The Sapphire Eruption, page 23
part #1 of The Sword's Choice Series
But now they were holding a party in their honor. They had built a great fire in the square, with meats of all kinds roasting in the flames. They had spared no expense in the provision of food. After all, Noakh and Hilzen had given rise to a hope the villagers had long forgotten. They had to celebrate the arrival of the heroes, who were going to release them from the suppression they had been subjected to for all these decades.
Everyone brought something: a freshly made cake, a soup of snow rabbits, anything was welcome. The music was not lacking either. Several members of the town had been encouraged to play, forming a small orchestra. They were playing “The Sailor and the Mermaid” now, which made Hilzen sing the merry melody too, his face lit by the fire while he held a bottle of blue wine.
It was an authentic celebration. The villagers seemed to be enjoying themselves as they had never done before. However, Noakh was not having such a good time. While sitting at a table near the fire, weighed down by his thoughts, two girls, each about five years old, timidly approached him. First they bowed down and curtseyed clumsily and then gave him a bouquet of violet flowers. Violets were a beautiful and small flower Noakh had seen growing in the area despite the snow. Grateful, he smiled at them warmly and smelled the flowers; it was a sweet scent that somehow comforted him. He tried for a moment to forget his reflections, he pulled two flowers out of the bouquet and slipped the stem through the girl’s hairs, then he left the flowers carefully on a table and started dancing with the small ones in time to the music.
The longer he remained by the fire, the more numerous the signs of gratitude and affection became. Realizing how important his role for the villagers was, Noakh eventually moved away from the square. It was all too much for him. The wound he had received in his back during his confrontation with the taysees had begun to hurt him again… At first he had taken it as a game, as a stupid challenge. He simply had to defeat Duranti—to beat him. Now he realized everything that was at stake. Whatever he did would mean the difference for the villagers, who trusted him blindly.
Back at the fire, Hilzen seemed far calmer. Noakh had claimed he had everything under control—though if Hilzen were to ask him now, he might feel differently about the situation. Perhaps it was also the alcohol and the joy of the night… or because the outcome of the confrontation with Duranti’s men could mean his wish for a sweet death might finally come true. Whatever the reason, Hilzen had temporarily put aside his minor concerns; now he danced beside the fire while holding a pitcher full of blue wine. The wine derived its name from the bluish color provided by the mixture of fruits used to make it, as well as by a much sweeter flavor than the traditional wine, which had a slightly bitter taste at the end.
* * *
Noakh looked at the stars. Without noticing it, he had walked until he had left the village. He bent down now and threw pebbles into the darkness around him. Even though he was absorbed in his thoughts, he noticed someone was approaching.
“I’m fine, Hilzen. Leave me alone,” he said reproachfully.
“I’m afraid your friend is too busy with the wine to care about you,” said a feminine voice which definitely was not Hilzen’s.
Noakh turned his head. Dorein stood a few feet away from him, her cane stuck in the snowy ground, her eyes fixed on his. He anticipated that she would leave, but the old woman instead continued: “It is freezing here, Noakh. Why would you rather be here than celebrating with the villagers? Aren’t you enjoying our party?”
“Yeah,” said Noakh coldly. “It’s just that I wanted to be alone…”
Dorein answered Noakh’s insolence by muttering a curse. She stood there, looking at the dark sky full of stars. Noakh ignored her, throwing more pebbles that landed softly on the snow. Just when Noakh thought she was going to leave she continued. “Difficult, isn’t it?”
“Hmm? What do you mean?” Noakh answered, confused.
“Knowing the people you must protect makes the task much more difficult,” she said solemnly.
Noakh responded with a sigh.
“You do not need to answer, Noakh. I know it very well. I’ve been carrying the same burden as yours for a long time. I’ve been there.” After a long silence the old woman resumed. “We are very grateful that you have agreed to help us, but I must also remind you that you are still the one to decide your own destiny.”
