Beyond the Bridge

by C D Beaudin

  Awyn notices Aradon isn’t taking part in the conversation. She and Dreema walk up to the thrones, their heads bowed. Neodyn notices. “Awyn! Did you have a nice ride, this morning?” He looks at the wizard. “Oh, it’s you.”

  Awyn lifts her head, slightly confused at his reaction. “Neo, this is—”

  “Dreema!” Kaniel says in disbelief. He holds out his arms to hug him.

  “Kaniel, it’s been so long, decades in fact.” The old friends hug. “How have you been?”

  “Taking care of this one.” He points to Aradon, whose eyes widen in surprise. “He’s quite a handful.” Dreema walks over to Aradon and looks into his eyes. Awyn’s brow crinkles as beads of sweat form on the Red Warrior’s forehead. Both he and Dreema are completely still.

  Awyn’s eyes dart when she hears a voice.

  “You have a secret that haunts you. Something you will hide with your life. I know what the demon is. You must know what this secret will do to you and the future of this world. Hide it dearly, and so will I.”

  It was Dreema, but he wasn’t addressing her, and she looks at Aradon.

  As if on cue, the Red Warrior leaves the hall in a flurry. Awyn is flustered herself, not knowing what in Mortal just happened. Did she just hear a thought?

  Why? How is that even possible?

  Later that night, everyone but Aradon gathers in the throne room. They haven’t seen him all night. Awyn herself didn’t want to come, but she’s here nonetheless.

  Among the men, there are talks of strategies and tricks, but it all flies over Awyn’s head. She yawns but she needs to come up with something to offer before she is completely shut out of the conversation.

  “Dreema has offered to help us,” she says, but as soon as Neodyn flinches, she realizes it was a poor start. “He knows Tamon very well, as he was Daron’s special advisor for a time. I think he could be of help.” She smiles at the wizard.

  Neodyn sounds hesitant, “Look, Awyn. Dreema has been somewhat of a thorn in our side for many years now.”

  The wizard huffs, crossing his arms. “I only complain to you because you won’t restore the temple,” he says defensively.

  “We can’t restore that old building because we spent so much money on rebuilding the city!” Neodyn sits up, his face becoming red.

  “Then maybe you should have thought about that before you rebuilt! You claim you did it for the temple, but you have no care for the Old Faith!”

  “How dare you,” Neodyn taken aback, fumes with rage.

  Lilyara, strokes her husband’s hand gently, trying to calm him down. “Darling, maybe we should take a break. Dreema, is just voicing his concerns like every other citizen.” Her voice is soft.

  “But he talks like he’s the king!” Neodyn says as he rubs his temples, gesturing to the Arland.

  “Well, a man of his standing has a teeny tiny bit of authority, doesn’t he?”

  Neodyn looks up at his wife, whose brown eyes are filled with understanding. Neodyn sighs, looking at Dreema. “We would be happy to have you help us,” he says rather half-heartedly. He turns to Awyn. “Though, I’m still not sure what we’d be helping you with.”

  “I-uh…I need your army.” Her voice is quiet, nervous at what her friend will think.

  Neodyn looks to his wife, and Lilyara smiles in approval. He cups her hand, looking back at Awyn. “Well, then. We would be happy to lend our army.”

  Awyn breathes out a shaky breath, tears pricking her eyes. For the first time in nine years, the hope seems to be real. Kaniel smiles, and Dreema, standing beside his old friend, pats his shoulder in triumph.

  She almost doesn’t notice the uncertainty in his eyes.

  Almost.

  “Thank you. My father would be so grateful, as am I.” She smiles, bowing before she exits the hall toward a passageway, and into her room.

  She sits on her bed, remembering an old passage from a book she read years ago.

  With my own blood I will win the battle.

  With my own blood I will be shed. With my own blood I will die for all that is good.

  With blood the war shall end.

  It’s an old saying from the First Age, the stories say it was said before the Five Kings went into battle. Told to give the kings bravery and the blessings of the Spirits in battle, as well as in life. The kings would slice their hand, the blood dripping into a goblet, and would then mark their foreheads with that blood. While she doesn’t believe in the Spirits, Awyn respects the tradition. She would consider performing the act, but she’s lost too much blood and doesn’t feel like parting from any more. Awyn can’t afford to be irrational. She can’t afford to believe.

