Dreaming Of Butterflies
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Aria’s dream shifted, and suddenly she found herself sitting on a wooden porch in the middle of a beautiful garden. She was dressed in a loose cotton nightgown that came down to her knees, and a pair of white lace slippers with little pink roses on them.
It was cool outside but not cold, like late summer rather than winter. And yet the sky overhead was darkening; it looked almost black except for the occasional star peeking through the clouds. The sun had already set behind the mountains surrounding this place, casting the valley below into shadows.
A soft breeze blew across the lawn from time to time, making leaves rustle along one side of the garden. But Aria knew there were no trees here at all. Just a long stretch of green grass surrounded by stone walls.
There was nothing around to block the wind or any sound that might come from beyond the property, though she couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to keep their yard totally still.
The man standing next to her wore an old-fashioned white shirt with short sleeves and a high collar. His hair was so pale that he looked bald when she first noticed it, which made sense considering his age, but now she saw that strands of gray peeked out from under a cap hanging over his ears.
He was smiling down at Aria with his blue eyes sparkling above a neatly trimmed mustache and beard that covered most of the lower half of his face. Her gaze went straight up to see how tall the man was. He stood just about eye level, but she didn’t have to look far before seeing him wearing a full suit of shining steel armor and wielding an enormous scimitar.
He was handsome, she decided, with the kind of rugged good looks you never imagined finding inside your father, even if he did wear a beard now. He was probably in his mid-sixties or maybe older. His skin was tanned to a golden color like his eyebrows, and the only real sign of age was the deep lines etched into his forehead.
Aria recognized him as the same warrior she’d seen earlier in another dream, but she also realized he wasn’t quite the same person she remembered. Something important must’ve changed.
“You’re very pretty,” he said. “And young.”
She tried to smile, but she had no idea what to say. She hadn’t spoken to anyone other than her family since losing her voice. Not that she’d been lonely; everyone had always treated her well and taken care of her. But now she felt nervous and shy. “I’m sorry I can’t talk,” she whispered. “My parents are worried.”
The man took off his cap and bowed his head, then turned back to face her again. “We all miss you, Aria.” He paused. “I know they love you too. I know you understand that, don’t you?”
It was the right thing to say, and Aria nodded slowly. Then her mouth tightened and she looked down at her lap.
But this man, who called himself Kiron, didn’t let her wallow in sadness or shame. He put his arm around Aria’s shoulder and guided her toward the center of the garden. Aria followed him without really thinking about it, not knowing where he was taking her or what this whole dream meant.
They passed between rows of perfectly shaped yellow flowers, each one taller than she was and with petals arranged in the shape of a crown; Aria wondered what kind they were. They weren’t exactly tulips, she thought, but something similar.
As soon as she saw them she understood what this place was supposed to be. “This is your home,” she gasped.
Kiron chuckled softly and patted her hand, then led her around a large fountain with the heads of three water creatures carved into the sides of the bowl. He pointed out two statues that looked like birds standing side by side:
One was a hawk with red wings, the other a raven with silver feathers. Their eyes glinted brightly, and both of them seemed to watch Aria with interest. On either end of the fountain stood a statue of two women holding hands and gazing sadly down into the pool.
There were also several benches scattered among the trees, and a few of those were occupied by men and women who sat with their backs against the wood, watching the stars. The light from the fountain spilled onto a stone altar where a woman knelt in prayer, and Aria could hear someone singing a mournful ballad somewhere nearby. The music wasn’t loud enough to disturb anybody else, but Aria heard it anyway because she was so close to the speaker and the notes carried across the gardens.
They moved past the last bench and reached an arched doorway. “You used to play here every day,” Kiron said, pulling Aria back from the entrance. “You loved the gardens.”
When she tried to open it, however, the wooden doors swung wide open on their own, allowing them to step through and enter another room. This time she saw that the walls were lined with shelves filled with glass jars of herbs and flowers, and there were tables covered with vials and bottles of colored liquids.
