by Jay Swanson
“But that's what I could say, Lina!” Chakra grinned, far more convinced than she seemed to be. “Your father would have to allow it!”
“Your friends may have found their calling in the war.” She frowned. “But I would never have you go if we were wed! How could you make me sit here at home and worry for you while I wondered if you would ever return? I'll already be worrying enough as it is!”
“But your father would have to let me marry you before we left! How can he say no if I've taken service in the army?” Melina had been with Chakra for years now. In that time she had become an unexpected challenger to his dreams of winning glory on a battlefield. Her father wasn’t keen on the fact that war was how he expected to make himself independent, but wasn’t that what every boy his age dreamed of? How could a shepherd look down on anyone else for earning an honest wage, even if it was by soldiering?
“He's said no before, Chakra. I don't think he'll have any trouble saying it again.” She moved her free hand from snagging the dying leaves off of trees to poke him. “Besides, what good is marrying me if you'll only be gone on the campaign as soon as we're bound?”
“Well, I mean...” He gave her a half-cocked smile but let it die when she didn't laugh at the suggestion. “I know...” he said, sounding slightly more downcast than he had intended to. “It's just that Aims and Thruss and Pegg will go and... well, I need money, Lina! I can't just sit here waiting for people to start asking my father for wood and hope that things go well enough for me too. Besides, who will look after Thruss if I don't?”
“No one is saying you shouldn’t go, Chalk.” She put her hand on his arm as she pulled him closer. “You'll make a fine soldier.”
They stepped off of the forest trail onto a road that ran straight for a long way off. The trees reached out overhead to make the most brilliantly colored colonnade they could ever ask to walk beneath. Someday I’ll make arches like this for her to walk under, Chakra thought. Arches that will never lose their color, no matter what season it is.
Right then, with the road stretched out before them and Melina hugging his arm tight, he was happy. How could he leave her? How could he bear the distance, the cold nights on the ground longing just to see her face?
“I just don't think we can marry until you return. Father will respect you if you've proven yourself on the field, and you'll have enough for the dowry then, especially with what they'll be paying you.”
“You know that in some places, it's the father who has to pay the son-in-law?” Chakra shook his head. “That would be a dream.”
“Do the men wear dresses as well?” Melina jabbed him lightly under his arm.
“With all the extra money they get for marrying a girl, why not? They probably have whole wardrobes full.”
He stopped to look at her as the dry leaves along the road swirled past. Shocks of her jet-black hair wafted up and tried to follow. It was dark and perfect, and like the beauty of her face, the very sight of it could send his heart into flight. If there's any dream other than you, he thought as he drank her in, then I don't know it and I don't want it.
“If I leave, Lina, it's only so I can come back to you. I'll do whatever it takes to be with you, even if I have to storm the Stone Lord's castle by myself to end this war. I'll do anything.”
She rose up on her toes to kiss his cheek and smiled, making him blush in the chill autumn air. “I know you will. It's why I love you.”
“I thought it was my dashing good looks,” he joked as they continued on their walk.
“Those don't hurt either.”
The sun rose in its shortened path, the season running its course as the leaves began to fall in greater numbers every day. It made Chakra sad to see the fading colors of the trees, knowing that another long winter was around the corner for his village. Ever since the eight kingdoms of the Old Empire had begun to position themselves for the start of this war, things had not gone well for anyone.
His family barely had enough to survive any more, and he knew that along with the added money he could bring by fighting in the army, it would also be a relief to have one less mouth to feed. Besides, why train so hard with his father’s old sword if he’d never put it to use?
Melina's family wasn't much better off, though her father's wool went for better prices with the harsher winters. He knew she was as worried about her family's stability as he was his. He shouldn't be asking her to risk that on whimsical romance.
Maybe I should be giving her space before I go... That was a strange new feeling.
