The Crystal Rainbow Ch 02 05

Nyasia A. Maire © 2007

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Chapter Two – Helen

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Men preach. Women share.

Children create.

"A Fool's Book of Wisdom"

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Upon waking for the second time in the home of Helen, Erik cautiously opened his eyes and found that his mind felt steadier and his head throbbed considerably less. He yawned and stretched, his slender body moving with a cat-like grace. He looked around the room, allowing his eyes to take in every detail. The room was a simple affair with rough log walls, chinked and then painted with a thick coat of whitewash. There were two windows in the room, but both had coverings of heavy, dark-colored silk brocade draped over them, effectively shutting out any view of the outside world. The sparse furniture fulfilled the utilitarian requirements of a bedroom and nothing more, but Erik felt like royalty after the way he lived in the attic.

"A bed! I have never slept in a bed. I wonder if this is what it would feel like to sleep on a cloud."

He grinned at the ridiculousness of his thought then sighed contentedly and snuggled languidly under the comforter. The boy spent a few moments relishing the unaccustomed comfort then he began to scoot up into a sitting position. He looked down at his hands resting on the bed and the boy frowned.

"Oh, no! I am filthy! Oh, shit!"

The boy looked at the now muddy bedclothes and bit his lower lip.

"Well, I just have to tell Helen that I will wash everything for her. She took me into her home, gave me a bed and food. I need to thank her properly. My mother may be mad, but she did raise her son to have proper manners. I just wish …."

A soft tap at the door interrupted his quiet musing.

"Yes? Come in."

The door latch jiggled for a moment and then the door banged open, swinging so quickly that it struck the wall behind it, bounced off it and then began to close. Helen bustled into the room and turned her backside to the door. It bounced harmlessly off her behind and she waddled into the room carrying a large wooden tray full of steaming bowls and plates of breakfast foods.

"Good morning, Erik! May I tempt you to eat a bit? I thought we could eat in here and talk at the same time. Why, you are looking much better today. Careful, now everything is quite hot, especially the coffee. I hope you like coffee. I only drink tea if it is late at night or for luncheon. Have you ever noticed that coffee always makes a gray day seem brighter? I really do enjoy my cup first thing in the morning. Come to think of it, I enjoy a cup at almost any time of the day or …."

Erik winced under her verbal onslaught. He raised his hands as if to defend himself from an attack and Helen paused to gawk at him.

"Erik, whatever is the matter with you?"

He blinked, looked at his raised hands, lowered them and then chuckled with obvious embarrassment.

"I … well, I … it is just …."

He stopped, cleared his throat and began again.

"I do apologize Madame Helen, but I am unused to quite so much … uh, um … conversation."

His voice trailed off and his face flushed crimson.

As the woman cackled with delight, her visage wrinkled even more than it had previously.

"Yes," she spat out between guffaws, "I do suppose I talk too much."

The boy shook his head as his eyes widened.

"Oh no, Madame! I simply am not used to people. Nor am I used to anyone wishing to speak with me. I suppose … I hope you shall provide me with the opportunity to become accustomed to it."

He turned his head away from her, but shyly peeked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Nothing would please me more, boy."

A small pleased smile graced the boy's slightly crooked mouth.

"I do believe I would like that as well, Madame. I really must thank you for everything! Oh! And, do not worry about the bedclothes. I shall wash them for you if you show me where I can do it."

"You are most welcome, Erik. We shall take care of that tomorrow. For now, do not worry yourself over it. I think that you should spend the rest of today resting. Your poor head received a rather hard knock and my experience has taught me that rest is the best cure. But now is the time for us to eat! Please, help yourself to whatever catches your fancy!"

The two passed the next half of an hour in companionable silence as they partook of the food Helen provided. When Erik finished, he sighed and careful not to disrupt the tray, stretched with contentment, which caused what Erik began to recognize as a pleased look to grace Helen's face. She removed the tray and without a word, left the room. Sounds of utensils and bowls clanking sounded from the other side of the door, followed by a brief silence before Helen rejoined him.

"Ah! Chores done! Now! If you do not mind, might I inquire what you were doing wandering about the forest in the middle of the night?"

