The Heiress of the Lake (6)

A dark romantic fantasy.

Chapter 6: The Snakeling’s bride

The Snakeling Lord’s eyes widened with a sinister revelation. 

“You’ve done well my son. But now a new task stands before you. You shall be the one to give the Snakelings back their freedom.”  

The Lord spoke pacing around a large chamber of the Snakeling castle. Magnush stood still, staring at the two figures laid on the beds. The poison of the thorns would make Auri and Marcian lifeless and unconscious for at least twelve hours. 

“Indeed, it’s obviously the Foreverold’s will. The New moon will rise in the evening,” the Lord kept pacing slowly. 

It was morning, the Snakeling’s had taken their stunned prisoners to their castle.

“Are we to ask ransom for them? Or demand a contract to reassure our freedom from Autumna in exchange for their lives?” Magnush pondered. Such was his plan after becoming the heiress’ guide. He had led the other two toward the Snakeling realm, though he did not expect the Snakelings would come so far from the town and fight off the Wolfling’s men.

“Yes and no, my son. A greater future awaits for you. We’ll make sure the next High King and his heirs stay loyal to Snakelings,” Lord Merush smiled with a malicious glow in his eyes. 

“What are you thinking, father?” Magnush asked, although he had a notion of the answer already.

“You shall impregnate the Heiress of Autumna to reassure the next heir is a Snakeling.” 

“But father!” Magnush exclaimed, blushing red from ears to neck, “I cannot touch a woman if not wed to her!”

“So, you shall! Tonight, when the New moon rises I will wed you to the heiress.”

“She would never agree!” Magnush objected. 

“I’m afraid, she’ll have no say in it,” The Lord shrugged. 

“But father…”

“Did you not want to revenge your sister’s suffering? Furthermore, you swore to serve the Snakelings when you became a warrior,” the Lord scolded him, “a daughter for a daughter! We Snakelings still shall be more merciful than Autumnians. Princess Auriani won’t feel a thing, unlike my daughter…” the Lord went silent, closing his eyes in pain. 

Magnush glanced over Auri’s body.

“I will summon the Elders. As soon as the moon rises, you shall be wed,” the Lord concluded and turned to leave.

“Father, but what about the Autumnian?” 

“Oh him? He’s irrelevant to us. We would’ve killed him, but I thought you should have the pleasure. Or maybe he could witness the wedding night? Just like you had to see the Autumnian soldiers take your sister away. Is that not a perfect revenge?”

Magnush nodded silently, while his father went outside the chamber. 

Magnush lingered in the chamber watching Auri’s chest rise and fall peacefully. His hand reached out and gently brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. 

An Autumnian woman entered the chamber. The beautiful middle-aged woman was dressed as a Snakeling royalty.

“Mother, I’m to be wed tonight,” Magnush’s voice was full of fear. 

“Is this your bride?” 

“Mother, it’s not right! I wanted revenge more than anything, but not this way!”

“I can understand your father. If the next heir of Autumna is a Snakeling, we have a chance to be safe from the Autumnian soldiers forever. Snakelings shall live in peace,” the woman spoke softly. 

“But you’re an Autumnian, and I’m… “

“Autumnains have brought nothing but suffering to me, to your father and to the Snakelings,” she said sternly.

Both stood silently observing the sleeping princess.

“Mother how am I to do this? No girl deserves to be violated. Not even an Autumnian. Even if she feels nothing.”

“I see,” the woman looked into Magnush’s eyes, “if you need any help… anything at all. You can always come to me. No girl deserves such a fate,” mother gave him a meaningful look. 

A couple of Snakeling maids entered the chamber to prepare the sleeping bride for the ceremony.

***

Magnush paced nervously around the castle all day. Finally, he went to his mother’s chambers and spoke to her quite a while. 

The thin silver crescent of the New moon slowly rose above the wooden castle, when the Lord and the Elders gathered in the same chamber where Auri and Marcian had been sleeping all day. 

Magnush and his mother joined them. The young heir of the Snakelings had changed to a festive attire; his fine woven clothes were white as snow; a linen tunica with a leather and silver belt,  breeches, the finest leather boots with silver ornaments, and a grey linen cloak. The hilt of his sword shone in bright silver, richly inlaid with deep-red rubies; a gift from his father on the young man’s wedding day. 

Magnush stood by his bride. He glanced at her; Auri’s pale face was framed by the dark locks of her hair, a lilac and white wreath of heather and Snakegrass flowers weaved around her dark-haired head. The white knitted dress wrapped her luscious features beautifully. For a short moment Magnush bit his lips closing his eyes as struck by some inner pain. 

