Chapter 10: The Lord of the Lake
It was the morning after the wedding night - what else could it be? What other reason would there be for Ulrich to lay comfortably on a soft surface with the sun shining warmly on his face, while his beloved one gently caressed his golden hair? The prince smiled at her - two black beady eyes smiled back. Wait a minute! Thymia’s eyes were green, not black.
“Oh! Oriole! It’s you!” Ulrich sat up startled. They were lying in soft, green moss, all around them Blackwood trees stood like dark columns, with the ceiling of emerald-green leaves and patches of blue between them.
Finally, he remembered - after they dived into the black stream, and he nearly drowned again; they had to swim much further than he thought. Luckily there was a narrow gap between the ceiling of the cave and water. All four swam up, Ulrich banged his head on the rock, half-conscious he swam with Oriole holding him. Eventually the river rushed out of the cave into the woods. They stumbled upon its bank, rolled away from the stream, and laid resting.
Elian had got up, but Thomian could not.
“I’ll make a healing potion for him. If it helps, I’ll have to treat him with it every day, until the new moon rises,” Oriole spoke while squeezing the juices from plants she had gathered, into a cup made of Blackwood leaves. Ulrich watched her fingers moving quickly, adding plants, stirring and she sang a melodious chant. Oriole took a sharp rock shard to cut her own hand.
“What are you doing?!” Ulrich exclaimed.
“Hush!” she retorted, “forgive me, Highness, but it needs to be done. Birdling blood contains healing magic.” Oriole poured some of her blood into the potion, still singing. After Thomian had drunk it, his cheeks regained colour, he ate some wild berries and nuts they had gathered. Thomian was too weak for walking, so they decided to stay near the river. All day the four of them didn’t see or hear any signs of Black Bear.
The evening was cold, Elian risked making a fire. He even managed to catch them a couple of fish - his Snakeling grandfather had taught him the art of fishing. Oriole gave him a little hook from her dress, Elian dug up some worms, tied the hook to a thread of his own shirt, and after an hour they were lucky enough to be sitting by the fire, breathing in the lovely scent of freshly cooked fish.
The four lingered talking by the fire, until Oriole commanded Thomian to sleep, and soon enough she herself fell asleep leaning on Ulrich’s shoulder. The poor prince did not dare to move, not to wake up their Healer - she deserved a good night’s sleep. Slowly Ulrich leaned back against a tree trunk and let Oriole’s body slip under his arm. He gave Elian a guilty stare - just some days ago the prince had married Elian’s sister, but now he was lying with another girl. Elian nodded approvingly; let her sleep!
Ulrich sighed and closed his eyes - Oriole felt warm and soft in his arms, and she smelled like a blooming, sun-warmed meadow of wildflowers.
***
Thymia opened her eyes to darkness. She didn’t need to feel sunlight on her face, or to smell the scent of flowers. All she needed was lying next to her. They had just regained their breaths; now inhaling and exhaling peacefully, their breaths aligned.
“You should listen to your mother,” said Erko.
Every morning the High Queen went down into the dungeon to convince her daughter to come back with her, but every time she climbed up alone.
“We’ve lost a whole year. I’m not missing a single minute of you anymore,” Thymia replied, kissing his warm skin. After a year, they still were newlyweds, and all they needed was each other’s nearness and a quiet place. The dark prison cell suited the cause nicely, despite the hard, cold floor.
Thymia didn’t know what the future might bring, but the present was warm, glowing, and full of love.
Meanwhile their future was decided high above them, in the castle library, where the High King of Autumna, sided with King Ulf of Hebeny, to move their prisoner into the Damned land, whence he would receive his Death sentence by beheading. They ignored the two Queens and even Crane defending Erko; the High King was obsessed over the thought of liberating his daughter from “Damian’s curse”.
