The standard disclaimer applies throughout.
A Legend's Journey
Chapter 5
Raine found her way to the large living area. It was very comfortable looking, sunny and simply furnished. It reminded her a bit of her own home. Just past this room was the kitchen where she caught glimpse of her host as he prepared food.
Host? Just what was he? 'Host' didn't quite seem to fit and she didn't understand this 'guardian' business at all! She shook her head. So many things she had to figure out.
She quietly stood at the kitchen entrance awaiting his notice. She saw the grace of his movements, even in small things. As she watched, she was aware that he seemed to radiate an almost visible aura of power. She had never seen that in any person before.
He turned to the table and saw her standing there, head slightly tipped to one side, studying him. Auron was used to people staring at him, studying him when they thought he wasn't looking. Only a small handful of people throughout his lifetime really knew him and they were the only ones whose opinions had ever mattered to him.
In spite of this, he found her thoughtful gaze somewhat unsettling and briefly wondered about it. For the first time in longer than he could remember, he cared about what someone was thinking of him.
Neither was aware that they were frozen in place, each studying the other.
Auron took in her appearance, dressed in the sensible blue and white garments she wore when she first appeared almost literally on his doorstep. She stood a little over 5 feet he would guess, probably by three or four inches. Slim build but the top she wore was well filled out. Her dark hair was beautiful as it fell beyond her shoulders, bangs softly framing her face and eyes.
Those eyes.......
Suddenly aware of the lengthening silence, Auron cleared his throat and gestured to the table, a bit abruptly. "Will you join me for a meal?"
His words brought her back to herself. 'He must think me to be a complete idiot staring at him like that!' she thought. She took a breath as a slight flush touched her checks and moved towards the chair he was holding for her. She looked up at him before she sat and gave him a soft "Thank you."
As he helped her with the chair, Auron realized that his pulse was a little faster than it normal and he frowned. 'What is this?!' he almost angrily asked himself. He took his place across from her. He had prepared a simple meal to break their fast and he hoped that it met with her approval as he was actually a very good cook.
Raine's face lit up. "Oh! It's eggs! And bacon! Coffee! Toast!" Food she recognized! A happy, relieved laugh bubbled up from her throat. That sound caused a pang to hit Auron somewhere in his chest area. His heart rate accelerated again.
As they began to eat, his breath caught for a second as he saw the huge black and blue bruises on her wrists and forearms. He had done that! He had never harmed a woman in all of his years and he was very unsettled at the marks his own hands had caused, even if unintentionally. His lips tightened into a thin line.
Raine saw the look in his eyes and on his face as he stared at the marks that resulted from their long, desperate struggle. She knew it was not by design, it had just happened.
"It's all right; it will heal," she said softly. "You didn't intend it."
His dark eyes met hers and she saw that he was honestly upset at the marks his big hands had left on her. Frown still in place, he looked down at his plate with a "Hmph."
They ate their meal without much of conversation as both were very hungry. When they had finished, Auron cleared the table and poured more coffee. And they began to talk.
He learned that her mother's name had been Lorraine and her father had named his daughter the shortened version, Raine. She told of her early years, the years in school and longer years of taking care of her mother until her recent death which left her alone in the world and looking for a new path for her life.
He learned that she was twenty-eight years old and gathered that her experience with the opposite gender bordered on little to nothing. Even her father had died when she was very young.
He learned that her transportation had occurred in the year 2009 in her world. Many centuries had passed between that time and now.
He asked about her world and he was pleasantly surprised at the sheer volume of information she had to impart. She was obviously well-educated.
When he mentioned that, she smiled, "My books. Most of my life I had just books and my music. I enjoyed learning, so I spent much time reading."
She described her homeland which she called "America." It sounded like a fascinating place, full of life and vigor, innovation and creativity. It had its faults but was her beloved homeland.
By her description, it must have been much larger than all of Spira together, spanning an entire massive continent. She told him of the other nations and people who lived in that world. A mostly advanced civilization that eventually wiped itself out, he thought. He shook his head.
He asked what she remembered before her appearance in Spira. She related the strange, frightening feeling and experience before blackness overtook her, following by the sensation of falling a long distance before painfully landing on the hard ground. She described trying to gather her senses and seeing huge, horrifying creatures crouching over her – their teeth! And claws! And that astonishingly big chicken thing that was carrying a rider.