A couple of people were kneeling beside each table, talking about whatever was inside each bottle. They were both beautiful in different ways, and Aria thought the one girl might’ve been the young woman who had spoken to her earlier. If she’d still been wearing her long blonde hair, which would’ve made sense given the time period these dreams took place in.
One of them turned to see Kiron and Aria come in. “Hello, Kiron,” the young woman said, standing up and smiling. She was a bit taller than Aria herself, with long black hair and dark blue eyes that reminded her of the sky just before night came.
“Lina, how are you?”
“Fine. It’s nice to see you again.” Her tone was warm, friendly, and even, but she kept staring at Aria as if trying to decide whether she should tell her mother about this or not.
The other person rose to his feet and bowed his head politely to Kiron. He had short brown hair and a narrow chin. And the way he held his hands behind his back made it look like he was hiding something. He wore robes that hung loosely over his shoulders and sleeves that trailed past his fingers.
“Who’s this?” Lina asked. “Is she your guest?”
Kiron shook his head, but she only frowned more deeply.
Aria realized suddenly that the man must be a priest or some other kind of spiritual figure. Perhaps he was one of the people who had helped Aria when she fell. “I am Aria,” she whispered softly, trying not to let on how nervous she felt. “Do you remember me? We met last summer.”
The two priests exchanged glances and murmured quietly to each other. Then the one with the longer hair stepped forward and offered his hand. “We do remember,” he said in a rich baritone. “You were very helpful in helping us learn our new duties.”
“And you have grown since then,” added the younger man, his voice deeper yet.
“Yes, we certainly have.”
Both priests studied Aria closely. Aria stared back, trying to understand what they wanted to know about her. What did they need her for? Then all of a sudden, Lina grabbed Aria by the elbow and pulled her toward the door. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
She led Aria out of the little room, down a corridor, and into the central hallways of the castle. People moved past her, coming and going at all hours. Some looked at her as though she might’ve already been a permanent resident. Others glanced curiously but went back to whatever they were doing, leaving Aria to follow after Lina with no idea what to do next.
The older woman finally stopped walking and pushed her into the middle of a large group of people sitting cross-legged in front of a fire. Most of them were dressed similarly to Aria and the others: in loose robes of dark blue and red and gray; leather boots and sandals; simple jewelry hanging around their necks. A handful was barefoot.
It took Aria a moment to realize that these were some kind of holy people, possibly even monks, perhaps a sect of Druids. But the one who seemed to lead them, who knelt opposite Aria, wasn’t wearing any sign that told her anything about him at all. “Are you supposed to be here?” Aria whispered to Lina, who leaned closer to her ear so she could speak without being overheard.
“Oh, yes,” Lina replied. “That’s where you belong. You’re exactly who we’ve been waiting for.”
“Why?” Aria asked. “What is my role here?”
“You are the answer to a mystery that has plagued us for generations,” Lina answered. “Now, please sit down so that you can hear what we have to say.”
There was nothing else for Aria to do, so she sat cross-legged in the center of the circle, feeling awkward and out of place. There were many things she wanted to ask, but the words wouldn’t come. After a few minutes of silence, an old man with white hair and deep-set eyes rose from his seat and began to explain the situation.
The story was familiar to Aria because of her dream—but it felt strange to her now that she wasn’t asleep.
“… the king’s youngest brother disappeared several years ago, when he was still very young, and nobody knows what happened to him. No one’s ever seen him since. He simply vanished one day, and no one in his family could say why…”
“He disappeared while he was traveling,” someone whispered, interrupting the tale.
“No, he was missing from his chambers at the castle,” another insisted.
“But it’s possible that he escaped from his prison?” suggested a third.
“Maybe he was taken captive somewhere else,” ventured a fourth.
The elders muttered among themselves. “Or maybe we never saw him leave the castle,” said an elderly priest, who stood up and strode over to Aria. His face was wrinkled by age, but his eyes were sharp and focused, and he was thin enough to show off the lines that formed around his mouth. “If there’s anyone who can shed light upon this mystery,” he continued, “it would be you, Aria.”
