James and the Changing Red

by J W Cotter

Forests United

  Carmine sat beside the blazing fire in one of the highest rooms of the castle alone, well apart from the guard who maintained a constant vigil at her door. The moment they stepped foot back in the castle triumphant she was swiftly locked away, no explanation given and no pleas heard she was simply cast aside. All Carmine wanted to do was see her sister but no one spoke of her. The new people who came with meals might as well have had their lips sewn shut, they never uttered a sound as they came and went. Even Cerise had abandoned her, not once in the eleven moons since her imprisonment had her sister come. It was apparent she was too busy with the new arrivals; the people of the Fifth Forest had come and settled in the midst of the Red Forest and from the conversations spoken loudly in other rooms she gathered that the arrival although mostly peaceful there had been reports of unrest, with assaults common and sadly the odd killing becoming more frequent. The Mother too had taken up residence in the castle, which was why the room Carmine was locked in was different from the one she remembered. Most of the inside of the castle had been repaired with various soft touches placed in some of the more liveable rooms. One of those soft touches was a feather filled cushion that Carmine hugged tightly to her torso and as she gave a look to the door she could see the shadow of the guard, he was seated, not likely to disturb for a while.

  Taking her chance she dug her hand deep into the cushion and riffling through the brown and white feathers her fingers found the letter, crumpled and slightly ripped. It was from Coque and Carmine came across it on the third night, the night she tried to escape by climbing out the window. That night as she stood on the ledge she moved her small feet ever so slowly across the ledge feeling the hard stone as she went but only after moving a few inches her hand grazed a piece of paper and there it was. With her eyes welling up Carmine slowly started to read the letter again, hopeful that it might have somehow be different, it wasn’t.

  Sweetest Sister,

  Long before we are born destiny has our path well and truly planned and although we sometimes vary down the wrong one in search of roses destiny soon puts us back on our path, there is no escaping it. I’ve known my destiny for years and in the numerous storms and snows and rains each one of them showed me the same thing. They showed my death and the hands of which it is supplied. Unfortunately it has happened.

  By the time she got to this part of the letter the tears were always flowing and some of them dropped upon the page smudging the ink.

 

  I was captured by the new King and imprisoned but I remained defiant to the cause, he is not the rightful King and even though I am sure the one that we as sisters were destined to anoint is not the one either I stayed quiet. Writing this is treason and reading it is as well so as soon as you are done, burn the page.

  My darling sister to you this letter is a warning for the day you left with Cerise I had the clearest vision, one that lasted longer than any I have ever experienced. As sure as I am writing this you are locked in the highest room of the castle unaware of what is happening far below. Well the union has begun and the Mother has taken over the castle and she has eyes only for the Throne, the throne of Nuvarin. SHE IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED. She has delved deep into realms that have no business being interfered with; it will only bring about death and destruction. Many people, both Third and Fifth will perish in the union but she will deem it a necessary sacrifice and seeing as she burned the Fifth Forest there will be no alternative for her people but to fight.

  This I write with a heavy heart for I fear your life will change forever on the night of the eleventh moon. He will return from his banishment and bring with him his ten knights of carnage. I have seen the carnage that happens on the eleventh night and you must get as far away as possible for on this night the Mother will use your gift to her agenda and murder Cerise and after you kiss him, Rufous. It is here you must make your escape, I have seen you do it. Kiss Rufous and feign a faint, as one of the Sisters of Eyeries tends to you, you will take her life and her garb and leave the castle calmly and never look back. Head for Pastorious and seek out the Master Eyerie in the First Forest, for that is all I saw.

  Take care my sister and stay safe and alive for I have seen the future but it does not always follow the same thread.

 

  Once again Carmine returned the piece of paper to the stuffing of the cushion and she hugged it tightly to her chest, its plumpness silencing her cries. Tonight was the eleventh moon and on the eleventh moon her life was to change, starting with taking another. With a fright she woke on the small sofa with the cushion still clung to her chest. Somehow she had fallen asleep but not for long, the fire had barely burnt through the last block she placed on the embers. Commotion outside was what woke her and as she went to the window to investigate the lock of her door started to turn and so quickly and as quietly as she could she broke a mirror on the sill and just as she placed a shard up her sleeve the door opened and in walked a young woman, dressed entirely in white.

