by R W Caron
Suddenly the view from the necklace smashed into the ground and a large hawk came into view. The dark-skinned woman stroked the hawks head and the glow became incredibly bright white with an explosion. The hunter shielded his eyes and dropped the globe staring at him with a new fire in his eyes. “And so it begins.”
∆∆∆
Carmae and the rest of her mage following gathered the animals and piled them in the bottom of the valley. Andrew sat atop his horse at the top of the valley watching as several of the female mages placed their staffs against the pile and soon it was ablaze. Andrew had tried to talk them out of such a display but could only do it half heartedly. He did not believe as they did that until a creature and released to the earth it is never truly free, but though he could not believe that he could in fact seen reason in it.
His father had taught him of heaven, of a place you go once you die where he and his father would reunite one day. It had been a long time since Andrew had thought of his father, would he be proud he wondered? He turned in the saddle sliding his leg around the horn and watching as the sun touched the top of the hills. His mind had wondered to Nahan and Alina, how he had failed them both. Alina was gone, disappeared from the world, Nahan had died and been taken by some beast, his father had been hung just because he spoke out against the king. Death seemed to follow Andrew where ever he went.
More was yet to come he knew as he stared into the setting sun. War was not for the weak hearted but How could Andrew lead men and woman into battle against the king if he feared for their lives? This question had kept Andrew awake for many nights and he still wondered it to himself.
Andrew closed his eyes and took a deep breathe. “Father, if you can hear me give me strength, for I have none of my own. I fear for my men, I fear the war will bring an end to all that is good in the world. If one good thing can come from the end, it is that I will see you again.” He said to himself.
“You are an honorable man Andrew Brady.” Came the voice of Carmae. “I did not believe so before but your words, they are not as hollow as they seem.”
Andrew turned to look at her. “Those were meant to be private.”
“And so, they shall be.” Carmae replied with a smile. “We must go, ride from this place of death. One of my ladies has found a place to camp by a stream this night.”
“When did you send them?” Andrew asked shocked she would send someone alone after just being attacked.
Suddenly the eagle landed on Carmae’s arm and she stroked her just feathers. She set the bird down and suddenly it started to glow sprouting up into one of Carmae’s handmaidens. She was beautiful and completely naked. Andrew shielded his eyes but the woman made no jester to cover herself. “Does my appearance offend you sir Andrew?” She asked coyly.
“Not at all Ma’am.” Andrew replied.
“Then why shield your eyes in my presence?” She asked.
“I… well, um…” Andrew stammered. Carmae rolled her eyes and offered the girl her cloak. The handmaiden wrapped herself in it and started down the hill to join the others as Andrew watched her go she quickly shot him a smile and a wink then started down the hill.
“It’s a good thing you’re wearing armour.” Carmae snickered and tapped Andrews armour. “She will lead us to the camp.”
Andrew looked down embarrassed as Carmae chuckled. “How do you know we will be safe there?” Andrew asked.
“We have you of course, big strong brute that’s to nervous to stare at a naked woman.” Carmae replied starting off down the hill. Andrew watched her go knowing full well the digs at him where in mere fun. He assumed that she would be having her ‘soldiers’ keep watch so they could sleep. If only they knew if they would have pushed on into the night for a few more hours they would have come across and old forgotten Nipawin grave marked with the name RYUKIN carved into the stone and standing in front of that grave was the imposer that had escaped as Carmae but now stood as the man whose name rested on the stone.
Andrew kept the fire low, and sat up watching in drifting off into his own world that night, thoughts wondering to the friends and his father again, of the people he lost. He did not realise that it was written on his face and was so entranced by the flames he had not noticed the woman that had been the hawk come and sit on one of the other logs that he had dragged around the fire. For several minutes she studied him as his face went from worry to pain and back again.
“It’s not your fault you know?” The woman spoke softly. “She was going to leave anyway.”
Andrews head shot up and stared at her, surprised that she was there and would speak so boldly. “Who do you speak of?” Andrew asked.
“The woman you are missing.” The handmaiden replied.
“It is not only a woman I am missing.” Andrew replied looking into the fire.
“Do tell Sir Andrew.” She said with a smile.
“It is too painful my dear handmaiden.” Andrew replied.
“Lexi.” She replied.
“Pardon?” Andrew asked.
“My name is Lexi.” She replied with a bit of distaste in her voice.
“I did not mean to offend you.” Andrew replied.
