Chapter 6

They made their way to the village. Tessa gave her morning greetings as they received from others. Chloe gave her fruit. "Nothing will be appealing today. First few days are the hardest on the stomach. I wish you comfort as much as possible." "Thank you Chloe." She put on a confident smile but in reality she was nervous. Tessa was scared to wake up she was scared she would not like what she would find down this road. Taking a deep breath walking into the 'experimental tent' exhaling slowly and went in. Emmitt realized she was nervous. Even though she held her chin up and head held high being as strong as she can this whole time. He found it nice to see other emotions it was saddening knowing what she was about to go through. "Good morning. I trust you slept well. "Luca greeted.

"Good morning!" Came a cheerful voice. "Tuca, did not expect to see you here." Tessa said surprised. Emmitt caught off caught starring at everyone. "The first procedure is simple and easy. The second part you will need help and possibly need to be restrained for your own protection. You after all are a strong warrior and should you get stuck in a memory that may be less than pleasant… well we just want to ensure the safety of everyone." Luca said rubbing the back of his neck trying to explain the situation without being offensive. "It is not personal dear."

"I understand I would be heartbroken if I hurt anyone here. It's nice to have another friendly face in here for support. Thank you Tuca for your help." "Figured with all the discomfort and pain you may go through at least my presence will give you something pretty to look at and hopefully distract you a bit." Tuca grinned winking at Tess. "Let's begin before Tucas big head sucks up all the air out of the room." Emmitt teased.

After a good laugh Luca was first to speak. "First we will place these needles inside your pressure points of your body and other little spots. This will open certain channels in your body. You can also learn how to center yourself which may help the unpleasant memories. We will insert the needles and leave you alone for some time, than we will explain the next step of the day. We will need some time to prepare.

Tuca will be outside the door over there should you need anything." They placed her long thin needles all over her from her arms, legs, head, neck, feet, thighs and her chest while laying on her back. We will leave you know now and be back soon. You need to keep your mind clear and just breath listen to everything around the wind through the trees the feeling of life around you place yourself in a balance and tune everyone out but breath and just be in the moment."

"Here just in case." Emmitt said placing a fresh cup of water within reach should she need it. She smiled in gratitude. The men left the room, here goes nothing she thought to herself. "Send for us should anything happen." Emmitt said sternly. Luca and Emmitt hopped on the horses. "Where do you ride if I should need you?" "To Kai we won't be long just short trip for the serums we will for the next step we are short and he has them to spare."

"Ride with luck and speed my friend for shadows are asleep." Tuca answered back. They turned and rode North East. Tessa laid there looking around and observing the room with her eyes to anything visible to her. Well she thought to herself ok time to turn the brain off. And the ears on. It did not take long or much to tune the world out. She was lost in a day dream. Suddenly she was in a room. A man with blonde hair leaned forward on a long soft brownish white couch to kiss a light brown-haired woman who was laughing at him. Her smile so contagious even Tessa smiled. With just a blink of an eye she was in another room shaking hands with a blonde hair girl young kid helping her pick up her books scattered all over the floor. Next she was fighting no she was training like with the warriors except she's a young kid.

Suddenly glimpses started moving faster and faster like watching a movie in fast forward in her head. From her loading a gun to taking it completely apart quickly. To her touching a dark-skinned man's cheek with tears floating in his eyes threatening to all. "You're ok?" She heard her own voice say. Looking down to her abdomen wound and getting a sharp pain in her neck. "NO!" "NO!" she yelled as she shot up breathing heavy looking around her quickly looking to her stomach scared of the phantom pain of what she just saw. "It's ok, it's ok. You're alright. I got you. You're with us. Breath Tess." Emmitt said calmly and soothing her out. "Oh… oh" She breathed deeper calming her chest down so she could breath and a steadier pace. Letting out a sigh of relief. She looked over her body to find the needles have all been removed.

"I just had the craziest dream. It was so fuzzy, hazy." "Are you sure it was a dream?" Luca asked knowing better. Tess pulled her shirt up and her pants down a little to her pelvic pudge uncovering a scar in a white line where the wound was in her dream. "No. They memories. Oh geez, it was real." She choked out. "You ok? Do you need a breath before you start again?" Tuca asked with great concern. "No I'd like to just keep going if that's alright. Your pretty face is a breath of fresh air on its own." She answered playfully trying to lighten the mood around them knowing that she scared them. "It'd be best if you not fan that fire." Emmitt joke about Tucas ego. She laid back on the table.

"I'm ready" "This will not be easy it tastes bad smells bad and makes the body physically sick for a bit of a spell and will surely make you sore. It is a special serum. That will be injected into your right arm it will take seconds to work. The body will fidget it will take time to leave your system completely even after regaining consciousness. We are certain you will come to, very few never woken up on this step, their heart was just not up to the seizures or they would stroke after they recovered it gave way. They died lost but your will and fire is much brighter than that. We have faith in you." Luca nodded.

