Title:Al’thelan
Rating: PG-13
Author:Mithril (perretta@entelchile.net) March 2000.
Disclaimer: Earth: Final Conflict Universe is from Gene Roddenberry.
No copyright infringement is intended. The idea is mine.
Thanks: Thank you very much to Sand for editing the story :)
This is an EFC/Highlander crossover, but I just use the show’s idea of Immortality, not any regular character (no Duncan, no Methos, etc.)
Spoilers: Some spoilers to second season’s episode “Heroes & Heartbreaks” and the third season’s episode “The Cloister”.
Summary: Da’an’s gets an unexpected vision of Ma’el’s time on Earth.
Al’thelan
As the sun set over the city -bathing everything with a reddish light- and the stars began to twinkle in the sky, a shuttle appeared from interdimensional mode and immediately reached its destination: the Washington Taelon Embassy.
Major Liam Kincaid expertly landed the craft and, after shutting the energy off, he turned to address his serious and quiet passenger.
“We have arrived,” he said unnecessarily. “Da’an?” Liam called him, when he realized the Taelon was not paying any attention to him. He got no answer. “Da’an?” he repeated, a little bit louder. The Taelon blinked and looked at him. “Are you all right?” The protector asked worriedly.
Da’an nodded and rose from his seat. “I am fine,” the North American Companion answered with a slight smile. A second later, he descended from the ship.
Liam smiled back and hurried behind him. “Is it there anything I can do for you?” he asked.
The alien stopped, faced him and shook his head. “No, thank you. That would be all for today, Major,” he answered and, without waiting for Liam’s reply, he turned and continued walking.
Liam watched him leave and sighed, wondering why Da’an seemed to be so... sad...
Then, he shrugged. Well... what else could you expect after a meeting with Zo’or?
******
A couple of minutes later, Da’an entered his audience chamber and walked to the virtual glass window, just in time to catch the last glimpses of the sun disappearing behind the tall buildings. Once the beautiful spectacle was over, the Taelon bowed his head and a very tired and human sigh escaped from his mouth. He had just had one of those meetings with Zo’or and, again, all the ruthlessness and cruelty of the young Synod Leader had surprised him. How could one being be capable of such hate? Da’an blushed blue as the answer came to his mind. “You learned it from me,” he whispered. “I am so sorry... my child.”
He raised his eyes and smiled sadly. Had this been the same kind of pain he had inflicted to Ma’el, so many centuries ago? How perfect an example of poetic justice, as humans called it. “I am so sorry,” he repeated, this time the apology directed to his own former mentor... and parent.
Shaking his head to vanish those painful thoughts, as Ma’el and probably Zo’or were lost to him now, Da’an went to the throne-like chair and activated the energy stream. Feeling the soothing energy surrounded him; he finally relaxed and allowed his mind to wander freely, beyond the barriers of the Commonality. It was then when a strange vision reached him...
In a quiet and green land, under a gray sky and a gentle wind, a woman stood before a group of stones. She was of average height and slender. She had long, red hair and an incredibly sad gaze. Slowly, she raised her hand and touched the biggest stone, one that was just about her size. After a moment, she withdrew her hand and sat on the grass. She wrapped her arms around her knees and bowed her head. The tremble of her shoulders indicated that she was crying.
Why did she seem to be in such deep pain if the place was so peaceful?
Suddenly, a man appeared. He was tall, dressed in a long black coat and he carried... a sword! He walked, menacingly, towards the woman.
Somehow she heard him, because she stiffened and raised her head. Then, she saw him... but she did not made any attempt to run. She just remained there, seated on the grass...
The man smiled evilly and, holding the sword with both hands, he raised it and--
“NO!” A desperate and disturbingly familiar voice yelled, abruptly ending the vision.
Da’an sat bolt upright, still in his true form. He had never experienced something like this. He took a hand to his chest, feeling the incredible need to save that woman... but... Who was she? And where was she? And that voice...
He forced himself to calm down and, only then, the Taelon recognized the place... Strandhill... and Ma’el’s tomb!
Da’an recovered his façade and, without losing time, he activated the data stream and contacted Major Kincaid.
“Yes, Da’an?” Liam asked, a little bit surprised by the Taelon’s clear distress.
“Meet me in the shuttle bay,” he ordered seriously, his hands moving fast.
“Where are we going?” Liam asked with curiosity.
The alien blushed in a deep blue before answering. “Strandhill.”
******
She melancholically stood before the ancient stones and, feeling suddenly very cold, she wrapped her long coat around herself. After a little hesitation, she raised a trembling hand and lay it over the cold surface. She closed her eyes. When was the last time she had been here? “It has been too long, my friend,” she said softly and a sad smile appeared on her face. Friend was such an inappropriate word... as he had meant -and would always mean- so much more to her...
A tear slid down her cheek. They had spent such a little time together... and ironically; time was all that she had.
“I am so tired,” she whispered, withdrawing her hand and sitting on the grass. “...And so alone,” she added, embracing her knees. She had always known that loneliness was the price on immortality, but that knowledge brought no comfort to her heart. Yes, she was an Immortal, one of the older ones, if not the oldest, and she was a warrior. She had been challenged unnumbered times and she had defeated her opponents, killing them or letting them go. In a few occasions, she had almost lost her head, but, fortunately for her, she had been able to escape. During her endless life, she had witnessed... the Earth’s history: the first cities, amazing discoveries, the awakening of science, travels, means of transportation, countless wars, the conquer of the Moon and so many other things... even the arrival of aliens. The Taelons.
She sighed. No one would ever know how close she had been to one of them; how much she--
Suddenly, her musings were interrupted by a familiar and warning hum, alerting her of the presence of another Immortal. She stiffened and raised her head. Instinctively, she took her hand to her coat’s pocket to grab the weapon he had specifically made for her, but then, she stopped and lowered her arm. Perhaps this was the reason she had come to visit this place, so dear to her heart. Perhaps the time to rest had arrived...
“I am so tired,” she repeated, drying her eyes... and then, she remembered this was a sacred place. There would be no battle...
A few seconds later, she saw him. He was taller than her; strong built, all clad in black and, oh surprise, he had a sword.
He approached her with shinning eyes, smiling evilly in anticipation. “Amalthea!” he shouted. “I am Arthur Kane.”
Amalthea blinked and looked tiredly at him, as if saying ‘oh, just shut up!’ “Yes?” she asked in a bored tone.
Arthur became serious and narrowed his eyes. “I have wasted many years to find you. At first, I thought you were nothing but a myth... but now, you are here... and you are mine," he said in a harsh voice, viciously stroking the blade. “All those years will be rewarded when I claim your head!”
She shrugged. “Why don’t you get a life?” she asked in the same tone as before. “Besides, this is a sacred place. You know the Rules.”
He snorted. “For the stupid aliens perhaps, but it means nothing for us, nothing for the Rules,” he replied mockingly.
Amalthea balled her hands into fists, her self-control slipping away. *NOTHING!* she yelled in her mind.
He didn’t notice her slight change and continued. “And don’t worry, dear Amalthea, I will get a life after taking yours!” he finished, giving her a look full of greed. He held his sword with both hands...
Amalthea closed her eyes and relaxed, all her anger disappearing to be replaced by an incredible tiredness. Nothing mattered now...
“I am pleased you have accepted your fate,” he hissed, raising his arms. “I will do it quickly,” he added and, uttering a yell of triumph, he was about to strike her, when a loud “NO!” made him stopped.
Startled, Amalthea opened her eyes wide and her heart began to beat crazily. Had it been her imagination? No. Somehow she knew it had been real... she had heard him! In her current grief-stricken mood, only one thing could have made her react... His voice... Slowly, her hand moved to her coat.
