TITLE : Meeting The Past – Embracing The Future
AUTHOR : Aset
CATEGORY : adventure / magic / romance
RATING : PG- 13
PAIRINGS : S/ B ; S/M
DISCLAIMER : The personages of AoS aren't mine. Except for Borr of course ;o)
SUMMARY : It's a story about Maeve's return, Bryn's past (and future)… and choices
AUTHOR'S NOTE: First of all, I've got to apologise for possible mistakes in the text. English is not my native language and I haven't got a betareader (yet).
As for the rest, thanks to all my friends, especially Horus, Dena and Ernie, for reading, helping me out, and most of all ; listen to my whining over and over again ! ! ! Thanks guys, you're the best! ! !
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------
Embracing the Future - part 12
Night had fallen and the world was asleep. On the deck of the beautiful ship a single man was still awake, standing on the tiller, looking up into the air, spotting the stars. It was Sinbad. The young captain had left his cabin, failing to fall asleep. His thoughts haunted him, Bryn and Maeve's condition haunted him.
They were both still alive, and so was the baby, but none of the two had regained conscience and both were still very weak, Firouz didn't even know if they were going to make it.
He went to sit down, his eyes still focused on the nightly sky, maybe hoping ht answers to his questions would be written down there in some constellation. He sighed and started to cry. It wasn't like him to cry, but he couldn't help it. He felt desperate. Bryn and Maeve were dying, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
A gentle breeze brushed besides him, silently stroking his body, making him shiver but at the same time, it felt somehow familiar, comforting. He dried his tears and looked out over the dark water of the ocean. In the distance, Pathar, a sleeping city, again filled with happy families.
'Sinbad' He heard a voice say, nearly a whisper.
'Sinbad' Again, this time a bit louder.
'Who's there?' he asked, standing up.
'Don't you know your old friends anymore?' the voice said
'DimDim?' Sinbad asked, looking around, a little smile on his face.
'That's me all right, captain! Seems to me you could need some advice, maybe some help too' DimDim's voice said.
'Where are you?'
'Don't bother, Sinbad. You can't see me. You don't need to either. Bryn and Maeve re all that matters now, right?'
'Can you help them?'
'I could, but right now, their lives are in your hands.'
'What do you mean?'
'know, we all know, love can't heal everything, but it's a start. I know you care a lot for both of them, and both of them have their own special place in your heart, but there's only one you can love in your future. You can only save one.'
'I...I don't get it'
'I can only save one of them, but it is you who will make the choice which one will live.'
'I can't do that'
'let me tell you a little story, Sinbad. It's about a little boy who also had to make a choice. He had a beautiful red ball, and he used to play with it all day long. The ball got lost and the boy was very sad. His daddy brought an apple-tree home from one of his distant journeys, and gave it to his son. They planted to tree together. The father told his son that if he took good care of the tree and if he'd water it every day, the tree would grow and give the little boy good, beautiful apples. The boy did as he was told and the next year there were beautiful apples growing ono the tree. In the meantime the boy had found the ball again. Although it had bleached in the sun, it was still the same old ball and in his joy over his re-found ball, the boy forgot about the tree. He still knew it was there of course and he watered it from time to time, but most of the time he spent with the ball. Then one day the boy had kicked his ball so high that it ended up in the apple-tree. The boy shook the tree, but the ball was stuck. The boy was forced to make a choice: the ball, which meant he would have to cut the tree, or his tree and the apples which grew on it.'
'What has got this to do with me?'
'Nothing actually, but what do you think the boy might have chosen?'
'his tree'
'Why?'
'Because it's something which bounds him and his father together.'
'And why didn't he take the ball?'
'Euh...' Sinbad didn't really had an answer for that, 'maybe because he'd grown up and he knew the apples could feed him.'
