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Those two days passed quickly, bringing with it my fifth week in Berthold and my day of sentencing. James was hopeful that my honorable deed would reduce the verdict, in fact he was sure it would.
Everyone in town had questions for me; they asked about the night I helped their King bring down a dragon. I feared I would grow tired of answering that common question, but I was polite, and answered them with a smile.
Worse than that, my heart hounded me just as relentlessly. It reminded me each time they smiled and thanked me, that I was the cause of the disaster, that I didn't deserve their appreciation. After all the gratitude they presented me, I feared I would crack under pressure and unintentionally reveal my secret, but I managed and overcame that fear. I thanked each of them for their praises and accepted the gifts they honored me with.
When Alexander called me in for sentencing there were no hidden surprises, it went exactly as he said it would. Ironically, he had them believe that I was delivering a letter to the Old Shaman I would be visiting. I accepted the task as atonement for the law I had broken. I was told I could have company with me on my journey, but delivery had to be made in private, by me alone.
After sentencing, Alexander officially granted me title in front of his court and attending parties. As I rose with my new title as Protector of Berthold, I was surprised with a beautiful gift. He gifted me the smelted armor piece I had forgotten to take back with me. The old shoulder armor was reforged by his smiths into a small womanly breastplate that fit me flawlessly. It was more of an accessory than an armor piece. The silver shown with no impurities, I could almost see my reflection on its polished surface. On the upper left corner Berthold Crest was stricken exceptionally. The words thank you felt meaningless to the beauty that was created in my honor. I accepted it graciously with tears on my beaming cheeks. It was the first and only gift that I felt no shame in taking.
James was ecstatic that my sentence had been dealt so gently. He readied the horses himself after our meeting, excited to get past the rough patch that he thought was plaguing me, but what he didn't know was that my buried torment was growing worse day by day.
The night before our journey James told me about The Burning Forest. He said The Burning Forest wasn't at all what I'd picture it to be. That it wasn't in ruins, the trees were not bare, in fact he said it was quite opposite. He claimed the trees were thick and full of growth, and that plants and wildlife flourished atop their towering shoulders. The forest floors were green and lush, and streaked with many watering holes that were suitable for drinking. He said the naming of the land came from the Great God King himself, he named it Furisre Fari, which roughly translated to The Burning Forest.
It was said when the God King walked the lands, a dark warrior challenged him to a fight. The God King was arrogant, like most Gods could be, so he accepted. He was reluctant to heed the advice of his servants to reject the proposition of the dark warrior. And so, he met with the warrior late one night to satisfy his need, to feed his pride. As they fought, the God King found this match more challenging than expected. The young warrior fought gallantly, and well, but ultimately he tired and was cut down. The young warrior died happily, knowing he had lived out his grandest battle and perhaps the grandest of all battles ever fought.
The next morning when the God King rose to finish his journey, he noticed he had been cut. Shocked as he was that he had been stricken, he was more unnerved by the fact that the wound was still present and bleeding. His servants tried their hardest to heal his wound, but their magic was useless, it had no effect. With nothing left to do, the God King traveled south, wary that his powers had vanished for good.
But as they traveled they realized their powers were restored.
Later, they learned that it was the God King's blood that had suppressed their power. The blood he spilt on the northern lands had muted the area of any magic use. The land would never be cleansed of his blood, for it was as eternal as any god. And so, the God King named the unnamed land, Furisre Fari, as a warning to all that the forest was cleansed of all magic.
The Next Morning...
The ride wouldn't take as long as our prior journey, it was only a two-hour ride, a mere blink than what I was used to. Our journey was silent the first hour. The ride was working against my upset stomach, swimmingly. The acid that sloshed in my empty belly reminded me that I hadn't eaten a proper meal in days. The thought of eating anything disgusted me... I drank a gulp of water from my canteen, hoping that would dilute the acid that was creeping into my throat.
God I wanted peace, and I prayed the old man could give it to me.
James spoke, awakening my sleeping ears, "I thought the news of your light sentence would give rest to your heart. I assumed that was why you've been so distant with your thoughts lately. You know you can tell me anything, even if it's something I did that has troubled you."
I touched the cold metal of the breastplate I was gifted. I wore it proudly over a sheer white dress James had brought me in hopes of lifting my spirits. After the night of the dragon's attack we weren't as close. Things were hectic, and there was a whirlwind of constant interruptions preventing any of my free time to be spent with him. Not to mention my thoughts were always in the future, thinking of this day.
