Whispers on the wind 6

Daniel had no idea how long they drifted until Kurt took them to shore for fear of the cool mountain air hovering humid on the water. She didn't protest. The runabout was sheltered and they began the steep climb back to the villa. Kurt lead the way with her holding on to the bottom edge of his shirt. They hadn't said much after the kiss-that-wasn't-happening. But then Kurt didn't say much anyway. 

As they took the last step, they noticed Sevgili and Mir sitting on the patio. Daniel let go of his shirt. If he noticed, he kept silent.

"You made it back." Mir waved to them, "we began to wonder about you."

"It is quite late. We have decided to stay the night here. How does that suit you Daniel?" Sevgili stood.

"I have class tomorrow."

"Oh dear." Mir looked at her husband.

"Don't worry, it's my own fault. I should have kept better track of time."

"I'll take you back in the morning." Kurt announced and Daniel nodded.

"There is food in the kitchen and then you must go to bed." Mir gently pushed Kurt towards the house. He nodded and placing his hand in the middle of Daniel's back, walked them to the house. The large tank glowed as the fish languidly made there way from one end to the other. She followed him to a room dimly lit kitchen. Two covered trays sat on an island with a small Dutch oven. Tomato and cheese on a zesty baguette, hot lentil and red potato stew and spring salad. Kurt opened a bottle of wine.

"Do you like it?"

"It's heavenly, but I have yet to have a bad meal in this country." She scooped up some anchovy dressing on her cherry tomato and popped it in her mouth. Kurt refilled both their glasses with wine.

"What do you want most in the world Daniel?"

"To be free." She began to spin the stem of the wineglass between two fingers. When she looked up, Kurt wore a slightly pained expression, but then it was gone.

"Are you?" He received a shrug in response, "you've been all over the world."

"Except Africa."

He nodded, "except Africa. Do you feel free?"

"Not really." She responded quietly looking off to the left. She downed what was left of her wine and rose. Regarding him openly, she felt he looked much like a sad little boy. She smoothed the collar of his v-neck and he gently placed his hand over hers. A sad little boy she wanted desperately to snog at the moment. Her eyes dropped to his lips and she frowned. "I should go to bed."

He looked at her questioningly, but led her through the house behind the grand stairway to a room on an upper landing. He stood at the door as she closed it gently. Daniel then pressed all her weight onto it. What the hell was wrong with her? Windows lined the opposite wall, but were now draped with curtains. On the queen bed were a plush white robe, night shirt and shorts that looked like something out of a twenty-something B movie, a towel and face cloth, toothbrush and facial cleansing products. It had Voda written all over it. She moved passed the bed and pushing the curtain aside, looked out into the star speckled night sky.

Bellow her, lights still burned on the patio. She slid open a few windows for air and turned to scoop up the items on the bed and take a bath. The hot water and the wine brought on drowsiness and she was able only to fumble into the night clothes before collapsing onto the bed.

She stood in her filmy night gown again, but this time in the mountains among the pines. It was light out but whether dusk or dawn she couldn't tell. She explored her surroundings. The bark felt rough as she slid her hand down the trunks, the needles crackled softly underfoot. She crawled over and squeezes through crags taking care with her bare feet. At one point she stood up on the rock and looked out over the range. Something scuttled behind her and she turned to see what it was. On her hands and knees, she crouched closer her eyes trying to make anything of the shadows.

Then a furry brown head popped out. It was a cute little fox. Hesitant, it took a few steps and stopped, one leg held daintily in the air sniffed at her. She held out her hand but it backed away. Deciding to leave it be, she sat back on her haunches and sighed. Giving it one last glance she stood and began walking again. A gust of wind galloped over the peeks and Daniel twisted to shield herself from the debris in its wake. The fox stood a short distance away. It faked to one side and looked behind before watching her again. It's whiskers twitched. She again tried interacting with it, but it pranced away.

Her wondering took her through the mountains to earthy hills. Here the pines changed to a greater variety of trees and other plants appeared. All the while the fox scampered around behind her ducking if she showed it the least attention. Eventually she sat on a fallen tree to inspect her bare feet and looking up noticed the fox again, but it had grown sizably. It now stared blankly at her. She felt uneasy and stood. It crouched as if to spring and she backed away then started running. It was clearly faster than her sometimes running ahead or beside her through the trees. As her body heated the fox burst in color.

It's amber pelt became licks of fire. It's eyes sparkled gold. As they ran side by side they locked gaze. Daniel picked up speed through the brush. She felt exhilaration. The forest ceased and she leapt out over a cliff. The fox leapt after her and splashed into her body. As she fell she waxed amber, her eyes sparkled gold and her body ignited. She gasped at the pain as she fell listless down, down...

".....are you sure...."

Whispers, who?

"....has the relic...."

She dragged her hand across her sopping wet neck.

"....the time....and you...."

Falling, falling.

"....feel....with her...."

Her heart called to Kurtarıcı.

"....leave....to you...."

Falling.

"....my son...."

Daniel twisted feverishly in her sleep. She was so hot. She felt something soft and cool on her forehead. It moved to her neck. It was so refreshing she touched it and it turned under her hand soft yet calloused. She tried opening her eyes but could see nothing. Rather, she felt a familiar presence near and a few more further away.

Warm light filled the room before she drifted down the mighty blue river. The cool water caressed her skin. She drifted an amber beacon down the river.

~~

Daniel blinked in the morning light. Her body felt heavy yet alert. She untangled herself from her covering and sat up. After surveying the room she remembered where she was. The villa. Crawling off the bed she padded to the bathroom, nature called. Passing the mirror she glanced at herself. Wait, had her hair grown? It now hung in tiny dark brown ringlets an inch past her shoulders. There was a glint in her brown eyes she hadn't noticed before. As she touched her nose she noticed her nails. The nail bed was longer than she remembered.

