17. The Horns that Answer
Chapter 17
The Horns that Answer
W ar broke upon the banner of the Yellow Realm. Celestine felt it in the clamor of the walls. For the first time in a long time, she could feel Encarmine.
As the battle raged outside, no one came for her for two days. Celestine feared for her safety. She heard cavalry and infantry. She heard a terrible melee and siege engines. One struck the tower, and she hoped it would free her or kill her, but the stone was thick.
On that final day, the door opened to the tower, and James led Lady Lapis inside.
Neither wore a blindfold.
“Get her out of there,” Lapis demanded.
“You must help me, lady, if we are to hurry.”
“Darling,” Lady Lapis said with motherly affection, reaching through the opening and touching Celestine’s face. “It’s going to be alright.”
Whatever had been holding up Celestine inside finally broke free. Celestine sobbed.
“Shh, shh. Stand back, Celestine. We will get you out of there.”
Lapis and James both worked on the stone mortar, hammering quickly. Despite her nobility, Lady Lapis was no stranger to hard work. It took time, but once several stones loosed, James used a long rod of metal to shift more out instead of carving her loose.
Encarmine weakens Tristien’s hold on this place.
Celestine stepped from the wall, naked and emaciated, half-a-skeleton.
“Don’t look away,” Celestine snapped at James.
The right hand of her master turned, regarding her.
Celestine whispered, “This is power unchecked. Look at what your Lord would have of me.”
“This is madness. He has gone too far.” Lapis shook her head. “How could you allow this?”
“My Lord retired his circlet. But he has never been this… frantic.”
“Likely the time away from it built it within him.” Lapis helped Celestine, producing a gown for her. “Come here, Celestine.”
“He will kill the two of you for this.”
Clothed again, Celestine felt a bit warmer. But it was hard to stand.
“If we don’t move you, Solis will slay you rather than give you up. If that happens…” James spoke.
“If that happens,” Lapis finished for him. “Encarmine will put our entire realm to the sword. Aidric fetched him. Lord Azure, as well. Wrath has come to the Yellow Realm. They will butcher our children and set our fields ablaze. Encarmine does not make slaves. Only graves.”
“We must go,” James hissed. “We must go now!”
Celestine followed them. Finally, she was free, though her collar remained. It was part of her. She ran with them to the steps and outside the back of the manor. Upon the parapet, as they turned, she saw Encarmine’s banners in mass and blue banners she had only seen in Calendar.
“The house guard is going to fall. Solis rallied his nobles, but several have not come yet.”
“The fools may hope for his fall.” Lapis took Celestine by the arm and hurried to the manor's rear.
The sound of battle was serious. Men were shouting orders, screaming. For all his fury, Lord Solis was not a martial Season.
I thought war was the cruelest thief of all.
How na?ve she had been. To coax and work and attempt to understand this realm. Celestine thought back to the first night in the manor. This entire realm was infected with domination. Subjugation.
This is my fault.
“Stop,” Celestine ordered the two of them. “Just stop. We have to go to the front lines.”
“My lady, that is unwise--”
James was cut off by a hard cuff behind his head. “Silence! I’ve had enough of men and their ideas. The madness of your Lord and master has erupted, James, and you thought not to tell us? To warn us?”
“I live to serve,” James stated.
“Oh, indeed.” Lapis turned to Celestine. “My girl…”
“I put the circlet on him,” Celestine spoke. “I did. Not him. I was… greedy. I wanted more. I wanted all of him. This is my fault. People will die because of me.”
“You are truly a bright star, Celestine. But you could not have known. We should leave. We will flee to Calendar, and when this is sorted… I don’t know. I just know if we have you in the manor and he kills you, true ruin will fall upon this land. A life of slavery is still a life where a heart beats.”
“I must go, I must.”
James protested, but Lapis ordered him to be silent. They walked to the manor, and James held his head high as they exited the front gate area.
War had come to Suncrown. Guards lined the walls, but they were not soldiers. Encarmine’s legions stood in strong attention, spears glittering in the sun that burned with Tristien’s fury.
James held his head high and walked Celestine to the front. When Tristien turned, his circlet ablaze, eyes glowing, he did not react.
Sir Donal Lapis sat upon a mount of yellow silk, the horse whinnying nervously amid the clamor.
“Wife! What are you doing?”
“Quiet,” Lapis snapped. “Just be quiet.”
Donal whispered, “You will be the death of us!”
“This is no field-game, Donal! There is no luncheon after this. This is our hope.”
Celestine walked, her two companions behind her, to the front line.
Encarmine stood over Tristien. Her first lover, her first courtship, the Lord of Red, tall and broad in his engraved armor, held Tristien at sword-point. Tristien bled from a dozen wounds, and his armor was rent. This had been no easy battle. Lord Solis had lost, and all that remained was Tristien. His circlet was upon the ground beside him.
