Chapter 25: Find My Way (Aurora)

  A couple of days had passed since the shouting of the family Mert in the halls of Aath. The walls were lively with gossip and talk of the events and the coming future of submission to the Bruin name. Yet, none of this mattered as the forlorn beauty, Aurora had reached the end of the road that reached the coast to Kale Wharf, a city just off the coast, full of fishermen and traders, shipbuilders, and wood crafters.

  She moved about the city with a returned smile on her face as she could already smell the clean air ahead past the town proper, near the docks in the distance. She let the local magistrate know of her arrival to ensure her cottage for the week's use and then proceeded to her favorite spot in Wiera, a bluff on a small highland stretch on the coast. The small city in view behind her and the calming waves of the waters of the Gulf ahead of her. She finds the old tree still standing at the top of the ridge, one she, Isla, and her father had spent several nights watching the ships and sea under with her. She takes in a deep breath as she allows for the first time since darting off from Aath herself to just exist and let the world move around her. She finally notices the exhaustion of her pace of travel. She feels a slight ache in her bones, noticing that despite her amazing fitness she is no longer a child of infinite energy reserves. This makes her smile at the revelation. It reminds her that she can feel and in a way allows her to know that she can feel other things, such as the complex emotions ground into the situation at hand with her family and the impending marriage to Vespasian. Her mind drifts from the moment as she leans into the old tree and wonders, what life with him will look like….

  “Aurora!” A voice calls from the air breaking off the early lines of her thoughts toward the foreign prince. She looks to the sky behind her as the voice is instantly recognized from afar. She smiles and then turns her head back to the sea. The rider and her mount descend with grace from the sky and touch down only a few feet from the tree. Isla ties her pegasus to the overlook and sits down next to her compatriot. They both have a slight odor from the paced journey but neither is bothered as the air of the sea and view of their youth renews both of them. Isla is not mad at her friend that she took off in such haste. Though, she is glad to have caught up to her.

  "Isla. I'm sorry." Aurora speaks softly as she has a tear roll down her left eye, the salty water of her face is clearer than the glittering water of the sea.

  "No, you're not," Isla says with a chuckle and a jest as she tries to liven the mood of the moment. Isla understood that even though Aurora was living a life Isla could only dream of living. A dream so amazing that the rider could never have thought it up in her wildest fantasies, yet, the dream was Isla's and not Aurora's. Isla decided to not talk for the moment and just enjoy the sun and be the calming company her friend needed in that moment.

  Aurora nuzzles her best friend, she is thankful that at least in the journey ahead Isla will be at her side and even though she had not considered how this will further impact the life of Isla, she is thankful for her presence. "You're going to look so pretty at the wedding sister," Aurora says with a small smile on her face to her comforter. Isla punches her lightly as the two giggle in the moment. Loosening the tension of the day.

  ……

  "Is there a doctor in town?" A father and son had returned from the docks on the coast and hobbled into the town of Kale Wharf. The two were local fishermen, known well by the small community, and as such several others came to aid the young boy who was helping his father along as they made their way into town. The people could tell that the injuries the father had received did need to be tended to but were not life-threatening at the moment if a doctor or skilled healer saw to the wounds quickly. The father had been harmed in a fishing accident as the nets while being drug in caught a speeding school of whales which pulled hard on the net in the father's hands and lacerated the man's arms creating mild bleeding and flaying much skin from the arms before the son was able to cut the net loose. The man was worn from the experience but still was more concerned about the loss of his net and perhaps his livelihood than the potential loss of his arm.

  "Fetch the medic lass." A couple of men called to a tavern keeper as they sat the man down in the shade and began tending to the wounds as best they could. The skin was attaching hard to the makeshift bandages used and the son had done a fine job of making a tourniquet for his father's damaged left arm, yet the damage was such that it drained and wore deeply with each moment on the father.