  She has a war to win.

  Chapter Nine

  In the woods, Awyn and Neodyn walk, catching up without any other presence. Awyn wears another new dress, this time white, and a colorful belt with her hair braided and tied with a blue ribbon. With sandals on her feet, she notices how much more comfortable they are instead of no shoes at all. Neodyn’s beside her in plain brown pants and a white, long sleeved shirt, his black belt armed with his sword as they walk.

  He looks more like a man than a king, and he always acts differently too. Awyn isn’t as fond of King Neodyn, though, he is fair and just. But she’d much rather talk with the boy she grew up with, the boy she used to tease.

  She likes that Neodyn much more.

  The woods are bright with life. Green leaves glow in the bright sunshine above, casting a green ghost upon the forest floor, the grass and moss soft from last night’s rain. The tall trees rise high to the sky, the leaves seeming a mile away. Their rich colored bark covered in soft moss. Rabbits and squirrels scatter along the ground, and the rattle of a woodpecker in the distance echoes through the forest.

  “It’s so much brighter than the Dark Woods,” Awyn comments as she looks at the beauty around her.

  “I’ve been to those woods. Just passing by, but they are menacing even from the outside,” Neodyn says as he too looks at the beauty around them.

  Awyn, nervous about him asking more questions, changes the subject. “You know, when I was younger, I had a bit of a crush on you.” Awyn smiles, thinking back to those sweet, innocent days.

  Neodyn chuckles. “You don’t think I knew?”

  Awyn looks at him in surprise. “What?” she says breathlessly, hearing this for the first time.

  “Oh yeah. You weren’t exactly trying to hide it. You blushed every time I came into the room, and don’t even get me started on the giggling.”

  Awyn scoffs.

  But Neodyn smiles, amused.

  “I’m so embarrassed.” Her cheeks grow hot and flush with color.

  “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I mean, what girl wouldn’t want all this manliness?” He lifts his chin in mock superiority. Awyn raises her eyebrows, and he glances down at her. They laugh, Neodyn wrapping his arm around her.

  “I’m glad I found you,” Awyn says. “All those years in the cell, I had to constantly remind myself of my past in fear I would forget everything and everyone. I said names over and over again. I described the plains in front of the palace to fall asleep.”

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that, Awyn.”

  She looks at the ground, a somberness cloaking her. In another world, another time, she might be his queen, or at least engaged and madly in love.

  But reality is much different.

  When she sees him look at Lilyara, Awyn knows she has his heart. Awyn may have his past, but that’s all she’ll ever own of him.

  “You know, let’s not dwell on the past.” He turns, facing her.

  “The past is my present. Dwelling is all I seem to do lately,” she says, her voice small and quiet. “It seems as though my birth has cursed the world.”

  “No, no.” He places his hand gently on her cheek. “No, Awyn. Don’t give yourself so much credit. One person can’t do that much damage.”

  Awyn looks at him, feeling doubtful.

&n
bsp; He chuckles. “Well, except maybe an evil, all-powerful, wickedly-manipulative sorceress... Just off the top of my head.”

  She laughs, happy to be around him again. He always managed to make her laugh, even when she was sad.

  Birds sing through the trees. Leaves rustle in the gentle breeze. A loud cackle of a hawk calls against the sky, and a gentle trickle of water sounds in the near distance. Neodyn takes Awyn’s hand. “Come. Let me show you something.” He helps her step up onto a large rock.

  “Where are you taking me?” she asks, her smile feels like it’s permanently affixed to her face now. He walks her through some hanging leaves, revealing a pond. The blue water sparkles.

  “Take your sandals off,” he says as he hops down, extending his hand for Awyn to take, and she carefully steps down from the ledge.

  “It’s beautiful!” she exclaims as she walks to the water’s edge. “How did you find this place?” She looks up at Neodyn.

  “I didn’t live in Mera all my childhood. I lived here until I was eleven, then I moved to Kevah to study. I used to swim here all the time. It’s my secret place.”

