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“Do not speak of such things.” She said coldly.
Morelin’s hand went to reach towards hers, but the branches moved, trapping his arm, “Please Lucarnia.” He begged, “You are not blind to this world. Your father pays these rebels, just like his grandfather did by the plea of the lord of Cradlin. He does it to pull people like me away from my home. Our kings are both liars, using us as pawns to wage secret wars with eachother.”
“You lie.” She said desperately.
“You know that I do not. Look into my eyes and see it.” She did and her white lips quivered. The branch released him, and he took her hand, “My heart is yours. Like Umoria and Aradtoria in the sky, we are destined to be together, and I will let nothing keep me from you.”
She was silent and Morelin thought then that he had lost her, but she soon grasped his hand tightly, “I have seen things my love. My father’s secret meetings, his advisors taking trading trips to the frozen north or the apathy towards the tower of my mother’s birth.”
“You know what I say is true.” Morelin’s eyes were firm, “We cannot let this escalate further.”
She nodded, “My father talks of war in spring. The trees of the north shall move southward and shall surround Melkin.”
“They will find fire.” He replied, “For Anglin is nervous and scared in his rule. He has long prepared for such an assault. Tell him of my imprisonment. We must get the kings together if we are to stop this war.”
Her hand released his, “I cannot betray my father.”
“If we do not, then our worlds will crumble.”
“This will doom my people.” She said sadly, “Anglin will come with an army and will not stop until the woods burn.”
“I will beg him not to.” Morelin assured her, “If Anglin gains my release, he will see it as a victory, as will king Nargir, for I shall be banished from his realm.”
“If you are banished, then our time together ends.”
He smiled, hearing the love he thought lost in her words. He leant forward and the branches opened so that he could kiss her trembling lips. She locked him in a firm embrace, letting go of the fear and the pain. When they broke apart, he stared into her eyes, “I did not say it in jest. We are like the moons of heaven, and we can never be separated. If we stop this war, the Gods will reward us, and they will grant my desire to never be parted from you again.”
She kissed him again, “I will do this thing.” Her eyes seemed to grow sad, “But I see only bad things and our separation coming from this. The Gods will curse our treachery. Farewell my love, I will soon see you freed.”
The tree limbs closed back in around him and Lucarnia vanished into the upper boughs. Morelin sat reinvigorated in his cell, waiting for his chance to win his freedom.
Knights of Earth Publications 