Truths from the Past: Book 5 of the Kinstone series

I feel myself being softly jostled on the bed. I roll over and slowly open my eyes. To my shock I see Serasfall standing over me. Her hair kept back in a hair bag, and is wearing a nightgown and bed robe. I feel my heart shooting into my throat.

She leans in closer, “You must wake and come.” Her voice is a low whisper, yet enough for me to hear. I peer around to Fenris still sleeping. “Do not wake him,” she says.

I look to her, wanting to ask why, but doesn’t. If I do, I could possibly offend her. I turn back to Fenris see him still guarding my bag. “Do…do you wish for me to bring my bag?”

“Yes,” she says softly.

My heart breaks in two, feeling tears begin to form. I nod and roll over, carefully removing from under him. I pull off my covers and slip off of my bed, careful not to wake him. Serasfall then turns and heads for the door, I quietly follow after her.

The hallways are dark as we stroll through them, with the only light coming from moon and stars as they shine in through the windows. My mind races wildly as a thousand upon thousand thoughts surge abound. My heart is breaking with every step.

I try to speak, hoping to plead my case to her, but words simply fail to materialize. My throat instantly dries, becoming like sandpaper with each painful swallow I make. I look up at her, again wanting to speak, yet nothing wishes to appear. My steps are quiet and weightless as I glide over the rugs.

I hear nothing around me, no armored steps, the padding of wolf feet, or even the fluttering of wings. There’s simply nothing, it’s as though the world has completely melted away. I stay close to her, not wishing to become lost as my growing sorrow mounts.

The idea of summoning a fairy road comes to mind, yet I really have nowhere to go. Japan is completely out of the question, no one there will know me. I can scratch off America, while the lands which will be my home are present, there’s nothing there for me to go to.

In truth, I have nowhere to go. If what is to come does, that’s it. With all that said, I heartbrokenly trudge on. We turn a corner, yet I fail to notice us not heading for the front door. Instead we walk towards the study.

When we arrive, Serasfall opens the door and ushers me in. I take a few steps inside, hearing her closing the door behind me. The moment the latch clicks, my heart breaks even more, feeling new tears forming on top of the old ones.

She walks in front of me, motioning me towards the couch. I sheepishly step over, and on the verge of bursting into tears, takes my seat. I watch as she rounds the couch and sits next to me. I hands tightly clinch both my nightgown and bag, my heart rattling heavily within my chest. The growing dam begins to crack as the tears are set to roll down my face.

A few quiet moments pass, with me making passing glances at her. Ready to collapse at what is about to happen. The study is aglow with the soft light emanating from a crystal on the table in front of us.

Serasfall gazes at me, noting my dower mood and silence. “What is on your mind?” she asks. Her words cause my heart to shudder as my mind races. It shatteringly rumbles in my chest.

“You’re…you’re planning to banish me,” I chokingly and tearfully let out. My tears soon drip onto my hands, ready to completely burst forth.

I feel a hand cupping my cheek. “Why on earth would I banish one of my own children?”

My heart then stops as I quickly look up at her. “Wait what?”

She smiles, softly stroking my cheek with her thumb. “Oh, my dear Aria. You couldn’t possibly have done anything these past two days that could warrant such an act.” She scoots closer to me. My chest grows heavier yet light at the same time.

“Then…then you know?” I ask.

She pulls me close to her, “From the moment you first arrived, I deduced your identity. Although not an immediate relation, you truly are of my line. I merely spent the last two days confirming my suspicions.” I feel her wiping away the streaming tears from my cheek.

I slowly release my death grip on my bag and gown. “What…gave me away?”

“Your eyes,” she says softly. “A rare shade of sapphire with hints of ice blue. A truly rare trait and a hallmark of those in the line of Shyair.”

While my grip on my bag and gown had relaxed, my tension is still high as I listen.

“As stated before,” she continues, “I’ve been watching you closely for the past two days my dear. Your skittishness in particular caught my attention, something very much akin to a fox. I did indeed catch you wandering the hallways, examining all held within.”

My cheeks blush hotly. Crap.

She smiles tenderly, “I also witnessed you in the cemetery, tending to little Tobin’s grave. I truly was surprised and touched as you placed the wreathe onto it and prayed from him.”

I nod slowly.

She lowers her hand from my cheek and places it onto my hands. “Another obvious sign was your attire. Clearly your clothes were not of Dewloura or even of this era for that matter.” She grins, “I wager you caught the attention of a few while wandering the streets.” Again, I nod sheepishly.

