Sorry this chapter was so long in coming. I thought I had already posted it, until I looked, ready to post chapter ten... As a special treat, you get two chapters!
I don't own anything familiar. Stephanie Meyer owns anyone you recognize. I am not Stephanie Meyer.
Chapter 9
"Rain, please, don't scare me like that. Do not send home a threat that was given to you, and then let Thunder come here, scared, without you!" Mom exclaimed when Cloud and I were in sight of home.
"I'm sorry, Mom," I said "but a shape shifter scared Thunder, and I had to stop and talk to him. I'll try to send a wind to tell you that I am safe next time, if this ever happens again."
"You take too many risks, sister," Cirrus said. "Even when sword fighting, you take too many risks."
"You worry too much," I replied. "I can take care of myself."
"That's what worries me," Mom said. "You need someone to defeat you in practice. You believe in your skill too much." The sunshine reminded me of my promise to Emmett.
"Oh, drat! I forgot I was going to see if I could go over to Emmett's house if it was sunny. Mother, may I go?"
"You are a grown elf, Rain. You do not need to answer to me anymore."
"I am off, then," I said, running into the house, snatching up my swords, fastening their sheaths to my back, and quickly spelling them for invisibility. "I'll see you later."
As I left, I heard Mom say one last thing: "My second oldest has left the nest to discover her eagle wings. Take care, my young eagle," she said, almost too quietly for me to hear. Thunder saw me and trotted to me. I knew he wanted me to ride him.
"Not now, Thunder," I said. "Right now, I am going to visit a vampire friend." Thunder snorted. "You may come with me, if you like, but I am running." I started running and Thunder followed. I stayed alert for shape shifters, fire elves, and, unlikely, vampires. Soon we reached the Cullen's front door. Seeing me, Emmett came out and gently took my hands, allowing me to withdraw them if I wanted.
"Raven! I'm so glad you could come." I smiled in response to his smile.
"I don't know if anyone could have made me stay away," I replied. Thunder snorted, pawing the ground. "Emmett is a friend, Thunder."
Friend? He doesn't smell like one.
"He is like Grandfather and Uncle Luke."
Minus the elves. They are elf-born or elf-chosen, so I trust them. He is neither.
"Then go, Wings of Thunder. You do not need to stay." Thunder turned and galloped away.
"Were you talking to your horse?" Emmett asked.
"Thunder understands," I replied. "What shall we do?"
"What about a walk?" Emmett suggested.
"Lead the way," I said. Emmett and I started walking. Emmett started asking me questions, which I answered to the best of my ability. Some tied into the fact that I was an elf, and those I was unable to answer.
"How old are you?" Emmett asked, unexpectedly. He had been asking about Michigan.
"I am 18. I have been 18 for about 13 years. I was born 1 year after the states ratified the Constitution of the United States. I am 283, and I have been aging normally."
"Wow," Emmett said. "How fast do you age?"
"Normally we age at a rate of about 1 year to every 15 human years. We can adjust our rate of aging, though. Both Grandma and Sara have stopped aging. This is why I said we normally age at that rate."
"How old are your sisters?"
"Sara is 370, Cora is 234, Camille is 211, Sally is 149, and Starla was 118. She was far too young to die. We can't defend ourselves and our family rarely leaves us alone until age 10. Starla was only 7."
"I'm sorry about your loss," Emmett said.
"She died because of someone else's selfishness. Why did she, a youngling, have to die? She never had a chance."
"Calm, wind sister," a wind said. "Butterfly-Thar will not let her death go un-avenged. It will be alright in the end." Emmett took me into his arms and I realized I was crying.
"Shh," he whispered. "It'll be alright." I concentrated on the rise and fall of Emmett's chest as he breathed. After a while, the tears ceased falling from my eyes and I breathed evenly. In Emmett's arms, I felt safe and sheltered. All of my worries stayed in the back of my mind, allowing me to relax. With my clear mind, I made another decision: I would tell Emmett I loved him.