"It's nothing," I replied with a flutter of bitterness towards my answer, I hated myself for lying to him when he had been so sincere.
"Do you regret the turn of our relationship?" he blatantly probed.
I hesitated, wondering if he meant the close contact we shared or if he meant that we were officially a couple. I wasn't sure which it was.
"Of course not," I replied, knowing, I should have asked him which he meant, but was too chicken to.
"Well, was it about that night, when I was out - is that what has you troubled?"
I peered over at him. That's right. We never continued that talk, it too, got lost in all the hustle and bustle.
"You were right to be angry with me that night. I was out later than I should have been. And - yes I did bump into Cassandra."
His confession stunned me, but only for a moment... it tapered and left me with the worry I was familiar with. He watched me, but I was silent, I didn't know what to say to him. Honestly, if it were only that, I would have been happy... it was something that we could actually work through. The worry I felt out-shadowed anything he could possibly say or do.
"It is that isn't it?" He took my silence as an answer.
I held Trista's reigns tightly. "No," I blurted without thinking, "I mean... yes - I was angry that night."
I tore my gaze away from him as he went to speak.
"We finished that not so private talk... in private, as you so wisely suggested. Having time to think over that night she agreed with me. She said she confused her old feelings with new ones, and that she was willing to mend our friendship, nothing more."
He blinked studying my face. "Does that make you feel better knowing what happened?"
"Yes," I lied, knowing if I replied anything else I would be met with another question.
The trust I felt for him wasn't the issue, it was the secret that I was keeping from him. I couldn't tell him the truth about this expedition, which was the real reason behind my troubled behavior. I was scared the Shaman would have to take something of value away from me to appease the spirit, like Alexander's had.
"The Old Shaman," I changed the subject shamefully, "how is it that he can practice magic in The Burning Forest?"
"It's not how, but where he practices it," he replied mysteriously.
"Yeah, and...?"
"The Old Shaman's house lies in the heart of The Burning Forest, where the God King was stricken. It is the only spot in Furisre Fari that is capable of producing magic."
"Do you believe that story?"
"There is no proof other than the fact that magic is useless here. Even magical beasts stay clear of this forest..." He stopped and looked over at me, "But as for the story, I don't know what I believe."
I sighed.
"You must think our people are ignorant, to believe in such fairy tales," he commented.
"If you would have told me magic existed two months ago, I would have thought you were mad. I will never discount anything ever again."
He was silent, and it was a good opportunity to ask him. I was going to ask him now.
I stuttered, "This is embarrassing, but I'm just going to come out and ask it because I've got to know. I don't want to build it up into something that... that is more complicated than it really is - because it's not. It's a simple question really... Oh my God, here I go rambling like a child... making it worse somehow," I shuddered at my folly.
He chuckled, "Well isn't that something, you haven't acted this nervous in a long time. Mind you, I know you've been nervous, but you've been masking it well."
Blurt it out, say it already... ask him now while you still have the chance! I thought anxiously.
"What exactly did you mean by the 'turn of our relationship'? Was it regarding our interactions, or did you mean that I am now your... your girlfriend?" Midway through my question I regretted it. I could tell through his eyes that he was shocked with the whole 'girlfriend' thing.
I chugged half of my water as I felt the bile threatening to make an appearance again. I was such an idiot! I should have never asked him that ridiculous question, of course I wasn't his girlfriend, we would have definitely had some sort of open discussion about it, if I were.
The worse part of it all was his silence. He could have answered me, but he didn't. He said nothing which was really uncharacteristic of him. He just sat there on top of his horse like some sort of jerk! I bit my lower lip, to calm myself. What the hell was I getting so upset about, I needed to cool off, before I made the situation worse.
I spoke up, "I'm sorry. I was, ahh, getting ahead of myself." I shook off his silence, but was disappointed all the same.
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A/N: I keep forgetting that my made up language is stupid and you won't know what any of it means unless I explain it to you, so-
Furisre Fari is Forest Fire = Burning Forest
Knight of Lahre is Knight of Light
The Three Goddesses : Oaro = Aira 'Wind Goddess' / Reiro = Terra 'Earth Goddess' / Moras = Maris 'Water Goddess'
Letando = Lucinda 'Goddess Mother of Light'
Side note: Berthold means Bright Rule - I thought it fit with the name of the Kingdom of Light.