Chapter Two: The Northern Forest
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The carriage came to a jolting stop. Aurelie held her hand, bringing it towards the curtains, parting them slightly to catch a peek.
"Aurelie," Flynn said, shooting her a look and nodding, a sign to put her veil back on. As Aurelie began to redress, she could hear the bellowing from behind the carriage doors: cries from men.
She felt her blood run cold,
"Heavens.." She jumped at the one blood-curdling scream that rang out from outside, "What is happening out there?" She asked, throwing her veil over her head, letting it fall elegantly down, draping over her gown with its soft, tightly knitted lace and trimmed details.
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"It's the aftermath. The screams of the soldiers that remain." Charlie tightened his grip on his sheathed sword on his hip.
"We cannot stay in these woods long, Aurelie. It's dangerous." He looked in her direction. "Heal as many as you can, and the rest leave," he said coldly, opening the carriage door.
"We will leave before nightfall, no exceptions." It wasn't that Charlie was a mean, cold person; he usually got like this when he was tense.
It hurt Aurelie to see him like this, in a state of mental torment. It reminded her of the invasion... before then, he was considered to be jovial. Someone is always ready to crack a joke, despite the situation. Once the invasion happened, it was like it changed him. Turned him from a boy to the man he is now. It's as if the soldier switch never turns off for him, now a constant run of electricity that is sure to blow a fuse.
Charlie hopped out along with Flynn and stood at the door, holding his hand for the Priestess. She accepted his hand. Her soft, delicate hand was engulfed in his gloved one.
As she stepped down, her white gown dragged along the trail, its hem brushing against the grass and rocks beneath her feet. Though she couldn't see through her veil, she could make out her surroundings. As the afternoon fog rolled through, engulfing the crooked, misshapen woronok trees. Similar to the weeping willow, woronok trees are native here in the north forest. As the legend goes, King Aureix himself summoned these trees for their uncanny and occult appearance, and if that wasn't enough to ward away enemy soldiers, the tree's large roots lift from the ground, making the terrain unsafe for travel and less likely for invasion.
The fables of this forest had been scorched into her childhood memory, and here she was standing in it once more.
"Just this way," a soldier said, catching Aurelie out of her thoughts. Charlie, Flynn, and Aurelie followed the soldiers as they made their way to a makeshift tent, where screams of suffering seemed to echo through the forest. The screams sent shivers down Aurelie's spine. The sight of war wasn't pretty, but the aftermath was worse; much worse. If that wasn't enough, the sounds were enough to send grown men scurrying away.
The soldier opened the tent's entrance, folding the cloth. "Through here, m'lady." The soldier beckoned, waving his hand in a hurried gesture. She nodded and held her breath as she walked through the entrance. Her blood ran cold at the sight.
Blood. So much blood. She hadn't realized how much the human body contained, and how much could be spilled.
There were rows of men on the ground on makeshift 'beds', just white fabric laid out on the hard ground. Well, they used to be white, at least.
One man in particular grabbed her gown as she walked through. She looked down to follow the touch, finding a man, not much older than she, as he lay on the ground with a look of sheer pain and despair.
"Priestess, please." He cried out, and in between his words, he gasped for breath. Aurelie could see the gash. The deep slit at his throat. She fell to her knees in an instant beside him and did as she came to do: to heal.
She placed her hand on his throat; the porcelain white skin contrasted against the deep crimson shade of blood that poured out of him like a running faucet.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, allowing her hands to begin to take control. The glowing, divine light enveloped the soldier's wound that spread from her palms, causing him to twitch.
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"Priestess haa-"He grunted in pain, writhing beneath her touch, but she didn't falter.
"Please try to give in to the touch. It will help you," Aurelie guaranteed, her voice soothing as she healed him.
Not long after, as she pulled her hands away, he was left with a completely unblemished neck. The only thing that remained was the blood that began to dry on his skin. The men in the tent watched in amazement. The soldier she healed was now sitting up, holding his neck, his fingers running around the skin where he'd once been slain, and he felt nothing but the ridges of his flesh.
