by Shawn Sodman
Sven, struggling to control his thoughts, says, “Her name is unimportant.”
Fidelma becomes intrigued and asks, “Sven, how many unimportant women were there? I can feel you fighting me—don't—show them to me now. How many women have you bedded?”
Sven puts his hands over his head and begs, “Please stop.” However, he is not able to stop the memories from coming.
Fidelma then asks, “Did you ever care for any of them?”
“Of course Sven did,” he manages to say while struggling to fight Fidelma's spell.
“Did you ever love them?” she asks.
The question brings Sven's thoughts to Lyra. Fidelma looks to the young Amazon sitting on the bench nearby and says to Sven, “It's her, isn't it?”
“Please stop,” Sven begs again as he falls to his knees. Lyra watches nervously from a distance. While she can see Sven on his knees, she cannot hear what they are saying.
Fidelma absorbs the memories of the last few weeks. “You are in love with this girl,” she says as she ends the spell.
Fidelma starts to walk towards Lyra as Sven gets to his feet and says, “Fidelma, leave her alone.”
She stops and says to him, “I’m not going to hurt her. I just want to properly introduce myself.” She approaches Lyra as Sven quickly joins them. Fidelma says to her, “I’m sorry about earlier. That was rude of me.” Lyra stands up as Fidelma extends her hand and says, “My name is Fidelma McMurphy.”
Lyra, unsure of the change in Fidelma's demeanor, shakes her hand. “I am Lyra, from the house of Dri'el.”
Fidelma laughs. “Sven has told me all about you, or at least his thoughts did. I feel like I’ve known you as long as he has.”
Sven says, “There is no need for talking. Sven and Lyra will go now.”
“Don't go yet,” Fidelma says as Sven puts his arm around Lyra to lead her away. “Just wanted to talk to her. I think it’s great that you found someone you care for.”
“Really?” Sven asks as Fidelma stands in their way, preventing them from leaving.
“Yes,” says Fidelma. “It’s far better to be with someone special than to just lie with women, you know, like the hundreds of women you slept with before meeting her.”
“There will be no more of this,” Sven says as he once again tries to leave.
Fidelma walks next to them as they make their way across the docks. She says, “Sven is really sweet when he wants to be. I remember reading to him as we curled up next to each other.”
Lyra stops walking and listens to Fidelma's story. Sven says, “Do not pay attention to her.”
Fidelma mischievously grins, knowing that she has hooked Lyra in. She continues, “Sven loved it when I read to him. Of course, I didn't know it at the time, but he knew how to read. He just used it as an excuse to get close to me.”
Suddenly Lyra begins to feel ill. She turns to Sven and asks, “You can read?”
Sven places his hand on her shoulder and replies, “Sven tried to tell you that he could read, but you did not believe him.”
Lyra thinks for a moment. While she knows Fidelma is just trying to cause trouble, Lyra cannot help but feel betrayed. She says, “You told me once. After that you let me believe a lie this whole time.”
Sven can feel Lyra slipping away from him. He says to her, “Sven never meant to deceive Lyra. You only read to Sven twice.”
As Lyra ponders this, Fidelma says, “I’m sure Sven didn't mean any harm, and I’m certain that when he was keeping you warm in the mountains he never thought of doing more.”
“Of course not,” Sven protests. “Lyra, don't you see what she is doing?”
“I am only speaking the truth,” Fidelma says innocently. “It’s not my fault that you had a difficult time sleeping next to her.”
Lyra looks up at Sven. Dismayed, she says, “You said that you weren't able to sleep well because you were sleeping on a rock.”
Fidelma says under her breath, “Well, he certainly was sleeping on something hard.”
“Enough!” Sven snaps. Lyra and Fidelma are both surprised by his sudden outburst. Sven says angrily to Fidelma, “You have said enough. Now, please leave us.”
“All right,” Fidelma says. “I didn't mean to cause any problems.”
Sven doesn't respond as Fidelma turns and walks away. Lyra finally says, “I should be going now.”
“Please, don't be angry with Sven,” he says.
