Norareen part 2

Winter 1842:

“Husband… why do you cry? Is the world falling down?” She asked me lightly and wiped away my tears gently.

“I weep for our people.”

“Our people? What has happened to make you weep?  Should I be concerned?” I looked at her and feared she would think me silly.

“Nothing… well something”

“Callus, stop being cryptic and tell me what ails you so.”

“Our child… she is… the child that the prophesy has foretold. The books speak of a child born to the world with jet black curls, blue eyes, and skin as white and cold as snow. ” I looked away from my wife, finding a spot on the wall that seemed interesting.

“Well with that description… it could be you Callus.  You have jet black curls, blue eyes, and skin as white and cold as snow.  Could you then not be that child as well?  Do you not think this silly at all? ”

“I am not the child.  This child that we have created is to be evil… she will ruin our world.  It makes me sad… that is why I weep.”

“Callus... we have two children… one as dark as night yet, white as day and another as fair and colorful as the autumn.  Focus on our two beautiful healthy children.  Do not fret over what may or may not be.  Those books you read could be child stories of old for all we know.”

“You know that is not true… you know we can not die unless we choose to leave the earthly plain.” I looked at my wife, “She will not be the child who will keep our world as it should be.  I will not let her leave these walls without a guard.  She will not bring about the shift in the world.”

“Callus, so cold… you used to be so warm.” Only a flashback…

“Father! FATHER ARE YOU EVEN LISTING TO ME?!”

“Yes child, I hear you…” I refused to look at her.

“You are a bastard.”  Still I looked everywhere but at my rage filled Airianna.  She moved; I could feel what I would not look at move quicker than lightening.  I knew if I were to glance in front of me she would be there.  I looked then, into those storms of blue eyes.  “Would you forsake your people father? Would you let the wars rage outside and do nothing to save them?”

“What would you have me do, child?” I stayed calm. I knew what her answer would be.

“SAVE them, you fool of a man!” I could hear the storms raging outside.

“No.”

“Why? Are you not the one always speaking of love… for your people?  The very souls out there fighting in your WAR!  They follow you blindly, and you would kill them?  What are you having them die FOR?”

“They cannot die Airianna.” I knew that would be a lie soon.

“Are you kidding? Please say you are joking?”

“No, I am not.”

“Those men out there have weapons that can kill our kind! Do you understand that? They are going to murder them! What FOR?” She no longer was yelling… but she was still filled with rage. “What for?” she sounded exhausted.

“Their freedom…”

“Freedom...”  She had such distain in her voice now.  Airianna turned and walked slowly down the throne room stairs, where she had been standing.  “Then, they are like you; blind dim-witted fools.  And you; you are the king of them all.”

I felt the rage building inside of me. “You will NOT talk to me that way.  I am your king and your father”

“Yes you may be those things… but you are committing murder… If you cannot see what you are doing as such; I will talk to you how I choose.”

I was trembling with a rage I could not hold down. I stood very slowly and walked toward her. “You will kneel… you will BOW… you WILL BEG FOR FORGIVENESS! I AM NO MURDERER!”

I watched as she held her ground, eyes cold and hallow and oh so blue. “I will NOT knell, I will NOT bow, I will NOT beg for something I do NOT WANT.  I am NOT afraid of you…  You are the only person who should be terrified of you.  If you cannot see, cannot KNOW that those men, women, and children are dying by no means of our own; the only thought I have to believe is that you are going to let them die.  And, if you are doing that… then by that way you are committing murder.  I don’t bow to evil.” I could see in my own child’s eyes that she hated me.  She held such pure power contained… not lashing out; not even a tiny bit.  Yet, she loathed me at that moment. 

I continued my walk towards her, “If you do not bow to your King… what will you do?”

She had a smile now… one that did not reach her eyes.  “I will forsake you.  I will leave you; like mother left you… like your people are leaving you.  Then, there will be nothing of us left will there, father? If I forsake you and leave… those people outside dying for you… they will leave too.  And you; you will be all alone. ”

I looked up and saw my wife… my beautiful Norareen laughing at me.  Why was she laughing? I don’t remember saying anything funny.  “Why do you laugh, wife?”

“I laugh because you are so silly.  That child just brought a thunderstorm into our palace.  Yet, you cry.  What does she do to make you so sad?”

“She said that she hated me.  I don’t know why she would hate me.” I knew I sounded childish, but I still said the words.

“For any reason a ten year old would hate her father.  Because you said no, if you are going to cry or be sad every time you have to say no.  You are never going to be someone she fears when she needs to.  However, she needs to know that you love her.  She is different from the rest of the girls at court… even Katrina says so.  She is your daughter and you love her… this much is true.  But like you, she is far more powerful than she should be by now”

“I know.  More and more she is becoming something to fear.  She is just as the books foretold…”

“Yet, she is not.  I see something there that those books don’t see.” I looked into her laughing eyes.

“What is it, what do you see?”

“Compassion…  Someday my love, she will be a great Queen… one that will not forsake her people.”

“How do you know?” I sounded desperate and small. I am the King I should sound strong, but that child of mine made me weak… just like her mother.

“It’s a mother’s intuition.” Norareen smiled.  Only a dream…

“Father? Father what in the world are you doing?!” I looked over to see my arms held back and blood dripping from my fists. Holding them was Katrina.  “I ask again, what are you DOING?”

“I- I do not know.” There was blood everywhere, on my cloths and hands; I could even feel it on my face.  Was this my blood?  I couldn’t remember what I was just doing. 

“Can you contain yourself long enough for Airianna to move away from you?” I looked bewildered at my youngest child… why would I have to contain myself?  I turned to see my lovely Airianna beaten to a pulp.  No that’s not the word for it... there were no words for what I had done.  Her eyes were swelling shut; her skin was no longer white but a ruby red… the kind of red only blood makes.  Her white dress was not white any longer, but a pale pink… what had I done?

“Yes, I can contain myself.” I felt the first sting of tears leave my eyes.  Had I become so angered that I would torture my own child?  Katrina let go of my arms, when she did I stumbled to the floor. When Airianna moved to stand I scurried backwards on my hands and knees.  I had started the first sounds of sobs by the time I reached the stars leading up to my throne.  I knew she would heal, and quickly… but still what had I done?  “Airianna… I am…”

The bloody face looked at me… even through all the red and swelling I saw those eyes... She hated me now more than ever before. “I forsake you.  I will never again bow to you.  You will never again know my love.  You are the reason our kind will fall.  It will be because of you.  I forsake you Callus Heart, I will never again stand by your side, and never again will I suffer your rage.  I am not your lapdog, and I will not bow to your will.  When I leave… whoever is left after this war is complete, will follow me, not you.”

to be continued