There was no way he could stay, he decided. Not for what it meant to his family, nor what it meant for his future with Melina. He needed her too much, he thought. The thought struck him as romantic at first, but then rang hollow and sad as it departed.
His mother had always said that you had to hold those you loved with open hands. If you held on too tightly, you would lose them. In that moment, as he looked down at her hair and felt his heart wrench, it made sense. Her reluctance. Her father’s wary distance. He knew he was holding her too tightly. Perhaps, if he didn’t learn to let her go, he would drive her away. What if he lost her altogether? What would that do to him?
Melina coughed into her glove and pulled him closer. “I'm cold.”
“Why are you coughing?” He placed his hand on her forehead. “I can't see how you feel cold, you're practically burning my hand.”
“I haven't been feeling well the past few days,” she said with another cough. “I'll be fine.”
The last thing he wanted was for her to get sick as he left. The black flux had been rumored to be returning, carried by the coal brought in every month to run the foundry for the smith. The disease was rare; it hadn't made an appearance in over a decade, but it remained an ever-present fear for every village near the foot of the mountains. It was difficult not to fear something that killed its victims by filling their lungs with a black sludge and suffocated them in days. His stomach churned as the familiar worry struck with every cough.
“I'm fine, really.” She could always sense his feelings. It probably helped that he rarely tried to hide them from her. “I've been coughing for days, I would know by now.”
They moved to sit on a log that lay off to their left, the remnant of a tree that had fallen in a storm a few years back. He and his father had actually been the ones called on to remove it.
“Tell me what you told me about the light.” She snuggled closer into his side as if to hide from the chill air around them.
“Oh come on,” he said with a sheepish smile. “I was just being stupid.”
“I liked it.” She pulled her chin under her wool scarf. The scarlet matched the ribbon in her hair. “Tell me again.”
Chakra sighed, squeezing her gently against him with his arm. He fought back the urge to pull away, suddenly scared to lose someone he had always known he had. “I want to run away with you, Lina. If it was possible I would take you somewhere they would never know to look.” He turned and whispered into her hair. “We would go where light would never find us, where day and night dissolved. I would take you somewhere only you and I could go, where nothing existed save for... us.”
“Our love...” she corrected gently. “You said 'our love' last time.”
He smiled into her hair and then looked across the road into the woods beyond. Will I ever know what that feels like again? To be so close to someone you feel like they're a part of you? If I leave, if I fight, I'll change. He nodded unconsciously as the sadness crept deeper into his chest. Nothing will ever be the same... I'll lose everything.
“I don't want to leave you,” he said as he sat next to her on the log. “But it will be better this way... in the long run.”
“Chalk, you talk as if you didn't spend your entire childhood dreaming of marching off in the High King's army. Putting down the Stone Lord’s rebellion and reuniting the Nine Kingdoms is something you've always wanted to see the king do. To be a part of. You've been eligible to serve for a few year
s now, you're more than ready to leave Alda.” She smiled and reached up to kiss him under the cheek, then ruffled his short black hair to get the autumn debris out of it. “I love you, Chalk. I'll wait for you.”
“I love you too, Lina.” He leaned in and kissed her quickly, then hugged her close against the chill breeze that still wandered down the road. “Two more days...” The thought of his impending departure brought an anxiety to his gut that he knew wouldn't leave him until the war was over.
“Two more days,” she said with a sad smile, and laid her head on his shoulder. “Let's enjoy them.”
- - -
“You know, they should pay me an extra three silvers for being able to hit the board in the center every time,” Pegg said as he lined up a dart with one eye closed.
The dim lanterns that hung from the rafters in the Ice Dragon only served to blend his target into the wall as the sun finally set behind the mountains to the west. The wood of the wall was chewed up enough to prove that not everyone could make out the board as well as Pegg in the dark. He shot his hand forward, the dart sailing through the half-light in a blur and thunking into the support beam beside the target.
“It's too bad the recruiters are here to see just how well you can live up to your claims,” Aims said as he took a swig from his mug. “You'd do fine if they had no way to test you.”
