Sahara Ashdell: Rebirth of Patreek (Book 3)

Sahara awakens to an empty room. She remembers falling asleep in Brystol’s arms last night but he obviously snuck out after she fell asleep. She sighs realizing that it is a relief that she didn’t wake up to him in her room. Tari Nathila would have a fit. She feels a sudden burst of excitement realizing she gets to give the Treegans her gifts she bought them. She jumps out of bed wrapping her robe around her before racing down the stairs to the family room where the tree is. She smiles at the three Treegans who are waiting for her. “Good morning Elfie.” Tari Nathila says opening her arms for a hug. Sahara happily dives into the Tari’s hug. She loved how it felt to have a family. She felt more thankful for them this morning than she had before because she realized how close she was to losing them as a family last night.

“Mine first. Mine first!” Trylla yells running over to the tree and pulling out a large present. Trylla rips the paper revealing a new plorboard. She was starting at Malorsty in two years time and she had been wanting to start practicing. “Mother really?” Trylla asked excitedly.

Brystol takes Sahara by the hand leading her toward the tree. “Sahara next.” He says pulling a small package out of his pocket. Sahara sees Trylla and Tari Nathila grow large smiles before she looks at Brystol again. He is now down on one knee in front of her. “I think this is how humans do it.” He says opening the small package to reveal a large beautiful golden ring with blue diamonds. Sahara gasps in surprise at the realization of what is happening. She never expected to be proposed to, since they were already betrothed. She noticed the ring was the colors of both their kingdoms blended perfectly together into the most beautiful ring. “Will you be my wife Sahara Ashdell?”

Sahara nods her head excitedly before holding out her hand for Brystol to place the ring on her finger. He smiles in equal excitement as he slides the ring onto her finger. “Is this an elvan custom too?” She asks.

“Not usually for betrothed elves.” Brystol says pulling her up next to him. “But for love matches it is usual. And we do love each other do we not?”

“We do.” Sahara says as she wraps her arms around Brystol and kisses his lips in excitement.

“How lovely.” Tari Nathila says sounding emotional. Sahara looks over toward her and sees her wiping tears from her eyes.

“Why are you crying Mother?” Brystol asks in wonder of why this could be a sad occasion.

“Tears of joy dear. Just tears of joy.” She says as Trylla wraps her arms around the Tari. “To see my children find love is the most fulfilling thing to be given.”

Sahara feels a bit of sadness creep into her thoughts as she realizes that just a few short hours ago this might not have been a joyous occasion if Brystol had carried out the completion of saving his father from the in between. She glances up at Brystol, who seems to be thinking the same thing, and he smiles at her with his whispered words, “Father would have been so angry with me if I had saved him.”

“I can’t say I disagree with you.” Sahara says snuggling up under his right arm. “My gift for you is much less exciting.” She says remembering the sword display case she had designed for the sword they used in the Underverse battle.

“There is definitely nothing more exciting than marrying you.” His sweet words made her feel giddy and smile. “But I will love whatever you give me.”

Just as Brystol had told her last night, she was stepping into the carriage at noon time that same day. She smiles at Savanah compassionately as she sits down next to her. “I am sorry you were forced to give up your holiday early for me.”

“I do not mind it really.” Savanah replies and Sahara knows she is telling a lie.

“Sometimes I wish to be normal.” Sahara says heavily lying back against the seat. “But I have never been, not even in the human world.”

“Are you unhappy?” Savanah asks and Sahara holds up her hand looking at her new ring. “Is that?” Savanah sounds excited as she moves over to sit next to Sahara and looks at the beautiful ring also. “Is that your betrothal ring?”

“I suppose.” Sahara can’t understand why she suddenly feels so weighed down by the weight of being a royal.

“It is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen!” Savanah says.

“Brystol had it made special with our kingdom’s colors.” Sahara says feeling miles away.

“How sweet.” Savanah says placing a hand on Sahara’s arm. “Yet you do not want this?”

“What?” Sahara says sitting up straight and moving her arm away from Savanah. “No. I do. I just. I don’t know what is wrong with me.” She shakes her head trying to think about how much she loves Brystol. “I guess I am scared. Scared of becoming the Tari in three months time. Brystol is already the Aran and has so much responsibility. I barely see him. What if I can’t handle it?”

“You were born for this.” Savanah says sounding like it is so simple.

“And Patreek.” She says with a heavy heart remembering how she killed Bularia. “Just as I was born to defeat Patreek, but I destroyed the ones I love instead.”

“What do you mean?” Savanah looks at her curiously.

“Nothing.” Sahara says motioning for Savanah to go back to the other seat. The remainder of the drive back to Malorsty was quiet. Sahara only thought about how being the Tari she might destroy things she loves too on accident. She found it unsettling.

As Sahara steps down from the carriage, she notices other elves whispering about her. The scene makes her think back to the vision the declure showed her. It was almost identical, except no Brystol this time. “It changed.” She says feeling surprised as she moves up to her dorm room. “I changed it.”

