by B. C. Morin
“I hear your training is progressing well.”
“Oh, thank you. I felt that despite his compliments today, I am still not moving along as quickly as he would like.”
“Jadoc is tough, but he is understanding. He knows you are doing your best.” He turned to face her.
“You have not told me where we are going.” Alannah spoke with a bit of playfulness in her voice.
Brennus flashed his mischievous smile at her, causing her to melt. She sighed at the familiar feeling. Raising one eyebrow.
“I do not intend to tell you.”
“Will Isibeal be meeting us?” Alannah asked, the playfulness in her voice gone.
“No. She had some matters to attend to.” Brennus responded, turning into a nearby hallway at the foot of the stairs.
“I have never been this way. Where does it lead?”
Brennus did not respond, but looked over his shoulder with a wry smile. They passed several doors that Alannah assumed to be unused rooms, or perhaps servant quarters. They had reached the end of the hallway when Brennus reached into his shirt and produced a key, which he used to unlock the door. He turned to look at Alannah, putting one finger over his lips, which curved into a smile. Brennus put his arm on Alannah’s lower back, guiding her into the room and taking one last look down the hall before closing it behind them. The tunnel was dark. There was not a bit of light coming in and suddenly Alannah was very aware at how close she was to Brennus. The wall was cold against her back, and from the front she could feel the heat that emanated off of Brennus. He put his hand on her arm until he found his way to her hip, his breath dangerously close to her lips.
“We need light.” He whispered to her.
“I suppose we do.” Alannah answered breathlessly. She realized for a moment that she was anything but composed, and gathered her thoughts.
“Levis.” Alannah commanded, and a white sphere of glowing light appeared ahead of them. Alannah followed the light down the tunnel but saw nothing but stone and dirt.
“What?” She responded to the raised eyebrow Brennus had given her. “You said yourself that I was progressing.”
“So I did. Don’t let it go to your head, though, Princess.” Brennus turned and began walking down the tunnel.
“I suppose you still will not tell me where we are going? Or where this leads?”
“Nope.”
They walked along the tunnel for what seemed like an hour. In the distance, she could see what looked like a stone door, with large latches keeping it closed. As they approached the door, Alannah saw that each latch was easily the size of one of her arms.
“How are you going to open that?” The answer occurred to her as she spoke the question, but it was too late now.
“Do you really have such little faith in me?” He shook his head, and grabbed a hold of the handle on one of the latches. He pulled up, disturbing years of dust as he slid it back. Carefully and expertly he did the same with the other two latches. Then grabbing two grooves carved into the stone, he pulled the door open.
He walked through, only to make sure that there was no one around, before calling Alannah to walk through, as well. They stood at the back of a cave, with a thunderous roar coming from the outside. Alannah and Brennus walked toward the mouth of the cave where a large hedge covered the entrance.
“What now?”
“Still no faith.” Brennus responded as he whispered some words under his breath and walked straight into the hedge and disappeared.
“Brennus!” Alannah ran toward the hedge without thinking and walked through it, as well. Once she was on the other side, she turned quickly and looked at the hedge behind her. With trees on either side, and vines and stones around it, one would never guess that there was an entrance to a cave behind it.
Alannah turned to Brennus with a questioning look.
“I put a charm on it when I was much younger. Only the spell I speak will allow passage.”
“Genius.” She said lowly, not knowing he was listening.
“Thank you.” Brennus said as he reached for her hand.
“Do not let it go to your head, King.” She mocked his voice.
“Come. It is not far, now.”
“What is not far?” Alannah asked attempting to sound innocent.
“Nice try,” Brennus laughed. He slipped his fingers between hers and pulled her along. He walked her up a sloping hill covered in grass, flowers, and surrounded by trees.
“This is beautiful, Brennus.” Alannah said, oscillating her head as she took in all the scenery.
“It is even more beautiful during a spring day. There are literally beds of flowers covering the floor. It is a magnificent sight.” Brennus spoke with a smile as he watched Alannah.
Alannah tried to find the source of the thunderous noise, which she quickly realized was running water, but there was a line of trees blocking her sight in that direction. She could smell the water in the air, mixed with the cool breeze that warned of winter. Alannah listened to the crunch of the leaves as she continued walking with Brennus.
“We are here.” He stopped at the top of the hill, which leveled out for a good hundred feet or so in front of them and twice as long lengthwise. In the middle, ran a river over twenty feet wide that fell over a ledge onto the rocks below.
“The Cascades,” Alannah whispered, as she turned to face the direction which the water led. She was taken aback. Brennus was not exaggerating when he said that Anrad can be seen in its entirety from The Cascades. She looked down at the groups of houses in the landscape below and they looked like nothing more than toys. She could see the smoke coming out of several chimneys, and several fae gathered in different areas, drinking and enjoying company. Alannah looked at the castle’s tree, the moonlight shined down on it illuminating the balconies, and crystal and glass windows.
“Brennus, this is breathtaking.” Alannah said, turning to find Brennus taking in the view, as well.
“Well, I had promised you that I would bring you here. Did I not?”
