~Chapter One~
I sat staring into the black mist that engulfed my kingdom. It wasn't always like this. The land of Eviera used to be a place of peace. Until a man by the name of Rufastor invaded the kingdom. I remember it oh so well.
“PRINCESS! PRINCESS EVANGALINE! TROUBLE!” a distant voice yelled. At the time I was helping the townsfolk with their day-to-day problems when a young man burst through the castle doors. “Princess! There's….. There's a man outside..... He, he wishes to speak with you.” the man panted.
“Well he can wait just like the rest of the towns' people.” I said signing off a permit.
“But Princess! What he wants to say.... he says it could destroy all of Eviera!” the man shouted, waving his arms about. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. This caught my attention.
“I will speak with him at once. Sir, bring him in.”
“Of course your highness.”
Little did I know that when I spoke with that man, he meant what he said.
“Princess Evangaline, so nice to finally meet you.” a man said. He walked in all on his lonesome. He wasn't bad looking either. He was tall, dark hair, pointed ears like an elf would have. And his bright red eyes pierced through your heart like a dagger.
“Your name sir?” I asked keeping an emotionless face.
“It's Rufastor, princess.”
“What business do you have in my kingdom, Rufastor?”
“I have a few questions for you princess.”
“And they would be?” He paused before continuing.
“Evangaline, what would it mean to you if I said you had only a few minutes left of your reign?”
“I would have to argue with that, Rufastor. I promise you that I have many years left to rebuild what kingdom I have left after my father's horrible reign.”
“Ah, foolish princess... By blood, you are the true ruler of Eviera. But I feel, that you are not fit to be called queen. From what I understand, your coronation is in a few days. Am I not correct?”
“You are.”
“Well then where's the new king? A prince, or in this case, princess, cannot become a queen without a king. And I am certainly prepared to take the empty space as king.”
“Rufastor, that has never been a law in my kingdom. My great-great grandmother ruled for forty years without a man at her side. Nor do I need one. I am perfectly capable of making decisions for Eviera on my lonesome. And if you turn and look at every single person behind you, they will all agree with me. This kingdom has come so far in the two and a half years its been under my control. And it will continue, to go nowhere but up.” I said standing. If this man was going to threaten me in front of my people, I wasn't going to take it sitting down.
“Evangaline! You're not fit to rule this land! Eviera is mine to control! Evangaline, say goodbye to your future!” Rufastor shouted lifting his left hand in the air. A sphere of black mist started to form in his hand. As it did, I heard the shatter of the stained glass windows through the great hall. The sound of screams filled my ears as my head filled with ways to defend my kingdom. I decided to rely on the guardians. I swung my right hand across my body and behind my head as a cold silver blade materialized in my hand.
The wind took my hair and started to unravel my braid. My dress wrapped around my legs, flying behind my heels. I squinted my eyes and tried to keep the flying glass shards out.
“SO PRINCESS! SURRENDER, OR DIE?! WHICH IS IT?! LIFE?! OR DEATH?!” Rufastor screamed.
Time seemed to stop. For the townspeople had stopped running and screaming to focus their attention on me. I felt tears start to streak past my eyelids and into my hair. My fingers seemed nailed to the handle of my sword. It was painful listening to the sound of my blade hit the stone floor.
The wind stopped almost instantly.
And the sound of Rufastor's evil laugh filled the hall. I covered my mouth with my hand and struggled to stay standing.
I then realized that tears were seeping through my eyelids in spite of the painful memory. I wiped them with my fingers even though no one else was in my presence. I looked at my fingers and noticed that my tears were white as fresh snow. White tears, the one and only sign that I finally did something right.
The next morning while I was sitting next to my window, a guard came into my bedroom. “Evangaline, Sir Rufastor wishes to speak with you.”
“Of course. I will be down in a few moments.” I said watching the guard leave. He also left the door open. Idiot. I stared at the door for a few moments then opened my eyes wider and thought of the door closing. Soon enough the door slammed shut and the guard rail flew across the door, latching it to the other side of the stone wall.
I wasn't about to talk to that cruel kingdom-thief. Because the last time I talked to him he took away my life, my freedom, and my people. I wanted to keep my dignity.
I placed my hands over my eyes and started to try to think of ways I could win my kingdom back. Whilst I was deep in thought, I heard a scratching sound coming from my doorway. My hands fell from my face and into my lap as I looked towards the door. Not to my surprise there was a rat climbing down the wall to start to munch on a bat that fell from the ceiling.
“Ugh... That is disgusting.” I turned and felt the chill of the outside air rush down my spine. Then I saw him. He stood outside my window looking at me straight in the eye. I turned trying to make out his facial features. He had stunning blonde-brown hair that came down just slightly past his ears in the back. His eyes were a bright blue and seemed to glow in the dark light.
I backed away from the window and turned toward the fireplace. I took the fire singe and threw it towards the window. Once again I heard the shattering of stained glass against the cold, stone floor.
The man looked at the broken window in surprise. He came through the shattered glass and stepped into the room.
“Princess Evangaline? My name is Avian Harvella. I've come to rescue you.” Avian said drawing his sword from it's sheath.
“Sir Avian Harvella the Third, I presume.” I said moving some shattered glass away from my feet.
“You-you know me?”
“Sir Avian, it is my job to know everyone in the kingdom. Although it is no longer under my control.”
“Well, if I have anything to say about it, the kingdom will be under your reign very soon.” He grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me out the window. I pulled my cloak over my head and ran across the water covered roof. The rain seemed to fall harder the farther away we got from the tower that I had been contained in. I was escaping. I was getting out of this country that used to be mine. I wanted control again. And if that meant running away for a while so be it. The wind started to blow harder and then I heard it. The sound of the war trumpet letting all of Eviera know that I had escaped.
“Oh great, that's just what we need is the guards after us.” Avian said pushing me in front of him.
“There is a crevice around the tower up here to the left. If we can get in it then we should be protected from sight and from this damned rain.” It wasn't very lady like of me to swear. But if I was going to be on the road for a while, I would have to be in disguise and not expect everyone to wait on me. The sound of angry voices and the clanging of swords warned me that the guards were hot on our trail.
“Avian!” Avian grabbed me by my waist and pulled me behind him. He drew his sword and shield and charged at the four guards he was facing. I started to back away from the battle scene when another guard grabbed me from behind. Out of instinct I threw my elbow back, launching it into his gut. As he stumbled back I swung my right hand across my body and behind my head as a cold silver blade materialized in my hand. I started swinging it which seemed aimless. But soon I hit my mark and disarmed the two men in front of me. I lunged forward and forced my blade into the chest of the one man I hadn't disarmed.
I flipped around only to find that Avian was having problems with the four on his side. I started to run at full speed at one of the men. With one swift movement of the gleaming silver blade, the man was beheaded. I faced the other that was lunging for me. I stepped ever so slightly off to the side and launched my sword into the man's back. I placed my foot next to my blade and pushed. The guards body fell to the side of the roof and hung for a few moments. I watched in satisfaction as the body ran off the side of the roof just like the rain, leaving a trail of blood on the black ceramic tiles. Just as I turned to face Avian, he had two of the men cornered and shoved them off the edge of the roof. Gasping, Avian turned to me.
“How in hell did you learn to fight like that.”
“Well when you grow up with a father like I had, you learn things very quickly.” Just then lightning struck the roof behind Avian, setting the ceramic tiles aflame.
