by Asia
the sun was strong, just in the peak of the summer. the field of thistles had no chance. one thorn got burned and in minutes, the whole field was burning with big flames.
'just thistles' she thought to herself. suddenly she saw it, in the middle of the midst was a small rose. the flames were in their way to the delicate flower.
she run as fast as she could, she had to save the rose, but the flames were already too close to him.
"nooooooooooooo"
"are you alright rose ? what happened ?" David ask with a worried frown.
one tear rolled from her left eye "my child...oh, my child..." she lament.
*****
"Sam, wake up. Sam..." tears were streaming down her face as she knelt beside sam who was lying on the wet ground, his right hand and leg bends in an unnatural position.
"come on, wake up...I don't want to lose you too" she whispered in utter desolation "don't die, please...oh god, don't let him die." she removed his wet hair from his face and patted his head, murmuring a pray.
suddenly his eyes flickered "Emi..." he whispered.
"oh, Sam...are you okay?"
"it's hurt..."
"can you move ? does your leg hurts ?" she asked quickly "we should get you to the doctor"
"I don't know..."
"well, we have to try. we can't stay here. the storm is only in the beginning. now, let's see..." she handed him her hand "let's see if you can get up."
"aaaaaarrrrrrrr" Sam yelled in agony.
"I'm sorry, where did it hurt ?"
"my arm."
"what about your leg ?"
"it hurts, but not as much as my hand..."
"alright, then we have to get you to the doctor fast."
"but, I can't move. why can't you go get him?"
"because, you would freeze to death, or drown if this rain wouldn't stop. I'll try not to hurt you very much. hold your breath, it would make it a bit easier."
"where is Jenny ?"
"she is over there, near the tree." she thought for a moment "you won't ride her, we would ride double."
"this is not her fault..." Sam defended his beloved horse.
"I know, but you can't ride on your own like that. now let's go"
*****
Sam opened his eyes and found himself in his room, but no one else was there. usually his brothers were there, making noise while playing. he tried to get up, but a piercing pain in his right side returned him back to the bed. a moan escaped from his mouth. now he remembered.
Emerald opened the door quietly, when she saw that he was awake she closed it back and returned a minute later with the doctor.
"how do you feel ?" she asked gently.
"I had better days" he smiled at her "what happened ?"
"tell me from where do you remember."
"I remember that I fell, that's it "
"we rode to town, but you past out, probably from the pain."
"you are very lucky, you fell on the side and not on your back. your backbone did not hurt. but, you broken your right arm and sprained your right leg." the doctor informed him.
Sam looked at his hand that was covered with bandages. 'so, that's why my right side hurt' he thought to himself.
"can you call Rose now ?" the doctor asked Emerald.
she went out and a minute later Rose came.
"how do you feel ?" she asked with a worried expression on her face.
"I'm fine mommy, really. don't worry." he tried to encourage her. the last thing he wanted was to make her sad.
"would you like a cup of tea aunt Rose ?" Emerald hurried to her aunt who stepped out of the room.
"thank you dear, I would love it. would you sit down with me ? we haven't talked for a while."
Emerald loved her aunt with every fiber of her soul. she was so much like her mother, which was no wonder because they were twins. they looked exactly the same, their long black hair, their baby face, their posture. everything but their eyes. Lily had green dazzling eyes, that she past on to her only daughter, and Rose had blue-gray eyes, the same eyes she past to all her seven sons and daughter.
they were very close, therefore when Lily died Emerald was brought here for two month before her father asked her back. she didn't want to go, Rose and David had to promise her that Sam would come to visit her at least once a month.
"Sam just told me what happened." Rose went straight to the point. "this is outrages. how can he do that ?"
