Loyalty

IV.

Back in the Lighthouse as those with serious injuries were tended to, Roxanne and Erin discussed the day’s events, unwinding and letting the stress and tension ease from within.

“Can you believe it? I mean, the poetic justice or injustice is perfect, but really? On Resolution Day? Who knew that they were so organized, so prepared for violence. All those people? They could have wiped out the entire city if they wanted to…Why? We’ve had peace…I mean there have been a few bumps, but things have been better, right? Why didn’t they just kill all the Keepers right there? It would have been perfect. They weren’t afraid of casualties, that’s for sure. At least three were killed, with almost everyone else injured. It just doesn’t make sense, you know? What do you think?”

“I don’t know what to think. Does it even matter, Erin? I mean, what if they’re right? We’re on the wrong side of the Schism and need to change or else, it’ll just be worse and worse. Let the Light shine- isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? I just don’t know if I belong here. Is this what I’m supposed to be doing? My father has been killed, and I’m trying to support the people that killed him. It seems wrong…yet, can I do anything else? I’ve lived here my entire life, working to keep the Light, trying to understand our ways and become a Keeper. Everyone I know, everything I love is a part of the Lighthouse. I can’t just leave…”

“Roxanne- your father betrayed you. He turned on everything you hold dear and now he’s gone. He must have lost sight of what was meant to be. You don’t need to do the same. He always wanted peace, Roxanne and the Lighthouse brings us that. The Glare? They want chaos. Blindness. You saw what they did. No positive growth. Chaos and destruction. You know that. You know that peace is here. The only way to heal the Schism is here. Roxanne-“

Roxanne looked squarely in Erin’s eyes, reached into her pocket and began to pull on something. She pulled out the medallion, dangling it in front of Erin’s eyes as she was about to launch into another plea. Roxanne let go, the medallion falling as if in slow motion, each movement caught forever in the eyes of the two friends. The chain flowed upward, as the markings on the medallion caught the light, sending a glare onto the wall, moving across Erin’s face. The medallion hit the table, clattering lightly.

Erin stared dumbfounded. She reached out to touch it, running her fingers over the markings, mouth agape, unable to believe what she was seeing.

“But, it can’t be…”

“It’s him. Patrick.”

“But Roxanne- he’s dead. I saw him buried. It’s not possible.”

“I saw him, Erin.”

Erin looked shocked. She stammered, trying to get out a complete thought, “But…but…that can’t be…if you saw him, he couldn’t be dead. What did I see? Who did I see? Oh, stars…no.” Erin held her face in her hands, worn with years. Realizing the implications if what Roxanne said was true.

“I know it seems impossible and unlikely, but it has to be. Who would know to drop this off with me?” Roxanne asked, open to someone else staking a claim, explaining the seemingly impossible.

“It could be a trap. They want you, knowing that your father was just killed, to take advantage of  your emotions and loyalty to your family. What better way to get an inside look into the world of the Keepers than to bring one in? It can’t be him Roxanne. It just can’t.”

“I saw him, Erin. With the burn mark or scar or whatever it is. It has to be him. I have to talk to him, find out why he’s doing this.”

“Roxanne, even if it is him, he’s been gone so long, it’s dangerous to you to try and bring him back. Extended associations with the League or The Glare will bring you down. You’ll be blinded to the truth, unable to see clearly like you can now. And, if it was him, you saw what he did today. Keepers died. Don’t let their deaths be in vain, don’t risk your life on a whim and stolen glance.”

“I can bring him back. He’ll listen to me. No one knew him like I did, he was a brother to me. I thought I’d lost my whole family- now that one’s come back, I can’t just give up on him. I have to bring him back.”

Roxanne finished and rose turning determinedly to exit, moving toward the door that would lead away from the Lighthouse, pausing, looking over her shoulder at Erin.

“I can do this. I must do this.”

Erin stood, looking helpless her mouth opening about to say something, but stopping before the thought could leave. She tried a few more times, stumbling over her tongue, unable to say anything. Not knowing what to say. She gave a slight nod of affirmation to Roxanne before lowering her head in defeat and anticipated sorrow. She thought Roxanne was lost, never to return and if she did, she could never Keep the Light as before, The Glare would see to that.

*

Erin slumped against the wall, sliding down until she was sitting on the floor, knees up, close to her chest. Her hands ran nervously through her hair, moving as if the motion itself would help the issue resolve neatly and without the damage that Erin was sure was unavoidable. Her head ended up buried in her palms, cutting off the light in despair.

“What can I do? Can I help her? I can’t lose Roxanne. Maybe if I go with her, we can be strong together…No, I promised years ago I would never do anything to compromise my Keeping. The Glare are the anti-Keepers, no guidelines on the Light, chaos and exposure. ‘Light brings life, but too much Light blinds.’ Gahh, Why?!?!” Erin yelled in frustration and sorrow, looking up as if the Light in the room could bring her answers, tears beginning to run.

“Erin, this too shall pass,” Thaddeus’ rich, baritone fell softly upon Erin’s ears, drifting down peacefully. “The road to peace is long and riddled with unexpected complications.” Thaddeus reached down and put a comforting hand on Erin’s shoulder, she looked up as their eyes met. “Come, tea soothes the soul. Drink with me.”

Erin climbed up from the floor to walk with Thaddeus, whose arm was bandaged and immobile to allow him to recover from the physical impact of the attack earlier that day. They reached the study of Thaddeus, where the water was always kept hot, tea a constant figure in Thaddeus’ office. Erin helped him prepare the tea before they sat at his small table, tea in hand.

“Thaddeus, how can you help someone that has left the Keepers or is opposed to the Lighthouse?”

“As an overarching principle or in the specific circumstance of a friend?”

“Both. I mean, I want to help people, but I don’t want to be blinded like they are, looking into things best left unseen. Can you help someone, when they’ve fallen into one of those deep, dark places, where the Light doesn’t seem to reach?”

“Erin, you know that you can. And you know how- ‘Love extends beyond choice even to,’” Erin joined with Thaddeus in finishing the adage, “’the deepest, darkest crevices where the Light cannot shine.’”

“Is love enough? Roxanne loved her father and he still fell into blindness and darkness.”

“Ah, yes. Fairfax did die a traitor’s death. In all our years together, I never would have thought him a traitor. His loyalty to the Light knew no bounds, even in death.”

“But, he joined the League. He left behind all the Lighthouse has to offer, working against her, and betraying his own daughter. His loyalty had come to an end.”

“No, Erin. I said nothing of his loyalty to the Lighthouse, simply that his loyalty to the Light knew no bounds. His last words to me were ‘Let the Light shine.’ Isn’t that our goal, Erin? To let the light shine? Perhaps he wanted that done differently than you or I, but his goal was the same, his loyalty fierce and never misplaced.”

“I don’t understand. The Light and the Lighthouse are one and the same, you can’t separate the one from the other…can you?”

“You best sort out your loyalties Erin. And help Roxanne do the same before The Glare sorts hers.”

“How did you…?”

“Shh. Questions can come later, go, before it’s too late.”

*

A figure in a deep green cloak with deeply red hair flees the Lighthouse. The Lights have dimmed and rain is pouring, beautiful as it crosses the beams of light from the streetlamps. The figure races through the streets, splashing through the puddles on the cobblestone streets. She runs, pausing to check alleyways. She stops, seeing the mark she was looking for. She reaches out and traces the familiar lines, a ‘V’, two dots, and the three-sided rectangle.

“Patrick, where are you? Why haven’t you come back?”

Lightning flashes, startling Roxanne. She turns to see a tall, thin figure framed against the flash.

“Is that you?”