The Sun Goddess of Cargills Castle

by Neisha Nilsen

  I looked at all the food. I wasn’t hungry, I actually felt sick. “Are you not joining me?” I asked Bres. I don’t even know why I asked, maybe it was because he always did whenever he decided to feed me.

  He gently kissed me on the cheek. “No, not today my little one, not today.” He said as he walked away with his hands behind his back and his head bowed. It was a strange thing to see such a powerful man seem so small. I had never seen him like this and I was confused. Was this what he used to be like when Brigid and he were still happily married? Was he actually a decent man once? I wasn’t sure, but I knew now that there was love once there for his wife, maybe now that the end was near he was finding it hard to come to terms that she’d be gone for forever soon if his witch succeeds.

  I turned to my guard when the cell door closed. He tried to shove some oats in my mouth. I wasn’t expecting it and choked as he shoved it down my throat. I threw it up on the ground and coughed up the rest. The guard smacked me across the check. I felt the sting, but didn’t care. I eyeballed him as a single tear ran down my bruised cheek. “You will eat!” the guard bellowed.

  I heard a loud snap as his head turned unnaturally backwards. He slumped to the ground. “YOU WILL GIVE HER RESPECT TODAY!” Bres boomed from behind my cell door.

  The other guard rushed in and dragged his friends limp body out. Bres walked away without a second glance. No one else came in to help me. It didn’t matter anyway I wasn’t hungry. I didn’t want to eat anything. I sat there looking at all of the food. My hands were untied, I could eat but what if someone walked in – I just couldn’t do it. There was a big bowl of dried meat. I knew I needed energy if I was going to escape and I also knew that I could grab the dried meat chucks with my teeth and eat at least with a little bit of dignity. I snatched a few and took my time chewing on them, savouring their taste. The more I ate, the more I realised how hungry I was, my body must’ve been in shut down mode and all it needed was some fuel. I decided to eat as much as I could grab with my mouth, but not too much that I felt too full. I didn’t want to be sluggish when the time came.

  It wasn’t long before Cichol came into my cell followed by two guards covered in the familiar grotesque boils and lumps all over them. The red capes draped across their shoulders. Both held spears in their hands and swords strapped to their belts. I swallowed. This was it. Cichol moved towards me with no emotion on his face.

  “It is time.” He announced emotionless. I tried to move my chair back to get away from him, but he was too quick. He grabbed me and pulled me up from under my arms. I grunted at the pain. He pulled me close against his body so I could stand up. My heart was pounding, god help me!

  “No.” I cried. “No!” My scream was more urgent as I pulled away.

  He kept his hold on me. He was strong. “Wait until the times right” he whispered to me quietly before he threw me up over his shoulder.

  What did that mean? When would I know when the time was right? Oh my god! I felt like I was going to wet my pants I was still uncertain Cichol was helping me. I didn’t know who he was anymore. I was really hoping he was acting as my friend, I felt like he was, but I didn’t trust my instincts anymore.

  He carried me out of my cell flanked by the two guards. My stomach hurt as it pounded against his shoulder with each step he took, the dried meat I just demolished threatening to pour out over his back.

  I mouthed foul language to the two guards following behind us. One of them smiled at me and a shimmer revealed his true identity, it was Hagrid. My mouth dropped opened in total surprise as the illusion shimmered over the other guard and revealed Gurt. It was only for a split second before they were back to their grotesque disguises again. I was so happy to see them both. I tried not to squeak with excitement. Cichol was really helping me, he must be. Why else and how else were the Gold Belts here. Uar must be here to! My heart lit up with the thought of him. He’d found me. I felt a tap on my leg and something was pushed into my hand before we turned a corner and walked down a long stone corridor. I couldn’t see what was in front of me because my head was looking backwards. I heard Cichol talking to another guard in front of us before I heard the strain of a heavy door opening. Cichol’s grip tightened on me. I took that as a sign that I needed to play my part. I started to kick, scream and use as much foul language as I could imagine. I continued as I was carried down another corridor. I had no idea where they were taking me or where I was going. Was this even going to work?