"auntie, I really don't want to talk about it now." Emerald said plain and flat "I would like to hear about you and your family. how is little Anne feeling ? I heard she was sick."
the flames were very close to the rose now almost touched him. the tears flowed down her face, there was nothing she could do to save him.
then the rain started and in few minutes the fire was down. she looked at the field. nothing left from the thorns, just a small rose stand proud in the middle of the midst.
she smiled and went to him, but before she got there she saw a small child with a pink dress and braids kneeling down and carefully picking the small rose with his root, and waking away.
three days after Sam got out of bed, he wanted to go back to Emerald's house. Emerald couldn't understand his hurrying.
"why just now ? we can wait a few days. the wedding won't go away...please, you might make yourself more damage." she pleaded him.
"nothing would happened, we would be on a horse's back, I won't walk..."
the door opened and Rose came in "Emerald, would you please watch the boys ? I want to talk with Sam."
Emerald got the hint and went out of the room, she went to the living room and gathered the whole bunch of children that played in the small house "who wants to take a walk with me ?"
"I do, I do" Joshua raised his hand "yes, I want too" the voices filled the small house.
Rose looked at her elder son and tears threatened to filled her eyes. "you are leaving..."
"yes I do, I would like to be with Emerald before the wedding..." he started to explain.
"you are leaving, and I won't see you again..." her lips quivered.
Sam looked at her closely "what do you mean ?"
"I had a dream..." she couldn't say more, she sat on the bed and broke in to tears.
Sam looked at his bag on the floor then at his mother.
"you love her too much."
"I just want to help her."
"I know, just as she would have done. but you have to remember that this is all you will ever be."
Sam nodded "I know mom, I know."
"I want you to know that I am very proud of you." her voice trembled "you are doing the right thing, but I will miss you very much..."
he wanted to reject, to say it wasn't true. but in a second, he knew she was right, as always.
"would you help us ?"
*****
Nanny looked out of the window, nothing seems to change from the last time she looked. she sigh, then walked back to pile over Emerald's bed. 'no time to be lazy' she thought while sorting through the mess. 'so what if I'm worried sick ?' for a few moments she held Emerald's dress, then went back to the window.
they told her that they would come back in a couple of days, and it's been four now. and Emerald always kept her promises.
just before the darkness spread over, she saw two horses in the horizon. she focused on them, and after a few minutes she smiled and ran downstairs. "they came back...they came back." she shouted to Margaret who was sitting in the living room.
"why do you have to shout woman ?" Joseph growled from the couch.
"your daughter have returned, sir" she said with glowing eyes.
"it does not matter, I will ask you to stop this behavior right now"
"yes sir." she said, but didn't lowered her head, she kept looking at him with hatred in her eyes.
he looked back and with a smug smile said "after my daughter would get married, I don't think we would have much to do with an old woman like you..."
Nanny was in shock, but soon got over it and hurried to the door. her baby returned. that was all that mattered.
she opened the door and saw them in the and of the path, running to them she started scowling at them, but when she got close she gasped in surprise.
"what happened ?"
*****
"you can't go tonight"
"but Sam, I haven't seen him for four days, he must be worried." she pleaded him.
"it's too dangerous for you to go alone, and i can't climb the tree...be reasonable" he tried to make her understand.
"I can't let him wait for me forever, your arm is not going to be better next week even." she knew it was dangerous but she was worried about him too, what if something happened to him when she was away ? "you know what ? I would only go and tell him I won't be coming for a few days, and I'll return right after that."
"okay, but be careful.."
she didn't wait and climbed the window in his room "don't worry"
Emerald was up the whole night. she returned like she promised, but couldn't sleep. Joharran acted so strangely, she thought he might be angry at her, because she came back late, though he denied it. but she didn't have any other explanation for his behavior.
after lunch Emerald went to Sam who was at the guest room. he wasn't feeling very well, and she prepared him a nice tray full of food. she was about to enter the room, when she heard someone talking, so she put the tray down and listened.
"I'm telling you, he knows. he follows her for some time, I'm sure of that."
she heard Sam's voice "I don't think she is ready, beside, what if she wouldn't want to..."
"you have to, you should have heard him yesterday. he said to Nanny that after Emerald's wedding he would get read of her, and I know what he meant. she must go before..." the voice died out.
