Shadows of the Past
Solan laid on the bed in darkness, trying to fall asleep. But excitation because of the day which has been spend with family was too bright, and he could not relax, continuing to reflect about events that happened today. The toys presented to him, conversations with mum and her husband.
He turned on other side, thinking about Snake. Solan liked this man. And mum, apparently, really loved him.
Boy sighed. This idea caused anxiety in him. If mum loved this man, means... she forgotten his father. Certainly, he remembered her stories about Borias. Solan knew, that mum frequently quarreled with him. But all the same, he so wanted to hope... that she will remember him...even a little...
The boy has thought, that should talk to mother about it. But he knew, that this conversation can upset her...
Occupied with these reflections, Solan has not noticed, as fallen asleep...
Solan sat in empty Kaleipus' hut looking on candles, which centaurs lighted in honour of their leader. Now, after his death, this house becomes a sanctuary. Xena and Gabby lead him here and ordered to sit quietly and to not leave this place until danger will not disappear. Solan allowed Xena to persuade him, she was able to speak convincingly. But, nevertheless, boy considered, that they exaggerate value of this danger. Kaleipus counted him as own son and the successor, and he should revenge for uncle's death instead of sitting cowardly here, in this refuge.
He looked at the wall where Kaleipus' weapon hung. The battle axe and bow.
The boy approached to an altar and knelt, looking at candles.
" Uncle, I think, you should know it. Xena agreed to take me with herself. We shall travel together. Me, aunt Gabrielle and Xena... and so on. I think, you would approve it. You knew Xena better me. She can teach me to many things. And then I come back here to find your murderer and to kill him. I know, my father did not want, that I became the warrior. But I do not think, that my father wanted to see as his son becomes coward who is unable to defend honor of family... "
Solan stroked steel of axe and sighed. The temptation to leave this hut overcame him more and more.
The door squeaked, and boy has heard someone's voices at an entrance.
" Here you will be in safety. "
Gabrielle.
Solan relaxed slightly, having seen Xena's friend on a threshold. Gabrielle, however, was not alone. There was the girl near to her who has been wrapped in coat so, that only golden hair sticked out from under the hood. Hair of such shade were only at one girl in whole settlement.
" Solan, look... - Gabrielle spoke, having been out of breath as though after long run, - I want to charge to you to look after her. "
Gabby taken coat off from the girl and kissed her on the forehead.
" Wait for me here and obey Solan. I'll back soon. "
Solan stepped to the girl, having stretched the hand.
"Fayla? "
He knew this girl though had no an opportunity to talk to her personally before. Fayla was unsociable and very seldom played with other children. He heard, that she is able to do strange things. Children did not like to play with her because of it.
" Do not worry, aunt Gabrielle, I'll take care about her. "
Solan held his hand extended, but the girl stood, not touching it.
" Will you come back? Do you promise me?" - Fayla asked hardly audible.
" Of course, I will!" - Gabrielle hugged her, and Solan has heard with surprise, that her voice trembled.
She muffled in the coat and opened the door, having looked back on them hasty.
" Wait us here and do not go anywhere! "
With these words Gabrielle left, having leaved him alone with the girl.
Solan felt better now. He had the important assignment, and it gave him cold comfort.
" Be not afraid, I am here to protect you, " - he said, having stepped to Fayla. He wanted to take her for the hand, but expression of girl's face forced him to stop on place. The girl did not look scared at all.
" Solan? " - she asked.
He nodded, cannot remove the sight from her cold blue eyes.
"That's right."
Now the gloomy smile appeared on her lips.
"The safest place there is."
She chuckled.
Solan smiled, being pleased, that he does not need to calm her.
" Yes, they have told, nobody will find us here. "
The girl looked at him not blinking.
" To think only, what the luck! I even could not think that my stupid mommy will lead me directly to you. "
Solan blinked, not understanding, what she speaks about, but then felt suddenly, that falls. His legs ceased to obey him, having grown dumb.
"What is it?!" - boy croaked, feeling, that cannot breathe.
" Its only self-defense, Solan, my little fool, - he heard the derisive voice of redheaded girl, so cold and cynical voice. - Just compelled necessity. Your mother should not to try kill me. I do not belong to those people which can be killed as stupid lambs."
Solan tried to move, but he as if was nailed to the floor by invisible hand.
" It is any mistake, my mother has died many years ago! " - he squeezed out at last.
The girl raised an eyebrow, looking on him contemptuously, as on an insect.
" What do I hear? So means, Xena has not told it to you? "
She burst out laughing, and it was unpleasant laughter.
" Ah, Xena wanted to protect you, I believe. But she was mistaken. All secrets become obvious sometime. And each villain got the deserved punishment. I am sorry, Solan, but I should kill you. You, perhaps, are not guilty. The same innocent victim, as well as I. But your mother has not gave me even little chance to prove my innocence. Why should I give it to you, hmm? It is the ancient law, Solan. If I'll not attack the first, Xena will kill me. "
Solan felt, that the invisible hand has squeezed his throat, preventing to breathe.
" I do... not believe you, Fayla! My mother never... could kill the child... "
" My name is Hope, you, idiot! And as to your dearest mother, oh, believe me, she is capable to make more disgusting things... "
Solan did not see her face any more. Darkness was around of him, and only the derisive voice of the girl was heard whence from above.
" Its only self-defense, Solan... "
The horror captured him, horror and despair, and Solan cried out, for the first time in his life having called the person whom he counted dead so many years.
" Mum! No-o!"
Solan laid in the bed, screaming loudly, wet from sweat. Darkness was around him just like in dream, and it pressed on his breast, boy felt, that he cannot breathe.
