One Crown & Two Thrones: The Guardians

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One Crown & Two Thrones: The Guardians Page 45

by Isolde, Siobhan


  “Yes,” Morad replied solemnly, “her husband, he died.”

  “How,” cried Galean stepping back in shock.

  “A dagger to his back,” Mathilda answered gently watching Galean’s face drop in sheer astonishment.

  “Where is he?” he asked quietly.

  “We left him on the beach there was no time,” Morad explained to his friend alarmed at his reaction.

  “We must retrieve his body for Eveline,” commanded Galean, “will you bring me there?”

  Mathilda and Morad looked at one another seriously before turning back to Galean.

  “I will bring you,” Morad replied, slapping his friends arm softly, “come your friend is in safe hands.” With that Mathilda watched as Morad guided Galean away, turning back to take one last glance at Mathilda warming her with a smile whilst two maids ran by them haphazardly.

  *

  “Where is Nuyay?” Morad asked, riding on Galean’s left hand side, the ancient trees sweeping by him. Galean whose thoughts were elsewhere kept his eyes forward.

  “He has returned to the mountains,” he replied firmly, the beach coming into view. For the rest of the journey the warriors kept quiet until they reached the camp site from the previous night. Jumping down from his stallion and taking the reins in his hand, Morad scanned the ground, the body was gone.

  “He’s gone,” he remarked darkly. “I lay him down right here,” he motioned to the sand beneath him and looked over to Galean who was sighing abruptly.

  “Would anyone have found him and maybe brought him back with them?” Galean asked impatiently.

  “I doubt it, nobody ever comes here,” replied Morad quietly, tracing the sand with his fingers and looking around. “There is no evidence of any movement,” he observed. “If people had found him here, then they would have left behind traces of their footprints.”

  “True,” Galean nodded looking up from the sand and across the sea to the coast land, impossible he thought, why would anyone abduct his dead body, nobody knew him, what use was he to anyone dead?

  “Maybe the sea washed him out?” Morad conjured helpfully, his brown hair falling down upon his chest. Galean stood up with his hands on his hips and pondered the idea, it was the only viable explanation.

  “We will tell Eveline that he has been buried,” Galean murmured his eyes cast out at the grey sea, a flock of beautiful sea beaked birds flying by, their striking marks of blue catching in the sun.

  “Is that wise?” Morad counselled morbidly, “lying to Celestine?”

  “It makes no difference, at least if she thinks he has been buried she will be able to leave the island with us, her conscience intact,” replied Galean thoughtfully, he would not for the world have her so heavily burdened before her real journey began, Theodores death was a burden in itself, not knowing where his body had gone would only haunt her.

  “If you say so,” Morad said swiftly turning and bringing the reins of his horse back up over its head before jumping on its back.

  “Where are you going?” Galean asked in surprise. Morad looked down at Galean in confusion. “We need to create a burial site, no doubt she will want to visit before we leave.”

  “Ah right,” Morad answered stupidly getting down once more.

  *

  Celestine opened her eyes and bite back at the pain, they would only open a few millimetres, the light of the nearby candle causing her pain, her eyelids closing immediately. All at once a great soaring wave of pain hit her all over, especially her face which felt like a blown up balloon ready to pop at any given moment. Trying to make a noise but only creating a whimper, Celestine raised a hand dumbly looking for contact.

  “Eveline,” his voice whispered, causing Celestine to lower her hand by her side, trying to turn her head away from him. Against her will he took her bruised hand into his gently, settling his other hand on top, bending over her face to see if she could see him. Eveline tried to withdraw her hand but he kept it safe within his warm grasp.

  “Go,” she cried painfully the uttering of one simple word leaving her weak, her swollen eyes moving as her mouth opened. To her right she could hear a door open and people enter.

  “She is awake,” came Anvin’s voice the rustling of his robes crossing the stone floor.

  “She is in pain,” Galean groaned looking up from Celestine to the priest.

