Land of Strength and Sorrow

by Cassandra Fear

  Still, she tried. He ran faster outside the tunnels, so she did too and darted so fast she felt she might topple forward and fall on her face. She slowed once she stepped onto brown grass, so brittle it shattered into dust under her feet.

  “Where are we?” Jovi had never been here before. She hadn’t even known a place like this existed. Nothing lived within this forest. Only dead things. Not a single green leaf littered the ground. In fact, she couldn’t find a single drop of color minus brown and gray.

  The sun disappeared as they stepped into the forest, also, making everything even more gloom-infested. It smelled like dried dirt and death.

  “This, Princess, is The Grove of Shadows.” Cappa turned in a circle. “It’s named for its ability to create creepy shadows, even in the daylight.”

  “How have I never seen this place?” Jovi let her eyes wander, taking in the trees with their long, stick-like branches, so dry if they fell they might dissolve into a pile of powder. Jovi could imagine this forest full of beautiful green foliage and devoid of such darkness, but something had killed every living thing within these acres. Hopefully, they passed through before it took their lives as well.

  Cappa shrugged. “I can’t give you the answer to that one, but I will say this. This forest sits directly behind the castle.” He paused and pointed to the North. “In fact, if you go several miles in that direction, you’ll hit Lyenhaus.”

  Jovi nodded. She knew of these places but had never seen them. Her mind, of its own accord, began reciting the lessons of the lands surrounding her own, but nothing came back to her for the Grove of Shadows. “I’ve never even heard of it. Why has everything died here?”

  Cappa exhaled, the sound sending shivers down Jovi’s spine. “There have been many rumors in Lyenhaus, Princess. But, there is only one I believe. When King Ryan’s sorceress unleashed the curse, the magic destroyed every living thing around the castle. Some have grown back, like the grass and trees in Kingsperch, but the Grove of Shadows never recovered from the onslaught. Or, so they say.”

  Goose bumps trailed down Jovi’s arms, which made the hair rise on end. “Then, the curse must have been horrible magic, indeed.”

  Cappa nodded. “More than horrible, I presume. But, it’s a subject I don’t know a lot about. Only whispers and rumors have been spoken to me in the passing wind. Nothing solid. So, I can’t tell you for sure. Only your father could, if he would.”

  Jovi scoffed. “He’s had eighteen years to tell me of the curse, but he’s said as little as he could every time it has been brought up. I’m sure the answers will never come from him.”

  “Maybe, maybe not.” Cappa shrugged. “But, you might be surprised if you ask him.”

  Jovi would never be surprised by her father, and she had asked him plenty of times. He might be a good man and a great king but as a father…he wasn’t horrible, but he had never realized one simple thing. If he’d only bring Jovi in to his world, if he would tell her about his own, it would make them so much closer than they were now. She didn’t want to talk about any of that, though.

  She pointed behind Cappa. “So, Lyenhaus is right back there?”

  “Yes, but not as close as you might think. There are still many miles between us and the border of my land.”

  Silence followed. Jovi didn’t know what else to say, how to keep the conversation going. She didn’t know enough about the other lands. She knew textbook information, nothing real. Nothing concrete.

  Lyenhaus, the land of steel. Frostspher, the land of snow and flame. The other lands in the world were so magical and strong. Sure, magic resided in all of Orendor—even Kingsperch—but not the kind that could hurt people. At least, as far as she knew. Fairies, Giants, Kobolds, and the rare sighting of a woolly mammoth, couldn’t hold a candle to the other lands. Lyenhaus had the Sea of Woeful Travels. Her studies showed the Sea brought forth exports from other lands. Items that were well received, that none of the worlds on the eastern hemisphere acquired for themselves.

  But, the Sea also swallowed people whole. Jovi had overheard servants in the castle telling stories about it. About a monster that lived within the fast-moving waters, a hungry monster.

  A cold chill crept up her spine. She didn’t need to think of these scary children’s stories right now. Not when her feet stuck in the middle of one of her own.

