Forty-Three - Alden

Roman and I had run from the tent as fast as we could, racing quickly towards the tall mountains. The terrain grew firmer and uneven, causing my footing be less stable, and the hunger and dehydration that I felt was almost all-consuming, but Roman kept nudging me forward.

Eventually there was a small stream of water that seemed to separate the loose dirt from our Palkin territory and a lush, green and rocky terrain of the mountains that stood between the Northeast border of my home, and the Northwest border of what must be Tristram's. I collapsed at the water's edge, and with shaking hands tried to get the water into my mouth. The trembling of my hands made drinking difficult, and I was lucky to get a good swallow all the way to my lips. A despair seemed to take me over once again. Was this my life now? Grateful for a sip of muddy water?

I sat and stared at the flowing stream, imagining what life might have been like if I were a fish or some other aquatic creature. Maybe it would have been shorter, but it would have been less painful too.

"We need to keep moving." Roman insisted, tugging up on my arm.

"I'm tired of moving." I complained, using my weight to free my arm. "All I ever do is run and abandon people."

Roman knelt down, his face like stone, a common facial expression amongst the Palkin soldiers. "I don't care. You don't get to play momma's boy any more, this is war. Do you think I never wanted to just stay home instead of trampling across borders? Wouldn't it have been great if I could sit around instead of having to miss every big day in the lives of my sisters just because Callow said so? How about the day I had to leave camp just to watch my best friend killed?" Roman grabbed the back of my tunic and forced me up. "My sisters died while I was fighting this stupid war because they didn't have any food, and I could have saved them." He said with an air of defeat, and a wetness in his eyes. "I played with girls and did my duty, and my sisters died. I'm not going to make that mistake again." With a light shove I had been pushed across the stream and was moving once again towards the mountains.

We walked in silence for a long while, neither of us sure what to say after that. "I'm sorry about your sisters." I finally said, still refraining from looking his way.

Roman let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry about your brother."

I looked to Roman now with a sense of urgency. "Wait, you know what happened to my brother?"

Roman seemed to look at me with pity. "I--" he started, but the sounds of the animals around us suddenly became quiet. Roman held a finger to his mouth and drew his scimitar. Three Viridian men dropped from nearby trees, each wielding a sword and quickly circling in on us. One made a quick swipe at Roman, leaving a shallow cut just beneath his ear, while another knocked the scimitar from Roman's hands. I scrambled for anything like a rock, but came up short, and with a quick kick to the ribs.

Just as I was about to suggest we run through them the ground began to shake, knocking all of us onto the ground. Once the ground had stopped moving I looked up to find the Viridian men dead, and a younger man standing above them. "Who are you?" I asked indignantly, but he simply stepped to the side revealing both Rhythmus and Tarka. "Tarka?" I gasped. Roman quickly went for his scimitar, but I grabbed his arm. "It's okay, they're friends."

"Friends?" He asked in disbelief, eyebrows deeply furrowed.

"Yes," I assured. "Friends."

"Ah." He sighed. "I remember the girl now..." He said, a smirk obvious in his voice.

"Seriously?" I groaned.

Forty-Two - Tristram

The decision to remove my charges for murder were unanimous as well as the decision to to place me, once again, as captain of the guard and a member of the war council. I was able to move back into my old home near the palace, permitted to walk freely, allowed to shop, play, and converse with my old friends. But two things needed to be done first: I needed to marry Elane and reveal King Pontus to be acting against the good of the Brackin People. Galea had been working the latter since we entered the city and had started to dig up some evidence. I was to focus on Elane, a task I was more than willing to partake. 

In celebration of my freedom, I took Elane to our favorite spot: in a meadow next to the creek just outside the city walls. it was here that we first met. I was around 15, having recently joined the city guard. After my watch, I would go sit in the meadow and wash my armor in the creek. Elane's room in the castle overlooked this meadow and she would often walk around it collecting flowers. On that day, she was wearing her favorite white dress and had her blonde hair braided. The sun was out so her jasper eyes shimmered. She had decided to pick only yellow lilies too; she would only pick one type of flower each day, that way they would all be picked equally she said. I was lying on the sandbank when she appeared standing over me with the most curious grin. Every boy my age new of Elane and all hoped to marry her so I did what every teenager would do: I ran. I returned to the creek the next day and found Elane waiting. I set down a ways off from her and she didn't move any closer. The next day she brought her own laundry to do as I washed my armor. After about a week, I would move farther up the creek when I washed my armor, closer to her. A month later I finally said hi. She pretended to run away just to make fun of me. She smelled like lavender that day

Our first date had been in this meadow and she always meet me here when she had a bad day. It was like our private spot, though she always had a royal guard or two with her. Even now as I carried a picnic to our spot, we each had three soldiers. We sat down at our laundry spot and I unpacked lunch: pumpkin stew and fresh celery. It had been so long since we had been there... Everything felt right in the world now that I was back. It was like the war didn't exist, only Elane and this meadow. Only the guards and my brand (now seared with an x to signify my reinstatement) served as proof to the contrary. Elane looked as happy as I was and we ate in joyous silence.

