Chapter 33

Tizra

Year 5511

You’re home, Bracken!  I can hardly believe my eyes."  Myrus threw her arms around her son as he stood in the doorway of their home.

Bracken shrugged off his coat and hugged his mother tightly in return.  "Yes, home for good," he said with a sigh.  Deep inside, their hearts knit together.   Tender fibers of love touched once again.

Bracken’s mother led him into the gathering room and motioned for him to sit down.  Taking a seat across from him, she looked into his eyes with amazement and then began to cry.   "I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see you again, Bracken.  Sometimes late at night, I’d wake up.  I’d sit quietly in the dark and talk to the Prince of Wonder about you."  Myrus brushed aside hot tears with her hands and then went on. "Somehow deep inside though, he would always reassure me that he would work things out."

Bracken looked back at his mother and smiled warmly.  "If you only knew how much he has.   It will take a long time to explain all that’s happened, but if you’re patient with me I’ll try."  Bracken folded his hands and looked down, partly embarrassed, partly ashamed.  "And I’ll try to tell you how sorry I am."

Myrus stood up and walked over to her son.  Taking his hand, she sat down beside him.   "Oh, Bracken.  All of us need to apologize.  We understood so little of what you were going through."

Bracken felt a sense of gratitude like he had never known before, a certain special love for this woman which had brought him into the world.  "Don’t say that, mother.  I was so wrong.  If I’d been honest I would have admitted my selfishness.  Sure, I had my arguments and reasons, but now that I understand what I do, they seem so shallow, so empty, so self-centered."  Bracken looked out the front window toward the distant mountains.  As he did, a fresh sense of exhilaration rushed through his soul.

"He came to me, mother, the Prince of Wonder.  I rejected him for so long, rejected what you believed about him, what father told me as a child.  But it’s really true.   I’m just beginning to understand what it all means"

Myrus stopped crying and looked back at him, her face beaming.  "Yes, understanding and accepting him is the most important thing for all of us.  There’s someone else who’s discovered this too."  She motioned for Bracken to look through the rear window and out across the courtyard.  In its center two chairs, their backs facing him, sat nestled together.  Spilling over the back of one was the familiar sight of Lisha’s golden hair.

The feelings that suddenly flooded him were almost more than he could contain.  A wave of excitement rose in his heart.  The bitter memories of betrayal marched by only to be driven away by a new sense of understanding.  All the lonely times, the hurt, the wondering, came back to him.  He tried to push them away but suddenly he didn’t want to any more.  All in the same moment, he accepted and then forgave.  He cared for this girl like no other.  He always would.

Squeezing his mother’s hand, he stood and began to walk toward the broad double doors that led to the courtyard.  "Excuse me, mothers but I’ve got to see her."

Myrus’ eyes followed Bracken as he walked away.  "I understand, son. . . . Her voice trailed off for a moment and then completed the thought as he stepped outside.   "We’ve both been hoping you’d come home."

As the courtyard doors closed behind Bracken with a soft click, Lisha turned to see who had come outside.  In her lap lay the worn pages of Myrus’ Volume.  Laying it on the other chair, she stood up and stared back at Bracken in surprise.

What does she feel now? Bracken asked himself as he gazed on her lovely features.  We’ve both been hurt, rejected, forsaken.  Could there still be something in her heart for me? he wondered.  The few anxious moments while they watched each other across the yard nearly broke Bracken’s heart again.  But now he didn’t care.  If it had to be broken a hundred times for Lisha, he’d let it.  He loved her anyway.  Lisha began to tremble as she started slowly toward Bracken.  She had taken only a few steps when she could no longer hold back.  In surrender, she ran into his arms and wept on his shoulder.

"Bracken, Bracken, Bracken, I knew you’d come back."  Lisha pulled back her head and looked into Bracken’s eyes with her own dark brown ones.  They kissed tenderly and then looked at one another again.  Bracken gently held her face in his hands.   Tears began to well up and spill down both their trembling faces.  "If you only knew how much I’ve missed you," she whispered.

Bracken smiled gently.  "I missed you too.  It’s been a long lonely road without you, one I’d probably never come back from if it hadn’t been for the Prince of Wonder."  Bracken pointed toward the Volume resting on the chair.   "I see you’ve begun to listen to him as well."

"Yes, Bracken," said Lisha happily.  "He’s the one that gave me hope you’d come back."  She thought of the past lonely days of waiting.   "After I left you in Accad, I came back to Tizra.  Those were lonely and bitter days.  Finally, I decided to visit your mother.  She’s the one that convinced me how much I needed the Prince of Wonder.  Together we both talked to him.   Right here in this garden in the quiet afternoons like this."  Lisha pointed to the chairs, the green grass and shrubs beyond them.  "I gave him my whole life.  That’s when he told me you’d come back and just like he promised here you are.  Overcome with joy, Lisha hugged Bracken tightly again.   "Oh. I’m so happy."

"He always keeps his word," agreed Bracken.  "I thank him we’re together again.  This time though, it will be right, it will be his way.  We’ll be joined in his sight, like our parents."

There, in the peaceful stillness of the courtyard, they embraced for a long time.  Past memories and hurts washed away and trust took their place.  A miracle of love grew anew within them, the gift of him who gives the miracle of love.