Annoyed by the interruption, Arthur looked around and once sure they were alone, he turned to finish his job. Gathering all his strength, he violently lowered his weapon to Amalthea’s neck... to be stopped by a sparkling sword.
He blinked in surprise and went a couple of steps back. He stared at her. She was not a defeated woman anymore, now she was a warrior. He smiled darkly... and so was he. “So you decided to fight, after all,” he said, taking a combat position, his legs spread to keep the equilibrium, his hands firmly holding his sword before him. “Interesting piece of technology,” he added, indicating her weapon. The hilt seemed to be of a very ancient model, it was made of a shining metal, decorated with a beautiful emerald-like stone, but the blade was clearly of Taelon origin, sparkling and beautiful.
She smiled and rose from the ground. “A friend gave it to me,” she said, raising her sword.
“Good, then I will gain more than your head today.”
“I don’t think so,” she said seriously.
He shook his head and his grin widened. “Enough of talking!” he exclaimed and, without a warning, Arthur attacked her.
The mortal fight began. He tried to strike her on several occasions, but each time Amalthea expertly blocked his attacks.
“You are not so bad,” he admitted after a while, encircling her like a predator.
Always alert, she never took her gaze away from his sword. “I have practiced a lot,” she said. At the same time she stopped one of his brutal blows, however, he managed to cut her arm.
“First blood!” he exclaimed, excited, licking his lips.
Amalthea took her hand to her injured arm and shook her head. “It will take more than that,” she said dryly and, for the first time, it was she who attacked him. In a quick movement, she ducked and kicked his legs, causing him to fall.
He rolled on his side, just in time to avoid Amalthea’s blow. He stood up and only then he realized she had cut him too. One of his legs was bleeding. He screamed in anger.
She looked at his eyes and stiffened slightly. All his confidence and -dark- humor were gone. Now he was angry... and truly dangerous.
“You will pay for this!” he shouted. With renewed strength, given by his hate and wrath, he just ran to her, his sword always raised before him.
The redheaded Immortal blinked and, realizing it would be stupid to try to block him, she quickly dropped her weapon, ducked, grabbed his arms and, using his own strength and speed against him, she managed to throw him to the ground. Then, gasping for air, she picked up her sword and was about to kill him, but abruptly stopped. He had released his blade and... he was crying.
“Please... don’t... kill me,” he begged between sobs, raising his arms in a protective manner. “Please, forgive...me. I will never... seek you again... I...”
“Oh, just stop it,” she said, rolling her eyes and lowering her sword. “The next time I will not change my mind,” she added, matter-of-factly and, deactivating her weapon, she put the hilt in her pocket and turned to leave. She had walked a few steps, when she heard a ‘CLICK’. She stopped dead in her tracks and turned. She went white. How in the world she could have been so stupid?
Arthur was on his feet again, a deadly look in his eyes... and a gun in his hand. “I told you I wasted many years to find you. Did you believe I would let you go so easily?” he asked. Without another word, he fired.
Amalthea stiffened and fell to her knees. She took her hands to her bleeding stomach.
“I wonder,” he began to say, walking towards her, this time the sword in his hand, “how someone so stupid could have lived for so long. You should have never fought me. Now, I want more than your head... I want your pain!” he added and, grabbing her hair to bend her head back, he rudely buried his sword on her stomach.
Yes, they were Immortals, but that didn’t make them immune to physical pain. Amalthea screamed. Pleased, Arthur released her and she fell on her back. He smiled evilly and prepared himself to give her the final blow -and inherit her amazing power- when a strange noise caught his attention. At first, it was barely audible, but then it went louder, until, to his annoyance and disbelief, a Taelon shuttle appeared out of nowhere. Cursing his bad luck, he hid his sword under his coat and ran away, leaving a 'dying' Amalthea lying on the grass...
******
As soon as they left interdimensional mode, Da’an realized they had arrived too late.
“Look,” Liam said worriedly, indicating the running man and the unconscious woman.
“She needs our assistance,” the alien stated, blushing blue.
Liam nodded and landed the craft a few meters away from her. They descended from the ship and approached her, Liam carrying an emergency medical kit. They knelt by her side and immediately the Major began to tend her wounds. He removed part of her blood soaked clothes and widened his eyes when he saw how badly she had been hurt. He looked helplessly at Da’an and shook his head. “I am afraid I can’t do anything for her. She received a shot and the bigger wound was made by some kind of blade...”
“A sword,” Da’an said and carefully removed a strand of red hair out of her pale face. To their surprise and relief, she moved her head and weakly opened her eyes. She looked directly at the Taelon and Da’an suddenly found himself lost in her deep green stare. He lost his disguise for a second. “Stay still,” he said softly.
She managed a smile, her eyes filled with tears. “Will... you take... me with you... this time... Al’thelan?” she asked in a barely audible voice.
Shocked, Da’an lost his façade and ignored Liam’s questions. He just could not believe what she had said. Al’thelan was an ancient word, long ago lost by the Commonality. It was impossible for a human to know it... It was impossible for a human to know the Taelon word for... beloved. Shaking his head and, after assuring himself he had not heard her correctly, he kindly held one of her hands. “Please, do not speak,” he told her, placing his free hand on her forehead.
Her smile widened. “Ma’el,” she whispered and, before a startled and sparkling Da’an could say a word, she attempt to link her mind with his.
Feeling an unbearable yearning and an incredible love, Da’an could not and did not want to resist. He mentally embraced her exhausted mind and initiated a sharing.
“Ma’el,” she repeated sweetly and opened herself completely.
Da’an sparkled brighter... and witnessed... her life...
The village was beautifully decorated, white flowers all around and a sweet music filled the air. Everything was ready for the wedding and everyone had been invited. Inside the bride’s house, the last details were being taking care of.
“You look beautiful, little one,” she said to her younger sister.
The young woman, almost a child, turned with a wide smile on her face. “Do you really think so, Amalthea?” she asked, tilting her blond head and staring at her older sister with innocent looking eyes.
Amalthea smiled back and placed a flower on her sister’s hair. “Of course, Sheri,” she said kindly. “Would I lie to you?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.
Sheri shook her head and then seemed troubled. She lowered her gaze and smoothed her white dress with her slender hands.
“What is it, little one,” Amalthea asked, concerned.
Sheri raised her eyes again. “I... I believe you should be... in my place. I... mean... you are the oldest daughter,” Sheri managed to explain.
“My dear Sheri,” Amalthea began to say reassuringly. “I am twenty six years old. In spite of mother’s opinion, I have my life. You know that I am not the... wife type. Besides, I thought you were in love with Erik,” she teased the bride.
“Of course I am!” Sheri exclaimed between giggles and then smiled mischievously. “But what about Jason or Earl or Eladan or--“
“Enough,” Amalthea interrupted her, rolling her eyes. “They were... are... too... boring,” she added shrugging and blushing slightly.
“Indeed,” Sheri agreed. “Or perhaps it’s that you are too... spirited.”
“Maybe,” Amalthea said with a wink, laughing. Then, she took her little sister’s hand and they were about to go out, when the music suddenly stopped. Startled, they heard menacing yells; horses whinnies and frightened screams.
“Amalthea, what...” Sheri began to say, scared.
“Hush, little one,” the redhead encouraged her and silently peeked out through a small opening of the door. She stiffened and went white at the sight. Savage and ruthless masked riders were attacking the village... killing everyone! An incredible fear raised within her. She would not allow those beasts to touch her sister or herself. Quickly, she turned to Sheri, gave her a desperate look and began to block the door.
“Help me to move the table,” she said, fighting the panic.
