by Thuan Nguyen
Anton was swimming towards the base of the cliff, dragging her along with him in the water. Maruska felt a sharp pain on her back, near her shoulder-blade; each time the water splashed on it, it really stung. She tried to move her arms and legs, but they felt numb. She looked up at the sky. What a day she was having. The sky looked nice….. seagulls…
“Maruska, can you hear me?”
Maruska suddenly realised she had been daydreaming.
“Maruska,” said Anton firmly, “I need you to climb onto my back and hold on really tight. I’m going to climb up the cliff. Can you do that? Can you hold onto me and not let go?”
“Yeah…..” said Maruska, “I….. cannnnnn….do that….” She could hear her voice like someone else was speaking for her. She was shivering and slurring at the same time. Why was she slurring she wondered?
Anton positioned himself so that Maruska could climb piggy back on him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and held on tight. She felt Anton testing her grip around him, to see if she was holding firm.
“All you need to do,” said Anton, “Is hold on tight and don’t let go. We’re going to get up this cliff face and then we’re going to laugh at what a day we’re having. Are you ready Maruska?”
Maruska nodded and said, “I’m holding tight.”
Anton started climbing.
Maruska watched as he climbed. She had never had such a good view of his climbing before.. from his back! She saw him reach at the edges of the rock face and make his way up. He was going really fast too. Maruska felt so safe. She really trusted Anton. She felt so lucky, to be with someone so trustworthy.
Her hands were beginning to get tired, but she just squeezed her grip even tighter. She just had to hold on and Anton would do the rest. She closed her eyes. it seemed to make it easier, but not for long. Soon her hands were getting really tired. She just thought of Anton to distract herself.
He must be having an even harder time…. climbing and carrying me, she thought.
“No!” said Anton.
Maruska felt Anton’s arm holding onto her butt. She realised her hands had slipped.
“Hold on!” shouted Anton.
“I’m sorry,” said Maruska. She clasped her hands around his neck again. And then her world started to go dark. Her hearing went all weird. Her body went all numb. She found it so hard to talk. And that wound on her back was throbbing!
Then….. relief…..
She felt the ground underneath her back. She was looking up at the sky. Where was Anton? She turned her head to look. She saw him lying on his back, arms and legs spread out wide. His chest was heaving up and down. He looked exhausted! She glanced at his hands; the palms and fingers were red with blood!
“I’m sorry…” Maruska tried to say, but she could barely hear her own voice.
Anton turned to look at her. He smiled at her, and in that moment, she felt alright. The pain, it was nothing. Anton was smiling at her.
“We made it,” she heard him say, but the sound was all muffled.
Suddenly, Anton’s face looked concerned. He said something, but this time she couldn’t hear him at all.
“I love you,” Maruska tried to say. She knew she was going to die. She hoped he heard it.
Chapter 5
“I am sorry,” said the old woman, the back of her palm feeling the temperature of Maruska’s forehead, “But there is nought that I can do.”
“But you are Bruskala Dee!” said Anton, “You can cure anything!”
“Or so I thought,” said Bruskala Dee, “But I have never seen such a poison as this.”
They were inside a small hut. Maruska lay unconscious on a straw pallet. The shrivelled-looking old lady sat on a stool beside her.
“What did you say the creature was again?” said Bruskala.
“I don’t know what it was,” said Anton, “It was some giant fish, but it had arms like a man!”
“Of such a strange creature, I have never heard,” said Bruskala, “So the ocean still holds many great mysteries…”
“Is there anything we can do for Maruska?” said Anton, “Surely there must be someone in the world who can save her?”
Bruskala sat quietly, thinking calmly to herself. ”There might be one person,” she said, “But alas, she is too far away. Even if you were to ride there on the fastest of horses, it is still a two day journey. This young lady would surely be dead by then.”
“Who is this person who could cure her?” said Anton eagerly.
