Untitled

Chapter 7

By Maureen

            "Dear lord, Quistia.  Are you going to marry him?"

            "Well…I don't know.  You can't tell mother and father.  Promise, Aeona?"

            "Yeah, yeah.  That's so unfair; you get all the excitement," Aeona complained.

            Quistia smiled at her little sister's impatience.  She couldn't help but be happy – she was in love!  And at the moment, she didn't care if she sounded giddy or not.

            Quistia had had to tell her little sister.  She needed to tell someone and she knew her sister would never be the tattle-tail type.

            Bun, dundun!  A trumpet announced the arrival of a messenger.

            "Who's visiting?" Quistia asked Aeona.  She gave a little shrug.

            "Maybe it's Seifur," she gave a mischievous grin.

            "Or maybe it's a suitor for you."

            "I'm only 15!  Well…that is around the time you started getting suitors…" Aeona looked wistfully at Quistia's long, silky golden hair, her graceful, perfectly chiseled features and long slim body.

            The door burst open.

            "Father!  Mother!  What's wrong?" Quistia asked.

            Their mother burst into tears and rushed over to Aeona.  On the other hand, their father was a deep purplish-red color. 

            "Seifur!  That stupid, brat, squire friend of yours!" her father's voice turned dangerous.  "He killed Arutha."

            "What?!  How?  Why?!" Aeona shrieked.  Quistia stood behind her in mute shock. 

            "Your cousin Arutha is dead because that peasant boy lost his temper!  That's all the sword master knew," their father said.  "Now, we must get revenge.  He will pay for what he did.  Family honor orders it so.  Children, Mia," he indicated his wife, "I will go now and seek him out."

            Quistia silently shook her head.  No, no, no, no, no, no…She had to do something.  And then it came to her.  She rushed to her cabinet and pulled out the magic book.  She flipped through it, searching for the spell that would save Seifur.  The spell that would transfer all his guilt…to her.  This spell invoked ancient magic.  In casting this spell, she would prevent any of her family members from killing him, but turned the guilt upon herself.  If Seifur stayed, he was dead, if he left, Quistia would be placing herself in very great, very grave danger.

            She didn't hesitate for a moment.

            "Vire morte amore aichin debet vivi," she incanted.

            The air hummed.  Quistia's father crossed the room and snatched the book out of her hands.

            "What in the Lord's name are you doing?  What have you done?  Have you gone mad, child?"

            Quistia stared determinedly at her father.  "You can't kill him.  I won't allow it."

            Her father started to flip frantically through the magic book.  "There-must-be-some-sort-of-counter curse!" he roared.  He shook his head wildly.  Quistia's mother and Aeona stood, silently crying at his side.  He abruptly slammed the book shut.  "So be it."

            Quistia stared unwaveringly at him.

            "You must make the choice.  If he stays, he will be dead.  If he leaves, you hang."  His eyes brimmed with frantic desperation.  "Make him stay.  He must pay."  His eyes narrowed dangerously.

            Quistia challenged hi glare with a fierce determined look of her own.  "I love him."

                        *                                              *                                              *

            [it's]

                                    [No!]

                                                            [can't]

                                                                                    Seifur!

            She ran.  Stopped.  Panted.  Began to run again.

            What else could she do?  She had had it all and in one moment, lost it.  She couldn't run away with him either.  Family.  Honor.  She silently shook her head to herself.  A solitary tear escaped her crystalline blue eye.

            She knew if she stayed, her father would not budge – she would be hanged.  But all that mattered was that Seifur live.

            They say you can "love someone to death."  But people only died for their loves in myths – legends!  Quistia had never understood why they would do such a thing, but in the moment holding her, it was all she knew. 

            She heard a rustle of leaves.

            "Seifur?  Is that you?"

            A weary Seifur stumbled out from behind the bushes.  "Quistia."

            The way he said her name splashed a wave of uncertainty – and love – upon her.  "Oh, Lord, Seifur…" She couldn't help but rush over and wrap her arms around him.

            "Quistia, you have to believe me, I'm so sorry."

            "Of course I believe you, but Seifur…you have to go.  The sheriff has already begun his hunt…" she managed to say.

            "No, I can't leave you.  Let me explain to them.  And let me carry out the punishment…the sentence can't be that bad; I was acting in self-defense!"

            Quistia hoped that he didn't see the tears in her eyes.  She inhaled deeply and said as persuasively as she could, "Seifur, you need to run away."

            "Then come with me.  You are the only thing I need, I have absolute faith in you."

            "No, Seifur, I can't."  Don't fail me now, eyes.  Don't cry, don't cry.

            "What?!  Don't we…love each other?  I need you to be by my side…and we have to die together, remember?"

            She shook her head.  "Seifur…it can't…be this way.  This is my place…with my family.  And you need to go; you're a criminal!"         

            Seifur's eyes widened.  His temper got the best of him.  "Oh, so that's what this is about.  Family obligation."  He laughed bitterly.  "You really had me fooled.  You really made me think that you were in love with me.  Huh, you know what," he said quietly, "I think I'll do just that.  I'll run away.  Thanks for having faith in me."  His eyes glared, but Quistia knew what it was.  It wasn't that he had lost faith in her, it was that he was angry at the trust he held for her.  Quistia mustered up all the self control she had and forced herself not to cry.  Her lips trembled.

            "Seifur…"

            "No, don't say anything.  I know who, or rather, what you are now.  And you know what?  I don't want to die with you."  Seifur spun and walked away.  He didn't even look back.

            She couldn't help it.  She collapsed.  And cried.  Cried, because she was lost.  She was a little girl in the dark forest.  The love of her life had just been pulled away from her – or rather – pushed away from her.  But it was all she could do. 

            She vaguely heard the angry mob approaching behind her.  Her mind blanked as they carried her to the hanging square.  All she knew, all she held in that moment – Seifur.  He was her life, and with him gone, it could end, it didn't matter.  She knew Seifur, and knew that he would never forgive her for what she had been forced to do.

            But I know that I have done what is right for him, so that's enough Quistia thought. 

            The flames ripped through her, consumed her, and raped her like a wild beast.  But it didn't matter.  Seifur was safe.

A/N: I haven't been very satisfied with my writing lately, sorry all.  Next chapter out as soon as possible, I promise!