ANUNDR: THE EXODUS (21 page)

‘What great fire?’ Natalia asked.

‘It was the day, twenty-four years ago, when the soldiers burned all signs of witchcraft and scrolls that went against the words of the king.’ He turned to Seraphin, ‘My lady, I couldn’t reach the map. If I may ask for her help--’

‘Yes, you may—Eyan, help a man at an obvious disadvantage.’

Ekrid led Natalia into the next room which was small but filled with more scrolls.

‘What are you doing?’ he said.

‘I don’t know. It seems to be the only way I can get close to the library.’

‘You are a playing a bloody game. Blood will fall.’

‘But it won’t be mine. What have you found?’

‘From my reading, there was one person that was called
the Innocent
because it was claimed that he had murdered his father for the throne.’

‘Who was he?’

‘Your great grandfather, King Meldric the first. I suspect it’s no coincidence.’

‘So do I.’ she said, hugging herself. ‘I was brought here to find the full parchment and to get the dawn of truth. It seems like there’s something I’m missing. Find out more about the heir of Anundr.’

‘I’ll do my best but be careful.’ he said, extending two scrolls to her. ‘Here are the maps.’

‘Thank you, Ekrid.’

‘So do you finally accept you are Anundr’s heir?’

‘I don’t know what to believe but I know I’m here for a reason. I have to find out why.’

The Innocent.
  Behozi’s final words came back to her again. She remembered he had made the statement where the statue of King Meldric stood.
But could it be Akasha that had killed him? Why?
With one answer came many more questions flooding into her mind.

                                                                      ***

It was the end of the day and Natalia was permitted to go home. Seraphin had been pensive since they left the library and despised any form of company. Natalia left the room in haste, hoping Seraphin wouldn’t change her mind. She was exhausted and hungry. Her mind was on supper.

As she descended the stairs, she saw Gisilfried standing alone at the foot of it. She smiled at him and he smiled back. She wasn’t sure if it was excitement or hunger that caused the rumble in her stomach. She walked towards the servants’ quarters and into the dressing room with him behind her. He closed the door and took her in his arms, kissing her before she could speak.

‘I thought we agreed we wouldn’t meet in the castle.’ she said after tearing her lips from his.

‘Yes, but it was difficult controlling myself when I know you’re in the same castle with me.’ He kissed her forehead and he held her waist. ‘How was your first day with her?’

Natalia sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. ‘She’s almost impossible to work for. I don’t know what not to do to offend her.’

‘You’ll get used to her.’ he said, rubbing her back. Natalia had a retort on her tongue,
She didn't want to get used to her
, but she kept quiet and sighed. She realized he had only said so with the best intentions and in ignorance of who she was.

‘We’ve stayed here too long.' she said. 'You should go first, then I’ll go after a few moments.’

He kissed her lips and said, ‘I’ll come to the house tonight. Make sure you wait for me.’ He left. Natalia sighed and looked up at the ceiling as she ran her hands over her face. She knew she was digging a big hole for herself.

As the sun descended so did their hopes as they reached the gates of Halldorr.

‘No.’ Amse said, his eyes scanning the ruins before him. He ran ahead of them and stopped on the sandy bridge just before the dried up moat that surrounded the town.

‘Amse.’ Kalani said, running to his side. She looked ahead. All she saw were demolished grey buildings and a broken gate.

‘No, this cannot be.’ he said. Kalani turned to see the faces of the people standing behind them. The sadness in their faces was worsened by their silence. Mara came forward and said, ‘It seems Kaheem was right.’

‘That jackal is never right.’ Amse said, turning. ‘They knew we were coming.’  He turned to Taharqa, ‘Search the grounds and see what you can find. We’ll find out where they went.’

Taharqa bowed and shouted commands to the men. They ran across the bridge and into the grounds. Amse followed behind them.

‘Kalani.’ Fanndis called. She glanced at her sides, unsure of how to get down from the camel. Mara went to her aid.

