Something Lost (Original Draft)

Chapter 30: The Burning Forest

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Those two days passed quickly, bringing with it my fifth week in Berthold and my day of sentencing. James was hopeful that my honorable deed would reduce the verdict, in fact he was sure it would.

Everyone in town had questions for me; they asked about the night I helped their King bring down a dragon. I feared I would grow tired of answering that common question, but I was polite, and answered them with a smile.

Worse than that, my heart hounded me just as relentlessly. It reminded me each time they smiled and thanked me, that I was the cause of the disaster, that I didn't deserve their appreciation. After all the gratitude they presented me, I feared I would crack under pressure and unintentionally reveal my secret, but I managed and overcame that fear. I thanked each of them for their praises and accepted the gifts they honored me with.

When Alexander called me in for sentencing there were no hidden surprises, it went exactly as he said it would. Ironically, he had them believe that I was delivering a letter to the Old Shaman I would be visiting. I accepted the task as atonement for the law I had broken. I was told I could have company with me on my journey, but delivery had to be made in private, by me alone.

After sentencing, Alexander officially granted me title in front of his court and attending parties. As I rose with my new title as Protector of Berthold, I was surprised with a beautiful gift. He gifted me the smelted armor piece I had forgotten to take back with me. The old shoulder armor was reforged by his smiths into a small womanly breastplate that fit me flawlessly. It was more of an accessory than an armor piece. The silver shown with no impurities, I could almost see my reflection on its polished surface. On the upper left corner Berthold Crest was stricken exceptionally. The words thank you felt meaningless to the beauty that was created in my honor. I accepted it graciously with tears on my beaming cheeks. It was the first and only gift that I felt no shame in taking.

James was ecstatic that my sentence had been dealt so gently. He readied the horses himself after our meeting, excited to get past the rough patch that he thought was plaguing me, but what he didn't know was that my buried torment was growing worse day by day.

The night before our journey James told me about The Burning Forest. He said The Burning Forest wasn't at all what I'd picture it to be. That it wasn't in ruins, the trees were not bare, in fact he said it was quite opposite. He claimed the trees were thick and full of growth, and that plants and wildlife flourished atop their towering shoulders. The forest floors were green and lush, and streaked with many watering holes that were suitable for drinking. He said the naming of the land came from the Great God King himself, he named it Furisre Fari, which roughly translated to The Burning Forest.

It was said when the God King walked the lands, a dark warrior challenged him to a fight. The God King was arrogant, like most Gods could be, so he accepted. He was reluctant to heed the advice of his servants to reject the proposition of the dark warrior. And so, he met with the warrior late one night to satisfy his need, to feed his pride. As they fought, the God King found this match more challenging than expected. The young warrior fought gallantly, and well, but ultimately he tired and was cut down. The young warrior died happily, knowing he had lived out his grandest battle and perhaps the grandest of all battles ever fought.

The next morning when the God King rose to finish his journey, he noticed he had been cut. Shocked as he was that he had been stricken, he was more unnerved by the fact that the wound was still present and bleeding. His servants tried their hardest to heal his wound, but their magic was useless, it had no effect. With nothing left to do, the God King traveled south, wary that his powers had vanished for good.