Daughter of Earth (Tales of the Guardian) (6 page)

     With Athos’ simple words the Guardians dispersed fairly quickly, although some lingered as long as they felt they could to get a better look at their new arrival.

     Assessing the sun’s height, Emily became a bit confused. Athos had said  the ceremony would be at sunset, yet she had been watching the sunset with her father before they left New York. Here the sun seemed like it was just past its zenith and it would be quite a few hours until it was low enough to dip behind the horizon.

     “I guess I could be on the other side of the planet.”

     She wondered where she actually was but, at the same time, figured it really didn’t matter. Not after being able to travel like she had. The sudden and very large greeting which took place just minutes before had momentarily distracted her from the event’s sheer awesomeness. She had transported to another place. The idea almost made her faint.

     Alexander interrupted her thoughts. “So, what do you think?” He whispered in her ear.

     “What do I think…? I’m not sure what I could possibly say to describe . . . I’m in utter awe.”

     He chuckled to himself. “You like it so much already?” He didn’t give her time to respond. “You’ve only seen what is visible from the front gates. There is so much more to Eden. I can’t wait to show you.” His excitement was audible in every syllable.

     “I can’t wait, either!” Her eyes darted to and fro like a child in an amusement park trying to decide what ride to rush to first. “But what was that about a ceremony? You didn’t tell me anything about a formal ceremony. I don’t even have any clothes to change into.” Emily assessed her outfit. It wasn’t sloppy but definitely not something she thought qualified for a sacred ceremony.

     “That is one reason I am here,” Olivia said from behind them.

     Alexander and Emily both glanced over their shoulders to look at Olivia, standing just a few feet away.

     “Oh, I’m sorry, that was rude, wasn’t it? Interrupting a conversation, or eavesdropping, I guess it was both,” she looked down sheepishly and fumbled with the tail of the sash wrapped around her waist, embarrassment coloring the skin beneath her freckles.

     “
So odd how different they all are, just as different as humans. Olivia definitely isn’t as confident as Alexander or exuberant like Xavier. She seems quite shy and reserved, but simply sweet, for sure.”

     “Oh, no we weren’t talking about anything important. Please don’t feel like you’re interrupting. I’m so glad you’re here to help me,” she tried to reassure Olivia with a generous smile.

     “Well,” Olivia looked up with reclaimed confidence. “Whenever you are ready I can take you to your quarters and help you prepare for the ceremony. But, that’s not for a while. I’m sure you want to look around first. I can wait at the Gathering Stone until you’re ready. Is that alright?” Olivia’s voice even sounded young, like she was closer to sixteen rather than eighteen. Yet, Emily knew she was older than that. Or, at least she thought she knew.

     “That would be just fine, thank you. I will have her at the Gathering Stone in a little while,” Alexander responded.

     Olivia gave another curtsy and excused herself.

     “Shall we?” Alexander placed his hand on the small of Emily’s back escorting her forward and down the five stairs to the ground.

     “How old is Olivia? She seems different from you and Xavier. You two appear as though you are in your early twenties. And I noticed the Governing Five actually seem slightly older than you, maybe their thirties. Olivia looks like she is a teenager. I thought you Guardians didn’t age?” she questioned as they began walking down a cobblestone path that wove its way beside a small brook.

     “We don’t age, not in the sense that you are thinking. When Guardians are ‘born,’ if you want to use that term, we are fully grown in the physical sense. However, our maturity level is much lower than our bodies would indicate. We mature over time. As our mental and emotional capacities increase, the process seems to affect the very nature of our bodies.” Alexander took a deep breath and then continued with his explanation.

     “The Governing Five look older than me because they are. They have been around since the very beginning. And because of the mantle that has been placed upon them, much more is required of them. Therefore, they need to acquire more wisdom. That added wisdom is reflected in their appearance, which is what makes them look older.

     “Olivia was only created a century ago and is still developing and maturing. She’s not yet reached the level permitted to protect a Traveler. Her internal development is reflected in her appearance, as well. She is among the youngest Guardians. In fact…” Alexander paused, biting his lip in contemplation. “She was among the last to be created.” He looked to the side, examining the flowers which hung lazily and low on a nearby tree.

     “You mean there haven’t been any new Guardian’s created in the last hundred years?” This was new information to her. Alexander had explained a lot, but never spoke much on how they came to be. It was a sensitive subject, so she never pressed for more than he was willing to tell.

     “No, I am afraid not. And truthfully, I’m not sure why. As I’ve said before, I really don’t know how we came to be. It’s not openly discussed among Guardians. They say the way by which we are created is so sacred it is not to be mentioned. That’s why none have any clue other than our first memory standing in the woods, with Aldara there to greet us.” He let his head hang loosely, staring down at the ground. “It was poor timing, too. Guardians stopped being created about the same time modern day weaponry was invented. It is much harder for us to escape from multiple gunshot wounds. We have lost thousands of our kind in the last century, with no one to take their place. Eden was overflowing with Guardians then. Now, it has more open space than I’m comfortable with.”

