Chapter Twenty Four
Gone Fishing
Evette stood in front of the mirror and looked at her reflection in it. Her hair had been done up all fancy and was in an intricate coil of braids on top of her head.
She stood before the mirror dressed only in a white chemise; the beautiful white wedding gown lay on the floor behind her.
She hadn’t put it on yet, she wasn’t sure that she was going to. She didn’t know what was wrong with her, but she hated what she saw in the mirror.
Everything was good and perfect except for her!
Oh she was pretty enough she guessed, but she was far from being perfect. Larc deserved better than her.
Tears tracked down her face, as her eyes took in the scars on her chest that were visible. Despite Orhanin’s best efforts her chest that was visible showed a trace work of little white lines and single white spots. What was showing was echoed beneath the chemise as well.
She was scarred outside and inside. Her body jerked on a sob, when she considered the scars that she bore inside, they were never far from threatening her with their imagery and remembered feeling.
She couldn’t do this!
Krista knocked on the door, “Are you almost ready Evette? Do you need some help?”
Silence answered her from within the room except for a soft sound that she identified as crying. She eased the door open and stepped in.
Coming up behind Evette standing in front of the mirror softly crying she asked, “What’s wrong honey?”
Evette glanced at her out of teary eyes.
“I’m ugly! Larc deserves something better than what I have to offer!”
Krista shocked by the outburst spun Evette around, “You’re not ugly honey! You’re a beautiful young woman that any man would consider himself lucky to get!”
Evette just turned her head to the side and Krista’s saw the trace work of little white scars on Evette’s exposed chest. Krista reached up a finger and turned Evette’s head back to her by exerting pressure on her chin.
Evette gazed into the beautiful face of the older woman in front of her and saw the scars that seemed to dominate her features on the one side of her face and then she looked into her warm and understanding eyes.
“I know what it’s like to be scarred Evette and I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t matter to the men in our lives. I’ve seen the way you and Larc look at each other! You share a love that is more than just skin deep! It encompasses all of you and trust me superficial scars aren’t going to phase Larc one little bit in his love for you! My back is a patchwork quilt of scars. Roric will literally trace each one of them out for hours. He calls them my beauty lines. In a way the scars that both of us bear as a couple draw us closer together, because they show us what we both have come through to be with each other and to stay with each other.”
Evette nodded her head, but Krista could see a lingering haunted look in her eyes that she couldn’t explain.
“Now let’s get this dress on you and see how beautiful you look in it.”
Together they soon had the dress on. It was beautiful. Evette was beautiful, but the haunted look in Evette’s eyes had intensified.
“Don’t you like the dress Evette?” Krista asked tentatively.
A low monosyllabic reply came back to her from Evette that sounded like it had been wrenched from the depths of her heart, “It’s white!”
Krista’s eyes closed painfully for an instant, as it became real to her fully what Evette was dealing with. She’d been threatened with, but had never had to suffer what Evette clearly had.
Her eyes fired back open. She had to be tough!
Commiserating with Evette right now would do her no good, there would be a time and place for that later.
Evette continued on bitterly, “It should be black! Deepest darkest bla....”
Slap!
Evette looked at Krista in shock. She had slapped her!
Her cheek still stinging she asked dumbfounded, “You hit me?”
“Yes I did and I’ll do it again if you repeat anymore lies about yourself! You may have scars, perhaps deeper on the inside of you than you do on the outside, but it is still no excuse for you to talk about yourself in such a manner. You are a redeemed child of the Creator and He sees no blame in you or reason for you to be ashamed. And if He sees you like that so should you! I’m sorry for whatever it is that you had to suffer through Evette, but today it is over. You cast all that bitterness and self-loathing aside. Today is the start of something brand-new and exciting in your life and you are not going to let the past steal it away and disparage the plan the Creator is laying out for your life from this day forward! Do you hear me Evette?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Now you are going to go out there with your head held up high and enjoy your big day, and begin your new life with the man that you never dreamed could exist. He was made special just for you and you for him. Do you hear me Evette?”
“Yes ma’am.”
Krista hadn’t realized that she had been shaking Evette and now let go of her.
“You of all women deserve to wear white today! And another thing Evette, from now on please don’t call me ma’am! Either Mama or Mother, okay?”
“Yes Mama!” Evette said as she folded her arms around Krista hugging her hard to her.
Krista hugged her back, “I’ve only known you for a day, but I’ve come to love you already. I thank God for bringing you into our lives Evette!”
