At some point during the middle of the night, Claire had fallen back to sleep. She awoke several hours later, the sky still dark. Claire felt an ache in her heart, and she placed her hand on her chest, her fingertips touching the pendant. Although she knew it was illogical, she could not shake the feeling that she really had seen Katie; she believed whole-heartedly that Katie was still alive and needed her help. With a newfound sense of determination, Claire threw aside her covers and quickly began to dress herself. It was still very early, and so as not to wake her parents, Claire made sure to step carefully down the staircase, avoiding the creaky spots. She took her shawl from its hook, quietly unlatched the front door, and stepped out onto the street.
She walked at a quick pace, heading directly towards the shop owned by the mysterious red-bearded man. As she neared the shop front, a light shone from somewhere inside the shop, and its owner opened the front door, as Claire reached the doorway.
“Claire. I was hoping you would come. Please do come inside,” said the red-bearded man in a calm voice.
“How did you – ?”
“I promise, all will be explained. Please follow me.”
He smiled reassuringly and yet the look in his eyes was grave. Claire hesitated and felt as though a stone had dropped in her stomach. Then she remembered her dream and the desperate look in Katie’s eyes. She crossed the threshold and the red-bearded man closed and locked the door behind her. He led her towards the back of the shop into a dimly lit room, which appeared to be his office. On two walls there were bookshelves overflowing with books and scrolls. An oak desk was situated in the center of the room, the top covered with papers and fascinating objects. In one corner of the room stood a cabinet with the most beautiful and intricate carvings.
“Please, do sit down,” said the man, offering Claire a small chair.
Walking to the opposite side of the desk and sitting in his own chair, the red-bearded man pulled his pipe from his coat pocket. Striking a match, he lit his pipe and took a long, slow puff. He held the smoke in his mouth for a moment, although it seemed an eternity to Claire. He finally parted his lips and sighed, the smoke encircling his head.
“I realize that all of this must seem very strange for you. Allow me to introduce myself – my name is Jasper. I am sure by now you have discovered that the pendant you wear is no ordinary necklace. I am sorry for keeping you in the dark until now, but I had to be certain that you could connect with the powers residing inside of this rare piece. It was crafted by a skilled alchemist. Her name…was Gerwyn, and she was the love of my life.”
He paused, taking another puff of his pipe.
“Gerwyn and I met one late spring evening, when we were young. She confided in me and told me that she came from another world, where every person and creature is born with magical talents. Gerwyn had a natural affinity with flora and fauna. During one of our first conversations, she explained to me how certain times of the year, the division between this world and the other world – her world – became thin enough for her, and others like her, to pass through. For many years we only saw each other for a few, precious days. I also learned that because she was born in the other world, she could not stay in this world for too long, or else she risked losing her magical talents and becoming mortal. Despite these limitations, we formed an unlikely friendship, and with each passing year our love for one another grew stronger.
“One summer evening, Gerwyn found me in the forest. She showed me the pendant and told me that she had found a way for us to be together. She had collected a particularly powerful four-leaf clover and preserved its magical properties by creating the pendant. You see, Claire, the pendant is the key to the doorway between this world and the other world; it also protects the wearer. The pendant not only allowed Gerwyn to pass through the division, it enabled both of us to go through together at any time, so long as we were physically connected in some way.
“We were overjoyed, because we could finally exist in the same world. We agreed and promised to build a life wherein we had a home in both of our worlds – she wearing the pendant while here, and I wearing the pendant when in her world. In the autumn of my eighteenth year, we married here in the village of my birth. Shortly after our wedding, we went together to Gerwyn’s world. The years passed, and we kept our promise to one another – living our lives together both in this world and the other world. We were so happy…”
Jasper’s words faltered, and tears began to fill his eyes. Claire waited, unsure of what to say but sensing the deep sorrow that he carried.
He continued, “Three years….It was three years ago…when everything changed.”
Claire felt as though a cold draught had passed through her. Three years ago was when Katie had disappeared. She wondered, Could this be a coincidence?
As if reading her mind, Jasper said, “Your friend, Katie Hanover…disappeared three years ago, shortly after she took the pendant from Gerwyn.”
Claire could not believe what she was hearing. Surely, he is mistaken, she thought.
“What do you mean – Katie took the pendant?” asked Claire, with trepidation.
Jasper puffed on his pipe and stared back at Claire. Finally he answered, “Katie, as you well know, has a curious nature. One day when Gerwyn and I were walking in the forest, Katie witnessed some of the magical properties of the pendant at work. We didn’t realize at the time that she was there.
“You have to understand, Claire, that the magic of the pendant is neither good nor bad. It yields to the will of its owner. Gerwyn used the power of the pendant to heal plants and animals, which is what she was doing when Katie spotted us in the forest. Each wearer of the pendant has the choice of how he or she will harness the magic. I believe that Katie never meant any harm when she took the pendant; she was only a young girl and didn’t understand the significance of her action.
“Unfortunately, when we awoke the next morning, we discovered that the pendant was gone. We spent several days searching the cottage for the lost necklace, knowing that we needed to find it as soon as possible, for Gerwyn’s sake. On the fifth day, Gerwyn became extremely ill. I did everything I could to try and save her, but we both knew that unless we found the pendant, or discovered another way to get her back to the other world – she was going to die. She grew weaker with each passing day, and she lost her own magical powers much faster than either of us expected. I can still remember holding her hand, as she took her final breaths….I felt completely helpless to save her – my love, my wife, my friend.”
Jasper looked down, and snuffed out his pipe.
“I am so sorry,” was all that Claire could say.
He replaced his pipe inside his coat pocket, and met Claire’s eyes once again.
“I told you that I believe that Katie never intended to hurt Gerwyn, or cause her to die. Something changed in Katie though, after she took the pendant – a darkness took hold inside of her.
“I couldn’t save Gerwyn. But you…you just may be able to save Katie. She needs your help, Claire, and there isn’t much time.”
To be continued…
This post is part of Fiction Friday, which is one out of two featured blog days. For suggestions or requests on future topics, please drop me a line here or connect with me on social media.
Truly Meeting Erin 