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~~Five months later~~ Time had passed amazingly fast and while the group remained in idyllic isolation training, learning and enjoying themselves, news of the outside world still seeped through. The Linkens were now in full control of the Wastelands and were beginning their invasion of Whybrow. Troops and regiments had been sent to protect the border between the Wastelands and Whybrow but winter was approaching and the Coalition of Nations were beginning to realise that this might be a battle they would have to concede. Prince Doug Witter was commanding the Coalition Army, an enormous responsibility that initially had caused much tension between the armies of Seretus, Atiivar and their allies. However Doug was beginning to be recognised for his skill and fairness and Pacey was secretly proud of his brother. Bessie, Joey's sister, was apparently the main strategist and had devised igneous methods that had so far prevented the Linkens from further penetrating the country of Whybrow. Yet somehow despite the Coalition's best efforts this was still not enough and an impending bleakness was riding the carriage of winter. In the five months on the Isle the group had slowly begun to solidify and strong friendships were being built. Dawson had been nominated as the group's unofficial dreamer. He seemed to live in a world of his own, full of fantasy and surprising ignorance. His childhood had been sheltered, partially due to Dawson's own nature and partially due to Timon's isolation from the rest of the world. Situated as the closest country to the Isle of Guawyn it remained distant from the rest of the world leaving Dawson a naive man of the world. Dawson had devoted much of his life to reading books and artistically bettering his mind and his fantasies. This however had the effect of Dawson being oblivious and unaware of reality - he seemed to have a large capacity to reject reality. In fact Dawson was so involved in his infatuation with Josephine Potter that he seemed to be uncomprehending of her gentle rebuffs. More than that he seemed unable to comprehend that Nova was at war and all the consequences such a war brought with it. Pacey remembered with slight disgust a conservation he had had with Dawson.
"Exciting? Why do you say that?" "Think about it Pacey. Nova at war against the mystical Linkens. It would make a wonderful book or play. And then there's the fact we are young adults caught up in the midst of this war - set apart from family, friends and the rest of the world. Anything could happen. Bonds are formed and strengthened. People could fall in love. A romantic war story. With Jo..." Dawson caught himself and glanced somewhat nervously at Pacey. "Anyway, this war - it is exciting. Exciting and romantic. What do you think Pacey?" Pacey held a different view from the starry-eyed Dawson. The ongoing wars between Atiivar and Seretus had not left Pacey untouched. He remembered all throughout his life men and women - some of them friends, some of them people he had trained with or had been trained by, some of them just people he saw everyday - who had gone to the battlefields never to return. Pacey remembered the cries of wives, the despair of husbands, the pain of children and families and often wondered at the senselessness of war. Most of all Pacey remembered the uncomprehending child. He remembered how Doug had tried to explain to him over and over again why Captain Anderton, a man who had spent much time with Pacey when he was young going as far as treating him like a son, would not be returning from the war. That Captain Anderton would never return and that a six-year old Pacey would never see the man again. For Dawson the blood of men and women that littered the battlefields between the Wastelands and Whybrow only served as a romantic setting for the development of his and Joey's relationship. However Dawson was right on one point. Bonds had been formed and strengthened. For Jack and Jen friendship had seemed like an inevitable event. Jack and Jen had easily become friends, sharing a natural connection and complimenting one another. It was a strong friendship built on mutual respect and understanding. Andie had also done her best to help precipitate the friendships insisting on group picnics and activities. Everyone tolerated her well meaning actions although at times it seemed over the top. They seemed to understand that just by being here on the Isle, they had become isolated from the world. Things were different for them, they did not belong to the Isle and were treated as visitors and yet they were now on the fringes of society - a society that was now battling a deadly enemy. While they all enjoyed the peace they knew it only existed with the realm of the Isle and could not truly relax knowing that their friends and family were being faced with possibly fatal danger each day. Tension was thick at times, none of them knew why they were still on the Isle and what their purpose was and it added to their apprehension. So they clung together for support. Even Abby was not immune and although she insisted on separating herself from the rest of the groups there were times when Pacey suspected that she was just as equally grateful for the others, although she would never admit it. Despite all this Pacey was frustrated. He wished that he could be doing more, maybe out in the battles with the rest of the men. Not that these five months had been a waste. His family had always had magical abilities but their extent and the full use of them had been unknown to him until Pacey had come to the Order of Guawyn.
