ELDRA SAT UPON the sunlit grass as Vincent chased a chicken around the yard, desperately trying to catch it for her supper. She had been trying for some time to call forth the woman in white, hoping the spirit might offer her some guidance, but the chicken's frantic squawking made concentration impossible.
Instead, Eldra could do little but laugh as Vincent splashed through the mud of the garden, becoming more mud covered with every step.
The sight of the usually imposing man stumbling after the elusive bird, his clothes and hair caked in mud, was simply too much for her.
As she ran towards him, she suddenly found herself running within the stone circle once more where the Woman stood at its centre, beckoning to her as she sprinted across the grass.
Once Eldra came face to face with her, a flash of memory suddenly flooded her mind.
An impossible memory, of the woman lifting her from the cradle in her parents cottage, before closing her eyes as she held Eldra close to her face. She stared at the woman in white, realization slowly dawning on her.
She was the Seer who had visited her parents on the night that she was born.
Eldra's knees buckles beneath her causing her to collapse to the ground, the woman joining her, clasping Eldra's face in her hands and gazing deeply into her eyes, before lowering them to her lap.
"Hello, little one. I knew someday you would find me," she said, a gentle smile playing about her lips.
"Who are you? I mean... what are you?" Eldra asked.
The Woman's laughter sounded like the tinkling of bells as she took Eldra's hand, holding it gently within her own.
"Do you see this line?" she asked, tracing a finger along Eldra's palm. "This is your life line. Do you see how long it is? It tells me that you have lived many lives. And this line that cuts across it" She paused, her finger resting upon the mark. "That tells me you have died before your true purpose was achieved."
Eldra stared down at her palm, a shiver ran down her spine.
"Does that mean I will die before I have..."
The Woman's tinkling laughter erupted from her throat once more.
"No, my sweet Summer Child. It means only that in this life you have the chance to achieve your true purpose over again," she explained. "Every soul is given many chances to find its true destiny, though sadly, very few ever do."
Eldra pulled her hand free from the Seer's grasp.
"Where did you hear that endearment? Only one person ever called me that!" she demanded.
"From your mother, of course," the Seer replied. "She is here with us now. Would you like to see her?"
Eldra's heart skipped a beat at the thought of seeing her mother once more. She nodded, unable to find the words to speak.
The Seer rose from the grass, Eldra followed her as they walked towards one of the ancient stones.
As she drew closer, a woman stepped from behind it, her arms out-stretched towards her.
It was her mother!
The way she had looked when Eldra was a child, young, and beautiful, and full of life.
As Eldra embraced her mother, she suddenly found herself drawn back into the present.
She blinked, the vision fading like mist before her eyes.
Vincent's concerned face was gazing down at her, his brow furrowed with worry.
"Eldra? Are you all right?"
Tears welled in her eyes as a sob escaped her throat.
"My mother." Was all she could manage before sobs wracked her body.
Vincent drew her into his lap, holding her closely until little by little her sobs subsided.
Once she had composed herself, Eldra described to Vincent everything the Seer had shown her. She looked down at her hand, slowly tracing a finger along the length of her life line.
If what the Seer had told her was true, then she needed to live long enough to discover her true purpose, whatever that might be.
The thought left her wondering what destiny could possibly await her, and how Vincent fit into that destiny?
* * *
They sat beside the fire, as Eldra ate the roasted chicken that had been foolish enough to wander within Vincent's grasp as they sat in silence upon the grass after Eldra had revealed her vision to him.
Vincent had drunk from the bird, slaking his thirst before the beast rose inside him, as Eldra had watched with a mixture of fascination and revolution.
His eyes glowing with their all to familiar crimson light.
Eldra picked at a piece of meat, her thoughts lingering upon the vision she had seen of her mother alive and healthy.
The familiar feel of her embrace before the connection had snapped, pulling her away all too soon.
Vincent glanced toward her.
"You are thinking about the vision of your mother?" he said quietly.
Eldra looked up from her meal. "I cannot stop thinking about it."
The fire crackled between them, casting dancing shadows across the walls of the cottage.
"I would have given anything to hold her one more time, and then to have that wish fulfilled, only to have it last for but a moment, shattered my heart," she said, tears welling in her eyes.
Vincent took her hand in his, knowing that his touch could never be a replacement for that of her mother's.
Still, he could not bear to see such longing written plainly across her face.
He gently curled his fingers around hers, offering what little comfort he could.
"I know, little raven" he whispered.
Eldra lowered her gaze, a tear slipping down her cheek.
"I could feel her," she said softly. "I could feel her arms around me, it was just as I remembered."
Vincent said nothing.
His own mother had died when he was but a boy, and while human he had wished, as Eldra had, that she could hold him to her one more time.
He longed to smell her rose water perfume again, but it was never meant to be.
"At least you know that when you pass from this world into the next, your mother will be there to greet you, my little raven. I will never have that privilege, after all that I have done," he murmured softly.
Eldra pulled him into her arms, holding him tightly against her. Though she did not know what fate awaited them beyond this life, surely Vincent had done enough penance for whatever sins he had committed during his long years of forced solitude.
