by A L Wright
“So, you have records on all that has transpired since our departure?” Hudreia asked.
“Oh yes. That and so much more.” She held out the book in her hands to Mortul.
Not quite sure he was ready to spill out all his bad memories so quickly, he took the book from her. “Please sit, everyone. I am sure my two friends have come for a reason, but I insist that we discuss something in particular first.” Mortul sat down at his desk, laying the book down. “Let me tell you of the woman I did love, long ago.”
Chapter 11
Feeling quite emotionally drained after telling them of his Samana and her ending bringing their son into the world, he stopped talking. Thankfully no one said anything while he wrestled his emotions back under control.
After a long moment, he cleared his throat and continued. “After her death I never let any of our Nobles pick a Chosen out of love. All the Choosings have been done via contract to promote fairness and to bolster our readiness should we ever face war again. I could not let any other Noble fall for a human and be torn apart the way we had been. A love sealed by Slumber is eternal. And eternal heartbreak is not something I wish upon any Noble.”
Getting up from his desk he walked over to the table where he left his glass. After topping it off, he sat back down. He took a small sip and continued his story.
“It all worked quite well until my son's choosing. I did not know he had come to fall for a human woman, and when he asked to be the next to take a Chosen I was happy to comply. He had been a bit wild and never had taken interest in the contracts or sitting in on the Council. I had hoped he was coming around to learning the way of ruling over our kind. But alas, he and his Chosen fell under the same curse as my Samana and I had.”
Hudreia spoke up, “I take it that she did not survive then?”
“No. It's been almost twenty years since I have seen my son, twenty years since his chosen died bringing forth their daughter. Dartein tried everything he could think of to save her, even after I warned him that nothing would help. The only thing that could have been done would be to alter the spells in my chamber to change her back to human. I had refused to do that, because in doing so we would no longer be able to grow as a race. No longer be secure in a way to protect the lands from the Enemy.”
“You were right in your thinking. The Enemy has indeed returned despite our efforts at keeping them at bay,” Yosan said. “It was very clever, and wise, of you to continue our kind. We will need every bit of help when they finally break free of their earthly holdings and march on us.”
Hudreia laid her hand on Yosan's knee, silencing him. “I quite agree with Yosan. I do wonder then... since only our blood could open the crypt where our chambers were buried, did your son visit there in his quest to save his lady?”
“Yes, that is one reason we came to you now. We were there on our way through and the triggers had been set off, but there was no sign of forced entry,” Yosan added.
“Of course, I did not think of that then. He came back defeated and miserable. He must have found that there was no way he could move those chambers. Only the creators could move them and neither of you were around. Whilst he was away his Chosen went into labor. Dartein came back just as she gave birth and died. He never stayed long enough after to tell me of what his journey had revealed to him. I do know that he had used the blood secret of our kind. He was crazed when he came upon his dying lady. He took the baby and left that very night, his lady's personal guard with him. I know he is still alive. I would feel it if he were not.”
“Both he and the child must be fairly powerful, then, if they were born directly of your bloodline,” Hudreia said.
“Ah well, that brings me to my main reason for meeting with you in a sealed room. My son was quite powerful, more strong and quick than magical. I do believe had I taken the time to teach him, he could have been fairly adept with magick. But his daughter, now there would be far more potential in that one.” Mortul flipped open the book and turned it towards Yosan. “You see, Kurmeina had just recently traced my son's Chosen's lineage back and found a connection to you, Yosan. More directly, though, to your son.”
The raised brows on Yosan's face were the only indicator of his surprise. He laid a finger on his son's name on the page. “Alton. It has been many a long year since I have seen or spoken that name.”
“I would not speak ill of your kin, but it seems that he had a knack for magic as well. But with no teacher he abused his powers for small gains. He won over the daughter of a wealthy merchant and after he ensorcelled her to his will and despoiled her, the father gathered some men and hunted him down. After her father captured and killed Anton he found out that his daughter was pregnant. He turned her out of his house and she gave birth in a small convent. The ladies of the church kept the child, but cast her out for having the taint of someone who would succumb to evil magicks. The book shows the rest of the lineage down to the name of my son's Chosen, Josaleene. Their child is of both our blood. And after discovering this, I am in need of finding the child. She could be dangerous.” He drained his glass of its contents, his story finished.
Hudreia stood from her chair. “She may be as you say, dangerous. She may also be our best potential ally. If we could find her and train both her and your son, we would be even stronger than we were in the last war.”
She began to pace back and forth in front of hers and Yosan's chairs. Yosan sat back in his chair, staring at empty space, thoughts of his son flitting through his mind.
“This is what Mordred meant!” Hudreia stopped pacing suddenly.
“Mordred?” Mortul asked, confused.
Not hearing him she continued. “She spoke about one who was 'of Mortul' and that he and his bloodline were key to winning this war.” She looked over at Yosan, who nodded after coming back to attention, remembering the conversation with the seer.
