The next morning was hard to tell if the sun had risen or not... the sky was covered with clouds and thick smoke from the burning farms and fields in the middle of the valley. Lavineen had not slept very well at all. She tossed and turned, worrying about Christopher on his mission. She got up early, ate some bread for breakfast, read the reports. Christopher's group had not yet returned. So she went to spend time with Starmane.
The celestial horse stood munching happily at the grass. He snorted and shook his head with happiness when his mistress came over and began to pat him and speak softly in the elven tongue. Starmane twitched his ears as he listened. He butted his head and neck against her gently, in his way of comforting her.
Many hours passed and the other paladins and soldiers began to whisper and create rumors. Lavineen mounted Starmane and went to stand upon the hill to watch. She sat stoically. Several more hours passed. The evening was now upon them. Lavineen took a deep jagged breath, then hung her head in defeat. He was never coming...
Suddenly, Starmane whinnied loudly, stomping his foot on the ground. He snorted excitedly and began dancing his hooves in place. Lavineen looked up to see a ragged looking group of paladins slowly making their way across a field. Some were walking, limping, hunched. Some of the steeds were gone. Some held their injured riders. There in the front, leading his own steed with an injured paladin soldier slung over the saddle, was Christopher.
As he came closer to the encampment, he could see Lavi staring at him. He had never seen her allow her face to express the emotion she was expressing right now, let alone in front of others. Upon seeing the sorrow, happiness and love on her face, his heart tightened in his chest as if the overflowing love he felt would explode his chest. He smiled at her, a tear welling in his eye.
Lavi slid quickly and gracefully off of Starmane's back as Christopher handed the reigns of his steed off to one of the camp paladins. He knew they shouldn't, but they couldn't help themselves. The rushed together and embraced with such passion that those around them merely smiled and left them alone. The tear Chris had been able to hold back until now trailed down his face as he held Lavi in his arms. The sweet smell of her hair, the silky threads on his face, catching in his whiskers, the warmth of her against him. He would remember this moment forever.
Lavineen gazed into his eyes and Christopher realized she also had tears in her eyes. He gently held her face in his hands, rubbing the tears away with his thumbs so tenderly. Droplets of tears twinkled in the light of the camp torches and fires and reflected in her eyes. She was so beautiful. He finally kissed her for the first time in front of the world. At first Lavi was shocked, but she no longer cared who knew of their love. Consequences no longer mattered. True love is a rare and precious gift. She kissed him back.
After another few moments of embracing each other, Christopher took a deep breath and a few steps back from Lavi, knelt down on one knee. Lavi, still holding his hand, looked at him puzzled.
"Are you injured?! Do you need a healer?" she asked, frightened.
"No. No, I'm fine. It's just that..." he tried to clear his throat as his heart pounded in his chest and his face flushed red. The whole camp seemed to be watching him now, but he didn't care.
"My dearest Lavineen... we went through the academy together as teenagers and we have watched each other grow. What has grown most in those years is my overwhelming respect, devotion and love for you..." he spoke with a slight waver to his voice, his face breaking out in a sweat.
Lavineen stared down at him with surprise as he held her hand in both of his.
"I don't know what tomorrow may bring for us, but I know that I can't live a single day without you by my side. You are the light of my life. Will you please take me as your husband?" he asked her, his eyes hopefully looking into hers as he awaited her answer. He held his breath.
Lavi looked around for a moment, at him, at those that had gathered, at the General of the camp who was smiling at them.
Then she turned back to Chris. "I can't live another day without you either. I will take you as my husband." then a rare and radiant smile beamed from her face as Christopher jumped up, embracing her and lifting her off the ground. The camp erupted in cheers. As he brought her feet back to the ground, he kissed her once more.
He turned to the General stiffly, at attention. "General, sir! With your permission of course? Would you marry us right now. Sir, I don't want to waste another second of my life without this beautiful woman." he saluted respectfully.
The General grinned widely. "Granted Lieutenant! And it would be my pleasure." he saluted. Allow me to get myself ready for a quick ceremony. He went to his tent.
The ceremony was not fancy, the bride and groom were wearing their armor, but no one could doubt the happiness of that moment. As short lived as it was...
For a mere couple hours after the impromptu wedding and the celebrations were taking place the scourge of undead had decided to make a sneaky attack of their own. Soldiers were yelling, rushing around, screaming...
