At Water's Edge_An Epic Fantasy

by S McPherson

  The story is somewhat similar to Milo and mine, and actually quite interesting. His lady, Sara, was also from the other side. They’d met at a Counterpart Convention and been smitten with one another. For a while they did long distance, seeing each other every fortnight for a mere ninety minutes. Then, desperate to find one of their counterparts, if not both, they began searching and handing out flyers in both realms.

  No news ever came regarding Oxor’s counterpart, but they learnt that Sara’s had sadly passed away. Their sadness was short-lived of course when they realised Sara could move to Taratesia; no need to crossover again – a story like that could almost tempt one to do away with their counterpart, if they ever found them that is.

  But naturally the Courts stepped in when the Vildacruz took over, and passing of the portal was officially forbidden. Anyone who did not belong in either dimension was sent back immediately, including Sara. At first Oxor thought he would never forgive the Court. He was filled with anger and unable to understand why they would separate them. She wasn’t hurting anyone, after all. But time passed, and now, here he is: one of them and proud to be so, hiding under the illusion it was just infatuation.

  Night is officially here. The chatter dies down but my hope is still soaring when I make out some figures moving in the distance.

  ‘Looks like they beat us here,’ Oxor murmurs.

  I race ahead then slow down, making out only two silhouettes; one seeming too large for Milo, the other seeming too feminine. Howard and Yvane beam at me as I get closer – no Milo. I feel the colour drain from my face and the overwhelming shadow of sadness returns. I can’t speak but amble numbly towards them.

  ‘We wanted to wish you well, make sure there are no hard feelings?’ Howard ventures.

  ‘Milo won’t even speak to us,’ Yvane sighs.

  Howard growls lowly, ‘We really did save you, you know?’

  I stare blankly at him, my mind spinning.

  ‘Milo doesn’t see it that way.’ Yvane looks down; I almost feel sorry for her but nowhere near as sorry as I feel for myself.

  ‘Where is he?’ I blurt.

  ‘Who?’ Howard stammers. ‘Milo?’

  ‘Yes. Where is he?’ I cry. ‘If you really wanted to make amends, you would have at least brought him with you to say goodbye.’

  ‘Lower your voice,’ hisses a member of the Court.

  About to immaturely yell ‘Lower yours’, I’m stopped by the rustling of leaves behind us and the faint sound of footsteps. The Court swivels in unison, brandishing spears I had no idea they carried. I wonder what else they conceal beneath their robes.

  Then the colour rushes back to my face when I see Milo racing towards us.

  ‘Get back,’ yells a large woman, shaking her spear at him.

  ‘It’s Milo,’ I call, instinctively racing towards him but feel myself being pulled away, two large arms around my waist, yanking me in the opposite direction. What’s going on?

  ‘No!’ I shout. ‘No! No!’

  My eyes widen. Milo’s still running towards me but I can’t understand why I’m getting further away.

  ‘Put me down,’ I insist as the brute of a man continues carrying me back. Horror grips me as the other members of the Court hold Milo back, threatening him with their spears, spewing lines about ‘direct violation of the law’, ‘absolutely prohibited’ and ‘putting us all at risk.’

  It’s hopeless. The Court has a good hold of us both and is hauling us away from each other.

  ‘Just let me say goodbye,’ Milo roars. ‘Just let me say goodbye!’

  ‘Please,’ I scream. ‘PLEASE!’

  I’m shocked. Am I really this close to Milo but not allowed to touch him, to see him? Are the Courts of Coldivor truly this cruel?

  ‘Just let me say goodbye,’ Milo insists again, still pulling against them as they hold him back by his arms. His jaw is clenched, his muscles taut and vicious.

  ‘Let him say goodbye!’

  I’m dazed. Howard, now in full Fuerté form, larger than I ever remember him being, is pushing his way past the Court members, although the ones restricting Milo stand firm.

  ‘What are you doing?’ they reprimand.

  ‘Just let him say goodbye.’ Howard wrenches Milo from their grasp and stalks towards me, Milo tucked under his arm. The man holding me glances at his leader who nods resignedly and my captor relinquishes his grip. I’m sure the Court could contain Howard if they wanted; I hear Fuertés are popular members of the courts army – and I appreciate their brief kindness.

  Without a moment’s thought, I throw myself into Milo’s open arms. We kiss like it’s the first and last time; eagerly, hungrily, desperately.

