Chapter 28
Eldric was lost in a full-body stretch, his eyes closed, his breathing long and deep.
“Grab that bag,” Aegir ordered, pointing at a brown sack.
He motioned for me to follow. We crossed the paddock and moved towards a shaded area beneath the mesa.
Bales of hay were scattered along the rocky wall.
On them hung what looked like makeshift shooting targets.
Aegir took out a small bow and a quiver filled with arrows from the bag he made me carry. I may have beamed.
“Have you ever shot one of these?”
“Never.” Then I confessed, “But I always secretly wanted to.” I held the bow and donned the quiver with pride.
He grinned. “Do you know what this means?”
“Uh, that you are now going to teach me how to shoot arrows?”
“Yes, but it also means that next week, we’ll be starting one-on-one combat. And not just to defend yourself, if you know what I mean.” I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. I was happier behind a weapon that could shoot from afar, or one that could be thrown.
The side of Aegir’s face was dangerously close to mine. One of his hands was at my elbow, the other was fixed on my back.
“There,” he murmured, placing my index and middle fingers on the string and pulling. My other arm was outstretched at a slight angle. “Aim and shoot. Don’t let your mind take over, just let go of the string as soon as you aim. Let it go naturally.”
He stepped back and I just…aimed, then let go. Bull’s-eye.
I gaped, my forehead creased, and Aegir coughed a short laugh. His eyes, though—he looked at me like I was a mind-boggling puzzle that could never be solved.
“Are you sure you’ve never shot one of these before?” He scratched his crown.
“Never. Beginner’s luck?”
“We’ll have to test that theory to find out.” He picked an arrow from the quiver and pointed towards a different target. He stood close, tempted to correct my posture. He didn’t. “Go.”
Another bull’s-eye.
Then another…and another.
I swore that out of all the weapons I’d practiced with, this felt completely natural, effortless. It felt as if it wasn’t just arrows I freed into the wind. Weighted fragments of myself, ones I despised, were carried away, too.
“You’re doing well. And I’m not only saying this because of this,” he said, pointing towards the struck targets and swaying his head. “You’re running faster, lifting stronger, nailing your self-defence sessions, and now, you’re shooting exceptionally. I told you not to underestimate yourself.”
I blushed at his words. “I—I’ve never properly thanked you.
For Cinnamon, for this, all of it.” I shook my head.
“You have no idea how demeaning and frustrating it is to spend your days locked, starving inside a dark room from sunrise to sunset. It drains your life, makes you feel weak. This—I don’t know how to explain it, but out here, training, it’s the opposite of that.
And Cinnamon, I still can’t believe it’s all real.
Thank you, Aegir. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. ”
And for the first time ever, it was he who lowered his gaze.
“Oh, we’re shooting arrows now. Who’s up for a challenge?” Eldric bellowed, trotting towards us with a grin that bared canines. Gods, this male’s timing…
“Well, only if you’re up for losing,” I shouted, lifting the bow in the air. I smiled when I heard Aegir’s chuckle from behind me.
It seemed that even Eldric was impressed with my innate shooting skills. I couldn’t quite explain it, but for the first time in forever, I felt like I was someone—someone who was more than just a servant.
That night, I lay in my bed with a lit heart.
I thought about him.
I thought about what he told me, about his parents, his family, the beautiful soulbinding story. But then my smile faded as I thought about his cousin, Galen, who supposedly died protecting the Queen of Ilma.
It reminded me of that night—the night I eavesdropped on stories told by a campfire.
Ismail was not sitting at his usual spot where he normally waited for me. He was not in one of the stalls either. I was about to head back to the castle, but lingered when I noticed fires lit in the paddock. Campfires. Campfire night, like Ismail had more than once mentioned.
I neared, hidden behind the stable’s wooden panels, and crept closer until I could make out what they were saying. I sat, my shoulder resting against the corner of the stable wall. I stayed there for a while, concealed, listening. Ismail was right, it did sound better in person.
Then I heard Ismail’s voice. “Hey, Martin, will you tell us that one, the story of the beheading, the one that was told by one of Queen Mirana’s servants?”
“I already told that one last month, boy. Perhaps Borin can tell us one of his stories from his days in Troiya.”
“Oh, come on, Leryn wasn’t here last month and he would like to hear it, wouldn’t you, Leryn?
“Uh, sure,” whoever Leryn was answered.
“Fine, but I say this in front of everyone. This will be the last time.”
It fell oddly quiet, still—even the crickets stopped chirping.
“Word travelled directly from one of the queen’s servants—one that managed to escape the flames of Pyrona, then took refuge somewhere below ground in Jebel, never to be seen.
