but before I brushed the moisture off, I thought I saw a figure standing behind me, a man. I turned quickly but there was no one there.
Turning back, taking my hand and swiping the mirror once, there behind me was the same glowing mist. I stood there, still, watching as it hovered over the bathtub. I knew
it wasn’t steam from the bath, though if I told anyone about it, they would say that was what I saw.
When I turned back around, it was gone but I was certain that I saw it and a man, I saw a man. Something was about to happen. What, I didn’t know, but I was sure it had to do with Terrafirma. Something was happening and I knew I had better be ready.
I crawled into bed and shut off the light. The moon was so bright, I think brighter than it should have been. I got back up and looked out the window. The moon was directly above Brett’s house and it had a subtle, but strange beam of light that descended to Brett’s house.
Brett had the curtains drawn, but I could see movement in the living room, so I knew that he was still awake. I saw the curtains open a bit and there was Brett’s face looking up at my window. Though it was dark in my room, and there was no way he could see me looking at him, he waved, shut the curtains and the lights went out.
I looked back up at the moon and saw it had a blue tint to it. I looked over at the tree stump and remembered Albee, or Stephan I should say, and shuddered, remembering the figure in my bathroom, just a bit ago. I crawled into bed and as I closed my eyes, I whispered, “Grandmother, I’m ready.”
Chapter 27
Listen closely
To your dreams.
They tell a story
You must hear.
I felt warmth on my face and as I opened my eyes, the sun blinded me momentarily, until I put my hands up to block it. I wasn’t in my bed anymore.
I sat up and discovered that I was there again, in that place, where the wheat field meets the ocean, with the tree in the middle. I was sitting on the landing however, half way down the pathway, from wheat field above to ocean below. My feet were dangling in the pond and the small waterfall was just to my right. This was where Brett had disappeared, as a hand had reached out and he took it, walking into the waterfall.
My feet were motionless, and the pond was suddenly still, as if the water from the falls had stopped moving. It was as if the water was a mirror and I could see the world around me. I saw the waterfall and there stood Brett, a hand came out of the falls and then there she was, or I should say, there I was, standing before him.
It was my hand that had reached out, it was me. I was fey, looking as I remembered. Brett took my hand and we walked into the water.
Ripples in the water stopped the vision, and I stood and turned around, watching the waterfall and wondering what was behind it. It was me who Brett entered the waterfall with, not Queen Anahita as I had assumed. Why, I didn’t know, but I always thought it was her, taking him away from me.
I started to go towards the falls, planning on going in to see what was behind, when I heard her voice, Varda. “It’s not time yet, Emilee.” And I looked up to see her standing at the ridge, watching me.
She reached out her hand and continued, “Come, Emilee, it’s almost time.”
I walked up the narrow path to greet her and she embraced me with such love that I started to cry. The warmth and safety I felt in her arms was so empowering that I didn’t want her to let go. The pain and emptiness I had felt since the day I woke in the humans’ realm vanished the moment she held me.
Varda released me, but holding my hand, we walked through the wheat field to the edge of the cliff, where ocean met land, and just stood for a few minutes letting the salty ocean breeze fill our lungs.
“Brett is alive, but how?” Was all I could think to say at that moment.
She didn’t turn to look at me, we both continued to stare out to sea as if waiting for something to come.
“Yes, he is, Emilee. You changed the way it was supposed to go. Your choices changed the future.” Varda said calmly.
“I don’t understand, if you knew how the future was supposed to be, why did you not stop me, and direct me to do what I was supposed to do.” I said with confusion in my voice.
“You still don’t understand, dear granddaughter, I can see what is to be, I watch over many worlds, realms, dimensions and do what I can to help all life grow and become. But I cannot interfere as I may want to. At times I wish I could.
“With every choice one makes, it sets the future on a certain path. Each choice changes that path of existence.
“You chose not to kill Mephisto, but to send him into the abyss of space to live eternity in silence, alone. You chose not to kill Stephan, but to turn him to wood, a tree of all things, stuck in Hades as a punishment. And the one thing that I didn’t foresee, was you giving Brett your blood.
“You see Emilee, the dreams you have been having, were visions of what the future could be, all depending on your decisions, choices that you made. If you had followed Mephisto, become Stephan’s wife, the vision of this place, destroyed, dark and desolate would have resulted. Your choices, put you here, now.”
“Am I really here, or is this just another vision of the future, depending on what I do tomorrow or the next day or the next? You sent me back to the humans’ world!” I said angrily.
