Spellbound: The Awakening of Aislin Collins (40 page)

“Look,” she said, as she directed me to the
mirror.

I lost my breath when I saw my reflection. It
was the identical dress that I had been wearing in the painting
that hung in Greer's castle.

“I had a dream about this dress,” my mother
said, as she moved into the room. “Its style is very old, not
updated at all. Yet, it suits you,” she smiled.

My shoulders were bare, but long strips of
material ran down to my knuckles in long flowing bell sleeves. A
cape was clasped to my bodice so my shoulders were not fully
exposed and on the edges of the cape, and the base of the gown,
were white and gold Celtic knots embroidered into the border.

“Thank you,” I breathed, as I ran to embrace
my mother. She held me close to her and kissed my forehead. “Now,
your father thinks that I am taking you to Philadelphia to stay
with the Minister’s close friends, and to find you a match. Do not
disrupt this story. You must not act as though you will never see
him again,” she was trying to remain strong, but I could see the
sadness coming through.

I realized it then. I was not coming back. I
would never see my family again.

“This is your destiny Aislin. You need to
go.” She placed my dark green cloak over my shoulders and fastened
it.

“Do not forget your book,” she whispered.

********************

My farewell to my father was bittersweet, he
did not understand my tears as I hugged him, but he gladly received
my warmth.

I took a moment to look around the house one
last time and as the carriage carried me away, I craned my head
around and strained to burn the images of Burlington in my
mind.

Becky and my mother sat with me, my trunks of
possessions piled between us. The carriage rustled and shifted as
the horses moved in haste to get to the port. The ship would be
leaving in only an hour's time.

“What will happen to Isaac and Pete?” I asked
Becky.

“They are still the property of the Smiths,
so until they are freed I will stay here,” she said.

I looked down with a defeated expression.

“Do not fret Aislin. My freedom is a good
start for us. Things will get better now,” she clasped my hand in
hers from across the carriage.

As we passed through Burlington, I noticed
that a peace seemed to fill the place. Children ran in the streets,
townspeople laughed and went about their business. Spring would be
here soon and everyone could feel the promise of its impending
warmth.

“Life goes on,” my mother said to herself,
“Life always goes on.”

********************

The carriage pulled up to the port and a
young boy of about eleven, met us right away. He took a note from
my mother and read it carefully. His hands were scarred from rope
burns, and his fingernails dirty. This young boy worked hard for a
living.

I watched as his light brown eyes moved from
the note, to the deck of the ship. He put two fingers to his lips
and let out an earsplitting whistle. Within seconds, we saw four
large men walk down the ramp to greet us. The men we tattooed,
scrappy, and bulky. Greer was not amongst them. From where I stood
below the ship, I searched the deck for him, but could not find
him. I was growing anxious, but sat back obediently as the men
unloaded all my possessions.

“This way,” said the young boy, as he
gestured for us to follow him up the ramp and onto the
ship
.

The ships sails were tall and the deck was
bustling with men at work. I did not see another passenger in
sight.

“Watch your step,” the boy warned, as we
moved about the slippery deck.

I placed my hand on the planked wall to
steady myself and I placed my other hand on my stomach as it began
fluttering harder with every step I took closer to my love.

“This will be the death of me,” my mother
grimaced.

The ship swayed back and forth in the water.
Becky reached for the wall a few times to steady herself and my
mother clinched her fists tightly. She had many reasons to hate
being on a ship.

The corridor was dark and covered in wooden
planks from top to bottom, we passed one onlooker after another
until the boy finally stopped and knocked on a narrow wooden door.
It swung open immediately. He was standing just inside the
doorway.

“Greer!” I cried out rapturously, as I leapt
into his arms.

He smiled at me with great joy as he pulled
me into an inviting hug, “I have missed you so much!” he said as he
held me close to him, resting his lips in my hair.

My mother and Becky entered the room, and the
shipmen followed behind with my trunks.

“Put them over there,” Greer pointed to the
wall across from the bed on the left side of the room, but his eyes
never left mine.

The shipmen placed all my things where Greer
had asked and then left, shutting the door behind them.

Becky and my mother went into the trunks and
started puling out items. Candles, rope, and a broom were placed on
the bed.

Greer continued to shower me with kisses as
they busied themselves. While we were lost in our moment, I felt
something brush up against my leg. A soft meow came from the
ground.

“Sneachta!” I exclaimed. I picked her up and
cuddled her in my arms.

“She has been taking care of me ever since
that night with the soldiers,” Greer pet her head lovingly as he
spoke.

“What happened to you?” I asked, while trying
to conceal my anguish.

Greer took a deep breath and folded my hands
into his.

“I was surrounded by soldiers. They kept
coming from the tree line and no matter how many I took down, more
showed up in their place. They shot me numerous times without much
effect, but they were relentless. I became worn down and was
weakened by their blows. Finally, one of the men hit me on the back
of the head with something heavy and I was knocked unconscious.

“When I awoke, I found that they had bound
me and locked me in a small chamber in the cellar of the Governor's
home. They left me alone while they went to fetch the Minister They
knew that they could not handle me alone and wanted spiritual help
before they tried to interrogate me.

“Sneachta found me. I suppose she had
followed the soldiers when they had carried me off. She brought me
small animals to feed on until I could gather enough strength to
break out of the cell.

“Days later, after the Minister felt he had
spent enough time to prepare, they came to interrogate me. They
sent their largest guards to pull me from my cell, but even in my
injured state, they were not enough to restrain me.

“Sneachta led me through a cellar door and
out to safety. She had found an old cave that she guided me to and
then, for the next month, she brought me food and did her best to
keep me warm. She is a remarkable cat,” he added amorously, as he
gazed upon her.

