Torn

Chapter 1

Caelia sat at the edge of the riverbank, her knees drawn up to her chest as she stared at the rippling water, deep in thought. Her green eyes held a faraway look as if her mind was in a different place miles away. For weeks, she had been thinking of only one thing. In a few days time, her country, Aros, would be at war with their bitterest rival country, Pairavel. Her twin brother, Edric, had announced to her family that he had volunteered and would be fighting in battle. Her mother had cried endlessly and her father barely said a word. Caelia knew the true reason why her brother had accepted a place in the Aros army. Each volunteer would be granted a sum of gold for their participation. Their father, a blacksmith, was not as young as he once was and the need for money had increased greatly as work had slowed. She knew Edric's reasons were honorable and yet her heart still constricted with pain as she thought of the danger he would be under. She prayed to all the faeries and all the gods that Edric would be kept safe. True, her brother could wield a sword well but Cae knew that he would be no match for the exceptional cavalry of the Pairavel soldiers, who were famed for their talents with a blade. With a desperate sigh, she gathered her dress and stood, walking back to her home. It was a small wooden cottage, run down and creaky but nonetheless held an air of comforting cheer. Here she lived with her father, Gaelen, a good natured man with a kind face, and her mother, Rhiannon, who was considered one of the most beautiful maidens in the entire kingdom. It was from her that Cae had inherited her fire colored locks and piercing eyes the shade of emeralds. Her brother lived in with them as well but he was scarcely home, preferring the trees and blue skies. Walking into the cottage, Caelia's nose was immediately filled with the enticing smell of her mother's vegetable soup. Rhiannon was standing by the fire as she stirred a large cauldron, her long beautiful hair cascading down her back. It was said by many that while Cae and Edric were twins, she could easily pass as her mother's double.

"It smells delicious, Mother." Caelia complimented, trying to ignore the other woman's red-rimmed eyes. "Surely your cooking itself will make Ed want to stay."

Rhiannon gave her daughter a watery smile, but did not comment.

"Get the mead, love."

Grabbing the large jug from atop one of the dressers, Caelia began pouring mead into each of the wooden goblets. As she placed cutlery on each mat, it was with a sense of almost detachment that she realized this would be the last meal she would share with all her family together.

"Will you call in your brother, my love?" Rhiannon asked her only daughter in her melodious tone. Striding out of the back door, Caelia approached the small clearing behind her home, the place where Ed had become accustomed to practicing his swordmanship. Indeed, she heard the thrust of his sword as she walked toward her twin brother. Edric was an almost an exact copy of Cae, with a smattering of barely there differences in the shade of his hair and the curve of his nose. But looks were where their similarities ended. Though they were twins, Edric was the calm and collected one. Cae knew she was quick to anger and hot tempered as her brother loved to point out. But both siblings loved each other dearly and Edric going off to war hurt his sister more than he could imagine.

"Mother beckons you to supper, Ed." Caelia said, trying to muster a smile at her brother. He was thrusting his sword in an impressive pattern, looking older and far more stern than she had ever seen him before. They had celebrated their 19th birth year a few months ago but Cae had never felt younger.

"Fancy a quick duel with me, sister?" He grinned, kicking open a chest at his feet. Caelia recognized it as the chest their grandfather, who had fought in the Great War, held all his weapons.

Caelia looked amused. "Do you honestly think you could best me at the play of swords?"

Ever since he had volunteered to fight in the war, Ed had been training tirelessly. Eventually she grew tired of merely watching him and demanded he teach her how to brandish a blade. She was almost as good as a Aros housecarl herself.

"Gather your weapon and we will see."

Edric had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as Caelia took hold of her grandfather's old slightly rusted shield, emblazoned with the Aros' wolf on it, and his old saber. And then she pounced, taking Edric by surprise. Their swords clashing together, Caelia felt the familiar rush of adrenaline run through her very core and suddenly, her hand and sword became one. She leapt forward and sidestepped a sudden attempt to bind their blades by Edric. With a spurt of non-existen strength, Cae managed to throw off Ed's sword with her shield and catch her brother with her sword to his neck.

"And the true swordsman is triumphant." Caelia said smugly, breathing heavily.

Edric grinned at her, aware of the blade still being pressed upon his neck as sweat dripped from his forehead. "That was naught but mere preparation. I shall conquer you yet."

"I fear we will be old and gray until that day comes, Ed."

But Caelia released the pressure from the sword, and delicately placing it back in the scabbard, she turned back to her brother and motioned a wash basin nearby.

"Shall we?" She asked, with a mock curtsy. He bowed, smirking. Together, they walked toward it and dipped their faces into the refreshingly cool water. Cae stared at Edric jealously, for while he was comfortable in a loose blue tunic and his dark brown trousers, she was clad in a dress of thick creme-colored fabrics with lace running up the sides. Once they were done, Edric and Caelia made their way to the house, where Rhiannon and Gaelen were seated at the table.

"Father." Laela greeted, kissing him on the top of his thinning head. While Gaelen was nowhere as good-looking as his wife, his charm and personality made up for it in folds. Once they were all seated, her father raised up his goblet and spoke in booming tones,

"To Aventina... may her wisdom and love fall upon us among these difficult times."

His eyes traveled over to Edric and rested on him sadly. Most of the people in her country believed in the faerie goddess Aventina, who through her power of kindness and good will created the world and all the beings in it. Cae had been praying to the Goddess almost daily, murmuring pleas of mercy for Edric before she went to bed.

"To Aventina." They all murmured. Dinner became a quiet affair, no other sounds but the clinking of knives and forks. Caelia knew how much her parents were struggling to come to terms with Edric's choice to fight in this war.

As dinner slowly came to an end, Gaelen turned to his son with a look of sadness, asking, "Is this the path that you truly desire?"

Edric stared into his father's eyes firmly. "It is, sir."

Rhiannon surpressed a sob, and bit her knuckles. Gaelen leaned back against his chair and appraised his son, who did not back away from his gaze.

"Then you shall have my blessing. May the Goddess be with you, and help you return to us with great haste."