A Daffodil Memoir (part five)

    Curiously, I opened my eyes, my head lying against his chest. I looked up slightly, scared, and unsure. Seeing only his hair, long, black, and lying lavishly upon his shoulders. He must have noticed me admiring him for his pace slowed and he took a glance straight into my mind. Penetrating were his eyes, intensely green as glowing candles floating on the Dead Sea to guide the spirits home. My head cowered into his chest a little, but my eyes stayed locked on his.
    "What do I call you?" I asked quietly, softly.
    He turned away from me, facing forward once more.
    Feeling denied, I turned away as well, pondering this new story of the silent man.
    All to quickly, I heard a voice in my mind. "You may call me Ahearn, though you need not know more now, just wait."
    I no longer feared him.   
    "Where.." I stopped myself before finishing the question, although he answered me anyway, and this time he spoke aloud.
    "We are headed to a long forgotten cathedral in a forest of untamed trees. I must show you something of importance."
    His voice seemed to waver through the air around us. No longer forceful, but serene as the spirits who watched us travel. Hiding behind the trees in faerie like form, giggling softly at my nude body, but appreciating it nonetheless.
    Being as close to him as I was physically, I felt even closer to him emotionally. My hand raised to his cheek, and laid softly against his skin, comforting what I knew was beneath the ice which seems to have been caressing him for centuries. Reacting to my hand, he leaned in, letting me wrap my arms around his neck, pulling my head up next to his, and resting my chin on his shoulder. My warm mouth inches from his ear. I took this chance to whisper.
    "What has happened to you?"
    Jolting quickly, he stopped in his tracks.
    My heart jumped, eyes widened, hands shaking.
    "I'm sorry!" I quickly brought myself to say, frightened.
    His chest raised as he took a long deep breath. I saw his eyes look down to me, then return to the path ahead.
    "We will be there soon." He said quietly. A moments later he continued, hesitantly. "I'm sorry for what I have to show you."
    Still trembling, I relaxed what I could of my body and laid back into his arms. We moved at a steady pace for a few more minutes until he came to a stop once more, letting me out of his arms, handling me as a golden egg. To be shattered is to be gone.
    The spirits giggled with knowledge unknown, and trampled off to their hiding places within the misty trees.
    Ahearn made a small gesture of his hand and the mist moved to the side as flocks of birds dance in the sky. Behind them lie a cathedral, small, but elegant. Deserted, but full of character. Surrounded by tall, ancient trees that could speak every language when only the wind blew. I stared at them in amazement, thinking of Leo and his love for nature. A slight smile adorned my face. He would have loved it here.
    Dew drops created diamonds upon the leaves, only seen in the moon's glowing light. I looked up and my dear moon smiled back. That same smile I've seen on him forever. For whenever I need happiness, he is always there.
    As enlightened as a child viewing her first rainbow, I turned to Ahearn and spoke. "This place is beautiful!"
    But he was nowhere to be found.
    And the spirits in the trees began to cry.
    I turned over my left shoulder to see a man in the distance fall to the ground.
    "Ahearn!" I shouted, although I felt to dizzy to recognize my own voice in the air.
    My feet were jolting forward. I could sense the world moving around me, but my mind lingered somewhere behind, watching this all occur.
    My spirit stood still, sane body still in motion, as a dream filtered into my mind. I blinked once, seeing myself run. A second blink, and I saw myself fly into the sky. My feet floating from the ground in a trance, dancing on air into the night sky. Raising my hands to the moon, and lifting it from the darkness. Out of his socket. The moon laughed at me, as I threw him down into the earth. Shattering his smile upon the mountaintops. Pieces of light and dust flew across the world, bringing the trees to life. One by one they cracked their necks, opened their eyes, and lifted from the ground. Ripping up the dirt, and tearing up the earth. Stretching their limbs to the ocean, that lay frosted by the moon's glow. They began their journey to the deepest waters. The egg that is their bark, needing to be home. To become the sea creatures they were born to be.
    I froze at the body's side.
    It wasn't Ahearn. My knees collapsed from under me.
    Leo...my sweet Leo.
    As though the gods had killed one of their own kind. As though winter had blown his icy breath across spring, freezing the buds, sprouts, and creatures alike. Keeping life from its journey. Leo lay blood covered and tainted with blade through his soul. A sharp blade that reflected the crying moon and mist which dimmed the spirits' smiles.
    I was at a complete loss for words. Drowning in the sorrow that was all at once filling my beating, human heart.
    I could feel tension building in my hands as a came closer to his face, touching the snow white skin of his cheek And embracing its last ounce of warmth.
    "I'm dreaming," I said, whispering to myself, "Please, awaken me."
    I clenched my eyes tightly, hoping to disperse my body into the astral world around me. Hoping to find the way back to my sleeping self. To awakening.
    Letting out a sigh of hopeless realization, I laid my head down upon his shoulder for only a moment, although it felt as centuries passed. Tears formed, and flowed. Flawless pearls on my face, rolling to their death, only to grow again as the foundation of life.
    But anger quickly followed.
    I could hear my heart beating throughout my body. Thumping as the drums of war. Faster. And faster.
    Rising to my feet, eyes closed, sensing the atmosphere, gathering anger, I acted on impulse.
    My hand found its way wrapped around the blade's leather bound grip. Ripping it from Leo's cold chest I yelled into the night sky.
    "Show yourself Ahearn!"
    No reply.
    I raised the blade, surprisingly weightless, above my head.
    I felt a drop of blood touch my forehead, and drip to my chin.
    "I said show yourself! Come out from hiding you coward...let me give you a little taste of my anger."
    My heart raced, hands trembling, body shaking.
    I could hardly keep the tears at bay.
    From the frozen, forsaken trees, Ahearn came forth, arms outstretched. I looked at him, eyes burning, toes curling in restraint. Taking a deep breath in, building strength, I jumped from my statue of a stance and ran towards him. Blade ready to swing.
    Screaming into the mist, the spirits running to hide, I swung the blade as the dive of an eagle straight for Ahearn's heart. He stood watching me. Eyes locked into mine. Glowing as lighthouses do on a stormy seashore.
    I missed him.
    My blade swung beautifully through the air, leaving streaks of clear space in the mist.
    "You cannot hurt me, dearest." Ahearn mumbled under his breath. He stood at least fifteen feet away, under a great oak tree. "Now, come with me."
    Ahearn walked towards me, as silk flowing down a simple stream. Weightlessly. I couldn't help but stand still and watch him come forth. His hair blowing behind him like bees in a swarm.
    Blood dripping from my hands, I trembled in the cold. Clenching my teeth, listening to the song of the spirits who gathered 'round Leo. Weeping softly, welcoming him into their lands. A part of me could see Leo, standing next to his body. He blew me a kiss, as he blended into the mist. I waved goodbye with my eyes.
    "Now," Ahearn whispered, moving the hair from my face and tucking it behind my ear, "let us leave this place."
    Coughing slightly, looking to my feet, I simply whispered "No."
    I knew in my heart I could not hurt him. I could not strike him nor restrain him. I wanted to pinch myself and awaken from this dream, but it was all too real. Slowly, my eyes looked up into his. Now filled with compassion, rather than destruction.