  “Now” Hagrid said after the doors secured shut behind us.

  Gurt smacked Cichol around the head with the blunt end of his spear. Cichol turned and I could hear his growl rumble off the walls. He dropped me as Hagrid pounded him in the head again. He dropped to the ground. I scrambled up knocking the metal clasps from my ankles and pulling my hands free from the rope. I could hear guards come from the direction that we’d just been in, they had heard.

  “Run” Hagrid whispered. His cloaking spell was off, they were both themselves again. I suppose if they see me running with them, there was not much use disguising themselves. I took his advice and ran. I followed Hagrid as he pushed his way through the next door into an underwater tunnel. I looked behind me before the door closed. I saw Cichol lying on the ground as guards jumped over him to get us. He wasn’t moving. I hoped he was going to be okay.

  “Keep going!” Gurt yelled. He was behind me pushing me along. I was not the fastest with my injuries and I needed to scream. I ran with all my might. Nausea shot up through my throat. I swallowed it back down and kept going. This was not going to break me.

  “Shoot! Keep going I’ll hold them off!” Hagrid yelled. I turned to see a wall of guards pushing to get through the door to the tunnel.

  “Your hand” Gurt yelled at me as he pushed me forward.

  I looked, it was a box of matches. Oh my god, I could help. Without thinking I stopped and lit a match. I flung it forward towards the guards, closed my eyes and pushed my power towards it, I felt the familiar glow roll down my arm and savoured the feeling. I have missed you I whispered to my inner self. I looked at the giant wall of fire I’d created in the underwater tunnel. No one was getting through that.

  “Good work girlie, now get to the other side.”

  I high tailed it down the tunnel, feeling the heat of my fire on our backs. I could hear yelling and frustration as we fled further down. My fire wall was holding them all at bay. Fish were swimming above us. I could see them all. This tunnel was an incredibly long wall of glass, or some sort of energy pushing the water out, it was truly amazing. Which made me wonder where the hell I’d been living for the last month? Had I been living under the sea?

  I could see someone running towards us from the other end of the tunnel. I stopped. Hagrid bumped into me. “Keep going!”

  It was Uar! “Uar!” I screamed and started running faster. I needed him, I needed to feel safe, he was here! He’d found me. There were other people behind him, but I headed straight for him.

  He stopped in his tracks and his face drained of colour. I stopped and turned behind me to see what he was looking at. Bres’s huge form was walking towards us. He’d grown twice his normal size and was walking through the wall of fire. He didn’t flinch as his clothes started to burn. He just grew bigger. I turned and ran with all my might, as Uar ran urgently towards me. I could taste the fear in his eyes.

  “NO!” Uar screamed.

  I felt a rush of power against my back as it pushed me forward. A huge weight pounded on top of me and I couldn’t breathe. The tunnel had collapsed. Water pushed and pulled me in all directions. I saw Bres with his fist pounded into the ground smiling up at me with Cichol flanking his back. He stared at me emotionless as I felt my body being pulled in all directions as the water crashed down around us. I felt arms pull me closer towards a body I hung on for dare life, not knowing if I was hanging onto a friendly person or an enemy, all I knew was that I was hanging on to life, even if it could be for a short time. I felt a pop in my ears as
oxygen filled my lungs again. I was still under water, but in a pocket of air.

  “Breathe!” Uar yelled as he pulled me closer. He was pulling me away from the carnage. “Breathe, you’re safe now, I have you.”

  I took in deep breaths as I watched the water push past me with great speed. How was Uar doing this? I concentrated on breathing and staying alive. The pocket of air wasn’t that big and I was afraid to move or talk in case a handful of sea water filled my lungs.

  I silently watched as he pushed me through the murky sea waters. Thanking my lucky stars that he was here and I was safe. He held me tightly against his body and we rushed though the depths of the sea to safety. I had no idea how he was doing this or even more importantly that I’d been in prison under the sea for a month. Crazy, there was no way I knew that I was under water that whole entire time. My life was a whole lot of crazy right now.

