Below the Peak (Sola)

by Juliet Lili

  Calemir forced a smile for the woman who had practically raised him and his brother. “It’s hard to believe.”

  Izza clutched her chest. “He almost sent me to an early grave.”

  Tarron’s laugh startled Calemir. Calemir looked at him, hugging Izza before releasing her to her feet. “Forgive me,” his brother said with a boyish look. Izza patted Tarron on both arms, emotions in her eyes. “I’m just glad you are alive.” She gazed at him with disbelief and pure joy for a long moment then said. “I’ll let you two, talk,” and left the room. No, don’t leave! Calemir clamped the words with his teeth before they escaped from his mouth. Dread washing over him, he stood still as Tarron turned and faced him. There was a fair distance between them, but Calemir felt they were standing just inches apart. The intensity in those silver eyes bore into his as they looked at each other. His throat dried like a desert. Although he was drowning in a bottomless pit of fear and guilt, he felt nothing from his brother. No anger, or pain. There was just a haze of happiness around him. Calemir’s mouth fell, confused. How could he feel that after what he had done?

  Tension nested in the air.

  Tarron pursed his lips and cocked an eyebrow. “Is it the hair? Makes me look like father, doesn’t it?”

  “No, no…” Calemir stammered startled by the question. “I mean yes. You do look more like father with that hair color” he managed to say.

  Tarron gave a small smile before his expression sobered, his voice serious. “I missed you brother.” A pause. “Can I at least hug you?” Tarron spread his arms wide.

  Jaw locking tight, Calemir closed the distance between them. He was the first to wrap his hands around the other, and within a minute of a second, Calemir felt his brother's hand on his back. His arm tightened around Tarron. Shame, guilt, joy and all kinds of emotions known and unknown to man welled inside him. Calemir buried his head into Tarron’s shoulder, tears welled in his eyes as he choked. “I’m sorry” he voice was a hoarse whisper. Tarron patted him on the back, feeling Calemir’s chest spasm. “I am so sorry” Calemir begged, his eyes turning red. Tarron’s face twisted as he continued to pat him. They hugged for another long minute before Tarron dropped his hands and stepped back. “Who are you and where is my brother?” Tarron teased.

  A sound that wasn’t quite a laugh or cry rattled in Calemir’s chest. Still heaving, Calemir wiped his face with the back of his hand and looked at him. “Does Leena know you are alive?” Calemir asked after a moment of quietness.

  Tarron rested his hands on his hips, shaking his head he said with gleaming eyes. “Not yet. I am a little scared what she might do when she sees me.”

  Calemir nodded and asked again. “What about the king and mother?”

  Before he could reply, the sound of quiet footsteps had him looking over Calemir’s shoulder. Calemir twisted on his feet and looked at Nara who stood just at the entrance of the room.

  Narrowed eyes. “You” Nara glanced at the silver haired elf. “It is you again.”

  Calemir glanced from Nara to Tarron then back to her again. “You know each other?”

  “He is the man I told you about” Nara looked at Tarron. “What are you doing here?”

  “Nice to see you again,” Tarron said instead in Nyr.

  “Who are you?” she asked.

  “His brother” Tarron pointed at Calemir with a tilt of his chin.

  Brother?

  “Tarron this is Nara and Nara this is my brother Tarron” Calemir interjected, watching Nara intently.

  “But your brother is…” Nara trailed off as she glanced between the two men, remarking the little similarities in their features or more to say how the two resembled their parents. “dead” Tarron finished her sentence casually. She glanced at Calemir then back at Tarron. Then it dawned on her. Nara stiffened.

  “Hmm, I seem to have quite an effect on people today” Tarron mused, his eyes on her. He knew what the girl was thinking just from the way she stood protectively, and her brown eyes glared at him.

  “Are you going to see the king and queen?” Calemir asked in elvish, returning the talk to what they had been discussing before Nara had walked in.

