The Curse Conduit

Kimberly and Elizabeth were once again sitting in the waiting room. It was obvious to Kimberly that her friend had been shocked to find out that her grandfather was Urian. “Why didn’t he tell me Kimber?”

Kimberly sighed. “Tell you what Lizzie? Would you have believed him?” Elizabeth went to answer but she stopped her. “ No….Be honest.. You wouldn’t, how could you? He’s had to keep this with him all this time, watching you grow up, knowing what you would have to go through and not being able to do anything. Think how hard this has been for him….and your grandmother and Aunt. But Elizabeth this doesn’t change who he is.”

Elizabeth looked into her friends sincere eyes for a long time, her own emotions battling with each other. Ian was her Grandfather, her Dar and always had been. But now it was Urian that was her Dar and she had just run out on him. “Oh Kimberly, He must think the worst of me, I have to go back.”

They both stood to leave the room when the phone that Henry had given Elizabeth rang. Elizabeth answered it tentatively. “Hello….”

“Miss Elizabeth it is Henry. I just want to let you know that I am taking your Grandfather back to the hotel for a rest.”

Kimberley saw the worried look cross her face. “Is he alright Henry?”

“Yes, just a long day.”

“Can I talk to him?” There was a silence then she heard the familiar voice that had been with her throughout her whole life, guiding, caring for her. “Hello Dar. I am sorry I ran out.”

“That’s alright. After all this time and I still could not soften the blow. I expect it was a shock. But I am still your Dar.”

Elizabeth’s tears began to flow again. “I don’t understand all this. For me it has just happened. Oh Dar…. I’m coming over.”

“No my sweet you need to spend time with your Derek. We will have time enough when he and Uriah are out of hospital.”

Elizabeth took a deep breath. “Promise me you are alright Dar.”

She could almost see Urian smile as he answered. “Yes Beth, I promise.”

“I love you Dar.” With that she ended the call and replaced the phone in her pocket and they both walked back to Derek and Uriah’s room to find them both still sleeping, Casta and Simian keeping watch like sentinels. The men had returned to the room after looking in on the two women earlier, thinking it best to leave them for a while.

In a whispered tone Simian spoke. “They both sleep.” As he moved to be closer to Elizabeth he patted Uriah on the arm. “They are both very tired but.” A smile crossed his face but Elizabeth was worried as she took up her position next to Casta by Derek’s bed.

“But what Simian? Did something happen?”

Casta gave Simian a knowing look and pulled Elizabeth to him. “Yes Bella, something happened.”

Casta could see the apprehension rising in both women so continued. “Something wonderful. Urian, he fixed Derek’s leg.”

Elizabeth looked from Casta to Simian; they were nodding and smiling; Simian relaying the story to his stunned audience.

Elizabeth sighed, smiling looking down at Derek. “He is all right, his leg is all right?”

Kimberly looked into Uriah’s sweet, tranquil face. Happy for Derek but wondering what inner wounds they both may have to deal with that had not yet healed. Brushing her hand gently through his hair he sighed a little but his expression did not change.

If Kimberly had known at that very moment Uriah was dreaming and known what he was dreaming it may have helped her anxiety.

Uriah had fallen asleep still struggling with the fact that he did not want to dream in case their journey was not over. His body, soul and mind had been so tortured in ways he could not comprehend and he was afraid it was not over. Afraid enough not to want to go back to sleep but so very tired he had no choice. If his friends had not been with him he may have fought the urge to sleep a little harder but once again he found himself dreaming. Only this time it was so very different, everything about his dream was different, the feeling he had as he dreamt; a peaceful assurance about the future, even the colour as he dreamt so much more vibrant and alive. But it was the content of his dream that settled a calmness in Uriah, gave back his hope. He dreamt about the future, he had seen things that had not yet come to pass.

As he continued to dream Kimberly did see a change in his face, he smiled a little. He was smiling because he was watching Derek and Elizabeth’s Wedding.

In his hospital room Kimberley had hold of his hand; in the dream the same was true. Uriah looked at the women standing next to him and smiled again, squeezing her hand. Kimberly felt him squeeze her hand so she leant over and kissed him ever so tenderly on the lips. “I am here Uriah. I will never be too far from your side, I promise.”

Uriah sighed again, he had heard her words, he continued to dream and he knew that she loved him. His heart melted with the realisation that someone did love him, for him even if he had not shown that love in return. Maybe his future did hold the love he was searching for? Maybe his future had already started.

A small tear escaped from the side of his closed eyes and Kimberly sucked in her breath. “Something’s wrong, he’s crying.”