  "Da, the doc went on down the coast earlier, had to see to a childbirth." The young woman called back as she had just been to the local doctor's office. While the medicine practitioners of Wiera were barely better than glorified hacksaw men who did have helpful concoctions and elixirs that offered a renewed vigor, they were employed often in these moments, at least almost as much as holy men and women of training in the medical arts and healing magic. However, the coast was mostly an anti-religious society with a feeling more akin to a Western trading depo than an established castle town. The nearest true religious order presence was Aath itself, as many religious orders did not see smaller places as safe enough, rich enough, or cultural enough to warrant a stationed clergy. The people though, in this hour of need found themselves looking for whatever would make sense as they looked the man over.

  “Doesn’t look great Walter. We may have to amputate your arm.” One of the men spoke as they further tightened down the strap on the man’s upper arm.

  "Just give me some whiskey for the pain." Walter, the man in pain spoke back as he held his right arm out. Another man grabbed a wineskin opened it and handed the pouch to Walter who was sweating as much as his body had been bleeding. The wound was rough and needed quick tending to for any chance of saving the arm. Shaking as he moved the skin to his lips he gulped the liquid only to spit it back up. "This whiskey is terrible."

  "Well…. it's wine." The other man said with a laugh. Walter knew it was wine but wanted to cheer up his young son at the moment and not let him be as concerned. The townsfolk were flocking to the boy and his father now as the commotion was being heard and general concern about Walter and his family arose from the townsfolk. People looked on and gasped as they saw the arm's mangled appearance and several looked worried as the doctor was several villages away.

  "Perhaps I can be of help!" The cluster of people all turned around and parted as if they were a river before the might of a newly built damn. The parting of the crowd revealed a man garbed in the robes of a priest of the order of Kaya, the predominant religious order of scholars and healers in Wiera. The people despite being from an area deemed unfit for an established church or order of religion had no opposition to faith-born practices and knew their magic to be quite powerful in the mending and repairing of the body as well as the binding and salving of wounds. Both would be needed if the man were to live and keep his arm. The boy, however, the son of the injured fisher, was skeptical as the priest pranced up with his staff in hand, and his clothing looking too clean to match his boots. The priest hustled to the man and laid his staff down quickly as he got down onto a knee to look over the scene a moment before the priest asked. "Okay, what is the problem?" The boy was stunned by the comment as were several of the onlookers, though others simply took the comment as a sign of potential humility in the priest.

  “The problem priest, is my father’s arm is lacerated to the bone all over we need to help him.”

  “Yes, yes I can see.” The priest almost looked surprised by the discovery, like the sight was something foreign to the brain. He then patted the boy on the head calmly as if he were in no hurry.

  "Calm down boy. Let the holy man do his work." A man of the group said as he grabbed the shoulders of the boy attempting to keep him in place and out of the way going forward as the priest began looking up and down the man. The priest was simply looking the man over carefully and calmly examining him with a truly keen looking over. The priest then arose from his knees and dusted off his robe where he knelt down beside the man.

  "Well, the problem is this man needs to have his arm treated!" The priest said proudly and confidently as though he were making a grand medical discovery. Almost everyone was floored at the stupidity of the comment. The priest seemed so proud of himself for announcing this as though no one in the audience knew the issue.

  “Sir we are aware yes, can you please be the one to treat the man?” A man of little intellect who wasn’t alarmed by the comment from the priest said. Confidence was beginning to wane. The priest, being a younger man, who seemed well put together, still had people willing to take the chance on him, and awaited his work.

  "Of course!" the priest said as he closed his eyes in slight embarrassment from the moment. He looked around for a second before seeing his staff and then picking it off the ground. Walter was beginning to grow colder from the prolonged lack of attention to the wounds. The boy started to shake as he could see exactly what was occurring before his eyes but was repeatedly held in place by the foolish man above him and silenced each time he attempted to give a challenge to the priest.

  “Elli ret Oni Healis." The priest called forth unto his staff which saw a ball of life essence emerge from the rod, and calmly settle upon Walter. The priest smiled as he looked on feeling accomplished as the spell was successful in his eyes. The spell restored vigor. Walter came to and had more color on his face for the moment. "Well I clearly have healed him!" the priest spoke proudly.

  “Uhhhh. Sir….” Walter said as he looked up and began sweating again. “I still have the wounds open on my arm.” Confidence was further shaken in the priest as the public was further confused and surprised by the incident unfolding before them. Walter soon passed out as while the spell did restore vigor the wounds had not in any way been dealt with.

