The Truth Beneath the Rose

Left Behind

Thorin did not leave Nevaeh that night. He stayed and talked to her of the many places he had seen in his long life. Nevaeh refused to sleep again. Even though she felt stronger, it was not worth the pain. She knew that Thorin would eventually fall asleep. When he finally did, she escaped into the gardens. Little fountains and flowing streams soothed her restless mind. She gracefully fell onto her back. The scent of honeysuckles filled the air. Her chest grew warm. But it wasn't a terrible feeling. It was actually very peaceful. She had always felt at home next to the sound of flowing water. She closed her eyes and began to relax. Time seemed to stop and everything stood still. Her head was a swarm of vivid colors. When she finally focused and her sight cleared, Thorin was beside her, looking at the stream. But he was not the Thorin she knew. He was young and less weathered by his misfortunes. "Thorin?" He never acknowledged her. He turned to look behind him and Nevaeh followed his eyes. There was a young girl with hair like night skipping towards them. Thorin walked toward her and she threw herself into his arms. Nevaeh was lost. The little girl noticed her. They locked eyes. A smile formed on the child's lips and she reached her hand out for Nevaeh. Unconsciously, Nevaeh's hand went up as well and her feet carried toward the little girl in Thorin's arms. When the tips of their fingers touched, it was like a wave of emotion and energy crashed through them. And in a flash, Nevaeh was alone again, still reaching for something she did not understand. She sensed a presence behind her and turned to see the wizard seated on a boulder, smoking his pipe. "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough." He replied. "It seems when your mind is consumed, your senses fail you."

"What?"

"You're vulnerable when you receive these visions." He explained

"How do you know that I was having a vision?" She asked.

"I'm no fool, Nevaeh. I know how to distinguish between daydreams and visions. You spoke Thorin's name. What did you see?" He questioned.

"I don't really know. It was strange." Her forehead creased. "It was not like others that I've had. It wasn't a vision of what was to come... He was so young and untroubled."

"Curious." Gandalf eyed her.

"What's curious?" She asked.

"Visions don't go both way, dear. They show the future. Nothing else." He paused for a moment. "The only possible way to see the past is through memories."

"Well then there must be some mistake." She told him.

"There are no mistakes in memories. There's no tampering in things that have long passed."

"Then maybe I saw his memory." She assumed.

"Possibly." He entertained. "Or perhaps your own memory is coming around, after all."

"But I never knew Thorin before this. I couldn't possibly have memories of him." She argued.

"Are you positive?" His eyes seemed to challenge her. "You can't be sure if you can't remember."

"What are you getting at, old man? If you've something to say, say it." She hissed.

"It's not for me to tell you." Gandalf told her. "It's for you to find out."

"Fine." She grumbled and turned to walk away.

"Oh and Nevaeh?" Gandalf called, making her stop. "Tell Thorin that you all must leave this place at sunrise. I will meet you in the mountains. You are to wait for me there." When he finished, she went on her way without a word. Her thoughts lingered on there conversation. She couldn't possibly know Thorin. He would have said something about it, surely. She opened the door to her room and found Thorin still sleeping. His brows were furrowed and his lips were pressed into a hard line. Beads of sweat had began to form on his face. She knew it was probably a nightmare. She was going to wake him, but just as his names formed on her lips, her own name escaped from his. She froze. He was still sleeping. Now she was curious. She wanted to know what he was dreaming and why she was in it. His eyes moved rapidly beneath his lids. His breaths became uneven and frantic.