  Awyn smirks, and suddenly feels coy.

  He chuckles. “What?”

  “You showed me your secret place?” she teases as if she was a crushing kid again.

  Neodyn scoffs playfully. “Well, you were my cute friend. I think, if our roles were reversed, you would have done the same.”

  “You mean, not kill you? I was so annoying, I’m surprised you didn’t cut me down the moment I revealed myself in the throne room.”

  Neodyn laughs, shaking his head at her.

  She sighs. “Who knows? If none of this happened, I probably would be married to—” She looks up at Neodyn, who nods slightly. The playful atmosphere switches to something more serious…even slightly hostile, in a strange way.

  “Well, we’re here now, so...let us not dwell on what could have been.” He glances at Awyn, a twinkle in his eyes. A smirk grows on his face, and he pulls her arm, throwing her into the pool. All at once the hostility evaporates, now they’re back to playing. When she emerges from the water coughing and spluttering, she’s ready for revenge.

  “You—!” she yells.

  Neodyn stands there, his chiselled jaw open to let out his charming laugh. Awyn ducks under the water and suddenly she reaches her hand up, pulling on his leg, and yanks him into the pond.

  He yells in surprise, submerging under the water.

  Awyn laughs as he emerges, his hair over his eyes. “Ha! Oh, here. Let me help you.” She pushes up his brown bangs, revealing his green eyes. “There.” She smiles.

  He grabs the edge of the rock pond, his fingers touching the wet top. “So, you are glad I showed you this place?” he asks softly.

  Awyn looks down, biting her lip.

  “N-now. You can’t do that,” his voice almost breaks, his breath catching. His voice turns to a whisper. “I can’t think straight when you do that,” he says.

  Awyn stares at him, not breaking eye contact.

  He tucks a strand of her wet hair behind her ear. “I can’t think straight when I see you.”

  “Neo. I-we, can’t do this. It’s not right.”

  He places his hand on her cheek. “I know but...it’s still nice to...get a glimpse of what could have been.”

  Awyn understands, and a small smile crosses her lips. She puts her hand on his shoulder. “What could have been is only a dream. Reality is, you are in a loving relationship with your wife, and I am on the road to claiming back my kingdom. Reality is... Happiness, whether one thinks they have it or not, is a fantasy.”

  “Only a fantasy?” He looks at her with calm eyes.

  She stands on her tiptoes on the pool floor, and places her hands on his cheeks, gently kissing his forehead. When she pulls away, he looks into her eyes, not breaking contact. “Only a fantasy,” she repeats. She must protect him, and herself. If she ever revealed that she may still love him, Revera would surely act upon that. It stops her from doing anything she may regret, and she forces her gaze away.

  Her reality has never been a fantasy. Her reality has been stone-cold frozen in time for nine years, and it will take all her strength to not let it stay that way.

  But whatever way she looks at her life, there is only oneway she can picture this war ending.

  In her death.

  Perhaps she’s being overly-dramatic, but it isn’t insane for her to think this war will end in her demise. Awyn is not that hopeful anymore. In that cell, she’d actually started hoping for her death. It seemed like the easier option. This war, this battle. It won’t end well. Awyn knows Revera, how she thinks. She won’t just let them come into the kingdom and take it. She will fight back. Even if all the Meran soldiers refuse to fight for her, she will have an army deadlier than any king could summon: The Sanarx.

  Revera would tell Awyn about her plans for Mera. She would go to the Last Lieutenant and ask him for his army. She would stop anyone from taking Mera. But the way she spoke, the way her eyes were, Awyn knew there was more to her plan, as if...she might be planning something bigger.

  Back at the palace, Awyn and Neodyn avoid eye contact and directly speaking to each other while they plan their attack on Kevah. Aradon is at one end of the long table, with Kaniel across from Awyn, who sits beside Eldowyn, the king and queen at the head of the table. A long map spreads across the oak.

  “If we go along the Ceo River, then we can take the road through Vergo’s Pass.” Eldowyn runs his finger along the black ink river on the map.

  Awyn shakes her head. “No. Vergo’s Pass is where the beacons are. Tamon would know we’re there before we stepped foot on Meran soil.” She looks at the map closer. “What if we went through Winter’s Pass?”