Aria hesitated, unsure whether to believe them or not. They hadn’t said they knew her, but it didn’t seem impossible that they might. “I don’t understand what you mean,” she replied softly.
The old priest smiled. “We’ve heard stories about your ability to read minds, and also how you can sense when something is wrong. Your father, too—”
“My father was a healer,” Aria interrupted. “He used to work for the palace. He had a gift for reading the body to detect illness and injury.”
“Your mother had the same power?” he asked. “Did you know her?”
Aria nodded slowly. “Yes. She was a very kind person.” Her voice caught for just a moment. “How did she die?”
The old priest sighed. “She was murdered. It was almost thirty years ago now, but we think the same assassin is responsible for both murders—and that makes us certain that you must find him before he strikes again.”
“Who would want to hurt me?” Aria asked, confused.
“The same murderer who killed your parents, most likely,” the priest answered. “We believe you to be the key to finding him and ending his reign once and for all. We believe that you are exactly the person that King Arion needs right now, Aria, more than anyone else in the world.”
***
After the meeting in the hallways ended, Aria followed Lina back to her small apartment. When they’d left the castle, Aria had been sure it was empty and abandoned. Now, though, she wondered if it belonged to the man who spoke of the king’s youngest brother—the man whom she was supposed to find and help stop.
What she couldn’t figure out was why Lina had gone on ahead, leaving Aria behind with all these strangers.
Lina unlocked the door of the tiny dwelling, revealing only a single room. A narrow bed rested against the far wall, covered with a simple woolen blanket. To Aria’s surprise, it was filled by a young girl, who squinted at Aria through sleepy eyes. She looked just like Lina.
“Hello, Aria,” the little girl greeted, yawning widely and stretching her arms above her head.
“Hello,” Aria returned. “Who are you?”
The little girl rolled onto her side. “I’m Lina’s daughter. I go by the name of Tiana, but my real name is Elle.”
Aria tried to remember what Lina had told her about herself, but she’d been too distracted to listen closely. “Elle?” she repeated. “Does that mean you’re a friend of Lina’s?”
“I’ve lived here for as long as she has,” the girl said, “in this apartment and in her memories.”
Aria blinked. “What?”
Tiana giggled, which made her hair float across her face in wisps. “It’s okay, Aria,” she said. “You haven’t lost your mind yet… Have you forgotten? You came to visit before, after the festival.”
“Oh! Right. Sorry.” Aria felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment as she realized how foolish she must look to this strange little girl. “Are you really Lina’s daughter?” she asked.
“Of course. How could you possibly forget such a thing?”
“Well,” Aria admitted reluctantly, “you see…”
But Elle was already shaking her head with exasperation. “Don’t apologize!” she scolded. “You have no idea how much I wanted to meet you, Aria.” She ran out of words abruptly and turned to peer up at a window that had recently opened. From it, Aria heard the soft clink of metal. Then a familiar, sweet voice called down.
“Tiana, come down here, will you?”
When the girl looked back at Aria, she frowned deeply. “Why would you even doubt it for a moment? This is where I live. And this”—she gestured at Aria— “is one of my best friends.”
As Aria stared at the young girl in disbelief, a loud knock sounded on the front door of the apartment. Lina’s daughter scrambled to her feet, hurrying to the entranceway. She pulled back the heavy wooden latch, then swung open the thick oaken doors.
Standing on the doorstep was a boy dressed like Lina: short black hair cut neatly, skin pale from being out-of-doors so much, and a thin scar across his forehead just below the left eye. He smiled warmly when his gaze fell upon Aria. “Hello there.”
“Hi,” Aria replied, unsure what to say next.
He took two steps forward, extending his hand toward her. “I’m Arion, but my friends call me Arty.” His smile broadened. “And this is Aria.”
For some reason, Aria felt suddenly tongue-tied. She glanced nervously between the new boy and Lina’s daughter.
Arion stepped closer and placed his hand gently over hers. “Let’s introduce ourselves properly, shall we? We can’t leave until you give me permission. But, don’t worry—I promise not to force anything. Okay?”
