Chapter 17 Aftermath
Ahgo awoke in a dimly lit tent. His mouth was dry. He felt as though he was peering through a thick fog. He moaned. Or he tried to. No sound issued forth. He was just about to let the darkness claim him again, for the pain was intense and he rather missed the numb of the void, when a voice, no more than a whisper reached his ear. It was a man. His words gave Ahgo pause and for some reason the troll king strained ever more intently to hear him.
"She fought bravely, m'lord. She proved her willingness to die for her people."
"She did indeed but at what cost to herself? She may yet live."
"Bah, it would be a blessing, if you ask me, if she slipped away during the night. The pain alone could make her go mad. Plus, even if she is a princess and all, what man would want her, looking like she does now." The man murmured an agreement.
"Still, if she was to live she would breed strong sons and she's a war hero besides. Imagine the power Brightmoon could bring to bear allied with the house of Blackmoor."
"Highness!" The first voice gasped in horror, "surely you cannot mean you would take her as your own. You could have any woman, she is a hero and a princess and a powerful sorceress but she is damaged far too seriously, could you love her?!"
"Rand, I need not love my bride, I always knew I would marry for duty. Anyhow its all idle speculation, the healers say she will more than likely die before morning."
"True. And as I said m'lord, tis for the best."
"I disagree." The second voice said. Then softer, as if to another, "be strong. You have within you the power to live, fight."
Ahgo lay on his cot, a cold rage and paralyzing fear washing over him. Glimmer! It had to be Glimmer they meant. How dare they talk about her like that! As if she were meat at the market one might wish to purchase!
Then the rest of what they said sank in. What was wrong with her? They thought she would die. Ahgo dug deep into his physical reserves, and still, only decades of grueling training to learn the highest levels of earth magic gave him the self discipline to keep from falling into oblivion, as he slowly forced himself to stand. His back began flaming anew with a raging pain, a dizzying wash of weakness fell over him and he stumbled to his knees. He crawled, on all fours, in the direction of the voices. The men were gone now, but a small candle burned in the corner of the tent on the opposite side of a partition. Ahgo could feel his blood dripping down his back and shoulder, down his arm and pooling in small dark splatters on the ground. Some of it got on his hands and he left great, large palm prints of blood on the floor. He cared not. He cared for one thing. He cared for the woman he feared would be lying near death on the other side of the partition. Growling softly he ripped aside the flimsy material, barely more than a sheet. He feared he would be right. He feared more he would be wrong and she would not be there, but instead be one of the bodies buried on the battlefield unfound or unnoticed by comrades and rebels.
He crawled toward a cot near the candle. His breath heaving, his strength fading, he made it to the side of the slumbering form on the cot and as his eyes drank in her glorious beauty he breathed a sigh of relief as her chest rose and fell. Glimmer moaned softly then whimpered in pain. Her head turned and Ahgo would have gasped at the sickening sight that greeted him if he had possessed the strength. As it was all he could do was drink in the sight of his beloved. The entire left side of her body from her forehead to her foot was covered in charred flesh. The skin had been cooked off. The meat was blistered and oozing and the sheet she lay on was crusted with dried blood and fluids. Ahgo knew she would die soon. It was only the strength of her will that kept her alive this long. Ahgo allowed the tears to flood and pour and he reached out a large hairy arm to touch her cheek. His guttural voice slashed the stillness.
"Had I the power, fair princess, I would lay down my life that you might live." He repressed an anguished groan clenching his teeth together so that his lower jaw thrust outward, his bottom canines giving him a doltish brute-like appearance.
"You love her." It was not a question. The voice came from a darkened corner on the opposite side of the bed. Ahgo looked up and beheld Brightmoons queen. Her face was pale and gaunt and an air of hopelessness clung to her fine boned countenance with sullen tenacity.
"Aye." Ahgo answered.
"It is good then, that you are here. She should be surrounded by the ones who love her. Before she dies." Ahgo could say nothing. How could he comfort the queen in her grief when his own threatened to consume him.
"Who were those men that dared speak of the princess as they did in your presence."
"Not important, I did not wish to be seen so they did not see me."
"And there is nothing you can do?" He felt compelled to question.
"In three days time it will be the new moon. Were Glimmer to live, at that time I could heal her wounds. As it is, only her magic and what remains of her will, fire the life spark burning inside her. Soon it will go out. I can only heal minor scrapes and abrasions, nothing of this damage.
