by Luna Lais
Cate noticed Alli slip from the hall, but he made no move to follow her. She had been distance ever since he had caught her in Darien's chambers wearing that wisp of a night gown. Had they been alone he would have taken her straight back to Hokaren, instead he gave her a tongue lashing to remind her why they where here. Her behavior had only become more unusual once Lissandra arrived the following week. She was no longer outspoken in council meetings. Darien no longer sought her counsel. Instead, he was stepping into the role of king based on his brother's and Eranen's counsel. She had not appeared upset by the change, which alarmed Cate, but he did not force her to discuss it with him. When she was ready to confide in him, she would.
Once Eranen and Lissandra had exited the castle the group lingered a few moments before leaving. Cate and Lawwe left together talking of playing cards over a bottle of wine. The old soldiers left the room with their arms around each other shoulders. Darien watched Makren drag Kiala upstairs and Molly and Karegh headed towards the library for reasons Darien knew nothing about. At least for the moment they were not fighting.
Darien's eyes moved to the empty passage that Alli had walked down. He sighed before heading in the same direction. He found her sitting on a stool at the large wooden table in the middle of the stone kitchen. The main hearth was still blazing with a large pot hanging in the center. Darien knew the pot more than likely held water, heated for those in the castle who would want tea before retiring to bed. Even though summer was fading and fall had begun the fire made the kitchen overly warm.
Sweat made the loose curls around her face mat to her skin, she had been sitting there awhile, he knew. He had seen her quietly leave the hall as Eranen and Lissandra were leaving. The rest of her hair was in the tight braid, he had hoped she would give up wearing permanently. He smiled at the memory of the first time he had seen her glorious golden curls falling around her waist. His face turned grim, she had changed since that time. Her father had died, that was part of it, but he had seen the subtle changes coming even before then. That night she had come to his chamber, had they not been interrupted, he would have discovered the reason for the change. Since then she had been keeping her distance, not just from him, but from everyone including Cate.
She was cradling a cup in her hands and her head was hung down. She starred into the cup intently. Either she had not noticed his entrance into the room or was hoping he was only there to get something and would not disturb her without encouragement so she ignored him. He moved from the entrance way to a stool that sat across from her at the table. Still she did not raise her head and look at him. "Will you share your worries with me?" he asked. At his words she raised her eyes to meet his. He saw tears welling there.
"I have no worries," she said softly, "but the time has come for me to leave." Darien did not seem surprised by her words as she had expected, but Darien seldom reacted to things like she thought he would.
"Have you had another prophecy," he asked grimly.
"No," she said honestly. "I have not, but I feel the prophecy that brought me here has been fulfilled with the arrival of Eranen and Lissandra. Now I must return to Hokaren." She had told no one of her father's will declaring Moraken his successor instead of her. Cate knew because he had been there when her father had told her, but even he did not know of the letter her father had given her later that same night. She did not tell Darien of it now, the time was not right. She was doing as he believed. She was going home to Hokaren to claim her crown at all cost.
"Remember my promise," he said softly. "If you need assistance regarding the crown, you have my sword." She smiled at him hoping it would not become necessary to ask him to use it. Not wishing to discuss politics and war tonight she changed the subject to one she was more curious about, his sister.
"Were you surprised at your sister's marriage to Eranen?" she asked. Darien laughed at her lack of subtly. Alli never was one to use tact to get information, it wasted time. She always spoke what was on her mind. She arched an eyebrow at his laughter.
"I was not as surprised as I should have been," he sighed. "The first time they met the air was charged with some unseen force and I do truly believe Eranen tried to resist her. It is a good match," he added. "They are alike in many ways, but more importantly compensate the others faults." Darien frowned as Alli erupted with laughter.
"What faults?" she asked. "Two more perfect people have never existed. He is a strong supportive husband who cares about her well being above all else," Alli took a sip from her cup before continuing, "As for Lissandra, I have yet to notice a fault in her. She is what every living person wishes to be."
Darien watched Alli a moment before letting out his own deep rich laughter. This annoyed Alli enough that she rose to leave. Darien caught her arm to stop her, while he composed himself.
"Please do not leave," he pleaded and indicated with his free hand she should sit back down. Alli reluctantly sat back on the stool and waited. "You just do not know them," he said taking her other hand. "I agree they make a nice package, but that is show. Lissandra was raised that way," he had begun stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. When he noticed he released both her hands right away. He swore he could feel his face turning red. "If their guard was let down you would see. In private or around family they are just as human as the rest of us," he finished.
"So what part surprised you?" she asked cradling her cup ignoring what had just passed between them.
"Only that she did not wait until she was home. Why rush into marriage after such a short acquaintance?" he answered.