"I love you," Emmett whispered, almost too low for me to hear.
"neI axi adah," I whispered back. "I love you."
I think I'll skip the next few minutes. You wouldn't really find it interesting. All right, all right, Emmett kissed me. That's all I'll say.
Emmett drew back, but took my hands.
"Close your eyes and tell me what you see," I said. I wanted to see if his mind world had developed.
"I see a very messy room. There's a locked box in the far corner labeled 'human.'" I knew the box held with Emmett's human memories. However, no one could awaken the human memories.
"Ignore the box right now," I said, closing my eyes. The forest of my mind world sprang into focus around me. I looked for my door to the outside and found a new, plain wooden door next to the glass door. "Look for two doors. They should be next to each other. Open the plain wooden one." I opened mine and saw a shut door.
"How did you know there was a plain wooden door?"
"I have one in my mind, too. Open yours and I'll explain." He opened his door and I saw Emmett's mind self. It is our mind world, I thought. All elves have a mind world. I took the hand of his mind self. As my love, my fhreen, you have a mind world, too. I pulled him into my mind world. However, you can only communicate with the Old Language, how we are talking right now, with me.
Okay, Emmett thought. Is this why you can't let Edward or Nessie into you mind?
Yes, I replied. It would make them become insane. That is the reason for the other door. If you open it, Edward can read your mind. You cannot let Nessie ever try to use her talent on you, now. The door would not, does not, keep her out.
Rain? Sun asked.
Rain? Emmett asked, startled.
I hated having to lie about the names of my family. My name is actually Rain.
It fits you better than Raven.
Now, hush, please, I need to answer Sun. Feel free to explore. My memories are well organized. Yes, Sun? I thought to her.
What took you so long to answer? she asked.
I was talking to Emmett.
He's your fhreen.
Yes. Now, why did you want me?
I was just wondering where you were. I heard Dave howl. Sun gave her eagle cry and I made my sound that we had decided upon if ever Dave, Sun, or I was in danger. I sounded the closest to Dave.
Rain, if you need to go, go, Emmett said.
Okay. As long as both of our wooden doors are open, we can talk.
Hurry back, Emmett said. I opened my eyes as Emmett opened his.
I shall see you at my house, I said, and then I turned and ran towards Dave. He stood in a clearing, surrounded by three fire elves.
"Back off," I said, running out of the trees.
"I think I quite like this situation," the blonde fire elf said. "The Tharina is outnumbered three to one."
"I actually count it even," Sun said, landing on the ground next to Dave. "Three to three." The fire elf who spoke laughed.
"I see a fairy, a shape shifter, and a wind elf against three fire elves. I think that's about two to three."
"Shall I even it out?" I asked. "I could leave, and then it would be two to two." Dave, Sun, back up slowly, I thought to them. I'll keep the fire elves' minds elsewhere. "Yes," I said, "it would be even then, because, as Tharina, I automatically cancel out one of you."
"By that count, if you left, it would be three to one, because when you removed yourself from the count, you added the subtracted one of us back in."
"Then I guess I shall add myself back in and make the count two to three in our favor."
"If you cancel one of us out, then the count would actually be two to two. However, you do not count one of us out, so the count is three to two in our favor."
Rain, we're out and away, Sun thought.
"Or, how about we call this pointless and I'll go away. That solves everything, does it not?" I didn't wait for an answer before I walked away. When I was far enough away, I started running.
Emmett, how close are you to my house? I asked.
I'm not far.
Okay. I'll warn you now. Grandma can sense the use of the Old Language, so expect her, and probably Grandfather to greet you. Mom, Cirrus, Cumulus, Cloud, and possibly Uncle Luke pretty much know I love you. Snow may be a little shocked when she hears. Aunt Hail may yell at you if you upset the horses, but I do not think you will.
Anything else?
No, not really. If Stratus were alive, everyone would know but… I trailed off, not wanting to finish my thought.