  “Yes, I am, and I would be pleased if we went together,” Tarron said. It was Calemir’s turn to stiffen, that fear rekindling. “Please brother, do me this favor” Tarron added. Swallowing, Calemir nodded, watching him sigh as if going with him was a relief. “When do you want to leave?” he asked, folding his hands behind him.

  “Today” Tarron replied. Calemir’s brows crept slightly up before smoothing out.

  “Is that going to be a problem?” Tarron glanced at Nara then back to him.

  Calemir shook his head.

  “Good.” He smiled tightly. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

  **

  Chapter Fifty-eight

  “When will you be back?” Nara asked, watching Calemir from the bed as he sheathed his sword. “I don’t know” Calemir admitted. Nara stood and approached him. “Are you okay with going?” she couldn’t help but ask in a soft manner. Calemir licked his bottom lip in that anxious way he did and looked at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon” He leaned in and kissed her. The kiss was over too quickly before he stepped back. Nara sighed resignedly and walked with him outside to where his brother waited.

  With arms folded in front of her, she watched as Calemir saddled up.

  “It was nice meeting you once again Lady Nara,” Tarron said.

  Nara pursed her mouth harder.

  The two elves departed.

  ***

  Could the day get any worse? Calemir mused darkly as Leena trotted toward them. He and Tarron had just left town, a mile behind them only to come across with Leena’s patrol group. He heard Tarron huffing as they halted. The light breeze carried his anxiety to him. Calemir stole a glance at Tarron and found him fidgeting with the reins.

  “Does seeing her scare you?” He cracked awkwardly. Since they had left the house, they hadn’t spoken at all.

  “Well, it has been a while” Tarron muttered, his eyes forward to the woman nearing.

  “Where are you going?” Leena asked as she halted in front of them, her eyes flitting from Tarron to Calemir.

  “Elloveben” Tarron replied. Leena shifted her gaze from Calemir to the man staring at her strangely. Her eyes narrowed, she looked him over before her eyes locked on his. Her stomach flipped as goosebumps broke over her skin. “Have we met before?” she asked very cautiously.

  “Many times,” Tarron said, his heart beating fast in his chest. Leena looked at Calemir. “Tell me I am not wrong?” she pleaded, her eyes moving back to Tarron.

  “It is him” Calemir replied.

  Leena leaped to the ground. “Come down” she ordered the man she terribly hoped he might be and not just a fragment of her imagination. Leena clucked her tongue when he didn’t get down quick enough. “Still impatient as ever” Tarron jested, watching her as she took a step forward that they were standing so close to each other.

  “Tarron” his name came out from her lips with a nervous breath infused with desperate hope. Leena touched his face with shaking fingers, whole body tight.

  “It is me” Tarron assured her as she rubbed her index finger behind his left ear, searching for the scar she had given him. Leena’s eyes widened, then turned glassy with withheld tears. She retracted her fingers from his face and backhanded him.

  “Ouch” Tarron flexed his jaw.

  “Where have you been?” Leena demanded, wringing the hand she had slapped him with. “I thought you were dead!” she croaked, tears spilling down her cheeks.

  “I am sorry” Tarron apologized, grabbing her hand, he crushed her to him. Leena clung back.

  Calemir and Leena’s fellow soldiers both watched the ordeal in silence.

  “How is it possible? What happened to your hair?” Leena asked with a tearful smile once they separated reluctantly.

  Tarron crooked a smile. “Both are long stories f
or another day.”

  Leena exhaled, she was still astonished. “You can tell me because I am coming with you.” She didn’t want to lose him from her sight, not after she had just found out he was alive. She knew it was irrational, but she was scared that he might vanish.

  Tarron gave her an apologetic look. “Unfortunately, you cannot, we are going to see the king.”

  Leena nodded. Family matters. “Will I see you again?” she asked, unable to hide her hope and fear of the possibility that she might not see him.

  “Once we return from Elloveben, I will come for you” Tarron promised.

  “Swear it” she begged.

  “I swear” his eyes bore into hers with an intensity that almost shook her.

  Reluctantly, Tarron mounted back and together with Calemir they continued their journey.