“Princess! Run!” Avian screamed. We both broke out if a flat out run for the edge of the roof. Eventually we found the edge with our feet instead of our eyes. As we fell, Avian grabbed me by my wrist as my head bounced off the stone wall of the palace.
~Chapter Two~
When I awoke, I was in a dark chamber lying next to Avian. I looked around only to find a single candle lighting the whole chamber. I must've shaken the bed when I sat up because soon after, Avian woke up as well. When he sat up to stretch, I noticed that he was naked, with only the blanket to cover up his lower body parts. I looked down and stared in shock. I was unclothed as well. I grabbed the blanket and covered myself up and looked at Avian. He had the same confused look as me.
“Did we....? Did we have.......?” I stuttered trying to not upchuck at the thought. I heard a crackling sound coming from the doorway. I turned to look and soon an older lady walked in carrying my clothes.
“Oh dearies don't be alarmed! Nothing happened between the two of you! I found you collapsed near the palace so I brought you here to my home and washed and dried your clothes for you. There's soup waiting for you on the table when you get dressed.” And with that said she left. So I had slept with Avian. And the only thing we did was sleep. I sighed a sigh of relief as Avian crossed over in front of me pinning me to the bed.
“Avian. What are you doing?” And before I knew it Avian's lips were smashing into mine. Without giving it a second thought, I shoved him away and rolled off the side of the bed.
“What's wrong?” he asked sitting up, and giving me a confused look.
“What's wrong?! You position yourself naked, in bed, and over me and you ask what's wrong?! Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture?!” I screamed. I was so scared and angry that I didn't pay any attention to myself. I just realized there was a breeze in the room where there shouldn't be. s**t. I ran across the little room to the pile of my clothes that the old lady had laid out for me. I slipped on my undergarments and looked toward Avian. “Aren't you going to get dressed too?!”
“Why are you putting your dress back on?”
“Because I do not want to be seen naked, again!”
“That lady gave you pants for a reason. She knows we're on the run. Put those on.” Avian pointed to the pile of clothes under my dress. I pulled on the pants and noticed that they came up past my ankles and ended just below my knees. I slipped on my boots that I had been wearing under my dress and pulled the chain mail and dark purple tunic over my head. I took hold of the end of my gown and pulled. The ripping sound broke my heart. But if I was going to be taken as a commoner I would need the rags from my dress. I tied one of the shorter pieces around my waist to form a sash. The longest piece I wrapped around my neck and turned to Avian. He simply shook his head and pointed back to the pile. I ripped off my “cloak” and pulled on the real one. It was black with a gold clasp and gold rimmed hood and trail. This was the sign of a powerful person. These were the cloaks I was used to waring. I pulled off my fake sash and tied on a gold one. I turned back to Avian, gritting my teeth. He just smiled.
After Avian had gotten dressed and we had finished with our supper, the old lady saw us off and Avian and I started out on our way.
“So why exactly did you rescue me from the castle?” I asked putting air quotes around the rescue.
“If you're going to win back this kingdom, you need to learn how to harness your powers. I'm taking you to the guardians. They will teach you how to hone your skills.” So after 17 years of not knowing what was going to happen when I called upon my powers, I was finally going to learn. I remember the first time I needed my powers as if it was yesterday. But it was two and a half years ago......
“EVANGALINE! GET OUT! GET OUT OF HERE!” mother seemed frightened and I didn't know why. Just a few minutes ago, she was planting flowers with me in the courtyard.
“MERIDITH!!!” that was the first time ever my father had said my mothers full name. He had always called her Mary. Always. And why did he sound so angry? Mother looked at the door which she had barricaded and looked back at me. She came running over to me and forcefully grabbed my shoulders.
“Evangaline I want you to listen and listen well. Your father is terribly angry with me and I do not know what is going to happen to me. But no matter what, I want you to call upon the guardians and ask them to give you your powers. You are of age now so you must rely on them. Trust them and they will protect you.” she hugged me and kissed my cheek before shoving me out the door. I stood next to the giant wooden door with my ear pressed against it. Mother and father were talking but I couldn't catch all of what they said. “Roland, don't you dare...........on my daughter. She has her powers..............kill.......” the rest of her sentence was followed by a clap of thunder and her scream. There were so many things running through my head at that moment but the one thing that was there in front was 'mother needs help'. Just then a cold metal blade appeared in my hand. I pushed my way through the door and into the room where my parents were. And then I saw it, my mothers body, face down in a pool of blood. My eyes shot back and forth between her and father. Soon, without thinking, I started running at father with the sword ready to strike. I took him by surprise and lunged it through his heart.
The memory of my fathers face made me as angry as ever. Avian must have noticed the change in my attitude.
“Evangaline? Are you alright?”
“Yes. I am fine. I was just thinking about my father.”
“Do you miss him?”
“I certainly do not! Why would I miss the man that murdered my mother?!”
“Alright! Calm down.” There was a long, awkward moment of silence before he continued. “You know that if we're going to pull you off as a commoner you're going to have to stop using such proper language.”
“Why? What does it matter if I use proper language?” I asked stopping dead in my tracks. There was a certain feeling in the air that I didn't like. It gave me a sense of fear and protection all at the same time.
No sooner did I look up, there was Rufastor. Standing not two feet in front of me. I called upon the guardians once again and to my surprise nothing happened. I started to panic as he drew closer and closer to me. I looked frantically in Avian's direction and noticed that he had vanished and the whole world around me had turned as white as fresh, untouched snow. I turned my head again in Rufastor's direction this time and saw he was just inches from my face.
“Evangaline, that man that has raided your kingdom is not me. He's not the man that you knew from your childhood. Even his name is false. Rufastor is the name of the man who wants to overtake your kingdom. He is simply using my body.” the man I thought was Rufastor leaned in towards me and pulled me in close to his lips. I stuttered a breath before interlocking my lips with his. Somehow this felt right. Somehow this felt like this is who I am supposed to be with. He slid his arm down to my waist and pulled me closer. I eagerly threw my arms around his neck. Adding some tongue to the kiss, Rufastor got a little more intense. But before I knew it, the kiss was over and Rufastor had vanished. The scene of white had vanished along with him.
“Evangaline! Let's go! We've got lots of ground to cover!” Avian's voice seemed to come out of nowhere. As I came to, the townspeople and shops came back into view. I started jogging toward Avian only to find him farther away than I expected.
“Come on, I know a guy who could lend us some horses.” Avian said swinging his arm around my shoulders.
“ABSOLUTLEY NOT! My horses are not for rent!” the man shouted.
“Well then could we buy them from you? Please! We need your horses to get across Death Cavern!” Avian pleaded. The squeak of an opening door caught my attention as a girl with waist length blonde hair about my age came into the room with a tray of tea and some banana bread.
“Oh father please! If they want to buy the horses off of us let them! Besides, Avian here will take good care of them!” she said placing the tray down on the table in front of me.
“Avian? My stable boy, Avian?! Dear God boy! You've grown! So nice to see you again!” the man said with a look of shock on his face.
“Yes, good evening Dougar, sir.” Avian shook hands with the heavy set man like they had known each other for ages. I felt a tug on my sleeve and looked toward the girl. She pointed to the door which she had come out of. She started walking in and I followed, listening to the carefree chatter of Dougar and Avian.
“So, miss. You look a lot like Princess Evangaline. Did you know that?” she said leaning up against a wooden counter in the small, bright kitchen.