“Thruss, can you make some sort of drug that shuts him up? Because that's one that people would pay good money for.”
“Nah.” Thruss smiled as he looked down into his mug. “Aims' mouth is too strong for drugs.”
“Yeah, well put, Tubby.” Aims rolled his eyes as he stood and made for the bar. “I want the next go with the darts.”
The whole tavern was made of darkened wood, long stained with the smoke of the hearth and the pipes of countless travelers. There were around a dozen tables cluttering the floor, most of which were unoccupied. Leather-bound booths lined the wall running away from the bar itself.
Pegg swore as his second dart landed even farther right of the board than his first. “I'm not letting him have these darts, Thruss. No matter how much he whines about it. Not until I can hit the mark every time.”
Thruss took another drink of his beer, the stout far too thick for his tastes though he refused to show it. “Can't say that he'll be playing much at darts tonight then, huh?”
“Oh great.” Pegg tossed his last dart without caring where it landed before moving to join Thruss in their booth. “Even you're gonna ride me now. I should never have gotten Aims to buy you that beer.”
Thruss smiled as he lifted the beer to Pegg in a mock toast, then took another swig. He liked the taste more than he thought he would. But really, it was probably more the feeling that came with it. Yeah, he decided, it was the feeling that came with it. His father never let him drink. He didn’t understand why as he drained the last of the magic liquid. It seemed to make the world a brighter place.
The lanterns flickered as the door to the Dragon opened, threatening to die as they always did when the cold air found its opportunity to rush in and attack the hearth.
“Finally,” Pegg said. “Good of you to join us, master arrow-loser.”
“That was a disappointing jab,” Chakra said as he closed the door behind him.
“He's just not happy because he can't throw the darts good,” Thruss said quite happily from the booth on the other side of Pegg. He was glad Chakra had shown up, but for once he had felt at ease without him. Probably my drink, he thought with a glance at his mug.
“I see Aims bought you that beer after all, Thruss,” Chakra said as he began to work his way to them through the scattered tables. The tavern was empty save for a few men by the bar and the two recruiters who were packing up their paperwork.
“Chakra!” Brin, the taller of the two recruiters, waved him over. “I was wondering when you'd come 'round.”
Chakra altered his course to make for their table, crossing paths with Aims, who was so focused on carrying three pints of beer in his arms that he didn’t appear to notice Chakra was there.
“You're signing up, right lad?” Brin smiled as he stuck out his hand.
Thruss saw how Chakra took it and shook it vigorously, the way the recruiter would have done it anyhow. Thruss hated how rough the man liked to shake hands. It felt false somehow.
“Yes sir, I thought I'd have to do it tomorrow. I'm running a bit late.”
“Nah, boy. It's been what, three years since you came of age? I couldn't wait another night! Sign up today and I'll give you six silvers, put you half-way to your first payment as one of the King's own.”
“I've already put the papers away,” his companion whined as he shifted on the seat in his chain mail. “Have him do it tomorrow.”
“Nonsense!” Brin slapped his companion on the back, causing his armor to ring gently. “This man here is one we've been watching since he was a tot, barely able to carry his own head around let alone a sword. Chakra's the best we'll be recruiting. Mark my words.” He turned to wink at Chakra.
It was things like that which made Thruss suspicious of the recruiters. Compliments and winks.
“Boy'll be a captain by the time we come back from this war. Never seen someone handle a sword with such lethal skill. You're best off if you start saluting him now, Sorros! There's no telling who might come in and snatch him from us if we let him go tonight!”
Sorros didn't seem amused, but he dragged the paperwork out and started filling out gaps in a parchment that had already been written on. “You can read, can't you boy?”
“No, sir.” Chakra shook his head. Thruss could see him blush. Reading was one of the skills Chakra had always said he wanted to learn. Melina had even promised to teach him, but he had never taken the time to learn. Thruss couldn’t imagine not being able to read. He’d never be able to work with his father if he couldn’t.