Trembling, the younger woman did as she was told. “Will... this stop... them?” she asked in a whisper.
“I hope so,” Amalthea answered softly, embracing her. “Please, stay calm, Sheri,” she said, guiding her to the other side of the room and sitting on a corner. Perhaps if they stayed quiet and still, those monsters would not find them. Perhaps if they-- Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a brutal blow on the door.
The sisters exchanged terrified glances.
“Are... they... demons?” Sheri asked, shaking in Amalthea’s arms.
Amalthea shook her head and gently stroked Sheri’s blond hair. “No, little one, they are just men, horrible men. They--”
She could not finish, as the door was rudely opened and two big and masked men entered. They hurried toward the women and, with a harsh laughter, the men brutally grabbed them.
“Don’t touch her!” Amalthea shouted, kicking the man who held her sister and fighting with her own captor.
“Quiet!” her captor spat, cruelly hitting her face, throwing her to the floor, her lips bleeding.
“Amalthea!” Sheri yelled, panicked.
“I am... fine,” she said, painfully rising from the floor.
The riders dragged them outside and took them with the remaining living people of the village, scared women and children. Shocked, the sisters saw the slaughtered bodies of their friends and relatives.
“Oh, no! Erik!” Sheri suddenly exclaimed, collapsing in her sister’s arms.
“Monsters,” Amalthea muttered between tears.
The riders mercilessly laughed at them, enjoying themselves in threatening the already frightened people with their swords. Suddenly, the guards kept quiet and stiffened. They raised their weapons in sign of respect. A tall man -clearly the leader- dressed in a black tunic and with the most hideous mask of all approached.
He looked with obvious disdain at his helpless victims and, for a second, he locked eyes with the red-haired woman. Then, he raised his arm and, with evil eyes shining through his demon-like golden mask, he lowered his arm.
Without a word, following their leader’s order, the masked men slaughtered the women and children.
Desperate beyond belief and oblivious to her own pain and the other’s screams and cries; Amalthea felt Sheri’s body going limp in her arms. Soon, she was not able to hold her. Sheri fell. Seconds later, Amalthea fell over her... and cried for her sister and for her village. “Soon...we... will be... together... little one,” she whispered and closed her eyes to wait for the peace of death...
Suddenly, someone rudely pulled her head up. “Look at me!” a cold voice ordered.
Amalthea weakly opened her eyes... to see the horrible leader bent over her. “Coward,” she managed to say.
He chuckled and took off his mask. Through her blurred vision, she could only see his steel eyes. “What is your name?” he asked coldly.
“A... Amalthea,” she whispered.
“Look at me, Amalthea,” he repeated, his cruel eyes fixed upon her. “I am Bethan. I slaughtered your village just because it pleased me. Remember my name, for we will meet again. I could easily take your head now... but that would bring no fun to me,” he said enigmatically. Then, he released her. His mad laughter was the last thing she heard... before dying.
After a while, the lifeless body of Amalthea began to shake and, in a sudden burst of energy... she opened her eyes. Startled, she blinked and trembling, she rose from the ground. Still dizzy and confused, she looked around. She froze. It had not been a nightmare. Her home village had been completely destroyed and everyone was dead... including her beloved sister. Blinded by the tears, she knelt and held her tightly. Beyond grief, Amalthea screamed...
“NO!” Amalthea echoed her nightmare’s scream. She abruptly woke up, sitting bolt upright, her breathing agitated and her body bathed in a cold sweat. She nervously looked at her surroundings and then relaxed. She was still in her small camp and the fire had long been extinguished. She took a trembling hand to her forehead and sighed. Again she had had that nightmare; again she had relieved that dreadful moment, again she had witnessed Sheri’s dead and heard Bethan’s mad laughter.
Even though that had happened twenty years ago, she could remember every single detail: the flowers, the white dress of her sister, her innocent looking eyes... but then--
Amalthea shook her head and swept her tears away. *Enough!* She thought, annoyed. There was no point in torturing herself with those passed events that she could not change. Besides, she had already done so for several years...
She sighed deeply and felt suddenly very tired and dirty. Then, seeing the rising sun, she rose from the ground and gathered her few possessions, including a sword and a dagger. Once finished, she ate a little dry meat and fruit and decided that it would be a good idea to go to the nearby lake, as the water had always soothed her.
The image of the lake brought an unexpected smile to her face and, as she thought more and more of the sparkling waters and beautiful trees that surrounded it, she began to forget the nightmare. The lake was located near a small village called Shareb. Its inhabitants were kind and decent people and, since Amalthea had rescued the grand child of the Elder one from the water, they had somehow adopted her. They had invited her unnumbered times to live with them, but she simply had not been able to accept. However, she did enjoy their company, especially Nell’s, the little girl she had rescued.
Without losing time and feeling unusually light-hearted , Amalthea went her way to the lake.
******
Feeling the beginning of a new day, the sparkling being walked toward the virtual glass window of his ship and mentally smiled. The light filtering through the green leaves of the trees made a pleasant sight. A moment later, he shook his delicate head and decided to return to his duties. He approached a terminal and waved his hand. A data stream was activated. He checked the information displayed in it and nodded approvingly, the cloaking device of his vessel was working in perfect order. If in any unfortunate event, his ship were to be discovered by strangers, they would only see a huge rock surrounded by vegetation.
He continued reading the floating characters and, once finished, he deactivated the stream and sparkled brighter in anticipation. According to his own notes, he was supposed to study the local inhabitants, the humans. After a year -according to the planet’s rotations- of analyzing minerals, vegetation and lower life forms, finally the long awaited moment to interact with more interesting beings had arrived. True, thanks to his previous observations, he had learned the humans were primitive beings, only in the beginning of their civilization, but still, he was excited by the prospect of meeting some of them. This had been one of the reasons he had left his homeworld: to meet, study and learn from other species-- He suddenly sparkled brighter and balled his hands into fists-- before his own kind enslaved them all. How many times had he advice them to change their path? How many times had he warned them that their chosen path would lead them to extinction? He simply could not remember. They just did not listen... How a stubborn and proud beings were his fellow Taelons... And even his beloved child believed that was the only way...
Shaking his head, he forced himself to calm down and focused his mind on the present day.
He went to one of the reflecting walls and looked at his glowing, blue reflection. He concentrated and, slowly, his sparkling exterior changed into a white skin. He smiled. Even though the size of his head and ears was a little bit exaggerated and he had no hair, he was pleased -and somehow surprised- by his ‘new opaque’ appearance. Only his eyes remained unchanged, glowing blue. He had been practicing the transformation -including common gestures, such us closing and opening his eyes every three seconds or curling his lips up- since the first time he saw the natives, and this had been his best result. He smiled once again, showing his teeth, and decided that he was ready to meet the humans. As a final detail, he opened a big compartment and took off a brown robe he had previously... borrowed from one of the locals -together with other useful items- and put it on. Once completely satisfied with his disguise, he turned to another terminal and activated a three dimensional map he had made of the region. It took him a few minutes to choose the place; he thought it would be more appropriate to meet pacific humans -as he knew there were violent beings as well. It was a placid lake surrounded by vegetation.
He walked to the door and was about to go out, when a good idea occurred to him. He approached another compartment, a small one, took out a little purple bag and some sparkling stones. Tilting his head, he put the stones inside the bag and placed it inside a pocket. They were of no value to him, but maybe the humans would like them and he could offer the stones as a symbol of peace. Then, smoothing his robe one more time, he left the ship. A gentle wind greeted him and with barely contained excitement and joy, he went his way to the lake...
