Song of the chapter - Tell Her You Love Her by Echosmith
Eliana began to step away from the clearing, attempting to go after Blaike. Her concern about his reaction to the Prophesy including himas a part of it was stronger than her need to continue questioning the Ancients. But a gentle hand on her arm pulled her back to the group.
"There is something more you must hear." Queen L'Oran spoke quietly. Her eyes moved over to where Aine stood, causing Eliana to look her way as well.
"You can't very well fight the battle ahead without this," she said as her hand drew an object from under her cloak. Aine was dressed in the traditional Seer clothing, a light fabric gathered just under the chest and flowing loosely to the ground. But a dark hooded cloak, similar to the one Nura had put on Eliana the night before, had been added both for warmth and for Aine to remain hidden from prying eyes. The Seer who led the exile, the mother of the dark leader, needed to be kept from view of the enemy.
Eliana looked down at her grandmother's outstretched hand and pulled in a sharp breath. A stone with violet flecks of light glowing from within was laying in the palm of Aine's hand.
"Peace," she stated simply. Eliana understood it to mean that the Seers had uncovered the missing StarStone from the eternal garden. "It is now yours, to be joined with Strength."
"As you add the stones to the necklace, the power contained within will continue to balance," an Ancient explained. The male with the golden sash stepped forward and gestured to the newest stone, a silent request to be permitted to touch it. Eliana nodded, still feeling overwhelmed due to the reverence with which she was being treated, as someone to be honored. He took the stone and lifted it to her neckline, removing the ever-present Glabra leaves which hid the necklace from view. Then he simply lay the stone on its awaiting spot, immediately and securely attached to the metal by some unknown bond. A sense of calm enveloped Eliana as soon as the two elements became one.
Her eyes came up in surprise, looking towards the leaders standing in front of her. "Yes, my dear. As the stones are returned to their rightful place, a balance of emotions will result from the bond. You have had battle-worthy strength while training, now you will also have a presence of peace, affording you a clear mind to make decisions. When Power is returned, no one who rises against you will prosper." The golden-sashed Ancient explained, referring to the final stone, the one entrusted with Claec while she was still a young Seer.
The calming effect remained as images of Blaike once again filtered through the many thoughts Eliana had. Before she could go after him, however, she had one question that had plagued her since training with Aine at the refuge.
"Why am I still not able to wield the Starlight, if I am the Holder and I have the necklace? Is the third stone required before that will happen? How am I to fight in battle without that skill?" She hurried her words, needing answers immediately.
"As we have explained about unconditional love being able to defeat the dark powers, it is also needed to awaken that aspect of your gift. Join with the one watching over the night, then and only then will you be able to control the Starlight." Eliana had lost focus on which Ancient was explaining the final aspect of her gifts. She suddenly wondered about the legend, the story of the Healers and the fourth stone that she had read about in the Star Map book she had borrowed.
"Is there not another stone, the one spoken of in the legend of the Healers?" Eliana looked to the Ancients for information, and hope. She was met with shaking heads instead.
"The fourth stone was indeed legend, from an early time in the history of our Starlight. Even the trees do not have knowledge of its whereabouts, or its existence. It is not within our grasp." The female Ancient explained, thereby ending Eliana's thoughts of the stone.
Instead, her eyes and her thoughts went directly to the forest where Blaike must have gone. She turned back to Aine, silently asking which direction to take, not wanting to wait a moment longer before going to him. Why had he left her there? Why had he turned away from his fate as well?
Aine simply pointed through the woods, in the direction she and Blaike had entered, then said, "Go."
Eliana didn't' hesitate, turning and moving as fast as she could.
***
Her feet carried her deeper into the ancient forest, closer to the Travor side. Eliana wasn't sure exactly where to go, but the instincts she had come to rely on pulled her through the dense trees, directing her path. The pull was unmistakable and she was certain she would find him.
It was what would come next that set her nerves racing. Not even the calm emitted from the Peace StarStone could overcome it.
After several minutes of walking, not long enough to tire out, nor to become truly lost if for some reason she was unable to locate Blaike, Eliana's steps slowed. Up ahead of her position within the trees she was able to see a small break. Not large enough to be deemed a clearing, the break did allow one a much better view of the Stars. That was where she found him, squatting down near the hard dirt floor, gazing up at the Stars overhead.
He was lost in thought, unaware of her close approach. Eliana stood silently, several yards behind Blaike's position, just watching his demeanor. She noted that he shook his head, more than once, then returned his gaze to the ground beneath him. He scratched something in the dirt with a dagger, mumbling quietly to himself. Eliana strained to listen but was unable to make out his words. Suddenly she was self-conscious, feeling as though she was intruding on a private moment. The desire to leave him in peace, not wanting to disturb him, settled in her heart.
Eliana fought with her own feelings. Her time in the Ferlands had already been spent giving him far too many private moments, far too much control over whatever it was that was between them, destiny apparently if the Prophesy was to be believed. She tightened her gut, resolving to finally work through Blaike's many hesitations. His duty, of course, called him to lead and protect, but never to feel.
"Big shocker, right?" she finally called, attempting to clear her voice of frustration but failing miserably. Her words pulled Blaike from his solitude, bringing him to his feet. He turned to stand before her, not stepping closer, but hanging his head in shame...or fear, Eliana wasn't sure which. He wouldn't speak, or couldn't, just stood in place, head down, slightly shaking it from side to side.
