Far Sighted Ch 6 Secrets

Chapter 6

Secrets

         I guessed it was close to noon when I was finally able to peel back my lead weighted eyelids.  The cave stayed cool in what would have been a sweltering day, and I was glad for that simple comfort.  Both Charles and William were gone, I discovered after searching the immediate area.  Once again I felt the ache of Sir William’s notable absence.  I wasn’t sure what had changed so much that I needed his presence.

         I was well rested, but my body still ached from the beating it had taken from the daily torture sessions.  Struggling to stand, I carefully balanced, keeping a steadying hand on the wall of the cave.  Venturing outside I came upon Ares cropping the long, green meadow grass that covered the small clearing.  Tall pines towered over my head, domineering, yet comforting in their coverage.  I felt hidden and safe in the forest.

         “Adanna, what are you doing up already?”  Sir William stood at the edge of the clearing, his brother a couple paces behind with a large burden slung over his shoulder.

         Running quickly to the cave entrance, Sir William practically slung me over his shoulder in his efforts to get me back inside.  “You shouldn’t be on your feet for a few days.  You need time to recover.”

         “You shouldn’t worry so much William.  The girl knows her limits.”  Charles had followed us inside, depositing his burden on the floor.  I saw now that it was a small buck.  My mouth watered at the prospect of venison.

         “She was tortured every day for two whole weeks, Charles.  She needs rest.”

         “And if I recall correctly, you suffered the same fate, yet you’re up and walking around.”

         “It’s not the same.”

         “No?”

         “No.  I’m older than she is.”

         I was confused where this conversation was leading.  What did age have to do with anything?

         “That may be so, but as you can see she can nearly stand on her own already.  The abilities have already started to manifest.  Who knows what else she’s experienced?”

         Abilities?

         “Her sense of smell is on and off, as is her heightened hearing.”

         Now I was really confused.  “Will you please stop talking about me like I’m not here?”  They were silent and in the awkward stillness I was almost sorry I had interrupted. 

         “I’m sorry Adanna.  We didn’t mean to be rude.”  This was the first time Charles referred to me by name.

         Now that the adrenaline from all the adventure had faded I started going over recent events in my head, questions rising up.  First and foremost on my mind was how Sir William had found out. 

         “How did you find out I was a girl, and how do you know my name?”  I blurted it before I could think that maybe I didn’t want to know the answer.  I looked discreetly over to Charles and wondered how much of our story, of my story, Sir William had already disclosed to him.

         Politely excusing himself with the excuse of having to clean the carcass of meat, Charles left Sir William to answer my questions.

         Shifting, he let his eyes wander the cave before coming to rest on mine.  I flinched at the intensity of his gaze.

         “Do you trust me Adanna?”

         I had been expecting an answer, not a question.  Stuttering I tried to gather my thoughts.  “I hardly know you.”

         “Do you trust me?” he repeated, the intensity in his voice doubled.

         “How can I trust someone I don’t know?”  I was avoiding the answer.  Trust him?  I’d never trusted anyone more, not even Sir Alden, and it scared me.

         “Adanna I have to know you trust me.  There are things you must know, things that will be difficult to accept, but I need your trust.”

         This conversation was taking an unexpected turn and I wasn’t sure I was ready to follow it through to the end. 

         “Adanna, this is important.”

         Sir William took my arms in his hands and stared, imploringly, into my eyes.  Inexplicably I felt the need to escape, to run.  He saw the panic rising and tightened his grip. 

         “Running won’t stop it.  You have to face this; it’s not going away.”  He shook me, not violent, but firm.

         “You’re scaring me.”  I was breathless, his earnestness dredged up new fears.  What could be so important, so vital that he would act this way?  Warmth coursed down my cheek and I realized unbidden tears fell.

         Sir William released his hold on my arms, slowly backing away as if he had been struck.  Guilt and pain washed across his face.  “Adanna--I…”  He stared at his hands, as if they were the culprit.  Suddenly a groan pulled its way from his lips.  His hands curled inward, clutching at his chest.  He was gasping for air before I could make my limbs move.

         “Sir William!” 

         “Adanna?”  Charles appeared at my side.  Seeing the state of his brother should have shocked him, or at least worried him, but I saw only sorrowful acceptance.

         “Charles…”  We both turned back to Sir William as he gasped out the words.  “Get her out of here.  She doesn’t need to see this.”

         “She’s going to see it sometime, William.”