Erik paled and lowered his head to gaze at his tightly clasped hands lying on his lap. He spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.

"I, uh, well, I ran away from home last night."

The woman regarded him for a moment, first cocking her head to one side and then to the other. She nodded slowly.

"And, what are your plans? Where is it that you intend to run? Surely, an intelligent young man such as yourself must have had some idea of where you would go before you left home …."

Erik grimaced.

"No, I did not."

Helen shrugged.

"Well then, the reason for your leaving home must have been dire. I will not question the wisdom of your decision, as you do not seem a foolish child."

The woman seemed to resume her intense consideration of him for a moment before speaking.

"I would like to offer you a proposition … if, that is, you would like to hear it."

The boy raised his eyes from his hands and nodded his head vigorously.

"What would you say to staying, here with me? You could earn your keep by helping me around the house and I could teach you … uh, some things, if you would like. I have been told that I am a very good teacher."

The boy's golden brown eyes shone. Amber sparks flashed within them signaling his happiness.

"Really? You want me to stay here with you. I mean, you are asking me to live here?"

"Yes. Is it really so difficult to believe that I would wish for you to stay? I am not as young as I used to be and having someone to help me would be a blessing. Not to mention that you do not speak much and that would allow me to have someone to listen to me whenever I wish. I do believe I am making the better end of the deal, but then a friend of mine told me that I am quite shrewd and drive a hard bargain. I remember once when I was in Persia, I found a carpet at a stall in the bazaar and the shopkeeper and I almost came to blows bartering over the price. Oh yes, those were the days. I traveled quite frequently when I was younger. Now, I stay here all alone! Old, mad Helen, the forest witch with her potions and premonitions. Fools! Can you believe that the last visitor I had asked me to make him a love potion? Bah! Love potion! Magic can do many things, but it can never make people fall in love. Lust, perhaps, but not love."

The woman's eyes caught sight of the boy's head drooping and chuckled.

"Oh, Erik! What a pair we make. Silence and sound. Youth and crone."

Her smile slipped, her pale blue eyes chilled as she stared intently at the boy's tousled head and masked face. A small frown caused the wrinkled flesh of her face to furrow even deeper. She lifted a hesitant hand to his face and when he did not withdraw, she cupped his unmasked cheek in her hand. She spoke in a gentle, soothing tone. Coaching her voice into an almost hypnotic cadence.

"You have a face, which frightened your mother. You must not allow her to color your perceptions of the world, child. Your mother is a foolish creature! She could not see your true beauty, which lies in your soul. It shall take a bit of work, but I do believe I can help you resurrect it. And, maybe, just maybe, along the way you can help me. I am not certain of it, but I just have this feeling that you shall find her for me. Oh, yes! We shall help one another, Erik and we shall both learn many things along the way. Yes, old Helen, she will teach Erik and she can learn new things, too! Then, I think, you shall help me. Yes, Erik. You shall find exactly what Helen needs and then I can rest, but for now, you need rest and I shall leave you in peace."

The old woman leaned forward and carefully swept a lock of dark hair from the boy's bemused face. As she did, the bracelet she wore on her wrist brushed against his deformed cheek. The boy's eyes flew open and Helen jumped back. Erik gasped and sat bolt upright. He swayed as the room swirled about him. He stared at the woman before him in wonder.

"Helen? Is that you?"

The woman before him smiled sadly and nodded.

"But, you … well, you look … I mean … I am sorry."

He averted his gaze in embarrassment. Helen gently smiled and reached out to the boy. She placed her hand under his chin and turned his head towards her.

"Go ahead, Erik. You may say anything you wish to me. I shall not take offense."

Erik stared at her entranced with his mouth agape, his eyes widened in wonderment.

"How is it possible? Madame, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Even more beautiful than my mother and she is a great beauty."

Her hand unconsciously touched the bracelet clasped about her wrist.

"Thank you, boy. The sight you see before you is one that you see with the eyes of your soul, for that is how your soul sees me. The eyes, which reside within your head, see me quite differently. Those eyes see a wrinkled, old woman. Now, I feel I must show you something, Erik. Something tells me you need to see this. It will only take a moment."