The Snakeling Lord began the Ceremony with a speech. Magnush had regained his calm, his eyes showed no weakness or regret. He agreed to be wed with the voice of a soldier, his mother - an Autumnian woman spoke for the heiress. Magnush put the ring on Auri’s cold and stiff finger - two silver snakes weaving together, with rubies inlaid among their bodies like tiny drops of blood. His mother held Auri’s hand, making the impression the girl was giving a ring to Magnush. He put it on his own finger, instead of the royal ring he had before.

The Lord declared them man and wife, the foul wedding was to be sealed with a kiss. Magnush took a deep breath and leaned over the heiress. His lips barely touched hers with the cool softness of raindrops. When the young Snakeling straightened again, the Lord spoke,

“A great future awaits for you, my son, for you shall bring peace to our land. Now, this will be the night when justice is restored, your wedding night. We will leave you to the consummation.”

The Elders and the Snakeling Lord went away, Magnush exchanged a lenghty glance with his mother, before she left. 

The candle-lit chamber sunk in silence. Magnush turned toward Auri. He caressed her face, down her neck to her shoulders. She should be fast asleep for at least two more hours. Dark clouds gathered above the land - another storm was coming. Magnush began to undress himself.

“Don’t…” suddenly moaned Marcian from the dark corner of the chamber, where he laid all the time, forgotten by everybody. He was a tall and a healthy man, used to Snakegrass from which the poison was made, he had begun to wake during the wedding, but he kept quiet. 

“Don’t… hurt… my… sister,” Marcian mumbled with his mouth still numb, he could barely move. Half-naked Magnush slowly paced to him. 

“You shouldn’t be awake,” he said.

“Please… don’t hurt Frogling,” Marcian begged with his eyes full of tears.

“Forgive me, Autumnian, but I must do this. Otherwise you’ll just stand in my way,” Magnush pulled another thorn from his bracelet and pricked Marci’s neck with it. The latter gave a heart-breaking moan and fell unconscious. 

Magnush went back to Auri, undressing more quickly. His sight was determined and stern. Magnush cupped the girl’s cold, pale face.

“I promise not to hurt you. We must hurry,” he said caressing her face. 

A storm erupted washing the wooden Snakeling town with an ice-cold shower. The skies, tainted in dirty-grey hue of the storm clouds, moaned with the thunder resounding above the plains. A lonely Autumnian woman hurried into the castle, soaked wet and freezing, pressing the rainwater from her long, black hair. Nobody heard her coming, except the guards at the door. They bowed to her but asked nothing. The castle was silent - no feast would be held for the foul wedding. Magnush’s mother crept to her chamber, luckily her husband was still busy holding a meeting with the Elders. The woman dried her hair with a towel, changed into a night-gown and laid in bed. The Snakeling Lord returned shortly, he undressed and laid beside his wife, pulling her into his lap and gently pressing his cheek to hers. 

“I know you don’t approve of this wedding, Mari, but what else could we do? The future of the Snakelings depend on it,” Lord’s Merush’s voice changed from the cold commanding one to a soft and loving tone. 

“Our son wasn’t happy on his wedding day,” his wife whispered.

“He knows what’s at stake. Magnush was willing to disobey my orders, to have his revenge. He will not let us down.” 

“His heart is more merciful than he thought. Just like yours was once.”

“My heart has seen too much cruelty over the years. But soon we shall have peace. Magnush will serve. I’ve seen the fire of Autumnian lust in his eyes when he looked at the girl.”

“Is it not cruel toward her? She’s done nothing to us.”

“It’s too late now, Mari. Magnush has been there long enough. We cannot change it anymore,” the Snakeling Lord held his wife tightly, hiding his face in her warmth. 

***

Auri woke up freezing cold, staring at a thick piece of water-proof tent fabric. She was snugged in a blanket, but her whole body felt numb, she could barely move. Slowly the warmth returned to her limbs, she blinked unaware of where she was or what had happened. Loud voices were arguing nearby. Auri tried to get up. It was extremely hard. She leaned out of the fabric-covered cart. A tiny rain sprinkled on the dawning day. The four lizzos pulling the cart laid sleeping, exhausted. She saw Marcian and Magnush rolling in the mud, Marci beating the Snakeling and shouting,

“What have you done to her, huh snake?! What? You’re not a snake, but a dirty death maggot, that’s what you are!”

Marci hammered the Snakeling’s face mercilessly, but the latter didn’t even fight back. 

“Stop, Marci!” Auri yelled and fell out of the cart; she couldn’t get out with her stunned limbs still stiff. 

Marci shoved Magnush into a muddy puddle and ran to the girl. 

“Frogling, my sweet, little Frogling! What has that snake done to you?!” he picked the girl up from the mud.

“I’ve done nothing!” Magnush shouted, spitting out blood. 

“I’m alright, Marci. Just a bit stiff,” Auri replied, rubbing her limbs. 

“That bastard was about to… you know who he is? The Snakeling Lord’s son! He loured us into their realm to… to… impregnate you!” Marcian screamed overtaken by anger.

