Chapter Seven
Training of a Euchoun
The sun's rays shone down through the high tree branches. Budded leaves had yet burst forth. The season had once more changed and I still lived within my forest home. Many seasons have passed, each with a hope that I would be called back to the home that I had never known, but only glimpsed. I have studied and trained with a diligence that has far exceeded even Twiten's expectations.
My life has been lived in solitude, even when the Euchouns settle within the Forbidden Forest’s boundaries. For in the time since Twiten announced his intent in my training, all his students no longer remembered my outburst of power. Twiten, I discovered, had magic within him. All the students except one have forgotten the incident of my arrival, only the one who shields my sister from the dreaded Hallow Minions, my one and only friend, Johannes. He has no last name or none that he remembers. Over time, I discovered I trust no other as I do Johannes.
So, I have trained for the Euchoun I was from a distance. Even in my small world, I could not be acknowledged for the power they suspected. In all, while the Euchouns dwelled within the walls of the deserted castle, I had served more like their servant, waiting upon their needs. Yet, I watched and studied. The library Twiten opened wide for me, and during the time they are gone, I lived within the books that were left. It was the only room I was allowed in after their departure.
I had been content, I supposed, for I believed in my purpose. I had seen the evil and had trembled. I refused to do so again. In that, I believed and held to. I had to, for at times I felt a void within me that pain eludes. I missed my siblings and while time passed, a pull within me grew. I know not to what or whom, but I had it not within my grasp - not yet.
Turstan, thank the Great One, came when he was allowed. He worked with my training with a sword. Although my stature and strength could not hope to fend off a male opponent, Turstan wanted me prepared in every facet to know what a warrior feels.
"It will be needed to protect and with all comes understanding of the danger faced," Turstan said more than once. Staggering back from his frontal assault against me, I crawled back onto my feet with sword in hand. Always sword in hand, Turstan said; never drop my sword. I listened well to Turstan.
When the students dwelled within the castle, Gunilda and I resided in the castle. The roles have been reversed here in the Forbidden Forest. I had become a maid for Gunilda also. She is revered by the students as a teacher of good magic. Her knowledge of Witheleghe allowed her to be of use to Twiten. And her health greatly improved with their need upon her.
It was only during the lonely months after they had left that once more she fell into despair. We returned to the small cottage to endure the winter. Improvements had been made to the shelter we called home. A door and shutters for the windows had been added to keep the weather out. The students built another room for Gunilda, who they loved dearly. Twiten helped in designing her room with articles to remind her of her home. In the months of their departure, she found comfort within the four walls.
I lived the same as I did before the additions to the cottage. My bed was hay and my blanket thin. Twiten deemed that I needed to learn humility. I held my tongue, for how much more was there to learn? My mind and heart clung to the knowledge that it was for the better. I had much to learn and over the years I have comprehended the importance of all.
Twiten reinforced within me the importance of focus. Over time I learned to concentrate solely upon an object and control my power. In all, I have felt readied since the others left when the leaves turned last season, but Twiten said that I would be called. So I have waited.
I let no one see the hurt within me. I have knowledge I have not much. I lived off of one tunic during the warm weather, having only one new one since I arrived. One I had to weave myself; I found I am not talented with my needle. Gunilda saved the tunic with her skills. During the snow and cold, I had a pair of boots and a warm coat. All have grown tight from wear and growth. I complained not even this season, when my slippers have no more sole upon them.
Not that I didn’t have my secrets, but I held to them dearly, fearful that they might be taken from me, as most I cared about. Secrets from the Forbidden Forest...the Wood Spirit visited often with the others gone. At times I wondered if the Wood Spirit was real or a figment of my imagination. But, in all, I found escape with the spirit. He talked to me of past times; legends of the past; the path of a Euchoun, a true Euchoun, of which he holds I am.
The Wood Spirit has let me see within the world of which I am no longer a part. The Shimmering Pool in the forest lent me the view of the world denied to me. I have seen my family, Falco and Sareta. In that, gave to me comfort, but, in all, I have seen the world within the castle walls. In my excitement, I tried once to show Gunilda, but she saw not what I had; only Johannes saw the scenes within the Shimmering Pool. He had done so only by accident, but he held within him my secret, for I held his.
