‘Artride?’ After some time a small voice spoke from across the passage.
The queen froze on the spot and remained aloof.
Watching her companion pulling her legs up and rubbing her eyes, Artride started shaking more.
Tirsa looked up, rubbing her head. ‘Oh, there you are.’ She sounded relieved. ‘I must have blacked out. I felt so dizzy all of a sudden. Must have been oxygen loss or something.’ But then she saw how terrified the queen looked and was alarmed. She noticed her own nose bleeding and wiped the red stream away.
‘Whatever’s the matter?’ and she got up, kneeling before her. Artride backed away, clinging to the wall.
‘Back off!’ Artride yelled at Tirsa, showing a rock as a weapon.
Confused, Tirsa shook her head. ‘What? Why? Did something happen while I was unconscious?’ and she peered around cautiously and back to Artride. The next thing she saw were the cuts on the queen’s upper legs and her eyes grew bigger.
‘Who did that to you?’ and Tirsa got up, looking around.
Was this Tirsa or not?
Artride had to admit, she appeared genuinely concerned, unlike the Tirsa of moments ago.
Rising up, she held the rock defiantly in front of her. Tirsa could not help noticing.
‘Artride, talk to me. Why are you behaving like this and why are you angry with me and afraid?’
‘Don’t … don’t you remember?’
‘Remember what? I passed out. What happened? Tell me.’ And she showed the palms of her hands in a powerless gesture.
Carefully she examined Tirsa; her eyes, which shone worried green in the gloomy light, her mouth slightly opened in a tormented way and her body language was clear enough. No, this wasn’t the person who just attacked her moments ago, not at all.
‘Tirsa,’ she held her hand to her mouth. ‘There was someone here … inside your body.’
Dubiously Tirsa said, ‘What? As in taking over my body? Some … spirit controlled my body during the time I was out?’
‘I don’t know how, all I know is that it was a perverse monster using your body to influence me and ravage m–’
‘Gods! Did he succeed?’
Artride swallowed and shook her head. She felt battered and ached all over. Tirsa wrapped her arms carefully around her, hugging her, stroking her back soothingly. Skin to skin, the queen was shaking, closing her eyes both relieved and with marvel, but tearful.
‘No,’ it came out as merely a whisper.
‘And you knocked me out, so he could leave my body?’
‘Assuming it was a “he”.’ Artride said.
‘No woman would do such a thing, I suppose.’
‘I guess you’re right.’ She sobbed.
Holding her head in her hands, Tirsa asked most concerned, ‘Are you alright?’
Artride sighed and said, ‘Let’s just say I am glad you are back.’
Artride suddenly started screaming, aware of something behind Tirsa.
Tirsa felt an intense heat behind her back so turned around quickly.
The first thing that caught her eye was a huge red figure; radiating an enormous heat as if he was on fire. He was twice as tall as both women, and apart from his huge muscled limbs he was squarely built with a square jaw, showing big, pointy, yellow teeth. Hairless, his red bald head contained large pointed ears, rising like two flames upwards. He was naked apart from a black leather loincloth, and the yellow nails on his index-fingers and middle-fingers were as long as swords, and probably just as sharp. As humanoid as he appeared, his eyes, glowing beastlike, were golden red with vertical small black pupils.
Looking in disgust, Tirsa felt sick at the thought that this monster’s soul had entered her body, and even sicker when the thought crossed her mind what he had done to Artride.
‘What have we got here then? A girl?’ he grumbled to Tirsa, who was standing closest to him. ‘Ah, yes,’ as if he remembered and stared at the queen. ‘And a woman.’ Licking his thick red-purple lips.
‘You can imagine if I had appeared to you in my … overwhelming natural shape … I would have startled you and then we wouldn’t have had as much fun as we did,’ he said, accompanied by horrible guffaws.
Artride was startled all the same and Tirsa spoke for her, ‘Who are you and what do you want from us?’
