Love After Awhile

Chapter Six

Chapter Six - Tarot Reading

Nall turns over the first tarot card with grace.

A tall, thin old man with dark cloaks on, holding a lantern in his hand, and a staff in the other. The Hermit.

She feels a small wave of relief flow over her. This is a good first card, for him especially.

"The Hermit," she states, looking up at the young and calm but excited little boy.

His brows furrow slightly. "A crab?" he questions, tilting his head in wonder.

Nall shakes her head as she begins to explain. "The hermit means that you are happy with what you have. You're not afraid to be alone. It's a good card," she says, smiling softly at him.

Even though he probably doesn't understand, he nods his head and looks to the cards to signal the next one. So, she flips the next card.

The next card is one with a stone tower, amidst sporadic flames and lightning. A couple is falling from it, one angry, and one surprised.

Nall's heart drops.

"A castle," Lyon observes, leaning over the table a bit to look at the card. "Someone lit it on fire."

Reminded of something horrible, Nall has to take a moment to gain her breath back. "This one is The Tower card." She got this very same read for her card when she was a child, only a little bit older than him.

Lost in thought, she forgets that she is supposed to be explaining it to Lyon.

"What is it?" the high-pitched voice ask, drawing her out of her thoughts.

"It.. means that one day, you will be a savior to many. These people represent those you will save," she explains, though all of it is false.

This card actually, is a very bad one to get. It means that abruptly, there will be chaos. Something terrible will come into play in his future. But, new and better things may emerge after... even still, she doesn't like that this card showed up.

Lyon looks satisfied with her answer but simply smiles to himself, with no words as he waits for the next card to be revealed.

The next card displays a beautiful woman, examining a lion's teeth. The lion is willing surrendering to her, and she is being gentle as well.

"Strength," she says almost immediately. This one represents inner strength and character.

"It tells me that you are strong within. That's a very good thing." She smiles at him.

"Wow, I'm getting all good ones!" he says, gazing up at Nall. "But I want to be strong on the outside, not the inside," he mutters. "Like the lion in the picture."

Nall heats this, and before she flips the next one, she explains to him, why this card is so good.

"No, Lyon. While it is important to be healthy and strong, to be strong inside is the best kind of strong." She tries to tell it in a way he can understand.

Lyon nods his head to shows he listened and understands. "I will be strong inside and outside," he promises rather quietly to himself.

Nall can't help but smile a bit at that as she flips over the next, and last, card.

This next card depicts a wheel with a blue Sphinx on top of it, holding a sword. There are black symbols all along the wheel, which seems to be suspended amidst the clouds.

"This one is The Wheel of Fortune," explains the witch. "It reminds us that in the end there will be balance, and karma will be brought out. It also brings up fate and destiny."

Her mint-colored irises turn their attention to Lyon, who is silently observing the newest card.

"What does that mean? Karma.." he wonders.

"It means that whatever you do will come back. If you are a savior, and do good, good will come back to you," she says, smiling at Lyon as the two make eye contact. He looks amazed more than anything. "And the bad you do will come back as well. That goes for me too," she says.

Nall then stands from her wooden stool and reaches out to help him down. "It's time for you to sleep."

Lyon rubs his eyes and obeys, letting her help him down. He keeps ahold of her hand as the two make their way into his small, shabby but cozy bedroom.

The witch helps the boy into his bed, and she sits down beside him on the steps she made, handing him his doll.

He lays on his side, facing Nall, with his eyes closed. "Nall, I'm sure you got the castle card before you met me too," he says, clutching onto his doll, who he's named Beatle.

Nall feels her heart clench, both from sadness and from loving this boy so much. Does he think of her as his savior then? She cant help but smile at that. She leans forward and kisses his forehead before standing up, his hand dropping onto the bed, having been resting inside of hers.

The woman says nothing as she leaves the room, blowing out the small lantern that was lit  from before she even arrived home. Bleet flies over to her and takes his spot on her shoulder. She opens the front door, knowing that the yellow and green bird would much rather stay with her than fly off by himself.

The witch once again feels her heart clench, but this time only in pain. She is reminded of the terrible memories she has, that were foretold by the very same card that came up tonight. She gazes up at the beautiful, mystical stars above, most of which covered by the trees.

The sound of crickets and a nearby owl are loud amidst the area.

She reaches up and rubs the bird as she thinks.

The last card. Perhaps it was there also to remind her that she cannot stop the events from unfolding in her son's life... she will just have to prepare him.

To be continued in the next chapter...