Krista stood back from her. “You get rid of those tears and get finished up in here. I want to be on the front row to see how Larc’s eyes pop out of his head!”
Evette smiled softly and Krista left feeling that her work was done.
Closing the door Krista breathed out shakily. Roric was standing a few feet away with a sympathetic look on his face for her. She went to him and leaned against his solid form.
She knew with his keen sense of hearing that he had probably heard all of what had transpired in the room.
She looked up, “Did you hear all of that?”
He nodded, “Enough.”
She let her head fall back against him, “I hated being so rough with her! She’s been through enough struggles without being slapped by her prospective mother-in-law on top of everything else, on her wedding day no less! Am I getting mean in my old age Roric?”
Roric smiled, “By the day honey.”
He caught her hand as she tried to swat him and grinned.
Then with all seriousness he said, “I think everything you did and said in there was exactly what needed to be done honey.”
Krista winked at him as she headed toward the grand hall, “I’ll deal with you later!”
Moments after she was gone the door to the room opened and Evette stepped out. Roric stepped out toward her and said, “Absolutely stunning! Larc doesn’t deserve you, but I’m glad for him all the same. May I escort you?”
He held out his arm and smiling tearfully Evette took it.
The wedding went differently than the weddings she’d seen as a girl. The ceremony was full of the rituals and traditions of this strange new culture that she had been grafted into.
The ceremony of union before God and man was actually quite brief. What she loved the most was the singing. These people both knew how to sing and sing well!
Everything had simply been wonderful; the people had treated her like she was their long-lost beloved daughter. It had been wonderful to see the expression of shock on Larc’s face too, when he had seen her.
Later after they had been standing close to each other during a song he had leaned down and whispered into her ear, “You look amazing in that dress!”
She had almost laughed out loud, but whispered back instead, “What you don’t want me to wear pants anymore now?”
His response had left her blushing.
Time seemed to rush buy, and before she knew it they were in a large hall for the reception. Time began to drag then.
She lost sight of Larc in the sea of faces that pressed in and around her beseeching her with questions about herself and Earth in general. It had already been agreed to that she would talk about both aspects as little as possible with the general population.
So being as gracious as she could she nonetheless declined most of their questions, while making sure to be pleasant and smiling as she did so. Her smile face was getting a little tired, when she felt a downward tug on her hand.
She looked down and was surprised to see Ellanara, Roric’s youngest child standing there. She motioned for her to lean down to her and she did.
“If you want to get out of here, follow me when the moments right!”
Evette looked at her, ‘when the moments right.’ What did she mean by that?
Suddenly an old tapestry fell at the far end of the room. The old wall rug for lack of a better way of putting it was full of dust and was quite heavy by itself. As it slumped to the floor it took out a food table and sent food flying everywhere pelting the guests with food.
Evette felt a sharp tug on her hand and looked down in horror at the young girl. She hadn’t orchestrated this had she?
She had no choice but to follow the girl, as her arm felt like it was about to be pulled out by the girl’s tugging on it. Another tapestry fell pelting more guests with food as it took out another table.
It was actually quite hilarious and Evette couldn’t help but giggle a little, as she was tugged through the crowd. They made it out of the hall even as yet another tapestry fell.
Ella’nara stopped and folded her arms, “This is as far as I go! You’re to continue down this hallway and climb the stairs to the third story. The room you want will be at the end of the corridor.”
Then as if on an afterthought the girl said, “Good luck.”
Evette blushed as the girl turned away back to the pandemonium of the banquet hall. Evette turned to the hallway and after a brief nervous swallow started down it.
Ellanara stood at the entrance of the banquet hall and smiled diabolically, as she surveyed her handiwork. She had made Larc pay dearly for her services and she now patted the chunk of money that lay heavy in her pocket.
There had been an extra up charge per each additional tapestry. Larc had said that he could only afford two additional tapestries after the initial one. Pity, she would have liked to have seen more of the old dusty things come down.
She surveyed the scene of chaos with relish, but the haughty smile fell off of her face abruptly when she caught sight of her father’s level eyed stare on her.
She was in big trouble now!
She would probably have to forfeit her earnings, while Larc would probably get off free with only a few stern words.
Her bottom would be bruised for a month!
Father continued to stare at her and she felt her punishment closing in around her like an oppressive cloak and then the miraculous happened. Father began to smile a little and then clapped his hands together softly, as if applauding her!
