“Mine!” Louis yelled again, releasing the wrath he had built up.
With one mighty shove of his boot, Louis kicked the man’s chest and projected him over the balustrade. Panting, he turned around to face the shocked rigid crowd. The dolor in his eyes was abyssal. Distraught with grief, Louis stared at Selen, then stepped back and walked away. He is done, Lissandro thought.
20
As the blood squirted out of the Child’s torso, the words resounded in Selen’s head. I’m still his. Not all hope was lost, after all. When he heard the screams of the crowd as the warrior fell down, Selen came back to reality. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the shock and fright on everyone’s faces. Yet, it was not the gore of the situation that touched him but the sorrow in his love’s eyes as he turned back to face him. Louis had fallen into a pit of whirling misery. His exhausted face showed that he had reached the limit his soul could endure. Louis backed away and disappeared into the dark.
Selen made a step forward, but Lissandro blocked him. “Don’t go after him. He may be dangerous.”
“I don’t care,” Selen said, irritated. Lissandro still faced him and lifted his hand to calm him. Selen sighed with exasperation. He needs me.
“I just want you to understand—” Lissandro said softly, his huge light-blue eyes shining with compassion.
Get out of my way. Please. “I don’t care if he kills me. He is my love. I was wrong to listen to you and wait.” Selen pushed Lissandro to the side and ran after Louis.
As the darkness in the back of the huts prevented him from seeing anything, Selen closed his eyes and held the rope of the balustrade. He sensed light pulls and heard footsteps. Someone went down the stairs at his right. Selen felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around. Eliot stood right in front of him.
“You may need this,” the monk said, pressing a dagger against his chest. Though the boy’s move puzzled him, Selen took the dagger. “Don’t hesitate to defend yourself,” Eliot whispered.
Selen walked away and hurried down the stairs. With the moon reflecting on the river, it was less dark on the ground level. Louis stood on the shore, facing away. A moonbeam was reflected on something metallic Louis held in his hand. The dagger, Selen realized. With horror, Selen saw Louis point his dagger towards his chest.
“No!” Selen shouted at the top of his lungs.
Louis turned around with a start. Selen dropped to his knees. “I’m sorry. I was mean. I didn’t mean a word of all I said. I’m sorry. Please don’t do that.” He twisted his stretched arms. “Please,” Selen sobbed, terrified that Louis wouldn’t listen.
“Why? My dreams are broken. They laugh at me. I have nothing left,” Louis said. “And after what I just saw… I can’t hurt you, but I can’t stand it anymore, or anyone.”
“You still have me. Can’t you stand me?”
“Of course, I do. But your…what you want.” Louis shook his head. “Is it so important to you?”
“As much as your dreams are for you, but nothing is worth losing you.”
Louis furrowed his brow and lowered the dagger. “You don’t need to.” He stretched out his hand towards him.
Relief and love overwhelmed Selen. He rose and joined Louis on the shore. He gave a faint smile as he looked at his friend and crouched by the river. With his hands, he washed away the repulsive touch from his mouth. He stood up.
Gazing at Louis, he realized how close he had been to losing his friend. It shouldn’t happen again. He wanted it, and he wanted it now.
“I would have wished for a better moment, or a temple as you wanted it, but it doesn’t matter. I like this place,” Selen said.
Selen took Louis’s hand in his. With his dagger, he cut Louis’s palm on the length. Louis sucked air through his teeth but didn’t move. Red drops pearled on the blade. Selen carried the hand to his face and kissed the wound, covering his lips with the blood. Then, he cut his own hand and applied the bleeding cut on Louis’s.
“In the sight of the gods, I recognize you as my sole and only friend. I will be forever faithful and fight at your side. Should we die, may we be buried in the same grave. I shall be banned and killed if I don’t respect my oath,” Selen said, staring into his friend’s eyes. “I hope these are the words,” Selen added in a whisper.
