by Linn Tesli
At least the issue of food had been solved. What they needed next was a place to hide Ayva for as long as necessary.
When Ayva had finished, Everine wrapped her close to her chest again and stepped out onto the deck of the ship. The few passengers had all gathered to prepare to disembark, even though the docks were still a good distance away. The men who worked the ship were preoccupied, tending to their duties. A few merchants scattered around deck were checking their wares, all the while watching each other with suspicious eyes. Protecting their cargo was clearly their main concern. They paid Everine no attention.
They kept their trade secrets close to their chests and would trip each other up if given the opportunity. A lot had changed since the old times, when the traders would have been friendly toward one another.
An unfamiliar man stood by the rail, facing the busy harbor. He looked more or less human, with a dense build and square features, but as the first morning light touched his skin, it radiated.
His skin appeared to be made almost entirely of warm desert sand blended with tiny specks of gold. Neither his orange leather vest nor ragged black shorts could hide his brawny body. The man was also exceptionally large—more than any human or Devling Everine had ever encountered. He fascinated her beyond her understanding.
One of the crew offered her a drink of water.
“No, thank you. But if you do not mind me asking, what is he?” She nodded toward the traveler. The sailor followed her gaze and frowned.
“He is called Birken. An Earthling, miss. I would not approach him if I were you. A lady like yourself should not get involved with Devlings in his line of work.” The sailor excused himself and went back to his chores.
The Devlings, though related to humans, were not quite the same. Devlings, including, among others, Sirens and Silverlings, possessed similarities to humans, such as a shorter life span than most creatures. They differed in appearance and strength, however. Earthlings were among the most secluded Devlings in Aradria.
Everine had heard stories about the Earthlings. They had, against all odds, remained independent when the Heartless King had claimed dominion over most of Aradria. The Earthlings of Bermunnos Mountain had once lived in peace with the peoples both to the west and east of the mountain. After the Fall of the Elemental Rulers, however, the villages on either side of Bermunnos had been destroyed, forcing them to retreat far into the mountain range.
The Earthling caught her staring, and Everine shifted her eyes awkwardly. He twitched his lips upward and, turning his face to the sky, revealed bold geometrical shaped patterns in evidence where his scalp was exposed, The patterns were framed by sun-bleached curly hair, cut close to his head.
The Earthling waved at her. “Feel free to join me, miss.”
Everine absently reached under her cloak and stroked Ayva’s head, making sure she was out of sight. Reluctantly, she went to his side, as invited.
“And what is a woman of Êvina doing traveling to these parts of the world?” Birken had a thick northern accent, yet his tone felt welcoming.
Everine fumbled with a response, as she hadn’t taken the time to construct her story yet. “My sister died.” Everine’s gaze trailed the waves of the Feardorach Ocean. “She was all the family I had.”
The Earthling tilted his head. “And so you figured on trying your luck in Lycobris? Lady, you’re off your blazes.”
“Maybe so,” Everine snapped.
“Besides,” Birken spoke under his breath. “This is not a place one usually brings one’s younglings.”
Chocolate brown eyes flickered to the little hand reaching out from Everine’s cloak. She quickly tucked Ayva’s hand back underneath the wrappings. As long as they remained here there was no place to run to if the wrong people spotted her.
“Secret’s safe with me, miss.” He hummed cheerfully.
Relaxing slightly, Everine stepped closer. A big Earthling like Birken might be exactly what she and Ayva needed to keep safe while crossing Lycobris.
“The name is Everine—Everine Vargens,” she whispered. “What can I offer you to accompany us to Caradrea?”
Arching an eyebrow, Birken pulled a long-handled pipe from his belt. He lit it carefully, shielding it from the wind and ocean spray. As he inhaled, he looked deep into Everine’s eyes. The flame from his pipe glowed against his face, exposing the cracks and crags in his skin. The shadows left the impression of a stony surface, much like the face of a mountain.