He grinned viciously. ‘Hadn’t I made myself clear enough?’
Distressed she glanced at the queen and back at the monster.
‘What, that you want my body?’ Artride said with disgust.
He raised an eyebrow and paced in front of them, never lowering his eyes.
‘As pleasant as it was, I’d rather remain in my current shape, however …’
‘Then what is it?’ Tirsa said, most irritated with this creature, no matter how frightening he appeared.
‘Do I have to spell it out to you?’ and he glanced with lust in his eyes at the dark- haired woman.
Hotly Tirsa replied, ‘You stay away from my queen, do you hear me?’
‘Or what?’ he retorted stolidly.
‘I am Tirsa Lathabris, commander of the seventh company and sworn bodyguard of queen Artride, Cumhachd of Ceartas. Lay one finger on her again and be sure you will regret the day you were born!’
‘Why, you almost impressed me with that! Weren’t it for the lack of weapons ... Now … I for one am fully equipped.’ And he demonstrated his long sharp nails. Are you sure you want to stand up against me?’
‘No doubt you have magic at your side as well, but I have something else …’Tirsa said.
‘Which is?’ he grumbled curiously.
‘My faith.’
He laughed roughly. ‘Oh, I see, like that will make a difference against my strength … well you can still make up your mind. You are better off the easy way. It is less … embarrassing.’
‘What is this all about, really?’ Artride asked sternly. ‘If I give myself to you, then what? We get to continue our way safely and see the sorceress at last?’
‘Sounds like a deal to me.’
‘You sick monster!’ Tirsa fired.
‘Thank you for the compliment! But it is of no concern to you. It seems like your queen does not resent the idea, does she?’
‘I want nothing to do with you! If you do not want to show us the way to Sempervirens, leave us alone and let us resume our path.’
‘Such a shame. We could have so much fun, the three of us.’
‘Artride, don’t reason with him,’ Tirsa said when she saw her losing her temper, and she whispered, ‘Don’t give him that pleasure. I will deal with him.’
‘I have no intention of giving him any pleasure! Here is a person who must learn to control his lust!’ she barked at him.
He cocked his head and it appeared he listened to her.
‘You cannot just take anything you want; especially not when it concerns living beings. I suppose you work for Sempervirens and you are lonely out here, perhaps; but really this is no way to treat anyone, certainly not a lady. You must get a grip of yourself and … fight your own demons.’
Artride looked as if she just realized something. Well, it had sounded a bit awkward, since he had all the qualities of a demon himself.
‘Hmm, fight my own demons … that is certainly new to me. You don’t want to fight me, then?’
‘Why should I? It looks like you, yourself have a major problem to solve,’ Artride stated.
Tirsa exchanged a dubious glance with her like she was saying: what are you doing? But she gave her a reassuring look back. ‘Don’t worry, I have everything under control.’ Control.
She pondered about that. Artride had almost zero control as a queen, but in her private life she seemed not so unfortunate; she had both men and women crawling at her feet, begging for her attention, a look, a kind word, a smile and at best her friendship and love. And she had the power to turn them down or embrace them. When she wanted a lover she never had to look far. A true friend could cause problems, for then she h
ad to be honest, but physical needs and simple satisfaction, no. She could have that at any time, any place. That the Law Book had a problem with that part when it ever came to light, was certainly an obstacle, but not a closed door. Control. Perhaps her only control in life was to make up for the loss; to have her desires and wishes granted and never before this journey had she looked upon that with a serious critical eye, and with a conscience.
Facing the demon, Artride realized it for the first time, truly. She was very much like him, perhaps she even created him unknowingly. Being in a magical land this was not unlikely. However, she had never treated anyone this unfair or demanded things they did not want themselves. Well, she didn’t have to, being desirable. And with those tools she had misused her position and what was worse, misused the people involved; even Tirsa.
She swallowed hard, trying to swallow away the nasty taste she had in her mouth.