Lyra takes a deep breath before saying, “I’m not angry, but I am disappointed. I thought I knew you better, but I was wrong.”
“What were you wrong about?” Sven asks.
“Everything,” answers Lyra. She looks up at him and says, “You need a woman who can give you what I cannot.”
“Only thing Sven needs is you.”
“I am sorry, Sven, but I believe we need different things,” she says before taking a moment to gather herself. “Thank you for guiding us across the mountains. We wouldn't have made it without you, but I think it is time we said goodbye.”
Sven, realizing that there is nothing he can say that will change her mind, bows his head and says, “If that is your wish, Lyra, then Sven will say goodbye.”
Lyra slowly turns and starts to walk away as Fidelma approaches Sven. Lyra enters the east gate to the castle grounds. Fidelma says, “I hope it wasn't something I said.”
Sven watches Lyra walk out of sight and says, “Sven did everything you asked of him. He showed you past. You saw that Sven was telling truth and did not remember that night. Why did you say those things to Lyra? Sven thought that you had forgiven him.”
“Forgive you?” Fidelma asks. “Oh no,” she laughs. “I may have finally been able to see once and for all that you were telling the truth about your memory. But while you may not remember that night, my friend, Ariella, does.” Sven looks at Fidelma, confused. She explains, “You see, I saw what you did with her through her memories. They were quite vivid, actually.” Fidelma stares Sven down. He can see the disdain for him in her eyes. She says angrily, “I watched you make love to her over and over again. So, while I may believe you, Sven Litburg, I will never forgive you.”
Sven stands there in silence. Fidelma turns to walk away when she sees Chance approaching. He is carrying a bouquet of flowers and is on his way to the Red Dawn that is docked nearby. Chance asks them, “Do you two know each other?”
Fidelma laughs and replies, “Ask him.”
Chance reaches them and looks at his distraught friend. “Are you all right?” he asks.
“No,” Sven replies. “Chance, this is Fidelma McMurphy, my former fiancée.”
“That is where I have heard your name before,” Chance says to her. “I knew it sounded familiar.”
Fidelma asks, “So, the two of you are friends, then?”
Sven, still downtrodden, replies, “Yes, Chance is Sven's best friend.”
Fidelma begins to realize the implications of this. She smiles to herself and says to Chance, “So he told you about me, then. Did he tell you why we broke our engagement?”
“Yes,” Chance answers. “He explained to me that the night before the wedding that he had gotten drunk and slept with...” Chance turns to Sven and says, “You said that you slept with a red-headed woman, her best friend.”
“Yes,” Sven says, not realizing that there is any connection between Chance and the red-headed woman, Ariella. Fidelma stands back and watches with a smile as Chance begins to put all the information together.
Chance looks at Fidelma and says, “If Sven slept with your best friend the night before the wedding, then that means the red-headed woman is...” Chance turns his gaze to the Red Dawn. Standing on the deck is Ariella. She waves to Chance and begins to make her way down the plank to the docks.
Fidelma quietly says to herself, “This just got a lot more interesting.”
Sven does not notice Ariella as she makes her way closer, but when she sees Sven, Ariella asks, “What’s he doing here?”
&nb
sp; Sven looks at Ariella. “You are red-headed woman.”
“Yes,” Chance says. “This red-headed woman is Ariella Stormrage.”
Fidelma watches in delight as Sven begins to realize what Chance already knows. Sven says, “Wait, Ariella Stormrage is Red Beard’s daughter.”
“Yes,” Chance confirms.
“What about it?” Ariella asks. “What's going on?”
Sven says to Chance, “That means that red-headed woman is Ariella you used to tell Sven about.”
“Yes,” Chance nods.
Ariella, frustrated, says, “Would someone please tell me what’s happening?”
Fidelma says, “Oh, it's nothing. It just turns out that Sven and Chance are good friends.”
“So?” Ariella asks.
“Is it true?” Chance asks Ariella.
“Is what true?” she asks.
Chance cannot help but feel a deep sense of disappointment. He asks, “Is it true that you went to bed with Sven the night before he was to be married?”
