The sunset melted upon the horizon. Yet the darkness
comforted Olivia. Her black ringlets danced across her face as
the bitter wind bit at her, trying to grasp it's icy fingers
around her soul.
Loneliness was in her every heart beat, pushing the
blackened emotion through every vien. She looked down at her
hands, the hands he had once held, their bodies meshed in
laughter and love. But that was no longer. Olivia sighed
softly, her warm breath forming a blooming white cloud in the
cold night. She got up off her porch step and looked around her,
the beautiful acerage they had shared. The walls of the old farm
house had once told tales of love, joy and merriment, now it
seemed that even the house drooped in it's sadness.
Olivia took a deep breath of the night air and suddenly
collapsed into a thin puddle of tears. Her young body shook
with the tremors of the tears. Her deep dark eyes were closed
tightly, trying to hold back this release of her soul.
She recovered quickly and stood up, walking up into the
farmhouse. Had the tears not stained her lovely pale face the
scene would have been one of perfection. As Olivia stood in her
doorway looking up at the stars, her black hair spilling out
across her shoulders which were clothed by a loose white blouse,
laced up the front. Around her ankles danced a soft flowing
skirt with gentle hues of red, blue and gold which shone dully in
the moonlight.
She whispered a quiet "Why?" up at the sky and walked
inside her home. Her home was filled with candle light, the
candles glowed from every corner of the room. In the middle of
her table sat a tall vase of flowers; red, red roses, the blooms
wilted, the petals falling across a thin deck of cards, fanned
out across the table in a circle. The walls were graced by many
mystical symbols, stars, moons, suns and other symbols which were
unfamiliar to the normal viewer, although quite common to Oliva.
The house creaked and moaned in the wind as Olivia sat
down at the table. She closed her eyes, spreading her arms out
across the table for an instant. She then opened her eyes,
becoming one with the air, the wind, the house, but most of all
she was at one with the cards, which she slowly overturned, one
by one.
The cards told the same story as they had the nights
prior. It told of her loss, and oh what a loss it had been.
Nothing could hurt worse than losing the one you adore to
another. But yet the cards read the same prediction as they had
since that fateful night.. That into her life would come one of
fair complection, a wise man with many thoughts, ideas and love.
Olivia shook her head and folded the cards back together. This
prediction hadn't come true yet, it probably never would. Nor
did she truly want such a thing to come true.
"What am I doing wrong?" she whispered to herself. The
cards had never been so consistantly wrong before. She walked to
her den filled with a warm comfortable couch, a plush lounge
chaise and numerous arm chairs. There was no television in the
room, yet tucked neatly away behind the chaise rested a compact
disc player. She turned it on, the machine began to play gentle
celtic tunes as she sat on the couch, looking out of a very old
picturesque window into the night. She noticed that it had begun
to rain.
Olivia loved the rain. It was her greatest comfort in
life. She rose from the couch and walked quickly to the
outdoors. The rain splashed agaist her face as she turned her
gaze towards the heavens. The drops sparkled on her eyelashes
and pooled upon her lips. Her hair soon became wet and heavy,
hanging limply down her back, soaking her blouse. Her skirt
clung to her legs as she danced in the rain, raising her hands
towards the sky. She spun in gentle, graceful circles, the mud
creeping between her bare toes, caressing them with it's silken
feel.
A loud crack shot out across the sky, followed by a flash
of lightening, which lit up the acerage with it's heavenly light.
Olivia laughed with the innocence of a child, looking similar
to a beautiful water nymph.
As silent as the sun set a dark figure crept into the
farmyard. As the lightening flashed again, his masculine
features became apparent. He gazed at Olivia dancing in the rain
as he himself tried to shield his body from the cold. She was a
vision of beauty in her rain soaked clothes, her youthful
laughter accompanied by the noises of the storm.
"Excuse me?!" The stranger called.
Olivia showed no sign of response. Over the sounds of the rain his voice had become lost.