  “My daddy is gonna die isn’t he?” The boy looked helplessly on in the moment and realized perhaps what the others were either too na?ve or too trusting to see clearly.

  “No boy, the priest is going to figure it out.” The crowd was growing more unsettled by the inaction of the priest as he looked about the man and poked and prodded Walter but seemed unsure in every motion of his body, and not the movements of a confident medical professional.

  “Yes alright, yes alright.” The priest muttered as sweat began protruding down his face, realizing the spell didn’t just magically fix everything as he expected.

  “Priest, maybe you should amputate his arm and bind the stump and then try the spell again?” a woman sitting beside him suggested as she handed the man a cleaver from the local fish market.

  “Ahh YES!” He said as he grabbed the cleaver and held it with the most unsteady grip the locals had perhaps ever seen. The priest’s hands were shaking as he looked the man over and lined up his strike for the initial cuts to be made.

  "CHUNNK!" The priest opened his eyes seeing light spraying of blood on the woman nearby him who handed him the cleaver. He then looked over his work and marveled in his clean smooth cut, severing the arm from the shoulder in one chop. He smiled as he felt so accomplished by the action that he now looked for a bandage kit and a sewing needle.

  “Uhh… priest….” The woman covered in blood beside him spoke as the crowd was in the moment turning from concerned to hostile. “That was his good arm.” The priest looked over again at the man and realized why blood had sprayed, as he had just cut off Walter’s right arm which was perfectly fine and without need of bandaging. Walter then slumped over fully as the life was gone from the man.

  “Ohh ffuuuuccc..” The priest said as his eyes widened at the incident.

  “MURDERER!” The calls filled the air of the street corner as the crowd in that moment shifted against the priest who was now quickly off the ground and panicking to make excuses.

  "Well, the man was just too weak to survive the sssss-surgery.” He said while stuttering and mumbling words.

  “You killed my daddy!” the boy hollered at the priest.

  ……..

  Back under the tree on the bluff Aurora and Isla were immune to the noise of the town as the wind was traveling from the south, thus traveling noise from the coastline where they could see ships coming in for the evening. The sounds of boats dragging upon the shore or docking made them smile.

  “CRACCK!” the sound of an unfamiliar noise that rose strong upon the winds alerted all and got Isla’s pegasus stirred up.

  "Move it you damn GULFER!" A man clad in yellow screamed at the top of his lungs as he and several others with swords drawn proceeded to bully the local fishers entering for the evening.

  “Slavers? In the gulf? That is something you only see in Sultra and the furthest reaches of the south.” Isla mentioned as they now peered over the cliff with intent looking on trying to understand the setting before them better.

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  "No, they are wearing yellow. Those are Bruin men harvesting and stealing coastal resources and harming people that are supposed to be under our care." Aurora became emboldened to purpose, this was exactly what she feared would happen when her father agreed to the deal with the Bruin house. "They are already stripping and harming people we must stop them!" She clenched her right hand onto her scabbard ready to draw forth the blade and use it for true purpose. She was known for her sword craft and though only using it in tournament combat she was very well regarded for her skills and style in the art.

  “Aurora, you’re talking about real fighting, that is dangerous. I mean sure we’ve trained well over the years but those are real people who might really try to kill us.” Isla tried to talk her friend back from action.

  "Isla we cannot let my people suffer under cruel hands. I won't stand by when I can help. I have the skills to handle myself, and…." She gulped at the first sobering thought. "I believe I have the nerve to strike to end life as needed." She seemed as if she could be for the trouble below. The men harassing the fishers were not a vast army but merely a squad of ragamuffin men, without a clear leader seen among them.

  “Aurora please listen to reason we can’t do anything rash, if we do we risk the peace your father brokered.” Isla tried to settle her beloved friend, keeping her from quick action, yet Aurora’s mind was already made up.