  A moment ago, I felt like I might’ve had a heart attack, now the serene calmness of my gently beating heart is almost scary. All anguish, all turmoil is melting away. With every stroke of my cheek, every tug of my hair, I feel myself once again peaceful; the kind of peace I fear only Milo can bring.

  All too soon, Howard, back to normal, is tapping me on the shoulder, the Courts of Coldivor eyeing us cautiously. I suppose they’re afraid Milo will teleport me away again but I know he won’t, no matter how tempted he may be.

  ‘It’s time to say goodbye.’

  Milo kisses me again, long and lingering. ‘Enjoy your trip.’

  I smile, through a rush of tears, but I smile. ‘Sandy beaches, here I come.’

  Oxor comes beside me, offering his arm. ‘We will go through together,’ he states. ‘I’ll make sure you’re safe before leaving you.’

  ‘Th-thank you,’ I stammer, tearing my gaze away from Milo’s.

  ‘It’s happening,’ announces the member holding the gethamot.

  I glance back at Milo as the pale lime glow stretches from the device and the portal appears. Lexovia’s on the other side; she smiles and waves as she charges into the opening. I feel myself being lifted from the ground, sucked up and over to another plane.

  When the sensation ends, I’m lying in mud, just like when they found me, only Oxor stands beside me, dusting himself off. I shudder as a chill passes through me. That departure felt different to the last time: darker, almost like something slithered in beside me, but it all happened too fast to make sense of. I glance around quickly. My breath stops; eyes, two bright green eyes…I think. I think I see the leaves shudder and the eyes fade.

  ‘Hello.’

  Oxor and I both jump as we realise we’re not alone. I force myself to look away from the area I thought I saw something and am greeted with an even stranger sight. It’s Peculiar Lad.

  ‘You,’ I say, bemused.

  ‘And you,’ he smiles, offering me a hand and pulling me to my feet.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ I ask, shaking wet clumps of mud from my hair.

  ‘Long story,’ he replies. ‘I’m here to take you with me, though. Nathaniel and Lexovia’s orders.’

  ‘Nathaniel?’ I’m flummoxed. What have I missed these past few weeks?

  ‘New Year’s. Didn’t Nathaniel mention it?’

  A vague memory of a message Lexovia had sent, mentioning where she was and who she was with, now rings a bell. I believe she actually referred to him as some ‘peculiar lad from my class’.

  ‘That was you, wasn’t it, the ‘Peculiar Lad’?’

  ‘How many odd chaps do you imagine there are in our class?’

  ‘I assume you two know each other?’ I jump again, having forgotten Oxor is with us.

  ‘Yes. Yes, we do. This is Oxor and, Oxor, this is…’ I flush as my voice trails off. I’ve sat in the same class as this lad, three times a week for almost a year, and somehow never got his name.

  ‘Jude,’ and he shakes Oxor’s hand while I avoid his gaze.

  ‘I assume you’re taking her to the farm?’ Oxor asks.

  Jude nods. ‘Aye, would you like to join us?’

  Oxor fidgets slightly, clearing his throat a little too prominently. ‘No, no. You two go ahead. I may go for a stroll or some
thing.’

  ‘You’re going to see Sara, aren’t you?’ I watch his face change. I’m not surprised. If I’d been allowed to pass the portal after years of not being able to, finding Milo would be the first thing on my mind.

  ‘No, no. I mean, I might.’ Oxor shrugs. ‘Just to see if she still lives in the same place or something. Maybe. I’m not sure.’ By the way he’s rambling, it’s obvious he is absolutely sure. I would have judged him if he hadn’t sought her out, even if just to watch from afar.

  ‘Good luck,’ I nod.

  ‘You too,’ and he nods back.

  I watch him walk away, silently wondering if Milo and I will end up like that. Then my eyes drift back to the patch in the trees where not long ago I felt something watching. I squint at it; nothing’s there.

  ‘Ready?’ Jude asks, lightly touching me on the shoulder.

  ‘I suppose,’ I sigh. ‘Where are we going exactly?’

  ‘Feranvil farm.’

  BACK WHERE SHE BELONGS

  Lexovia bounds into Milo’s arms, her cheeks rosy, eyes bright.

  ‘Decided to show up, did you?’ he grunts, as she crushes the air out of his lungs.