"Excuse me?!!!" the stranger called again, louder this time.
Olivia turned and caught sight of the figure, folding her
arms across her chest self conciously. She took a few tentative
steps towards the stranger.
"Madame Olivia?" He asked
"Yes that is I" she replied, " Although I have not worn
that title for some time. Can I help you?"
The man nodded as he began to speak.
"I saw a light on in your building and I got the name
from the sign," he motioned to an old wooden, weather beaten
sign near the farmhouse that read "Welcome to the House of
Dreams. Speak to Madame Olivia, your guide to the future"
"and my car broke down." he continued. "I thought
perhaps I could use your phone."
Olivia looked him over. He didn't appear to be
dangerous. She nodded slowly
"Sure, follow me."
She lead the man into her house. She motioned to a phone
mounted on the wall
"There's the phone, let me go change."
The man nodded to her and picked up the phone as she
walked through another door, closing it soundly behind her.
When she returned the stranger was seated at the table.
She was dressed in a flowing gown, made from a cool, thin,
midnight blue material. The dress hung lossely around her
feminine curves as she walked, seating herself across the table
from him.
"Any luck?" she asked.
"None, the phone is dead. I guess the telephone line must have been hit by the lightening."
In the candle light the strange man's features were
noticable. His skin was tanned in colour as it looked as if he
had spent multiple hours out in the sun. He had dark eyes, and
dark hair kept short and trimmed neatly. In the way he sat
Olivia judged that he was neither dangerous or harmful.
"I guess you might as well wait the storm out here. The
weather is too bad for you to leave now." Olivia said.
"No thank you, that is very kind. But I couldn't
impose."
"I insist"
"Well if you insist. I shall stay then. My name is
Aramen Everstone."
Olivia nodded. "Nice to meet you Aramen, even if the
circumstances are rather wretched. I'm Olivia, but I guess you
already know that."
He nodded. "Yes, are you still in the buisness of
divination?"
"In a way. I don't advertise any longer. I have fewer
customers now. But that's not really a problem. I have all I
need right here on this acerage. Would you like me to give you a
reading?"
"I'd love that, what's your fee?"
Olivia made a waving gsture with her hand. "Don't worry
about it. We need something to occupy our time until the phone
line is up again."
Aramen nodded. "Arn't you a bit fearful letting a
complete stranger into your home in the dead of night with no
phone? How do you know I'm not a serial killer?"
Olivia smiled. "Not afraid in the slightest. You have a
good, kindly aura. You could no more hurt me than you could grow
wings and fly."
"Appearence are decieving Madame, but you are quite
right. I could never hurt one such as you. I admire your
confidence."
Olivia smiled softly. " Thank you."
She picked up the cards and handed them to Aramen.
"Shuffle, cut once with your left hand and then give both
decks to me." She instructed.
Aramen nodded and did as instructed, shuffling the cards
, cutting the deck once with his left hand. He handed her the
decks. Olivia dealt the first card off of each deck into a small
pile before combining the two. She then dealt the remaining
cards into 3 equal piles.
"The past, the present and the future" she said,
motioning to each of the three piles respectively.
Aramen nodded as she continued. Olivia took the first
pile and spread the cards out, reading from left to right and
began her reading.
"Well, your past appears to have been dark, ther was a
marriage to a lovely fair haired woman that failed due to deciet.
You took a long journey to escape the grief... but something
tragic happened on that journey. Not only that but the general
impression of the cards appears to be quite sad and depressing
and dark. You've had many obstacles in your past." She said
softly.
"Quite right" Aramen replied "I was married once. The
marriage didn't last a year because she was unfaithful to me. I
moved to Europe for a year to get away from it all, but while I
was there I was involved in a horrible motor vehicle accident.
And you are also right in the fact that my past was filled with
obstacles, the deth of my mother, my divorce. There was
financial troubles as well. You're very good, please go on."
Olivia nodded and spread out the second pile.