“It’s not my life I fear for, Dorein,” Noakh replied. “It’s the consequences… What if it all goes wrong? I could not stand that failure.”
“You’re too young for all this, too… inexperienced. I wonder why you were chosen for this task? Oh Aqua!” Dorein questioned.
Noakh clenched his fists tightly and took several deep breaths. Of course the Aqua Deus had not sent him here. However, he was soon able to control himself.
After a long period of silence, the old woman turned back.
“I’ll leave you alone. But remember the saying, Noakh. We are owners of our destiny and slaves to our decisions.”
Noakh stood there alone, absorbed in his thoughts.
* * *
The loud bells flooded the town, a means of communication once used to warn of attacks, or to announce the return of men after battle. They were currently tolled when announcing an unwelcome visit. The tolling made the whole village chill. It was a sound they had come to relate to sadness. The bells seemed to sound different this time, though: unfamiliar… happier, some might say, with a bit of hope instilled in them.
Fate had deemed the day should be cloudy, with no snow and little rain, which in a frozen wasteland such as the Snowy Mountains could be considered nice weather. The wind carried the smell of wet grass, which mingled with the scents of animals such as dark-brown pigs and goats roaming the widest streets of Ograbh.
It was early. Even so, Dorein had been up for a long time. Insomnia had long been part of her life, leaving on her face dark circles of purple and brown. The sound of the bells had interrupted her prayers. This time she allowed herself the luxury of finishing the prayers, a sign of defiance, before getting up, grabbing her cane, and heading towards the hut where Hilzen and Noakh were staying.
Dorein tried all possible ways to suppress her fear. She knew that such unpleasant emotion only reflected a lack of faith. Aqua Deus had heard her prayers. Finally, someone had come to help them—she had to believe in the two travelers Aqua Deus had sent to Ograbh. As she walked through town, she kept muttering all the prayers she knew, even as she came across other villagers who were already leaving their homes and stepping outside. Once she had reached the door to Noakh and Hilzen’s cabin, Dorein took a moment to breathe deeply and calm herself. Then she tapped her cane against the door to alert them to her arrival.
“Noakh, Hilzen… it’s time!”
Her firm voice hid her nervousness.
After a few moments of waiting, she opened the door indignantly, assuming Noakh and Hilzen were still sleeping. Then she began to curse them aloud when she realized they were not there. Her eyes searched the room, hoping to spot them in one of the corners the fours walls surrounded. She looked and looked again, hoping that her eyes were playing tricks on her. She was not wrong, they were not there.
She could not believe it. They had left, leaving the town to its fate.
Dorein squeezed her jaw tight. She tried to take a deep breath. This time, however, the situation overtook her, she was trembling.
She tried to review the matter at hand. The town had the necessary reserves to pay its tribute to Count Duranti; they had been stored throughout the year. But the villagers had used a large portion of them during the festivities to celebrate the arrival of their supposed saviors. Still, they should have enough. They had to.
She tried to make quick calculations, but her mind was clouded. Even if they could cope with making the payment, it would undoubtedly be a blow to the whole village. So many years tied to the yoke… then suddenly some hope, which had just as suddenly vanished. Being able to make the payment or not, it made no difference. The town would not recover from this.
At the door, a young woman rapped her knuckles, making Dorein aware of her presence. The woman had curly blonde hair peeking out from under a white wolfskin hood.
“My lady, the heroes are heading for Duranti’s men. Shouldn’t you also meet them?”
“What?” The news was a relief. With her cane she quickly hobbled her way to the meeting. The young woman tried to follow in her footsteps.
“Damn fools!”
Dorein could not help but smile as she walked as fast as she could. For a few moments she had given everything up for lost, her strength had vanished as had her hope. Even though she would never admit it, she had even almost lost faith. But only for a moment.
The villagers stood at the exit of the village, in an esplanade from which they could perfectly see Duranti’s arrival. Villagers usually didn’t like to witness such an event, but this time it was different.