  As we got to the shore line I could see shadows of large tree branches overhanging the water. I saw a body reaching down with their arms to pull me up. Uar pushed me upwards with his unnatural strength and I protested. He didn’t know about my elbow. Too late, those arms latched onto mine and pulled me up. The pain was so intense I screamed and passed out. I must’ve only passed out for a few minutes because as I woke up I felt my body being passed down a row of people to the safety of dry land through the tangled web of branches that fell so low they dusted the shore lines. I saw a familiar face as she pulled me against her and gave me the biggest hug.

  “I’m going to kill the bastard that did this to you.” It was Brea, she held me tight and rocked me.

  I cried. I didn’t care who saw I cried. I cried for my live, I cried for my torture, I cried for their lives, the people that risked theirs to save mine and most importantly I cried for my long-lost friendship with Hayden. He’d helped me and even though he had lied to me, I generally believed he was trying to keep me safe. Maybe he was keeping his promise after all.

  “Brigid!” Uar grabbed me out of Brea’s arms and rocked me. I felt a familiar weight land on my shoulder and knew instantly it was Zeg. Oh, thank god he was safe. He pulled my earlobe gently so I’d know it was him.

  “Zeg” I simply said. “I’m so happy you’re safe.”

  Uar kissed me quickly on the lips as he pulled me in for a tighter hug. “Brigid, I thought I had lost you!” He kept rocking me. I closed my eyes. I could feel a circle of people around us as we lay in a heap in the ground, a human, a god and a little brownie just happy to be together and happy to be alive.

  “We need to move” a voice said from within the circle, breaking our solitude.

  “Brigid, we need to go.” Uar whispered in my ear. I leaned closer towards him and nodded my head. He grabbed me from under my legs and lifted me up. Zeg had tucked himself against my neck and he wasn’t letting go. I savoured the feeling of him needing me, it was a good feeling and I was so happy he was safe. Uar started to run after the rest of the group and the stabbing pain ran up my arm again.

  “My arm” I yelled. “Put me down, I’m fine, I can run.”

  He paused but put me down. He looked at me briefly before giving me a gentle shove to keep me moving. I appreciated the fact that he let me run, he let me do what I wanted. He knew that I was capable of getting out of this. So I ran. Zeg held on tighter and I ran quickly behind them. I cradled my arm with the fractured elbow to my side which seemed to help and I drew in the warmth of the sun as we made it out of the branches that guarded us from our enemies. It tingled through my body and I could feel it’s strength. Energy was running back through my body, it was like my body was being drained while I was a prisoner and now it was living again. I picked up the pace and caught up with Uar.

  Tunnan ran up beside us. He smiled at me as he passed me his smaller bow. “Here, you may need this.”

  I smiled as I took it from his hand and swung it over my shoulder. He handed me a handful of arrows which I carried in my hand as I ran. He winked at me as he picked up the pace and I kept in line with Uar.

  “Incoming!” Brea called as we all hit the deck.

  Uar covered me with his shield as arrows showered down on us. I could hear their thuds and the impact as Uar held his shield steady over us. Once the wave was over I leaned out and got my bow and arrow ready. Fomorians were running towards us. Two hit the ground as Tunnan’s arrow’s hit their mark. I released mine, seeing my target go down I reached for another. They were getting closer. Uar pointed towards a tree with large full branches. I nodded my head as he grabbed me and hoisted me up into its branches. Injuries were now forgotten, I was in my element, I was running on pure adrenalin. Tunnan threw me some more arrows and I added them to my bunch I already had. I climbed up higher, amongst the branches out of sight. I found the position I wanted as Zeg climbed up into my hair. I pulled my bow string to my anchor at the side of my mouth and released, over and over again, each one hitting their mark. Amongst the chaos, no one could see me, they didn’t even know what was going on, but one by one they dropped until there was none. I closed my eyes. I had one arrow left. I slowly climbed down the tree. Now that the adrenalin had stopped my body hurt like hell. My eye was still swollen, my head hurt and my elbow was killing me. I literally fell out of the tree on the last branch as Uar caught me. This time he gently put me on the ground but I protested. I didn’t think I could walk anymore. I needed to heal. He lifted me up and started walking and I passed out again.