'So the boy chooses not to cut his tree and harvest beautiful apples. The ball stayed there, until a storm came and blew it out of the tree. The ball rolled, and rolled until it ended up at a little hut where another little boy was. The other little boy found the ball, and happily started playing with it. The boy who had the ball first took care of his tree while they both kept growing., and each year there ere more and more sweet apples on het tree. He was happy too. His father came back from his travels the winter after the ball had gone, and he'd brought his son a new ball, with all the colours of the rainbow.'
'And they all lived happily ever after?' Sinbad asked sarcastically.
'Have you made a choice?'
'How can I make a choice?'
'Sinbad, do you remember the days , het weeks when Maeve returned to you?'
'Yes, of course!' Sinbad sat down again.
'I sent her back here, knowing het evil that was coming, and knowing Bryn couldn't deal with it lone.'
'So...Her training isn't completed?'
'No, but Bryn was to be lost. Maeve was the only one who could help her.'
'Then how come you didn't call her back after the battle was fought?
'I couldn't. I mustn't interfere with the powers.'
'You mean between Maeve and Bryn, these transitions of powers?'
'Yes. They were part of some curse by Borr, but they have come to an end now. Now only you... you must choose.'
'Bryn's pregnant' Sinbad said, staring out over the sea which was still covered in darkness. He had hoped DimDim would be able to help him, to tell him what to do.
'I know, but nor she, nor the baby, nor Maeve will make it through the day. You must choose, Sinbad, and quickly, we're running out of time, otherwise we'll loose them all.'
Sinbad saw how in the east the darkness was slowly driven away by the awakening sun. He stood up and slowly walked down the stairs. He wanted to look upon both of them before making his decision although he knew time was short. DimDim kept silent, he knew it was something the captain needed to do.
He first entered Maeve's room. A pale figure was lying on the bed, asleep, barely breathing. Next to her, Doubar, asleep on the chair.
'For the best' Sinbad thought as he gently touched her face,' it's for the best he's asleep. It's better this way.'
He stroke over her cheeks with the back of his hand, hoping for a reaction, but it was in vain. It was like death had come already to slowly take position over the sorceress'' body. He hated it. He hated to choose, he hated to stand on the side, helpless, he hated to loose one of them.
He stayed there for a couple of minutes without saying a word, then left. 'Enough memories' he thought.
He went on to Bryn's cabin. Firouz silently left as Sinbad entered. She was sleeping too, and looked even more pale then Maeve. A fever had made her cheeks blush , but her lips had already welcomed the colour of death. She was slipping away. Her face was cold, her forehead burning with fever. It hurt him deeply to see her in this state. He took a hold of her hand, cold as ice as he touched her womb with his other hand, trying to feel the child, alive. It was there, and according to Firouz it was still alive, but it didn't move, and that worried him. DimDim's story crossed his mind again, taking turns with the memories. Then it came to him. Het ball, the tree, the apples... he left the cabin and hurried back to the tiller.
'DimDim!' he called out
'I'm here. Have you made your choice?'
'Can I ask you a question, DimDim?'
'Euh...Sure.' The voice said, surprised.
'Did you have a ball when you were little, DimDim?'
'That's a long time ago, but yes... I'd found a ball once, it was on the beach near my house after a storm'
'That's all I needed to know!' the captain said, sounding surprisingly cheerful, 'I've made my choice, DimDim. Save Bryn'
'Bryn?'
'Yes, bring her back to me. Her and our child. I know Maeve will be fine after all, returning with you.'
'So the story did make sense to you after all, huh?' DimDim said as he followed Sinbad below decks.
'Put them in the same room' he ordered.
The crew did as they were told, and everybody gathered in Bryn's cabin, where the two women were lying on the bed. There was no sound to be heard, no cough, not even a breath. DimDim had ordered silence before he'd started his strange chant. The red glow around Maeve appeared and so did Bryn's glow; yellow as the beams who had left her eyes before. Yellow and red coloured the room and joined a deep fluorescent orange glow before all the light disappeared with a great flash. Slowly everybody blinked with their eyes, trying to restore their view. Sunlight came through the closed curtains and provided a weak light. Doubar opened the curtains as DimDim finished his chant. Sinbad hurried over to Bryn's side, Her breathing was stronger, and so was her pulse. When he putted his hand on the abdomen, he could feel his child kicking. He smiled, Bryn was saved, and so was their child. Firouz had sat down besides Maeve's body. She was not death, but her breath was almost gone. And her pulse was weak, very weak.
