The Peace Offering

Sindri: Chapter 7

Everything was dark. It was as if my eyes were closed and I couldn't open them. I could remember water, stinging burning water. Suddenly there was a river of light in front of me. The light was coming from little birds fluttering in the river. 

Rukh.

I watched the river for a few more moments before I felt the need to go into the river of rukh. I lifted my arms, they were glowing. A small giggle burst from my lips as rukh began to flow out of my fingertips. The realization hit me with a bubble of hysteria.

I was dying. The beautiful river was sucking in my life force, it was killing me. No, I was already dead. It all began coming back to me, falling in the ocean and drowning. All of the rukh in my arms was gone, leaving a dark empty space where they should have been. I felt the blackness spreading, I could no longer see or feel my legs.

Just as I was ready to go in the river a lady appeared before me. Her skin was blue and she had on lots of jewelry. With a wave of her hand she stopped the flow of my rukh to the river. Another body appeared next to her. It was familiar, but I couldn't make out who it was. With another wave of her hand she began to channel the rukh from them to me. Slowly I could see my limbs reconstructing themselves, even slower I could begin to feel them again. My body felt strange, like it was also someone else's.

"Be grateful, girl. My king has sacrificed much for you to continue living. Do not squander the gift he has given you, the gift of life."

Her king? Who is she talking about? Suddenly, it hit me. She was talking about Kouen. Kouen was the one that she had taken rukh from to save my life, no, to give me life. 

With a shock I felt myself being pulled away from the river of rukh. The river became dimmer until I could no longer see it. I floated around in cosmic space for awhile before I could see a light. The light was different than the light produced by the rukh. I entered the light and found myself back in my mortal body. I shot up, I was surrounded by everyone and I was soaking wet.

Kouen was right above me. I managed to say his name before returning to the darkness of unconsciousness. 

In my dreams I saw myself sitting by a pond. It was very peaceful, suddenly the peace was disturbed by a small boy screaming in delight. He had red hair that was spiked upwards and had golden eyes that sparkled, his hands were covered in mud.

"Mommy! Look, my hands are dirty!" He burst out laughing. Did he just say mommy? Someone put their hands on my shoulders. I whipped my head around and saw Kouen.

"Kouta, did you get muddy again?" He asked with a smile. He glanced down at me and grinned down at me.

What is going on? Is this supposed to be the future? That means, Kouta is our child, he's adorable.

What? Come on, now are you going to be satisfied just being his breeding  mare? How pathetic, what ever happened to not wanting to be treated like Sinbad's harem girls? In the end you'll only end up getting hurt. Do you honestly think Kouen will be any different than Sinbad? Stop living in your own little bubble of reality that won't come true!

The toxic voice in my head hissed at me. I didn't want to believe it, but I know it was saying the truth. Just because Kouen saved me doesn't mean he was going to be any different than Sinbad. My heart hardened and any positive thoughts I had about Kouen dimmed. I am going to make this marriage as difficult as I can for Kouen.

No, I can't do that to him. He gave me part of his soul, I have to mean something to him. Who knows, this marriage might not be so bad...