“You remember the princess?” I asked completely taken aback. I thought everyone had forgotten about me.
“Of course! That rat Rufastor will never be my king! I just wish the guards would find the princess so she can banish Rufastor's butt from this land.”
“Wait, so you mean the princess is missing?”
“Yeah, that's what the whole kingdom has been told. Where're you been? Under a rock? Everyone knows about her getting kidnapped by a young man who scaled the castle walls after he locked her in the castle tower for three months.” So that's how long I'd been kept in that dingy tower.
“Wait, so you are saying that the princess was kidnapped? When did this happen?” I asked grabbing her by the shoulders.
“She was taken out of the castle last night. No one knows where she is or who she's with though.” she said lowering her head. “So anyway, are you Avian's girlfriend?!” she squealed.
“What?!” I asked backing away.
“Hi! My name's Cecilia! That man in there? That's my father, Dougar! He's the owner of Loundhorn Ranch!” Cecilia said getting very excited. “Do you wanna come see your horses?”
“Sure....” I said in a shaky voice.
Cecilia led me out of the house and into the largest building on the property.
“This is Ebony and Count!” she said pointing to two black horses. “They're the fastest horses we have. Count is the stronger of the two. But Ebony is the faster.” I walked over to the horse named Ebony and reached to stroke her face when I heard the loud yell of Sir Dougar.
“Uh-oh. We'd better go inside and see if Father is okay.” Cecilia said running out of the barn.
Just as the two of us came bursting through the door, Dougar started yelling at Avian again.
“HOW COULD YOU KIDNAP THE PRINCESS?!?!” Dougar screamed. My eyes got wide as I stared at the back of Avian's head. How could he? How could he tell this man that I was the princess?
“Dougar! I didn't kidnap her! I rescued her! She was being locked in a tower at the top of the castle!” Avian argued in a very calm yet slightly scared voice. Dougar started to calm down and took many deep breaths. Before I knew it, I was being pulled into the kitchen, again.
“Is it true? Are you the princess, Evangaline?” Cecilia asked gripping my wrist. I closed my eyes and nodded. She instantly let go of my wrist and fell to her knees. I grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her back up so she was standing.
“Do not do that! I am in disguise! No one must know who I am!”
“I'm sorry princess. I didn't know.....”
“I said stop! Do not call me princess! Or by my real name!”
“Then what do I call you?” Cecilia asked looking at me with wide eyes. I stopped for a moment thinking. What should people call me? April? Falis? Alieta? Miliano? I know!
“Call me Ever!” I said smiling.
“Ever?”
“Yes! My name is now Ever!” just as I said my new name, Sir Dougar and Avian came into the room. Avian looked worn to the bone.
“Avian and Evangaline, or should I say, Ever! I will grant you the use of my horses! Free of charge! As long as they come back in one piece when you're done with them.” Dougar said laughing.
I mounted up on Ebony and looked down at Cecilia.
“Best of luck Ever! Make sure you win back the throne soon!”
“Thank you for your concern, Cecilia. And please make sure you thank your father for me.” I said.
“Will do! Bye Ever! By Avian!” she yelled waiving us off.
Once again, the world around me seemed to fade to the color of fresh snow. No longer was I riding alone, I was riding with the man I believed to be Rufastor until just recently. He looked back at me and smiled.
“It's good to see you're still alive, princess.”
“Tell me, what is your name?” I felt like I know this man from somewhere other than the kingdom raid and the vision I had had earlier.
“Damien.” That's when it hit me. I grew up with a Damien. He was one of the maid's children and we used to play together in the castle.
“Damien, tell me. Why is Rufastor using your body?” But when I looked up, he was gone. Along with the white background.
“Did you say something, Evangaline?” Avian asked turning towards me.
“No, I did not. And do not call me that. Call me Ever.” I snapped.
He looked at me with a hint of sorrow in his eyes.
“Avian? What is wrong?” I asked noticing how upset he was.
“One of my friends was named Ever.”
“Was? What do you mean was?”
“We lost her in the fight for our kingdom.”
“The fight for the kingdom?” Avian looked at me like I was a total idiot.
“Yes the fight for the kingdom! Don't you remember when Rufastor came into the palace and practically ordered you to surrender?!”
“Of course I remember. I would have to be brain dead to not.”
“Well, while you were in there talking to him, all of us villagers were out here fighting off his men! We poured our hearts and souls.....” All I heard next was the thud of the ground against my ear.
“What the hell?!” I looked up and saw the eyes of a young, teenage girl looking down at me.
“You're trespassing. This is not a safe piece of land to trespass on. The owner might just.....” SMACK!! She threw her elbow back and hit Avian right between the eyes. “Kill you.” she finished with a whisper. I watched in amazement as Avian fell to the ground with a soft thud. Still on the ground, I crawled over to him.
“Avian? Avian are you all right?”
“And who would the owner be?” Although his question was wobbly, he seemed just fine.
“You mean you don't know? I thought everyone knew about Ransell.” she whispered. She held out her hand in offer to help Avian up. He flinched back in terror. “I'm not going to smack you again. I only did that the first time because you startled me. Anyway my name's Athena. Athena of Greggon.”
“So, you live in Greggon?” I asked standing.
“No. I was born in Greggon. I don't live anywhere. I'm always on the run, nowadays anyway.” Athena sighed.
“Why is that?” I asked helping Avian to his feet.
“Because that stupid Rufastor sent out the guards to find me and capture me! Duh!” Athena actually spoke normally for the first time.
“No, I mean why are the guards after you?” I asked watching Avian mount Ebony.
“Because they seem to think that I had something to do with the princess's disappearance. And now I'm headed to all of the guardians springs to get the power of belief so the guards will believe me when I tell them that I didn't kidnap her.” Athena sighed.
“So basically you want freedom.” Avian said mounting off Ebony. He must have realized that he was on the wrong horse.
“Right.” Athena said turning to him.
“Well you are welcome to travel with us. Oh! I am terribly sorry! I never introduced myself! I am Ever and this is Avian.”
“Pleased to meet you. And why am I welcome to travel with you.”
“Because we're going to the guardian's springs too.” Avian said mounting Count.
“So it seems. Well if you don't mind having me....”
“No! No of course not!” I stuttered.
“Let me finish.”
“Sorry.”
“If you don't mind having me I will go with the two of you. On one condition.”
“What's that?” Avian asked.
“You give me a place on the Eviera Guard after you hone your powers, princess.” I gave her a look of shock and fear. All she did was laugh.
“How do you know who I am?”
“Two reasons. One, you're a terrible liar. Two, I have the gift of knowing. Whenever I look at a person I can see who they really are. Comes in handy if we have suspicions of a false ruler.”
I laid down in the field far away from Avian and Athena that night staring at the stars. I dared a look at the castle. It was beautiful from this side of the walls. Most of the candles in the windows were lit so they glowed with the brilliance of the hour of the twilight. Just then a figure of silver mist started to materialize. I called upon the guardians and soon that cold, familiar blade came to be in my hand. At that very same moment, a belt and sheath appeared on my waist. The silver figure started to move closer and closer. I gripped my sword with both hands and prepared myself for the worst. Then, it vanished. I heard the faint sound of fingers steadily gliding a piece of parchment. I instinctively backed up a few feet and heard it.
