by N M Zoltack
“Just kill me,” Edmund said, the stone tumbling out of his palm. “I have nothing to live for. I gave up my shield because I am unworthy, and my love is unrequited. Kill me now.”
57
Alchemist Tatum Hill
Seeing Edmund and the dragon terrified Tatum. Surely the dragon came to seek revenge against the knight for having killed one of the other dragons, but where was Edmund’s armor? His shield? His sword?
Neither of them seemed to notice her, so she slipped inside the inn, anxious to find a weapon of some kind. All she could find was a dagger. In desperation, she grabbed a glass bottle and broke it on the bar.
With all of that, she rushed back outside in time to hear Edmund exclaim, “Just kill me.” A stone tumbled out of his hand and onto the grass near his feet. “I have nothing to live for. I gave up my shield because I am unworthy, and my love is unrequited. Kill me now.”
The dragon just stared Edmund down. Why was he waiting to kill him? Tatum did not know or understand, but she gripped the weapons so tightly that her wrists ached. What did Edmund mean that his love was unrequited? Who was it that he loved who could not find it within herself to love him back?
“Kill me! Tatum does not love me, nor should she, and I cannot bear to live in this world any longer.”
Tatum rushed forward and shoved the weapons into Edmund’s hands. He stared at her with wonder in his eyes, no sense of fear. He had accepted a life without love, and so he welcomed death.
“Do not kill him,” Tatum called. “Edmund has a reason to live. Edmund, you must live.”
“Tatum, I… My feelings for you… I cannot deny them any longer, but you—”
She patted his face and smiled despite the tears coursing down her cheeks like tiny rivers. “He does have a reason to love,” she whispered. “I love him. I love you, Edmund. I do. I thought it wrong, so I worked as hard as I could to keep myself from feeling anything, to distract me, but you… It is you I love.”
You. The dragon reared, lifting his expansive chest. His underbelly was a slight blue color to it that reminded her of frost and ice fractals. You are the woman I have sought. Your scent is on this place. You are the last alchemist. With your death, that curse can end, and alchemy will be but a lost art to the world.
The last alchemist. Did that mean Sabine had never become one? But surely as long as the ambitious woman had breath within her lungs, she would continue to pursue that endeavor? If such was the case, did the dragon’s words mean that Sabine was dead?
Edmund stood there, staring at Tatum, looking very much alive and happy. His sandy brown hair fluttered in the slight breeze, and his gray eyes pierced through her straight to her heart.
Fear should be upon her. Death was about to meet her in a fiery blaze.
Perhaps the world would be a better place without Tatum in it. The curse was real. She could feel it slip about in the dark undercurrent of her subconscious, and she fought daily to keep it at bay. Dudley had deceived her. He had only pretended to love her. Once they became engaged, he stopped listening to her, which had been the quality she had appreciated the most from him. So many came to her for her assistance in solving all of their dilemmas, but none before Dudley would listen to her own troubles and woes.
None until Edmund.
When Dudley began to dream of running an inn, Tatum supported him, but he merely loved her money, not her. He counted her coins nightly, and he would take them all, and he cursed her to work harder, to charge more when she had never once sought to become rich from her efforts. She wished to help others.
“You should not kill Tatum,” the man she loved uttered, his tone firm, and her heart swelled. “You do not understand. I know there are evil female alchemists, but surely, there have been evil male ones as well, and regardless, there are evil females and males who are not alchemists at all. To punish her for being a female—”
Your words mean nothing to me, the dragon roared.
“But she became an alchemist in the first place for the noblest of reasons,” Edmund continued. “Not for power, not for ambition, not for anything at all like that.”
Yet she created the potion you consumed to kill a dragon.
"That… That was for protection," Edmund muttered. "But she sought to become a female alchemist only to carry forth her father's legacy. He taught her what he knew, and then, he died. She became an alchemist out of love!"