“You are here, but in a dream state. Your body is there”, and she reached out her arm and pointed towards the roaring ocean.
I saw myself in my room, in bed, asleep with the moonlight striking my face, softly, shining through the window. I assumed I was asleep and dreaming.
“This is a dream then.” I stated.
“No, Emilee, this is real, the only way I could get to you.”
“Brett, he’s alive then? I didn’t kill him?” I asked in haste.
“He is alive, your blood saved him, but in doing what you did, keeping him alive, as well as Stephan and Mephisto, you have changed the future.” Varda said with sadness in her eyes.
“If Brett is alive, then why did you send me back to the humans’ world, and make Brett and Rose human too. Why are we not back in Terrafirma? Brett and I were supposed to be together and have a baby, Katie.” I paused then for a moment and then continued, “I named her after my human mother.” And I smiled at that thought.
“If I had drained Brett dry, killed him, then that future would not have happened. Can it still?” I asked.
“Varda smiled and answered, “With every decision you make, your future changes. I sent Brett, Rose, Lily…”
I interrupted Varda then and said, “Eagle, Tiny the spider and even Albee’s seed, to plant.”
“Yes, Emilee, I sent them all to keep watch over you. He still watches you from afar. He, Mephisto, has his eyes everywhere. They can’t get to him, but they want to. If they can get you, they believe you can bring him back. The moment you chose to give Brett your blood, I foresaw this future.”
“But Brett, Rose and Lily don’t know who they are. They don’t remember. Lily, she does though, doesn’t she? And Tiny and Eagle, they do!”
“Yes granddaughter, they do but Brett and Rose were weak, and going through the transformation from fey to human, took its toll on them. Their memories are there down deep but they need someone to remind them.” Varda said as she looked at me, smiling.
“Rose, she died, the creature that poisoned me, it somehow killed her, I thought.” I said, feeling confused. “And Shinar and Rose are connected and the three of us share a bond. I don’t understand.”
“Rose was brought to you, because her blood was what you needed to survive in Terrafirma while your body changed from human to who you really are. I needed the same thing when I was trying to survive in the world of Terrafirma. You see, Emilee, I’m not a fey, as you know, nor are you totally.
“Rose is a pixie, but not just any pixie, for it was planned that she would be here for you when you came. Rose was given something special at birth, a drop of dragon’s milk, from the dragon that laid your egg. Shinar would need Rose to survive, as you would need Rose’s blood to help with your change.
I needed the same, only not dragon’s milk, for I don’t have a dragon, I have Lily.” And Varda laughed.
“Lily was my connection to Terrafirma and the humans’ earth, but I have other connections that I need in orde
r to go to the other realms that I watch over.
“Oh, I don’t have a dragon or I should say, am not connected to one, but if I need, they do come. You however, where given the gift, one dragon to be a part of you, and Rose, who was the one to join you both.
“When Poseidon decided to speed up your transformation and cause your strength to develop before it was time, that threw off your needs, and caused a disconnect between you and Rose. The poison not only spread through your veins, but also Rose’s. It wasn’t really poison to you but was for Rose.
“She couldn’t die, I couldn’t let that happen, so I did intervene, and slowed down the poison, allowing Rose to still be, as you saw her. She had a job to do, to complete your bonding with Shinar. Rose’s essence was not lost and would never have been, for her spirit had joined with Shinar, they had become one.
“When you gave Rose a drop of your blood, however, it reversed the damage to her physical body, and brought her spirit back into her body. She is still connected to you both, Shinar and you, as it was meant to be.
“As for Poseidon, he has been warned not to interfere again and the same goes for Queen Anahita. Their meddling caused quite a bit of trouble.”
The sound of her name, Anahita, sent fury through my body. And I asked, “What of her, was she with us or against?”
Varda smiled and said, “Let the jealousy go, Emilee. They were never meant to be.”
“But…” I started, and Varda gave me a scolding glare, and then smiling again, I knew that it didn’t matter. Brett and Queen Anahita’s bond, whatever it was, was gone, especially after we found out she was working for Poseidon. Queen Anahita did her duty by Poseidon but did she also have ulterior motives? I believed she did.
I asked, “Why did you send me back to earth to portray the human Emilee? Where is she? Or are we one and the same?”
“I had to hide you temporarily, until I could determine the danger, assess what the future might entail now that you changed things. After sending your companions to keep watch over you, I closed the entranceway between Terrafirma and earth. Fey cannot see humans even if they wanted to.