Tuca helped her place her feet on the table. Emmitt washed a part of her arm and blew it dry before injecting her with her next step. She felt it burn every nerve inside her body as it set everything in her body on fire from muscles to veins. She felt her body run cold and tiff. She felt a hard rock with knives cutting her form the inside out. Tessa started with the flashes racing through her mind again some of them slowed down a bit She would be a small young child reading or playing with her parents.

To them laying her to bed and whispering arguments, to guards and a dark-skinned man coming in her home tearing it apart searching for something. "It's ok Tessa, come with me" the man said. Flashing forward to a scene with a boy pushing her into another boy hitting him to her fighting boys in the hall or corridor. She looked up at the boy blood on his face. What is his name she thought. Flash to her laughing with two young girls at least of the age as Sage was one was the same blonde from before the other with hair of black bouncy curls.

To a sudden scene that went in slow motion she was to the boy who was older he was a man. An important man. There was an object in the corner of her eye. She pushed the handsome dark-skinned man down. Right as there was an explosion she laid on top of him while a knife. Small slim flew into her abdomen it was a sharp pain. "I'll see you soon", she heard a man voice say as her world went black in her mind. "I'll see you sooner than he will my friend." A woman's voice replied over his.

"Shouldn't we do something?" Tuca cried as her body shook and thumped up and down on the table in a seizure. "No." Emmitt yelled "As long as her air ways are open it's fine if we restrain her any tighter we risk her breaking her bones. Just then she stopped. Her body lied still and lifeless. They all stood around her on the table. She seem as she was no longer breathing. They looked at each other seconds felt like eons. She took a deep sharp breath and opened her eyes. Tess was sore and dizzy and dry. "Water" She rasped out. Emmitt quickly with the cup to her helping her sit up. "Slowly." He said helping her up. She started to drink the water he held to her mouth. "Slow" Tuca added. "I'm a lot sorer than I expected." She said as she tried and failed to stretch.

"Well you should be your body flipped like a fish out of water for hours." Tuca replied back to her. "Hours? Has it been so long?" She whined. "It did not feel that way. I think I understand parts of the thing I last remember." "Congratulations." Lucas smiled to her with a heavy heart to having seen what she had to go through to see it. "Luca your faith was not misplaced I am awake enough to be conscious." She joked.

"You will need to speak to Tahlia she is here. You must speak your findings with her to ensure your stay as our friends. It is the treaty laws." "I'll be happy to try to make as much sense as I can for her. First though I if I may I'd like to freshen up just a little bit. Some fresh air to start?" Tessa begged. "Take all you need you will have few days to rest we can't do too much to the body. You will need the rest. " Emmitt said grabbing her arm to help her off the table.

Tuca helped her also getting her out of the tent. "Tessa wait! He said as he pulled a rag from his pouch from his side to her face." "Tilt your head back a bit." Tuca said trying to set her easily down on the log with Emmitt. "What…" She pulled the rag off her face to discover her nose was bleeding. There is a river or stream nearby let's clean you up." Tuca added. As they men helped her back up Tessa quickly bent over and emptied her stomach. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I'm sorry I had to see that." She apologized quickly. "I'm sorry you have to go through that." Emmitt replied back. I do feel better though." She added hoping to make them feel a little better. "The stream's this way." Tuca answered. She was able to walk on her own now the blood from her nose stopped.

The men decided to hunt around nearby giving her a few minutes to herself to tend to any personal needs. She was sliding her last boot back on when she felt eyes upon her. She tucked herself in bush next to her and waited. Sure enough a man dressed in the same attire as Abriel and Zayn's tribe stood looking around rapidly as if he lost something right around the place she was last. He looked confused. Tessa found it humorous how easy this was to turn the table on the man. "Looking for me? Don't look so confused I saw you coming a mile away." Tessa said standing a ways behind him flatly in a bored tone. He jumped in a startled way. "Did the little woman frighten you?" Tuca asked amusingly as he and Emmitt popped out of thin air.

"I noticed our guest," he spat out. "Was out without an escort and was checking to see if she was in good health. Forgive me if I gave off a misunderstanding dear lady." Tessa, I am Tessa." She interrupted not breaking the eye contact with the strange man. "I ride in with Tahlia to speak to you sense she rides with to Abriel next felt good company to ride her back." "How big of you." Tuca teased. Let's get back to the village and see to it than hate to keep others waiting with such other things to do." Emmitt announced out coldly.