  "Isla go the town and see if there is anyone there able or willing to help, we might need some backup. I am going to straighten this out. My father wants peace but peace has to be protected and I can't let the amazing people of these lands become slaves under the whip of some tyrants from the lands of Dol." She sprinted hard into action as a woman on a warpath, while she had never actually used her blade in true combat she knew what she had to do to protect her people and the peace and beauty of the lands under Aathian control. Isla knew not to argue further as Aurora was dead set on her plan. Both were unsure what motivated the lady's charge more, rebellion against her father's ruling or perhaps the clear purpose of protecting people being forcibly subjugated under the mean spirits of the Bruin men in their golden cloaks and vile spirits.

  Isla mounted her steed and quickly flew into Kale Wharf as Aurora raced to action. She quickly touched down around a crowd of people whose noise grew louder as she entered the town with each flap of her mount’s wings to the location. Isla thought initially the people themselves were rallying as they were aware of the happening further down the coast just out of the reach of the town’s main docks.

  “Folks I see you are rallying to the cause!” She called forth trying to address the crowd from her mount, seeing the pitchforks and cleavers and torches in hand with bloodlust in their eyes.

  "Damn right, we're gonna hang him and then burn him!" Isla seeing their passion for the defense of their lands emboldened her to the cause of Aurora, Isla thought maybe she was right to take up arms against the mistreatment of the Gulf people.

  “That’s the spirit I believe we can stop them together!” She called holding her lance high, rallying forth the people.

  "Wait…them? You mean all of the clergy?" The rioters stopped and all stared at the rider. When they lowered their hands and silenced themselves at the confusion of the comment by Isla, she could see the hangman platform shoddily constructed and the priest with the noose lightly around his neck.

  “The clergy? No I mean the men of Dol who are bullying and using slaver tactics on your fellow men of the gulf down the shoreline a ways. The people looked stunned and asked Isla to explain further. “Lady Aurora of Mert is charging them as we speak, she needs help to stay their hands and keep peace in your lands.

  “But we have to hang this priest.” One man near the noose said with confusion.

  “And then burn him burn.” Another holding a lit torch called.

  "Oh yes!" He apologized for forgetting. "And then burn him." Isla looked at the crowd and then back at the priest. She was confused as she knew nothing about the ongoing situation of the priest and just saw a potential healer under impending death.

  "Well….can you kill him after?" she called. "Priest, can you use at least minor healing spells?"

  "Well yes, mam I can!" the priest said with a panic.

  “Do you have a name priest?” Isla called

  “Edwin, my lady, I’d be forever indebted to you and your lady if you can get me out of this precarious situation.” Two villagers smacked him on the head and chest as they told him to shut up and stop his jabbering.

  “So, why are you trying to kill the priest?” She asked one of the men who seemed to look more informed than the others.

  “Well, you see he killed Walter.”

  “I didn’t kill him…I just failed to save his life.” Edwin called before being hit in the chest again causing him to cough and wince in pain.

  “You lie priest, you cut off his good arm!”

  “It was a simple accident! I swear! I can provide good healing spells.” Isla looked at the priest then back at the man she was conversing with and inquired whether the priest actually could heal.

  “I mean….he did use a spell that restored life to Walter before he killed him.”

  "Well, look I need to get people to help Aurora down on the shore and I cannot waste any further time. Please release this man to me to aid us in our defense of the town."

  “And spare him?” The people were puzzled by this comment.

  “Look you need to build up defenses for yourself in case things go sideways down there. So I don’t want to take too many of you into the conflict below. And if you release him to me, well….he’ll probably die anyway….and perhaps in a more brutal fashion.” Edwin gulped at the explanation of his options ahead. The men of the town peered down the shore and saw the men of gold, though in the city they could not hear the commotion the same as was able from the cliff where Aurora and Isla had sat.

  "Fine, then I as the mayor of Kale Wharf release this man to die in your service. We shall rally our defenses here and ensure that we can protect our ships and people going forward lady knight rider." People were angry, especially the fellow with the lit torch. Yet, in the coming moments, the people cut Edwin free, gave him his staff back, and moved him to Isla's side.

  "Hop on priest we need to help my lady," Isla called as she extended a hand to Edwin.

  “Well... that is all fine and dandy but do I really have anything to offer you and your lady in potential combat?” Edwin spoke trying to weasel his way out of the next sticky situation of his day. Isla smiled as she pulled her hand back to the reins.

