The Death of the Lake (3)

Only temporary here on Substack. A dark fantasy.

I did say, I wouldn’t share more than the first 2 chapters here, but I’ve changed my mind. I’ll share this story here tamporarely, because it has generated interest. A chapter per week on Wednesdays, 11 chapters in total. It will be removed from Substack a week after all chapters are released, or in case it has been picked up by an agent or a publisher (highly unlikely, but what if…)

Chapter 3: The seduction of a poet

Herki laid with his eyes closed. Soft flow of the air hit him gently, sun shone on his face. Herki inhaled the sweet scent of the lake; what a gentle awakening! He opened his eyes to see Ari staring at him blankly. A horrible scream broke into the silence surrounding them. Herki was still numbed by the Snakegrass. Slowly he sat up and saw - they were not alone. The chamber was full of people! People staring at them! Was this some kind of an awkward wedding custom in Thilia? How improper! Herki was completely naked and… Why is he covered in…? He looked at his own body, all covered in blood. He did not feel any pain. Suddenly Herki realised - it was Ari’s blood. She was dead and their wedding bed was soaked in blood.

The room was a wreckage. All of Ari’s family stood amongst the broken glass of the shattered window, flowers and candles scattered across the floor, the table tipped over. Herki could not say a word. His worst fears had come true. 

“What have you done?” Lord Hadrian said quietly. Luke stood near him frowning. His mother and Aurora cried, embracing each other. 

Herki jumped out of the bloody sheets and frantically wrapped his dirty body in a robe, not taking his eyes off Ari. Her robe was torn, she was stabbed multiple times with a glass shard from the window. 

“It was true what they say about the wizard’s kin! They murder their wives in the rage of lust! Oh, my poor sister!” Aurora howled, hiding in her mother’s embrace.

“You monster! I didn’t believe the rumours. I did not want to believe…” Lord Hadrian said looking into Herki’s eyes. 

“No, father! It couldn’t have been him! Herki was half asleep, numbed by the Snakegrass when I left him,” Luke objected.

“His mind was clouded from smoking herbs?! Then my daughter did not stand a chance…” Lord Hadrian yelled in return. Herki stood blinking, breathing heavily. Lord Hadrian called the guards, they took him away to the dungeon. It was more of a wine cellar - Thilia did not have a proper prison. The people living on the sunny island were kind and peaceful. They left Herki to sit alone locked in the cold cellar with wine barrels and glass bottles. The young Autumnian sat half-naked on the cold stone floor. He hung his head and wished to die. 

Light from the tiny window played on the darkened glass of the wine bottles. Herki took one, opened it and let the liquid flow to the floor. He made the wine float up like a blood-coloured serpent; of course, the wine consisted of water. The young wizard played with the liquid for a while. The cost for this magic was too high - to keep the power over water he had to carry the flame of the dragon inside his body. He could not remember hurting Ari, yet he had done it, and no Snakegrass could save him. Father was right - there was no escape for them. No lake could wash away the blood from his hands. Herki threw the empty bottle against the wall, shatters of glass flew all around, the wine spilled on the floor without the wizard directing it. Herki took a long shard and sat leaning against the wall. What was he left to do? Luke was right. He should have called the engagement off. Virtue or no virtue, but Ari would still be alive now. All his well-meant actions had led to her death. 

Herki held the shard above the blood vessels of his left hand. One cut and the dragon shall be slayed forever. 

“Don’t!” Luke ran into the cellar and ripped the shard from Herki’s hand, cutting his own palm, “damn it, Herks!”

The latter did not reply, staring at the floor.

“It wasn’t you, I know,” Luke kneeled, trying to look into his eyes.

“You don’t know the nature of the dragon,”

“The dragon had too much Snakegrass! I saw you, barely able to sit up straight,”

Luke tied his wounded palm with a handkerchief.

“I’ve lost my sister. Don’t make me lose my brother too,”

“He is long lost, Luke. I’ll never be the same,”

“Not true! You’re the same, Herks. The one who saved me from the lake. You are my brother,” Luke looked into Herki’s amber-coloured eyes with his blue ones. 

“Blue! I saw blue eyes last night, leaning above me when I laid in bed,” Herki remembered. 

“Ari’s eyes were grey,” Luke paused, “right!” he said sternly, and paced away, but turned back at his friend before leaving.

“Don’t try anything funny!”

Herki did not reply.

