Tainted Blood

Chapter 21

Her thoughts were cloudy and her heart ached as she followed that tether that pulled at her heart, an invisible line leading her. It didn't take her long to find him, he sat at the highest point on the village, his sword resting on his knees, a sharpening stone in the other. The sharp sound of the metal rang through as he stilled; his spine straightening as if a cold wind had brushed against it. Her feet were feather light as she approached him, the sword went still in his hands. She watched the sharp inhale he took, watched as his head drooped and shoulder's curved inwards. His voice was soft and quiet as he spoke, his voice almost cracking.

"I dreamt of you last night," he whispered, "the same dream, the same the meadow, the fire, the baby, and what is usually a distortion of the woman I loved or I think I loved; your face was there." A breath "Your fingers brushing against the wildflowers and tall grass."

"Wildflowers." She whispered. She stepped closer towards him, to the scent of fresh rain caressed her face, an invisible hand pushing her towards him, the man that had always been there, despite hate and who/what he thought I stood for. She was so close to him now, could smell the salt of the tears running down his cheeks. 

"You were there one minute, the next, ash, pain and loneliness."

Her body brushed against his as she sat in the open seat next to him. She watched his hands shake, the cold sweat running down his brow. Quietly, she spoke, her own hands trembling, 

"There was a fire, fighting, an ambush of the neighbouring village." He stiffened next to her, "we were fighting, I felt you at my back, I saw a child, she was getting ripped from her mother's arms. I didn't think, I just acted."

"And left with a knife in your stomach." He breathed. He looked at her, silver lined his eyes, such pain and longing. This is the dream that had haunted him; the dream he spoke of when they found the children's book, his waking nightmare. She took a breath, his eyes trailed the side of her face, her hand, shaking he reached his hand to her slowly. She spoke the words she heard so often, the words that warmed and broke her heart.

"You are my heart, for without you, I am lost to my darkness. May we find each other in the next life, as we did in this one." She whispered. He froze, he knew the words, heard them in his dreams and his nightmares. So many unspoken words sat between them, so much uncertainty and unanswered questions. 

"Why are you in my dreams?" he whispered, his hand falling to hers, his face contorted in confusion, "what is this?"

"I don't know. I have been in this world a long time, I have seen loved ones come and go but never have I felt like this, so connected and whole."

He looked at their hands, now intertwined, his fingers delicately curling over hers. It had felt as though the world had finally fallen into place, two puzzle pieces once lost rejoined.  

"I think we have known each other a long time, Elias, I think i have been subconsciously looking for you my whole life."

"My, my, isn't that sweet," a distorted voice cackled behind them. Elias stopped, gripping the sword and swung around. Sebastian stood before them, his hair dishevelled. Dark, dried blood was splattered along his now tattered shirt, the knife in his hand the same. His eyes were blood shot, dark rings around them, his face scratched and cut in various places. Spencer extended her hand to her boot, the cool metal of her dagger pressed against her ankle. 

"Uh, uh, uh, little one," he raised his blood knife towards her, Elias began to angle himself in front of her, "you either princeling, rumour has it, you too have become rather important to this little revolution." he spat cackling, waving the knife towards them.

"What do you want, Sebastian?" Elias hissed, his eyes pinned on the knife. Sebastian's head lulled, swinging back as he laughed, Spencer watched as he ran the knife along his tongue, his arms cut and scratched.