******
After a short and pleasant walk, Amalthea arrived to the lake. She took a deep breath and smiled. Indeed this was exactly what she needed to calm herself; the beautiful trees and the sparkling water really comforted her. She looked around and, once sure she was alone, she unfastened her sword and carefully lay it over a rock. Then she took off her clothes -pants, a loose shirt and a gray robe- and finally unbraided her long red hair.
Still with the grin on her face, she approached the shore and allowed the water to touch her feet. She shivered. It was cold! It did not matter though, as she liked it anyway. She bit her lower lip, and taking a deep breath again, she dove into the cold water. She swam and played, just like a child. Unable to stop herself, she laughed. She blinked in surprise, she had not done so in so much time and it felt so good...
Suddenly, a bird flew away out of a bush, like if someone had scared it. Startled and worried, Amalthea turned to that direction. She did not feel the presence of another Immortal, but still she definitely was in disadvantage... not to mention that she was naked. Abruptly, another bird flew and it was then when she saw a pair of deep blue eyes staring back...
******
Ma’el enjoyed his walk under the trees. Even though the vegetation of the Earth was so different from the one of his homeworld, it had its own, rare beauty...
A few minutes later, he arrived to his destination and his eyes sparkled in anticipation. He had been right in his assumption: one of the locals was there!
He went a little bit closer and hid behind a bush. He realized it was a female and was about to approach her, when suddenly he changed his mind. Her attitude and surveillance of the place suggested that she wanted to be alone. Maybe she would perform some kind of ritual. He remained quiet in his hideout, watching with interest. To his surprise, she took off her clothes and loosened her hair. Ma’el lost his disguise for a second. He had never seen a human without its-- her clothes before... Her body was so different from his, she was so... solid, but still... he found himself strangely pleased by the sight...
Then, as he saw her so content floating in the water, completely unaware of his presence, guilt began to rise within him. As interested as he was, he felt he should not be there, spying on her.
He tilted his head and decided to leave. He moved and turned, but in doing so, he accidentally scared a pair of birds that had been resting on a branch; they flew away. Slightly panicked, the Taelon turned to see if she had noticed him. Startled, he locked his eyes with hers.
Realizing that he had been discovered, Ma’el slowly left the bushes and walked a couple of steps toward her.
Amalthea opened her eyes wide when she saw the pale stranger approaching and, in spite of the cold water, she felt her cheeks -and the rest of her body- burning in embarrassment and in annoyance. She gave a quick glance to her clothes -and sword- and then shot him with a deadly look.
Ma’el blinked and, even though she did not say a word, her look spoke volumes to him. Clearly he was not welcome there. A few minutes passed and Ma’el began to wonder why she did not make any attempt to leave the water. Due to his previous analysis, he knew the liquid had a low temperature and her now purple lips and chattering teeth indicated him that she was cold. Then why--
Suddenly it hit him. It was because of him! That is why she had looked around before taking off her clothes, she had not wanted to be seen without them! She would not leave the water until he stopped... watching. Having nothing else to do and hoping not to be making a mistake, he turned... and waited.
He did not have to wait long. After a short moment, he heard a splashing and, minutes later he heard light footsteps behind him. He turned and saw her standing there. She had dressed herself... and was threatening with some kind of weapon -a sword, he believed it was its name.
He tilted his head. As strange as it was, he felt she would not harm him. He smiled and raised both hands in a peaceful manner.
“I am not going to hurt you,” he said softly.
To his dismay, she did not answer, nor did she lower her blade. He blinked and tried again. “Do not be afraid,” he added and he was beginning to think he had used the wrong dialect, when unexpectedly she seemed to relax and lowered her sword.
“I am not afraid,” she stated seriously, meeting his eyes.
Ma’el suddenly found himself trapped in her deep green stare. He realized she was saying the truth, she was not afraid, she was annoyed. He knew it would be useful -and wise- to apologize, but he simply was not able to take his eyes away from hers. Then, to his surprise -and relief- she abruptly lowered her gaze and blushed in a deep red.
Ma’el shook himself and took the opportunity. Very slowly, for not to upset her, he took a hand to his pocket and took out the bag. Carefully, he opened it and spread the sparkling stones on his delicate hand. Sensing her curiosity, he went a step forward and extended his arm.
“Please,” he began to say in his soothing voice, “accept one of these together with my apologies.”
Amalthea looked at him with suspicion and, after a moment of hesitation, she approached. In spite of herself, she was curious and, as annoying as it was, she had felt something strange when she had met his blue eyes.
Once close enough, she eyed with surprise the jewels he was offering her. They were beautiful, with vivid colors, sparkling in the morning sunlight.
“Please take one,” Ma’el encouraged her, pleased by her acceptance.
She gave him a quick annoyed glance and slowly raised her hand. Unable to stop herself, she held a green jewel and looked at it with delight.
The Taelon smiled, but to his disappointment, she turned serious and returned the stone. She withdrew her hand and went a step back. “I accept your apology, but I cannot accept your jewel,” she said seriously.
Ma’el’s grin faded. “Did I offend you?” he asked, concerned. This first contact was proving to be more difficult than he had thought.
“You didn’t offend me,” she said, denying with a shake of her wet head. “It’s just that I can’t accept such a valuable gift from a stranger,” she explained.
Ma’el tilted his head, considering her words, then he smiled again. “Then I shall introduce myself,” he said, returning the stones to his bag and then to his pocket. He took a hand to his chest and extended his other arm with his palm up. “I am Ma’el.”
She tried that strange name a few times and, once satisfied, she nodded. “Ma’el,” she said solemnly, “I am Amalthea.”
“Ah’maalthea,” he said in his soft voice and at the odd look she gave him, he repeated her name, this time correctly. “Amalthea.”
She smiled approvingly. Ma’el smiled back and opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by human voices and laughter. Curious, he turned and saw a group of females and young ones approaching. Suddenly, the smallest child, a girl, broke free from her mother’s hand and ran to Amalthea.
“Amalthy!” she exclaimed happily, jumping to the redheaded woman’s open arms.
Amalthea’s grin widened and embraced the child. “Nell! How are you doing, little one?” She asked, rubbing the girl’s nose.
“You are wet!” Nell noted between giggles and only then she noticed the pale man standing there. “Who is your friend?” Nell asked with interest.
Amalthea blinked and realized the women had surrounded them and were staring at Ma’el in awe.
“I am Ma’el,” he said, greeting the women in the same strange way he had greeted her.
“I am Leila. It is an unusual honor to see one of the great Lords in these faraway lands,” the oldest woman respectfully greeted him, with a bow of her head.
Ma’el blinked in surprise at the woman’s words. Clearly they believed him to be some important human... male. Yes. It was obvious to him that he appeared to be a male to them... Well, after seeing Amalthea he could understand why. That thought brought an unbidden smile to his face, however, at the sudden annoyed look Amalthea gave him, he turned serious. For a second, he wondered if she knew what was going in his mind, but shaking his head, he quickly dismissed the idea and returned his attention to the women.
“The honor is mine,” he said in the same formal tone Leila had used. “Rumors of the beauty... of this region have reached... my own... village, so I decided I wanted to see it with my eyes,” he added.
“What do you think now, my lord?” Leila asked, beaming with pride.
Ma’el smiled. “The truth exceeds the rumors,” he answered kindly.
The women nodded enthusiastically and one of them, Kala, Nell’s mother, turned to Amalthea.
“Amalthea, we didn’t know you had such an important friend,” she said in a slightly offended tone and, before the redhead could say that she had just met him, Kala smiled and continued. “What a nice surprise!”
Amalthea blushed. “Kala, I...”
“Will you and your friend come to the Crop Festival?” the girl abruptly asked with shining eyes and then cocked her head and took her hands to her waist. “Or did you forget it was today?”
