Short Story: Kiara, Episode 6
KIARA, Episode 6
Kiara stood shocked and bemused for a while, and then her memories started to return. Sensing the change in her, Moira handed her a stout branch from the forest floor. “We need more light, princess”, she said softly. Without thinking, Kiara gazed at the branch as the tip of it started to glow and burst into flame. “What do we need to do?” she asked. Moira looked at her in silence for a moment, trying to choose her words carefully. “We must place protection around the tree, call the guardian and then release any children from the house. Then we must burn the house and all its evil machines to the ground”, she paused and looked carefully at Kiara as she finished the sentence, “Milady”. Kiara pushed all the childish thoughts of her human body away. “What of the goblin?” “You are more powerful than he is, milady, Moira said, – “if we destroy his machines, then he can do nothing against you.” Kiara took a deep breath, “Very well!. Let us restore the guardian and then, I can contact the elders and, perhaps, get some help to deal with this situation”.
*****
As she placed the stones in a circle around the oak tree, they began to glow with a soft green light. Here, in the forest, Kiara could feel her power growing and the old knowledge returning.
She began the ancient chant with which her people had first colonised this world and linked it with her own.
With this web we weave our dreams
And in this world our dreams instil.
As we weave the web our world becomes exactly as it seems,
Conforming to our ancient, sacred will
As she spoke, the circle of stones sent arches of blue- green light across the tree, forming a cage-like effect.
Deep within this hallowed ground,
The ancient gods are sleeping still and sound.
Hear my cry!- Oh Gods awake!
I come once more, the ancient pact to make.
A tremor shook the ground as circles of energy pulsed through the stones. Flashing upwards around the stones like circles of orange-red light. The energy field now looked like a globe, half buried in the earth. Pulsing in a mesh of many colours. The air around them crackled and hissed. The tree seemed grow and age before their eyes. It stood much taller than the rest of the forest now and glowed with a soft green light as the flow of energy settled and calmed.
Ancient guardian of the Fae!
Thou who watches night and day.
I gift to you this sacred bower.
I beg your aid in this dark hour.
Almost invisible, a complex pattern of violet lines seemed to appear above the tree. As they settled onto the crown of the tree, they assumed a shape that was quite similar to a large angular spider. A fine web of violet light settled around the tree, as Kiara prepared to recite the last verse of the chant.
She raised her arms to begin, then doubled in pain as a strange sound came from the shrubbery around them. She stared in puzzlement at the shaft of the arrow that was embedded in her stomach. She fell to the ground, weeping and moaning. Her blood formed a puddle around her cupped hands as she clasped them around her wound. She was again just a child, slowly bleeding to death as her blood dripped onto the forest floor. She looked over to see Moira lying on the ground beside her. She reached out and took her hand. Already the human body was cold. Moira was nowhere to be seen. Kiara could only hope that the guardian would return her to her clan. It was a matter of chance now, as the ancient rites were not finished.
She looked up and realised that there was a pack of goblins circled around the tree at a safe distance from the guardian. She must finish the rite to enable her to act. The portal was not yet fully opened to allow the guardian full access to the forest. She felt strong arms help her up, and matron was beside her lifting her to her feet. “Come child!”, let me get you back and see to your injury. You will be fine. You will see!” Kiara could hear Dr. Boglin screaming in the background, “Burn her!, Burn her!” .
She turned to see the wave of flaming arrows curl towards the guardian tree. She caught the flames with her mind and threw them back in a whirlwind of bright orange fire towards the goblins. The smell and the noise was horrific as burning, screaming goblins rolled around in a frenzy and ran through the forest creating a hundred fires as they collapsed and died.
Doctor Boglin, now in his true form, ran towards the girl and the matron, screaming and waving a large silver mace. He swung a blow at Kiara’s head, only to stop in amazement as the Matron caught the mace in mid swing. She wrested the mace from his claws and crushed him with a single blow.
She swept Kiara into her arms, and wrapping her shawl around her, she carried through the blazing forest.
