his study. A small, stone room, with high arched ceilings and stained-glass. He had always come here to collect his thoughts.
He sat at the simple, wooden, medieval desk, took out a piece of old parchment, and a feathered quill, dipped it in ink, and began to write.
My Dearest Caitlin,
I fear for what Sera may have told you, but rest assured, whatever it was, it was but half the truth.
Yes, at one moment in time, Sera and I did have a child together. A boy. His name was Jade. I loved him dearly, so very much. Jade, like you, was a half-breed, for when I first married Sera, she was but a human. Jade, I tear to say, did not live long.
My heart is with Jade every day, but I fear it is only in spiritual form. He has not walked this Earth for hundreds of years.
I meant to tell you of him, in good time, but we had not the right moment to share this memory. I presume you assume I was withholding something sacred from you, and in some ways, I was, but only due to my own deepest sadness. And insecurity. You see, I was afraid of losing you. And apparently, I already have.
Please trust that there is nothing between myself and Sera, and there has not been for hundreds of years. I am deeply sorry if she gave another impression. I was not kissing her, despite appearances: she had thrust herself upon me, and I was merely pushing her off.
Know how much I love you, and how much I’m thinking of you even now. I eagerly anticipate the end of this war, and a new life somewhere far from here, that is, if you are in it.
Please know that you hold my heart in this letter.
My deepest affection,
Caleb
Caleb gently folded the parchment, again and again, until it was a tiny square, barely bigger than his palm. Then he walked to the large, open window, raised a finger to his mouth, and whistled.
Within seconds, a huge falcon swooped in, and as Caleb held out his arm, landed perfectly on his wrist. Caleb reached up and stroked the Falcon’s head.
“My old friend,” Caleb said softly.
It jerked its head back to Caleb, in recognition.
“Deliver this to Caitlin. Pollepel Island. You know where it is.”
Caleb stuffed the small piece of paper into a tiny locket around the Falcons neck, and closed it securely.
“Be off!” Caleb yelled, raising his arm.
With that, the falcon flew out the window, and into the night sky.
Suddenly, there was a banging at the door.
Caleb strutted across the room and opened it. There stood Samuel, with all his soldiers.
Caleb grabbed his staff, and walked right towards them.
“I’m ready,” Caleb said.
TWELVE
“Caitlin!”
Even in Caitlin’s haze, even as she knelt there, choking Cain, there was something about that voice that snapped her out of it. Where had it come from?
A man stepped forward, cutting through the crowd, wearing a long robe and carrying a staff. With his long, silver hair and long beard to match, he looked like a prophet. He stood there, scowling down at Caitlin, disappointment in his voice.
“Release him!” he said firmly.
As Caitlin looked into his eyes, even in her haze, she could feel that there was something special about this man. She felt as if it were a reunion, as if she had known him for lifetimes. And she respected him.
She was helpless to refuse. Caitlin slowly loosened her grip, and as she did, Caitlin quickly scurried out from under her, gasping and choking, and ran off towards the woods.
Caitlin stood, and faced this man.
Aiden. She was sure it was him.
“Yes, it is me,” he said, answering her thoughts. “And you and I have a lot to discuss.”
*
Caitlin walked in silence behind Aiden, as they hiked on a narrow trail through the thick woods of the island. Pollepel, she was starting to realize, was deceptively big: while the huge castle was perched on one corner, once she headed into the interior, the rest of this island was consumed with woods.
They hiked this way and that, weaving left and right, up and down
He sat at the simple, wooden, medieval desk, took out a piece of old parchment, and a feathered quill, dipped it in ink, and began to write.
My Dearest Caitlin,
I fear for what Sera may have told you, but rest assured, whatever it was, it was but half the truth.
Yes, at one moment in time, Sera and I did have a child together. A boy. His name was Jade. I loved him dearly, so very much. Jade, like you, was a half-breed, for when I first married Sera, she was but a human. Jade, I tear to say, did not live long.
My heart is with Jade every day, but I fear it is only in spiritual form. He has not walked this Earth for hundreds of years.
I meant to tell you of him, in good time, but we had not the right moment to share this memory. I presume you assume I was withholding something sacred from you, and in some ways, I was, but only due to my own deepest sadness. And insecurity. You see, I was afraid of losing you. And apparently, I already have.
Please trust that there is nothing between myself and Sera, and there has not been for hundreds of years. I am deeply sorry if she gave another impression. I was not kissing her, despite appearances: she had thrust herself upon me, and I was merely pushing her off.
Know how much I love you, and how much I’m thinking of you even now. I eagerly anticipate the end of this war, and a new life somewhere far from here, that is, if you are in it.
Please know that you hold my heart in this letter.
My deepest affection,
Caleb
Caleb gently folded the parchment, again and again, until it was a tiny square, barely bigger than his palm. Then he walked to the large, open window, raised a finger to his mouth, and whistled.
Within seconds, a huge falcon swooped in, and as Caleb held out his arm, landed perfectly on his wrist. Caleb reached up and stroked the Falcon’s head.
“My old friend,” Caleb said softly.
It jerked its head back to Caleb, in recognition.
“Deliver this to Caitlin. Pollepel Island. You know where it is.”
Caleb stuffed the small piece of paper into a tiny locket around the Falcons neck, and closed it securely.
“Be off!” Caleb yelled, raising his arm.
With that, the falcon flew out the window, and into the night sky.
Suddenly, there was a banging at the door.
Caleb strutted across the room and opened it. There stood Samuel, with all his soldiers.
Caleb grabbed his staff, and walked right towards them.
“I’m ready,” Caleb said.
TWELVE
“Caitlin!”
Even in Caitlin’s haze, even as she knelt there, choking Cain, there was something about that voice that snapped her out of it. Where had it come from?
A man stepped forward, cutting through the crowd, wearing a long robe and carrying a staff. With his long, silver hair and long beard to match, he looked like a prophet. He stood there, scowling down at Caitlin, disappointment in his voice.
“Release him!” he said firmly.
As Caitlin looked into his eyes, even in her haze, she could feel that there was something special about this man. She felt as if it were a reunion, as if she had known him for lifetimes. And she respected him.
She was helpless to refuse. Caitlin slowly loosened her grip, and as she did, Caitlin quickly scurried out from under her, gasping and choking, and ran off towards the woods.
Caitlin stood, and faced this man.
Aiden. She was sure it was him.
“Yes, it is me,” he said, answering her thoughts. “And you and I have a lot to discuss.”
*
Caitlin walked in silence behind Aiden, as they hiked on a narrow trail through the thick woods of the island. Pollepel, she was starting to realize, was deceptively big: while the huge castle was perched on one corner, once she headed into the interior, the rest of this island was consumed with woods.
They hiked this way and that, weaving left and right, up and down
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