  “Stay close,” Cappa said, as he moved through some old, wiry bushes that scraped against the cloth on his pants. The sound made her cringe. Almost as if they were alive and had used their thin branch hands to grab out at him. Another shiver slid over her.

  Jovi side-stepped through the dead bushes and around old tree roots that seemed to climb up from the earth as if they were searching for something to attach to.

  The Grove of Shadows lived up to its name. “How long until we are out of this place?” Jovi knew she sounded like a petulant child on a journey, but nothing stopped the whine from her voice. This place…it gave her the creeps.

  “Not long. It isn’t large, so we should be able to work our way out by midday.” Cappa bit his lip. “Give or take, of course.”

  “Of course.”

  Jovi couldn’t understand how he wasn’t more nervous. As they moved through the gray earth, her legs trembled. She imagined ghosts jumping from the shadows, scratching her eyes out. Her imagination ran away from her a lot. She often blamed it on being locked behind walls her whole life.

  But now, her mind reeled, no implications it would stop anytime soon. Bad things could happen here, just as well as if she’d stayed at the castle. Perhaps if she stayed put, everything would have been fine. She could have stood her ground, fought her way out, even. Who was she kidding? She’d have been slaughtered where she stood. A sword felt like lead in her hands. She hadn’t held one in a long time, but she remembered it well. She imagined a sharp blade cutting into the soft skin of an enemy, and it made her vision swim in front of her like she might faint.

  She would leave the fighting for the soldiers. Instead, she’d be happy sitting next to her warrior as she admired his strong-looking arms, the way the muscles bulged as he shifted a certain way. She all but salivated, not able to peel her gaze away from him. They didn’t need to talk. In fact, if he tried to stir up a conversation, she’d never find the right words to say. But her eyes could find nothing wrong with his manliness. In fact, she quite admired it.

  When the midday sun stroked her skin even through the thick, gray clouds above, she gaped at the land shifting from an area thriving with death, into sunlight and green leaves, growing from trees so large they climbed and climbed—the top invisible to the naked eye—disappearing into the sky above. Youthful grass budded from the soil in thick patches and covered every spot on the ground. Small white flowers grew around the trees. As Jovi left the Grove of Shadows behind, the fresh, tangy smells of grass floated to her, followed by the sweet smell of wild flowers.

  The horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach fell away, and she reveled in the smells and the feel of the sun warming the skin on her face.

  “Is this The Forest of the Giants?”

  Cappa nodded. “It is. That is why the trees are so tall. They morphed and changed because of the creatures who lived here once.”

  “But all the Giants are dead, right?”

  Cappa frowned. “From what I hear, yes. I’m not an expert though. Not by a long shot. I didn’t grow up here, in Central Orendor.”

  “Where did you live before?” Jovi asked and quickened her pace until she stood beside him. She pulled on his sleeve to stop him and met his eyes. “What made you come here?”

  “I lived in Lyenhaus. To the North.” Cappa paused, a faraway look turning his eyes darker. “I came here to find something.”

  “What?”

  He raised his first finger in the air and waved in back and forth in front of his face. “That question is a little personal, don’t you think?”

  Heat slammed into her cheeks. She started walking again and hoped he wouldn�
��t see it. It had been a personal question, one she’d really wanted to know the answer to. Obviously, she’d gone too far.

  By now, she should have learned to keep her mouth shut and stop being so curious.

  They walked in silence after, a subtle wind tickling Jovi’s face as the leaves whispered around them. Her legs felt like rubber, though, and when the sun began to set, she finally stopped. “I think this is far enough for now. Can we rest for a while?”

  Cappa peeked behind him. The castle couldn’t be seen from where they were, but he weighed their options all the same. His face showed every thought as he calculated their chances of survival. That couldn’t be fun. He had kept her safe, and he would, no matter the cost to himself, but just as he didn’t wish the job of King on anyone, she didn’t wish his job on anyone.

  After several seconds, which consisted of his gaze jerking in various directions, he thumped down against a solid tree. “I guess it won’t hurt to rest a little while. But not long.”

