Trinity Awakening (10 page)

The cool feeling of the forest floor was now spreading up Trinny's arm and across her chest. It felt so good. It travelled into her injured arm and relieved all the pain, her head was feeling clearer. She lifted her eyes to see everyone looking at her with faces of disbelief.

             
"It can't be that bad, I don't even feel any pain. Why are you looking at me like that?" But no one spoke; Emma lifted her hand and pointed at Trinny's injured arm. Trinny looked down and saw that her whole lower half was covered in a dark brown dirt substance, it was moving over her body like it was alive. She wasn't scared, it felt natural, like she had jumped into the ocean and was taking a refreshing swim, she felt weightless and renewed. Trinny and the others watched as the dark brown substance moved down her injured arm and then proceeded to leave her skin and go back into the earth where it came from. She looked at her arm and it was no longer injured, it looked perfect, like the skin had never even been grazed. 

             
"Of course! Healing powers, my Gran told me the Earth Elementals had gifts of healing, impressive." Nina said with a hint of respect in her voice. 

             
"How are you feeling? That was totally weird and cool at the same time." Emma was down at Trinny's side now, examining her arm. 

             
"I feel great, like I could climb Mt Everest." Trinny got to her feet and felt a new strength welling up inside her. "I feel, alive." She looked toward Aarion and said with a slight cutting tone. "A little bit more like the person you were expecting?" His face looked sad, but he said nothing. Emma turned her friend away from everyone. 
             

             
"Trin? What’s up? That's not like you, is something wrong?" Trinny looked back at Aarion who was now in deep conversation with Morthos. 

             
"He pretty much told me I wasn't what he was expecting. I thought he was different, he seemed to have a faith in me, but I was wrong about him." Emma smiled sadly at her friend.

             
"Maybe he wasn't the only one expecting a lot from someone."

             
"You are so annoying when you go all
Oprah
on me." 

They both laughed together, then Emma took her friends hand. 

             
"Don't write someone off because they are not what you first expected, we need to always give people a second chance." 

             
"When did you get so wise?"

             
"About 2 seconds ago!" 

             
"Thanks my friend." Trinny gave Emma a hug and then took another look at her arm. "How cool was that dirt thing?"

Emma looked excitedly back at Trinny.

             
"Trin, if you can do that without even trying, imagine what you can do if you put your mind to it."

Trinny nodded, but was also feeling a little apprehensive about these new gifts,
what else can I do?
She asked herself.

CHAPTER SEVEN

'Such songs have power to quiet the restless pulse of care,

and
come like the benediction that follows after prayer.'

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

They followed closely to the small stream they had walked along for the past two hours; it was very peaceful listening to the water flowing in the same direction as their destination. Garus was happily in conversation with Nina and Emma, Morthos walked ahead of everyone keeping a diligent lookout for anything that looked unusual, and Trinny walked just in front of Aarion who was following at the rear. She didn't want to look back, she still felt upset with herself for reacting to Aarion the way she did, but she also wanted to give him as much of a cold shoulder as possible, she didn't like to be doubted. It took all her will to keep herself from turning around to look at him; he was so easy to look at. Her mind was in a constant battle, she was quite pleased he couldn't see her face, as she was sure it was looking contorted.

  It was getting dark and there wasn't much light left, even though the forest wasn't as dense here, the sun had gone down and there were only soft pink and red hues in the sky leading their path. Aarion called out.

             
"We'll rest here for the night, then leave at first light." He directed everyone under a large Oak tree, its branches were huge and hung over the water, the leaves were the most beautiful deep green. The stream was wider here, and split into two, it was more like a very large pond area. There were gorgeous bell shaped flowers in white that grew on the banks, leaning over the pond as if this was how they drunk up the water. 

The evening was warm so Emma and Trinny laid out their sleeping bags on the ground so that Nina could also share with them. Emma rummaged in her bag and brought out a torch, Trinny had one two, as Emma was so fussy when packing their bags she made sure they had everything they may need. The torches were the convertible kind that could be used as lanterns as well, so they gave off plenty of light in their makeshift campsite. 

             
"What have you got in there? Did you catch a Will-o-wisp?" Garus was fascinated with the torches, picking them up and shaking them, looking into the light to see what magical creature was giving them illumination.

             
"No." Nina laughed. "They are run by batteries, the mortal world is filled with contraptions like this to make life easier."

             
"I would like to see more of the mortal realm, that visit was really to short, you have so much I want to explore." Garus said longingly.

             
"I'll tell you what Garus, if we all get through this alive, I'll give you a personal tour." Emma was growing fond of Garus, he wasn't the geeky guy she thought he was when she first met him, he made her laugh, and not many guys could do that. 

             
"I'll hold you to that Emma my friend." Garus took out the flask and poured some coffee, it wasn't as hot anymore, but it was still great to get something familiar into them. Morthos opened up the pack he had been carrying and pulled out some sandwiches and muffins that Lucille had packed, everyone was starving. Once dinner was finished, the girls laid their heads down, Trinny's eyelids were so heavy, the moment she closed them she was out like a light.

