Silent Rose Library, PaxOku, Homare-jima, Tokuno, Chesapeake (PaxLair Times) – July 26, 2011– by Tatania Karthina –
The lodge at the Savage Village was bursting at the seams with people. Two men lay in beds in the center, each of them unconscious and burning with fever. Gnieus Broadrick, one of the sick men has his young son Kelin holding one hand with his sister Milla holding his other hand. Chase, Milla’s husband holds young Kelin’s other hand and the Spirit of Amelia Firebolt Broadrick stands at his head, unseen by all except a few.
The other bed holds Dalton “Sunshine” Savage, known as Two Faces by his people. Sunshine’s hands
are being held by his father, Spirit Walker and his Fiancé Chyara Broadrick.
Encircling both beds, all holding hands are the Broadricks, The Steels, The Savages and Constance
Firebolt. Each person watches the men carefully for any sign that the cure young Kelin gave them
moments ago will work. The entire room seems to be holding their breath.
Gnieus lays as still as death as the poison ravishes his body, but suddenly bright blue eyes pop
open and seem to focus on nothing directly above his head. He speaks, his voice sounding like
gravel, “I’m so sorry Amelia. I tried to save you. I really did. I’ve missed you so much. Our
Kelin is a good lad Amelia. Strong and good hearted like you.” Gnieus closes his eyes and tears
slide down his face.
Everyone in the room held their breath except for Kelin and surprisingly, Spirit Walker and
Constance Firebolt. Only those three could see the Spirit of Amelia. The rest of the people
thought Gnieus was dying. Those three however looked immensely relieved.
Gnieus opened his eyes again to find that Amelia has faded but he sees Kelin and smiles weakly.
“Did you see her son? Did you?”
Kelin squeezes his father’s hand and nods, “Yes Father, Mother helped me with the cure that saved
you. I know her and I love her Father.”
Gnieus smiles a little easier and closes his eyes, “Good. I can rest now. Thank you son. I
love you Kelin. I always have.” Gnieus closes his eyes and falls into the deep sleep of
healing.
On the other bed there was quite a different reaction going on. Sunshine opens his eyes and
focuses on Chyara. “If I am dead I am in heaven to be with my love. If I am alive there is
something I must ask your brothers.” Caius, Chase and Chad step forward to Sunshine’s bed.
“You have to go through all of us, Gnieus included when he awakens”, Caius states to Sunshine.
Sunshine grimaced and spoke weakly, “I haven’t the strength to go through anyone at the moment.
I’ve already gone through a horde of Pirates today, but I will ask you all. May I have your
permission to marry Chyara?” Sunshine asks.
All three men smile to Sunshine but Caius speaks, “After what you have done for this family, you
are already our family Sunshine and your family is our family as well. If they’ll have us. Of
course you may marry Chyara.
Chase speaks next, “I’m honored to have you join our family Dalton.”
Chad add, “That is a yes for me as well brother.”
Chyara clears her throat and glares at Sunshine, “You best be asking me before I change my mind
Sunshine! I thought I had lost you.” Chy’s face showed the evidence of her grief with her face
being tear streaked and her eyes being swollen and red.
Sunshine looks to Chyara and smiles, “You are my heart Chyara Broadrick. Will you do me the
honor of becoming my wife?”
Chyara smiles to her beloved and answers him, Yes, a thousand times Yes. I love you Sunshine!”
Chyara looks up to Spirit Walker and smiles, “I hope to become like a daughter to you in time
Chief Spirit Walker.”
Chief Spirit walker clasps Chyara’s hand and leans forward to kiss her cheek, “How could anyone
who loved my son as you do not be loved by me as well? You are already my daughter
Fierce Heart.”
Sunshine too closes his eyes and falls into a deep sleep. With both men resting, the crowd
breaks up and steps outside quietly whispering among themselves.
Constance Firebolt speaks softly to Chief Spirit Walker for a moment, before the pair of them send
for Chase, Chad, Caius and their wives. The four couples step into the Chief’s lodge while the
kids drag Kelin outside.
Kelin is swarmed by the girls first and hugged and kissed until he laughs at them. He looks at
Tara, Lilly, Tempest and Chasity and smiles to them, “I missed you girls so much. I’m glad you
all are safe.”
Gaius, Drago and Broadrick squirm their way through the girls to hug Kelin, “I heard you slayed a
Dragon and a Kraken to get the potion to save your Da and Sunshine.”, Gaius says.