“I believe, mayhap, the pleasure of your company would suffice.” He grinned, but Everine kept her composure.
“Now, don’t you go imagining things.”
“Oh, it hadn’t crossed my mind. But now you mention it, I think your company is more than enough. Besides, I’m headed in that general direction either way.” Birken’s laugh was a rumble in his throat.
Everine clenched her jaw. “I promise to repay you for your kindness.”
He sucked on his pipe for a few silent moments. “I happen to be a terrible cook. Cook our meals, and I’ll do my best to get you safely past Gryphon Peak. After that, we must part ways.”
That was a generous offer, considering they had only just met. Everine extended her hand to seal the deal. This seemed to amuse the Earthling, which she found irritating.
As she held her ground, Birken carefully tucked away his pipe to place his right hand flat on his chest. He turned her extended hand palm upwards. Soft lips landed on the inside of her wrist as he bent down. When the moment dragged on, Everine nearly pulled away, but then he let go. Birken stepped back and retrieved his pipe. Everine’s cheeks burned a little, and she averted her face.
After Everine had been standing silently by the rails for some time, Ayva stirred. Everine excused herself and went off to find a sheltered space between some barrels where she could feed the infant. As they waited for the ship to dock, Everine quietly sang a lullaby of the Old Age while rocking Ayva in her arms.
The ship had felt intrusive, and Everine did not much care for the unsteadiness of the ocean’s moody waters. Still, it had been a blessed breather. It was what would come next that concerned her.
She was not particularly looking forward to passing through Lycobris. The thought of possibly running into Silverlings or being caught by the Vulkan guards made her skin crawl. However, there could be no turning back.
So many ships had arrived at the docks that they were forced to wait for other ships to depart before they could disembark. By nightfall, however, Everine would set foot in the Land of Fire.
They would have to stay at an inn in the village of Arvaex for the first night. Everine had hoped to set off immediately after departing the ship and had unsuccessfully protested against staying in the village. Birken had insisted they wait till morning so they could gather supplies for their journey.
He had also pointed out that leaving Arvaex would be easier during daylight hours. Most of the malevolent activity in the village happened after dark, which meant more patrols. There would be fewer guards during the day, which meant less chance of being stopped.
Birken’s arguments had made sense, and he was clearly adamant, so Everine had eventually succumbed to his reasoning.
She was unimpressed, however, when Birken brought them to a place not quite her choice of beverage. A lopsided, rusty sign above the entrance read: “The Dungeon.”
“Lovely.” Everine grunted with disgust as she eyed the run-down tavern in front of them. The stone walls were smeared with some kind of green-brown sludge Everine could not identify. Broad streams of sewage ran by either side of the inn. With no other options, she pulled her hood tighter and grabbed the Earthling’s arm. Birken had such a massive trunk of an arm that she needed the whole of hers to reach around it. His skin was so warm that Everine felt as if she were embracing a furnace. It was surprisingly comforting.
A bell rang overhead as they opened the door to a dingy room filled with scruffy-looking men seated at grimy stone tables scattered throughout the lon
g space. Everine fought her instinct to turn around and leave when she took in the low ceiling and horrid stench of filth. However, Birken’s presence propelled her forward despite her qualms. His size was an advantage she did not care to lose.
A short man waved them over. He stood on a stool behind the stone counter in order to manage his affairs. As it turned out, he was not a man at all. By his tall forehead and his long, crooked nose—not to mention the large amount of moss on his skin—it was clear to Everine that she was encountering a Jotter for the first time in her life.
The Jotters were skilled smiths and proficient with numbers. Despite being generally very successful businessmen, they were unpredictable and most people would shy away from trading with them. They were also known for being unkind and typically resided in the Land of Earth. However, their excessive greed drove them to venture wherever the money was.
The Jotter’s murky green eyes were callous and his brown, wavy hair rested heavily on his shoulders. His face was deeply furrowed, his attention glued to a book filled with numbers.
