Unable to hold back the trampling thoughts another moment, he decided to make for the axe. If nothing else, he needed to see the glow to confirm his mother yet lived. He silently slid out of bed and tip-toed to the door of his room. As he peered out the opening, he could see Lizzy still up, playing with Hamar and Sydandra. He slowly opened the door, which he long ago treated with oil after suffering the punishment that creaking doors will have on a small boy’s attempted late-night excursions. He risked opening it just far enough for him to slip out, which he did without notice. He quickly scampered down the hall to his father’s room, hugging the side of the hall, which Lizzy decorated with tables and chairs. He used them for cover on this important mission. Jedrek also used the shadows along the walls to hide, having no fear of dark places or the monsters that can call them home. He defeated every monster ever imagined in his playful mind, and he dared another to show its woeful face.
He tried the door to his father’s room. The firm knob confirming his suspicions. In his mind, such trickery as locked doors were the work of an evil warlock, but it would only be the slightest setback for the determined warrior. He took the deepest pride in that he explored every space of his kingdom many times, the land he called Home.
Yes, at times the enemy ruined, nay, delayed his exploratory missions. But always, the missions were completed against the many odds and dangers stacked against him. With his successes and the vast information of the Land of Home flowing through his mind, he quickly slipped into the recessed space between the cabinet and the wall. He pressed his arms and legs against both and quickly scampered to the top of the cabinet. Just across the hall was a small vent, one he used to enter his father’s room undetected. To date, this method of entrance was unknown to the enemy. Of course, if the enemy discovered his methods, he would merely find another. The enemy, when she found his attempts, enjoyed torturing him with spankings. They were worth the risk, for Jedrek considered them the price of war.
He leapt to the vent, grasping the bottom edge with his hands while his bare feet softly landed against the wall. A ghost could not have made less noise traversing the hall.
Out in the living room, Lizzy sensed movement behind her and turned to see what it was. “Jedrek?” she asked, looking toward the shadows. Seeing and hearing nothing more, she continued to her play with her children.
Jedrek’s neck goose-bumped up, knowing he had just missed notifying the beasts who infiltrated his land of his presence. Seeing the threat passed, he proceeded on his mission.
He snaked through the vent, making sure it quietly lowered back down. He then let himself dangle off the ledge in the pitch-dark room. Trusting his reconnaissance information about the lay of the land, he dropped out of faith into the dark abyss below. He landed with a thud on the solid table, which was exactly where he expected it to be. He could not avoid the solid sound. If the journey went as planned, it would be the only chance to alert the guard in the living room of his movement. At a severe price, he endured the agony of patience as he listened intently, worried Lizzy may have heard the noise signaling his stealthy night mission. Nothing came down the hall, the pain of the test worth the reward.
The room was dark as sin and Jedrek prayed the beasts that inhabited his father’s room lay asleep, as he had no weapon of which to speak. The need of his sword crept into his mind. He was embarrassed that he attempted the mission without one. The point of no return long passed, he pressed on.
Jedrek stepped down off the table, onto the chair and then to the floor. He ever so slowly stepped into the darkness, his cold bare feet feeling every cool stone. There was nary a single spec of floor that was foreign to his confident feet.
His hands found the bed where it should be. Then he found the table sitting in front of it, which he deftly maneuvered. Everything lay exactly where he anticipated it to be, so particular was his father. On purpose and by design, Jedrek preferred a disheveled room. There would be no sneaking into his palace, not while it was under his command.
Without fear, he left the corner of the bed and stepped into another void, the open floor between the bed and the fireplace. In his mind, there were no more obstacles between him and the smallest of lights but his hands frantically felt the darkness for some object set in his path, anything that could malign his mission. There was no room for error, not now, not when the prize was so close.
Just at the moment he expected it, his hand found the hard, stone hearth of the fireplace that was in the corner of the room. To the side and quickly down, he found everything where he expected it to be. Jedrek tried to slow his anxious hands but they were running wild. He stopped himself and took a deep breath, calming his nerves. Then he continued the search, under constrained control.