I understand. I picked up my speed and soon passed Sun and Dave. After that, it wasn't long before I saw Emmett. I slowed to a walk.
"Boo," I said, coming up beside him.
"What took you so long?" he asked.
"Negotiations. Fire elves make me so mad sometimes. They tried to pick on Dave. When I came, one of them said it was three to one. They didn't count Dave, even though he knows how to fend for himself against elves! They make me so mad sometimes!"
"But he and Sun are both safe, so you did well in dealing with your anger. It's their problem if they underestimate Dave, not yours."
"You're right, Emmett. Nevertheless, I am a little worried. Fire elves are gathering here and we are not ready for a battle. Of my family, only Grandma, Grandfather, Uncle Luke, Aunt Hail, and I are ready and your family can't even know they may be in danger."
"It'll be okay," Emmett said, taking my hand.
"taA klee'ah bai," I repeated.
"How did I understand you when you said that?" he asked. "I only know English."
"Actually, you know two languages: English and the Common Tongue, the native language of most of the Immortals. The vampires, werewolves, and shape shifters are the only Immortals who do not instinctively know the Common Tongue. The exceptions to that, however, are the fhreens of elves. This is why you now know the Common Tongue." I heard the clear ringing of swords clashing as we neared my house.
"Who is practicing sword fighting?" I asked a wind.
"Wind sisters Precipitation and Cumulus are practicing, Lady Tharina," the wind replied.
"Do you want to watch?" I asked Emmett. "I will warn you, I taught Cumulus most of what she knows, so I may give her advice because she's out of practice."
"I'll watch," Emmett replied, smiling. Emmett and I walked into the open space surrounding my white house. I could tell Grandma was getting the better of Cumulus.
"Cumulus, do not panic! Remain calm. Move with your swords, and do not flail around!" I said.
"Must you be in teacher mode, Rain?" Cloud asked. "I suppose you will be asking me to fight next."
"No, Cloud, I'm not that heartless. My advice is only to help Cumulus. She tends to panic when she notices she is about to lose."
"And what do I do wrong?"
"You, Cloud, are too clumsy. However, your problem is easier to solve than Cumulus's problem."
The herd thundered into the clearing. Grandma took advantage of Cumulus's resulting lack of attention and put the tip of one of her swords to Cumulus's throat.
"Cumulus, when you are fighting, do not think about or look at other things. You are dead," Grandma said. Cumulus sighed.
"Well, at least I lasted ten minutes," she said. Acorn Angel, the bay mare who chose Cumulus, pushed her head into Cumulus's side. Cumulus rubbed Acorn's neck.
"Cumulus, Cloud, there is something you might try, Cloud especially. If the horses let you, stand on you hands on their back." Thunder walked up to me and asked, in his way, for me to ride him. "Watch," I said. I stood on my hands on his back. "Walk on, Thunder," I said. He started walking and I stayed on, swaying gently to adjust my center of balance. "Do not try this at a trot. You will fall." I stopped Thunder and got off.
"Who are you?" Aunt Hail asked Emmett, walking up on the shining white mare named Lunar Surprise.
"Aunt, this is Emmett Cullen. Emmett, this is my aunt Hail. She takes care of the herd."
"And three new mares who decided to come with me. One will choose Snow, and I suppose another will choose Emmett, but I do not know why the third decided to come," Aunt Hail said.
"Snow does not know she's getting a horse for her tenth birthday," I said. "We've kept that a surprise."
"I will not tell her, then," Aunt Hail said. "Luna, I don't have any apples right now." Luna looked up from Aunt Hail's pockets. "Shoo." Luna turned and walked away, clearly showing her displeasure. A palomino I did not recognize walked out of the bulk of the herd. She walked up to Emmett and gently blew into his face.