She smiled a huge smile of relief and curtsied to his praise and then got the heck out of there before he changed his mind.
Roric felt Krista’s disapproving stare on him, meeting her eyes he simply shrugged.
Krista had to smile, as she shook her head and looked back out upon the scene of chaos. Truly a wedding reception to be remembered.
Evette stood breathing hard in front of the big oaken door. This was it. Resolutely she pushed the door open and stepped into the decidedly masculine space beyond.
The room was dominated by a huge bed. The room was ornately furnished throughout. She didn’t see Larc anywhere though, not in the main room or either of the two side rooms. And then she saw a peculiar sight.
There was a rope tied to one of the massive bedpost legs. The end of the rope trailed across the floor and out a window. There was a white piece of paper on a chest by the window with a paper weight on it. A pile of clothing sat beside it.
She picked up the paper and recognized Larc’s handwriting. It read, “Ditch the dress and put the pants on. Climb down the rope and find the surprise I have for you where the roses end. Love always Larc.”
Evette smiled as she looked at the pants and then the rope. What was the crazy man up to?
She didn’t know, but she was game to find out whatever it was. A few minutes later found her walking down the stone face of the wall, as she held onto the rope to steady her. Reaching the stone parapet she noticed a trail of rose petals leading off in one direction.
She followed the floral path increasingly eager to get her surprise. Rounding a corner she found it.
Larc was standing beside a buggy hitched up to a single horse. She could see what looked like a picnic basket and two long poles on the back of the buggy.
Were those fishing poles?
“I thought we could go fishing and get away from all the drama for a while.”
Evette just stared at him; he was taking her fishing on their wedding day?
He seemed to read her mind, “Of course if you prefer we could go back to our room and I could watch you hungrily, while you nervously chew off all your fingernails.”
Evette stepped forward; she was absolutely fine with fishing on her wedding day. Until Larc spoiled it as he was helping her get into the buggy.
“This way you can have something to do while I watch you hungrily.” He said with a grin.
He was incorrigible, but he was also being very sweet to her and she appreciated it, even though she wanted to smack him. They made their way down the deserted castle streets to a side gate in the outer wall.
The gate stood wide open with the guards all standing around with huge suggestive grins on their faces. Larc didn’t disappoint them any either, but smiled right back at them and winked suggestively. Her hand now ached to hit him.
When they were free of the castle and moving out into the country Evette couldn’t hold it in any longer, “You didn’t have to be so suggestive, if all we’re doing is fishing!”
Larc looked over at her solemnly and said, “If I hadn’t been as suggestive as I was, they would have thought less of you. I never want anyone to feel that way about you. Our business stays our business. Let everyone else think what they like.”
After a while he heard a soft “Thank you”.
“You’re welcome.”
Fishing was an experience. It was soon abundantly clear to Larc that she knew absolutely nothing about how to fish the right way.
“You’re casting it all wrong. Here let me help you!”
Larc stepped up behind Evette to help her. Grabbing her arms he helped her cast the line farther out into the pond.
Stepping back from her he muttered, “There that should work better.”
They stood there awkwardly like two strangers, as they stared out at the still pond water. She wanted to say something and was about to, when the pole in her hands jerked hard.
Excitedly she screamed, “I’ve got something!”
Larc was by her side in an instant, “Pull it in! Pull it in! Don’t give it too much slack!”
As the struggling fish steadily lost ground and drew closer to the shore Larc left her side.
Panicked Evette asked, “Where are you going?”
“To get the net.”
“What’ll I do if I get it to the shore?”
But Larc was already back beside her. As the fish drew in closer Larc leaned way out over the edge of the pond reaching for the fish with the net pole.
Evette’s eyes drifted from the struggling fish to Larc’s muscular backside in front of her. She bit her lip, she shouldn’t. But she just couldn’t help herself.
She dropped the pole and Larc yelled out, “What did you do that for?”
Before he could straighten up she put one foot on his backside and pushed hard. He was already off balance and had no way of stopping his forward plunge into the pond.
Spewing and sputtering he surged to his feet in the pond. Then the dripping warrior made his way menacingly toward shore and her, but she held her ground. Larc came to stand so close to her that a couple of drips fell onto her.
“That is going to cost you!”
“Oh, what?”
“A kiss at the least!”
“Okay.” Evette said and leaned up to kiss his cheek.