She chose to speak up, not wanting any more distance to build. There had been enough, and Eliana suddenly wondered if Blaike's forced separation, his refusal to give in to his feelings, had tainted it beyond repair. Could they fix the damage that had been done already?
"I know that look, Blaike. I know what it means," she said quietly. "You don't want any of this--duty above all." Eliana looked away from his broken demeanor, realizing anything between them would end up being forced, almost an arrangement. She had experienced her fair share of shallow, meaningless relationships. She wanted no part of another one, for any reason.
"I realize you have nothing to offer me that's real, anyway. A few close moments in the pass cannot make a real relationship." She shook her head, much as Blaike had been doing, her body language mirroring his. "I'm not holding you to any of this."
Her words brought Blaike's head up. His feet began to move towards her. His movement was so quick, so unexpected that it brought a gasp to her lips. Eliana looked up, only to find Blaike beginning to kneel in front of her. On one knee as if he was proposing. What must have been a horrified expression crossed her features, causing Blaike to reach out one hand.
"I must beg your forgiveness for causing you pain. As prophesied by the first Seer, we are to join forces, and of course I pledge my loyalty to you, Eliana, Holder of StarLight."
Nothing but disgust registered in her mind. "Duty is not a good enough reason, Blaike. Forget any pledge of loyalty you feel obligated to make. That isn't going to forge a connection between us!" She physically took a step back, needing to gain space from his disappointing display.
Blaike stood to face her, almost desperate to make her listen. "Do you not see..." he started as he took a step closer, causing Eliana to take yet another step back.
"I have been fighting this since the moment you opened your eyes after the cave. Truly, since the moment I caught your gaze and spoke your name for the first time. I thought I could handle it, just some type of infatuation. You were otherworldly, that has always been a curiosity to Watchers." His words were quiet, meant only for her, though no one was around them. His touch, his hand on hers, brought up a new desire in her heart. She couldn't have stepped away from him any further even if she tried.
"During the Pass, when the Locelor threatened to attack us, I was so afraid, Eliana, so afraid to lose you—I knew it was more. What I felt was not curiosity or infatuation. My pull to you was stronger than anything I had ever felt."
Blaike remained silent, looking into her eyes, searching for understanding. "After you gained your sight, I thought our world had ended. I could not bring shame to the Watchers, the vow I had spent my entire life trying to fulfill. It nearly broke me, trying to stay away from you. I did not believe I would survive if some evil befell you. So I trained you, attempting to give you yet another layer of protection. It was more difficult than I imagined to push my feelings aside."
He stepped toward her again bringing his presence as close as possible, this time Eliana standing still as stone, taking in every word he said. His other hand reached out, taking hers, now holding both and wrapping his strong fingers around her delicate ones. He held her quietly, both still watching each other, waiting for someone to speak. Blaike continued to be the only one to do so.
"You have no idea how wonderful it felt to hear that the Prophesy would unite us. All of my pain, all of the strength it took to stay away...I was relieved to hear I would no longer need to endure it." He once again knelt before her. "But Eliana, that was also when I understood how deeply I had hurt you. If you were feeling even half of the pull towards me that I had felt towards you..." he looked away from her in shame. "I am so sorry, please forgive my lack of faith in what could have been."
"What could have been? Why not what can be?" she asked, feeling panicked at the way his words felt like an ending.
"I do not deserve you, I have failed and I do not have the power to undo my decisions. By attempting to avoid shame, I have placed a much greater burden on our destiny." He looked back up at her. "And I have no idea how to take the next step."
His confession both broke her heart and healed it. Eliana took to her knees, kneeling before him as Blaike knelt before her. She removed her hands from his and reached up to cup his face. "Then don't. I'll take that next step for us."
Blaike's eyes wide, Eliana leaned in, closer to him, and gently captured his lips with her own. Only a moment went by, a simple and innocent kiss bringing a delight of tingles to her entire body, and then Blaike made a momentous choice. He reached for her, placing his hands on her waist, and hauled her closer. His face angled slightly, allowing his mouth to cover hers, and kissed her back with force.
It was such a force that it caused the two of them to lose their balance and tumble to the ground, still wrapped up in one another. The two laughed at the sudden change in their position. Blaike pulled her closer still as she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and buried her head in his shoulder.
With a smile in his words, Blaike whispered, "I suppose that means you have forgiven me?"
Eliana laughed again in response, "Yes you big dope! I don't think I could have gone another second with the distance between us," she said as she pulled her face back to look at him. The darkened gaze and hooded eyes staring back at her gave her heart a jolt of shock.
"Never again, Eliana. I never mean to be parted from you. And I am grateful to the StarLight for allowing us to be together," he whispered.
No more words were needed. Blaike brought his mouth down on hers, kissing her with the passion of a man who had fought to preserve the honor of the land they both loved. He kissed her with apology for not allowing their love to bloom sooner. He kissed her as a man in love kisses the woman of his dreams, the one who holds the key to his heart.
Eliana returned each kiss in kind, finding that her heart had finally found it's home. Her destiny had brought her not only to the land of her ancestors, the land she had come to love, but also to the man who would stand by her side through every journey in her future.
The one who held the starlight had finally joined with the one watching over the night.
〰🖤〰
Ahh!! Finally! It took a prophesy to finally get Blaike's head in the right direction, but don't worry. His focus will stay on Eliana. I may be a slow burn writer, but once they're together it's a done deal.
Now they can focus on the fight for Starlight.
Did you know what I had in store by this chapters song? It was a big hint!