"Damn it! It's useless... I'm never going to learn this!" Pacey glared at his elderly tutor. The room was a mess with papers strewn across the floor, a chair had collapsed to the ground and the desk was slightly askew. There was also the distinct smell of smoke in the room. Pacey's tutor sighed in frustration. "Look, it is not that hard. In fact with your magic abilities you should have mastered this some time ago. You're just too impatient. You have to clear your mind and concentrate on the elements. When your control the air - you're not just the master of that element...you are the element." Pacey furrowed his brow, trying to absorb all that was being said. "Now I want you to try again." He concentrated, determined to get this task right. Air. I'm air. Pacey imagined himself as the air around Joey. He thought of her taking him in and out of her mouth with each breath. He imagined that he was the breeze that sent her hair flying, he thought of himself all around her, everywhere. In the room, Pacey's tutor watched astounded as the air in the room gently rippled and began to move. Outside in the courtyard Joey felt a gust of air that sent shivers across her body. It was the strangest sensation almost as if there was a man's hand touching her, soothing in its movements. The air was everywhere and she could feel it, him. For some reason it reminded Joey of Pacey. Joey's tutor also watched knowing that something extraordinary and magical was occurring. Then it ceased. Pacey opened his eyes knowing that he had not completed the task required of him but had done something more. Much more. "I did something." There was quiet confidence in Pacey's voice. Pacey's tutor stared in awe, knowing that Pacey had accomplished something remarkable. "Yes you did." He paused to smile at Pacey, "It would appear that you've mastered the element air so we should move on to the next element. Hmm...fire might be as good as any other." "You're going to let me play with fire." Pacey grinned mischievously. "Think you can handle it?" "Oh I can handle it...I can definitely handle it." Now fire and laser bolts that could wipe out 3 men in one blast were under Pacey's control, he could also call the elements and use them at his disposal as well as protection spells, shields and minor healing. Yet all this talent and magic highlighted the fact that they were being wasted on this reclusive isle. Pacey knew that Dawson was being schooled in the art of necromancy and apparently had particular talent as an illusionist. Jack and Andie's skills were quite similar to one another's. Jack had empathy, he could feel the emotions of others and at the same time broadcast any emotion he wanted onto another person although he did this rarely and with a great deal of caution.
"So for awhile there you could feel what I was feeling?" "Well, actually no. Pacey, you have an amazing shield. So does Joey and Abby. You see people have natural shields that protect them from any invasion of privacy, from people like me I suppose. You, Joey and Abby have extraordinarily strong shields - for me to actually feel what you're feeling I would have to break that shield. And trust me, if I broke your shield or even attempted to break your shield...well you would know... The only way I could feel your emotions is if you let me. That or if you are projecting your emotions." "Projecting??" "Yeah. Sometimes a person can feel something so strongly that they are pretty much shouting out how they are feeling to someone like me. Like intense joy or pain. It can be really overwhelming. Oh and then there are people like Andie who just naturally project. Doesn't matter what they are feeling or how strong the emotions are - they just go ahead and broadcast it for the world to empathise." Pacey smiled at the thought of Andie. She was a very open person, if not a little neurotic. Andie's talent was to inspire people, she made them feel more confident and more happy about themselves. Pacey sometimes wondered if Andie's magical ability was a natural extension of her perky personality. Jen was apparently training and becoming an extremely powerful and accurate seer, foretelling the future in sometimes cryptic, sometimes straightforward words and sayings.
"But don't you think it is kinda cool?" Andie asked in surprised. "Yeah, I mean you'll be able to tell us our fortunes. Who we will all end up with." Dawson glanced slyly at Joey. "It's not that simple." Jen was getting exasperated, "The future is not set. I'm only predicting what will probably happen given certain events. Sometimes you leave it alone and the events will come true. You're just telling what will happen in the near future." "Like that time when you predicted that the basket of eggs would fall on that guy." "Exactly, Joey. But sometimes it is different. Sometimes it is a warning of what will most probably happen. And then you have to try and decipher the meaning. Try to find out what steps you can take to stop the events or increase the chance of the events occurring. And that...that can be huge responsibility." "Jen, I had no idea." Jack's voice was sympathetic as he held Jen in a comforting hug. Pacey and Joey looked at one another as the implications of what Jen had just said sunk in. "Well..I still think it can be pretty cool." Pacey, Jack, Joey and Jen turned to look at Andie. Andie shrugged somewhat sheepishly but also slightly defensively. "So are you going to tell us our fortunes, Jen?" Dawson had spoken. No one was entirely certain exactly what Abby's talent was, she remained extraordinarily elusive and sensitive whenever the topic came up. It was kind of weird but then it was Abby. Nobody really knew what was going on with her and they were all happy to leave it that way. Then there was Joey. She was the only thing that made Pacey's extended stay on the Isle worthwhile. Pacey remembered when their magic abilities were just being taught and nurtured. Pacey and Joey had found themselves situated in an empty glade where Pacey had proudly demonstrated his newly acquired abilities.
