Chapter 52

chapter Fifty

As they reached the river, bull frogs chirped and the waters ran quickly into a swirling pool that eventually let out into rapids that stretched out toward where he had taken Volencia the day before. For what the river could be, it was calm this time of year. It was spawning season, and the fish would rest here in the pool before moving on to the ponds in the area where they would lay their eggs.

This was the part of the river that Damion and a good number of the Elders in Village believed they should expand toward. Not only because this area, and the pond where the unicorns visited regularly, made for some of the best fishing. It was also closer, and safer for the striplings or elders. There were some however that wanted to avoid expanding into the unicorns' area, believing that it would anger them or the gods. The problem with the lake, which is where the others thought they should expand toward, was that it was much further away, and would take longer to get to. It would also require more magic than Damion believed he would be able to provide perminantly. So, he had been avoiding the topic. He also worried if they did expand toward the unicorns, that they may not like it. The were finicky creatures, and one moment they were excited to share space with the Samanthians, the next they were scared. Really, the only one who could make up its mind was Acorn. He was also the oldest of all the unicorns too. Regardless, the village couldn't come up with an amicable agreement on where to expand.

"How do you think the King will take the news of your engagement to the princess?" Trey asked as they trudged off the beaten path.

Damion gave a deep shrug. "Honestly, I have no idea. I was half dazed during the little time I had to talk to him after we removed the curse. We left the next morning. Before that, he could say nothing at all. If the few times I felt like we were communicating were correct, I don't foresee an issue. Volencia doesn't believe he'll turn me away either. If I hadn't shown up when I did, his kingdom would be under the rule of his greatest enemy, and Volencia would be married to a tyrant who would be sitting on the throne even now. All I really know is that I'm glad we weren't raised as siblings."

Travion laughed so hard, a flock of birds took off from the treetops in a frenzy, cawing angrily at them. "Everything considered, that would have made this incredibly awkward."

Damion chuckled, "Not just that though. Sure, I would have been able to learn magic in a more formal setting, but most of what I know came from need. I grew up not knowing any bounderies for magic. How different would my knowledge base be if folk constantly told me what I was trying to do was impossible? What would have happened to all of you if I hadn't been here when the shield fell?"

They made it to the part of the river they wanted. The water was fast here but there was a small pool where the migrating fish stopped to eat and rest for the time of year it was, this was the best spot. Dropping his gear on the bank, Travion looked at Damion seriously. "By the father, we would all have died. I never would have survived past the attack where you found me."

Damion frowned, "Or you would have been one hell of a curiousity in Thambair."

"That sounds aweful."

"It does, doesn't it?" Damion agreed. Placeing his own gear down and following suit as Trey got his fishing rod ready. "All this makes me think back to something Volencia said Ghost pointed out." Damion waited a bit for Trey to chime in while they readied their bait, but Trey just waited for his response. Once he cast out, Damion continued, "Apparently, he had never felt he had a real chance before. He told Volencia this was the first time since he got imprisoned that he actually had a glimmer of hope that he may be freed. He also told her it wasn't just because of us. I think someone else that we know makes him feel that way. I keep thinking, it's probably you."

For a while, they heard the frogs chirping and simply sat on the banks of the river enjoying the silence around them. By the time Travion looked at his brother and asked again, the little blue sun had risen and set, the birds were singing their good morning songs, and between the two of them, they had already had nine fish hanging from their catches.

"So, why me?" Travion asked.

"I don't think I found a brother, one who sees the future no less, by accident." Damion said, unwilling to look at his brother.

"So, you think my gift may be a key in what is going on between you and Volencia?" Trey asked, watching the water.

"No." Damion cleared his throat. "I think we're going to find it will be key in helping us rescue Necron and Ephira. I don't know how, but it's all too clandestine to not believe that's what's going on."

Travion sighed, dropping back to sprawl across the green grass behind them. "This is it then? The ending. We just set the gods loose on the world again and everything becomes fine and dandy. We all end up with a happily ever after?"

Damion sighed, mirroring Travion as he dropped back on the grass also. "I don't know about that. If it were going to have a happy ending, why is dad so scared of the book Necron wrote himself?"

Raising up on his elbows, Travion watched his brother for a while. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something different about him. It had been nagging at Travion since he got here, but it was easy to write it off as tiredness or the anxiety of being with the Princess and figuring out his love life. Perhaps that's all it really was. "That book is really bothering you, isn't it?"

"Doesn't sound like it is full of happy go lucky times. And you said dad said there is a prophecy in there."

"Dad also doesn't believe anyone is worthy of reading the words of the gods. I bet he's reciting warnings passed down to him and I bet he's never read a word from it himself. You worry too much Damion."

"And you don't worry enough." Damion glanced at him sideways.

"Why sweat over something I can't change? And why read a prophecy I will likey misinterpret anyway? I'm here, right now and this is the only moment I have to change the future. It's ever changing. For instance, if I get up right now, and walk away, we could have enough fish for supper tonight still. If I stay though, we get to share the wealth, and everyone ends up happier for it. If I walk away, I could hurt your feelings or make you angry. How you react will change the way our day unfolds. I can't directly be blamed for your actions, but if mine leading up to that moment, spure you to doing something, it becomes a chain of events. There are millions of ways that can change. For instance, if you decided that we could no longer be brothers, then our very future, everything I've seen or witnessed through the visions could potentially change, yet we would have no idea. Who's to say that was still the future we saw and in making up later down the road made our bonds that much stronger? Assuming we have any real control how our actions or inactions will affect our immediate future, let alone the far out future, is nothing short of presumptuous. To think that this curse could be seen as a means to an end, and the thing that would turn the tides is terrifying at best." Travion's eyes were glazed over as he looked up toward the sky. He sighed deeply, not moving again until there was a pull at his line.

"You're basically saying, that regardless of anything, we have no power over time other than our here and now moments?"

"Correct. The future will come regardless, but there's no guarantee that it will be the one you are expecting. So, it's best just to move forward with the best intentions we can, in hopes of laying the foundation for a future we can all be proud of. Here and now, that's what truly matters. I would drive myself mad if I tried to live in the future rather than the present."