Prophecy Ch. 03

Helena went quiet and watched him. She expected anger and perhaps accusation that she was lying but what she got instead was a look of pure shock on Lucas's face. He looked almost pale as he stepped back and collapsed into a chair. Helena was sure that the pain in her chest was the feel of her heart shattering as she realized what this meant.

"You have already bedded her," Helena whispered in shock.

Lucas did not answer but sat slack jawed in the chair, staring at her as though his world had just faltered.

Helena wanted to go to him and comfort him. The guilt that she had just told him of his death in a very painful and blunt manner made her take a step towards him. When his eyes focused again on hers she halted again. She simply had not expected for him to have taken the woman to his bed so quickly. She wanted so much to think less of him for it but she couldn't. He was Lucas.

Lucas cleared his throat, "Are you sure of this? This is a vision and not anger?"

Helena gripped her hands in front of her and just barely nodded her head, "Yes Lucas. I am sorry. I did not know you had..." Her words choked in her throat and tears welled at her eyes. She gripped her hands into her apron to fight away the tears as she backed towards the door, "I am sorry to give you such news so harshly. Perhaps you can avoid it. In the visions she was angered with you for ignoring her for so long. But this is far in the future. For now I swear to you that your future wife as well as your people will make it safely through the mountain pass and to the other side. Once there you can think more on how to protect yourself and your heir."

What she said was true. It had been herself missing from the visions. Lucas and his guards appeared and disappeared through the vision and she assumed he was either looking for her with no luck or scouting around the group as they traveled.

Lucas frowned. He didn't like the way she had said it. He knew she was a player of words. Every Prophet was. If there was something they did not wish you to know they would simply speak around those things. The obvious was right there but his mind was still reeling from her news. He felt such shame at seeing the tears that glistened in her eyes that his heart hurt. Shaking his head he sighed, "Did you know sometimes that I curse the Spirits that they kept you from me? Perhaps this is my punishment."

Helena blinked at him and gave a sad shake of her head, "That was unwise my King. But there is no way to say for sure if they are punishing you or if it is just the fate that was written for you. Perhaps it is a sign to both of us that we cannot be together."

Lucas rested his hand on his fist and looked at her, "Promise me that if there is a way I can help you avoid the vision you are hiding from me that you will tell me?"

Helena felt relief that he may at last stop persisting on it and nodded her head, "I promise my King. If the spirits show me enough that I can find a way out of it I will come directly to you." She knew she meant the words but she was unsure how he could help because there was simply too much she did not know.

Lucas sighed and nodded in defeat, "I will trust you on this Prophet. You are needed and loved by our people. If something were to happen to you it would lower the confidence of the entire village. Including myself."

Helena felt the burn of the tears again and nodded, "I will." She headed for the door again hoping he was done with her. She was unsure how much longer she could hold back her emotions.

"Helena," he whispered.

Helena stopped in front of the door and kept her eyes away, "Yes my King?"

"I am sorry."

"As am I Lucas," she managed to get out before the tears choked her. She hurried out the door, closing it softly behind her. Turning she moved as quickly as she could out of the great hall. She used her cloak to hide her face as she continued to fight the flood of tears until she could get away from the watchful faces of the people she passed.

The village went by in a blur as she hurried past all the little huts to the forest beyond. The sun was starting to go down and the smell of dinner was coming from the great hall. Work had ended early today to give everyone a chance to rest before they loaded the carts with the sick and elderly and left their homes that had been shared by generation after generation of families.

Helena headed directly to the Rock of Ages. It was a large flat rock that had been worn down by all the hands that had touched it. Prophets used it to bring on visions by running their hands along the smooth surface left by those before them and allowing the sensation to vibrate through their body. The rocks would sing if you hit it with metal. It brought on a trance like state, making it easier to delve deeper into a question then a simple glance could give. Helena also used the place as somewhere to go when she needed to think.

The tears stayed back as she reached the rock and moved to sit on it. The ground around the rock was clear inside its ring of trees. She sat there a moment in shock before she heard the sobbing sounds and realized they were coming from her. Her chest was tight and her eyes burned. With a sudden shudder the emotions burst forth and she began to cry, rocking herself back and forth on the rock.

She was so caught up in her heart break that she never heard the man approach. Pulling a stick from his belt with a knot of leather covering the end he moved up behind her. When he brought it down against the back of her head she went instantly limp and slumped forward. Her body hit the ground with a dull thud and he smiled to himself. Going around the rock he hefted her body onto his shoulder and set off at a fast pace through the trees towards his horse.

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I am trying to make my chapters longer. I cannot wait to introduce you all to the villain of the story. I always did have a thing for the bad boy.

I am an admitted comment whore. Please don't forget to vote and let me know what you think. I appreciate all feedback.