Elora Danan

Chapter 4

It was Vlad's son, Robert. He was outside, waiting for her. She had no idea what to do. Perhaps it was a trap... who really believes anything that says "this is not a trap," it could most definitely be a trap, so why believe it would be anything but so? Elora was not dumb, yet she was more curious that cautious. She figured she could tell the only person she trusted. She put on a different dress and quickly brushed her blondish red hair. She ran downstairs to find her parents to be no where in sight, and told the cook that she was outside by the river and if she wasn't back in 20 minutes, that she wanted the cook to scream out the window and get her back. She didn't say why though. Cook agreed. That's what Elora loved about Nourri. Elora ran out the back door and followed the river to the main glen, not 50 yards from her house, yet hidden by trees and a slight dip in the river's bank. She was alone. She waited.

"You came," said a voice from across the river. She looked beyond the soft flowing crystal waters and saw Robert, dressed in his blue uniform, peering out from behind a tree. She said nothing. She was happy to see him across the river, and not within arms reach, where anything could happen.

"Why did you come?" He asked. His voice was soft and deep and it struck a chord unwillingly in her stomach. She frowned questioningly. There was no answer and she replied, "because you sent the arrow."

"No," he said, "well, yes, I did send it. But that's not why you came is it?"

"What?" She asked, getting frustrated and more confused. She wasn't here to play games with another silly boy. "I came to find out why you are shooting arrows into my room. So I guess I found out, bye." She turned to leave.

"What did you find out?" He asked, taking the last few possible steps beside the river before falling in.

"That you are useless and only wasting my time," she said, and turned around to go back to her house.

"You heard the voice didn't you. You came because deep down, even though you may not consciously know it, you know you have to leave." Elora stopped in her tracks. Her heart sounded like a giant drum, beating slowly, but ever so suddenly and loudly. She turned her neck, not her body.

"The voice..."

"The one in your room. Kind of creepy wasn't it? It's just the beginning," Robert said. He knew Elora wanted to know more. "Cross over, just 20 yards that way, I will meet you," he said. Elora turned slowly. She would be out of range of cook, but had to hear what was going on. Maybe this time someone wouldn't give her the sugar coated version of anything. She walked along the river and crossed at the little bridge of stones. She walked over to Robert who was waiting for her. He was very good looking, indeed, but there was something in his eyes that she felt needed to be lifted. She kept her wits about her and didn't budge from the safety of the nearby bridge.

"Okay, what is it?" She asked rudely.

"That voice, it is its spirit," he said eerily, "it's found you again."

"The voice in the room, it sounded like a man," Elora said.

"Listen, there is a lot you don't know, so don't make any assumptions just yet. I am here to help, no tricks are coming from me," he said. He must have been able to tell the uneasiness in Elora's voice and therefore tried to prove his genuineness.

"Okay, so what does the voice want, can you tell me what is going on?"

"I have come to rescue you," Robert said. "But, you have to leave with me tonight at the first sign of twilight. No questions asked. You cannot tell your family, no one. I have been watching Vlad and your father. I do not think their plan will work. Or, it will be too late. Two days is an eternity for my brother. I know my plan is the only way it will work."