The Center appeared before them, a beautiful two-story stone building surrounded by its own natural haven. An environment, so different from the bustling city they had just left. Upon their arrival, several students had rushed out to greet them.
Lord Fitton spoke to them and soon they were unpacked and offered refreshments. They waited, for what, Sturgis and Clara were uncertain. "I asked to speak to the Master. His family has long practiced their traditions. You both will be in very capable hands, of this I am certain."
Sturgis grabbed Clara's hand. His palm was sweaty, his nervousness came off of him in waves. Clara gave his hand a squeeze. The Master Guru had joined them after some time.
"Lord Fitton, my apologies for keeping you and your family waiting." He spoke English. Clara felt relieved. If Lord Fitton did need to leave she wouldn't be left at a total loss.
"We quite understand and appreciate the time you are taking with us," Lord Fitton replied with a bow of his head.
Sturgis' need to be here had become clear the instant the Guru looked at him. He rested his hand on the Sturgis' shoulder. "How have you come to lose your sight young man?"
"A blinding light from a lightning storm at sea. It is returning slowly I went from nothing to shadows of light and dark but still, most of the world is hidden from me."
"My physicians will need to examine you. Once they have they will prescribe the best course of treatment for what ails you. We do not deal with the treatment of symptoms but rather the treatment of the whole self. Before we begin, however, your body must be cleansed, through diet and meditative practices. Do you feel prepared for such a journey?"
"To be honest with you, I would like to think so. I want my sight back. I believe because they believe that you can heal me and I so want to be healed."
Clara's felt the stab of pain in her heart as she watched a tear slid down Sturgis's cheek. She reached out and wiped it away. "Do you truly believe he can be healed?" she asked.
The Guru smiled at her. "It is what we do here. We deal in balancing a person's doshas so that they can realign and be healed. Our body has it's own rhythm and when we get ourselves out of balance it puts the body at dis- ease. We work to restore that balance to a person so that their body can do what it is created to do. The body is a magnificent vehicle for healing. It knows the way if we put it on the right path."
"Doshas?" Lord Fitton asked. It was evident by the look on his face he found all this fascinating as a man of science.
"Doshas are like the map of a person's body. Like a fingerprint no two are alike. They are made up of an individual's shape, behavior, emotions, and appearance.
Although different, what unites us are the elements found in all living things – ether, air, fire, water, and earth. How these elements manifest through the doshas and in what portion in an individual is what makes us truly unique.
Many things can affect them stress, weather, just our human condition. Habits good or bad can shift us out of balance but when we realign ourselves is when the healing can begin. We can unlock our body's true potential to heal.
I will take your son back if you would like and introduce him to our doctors."
Sturgis looked eager to get started, so Lord Fitton had agreed. When the Guru returned, sometime later, he sat at the table with them and turned to Clara.
"I have been told you have your own concerns?"
Clara's mouth felt so dry she merely nodded as she felt she could not speak. Knowing she must she willed herself to do so. "I wish to conceive and I am having... difficulties."
"By the fine boy, we are treating we know you are not infertile. You are able to conceive so where do you believe the problem lies?"
"Sturgis is not mine," Clara found this ruse that Lord Fitton had her playing a detriment to facts she wished to give.
"He is my son from a previous marriage. Sadly, my first wife has passed. I remarried Clara because I thought my son should have the influences of a woman in the home."
"You are trying but with no success?" the Master prodded to get a better picture of the problem at hand.
"I have conceived several times but I can not seem to carry a child to term."
"Any stillbirths?"
"One," Clara said and as her glance fell upon Lord Fitton she could see the pity in his eyes. He reached out and took her hand and she tried to give him a reassuring smile.
"You carry with you then the burden of a great loss. There are many factors that can affect conception, both male and female, that can cause such issues," he said looking over to include Lord Fitton.
"We will, of course, examine you, but your course of treatment will depend greatly on your diet."
"My diet?" Clara could not imagine it could matter so greatly what she ate.
"Diet plays a vital role and will need strict adherence if you are to increase your Ojas."
"Ojas?"
"Yes, Ojas is responsible for your overall health, energy, and liveliness, you will partake in foods that will increase your Ojas, this is important to regulate your body to enhance the body's ability to conceive. Such foods can purify the body.
Then once the body is fortified. We can get into the treatments. It would be best if you are both treated, as we do not know with whom the imbalance lies. Lord Fitton readily agreed which surprised Clara. Perhaps it was his curiosity as a doctor that made him wish to explore.
We will discuss the treatment once your body has been put back into balance. Most often infertility does not stand-alone. Sometimes it is the result of some other disease, we will treat those with herbs to be certain there are no underlying causes.
"Thank you," Clara said although not entirely sure she understood all that was said.
"I will always be available to answer any questions you may have."
"When will we start?" Lord Fitton asked.
"As soon as you wish," the Master said.
Clara smiled at Lord Fitton and he smiled back. "We are at your complete disposal."
"Very good then. If you'll both, follow me."
_________________________________________
"Do you ever sleep?" McCullen asked looking upon his friend with worry. Benjamin wandered over to him, looking at him with long slow blinks.
"I cannot, not when I know we get closer by the day, by the hour, by the minute. I feel tortured by time."
"All the more reason to rest. It goes by even faster that way and you will be lucid when you meet your lady love once more."
Benjamin pulled a well-worn envelope from his pocket. "What do you have there?"
Benjamin looked up at McCullen. "A letter, from Clara. She wrote it to me the day she left on this insane journey of hers."
McCullen appeared surprised by this. "And you haven't opened it? What if she was telling you goodbye? What if she says she's willing to travel to the ends of the earth to get away from you? Which is pretty much what she has done."
Benjamin frowned at the paper. "I'm a coward. I fear that may be the very reason she has written to me and I do not think I could bear it. If she has anything to say she can say to me, in person."
"When you were part of the Dragoons would you lead your men into battle without a strategy?"
Benjamin wondered where McCullen was going with this line of questioning. "Of course not, it would be the quickest way to get us killed."
McCullen deftly steered the ship around something Benjamin couldn't see. McCullen's eyes so adapted to the night, he did so easily. He taps the paper in Benjamin's hand. "There is always a risk in any battle Benji be it on foreign lands or your own homestead. But the intel you need to prepare for it would seem is right here in your hand."
Benjamin sighed. He knew his friend was right. "I'll be down below should you need me," he offered. McCullen just nodded and watched his friend disappear below deck.
Benjamin got to his bunk and laid upon it, holding the letter up overhead, staring at it in the dim-lit room. "Clara, my dove, I fear what you dared to tell me. I wish to see you face to face. I know I could convince you to come home with me if only I could see you. Why would you leave me, Clara? I know I have not been the best husband, that my work for the Crown takes me away from you often but you know I always return. Don't you know you never have a need to doubt my love? Don't you?"
There was no answer to his question in the empty room in which he resides. He knew McCullen was right. If he wished to get answers he needed to open the damn letter. He sat up in his bunk. He made his decision and tore the envelope.
An object fell out onto his lap and he picked up a braided ring of her hair. "Oh, Clara!"
He missed her so much a deep physical ache filled his chest, a hole, a void that only she could fill. He placed the ring around his finger and unfolded the pages of the letter.