Kieran could sense the tension and nerves of the two as they entered his car. Neither of them sat up front, but it didn’t particularly bother him. “Good morning.” He replied, putting the car in gear once their seatbelts were fashioned. “No, you probably wouldn’t. Poptarts are usually my guilty processed pleasure here.” He looked in the rearview mirror and grinned. “My uncle introduced me to them when I was young, and I have never gotten over how amazing they taste, and yet so utterly useless for providing nutrition and good energy.” Kieran laughed lightly. Though the food in the other world was very different, it was arguably better for people than the majority of the food in this world. He found a few times when he was younger that when he came to the Ana’s world, he gained a bit of weight, and lost a fair amount of energy. The change in diet, and also in activities, could take its toll easily upon his body.
“Yarlow has been around for a while, but it has more recently built walls to help keep the area from being infiltrated. It has been found by people with harmful intentions, but there are people on duty who ensure that they forget that they found such a place. It is a haven for mages to learn, and to rest when they are weary. It is also a place that families have begun to use as a meeting point. In case they get separated, or attacked, they should make their way to Yarlow.” Kieran didn’t know all of the history of the town, but there were people there who could answer more of her questions.
“Yes, I think it will be a bit strange for Ana. That is why we are going directly to Yarlow, rather than to my home in the other world, and then traveling by horse. I think that being around people who are open and accepting is the best introduction.” Kieran’s answer led straight into Ana’s next question, and her mother said that her own story was for another time.
“There are portals.” Kieran answered. “They require a fair amount of magic to erect, and to use. My uncles helped to create a few, and built one in their home, so they could conveniently return home. They passed both properties on to me, and so at the moment, we are going to my home.” A few minutes later, they pulled in front of a modest-looking home. The lawn was a bit overgrown, and it hadn’t been landscaped in years, but Kieran wasn’t here very often. He knew that it wasn’t quite as pretty as the other houses, but he didn’t have the time to maintain two residences and live his life. Looking at it as he pulled into the driveway made him miss his uncles a little. “I apologize—I am not here often enough to make this look as it should.” He said. The house wasn’t in horrible disrepair, however, it just looked like the owner was away, which was the truth.
Kieran parked the car and got out, inviting the pair inside. The home’s interior was much better maintained than the exterior, and they all looked quite out of place in it. The furniture was a sort of contemporary modern, though there was nothing that had been bought in the last ten years or so. “You can go ahead up both sets of stairs. It’s the only room up there. I gotta grab something from the kitchen.” Kieran said. He was only a few moments behind, though, as he took a few water skins he had and filled them up with cool water before bringing them along as well. “I didn’t think you all would have these, and I keep a few extra.” He said, handing one to each of them before slinging his over his shoulder. He picked up his bag and walked over to the large platform in the center of the room. There were some rune-like markings on the inside of the circle, and a panel that rose up off the floor. It didn’t look like much, which had been important to a lot of people in building them. “If you could both step into the circle….”
Kieran had enough energy on his own to start the machine, and so he didn’t ask for Madea or Ana’s. “Are you sure that you are ready?” He questioned, placing his hands upon the panel. This was the last chance for working plumbing for some time. When he was sure that they were ready, he closed his eyes, and fed enough energy into the portal for them to traverse between the worlds. It only took a few moments for them to arrive, standing in what was clearly a town square. The road was paved with dirt, and the buildings on the side all screamed da sort of medieval setting from tv shows and movies. Kieran relaxed a little, feeling much more comfortable, though he knew the opposite was true of the other two. A few passerbys turned to gaze at the group, recognizing Kieran, or the energy of the healers. “Welcome to Yarlow.” Kieran said, turning to Ana and Madea.
-.-
If Devon was able to read Rhys’ thoughts, he made no indication of it, saying only that it was an important place in town. “Sure.” Rhys agreed to show him her art when it was done. She never promised to be amazing, but she wasn’t self-conscious about her art in the way that she was her magic. Magic was something that made her stand out from others. Drawing was something anyone could do, if they set their minds to it.
Unlike Devon, Rhys was always ready to run. She kept her bag with her after spending the night at the inn, and wandered outside, looking at a few different people before taking the opportunity to walk around the town. She saw a few different shops, and the general hustle of the town. It seemed like a pleasant place still, but she hadn’t come across Devon. He had likely gotten bored or annoyed by her, or met up with his friend. She decided that instead of going into the various buildings to try to find a library, she would enjoy the weather outside instead.