  The whole group looks shocked, as if she’s finally lost her mind. Even Neodyn. “Awyn, Winter’s Pass is a suicide path. We wouldn’t make it out alive,” Aradon says, consternation written all over his face and bearing.

  “Yes, but what if we did make it out alive?” She sees they’re confused, so she traces with her finger. “See, if we went through Cannan Forest, we would have to get past my uncle with a full army. If we went along Ceo, the beacons would be lit faster than we could blink. But, if we went through Winter’s Pass, the snow would cover us, and we could slip into the Dark Woods unnoticed.”

  “The Dark Woods? Are you sure?” Aradon asks.

  She sighs. “Um, well, we can always have you and Eldowyn take out the five guards at each beacon on either side of Vergo’s Pass. But Winter’s Pass is still our best option for getting into Mera without being detected.”

  The Red Warrior nods in hesitant approval. “She’s right. If we go through the pass into the woods, we’d be at Kevah in a matter of days.” He gestures to the route. “It’s our best option.” He straightens up. “It’s our only option.”

  Aradon, Kaniel, and Eldowyn exchange glances.

  “Eldowyn, you look hesitant, is there something troubling you?” Kaniel asks.

  The elf looks at the map. “Winter’s Pass. It’s a long and dangerous road. It’s the perfect spot for an ambush. I can’t help but wonder...where is Kepp?”

  An awkward silence rests among the group. “Why would Kepp’s whereabouts matter here?” Lilyara asks.

  “There’s no doubt he’s with Revera. If she knows what route we will take, then what’s to stop Kepp from attacking us?” Eldowyn ponders, no trace of emotion in his voice.

  Neodyn snickers, making Eldowyn look at him with surprise and a hint of anger. “What’s funny?”

  “Oh well, it’s just that one man against an entire army? He doesn’t stand a chance,” the king says.

  “With an army of Dalorin behind him? Sanarx? Tarken? No, King Neodyn. We are the ones who wouldn’t stand a chance.”

  The room is silent.

  Awyn, feeling dismay, slams her fist on the table, causing surprised jolts from the people around her. “We can’t let the slight chance of an ambush
stop us! We must move forward. I have already wasted enough time, no more can be lost!” She pleads with them, but she does not beg. She refuses to beg.

  Neodyn sighs. “Awyn, you know I would do anything for you, but the fact of the matter is, there is just no way of getting to Kevah. I can’t risk my men’s lives when a full-fledged war might be brewing.”

  “But Neo, your kingdom isn’t under attack. Mine is. And it’s been for years now. My people deserve safety and a better life than my uncle is giving them. I cannot condone his actions any longer. I already regret not doing anything sooner.”

  “You couldn’t have done anything,” Aradon’s voice is soft, and she’s grateful for it.

  She looks back at Neodyn. “Please, Neo. Please.”

  The king’s eyes are dark, his queen’s the same. “I’m sorry, Awyn. But I just…I can’t.”

  Feeling disappointed—angry—Awyn stands up straight. She forces herself not to cry. She won’t cry in front of them—in front of Neodyn. Grabbing one of the small maps from the table, she rolls it up. “I will be heading to bed now. I wish not to be interrupted.”

  She walks out of the room, rushing down the hall to her bedroom, quickly shutting the door. Throwing herself onto the bed, she sobs into her pillow.

  All her hope is gone. In one second.

  And Neodyn, of all people, took it away. She can’t be more furious. It hurts that Neodyn was the one to take it away. Or maybe it was never there to begin with, maybe she was just fooling herself—

  “You can’t give up, Awyn. You mustn’t let them discourage you. Walk to the temple tonight. There, Dreema will be waiting. He will help you in this quest of yours. Be safe.”

  Awyn sits up, the voice in her head disappearing but she instantly knows who it was. “Raea?”

  She rushes to her drawers, grabbing blankets and some warmer clothes. Shoving them into her bag, she ties on a dark blue cloak, the fabric falling over her shoulders, and almost touching the floor. She pulls the hood over her head, and grabbing her sword given to her by the Kawa elder, she heads out of the room.