“Welcome to The Dungeon. I am Hyme.” He spoke with indifference.
“We would like a room. One night only.” Birken tapped the counter decisively.
Everine gaped and quickly corrected him. “That would be two rooms, sir. Two.” She shot Birken a sour look.
“Is one room only. Name?” Hyme handed them a key without so much as lifting his gaze.
“Name is Prox, and we’ll take it. It’s all we need,” Birken said, snatching the key into his hand.
Everine wanted to object, but Birken was already pushing her toward the staircase at the far end of the room. A few of the clientele lifted their heads as Birken rushed Everine past them. He spoke to her quickly but quietly.
“I will sleep on the floor. The stone is good for my back. But, this is how it needs to be.”
Everine fumed. Once inside the room, her eyes bored into him as she unwrapped Ayva.
“Look, Ev, if you’re going to serve my meals, you need to be kept safe. A woman alone in a room—in this hellhole? You wouldn’t last the night.”
Everine grimaced at the nickname but said nothing. She had more pressing matters. Ayva was awake and hungry. Everine held her index finger out in front of her and made a small circle in the air.
“Turn away then, you big brute.”
He folded his hands across his eyes, stuck out his tongue, and turned heavily on his feet, much as he was told. Everine stifled a giggle. The Earthling was a big child. She was a mother of two, then. Only days ago, she had been the mother of no one. She hadn’t even birthed either of the two she had now. So much had changed in such a short amount of time.
When Ayva had fed, Everine laid her down on the bed and pulled the top of her dress back up, leaving her cloak on the nightstand.
“Such a vision.” Birken stared down at Ayva, an expression of total awe in his eyes. “She sort of looks like you…and yet she doesn’t.” He marveled at the child.
“Keep your hands away from my daughter, Earthling.” Everine’s words were harsher than she intended.
Birken frowned but excused himself regretfully. “I meant no harm, Ev. Besides, kids love me.”
She softened her posture.
“I really can’t imagine.” Relaxing, she sat back on the bed. “I am sorry too. So far you have kept up your end of the bargain, and you have told no one of my daughter.” Everine looked down at the baby she now claimed as her own. She played with Ayva’s hands and was amazed yet again at her beauty.
A vision indeed.
“If you don’t mind me asking—” Birken said.
“Oh, I might, but do try your luck.” Everine almost smiled, inclining her head.
“Um, yes, right. She has a name, I trust? Don’t want to keep on calling her just ‘the baby.’”
Everine smiled then, still looking down at her child.
“Her name is Ayva, and I think she would like you to hold her now.” She shocked even herself at the gesture, but it had felt like the right thing to do.
- Birken -
Birken approached Ayva. Bending down, he cupped one hand gently underneath her to pick her up. Ayva flashed a smile at him, and one small hand reached for his face. She stroked her fingers over his jaw.
Her eyes shifted between bronze and shamrock-green to a flow of images, and Birken saw familiar faces within them. People he had lost and people to whom he was returning. He saw himself embracing his late wife. In the next instant, he danced with two baby boys in his arms. The images vanished as Ayva’s eyes returned to an ocean-blue.
She giggled. Birken held her away from him in disbelief, wiping away a single tear.
“Don’t ask. I only need her safe,” Everine said.
Birken wanted to know, but all he could manage to voice was the sincerity in his heart. “I came upon you for a reason. You have my word that I’ll guard her with my life, for as long as our paths are aligned.”
Everine’s amber eyes held his. “I will hold you to your word, Birken Earthling, or I will have your life.”
He nodded. Everine could never possibly live up to her threat. Her small, curved body was pleasing to the eye, but she didn’t exactly scream intimidating. However, Birken had no doubt of her sincerity. Her peach-colored lips twitched in annoyance, and wisps of auburn hair curled around her cheekbones.