She smiled reassuringly at the boy before turning away. The retreating figure transformed from lithe and graceful to lumpy and inelegant as it glided across the room to the dresser and picked up a hand mirror. She returned to the boy's side and held it out to him.

"Here. Take it."

With trembling hands, he reached out and took the offered mirror. The bracelet once again rubbing against his hand as he accepted the mirror.

"Now, look into the mirror and tell me what you see."

He raised frightened eyes to kind ones.

"Please! No! I know what I shall see. I do not wish to see the monster. It makes me have nightmares. I will look tomorrow, but not now, I would like to rest. I am feeling very tired and my head hurts. I promise I will look tomorrow. Please?"

His voice pleaded, but she repeated firmly.

"Erik, look into the mirror."

Hesitantly, he raised the mirror and peeked into its depths.

"But …. But, how?" He stammered.

The boy began to gasp for breath and he flung the mirror across the room where it shattered against the wall.

"It is not possible! The mirror lies! I saw me and I had a whole face!" He cried.

Helen nodded.

"That is how I see you as well, Erik. The image in the mirror is real and true. Mirrors do not lie."

Seeing his anguish, she decided not to press the subject.

"I am sorry that I caused you distress. I did not mean for this to happen so soon and I apologize. It was never my intention to upset you, but …. Well, all things happen for a reason whether I ken it or no. There are no coincidences, no mistakes. We are well met, Erik."

The woman's words faded into a buzz in his mind as he attempted to justify the image he had seen in the mirror with the one he had seen in his mother's mirror. His thoughts whirled, which only added to his confusion and he felt the icy grip of panic take hold of him. He began to shake his head wildly back and forth.

"Oh, Erik, please you must calm yourself!"

She sat on the bed, took the trembling child into her arms and rocked him. Her beautiful voice sang a sweet song and after a time, the boy's quivering ceased and he fell into a dreamless sleep. Helen carefully extricated herself from the boy and slipped from the room, muttering curses at herself for her carelessness.

"Damn it! Poor thing was not ready for that. Hell! Most adults I meet are not ready, but he will learn. Oh, yes! Helen will help Erik learn to see the truth of what lies within."

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Chapter Three – Recriminations

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Talk – a four letter word. Hear – a four letter word.

Love – a four letter word with infinite meaning.

"A Fool's Book of Wisdom"

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"Stupid, stupid woman! He is but a child and you already twist his mind with a taste of the power. You know better. Just what did you think to do to him, Helen? What did you hope to accomplish besides scaring the daylights out of him? It is bad enough that your carelessness caused the power to touch him once, but for you purposefully to cause it a second time is unconscionable. This child is a male and not even one of the bloodline. And, yet, he is so susceptible. That feather touch should not have affected him. Yet, it did. I do not understand. Perhaps, he is a sensitive. That would be typical. The gods gift him with power and an inhuman face so he cannot wield the power. Obviously, a male deity watched over this one's birth, no female would have been so cruel. Well, perhaps, Hera would, but then, well …. Best not to think of such things. I shall awaken the Fates and that would be most unpleasant for us all."

The old woman paced before her fireplace, wringing her hands and occasionally shaking her fist at the ceiling as she continued her muttered tirade of abuse against her own self.

"Son of a whore! Oh, turn the page, Helen. 'The moving finger having writ moves on ….' And, all that nonsensical truth. Again, written by a man. Not that Omar Khayyam is a bad poet. He is still but a man." She paused, placed a hand to her head and groaned. "Shit! Oh well. He is quite intelligent. It shines like a beacon from his eyes and I do believe it can cut through falsehoods like a knife through butter. He knows something happened, but most likely, he does not connect it to the bracelet. I wonder if he believes I placed him in a trance and hypnotically suggested the images he saw. Does he even know what hypnosis is? I do hope that he does not think I enchanted him. I hope his mother did not raise him to be superstitious, but who knows to what she attributed his facial deformity. Oh! I hope the bitch did not burden him with the horror of telling him his face is accursed. Shit! I know nothing of this boy and yet, I risk all by what I did this evening. And, conversely, I cannot bring myself to feel any true remorse for my actions. It does not feel wrong, in fact, I have never felt a thing to be this right. I must hold on to that premonition. I suppose, I must wait to see what recriminations the morrow brings."