"What of the Crystal Castle lady?" Ahgo asked. "Does not its magic defend your home when the moons light is gone?"
"Yes, but the castle does not lend its power to me, I am not its champion or custodian of its power. I am merely one who benefits from its aid."
"Then that's it then." Ahgo whispered in despair.
"Not quite." Angella whispered softly. Ahgo looked up at her. He saw the tears in her eyes but they did not fall. "We watch her die."
Gazing at the woman he loved in such obvious agony and knowing death would soon snatch her from his world Ahgo hoped he would soon follow her. If she lived, she would marry another, she would lye in another's arms, share his bed and his future and bear his sons, but she would live. Ahgo could continue knowing that she continued. But were she to die all desire for life would extinguish with her. The despair- it was not to be borne. Ahgo slumped to the floor unconscious.
Angella watched him fall. Then turned her gaze back to her dying daughter. Angella sighed into the darkness. His tears were a balm to her wounded soul, releasing the grief so new and raw that lay within her. His grief flowed so easy down his ugly face, why then couldn't she vent her own in like manner?
High atop his mountain home Lighthope absorbed the sensations of life moving around him. He felt the sorrow of Brightmoons queen, he felt the pain of its princess, he felt the rise and fall of her chest as if it were his own. He felt the ebb and flow of life in Spikehearts king, he felt Ahgo's will to live diminish and then rise again, struggling almost in vain against the dark spectre of death. Light Hope felt the rise of Earth magic move with powerful grace over the land as Spikehearts ruler summoned up all that remained of his power to enter the Crystal castle in spirit form.
Welcome, my old friend. A disembodied voice greeted with sad warmth.
"Help her!" Spikehearts deep voice begged.
I cannot. I have not the power to do so.
"Then surely you know of someone who can! Please. don't let her die. I kept your secret for years without number as did my fathers before me. The debt is paid if Brightmoon's princess will live"
There is one who could help her.
"Then summon her, I beg ye." Ahgo, King of Trolls, Lord of Mountains and Son of Earth fell to his knees and begged for the life of the woman he loved.
I will try.
It was enough. Ahgo's spirit returned to its body secure that if anything could be done it would be.
Ahgo awoke in a dimly lit tent. His mouth was dry. He felt as though he was peering through a thick fog. He moaned. Or he tried to. No sound issued forth. He was just about to let the darkness claim him again, for the pain was intense and he rather missed the numb of the void, when a voice, no more than a whisper reached his ear. It was a man. His words gave Ahgo pause and for some reason the troll king strained ever more intently to hear him.
"She fought bravely, m'lord. She proved her willingness to die for her people."
"She did indeed but at what cost to herself? She may yet live."
"Bah, it would be a blessing, if you ask me, if she slipped away during the night. The pain alone could make her go mad. Plus, even if she is a princess and all, what man would want her, looking like she does now." The man murmured an agreement.
"Still, if she was to live she would breed strong sons and she's a war hero besides. Imagine the power Brightmoon could bring to bear allied with the house of Blackmoor."
"Highness!" The first voice gasped in horror, "surely you cannot mean you would take her as your own. You could have any woman, she is a hero and a princess and a powerful sorceress but she is damaged far too seriously, could you love her?!"
"Rand, I need not love my bride, I always knew I would marry for duty. Anyhow its all idle speculation, the healers say she will more than likely die before morning."
"True. And as I said m'lord, tis for the best."
"I disagree." The second voice said. Then softer, as if to another, "be strong. You have within you the power to live, fight."
Ahgo lay on his cot, a cold rage and paralyzing fear washing over him. Glimmer! It had to be Glimmer they meant. How dare they talk about her like that! As if she were meat at the market one might wish to purchase!
Then the rest of what they said sank in. What was wrong with her? They thought she would die. Ahgo dug deep into his physical reserves, and still, only decades of grueling training to learn the highest levels of earth magic gave him the self discipline to keep from falling into oblivion, as he slowly forced himself to stand. His back began flaming anew with a raging pain, a dizzying wash of weakness fell over him and he stumbled to his knees. He crawled, on all fours, in the direction of the voices. The men were gone now, but a small candle burned in the corner of the tent on the opposite side of a partition. Ahgo could feel his blood dripping down his back and shoulder, down his arm and pooling in small dark splatters on the ground. Some of it got on his hands and he left great, large palm prints of blood on the floor. He cared not. He cared for one thing. He cared for the woman he feared would be lying near death on the other side of the partition. Growling softly he ripped aside the flimsy material, barely more than a sheet. He feared he would be right. He feared more he would be wrong and she would not be there, but instead be one of the bodies buried on the battlefield unfound or unnoticed by comrades and rebels.