     Emily stopped in her steps and turned to look directly at Alexander. “Hey…” She wanted to say something to make him feel better, to comfort him like he always comforted her. “I know all this upsets you.” She placed her hand on the side of his face and he welcomed it. “Just know you are loved, not only by me, but by the family you have here. And, for what it’s worth, I don’t see there being an end to your kind. Guardians are too beautiful of a creation to go extinct. It would upset the entire universal balance if Guardians weren’t around…if you weren’t around. I think there will be more Guardians created. I feel it in my gut.”

     Alexander reached for her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed it softly.

     They continued to walk hand-in-hand, exploring Eden’s every corner. Alexander showed her the buildings where the Guardians went to rest. There were the bathhouses, which she found unusual at first, but then figured that sitting in a giant hot spring must appeal to any being in human form.

      They viewed the training Arena that resembled the great Coliseum in Rome, but much more architecturally sound and erosion-free. Alexander explained this was where much of her time would be spent. It seemed slightly different than what she had pictured in her mind. The ground was dirt, carrying no hint of green, but it didn’t make sense to have grass or flowers beneath their feet. Still there was an ancient beauty to the Arena and she looked forward to being there often.

      The biggest surprise was the, “Library,” as Alexander referred to it. He explained what was inside the giant building and it sounded more like a museum to Emily. Time was running short now and they were unable to venture inside, but she made a mental note to visit the Library as soon as possible. It sounded like her kind of place.

     The gardens, flowers, shrubbery and streams filled the space along the buildings and pathways. It seemed like every earthly species of tree and flower grew in Eden. Emily wondered if this was the utopia spoken of in the Bible or if the Guardians had just named this place after it because of the similarities.

     It was hard to pull away from the sights. Both Emily and Alexander were enjoying their time together immensely.

     When they arrived at the Gathering Stone, Olivia was waiting patiently.

     “Hello,” she greeted. “Are you ready to see where you will be staying now?”

     “Yes, I guess I am.”

     “This way then,” Olivia gestured in the direction they were to go.

     “Where will she be staying?” Alexander stuck out his hand to block their path, indicating he wanted an answer before they departed; he wouldn’t be accompanying them.

     “With the other women in the eastern garden quarters. Aldara wants her in the end chamber where she can be secluded so she may rest when needed,” Olivia informed him, hesitantly.

     His abruptness surprised Emily.

     “I just wanted to know where she would be. I will see you both at the ceremony.” He gave Emily a quick kiss on the cheek and then departed.

     Something seemed fairly off about Alexander’s demeanor in that moment, but Emily shrugged it off. It didn’t matter.

Chapter 5

     The two women walked in silence, Olivia was too shy to start a conversation and Emily was still captivated by everything they passed. She wondered if she’d ever be able to navigate Eden on her own. All the paths seemed to twist and curve in every direction with multiple intersections offering numerous options.

     When they arrived at the building where Emily would be staying she was amazed with its beauty. All the structures in Eden were made from large white stones with every sort of foliage climbing the walls, but this one seemed to have a tremendous amount of flowers adorning it. Apparently an extra feminine splash for the women’s quarters.

     They entered through the archways onto the first level, which remained moderately open with similar doorways placed about six feet apart down what seemed a never-ending row of doors. They climbed three levels of a marble staircase, and then went down a long wide hallway to the end.

     The giant wooden door gave a minor creak as Olivia pushed it open revealing an incredibly large room. It was so large it looked like three bedrooms put together. Golden colored sashes hung from all the open windows and entryways giving off a shimmer as they danced with the breeze. The flowing material drew attention to a bathing area where a sunken marble tub sat flush with the floor. There was also an ornate wooden wardrobe with a matching vanity and chair.

     There wasn’t a typical bed; at least not what most people would think was typical. A giant oval shaped pad rested upon a stone platform that could not have been more than 3 feet high. The bed looked quite fluffy and soft, with dark green velvet and generous stuffing. Emily imagined leaping onto it and getting lost among the numerous pillows stacked all over.

     “This entire room is mine?” she stammered.

     Olivia’s soft giggle escaped from between her rosy lips. “Yes, it’s all yours. Everything in the wardrobe as well.” She walked over and threw open the doors to display several decorative dress robes. There were also some uniforms Emily presumed were for training.

     “It’s just too big for one person, I feel guilty taking up this much space. What about all the other women?” She spun around putting her arms out to indicate how much open room there really was.

     “Oh, they don’t need it. This room has never even been used, not since I’ve existed. We don’t really sleep, so having separate sleeping chambers just doesn’t make much sense. Besides, Aldara said this is what the room was created for. It was for when a Daughter of Earth would once again reside in Eden.”

     Emily peeked inquisitively over her shoulder at Olivia. That last sentence caught her attention. Olivia had said ‘once again.’ It was such a subtle phrase she had almost missed it.  She wasn’t the first human to have arrived in Eden? She filed the thought away and would question Alexander later. There were other things to currently concentrate on.