The Guardian Crusade

                                          Volume II

                                                      Chapter 17

Aj was in a deep sleep after being up for almost two days. Not being able to fight it anymore, he crawled into the empty bed beside Rayne in the rest room and closed his eyes.  His long dark hair hung over him, beads laced through pieces of his hair hung down against his face, his hand dangled over the edge as his arm laid beside him. 

            His eyes fluttered when he felt something wet touching his fingers and then they twitched when it didn’t stop.  He mumbled as he slowly opened his eyes and he sat up a little when he saw Paq sitting at his beside.

“Hey girl.” He said tiredly as he lightly patted her head closing his eyes.  She whined and jerked her head nudging his hand and he opened his eyes again.  The wolf walked over to Rayne’s bed and stood up on her back paws, her front paws sat on the empty mattress.  “This again.” Aj sighed as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.  He climbed down from the bed and over to Paq.

“Let’s go.” He said his voice still showing how tired he was.  The wolf jumped down and headed out of the room with Aj following behind her.  They walked out of the Springs and up the road to the place she had taken him to before and just like before they turned right and headed south down the street.  Aj looked around this time and saw there was no one around.  No one was at the restaurants eating dinner, no one was drunk at the Inn and no one was walking the streets.

“What are you trying to show me?” Aj said as he looked down at the wolf when they reached the Druid Park.  Just like before they walked down the path and went into the building. Again no one was there, not even the woman who greeted everyone at the front lobby.  Knowing they were going to the Council room Aj started to walk a step ahead of Paq and when he reached the doors he opened them. 

He stopped dead when he saw something was different then last time.  Rayne wasn’t sleeping she was sitting up on the bed, her back facing him.  He looked down at Paq as she walked by him and over to podium. 

“Rayne?” Aj said as he took a step but she didn’t say anything, she didn’t even flinch.  Slowly he stepped towards her walking down the aisle past all the chairs, the beads in his hair lightly clanked against each other, but the room was so empty it echoed loudly.  He stopped at the podium step and looked at her.  She sat still staring at the Council table and he didn’t take his eyes off of her as he walked around to the front of the bed. 

“Rayne?” He said again wondering if she could hear him.  Then her face changed but not to an expression Aj was hoping for, fear fell across her face and before Aj reacted Paq started to growl in front of him.  Quickly he followed both their stares and saw the figure slowly coming into focus.  The air rippled around the figure as its robe and hands became clearer.  Aj looked back at Rayne and she was starting to shake, he looked down to her wolf as it began to bark and howl just like before.  Looking back at the figure Aj watched as the clouds drifted away and the hooded figure that had chased Rayne through the two Palaces appeared.

It drifted through the Council table, it drifted across the floor, not walking but floating.  Paq quickly walked forward and readied in a protective stance.  The figure reacted to the wolf but if did not react to him being there.  Aj stepped closer to Rayne as the wolf faced off with the figure.  Paq snarled and snapped as the figure tried to move around her.

“Drania” Aj said and the hooded figured did not look at him it’s attention still on the wolf.  “Drania!” Aj shouted again but he still got no reaction.  Flakes of snow trickled from his finger tips and he shot his arm out sending a bolt of ice right at the figure.  He hit his mark and Aj finally got the attention he wanted.  The figure tilted its head from side to side.

“Human.” It hissed at him.  “You are not welcomed here” It said as he pointed to him.  “Her mind is mine now.”

“I won’t leave her.” Aj said as he put his arm down.

“Foolish you are Human, you will learn just like Adamai learned an Elvaan and a Human can not truly love each other and there for it will not last. Not even a spell can save the two of you.”  The figure said and Aj titled his head a little, those words sounding very familiar. “Now, get out!!” It shouted and sent Aj flying back into the doors.

Quickly Aj sat up and looked around breathless.  He looked around and saw the cave walls.  Looking to his right he saw Rayne still lying there in a deep sleep.  He looked away as his eyebrows fell in confusion, his mind racing back to what had just happened.  Aj took a deep breath as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands, trying to shake the dream from his mind.

The strange figure’s words repeated in his head. “Foolish you are Human, you will learn just like Adamai learned an Elvaan and a Human can not truly love each other and there for it will not last.” 

“Where have I heard that before?” Aj said too himself.

Halian walked down the streets of Winnol, she lightly smiled at the people as she walked past them.  She could see the worry and sadness on their faces but she wondered how many of them were really upset over Rayne.

