Tales of Aridia

Graveyard

"You have to be insane she's just a little girl!" I shouted. I placed my hand on hers but jolted back, struck with a pain that rocketed up my arms. The palm of my hand was left burnt and sore, for the first time Elliana seemed to relax. Jayden and Max looked at each other, their glances holding terror and fright. I held out my finger, gently tapping her shoulder. Elliana's skin was bubbling with heat, but as she breathed in and out a gush of cold icy air hit my face. "You don't have to be afraid," I said. Trembling, I stroked her cheek gently, her skin had returned to normal. She held a teddy bear close to her chest, it was worn and the stitching was torn. "What's his name?" I asked.  "Ted," She replied. I chuckled and went to stroke the bear but she pulled  it away from me, hiding it behind her.  

Jayden sat down, with his back on the wheels of the van. His eyes did not leave Elliana's, he watched her every movement.  "I know who you are," She muttered. Her voice was high pitched and coarse, her hair fell in front of her face and she walked with a prowess only obtained by royalty.  She spoke to Jayden first, frightened by Max's cold glare.  "I'm sorry, about your parents," she said, staying away from his reach. "How do you know what happened?" He asked, his tone growing more interested. "My father slaughtered your family, It was brutal." She said, having a total disregard for his feelings. Jayden's eyes widened in shock, he looked about at me for help but I stood there awkwardly, looking down to avoid his eyesight. 

The silence smothered us all, none more than Jayden. He stared down at his shoes, reminded of the memory of his parents death. I dragged Elliana into the Van, and Max leaped to Jayden's side to comfort him. "Let me help you with that," I said, pointing at the gash still flooded with blood. Elliana sat in the shaded corner of the van, with her leg stretched out in the sunlight. I bent her knee and dabbed the blood away with tissue. She flinched and gripped onto her teddy tight. "Sorry," I said, dabbing lighter. "Jayden and Max seem quite afraid of you," I said, trying to pull the girl into conversation. "Most people are," She  said softly. I wrapped her leg in a bandage and left her in thought. "I don't mean to make people afraid," she finally said. "It's not my fault, I have a reputation," she grumbled. I sympathized with the girl, she seemed sweet and innocent but dragged into the same life as her father.  I watched her cradle the teddy in her arms, lightly humming. She was kind and caring, like any 8 year old girl. 

I stepped outside, "How did we get to Aridia?" I asked Max. He was sat at the edge of the cliff with his head in his hands. "Max?" I said quietly. Max jumped, leaping to his feet. His eyes were red and puffy, dark circles grew beneath them. "Max..." I said, stroking his arm. He pulled back, not wanting to show any sign of emotion, "Everyone in Aridia knows where the tears in the dimensions are, but there was never a tear here." He said, gesturing to the graveyard. "Someone must of opened a new one," I said. Max nodded, rubbing his eyes to rid himself of any tears that seeped out. "Why send us to a graveyard?" I said. Jayden had been listening discreetly, "Oh no.." He muttered. Both me and Max whipped out heads around, staring him down. Jayden looked up timidly, "What's wrong?" I asked. Elliana had also stepped out, watching us from the doors of the van. "Oh..." Max whispered. Max and Jayden held their heads low, whilst Elliana grinned silently. "What is it!?" i shouted. Jayden began muttering nonsense, "I should've just told you, It would come out at some point." He said. Jayden was suddenly flooded with tears, muffled by the hand he held over his mouth. 

"It's okay Jayden, you can tell me," I said. I reached forward to hug him but he jumped back, afraid and whimpering he whispered, "Please...no, not till you know what I've done." A long pause past, "There was a boy, in Aridia. He was kind, gentle, and the worlds best older brother," He smiled teary eyed. "I had a brother?" I asked. Jayden nodded slowly. "There was an attack on the castle on your 18th birthday, we locked the men responsible in a room and blew it up. We didn't know, oh Robyn we didn't know." He cried. 

Jayden crawled at my feet, he reached for my hands but I snatched them away from him. "What happened?" I said, toneless. "Your brother, Sparrow, he was in the room when it blew up." Jayden wailed. I cried...for how long I did not know. Hope had been given to me and then stolen, it felt worse than death.