(This is my entry for the Fantasy SD Round 2.3. I used the fourth set of pictures: soldier and castle. The first song: Save me - Aimee Mann. The two quotes: 6) "I wish you were a raven and would fly away, then I should have a little peace." 8) "In the olden days, when wishing still worked..." )

Saviour

The young soldier shielded his face with his broken helmet. The rain felt like pebbles on his weary skin. Ignoring the pleas of his tired body he pushed forward. In the distance he could make out a vague house of some sort, he hoped the people would be friendly. The rain continued its assault on the soldier and he was soaked to the bone by the time he reached the little house.

He approached slowly trying to figure out anything about the inmates. It didn’t look like a very well to do place, the colour was dull and there was no flower garden that was common to the houses in this part of the land. The windows were shut, curtains drawn; there was smoke coming from the low chimney.

He assessed his situation, he had nothing to pay them with. All he had was his body armour and sword. He decided to take his chances and knocked on the door. There was no response. He knocked again louder and waited. After a little while, the door opened a little and a man not older than him peered out studying him from head to toe. The soldier didn’t flinch.

“Yes? What can I do for you?” The man asked from inside the house.

“I was hoping you might let me stay till the rain eases a little.”

The man stroked his beard in thought and finally opened the door wide, “come on in.”

The soldier thanked him and entered careful not to walk all the way in and wet the place. The man disappeared inside another room and returned with a robe.

“Here,” he said handing it to the soldier, “put these on and get out of the wet things. Put them in front of the fireplace to dry. Use that room.”

“You’re too kind,” the soldier said. The soldier put the robe on and placed his clothes in front of the fireplace as instructed.

He turned around to find his host preparing soup.

“You don’t need to-” he started to say even though he was hungry.

“Nonsense. You’re hungry, I can see it. Sit,” he pointed towards the table, “have some soup and tell me your story.”

“My story? I am just lost, nothing else, I’m afraid.”

The man chuckled and sat opposite the soldier, “my friend. If you’re going to lie to me, you’re going to have to do better than that. Eat first.”

He pushed a bowl of soup and a basket of bread towards the soldier who greedily ate up everything momentarily forgetting that he was a guest here. The man simply sat there with his eyes closed and an amused expression on his lips. When the soldier finished he looked up and thought the man had slept off.

“Are you done? Or would you like some more?” He asked the soldier kindly opening his eyes slowly.

“I’m done, thank you. I don’t know how I will repay you,” he looked embarrassed, “all I have is what you see in front of the fireplace.”

“Repay me? Just my good deed for the day.”

“I could offer you my helmet but as you can see,” he pointed towards his broken and mangled helmet.

The man sat back and relaxed, he had a mischievous smile, “well since you insist on repaying me, you can do so by telling me your story.”

The soldier looked at the man hard and long. He was around his age, maybe a few years older. But his eyes were wiser, they held a mystery all of their own. He sighed and slumped back in his chair.

“I am on my way to save princess Alaana.”

“The elf princess?”

“Yes.”

“A human willing to risk his life to save an elf from trolls and goblins. Interesting. Where is your army? And the Elven Council?”

The soldier snorted in anger and said, “the Elven Council will not help her and neither will man’s army. You see, she disobeyed the Council and married a man. Men will not risk their alliance with the elves to save someone not even wanted by their own kind.”

“And yet here you are, risking your own life.”

The soldier nodded grimly avoiding eye contact with the man, there was something about him that the soldier found comforting and intimidating at the same time.

“Well,” the man continued, “no one can blame you for taking this risk to save your love.”

The soldier’s head shot up, he looked surprised.

The man laughed, “relax Edwyn, yes I know your name. We have all heard of the story. In fact, by order of the King, citizens are forbidden from showing you any kindness or sympathy. But that’s all political nonsense to keep the alliance. I admire your courage, only a man who truly loves his woman would make the journey to Blood Moon Castle.”

“I do not have much time, I must save her.”

“And you will,” the man leaned forward, “but you can’t leave yet. The rain will wear you down and you will be in no condition to fight. Have patience, you will succeed.”