  ‘Tell me the truth,’ she grins, pulling back, then turning to dive onto Howard. ‘How much did you miss me?’

  ‘Loads,’ Milo gasps, as if offended, ‘although, your counterpart…’

  Lexovia raises a quizzical brow at his wistful expression and Yvane waves a dismissive hand.

  ‘Ignore him. He almost got us all killed,’ she huffs good-naturedly, squeezing Lexovia in her arms.

  ‘What I wouldn’t do for love,’ Milo sighs, his voice as smooth as velvet. Though he feigns nonchalance and humour, Lexovia recognises the sadness in his stare, the downturn of his mouth, but she senses this isn’t the time to ask him about it.

  A familiar figure approaches, the most senior member of the court with his hood drawn. Though senior is ironic as he is actually the youngest member. His once thick beard is now shaved to neat stubble, his russet eyes studying her as if they may have somehow got Dezaray again.

  Lexovia quirks an eyebrow. She hasn’t had much dealings with this Court Senior. Only a few years older than her, he wasn’t involved in any of her training or time at the Court.

  ‘Is this the part where you give me a lecture?’ she drawls, feeling emboldened with her friends at her side.

  Apparently satisfied by the burn of her ochre eyes and her whiff of defiance, Vladimir simply nods, ‘it’s her.’

  Lexovia’s confidence waivers as four burly Court members lumber to her sides, shoving aside Milo and the others. ‘What’s this?’

  Vladimir frowns as if her question is ridiculous. ‘You’re coming with us.’

  ‘What?’ Lexovia screeches, sure her friends shout the same.

  Vladimir lowers his hood, his brown hair pulled back in a bun and his incredulous stare is tipped with humour. ‘Did you really think we’d let you out of our sight after this?’

  Lexovia clenches her fists. Of course, they wouldn’t. It had taken her years to convince them to finally stop guarding her whilst she slept.

  ‘I’ll be in my sleeping area with the Thor’s right next door,’ she’d insisted. ‘Safe and sound.’ And yet, with their backs turned, she and her friends had then slipped into another realm and almost doomed them all.

  ‘Not even a day to say goodbye?’ Lexovia growls, recalling when she was first taken from the Thor’s.

  Vladimir doesn’t get the jibe but he glances at Milo and the others, seething behind the guards that flank Lexovia.

  ‘It’s too late for them to be wandering around on their own,’ he finally announces, signalling to a few other members of the Court who step beside her friends. ‘Say your goodbye’s quick and then your friends will be escorted home.’

  Lexovia opens her mouth to argue but his glare cuts her off like a dagger to the chest. ‘Trust me, Elentrice, you’re all lucky I don’t put you before my entire court for judgement.’ His tone is harsh and unforgiving. He casts one last look at her friends, ‘Now say goodbye,’ then turns to the others, once again pulling up his hood.

  Lexovia scowls at his back, barely noticing when Howard nudges her on the arm.

  ‘It’s good to see you, Lex.’ He grins but it’s not as bright as usual, ‘Things have been pretty awful here.’ He’s shifting from side to side as if he has so much more to say and no time to say it.

  Lexovia feels the same. She’s half tempted to teleport away and enjoy just one night back in her world but the Court would easily find her. Vladimir would probably hunt her himself. Even now, with his back turned, she can make out the subtle turn of his head and feel him watching her from the corner of his eye.

  ‘Really?’ Lexovia smirks, turning her attention back to Howard, ‘Dezaray didn’t manage to convince everyone she was me, then?’ But she already knows the answer. The Court wouldn’t be here otherwise. Yvane snorts then glances at Milo, something like guilt flashing in her eyes. Lexovia frowns wishing she knew what had happened since she’d left. From the second they’d realised they had Dezaray to this moment where her friends stand too far apart and barely make eye-contact with each other.

  ‘Wrap it up,’ Vladimir calls over his shoulder, his body stiff, hood shadowing half his face.

  Howard pulls her into a brisk hug. ‘See you at the Elenfar,’ he murmurs and there’s a pang in Lexovia’s gut. It won’t be long now. The Elenfar is approaching and she’ll be at the Court until then, and probably long after…if she survives.

