Chapter Two
There is no such thing as a happily ever after.
Why I woke up thinking that, I don’t know. It wasn’t anything sensible like ‘what just happened?’ or ‘where are we?’ or ‘what did Griffin do to me?’ No, it was ‘no such thing as happily ever after’.
And yet, as soon as I opened my eyes I wanted to continue the whimsical thoughts of happily ever afters and how they never really happened except in fairy tales.
I was staring at Griffin’s boot.
Had I mentioned that he seemed to wear clothes that were outdated by several centuries? Well, he did. And looking so close to a pair of boots from the past, I was able to appreciate the stitching; the subtle wear and tear that told me exactly how Griffin spent his days… the fact that he was wearing a deer’s skin for his feet… Any one of those things.
I clenched my eyes shut, but too late. “Lady Sabriel, you’ve awakened!” Once more, I was pulled to my feet, this time held at arms' length. The better to observe me and make sure I wasn’t bleeding, I was sure.
“Yes, Griffin, I’m awake. And now I want to know what happened, what’s going on?” I hoped I didn’t sound quite as confused as I feared.
“Well, you see…” Griffin looked awkward, and was forced to clear his throat several times. “We are in the land of Dagnae, near the border to Xeniasasa. Your birth-land.”
“What?” Confused, confronted with words that I wasn’t sure I could remember properly, let alone pronounce, and the fact that we were standing on a dirt road in the middle of woods did not make me a better conversationalist.
“Lady Sabriel, perhaps you should sit down…” Griffin helped me ease to the ground. I made no protest; my knees had become slightly wobbly.
“So… what are you saying? Is this why… you became my friend?” I sounded pitiful to my ears, and more then slightly pathetic.
“Nine months ago, Lady, I came to your Earth. I came to fetch you home, and to do that I would require your trust. You are a difficult person to befriend; I have been trying since the first day of ‘school’.”
I gaped in open shock. I had never noticed. “We’re in a different world, then?”
Griffin nodded. “One without a name, at the moment. It has changed twice.” His voice was wry, though it changed back to the kind, concerned tone I was now used to. “Come with me?” He held out his hand again, and, testing the strength of my knees, I took it. “We have a day’s journey to make to the nearest stronghold. I suggest we hurry, these are dangerous times.”
“If it’s anything like the dark ages on Earth, then I have little to be surprised about.” Maybe I was making adjustments easier then I had thought I would…
0O0
Griffin grinned at the guard, while I leaned against a nearby wall to catch my breath. “So, you shall let us in now?”
“Of course, Griffin. You are always welcome here. Who have you brought with you?” The guard leaned around Griffin to catch a glimpse of me. I looked up, and flinched away.
“I rescued her from Mavni men. If you will excuse us?”
Why did Griffin’s comment end with the guard saluting us? Were these Mavnis really as bad as they seemed? I suppose they must be…
0O0
I was not remembering the walk with any fondness. Seven miles is more then difficult enough when you are used to walking no more then just to and from your home to school; it was nearly impossible for me, who, more often then not, was driven. Every muscle seemed to ache, though I was sure there were several more waiting to chime in with their complaints as well.
I was seated at a long table, on a bench. This did not make my back hurt any less; instead it just seemed to worsen the sore feeling. And there was no cutlery, so everything had to be eaten by hand. There was no water, just wine. And if I’d been willing to intoxicate myself, I would have drunk from my… goblet, it seemed to be.
Griffin was up on the high table, eating and drinking with abandon. The wine seemed to have yet to affect him, quite probably because he was the one used to it.
I had things to be surprised about, of course. The first thing was the people; they had animal features. Some had great tufts of fur on their ears; some looked like wolves turned human, some like cougars turned human, so on and so forth. It did not ease my mind that they all watched me, just as I watched them. Only in my case, there was fear, and in theirs, interest.
Hopefully, not interest in prey.