She shrugged and smiled “You just could have asked is all.”
“I was unsure if Handmaidens where allowed to keep their names or if they where given new names.” Andrew replied.
“Still could have asked.” She replied. She looked up to the stars and sighed.
“Something wrong Lexi.” Andrew asked as a smile crossed her face hearing her name.
“I have flown as high as I could, but they always are further.” She replied.
“The stars?” Andrew asked looking up.
“Yes.” Lexi replied. “I flew as high as my wings could take me and it seemed as if I was no closer then I am right now.” She replied.
“I know the feeling.” Andrew replied looking back into the fire.
Lexi looked at him with a questioning look. As she wrinkled up her little button nose she fought with the words of how to ask the question. “Does Andrew possess the ability to fly?”
This brought a deep chuckle from Andrew, something he had not done in a long time. He glanced over at her as she continued to stare at him quizzically. The look made Andrew laugh even more as she was trying to process the fact that he may have magical talents. “No Lexi.” He replied ending her suffering.
“Then how could you know?” She asked.
“I was talking about reaching for my own stars.” Andrew replied. “The closer I get the further they seem and it feels like I am never getting any closer.”
“I don’t understand.” Lexi replied.
“The war, the fight for freedom. The harder I push forward towards the end goal the further I fall it seems. To top it all off the harder I push the more people that die around me.” Andrew said shaking his head falling back into the darkness.
Lexi took a few minutes to process what he was saying and then spoke, “I would sooner fly towards the stars and risk failing then never try at all.” She replied. “If it never tried, I would never know if I could reach them or not.”
“Doesn’t it hurt knowing you can not reach them?” Andrew replied.
“Not at all.” She replied looking back up. “Trying was part of the fun and part of the learning. I will try again when I am strong and one day I will reach them that is a promise.”
Andrew smiled and shook his head at her confidence. “The difference is if you fail you can try again. If I fail, there will be no trying again.”
“Of course, there will.” She replied to Andrews shock.
“How so? There will be no people left.” Andrew replied.
“You yourself are a star Andrew.” She replied. “People will look at what you have done in uniting the world with the hope of freedom and will forever try and reach your greatness., like you continue to do and setting the people free. Everyone is some one’s star.”
Andrew swallowed hard, having never thought abou
t the world in that way. “Who is your star?”
Lexi smiled and glanced his way. “I have yet to find one. I use to believe it to be Carmae, however I wish to think I am destined for something greater then being a hand maiden.”
“You are very intelligent Lexi.” Andrew said making her smile even more.
“As are you Andrew Brady.” Lexi looked away and Andrew leaned forward.
“What is it?” He asked.
“I fear for you.” She replied.
“Why?” He asked.
“I fear your demons that you are battling inside will cloud your judgement, will make you make irrational decisions. I fear that you have already defeated yourself in this battle and that when the time comes you are going to accept death and not fight it back.” She replied “Tell me I’m wrong please.”
Andrew dropped his eyes, the words ringing true in his heart. He opened his mouth to speak but he knew the words to be true. He was blaming himself for everything that had gone wrong and if death knocked on his door he planned on welcoming it with open arms, embracing death to see his father, his friends and all those that died because of him. He had planned at throwing himself at their feet and accept their judgement, what ever it may be. He was brought from his inner torment by Lexi’s warm hand touching his face.
“Your life if worth something to someone.” She replied. She leaned in and kisses his dried cracked lips and pulled away. “You just need to see that some of us are not fighting for freedom but for you.” With that she stood and walked away leaving a shocked Andrew to his thoughts.
∆∆∆
Tuck sat on the wall of the settlement staring out to the east hoping that Andrew would be coming, hoping that his leader was unharmed. Twice over the last month he and considered sending out men to find out Andrews fate but he held true that Andrew was fine. His battalion of men had arrived back at the settlement nearly a month ago. He was the new leader of the shadow. The rest of the riders had joined him as members of the shadow and his force was nearly double what he had expected. The shadow had power and Tuck knew that issues had arisen in the Citadel.
Before he arrived back at the settlement he got a letter from a messenger bird. The letter was from the king’s mistress Shantina. She had hired the Shadow to send an assassin against the king. Tuck only chuckled to himself knowing the karma of this as not only would he send one but a force beyond her wildest dreams was coming. When he had arrived back nearly all the settlements had met in the single location. Shoulder to shoulder it seemed but more then they could have ever hoped for.
