'An Unexpected Winter', Chapter 10.2 from the Irish fiction novel: We Come Back: Vol. 1
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An Unexpected Winter
Meanwhile, back at the palace,
where there once had been a blank canvas in the hidden room, there now was a picture forming, as if in an invisible hand painted ever so delicately across the blank slate. All I saw, I all I felt, all I touched, was being painted into the canvas in that moment; forever trapping the memory. I didn’t realize I could never forget Farenton, or Jack, and in my pain, I did the only thing I knew to do; I painted.
When every last square inch of Farenton and the estate surrounding it, had forever been captured on my canvas, painted to its full glory for the sake of my memories, I reverted everything back to the way it was before. I refused to see through the misery, and kept the grounds in a state of desolation and despair. I felt a change coming, inside me or outwardly I did not know, nor could I tell what it would lead to, but in my desperation I embraced it.
“Trix, go home now.”
Trix stood for a second, silently staring at me, but not moving.
“Trix, I am not going home. I am staying here. I am not ready to be rid of him and this…” I waved my hand towards the grounds, “is all that I have left of him.”
Trix stepped forward, taking my hands in hers.
“Raea, I love you, and this pain you have, is so hard to see inside you. If you, staying here, in anyway, relieves that pain, than I am in complete agreement of that notion. However, if I leave you here, it will not be for long. I will return.”
She grabbed me, in a real, passionate hug before turning away to the portal.
I caught my breath for a moment,
but then called out, “Please take Starling back to the stables with you? Tell him, everything will be alright in the end.”
Trix turned around and smiled at me, “Yes it will be; you will see so for yourself. Raea look!”
I whipped my head around to see a carriage approaching Farenton.
“They can’t see us anyways Trix. Go, I’ll see you soon.”
I turned around, and walked towards Farenton, slightly confused. ‘Who would ride up to Farenton now, after Jack was gone?’ I thought to myself. I watched as the carriage stopped and a familiar red headed man stepped out. It was Beathan Hamish Mackintosh, Jack’s close Scottish friend.
“What on Pastel are you doing here?” I said aloud, forgetting I could neither be seen nor heard.
I turned around and started to walk up the stone stairway when I heard him.
“I should ask you the same question,” Beathan replied.
I froze, ‘He can see me, how can he possibly see me? Jack was one thing, but I only allowed his friends to see me, out of choice, which this was not. How could he see me?’ I thought.
“Keeper Astraea, you must not wait here for him to return, you must take action, show the universe what he means to you by finding him, not by stowing away and letting your grief eat you from the inside out like a coward,” he stated firmly.
I whipped around, madder than a bee denied its honey and shouted, “I am not a coward! Who are you to determine my actions? I have no intention of stowing away.”
“Aye? Then tell me, why are you here, and not out there, searching?” he smirked.
“I do not have to answer to you, Beathan Hamish Mackintosh, if that is in fact your name,” I stormed off haughtily in the direction of the forest.
“You’re welcome, Jack. When I made that promise, I didn’t know you would make it so bloody difficult to fulfill,” he whispered aloud to himself.
Trix made her way through the portal,
keeping her emotions has hidden and optimistic as possible. When she reached the other side, and found the horses waiting for her, she broke down. She leaned on them, explaining to Starling why his master had not returned with her. When she had returned to the palace, she ran upstairs, searching for Aubrey, forgetting for a moment he had left for the Distant Shores. She ran into Grace, Astraea’s mother instead.
“Trix! What-ever is the matter dear? Where’s Astraea?” she held onto Trix’s shoulders, trying to steady her.
“She… she stayed behind. On Earth, where he lived… she painted the estate.”
“Come on.”
Grace led Trix to the hidden room, and together they viewed the canvas that had now been painted, of Farenton. It was beautiful, exactly as Raea had painted it, lively, and full of color. However, it was starting to change. Colors were fading, and trees seemed to be losing their leaves and gnarling. Snow had begun to pile up in the painting. The summer warmth had changed into the cool of winter. Grace gasped.
“It cannot be…” she reached out and touched the painting.
“I thought Winter no longer existed?” Trix whispered.
“So did I, so did we all. Clearly, Astraea is no longer there.”
Together, they took the painting to the drawing room, where it could be seen. Grace gently picked the painting up, saying a prayer of protection for her daughter. They could not do much, not knowing where she had gone, but judging by the painting, Jon and Aubrey were in for a surprise when they reached the council.
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