Moon Light Nights
Chapter 11
Elidi lay wrapped in Gavin's arms as the two stared into the fire, content to be with the other. The camp was setting down from a day of merry making over the wedding of the sol and the new sola. Everyone had gone to bed contented and filled to the brim with spicy meat and sweet pastries. Of course, Endymion and Sharai had sneaked back to their tent early in party, much to the amusement of the knights. Someone cleared their throat causing the couple to separate in obvious embarrassment. Orion stared down at the two with a mixture of amusement and bitterness. Neither seemed to have a care in the world, the boy, Gavin, worshiped the ground the young woman walked on. It was painfully apparent.
"Go back to your tents, it's to late for the likes of you to be about getting into heaven only knows what kind of mischief," he growled at the young lovers. Elidi glared daggers at the knight in green daring him to challenge her. Gavin grabbed her hand causing her fire to soon die as the two exited into the night. Gavin was defiantly going to have his hands full with that one, Orion mused. He grunted as he sat down. He felt old for his twenty eight years. His whole life had crashed around him and his sleep was interrupted by visions, of the unbelievable evil that would come. Orion felt a chill run up his spine at the thought and inched closer to the fire. He lifted his eyes towards the tent of Endymion as he heard a giggle from Sharai within.
"A thousands pardons, knight of Endymion-sol," a small voice called out. A female servant stepped into the firelight. Her eyes held a look of alarm as if she might suddenly bolt away at any sudden move. Her hands trembled as she made the respectful gesture as she touched her forehead and her heart.
"Yes?" Orion asked roughly.
"It's about my mistress, Deva. I fear she might do some harm to the new sola," the servant stuttered. Orion grunted. Everyone knew of Deva's lust for Endymion, but there was no way Deva could attempt to harm to Sharai.
"Go away girl, I have no time for you," he growled causing the girl to turn and run. His gaze fell upon a wineskin. Tonight, he would drink his cares away and maybe he'd find peace tonight.
Sharai rested her head against her husband's bare chest as he whispered soft words into her ear making her deliciously warm all over.
"Endymion?" she asked.
"Yes?" he answered as he held his wife tighter.
"Thank you for kidnapping me," she said as she glanced at Andrew's engagement ring that still rested on her fingers. Andrew, it seemed like it had been years since he last entered her thoughts. Endymion smiled slowly.
"I'm sorry I did it. If fate had our people such a fierce blow then I would have sought your hand, even endure those boorish Outlander customs of yours. From the first time I laid eyes on you I knew you to be a treasure beyond price. I love your courage and your compassion," he whispered into her ear. Sharai giggled.
"You just married me because I have yellow hair, admit it," she teased.
"Yes I admit it, but of course that was before I knew what an overactive mouth you had," he teased her. Sharai looked at the ring once more before slipping it off her finger. She quickly wrapped a blanket around herself and stood up. Endymion looked up at her with confusion.
"Where are you doing?" he asked.
"Getting rid of the past. It's time," she said as she walked over to the tent flap and pulled it aside. Endymion grabbed his robe and joined her. Moonlight greeted them both turning the sands a mysterious silver color. The camp fires having long since died down as red coals glowed in the pits. With one hand she flung the ring out into the sands.
Sivinia frowned at the now drunk Orion. She had to admit that he was much less scary when he was drunk. He had fallen asleep in a drunken stupor.
"Oh by the four rivers, you think I'd make this up. She'd kill me if she knew I was here. Get up," she commanded the knight. Her attention was suddenly diverted as the golden haired Sola emerged from her tent throwing something out into the night. She grabbed a stick and shoved it into the coals to produce a torch. It had been a small object, the sola had thrown but then again Sivinia had always been good at finding things. This kept her many beatings from Deva, although sometimes she'd find the lost object and then Deva would beat her because she had been so slow. The other servants at camp avoided her. Endymion - sol, who treated them well and paid them even better, spoiled them. Her fingers quickly grasped at the object as it glowed in the sand bouncing off the light from her torch. It was a ring. Sivinia smiled as she slipped it on her finger. Maybe her luck was turning around.
Orion woke up panting. He rubbed his pounding temples. Another dream had tormented his sleep. Sharai mustn't go back to her people. Orion prayed his vision had been wrong. He ran to his tent and fetched a long bundle wrapped in cloth. He jerked the cloth away to reveal a silver sword. It had been the most magnificent sword he had ever made or seen for that matter. It had almost been like something had been guiding his hand as he made it. It was made of pure silver and decorated with carved moons on it's hilt. On it's blade was etched with ancient writing as was most Bedouin blade. It was light for it was a woman's sword but strong enough to cut through almost anything. He laid down the sword and walked over and knelt besides Endymion's tent. He had two dreams tonight and destiny had sealed his fate. The servant girl had not been lying. Even now he watched as Deva creep slowly towards the sol's tent. He lunged at her as she approached just to feel her blade pierce his chest.