The dragon drew back, and his belly turned orange-red. He was readying to blast her with his fiery breath.
“It is all right, Edmund,” Tatum whispered. “You do not have to be afraid. You can continue on and be a knight—”
“I am not a knight any longer.”
“What do you mean?”
“I gave up my shield. I… I am unworthy of my shield, and I do not deserve you.”
“You have me.” She cupped his cheek. “I am yours.”
Tatum moved over to the right, far enough that the blast should not reach Edmund.
The former knight stared at the weapons in his hands, but still, he did not attack the dragon. He dropped the dagger and the broken bottle.
“Spare her life!” Edmund shouted. “I beg you. Kill me instead. Accept my sacrifice in the name of love for Tatum. Kill me.”
“No!” Tatum shrieked.
The fire burst out of the dragon’s mouth.
The one he burned to death was not Tatum.
But Edmund.
58
Princess Vivian Rivera
The moment the dragon flew away, Swiftfire came racing back over to Vivian, nudging her with his head as if to apologize for leaving. Immediately, she climbed onto his back, and the horse galloped along, never looking upward, never realizing she was chasing after the dragon. The winged beast flew swiftly, with purpose, and Vivian feared for Tatum’s life. The alchemist had been living within the keep, and the dragon was heading for Atlan.
Soon enough, Vivian realized the dragon was not heading for the castle after all. Once the dragon descended, it was not easy for Vivian to continue her pursuit, but thankfully, this portion of the city was empty, and she could race about unimpeded.
And then, Vivian heard voices.
“I am not a knight any longer.”
Was that Edmund?
“What do you mean?” a woman asked. Without a doubt, that voice belonged to Tatum.
“I gave up my shield. I… I am unworthy of my shield, and I do not deserve you.”
“You have me. I am yours.”
There was a pause, and Vivian hoped the two were kissing, that the dragon was not there, but the dragon would love to slay them both—Tatum for being an alchemist and Edmund for having killed a dragon—and the dragon was in the near vicinity…
“Spare her life!” Edmund shouted. “I beg you. Kill me instead. Accept my sacrifice in the name of love for Tatum. Kill me.”
Vivian crashed upon the scene in time to see the dragon turn his head to one side. It wasn’t until the smoke cleared away that Vivian spied that the dragon had listened to the man’s request.
Edmund might have thought himself no longer a knight, but he had defended the innocent with his last breath. Truly, he had been indeed a knight.
The dragon drew in a breath, readying to kill Tatum.
This time, Swiftfire remained brave enough to stick around, and Vivian urged their way around the dragon to stand in front of Tatum.
“Do not kill her,” Vivian said firmly. “He sacrificed himself in the name of love. Do not dishonor his memory.”
She is a female alchemist.
“And she has not used that for power,” Vivian argued.
She is on the queen’s council, is she not?
“Tatum, did you ask Queen Rosalynne to be on the council?” Vivian asked, not turning around to face her.
Tatum moved to stand beside Vivian atop Swiftfire. “I did not.”
“So you were doing as your queen asked of you.”
“Yes.”
“That does not seem ove
rly ambitious to me,” Vivian said dryly. “Love and sacrifices should both have meaning. Hatred itself only has meaning if love is an option. You cannot deny love.”
Love is not something a person can truly feel. Love is merely an illusion, so very tricky and false. Just ask Tatum here. Supposedly, she became an alchemist for her father.
“That is the truth,” Tatum murmured. She could not stop staring at the ashes that had been Edmund, and her shoulders slumped. She was losing a fighting battle, Vivian could tell.
You are an alchemist despite knowing that the curse will claim you.
“It has not yet,” Vivian argued.
Yet is the only word that matters.
“Tatum is stronger than that.”
The dragon pulled back, and Vivian was shocked to hear dark, maniacal laughter in her mind.
Her source of strength is dead. She will succumb to the darkness, and she will be yet another female alchemist to fall prey to the curse. Why should I not destroy her before the curse can?
