The Light of Darkness : Chapter 1

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The Light of Darkness : Chapter 1

         The warm breeze blew threw Ayer’s sweat soaked hair as she ran from Ocean Crest to the forest where she resided. The town’s constable that ran on foot followed Ayer, and if he caught her then her life would be taken. It was amazing how some well fed noble pig, that barely lifted a finger all day, could put out a death warrant for someone who was caught stealing something as trivial as bread. Once she made it to the forest, Ayer would sneak behind a tree, around a rock, any diversion to throw him off the trail. Ayer had lived in the forest long enough, that no living soul knew that land as well as she did. Her dream was to someday find a handsome young man and settle in the woods, but that was a fairy tale. Life was no way like fairy tale. Life was a struggle.

         Ayer had reached a small pond with duckweed covering the surface. She filled her lungs, dove in, and waited. Diving into the water and holding her breath, she waited under the water. The pool was so murky and dirty, and she felt small fish nibble on her toes; gasping, she lost her breath of air. Then the brushing of a slimy elongated tentacle across her bare shoulder brought her splashing up to the surface. The constable stood gazing about, beside the pond. Ayer crawled out on to the sandy shore of the pond. He pointed a long branch at her, threatening her if she dared to run. Ayer chuckled, how stupid would she be to run? His dark eyes grew fierce and he ran to the shore where she lay sprawled out upon the bank; he hit her across the side of her face. His deep baritone voice bellowed out at her through the forest, “Don’t you laugh at me, harlot.” The birds stirred in the trees because of the disturbance. Ayer looked up at the sky, her eyes filled with tears as her heart broke. The serenity of her refuge, was now broken by her stupidity. Forever she would remember the elegant forest as a corruption of the stillness and beauty; broken by the evils of sinning.

         Yes, she had known that one day she would be caught. Ayer had no remorse for her thieving days. Actually, to tell the truth, she enjoyed the danger and thrilled in the action. Now in the moments of her capture she was joyous at the excitement of it all. How could she not thrill in death, she would not have to steal anymore and Ayer felt that she had accomplished everything that she could have in her life. So gratefully she stood, her hand fondling her painful cheek, and proceeded to hit the constable in the face with her free hand.

         His right hand responded to tend to his nose as blood gushed from it. The stick also returned her blow with it’s own forceful hit to the back of her head, which sent her flying to the sandy ground. Her fists and face covered with sand, she pushed herself back up and looked at him with contempt. Her voice shaking, “Let’s to ‘t, then.” He smirked victoriously, but his wounds would remain with him. Her pains would die with the body, so Ayer was content to believe that she had won. Her long leather skirt was ripped up the leg, and her blouse was bloody and ripped. Ayer’s hair and face were bloody and sticky with sweat, and slick from the dip in the pond. On her shoulder, she proudly wore a thick patch of green algae. The constable tied a rope about her waist and led her along with it. He marched proudly down the road, and she kicked dirt on his back as they walked along. Falien watched her go from her perch on one of the peaks on the mountain in which the cave where Ayer and her resided. Falien had always known that this day would come, but that did not help her watch Ayer go silently. Silently, chilly wet tears ran down Falien’s golden muzzle, as she walked slowly down the mountain trail to return to the cold lonely cave.

         Ayer had not looked back while she was walking behind the constable, but she had felt Falien’s painful gaze following her footsteps to her destiny. Ayer realized that maybe there were some things in her life that might require her. Falien had survived so many years without Ayer; maybe she would not need her so desperately now. Though she wanted to believe that she was a vital aspect to Falien’s survival, she knew that Falien could go on living even if she did not. The constable was almost dragging her; her weighted conscience had stopped her movement. Easing the guilt, she shifted in her captivity and began to move again. Sighing, she did look back over her shoulder and saw two dark figures galloping rapidly up the path. The figures were wrapped from their heads to their feet in almost weightless woolen robes that floated through the air with them, as their black mares carried their bodies at an amazing pace. The horses ran at such an amazing pace, as if the riders on their backs where weightless. “Constable,” Ayer’s voice rang of urgency, “we are being chased.”

