With despair on her face she spoke to Cherine, “What have you brought into this world! A true demon from the land of the dead! All life will end because of you.”
Bobby was nervous, his head turning to look at Cherine, then back at Robert but always keeping the woman in his sight. He could not understand the tension between Robert and Cherine and it upset him.
“What else could I do Cherine? Her ignorance is to blame for her hate of you. By forcing her to travel with us we ensure her tribe do not attack us in our sleep and we can try to educate her. She has powers that with a bit of thought could be used for the good, so stop resenting me for trying.”
“She wanted to kill me!”
“And so? So did you-know-who. Now he won’t leave your arms.”
The woman had refused to give her name so Robert named her Fiera. She did not object, as it was not her real name so it would not give Robert or Cherine powers over her. Fiera refused to eat of their food and stared into the darkness, almost quivering from her need to escape. Robert insinuated that if she does, Cherine will search out her people and kill them, which prevented her from even trying to leave while they slept.
The next day they came across an area Robert thought would be suitable. The land was cut by a dry stream and the rise of the land, he hoped, should protect the area from the winds. “It is time for a demonstration, I’ll sit here while you and Bobby walk around turning this hollow into a paradise of plant life. It would be nice if you could also create a pond. I’m certain water would be appreciated by all.”
Fiera ignored Robert's invitation and stood with hands folded across her chest as she watched Cherine walking around and around. “She calls to more demons?”
“She is using her water power and bringing water and plants back to the land. It is why we travel, we want to heal our mother earth so that she is green and full of life again, as she was before the men of long ago killed everything. Fiera, you are proud because of your powers, so you refuse to listen and understand. The child is not a demon, he is just a little boy who does not look like other little boys and he grew up without parents so he learnt to use his hands for walking. That makes him look like an animal to you, but he is not. He has learnt how to love and demons do not love. I told you about the mutant word. We are all mutants, you, Cherine and I. It is because the old people used lots of poison to kill the world and it changed us. It is time all humans stop fearing those who are different so that we can come together and make this a better world for our children and their children.” He paused. “Fiera, do you have children?”
“The one to take my place when I age. She will be dead by now.”
“What!” Cherine looked at him. “Cherine, come here.” He told her what had been said.
She asked Fiera, “If you return immediately, is there time to save her?”
“They will bleed her when the sun bleeds.”
“Go! Get to your child.”
Robert added his command, “Go Fiera, save your child. You are free of your promise. Run.”
Robert paced as he furiously remonstrated with himself, “Arrogant, you dared call her arrogant and yet your arrogance could cost the life of a child!”
Cherine called out, “Talking to yourself is a sign of madness. Come talk to me. Are we staying here for the night?”
“We are staying here for the week, but we are returning to the mansion to bathe and sleep. Cherine, she will return and I want her to find a corner of heaven here. We’ll both work to create a forest and I am certain that within days there will be insects and birds. We’ll wait for her so that she learns to trust us and either takes us to her people or brings them to us. That is why we are walking so far from home, we’re supposed to be making contact with other people.”
“Wasn’t Bobby brave?”
“First you decide, as a little girl, that I belong to you. Now he decides I belong to him. Does any part of me belong to me?”
“Not that I know of. Would you want a part just for yourself?” He grinned at her. “If you want that part, fine, keep it. We’ll see how long you’ll last.”
“You have a nasty mind - it must be why I fell in love with you.”
That night they teleported home, luxuriated in the hot shower with a fiercely grimacing Bobby in her arms and then they sat before the fireplace for their meal. Bobby had still not forgiven them when they ended their meal, so he ignored Robert when he called him, not even glancing at either of them. Robert sat in front of him and wiggled his fingers.
“Would you like to be able to do that? Trust me Bobby by putting your hand in mine and I’ll straighten your fingers. After that, whenever you want, we’ll straighten your back so that you find it easier to stand on your legs only - just like Cherine.”
He glanced at Robert and then made his way around him and going to Cherine gave her his hand.
“I’m sorry love, only Robert can fix your fingers, you’ll have to trust him.”
“If I fix your fingers, you’ll be able to beat me when we play ball.”
Without answering either of them he left the room and lying on his bed he curled into a miserable ball.
In the morning they teleported to their first camp, checked the land, went to the next one, stopping at each camp until they arrived at their little glen. All of them were green with trails of green reaching out from them. The little hollow was different in that the beginning of a pond was taking form. They spent their next two days there, returning to the mansion each night.