He had suffered more than any man should have to endure, carrying the weight of centuries upon his shoulders.
"You do not know that," she whispered against his chest.
Vincent closed his eyes, resting his cheek against her hair.
"I know what I am," he murmured.
"And I know what you have become," Eldra replied. "You are no longer the monster you believe yourself to be."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Vincent simply held her, allowing himself to believe, if only for a little while, that perhaps there might still be some hope for him after all.
Vincent straightened suddenly, pulling Eldra to her feet, pressing a finger to her lips.
He silently crossed the room and approached the window, lifting the fabric just enough to peer outside.
His gaze swept across the meadow as he listened intently, straining to identify the sound he had noticed moments before.
His eyes narrowed to pinpoints, like a cat stalking its prey. There!
Three men emerged from the dry grass, making their way cautiously toward the cottage gate.
Vincent released the curtain and swept across the room, reaching beneath the bed and pulling his father's sword from its wrapping. He drew the blade, holding it before him as he positioned himself between Eldra and the door.
Vincent observed that two of the men wore the King's colors, while the third, a much older man, was dressed rather shabbily.
He must be one of the mercenaries Mathew had warned them about.
Before the men could approach any closer, Vincent flew through the door.
He moved with such unnatural speed that the men barely had time to react. His father's sword flashed through the darkness, biting deep into flesh. One of the King's guards and the older mercenary fell to the ground, fatally wounded.
The remaining guard stared in horror at the creature standing before him, his crimson eyes glowing unnaturally in the darkness. Whatever courage he had possessed vanished at the sight of his companions lying dead at his feet.
He turned and sprinted across the meadow, fleeing back toward the safety of the forest.
Vincent watched him disappear into the darkness, his sword still clenched tightly in his fist.
For a moment, Vincent considered pursuing the fleeing guard. He knew it was only a matter of time before the soldier reported what he had witnessed, bringing Mowbray and his men to their door, but there was no time to waste.
Vincent turned and ran back into the cottage, sheathing his father's sword as he crossed the room.
"We must leave. Now!" He told Eldra.
Eldra stared at him, startled by the urgency in his voice.
"Where will we go?" Vincent shook his head. "I do not know."
He glanced toward the window, his senses straining for any sound from the darkness beyond.
"I only know that we cannot remain here." "Mathew?" Eldra asked.
Vincent nodded in assent.
If Mathew had been true to his word, then he seemed to be their only recourse.
Vincent could only hope that they would have enough time to reach him before Mowbray flooded the forest with men searching for them.
"We will go to him," Vincent said quietly. "If he is willing to help, perhaps he can help us to find shelter until we can make our escape."
Eldra nodded, already turning to gather their few belongings, the realizing she had none snatched Maggie's cloak from its peg by the door and drew it tightly around her, before handing John's woolen cloak to Vincent.
Vincent glanced once more toward the darkness beyond the open door.
He feared their time was running out.
* * *
Pulling their hoods farther down to obscure their faces, they made their way through the crush of people that packed the docks. Vincent had concluded that the bay and the docks beyond were their only real option if they hoped to avoid Mowbray and his men.
If the soldiers were preoccupied with the cottage, then the crowded dockside offered them their safest chance of escape.
Eldra held tightly to Vincent's hand as they moved through the throng, afraid that they might be separated as travelers, merchants, and sailors swirled around them.
For one brief, terrifying moment, someone collided with her hard enough to wrench her hand from Vincent's.
Eldra stumbled, turning frantically as the press of bodies obscured him from view.
Then, as suddenly as he had disappeared, Vincent was beside her again. His hand closing firmly around hers, as he pulled her forward through the crowd.
"Stay close to me," he murmured.
Eldra nodded, tightening her grip on his hand.
Together they made their way through the crush out onto the less crowded streets beyond the docks.
They passed the row of busy bawdy houses, their voices and laughter spilling into the street, before continuing onward.
Only then did Eldra begin to relax.
* * *
Maeve slipped out of the bawdy house through the open back gate, the small sack containing her few belongings pressed tightly against her side.
Barbara had kept her locked in her room until the bleeding had subsided. Then, with little concern for Maeve's condition, she had insisted that if the girl was going to lie around on her back all day, she had better at least be earning coin while she did so.
The few men who had taken Maeve, coupled with her had quickly complained that she was of no use to them.
All she would do was lie there, leaving them frustrated and dissatisfied.
Maeve had endured their complaints in silence, knowing that protesting would only bring Barbara's fury down upon her.
Now, with the bawdy house finally behind her, she hurried into the darkness.
Though she had no idea where she was going.
She only knew that she could not endure being under Barbara's thumb any longer.
Unmindful of where she was going, Maeve moved quickly along the darkened street until she collided with a couple making their way hurriedly toward the main square.
She stumbled backward, clutching the sack against her chest. Looking up, she froze.
The Witch!
Maeve's eyes widened in terror.
Her mouth opened to scream, but before she could make a sound, the man beside the woman moved with startling speed, clamping a hand firmly over her mouth.
Maeve struggled against his grip, her heart pounding as she stared up into his strange, silver-blue eyes.