‘I guess that you and I are not that dissimilar,’ Artride started and the demon folded his arms in front of his chest, listening to what she had to say, remaining calm and certain of himself.
‘You want me, but you forget to think about the consequences of your acts. I have done that and worse; ignoring the pain and trouble you cause the other. But you can’t just do what you do because of who you are. Being a queen does not make me holy and being who you are does not mean you can’t be turned down. You are strong, powerful obviously and no match for me. But try to begin to understand what it will be like for me if you treat me like dirt, because of your own simple needs.’
The demon narrowed his eyes somewhat. ‘Do you think I was made this way to be kind and thoughtful? I mean, look at me …’ he said acidly.
‘Why not alter your direction; turn your strength into something positive? I can assure you, you will feel better yourself as well. Doing good always does.’ She bit her lip against the hurt she felt inside of her, like she was talking to herself. What good have I ever done for others?
He grumbled. ‘Aah, for the likes of you perhaps, but … you are just trying to get inside my head. Lady, I was born to be like this. This … is my fate.’
‘Do not talk to me about fate!’ Artride remarked hotly and Tirsa warned her again with her eyes, worried that the demon would attack like he said he would. He was just giving them time.
‘You say we’re all victims to the whims of fate, but I say we can change and shape our own fate if we are strong and determined enough. You just have to see it! A vast road lies before us, I agree, but we personally have to decide for ourselves which fork we take. We do not have to stick to that one straight road. We do have a free will. Who told you to be like this anyway? Tell me, have you ever hurt a being before?’ Artride asked him with a sudden light in her eyes. Tirsa listened with curiosity.
‘A being?’
‘Yes, any living creature?’
‘Like a salamander for my supper?’
‘Yes, for your supper. How did that make you feel, to kill?’
‘I feel nothing. It’s over with a simple trample under my foot.’ And he gave power to this by heavily dropping his foot so that the cave tunnel shuddered and small rocks fell.
‘I see, perhaps because it is too small for you to see into its tiny wonderful eyes. Have you ever caused harm to something bigger?’ Artride said.
He looked scornful as if she had hit a sensitive nerve.
‘I have no lust in talking about this.’ And he stood tall.
‘No, because it is inconvenient.’
‘Irrelevant.’ He corrected her roughly.
‘Inconvenient, because when you do harm you don’t want to feel. If you did, you would have no supper, right?’
‘Right. I need to kill to survive.’ He agreed plainly.
‘Are you a carnivore?’
‘A … what?’
‘Let me see your teeth.’
Tirsa stared in shock at her, what was she doing?
He grinned and she could see he had pretty much the same teeth as hers, apart from the somewhat longer corner teeth.
‘Hmm, you do not have to eat meat to survive, I see.’ Artride happily continued, ‘Now, tell me; do you absolutely need … to ravage me in order to survive?’
The weight of her words was almost sensible in the cave chamber. Even Tirsa could feel its impact.
The monster’s eyes grew big and bulgy, and as if he was in pain he raised his hands to his head and started screaming loudly. As if fighting his own demons, he struggled and moved about, kicking with both feet and hands, roaring: ‘Survive!’
Artride stepped back and came to stand next to her bodyguard.
In the end he laid his hands upon his heart and with his long nails he started slashing and digging into his own chest, blood poured out richly. He was tearing apart his own chest. With terrible screams, he at last pulled out his own pulsing red heart and showed it to them. In awe and disgust they looked away. Blood started pouring out of his mouth and he never stopped laughing. The huge creature staggered, collapsing and falling forwards in front of their feet with an enormous thud.
And then silence.
The queen refused to look. Tirsa was wide-eyed, gasping for breath, trying to fathom what had just happened.
After a small moment she turned to her, saying with a pale face, ‘I’d say, yes to answer your question; he did need to ravage you for his own survival.’ And she swallowed away the fear and tension she had felt, proud of Artride having defeated the beast by herself with no other weapon than her intelligence and power to reason.