Halfway through eating, we heard footsteps coming up over the hill. King Pontus appeared at the ridge, smiled when he saw us, and started to walk down. He was eight years older than Elane, very built with short blonde hair and dark brown eyes. He had a face that conveyed kindness and strength. "Tristram," he called, " Sorry for interrupting but I have been longing to see you!"
"Hello my king," I said as I bowed.
"None of that Tristram, you are like family. Call me Pontus like my sister." He glanced at Elane and smiled."Sorry Elane, but can I borrow Tristram for a few minutes?"
"Sure," Elane said, "I'll go pick some flowers. I'm thinking of picking some sweetpea today.

After Elane crossed the ridge, Pontus turned to me expectantly. After a few moments he asked, "Don't you have any questions to ask me?" he pointed a thumb in the direction Elane had walked off. Being Elane's brother, he knew of our relationship. Also, with Elane's dad dead, Pontus was now her caretaker and the one I should ask if I wanted to marry her. The suddenness of the question threw me off guard and my tongue refused to work properly. I stuttered and Pontus started to laugh. A happy laugh, not one of ridicule. He smiled at me saying, "Tristram, you have permission to marry Elane, you've always had it from me. How I wish you had married sooner! Then I wouldn't be the king in this aweful war." His mood fell.
"Thank you Pontus," I managed. I didn't mention the king comment. I had not known Pontus well before my banishment but I had never heard anything bad about him. This meeting here seemed to confirm a fear I had had since I heard he was king. Pontus was a pawn, he had no idea he was being manipulated by the Viridi. I wasn't sure if this made our job easier or harder but I decided to risk everything.

"Pontus, I have something to tell you. Have you ever meet Lesion?"

Forty-One - Tarka

My legs could not walk or run fast enough for me to get to Alden as soon as I wanted. There was nothing more I desired than to kill the snake of a man Lesion and have Alden safe and sound, sitting next to me.

I could hear Rhythmus breathing heavily behind me. "Slow down my dear girl! We are all anxious to get to our friend. But my old bones aren't as swift as they used to be." I slowed my pace and turned around to flash him a half smile. His eye contact with me made me realize that he knew what was going through my spinning head and softened heart.

Despite everything I have gone through in the past year, in the short amount of time that I had known him, Alden had kept me from letting my heart go bitter. His boyish ways and shining eyes gave me a glimpse of hope: hope for what was to come and peace because there was still good left in the world. It may be a small bit, but that little ray of sunshine has been my salvation.

We took a water break when we found the river again. "All we have to do is follow this back to Lesion's camp."

Askimi nodded. "It shouldn't be too far from us now. Hopefully they haven't done anything to the poor kid."

That statement made me stand up. "All the more reason to get going as quickly as we can," I stated. Askimi got up and led the way.

Rhythmus kept in pace with me for a good few minutes, and then we naturally started to slip away little by little from Askimi's pace. Still following him from a distance, Rhythmus spoke quietly. "It will be alright, you'll see. You three are doing a marvelous job and have already gotten most to join forces with us!"

"Yes, but we still have to defeat Lesion before his army does any damage," I stated looking down at my trudging feet.

"I know that's not your primary concern at the moment."

I turned to him and saw his slightly raised eyebrows and somewhat of a smirk. "You're a beautiful young woman, Tarka. And a strong one at that. You think you are able to put a mask on and nobody will be able to see you, figure you out. Your eyes speak what the rest of you keeps hidden."

"I was afraid of that. That used to be my worst fear, you know."

"Is it not anymore?"

"No. I mean, not really. I still care deeply if people are able to find things out about me, such as how I'm feeling. But . . ." I turned to face him again. "That's not my primary concern anymore."

The corners of his wide mouth turned upward. "I know your feelings, Tarka. They are noble ones. Do not be afraid of them. But don't act rashly with them either." I nodded in agreement.

We both quickened our pace to catch up with Askimi, who realized we were lagging but didn't give much thought to why. When we got closer to the campsite, we the trio crouched down as much as possible while walking briskly. At the edge of the trees where the campsite started, we stopped and looked around for any potential sign of where Alden could be.

I happened to look over to my left and saw two figures running off to the other side of the tents. Could it be...?

An angry yell came from a tent to my right. "AUGH! Where did the Palkin boy go? Why did you not stand guard like I told you to?!" came an all too familiar voice. A poor soldier was getting lashed out on by the Viridian snake. "I--I'm sorry! I just had to --" A slap reached my ears before the soldier could finish. "You idiot! You let them get away! Go find them, or I shall do things much worse than what I have done to you now." The soldier ran off towards the trees where the two figures had gone.

Askimi, Rhythmus, and I looked at each other in wonder. Who had rescued Alden? Who was running off with him at that moment?

And how were we ever going to find him?

