The Royal Flame

Duty Calls

Shoving the pelt out of my way I step out onto the snow. My heavy boots sink deep into the snow, as a fresh layer of snow has formed. Stretching out the cold air fills my airways.

Oke, No. It is too cold. I quickly crumble back into my hides as the cold air hits the back of my throat. Fixing one furry pelt back over my shoulder.

“Klyn! What are you doing still here!” Noelani smacks me in the back. My back arches from the impact. She is too strong for a woman, yet looks so fragile.

Releasing a grunt, I pierce with my eyes through her. My stare having no impact on her.

“Cover your back if you don’t want to get hit.”

“Woman, shouldn’t a man be able to let its guard down around its own dwelling?”

“If Baltazar hears you say that he will have you up on the spikes at dawn.” Biting on my tongue I swallow any words that I might had left for her.

“You better make your way on your rounds. Everyone else already left with the first rays of sun.”

“I don’t mind wading back in the dark.” I really don’t. The snow is always white, no matter how hard the night tries to hide the world from our eyes. There will be enough beams of moon shine to show me to my warm ode.

“He will mind if you come back with no catch, again.”

“My fate is sealed already. What possible catch could there be on my route. The distrust in me, has already lead me to the most unfruitful area to guard.”

“Rabbits? Fish? In the past when you tried to impress him you still came back with birds!” Her face was full with thoughts, trying to encourage me, only if she knew the reality and the insecurity.

“Those disappeared years ago. The waters are too cold for any fish. He knows that as well.”

“Then what do you do all day long?” Noelani looks innocently full with curiosity as I turn around to walk back into my tent.

“Guard the coast. Look for any intruder ships that will never come.” He really keeps her out of the reality. Is that how he prefers his woman?

Shoving the pelt again out of my way, with a gush of wind I get inside leaving a bit of snow in the entrance. Picking up my belt from the stool next to the entrance I fast it around my waist. Tightening it helps the hides to stay in place.

“Trying to sneak out again?” Eulalie lifts herself up, sliding her bare legs over the edge of the bed. Sliding out under the pelts baring her thighs. She can barely touch the ground with her toes stretched.

“I never ‘sneak’ in my own dwelling.” Fixing my belt, I place my right palm on the top of my dagger. Resting my hand. Standing firm in the entrance, I allow my eyes to reach her for the first time since my entrance.

“I have never shared your warm company during the early mornings. It is well known though that the mighty Klyn never leaves early.” Seducingly she gets off the bed, making her way across the room with one furry sheep pelt covering her front.

“I have enjoyed your services. Don’t expect more from someone like me, you already know the rumors and what I want. So why ask for more.” I take a step back, was for her not to reach me.

“Every woman sees a lustful challenge in you. One day one of us will enchant you.”

The thought of that makes me almost burst out into laughter. I would have known if there was anyone suitable in our village when I turned of age.

“That will not happen from disobeying me and staying in my bed till day light.” I grin at her as her eyes widen with the realization of my words. She won’t be sleeping here again until dawn.

Slinging my leather bag over my shoulder, I grab the horn and leave Eulalie standing still in the middle of my tent.

With a bow around my tent I set course to my assigned ground. The fresh snow makes it hard to walk, every year the days become colder and colder. Another step and my calves feel the cold snow through my trousers. Every step releases another soft curse from my lips. For some reason our ancestors chose this place to run to. Why oh why couldn’t they choose the woods, the area before our eternal winter landscape is filled with unclaimed woods. Full with livestock, fresh products of nature on grasping distances, higher temperatures that don’t make your toes freeze off at night. But instead they choose the most uninhabitable land of all.

Baltazar doomed me with the duty of protecting our Eastern coast line. Others were blessed with going to the South. They are able to wade through fresh grass, pick berries and hunt on the deer in the forests. Even though they are away for days before returning at least they are able to feast every night. My tent with its ever-burning fire sounds really good at this point. But it is no match to the thought of my toes being tickled by grass and not this snow.

The sun has risen into the sky, the stand of the sun tells me I will be at the beach when the sun is at its highest. A look back shows me a small black dot of Norhill within the whiteness of the snowy plain. White icy mountains peak far away, with mountain ranges in our south, closing us in from the outside world.

Arriving at the ridge, I am able to look all over the far dark waters. The usual stone I sit on is partly covered with snow, the soft breeze has done its work taking off a part of today’s snowfall. With a quick sweep of my sleeve the back of the rock lays bare.

Crouched on the rock, I sit with my eyes focused on the far distance as the day passes. Until my inner self releases a low growl. Waking me up from my own trance.

Something feels off and out of place. A quick scan around the horizon reveals nothing more than the past hours did. The coast is carved into our mountainous grounds. Only accessible through the sea. Looking over the mountains, my eyes don’t see anything out of the ordinary. The horn clammed into my hand, my body still cannot relax as the air smells weird. A look over the ridge shows me the only part of our grounds that is not white. The yellow sandy beach is covered with black boulders and washed up seaweed. Nothing out of the ordinary, until my eyes meet something on the beach. Is it seaweed? The black shadow is too clustered but not massive enough for a boulder. Every inch of my body tells me I have to check this out, but the last thing I want to do is go down to find out I have been mistaking seaweed for some sort of danger. Anyone back in the village would laugh at me for being concerned with some weird shaped seaweed.

Tying the horn back on my belt I walk down, from time to time checking over the ridge if the black mass has changed. Finding the lowest part of the ridge I climb down on a couple of boulders. Nothing normally washes up on this beach. With my eyes on the position I saw the mass from above, I can feel my insides starting to boil.

*Klyn get yourself together! We are a worthy member of Norhill, 7thin line for the throne and no one so far has ever defeated us. We can easily wipe this dark heap of seaweed away. *

With a swift and silent movement, my dagger leaves its shaft. Holding it tightly I get closer. Making myself small and close to the ground I approach, my dagger in front of me in a defensive pose. It looks like a human.

As my dagger reaches his shoulder I give a small nudge. No response. With caution, I move closer. He is lying face down on the beach. With the weirdest type of clothing I have ever seen. Is this the new trend in the far south? On closer inspection, his face is on its side, with the tip of my dagger I remove some strands of hair shakenly. Keeping as much distance as possible. I have to control my hand from trembling, before I cut one of his eyes out.

Getting a closer look at his face, my eyes widen as my body heats up. A woman.

Without second thoughts, I grab her face with my bare hands. Her skin is freezing, but I can feel a soft pulse under her skin. Removing one of the furs of my shoulders, I wrap her quickly in it. She weights barely anything as I lift her up in my arms. A cave that lays a bit higher than the beach is where I walk up to with her. Placing her against the cold stones of the cave, I lay all my upper layers over her. She is here shielded from the wind. However, she is still soaked. It goes against all my principles to undress her. Instead I run out bare chested in search for any dried washed up flammable objects.

Within moments I am back. With some small rocks around that I find around us I start smacking them into each other. Trying to get the smallest spark to start a fire. Clouds of my breath blow over the stones as I start heaving from the cold. I haven’t done this for a while, it takes me a fair amount of time to create enough sparks for what looks like the start of a flame.

Sitting next to her side I frequently check the temperature of her cheeks.

*Let me out, or you will freeze to death as well when night falls. *

What is this woman doing here. Who is she. All these questions flow through my head. But my inner creature is right. I won’t get any answers if we both don’t make it. Closing my eyes I let him take control over me, covering her.