Page 21 of Darkness Births the Stars #1
CHAPTER
THE GOLDEN DAYS OF LYRHEIM
Rada
S hh, steady now,” I murmured, patting the horse’s flank as it neighed nervously, its ears flicking forward at my gentle tone.
Its gait remained calm, strong muscles tensing as it pulled the plow through the rich, dark earth beneath us.
The scent of freshly turned soil filled the air, mingling with the sweet aroma of wildflowers blooming nearby.
Tanez walked on the other side of the animal, her face animated as she explained the details of preparing the field for the next round of sowing to the bright-eyed group of small, rotund Brownies and tall, graceful Elves trailing behind us.
Clad in simple but well-made tunics and dresses—weaving was a skill they had been taught by Khiraz and Enlial—they followed the Aurea of Earth’s instructions with rapt attention.
Many centuries had passed since we had come to Aron-Lyr, and we had founded a city in the center of our lands: Lyrheim, the Home of Light.
Here we dwelled, creating our children as the Allfather had wished and teaching them how to work the land so that it could feed them.
Only one dark cloud marred those early days.
Belekoroz’s presence.
It had not taken long for conflict to arise after Aramaz had convinced him to join us.
Too great was his urge to always do things his way, to not follow the instructions the Allfather had given us.
All too often he wreaked havoc with our creations, undoing on purpose what we had so painstakingly built with a few mindless surges of his powers.
The piercing screech of a hawk drew my attention from the horse toward the King’s Hall.
Rising majestically from the green hills in the heart of Lyrheim, the hall skillfully melded stone and wood.
Its vast expanse easily housed Aramaz’s and my quarters, along with the grand circular room where the King’s Council held its meetings.
Our Anima dwelled with us, while most of the other Aurea had chosen similar living arrangements in buildings grouped around the hall.
Golden-brown feathers glinted in the sun, a large bird of prey diving toward us at breakneck speed.
A moment before the animal touched the ground, its outline shimmered and dissolved into a bright light.
It reformed into a tall Elvish woman, her golden hair pinned into a strict bun, revealing her pointed ears.
Her pale blue skirts fanned out as she sank into a graceful curtsy.
Elodia. The stern Anima was my handmaiden.
Her normally stoic demeanor was replaced by worry as she hastened to my side.
“Please,” she murmured in Aurean, ensuring the mortals could not understand her words. “We need your help, my lady. It’s Lord Belekoroz.”
A familiar mixture of dread and annoyance washed through me.
“What has he done now?” Tanez said with an exasperated sigh, echoing my thoughts.
“Nothing good, that’s certain,” I answered grimly, forcing a smile on my face as I excused us from the mortals. I knew they feared the Aurea of Darkness, and I did not want to add to the turmoil his presence in Lyrheim was causing.
The air was heavy with power as Tanez and I approached the open field behind the King’s Hall, sparks flying as Darkness and Fire met in anger.
My apprehension deepened when I saw we were not the only ones drawn by the commotion.
Groups of Anima and mortals lingered nearby, whispering in agitation, their eyes darting between the two powerful beings clashing before them.
Curse it! I had to calm the situation before it escalated further. The sight of Belekoroz and Sha’am locked in a heated argument sent a flash of irritation through me.
“I will attempt to make this understandable even for you. Fire and Water do not mix. Hence, if you insist on creating your fiery mountains near the sea, this is the inevitable outcome.” Belekoroz’s voice dripped with his customary disdain as he addressed the Aurea of Fire, who stood before him, hands on hips, breathing heavily, his ruddy complexion flushed with rage.
The Aurea of Darkness gestured dramatically, intertwining strands of Fire and Water magic until they dissipated in a hissing plume of steam.
“The Allfather has decreed the lay of the southern mountains. All that transpires shall be according to his plan,” Sha’am replied, his heavy golden brow creasing.
“Fine. Do as you wish,” Belekoroz said with a shrug, the magic vanishing as he snapped his fingers. “Trying to get you to think on your own is like teaching a fish how to fly. I’m thoroughly tired of it.”
Not for the first time, I pondered how two beings could be less alike than my destined spouse and his brother.
Belekoroz’s condescending arrogance transformed his face into a sneering mask, marring the otherworldly beauty of his features.
His eyes, dark and piercing, seemed to hold a perpetual scorn for everything around him.
