I Am Where You Are | Mystical Flowers#1 (Ongoing)

Chapter Fourteen

"Listen carefully to the whispers of the wind. They'll show you the way."
I closed my eyes and felt the air around me start to swirl faster. The whisperings grew louder till they were just noises and not words. I strained my ears, trying to hear what the forest was telling me. The trees shook and the wind howled, blocking out the whispers. I opened my eyes and gasped, my head spinning. Archer hurried to my side. "What did you sense?", he asked, giving me a glass of water. I drank it down, feeling out of breath. Viva stayed where she was, watching me. She looked at the portrait and nodded. I stepped back, suddenly afraid of what might happen. Viva looked on, her face calm.
"Lisa? Are you alright?", he asked, taking my hand. I nodded, and took one last look at the dragon before placing my hand on the portrait. I saw Viva smile and bow her head down. I ran my hands over the smooth texture of the frame, focusing on the feeling just as Archer had taught me. Memories and thoughts flooded my mind. Children's laughter, the sound of the trees, and then darkness. The darkness spread through my mind like ink spilling on a blank piece of paper. A memory started to play in my mind, and I watched, unable to break free from its hold.

"Come on, Archer! I bet I can run faster than you!", a girl shouted. Her dark hair flowed with the wind as she ran. A boy ran behind her, but soon caught up with her, his green eyes sparkling with the thrill of racing with her.
"I can beat you easily, little sis. Meet you at home!", he said, running faster than ever, his brown hair flowing behind him as he ran. The girl laughed and tried to catch up with her brother, but just as she started to pick up speed, she stopped. She heard the rustle of leaves behind her and turned around. I saw a flash of blinding light, and heard her cry out. I gasped in shock.

The memory played on, but now it was night. Archer sat on the front steps of his house, his eyes searching the horizon. "Where are you, Aerys? Why haven't you returned?", he called into the night, his voice breaking. The door behind him opened, and I saw a woman sit beside him, her face filled with sadness. "She'll be back, Archer. Don't worry." She looked tired and ill, but she did her best to comfort her son. Her blonde hair was short and cropped, stopping just beneath her ear. Her green eyes looked just like Archer's, but they were filled with sorrow. Archer looked at his mom and sniffed, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his cloak. "She's not coming back, mom. I can feel it. Where is she, mom?", he asked her, his eyes filled with tears. She held him close, rocking him till his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep. "Soon, dear. She'll be back soon."
She looked out into the night, and I felt what she was feeling. Fear.

I gasped in terror, looking around me. The memory had felt so real. It was like I was a witness to all that had happened. I sat on the chair and looked at Viva, who was looking up at me with sad eyes. She came to me and rested her head on my lap. I stroked her head, tears streaming down my face. I had felt everything that they had felt. Archer knelt down next to me, his face sad.
"You saw everything, didn't you?", he asked, giving me a small smile. I nodded and he took my face in his hands gently. This time, I didn't push him away.
"I'm just glad it was you who saw it. Why are you crying? Don't shed tears for things that happened a long time ago. You can't change any of it."
I leaned into his caress, and he wiped my tears away, looking into my eyes.

"I'm sorry about your sister...", I said, looking down at the portrait. The girl in the portrait looked back at me, her green eyes curious. I looked away, not wanting to be reminded of what had happened to her.
Archer shook his head. "Don't be. It's not your fault. It was fate, I guess. Anyway, it was a long time ago." He paused, then said, "I still wait for her though... Maybe she's out there somewhere. Crazy huh?", he asked, hanging his head. I lifted his head with my hands.

"It's not crazy. I'm sure she'll come back. Just be patient." I felt it deep inside. She was still there. Viva looked at Archer, her gaze unwavering. I saw a tear slide down her cheek, and I watched as she slowly closed her eyes, asleep in no time.
Archer nodded and walked away, into his room. Just before he entered, he turned back to look at me. The trees stopped shaking and the wind stopped howling as we stared at each other, until he smiled softly at me and walked in, shutting the door.

I looked toward my room in which the fairy lay. I would have to ask her about all this when she was awake. I sighed, thinking about everything that had happened so far. I looked down at Viva, who was sleeping soundly, and decided that I could do with some sleep. The last thing I saw before closing my eyes was the portrait of Aerys that lay on the ground next to me, her green eyes gleaming in the dark.