Auron had unconsciously reached across the table and placed his hand over hers reassuringly as she related the terrifying events of her arrival. The telling was obviously taking a toll on her. He detected the tiny sparkle of tears trying to form at times.
She continued "In the last second, I had the impression of something red in front of me but I don't know what it was." Looking directly in his dark eyes, she said, "The only other thing I recall is a very low sound saying 'You're safe here.' I don't know what time passed, but that is all I had to hold on to. I know now that was you. There aren't words enough to say 'thank you' for that!"
It was quiet for a few moments as her words hung in the air. Auron looked down at the hand he was holding, his thumb absently tracing a soft pattern on it.
"Auron?"
He looked up.
"Are those creatures real or did I just imagine them?"
A deep breath. Head cocked slightly aside, he wondered where to start, but he looked at her straight in the eyes. She was a very gentle person but she also had inner strength.
"Raine, this world is very much like yours but there have been many changes, as well. From the history I was taught, there was an unbelievable, almost unfathomable war fought much more than a thousand years ago. Weapons were unleashed that rendered most of the known world uninhabitable, nothing could live there. Few survived and the devastation was great."
Her breath caught in her throat, eyes startled. "A - a nuclear war?! It - had to have happened after I - I was taken away ....." The thought that her world, her home, all that she had ever known was now a nuclear wasteland was stunning. There was no way back. It was gone! The magnitude of her loss was apparent in her eyes.
He hated that she had to learn this, but it was better to face it and get it done with. Then the healing can begin.
"It was total. In all the years since, the humans mostly stayed the same, but other creatures who survived experienced great changes." His words were soft but matter-of-fact.
He continued, "This world is populated by beings that will seem very strange to you and they may frighten you at first, but you will learn that they are basically the same as we are."
"For example, the blue ones who frightened you so badly are of the Ronso race. They are a truly noble, respected race."
"In fact, the one person I truly trust and regard as a friend is Ronso. His name is Kimahri. While you and I - all through the night and even while we rested during the day, he stood guard at the outer door, letting nothing or no one disturb us."
"Since I've told you this, I hope you will be able to accept him as a guest when he visits."
"Y – yes. I understand," she faintly said.
A few moments passed. Raine looked up into the dark eyes looking at her intently.
"I - I know nothing of this world," she said faintly. "I know nothing of the monetary system, the values system, the customs, the taboos, the geography, history - nothing," her voice trailed off for a moment.
"Auron, I'm - I'm....." Tears filled her eyes and began to stream down her face.
"You're what?" he softly asked.
"I - I'm entirely at your m-mercy!"
He had no awareness of leaving his seat, but he had somehow crossed to the other side of the table, knelt beside her chair and wrapped both arms around her, pulling her close and holding her, rocking her back and forth gently. His sole purpose in life at that moment was to give her comfort, to ease her fears, to stop those tears.
After a time, they moved to the more comfortable setting of the living room, and they talked as darkness descended.
He learned her story, she learned his. Or as much as he would tell, anyway. There was much of it that lacked detail or was just lightly brushed over but she got the gist of it. Auron was not a man of many words. He had already said more on this one day than he had since he could remember.
They were interrupted by the tinkling bells that permitted visitors to announce their presence at the outer door. Auron got up and went to the outer door and greeted Julan.
When Auron led an older man into the house, Raine released a huge sigh of relief: their visitor was human! Reading her relief, Auron let out a laugh that undoubtedly could be heard some distance away. A deep, booming laugh.
Both Raine and Julan looked at him oddly as he enjoyed his first good laugh in - in.... Strange, he couldn't remember ever having genuinely, really laughed before! Raine realized that she was somehow the source of his mirth and felt a small stab of resentment at what she perceived as being laughed at. Her chin came up in both defiance and defense.
Recovering himself, he apologized to both of them for his outburst and formally introduced Julan to Raine.
Julan turned gray eyes on his patient and smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my dear. Gave us quite the fright, you did! I am so glad to see you looking so well, now. Ah, ugly bruises there," as he noticed her arms.
