Black Crystal

by R A Oakes

  However, Aerylln’s depression would have to wait for another time for the sword started “singing” giving off a sound like a high-pitched tuning fork.

  Immediately, the outside wall began vibrating and quickly started shaking harder and harder. The whole room was now reverberating from shockwaves pouring out of the sword with dozens of large cracks snaking through all four stonewalls. Next, the sound emanating from the sword turned into a shrill, piercing howl. The entire room began buckling and heaving, and the outside wall collapsed sending tons of stones and debris flying into the surrounding field.

  Aerylln fell backward onto her bed watching as the sword disappeared along with the wall. The teenage girl thought, Mistress Xan is not going to be happy about this. She’s always telling me to pick up after myself and not leave my room a mess and now this.

  After the shockwaves subsided, Aerylln got off her bed and cautiously peeked through the gaping hole. To her surprise, the sword was in the middle of the rubble stuck firmly in the ground standing straight as an arrow with sunlight glistening off its blade and looking very regal.

  Once again, the sword began quivering but this time emitted a gentle, warm, comforting sound radiating outward and flowing across the surrounding hillside.

  Aerylln gasped as she caught sight of an approaching white horse. It was the most beautiful animal she’d ever seen. As it got closer, the young woman noticed the horse was wearing a jeweled necklace slung around its muscular neck. The gemstones were just like the ones in the sword’s handle.

  The jewels in both the necklace and the sword began shining brightly as they got closer to each other, and Aerylln wondered, Doesn’t this animal look like the horse my warrior was riding, the warrior who tossed this sword to me?

  However this horse was fresh, not battle weary, with a glistening coat and eyes that were most intriguing. They looked right into her, just as the warrior had.

  The powerful horse trotted up to the young woman nuzzling Aerylln’s outstretched palm. The animal’s breath was warm causing her hand to tingle and become considerably stronger, yet the teenage girl thought, Maybe it’s just my imagination. But it wasn’t.

  Suddenly an energy surge swept through Aerylln bringing with it a premonition that this horse would take her home, to her true home, one where she would always belong and never be asked to leave. Aerylln was close to tears as she realized all of this might indeed be preplanned, predestined. Living with Mistress Xan had been just a place for her to grow up, but now she was becoming a woman.

  With a bounding stride, she grasped the horse’s mane with both hands pulling herself up onto its back. Stretching out her right hand, the sword leapt into it. The sword felt at home in Aerylln’s grip, just as she felt at home on the horse’s back.

  The powerful, white horse began galloping away from the castle as Aerylln looked back over her shoulder at the collapsed wall of her room. The animal’s stride was long and graceful, its muscles rippling against her skin, and she felt the horse’s warmth on her legs since she was riding bareback. And the horse seemed to glide and gallop at the same time, so graceful were its motions. Aerylln held onto its mane and rode up close to the animal’s shoulders, once again feeling the horse’s muscles rippling against her own and being impressed with its strength.

  As the young woman charged over the hillside with her long, blond hair blowing in the wind, the horse seemed to sense her excitement and galloped even faster while the sword began “singing” again.

  Like an epiphany, it hit her that the horse and sword were happy. And with a thrill, Aerylln realized that so was she! After looking over her shoulder again at the crumbled stonewall receding in the distance, the teenage girl swung her sword in circles above her head. Equally enthusiastic, the horse leapt into the air, and the sword glowed, its jewels refracting the sunlight and filling the air around them with all the colors of a prism.

  Tilting her head back, Aerylln let out the loudest laugh she’d ever made and thought, Leaving my former life behind isn’t so bad.

  Throwing one last glance over her shoulder, she saw Mistress Xan on the upper turret of the castle. What’s different about her? Aerylln asked herself.

  Then it dawned on her.

  Mistress Xan had always been so serious, but now she’s smiling. Actually smiling! Aerylln thought feeling amazed.

  Aerylln could sense the sorceress’ emotions reaching out to her even at this distance from the castle, and the teenage girl was hit hard by a second realization and thought, Mistress Xan loves me! She really does!