" It is lie... It is lie... " - he whispered, shuddering in sobbing. But words of girl with golden hair did not cease to sound in his mind...
He turned on other side, thinking about Snake. Solan liked this man. And mum, apparently, really loved him.
Boy sighed. This idea caused anxiety in him. If mum loved this man, means... she forgotten his father. Certainly, he remembered her stories about Borias. Solan knew, that mum frequently quarreled with him. But all the same, he so wanted to hope... that she will remember him...even a little...
The boy has thought, that should talk to mother about it. But he knew, that this conversation can upset her...
Occupied with these reflections, Solan has not noticed, as fallen asleep...
Solan sat in empty Kaleipus' hut looking on candles, which centaurs lighted in honour of their leader. Now, after his death, this house becomes a sanctuary. Xena and Gabby lead him here and ordered to sit quietly and to not leave this place until danger will not disappear. Solan allowed Xena to persuade him, she was able to speak convincingly. But, nevertheless, boy considered, that they exaggerate value of this danger. Kaleipus counted him as own son and the successor, and he should revenge for uncle's death instead of sitting cowardly here, in this refuge.
He looked at the wall where Kaleipus' weapon hung. The battle axe and bow.
The boy approached to an altar and knelt, looking at candles.
" Uncle, I think, you should know it. Xena agreed to take me with herself. We shall travel together. Me, aunt Gabrielle and Xena... and so on. I think, you would approve it. You knew Xena better me. She can teach me to many things. And then I come back here to find your murderer and to kill him. I know, my father did not want, that I became the warrior. But I do not think, that my father wanted to see as his son becomes coward who is unable to defend honor of family... "
Solan stroked steel of axe and sighed. The temptation to leave this hut overcame him more and more.
The door squeaked, and boy has heard someone's voices at an entrance.
" Here you will be in safety. "
Gabrielle.
Solan relaxed slightly, having seen Xena's friend on a threshold. Gabrielle, however, was not alone. There was the girl near to her who has been wrapped in coat so, that only golden hair sticked out from under the hood. Hair of such shade were only at one girl in whole settlement.
" Solan, look... - Gabrielle spoke, having been out of breath as though after long run, - I want to charge to you to look after her. "
Gabby taken coat off from the girl and kissed her on the forehead.
" Wait for me here and obey Solan. I'll back soon. "
Solan stepped to the girl, having stretched the hand.
"Fayla? "
He knew this girl though had no an opportunity to talk to her personally before. Fayla was unsociable and very seldom played with other children. He heard, that she is able to do strange things. Children did not like to play with her because of it.
" Do not worry, aunt Gabrielle, I'll take care about her. "
Solan held his hand extended, but the girl stood, not touching it.
" Will you come back? Do you promise me?" - Fayla asked hardly audible.
" Of course, I will!" - Gabrielle hugged her, and Solan has heard with surprise, that her voice trembled.
She muffled in the coat and opened the door, having looked back on them hasty.
" Wait us here and do not go anywhere! "
With these words Gabrielle left, having leaved him alone with the girl.
Solan felt better now. He had the important assignment, and it gave him cold comfort.
" Be not afraid, I am here to protect you, " - he said, having stepped to Fayla. He wanted to take her for the hand, but expression of girl's face forced him to stop on place. The girl did not look scared at all.
" Solan? " - she asked.
He nodded, cannot remove the sight from her cold blue eyes.
"That's right."
Now the gloomy smile appeared on her lips.
"The safest place there is."
She chuckled.
Solan smiled, being pleased, that he does not need to calm her.
" Yes, they have told, nobody will find us here. "
The girl looked at him not blinking.
" To think only, what the luck! I even could not think that my stupid mommy will lead me directly to you. "
Solan blinked, not understanding, what she speaks about, but then felt suddenly, that falls. His legs ceased to obey him, having grown dumb.
"What is it?!" - boy croaked, feeling, that cannot breathe.
" Its only self-defense, Solan, my little fool, - he heard the derisive voice of redheaded girl, so cold and cynical voice. - Just compelled necessity. Your mother should not to try kill me. I do not belong to those people which can be killed as stupid lambs."
Solan tried to move, but he as if was nailed to the floor by invisible hand.
" It is any mistake, my mother has died many years ago! " - he squeezed out at last.
The girl raised an eyebrow, looking on him contemptuously, as on an insect.
" What do I hear? So means, Xena has not told it to you? "
She burst out laughing, and it was unpleasant laughter.
" Ah, Xena wanted to protect you, I believe. But she was mistaken. All secrets become obvious sometime. And each villain got the deserved punishment. I am sorry, Solan, but I should kill you. You, perhaps, are not guilty. The same innocent victim, as well as I. But your mother has not gave me even little chance to prove my innocence. Why should I give it to you, hmm? It is the ancient law, Solan. If I'll not attack the first, Xena will kill me. "
Solan felt, that the invisible hand has squeezed his throat, preventing to breathe.
" I do... not believe you, Fayla! My mother never... could kill the child... "
" My name is Hope, you, idiot! And as to your dearest mother, oh, believe me, she is capable to make more disgusting things... "
Solan did not see her face any more. Darkness was around of him, and only the derisive voice of the girl was heard whence from above.
" Its only self-defense, Solan... "
The horror captured him, horror and despair, and Solan cried out, for the first time in his life having called the person whom he counted dead so many years.
" Mum! No-o!"
Solan laid in the bed, screaming loudly, wet from sweat. Darkness was around him just like in dream, and it pressed on his breast, boy felt, that he cannot breathe.
" It is lie... It is lie... " - he whispered, shuddering in sobbing. But words of girl with golden hair did not cease to sound in his mind...