Aurelie, seeing these men in pristine condition, once again made her heart full. She felt honored to have carried this blessing, knowing it would be put to good use.
The ability to heal was both a blessing and a curse for young Aurelie, as each time she used it, she became weak. The King was aware of this, but he persisted without hesitation.
"For the better of the kingdom," as he so lovingly would put it, time and time again, when light was shed on her condition. He explained that she would remain in her room at the castle, away from other people, to heal and avoid outside bacteria that could compromise her immune system.
Once she healed the last man, she was fading in and out of consciousness. Her vision was blurry and murky as she began to feel herself slip,
"Priestess..?" The soldier looked up at her with genuine concern, as he could see her struggling just from standing. Something was wrong; horribly. Aurelie felt her breath quicken as she panicked, disoriented, and beginning to fade in and out of consciousness. She took a step and felt her weight crumble beneath her.
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"That damned King." Aurelie could hear a voice speaking from the darkness, "I knew this was bad from the beginning, and now we are stuck in the bloody woods like sitting ducks." The harsh voice spoke angrily.
"Control your temper, Charlie," another voice spoke, deeper than the previous voice, that of an authoritative figure.
"Don't say something you'll regret." The baritone voice warned like a father warning his tantrum-throwing son. Aurelie opened her eyes gradually, adjusting to the faint light of the lantern beside her. Their surroundings were visibly dark,
She began to look around, noticing that they were in what appeared to be a makeshift tent. Slowly, the memories started to flood back to her—the soldiers, the blood, her fainting.
"Aurelie," Charlie glimpsed down at her, his eyes expansive though he tried to seem calm and collected. "Aurelie, what the hell happened?" He questioned, his tone a mix of concern and anger written across his face.
A small smile crept on her lips,
"Hey! Enough cursing infront of her," Flynn spoke up, coming to Charlie's side, smacking him upside the head, "Aurelie, are you alright?" Flynn asked, genuinely concerned. The tone made Aurelie feel like a little girl, in bed with a fever, with a doting father tending to his sick daughter's demands. Aurelie smiled and shook her head in reply, "I know we went off schedule, I am sorry we didn't make it back to the carriage before nightfall." She looked at Charlie in particular while saying it, knowing he was the one keeping them on schedule.
Charlie averted his gaze, looking at the blustering tent openings as they blew open, enveloping the three in the cool evening breeze,
"It's not your fault. You didn't make the demand to come out here. It's because of our brilliant Kings idea, we are stranded out here for the night, Priestess." Charlie clenched his jaw, visibly troubled by the current events.
Aurelie could feel her heart drop as she grasped the reality of their situation. Her eyes widened just for a moment before she put on a brave face and smiled, reaching out and gently grabbing his hand, giving it a soft squeeze.
"It will be okay," She comforted, "We will leave by daybreak." She promised, smiling softly. He didn't know why, but the gesture brought him comfort. Though he knew she couldn't promise that everything would be okay, strangely, he felt as though it would be.
"You're right, let's all try to keep our heads. Charlie and I will stand watch, try to get some rest." Flynn said, reaching and grasping Charlie's shoulder and pulling him away from her, and guiding him outside the tent.
"Good Night," they both nodded, bidding her a goodnight before leaving.
Aurelie was left isolated in the tent's stillness. Nothing but the sounds of the forest around her silenced the thoughts in her mind.
She couldn't help but worry. Worry that the King whom everyone in the Lux kingdom feared, Aureix Petrov, would attack them when they were most vulnerable. Considering that they were in 'his' woods, it was a highly probable case.
She decided it would be best to sleep the night away, to silence the thoughts in the 'time travel' called sleep.
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Aurelie was known to have weird dreams. Along with her divine healing powers, she often could see visions of the future, sometimes inaccurate depictions, and others exact. The vivid, strange images flashed through her mind like a slideshow. This dream, however, was atypical; a dream that she hadn't experienced in a long time.
