The Path to Destiny: Tia's Folly (7 page)

Servants
had consolingly ushered her inside and helped her familiarize herself with the
place. As the last servant left later that evening, Tia was glad they had been
there. She had never seen a bathing room before or a water closet. Baths were
taken in the creek or ponds back at her village and personal business was
attended to in an outhouse. But somehow, these clever people had rigged a
pumping system that allowed water to be used on command
in their houses!

A
healer had arrived shortly after she had finished taking her bath and was
preparing for bed. The old woman had persuaded Tia to allow her to examine the
damage left behind by the Warlord. Luckily for Tia, she required only a few
stitches and was assured no permanent damage was done.

But
the old woman had also brought news with her. She had spent the day convincing
Roland to allow her to attend him. The healer explained that upon examining
Roland’s injury, she had been forced to sedate him so she could repair the
wounds. The rape had done some
horrible
damage to him inside. The healer assured Tia that she believed she could fix
Roland’s physical wounds but then proceeded to warn Tia that emotionally he may
never
recover.

Weeks
passed and healers did in fact heal all of their physical wounds. Tia lived
with a persistent sense of guilt and the knowledge that she could have saved so
many people - from fates worse than Roland’s - if she had paid heed to the Gods’
demands. She listened intently as she was counseled and she agreed that if she
lived in the past, she would never be able to move forward and save lives in
the future. As the weeks turned into months, Tia finally learned how to begin
to forgive
herself
.

As
she emerged from the self imposed rumination, she realized the Falkeries were
watching her…waiting for something. She could feel the tension of the servants,
but she didn’t know what it was they were looking for. Tia had tried asking
Cora – one of the Falkerie servants she had befriended – but Cora only shook
her head and promised she would learn when it was time.

           
It was impossible for Tia not to feel frustrated. She was
treated like a royal guest but began to feel more like a prisoner. Tia was
patiently told by Cora over and over that Roland wasn’t ready to receive her,
that soon she would be called before the council, and to trust them to know when
the time was right. Tia was more than willing to trust them, but the evasive
answers were beginning to get on her nerves.

           
Six months after arriving, Tia nearly wept with relief to
finally
receive a summons. The
imposed seclusion had bored the Druid woman nearly to tears. Anxiously
preparing herself, Tia braided her heavy chestnut hair and donned her
protective black cloak.

           
She wandered the finely decorated house and wondered if
the Falkeries would just let her move here. Tia never wanted to go back to her
village. While her kind had never understood her and ultimately bartered her,
the Falkeries had accepted her and sworn to protect her. She had lived with the
Druids her whole life and didn’t know anyone she could call friend. Roland was
her absentee bonded and Uren was chosen by the Gods to be her mentor. Cora,
however, was her first friend. She seemed genuinely pleased to be allowed to
hang out with Tia and Tia loved being around her. They had forged a bond in the
short time they had known each other.

Smiling,
she made her way back downstairs to the main room. She knew Cora was coming to
fetch her soon
and
Cora had promised
to allow Tia to ride a Unicorn the short distance to where the Falkerie Council
was waiting for them.

           
“A Druid on a Unicorn!
Eek!”
Tia was absolutely giddy and couldn’t help but
announce her glee to the empty room. It was truly an honor to be allowed to
ride one of the massive beasts, especially since they normally only allowed
Falkeries to ride them.

           
“Are you ready?” Cora inquired as she stepped inside her
doorway.

           
“Yes!” She squealed, hurrying toward the open door. “Will
I see Roland?”

           
“I do not know,” her friend replied calmly as she
motioned Tia to follow her.

           
Walking out of the guest quarters and into the daylight,
Tia gasped in awe to see a pair of Unicorns waiting on bended knee for their
riders. Steam blew from their noses in the frigid winter air, and their coats
sparkled like diamonds against the snowy background.

           
“Do you need help mounting?” Cora asked her.

           
“No,” Tia replied breathlessly as she easily swung
herself up onto the massive creature’s back.

           
“Hang on,” her friend grinned broadly as she swung onto
her own Unicorn and nudged it forward.

           
The pair of Unicorns immediately took off running at
speeds no normal horse could ever hope to reach. Tia felt the thrill and
exhilaration of riding something so powerful. Tipping her head backward, she
gave into the desire to feel the sunlight on her face and allowed the wind to
push her hood from her head. Laughing in the cold morning light, Tia knew she
could never feel this free again. As they raced towards the Falkerie city, she
admired the silvery city with the peaks of its castles seeming to reach the
sky.
 

Enchanted
by the connection she felt in holding the silken strands of the Unicorn’s mane,
she swore she could feel the beast’s approval of her pleasure. Joy hummed
through her veins and when she closed her eyes, she imagined it was her – not
the Unicorn – whose hooves were pounding into the frosty ground.

           
Slowing abruptly as they entered the city, the Unicorns
sauntered sedately down the street. Tia looked left and right, anxiously trying
to see everything they passed. All of the buildings were made out of crystal
and silver with very little to distinguish one from the next.

Squinting
at a sign written in a language she didn’t know, Tia was shocked to hear a
whisper in her head telling her that the building housed a seamstress. Whipping
her head left and right to look at the different signs, she desperately wanted
to know how she could
hear
the signs!
Blacksmith, jeweler, laundress, and the voice in her head just kept talking!

Noticing
the Falkeries on the street, Tia realized that most were stopping to gawk at
her. Making a mental note, she told herself she would ask Cora why when they
reached their destination.

