Chapter 22
It was late.
The stars had already taken their places for their normal nightly dance in the sky. Cassius laid in the tall grass. Today could have gone better but he had learned a few things while he was with Aurora. First his feelings for her were very real and they were stronger than he thought possible in just a few short weeks time. He could see she cares for him too. Secondly, he figured out why she was so intent on giving in and marrying Tommit. She was scared and not even for the right reason.
She wasn’t worried about herself or her impending fate.
Aurora was worried about Evver and him. This told him someone had been threatening them. Well at least threatening Evver. There was no way Tommit would allow the two of them to spend time together if he thought for a split second that Cassius was a threat. A light in the window caught his eyes. It was Aurora’s room. Evver had pointed it out to him yesterday. He longed to be with her. There was no way he was going to let Tommit marry her.
Time was dwindling.
He worried they would be too late. Was it possible Tommit would find the wishing well before they could stop him? Cassius wondered if Tiden and Trix had made it to Fara yet. Would they find help? Or were they just two more victims in Tommit’s reign of terror. Seeing movement in the window he wished he could get a closer view of the castle. He wanted to talk to Aurora tonight more than his need to sleep— which was currently nagging at his drooping eyes. He looked forward to morning then he could see her beautiful smile.
Sleep overtook him and a familiar dark dream settled in.
A nightmare settled deep in his heart making an unwanted reminder of his pain.
*
King Calan made his way toward the north wing.
He had news that he needed to be delivered from his lips alone. He worried how the news would be taken, if it could even make it past the titanium armor surrounding her mind. He gave a knowing look at each of the wide questioning eyes, of those who spent their lives guarded her, as he passed each of them by. Each one bowing, as he walked down the corridors to her room. It was normally only a trip he took in the early mornings. There was something less depressing seeing her with the sunlight warming her gentle face.
Calan feared seeing her with only the candlelight to light the way.
Blocking her off from the prying world, were heavy wooden doors he opened them hearing a groan from their rusting hinges.
“Thank you. You may leave us,” the waiting guard nodded at him and then took a fleeting glimpse at the beauty before he left the room. King Calan walked quietly and sat in the empty chair next to the window. It was the only view that didn’t agitate her. It was the view of the neighboring Paradan that she found calming, Calan had always found it odd how the only view she found serene wasn’t of Fara.
She had always had an affinity for the country. His father and now Calan never understood it.
“You look lovely,” he was always at a loss for words when he looked at her vacant stare. “Did you see that the leaves are starting to change? The trees are very nice this time of year.” Who would have thought that a man who could rule a kingdom, would have so much trouble speaking to his own sister?
Aura, was Calan’s older sister. Calan could remember a time when she had been filled with life. She brought joy to anyone who came in contact with her then everything changed seventeen years ago. Aura, went missing for two days and when she returned her heart and mind were never the same.
Slowly she began to shut down.
Their father, King Calas, was lost. He had no idea how to comfort her. If their mother had still been alive, she would have known what to do. Aura, started spending more and more time locked away in her room. She would only leave her room for meals. It had been ten years since she had joined them for a meal. Now she never left the safety of her own room.
Aura was striking.
Long raven colored hair hung to the middle of her back. Sapphire blue eyes sparkled even when pain drenched them. Her frame was thin and frail. King Calas and now Calan always made sure she was dressed in the finest gowns. Fairies always made sure her hair was perfectly done. She spent all of her hours staring into the distance at the path of Paradan.
“Aura, we had some visitors arrive today. They will be staying in the castle with us.” He paused wondering if his words meant anything to her. “They arrived today seeking out our help.” Calan could see his words bouncing off her broken façade just like everything else did. He took a deep breath and sat back. “Paradan is in crisis.”
There was a flicker of recognition at the mention of the neighboring kingdom.
“Horrible things have been happening. Many have been killed.” Aura’s eyes started filling with moisture. “I know how father felt about Paradan, but Windom is dead there is no reason for a continued feud.” A tear fell from her icy eyes.
*
The furious flutter of fairy wings could be heard. They were quickly approaching Aura’s room. Calan was too busy trying to soothe his sister. Talas had been Aura’s handmaiden since her early teens, before that she had been her nanny. There had never been a time when she hadn’t been at the side of the woman she loved as a daughter. She was the only one who knew the secret she kept buried. It submerged her a little deeper into the pool of anguish every day. It was a daily task just keeping her head above the waters of pain.
Aura had been a vibrant, energetic, bubbly young woman before the feud destroyed her happiness forever. She would ride her beloved horse Valenet everywhere. On one of those rides her fate changed, she met Prince Windom. He was charming, kind and everything she had ever wanted.
They were in love.
Then, there was a land dispute between the neighboring kingdoms. Aura was devastated. They started meeting in secret. Their time together got further and further apart. Unable to see each other, they only communicated thru notes. Before she knew it, she was very pregnant. She was going to tell him. They made plans to run away together. Aura rushed to meet him at their bridge. Only, before she could reach it—labor began. She found herself all alone and terrified. Nearby there was an empty tree house.
Crawling inside she delivered their baby. It was the next day before she was able to leave. On the way, she heard Windom had joined in the fight against Fara. Fearing for her child she returned to their bridge. She knew she couldn’t bring the child home with her.
It was only a few moments later a fairy couple found the sleeping baby.
Watching them leave with her child, only a few hours old, overcame her. She couldn’t bring herself to move. Shortly after Talas found her, she returned her home and cleaned her up. Never was another word spoken of the child she left behind. It was excruciating knowing how she would never have the life of which she dreamed. Her father King Calas overreacted to her having gone missing.
He blamed King Winston and Paradan.
So, to ensure they would never cross their path again, as well as to make sure Aura stayed safe within Fara, he had Randath planted on both sides of the path which led to Paradan. Randath in a single plant was beautiful. It produced vibrant red roses but if more than one plant got near each other they started to entangle themselves. All of the roses fell to the ground and large sharp thorns returned in place of the flowers. They were noxious weeds and there was virtually no way of ridding yourself of them, unless the entire area was burned down to ash several times. Then when the ash was left they burned it again until there was only a fine powder left. If you were lucky, they wouldn’t return but most times they did.
In a matter of weeks the way to Paradan was closed off to everyone.
Aura was devastated.
She slowly began to retreat inside her own mind.
The only place she could see her child and hear Windom was to reflect upon a time when they had been happy. So she sat in her chair and watched out her window waiting for either Windom to return for her or her child. Now Windom was dead and the fantasy of reuniting with the family she held close to her heart, was a complete impossibility.
The tight grip she held on reality was breaking.
*
“What did you do?” Talas asked accusingly.
Calan’s mouth was frozen in place.
No matter how hard he tried it wasn’t willing to produce a single word of explanation.
Talas turned back to Aura her hands were caressing her face while trying to calm her.
“Aura, please. It’s alright dear.” Her words of reassurance did little to calm the shaken woman. Her eyes were wild with fear.
“Paradan.. Windom” her words came as a great shock to both of them. It had been years since Aura had spoken a single word. Talas turned back to King Calan.
“What did you tell her?”