Legacy (The Biodome Chronicles) (20 page)

L
eaf listened to Willow while dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief. The warmth of the Mediterranean livestock biodome was more bearable in the shadows of the stone barn as the afternoon sun poured its golden light over the arid landscape. His sister’s eyes were frantic and her hands gestured wildly, all the while keeping a wary eye on Coal who stood fifteen feet away.

The young man had strode into the Mediterranean dome earlier, refusing to talk or make eye contact. Ember did not ask questions; instead, she told Coal to clean out a nearby stall in the stone barn adjacent to the milking pen. He had finished the job just as Willow came running, visibly paled upon seeing her friend. With brows furrowed in concentration, Leaf began observing both his sister and Coal.

The Son of Fire walked over to Ember, picked up a wooden pail of fresh goat milk and brought it over to a wooden cart, placing a long piece of waxed linen over the top. Usually Coal was at The Forge, a fellow blacksmith helping his father, but today he roamed around, seeking occupation. Did he have a disagreement with his father? Did it involve Willow?

A mixture of emotions clouded Ember’s brother, his restless energy evident in the fidgeting and pacing. Leaf nodded his head to encourage his sister that he was listening while squinting his eyes at the younger man in deep thought. Willow paused upon meeting Coal’s eyes, and her body stiffened as they assessed one another. And then she angrily whipped her head back toward their conversation, winding and unwinding a strand of her hair onto a finger with haste. She continued in low urgent tones, describing her meeting with Jeff. His mind worked furiously to untangle the quickly forming knots made from his growing fear, determined to only make rational decisions.

He continued to follow Coal, distracted by his jerky movements until they locked eyes, and the younger man returned his stare with a cool fire. Leaf flashed a look in response, hidden to his sister, but with a message to Coal that he recognized the silent confrontation and they would speak later. Something was definitely wrong.

Willow sighed in a melodramatic sound of defeat. “What shall we do? Do you believe father and Jeff have real concerns? Should you leave?”

“I am really not sure. If I left, how would you and Laurel fare? What would my absence solve?” With a fleeting glance to Coal and Ember, Leaf leaned in closer to Willow, whispering in her ear, “Should father’s confession prove true, I warrant Hanley Nichols would attempt contact so that The Legacy would continue for our family, per The Code. It has been a discouraging four days with no message, not even condolences passed on through Jeff. Perhaps the exchange is Hanley’s way of contacting me as we have yet to find the Scroll, providing a natural solution to a difficult situation.”

“Leaf, it is all so very peculiar. Truly, why would both father and Jeff believe you should leave New Eden? Nobody leaves New Eden.”

“That is precisely the problem. We do not have answers, and I refuse to walk a blind path fueled by fear. If I leave New Eden, then you and Laurel shall join me. Presently, the invitation is to support one person, not a whole family.”

“If we are in danger?”

“Then we leave and I shall find a way to support our family. Anyone may leave at any time, does The Code not say so?”

“I suppose. Although, no one ever does.” Willow looked around to all the faces busy concentrating on their work, returning anxious eyes his direction.

“Exactly. There is no reason to leave. Everything we need is here, including our community. We may have become orphans, but we are rich, still possessing an abundant family.” Leaf gave Willow a reassuring smile, inviting his sister to trust him.

In truth,
the idea of leaving had more appeal than before, especially after his conversation with Jeff last evening, but this was neither the time nor the place to have such a discussion. And he wanted to find out if Hanley was indeed sending in a messenger with marching orders and clear directions. Willow’s face relaxed and she returned his smile.

After a few heartbeats, Leaf continued while dabbing his forehead once more, “So, what is troubling Coal? He appears rather agitated. I cannot recall a single time when Coal has behaved in a stranger manner than now.”

Willow stole a quick look in Coal’s direction, then lowered her eyes. Her hand spun strands of hair upon her fingers, the motions accelerating as she blinked in concentration, and Leaf watched in silence as she struggled to formulate what to share. His sister’s eyes revealed every ounce of her inner turmoil, despite her attempts at holding back the many emotions. She looked to the olive and citrus orchard reflectively, and Leaf groaned inwardly knowing she was groping for inspiration.

“The orange fruit weighting the branches down on the tree over yonder,” she said, and pointed for him to look. “They are burdened as if carrying bulging secrets too heavy for the tree to bear. Are they not?”

Leaf angled his head and narrowed his eyes trying to decipher his sister’s message. She often expressed her thoughts and feelings through nature, an exasperating trait at this moment. Why could she not just say what she feared instead of creating poetry?

Leaf crossed his arms over his chest, and asked the first question that popped into his mind. “Are you pledged?”

Willow spun her head to peer at him, eyes rounded as she paled, flitting a fearful look Coal’s direction.

“Do not be alarmed,” Leaf said with an anxious glance toward the milking pen. “I am trying to reason why Coal would act so strangely, most especially in my presence.”

“Perhaps he disapproves of you and Ember.” Willow gave him an irritated smirk.

“No, he approves. We already spoke.”

Emotions played across his sister’s face, first surprise, followed by betrayal, and then anger. He exhaled loudly, gaining Coal and Ember’s attention, and then he tightened his mouth while evenly meeting Willow’s glare. Her complexion continued to redden as she tried in vain to maintain her composure, and he felt his muscles twitch as he labored to control his building irritation. His sister could be so infuriating at times. Unlike most who would accept his honorable path, she chose offense simply because he did not ask her mighty opinion on the matter first.

