Bride of Alvar (Redemption Saga, Book 1)

Chapter 29

As we head to Sylphvr I try not to think of what Emily is going through. 

Yes, I'm furious and hurt with her for doing what she did, but she's going to meet Saul and Saul is not the type of person anyone should ever have to encounter. I hope he just takes what he has to from her and leaves her alone. A part of me wonders if Emily will even find him for the sorceress, I mean, out of sight, out of mind, right? Why would she follow through on a deal made with a woman from another world?

 I haven't time to enjoy the scenery, even though in my panicked state I note a group of strange floating islands above a flat valley in the distance, the rocks are floating in a circle and in the middle of the circle is a beautiful, crystal clear lake where a waterfall from each island is pooling into. Directly under the floating islands, there is bare stony ground, I suppose with no sunlight vegetation would not grow, still the bare ground looks so desolate and sad. 

"My homeland," Leeza says proudly, pointing upward at the islands as we approach on our mytonir. 

"What keeps the islands floating in the air?" I ask Leeza.

"Magnetism." Leeza smiles at my question. 

Alvar glances back at me from his place in our party and I smile faintly at him in reassurance. When he turns to look ahead again I sigh. It seems intimacy between us will have to wait. Still... if this truly is the end of the world coming, I wouldn't mind sharing at least one more kiss.

We halt our mytonir near the lake and Alvar helps me dismount. Leeza surprises me by stripping herself from her dress and running straight toward the lake in her undergarments, wings outstretched, and I watch as her taloned feet dash across the grass, each stride longer than the other and then dancing over the lake before becoming completely airborne. Her yellow wings are magnificent in the sunlight and she glides high above us, up toward the skylands of Sylphvr. 

I am in awe of such a sight. 

So the sylphs actually fly.

"I can't wait for you to meet Sola," Alvar says casually as we wait. "She'll love to meet you. Her and Yal. They are some of my dearest friends." 

"They couldn't make the wedding?" I ask, not sure why that is the first question that pops in my head, still, if they are his dearest friends I wonder why they didn't make the wedding.

"No, it was too short of notice, Sylphvr is disconnected from the lands below, it is difficult to get messages across to them. Arlite  only sends someone straight over a skywave, not upward.

"How are we going to get up there?" I ask, realizing no one has told me yet.

"Leeza will send some uldons down, otherwise you have to follow a strict schedule," Alvar explains.

"What are the sylphs like?" I ask. "Are they like the gobli? A matriarchy?"

"No, they are equal partnerships in a fiercely devoted relationship, just like many species of birds they are quite monogamous to the end. It is said if one mate dies, often the other dies of a broken heart," Alvar says with a solemn face. "I didn't believe those tales until I actually went to Sylphvr. I do believe they hold true. Their relationships are quite solid. You wouldn't hear of a sylph cheating on their spouse either despite their quite unashamedly public displays of affection with their mates. Another thing about them that may take some getting used to is that they do not hold to the same standard of modesty as the humans of Axus or the gobli. Leeza dresses modestly because she lives in Underlund, but many wear practically nothing. Most of them wear naught but a small loincloth and elaborate jewelry. Clothes hinder their ability to fly and sylphs pride that ability above almost everything, including clothes."

"Oh." I blink. "Well, how did you meet Sola?"

"Sola was captured by Saul and put in a gilded cage for decoration in his gallery," Alvar began, "She met me and knew my plight almost immediately. All she wanted was to get back to Yal." 

"Her mate?" I ask.

"Yes, her mate is Yal. Anyway, Sola possesses certain gifts, she can see into the future, and she told me that I'd reunite her and Yal. For the longest time I dismissed it as the ravings of a crazy person, for everyday as I passed her cage, even though her bright blue plumage dimmed and finally her feathers started falling out, she reminded me that I'd reunite her and Yal. She was right, when the bridge opened and Saul fell through I freed her and reunited her with her mate."

"So is that why we're seeing her? To hear about the future?"

"Yes, and no." Alvar took my hand in his and our fingers intwined. "She also may know how I can... end my life. She has studied into the Curse more than anyone else I trust."

"What!?" I wrench my hand from his grasp. "NO! You are not going to do that to yourself! Alvar, don't say that kind of stuff to me!" I am hyperventilating, my throat is tightening up and I shake my head as if to further affirm my disapproval of such a tragic plan. "Why do you think that's the only option? Why can't we do something else? Why can't we go over the bridge together and live on Earth?" 

"Lucy," Alvar says, taking back my hand, "Although I wanted it for years so I wouldn't have to be Saul's pawn anymore, I truly don't want to die now. I want to live an entire life with you, have children with you, and grow old with you and..."

"Then we have to find another way," I sniffle and I tighten my grip on his hand. "You'd better find another way. I'll not give you up."

"And I won't see you destroyed by my hand through Saul's control," Alvar growls darkly, his eyes turning red momentarily.

Those words make me think of what that sorceress said. I shudder. Is this going to be the conclusion of my love story than? Like Romeo and Juliet or Antony and Cleopatra, we both die rather than be apart?

"Ah, there comes our ride," Alvar interrupts me from my pondering and I look up to see a group of feathered lizard-bird creatures whom look very much like the dinosaurs you'd see depicted in movies with vibrant blue and green scales being led down by a male sylph with dark black wings, wearing a dark green kilt and black sandals. 

They land in front of us and the male sylph dressed in black bows. "Your majesties," he says. "We are honored with your visit. Sola told me she cannot wait to be introduced to Queen Lucy."

"It is good to see you, Yal," Alvar says, and then he smiles and he and the Yal give one another a hearty hand clap/embrace.  

"How long do you think you'll be staying?" Yal asks as we mount the winged dinosaur creatures I take are the uldon Alvar mentioned. 

"Unfortunately not long enough to enjoy the scenery," Alvar turns serious again. "There may be cause for great concern in all of Axus, but I feel like Sola will make that clear to us before we start a panic."