“You have seen Mordred?” Mortul prompted her.
“Yes, yes she was at the grounds where the chambers are buried. I thought it odd for her to be haunting that area still. But she sent us to you after we saw your chamber was missing and that the triggers had been set off,” said Yosan.
“She is still as cryptic as ever, too, it seems. But I believe we now have a united purpose, to find my son and granddaughter. Maybe eventually Mordred will come around and actually help with this war instead of haunting us from afar.” Mortul stood back up from his chair. “I invite the two of you to stay as honored guests here. Please, get to know the members of the Court, assess their abilities and prepare them to begin gathering in the necessary resources for war. They will be counseled to defer to you as they would to me. In the meantime, we will send rangers out with messages for my son, and figure out a way to convince him to join the war efforts here.”
Chapter 12
Convincing Tynen to let them come with him to deliver the message was not easy. Even if he did like Friesa, he was afraid of Nikka's father. Rightly so. He was a dangerous man. And Victor was an added danger.
But Nikka knew that her father would never let her go even if she asked him. She so wanted to know more about their kind. Wanted to know more about the Slumber, the Chamber and even her grandfather. She figured it was only fair for her to know, since she was the Princess. Whatever that truly meant.
Her habit of rising just before sunset served them well that day. She rose and woke up Tynen and Friesa. Most of their stuff was ready to go, they just had to saddle up and head out. It would be a while before anyone noticed them gone. Her father and Victor were off to the village again, and most of the rangers were on another hunt. But just in case, they rode out as early as possible.
The trek shouldn't be too difficult, a couple nights over scrubby plains and onto the grasslands that would lead them to the rivers just before her Grandfather's Village.
Victor had spoken of the Village, Noble's Rest, only a couple of times before. It was called that because her Grandfather had trekked all over the lands to find a place to esta
blish a new foothold for the war-torn humans to feel safe, and begin rebuilding their lives. He said it had started as a small fishing village but was now a very large hamlet and center of trade for the outlying villages.
She loved hearing about the amazing things her Grandfather had done to help the humans after the Ancient War. Her father did not speak much of The Patriarch, the village or his past. Victor was the only one who would tell her anything of her family. And that only came in odd bits and pieces
They had not gotten too far away from the keep when the odor of goblins hit them. Dismounting they led their horses down into a rocky wash and waited as the smell grew stronger. Poor Friesa had no idea what was going on, but was smart enough to keep quiet.
Nikka and Tynen looked out over the grasslands, their eyes following the scent, searching for the enemy.
They spotted a large group north west of their hiding spot, traveling through the tall grasses. A few of their bald heads and spear tips were all you could see. But Nikka could smell more than a few. There were at least a couple dozen of them, looking to be heading north into the Lothnau Forest. They didn't seem to have any of their wolves along, which was good for them, they were out of range for the goblins to sense them... but the wolves could have smelled them easily upon the breeze.
They stood still in the wash for a good thirty minutes after the goblins had finally passed, their odor gone with them.
“Come now,” Tynen said. He led his mare up and out of the wash.
“What was it, why did we stop?” Friesa asked quietly.
“Goblins. We could smell them from a ways off. Looked to be twenty to thirty of them. No wolves though. Come on, we have to make up some lost time.” Nikka finished double checking her mounts saddle straps and led the horse up and out.
Tynen was mounted and waiting for them. “Come now, both of you. Let's make haste to the other side of the river. Then we will seek shelter and rest.”
After the girls mounted, Tynen turned and trotted off leaving them to follow quickly behind.
The rest of the night was quiet, yet full of life. Crickets chirped in the grass. Hawks and owls swooped and hunted the fields for mice. You could hear frogs croaking as they neared the river.
“Looks like the old bridge is washed out. No one has come through here in many years to see to its repair. We will follow the water down and find a shallower crossing.” Tynen turned his horse to follow the water downstream.
They rode some ways before finding a wide and shallow area to cross, the horses picking their way through with sure feet. Nikka kept a close eye on Friesa, but her friend was as sure of herself as her horse was. Nikka was always impressed when she thought of her friend's adaptation to their lifestyle. She seemed to fit in with them perfectly.
Looking over at Tynen, she knew Friesa had plenty of reasons to want to adjust and fit in. She watched as Tynen also kept a close eye on Friesa as her horse waded through the water, watching but keeping his distance. As he always did. She knew it was frustrating for her friend that this man liked her so much but kept his distance. Nikka could not understand why on earth he would torture himself like that.
They came up and out of the river, checking to make sure all their packs were still attached to their saddles. Once they reached the grasses again they dismounted to check their horses’ shoes. Having a rock lodged in a shoe would be disastrous for their mounts should they have need to run.
Freeing a small stone from her mare's hoof, Nikka smiled to herself. Not too long ago they didn't venture very far with their horses, not having any shoes to spare. Now they were all fitted with well-made shoes, thanks to the girl her father had brought home to them.