"So? What do you think?" "I'm impressed." "How impressed?" There was a twinkle in Pacey's eyes. Joey moved to respond but Pacey hushed her. "Shhhh...but wait...there's more." A gentle wind surrounded Joey so she stood on the glade her long brown hair flying, her skirt dancing with each twist and turn of the wind. The air seemed to caress Joey's skin brushing over her, touching, feeling, stroking. Her hair was lifted up away from her face as it moved and almost flowed to the invisible stream of air. Tiny droplets of water became to fall from the sky. They landed on Joey, only Joey. It was not raining though and the water that fell was so slight that it only left the tiniest sensation of wetness on her face and arms - a cooling sensation with the air still spiralling softly around her. Then with another twinkle of Pacey's eye it all stopped. Joey looked at Pacey's smug grin. "Very impressive." "I know. So are you going to reveal your talents?" "Well I can talk to animals." Pacey nodded. "And I have a natural empathy with them, so I suppose you could say I can befriend animals." "I suppose that might come in handy whenever you're alone in the woods with a big bad wolf." "Uh huh...oh and there is one more thing I can do." "So are you going to tell me or do I have to pry it out of you?" Joey smiled mysteriously instead. He watched in fascination as Joey's form began to blur becoming larger and her body seemed to arch forward so that she was on all fours until in front of Pacey was a sleek, chestnut horse. The horse titled its head then galloped across the glade until it was a fair distance away. Then the horse seemed to jump into the air its forelegs pointing to the sky and in one fluid motion the horse was no longer a horse. Instead there was a tiny sparrow that flew up into the air swooping up and down. The sparrow moved back towards Pacey until it was circling over the top of his head before coming to perch on his shoulders. Pacey turned his head to regard the sparrow only to find himself staring at a green frog. It jumped and Pacey caught it with his right hand. Its glassy eyes looked at Pacey and he swore that the frog was laughing at him. Then its size was decreasing until a bright red butterfly sat on his palm. Pacey dared not move, careful not to harm the delicate creature in his hand. The butterfly fully opened its wings revealing an intricate pattern of white and yellow spots that decorate the redness of its wings. It remained there for a moment, its wings open and on display before it fluttered closer and closer to Pacey so that it was hovering just above Pacey's nose. His eyes involuntarily closed for a millisecond. When Pacey opened them Joey was standing before him again, still smiling. Centuries of bred hatred should have caused at least some awkwardness between Pacey and Joey. Instead there was a natural rapport. Pacey's and Joey's friendship had only strengthened with time, only it was something much more than a friendship. It was something so unbelievably undefinable and special. The only thing Pacey knew with certainty was that the two of them were not made to be mortal enemies - their relationship was instead something pure and miraculous, untouchable and Heaven-sent.
"But you just can't resist Pacey Witter's natural charm." Pacey nodded in understanding. "I mean it is hard for any girl to resist me. I mean I have looks. Intelligence. A charismatic personality. And I'm a prince. Who could blame you for loving me?" "I never said I loved you." "What you don't love me?" Pace made a cute puppy dog face and whimpered as if hurt, "I'm not sure if I can take it if you don't love me." "Cut the crap Witter. I'm trying to be serious." The tone of Pacey's voice was low and solemn, "I'm serious Jo. Deadly serious." Joey blushed in response and looked away. They sat in silence for awhile, a silence which was not uncomfortable although wracked with tension. Pacey watched Joey as she played with the grass, absently plucking strand by strand of grassy leaf off the ground, and wondered if he had screwed things up. He stilled her hands at last unable to take anymore. "I don't think the grass needs to be cut today Joey." She lifted her head as her eyes sought his. "You do know that I care for you don't you? I mean really care for you. And what we have well.." And then Joey made a move. Her head was so close to his that he was inhaling the very breath she had exhaled. Neither moved yet just relishing the proximity before Joey tilted her head ever so slightly and leaned closer. Her lips were almost on his and Pacey opened his mouth in anticipation already able to taste her. "Joey! Joey! Jo! Oh, there you are!" Dawson came running by slightly puffed. Pacey and Joey quickly parted. "Joey I need you." With that Dawson was pulling her off the ground and dragging her away. "Sorry to steal her from you Pace but I really need Joey." Pacey sighed at how close he had been to kissing Joey once again. They did not talk about the almost kiss just as they had not talked about the kiss shared on the beach at the Realm Keep. Their relationship however had only become stronger since the incident and Pacey was fast becoming to realise the strength and gravity of what he felt for Joey Potter. For one thing Pacey could no longer scourge up the slightest desire for any other female no matter how beautiful and desirable, they held no interest to Pacey and only paled in comparison. While he was not quite sure where he stood with Joey Pacey did no that their relationship transcended mere friendship. It was something more. Something that was only biding its time to come to surface. So it was with patience that Pacey tolerated Abby's continuing advances and with repressed annoyance that he tolerated Dawson's presence in Joey's life. He knew that Dawson or at least Dawson's family was important to the Potters and Atiivar. He knew that Joey had to maintained some form of alliance with Dawson, it would not do for her to offend Dawson and yet Pacey was unsure where Dawson's and Joey's relationship stood. Were they simply allies? Friends? Or were they lovers? It was here that Pacey could not ignore Abby and her vast knowledge of political rumours and gossip. Apparently Dawson and Joey were to be bethroved but with the truce between Seretus and Atiivar and the danger of the Linkens perhaps the marriage was no longer a possibility. |
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