“Nell!” her mother exclaimed and looked embarrassed at Ma’el. “Please, my Lord, forgive my child’s enthusiasm,” she apologized.
The ‘Lord’ shook his head. “There is nothing to forgive,” he said softly.
Kala sighed in relief and gave a quick glance to Leila. The old woman nodded and smiled at Ma'el. “Kala’s daughter spoke our minds, my Lord. We would be honored if you could join our celebration and, as Amalthea’s friend, the honor would be double.”
He gave a quick glance to Amalthea and seeing that she would not tell the others the truth, he smiled. “It will be my pleasure,” he said sincerely and mentally blessed his luck. This day was proving to be really interesting.
******
Once in the village, after introducing himself to the whole community and telling... some stories from his faraway home, Ma’el was quickly and gladly accepted.
Soon the celebrations began.
From his place in the main table, he watched everything with fascination: the decoration, the food set over the table, the colorful clothes, the intriguing interaction between males and females, the games performed by the little ones, the dancing and even the primitive, wooden houses sparked his interest. Suddenly his attention was drawn to Amalthea. She was seated alone, far away from the party. In fact, she seemed to be oblivious to it. She was lost in her thoughts.
“It’s a pity,” Leila abruptly said, interrupting Ma’el’s observations.
He turned his head and gave her a puzzled look. “Please, explain yourself, Leila,” he asked.
She sighed. “It's Amalthea. We have known her for two years -since she rescued little Nell from the lake- and I still feel we are not able to reach her. In spite of her youth, I believe something terrible happened to her, but every time we ask her about it, she just smiles and tell us not to worry. We have invited several times to live here with us, but she always denies -And I know of one or two young men who would be more than happy to have her here--" Leila stopped for a moment and shook her white head. "It seems our village brings painful memories to her. I have told her life in the forest is not good for a young woman, but she assures me she can take care of herself... but the sad truth is that Amalthea is alone, only Nell is able to reach her heart," she finished in a whisper.
Taken aback by Leila's story, Ma'el returned his attention to Amalthea and felt the unexplainable need to comfort her.
"Perhaps as her friend, you could be able to help her," the old woman added, as if reading the scientist's mind.
The Taelon blinked and nodded, even though he knew he was not really Amalthea's friend.
Then, they saw Nell approaching her redheaded friend with a dish of food in her hands. A smile lit up Amalthea's face and she rubbed Nell's head, causing the child to giggle.
Ma'el and Leila exchanged amused glances and smiled too.
The day passed quickly and right after the sunset, Ma'el announced his departure. Immediately, the people protested and urged him to stay in Shareb, they even offered him the main house. The Taelon gently declined their offer and, before leaving, he took out the small purple bag and offered the astonished community members the beautiful, sparkling stones. "I would be honored if you accept them," he said, extending his arm.
At Leila's nod, a group of young women approached him. "Can I... take one?" one of them shyly asked.
"Of course," Ma'el answered with a smile. "Take anyone you like... except the green one."
They nodded and, after a while, everyone in Shareb had a stone... everyone, except Amalthea. Oblivious to the talking, she was kneeling by a group of white flowers, contently watching and smelling them. Ma'el looked at her, then at the green stone remaining on his hand and went to her. "May I assume we are not strangers anymore?" he asked, offering her the green stone.
Startled, Amalthea looked up at him and rose.
"Please," he insisted gently, noticing her hesitation. "I mean no harm," he added, tilting his head.
"I know that," she said seriously, "That's why I didn't tell them..." She stopped and slightly blushed.
"That we were not friends," he finished for her. "But that can change... If you want," he said with a grin.
She blinked and, completely defeated by his kindness, she smiled back and accepted the precious gift. "Thank you," she said simply.
Satisfied, Ma'el nodded and, after saying good bye in his unique way, he turned and walked away. She followed him with her gaze and her smiled widened. "Perhaps... we could be... friends... after all," she whispered softly, but abruptly her smile faded as she saw two cloaked figures stepping out from the shadows and following Ma'el. She frowned and her eyes shone dangerously...
******
Ma'el walked his way back to his camp with a wide smile on his face, feeling extremely content. His first day with the locals had far exceeded his highest expectations. He had been accepted by them and even invited to participate in one of their most important celebrations. He blushed blue. Yes, this had proved to be a very productive day and he had met very interesting people... specially Amalthea. He took a hand to his chin and his eyes glowed electric blue. How strange, in spite of being so different ... and young, he felt unexplainably drawn to her--
Suddenly, hearing a strange noise behind him, he stopped and turned. Even tough he saw no one there, he sensed another being's presence. Perhaps one of the little ones had followed him. "Show yourselves," he said gently.
To his surprise, two cloaked and adult humans stepped out from a group of trees and walked menacingly towards him. Both of them carried swords and, just as he had felt Amalthea would not harm him, he sensed those men would not hesitate to do so. "What is it that you want?" Ma'el asked, hoping not to show his growing concern.
"We want the jewels," one of them said in a harsh voice.
The 'Lord' took out his bag and shook his head. "It is empty. I am afraid I cannot fulfill your request," he explained.
"Then take us where you keep them!" the other bandit ordered, violently sweeping the bag out from the Taelon's hand.
Ma'el unconsciously went a step back, his concern turning into fear. "I cannot do that," he stated seriously.
That answer annoyed the man and he rudely pushed the now scared Taelon to the ground. "You will obey us if you want to keep your head," the thief barked, taking his sword to the fallen one's neck.
Even though the scientist knew those primitive weapons could not harm him, he stared at his aggressors in shock. As dangerous as it was he could not take them to his ship. "I... will not... obey you," Ma'el managed to answer.
"You will pay for this!" the taller thief spat and raised his sword...
Shaking, Ma'el raised his hands in a protective way... but the blow never came. Out of nowhere, a third hooded human appeared and placed himself between the victim and his captors. The bandits went a couple of steps back and exchanged glances.
"Stay away from this!" the taller man growled.
As an answer, the stranger raised his sword and waved it dangerously.
"So it be!" the other thief barked.
"Indeed" his companion agreed and they both charged against the newcomer.
Ma'el's new protector expertly blocked the strikes and the Taelon could tell he was far more skilled than his aggressors. The thieves noticed that too, they exchanged glances again and, yelling curses and disgusted words, they ran away. Once they were gone, the stranger put away his weapon, turned to the fallen one and pulled back the hood. "Are you all right?" a surprisingly pleasant voice asked, concerned.
Ma'el opened his eyes wide seeing who his protector was. "Amalthea!"
"Are you all right?" she repeated worriedly, offering her hand to him.
As he stared at her in disbelief, Leila's words echoed in his mind. Indeed Amalthea knew how to take care of herself. "Yes," he said and took her hand. "Thank... you."
She smiled and pulled him up. "You are shaking," she noted, turning serious and lying her free hand over their joined hands in a reassuring way.
Startled, but strangely pleased by their contact, all his fear vanished... to be replaced by something else... something he could not quite define... He lowered his gaze to their joined hands and then met her kind green eyes. “I... am... fine,” he replied.
She nodded and held his gaze for a while, then, suddenly blushing, she smiled again and finally released him. “I saw them following you after you left. I couldn’t see their faces, though, but I am sure they are not from the village. Tomorrow I will warn Leila and the others,” she explained.
Ma’el tilted his head. “I do not understand why they attacked me, if I told them I had not more stones,” he said. “I do not comprehend violence,” he stated, but, seeing Amalthea’s troubled expression, he immediately regretted it. “However, I must admit sometimes it is necessary. Thank you for saving my life, Amalthea,” he added sincerely.
