Edgelanders (Serpent of Time)

by Jennifer Melzer

  “Foreln returned to find his brother’s wagon by the stream where Madra bathed. He was so enraged that he kicked it into the sky and scattered the jewels through the cosmos until they were not but distance stars so far our eyes can barely see them. As the wagon was sailing, it hit his younger sister, Trygvln in the face while she was giving birth, and that is why her children, the trolls, are so ugly, stupid and angry.”

  An appreciative chuckle circulated through the room, the old woman pausing to revel in their amusement before picking up the story where she’d left off.

  “All the while, Heidr was off making new children, building a universe so vast that he did not see the tensions brewing between his sons. When Trygvln confronted him, Foreln placed the blame on Dvergen, starting a war between the Dvergr and trolls that would follow them through the ages until only six of Dvergen’s sons remained with no hope of ever knowing strength in numbers again.

  “Satisfied with the animosity he’d wrought, Foreln returned to his wives feeling smug and empowered only to find all three of them whispering quietly amongst themselves beside the stream. They had been watching The Endless Hunt from a distance, Kierda and Friegla admiring Llorveth’s graceful sacrifice so his children could feast upon his flesh to survive, which Madra didn’t understand.

  “‘Husband,’ she turned to him with those beautiful eyes of hers and asked, ‘Why must your brother Llorveth always sacrifice himself to Brisvyn so that their children can live. Does our father not love him?’

  “‘Llorveth sacrifices himself because he is a martyr. There is no honor to be had in such a thing. He does it only to get attention.’

  “But Madra was fascinated by this concept. Her own children seemed to know nothing of sacrifice. From the moment they were born their father had denied them nothing, just as his own father had never denied him. He taught them how to craft and farm, but the most prominent skills they learned from Foreln were the arts of war and deception.

  “It wasn’t long before men began to take whatever they pleased from their cousins through force and manipulation. Not even the self-righteous Alvarii could hold onto what they believed was theirs anymore, and when the Ninvarii joined forces with men against their highborn cousins the Alvarii became a race enslaved.

  “Madra was horrified. Of course she wanted her children to be noble and strong, but they battled anyone and everyone who dared to challenge their right to rule, and the constant treachery and deception they wrought broke her fragile heart. Why couldn’t her children be more like the children of Llorveth and Brisvyn, who clearly understood the arts of honesty and sacrifice?

  “When she spoke to her husband about this he called her a fool.

  “‘My sons take what they want because they can and that makes it their right. Llorveth’s sons are no different than mine. Look at them, the way they pillage and raid, the blood they shed in the name of their father is no less than the blood my children shed for me.’ She followed the line of Foreln’s gaze and watched the sons of Llorveth march across the lands and sail the seas in search of a home to call their own. Her own sons had taken the homes of Llorveth’s children again and again, but they were used to sacrifice and this did not discourage them. It only made them stronger.”

  It was at that point that the story spun into territory Vilnjar had never explored before. The skalds in the Edgelands used to end the tale on that note, rousing the fighting spirits within the U’lfer before both men and women embarked upon a new quest for land to call their own. The righteous indignation of mankind’s slight against all the races of Vennakrand p stoked the fires of their bitter souls, making them so bloodthirsty and reckless they fell before the race of men like grain beneath the blade of a scythe.

  “From afar Madra watched her sons and her sister-sons wreak havoc across the lands. After they had enslaved the Alvarii, they turned on the Ninvarii and conquered them too. They fought Dvergen’s sons, Gorscha and Trygvln’s children, the mighty children of Ukoruuna. They warred endlessly with the sons and daughters of Drakiir, Seraphii, Bauthrun and Aqatiiri until they withdrew from this world completely to never be seen again.

  “And so it was that men dominated this land until all forgot that it had ever been any other way. When they weren’t battling their cousins, they were provoking wars among them so they could sit back and watch while they tore each other apart.