So complete and predictable was the obsessive compulsion of Lizzy to keep everything in its place, much to her folly and the young warrior’s delight. In the expected order, he found the small can of igniting oil, the fire striker and the kindling that lay in the pit. Working the oil as he had done a thousand times, he then clicked the striker, which brought forth the smallest of flames to a roaring light. The coward darkness gave up without the slightest fight, as it always did when presented with even the smallest of light.
Matches burned larger, but the small flame was all he would risk. His shadow announced his triumphant presence, which made him seem as if a giant to the farthest corners of the darkened room. His shaded silhouette reached for the axe, his spectral hand passing through the leather pouch. He would need to climb the bed and was ready for the last trek of his mission.
At any other time, on any other mission, this feat would have been cause for celebration in and of itself. So vital was this mission to his hopeful rest that his attention took no time for cheers, as upon the wall above his father’s bed he saw the prize. His father’s axe, in its usual place, hung there, taunting him. Jedrek stood there for a second, admiring from a distance what would soon be in his hands. The last time he held it the power flowing through him was invigorating beyond his imagination and exhilarating beyond his control. Unbeknownst to him, the power came not from the axe but from the love of his mother that wrapped around his soul in an all-encompassing embrace.
Also, unknown to any was that in that single embrace, Milan passed on much of her remaining strength to her son, to live and grow in his heart. Only after she was done, did she allow Herrog to enter the scene, without a trace that she had already been there. Though painful to her, she knew his engagement of Jedrek was a necessary evil if they had any chance to win the war.
Jedrek was moments away from another encounter with his mother, one that he couldn’t get to fast enough. The last leg of the mission stood before him, one that would be the easiest. He climbed the stool, ascended to the top of the table and gingerly stepped onto the bed. Fortunately, for Jedrek, his father’s bed was only slightly softer than granite. His own bed did not allow for sneaking as it creaked and croaked with every move during the night, but he happily pounced across his father’s bed in a sort of a victory dance to the headboard. The ease of this last step seeming almost unfair, but such is the spoils of victory. He mounted the headboard as if rising up a ladder and attained his mighty prize.
Jedrek gleefully leapt off the wall and skillfully rolled to a stop sitting up on the bed. He lifted the leather casing that held the secret within, moments away from the glorious reunion with his mother. As if opening a surprise gift on a birthday morning, with another price of patience paid, he eventually found the axe handle inside. With a last tug at the leather casing, he pulled the axe from its sheath and triumphantly held it high as again the love of his mother enveloped him tightly.
He marveled as the stone blazed to life again, lighting the room in a beautiful red glow, eclipsing the small light from his tiny fire. The magic happened though, as he expected it would, when he closed his eyes. Immediately he could see Milan standing before him, his mother admiring her son and his courage. In him all her hopes and dreams rested, in him a
ll her love was given, and in him most of the power of her stone bestowed. So lovely and great was the moment that Jedrek was terrified to ever open his eyes, knowing the moment would pass.
Not eager to go on, Jedrek held his eyes shut tight and he fell back into his father’s familiar pillow and laid there until he fell fast asleep. His arms wrapped around the axe and the light of his mother burning into to his heart.
Jedrek dreamed a brilliant and amazing dream. His mother was walking him through a most elegantly beautiful garden, her soft hand holding his. She kept turning to him to take another look at her growing boy. He could feel how proud she was of him. Her smile warmed him, he felt like there was nothing he couldn’t do.
They continued walking as she led him through a wooded forest but she did not speak to him. Finally, they reached the edge of a hill. It overlooked the frozen sea in one direction and an open valley in the other. They stood together above and watched a terrible battle before them in the valley. Creatures of all kinds were fighting, good and evil. Then the ground shook all around him and the valley floor below seemed to crack open as a giant demon climbed out. The evil serpent eyed him. Jedrek hid behind his mother, hoping the creature would cease to be.