"I am Jedikai. Sorry for the misunderstanding Tessa. Tessa what a lovely name." "Thank you." "I'll walk with you Jedikai." Tuca called out. As they walk ahead of them. Emmitt looked over Tess with concern of all her body has gone through today. "You are alright to walk?" "I am fine. I'm sore but bearable." "Jedikai can be a little off centered." Emmitt explained. "He should be because he's lying." She said flatly. Walking off towards the village Emmitt at her heels with an unsettling feeling in his stomach knowing she was right.

"I hear you have had a small progress in your first day of the process my new friend. Will you not tell me of what marvelous things you have saw?" Tahlia asked sweetly as if she was some great story to tell. She had such a beauty in her sweet eyes in her ageless face. "I would be happy to try." Tessa replied sounding more like a question. "You'll be ok?" Tahlia asked worried for her. "Yes." Tessa smiled at her with so much confidence she wasn't sure exactly what it is about the woman in front of her but she always seem to project strength into those around her. What an amazing ability no way can she be human but more of an angel or someone with super powers.

They made their way into another tent to venture off from anyone else and their wondering eyes. "How are you feeling after such an invasive exam?" "I am fine. Sore, but apparently I heal rather quickly." She laughed. "Yes I can see that." Tahlia said with a smiled. Tessa really enjoyed speaking with Tahlia she was such an open person full of peace. "Where would you begin your story?" Emmitt and some of the others stood outside the door to watch over them but Tessa was very aware they could hear. All she'll have to say so made she spoke loudly she would hate to have to repeat her story. Even if there was vicious ears at the door for whoever the enemy may be there was nothing of any danger to unravel tonight.

"My name is Tessandra Alderman your great but everyone calls me either Tessa or Tess. I am the daughter of what my people call a doctor which was my mother Melana Alderman and the head of our warriors or guardsmen which was my father Adam Alderman. I believe I acquired both their positions among my people. At least I think that's correct." Tess said in a haze of her own words. "Yes, you are right my dear." "They gave my mother a charm. She had a one that matched she wore on a bracelet. I had flashes, glimpses of them, my parents. They were there and then they weren't. Soldiers tore my home apart looking for what I don't know. I never saw them again. I remember seeing and laughing with two female friends. I was a soldier or warrior to you." Taking a breath.

"There was this explosion I jumped in front of a man. He was an important man I protected him and got stabbed." Tessa lifted her shirt to show the scar that's slowly fading but yet still fresh. "So far my great that's all I got to share at this point and time." "Tessandra that is a lot to start with. You my dear are so blessed. So many don't get as far to still be breathing right now after the second stage of these trials. The ones that do barely get past their name and some details of their home. You have come along way tonight. You should be proud. I know we are. You are truly special; you are such a remarkable person. Tomorrow and even more days to come you will rest and take it easy. You will wish you had if you don't heed these words."

"I'd like to hunt please. I find myself needing to be useful and I of course will be supervised. I just feel peace by doing something physical and something like hunting would be a good way to clear my head with the fresh air. Also with the focus and quiet?" "Abriel has requested you to train with his warriors as you have here you may go and take your mind of peace there in about two days' time. It would be greatly appreciated. Be warned they are not as high spirited as they are here. You will relax for two days if need be you may do some light chore work here around the village." "I am warned." Tess said playfully. Tahlia reached out cupping her face to tilt it up to look a bit deeper in her eyes. "You are so much like my old friend. I miss her deeply." She pulled me into a tight hug. "With you in front of me your eyes and personality it's almost as if I have both of them here with me."

Tahlia made her way to the exit and to her horse with Jedikai to her side they rode on and left. Tessa walked and exited out the tent. Emmitt, Tuca and a couple of warriors stood around silently as if they had not been glued to the door by the ear. She began walking the way she and Emmitt had come in to go back home. "Did I speak loud enough for you?" "Yes." Emmitt said flatly with a grin. "Tessandra." "Ya?" "Just trying it out, it's a lovely name. I like it. I like Tessa better." "Me too." She agreed happily.

Chloe walked up to her as they were passing on with a plate of food and handed it to Emmitt. "She looks sick take her to rest with this pour it in your water it will help you sleep without the feel of the pain." "Thank you." She said happily pulling Chloe into a hug. "You heard the boss, let's get going night's upon us." Emmitt joked. The way home was a quiet one both paying attention to the surroundings trying not to think about the day they had. They reached the room that held their beds. Still refusing the big bed and wanting the make shift fur bed on the floor she drank the special drink Emmitt had prepared her from Chloe.

Within minutes she felt drowsy. "Emmitt" she whispered. "Yes." "They trusted me to protect their leader and I did." Emmitt remained silent as he listened intently starring down at her as she starred at the ceiling misty eyed. "I did the right thing and I got stabbed… why would they toss me away?" Tears were now rolling slowly down her face. The medicine took its course as she gave into sleep. "Because their idiots." Emmitt whispered back softly. He felt so much sadness for her, he turned and gave into sleep.