‘Leave her alone, I’ll do it.’ Kalani said, rushing to her.

Mara moved her head back in surprise, ‘Kalani, why--’

‘I said I’ll do it. Let her be my responsibility.’

Mara stared at her, but said nothing. She sighed and joined the others walking across the bridge. Kalani took a deep breath and turned to help Fanndis down.

‘Why did you do that?’ Fanndis asked as her feet touched the floor.

‘You wouldn’t understand.’ she said, wrapping her arm around her and leading her and the camel through the bridge.

They strolled through the grounds. It was a small place with no more than twenty buildings, all of which were in ruins. The town looked like it had been deserted for many years. There were no plants or belongings, only rubble. Kalani’s heart sank as they looked around.
Where would they go from there?
Amse stood by the well at the end of the town just before the moat, staring into the desert sand ahead of him. They walked towards him.

‘There used to be a lot of wind in this direction.’ he said, turning to them. ‘So much that they had to erect a wall because of it. Now, I feel no wind.’

‘Maybe, it changed course.’ said Fanndis.

‘No,’ Amse said, shaking his head, ‘I don’t think so.’ He walked closer to the moat. ‘I smell something here. Do you see any plants?’

‘Of course not.’ said Kalani. ‘All there is here is waste and sand.’

‘No, that is all you can see. It’s not all there is.’

‘But there is nothing here.’ Fanndis said.

‘Sometimes nothingness can hide what you seek. That’s an old trick of the Clouds.’ Amse said, smiling. Kalani gaped at him.
He must be going mad
.

‘Chief.’ Taharqa said as he approached with the people.

‘Did you find anything?’

‘Only this.’ he said, opening his palm to show him a small silver seed pod. ‘I found it in a jar.’

Amse picked it up and raised it to his face.

‘A silver birch seed.’ Mara said, coming forward. ‘I’m sure it was left by Uriel.’

‘What does it mean?’ asked Fanndis.

‘Renewal.’ Amse said, breaking into a smile. ‘What happens when a seed is buried?’

‘A plant springs forth.’ Kalani answered.

‘But it must first die, like this place.’ Amse lifted his eyes and scanned around him. He walked to the well and dropped the seed pod into it.

‘What are we to do now?’ Fanndis said.

‘We wait.’ Amse replied, sitting cross-legged on the ground facing the well.

‘Amse, they don’t want to be found for a reason.’ said Mara.

‘I don’t care about their reasons. They’ve lived selfishly enough.’ he said and closed his eyes, making incantations.

Dust blew against them, causing Fanndis to sneeze. Mara turned to look at her but Kalani wrapped her arm tighter around her. Mara raised an eyebrow and approached.

‘Why are you behaving so?’ she whispered.

‘Do you not know?’

Mara sighed and placed her hands on Kalani’s shoulders. ‘I love the two of you and I have raised you as my own.’

‘And I’m certain you regret it every day.’ Kalani said, shoving her hands off her and walking towards Amse.

‘Kalani!’

She ignored her and dragged Fanndis with her. Mara sighed and joined the group of people gathered around the well.

‘Kalani, why--’

‘Not now, Fanndis.’

Amse opened his eyes and said, ‘Don’t be so harsh. She loves the two of you more than you know.’

‘Then why would she say such things?’

‘Say what things?’ said Fanndis. They ignored her.

Amse said, ‘Anger and frustration can make women say things.’

‘I hope I never do that.’

Amse chuckled. ‘You just did.’

They heard a cracking sound coming from the well. He rose and looked into the well. He moved back. The walls of the well caved in.

‘Move back!’ he said to everyone as the cracks spread from the hole to all parts of grounds and stopped at the moat. The cracks glowed with a silver essence as wind swept around the city. The remaining standing walls fell and were swallowed by the earth.

‘Don’t touch the silver lines.’ Amse shouted. The earth beneath them vibrated. Out of the hole that had once been a well sprung a round platform covered with silver symbols. Amse placed his hand on it.

