Eternal Spirit: Part Three

I looked up from my pile of salty tears only to see the blue Eyrie. “Come, Keena.” He said in a warm, musical voice. “Come…”

We walked slowly to a patch of untended grass near the back of the castle property. A large bale of hay sat there, in the midst of nowhere. He sat me down and said, “Talk.”

Did I ever talk! It had to be half an hour before I finally stopped telling him about home and my family and why I was here and how badly I wanted to be home.

“You want to be home that badly?” the Eyrie said, a question in his eyes. I nodded curtly.

He pawed at the ground in thought for a while before saying, “You know, Keena…if anyone wants anything that bad, they can certainly get it.” I looked up at him sharply.

“What…what…?”

“Keena,” he said, a smile in his face. “I can get you home. I can take you home. If you have this much of a desire to be home, I’ll take you there. We can tackle this problem and resolve it, Keena.”

I looked at the Eyrie, and saw him with a new light…not the stubborn, old Eyrie I had seen him as before. “Let’s leave tonight!” I said, excitedly. “Meet me in the—”

“Now hold on!” The Eyrie said, chuckling. “I didn’t say we should leave tonight! I said that we could resolve this problem with some…well, with some work.”

I felt as if my heart had begun to melt. I sighed and turned away from the Eyrie, looking out into the lake that stood behind the castle. It was so beautiful, so clear. The water shone, twinkled, and sparkled.

I knew that my family was across that lake, waiting for my return.

I turned around and faced the Eyrie. “We might not be leaving tonight, but I at least want a proper name to call you.” I faced him and forced a smile. “What shall it be?”

It took less than a minute for him to reply “Druba” Then he smiled, winked and said, “Just Druba.”

***

“Keena,” I heard an urgent voice say. “Keena, wake up!”

I opened my left eye first, and then my right eye. Suddenly everything came to, and I saw an urgent-looking Druba sitting on my chest.

“Druba!” I yelled, for he was practically smothering me. “Get off—”

“Shhh!” he pushed a giant paw over my mouth. I heard people talking and rushing past my door. Where had I heard those clunky, dark accents before…

Suddenly, a memory of hiding with Katia under a stack of straw in the barn hit me like a load of bricks. My chest turned to ice. They were back; they were here. The Darigans were attacking the castle!

I stifled the urge to scream. Druba didn’t move until the voices subsided. And even then, he whispered. “Keena, Keena we need to go…now! We need to leave for your village tonight!”

“Druba!” I said, my eyes popping out of my head. “Druba, we can’t just leave! We have to prepare and…”

“Keena,” Druba said urgently. “Keena, there isn’t any time. We have to go now!”

I listened to the Darigans talk. Fear overtook any rationalism left in my body. “Okay, Druba. Let’s go…now.”

***

It was so surreal. Druba stood on the desk. My picture window was wide open, and we could see the battle scene emerging from below.

“Druba!” I said. “Druba, now! Go now!”

Steadfast and silent, Druba plummeted from the window. I held tight to his neck. Suddenly, large blue wings unfolded. I felt air rush past my cold body. I squeezed my eyes shut, not willing to look down.

But I did. I did look down…and the most wonderful sensation filled my stomach. Here I was, Keena, a little girl who had been a know-nothing and now…I was flying, hundreds upon hundreds of feet above Meridell.

I gave a little shout of glee, and then pointed over the lake. “That way, Druba!” I called, a most enjoyable sensation filling my stomach. “Druba, that way’s home! It’s time we go home!”

***

It had been dark and eerie when we left Meridell. Now, as we flew along, the sun was beginning to peak up out from beneath mountains and rise up, tossing out pastel colors of all variations…pinks and purples and yellows and oranges. I sighed and looked at it contentedly.

“Druba,” I said. “Druba, I do believe this is the most wonderful that I’ve ever felt.”

Druba looked back at me. “I do believe this is the most tired I’d ever felt.”

Suddenly, concern overtook joy. “Druba…Druba are you alright?” I said.

For the first time since I had met Druba, he seemed old. His body suddenly seemed old, his features and to a certain extent…his mind. Druba didn’t have the same happy-go-lucky attitude anymore. Druba’s age was finally catching up with him.

His breathing suddenly seemed heavy, but he shook it off. “I’m fine.” He grunted.

“Druba, maybe we should take a break or something—”

“Keena, I’m fine, alright?” Druba said sharply. “I’m just a little tired, okay?” He shook his head and continued on. I shrugged my shoulders and pretended to be nonchalant, but I was worried about my friend, Druba.

It took an entire hour for us to get over the lake. I had never seen what was on the other side of the lake; I had only seen shimmering blue water go on and on for ages and ages. But now that I was on the other side, I will admit I was frightened. A Wood laid out in from of me, spider-like vines caging me out.

Druba hit the ground, panting heavily. I jumped off of his back quickly. His legs caved in underneath his body, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. I screamed.

Druba shook his head and stood up. “What were you screaming about?” he said. “I was fine!” he was still breathing heavily, but he seemed sturdier.

“I—I’m sorry, Druba.” I said.

“No matter.” He said, shaking it off quickly. He let out a roar and lashed the vines with his claws. I took a deep breath.

“In we go.”

***

“Druba,” I said, exhausted. “Druba, we need to call it a night. I…I’ve never been so tired.”

“Yeah, I’m beat, too.” Druba said. I looked around for a sheltered area.

“Keena, over here.” Druba called. I looked and nearly cried at the sight. It was a cave…a sheltered, rock cave. An abandoned sheltered, rock cave.

“Oh, Druba!” I cried excitedly. We both wandered into the cave. It was a beautiful sensation, not feeling the harsh wind beat on my back.

“Come, Keena. Come and we’ll sleep over here.” We sighed and laid down together. I put my head next to Druba’s heart, so I could hear his heartbeat. It was slow, but steady. I sighed contentedly.

“Good night, Druba. Sleep well.” I murmured.

I listened to Druba’s breathing slow, and felt his muscles relax. He had fallen asleep easily.

But insomnia attacked my brain, and I lay awake, and found myself thinking about home. I knew that Katia was probably asleep in the big bed, underneath the red quilt. I could almost picture Mama in her rocker, knitting the sweater she had been working on when I left. It had been a beautiful red sweater, with a criss-crossed pattern in many bright, beautiful colors. I could picture the sweater so clearly in my mind, and imagine it’s warmth. I wished for it’s warmth; it was bitter cold, and the draft on the floor of the cave didn’t help. I shook that off and tried to picture Father. Father would be at the table, adding and calculating profit and taxes on a long roll of parchment. I could see the sweat beaded on his forehead; the concentration. I could feel his tenseness deep in my chest.

Thinking of Father, I wondered if I’d ever be able to forgive him for what he had done to me, sending me away to live with Skarl; banishing me from the place I called home. I wondered if I’d ever see him in the same light I had before. I wondered if I’d ever be able to speak to him again, talk to him as if it was any other average day.

Tears clouded in my eyes, but I wiped them away vigorously. I knew that by this time tomorrow, I would be home again, sleeping soundly and maybe, just maybe, if I got lucky, Father and I would be friends again.

I listened closely to Druba’s heartbeat again. Thu-bump…thu-bump. Thu-bump, thu-bump. It sounded like a beating drum…a strong drum. “Make it through, Druba. Come home and live with me.” I whispered, my voice cracking. Druba was suddenly more than a companion to me; he was a friend, A true friend who would do anything to keep my happy and safe.

“You’ll make it home, Druba. You’re strong!” I said aloud. With this thought comforting me like a warm blanket, I closed my eyes and waited for sleep to come, listening to the howling wind as my lullaby.

To be continued...