After a while, Myrus joined them.  Together, they talked quietly.  "Where’s Kreswen?" asked Bracken.

"He’s up at the orchard, but he should be back by evening," said Myrus.   "He’ll be glad to see you."

Ditten and Kempec came home later and a warm spirit of reunion filled the house.  All but Kreswen now sat in the gathering room, contentedly munching on fresh jippen.

Bracken finished his jipe, then questioned his mother again about his father.  "You say he’s somewhere in the orchard?"

Myrus set down her piece of fruit and looked back at her son.  "Yes.  He goes there quite often lately."

"I’d like to go see him right now," said Bracken.  "I wonder if he’s still there?"

"If you leave now, I’m sure you’ll reach him before he starts back."

Bracken hugged Lisha reassuringly and then stood to leave.

"I’ll be back before the sun sets."

Bracken ran through the high grass covering the gentle slope that led up toward the forest.   Every blade seemed new and fresh.  He watched this familiar world through new eyes.  Eyes that not only saw the natural beauty of his surroundings but ones that beheld the work of the Creator.  He hurried on.  Under the trees lingered the sweet scent he remembered so well.  He breathed its aroma with thankfulness.   Beyond, in the distance, he could see the family orchard growing bountifully.

As Bracken neared the ripening trees, he saw Kreswen sitting restfully under a jippen tree loaded with fruit. Bracken approached his father quietly.  Kreswen’s back was toward him, his attention captivated by a glen-singer sweetly warbling in the distance.   Bracken felt a slight sense of uncertainty at the thought of confronting his father again.  Would the conflict of the past still be lurking somewhere, even in this quiet setting?  Could he really forgive his father and would his father forgive him?

Bracken now stood a mere yard from Kreswen.  Gently he expelled a hopeful sigh and then spoke.   "Father, I’m back."

Surprised, Kreswen turned and stood to his feet.  He looked strong and erect, still his confident self.  But something was different.  A gentleness rested on his countenance which Bracken had never known in his father before.  For a brief moment neither spoke, as if waiting for some inner signal to begin.  Obviously Kreswen was happy to see his son, yet he almost hid his reaction.  But then, as if discarding a tattered garment, he shrugged aside his apprehensions and reached out to Bracken, firmly gripping his boy’s shoulders in his strong hands.  "I’m really glad to see you, Bracken."

Bracken looked sheepishly back at his father.  "I’m sorry for the way I’ve acted.  Ignoring your advice, not willing to listen.  But things are changing now.  The Prince of Wonder is changing my life."

Kreswen, at first, didn’t seem to hear the words his son had uttered, but just went on talking.   "Things haven’t been the same since you left.  But I guess we got along all right.  I’ve taken good care of your rig, though.  It should still be running well.  I’ve cleaned the shift couplers at least three times. . . Kreswen seemed to be talking all at once, not really able to put his feelings into words.  Perhaps he was still a little afraid of what would happen if the old conflict came back.  He paused.  As he did a tiny tear formed at the edge of each eye.   This time, he spoke softly, looking directly into his prodigal’s eyes.   "Forgive me too, son.  I guess I tried to make you live and believe something I really didn’t myself."  Kreswen looked down for a moment, squinting the tears from his eyes.  Then he looked back at Bracken, a gentle smile on his lips.  "That’s all changed now for me, too.  I’ve really come to know the great Prince of Wonder.  We’ve shared many happy hours here in this place."

Kreswen’s confession took Bracken completely by surprise.  It was too good to believe.  He felt his heart welded tightly in a warm bond with his father’s again.  It was something deeper than ever before.  Now together they could share the miracle of what had happened to him back in Malchag.  Bracken bubbled over with joy as he told Kreswen what had happened.

"Father, you’ll never know how close I came to death.  The Lord of Darkness and his servants had deceived me more completely than I’d ever dreamed.  I walked to the gate of destruction and only the intervention of the Prince of Wonder turned me back.   Bracken sat down beside his father as the older motioned for the two of them to take a seat under the tree.  "So many others, I’m afraid, won’t make it.  Silas is already gone.  Dead.  It’s too late for him.   Professor Lieter, Dalfang, Os, they all believe the lies."

Kreswen grimaced.  "I know, son, and it’s only just the beginning.  Many will go their way.  The Prince of Wonder has told me.  Our job now is to warn them before it’s too late.  I’m afraid our work is just beginning.  The Lord of Darkness is strong.  In the web of his shimmering deception dwells a poison only the Prince of Wonder can destroy.  If we can turn them to him, they’ll be safe.  They need to love him.  He’s so wise and loves them so much.   He’s always cared

Bracken listened respectfully to his father.  The years had added wisdom to both of them.   The sun thrust shafts of yellow through the trees, as they talked longer.   Finally, they stood and walked back toward their home.  Bracken could see his father like never before.  He could see the patience he had shown, and the love he had for his son.  "I’m glad I’m home, father, home with you and mother, with Lisha . . . but most of all with the Prince of Wonder.  I’ve run long enough. . . .wandered farther than I ever expected . . . put my values in the wrong things.  I’ve found the real Gem now, the one I needed all along.

They stood together on the last hill before Tizra.  Kreswen looked down toward the town and then back to Bracken.  "Let’s go home, son.