Finding Guardian

The sea breeze drifted up in eddies from the ocean, carrying with it the scent of salt and seaweed. Orn seemed to delight in the flowers that he found everywhere around him, though Sanria picked him up as she spun in a slow circle. "Where do we go from here?" she thought, and almost on cue, a stately buck lifted its head. With sudden purpose, it bounded back into the forests on the mountain, using a well worn path as its mode of escape. Sanria cautiously walked over to it and looked into the small boy's eyes. "Well, it looks like down."

"Down mama! Lets get Papa, go down!"

They followed the path until it ended at a well at the edge of a small village. The people hesistated, looking at Sanria as an outsider, parting the way until at last, a man dressed in the long robes of a healer stepped forward. "Welcome, traveler. We weren't expecting visitors."

"I'm sorry," Sanria said quietly. "I've come to see if my husband has been here."

"Husband?" the man asked, his eyebrows arching. "Does he have a name or description?"

"Yes, his name is Colin. He's... well... rather large and -"

"Yes," Banion replied. "He is here, but we were under the impression that he was no longer your husband. He is here with his fiancee."

Sanria felt as though she had been punched in the gut and Orn looked at Banion with toddler frustration. "Where Papa?"

"This is his son?" Banion asked.

"Yes, this is Orn. We both miss him very much and would just like to talk to him. That's all."

"I was not aware he had a child..."

"And another on the way," Sanria replied, revealing a four-month swell.

She knew that the man had a change of heart as Banion's face looked to the ground with a frown. "Come, you deserve to speak with Colin. I will allow you both to say in a hut nearby.

"Thank you," Sanria said breathlessly.

The man led the way and showed her to a small hut. "You will be guarded, for your own safety, you understand."

"I understand. I appreciate you letting me speak to him."

"We will see," Banion said, leaving Sanria alone with Orn to wonder how this would play out.

Seeking Guardian

The stream outside the cavern did little to soothe Sanria's mind as Orn gripped her finger, dragging her over to the leaning pine. "Alright," she said, "You talk to the tree." She watched as Orn stuck his little jaw out - looking so much like his father when he was confused or processing information.

"Trees say Papa very far away," Orn said. "Why he go so far away?"

"I know he is," Sanria said, tears dropping from her face. "But he will come back to see you, I'm sure."

"Mama... I no understand. Trees say people took papa from here."

Sanria still didn't believe the information, even when Orn put her hand to the tree trunk and forced her to listen. "The one you call Colin," began the tree, "he was felled here, beneath my branches - harvested."

"Where is he? Do you know?" Sanria asked with desperation.

"Why do you ask such a silly question?"

"Please..."

"Of course... and if you only opened your eyes, you would see as well."

The tears of frustration crowded Sanria's eyes and forced out frustrated sobs. "I can't do this!"

"Is ok Mama," Orn said. "I help."

The small child took hold of her hand and Sanria got a glimpse of a far off place - a mountaintop. "I... I know that place... I... I've seen it in a dream... but..."

"He has been uprooted and transplanted to that place," said the tree.

"You can find him there if you wish. Now, young one, will you let me sleep? You are so noisy."

"But, where is it?" Sanria asked.

"Dark Con... Cont... Content," Orn pronounced happily.

"Dark Content. Okay. We... we have to find a way."

"Yes, we find Papa!" Orn beamed.

They let the tree fall back into its slumber and Sanria rose and walked toward the cavern. She had named herself. The tree said that to do so would open her worlds. She concentrated, Orn at her feet, and focused on the Dark Content. Words filled her mouth, her mind working on a level far deeper than her consciousness. Within a moment, a moonwell burst into view. Mesmerized, Orn toddled forward and slipped, but before he could fall, Sanria caught him on the other side - high above a sea coast in what seemed like the middle of nowhere.

Waking Colin

Arlenia had tried and tried to wake Colin up, all while attempting to get him to stay. The closer the big man came to consciousness, the more he would look at her with clear and utter contempt and revulsion. Each time, Arlenia would knock him back out until he was content, but would keep calling her Sanria. It wasn't working.

Still, Arlenia had to keep trying. She would keep him in the hut for as long as it took for him to know her as his wife. If that meant he had to stay under sedative for the birth of their child and beyond, so be it. Eventually, he would see the light and they could be a family. Eventually.

For now, Arlenia sat on the edge of the bed, watching the rise and fall of Colin's steady breathing, her heart heavy and her mind cursing the moment Sanria ever came back to life.