God she had to pee!

After a quick shower she ventured out of her room. The villa was bright and she could hear laughter. As she descended from the landing a few family members called good morning. She happily replied. As she crossed in front of the tank she stopped. Turning around all the fish were behind her, they eased back peering. She took a few steps forward, they followed then a few steps more before turning around again. They back peddled.

"What's with the fish?" She asked as someone passed.

"Don't know." Then he ran at them and jumped around, they stared at his idiocy. "Seem normal to me."

She then saw Kurt, Sevgili, Voda and Mir sitting out on the patio and headed in their direction. As she exited the house Voda stood.

"Do not be upset Daniel. We knocked on your door several times. Mir even peeked in. You were dead to the world."

"It's okay. I must have needed the rest I feel so much better this morning." Everyone smiled at her.

"Excellent." Sevgili clasped his hands in satisfaction.

"I'll bring you something to eat." Kurt rose his face a bit rosy.

"I can get it..."

"No doubt, but you're gonna sit and I'm bringing you food." He smirked at her.

"Did you get sunburn yesterday?" She reached for his face.

He looked startled, "maybe," he moved away from her, "have a seat, I'll be right back."

She ate leisurely and listened to them talk business and politics. Neither interested her very much. Instead she observed Mir. She literally basked in her husbands glory. She watched him closely, adding to the conversation at intervals. She fixed him another coffee and showered him with subtle acts of affection. Mir occupied herself with her son as well. She ruffled his hair, wiped his face with a napkin and laughed at his words, which were plentiful this morning Daniel noted. Mir with her straw colored shoulder length hair, golden eyes and soft pink lips.

Suddenly those golden eyes were upon her. Despite the electricity that coursed through her veins, Daniel smiled. Mir lowered her head slightly and directed her gaze to her husband.

Shortly thereafter, Daniel waved to everyone as Kurt drove away from the house. This time, she waved out the passenger side window of a mercury 1996 Aston Martin DB7. Rich people and their toys. Melancholy arrested her mind as they passed under the gate. She felt like she was leaving her home, which was ridiculous because her home was thousands of miles away. They sped over the bridge and up the narrow dive until they reached the main road. The car surged forward and Kurt flew through the gears to his speed of choice, which could not be described as cautious.

Daniel payed no attention. She detested side seat drivers. Instead she focused on the smooth hum of the engine. The morning wind was just beginning to heat and it felt so comfortable. Her eyes drifted closed. She pivoted her head against the rest and let them slowly open. They flickered over Kurt. His deep blue denims hugged his thighs and his washed silk v-neck gave her a good look at the center points of his collarbone and upper sternum. His hand lazily gripped the steering wheel, an elbow perched on the door. His jaw was shaven smooth and his hair unkempt.

The corner of his mouth tilted upward, "is there something on my face?" His square sunglasses sat high on his nose, behind them, his eyes trained on the winding road.

"Just that impish grin." She turned away with an eye roll.

"Pray continue, I don't mind you staring at me."

"I was not staring." She smiled involuntarily.

"What constitutes a stare anyway?"

"Thirty seconds."

"No way, three." He glanced at her. After a moments silence,"you sure you're feeling okay?"

"Yup," she stretched, "well aside from the nagging guilt of skipping class."

"Seriously?"

"One should try ones best to fulfill ones commitments."

He shook his head, "duly noted."

Conversation was sparse during the drive, but it gave Daniel time to take in her surroundings. They dropped out of the mountains into the hills. Suburban communities sprang up more frequently. They passed over the euro railway and finally entered the Putra city limits. She was so wrapped up in the changing scene she didn't notice they were going the wrong way until they breached the old town walls.

"Where are we going?"

"I want to show you something." He eased off the throttle.

"I have class this afternoon."

"It wouldn't be good to discriminate against the morning class. Skipping the whole lot is only fare." Somehow she couldn't be upset.

"You're a bad influence young wolf." He crossed over the ring road. "I thought cars weren't allowed."

"They aren't, but mine is."

"Figures."

This produced a chuckle, "why are you so against wealth and privilege?"

"I'm not," she protested, "it's just so foreign to me. There is such an obvious demarcation between the 'haves' and 'have nots'. It's troubling."

"She said, who has traveled all over the world."

"On a dime my friend. Not even the luxury of business class, much less Aston Martins and Shelby Cobras."

"But it's still more than ninety percent of the world's population," he parked and engaged the emergency brake, "which makes you one of the 'haves'. My friend." He lifted out of the car and Daniel did the same.

"The poorer 'haves'."

"Minutiae." 

She huffed. He had parked the car directly in front of a stately building. Daniel recognized it to be one of the two she had spotted on her first foray into old town. Pedestrians ogled them as he lead her up marble stairs to an ornately columned porch and through an arch entranceway. People buzzed around inside gathering for tours and taking advantage of the restroom. There was a café were visitors huddled and waited in line at on extremity and a souvenir shop where they milled about at the other.

He turned around, "this is the Supreme Court building. They adjourn upstairs." Two large stairways led to an upper floor. Both were guarded by security kiosks. "This floor is like a living museum. It gives an historical account of Bağlılık through the eyes of its people. Bağlıcau from all over the country generously lent artifacts and stories that play out here on a daily basis. This is for our visitors and our youth."

Daniel wallowed in his passion and pride spellbound.

"You, Daniel Winters," he pointed at her, "are about to experience Bağlılık."