There were quite a few more people at the strange-looking tree that day, children playing under the branches, and an adolescent with his father, learning how to sense the energy in the tree. Rhys sat a bit further away from the tree itself, watching everyone, and the tree. She pulled out her journal, and flipped to a new blank page. She unwrapped the charcoal from its cloth, and began to sketch the base of the tree, working her way up to the leaves. It would be difficult to capture the juxtaposition between the colors and the white, and she decided on a few different shading methods for the leaves. If she had tried to cover the whole outside with shading, then the entire tree would look dark and average, when in fact it was nothing but. She added a couple of only outlined leaves to the ground, falling from the tree, and a few with the cross-hatching were seeming to come in on a gust of wind to land upon the tree. It might have been a confusing image, but the idea of trying to dry it intrigued her.
While she drew, the child who was trying to sense energy seemed to do a bit better. He was an elemental, which was perhaps one of the reasons that she tuned in to the conversation. The child spoke about the earth, and the roots of this tree that he could feel running beneath where he sat. Rhys looked down at the grass and dirt, wondering if she could learn to sense the roots. Watching the pair interact, she was finally beginning to see what Devon was talking about when he suggested finding someone to help her learn about what she could do. But who would be willing to teach a stranger, and how would she even find them? It was nearing lunch time, and most of the people left the tree to go and get food, while a few others brought food and began to eat it picnic style. Rhys flipped the page once more, and began to draw one of the leaves that had fallen to the ground near her. She had never been good at focusing on such details, but she was willing to try now, since she was feeling a bit more relaxed than usual.
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well i'm glad it all worked out then! I got back at like midnight, but I finished up the post, so that is good.
The turn in the conversation was not something that Kieran could have predicted, even with his talents. Madea decided to hand the decision over to her daughter, as it rightfully should have, and both of them turned their attention to Anabelle. She took it…much better than Kieran thought he would have, but her temperament was obviously a lot more forgiving and kind-natured than most. She wanted to learn about healing, but she wasn’t ready for a war, and Kieran agreed completely. For a complete turn of events, though, Madea then said that she wanted to help as well. Kieran couldn’t help but grin at that. He had gained not one healer, but two.
“That… would be wonderful.” Kieran said. “There is a town that we will go to first, named Yarlow. It has been a safe haven for magic users for some time now. It has many people with a variety of talents, and a wealth of knowledge about different magic as well. I think it would be a good place to go to learn more and there is transport in the town in case you need to return quickly.” Kieran explained. “How about we leave in the early afternoon, tomorrow. That will give you some time to rest, and get something to eat as well. Do that sound amenable?” He waited for affirmation before nodding, a smile upon his face. “That is wonderful. I am very happy that both of you want to at least see the world and give it a chance.”
Kieran stood up and reached out to shake Madea’s hand. When she accepted it, though, he placed his other hand on the outside of hers, a handshake that was more traditional from his home. “If you have anything that Anabelle could wear that is more appropriate, that would be very helpful. Yarlow is fine with travelers, and accepting of magic, but if something doesn’t go as expected, it is known by the other side that those who travel between worlds use magic.” Kieran had never ended up in the wrong place when he traveled, but there could always be a first time. He liked to be prepared in some fashion.
Usually, he traveled only between his homes in each world. However, he didn’t want to risk travelling with the pair and potentially being assaulted before he was able to hold up his end of the deal, namely that he would be trying to get Anabelle more information. Yarlow was the best place for that to happen. Besides that, he was supposed to be meeting Devon in Yarlow sometime soon, and his friend was likely already there. He would be able to take care of both matters at once, and hopefully avoid putting the two healers in too much danger right away. “Why don’t I come by at about eleven? I will pick you both up, and then we can go back to my place and head out?” He asked. Madea agreed, and Kieran nodded once more to the pair.
“Thank you both for giving this a try. I will see you in the morning.” He left the house, holding back a yawn. It had been an exciting night, but he had to stay awake until he got home. Kieran managed the task, and returned to the house in the morning as he had promised, pulling up at promptly eleven am. He had already changed into the clothes he would wear at home, a simple pair of brown trousers, a white tunic, and a light blue vest. His bag with rations and supplies was at home, sitting by the machine. He hoped that both of them looked appropriate, but he could certainly lend Anabelle something that would be large and a bit ill-fitting if he had to.
-.-
Following Devon through the town was easy, despite the large amount of people still wandering around that evening. It wasn’t terribly crowded, and Rhys, though tired, was still able to walk well enough. He suggested that they see more of the town, and Rhys nodded. “Yea, that would be nice, though I am a bit tired, so perhaps we can save some of the tour for tomorrow?” She questioned.
