Chapter 9 The Silent Struggle
"What happened?", Eliza asked weakly.Eliza tried to move but froze and grimaced in pain instead.
Petrov reached down to support her, "Can you move at all?", he asked.
Eliza groaned and slowly sat up. Her back seemed to have mended but not completely. Marinae limped over to a seat and checked out her foot.
“Damned lizards!!”, she cursed under her breath, “These boots were Prada, dammit!”
A roar echoed through the chapel as a massive impact shook the doors. Weamar’s head snapped around. He half expected to see the doors giving way but the enchanted wood was holding fast.
"Nachtak!”, Squeeky screamed, “We all gonna die."
"But not from what's outside the door,” Weamar reassured him, “if we stay in here."
But Weamar didn’t think that the doors would hold for long. He started looking closely at the other walls in the chapel for an exit. On the south wall he saw a loose stone the size of his fist. He walked over and took a closer look. The wall was old and there were cracks in the mortar. Weamar pulled out a knife and worked the stone out easily. Behind the wall there was a dark space and Weamar felt a cool breeze flowing out of it.
Petrov staggered over to the wall next to Weamar, "A way out?", he suggested hopefully.
"Maybe. I'm not sticking my hand in there, though.", Weamar replied, "Marinae, may I borrow your staff?"
"Yes.", Marinae answered. She put her boot back on and helped them out.
Weamar poked Marinae’s staff into the hole. It went in a couple of feet and then hit something solid. Weamar could smell the air coming in from the hole. It was musty, but fresher than the air inside the Chapel. Weamar pulled the staff back and knocked away a few wisps of webbing that were clinging to the tip.
"Can we knock out the rest of the stones?", Petrov asked.
"Perhaps, but there may be a quicker way if we look a bit more.", Weamar answered.
The crashes in the hall continued. The doors shook with each blow, but they seemed to be as strong as iron. Weamar held his glowing stone up to the hole and peered through it. The wall was only about half a foot thick. Beyond it there was a hallway leading south. At the end it of Weamar could barely make out another spiral staircase. Weamar started tapping on the wall around the hole. Another stone fell forward into the hole. Petrov’s idea of knocking in the wall was starting to look more and more doable.
Eliza watched the others working at the wall. Then she looked around the room and saw Lynn curled up in the corner. Lynn had her back to the rest of the room and was lying there motionless. A wave of panic came over Eliza and despite her hurting back she crawled over to her fallen friend.
Eliza touched her shoulder. "Lynn?", she said, but Lynn didn’t move at all.
Eliza shook Lynn a little. "Lynn?", she asked, her voice trembling.
Lynn's body wasn’t resisting Eliza's shaking and her breathing was so quiet that it sounded almost like she wasn't. Eliza gently rolled Lynn onto her back. Lynn lay there motionless with both her hands over her stomach and her hood pulled down completely over her face. Eliza wondered what was wrong with her and why the others had left her there all alone.
Eliza pulled back Lynn's hood revealing the blindfold underneath. Softly she spoke to her, "Lynn? What happened? I don't remember. We went down the stairs and everything went blank."
Eliza saw Lynn's face. The color was almost gone. Her teeth were lightly clenched together but her lips and the rest of her face hung loosely. Biting her lip Eliza pulled off the blindfold. Lynn didn't resist. Underneath it her eyes were closed.
The awful feelings were welling inside of Lynn once again and she let out a quiet whimper. Then she swallowed hard and whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Petrov tapped on the wall with his mace, looking for more loose stones. Then he stood back and slammed his weapon into the wall, knocking several stones into the wall a couple inches. Petrov slammed his mace into the wall again and again, sweating profusely in spite of the cool air. Not long after he started he made one final swing and collapsed in an exhausted heap. The wall looked like it was about to cave in. Weamar took hold of Petrov’s mace and in short order managed to clear a hole large enough for a person to pass through. When he stopped he noticed that the sounds from the hallway had stopped as well.
Cool air wafted into the chapel. Weamar poked his head through the hole in the wall and could clearly see the spiral staircase leading upwards. Spider webs stretched between various points in the hall and stairs. It had been a very long time since anyone passed through the place, far longer than the rest of the structure. A trickle of water flowed down the steps. Weamar pulled his head back out and looked around the chapel. Marinae looked at him inquisitively. Petrov was still slumped against the wall. Eliza and Lynn were on the opposite side of the room lying forehead to forehead.