Erko squinted his eyes walking out of the dark into the sunlit courtyard. The guards took no notice of Thymia running after them, waving her sword. They’d come swiftly, and dragged the poor prisoner by force, still half asleep, barefoot in the early hours of daybreak. A prisoner’s cart with bars on its windows was waiting to go.
The kings and queens were all present, Crane shook her white-haired head.
“Father, where are they taking him? Stop! Please!” Thymia cried.
“I shall free you from the curse he had put upon you, my dearest daughter,” he replied calmly.
“No, please! Let me go with him! I’m responsible for the Great fire as well! Let me die with him!”
“You will stay here in Hebeny with your mother until your brothers return. I cannot wait a day longer with you being under that villain’s command. I can’t find my sons, but I refuse to lose my daughter as well!”
With a determined look in her green eyes, Thymia raised her sword toward her father and attacked. Her mother screamed horrified. The High King drew his own sword and fought back.
“Stop, Thymia! This instant!” he yelled.
With a quick move she left a deep cut in her father’s cheek.
“Now have I deserved a death sentence alongside my husband? I’ve attempted to murder the High King of Autumna, you’ve all witnessed it!”
“Take them away! To Autumna!” the High King shouted infuriated. The guards tied both prisoners and shoved them into the cart. High King got into the carriage to oversee the execution as soon as they entered the land of Autumna. His queen would not stay behind - she jumped into the carriage with him, trying to talk some sense to her husband as they drove off.
***
Ulrich woke up once again completely convinced it was the morning of their wedding night. With his eyes still shut, the prince felt her snuggling in his arms warmly. Ulrich embraced his beloved as tight as he could, kissing her.
“Thymia! Oh, Thymia!” the prince whispered lustfully, and received a painful kick in the crotch right after. The poor fool moaned, a bird chirped and flew into the green dusk of the waking wood.
“Oriole! Forgive me!” he called her, but the Birdling maiden did not listen.
“Fool! Fool! Fool!” Ulrich stood banging his head against a tree trunk when the twins came back from the river. This morning Thomian felt strong enough to accompany his brother fishing.
“What happened? Oriole flew past us, as if a wolverine was chasing after her,” Elian smirked.
Unwillingly Ulrich confessed and went back to self-punishing.
“I think Oriole was more upset of him mistaking her for Thymia, than the awkward awakening,” Elian whispered to his brother and winked.
“Bad for her. He’s still a married man.”
“Oh, my dearest brother! If only you were as half as wise, as you are brave.”
“What?”
“Did you not see Thymia’s long face at the wedding? And our prince here looked more in love with himself and his own happiness than our sister,” Elian explained.
“Oh! I guess you’re right. I just hope Oriole will be back soon.”
Thomian still needed her healing potion.
“Come, you won’t become any wiser hitting your head against a tree,” Elian walked up to Ulrich, tapping him on the shoulder.
Oriole flew back at lunchtime, only to make the potion and give it to Thomian; all the while she stubbornly ignored Ulrich staring at her apologetically, with all the sorrow of a lost puppy. The girl flew back into the trees and did not show up until the dark.
“You think she’s somewhere near?” the prince pondered sitting by the fire.
“She couldn’t be far,” Thomian replied.
“Oriole should come back to the fire. The night is cold, and it’s not safe,” Ulrich stood up restless,“ I’ll go look for her. I must apologise!”
Ulrich marched deeper into the trees calling Oriole quietly.
“Oriole, did you hear that?! Will you forgive the poor fool? He’s been pining over you all day long!” Thomian shouted, laughing.
Prince wandered through the moonlit wood. Oriole did not reply to his calls. He sat down on a fallen tree trunk, hanging his head.
“Oh, Oriole! Would you forgive me? Please! I’m such a fool! I’m not worthy to be called a Noble man,” he sighed, “Thymia probably saw that long ago. I must have looked like a complete fool at the wedding.”
“You looked handsome at the wedding! If Thymia has chosen Erko over you, she’s the fool, not you,” Oriole turned up right in front of him, Ulrich jumped up startled.