Perhaps it was time to move on and leave the past behind? Earthling women did not seem to measure up to the fierce woman in front of him. And Earthling women were known to be the fiercest of them all.
Birken yawned and slumped down onto the hard stone, turning his back on Everine. The heavy bag of coins in his belt dug into his side.
I shouldn’t have taken the money.
-Everine -
They left the inn the next morning and went to the village market to gather what they needed to travel to Caradrea.
It came in handy that Birken was abnormally big, even for an Earthling. By the end of their errands, there was no room left for anything more to be carried on Birken’s body. A couple of buckskins were rolled together on his back. Pots and pans hung from his waist, and the satchels tied around his arms and feet contained waterskins, bags filled with spices, wheats, rye, beans, peas and other essentials.
Everine pointed at the supplies around his feet in particular and frowned. “That does not look like a comfortable way to travel.”
“Oh, but I shan’t be carrying it for long. You’ll see. We’ll find a better way once we’ve entered Elfen Lyconis.”
“I do hope you are talking about horses.”
She shook her head at his grin, and found a small space among all the baggage through which she could hold on to Birken’s arm as they scurried off through the narrow muddy streets.
Lord Hadeth’s human guards, the Vaexennas, patrolled the barricades that embraced the village in a wide crescent from one side of the bay to the other. The Vaexennas, once personal guards of the King of Fire, were now known to be ruthless in their duties. Any and all activity deemed suspicious would mean facing Hadeth or the king for judgement, assuming the Vaexennas didn’t decide to kill the offender first.
Everine and Birken would need to remain as inconspicuous as possible, a task not easily executed for someone of Birken’s size and appearance. Even so, they managed to escape the notice of quite a few guards on their way out of the village. They detoured every so often and slunk their way around the few stone houses on the outskirts of Arvaex. This side of the village was quiet and there were less people around, but they were drawing closer to the barricades with every step.
Their luck did not hold. As they neared the barricades, a pair of Vaexennas spotted them and raised their swords.
“Names and business,” the elder of the two Vaexenna said.
“Is that your child?” The younger Vaexenna pointed at Everine—Ayva’s hand was sticking out from under her cloak. If they were to see her eyes, the Vaexennas would doubtless hand all three of them over t
o the Heartless King. Running would be just as futile.
Birken looked over at Everine with an apologetic look. It was as if he had read her mind.
He spun around, pots and pans clanging against each other, and placed himself squarely in the middle of the guards. He grabbed onto the Vaexennas’ hands that held the hilts of their swords. With a single thrust, Birken broke the wrists of both men simultaneously. Grabbing the swords as they fell, he twirled them around, taking a single, long stride forward that placed him past the two men. Kneeling, he thrust the swords backwards, sinking them deeply into the guards.
Releasing the swords, Birken took Everine’s hand, and they started running. Everine felt a moment of remorse for the dead guards, even though she was grateful for her own escape.
The load Birken carried produced a lot of noise with each step, and Everine prayed to Emblanyiêa that the guards would not be found too soon. They only slowed their pace once the barricade lay far behind them and they had entered Elfen Lyconis. The sound of bells ringing alerted them that the Vaexeannas had been found, but there was no sign of anyone in pursuit.
By midday, Everine and Birken found themselves hidden within the dense forest, the homeland of the wild elves. Their path joined a trail that carried them into the thick green of Elfen Lyconis; hours passed before Birken led them down a narrow path off the wider trail. Grass and weeds were waist high, slapping against Everine with every step. Birken found the path with little effort, but Everine never would have found it without him.
Her feet ached from traveling the entire day. Fatigued and out of breath, Everine gritted her teeth and kept walking.
Birken eventually steered them into a small clearing hidden among clumps of linden trees.
The trees had thick trunks, and the branches spread out overhead to provide shelter. Birken reached up to pick a few nuts off the closest tree. He patted the trunk, as though thanking it for the snack. Reaching out for a few more nuts, he announced, “We’ll camp here for the night.”