A look of sharp disappointment crossed Larc’s face.
“That wasn’t exactly what I meant, but...” His words were cut off as Evette leaned up and kissed him deeply.
Drawing back she asked, “How was that?”
He had a somewhat dazed look on his face, but managed to get out, “That was good! I can live with that!”
Evette brought her arms up around Larc’s neck and pressed in against him, “I’d rather that you have all of me. Can you live with that?”
The shocked expression in Larc’s eyes deepened, “We don’t have to hurry this Evette. You can take your time. I’m not in.....”
His words were cut off again as Evette kissed him deeply again.
Leaning back a little she gazed up at him, as she leaned against him completely relaxed, “What are you trying to do? Let the fish off the hook?”
Larc shook his head, “No, no I don’t want to do that!”
Smiling like Eve must have at Adam then Evette said “Then shut up and kiss me!”
And he did.
Two years later.
Roric stared out over the valley from his cliffside terrace at peace with life. Life couldn’t be any better than it was right now. There were still some issues, but nothing big.
In the two years since the words of the Creator had been brought to the people of his world a great revival had begun. Starting first in the Valley Lands it had swept out from there into the Southern Settlements and surprisingly the Attorgron Forests.
The cities of the Plains of Zoar proved more resistant though and had clung to their dark faith rather than see the light of the Creator’s grace revealed in their lives.
It was a great time to be alive that was for sure. The preaching of the Creator’s words had seemed to release the floodgates of heaven’s mercies upon the people of this world.
There had been more miracles done by the Creator than could ever be attempted to be counted. It was an age of grace that they had stepped into.
The Spirit of the Creator was like a mighty river that flowed and washed all across the land, knowing no boundaries other than those erected in man’s own heart. His own family with the exception of Talaric was blessed by the events taking place in their world as any could be.
Zarsha and Captain Jansa were expecting their second child. Evette and Larc were so happy with each other that it could be sickening at times to be around them. They were expecting their first born in the fall.
Gavin had laid down the hammer and picked up the Holy Scriptures.
The Creator was using him mightily to reach those who were lost. He had just come back from his second mission’s trip from the Attorgron forest. As always his twin brother Zevin had been there to keep him safe.
Zevin hadn’t stopped in his progression in anything either and he continued to amaze both Roric and his mother all the time.
Sansa had married a fellow doctor colleague just a little over two months ago and they seemed to be happy in their own way. Ella’nara had grown in beauty and poise.
The addition of some self-control from the wanton mischief of her earlier years had been a welcome relief. She was without a question a genius.
She had learned everything there limited schooling could offer by the age of ten and had been inventing her own knowledge the past four years.
Krista as always was by his side through it all.
It was all simply amazing!
“Yes, the Creator’s handiwork is always amazing to behold!”
The voice from the past shattered Roric’s calm. He slowly turned his head and saw the angel, who had spoken to him the night before the battle at Kingdom Pass. He had said he would be back and now here he was.
Seeing the angel brought back the memory that something was to be required of him by the Creator. Roric was suddenly a jumble of mixed emotions.
He wanted to please God and do anything that was requested of him, but he couldn’t help but be gripped with fear of what might be asked of him.
Everything had been going so well!
Why couldn’t it continue like that?
Enough of that! As the Creator was his master so he would be obedient to his Heavenly Father’s bidding at all times regardless of the personal cost!
“Why have you come?” Roric asked resolutely.
The angel stared at him from kind eyes for a moment and then turned his head and as if on cue Krista appeared with a tray with three cups on it.
The angel turned back to Roric, “Shall we have a seat?” He asked gesturing towards a round table with three chairs around it.
After the cups were served and the messenger was seated first, Roric pulled out a chair for Krista and then sat down beside her. After forcing themselves to take a drink out of politeness they waited for what would come next with almost breathless anticipation.
Krista’s hand reached out under the table towards Roric. Roric took it and looked with concern at Krista, her hand was trembling.
“Peace to both of you for you are both highly favored by the Lord!” The angel spoke, as if sensing their trepidation over his appearance.
“The Lord has instructed me to ask his servants, who have proven themselves faithful yet again and again a question.”
There was a long moment of silence and then Krista asked, “What would the Creator ask of us?”
The angel spoke softly, “My Lord asks that you both would trust Him with a little more.”
Gruffly Roric spoke even as tears began to leave trails down Krista’s cheeks, “Who are we to deny our Lord anything He asks of us? Speak it and we will do it!”
