Harold's Tale of Misery Book 2 Chapter 3

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Chapter Three: Miserable Revelations

Harold’s legs ached; he was not tired, though he would have been more than happy to rest. Ahead Isis slithered up the incline seemingly unaffected by the steepness of the hill. Cintra flew about, chattering to himself, flying this way and that, stopping occasionally to stare at a flower or rocky outcrop before continuing on.

They had been travelling for several hours before they reached the bottom of a hill. The hill was massive, Sati’s peak, and was the last part of the journey that would take place in the forest. The trees covered the hill, though they were getting much shorter towards the top. Harold could finally see the crown but it was still a good half hours solid clime away.

Isis glanced back, appraising Harold’s remaining strength, considering whether to stop for a while, but Harold’s face showed no sign of his throbbing legs. The sun had only a few hours till it would set, though it was already dark in the shade of the hill.

Harold had often wondered who Sati had been, knowing the name of the closest forest to his home, but he now considered that she must not have been that nice an individual if she insisted on naming hills such as these after herself.

As they reached the higher most part of the hill the company stopped, Harold collapsing to the floor, gasping slightly. There were no trees on the summit, and the moon was beginning to rise as the sun set over the horizon.



Isis glided over to Harold, grinning wearily. Cintra flew around their chosen camping ground, silently ensuring that there were no enemies in the edges of the realm of the Wisps. As he came over to the two of them he chuckled merrily.

“You two shattered, no? Here, journey drink” the Wisp pulled a bottle, seemingly from nowhere.

The bottle was larger than the Wisp, though smaller than Harold was used to. Harold stared at the Wisp but Isis let out a gasp of longing.

“Is that what I think it is Cintra?” the snake asked.

The sprite poured three small thimble sized cupful’s and handed them around.

“Journey drink. It good. It make you happy and strong” the Wisp laughed as he drank from his cup.

“This is the ultimate drink Harold” Isis said, voice filled with awe. “I have tried to make it myself, but even with the gift my attempts were less than a shadow of the real thing. It is a true honour to be offered some of this by a Wisp.”

Harold thanked the Wisp, grinning that a drink would get Isis so worked up. He poured the entire cupful down his throat, less than a swallow.

Suddenly Harold was standing, laughing and dancing, he had no control of his legs, but that mattered none as he also had no control of his mind. The weariness from the days travel was gone, as was the slightly muted feeling form leaving his family.

Isis and Cintra were watching him giggling to themselves as the drink took effect in them. They had tried it before; they knew to take their time.

After twenty or so minutes the drink began to wear off. Harold was shocked to find himself on his hands and knees chasing after Isis.

After the interesting effects of the drink had worn off, the companions still felt refreshed and happy. Their guards were lowered and they finally felt truly at ease with each other.

“Another Harold” sung Cintra still feeling merry.

“The effects will not be there now. The body is used to them. The first drink needs to leave the body before you will be taken like that again” Isis assured him, giggling slightly as he remembered exactly how Harold had been.

Harold graciously accepted and the three talked as they drank through the drink.

“What happened the first time you drank this Isis?” Harold asked. Cintra burst out laughing, rolling in the air. Isis blushed and looked away, a chagrin covering his face.

Cintra broke the momentary silence “we came back from secret quest. He be in love with snake lady”

“Lina” Isis interrupted, a warm, yet sad smile forming

“Lina” said Cintra, “He decide to mate her, so I give him drink to give stamina. He have more than you and swallow it all. All gone. Instead going over and mating, he bay like wolf and chase round kitchen. Eats whole piggy. Not even dead. Brains go splat. Not allowed that much again. Must use own stamina in future”

Cintra burst into laughter; tears flowing down his face, Harold joined him, though his laughter was dulled by the look on Isis face.

Harold looked at Isis as he laughed, and Isis continued.

“After explaining what had happened, promising never to drink the stuff again, or have anything at all to do with mischievous Wisps“, Isis shot a glare at Cintra, who was spurned on to even more laughter, evidently reliving the experience in his memory, “I had a brilliant six and a half years with her, though I must admit I did continue to slip out and share the drink with my friend here”

“What happened” asked Harold

“She died”, Isis looked away “She went on a mission over towards Denson Forest. Gregor caught her.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked” Harold looked down.