Quiet, shy Johannes sat and told me all I wanted to know about the people surrounding my family. My heart raced when I saw Cono for the first time in the Shimmering Pool, tall and broad of shoulders, muscles abound on his frame. His hair lengthened down to his shoulders; his dark eyes intense on his look.
“So handsome,” I whispered on the sight.
Johannes laughed. “In that he is, Kela.”
For in all, I laughed with Johannes because we shared his secret that I had discovered within the Shimmering Pool. His lover was a Sordarin warrior, Larko, from the Challow tribe. It had been shown to me shortly before he returned the second season. Confused, for both were male, I watched both men kiss. The finding confused me, but being who I was, I hesitated not in questioning Johannes.
Vehemently denying all to me until I showed him the Shimmering Pool, he saw the scenes of Yucca.
“You don’t understand,” he said in a low voice. “I will be dishonored, at the least. And, in all, we both could lose our lives for our feelings.”
“Then why do you chance it?”
“For he is my life,” Johannes said simply.
“In all, I don’t understand,” I answered in a plain manner. “But I know that the Wood Spirit says the Shimmering Pool shows me only what I need to see. In all, could it be you need me to share your burden. I have lost my family, Johannes. You are my only friend. I cannot believe I was shown to do you harm. In my heart, I know I’m not. It will not be me to betray you.”
Touched, he said not much. And through time we have not mentioned it again. Johannes says not much anyway, but he has stayed a true friend. It was through Johannes I learned all about the court of my grandfather. He sat beside me at the Pool and told me who walked through the scenes before us.
The scenes come and go as the wind blows: some clear, others foggy. Some last only seconds, but I have glimpsed my home and all within.
I recognized all that entail my family with Johannes’s words.
“Queen Beatrix takes delight in all her family. As you know, she is not your grandmother by birth, having married King Edulf after your grandmother Althea’s death. Her children are Prince Archibaldus and Princess Iris. Your Uncle Archibaldus had his sights as heir thwarted with Falco’s reappearance, but has never shown resentment toward the disappointment, although his sons have shown barbs at Falco.
“Roderic, the oldest grandson of King Edulf, has long been a thorn in Falco’s side, but the young prince manages admirably. It is his ability to read his cousin’s thoughts I’m certain that has saved Prince Falco. Roderic is known for his womanizing and drinking more than his military genius, as you have witnessed from time to time. His brother Silas follows Roderic around, but when he doesn’t, he’s not a bad sort. Lady Dogmar is mother to the two along with Belasquita, who would be of the same age as you I suppose. A dark haired beauty who is challenged only in her beauty to Amicia, Princess Iris’s oldest daughter.
“Amicia is known for her sweetness, contrasting Belasquita in more t
han one way. Her blonde hair shines as the sun, it is said, and her eyes glow as the deep ocean blue. She has two sisters, Wymarcha and Cinara. From what I understand, it was been Princess Iris who has taken to your sister, Princess Sareta, as a mother. Princess Sareta is the darling of the court. Her sheen, I had to shield, but the beauty within her shines. She, when she matures, will surely overshadow all in her glory. She is well loved by Queen Beatrix as well.
“Lady Dogmar has her eyes set on a crown for Belasquita, having pressed King Edulf to attach her daughter to Prince de Folur of Brixtone. I gather she married Archibaldus with the promise of becoming queen herself. I don’t believe she hides well her ambition, but it is to be expected, I suppose, in any court.”
I watched through the seasons the changes within, for it was all that I could do.
A screech in the air caught my attention. Turning, excitement lit within me when my eyes caught sight of him circling above me. I recognized him immediately; most would have. Johannes stood tall with a large wing span, but it was his hair and eyes that called attention to him. He bore from the Osmolado Tribe, which the majority, I understood, had the distinct dark red hair with glossy sky blue covered eyes. The eyes took a long time to adjust to, whether he was looking at me or not. But in all, my solemn quiet friend knew my secret and kept it well.
I ran down to the field in front of the cottage. Gunilda and I had not prepared for the return of the group. We had assumed they would not have made an appearance for a few more weeks. A cool dampness still hung in the air. I watched anxiously while he landed before me. Instinctually I hugged my friend. There had been a time when he would have tightened upon my show of affection, but over the seasons he had grown accustomed to my gesture when it was only the two of us. I released him and scanned the sky for signs of the others.
"You are alone?" I asked, gripping his hand. Johannes gave me a tentative smile.
