Chapter 2

A few days passed and Celeste enjoyed her time with the young fellows…but she couldn’t help but steal herself away from them ever so often. This, more often then not, would bring about an uproar. So…she only did it when all, except the watch of course, were sleeping.

          The night was black, but the stars shone brightly and the moon was full, giving just enough light to see. Celeste quietly slipped out of bed and pulled on a black cloak she had made for herself. She pulled her braided, fiery hair back into the hood and covered her face with a scarf. She paused momentarily to listen for anyone or anything around her before heading out into the night. She moved swiftly through the woods until she reached a clearing. Once there, she sighed deeply and slowed down her pace, enjoying the night sky. The moon shown upon her skin, giving her an eerie glow and the fog around her gave her the appearance of being able to float, rather then walk. She whistled softly and waited. Soon, a shadow-like creature stepped out and bowed low before the girl. “Yes, m’lady?” the creature’s voice was smooth and dark as he spoke. Celeste smiled an almost dangerous smile and spoke quietly. “Do they know of me?” the creature shook his head. “No, they are thickheaded and cannot see through but rose colored glasses. But I do not recommend staying any longer…Their denseness can only go so deep.” Celeste nodded and looked troubled. “Aye…you are right, my friend, but where shall I go? I am sought after everywhere I go. Many, if not all, know my face. I am cursed, despised…and yet, wanted by those who seek death. Tell me, Shad, where shall I go?”  Shad shook his head and furrowed his brows. He looked up into the night sky and pondered for a moment before answering. “You have not yet tried speaking to you know who.” Celeste’s eyes darkened and a flame appeared in them, flickering and growing within her eyes. “You know why I cannot do that! He either seeks to kill me, or use me to kill. I cannot sit by and let either of those things happen!” Celeste paused before continuing. “Perhaps I shall go to the sea…wait there for a while, that is, until I am forgotten. Only a few hundred years…It shan’t be too long.” Shad bowed his head for a moment and placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Melon, you know what is best…but do not stay here any longer. I fear for you. Know you are always welcome among us.” Celeste nodded and watched as Shad turned and left her standing alone. She looked up carefully into the sky, tears forming in her eyes and she sang softly, a deep, mournful tune in an elvish tongue…

 

“Late nights I wander the land,

Longing, hoping that I might see something,

Hear someone, anyone but me.

I am cast into a dark shadow, thrown into a fiery abyss.

My heart cries out, but Alas!  It is always missed.

The Sun rises and falls,

And the full moon comes and goes,

But still I hear naught but the sound of my own pounding heart as I run, hide,

Flee from all that I have loved, and hold dear.

I am alone.

Lost to a world that will not accept me,

To a life full of Longings that nothing can fill.”

 

            The tears slid down her face as she turned and began the walk back to the camp. She suddenly paused and her ear twitched. She didn’t move, nor did she ponder for a moment what was about to happen, instead, she turned and ran the other direction, fleeing the only hope she had of being free.

 

 

          The next morning came and Tristan was up with the sun. He stretched and went out to see Red, the last watch of the night, sleeping peacefully underneath the alder tree. Tristan slipped past him undetected and found a flask of water. He walked up to Red quietly and knelt down next to him, whispering in his ear as he began to pour the water on his friend. “Sleep well, Red?” Red yelled and jumped up, looking at is Captain. “I…uh…I’m sorry, Tristan! I couldn’t help it…you’ve kept us up late every night since last month! I can’t remember the last time I got a good night’s rest.” Tristan grinned at his flustered friend. “I told you this wasn’t going to be easy…” Red looked at his feet, sulking and Tristan got up and walked up towards the cave that Celeste had been using since her arrival. He walked in and looked around. He furrowed his brow slightly and walked back out, looking a little confused. “Have you seen, Celeste?” Red looked up from his pity party and shook his head. “I have not since before bed last night…Why?” Tristan shook his head slightly as he spoke. “She isn’t there.” “What? What do you mean she isn’t there?” Red inquired. “Just what I said!” Tristan’s frustration became apparent as he yelled at his friend. Just then, Xander poked his head out from behind one of the trees, carrying a couple fish for breakfast. “Well now, what’s going on here?’ his voice was perky and unusually bright for this time of the morning. “Have you seen her?” Tristan’s voice was urgent and Xander became serious. “No…But you know her, Tristan, she always wanders off…” “And she always comes back!” Red finished. Tristan sighed and looked down, knowing that they were right. But somewhere, deep in the back of his mind, he knew something was not right.

 

 

 

          Days passed with no sign of the elf maiden and the men began to wonder if she had gotten herself killed, or worse, lost. Before long, Tristan was anxious and sat poking a stick into the fire. Red slipped out and sat down next to him. “Are you alright?” Tristan looked up at Red, his face hard. “‘She always comes back…’ he says, ‘Always…’ my foot. She didn’t this time, now did she?” Tristan glared at his friend and Red furrowed his brows. “Easy there… how was I supposed to know that she would run off without even a goodbye? For all we knew she did always come back.” Tristan threw his stick down into the fire and put his face in his callused hands. Red sat there awkwardly for a moment before speaking again. “We could go find her…if you are really that worried about her.”  Tristan glanced at his friend then shook his head. “Thank you, Red; I appreciate your willingness to go and do that. But you know that we are currently on a mission already, and we cannot stray from the wishes of the king.” “The King is a crack. Why else would he send us on a mission of this sort any ways? Who ever heard of an Oracle of Death existing around here…and what would he do with it when we retrieved it anyhow?” Tristan sighed and looked hard at Red. “It is not for us to question the king. We stay on task, no matter how crazy it seems.” Red shook his head and rose. “Aye, Sir. But if we don’t, then who will?” He turned and left his Captain sitting alone and joined the others inside the cave.