“Because of Edmund’s sacrifice! You killed him—”
Out of revenge.
“Do not. No. You cannot take that sacrifice away from him. He offered himself as love, and—”
Love. Faith. Two have sacrificed themselves in those names, but all those two have done is allowed there to be that much less love and faith in the world.
“Love,” Vivian murmured to herself. “Faith.” She lifted her head and dismounted from Swiftfire, urging the horse over closer to Tatum. “I have hope! Accept me as a sacrifice in the name of hope!”
The dragon appraised her. Perhaps she did not have enough hope to offer because the dragon drew back and then flew away.
With a heaving sob, Tatum sank to her knees beside Edmund's ashes. There was nothing more Vivian could do but wrap her arms around the grieving woman's shoulders and attempt to console the inconsolable Tatum.
59
Olympia Li
Honestly, it did not surprise Olympia that Bjorn was not at the meeting spot, and her heart ached with worry for the man. He had managed to free himself or had been released by Queen Rosalynne. Clearly, he must have remained within the castle. Was he still trying to locate her twin? The dear man. Her heart swelled, and she had two very important reasons to return to the castle.
When she had left Romilda Grieves in the early morning, the apothecary’s wife had mentioned she would be returning to the castle that day. The dragon might come for her wherever she was, and she sought to be by her husband’s side. Her love and devotion for the man filled Olympia with another sort of ache. To experience that love and to be loved in return… how special that must be.
Olympia made her way back to the castle. Thus far, the guards had ignored her leaving and coming, but she could not bring herself to enter the keep through its main doors. She still opted for the secret door, and she again looked into each cell, but Bjorn remained at large.
Would the vicar know where she might locate Bjorn? He might. Ulric might know as well, but she wished to give her brother more time to accept the fact that they were related before she sought him out again.
Once she left the dungeon behind, Olympia hesitated, uncertain where to go. Where might the vicar be?
“Do you need help?” a maid asked, coming up to her. “The peasants are all up another two flights. The staircase is over there.”
“I, ah, thank you, but I was wondering… the vicar…”
“He might be in the chapel. I would think so, in any case.”
“And where might the chapel be?” Olympia asked.
The maid did not seem to think Olympia’s ignorance a concern, and she cheerfully prattled off directions.
“Thank you. You have been very kind,” Olympia said.
“Oh, I am happy to help.” The maid shifted the bundle of clothes in her hand. “Some might not like the work, but it’s what my ma did, and I’m happy to work alongside her. My pa and brothers also all work in the castle, and it’s been just wonderful having the peasants all in the castle. I’ve been making loads of friends, and if you want, we can be friends too. My name is—”
“Hildegard! Are you coming?”
“Coming, Ma! I best be off, but I’m always running about on this floor if you want to come by. After dinner is when I have a bit of time to myself, so I’ll either be here or in the servant’s quarters. You can find me here or there. I hope you find the vicar, and if you do head inside the chapel, might you pray to the Fate of Life?”
“For you and your family? Of course.”
“Oh, no. Not for me. Well, that would be nice, but I found a cat, and she’s pregnant, I think, and I would love for the kittens to all be born. The cat, for being pregnant, is a bit small, so mayhap I’m wrong, but… Oh, dear. Ma is looking a bit red. I must be going. I will see you around!”
Hildegard scampered off, and she was quite red. Her ma’s face was as red as scarlet, and she swatted the back of Hildegard’s head as she approached, but even from where she stood, Olympia could hear the two of them laughing.
Olympia smiled to herself, touched by the bit of happiness she had just witnessed. Despite what most would think was pure chaos, Hildegard and her family had forged happiness for themselves regardless.
Swiftly, the Li princess rushed about the castle, following the maid’s directions. Few looked her way, perhaps because she walked with purpose. Near the chapel, she overheard hushed voices from around the corner up ahead, and she feared that perhaps the queen was talking to someone. Not wishing to be seen, Olympia hid behind a lovely heavy ivory patterned curtain that stretched all the way to the floor. She could just make out two forms, shadows cast upon the way.