“Patience? I am on the edge here friend, I do not know how I am holding it together.”

“Learn to keep it together man. It is vital that you do. Now tell me about Alaana. Tell me about this forbidden love.”

“Soldier, next time you destroy a stall, I shall make you spit blood,” the feisty elf woman said invading his personal space.

“What are you going to do? Run to the council?” the soldier and his friends laughed at their own joke.

The elf gritted her teeth and was about to pounce on the soldiers, she knew she could take on them and possibly even break a few bones.

“What is going on here?” A voice asked from behind them.

The soldiers all stood to attention. The elf turned around to see the captain of the soldiers standing face to face with her.

“Your soldiers are drunk and creating a mess. I was just passing by when I gave them a bit of advice.”

“She threatened to kill us, sir,” one of the soldiers said.

The captain looked at the soldiers, “I thought you were soldiers, not bloody children,” he continued in a mock tone, “she threatened to kill us, sir.”

The elf laughed lightly. The captain strolled towards the broken stalls and spoke to the owners for a little while not taking his eyes off the soldiers and the elf.

The captain turned to his assistant, “take these men to the barracks. Make them run a dozen rounds of the grounds, if any of them slow down or rest - use the whip.”

The soldiers were silently escorted back to the castle.

“Madam, I must apologise for the conduct of my soldiers. If there is anything I can do for you…”

“Captain, that is very nice of you. If you are not too busy would you mind walking me to the woods?”

“It will be my pleasure, madam.”

“Alaana Moonstar,” she said smiling at him, “you can call me Alaana.”

“Princess Alaana!” He bowed, “I am so sorry, I did not recognize you.”

“Relax captain,” she laughed and linked her arm through his, “let’s not panic here. Just Alaana will do.”

The captain smiled, “Edwyn, my name is Edwyn.”

“So tell me Captain Edwyn, are you always this strict with your soldiers?” she asked laughing.

“The rest is history?” the man interrupted.

“Not quite. The troubles hadn’t started yet. We met on and off: in the market, in the woods, by the waterfall. Our friendship was viewed favourably. Men and elves viewed me as a bodyguard who could be trusted. Of course I realized this very late. In a short time, our friendship grew into much more.”

The soldier and the princess were sitting in the woods by the river and enjoying a quiet afternoon.

“I have been given an ultimatum,” she said suddenly.

“An ultimatum? Who dares to give ultimatums to princess Alaana?” he asked in mock anger.

“My father, I think he qualifies,” she said punching him in the arm lightly. He laughed with her.

“Listen…umm… Edwyn. I, umm,” she let out a breath, “my father says that it’s time for my marriage and that I have to chose a prince from the families in the Elven Council. In fact he has shortlisted a few of them.”

Edwyn was silent while listening to her, he cast his eyes down, the ripples in the water seemed to have amazing new designs.

“Who is in the list?” he asked softly.

“None that I like,” she answered just as softly.

He turned to look at her and found her looking at him sadly.

“Tell him that. He is your father, he won’t force you to chose from among a bunch you don’t like. You can always look into the other noble houses.”

“I don’t think he would allow that. My father likes the power he holds, he wants to consolidate it for as long as he lives. He will never give it up. It’s his will or the Hell Woods.”

“You’re just over thinking things. Just talk to him when he is in one of his good moods and I am sure he’ll listen to you. In fact I think you should make up your mind and find someone so that you can tell him who you would like to marry,” Edwyn said trying to sound encouraging and helpful.

They both turned to look at the ripples in the water.

“I do like someone,” she finally said.

Edwyn snapped his head to her, he caught himself too late. Alaana started laughing, “are you trying to snap your own neck?”

He shook his head goofily ignoring the pain the sudden movement had caused.

“Here,” Alaana stood up and sat behind him, slowly massaging his neck.

“Well, now that you have made up your mind, you can tell your father,” he said bringing the topic back.

“I cannot.”

“Of course you can. You’re princess Alaana.”

