CHAPTER 13
Dominick, back in his lair was ordering his minions to go to spy on the four kings; there are a few they have already seen and some they had not. Dominick still trying to figure out what exactly to do with Rebecca, decided to let Patrick and the others keep doing as they were and wait. Rebecca, still locked in the room still had no idea as to where she was. There was no way for her to tell nor for her to try and send any message to Patrick. It was late one evening, Rebecca looked out the window at the reelection of the moon rippling upon the waves. She had noticed something else there, what appeared to look like a woman walking along the water, all she could see was that she emitted a golden hue around her and her hair was a shade of brown that almost appeared to be chestnut in color. I must be losing my head, she thought to herself, she dismissed what she had seen, figuring it was another one of Dominick's tricks.
Several days and nights passed by, Rebecca was still seeing the image of this woman out in the water, each night getting closer to where she was. She still was not sure how to absorb all this, not sure if it was Dominick for he hadn’t mentioned it, and he rather enjoyed making her feel uneasy. There did however come a night when Dominick left his lair, only for a moment, yet long enough for this woman to come into Rebecca’s room and reveal herself to her.
Taken back by freight, Rebecca watches as this woman starts to take shape besides the bed where she was laying. Jumping back into the corner, covering her eyes, she yells, “Who are you, what do you want?” “Leave!' Go!” The woman did not retreat, she walked over to Rebecca, “I will not hurt you, I want to help, now take down your hands and look at me.” said the woman softly. Rebecca slowly removed her hands down from her eyes, her eyes closed still, “Now Rebecca, open your eyes.” said the woman. “How do you know my name?” Rebecca asked. “There is much I know, please trust me and open your eyes.” the woman said. Rebecca one at time opened her eyes not believing what she was seeing, “You, it's you, you are Sarah, Patrick's mother?” Rebecca said “Yes, that is who I was, I suppose I still am, I want to help you to be free of Dominick.” said Sarah “He is returning I must leave.” Then just in a blink she was gone.
Dominick had overheard, at least he thought he had Rebecca speaking to someone, he entered the room expecting to find another person in there with her. Pushing her aside he searches the room thoroughly, even looks out the window. “Are you looking for something?” she said rather snidely, “Who were you talking to?” he demanded. “There is nobody here but me, you really are losing it, aren’t you?” Dominick was not at all pleased with Rebecca nor the manner in which she spoke to him, “I will deal with you later.” he said as he moved her over and down upon the bed, he left the room and went about his business. Leaving Rebecca alone once more, although now she wasn’t truly alone Patrick's mother was near, which in some ways made her feel safe and more confident that all would be fine one day. There was so much more she wanted to ask Sarah, she also knew that she would return to her again in time.
All of Halcyon’s kingdoms and their people were well guarded, things were staring to go back to normal, as normal as they could be considering. Peter and the others were finishing preparing for their trip to the Cascade mountains in the south, this would be at least a five day trek there and back, as long as there wasn’t any obstacles along the way. David and the other stable hands were putting the last of the gear onto the horses, making sure that there was plenty of supplies without dragging the horses down as well. The horses were brought out to the front gates where David and the others awaited for their riders.
Peter was saying goodbye to Helena, she was still in bed for it was still very early in the morning, the sun was barely coming up over the horizon. He left the room went down to his son’s room, peaked in at them, then headed down to meet the others. “Nice of you to join us.” said William jokingly. Stephen was there with a few other guards to see them leave. “Take care of my wife and sons, and of course the castle.” Peter said to Stephen. “You have my word sir, all will be well.”
Before getting on their horses, William had a request, “Since we are going near my castle in Sinopia, I would like to stop and see my wife and children.” he suggested Patrick had gotten rather testy at the moment, “Have we all forgotten that I haven’t seen my wife or daughters in what feels like forever.” He stated. “I am sorry Patrick, I did not mean any disregard to you or them.” William answered. “I only want to see that they are safe.” Patrick apologized for his outburst, “Yes I do understand, I would ask the same, we will stop but only for a moment.”
Aeolus and the other Lythari, in lupine form started ahead of the kings, spreading out in front of them, scouting the area making sure it was safe to go to Sinopia's castle. Aeolus, Rahju and the other two changed back and waited just down the path a ways for their friends to catch up to them. Halting their horses, William asks, “Is all well to proceed.” Jumping onto the horses, Blaez responds, “ All is well, to the castle.”
Outside playing with their mother Marie and Rose close by, Maxwell and Daisy were running around the garden. Daisy looked over and saw her father coming through the gates, immediately runs towards him, well Maxwell not too far behind her. “Daddy!” she yells in pure excitement, William then picks up bother her and Maxwell and gives them a great big hug. “Oh how I have missed you two.” He said Marie had made her way over to her husband, “We all have missed you.” she said Prying Daisy and Maxwell off of him he takes Marie in his arms holds her tight and kisses her softly.
“I cannot stay long, only stopped by to see how things are here.” William said, “Rose, can you please find Aaron for me.” he asked “Right away” she answered as she went to look for him. “Are you all doing okay? And you Patrick how are you?” asked Marie “I am doing fine, been better to honest, but I cannot allow that to stop my quest.” Patrick answered. Rose had returned with Aaron, William excused himself from the others for a moment and went to talk to Aaron alone.
“We must be on our way, I would like to be in Timber before sunset.” said Patrick, “Lovely to see you as always Marie” he continued. Marie looked over at all of them standing around, nodded her head, gave William a kiss, “Be safe.” she whispered to him.” “I will.” he said as he got back in his horse and rode away towards the cascade mountains on the southern point of the island.
