PART FOUR
Ian Nottingham woke from the dream shaken and covered with night sweats. He could still taste the bloodlust of the battle and the sickening feel of defeat as he had shielded the child with his own body and his life.
As he simply stood in the shower on shaky legs, letting the hot water pound away the aches in his body, he realize he was torn between hatred for Gabriel Bowman and a sense of duty to protect the child.
His confusion only intensified as he remember the way Bowman had refused to leave him, how the younger man had put his life and the life of the child in danger by standing next to him against the being in battle. Then Bowman had been able to do what he, a warrior could not, defeat and banish the dark demon that had tried and almost succeeded in claiming the child.
Leaving the shower, Nottingham toweled off and quickly dressed to go out. He had to think, to contemplate the dream and it's meaning. Instinctively he knew whatever differences he and Bowman had at this present time, would have to be put aside and forgotten in order to make sure the girl was safe.
With these thoughts buzzing inside his mind, Nottingham grabbed his coat, gloves and cap and headed out to walk, so that he could think and plan.
He woke in pain so intense, he was unable to more for a long time. His gray eyes filled with terror and hatred as he recalled his defeat. He had been dangerously mistaken about the abilities of the man who watched over the Child of Light. He had assumed the pale man had been too young and untrained to be of any concern. He would have never believed that he would be defeated at this one's hands, but he was.
And the other, the warrior, he had enjoyed toying with him. He had tested that one's skills and found them remarkable. He had relished the thought of consuming the experiences and abilities slowly. But the same one that took the child away, and had possession of the book he so desperately wanted had denied even this to him.
"Who are you?" He growled still in the dark circle. Sitting up carefully, he held his head and looked around. "WHO ARE YOU!"
"I am Gabriel." Came the soft voice from everywhere. "Keeper of Myths and Histories."
"Gabriel." He played the name over and over on this tongue, tasting it carefully. "Well Mythkeeper, I promise to make you suffer and scream before I take your life and your soul."
Still feeling uneasy about the dream, Gabriel had gotten up once he was sure that Dianna was sleeping soundly. Quickly he showered, shaved, and then dressed. Standing next to the bed with arms crossed, he simply watched the child sleep. Bending down to kiss her on the forehead, he whispered, "Dragons and Unicorns guard your sleep Princess." He paused at the change he had made in Dianna's blessing then thought in the present situation, Dragons would be much better protectors than fairies.
Finally he left the bedroom, leaving the door open in case Dianna woke. He wanted to make sure she could get out if she wanted too. He took a deep breath and began to cook bacon and sausages for their breakfast, choosing to let the child pick out what else she wanted once she was up and awake.
Once he finished, and placed the cookware into the sink, he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat at the computer. Sipping, he began his regular morning ritual of reading the news online.
Near articles on the latest controversy with the Department of Homeland Security and the unusually cold weather the city was having, there was a small article on the death of Dianna's mother. He read the words carefully, but found nothing new had been discovered. He sighed and shook his head, hoping that eventually someone would come forward with a description of some kind. Finally he simply keyed in commands to print the page so that he could put it away in his files.
"Whacha doing Gabriel." Dianna whispered from behind, surprising Gabriel as he had begun to take another big gulp of coffee. Suddenly he was sputtering and coughing, trying to rid his windpipe of the hot liquid. "Are you okay?" Her tiny hand began to slap his back as she had probably seen other adults do many times.
"Just fine Princess." He cleared his throat loudly and turned to her. "What are you doing up so early sweetie."
"Just didn't want to sleep anymore." She shrugged and brushed hair out of her face. "Just got tired of dreaming." She suddenly grinned as turned around in his seat. "What's for breakfast, I'm hungry." He stood and took her in his arms easily. "I smell bacon!" She curled her nose as she imitated a well-known ad for doggie treats then began to giggle as Gabriel started tickling her.
While Dianna and Gabriel ate breakfast together, talking about what they wanted to do later, Nottingham had been walking, hands deep in his pocket. He was consumed with the after images of the dream. More than once, he literally had to stop and look around just to remind himself he was not in that nightmarish world.