“I never said she could cure her,” said Bruskala, “I said she might be able to do it. I’ve seen this woman work miracles before, with nought but her bare hands.”
“Who?” said Anton.
“Lady Joyce,” said Bruskala, “The King’s Royal Advisor.”
“Joyce!” said Anton, “Of course! I will leave at once.”
“You will not make it in time,” said Bruskala Dee, “At this rate, Maruska will be dead in a few hours.”
“There is always hope,” said Anton, and he reached down and picked Maruska up gently in his arms. ”Thank you, Bruskala. I am in your debt. I must take my leave now. Until we meet again.”
Bruskala nodded and said nothing. She didn’t even watch Anton as he carried Maruska out of the hut. She sat there staring into space. She was thinking about something.
Outside, Anton went over to his trusty black stallion, Thunderclap, who was tied to a peach tree. He placed Maruska onto the saddle and tenderly propped her up so she was sitting upright.
“Brace yourself, Thunderclap,” said Anton, “You and I are in for a long ride. We will not rest until we reach the King’s Castle.”
Thunderclap snorted, as horses do. If you didn’t know better, you would swear this horse knew exactly what was going on, and how urgent the situation was.
“Wait!”
Anton turned around.
It was Bruskala Dee, running out of her hut. In one hand, she was carrying a large flagon of water, and in the other hand, she was carrying a mysterious looking black root. It was small, about the length of a finger, and about the same width.
“What’s that?” said Anton.
Bruskala held up the root for him to see. Obviously it was something quite important, as she was holding it very carefully in her hands. ”It’s a piece of root from the Wurramunga tree. This tree doesn’t grow anywhere in Tuscan. In fact, the only place it is known to grow, is on a far away continent, beyond the sea of Ice. It was given to me by my master. I was saving it for a rainy day. And it doesn’t get much rainier than today.”
“What does it do?” said Anton.
“I’ve never used it, but apparently it allows the person who eats it to mimic death. As in your heart stops pumping, your brain stops working, your blood stops flowing. Everything in your body just stops. To the casual observer, it would be the same as if you were dead,” said Bruskala.
“How exactly is this useful?” said Anton.
“Don’t you see? said Bruskala, “If Maruska ingests this root, it will buy us some time. Twenty-four hours at least, maybe more. Twenty-four hours where the poison won’t spread.”
Anton’s face lit up! ”Bruskala you are a marvel!”
“Ah,” said Bruskala, “Don’t thank me, thank my master for giving this to me. Now, I have to give it to her, and since she’s unconscious, I have to… well, you’ll see.”
Bruskala looked at the root for a moment, with an apprehensive look on her face, and then took a bite out of it.
“Hmm,” she said, as she began chewing, “Tastes like licorice.” She shoved the remaining portion of the root into her mouth and chewed it all until it was a dsisusting mash of pastey black stuff. Then she went up to Maruska, who was still propped up on the horse, opened the young lady’s mouth and spat the chewed root inside, along with a good deal of old woman saliva.
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“That’s kinda gross,” said Anton.
Bruskala Dee then moved Maruska’s jaw up and down a bit, and then looked inside, to check that most of the root had gone down her throat.
“Good,” said Bruskala, “Now you’d better get going. And I’d better wash my mouth out. Thoroughly.”
“I can’t wait to tell Maruska what you just did to her,” said Anton with a little chuckle.
“Let’s hope you get the chance,” said the old woman, and she took a swig from her flagon of water, swished it around in her mouth, then spat it all out onto the ground. The liquid that came out was black.
“Do you know the way to the castle from here?” said Bruskala.
“Yes,” said Anton, “I’ve been to the castle a fair few times. I’d almost say I was a regular there, but I can’t really say I’m a welcome guest of his Highness.”
“Our King is an imbecile,” said Bruskala, “Not being welcome there is a compliment.”
Anton smiled, and then nodded, his face now donning a mask of resolve. ”Thank you again, Bruskala, for all that you have done. I am eternally grateful.”