“Cease, Encarmine.” Celestine walked forward. “Let the voice of a woman who loves you stay your bloodlust.”
Encarmine turned, not moving his sword, eyes falling upon his spurned bride. For a moment, she was his again. All his. The urge to run into his arms, to have him take her back to his castles and keeps; his beautiful people, was too much.
My life would be half a widow’s, though I love him. Beyond that, the Painted Realm would know nothing but war if he sat in the center of Calendar.
"Let him stand, my love.”
Encarmine stood still, staring down.
“Please,” Celestine whispered.
Encarmine sheathed his sword. From beside him, Captain Aidric stepped to her.
“My Lady, it is time for you to leave.”
“Not yet,” Celestine said. She looked at Tristien, defeated on the ground.
He looks himself.
“Celestine…” Tristien turned to her.
You once had me. You once had me, Tristien, but you denied your true self. That thing you tried to drown in the shadows, it called to you. It fermented. When you donned the circlet again, black venom dripped into your mind.
“I will not choose you, Tristien.”
His face fell. For once, there was no control, no composure.
Celestine stepped forward, very aware of every ear straining on either side.
“You shaped me. You showed me so much. But you hid yourself from me, and that part of you, it betrayed you.”
Encarmine spoke, “Look at what has become of you. You are worse than Vermilion.”
Tristien shook his head. “I didn’t mean to put it on. I didn’t Encarmine.”
Celestine pulled on his ruined armor. “I can’t ask you to deny yourself thus, Tristien. I can’t. But you care for me, don’t you? Would you let permanent harm come to me?”
“Never,” Tristien swore.
There are portions of him I will miss.
Celestine slowly brought her hand to the tie of her dress. She could see Tristien mean to step forward to stop her, but she froze him in place with a look.
“Behold your best intentions, Tristien.”
The gown fell, and what Tristien had never wanted, what men had lost sight for gazing upon was for the entire battlefield to see.
All present bore sight of Celestine exposed. Her body was ravaged by abuse. Starvation.
Tristien’s face paled in shame.
She had been a breath from death. Entombed and isolated, as many women know in their own way. For whether it is with words or with bricks in a wall, men who dominate women cut them off from the light of the world; from the voices of friends.
Bruises, cuts, and deep welts lined her entire body save for her face. Murmurs flew among the yellow banners in shame, for all could see this was cruelty gone too far. There was no love in these marks, only deeper and darker possession.
Encarmine growled, and his sword flew from his scabbard with a strong hiss. No words came from him. He moved so quickly. Both hands plunging the tip of the blade that had slain thousands into Tristien’s chest.
Tristien made no move to stop him. He stared at Celestine, an apology written on his face, the last words he wouldn’t speak.
Someone faster, somehow, slid the blade aside with a beautiful sword.
Lord Azure stood in front of Encarmine.
“Step aside,” Encarmine growled through gritted teeth, his circlet now glowing, circling, his form darkening into red and black.
Lord Azure did not move. Celestine recognized him now from Calendar. Dark-brown skinned, taller than Encarmine. Where Encarmine’s armor was metal made for efficiency, antique and baroque, Azure’s was the proud semblance of a knight, with the pelts and trappings of a nomad adorning his shoulders.
“You’re entitled to your anger, Encarmine. Your wrath. But would you kill me as well, just to slay him?”
What a voice .
“Yes,” Encarmine said without hesitation.
“I know you,” Azure stated. “The butchery of the unarmed would weigh on your soul.”
“Criminals have no souls. His very existence is an effrontery to me. Vermilion cannot help what he is, from where he crawled. But this? To lay a hand on my…”
“Your love,” Azure finished for him. The demigod who ruled the Blue Banners of Summer withdrew his sword and stood back. “Would likely speak to you on this matter.”
“Please, Encarmine,” Celestine said. She stepped towards him, trying to push his blade low. “Too many have died today. I will never forget it was you who came for me.”
Encarmine, loving, dutiful, powerful Encarmine. He lowered his blade, his eyes full of hate for Tristien. She knew he could kill both Lords and take the mantle of Summer himself, extending his banners across their realms. The crown of Summer would be his alone.
And her world would know butchery.
But she loved him for his honor, for the way he had won her.
“Come back with me.” Encarmine looked at her. “I would see the light in your heart in my lands again and in my eyes. Cease your journey, Final Bride.”
Celestine walked forward, embracing him, kissing his cheek. A sob rose within her, for at this moment, his strength and love were all she wanted. The life in Scalehall, among his people, had been purer than this realm. It lacked sickness, but it was severe in its own way.
“I want to.” Celestine shut her eyes as tears slid downwards. “I do. But I cannot. The Painted Realm would know nothing but conflict. You can’t stop that. But I can.”
“For my love for you, I will not slay this wretch or his people.” Encarmine sheathed his sword. His eyes flashed a bloody red when he looked at Tristien. “Today.”