  “You know I guess I could leave you here.” Edwin turned back to see the townsfolk ready to pounce with rage still in their eyes and several were licking their lips hoping for the priest to choose to stay. Never has the land seen a man mount atop a pegasus faster. Edwin needed no help to board the steed as he signaled for Isla to charge and rally to Aurora’s side.

  Down the coastline, Aurora's rush had been noticed. "What does the bitch of Aath want?” The leader called as she approached close range. Aurora was well known throughout the lands to the nobility and was not surprised that she was recognized by the man who looked to have some breeding despite his miserable demeanor and behavior. "Is the lady tired of waiting for Vespasian's sausage and is hungry for an early breakfast?" He called looking around at his men with him. They numbered roughly ten in total and were well-armed to brutally beat the tired and worn-out fisherman who had been at sea for days. The fisherman had knives and tools of their craft on their vessels but nothing that could stand to military axes and swords. So they had simply submitted as they lacked the energy to stand against the military regulars at the moment.

  “Drops your swords and axes and leave these lands these people are not for Dol to harass.” Aurora cried as she pulled the first part of her sword from its scabbard.

  “The bitch barks!” the man replied. “So Titus of House Vulture of Dol will discipline the dog." He let the others know with a smile in his voice. Aurora winced at the comment giving a slight jolt backward before steadying as she told herself that this was no different than training and swordplay tournaments, just with real cuts. Titus readied his steel as Aurora readied hers.

  "LADY AURORA!" The call was from Isla approaching from the town with pace her steed galloped down from the sky flying with quickened pace as Edwin was barely holding onto the rider for his life. Aurora smiled and found confidence in herself as the moment of battle ensued. A few of the men broke rank from tormenting the fisherman and sought to lay claim to the beauty before them. Axes in hand they sought to injure and not scar the skin and bones before them. Aurora recovered from the distraction and lunged forward pulling her curved sword through the chest of the first to challenge her ability. She stood frozen realizing her skills did translate and the ability that she had cultivated all these years was real and not child's play. Blood dripped clean from her sword as the cut to the gut proved true. The man looked down at his side as the red from his side enveloped the midsection quickly as he fell to his knee and then to his demise. The man next to him was enraged and quickly raised his axe to challenge the lady of Aath.

  “SHUNNK!” Isla had flung her javelin true and pierced through the chest of the man. Edwin dismounted from the flyer and Isla quickly moved to pull the lance from the man’s chest as he realized his end. He dropped his axe as he looked down to see the piercing wound. He attempted to pull it out only to pull just enough to free the blood flow enough to end his days among the living. He keeled over as Isla riding past pulled her lance clean. It was her first bloodshed towards another person as well and yet while fear and disgust filled her stomach she could not give in to the emotions and keep her focus.

  "Hello, I am Edwin. I am your new personal white mage." The priest called as he noticed Aurora stare back at him. Aurora made no time for silly introductions as with the death of the first two the eight remaining men rose to combat spirit, as did the fisherman. Tussling ensued on the shoreline as men with nets tied down and stabbed and beat and stoned the men of Dol in conjunction with Aurora's sword battling another, showing her true skill with a disarming cut before a clean slice to the neck. She didn't enjoy the violence, she hated it but knew it was the only way forward. The men of Dol had drawn the line.

  "AHHHHH!" a larger sword clashed with Aurora's lighter blade and pushed her back and to the ground. Titus had seen enough and wanted to end the battle. Isla flew in to rescue her ally but Titus hit her with the blunt side of his sword on the follow-through of an attack and knocked her off her flyer. Edwin ran over instantly and seeing his savior on the ground he performed the simple healing spell he knew that did work earlier on Walter.

  "Thanks, Edwin." Isla felt reinvigorated as she quickly got back to her feet ready to help further as her mount settled next to her. "Good girl Calyx, steady." She petted her flying horse seeing the flyer was nervous about her master's safety. The flyer calmed down as she could tell Isla was in fact okay.