Marie, still standing there as she watched her husband and the other fade away into the distance, silently smiled to herself letting out a comforting yet worried sigh. Daisy and Maxwell were close by sitting under one of the oak trees. “He will be back before you know it.” said Rose, “What is happening to our peaceful island?” Marie asked “It doesn’t make any sense.” “Yes Ma'am, I know it does not.” replied Rose. “There has only been peace here for over a hundred years, probably longer, what or who is doing this?” Marie kept asking questions. “There are no answers right now, I am sure we will all know the truth in time.” said Rose. “I suppose you are right Rose, all this has me worried.” “I would hope it does, and it should, it worries everyone here on Halcyon.” Rose added. “Why don't you go inside and try and relax, I will take care of Maxwell and Daisy.” Rose said “Thank you Rose” Marie replied and she headed in to the castle.
Sitting all alone, Rebecca was staring out of the window, and has been quite some time since she has seen Sarah, even though she senses that she still comes there. In the meantime Dominick was barking orders at his workers, he wanted more rooms added to his lair. The workers were digging, shoveling and removing the dirt and stone as quickly as they could, not one of them complaining, it was if they were under some type of spell, perhaps they were, no one could work day and night in those conditions without eating or sleeping. “You may rest.” said Dominick and as he uttered these words, all the workers dropped right where they were standing and went to sleep in an instant.
Dominick was admiring one of the rooms, he could see flecks of color shimmering from
the walls. He went over to take a closer look, took a pick out of the worker that was asleep near him and tapped on the wall. After hitting the wall several times, the wall collapsed, exposing crystals and stones of what seemed to be every color. Not wanting any of the workers to see what he had found, he sent them back to from where he had taken them, and with that they all disappeared.
Aeolus and the other Lythari, were keeping a close watch ahead of Patrick and the others. Blaez sees something in the distance and runs ahead to see what it might be, Rahju catches up to him, “What is it?” he asks Blaez. “I do not know, it was right over here, and now it is gone.” Blaez replied back. They stopped long enough for everyone to catch up to them, “Why are we stopping?” asked Peter. “There is something out there, what I do not know.” said Blaez “We need to get to Timber as quickly as we can, before it gets too dark.” said William. They could see the small town in the distance and rode as quickly as they could.
Peter, Patrick and the others reached Timber safely, the town here was quiet, there were no one around here. “Are you sure we traveled south?” Peter asked, “This looks a lot like Woodstream.” “It is rather odd.” Evan agreed. “We need to get rest, there is a long day ahead of us tomorrow and we do not know what we may encounter.” said Patrick. They found a stable where there was food and water for the horses, bedded them up and went into the small cottage that was nearby. “Myself and the others will keep a watch tonight.” said Aeolus. “You need your rest too my friends.” said Peter. “We will be fine, we'll take shifts.” Lowell answered. The four kings found beds, chairs or whatever and laid down and went to sleep.
Not moments after they all went to sleep they were wakened by two men, “Who are you and why are you in my house?” said the one. Startled they jump up “Where did you come from?” asked Peter, “There was not a soul in this town when we arrived. “We asked you first, now speak your names.” said the other man. How did they not recognize the Kings of Halcyon, especially William, maybe because they were dressed as commoners and didn’t look like kings at all. William walked towards the two men, “Take a closer look at me.” he said as he stared the two men in the face. They looked at him and realizing who he is, dropped to their knees and bowed. “King William, Sire, our apologies. “This is Peter, Evan and Patrick, kings of the other countries.” continued William
Blaez and the others came inside, “Why did you not warn us of these men?” asked Patrick “Did you not see them walk passed you?” “No we saw no one said.” Aeolus Peter asking the two men, “Where were you both and where did you come from, and what are your names?” The older man spoke, “I am Bruce and this is my son Matthew, what do you mean where have we been? We have been here, I think.” The older man then spoke, “It's all a blur really, I keep seeing this image of a cave and a cloaked man, but maybe it was just a dream.”
Patrick knew exactly who they saw, they all did, they did not want to alarm the two men, “What is going on here?” asked Matthew and what brings four kings to Timber?” “We don't have time to explain, take your family and the other townsfolk and go to the castle.” said William, “Tell Aaron that I sent you.” William then took out the handkerchief that Marie had given him, “Take this” he continued as he handed it to Bruce. Taking the handkerchief, he said “Thank you sire.” “I will escort them also.” said Rahju. The two men at that moment realized that these other four men were not men at all, “Are you elves?” asked Bruce “Yes we are Lythari Elves.” said Lowell. “What are Lythari?” asked Matthew “I will show you, then I will explain, we need to gather the other people in town and get moving.” added Rahju.
Almost an hour had passed, all the townsfolk were gathered outside of Bruce's house, there was only about twenty of them, mostly men, none of them any younger than about eighteen, a few women, and no young children. The half full in the night sky, Rahju standing there next to Matthew and Bruce began to speak, “I am now going to show you what I am, please do not be alarmed, I am here to help you, we all are.” Every last towns person was watching and waiting not knowing as to what he was going to show them, Rahju then transformed himself into his lupine form, Bruce and Matthew quickly jumped away from him, the townsfolk were staring to say things, “Is this a joke.” “A wolf?” “I was safer in my home.” “They all began to panic and start to run away from there.
“Halt!” exclaimed Peter, “He will not hurt you, I give you my word, now let him take you to the castle, you are safe, I promise.” Bruce and his son moved closer back towards Rahju, “We are truly sorry, we did not mean to offend, it has been a rather weird night.” “Yes it has, now let us be on our way, we should reach the castle by sunrise, I will return in the morning.” Bruce, along with his son and the others headed off, with Rahju walking ahead of them leading the way. Peter and the other went back inside the house, things were getting more complicated with each passing day, if they were going to defeat Dominick they needed to do it as quickly as possible, but with all these setbacks how where they ever going to be able to.