Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Ad Vitam Aeternam ❯ Chapter II ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I own EVERYTHING! If anyone steals my characters, I swear I'll hunt you down.

 

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The next morning, and into the following weeks, Harriet mentioned nothing of what I had told her. She said nothing about Esmond, my past, or anything important for that matter, and I began to wonder if I had simply dreamed of telling her. I heard nothing more about my past, until nearly a month later. I suppose it was far from both our minds as winter approached, and the peddlers and merchants that came through our town spread word of the impending war. At first, no one had wanted to believe the rumors, and for a time many people simply let the news wash over them, choosing to ignore it, instead deciding to spend their time readying for winter, and not war.

 

The valley air had begun to turn cold and frigid, bringing with it the threat of snow. Knowing that there would be an initial frost, Harriet and I, with Adrian's help, decided that we would board up the shop, and ready it for the winter. That first morning, as I stood outside in the cold air, waiting for Harriet and Adrian to return from the hardware store, I clutched my shawl closer, feeling an impending sense of doom. I warily watched the people mill about the square, wondering why I suddenly felt that way. As my green eyes roved over the crowd, the flash of red and silver caught my eyes, and I blinked out of my thoughts. I gazed closer, realizing that it was two of the King's messengers. I watched as they made their way to the center of the square, before halting their black chargers and heralding everyone's attention. I knew this couldn't be good, and the peddlers' stories suddenly caught up with me.

 

“Attention, ladies and gentlemen,” one of them yelled, unfurling a scroll. “By order of His Royal Majesty, all young men, able-bodied and strong, are hereby to be enlisted in the Royal Army. Tonight we will begin scouting, and those who are recruited will—“

 

The surrounding crowd fell deathly silent, and I covered my mouth as I slipped inside the shop, no longer wanting to hear more. That would mean the king really was going to war, again, and—my eyes widened in shock—he was taking Adrian with him. I leaned against the wall, feeling sick as tears filled my eyes. Harriet would be heartbroken when she found out.

 

I retired to my room, staying boarded up in it for a long time, crying softly. My heart was breaking for Harriet. She had finally met her prince charming, and she had a chance at her happily ever after, and the king was taking it from her. For a long time my face was buried into my pillow as I thought about everything that she had, and everything that I wished I had. After a while the thought that I should be grateful crossed my mind, by it only served to make me feel worse. How could I be grateful that I didn't have to suffer like Harriet when I had, and probably still was, and probably would until the day I died? It was late in the afternoon when I heard Harriet finally return, as the door downstairs closed softly, and I knew she'd been with Adrian. I didn't blame her. Who knew how long she had with him. I listened to her as she came up the stairs, knocking softly on my door.

 

“Alvira?” Her voice was choked, and I knew she'd been crying.

 

My head snapped up, and I ran to Harriet, seeing the tears in her eyes. “You've heard?”

 

She nodded, hugging me. “The messengers said they have until the end of the week,” she said tearfully. She sobbed quietly into my shoulder. “What am I going to do?”

 

I held her tightly, suddenly feeling furious. How could the king do this again? How could he just tear families apart again and expect everyone to cooperate? I scowled as I stepped back from Harriet, holding her at arms' length. “You stay here,” I said, anger pulsing through me. I knew what I had to do. I didn't know how I was going to do it, though, but that didn't seem to matter very much to my clouded judgement at the moment.

 

Harriet's hazel eyes were confused. She watched as I walked to the door, pulling my shawl tighter around my shoulders. “Where are you going?” she asked, following after me.

 

“I'm just going to go down to the tavern and see what the word is,” I said, stepping into the cool evening air. “I'll return shortly.” And with that I closed the door behind me, storming toward the town inn. When I arrived, I could hear drunken laughter, as well as music, from the tavern in the front. When I stepped inside, however, I noticed that the atmosphere was very dark and dangerous. The King's messengers sat in a corner by themselves, and I could tell, if they were to step out of line, the men in the bar were ready to escort them out of town, very likely with force. I could tell by the murderous looks in their eyes as they glared at the crimson and silver clad servants.

 

Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside the bar, drawing gazes as I went. Harriet had often told me that I was the most beautiful girl in town, with my striking silver hair and deep, passive green eyes, but I had never believed her until now. Seeing the way the men leered at me made me feel uncomfortable as I crossed the room. I walked to the bar, noticing that the messengers had taken notice of me as well. I sat gracefully on a stool, watching Harriet's cousin, Adelphe, walk toward me. He smiled lazily, leaning on the bar. I could tell he had come to flirt.