She stopped pressing his neck, “the thing is: the man I like – the man I realized I have given my heart to – is not an elf noble. In fact, he’s not an elf at all.”

Edwyn was silent for a beat, “If he is a noble, then I guess they might let it pass.”

Alaana came around and sat facing him. She put a hand against his face and rubbed her thumb slowly along his cheek.

“He is not noble by birth but his heart is the noblest that I have ever seen.”

He held her hand, “this will never be allowed.”

“I don’t care, Edwyn. I will speak to my father about it.”

“No, you must not. It will bring you more trouble than it’s worth.”

“Do you not feel the same? Tell me,” she cupped his face in both her hands and held his eyes.

He could see her eyes welling up slowly and it brought tears to his own.

“I do, dear Alaana. But they will never allow this. A lowly captain of the guards and a princess. It is difficult enough for a human and elf of noble birth to get married. But this… We will lose everything. I don’t have much to lose but you will lose everything. The Council will disown you, they will cast you out.”

“Will you still have me? Will you embrace me even if I have nothing? Will you love a pariah elf?” she lowered her hands to rest on his shoulders.

He looked at her and smiled, “you will never have nothing, my love. I will always be yours,” he said pulling her in for a kiss.

The man looked at Edwyn and raised an eyebrow, “you really said that?”

“Hey, I was in love. AM! I am in love. I’m allowed to say things like that. Anyway that’s not the point. The point is – there was no turning back then. We were both kicked out. Out from our homes, the villages and everything we ever knew. The Elven Council and Kingdom of Man even released a joint announcement about relieving us from any and all royal and official ties. We literally had nowhere to go. So we decided to head for the banished lands through the forest. Luckily for us many of the cast outs in the forest had received direct and indirect help from Alaana over the years. They were more than happy to repay her for her kindness.”

“You aimed for the banished lands? What did you hope to find there?”

“That’s the most interesting part. We were expecting a town of lawlessness and ruffians and villains. But imagine our surprise when we found the people living in peace and harmony. They had a council ruling over them and were generally hospitable and friendly. So we settled there. I became a trainer for the town’s guards, they had attacks from trolls at times. Alaana and I had settled into a good life there. There were no luxuries but we were happy.”

“And then you were attacked by the trolls?”

“Not in the town. The town guards had wiped out the previous troll bandits that attacked the town. My training had kept them organized and prepared. They let one of the trolls run away so that he would warn the others not to attack again. For many months there were no more attacks. We really thought that that would be the end of it. So one beautiful sunny day Alaana and I went for a walk in the woods outside the town walls. We were ambushed by a dozen or so trolls. I managed to kill a couple before a blow to the head knocked me out. When I woke up, I was in the infirmary and Alaana was gone. They send a note the next day. They said they were taking her to the Blood Moon Castle where she would be part of the annual sacrifice to their gods.”

“An elf would surely please their gods. They consider the elves as the purest of creations. Did you not ask the men or elves for help?”

“I did. Little good came out of it.”

“But she is your daughter! How can you abandon her?”

“She abandoned us. She chose her fate.”

Edwyn turned to face the King of Men, “Sire, I beg you to-“

“Edwyn,” the king cut him off, “I remember what you said to me before when you led my guards. All I need is a sword and armour, all my enemies shall fall before me. This is your time. The Council and the kingdom will not help you but we will not stop you.”

Edwyn turned around and walked out of the chamber. He stopped at the door and turned to face the assembled, “know this. I will save my Alaana or I will die trying. But I promise you: if I fail and I am alive, I will return to this very chamber. There will be a river of blood here: of man and elf alike.”

“They let you walk out of there after you said that?”

“I’m surprised the king didn’t want my head for that. I guess they were happy in the knowledge that I would fail and the both of us would be dead and gone; erased from history.”

“Do you know why it is called the Blood Moon castle?”

“Yes. After the sacrifices each day in the seven day ceremony, they burn the body with some incenses and herbs, it releases a red vapour into the atmosphere making the moon appear red.”

The man nodded, “the third day after the full moon, they sacrifice the prize.”

