Five: I Need Your Help

 

 My bare feet barely touched the cold stone floor as I raced to the training fields. At last I reached the exit to the fields bright sunlight assaulted my eyes as I drew close blinding me. Then I froze as my eyes fell upon him. My father, the king. I want nothing more than to turn around and hide, but it was too late his eyes rested on me now.

“Blue.” He spoke softly. Smiling his calm, gentle, murderous smile 

“Father.” I said my body growing cold.

“What brings you out to these fields?” he asked his voice harsh.

“I was coming to find you.” I lied

“Oh for what?” he asked his eyes examining me.

I swallowed a lump that had appeared in my throat.  “Well father I was wondering if I could make the preparations for mothers funeral?”

A smile crossed his face for a seconded then disappeared to be followed by a look of grievances.

“Blue, child, she was a traitor in my household, so she must be remembered as one. We’ll cast out her body to lie in the streets among slop and hay. Her sprite will not be welcomed by the Great Goddess. There will be no grave, no ceremony of wellbeing, to praying to the goddess that she be saved. Even though I did love my wife she turned her back on the entire kingdom. And must suffer as one for the rest of eternity.”

I blink already aware of what he has told me. “Yes my king.” I whisper. Willing myself not to let hot tears fall across my face. Not to scream out you are the on who should be dead. You are the one creating pain, sadness, and fear.

“Anything else child?”

I shake my head, and walk away feeling his eyes on my back. His eyes are a pure black, everything from the iris to the cornea. It was looking into an endless pit and knowing if you were ever unlucky enough to fall in you would never again escape.

“Blue,” He called from behind me, “tell your friends that they will never win this war.”

A dark and evil fear made its way into my mind and heart what if we don’t win? I felt as my body grew colder and the shadows around me enlarged. A laugh disappeared from my father’s lips and into the silent air around me. My fear had confirming his beliefs and he had felt it.

I took a breath trying to let these thoughts leave me, but the fear stuck and its shadows reached out to those around me discontented with only one victim. I watched silently as  despair, Grief, Guilt, hate, horror, and panic grew in those nearest me. Wish more than anything for my mother and the warm light she carried with to come and destroy the fear. For safety and bliss to wrap its warm arms around me. To whisper in my ear that it’s okay that I’m okay. The moment passed and at last the fear left me, but it had done its job, and the damage was done.

“Blue.” A voice called from behind me.

I turned to see my twin brother behind me.

“Red.” I called across to him. My eyes ran across his face noticing how his strawberry blonde hair curled around his face then I saw his eyes they were like a leaf caught on fire the flames trying to consume the brown leaf but not any making progress.  Beautiful in their own way. Then there was his smile his teeth as white as new snow. A smile that had often won the hearts of girls over the last 18 years. His skin was sun tanned from hours of sword play. He was athletically built like a runner of streets or swimmer of waters. His clothing was nothing special just some pants and a shirt which was slung over his left shoulder. Not one scar was on his whole body. Even thought I knew that if he were anything but a Sky scars would have covered him, from our days of sword play when I would defeat him with the wooden swords of children well before the days when I was told that outside was not a place where ladies belonged.

His face had grown cold in the two seconds my eyes had left his face “What’s wrong?” he asked

“Walk with me.”

“Why?” he inquired

“Because when cobble stones make their way to the ocean there are always storms.” I whispered

He smiled at that beginning to walk “oh yes and those storms are eyeless and attack all who get in the way.”

We were silent as we made our way out and away from the castle. Once I could see in all directions for a least a mile without seeing anyone I spoke again.

“Red. I need your help.”

“Now, when you need my help is when you choose to speak to me again.” He said anger and rage filling his voice.

I looked to see one of the candle flames near us grow far bigger than It should ever be. “Yes, I choose now to bring you back.” Taking a deep breath remaining myself to say calm.

“Why?” he asked his hands now glowed like rubies.

“Because, Red, what happened two years ago no one, save the goddess herself could have ever stopped.”  A burning tear threatened to make its way onto my face.

“You’ve known that all along, why forgive me now?”

“I need your help. The half-born is here now.” My voice coming out far calmer than I felt at that moment.

Both of us stood completely still neither willing to look anywhere but into the others eyes, after an eternity he looked to the ground “What do you need?”

“I need a window of time to get to the dungeon and get her out.”

“Okay, I can get you an hour, but that’s all.”

“That will have to do tonight.”

He nodded as he irritably walked away.

I made my way to the castle and saw to the arrangements, setting the grooms to tending my horses and shoeing them for the journey, instructing my servant to preparing packs for the journey, and seeing if there were any maps of the world. All of this I left to those who had always been loyal only to my mother. No news of this would make it to my father that I was sure of.

As I made my way back to the main castle I found the shadows of night had fallen. I listened to the noises within the castle the servants were reading themselves of bed.  I hurried to my chambers pleased to find that the packs awaited me there. I silently made my way to the dungeon slipping down the stairs until I heard the voice of the soldiers left to stay up at night to ensure that none of the prisoners escaped.  Within the hour, they all sounded drunk and tired, then at last not one voice was heard.

“Okay. Blue they’re out cold.” Red called

“Good. Come on let’s get her out of here.” I advised. As I turned the corner to come face to face with Dustin.

“Forget about me princess?” Dustin taunted

“Of course not. No matter how much I want to.” I retorted

“Now now little princess no need to get snappy with me.”

“Can you guys flirt another time?” Red cut in, “we have some work to do.”

We both glared at Red to find an amused smile spread across his face.

Quickly we made our way to the cell were the girl was being kept.

“Open it up Red she’s most likely began to go nutty.”

“Isn’t that a good reason not to open it?” Dustin asked

“Shut up,” I whispered, “open it.”

“Fine.” Red replied reluctantly

The door opened to reveal the half-blood.