Kelin laughed and shook his head, Actually I slayed two Imps and played fetch with a Daemon.”
Kelin and the rest of the kids begin to walk off when they notice two young braves near their own
age. A slightly smaller Savage girl tries to peak between them. Kelin stops and smiles to the
other kids, “Would you like to join us?”
The three others smile back and introduce themselves to the Steels.They, it turns out are the
niece and nephew of Sunshine. All the kids go to their Lodge and are welcomed by Sunshine’s
oldest sister, who is their mother. She sends the young girl on an errand then settles all the
children around her table for their dinner. Much Later when Chase, Milla, Chad and Stormy step
into the Lodge they find their children all settled on pallets around the fire, snoring softly.
Sunshine’s sister motions them outside and smiles, “They are all welcome to spend the night just
where they are. They all had a big day and as soon as their bellies were full they were asleep.”
*** The next Morning***
Chase quietly steps into the Lodge where Gnieus and Sunshine are sleeping, intent on checking on
them before breakfast. What he finds brings a smile to his face. Fast asleep in his father’s
arms is Kelin. Gnieus however is wide awake and rather looks like he had been hit in the head
with a war hammer. “I didn’t think I’d ever be able to hold him again”, Gnieus whispered to
Chase. “Then I woke up during the night to find him fast asleep and holding me’, he spoke with
wonder.
“Kelin is like that brother. You never know quite what he’ll do next, but it’s usually a
surprise and right. You have a remarkable son.”, Chase said to Gnieus.
“I just hope I can live up to your example. I’d be happy to be half the father to him that you
have been. Thank you Chase. I… I can never thank you enough.”
“No thanks are necessary Gnieus. I love him. It’s that simple”, Chase replied. “For now, all
you need to do is concentrate on growing strong again.”
Gnieus nods to Chase, a look of understanding passes between the men. Gnieus rouses Kelin and
smiles to him, “You must be hungry son.”
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Kelin kisses his father and rises, walking to Chase and hugging
him. “I am Da. I’ll be back later.”
Gnieus looks to Chase after Kelin is gone and speaks softly, “This must be hard on you. Me being
back.”
Chase considers him a moment then speaks, “I admit that it was, until Milli reminded me how
remarkable Kelin is. That boy has enough love in him for a hundred of us Gnieus. I’d like to
think that Kelin and Milli have taught me to have enough love in me that you’ll know I am sincere
when I say Welcome Home Gnieus. I’m so glad you’re safe and you are welcome to remain with us as
long as you wish, forever if it is what you want.”
“Thank you Chase”, he replied.
***Three Weeks Later***
The entire Steel / Broadrick family was welcomed with open arms into the Prince Estates.
Constance had seen them all to their rooms and life had settled into some normalcy for everyone.
Constance had set up a meeting in the Library and everyone was assembled, drinking tea. Spirit
Walker had come from the Savage Village for the meeting. Chase, Milla, Gnieus and Kelin were
also there. Constance nods to Gnieus and he looks to Kelin.
“Kelin. I would like to explain to you about your Mother’s death. and tell you what I can about
the Prince Family Secrets. Amelia…” He pauses and takes a deep breath before continuing,
“Your mother told me some of it and your Grandmother will fill you in on the rest. Your mother’s
family have the ability to make a cure potion that heals anything son. This ability comes with a
heavy price though. The price for your Mother was her death.”
“The letter you left me when Kelin was sent to me said the men were trying to kill you, Gnieus”,
Milla said.
“That was said to protect Kelin”. Constance injected, “Although Gnieus, blames himself unjustly.”
“I should have been there to protect her Constance. I was not”, Gnieus said with raw grief. He
drops his head and tries to compose himself.
Constance takes over the explanation, “A child of the Prince Family can go on two dream quests
before the age of ten. Each quest will give them the ability to make ten bottles of cure.” She
looks to Kelin, “Do you remember that the book in the quest told you to beware? That is because
the price is high, Kelin.”
“I don’t understand Grandmother. If the cure can cure anything, why did my Mother die?”, Kelin
asks.
“That, Kelin was the first of the price I paid for making the cure when I was a girl”, Constance
told him. “I had used my ten bottles before your Mother died. I could not save her, nor your
Grandfather when the time came.”