“It is time,” my mother said.

I looked around the room and saw that candles
were everywhere. My mother was going to each one and lighting
it.

“I can do that,” I said.

I swept my hand through the air and all the
candles sparkled and flickered with golden warmth.

Greer smiled, “You are getting to be very
good at that, my love.”

Becky walked up behind me and unclasped my
cloak; my white silk gown was now exposed.

Greer's eyes widened and then welled up with
tears, “It is the very same dress . . .” he smiled, “you look so
beautiful.”

I reached up and wiped the tear that had
fallen down his cheek, “I love you,” I whispered.

We both kneeled down in the center of the
circle my mother had prepared.

Becky and my mother stood on either side of
us as Sneachta sat perfectly straight and tall near Greer.

My mother spoke, “Fire is represented by the
candle's flame, water is all around us,” she took a cluster of sage
and burned it, “air,” she said, as she held it high, “ and earth”
she continued, as she placed a little vile filled with dirt at out
feet.

“We call upon our great ancestors to bless
these two lovers in the binding of their souls,” Becky said.

She placed my hands in Greer's and wrapped
rope around them. I thought of Martha and believed that she was
with us now, watching and blessing the ceremony.

I watched Greer as my mother and Becky
continued with the ritual, his eyes were blazing into mine as we
repeated our vows.

Finally, Becky asked us to stand. She placed
a broom on the floor in front of us, “Jump,” she said happily.

Greer and I hopped over the broom together
and Becky and my mother laughed as we almost tripped over Sneachta.
She flicked her tail angrily and leapt over to the door, batting at
it so she could go out and catch mice.

My mother's eyes followed Sneachta to the
door, “We must go,” she said, her voice catching in her throat.

“Oh,” my levity was broken by the finality of
our situation.

“I do not know how to . . .”

Becky stopped me as I tried to find the
words. She placed her hands on my shoulders and met my eyes, “We
never say goodbye to family Aislin. We will meet again.” She
squeezed me in a strong hug and then turned to walk away.

“I will miss you,” I said, while letting go
of her hand. “I love you both so much,” I cried.

My mother wrapped her arms around me, “You
are a strong woman and a powerful witch. You will do wonderful
things wherever you go.”

She stepped back and surveyed me one last
time. She did so in the same manner that I did when we drove out of
Burlington, as to remember every detail. We both knew this was our
final goodbye.

“I love you Aislin Coll . . .” she broke her
sentence and smiled at Greer, “Ruthven.”

“I love you too,” I choked.

She and Becky turned and walked out of the
room, shutting the door behind them.

********************

I stood staring at the door as the reality of
our farewell was still sinking in. Greer walked up behind me and
kissed my neck, “I will not tell you that you shouldn't be sad by
saying goodbye to your family. But sit with me a while,” he
gestured toward the bed.

His dark hair was wavy and soft. I brushed
back the single piece that always seemed to get near his eyes. He
smiled at me and kissed my hand as it passed his lips, as he always
seemed to do. We both realized this at the same time and laughed
about it, but his temperament changed quickly and I knew that we
were about to talk of something more profound.

“Aislin? What did Lamont tell you about your
past?” his eyes squinted slightly as he entwined our fingers
together.

I looked away from him. Lamont's illumination
of my past sprang to the forefront of my mind and I could not stare
into Greer's eyes.

“He said that I was a dark witch . . . and
that I met you because I was sent to collect items from your land,
so that my coven could hex it.” I did not look up at him. How could
I?

“I want you to know that I already knew about
that,” he said. “I knew about it the day I met you. You never lied
to me,” he said.

He lifted my chin so that we faced each
other.

“How could you love me when I was evil?” I
asked in disbelief. “I was sent to curse your family and you did
not fear me at all?”

“Aislin, the moment you and I locked eyes I
knew that, above all else, I could trust you.”

I still looked away. I could not understand
why he would trust a dark sorceress.
What if I had cast a spell
on him to make him love me?

“Aislin, you and I did not meet each other
for the first time on that field of wild flowers. Do you remember
the dream you told me about, where we fought against the Romans
together?”

I nodded, I had often thought of that
dream.

“We have both had that dream as far back as I
can remember. We knew each other the moment we cast eyes on one
another. You did not hex me into loving you, nor did I persuade you
to love me. We were meant for one another. I believe the reason we
both had the same dream of the Roman battle is that we actually
lived through that battle, together. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I replied, while I looked into his
eyes.

He leaned in and kissed me, his soft, full
lips caressing mine. He placed me gently down with my head resting
upon the pillow as he traced his lips down my neck. I clung tightly
to him, still afraid that this was a dream that I would wake up
from and be alone again. Thankfully, this was not a dream.

“I love you,” he whispered, as he gazed upon
me.

He removed my dress and kissed my bare skin.
I did not feel ashamed or even shy, as being with him felt natural
and right. I ran my fingers through his hair and wrapped my arms
around his back. We clung to each other and for the first time he
did not shy from my kisses. Instead, he pulled me closer until our
bodies were fully intertwined as husband and wife.

I awoke with a momentary surge of panic and
clinched my eyes tightly together. I was afraid that I had been
lost in some torturously pleasant dream and that I would, once
again, awaken to find myself alone. Then I felt the warmth of his
arms that were entangled in mine and the softness of his breath on
my shoulder.

“Good morning, my love,” he spoke softly in
my ear.

I smiled broadly and took in the moment.
“Good morning husband,” I said shyly, trying out the word for the
first time.

He kissed my bare shoulder and then the base
of my jawbone, “You seemed to sleep well.”

“How long have you been watching me?” I asked
self-consciously.

“Just a little while. Sneachta woke me when
she scratched at the door this morning,”