I was more then happy when the crowd started to thin as people got ready for bed, but I was confused on more then one level. I knew not where I was to sleep, and Griffin had… disappeared. Probably to his own bed. If I was so important that he had to travel to a different world to find me, then why was I being left to fend for myself? I was unused to it, and-
A hand dropped down on my shoulder, and I jumped. I could almost detect something breaking, and my head drooped.
“Lady? You are to come with me, please.” I stumbled over the bench, and paused to straighten my clothes, before rushing after my guide. From behind all I could see was pale hair and the barest hint of a tail peeking out from beneath gray skirts. I hesitated, and then ran to catch up. Neither of us spoke as she led me down winding corridors, to a door. “This is your room, Lady, and I hope it will be acceptable.”
The wolf-like person curtsied to me, and I blinked. “I… I’m sure it will be fine, thank you.” I opened the door, backed inside, and shut the door. That had been… odd.
I didn’t bother to change my clothes, just fell asleep on the bed and relaxed. What was going on? Griffin had brought me here, to my ‘birth-land’, he said. Or near to my birth-land. My homeland, was it?
Sighing, I got up. I walked over to the door and checked for a lock. There was none, so I pulled a chair over to block the door. Surely that would wake me, wouldn’t it? The windows didn’t open, which, while it eased my fears of someone climbing in through the window, made me feel slightly… trapped.
Why was I here? With the questions running through my mind, I tried to go to sleep. I must have succeeded, as I remembered no more then my determination to breathe slowly.
It seemed minutes later that Griffin was shaking me awake, tight-lipped and glancing over his shoulder every five seconds.
“Griffin, what…?”
“Hush, Lady Sabriel, I’ve not much time to explain. But we must go, now!” He pulled me to my feet, just as easily as he ever did. Gasping, I hurried after him. Once out of my room, I could hear a far off sound of metal on metal… was there a fight going on? Was that what was worrying Griffin?
“Griffin, please, explain!” I kept my voice quiet, just in case, but Griffin didn’t respond. Biting my lip, I ran a few steps, keeping close to his side.
I couldn’t stifle the scream when a brutish man jumped out at us, sword raised above his head, but Griffin didn’t flinch. He thrust his hand forward and fire jumped from his palm; the man, needless to say, was incinerated. I shivered, unable to look away, and Griffin was forced to pull me behind him for a few feet.
He pressed his hand against the wall, cursing as he searched for something. What he wanted, I didn’t know. He’d killed twice that I knew of… It was then I became aware of the tears that trailed down my face. That man had just… burned. And Griffin had walked by, as if that was an every day experience. Was Griffin truly to be trusted? I thought so, but… I wasn’t sure.
With a triumphant sound, I was brought back to the present. Stones slid back behind the rest of the wall… the real wall. It was pitch black in the tunnel, and Griffin held his hand up. A fireball came to life in his palm, and I flinched.
Griffin pulled me down several flights of stairs and along the tunnel, ignoring the places where it branched off into shadow.
“We must… get out of Dagnae… My apologies, Lady Sabriel. I did not mean for… danger to meet your first… night here.”
I shook my head, stumbling. My arm was torn from Griffin’s hold, and when I looked up his face took on an expression of dismay. Only then did I remember my tears, and hastened to wipe them away. Too late, however, as he crouched down in front of me.
“Oh, Lady Sabriel… you’re not hurt, are you? Please, tell me what is wrong! I cannot stand to see you in such pain.” He brushed my cheek with the hand not holding fire, and I flinched away.
“You killed him.” My words were naught but a whisper, yet somehow he heard them.
“I’m sorry.” I jumped and looked at Griffin. His head was bowed, shoulders trembling. “I cannot explain now, but please believe me! I meant no harm to you; I wish only your safety. That man would have killed you. Please, let us leave. We have far to go, though I wish it were otherwise.” He held his hand out to me, and I allowed him to pull me to my feet. Even after all that had happened, I trusted him.
I trusted him! There was no reason to, no reason to let him play with my heart so! But I went with him.