“Boo.” I jumped forward a few dozen feet and flipped around only to find Damien on the grass laughing his head off.
“I am going to have you beheaded and then thrown in the dungeon until you rot into nothing but a shriveled up corpse!” I joked. This only made him laugh harder. As soon as he got control of himself, he stood.
“I'm sorry I haven't been able to show up like this in the daytime. If I did, Avian would have a terror attack or something of the sort.” he said looking toward Avian and Athena.
“I still don't understand. Why? Why is all of this happening?”
“What do you mean?”
“The kiss? The visions? The Deja Vu? How come so many people know things about the kingdom that I do not?!” I screamed. Damien sighed.
“I had to protect you.”
“Protect me?”
“If I tell you why, you'll think I'm crazy.”
“No I will not. Tell me! I want to know!” I said trying to grab him by his collar. All I came out with was silver dust.
“Thou shall not love another without punishment.” After Damien said that I started to have flash backs. A war. A horse chase. Blazing fire. A girl screaming my name. And, Damien on his knees, clutching his chest. “You said that once.” Damien continued. “Back before the incident. Back before Rufastor took over your body.”
“He, he took over my.... my body?”
“Yes. It was around this time, this exact point in time. You were on the run with Avian, Athena and I. You were discuised under the name of Ever. The night after we met Athena, the four of us camped out in Greggon Village. Rufastor found our location and came after you. That's when it happened. Avian and Athena rushed you off to the castle gate to find help and hide you, and I stayed back to try and stall Rufastor. But at that point, Capital had turned and sided with him. The guards started a ring of fire around the five of us. Now that we were trapped, Rufastor did his bidding. He shot an arrow to your head and took over your body. I tried to attack him but, he was too fast and took a sword to my chest. He came back out of your body and was just about to kill you when the guardians appeared. The banished Rufastor from the circle of fire and came up to the two of us. They said that your memory could not be restored. They said that they would have to send us all back in time. But only Avian, Athena and I would remember. They erased Rufastor's memory of the night. And they sent all of us back in time to the day Rufastor took over the kingdom.” he finished.
“Why just at the day? Why not someday before the matter? Or after?”
“Had they sent us too far before, you would think you were losing your mind because you would be reliving all of those days over. Had they sent us back after the matter, you wouldn't know why you were locked away in the tower.”
“I see.” And I did. I understood now. But there was one thing I didn't understand. “Why are you a spirit then? Why are you not a human?”
“That was not because of the guardians. That was simply because Rufastor's real body was too weak to contain his spirit. So he banished me from my body and took it. So now I'm left as a ghost.”
“But if you are a ghost, then how come we could kiss?”
“Because whenever the world around you is all white, you have entered the Spirit Realm.” he raised his hand and touched my forehead. I was shocked at how warm it was. Soon the black of the night turned to gray, and then that familiar shade of white. He slid his hand down to my right temple. He ran his finger along the ornate design next to my eye.
“If you don't hide that, Rufastor's men will find you.” I closed my eyes and thought of the mark vanishing into thin air. I heard Damien sigh and I knew it was gone.
“Forgot you were a physic princess.” he said smiling. He leaned down and lifted my chin up to his lips. Before long we were on the floor, half dressed. I laid there on his bare chest thinking.
“Will you ever be back to normal?” I asked wishing we didn't have to be in the Spirit Realm to kiss like this.
“Only if you get your powers honed in time.” I smiled knowing that I had something else to work for now. I moved closer to his head and closed my eyes. He wrapped his arms around me and that's where we stayed. That's where we slept. All night.
The next morning I found myself alone in the field and fully clothed. Damien had vanished and so had the Spirit Realm. I reluctantly sat up and looked around. Athena and Avian had already started to put out the fire and load up the horses with our equipment.
“Well good morning there princess.” Athena whispered sneaking up behind me.
“My name is Ever, Athena.” I ignored her comment and turned to Avian. “Why didn't you tell me about our past?” Avian and Athena looked at each other in confused peril.
“Who told you about that?” Avian's voice was stern and cold. Apparently that was the wrong thing to ask.
“Who else? Damien.” I said bending down and picking up a piece of bread.
“Damien has come back? But I thought he died when Rufastor took over his body.” Athena looked at me then back over to Avian.
“No. Well, yes. He is dead but....” I was confused. I didn't know how to describe Damien's state. Do I flat out tell them that Damien's a ghost and he has taken me to the Spirit Realm and we fell in love all over again? “He is a spirit.”
Athena and Avian exchanged confused and doubtful glances when suddenly they both burst into laughter.
"That's very kind of you to point out that he's moved on now, princess. And I apologize for laughing." Athena said wiping a tear from her eye. "But your face is hysterical! You look so serious! Like you really mean what you said!" she studdered before busting out in another roar of laughter that sent her to the ground.
"I am not lying!" I snapped. "How else do you exptect me to know that Rufastor is the one who killed Damien and that the guardians had to send us all back in time so I would survive?! I would not know that if it had not been for Damien!" I screamed. All of a sudden, the two of them got deathly quiet. Avian looked at me with fear and anger in his eyes.
"We never told you about Damien. We even put on that little show the other morning so you'd think that we just met." Avian said pointing a finger at me.
"Well you can quit the polite act. I know that you two have known eachother for years and that Athena hasn't stole from anyone since she met us." I defended.
"Anyone could know that. It's also quite possible that you read that in your papers somewhere." Athena said waving it off. I watched in discust as Avian and Athena mounted Count and threw Ebony's reins at me and started to walk off.
"I also know you two were in love!" I was startled at what just came out of my mouth. I just said something that I did not even know about.
"How do you know about that?" Athena said turning a little in the saddle to face me.
"I told you. I met Damien and he told me everything. Which made me remember most of everything." I said mounting Ebony.
"I still don't buy it." Avian said tapping Count in the sides, making him go.
I gave up on arguing with them. And I am almost positive that I fell asleep on our way to the Shores province today. But all was calm again. I pulled out a blanket from my saddle pack and laid it out on the ground, covering myself up with another one. Not five minutes later, Avian came crawling over to me.
"Evangaline? Are you asleep?" he asked almost as if he knew that I was not.
"Well, even if I had been, I am not now." I said rolling over to face him. "What is it?"
"You said you remembered everything from that night, right?" he asked balancing himself on his hands and knees.
"Not all of everything, just most of it." I corrected.
"Well then please tell me that you remember what I told you just before we got sent back in time?" he asked with wide, hopeful eyes. I stared into the black star-speckled night and tried to remember whatever it was he said to me.
"I am so sorry Avian but I....." the next thing I knew, Avian was kissing me, much more intense than our last kiss. And suddenly I knew that Avian was trying to get me to remember something. And it had to have been something important, for no matter how hard I tried, I could not get him off of me. If he was still in love with Athena like he was in the past..... Maybe he's not. Is he trying to tell me that he's in love with me? If so, that would explain why Athena got so defensive when I brought it up earlier. Avian finally pulled away soon enough.
"I love you." I whispered. Avian gave me a surprised look. "That's what you said to me before we were sent back."
"What about you? How do you feel about that?" Avian asked still hovering over me in the same stance as before.
"I'm sorry Avian. But I can't return your feelings. I wish I could. But I'm still in love with Damien." I admitted, staring off into space. Avian cursed under his breath and then crawled back over to where he had been lying.
I don't remember falling asleep. But I do remember the smell of smoke and the sound of Athena's scream.