She grins, “With that said, you must have come from the future.”

I nod yet again, geez Kateryna…you weren’t kidding about this woman’s intelligence.

Serasfall leans even closer to me, “I watched as you slept, both at night and on the first day. I did so in order to see your true face.” She smiles, “And what a lovely soul you are.”

I blush. Mom did the same thing during our trip to Japan. I look to her, “I’m sorry I wasn’t truthful with you from the start.”

She shakes her head, “Don’t be, my little one. You were nervous and being cautious. I completely agree and admire your decision to conceal this from me.” I smile softly, nodding.

I feel her grip gently tightening around my hands. “Now…will you do me the honor of giving me your full name?”

I smile, “Arianna Lucindel Edge.”

Her smile broadens, “What a truly lovely name.”

I giggle, sniffing and wiping away the rest of my tears, “It was given to me by my mother.” My heart slowly becomes whole again, its beating gradually lessens.

Serasfall smiles, “Who is your mother, Aria?”

“The Countess Rachel Rivenfeld.”

Her eyes grow wide, “Countess Rivenfeld is your mother?” She pulls back slightly, “She was here no less than three weeks ago accompanying the English delegation,” then smiles. “I personally met her, even had several meals with her. She truly possesses incredible wit and intelligence.”

My eyes light up. She was here, just three weeks ago. She did tell me she visited Dewloura, yet never told me when. I close my eyes, wanting to immediately fly from here and to her. But…I can’t. Rather…I shouldn’t. While she is my mother, at the same time she’s not. Heh, not yet at least.

I take a long, deep breath, finally ridding myself of most of my tension. While it nice to be free of worrying over my identity, there’s still a few things I’m worried about.

“Now, may I ask where you were born?” she asks.

I smile, “You’re correct in that I am your descendant. I was born over four hundred years from now, in what is referred to in this era as the New World.”

Her eyes grow wide, “You’re from the New World? Is that true?”

I giggle softly, nodding. “More accurately I was born in the southeastern region of the northern continent.”

She leans back somewhat, “We have heard tales of explorers from England, Spain, and France reaching those shores. The stories they told sometimes felt embellished, a bit too embellished for my taste.”

I giggle again, “Maybe you can tell them to me and I’ll help correct them for you.”

She smiles, “I’d love nothing more, my dear.” Serasfall then leans in close once more, staring deeply into my eyes. Her expression changes in into soft amazement. “Born as one, then born again as another. Yet changed far more than ever before, now complete.”

I blush softly, nodding. “Yep. I was reborn through my mother, transformed into the little girl before you.”

Her mouth hangs open for a moment. “I thought I recognized a resemblance when I first saw you.” I smile, feeling my necklace against my chest.

“How old are you? Judging by your size, I’d wager you must be less than thirteen years of age.”

“Well…you’re not the first to call me small,” I giggle softly. “I’m actually sixteen.”

She chuckles, “Forgive me.”

I smirk, shaking my head, “No worries, my Lady.”

She gently taps my nose, “No…call me Serasfall. You are no mere commoner, for you are a child of this house.”

I blush softly, nodding, “Yes Ma’am.” I then let out a sigh, “Another reason I withheld my identity and watched how I acted is because I really don’t want to mess things up while I’m here.”

She smiles, “While admirable, the truth is your mere presence simply being here won’t alter the timeline. Time is very much as a river. You can toss a small stone into it and it will not alter its course or flow. Ripples will form, yet the river will continue on, quickly forgetting the ripple.”

I nod, the time-stream theory in a nutshell. I take her hands for the first time. She beams, feeling hers clasping mine. “If you’re gonna ask how Fenris and I arrived here, I stepped through a portal.”

She chuckles, “Clever little girl.”

I giggle, “For a second I thought you were going to call me a little fox. Everyone does in my era.” Again she chuckles. I let out a smirk, “She was right about how scary your intelligence was.”

Her head tilts, “Whom are you referring to?”

I giggle, “Kateryna.”

She looks at me in shock then bursts into laughter. “Oh that woman.” I giggle. She settles down, smiling to me “Now…will you tell me about yourself?”

I nod and begin telling her about my adventures with my mother to England and Japan. How my mother began teaching me of the new world she brought me into. I left out what she probably already guessed. I clench her hands tightly, speaking of my falling out with my birth family, and how bitter it was. My tales then turn sour as I explain how they were murdered near the end of that year. I smile as it shifts my eventual adoption by my mother.