“Fine, fine.” Brin waved his hand dismissively. “Can you write your name?”
“Yes sir, I can do that.”
“Then write it here.” The man named Sorros made an 'X' by a line under which he had just signed himself.
Chakra signed the parchment and lay the quill down.
He’s done it, Thruss thought with a smile. He’s finally gonna get to make himself. There had never been any doubt among the three of Chakra’s closest friends, but Thruss knew he believed in Chakra even more than the others. There was no one he would rather follow on an adventure. No one had ever looked out for him like Chakra, and now they would finally get their chance to become men together.
“Fantastic!” Brin's hand shot out to slap him on the back, shaking his hand with the other. “You'll bring your father's sword, I take it?”
“Yes, sir.” Chakra nodded, six silver pieces in his hand from Brin's shake. “It's not the best, but it will do.”
“Better for lopping heads than chopping wood.” Brin laughed as Chakra started walking back towards his friends. “You'll be able to buy an entire armory by the time we come home, boyo. We leave for Telda at the second sunrise from tonight. And don't you forget it, you belong to the High King now! Don't make him send the Monks to collect ya.”
“Six silvers,” Chakra said as he sat down and stared at the oval coins in his hand.
“Aims has already blown half of his on beer and–what was that thing? Something like half a cow.” Pegg grinned and took a swig off the fresh pint of beer sitting in front of him.
“Salted pork,” Aims corrected as he pointed across the table at Pegg. “And don't forget it's your beer that's draining my newly-filled coffers. I wouldn’t go drinking this much if it was you paying.”
“Yeah you would.” Pegg had to gurgle past the beer in his mouth.
“It was good pork.” Thruss nodded across the table at Chakra. “Real good.”
“Thanks boys!” Pegg raised his pint to the recruiters as they opened the door, lanterns flickering in protest. “Good doing business with you!”
“Two sunrises,
boys!” Brin shouted back. “And you're off on the adventure of a lifetime.”
“Where were you, anyways?” Aims asked as he slid a pint in front of Chakra.
“My father grabbed me before I could leave. Thanks,” he said as he took a swig. “He's working hard at this furniture-making thing, trying to find some way to bring money in when no one's looking for lumber.”
“The problem is you're the one that's actually any good at it,” Pegg said as he shook his head.
“Yeah.” Chakra took another drink. “And now I'm leaving in 'Two sunrises! Don't forget!'”
“What'd Melina say?” Aims elbowed Chakra knowingly. Thruss could see how Aims’ jaw tightened when he said her name.
“Yeah. Don't...” Pegg gurgled through another mouthful of beer. “Don't keep us waiting.”
“What?” Thruss looked from one to the other confused. “What do you mean?”
“She's sick...” Chakra frowned at the beer in front of him. “I'm worried about her.”
“You always worry!” Pegg waved his hand around Chakra's head as if to erase any worries still floating about. “Stop it, she's fine. Tell us what she said!”
“No.” Chakra drank some of the beer. He sniffed at it before taking another drink, apparently he didn’t like it much either. That made Thruss feel better about his own dislike. “She said her father would say no.”
“Of course he would!” Aims elbowed him harder. His sarcasm had more bite to it as he mocked. “What do you expect? 'Excuse me sir, I'd like to impregnate your daughter before I go die in the Stone Lord's keep. May I have your permission?' I'd say no to that, even if you had the dowry.”
“I'll have the dowry soon enough.” Chakra smiled as he clenched the coins in his fist. “And enough to build my own house if I'm smart about it.”
“I'll drink to that!” Aims raised his mug for everyone to cheer.
“You'll drink to anything,” Pegg said as they all took a swig. He turned to Thruss conspiratorially. “I think he even drank to the eve of the third day closest to the start of spring, if you can believe it.”