  “Come, the Mother has requested you presence” she said calmly. These were the first words Carmine had heard since she returned.

  “I have to change” she replied moving closer to her bed.

  “There is no time for that, your presence is required now” the woman in white said rather sharply before moving further into the room in a clear attempt of intimidation. Carmine could feel the sharp edge of the mirror against her arm and she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Killing a Sister of Eyeries was something that she couldn’t see herself doing, they were, like the Sons, devoted servants of the Holy Order of Eyerie and any harm that comes to them shall be returned to you ten-fold. It was drilled into almost ever child in the land far and wide. “Come along” the woman snapped. Carmine opened her eyes and headed for the door, the mirror staying where it was for the time-being.

  Outside the corridor was exactly like she remembered it, rather dank and poorly lit and sitting on his chair was the guard. He was quite old and fragile looking, and in truth if Carmine had known he was the one outside her door she would have attempted an escape a long time ago. Alas Coque didn’t say that in her letter and so with full faith in her deceased sister she carefully descended the stairs taking extreme care not to drop the mirror shard. Finally they reached the bottom but there was still a bit of trek across numerous corridors and even across a small courtyard, plenty of chances to escape but she remembered the letter and walked calmly onwards. As she reached the small courtyard, people were everywhere eating and drinking and there was music being played upon a make-shift stage. Some she recognised as citizens of the Red forest, the others she didn’t.

  “MAKE A PATH” the woman shouted from the edge and within seconds everyone stopped eating and drinking and playing music and they all just stared. With a nudge to the middle of her back Carmine moved forward slowly and with every step she took the crowd parted. Looking at the ground as she walked she could feel all their eyes upon her and she even heard the words “witch” and “angel” being muttered by those deeper in the comfort of the mass. Not losing sight of the ground and with the woman in white right on her heels she kept moving until they came to the other side where two guards stood tall and silent. “Open the door” the white woman ordered and the two did as she bid and beyond the door was another, grander and bigger with four guards. As the door banged shut, the other opened, slowly. Lifting her head Carmine stared intently into the large room where at least at a hundred people had gathered, all eating, drinking, laughing and evidently having a very merry time. Abruptly stopping a shiver crawled down her spine as she eyed a hoard of men standing and sitting at a table by a roaring fire, their shadows exuberating their hideously frightening masks on the wall. “Knights of Carnage, best to stay out of their way” the woman whispered into her ear and Carmine quickly looked away and continued to walk in to the centre of the room. At the end of the grand room was a make-shift dais and upon the two thrones sat a man and woman she ha
d never laid eyes on before. They seemed to be engrossed in each other’s words and paid no attention to the happenings at their feet. Then she spied Cerise, sitting with a young boy she did not recognise, not on the dais but next to it. She appeared gaunt, withdrawn and broken as did the boy and looking closer Carmine noticed chains upon their wrists and the man that was standing behind the two was holding them. Rufous was on the opposite side and he seemed far more content, smiling and joking with a little group of people at his own table, he didn’t seem bothered that his love was on a leash. Suddenly a young woman, not much older than herself, brushed past Carmine. She was dressed in a navy floor length dress and wearing a white veil with an embroidered blue eye. Must I kill her in order to make my escape? Then another sister came into view, older and sterner in feature, and the way she treated a drunken man by placing a wet rag over his face and holding it until he passed out was a bit excessive. Perhaps it will be her. Then another movement, the woman on the throne had found her feet and was staring directly at Carmine.

  “Come my child” she called from the dais, her arms outstretched. Again the crowd slowly parted and being nudged by the woman in white Carmine made her way to the steps of the dais. She made her way to the steps by Cerise but her path was quickly altered to the other end where Rufous stood smiling widely at her.