Alannah smiled at the memory. It was the day they had left the Magi Kingdom and they were making their way through the forest to Anrad.
“You did.” Alannah said as she looked down at their hands, still interlinked.
Brennus turned to her, placing his hand to her cheek.
“What is it?”
Alannah pushed her face onto his hand, savoring the feel of his touch.
“Brennus, I do not know how long I can continue doing this.”
“Do what?”
“Pretend for only moments at a time that you are still mine, and then return to the realization that I can have nothing to do with you.” She released his hand and stepped away from him, walking along the river. Alannah felt the sting of the tears and closed her eyes, forcing them away.
Brennus reached out for her arm, turning her to face him.
“And do you think that you are the only one suffering? Do you know what it is like to lie awake every night thinking only of you? Only to put on a mask the next day so that the counsel thinks that my mind is solely on the Kingdom and my impending arranged marriage.”
Alannah heart dropped at the sound of the words arranged marriage, and she wondered if he could see it in her eyes. She looked at his grey eyes, studying the dark circles beneath them. Absentmindedly, she reached up, touching his cheek.
He put his hand on top of hers, pressing his cheek to her palm as she had done to him. He put his head down.
“I have walked to your room in the middle of the night, wanting to open your door and take you in my arms, but stopping short, for fear of making this harder on you than it already is.”
“I thought you had already moved on from me, or had at least begun trying.” Alannah felt the tears spill over, as Brennus wiped them away with his thumbs. “We cannot continue like this, Brennus. You have to decide. It is either me, or Isibeal. You cannot have both. I cannot be your secret, despite the pain it causes me to be away from you. I
cannot live with only having part of you.”
Brennus sighed heavily.
“We should go.” Alannah started back toward the cave entrance hoping that the hedge would still let her in and she would not end up with branches and leaves in her face. As she approached the hedge, she heard Brennus saying something in the distance that she was sure was the spell for the hedge. Without looking back, she continued forward through the cave and into the tunnel. After a few short moments Alannah heard Brennus close the stone door and turn the latches into place. She wanted to slow down and wait for him, but at the pace that he had begun to walk, she knew he would catch up to her soon. When he finally reached her, he slowed his pace so that it matched hers.
“Thank you for showing me The Cascades.”
Brennus nodded. The shadows on the wall, made by the ball of light, emphasized his silent response. The walk seemed to take longer on the way back, perhaps due to the tension between them. An empty feeling began to consume Alannah at the sight of the door that led back into the castle. The door that led back to her daily life of not being next to Brennus. As if anticipating the other, each slowed their steps. Alannah grabbed his hand once again.
“What are you doing, Alannah?” Brennus sighed as he looked at her, both stopping.
“I do not know. I suppose I wanted to feel you a final time before saying goodbye to this part of...us.”
Brennus took his hand out of hers, sliding it onto her neck, his thumb caressing her face. He wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her tight to him. He lowered his head so that his lips could just barely brush against hers. She could feel his hesitation, wondering if he thought he would be going too far. Alannah pushed up onto the balls of her feet, pressing her lips onto his. The kiss started sweet and soft, but turned into something more. She kissed him hard and Brennus kissed her back harder, until the kiss became desperate. All the emotions they had been suppressing surfaced themselves in a tidal wave of passion. Alannah wrapped her arms around him and took a few steps back so that she was trapped between the wall and Brennus. He broke off, kissing her on the chin, along her jaw and to her neck. Alannah tipped her head back, letting out a soft moan. She ran hands beneath his shirt exploring the tight skin over the muscles on his back and on his ribs. He returned his lips to hers as he dropped his hands to her hips. In a swift motion he picked her up, pressing her between the wall and himself. She swung her legs around his waist, reveling in feeling him so close. His chest pressed against her, her arms wrapped around his neck, as her hands entangled themselves in his hair.
“Brennus,” She spoke onto his lips.
“Yes?” He replied, not leaving her lips.
“I think we should stop.” She said breathlessly as he began kissing her neck.
“Is that what you want?” He murmured onto her neck between kisses.
“I do not want to. But I know we have to.”
Brennus huffed a laugh.
“I knew you did not want to.” He kissed her again.
“Brennus.”
“Love?” He stopped, looking into in her eyes. Still holding her up and against him, he brushed a tendril from her face and kissed her softly. “You are right.” He said reluctantly, releasing her slowly, savoring the feeling of her against him for the last time.
“You could change this, Brennus. You could make it you and me.” Her arms wrapped around his waist, her head resting on his chest.
“You know I cannot do that, Alannah.” His voice suddenly filling with frustration.
Alannah pulled away.
“You are the King now, Brennus!” Her brow furrowing with anger, “You can do this. No one would think badly of you for not wanting to marry someone you did not choose!”
“No,” He raised his voice to meet hers. “They would think badly of me for not respecting the last wish of their previous King who happened to be my father!”
“I do not believe that. You are using that because you are afraid of saying no to your father in death, just as you were afraid of saying no to him in life, when he would send you away, and keep you from being with your friends so that you could be constantly training.” Alannah brought her hand to her mouth, regretting what she said as soon as she was done. In her heart she believed it, but she was not sure it was what he needed to hear.
