Princess of Swords (The Sword of Light)

Chapter 22: Finding Out

Chapter 22: Finding Out

Rose knocked on Old Babba's wagon door before walking in "Old Babba?"

"Come in child"

Rose crept into the dim-lighted room and closed the door behind her, while Old Babba sat up in her bed - her white hair hanging loosely around her shoulders and her bright blue eyes shining up at Rose.

"My child how are you feeling?"

"Fine...I guess.." Rose answered scratching her forehead and wiping back her hair behind her ears "I just need you to help me."

Old Babba's brows furrowed "First I think we should talk about the dream, you need to tell me what happened."

Rose took a step back and looked at the ground.. I can't...Don't make me tell you...

There was a pause, a pause which seemed to let time slip through its fingers before Old Babba sighed and gestured Rose to come over to her "What do you need to ask me?"

Rose edged into the room nodding and sat down in the chair next to Old Babba's large oak bed draped in floating candles. The wagon was decorated in loose red silks which hung from the cieling in semi-circles, encircling the wooden beams of the bed - which seemed to be carved into the wagon itself. Leather books upon books sat heaped in every corner of the room, while stuffed animals sitting crouched protectively around them and the old witch.

Rose let her grey eyes float over the scenery before landing on the pale face of Old Babba. Her usual bright face was now dulled and tight, deep-set winkled circling her eyes and loose skin draping away from her cheeks. Her blue eyes still stood protruding from her old body but her normal grey hair had whitened and thinned at her forehead.

She looked older - weaker.

Rose shook away the thoughts and looked at her hands before back at Old Babba "I need answers Old Babba. I need you to answer everything"

Old Babba nodded gently, her eyes closing briefly before opening and landing on Rose's face "If I can answer your questions, I will"

Rose sank back smoothly into the large cushioned chair and grabbed at the questions pinging around in her head - what to ask first - she searched before landing on Cole's perfect face and moving lips; Guardian....."What is a Guardian? I know I've heard the name before."

Old Baba looked down a twinkle floating over her eyes before she looked up "Guardians." She looked up at the ceiling of her wagon her lips moving silently "They are half-immortal beings set on this earth by the Goddess of Light to protect us from the Seven Witches and Darkness - to fight the war we couldn't"

A war.

"What war?"

Old Babba blinked before continuing "The two sides of this war are the Gods of Light and the Gods of Darkness...but you need to remember, that in the end, these two sides aren't as easily defined as black and white, good and bad."

Black and White.

Good and Bad.

Rose let the words tumble through her mind and settle into place, thinking carefully of what next to ask but Old Babba barged into her thoughts; "Child can you get that book which is lying over there."

Rose turned her head swiftly to where Old Babba was pointing and got up moving towards a pile of dusty book and a old stuffed red fox. The red foxed eyed her with beady eyes as she reached down and picked up the book which lay on top of the pile. "This one?"

"What does it say?"

Rose used the palm of her hand to wipe away the dense dust before looking down at the strange symbols scribbled into the black leather "I...I can't read it...it's in some strange language"