“Changed what?” Savanah asks and Sahara jumps realizing she had forgotten Savanah was still with her.

“I forgot you were here. Sorry.” She says avoiding the question.

The next few weeks go by uneventful but Sahara has felt saddened by the upcoming weight of being the Tari. Apparently Byrstol had caught wind of her being sad, because just after her Plorksol game he teleported to her. “Hi.” He says sounding excited to see her.

“What are you doing here?” She asks trying not to sound disappointed by his presence.

“I was told you could use some cheering up.” He says reaching out to hug her. “What is wrong?”

She doesn’t fight his hug as she lies, “Nothing.”

“Obviously.” He says holding her tight with his sarcastic words. “Why would I doubt those teary eyes?”

“Do you not have something more important to do than be here to check on me?” She asks pushing away from his hug.

“Sahara?” He tries to get her to look him in the eyes but she looks out towards the field. “What is going on? Savanah and Verdiwild are both concerned about you. They say you have been missing classes and meals.”

"Go back to Holestroy.” She says attempting to leave him, but he grabs hold of her wrist and pulls her with him towards a less populated area under the bleachers.

Instead of saying something he kisses her. After a moment, she seems much more relaxed so he asks again, “What is going on?”

“I changed it.” She replied. “The future. I changed it slightly.”

“What do you mean?” Brystol asks looking unsure how to react.

“In the futures after coming back from holiday, the second future that I had killed Bularia was different. You weren’t here like in the future the declure showed me.” She replies and she can tell he still doesn’t understand what she is saying, so she makes it clearer. “That means I could have changed things without killing her. A third future.”

She sees Brystol’s eyes twitch slightly before pulling her in for another hug. He stays quiet and she isn’t sure she likes that he is being so quiet. She had not cried about Bularia since the holiday and suddenly she could no longer hold back the tears. A few moments of just being held by Brystol and crying seem to help. She dries her eyes as he kisses the top of her head. “I am not trying to say you could not have made a third future, but how would you have known it was possible or what needed to be done to make it change? You did what was right Sahara.”

She steps back away from him adjusting her plorksol outfit. “I should get going. Lovely to see you.” She says sounding unattached and she can tell he doesn’t like it.

“Maybe we should have our nightly kisses again?” He asks sounding somewhat desperate to stop her from leaving.

“No.” She shakes her head avoiding eye contact. “I am fine.”

“I’m not.” He says softly and it causes her to look up at him. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too.” She confesses, though she had not realized it until this moment. She had been so consumed with mourning over Bularia and the failure of finding a way to the third possible future that had her alive, that she had completely forgotten all about Brystol. She looks down at her hand and sees the large ring he had given her over the holiday. “Maybe it would be good for me to see you every night.” She knows he is the only other elf that she can trust and actually talk to about anything.

“So tomorrow night then?” He asks caressing her cheek.

“Sure.” She says grabbing hold of his hand against her cheek. “Why not?”

“You should probably come to me, since me popping up in your dorm room randomly would be kind of a bad idea.” He says.

“Tomorrow at nine in your room then?” She forces a smile wondering if she will really feel like going.

“Perfect.” He says moving closer to her lips. “I will see you then.” She accepts his kiss. “I love you.”

“And I you.” She says feeling the honesty in her words before he teleports leaving her alone under the bleachers. “I really do love him.” She says to herself as she leans against the pole of the bleachers. “I have to snap out of this.” She scolds herself knowing she should not still be punishing herself for Bularia. Most of the other elves at Malorsty at first thought she was at fault for killing Bularia, but now most of that talk had died down and they all seemed to be treating her normally and as if they believed the Royal Notice about Patreek killing her. She hated herself deep down really. She shakes her head from continuing to think about it and forces herself to walk towards the locker room to change.

The following night she decided not to go see Brystol after all. She figures he won’t miss her anyway. To her surprise just after ten when she is lying in her bed, she suddenly appears in Brystol’s bed at Holestroy. “Why did you not come on your own?” He asks scoldingly.

“Why would you just teleport me without my permission?” She felt angry at him.

“Now you know what it is like.” He says not seeming to care that she is angry with him.

She gave him an agitated grunt before teleporting back to her bed at Malorsty. But to her dismay she immediately teleported back to his bed. “Stop it!” She yelled at him in anger.

“No.” He says before she teleports again, but again, she is immediately back into his bed. This time he grabs hold of her, pinning her down on the bed. “Do not teleport again.” He says sounding as angry as she feels and it causes her to grunt angrily again as she fights against him. “Sahara. Stop it!” He says holding her down still and proving how obviously stronger than her he is. She attempts to use magic to throw him from her but he manages to use magic to stop her magic. “We are equally matched in magic, so you can’t beat me.”

“Get off me!” She demanded causing a ball of water to form above him.