         She glanced back and saw that they had only a few seconds until the black riders were upon them; she jumped to the side of the dirt road pulling the weighty constable along with her. Then the black riders galloped by with outstretched hands that would have snatched the two up. They halted the horses a few feet down the trail, and looked back. The dark figures came charging back, and the constable and Ayer were running for the forest. The sky was darkening and if they could make it to the forest, Ayer could hide them until they were safe. The dark riders would never be able to maneuver their horses as effortlessly in the forest. Ayer and the constable only had a good 25 feet lead on the black riders. As they ran, Ayer could hear the constable’s heavy breathing, but she kept running. She knew she was destined to die, but her life did not belong to these nightmarish humanoids. She had always considered herself to be a citizen of Herri, even though she did not live there. And if she were destined to die and be buried, it would be done in Herri. So she ran, dragging the mid-aged, breathless constable behind her. In addition, Ayer did not change her course so that she could use the bridge to the river that ran a short distance before the forest edge. The lovely river just remained a few feet in front of them and the dark riders were galloping a small distance behind them. The footsteps of the horses pace, matched the beats of Ayer’s heart, thundered through her whole chest. The snorts of the horses pounded in her ear as the horses galloped inches behind them, and Ayer dragged her companion into the water behind her. Though, she had lost all hope in escaping them, she struggled through the water. The figures forced their horses to jump the river, but they disappeared above Ayer and the constable’s head. The black riders were nowhere to be found. They had vanished in front of her eyes.

         Panting heavily, the constable looked at her in total bewilderment. If the truth of the moment was told, he did not know whether to kill her or congratulate her. The constable really did not have any say in what happened to the girl; as ridiculous as it sounded, she was wanted for her frequent thievery crimes. He just could not save her life, besides he had a family to support. He was not much of a farmer, and it seemed that the only career that really fitted him was the constable of that small oceanfront town. The constable could take her to the king, and explain the bravery and deed that she had done for him. The king might take pity for the young female, seeing as it was not more than thirteen years ago that he lost his own daughter. King Laklor had been such a wonderfully pleasant man, until his wife left him. Laklor went into a sorrowful depression, which left the once beautiful kingdom in a most unpleasing shadow of it’s former self. Herri was still a beautifully plush green country that looked magical and was the envy of all other monarchs. The only problem with it was that the king was broken hearted and Herrian people all suffered the pain of the once jovial king. So, the whole kingdom had problems, and maybe the king would not spare the life of a thief that had helped out a constable. The constable just refused to think of the consequences of the girl. His job was to lead her to the king and let the king deal with her as he felt was proper.

         The constable, still panting heavily, sat square in the water. Ayer stood, panting more heavily than she liked. She liked to think of herself as a fit female, for her age. Her companion stood reluctantly, and bent over to take a few more deep breaths before he started to walk again down the path that lead to the beautiful castle, Terlane. Laklor had to spend most of his reign in the castle, because of the many attacks that Herri received. Most of the attacks were ones from the boding evil that dwelt in the land of Gergan. It was not that all the people in Gergan were evil, but the tyrant that ruled Gergan was evil. That tyrant was named Salbor, and Ayer could not think of a man in the world that she hated as much as she hated Salbor. He had not ever really affected her life, but the terror and destruction he had brought to Herri, and Gergan as well, gave her plenty of reasons to dislike him. Truthfully, Ayer did not much like Laklor either. Laklor was not unfair in most his rulings, by far he gave the best judgments of the kings around. However, he had destroyed his life when he had lost his wife and daughter. He had allowed the kingdom to decay around him, and did not care that the peasants died daily. Laklor justified his lack of leadership with his own pain, "Why should I care that the farmers are losing their families? I have NO family." It was rumored, he had told his advisers. Ayer felt he should try to perfect the kingdom, back to its former glory. Ayer walked softly and silently, half scared of what treasures the dark night would hold, and if the evening's entertainment was the least of their troubles. The dark sleepless night always spurred her mind in the most creative ways, and after the previous proceedings her creativeness overachieved its normal standards. She cowered at shadows and movements. Her witless company traveled on dauntlessly. It’s not that he was not afraid; it was that his wife expected him. Any frightening creature was no feat compared to what he faced if he did not reach home in a timely fashion.

         Sulkily, she wondered if her life could hold more adventure. For the first time, she pondered if her life could hold more meaning than a companion for Falien. The spark of hope lighted through her body and she did not know what to do. Ayer could tell that the constable was not going to give her a life for a life. So, there was no escape but to run; as they solemnly walked down the dirt path her chances for escape slimly went by untouched. When castle Terlane loomed in the distance, her heart pounded and her mind raced. Ayer just could not think of an escape. If she had thought up an escape, she would indecisively find a flaw within; and her thinking seemed to help the scenery and time fly by. No matter of time went by, before there they stood at the gates to Terlane. Hopeless again, life is often a joke. What could she do? So Ayer ran, she knew if she tried, she could drag him. So, she tugged and pulled; the rope yanked her to the ground. All her troubles and escapes where gone, here she lay on the ground helpless to destiny. And philosophically, at the end of every life you end up on the ground, facing destiny.

