Cold Memories
Nothing seemed to change his situation to the Elf's mind. Though he longed for acceptance of his kind, Galatin took heed in Cornelius’s warning. He did not however, abandon his thoughts and feelings. Burying them away deep within his heart, Someday the time would come, he thought. Nothing would prevent him.
It seemed now as if time passed quickly for Galatin, one moment it seemed he was a child and in a blink of an eye his childhood had ended. Seasons had changed, as they did every year, the ground was now hard and frozen with light frost covering it causing the surrounding settings appear white with winter. The river had frozen over and the mist that usually lay across the land had grown into a deeper thick fog making it easier for Galatin to make his way around undetected.
He had grown accustomed to moving cautiously through the woods; especially now that he knew he was being hunted ever so more it seemed each day by Natilius and his band.
They were playing harder now. Sometimes they would unleash the hounds onto his trail while other times Galatin could have sworn they had found the upper had on him. Fortunately he was always able to slink away just in time to avoid a skirmish.
Every now and then however when the opportunity was available he would pick off the distant patrols and tie them to a nearby tree in order to annoy his nemesis. Angry and with rage Natilius would return to the city empty handed. Their hunts and pursuits had gotten more elaborate over the years, advancing in strategy and preparation.
Galatin too had grown in skill, sometimes it almost seemed too easy like a game playing back and forth between him and the young knights. No matter what any of them would do Galatin was always one step ahead of them. It also seemed the standard brute force Natilius would have to accompany him had gotten weaker (or perhaps had ceased to improve) yet Natilius was the real challenge, obsessed with his capture of the Dark One he had erased any reason in his life and had made Galatin his first and only priority.
With the season as it was now, the attacks and hunts became lesser and lesser as the winter took a heavier toll. Galatin could almost roam free among the forest without any worry and with the river frozen over gave him much more opportunity to crossing and making visits to Calina.
In fact he had made many trips since the first frost, the last time he did so he was almost seen by Calina’s chamber servant Martha who had entered the garden looking for her young charge, usually she wouldn’t do so but being as it was wickedly cold outside she had to insist for the girl’s health and well being.
As she turned the corner Galatin could sense something was not right, in a blink of an eye he leaped behind one of the white trees in the garden and attempted to stay discreet.
“Dear child! What in heaven’s name are you doing out here alone!?” Martha said in a very strict tone.
“Just attempting to keep you on your toes dear Martha,” Calina said sarcastically with a smile.
Martha was not impressed, “If only I could relax with you girl! I could have sworn I saw a man here!”
Calina shook her head, “Oh Martha, you’re eyesight must be weakening, I’ve been alone all day.”
“I know what I saw!” Martha glared into the tree, Galatin could have sworn she looked right at him. She wrinkled her nose and stared for a second into the branches. Finally she broke the focus and turned back Calina, “Perhaps you’re right, perhaps I am seeing things, either way you had better come inside before you catch your death.”
“I’ll be inside in a second Martha. Give me a little more time.”
Martha looked into Calina’s eyes. She could tell something was important to the girl and that no matter what she would say the maiden would be reluctant. “Alright, but only for a minute longer, afterward you are coming in for tea!”
Calina bowed her head softly, “Yes ma’am,” she said as Martha turned and returned to her duties within the palace.
After that incident they had made their meetings shorter and more discreet. They were never anything grand or important most of the time they would just talk for hours about life and their adventures. Sometimes they never met at all, however they always stayed in close connection.
Deep within his heart Galatin knew she was special to him; at times he would suffer in agony as he would ponder of how he could tell her his feelings. Other than his master, Calina was the only other soul he could trust. He wished he could tell her how he felt but he couldn’t seem to find the words neither describe what it was he felt for her. She was important to him and was a great friend, that she already knew, for some reason or another however Galatin knew she was a larger part in his life.
“What is it? Something’s bothering you I can tell,” Calina asked him on another previous meeting. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
Galatin’s mind went blank; he thought for a moment and attempted to piece the words together in his head.