“Farewell, boy,” said Bruskala.
Anton jumped up behind Maruska on the saddle, and shouted, “To Aerie Castle, Thunderclap! Ride!”
And with that, the black stallion bolted off, and very soon had vanished down the road.
Chapter 6
Sometimes in life, we have moments. Times in our life, that are etched in our mind with so much force, we will never forget them, be it ten years, twenty years or up until the day we die. The night Anton brought Maruska before the King and his advisor, Lady Joyce, was one of those moments. The passage of time has made parts of the memory fuzzy, almost like a dream. But it really did happen, even if it felt to Anton like it was in another lifetime.
He remembered sitting outside the throneroom, on a wooden bench; Maruska, unconscious, was lying across it with her head on his lap. He remembered waiting.
The King made him wait.
It felt like a long time. He remembered gently touching Maruska’s cheek with the back of his fingers. She was warm. He was happy in a way, because it meant that she was still alive; but at the same time he was worried because that meant the effects of the black root had worn off. How much longer did she have? Anton rarely prayed, but he did nothing but pray, as he waited on that bench.
He remembered he was so relieved when the big double doors to the throneroom finally opened up and a guard summoned him inside. He remembered carrying Maruska in his arms, and walking in. He remembered the first thing he looked for when he stepped inside and the first thing he saw.
Lady Joyce.
When Anton set eyes upon her, standing to the left of the throne, looking respendent in her white and gold dress, he felt relief. She was renowned as an incredible healer.
“Heaven’s to Betsy!” cried Lady Joyce, when she saw the condition Maruska was in. She immediately began running down the steps towards Anton and Maruska.
“Halt!”
It was King Bastion.
Lady Joyce turned to the King and said, “Your Highness, I must tend to Maruska at once! She will die if I do not!”
“You will do nothing!” said the King, “Return to your place, or the only thing you will be tending to is your garden! Remember who is your King.”
Lady Joyce reluctantly returned to her place.
“Now,” said the King, turning his attention back to Anton, “I have been thinking. And I have come up with a plan where both of us gets what we want. Well, I get a fair bit more than you, but then again, I am the King. Now, I know you always keep your word, so that makes this very easy for me.”
Anton did not like where this was going.
The King rose from his throne and came down the many steps until he finally stood before Anton. He held out a plump, sweaty hand and said something that would change both Anton and Maruska’s life forever.
“I need you to promise me something.”
Chapter 7
Anton stopped.
Standing before him on the path leading away from his house was a dark figure. The moon was still being shrouded by clouds and he couldn’t make out who it was. He was about to say something when finally the clouds cleared and the moon came out, illuminating the stranger’s face.
Anton had been carrying a bucket and a fishing net attached to a long pole; the bucket slipped out of his hands and dropped to the ground.
“Maruska!” he said.
“Indeed,” said Maruska, “It has been a long time, Anton.”
“What are you doing here?” said Anton.
“Is it not obvious?” she said, “I came here to find you.”
“How did you find me?”
“I have ways and means,” said Maruska, “But now it is my turn to ask the questions. What are you doing here?”
“I’m going to do some night fishing with my son,” said Anton, “We’re going to catch garfish.”
“No, I mean what are you doing living out here, in such a remote corner of the realm. Your family doesn’t even know where you live. It’s almost as if you are hiding from someone.”
Anton did not reply.
“It’s good to see you again, Anton,” said Maruska.
“Likewise,” said Anton.
Maruska looked up at the sky, and then chuckled, “What a coincidence, now it comes out.”
Anton looked up.
The sheet of cloud had moved further to the east, revealing some glittering stars twinkling quietly in the night. When he saw the stars, a memory came back to him; and along with it, many other memories.
“That constellation,” said Maruska, “Remember you named it after me?”
“Maruska the Beautiful,” said Anton.
He remembered how beautiful she was. And always laughing and having fun. She was still so beautiul, but now she seemed a sadder person.