“The Lord has need of your youngest daughter. The one called Ellanara.”
Tears making their way down Roric’s face now he asked, “What is it that we are to do?”
The angel spoke for several minutes while Roric and Krista listened. They agreed to do all that was asked of them.
The angel rose to leave, but Krista cried out. “Wait before you go!”
The angel turned back to them. Krista stepped forward a little, “Will the Creator of heaven and all creation have pity for a mother’s need to know of her child’s fate?”
The angel paused and then nodded.
As tears flowed with wild abandon down Krista’s face she managed to get out, “All I want to know is will she be happy?”
Krista dissolved into more tears and half sobs and leaned back against Roric, who had come up behind her.
The angel returned to them and reaching down took both of Krista’s hands and held them.
“Tell me Krista have you found happiness in your life?”
Krista nodded her head vigorously and choked out, “Oh yes!”
“Then know this as the Creator has been faithful to reward you for your faithfulness with an overabundance of joy in your life, know that a double portion has been reserved for your children. Fear not for your children, for the Creator has gone out before them and He guards them jealously, as rare jewels without equal. Be at peace Krista your children are in the Creator’s keeping. Your sons will rule nations, your oldest daughter will go to her rest full of joyful years and your youngest daughter will be a Queen over worlds, the wife of a warrior as great as your husband in all respects.”
And then the angel was gone and Roric and Krista were alone, with only the beating of their hearts sounding loudly, as they considered the changes that lay ahead of them and their family in the future.
Later that day Roric stepped into the underground lab and as usual Abby appeared almost instantly. Her open look of welcome changed as she saw the heaviness of Roric’s face.
“What has happened master?”
Roric looked at her, “A lot! A lot has happened.”
But he gave her no further clue as to what.
“Abby I have a task that I will be needing your assistance with.”
“Anything that I can do to help you master. It is my sole purpose for being.”
“First however there’s something I need to clear up and it concerns you Abby. Could you explain to me how it is that you seem more human than you do technology?”
If a technological image could have cried he would have seen it then, but all he saw was the barely masked pain evidently clear all cross Abby’s features.
She began to talk softly, “That would be because once I was fully human.”
Roric waited for further explanation and got it.
“When this world was first being colonized and the decision to abandon our technology was put forward it met with much resistance. There were those like your great ancestor Tadias that thought the technology should only be abandoned for a while not seeing anything inherently evil in having it. Others wanted it completely gone. There were others who never wanted to stop using it and it was these that your ancestors drove out of the Valley lands. There was another faction and while they were much smaller than the other three factions they were still very powerful. They wanted to destroy the technology completely and build it back up from the ground floor. They thought the existing technology was flawed in some way and needed redone. They loosely allied themselves with your ancestor’s faction and together they drove the others out. But they betrayed their allies. They had a darker goal in mind than the bonds of brotherhood. They infiltrated the security parameters and uploaded a technological disease that began to systematically destroy the system from the inside out. Something had to be done. A desperate strategy was put forward and I volunteered to do it. What was left of our technology was downloaded into my brain. The disease’s progression was stopped while in my brain. We’re not sure why, but the process of transferring the technology into my body caused a bioelectric melding of systems. My body’s immune system weeded out the disease and restored the pathways of the technology as best as it could, but some knowledge was completely missing, while other areas were damaged beyond repair. The Holy Scriptures were one of the first targets of the virus. Only fragments were left after the virus erased most of it. Another thing not anticipated was the restoration of the system back into the network. My body did not survive the process. That had been expected, but what was not expected was that when the technology was transferred back over it came with a conscious interface that hadn’t been there before. Me or some copied version of me. It was really a technological breakthrough, but it was never indepthly studied to find out how or why it happened. This facility was built to house the technology that was recovered. I’ve been here ever since assisting and helping as I can those tasked as guardians, who have come to this place.”
“You’ve made the ultimate sacrifice haven’t you? I imagine in some ways you wish that you had died with your body.” Roric asked softly.
“Yes that is true until recently. With everything that has happened recently I’ve seen some meaning come out of everything that took place so very long ago in the past. You could say that I see a Divine plan emerging and I’m happy to be a part of it. It makes the loneliness of this place bearable for the first time in a very long time.”
Gruffly Roric said, “What if I was to tell you Abby that you’re not going to be alone anymore down here. That I’m giving you a companion, someone for you to teach and discover ne