by Chris Ward
All the rooms were well cleaned and still held pictures and memoires of a family which had been all important in his life. There was a hallway leading to the rarely used front door. Several hooks there still held old coats which Rema recognised from times past. A heavy woollen full length winter coat, a shorter Orax-hide waterproof over jacket, a cloak.
He froze.
A cloak. Not just any cloak. The cloak.
He recognised it straight away. It was the cloak Mentor had given him, the one which he had given to Serenna the day she had fallen in battle under the Vaudim mountain.
Rema’s mouth went dry. He could not comprehend this. How had this cloak come to be here? Was this the hand of El-Arathor?
And then with a shaft of pain and joy and absolute disbelief he knew it. The caretaker was no man. It was Serenna. Slim of build, agile and knowing the land as though it were her own. Somehow she had returned. Somehow she had survived. It was not possible and yet it was. He had learnt that much. All things were possible.
He felt a wild elation overcome his shaking body. This was beyond all his dreams. He raced back into the kitchen and to the door at the rear of the house. He looked down the steep volcanic hillside and there far below was a slim figure returning on the hidden path which he and Serenna had used so often. Rema’s heart was bursting. With a supreme effort of will he forced himself to a level of calm which allowed some sort of decision to be made.
How best to handle his?
In an instant he had it. He took from his pocket the simple Orax carving which long before he had carved and given to Serenna on her sixteenth birthday, the one he had found in the ruins of her house in Ramos, the one on which she had carved the two words,
Serenna and Rema
He placed the rough carving on the clean scrubbed table facing the back door. It would be the first thing she would see when she returned, and he would know by her reaction whether she still held feelings for him.
When this was done Rema hid himself in the small woodshed by the water butt not far from the back door. He placed his bow and quiver on the half constructed wood pile. He could not stop his heart from pounding. Never in his life had he felt a moment more important. Once more his life had changed, and now it balanced so desperately. His mind was flooded with a thousand competing thoughts.
Perhaps she has returned here to forget me. Perhaps she no longer feels anything for me. How did she survive? What has brought all this to pass?
And then footsteps, sure and purposeful. He knew them. They passed by and Rema could hardly contain himself. He heard the door open and realised he had not locked it. There was a long silence as if she were carefully looking about to see what danger there might be. And then, Oh joy! A scream. And she called him.
‘Rema! You have comeback. Rema where are you?’
Rema stepped out into the open just as Serenna came tumbling down the back steps, her red hair now falling full and free, her face wet with tears of expectation. She saw him and kept on, straight into his arms with the power of a charging Orax so they fell and cried together in such a release of deep emption that neither could speak although each tried many times. In the end it was enough just to hold each other, and this alone confirmed all their feelings, and washed away all their fears.
Finally they stood and without a word went back into the house, where Serenna told her strange tale.
They sat at the familiar old wooden table opposite each other, but holding hands and delighting in the simple feel of the other.
‘I expect this is a dream,’ said Rema, ‘and we will wake from it shortly, but while it lasts let us at least pretend it is real.’ Serenna smiled through her tears of joy.
‘I cannot believe this Rema, and that you would find that most dear of all my lost possessions and bring it back to me. It alone was what I held to through many sad nights, and in recent days I have longed to have it once more.’ She looked at him with such a gentle love as the small carved Orax stood on the table between them.
‘And yet, ‘she continued, ‘I know that I no longer need it, for you are here.’
Rema smiled back and nodded. ‘I am here; you are here; how is it possible after so many strange events. And yet here we are?’ He paused.
‘There is so much to talk about but I must know what happened to you, Serenna. I searched the battle field and could find no trace, and yet many saw you and some told of your fall and death. I thought you dead and grieved long.’
Serenna nodded.
‘It was a strange thing which happened Rema, and perhaps it was for the best. I now remember all, but for long days I did not.’ She took a deep breath and continued. ‘I rode with Goodman as you know and we were victorious in your plan to destroy the enemy’s food and water. We slew the few guards but soon enough others came to their aid and we were quickly outnumbered. I remember fighting desperately and several hits to my back were deflected by the cloak you gave me. Indeed we both owe our lives to it now.’
Rema remembered the massive blow he had taken from the Wolver and survived although badly maimed until Scion had fixed him in the strangest manner.