“Is it true, Magnush?” 

The latter lowered his blood-shut eyes; he couldn’t stand the clear sight of Auri’s golden-amber eyes. 

“Forgive me, Auri.”

“It’s Princess Auriani to you, Snakeling!” She replied coldly. 

“Now you’re wed to him, and I don’t know what else he’s done to you!” Marci shouted. 

Auri noticed the ring on her finger, she tried to take it off frantically, but the ring would not come off, now that her finger wasn’t stone-cold and stiff. 

“Stupid Autumnian, do you think I would have taken you here, if I’d… if I had violated her?!” Magnush yelled back.

“But you still married her!”

“I didn’t have a choice! My father would have found some other Snakeling to impregnate her, if I refused!”

“So? Why didn’t you?!” Auri asked spitefully. 

“I couldn’t hurt you the same way my sister was hurt. No revenge is worth it. She was broken, my sister, my best friend…” tears flew down Magnush’s cheeks, leaving clear traces through the blood and dirt on his face. 

“What happened to her?” Auri’s limped toward him.

“Autumnian soldiers. They broke into the castle, took her at night. I tried to protect her, but I couldn’t. She ended her life afterward,” Magnush shook crying, his tears dripped into the mud. 

“I understand now.” 

“That doesn’t change what you did, snake! You tricked us! And I still don’t know what you did to my Frogling, after you got undressed,” Marcian pulled the girl into his embrace. 

“I did nothing! I changed clothes. My mother helped to arrange our escape. Now I have no choice but to help you.”

Magnush stood up and regained his proud posture. His whole face was a mess of blood, tears and dirt, but he didn’t care much about it. 

“You have a choice - get lost!” Marcian retorted. 

“I can’t return. I’ll probably be banished anyway. I’ve defied my Lord twice.”

“We do not care! So long, snake!”

“And how are you going to survive in the swamp?”

“He’s right, Marci! We can’t get to Thilia valley without his help,” said Auri. 

Marci paused and kicked a moss clump.

“Alright, you may help us, just to redeem yourself. But you’re still not forgiven! My poor Frogling is married to a snake!”

“I don’t think this marriage is lawful outside the Snakeling realm. Father arranged it for my sake, to avoid fornication…”

Marci interrupted him with a spiteful snort. 

“Tell me, are we safe here? Aren’t the Snakelings after us? Or the Wolfling?” Auri asked Magnush. 

He stood listening, then laid flat on the muddy ground.

“The Snakelings are quiet, but I think they should find out about our escape now. They’re wise enough to understand it’s pointless to follow us, but my father still might send some spies. I can’t feel anybody following us.”

Auri sighed relieved. 

“I think we should have breakfast and move on,” Magnush suggested. 

He had packed some food with them. All three ate in silence, then tied all their belongings to the vacant lizzo, along with the disassembled cart - they’d have dry firewood. Both Auri and Marcian changed into dry Snakeling clothes. 

The weather got surprisingly good; sunny days were rare in Damned land, even in the summer. But on this Autumn day a lovely golden sun shone through a thin veil of mist. The travellers used the pleasant conditions to go as far as they could. They rode all day, without stopping, until the beasts were exhausted; the lizzos stopped and dropped on their sides to sleep right after released from the loads on their backs. 

After dinner, Magnush offered them two pipes and a bag of dried Snakegrass.

“We must use the Strong water sparingly, because no village will be in our way until Thilia valley. But I can offer you Snakegrass.”

Marcian gave him a hateful stare, still he couldn’t stop himself from grabbing the pipe and the herbs.

“It doesn’t mean we’re friends!” he grunted. 

Both Marci and Auri smoked their pipes sitting by the fire and ignored Magnush completely. The sunny day had turned into a bright, cool Autumn evening - the sunset mirrored blood-red in the pools and puddles of the swamp. Magnush’s eyes got caught by Auri’s beauty - the sunset reflected on her fair skin and the last rays of sun shone golden in her eyes.

“What are you staring at, huh?” Marci yelled at him.

“You’re making me feel uneasy, do stop looking at me like that! I am not your wife, snake!” Auri also scolded him. Intoxicated by Snakegrass she was not in control of her tongue. 

“Please, don’t call me a snake! Not you,” Magnush pleaded quietly, got up with his sword and went further away from the fire to practise sword fighting. 

Auri observed him - although his moves were stern and confident, his face expressed sadness and regret. The narrow Snakeling sword danced in the air singing, with Magnush’s masculine body swinging back and forth gracefully above the red mirror of the swamp. 

Auri got up and slowly paced toward him. Overtaken by his thoughts and the exercise, Magnush did not see her coming, he took off his sweaty shirt and continued moving. Auri stopped in her tracks - the young Snakeling was well-built indeed. She had thought her friend Marci was a masculine man, but it looked like every single muscle in Magnush’s body had been developed to perfection. Although shorter than Marci, Magnush was definitely a more trained warrior. Auri stood staring at his back with her mouth ajar, until Marci shouted,

“Hey, Frogling! Your pipe will go out! What are you doing there?”

