Everlasting (7)

A fantasy story.

Kathrine Elaine

May 30, 2026

Previously:

Do not rush into marriage, my son! How can you trust what you do not know? Aereus heard his mother’s voice in the space between the sleep and wakefulness. She used to say it every time young Aereus’ sight lingered looking at the girls walking by their castle.

Aereus woke, yet kept his eyes shut, feeling Ani’s warm naked skin on his. Mother said to choose wisely. He had married a stranger. Aereus gave a heavy sigh. Ani woke with her lips kissing his bare chest. She lay on his heart listening to it beating.

Aereus opened his eyes; sunlight poured down on Ani’s black hair, and her tawny skin, and she smiled, listening to his heart. Aereus could not explain it, but he knew, he had chosen well.

High above them, a crane bird cried out.

“We must leave. She sounds distressed,” Ani said, sitting up. Indeed, it was ridiculous! The two of them had been making love among enemy camps near a highly protected border.

“If it is our Crane, why would she not reveal herself and help us cross the border safely?” Aereus pondered. He did not wish to leave; Ani sat near him naked, and the sun caressed every curve of her youthful body.

“Crane knows the ways of the Foreverold. Some secrets are best kept hidden until the right time arrives.”

“Do you have any secrets you keep hidden?” Aereus asked, remembering his mother’s advice.

Ani glanced back at him, eyes wide with bewilderment. Once again, he got lost in the dark abyss of her beautiful eyes.

“No, I do not. There is nothing much to know about me. I am a low-born but my father taught me to read and write. I might not be a good fit for a high-born Hebenian like you, I know…” Ani lowered her sight in shame.

“What..?” Aereus wasn’t really listening, lost in her eyes.

Ani laughed; he gave her the warmest smile. Even her sudden mood swings he found beautiful. Aereus grabbed her, pulled her closer, and kissed Ani with all his might.

“We must leave,” she objected gently with Aereus holding her even tighter.

“I wish to stay.”

But a crane bird cried out loudly, this time it was nearer than before.

“I think Crane wants us to leave at once,” Ani said letting go of his body.

Aereus grunted a curse under his nose, but got up, nevertheless. This was uncommon to his nature – to wish for nothing more than to lay and watch the clouds, holding the one he loves close. Love was the sweetest sorcery, clouding his mind, and he wished to know nothing else but it.

Yet a true warrior can never forget the weight of the sword in his hand. As soon as Aereus took his sword, his senses grew sharper, he heard distant voices... crude voices approaching, footsteps of soldiers marching their way.

“Oh no…” Ani whispered. They had barely gotten dressed, there was no fog to hide them, it was a matter of time before the Autumnian soldiers would spot them and the horse in the patch of trees.

Cold sweat broke out on Aereus back. He did not stand a chance against so many. The thought of dozens of dirty hands touching Ani made his blood boil. No. Never.

Without saying a word, he helped Ani up the horse, and joined her.

“We shall never escape,” she whispered.

Aereus kept his silence, the horse galloped out the patch of trees, causing a commotion among the approaching soldiers. Of course, they immediately followed the fugitives, though the Autumnians were on foot. Only High-born Autumnians were allowed to ride to battle on horseback, as horses were rarely kept in the moors, and quite expensive to purchase as well.

Aereus glanced back, those were common Autumnian soldiers – barely maintaining the order, falling out of line, their uniforms and armor badly kept, screaming and cursing like a ragtag pack of drunks.

“Don’t let the Hebenian bastard reach the border!” they bellowed, because one of their own would not have been running away from Autumnians.

After a dash through the thickest pack of bushes, the horse galloped on, the soldiers kept following it though they fell far behind, not even noticing the animal seemed to have lost its riders.

Indeed, Aereus and Ani jumped off and made the horse race onward without them.

“We wouldn’t have made it to the border on horseback,” Aereus said ruefully. They had a greater chance of travelling unseen without the large animal.

Both hid in the thick bushes, despite the thorns tearing their flesh. Aereus sheltered his love in his embrace, letting the thorns cut his clothes and flesh instead.

The bastards ran right by them, never noticing the two hiding there. Some tales about Autumnians are true, Aereus thought, they say common Autumnians are foolish and gullible.

Aereus, however, used the chance to follow them carefully, his sword at ready, until the soldiers stopped and cursed. The horse had escaped into the thick woods of black oaks, a mark of the Hebeny kingdom they did not dare to cross. A rain of black arrows showered them, as the Autumnians retreated. Once again, Aereus and Ani hid in the bushes, until the soldiers walked by cursing, trying to catch their breath. Autumnians themselves were not archers. Swords were their weapons of choice, no bows or arrows they used. Only crude blades of steel they deemed manly enough, not some pointy sticks flying through the air.

The soldiers stomped back to their camp. After a while their cursing got swallowed by the silent moors.

Aereus looked ahead – home was so near; he could’ve reached it after a short run. But the black arrows sticking from the ground on the path advised him not to rush onward into the arms of death. Besides, Ani was an Autumnian, and his wife. Even if they recognize him as one of their own before shooting him dead, what of Ani? Would they let her pass?

“If we ever get into your land, tell them I’m your slave. A battle trophy. You are allowed to take Autumnian slaves, yes?”

Shamefully Aereus nodded. Indeed, Hebenian soldiers were allowed to take Autumnain children and women as slaves. Most of the women ended up sold to Hebenian brothels for good gold.

“Tell them, you want to sell me to a whorehouse!”

“I despise lies!”

“Do you love me?”

“Yes.”

Ani did not need to say more, her dark eyes pleading Aereus silently defeated all his objections. If lies would keep her safe, lie he must.

To be continued…

Thank you for reading! Part eight coming next week. I never expected this story would grow so much. Fear not, I presume two or three more parts and we’re done.