Suddenly, the memory of what Johnas had done to her flashed through her mind, and panic surged through her. She struggled harder against the pale stranger's grip, twisting desperately in an attempt to free herself.
"Maeve, please," he said softly. "We mean you no harm, but you must be quiet."
Maeve froze.
How did the stranger know her name?
She stared at him, bewildered.
She could not recall ever seeing him before.
She certainly would have remembered those striking eyes.
Vincent slowly removed his hand from her mouth, watching her carefully.
Maeve took a trembling step backward.
"Who are you?" she whispered.
Vincent glanced around them, noticing that several people in the street had begun to take an interest in their unusual interaction.
Without hesitation, he guided Maeve beneath the shadows of a closed shop's awning, where they would be less conspicuous.
Eldra followed close behind, a puzzled expression upon her face.
"You do not know me," Vincent said softly, "but I have heard about you and what Johnas did."
Maeve's gaze shifted toward Eldra, apprehension darkening her eyes. "How did you hear?" she asked.
Vincent hesitated for a moment, knowing that the truth would sound strange enough without adding to her fear.
"A friend told us," he replied.
Maeve continued to stare at him suspiciously.
"Who?"
Vincent glanced briefly toward Eldra before returning his gaze to the frightened girl.
"Robert." He lied.
Dubious that Robert would betray her, Maeve turned toward Eldra.
"You are the witch everyone has been looking for. How do I know he is telling the truth?" she asked.
Eldra looked up at Vincent then reached out and gently took the girl's hand in hers.
At once, flashes of what Johnas had done to Maeve filled her mind.
The violation, the fear, the shame, images that were not her own yet felt painfully real.
Eldra released Maeve's hand, unable to endure seeing any more of the girl's humiliation.
"What Johnas did to you, he tried to do to me," Eldra said softly.
"I was fortunate. I escaped. But he was so enraged by my rejection that he accused me of being a witch and tried to have me burned."
Maeve stared at her, tears beginning to fill her eyes.
For the first time, she realized how wrong she had been to believe the idle gossip she had heard.
This woman was not the monster they had described. She was a victim of Johnas's lust, just as she had been.
Without another word, Maeve stepped forward and threw her arms around Eldra, who returned her embrace as tears rolled down the girl's cheeks.
For a moment, neither woman spoke. They simply held one another, united by the cruelty of the same man who had sought to destroy them both.
Maeve stepped back, studying the pare.
Her gaze fell upon their ragged clothing and she realized that they, too, were running from something, just as she was.
She had heard about the men searching the forest for Eldra when Barbara had forced her to take one of the King's guards to her room.
The man had been drinking heavily and had boasted of the hunt, telling her that they would soon have the monster in chains.
Maeve looked from Eldra to Vincent.
"If they are searching for you, then you cannot stay here," she said quietly. Vincent nodded.
Maeve hesitated before glancing toward the street.
"What can I do to help?"
Vincent asked her if she knew where Mathew, the smithy lived. Maeve nodded.
"Can you take him a message for us?" he asked. "Tell him that we are in need of his help."
"Of course," she replied. "Where would you like him to meet you?" Vincent looked at the girl, suddenly uncertain. He had no idea where they could safely wait without drawing attention to themselves. Maeve studied his expression for a moment.
"Leave it to me."
She turned and led them through the winding streets toward The Wolf And Lamb.
When they reached the tavern, Maeve told them to remain outside while she slipped through the door.
Inside, she sought out Robert, who was surprised to see her, and quietly explained that she needed a private room.
He quickly secured one for her in the back of the tavern.
Maeve returned to the window and motioned for Eldra and Vincent to enter.
Once they were inside, she led them through the tavern and into the private room where Johnas had once held his meeting.
"I will return as soon as I can," she told them. "I have arranged for Robert to bring you each a glass of ale to steady your nerves."
With that, Maeve slipped out of the room and disappeared into the busy tavern.
* * *
Robert was surprised when Maeve had entered the tavern.
Though delighted to see the girl, he could not help wondering where she had been all this time.
When she asked to use the private room at the back of the tavern, he was slightly alarmed. For a moment, he wondered if the girl had come to meet some illicit lover. But when she explained that her aunt and uncle needed a place to meet a friend in private, his concern quickly faded.
"Aunt and Uncle?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. Maeve nodded innocently.
Robert smiled and thought no more of it.
Taking down two of his finest ales, he poured them generously before placing the mugs upon a tray, and carried them to the back of the tavern then knocked before entering.
"Your ale," he called as he opened the door. Robert stopped short.
The room was empty.
He frowned, looking around in confusion.
Perhaps they had stepped outside to use the privy, he thought.
Shrugging, he placed the two glasses upon one of the chairs before returning to the tavern.
After Robert had delivered the ale and departed, Vincent and Eldra slipped quietly back into the private room.
They had hidden in the small storeroom across the hall while Robert was inside, waiting until they heard the rooms door close behind him before emerging.
Eldra glanced toward the two glasses of ale Robert had left behind.
"He nearly saw us," she whispered. Vincent nodded, his expression grim. "We cannot afford to be recognized."
He moved to the door and listened for a moment before looking back at her.
"I hope Mathew arrives soon." Eldra said.