Louis beamed, his eyes shining with emotion. “It is how I saw it, at least,” he whispered back and clenched Selen’s hand in his, increasing their bleeding. “In the sight of God, I recognize you as my sole and only friend. I will stay and fight at your side. I will be faithful to you to the grave that we will share. I shall be banned and killed if I don’t respect my oath.”
Louis carried Selen’s hand to his mouth and kissed the palm. Louis’s cheek snuggled in his hand while his lips lingered on the wound. Selen stepped closer and kissed him, still unsure of Louis’s reaction.
“You’re back,” Louis whispered, grazing his face against his. Selen felt Louis’s tears against his cheek.
“I am,” Selen whispered and slipped his arms around Louis’s chest. His spiritual force burst like a bubble. “For the rest of my life.”
Louis held him tight. “I promise to consider your wishes, but don’t let anyone touch you.”
Selen chuckled. “It was never my intention.” He sniffled. “Come. It’s freezing cold here.”
They returned together to the village. The place was now silent and plunged in obscurity. With what had happened, Selen hoped the Children would not cut their throats in their sleep. Holding Louis’s hand, he walked to their hut.
The room was pitch black, but Selen remembered how they had shared the space. Dragging his friend behind him, he knelt near his bag and groped inside it for his flask and cloth. Once they had mended their wounds, they removed their cloaks and lay down under the blankets. Lying on top of him, Louis captured his lips while his feverish hands ran over Selen’s chest and neck. Louis’s kisses bruised Selen’s jaw with the repeated bumps of a bone or the cuts of teeth. His loud breathing was fast and nervous, as was Selen’s who caressed Louis with the same passion. His legs interlaced like ivy around Louis’s. His hands ran through his long curls and across his back, always pulling him closer. His mouth savored the taste of his generous lips. He had missed his love. His whole body and soul felt like an arid ground receiving the first drops of rain. Each kiss soothed his wounded heart with tenderness and care. Selen opened his soul to the enthralling devotion of the one he knew he would never survive without.
“You smell of sweat,” Louis whispered near his ear with a smiling voice. His breath warmed the curve of his neck.
Selen smiled. “I know. I haven’t bathed for days. I don’t think we should…”
“No. Not here. And I’m exhausted. I’m just so happy to hold you again,” Louis whispered, kissing his face all over. Louis’s mouth trailed to the side of Selen’s head. “Don’t leave me.”
Louis had uttered the words as if confessing a shameful weakness. “I won’t. Ever. I belong to you,” Selen whispered back. He felt Louis’s heart slow down. Against his neck, Louis’s breathing was now light and deep. His friend had fallen asleep. Selen put one hand against the back of Louis’s head and one arm around his back. “I love you.”
As slumber came over him, Selen turned his head to the other side. For an instant, he saw two gleaming eyes shine in the dark, staring at him. Still, he was too exhausted to care and fell asleep.
Selen opened his eyes and saw Kilda stand over him with a crooked smile. Eliot stood on the other side half smiling and with an eyebrow raised.
“I wouldn’t write that in your chronicle either, Askjell,” Lissandro said at his right.
“My chronicle has more holes than a cheese, and my imagination starts to run dry with how to fill them,” Askjell mumbled. He waved in Selen’s direction. “Good morning.”
“It’s slightly uncomfortable,” Selen said, trying to wake up Louis who still lay over him. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”
“Kilda, your mirror,” Lissandro asked. Kilda handed her mirror to Lissandro who turned it towards Selen.
“Oh. I see,” Selen whispered.
Louis opened his eyes and looked up. “What?” His eyes widened. “Oh.”
“We don’t want to know whose or which blood it is, but you should wash that before one of the Children sees you,” Lissandro said. “By the way, how do we solve yesterday’s messy incident?”
“I don’t know if there is much to say,” Louis said while getting up. He stretched out his hand to Selen and helped him rise. “But I acknowledge it may have influenced their decision.” Louis lowered his eyes with embarrassment.
