Sahara Ashdell: Rebirth of Patreek (Book 3)
Chapter 3: The Grey Elf

After a few silent moments, the Aran asks, “Well, would you like to invite us in?” Sahara realizes how awkward they must replace her from standing there silently for so long.

“Yes.” She says unsure of herself. “Please come in.” She calls for some elven tea when they arrive in the sitting room of the castle. “What brings you back so soon sir?” She asks the Aran, “Is Brystol alright?”

“He will be alright. He has a large wound on his chest that was worrisome, but it is mended now.” The Aran explains.

“And what about his side wound?” Sahara asks in concern.

“How do you know his side was wounded?” The Aran asks looking agitated.

“I could feel it when I teleported him to Holestroy,” Sahara says not feeling ashamed.

“I see.” She isn’t sure if the Aran looks angry or confused by her answer.

She decides to explain, “I went to the elders and asked for them to temporarily remove my bracelet so that I could save Brystol.” She notices the Aran does not look surprised but more disappointed perhaps. “I know you said to stay out of it, but I think you were right. I was what put him in danger. I could not just sit there and do nothing. I had to save him, especially since the declure showed me of his potential death. I could never...”

“Death?” Verdiwild chimes in with concern. “Brystol dies?”

“Verdiwild, please give us a moment.” Aran Rayterbay asks sounding unphased by the news.

“I am sorry, I should not have said anything in front of Verdiwild.” Sahara apologizes.

The Aran causes a veil to fall around the room before he speaks. “I do not wish to know the futures you saw. I only wish to thank you for replaceing Brystol and to ask you for a favor.”

“Anything,” Sahara says confidently.

“Though you have given me back my son, I think you would understand the need for you to stay away from him.” The Aran says sounding cold.

“Stay away from him?” Sahara asks feeling unsure what he means as she isn’t even in the same kingdom as him.

“I have never approved of the two of you having feelings for each other. That is dangerous. You should strive to be as I and Tari are.” He says simply.

“Unhappy?” Sahara asks, feeling hurt by what she now realizes the Aran is asking.

“Safe.” He says confidently. “Our indifference to one another is what keeps each of us safe.”

“Puh,” Sahara scuffs in annoyance. “Are you serious right now? Just because you feel indifferent about the Tari, does not mean it is reciprocated.”

The Aran replies, “It does not matter if she has true feelings for me. That is the point I am trying to make. Brystol will never listen to me. That is why I have come to you. You are level-headed and can be reasoned with.”

“You mean manipulated?” She says feeling offended.

“No.” The Aran clears his throat before continuing. “I have no intention of manipulating you. I think you will agree with me that for the safety of the kingdom, you and Brystol should not be so open about your relationship. You told me yourself that in one of the futures you have seen that Brystol is gone. Perhaps we could prevent that from occurring is all I am suggesting. You must spend the remainder of your lives married, so if you simply waited until your marriage to be open about your feelings it would be safer. By the time you marry, you will both be 18 and have your full powers and you will be without the bracelet. I am not asking the two of you to be enemies, just to hide the relationship at the least. Ideally, it would be best if only our family knew of your true feelings for each other. Make it seem to others that you are just friends or better yet on bad terms again.” The Aran’s words are not as unwelcome as she had thought they would be.

“Brystol would never agree,” Sahara says thinking of how Brystol likes to be open about his feelings for her.

“If anyone could make him agree, it would be you.” The Aran says looking concerned at Sahara. She realizes that Brystol must have been extremely hurt to have the Aran this concerned.

“How bad is he? Really?” Sahara asks remembering how the pain of his wounds felt when she teleported him.

“I did not want to say in front of Verdiwild, but he is not well.” The Aran says with tears in his eyes, and it causes Sahara to feel an ache in her chest. “He was hurt badly by magic. Dark magic that is difficult to counteract I am afraid.”

Sahara can’t sit still any longer, so she paces the floor in concern as she thinks. “Verdiwild might help. Why would you not tell him?”