He began to suggest the library, and then back-tracked and gave her the option. Rhys chuckled a little, and as Devon led the way to the center of the town, she spoke again. “I would love to see the library. I don’t want to bore you with having to stick around, so if you would prefer, you can just point me in the direction.” She offered. In truth, she would have preferred that he at least help her understand the organization of the building’s books, but she was sure that she could figure it out all the same.
The tree seemed to be white, and yet it wore a cloak of leaves that looked more normal, being colorful leaves. Rhys walked up to the tree and looked up at the array of leaves. It was beautiful, and strange. She had almost touched the tree, when Devon said that power could be boosted here. They rang through her mind, twisting and changing because of the fear that she had of her gifts. You’re going to kill everyone here. Rhys stepped back quickly, withdrawing her hand before she touched the tree. A gust of wind blew through the square, causing a few of the branches to rattle and hit each other. “It’s very beautiful.” She said softly, having moved behind Devon, clasping her hands in front of her. “Perhaps tomorrow I can sit and draw it.” She said, having taken the opportunity on their journey already to capture some of the clearings and rivers they had rested beside.
She would simply have to stay a good distance away, keep everyone safe from her. It’s safest if you stay away. She thought bitterly, and brought up the subject of sleep once more to change the subject. “I am actually very tired at the moment. Do you think that we could find a place to turn in, and continue seeing the town tomorrow?” She requested. Of course, the inn at which they stayed would ask for something in return, and Rhys was happy to clean a few of the rooms, or help with laundering some of the sheets. They were able to get two rooms, and she had a night to herself, getting the privacy that she had lacked on the journey. Rhys bathed herself properly, taking her time and trying to relax so she didn’t do anything stupid. In the morning, she cleaned her room and another, and dropped off the sheets for someone else to launder, and then wandered outside to watch the people milling about during the sunny day.
“That… would be wonderful.” Kieran said. “There is a town that we will go to first, named Yarlow. It has been a safe haven for magic users for some time now. It has many people with a variety of talents, and a wealth of knowledge about different magic as well. I think it would be a good place to go to learn more and there is transport in the town in case you need to return quickly.” Kieran explained. “How about we leave in the early afternoon, tomorrow. That will give you some time to rest, and get something to eat as well. Do that sound amenable?” He waited for affirmation before nodding, a smile upon his face. “That is wonderful. I am very happy that both of you want to at least see the world and give it a chance.”
Kieran stood up and reached out to shake Madea’s hand. When she accepted it, though, he placed his other hand on the outside of hers, a handshake that was more traditional from his home. “If you have anything that Anabelle could wear that is more appropriate, that would be very helpful. Yarlow is fine with travelers, and accepting of magic, but if something doesn’t go as expected, it is known by the other side that those who travel between worlds use magic.” Kieran had never ended up in the wrong place when he traveled, but there could always be a first time. He liked to be prepared in some fashion.
Usually, he traveled only between his homes in each world. However, he didn’t want to risk travelling with the pair and potentially being assaulted before he was able to hold up his end of the deal, namely that he would be trying to get Anabelle more information. Yarlow was the best place for that to happen. Besides that, he was supposed to be meeting Devon in Yarlow sometime soon, and his friend was likely already there. He would be able to take care of both matters at once, and hopefully avoid putting the two healers in too much danger right away. “Why don’t I come by at about eleven? I will pick you both up, and then we can go back to my place and head out?” He asked. Madea agreed, and Kieran nodded once more to the pair.
“Thank you both for giving this a try. I will see you in the morning.” He left the house, holding back a yawn. It had been an exciting night, but he had to stay awake until he got home. Kieran managed the task, and returned to the house in the morning as he had promised, pulling up at promptly eleven am. He had already changed into the clothes he would wear at home, a simple pair of brown trousers, a white tunic, and a light blue vest. His bag with rations and supplies was at home, sitting by the machine. He hoped that both of them looked appropriate, but he could certainly lend Anabelle something that would be large and a bit ill-fitting if he had to.
-.-
Following Devon through the town was easy, despite the large amount of people still wandering around that evening. It wasn’t terribly crowded, and Rhys, though tired, was still able to walk well enough. He suggested that they see more of the town, and Rhys nodded. “Yea, that would be nice, though I am a bit tired, so perhaps we can save some of the tour for tomorrow?” She questioned.
He began to suggest the library, and then back-tracked and gave her the option. Rhys chuckled a little, and as Devon led the way to the center of the town, she spoke again. “I would love to see the library. I don’t want to bore you with having to stick around, so if you would prefer, you can just point me in the direction.” She offered. In truth, she would have preferred that he at least help her understand the organization of the building’s books, but she was sure that she could figure it out all the same.
