We had been hiding for a week. We had found a hideout on the riverside, set up tents and collected food for us too. But that didn't mean that hiding was a solution. Alaric's army had spread to the entire city. They were in search of us. Our plan was to wait for the soldiers which Rhiannon had called for because we had already experienced the fate of fighting alone. We hoped that they would find us soon so that more time would not be wasted. We needed allies.
We had gathered some of the Concilium members until then and began curbing their revolt schemes. We held a small mourning ceremony where all of us mourned for Rhiannon and prayed that she rested in peace. The worst part was that we could never find her body as we didn't give out of the woods.
As I was fishing along with Eva, I saw a little boy at the other side. He seemed eager to join us for some reason. "Well, he's been looking at us for a past few days now." Evanthia said, seeing me eye him. "Do you think he wants to talk to us about something?" I asked.
"Well, it sure looks like that." Eva replied.
I took the boat and went over to him on the other side of the riverbank. He moved back instantly as I approached him.
"Hey little guy, don't be afraid. Do you want a chocolate?" I asked him.
"Are...are you going to kill me?" He asked as he shivered.
"Of course not! I'm here to help you. What's your name?" I knelt in front of him so that I could talk to him properly.
" Osgar." The little boy replied. "How old are you" I asked.
"Five." He said after a small pause.
"Oh. Is your mother here?" I asked him.
"He took mama away from me." He lowered his face in dismay.
"You mean Alaric killed her?" I asked.
"No. He took her away to his castle and put her along with the scullery maids." Osgar said sadly.
"But where's your father?" I asked.
"He killed papa. Right in front of me. Stabbed him in the stomach." Osgar said and burst into tears.
I felt an emptiness in my stomach. I pulled him closer to me and hugged him. "It's okay...it's okay... We'll get your mom back. I promise." Anger flood right through me. How could someone be so merciless? How can someone snatch a little boy's parents? I was more than determined to kill Alaric now.
Once he ceased crying, I wiped his tears and asked him "But who takes care of you?"
"This happened just a day before you came to hide here. I sat on this rock, next to this river and watched all of you. I wanted food but I was too scared to ask. Mama always told me never to cross the river. So I didn't." Osgar said.
"Well, sure you must be hungry. Come with me to the other side. We'll take care of you and give you some food as well." I said, held his tiny hand and took him across the river.
As I reached, I introduced him to everyone. "Violet, please take him inside and offer him whatever he wants."
"Sure. " Violet replied and took him away.
"I have an announcement to make. " I said aloud. "Everyone gather here please."
"What is it?" Eva asked.
Once everyone had come, I said, "I've decided something. I want to face Alaric as soon as we can."
"What!" Gifford exclaimed.
"Are you okay cal? Why the hell do you wanna face him now?" Eva said.
"Well, we surely can't keep hiding forever. One day he will find us. Before he does, I want us to reach him." I said confidently.
"We're not ready. " Luke said.
"We're never ready. Enough is enough! I am done hiding! Each day we hide, each day he murders god knows how many Bellendians." I said.
"You have a point Cal, but how do we do it? We don't have Rhiannon to guide us! You've seen what Alaric can do. He'll kill us in minutes." Eva said.
"He can't kill us if we're together. He can't kill us if we have a solid plan." I said and I whispered the plan to everyone.
"Well, it's good. But are you sure this will work?" Eva asked.
"It has to. I can't take the burden of so many murders on my head. We have to stop him." I said.
"Hail Bellendis! Hail Callidora!" People started cheering.
After dusk, we ate our supper and started preparing to sleep. It was a tiring day and tomorrow was going to be a long and tiring day too. I lay down on the soft grass, next to the river. I was almost about to doze off when suddenly I saw Osgar standing by the riverside and praying. I called him over to me and asked him about his doing.
He said "Papa used to say that this river is magical. It fulfills every wish, provided that the wish should be your deepest desire. It should come from your heart. Ever since papa and mama left me, I've always wished for their return. I've never slept at night ever since." Osgar said.
"But why don't you sleep? A child your age requires at least seven hours of sleep in a day." I said.
"I don't get sleep. Mama always sang lullabies at night. Only then I used to sleep." He said softly.
"Hmm. You know, when I was young, my mother too, sang for me every night. Maybe that's why I love singing." I said.
"You can sing?" He asked.
"Yes. Lie down. I'll sing one for you."
I brushed his hair slowly and I tried to remember a song which was on my mind from the time we hid here and that would put him to sleep.
I looked at the beautiful river and started singing the song which grandma used to sing to me while putting me to bed. Agnes Obel had originally sung- Riverside.
"Down by the river by the boats
Where everybody goes to be alone
Where you won't see any rising sun
Down to the river, we will run
When by the water we drink to the dregs
Look at the stones on the riverbed
I can tell from your eyes
You've never been by the riverside
Down by the water the riverbed
Somebody calls you somebody says
Swim with the current and float away
Down by the river every day
Oh my god I see how everything is torn in the river deep
And I don't know why I go the way
Down by the riverside
When that old river runs past your eyes
To wash off the dirt on the riverside
Go to the water so very near
The river will be your eyes and ears
I walk to the borders on my own
Fall in the water just like a stone
Chilled to the marrow in the bones
Why do I go here alone
Oh my god I see how everything is torn in the river deep
And I don't know why I go the way
Down by the riverside
Oh my god I see how everything is torn in the river deep
And I don't know why I go the way
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside..."
Suddenly a thought occurred to me. What if grandma sang about this particular river? A felt a hand on my shoulder after I finished singing. I turned around and saw Evanthia.
"Looks like you finally made him sleep." She said and sat beside me.
"Yup. Turns out that I might have just been a good sister if I had a sibling." I sighed, as I saw how peaceful Osgar's face looked.
"You have one. She's right next to you." Eva said.
"Really? That's so sweet of you. You mean the same to me." I replied. She rested her head only shoulders and we didn't realize when we fell asleep.
YOU ARE READING
LIGHTS OF THE OTHER WORLD
Fantasy(Highest rank- #1 in Fantasy) ***FEATURED*** ~2nd Place in The Bright Book Awards~ ~3rd Place in The Writers Awards~ ~The Royalty Awards Honourable Mention~ ~The whirlwind bookmakers awards honourable mention~ " Another world?" " Why did you hide...