         The beautiful clear night sky full of sparkling stars was breathtaking; it had to be that or the fact that she had just been yanked violently to the ground. Still the beautiful night had an effect upon her, and she did not want to lose it in the near future. Ayer had never before noticed the way the stars shaped into a comfortable blanket, the way the warm night air flushed her body, and the way life was so uncomfortable until the moment it was threatened. The sound of the not so very distant moat trickled through her mind. The constable looked down at her, frowning and shaking his head in disappointment. “I am really sorry, but I just can't letcha go, kid.”

         “How come? They do not even know that you caught me.” Ayer demanded, and she was not known to be rude. She had many awful traits, but she regarded rude as the worst by far. Softly, she pushed herself back up without a word more.
         The constable muttered for a while, and then began silently. “Miss, Herri isn't the same with that woman, Belany, here. If I had ta suspect those nightmarish creatures came from anywhere, it'd be 'er mind. I only tell you this...in honest secrecy.”
         Something caught Ayer’s curiosity, and she laughed, “Whom do you expect me to tell? I am going to die by the rays of the morrow.” The constable looked at her a bit taken back. But the more he pondered it; he would rather spend his last moments laughing instead of being mournful. She just happened about starting though, he took her through the gates into Terlane, and the streets of the silent villa were filled with her incessant, pointless jokes and laughter as of. The streets of Terlane where slanted down, Laklor’s great ancestor had demanded that Terlane be built in the depths of a valley. Her laughter was loud, but she tried to control herself. If she were silent, she would most definitely cry. When she got nervous, she made herself laugh at her situation. Within herself, she had a battle of emotions. It never failed to happen. When it came to the darkest moment, she would cry and then be embarrassed. However, she had purposed in her heart, not to cry at all this time. But the closer she got to the castle, the more silent she became and her nervousness went all over her. Ayer dropped to the ground, and the constable was dragging her down the street.
         The constable was just too strong for Ayer to fight long. The day had been very long and her strength was waning. Ayer dug her fingers into the cobblestone road cracks. She stood again walking somewhat of a short distance behind him. She would wait a few minutes until she was sure that her strength was good enough, and she would take a good run at breaking the bonds. Breathing in deeply, she looked at the constable that was happily pulling her to her dreaded fate. Ayer pulled with all her might, and the constable whom was not foolish grabbed the ropes and yanked. The two movements sent Ayer crashing to the ground again, but this time with a much more powerful effect. She landed hard against the cobblestone, and her ribs and lungs burned. She breathed in painfully and let her eyes flutter shut. The warmth of darkness filled her eyes, and her soul. She could hear, feel, and think nothing. Just the shadow of what was once life.
         She arose from the sleep of nothing just as quickly as she had entered it. The pain of shackles bonding her ankles and wrists filled her mind, and she struggled to free herself from the bondage. They were real shackles, metal and cold, nothing her mind could fathom of its own creation. Pain was nothing new to her, but she hated to be captured. Her spirit and soul was the only thing she held onto, she did not wish to lose it freely.
         Ayer guessed that she was being held in the dungeon, it was dark, cold, and moist. Cold shivers ran down her spine. She shook in the restraints, frozen with fear of her upcoming trial and execution. Warm tears filled her eyes, and she sniffled trying to hold them in. She could not tell whether there were others in the dungeon or not but her stubbornness would not allow her to let them fall, however as much as she tried to resist, the tears came anyways. And her soul felt as though some of her bad energy was releasing from her body, but she also felt weak and helpless. Ayer couldn’t help thinking that she did not deserve this. Thinking did not help, however there was nothing else for her to do.
         She heard a distant metal door shut. Quickly, Ayer dried her tears and waited for what was about to come. She had an ominous feeling that it was for her. Her body went rigid in anticipation of whatever was about to happen. The footsteps were distant and stopped, and she heard another door open and then after a few moments closed. The footsteps began to travel what seemed away again. Ayer let her body relax as the footsteps became more distant. Her mind began to relax, her energy was fading and her eyes were drooping. She let herself relax, and let the darkness of her cell lull her to sleep.
         The door to Ayer's cell creaked open, and the noise awoke her from her groggy sleep. Two men in metallic grey suits of armor came in to her cell and stood by the door, followed by a man in a tunic of chained links. He came and loomed over her bed, "The King requests your presence."
          He motioned the two other guard forward with a wave of two fingers. One grasped her legs, while the other one unlocked the shackles from around her ankles. Then before they came to unshackle her wrists, the leader continued, "I'm Sir Jasden, and I will escort you to his majesty. You are willing to go nicely, will you?"
         Ayer nodded, and the guards released her. She took a moment to stand, and breathed in. Then the guards surrounded her and each grasped an arm. Ayer fuming shouted, "You said-"
         Sir Jasden quickly closed the steps inbetween them and said, "This is the king, we shall not take risks with rogues such as yourself." Then he deftly spinned on his heels, and lead the group out of the cell and Ayer was well on her way to her encounter with the king of whom she had heard a great deal about.