  “No need to worry I will ease her pain,” Anvin smiled placing a hand on her forehead tenderly, causing her to shiver in turn. Celestine listened as he murmured words, feeling the surge of pain wash away instantly, her body relaxing and warming. Galean looked on anxiously, her hand still clasped in his gently, not wanting to let go. Mathilda and Evalean looked on in silence wondering at Galean’s affection for Celestine.

  “How long before she recovers?” Galean asked Anvin looking into his face, his concerned eyes large and tired.

  “It will take her a few weeks at least to gain her full strength once more,” Anvin sighed, “which is very unfortunate as we do not have time on our side if she is to come with us to Tavan.”

  “My father sent me word that we should make for my betrotheds home; it is in the North by the sea, Eveline will find comfort in their kindness,” Galean explained, Matilda and Evalean exchanging confused looks.

  “Why I wonder does he wish us to make for the North?” pondered Anvin quietly lifting his hand away from Celestine’s forehead.

  “So that I may marry Murtha quickly, he believes Beon is readying his army for an assault within the year,” Galean answered seriously blocking out the emotions that arose when thinking about his imminent marriage to the young and fair Murtha. Anvin looked to the burdened Galean his eyes falling to his hands, wrapped around Celestine’s.

  “You wish to marry this woman?” he asked quietly standing up.

  “It is my duty to honour my father,” Galean replied blandly, knowing full well that Mathilda and Evalean were eavesdropping.

  “That is no reason to marry,” sighed Anvin, “especially when fate dictates that you should be bound to another.” Galean looked up at Anvin in surprise, who turned to leave Galean alone with Celestine.

  “Mathilda, Evalean come let us leave Galean alone for a while,” Anvin ordered coldly walking past the women who bowed in his presence. Turning they followed Anvin into the great hall where Morad and Aabe were sitting talking in depth. The dining table had been laden with meat and vegetables.

  “Come let us eat,” Anvin announced to the elders and young companions. Mathilda, Aabe, Evalean and Morad sat at the very end out of earshot from the intense conversation going on between Anvin and his councillors.

  “What do you think is going on between them?” Mathilda asked Aabe whilst biting into her mutton.

  “They are just old friends,” Aabe replied, feeling protective of Galean, “no doubt he feels burdened by her loss. Theodore was after all his best friend, he must feel a certain duty towards Celestine now that she is widowed.”

  “Maybe,” Mathilda hummed taking a sip of wine from her goblet.

  “How are we to get to Tavan?” Evalean asked Aabe, her long tresses now free and flowing around her, causing Aabe to take a deep breath for fear of his heart stopping.

  “Em…, the sea I suspect,” he groaned sensing Morad’s protective eyes on him and returning his gaze to his empty plate.

  “Do you think she will be well enough for a voyage?” Mathilda asked concerned, she took an instant liking to Celestine but was worried for her, she clearly was out of her depth and needed help to find a place for herself in this world.

  “I will give her something to put her to sleep for the voyage,” Aabe assured his friend.

  “She is even more vulnerable than she was last night,” sighed Mathilda. “I feel for her.”

  “We must help her,” Evalean pressed causing Aabe to smile, her kindness always steady and unchanging.

  “We must be her friend, she needs friends,” Morad interjected passionately.

  “I feel
as though we were destined to meet her and help her,” Aabe said quietly picking up some bread and placing it on his plate.

  “I agree,” Mathilda motioned happily, setting down her goblet and looking at her friends.

  “But what about our quest to get your crown back?” Morad asked planting his fists on the table peacefully.

  “My crown does not come before her own, she is my Queen,” Mathilda began, “I will want her at my side when I enter Taer again.”

  “And you can guide her along the way,” Evalean said yawning softly into her hand.

  “I think it is time we retire, we set sail in two days and you and ships do not fit well together sister,” smiled Galean getting up from the table and holding out his arm for Evalean who took it gladly, leaving Mathilda and Aabe by themselves.

