Elenis (The Witch of Laverlock)

Chapter 13 Ysuelt's Vision

The present, Bircklow forests

"What happened witch? Dreaming again?" Caedmon leered.
Elenis woke from her memories and stared absently at her surroundings. She was back in the small cottage which she and Caedmon had built a few years back. Turning to the hearth she realized the fire had died but the lout did not bother to throw in a log.
Standing to stretch she walked near the mountain of logs and threw in a piece into the hearth, the fire blazed back warming the cottage.
"You could have snapped you fingers and the fire would be summoned " he continued.
Ignoring him, she walked to their provisions to prepare for their supper when a knock at the door halted her footsteps. She waited for Caedmon to open the door, but when the knock became insistent she glared at her companion.
"I should turn you into a goat you lout!" Stomping to the door she opened it and her frown soon turned into a smile "Siobhan!" She greeted warmly hugging her guest as she pulled her into the cottage. She greeted the highlander lass with flaming red hair  with warmth.
"Elenis, good tidings tah ye and Caedmon" the woman greeted warmly. Her sweet face radiant with smiles approached the giant knight with an air of familiarity.
"Ah, and good tiding to you runaway bride who now resides with her gypsy lover" Caedmon greeted warmly as he took his turn in hugging their guest.
Siobhan shook her head at Caedmon's remark seeing Elenis roll her eyes heavenward. "Tis been awhile I ken but time flies rather quickly when one is busy." She said gaily. Refusing Caedmon's help to remove her cloak, she walked to the fireplace and started rubbing her hands together "The winter chill can still be a daunting experience" she giggled.
"What brings you to our neck of the woods" Elenis asked as she poured a cup of tea and handed it to her friend.
Pushing back her hood, Siobhan's red locks cascaded down her back in disarray " I came to fetch ye lass, yer great aunt summons ye to the camp."
"What , now?!" Elenis asked in surprise locking eyes with her Scottish friend.
"Aye, she had a vision, she needs tah tell yah right snap"
"But it's almost dark outside!" Elenis wailed "can't it wait till morning?"
"Nay it canno. She said te bring ye with yer familiar and ye ken she hates to be kept waitin'," Siobhan said firmly.
Caedmon snorted pointing to himself "Since when did I become her familiar?" He asked sarcastically glaring at Elenis for such an insult.
"Oh since forever Caedmon, get used to it" Elenis goaded, snatching her coat from the peg. "Well if great aunt Yseult summons Tis best not to keep her waiting. "
"She saw the ruckus earlier, any reason yer smartin'?" Siobhan asked raising her blue eyes at Elenis.
"Oh that" Elenis replied dismissively "I never expected she would notice." She replied guiltily as she put on her gloves.
"You did not expect it to be ignored " Caedmon said tartly.
"You shut up!" Elenis glared as she walked to the door of her cottage making for the stable they had set up and prepared her horse as Caedmon prepared his donkey. They journeyed with Siobhan through the dense forest until the sky darkened with only the light of the moon to guide them. They heard the song of the night creatures, the hooting of an owl, the sound of crickets and the finally the cursing of Caedmon as his donkey stepped on a branch.
"Your such a child Caedmon!" Elenis barked.
"It's too bloody dark, I can't see anything!" He bellowed.
Shaking her head in consternation she closed her eyes briefly summoning for light. In a space of a a few moments the moon cast its light which filtered through the trees.
"Thank the goddess Caedmon, she's guided your way."
"Thank you goddess " he bit out sarcastically. "Ow!" He cried out in pain.
" what happened now?" Elenis asked
"Something bit me!"
"You probably deserved it"
After a few hours they spied a yellow glow that finally led them to the camp. Dismounting, Elenis was greeted by the familiar faces of her kin. She hugged some of the women and nodded to the men as she walked through the camp. There were bonfires everywhere, some of them were roasting wild game, feeling her mouth water from the succulent smell of food she had to curb her hunger for Siobhan footsteps were determined.
The gypsies had settled on their land some years passed due to her mother's intervention. Her mother held in her veins the blood of the gypsies from the north. It was said that their great grandmother had married a Norman overlord who took her kin into his land until her uncle Horace drove them away.
They approached Oranya for shelter and after persuading her husband, they found a home in his lands on the condition that her mother would keep the children away from them. But that did not happen for Oranya was loyal to her kin and brought her children whenever she could to meet their relatives. Blood was thick among the gypsies and they protected her own.
Ysuelt was the offspring of her great grandmother's brother, the only living relic from those days. She had welcomed Ornaya's children into her bosom and being the clan chief's daughter they had respected her wishes. It was here that Elenis sought comfort during the darker days of her life and where she learned about her powers.