"Blow back into her nose," I whispered. Emmett blew back. "Now, she's going to tell you her name and if you can ride her right now." Emmett gently jumped onto the mare's back. Thunder nudged me, telling me he wanted me to ride him. We walked after Emmett and the mare. Thunder caught up to her easily. "What is her name?"
"She said her name is Flash of Lightning. Rain, how do I know how to ride?"
"Instinct," I replied. "When a horse chooses us, we suddenly know how to ride by instinct. I feel a little sorry for Snow. She doesn't have a horse, but she likes riding, so Mom had to teach her. I'm letting you and Lightning set the pace."
"Okay," he said. Lightning started trotting. Thunder and I followed.
Canter? Thunder asked. Emmett signaled Lightning into a gentle canter. Thunder happily followed. Thunder and Lightning started racing, still at the canter. They raced until we reached the edge of the clearing that held Emmett's house. Lightning reached the clearing first. I laughed.
"Ha ha, Thunder, you lost," I said. He snorted and Lightning made a horse laugh. "He does not like losing."
Off, Thunder said, putting his ears back. I dismounted and Emmett did the same.
"Emmett! Raven!" Alice exclaimed, running out of the trees. Thunder and Lightning turned and galloped away. "Did I startle them?" she asked, worried.
"I don't think so," I said. "However, it is hard to tell with horses."
They are free spirits, Emmett thought. I agreed.
"Thunder is also at least somewhat used to vampires. He knows Grandfather, Uncle Luke, and Emmett."
"I was looking for you because of a vision I just had. I see the future and werewolves are giant holes in my vision. In my vision, I saw my house surrounded by girls with fire in their hair. A girl who seemed to be almost not-there walked out of my house, and then the vision ended," Alice said.
"You would be able to see them more clearly," I said. "It seems that I have brought trouble to your family. The females with fire in their hair are members of my clan's enemy clan. The lone female you saw was, as near as I can tell, a member of my own clan."
"Wind sister, if I may speak," a wind said.
"Speak, then, ri'hala," I said.
"The Lady Dragonfly sent me to tell you the Thar knows of your predicament here and is on her way. She also said the alligator named Alice may be told the true clan names and of the danger they may be in."
"I thank you for the message," I said.
"The plot thickens," Emmett said with a smile.
"Oh, hush, you," I said, gently elbowing him. "But you are right, the events are building. Alice, we can tell you this, but you will not be able to tell anyone. If you try to say it, the words will not come out. If Edward tries to get the information from your mind, a block will stop him. If you try to write it, the words will not form legibly. You are in more danger than I first thought. Fire Clan is trying to get at me through your family. I am of Wind Clan, so I am more helpless against Fire Clan than I would like. Wind Clan is also soon to be at war with Fire Clan. The leader of Wind Clan is on her way here, to help us organize."
"See? The plot is thickening," Emmett said. I smiled at him.
This is why I love you, I thought.
"So I take it that what you told me is not common knowledge?" Alice asked.
"I think only you and my family know of this latest development. It is not common knowledge at all."
Rain, you need to come to your house, Sun said.
"I'm sorry, Alice, but I must be heading home," I said. Emmett, you can choose to stay or come with me. "Mayhap I will see you again soon." I closed my eyes to see Emmett in my mind world.
I'm staying here, he said. I'll see you later. Will Lightning know where I am?
I honestly have no idea, I replied. She may come back to this spot to find you, which is where you want her to come.
Okay, he said, taking my hand. I opened my eyes and walked away. When Alice could no longer see me, I flashed to my house.
"Where's Emmett?" Mom asked.
"He stayed at his house," I replied. "Alice, one of Emmett's sisters, is allowed to hear clan names and anything related to the possible danger of her family.
"So it is good that Butterfly-Thar is coming here soon."
"Yes," I replied, walking inside.
I had a lot of fun writing this chapter.
Common Tongue in this chapter:
neI axi adah – I love you
fhreen – the chosen mate of an elf, also her love
taA klee'ah bai – It will be okay
ri'hala – wind