         “No…Not like this…Not now.”  Charles was motionless.  “Get her out!”

         Relenting, Charles rose, taking my arm in his large, calloused hand, ready to lead me away. 

         “Wait.”  I wasn’t about to leave Sir William on his own when I might be able to help.  “Maybe I can do something.”

         “There’s nothing you can do.  This must run its course.”  He pulled me to my feet while I struggled to stay with the writhing Sir William.

         “I have to help him!”  Twisting my arm to release his hold, Charles eventually had to fling me over his shoulder to carry me out of the cave.  I didn’t relent easily.

         Charles left me lying on the ground outside.  “You can’t help him, Adanna.  No matter how much you want to.”  He abruptly turned and strode back through the cave entrance.

         There was no use going back in and arguing with him, he would only throw me back out.  But why did Sir William want me out when I might be able to help him?  I crawled as close to the opening as I dared and waited, sure I could feel Sir William‘s pain.  Every groan emitting from Sir William’s throat made me cringe.  I yearned to return to his side, even if Charles was right and there was nothing to be done for him.

         Voices filtered out into the open and I strained to hear.

         “This wouldn’t be so hard if you would allow yourself to change more often.”

         A growl.  “And what?  Live like you have for the past seventeen years?  You’ve forgotten the human ways, Charles.”

         “And you’ve forgotten your true heritage.”

         “Heritage?  Have you forgotten so easily Charles?  Have you forgotten it all?”  His words were garbled behind groans.

         “I’ve forgotten nothing.  Have you?  We fight!  We always fight.” 

         The passion I heard in Charles’ voice surprised me.  What had happened to separate these two brothers and cause them to disagree so completely?

         I waited for the broken conversation to continue, but only agonized silence followed.  My mind jumped to the worse possible conclusion.  Beyond my control, my legs carried me forward, back into the dimness of the cave. 

         “Sir William?”  I called out his name, unsure and terrified he wouldn’t answer. What had he been thinking, sending me away when I might have been able to help?

         A whine echoed from the far end of the cave and I rushed forward, expecting the worse.  All I saw was Charles sitting, legs crossed, with a dog’s head resting in his lap.  He was whispering soft, gentle words, comforting. 

         “Charles?”

         He whirled, not having heard my approach, caught up in the moment.  The dog whimpered and tried to hide behind Charles’ large form.

         “Where is he?  Where’s William?”

         Charles turned back to the dog and I wondered at the helpless look on his face. 

         “I have to tell her William.” 

         I looked questioningly from him to the dog.

         “Charles?”

         He stood, leaving the dog in full view of my curious scrutiny.  I gasped when the dog turned out to be a wolf.  His coat was dark.  In the dim light of the cave I couldn’t tell the exact color, but one thing I did know:  he had to be the wolf that had rescued me.  He was the same size, the same build, the same…no, something was different, missing.  Where were the all too familiar glowing white eyes?

         My heart leapt when it started to growl.  It’s ferocity was directed at Charles, but that made it no less terrifying.  Its teeth bared and snapping, I wanted to bolt.

         “William, she has to know.”

         If it was possible, the growls intensified and the wolf now tensed, crouching, as if readying to pounce.

         In response, Charles lowered his stance, alert and focused on the wolf.  What was he going to do?  My eyes wandered from wolf to man, an air of foreboding beginning to descend. 

         A slight moan turned my attention back on Charles.  I squinted, not sure what I was seeing.  His shape was blurred, contorted.  Before I had fully realized what had happened, two wolves stood before me.  The first was aggressively threatening the second who stood calmly staring back. 

         I fell back, a scream on my lips when the second turned to me, revealing ice white eyes.  It was the wolf from before; the wolf that had been haunting me more and more often these past weeks.  Untold, my mind made the impossible connection.  Ice white eyes, the same as Charles.  Black coat, Charles’ black hair.  My eyes turned to the first wolf.  Black eyes, dark coat.  Sir William.

         If this was Sir William, he saw my recognition and took a tentative step forward.  Charles held back, letting William take the lead.

         I felt myself stumble backward and away from the impossibility taking place before me.



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Far Sighted Ch 5: Wolf  (13+) "I cannot stand up against you, brother. Not now. The bond has been forged.” #1559667 by Far Sighted

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Far Sighted Ch 7: A Predator's Presence  (13+) You owe William your very life. Nothing short of death can release you from that debt. #1561473 by Far Sighted