“Which is why I must leave,” Edwyn stood up.

The man pushed him down in his seat, “save your strength. You still have time. Rest a little for now, it’s still raining. Once it stops, I shall show you a short cut through the woods. It should cut your journey time by half.”

Reluctantly Edwyn listened to the man and tried to get a little sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, visions of Alaana would haunt him. Finally tiredness overtook him and he nodded off for a couple of hours. He woke up with a start.

After looking around, he grabbed his clothes from near the fireplace. He went into the room he had used earlier and dressed. His host was nowhere to be seen. While he was contemplating an exit strategy that wouldn’t make him appear rude, the man appeared from another room holding a shield in one hand and a helmet in the other.

“Edwyn, take these.”

“I cannot. You have already fed me and sheltered me. You have shown me kindness that I have not been shown here in a long time.”

“Nonsense. Take these, they will be helpful to you. I don’t fight anymore, they will just gather rust.”

“I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Come, let me show you the way,” the man led him through the woods for a couple of hours and then stopped.

“Keep going straight, when you reach a big tree that’s been burned by lightening turn right. Keep walking, you will see the castle on a hill in front of you. Be careful. From then on, it’s troll and goblin territory. Good luck.”

“I didn’t even ask your name.”

“Names do not matter to a man like me. I have had many and will have countless more.”

“You mean, you are an-“

“Yes,” the man interrupted, “now go. Find your woman, save her.”

Edwyn shook the man’s hands and hurried on his way. The sun had set by the time he found the tree. After walking for some more time, he finally saw the Blood Moon castle up ahead. Just like the stories he had heard, the moon appeared red casting an eerie shadow over the castle. He could almost feel Alaana’s presence up ahead.

“Hang on, my love. I am on my way.”

Cautiously he moved towards the hill staying in the shadows and thanking his stars for the chirping insects, they helped muffle the sound of stray twigs breaking under his shoes. The closer he got to the castle, the more he could feel Alaana. He reached the castle walls without incident. He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to concentrate on her aura. Alaana had tried to teach him this before so that they could communicate telepathically but he had never shown much interest.

Finally he could pin point her. He could feel her pain. She was tied up in some dungeon, she was hurt. He shut his eyes tighter.

‘Alaana,’ he called out with his mind, ‘it is me, Edwyn.’

He repeated it many times over. As he was about to give up he heard her respond.

‘Edwyn. Help me.’

‘Hang on my love. I am almost there.’

‘Save me from these freaks.’

‘I am coming.’

He opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. The walls were not very high. Not many people were willing to attack this castle and the trolls weren’t worried about anyone getting out, they did not leave any prisoners alive. He could scale the walls easily. Then he would have to locate the dungeon and rescue her. With this vague plan in mind, he easily got to the other side. After some scouting he was able to figure out where Alaana was held.

Drawing his sword he made his way to the dungeon. The first troll he spotted in the open didn’t know what struck him; his eyes had a surprised expression as his head was detached from his body. Edwyn dragged the heavy body into the darkness and kicked the head after it.

He killed a couple of more trolls before he ran into a goblin. The goblin almost raised the alarm, but Edwyn stabbed him in the throat cutting off his voice. He then bashed him to death with the shield. He mumbled a thanks to the man for insisting on giving him the shield.

The troll guarding the dungeon was more alert. He charged at Edwyn with a raised club, Edwin sidestepped the first attack and then dodged the next one by hopping behind the troll. He then stabbed the troll and slid the sword diagonally downwards spilling the troll’s innards.

He hurried down to the dungeons to find prisoners in individual cells. Most were trolls or goblins. At the end of the line he found Alaana. He rushed to her cell and broke the lock with his shield. He threw his shield and sword and knelt beside her broken body. She didn’t look hurt but she was feverish and tied up.

“Alaana? Alaana!” he called out to her while cutting the ropes binding her.

Finally she opened her eyes a little, then she opened them fully.

“You came for me?” she whispered.

“Of course, I did. Now let’s get out of here.”

