Crimson Trails

Donna

'I don't know!' he mumbled, still staring at his hands, 'I've never healed before. None of the guardians can do that.'

'But you can. Where does that put us?' I couldn't keep the excitement from my voice.

'I'm a destructor, not a healer. What the heck is happening to me? I'm the evil,' he said, his eyes flaring for the briefest of a second.

I could see the fear, the confusion, the uncertainly all mixed in an endless vortex — his eyes.

'No you aren't,' I placed a hand on his arm and squeezed it in a  show of support.

He looked up surprised.

'You're not evil, sir. You're simply misunderstood, you were a victim of injustice.'

'But everyone thinks I'm the destruction. Grey Meadow is a horrible place to stay in and it's all completely my fault!' he groaned. 'It's my fault that Donna...'

'Donna? Who's Donna?' I interrupted.

'My wife, my human wife, the one I fell in love with and I was ready to break any rule for her. The reason I was banished from Violet Hollow! I loved her, Ruby. She's the one I created Grey Meadows for. But she refused...' he choked, 'She refused to come to me because this land had no charm, no goodness and no sun, no beauty at all. It's drab as the graveyard. She was a lively person.'

'What did you do?' I asked.

'I was young and frivolous at that time. My ego played on me and I was angry that she didn't like my creation. I left her behind in the mortal world and returned to the Grey Meadows, severing all connections.' he sighed.

'Do you still miss her?' I whispered.

'I don't know where she is. I had two children too. But everything fell apart. I started drinking and smoking. Girls and parties were the only thing I did here and killing of course. I was so rejuvenated with the return of magic in me that I felt invincible...'

'And?'

'That was my downfall. Before I knew, I had wandered too far down that path to return back. I made my army of Vešterkas and I started plundering all other magical kingdoms. I conquered all lands and made frequent sieges on Violet Hollow. But the guardians outmatched us and we had to draft a peace treaty...'

'Why did you sign a peace treaty? You could've just gotten more force and...'

'No,' he stopped me mid sentence.

'No no no,' he clutched his head in his hands, 'I couldn't do it. There was a time when Guardian Sun was taken captive. I could have her killed and the entirety of the human world would have been plunged into darkness, but, I hesitated. My hands couldn't do it... Because that day...'

He stopped, looking at me closely, 'You know young lady, you remind me of Donna. You have the same dark chocolate eyes like her...so serene and I lose myself in those depths.'

Instinctively my hands rose to my face.

Do I really look like his ex wife? That's not a coincidence to be ignored. Maybe it is fate.

'That night, she appeared in my dreams. I don't know how or why or if she had deliberately formed the connection, walking straight into my dreams. But I saw my little kids playing in the sun, laughing and rolling on the warm grass. And I melted. I just couldn't take the sun from them.'

'What did you do then?' I breathed.

'I let the Guardian go in return of a huge amount of magical willyweeds which are found only in the violet land and we made a treaty that both lands are at peace until —' he sighed.

'Until?' I look at him, alarmed at ominous tone in his voice.

'Until one party breaches the protocol, which would then call for open war.'

I was lost in the story that was unfolding before me. Who knew this supposedly cold, unfeeling killer had so much passion, so much warmth in him.

Without thinking for a second, I broke all my awkwardness and wrapped him in a hug.

He stiffened at first, but then relaxed, encircling me with his rough calloused hands. I never got the love of a father, but he was here and I felt safe in his arms.

'Thank you, for saying all this. For letting me in into your mind,' I crooned.

'Promise me, Ruby that you won't leave me, ever. Whatever I do... I know I lose control sometimes. I shout on you, I'm harsh, but I lost Donna. I can't lose you, child,' his voice was broken.

'I promise,' I said, patting his back and it was at that moment I realized how much I've been craving for the same affection that I never got.

'What's the name of your wife, again? Where was your home? Maybe I could help you find her,' I offered.

'You can?' his eyes lit up like diamonds shining in the mellow sunlight.

I nodded.

'Come here, I need to show you something,' he took my hand, leading me through another door at the back of the training room, a door that I never knew existed.

I found myself in a winding, serpentine tunnel. It was difficult finding my way in the dark and I stumbled thrice before he caught me and guided me forward, smoothly tracing his way in the dark, like a cat. He was gripping my hand tightly.

'Where are we going?'

'My secret room,' there was an unusual playfulness in his voice. 'I'll show you the pictures of my love.'

'You definitely loved her a lot!' I mumbled...

'More than you can imagine,' he said, 'Danseuse was everything for me. This land was made for her.'

'Danseuse?' I stopped dead in my tracks, the wheels in my head churning.

'Yes, her full name is Danseuse Donna Plummer!' he said, flashing a spark of light, revealing a heavy brass door.

A giant key appeared out of the air and he fitted it into the ancient lock.

The door slid open with a groan, revealing a dim blue light filtering out from the room which smelled like damp moss and the vellichor of old books.

But none of those seemed to register in my head as I stood glued to my spot.

'Danseuse Plummer, stays in California. She had fiery orange hair, just reaching up to her shoulders —brown eyes, and a mole just above her lips.' I said, almost in a trance.

His eyes widened. 'You know her? Where is she? How's she?' he gripped my hands tighter, but I didn't feel anything.

It was all numb and I felt a hollow in the pit of my stomach.

'She's dead,' I blurted out!

'What?' his shoulders slumped in defeat.

It was like all the life went out of him.

'And she is, or rather she was —' I dreaded the next words I was going to say, 'She was my mother.'

I didn't know how I said that, or why didn't I burst into flames before saying that, but I said it — just said it in that simple 'matter of fact' way.

My hands came lose as he backed away from me, sinking to the floor. His hands were trembling badly but I resisted the urge to comfort him.

He was the mysterious father that had left us all to fend for ourselves.