  Chapter Fifty-nine

  The Kalil Kingdom.

  “You are a good man Abasi, I’m sorry it has to be this way,” Dagny said with distressed look directed at her sick husband beside her.

  “My son had been telling the truth” Abasi wheezed, his red rimmed eyes struggling to stay open.

  “Yes,” Dagny admitted, ghosting her fingers on his damp cold skin of his forehead. She moved that hand to his chest, listening to his fading heartbeat. “But I did it for my sisters you must understand. We had suffered so much.” Her chest constricted as painful memories flashed in her eyes.

  “What sisters?” he asked.

  Dagny features hardened, anger bristling beneath the surface of her skin. “Sisters whom your ancestors tortured, maltreated.” Valkyrja.

  Abasi’s eyelids fluttered, heavy with tiredness, not understanding what she said. He peered at her through the small space between his upper and lower lashes of his eyelids.

  “Now” Dagny began with an ominous tone of delight, fingers on his chest tapping lightly. “would you like me to end your suffering?”

  “Yes,” Abasi replied. He was in so much pain. He had lost the functions of most of his body parts, his hearing had gotten worse, his feet no longer worked, he could no longer stand. He had diminished to some thin bones of meat. But the worst was he lost his dignity, the sickness has robbed him everything. He wasn’t man anymore, and it hurt when he saw the face of his son when he visited him on his sick bed. So much shame and humiliation.

  “But please don’t hurt him” Abasi begged.

  “That is his decision on whether he would not interfere” Dagny replied.

  Abasi swallowed. And suddenly his eyes rolled back, only the whites visible, his breathing shallowed. Time seemed to stand still as his heart beat for the last time in his chest.

  “May Odin welcome you in Valhalla” Dagny whispered her eyes on her dead husband. She removed her hand from his chest then shouted. “Guards!” The guards who kept watch outside their chambers barged into the room.

  She jerked her hand at the king, her features morphing to worry, her eyes thick with tears. “I don’t know what is wrong, he is not waking up” she sobbed. “Please call the curers!” she cried harder.

  One of the guards bowed and ran from the room to execute her orders.

  ***

  “Don’t unless you wish to join your father” Dagny warned, halting in the empty dark lit hallway. Nikolas emerged from the shadows, a dagger in hand. Fist shaking, he glared at the back of her head. “Are you satisfied now that my father is dead? He hissed with rage. They had just cremated and buried his father in the afternoon, and here this witch was, walking without a care in the world. Irritation crossed her face and sank back behind an unreadable mask. Dagny turned and looked at the boy. Dark eyes raked him from head to toe, taking his haggard appearance. They paused on his flushed face. Lifting a finger up, she said. “I’m going to spare you today. However next time I won’t be merciful.”

  Calemir glared at her even harder, his eyes shooting daggers. “I’m going to kill you.” He gritted.

  A bitter smile slid on her face. Dagny chuckled with amusement. “Take my advice, grab your whore and run away if you don’t want me to serve her head to you on a platter and kill you after.”

  Nikolas tensed, the words chilling him to the core past the dizziness from drinking to stupor.

  “Now” Dagny bowed her head slightly, “if you may excuse me prince Nikolas, I have matters that need my attention.”

  Dagny strode to her chambers, closing the door behind her. She dropped her gaze to the man with blue eyes and pale brown hair sitting on the chair at the corner of the room.

  “Mother” he stood to his feet.

  “The time has come my son, spread the word and prepare for war,” She said.

  Barra smirked.

  ****

  Chapter sixty

  It has been ten days since Calemir had left with his brother. Not that Nara was counting but, it was the truth. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t thinking of him.

  “Strange things keep happening lately.”

  “Why do you say that?” Nara looked from the window to Izza. Izza placed a cup of juice on the table before dragging the chair out and taking a sit. “Earlier on my way here, I saw lady Leena and lord Finn escorting a half elf to the barracks.”

  Nara stopped playing with the bracelet on her wrist, jaw dropping. “a half elf?”

