Lost Love

Jakob had met Shyla on his quest ten years earlier. The two weeks he'd spent in Nesquin were filled with a young man's dreams and desires. When he left he'd headed out without a thought of the consequences.

Now years later, scarred and much wiser, he'd left the service of the King and on his way back to his homeland where he would be king. At least all of what might be left. He had money to rebuild, men and supplies to sustain them for whatever it took to accomplish the fact.

Passing through the city of Nesquin, some of his men became ill and could not continue. The physik could not cure them. While sitting in the tavern he heard about a woman who could heal. A witch of sorts. He'd found her cottage. The sight of her pierced his soul and body. He remembered every minute of their time together. He'd never loved a woman like he had Shyla. He'd never felt loved like he had with her. After he'd gathered food and coin, he left early one morning without a note or sign of his leaving. He was on a quest and nothing, not even a good woman could stop him. That was then, this was now. He needed what she had for his men.

He'd followed her for the past day, keeping his distance. He watched as she and the girl slipped out of the cottage at dusk. He followed at at distance.

He wasn't afraid she'd sense him. He had powers and gifts of his own. He'd never revealed them to her then. Here he used them to cloak his position as he followed them through the heavily wooded forest. Brush and thorns tore at his garments. with a swish of his hand he made a path that opened in front of him and closed behind him. In doing so he lost the two ahead of him. There was no light in the sky he could see for the trees towered over him and their branches hid all view of the dark sky above. He moved forward following a path of broken branches.

When the forest thinned he saw the two ahead of him on the precipice of a cliff overhanging the body of water dividing the Northlanders from the Southlanders. That's when she began to reveal all she was.

"Are we there? Is this the place? I don't remember last year, I was just nine, and a baby. Now I'm ten and I can keep a secret better." The girl literally bounced as she followed directily behind her mother.

"Yes Aryah, we're here." Shyla set the leather bag on the rock beside her.

"There isn't anyone here. You said so. We get to do this in secret," she whispered to her mother.

Aryah stood waiting for the miniature version of Shyla's cloak to appear from the bag. Her mother smiled and handed it to her daughter. Whirling it into place like a matador, the girl clipped the ornate clasp and stood while her mother donned her own cloak.

Jakob couldn't see their faces as their backs were to him. He'd held the shield spell in place to keep her from sensing him, if she had that power.

The matching cloaks swirled as a breeze softly lifted the corners. The deep red lining of one and the blue of the other played tag with the small plants they made their way up carved steps to the top of the rock

"This is a very pretty place, Momma." Aryah stood on the smooth flat rock.

"Yes it is. We've come here to practice our gifts in solitude away from prying eyes and fear of the unknown." There was no human near by. The weather warnings had driven even the most challenging hiker and wanderer to the warmth of their cottage or tent. They were alone. Jakob relaxed and watched the two.

The soft glow of the setting sun made shadows from the trees their only audience. "It is time." The two moved to the stone ledge. Shyla took from the black cloth bag a number of stones. Their color would have reflected brightly had they been exposed to light, but now the moon obscured by dark ominous clouds, they had no color.

Aryah opened her bag and took out stones smaller than her mother's. Together they arranged the stones in a pattern, on the slate rock then moved back a few steps.

Lifting her arms, Shyla chanted aloud and heat rose from her palms causing the air to quiver in response. Aryah stepped closer to her mother, facing the wind tossed water and raised her small voice to call the air to her obedience. The air shimmered, the wind began to swirl with heat and to mix with the cool air of the lake. It flowed around them and from them. Clouds formed over the lake, joining their brothers and sisters in the sky. They boiled as if it were a time moving fast, dancing and whirling over the lake.

Aryah followed her mother's coaching, and with precise movements, the clouds darkened and rolled into each other, causing flashes of lightning. The flashes were back lit by other clouds, and she changed the colors from bright white to yellow and a green, then to a soft pink with the lilt of her voice.

"Very good Aryah. The color changes in the air were very subtle. No one is going to think much of a summer storm with odd-colored lightning." Shyla crooned a melody as old as time; the air again shimmered and turned cool. So cool that when it reached the dark clouds, they fought the change, but Aryah added her voice, and the bolts of lightening shot from the clouds toward the small island that sat a few miles into the lake. The trees cried in fear, but the bolts stabbed the ground beside them. Flashes of color were released from the minerals in the earth. Hail fell to the churning, white-capped waves.