Then Milan bent down and pulled up Jedrek in front of her, “You are my son and I love you. Do not be afraid! You need to send the army to save them. Can you do that?” Her eyes looked into him, placing her hand over his heart. Jedrek could not let her down.
“Yes,” the little boy uttered, trying to sound brave.
“I love you and I will see you again,” Milan’s voice echoed in Jedrek’s head. In a moment, she was gone. He stood alone, overlooking the battle and the demon below. He stood there with nothing except his father’s axe in his hands. His heart ached for his mother that was gone, but he tried to concentrate on the fight below that continued to rage. He would not let a tear fall before the demon.
Though the dream ended in a disheartened fashion, he rested a thousand rests and grew strong beyond his years in those moments as he basked in the light of his mother’s love that emitted from the jewel. His courage emboldened, he was ready to charge the battle alone and defy the beast that threatened all that was good. From somewhere unseen, he was jolted from his slumber, the dream interrupted.
Lizzy stood over him, scolding, “How did you get in here? You need to put that axe away!” Lizzy pried the axe from Jedrek, placing it back in its covering and high above the bed. Though he was saddened to let it go, the warmth transferred to him while he held the axe blessed him and did not fade away. It stayed with him and it always would.
Lizzy then led him back to his room, putting Jedrek back to sleep in his bed despite his protests. “We need to send the army Lizzy!” Jedrek implored her. Lizzy would not hear it, wanting to go to bed herself.
“In the morning Jedrek, we can discuss it in the morning,” Lizzy consoled the sobbing Jedrek, his concern for his father overtaking him. He could not win, and Lizzy forced him to go to sleep. He was dreadfully tired, and his weariness quickly took him.
Unlike so many other dreams that drifted away within moments of their occurrence, this one did not leave Jedrek’s mind and did not diminish throughout the night. If anything, it grew more powerful and brilliant, having the entire scene occur again from start to finish. He continued to replay it over and over again in his mind, hanging on every word his mother spoke. He also concentrated on the softness of her skin and the twinkles in her eyes that flashed like the sparkles of a stream on a hot summer day. The thunderous presence of it slapped him back awake in the morning, presenting him with an even more daunting mission. A new mission rose before him and he had to convince the others the dream was real.
Jedrek woke long before Lizzy came to get him. He dressed fervently and raced to breakfast, where he saw the victim of his next task as Seran sat alone, eating her breakfast.
“Where is Lizzy?” Seran asked Jedrek, surprised to see him there alone.
“She did not come for me yet, so I came alone,” he answered as he climbed the bench, sitting next to her.
Seran loved children and wrapped Jedrek in her arm. “Would you like something to eat?” she asked. She didn’t wait for the answer though and began cutting smaller pieces of food from her plate for him.
He took several bites and a drink to wash it down. Then he sat higher on his knees, so he could look her in the eyes. “Seran, I had a dream last night. I saw my mom!” Jedrek burst in excitement, unable to hold back any longer.
Something about the earnestness of his story grabbed Seran’s attention. “You did? What did she say?”
“Nothing at first, but then I saw a great battle with goblins, dwarves, gargoyles, dragons and harpies. Erol and Gile were there too!” Jedrek’s arms were swinging wildly as he described the scene from his dream. Seran was amused at how animated Jedrek became as he told the story, every detail coming forth with amazing detail.
“I’ll bet that was from one of your father’s stories of a battle long ago, you need not worry about that,” Seran told him, trying to get him to eat.
“No, it is of a battle still to come. My father needs help! My mother said so. She said to tell you to send the dwarf army to help them. Will you do that? Please send them!” Jedrek was worked up and beginning to cry as he lost his control. Seran grew concerned at how wrapped up he was in the dream and hoped he would calm down.
“Easy Jedrek, it was just a dream. We have already sent our army. There are no more to send.” It pained her to say so, wishing she was with them in battle.