  Jovi smiled and followed his lead to sit beside him. The tree dug into her back, so she shifted back and forth until she got comfortable and pulled her dark blue cloak tighter around her body. Not because cold seeped into her blood yet, but when the sun fell and brought night in its wake, that would change, and quickly. She’d rather be prepared and too hot now, then frozen later.

  She grabbed her bag, opened it, pulled out the dried meat, and handed some to Cappa. Her stomach sang with hunger, so she bit into the smoky goodness and devoured the first piece. It took her seconds, which might have embarrassed her under normal circumstances…but not today. In fact, she ate another, just for good measure.

  When Jovi looked up, Cappa’s eyes smiled back at her. “What?” she asked around her last mouthful.

  Cappa shook his head. “I guess you were hungry?”

  Jovi’s eyes widened. “A gentleman never speaks out about a lady’s eating habits.”

  A chuckle turned into a hearty laugh. “Good to know. I’ll keep that in mind for next time.”

  Jovi finished chewing and wished she had some water.

  Cappa, as if he read her mind, handed her a brown canteen filled to the brim. “Drink this slow. I don’t know when I’ll be able to fill it again. It’s all I could manage to grab before…everything happened.”

  Jovi nodded, and let the cool liquid wet her dry throat. “Thank you.” She wiped the side of her mouth with her cloak.

  After several moments of silence, Cappa rustled, stuck his legs out in front of him, and then crossed one over the other. The packed muscles in his thighs strained with his movements, and Jovi thought they might be as thick as her waist. Each one. Jovi licked her lips as he tucked his hands behind his head and rested against the tree. “Get some rest, Princess. I’ll keep watch.”

  She didn’t think she could rest if her life depended on it. But, the minute she closed her eyes, her mind shut down, and she slept. Just like that.

  A strong wind tousled Jovi’s hair and she opened her eyes. The sights around her were blurry, so she blinked once. Twice. When she opened her eyes again, darkness surrounded her. The sun had disappeared and now a bright quarter moon settled in the sky. Tiny stars twinkled around it, painting the sky with shimmering lights.

  A chill had come, just as she’d expected, so her cloak had come in handy. She shifted and realized Cappa no longer sat beside her. Instead, he moved through the forest, taking everything in as he wove through trees and ducked by bushes.

  “What are you doing?” Jovi asked as she raised her voice to be heard over the distance between them.

  Cappa startled and jumped enough to make Jovi realize how deep in thought he’d been. He recovered quickly and took long strides until he stood in front of her. “You’re awake. Good. I think we should move.”

  With eyes so wide they could burst from the sockets at any minute, Cappa stared at her, making Jovi realize something had him worked up. But what?

  She ran a hand through her hair. “We can’t leave now. It’s dark.”

  “It doesn’t matter. We’re being tracked. They aren’t far enough back.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because, while you slept, I took a walk. I stayed hidden behind the large oaks, but I still saw one of the Frost Mages. There may have been more, but I didn’t stick around to find out. They were a couple of miles out. Even as quick as I am, they are probably less than a mile away now.”

  Jovi grabbed her bag from the ground by the tree. She hadn’t even remembered slinging it over there. “Then, let’s go. No time to waste, right?”

  Cappa moved a lot faster than usual. Jovi had to jog to keep pace with him. Luckily, she ran as well as she breathed.

  It didn’t matter how fast Jovi went, though. She’d been doomed from the moment she woke.

  A Frost Mage stepped out from behind a tree in front of them. Another came from the right and two more from the left.

  Jovi stopped right before she slammed into Cappa. Her heart beat so hard and fast she could feel it in her throat. She froze, held her breath, and waited for what would come next.

  Cappa drew the sword at his waist.

  Wait. Where did the sword come from? I didn’t know he had that, she noted.

  He stabbed it through the air in front of him and wrapped his other arm around her. “Stay back.” Cappa jutted his sword as one of the Mages moved closer. “Don’t come any closer. We can hear you fine from there. Now, tell me, why are you following us and what is it you want?”