He sat staring at the sunlight from the window travel across the stone wall all day long. The guard brought him some food and water. Food Herki did not touch, but he drank the water. He missed the sweet scent of the lake and the soft touch of the cool water soothing his skin. 

The darkness overtook the island. Late in the evening Herki heard the key turn. Bright light of a lantern hurt his eyes.

“Aurora? What do you want?” he asked startled.

“Lukean is trying to convince everybody of your innocence. He’s telling the most ridiculous little story. Accusing me of killing my own beloved sister! Preposterous!” Aurora spoke coming closer. Herki stood up. Those were the eyes he saw last night! 

“Nobody would believe him. Don’t you know, it’s never the girl’s fault? How can a pure, helpless creature be to blame?” She smirked. Herki didn’t know what to say. Even if Aurora killed her sister, it didn’t matter. Ari was dead. And if it weren’t for Herki, she would still be alive.

“I’ll answer your question,” Aurora said.

“What question?”

“Oh, you still are a dumb Autumnian! I’ll tell you what I want,” she moved one step closer.

“It’s such a pity you were asleep last night! Otherwise I would’ve gotten what I wanted. I tried everything, but you still didn’t wake. Poor Ari! She must’ve gone mad standing behind locked doors, until the servants found the spare key,” Aurora laughed melodiously.

“Ari thought she can take what I want, and get away with it? Oh, if only you were awake! What a sight she would’ve walked into!”

Herki felt sick to his stomach - though beautiful from the outside, Aurora had a hideous soul. 

“Now that she’s out of my way, I shall take what’s mine,” Aurora pulled the waistband of Herki’s silk robe to untie it. He stepped back hitting against the cold wall. 

“Aurora, you don’t know what you’re doing!”

“Oh, I know very well! You may be dumb, but I’m not. I read the ancient scrolls about the Dragonlings, the people of your kin. You are easy to seduce. You just need somebody to ignite you,” She smiled blatantly. 

“I am not your toy!”

“Oh, I think you are! Or you will be. And I don’t even need to do much,” to Herki’s great surprise Aurora turned and walked away.

“Funny thing imagination is. Especially the one of a poet. Just imagine my naked skin touching your body,”

She was right! Herki tried to think about anything else, but his imagination ran wild. He was tired and weary, he could not control the waking flame. He despised Aurora, he tried to think about Ulise instead, but that made things even worse. The dragons fire raged through him and the more he fought to hold it back, the more pain he felt. The luscious features of Aurora’s body showed through her sheer dress as she walked back to him. 

“I can see the flame in your eyes. Don’t fight it,”

But Herki fought, the pain of his soul and flesh burning overtook him. He moaned, crouching to the floor.

“It’s so easy - give me my pleasure and I’ll give you relief,” she stepped closer.

“Don’t you care about your virtue?!” Herki groaned pressing his burning face to the cold floor. 

“What virtue, silly? I may not have been a bride yet, but I have been a wife to many. If these walls could speak…” 

“Sadly, none of them could give me what I yearn; true pleasure. But you! You shall…”

Suddenly the door slammed open and Luke ran in.

“Get away from him, you slut!”

“You dare slander your own sister?! I was just visiting a prisoner to ask why did he kill my beloved sister,”

Luke let out a curse, grabbed Aurora by the hand and shoved her out of the cellar.

Herki still struggled in pain.

“I don’t have Snakegrass! What else…?” Luke grabbed a bottle of wine, opened it and let Herki drink as much as he could. After a while the burning pain retreated. 

“You may be a Dragonling, but she is the true monster inside,” Luke said, sitting beside his friend. 

***

Lord Morten laid on the cushion covered daybed in the Winter garden of his luxurious castle. Plants and trees brought from far across the seas bloomed around the bed, golden cages of brightly coloured birds chirping in the trees. Giant butterflies flew around slowly flapping their emerald wings. It was not just a garden, it was true beauty and divine pleasure Lord Morten dwelled in. 

An embroidered silk robe wrapped his perfectly smooth skin. He swam in the ice-cold pool every day to keep it from ageing, afterward the maids would rub his body with scented oils. Lord Morten did everything in his power to stay young, and still the bastard would out-do him. The Lord hated this ungrateful boy. He took away Morten’s youth - how dared Herki grow up looking more handsome than Morten ever was?! Bastards should be drowned right after birth. All they do is cause trouble. Lord Morten pondered, leisurely caressing the skin of a half-naked lady of his court, lying next to him. Another one laid on his other side. Both were merely eighteen, maybe even younger. Lord Morten chose only the young and the handsome High-born Autumnians for his court. 