She looked over to Friesa and smiled at her. As she looked at her she also noticed the skyline was just beginning to lighten. Placing her horse's hoof back to the ground she looked to Tynen.
“We had better move on. We may get caught in the sun, and I don't fancy setting up a tent in these short grasses. We will be seen too easily.”
He nodded her way, having already been done with checking his horse's hooves. “If we ride west and south, we will intersect the road and make faster time.”
Nikka did not think that they needed faster time rather than a place to camp, but he had traveled much more than she, so didn't argue. They all mounted up again and galloped on in the direction Tynen led them.
Chapter 13
Well I must say, Mortul has done a fine job swelling his ranks with our kind. It must have been hard work doing all this alone. I can only dare to think what we could have accomplished had we stayed to help him.” Hudreia lounged on a recliner on the shared balcony of the set of rooms they were given.
“Oh yes, because we would have been so much better off living like Lords, taking whatever we wanted from those around us.” Yosan snorted. He had several books open on the table in front of him. One of which was the lineage book showing his ties to Mortul's granddaughter. Her name was not in the book, since no one here knew it. The branch just ended in a blank lined space, with the symbol for “female” in front of it.
“You are so dramatic, even after all these centuries. Yes, I am sure we would not have been much help at first. But maybe we should have checked on things here after the first couple hundred years. Or even after the half millennia mark! Think about it Yosan, the things we had learned...we could have added strength to his armies much earlier on.” She rolled a glass of red wine between her palms, deep in thought.
Hudreia knew that Yosan knew of what she was thinking. About five hundred and fifty years ago, give or take a few decades, they had been living as horse breeders, their chosen trade of the time. Their herd of horses were large and swift, and made them a small fortune.
It had been a relatively peaceful time then. Not much was heard of the Enemy, leaving them to live in a quiet state. Without goblins to fight, it left their minds to wander in other directions, such as perfecting their then current breeding techniques.
Once they had succeeded in breeding the best horse possible via natural means, Yosan believed they could improve upon them further using their own blood. She had went along with it, out of boredom, out of curiosity. They knew that their kind could not procreate so they gave the mother horse injections into the womb from the early stages of pregnancy on. Hudreia always made sure she kept the mares calm using a bit of magic, ensuring they caused them no pain. She may be an immortal magic wielding blood drinker, but she was no monster.
They did not test it too much, thus only two horses were born from these experiments. They were incredibly intelligent creatures, strong and swift. They were both about eighteen hands tall and could outrun any other horse put next to it. They ate incredible amounts of food, as they put out quite a lot of energy that constantly needed replenished.
Their horses are what earned Yosan his nickname, The Dark Horse, as their mounts cast quite a long shadow in the day light. And in the night, they were completely unfettered by the darkness, and moved with the surety of cats.
It also just so happened that the horses were immortal as well.
When she turned her head, she found Yosan staring at her. She rose and set her glass down on the small marble table next to her recliner. Sauntering over to him, he watched her the entire way.
“Even if it were only a few years ago, darling, we could have bred an entire herd of dark horses for his warriors.” She strung her hands around his neck, lacing her fingers together. “Think of the advantage!”
Yosan stood suddenly, and she almost broke her hold as he rose up in front of her. He was much taller than her. As she was rising to her toes to keep her hold he swept her up in his arms and strode over to her bed.
“Well there is one good thing about being in a Lord's manor. The beds are exquisitely comfortable.” He leaned in and kissed her slowly, intimately.
She knew he was just trying to quiet her. This was typical of him. She usually let him get away with it, too. Mainly because she adored when he showed
his softer side to her. But she was much too distracted by all they had seen and learned over the last few days to be easily dissuaded.
Hooking her leg behind his knee she flipped him over onto his back and straddled him.
“We could still do it. We could still begin the process of breeding a herd for the army.” She leaned in and kissed him deeply. Drawing back, she unbuttoned his shirt and drew it open. “We could borrow from Mortul's resources here, he has several breeders we could pull stock from to start with. I'm sure the humans would sell more breeders or even pregnant mares to the Patriarch if he asked.” She leaned in and licked around his right nipple, nipping at it as her tongue passed it by. “We could hand select the breeding stock, instead of taking years to breed them up ourselves.” She licked around his left nipple, biting a touch harder this time.
Yosan sucked in a sharp breath each time she bit.
Smiling to herself she traced her tongue down to his navel. “We could bring several Nobles with us, to help get things started and to continue it after we have need to be elsewhere.” Her tongue moved in circles around his navel, while she undid his belt and loosened his pants. What do you think, darling, yes or no?” She looked up at him with a pleading gaze, seeing in his eyes that her foreplay had him well turned on.
“Alright. It sounds reasonable enough, but you will be the one negotiating with Mortul for the resources,” Yosan said to her, his voice husky.
Hudreia smiled widely. “Oh no worries, darling, I'm quite good at negotiations,” she said breathily as she bent forward and moved her mouth further down his body.
