Chapter 36

France, 1105

It was funny how different the world looked like from the treetop. I loved feeling the wind on my face and seeing almost the whole valley around me. Sometimes I even let out a little howl. Not very ladylike, but I still loved climbing into trees. Kol just loved to tease me about that, I was still his wild little forest nymph. I should probably head back; I had told him that I wouldn't be away for long. After years and years of traveling, it felt good to settle down for a while. We had been in Kiev, Hungary and Poland and traveled across the Europe, we had even crossed the Carpathian mountains. That had truly been an amazing experience.

Neither of us had aged. Sometimes I still found that hard to believe. Esther's spell had truly been powerful; it seemed that we didn't die. I was just about to jump to the ground, when I noticed a large group of riders traveling on the road. They looked like soldiers wearing white mantles with a red cross. There was also the same symbol on the flags some of them were carrying. I couldn't remember seeing it before; I wondered which king they served. Or maybe some bishop, that would explain the cross.

I was curious, according to Kol sometimes too much, so I jumped down and zoomed towards the road. Apparently I wasn't the only one who had noticed these travelers, there were many people standing on the side of the road. Many of them seemed to be praying and the women placed flowers on the road in front of their horses. That was interesting. These men certainly looked like skilled warriors but there was also something else about them, some kind of serenity.

"Excuse me," I said to an old man who was standing next to me, using my clumsy French. "Who are these men?"

"They are templar knights," the old man replied. "They are on their way to the Holy Land."

Oh, crusaders, I had heard about them. They certainly had a long journey ahead of them. I picked up few flowers and placed them on the road like other women, although I certainly didn't fit in with my hair down and barefoot. All the other women had covered their hair with a scarf. For a moment my eyes met with one of these knights, a young man who looked at me curiously. I quickly looked away; I didn't want to get the poor man killed before he would even reach the Holy Land. I should definitely head back home. I didn't get far when I heard someone coming after me.

"Sonja!"

That voice… I froze for a moment before I turned around and saw him. His hair looked different but I recognized him immediately.

"Finn?" I asked disbelievingly.

He gave me a cautious smile.

"Hello Sonja."

"Finn!"

I hugged him so forcefully that I almost tackled him. His body tensed but apparently he recovered from my surprise attack quickly and tapped my back few times.

"Well…It has been…a while," he said when I released him from my grip.

It certainly had, I hadn't seen him since the night Mikael had killed me. That was a strange thought; so many years had passed by, more than a one lifetime.

"This is unbelievable," I muttered. "How did you…How are you?"

That seemed like an appropriate question, since the last time I had seen him, he had been covered with the blood of the person he had loved the most.

"I…Things are better now," he replied cautiously.

"I am so happy to hear that," I said. "When did you come to Europe?"

"A while ago. To be honest, I do not have much recollection about the first years after…"

I nodded; I certainly understood what he meant.

"Kol will be so happy to see you."

"Yes, I… You live alone with him? The others are not with you?"

I shook my head.

"No, I have not seen them since we all left."

The thought made me a little sad; I had been hoping that Finn would have ran into them along the years.

"I have not seen them either," he said.

I was about to ask more questions when I noticed a woman approaching us cautiously. She was wearing a simple blue gown and she had covered her curly red hair with a white scarf. Her eyes were light blue and she was looking at Finn insecurely.

"Forgive me, my love," he said warmly and took her hand. "Sonja, this is Sage. Sonja is my brother's wife."

"It is nice to meet you," I said smiling politely.

"It is nice to meet you too," she replied with a strong Irish accent. I noticed a modest wooden cross on her neck and I realized that she had been one of the women who had placed flowers in front of the templar knights.

"So, are you living here?" I asked.

Finn shook his head.

"No, we are merely passing through. Sage wishes to travel and I am more than happy to accompany her."

Sage gave him a warm smile and squished his hand on her own. I could tell by her scent that she was like us so apparently Finn had found himself a companion. That made me happy; no one should have to live a demon's life alone. I had no idea what I would have done without Kol.

"You must come to see Kol," I said. "Our home isn't far."

"Yes, I would really like to see him," Finn replied.