“Milady.” A small Elvaan girl said as she stopped in front of her.  The little girl bowed and handed Halian a purple flower.  “For Queen Rayne.”

“Thank you darling.” Halian said with a smile.

“We hope she will wake soon.” The little girls Mother told Halian.

“We will have a party for her when she does.” The little girl said and it made Halian smile.  The Mother and little girl said goodbye and then Halian continued to walk down to the Healing Springs. 

“Halian?” A woman said from behind her, she turned around and sighed when she saw Rexil.

“Rexil.” Halian said with a nod.  “It has been a while.”

“Yes, yes it has.” The woman spoke softly.  “I heard about what happened to Rayne.”

“And what of it?” Halian asked as she locked her eyes onto Rexil.

“I know I gave your daughter a hard time and perhaps I really did over react when she saved Prince Nickolas.” Rexil said and Halian’s face fell in confusion.  “I may not have liked her for being a Human Druid but I never wanted harm to come to her and even King Alexander has proved to be a very good Elvaan King.”

“Well…”Halian said as she felt rage rush down her body.  “That is good to hear.” She said fighting to stay calm.

“If there is anything I can do please let me know.” Rexil said, I still have friends in the Council, I’m a little shocked by the loyalty some have shown.”

“I will tell Alexander you said so.” Halian told her.

“Good.” Rexil said with a light smile.  “Well if you excuse me this old Elvaan needs a nap.” She said with a joking smile.  Well that was it, that’s all Halian needed to hear.  First Rexil wishes Rayne well, never wanted to harm her, now she joked with Halian as if they were friends.  Rayne’s Mom watched the Elvaan woman walk down the street and out of sight.

“You Unsightly, decrepit, hag” Halian said as her body began to shake with anger.  Without wasting another moment she closed her eyes and thought about Aj, when she opened them again she was on the Healing Springs lawn.

Quickly she walked over to the resting room doors and walked into her daughter’s room.  She stopped when she saw Aj sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands.  When he heard her walk in his head snapped up.

“Halian what is it?” He asked when he looked at her.  He got down off of the bed and walked over to her.  “Hali?” Aj said again and she finally snapped too.

“Rexil.” Halian said still trying to fight the anger.

“What about her?” Aj asked

“I saw her on my way here.” Halian said as she looked at Rayne.

“Did she say something to you?” He asked angrily.  “About Rayne?”

“She said she wished Rayne well.” Halian said as she looked back at him.

“She did” Aj said as he looked at her stunned.

“She was nice to me Alex, that woman has never been nice to me, nor has she ever cared about Rayne’s well being.” Halian told him.  “She even said she thought you turned out to be a good King.”

“She hates me.” Aj said to her.  “She hates the Human that is in…side…of…” Aj lost his train of thought as he started thinking about the dream again.

“Alex?” Halian said wondering where he went too. 

“She was trying to tell me, I think she was trying to show me.” Aj whispered as he looked at Rayne.

“What?” Halian said confused.

“The last couple of days, I’ve been having these dreams, I see Paq and she takes me to the Druid Building, to the Council room.” Aj told her.  “That’s where I see Rayne, she’s lying at the podium, then this figure shows up and Paq starts freaking out, snarling and growling.” Aj said looking at her. 

“The first time I had the dream I didn’t see the whole figure, then I had another one just now and I saw the whole thing.” Aj said.

“Did you see who it was?” Halian asked.

“No, but when I got it’s attention it told me that it was useless, an Elvaan could never love a Human, but the figure kept calling me Human.” Aj said.  “Then it said “Not even a spell will save the two of you.”

“Spell?” Halian asked confused then her eyes went wide.  “The protection spell.”

“It’s not Drania.” Aj said looking at her. 

“It’s Rexil.” They said at the same time.

“Rexil is the one behind this and Rayne was trying to tell me, I think.” Aj said as he looked at her Mother confused.  “I need to get Avit.”

“And do what?” Halian asked as she stopped him.  “There is no proof yet, besides what I know about the woman and people won’t believe your dreams Alex.”

“So what do I do?” Aj asked her.

“We will talk to Avit tell him what we know, maybe we can think of a way to get her to slip up.” Halian said as they both looked at Rayne.

“I wish she would wake up.” Aj said.

“So do I.” Halian frowned as she pulled him into a hug.