Long after I was stumbling from exhaustion, we started up a flight of stairs. I tripped and had to hang onto Griffin’s hand time and again, but I refused any other aid. Oh, how I longed for sleep! But my sleep would only be tormented by the sight of the man going up in flames… sleep was a friend and an enemy… as Griffin was.
Oh, I was confused! In my sleep-muddled mind, not even the door out of the tunnel made any sense. Griffin pushed it open and pulled me out.
“We’ll rest here. Lady Sabriel, here, take my cloak. I will keep guard.”
Too tired to protest, I wrapped myself up and drifted away. Any dreams I had went unremembered; a fact I was more then thankful for upon waking.
0O0
The Soothsayer’s son cannot chose who he helps.
Griffin stared at his hands with loathing, lip curled in disgust. He had run! Left the guard behind. Warily, he glanced over towards Sabriel. He wished he could explain things to her, but his orders were clear. Keep her safe, answer no questions; bring her to the capital of Xeniasasa, Zaphire. But she would want to know…
Getting to his feet, Griffin crept to the sleeping girl. The tips of his fingers gleamed white as he brushed her hair from her face. The same moment, the worried expression that marred her elfin beauty melted away. Smiling to himself, a little sadly, he pressed his fingers to her temple. She would not ask any questions until sight of Zaphire.
He was just sorry he had to manipulate her to achieve it.
0O0
We had been traveling through what Griffin called Xeniasasa (that name, again!) for more then a week, when we saw it.
For some reason, we had avoided towns and other places with people, living off the land. Griffin said something once about not wanting to draw attention, but since I’d been busy at the time getting rocks out of my shoe, I hadn’t noticed. Much.
Now, the castle rose up from the rock and grass and flat plain, shining black and blue and green in the sunlight.
“Odd stone,” I commented. Griffin grunted.
Talk had become scarce the closer we’d gotten to our destination, and I wondered why. I had so many questions that only he seemed to have the answer to. I needed him to explain to me why I was here; why he’d taken me to this place; why, if I’d been born here, I’d been taken away… But I never asked. There seemed to be a barrier between the questions and my mouth, a barrier that was starting to melt.
“Griffin?” I turned to look at him, and was struck by how stricken he seemed. During the week, he’d gotten somewhat hairy, but even the fuzz on his cheeks couldn’t hide the fact that his cheeks were pale. And, if I looked closely, his eyes were red. “Griffin…” I grabbed his hand, having to snatch at it because he refused, besides helping me, to touch me now.
He jumped and looked down at our clasped hands, before looking up at me. “Lady Sabriel, please, we shouldn’t…”
“Why? Please, Griffin, you’re my friend! Talk to me!” I pulled his hand to my cheek. My throat felt tight, and there was a burning behind my eyes that warned of tears to come. “Please.”
“Oh, Lady…” Griffin closed his eyes, and before he drew me to him I saw great pain in his face. I buried my face into his shoulder, clutching him close to me. This warmth and safety I got from his arms wrapped around me and his solid chest bracing me was drawn into my heart, where I would keep it close in times of need.
I had not realized, at the time, how much I would need that memory of closeness with Griffin. Nor how many times of need I would face.
His fingers pulled through my hair, gentle even when tangles caught his fingers. He combed my hair out, leaving it snare free, better then any brush or comb I’d ever encountered.
I pulled away, but not enough to give him reason to let go. I wanted to tell him so much, and for once I wasn’t plagued with questions or worries and I didn’t feel the need to guard everything I did to keep things from breaking… but I couldn’t speak. So many emotions rolled through my body, and I saw so many similar ones in Griffin’s eyes, that I was struck dumb.
“We should go,” he whispered. “We have dallied long enough.” His arms fell to his side as he straightened.
I stepped back, face burning. I didn’t speak, just turned around and started walking. I felt, more then heard, a boulder turn into sand, right in sight. My hurt… I shoved it down, lest any of the trees turn into nothing more then twigs and splinters. He confused me! Besides why would he… why would I…? I didn’t need any more questions! I already had enough.