  “I will retire as well,” Mathilda yawned also getting up but bringing her goblet of wine with her.

  “I will check on Celestine before I head off to my quarters,” Aabe responded quietly waving Mathilda off before getting up and heading to the guest room.

  *

  Two days had passed and on the morning of their departure from Summe, Celestine pleaded to be shown Theodore’s burial despite not being able to talk very much or move, the pain still evident and her face blackened with bruises and cuts. Evalean and Mathilda helped her to dress into something warm for the voyage, winter was on its way. Celestine has specifically asked Anvin that Galean leave her be for a while, that she needed him to stay away from her giving the priest no specific reasons for such a slight. Galean had taken the order with as much politeness as possible, she did not need to be reminded of the past he thought as he sat on the steps outside the round house, cleaning his boots. The winter sun was rising and the inhabitants of Calnuthe were arising from their slumber as the High Priest and his companions readied themselves for the departure, leaving for the harbour in an hour after bringing Celestine to her husband’s grave.

  Four guardsmen carried Celestine out of the round house on a stretcher, Galean standing close by as she descended the steps, closing her eyes against the bright winter sun. Mathilda had covered Celestine in a bounty of fur cloaks to keep her warm as the guards placed her into a cart, Mathilda and Evalean sitting up beside her. Anvin, Morad, Aabe and Galean followed the cart as it made its departure through the city, causing the residents to stop in guilt as their Queen passed by them bruised and battered. The journey to the beach was quiet and morbid, the trees were losing their glorious leaves and the wind was cold. When they arrived at their destination the guard’s men once more carried Celestine on her stretcher to the makeshift grave that Morad and Galean had prepared. Setting her down lightly, Mathilda helped her up into a sitting position before leaving her to be alone with her husband returning to the departure party.

  For some time Celestine sat quietly, the sound of the stormy sea behind her and the harsh southerly wind biting at her wildly. With much energy and determination she crawled forward and placed a hand on the grave, closing her blackened eyes.

  “My love,” she whispered a tear dropping onto her swollen flesh. Galean stood away from the group and watched Celestine from afar, his fur cloak flying about him roughly, he was afraid that she would catch cold.

  “It is my fault you are buried here,” Celestine began, “you saved me. I am not like these people,” she admitted quietly. “I thought I could be like them but I am not, I am battered and beaten, they have already lost hope in me.” The wind caused the forest to sway as she let her forehead drop to the small grave. “I don’t know what I am meant to do,” she cried, “it is not at all what I had planned. And now you are gone from me, my dream was a vision,” she uttered weakly, “you knew you would die, I wasn’t worth all of this, I as much as killed you,” she wept. “I have done all of this, if only I had kept myself to myself in Keswick, none of this would have happened, and where is my grandfather? He has forsaken me as he forsook my mother,” she sighed heavily. “I wish I could go back, I wish I could have done everything differently, but I can’t, I’m stuck now in a world I do not understand.” Celestine wiped away her tears carefully shuddering at the pain. “I am no warrior, no Queen, I am just me, Eveline stuck in a time and place that is as distant to me as the heavens. I do not know if I will ever be back here again, so I will say goodbye only once my love, my husband with whom I should have loved more constantly. I am sorry,” she cried, “sorry for all the pain and grief I put you through, I promise to always love and remember you with great fondness.” Bending forward again she kissed the grave before crawling back to her stretcher pathetically, draping the furs around her.

  Galean stood and watched Celestine struggle, his heart ruined with shame and grief, this is what he had done to her, never would he touch her or proclaim his love for her again, it was done, it was over. Galean would marry Murtha and let Celestine move forward without him.

  “Galean are you ready?” Anvin asked the young lord, his face etched with pain. Looking up at the priest Galean smiled weakly as the guards once more put Celestine into the cart.

  “Yes,” he replied softly before getting onto his horse and following the group, leaving the beach behind and leaving Theodore behind never to see him again.

  To be continued….

 

 

 


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