Lynn tried to cry but the tears still wouldn't come. Instead she lay there motionless. Eliza began to cry softly.
"What ever happened, I'm sure it wasn't your fault.", she whispered.
Eliza could see the pain in Lynn's face. Lynn was suffering from something deep inside, but Eliza sensed something else as well. There was a strong yearning within Lynn, and Lynn was fighting it as well as the pain.
"Let me help you.", Eliza pleaded.
Lynn lay there frozen in silence. One thought kept running through her mind. A kiss. Eliza's lips were so close, but so far away. She had to resist.
"Wait until she finds out what you did.", the voice shouted inside her.
Petrov was exhausted, but Weamar managed to get him to his feet. Struggling under Petrov’s weight Weamar turned to wave the others over but nearly fell in the down as he did. Weamar reconsidered. It looked as though everyone could use a few hours rest. Now that the pounding on the door had stopped, there was no hurry. Petrov staggered over and sat down on one of the pews. He looked over at Eliza and Lynn. His disdain was obvious. Marinae secretly enjoyed Petrov’s plight.
Eliza put her head on Lynn's shoulder and rocked her gently, but it didn’t bring Lynn any comfort. Lynn knew that what she had done was evil. She knew that when Eliza found out the truth that she would never forgive her and that her love for her would never be returned. The thought put a lump in her throat. Then she felt another wave of pain begin to wash over her. She gasped and jerked her head back. Then she quietly returned to her silent struggle.
Lynn's sudden movement prompted Eliza to hold her tighter. She wanted to draw what ever pain ailed Lynn into herself. The young priestess continued to rock gently and through shuddering sobs, Eliza murmured sweet and beautiful words in a language Lynn did not know.
But the closer Eliza got, the worse the pain grew inside of Lynn. Lynn was being torn in half. Part of her wanted to push Eliza away, but she feared that Eliza would never come back. Part of her wanted to reach up and kiss her tender lips, but she feared that her advances would not be returned. Eliza was in love with her. Lynn knew that now. Why else would she have made such a sacrifice to save her? But she was innocent. And her church would not approve of their love. It seemed like whatever Lynn did they would both end up getting hurt. So Lynn did what she always did. She swallowed all of the pain. She knew that she could deal with it and that in time it would pass.
But this time it wasn't going away like it had in the past. The waves of pain kept building and crashing harder each time they passed through her. Lynn fought and fought but the waves were becoming stronger than she could bear. Worn down from her struggle she felt another wave building that she knew she could not contain. Her body tensed as she prepared for the worst. She felt her body growing hot inside and her face became flushed and pink. The pain become more intense than she had ever felt before. Again she gasped and jerked her head back. This time her mouth popped open and three words were on her lips.
"I love you.", she wanted to say but the words did not come out.
Lynn felt her heart beating and it seemed as if she were frozen in time. Her mouth was frozen open. She couldn't move. Nothing happened for what seemed like forever. Then it passed. A cool feeling flowed through her veins. She relaxed. Sweat began to form on her brow. She closed her mouth and let her head fall to the side. The waves of pain still came and went, but they were going away. She had survived.
The recent events played through Eliza's mind. Things had been so simple for her only a few days before. But then this strange and beautiful woman had come into her life bringing a torrent of powerful and unfamiliar emotions. At first she thought that it was simply due to Lynn's apparent connection to Ezra but her certainty in that idea waned with every step they took from Sturben. Rocking back and forth with Lynn in her arms, Eliza realized that she felt something very strong and very personal for her. She didn't know if it could be called love or if it even had a name. All she knew was that she wanted to take away Lynn's pain and she never wanted to stop holding her.
Hours passed and Lynn’s convulsions faded. Eliza felt a warm feeling inside. She didn’t know if she had healed whatever it was that was troubling Lynn, but she felt that she had helped her through it. She sat up next to Lynn and held her hand, whispering quiet reassurances to her. Petrov sat with his head down in his hands. He felt helpless without his full strength, and seeing Eliza giving Lynn all her attention was making his blood run cold. Marinae nursed her wound while Weamar paced between the pews. Weamar couldn’t wait to leave. Every minute that they stayed he expected something terrible to happen. He turned his head towards every little noise that he heard. By the time Petrov finally rose Weamar’s nerves were shot.
