"The first time is for what was. The way back comes but once. Be
steadfast."
Alexabeth, standing naked in front of the Arches, felt the cool floor
beneath her feet and suppressed a shiver. This was it. The next step in her
quest. Unlike the shiver, she was not able to suppress the tiny smile that
crept on to her lips, as she carefully stepped into the light engulfing the
first arch.
Presently, she herself was engulfed in the light. The glow surrounded her,
it was part of her flesh. She felt a searing pain
Alexabeth lay on the forest floor, a hand over her side. A pain she
couldn't describe gripping her stomach.
The way back comes but once. Be steadfast.
She slowly raised her hand from her side and gasped as it came back covered
in red. Why did this surprise her! She had just witnessed it's happening.
As though remembering suddenly what was going on, she turned to her
assailant. A man stood before her. A bloodied dagger clenched in his
trembling fist.
"I almost murdered your father," he spat at her. That confession surprised
her to no end, but she couldn't imagine why. She had already been told.
"Don't think I won't do the same to you!" He waved the dagger in front of
himself, as though to prove he knew how to use it.
"Cosaal, don't do this." Alexabeth whimpered as her sweaty hand stung the
wound in her side. My father? But he's -- isn't he? -- what was I thinking?
Still grasping her side and propping herself up with one arm, Alexabeth
spoke as stern as possible. "Cosaal, you cannot do this to me. Our marriage
has already been arranged. Killing me won't help you any." Alexabeth gasped
as pain pulsated through her legs. "I know you fear me for some of the
things I'm capable of, but, Cosaal," she whispered "I've always loved you."
Her words confused her and she almost took them back. Take them back? Why
take back the truth? She almost shook her head with bewilderment, but any
kind of moving hurt far too much.
"Love?" he snapped back. "You say you love me, and yet the wind blows me
off balance at a glare from you; the fire I start burns out if I criticize.
You scare me half to death! You knew all along didn't you! You knew I had
wounded your father, didn't you? Didn't you??" the last came out as a bark
as he lunged toward her, dagger outstretched. Suddenly, the dagger spun
itself and plunged deep into Cosaal's chest.
"I hate you," he gasped as he pulled the dagger from his flesh. Suddenly,
Alexabeth saw a silver arch behind Cosaal.
The way back will come but once.
"The Arch," she whispered.
Cosaal gurgled as he spit up blood, still grasping the dagger, his knuckles
turning white with the strain. "Fine, kill me, witch. I've already told
everyone what you are. They're sure to be on their way. You can let them
get here first," his voice dropped a notch as he lost more blood, "or I
could kill you now."
Be steadfast.
"I can heal you, Cosaal," she said as she moved slightly toward him. She
grimaced as a sharp sensation dug into her stomach. "If you'll trust me."
The way back -
"Never witch! DIE!" Alexabeth somehow moved from his reached, knocking him
off balance, and falling on his own blade.
I can heal him... She thought she heard voices in the distance. The sound
of an angry mob. I can heal him! She moved toward him, and caught sight of
something. The arch.
-- will come but once.
"I CAN HEAL HIM!!" she screamed as she threw herself through the arch. The
pain subsided; the aching in her chest remained.
She stepped out of the arch and collapsed to her knees. "I could have
healed him," she whispered to herself.
"Tell me it's not true. Tell me it wasn't Cosaal that murdered my father.
Please. Light, please!" not expecting there to be anyone near enough to
hear, let alone answer, Alexabeth sat back on her heals, and wished she
could cry.
steadfast."
Alexabeth, standing naked in front of the Arches, felt the cool floor
beneath her feet and suppressed a shiver. This was it. The next step in her
quest. Unlike the shiver, she was not able to suppress the tiny smile that
crept on to her lips, as she carefully stepped into the light engulfing the
first arch.
Presently, she herself was engulfed in the light. The glow surrounded her,
it was part of her flesh. She felt a searing pain
Alexabeth lay on the forest floor, a hand over her side. A pain she
couldn't describe gripping her stomach.
The way back comes but once. Be steadfast.
She slowly raised her hand from her side and gasped as it came back covered
in red. Why did this surprise her! She had just witnessed it's happening.
As though remembering suddenly what was going on, she turned to her
assailant. A man stood before her. A bloodied dagger clenched in his
trembling fist.
"I almost murdered your father," he spat at her. That confession surprised
her to no end, but she couldn't imagine why. She had already been told.
"Don't think I won't do the same to you!" He waved the dagger in front of
himself, as though to prove he knew how to use it.
"Cosaal, don't do this." Alexabeth whimpered as her sweaty hand stung the
wound in her side. My father? But he's -- isn't he? -- what was I thinking?
Still grasping her side and propping herself up with one arm, Alexabeth
spoke as stern as possible. "Cosaal, you cannot do this to me. Our marriage
has already been arranged. Killing me won't help you any." Alexabeth gasped
as pain pulsated through her legs. "I know you fear me for some of the
things I'm capable of, but, Cosaal," she whispered "I've always loved you."
Her words confused her and she almost took them back. Take them back? Why
take back the truth? She almost shook her head with bewilderment, but any
kind of moving hurt far too much.
"Love?" he snapped back. "You say you love me, and yet the wind blows me
off balance at a glare from you; the fire I start burns out if I criticize.
You scare me half to death! You knew all along didn't you! You knew I had
wounded your father, didn't you? Didn't you??" the last came out as a bark
as he lunged toward her, dagger outstretched. Suddenly, the dagger spun
itself and plunged deep into Cosaal's chest.
"I hate you," he gasped as he pulled the dagger from his flesh. Suddenly,
Alexabeth saw a silver arch behind Cosaal.
The way back will come but once.
"The Arch," she whispered.
Cosaal gurgled as he spit up blood, still grasping the dagger, his knuckles
turning white with the strain. "Fine, kill me, witch. I've already told
everyone what you are. They're sure to be on their way. You can let them
get here first," his voice dropped a notch as he lost more blood, "or I
could kill you now."
Be steadfast.
"I can heal you, Cosaal," she said as she moved slightly toward him. She
grimaced as a sharp sensation dug into her stomach. "If you'll trust me."
The way back -
"Never witch! DIE!" Alexabeth somehow moved from his reached, knocking him
off balance, and falling on his own blade.
I can heal him... She thought she heard voices in the distance. The sound
of an angry mob. I can heal him! She moved toward him, and caught sight of
something. The arch.
-- will come but once.
"I CAN HEAL HIM!!" she screamed as she threw herself through the arch. The
pain subsided; the aching in her chest remained.
She stepped out of the arch and collapsed to her knees. "I could have
healed him," she whispered to herself.
"Tell me it's not true. Tell me it wasn't Cosaal that murdered my father.
Please. Light, please!" not expecting there to be anyone near enough to
hear, let alone answer, Alexabeth sat back on her heals, and wished she
could cry.