‘Amse, no!’ Fanndis said as she held onto Kalani. The silver spread onto his hand as he made incantations with one hand raised and the other on the platform. He turned his hand on the platform and the entire town rotated from the moats. The people held one another for support.

Amse’s incantations grew louder as he moved his hand on the platform and the silver cracks spread further from the moat up an invisible wall close to where Amse stood. It rose up into the sky and exploded, releasing cold water on the grounds. Everyone fell to the floor.

‘Look.’ someone said. Kalani opened her eyes and got up, helping Fanndis. Before them was woodland of tall birch trees with a glowing mountain in the middle. Clouds were gathered above it.

Amse rose, his clothes wet and covered in dirt. ‘If we move now we shall reach the clouds tomorrow.’

Kalani stared at him. His eyes were red and sunken, and his hands shook. She knew something had been taken from him.

On the hill Amse and his people had been hours before stood an army watching. Prince Sigrun turned to the man in charge, an older version of himself, and said, ‘Brother?’

His elder brother’s face was set in a calculating stare as he said, ‘We ride hard. By tomorrow, we’ll have them all in our grasp.

It was a misty morning. The fog hung like curtains over the earth. The door gave way as the soldiers slammed it open. They rushed in and dragged all the women out. The women were as raggedy-looking as the house they lived in. The soldiers pushed them on their knees before General Tharstin who stood in the dirt yard.

‘Search the house and find any evidence of witchcraft.’ he said to his men as the fourth woman was brought out before him. People gathered around the yard separated only by the short crooked fence.

‘We’re innocent.’ said one of the women. ‘We do no harm to anyone.’

‘We shall see for ourselves.’ he said.

‘General.’ said a soldier as he brought out a basket filled with amulets that had been hidden under yarn.

‘Witches!’ shouted the people in the crowd.

‘To the gallows with them.’

‘Take them for questioning.’ Tharstin said.

‘No.’ shouted the fourth woman, pushing off the two soldiers holding her down and rising in the air. The wind blew around her as she said, ‘You all will pay when our great mother Lilith comes. She will raze you to the ground. Only three days left to Ida’s Day, then you will be food for worms.
Rakeshi
--’

Tharstin cut off her head and it rolled, eyes and mouth wide open, to where her sisters knelt. They cried out. The soldiers pulled them up and took them away as the people whispered animatedly.

‘Burn down the house.’ Tharstin said. The soldiers lit up torches and set it on the thatched roof. The smoke from the fumes didn’t rise, instead it spread black smoke around the yard driving the people away.

Tharstin rode out. He was exhausted. This was the second house he had been to that morning and the tenth since he had been given the assignment, but he seemed no closer to finding the spy. All he got were real witches, whom he had never thought existed in the kingdom, fake witches, and rumors of witches elsewhere. He felt his hopes collapsing as Ida’s day drew near.

                                                                      ***

Natalia and Emelie were returning to the castle with baskets in their hands when they got to the scene.

‘Oh no.’ Emelie said, rushing to join the crowd of onlookers.

‘What is it?’ Natalia asked her, staring into the yard behind a sea of watching people.

‘It’s the soldiers. I hear they’ve been hunting down witches in the kingdom.’

‘Why?’

‘People say they are looking for someone, a Helmford spy or something.’

Natalia sighed. She suspected it could be her. Seeing Viden with her sword now made sense to her. Every time Gisilfried came to visit he always mentioned something of a search for someone. And to think she was the one all along.

‘But I know these women. They are kind, they aren’t witches.’ said Emelie.

‘Are you certain of it?’ Natalia said as they watched the witch rise into the air. Emelie gasped when Tharstin cut her head off.

‘No.’ she said, covering her mouth.

The head and the body were thrown into the fire.  The yard was filled with black smoke. People coughed and ran in different directions. Natalia looked across them and saw an old woman dressed in black and unmoved by the smoke.  Her face was grim at the sight of the burning house.

The great mother Lilith,
the voice whispered in Natalia’s mind just before Emelie jerked her away because of the smoke. They continued their walk to the castle.

