Chapter 18.
Love Lies Bleeding
Virginia looked dubiously at the small cup offered her. In it was a dark, bitter smelling liquid. She hestitated, her recent experiences making her wary of taking anything into her body.
"Trust me, girl. I would not give you anything that would harm your babe. It will but free your spirit a while. Drink. Come with me" the old woman called Shaman told her. She herself had already imbibed a measure of the concoction and they sat close together on a soft mat at the rear of the lodge, surrounded by the other elders. Virginia stole a look at Evelyn. The woman was smiling, bidding her drink.
"It's the only way that we know of, love. Shaman is powerful but she would take a year and a day to find your Wolf on her own. I fear we do not have that long a time to spend"
Virginia nodded, deciding suddenly. She quaffed the drink, tasting at once that it was as bad as it smelt. Evelyn offered her a little water to wash her mouth out, but she declined, already feeling it's effects. Her mouth had gone numb, her head light as a feather. She felt someone lying her down gently, cradling her head. She felt a tingling sensation, starting at her toes and making it's way right to the top of her head. What kind of strange magic was this, she thought idly.
"This is Tenth Kingdom Magic, this is" said a voice in her ear. Virginia opened her eyes and found herself now standing. Next to her was old Shaman, but with many years lifted from her she looked almost like a different person. Virginia thought she could see a faint silvery light emanating from the woman.
"Now, turn and see" commanded the Shaman. Virginia did as she was told and gasped when she saw herself lying on the floor as if asleep, her head held protectively by Evelyn. Her mind whirled as she fought to comprehend the experience. She was not in her body! And this was not the first time either! She had a vague memory of doing this very same thing, looking down on herself in the bath as a child, her mother bending over her. She shuddered.
"Come, we must leave ourselves now" the Shaman's voice intruded on her thoughts, but Virginia's eye had been caught by another strange sight. Floating just over her body, over her womb, to be exact, was a small pink and silver orb which pulsated rapidly as if to a tiny heartbeat. She stared at the orb, a sudden realisation coming to her.
"Yes, that is your Cub. He waits patiently for his Birth"
Tears filled Virginia's spiritual eyes as she reached out a hand to touch the orb lightly. She felt it respond. It knew her! A tiny pulse of light came from the orb and Virginia felt love wash over her.
"We really need to go dear" said her companion, though she wasn't annoyed. Virginia nodded and taking Shaman's hand, she started on her journey through this strange place
"Where do we go, Shaman?"
"This is what is sometimes called the Dream Road. It's a place between the world of the flesh and the world of the spirits. It is a thin veil, dreams are formed and played out here in the minds of sleepers thoughout the world. You cannot see it, girl, but I am following a tiny thread of bonding that lies between you and your mate. Now, we must travel a while. Trust your instincts here. If you feel or see something that has meaning, stop and see. It could well be your mate"
To Virginia it felt as though they were moving at great speed, but then it also felt like standing still in a hurricane of other people's dreams. Many many strange vistas and scenes played out before her eyes. Some were everyday events and memories, others fantastical visions that made no sense whatsoever. Her mind spun in confusion. How could they ever hope to find one person in this maelstrom? She almost turned to Shaman to say this very thing when her eye was caught by a strange scene, at once familiar, and yet she had never seen it before.
A small boy crept unseen through the low shrubs. It was night time and although dark, she knew just who it was, from his long gangly limbs to the little worry crease between his brows. It was Wolf, as he had been many years ago, little more than a half grown cub really. She watched as the boy timidly approached what looked like a small mound of earth, but when she looked closer she saw that wisps of smoke came from it. It was a pile of ashes. The boy began to sift through the grisly bonfire remains, gathering together the few remaining shards of bone and teeth, all that was left of his mother and father. Virginia cried aloud as she saw coming into view behind the boy a man with a sharp pitchfork. He lunged it at the young Wolf, who dodged it just in time, scattering backwards through the ash pile and burning his bare feet. He fled now, and Virginia watched as it seemed the very trees closed round to hinder the man and allow the young half-wolf to escape.
"Wolf! Come back" she shouted, not realising that nobody in the dream could hear her. Her heart ached for him, so painful it was now, and the Shaman, who had been watching all things, seized now suddenly on the faint signal that was Wolf in sleep. She began to cast about, homing in.
"Is this the one? Your mate?" she whispered at Virginia.
Virginia nodded mutely, dumbstruck for a moment at what she saw. It was him, her Wolf. He was lying in a cage on a tiled floor and seemed unconcious. Outside the cage a man stood. As she watched, he took a long pointed stick and jabbed it through the bars into Wolf's side, drawing fresh blood. She saw her beloved wince and whine, seeing now that his body was covered in welts, cuts and bruises. She saw what looked like an old torture chair lying on it's side in the prison, all the shackles and chains attached to it broken. She heard herself screaming in anger and horror, felt someone grabbing at her, Shaman shouting at her to get away, go, now! She sensed a great shove and suddenly she was flying at speed backwards, but as she left she slowed herself with a tremendous force of will, getting a good look at the outside of the building and importantly, the name of the place engraved on the arch over the gate.
She hurtled back into her flesh at found herself back in the lodge, Evelyn's arms safely round her, gasping for breath like she'd run a race. It was early evening. She'd been gone for hours. She grabbed up a piece of paper and pencil lying handy and scribbled down the name she had seen. Only then did she give in to her panic and anger, crying and beating at Evelyn as she was held close. Sometime during the commotion, Shaman also returned to her body. As she allowed herself to be tended to, Evelyn saw that the old woman's eyes were filled with tears.