Emerald quickly took the plate and knocked the door as if she didn't hear anything, but all her internal was in turmoil.
"hi Emerald, are you okay ? you are so white..." Margaret asked.
"I'm...I'm fine. I just need a rest." she fumbled with the words, then quickly got away from there. she got to her room and sat on the bed, her thoughts wandering to what she heard.
*****
Joharran couldn't sleep that night. usually he was so tired after a long night with Emerald that he fell asleep immediately. today was different.
for the first time in months he felt the hard cold floor, heard Thomas's snores, and felt the pain in his heart for loosing his home, his family, everything he knew and believed in.
he missed leading the ninth cave, wondering in his heart if Jondalar is keeping the cave in good state. Joharran knew his brother was capable to lead, he had all the qualities of a good leader. but Jondalar didn't enjoy it and Joharran wondered if his own welfare might overcome his responsibilities.
he missed his brother, they developed a close relationship after he returned from his journey. and he missed his subtle jokes, his knowledge, his advice.
thinking of his brother brought thoughts of Ayla to his mind. 'I think she knew I would come here' he thought, he smiled thinking of her daughter. now that he knew that Ayla's theory is true a strange thought came to him, Matanya was the only continuation of Marthona. unless Folara has a baby now. it made him sad to think he would never see his sister again. no one expected her to return, and he didn't know if he would ever return himself. though there was hope. and he tried to cling on that hope.
turning from side to side he thought last of Emerald.
'oh mother, I miss her' he thought to himself. it's been two days from the last time he saw her, and it was only for a short time. he wondered what was she doing now. probably sleeping safe and sound. he pictured her in his mind, lying on the furs, her hair scattered. smiling at him. when he fell asleep donii came to his dreams, she had Emerald's face.
*****
Emerald sat on her bed heavily. the thoughts running through her mind. she just couldn't believe her father said that. he was not a caring person, but this was too much. she knew perfectly well what some masters do to their slave when they grow old. she just didn't think Joseph was capable to this horrible things.
she tried to think of a way to stop him, but couldn't think of anything. finally she fallen asleep.
it was cold and dark. she couldn't see where she was going and she was getting scared. the only comfort was the walls beside her, protecting her from the unknown. the tunnel went on and on and she thought it might never end. she trembled on a rock and lost her balance, holding on to the walls she steadied herself. when she raised her head she saw a light. all the troubles forgotten as an overwhelming surge of relief washed through her. she hurried towered the light, and soon was out in the sunshine.
she blinked several times, getting use to the bright light. in front of her was a beautiful valley, filled with flowers and bird's songs. she started getting down the slope when she saw a woman in the distance, lying on the grass. she started going her way. as she got closer she notice that the blond woman was playing with some animal. getting closer she realized it was a lion.
she gasped in fear. and suddenly the lion disappear, the blond hair changed to black. the woman turned her head and smiled at her.
"mother..." Emerald whispered, then yelled "mother" and ran to her. Lily welcomed her with a loving hug.
Lily sat on the soft grass and motioned her to sit. she picked an old groundsel and blew. the petals flew all over the valley. Emerald sigh, it was a beautiful sight.
"he lets his children go, setting them free to create another flower." Lily smiled at her daughter. "it's time for you to make your own destiny."
"what do you mean ?" Emerald looked puzzled.
Lily took Emerald's hand in hers and caress it. "it's time to grow up, make your own decisions. I'm sure you would make a good one" she took something from her pocket and put it in Emerald's hand.
emerald looked down at her hand "it's a rock!"
Lily nodded "take care of it, this is your destiny. goodbye my child. tell my sister that I love her."
"don't go, mother." Emerald pleaded her.
"I'm staying here, but you should go." she smiled and turned around. her hair changed to blond again, emerald turned around to see a lion leaping at her.
"nooooooo"
Emerald woke up with a start. a dim light penetrated through the window. she looked outside, it was almost sunrise. she opened her hand and saw a black stone in her palm.
*****