Scapegoat

Aaron bids farewell to his friends before surrendering to the Hutcaiah emperor

5.

Scapegoat

 

Morning came upon him abruptly, and Aaron found himself pushing through a quick breakfast with the two royal couples and all three Watchers.    They all tried desperately to be upbeat and encouraging, but the young Half-Elf could see their worry and pain hidden behind their forced smiles.    

Both Queens struggled to keep from crying as he thanked them for their kindness.   

“This isn’t right!”  Aurei said as she gave him a farewell hug, “It isn’t right to give in to an invader’s demands!    Aaron, I don’t like this at all.”

“I’m sure none of us do, Your Majesty.     But we don’t have time to work out another plan.     If I don’t see you again, remember, I’ll be with my parents, my sister and all of our loved ones in Flux and that isn’t such a bad thing to look forward to.”

Aurei nodded, and then turned her back to him so he wouldn’t see her weeping.

King Eleazar hugged him as well, “Aaron, I don’t know what wise thing I can say to you right now.     I have never felt as helpless as I do right now.   I should be protecting you, and instead I am sending you off to a terrible fate.”

“Your Majesty, perhaps greater good will come from this.    I am willing to do what I can to bring that about.    Remember what I asked for you to do for Lysa.”

“I remember, Aaron.    I will do as you requested, if you do not return to us.”

They shook hands and the King went to console his wife.

 

Aaron went one last time to see his squire before his departure.    Reverend Mother Zeatt was standing beside her bed when he arrived, and for a few minutes they spoke about the girl’s improvement.    Lysa’s skin looked horrible, as from head to toe it was peeling off in large patches.    But the skin underneath was a milky white color.

“It is Hutcaiah skin.”   He told the Drow Cleric and Zeatt nodded.

“You have a responsibility to return to her, Aaron.”

“I’ll try, ma’am.”

“You won’t ‘try’, Aaron, you WILL, do you understand me?   I had a dream about you last night.     It was from Yesh.    You will survive this experience, though you will be certain that you won’t.    I’m not telling you this to give you false hope, child.    I have never had a more clear vision than the one I received last night.     As Yesh as my witness, I declare that you WILL survive this ordeal.”

“I hope that this is so.”

“It shall be, child.” Zeatt said confidently, her eyes shining with a certainty that made a chill run down his spine.

“Well then, I will see you later.”   He smiled and she tightly hugged him, kissing his cheek before leaving him alone with Lysa.

 

He didn’t stay long with the girl, for he had said all that he could think to say to her the night before, and he didn’t know what she could hear in her unconscious state.     He didn’t want her to grow upset.

“Lysa, I’m going to leave now.     You will be in good hands and I’m sure you’ll be fine.     You have been an extremely good friend to me and I hope to continue that friendship if… I mean ‘when’ I return.    You still need to learn to Waltz better.      I shall teach you… when I return.”    He hesitated a moment, and then, impulsively, bent over and kissed her swollen cheek.    Feeling emotion coming upon him, he hurriedly left without looking back.

 

Just outside her doorway, he was surprised to find the hulking form of Bruce waiting for him.

“She’s improving, Bruce.”   He said to the Orc while trying to hide his watery eyes.

Bruce nodded, “Good, that is what Reverend Zeatt told me.    I know what you are preparing to do, sir.    I wanted to see you before you left.”

“Oh.” Was all Aaron could reply.

Lysa’s brother took a nervous swallow and got right to the point, “Duke Aaron, I want to apologize for my attitude toward you these past few months.    You know that I have been very protective of my sister.    When she returned, changed in form, I was very upset.     Now she is metamorphosing into something… I suppose she will end up as a Moon Elf.     I guess I’ve been rather racist, sir.    I will admit that her change really bothered me.     But these past couple of weeks, when I thought she would die, I realized that her form is not as important as her presence.”

“She’ll live, Bruce, and she’ll still be your sister, no matter what she looks like.”   Aaron told him.

“Yes, and that is enough for me.”   He shifted awkwardly, “But there is more I need to tell you, Your Grace.     I… I know that Lysa has… has feelings for you.     I told her once that this was not proper.   I…I don’t feel that way anymore, sir.    I guess what I am saying, Your Grace, is that… I approve of what she… feels… for you.”

“Good, Bruce.    Because I have very strong feelings for your sister as well.    She has been a wonderful friend to me these past few months.”

“Sir, it is my prayer that she will continue to be that for you when you return to us.    I am humbled, Your Grace, at your willingness to sacrifice yourself for Marksylvania.”

“Thank you, Bruce.     I have asked of King Eleazar to name Lysa as Duchess of Helios’ Valley if I do not return.    Please encourage her, Bruce.     She is heavily swayed by what you think.    She loves you, Bruce and I know you love her too.     She’ll be greatly relying on you.”

“I won’t let her… or you… down, sir.”    The Orc Captain held out his hand and Aaron shook it.    The Orc bowed slightly, “May Yesh the Merciful guard and protect you, Duke Aaron.    You shall be in my prayers.”

The Orc bowed again and walked past Aaron, to go see his sister.    Aaron felt some worry lifted from him after their conversation.

 

***

Thirty minutes later, Aaron, Aedric, Snoe, Sophia and Khord appeared on the rooftop of the Western Watchtower of the Sylvan Kingdom of Tarmard.    After the Sylvan guards and wizards greeted their King and Queen, they pointed to a glowing red sphere, about a bowshot to the west of them.

“The Hutcaiah King and his wizards placed a protective sphere around them as soon as you left yesterday, Your Majesty.”   One of the Sylvan wizards told his King.

“It’s a prismatic sphere.”   Sophia told them, “They are extremely safe within it.”

“Have they had any contact with you since we left?”   Snoe asked.

“No, Your Majesty, none at all.”   The wizard glanced over at Aaron, “Are you the Duke that they are asking for?”

“Yes,”   Aaron answered and upon hearing this, all the guards and wizards bowed and left them.

“Aaron, how are you?”    Aedric asked him after they had stared at the magic sphere for a few moments.

“Anxious and nervous.”   He replied, then turning to Sophia, “Lady Sophia, you are certain that they will keep their part of the Geis and leave Marksylvania and Tarmard alone, if I go with them?”

“Yes, I am quite confident of that, Aaron.”

“Then I am ready to surrender myself to them.”

“Aaron, only you should approach them.    The rest of us should stay up here.    Remember everything you heard last night and take heart, for what you are about to do, you are not only doing for your people, but for your God!”   Sophia patted him on the shoulder and then stepped back, to allow Khord to shake his hand.

Snoe and Aedric hugged him, but both were so choked up with emotion that they really couldn’t say anything.

“I’m going now.”   He finally told everyone, “I ask that all of you remember me in your prayers.    May Yesh guide all of our steps.    Farewell, until we all meet again.”

Aaron turned and without a look back, headed for the stairs leading down into the Watch Tower.