“What is it, Merush?!” the Lord asked his Snakeling councillor, who had come unexpectedly. The young man looked at his Lord with a slight notion of contempt in his snake’s eyes; Snakelings did not approve such carnal pleasures and were quite prudish.

“I’m afraid I have bad news, my Lord,”

“Go on!” Lord Morten did not stop touching his mistress despite his councillor’s presence.

Merush cleared his throat.

“Your son’s young wife has died last night. He’s been accused for her death,”

“Oh?” The Lord said carelessly.

“She died a terrible death. Stabbed with a glass shard,”

“How unusual! But then again - he is said to be a poet,” the Lord pulled his mistress closer, “Was that all, Merush?”

“Your son might be tried in Thilia and sentenced to death,”

“Good! Good!”

“How… how is that good, sir?” Poor Merush stared at his own boots, not wishing to see the shameful behaviour of his master, who untied the girl’s robe. 

“Why on earth did the Snakelings send me a youngster like you, who cannot think at least two steps ahead?!”

“Forgive me, sir!” The young councillor gritted his teeth still looking down. Red spots appeared on his pale cheeks.

“But I’m a generous master, am I not, Merush? I shall enlighten you; if the Thilians try to behead the bastard I’ll finally have a good reason to wipe the island clean from the feeble folk occupying it. Not that I really need a reason…” Lord Morten drew his slender Autumnian finger over the smooth skin of the girl, from her neck, between the breasts to her navel. Merush turned his head away; he obviously wished to be anywhere else but there.

The Lord was most amused to observe his councillor’s bewilderment. 

“Oh, you Snakelings pretend to be so cold-blooded toward pleasures of the flesh, but I know you’re a naughty little snake, aren’t you, Merush?! Do not despair! You can have her after I’m done. Do pay a visit to our young Snakeling, my dear, in the evening!”

“Yes, my Lord,” the girl replied looking at Merush. Her eyes posed a question. He gave her a sympathetic look, trying to keep his eyes on the girl’s face, not her nude breasts. Though Merush was not indifferent to women, he pitied the poor girls forced to serve as their Lord’s playthings. His generous master would send them to Merush’s chamber occasionally, but once they got to know the young councillor, the girls visited him gladly. Merush’s Snakeling upbringing was strict - he would not touch a woman before wed to her by Snakeling customs. All he did with the girls was talk to them, gathering useful information about Lord Morten, or he would simply let them sleep without feeling threatened by abuse. Of course, both parties agreed to keep this a secret, and if asked, the girls would describe Merush as a wonderful lover. Luckily, he was too busy to take part in his Lord’s nightly feasts. Sometimes it seemed, Merush was the one ruling over the land of Autumna…

“You are most generous, my Lord!” He bowed and turned to leave.

“Oh, and Merush! Has there been a letter from the island?”

“No, sir,”

“Hmmm…” The Lord slowly pulled the girl close, pressing her skin to his, “Foolish Thilians! Never mind, I shall get what I want one way or another. I do believe the situation will work out in my advantage. Soon enough I’ll be a married man again,”

Merush bowed hurriedly, rushing away from the Winter garden, not to witness the fornication.

Luke could do nothing! Father would not listen to him; Auroras sobbing over her deceased sister was far too convincing. Herki was labeled a dangerous creature, a monster, and nobody would believe Luke. Nobody except Ulise. 

Although, her father stuck by her side like a guard dog, and rarely let the girl leave the house, he would still allow Luke visit her. Young Lukean was their Lord’s son, and without that awful Autumnian around, he was welcomed in Ulise’s house. 

Luke had nobody to talk to. Mother and father were cross with him accusing Aurora. Father forbade him to visit Herki; he suspected Luke would try to help his friend escape. It was true. Luke did plan to help Herki. But he needed an ally.

Ulise sat in the lovely decorated drawing room of her house. Since more than a year she had felt imprisoned in her own home. It wasn’t always like this. After the Midsummer’s feast a year ago, her father received a letter, brought by a strange snake-like man. Father wouldn’t let her go outside with her friends anymore. He didn’t want to hear anything about Herki. That Autumnian monster’s son, as he said. Ulise’s heart ached - Herki sent her a poem a day, he waited for her. All she could do was read each poem a hundred times and kiss it, hoping he had done the same - and their lips would have lovingly met on the same piece of paper. Ulise could not write back, although the maids took poems from Herki, they would not dare to deliver him a reply, no matter how Ulise begged them. 

