DF Chapter 5

Deirdra laid out two cups of her homemade herbal tea then settled in her winged chair. Margaret, Careen, and Kristina were in Careen’s room studying books that Deirdra had assigned to them to read. This way they would be occupied with something else and not interrupt Kalina as she talked to Deirdra.

 

Kalina studied Deirdra from her winged chair across from her. Deirdra and Careen were exact copies of themselves. There was no denying their relations. A smile curled Deirdra’s lips as she sipped slowly on her tea, “Drink your tea Kalina and tell me all your problems.”

 

“How do you know I have problems?” Kalina asked and retrieved the tea cup from the table in front of her. At Deirdra’s raised brow, she nodded, “Yeah, yeah… mothers know all.”

 

“Exactly my dear,” Deirdra said with an all knowing tone. “Now, what has been troubling you? And don’t say nothing because I can hear the wheels turning in your head.”

 

“Well…” Kalina sighed and replaced the cup to its saucer. “It started about a year ago. Right after the first time I lead a circle with May’s Gran. Now don’t get mad or anything because I asked the girls not to tell anyone.” Kalina rose from her chair and went to the window at the back of the room. She watched a couple of children kick a ball around in a neighbor’s yard and someone walk their dog down the street. “I started to get dreams about a girl of about seventeen or eighteen years of age. She lived long ago in a distant land, only semi-tamed by man-kind. These dreams were of her normal everyday life. She had a sister, brother, husband, son, and friends. She was a high priestess of a coven with five members, one of each element. For a year, I watched her life unfold. Then starting yesterday, I starting getting the visions during my waking hours. But they weren’t like the dreams. These visions were bruttle. I watched her death; she was murdered by the council.”

 

At this she turned and meets her eyes with Deirdra’s. They were filled with wonder and confusion. Kalina sighed and rubbed her face hard with her hands. “Deirdra, it felt like my own death. As she was killed, it felt as if my own life was being burned away from me. That was when I knew these weren’t any ordinary visions. So I did a spell, asking for the truth to be uncovered.”

 

“Wait!” Deirdra furrowed her brow, “You did an unapproved spell on your own? Kalina, what would have happened if it had back fired?”

 

“I know, I know, but I had to find the truth out before I could talk to anyone!” Kalina heard her own voice and cringed. She had been yelling at the most understanding woman she had ever known. “Look, I found out that the visions were of my past self. The girl I dreamt about and had visions about was Badanie Noreen and I am her.”

 

Deirdra gasped as the tea cup fell out of her hand. It shattered on the floor, sending glass and tea everywhere. “Did… did you just say Badanie Noreen?”

 

Kalina raised a brow, “Yes. Why? Who was she?”

 

Deirdra closed her eyes tight and began to message her temples, “Oh goddess, if she has come back…”

 

“Deirdra!” Kalina yelled at her, demanding her attention. “Who was she? Who am I? Please help me, I am very lost.”

 

Deirdra opened her eyes and looked at Kalina. She had to agree. The fifteen year-old, almost sixteen, standing in front of her did look lost. In fact, she looked ragged and tired also. “Kalina…” Deirdra sighed and rose. Enveloping Kalina in a hug, she rubbed her back reassuringly. “Let me clean up this mess. Then we will get the other girls in here. It’s time you four hear a story.”

 

Kalina nodded her head and pulled out of the embrace. It was love for the woman in front of her that gave her the patience now. Otherwise, she would have shook her and demanded answers. “Okay Deirdra. I’ll get them while you clean up.”

 

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The four of them sat around in the sitting room. Kalina sat tensely in the winged chair that she had occupied before. Deirdra sat across from her with a grim face. Kristina and Careen sat on the lounger on Kalina’s right and Margaret sat on a stool to her left. The three girls were confused to what was going on.

 

“Okay Deirdra,” Kalina said and looked into the woman’s eyes. “We are all here, explain.”

 

“First Kalina, you need to explain to your sisters what you have seen.” Deirdra said and sipped her tea. “According to Careen, you ran out on them yesterday and refused to explain.”

 

“Yeah,” Careen sat forward and looked to her friend with a worried face. “What’s going on Kalin? You faint on us then run off before explaining.”

 

“And when I tried to ask you later,” Margaret continued. “You refuse to explain. Kalin, we are here for you. It can’t be too bad.”