Jakob could only stand in awe of this show of power. He'd not seen the wizards of the realm display this kind of ability. Not that he'd seen all their power. He'd been out fighting the Treagon's of the Norhtland. He leaned against a tree. The power he felt as the two worked their magic pierced his shield. He tried to rebuff it, but he didn't have that kind of gift. He let it swirl around his senses as their song flowed through him.

Aryah changed her song and a whirlwind formed, sucking up all the clouds, as darkness completely covered the sky. When the wind had died and the clouds were gone, the stars were revealed in a blanket of sparkling light. So many that Aryah gasped, "Momma, where did they all come from?"

"They have always been there. Only when you are away from all other distractions, do you see everything clearer."

"That is why we find a single light in the darkness allows us to see in the true light," Jakob's deep voice spoke softly from behind them.

Shyla and Aryah whirled, facing possible danger. Shyla quickly formed a protection shield around the two, but no opposing force came from the man.

He stood in the darkness for a moment, then with a wave of his hand, the air glowed and and became a light around them, encircling the three forms.

Jakob? Shyla spoke as the light revealed his face.

"Aye."

"Who is he, momma?" Aryah pulled on her mother's cloak. "I can't read his thoughts."

"You are a strong one. I'm Jakob. I knew your mother for a time." He spoke, bending to her level, holding out his palm sideways, thumb down, two fingers out, two bent just slightly. She responded with her fingers touching his. The air around their hands glowed and faded.

Jakob frowned and pulled his hand back. He looked at Aryah and then at Shyla, who turned her head away and gave a slight nod.

Jakob stood, Why didn't you tell me?

You left on your quest. I didn't know then and by the time I knew, it wasn't worth seeking for you. You rejected me when you left with no word, She offered her explanation.

"I didn't mean-" He saw hurt along with resignation in her eyes. She shielded nothing from him.

"Why are you mind talking and won't let me listen?" Aryah demanded, standing between the two.

"We were just clearing the air." Jakob laid his palm on the top of her head."I think we need to talk." He waited for Shyla's nod.

"Let's go back to your cottage. We need to get better acquainted." He offered holding his hand toward the direction they had just come.

"Why are you sad Mother?" Aryah tugged on her mother's cloak.

Jakob looked into Shyla's eyes, "You needn't fear any more. I have all you need. You will come with me to my home."

Shyla stiffened and took two steps back. Her mind blasted his with words,You think you can come her and order me to leave my home just because you say so?

Jakob clamped his hands over his ears and groaned in pain. No shouting like that!

"I'm sorry, but Aryah and I need to return to our home. If you wish to discuss this in the morning, I'll be available after we break fast." She twisted the straps from the bag in one hand and took her daughter's in her other. Before he could clear his head and follow, they'd disappeared into the forest.

"Why do they do that?" he sighed and this time the point of his sword, cleared a path to through the underbrush. It seemed to take longer than he thought to get to the cottage. He continued in the direction he'd seen them go, but now he'd crossed his own path. He'd come in a circle. He stood still, his jaw clamped against a shout.

Frustrated, he fished a light crystal from his pouch and held it up. The crystal glowed illuminating the forest. He hummed a tune and the light swirled and formed a beam in one direction. He smiled and moved toward the direction the light pointed. In a few minutes he'd left the forest and found the path to Shyla's cottage.

He almost walked in, but pulled the rope hanging from an ornate metal hook. A tinkling sounded inside. He heard a voice squeak. "He found us." Then a giggle.

"May I come in?" He called through the door.

"I said come after we break fast." He heard Shyla's firm order.

I need your magic for my men. They are ill and the physik cannot do anything for them. Please come and help them. They have been with me for years and are my family. I will not see them die.

The door opened a crack. "Where are they?"

"There are five of them in a barn at the edge of the city. They are not allowed in the gates."

"You don't have the power to care for them?"

"No." He didn't elaborate. "My men do not know I have gifts."

He stared at him for a moment then nodded. "Come in, I will get my things."

While Aryah watched him Shyla asked him questions about the sickness. He answered quickly. She wrapped bottles pouches and handed him the heavy satchel. "I may need to have a fire to prepare medicine for them." He nodded and swung the bag over his shoulder only to have it crash into his back with a thump that left him gasping for air. That was dumb

The two women ignored his thoughts and marched out ahead of him. Aryah turned to give him a little smile.



WC 1968