'We must leave now' DimDim said, 'Before it's too late. Good luck everybody' Then a flash of light again, and Maeve was gone, and so was DimDim.
Sinbad looked over at the place where Maeve had been just a couple of moments ago, then he turned back to Bryn when he felt a little pressure on his hand.
'Bryn?' he gently asked while he stroke a lock out of her face. A smile appeared as she slowly opened her eyes.
'Sinbad?' her voice still sounded weak, but she was back. Everybody smiled, most of them not really know what all happened, but Sinbad did, and Bryn did too.
'How are you feeling' he asked as he brushed a soft kiss on her nose.
'Fine, I'll be just fine, I think' she said before she kissed him back. Rongar, Doubar and Firouz slowly left the cabin, leaving them alone. One happy family, finally reunited again.
'And how's our little one in here doing? How's our daughter?' He asks as he gently patted her on her belly.
'A daughter? How..What makes you say that?'
'Nothing, it's just a feeling I've got'
She laughed as she pulled him next to her, kissing him.
'I love you' he whispered
'I love you too'
'Don't ever leave me again'
'I won't, I won't'
Outside the sun rose up, bringing daylight back to the people, and letting life start again...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------
A/N: for those of you who didn't get DimDim's little story: the red ball stands for Maeve, the tree for Bryn and the apples for all the good things she's brought him (happiness, love, a child, ...). The ball (Maeve) brought him happiness and joy, but then again so did the tree. The first little boy symbolises Sinbad, the other boy is DimDim himself, who says he's going to take care of Maeve. And the other ball, well to find that one out, read the epilogue!
AUTHOR : Aset
CATEGORY : adventure / magic / romance
RATING : PG- 13
PAIRINGS : S/ B ; S/M
DISCLAIMER : The personages of AoS aren't mine. Except for Borr of course ;o)
SUMMARY : It's a story about Maeve's return, Bryn's past (and future)… and choices
AUTHOR'S NOTE: First of all, I've got to apologise for possible mistakes in the text. English is not my native language and I haven't got a betareader (yet).
As for the rest, thanks to all my friends, especially Horus, Dena and Ernie, for reading, helping me out, and most of all ; listen to my whining over and over again ! ! ! Thanks guys, you're the best! ! !
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------
Embracing the Future - part 12
Night had fallen and the world was asleep. On the deck of the beautiful ship a single man was still awake, standing on the tiller, looking up into the air, spotting the stars. It was Sinbad. The young captain had left his cabin, failing to fall asleep. His thoughts haunted him, Bryn and Maeve's condition haunted him.
They were both still alive, and so was the baby, but none of the two had regained conscience and both were still very weak, Firouz didn't even know if they were going to make it.
He went to sit down, his eyes still focused on the nightly sky, maybe hoping ht answers to his questions would be written down there in some constellation. He sighed and started to cry. It wasn't like him to cry, but he couldn't help it. He felt desperate. Bryn and Maeve were dying, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
A gentle breeze brushed besides him, silently stroking his body, making him shiver but at the same time, it felt somehow familiar, comforting. He dried his tears and looked out over the dark water of the ocean. In the distance, Pathar, a sleeping city, again filled with happy families.
'Sinbad' He heard a voice say, nearly a whisper.
'Sinbad' Again, this time a bit louder.
'Who's there?' he asked, standing up.
'Don't you know your old friends anymore?' the voice said
'DimDim?' Sinbad asked, looking around, a little smile on his face.
'That's me all right, captain! Seems to me you could need some advice, maybe some help too' DimDim's voice said.