The tree seemed to be white, and yet it wore a cloak of leaves that looked more normal, being colorful leaves. Rhys walked up to the tree and looked up at the array of leaves. It was beautiful, and strange. She had almost touched the tree, when Devon said that power could be boosted here. They rang through her mind, twisting and changing because of the fear that she had of her gifts. You’re going to kill everyone here. Rhys stepped back quickly, withdrawing her hand before she touched the tree. A gust of wind blew through the square, causing a few of the branches to rattle and hit each other. “It’s very beautiful.” She said softly, having moved behind Devon, clasping her hands in front of her. “Perhaps tomorrow I can sit and draw it.” She said, having taken the opportunity on their journey already to capture some of the clearings and rivers they had rested beside.
She would simply have to stay a good distance away, keep everyone safe from her. It’s safest if you stay away. She thought bitterly, and brought up the subject of sleep once more to change the subject. “I am actually very tired at the moment. Do you think that we could find a place to turn in, and continue seeing the town tomorrow?” She requested. Of course, the inn at which they stayed would ask for something in return, and Rhys was happy to clean a few of the rooms, or help with laundering some of the sheets. They were able to get two rooms, and she had a night to herself, getting the privacy that she had lacked on the journey. Rhys bathed herself properly, taking her time and trying to relax so she didn’t do anything stupid. In the morning, she cleaned her room and another, and dropped off the sheets for someone else to launder, and then wandered outside to watch the people milling about during the sunny day.
I got half of it done, but I have to go out for the day, so I won't be able to work on the rest until tomorrow probably.
I liked the post! as you can see by the fact that I already responded, lol.
Kieran had expected this on some level, and let the woman voice her concerns. “I can understand why you would want her to be free from the war, but keeping her in the dark about her existence is not a blessing. You said that I told her such things for my own personal gain, but that is not the case. I didn’t ask her to join my side. I told her what she was so she could make the decision for herself, because like it or not, your daughter is an adult.” Kieran accepted the tea, and took a sip before he continued.
“Yes, my side would benefit from Anabelle’s help, but there is a lot more than that at play. She needs to understand what she can do, so that she can control it. Even if she does not use her gift for the war, she should understand it well enough to help those here, and to keep her abilities under her control rather than living in fear and doubt of what she can do. I offered her information, and help with learning her abilities. But of course, I don’t know healing as well as you do, Madea. Had I known that you were the same, I would have suggested that she turn to you as a mentor. Because letting her go around with no control will get her discovered by authorities here, or leave her open to attack by those involved in the war.”
“Finally… if our enemies came here and found her…I don’t care how long you have been hiding in this world, I am sure you understand as well as I do that she would be taken. There would be no question as to whether she would help their cause. She would be taken by force, and you would never see her again, probably never even know where she had gone.” Kieran lowered the tea to the table once more. “She might be able to fend them off, but once she was found, it would only be a matter of time before they came back with more forces. Then she would be thrust into the war with little understanding of her own abilities, and cause much more harm than good.” Kieran didn’t like speaking about Anabelle as if she wasn’t in the room, but he had to relieve Madea’s concerns as well. Surely the woman understood the gravity of the situation, and that she couldn’t continue to have her daughter hide out as if she was completely normal.
-.-
“That’s…interesting.” Rhys admitted, though she liked the bartering idea much more than she vocalized at the moment. This town…honestly it sounded like a place she might want to stay. She hadn’t interacted with many of the people yet, but she felt like…if it was everything that Devon seemed to make it out to be, she might be able to let her guard down a little, and actually relax. Devon took care of the ordering, and she followed him over to the bench, sitting across from him at the table. She was surprised by how much there was provided. “Thank you.” Rhys chimed in as well.
She ate mostly in silence, enjoying the variety of food that was provided. When it was finished the man from behind the bar came up to gather the tray, asking if there was anything else that they needed. It was a subtle, and polite way of also asking how they planned to square this away. Rhys answered first this time, getting up the courage to actually speak, which was tough for her. “It was lovely, thank you very much. I don’t need anything else, and I was wondering if there any dishes that needed to be washed, or other tidying that I could do?” She questioned, her voice wavering a little. Somehow, she imagined that he would demand something less wholesome in exchange for the food, and it took a little while to remind herself that this town was not necessarily like that.