I tell her about my other travels, a bit of my time in Japan last spring. My heart wretches when I tell her about having to flee from my home. I start to choke up as the memories of that day flood back into my mind.

She quickly pulls me into her chest, embracing like a child. I feel her hand gently stroking my hair. “Oh, my dear Aria. Those animals, forcing a child to endure such a thing, no matter the era, is utterly barbaric.” I nod, laying my head into her. She pulls back and strokes my cheek, “And now you are here with us.” I nod, blushing.

We hear the door creak open. I turn to see Celestine walk into the study. She stares at us, eyes darting about. “Why are you both up so early? I found Athena missing from my room.”

Her mother smiles to me, “Well…I had to confront our little guest here.” She then peers back to her daughter, “Little Aria is in fact our descendant.”

Celestine looks to me in shock, but soon smiles as she walks over to the couch, sitting behind me. I feel her gently pulling me back into her, wrapping her arms around me. I blush as her embrace lovingly tightens. I look up at her, seeing her smiling broadly.

“I knew there was something special about you.”

I blush even more, smiling softly. She grins, kissing the top of my head as she holds me. “I have wanted to hold you like this from the first night you came here.”

My cheeks again turn hotter as I look up at her, then at her mother. Serasfall smiles warmly as she watches us. I turn back to Celestine, sheepishly holding onto her. She smiles, leaning over and kissing the top of my head. I giggle softly.

Serasfall smiles, leaning in closer, “Now…I want to know what it is you have been guarding so zealously within that bag of yours. No matter where you go it is with you. While you sleep, I’ve seen it under the strict guard of your bonded. Not to mention the powerful concealment spell placed upon it.”

I look at her, heart stopping cold. Damn…she is good. “You could tell it was under a spell?”

She grins, “Not at first, my dear. Now, I will commend you on placing it, even adding a second spell to cover the first.”

I sigh, nodding. Well…might as well.

I hold my bag in my lap, chanting softly as I undo the first spell. A slight flash of blue can be seen as the spell circle shatters. I then unlock the clasp for the flap. Again I begin chanting as the second seal is undone. I take a deep breath, calming my heart, and reach in, slowly pulling out possibly the greatest of the treasures held within it.

The silvery disk shines in the light coming from the table as I tap on it, watching it resume its true form.

“The Xur’canah!!” quietly, yet still utterly shocked, exclaims Serasfall.

Celestine stares at it in complete surprise. “How can you have this? And…you had this while traversing through the city?”

I nod, clutching the artifact tightly in my hands. “Last year, for me at least, I received this from someone who’s been watching over me for some time. It was held within a Ze’criesch and I solved it.” I giggle nervously, “Took me the better part of a week.” I look up at her, “Sorry, I…I just wasn’t sure how to bring this up.”

Celestine looks to her mother, “Shouldn’t this still be locked away within the vault?”

Serasfall gazes at it, “Yes, ‘ours’ is.” She gently touches it, watching as the lantern sparks slightly at her touch. “There’s no doubt in my mind this is the Xur’canah. However its power has been drained, but will return in time.”

I look up at her, “I’m sorry for hiding this from both of you. Yes, I am fully aware that I was carrying this with me, even all the way to the citadel.”

Serasfall leans over and caresses my cheek. “I again understand your apprehension and truly applaud you for the measures you took in securing this scared relic my dear.” I blush softly, feeling her warm hand against my cheek. She smiles tenderly, rolling her thumb over my cheek.

“I can’t begin to imagine the pain you have endured while guarding this,” she continues. “However, I can offer to lift this burden from you while you stay with us. Within this home nothing, not even the entire host of Dewloura, could steal it.”

I stare at the lantern, still clenching it between my fingers. If ‘theirs’ is here, then maybe it will be safe. I definitely won’t have to worry about people stealing it. I close my eyes for a moment an think. I open them and hold it out to her. Serasfall smiles, gently taking it from my hands.

“You can rest easy, little Aria,” she says. “It shall be protected.”

I smile to her, “Thank you.” She grins, caressing my face once more. Celestine holds me even tighter, wrapping her arms around me. I smile, holding onto her. I sigh softly, “So where do we go from here?”

Serasfall smiles brightly, “Well, you can go about your life without worry or apprehension while around us.”

I blush deeply, “Thank you.”

She nods, “Now…I will make you a promise in that I shall endeavor to find a way send you home to the future. However, this will take some time as I currently haven’t the slightest idea of how.”