I sat staring into the black mist that engulfed my kingdom. It wasn't always like this. The land of Eviera used to be a place of peace. Until a man by the name of Rufastor invaded the kingdom. I remember it oh so well.
“PRINCESS! PRINCESS EVANGALINE! TROUBLE!” a distant voice yelled. At the time I was helping the townsfolk with their day-to-day problems when a young man burst through the castle doors. “Princess! There's….. There's a man outside..... He, he wishes to speak with you.” the man panted.
“Well he can wait just like the rest of the towns' people.” I said signing off a permit.
“But Princess! What he wants to say.... he says it could destroy all of Eviera!” the man shouted, waving his arms about. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. This caught my attention.
“I will speak with him at once. Sir, bring him in.”
“Of course your highness.”
Little did I know that when I spoke with that man, he meant what he said.
“Princess Evangaline, so nice to finally meet you.” a man said. He walked in all on his lonesome. He wasn't bad looking either. He was tall, dark hair, pointed ears like an elf would have. And his bright red eyes pierced through your heart like a dagger.
“Your name sir?” I asked keeping an emotionless face.
“It's Rufastor, princess.”
“What business do you have in my kingdom, Rufastor?”
“I have a few questions for you princess.”
“And they would be?” He paused before continuing.
“Evangaline, what would it mean to you if I said you had only a few minutes left of your reign?”
“I would have to argue with that, Rufastor. I promise you that I have many years left to rebuild what kingdom I have left after my father's horrible reign.”
“Ah, foolish princess... By blood, you are the true ruler of Eviera. But I feel, that you are not fit to be called queen. From what I understand, your coronation is in a few days. Am I not correct?”
“You are.”
“Well then where's the new king? A prince, or in this case, princess, cannot become a queen without a king. And I am certainly prepared to take the empty space as king.”
“Rufastor, that has never been a law in my kingdom. My great-great grandmother ruled for forty years without a man at her side. Nor do I need one. I am perfectly capable of making decisions for Eviera on my lonesome. And if you turn and look at every single person behind you, they will all agree with me. This kingdom has come so far in the two and a half years its been under my control. And it will continue, to go nowhere but up.” I said standing. If this man was going to threaten me in front of my people, I wasn't going to take it sitting down.
“Evangaline! You're not fit to rule this land! Eviera is mine to control! Evangaline, say goodbye to your future!” Rufastor shouted lifting his left hand in the air. A sphere of black mist started to form in his hand. As it did, I heard the shatter of the stained glass windows through the great hall. The sound of screams filled my ears as my head filled with ways to defend my kingdom. I decided to rely on the guardians. I swung my right hand across my body and behind my head as a cold silver blade materialized in my hand.
The wind took my hair and started to unravel my braid. My dress wrapped around my legs, flying behind my heels. I squinted my eyes and tried to keep the flying glass shards out.
“SO PRINCESS! SURRENDER, OR DIE?! WHICH IS IT?! LIFE?! OR DEATH?!” Rufastor screamed.
Time seemed to stop. For the townspeople had stopped running and screaming to focus their attention on me. I felt tears start to streak past my eyelids and into my hair. My fingers seemed nailed to the handle of my sword. It was painful listening to the sound of my blade hit the stone floor.
The wind stopped almost instantly.
And the sound of Rufastor's evil laugh filled the hall. I covered my mouth with my hand and struggled to stay standing.
I then realized that tears were seeping through my eyelids in spite of the painful memory. I wiped them with my fingers even though no one else was in my presence. I looked at my fingers and noticed that my tears were white as fresh snow. White tears, the one and only sign that I finally did something right.
The next morning while I was sitting next to my window, a guard came into my bedroom. “Evangaline, Sir Rufastor wishes to speak with you.”
“Of course. I will be down in a few moments.” I said watching the guard leave. He also left the door open. Idiot. I stared at the door for a few moments then opened my eyes wider and thought of the door closing. Soon enough the door slammed shut and the guard rail flew across the door, latching it to the other side of the stone wall.
I wasn't about to talk to that cruel kingdom-thief. Because the last time I talked to him he took away my life, my freedom, and my people. I wanted to keep my dignity.
I placed my hands over my eyes and started to try to think of ways I could win my kingdom back. Whilst I was deep in thought, I heard a scratching sound coming from my doorway. My hands fell from my face and into my lap as I looked towards the door. Not to my surprise there was a rat climbing down the wall to start to munch on a bat that fell from the ceiling.
“Ugh... That is disgusting.” I turned and felt the chill of the outside air rush down my spine. Then I saw him. He stood outside my window looking at me straight in the eye. I turned trying to make out his facial features. He had stunning blonde-brown hair that came down just slightly past his ears in the back. His eyes were a bright blue and seemed to glow in the dark light.
I backed away from the window and turned toward the fireplace. I took the fire singe and threw it towards the window. Once again I heard the shattering of stained glass against the cold, stone floor.
The man looked at the broken window in surprise. He came through the shattered glass and stepped into the room.
“Princess Evangaline? My name is Avian Harvella. I've come to rescue you.” Avian said drawing his sword from it's sheath.
“Sir Avian Harvella the Third, I presume.” I said moving some shattered glass away from my feet.
“You-you know me?”
“Sir Avian, it is my job to know everyone in the kingdom. Although it is no longer under my control.”
“Well, if I have anything to say about it, the kingdom will be under your reign very soon.” He grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me out the window. I pulled my cloak over my head and ran across the water covered roof. The rain seemed to fall harder the farther away we got from the tower that I had been contained in. I was escaping. I was getting out of this country that used to be mine. I wanted control again. And if that meant running away for a while so be it. The wind started to blow harder and then I heard it. The sound of the war trumpet letting all of Eviera know that I had escaped.
“Oh great, that's just what we need is the guards after us.” Avian said pushing me in front of him.
“There is a crevice around the tower up here to the left. If we can get in it then we should be protected from sight and from this damned rain.” It wasn't very lady like of me to swear. But if I was going to be on the road for a while, I would have to be in disguise and not expect everyone to wait on me. The sound of angry voices and the clanging of swords warned me that the guards were hot on our trail.
“Avian!” Avian grabbed me by my waist and pulled me behind him. He drew his sword and shield and charged at the four guards he was facing. I started to back away from the battle scene when another guard grabbed me from behind. Out of instinct I threw my elbow back, launching it into his gut. As he stumbled back I swung my right hand across my body and behind my head as a cold silver blade materialized in my hand. I started swinging it which seemed aimless. But soon I hit my mark and disarmed the two men in front of me. I lunged forward and forced my blade into the chest of the one man I hadn't disarmed.
I flipped around only to find that Avian was having problems with the four on his side. I started to run at full speed at one of the men. With one swift movement of the gleaming silver blade, the man was beheaded. I faced the other that was lunging for me. I stepped ever so slightly off to the side and launched my sword into the man's back. I placed my foot next to my blade and pushed. The guards body fell to the side of the roof and hung for a few moments. I watched in satisfaction as the body ran off the side of the roof just like the rain, leaving a trail of blood on the black ceramic tiles. Just as I turned to face Avian, he had two of the men cornered and shoved them off the edge of the roof. Gasping, Avian turned to me.
“How in hell did you learn to fight like that.”
“Well when you grow up with a father like I had, you learn things very quickly.” Just then lightning struck the roof behind Avian, setting the ceramic tiles aflame.