He rummaged around in his pouch and withdrew a small vial. "Here. This will help."
She gingerly lifted it to her lips and tasted. It was a refreshing, almost bubbly, minty taste that was not at all unpleasant.
She smiled at the kindness of the old Healer as she finished it, returned the empty vial and thanked him for his skillful care. Assured that he would be called if any difficulties arose, Julan soon excused himself and left with a last wave of his hand.
It had been a topsy-turvy day. Auron was normally up with the sun but this day had been completely backwards. Even so, he still found himself feeling a bit tired. Looking at Raine, he could see that she too was fatigued.
He suggested that if she was tired, she may want to retire for the evening. Tomorrow was sure to be another full day for them both.
She agreed and turned to leave the room. Stopping, she returned to stand before his imposing self. "Auron, I - I don't know that I can ever repay you for your - kindness to me. I'm very grateful! Thank you." She gently pulled the front of his shirt to bring his face to a level that she could reach and brushed a soft kiss on his check.
Leaving him standing there, his hand on his cheek where her lips had touched him, she walked to the hallway between the sleeping areas, then stopped again, realizing that she wasn't sure where she was supposed to go. She knew she had awakened in what was his area but was she supposed to return there – or was there another place?
She turned again, her voice low and shy, "I - don't know where I'm supposed to go...."
Realizing that she would have no memory of her own small bed, Auron crossed the space in a few long strides and showed her the smaller room. He turned on the small lamp on the bedside table and with one last look, left the room.
For the moment, he returned to the living room to think. He could hear the rustle of fabric as clothing was changed and covers were adjusted as she settled herself.
'I need a drink!' He went to the kitchen for a glass which he generously filled with sake, then returned to the remaining big chair in the living room. Sprawled in the chair, sipping the potent drink, one hand absently rubbing his temple, he reviewed the events of the last several days. Totally improbable events, they were!
How in the name of all the heavens was this girl transported from her own time and place to his? And why?
He had no answers. He knew that such transportation had sometimes rarely occurred but he never understood how or why.
What is to become of her? Is she to stay with him or leave and make her own way at some point in time? He only knew that she was completely helpless to provide for herself at this point. As a Guardian, it was his obligation to provide for her sustenance until circumstances changed.
Why did she have the effect upon him that she did? This was most perplexing! In his adulthood, he had always, always remained in control of his emotions and feelings. Yet somehow, she was causing or creating emotions and feelings he had no name for, no experience with. It unsettled him, knocked him off center. The lessons hammered into him over his entire lifetime were under assault.
He sighed. This would take a great deal more thought, he decided. But it was awfully hard to find answers when his mind wanted to dwell on very blue eyes. He took the empty glass to the kitchen, washed it and the things from their meal, and put them away. He was tired.
As he passed by her doorway, he looked in to check on her. She was on her side, staring at the far wall, undoubtedly having many thoughts of her own. His movement drew her attention.
"Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you. I was just checking to see that you were all right," he said.
A soft reply, "Thank you, Auron. Good night."
"Good night, Raine."
He changed to his own sleeping clothes, laid down and covered himself with the light blankets. He drifted off, thinking of blue eyes. And soft lips brushing his cheek.
Sometime in the darkness of the night, Auron became aware of a sound. He awoke instantly, on alert to identify whatever it was that was out of place and had disturbed him.
A small muffled sound. He followed it silently out into the small hallway between the two bedrooms. It came from Raine's room.
He touched the door lightly to slowly move it open. In the darkened room, he could barely make out her outline in the small bed she occupied. She appeared to be asleep, but was crying as though her heart would break.
He quietly approached the bedside and knelt down. He slipped one arm beneath her shoulders and wrapped the other around her and pulled her closer. She murmured and stirred a little but never woke up. He held her thus, rocking her softly, murmuring in her ear, until her tears dried and she slipped into more peaceful sleep.
Carefully, removing his arms, he pulled the covers up over her shoulders looked at her for long moments before he soundlessly returned to his own place.
He was troubled that her sorrow was manifesting itself so. But he knew, as no one else did, that she was strong enough mentally to overcome this. It may just take a little time.
He drifted away in sleep once more to dreams haunted by blue eyes.