The Sword of Dreams

Chpater 9

“I hate my father and I never want to see him again!” I awoke with a start. My mind had been wandering while I was asleep and I had dreamt that Zoe wouldn’t want to come with me, and I think she may have even hurt me. It was a hazy dream, but it left me thinking I was about to embark on a dangerous task. By morning, I was so nervous I couldn’t think straight. I wanted to go to the shack, but my legs wouldn’t move. I had to force myself to stand up and once I did, I felt like I was on autopilot, my head was clear, focused and in control. I found the path that lead into the shack, and quickly said a prayer to anyone that was listening. The chickens clucked loudly, the sheep bleated, creating an alarm system that was a hundred times better than any watchman. I swallowed hard when the door opened and Zoe came out. She looked a lot fresh and rested than when I had seen her yesterday, and I was relieved that I had waited. Zoe didn’t come out the door, and I could sense the unease in her voice.

“Can I help you?” she said.

Ok here goes nothing. “Yes, Are you Zoe, daughter of John?” I said.

Her face went from uneasy to confused.

“I never knew my father’s name,” she said. “Who are you and what do you want?” she demanded.

“My name is Angela and, well... I know your father. He has been a prisoner of Prince Phillip for just over 15 years.” I stopped, waiting for a response.

“My father is dead,” she went to close the door.

“No wait! He isn’t dead, and he needs your help. He said to me that if you didn’t believe me that I was to give you this,” I started to walk forward but Zoe stopped me.

“Don’t come any closer, whatever you have, place it on the ground and back away,” she said.

I knew the sword was in her other hand hiding behind the door, so I place the ring on the ground and walked back. She bent down at the door, I assume to place the sword down, and she stepped forward to the ring.

“It should match a ring worn by your mother,” I said.

She lifted her hand and stared at her hand and the ring.

“My mother went mad a number of years ago and disappeared. Before she left she gave me the ring,” she said, her eyes beginning to well up.

Now was my chance to get her to come back with me.

“Your father is a prisoner of the prince because he has knowledge of a sword you have in your possession”, I said.

She lifted her glance and stared at me. She had the same eyes as her father.

“He hasn’t told the prince anything about where you are, and that you have the sword. But he is getting weaker by the day and I don’t think he will last much longer. Both being alive and holding onto the truth. If they find out that you have the sword, then you will be in terrible danger. I know that the sword is powerful, and if it is as powerful as what they say it is, then you might be able to help,” I said.

She was silent, and still staring at the ring.

“I have to care for my animals,” she said, turning away.

“He wants to see you again,’ I blurted out. She stopped and looked at me.

‘I thought he was dead ok, you come barging in here telling me that I suddenly need to leave everything here to go fight a prince and save a father I’ve never met? I just need some time to think whether I want to or not.’ She said, walked back inside and shut the door, leaving me in her garden with the sheep and chickens. The cow was nowhere to be seen.

I didn’t know what to do. I thought my plan would work and she would come without any issues. How I was wrong. She shut the curtains in the house and then there was silence.

I couldn’t do anything except walk out of her front yard, and back to my spot under the trees. Maybe she would think it through and decide she would want to come. She could also not come out of her house again until she thought I was long gone. It was getting slightly cool in the long afternoon, and I knew that I had to find something to eat soon. My stomach rumbled in agreement. It was too far to walk back to the town so I had to find something to eat out here. There was a huge bush just on the path out from Zoe’s house that was filled with blackberries. I was in heaven. They were juicy, sweet and perfectly ripe. I feasted on them until I couldn’t eat anymore and then sat under a shady tree. I closed my eyes to rest and almost fell asleep, when a voice spoke.

“We will have to get moving to get back to the farmhouse in time right?” I opened my eyes – it was Zoe! I was gobsmacked.

‘I didn’t think you’d come,’ I stammered out.

‘I didn’t think I was either, but I couldn’t stop staring at the ring you gave me. I thought of my mother and meditated thinking and concentrating on what I should do. And that is how I came to the conclusion that I couldn’t just walk away and I had to do something. I couldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t at least try, to for the faint glimmer of hope that I might be able to see my father again. To know that he didn’t disappear and something bad actually happened to him has given me a sense of guilt that I thought he was dead all of these years. I wrote him off without knowing for sure it was true,” her eyes were full to the brim with tears that I knew would break at any moment. I got up from the trunk and embraced her. I could feel her sobbing into my neck, the tears trickling down.

“He doesn’t want to burden you with attempting to save him, but I think that he deserves the chance to see you again,” I said.

She smiled and started walking down the path. I quickly grabbed my notebook and hurried off after her. I was surprised she hadn't brought anything except for the clothes she wore and her sword. I asked her why.

"Because I didn't have anything I wanted to bring. The thing I need most is the sword and if brought anything else it would just weigh me down," she said.

Fair enough, I just nodded at her.

We walked in silence for some time, but it wasn't awkward. I was thinking about what would happen when we got back to the farmhouse. I'm sure she was thinking similar thoughts too.

'So what does my father look like?' she said, interrupting my thoughts.

"Oh, um, he has brown hair with silver threads appearing, he has similar eyes to you, and a taut slender face. He is very skinny, but that is mainly due to the current situation," I said without looking at her.

"Why now Angela? How long have you been at the house? Why did it take so long for you to come?" she blurted out, as if it was something that had been on her mind for awhile.

I was taken aback and felt suddenly guilty. Why had it taken me so long to get the courage to do something about the situation I was in.

'"I don't know, Zoe, and I'm so sorry it took me so long to figure out what was happening wasn't right. I've been at the house about 5 years, but I was in such a state when I arrived that I would do anything" I said.

It was silent again for some time and I felt like I had made her mad.