"For the moment," he answered. "Twiten may well be at the castle as we speak."
Twiten traveled through unseen portals; one lay at the castle. It was the reason why Gunilda and I weren't allowed to stay during the time the castle was unoccupied. Portals were dangerous when used without a seeing eye to guide one. I had been warned about the dangers numerous times, but I had watched and deciphered the proximity of the portal. But if the truth be known, I had spied upon Twiten. The word “forbidden” had that effect on me.
"I'm so glad you are here. I have to show you the Shimmering Pool..."
He stopped dead in his tracks, jerking back my hand abruptly. "Kela, I forgot!"
"Forgot what?"
"Your slippers," he admonished himself, staring down at my bare feet. "I promised, but with all that happened it slipped my mind. I will send Larko back when..."
Forgetting completely about the slippers, I stuttered, "You aren't staying..." My excitement was immediately lost with the thought of losing my friend, my only companion.
His eyes dropped to the ground, hesitating. Evidently the news he had to share would not bode well with me.
“It is why I came early. I won’t be back. I have bonded.”
My eyes lit. “That is wonderful, Johannes. It is what you hoped. It is what we all hope. It means you are strong…”
“It is to your brother, Kela,” Johannes interrupted abruptly.
For a moment, an eternity, I stood with my mouth open but no words uttered. My mind raced. Long had I believed I would bond with Falco. I had long believed we had already. Twiten had taken for granted the bond would materialize. One did not bond twice.
“I…I…” I stumbled on my words. I swallowed back my feelings. I walked over to him, leaned up to his face and kissed his cheek. “It is wonderful. I know of no other to protect my brother as you will. Twiten must be excited to have a Euchoun finally bond…”
“I am not you, Kela. We both know you are the stronger. It means only your destiny lies with another, or it may mean you need not bond to complete your destiny,” Johannes spoke as if he had practiced the words. “It is confusing to Twiten, also. It is why he is here.”
I nodded, but the realization of losing my dear friend along with my dream of standing by my brother…but in all, I could not take back from Johannes his triumph!
Johannes took my hand. I smiled slightly, regaining my composure.
“Come,” I said finally. “If I have you not for long, I want to show you the most amazing thing. I’m not sure what it means, but it’s so pretty. Sareta must be coming into some new power.”
“Power?” Johannes asked. “You have me confused.”
“Then come. Hopefully, the Pool will show it to you. It is fascinating, truly.”
I pulled Johannes behind me until we stood above the Pool. I fell to my knees. Waving my hand over the still waters, I said clearly, “My sister.”
To my joy, the waters swirled. Shortly within the waters, the figure of Sareta emerged. She sat within a large room with blaring sunlight, but she sat back in the corner. She was laughing. I saw not with whom she was laughing, but that wasn’t important. What I had seen earlier, I saw clearly even more so.
Bright beams of different colored beings, seemingly like birds, fluttered around my sister. Their wings beat ferociously, no more than a foot from her. Their beaks moved as a woodpecker upon a tree, except it seemed they were pecking at air. When I had seen them before there had only been a couple; now they seemed to have multiplied.
I turned back and smiled broadly at Johannes. “Are they not the most beautiful creatures? They were only a couple not more than an hour ago. What do you think they are?”
Johannes’s face turned solemn. He bent over the scene. “I see nothing except Princess Sareta, Kela. What are you seeing?”
“You jest,” I countered. “The pretty bird-like creatures of different colors, a multitude of colors. They are so beautiful: surrounding Sareta, trying so hard to get to her.”
Suddenly, Johannes jerked my hand and stood back up. He gripped my waist about to fly with me. He had never done so before.
“What is wrong, Johannes?” I cried.
“I can’t see them, Kela, but what you are describing are Minions! Hallow Minions that are trying to get at your sister through my shield!”
Never had time seemed so slow when Johannes flew me to the castle. Twiten stared at us when we landed on the balcony of his room. I heard Johannes utter words, but all I understood was my sister was in danger. Twiten whipped words at me.
“What does the room look like? Where is the window entrance? The sun shines which way? She sits upon what?”
“Let her go, Twiten,” Johannes said. “Let Kela lead the way. Let her see. She will find her sister. I didn’t see the Minions. Kela did. We don’t have time.”