“Princess! Run!” Avian screamed. We both broke out if a flat out run for the edge of the roof. Eventually we found the edge with our feet instead of our eyes. As we fell, Avian grabbed me by my wrist as my head bounced off the stone wall of the palace.
~Chapter Two~
When I awoke, I was in a dark chamber lying next to Avian. I looked around only to find a single candle lighting the whole chamber. I must've shaken the bed when I sat up because soon after, Avian woke up as well. When he sat up to stretch, I noticed that he was naked, with only the blanket to cover up his lower body parts. I looked down and stared in shock. I was unclothed as well. I grabbed the blanket and covered myself up and looked at Avian. He had the same confused look as me.
“Did we....? Did we have.......?” I stuttered trying to not upchuck at the thought. I heard a crackling sound coming from the doorway. I turned to look and soon an older lady walked in carrying my clothes.
“Oh dearies don't be alarmed! Nothing happened between the two of you! I found you collapsed near the palace so I brought you here to my home and washed and dried your clothes for you. There's soup waiting for you on the table when you get dressed.” And with that said she left. So I had slept with Avian. And the only thing we did was sleep. I sighed a sigh of relief as Avian crossed over in front of me pinning me to the bed.
“Avian. What are you doing?” And before I knew it Avian's lips were smashing into mine. Without giving it a second thought, I shoved him away and rolled off the side of the bed.
“What's wrong?” he asked sitting up, and giving me a confused look.
“What's wrong?! You position yourself naked, in bed, and over me and you ask what's wrong?! Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture?!” I screamed. I was so scared and angry that I didn't pay any attention to myself. I just realized there was a breeze in the room where there shouldn't be. s**t. I ran across the little room to the pile of my clothes that the old lady had laid out for me. I slipped on my undergarments and looked toward Avian. “Aren't you going to get dressed too?!”
“Why are you putting your dress back on?”
“Because I do not want to be seen naked, again!”
“That lady gave you pants for a reason. She knows we're on the run. Put those on.” Avian pointed to the pile of clothes under my dress. I pulled on the pants and noticed that they came up past my ankles and ended just below my knees. I slipped on my boots that I had been wearing under my dress and pulled the chain mail and dark purple tunic over my head. I took hold of the end of my gown and pulled. The ripping sound broke my heart. But if I was going to be taken as a commoner I would need the rags from my dress. I tied one of the shorter pieces around my waist to form a sash. The longest piece I wrapped around my neck and turned to Avian. He simply shook his head and pointed back to the pile. I ripped off my “cloak” and pulled on the real one. It was black with a gold clasp and gold rimmed hood and trail. This was the sign of a powerful person. These were the cloaks I was used to waring. I pulled off my fake sash and tied on a gold one. I turned back to Avian, gritting my teeth. He just smiled.
After Avian had gotten dressed and we had finished with our supper, the old lady saw us off and Avian and I started out on our way.
“So why exactly did you rescue me from the castle?” I asked putting air quotes around the rescue.
“If you're going to win back this kingdom, you need to learn how to harness your powers. I'm taking you to the guardians. They will teach you how to hone your skills.” So after 17 years of not knowing what was going to happen when I called upon my powers, I was finally going to learn. I remember the first time I needed my powers as if it was yesterday. But it was two and a half years ago......
“EVANGALINE! GET OUT! GET OUT OF HERE!” mother seemed frightened and I didn't know why. Just a few minutes ago, she was planting flowers with me in the courtyard.
“MERIDITH!!!” that was the first time ever my father had said my mothers full name. He had always called her Mary. Always. And why did he sound so angry? Mother looked at the door which she had barricaded and looked back at me. She came running over to me and forcefully grabbed my shoulders.
“Evangaline I want you to listen and listen well. Your father is terribly angry with me and I do not know what is going to happen to me. But no matter what, I want you to call upon the guardians and ask them to give you your powers. You are of age now so you must rely on them. Trust them and they will protect you.” she hugged me and kissed my cheek before shoving me out the door. I stood next to the giant wooden door with my ear pressed against it. Mother and father were talking but I couldn't catch all of what they said. “Roland, don't you dare...........on my daughter. She has her powers..............kill.......” the rest of her sentence was followed by a clap of thunder and her scream. There were so many things running through my head at that moment but the one thing that was there in front was 'mother needs help'. Just then a cold metal blade appeared in my hand. I pushed my way through the door and into the room where my parents were. And then I saw it, my mothers body, face down in a pool of blood. My eyes shot back and forth between her and father. Soon, without thinking, I started running at father with the sword ready to strike. I took him by surprise and lunged it through his heart.
The memory of my fathers face made me as angry as ever. Avian must have noticed the change in my attitude.
“Evangaline? Are you alright?”
“Yes. I am fine. I was just thinking about my father.”
“Do you miss him?”
“I certainly do not! Why would I miss the man that murdered my mother?!”
“Alright! Calm down.” There was a long, awkward moment of silence before he continued. “You know that if we're going to pull you off as a commoner you're going to have to stop using such proper language.”
“Why? What does it matter if I use proper language?” I asked stopping dead in my tracks. There was a certain feeling in the air that I didn't like. It gave me a sense of fear and protection all at the same time.
No sooner did I look up, there was Rufastor. Standing not two feet in front of me. I called upon the guardians once again and to my surprise nothing happened. I started to panic as he drew closer and closer to me. I looked frantically in Avian's direction and noticed that he had vanished and the whole world around me had turned as white as fresh, untouched snow. I turned my head again in Rufastor's direction this time and saw he was just inches from my face.
“Evangaline, that man that has raided your kingdom is not me. He's not the man that you knew from your childhood. Even his name is false. Rufastor is the name of the man who wants to overtake your kingdom. He is simply using my body.” the man I thought was Rufastor leaned in towards me and pulled me in close to his lips. I stuttered a breath before interlocking my lips with his. Somehow this felt right. Somehow this felt like this is who I am supposed to be with. He slid his arm down to my waist and pulled me closer. I eagerly threw my arms around his neck. Adding some tongue to the kiss, Rufastor got a little more intense. But before I knew it, the kiss was over and Rufastor had vanished. The scene of white had vanished along with him.
“Evangaline! Let's go! We've got lots of ground to cover!” Avian's voice seemed to come out of nowhere. As I came to, the townspeople and shops came back into view. I started jogging toward Avian only to find him farther away than I expected.
“Come on, I know a guy who could lend us some horses.” Avian said swinging his arm around my shoulders.
“ABSOLUTLEY NOT! My horses are not for rent!” the man shouted.
“Well then could we buy them from you? Please! We need your horses to get across Death Cavern!” Avian pleaded. The squeak of an opening door caught my attention as a girl with waist length blonde hair about my age came into the room with a tray of tea and some banana bread.
“Oh father please! If they want to buy the horses off of us let them! Besides, Avian here will take good care of them!” she said placing the tray down on the table in front of me.
“Avian? My stable boy, Avian?! Dear God boy! You've grown! So nice to see you again!” the man said with a look of shock on his face.
“Yes, good evening Dougar, sir.” Avian shook hands with the heavy set man like they had known each other for ages. I felt a tug on my sleeve and looked toward the girl. She pointed to the door which she had come out of. She started walking in and I followed, listening to the carefree chatter of Dougar and Avian.
“So, miss. You look a lot like Princess Evangaline. Did you know that?” she said leaning up against a wooden counter in the small, bright kitchen.
