The Darkness Within

Chapter 28

Dear Readers. It seems I never have time to write lately, or read for that matter, but when I do get the chance to write it's not a lot. I realize this and I'm truelly sorry, but I just felt it was better to post smaller chapters every couple days instead of making you wait for a longer one. Hopefully it's not too bad. Well, thanks for reading! 

-M

Comment/Fan/Vote if you like! :D

Chapter 28

Caitirina~

We sat for a long time in silence after Pantera left. The momentum of everything finally set in and I fell back upon the bed.

"What the hell is going on?" I groaned, I peeked out between my fingers to see that Lorcan had sat the poker he had been using to fiddle with the fire down, and was now walking towards me. I sat up expecting him to sit down in the chair. But instead he gripped the back and placed it back in front of the fire. I look at him with question as he strode back and offered me his hand.

I stared at it. "What?" He didn't say anything, but instead just jerked his hand a bit signally for me to take it. I did so and rose cautiously, unsure of what he intended. He walked us back over to the chair and plopped down dragging me down with him. I fell on his lap with a hmph.

"What ar--" He stopped me by grasping my head and placing it on his shoulder, I looked up to see him leaning his head back and closing his eyes. 

"Shh...don't think about it anymore, you'll just drive yerself wild. Rest today, and tomorrow we will seek out your father, and the answers we crave." For once I actually listened without grumbling and closed my eyes, letting me succumb to the sleep I desperately needed. 

                                                                            ************

I woke to the greatest warmth imaginable, opening my eyes I smiled at the sight on the other side of the large window above me. Lorcan must have moved me to the bed at some point and now I had the greatest view. The sky above me was a beautiful light blue, but instead of clouds hues of pinks and yellows shot through the crisp blue every few seconds, it was amazing.

I sat up slowly, stretching my sore muscles as I did so. I looked around Lorcan wasn't in the room anymore, but he had been not to long ago. The right side of the bed was still warm from where he must have slept. I smiled to myself happy to know that he had been there, protecting me. 

 Suddenly the doors burst open and a beautiful youthful girl danced into the room. Her blond her glistened and her gray blue eyes sparkled in the light shining through the window. She wore a white gown the looked as if it weighed next to nothing, a silk of dark green wound it's way around her petite waist and draped down her side ending just before the hem of her dress.

"Hello!" She called cheerfully. "Beautful day, isn't it?" 

"Yes..." I answered slowly, who was this girl?

"By the way, I'm Kristin." She replied. "If you're ready to get up please come with me." 

"Umm...yes, I suppose I am." I threw back the dense covers and climbed down from the tall bed. I looked down realizing by boots and jacket were gone.

"Over here M'lady." Kristin replied. I turned to see she had found my missing clothing by the chair Lorcan and I had occupied the night before.

"Thank you." I stepped forward to grab them from her but she signaled for me to sit down. I did, surely confusion marred my face. She then proceeded to put the boots on me.

"You don't have to do th--"

"I insist." She replied. I let her do, cringing the whole time. I was not use to people doing things like this, much less a woman like her, that looked like some form of Fairy royalty...oh wait, that was me. She stood up and helping me into my jacket.

"There we are princess. Now off we go, we must get you prepared before you can leave."

"What exactly am I being prepared for?" I asked.  

"Madness." She proclaimed with a wave of her hand. 

"How nice." I sighed. Seriously? Would my life ever become normal again. On second thought, was it really ever normal? 

Kristin led me out of Lorcans room and down the beautiful hallway we had gone down before, through the veil of greenery I caught a glimpse of a child running by, and heard a deep rich laughter. Lorcan's. I stopped and pulled back part of the thin vines. And stopped at what I saw. Lorcan laughing and playing with two small children. I had seen him at ease, seen him playful with Athers. But this was different.

"Princess what are you...ahh yes, Aiden and Nadia, Lorcan's niece and nephew."

"Rodericks or...Mairi's?" I asked. Wait, who was Mairi?

"Oh no! Mairi's girl is only 3 years old, and Roderick doesn'have any children...yet." So Mairi was Lorcans sister. It seemed I knew a lot more than I thought. Gods, I couldn't wait till I got this all figured out.

I looked over at Kristin and frowned at the sadness that marred her youthful features. "The twins are the children of a close friend, but he was cast away to Intuneric. And it's virtually impossible for Pantera to even see her daughter and grandaughter since..."

"Oh...yes." I'd almost forgotten what Pantera had gone through, being locked away from her children like this. Not having the reassurance that she would be there if they needed her. This just added to my anger, I was really ready to end this. 

Suddenly Kristin stiffened and a bright smile filled her face. "I will leave you with Lorcan, he will know what to do. I must go, until later M'lady." She then picked up her skirts and practically sprinted down the rest of the walkway and darted through a door.

I laughed it off and pulled back the vines more and stepped through. Lorcan was still playing with his "niece and nephew" he was hiding behind a large bush while the children ran around searching for him. He noticed me and quietly waved me over. When I  started to walk straight over he frantically waved down signally for me to get over there with some stealth. I got the drift and dropped down into a crouch and made my way along a line of bushes that lined the edge of the court yard. 

Lorcan grabbed me and pulled me in close when I reached him.

"Shh..." He whispered right before the children passed us. The boy slowed down for a second, but then caught up with his sister. 

"Lorcan!" They both called. "Uncle Lorcan, where are you?" After a minute there voices died out as they ran to the further end of the courtyard and out a large threshold . 

"What are we doing?" I whispered. 

"Hiding, I wanted to see how good the children's senses are. They are not the greatest, but many can not sense me at all, yet the lad did."

"Maybe that was me he sensed, I don't have the all great power you do." I replied.

"Actually, ye have immense power." He turned and cupped my face. "We just have to find it."