Finally, Magnush noticed her and nearly jumped up startled. He grabbed the shirt.

“I’m sorry, princess Auriani, for my improper appearance! I didn’t realize you were watching,” he said pulling the shirt back onto his sweaty body. 

“No, no! Do go on! You’ re hot, I mean from the practising,” Auri blushed and stuttered, “and call me Auri, please.”

Magnush continued moving with the sword, until Auri asked,

“What is that? You fight differently than the Autumnians, though I’ve used this kind of a sword before.”

“It’s the Snakeling sword fighting. A game of deceit, speed and wit. Helps to overcome a larger opponent. I know you had a Snakeling sword, I saw you fighting the Autumnian near the tavern in the ruins. Although you didn’t use it properly.”

“You saw us? What is the proper way to use it?”

“The Snakeling sword is meant for Snakeling sword-fighting, not the Autumnian tavern brawl,” Magnush paused and assessed her feminine figure, “It might be of use to you, if you should ever encounter the Wolfling again.”

Auri shivered.

“Maybe you could teach me, Magnush?”

His face lit up after hearing both her request and the mentioning of his name.

“I’d be happy to,” his green eyes smiled. 

“Can we start now?”

“Right now?” Magnush blinked still smiling.

“While the weather is good, and I don’t know how much time I have before the Wolfilng finds me.”

“Of course,” Magnush cleared his throat and gave her the sword.

He had to touch her body, to correct her posture for the exercise. 

“Hey! What’s going on? Don’t touch her!” Marcian ran up to the two.

“Magnush will teach me the Snakeling fighting,” Auri explained apologetically. 

“Oh? Is he now? In that case… in that case he’ll have to teach me too. And no touching!”

“I have to help her to the right posture! Don’t worry, if I teach you, I’ll touch you too,” Magnush smirked. 

“The hell you will!” Marcian retorted and drew his sword. 

All three practised until the dark, Magnush had already put up a tent for them to spend the night in. 

“I’ll sit on guard. The swampland is a treacherous place,” he said, lingering by the fire. 

Auri and Marcian climbed into the tent - it was crammed and cold, but both of them snugged into each other’s arms, covered themselves with blankets and soon enough fell into a peaceful sleep. 

***

Auri got out of the tent at dawn; the land was covered in thick fog, only a few ambers glared among the ash near Magnush. The poor man laid shivering, curled up in a ball.

Auri dived back into the tent, took one of her blankets and covered Magnush without saying a word. 

“I should be more resilient. I’m a warrior,” he said apologetically.

“Your welcome,” Auri smiled at him, “the nights are cold. Tomorrow night we should take turns to sit on guard.”

“Not you,” Magnush voice became softer addressing the girl, “I mean, you’re a princess, you should be treated like one.”

“I’ve never been treated like a princess. At least not by my father,” Auri’s smile disappeared, “he tolerated me all these years for my blood.”

“For your blood?”

“What an unpleasant morning! I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the cold. It was always so warm in the castle,” Marcian got out of the tent whining. 

“We should get the fire burning and be on our way,” Auri suggested. She still feared the Wolfling and his men might regroup and follow them. 

When the next morning came, Magnush announced the grim news; he felt the ground shake beneath their enemies feet.

“We cannot continue with the course we’ve taken. The swamp on the West of Autumna is easy to travel, but we’re in the clear, unprotected.”

“Why the sudden change of heart?” Marci asked doubtfully. 

“I can sense a large party of soldiers on our tracks,” Magnush said lying down in the moss to feel the vibrations of the ground.

“I’ve always wandered, how can you know that, snake?”

“Only the Autumnian soldiers have footsteps this heavy. Trust me, I’ve got to know them well over the years,” Magnush’s green eyes shone with deep hatred. 

“A large party moving our way could not be just a coincidence,” Auri frowned and grabbed hold of Marci’s hand. 

“The Wolfling had to know where the nearest soldiers’ camps are. He has summoned more help this time,” Magnush said, but looked at Auri sympathetically, “we are way ahead of them. And I suggest changing our course - we go north where the swamp is more treacherous for a large group of soldiers to travel through. We approach Thilia valley from the North of Hebeny, not West of Autumna.”

“Wouldn’t it be more dangerous for us too?”

“It’s the risk we’ll have to take. I’m not familiar with these lands, but I have studied the maps,” Magnush said.

“What do you say, Auri? A danger we’re well aware off in the clear, or an unknown peril in a treacherous land?” Marci asked her. 

“I trust Magnush. Lead the way!” Auri said, looking in the green eyes of their guide. 

---

Chapter 7