Alli turned red herself thinking of an obvious answer to the question. It took Darien a few minutes to understand the blush. He cleared his throat, "Well there is that, I suppose," he said softly laughing. His eyes caught hers again and he leaned forward and took both her hands with his once more. "When will you leave?" he asked softly.
"As soon as Lissandra returns," she answered. "My country needs me and prophecy does not require me to remain," her voice was growing shaky as he began using his thumb on the back of her hand again.
"I will miss you," he said leaning over more so he could lightly brush her lips with his. He pulled away from her and met her blue eyes with his steel gray gaze. "Seek me, if you need me," he whispered. He released her hands and rose from the table. "Will I see you again before spring?" he held his breath waiting for her answer.
Alli turned her head from his penetrating stare, "I do not know, but if it is possible I would like to return," she said trying to slow the pounding in her chest. He was the only man who had ever kissed her. Honestly the only one she had ever wanted to kiss her.
Darien studied her a few more minutes before turning and leaving the room. He did not stop walking until he had reached his chamber. He slammed the door hard behind him and the turned and punched it for good measure.
Alli was leaving and he did not know why. She was hiding something from him. He walked to the cabinet next to the fire place and pulled out a bottle of wine before sitting down in the closest chair. Alli was different from other woman, or at least she was supposed to be. He had walked down the road of betrayal before blinded by love, he had no intentions of repeating past mistakes. Too much was at stake this time. His eyes were drawn to the painting over the mantle, the meadow backed by rugged mountains. He had moved it to the royal chamber from his old room. More than ever it pulled at him and more than ever he sought the peace it offered.
Chapter 37
The air was hot even though the sun's warmth had set hours before, Eranen thought. He was holding Lissandra's hands as they crept through the woods that surrounded the Temple of the Moon's Soul. Their stallions had been left tied to a tree a few Moran away. The last part of their journey would be made on foot. They had ridden the entire first night and slept the next day just off the road with in ten Moran of the Temple. This evening they rode several Moran before abandoning the horses.
"Stop," Lissandra whispered so softly he had barely heard her. Eranen
turned to look at her. The full moon filtering through the trees made her silver eyes glow and cast eerie shadows on her face. She looked like a being set on destruction.
"What is it," he asked just as softly. She looked up at the trees in front of them. Eranen following her gaze saw what had caused her concern. A watch tower stood to their left about ten feet away. There were twelve towers in all, where members of the order stood constant watch. The towers were located in the woods surrounding the Temple not only watching for protection, but to ensure a man never came within a mile Temple. It was forbidden to men, Eranen understood why better than even his wife who had belonged to the Order housed within.
From the ground the tower appeared to be no more than a tree. It stood taller than the tree line and was concealed by a mass of branches artfully tangled together. Two foot wide gaps had been cut on the sides of the top all the way around, but Eranen could only see one gap from his angle. The guard inside looked out of the gaps onto the forest below. Lissandra motioned him to quietly move to his left out of the sight of who ever was in the tower. Together they crouched low to the ground hidden by the shadows waiting to see if they had been spotted.
"Men can not venture past the towers," she whispered pulling further around the shelter of a tree. "Any man found on the other side of the tower would be executed on the spot."
Eranen pulled her to him tightly so she could hear him more clearly, "If we make it by this one is there a way to stay hidden from the view of the others." She nodded in answer before pulling away from him.
She rose and slowly began walking back to the spot they had just left, careful not to make a sound. Eranen watched as she scanned the tree line looking for the hidden tower. The moment she caught sight of it her eyes closed. The air around them rapidly grew colder and a strong wind began to blow. Eranen watched as dead leaves swirled around her. In the dim light of the moon he saw sweat beading her forehead, despite the cooler temperature.
Eranen heard the breaking limbs before he saw the first branches crash to the forest floor. Lissandra opened her eyes with surprise and ran back towards Eranen. She hid her face against his chest as more branches fell from the ground with a crash, throwing dust, leaves and spiraling limbs towards them. Lissandra coughed as the debris choked her. Eranen covered both of them the best he could with the folds of his cloak as quickly as he could.
When the rumbling subsided, he uncovered their heads and peered around the shelter of the tree. Lissandra sent a small flame floating towards where she had been standing a few moments before. The ball hovered ten feet high, shedding light on the forest floor below.
"What did you do?" Eranen asked concerned the noise would bring someone to investigate.
Lissandra stared at the giant block of ice that encased what had once been the top of the tower. "I froze it," she said trembling. "I did not think it would fall. I thought it was strong enough to hold the weight." She rose and walked towards the ice. "I had to get rid of the guard," she said weakly.