“Your Mother had three bottles left herself, but she could not take it herself”, Gnieus told him.
“What happened to Amelia’s three bottles?”, asks Chase.
“I was trying to get to them to destroy them when the Pirates captured me”, Gnieus answered.
“The Pirate known as Captain Jack attempted to use them for his brothers, but it killed them
rather than healed them”, Spirit Walker said. Everyone was astonished except for Constance and
Gnieus. “The Spirits of the Pirate brothers came to me seeking answers”, The Chief finished.
“Why did it kill the pirates?”, Chase asked, frowning.
“It killed the pirates because Amelia did not administer the potion herself. The Prince who made
the potion must be the one to give it.”, Constance answered.
“So you stayed in that pirate prison to keep the Pirates from using me to make more potion?”,
Kelin asks his Da.
Gnieus looks into his sons eyes and nods, “I would have gladly given my life to keep you safe,
son.”
“It wasn’t your fault Da. I’m glad you’re safe now and Mother is glad too. She told me so.”,
Kelin told his father.
“There’s more Kelin. Are you ready to know the rest?”, Constance asks him.
“Yes I am Grandmother”, Kelin answers her after tearing his gaze away from his father.
“If you get another quest before your tenth birthday, you’ll get ten more bottles of potion. If
not, eight bottles are all that are left. You must protect the cure and choose carefully when to
use them. They will be good through your lifetime and must be administered by you. If anyone
else tries to use them, the ill person will die.”, Constance tells him.
“On your tenth birthday you will have the ability to walk in dreams. This gift you will have for
your entire life. It will enable you to walk in anyone’s dreams. They can be conscious of it or
not conscious of it. That ability allowed me to make sure you were safe and happy for all of
your life. It allowed me to know and love you yet stay away from you, which was important for
your safety.” Constance tells him.
“I thought you looked familiar during the Quest. We played in my dreams, didn’t we
Grandmother?”, Kelin asks her.
“We did, although I tried to make those dreams far between so I wouldn’t influence your life too
much. You had to find your own way in life, not in your dreams.” she answered.
Kelin nods thoughtfully before speaking again, “Now I know the Prince Family secrets but one more
thing still puzzles me. The quest book said that my services will be needed at some time. When
will that be?” Kelin asks her.
“That is easy Kelin. You will get to guide your children and if you’re lucky your grandchildren
in their own dream quests, when the time comes.” Constance answered with a wistful smile.
“Id like to add something Kelin”, the old Chief looks from Constance then to Kelin. “When I was
a young brave, I was gravely injured. Your Grandmother used her cure to save me. Since that
time I have been able to walk with the spirits of the world. I think, since your Mother guided
you on your quest that you also have the ability to walk with Spirits, but I am unsure.”
Constance ran her fingers through her hair and looks to the Chief and then to Gnieus, “Of course,
that explains it all.”
“I don’t understand”, says Milla.
“I’ve never heard of a Spirit guide on a Dream Quest. It’s never happened as far as I know. It
also explains the fourth bottle.”
“Fourth bottle?”, asks Gnieus.
“Amelia had used only six bottles of her cure by my count. The seventh she must have used to
save Kelin.”, Constance answers. “That would leave the three the Pirates stole.”
***a week later***
Kelin was fishing with his cousins at the Savage Camp. Tara looks to him and grins, “What do you
want for your birthday Kelin? If you could have anything in the world?”
“My birthday isn’t for three months Tara. Anyway, I have everything I need”, Kelin answers.
“But it’s a huge birthday Kelin! You will be ten and you know what that means!” Tara exclaimed.
Kelin looks to his beloved cousin with astonishment. How did she know? There was no way she
could have guessed what this birthday would mean. “What does it mean Tara?”
Tara rolls her eyes at Kelin and laughs, “You’ll get your first real sword and begin your
training to be a fierce Warrior, of course.”
“oh yeah”, Kelin answered. “I guess I don’t need anything else. Maybe for all my family to be
safe and healthy.”
“Well, it’s only three months away. What could possibly happen during that little amount of
time.” Tara finished just as a fish hooked itself on her hook and she began squealing. All but
the fishing was forgotten… for now
The Saga of Kelin and his adventures will continue in “The Adventures of Kelin 15, coming soon to the bookstore at The PaxOku Silent Rose Library!
Peace and Knowledge be with you!
Tatania Karthina
July 26, 2011