“I can tell you’re thinking hard, what’s going on?” She said as she smiled kindly.
Galatin smiled back. “Just how the other day I saw the strangest sight,” He attempted to change the subject. “I could have sworn I saw a dragon, fly over my head in the woods.”
Laughing in disbelief Calina shook her head upon hearing a ridiculous tale, Galatin however remained serious. “Come now, a Dragon? Please, there hasn’t been a Dragon spotted anywhere in Rovania for the past hundred years.” Calina said as she laughed. Galatin didn’t change expression. Calina suddenly began to wonder if he was telling the truth.
“Well then that makes me famous then,” Galatin smiled. “I’m the first to see one in such a long time.”
“Are you certain you saw one? It very well could have been a large bird?”
“I could feel its hot breath,” he smiled sarcastically.
“Then it had to have been Martha,” the two laughed out loud and continued their conversation without other thought of the previous subject.
Life was difficult for the two of them; it seemed they were both outcasts in each other’s worlds. Calina had been an outcast by her political standing father who could not spare a moment for his daughter leaving her in the hands of servants. Galatin had been an outcast for the strange mark he bore. Sometimes it would be none other than a mark or designed scar on his forearm but lately it had began to glow its blue color brightly.
“What do you think it means?” Calina asked during one of their reunions looking at the glowing spectacle.
Lowering his head seemingly in shame Galatin stayed silent for a small moment, then looking out toward the eastern mountains he spoke plainly. “I don’t know, but I know it’s not what they say I am.”
Like echoes of the past, the conversations and experiences passed through Galatin’s memories. It was winter now, and years had gone by. They had grown close as close as friends do. It seemed either one could tell the other almost anything. Galatin thought deep within as he walked casually toward the bank of the river.
At the clearing he stopped and waited making sure everything was clear. Once he starts to cross the river he would be in the open, vulnerable for a few minutes. Though he knew the tower guards were weaker on this side of the wall he also knew he could not make mistakes.
After waiting a few minutes, Galatin slowly crept out of the cover of the trees and onto the icy surface. The fog was thick which though helped him with his cover it also made him nervous since he could easily be the target of another hunter in the thickness.
The ice was beginning to be unstable in some parts; lightly he crept across it swiftly toward the shadows of the white walls.
Suddenly the ice cracked and his foot went numb as it broke through a small fishing hole dug into the ice. The cold water stung and freezed his nerves as he quickly attempted to remove his foot from the small hole. Then he realized how much danger he really was in as he heard a small crack snap beneath his knee. He had to move carefully and slowly if he were to make it across the thin ice.
He was only a few meters away from the shore, just a few more stretches and he would be on dry, safe land.
“So many years my friend, so many chases, yet so many escapes,” a devious voice suddenly cracked through the air as the ice at his feet. Galatin knew who it was and knowing his predicament felt as though the sword had already pierced his heart as Natilius appeared from behind the trees next to the wall, cloaked in his green cloak and armored with pride, Natilius stood with a large battle axe out and ready gripped in his hands. “Now I’ve got you!”
Smiling at the luck he had standing helplessly before him, Natilius stood with pride holding the weapon. Behind him was none other than his two finest who also sneered and smiled sarcastically toward the sight. They had him right where they wanted him and Galatin knew it.
Galatin’s eyes widened and his heart sank, he was defenseless. Staring into the eyes of his lifelong enemy he could see the hatred and pleasure of the young Elf. He looked down and saw the ice crack more his life was in the hands of his hunters.
“Hope you can swim, the water is quite refreshing I’m sure,” Cal bellowed with a chuckle.
Galatin wanted to turn and run but his thoughts were suddenly devastated when he saw he covered by six other recruits with crossbows lined with perfect shots.
Natilius raised the axe above his head, “Now is the ending of darkness and shadow!” he yelled as he struck the ice.
Before he knew what had happened Galatin’s feet lost its ground from beneath him and a cold chill rushed passed him as he fell through the ice.
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