I led them to the mansion Kol and I was currently staying, he really loved everything luxurious. To me that wasn't so important, I enjoyed spending time outdoors, but I also didn't want to embarrass him so I had learned how to act like a lady, when that was necessary. Although I didn't think that I would have ever want to be a real lady, there wasn't much to do for them expect embroideries, looking pretty and perhaps fainting for time to time. Kol and I had been in few fancy balls and I hadn't particularly enjoyed them.

"Kol!" I shouted excited after running inside our home. Again, not really ladylike. I should definitely wash my feet. He appeared immediately from the parlor.

"What is it?"

I smiled and pointed at the door.

"Hello, little brother," Finn said calmly.

Kol seemed stunned.

"Well, well… This is a surprise."

For a moment they just stood there and looked at each other.

"Please, come in," I said since Kol had obviously forgotten his manners.

"I hope you do not expect a hug or something," Kol muttered.

Finn smiled.

"Good heavens no."

They approached each other and hugged clumsily. That looked so uncomfortable that I almost started to laugh. Then I noticed that Sage was still standing in the doorway, apparently uncertain if she was welcome as well.

"Please," I said and gestured her to come in.

Kol frowned when he saw her and Finn wrapped his arm gently around her waist.

"This is Sage. Sage, my little brother Kol."

"Hello," she said smiling cautiously.

"Where did you find her?" Kol asked.

Finn bit his bottom lip.

"Well…"

Ireland, 6 months earlier

The night was cold and rainy but that didn't really matter to Finn. He had no interest to camp for a night or lit a campfire. His dark cloak was muddy, his boots were almost worn out and the rain had wet his messy hair. His whole appearance warned people to stay away from him. So many years of traveling without any place to go. For years he had wandered in the woods of the new world, looking for something he knew he would never find or deserve; salvation.

He had noticed that he could have make his feelings to disappear but that would have been too merciful. He deserved a lifetime of suffering. Then that lifetime had passed and he had been still there. That was the cruelest punishment there was. He could have simply taken his ring off and let the sun burn him, but that would have also been too merciful. This hollow existence was all that he deserved; there couldn't have been worse torture.

Finally he had ended up in a ship to Europe; there had been nothing for him in the new world. There had been nothing for him in Europe either but that didn't really matter. He didn't care where he was going, as long as he didn't have to say in one place for long. England, Ireland, it made no difference. He rarely spoke to anyone and the only time when he touched someone was when he fed on them. He was like a nightmare that was cursed to walk on this Earth forever.

There seemed to be a village ahead. For a moment he actually hesitated, but the thought of stein and a warm fireplace sounded too appealing, so he headed towards this village. He wrapped his cloak tighter around him before stepping into a tavern. It was full of loud, drunken people, who were laughing and chatting. Some of them were even singing one of those cheerful songs these Irish people seemed to like so much. Few people noticed him but they didn't seem to care. Finn sat at a corner table, trying to stay as unnoticed as possible. He hoped that these people weren't stupid enough to pick a fight with him; he wasn't in a mood of killing anyone tonight.

"Good evening," a woman's voice suddenly said. "What can I get you?"

Finn looked up and saw her, a gorgeous redhead with beautiful blue eyes. She was smiling politely.

"A stein, please," he managed to say.

"Coming right up. Would you like something to eat, we have some stew…"

"No, thank you."

She gave him another smile and went to get his stein. He couldn't get his eyes off her. Despite of the fact that she was wearing a grey dress that looked like a sack, she still managed to look good in it. He bit his lip and forced himself to look away. What was he doing?

"Here you are," she said when she placed the stein in front of him.

"Thank you."

"Are you passing through? We have available rooms if you wish to bathe and rest."

Finn hesitated.

"Yes, actually that sounds…"

"Sage!" someone shouted before he managed to say anything else.

"Excuse me," she said kindly and hurried towards the counter. An elderly man behind it looked at her coldly.

"Yes, uncle?" she asked.

"The steins will not wash themselves; do that before whoring with that drifter."

She lowered her head.

"Yes, uncle."

Finn frowned.

"Hey, harlot!" some man shouted. "I want another stein!"

She kept the smile on her face when she took it to him, even when he grabbed her butt. It seemed that almost all the men in the tavern were treating her like that, pinching and touching her when she brought them steins and cleaned the tables. They didn't do that with the other barmaid. Finn gritted his teeth. That was no way to treat a woman.

"Excuse me," he said when she passed his table. "I believe I would like to have that room."