  The young woman burst into tears of gratitude but also realized it was time to venture out on her own. As she rode across the seemingly endless countryside, Aerylln no longer felt alone in the world having found where she belonged. On the back of a valiant horse wielding a sword!

  Chapter 3

  On her sleek, white horse, Aerylln flew over the vast expanse of landscape as if she were a bird on the wing. She was like an eagle on horseback! A hawk commanding the heavens! A swallow singing its joy!

  Feeling a dryness in her throat, she thought, What I am most is thirsty, and I guess my horse needs a drink, too. Oh, and what shall I name her?

  “I already have a name. It’s Zorya,” a voice said in her mind as if by telepathy. And a second voice that had a musical quality filled her mind as well saying, “And my name is Baelfire.”

  Looking around her, Aerylln was confused. She was galloping along with no other riders in sight. Where did those voices come from? the young woman wondered.

  “I know where some water is. There’s a very nice stream over to our left by that grove of trees,” Zorya said trying to be helpful. Once more, Aerylln heard the voice between her ears, not with her ears.

  Stifling a yawn and hoping the voices were the result of fatigue, Aerylln thought, If I have a cool drink and a nap maybe I’ll feel better. And having no idea herself where to find water, she allowed the horse to turn and head towards the inviting grove of trees.

  Being so tired, Aerylln didn’t notice, but she did nothing to make Zorya veer to the left. The young woman didn’t nudge the horse or give it any sort of command, the animal just drifted off to the left when Aerylln decided to turn left, as if Zorya had read her mind.

  After stopping by a bubbling brook, Aerylln asked herself, What name did I think to call this beautiful animal? For she couldn’t imagine that the voices she’d heard were anything other than her own thoughts. However, she couldn’t remember hearing her own ideas spoken aloud in her mind before, but she did like the name after recalling what it was.

  “Zorya. What a pretty name,” she said to the magnificent animal while stroking her mane. Feeling the coolness of the air, Aerylln realized the water would be refreshing and slid off Zorya’s back. Running over to the shallow stream, the young woman took her shoes off, waded in up to her knees and bent down splashing water everywhere with her hands. Feeling parched again, she used both hands for a cup drinking her fill of the clear, fresh water.

  Zorya gracefully lowered her well-muscled neck, and the little stream bubbled around her snout as she gulped down an amazing amount of water.

  Having dropped her sword to the ground when slipping off Zorya’s back, Aerylln was surprised to see it stuck in the streambed with its handle moving gently back and forth as if enjoying the cool water flowing around it. Wading over to it and grasping the hilt, Aerylln thought, Yes, I’ll call this sword Baelfire, just like I decided earlier. The teenage girl still couldn’t believe that Baelfire had actually spoken to her.

  Excited over having such a beautiful sword for her very own, she ran splashing out of the water beaming from ear to ear while swinging Baelfire at the tall grasses along the banks of the stream. Aerylln’s dress was soaked and its hem dragging in the dirt, but without a care in the world, she ran along the stream bank swinging her sword at the abundant wild flowers.

  The young woman cut bunches and bunches of them creating a fragrant bed. Then, she threw herself down
onto it gasping for breath and feeling dizzy having been spinning ‘round and ‘round while swinging Baelfire.

  Aerylln lay with her mind drifting and feeling half-asleep when a shadow crept across her body. Slowly, the teenager realized the sun’s rays were no longer warming her face and became vaguely aware of a presence close to her. Opening her eyes, she couldn’t believe what she saw. A scraggly old man with matted hair, a rough beard, an eyelid closed with a scar running across it and rotting teeth was peering down at her.

  “Ahhh!” she shouted rolling away and scrambling to her feet.

  “Oh my, young lady, don’t be alarmed. I didn’t mean to disturb your rest,” the old man said in a comforting tone of voice. “I’m just feeling a bit tuckered myself and would like to join you, if you don’t mind.”

  “I don’t think so,” Aerylln said warily. “There are lots of wildflowers. Maybe you’d be more comfortable with your own bed under that oak tree.”

