Light in Torment: An Annora Park Novel: Book Three

Chapter Six: Caught Between Two Worlds

    I appear in Branuel's dark dungeon like bedroom and obviously catch him unawares because he's in the process of dressing—thank God he's alone though. I throw myself at him and burry my head in his chest.
"Oh my midnight flower, what is wrong. What has you so overwrought?"
"I...I...oh...how did it go so wrong, Branuel. I went to there to talk to him about murders, and marriage and stuff and and it all went to hell in a hand basket."
"Slow down. Hell in a hand basket? I don't know this term, my midnight flower."
"Basically it meant it all went to hell." I pull back from him and implore him to understand with my eyes. "God. I went to Terrenel to talk to him and things went to shit."
"Surely it wasn't as bad as all that."
I sigh, "Stand back." I unfurl my wings and just like Terrenel Branuel's eyes widen considerably in absolute awe.
"OH GODDESS!" Branuel comes forward. "May I touch them?"
I throw up my hands. "Sure, everyone want to touch the damn wings, so go ahead." He touches them softly running his hands along the wingspan and I laugh. "That tickles, stop." He does so immediately.
"You have wings, my love."
"I have wings. Apparently their my heavenly host body manifestation. Honestly I"m not sure what to do with them. My first flying lesson was an abject disaster."
"You flew already?"
"More like flopped, but I tried."
"They're glorious, midnight flower."
"Yeah, Terrenel thought so too," I say bitterly.
Branuel finishes pulling on his armor and sits on the bed and pats the seat next to him. "Okay explain this to me, my midnight flower. What happened."
I try to explain the situation to Branuel and watch as he frowns.
"Hmmmm....the Light Fae King did not go about it the correct way. But I do believe you overreacted, Annora my love."
"Overreacted?" I shriek. I jump off the bed. "He said he couldn't accept me before, but now that I have wings I'm suddenly acceptable to him and his court. Well screw that!"
"No he accepted you before. He merely meant that your having wings would solidly your position in his court and in his life. Is that not what you want. To be acknowledged amongst him own."
"I don't care about that stuffy crew of idiots."
"You may not, but he does. He belongs to them as they belong to him, my midnight flower. Just as I belong to my people and they belong to me. You went there and if I heard you right you saved him from fading. You brought him back to life. That is anything shows the bond that you have between the two of you. You cannot just cut off the bond because your feelings are hurt."
"When did you become to damned reasonable?"
"When we all went into this together, midnight flower. I may not care for the Light Fae King, but he is in your heart a part a of it, I cannot deny that. If I wish to be a part of your life then I must accept that."
"But I don't want him to to want me just because of a pair of bloody wings, Branuel."
"He doesn't. He wants you because you're incomparable, my midnight flower, as do we all. The wings only make you more magnificent."
I flop back down on the bed and sigh. "Does this mean I need to apologize to him?"
"Heaven help me, no. He was an ass. I say you make him sweat it out a little. Is that not what you humans say?"
I laugh. "Okay, I'll make him sweat it out a little."
"Now...tell me what brought to your Tir na nOg in the first place, other than to talk to the jackass, is that right, jackass?"
I laugh. "Yeah, jackass is good. Okay....so it's like this."

                                                                                     *****

"They're skinned?" Branuel looks horrified.
"Yes. But there is no blood, no blood at all. It's perfect. If you can call grotesque perfect. I know the two victims are Light Fae and I'm pretty certain that the murderer was after their wings. The cuts are too precise and when I Tread that is what I got. But the only think I could see was light bright blinding light hovering over them, and then their skin was gone," I sigh. "I'm totally stumped and I don't like it. I went to Terrenel to talk to him about it but then we got into that awful argument."
"I will make inquiries around the court, my midnight flower. But I cannot see mine doing such a thing. My people prefer the blood."
I grimace. "Yeah I know."  I hold up a hand.  "I'm not being insulting, just saying it as I see it, Branuel."
   Branuel sighs,  "I know, I know, my midnight flower."  Branuel gets up and folds me into his arms.  "You realize you must go back to him."
   "Who?" I ask innocently knowing very well who he's talking about, but not liking it one bit.
   "Don't do that, midnight flower.  Don't act the innocent with me.  You must go back to your Light Fae King and talk to him.  This time you must have a REAL conversation with him."
   "I have no idea what a real conversation with him entails anymore, Branuel," I sigh.  "Every time I see him this film of red crosses my eyes and all I can see is that bitch Fairy all over her."
   "Did he not explain that situation to you."
   "Yeah, I guess."
   "Can you not find it in that all so large heart of yours to forgive him then?"
   Ugh.  Everything in me rebelled, especially my stubborn nature.  But I nod slowly.  Murder trumped all right—even my broken heart.  "Okay, okay I'll go speak to him."
   "Good.  I will wait for you here.  Or if you'd prefer I'll go with you."
   "Would you?" I ask anxiously.
   "I would.  But are you certain you want me to?"
   Was I sure.  Hell no.  But I wanted him with me.  I needed the support right now.  "Yes, please come with me."  I take Branuel's hand and make my wish and we both wink out of existence.