"SHARAI," he screamed out. Deva drew back and ran as Orion fell to the ground. Sharai and Endymion ran out as did many in the camp. "Get back," bellowed Endymion as he knelt by his friend.
"Deva.kill.Sharai." Orion panted. Endymion extracted the knife from his chest.
"Just lay still, you'll be fine. We've been both had worse injuries then this," Endymion said as he watched Sharai desperately trying to stop the bleeding with some clothes.
"Liar.I .had.vision.One .can't.change.fate," the young knight gasped. He turned his head to see Lanaa with tears in her eyes. He then faced his king.
"In paradise," Orion said and with that let out a long sigh as his eyes rolled back into his skull. Endymion let out a moan as he held his friend and wept. Adrian and Rankin lead a group of men towards Deva's tent. Women let out strange wailing sounds. Lanaa fell to the ground and covered her face and hair with ashes as she too joined in the wailing. Sharai turned and fled inside the tent covering her head to drown out the sound.
Deva spurred her horse cursing loudly. That knight had ruined everything. Dawn was beginning to break over the horizon.
"Where are we?" she screamed at her servant whom she had dragged along. Sivinia shrugged her shoulders.
"Wretch," Deva yelled. Only did she see it. She laced her fingers tightly around the girl's wrist and jerked till the Sivinia cried out.
"You have that Outlanders ring! You were the one who warned them!" she hissed. She pushed the girl off her horse. Sivinia turned to run. Deva smiled as she watched the girl run giving her a head start before spurring her horse as she raised her dagger.
Deva wiped the blood from the dagger. Her pause hammered inside her veins causing her to smile. Killing thrilled her. Of course, if her plan had succeeded, the witch would be dead and she'd be there to comfort Endymion. No one would have been able to blame it on her. She dismounted and paced back and forth. Most of her wealth had been still back at her tent, she could of course approached her father, but no doubt Endymion and his accursed guards would have his mansion surrounded. She bit her knuckle as she paced back and forth. Only then did she something glimmer in the sands about seven feet from her. It hadn't been the Outlander's ring for she had left it on that wretched servant of hers. Stealing from the dead brought bad luck, causing Deva to fear what misfortune it would bring. She quickly abandoned her horse and ran towards the flicker. As she approached it, the light became brighter almost blinding her. She shielded her eyes with her hand and knelt in the sand. A small dark green stone had been the source of the light. She picked it up, unlike moments before; it looked like a simple crystal of some sorts. It grew warm in her hands until she could almost not hold it any longer.
"Revenge," the wind whispered causing her to look around. "You long for revenge," the wind whispered. Deva shook her head as to clear. Was she suffering from heat stroke? Maybe this was the result of some bad meat she had eaten.
"Do not put me off so lightly. I can help you, I know your desires," the voice seemed to be coming from the stone itself and carried by the wind.
"Yes, Endymion has to be mine," she replied.
"So be it," the voice hissed. "Stay here, for you will be safe from your enemies, a man in black will find you. With his help you will destroy the bearer of the light, Serenity. I will make you more powerful then you ever dreamed. Cut the ring hand from the corpse and present it to the man in black. For you should tell him how you saw the blonde princess murdered by her captors," the evil stone commanded. Deva nodded and smiled. Endymion would be hers.
Endymion grimly held the torch lighting his friend's funeral pyre. Sharai stood in the background with the others as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She felt worn from crying as did many around her.
"Nadia?" she asked the woman in red beside her. "Umm?" Nadia replied.
"What did Orion mean when he said 'in paradise'?" she asked.
"After we die, we believe our souls with reunite in a place where there is no pain or suffering, in paradise," she said grimly.
"Sharai- sola," a woman tugged on her sleeve. Sharai drew her gaze away from the fire to see Brat tugging on her sleeve. The little girl was holding a bundle of cloth almost as tall as she was.
"What is it?" she knelt beside the little girl.
"Orion finished your sword," she said as she held out the bundle. As the cloth fell away, Sharai gasped at the beauty of the sword. Endymion joined his wife and examined the sword.
"I've never seen its equal, he did well," he said as he knelt by the little girl.
"I fear, whatever evil is coming is very close. Did Adrian and Rankin find Deva?" she asked. "No, it's almost like she disappeared in thin air, but we will revenge the death of Orion," Endymion swore. Sharai nodded. It was such a shame that the happiest moment in her life would cease so tragically. Her mind drifted back to her life before. Were her friends as happy as she? Had Ami married Gregory yet? Had Lita have any suitors? And she found herself longing to be home again.
