The Wielder and the Source

Chapter 30

"Wake up, Al."

Aldeheid groaned and tried to move, but his body refused. His limbs were like sacks of gain, heavy and ungainly, and fog clouded his mind.

"Come on, get up." Small hands roughed up his hair.

He pried his eyes open and blinked the sandpaper feel from them. Wenry's face blurred in and out of focus for a moment before his eyes finally adjusted. The scent of winter blooms tickled his nose, and when he looked around, he found himself in a field surrounded by them. Beyond Wenry, a full moon hung heavy, accented by endless stars.

"Come on, come on," Wenry said. "We're going to miss it."

"Miss what?" Aldeheid sat up, his muscles and bones groaning with stiffness. As he rose to his feet, pain lanced through his right leg, and he fell to his knees again. The agony disappeared as quickly as it came, and his leg looked intact.

"Let's go!" Wenry took his hand and led him through the field, the winterblooms parting for them. Her hair trailed behind her and her dress billowed around her legs.

Aldeheid smiled. He hadn't seen her this carefree since... Well, since Baldavin went away on business, and they had the entire castle to themselves. It had been the best three weeks of their lives. Even Jayer had been less ornery than usual.

Wenry led him up a hill to its peak and plopped down amongst the flowers. "Sit Al, it's going to start soon."

He obliged and sat cross-legged beside, waiting for whatever wonder had birthed so much excitement. From the midst of the winterblooms rose, thousands upon thousands of bioluminescent insects. Their yellow rivaled that of the stars and they flew in small clusters up to over the field.

"So pretty..." Wenry said, her voice holding an intoxicating euphoria. "Remember when we used to watch these? After the thaw they'd come out of hi... hiber..." She frowned, her brows coming together.

"Hibernation," he offered.

"Right! When they came out of habberation we'd sit on the balcony and watch them, remember? Iyari let us have sweets and tea and we sat around the fire pit."

Aldeheid swallowed the lump that was growing in his throat. "Of course." How sweet of her to think of the happy times they'd had together, considering what had happened, how he'd failed to fulfill his promise to her. "Listen, Wenry."

"Hm?" She picked a few winterblooms and worked stems together.

"About what happened, when we were out there in the tundra. I..." His words trailed off. What was he supposed to say? Sorry I let you die? It was a wonder she didn't hate him after what happened. He thought back to his time in the meditation chamber.The Wenry he'd seen there, the one who'd called him a liar was right.

"Let's not talk about that, Al." She held up the flowers whose stems were woven together in a circle. "Ta-da! It's for you. Bend your head." When he did, she laid the crown of flowers on his curls. "I crown you Aldeheid, prince of the beyond."

Aldeheid frowned. "Prince of the..."

Wenry pulled her hands away, holding them to her mouth, as though she'd been caught stealing sweets.

"Excuse me."

Aldeheid jumped, and whirled around to see Death standing over them, her wavy locks framing her face like a black veil. He placed himself between her and Wenry, lips twisting into a snarl.

"I'm sorry," Wenry said. "I didn't mean to."

Death smiled, her pale features softening. "It's fine Wenry. May I speak with Aldeheid for a moment?"