Sentria: The War for Askeran (Book 3)

Chapter Eight: New Memories

We lied on that hill for hours, watching the clouds drift by. We were mostly silent, but not in the same way as we had before. This was a comfortable silence, one of completeness and truth. As much as I tried to fight it, I couldn't stop myself from feeling for Eldwyn. He was my heart, my everything.

Eldwyn looked up at me as he was resting on my chest. He had a smile on his face and a sparkle in his eye that warmed my heart.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I'm just happy," said Eldwyn, "I know that we still have a long journey ahead of us, but together we will overcome it."

I kissed him on the forehead and looked up at the sky. The sun was big and bright and I made a silent prayer of thanks to the goddess Rena for the light. "When we had parted ways after we defeated the Oblivion Witch, I sang a song about you."

"You did?" Eldwyn perked up, sitting up and looking at me eagerly.

"I did," I replied, back looking down at him.

"I must hear it!" Eldwyn's smile grew wider.

I sighed and sat up. "Fine, but keep in mind that I'm not a bard with a lovely tenor voice. It went this way:

"O where, O where has my love gone?
I have searched all the day long,
I've climbed atop the highest tree,
And I've only seen the breeze.

Every day I return to it,
And know I shall never quit,
But the flame weakens by the hour,
And hope is like a flower.

O won't you come, my love?
Fly to me like a dove,
Descend from high above,
Please find my heart my love."

I looked away, loathing how my voice sounded. I liked to think that i had grown out of my prideful ways, but it still got the better of me. As soon as I finished, Eldwyn tackled me to the ground and covered me with kisses, forcing a smile out of me against my will.

"That was beautiful!" he said.

"I'm certain that it wasn't, but the sentiment holds true."

Eldwyn and I kissed some more until we settled down enough to have a rational conversation about our next steps.

"I've made up my mind," I said, straightening myself up. "We should return to the Baynard Mountains and request that Princess Ilya joins us in our quest. She has a proven record of diplomacy, having brought the Mountainlands together, she's already done the impossible. We'll ask her to do it again."

"I'm with you," said Eldwyn. "I miss her...when you were distraught after we sailed Lucas away I spoke with her. She told me that I wasn't to give up, that I was your heart."

"Of course, Eldwyn." I embraced him tightly. "You're my whole heart."

We walked back down the hill to Brighton Village and Eldwyn wouldn't stop talking about the song. He told me his favorite parts and how much he loved the imagery. I simply informed him that the song had been sung in the Sentria Kingdom for centuries. It was a part of King Astamere and Queen Brita, the first king and queen of Sentria, brought to life in musical reenactments. Eldwyn argued that it was so much more.

That night we packed our things that night in preparation of heading out early in the morning. Eldwyn needed to get a good night's rest if he planned on teleporting all the way to the Belderaan Mountains. He had grown very strong, but the distance was still great and any manner of miscalculation could put us in a precarious situation.

At dinner, Daniel and Sharla were sad that this was our last night, but I told them that when I returned I'd repay them for their kindness. They weren't expecting any repayment, but I knew that it was the right thing to do. In the middle of our meal, and after Eldwyn made a particularly funny joke, but it was broken by a sharp cry through the night. We looked at each other, confused, then somebody yelled, "They're here! Rainn is here!"

Eldwyn and I got up immediately. I told the couple to stay there as I went to my room to grab my sword and met back up with Elddwyn outside. Fifty Rainnian soldiers were all around, destroying property, burning homes, and terrorizing the people Brighton's citizens. We had to stop them.

I looked at Eldwyn and nodded, signaling for him to use his powers. It would expose him, but people's lives were in danger. I went right and he went left, pushing himself into the air and landing on a roof. He used ice winds to stop the fires and I went to the nearest Rainnian soldier. He was dressed in dark red armor with golden masks covering their faces and I started attacking. I cut his throat before he even realized and attacked another who had approached me.

Other fighters came out. Young men preparing for war and ready to test themselves. They weren't yet trained, but they fought bravely, attacking with the vigor of youth and fearlessness.

I stabbed my sword inside of my combatants' stomach and kicked him off of the blade as Eldwyn pushed away three Rainnians all at once with his wind powers, slamming them into a nearby house. I went over to a Brighton man, short but spry, and helped him take care of a Rainnian soldier, and went over to another after he was taken care of. These soldiers were brutal. Nasty. They struck with killing blows despite most of the Brighton men not wearing armor.

Eldwyn jumped down and spun around, sending direct wind blasts at the surrounding Rainnian soldiers. They couldn't get close enough to attack him and every time more tried, they were brought down. When they know that they couldn't gain any ground, they gave up, grabbed their men who were still alive and left Brighton Village.

I caught my breath as I watched them, making sure that they were out of the area. Eldwyn was next to me, and when I looked around, I saw that the Brighton men left standing were all staring at me.

"You're High Prince Darren," said one of the men pointing at me.

"And he's the relic," said another.

"I am, and he is. I understand that relics are outlawed, but this war—" before I could finish, all of them kneeled to me and bowed their heads.

"We are honored, High Prince," said the first young man.

"Please, there is no need," I said.

"Of course there is. We've all heard of what you've done. You're a hero to us, and if you're relic played any part, then he's a hero too. The two of you have helped us win today, and Brighton will never forget that."

"Well, thank you," I said. "Unfortunately, it's been made painstakingly clear that these are desperate times and we will need relics like Eldwyn if we are to win. Their mission was to strike hard, but know that in their company is a legion of dark wizards from the underground. That is our main concern and all of the southern realms will have to come together and unite with them."

I told them that they'd need to stay in the village in case Rainn attacked them again. Hornswallow would have to wait. If these young men weren't there, the village would have become that much easier to conquer. They all agreed to it. I promised to send a carrier dove to the general to tell them this command. I was still a wanted man, but I was still the High Prince.