  Izza nodded, took a sip of her juice and added. “I told you time has a way of making things interesting. It never gets dull to live many years.”

  Hmm.

  Just then a loud knock echoed in the room.

  “I’ll get it” Nara stood and headed to the main door of the house. She pulled the door open and met face to face with lady Leena. “You have a guest” Leena clipped.

  Nara’s gaze snapped to the half elf beside the fierce warrior. Her eyes widened. The half elf was king Lorenz’s mage. How had he gotten here? Knew exactly where to find her?

  “The king sent me” the half breed spoke first before Nara could. Apprehension coiled in her belly. “Is my family alright?”

  “They won’t be for long” the mage admitted.

  Nara stiffened. “Are they ill?”

  “No” the mage answered. “but they will be harmed if the army that was promised doesn’t show up soon. Words from the king.”

  A dreadful sensation flooded her. “Are we going to war?”

  “Yes,” the half-elf grimly confirmed.

  “Then we must leave now,” Nara said tightly, suppressing the fear she was beginning to feel.

  “Where is the army?” the mage inquired. “Where is the prince?”

  “He is not here” Nara clipped. “Give me a minute so I can grab a coat” Nara didn’t wait for his permission, but raced to her room. Nara flung the doors of her closet and reached for a black cloak and wore it then dashed to the armory room. She picked a sheathed sword and a bow with a full quiver. Nara marched to the door. “Let us go.”

  “The king won’t be pleased if you don’t return with the army” the mage interjected. Anger flaring, Nara snapped. “There is no army of elves. Stop wasting time and let us go now!”

  The mage’s face fell to a scowl. “Do not say I did not warn you of the consequences.”

  Nara’s face hardened, pushing past the two, she fastened to the stables.

  ***

  Nara galloped toward the towering closed gates she had not seen in a while. Her entire body protested with pain with each gallop, but that didn’t slow her down. Days of tireless riding and sleepless nights weren’t going to take their toll on her now. She wouldn’t allow it when danger hanged in the air. She halted at the closed doors, the mage too coming to some seconds later beside her.

  “Who are you?” a man from one of the crenels demanded whilst aiming a loaded crossbow at her.

  “Nara daughter of Jae Thani” she shouted.

  The gates did not open. Annoyance crossed her face. “Open the gate” she demanded, her lips thinning. From the corner of her eye, she noticed the mage pushing the hood of his cloak back, revealing hi
s face.

  The gates opened.

  Nara stepped in and stormed straight to the king’s wall. The horse came to a whining halt several feet from a trio of guards standing at the front of her father’s house. Word surely does travel fast Nara grimly mused as she studied the armed men. One of them stepped forward. “Under the king’s command, we are here to escort you to the royal court.”

  She clenched her fists. More like apprehend her. She could fight her way to the house, but she decided it was best not to cause trouble especially for her family. Jaw tight, she swiftly dismounted and said coolly. “Lead the way.”

  The three men flanked her as they walked toward their destination. Nara didn’t miss the other heavily armed guards patrolling the grounds. Gloom hanged in the air. She felt strange walking down the halls to the courtroom. Memories of that night the elves visited resurfaced with each step she took. Shoulders straight and chin high Nara made her entrance in the courtroom.

  “Nara!” Nara twisted her head in the direction of where her mother sat. Relief and happiness spread over her as she looked at her mother, then father and Ingrid sitting near the end of the long table. A smile stretched across her face. With long strides, she was next to them and threw her arms over them.

  “It is good to see that you are well” King Lorenz spoke ruining the precious moment. Stiffly, Nara straightened and looked at the king sitting on his throne at the high end of the room.

  “Your majesty” Nara curtsied. Her skin crawled when his eyes raked over her body and returned to her face.

  “Where is my army?” the king inquired.

  “Your Majesty I” Nara began, but the king waved his hand. The guards who she had walked in with suddenly dragged her from her family while other guards hurried and stood behind her parents and Ingrid. The three guards apprehended her at the spot. “Let go of me!” Nara jerked and twisted their hands, but they held her firmly. Two more guards enclosed her.