The man nodded, accepting her offer. “Yea, we’ve got some dishes in the back sink, soaking already, but they could use a good scrub and dry. And if you could get your dishes as well…” He requested of the girl before turning to Devon. Rhys didn’t mind if he helped her in the back—it was really whatever they agreed upon. She stood up with the tray, though, and went through the door that led to a kitchen. The dishes weren’t that bad, and she assumed that this was likely a common way for people to pay for the meals that they took. There were some cooking pots and cutting boards, and she slipped in the dishes they had eaten off of before rolling up her sleeves and getting started. The dishes wouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to wash, and she let them all air dry until she had finished the washing, that way part of her work was done, and she didn’t have to go back and forth with washing and drying.
The woman from the counter came into the back and helped her put things away at the end, so that they were all in their proper place later. When the dishes were away, the woman thanked her, and told her to have a good evening, releasing Rhys from the debt. It felt weird to Rhys, for the meal to have simply been covered by something she could do and she liked it a lot. When she left and encountered Devon once more, she was actually smiling. “I think I like this town.” She admitted.
“Yes, my side would benefit from Anabelle’s help, but there is a lot more than that at play. She needs to understand what she can do, so that she can control it. Even if she does not use her gift for the war, she should understand it well enough to help those here, and to keep her abilities under her control rather than living in fear and doubt of what she can do. I offered her information, and help with learning her abilities. But of course, I don’t know healing as well as you do, Madea. Had I known that you were the same, I would have suggested that she turn to you as a mentor. Because letting her go around with no control will get her discovered by authorities here, or leave her open to attack by those involved in the war.”
“Finally… if our enemies came here and found her…I don’t care how long you have been hiding in this world, I am sure you understand as well as I do that she would be taken. There would be no question as to whether she would help their cause. She would be taken by force, and you would never see her again, probably never even know where she had gone.” Kieran lowered the tea to the table once more. “She might be able to fend them off, but once she was found, it would only be a matter of time before they came back with more forces. Then she would be thrust into the war with little understanding of her own abilities, and cause much more harm than good.” Kieran didn’t like speaking about Anabelle as if she wasn’t in the room, but he had to relieve Madea’s concerns as well. Surely the woman understood the gravity of the situation, and that she couldn’t continue to have her daughter hide out as if she was completely normal.
-.-
“That’s…interesting.” Rhys admitted, though she liked the bartering idea much more than she vocalized at the moment. This town…honestly it sounded like a place she might want to stay. She hadn’t interacted with many of the people yet, but she felt like…if it was everything that Devon seemed to make it out to be, she might be able to let her guard down a little, and actually relax. Devon took care of the ordering, and she followed him over to the bench, sitting across from him at the table. She was surprised by how much there was provided. “Thank you.” Rhys chimed in as well.
She ate mostly in silence, enjoying the variety of food that was provided. When it was finished the man from behind the bar came up to gather the tray, asking if there was anything else that they needed. It was a subtle, and polite way of also asking how they planned to square this away. Rhys answered first this time, getting up the courage to actually speak, which was tough for her. “It was lovely, thank you very much. I don’t need anything else, and I was wondering if there any dishes that needed to be washed, or other tidying that I could do?” She questioned, her voice wavering a little. Somehow, she imagined that he would demand something less wholesome in exchange for the food, and it took a little while to remind herself that this town was not necessarily like that.
The man nodded, accepting her offer. “Yea, we’ve got some dishes in the back sink, soaking already, but they could use a good scrub and dry. And if you could get your dishes as well…” He requested of the girl before turning to Devon. Rhys didn’t mind if he helped her in the back—it was really whatever they agreed upon. She stood up with the tray, though, and went through the door that led to a kitchen. The dishes weren’t that bad, and she assumed that this was likely a common way for people to pay for the meals that they took. There were some cooking pots and cutting boards, and she slipped in the dishes they had eaten off of before rolling up her sleeves and getting started. The dishes wouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to wash, and she let them all air dry until she had finished the washing, that way part of her work was done, and she didn’t have to go back and forth with washing and drying.
The woman from the counter came into the back and helped her put things away at the end, so that they were all in their proper place later. When the dishes were away, the woman thanked her, and told her to have a good evening, releasing Rhys from the debt. It felt weird to Rhys, for the meal to have simply been covered by something she could do and she liked it a lot. When she left and encountered Devon once more, she was actually smiling. “I think I like this town.” She admitted.
that was exciting! I posted again as well, though it was a bit short. Let me know if you need me to add more depth/detail, etc.