“What are you saying?”
“Oh, prince! If I would tell you that your marriage isn’t lawful, could you ever imagine yourself with someone else?”
Oriole stood too close; her body rised clinging on to him. Ulrich’s hands wrapped around the girl without him even thinking. The feeling was much too good to let go, when suddenly Oriole shrieked “No!”, turned into a bird and flew away. Oh no, not again! What a fool… but Ulrich didn’t get to finish his self-scolding. A beast attacked him from the back, viciously biting into his flesh. Ulrich tumbled down, fighting the wolverine with his bare hands. The prince found the strength he never knew, holding the monster away from biting his throat.
“Down, Speck!” a familiar voice roared. Black Bear ran up, grabbing the beast by the neck and throwing it aside.
“Didn’t get far now, did you?!” he grabbed the wounded prince and pulled him away.
Ulrich’s heart pounded, noise buzzed in his ears as the giant pulled him forward, he could hear screams further in the wood. Black Bear rushed ahead.
“Down, Neck! Down, you bitch!” he pulled the wolverine from Elian. Thomian had been trying to fight the beast from tearing his brother’s flesh, but only Black Bear was strong enough to control the monster. Elian was bleeding heavily. Still the robbers pulled them through the wood, toward another exit of the cave in the cliffs.
“Why wouldn’t you just let us go?” the wounded prince yelled, as the giant pulled him along like a ragged doll.
“We got some news. You’re worth good gold,” Black Bear grinned and threw Ulrich into a large cart. Half of it was covered with a cloth, obviously there was loot hidden under it.
The robber, who was sent back to inquire for missing nobles had caught up with the rest of them - he brought news - the rumours of the missing High-Born had spread.
“I’m the heir of Hebeny! Do you think it wise to kidnap me?! My father will feed you to the dogs when he finds you!” Ulrich shouted.
“No father will find you where I’m going. Let his little soldiers run around. I’ll send for ransom when we get there. Watch your tongue, princeling, or I’ll cut it off and feed it to old Speck here,” Black Bear shook the wolverine’s chain.
He threw the twins into the cart alongside Ulrich. Thomian’s injuries looked bad, but those were nothing compared to Elian’s. His throat was bleeding badly, he was barely alive.
The robbers uncovered the rest of their carts hidden in dead tree branches near the cave. As they rolled down a woodland road, Black Bear yelled,
“Get a move on! Old Autumn is waiting for us!”
Horrified Ulrich comprehended - they’re being taken to Autumna. Indeed, it would be nearly impossible for King Ulf to rescue him from the wilderness of the swamplands.
After some hours, they passed a tall fortress on a cliff to their right - Ulrich knew it, that was Moorland, the castle on the very edge of Hebeny, bordering Autumna. There should be guards at the border.
In the middle of the night, he saw only one soldier standing on guard. After the robbers gave him a piece of gold, he let the whole column cross, without asking any questions. Ulrich, all covered in blood, sat in the cart shocked - the soldier did not care for them! A soldier of Hebeny! His soldier!
The carts rattled onto the bumpy surface of the swampland’s path; they rode ahead until dawn. Some glass vessels were clunking underneath the cloth in their cart. The robbers probably thought of selling cheap booze in Autumna - presuming Autumnians were stupid enough to pay double just because the beverage came from Hebeny, Ulrich pondered.
Blood-red sun rose in the east. Ulrich saw a huge lake on his right and swaying wheat fields shining golden on its shores, as far as the eye could see; years ago, High Queen Eliani had commanded to drain the swamp lands around here. Now this part of the land provided wheat to feed half of the Damned land.
The peasants were going into the fields - it was high time to harvest the crops.
Black Bear stopped near them. Ulrich heard him growl at the peasants, those poor men gave him silver, but he still wasn’t satisfied.
“Not enough!” he roared.
“But kind sir, you’ll have to wait until the wheat is sold.”
“Black Bear does not wait! You won’t have any crop if I don’t get my silver!”