“I have come here to speak with Threvoyn. I think he would be of more help than anyone.” The Aran says sounding doubtful.

“I need to see him,” Sahara says as if she is asking for permission. “Please?”

“I cannot take you to him.” The Aran says shaking his head. “I feel the two of you should be apart.”

“No one will know if I teleport to him,” Sahara says feeling herself begging.

She watches the Aran think for a moment before he finally speaks. “Perhaps, it would be fine this once. I will wait for you here. Go ahead.”

“Thank you,” Sahara says feeling relieved before she closes her eyes to teleport to Brystol.

She opens her eyes and sees Tari Nathila sitting on Brystol’s bed next to him. “Sahara.” The Tari says unsurprised by her presence.

“Hello,” Sahara says noticing the sadness in the room before looking down at Brystol’s pale face.

“He has not been sleeping long.” The Tari says as she brushes his hair away from his forehead. “His fever has made him somewhat delirious.”

Sahara moves over next to the bed and takes hold of Brystol’s cold hand. She notices he feels almost lifeless. She can’t fight the tears that break from her eyes. “I did this.” She whispers but too loudly apparently because the Tari hears her.

“No. This is not your fault. You weren’t even with him.” The Tari says caressing Brystol’s face.

Sahara looks down at a blood spot she sees next to Brystol. The blood has soaked through the blanket he is under. Sahara moves the blanket out of the way and can now see Brystol is topless with bandages on his chest and side. “His side is bleeding.” She says looking around for fresh bandages.

“Yes.” The Tari says sounding less concerned than Sahara expected. “It has not stopped since he arrived. We have attempted to stop the bleeding with many spells and charms, but we cannot.”

Sahara felt her heart beat faster from the thought of the future she saw where Brystol was dead, this could be it. This could be the cause. She suddenly lay her head down on Brystol’s shoulders as she weeps. “What have I done?”

She is surprised to hear Brystol’s quiet words, “It isn’t your fault.” She looks up at Brystol, who barely has his eyes open. “I knew you would replace me.”

“I am sorry I wasn’t fast enough.” She says between her sobs.

“You were. I am alright.” He says and Sahara knows he is lying. She realizes that the Aran is right. If Brystol comes out of this alive, she needs to stay away from him. “Please don’t cry?” His words caused her to lay her head back down on his shoulder. She couldn’t fight her tears. She remembers that the Aran said Threvoyn may be able to help. She knows she needs to leave to make that happen. She quickly kisses Brystol on his cheek before moving away from his bed.

“I need to go so Threvoyn can come help you,” Sahara says looking at the Tari in desperation. “I will be back later.”

The Tari nods at her in understanding and she sees Brystol about to protest so she teleports before she can hear his words. The Aran is surprised by Sahara leaping towards him and hugging him when she arrives back in the room. “Are you sure Threvoyn can help him?” She asks, holding him tightly.

“I hope.” He says patting her on the back. “But I fear I do not have much time.” The Aran uses his hands to gently push Sahara away from him with his next words. “I need you to go get him and keep this quiet. No one needs to know Brystol’s state. Do you understand?”

Sahara nods her head as she wipes her tears and tries to stop her painful feelings. “I know. I know.”

“Then go replace him and get him to come to Holestroy tonight. Tell him only what you must to get him to come.” The Aran says releasing the invisible curtain from the room. “I will be waiting for him in my carriage.”

“I understand,” Sahara replies before teleporting to Threvoyn. She is alarmed to replace that she has arrived in a room alone. “Threvoyn?” She asks, looking around the room.

“What is this?” An angered voice replies, and Sahara feels scared for a moment before she sees Threvoyn’s assistant Cressica waving her hands toward Sahara. “You are not allowed in here! How did you get inside?”

“It is alright,” Threvoyn says calmly toward Cressica. “She is the future Tari after all.” His words seem to calm Cressica and she walks away toward the large row of books in the room. Sahara realizes it looks like a library. “What can I do for you Aranal?”