Kieran still wasn’t in the habit of checking his phone often. He hadn’t been asleep yet when she called, but he had simply been distracted. After he had woken from the vision, however, he immediately checked his phone and saw the missed call and message. Anabelle had been in his vision, and Kieran was confident now that he needed to bring her to his world. Kieran checked the message, hearing her address given. Something big must have happened. He jumped out of the bed and grabbed some clothing out of the dresser as he listened to the message. When it ended, he put on jeans and a t-shirt, and then called her back. “Anabelle, I am on my way right now.” He said. It wasn’t just the words in the message, it was the tone. He could feel that there had been something bad, and he wasn’t going to make her go through this alone.
Kieran got to her house about a half-an-hour later, thrusting his phone into his pocket as he walked up to the door. Before he even knocked on the door, he could feel the energy inside. Her mother was a magic-user too, something that he had already suspected. The energy felt a lot like Anabelle’s though, and he had a strong suspicion that she was also a healer. On the one hand, he felt like he might have found two healers to help their cause. At the same time, he was worried that the mother had convinced Anabelle not to help him, so that they could continue to hide in peace. He knocked on the door before he could spend too long debating the different things that could happen once he got inside. He wouldn’t know until he went in and actually spoke to the pair.
The door was answered promptly by a woman who looked like she could have been Anabelle’s sister. Since he knew that Anabelle was an only child, however, this had to be the girl’s mother. “You must be Anabelle’s mother. My name is Kieran.” He held out his right hand to shake hers, trying to be friendly. He had never lied to Anabelle, and he hoped that they would both be open-minded.
-.-
Rhys was surprised that this town was magic-friendly, but she trusted Devon…at least mostly. Rhys stayed quiet as Devon greeted the guards, who let him in happily. “Yea, maybe…” Rhys said, nodding to Devon at the prospect of finding someone to help her. She imagined, at the least, that if she lost control of her abilities, all of the mages around could at least stop her from destroying too much.
As they continued into the town, she learned that Devon’s friend had even found a healer, which would be quite a talent indeed. Even with the veil she put over her own eyes, Rhys knew that finding a healer was an amazing feat. Rhys greeted the older man politely—he seemed a bit like a grandfather, not that Rhys had ever met hers, but in that he was very nurturing, and seemed interested in talking to Rhys quite a bit. “That… is very nice to hear. Thank you.” She said to the man. She jumped a little when Devon put his arm around her, but nodded in agreement with him when he said that they needed to get something to day. “It was a pleasure to meet you.” Rhys said, and turned to follow Devon away.
“I feel as if I am still in disbelief that a place like this exists.” Rhys admitted to him. They walked by a few restaurants, and Rhys wracked her brain for a few moments trying to recall how much money she had. “Devon, I am not sure if we have enough money for a restaurant…but I contribute what I have.” She offered, pulling her bag off of her shoulder.
Kieran got to her house about a half-an-hour later, thrusting his phone into his pocket as he walked up to the door. Before he even knocked on the door, he could feel the energy inside. Her mother was a magic-user too, something that he had already suspected. The energy felt a lot like Anabelle’s though, and he had a strong suspicion that she was also a healer. On the one hand, he felt like he might have found two healers to help their cause. At the same time, he was worried that the mother had convinced Anabelle not to help him, so that they could continue to hide in peace. He knocked on the door before he could spend too long debating the different things that could happen once he got inside. He wouldn’t know until he went in and actually spoke to the pair.
The door was answered promptly by a woman who looked like she could have been Anabelle’s sister. Since he knew that Anabelle was an only child, however, this had to be the girl’s mother. “You must be Anabelle’s mother. My name is Kieran.” He held out his right hand to shake hers, trying to be friendly. He had never lied to Anabelle, and he hoped that they would both be open-minded.
-.-
Rhys was surprised that this town was magic-friendly, but she trusted Devon…at least mostly. Rhys stayed quiet as Devon greeted the guards, who let him in happily. “Yea, maybe…” Rhys said, nodding to Devon at the prospect of finding someone to help her. She imagined, at the least, that if she lost control of her abilities, all of the mages around could at least stop her from destroying too much.
As they continued into the town, she learned that Devon’s friend had even found a healer, which would be quite a talent indeed. Even with the veil she put over her own eyes, Rhys knew that finding a healer was an amazing feat. Rhys greeted the older man politely—he seemed a bit like a grandfather, not that Rhys had ever met hers, but in that he was very nurturing, and seemed interested in talking to Rhys quite a bit. “That… is very nice to hear. Thank you.” She said to the man. She jumped a little when Devon put his arm around her, but nodded in agreement with him when he said that they needed to get something to day. “It was a pleasure to meet you.” Rhys said, and turned to follow Devon away.
