It was well into the evening before the last of the supernatural leaders arrived and a meeting could be held. They unanimously agreed to remain in the shadows until absolutely necessary and wait for Bartholomew to make the first move. It was hoped by all that something would occur -either by magic or just a change in events- to sway the army from the path it was on and dissipate the threat of their world.
Upon closing the meeting, the attendees went off into various directions to form small social groups. It was at this time that Belle took on a normal human form and asked me to take a short walk with her. Overwhelming curiosity, mixed with the desire to stretch my legs, prompted me to readily agree.
“You do not remember me, do you?” Belle said in a soft voice meant for my ears only.
“Did you visit me at my grandparent’s home?” I asked with uncertainty.
“No, silly,” she giggled. “I mean from before. You do not remember me from before.”
“I’m confused,” I admitted. “Before what?”
“When you were fae,” she replied.
“I was human before I became vampire,” I corrected her.
“You are fae reborn into a human’s body,” she said firmly. “No matter,” she said with a shrug, “They will come to you when you least expect it.”
“Who will come to me?” I persisted.
“Not who… what,” she replied. “Your memories will come to you. They always do.”
“Faes become humans?” I asked.
“The cycle of life is an odd mistress,” Belle said thoughtfully. “If you can die, if you can be born, then you are part of the cycle of life. This means all life.”
“So a bug can be reborn as someone or something else?” I asked with genuine interest.
“It’s possible,” she replied with amusement.
“What about vampires?” I asked.
“Can vampires die? Can vampires be born?” she said, more than asked. I placed my hand over my abdomen and nodded. “Well, then, you have your answer.”
“Charles will come back?” I gasped.
“It does not mean he will come back the vicious and cruel vampire he left this world as,” she explained. “The laws of the universe are non-discriminatory. This means that the law of karma is there for bugs and well as vampires. Charles will one day come back, but he will come back in a way that will allow him to make good on the bad he has done.”
“That’s actually comforting,” I said with a sigh.
“Actually,” she continued with a slight shrug, “he may have been too evil to come back. The dark lord just might have him.”
“I take that back. I don’t feel comforted at all,” I said quickly.
“The problem with supernaturals is the length of their life span is so very long. It takes centuries to be reborn again,” Belle said with a sigh as she ignored my comment.
Since discussing Charles and his evilness wasn’t something I was eager to do, I was fine with moving on with our conversation.
“Is that something they want?” I asked. “Being reborn and all?”
“Sometimes,” she said. Then, as if we hadn’t even been discussing such an interesting topic, she abandoned it completely and switched direction with conversation. “Is it not funny to see those old lovers bicker like they are?”
“I’m at a loss, yet again,” I said.
I decided Belle flitted from topic to topic like she flitted around the room when in her small fairy form. I really needed to be on my toes to keep up with her.
“Lady Gwendoline and Lorcan, silly,” she giggled.
“Lovers?” I gasped. “When? How?”
“When is easy,” she said. “They were lovers during the dark ages. How is something I do not think is our business. How faes mate is their own business.”
“Gwendoline is fae?” I said with surprise.
“Of course she is, silly,” she giggled once more. “Humans do not live as long as Gwendoline and they certainly do not hold magic. Only fae hold magic.”
“Nikodem has magic,” I protested.
“Nikodem does magic, but he does not hold magic,” she explained.
“He’s human, then?” I asked.
“He is very human,” she replied as she leaned closer and whispered, “I have it on good authority that he has reached the end of his time. He will soon die.”
I found her nonchalant way of informing me our kind host was destined to die in the near future shocking. Before I could discuss the subject further, I was hailed by Luthias and Jason. They were walking toward me with matching strides that reminded me of the disciplined march of an army.
“You had me worried,” Luthias said as he drew close. “What possessed you to wander off without telling us where you were going?”
“I’m so sorry,” I said sincerely. “It didn’t dawn on me to report my absence. Everyone was just going their separate ways and when Belle asked me to take a walk with her I just did.”
“The others dispersed in small groups around the clearing,” Jason growled. “They did not wander off into the woods where they could be prey to who knows what.”
“You’re funny,” Belle giggled.
“I’m serious,” Jason practically snarled.
“Faes have abilities to escape any danger these woods can offer,” Belle said proudly.
“Like Bartholomew’s army with their state of the art weapons?” Jason continued.
“I have yet to see what those weapons can do,” Belle protested. “Perhaps they are nothing more than the product of a spun tale.”
“Do ye really want to find out?” Luthias asked gently. He’d reverted to speaking with his thick Scottish brogue.
“Hello Luthias,” Belle said warmly. “It has been a long time.”
“Indeed it has,” he replied. “I did not expect ye here.”
“Are you disappointed,” she pouted.
“Not at all,” he said with a smile that, to me, appeared forced.
“Good,” Belle said with obvious satisfaction, which led me to believe she didn’t notice the forced smile.
“You two know each other?” I said with open curiosity.
“I was friends with you when you were Shona, and he was your lover,” Bell offered.
“That will do, Belle,” Luthias bellowed.
“Of course we knew each other,” she continued with a giggle as if Luthias had said nothing at all. “In fact, since Shona and I were so close, I probably know more about him than he would like me to!”
Belle was clearly delighted over the opportunity to gossip and Luthias was just as clearly unhappy about every word that came out of her mouth. I was insanely curious and eager to make sense of the tale she was spinning, but I was also sensitive to Luthias’s uneasiness. Out of respect for him, I opted to change the subject. I’d address it again at a more felicitous time.
“I’m quite tired,” I said as I forced a yawn. “Would it be rude of me to go rest for a bit?”
“I was just going to suggest it,” Luthias said as he looked at me with loving gratitude. “We leave for the subterranean kingdom in the morning. We all need to be rested and on the ready for whatever we may run into.”
“Would you walk with me?” I asked him coyly.
“Might I do the honors?” Jason interjected as he jumped forward and offered his arm.
I shot Luthias a look of confusion, but it was clear he wasn’t paying attention. His focus was solely on Belle, and he didn’t look happy. Assuming he wanted an opportunity to speak with her in private, and assuming Jason was aware of this, I took the arm he offered and smiled thankfully.
It took a brief minute for me to recompose myself from the strength of the blast of unfamiliar werewolf energy such proximity allowed me to experience. I did my best not to let anyone notice.
“Do you think I might find Gwendoline before you take me to my resting spot?” I asked nicely.
“Your wish is my command, dear lady,” he replied.