Valley Of Glamorgan (27 page)

“I honestly don’t know,” confessed Willow in
a low tone. She sounded defeated and tired and I sensed her
appearance mirrored her emotions. “I have looked and looked through
every book I own. I have contacted old friends who still practice
Pacu magic but no one has ever seen anything like it.”

Deciding it was perhaps time to confess what
had happened after I lost my sight, even though I still was
struggling with what the spirit of light had said to me, I told
her, “When I almost died and a few times afterwards, I have seen a
brilliant white figure appearing. It has many voices but no
recognizable face. It has told me that I must learn to see with my
heart.”

“Mina!” Willow practically screamed my name,
“Why didn’t you tell me this before? The spirits have spoken to
you. You have been chosen,” and she let the word chosen linger in
the air as if it held great meaning.

I was hoping that Declan would ask her to
continue because I couldn’t find the words. Thankfully, she didn’t
need someone to ask her as she continued on her own. “I don’t know
why I am so surprised. You have been through so much, and are such
a special person.” I could hear as her words came closer together,
holding a little whimper within them, I think that she was about to
cry. “You put your life in those monsters hands again, just so you
could save me. Someone you hardly know.” Then I felt her soft cool
hand on my shoulder before she pulled me into a hug and whispering
in my ear, “Thank you for saving me.”

Tears began to build up in me so I blinked
them away, trying to reassure her that it wasn’t a big deal. But
she must have shrugged it off as once again I heard her feet as
they clonked across the wooden floor and she made her way to take a
seat across from me. “The spirits saved you, and in return you had
to pay a price; they took your eye sight and until now I feared it
would never return,” she declared.

Then she went on to explain something to us.
“When I was a little girl and this village was a very different
place I was told a story of a downy haired girl who would, be not
only the Queen of the Pacu but also be able to stop and destroy all
the creatures we are most afraid of. She would be given a gift so
grand on the night of her animal ritual that there would be no
question that she was the chosen one.”

Listening to her story I was shocked. “But
we have no way of knowing if this is me. I just had to give my eye
sight to get my life back and that is all there is to it. The
spirits were simply telling me that I have to find a new way to see
the world because I will no longer see it with my eyes.”

I had thought that these thoughts were
safely tucked inside my head until Declan spoke, “No, I have heard
the stories too Mina Bear and wouldn’t doubt for a second that you
are the chosen one because there is no-one else in this village as
selfless or as beautiful as you.”

I didn’t know how to respond. The sheer
honesty and compassion, laced with the heat which lay beneath his
words when he spoke about me or to me was enticing. I was enchanted
by his voice which held a very sexy gruff undertone. I knew that
voice was always just for me. Although I could no longer see his
extraordinary eyes I felt as if he had found a new way to express
his love through his voice. Willow cleared her voice as if she
sensed that there was something happening here that she wasn’t
supposed to witness.

“How will I know if I am the one?” I asked
in all innocence.

Willow simply stated, “We wait until your
animal ceremony for the answer. Then we will know.” My animal
ceremony! It was quickly approaching. ‘Only three days and twelve
hours to be exact?’ I reminded myself.

“Let’s say she is the chosen one. What will
she become at the animal ceremony; I have never heard that part of
the story,” Declan asked nervously.

“And that is where this gets interesting, as
neither have I,” she admitted laughingly. That thought made my
stomach churn. I had no clue what was in store for me’ whether I
was going to experience a normal animal ceremony or not. I could
have a completely different experience that no-one had ever heard
of before and turn into anything as far as I knew.

For now I couldn’t think about it as I had
too much on my plate as it was. Tomorrow was Maggie’s party. I knew
it was going to be a tense affair, with everyone on high alert
after everything that had happened. She deserved this party and I
wasn’t going to give those nasty animals anymore satisfaction than
they had already had.

Chapter 17

‘
Tonight,’ I reminded myself and
apparently out loud, was Declan’s first night when he would be
transformed into an owl. It made me feel uneasy because he had been
instructed to undertake a mission on his first night. If I was
honest I was kind of pissed that he wouldn’t get to enjoy it. Why
couldn’t they just let him feel the cool night air flowing through
his wings? But no, he was to fly to the cabin where I had been
held, even though it had long ago been abandoned and keep watch. My
only comfort was knowing he wouldn’t be alone as others would be
with him. It just hurt that my being here affected everyone’s life
and lately it hadn’t been for the greater good.

Declan stood. I could tell the difference
between his footsteps and Willows as the floor creaked just a
little more loudly as he placed his full weight upon it. It was
time for him to go and get ready. Willow sounded tired just as
Maggie had and it seemed as if everyone had put their lives on hold
since I had been here and I hated that it seemed as if the
sacrificing wasn’t going to let up anytime soon.

Willow assured us she would be there when
Declan transformed later that night before hastily pushing us out
of the door. I had, without realizing it, given her a new project
to occupy her time. One in which she would throw herself into;
being the story she had heard long ago about a chosen one,
forgetting that she had almost been burnt alive. In reality I was
grateful for once that she had something to do to keep her busy; I
just wish it wasn’t following some old fairy tale. My fear was I
would be a great disappointment to her on the night of my animal
ritual especially as everyone was expecting a magical being to
arise and all I wanted to be was the simple, graceful fox I had
chosen.

Declan was to transform at nightfall. The
sun was still high in the sky and I could feel the warmth of the
full rays against my skin so I knew we still had at least a few
hours before the night would begin. For now I wanted nothing more
than to steal the next few hours away wrapped in his arms, but I
knew that it was probably impossible. They only reason the
guardians had agreed to let Declan take me to Willow’s alone was
that there were guardians lined up along the whole entire edge of
the woods around us. No-one, not even my parents had guardians
protecting them today as they had all been called to Princess Mina
duty. I rolled my eyes hating leaving those I loved
unprotected.