Finally, without realizing he had gotten there, he found himself standing in front of Sara's building. For a moment he looked at the fire escape, which was his normal means of accessing her loft, but thought today, he would use the front door and hope she would not send him away. He needed to speak with her about all the things causing his mind to whirl. He needed to talk about the child and about Gabriel and the torment he felt having to trust the Mythkeeper.
Quickly he made his decision and was standing at her front door, knocking softly. He waited as he heard movement beyond the barrier. His heart jumped as it was slowly opened and Sara appeared, sullen and suspicious.
"Should I be afraid or just pissed off." She glared at him with arms crossed.
"Sara, please, I need to speak with you." His voice was soft and shaky. "It is important for your friend Gabriel and the child." For a moment he was afraid that she would send him away. "Please Sara." Finally she nodded and stood aside, allowing him entrance. "Thank you Sara."
"I was just sitting down for my morning coffee, can I get you something?" She indicated that he sit on the sofa, which he did slowly, shaking his head. "Suit yourself." She grabbed her own mug and sat in the chair across from him, pulling her legs under her body. "How did you find out about Dianna and Gabriel? Their names haven't been released."
"I saw them in a dream." He saw her look at him distrustfully. "I fought with Gabriel at my side to save the child from the evil that took her mother."
"Wait, you saw his face?" The mention of his words being about a dream disappeared. "Ian, if you could sit down with an artist, then maybe we can get a composite and catch this…."
"Sara. I only saw the darkness of his soul. Not his face." She looked away, disappointed and sipped the coffee. "I am sorry."
"Okay." Taking a deep breath, she turned back to him. "Tell me about why you think Dianna and Gabriel are in danger if this was all a dream."
"Sara, you know that sometimes dreams are more than what they seem." He locked eyes with her and began. "I was somehow pulled into a nightmarish world with Gabriel and the child…." Nottingham would tell her every detail of the dream. Sara would sit quietly, holding the cooling mug in her hands, and years later, she would say as she watched the warrior speak, he had a tremor of fear in his voice and tears in his eyes.
Ian Nottingham woke from the dream shaken and covered with night sweats. He could still taste the bloodlust of the battle and the sickening feel of defeat as he had shielded the child with his own body and his life.
As he simply stood in the shower on shaky legs, letting the hot water pound away the aches in his body, he realize he was torn between hatred for Gabriel Bowman and a sense of duty to protect the child.
His confusion only intensified as he remember the way Bowman had refused to leave him, how the younger man had put his life and the life of the child in danger by standing next to him against the being in battle. Then Bowman had been able to do what he, a warrior could not, defeat and banish the dark demon that had tried and almost succeeded in claiming the child.
Leaving the shower, Nottingham toweled off and quickly dressed to go out. He had to think, to contemplate the dream and it's meaning. Instinctively he knew whatever differences he and Bowman had at this present time, would have to be put aside and forgotten in order to make sure the girl was safe.
With these thoughts buzzing inside his mind, Nottingham grabbed his coat, gloves and cap and headed out to walk, so that he could think and plan.
He woke in pain so intense, he was unable to more for a long time. His gray eyes filled with terror and hatred as he recalled his defeat. He had been dangerously mistaken about the abilities of the man who watched over the Child of Light. He had assumed the pale man had been too young and untrained to be of any concern. He would have never believed that he would be defeated at this one's hands, but he was.
And the other, the warrior, he had enjoyed toying with him. He had tested that one's skills and found them remarkable. He had relished the thought of consuming the experiences and abilities slowly. But the same one that took the child away, and had possession of the book he so desperately wanted had denied even this to him.
"Who are you?" He growled still in the dark circle. Sitting up carefully, he held his head and looked around. "WHO ARE YOU!"
"I am Gabriel." Came the soft voice from everywhere. "Keeper of Myths and Histories."
"Gabriel." He played the name over and over on this tongue, tasting it carefully. "Well Mythkeeper, I promise to make you suffer and scream before I take your life and your soul."