Selen took his hand. “I think we should go there and see how it turns out instead of brooding dark thoughts again. But before that, I have something to do.” Selen stepped towards Lissandro. “I’m sorry I strangled you. You said horrors, but it wasn’t a reason.” Selen hugged his friend fondly and kissed his cheek. He stepped back and nodded towards Louis.
Louis walked to Lissandro. It took a while, but Louis finally spoke. “I said harsh words I didn’t mean.” He hugged Lissandro and kissed him on the other cheek. “I’m sorry,” Selen heard Louis whisper before his love stepped back.
“Can’t you two be sorry more often?” Lissandro asked, grinning.
Kilda laughed. “If we die in a few instants, you can die happy.”
They packed their bags, prepared themselves, and set off. In the morning mist, the village was silent but for the tinging of the many wind chimes made of wood and shells. They headed towards the elders’ hut.
With apprehension, they opened the door and entered. The elders were already gathered in a circle. Though consequent, the crowd was less populous than the day before. There was no animosity in the Children’ eyes. Yet, no one seemed in the mood to laugh anymore. Louis stepped forwards. Selen halted at his side.
“You told us yesterday that you didn’t bring death into our village,” Moakki said. “Now, my warrior’s behavior was an insult even for our own customs. Though we tend to solve our discords in other ways, your reaction didn’t influence our decision.” Moakki gazed at the other elders around him and nodded. “We know the disease you mentioned. It has been used in the past by our people as a punishment against our enemies. It is not a natural disease but a poisonous one our ancestors created from rests of sick animals. Though it takes its origins among our people, we who live in the Ebony Forest have no part in what happens in your city. We would like to help you. Unfortunately, we don’t have the cure. Yet, we have a suspicion on who might be behind this disease. Our people have been divided into many tribes for generations. We try to live in peace and in harmony with the gods of nature around us, away from the world. But some tribes still hold a resentment against your people. One of those tribes is more dangerous than the others.” Moakki looked at the crowd around him. One of the elders nodded. “They are called the Nuharinni. We have reasons to believe that they hide in the mountains in the east, beyond the city of Earthfell.”
“Why are they the most dangerous?” Louis asked.
“As you could see, we do not take strangers among us, for our own preservation. Yet, we still meet with other tribes. There have been exceptions throughout history, of course. Sometimes, one of us decides to leave for your world or comes back with one of your women. Now, the Nuharinni don’t mix with anyone. They never have contact with us. Nor has anyone who traveled there ever come back. We believe there is something dark in their hearts.”
“How will we find their village?” Louis said.
“We are not sure they have a village as we conceive it. To help you find their place, one of ours will accompany you as a guide. If you can answer for his life.”
“I do,” Louis said. “You have my word.”
“Then there is one more thing you will need.” Moakki took an object from the pouch he had on his lap. “The key to the passage through the mountains.”
Louis took the key from Moakki’s hand and showed it to Selen. The key was highly elaborated and shaped in a peculiar symbol. “I know that symbol,” Selen whispered to Louis. “I have seen it somewhere.”
Louis glanced at him and turned to Moakki again. “We thank you for your help. The road is long. We will take our leave at once. Yet, I still have one last favor to ask you.” Moakki nodded and listened. “Should we succeed in our quest, I would like to return here with my queen to learn from your people and your customs. I am convinced we have much to learn from you.”
“If you succeed and rid us of this tribe, our village will always be open to you and your queen,” Moakki said.
“Thank you.” Louis gave a short bow, followed in his move by Selen and all their companions.
They left the hut, crossed the village, and went down the stairs. One of the Children waited for them near their horses. Unlike the others, the warrior had no tattoo nor ornament tangled in his long black hair. A necklace of fangs was tied around his neck, and he wore a fur cloak over his layers of skin and hemp clothes.
The warrior raised his hand in a salute. “My name is Ahanu. I speak a bit your language. What should I call you?”
“You can call me Selen, and this is Louis,” Selen said. Louis nodded towards the Child.
“And I am Lissandro,” Lissandro said. “In public, you should call these two Your Majesty, Ahanu,” Lissandro said, pointing at them. “Behind me are Askjell, Kilda, and Eliot.”