Forty - Alden

I laid in the darkness, streaks of light crossed my body casually, as if taunting me of the freedom beyond their boards. My mind felt numb; not even the pain from the ropes that bound my hands and feet together bothered me anymore. I suppose I was always the useless one, the one to be cast out, and the one to be caught. I let out a heavy sigh, blowing little bits of dust off of the dirt packed ground that had become my new prison.

"Why such a sad sigh?" A voice hissed.

I glanced up to see the light streaks now lying on Damian's face. "You're alive." I stated, almost surprised, but not quite caring.

"Of course." He seemed to snarl, the edges of his lips pulling back into a scowl. Beneath a light weighted tunic a bandage peaked out, a bit of faded red barely showing up in the darkness of the shack. Damian walked over with a swish of his tale, taking notice of the sad situation I was in. Kneeling down, he stuck his face right up to mine. "Where did you send her?"

"I don't know." I said through clenched teeth, trying to keep from gaging on the smell of salted fish that clung to his clothes.

Damian stood up and gave me a good kick, knocking me against the wall a few inches away. Grabbing the hair on my head he pulled me up. "I'll ask you again. Where is the girl?"

I said nothing, concentrating on not showing pain.

"You're nothing but a sad little creature. She could not possibly care for you." He tossed me down and bent down close once again. "You're no better than me, you know." He hissed. "Just as I left her for my cause, you have abandoned her for yours." He stood up and gave one more good kick. "I'd keep your eye out for a knife if she ever comes back around."

A door opened and closed and I was once again alone with the streaks of light. Perhaps he was right, she never cared for me as much as she had Damian, so why should I expect to be treated any differently? My stomach sank, and a nausea over took me. Everything I have ever done has been pointless. Not only have I forsaken Tarka, but my own mother as well. For all I knew she was still waiting at home for son to bring her food. Maybe she thought I was only a dream, that both of her sons are gone forever.

The heaviness became too strong, and in my anger I swung my arms against the wood that held me captive, screaming with all of the fury of my people, of all the ones I love and have hurt, and for myself, because how could I be any better?

"Alden." A voice whispered.

In the light of the doorway, Roman stood before me; the light streaks covering his face, as tears covered my own.

"It's time to go."

Thirty-nine Tristram

I dropped my dinner when Tarka walked in with Galea. Soup splattered across the floor in her direction. She was caked in dust and small dark red stains (blood?) dotted her tunic and pants. She was exhausted, ready to fall at the slightest breeze. Her arms were wrapped around her tight and her eyes looked out into nothing. Alden wasn't with her. "T-Tarka?" I stammered. Light, though dim, returned to her eyes. "Tristram... Tristram!" She ran to my cell and clung to the bars, her eyes wide. "We have to help him! He took him, he took him!" Her voice raised and Rythmus, who had been eating with Elane in the corner, pulled Tarka in close as she started to sob.

"Tarka," Rythmus started, "where is Alden?" She continued to sob., managing only to choke out one word, "Lesion." Rage filed my body. Not only at Legion for capturing, and likely torturing, Alden, but also at myself for not being there to protect him. Maybe if I had sent Rythmus with them or if I had hurried on my own quest then perhaps I could have... Maybe. I forced myself to focus. Alden needed action, not maybes and whatifs. 

Rythmus lead Tarka to a seat next to Elane who started comforting Tarka. Galea then turned to me expectantly, raising his eyebrows. He expected me to make the decision here yet I had no idea what to do. Every nerve in my body screamed to rush out and hunt down Lesion but my brain and heart said stay. My mind knew it was suicide, that I could never rescue Alden by myself. My heart yearned for my people, to remove the traitorous king. It also wanted to stay with Elane. Galea must have sense my hesitation. "The choice is obvious," he said with a hint of anger, "you have to stay. Your people need you. You can't go running after some stranger! You are needed here!" 

SHUT UP!! 

Tarka stood, hands clenched at her side, eyes wide, and tail standing straight up. She was glaring at Galea. Her shouted at him, " Alden is not some stranger. He is brave, smart, and stronger than you'll ever be!" Galea looked as stunned as I was. I had no idea Tarka had come to care for (maybe even love?) Alden that much. 

She turned on me next. " Tristram! Why didn't you run out of here the second I'd told you who took him?!" She clung to the prison bars again, eyes still brimming with tears. "We have to get Alden, Tristram. He is our friend, we owe him that." Her tone softened and she started to fall. Elaine caught her and looked at me with sad eyes. She didn't want me to leave either. But I had killed Alden's brother. Didn't I owe him that? 

Rythmus coughed and all eyes riveted on him. "Tristram, I will not tell you what to do. Only you can make this decision.  But know your resources, know how to manage them. We can sit here all day and argue, but in the end, only you can decide what we do. Now how about we all finish our dinner and letTristram think." 

Elane and I were given privacy to talk and we ultimately came up with the plan. Rythmus, Tarka, and my friend Askimi would go and rescue Alden who was probably in Palkin territory somewhere. Galeo, Elane, and I would stay here. The best way I could help Alden was not by storming a fortress but preparing an army against Lesion so nobody could be hurt by him again.