The queen stared numbly at her and then at the fallen demon.
‘What made him change his mind, or even kill himself? My words?’ Artride said incredulously.
‘It does seem that way,’ Tirsa nodded eagerly. ‘Perhaps after your words he realized his fate in hurting others for Sempervirens to be so aimless; perhaps even the fact that he wasn’t free to decide made something inside of him snap.’
Artride whispered, ‘Or perhaps he understood the evil of his deeds,’ and she sighed, saying after a moment’s thought, ‘I want to leave this place, come on.’ And she walked away.
Before following her, Tirsa noticed a glittering from the corner of her eye. It was from the body of the demon. She took a better look and found the source; it came from the side of his neck, she bend down to get cautiously closer.
‘What’s taking you so long?’ She heard Artride asking.
‘I think I’ve found something.’ And Artride kneeled at the red body too; still radiating heat.
Tiirsa pulled at a golden necklace they hadn’t noticed before, tugging hard at it. It broke and it revealed a sort of amulet; a yellow, faintly glowing stone in the shape of an arrow-point.
‘Be careful, Tirsa. Better to leave it alone.’
Suddenly when she held the amulet in her hand to observe it better, she felt it getting warmer until it became oppressively hot. So hot Tirsa had to drop it.
On the floor it started turning and the yellow light grew brighter. Both stood up, alarmed and took a step back.
‘Now what?’ Tirsa said a little irritated, but curious at the same time.
Turning and rotating it finally held still, with the point in the direction they were heading.
Exchanging glances they thought the same; was this some sort of compass?
Reaching for the amulet, it slid forward, out of Artride’s reach. Surprised she tried once more, but it headed on.
‘Looks like it wants us to follow,’ Tirsa indicated.
‘And that is what we will do, for we both know where to,’ the other woman remarked determinedly.
CHAPTER 16
MIRROR OF SOULS
Look into the mirror of your soul; love and hate are one in all.
Sacrifice turns to revenge and believe me you’ll see the face who says
I love you … I’ll kill you … but I’ll love you forever.
Enigma
Damp narrow passages, cold wide spaces, brown stone and water dr
ipping from the many huge stalactites; everything you would suspect from a cave such as this. However, something wasn’t right.
Magic illuminated from the cave walls; a faint glow on the rocks around them so that they could see each other dimly. And magic had been in the previous strange events, so it meant they were going in the right direction, but it felt precarious. The two women were still following the glowing yellow arrow-like amulet, which was rapidly sliding over the floor, deeper into the heart of the cave. Hours had passed and they had seen tunnel after tunnel, all looking the same, and for all they knew they were going in circles. Exhaustion and thirst began to take over. And still the amber compass moved on.
‘Artride … we have to … stop a … moment.’ Tirsa panted heavily, running behind the queen.
‘I’d like to … but … we have to follow it!’
The bodyguard passed her and quickly stepped on top of the compass with her bare foot. She felt the heat pulsating under her skin, but slowly it died out.
‘I hope we can get it going again,’ Artride said, rather disappointed.
Tirsa aimed a surprised glance at her and said through gasps, ‘We have been following this thing for the past hours. I wonder if it’s really taking us to her.’
‘We agreed on following it.’
‘But not until we both drop dead. Let’s rest awhile before continuing.’
They both sat down. Artride sighed. ‘Very well. At least I do feel warmer from all this running.’
‘You definitely are in good shape,’ she remarked kindly.
‘For a queen; you were going to say?’
Tirsa smiled lightly. ‘No, I wasn’t going to say that.’
‘I try to stay in shape; as any person of my age should.’
“I can see that,” Tirsa would have wanted to remark, glancing properly at the queen’s well toned arms and legs, and even her flat, firm stomach proved what she had said. This was no shabby, overweight young queen. She wasn’t as muscled and tight as the much endured soldier Tirsa was, but then again she already had guessed, even with her cloths still on, to be fit.
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