  Taking a handkerchief out of her dress pocket, the young woman covered her nose with it. She was disgusted by the vagrant’s filthy, sweat-stained shirt, and his body odor was appalling, Aerylln having the misfortune of being downwind.

  “Do you dress this nicely every day?” the vagrant asked wearing a wide grin seemingly unaware that his rotten teeth were making the young woman feel even more apprehensive.

  “My maidservant set this out for me this morning, and it’s nothing special, I assure you,” she said. Having lived a sheltered existence, Aerylln took having a personal servant for granted.

  “Well, the cloth seems expensive, let me feel it,” the vagrant said taking a step towards her.

  “I’d rather you didn’t, thank you,” Aerylln said taking a step backwards while relying on her breeding and good manners to get control of the situation.

  “I’ll bet you’re as comfortable as fresh straw, and as soft. And you’re very pretty, why I could look at you all day.”

  “You’ll not have the opportunity, please stand aside,” Aerylln said noticing that the vagrant was now between her and Baelfire.

  “Just let me touch your sleeve,” the vagrant pleaded.

  “Don’t you put a hand on me!” Aerylln shouted feeling decidedly uncomfortable and taking another step backwards. The young woman thought, I’ve been taught to be mannerly and polite, but that doesn’t seem to be helping. He’s too insistent.

  Trying to get around the old man, Aerylln moved quickly to her right, but the vagrant stepped into her path blocking her. Noticing that one of the vagrant’s knees was giving him trouble, the young woman took advantage of this weakness hiking up her skirts and attempting to run around him. Taken by surprise, the vagrant tried turning quickly but ended up howling in pain when his injured knee gave out. Pitching forward, the grizzled old man tried grabbing at Aerylln to break his fall but missed and made a loud grunt as he hit the ground.

  Shocked that the vagrant had fallen towards her almost getting hold of her skirt, Aerylln reached out for Baelfire even though the sword was yards away. But it didn’t matter, the magic sword leapt into her outstretched hand exuding an emotion akin to rage. The teenager had never experienced such anger before but was even more surprised when, seemingly of its own accord, her arm shot forward with a wicked thrust causing the vagrant to bury his face in the dirt and lay flat to avoid being skewered.

  Regaining her balance, Aerylln took a deep breath to steady her nerves while Baelfire began to glow. The young woman’s entire body seemed to be filled with strength beyond her imagination. Had Aerylln been worldlier and not lived such a sheltered life, Baelfire would have reacted with a swiftness that further would have surprised the teenager. But the sword had no desire to frighten her, only to protect her.

  With her shoulders squared and sword drawn back, Aerylln was ready to defend herself, pleased by the aura of confidence surrounding her.

  After the vagrant had struggled to his feet, the young woman took a step forward, and the grizzled old man stumbled and fell landing on the ground again, this time striking his skull against a rock. Putting a hand behind his head, he touched the stone but, oddly enough, discovered it was attached to a long, hairy post. Turning around, the vagrant realized it wasn’t a stone but a horse’s hoof he’d fallen against. Glancing up, he was stunned to find himself looking into the eyes of a very angry horse!

  Rearing up on her hind legs, Zorya tilted back her head, mane flying wildly in the wind, and let out a battle cry that terrified not only the man but Aerylln as well. Seeing the look of fear on the young woman’s face, Zorya, like Baelfire, didn’t want to frighten her further. So the powerful horse regained control of her emotions contenting herself with stamping the ground restlessly and snorting in anger at the man who’d dared bother her new master.

  Zorya had been grazing over in the next field when she’d heard Aerylln shout. What the horse saw when she looked up made her blood run cold. Her temper was so inflamed, and her desire to trample the vagrant was so overwhelming, that Zorya was frightened she’d accidentally injure Aerylln in her haste to get to the man himself.

  Also, the horse knew that Aerylln was unschooled in the arts of war. Thus, Zorya realized that her young master had never seen an enraged warhorse on the attack. In fact, Zorya wondered if Aerylln had ever witnessed a fight of any sort.

