Heir Of The Fallen Flame

Chapter 20: The Wedding

The forest was in full celebration mode by moonrise.

Silver lanterns hung from twisting branches overhead while glowing flowers bloomed along every wooden bridge in the village. Drums echoed endlessly through the trees and golden dust drifted through the air like floating fireflies.

The tree nymphs moved everywhere at once. Some carried bowls of glowing nectar, others braided vines together into enormous arches near the center platform where the ceremony would take place.

Music filled the forest now and lord was it enticing. If it hadn't been Lyra's forced wedding, Kael might have just enjoyed this ceremony a bit more.

He gripped the bars of his cage tightly as he watched them prepare. He hated how peaceful it all looked.

A pair of nymph guards stood nearby speaking softly in their strange language while several others sharpened spears beside the roots below. There were too many guards now, too many eyes and too many damn trees.

Kael exhaled slowly and rested his forehead briefly against the tree cage.

Across the village, higher among the branches, Lyra was gone. They had separated her shortly after sunset. The memory still burned in his mind.

The king had simply raised one hand and dozens of nymph women surrounded Lyra immediately, cutting the glowing restraints from her wrists before leading her deeper into the village.

Kael still remembered the brief look she gave him before disappearing behind the curtains of hanging vines.

She looked like she was about to commit murder.

Kael stirred as footsteps approached his cage. One of the guards shoved a wooden bowl through the bars carelessly.

It had fruits and water. Kael stared at it.

The guard sneered faintly. “Eat, human.”

Kael looked up slowly. “I would rather die.”

The guard shrugged. “That can be arranged.”

Kael sighed and gestured at the ropes tied behind his back.

“How will I drink if I'm tied up?”

The ropes on his hands snipped apart much to his surprise and right before he could rejoice, the ropes wrapped around his wrist again, binding his hands forward instead.

“There.” The guard said, a mocking laughter on his lips as he walked away.

Kael tried not to swear at him as he picked up the water with bound hands and gulped it all down.

His entire body ached from the bindings. The roots wrapped around his wrists pulsed faintly every few minutes like they were alive.

Maybe they were.

A sudden movement above caught his attention. Kael frowned as one of the lanterns swayed oddly. Then a tiny pebble bounced off the side of his cage.

Kael blinked. Another pebble hit him directly on the shoulder. He looked up.

But he couldn't see anything. Is this another cruel joke from the guards or what?

Then a familiar voice whispered quietly from somewhere above him.

“Do not stare upward like an idiot.”

Kael nearly choked on his water. “Lyra?”

“Lower your voice.”

Kael forced himself to stay still, though relief rushed through him immediately.

He kept his gaze forward. “Where are you?”

“Above you.”

Now, is that a fanatic idea? He shook his head as though trying to physically drive off the erroneous thoughts from his mind.

Kael swallowed. “Are you alright?”

“No.”

He glanced upward slowly, pretending to crack his neck or something.

Lyra crouched among thick branches overhead almost completely hidden beneath hanging vines. She had changed clothes.

Or rather, they had changed her clothes. The sight nearly made Kael stare openly.

She wore flowing silver fabric woven with glowing threads that wrapped around her arms and waist like moonlight turned into cloth. Tiny white flowers had been braided through her hair and silver paint curved beneath her eyes in tree-like markings.

She looked less like a swordswoman and more like something the moon goddess herself. Which only made the sword hidden against her back more noticeable.

“”Woah.” He muttered.

“What?”

“You're pretty.”

“I can't hear you!” She whisper-yelled. Kael blinked twice.

Karl blinked, did he just say that out loud?! “You stole a sword?” he said instead.

“I borrowed it.”

“You are terrible at borrowing things.”

Lyra ignored him.

“The wedding begins soon,” she whispered. “We leave before that happens.”

Kael glanced toward the guards nearby. “And how exactly do we do that?”

“I'll cut you free.”

“Wonderful plan. Why have you not done it already?”

“Because there are twenty guards between us.”

Kael frowned. Fair point.

Lyra moved quietly along the branch above him.

“When the drums stop,” she whispered, “the king will walk to the center platform. Every guard will turn toward the ceremony.”

Kael nodded slowly. “That gives us time?”

“A little.”

“And after that?”

“We run.”

Kael stared blankly ahead. “That part of the plan feels underdeveloped.”

“It is the only part we have.”

Before Kael could answer, voices suddenly echoed nearby.

Lyra vanished soundlessly back into the leaves overhead just as several nymph women approached carrying glowing bowls and flower garlands.

One of them unlocked Kael’s cage while two guards stood ready with spears.

Kael stiffened, this is not good.

“The king wishes his bride’s chosen witness present.” the woman said softly.

Kael blinked. “…What?”

The guards yanked him upright before he could resist.

“Oh absolutely not.”

One shoved him forward hard enough to nearly make him fall. Kael glanced upward instinctively but Lyra was already gone from the branches.

The drums grew louder as they dragged him through the village. Everywhere he looked, the celebration had grown larger.