  CHAPTER 19

  The mattress was soft as I snuggled in further. I heard a familiar snort and knew instantly that Zeg was beside me. I rolled over gently to see a little bum high up the in the air with his knees tucked close to his chest as he snored beside me on my pillow, dribble coming out of his mouth leaving a small wet patch. As usual I pulled the bed covers up over him and gave him a little hug. He grunted and rolled over to his side. I smiled as I turned to stare at the ceiling. I was obviously safe. I’d woken in a comfortable bed with Zeg beside me. There was a door that didn’t have guards watching me, I was safe wasn’t I? I had a little bit of doubt as my legs swung over the side of the bed. I didn’t recognise the room but it looked friendly. It wasn’t cold damp rock that I’d been surrounded by for weeks, there was light in here, it wasn’t very bright, but I could feel it. I knew it must’ve been the day time, which would explain why Zeg was sleeping. A pain shot up my arm again. It wasn’t as bad as what it had been, but it was still there.

  There was a knock at the door.

  “Who is it?” I asked sheepishly, feeling ridiculous for asking the question.

  “It’s me, Uar.”

  My head fell back in relief. “Come in!” I nearly screamed it out. “I mean, come in” calming my nerves a little bit so I didn’t sound so desperate.

  The door opened slightly as Uar’s head peaked through. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like crap” I replied.

  He stepped through the door with a plate of food and a cup of something to drink. “Here this will make you feel better, eat and drink.” He sat beside me on the bed and handed me the drink first. I took a sip. It wasn’t water, it was mead. I shook my head at the sweetness. “It will help.”

  I smiled and took another gulp, he was right it was helping. I could feel its warmth run through my body, giving me strength. Once I’d finished my cup I turned to him and thanked him. “Thanks for finding me.”

  He hugged me and kissed me on the forehead. “I was so worried about you. I thought I had lost you forever.”

  I hugged him tighter as he leaned in and kissed me on the lips. I pulled back a little surprised and he let me go. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

  I looked at him and realised I needed him. “Yes you should have.” I pulled him against me and kissed him. He relaxed in my arms as his tongue reached into my mouth. I savoured it’s warmth and matched his urgency. My head started to spin as his tongue reached deeper, needing to feel my response, I responded the same. Our breathing became heavier and I could feel a glowing
pulse between us, lighting up the room. I knew I needed him and he needed me. Our glow mingled and danced with each other as our kiss grew with more urgency. A loud snort filled the room and I remembered Zeg. I pulled away and pointed towards the little brownie. Uar looked to where I was pointing. Zeg scratched his bum and rolled over. We both laughed as we fell back on the bed together. We intertwined our hands and lay beside each other in silence. Each knowing we were happy and that this moment was perfect and how it was meant to be. I quickly fell asleep again and woke a few hours later with Uar’s arm draped over my hip. I was happy, he’d found me and I was alive and I was with him.

  His eyes opened up as he pulled my hips closer toward his belly and I snuggled in closer. I sighed a sigh of happiness and felt the love run through my body. Then I remembered what I must look like. I sat bolt upright. Oh my god! I must look terrible. I’d been beaten until I was black and blue, my eye was closed over, my face swollen… oh no I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Everyone had seen me like that and I must have stunk. I hadn’t had a bath or a shower for a whole month while I was being held prisoner. I must’ve been covered in my own vomit and blood, not a pretty sight. I looked down at my clothes. I was in a soft white full length nighty. I didn’t look dirty. I sniffed under my arms, nothing. I smelt clean. Someone must have cleaned me! I cringed even more, oh no, who cleaned me and more importantly looked at me naked.