{"id":1114,"date":"2012-03-05T00:00:59","date_gmt":"2012-03-05T05:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1114"},"modified":"2012-03-04T10:39:12","modified_gmt":"2012-03-04T15:39:12","slug":"autumn-chapter-5-01","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1114","title":{"rendered":"Autumn – Chapter 5 – 01"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She marched resolutely across the grass and swatted her brother in the back of the head, ignoring the serious conversation he\u2019d been having with Teague and Seamus.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan yelped, putting a hand to the back of his head as he glared at her.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGods and monsters, take your rings off when you do that!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife snarled at him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat did you get Neve and I mixed up in?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Uncle\u2019s forbidden us to go to the villages. I don\u2019t even know what we\u2019ve done!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan put up his hands.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt wasn\u2019t me, Aoife.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo,\u201d Seamus said, shaking his head slowly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt wasn\u2019t.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Father\u2019s forbidden all of us from going, not just you two.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He looked sidelong at Teague, his expression growing dark.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere is a <\/span><\/em>war in the making, Brother.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI won\u2019t forsake her, no matter what Father wants.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife stared at them.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe chieftain\u2019s daughter?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Have you bedded her yet?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan snorted indelicately and Teague glared at him.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYes,\u201d he said through clenched teeth.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe\u2019re promised, no matter what Father has to say about it.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Seamus shook his head again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe won\u2019t let it be, Teague, so leave off before you shatter the girl.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe\u2019s carrying my child, Seamus.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Everything went quiet and still for a few long, aching moments before Teague shook his head and turned to leave.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t care what Father says about it, either.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Seamus grabbed his arm.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTeague, wait.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Teague shook him off, but turned back anyway.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhy?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>So you can tell me what a great disappointment that would make me?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>About how Father will have a fit to end all fits?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Seamus shook his face again, his face pale.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>For once, no.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat\u2019s a relief.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan looked at Aoife, then between the brothers.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He put his hand gently on Teague\u2019s shoulder.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSettle.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Let him talk.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTeague, they know about the village.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Seamus\u2019s voice shook.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife shifted uncomfortably, swallowing bile.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Seamus wasn\u2019t scared of a damned thing.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWho knows, Seamus?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe\u2014the others.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The enemy.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The ones who are about to invade us and start a war.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They know about the village.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>That\u2019s why Father\u2019s forbidden us from going.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He\u2019s trying to protect us.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat about protecting <\/span><\/em>them<\/span>?\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>Teague hissed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid he even think to warn them?\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Seamus rocked back against his heels.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWell, someone ought to.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Teague started to walk away again.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife looked between Seamus and Teague, then turned to follow Teague.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTeague, wait!\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u2022<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u2022<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow is she?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Kes asked softly, rubbing her eyes as she drifted into the corner where Eva lay, whimpering and twisting in the midst of dreams.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Gray just shook his head, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo change.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Still having nightmares.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He rubbed a hand roughly over his eyes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cElton said we were lucky\u2014that she was lucky, actually.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>If she\u2019d collapsed somewhere without someone who had medical training, she might not have made it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Bullet out and stitched up just in time.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He stared blankly at Eva, then reached to pull one of the blankets down over her bare leg.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDays,\u201d he muttered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s been days and nothing.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Kes reached down and squeezed his shoulder.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAre <\/span>you<\/span><\/em> okay?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYes,\u201d he rumbled.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She understood, Kes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>In ways that no one else ever has, knows the things I\u2019ve seen somehow without me saying.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I should feel like I\u2019ve been violated but I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Her fingers tightened as he slumped slightly in the chair, still staring at Eva\u2019s pale face, wreathed in limp chestnut curls.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe keeps muttering names, words in some language I don\u2019t understand.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Wat said it sounded like Gaelic or Welsh or something.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Gray shook his head slowly, then rolled his shoulders, cracked his neck.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMaybe it is, with that story,\u201d he murmured, leaning back.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Kes put her arms around his shoulders.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Gray exhaled a sigh.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThanks, Kes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I needed that.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThought maybe you would,\u201d she said softly, giving him one more squeeze before straightening up.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAre you and Teca still fighting?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMostly not speaking.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her end, not mine.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He closed his eyes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s not important.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She\u2019ll get over it all soon enough.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Figure it out.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I just know she hasn\u2019t scryed since Eva got here.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It\u2019s a relief.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Kes shook her head slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou really don\u2019t like the idea of her doing that, do you?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>A shudder ran through Gray.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I just feel like she\u2019s making herself and the rest of us vulnerable to\u2014to\u2014to I don\u2019t know what.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>To the other things that are out there, like Eva warned her.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Kes knelt down slowly next to his chair.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere\u2019s really stuff like that out there?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Like monsters and stuff?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCall me crazy, but yes,\u201d Gray said quietly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s out there, been out there, thumping around.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Sometimes I wonder if this isn\u2019t all just some kind of game to Teca, because she\u2019s never seen them before\u2014from the sound, none of you have.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I have. I always have, they\u2019ve always been there, lurking somewhere nearby, always just beyond my grasp.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He shook his head again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI never talked about it because what the hell was the point?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>All I could ever do was put out the fires after they started.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I guess I did a good job, because none of you ever seemed to catch on.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He pressed his thumbs against his eyes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMaybe now that\u2019ll change.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMaybe,\u201d Kes said, staring at Eva for a moment.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The other woman whimpered a name.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe says that one a lot,\u201d Gray said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTeague.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe mentioned him when she was telling her story,\u201d Kes said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI remember.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Prince of Princes or something like that.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She sounded angry at him.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Gray nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd she never really explained who he was or why he was important or anything like that.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019ve started to wonder.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Kes shrugged slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHopefully she\u2019ll wake up soon and we\u2019ll know why he was important.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>If he\u2019s important.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Gray just kept staring at Eva, silent, nodding only after a few long moments.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Hopefully.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She marched resolutely across the grass and swatted her brother in the back of the head, ignoring the serious conversation he\u2019d been having with Teague and Seamus.\u00a0 Phelan yelped, putting a hand to the back of his head as … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38,35,43,14,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-autumn","category-book-2","category-chapter-5-book-2","category-story","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-hY","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1114"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1115,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1114\/revisions\/1115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}