  “Welcome back” he said hugging her tightly and kissing her forehead. His breath smelt of beer and cheese, a horrid combination. As she was about to open her mouth to question Cerise’s state he lifted her upon the dais where the woman took a tight hold of her arm and guided her to the man who remained seated. He didn’t look old but there was something almost ancient about him. His hair and beard were white but with twinges of brown, as if they were getting younger. He looked up and his eyes were old, tired yet not done. Shaking with nerves Carmine smiled at the man and outstretched her hand. “Don’t be so silly, this is your great ancestor. A kiss is what’s needed a loving kiss” the woman declared to a rapturous round of applause. Suddenly scared Carmine didn’t know what to do, this wasn’t the way Coque had seen the night. She searched for Cerise but she seemed lost in her own worries and was paying no attention to what was occurring on the dais. Rufous on the other hand was watching intently, sweating slightly as his hand found the tip of his sword.

  “Give me a kiss dear child, a welcome from my kin” the man spoke with a raspy tone. She did, on the lips, and just like that it was done. Carmine could see the change happening almost straight away and he could feel it. The man was coming back to life, the curse that had been placed on him, his immortality, was slipping away. Not sure what to do she fell to the ground, feigning a faint and praying that a sister would take her away.

  “WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?” the man roared as he found his feet and seconds later his knees. Shouts of “MY KING, MY KING” echoed through the hall as sounds of swords being drawn from their sheaths rang clear.

  “Swan, get her out of here, keep her safe and don’t let her out of your sight” the woman said. The Swan did as she was told and lifting Carmine from the dais she made her way for a door at the back when she heard a scream, the Mother’s scream. Propelled by her oath to protect she handed the care of Carmine over to a sister of the Eyerie and she returned to aid the Mother whose dais had become overwhelmed with swords.

  Nudged at some force by the older woman Carmine was ushered through a door at the end of the room and as it swung closed behind them the sounds of steel on steel and bloody screams faded. Standing in the corner as the Sister fiddled around with an old dresser, opening cupboards and drawers clearly looking for something, Carmine suddenly found the jagged piece of mirror in her trembling hands. The Sister swiftly turned and stared intently at her, but Carmine somehow managed to conceal the glass, and without uttering a single word she merely arched an eyebrow and returned to her routing. Sounds of conflict rose higher from beyond the door and inside Carmine’s thoughts. The night hadn’t exactly turned out as Coque had predicted, Rufous was the one who should be dead and the last time she saw, Cerise was alive and still chained alongside the young boy. Carmine found herself breathing heavily and worse of all, hesitating. The thoughts of killing a Sister weighed heavy on her mind, but the thought of being locked away in the castle to serve the Mother in her devious scheme seemed a fate far worse. After all from the sounds coming through the door a mass slaughter was occurring, what was another casualty? Striking up the courage and swallowing any doubt she moved quietly and quickly. Unfortunately for Carmine she was more of a gentle soul and as she frantically struck with the mirror blade the Sister screamed and put up a struggle, scratching Carmine’s face and plucking numerous chunks of her hair out until finally there was the lucky jab and the fight was gone out of the Sister. Clutching onto her killer’s arms she stared into Carmine’s eyes and whispered in a voice that hadn’t formed words in decades,

  “By my last words, I name Carmine D’aragon the devil by whose hands I return to the lap of Leonora, may Leon curse your life and damn your soul” and with that she slumped to the ground, dead. Tears streamed down Carmine’s face as she dropped the blood-soaked mirror blade and looked at her bloodied hands and it was then she noticed something far worse. The struggle had bloodied the Sister’s clothes, Carmine’s garments of escape. Suddenly a loud bang hit the door; thankfully it wasn’t someone knocking, more like someone being thrown against it. It was enough to light a fire under Carmine and she hurriedly robbed the dead woman of her clothes and put them on herself, hiding the blood stains and rips as best she could. The veil remarkably had no damage to it and as she placed it over her head she covered it around her face as best she could without calling too much attention and after pulling the dead Sister behind the dresser she was ready to go. There were war cries now coming from the large room and she heard one scream, one fatal scream in particular that numbed her momentarily, Cerise’s. Another bang on the door shook Carmine back into action and she thought it best to leave through the large window and as her feet hit the gravel outside she inhaled the cold night air and scurried across the large empty courtyard, the sounds of the coup d’état dulling as she went.