"Your present says that you are trapped, there is a
generous woman helping you. As well you are being faced with an
obstacle right now. More than likely that is your car troubles.
I also see that you are content, but not happy. You seek
something that you have lost, something very dear to you.
Although I can not discern what."
"Right again." he replied. "Please, tell me more."
"Now for the future." Olivia said with a smile as she
turned over the remaining cards and spread them out.
"Your cards indicate that you will be poor, but quite
happy. There will be much love in your light. You will find
what you are currently seeking. You will have few troubles. But
most importantly you will have love and happiness. As well,
there is a dark haired woman involved. She is of great
importance to the result of the cards, as one message from her can alter the entire course of the future. If she answers a
certain way you will have found what you seek, but you will not
have true happiness, and you will feel empty."
"Do you know what her message will do? Will I have the
first fortune or the second?"
"I'm not sure, you see people have a certain amount of
psychic energy, no matter who they are. Our futures are not so
much set in stone as they are a series of different choices,
different paths to follow. We can alter the path we are on by
taking another and following the direction it leads us to it's
fate."
Aramen continued to stare at her intently, but blinked a
bit and leaned back in his chair as he felt a silence befall
upon them.
"You have a beautiful ways of wording thengs." he said
quietly
Olivia looked at him with a smile upon her lips as she
getherd the cards. He had such amazing dark brilliance about
him with his dark hair, eyes and skin colour. In fact their
features matched quite closely.
Quickly Olivia dealt the cards out again for herself,
bothering to turn over only the future pile. The future was set
infront of her as before. The light haired man with all his
goodness. But as she pulled the cards out further she noticed
the small pinprick on the bottom of the one card. showing it's
reversed meaning. She looked at the card and realized it was not
a light haired man that was meant to come into her life, but a
dark haired one.
Olivia wondered at the reading a moment as she collected
the cards again.
"Well now you know all about my life, what about yours?
Are you married?" Aramen asked.
"No" Olivia replied "I was engaged once, but the fellow
decided he prefered the arms of another."
"I'm sorry. I can well understand how you feel. My
ex-wife did that to me as well."
Olivia smiled slightly as the candle light flickered upon
her face. "Funny isn't it, how often it occurs. It seems as if
near all relationships are doomed to such a fate. Yet I myself
could never do that to another person. Especially not now,
knowing the pain it causes."
"I agree, it is odd. I could never be unfaithful either.
When I commit to something I remain committed."
"Well at least we have something in common, " Olivia
said, rising from her seat. "Would you care to join me in my
living room, It gives an excellent view of the storm."
"I would love to. I must admit, electrical storms are
quite interesting to watch as long as you arn't out in it."
Olivia smiled and lead the way into the living room. She
turned on the music she had playing earlier and settled down on
her favorite couch. Aramen sat in a chair across from her. She
looked at him, noting the lines etched in the delicate skin in
his face, a tell-tale sign of past worries. She could see in his
eyes years of pain. She smiled again softly and spoke
"Show me your hand please," she asked quietly.
Aramen looked at her curiously as he held out his hand.
"You read palms too?"
"No, I just want to show you something."
He quirked a brow as she took his hand in hers, listening
to her speak in a quiet, soothing tone of voice.
"Look at the hand, how smooth and delicate it is, think
of the great trials one has put their hands through, fixing
cars, washing dishes, menial chores. Yet they show it not. The
hand never reveals it's hidden secrets. We try so to do this
ourselves. To hide the pains we have gone through, to hide our
thoughts. But unlike the hand, your face can not lie. It tells
me of your pains and worries. You are not happy. Unhappy
becayse you can not find what you seek, correct?"
He looked at her with dark compassionate eyes
"Yes that is true, although I never thought of it in that
manner" he responded.
"What is it you seek?"
"I seek a connection, to another person. On such an
incredible level that she will know what I am thinking before I
even think it. I want to know a Lady's soul, to share her pains,
share her emotions, but most of all to share her thoughts. I
truly want to know her and feel she knows me on that higher, most
intimate level."