 

“But it can.” Kalina pushed out of the chair again and began to pace. “How can I explain what I don’t really know? I have no idea what is going on! The only thing I do know is that I am dream girl. I am Badanie Noreen.”

 

“Fa Hait Lugh.” Kristina said and looked Kalina in the eyes. “Lugh Mef Badanie?”

 

Kalina looked her back in the eyes and suddenly understood. Kristina had said, “So you remember. Remember me Badanie?” Kalina’s brows furrowed as she glared at Kristina. “How come I understood you just now!? Who the hell are you!?”

 

Kristina grinned, “I am Kristina Gonzalez. In my past life, you knew me as Hope Noreen. I am your blood sister.” She stood and walked over to Badanie, hand extended. “Your sixteenth birthday is approaching, so you are coming into your powers. By doing so, you remember your past lives and everything you have ever known, done, heard, or experienced. And Badanie, you have known, done, heard, and experienced a lot. The death of your true love, son, brother, and me, all of which you feel responsible for.”

 

Kalina looked down at Kristina’s hand then back up to her face. “How… how do you know this?”

 

“Because I have remembered,” Kristina explained. “I also know that when you take my hand, another memory will be triggered. Are you willing to see?”

 

Kalina looked back down on the hand. Did she want to see another part of herself? What would happen if it was another bad memory? Could she live with another death on her shoulders? She looked up and beyond Kristina’s shoulders to Deirdra. She had a look of deep concern on her face. Why? Why would she care if she had another memory of Badanie? And why when she heard the name did she flinch? ‘Because she fears you,’ something inside her answered. ‘She is council scum and she fears you!’

 

Making her decision, she looked back into Kristina’s eyes. “I am willing.” Taking Kristina’s hand, she plunged into the darkness.

 

“This is boring!” Kora, her son, yelled at his father. He had just turned sixteen and had come into his full powers. He had received the best of both hers and Kato’s powers. From her, he got her mind jumping and spells weaving abilities. From his father, he received his astral planning and swordsmanship abilities. Kora was the ultimate Wiccan and would be the strongest in the near future.

 

Kato spun his swords and glared at his son. “But it is essential. Your ability to transfer from defense to offense is shaky at best.”

 

“It’s not like we are at war!” Kora complained and sheathed his broad sword. “Please, let me go train with mom! I want to learn more spells.”

 

Hope grinned from besides Badanie and crossed her arms. “He reminds me of brother.”

 

She laughed, “No. He is his father through and through. He just hasn’t found his joy in swords yet.”

 

“I thought Kitoma’s were born with that joy.” Hope raised a brow as Kora began to duck and evade his father’s swings, his sword still sheathed.

 

She shrugged, “So did I. But Kora leans more towards spell work than swords. I have a feeling that he doesn’t like to dirty his hands.”

 

“Ah… like his mother.” Hope smirked, “You have always enjoyed a good spell high.”

 

“Damn right.” She laughed again and turned her attention back to the boys as Kato’s sword hit Kora’s shoulder. “That’s enough!” She yelled and ran to Kora’s aid. However, when she got there, Kora shrugged her off.

 

“I’m fine.” He said through clenched teeth and unsheathed his sword. “Let’s go!”

 

“That’s more like it.” Kato smirked and advanced again. However this time, Kora smacked the swords away and kicked Kato hard in the chest, sending him flying.

 

Kato landed hard a good ten feet away. When he tried to sit up, he groaned and fell back to the ground. “Damn.”

 

She looked from her husband to her son in wonderment. “Did you have to hurt your father like that!?”

 

“Yes!” Kora yelled and slapped Badanie hard across the cheek. “I’m through with you two. You never teach me what I want to know. Good bye mother.” He gave her a salute and astral planed away.

 

Hope ran over to Kato and began to heal him. “What just happened?”

 

She stood there, eyes wide in amazement. Her son had hurt his father and slapped her. Falling slowly to her knees, she let out a scream. What had they done? What did the future entail?

 

Kalina surfaced and feel to her knees. Her stomach swam threatenly and her cheek hurt where Badanie was slapped. “What was that?” She choked out.

 

Kristina knelt down in front of her and placed a cool cloth to her forehead. “That was the beginning to the end.”