Guian (A High Fantasy)

The Guian

Gwen walked with her back straight and her chin up. She was Gwen Eris; she was invincible.

She walked fast, too. She wanted to scream. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched River spit into the grass.

She needed to talk. She needed her brother.

Steele was, however, unavailable. Asleep, finally. God forbid she interrupted his release from torment.

To her own surprise, she found herself walking towards the infirmary. It loomed before her, huge and distinctly other. It almost glowed, its walls imbued with ancient elf magic, its elegant wooden columns contrasting greatly with the rough-hewn stones that made up the walls.

Inside, the other healers bustled about. An acquaintance asked if she had been sick, and she replied "yes" to avoid telling the whole story. No one asked why River Marks followed her in before he turned around and went to train.

Gwen hurried to her station. Her patients were in various states of quiet--some read, some wrote letters; she spotted one young man crocheting in the corner. All were at peace--except, of course, for Xavier.

He sat bolt upright, tapping his leg with the fingers on his right hand. When he saw Gwen, his face broke into a grin.

"I was wondering when you'd show up!" he told her, happily complying when she reached for his arm to take his pulse. "I'm much better. I wanted to ask if you could let me out of here soon, it's awfully boring."

"I told the General that I was bringing you a sleeping tincture, and if he asks you about it say I was and you have lots of trouble sleeping." Gwen said softly.

Xavier frowned. "Okay, if you need me to. Is everything alright?"

Gwen shook her head, smiling slightly. "Not at all. However, you seem to be doing perfectly! I'm going to keep you tonight, and then you can leave."

Xavier punched the air with his fist, looking immensely pleased. Gwen began to speak, and then hesitated.

Xavier's smile widened. "Cat got your tongue?"

Gwen shook her head. "More like conscience."

Xavier's smile faltered.

"Xavier, why are you here?"

Xavier's face morphed. His eyes locked on hers, and the muscles of his jaw set.

"I'm here for freedom. I'm here to honor the true heir. I'm here for the Guian."

***

The gray-blue of the dusk left the sky bare and endless, and the ground marked with shadows.

Gwen walked alone.

The soldiers all had their reasons. Some were here for the adventure, some because they needed the money. Some, like her brother, followed their lovers here, and some, like herself, followed their families.

Maybe the reason the Rebellion was so unsuccessful was that the sect with Xavier's reason--the sect who devoted their lives to overthrowing the false monarchy--was so tiny. People like Xavier were hard to find.

Gwen didn't know what she thought. The Queen was certainly not a friend of hers, that much was certain. Her troops had left the Eris fields in ruins before the harvest once. Her best childhood friend had been drafted. And, of course, the Queen was never in line for the throne.

Her parents had been patriots, at home denouncing the Queen and hoping for the royal line to come to power once more. They had said the true Queen and her King were good, and had ruled with soft words, and kind hands. Samara had flourished, its people free and its fields overflowing. The people had been happy, contented, nominating councils of their own to council with the Queen every two years. When the baby heir had been born, the Queendom rejoiced for the royal family and the royal line. But the Queen and her King had died, most said poisoned, and the Guian was lost--no one knew where she was. Most thought Evin had killed her as well. However, a small faction of the population--the bards, the optimists, and those so deep in despair they needed this one small scrap of hope--believed she was alive somewhere. Some said outside of Samara, and others said lost with no remembrance of her name.

Whatever the case, Xavier fought for her. And Gwen admired that.

Did Gwen believe the Guian was alive? Maybe. When her words were silenced, and her hope thin. Other times, she was just another hard cynic. Her world had been destroyed by lies.

But, just for then, as River stalked behind her, and her brother lay heartbroken in a heap on the floor of her room, just for then--then, she chose to believe.