“The castle of Nerithia was packed with people that night—Nymphs, Wielders, and humans alike. It was Princess Elara’s birthday. They were feasting, dancing, and singing when Queen Mirana shot to her feet. ‘Something’s wrong,’ she breathed.
“Everyone stilled. The music halted. The air thickened. ‘Does anyone feel their powers?’ the queen asked with a broken shout.
“No one did. Gone. Panic rose. Questions flooded the grand room, echoed with devastating concern. Moments later, one of the Stone Temple guards crawled into the dining hall, all beaten and battered. The guard managed to choke, ‘Naaris. They killed all of the guards. They spared me only to deliver a message to the queen. I’m sorry.’ The queen stiffened with anticipation.
‘Queen Mirana Briartide, you have a very important decision to make today. I have already started by killing everyone and anyone in my way as I made a passage of fire towards you, consuming my surroundings with every step. I intend to continue doing so. Your Land shall know nothing but flames. But if you sacrifice yourself and your daughter, I promise you that I’ll stop this lovely massacre.
Sand grains are making their way down the hourglass, Queen, so what will you choose?
Will you be a good queen or will you be a good mother? ’
“ ‘I’m sorry, my Queen, the immortal king also told me to let you know he’s here…he’s outside.’ The whole room gasped. Then a soft voice called, ‘Mama?’ Queen Mirana knelt in front of her daughter and cupped her face. ‘It’s going to be all right, my girl.’
“The queen ordered everyone to flee through the back gates, but one of the queen’s servants—the one who lived to tell the tale—didn’t follow the herd.
Instead, she opened one of the windows and started climbing down a pine tree.
And as she clung to the tree, two storeys aboveground, she stilled.
With eyes filled with disbelief, she watched her queen and her king walking down the front steps, their daughter at their sides.
Elara held her mother’s hand. Wildfires scattered beyond the horizon like a flaming sea.
The screams, the cries—they were both heartbreaking and stomach-churning.
The queen, too, saw what was becoming of her kingdom. Soon to become one of ash and carrion.
“The immortal king lifted both of his arms, fire shooting from his palms. ‘So what will it be, Queen? Will it be everyone or will it just be you?’
“ ‘I will spare the lives of my people, the majority of people,’ the queen answered, with a pained yet strong voice. The immortal king laughed.’
“ ‘So you choose to be a good queen I see. Just wonderful.’
“ ‘But you have to restore their powers,’ the queen bellowed.
“ ‘It’s too late for that now—our bargain is to either spare the life of your people or spare the life of no one. Those are your only two choices, Queen. I will burn everything and everyone. I will spare no one.’
“ ‘Swear it with a Fire’s Promise and we will surrender. The massacre stops. It stops now!’
“And so King Arden created a ball of fire, small and intense. He swore to his goddess. ‘Pyrona, goddess of the sun, flames, and ashes, I swear to you that if Queen Mirana and Princess Elara Briartide sacrifice themselves, the massacre on this Land stops.’
“The Fire King swallowed the ball of fire. His eyes turned fiery red. The servant watched as their queen, princess, and king continued their way down the steps. The three of them held hands as they moved closer to their deaths.
“The King of Fire ruthlessly ran a flaming sword through King Garic’s belly. The scream that tore out of Queen Mirana’s throat pierced Ilma. She fell to her knees, holding on to her daughter. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she told her.
“ ‘I’m afraid the Fire’s Promise sets after you uphold your end of the bargain. Oh, and you said nothing about enslavement or imprisonment.’
“ ‘Why are you doing this?’ the young girl cried, voice brave. The immortal king tilted his head.
“ ‘Because visions, Princess,’ King Arden answered, before running his sword of flames along the embracing necks of mother and daughter. The thud of their fallen heads echoed throughout the Land. Then he burned their bodies, turning them into charred ashes. They took everyone as prisoner-hostages, even the Water Priestesses. And, well, you all know the rest.”
“Chills. I’m in the desert, yet each time you give me the chills,” Ismail said, excitement in his voice.
To have to choose between your daughter and your people.
Some called Queen Mirana a horrible mother, some called her a horrible queen.
I am not the one to judge the love of a mother and daughter, I have experienced neither, but I’m sure it would be an impossible decision to make.
And those who called her a good queen often got the reply that a good queen would have bargained better.
She may have saved them from their deaths but she still doomed them, forsaken them, somewhere on the other side of the continent.
Everyone else seemed to give in to the peace treaty.
Even Silch did nothing. Although a few years later, the Queen and King of Silch passed on, leaving King Ryvar Hailin on the throne.