“You are welcome,” she said. Then she looked up and seemed upset about something. “Soon there will be no light and those clouds will hide the full moon,” the redhead noted and turned her gaze to him. “I would be relieved if you allow me to escort you to your camp,” she said seriously. “Just in case those bandits return.”
The scientist blinked and, is spite of the danger of being discovered, he accepted with a grin. She smiled back, went to get her bag that she had left behind and accompanied him... to his camp.
Ma’el led her through the same path he had followed in the morning and after a short walk, they arrived where the disguised ship was.
Amalthea looked at her surroundings and nodded approvingly. “I like this place. There are not so many bushes to allow possible thieves to... spy on you,” she said with a raised eyebrow, clearly referring to their first encounter. “And that big rock, over there,” she added, indicating the hidden craft, “provides you with some shelter.” Then, she took a hand to her chin. “But where are your things?” she asked. At his puzzled look, she continued. “I mean furs to cover yourself, maybe another robe, wood to light a fire... those things.”
“I can assure you I have everything I need,” he answered solemnly.
She cocked her head, not fully convinced by his answer, but finally she nodded. “I am glad to hear that,” she said with a small grin. Unexpectedly, a cold wind blew and she wrapped the robe tightly around herself. “I must leave now and find an appropriate place to spend the night.”
“Why do you not stay here?” Ma’el suggested, not wanting her to go. “As you said before, soon there will be no light and it is not safe to travel in the dark. Those thieves could be not the only ones.”
“I...” she began to protest, but then realized he was stating the truth. “Thank you for your offer,” she said at last.
Ma’el found himself very pleased by her acceptance and slightly bowed his head.
She nodded and, grabbing her bag, she knelt, opened it and began to take out the things she would need: an old blanket, a worn fur, two carefully wrapped packages, a leather canteen and another robe. “What is it?” she suddenly asked her companion, who stood there, watching down at her.
“You travel light,” he noted.
“I too have everything I need,” she said seriously, rising from the ground.
“Do you?” he asked, meeting her eyes.
“Yes,” she whispered, quickly adverting her gaze and walking away from him. “I will go to get some wood,” she explained, before disappearing behind the trees.
Ma’el kept staring the trees and blushed blue. For a second he had been able to see right through her: an incredible sadness and loneliness. Leila had been right, Amalthea was alone and she did her best to hide it. If only--
He abruptly stopped and blinked in surprise. Why did he feel so concerned for a being he had just met? Why did he feel so... compelled... to comfort her? And why... did she make him feel... so... confused?
He took a hand to his chin in a thoughtful mood. Perhaps it was because... she had been... his... first contact. He decided that that was the logical explanation and then, shaking his head, he hurried to his ship to get some of the items Amalthea had mentioned before.
A moment later, she returned with the firewood. She placed it on the ground and, after choosing a few sticks, she accommodated them in a small pile and surrounded them with stones. She looked at Ma’el and smiled. “Can you, please, give me that package?” she asked.
He nodded and did so. “It’s just straw,” she explained, slightly amused by his puzzled expression. “I always carry some with me. In that way, it is easier to light a fire.”
Ma’el tilted his head and continued watching with interest how she managed to light the small bonfire. “You seem to be an expert,” he noted.
She shrugged. “It’s just because of the straw,” she replied and, as the fire dimly illuminated the place, she noticed that Ma’el held a blanket between his hands. “So you did have one of those,” she said, grabbing her own blanket and laying it on the ground.
The Taelon looked at her through the corner of the eye and lay down his blanket too. They sat by the fire and kept quiet, contently admiring the dancing flames.
“It is beautiful,” Ma’el said after a while, breaking the silence. He smiled and turned to look at her and could not help but notice the way the firelight reflected on her red hair... and was surprised by the sudden impulse he felt... he wanted to run a hand through her long hair.
“Yes,” Amalthea agreed in a faraway voice, completely unaware of his stare. Then, she cocked her head and stretched her arms. “Well, time to sleep now. I will take the first watch,” she said, stifling a yawn.
Ma’el blinked, waking up and shook his head. “I do not need to sleep... right now. You, instead, seem to be very tired.”
“I... didn’t sleep well last night,” she admitted, leaning back and pulling up her old fur. “I can use some sleep.”
“Close your eyes, then, and do not worry. I will watch after you,” he said kindly.
She looked oddly at him and was about to say something, but instead, a soft laugh came out of her mouth.
“Are you laughing at me?” he asked in a slightly offended tone.
“Of course not!” she quickly answered, rolling on her side and sliding a hand under her head. “Well... It’s just that I don’t usually trust people until I know them better, but... I feel I can trust you,” she said, “Even though you have lied to me,” she finished.
He stiffened. “I...” he began to say, but then relaxed. “You are just partially right. I did not exactly lie. It was Leila who assumed I was one of your lords... and your friend,” he explained.
Amalthea gave him an ‘I-see-no-difference’ look and rolled her eyes. “And who are you?” she asked, intrigued.
He looked intently at her and, after a moment of silence, he finally answered in a solemn voice. “I am a voyager and a scientist.”
“A scientist?” she repeated, puzzled.
“I seek knowledge,” he elaborated, gesturing with a hand. “I am always learning, looking for new things and new people. Everything interests me.”
“So... you travel, searching for that knowledge?”
He nodded. “Yes. I suppose that is a way to describe it.”
“Is it worth it?” she asked. “I mean, leave your home, your family... to learn new things?”
He blinked at her question and then took a hand to his chest. He thought his answer for a while. “The separation saddens me, yes, but sometimes, it is worth it,” he said sincerely. Then, he tilted his head. “What about you? Why do you choose to live in the forest instead of living in the village?”
“I see you have been talking to Leila,” she noted and then sighed. “I can’t live there,” she whispered, with unexpected sadness, but recovered quickly. “Besides, I like the life in the outside.”
Realizing that she would not elaborate further and that it was a painful topic to her, Ma’el decided to end the conversation. “You shall sleep now,” he said gently.
“You are right,” she agreed. “Just wake me up when you fell tired, but do it carefully. I don’t want to accidentally hurt you. You should never take by surprise someone who has a sword,” she added teasingly and closed her eyes.
A few minutes later, her soft, rhythmic breathing indicated to him that she was sleeping.
Once sure she would not wake up, Ma’el allowed himself to drop his façade and mentally smiled. If the coming days were to be like this one, he would definitely enjoy his time on Earth... specially if his new found friend stayed near him... because he already considered Amalthea his friend. He sparkled brighter at the thought and forced himself to calm down, so not to bother her. He tilted his head. What would she do if she saw him in his true form? He looked at her dangerous sword and at her peaceful, sleeping face... and then he remembered her kind eyes and her concerned expression when she had saved him. Immediately he knew the answer: she would never harm him.
Seeing the slight shiver Amalthea made, he carefully put a stick into the fire and covered her with another blanket. Then, he leaned back on his own blanket. Just in that very moment, a gentle wind drew the clouds away and everything was bathed by the silver moonlight. Pleased by the beautiful sight, he relaxed and focused his mind in the faint whisper that was the Taelon Commonality... he did miss them after all.