  The Mage cocked his head to the side. “Don’t play coy. You are well aware of what we seek. The girl. The Princess. Give her to us, and we won’t harm you.” He dropped his hood and revealed silver hair and eyes the color of a purple flower coated in a layer of frost. The darkness made them glow. Jovi cringed.

  She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came.

  Cappa’s were plentiful, though. “You can’t have her. She’s not going back there. She isn’t marrying your King. King Ryan already told you that.”

  The Frost Mage glowered. “King Ryan doesn’t get a say in what happens next. He made the wrong choice. Malador warned him. Still he refused us. Now, the girl must come with us.”

  More Frost Mages came from behind. Jovi pressed against Cappa’s back. She didn’t want to go with them, but she would. She would marry their King if all of this would just stop.

  She hated the feeling of fear and right now it could freeze her veins as fast as it pumped through her blood.

  Cappa stood taller, although Jovi had no clue how. “Well, I’m sorry, Magey, that I have to be the one to tell you this. But she isn’t coming with you. Of course, I’m pretty sure I already said that. At this point, I’m feeling like it’s getting a bit repetitive.”

  Jovi would have laughed if she had the ability, but right now she probably couldn’t sneeze if the need arose.

  The Frost Mage waved a hand in the air. “So be it.”

  A blast of blue ice shot from his hand, wrapping around Cappa. First, it struck his arm, the same one he held the sword in. The ice circled his skin in a vice grip and hardened as it moved to his shoulder. The sword thumped to the ground.

  Jovi had to do something.

  She stepped in front of Cappa, and the Mage stopped his magic, releasing Cappa’s arm from his icy grip. “Enough! If you want me, fine, you can have me. But stop this.”

  The Frost Mage frowned. “Malador doesn’t want to marry you. He only wants the cure for his people. King Ryan will not bend, so we will take you back to the castle and make him.”

  A lump hit the back of her throat. They meant to make her father talk by hurting her. She saw it plainly in the Frost Mage’s eyes. She meant nothing to them, only a means to an end. If she died, so be it.

  She wouldn’t go without a fight.

  But she couldn’t fight, so she had to be smarter.

  Jovi cleared her throat and swallowed down the lump. She stuck her chin up and met their eyes with a fierceness she didn’t k
now she possessed. “What if I find the cure you seek? I can do it. I know I can.”

  The Frost Mage raised his silver eyebrows. “I’m listening.”

  Jovi took one step forward, then stopped. “I know someone who can help me. Someone who knows what happened in the past.”

  “You do? Who is this mystery man and why haven’t we heard of him before?”

  Jovi grasped her hands in front of her as her heart thundered in her chest. Crap. Crap, crap, crap. What do I do now? She searched through her mind, hoping for someone, anyone to pop up that might be able to help. And then, it happened. Wait! I do know someone.

  With a focused stare, she met the eyes of the Mage in the front. “He also knows all about the curse. In fact, he left Kingsperch because the King unleashed it on your people.”

  The Mage crossed his arms over his chest. “Out with it then. Who is it?”

  She swallowed hard. “My Uncle. Meical.”

  Cappa tugged on the corner of her cloak. “Jovi…”

  She shushed him and turned back to the Frost Mage. “I can find my uncle, and with his assistance, I will bring you the cure. In return, you will release my parents, and our kingdoms will finally find the peace we need to survive.”

  The Frost Mage remained silent, but his head tilted from side to side. His hand stroked the side of his chin as thoughts slithered behind his eyes. When his focus turned to her once again, the answer shone back at her through his features. “I will give you one week. If you bring us the cure in one week, your mother and father will live. If you are a day late, one will die. Two days late, they both die. Understood?”

  Jovi nodded. “I understand. I will bring you the cure.”

  The Frost Mage nodded. “I hope you succeed.”

  Then, he lifted his hand and, wordlessly, the others collected behind him in a large group, bigger than she’d originally thought. They walked past her, and an icy breeze followed them. She didn’t watch for long, having chosen to face forward instead of behind. The journey ahead of them would be long, but it would be worth it.