  Yvane shuffles forwards next and quickly embraces Lexovia. ‘It’s almost over.’ She tries to smile but it falls flat as do her words. They all know the Elenfar is only the beginning; the first of many battles. A war to finally end what Lexovia’s people died for, to at last return them to their true home in Taratesia.

  One of the members shifts and taking it as her cue to move on, Yvane steps aside, allowing Milo to step forward. The vibrancy of his eyes seems to have dulled and his grin is lacklustre when he juts his chin at her.

  ‘Did you bring me back anything?’ he asks.

  Lexovia smacks her forehead with exaggerated irritation, ‘I did,’ she groans. ‘I must have left it on the bus.’

  ‘Bus?’ his eyes light up, that curious mind of his always working.

  ‘I’ll tell you about it next time.’ Lexovia tries not to think of how the next time they see each other they’ll be fighting for their lives. She swallows. ‘So, in as few words as possible, what did I miss?’

  Milo shrugs. ‘As Yvane says, I fell in love and almost got us all killed.’

  ‘Time to go,’ Vladimir growls as he almost instantly appears beside her; Spee’ad. Lexovia considers punching him. He couldn’t have interrupted at a worse time. Milo’s never been in love before. As handsome as he is, he could have had any girl in their school and yet he never showed any interest, no matter how hard they tried and now…

  ‘But—’ Lexovia flounders.

  Milo’s lips twitch slightly, ‘I’ll tell you about it next time.’

  And Lexovia can tell that just like her, he’s trying not to think about the next time and the horrors it will bring.

  BACK WHERE I DON’T BELONG

  It feels strange to hear the sound of a car horn or to inhale the scent of freshly mown grass. I’d got used to the crunch of gravel beneath my feet, the grainy scratching of sand between my toes. To be walking on such a continuous stretch of grass again is something of a novelty, though nothing will compare to the lustrous texture of the overgrown strands in Taratesia, the night that changed our happy ending. Although, come to think of it, we never really had a chance for a happy ending, Milo and I. From the first day I entered Coldivor, the only way it would end, could ever end, was with my return – an unhappily ever after.

  Belatedly, I realise we’ve stopped walking and Jude is eyeing me, somewhat impressed.

  ‘What?’ I query.

  ‘Most people have a few questions at this
point.’ He shrugs, indicating the vast empty field around us.

  ‘About what?’ I snort. ‘The grass? That house over there? This big rock?’

  ‘Usually.’ Jude nods, well on his way to being dubbed Peculiar Lad again.

  ‘Well, sorry,’ and I shrug, ‘I gave up questioning things a long time ago.’

  ‘That doesn’t sound very good.’

  ‘Yea, well,’ and I look away, wishing he would stop staring at me like that. The last thing I want is to break down in front of a stranger, and I’m sure he has no desire to be babysitting an emotional mess of what used to be a girl.

  ‘A life without curiosity,’ and he clicks his tongue as he hauls the boulder to one side, revealing a gaping hole. ‘How sad.’

  The ground now starts to fiercely shake, stretching apart like a gaping maw, and I immediately find myself full of questions. I’m stunned when Jude grabs my hand and dives down into the abyss. As we spiral downwards and out of control, the land cascading around us, an unexpected smile tugs on my lips, if just for a brief moment. It’s hard not to feel a little exhilarated when plummeting towards the unknown, and I’m curious to see where we’ll actually end up. It seems like there is magic in Islon too. A life without curiosity; now, that would be very sad indeed.

  I am taken in. For a moment, I forget my troubles and become fascinated by this world that exists inside my own. I allow myself to be welcomed by the friendly bar staff; a bouncy blonde embraces me like she knows me and hands me a glass of sparkling wine.

  ‘Don’t tell,’ she whispers with a wink.

  ‘Celebrations are in order after all,’ observes a plump, elderly man with white hair and greying stubble of a beard.

  ‘Cheers.’ Jude beams, looking not a bit how I imagined him to be with his hood down. ‘To Dezaray and Lexovia.’

  ‘To Dezaray and Lexovia,’ everyone chimes, clunking their glasses and taking a gulp.

  ‘Why to me?’ I ask after taking a sip. It burns on the way down.

  ‘Why not?’ Jude cries. ‘You’re the counterpart after all.’ Jude clinks his glass against mine once more before taking a swig. I now take a large gulp of my own. I’m not sure if being the counterpart is something to celebrate but a bit of bubbles to dull the knowledge won’t go amiss.