Impatience
The love of Vector and Aurora grew as the days went by. She was with her friends less often, and would leave the Sachsu home during the night. Gwendolyn to was very busily at work, she practice day and night at different spells and fighting techniques. Ivva, who no longer could stand the sight of the palace, would help the Sachsus with the work that Gwendolyn had been excused from.
On a day that all work around in the house, dragon barn, and fields was complete, Ivva asked Gwendolyn what she did when all the labor was done and the sun only at noon. �I go help mother at the Three Guardians. It�s where wild unicorns that we have found or that have come to us live in peace and tranquility.� Ivva�s eyes became bright with the idea of a new place to explore and new creatures to care for. She clasped her hands together and pleaded, �Oh! Please can we go? I would like to see it.�
They took two of the lesser unicorns. The one that Gwendolyn rode was a raged, old unicorn that had lost his horn some time before they came across him. They rode over a large assortment of hills, and when they came to the peck of a rounded hilltop, they overlooked a valley. In the valley were a few clumps of trees scattered about and a total of four buildings. When Ivva looked closely, she could see a few colored specks, that she assumed where the unicorns, throughout the valley. �Come on, are you just going to stand there and stare or are you going to actually have a real look?� Gwendolyn and her hornless steed cantered down the side of the hill and into the valley.
Everything one�s eyes could see was covered in fresh green grass; there were no gates or fences of any sort. Gwendolyn introduced the first larger building as her second home away from home, where there was a kitchen, and three descent sized bedrooms. It was large and well built. The ranch had been in her family for many generations, and there were many statues in the front garden that where weathered and aged. When Ivva noticed a grand statue of a woman holding her hand out and a small bird placed neatly in her palm, she asked who it was. �That, is the great Guardian goddess, the unicorns have a story about her. It was about a beautiful woman who could change from human into beast and she walked amongst them, guarding them from whatever may haunt them. She was sent back to the heavens when her mortal soul died. She was killed when in her human form by a wolf, but the people knew of her greatness before she died and sculpted her. Statues of her, much like this one, are placed all throughout these lands as an omen of protection.�
They stood at the base of the statue, looking up at the woman of ivory. Ivva started to speak with a hint of sadness in her voice, �Imagine how horrible it must have been for her, not knowing whether people would except her and not until she died did they respect her. Think of the secrets she knew and had to keep to herself for fear that somebody would be hurt by them. I would hate to know that much.�
***
Aurora was sitting in the window of the bedroom that she and Gwendolyn shared. She watched as the dogs herded the sheep around the pastures, barking and yelping in this direction and that. She was perched on a small bench that was set at the base of the dome shaped window. The wind blew and caused the ribbons tied around the sleeves of her dress to wave in the wind. She stared down at the flowerbeds and at the beauty of the countryside and then she longed for home. It had been three years since she had seen her home. She and her friends where now nineteen, and soon Gwendolyn would be entering in the Realm competition and Ivva would take the crown sooner or later. Aurora on the other hand, had no destiny. She had a throne at home, but her eldest sister would fill that in a matter of months or even weeks. She could no longer remember the ages of her dear sisters, but she could never return. She nodded off into a light slumber, she had received little sleep due to visions of things she did not understand coming to her constantly. When she was there, behind those gates, the world seemed small and her visions were frequent. That was because the lands behind the Golden Gates were created with a magical presence that made it easier for the gods to contact the elves.
She awoke at the sound of the dogs barking and looking towards the sky. She began to look up to see what was lurking over the sheep, maybe a hawk or an eagle. She could see anything and the dogs had left to retrieve the sheep that had run off over the hills in fright. �I need a favor of you.� She jumped as Vector placed his hand on her shoulder. She clutched her heart and looked at him in happiness, �Alright, what is it?� She stood up and he studied her as if looking for something. �I need�I need another glimpse.� She looked at him, and of course, already knowing the answer to her question, she asked, �A glimpse of what?�
His face grew impatient and his voice stern, �I need to see, I need to know what�s coming. I believe someone is after me.� He reached for her face and out of fear for his anger she turned away quickly. �It is my gift, I can not share it. I cannot control what you will see. It is not something that you are fit to handle.� He lowered his hand as he realized that she was afraid of him. She sitting on the bench looking in the opposite direction, he kneeled beside her, her hands were clenched and she sat with her legs tucked under her, trying to stay as far a distance from him as was possible. He glared at the ground, not knowing whether to be angered or regretful. In still a stern voice he muttered, �I am sorry, I did not mean to be fierce. Please do not fear me.� She starred at him, her hands out of reach and her legs tucked under her. She broke there gaze and staring once again down on the empty yard as a tear rolled down her cheek.
�2004 Brittany Corp.
