Of Scars and Secrets (Time Walkers Tales Book 2)

10

A gust of wind carried the scent of salt and smoke through the air as Nicholas and Alec crested a hill overlooking the Eastern settlement. The village below teemed with life, its inhabitants moving about their daily tasks with vigor and purpose. Alec shook his head, as if trying to clear something stuck in his ears, and Nicholas placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him. He remembered what it was like, when he was a boy and first dared to use a Bloodstone to travel through time. It was not an easy feeling to shake.

”Look at it, Alec,” Nicholas said, his voice soft with awe. ”It”s just as I remember.”

Alec”s eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. Thatched roofs and wooden homes dotted the landscape, nestled among fields of golden wheat that swayed gently in the breeze. He could hear the distant echo of laughter, an undeniable sense of life emanating from the settlement below.

”Are you sure about this, Nicholas?” Alec asked, his voice trembling slightly. His hands fidgeted at his sides, betraying his unease. Nicholas knew Alec had heard stories of their Norse ancestry, their reputations as fierce warriors and skilled craftsmen, but hearing about history was a much different matter than seeing it—and living it.

”Trust me, brother,” Nicholas replied, placing a reassuring hand on Alec”s shoulder. ”We are safe here, and among friends.”

As they descended the hillside, Nicholas couldn”t help but feel a twinge of guilt for what Alec must endure. He knew the weight of immortality was a heavy burden, one he was adapting to himself, and he would do anything to ease his brother”s suffering.

”Nicholas,” Alec said, his voice barely more than a whisper. ”Is this where we’re going to live?”

The question hung in the air between them like a thick fog, and for a moment, Nicholas hesitated. He wanted to share the truth with Alec – that Alec’s mind was fragile, that he needed time to mature and grow in a safe place where Keepers would not discover him – but the words wouldn”t come.

”Yes,” he finally answered, his voice thick with emotion. ”This is where I once lived, and it is a good place.”

As they approached the settlement, Nicholas could see the familiar faces of villagers he had once called friends. They greeted him with warm smiles and hearty handshakes, welcoming him and Alec into their fold without hesitation. It was not different than times he visited in the past, when he had been one of them, accepted as a kinsmen.

”Welcome home, Traveler,” one man said, his voice booming over the din of the bustling village. ”And to you, boy. Here, looks like you need a touch of meat on your bones.”

The brothers exchanged glances, and Nicholas smiled. The man gave Alec a thick crust of bread, and Alec dove into it gladly, biting off a chunk and chewing as they walked.

”Nicholas,” Alec began, his eyes searching his brother”s face for answers. ”Why do they all behave so friendly? Do they all know you?”

”Some of them remember me,” Nicholas replied, his voice low. He gestured to the village courtyard in front of the great longhouse, the memories washing over him like waves upon the shore. ”And you will fare better if you behave like you belong. Walk straight, and look men in the eye. They will accept you. This is where I truly grew into a man, where I learned the ways of the world.”

A warm smile played at the corners of his lips as he recounted tales of the Norse people who had taken him in and treated him as one of their own. He spoke of hearty feasts and daring adventures, of friendships forged through fire and tempered by time.

”Among these people, I found acceptance,” he continued, hoping Alec would understand. ”And I want you to experience that too, Alec.”

As Nicholas” words seemed to paint vivid pictures in Alec”s mind, curiosity sparked in his eyes like embers in a hearth. ”But why bring me here, now? What do you hope for us to find?”

Pausing to gather his thoughts, Nicholas stared at the people they passed, each blur of a face stirring memories within him. ”I want us to settle here, to grow together in this new existence we”ve been granted. We are both immortal. It is a strange burden to bear.” His voice faltered for a moment, vulnerable and raw. ”We can”t change what we are, but we can shape our future. And I believe the key to that lies here.”

Nicholas studied his brother”s face, sensing the weight of his words on his adolescent mind. Alec nodded, a new steadiness reflected in his face.

”Then I will follow you,” Alec said.

The sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the soil as Nicholas and Alec walked and continued their conversation.

”Nicholas,” Alec said, ”you said you grew up here. You left home after—after I died?”

Nicholas could see the question lingering on his brother”s lips, anticipation and trepidation battling for dominance in his eyes. He knew it was time to address the things between them that remained unacknowledged. Nicholas knew someday he must explain himself, to make Alec understand. He just did not expect it so soon.

”Yes, I left home,” he said softly, his heart twisting with a familiar ache. “It was easier that way, for all of us.”

”Did... did Father ever forgive you?” Alec”s voice shook as the words tumbled out. ”For what happened to me?”

Nicholas took a deep breath, the pain of the memory still sharp, even centuries later. ”No,” he admitted, his voice barely a whisper. ”And a part of me died with you, Alec. I would have given anything to be the one who died that day, instead of you.”

He looked at his brother, willing him to understand the depth of his remorse. ”I lost everything that day. I sought solace among the Norse, hoping to find a purpose amidst the chaos of my existence.”

Alec”s eyes softened as he absorbed Nicholas”s confession. ”What did you find here, then? What changed for you?”

A sudden gust of wind stirred the leaves around them, sending memories of running the gauntlet flooding into Nicholas” mind. The moment when the Norse people recognized him as one of their own, embracing him despite his otherworldly nature. They told him he was a man, that he was worthy to live among them, and he finally believed it.

”I found acceptance,” he said. ”They saw me not as a monster, but as a man. A man worthy of their trust and respect.”