Brennus became stiff as he took a few steps back, his voice now indifferent.
“I never said no to my father because everything he did was for my benefit. He did his best to ensure that I was the best I could be.”
“Brennus, I did not mean to belittle your father’s intentions. I know he meant well by not wanting you to be alone and coming to the decision that he did. I am not angry with your father.” she hesitated for a moment, “I am angry with you! I am angry with you for not fighting for us!” Her yells echoed in the tunnel.
Brennus glared at her coldly.
“I did try to fight for us.” He kept the expression on his face neutral. “After that second night, when we met for dinner. I went to his room to talk to him, but when I got there, he had already died. I know I should have said something the day that we got here, the moment that I found out what he wanted. But I did not, and I cannot take that back now.”
A heavy silence filled the tunnel around them. The air that moments ago was infused with passion and desire, weighed on them now with sorrow and regret.
Without another word, Alannah stepped past Brennus and unlocked the door. She looked at him one more time before opening it, but he did not meet her eyes. The door creaked open and by the time Brennus turned, the tunnel was empty.
The hallway was dark and empty, save for a few candles that had not burned out on the candelabras on the walls, and she was sure she took a wrong turn. In her attempt at avoiding Brennus and Isibeal, Alannah had not bothered to explore the castle and familiarize herself. She heard footsteps walking toward her, and stopped, unsure if she should even be in that area of the castle. As the figure moved closer, Alannah was able to see a female’s shoes beneath the long cloak. Alannah made a move to go back the way she had come, but it was too late.
“Alannah?”
Alannah turned cautiously toward the voice, not recognizing it. She watched as the figure stepped closer, raising her hands and sliding the hood off of her head.
“Isibeal.” She whispered.
“Yes. So, I finally get to meet you. Although, I had hoped it would be over tea or something similar.” She smiled, laughing lightly. “Are you lost or heading to the kitchen?”
“Oh, the kitchen is this way?”
Isibeal laughed again.
“Ah, you were lost. It is understandable. The corridors and hallways run deep in this castle.”
Alannah allowed herself to relax a little.
“Yes, I am lost, although the kitchen does sound like a good place to be headed.”
“Ah, well, you can find the kitchen behind the last door at the end of this hallway.”
“Thank you, Isibeal.” Alannah paused, contemplating her next words carefully. “I’m surprised that Brennus did not make you take a guard with you, being that it is so late.”
“Oh,” Isibeal hesitated, averting Alannah’s eyes. “Yes, well, I did not have to go very far, and I am afraid I am not used to having guards around me all the time just yet.”
“I can sympathize.” Alannah said, making a conscious effort to sound cordial.
“Listen, Alannah, I have heard a lot about you and Brennus, and I just want to make this as easy for him and for you as I can. I know this is difficult for all of us.”
“I appreciate that, Isibeal.”
“Perhaps we can have that tea soon?”
“Sure.” Alannah replied with a smile.
“Excellent!” Isibeal squealed, finally stopping the fidgeting she had been doing with her fingers. “I will speak to you tomorrow, then. I should get to my room and get to bed.” She turned on her heal and walked away.
Alannah watched her walk away, thinking to her
self, Sure, Isibeal, we will have tea. Maybe then you will give me the real reason why you are sneaking out of the castle at night.
* * * * * * *
Brennus made his way down the hallway hastily, his dark navy colored robe billowing behind him. Two council members and two guards followed close behind him, the sounds of their footsteps bouncing off the walls. As he got closer to the library, the guards next to the doors opened them for their King.
“I was told you have news regarding Maligo.” Brennus stopped just in front of the smooth oak table, which at the moment was laden with maps and other scrolls that did not look familiar to him. Behind the table stood the remaining four council members and two spies, who by the looks of them, had just returned from their missions. They looked tired, worn, and dirty. They all simultaneously bowed upon the entrance of their King.
“Accolon, the news must be grave for you to call us all to meet at this ungodly hour, which does not yet have the morning rays upon it.”
“My king,” The council member stepped forward, his black hair smoothed back and tied with a thin black rope. He stood as tall as Brennus and was almost as muscular. Decades of counseling the King of Anrad had obviously never distracted him from training. His green eyes fixed on Brennus, he leaned on the table, his hands resting on the map that he had been studying prior to the King’s arrival. “The spies have returned with news of Maligo and his dealings. It seems the situation is much worse than we had anticipated.”
Brennus tilted his head back surveying the spies and glancing quickly over the maps on the table.
“Proceed.”
“Bero and Odhran,” Both spies inclined their heads at the acknowledgement of their names to the King, “they were not able to reach Maligo in time to stop him from performing his rituals due to an unfortunate run-in with some rogue faeries, but between the evidence remaining at the ritual site, and sightings by other creatures we have received information from,” he paused, swallowing hard, “Maligo seems to have succeeded in raising Samil himself.”
Brennus’s brow furrowed, his mind wandering the space between concern, confusion, and rage. He put his hands on the table leveling his position with Accolon and stealing a glance at the council member beside him, Halwyn.