She could see herself, trapped, a dagger in her hands, slowly sliding the edge of the blade across her wrist as the blade cut right on top of the vein; Sure to let her bleed out. The sensation felt real, watching the thick crimson seep from the wound like a faucet. The handle of the blade was all her gaze followed, as the etching on the dagger was a crest she swore she saw before, but couldn't quite place it. An etching of a crown with two long blades crossed behind it. The vision flashed from the blade to a dark, cold room in the castle, one she hadn't seen before. It was mossy, cold, and damp, with only a small ounce of light shedding from the dark oak door. The room was filling with what seemed to be a sea of blood, engulfing all that pertained to it, including her, until she was struggling to breathe, fighting for her life to stay afloat in the density of the thick crimson, until she gave in, sinking to the bottom, breathing her last breath.
She woke with a gasp, sitting up in her bed and clutching her wrist. Only to find her wrists were still a pale porcelain white, unblemished and without an oozing wound.
She gazed around the room, trying to catch her breath as her eyes landed on the dimly lit tent; glad to find it wasn't a cold cell like in her vision. Once she finally seemed to calm herself down, she stood up and made her way to the fluttering fabric of the tents' opening. The breeze came whistling through, engulfing her in its path as she walked out, her bare feet touching the cool grassy ground, a first for her.
She was never allowed out without being fully covered, but in the forest, it seemed like the rules had been altered. She figured she'd enjoy the moment while it lasted. She stayed outside her tent, only to find, to her surprise, that her guards were not standing beside it.
Her blood ran cold through her veins; she knew something wasn't right.
"Charlie..?" She called out, her voice soft, careful not to stand out, "Flynn?" She began to feel panic rise in her throat.
She re-entered the tent, grabbed the lantern, and began searching; only then did she discover the danger she was in. Without her guards, she was left completely vulnerable in enemy territory.
Her legs did the work, pulling her hesitant body as she searched through the woods, hoping to see or hear any signs of life.
Somehow, even in the forest, where animals and creatures lurk around every corner, it was utterly silent. The uncanny feeling of being in this dark forest, alone, seemed to engulf her body in a state of fear.
Treading deeper and deeper, with still no signs of life, she finally made it to the isle of abandoned tents. Tents where she could hear the cries of soldiers just hours before were now left completely deserted.
It was as if the soldiers had vanished, leaving everything behind.
Barren makeshift tents, armor, weapons, and intimate items were left behind as Aurelie examined each tent.
"Where.. Where is everyone...?" She huffed, breathless as her racing heart rattled in its cage. She stood outside the tent, the wind howling and blowing through the fabric of her gown. She watched as the footing of the dress that pooled around her feet was now blowing softly in the wind. Though she could see it, she couldn't feel it. It felt imaginary.
Nothing felt real. For Aurelie, it felt like a dream; A nightmare in better terms. Almost as if she hadn't woken up completely, maybe she was still asleep. Being in exile in enemy territory, her mind couldn't help but wander to her parents... To that day.
The village of Elignor, home to beautiful weeping willows, humble farms, and kind neighbors, is where Aurelie, her parents, and her sister Relia used to reside. Though Aurelie doesn't remember much of her life in Elignor, the memories of that day could never escape her. Especially in this moment, she could recall the screams, the blood that painted each home, and the bodies that lay, lifeless and taken prematurely by King Aureix's wicked combatants.
They ripped through her village, pillaging any and every life form that once existed; men, women, children, and even the animals. Nothing was spared. Nobody.
Except one.
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"Aurelie!" The little Relia yelled, chasing after her older sister, oblivious to the danger approaching. "Aurelie! You're going too fast!" She pleaded, making Aurelie stop, and turn around to giggle, "Well, now is your chance, Relia." She raised her arms, in a 'forfeit' attempt, giving her sister a chance to tag her and win once and for all.
Relia gasped, her eyes wide, a toothy grin covered her face, ear to ear. She wasted no time, immediately chasing towards her sister, a conquering cry following suit.
Aurelie couldn't help but smile and giggle as her younger sister tackled her to the ground, sending them into fits of giggles that blended, rolling in the grass, gasping for breath as they laughed so hard, they could barely breathe.
