All I've Ever Wanted

Mariah and Terry are reunited.

Chapter 14

 

        It was the middle of the night when Mariah sat straight up from a dead sleep.  “Terry!” she cried out loud.  Something told her that Terry was in danger, but she didn’t know why.  She looked around and realized where she was.  The only sound she heard was the soft breathing of those around her.  She couldn’t explain it, but she simply knew Terry was close by and in peril.  What could she do though?

        Win awoke and sleepily he asked, “Is something wrong?”

        “It’s my husband Terry. He is in danger.”

        Win was silent for a moment and appeared to be deep in concentration.  “Let’s go,” he suddenly said.  He got up and pulled on his warm fur coat.  He gave Mariah an identical coat and she put it on.  Win kneeled before his brother’s bed and gently woke him.  “Atoo, we must search for this man Terry. He is out there somewhere and we need to get to him before it is too late!” Atoo nodded and got up.  Once he was bundled up as well, the three of them left Odessa sleep and went out into the dark, snowy night.

        The flakes swirled and danced against the velvet background of night.  It was bitterly cold out now that sun had gone down and the snow was deep enough that it made walking incredibly difficult.  What was even worse was that they had no specific direction or destination in mind.  They were just walking aimlessly trying to locate Terry in the cold darkness.  It was only the faith in some unknown power that guided them, but it was faith well placed.  After only a short time they came upon a body lying still in the snow.

        “Terry!” Mariah cried, falling down into the snow beside him.  He was unconscious.

        Atoo bent down and checked Terry’s pulse.  “His pulse is weak, but he is still alive.”

        “We can take him back to the tent,” Win suggested.

        The two men lifted Terry’s limp body from the snow and headed back in the direction that they came.  Mariah followed, praying as they went.  When they arrived back at their tent home, they laid Terry down on Mariah’s mat and set about warming him up.  Odessa awoke as they began chanting and rubbing the circulation back into Terry’s arms and legs.  

        “What happened?” Odessa wanted to know.

        “We found Terry in the snow,” Mariah sighed as she sat down beside him.

        “How did you know he was out there?”

        “It doesn’t matter how,” Mariah said, “Please just help us.”

      Together the undressed him and kept massaging him as they went.  Then they covered him with warm, dry furs and waited.  Win and Atoo went back to their mats and tried to get some more rest.  Mariah sat beside Terry and hummed a song to him.  Quietly, in the dark tent she tried to express what needed to be expressed.

       She hoped that he realized that she lived and breathed for him.  All she’d ever wanted was Terry and no one else.  It was him and him alone that made all her dreams come true.  If only held let her love him, then she would shower him with love and drown within his soul.  He was every part of her and she didn’t want to face another day alone without his love.  She loved him more than he could ever know. 

       “All I’ve ever wanted is you,” she sang aloud.

       Terry awoke and squeezed Mariah’s hand.  Warm tears stained his cold cheeks.  To hear her sing was to feel as if he’d died and gone to heaven.  Her voice was that of an angel’s.  He knew without a doubt that things were going to be better"in fact they were going to perfect.  He couldn’t believe that all his dreams had come true though.  It seemed like one minute he was falling in the snow, too cold to move and praying that wouldn’t die before Mariah knew how he truly felt about her.  He could only think of her and their unborn child and how wrong he’d been to leave he realized.  Never again, he vowed.  Now that he had yet another chance, he wouldn’t mess it up ever again.  

       “I am so glad you are alive!” she exclaimed leaning her head on his shoulder and crying.  

      Terry wrapped his stiff and sore arms around her.  “I am sorry I left you.”

      They kissed for the longest time and Terry found himself completely warmed up by the end of the most passionate kiss.  Looking into each others eyes they said simultaneously, “I love you.”  Terry took her down onto the mat with him and they laid there together, jut holding each other close and enjoying what if felt like to be in each others arms once more.

       Later that morning they all ate breakfast with the tribe who was more than happy to celebrate the King and Queen’s visit.  Once the snow had stopped, there was a feast and a dance held in their honor.  Mariah and Terry danced inside the largest tent in the camp which had been raised for just such a gathering.  Terry felt incredibly better and marveled at how quickly he came back from the edge of a certain death.  

       Then next day was cold, but it was no longer snowing.  Traveling back to Falcon Castle would be much safer from them now that the storm had passed.  After thanking the Mystic Arden for their help and hospitality, they three of them rode toward the Yawen River.  Terry and Mariah rode double on SeaMist and Odessa rode single on StarWind.  The snow melted slowly under the sun’s bright, warm rays.