Trinny could see the inside pink of her eyelids, and slowly opened them to find that morning had come around far to quickly for her liking. She would have been happy to sleep all day. Her sleeping bag and the earth beneath felt so comfortable to her; it was like the ground had molded itself to fit her body perfectly. No one else was awake yet, but she couldn't see Aarion, he must have been on watch somewhere. Trinny got up and made her way quietly to the waters edge and knelt down to splash her face, it was cool and refreshing, she felt a longing for the beautiful Indian Ocean and her mother. As she lifted her head she thought she saw movement in the water,
is that some kind of fish?
She thought,
must be a large fish
. It was now causing a real ripple effect in the center of the pond. There were three ripples altogether. Trinny stood up and backed away from the waters edge a little, there were three small mounds in the middle of the ripples, something was rising from the waters. As they came up, she could see they were the heads of three women. Once they had risen to just above their shoulders they looked at Trinny for a few moments with much interest. Their skin was shimmering like someone had painted their faces with metallic silver, they had hair that spiraled out onto the water, it must have been longer than their bodies, one had green hair, the color of a four leaf
clover, another was golden like a wheat field, and the one in the middle had the most beautiful red hair, like autumn leaves.  It reminded her of her mothers, her mum had to color her hair to get it like that though. They started to move towards her, she felt like she should cry out to the others but she was so enchanted by their beauty she couldn't. As they came to a more shallow depth they rose slowly out of the water. She could see they were wearing no clothing, but their hair started to envelop around their bodies, it formed a figure hugging dress, embracing each one slightly different from the next, each strand of hair blended to the next making the hair look like smooth satin fabric. The one with green hair spoke in the most gentle of voices, it relaxed Trinny.

             
"Greetings child, we have heard whispers that there were strangers in our wood, please tell our Queen why you are traveling in our domain and why you have summoned her here?" Trinny could see she was talking about the woman with the red hair, she noticed a circlet of tiny white flowers that she worn on her head. 

             
"I, I...I am so sorry, I..." Trinny was lost for words, she had no idea who or what she was talking to, and she was relieved when she heard Aarion’s voice from behind her.

             
"My lady, forgive us for not sending word of our need to pass through your domain. It has been a dangerous journey and we need to get to Taeith as soon as possible, this was the quickest route." He had bowed when he spoke and the Queen had nodded in response to this. The golden haired one spoke. 

             
"Aarion, son of Toron, we understand that the Ora is in peril and your father has sent you on a mission, but you will respect our traditions, you of all people should understand traditions, when the Queen is summoned there is
expected a gift given, and in return she will allow you to pass through safely." 

             
"Certainly my lady, I have very little with me, but what I have is yours." 
             

             
"I do not want what you have Aarion, only the one who summoned me is required to give a gift." The Queens eyes were directed at Trinny as she spoke for the first time.

             
"But I only touched the water, I didn't call anyone, I don't understand." Trinny was looking very confused.

             
"My child, I heard your cry, water is strong in you, your very being was calling out for assistance, I will never deny a child of water help, but tradition calls for something in return." The Queen moved closer. Trinny had not noticed that the others had all woken and were standing behind her a few feet back, Garus was holding Emma back from going to her friend.  

             
"What do I have that I could give you?" Trinny asked.

             
"From your heart my child, the melody from your heart." Trinny noticed the Queens eyes, they were as blue as the skies reflection in the ocean, and she felt like she was at home when she looked into them. Aarion spoke in Trinny's ear.

             
"Music, they have a love of music." 

             
"Trin, the song, the one you did for your mums birthday!" Emma had heard Aarion and looked encouragingly at her friend.

             
"Sing Trinny, they are Nixies, and if they do not receive a gift that is worthy of them, they can keep us here...forever." Aarion whispered, concern in his voice.

             
"No pressure." She whispered back in a sarcastic tone. Singing was one of her greatest loves, she had sung from the moment she could make a sound, she was a soloist in her
school choir and performed in the local musicals, it was a talent she was grateful she had inherited from her mother. Trinny closed her eyes and took a deep breath; she looked up, opened her mouth and her heart, and started to sing. Her voice was so pure, and across the pond it gave off a natural reverb. Aarion found he was intoxicated by it, it sounded like an old Celtic love song, and at that moment he felt an overwhelming need for her to be singing it to him:

"Through the trees, I see the night sky,

Stars are bright, and shine upon the waters

I'll be here with you, through all time

Forever, with all my soul I love thee

Seasons come and go,

Our love grows stronger

Weathering the storms that come

Though the darkness tries to part us

No power can tear this heart from yours

Nothing will break this bond of ours

I will follow you, where the path may lead us

You are mine, I am yours”

Beyond all time, our love endures."

Trinny had finished and there was silence, she looked back at her friends, everyone looked like they were shocked, only Emma had a smile on her face,
was it that bad
? She thought. She looked at the Queen Nixie and saw a tear roll down her cheek.

             
"Child, where did you come to know that song?" 

             
"My mother would sing this to me to get me to sleep at night."  Trinny answered. 

             
"Does your mother sing to you other songs like this?" The Queen looked longingly at Trinny.