Ariella can now tell that Chance is upset. She takes his hand and explains, “I didn't know that he was supposed to get married the next day. It was a mistake, Chance, one that I have been paying the price for ever since. It was a long time ago, and has nothing to do with us.” She looks down at the flowers in Chance's hands.
Chance says, “These are for you.” He hands her the bouquet. “I should go now.”
“Chance, please don't leave,” Ariella begs. “Not like this.”
“I'm sorry,” he replies. “This was a mistake. Goodbye, Ariella.” Chance turns to leave.
“Chance!” she calls to him, but he continues to walk away.
Sven follows behind Chance, leaving the two women alone on the dock. Fidelma laughs quietly and Ariella asks, “What do find so funny about this?”
Fidelma replies, “I think it's fitting that your actions have finally caused you the same kind of pain that they caused me.”
Ariella, becoming angry, asks, “So, it makes you happy to know that Chance is angry with me?”
“Relax,” replies Fidelma. “Chance will get over it. It's not like you were engaged.”
“I can't believe you,” Ariella snaps. “After everything that I’ve done to try to make things right, no matter how many times I say that I’m sorry, you just can't let go of the past.” Fidelma stands there silently. Ariella continues, “If that's the way it's going to be, then we’re done.” Ariella begins head back toward her ship.
Fidelma says, “What do you mean, 'we’re done?'”
Ariella turns and yells, “I mean that our deal is off! No money for you, and I'll be damned if I ever let you see Corthag's book again.”
Ariella turns away as Fidelma calls out, “You can't do that, we had an arrangement.”
“Watch me,” Ariella barks back before walking up the plank to the Red Dawn.
As Fidelma begins to walk back to her ship, she mutters to herself, “You are making a big mistake, Ariella.”
Chapter 47
Drying Out
In the courtyard of the castle, the Amazons of the Silver Moon have set up an encampment for themselves. Nearly two dozen of them continue to cast the spell that keeps the skies above Sheathelm clear. Gelana and Yentroc are now a part of the ritual casting. Evelena is sitting nearby awaiting her turn when she sees Lyra, still soaked, approaching.
Evelena stands and walks behind Yentroc. She taps her shoulder and says softly, “I'll fill your spot. It looks like Lyra may need you.”
Yentroc, continuing to hold the hands of the Amazons next to her in the circle, looks back at Lyra. “Oh, no,” Yentroc says softly. “I wonder what happened.”
“Go find out,” Evelena says. “I'll take over now.”
“Thank you,” Yentroc says as she steps out of the circle. Evelena steps forward and takes the hands of the two Amazons that are now at her sides. Va'leen is one of the women, and as Evelena takes her hand, Va'leen looks back at Lyra and watches as Yentroc puts her arm around her friend before leading her back to their tent. Va'leen, with a smirk on her face, looks back at the ground before closing her eyes once again to concentrate on the spell.
Inside their tent, Yentroc asks Lyra, “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Yes,” answers Lyra as she sits on a nearby crate.
“Where’s Sven?” Yentroc asks as Kel'ana and Ja'noa enter the tent.
Kel'ana asks, “What happened?”
Before she can answer, Kristieana enters the tent, along with Rehma. Kristieana asks the same question that Lyra has yet to be able to answer. “What happened? Are you all right?”
With all of her friends there except Gelana and Evelena, Lyra now feels even more embarrassed. She answers, “I’m fine. I just fell in a tide pool, that’s all.”
Yentroc sits next to her friend and asks, “Where’s Sven?”
“I don't know,” Lyra answers as she begins to untwist her hair.
The others wait for Lyra to say more. When she does not, Yentroc asks, “What do you mean, you don't know?”
Lyra takes a deep breath before answering. “I don't know where he is now, and I don't care. When we were at the docks, we ran into his former fiancée. She had some questions about their past, so she read his mind.”
Yentroc asks, “With a spell?”
Rehma says, “Of course with a spell. How else would you read someone's mind?”
“I’m just making sure,” says Yentroc. “Then what happened?”
