Metal and Flesh (The Rohvim, Book 1)

9.1 Darkness

"... the eleventh shall love, and the second complete. But the first and the second may become twelve, and stand over all ..."

-Prophecies of Tilda the Scribe, 32:67

  

WHEN DAY BROKE, Aeden awoke to see his mother furiously pacing the small room, muttering to herself quietly. She saw Aeden's eyes open, and stood over him by his bed.

   "We need to go back to Elbeth," she declared matter-of-factly.

   "What? Why?" he asked hoarsely, rubbing his eyes and sitting up in alarm.

   "We need to get Cassandra." She folded her arms, staring at her son expectantly.

   Hesitantly, he looked up at her. "Mother? Are you alright?"

   She forced herself to smile. "I'm fine! I was just thinking, that maybe, just maybe, she's still alive. I saw them slash her from behind, and I cradled her in my arms and the breath was gone from her, but, Aeden, what if ... what if she wasn't dead? What if they have her now?"

   Aeden thought on this, and slowly got to his feet, dressing himself in the new clothes from the lord of Ramath and pulling on his boots.

   "Well? Will you help me rescue her?"

   He came to her side and touched her arm. "Mother. She's gone. You saw her yourself. She was dead. We can't go back-if we did, we would surely be killed."

   She pulled away and continued. "I know I saw her. And I don't mean that I know she's alive, but there is the chance. And Alastair ... the master healer said he saw him dead, but maybe he was mistaken too. Son, we have to go back. Gather your things, and I will go and ask the lord if ..."

   "Mother! He's dead! She's dead! We're not going back because they are not there!"

   "You don't know that!" she screamed.

   "I do! You do! Why are you doing this?'

   She started sobbing, and sat on his bed, holding her mouth. After a minute, she calmed herself and said, "I know. I know they are probably dead. But at the least, we can retrieve their bodies and give them a proper burial. Just the thought of my baby lying there, trodden under by that filth-" She started shaking again. Aeden approached and sat next to her.

   "Mother. It's hard for me too. I want nothing more than to go back at the head of an army and slaughter every last one of them. But, there is no army. At least, not yet. Mother, I swear to you, we will go back, and we will take our city and have our home once more. And we will make them pay."

   She looked up at him, locking him in her teary gaze, their clear eyes meeting. "Son. I don't want to make them pay. I want my daughter. I want my husband."

   The sound of knocking at the door silenced them both. "The lord." Aeden said, as he jumped to his feet. "Are you feeling up to this?" he asked her, his hand resting on the handle.

   "Yes. Let him in." She stood, and walked to her son's side. He opened the door, and the lord of the city stood before them, greeting them both and requesting permission to enter. They stood aside, and the man entered. The small table had only two chairs by it, so Aeden dragged his trunk over and sat on that while the two elders took the chairs.

   "Are your lodgings sufficient?" the lord asked.

   "They are, my lord. You have been most generous since we arrived. I don't know how we can thank you enough," the lady gushed, her eyes still a little red.