  Zorya drew on all her strength, not for an attack, but to hold herself in check, lest she further traumatize Aerylln by crushing the vagrant right in front of her. The warhorse felt it might be a long time, if ever, before the teenage girl enjoyed hearing an enemy’s bones snapping during battle. Zorya thought, Is Aerylln up to the challenge of being Baelfire’s heir and mine? She’s the last of her line, so I certainly hope so.

  As for the warhorse, the sound of an enemy screaming in pain was like an energizing elixir and one of the spoils of war that Zorya truly loved, even better was the eerie silence that blanketed a battlefield after the last enemy warrior had been vanquished. The profound stillness was a proclamation of victory! Only later, days later, in her heart of hearts, could the warhorse finally admit to herself how afraid she’d actually been and how good it was to be alive.

  But for now, life was good, and Zorya took pleasure in standing next to the vagrant while stomping her hooves, snorting and watching the look of fear on the man’s face. The warhorse knew she could crush his skull with the flick of a hoof. So easy to dispatch this one, she thought. So easy, and so well-deserved.

  Zorya made a quick, vicious move with her head, whipping her snout at the man with her powerful neck causing the vagrant to stumble again and fall flat on his back. Then the warhorse contented herself with the enjoyable sensation of seething in anger. It wasn’t much, but Zorya had to think first of the well-being of Aerylln, who at this point was still almost as frightened as the man himself. I hope she doesn’t go into shock, the horse thought.

  But to Zorya’s relief, she heard a sound she’d been comforted by many times after many battles. It was Baelfire “singing” gently to both her and Aerylln, a sound that never failed to calm the warhorse’s inner turmoil.

  The sword’s “singing” also appeared to soothe the old man, who pulled himself together, walked over to Aerylln and said, “You certainly aren’t a very good hostess, young lady. Being a good neighbor, I came over to welcome you, and you had the audacity to draw your sword on me.”

  Aerylln was taken aback. After all, Mistress Xan had always stressed the value of good manners emphasizing over and over how important it was to treat guests well.

  “But you tried to grab me,” Aerylln protested, though wondering if the vagrant’s action had been accidental. Having never seen anyone attacked before, the young woman thought, Certainly, there must be a reasonable explanation.

  “I’m sorry. I’m an old man and simply lost my balance. I’ve an injured knee and only one eye, as you can plainly see. If my infirmities kept me from being agile enough to play the role of a gentleman properly, then you have my sincerest apologies,” he said sadly,
then sighed forlornly while looking at the ground.

  “I don’t believe this,” Zorya mumbled.

  “Patience, patience,” the sword counseled. “Aerylln has to learn for herself and develop her own opinions.”

  “I know, I know,” the horse said in resignation.

  The vagrant grimaced while hobbling about a little wanting to gain Aerylln’s sympathy. Seeing the concerned look on her face, he smiled and said, “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Smig, and I manage an inn on the village square. As an apology for this unfortunate and regrettable misunderstanding, please let me offer you lodging for the night and a warm meal.”

  “Well, thank you, but first, who does the laundry around here? My dress is soiled, and I’ll need a fresh one for tomorrow,” Aerylln said.

  “Oh, you can give it to my wife before going to bed.

  She’ll be sure it’s washed and mended before breakfast,” Smig said lying easily, having neither a wife nor an inn. But his shrewd eyes did notice the coin purse hanging from a cloth belt around Aerylln’s waist.

  “That’s most kind of you, truly,” Aerylln said feeling a little guilty and wondering if she’d misjudged the man’s intentions.

  “Think nothing of it,” Smig said bowing gallantly.

  “I should have crushed his skull while I had the chance,” Zorya said under her breath.

  “Patience, patience,” Baelfire counseled once more.

  “You’ll love our peaceful village. It’s an oasis of law—

  abiding citizens, and we’ve two full-time marshals and severe punishments for troublemakers,” Smig said lying effortlessly, though his words were a comfort to Aerylln who tried to see the good in everyone.

  After guiding them to the village, Smig made a grand sweeping gesture with his hand saying, “Young lady, I promise you a pleasant evening you’ll long remember.”

  “I think I’m going to be sick,” Zorya said.

  “Patience,” Baelfire said again, but she, too, was getting a little tired of Smig’s nonsense.