"Girls, Girls," Their mother started, standing in the threshold of the back cottage door, watching with a grin on her lips, "Get your beautiful dresses off the field," she demanded. Still, their mother wasn't known for being harsh with the girls; even in this scenario, she couldn't keep a straight face when ordering them. She was known for being an encouraging and loving mother who loved her girls deeply. Same with their father, but even more so.
"Listen to your mother, girls," a deep voice commanded, firm but still gentle. They turned their heads to their father, who had just come back from the barn, feeding the cattle for the morning. The bucket in his hand was empty, with only the remains of the seeds of chicken feed.
"Or..." He started, a grin beginning to spread across his lips, "You'll have to suffer the consequences." He roared and charged towards the girls, making them scream and laugh, knowing full well that their father would tickle them to the brink of death.
He came down to them, collapsing to the earth, tickling the girls, eliciting fits of laughter from the girls as they rolled around, attempting to flee their father's torturous tickles.
"Heavens, Kolbain, get those girls up," Mother said, rubbing her head and giggling in her hand. Her family was too frivolous to attend. "I must have the girls go to the market and purchase ingredients for supper." She called out, making him stop for just a moment, to look up at his wife,
"Oh yes of course my dear Fia." He smiled up at her, His sparkling gaze upon her own. Their attachment to each other was nothing short of unadulterated devotion. It had been that way for years, since they were children.
"I will send the girls out, maybe then we could have the afternoon together." He wiggled his brows, causing his wife, Fia, to gasp and walk away from the threshold, covering her flushed cheeks that matched her flaming red locks. Similar to her daughter, Aurelie. Much of Aurelie's appearance was inherited from her mother, with her spiraled auburn curls, milky porcelain skin, and sage green eyes. Opposite to Aurelie, her sister Relia took after her father: Dark espresso hair, dark eyes, and golden skin.
The two were practically exact copies of each of their parents.
"Well, girls, you heard your mother," their father said, standing and lifting his girls into his arms. "Let's get you redressed, you girls look like pigs in mud." He teased, pulling a giggle from the girls, as they were covered in dirt on their clothes and faces. Relia made a 'oink' sound, which made Aurelie and their father join in, as all three of them oinked and chortled, being carried back into the cottage. Their sanctuary.
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Aurelie realized she should start looking for a trail back to the castle. Something was amiss, and if she was the only one left, she needed to warn the King. She needed to live.
She lit the earth beneath her and tried to find the tracks of the carriage engraved in the dirt.
She carefully stepped, holding her garments from snagging on branches and uprooted trunks that were beneath her feet.
The quiet forest seemed to echo with each step she took; cracks from sticks and leaves blared in the hush of the forest. She cringed, hoping no one could hear her steps, enemy-wise at least.
Finally, she could see marks. Thin lines on the uneven earth, but she could make it out. She knew it had to be the carriage. She began to quicken her pace, following the trail like a hunting dog, eager to escape the intensity of the forest.
She continued, now with a swift speed, as she could see the partings of the trees. The end was in view, about a half mile away. She could make it. She had to, For the future of Lux.
The moment felt intense, as she was nearly running through the forest, the drapes of her white gown blowing behind her. She was close, but she couldn't continue, not after she had seen him and heard him.
Right as she rounded the corner following the tracks, she heard the muffled cries and screams. Halting dead in her tracks, she turned her head, following the sound, and gaped at the sight.
One of the Lux soldiers, tied to a tree, surrounded by those demons, Aureix's soldiers. His devils.
The soldier struggled, as muffled groans and cries were covered by a cloth that was tied around his mouth. His sounds didn't spare him, as those devils stared at him with wicked smirks. They enjoyed watching him struggle. One in particular that held his blade against the quivering skin of the Lux soldier's throat.
"Your King has forsaken you," One of the wicked soldiers began, "Letting you set up base in our domain, His approach was meant to fail." He pressed the blade further into his skin, letting blood trickle down, turning the silver metal collar of the armor to a dark crimson.
Muffled wails escaped the writhing man, causing Aurelie's stomach to churn. She slowly stepped away, horrified by the scene in front of her; she couldn't bear to see it any longer. Maybe it was the darkness of the forest, or the tears that began to stream down her cheeks, but what she didn't see was the branch beneath her feet.
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