“You should go now, Maruska,” said Anton, “Just forget about me and forget I ever existed.”
Maruska returned her gaze to Anton and said, “Oh I intend to forget you. But first I need you to answer me one question. That day we went hunting for Dahrion’s Tear, when we got attacked by that Ooberlesk.”
“Is that what they are called?” said Anton.
“Yes,” said Maruska, “I blacked out afterwards. When I woke up, I was at the King’s castle. Joyce had healed me. And you were gone. Bastion told me that some soldiers had found me unconscious in a forest, my body just left there. They brought me back to the King and he asked Joyce to save me. I want to know… did you really leave me in a forest? Did you think I was doomed and then left me there?”
All was quiet.
It was like the entire night wished to hear Anton’s reply, to hear the words Maruska had been waiting to hear for twenty-five years.
“Yes,” said Anton, “It is just as Bastion said.”
He spoke no more.
Maruska was quiet. Anton had already cut out her heart by avoiding her for all this time, but now she felt a fresh wound; another stab in the hole where her heart used to be.
A tear trickled down her face. Just one, down her right cheek. She wiped it quickly with the back of her sleeve, and along with it, she wiped away any love or sympathy she had been harbouring for Anton.
She reached into her robes and brought out the glowing pink-purple orb.
Yes, she thought, This is the right thing to do.
Anton looked at the sinister-looking object in Maruska’s hand and became wary.
“What is that?” said Anton.
“This,” said Maruska, “Is your punishment.”
Chapter 8
Ginessa sat down on the small wooden stool and lovingly rested her fingers on the strings of her harp. She loved this harp. Her big sister Anna had taught her how to play this very harp when she was little; those were cherished memories to Ginessa. She rememb
ered her sister had been so patient with her. She couldn’t picture her sister’s face anymore, but when she thought of her, she just remembered long blonde hair and kindness.
The fireplace crackled away nearby. It was nighttime and the gentle fire was the only light in the room. Ginessa got a little churning feeling in her stomach; it was a good feeling. She was so happy. She was living a charmed life and was now about to relax and play the harp. Could life get any better?
Her husband Anton had just left to do some night fishing with Narteb, and now she had some quiet time to herself. Playing the harp was one of her favourite things to do. She found it so fun and soothing, and it also gave her nostalgic memories of her late sister Anna, and her life when she was a little girl. She brushed her fingers lightly along the strings once, and then began to play.
Beautiful music filled the room, and the small tongues of flame in the fireplace danced along joyfully.
She was playing a song called ‘Canyon of the Soulflame’, and loving every moment of it. She really liked this song. She let her eyes close, and allowed the tune to go through her body, leading her imagination. The story of the song came into her mind, a story that was faint and ever changing, like a million objects inside a whirlpool. Today the song made her think of dark green forests, waterfalls, bittersweet adventure-
Woof! Woof!
That sure interrupted her lovely daydreaming. It was the sound of Paddles, their little black terrier barking. One minute he had been curled up content by the fireplace, the next he had run over to the front door of the house and was now barking loudly.
Ginessa stopped her harping. There was something unusual about the way he was barking. It sounded urgent, as if he was trying to tell her something, or get her attention. She got up and walked to where Paddles was; he looked up at her and began scratching at the door with his paw.
“You want to go outside, Paddles?” said Ginessa. She opened the door for him, and to her surprise, he just bolted out!
“Paddles!” she said, and ran outside after him, into the darkness. What had gotten into him? Had he sniffed a cat nearby or something? She ran and chased the little dog down the front path of their house. She didn’t have to go very far, because just a few metres down, there were two people standing in the dark. One was her husband, Anton, and the other was a woman that Ginessa had never seen before. The most noticeable thing about the woman was that she was holding a small glowing ball in her hand. It looked very mysterious. Her husband and the unknown woman seemed to be in the middle of a very intense discussion.