"Are the other towers close enough to have heard," Eranen asked, walking towards her and the block of ice. Lissandra shook her head and brought the little flame down a few feet, to give them more light.
Eranen stumbled on a few branches before he passed the block and then turned and offered her his hand for support over the fallen debris. Lissandra slipped on a branch when she reached for him and Eranen tried to catch her, but he fell as well. She slammed into the block of ice and slid down to the ground. The flame dropped as well. Lissandra brought her face back immediately and scrambled towards Eranen's grasping hands. She clawed at him until she was close enough to wrap her arms around his neck.
"What is it?" Eranen asked at her fear. His eyes frantically searched the ground looking for a snake or anything to explain her reaction. His eyes caught the sparkle within the block of ice. He pealed Lissandra off his front and moved her behind him. He slowly crawled forward to see what had scarred her.
The minute he realized what she had seen a chill ran down his spine and he cursed silently under his breath. A young girl stared back at him completely entombed by the ice. Her face was serene like a statue, but her large brown eyes with the vacant stare of death were haunting. Her blonde curls were perfectly suspended around her face. Eranen crawled back to Lissandra. She was sitting with her arms wrapped around her knee, her head down, and she was whimpering.
Eranen grabbed her arm and lifted her. He pulled her way from the tower as fast as he could. "Put out the light," he told her. Eranen did not look back to see if she did as he asked. He kept them walking towards the Temple. After half a mile Lissandra dug in her heels, "Stop a moment, please," she pleaded.
Eranen turned towards her and released her arm. She immediately wrapped her arms around her waist in pain. Her eyes darted around as she brought her hand up to her mouth. She saw some small bushes and head for them. Eranen waited as she emptied the contents of her stomach. He watched as sobs racked through her body.
"Lissandra," he whispered. She stood and turned towards him. He could see the tears streaming down her face.
"I did not think they would put a child in the towers," she cried.
Eranen walked towards her. "You did what you had to. If the alarm had been sounded how many others would have perished?" he asked. "We would not have given ourselves up to them."
Lissandra stood with her shoulders slumped. "That does not make me feel better," she wiped the tears from her face using the sleeve of the cloak. "In fact it makes me feel worse. What if by the end of the night I am forced to kill them all?" She was shaking trying to hold back the onslaught of tears. "Are we more valuable than they are?" she asked softly.
"No," Eranen said shaking his head. "We are not more important than they are, but you are Lissandra." He stepped closer to her. Lissandra flinched with each footfall.
"Because I have the power to destroy," she hissed, her tears falling again.
"No," Eranen said becoming angry with himself. He should have told her before they left Rorgrim. "Your powers are wonderful, but if there is one who possesses such power in this world it will only be a matter of time before another comes along." Her head snapped up at his words. Her silver eyes met his in the moonlight. "Right now you are more valuable than any other person alive, at least to me," he said wrapping his arms around her.
"Eranen, love is fickle and does not always last. Can you honestly say what we have is more important than a life?" She pulled back from him.
"No," he said taking a few steps to bridge the gap she had made between them. "We are not so important, nor our hearts, but preserving the life we created," He placed his palm on her abdomen. Lissandra watched as he gently rubbed it.
"What are you talking about?" She asked brushing his hand away from her.
He smiled at her, "Our child, Lissandra. The one that will arrive in late spring if I did my math right," he said softly.
"A child," Lissandra shook her head. "I would know if I carried a child, trust me," she sounded unconvinced by her words. She took a deep breath, "It can not be," she held up her hands and begin counting on her fingers. Eranen chuckled before grabbing her hands. "I have already done the math," he pulled her into an embrace.
She stared off in the distance trying to wrap her mind around the idea. "Is that is what is causing the sickness and tiredness?" she mumbled to herself. Frantically she looked up at Eranen. "We have only been married for six weeks, no seven weeks," she said pushing out of his embrace. She began pacing in front of him. "I thought these things took time."
Eranen had thought she would have been pleased by the news, not panicked. "Lissandra," he said softly.
"What," she practically shouted at him.
"We should finish what we came here to do," he said. "We can discuss the rest later."
Lissandra looked at him a moment and then headed off into the trees towards the Temple. Eranen stared after her, amused by her stubborn streak. He quickly caught up with her, but did not speak to her again un
til the Temple was in their sight.
They stopped at the edge of the tree line. The great lawn lay before them spanning the distance to the Temple. The light of the full moon made the walls of the temple glow eerily. Lissandra supposed the three she sought would be in the middle of the Moon ceremony now. She could see in her mind the Daughters of the Moon kneeling in rows, their heads bowed solemnly as the high mother led them through the prayers.