“I feel as if I am still in disbelief that a place like this exists.” Rhys admitted to him. They walked by a few restaurants, and Rhys wracked her brain for a few moments trying to recall how much money she had. “Devon, I am not sure if we have enough money for a restaurant…but I contribute what I have.” She offered, pulling her bag off of her shoulder.
I know how that feels. I liked the post, and I hope you are still getting caught up!
Kieran wasn’t surprised when she agreed to help. He nodded, trying to be confident when she was hesitant. “I am glad that you are not going to simply leave and forget about this. Even if you don’t want all in, you need to learn how to control what you can do. I can help you with that…Or I can part the veil and bring you all in. But if you want that… you will need a day or two off. We will be traveling. Give me a call and let me know what you decide. Thank you Anabelle.” Kieran let the girl depart, finally, and then pulled away and began to drive back to his house.
He hadn’t wanted to scare her, but a healer who was untrained could cause major chaos. In addition to healing, a healer could suck the life out of a person, or even unleash a plague on humanity. She might choose later not to join the fight, but she needed to understand what she could do. Kieran could help her some of the way, but he hoped to find another healer who could help guide her, someone who knew what they were doing. Kieran would certainly talk about focusing energy, but it might not work for her.
He went back to his own house, and organized a few things, debating whether he should go home, or stay here for a while. He ended up going back to his world for the afternoon, for a few hours, checking his letters at that house. Kieran sent a few messages, coded some of his plans and sent messages to his comrades in different areas. Some were working undercover, some needed aid, and to be set up with contacts. Kieran helped negotiate things when he could, but right now, his mind was preoccupied with Anabelle. It was evening, was she off of her shift now? Was she already home, confronting her mother about the deception? Perhaps he should be in the other world, in case she called. Kieran made himself some dinner, and then went back to Anabelle’s world, hoping to receive a message from her. He rarely slept here as an adult, but he did tonight. As he slept, he had visions.
Kieran stood on the side of a mountain, looking over the forest and the small towns off in the distance. There were fires, some still going, and others having just been stopped. One of them had spread to the trees. Kieran turned to the side, where Devon stood, pointing his finger out towards the horizon. Beside Devon, there always stood another woman. Kieran had never seen her face before, but this time… she had a face, and it was one he recognized. Anabelle stood there, with a look of concern, following Devon’s pointed finger. Kieran tried to turn the other direction, to see the other face that accompanied them. He could feel that there were four of them, he knew it, but the vision changed and became muddled before he could see the final person.
-.-
What Devon had seen and experienced in terms of fighting surprised Rhys a little. She was naïve because she chose to be. He had seen groups burn buildings to the ground. She had heard rumors about that sort of thing in the taverns, but she hadn’t seen it, apart from an accident in her own childhood. Devon changed the subject a little, saying that he wanted to be a part of the solution. Rhys gave a small nod, but she wasn’t sure just how this fighting could be simply ended. To her, there was no end in sight. It was just going to get worse and worse until everyone killed each other. Perhaps she needed a friend who had visions of the future, so that she had something to give her hope.
“Yea, let’s forage.” Rhys agreed. She filled her water once more and began to walk along the river a short ways, knowing that berries would grow well near a source of water for their roots. Rhys took out one of the spare garments in her bag, and clustered the dark fabric in the shape of a bowl to hold the berries she found.
“When I was a child, I used to forage with my sister and brother.” Rhys said. Her brother had taught her which berries were good to eat. She remembered him teasing her when she had approached him with some berries she found without him.
”Elijah! I found berries, all by myself!” Rhys told him. She couldn’t have been older than six years old at the time, but the memory was still fresh in her mind.
”Oh. Rhys-ee…” Elijah began, shaking his head. “You can’t eat these.” He protested. Rhys asked him why not, a huge look of sadness and disappointment on his face. Elijah looked more closely at the berries, and then picked one up. “Rhys…these are poison.” He said, and popped one in his mouth.
”No! Elijah!” Rhys yelled, reaching out to stop her brother, but he ate the berry, and then fell to the ground. She began to cry, but a crackle of thunder on the otherwise sunny day made him jump.
”Jeeze, Rhysee… I was just playing.” He said. “You don’t have to cry.” He sat up, and reached for the other berries she had gathered, which were now in a pile on the ground. “I should probably have another, though, just to make sure that they are good.” He said, taking a handful and eating it quickly.
Rhys relaxed and began to gather the berries once more, eating a few as Elijah said that they needed to return home before the storm came. Fortunately, whatever storm had been approaching missed them entirely. Unfortunately, that meant they had to help hang up the laundry. With their mother caring for their infant sister, Elijah and Rhys tried to help make things easier for their mother by doing whatever chores they could manage.
