Crest of Power: Kevin and the Magician

20 The Brocade Hall

Krevik could feel the man holding onto him. He felt himself lifted up, and carried. He had to get down. This was too embarrassing for a man to be carried like a child. Though he could hear nothing over the sound of someone screaming, he knew Jesse and Helen were crying. The pain he felt was torture. He couldn't think; the screaming was too loud. Who was screaming so loud!? He couldn't concentrate. The screaming wouldn't stop. It hurt all over. Then he realized. The screams were his. All this transpired in seconds, but to Krevik it was an eternity. He tried to stop his screaming. It stopped. Then everything went black.

*=*=*

Krevik found himself in a dark corridor. There seemed to be tapestries covered in swirling brocade patterns. It was so dark he could barely see what they looked like. Everything was covered in a purple haze. This purple fog was everywhere. Krevik began to walk through the corridor, when a little girl that looked about 5 or six stood in front of him.

"Hello," Krevik said. He smiled sheepishly. He didn't want to scare her.

She smiled, "Hello," she looked a little bit like Helen. "This looks terrible." She said looking around the corridor. "How will you find your way out?"

"I don't know," Krevik replied.

"My sister's still awake. She knows these corridors better than me. Do you want to wait with me until she falls asleep?"

The little girl sat down and patted the floor next to her. Krevik smiled, walked over to her, and sat next to her. The purple fog cleared a little when he sat. It revealed they were no longer in the corridor, but in a room. Through the door he could see the corridor. The room put him at ease as he sat on the floor and waited in silence with the child. The little girl's sister came, and led him to another room. They were twins. There was no fog here in this room. The girls left him standing there and went their own way.

His head hurt, so he closed his eyes.

Krevik could feel his head swirling, strange and wonderful familiar smells wafted up to his nose. It smelled of bacon, eggs, flapjacks and cedar wood. It made him feel safe, like no harm could ever come to him. Slowly he began to open his eyes. He could see the room he had just been in with the girls. He saw himself a child lying peacefully on the large bed. And next to him a small pink bundle that he had his arm around. Krevik looked at himself and the small bundle. As he watched he saw his mother come in and check on him. The bundle began to squirm around. His mother picked up the pink bundle and made soft cooing noises.

"Shh", she said, "There you go." She said it softly so as not to disturb Krevik. The baby settled down in her arms and she sat on the edge of the bed. Holding what Krevik now knew was a baby. Then she touched the child Krevik's forehead and closed her eyes, and as she did so Krevik felt it on his own forehead, he closed his eyes.

"Krevik", his mother said. "I want you to always remember today. Always remember how happy you were today. Remember the love that I and your father Rodan have for you. Remember the love that Jesse, your beautiful little sister, has for you and the love that your father who gave his life for you has for you. You will always be my precious little boy."

He felt her hand pulling away. He began to reach out because he wanted the safety her hand brought. That feeling of such love and peace that emanated from her hand was astounding. He wanted it back.

"Mother", he cried out for her. He could feel the dream beginning to fade. He didn't want it to. She was there, his mother. He wanted her to stay with him. "Come back", he cried desperately, "Mother!"

*=*=*

"Mother!" He cried again as he reached up for her.

"Krevik! You're awake!" Jesse cried rushing into the room. "Are you alright? Was it a bad dream?"

"A dream?" Krevik realized that she was gone now. He smiled sadly at Jesse. "Yes it was a dream." He knew now that even though his mother was gone. She had left something for him. A family. A new little sister, and a new father. He had a family! Realization hit. He leapt up from the bed he was on and rushed up to Jesse.

"Jesse!" he cried, lifting her up and twirling her around. He saw her confused but very happy smile. "Look at you!" He cried as he set her down on her feet. "You grew so much!" He cried happily. "You grew so much..." He realized this meant he had been gone a very long time. Though she was still a child, she was no longer the little baby he had seen in his mother's arms. Crestfallen he went and sat back down on the bed as it hit him. He had missed so much. Too much. He looked at her again, seeing the concern on her face, he said, "I just realized how much... I missed it. You are not a baby anymore."

Jesse smiled and walked up to him, "You just realized I'm not a baby? Now?" She giggled and sat. "You know, you are a really good big brother. I know you don't remember, but you have saved me a lot of times. You get dragged away and your memories go away a lot, but you always come back. I love you Krevik." Jesse wrapped her arms around him.

"Yeah," He smiled at her again. "I love you too." Then he looked around the small room for the first time, and realized it must be her room. It was just so... girly. It must be Jesse's room. It seemed like everything inside was frilly or dainty or...pink. He didn't picture her having anything pink in her room.

"Where is everyone else?" He asked. "Well, she said. Dad and the Enchantress are in a meeting with the Elder Council. And you and I are here... And the rest of the town is probably in their homes." She didn't mention Helen, hoping he would. She knew he liked her.

"And Helen?" he asked, not disappointing Jesse one bit.

"She's in the sitting room", Jesse grinned broadly. She got up and dragged him off the bed. "Come on," she said excitedly. She pulled him along with her toward the sitting room. Helen sat on the couch leaning on the armrest, eyes closed, and breathing deeply.

"She just fell asleep," Jesse explained quietly. "She was watching over you when you had a fever."

"I had a fever?" He whispered.

"Follow me and I'll tell you about it," she said as she led him to the kitchen.