A/N: Bonjour, Salut, Hola, Joyeux Noel, and Feliz Navidas!!! I'm so happy that I can update now...and that i finally hav TWO WHOLE PAGES OF REVIEWS!!!!!!! Many thanx and cany cane kudos bars to my many reviewees...love ya ALL!!!! (specially kristen of mistallia, Hannalee, hemlock, and Do you have two pages yet?)
Anywho, I actually was hoping for a little more reviews before I posted again, but then I realized that there was really nothing in the last chapter to inspire the need to review (although a few did, and I thank them~again!) and I forgot the fact that practically everyone...except me...is in the middle of exams right now...hmmm...Well, here's another chapter, and I'll post more as soon as I can...but it probably won't be til January...sorry! So, review, and make my day and rock my world, and I'll love you forever! (Besides that, I really hope that y'all like my story! tootles!)
~Jenny the chica~
Chapter Nine: In Which Celia Visits Home…
After the first few days, Celia's new life fell into moderately predictable pattern. She never saw her husband in the daytime, or during daylight at all, and she spent her days talking with the bear, although he was never ever there in the late morning and afternoon, and riding and talking to Camille, who listened somewhat attentively.
The strange throb of the place never slowed, but Celia noticed it less and less. It was always evident and clear, but it did not seem to thunder in her ears as it had when she had first arrived.
Celia didn't notice the time for a long while, content to live out each day slightly different from the last, until she woke up in the middle of the night with a dreadful knot in her stomach. She instantly knew that something was wrong at home.
Celia had jerked up when she awoke, and, now awake, realized that she had woken up her sleeping husband, for she heard a groan behind her.
He put his arms around her waist and asked, "What's wrong?"
Celia felt embarrassed by the concern in his voice, but she was so upset that she said, "Something's wrong…terribly wrong at home. I'm not sure how I know, but I'm sure of it. I think that Papa's sick. I-I have to go see him. I have to!"
Behind her, he sucked in his breath and was silent in thought. He finally said, "Yes. I knew that you would need to leave one day for something like this. Yes, yes you can go. But promise me two things."
Relieved, Celia assured him, "Anything!"
"First, promise me that you will not talk alone with your mother, for if you do, all will be lost. Secondly, promise not to mention me at all, especially that you cannot see me. Do you agree?"
Celia was puzzled by this, but agreed.
"Very well then. Tomorrow, you can ride on the bear's back to your home. Don't worry about your horse, and I will talk to the bear for you as well."
"Thank you."
Celia turned and tried to get back to sleep, but she was too happy and nervous about going home to be able to do so, and she soon felt her husband silently kiss her good-bye, as he did every morning.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Getting dressed as quickly as she possibly could, Celia ran downstairs to talk to the bear. She found him sitting at the dining room table, as he did every morning.
Celia wanted to get going as soon as they could, but the bear insisted on breakfast first. After they had eaten, Celia followed the bear outside, then gingerly sat sideways on his back.
The ride seemed very short and surprisingly comfortable, and Celia was amazed to look up to see her home. She began weeping then, and her whole family welcomed her when she arrived at the front door at last, although they were all nervous around the gigantic bear.
Celia assured them that the bear would not harm them, but the bear took her aside before she went into the house.
"Celia, I know that I am making your family nervous, and so I will leave now-" Celia tried to protest, but he raised his paw, as a human would raise his hand "I will leave and return for you in exactly a week to bring you back. Good-bye, Celia."
"Good-bye. I will see you in a week."
After the bear could no longer be seen, the whole family, chattering all the while, ushered Celia inside the house into the main parlor, where they all demanded to know all that had happened in the year-Has it truly been that long? Celia wondered-that she had been gone.
Celia gave them a simple explanation, not mentioning her husband, as he had asked her. She told them of her friendship with the bear, which shocked them all, but they were all satisfied with the story when Celia was finished, except for her mother and sisters.
The instant she indicated that she was finished, her mother hurriedly said, "Celia, dear, we have much to catch up on in private. Will you come upstairs and talk with me?"
Remembering what her husband had said, she casually shrugged it off, "Oh, no, Mother. I'm much too tired to talk any more tonight. Perhaps later."
"All right, dear. Whatever you say."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Celia's mother eventually convinced her to speak with her privately. The two walked upstairs, into her parent's bedroom, where her mother forced the entire story out of her, including the part about her unseen husband, and how sorrowful she was about not being able to see him. When Celia finished, her mother looked at her, her mouth gaping.
"What?" Celia asked.
"Oh, you foolish child! How could you have let yourself be tricked like that?"
"What do you mean?"
"Celia, dear, we all love your innocence and naivety, but it has clearly blocked your common sense in this situation!"
"Mother! What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about you trusting that man-if that's what he is-when he says all those things to you!"
"Why shouldn't I?"
"Because you can't see him, so he clearly is hiding something! Celia, why would anything good and honest hide its face?"
"I don't know! I just trust him, but he would never lie to me-"
"Foolish child! How do you know if he is lying to you or not? It may well have been a troll that you slept with, for nothing beautiful would hide its face!"
Celia had never thought anything like this since she had first arrived. Of course it was a man...wasn't it?
Her mother continued, "Now I'll tell you how to be able to see him. Hide a box of matches in your dress, hidden from the bear and this person, and wait until he falls asleep. When you hear the deep breathing that shows that he's deep asleep, light the candle and look at him. If it's the troll or monster that I feel it is, use this." She handed Celia a knife, concealed in a think sheath.