       They made camp a few miles away from the river at the edge of Myham forest.  They were able to build a fire and cuddle close for a few hours before setting out again.  As they rode, Mariah and Terry talked about all that had transpired.  Terry explained how he’d gotten lost on his way back to Falcon Castle to be with her and Mariah explained how she’d been rescued by the Mystic Arden who helped her find him in the snow storm.  

       It wasn’t long before Falcon Castle came into view and they could see the magnificent turquoise sea behind their home of elegant white marble.  It was like a dream come true for both of them to be back together and back home again.

        When they rode into the square, people came out of their cottages and out of the castle to see them.  They cheered and greeted their long, lost King and Queen with a great deal of admiration and gratitude.  Ariel, Caleb, Kaysem, Kestrel and Bashirah were among the many people greeting them and showing their affection that day.  “We missed you,” people in the crowd cried.

      Mariah and Terry were sitting in the lounge that evening talking to their friend’s and family.  They told of how they magically met up during the middle of such a fierce and deadly snow storm.  Everyone was amazed and overjoyed at their fateful reunion. 

      “It is quite a miracle,” Kaysem smiled.

      Terry put his arm around Mariah, who was sitting on the arm of the chair. “Mariah is the miracle.  Our love and our baby are all things that I consider miracles.  I pray I never take them for granted again and never let me pride cause such problems again.  I really wasn’t thinking clearly, you were right Kaysem.”

       Ariel shook her head, If only the others could see how much in love you are.  You are such a shinning example of what love could be and should be.”

       Mariah laughed, “If love should be all about messing up and losing constantly only to find each other once again, then yes.  I suppose we could be example of never giving up no matter how much we get in the way of true love.”

       Kestrel, who’d been silent up to that point aid, “That is what the whole country needs you know"they need to rediscover the magic in life.  Maybe, just maybe, magic is also the key to solving the whole threat of Rushmal Shalin’s destruction.”

      “Father, I am surprised at you!” Kaysem cried, “You’ve never been one to face such political problems with anything but solid and practical approaches. “

      “Perhaps in my old age, I am seeing things a little differently.”

      “He’s onto something,” Mariah exclaimed. “I’m not sure how to apply his theory, but I think magic is indeed the key.  I’ve been puzzling over this whole thing ever since I left….”

       That night Mariah and Terry lay in their own bed together for the first time in months.  A fire roared in the fire place as snow drifted down in a soft, slowness outside.  Terry touched Mariah’s face and hair lightly and said, “God, I love you.  It amazes me just how much and how deeply that love goes.”

       “Me too, me too” Mariah murmured tracing the outline of his lips with her fingertips.  

       He kissed her fingers and then her lips.  He drank in the pure love that she radiated as her brown eyes closed in a pleasant sleepiness.  He his hands roamed her increased curves.  He liked touching her pregnant body.  “Tell me love, what has been on your mind? Where have you been?’

       “Does it matter?” she said kissing him again.  Her lips drifted across his cheek, ear and neck.

       Looking into her eyes, searching for an answer there, he spoke.  “Yes, it does matter.  Please tell me my love.”

       “There was an empty spot.  I thought it was because you weren’t enough, but you are.”

       Terry sat up, “What changed your mind?”

      Mariah sat up as well and wrapped her arms around Terry’s bare shoulders, “I couldn’t imagine a world without you.  It didn’t exist.”

       He caressed her bare arms and said, “There had to be more than just us.”

      Mariah kissed his cheek affectionately, “Mmm, there isn’t really.  I started wondering what love was and what it meant�"you know simple things like that.  I came to the conclusion that I love you and always will even if I can’t explain it.”

      Terry kissed her on the lips again and then said, “How about we talk more about this later?”

      “Sounds good,” she laughed as they fell back on the bed and continued kissing.

     That night they made tender, passionate love.  It was the most earth moving experience they’d shared yet.  They got lost in the endless tides of emotions as they moved together in harmony.  They reached the sun, the moon and the stars that night.  Their glorious love that they felt was finally released and they shone in its radiant light.  Over and over they moved until their spirits left their body and merged into one complete being.  The beauty of their feelings last long after the time of love making.  Even as they drifted to sleep in each others arms, the divine peace filled their hearts and their souls.