“It’s neither here nor there my friend, it is the past. I have learned how to deal with it.”

“I never really knew love; I mean I really liked Oxyura, but love? I didn’t think I was old enough to understand it, let alone experience it. But I do love her. I have no idea when that changed, after I left the river I suppose.”

“I always knew she was beautiful, but I had never considered anything more. My mother used to tell me of the epics. Love at first sight; love so strong it could chain a Minotaur. I guess that was my problem. I don’t know about other animals, but I very much doubt ducks can be affected like that. I was told of this powerful emotion, and that was what I was expecting, not the pleasant contentment that is what love really is.”

Cintra grinned “Love be as strong as lovers allow. Contentment not love. Love lead to contentment, but love much more. Love make rain beautiful. Flowers bloom in love. Mountain burst into fire. Love not chain Minotaur though. Only Wisps chain Minotaur. Only when it dead.”

Harold’s mouth lay open. Never had he heard the Wisp speak so strongly about anything. Isis agreed.

“Love is a state of mind. You have been angry of late. The anger flowed through your entire being. It tainted all you saw and felt. Anger stops you from seeing the beauty of the world.”

“When you truly love someone, that love fills you. The world is a bright place, even on the most overcast days”

“I said that. Makes rain beautiful” Cintra snorted

Isis glared at him before continuing “anger gives you strength, but love lets you know that you can do anything for the one you feel for. Even knowing that Lina was going to die, I would have done nothing differently if I had that time over again. Well, maybe I would have insisted on going with her on the final mission, but who wouldn’t.”

“Are you saying that I don’t love Oxyura? I am pretty sure I do, and I definitely love Cara.”

“We are not saying anything Harold. We are just describing our experiences with love to you.”

“Who do you love Cintra?” Harold changed the focus of the subject.

“Who does he love other than himself, you mean?” Isis chuckled.

It was Cintra’s turn to frown at Isis, made all the more ominous due to the lack of the Wisps chuckle that had been almost constant since the bottle had been opened.

“My Queen is my heart” said Cintra. He sighed deeply before continuing. “She no love Cintra though. She think Cintra too obsessed with himself. She pretty and wise but not know me well. I am only little bit obsessed with self.”

Harold and Isis dissolved into a giggling fit with the serious manner in which Cintra had just spoken. The Wisp frowned and poured the last of the drink.

“Maybe I don’t love Oxyura. I mean I get along with her, enjoy her company and the like, but I can’t really talk to her. She is not a native; she does not know the language perfectly. She didn’t even remember my birthday last year.”

“Harsh” muttered Isis, stretching back onto the ground.

“She does know how to please me though, which is always a good thing. That’s something my dad told me. ‘if you can’t find someone who you love, at least try to find someone you like and who knows how to please you’.”

“Daddy wise man. Those good words. Only use them when older though. Love must be searched before give up”

“Yeah, I miss him. Did either of you know him. He apparently did a job for your organisation. I feel like I never really knew him after I found out. There were so many clues, but they only became clues with hindsight.”

“I met him once, not long after Lina died. I think my wailing had a lot to do with your father being called in. I never really spoke to him though. I was an inconsolable wreck at the time,”

Isis looked apologetically at Harold.

Harold was not paying any attention. His eyes were wide and his face showed only shock and horror. He was repeating what his father had told him over and over again.

Isis nudged him and his head snapped around.

“She never pleased me. Not until after we had left. I never lay with her. Not until long after she told me she was pregnant.”

Both Isis and Cintra were staring at him, mouths open looking truly aghast.

“I was a mess. My parents had both been slaughtered. I couldn’t think. She told me and I just believed her.”

But that wasn’t right. Harold thought. She had only said she was pregnant. She never said it was mine.

All three were stunned. Harold broke the silence.

“Bitch!” he yelled and collapsed in tears.