Lowering her hand, she walked to the window and gazed out into the darkness of the forest. She listened to the gentle pop and crackle of the flames consuming the logs in the fireplace and the patter of the rain against the window pane. She heaved a sigh and leaned her forehead against the cold glass.

"Yes, tomorrow will reveal many things.

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The boy's dreamless sleep soon gave way to the nightmares that so often plagued him. However, on this night, a new terror seized him. He found himself in a room full of mirrors. Tall mirrors, short mirrors, ornate mirrors, plain mirrors, round mirrors, square mirrors, large mirrors and small mirrors. Mirrors everywhere he turned. And, each held the image of his perfect face each image taunted him with the lie of an ideal he would never realize. A truth that would never be. He lashed out at the nearest mirror with his fists and felt his heart soar triumphantly as it shattered. His feet swiftly carried him through the opening created by the broken mirror. Everything seemed to dim and then with a flash, he found himself in a long, narrow hallway, which was only dimly illuminated. A feeling of claustrophobia closed in about him and he ran down the corridor. He slowed his pace only when he tripped slightly on the edge of an uneven stone paver. His eyes moved from side to side, examining the rough-hewn walls of the passageway. He took in the flickering lamps, which were evenly spaced along the hall. No windows and no doors were visible, so Erik continued his trek along the hall, his footsteps soundless and his breathing hushed. It was unearthly quiet and a feeling of unease caused the hairs on the nape of his neck to rise. He held his breath and his heart began to pound. Just as the boy thought he would scream to break the silence, he heard it. A voice singing. A girl's voice. It was an enchanting sound.

Erik blinked.

When his eyes focused again, he was no longer in the hall, but in a large, round room. A girl of no more than six or seven years sat in the middle of the room on a large Persian rug. She sat with her back turned to him and she was singing. Erik took a step forward and she stopped. Her head tilted to one side and then she slowly turned. Large, dark brown eyes gazed into Erik's amber orbs and he felt as if he were falling. She smiled at him and patted the floor next to her. She resumed singing. Erik's feet moved and they took him next to the girl. Her eyes danced with delight and she held out a hand to him. The boy lifted his hand to accept the girl's offer when a gust of air rushed through the room. He felt it caress the bare skin of his cheek and he drew back from the girl in horror.

"I am not wearing my mask! Where is my mask? I must have my mask!"

A sad, confused expression pressed the girl's pretty features downwards into a frown and she bit her lip as she watched the boy's eyes widen. She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders as if in silent response to his query. He lifted his hand to hide his shame and felt an electrical shock along his thigh. Glancing down, he discovered the source was the girl's hand resting on his leg.

"What is wrong? Do you not wish to sing with me?" She pouted prettily.

Erik backed away, confused by the girl's lack of fear. He shook his head.

"Why … why would you wish to play with a monster?"

"A monster?" She looked around the room then returned her wide, innocent eyes to his. "Where? I see no monster here. I only see you and me." She giggled. "Just we two, Erik and no monsters."

Erik frowned.

"Do not mock me, girl! You can see plainly that I am a monster. A hideous thing that is neither a man nor a beast. Why do you pretend you wish to be my friend? Surely, you must have better things to do than tease me with something I can never have. You do not look cruel … or, are you simply stupid?" He sneered.

Her eyes, which had filled with tears, turned to ice the moment his words accusing her of stupidity left his lips. Her eyes narrowed and her back straightened. She lifted her chin in a manner both regal and defiant.

"I do believe that you are the stupid one, Erik …." She answered haughtily. "Erik …."

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"Erik …. Erik …."

The boy drew away from the hand, which shook his shoulder and cried out.

"Oh, Christine!"

"Erik …. Wake up!"

The boy's eyes flew open to find Helen's pale blue ones hovering above him. He blinked the remnants of the dream away and realized that the woman stood next to the bed with her hand upon his shoulder. Her eyes filled with a gentle concern.

"Oh, Helen!"

Without giving a thought to his actions, he threw his arms about her and hugged her tightly. Erik felt her stiffen, but after a moment, the woman relaxed and wrapped her arms about the boy.