******
The next morning, Amalthea woke up feeling unusually rested... and happy. She stretched her arms and only then she realized she had slept the whole night, no nightmares had haunted her dreams, nor had Ma’el awakened her. She blinked and yawned. She sat and looked around, Ma’el was now where to be seen, but –to her surprise- there was a dish filled with stew laying before her, together with fruits and a cup of milk. Puzzled, she stared at the food for a few minutes, not knowing if she should take it or not, but a roar of her stomach convinced her to do so. She held a spoon and ate a little bit of stew. It was a strange meal to eat in the morning, but it was delicious. She smiled. Again Ma’el had surprised her with his kindness. In spite of the strange and embarrassing way they first met, she knew he was a good man and she trusted him... not to mention that he made her feel... things. She ran a hand through her disheveled hair. For a long time since Sheri’s death, she had believed she would never be able to feel anything again, but then, she had met Nell and now, she had to admit... she was beginning to like Ma’el... a lot. She flushed and took a sip of milk. True, he was a mysterious man and physically different. He was extremely pale and despite his young appearance he had no hair... but his eyes were so blue and his gaze was so gentle...
“I see you are finally awake,” a soft voice suddenly said, interrupting her thoughts.
Knowing whom it was, Amalthea blushed even more and raised her head. “Why... did you let me sleep the whole night?” she asked after a while. “You must be tired.”
He looked at her with his tilted head and smiled. “I assure you I had the proper rest,” he said in a slightly amused tone.
She stared at him with a raised eyebrow, his amusement not lost to her.
“What is it that troubles you?” he asked in the same tone as before.
Amalthea shook her head. “Nothing,” she said with a smirk. “Thank you for the food, but where did you take it from?”
Ma’el’s grin widened and, to her astonishment, a girl of about eight years old stepped forward from behind him, giggling. “I brought it!” the child said, approaching her and sitting by her side.
“Nell!” Amalthea exclaimed, rubbing Nell’s light-brown hair. “What are you doing here, little one?”
The girl grinned and gave her friend and innocent look. “I came here to bring you and Lord Ma’el some food,” she explained, indicating the meal. “I noticed you ate very little yesterday.”
“Indeed,” Ma’el agreed, “and since when Nell arrived you were still sleeping, I asked her to show me the surroundings.”
“And so I did,” Nell finished solemnly.
The redhead blinked, looked at Ma’el and returned her gaze to Nell. “Thank you for the food, little one, but how many times I have told you not to wander alone in the forest?” she asked, concerned, and raised her gaze. “And that goes for you too, Lord Ma’el,” she added in a slight mocking and annoyed voice.
“But I knew there would be no danger!” Nell protested. “Are you mad at me?” she asked then, with troubled eyes.
Amalthea sighed and rolled her eyes. “Of course not Nell, you know that I can't get angry with you, but I do get concerned. Just... just don't do it again... Please?"
Nell nodded with a sweet smile, but then gave her a stubborn look. "But nothing bad happened. Besides, I saw you and Lord Ma'el here," she said, gesturing with her arms.
"You saw us?" the scientist asked with a puzzled expression on his face.
Nell's grin widened and she raised her eyes to look at him. "Yes, in my dreams. I often see things that then happen in real life. Leila calls it 'the gift of sight'."
"The gift of sight," he repeated thoughtfully, taking a hand to his chin.
"Yes, the gift of sight," Amalthea said seriously. "But tell me, little one, did your dream show you the punishment your mother would give you for leaving the village without permission? Or may I assume you did ask her?" the redhead asked, with a bemuse raised eyebrow.
Nell's smile faded and gave her a lost-puppy look. "You will protect me, right?" She begged, throwing her arms around Amalthea's neck.
The woman rolled her eyes again and, unable to resist Nell's plea, she hugged the child. "You know your mother. I will see what I can do, little one," she said in a mocking, dramatic way.
"Thank you, Amalthy!" Nell exclaimed between giggles, but then turned serious. "Now eat your food," the girl added in such a solemn tone, that Amalthea had to smile... and obey.
Ma'el just watched then with curiosity and with a wide grin on his face.
Once Amalthea finished her meal, twenty minutes later, they picked up all their things and headed to Shareb. During their way there, Nell began to gather beautiful wildflowers. "For my mother," the girl explained, showing them the delicate plants and giving each one a flower.
"Thank you, little one," Ma'el said, slightly puzzled and looking at his flower with interest.
Nell flashed a smile and went to pick more flowers.
"Don't get away of my sight," Amalthea told her and then turned to Ma'el with an amused smile. "Sweet child, isn't she?" the redhead said fondly.
"Yes," the scientist agreed, raising his gaze from the flower. "You seem to share a strong bond with her. Leila told me you rescued Nell from the lake."
To his surprise, Amalthea became serious, closed her eyes for a moment and then spoke. "Yes. I took Nell out from the water, but it was her who rescued me. At that time I was... desperate. I..." She left the sentence unfinished and quickly took a hand to her now misty eyes, before that rebel tears slid down her cheek. "Sorry," she whispered, unable to hide her embarrassment.
"It is all right," Ma'el said in his soothing voice... and then, he suddenly found himself raising his arms... to hold her. Quickly, he dismissed the idea and lowered his arms.
They continued walking in a thoughtful silence, Amalthea mortified for having almost broken before him; and Ma'el deeply confused by his sudden impulse to embrace her.
After a while, Amalthea recovered herself. She slightly chuckled. "You must believe I am a weak, crying woman," she said, still embarrassed.
"Of course not," he gently replied. "You are strong and brave. I can feel it."
She flushed and a smile lit up her face. "Thank you... and you are the kindest man I have ever met."
He blinked in surprise at her statement, but then smiled back.
Twenty minutes later they arrived at the village, Nell carrying a basket filled with flowers. "There is my mother," she said, taking Amalthea's hand.
Amalthea looked and smiled. There was Kala, busy talking with a group of women. The redhead presumed the young woman would be asking for her child. "Go to her and apologize," Amalthea encouraged her little friend, gently squeezing her hand. Nell gave her a last resigned glance and went to meet her mother. Amalthea followed her with an amused gaze, shook her head and turned to Ma'el.
"Will she be all right?" he asked, tilting his head.
"Yes," the redhead said with a grin. "Kala is a good and loving mother. Surely she will give Nell a fair punishment," she explained.
He nodded while looking at Kala and Nell with interest. The woman had accepted the flowers and was lecturing her child, agitatedly moving her free hand. The girl just listened with her head bowed and her hands on her back. Seconds later, Nell embraced her mother.
"See?" Amalthea said.
"Indeed," the scientist agreed thoughtfully, clearly intrigued by the scene.
"How strange," Amalthea noted. "Why do you always seem to be so interested in such ordinary events?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, unconsciously raising a hand in a defensive gesture and stiffening.
Seeing his upset expression and his tense body, she shook her head and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please forgive me. I didn't mean to bother you. It's just that... well... I was curious," she said, biting her lower lip.
He gave a startled look at his shoulder and she quickly withdrew her hand and shrugged apologetically.
He relaxed and smiled reassuringly. "You did not bother me. Like you, I am just curious," he explained simply.
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smirk appeared on her face. "I understand... we all have secrets," she replied.
"You are absolutely right," he stated with a sideways glance.
"I know," she said. "But still... I trust you," she added with a wink.
Ma'el just managed to concentrate in not losing his disguise. Amalthea's faith in him really impressed him.
Unaware of his predicament, she turned serious and removed a strand of hair from her face. "I have to inform Leila about the bandits," she said, abruptly changing the subject. "I would appreciate if you come with me."
The Taelon nodded and accompanied her to find the old woman. After a moment of searching, they found her talking with an old man, seated under the shadow of a big tree.
"My Lord, Amalthea," Leila greeted them happily. "This is my brother Alrick," she added.
"My Lord," the man respectfully bowed.
"What can I do for you?" Leila asked.
"Something happened last night," Amalthea began to say and then told them about the attack of the hooded men. "I am sure they don't belong here, but it would be wise to do something about it," the redhead finished.
Leila turned serious and closed her eyes for a while. "They must be stopped. I will suggest to the community to send explorers."