Elidi lay wrapped in Gavin's arms as the two stared into the fire, content to be with the other. The camp was setting down from a day of merry making over the wedding of the sol and the new sola. Everyone had gone to bed contented and filled to the brim with spicy meat and sweet pastries. Of course, Endymion and Sharai had sneaked back to their tent early in party, much to the amusement of the knights. Someone cleared their throat causing the couple to separate in obvious embarrassment. Orion stared down at the two with a mixture of amusement and bitterness. Neither seemed to have a care in the world, the boy, Gavin, worshiped the ground the young woman walked on. It was painfully apparent.
"Go back to your tents, it's to late for the likes of you to be about getting into heaven only knows what kind of mischief," he growled at the young lovers. Elidi glared daggers at the knight in green daring him to challenge her. Gavin grabbed her hand causing her fire to soon die as the two exited into the night. Gavin was defiantly going to have his hands full with that one, Orion mused. He grunted as he sat down. He felt old for his twenty eight years. His whole life had crashed around him and his sleep was interrupted by visions, of the unbelievable evil that would come. Orion felt a chill run up his spine at the thought and inched closer to the fire. He lifted his eyes towards the tent of Endymion as he heard a giggle from Sharai within.
"A thousands pardons, knight of Endymion-sol," a small voice called out. A female servant stepped into the firelight. Her eyes held a look of alarm as if she might suddenly bolt away at any sudden move. Her hands trembled as she made the respectful gesture as she touched her forehead and her heart.
"Yes?" Orion asked roughly.
"It's about my mistress, Deva. I fear she might do some harm to the new sola," the servant stuttered. Orion grunted. Everyone knew of Deva's lust for Endymion, but there was no way Deva could attempt to harm to Sharai.
"Go away girl, I have no time for you," he growled causing the girl to turn and run. His gaze fell upon a wineskin. Tonight, he would drink his cares away and maybe he'd find peace tonight.
Sharai rested her head against her husband's bare chest as he whispered soft words into her ear making her deliciously warm all over.
"Endymion?" she asked.
"Yes?" he answered as he held his wife tighter.
"Thank you for kidnapping me," she said as she glanced at Andrew's engagement ring that still rested on her fingers. Andrew, it seemed like it had been years since he last entered her thoughts. Endymion smiled slowly.
"I'm sorry I did it. If fate had our people such a fierce blow then I would have sought your hand, even endure those boorish Outlander customs of yours. From the first time I laid eyes on you I knew you to be a treasure beyond price. I love your courage and your compassion," he whispered into her ear. Sharai giggled.
"You just married me because I have yellow hair, admit it," she teased.
"Yes I admit it, but of course that was before I knew what an overactive mouth you had," he teased her. Sharai looked at the ring once more before slipping it off her finger. She quickly wrapped a blanket around herself and stood up. Endymion looked up at her with confusion.
"Where are you doing?" he asked.
"Getting rid of the past. It's time," she said as she walked over to the tent flap and pulled it aside. Endymion grabbed his robe and joined her. Moonlight greeted them both turning the sands a mysterious silver color. The camp fires having long since died down as red coals glowed in the pits. With one hand she flung the ring out into the sands.
Sivinia frowned at the now drunk Orion. She had to admit that he was much less scary when he was drunk. He had fallen asleep in a drunken stupor.
"Oh by the four rivers, you think I'd make this up. She'd kill me if she knew I was here. Get up," she commanded the knight. Her attention was suddenly diverted as the golden haired Sola emerged from her tent throwing something out into the night. She grabbed a stick and shoved it into the coals to produce a torch. It had been a small object, the sola had thrown but then again Sivinia had always been good at finding things. This kept her many beatings from Deva, although sometimes she'd find the lost object and then Deva would beat her because she had been so slow. The other servants at camp avoided her. Endymion - sol, who treated them well and paid them even better, spoiled them. Her fingers quickly grasped at the object as it glowed in the sand bouncing off the light from her torch. It was a ring. Sivinia smiled as she slipped it on her finger. Maybe her luck was turning around.
Orion woke up panting. He rubbed his pounding temples. Another dream had tormented his sleep. Sharai mustn't go back to her people. Orion prayed his vision had been wrong. He ran to his tent and fetched a long bundle wrapped in cloth. He jerked the cloth away to reveal a silver sword. It had been the most magnificent sword he had ever made or seen for that matter. It had almost been like something had been guiding his hand as he made it. It was made of pure silver and decorated with carved moons on it's hilt. On it's blade was etched with ancient writing as was most Bedouin blade. It was light for it was a woman's sword but strong enough to cut through almost anything. He laid down the sword and walked over and knelt besides Endymion's tent. He had two dreams tonight and destiny had sealed his fate. The servant girl had not been lying. Even now he watched as Deva creep slowly towards the sol's tent. He lunged at her as she approached just to feel her blade pierce his chest.