They were in a silly mood and Robert started tickling Cherine. Bobby was not certain what was happening as it looked as if Robert is attacking Cherine, but she was laughing and trying to tickle him back. Robert called to him, “Come on, help me tickle her.”
Bobby came to stand by them and leaning forward he sniffed Cherine. Satisfied she was not being hurt he looked as Robert showed him how to tickle her. For a long moment he stared at Robert and then he held out his hand to him.
“You want me to straighten your fingers so that you can tickle her? Put your hand in mine Bobby, you’ll have to show you trust me.”
With a grimace that showed his teeth he placed his gnarled hand into Robert's. Robert's healer had already done most of the work so that it would not take long. Bobby was shivering, but he kept his eyes fixed on Robert's face. When his hand was released he looked at it, moved his fingers, open and shut his hand and then he let out a piercing scream. He jumped straight up and then tumbled about the room, screaming without seeming to take a pause for breath. When he calmed down he sat far from them and looked at his hands, one still gnarled and the other flat open. Robert held his hand out and timidly Bobby edged closer and placed his other hand in his.
When Robert let go of his hand he opened and closed his fingers and then climbing over Cherine placed his face against her. She felt his tears wet her shirt.
They straightened his back and legs and Bobby had problems walking and running as he had to get used to his new shapes and limits. Two days later he stood before Robert and stretched out his hand. “Give.”
Robert placed his hand in his and Bobby took hold and brought the finger tips to his mouth. Gently he bit on them and then released his hand. With tears in his eyes, Robert said, “I love you too Bobby.” When he stretched out both his arms Bobby came into them and climbing onto his lap cuddled against him.
Cherine had named the glen, calling it the Faerie Glen. The pool was already about five by six metres and the water was crystal clear. Trees edged the glen and the green was so fresh and new it did look like a fairy glen. They found tracks of a stranger. Whoever it was had snapped branches and torn at the grass. Robert pulled Cherine into his arms.
“It’s okay love, nothing has died. When I catch the bastard I’ll pull his or her hair out!” They did not hear or see anything, so Bobby’s warning screech made them spin around, Robert pushing Cherine behind him. Fiera stood at the top of the slope, watching them.
“The elderly speak of a world like this. I had to make certain it is real and not demon magic.”
“Your daughter?”
“She is not bled. They fear your magic and demand I take them your little one to be bled or else they bleed her.”
“They do not fear your powers?”
Her eyes widened. “They are my people! The power was given to me for protecting them.”
“And she is your daughter, nobody has the right to bleed her. Take me to your people and I’ll make damn certain they understand that.”
She looked grim. “I see you as the peace-bringer, but you are the one who fights me, not her. How is this?”
Cherine spoke up, “In a way you are right, I have killed people and Robert has not.”
“She killed them because they were trying to kill me.”
She pulled out her knife and placed it on the ground. “Will you allow me to touch you?”
She touched each of them on their forehead with the back of her hand. Bobby grimaced when she touched him, but she did not show she noticed the hate in his eyes. “You are stranger than strangers, you are different.”
“You have powers to protect, we have powers to heal. If any of your people are ill, bring them and we’ll heal them. We also heal the land, getting rid of the poisons that killed the plants and animals - as you can see.”
“Will she stay here if I take you to my people?”
“No, she will return to our home. Cherine, take Bobby and go. I’ll return to the mansion when I’ve finished healing them.”
“I can’t Robert, I can’t stay away while you walk into danger, I must watch with you.”
Robert shrugged and gestured. Fiera bit her knuckle as she thought. She retrieved her knife and gestured for them to follow.
Dear visitor, if you only joined us now, at post 26, welcome.
I think you have missed some beautiful parts of the story of Cherine and Robert.
This is a reminder, you can go to the top of this page and use the link to return to Post 01.
Thereafter, each post has the next link at the end of the story. Or else, from post2 onwards, all you need to do is alter the url, increasing the post number by one.
If you do enjoy the story, I do not ask that you resteem or upvote; those to me are just bonuses, a sign you enjoyed reading Boxee. All I really want as encouragement is that you recommend the story to all your friends; those you think would enjoy such a fantasy story.
I would like to add a personal note, which is also a hope of mine. You may or may not enjoy my way of keeping my writing simple where I can; you may or may not enjoy the style of the adventures experienced; but, I am very confident you will each grow to love at least one character.
Is that character going to be Cherine, Robert, Arthur, Bobby, the Fire Woman or her daughter, or one of the others you will come to know? I will not even try to guess, but I know you will, for I have loved each of them and written of them with love :)
Thank you.