Christopher and the General began barking orders at their soldiers and finally, they were in some type of order, but the undead were already attacking and there were a lot of them. Christopher pulled out his shield and one handed sword. He yelled out prayers to the Light to fill him and the soldiers around him with it's holy blessings. They all immediately perked up, shining with inner light and determination. Christopher then held a hand out at an incoming undead that gnashed it's rotten maw threateningly.
"By the Light, be turned away!" Christopher yelled. Holy light shot from his hand, burning the evil creature and made it turn away and flee. He shield slammed another undead in the face and chopped the head off another beside it.
Lavineen held her massive two handed sword , chopping through undead bodies like they were clouds and not bones and rotten flesh. The General was out in front, yelling and crushing the enemies with his huge hammer.
The fight was furious, it smelled like putrescence and fresh blood. Dark soil and sweat. Holy light was beaming around everywhere, but so was unholy light desecrating the very ground. The sun began to peak it's way into the sky as morning came.
Christopher shouted to Lavineen, "I have to push them back. Fall back to the village with the injured and keep them safe!" and before she could protest he yelled "And that's an order soldier!" with that, he grabbed her and kissed her one last time, then ran off leading his men.
Lavineen gathered the rest and the injured and they did as they were ordered and fell back to the village. Thistlemoore was a small, but pretty village and the folks living there were always kind and thankful to the paladins and soldiers. They would help take care of the sick and injured.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Christopher lay there on the ground. The scourge scum still chewing on him as he lay dying. He closed his eyes and thought of Lavi. Her beautiful face. They way she had smiled today.
He died with her smile in his heart.
A light began to shine in his eyes as he began to float bodiless in a dark void. Closer. Closer. Whispers. Closer, brighter. Brighter. The being of Light reached down a hand to him as it flapped it's ethereal wings. He reached out, but something became incredibly wrong... The light began to cry in despair and sorrow as it was pulled away. Then the darkness returned. He was alone. He didn't know for how long...
"Oy! Caretaker?! Where ya wann we should dump these duds?" a gravelly voice said with a strange accent.
"Jes line um up righ 'ere! Yes yes. good." another voice said.
"Wha' a waste a good meat!" said a third voice with a gurgle.
"Oh, it ain't no waste. Jes you wait an' see!" the caretaker said excitedly, rubbing together his pruney hands. "Now git ye back ter werk ye maggot heads!" he shooed them away.
As he turned back to examine the failed undead recruit bodies a sparkle of a glint caught his eye. Christopher's body was still wearing the necklace Lavineen made him promise to return to her, but he never got the chance.
"Oy... wuts this??" the wrinkled hand reached out to grab the necklace when suddenly it was grabbed. The caretaker jumped back several feet in surprise.
"....d...d....on't.....t..ouch.....th....a...t......." the corpse said, gripping the celestial medalion in it's boney hand.
"Ah! So's ye ain't a dud. Good fer you, now report to the priest and git outter my crypt ye bag of pus!" The caretaker pointed to the exit.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Five years had passed since that fateful day... the day Christopher and Lavineen had gotten married. Lavineen sat mounted on Starmane overlooking a different valley. The undead scourge had pushed back very hard. She hadn't seen Christopher since their wedding day. He was dead. Gone.
Lavineen stared blankly out over the fields with sorrow in her heart and a sense of deja vu. These farmlands were next on the scourge's list, but this time, they'd be ready. The King and Queen had gathered together all their troops and made the front line unbreakable. At least they felt they had.
Lavineen growled angrily. Anger was the only thing that she would allow herself to feel anymore. It hurt less... She would often scout the fields and treeline alone. Recklessly seeking out undead filth to destroy.
Starmane snorted and pawed at the soil. He was ready!
With a click of her heels to his flanks he was off like a shot. Galloping through the tangle of trees with ease.
Suddenly Starmane reared up in surprise, throwing Lavineen to the ground. It was such a surprise because it had never happened before. Lavineen brushed dirt, and leaves out of her face and hair, stood up and dusted herself off.
"Starmane?! What was that....." she stopped speaking as she saw the reason for her fall.
"Christopher?!" she stared in disbelief at the rotting creature before her, wearing her pendant, resembling the lost love of her life.
[to be continued...]
**I do not own any of the images included in this story. Just the story! All rights for the images go tto their owners. I am merely a fan and admirer. **