Willow and Maggie had placed a spell on
every home and building in the village which stopped anyone from
entering unless invited to do so by the owners themselves. It
reminded me of vampire movies and would have been an amusing
analogy except for the fact that it was exactly what my pretend
parents reminded me of.

Declan pulled my arm gently and I felt the
rough bark of a tree against my back before he pressed his lips
firmly and hungrily against mine. All my worries and thoughts just
faded away as I felt his skin against mine, and the rapid beat of
my heart every time he got this close to me. He ran his fingers
delicately along my collar bone, before leaving small kisses in
their place. I let out a small sigh, wanting nothing more than for
him to keep going. There was a fire growing in me every time he
touched me and kissed me. My body just ached to be as close to him
as I possibly could. I knew he felt it too, because as he
reluctantly pulled away, his breath was hot on my face and his
uneven breathing matched mine. We stole moments like this whenever
possible, yet we both walked away always wanting more of each other
and the time to be in each other’s embrace. We both knew there were
a dozen eyes on us at every waking moment and until that changed
these small moments of passion would have to be enough.

The rest of the evening passed by so
quickly, my family had offered to host Declan’s transformation
ceremony. I had no doubt that it would be big and loud. The royal
family had never thrown such a party for a villager before and the
speculation around the village was that Declan and I had run off
and got married; as well as all sorts of other nonsensical rumors.
I hadn’t been home for two weeks and already everyone was gossiping
about me. ‘Maybe that is it what it means to be a princess,’ I
speculated.

The search to find a soul mate for Sal
hadn’t been going very well, and when I insisted on inviting him
Liam had put down the suggestion the first chance he got. Sal was
still unstable and wouldn’t be able to join society until his
animal was under control. I was disappointed.

Later that evening I slowly followed my
parents, with Maggie and Knoll walking behind me. They hadn’t
really let me out of their sight since I had been rescued from my
kidnappers. The guardians still hadn’t managed to find anything new
out about whom the villains were or why they wanted me. Although it
wasn’t for the lack of trying as everyone had volunteered their
time and put their lives on hold to keep me and the village safe. I
was hoping that the distraction of tonight’s get together would
give everyone time to relax and have some fun, yet I suppose that
was difficult when the sole purpose of tonight’s transformation was
to send all those whose spirit animal was a bird off to search for
my kidnappers. I sighed; I just wish there could be peace and
happiness in the village.

Not realizing that our procession had
stopped I walked straight into Liam with a grunt. I had been too
busy thinking and not concentrating on where I was walking, yet it
was hard for me to concentrate on anything other than my feet or
where I should step. It was just another downfall of losing my eye
sight. I sensed we were close to the ceremony’s location as I could
hear voices around me and feel the heat from the fire and wondered
self-consciously if I was the only one who was standing close to
the flames. Father had decided to throw a bonfire for Declan so he
could be seen by everyone (expect me) when he took flight into the
night sky for the first time. Maggie wrapped her thin delicate hand
within mine and directed me to follow her where she helped me take
a seat on the soft grass. I ran my hands through the blades of
grass, feeling the dew that had begun to form. I always felt so
comfortable resting on the plush ground. Breathing in deeply I
smelt the strong aroma of oak burning and felt small embers from
the fire landing around me, yet I wasn’t afraid as it felt good to
be surrounded by yet another one of the earth’s elements.

Everyone grew silent. I sat still, with my
legs tucked carefully beneath me enjoying the sound of the crickets
chirping. The light wind whirled through my hair, causing strands
to fall across my face, no matter how many times I pushed it back
into its proper place. Then I heard the familiar loud commanding
voice of my father and knew everyone’s eyes would be on him. I
didn’t have to see to know that he was captivating and could hold
an audience no matter what the circumstances. Perhaps it was that
people feared the king who, when needed, would come down on his
people with an iron fist, but I knew it was just the gift from the
spirits that made him a born leader. I hoped one day that when, or
if, I was standing where he stood, people would look at me with
such awe and respect. Then I remembered the night of Declan’s
choosing ceremony and how he had stood where Declan’s father
couldn’t and I would always think that was very kind of him.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to thank you
for joining us tonight. I know that these past few weeks, hell
these past few years, has held such an importance to our survival
and you have all sacrificed so much just to see that my daughter
and my family are safe, even if that meant putting your own lives
at risk. That my friends,” he called out loudly into the cool night
air, “is a true sign of belief in me and for that I can never repay
you.” Pausing to allow his words to sink in my father continued,
“We find ourselves here tonight, not only to witness the wonderful
sight of one of our own transforming into his spiritual animal, but
to once again sacrifice our time to look for those who want nothing
more than to bring harm and destruction to us all. And so I will
promise you this that I will not give up on this village nor will I
give up on our home. These monsters will be stopped, even if I have
to hunt them down to the ends of the earth myself.” There was such
pride and anger laced in his voice and I knew then that my father
would give his life for his people, and that was why they would
give their lives for him. As I heard clapping and cheering I felt
such pride that my father was a great man.

Then I heard another familiar voice. “I want
to thank you all for coming here tonight,” announced Declan. “I
have lived here my whole life. Most of you have had a hand in my
upbringing. Mr. Klaus,” he said and I pictured the elderly man who
owned the small bakery, who had bright blue eyes and a kind heart.
You would always give me cookies on my way home from guardian
practice,” declared Declan, “And I remember the part each of you
have played in my life up until this moment and I just want to say
how happy I am to call you all my family. That is why I am so glad
you are all here this evening to witness my first
transformation.”