“Everything will be as it should be and in due course,” a male’s voice said, one Olympia recognized. It was Aldwin Lehr, the man she sought.
“How can you be so certain?”
This voice belonged to another male. Not the queen, then, but who was he?
“The dragon will kill every leader I do not approve of,” Aldwin declared.
Olympia’s heart thundered so loudly that she could not make out what was said next, but then the one man bid farewell. He stalked by near where Olympia hid, and she peeked out to see a guard. By the sight of his white hair, he must be older, but he walked swiftly enough, not ambling about.
She waited until the guard was gone from sight to remove herself from behind the curtain. The vicar was not where he had spoken to the man, and Olympia chanced going to the chapel.
Ah, yes, the vicar was inside, just walking down the center between two lines of pews. Olympia shut the door emphatically, the echo bouncing about the walls.
The vicar hobbled around to see her and then straightened. Aye, the two of them were alone.
She marched up to him. “Which leader do you hope will survive?”
Aldwin did not blink or delay. He smiled broadly. "Why, you, of course."
The Li princess appraised him. Could she trust a word he said? All leaders he did not approve of. Queen Rosalynne, Prince Marcellus… Herself? Ulric? What if the leader Aldwin sought to sit on the throne was none other than himself?
“I have been a faithful servant to the Lis for all of my life, so faithful that I killed my own brother, my twin,” Aldwin stated. “You need not doubt me, but if you need a sign of devotion, you merely need to name it. What would you have me do?”
Olympia returned his broad smile. “There is no need. I trust you,” she said, but in truth, that was a lie.
60
Princess Vivian Rivera
Convincing Tatum to come with Vivian to the castle proved almost impossible. The alchemist wanted to die. She even thought she deserved to. She bawled, fighting Vivian, punching her chest, wailing for the dragon to come back, to accept her as a sacrifice for love too.
Being here, at the site of Edmund's demise, was not healthy for her, clearly.
“Come,” Vivian said firmly. “I did not wish to have to do this, but I order you as your pri
ncess. Do you hear me? If you will not heed my direct order, I will have no choice but to seize you and force you to comply. I do not wish to do so, but I will.”
Tatum stared up at Vivian. She had collapsed by Edmund’s ashes once more. Tears still streamed down her cheeks, although how she had more tears to shed Vivian did not know.
“We cannot leave,” Tatum murmured.
“We must. You must. Edmund sacrificed himself for love of you. Do not allow that sacrifice to go in vain.”
“A container,” she whispered.
Vivian hesitated and then ducked inside the inn. She found a suitable large glass receptacle with a lid and returned out the back, half-expecting Tatum to have fled.
Instead, the alchemist had nestled a pile of three stones in one spot and was placing a growing mound of stones right in front of Edmund’s ashes.
Vivian helped Tatum to collect the ashes, her gaze returning to the three stones.
“Dudley, my husband, is buried there,” Tatum murmured. “I thought I loved him, but I did not know love, not truly, not until Edmund, but I was married. What could I do? And when Dudley died, I felt… I felt so many things… I pushed Edmund away despite my love because I feared that the curse had been unable to control me, to ruin me personally, so it lashed out at those all around me. I wished to keep him safe, and now…”
"He loved you so much. What greater love is there than to sacrifice oneself? You do not need to mourn Edmund. He lives on."
Tatum slowly nodded, and she cradled the receptacle to her chest almost as if it were a babe. She allowed Vivian to help her onto Swiftfire.
Such was the state of the alchemist that the trek to the castle was slow, and they arrived that night. Tatum slinked away with hardly a word, but after a few steps, Tatum turned back around.
“You wish to die?” Tatum asked.
“No,’ Vivian said, baffled.
“But you told the dragon… you spoke of hope.”