I felt Twiten’s eyes upon me. He nodded and with his hand on my shoulder he turned me. I stood, staring into blankness. Next, a thrust through a barrier landed me unto the hard floor beneath me. Behind me Twiten and Johannes entered.
Hundreds of Minions now seemed to have converged around my sister, who sat startled by the sudden appearance of us in front of her. She rose, but Johannes screamed to sit.
“I see them,” Twiten whispered.
I crawled to my feet. My eyes fixed upon the creatures. I flicked my hand, swiping back a band of creatures against the stone fireplace. Unearthly screams emerged while from the corner of my eye, I saw Sareta’s eyes betray her fear.
“My shield can’t break through to reinforce it,” Johannes called. His eyes laid against the creatures but to no avail. His shield couldn’t penetrate the Minions’ magic.
His couldn’t, but I blared mine against Johannes’s shield around my sister. The force of my power bounced off, sending the creatures into the air and freeing the shield for Johannes.
Contain the threat!
Without hesitation, my hand swirled, encapsulating them. Johannes slid next to me. “Let me within.”
Backing up, I parted my hands. Jo
hannes eased within without letting any escape.
“They are before you, Johannes.”
His eyes lit with his repellent magical shield, forcing the creatures against mine. The Minions began to simultaneously explode. A moment later all was quiet.
It’s done. Let go.
As I was told, I released my shield. Johannes turned and stared at me. He nodded in relief toward me. All around me, I found eyes upon me. My sister stood in awe. To my surprise, Falco rose from his seat. He smiled at me, but it was behind me that I saw the warrior, tall and dark. His eyes held mine. Cono!
My heart raced. I was within the castle walls in front of my family! I turned back around to Falco and stepped toward him, but in that instant I felt Twiten’s hands upon my shoulder. Immediately I felt the thrust back through the portal.
Before I had time to take another breath, I was once more in the Forbidden Forest. Twiten stood beside me.
“You need to return back to your cottage, Kela. I have to return and decipher all that occurred. I wish it could be different, but for now go home. You have done well, extremely well.”
He stepped back and disappeared. I was alone, again.
Days passed. I heard nothing, saw nothing in the Shimmering Pool. Gunilda took to her bed, her concern magnified for her precious Sareta. I had gone back to the castle and contemplated entering the portal once more. Gunilda’s words worried me.
“Hallow Minions!” she cried. “They found her! They would suck the magic out from her, leaving her an empty shell.”
“Gunilda, she is safe. We killed them all. Johannes shields from the Minions' magic. She is strong herself. She needs only to be taught to defend herself. She is at an age where she should learn. She has the power within her.”
“Ah, she is not you, Kela,” Gunilda saddened. “You, without question, could. Sareta is Witheleghean. It is hard at times to defend oneself.”
“But she has Falco, Gunilda…and me,” I answered. I sat beside her. I, too, felt the overwhelming helplessness. “King Edulf would never allow her to be put into danger, Gunilda. I have been told she is the darling of the court.”
I wondered myself after I comforted Gunilda. How could I see the Minions when Johannes couldn’t? What happened to cause Johannes' shield to weaken?
I walked, and then sat for hours at the Shimmering Pool waiting for a sign all was right: sitting, staring at the still water.
“Kela.”
I turned to the familiar voice. Johannes had returned. I rose to greet him, but behind him another walked. His face I had seen a million times in the Pool. Falco! He smiled broadly. I froze in disbelief.
Falco stood tall…a proud Sordarin warrior. It was one thing to have seen him within the Pool, but another to see him in his glory in person. His face I would have always known, but he had grown. He towered over me now. He swept me in his arms and hugged me tightly. Tears flowed freely down my cheeks. I cared not if it wasn’t seemingly for a warrior to cry. He kissed my cheek and hugged me again.
“I knew it was you! I told Grandfather there was no one else who would ever have such power,” he exclaimed. “He told me I must be mistaken, but I knew I wasn’t. I told Johannes he had to take me to you, but it wasn’t until Cono went to Turstan…”
Breaking from my brother’s embrace, I saw Cono standing, smiling at me. I glanced back at my brother. “We are here, Kela,” Falco said soundly. “Sareta is also. She is with Gunilda.”
“I don’t understand, Falco,” I struggled to find my voice. “Did you not know I was here?”
“Kela, we were told you were dead,” he said simply.