Eye of the Needle II

‘You’re Finn.’

He laughed, a great shout of joy, and wrapped me in his arms.  I breathed in the wild scent of him and felt his generous love burning away the years-old chill inside me, the ache left by my mother’s leaving, the anxiety of choosing the right path in life.  All I could feel was the gleeful destruction of the old way and the verdant burst of new life, both strange and familiar. 

He held me away from him.  I clutched his arms in a sudden rush of vertigo.  We were standing at the edge of a wide, rough river.  The Eye of the Needle was buried under white water and a great plain stretched away on the far side of it.  The river formed a border between the plain and a thick forest.  Finn must have felt me tremble because he pulled me close again and cupped my face with his hands.  I only half knew him but I could feel the old love flowering inside me.  His eyes were kind, but he looked different, stronger.

‘You’re home,’ he said and kissed me, his hand slipping under my hair.  He rubbed his thumb against my ear lobe and the comfort of that lost touch brought complete recognition.  I kissed him back, feeling helpless.  He trembled and I felt my power over him.  The two feelings were all wrapped up in loving him. 

When he pulled away, his eyes were dark. 

‘We have to go.  We’ve stayed too long. It’s not safe here.’

He took my hand and started for the forest.  I threw a look over my shoulder and saw the horizon at the far edge of the plain darken with the forces of the enemy.  I didn’t know who they were, but I twined our hands tighter together and ran with him.