'Where are you?'
'Don't bother, Sinbad. You can't see me. You don't need to either. Bryn and Maeve re all that matters now, right?'
'Can you help them?'
'I could, but right now, their lives are in your hands.'
'What do you mean?'
'know, we all know, love can't heal everything, but it's a start. I know you care a lot for both of them, and both of them have their own special place in your heart, but there's only one you can love in your future. You can only save one.'
'I...I don't get it'
'I can only save one of them, but it is you who will make the choice which one will live.'
'I can't do that'
'let me tell you a little story, Sinbad. It's about a little boy who also had to make a choice. He had a beautiful red ball, and he used to play with it all day long. The ball got lost and the boy was very sad. His daddy brought an apple-tree home from one of his distant journeys, and gave it to his son. They planted to tree together. The father told his son that if he took good care of the tree and if he'd water it every day, the tree would grow and give the little boy good, beautiful apples. The boy did as he was told and the next year there were beautiful apples growing ono the tree. In the meantime the boy had found the ball again. Although it had bleached in the sun, it was still the same old ball and in his joy over his re-found ball, the boy forgot about the tree. He still knew it was there of course and he watered it from time to time, but most of the time he spent with the ball. Then one day the boy had kicked his ball so high that it ended up in the apple-tree. The boy shook the tree, but the ball was stuck. The boy was forced to make a choice: the ball, which meant he would have to cut the tree, or his tree and the apples which grew on it.'
'What has got this to do with me?'
'Nothing actually, but what do you think the boy might have chosen?'
'his tree'
'Why?'
'Because it's something which bounds him and his father together.'
'And why didn't he take the ball?'
'Euh...' Sinbad didn't really had an answer for that, 'maybe because he'd grown up and he knew the apples could feed him.'
'So the boy chooses not to cut his tree and harvest beautiful apples. The ball stayed there, until a storm came and blew it out of the tree. The ball rolled, and rolled until it ended up at a little hut where another little boy was. The other little boy found the ball, and happily started playing with it. The boy who had the ball first took care of his tree while they both kept growing., and each year there ere more and more sweet apples on het tree. He was happy too. His father came back from his travels the winter after the ball had gone, and he'd brought his son a new ball, with all the colours of the rainbow.'
'And they all lived happily ever after?' Sinbad asked sarcastically.
'Have you made a choice?'
'How can I make a choice?'
'Sinbad, do you remember the days , het weeks when Maeve returned to you?'
'Yes, of course!' Sinbad sat down again.
'I sent her back here, knowing het evil that was coming, and knowing Bryn couldn't deal with it lone.'
'So...Her training isn't completed?'
'No, but Bryn was to be lost. Maeve was the only one who could help her.'
'Then how come you didn't call her back after the battle was fought?
'I couldn't. I mustn't interfere with the powers.'
'You mean between Maeve and Bryn, these transitions of powers?'
'Yes. They were part of some curse by Borr, but they have come to an end now. Now only you... you must choose.'
'Bryn's pregnant' Sinbad said, staring out over the sea which was still covered in darkness. He had hoped DimDim would be able to help him, to tell him what to do.
'I know, but nor she, nor the baby, nor Maeve will make it through the day. You must choose, Sinbad, and quickly, we're running out of time, otherwise we'll loose them all.'
Sinbad saw how in the east the darkness was slowly driven away by the awakening sun. He stood up and slowly walked down the stairs. He wanted to look upon both of them before making his decision although he knew time was short. DimDim kept silent, he knew it was something the captain needed to do.
He first entered Maeve's room. A pale figure was lying on the bed, asleep, barely breathing. Next to her, Doubar, asleep on the chair.
'For the best' Sinbad thought as he gently touched her face,' it's for the best he's asleep. It's better this way.'
He stroke over her cheeks with the back of his hand, hoping for a reaction, but it was in vain. It was like death had come already to slowly take position over the sorceress'' body. He hated it. He hated to choose, he hated to stand on the side, helpless, he hated to loose one of them.