‘It’s so sad. They used to make such nice porridges and share with my family in winter.’

‘I’m sorry, Emelie, but we never really know people.’

They crossed the gate. A battalion of soldiers rode in with Prince Gyron and Gisilfried. Emelie blushed and lowered her eyes.

‘What is it?’ Natalia asked her. They joined the maidens standing in front of the castle cheering the soldiers.

‘Nothing.’ Emelie said. ‘They’re back from the ceremony.’

‘What ceremony?’

A maiden beside them replied, ‘The day before the wedding, the prince must ride around the city with soldiers of his age and other lords unmarried and he would return with flowers from every monument for his bride to wear in her hair. They also give flowers to the maidens for good luck.’ The girl turned to Emelie, ‘Aren't the flowers beautiful, Emelie?’

‘Yes, they are.’ she said, looking away.

The men got down from their horses. Gyron took a basket of flowers from one of his soldiers and gave the women standing with the help of Gisilfried.

Emelie gave Natalia the basket and said, ‘I’m sure you have all you need.’

‘Aren’t you coming with me?’

‘I have things in the kitchen to attend to.’ she said, glancing at Gyron. He caught her gaze. She looked away and hurried up the steps. Gyron’s eyes followed her. Natalia glanced from him to her, a realization settling in her mind.

‘A flower for a maiden of great beauty.’ She turned to see Gisilfried extending a tulip to her. She took it, smiled and curtsied. ‘Thank you
, my lord
, you are most kind.’

‘Meet me at the courtyard tonight.’ he whispered in her ear and carried on. She smiled and her heart fluttered. She carried the baskets into the castle and up to Seraphin’s room. There were no guards at her door.
Strange,
she thought, dropping the baskets and knocked on the door. Prasima opened it. Her eyes were delirious and her greying hair was out at the ends.

‘Come in quickly.’ she said and closed the door behind Natalia.

Natalia looked around. The room was scattered like things had been flung about. Seraphin lay in bed still in her night robes, tossing and turning, and moaning like an injured animal. She had been in bed for two days and Prasima had been tending to her, sending Natalia on errands and not allowing her in the room.

‘What happened?’ Natalia asked, dropping the baskets on the table.

‘None of your concern. The princess is only ill, but she’ll be better soon. Did you get all the herbs?’ Prasima asked, rummaging the basket.

‘Yes, Emelie helped me.’

Prasima grabbed her arm. ‘What did you say when she asked what they were for?’

‘I only said the princess asked for it for tomorrow’s ceremony.’

‘Good.’

Prasima picked some of the herbs and crushed them into a brown bowl. Natalia edged towards Seraphin. She noticed a gold pendant on her neck. She had seen it before but she didn’t remember where. She reached out and touched it. It was hot and it transported her to her last dream.
The symbol on the well
. The symbol took her to a land of snow. She gasped and pulled her hand away.

Prasima dropped the herbs and shouted, ‘Get out.’

Natalia wanted to say what she had seen but she noticed the scared look on Prasima’s face and thought better of it.
Prasima knew something
. Natalia walked to the door and opened it just as they heard a knock.

‘M-my lord.’ she said, bowing as she met King Garmar’s gaze. He walked in and said, ‘Close the door as you leave.’

‘Yes, my lord.’ she said and closed the door in such a way that she could listen to their conversation without them noticing the door was ajar.

‘What is it, Prasima?’

‘My lord, her powers are getting stronger.’

‘Good, as I anticipated.’

‘But it’s killing her.’

‘It won’t. She’s stronger than you think. Give her the herbs, she’ll be better before tonight’s feast.’

‘My lord, I fear the servant girl now knows too much. She touched the jewel.’

‘Did you say anything to her?’

‘No, I didn’t.’

‘Then she knows nothing, but I’ll deal with her myself if the need arises. It’s three days left to Ida’s Day. Her death is inevitable.’

Natalia closed the door and ran down the stairs. She needed to find out what was to come.