How utterly different to the affectionate warmth Aramaz always showed toward me.
“Are you calling me stupid?” Sha’am’s ire flared, bathing us all in the reddish glow of his aspect. “This is none of your business. Fire rules the south.”
Belekoroz only smiled, his shadows gathering around him in eager anticipation. He was far too clever to strike first.
“Shadows reside in every realm,” he said, a provocative sparkle in his gaze.
By now, I was well acquainted with his ambition and pride. “So does Light,” I interjected, hoping to halt their escalating argument. A burst of my magic seared through the ground between them, the earth glowing momentarily with a brilliant light. “I believe that’s enough.”
“Ah, the Lady of Light.” Belekoroz’s attention turned to me at once. His voice carried a mocking tone that put me on edge. “What have we done to deserve the presence of the Allfather’s most cherished daughter?”
“Stop provoking him,” I advised. “Aramaz has ordered you to maintain the peace.”
The pointed reminder of who held power here caused the shadows around him to twist threateningly. A few restless tendrils skimmed over my skin in a way considered far too intimate among our kind for someone neither a friend nor a lover. I could not suppress a shiver.
“You don’t have the authority to command me, girl,” Belekoroz growled, taking a menacing step toward me, the darkness deepening around him. I tensed, a feral instinct awakening within me, compelling me to confront him.
“In fact, she does, brother.” The self-assured voice behind me made the Aurea of Darkness freeze and calmed my urge to fight. “She is also your future queen. ”
I cast a questioning glance at Aramaz as he moved to stand next to me. We had agreed to wait until we were firmly established in Lyrheim before announcing our engagement to our fellow Aurea. Clearly, he believed the time was now.
“Oh, how fitting.” Never had Belekoroz stared at me with more resentment, the dark fire of his eyes boring into me with menacing precision. A rough laugh escaped him. “The two perfect servants. Ever humble and obedient.”
“Brother!” Thunder rumbled in the distance. Aramaz rose to his full height next to me, his gaze fixed on the Aurea of Darkness, a silent exchange occurring between them.
And for once Belekoroz relented, his face transforming into a cold mask as he gave both of us a very exacting bow. “Congratulations. May the Maker bless your union.”
His voice was as perfectly polite as his expression, but somehow his words sounded more like a curse than a blessing.
The ominous feeling stayed with me, even when the rest of our brethren and the nearby Anima and mortals gathered around us to offer their congratulations, leaving an inexplicable chill in my bones that I couldn’t dispel.
“Your brother hates me.”
The words held a ringing finality, a rare sharpness in my voice.
Aramaz looked up from the parchment he was studying.
His sky-blue eyes darkened as he took in my stance, hands on my hips, in front of his wooden desk.
The desk, carved from one of the trees Tanez had created, was cluttered with scrolls and maps, proof of the king’s tireless dedication to Aron-Lyr’s perfection.
There was a profound weariness in his gaze and tone, as if he had heard and spoken every argument about Belekoroz countless times.
“I don’t think—”
“Trust me, Aramaz. He can barely stand to be in the same room as me. His disdain is clear in every glance,” I interrupted in an unusual display of impatience.
I rarely lost control around my intended, always striving to emulate the king’s serene demeanor.
But I understood why many of our brethren were irritated with Aramaz’s leniency toward his brother.
Aramaz’s eyes narrowed when I refused to relent. His powers faintly stirred the air of his study. Light streamed in through the many high-arched windows, allowing glimpses of Lyrheim’s green hills outside.
“It’s not that simple.” To my surprise, the king’s voice held no annoyance, only a tone close to pleading. “My brother is a complicated being.”
As far as self-absorbed evil could ever be called complicated. I had yet to see a single shred of goodness in him. Aramaz’s words confirmed what the others said: the king was blind. He either couldn’t see his brother’s true nature or refused to acknowledge it.
“And no one knows him better than you do,” I said with a hint of resignation, already accepting another age-long cycle of Belekoroz’s angry glares following me wherever I went. The king seemed to notice the depth of my frustration, avoiding my gaze.
“Perhaps you are right,” he said, his face thoughtful. “That Belekoroz relies solely on me for companionship has made him…” Aramaz trailed off, searching for the right words. “Overly skeptical about anyone he sees as a threat to my undivided attention.”
A lot of well-chosen words to admit that his brother was jealous of me .