Everlasting (6)
A fantasy story.
Previously:
Her body felt light as a feather lying on him, he could barely feel her warmth, but her lips hovered just an inch above his like ripe fruit he longed to taste…
Aereus moved his lips closer to hers, hunger for her woke him from the sweet dream into the cold reality. Nothing but the fog kissing his lips, no body embracing him. Ani was not there. Only the weight of his own sword pressing on his chest. She was gone, Aereus saw only the foggy silhouette of the horse grazing nearby.
“Ani!” He called out, jumping to his feet.
“Shhhh! You’ll scare the horse! Up here!” Ani’s voice reached him from above. He looked up but saw nothing but the lowest branches of the old oak tree they had slept under last night, everything else had been swallowed by the fog. Aereus grabbed onto the branches, and pulled himself up.
He had spent most of his childhood climbing trees, this one was easy to conquer. Ani stood on the last sturdy branches, looking around. The bare branches revealed a sight that caught Aereus by surprise. They were high up above the fog. It danced over the land of Autumna like a bridal veil, revealing the bare earth waking with the sun.
It greeted the land with the light pouring through the mist golden-red, and every puddle, every lake, every stream of the damned land replied like a thousand golden-red mirrors.
Aereus gasped, a man of few words he was, but even if he were a poet, Aereus couldn’t have found the right words to capture such beauty.
“This is Autumna, the cursed land,” said Ani with a cheeky grin.
When Aereus’ eyes turned to her, he could not look away. Sorcery or not, he did not care. She was more beautiful than the land below, and the scattered mist drew a bridal veil over her head and shoulders.
“You’re Noble-born? Yesterday you mentioned a castle,” Ani asked.
Now it was Aereus turn to grin.
“We live poor. My father’s father left his wife and son nothing but a castle and debts before he died in the war. My own father worked hard to repay the debts before he died in the war. I farm the land myself. Mother tends the garden. My only treasure is my forefathers’ sword, “ Aereus looked at the sheathed blade by his belt.
Aereus frowned; Ani’s question was not innocent curiosity. Indeed, Aereus woke from the spell of her eyes – Autumnian women could not be trusted. This one was obviously hoping to seduce a wealthy, Noble-born warrior. Aereus turned away from her beautiful face, disappointed and disgusted, when he heard the sound of twigs cracking under the footsteps made by heavy boots.
All his senses grew sharper, he heard somebody approaching. Aereus had no time to ponder if Ani cares about him or his wealth. Nothing mattered, except keeping her safe.
Their horse neighed frightened; somebody was rummaging through their bedding.
“Keep quiet! Stay here!” Aereus whispered into Ani’s ear. Ani shook her head, but Aereus paid no mind to her silent objection, he slid down the tree as quiet as he could. They had been hidden by the thick fog, that was the only reason the Autumnian soldier hadn’t spotted them yet. Indeed, it was a tall Autumnian, a well-armed spy kicking around their bedding. Aereus jumped into his sight with his sword swinging, aiming for the Autumnian’s throat, because the bastard had taken his helmet off. Alas, the Autumnian was quick and obviously used to unexpected attacks. Two swords clashed with no words spoken. Two men fought with no hate between them; the Autumnian could’ve been Aereus’ age, a youngster with a battle-scarred face. He was taller, and stronger, yet Aereus was quicker with the sword.
Two men fought to death, though it was unclear who would take the other one’s life. Aereus wore no armour, the Autumnian had managed to wound him several times, yet he would not yield. Suddenly, a branch of the old oak cracked, and fell onto the Autumnian’s head. The tiny moment of distraction was enough for Aereus to wound him in the vulnerable area of the Autumnian armour – under the arm. The sword penetrated his ribcage, the man yawped, falling to the ground.
“I told you to stay in the tree!” Aereus scolded Ani, catching his breath. She climbed down swiftly.
“I did!” she retorted. “You said nothing of distracting the bastard while I’m still in the tree!”
The young Autumnian was moaning and twitching from pain. Aereus stepped nearer and looked into his eyes.
“This is not our war to fight, Autumnian. I can let you live if you keep your mouth shut about seeing us here, and may the Foreverold help you recover,” he said what had been on his mind throughout the battle. This war had lost its meaning on the bloody battlefield where Aereus was left to die. The everlasting hatred had no cause. What reason could there be for a hundred-year feud?
The Autumnian gave a dirty grin.
“I need no reason to hate a Hebenian bitch!” he grunted with blood coming out his mouth. “May you never see your homeland again! I hope you rot, you and your Foreverold!”
Aereus’ sword gave the bastard the only reply he deserved - a cold blade to the throat. His grin faded, he was dead on the spot.
Aereus stood breathing heavily, the bloody sword in his hand.
“Let us leave at once!” he said. Ani gathered their belongings, Aereus helped her up the horse, and both galloped away.
“We shall not survive,” Ani whispered. Both knew it was only a matter of time before they would be spotted by Autumnian soldiers patrolling the border.
“I will do whatever I can to get you to safety. You shall have your hearth, the child your arms were made to cradle, and the good man to take care of you,” he grunted, fighting his own fear.
“I think already have,” she said quietly.
“What?”
“I want you, Aereus.”
The horse had taken them into yet another patch of trees and bushes, already birthing green leaves like thick veil hiding them from the world. As if on command, the horse stopped. Aereus knew they might die soon. There was nothing to lose. He did not know if Any wanted him or his castle, nor did he care. Aereus was stunned by her words, and her scent near him, and the warmth of her body, and he finally gave into whatever sorcery Ani possessed.
He got off the horse, helped her down. He went on one knee.
“I am not good with pretty words but if I could I would marry you here and now,” he said looking into her dark eyes.
“But you can! Do you know what Autumnian wedding is?” her voice bore both joy and sorrow within it. Aereus nodded. If a couple were destined to die, all it took was to exchange rings and consummate the marriage for it to be legal in Autumna.
Aereus did not say a word, neither did Ani, when he took off a silver ring his father had given him, and gave it to Ani. She had a tiny ring given by her mother before she passed. None of the rings fit the other, but it did not matter. Aereus gave into the magic of Ani’s beauty; he touched her face gently, she weaved her arms around his neck, and when they held each other close, it felt like home. He did not recall how they took their clothes off, until they were lying on them naked, unbothered by the sun rising over the cold mist, the day waking, and a chorus of birds greeting the two lovers. All fell into place, all felt right, as if the Foreverold had arranged this, no soldiers found them, nothing stood in the way of their hands caressing the other’s skin, drinking each other’s lips, becoming one. The everlasting eternity smiled down at the young love weaving through their bodies, binding them forever.
As they lay holding each other close, Aereus finally knew the name of the sorcery Ani used to bewitch him – it was love all along.
“I knew it. The moment you picked me up from the battlefield, I knew I was safe,” Ani whispered, because, once again, Aereus had been thinking out loud. “I knew I had found my man.”
Aereus smiled and held her tighter; if he was destined to die on this day, at least he would die a happy man. A husband of a beautiful wife. They heard a crane bird crying high above the trees. Aereus pondered if it was Crane the Birdling sorceress guiding them to this moment. If so, what was her goal? But then Ani kissed him, making Aereus forget all his suspiciouns, all his fears and worries. They were lying on a blessed patch of land where nothing could go wrong.
To be continued…
Thank you for reading! Part seven coming next week.
So, so sweet🙂
Classic!