‘I was suddenly felled by a blow to the head. It must have been the flat of a blade for I did not bleed much, but I came to my senses surrounded by fallen and saw the battle had moved some distance off. I could not see well but my horse was nearby and so I jumped upon it. At that moment Goodman called the retreat and all raced for the forest. I tried to join them but the enemy forced my path away and several mounted riders chased me hard into the woods far north of where the others had reached safety. I think I lost them, or perhaps they feared an ambush for I suddenly seemed free and looked back still riding hard, but I misjudged it badly and did not see a low branch which took me on the head, and so I fell a second time.’
As she spoke Serenna unconsciously pulled back her hair to reveal behind her left ear a ragged scar which had healed badly. Rema realised that such a blow was massive indeed, and it was perhaps a wonder that she had survived at all.
‘When I came to my senses a second time it was early morning,’ she continued. ‘I now realise that I must have lain through the night unconscious and bleeding. But when I staggered to my feet I found I could not remember anything; not even my name. I was so frightened and worried for the bleeding continued slowly despite my desperate efforts to staunch it. My wound was open and I was weak and my vision poor. I tried in tears to remember my name and why I was in such a state, but nothing came to me. I wandered deeper into the forest unaware of the battles which went on close by. I eventually found a path and walked on it for a long time. I slept and walked some more. I am not sure if days passed but I remember at some point a huge flash of light and a thunder clap rocked the ground. It frightened me greatly but after a time I walked on. Finally I grew weaker and could go no further.’
Serenna cried quietly at the awful memory of her plight. Rema was deeply moved.
‘Some charcoal burners found me, almost dead from hunger and thirst and unable to see clearly. I am fortunate that they were kind enough, for they took me in and nursed me back to some health. They had no skills in healing, so my wound was left as it was except to wash and bath it every day. I think I passed in and out of consciousness for a very long time.’
Serenna paused again and took a drink of water which Rema had brought for her. He let his hand caress her lovely hair and she half turned as it ran gently down her neck. She sighed at the pleasure of such a simple gesture.
‘When I was well again,’ she went on, ‘after many days, I still could not remember who I was. The men had no woman in their camp and so I began to feel frightened at night. One man by the name of Gathor was strong enough to keep me safe, but after a while I felt that he looked for some payment in return and so I fled. I stole their only horse. I am not proud of this but I had little choice. When I emerged from the forest I found work on a farm for some time and there began to hear news of the changes in Revelyn, that a new Queen was on the throne an
d so my memory began to return.’ She looked at Rema in great distress. ‘It took many months but I began to remember everything.’
‘It was a bitter day Rema when I heard that you and Sylvion were together in the White Palace in Ramos, although the whole country was celebrating, because then my memory came flooding back and I realised what had come to pass. That you would think me dead, and I had not been part of what I had started out to do with you. It felt like once more I had lost the only man I had ever loved.’ She wept openly again and Rema went and held her close until she regained herself.
‘And so I remembered it all, and the rest is sad to tell. I was confused and did not know what to do so I found work in villages and on farms; menial tasks which offered me a simple living until two months past. Then it was that I decided I would return here to my home in the Mighty Mountains for it held such good memoires of when we were together.’
Rema shook his head in amazement. ‘This is how I felt Serenna; it is why I too came home.’
She smiled as this before finishing. ‘I returned by way of Farview. I confess I did not seek out Goodman Cantor for I just wanted to arrive here as soon as I could, once I had made up my mind, and I could not face what he might want for me. I have only been here but a short time, a score of days I think, but every day I have imagined that by some miracle you would come, and now you have and I cannot believe it. Promise me one thing Rema.’ Her last sentence followed so quickly on her sad tale that Rema was taken a little by surprise.
‘What Serenna, what would you have me promise?’ he replied gently.
‘Promise me that this is not a dream and you will not leave me. Ever.’
She reached for him and he held her once more so close. He knew that there was so much she did not know; that Petros was his brother, what happened in the Vaudim and his death at his brother’s hand, and then the amazing intervention of El-Arathor and Sylvion’s succession to the throne. There was so much to tell, but he knew then that there was something that must come first. He stood quickly and spoke with a new voice.