He turned to face Alec. ”We will face this together, learning and growing side by side. I want that for us, Alec. I want you to find your place in this world, just as I did here. I cannot bring you home, but this was home to me, for a time. I think it will be a good place for you, too.”

Alec nodded slowly, seemingly buoyed by his brother”s conviction. ”I trust you, Nicholas,” he said.

”Thank you,” Nicholas replied, his voice thick.

Dark clouds broke apart, allowing the sun to cast a warm golden light upon the two brothers. The scent of fresh earth and woodsmoke filled the air, calling forth memories of a simpler time.

”Nicholas,” Alec said. ”What if... What if I can”t handle this? Being immortal, it”s... it”s not natural.”

”Neither is time travel, brother,” Nicholas replied gently. ”But we have been given this gift for a reason. We will navigate this new existence together, until you are stronger, and your mind is at ease.”

”I know you”re right,” he admitted softly. ”It”s just... so much to take in.”

”Of course it is,” Nicholas agreed, placing an arm around his shoulders. ”But you’ll grow to like it, you’ll see.”

The scent of freshly roasted meat drifted through the air. Men, women, and children moved about with purpose, milling toward the great longhouse, their laughter echoing across the valley. The vivid colors of their tunics and dresses contrasted against the greenery, painting a lively tapestry before their eyes.

”See that man over there?” Nicholas said, pointing to a burly figure with a thick beard and arms crossed over his broad chest. ”That”s Gunnar. He taught me how to forge a blade.”

Nicholas noted the way the blacksmith’s eyes crinkled in amusement as he exchanged a few words with a young girl who had approached him. ”He looks like someone you wouldn”t want to cross,” Alec remarked, a hint of awe in his voice.

”True, but he has a heart of gold,” Nicholas replied. As they walked, he gestured to a woman with fiery red hair braiding a child”s tresses, sitting by the village well near the forge. ”And that”s Fregis, a skilled healer. She welcomed me like a son.”

A sense of familiarity swelled within Nicholas as he introduced Alec to more of the Norse who remembered him. Their warm embraces enveloped the brothers, offering a sense of belonging Nicholas hoped would be a balm on Alec’s muddled mind.

”Welcome,” Fregis said, her voice strong and steady. ”It’s good to see you among us again, Traveler. And you, as well, young man.” Her gaze lingered on Alec, assessing him with a knowing look.

”Thank you,” Alec replied, meeting her gaze head-on.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the clang of steel echoed from the blacksmith”s forge, while fishermen mended their nets by the shore and children chased each other through the lanes, laughter bubbling from their lips.

”Nicholas,” Gunnar called out, wiping his hands on his leather apron. ”It”s been too long, my friend.” His eyes flicked to Alec before returning to Nicholas. ”And who is this?”

”Meet my brother, Alec,” Nicholas replied. ”He”s just arrived.”

”Ah, a brother!” Gunnar boomed, engulfing Alec in a bear hug that lifted him off the ground. ”Welcome to our village, young one!”

Alec”s breath rushed back into his lungs as Gunnar released him, and he couldn”t help but grin at the sheer exuberance of the man. ”Thank you, I”m glad to meet you.”

”Good,” Gunnar said, clapping Alec on the back with a force that nearly sent him stumbling forward. ”You”ll fit right in.”

“Speaking of brothers, where will I find Olaf? Last time I saw the swine he was set on making a voyage,” Nicholas said.

Gunnar grunted a low snort. “Ah, he’s returned since then, that was a few summers past. His wife’s ready to drop another son, so Olaf claims. I suspect it will be a girl, like the last two. You should visit him, he’ll be glad to see you.”

As the day unfolded, Nicholas watched Alec interact with the villagers, his heart swelling with gratitude for the community that embraced them both.

With each passing day, the brothers found themselves learning from the villagers – working alongside them in the fields, assisting in the construction of new homes, and honing their skills in the art of black smithery. They forged friendships as strong as the steel they shaped, the camaraderie between them and the Norse people growing deeper with every shared task and meal.

As time passed, Alec became enthralled by the knowledge of the stars and their navigation techniques, an essential skill for the seafaring Norse. One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with shades of orange and pink, he and Nicholas sat by a crackling fire, sharing stories of their past and dreams for the future.

”Nicholas,” Alec began, his voice soft and contemplative. ”Do you think we can truly find peace here, given our immortality?”

Nicholas paused, his eyes reflecting the flickering flames as he considered his brother”s question. ”I believe so, Alec,” he finally answered, his voice firm. ”Our immortality is of little consequence to the people here. They don’t give much thought to it.”

Alec nodded, the uncertainty in his eyes slowly being replaced by hope. ”You”re right. I like it here, Nic. Almost as much as Eastview.”

As the fire burned down to embers, casting shadows that danced across the Norse settlement, Nicholas knew that their journey was far from over. With each day that passed, Alec aged both in mind and body, and Nicholas felt hope for his healing, for a chance for him to live a long, happy life.

Yet facing the years that lay ahead was another matter, one that made Nicholas ache with a longing nothing could quench. It was at night, when he lay alone in his cot, and the darkness crept in, that the selfish desire to return to the future haunted him the most.

Sophia.

By the Gods, he missed her. He missed her smile, her touch, the way she laughed when he teased her. When the longing took hold, he gripped his Bloodstone dagger in his hand, and it took every ounce of strength to keep from using it to return to her.

Yet he had made a promise, and he could not abandon it. He looked over at his sleeping brother. Bound together by love and loyalty, he was determined to see it through. For Alec, and for all of them.