Matron carried the unconscious child back to the home and placed her on a raised cot in the small infirmary. Working quickly, she prepared surgical spirit, and a tray of surgical equipment. She cut Kiara’s dress away and examined the wound around the arrow. She had seen the arrows used by the goblins and they were simple burnt points without barbs. She was hoping that she could remove the arrow without causing any more damage to the tissue around it. She had no way of knowing how much damage had been done to the poor girl. The arrow had pierced quite deeply. All she could do was to remove it quickly and carefully then bind it up and hope for the best.
Despite his strange ways, she had learned much from the goblin. She cleaned her hands first with surgical spirit. Then using a fresh cloth, soaked in spirit, she cleaned carefully around the wound.
She prepared two bandages by soaking them in surgical spirit. Wrapping one of them around the arrow, she prayed for the first time in many years, as she slowly drew the arrow out through the bandage. Kiara tried to move, and almost regained consciousness, but she held her torso firmly in place with her free hand. The goblins concoctions had somehow given her incredible strength, along with her ageless looks. As the tip of the arrow appeared, Kiara settled back onto the cot, and Matron quickly swapped the bloody bandage for the fresh one. The wound was small, so she thought it best to simply bind it and hope that the child was strong enough to recover.
Matron covered the child with a soft blanket and walked to the window. The whole forest was ablaze. Luckily, there was no wind. She knew that it was best that any evidence of tonight’s work was totally obliterated by the fire. There were no neighbours and no need to raise the alarm.
She felt quite sure that no one could have survived the flames. Without thinking, she walked over to the fireplace and raked the embers with a heavy brass poker. She added coal to the fire. She did not want to move the child again tonight. – she needed rest.
Matron slipped quietly from the room and went to check on Annabelle. The child was fast asleep although her blankets were kicked of her bed. Matron smiled as she covered her back up and kissed her on the forehead. Even in her sleep, the little girl was hyperactive. Annabelle had arrived much as the others.
She was only a baby when she came. Matron had suspected then, that Annabelle was a human child who the doctor had acquired by mistake. He never called for her again, after his initial examination, and would not discuss her with Matron. Her questions were answered by the curt reply, “She is your problem now, – not mine! Do with her as you wish!”. Realising that any further queries might lead to the child simply disappearing, matron had taken her for her own. A small amount of gold, spent among some of her less respectable contacts, had provided her with new birth certificates for both herself and the child. A marriage certificate and a fictitious dead husband left her in a position to rear the child without fear of interference.
Everything had changed when Annabelle had arrived. The doctor had become more difficult to deal with than usual. Alongside the normal routine of children taken in for treatment from all around the country, babies started to appear and disappear without any explanation.
She had confronted the doctor after the first child was found to be missing from her cot in the morning. He had struck her a blow to the face that almost broke her neck. The bruise had remained for weeks. That was when her initial fear and revulsion had started to turn to anger,- anger at the creature, and at herself for her part in his vile research. She could no longer still her conscience with the smiles of grateful parents when their children had been cured and returned to them. She knew that the doctor had his own agenda and that he pursued it ruthlessly. She was as guilty as he for the kidnapping and disappearance of the many children that had passed through their hands over the years. Until this night, she had been too afraid to act. Now the die was cast and she needed to decide what to do. She dearly hoped that she had killed the dreadful creature. She had seen his speed and strength and she did not relish the thought of facing him again. Perhaps, things might seem clearer in the morning. She had Annabelle and the strange girl to take care of, and a household to manage.
Matron went to check on the servants. They were all asleep. There were no tutors to worry about. The doctor had dismissed them all several days after Kiara’s arrival. There were no other children to check on. She had been instructed to contact their parents and guardians and return them home, that same day. After a flurry of activity that had lasted about a week, the house had become deathly quiet. She went back to the infirmary, lost in thought. She dragged an armchair to the window and as she sat down, she realised that she still had the poker in her hand. She stared out at the flames until she finally fell asleep with the poker lying across her lap.