“Only if you promise to stop teleporting back.” He says still fighting her to stay still on his bed. She causes the ball of water to crash on his head and she too gets soaked. Instead of the water causing Brystol to stop, it seems to make his anger grow. “What is wrong with you?” He asks loudly fighting her from scratching him.

“Brystol!” The gasp of surprise from Tari Nathila causes Sahara to stop fighting with Brystol. Brystol sighs in relief of her sudden compliance as he presses her wrists down on the bed. Sahara looks over to see Tari Nathila standing in the doorway looking shocked by the scene. “What are you doing? Let go of her?”

“Only if she promises to stop teleporting away.” He says peering down at Sahara as water drips on her face from his hair.

“Why is the bed soaked?” Tari Nathila sounds overly confused. She motions to Byrstol. “Of course she will not teleport. Now release her.” Brystol reluctantly releases her from his grasp but remains sitting on her.

“You two have woken the entire castle with your fighting.” Tari Nathila says motioning toward the door where some soldier elves are standing looking shocked by the scene. “All is well. The betrothed are just having a disagreement. Back to your posts.”

“Get off me!” Sahara says throwing Brystol to the floor with a thud.

“Would you two care to explain yourselves?” The Tari asks looking extremely unpleased with them.

“Yes. Brystol. Why don’t you tell your mother?” Sahara says wondering if his mother knows he can teleport now.

“She has been skipping meals and classes.” Brystol says rising from the floor.

“Elfie?” The Tari sounds like a consoling mother and Sahara feels her heart hurt from the love she suddenly feels. “Are you ill?”

“I am fine.” She says shaking her head and rising from the wet bed. She hadn’t realized she was so wet until she stood and water poured down her gown to the floor. Her blue night gown is less wet than Brystol’s back she realizes and it makes her snicker as she watches him wring out his shirt. He shakes his head at her with a smile. The pair of them laugh for a moment as the Tari stands there clueless to why the matter is so funny.

“I far from find this funny.” The Tari says crossing her arms.

“Sorry we disturbed you mother.” Brystol says removing his wet shirt. Sahara swallows hard seeing his abs. She had not seen an ellon shirtless before and he was extremely attractive.

“I am more upset that you kept Sahara’s well being hidden from me.” She says looking over at Sahara. “Come with me darling and let’s get you dried off.” She guides Sahara towards the door to exit and Sahara sees Brystol pulling a dry shirt on over his head. “We shall meet you down in your office in twenty Brystol.” The Tari says calmly to him as she and Sahara exit.

“You two are fiery together.” The Tari says with a smirk as she guides Sahara down the hall. “It will make for a fun marriage.”

“I am sorry we woke you.” Sahara apologizes.

“It was an odd surprise.” She answers as she opens the door to Sahara’s room.

“I am sorry, I know we were not to have any more secret nightly meetings.” Sahara feels bad for breaking a rule but she knows it was not really her doing.

“How long have you been breaking it?” Tari asks.

“This is the first night since holiday break.” She considers mentioning last night when Brystol appeared at Malorsty but she doesn’t want to let the Tari know about Brystol being able to teleport.

After Sahara changes into dry clothes, the Tari finally asks, “Why are you skipping meals and courses?”

“It is harder without Bularia than I expected.” She responds sitting down next to the Tari on her bed.

“Elfie.” The Tari sounds saddened by her confession as she pulls her in for a hug. “I wish I could make it better for you.” After a short hug Sahara finds that she actually feels better. She had never realized the hug of a mother would provide so much comfort. “You cannot be skipping meals and courses. Especially not this close to the wedding.”

“The wedding.” Sahara realizes she is currently a week away from graduation. “The wedding!” She yells the words suddenly feeling panicked as she sits up straight moving away from the Tari.

“Shh. Calm.” The Tari says gently. “Perhaps your worries root deeper than just missing Bularia?”

Sahara felt the weight of all her worries burst out of her mouth. “I don’t even have a wedding dress. I don’t even think I have ever been to a wedding. And I don’t even know how to be a wife or a Tari. What if I become a mother and am bad at it? Where is Patreek, why have we not heard from him since the Bulaira? What if he...”

“Sahara.” The Tari says stopping her panicked words. “It is all right. All will be fine. Your dress is there. She points toward the corner of the room where a beautiful white gown is resting on a mannequin. “You will rehearse the wedding the night before so you know what to do. You will be a wonderful wife and Tari, I know because you have shown that over the past three years. And there is no possible way you would be a bad mother. I have seen you with Trylla. As for Patreek, you battled in the Underverse and defeated multiple creatures with powers generations of elves have never seen. So, I think that perhaps you have nothing to worry about with him. He is just giving you more time to be more powerful so that you can defeat him.”

The Tari’s words actually settled her heart some and she let out a deep breath but she still felt off. “Perhaps you are feeling nervous about something else?”

“What? No.” Sahara shakes her head in disagreement hoping to hide her true fear.

“It is not fear of what occurs on the wedding night?” The Tari asks with a gentle smile.