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After a long flight around the coastline of Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay followed by a long sleep, Rowan awoke and immediately sensed that she wasn’t alone. A hand reached for hers. It felt reassuring and made her body shiver and tingle. She didn’t open her eyes at first, savouring the moment of peace and tranquillity. This was a feeling that she had never experienced before. Was this the feeling lovers had? She would never know or maybe in time she might. Quickly brushing the thoughts aside, and trying not to blush as her imagination was running away with her, she finally opened her eyes. It was Karlin who was holding her hand.
Suddenly his face came to hers and he slowly kissed her. It felt warm and loving and she let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around him as he lay down next to her and held her tight. As he kissed her she stared into his eyes. His left eye was dark brown and his right was a much lighter colour. They looked like they had seen a lot of pain and suffering that nobody should have to endure but yet they looked at her with love. His hair was long and dark brown with streaks of white. She wondered how old he was but she thought maybe age as well as time did not matter here. His beard was thick, long and the same colour as his hair. As always, the top three buttons of his shirt were undone.
She cautiously lifted her hand and touched his chest, feeling the soft hair and skin. She relaxed more and put her head against him, and she felt him sigh as his arms held her tightly to him. Time stood still for them both in that tight embrace, but then he slowly laid her on her back on the bed. She had preferred to wear his shirts and he hadn’t minded. He just wanted her to be happy. He touched the buttons and then hesitated, but she nodded her head as if to say ‘yes’. Her skin felt warm and soft. He brushed away the thought that there were no signs of childbirth on her breasts and slowly he traced his fingers over one of them whilst kissing her.
Their love-making was intense and passionate. Two bodies became one between the soft sheets. Rowan just wanted him as close as possible, and she didn’t want to let him go – not ever. Eventually, they both slept and didn’t wake up until the dawn was breaking and the birds were singing.
‘Let us go for a walk along the cliffs,‘ he said after their usual morning cup of herb tea. ‘We need to see if everything is alright.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Rowan as she followed him outside. She held his hand, and they walked along the path that led down to the coastline.
‘Something is not as it should be.’ He frowned and looked at her without really seeing her pale face. Rowan was frightened. She had never seen him look like this before. He was troubled and she didn’t know how to help him. Without warning he stroked her back, and she felt her wings open involuntarily as she changed into the bird that he had made her. He circled around and she followed wondering what was going on. The view was wonderful and the sea was calm. Although this time she didn’t really notice it. She was watching and wondering what was happening. Her world was breaking apart again and she didn’t understand why.
She flew around above the sea until she realised that Karlin wasn’t with her. He was quickly falling to the rocks. His wings weren’t letting him fly. Blood was coming out of his chest where he had been shot, and his eyes were glassy. She wanted to call his name, but she couldn’t. Once she had landed on the rock next to him, they changed into their human forms, and his hand reached weakly out to hold hers.
‘This is goodbye Rowan,’ he whispered tenderly as he brushed her hair out of her eyes. ‘Carry on my good work.’
‘Karlin! Don’t leave me.’ She sobbed and cuddled into his chest as he tried to hold her tight, but he was weak. ‘Please don’t die.’
He smiled at her with love. ‘I cannot die,’ he replied as he stroked her face. ‘I am already dead.’
‘You can’t be dead!’ she exclaimed and her tears rained down onto him. The blood from his chest was flowing down the rocks and into the sea.
‘We are both already dead,’ he quietly told her. His voice was fading as he grew weaker and weaker.
‘Prove yourself to the other world and I will hold you in my arms for all eternity if that is what you wish.’
She nodded, but she didn’t understand what he was trying to tell her.
‘You will know what to do when the time is right.’
As the darkness fell and the moon appeared from behind a cloud, he slid without a sound off the rock and the sea claimed his body. As she watched a shadow appeared, and it looked as if it was waving to her.
‘This is not forever Rowan. Remember that I will always love you.’