"That's beautiful" Olivia replied, quietly almost as if
she were breath taken by the words.
"What do you seek?" He asked her gently
At first Olivia looked at him in shock, but her face soon
softened and for that moment, in that light she looked weak. Her
bottom lip trembled slightly as her eyes filled with pain. She
looked like a frightened girl, rather than the strong, mature woman she was, the woman seemingly hiding deep within her soul,
her eyes serving as dark windows to her own heart.
"I simply seek true love." She replied quietly.
Aramen reched out and instinctively placed a hand on her
arm reassuringly.
"Simple it will not be, but be sure that it will come"
He smiled softly at her and withdrew his hand. Olivia
felt her skin tingle with an odd sort of warmth at the touch.
She couldn't help but to smile as well, the pain draining from
her face slowly.
"Tell me, what do you want more than anything, besides
love." He asked suddenly, the question taking Olivia aback a few
moments before she replied
"To make a difference in just one person's life."
"My dear woman, that you have already done. You have
brought this poor stranger in out of the cold and into his life
you bring these sweet incites of hope and glorious dreams to
come. And as if that were not enough, you sit here and listen to
my pains and sorrows, and share with me your own soul. I can see
this is no simply special treatment for me. You are a genuinely kind and beautiful woman"
Olivia blushed softly as she looked at him.
"Why thank you, thank you very much."
Aramen smiled at her. "It is only the absolute truth."
"You are very kind." she replied. "You have been
excellant company. I can not remember when I've felt stronger,
or when I enjoyed myself more."
"Ah, you are the excellant company I have had the
pleasure of all evening. I watched your eyes fill with pain, and
then saw them fill with warmth again. You are the sort of person I've been seeking all along"
"What do you mean?"
"Olivia, you have beared your soul to me, and mine to
you. Your pain, your emotions, these I have felt. I have a
great connection to you Olivia, can you feel it? Please, close
your eyes, try to feel the connection."
Olivia closed her eyes gently and it felt to her almost
as if beautiful soft music was playing all around her, filling
her heart, her mind, her soul.
"Can you feel it?" he whispered.
"Oh yes, greatly" Olivia replied.
"How so?"
"I feel..." she paused and looked at him.
"Hope" Aramen finished for her.
Olivia nodded "yes"
Aramen glanced out the window, the sun had begun to rise,
the rain having ceased.
"Come with me outside Olivia" he said softly.
She nodded and they walked through the building together,
the sunlight pouring through the windows to combine with the
light of the candles.
Olivia smiled as they stepped out into the sunlight.
Aramen knelt down in the grass and motioned for Olivia to do the
same. She gently knelt down and looked at him.
Aramen motioned to a beautiful red rosebud, almost ready
to bloom.
"Tell me Olivia, what do you see"
She smiled softly as she spoke. "I see a beautiful
flower, ready to bloom, to brighten this yard with it's life and
colour. I see happiness waiting to come forth and share it's
love."
Aramen smiled and brushed an errant strand of hair from
her face.
"I see you sweet Olivia. A beautiful, delicate flower,
waiting to bloom in her true magnificence. But even though she
has yet to bloom she has already extended her love and vitality
to so many. Time shall only bring more beauty to this soft rose,
and when it grows older and the rose begins to wilt, and it's
petals fall, it's inner beauty will shine even more."
Aramen rose from the grass and kissed her forehead gently
as she looked up at him.
"You are blessed Olivia, use your gifts well, and be
assured that soon, very soon you will find the love you seek. I
give you my humblest thanks for everything, my sweet delicate
flower. Never forget this night. Let this be the first morning
of your new life."
And with that Aramen set off down the path, away from the
acerage as Olivia sat in the grass, staring after him. The music
surrounding her grew louder until it seemed to be coming not only
to her, but to the entire world. Her heart seemed to be filled
with hope as she watched Aramen walk away. As he left the yard
she thought she could see a bright flash of angelic light shine through the trees.
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