“But kind sir! We could not harvest sooner, because of the storm.”
“You’re mocking me?! Nobody mocks Black Bear. Show him!” the giant commanded one of his robbers. He ran to the cart with the wounded lying in it, stepped over them, raised the cloth and - Ulrich could not believe his eyes - pulled out a round glass vessel filled with burning liquid. The man showed it to the peasants.
“No, sir! I beg you! Not the Great fire!”
“Get me more silver by noon, or else it’ll be a hot day round here,” Black Bear threatened.
Ulrich stared at the cloth - it covered a great pile of round-shaped objects, and underneath the fabric he saw an amber-coloured glow. Frantically he tried to move further away from the pile, but with his hands tied behind his back and the twins near, he couldn’t get anywhere.
Poor Elian moaned, lying lifeless and pale.
“Please, brother! Hold on!” Thomian begged.
A yellow bird landed in the cart near them.
“Oriole, please, fly to the fortress we passed, to Moorland! Get help! He’s dying!” Ulrich pleaded.
“Oi! What’s that?” The robbers saw the bright yellow bird.
Suddenly Oriole revealed herself, turning into a maiden right before their eyes. She was the most amazing, the bravest creature Ulrich had ever seen - standing up straight, her hair shining in the morning sun, swaying across the girl’s frail body. Dark clouds rolled over the sky from Southwest, hiding the sun. A storm was coming.
The robbers gasped.
“I am a Birdling Healer. These men need help. I beg you to let me heal them!”
“And why should we let you do anything, lass?” Black Bear looked at her with his vile eyes squinting.
“Because… because… if you let me, I’ll do whatever you want…” Oriole hung her head.
“Hmm… it’s been a while since I had a good gal. Alright! Do the Healing! But there’s nothing much left to heal, Necks gnawed that one good,” Black Bear groaned, looking Oriole up and down.
Ulrich was gutted; Oriole would sacrifice herself for them.
“If you lass, go flying away and don’t come back, we’ll feed the other black-haired lad to our Speck here,” Black Bear spoke of Thomian.
She flew away for some plants, quickly whipped up a potion and found a sharp rock shard to get her own blood.
Elian began to shake in cramps.
“No, brother! Please…”
Oriole poured the mixture into Elian’s mouth and waited.
“I hope it’s not too late! I hope it’s not too late!” she whispered.
The cramps stopped. Elian looked at Thomian smiling, but it seemed he did not see him at all.
“I’m ready to go! I leave with no regrets, I leave in peace,” he spoke to someone invisible to the eyes of the living. Elian closed his eyes and spoke no more.
“No! No!” Thomian whispered. Oriole hurriedly touched his chest, and his neck, hoping to sense a heartbeat, but could not.
“No, my brother! Who am I without you?!” Thomian cried.
Ulrich could clearly see Oriole was devastated, yet she pulled herself together and treated Thomian’s wounds. Ulrich whispered,
“Run! Fly away! Quick!”
“I can’t! If I do, they’ll kill you. If I stay, you may live long enough to escape.”
While she treated Ulrich’s wounded hands, the girl secretly slipped the sharp rock into his palm.
“Come now, lass!” The giant pulled her out of the cart and dragged along to the nearest bush patch not far from the lake.
“Don’t think there’ll be much left for us, after Bear’s done with ‘er,” the robbers pondered. Black Bear was nearly twice the size of the girl.
Come on, come on! Ulrich rubbed the shard against the ropes as fast as he could, to get his hands free. As soon as he did, the prince gave the shard to Thomian, crawled to the front of the cart, and made the horses run down the road toward the bushes.
Black Bear stopped, crushing Oriole’s hand in his grip.
“Let the girl go!” Ulrich shouted grabbing one of the glass vessels from underneath the cloth.
“Oi! You put that down, lad! You’ll get us all killed!”
“Let her go!” The prince held the shining vessel high above his head, ready to throw it.