“You saved me.” Celestine kissed his hand. She missed this hand so much. How her body used to feel strong, tired, but so satisfied at the end of every day. It came back to her now from the mist in her mind.
“Lady.” Captain Aidric stepped forward. “Your time in the Yellow Realm has ended. The final courting of Summer awaits you.”
Celestine turned to Tristien, who still sat defeated on the grass.
It is not the battle nor the blades that keep him down, it is the finality of my choice.
“Rise, Lord Solis.” Celestine brought out her hands to his, and finally, he stood.
The demigod was babbling, “I am sorry, Celestine. I am sorry—”
“The fault is mine,” she cut him off. She turned to his awaiting people, who had readied for war under their mad Lord of Season. “I have never seen such beauty as in your form, Tristien. Part of me craves you. But that craving would end me. And the worst thing is, I wanted it to. I felt you. I felt your mad love for me, to control every facet of my life and mind, brick by brick.”
“I know.” Tristien smiled. Leaning forward, he kissed her tenderly. “I will always love you, Celestine. Your denial of that same love is the sweetest barb of all.”
Celestine pleaded with him, “Free them, Tristien. Banish this hateful barbarity from your lands. A collar beckoned is worth more than one bought. You taught me all lovers submit to one another. Do not rob any human being of their freedom and choice. Submission is a choice. Not a destiny.”
Tristien stood straighter. His eyes glazed with tears of sadness. His voice rang across the men and women present.
“Hear this, and hear it only once. It is a crime in my realm to own the labors and life of any other. There shall be no bondage, indentured servitude, or debts of labor or love. All may beseech my council. The only time my whip shall sing will be to punish the backs of those who seek to own another.”
True shouts rang out now. Disbelief. Rage. But more and more yelled. The bonded, the attendants were cheering.
“Any collar still sitting on the neck of any man, woman, or child in this realm will be a death sentence for the man that put it there.” Tristien turned. He raised his hands gently, asking permission.
Celestine didn’t even realize she still had her collar on.
“May I?”
She nodded. And when the collar fell free from her neck, like she could finally breathe, she missed it immediately.
So strange what we get used to and crave once it’s gone.
Celestine stared at the collar in his hands, hanging limply at her side.
“Thank you, Tristien. You are true and noble.”
The Lord of the Yellow Banner smiled sadly. “You know I am not. Goodbye, Celestine.”
He turned and walked back to his estate. Collars fell from the necks of the bonded as he passed. James and Lapis bid her farewell, as did Sir Donal, though in a hurried manner as he tried to calm the protesting nobility.
“Everything will change!” one shouted.
“Of that, we can be certain,” Lord Azure said from atop his horse. He turned to regard Encarmine, who still stood staring at the crowd.
Historians note:
It should be noted for the reader that it was not until nearly one hundred years preceding this tale’s composition that slavery and bonded labor were outlawed in the entirety of the Painted Realm, with the Yellow Banners lamenting at last. The Exarch’s arrival upon the throne cemented any quelling and illegal trade. Though there are still human beings living in bondage, they are done so in darkness for sordid reasons. When found out, the Exarch’s punishment is merciless, as she too was a slave. However, for the story, Celestine’s beauty and grace melts the hand of Tristien from this cruel practice)
“Will we have words when I take her, Encarmine?” Lord Azure asked. He did not sound worried or dismissive. Just curious.
Encarmine glanced at Celestine, and in that moment, she saw his pure need of her, the love within him.
“I break men and castles, Lord Azure. Not my word. Never that. Though for her…” he stared at Celestine with such lust. “I may change my mind. Guard your borders. If any wrongdoing befalls her--”
“Remember whom you speak to,” Lord Azure cut him off.
He’s not afraid of Encarmine, though he knows the Red Lord could slay him.
Encarmine nodded. He turned away, walking back to his people to march them back from this land. Many had likely died making the journey in such haste, and he would have killed an entire realm and gone to war with all others for her.
“My lady.” Captain Aidric reached out to her. “We will take you to the Lord of the Blue Banner’s realm.”
“You will not,” Azure stated. His handsome face regarded her. “She is under my care, Captain. I’m sure we will see your mirrored glint in my lands before long, but the Final Bride will ride with me, as is our custom.”
“It’s alright.” Celestine put her hand on the Captain’s forearm. She wasn’t sure if she had ever touched him before. In that moment, she felt she knew him. The darkness under his mask was familiar…
“As you wish.” Captain Aidric bowed and stepped back.
“Come, Final Bride,” Lord Azure reached down. His circlet was a blue metal that swirled as if the sky was woven into its sheen. She took his arm, and he easily lifted her onto his massive mount. He held her in his arms, knightly and true, and tutted his horse.
They rode from the Yellow Realm, its sunshine a bit faded, its people unsure of what came next. As was she.