“It was not just a dream. I was holding my father’s axe and I saw my mom. She told me!”
The hair on her neck stood straight. She knew full well the connection from the axe to Milan. If it was true, her husband and many of her sons were in danger, as was the entire dwarf army.
Lizzy frantically ran into the hall, grabbing Jedrek’s arm and jerking him around toward her, “Jedrek, you may someday be King, but as for now you report to me. You do not go sneaking off, do you hear me?” as she finished her course words, she saw the tears in Jedrek’s eyes. Her tone quickly changed, “What? Did I hurt your arm? What is the matter?”
Seran said to her, “Jedrek was telling me about his dream last night. Did he have his father’s axe?”
Lizzy felt under attack, “He snuck by me, again. Yes, he had it. He climbed into his father’s bed, above the headboard and took it down. I found him sleeping there holding the axe, looking as restful as I have ever seen him. Although I don’t know how he could have possibly been sleeping, the stone was glowing brighter than I had ever seen it before.”
Seran pulled Jedrek back around, finally believing his story, “It is true, isn’t it?”
Jedrek emphatically shook his head yes toward Seran. His second mission in as many days successful. Though Seran believed Jedrek, she knew not what to do next.
Shortly after midday, Seran called a meeting, which she invited Skyler, Taylor and Kylee to. Lizzy and Jedrek also attended.
“Well, this is quite a group we have to possibly decide the fate of the good people of Lemuria,” Seran snickered dramatically, forcing a smile to her face as she remembered how young everyone was. “Jedrek, please tell Skyler and his friends about your dream.”
Jedrek quickly went into it, again telling his story, word for word, as he told Seran. As he went on, Seran was more convinced than ever that Milan did appear to him and there was a dire need in the north.
When Jedrek finished telling his entire dream, Skyler sat still, astonished. “That sounds just like the area past the fishing village by the Ice Berg Sea. There is a wooded hill overlooking it. That must be what he saw.”
“That must be it,” Taylor agreed, certain it was the place. In the two weeks since they arrived back, his injuries had greatly healed. It was time for them to go.
Kylee sheepishly looked around those at the table, uncertain whether to speak. With his head bent low, as he ashamedly mumbled, “That is where
the attack was set to happen.”
“Why didn’t you tell us before now?” Skyler asked at him, trying to understand his friend.
“I forgot!” Kylee blurted. Seran wiped her eyes in disbelief. In the few weeks since their first meeting, Seran grew to appreciate the kindness and loyalty of the troll. She also discovered the frustration, at times, of having him around. But, as she knew well, you didn’t get one without the other.
“Is there anything else you forgot?” Taylor asked sharply, admonishing him.
Kylee thought for a moment and then conceded, “No, not that I can remember.”
Seran had enough of them and sent Lizzy and Jedrek away. “Who can we send? We have no army?” She looked to them for answers, hoping they knew of a group both loyal enough and large enough to take the mission.
“What of Darrow? Perhaps his men and a few of the Hill’s men could go. We could get them and head north. If we marched hard, we could be there within half a moon cycle,” Skyler said, getting antsy to leave the mountain with another mission. Knowing a war was taking place so far from him was driving him crazy.
“That is not a bad idea,” Seran admitted, thinking carefully over all option presented.
“What else can we do?” Taylor asked. “Is that even enough men? It would only be several hundred at the most. We need a thousand or more at the very least. A few hundred won’t do against the army we saw.” Taylor saw little hope in the plan and hoped for better.
“A few hundred stout soldiers may be all we have,” Skyler added, hoping to strengthen his friend’s resolve.
Seran turned toward Skyler, “I believe that is the best we can do. Skyler, you should make for the Dragon Glades and Taylor and Kylee, you should strike for the Hills. Gather as many as you can and meet on the north road. When you get back together, push hard across the desert for the sea. I should not think you would encounter much resistance, as the enemy’s focus is already to Calonia. I pray you arrive in time.”
The Three Charms Page 25