Upon Dorein’s arrival, she had to make her way through the crowd of people who, as prisoners of the moment, were not aware the village protector was trying to pass. In any other scenario, a brief interjection from Dorein would have been enough for the onlookers to clear a path for her, but now the villagers were just trying not to miss out on whatever was going to happen. Dorein could not blame them for that, since hope was a feeling that had slept inside them for so long—and it had awakened, voraciously.
Today they would start a new life.
When at last she broke through, she could see Duranti’s horses approaching slowly in the distance. Approaching the horses, in turn, were two shadows. They were far away… How could she possibly reach them, even if she hurried? Dorein made a move to follow them. However, one of the men gestured with his hand.
“Back, Dorein, I beg you. Noakh has asked us to leave them both alone. We must respect the will of our saviors.”
Several villagers around the man nodded, reinforcing his words. The hope in their faces, rather than any words, prevented Dorein from feeling offended. She simply nodded and watched as the two heroes walked on to face their fate.
“I wonder how you’ll manage, Noakh,” Dorein murmured.
CHAPTER 27. The queen’s lessons
Vienne stood with her mother in the sword room, the chamber where Crystalline lay. It was here where the queen had decided to teach her daughter the mysteries and techniques of the sword, the same place where her mother had taught her, the way it had been taught for several generations. Graglia withdrew the sword from underneath the waterfall then ran her hand lovingly over the blade.
“Vienne, what is it that makes Crystalline different from the rest of the legendary swords?”
Vienne tried to think of the answer. She knew that not responding correctly would disappoint her mother. “Her power over water?” she replied unconvincingly.
The expression on the queen’s face was enough for Vienne to know her answer was not the one the queen was hoping for.
“It would be good if you stopped saying what you think I want to hear and instead said something with a minimum amount of common sense,” the queen replied. She fixed her stern gaze on her daughter, a visage few had ever seen.
“Crystalline is a peculiar weapon. It certainly does not have the destructive power that its counterparts in the Fire Kingdom have or the absolute control that the Tirhans’ swords provide over nature. However, its power is still something to consider. I’m sure that Igüenza has taught you about its many virtues; even so, words sometimes are not enough.” While speaking, the queen extended her left arm and drew the blade closer to her skin before making a huge cut in her wrist, so deep that the blood began to fall on the water.
Vienne, not understanding what her mother was doing, watched in terror. Blood continued to emanate from the wound. In contrast, the queen seemed unaware of the seriousness of her wound. The extended arm still dripping with blood, she jubilantly observed the stupefaction of her daughter.
Then, Graglia laid Crystalline on her wound. Small drops of water began to drip from the blade, closing the wound within a few moments. The queen’s wrist was perfect again, without any scar or spot that bore witness to the horrible wound she herself had provoked a few moments ago.
Vienne’s face was pure astonishment, but Graglia could not help but let a smile form on her lips. She recalled when her mother had performed the same demonstration for her decades ago. The expression on her face had been exactly the same as the expression her little one bore now.
“No matter how often they speak of the water sword’s power, it will never fail to impress,” said the queen, quoting words her mother had once told her. “Crystalline has the power to heal all wounds… Yes, this is the reason why its wielder should never go to our army’s frontlines. Those stupid Fireos have tried more than once to provoke us into carrying it there, because Wulkan and the Fireo ancestors always lead their armies from the front—a strategy they seem very proud of. We are smarter. Crystalline’s powers make its wielder more useful mingling among our troops, from where the one who bears the sword can use all of its power. Crystalline’s power extends over water in all its forms; it is not a defensive weapon, as many may believe. Its power when attacking can be equally enormous. It depends only on how you have been blessed.”
“Blessed?” Vienne answered softly. She tried to review in her mind the many lessons Igüenza had taught her.