“You remember the princess?” I asked completely taken aback. I thought everyone had forgotten about me.
“Of course! That rat Rufastor will never be my king! I just wish the guards would find the princess so she can banish Rufastor's butt from this land.”
“Wait, so you mean the princess is missing?”
“Yeah, that's what the whole kingdom has been told. Where're you been? Under a rock? Everyone knows about her getting kidnapped by a young man who scaled the castle walls after he locked her in the castle tower for three months.” So that's how long I'd been kept in that dingy tower.
“Wait, so you are saying that the princess was kidnapped? When did this happen?” I asked grabbing her by the shoulders.
“She was taken out of the castle last night. No one knows where she is or who she's with though.” she said lowering her head. “So anyway, are you Avian's girlfriend?!” she squealed.
“What?!” I asked backing away.
“Hi! My name's Cecilia! That man in there? That's my father, Dougar! He's the owner of Loundhorn Ranch!” Cecilia said getting very excited. “Do you wanna come see your horses?”
“Sure....” I said in a shaky voice.
Cecilia led me out of the house and into the largest building on the property.
“This is Ebony and Count!” she said pointing to two black horses. “They're the fastest horses we have. Count is the stronger of the two. But Ebony is the faster.” I walked over to the horse named Ebony and reached to stroke her face when I heard the loud yell of Sir Dougar.
“Uh-oh. We'd better go inside and see if Father is okay.” Cecilia said running out of the barn.
Just as the two of us came bursting through the door, Dougar started yelling at Avian again.
“HOW COULD YOU KIDNAP THE PRINCESS?!?!” Dougar screamed. My eyes got wide as I stared at the back of Avian's head. How could he? How could he tell this man that I was the princess?
“Dougar! I didn't kidnap her! I rescued her! She was being locked in a tower at the top of the castle!” Avian argued in a very calm yet slightly scared voice. Dougar started to calm down and took many deep breaths. Before I knew it, I was being pulled into the kitchen, again.
“Is it true? Are you the princess, Evangaline?” Cecilia asked gripping my wrist. I closed my eyes and nodded. She instantly let go of my wrist and fell to her knees. I grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her back up so she was standing.
“Do not do that! I am in disguise! No one must know who I am!”
“I'm sorry princess. I didn't know.....”
“I said stop! Do not call me princess! Or by my real name!”
“Then what do I call you?” Cecilia asked looking at me with wide eyes. I stopped for a moment thinking. What should people call me? April? Falis? Alieta? Miliano? I know!
“Call me Ever!” I said smiling.
“Ever?”
“Yes! My name is now Ever!” just as I said my new name, Sir Dougar and Avian came into the room. Avian looked worn to the bone.
“Avian and Evangaline, or should I say, Ever! I will grant you the use of my horses! Free of charge! As long as they come back in one piece when you're done with them.” Dougar said laughing.
I mounted up on Ebony and looked down at Cecilia.
“Best of luck Ever! Make sure you win back the throne soon!”
“Thank you for your concern, Cecilia. And please make sure you thank your father for me.” I said.
“Will do! Bye Ever! By Avian!” she yelled waiving us off.
Once again, the world around me seemed to fade to the color of fresh snow. No longer was I riding alone, I was riding with the man I believed to be Rufastor until just recently. He looked back at me and smiled.
“It's good to see you're still alive, princess.”
“Tell me, what is your name?” I felt like I know this man from somewhere other than the kingdom raid and the vision I had had earlier.
“Damien.” That's when it hit me. I grew up with a Damien. He was one of the maid's children and we used to play together in the castle.
“Damien, tell me. Why is Rufastor using your body?” But when I looked up, he was gone. Along with the white background.
“Did you say something, Evangaline?” Avian asked turning towards me.
“No, I did not. And do not call me that. Call me Ever.” I snapped.
He looked at me with a hint of sorrow in his eyes.
“Avian? What is wrong?” I asked noticing how upset he was.
“One of my friends was named Ever.”
“Was? What do you mean was?”
“We lost her in the fight for our kingdom.”
“The fight for the kingdom?” Avian looked at me like I was a total idiot.
“Yes the fight for the kingdom! Don't you remember when Rufastor came into the palace and practically ordered you to surrender?!”
“Of course I remember. I would have to be brain dead to not.”
“Well, while you were in there talking to him, all of us villagers were out here fighting off his men! We poured our hearts and souls.....” All I heard next was the thud of the ground against my ear.
“What the hell?!” I looked up and saw the eyes of a young, teenage girl looking down at me.
“You're trespassing. This is not a safe piece of land to trespass on. The owner might just.....” SMACK!! She threw her elbow back and hit Avian right between the eyes. “Kill you.” she finished with a whisper. I watched in amazement as Avian fell to the ground with a soft thud. Still on the ground, I crawled over to him.
“Avian? Avian are you all right?”
“And who would the owner be?” Although his question was wobbly, he seemed just fine.
“You mean you don't know? I thought everyone knew about Ransell.” she whispered. She held out her hand in offer to help Avian up. He flinched back in terror. “I'm not going to smack you again. I only did that the first time because you startled me. Anyway my name's Athena. Athena of Greggon.”
“So, you live in Greggon?” I asked standing.
“No. I was born in Greggon. I don't live anywhere. I'm always on the run, nowadays anyway.” Athena sighed.
“Why is that?” I asked helping Avian to his feet.
“Because that stupid Rufastor sent out the guards to find me and capture me! Duh!” Athena actually spoke normally for the first time.
“No, I mean why are the guards after you?” I asked watching Avian mount Ebony.
“Because they seem to think that I had something to do with the princess's disappearance. And now I'm headed to all of the guardians springs to get the power of belief so the guards will believe me when I tell them that I didn't kidnap her.” Athena sighed.
“So basically you want freedom.” Avian said mounting off Ebony. He must have realized that he was on the wrong horse.
“Right.” Athena said turning to him.
“Well you are welcome to travel with us. Oh! I am terribly sorry! I never introduced myself! I am Ever and this is Avian.”
“Pleased to meet you. And why am I welcome to travel with you.”
“Because we're going to the guardian's springs too.” Avian said mounting Count.
“So it seems. Well if you don't mind having me....”
“No! No of course not!” I stuttered.
“Let me finish.”
“Sorry.”
“If you don't mind having me I will go with the two of you. On one condition.”
“What's that?” Avian asked.
“You give me a place on the Eviera Guard after you hone your powers, princess.” I gave her a look of shock and fear. All she did was laugh.
“How do you know who I am?”
“Two reasons. One, you're a terrible liar. Two, I have the gift of knowing. Whenever I look at a person I can see who they really are. Comes in handy if we have suspicions of a false ruler.”
I laid down in the field far away from Avian and Athena that night staring at the stars. I dared a look at the castle. It was beautiful from this side of the walls. Most of the candles in the windows were lit so they glowed with the brilliance of the hour of the twilight. Just then a figure of silver mist started to materialize. I called upon the guardians and soon that cold, familiar blade came to be in my hand. At that very same moment, a belt and sheath appeared on my waist. The silver figure started to move closer and closer. I gripped my sword with both hands and prepared myself for the worst. Then, it vanished. I heard the faint sound of fingers steadily gliding a piece of parchment. I instinctively backed up a few feet and heard it.
“Boo.” I jumped forward a few dozen feet and flipped around only to find Damien on the grass laughing his head off.