"Of course," she said and went to the get the elderly man, who apparently was the innkeeper.

"Payment in advance, a warm bath costs extra," he said quite rudely.

Finn picked up few coins from his pocket and gave them to the man. His eyes widened and he examined the coins for a while before looking at him.

"Welcome, sir," he said using a very different tone. "Sage, show this gentleman his room and make sure that he has everything what he needs."

"Yes, of course. This way please, sir."

Finn stood up and followed her upstairs. The room was very small; there was only a bed, a water bowl and a candle on a small table.

"Would you like me to prepare you a bath?" she asked politely.

"No, thank you." He hesitated a moment before he continued. "Why are those people so rude to you?"

She lowered her head and blushed.

"I deserve that, sir, I have sinned."

Finn couldn't imagine what kind of sin this sweet little creature could have possibly committed.

"What do you mean?"

"I…I am sorry, I should go back downstairs, my uncle is probably waiting for me. Good night, sir."

Finn decided that he would stay here for now; there was something about this woman that fascinated him. Next morning it was the day people went to church. Finn wasn't very familiar with their religious ways, why would he care about what they worshiped. He was up early and noticed Sage heading outside wearing a simple black dress and a black scarf.

"Whore," some women snapped and spitted on the ground when she walked past them. Finn clenched his fists and he really had to control himself for not making those women to swallow their tongues. Sage stopped before she reached a small church and kept her distance when other people went inside. Finally she walked in front of entrance and kneeled on the ground. Finn approached her cautiously.

"Oh, good morning," she said when she noticed him. "I am sorry; I must be in your way…"

"No, no," he said quickly before she got up. "Why are you not going inside?"

She smiled but it was a sad smile.

"I am not welcome."

"Because you have sinned?"

She nodded.

"Yes. I brought shame to myself and to my family. I can only hope to find a salvation someday."

Salvation… Not everyone deserved that. She looked at him with her beautiful blue eyes.

"Are you alright?"

"Do you think that there are people who do not deserve salvation?" he asked without really thinking about it.

She looked at him closely and shook her head.

"No. Our Lord is merciful for those who sincerely ask for His forgiveness."

"Have you not asked then?"

"Yes, but that does not mean that I shouldn't be punished."

She sounded so calm, accepting what ever other people would do to her. Finn truly found this woman fascinating. He couldn't remember when he had last had so long conversation with anyone. In that moment he decided that he would find a way to help this woman. What ever it would take.

I looked at the happy looking couple sitting in our dining room holding each other's hands.

"That is so sweet," I said. "What happened then?"

"I stayed in her village and tried to get to know her, although I believe I was quite clumsy," Finn replied.

"Yes, you were," Sage said and kissed his cheek. "But I found that cute."

Kol rolled his eyes and I kicked his leg under the table.

"How…nice," he muttered. "So, what was that sin of yours?"

Finn was about to say something but Sage stopped him by touching his shoulder.

"That is quite alright, my love, I have no problem to talk about it." She looked at me and Kol calmly with her blue eyes. "I lived with my uncle's family because the plague took my parents. Then one night my cousin and some of his friends came to my bedroom and forced themselves on me. I got pregnant and gave birth to a dead child."

A long silence followed her words. I was too shocked to say anything, that poor woman.

"I am so sorry," I finally muttered.

She smiled and waved her hand.

"That is all in the past. Let bygones be bygones."

I bit my lip.

"Well, I think it's wonderful that you found each other. How did you become…like us?"

Finn pressed his lips together and I saw Sage squishing his hand tighter.

"There was a man who thought that he could use me the same way than my cousin and his friends and he wasn't willing to take no for an answer. I fought and he cut my throat," Sage said calmly.

I gasped.

"She was almost dead when I found her," Finn said tensely. "It was too late to heal her but my blood changed her."

He wrapped his arm protectively around Sage.

"Surely you burned that village and killed everyone in there," Kol said.

Finn shook his head.

"I wanted to do it," Sage said smiling sweetly. "But he helped a little."

I couldn't do anything expect stare at them. Had that shy, sweet woman just said that she had slaughtered the whole village of people?

"They needed to be punished," she continued sounding almost cheerful. "The Lord hates hypocrisy, let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

I really didn't have anything to add to that and for once even Kol was speechless.