He stayed there for a couple of minutes without saying a word, then left. 'Enough memories' he thought.
He went on to Bryn's cabin. Firouz silently left as Sinbad entered. She was sleeping too, and looked even more pale then Maeve. A fever had made her cheeks blush , but her lips had already welcomed the colour of death. She was slipping away. Her face was cold, her forehead burning with fever. It hurt him deeply to see her in this state. He took a hold of her hand, cold as ice as he touched her womb with his other hand, trying to feel the child, alive. It was there, and according to Firouz it was still alive, but it didn't move, and that worried him. DimDim's story crossed his mind again, taking turns with the memories. Then it came to him. Het ball, the tree, the apples... he left the cabin and hurried back to the tiller.
'DimDim!' he called out
'I'm here. Have you made your choice?'
'Can I ask you a question, DimDim?'
'Euh...Sure.' The voice said, surprised.
'Did you have a ball when you were little, DimDim?'
'That's a long time ago, but yes... I'd found a ball once, it was on the beach near my house after a storm'
'That's all I needed to know!' the captain said, sounding surprisingly cheerful, 'I've made my choice, DimDim. Save Bryn'
'Bryn?'
'Yes, bring her back to me. Her and our child. I know Maeve will be fine after all, returning with you.'
'So the story did make sense to you after all, huh?' DimDim said as he followed Sinbad below decks.
'Put them in the same room' he ordered.
The crew did as they were told, and everybody gathered in Bryn's cabin, where the two women were lying on the bed. There was no sound to be heard, no cough, not even a breath. DimDim had ordered silence before he'd started his strange chant. The red glow around Maeve appeared and so did Bryn's glow; yellow as the beams who had left her eyes before. Yellow and red coloured the room and joined a deep fluorescent orange glow before all the light disappeared with a great flash. Slowly everybody blinked with their eyes, trying to restore their view. Sunlight came through the closed curtains and provided a weak light. Doubar opened the curtains as DimDim finished his chant. Sinbad hurried over to Bryn's side, Her breathing was stronger, and so was her pulse. When he putted his hand on the abdomen, he could feel his child kicking. He smiled, Bryn was saved, and so was their child. Firouz had sat down besides Maeve's body. She was not death, but her breath was almost gone. And her pulse was weak, very weak.
'We must leave now' DimDim said, 'Before it's too late. Good luck everybody' Then a flash of light again, and Maeve was gone, and so was DimDim.
Sinbad looked over at the place where Maeve had been just a couple of moments ago, then he turned back to Bryn when he felt a little pressure on his hand.
'Bryn?' he gently asked while he stroke a lock out of her face. A smile appeared as she slowly opened her eyes.
'Sinbad?' her voice still sounded weak, but she was back. Everybody smiled, most of them not really know what all happened, but Sinbad did, and Bryn did too.
'How are you feeling' he asked as he brushed a soft kiss on her nose.
'Fine, I'll be just fine, I think' she said before she kissed him back. Rongar, Doubar and Firouz slowly left the cabin, leaving them alone. One happy family, finally reunited again.
'And how's our little one in here doing? How's our daughter?' He asks as he gently patted her on her belly.
'A daughter? How..What makes you say that?'
'Nothing, it's just a feeling I've got'
She laughed as she pulled him next to her, kissing him.
'I love you' he whispered
'I love you too'
'Don't ever leave me again'
'I won't, I won't'
Outside the sun rose up, bringing daylight back to the people, and letting life start again...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------
A/N: for those of you who didn't get DimDim's little story: the red ball stands for Maeve, the tree for Bryn and the apples for all the good things she's brought him (happiness, love, a child, ...). The ball (Maeve) brought him happiness and joy, but then again so did the tree. The first little boy symbolises Sinbad, the other boy is DimDim himself, who says he's going to take care of Maeve. And the other ball, well to find that one out, read the epilogue!