Luke had come to visit her, as he did every day for the last two weeks. They spoke of Herki, tried to figure out how to help him, but so far they hadn’t come up with a good plan. Luke still wasn’t allowed to visit his friend. 

Ulise’s nanny was present at their meetings, of course, to guard the girl’s virtue. The old lady was half-deaf.

“Are there any news? Anything?” Ulise stood up as Luke walked in.

“Nothing good. My father shall hold a trial any day now. I’ve heard…” Luke paused, gritting his teeth, “I’ve heard him speak of beheading. It hasn’t been done on Thilia in ages. He was making arrangements on who would be the executioner… maybe the butcher… or maybe one of the guards. Nobody is willing to do it, no matter how much gold father offers them,”

Ulise broke down in tears. Luke would’ve embraced her, but the old lady gave him a disapproving look, and Luke only held the girl’s hands for a moment.

“Does his father not care? Why wouldn’t he take Herki to Autumna?”

“Lord Morten has always hated him. I haven’t told you even the half of what he’s done to Herks in all these years,” Luke shook his head. 

He sat near Ulise, by the window. The girl glanced over the blue of the lake. A ray of sun got caught in her eyes. Suddenly Luke could understand Herki - if he were a poet, Ulise would be the one he’d write a verse to. Flawless perfection - that’s what she was in Luke’s eyes; her skin smooth as the finest velvet, with her beautiful Thilian-blue eyes and wavy coal-black hair. Luke reached out and brushed a lock from her forehead. The nanny cleared her throat - no touching! Ulise smiled to him through the tears; they shared the same sorrow. 

Soon enough the rumours of Lord Hadrian’s son courting the fair Ulise, daughter of an honourable tradesman, began to spread across the whole island. Luke did not affirm nor deny it. Indeed, for the first time in his life he was in love. Luke swore to himself - never will he admit to these feelings. He shall keep his love hidden deep inside his heart, anything else would mean betrayal of his and Herki’s friendship. 

 Aurora heard the rumours and decided they would very well work in her advantage…

“Go away, Aurora!” the drunk Herki yelled at the one entering the darkened cellar. Outside the autumnal sun was nearing the horizon already in the afternoon, red blaze mirrored above the lake. Aurora came with the dark. She did not dare to come sooner after the last time, but knowing that Herki was going to face death sentence any day, she didn’t want to lose the chance of getting her way. 

Herki had spent these weeks drinking wine and pondering whether he should end his life himself or wait for the executioner to do it. The guards did clean the shards of the broken bottle, but there was no trouble at all to smash another one. 

Aurora had bribed the guards with gold to let her into the cellar.

She smiled looking down at the drunk Autumnian sitting on the floor.

“Go away!” Herki said slowly. 

“You’re drunk,”

“I must admit, it’ll be hard to seduce me. I have drowned the dragon’s fire in the wine!” He chuckled and drank another mouthfull from the bottle. 

“I know another way to ignite you,”

“Really? Do tell, for I’m not aware of it!”

“Hate is a strength equal to lust,” Aurora approached him.

“I already hate you, but it doesn’t wake any flames in me tonight. Good night, Aurora!”

“Not me! Have you not noticed Lukean isn’t visiting you anymore?”

“What are you talking about?”

“My brother’s been busy. With you out of his way, now he is free to court the black- haired slut you were pining for a year ago,” Aurora explained.

Herki laughed.

“You don’t believe me? Wasn’t Luke your best friend? Your brother? Why wouldn’t he come?”

She was right. Herki had wondered about it himself - why would Luke not visit him? Aurora’s reason seemed perfectly believable. Herki clutched his fist, the half-empty bottle of wine in his hand exploded. 

“Just imagine the two of them together. Luke touching her. Go on! Let your imagination run wild!”

Herki stood up, his drunk mind painted scenes of Luke embracing Ulise, Luke kissing her on the Pinewood coast. The fire began to travel through Herki’s blood. 

Aurora came close and wrapped her arms around Herki’s neck.  

“Now take me, to revenge their betrayal! Let your fire loose!”

The flames indeed burned in his eyes. The fire was weakened by the wine, but still strong enough to make him lose control. Herki was tired, miserable and lonely, he had no strength to resist the flame. He grabbed Aurora, pushed her against the wall hard and kissed her, trying to rip her dress off. A noise rose from behind the door, but the two didn’t hear it overtaken by passion. The doors opened, guards came in and Lord Hadrian followed.

