Eternity

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Eternity

When winter winds are piercing chill,

And through the hawthorn blows the gale,

With solemn feet I tread the hill,

That overbrows the lonely vale…

Woods in Winter – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The entire forest was silent as Devodie walked through the drifts of snow, her boots making small prints as she moved. Her silver wolf stood by the trees, growling softly. Devodie pulled her cloak’s hood up over her ebony hair and shook the soft flakes from its folds.

It was sunrise in the Winter Outskirts of the Eternal Forest, Devodie’s favorite time of day to think. She brushed off a stone by a group of trees with a gloved hand and beckoned for her wolf as she sat down. She stroked his rough fur, and shut her eyes as snowflakes drifted down. A twig snapped in the forest, breaking the silence. Devodie raised her bow and took aim, pulling the arrow back. “Sorrow Star,” she called, “stay alert.”

The wolf crouched low and watched the trees, pulling back its lips menacingly to show rows of sharp teeth. Its lithe body circled the queen protectively. Devodie’s silver eyes were squinted as she watched the forest. There it was-another rustle in the bushes and a flash of silver. Something was there, and it had a weapon. Her tapered fingers released the bow and it stuck in the tree directly across from her.

Devodie knew just what it was.

“Get up.” She commanded. A soldier rose from the brush beneath the tree. A blazing sun emblem shone on his armor. One of Tamsin’s spies, Devodie thought in disgust. She shook her head. “Get off of my territory before I have one of my soldiers put an arrow in your back,” she snarled. “Not that I wouldn’t do it myself. But I’m guessing she ordered you here so I won’t kill you. Yet,” she glared at him. “Now get out of my sight.

The soldier ran. Sorrow Star bared his teeth and growled deep in his throat. Devodie stroked his ruff, soothing him. She sat back on the stone, shaking her head again.

Why couldn’t Tamsin just leave her alone? Devodie was sick of this constant threat of a battle. And she knew if a battle did break out, sooner or later her other sisters would be dragged in too. She couldn’t do that to Sable and Lysander. But especially Lysander; she was Devodie’s best friend. It made her heart ache to think of her fragile sister in battle.

She wiped away the tears that welled in her eyes. Couldn’t Tamsin see what she was doing? The people she was hurting? Then again, Devodie couldn’t say much. She had always responded to her sister’s ignorance with a snarl and a smirk.  She had never really stopped to talk; never really stopped to be kind.

Devodie thought of her mother. She never once spoke a harsh word to her daughters. She taught them to grow up strong and respect others. Her mother told them to be brave and bold, to know when to speak up and when to back down. But most importantly, she taught them how to love and forgive. If only Devodie could remember that lesson.

♦•♦•♦

Tamsin paced the rug before the blazing hearth, her thoughts buzzing in her head. Her lioness lay before the sun on the stone floor by the window. She preferred the natural heat.

“Oh Stone, what do I do?” The queen shook her head and rested on a stool at the end of her bed. The lioness merely cleaned the back of her paw and purred, clearly not able to answer the queen. It didn’t matter - she wasn’t waiting for an answer anyway. “My sisters don’t believe me. I swear, if the humans attack Eternity, I won’t offer the other regions a shred of assistance!” She yelled, her face growing crimson.

Her long golden dressing gown trailed along the floor as she rose again. She clutched her red face in her hands, shaking her head. Her pale honey hair fell across her face as she shook. The sun highlights in her hair shone in the light that came through the window.

Tamsin sighed and clutched her hands in fists. The anger boiled deep inside of her. She turned to the window and yelled in an attempt to release the fury. A flock of birds rose up from the trees. There was a small rap at the door, interrupting her. Tamsin stormed over and flung the door open.

“What is it Losophy?” She yelled. The queen’s personal maid stepped back a few steps and took a deep shuddering breath.

“Your highness, I have something very important to tell you. Fabel has returned.”

Tamsin took in a sharp breath. This was the news she had been waiting to hear. “Tell him to come to the tower immediately.”

Tamsin ran up the long, spiraling staircase, her long sun streaked golden-brown braid swinging up and down and her golden robes trailing after her. Her symbol, a bright sun, was embroidered on the back. The robe covered her milk white roman style dress, the braided belt at the waist matching her bright and excited golden eyes. She burst through the small wooden door at the top of the tower and looked into the small round room. “Fabel,” she breathed.

The knight stood by the window, a grim look on his face. Tamsin crossed the room in a few quick strides and was by his side before you could blink.  “What news have you brought for me and for Storman?” Fabel cleared his throat.

“Your majesty, I’m afraid I have nothing to report. The only thing I managed to discover is that her army is strong, very strong, and will not hesitate to defeat Storman and its army.” Fabel spoke, lowering his eyes. “She found me in the woods before I could find out anything else. She was quite angry.”

Tamsin shook her head. “This isn’t good. Devodie is stronger than I thought.” She walked to the bookcase and traced the spines of the ancient volumes. Her delicate hand slid a red leather copy off of the shelf. “Thank you anyway, Fabel. That will be all.”

Fabel bowed to his queen and left the tower. Tamsin sighed and looked out at the hills below the window, a snowy palace raising up on the horizon. She collapsed on the chair by the ornately carved desk. She dropped the book she clutched onto the desk, Eternal Battle Tactics by Sileas Hade. If anyone was going to win this uprising war, it was going to be her.