“Lady Sabriel, wait!”
I didn’t.
I hurried towards the odd castle, and away from the questions that buzzed incessantly. They followed of course, but I did try to escape.
0O0
Griffin did the talking at the gates. Whoever was guarding let us through, but not once did I look up from the ground. There was silence between us, Griffin and I, and I refused to be the one to break it. Strangely, I remembered my book, and winced. Ah, all I knew of affection came from books, but never from experience. If friendship had been foreign, from another country and with another language that I didn’t know even the basics of, then anything more came from another planet.
Swirls of colorful skirts, boots that were similar to Griffin’s or sturdier looking, drifted into my vision and then out. Noises and laughter and shouting filled my ears, but never once what I wanted to hear. Griffin didn’t speak to me.
I glanced up when we stopped, only to look back down. We were at the doors of the castle. We were let through; though how, I don’t know, since I wasn’t listening. But then we were walking through a hallway, the floor of which was the same stone as the outside. What was it? Thinking about the stone helped to keep the fear from overwhelming me, which was never a good thing, considering. Fear prevented clear thinking, and that was what was needed.
At the moment, Griffin and I seemed to be alone, but since that could change at any moment I didn’t count on him suddenly baring his soul to me. Or why he wouldn’t answer my questions… or why he seemed to hurt when we had hugged.
“Lady? Please, listen but a moment.” His hand touched my elbow; I stopped, of course. “Please, look at me.”
“Why should I?” I asked, but he’d gotten his result. I was looking at him. He looked so kind and caring and… and… and I wanted to slap him! He was not helping at all! Although, what needed helping… I was kind of confused as to what that was.
“Because, the moment we reach Mizuiro, I will be gone. I can’t answer your questions, you must know that! I have my orders! But,” and his hand came up to my cheek, “I can tell you that you… you will be wonderful. Don’t let them push you around, all right?”
I blinked, and nodded. If he had told me that… but I couldn’t speak again, because that lump was back in my throat, and now I felt all shuddery.
I couldn’t lose control, I couldn’t lose control, and so many bad things would happen if I did…
A tear slipped down my cheek. And then another. I let out a sob, falling forward to clutch at his shirt. “I don’t want you to go.” How obvious that was! I didn’t say anything he couldn’t have figured out on his own!
“I know.” His hand rested on my head, the other on my back. “I know,” he sighed. I sniffed.
We stood there for a long minute, where I struggled to pull back, to get control over my wild emotions. It wasn’t fair. I said so.
“Of course it is not fair, Lady Sabriel. Life is never fair. But we don’t have to like it, do we?” He brushed away my tears with the pad of his thumb, and nearly set me off again. “Come, we must get this over with. I’m sorry.”
I nodded. What a fool I was being. Foolish, emotional… what he must think of me. I had just acted like a needy, clinging girl. For heaven’s sake, we were friends! Nothing more, and even then we had known each other only thirteen days! That was not something to base a long-standing relationship on… not that I wanted a relationship with Griffin.
Right; and I was going to sprout wings and fly, too.
Moments after, I realized I had more questions to ask, but he was already leading me along. No chance to ask them. Who should I be wary of? What would I be wonderful at? Why… was he leaving me?
I felt such a fool, even as I drew the pain inside myself to deal with it later. Someplace no one would be hurt.
It was a large, heavy door that Griffin knocked on. It was pulled open by a short, stuffy looking man… with blue skin, aqua hair, and webbed fingers. His eyes, I noticed, were yellow.
“Yes? Ah, the soothsayer’s son. And you must be Sabriel.” He was looking at me now…
“Uh…”
“She is.”
The man sniffed, before gesturing for us to go inside. “Very well then, let me tell the mistress you have arrived. Hn, I shall arrange for a bath and new clothes for the lady, as well.”