Still feeling uneasy about the dream, Gabriel had gotten up once he was sure that Dianna was sleeping soundly. Quickly he showered, shaved, and then dressed. Standing next to the bed with arms crossed, he simply watched the child sleep. Bending down to kiss her on the forehead, he whispered, "Dragons and Unicorns guard your sleep Princess." He paused at the change he had made in Dianna's blessing then thought in the present situation, Dragons would be much better protectors than fairies.
Finally he left the bedroom, leaving the door open in case Dianna woke. He wanted to make sure she could get out if she wanted too. He took a deep breath and began to cook bacon and sausages for their breakfast, choosing to let the child pick out what else she wanted once she was up and awake.
Once he finished, and placed the cookware into the sink, he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat at the computer. Sipping, he began his regular morning ritual of reading the news online.
Near articles on the latest controversy with the Department of Homeland Security and the unusually cold weather the city was having, there was a small article on the death of Dianna's mother. He read the words carefully, but found nothing new had been discovered. He sighed and shook his head, hoping that eventually someone would come forward with a description of some kind. Finally he simply keyed in commands to print the page so that he could put it away in his files.
"Whacha doing Gabriel." Dianna whispered from behind, surprising Gabriel as he had begun to take another big gulp of coffee. Suddenly he was sputtering and coughing, trying to rid his windpipe of the hot liquid. "Are you okay?" Her tiny hand began to slap his back as she had probably seen other adults do many times.
"Just fine Princess." He cleared his throat loudly and turned to her. "What are you doing up so early sweetie."
"Just didn't want to sleep anymore." She shrugged and brushed hair out of her face. "Just got tired of dreaming." She suddenly grinned as turned around in his seat. "What's for breakfast, I'm hungry." He stood and took her in his arms easily. "I smell bacon!" She curled her nose as she imitated a well-known ad for doggie treats then began to giggle as Gabriel started tickling her.
While Dianna and Gabriel ate breakfast together, talking about what they wanted to do later, Nottingham had been walking, hands deep in his pocket. He was consumed with the after images of the dream. More than once, he literally had to stop and look around just to remind himself he was not in that nightmarish world.
Finally, without realizing he had gotten there, he found himself standing in front of Sara's building. For a moment he looked at the fire escape, which was his normal means of accessing her loft, but thought today, he would use the front door and hope she would not send him away. He needed to speak with her about all the things causing his mind to whirl. He needed to talk about the child and about Gabriel and the torment he felt having to trust the Mythkeeper.
Quickly he made his decision and was standing at her front door, knocking softly. He waited as he heard movement beyond the barrier. His heart jumped as it was slowly opened and Sara appeared, sullen and suspicious.
"Should I be afraid or just pissed off." She glared at him with arms crossed.
"Sara, please, I need to speak with you." His voice was soft and shaky. "It is important for your friend Gabriel and the child." For a moment he was afraid that she would send him away. "Please Sara." Finally she nodded and stood aside, allowing him entrance. "Thank you Sara."
"I was just sitting down for my morning coffee, can I get you something?" She indicated that he sit on the sofa, which he did slowly, shaking his head. "Suit yourself." She grabbed her own mug and sat in the chair across from him, pulling her legs under her body. "How did you find out about Dianna and Gabriel? Their names haven't been released."
"I saw them in a dream." He saw her look at him distrustfully. "I fought with Gabriel at my side to save the child from the evil that took her mother."
"Wait, you saw his face?" The mention of his words being about a dream disappeared. "Ian, if you could sit down with an artist, then maybe we can get a composite and catch this…."
"Sara. I only saw the darkness of his soul. Not his face." She looked away, disappointed and sipped the coffee. "I am sorry."
"Okay." Taking a deep breath, she turned back to him. "Tell me about why you think Dianna and Gabriel are in danger if this was all a dream."
"Sara, you know that sometimes dreams are more than what they seem." He locked eyes with her and began. "I was somehow pulled into a nightmarish world with Gabriel and the child…." Nottingham would tell her every detail of the dream. Sara would sit quietly, holding the cooling mug in her hands, and years later, she would say as she watched the warrior speak, he had a tremor of fear in his voice and tears in his eyes.