  "TING!" "CLANG!" "PING!" Titus kept swatting. His strikes were proving unable to break Aurora's defensive positions but they were strong enough to knock Aurora's posture and not allow for a return offensive from the lady. She was skilled but she was no champion of strength. The attacks took more and more effort to protect herself from as she was not truly well-versed in defending against strikes from a person of such strength. The blows were tallying up and Aurora was seeing her strength sapped as she was having to stand lower and lower, using more of the ground to keep the blade safely defending her person rather than her power. Then she remembered a move she could use.

  "CRUNCH!" Aurora had in an instant forced Titus to drop his guard and his sword and fall over barfing from the shock and pain. All of the fishermen who had with the use of nets tangled the remaining men of Dol up and killed them all winced at what they saw.

  “That has gotta hurt." One said as he looked on shaking his head. Aurora was not interested in fighting nobly as many would suggest, she wanted to win, and she needed to win, however she could. She moves to purpose as her opponent is still writhing from the low blow. She moves atop him and shoves her sword with a downward thrust, the blade being curved isn’t meant for this type of finishing blow as it was made for slicing and parrying and not stabbing yet, it did the job as Titus coughed and gurgled and bled to death under her swift in and out stab.

  There she stood as the blood wicked clean from her sword. She had in this moment killed a lower noble in service of the Bruin. "Oh, Shit." She realized as the conflict was over and the fisherman approached Aurora and thanked her for providing protection and they swore they would be better prepared when next they are attacked.

  “Please my lady go. This is not your fight.” One fisherman spoke.

  “Aurora what do we do?” Isla spoke. “This will destroy the deal your father made to protect the people.”

  "Isla if this is the protection the Bruin meant then this is the only option," Aurora spoke with passion as she returned the sword to its scabbard. "But we can't let this turn the whole area into war….What should we do."

  “Let us take the blame lady Aurora.” The men said.

  “No I can’t do that then you will all have your lives forfeit.” She thought deeper for a second while Edwin awkwardly tended to the wounds of the fisherman making sure to only use his basic healing spell to avoid any further trouble with the gulf lands. Aurora then had an idea. “Spread the word that this was my doing and mine alone.”

  "Lady Aurora?" the fisherman was shocked. "But you cannot mean this."

  "I know it sounds odd, but my father and others knew I was here or at least coming here already, and my father and nearly everyone else know I don't want this marriage alliance. If you spread the word that I attacked these men alone and killed them then perhaps my father can keep his peace intact while I go on the run as a fugitive."

  “Sister you can’t be serious.” Isla tried to talk sense into Aurora.

  “All of Aath doesn’t have the army to quell the Bruin, we cannot drive my people into full open conflict. But if I flee I can go into hiding and Bruin will chase maybe only me, while I buy my people safety and I can rally an army from perhaps...” She then looked up at the Sea and remembered what lay on the other side of the gulf. “Yannis…We can go to Yannis and ask the king for help.” Aurora remembered Isla was alongside her. “Isla I release you of your duty.” The words struck hard into the rider as Aurora took off running toward the North with her intention to hide away and disguise herself until she could get safe passage on a merchant ship across the gulf.

  As she ran she looked up and saw a smiling teary-eyed friend holding out her hand for her to grab onto. Both stopped. "Isla, I need you to leave, you'll be branded an enemy of the realm, and my own father might have to hunt us.”

  "I am your best friend, and you're personal guard. Regardless….sister." Aurora teared up as she reached up, grabbed her friend's hand, and climbed aboard Calyx. "We'll fly up North past Kale Wharf to Cross Point. They have plenty of deep sea shipping and trade there and we should be able to hide in the city until we can book a ship." Aurora nodded as she hugged deep into the back of Isla. The power of the hug conveyed all the emotion and truth between them that was needed at the moment without words. Isla was scared, and Aurora was scared, but together they had strength in this moment.

  "Got room for another?" Edwin asked of Isla. Calyx grunted at the notion. "Well, then I guess this is where we part ways ladies."

  "Fine, I'm sure the people of the Wharf are happy to deal with you then," Isla said as she kicked the reins for Calyx to take off, with Aurora still lost in the moment tearing up as the realization of everything was coming into focus.

  Edwin stood still for a moment as the girls began moving northward. He thought about his options and remembered the enthusiasm of the noose and the torch bearers in the town. “WAIT FOR ME!!!!!” He called as he ran with more passion than any priest ever had.