Dark Destinies

It had been a stormy night, the rivers had risen during the nights and the waves had grown. It was mornings like this young Ellina would go down to the river to help the turtles and other animals that had gotten washed upon the bank back into the water but little did Ellina know that today…she’d find more than just a little fish dying to breath. As she tippy toed through the mud, careful to not step in anything sharp. Last time she went home with bloody feet her mother got very angry and told her to wear shoes when she went out but Ellina didn’t like shoes, she didn’t become close with the earth wearing shoes.

She always looked for the fish first. They were the ones to die first. She quickly grabbed the fish, careful not to get stabbed by their spines and tossed them back into the river, even the ones that had already died for they would provide food for the hungry, growing fish. She had just moved on to turtles when a soft groan caused her attention to be averted from the poor turtles. Her small eyes widened and her muscles tensed.

No time to be careful now. She ran along the mud, several pieces flying up and hitting her legs. “Sir, sir, are you alright?!” She asked, kneeling down and giving the man a shake on the shoulder.

How oddly is he dressed… She thought.

He work a cloak, it was black with some strange grey markings on it. I hope he isn’t a trouble maker… Ellina shook her head, it didn’t matter if he was a trouble maker or not, he obviously got caught in the flood.

“Sir, please answer me.” Her voice was a little frightened as she struggled to roll the man onto his back.

His eyes were closed but his black hair was wet and sticking to his face, bits of sticks and dirt were clinging to his hair as well. Ellina’s hands shook as she placed them on his chest. She didn’t know much about medical but her mom taught her what to do if her little brother, Mikel, ever drowned. Her small hands began to pump the man’s chest. Soon enough the man began to cough up large amounts of water.

Ellina couldn’t help but gasp as his eyes opened. His eyes were silver, with lines of black going through them, almost as if she were staring through snow covered branches. His pupils were tiny, he was clearly scared of little Ellina. She stood up quickly, causing the man to jump. “It’s okay.” She comforted. “I’m going to run back to the village to get my mom and a medic. Wait here, please?” She pleaded.

The man didn’t speak but his pupils did dilate a little and he nodded softly. Ellina didn’t waste a moment; her bare feet took off running through the mud towards her village. As she ran back the man had pulled down his hood and was staring at his hands. Ellina tried to run up to the man but her mother quickly grabbed Ellina’s arm and pulled him back. “No, Ellina, let the doctor deal with him.”

Ellina did as her mother said. She was a good child most of the time. She watched as the doctor slowly approached the man. The Doctor went to place a hand on the man but the man jumped up, hitting the doctor in the chest. Ellina pulled from her mother’s arms and ran up to the man. She put her hands on his stomach and pushed him back, looking him in the eyes, her worry and fear was poured into him and he simply nodded, sitting back down. “He is sorry…” Ellina whispered.

“And how do you know that? He didn’t even say a word.” Her mother scolded.

“I just do. The way he looks at me.” Ellina turned to the doctor who was still trying to recover from the hit. “Are you alright?”

“I’m not going to touch him again.” The doctor growled.

“He is sorry. He won’t do it again, I swear.” Ellina placed her hand on the doctors arms and suddenly the doctor relaxed. “Alright.” He sighed and stepped toward the man.

“Ellina, you always bring home strays but this time…a human?” Her mother whined, watching the doctor check the signs on the man.

“What did you want me to do, leave him to die?” Ellina growled.

“That would have been the preferred choice, yes.”

Ellina chose to ignore her mother’s comment and watch the doctor care for the man. After a few minutes of silence the doctor stepped back and cleared his throat. “He needs warm clothes and a warm bed tonight. Something to eat and rest. He should be fine in a few days.” He then directed his attention to the man. “What is your name?”

The doctor nodded as the man stared in confusion. He pushed back the man’s wet bangs to show a gash across his forehead. “I’ll take him to the infirmary…but he needs a place to stay.” He directed his eyes towards Ellina’s mother.

“Oh no. I am not taking a stranger into my home.” She argued.

“Mary, you know full well that you are the only one with the room in your home for him.” The doctor patiently said.

“My son is coming back from the war!” Mary yelled. “I’m not going to give his bed away to some drift wood!”