  “Madra fretted over their thirst for blood and power and begged her husband to intervene, but Foreln refused her. Heidr had never involved himself into the affairs of his children, why should Foreln? He brushed away her tears and told Madra she should be proud of her children, for they were noble and strong and they would endure, but the things they were doing shattered her spirit.

  “She prayed to Heidr, but the father of all things did not hear her woes. It was Llorveth who heard the lady’s cries echoing through time and the very sound broke his heart into a thousand pieces. Since the dawn of his birth, he’d only known Brisvyn to howl, for she was wolf and she was strong. The sound of a woman crying was new to his ears, and so he followed the trail of her tears until he came upon her near the river.

  “‘Why do you cry, fair Madra?’

  “‘Because my children are cruel,’ she told him. ‘They care only for bloodshed and war, and one day they will shatter all that our father created.’

  “‘How could this be so, with a mother so pure? Surely you’ve taught them the difference between right and wrong.’

  “‘I have tried since the dawn of their birth to teach my sons and my sister-sons to be good men, but their father lets them do as they please and they teach this to their children as well. My heart aches for their world, but Heidr does not hear my cries.’

  “‘There, there, sweet sister.’ Llorveth reached out to her, and when his hand grasped for hers and their fingers touched for the first time a great surge of something neither of them had ever felt before moved through them. She lifted her gaze to his, and within the pools of his eyes Madra saw compassion and her heart swelled with love.”

  Vilnjar glanced sidelong. His brother’s gaze still lingered on Lorelei in such a way that made Viln feel empty. He turned his attention back to the crowd and found the beautiful young woman he’d laid eyes on before. She’d slumped forward into the chair and rested her chin in her palm, her bored eyes scanning the hall until she met with his. Even from a distance he could tell that her eyes were a pale shade of brilliant green with flecks of silver, like sea foam on the breaks. For a moment those eyes lit up and she smiled at him, but her attention made him feel nervous and he immediately looked away to refocus on the storyteller.

  “Madra’s love was so pure that even Llorveth felt the powerful emotions emanating from within her. It both intrigued and terrified him, and being loyal and true to Brisvyn he withdrew his hand as if he’d been shocked and apologized before turning away from her.

  “‘Be strong, Madra. Guide and love them, and they will learn the error of their ways.’

  “But they did not learn. With time, the children of Foreln grew even more smug and self-important. They believed the world in which they lived was theirs and theirs alone. Madra could do nothing but weep, and her tears fell on deaf ears, as Foreln turned his back on her and began to focus his attention on his other wives.

  “Llorveth, who spent each night running through the woods with his children on his heels, grew distracted by the sound of her sobs echoing across the night sky. His heart was breaking, for such beauty should never endure such pain. Night after night his heart broke a little more, until finally he could no longer endure the sound of her sorrow.

  “In his guise of sacrificial hart he slipped into the trees, tearing leaves from the branches to rub them against his skin to disguise his scent, and when the pack could no longer smell him he darted through the shadows until he came to the copse of trees beside the stream of Madra’s tears.

  “The greatest part of him longed to go to her and offer her comfort, but his heart ached at the thou
ght of ever hurting Brisvyn. So he stood within the trees, torn between the two sides of himself.

  “Now Brisvyn and Hexel had always been close as sisters, and because her loathing for the fair Madra was so strong, Hexel kept her eye on Madra at all times. When she saw Llorveth watching her through the trees, she turned to Brisvyn and said, ‘You do not watch your husband close enough, sister. He wanders away from the Hunt to spend time with that foul and wretched light, and soon he will tear the heart from your chest the way his brother did to me.’

  “‘Llorveth would never do such a thing.’

  “‘Are you so sure?’ Hexel turned her toward the trees and gestured into the shadows where he hid. ‘He is a man, after all, just like his brother, Dvergen. You remember what he did to me. Look deeper, sister, into the shadows, and you will see him there.’ When Brisvyn saw her husband’s eyes glistening in the darkness, the strength of her spirit faltered and Hexel took advantage of her weakness to get her revenge on Madra. ‘Two can play such games as this,’ Hexel whispered. ‘Go to Foreln and show him where your husband hides. When he catches him there with Madra he will put an end to this once and for all.’