“Let’s go.”, Petrov said in a weary but commanding voice.
Petrov, Marinae, Weamar, and Squeeky gathered near the hole. Lynn pulled on her blindfold and covered herself with the hood. Silently she rose to her feet, leaving Eliza wondering what was going on with her. Then Lynn gave Eliza's hand a quick squeeze and whispered, "Thank you".
The group climbed the stairwell. The stairs seemed to just go on and on with cobwebs stretching from wall to wall. A small trickle of water flowed continuously down the stairs. Eventually they come to a stop where the way was blocked by a pile of rocks and dirt. The water flowed from cracks in the rock. A shaft of light pierced the barrier of earth.
Petrov grabbed one of the stones and looked to Weamar, "Shall we?"
"I guess so.", Weamar answered and started pulling rocks and earth onto the stairs behind him.
Lynn smelled the rainwater. It made her feel a little better and so she helped the two men dig. Marinae joined in as well and soon the fading light of day greeted them. They all crawled out of the hole, getting wet and muddy in the process. Still, they were all quite happy to reach the surface.
The rain was still drizzling down from the gray sky and dusk was approaching. Weamar looked about. The hole that they’d made was in the side of a hill. It seemed like they had climbed up a tower of a buried castle. Marinae stood in the rain and let it wash her as clean as it would do. Lynn pulled back her hood, leaned her head back, and opened her mouth, letting the rain fall into it. The taste gave her enough energy to continue. Then she covered her eyes and face again.
Eliza watched Lynn, her expression unreadable. She looked away and then cried out in joy, "The horses!"
Dry, Maelstrom and Eliza's horse all stood about the trees not far away. Marinae whistled for Maelstrom and all three horses trotted over. On Dry's saddle there was a single owl feather. Weamar looked at it curiously and then looked about in the trees for its owner, but the owl was nowhere to be seen.
“Who carries the lizard?”, Marinae asked as they began saddling up, “Or does he come along?”
Squeeky was cowering back in the hole, squinting out at them.
“I think we can let the lizard go.”, Weamar answered.
"You go away now. No come back. Nuttin but trouble.", the Kobold called out to them.
"Go away before I make you into a patch for my boot.", Marinae yelled back.
Marinae raised her hand and it began to glow. Squeeky shrieked and disappeared back down the stairwell.
"Damn, I love this job.", Marinae grinned, "It works on would-be Lotharios, too."
Soon they found the main road and once again they were southbound towards Levkarest. The sun set and Weamar's stone winked out leaving only Eliza's holy symbol to light the way.
Marinae recharged Weamar’s rock and said, "Did you see how I did it? You can do it from now on, right?"
"Yeah, right. Easy.", Weamar replied.
Riding as swiftly as possible in the limited light, they soon crested a hill overlooking the city of Levkarest. The clouds parted briefly, allowing the moon to shine down upon the city, and revealed the spires of the majestic Great Cathedral. Weamar looked closely at the towers and thought that he saw what looked like a figure leap into space and glide off over the city. He had no idea what it was, but it was larger than a man. Weamar shrugged and kept riding.
The gate guards were hesitant at first to allow them entry, but quickly granted them passage when they saw Eliza. Inside the city they passed down the main street where lanterns down both sides lit their way. The sound of the horses’ hooves clacking against the cobblestones rang through the evening.
"No one will come to the Cathedral's gates tonight.”, Petrov said, “We will have to find other lodging until the morning."
Moving beyond the gates they passed into a slightly run down section of town. Ladies of the evening stood beneath lamp posts and in front of alleyways. Various unpleasant looking individuals watched them pass. Eventually they found an Inn named 'The Wilted Blossom'. It was as dreary as its name suggested. A sign by the door read, "After dark hitch your own horses". An arrow pointed around the side to the stable.
"All the amenities, here.", Marinae said sarcastically.
They stabled their horses and went into the Inn. Inside, it was dark and dingy. A man leaned sleepily on the front desk. A single candle cast odd shadows across his face.