Ahanu’s dark, almond-shaped eyes stared long at them before he pointed at Kilda. “Woman?”
“Yes,” Lissandro said. “We have a woman warrior.” Ahanu smiled and shrugged. “You don’t wear tattoos?” Lissandro asked, his hand gesturing around his face.
“When you prove your worth,” Ahanu answered. He straightened with pride. “On my return.”
Selen felt Louis take his hand and pull him to the side.
“You said you have seen the symbol on the key?” Louis whispered.
“I did.” Selen glanced back at their companions. In discussion with Ahanu, no one seemed to listen to them. “I saw it in the palace. On Mauger’s dogs’ collars. It was the same adder crushing a rose. What should we do?”
Louis scowled. “And I thought he was loyal to our cause. Once we are back in Embermire, we will send a crow to Pembroke. We can’t go back to Nysa Serin.”
“Do you think there can be more than one mole? How well do we know all those people?”
Louis looked at him and pondered his words. He glanced at their friends behind them. “We don’t. I only trust you and Lissandro. Now, hug me and pretend it was about us.” Selen complied and hugged him. “You know nothing and tell no one,” Louis whispered in his ear.
As they returned to the group, Lissandro turned to them. “Are you done? Can we depart?”
Selen nodded evasively. He got on his horse and looked around him. For a while, he had thought they all would be united again. Now, he had the feeling that they were more divided than when they had arrived.
21
When they arrived in sight of Embermire, Louis was pleased to see that the hanged bodies had been removed. There were no traces left of the camp either. Once they crossed the open city gates, he noticed that life was progressively returning in the streets. All the measures Folc and his soldiers had applied would not reduce the fear among the population. Yet, driven by hunger and the most basic needs, the inhabitants had forced themselves to return to their activities. A few artisans’ shops and bakeries were now open, and buckets of water were thrown to clear most of the rubbish off the muddy gutters. A group of children playing with a spinning top scampered aside under a porch. With wide eyes, they stared at him riding by. One of them knelt. Disconcerted, Louis put one hand to his brow and realized he still wore his circlet.
“This place stinks,” Ahanu said, gazing at the overhanging houses. The Child had taken Askjell’s horse while the squire had made the way back behind Eliot. “I am not surprised your people die.”
Though th
e Child was not completely wrong, Louis considered that the city already stank less than a few days ago. Besides, this was only the main street. Stench was more common in the alleys.
“The more the people, the stronger the smell. How do you manage to keep your village clean?” Louis asked.
“We don’t shit where we live.”
The Child’s tone was so reproachful that Louis couldn’t help but take the insult for himself. For an instant, he wanted to force the man to live in the middle of Nysa Serin, just to see if he would reach the nearest forest bush in time.
Folc waited for them in the castle’s courtyard near the well and strode towards Louis once he had dismounted.
“I am glad to see you look better,” Folc said, clasping his hands together. “How did it go?”
“Different than what we had expected,” Louis answered. “We have much to organize. Come with us to the great hall.”
Louis and his companions headed to the castle’s entrance. Lissandro made a sign to Ahanu, who still stood near his horse, to follow them. The Child didn’t seem accustomed to such places and looked around himself with wary eyes. The way the servants stared back at the warrior reminded Louis of the times he had seen black men mingle in the crowd in his previous life. At least, no one in this world would cross himself. Even here, the process to transpose the words equality and fraternity from a notion to reality would take ages, and Louis had realized that there were limits to which he could threaten to death the reluctant part of the population. They may not change their hearts, but at some point, they will get used to it, he thought.
Once in the great hall, they unfastened their cloaks and coats and took a seat around the long table. Folc made a sign to a servant. Plates with roasted meat, cheese, bowls of leeks and cabbages in cream, bread, and jugs of brown ale were brought in. Folc sat down in front of Louis.
“Who is this man?” Folc asked, cocking his head towards Ahanu.
Light from Aphelion 2 - Tears of Winter Page 16