He crawled toward a cot near the candle. His breath heaving, his strength fading, he made it to the side of the slumbering form on the cot and as his eyes drank in her glorious beauty he breathed a sigh of relief as her chest rose and fell. Glimmer moaned softly then whimpered in pain. Her head turned and Ahgo would have gasped at the sickening sight that greeted him if he had possessed the strength. As it was all he could do was drink in the sight of his beloved. The entire left side of her body from her forehead to her foot was covered in charred flesh. The skin had been cooked off. The meat was blistered and oozing and the sheet she lay on was crusted with dried blood and fluids. Ahgo knew she would die soon. It was only the strength of her will that kept her alive this long. Ahgo allowed the tears to flood and pour and he reached out a large hairy arm to touch her cheek. His guttural voice slashed the stillness.
"Had I the power, fair princess, I would lay down my life that you might live." He repressed an anguished groan clenching his teeth together so that his lower jaw thrust outward, his bottom canines giving him a doltish brute-like appearance.
"You love her." It was not a question. The voice came from a darkened corner on the opposite side of the bed. Ahgo looked up and beheld Brightmoons queen. Her face was pale and gaunt and an air of hopelessness clung to her fine boned countenance with sullen tenacity.
"Aye." Ahgo answered.
"It is good then, that you are here. She should be surrounded by the ones who love her. Before she dies." Ahgo could say nothing. How could he comfort the queen in her grief when his own threatened to consume him.
"Who were those men that dared speak of the princess as they did in your presence."
"Not important, I did not wish to be seen so they did not see me."
"And there is nothing you can do?" He felt compelled to question.
"In three days time it will be the new moon. Were Glimmer to live, at that time I could heal her wounds. As it is, only her magic and what remains of her will, fire the life spark burning inside her. Soon it will go out. I can only heal minor scrapes and abrasions, nothing of this damage.
"What of the Crystal Castle lady?" Ahgo asked. "Does not its magic defend your home when the moons light is gone?"
"Yes, but the castle does not lend its power to me, I am not its champion or custodian of its power. I am merely one who benefits from its aid."
"Then that's it then." Ahgo whispered in despair.
"Not quite." Angella whispered softly. Ahgo looked up at her. He saw the tears in her eyes but they did not fall. "We watch her die."
Gazing at the woman he loved in such obvious agony and knowing death would soon snatch her from his world Ahgo hoped he would soon follow her. If she lived, she would marry another, she would lye in another's arms, share his bed and his future and bear his sons, but she would live. Ahgo could continue knowing that she continued. But were she to die all desire for life would extinguish with her. The despair- it was not to be borne. Ahgo slumped to the floor unconscious.
Angella watched him fall. Then turned her gaze back to her dying daughter. Angella sighed into the darkness. His tears were a balm to her wounded soul, releasing the grief so new and raw that lay within her. His grief flowed so easy down his ugly face, why then couldn't she vent her own in like manner?
High atop his mountain home Lighthope absorbed the sensations of life moving around him. He felt the sorrow of Brightmoons queen, he felt the pain of its princess, he felt the rise and fall of her chest as if it were his own. He felt the ebb and flow of life in Spikehearts king, he felt Ahgo's will to live diminish and then rise again, struggling almost in vain against the dark spectre of death. Light Hope felt the rise of Earth magic move with powerful grace over the land as Spikehearts ruler summoned up all that remained of his power to enter the Crystal castle in spirit form.
Welcome, my old friend. A disembodied voice greeted with sad warmth.
"Help her!" Spikehearts deep voice begged.
I cannot. I have not the power to do so.
"Then surely you know of someone who can! Please. don't let her die. I kept your secret for years without number as did my fathers before me. The debt is paid if Brightmoon's princess will live"
There is one who could help her.
"Then summon her, I beg ye." Ahgo, King of Trolls, Lord of Mountains and Son of Earth fell to his knees and begged for the life of the woman he loved.
I will try.
It was enough. Ahgo's spirit returned to its body secure that if anything could be done it would be.