          Red walked heavily as he entered and Kaden looked up at him. “Well, lad, what did he say? Are we to be off first thing?” Red shook his head and sat down heavily upon a rock, rubbing his temples. The scar around Xander’s face wrinkled as he furrowed his brows. “He will not go? He knows this mission is folly…Is he so keen to keep faith with the king that he would allow the girl to die alone? That goes against all that we stand for…He knows this.” Red shrugged, deeply distressed by his friend’s unwillingness to go.

          Kaden stood up abruptly and bared his fist towards the middle of the group. “Well then, if our Captain will not go, then I will. Count it as mutiny if you like, but, no child should be allowed to die alone in such a cruel world as we live in.” Red just glanced up at him sadly, but as he was about to speak, Brennir spoke smoothly. “I will go with him. He is right; she should not be left alone. Whatever cause she had for leaving us must have been a good one, and I could not in good conscious allow her to suffer alone.” Red’s mouth snapped shut as he saw Xander nod his head in agreement and rise to his feet to join Brennir and Kaden. Red sighed as he, too, rose to his feet. “Alright then, mutiny it is. We shall go tell the captain immediately.” He turned to go but paused on his way out and looked at the others. “Do be gentle with him…he’s a bit confused right now.” The others rolled their eyes, picked up their already packed belongings, clasped their cloaks and marched out to Tristan who still sat, starring into the fire. He turned when he heard them approaching. His eyes widened and betrayed him by showing his great confusion. “What is this?” he asked looking between each of them. Red stepped forward and held his chin high, his curly red hair bouncing in the breeze. “Captain, this is a mutiny. If you do not come with us, well, we shall leave you here. But, we are going…with or without you.” He lifted his chin high but then added as an after-thought, “Sir.”

          The others tried hard to keep a straight face as Red spoke, allowing him the honor of being the leader this once. He was good at it, and had a good heart, but the others found him rather young and not quite ready to be the leader of anything to big. However, he was a good friend of Tristan and he respected him greatly. This was harder for Red then for any of the others, so they kept their peace and Tristan just nodded as Red spoke.

          Tristan glanced at the others who confirmed the decision to go was a choice all of them had made. He sniffed and looked down at the fire but then stood up tall and looked at each one of them. “You are indeed great men. I value each of you more then any I have captained before. If this is truly your desire, then we shall indeed search for Celeste. However,” he emphasized the last words, “We will continue with our current mission…Just on a lesser scale.” Red beamed from ear to ear and Tristan sighed. The others glanced at one another and then tossed Tristan his belongings and grinned at him. They knew their captain better then he thought and rightly so, for they were all very close and had suffered much together.

         

 

          Celeste walked quietly along an unbeaten path. Her face was downcast and the black cloak she wore danced around her bare feet as she slipped between trees. Wisps of fiery red hair sparkled in the sunrise as it curled around her pale skin. She made no noise as she moved, nor did she seem to be aware of anything around her. Bitter tears fell from her face and lighted upon the eight rayed star, glimmering and casting rainbows upon the walls of trees that surrounded her.  She paused for a moment and looked up, hope lost from her sapphire eyes.

          Before her lay a river, flowing gently through a little clearing in the woods, and in the clearing a young man stood, his head down and shoulders drooped. Her breath caught as she saw him and her heart crumbled within her for the thousandth time. She pulled her hood up far over her face and stepped out into the clearing. Flames appeared in the center of her sapphire eyes and she quietly walked up behind the young man.

          The man’s clothes were tattered and beside him lay pieces of well-worn armor. A sword was hanging limp in his hands and blood was caked on his brow and face. Celeste stood silently behind him, her face still hidden behind the cloak, and she reached out a hand and touched his shoulder. The man’s head raised and he turned and looked over his shoulder. His eyes were hallow but grew sharp with fear at the sight of the hooded figure standing behind him. He forced himself to stand and swung his sword blindly at Celeste, his voice hoarse as he yelled, “No! No…you cannot do this…I…must…get…home!” Celeste dodged his blade with ease, as he moved slowly from the loss of blood and strength. She moved around him, keeping her eyes hard upon his face. He stepped backwards, flailing his sword, moving closer to the river, panic painting his face. He stared at the figure before him and tried one last time to fling his sword at her but stumbled, twisted and fell hard upon his own blade.

          Celeste’s eyes darkened and she bowed her head and looked down at the eight rayed star that decorated her breast. She watched as the life force of the man before her spilled from his broken form and held out her hand. A gold thread slipped from the man’s chest, curled around Celeste’s arm, and slithered its way up until it reached her breast where it then burrowed deep into the crest of the eight rayed star. She glanced up to the brilliant blue sky only for a moment before turning and slowly walking from the glade.