  “Brisvyn had only a moment of guilt, an inkling that urged her not to listen to Hexel, but in the end the slight of her husband’s betrayal pushed her to do something for which she would never forgive herself. She shoved Hexel aside and marched off in a jealous rage to tell Foreln what she had seen.

  “She found the father of men in his great hall drinking and feasting with a host of his fallen sons, one wife on each side of his chair filling his horn with drink and ensuring that his plate was never empty. When Foreln saw Brisvyn, he was intrigued and asked what brought her to his hall. She marched right up to his throne and told him exactly what she’d seen, her own husband and his precious Madra by the river.

  “Foreln became incensed, rising from his chair and pushing his other wives to the ground before grabbing Brisvyn by the arm. ‘Show me,’ he commanded as he dragged her through the hall.

  “She was already furious, but the force of his bruising grip enraged her. Wrenching herself free from his grip, she said, ‘I will show you where these traitors lie, but you must promise to punish your whore for all she has done. If you do not, I will kill her.’

  “Foreln promised to punish Madra for her crimes, but when Brisvyn led him through the woods where Llorveth still hid, Foreln saw only red when he spied his brother there. He charged in swiftly and plunged his blade into Llorveth’s back, twisting hard until a strangled cry echoed through the trees. As he wrenched his sword free he, gripped his brother by the horns and dragged him back to his hall to humiliate him in front of his children. Brisvyn chased them, but she came too late to the hall of Foreln, watching for the doors as brother lifted sword against brother. Foreln brought his blade down and hacked off Llorveth’s horns in front of all who watched.

  “Brisvyn howled in grief, the fury of Foreln’s action rushing through her like a storm, and when she charged every beast in the lands shuddered at her lamenting cry, a great silence spreading across the world as the Lord of the Hunt fell forward with his brother’s sword still in his back.

  “While Foreln and Brisvyn battled, Madra ran and knelt at Llorveth’s side, the tears dripping down her face as she watched the life pour out of his body. ‘Husband, what have you done? Your brother, your own brother.’

  “And it was only then that Heidr finally heard Madra’s cries. When he felt his firstborn son fading from existence his essence whirled through the world like a great, spiraling wind. That wind tore Brisvyn and Foreln apart, scattering them on separate ends of the universe and then he swept Madra and Llorveth into his arms to carry them home.

  “‘Father, won’t you help him, please?’

  “As Heidr laid them among the stars he whispered into Madra’s ear, ‘You are the light, little one, and you burn with so much love. Only that can make him whole again.’

  “A great light began to glow at the tips of her fingers, a healing light that that ebbed and pulsed as it reached out to close the wounds on Llorveth’s body. Her tears washed away the blood, but his breath was failing. Madra did the only thing she could think to do. She knelt over Llorveth and breathed her light into him and it was from this kiss our people were born.”

  The hall was deafeningly quiet, those powerful words resonating in the minds of every man, woman and child for several minutes before Yovenna found her voice again.

  “Brisvyn and Foreln have spent ages making their way back to this world, and it is said that they may never find their way home again. This is why the children of Foreln persecute our kind. Why the U’lfer push us away, for we are proof that it was Madra’s love that saved our father that day. And through the ages Madra’s light has come to our aid in times of great need. Her compassion for the fallen sons of Llorveth has sent that light back into our world, and it is through the power of that light that we will all be free at last.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Finn watched the surging wave of bodies file out the doors on the other side of the hall, tired children mumbling and whining as their parents nudged them out into the chilly night. Though he supposed it wasn’t really as cold as it could have been, what with their magical barrier, or whatever it was that held the city of Dunvarak together. He wondered briefly what would happen to them when it was time to head back into that night. Would they be locked away in cages until their leader had time to deal with them, or would Lorelei’s influence keep them out of chains? As much as he hated the idea of allowing a woman to keep them safe, he was quietly hoping for the latter. His wrists were still sore and agitated from the silver shackles he’d worn far too often of late, and he’d rather not have to slip them on again.