After they gathered berries, Rhys shared what she had procured with Devon, and then continued to walk until night fall. She could see a town on the horizon as the sun set, only another mile or two away. She preferred to camp in the woods, even with the possibility of bandits, but it wasn’t just her choice. “Do you want to camp here? Or try to find a place in that town?” Rhys asked, gesturing to the path in front of them.
He hadn’t wanted to scare her, but a healer who was untrained could cause major chaos. In addition to healing, a healer could suck the life out of a person, or even unleash a plague on humanity. She might choose later not to join the fight, but she needed to understand what she could do. Kieran could help her some of the way, but he hoped to find another healer who could help guide her, someone who knew what they were doing. Kieran would certainly talk about focusing energy, but it might not work for her.
He went back to his own house, and organized a few things, debating whether he should go home, or stay here for a while. He ended up going back to his world for the afternoon, for a few hours, checking his letters at that house. Kieran sent a few messages, coded some of his plans and sent messages to his comrades in different areas. Some were working undercover, some needed aid, and to be set up with contacts. Kieran helped negotiate things when he could, but right now, his mind was preoccupied with Anabelle. It was evening, was she off of her shift now? Was she already home, confronting her mother about the deception? Perhaps he should be in the other world, in case she called. Kieran made himself some dinner, and then went back to Anabelle’s world, hoping to receive a message from her. He rarely slept here as an adult, but he did tonight. As he slept, he had visions.
Kieran stood on the side of a mountain, looking over the forest and the small towns off in the distance. There were fires, some still going, and others having just been stopped. One of them had spread to the trees. Kieran turned to the side, where Devon stood, pointing his finger out towards the horizon. Beside Devon, there always stood another woman. Kieran had never seen her face before, but this time… she had a face, and it was one he recognized. Anabelle stood there, with a look of concern, following Devon’s pointed finger. Kieran tried to turn the other direction, to see the other face that accompanied them. He could feel that there were four of them, he knew it, but the vision changed and became muddled before he could see the final person.
-.-
What Devon had seen and experienced in terms of fighting surprised Rhys a little. She was naïve because she chose to be. He had seen groups burn buildings to the ground. She had heard rumors about that sort of thing in the taverns, but she hadn’t seen it, apart from an accident in her own childhood. Devon changed the subject a little, saying that he wanted to be a part of the solution. Rhys gave a small nod, but she wasn’t sure just how this fighting could be simply ended. To her, there was no end in sight. It was just going to get worse and worse until everyone killed each other. Perhaps she needed a friend who had visions of the future, so that she had something to give her hope.
“Yea, let’s forage.” Rhys agreed. She filled her water once more and began to walk along the river a short ways, knowing that berries would grow well near a source of water for their roots. Rhys took out one of the spare garments in her bag, and clustered the dark fabric in the shape of a bowl to hold the berries she found.
“When I was a child, I used to forage with my sister and brother.” Rhys said. Her brother had taught her which berries were good to eat. She remembered him teasing her when she had approached him with some berries she found without him.
”Elijah! I found berries, all by myself!” Rhys told him. She couldn’t have been older than six years old at the time, but the memory was still fresh in her mind.
”Oh. Rhys-ee…” Elijah began, shaking his head. “You can’t eat these.” He protested. Rhys asked him why not, a huge look of sadness and disappointment on his face. Elijah looked more closely at the berries, and then picked one up. “Rhys…these are poison.” He said, and popped one in his mouth.
”No! Elijah!” Rhys yelled, reaching out to stop her brother, but he ate the berry, and then fell to the ground. She began to cry, but a crackle of thunder on the otherwise sunny day made him jump.
”Jeeze, Rhysee… I was just playing.” He said. “You don’t have to cry.” He sat up, and reached for the other berries she had gathered, which were now in a pile on the ground. “I should probably have another, though, just to make sure that they are good.” He said, taking a handful and eating it quickly.
Rhys relaxed and began to gather the berries once more, eating a few as Elijah said that they needed to return home before the storm came. Fortunately, whatever storm had been approaching missed them entirely. Unfortunately, that meant they had to help hang up the laundry. With their mother caring for their infant sister, Elijah and Rhys tried to help make things easier for their mother by doing whatever chores they could manage.
After they gathered berries, Rhys shared what she had procured with Devon, and then continued to walk until night fall. She could see a town on the horizon as the sun set, only another mile or two away. She preferred to camp in the woods, even with the possibility of bandits, but it wasn’t just her choice. “Do you want to camp here? Or try to find a place in that town?” Rhys asked, gesturing to the path in front of them.
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