"SHARAI," he screamed out. Deva drew back and ran as Orion fell to the ground. Sharai and Endymion ran out as did many in the camp. "Get back," bellowed Endymion as he knelt by his friend.
"Deva.kill.Sharai." Orion panted. Endymion extracted the knife from his chest.
"Just lay still, you'll be fine. We've been both had worse injuries then this," Endymion said as he watched Sharai desperately trying to stop the bleeding with some clothes.
"Liar.I .had.vision.One .can't.change.fate," the young knight gasped. He turned his head to see Lanaa with tears in her eyes. He then faced his king.
"In paradise," Orion said and with that let out a long sigh as his eyes rolled back into his skull. Endymion let out a moan as he held his friend and wept. Adrian and Rankin lead a group of men towards Deva's tent. Women let out strange wailing sounds. Lanaa fell to the ground and covered her face and hair with ashes as she too joined in the wailing. Sharai turned and fled inside the tent covering her head to drown out the sound.
Deva spurred her horse cursing loudly. That knight had ruined everything. Dawn was beginning to break over the horizon.
"Where are we?" she screamed at her servant whom she had dragged along. Sivinia shrugged her shoulders.
"Wretch," Deva yelled. Only did she see it. She laced her fingers tightly around the girl's wrist and jerked till the Sivinia cried out.
"You have that Outlanders ring! You were the one who warned them!" she hissed. She pushed the girl off her horse. Sivinia turned to run. Deva smiled as she watched the girl run giving her a head start before spurring her horse as she raised her dagger.
Deva wiped the blood from the dagger. Her pause hammered inside her veins causing her to smile. Killing thrilled her. Of course, if her plan had succeeded, the witch would be dead and she'd be there to comfort Endymion. No one would have been able to blame it on her. She dismounted and paced back and forth. Most of her wealth had been still back at her tent, she could of course approached her father, but no doubt Endymion and his accursed guards would have his mansion surrounded. She bit her knuckle as she paced back and forth. Only then did she something glimmer in the sands about seven feet from her. It hadn't been the Outlander's ring for she had left it on that wretched servant of hers. Stealing from the dead brought bad luck, causing Deva to fear what misfortune it would bring. She quickly abandoned her horse and ran towards the flicker. As she approached it, the light became brighter almost blinding her. She shielded her eyes with her hand and knelt in the sand. A small dark green stone had been the source of the light. She picked it up, unlike moments before; it looked like a simple crystal of some sorts. It grew warm in her hands until she could almost not hold it any longer.
"Revenge," the wind whispered causing her to look around. "You long for revenge," the wind whispered. Deva shook her head as to clear. Was she suffering from heat stroke? Maybe this was the result of some bad meat she had eaten.
"Do not put me off so lightly. I can help you, I know your desires," the voice seemed to be coming from the stone itself and carried by the wind.
"Yes, Endymion has to be mine," she replied.
"So be it," the voice hissed. "Stay here, for you will be safe from your enemies, a man in black will find you. With his help you will destroy the bearer of the light, Serenity. I will make you more powerful then you ever dreamed. Cut the ring hand from the corpse and present it to the man in black. For you should tell him how you saw the blonde princess murdered by her captors," the evil stone commanded. Deva nodded and smiled. Endymion would be hers.
Endymion grimly held the torch lighting his friend's funeral pyre. Sharai stood in the background with the others as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She felt worn from crying as did many around her.
"Nadia?" she asked the woman in red beside her. "Umm?" Nadia replied.
"What did Orion mean when he said 'in paradise'?" she asked.
"After we die, we believe our souls with reunite in a place where there is no pain or suffering, in paradise," she said grimly.
"Sharai- sola," a woman tugged on her sleeve. Sharai drew her gaze away from the fire to see Brat tugging on her sleeve. The little girl was holding a bundle of cloth almost as tall as she was.
"What is it?" she knelt beside the little girl.
"Orion finished your sword," she said as she held out the bundle. As the cloth fell away, Sharai gasped at the beauty of the sword. Endymion joined his wife and examined the sword.
"I've never seen its equal, he did well," he said as he knelt by the little girl.
"I fear, whatever evil is coming is very close. Did Adrian and Rankin find Deva?" she asked. "No, it's almost like she disappeared in thin air, but we will revenge the death of Orion," Endymion swore. Sharai nodded. It was such a shame that the happiest moment in her life would cease so tragically. Her mind drifted back to her life before. Were her friends as happy as she? Had Ami married Gregory yet? Had Lita have any suitors? And she found herself longing to be home again.