Black Bear released her hand, Oriole became a bird and flew to Ulrich.
“Go, Thom!” he yelled, the latter had joined him, in front of the cart. They rode down the road to the lake, the robbers were already chasing after them. Both wolverines - Speck and Neck, ran after the fugitives, quicker than the horses could gallop. They had reached the nearby lake.
Ulrich saw no other way to escape - he threw the glass vessel of Live fire at the monsters. An explosion erupted, the cart tilted dangerously, Ulrich and Thom grabbed Elian’s body and jumped into the lake, with the little oriole bird clinging on to Ulrich. They dived; an amber-red flame flew over the surface of the lake. When they came up for air, the lake was surrounded by black smoke and flames - the whole world was on fire…
***
The High King made the whole column ride as fast as they could, they only stopped to change the tired horses. After riding the whole day and night, they reached Moorland fortress early in the morning. The column of soldiers, the prison cart and the carriage stopped for breakfast. The High King wouldn’t let Erko get out not for a minute, the High Queen brought them food right to the cart. Erko supposed it might be his last meal.
“Your father would not listen,” The High Queen said.
“What does he intend to do?! Erko deserves a fair trial.”
“He and King Ulf studied the ancient Autumnian laws they found in the library, in Hebeny. I don’t think there will be a trial…”
“Thymia, please! Ask your father’s forgiveness. You don’t have to die because of me,” Erko begged as he had done most of their journey.
“Please, dearest daughter! Your childish outburst did not help Erko.”
“I’m not a child anymore, mother. I fought for justice to be done. I fought for what I find worth fighting for. I did it the way I can, with a sword,” said Thymia with her green eyes stubbornly staring at her mother.
“Sadly, it did not persuade your father. We must be prepared for the worst.”
The High King thanked the guards of Moorland for the welcome and the whole column moved into the land of Autumna. They didn’t go far into the swamplands, the High King stopped on the nearest spot clear from muddy pools and puddles.
Dark clouds gathered right above them. A storm was about to begin.
He made the soldiers drag the prisoners out of the cart. The High King grabbed Erko himself. All stood in a circle around the High King and Erko, with hands tied behind his back.
Thunder rumbled above them.
“I’ve come to find there is an ancient Autumnian law - if none is at hand - the High King alone can be the judge in a trial. Since we have no executioner, I’ll be that as well.”
“We have judges in New Autumna! Please father, let him be tried fairly!” Thymia screamed, held by two soldiers.
“With the power of the High King of Autumna, I sentence you, Erko, son of Damian to death by beheading, for causing the Great fire in the swamplands,” the High King drew out his narrow Snakeling sword.
“On your knees!” he commanded.
“No, father! Don’t!”
Erko kneeled without hesitation.
“I’m helping you my dearest daughter. You’ll be free,” The High King said coldly.
“Any last words?” he asked Erko.
“Thymia, I love you,” he said quietly, then looked at his executioner, “let justice be done! I’ll pay for my father’s and my own malice. The father’s guilt he shall forlorn. The Damned land’s lake forever shall be back,” Erko recited the Prophecies.
A cold blade touched his neck, Erko waited for death with his head hung down. The High King lifted the sword, ready to behead him.
A noise of explosion moved over the land from the Northeast, a dark cloud of smoke rose above the wheat fields.
“The Northern crops are burning!” The High Queen exclaimed.
It did not stop the High King; he raised the sword higher looking at the black smoke in the distance.
“Do it, sir! Release me from the curse of Damian!” Erko begged, the High King saw a single teardrop falling from Erko’s eyes to the ground. Suddenly many other droplets joined Erko’s tear. It had begun to rain. High King’s Snakeling eyes rose again to the wall of black smoke devouring the golden wheat fields. Then he turned his sight down to the kneeling man.
Slowly he put his sword aside.
“You won’t get away that easily,” the High King said.