Lyra says, “After that, she introduced herself to me. She seemed nice, or at least she did at first.”
“What did she say to you?” asks Kristieana.
“She told me about how she used to read to Sven,” Lyra says.
Yentroc states, “Just like you.”
Lyra nods and adds, “Then she informed me that Sven already knows how to read.”
“What did Sven say about all this?” asks Yentroc.
“He said it was true,” Lyra answers. She looks at Kristieana. “You were right. Men like him are just after one thing. He let me read to him just so he could be close to me.”
Yentroc asks, “That isn't so bad, is it?”
“He let me believe a lie,” says Lyra.
Yentroc sits next to Lyra and asks, “Do you remember when we were in Ogre's Mead, and you were reading to Sven?”
“That night isn't very clear, but I do remember that part,” replies Lyra
Yentroc says, “You told me that you were having a hard time reading the words because you had been drinking so much.”
“I almost forgot,” says Lyra.
“Well,” continues Yentroc. “You said you would just make something up, and Sven wouldn't know the difference.”
Kristieana says, “It sounds to me like you were willing to lie about reading in order to be close to Sven as well.”
“I never thought of it that way,” replies Lyra. Feeling guilty, she thinks for a moment before asking, “Did you know that he had a difficult time falling asleep when I was next to him?”
Yentroc looks to Ja'noa and says, “He did mention it to me the day that Ja'noa gave him the tofeen leaf to stay alert.”
Lyra, surprised by the revelation, asks, “Why didn't you tell me?”
“I wanted to,” replies Yentroc. “In fact, both of you had confided in me that you had feelings for one another, but both of you wanted me to keep it a secret.”
“But we’re friends,” says Lyra. “You should have said something.”
“I’m sorry,” replies Yentroc.
Kristieana asks, “Lyra, did you ever wake up next to Sven and find his hands on you where they were not supposed to be?”
“Of course not,” Lyra protests. “He would never...” She stops and smiles before completing her thought. “He would never have done that.”
Kristieana says, “I believe the only two things Sven is guilty of is finding you attractive, and caring about you.”
Rehma says, “Kristieana, I�
�m surprised that you, of all people, are defending Sven.”
Kristieana replies, “I know I was hard on Sven at first, but that night in Ogre's Mead I was there when Lyra tried to kiss Sven.”
“So were we,” says Rehma.
Kristieana says, “But you were only there at the very end, when Lyra was practically begging Sven to kiss her.”
Lyra asks, “Was I really begging?”
“At that point you were,” Kristieana answers. She turns to Rehma and says, “I was there to witness more, and from what I saw, Sven could have gotten more than just a kiss if he had wanted to.”
“I don't know if I want to hear this,” Lyra says, once again feeling the embarrassment of that night.
Kristieana says reassuringly, “Don't worry, Lyra, we all know that you were not yourself that night, but Sven didn’t drink at all. He took you for a walk to clear your head. I'll admit that I was watching because I still didn't trust him.”
Yentroc asks, “What happened before we got there?”
Kristieana laughs and says, “When I got there, Lyra was perched on a stone wall, trying to keep her balance. She fell into Sven's arms, and he said something about how he would rather get struck by an arrow than let anything happen to her.”
Lyra looks down. “Now I really wish I could remember.”
“At first,” Kristieana continues, “I thought he was just saying that to get you to warm up to him, but then you tried to kiss him, and he didn't let it happen. This was still before anyone else had arrived. You started to cry, and at that point Sven admitted that he did have feelings for you, but also stated that he would never take advantage of you while you were not thinking clearly. Then he started to head back towards the brewery, and you chased after him. That’s when everyone else arrived.”
Rehma says, “That’s why you said you believed him that night. You saw more than we did.”
“I hate to admit it,” Kristieana says, “but I was wrong about Sven. He may have made a mistake, but I trust his intentions.”
“I feel so foolish now,” Lyra says.
“Don't,” says Yentroc. “I understand how you could feel like your trust was betrayed. I’m sure he will understand. That is, if you still want to try to explain it to him.”