“When did you plan on telling me? Before or after the wedding?” Willow clenched her fists and then crossed her arms over her chest in a huff.

Leaf pulled his sister closer, and whispered firmly in her ear, “You need to contain yourself. We have an audience.”

The admonishment registered on her face instantly, and Willow sheepishly slipped a glance toward the milking pen. She stuck out her hand silently asking for forgiveness, and Leaf shook it gently, sealing his acceptance.

Feeling safe to continue, Leaf began to speak again. “I had no intention of keeping anything from you, if ever I decided to ask Ember for her hand. Coal had approached me regarding my affection for his sister, which was surprisingly apparent to him. I thought I had concealed my feelings.”

Leaf cast a quick glance toward Willow and then looked back at the packed earth, moving a small rock with his shoe. “He was encouraging my pursuit against Skylar when Jeff alerted both Coal and I that father had requested my presence.”

Clearing his throat, Leaf dragged his fingers through his hair and then shared in a low strained tone, “There is no understanding between us. I am reluctant as she and Skylar seem to have stepped out publicly. As a gentleman, I would never stand in her way of happiness, nor Skylar’s.” He chanced a look up at his sister with trepidation, wishing to hide upon seeing the downcast expression on her face.

“Oh, Leaf,” she took his hands in hers. “Do you love her?”

“Yes,” he sighed. He removed his hands, and lowered his head into his palms. Leaf endeavored to find the strength to share the rest, hoping Willow gained insight into honorable behavior to compare against Coal’s actions of late. “So much so that I am willing to lay down my own heart for hers to have all it wants, even if it is another man.”

“You are the better man, Leaf Watson,” she leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, “And I do believe she regards you above Skylar.”

Comforted by her words, a new experience for them, Leaf offered a mischievous grin. “Yes, well, time will tell. Next time, however, please keep your troublesome faerie ways to yourself.” He arched an eyebrow at his sister with older sibling authority, gaining a small laugh of delight from Willow as she relived the small victory.

Leaf
brightened a moment upon hearing Willow’s laughter and then sobered to what he surmised was the tired and preoccupied look that etched his features of late. He viewed his reflection at The Waters earlier this morning and nearly startled. “Now, I need you to share what you know of Coal. He has not acted himself since father’s passing, this afternoon acting even more strange.”

“He attempted to give me his pledge, and I have refused.” Willow offered a slight shrug while blushing with vulnerability.

“I see. And, why did you refuse him?”

“That is none of your affair.”

The steel in her voice returned. Leaf closed his eyes willing patience. One minute she was hot, the next cold; one minute she was soft and pliable, the next hard and unyielding. Opening his eyes, Leaf glowered back at his sister, warning her she should not evade the question.

She opened her mouth to speak again but he cut in, “You do not need to share private details, but I do need to have an understanding.”

With a groan, she rolled her eyes and spoke through gritted teeth. “Simply, I do not feel we are right for each other as husband and wife. I do believe he genuinely has affection for me, and would give exceptional care. But I know that I would be Coal’s lifelong project, the perpetual knight needing to save this damsel in distress to satisfy his need for adventure. I do not need Coal to rescue me.” Willow straightened her posture and said with finality, “I would rather just be his lifelong friend.”

He lifted his eyebrows in surprise not expecting this confession from his sister, and thoughtfully nodded his head in agreement. “I respect your intuition, Oaklee. That is very mature of you to think seriously rather than be influenced by flattery and romantic notions.”

“I do not possess romantic notions. And I am afraid Coal feels otherwise,” she rolled her eyes again and crossed her arms over her chest. “I did not give him details as to why, but his response was belittling comments on how I am still not a woman, and therefore, do not know the workings of my own heart.”

Leaf tried to hide a smile of amusement at that remark, wishing he was a fly upon the wall simply to see how Coal made it out of that conversation alive and well. He was quite sure Willow instantly manifested into some ancient force of destruction. It is a wonder New Eden was still standing.

“I am off to find Laurel now. I wish to spend time with our sister and enjoy the escape of childhood for a duration. I shall see you at three in the afternoon time.”

Willow stood from the log round used for milking, and ambled off toward the citrus trees. She glanced up at the dome ceiling when stepping beyond the shadows, and closed her eyes as the sunlight bathed her face, the golden glow of the afternoon sun gilding her hair. Her looks and spirit were so much like their mother, Leaf reflected soberly as he regarded his sister’s movement and behavior. Willow was part woman, part faerie child.

Remembering Coal, he stood, and then moved in the opposite direction toward the grape vines. The Son of Fire leaned against the stone wall of the barn as he reverently gazed at Willow weave through the orange trees, their sweet blossoms perfuming the air with each bio-breeze. Coal nodded at his visual cue to follow, pushing off the wall and coming toward him in a stiff walk, hardening his expression once more.

Ember surreptitiously peered
Leaf’s direction through lowered lashes as she prepared another goat to milk, a hint of a smile on her face. The blood rushed to his ears as she continued to act naturally, keeping busy with her purpose, all the while communicating a message that she was aware of him. The empty picnic basket they shared nestled against the stone wall next to where she milked the goats, a hemp cloth draped neatly over the opening.

Did she regard him above Skylar? Was she attempting to encourage his pursuit? Or was she extending empathy, aware of the yoke resting heavily upon his shoulders? Ember was a natural caregiver, and he was wounded. Leaf concluded that his injury drew her toward him so that she may apply her kindhearted ministrations, and nothing more. Skylar was the better choice for he had a more stable future, and his genteel ways complemented her elegance.