The doctor wanted to argue, saying that Notra had been gone too long to come back but he just nodded and closed his eyes. “By the time Notra comes home this man will be healthy enough to get over the shock and return to his own family. But right now he needs you and Ellina obviously has some connection with him.”

Mary was calm until the doctor mentioned Ellina having a connection with the washed up man. “What is that suppose to mean?! My daughter has a connection with him?! I’ll have you know my daughter is only 12!” She was now directing her screaming to the man. “She will not be having any connection with any grown man!”

“Mary, calm down!” The doctor stepped between the man and the overprotective mother. “I meant, Ellina was the first person this man saw, so naturally he is going to trust her more than anyone else.” Of course, that isn’t what the doctor truly meant. He saw the way Ellina read him like a book and how she calmed him down by a single touch. There was a connection, perhaps not a lovers connection, but a connection indeed.

The mother finally agreed and the doctor took the man to the village infirmary. Ellina walked side by side with her mother in silence. When they got home, Ellina began to prepare her older brother’s room for their new guest. “Mother, do you think Notra’s clothes will fit him?”

Her mother had been standing in the door way to Notra’s room since they got home. “He is coming home, Ellina.” Her mother muttered.

“I know, Mama.” Ellina whispered, her mother was in no shape to answer questions.

A knock was heard then the door was heard opening. Ellina’s mother didn’t move, didn’t even bat an eyelash. She just stood in the doorway, staring into Notra’s room. Ellina snuck past her mother and into the main room, where she saw the doctor leading in the mysterious man.

“Mother is…not right at the moment; do you think you could take a look at her?” Ellina asked.

The doctor nodded and left the man in the room with Ellina. “Do you feel better?” Ellina asked him, he had bandages on his head and fresh clothes, he was holding his clothes from earlier in his arms, clutching to them as if they’d turn to dust at any second.

He looked down at her and nodded once and then looked into the hallway where Mary’s voice could be heard. “He is coming back! He is coming back! He is coming back!”

Ellina’s face became sad as she stared into the hallway. “No one really believes Notra is coming back. Most of the People’s army has been killed already but Mama…she refuses to believe he is dead. I don’t know what is worse…to always have hope…or to face the truth.”

Ellina hadn’t realized it but her eyes had watered a bit. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked behind to see the man. His eyes held sympathy and she smiled at him. “No need to apologize. If he is dead…he died a hero.”

Her mother came in with the doctor’s arm around her. “You can take him to Notra’s room now.” The doctor said.

Ellina nodded and grabbed the man by the hand, leading him back to the room. She shut the door as she heard her mother break into tears. She sighed and leaned against the door.

The man turned around and looked at Ellina. Ellina smiled at him and pointed to the bed. “It’s yours.” She said.

He nodded and sat on it, setting his wet clothes on the floor. “I’ll hang those up to dry when the clouds go away.”

The man stared at the cloak, studying it before her mother screamed something at the doctor. “Sca-..ry.” The man mumbled.

Ellina’s eyes widened and then she chuckled. “Yeah…she can be scary. But she means well…she just doesn’t want to lose me or Mikel. Speaking of Mikel…He should be home with Aunt Nillina tomorrow.”

There was an awkward silence and Ellina walked over and sat next to the man. “So…do you know your name?”

He seemed to be in deep thought but finally sighed and shook his head, once more looking apologetic. Ellina smiled and jumped up about to speak but she flinched, falling on the ground. The man jumped up quickly and looked worried as Ellina picked up her foot. “Oh no…if mother sees this she’ll yell at me for not wearing shoes again.” Blood seeped from a cut on her foot. In all the excitement she hadn’t even stopped to notice the pain but that jump was too much.

The man kneeled down and took Ellina’s foot in both his hands. She jumped slightly but as his eyes began to change from the silver woods to a bright moss green that seemed to glow, her body suddenly calmed down. She looked down at his hands to see a green glow wrap around her foot and tighten then disappear and her foot was free of any blood or scratches. Her eyes widened once more and she crawled away from the man.

His eyes returned to the silver woods and they were apologetic and scared. Ellina was shaking with fear but she calmed down from his own fear. “…We must never tell mother…”