I nod. I can’t really blame her, nor there be any reason at this moment to go into a panic. Marty had the DeLorean and a way to power it, I don’t. So…really just take this as an opportunity to explore the past, to explore a place you’ve only heard of from others. I smile, and to really learn about people you never knew you were related to.

I take a deep breath, absentmindedly leaning back into Celestine, thinking I’m being held by my sister. She smiles, stroking my hair.

Serasfall smiles, “With all this said, while you are here, this shall be your home, and we your family. Therefore shall be granted all the rights and privileges as such.” I nod slowly. She holds my hand, “Also, the room you have been staying in shall become yours.”

I nod again, yet become nervous, now clenching my bag.

She looks down, hearing my death grip returning. “What’s wrong my dear?”

“She is worried that she could still potentially anger or offend you in a manner that you will banish her.”

I peer over the back of the couch to see Fenris standing with Rhea and Athena.

Serasfall chuckles softly, “Oh my dear child,” now looking to me, “I have dealt with kings and queens from all over Europe. I have endured the indignation and pomposity of foreign dignitaries.” She leans in close to me, “I highly doubt the antics of a sixteen-year old girl would be enough to force me into that situation.”

I nod, blushing once more. She grins softly.

I watch as Fenris and the other wolves round the couch. He gently lays his head into my lap. I smile, stroking his fur. “I’m guessing Rhea and Athena also wanted to talk to you.”

He nods, “They did.” I peer up at them, seeing both smile to me.

“I personally wanted to speak to your bonded, little Aria,” says Rhea. “He was understandably upset when he discovered you not in bed with him. I do hope you can forgive us.”

I nod, looking to Serasfall. She smirks, “Yes, I too suggested this course of action, and its potential outcomes.”

I sigh, “Everyone just loves messing around with me.” Everyone, aside from Fenris, looks at me in confusion. I giggle, yep…another group that gonna have to get used to my modern day sayings. I smile, “All is good.”

Serasfall leans over and strokes my hair. I blush softly, feeling calmer and better about this. Still a complete and utter shock and surprise. She smiles, “Since the length of your stay with us is undetermined, there is so much to do. However, those plans can wait.” I giggle.

She smiles broadly, “There is so much to teach you, but for now, why don’t we all go and have some breakfast? On the account we are all now awake.”

I giggle, “That’s a good plan.” Both women chuckle as we rise from the couch. I look up at her, “Oh…could you not give me a heart attack the next time you have something like this to talk to me about.”

She chuckles, “I promise my dear, and I do hope you can forgive me.”

I giggle again, “I had something like this happen to me years ago.”

She smiles, holding me close, placing a kiss onto the top of my head. “Again, I look forward to you regaling me of it.” My cheeks burn brightly as she does.

We turn and head for the door, with Celestine holding me close to her. Fenris and the others bring up the rear as we head down the corridor.

The following day, I head out onto the training grounds, seeing how it has one of the best views of the western sky. I look around, noticing that the knights are not present, thinking they’re possibly performing other duties. I smile, grateful for the momentary peace.

As I reach the stone railing, I lean onto it, gazing out into the west. I close my eyes, feeling the breeze brush against my face. Feeling calm, I start reaching out to my mother. By now she should still be en route back to England. I know it’s stupid, and she most definitely does not know me in the era, I still want to at least hear her voice. Even if for a moment.

Yet before I reach too far, I quickly stop. She’s alive and I know she will survive long enough to find me. We will always find each other. I grin, knowing our bond is strong, and the Kinstone will ever be its symbol.

I pull out my necklace and hold onto it, feeling her mana within. My mind slowly wanders, slipping into the nascent bond between us. Right before I came home from Japan in the spring, I dreamt of being in her room, seeing her while on the bed. She smiled to me, saying she couldn’t wait to see me. I grin, learning that she indeed see me in her room that day.

I giggle, delving deeper, almost feeling her beside me. In my heart, I reach to her, almost seeing her face.

Mom.

“Aria!” I hear.

I yelp, snapping out of my trance and turn to see Fenris standing behind me. “You know you should not contact her. While Rachel is indeed and ever shall be your mother, she is not in this era.”

I blush and giggle, “I know. Sorry.”

He turns and nods his head towards the manor, “Come, they are waiting for us. Lunch is being served.”

I nod and follow after him. As we head in, I smile, saying a silent prayer for her, knowing again she’ll find me in the future.