‘I will promise many things, and gladly Serenna, but first come with me; there is something which I must do.’ She was surprised at this bold response but gladly followed him out into the evening. Rema collected his bow and quiver of arrows. Together they walked as they had done so many times into the tunnel cut clear through the rim of the volcano and out onto the sheer mountain side to the north. In the light of the setting sun the colours were vivid and golden. Far below the clouds had turned pink and bluish grey. The view to the north looked far out over the Northern Breakaway and then on to the endless Great Forest of the Ravalin. High above there were eagles soaring. It was beauty unsurpassed by any other view in all the land. Rema stood by the edge of the sheer cliff which plunged for an unimaginable distance down into the clouds. Serenna stood with him.
He drew an arrow from his quiver. It was the arrow with which his brother had slain him. The one El-Arathor had taken from his lifeless body when he had been restored. He had kept it for some unknown reason, but one which he knew had now arrived.
‘This Serenna, is the arrow which saw an end to all the battles.’ He placed it on his bow and drew it full.
Serenna whispered in awe, for she remembered the prophecy well.
‘The last arrow to fall.’
‘As it was then, so it is now,’ said Rema quietly. ‘I loose it now to mark the end of all that has been. Let it make an end and mark a new beginning.’ And with that he bent his mighty bow and loosed it high and fast and for a time he rode with it on its tip, not bending its course but seeing from the highest height the old world rush past, travelling with the arrow; and then he shook free and watched from the rocky drop off, the glistening shaft now almost out of sight plunge finally far down and down to be lost for all time in the clouds below.
He then turned to Serenna and kissed her. Not as a cousin might, but as one who wanted nothing more than to share his life with another, and she responded with a deep desire which matched his perfectly. When they were done he stepped back and spoke.
‘And now I promise Serenna. This is no dream and I will never leave you.’
She stood and shivered in delight. And then with a cry called out, ‘I’ll race you to the house Rema Bowman for I am faster than you!’ And so with childish laughs and protests they raced, and Serenna won for she was fleeter of foot then Rema, and they both knew it.
That night they lay as close as two can lie and in the early morning as the moonlight faded into the dawn, Serenna whispered sleepily to her love.
‘Today the Orax will be up on Algehorn and we will hunt them you and I.
Rema turned in his sleep; he kissed her beautiful hair and replied as if in a dream.
‘And not just today Serenna, not just today.’
And so it was.
But a shadow still lingered in Revelyn, and it would gather itself once more.
In time.
The passing seasons could not defeat it, for indeed it was beyond the measure of all that man might use to mark such passings. And so it was… hardly had the land begun its restoration, that the deadly alchemy of revenge for lustful plans denied, began to once more shape the darkness from its formlessness, where it would burn again; and scheme, even as surely as the Orax fell to the arrow on Algehorn.
The Epic continues in
Revelyn: Second Chronicles
The time of the Queen
About the Author
Chris Ward lives in Melbourne Australia. He is married to Barbara and is the father of two children, Catherine and Lachlan. He has been an educator for many years and is currently teaching and counseling at a school he co-founded in outer Melbourne. Chris has a passion for a wide range of literature and commenced writing for his own personal enjoyment some years ago. His first book was for his children, The Adventures of Seaborne Morse, published by Horizon Publishing Group in 2009. (See below.) Since then he has continued writing, exploring different genres, and plans to continue developing his skills in this manner in the future.
Chris is happy to receive constructive comment and feedback via email: [email protected]
Other books by Chris Ward:
The Adventures of Seaborne Morse. ISBN 9781921369315. Genre: Children. Published by Horizon Publishing Group 2009. Available in paperback and on several E-book platforms.
The Old Man and the Ship. ISBN 978-0-9874471-0-4 Genre: Adult Fiction Available on several E-book platforms.
Revelyn. Second Chronicles. The time of the Queen. ISBN 978-0-9874471-2-3 Genre: Epic Fantasy. Available on several E-Book Platforms 2013.
Table of Contents
Maps of Revelyn
Chapter 1.
Chapter 2.
Chapter 3.
Chapter 4.
Chapter 5.
Chapter 6.
Chapter 7.
Chapter 8.
Chapter 9.
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
About the Author
Table of Contents
Maps of Revelyn
Chapter 1.
Chapter 2.
Chapter 3.
Chapter 4.
Chapter 5.
Chapter 6.
Chapter 7.
Chapter 8.
Chapter 9.
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter
23
About the Author