“I am going to have you beheaded and then thrown in the dungeon until you rot into nothing but a shriveled up corpse!” I joked. This only made him laugh harder. As soon as he got control of himself, he stood.
“I'm sorry I haven't been able to show up like this in the daytime. If I did, Avian would have a terror attack or something of the sort.” he said looking toward Avian and Athena.
“I still don't understand. Why? Why is all of this happening?”
“What do you mean?”
“The kiss? The visions? The Deja Vu? How come so many people know things about the kingdom that I do not?!” I screamed. Damien sighed.
“I had to protect you.”
“Protect me?”
“If I tell you why, you'll think I'm crazy.”
“No I will not. Tell me! I want to know!” I said trying to grab him by his collar. All I came out with was silver dust.
“Thou shall not love another without punishment.” After Damien said that I started to have flash backs. A war. A horse chase. Blazing fire. A girl screaming my name. And, Damien on his knees, clutching his chest. “You said that once.” Damien continued. “Back before the incident. Back before Rufastor took over your body.”
“He, he took over my.... my body?”
“Yes. It was around this time, this exact point in time. You were on the run with Avian, Athena and I. You were discuised under the name of Ever. The night after we met Athena, the four of us camped out in Greggon Village. Rufastor found our location and came after you. That's when it happened. Avian and Athena rushed you off to the castle gate to find help and hide you, and I stayed back to try and stall Rufastor. But at that point, Capital had turned and sided with him. The guards started a ring of fire around the five of us. Now that we were trapped, Rufastor did his bidding. He shot an arrow to your head and took over your body. I tried to attack him but, he was too fast and took a sword to my chest. He came back out of your body and was just about to kill you when the guardians appeared. The banished Rufastor from the circle of fire and came up to the two of us. They said that your memory could not be restored. They said that they would have to send us all back in time. But only Avian, Athena and I would remember. They erased Rufastor's memory of the night. And they sent all of us back in time to the day Rufastor took over the kingdom.” he finished.
“Why just at the day? Why not someday before the matter? Or after?”
“Had they sent us too far before, you would think you were losing your mind because you would be reliving all of those days over. Had they sent us back after the matter, you wouldn't know why you were locked away in the tower.”
“I see.” And I did. I understood now. But there was one thing I didn't understand. “Why are you a spirit then? Why are you not a human?”
“That was not because of the guardians. That was simply because Rufastor's real body was too weak to contain his spirit. So he banished me from my body and took it. So now I'm left as a ghost.”
“But if you are a ghost, then how come we could kiss?”
“Because whenever the world around you is all white, you have entered the Spirit Realm.” he raised his hand and touched my forehead. I was shocked at how warm it was. Soon the black of the night turned to gray, and then that familiar shade of white. He slid his hand down to my right temple. He ran his finger along the ornate design next to my eye.
“If you don't hide that, Rufastor's men will find you.” I closed my eyes and thought of the mark vanishing into thin air. I heard Damien sigh and I knew it was gone.
“Forgot you were a physic princess.” he said smiling. He leaned down and lifted my chin up to his lips. Before long we were on the floor, half dressed. I laid there on his bare chest thinking.
“Will you ever be back to normal?” I asked wishing we didn't have to be in the Spirit Realm to kiss like this.
“Only if you get your powers honed in time.” I smiled knowing that I had something else to work for now. I moved closer to his head and closed my eyes. He wrapped his arms around me and that's where we stayed. That's where we slept. All night.
The next morning I found myself alone in the field and fully clothed. Damien had vanished and so had the Spirit Realm. I reluctantly sat up and looked around. Athena and Avian had already started to put out the fire and load up the horses with our equipment.
“Well good morning there princess.” Athena whispered sneaking up behind me.
“My name is Ever, Athena.” I ignored her comment and turned to Avian. “Why didn't you tell me about our past?” Avian and Athena looked at each other in confused peril.
“Who told you about that?” Avian's voice was stern and cold. Apparently that was the wrong thing to ask.
“Who else? Damien.” I said bending down and picking up a piece of bread.
“Damien has come back? But I thought he died when Rufastor took over his body.” Athena looked at me then back over to Avian.
“No. Well, yes. He is dead but....” I was confused. I didn't know how to describe Damien's state. Do I flat out tell them that Damien's a ghost and he has taken me to the Spirit Realm and we fell in love all over again? “He is a spirit.”
Athena and Avian exchanged confused and doubtful glances when suddenly they both burst into laughter.
"That's very kind of you to point out that he's moved on now, princess. And I apologize for laughing." Athena said wiping a tear from her eye. "But your face is hysterical! You look so serious! Like you really mean what you said!" she studdered before busting out in another roar of laughter that sent her to the ground.
"I am not lying!" I snapped. "How else do you exptect me to know that Rufastor is the one who killed Damien and that the guardians had to send us all back in time so I would survive?! I would not know that if it had not been for Damien!" I screamed. All of a sudden, the two of them got deathly quiet. Avian looked at me with fear and anger in his eyes.
"We never told you about Damien. We even put on that little show the other morning so you'd think that we just met." Avian said pointing a finger at me.
"Well you can quit the polite act. I know that you two have known eachother for years and that Athena hasn't stole from anyone since she met us." I defended.
"Anyone could know that. It's also quite possible that you read that in your papers somewhere." Athena said waving it off. I watched in discust as Avian and Athena mounted Count and threw Ebony's reins at me and started to walk off.
"I also know you two were in love!" I was startled at what just came out of my mouth. I just said something that I did not even know about.
"How do you know about that?" Athena said turning a little in the saddle to face me.
"I told you. I met Damien and he told me everything. Which made me remember most of everything." I said mounting Ebony.
"I still don't buy it." Avian said tapping Count in the sides, making him go.
I gave up on arguing with them. And I am almost positive that I fell asleep on our way to the Shores province today. But all was calm again. I pulled out a blanket from my saddle pack and laid it out on the ground, covering myself up with another one. Not five minutes later, Avian came crawling over to me.
"Evangaline? Are you asleep?" he asked almost as if he knew that I was not.
"Well, even if I had been, I am not now." I said rolling over to face him. "What is it?"
"You said you remembered everything from that night, right?" he asked balancing himself on his hands and knees.
"Not all of everything, just most of it." I corrected.
"Well then please tell me that you remember what I told you just before we got sent back in time?" he asked with wide, hopeful eyes. I stared into the black star-speckled night and tried to remember whatever it was he said to me.
"I am so sorry Avian but I....." the next thing I knew, Avian was kissing me, much more intense than our last kiss. And suddenly I knew that Avian was trying to get me to remember something. And it had to have been something important, for no matter how hard I tried, I could not get him off of me. If he was still in love with Athena like he was in the past..... Maybe he's not. Is he trying to tell me that he's in love with me? If so, that would explain why Athena got so defensive when I brought it up earlier. Avian finally pulled away soon enough.
"I love you." I whispered. Avian gave me a surprised look. "That's what you said to me before we were sent back."
"What about you? How do you feel about that?" Avian asked still hovering over me in the same stance as before.
"I'm sorry Avian. But I can't return your feelings. I wish I could. But I'm still in love with Damien." I admitted, staring off into space. Avian cursed under his breath and then crawled back over to where he had been lying.
I don't remember falling asleep. But I do remember the smell of smoke and the sound of Athena's scream.