“The Aran has asked you to come to Holestroy tonight on an urgent matter,” Sahara says quietly looking toward Cressica, who is continuing her path of moving further away from them.

“Is everything alright?” Threvoyn asked in concern.

“No,” Sahara says fighting tears. “It is a top-secret matter as well.”

“I see,” Threvoyn says adjusting his jacket. “I shall go at once. Will you join me?”

“No. I must stay here.” Sahara says wishing she could teleport back to Brystol now. “The Aran is waiting for you in his carriage outside.”

“Is he?” Threvoyn asks, looking surprised. “He came by himself?”

“As I said, it is urgent,” Sahara says as politely as she can, trying to speed up Threvoyn to go.

“Of course,” Threvoyn says as he moves around her toward the exit. “Thank you for delivering the message.”

Sahara can feel her heart ache more as she sees Threvoyn leave the room. She wishes she could go with him, but she knows it is safer for Brystol if she stays away from him like the Aran asked. She looks over towards Cressica feeling her glare. “Good day.” She says feeling unwelcome before she moves toward the door.

She had been pacing in her room for hours when she finally decided she couldn’t wait any longer. She needs to go see how Brystol is and if Threvoyn helped him or not. She teleports to Brystol’s room, surprised to replace him alone. She quietly moves toward Brystol’s bed looking at his side hoping to not see blood. She feels disappointed when she sees fresh-looking blood on the blanket. She feels the weight of her pain at the thought of losing Brystol. She reaches over to touch his hand as she kneels by the bed next to him. “Please let him be okay?” She prays remembering how in the human world she learned about God and praying when she was a child. “I need him to be okay. Please?” After a few moments of her tearfully watching Brystol breathe in and out, the door to his room opens startling Sahara. She notices Threvoyn and the Aran entering the room. She quickly ducks down and hides beside the bed.

“The bleeding has not stopped. I did not think it would be what we needed.” Threvoyn’s voice sounds close to the bed and Sahara lies flat on the ground to avoid being seen.

“What other options do we have?” The Aran asks and Sahara can hear the concern still in his voice.

“The Grey Elf is your last resort.” Threvoyn’s words confused Sahara. She had never heard of the “Grey Elf” before.

“I told you that was not an option.” The Aran says angrily before the Tari’s voice enters the room.

“Is that what we have come to?” She asks sounding disappointed.

“I said no.” The Aran says plainly.

“If we do not, he will die.” The Tari says pleadingly to the Aran.

“The Elders would strip us of our titles. We would be outcasts.” The Aran says angrily. “Why would you even consider such?”

“If he dies, the kingdom will be lost anyway.” The Tari says in a quiet tone that Sahara replaces odd. “He is your son. What is more important here? Your crown or your child?”

“This has nothing to do with the metal on my head.” Sahara hears a clanging noise that she realizes must be the Aran’s crown. “Our children’s futures are my concern. The entire elven world is my concern. Without me or Brystol on the thrown, Holestroy will fall to Patreek. I know this to be a fact.”

“That is not true.” The Tari sounds as though she is teasing the Aran, but it only seems to anger him.

“It is true.” The Aran snaps angrily at the Tari. “Freyton told me he saw it in the declure. He warned me that one day there would come a time that I would need the Grey Elf and that I would need to choose the other option.”

“Did he tell you the other option?” The Tari sounds angry as well.

“No.” The Aran says sadly. “But he said if I chose to go after the Grey Elf, Holestroy would be lost to Patreek.”

“Perhaps he misunderstood.” The Tari pleads with the Aran. “Or it was another instance he was referring to.”

“No Nathila.” The Aran sounds more disappointed now than angry. “I know you are hurting but we are not getting the Grey Elf. Freyton’s visions were never wrong. And you know this, so keep your emotions out of this.”

“So, you would rather let your son die?” The Tari sobs and Sahara cannot stay silent any longer.