 

“What can I get for you, Alvira?” he asked smoothly, watching me intently.

 

I pursed my lips, thinking. “Just some water would be fine,” I said finally. I didn't drink often, and rarely did I ever come to the bar. I watched as he moved away, filling a glass for me. When he returned and set it down I thanked him. As I took a sip of my water, I turned and surveyed the bar's occupants.

 

“So who exactly are you lookin' to murder this time, Vira?” Adelphe asked from behind me.

 

I glanced at him, leaning my side on the bar. “That's for me to know and you to never find out,” I said tersely. I listened to him chuckle.

 

“Come now, Vira,” he said, leaning on the bar next to me. “That's the only reason you ever come here.” He feigned hurt. “Which is really such a shame. When I saw you walk through the door, I was hoping you'd come to see me.”

 

I turned to face him, indignant. “As if I would ever come to waste my time with a no-good dog like you,” I hissed. I watched him smirk, and I scowled.

 

“You're a funny one, Vira,” he said, holding my gaze. “While most women with your beauty would be out there wooing themselves a beau, you're in here plotting. Sometimes I wonder why Harriet ever had the decency to become friends with you.”

 

I gave him a bitter smile. “I have better things to do,” I said quietly, glaring at him. Slightly hurt from his insult, I rose from my seat and started to leave the bar. I must say that I rather liked Adelphe most of the time, but there were times when my temper got the best of me, and he knew just which buttons to press. My mission was forgotten as I stalked to the door, still feeling the sting of what he had said. Did he really think that Harriet was being too kind to me? I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. He probably didn't really mean what he said. He was probably just trying to get a rise out of me, and I decided to let it go, knowing the next time we spoke, he would have a severe tongue lashing coming. I was almost to the door, still fuming, when one of the messengers blocked my path.

 

“Good evening, my lady,” he said, bowing gracefully before me.

 

I crossed my arms before my chest and arched a brow at him, a little put out at his intrusion into my space. “Can I help you?” I asked testily. I was not in the mood for his advances tonight. Come to think of it, I was never in the mood for anyone's advances, and I was even more put out at his audacity.

 

He smiled gently at me, but I could tell it was just a fancy court act. “Actually, I was wondering if you would allow me the honor of helping you,” he said. I rolled my eyes as he offered to buy me a drink.

 

“No thanks,” I said gruffly, stepping around him. I winced when he caught my arm and turned me to face him.

 

“Now, now,” he said, pulling me deeper back into the bar. “Is that anyway to treat the King's royal servant?”

 

I struggled in his grasp, ready to tear his head off. What made that slimy roach think that being the King's messenger gave him special privileges? I was ready to rip him a good one, but I bit my tongue, trying to rein in my temper. “Let go of me,” I hissed, yanking my arm free. I nodded to his table. “You and your friends over there can just go back to ass-kissing your king.” I watched his eyes light with indignation and anger.

 

“Now see here,” he started.

 

I cut him off, turning away from him. “Tell your king to go fight his war somewhere else, while you're at it,” I said icily. “And tell him to leave our village the hell alone. Hasn't he wasted enough lives on his stupid campaigns?” I started to walk away, but gasped when he roughly caught my arm and shoved me out the door.

 

“You would do well to learn to hold your tongue, wench,” he growled, forcing me into the street. I struggled in his grasp, but he only held tighter. I realize that, as a woman, normally I would have had no place to say what I had said, but having once had some power to be outspoken, as well as a fierce temper, I knew someone had to. I knew none of the townsmen would protest, but I guess I forgot that I no longer had any political immunity. Had we been in Carrington, or in the capital for that matter, things would have certainly been different, and my anger at the way the King treated us would have been taken differently, but here…well, I had no power here. It had been a while since I had dealt with any of the Royal Court, and, to these men, I appeared nothing more than another townsgirl. My eyes widened as I watched his fellow servants exit the bar and surround us.

 

“What the hell?” I yelled, fighting him. “Let go of me, you bastard!” I almost told him that if he didn't, it would be his head, but I knew it was my stupid mouth that got me in trouble, and I started to think that perhaps I'd be better off keeping it shut.

 

He turned to his friends, who also latched onto me. “She has slandered the name of our king,” he said to them. He sneered at me. “Let us take her to our lord and let him deal with her. I'm sure he will punish her accordingly.” I'm sure that it wasn't just their king I had offended. I knew that the man's pride was injured, and he wasn't used to being put on the same level as everyone else, especially not by a woman.