"That is a good idea," Amalthea agreed, "but remember, their only purpose is to explore. If they see anything strange, they should return immediately."
"Of course," Alrick said and bowed again to Ma'el. "Our apologies, my Lord. Not so long ago this used to be a safe region, but now..."
He finished with a sigh and his sister patted him reassuringly on his back. "Everything will be all right, Alrick," the old woman soothed her brother.
"That is correct," Ma'el added, "and you do not need to apologize, as I was properly protected," he said, giving Amalthea a kind glance.
The young woman slightly blushed and nodded.
"I see," Lila noted, giving Amalthea and Ma'el a knowing look.
Puzzled, the scientist turned to his friend, only to find that she had turned crimson red. She cleared her throat. "They... were just... cowards... thieves," she said, embarrassed.
"Never the less, you did risk your life for me," Ma'el replied, gesturing with both hands.
"You always seem to appear at the right time, Amalthea," Leila said, hugging her. "If it were not for you, my little Nell..." She stopped and shook her head. "Please forgive me," she said, drying her eyes.
"You know that you can count on me, Leila," Amalthea said gently, returning the hug. "You, Nell and the others are the closest people that I can call my family."
"And what about Lord Ma'el?" Leila asked in a whisper, only to her ears.
As an answer, Amalthea flushed in a deep red. "I..."
"I understand," Leila interrupted her with a mischievous wink and then released her. "We have to choose the explorers." The old woman said.
"I suggested Joran, Ronin and John, they are the most capable for the mission," Alrick said.
"So it be," his sister agreed.
By the end of the day, filled with warnings and instructions, the three young men left Shareb...
******
The days went by without troubles, no problems occurred in Shareb and everyone's life remained peacefully unchanged... except Amalthea’s and, of course, Ma’el’s. In nothing but a short time, their friendship had grown stronger and a deep bond had begun to form between them. She would always spend her time with him, alone or with Nell, showing him the surroundings: secret caves or beautiful places in the forest, and helping him to collect all sort of things. That was during the day; at night, she would stay with him in his camp and, after an interesting conversation, she would fall asleep... under the stars and under his kind stare...
The village was beautifully decorated with white flowers hanging all around. Everything was ready for the wedding.
“You look stunning, Sheri,” Amalthea said softly.
“Do you really think so, Amalthea?” the bride asked.
“Of course, little one. Would I--”
She was abruptly interrupted by a scream and, to her horror, a masked man carrying a sword entered the room. “Sheri, Run!” Amalthea yelled, but Sheri didn’t move, the scared girl just gave a desperate look to her older sister...
The man approached Sheri with the raised sword and met her wide opened eyes. “I will seek you again,” he hissed and without another word... he attacked a helpless Sheri...
“NO!” Amalthea shouted...
“NO, SHERI!” Amalthea yelled, sitting bolt upright. Trembling, she continued screaming until she felt that a soothing voice was talking to her and that kind arms were holding her. Slowly, she calmed down and opened her eyes. Only then did she realize she was in Ma’el’s arms with her head lying on his chest.
“Are you all right, Amalthea?” he asked softly, still holding her.
She raised her head to meet his worried gaze... and blinked in surprise. For a second she could have sworn there was a glow surrounding him. She quickly dismissed the idea. “Yes... It was just a nightmare,” she answered and was taken aback by the defenseless
tone of her voice. “I... am fine,” she repeated, as if trying to convince herself.
Ma’el just looked at her and for the first time he noticed how vulnerable... and beautiful she was. “Are you sure, my fried?” he insisted gently, knowing that she was not telling him the whole truth.
She smiled at the word and nodded. “Yes, thank you,” she assured him in a steadier voice than before and then cleared her throat and lowered her eyes. “You can... release me,” she said shyly.
Ma’el blinked and found himself not pleased by her request. For a strange reason, he wanted to hold her. Reluctantly, he did as he was told.
She shivered again and wrapped a blanket around herself.
“Dawn is still far. Why do you not try to sleep again?” he suggested to her, knowing that she needed to sleep a determinate number of hours.
“She shook her head. “I don’t want to do it. This time I will watch while you sleep,” she said, adding another stick to the fire.
He tilted his head and raised a hand. “I am not tired and I do not... need to sleep as much as you do. Close your eyes, I promise you no nightmares will disturb your dreams.”
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow and leaned back, sliding her hand under her head. “And how can you know that?” she asked suspiciously.
He smiled enigmatically and took a hand to his chest. “I am a scientist. I know... things,” he stated solemnly.
She gave him a ‘yeah, sure’ look, kept quiet for a moment and then chuckled. “I don’t know why, but I actually believe you,” she said at last. “Good night, my Lord,” she teased him, closing her eyes.
Ma’el waited until she fell asleep, then he carefully placed a glowing hand over her forehead. Seconds later, feeling that she relaxed, he withdrew it.
He cocked his head, worried by his friend. Perhaps tomorrow he could convince her to tell him what was upsetting her... after all, Amalthea had said several times that she trusted him. A slight smile appeared on his pale face. When he had first arrived to this planet, it had never occurred to him that he would become so close to a being so different from him.
“Sleep now, my friend,” he whispered.
The next day they returned to the village and, even though Amalthea had not had more nightmares, she was tense and upset. It was a beautiful morning; the children were playing, the men were working on the land and the women were chatting and knitting. In other words, it was a perfect, ordinary day in Shareb, but still, Amalthea was not able to relax. Sighing, she sat on a stone bench, near a group of flowers. Distractedly, she picked one of them and smelled it.
Silently, someone sat by her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Will you share with me what is it that troubles you, Amalthea?” Ma’el asked, concerned.
She shook her head. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry.”
“I thought you trusted me,” he said sadly, withdrawing his hand.
“Of course I do!” she exclaimed. “It’s just that I... well... I...” She stopped for a moment to gather her thoughts. “I just need some time to... forget my nightmares,” she explained. “Will you give me some time?”
As an answer, he nodded and smiled.
She smiled back. “Thank you.”
Suddenly, they heard agitated voices and a growing commotion. Then, Nell approached, running. “Amalthy, Amalthy, John, Ronin and Joran have returned!” the excited girl informed her friends.
“Where are they?” Amalthea asked, rising from the bench.
“In the main house, with Leila. She sent me to get you and Lord Ma’el,” Nell replied, taking the redhead’s hand. “John found something!”
Curious and unexplainably worried, Amalthea went with her. Intrigued, Ma’el followed them.
In the main house, Leila, a group of villagers and the scouts were talking, when Amalthea, Ma’el and Nell arrived. After the proper greetings, the old woman showed Amalthea John’s finding: a hideous demon-like mask.
The redhead opened her eyes wide and, for a second, she could hear Sheri’s scream. Frozen, her face turned as white as the Taelon’s. “Where... did you... find it?” she managed to ask John.
“By the big river of Thelis,” he answered. “I didn’t see anyone, though.”
“Do you know what it means, Amalthea?” Leila asked, suddenly very concerned by the younger woman’s expression.
“Death,” Amalthea answered in a far away voice. She shook herself and unconsciously layed a hand on the hilt of her sword. “You have to evacuate the village,” she urged them. “As soon as you can. Perhaps the northern caves would be a good place to hide. I think--”
“Amalthea,” Ma’el softly interrupted her. “Look at them.”
She blinked and saw the terror in everyone’s eyes, even Nell was close to tears now. Amalthea sighed and took a hand to her forehead. “I am sorry, Nell,” she whispered and then turned to Leila. “Please believe me, you are in a great danger,” she insisted, although in a calmer voice than before. “Leila, you know that I would never do anything to harm you. Please listen, I