“Do not try to rummage through your head, Vienne,” replied the queen, guessing the numerous lectures that fluttered in her head. “Your caretaker is a wise woman, and full of knowledge. However, these details are available only to the sword’s legitimate carriers; neither your aunts nor even your sisters know about it—and that’s the way it should be.” Graglia’s voice sounded at once resounding and peaceful. “The powers that the Aqua Deus grants to the sword’s carriers are slightly different for each one. You have your great-grandmother Midalien, whose stories tell how she could summon the beasts of the sea to fight by her side, and her daughter, Legan, who could control the rain.”
“The rain?” Vienne answered, impressed. She wondered with which powers she would be blessed.
“Your grandmother argued that the powers varied from one to the other depending on the character possessed by the carrier, but in my opinion, I think it is a matter of the whims of our beloved Aqua Deus.” The queen gave Crystalline to her daughter. “Test yourself. Let’s see what path the Aqua Deus has chosen for you.”
Vienne looked strangely at the sword, not knowing how to react. She tried to invoke the sword’s power as her mother had taught her to do. We command and Crystalline obeys, she remembered as she commanded Crystalline to drop water as her mother had just done in order to heal her wrist, but again with no success.
She had learned some of her mother’s tricks by watching her. Closing her eyes, slowing her breathing… somehow it was not working for her. But why? She kept wondering: What if the Aqua Deus had regretted his choice? What if she was not worthy of being the Lacrima? She really wanted to know what blessing the Aqua Deus might bring her. She closed her eyes, trying to focus all her concentration, trying to understand what was supposed to be done. She took a deep breath once more, trying to summon her inner strength. But nothing happened.
The queen was about to speak when a knocking on the door interrupted their session, announcing the end of the lesson. Vienne now, being the legitimate heiress, had free access to the sword room, so she began to familiarize herself with it and to little by little develop her power.
Outside the hall, three people were awaiting them. Among them, Vienne recognized her aunt, Alvia… The people standing there—two men and one woman—were three-quarters of the Knights of Water! A hasty short Royal Guard soldier appeared behind them.
“My queen, I am very sorry for their arrival with no announcement, but I was unable to stop them!” the girl said hurriedly, knowing the queen’s temper.
“It’s fine,” the queen replied, dismissing her. “What are you doing here?” the queen asked, staring at her Knights of Water.
“We come to take an oath to the future queen,” said the tallest of them. He knelt before the princess. “Her beauty is comparable to yours, majesty.”
The other two knights imitated the first, kneeling by his side, their eyes looking to the ground. With their free hand, they each grabbed the necklace they wore around their necks—the same necklace worn by Gant Blacksword.
Vienne blushed at the comment. The knight who had proclaimed her beauty was the captain of the Knights of Water, the handsome Menest Casaniev, for many the most beautiful man in the kingdom. She was not going to disagree with this proclamation. Menest had strong, marked features that contrasted with his lively look and warm smile. When Igüenza told the princesses stories about princes, Vienne imagined them as Menest.
Kneeling beside Menest was Tarkos the Silent. While Menest radiated joy, Tarkos accomplished the contrary. A black hood full of tears and fraying covered his face. Very few people had seen his face, but the hood framed his small blue eyes. It was said that when Tarkos was named a Knight of Water he wanted to prove his faith and his fidelity to the crown, and thus he swore he would never question the words of the queen. And then he cut off his own tongue. The next time he was seen he was already wearing the hood—and since then, it was said, he had never taken it off. Vienne saw how his eyes peered at her for a moment, making her feel very uncomfortable.
The three knights remained kneeling on the floor until the queen gave them permission to stand up. Alvia looked at Vienne, her niece, then smiled and winked at her.
“Gant is not in the palace, so the oath will have to wait,” the queen said. The fourth Knight of Water was in charge of hunting the fugitive Ribetien.
“Oh, my dear little sister,” Alvia replied to the queen, amused. “Gant will probably die before completing his mission! Why make the rest wait?”