“Release her, you, monstrosity! Wasn’t one daughter enough?!” He yelled. The guards dragged Herki from Aurora. 

She crumbled to the floor, pretending to be frightened.

“He attacked me! Oh, dear father! He was too strong! I could not resist!” Aurora howled.

“Come, dear child!”

Lord Hadrian wrapped the half-naked girl in his jacket.

“I just… I just wanted to understand why…. Why he hurt her… We grew up together…” Aurora sobbed, her performance was most convincing.

Luke ran into the cellar. He came to the guards many times a day to ask about his friend.

Without being satisfied, the flame began to burn Herki from inside. He bent down, moaning.

“What happened? Have you come to take him to the trial?” Luke looked around frantically, trying to understand the scene.

“No trial is necessary after this! The monster attacked once more. He shall be executed in the morning,”

“No, father! Aurora did this! Look at him! The Dragonlings fire is hurting him! Spare my brother!” Luke begged.

“And how many girls must die to satisfy his appetite? One was already too much!”

“Don’t, father! Let him return to Autumna!”

“No!” Herki groaned through the pain. He fell to his knees, “I beg you, sir, go on with the execution! Release me from the wretched flame! A monster like me should not exist!”

Lord Hadrian looked at the young man with a sudden sense of sympathy in his eyes. 

“I… I’ll do what I can,” he replied and went away with the crying Aurora under his arm. Luke ran up to Herki.

“Get away from me!”

“I’ll help you, Herks! Here, drink!” Luke hurriedly opened another bottle of wine. Herki smashed the bottle offered to him against the stone floor.

“You desire her! I know! I know about you and Ulise!”

“There is nothing to know about me and Ulise!”

“Can you deny it?!” Herki looked into his friend’s eyes, then moaned in pain crouching. Luke opened another bottle.

“It doesn’t matter what I feel or desire. We have to find a way to save you!”

“I don’t want to be saved! Not by you! Not by anybody! No one can save me, you fool!” Herki smashed the second bottle, and fell to the shard-covered floor. The glass cut into his skin, but it was incomparable to the burning pain inside. 

“Luke! Get away from him this instant!” Lord Hadrian shouted. He came back after getting Aurora to her chamber. 

The guards shoved Luke out of the cellar by the Lord’s command. 

“Father, it’s not his fault he is like this!”

“I have heard ancient tales about the Dragonlings. I thought it was merely a question of upbringing - the boy grew up different from Morten. I hoped it would be enough for him to withstand the urges of his forefathers’. I was wrong. My daughter had paid the price for it,”

The Lord paced down the hallway quickly not to hear Luke accusing Aurora for Ari’s death. 

Luke would not go to sleep. How could he?! High above the cellar in his chamber Luke, of course, didn’t hear Herki screaming in pain, but he could very well imagine him doing so. Luke marched back and forth in his chamber. This time it wasn’t all Auroras fault Herki had to suffer.  Luke really had fallen in love with Ulise. She was an observant girl, she had noticed Luke’s feelings toward her. Luke knew the affection wasn’t mutual. Although… it might be easy for Luke to have her as his wife. Ulise’s father obviously would be honoured if Lord Hadrian’s son proposed to his daughter. After Luke had visited Ulise every day these last weeks that was to be expected. Of course, his own father would approve Luke’s choice of a wife. Nothing was standing in his way. In fact, even if Ulise  still loved Herki, it could never work out - how would they live? Her life might be in danger every single night they spent together! She was half-Autumnian, but was that enough to survive? 

Luke may not be a poet and a wizard, but he could give the girl a happy, safe life…

The young Thilian stood staring out of the window with his eyes wide open. The possibility of having Ulise for himself laid before him like the vast starlit sky. Dark clouds were rolling across it, an autumnal storm approached. The lake answered the winds by bashing high, foamy waves against the island shore. Luke got back to his senses after the clouds hid the stars before his eyes. Away with these vile thoughts! There was something more important to think about - Luke shall not give up on his friend, even if Herki had given up on himself! 

Luke looked across the room. His sight stopped at a sword, hung on the wall. He knew how to use it. Tomorrow Luke will fight to free Herki, and drag him to the lake by his black Autumnian hair, if he’ll have to! Herki will swim away free, no matter what! And Ulise… Luke will think about her later.