  Where he came from men and women were equals, especially if they were mated. They watched each other’s back, but he still felt an overwhelming need to protect his princess, and frankly he wasn’t so sure she could cover his back if it came down to it. Sure, she could throw her weight around and threaten the people who seemed to revere her, but in the end what did that really mean? What could she possibly have to hold over them that was tangible? He’d heard enough mumbo-jumbo about her saving people before she was born, he didn’t know how much of it he actually believed. Even after hearing the old woman’s touching story about Llorveth and Madra.

  He didn’t trust Logren even half as far as he could throw the man, and for a moment he felt conflicted about that too. As much as he hated to admit it, Logren and his men had saved their backsides and gotten them out of the Edgelands. They led them to a safe haven in Rimian, something Finn was relatively sure he’d never have been able to do if they’d been left to their own devices in the tundra. Had Logren and his men not come to their aid, the three of them would probably still be struggling their way across the mountain, assuming they’d actually survived the fight with the hunters.

  The woman, Viina, approached and stood with her arms crossed as Logren scooped their son carefully from the cradle of Lorelei’s arms. There was a hint of sorrow in Lorelei’s expression as he lifted the boy away, and then it disappeared when Viina said, “I hope he didn’t make you too crazy.”

  “Of course not,” Lorelei shook her head, a quick smile drawing at her lips. “It was a joy getting to know my nephew. Considering I never even knew I had one.” She turned a slightly bitter look in Logren’s direction and then returned her eyes to Viina. “He is so beautiful.”

  “Thank you,” the other woman grinned. “He was so very excited to finally meet you. As were we all. It seems a lifetime we have waited for you to come.”

  “I only wish I’d known better what to expect.” That time when she spoke, she purposely avoided Logren’s stare, and Viina held her arms out to take their son from him.

  “I have prepared the guest room in our home for you and your mate.” Viina’s words clenched the muscles in Finn’s stomach, and he quickly looked away. “You are all welcome to stay with us as long as you ar
e here.”

  Lorelei didn’t even acknowledge what she’d said. She only nodded and said thank you before the other woman nestled her little boy’s head against her shoulder and leaned in to say goodnight to her husband. Finn watched Logren lean down to kiss her cheek before whispering in her ear. Whatever he’d said made her snicker and playfully nudge her shoulder into his before she turned away and sauntered casually toward the doors to go home.

  When the last few bodies lingering at the exit filtered through the doors, Bren closed them against the cold night and headed back toward the head table. The old storyteller sat down at the end of the table with an exhausted sigh. Every one of her bones seemed to creak like the floorboards of an old house, and when she lifted her gnarled fingers into the wispy white locks of her hair, she confessed, “I am getting too old to tell such long winded tails to sleeping children.”

  “It’s not just the children you tell those stories to, and you know it,” Hodon chuckled. “We all need a little reminder now and again of where we came from. We spent centuries listening to the U’lfer, believing we were no better than the mud caked on the bottoms of their wretched boots, but we are so much more than that.”

  “That story you told,” Vilnjar leaned forward in his chair, his folded hands gliding across the table with the movement of his body, “I have never heard it before. Where did you learn it?”

  The old woman turned to look at Lorelei, her intense, white blue stare making the girl shy back as if she’d been slapped. The back of her shoulder bumped into Finn’s arm, and he brought his hand up to rest on her opposite shoulder to reassure her that he was there. His touch seemed to startle her, her gaze shooting left to look at the hand touching her. Her heart sped up several paces, he could feel it pulsing, but as soon as she realized it was only him she relaxed a little, but it took a moment for her heart to slow again.