***
The guards of Moorland stood on the Watchtower observing the raging fire in the Northern crop fields of Autumna. Although the rain had begun to pour, it was not enough to put out the giant wildfire. The Damned land has done it again! Why would anybody want to live there, nothing good ever happens in Old Autumn, they pondered. Suddenly the guards saw four riders approaching the fortress.
The surprised guards recognized them - the High Queen of Autumna, a frail, black haired woman, short yet stately, the High King with his Snakeling eyes watching the dark clouds above them, a young Autumnian, and a beautiful green-eyed girl.
All four requested to be led to the Watchtower. The guards granted them the permission to go up - their own King Ulf had informed of them arriving with the prisoners. The guards did not expect them back so soon though.
The four stood on the tower, looking down at the burning fields, the rain pouring on them.
“Go on! Do what you can!” said the High King in a hoarse voice. Erko stood on the very edge of the tower.
Erko hesitated, looking back at Thymia, and in her eyes he found the courage and strength to raise his hands toward the lake – a blue eye in the burning face of the land.
Slowly the lake rose, with Erko directing it. Sweat broke out on his forehead, it took enormous strength from the young wizard to move the large lake from afar. The water flew right above the fire, then Erko made it fall down. A giant cloud of smoke emerged, and when it cleared, the flames of the Great fire were dead.
“I am the son of Damian, the heir of the Autumnian wizard! I release you, land of Autumna, from the curse of my forefather! The lake forever shall be back! The lake shall be lord over the land once more!” Erko called out into the rain and thunder, and Thymia saw him for what he was - the new wizard of Autumna or the Lord of the Lake, as the folks called his forefather.
The water flowed upward from the land, filling each gap - the Great Lake of Autumna was coming back. Slowly and steadily, it returned, people had enough time to find higher grounds to escape.
“Excellent! First, we had to deal with a fire, now we must deal with a flood,” grunted the High King, obviously annoyed by the unexpected change. He went down the tower swiftly, with his cloak swirling behind him.
“Oh! Have I overdone it?!” Erko asked the ladies.
“The curse had to be lifted. I’m sure it’ll be fine. Maybe we will have more sunny days in New Autumna from now on,” the High Queen replied, smiling in the rain.
“Hail, Lord of the Lake!” said Thymia, embracing Erko tightly and kissing him.
Standing up high they saw three tiny figures coming nearer the fortress. Thymia took the spyglass from the guards and cried as she saw who’s coming.
They rode toward the three - Ulrich, Thomian and Oriole, carrying Elian’s body. The High Queen cried in grief - it was her first-born son they carried. The High King hung his head.
“My son has paid the price for his father’s malice - I was willing to murder Damian’s son out of foolish pride…”
Elian was buried near Moorland, mourning ended all the hatred between Thymia and her father.
All of them were welcomed to stay in Moorland as long as they wished. King Ulf, Queen Ani and Crane joined them.
Ulrich approached Thymia after the first days of mourning had passed.
“I guess our marriage wasn’t lawful after all,” he said smiling.
“I guess it wasn’t.”
“Forgive me. I loved everything surrounding you - all the excitement you gave me, but I did not love you,” he confessed.
“It takes a brave man to admit he had made a mistake. Take care, prince of Hebeny, your newfound courage might make you even more attractive to some…” Thymia gazed meaningfully at Oriole standing nearby and winked at Ulrich.
“I’m glad you taught me how to swim. Otherwise I’d be dead by now!”
Both laughed and embraced. Erko noticed their heartfelt conversation and quickly paced toward them.
“Well, I’m beaten. This whole wizarding business takes up a lot of strength. It’s not easy being Lord of the Lake, you know. All that water to move,” he yawned expressively, “I’m off to bed. Will you join me, my dear?” Erko turned around and marched to his chamber.
Thymia smiled at his sweet little outburst of jealousy, said goodnight to Ulich and the others, and followed Erko.