The clan tolerated her , some of them revered her as a priestess, a healer of some sort. It was also in the camp she discovered her gift of sight, the tingling feeling in her gut had blossomed into something beyond her comprehension until she finally embraced it. What other choice did she have? It was either that or go stark raving mad.
She entered the tent of her grand aunt and found the woman seated on the floor stirring something in a pot. She did not look up when Elenis entered, instead she remained stirring her brew.
"Sit child" she ordered Elenis "thank you Siobhan, please take her companion with you, I need to speak with my grandniece alone."
As soon as the two left her grand aunt Yseut finally looked at her her eyes slightly glazed before the cloud cleared and their color returned back to its familiar obsidian hue.
"I take it you had no control over your anger....again" Yseult addressed Elenis as the girl took a seat beside her grand aunt.
Elenis looked at the familiar craggy face full of lines and cracks as she aged. Her hair flew freakishly down her back in shades of grey. Her nose which was slightly hooked bore the familiar features of the gypsies.
"It's not......" Elenis began but upon seeing the knowing look of Aunt Ysuelt she shut her mouth and nodded primly.
"Tis growing stronger within you Elenis you'll have to control it otherwise it will control you and you will be lost" Ysuelt said in her raspy voice. "Take a cup and let me put you some broth"
Elenis obliged and as she sipped her broth she felt the tasty brew slide down to her gnawing tummy.
"You have no control of your rage child."
"You keep on repeating the same thing aunt Yseult, but I managed thus far."Elenis replied.
"Managing is not controlling child, it's gone beyond you now. The elements follow your moods and those are quite erratic wouldn't you say?"Ysuelt said wisely.
"If I am angered I cannot stop its eruption"defensive as always Elenis regarded her aunt thoughtfully.
"Then it's time for you to face that which we've been keeping from you. Remember the story of the healer, the one your mother told you about?"
"She did not say much aunt Yseult, only that the healer was linched by a mob, my father among he acussers. They branded her a witch and burned her alive." Elenis shivered as she recanted the tale her mother told her.
"Aye it was unfortunate your father had to be a part of it. I don't think he knew what was coming when he went to visit his friend with those men!" Her aunt's voice had become cynical.
"What else do you know aunt Yseult?" Elenis asked curiously for she knew the story was linked with her somehow.
"I saw the vision Elenis and it was not a pretty sight. The woman was the mistress of his friend, the Lord of Laverlock. His wife had written to her husband's friends pleading with them to intervene on her behalf. Your father rode out that day and with your mother close to her time. She was with child in her belly and that child was you" great aunt Yseult looked Elenis in the eye when she said this.
"That's the part my mother chose to ignore in her version of the story." Elenis replied coolly.
"Then it's time you know everything child." Yseult sighed as she sat back on her hunches "in my vision I saw those men drag her from her cottage in chains. They paraded her in front of a mob who threw stones at her as she walked. You father draped a coat around her to prevent much damage but the woman was angered. When they tied her up on the pyre and lit the flames she screamed at the noble men present cursing them with eternal damnation and for the wife of her lover she cursed her with barrenness declaring that only her bastard son would be the heir to Laverlock." Her grand aunt paused "she also said she would be back to avenge her death."
"You saw all this in your vision?" Elenis asked incredulously.
"Aye I did" he grand aunt replied "You see she also had gypsy blood within her, the healer whose name was Millisande and whose son now rules over Laverlock."
"Justin Fitzhugh" Elenis whispered.
"I remember when you told me about him and what you'd seen the day at the tourney, the secret you never told anyone." Her grand aunt reminded.
"I could have been hallucinating!" Elenis declared adamantly.
"We're you?" Yseult looked at her sharply "you said he claimed you were just like him, perhaps you are. He is the son of the healer, the one they branded the witch."
"What have I got to do with it I have no connection to them whatsoever" she scoffed.
"You were born that night Elenis, so weak, we thought you wouldn't live but your father arrived the next day, still shaken from his ordeal. When he went to your cradle to look upon you, you had opened your eyes suddenly and gave out a strong wail. Your heart began to beat strong and your lungs had become powerful."
"What are you saying grand aunt?" Elenis whispered as a sudden cold fear clutched her heart.
"You have to journey to Laverlock Elenis, perhaps there you will finally find your answers" grand aunt Yseult stated with firm determination.