The clerk droned as they entered, “Seven silver per room. In advance. Kitchen is closed. Breakfast starts at dawn."
Marinae stepped forward and paid for a separate room, "Do you have a bath house?", she asked.
"It's around back", the clerk answered, not even bothering to point.
Weamar paid for a separate room as well and bid the others good night.
Petrov showed the man a piece of paper, "Charge two rooms to the Church's account."
"Three.", Eliza spoke up, "Three rooms."
Petrov frowned but didn't counter her. He touched Eliza's arm. "Get some rest. We'll see the healers tomorrow.", then he headed up the stairs.
Marinae walked outside and around to the bath house.
Eliza pulled Lynn towards the stairs out of earshot of the innkeeper. "Are you going to be alright?", she asked.
"Yes.", she whispered, "I just, I just need..."
Lynn’s voice started to quiver.
Eliza took Lynn's hand in hers, "What?", she asked.
Lynn wanted to say. “You.”, but she fought hard to resist the urge. She wanted to spend the night with Eliza. She wanted to hold her close, to touch her face, and to kiss her lips. But still, she was afraid.
"...sleep.", Lynn sighed. She sounded exhausted, mentally and physically.
Eliza walked with Lynn up the stairs. She stood with her in the hall in front of her room. Eliza didn’t want to say goodnight, and tried her best to drag things out. But Lynn looked so tired, she didn’t want to keep her up any longer.
"If you ever need to talk. You know I'll be there to listen, right?", Eliza said, hoping that Lynn would do so.
Lynn raised her head to say something and then just nodded.
"Goodnight." Eliza found herself saying. Then she found herself walking down the hall and into her room.
Lynn stood there in the hall for a short time. Half of her wanted to go to Eliza’s room and confess her love for her. The other half feared rejection. Lynn was in turmoil, but the side that was afraid won finally won out. Lynn went into her room and gently closed the door. She took off her dirty wet robe and dropped it onto the floor. Then she took off her armor and collapsed into bed. The awful feelings returned once again. She fought them. Sleep finally came.
Eliza stayed up waiting for Lynn for as long as she could, but hours passed and she began to grow very tired. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. She didn’t know what to do or why she was doing the things that she was doing. She watched the door but Lynn never knocked. With a sigh she curled up in bed and went to sleep.
The water was very cold in the bath house. Marinae washed up quickly and then dunked her clothes and washed them as well. On her way back she heard a creak outside on the roof of the Inn. Marinae casually reached for the throwing knife at her side and listened closely, but she couldn’t hear anything. Just to be safe she held the dagger in the air above her head and hurried into the Inn. She expected someone or something to jump down on her but nothing did. It was as if there had been nothing there at all.
Weamar thought about the owl as he fell asleep. It seemed as though owls were following him wherever he went. The darkness gave way to another dream. He saw himself standing on a hill overlooking the forests of Verbrek. Behind him, sitting on a boulder, was the Green Man, the old druid.
“Not exactly who I would have chosen for what's to come,” the old druid said looking skeptically at Weamar, “but I suppose that isn't up to me."
"What things to come?", Weamar asked.
"Someone is waiting in the wings and he means to set this whole thing reeling.”, the Green Man spoke plainly, “He brings change. A very big change. A very bad change."
"Are you the owl?", Weamar asked.
"I suppose the talking bit gave it away.", the old druid smiled, "Honestly, I'm not exactly sure. I am an agent. I was instructed to ask you and the faeborn those questions."
"Yeah, but that seems to be the way of immortals.”, Weamar shrugged. “Do you just forget we aren't as wise as you, or what?"
The old druid chuckled, "I am not an immortal. As I said, I am but an agent and I risk my status by even talking to you now. Some would say that what the world is now is the worst it could possibly be. They welcome the change He promises. You've seen the evil of this world with your own eyes, Weamar, but I assure you that what He intends is far worse."
An eagle's cry echoed across the sky. The Green Man looked up.
"You're on the right track, my boy, even if it seems like you're going nowhere.” the druid assured Weamar, “Oh, and keep an eye on the pretty one with the sword. She's important to victory. We're just not sure whose victory."
"Oh...", was all that Weamar could say.
The Green Man snapped his fingers and Weamar awakened.