***
The day came when Ulrich and Thomian were healed, the Autumnians would travel to New Autumna taking Erko along. Thymia and him did not intend to live there, but her father insisted on a proper wedding, and they honoured the High King’s request. Ulrich was to go back with his father and mother, and Oriole would fly to Avem with Crane. All of them went down the stairs of the fortress, still saying their farewells to each other.
“Goodbye, Highness! I shall fly south to be a Healer and take my place in the council of the Elders. It’s what I’ve always wanted, to help wounded souls…” Oriole looked into his eyes waiting, but the prince remained silent.
“Goodbye…” he finally stuttered. The girl ran down the last steps sobbing.
Thomian caught up with Ulrich.
“So? Aren’t you going after her?”
“She wants to be a Healer. I cannot stand in the way of her happiness.”
Thomian rolled his eyes and sighed.
“It looks like some folks need a little push toward their happiness.”
He padded Ulrich on the back and pushed the poor prince down the last steps of the stairs! Ulrich tumbled down screaming and fell on the ground.
A yellow bird chirped flying to him.
“Are you injured? Where does it hurt?” Oriole asked nervously, examining his body.
“Oh, my leg! No, I mean my head!” the prince moaned. Gently, he pulled her close.
“Oriole, without you I’ll be a poor wounded soul! Will you heal me forever?”
“You fool!” she laughed and kissed him.
One year later Ulrich had his perfect wedding night. As he laid Oriole down on their wedding bed, he dived into a warm, blooming, sunlit meadow of wildflowers, and their happiness was complete.
The curse indeed was lifted. Autumna lake returned in its glory - a vast, deep lake of incomparable majesty. The villages and towns stayed untouched; the lake gave them islands to stand upon. Against the odds, prosperity grew on the many islands, as well as in the town of New Autumna, which remained safe from the floods, still bordering the sea. The High Queen’s castle was rebuilt (King Ulf of Hebeny contributed richly, due to his son’s completely accidental involvement in the fire!), now it was a pleasant place, where kindness, honesty, and simplicity reigned.
***
“Alright, I think this bratling needs to get some sleep. Goodbye, Thom!” Erko shook hands with Thomian. He lifted a sleepy little girl in his arms and carried her to the house on the lakeside. Two young boys followed. Thymia lingered on the shore to see her brother off.
“I was right after all,” Thomian smirked looking at Erko leaving.
“How so?”
“I said you’ll end up living a boring life as an obedient wife with a bunch of kids, and here you are!”
“Not true, Thom!” Thymia objected, “my life is nothing but boring! And obedient I most certainly am not!”
“No need for details!” Thomian laughed, “but about the sword fighting - I wholeheartedly admit, I was wrong.”
“Who would have thought?!” Thymia smiled. They embraced, Thomian got into a boat, both waved farewell as it sailed into the red and purple sunset coloured lake. Thymia watched the boat disappear behind an island in the distance.
Erko came back carrying two swords. For twelve years now, both owned a blacksmith’s forge near the city of Tridum, on the shore of Autumna lake. They made the best swords in Hebeny. Erko was also known as a wizard, and folks would even say he’s the new Lord of the Lake.
“All asleep,” Erko said approaching Thymia, “now, we must test these two beauties.”
He handed Thymia a sword.
“I bet I’ll win this time!” she said, attacking.
“Oh? You want to bet? If I win, I’ll take what’s mine!” He looked into her eyes with the burning flame she knew well.
“Then we’ll both be winners, no matter who loses.”
They fought heatedly, but this time Erko did win.
“Maybe it needs adjustments, or I’m losing my strength,” Thymia said, glancing over the blade.
“Your strength does not lay in a sword!” Erko smiled at her.
“Where then?”
“What would a sword help, if there was no courage in you to lift it?” he asked instead of answering.
And while Thymia thought of a witty reply to give him, Erko shouted:
“Now I shall claim my prize!” grabbed her and jumped into the lake with both of them laughing.
The End
A beautiful ending to a beautiful story.
Nice ending! 👏