CHAPTER XXVII
Anna peaked inside Haldora’s room, waiting to see the remains of a night of love making, but instead she was confronted with her friend unconscious against a wall. Anna rushed into the room, not noticing Michael’s body on the bed, running directly to Haldora and attempting to wake her. Haldora awoke with a slap or two. She seemed frightened. Anna was contaminated by this fright. Haldora rose from the floor immediately and realized her lover still slept. She was somewhat relieved. She stood in the middle of the room motionless, looking at the fire, attempting to understand what had happen. She was so involved in her own thoughts that she was unable to hear her friend asking repeatedly what had happen. Anna finally was forced to hold her friend by the arms and shake her till she was out of her trance like state.
- What happened? -, Anna asked.
- Hella! -, Haldora uttered.
Anna let go of her friend and took a step back, remembering of who Haldora spoke of.
- Hella?
- You called?
Anna and Haldora looked to the fire place to see Hella coming out of the flames. She walked towards the women, kicking her green dress open with every step and showing off her putrid legs, allowing her stench to fill the room.
- It’s you! The witch! I should be angry at you, but look at you became. I’ve forgotten it!
Haldora stared at her with the same fear she had so many years ago. Her braveness of before was all but gone.
- Yes, one can forget, but forgotten things have a tendency to sprung up when you least expect them. -, Hella announced looking at Haldora.
- If it’s me you want, take me and leave them alone. -, Haldora ordered as she rose from the floor.
Hella let go one of her known horrible laughs.
- I don’t want you. I want him… -, Hella explained as she looked at Michael’s body still lying sleeping on the bed.
Haldora tried to move towards Hella, but Anna took her arm and the burning warmth of her touch stopped Haldora from moving.
- Hal. You’re freezing. -, Anna realized.
- You took it! -, she whispered, - Otr gave me warmth, before we parted. You took it.
- The Gods giveth, the Gods taketh away! -, Hella put it simply, - But you didn’t let me finish! I want him to remember.
Haldora was confused upon hearing these words. But there was no time to interpret her words because Michael began to wake. She ran to his side, smiling as he awoke. He looked at her as if for the first time. Immediately Haldora knew that something was wrong. He got up from the bed and looked around the room, trying to recognize it. The only thing he seemed capable of recognizing was Hella. He took another look at Haldora, who sat at the edge of the bed.
- I knew you before. -, he said Haldora tried to speak but before she could utter a word he continued, - I knew you from before we ever met. I’d seen you. We have spoken before.
Haldora smiled pretending she thought it was a joke, but his expression remained unchanged. Anna remained frozen at his words.
- I came from the South. Your people didn’t want to accept me because I’d change my name to a Christian name. I helped your people during the war. You were the smithy’s daughter.
At this revelation Haldora dropped her pretending and became amazed at what he seemed to know. She nodded without having complete control over her actions.
- There were months of negotiating before the war. I stayed at the village. And I was attended by you. You’d come in the night and mend my clothes, keep my fire high, fix my shoes, even sharpen my sword and axe.
- You knew? -, Anna asked before Haldora could.
- Yes! I’d pretend to sleep.
- And said nothing? -, Hella finally asked.
- I should have.
Haldora was amazed as to what he could remember.
- I was late to tell you… to talk to you. You were already gone to battle. Then you were gone. -, Haldora walked over to Michael, touching his face, - I just wanted to be where you were. To be with you. -, she explained.
Michael was unaffected. He looked at her as if she was only someone he knew and not a person with whom he had spent long hours with.
- I should have spoken to you. I should have prevented you from coming back. I had someone waiting from me in the South and it wasn’t fair to let you continue as you did.
Haldora was surprised at his revelation. She could not bring herself to answer him. In her stead Hella smiled, the whole scene diverted her immensely.
He suddenly grabbed his head, feeling a violent headache, he walked away from Haldora leaving her and Anna more frightened as to what was to come.
- You were with the white men. -, he then said, - My son saw you.
- Your son? -, Anna asked.
- When the Viking invaded they killed him, leaving his son and his unborn child orphans. -, Haldora explained, - I saw it in a vision.
- I could feel something there in my house. -, Michael whispered.
Michael held his right shoulder in agony, breathing through pain. Anna came closer to Haldora.
- His going through his lives. He’s half here and half there. -, she explained, - Why are you doing this?
- It was you who saved me. -, Michael said, Haldora nodded.
- And you saved me. -, she announced, - Kept me from being killed.
- I knew that sent. –, he explained.
Haldora smiled as she nodded confirming her suspicions. Michael began to breathe deeper and look at her in disgust. Her smile faded, she came nearer to him and he redrew from her.
- Don’t come near me. -, he shouted, - Stay back you hellish creature.
- Michael! Please look at me. -, she asked as he tried to take cover, - Michael, remember me.
- What does he think you are? -, Anna asked.
- He was my translator during the Inquisition. He saw my scar.
- The scar! -, Michael repeated, - from the axe. But you died!
Haldora looked at Hella in anger.
- Get out of my head! -, he shouted grabbing his head and shaking it violently, - Get out of my dreams.
Haldora walked towards him, she took Michael’s arms in her hands and with her heavy grip settled him down. He looked at her in fright.
- You’re cold. You’re so cold! -, he whispered.
- Michael, remember yesterday! -, she urged him.
But he didn’t seem to leave his trance like state. He seemed more afraid of Haldora, then of Hella.
- Stop this! -, she ordered Hella.
- I wish I could! But your Druid friends must have explained it to you, once you set something in motion, there’s no way of stopping it. -, she explained, - He’s telling you what you wanted to know. The second half of your story.
Anna began to move slowly behind Hella towards the garden door, but before she could pass the fire place, Hella’s hand was on her throat.
- Where are you going, my dear? You don’t want to make me angry a second time, do you?
Anna stepped back unwillingly. Hella walked over to Michael. She took him by the arm and held him as if he were a child. Haldora was revolted at the image. Hella stroke his hair.
- My dear child, shall we show your friend who your heart has belonged too all this time? -, she asked in a soft voice, Haldora has never heard before.
Michael made no answer, he seemed to be hypnotized.
A green mist came from the fireplace and filled the room, within it they could see images forming. Haldora looked attentively. She could see her warrior leave another village and leave a woman behind, with a kiss. She could see him, in his farmer’s life, courting his pregnant wife and the woman was the same. She could see all his lives and in all of them there was the same woman, married to him, in love with him, bearing his children. Standing with him in his tough moments. And the worse part of what she saw was that she knew who this person was, she had seen her before. Haldora was unable to formulate the word.
- She’s in his pictures. -, Anna realized.
- She as his girlfriend. -, Haldora explained.
Hella let go of Michael and began to walk back to the fire place. Haldora was frozen, Anna was amazed and Michael seemed to sleep. Hella approached the fire.
- I’ll leave you in that note. -, she said before she entered through the flames and disappeared.
Michael took a deep breath and seem to awake. He looked at Haldora confused. Haldora was afraid.
- Anna, will you leave us alone? -, Michael requested.
Anna nodded and walked slowly out of the room, looking back at the two lovers once or twice, before closing the door. She was wondering what would happen between them.
Statues… Confusion… Fright…