“It’s not,” she groaned, “them. They were paid to do this.” She managed to say in between gasps.

“It’s OK, love. We will talk about this later. Now we have to go before they find us.”

One of the trolls in the adjacent cell shushed them loudly when he heard footsteps.

“We must go now,” he whisper shouted to her helping her stand up. She collapsed into his arms. When he looked at her, her eyes were closed again and her breathing was shallow.

“Poison,” she said softly, “I’ve been poisoned,” she coughed on his armour and he could see blood. He laid her down gently on the floor.

“I’ll carry you out of here, we’ll go to a physician. It’ll be alright.”

Alaana turned to look at him and smiled weakly. She raised a hand and cupped his face, “I knew I made the right choice choosing you over them,” she took a long breath, “they told the trolls to take me here and use me as a sacrifice. They had spies on us from the moment we left. Man and elf together to destroy us.”

Edwyn’s eyes grew in astonishment and anger, “bastards! They will pay each and every one of them.”

“Go, Edwyn. I cannot come with you. The poison has already taken its toll on me. I will be grateful to the gods for letting me see you before I breathe my last,” she was struggling to speak.

“No! We leave together!”

“I wish we could, my love, I wish we could fly away together. In the olden days, when wishing still worked...” she caressed his face weakly.

Alaana’s voice faded and her eyes closed but her smile never left her lips. Edwyn hugged her and cried with sadness and anger and a whole mix of emotions he did not know he had.

“We have two sacrifices here!” a voice said from outside the cell. Some of the guard trolls and goblins were gathered outside the cell. Their clubs and swords ready to attack.

Edwyn’s anger rose, he laid her gently on the floor and picked up his sword and shield.

“I will carry her out of here. If you try to stop me, the line of trolls and goblins will end here today.”

“Little man, you are in position to make demands. You are in our land.”

“Your land or the king’s land, that makes no difference to me. I will strike you all dead and the others who try to bar my way.”

“Kill him!”

The scene was of utter chaos. The big trolls and bulky goblins could not attack properly in such a confined space. Edwyn took complete advantage of his size and proficiency with the sword hacking and slicing through the assembled troops. More appeared in the door way, Edwyn was unfazed, he was running on pure rage and could not see reason. His body did not betray him, neither did his reflexes. With uncontrolled rage and brutality he dispatched his attackers mercilessly. Dodging a clumsy club strike he stabbed the goblin in the heart and used the body as a shield to decapitate another one.

“Enough!” A voice said from the head of the stairs.

Edwyn ignored the command and cut off a troll’s sword hand.

“I said enough!”

The trolls and goblins backed away as their leader appeared in the doorway. He was a tall, muscular troll dressed in battle armour.

“What do you want human? Are you here to end our bloodlines?”

“I came here,” he sheathed his sword, “for her,” he gestured towards the lifeless figure of Alaana.

“We were paid to sacrifice her.”

“By whom?”

“That I cannot reveal.”

Edwyn slowly gripped the hilt of his sword.

“All I can tell you is that nobility in both your kinds were involved, the kind that meet regularly.”

Edwyn eased away from the sword.

“I will take her with me and leave now.”

The troll nodded.

Edwyn turned around, he secured the shield on his back and carried Alaana’s body with him. No one stopped him or attacked him on his way out of the castle. The leader of the trolls walked with him.

Edwyn stopped at the gates, “tell them we are both dead. I don’t have anything to pay you with for saying that.”

“Just go away and never return.”

“I have you word on your silence?”

“Cross the woods as fast as you can and never return,” the troll sighed, “in fact, I wish you were a raven and would fly away, then I should have a little peace.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

“There is no news about Edwyn and Alaana. I think we can safely assume that it is all done,” Alaana’s father announced at the meeting of the Elven Council. The King of Men was also present.

“Excellent,” the king said, “now we can put the past behind us and move into other matters.”

They heard a slight commotion outside the door and the door was thrown open followed by a guard’s head. A man in armour with a sword and shield walked in. He removed his helmet and glared at the assembled group.

“I am here to keep my promise.”

THE END