I flinched, and then frowned. But Griffin took my hand and squeezed it; I glanced over and he smiled at me. I smiled back, and took a deep breath. Calm… I had to be calm… Else exploding valuables would be all too likely… I hated my unfortunate abilities! I couldn’t fight back! But I didn’t want to hurt anyone… This was too much like chains, although they were chains of the mind and not the body.
The stuffy man walked through yet another door, this one thinner, and we could hear his voice, but not the words. Finally, after what seemed like a long time- but not one that was long enough- he came back out.
“The mistress waits to meet you, Lady Sabriel. You, soothsayer’s son, come with me.”
“Wait! Griffin… I can’t go in there alone!” I was starting to hyperventilate. How could I deal with anything, unless Griffin was there to guide me? I couldn’t! I wouldn’t! Not without him. He… I had to flay him for not answering my questions, and if he left, how would I do that?
He grasped my shoulders, and I clutched his arms. “Lady, please, calm yourself. You will do fine, believe me.” He smiled, and let go of my shoulders. “I will require my arms, now.”
Reluctantly, I let go. He patted my shoulder, and walked away with the stuffy man who’d taken Griffin away from me. I closed my eyes, remembering our hug, before turning to knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Squaring my shoulders, I opened the door.
0O0
I sat down in the chair across from who I had to assume was Mizuiro, since Griffin was gone. I shifted, already uncomfortable, but refusing to be the one to speak first.
Thankfully, I didn’t have much of a wait.
“So, you are Sabriel.”
I jumped. “Y-yes, I am. Why?”
She ignored my question… why was I surprised? No one seemed to want to answer me. The fact thinned my lips, and tried my control, though it did not break it.
“I am Mizuiro.” So I was right about one thing. She glanced at me and smiled. “Relax, I do not bite.”
I bit my lip and nodded. “Why am I here?”
Mizuiro blinked. “Ah, that’s right, Griffin was told not to tell you. And no, I do not know why my mother ordered him that.” She shrugged, and sat down in her chair. “You are here, Sabriel, for a reason that stretched back to before your birth.”
“Huh?” Join Sabriel and her confusion, staring all week long and just about all day. I was really becoming a brilliant conversationalist. Especially when things were thrown at me from out of left field, so to speak.
Mizuiro chuckled. “Let me explain. Do you know anything about the Mavni?”
I shook my head. Nope, not really… Other then the fact that Griffin killed one of them, nothing.
“They’re despicable! If they were content to live in their borders, we would leave them alone, but they refuse to do so!” Mizuiro got to her feet, and walked over to a window that didn’t have, near as I could tell, any glass. It was a big window, taking up nearly the whole wall. Personally, I would have been afraid of falling through, but maybe Mizuiro was braver then I.
“I’m not sure I understand.” I spoke slowly and carefully. Too many surprises in one day, and I really didn’t want any more. I could ask my questions, but I could not think how to word them. I needed help. Too bad no one who played with the threads of life ever listened to what I wanted.
“Mavni forces are always pressing on Dagnae, our neighbor to the south. Let me see… Mavnis have always caused trouble for everyone else, starting with their rulership over the continent from the ocean to the mountains. The old ruler was beheaded by one of our ancestors, and the Mavnis were driven back, but they’ve never really gone away.”
I nodded, not quite understanding but hoping that it wouldn’t get any more confusing then it already was.
“The Mavnis are tough fighters, and Dagnae heirs are always cared for here, in Xeniasasa. But the Mavnis must be stopped, Sabriel!” Mizuiro pounded her fist into her palm. “When I was five, the Mavnis stepped up their attacks. Dagnae has been pressed beyond its reserves. We were told, Sabriel, that one of the Xeniasasa rulers would stop them, once and for all.”
She looked at me then, and met my eye. “We were told that person would be you.”
My mouth dropped open. I think I managed to say “oh” before falling down.
I don’t really remember much after that, other then my irritation at all the fainting I was doing.