Tuck sighed as he stared out at the sunset hoping that Andrew would bring the Mages of the Rock. They where key if this attack was to work. He honestly didn’t know if it would work or not, he was just glad to be fighting for a cause instead of for a coin. He looked away from the sunset and over the settlement booming with armours and blacksmiths getting as much supplies as they could ready before the assault on the Citadel.
His heart still longed for Brittina but he knew that with her sacrifice the militia took a huge step forward. He had buried her in in a field over looking a meadow. Tuck had promised once this was all said and done he would live out there away from it all. She needed company after all. Tuck’s eyes shifted back to the horizon. There in the distance he could see dust, as he stared harder he finally seen the sight he had been waiting for nearly a month. Andrew was almost here.
Tuck jumped from the wall, and quickly rallied the troops to ride out and meet his lord. The men wore huge smiles as they mounted their steeds and paraded out. As they approached Andrew and the caravan of Mages, Tuck slide from his horse. Andrew did the same and smiled. “Well met Capatin Tuck.” Andrew replied with a widening grin.
“And you future king Andrew. Shall I bend a knee?” Tuck shot back. The two laughed whole heartedly and embraced in a long-deserved hug. “Welcome home.”
Those words where what Andrew had wanted to hear for so long now. Yet he had to correct tuck. “Not home, not yet.” Andrew replied. “Not until we are free will this ever be a home.”
Those words drew a loud cheer from the men and Andrew looked around. Lexi had taken the reins of his horse and had not made eye contact since that night as he looked for her in the crowd he couldn’t help but feel a bit lost without her. His mind quickly changed as tuck started to talk about battle plans with him. Andrew however help up a hand to stop the man. “We shall talk battle in the morning my friend, tonight we have many stories to tell.”
“This is true.” Tuck replied with a grim look.
Andrew looked around and then back to Tuck. “Where is Brittina?” He asked.
The men on horseback all dropped their heads and Tuck’s eyes lowered even more. “Many stories to tell my lord Andrew.” Andrew knew full well the pain the man was in and placed a hand on his shoulder as they headed into the settlement. The war was coming, but tonight was about celebrating those who had fallen to get them here.
Chapter 18
So it Begins
Andrew sat a top his horse with the rest of the forces waiting at the treeline. Debec was an exceptionally large city but the Citadel rested at the back on the town. It was impossible to come from the back for the assault as they where pinned against a mountain side with thinker then think forest leading around the mountain. A frontal assault was not the best for Andrew or his men but God favored Andrew this day as in the cover of night new moon gave little to no light. Andrews heart hammered in his chest as he looked up and down the ranks of men and woman that where ready to plunge into battle for him and for their very freedom.
Sweat stung his eyes as he tried his best to calm his nerves. Tuck and a few of his men had gone to the City almost an hour before and had yet to return. Andrew feared for his friend but knew tuck could handle himself and knew that tuck was sold to the cause. His mind wondered to the night before, the stories they told and the drinks they shared for the ones lost. Andrews eyes shot upward as Lexi flew above the ranks and towards the darkened City. “Where is she going?” Andrew asked he thought he kept the words from leaving his mouth but when Carmae Answered he realised they had not been so secretive.
“She is going to find your barbaric friend. I bet drunk in a Tavern.” Carmae whispered.
“No.” Andrew replied. “Something is wrong.”
“You worry too much; the girl will be fine.” As the words left Carmae’s lips a flaming arrow scorched the sky driving into Lexi’s wing. She spiralled downward and hit the ground hard.
“NO!” Andrew yelled before he could do anything his horse was in motion riding Harder then he had ever ridden before towards the city. He came to her side and slid off his horse. Lexi lay on the ground in her human form the arrow had scorched her skin and she was shaking in pain. More arrows flew from the wall but the Nipawin Archers had taken up their positions and had already fell eight of the ten archers before they had fired a shot. Andrew loaded Lexi into his arms and then onto the horse. The two sped back as the Nipawin Archers broke rank and followed to the tree line. As Andrew graced the treeline he dropped from his horse with Lexi in his arms. “Help.” Was the only word he could say as a couple of Nipawin healers took her from his grasp.
“You fool!” Carmae exclaimed. “You have given away our position.”
“Then we charge.” Andrew shot back. “You where willing to sacrifice one of your own people for what?”
“It was not to be a sacrifice it was to gain intel for your army.”