Everyone looked to her then to Uriah, but instead of looks of concern Elizabeth, Casta and Simian had smiles on their faces. Elizabeth shook her head. “I don’t think so Kimber look.”

Kimberly looked back at Uriah as she felt him squeeze her hand once more. He was awake, his deep hazel eyes pulling her in as he looked at her, they had changed. Softer somehow, the shadow of longing had disappeared replaced by a warmth that silently cocooned her.

She also heard in his voice a new tenderness. “Thank you.”

Kimberly smiled down at him. “For what Uriah?”

“For following your heart.”

This time it was Kimberly’s turn to let a small tear escape as Uriah drifted back off to sleep giving her hand one more squeeze as he did. She looked to Elizabeth but it was Casta that spoke the words that gripped her heart. “I think our friend has just declared his love for you Bella.”

Simian confirmed Casta’s statement. “Yes, Uriah is not one for showing his true emotions; he holds things very close to his chest. But yes what Casta says is true. He loves you Cherie. But you must give his head time to understand his heart. He will need time to be comfortable with the choice he has made.”

Kimberly bit her lip and once again looked down at the man she knew she loved. “I can give him all the time he needs.”

Leaning over she kissed him once more and whispered in his ear. “All the time you need.”

Urian gave Henry back his phone as he rested back into his chair. “This has been a long journey.”

Henry looked a little concerned. “If you wish I can take you home Ian.”

Urian sat forward, smiled wearily and placed his hand on Henry’s arm. “You are a good man Henry. God was looking after me the day we met. But I am fine. A small knap is all I need. Home can wait a while longer.”

Urian sat back in his chair again and closed his eyes. “I am not entirely sure the others will understand when we tell them about you.”

Henry smiled down at the old man as he drifted off to sleep. “It will be alright Ian, Miss Elizabeth will understand.”

Henry picked Urian up and placed him on the bed, covering him with a blanket while he slept. “Your journey is almost over my friend.”

As Urian slept Henry pulled a small case out of the wardrobe and out of that a small carved, wooden box that looked like it had seen better days, it was very old. Sitting at the small table in the room he opened the box taking from it an object that was wrapped in paper then several pieces of old cloth. Gently Henry unwrapped each piece, what he held in his hands was something that had come into his possession several years before. Not so curious really except for the fact of the letters and the way in which he had acquired the object. It was a phone, a mobile phone; it was the phone that Uriah had lost that night when Uri had dispatched the two robbers intent on killing him and Urian. This was the phone that Henry held in his hands. This is what had led him to Urian, what had convinced him of Urian’s story once they did meet, convinced him that what he held in his hand was not some joke but actually had belonged to his ancestors. Convinced Urian of Henry’s genuine search for the truth about his family. Now having met Elizabeth and the others and witnessing what he had seen if he had any doubts they had all vanished.

Henry had moved back to England after the discovery of the little wooden box in his grandfather’s house after he had died and the house had gone up for sale. The contents of the box had fed his curiosity. The box that had held the phone had been in another larger box that he presumed his grandfather has sealed with the intention it was never to be opened. Henry always wondered about that. Why had his grandfather not just thrown it out if he wished no one to see it? Along with the phone were letters, one very old letter that his great, great grandfather had translated. This was the letter that spoke of the very unusual history of the phone. It was a letter from Geoffrey, a letter he had written in his later years in the hopes that someday the phone would find its way back to its rightful owner. After hearing about Uriah and Urian’s escape from the highway men young Geoffrey had gone looking and found the phone. The letter went on to explain how Geoffrey’s life had turned out. Declan’s mother had indeed taken him under her wing, so too had the King, Beth-Elena and Uri. Once they found out about the phone he had been reprimanded but then given the responsibility to keep it safe for the future. He had handed it down to his own son, along with the story to go with it. A story that at the time was still told among the clans of the area. Indeed the tale of the battle won by wizards and sorceresses lasted for many generations.

The little box had been passed from generation to generation with each one leaving a new letter for the next until it had made it to Henry’s grandfather. Henry had read the letter from his great grandfather many times in the past few years. The rift between his great grandfather and grandfather the only reason he could think of that his own father had not known about the box. Maybe it was the stern warning from Geoffrey that he would come back from the grave if his wishes were not carried out that had stopped his grandfather from throwing out the box. For whatever reason, Henry now held a part of his history in his hands, a history that had been made in the future.

Hearing Urian stir he replaced the phone back into its centuries old resting place, knowing it would not be long before he would have to give it back to its rightful owner as Geoffrey had wished.