Trying
to ignore the many eyes following her, she concentrated on memorizing the lush
gardens they were passing. Plants and flowers she had never seen before were
thriving in the winter - With a start, Tia realized the air was no longer cold.
Twisting around on her mount, she searched all around her, trying to figure out
when the snow had vanished.

Moving
through a large gateway, Tia sighed discontentedly because her curiosity was
nowhere near
sated. Turning forward, she
paid attention to the large dwelling in front of her as the animals cantered up
to a castle doorway. The castle appeared to be made purely out of crystal. Even
as close as she was, she couldn’t see though the walls. Blinking at the bright
light reflecting off of the castles walls, she was surprised to see that
something – a shadow – appeared to be moving around in the walls of the castle!

Startled
as she suddenly lurched forward, she realized the Unicorn she was riding had
once again knelt to allow her to dismount. As she slid down, Tia was dismayed
at how quickly the good things she had been feeling disappeared.
 
Pushing aside her disappointment, she turned
to the great beast.

           
“Thank you for the ride,” Tia addressed the Unicorn
appreciatively. “I have never felt
anything
so
wonderful
!”

           
“She knows.” Cora smiled as she walked towards them. “She
has a gift for you…if you would hold your hand out to her with your palm up.”

           
Holding out her palm, Tia watched avidly as the Unicorn
tilted her head and blinked a tear into her outstretched hand. Taking a step
back, the Unicorn lowered her long horn to rest in Tia’s hand. Bright light
began to flow from the fluid and spilt out in all directions.

The
tinkling of bells rang in Tia’s ears as her hand grew heavier and heavier.
Beginning to pant from the effort of holding up her arm, Tia cried out in pain
as the Unicorn’s horn pierced her skin drawing blood. Without warning, all of
the spilt light rushed back into her hand and the Unicorn stepped back.

           
“She has honored you,” Cora explained in a hushed voice.
“She has gifted you with a drop of her power, to be used only by you, as you
wish.”

           
“I thank you.” Tia bowed slightly to the horse before
turning to her companion. “But why would she gift me with something so
special?”

           
“Every Unicorn has a destiny too,” Cora replied with a
shrug. “Obviously, this was part of hers. But come, we will be late if we do
not go in now.”

           
Once again following her friend, Tia looked at the white
and pink jewels before slipping it into the pocket of her robe as she walked
into the giant castle. As she followed Cora, Tia remembered her earlier
question.

“Why
was everyone in the city staring at me?”

“Our
city is private,” Cora shrugged as she continued walking. “Visitors who are allowed
within our walls are rare enough that most don’t remember the last time it
happened.”

Tia
pondered this as they walked down passageways, around corners, up stairs and
then down stairs, through a massive indoor garden, and halted before a giant
crystal room. Tia knew this room was somehow enchanted. She hesitated in the
doorway; she was literally able to
feel
the room warning her away.

“Come
on!” Cora urged her before walking into the room alone.

Taking
a deep breath, Tia squeezed her eyes shut and stepped through the unwelcoming
doorway. Pain rippled through her insides as her knees hit the floor. Curling
forward and crossing her arms across her abdomen, Tia panted and attempted to
leave the room. As she tried to stand, the room suddenly increased its hold on
her
worse than before
, shooting pain
through her entire body and crumpling her back to the floor. Frantically
looking around, her eyes fell on Faye.

           
“Help me!” She cried.

           
Sobbing her pain, Tia vaguely watched as Faye led an old
Falkerie woman across the room to kneel at her side. A light touch feathered
over her body as the old woman chanted softly. Time seemed to cease and the
only thing that mattered was the spell the woman was casting. Gradually, the
pain started to fade, allowing Tia to catch her breath, and her muscles to
relax. Turning over on to her back, Tia smiled her thanks to the old Falkerie
woman, grateful for the lessening of the pain.

           
“She is fully cloaked, but it will only last for a few
hours.” the old woman announced to the room.

           
“This is our most knowledgeable healer and she the High
Keeper of Spells.” Faye still knelt beside Tia as she reached to take her hand.
“The only way you could be a threat to us is if you carry a Phoenix child.”

           
Tia slowly sat up as the horror of what Faye had just
said slowly sunk into her disbelieving mind.

           
“I would be six
maybe
seven months pregnant if that were true. My stomach is still as flat today as
it was a year ago,” she countered.

           
“Phoenix
live
for thousands of
years. Their pregnancies last for three years,” the healer lazily explained
before turning to the rest of the council. “She must remain here; the Warlord
will feel his child that
is
in her
womb.”

           
Noticing all of the people in the room for the first
time, Tia shook off Faye’s hand and forced herself to stand up.

           
“First of all
, what
did you just do to me?!
” She demanded to know.

           
“We didn’t do anything,” Faye gave her a reassuring smile
as she explained. “This room was built many, many years ago when Falkeries and
Phoenix were at war. As an added protection, the room was bound by a very
powerful spell that would refuse entrance to a Phoenix.”

           
“I am not Phoenix!” Tia reminded her unnecessarily. “Why
would it hurt me?”

           
“Tia,” Faye walked up to her and placed a hand on her
arm. “You are pregnant with a Phoenix child. Had you been a normal Phoenix the
room would have encased you in the floor and you would have spent eternity
being tormented by pain.
Because
you
are mostly Druid and pregnant with a half Phoenix child, the enchantment
stopped you from entering any further into the room.”