Nymphs danced beneath glowing lanterns while musicians struck hollow drums carved from ancient wood. Flowers bloomed directly beneath their feet as they moved.

The entire forest felt alive tonight.

Well, if Lyra wanted to play heroine, now is the time!

They brought him toward the center platform; a massive structure built around the trunk of an enormous silver tree.

And there, Kael stopped walking.

Lyra stood near the center of the platform surrounded by several nymph women adjusting the silver fabric around her arms.

She looked furious. And beautiful and dangerous at the same time. Is it safe for a woman to possess a mix of danger and intrigue? Or he's just simply dehydrated.

Her eyes snapped toward Kael as the guards dragged him closer. For half a second, relief crossed her face before disappearing behind annoyance as another woman touched her.

“You look terrible,” she muttered.

Kael stared at her. “I believe we have bigger problems than that.”

One of the guards shoved Kael onto his knees beside the platform.

The king stood nearby now dressed in layered robes made from dark leaves and silver bark. Several glowing rings adorned his fingers while vines curled slowly around the staff in his hand.

His golden eyes settled on Kael briefly.

“You shall witness the binding,” he declared calmly.

Kael frowned upward. “I would rather not.”

The king ignored him completely. Of course he did. Hell, no one ever takes a lanky looking man seriously uh?

The drums thundered louder, the entire village gathered around the platform now. Hundreds of golden eyes watched silently.

Kael’s pulse quickened. There was no fucking way they would be getting out of here in one piece.

He glanced toward Lyra slowly. She moved one hand slightly against her side, gesturing at a dagger she had strapped around her thigh, hidden from everyone else.

Good.

Kael lowered his voice. “Please tell me your plan improved.”

“It did not.”

Wonderful.

The king raised both hands slowly and the drums stopped instantly. Silence swallowed the forest. Then the king turned toward Lyra and extended one hand.

A nymph woman approached carrying a ring carved from pale silver wood glowing faintly beneath the moonlight.

Kael’s stomach twisted, this was actually happening.

The king stepped closer to Lyra.

“You shall stand beside the roots eternal,” he said softly.

Lyra looked directly at him. “I would rather eat grass.”

Several nearby nymphs hissed angrily.

The king merely smiled, intrigued“Your fire pleases me.”

Kael grimaced. Gods, this forest was insane.

The ring was lifted slowly. Lyra’s fingers twitched once near the hidden sword beneath her robes.

Kael saw it; Now. That was the signal.

Kael lunged upward suddenly, slamming his shoulder into the guard nearest him. The man stumbled backward with a startled cry.

At the same instant, Lyra ripped the hidden blade free beneath her robes.

Chaos exploded instantly.

She spun once, sword flashing silver beneath the moonlight as two guards rushed her. One fell immediately clutching his throat while the other barely raised his spear before Lyra’s elbow smashed into his jaw.

Kael grabbed another guard’s leg and dragged him down hard.

“Run!” he shouted.

Several nymphs screamed. The king’s voice thundered across the platform.

“SEIZE THEM!”

Roots burst upward from the wooden floor instantly. Kael barely rolled aside before thick vines slammed toward him like snakes.

Lyra cut through another with her blade and reached for Kael only for three guards to crash into him at once.

Kael hit the floor hard, a spear had pierced his ribs. He gasped sharply as hands grabbed his arms and slammed him against the platform.

“Kael!”

Lyra tried reaching him but more guards surrounded her now.

Kael struggled violently but another spear struck across his back and forced him down.

The king stepped forward slowly, brows furrowed in anger.

“You shame sacred union with violence,” he said coldly.

Kael spat blood onto the wood beneath him.

“Good.”

A guard slammed his head downward. Stars burst across his vision and his ears rang.

Nearby, Lyra fought like relenetlessly. Her blade moved wildly beneath the lantern light, cutting through vines and wooden spears alike but even she was beginning to tire.

A vine wrapped suddenly around Lyra’s wrist and another caught her ankle.

She slashed one apart but a spear struck her shoulder hard enough to force her backward.

Kael’s chest tightened. “No!”

The king raised the glowing ring once more.

“Bind her.”

Several nymphs grabbed Lyra’s arms. She fought them savagely but more roots burst upward around her legs, tightening painfully.

Kael struggled harder but nothing worked. Nothing ever worked. He was just weak, useless and…

The thought burned through him worse than the pain. Lyra looked toward him once and all he could see was..resignation.

The king reached for her hand, the ring hovered inches from her finger.

Something inside Kael snapped and heat exploded beneath his skin. Kael gasped violently as golden cracks spread suddenly across his arms beneath the bindings.

The guards froze. “What..?”

The ropes around Kael’s wrists ignited instantly as golden fire erupted outward in a violent wave. The platform exploded beneath him. Guards were thrown backwards, screaming as blinding light consumed the entire clearing.

The drums shattered, lanterns burst and roots caught fire instantly.

Kael rose slowly from the burning wreckage and the entire forest fell silent. Golden flames crawled across his body like living things.

His eyes glowed now, the air itself trembled around him.

“Let her go.”