Celia, in her blind terror, agreed. When she left at the end of the week, amidst tears from her family, she took with her the knife and matches.
Anywho, I actually was hoping for a little more reviews before I posted again, but then I realized that there was really nothing in the last chapter to inspire the need to review (although a few did, and I thank them~again!) and I forgot the fact that practically everyone...except me...is in the middle of exams right now...hmmm...Well, here's another chapter, and I'll post more as soon as I can...but it probably won't be til January...sorry! So, review, and make my day and rock my world, and I'll love you forever! (Besides that, I really hope that y'all like my story! tootles!)
~Jenny the chica~
Chapter Nine: In Which Celia Visits Home…
After the first few days, Celia's new life fell into moderately predictable pattern. She never saw her husband in the daytime, or during daylight at all, and she spent her days talking with the bear, although he was never ever there in the late morning and afternoon, and riding and talking to Camille, who listened somewhat attentively.
The strange throb of the place never slowed, but Celia noticed it less and less. It was always evident and clear, but it did not seem to thunder in her ears as it had when she had first arrived.
Celia didn't notice the time for a long while, content to live out each day slightly different from the last, until she woke up in the middle of the night with a dreadful knot in her stomach. She instantly knew that something was wrong at home.
Celia had jerked up when she awoke, and, now awake, realized that she had woken up her sleeping husband, for she heard a groan behind her.
He put his arms around her waist and asked, "What's wrong?"
Celia felt embarrassed by the concern in his voice, but she was so upset that she said, "Something's wrong…terribly wrong at home. I'm not sure how I know, but I'm sure of it. I think that Papa's sick. I-I have to go see him. I have to!"
Behind her, he sucked in his breath and was silent in thought. He finally said, "Yes. I knew that you would need to leave one day for something like this. Yes, yes you can go. But promise me two things."
Relieved, Celia assured him, "Anything!"
"First, promise me that you will not talk alone with your mother, for if you do, all will be lost. Secondly, promise not to mention me at all, especially that you cannot see me. Do you agree?"
Celia was puzzled by this, but agreed.
"Very well then. Tomorrow, you can ride on the bear's back to your home. Don't worry about your horse, and I will talk to the bear for you as well."
"Thank you."
Celia turned and tried to get back to sleep, but she was too happy and nervous about going home to be able to do so, and she soon felt her husband silently kiss her good-bye, as he did every morning.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Getting dressed as quickly as she possibly could, Celia ran downstairs to talk to the bear. She found him sitting at the dining room table, as he did every morning.
Celia wanted to get going as soon as they could, but the bear insisted on breakfast first. After they had eaten, Celia followed the bear outside, then gingerly sat sideways on his back.
The ride seemed very short and surprisingly comfortable, and Celia was amazed to look up to see her home. She began weeping then, and her whole family welcomed her when she arrived at the front door at last, although they were all nervous around the gigantic bear.
Celia assured them that the bear would not harm them, but the bear took her aside before she went into the house.
"Celia, I know that I am making your family nervous, and so I will leave now-" Celia tried to protest, but he raised his paw, as a human would raise his hand "I will leave and return for you in exactly a week to bring you back. Good-bye, Celia."
"Good-bye. I will see you in a week."
After the bear could no longer be seen, the whole family, chattering all the while, ushered Celia inside the house into the main parlor, where they all demanded to know all that had happened in the year-Has it truly been that long? Celia wondered-that she had been gone.
Celia gave them a simple explanation, not mentioning her husband, as he had asked her. She told them of her friendship with the bear, which shocked them all, but they were all satisfied with the story when Celia was finished, except for her mother and sisters.
The instant she indicated that she was finished, her mother hurriedly said, "Celia, dear, we have much to catch up on in private. Will you come upstairs and talk with me?"
Remembering what her husband had said, she casually shrugged it off, "Oh, no, Mother. I'm much too tired to talk any more tonight. Perhaps later."
"All right, dear. Whatever you say."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Celia's mother eventually convinced her to speak with her privately. The two walked upstairs, into her parent's bedroom, where her mother forced the entire story out of her, including the part about her unseen husband, and how sorrowful she was about not being able to see him. When Celia finished, her mother looked at her, her mouth gaping.
"What?" Celia asked.
"Oh, you foolish child! How could you have let yourself be tricked like that?"
"What do you mean?"
"Celia, dear, we all love your innocence and naivety, but it has clearly blocked your common sense in this situation!"
"Mother! What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about you trusting that man-if that's what he is-when he says all those things to you!"
"Why shouldn't I?"
"Because you can't see him, so he clearly is hiding something! Celia, why would anything good and honest hide its face?"
"I don't know! I just trust him, but he would never lie to me-"
"Foolish child! How do you know if he is lying to you or not? It may well have been a troll that you slept with, for nothing beautiful would hide its face!"
Celia had never thought anything like this since she had first arrived. Of course it was a man...wasn't it?
Her mother continued, "Now I'll tell you how to be able to see him. Hide a box of matches in your dress, hidden from the bear and this person, and wait until he falls asleep. When you hear the deep breathing that shows that he's deep asleep, light the candle and look at him. If it's the troll or monster that I feel it is, use this." She handed Celia a knife, concealed in a think sheath.
Celia, in her blind terror, agreed. When she left at the end of the week, amidst tears from her family, she took with her the knife and matches.