At last, Aria nodded. As if he were reading her thoughts, Arion whispered softly, “Do you think I’d hurt you?”
She shook her head.
His grin widened. “Then, let’s be friends. Can I kiss your hand?”
Aria didn’t feel quite ready to allow him to touch her, but since he wasn’t actually hurting her, she relented. Her fingertips touched his for an instant, and then he pulled away, grinning widely.
“See!” he declared. “I can keep myself alive.”
Aria couldn’t help but laugh. For all her fears and uncertainties, she knew deep down that Aria could trust Arion. When she’d met Lina, she’d sensed nothing but kindness, loyalty, and love behind the girl’s eyes.
In the months that followed, Aria had learned more about Lina; she’d become accustomed to the ways of the PsyNet, and she’d begun to know how to use its unique talents. The most important lesson she’d learned was to believe in the people who cared for her.
Now, as she held her hand out to greet Arion, she realized that she felt safe enough around him to share something of the past few days with him. Aria explained about the man in white, how he’d kidnapped her from the street. After she finished talking, Arion’s features hardened slightly, his expression darkening with anger.
“They’ll pay,” he swore, “when I find them.”
The sudden intensity of his stare made Aria blink in surprise. “Who are ‘they’?”
“Someone you should probably talk to first.”
“Talk to whom? Who did you mean?”
Arion paused to consider whether or not he should tell her.
“… Are you sure you want to know?” he finally asked.
“Yes.” Aria was adamant. “I need to know.”
“Fine.” With that, Arion turned abruptly and hurried through the doorway. Aria followed him into the kitchen, watching his shoulders slump in relief as he sank onto a barstool near the counter. He poured himself another glass of water before answering her question.
“Somebody very old and powerful wants to make you disappear. They’re going to try to take you away from us again. That’s why I’m here. You shouldn’t go outside by yourself ever again. I can protect you.”
“How—” Aria hesitated, feeling suddenly unsure of herself. Was Arion telling her everything he knew, or was he leaving things out? How much did she dare ask?
She sighed. “Can you at least explain who those people were? Did they have powers like yours? I mean, like your healing ability?”
The boy shrugged. “Not really, no.”
“You heal faster than anyone I’ve ever heard of. And now they want to take that away from you. Why?”
Arion drained his glass. “It doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that you understand that you aren’t alone anymore. I’ll never let you go anywhere else without someone close at hand.”
“But, what about school?”
He gave her a reassuring smile. “We can work together. Or, if you like, we can skip it and spend time practicing our skills instead. Your choice.”
Aria looked to where Lina stood, staring in silent awe at the new boy. “This is Lina’s daughter, Amalia,” Arion said softly to Aria.
“Your daughter? You have a child?” Aria exclaimed.
Lina gasped. “Oh my stars! Aria! I’m so sorry. I just assumed you already knew.”
“What? About her being your daughter?” Aria frowned. “No, I never suspected anything. I thought your parents were dead.”
Arion raised his eyebrows. “Dead?”
Aria nodded. “My brother told me their deaths were tragic, but I didn’t think it was possible for you to have children still living.”
Arion smiled. “Well, we’re not exactly normal.”
When he spoke again, his tone was serious, and he stared straight at Lina. “I’d rather you didn’t tell her anymore about this. It would only cause trouble. But I don’t mind telling you that I’d be happy to look after Amalia too if it helps, but please understand that I am sworn to secrecy.”
Lina laughed. “Trouble? I can’t imagine that there will be any trouble. I mean, how bad can one little girl be?”
“She can be very difficult. Very strong-willed.”
As Aria watched the exchange between the two of them, she wondered what secrets lay behind the beautiful blue eyes that seemed to hold such depth.
Lina appeared sweet, caring, and kind. She was the opposite of a troublemaker, in fact, she was an innocent young woman who had lost both parents—her father to illness, and her mother to a car accident—and been taken in by the man who had raised her from infancy.
The End