by L L Vickery
“I’ll have him back here before you know it.” Rein said.
Luc ran off and fetched a small bag with a change of clothes.
“Let’s get on with it then.” Rein said when the boy came running back.
Avanna handed them a pack with sandwiches and fruit. “A little snack for the trip.” She said sniffling. This was the first time her son has traveled from her side. He looked so much like his father it made her ache to look at him.
“Before you head out,” Jon said. “I’d like to have a word with Rein, in private.”
The two headed for the captain’s quarters. Once inside Jon shut the door behind them. Rein stood next to the large desk that was covered with maps.
“Your mother is building an army?” Jon didn’t see any reason to beat around the bush.
“It would seem.” Rein said.
“She’s asked if I would offer up the Rose as part of her Navy,” Jon said.
“No way, you love this rotting heap.” Rein kept his tone low even through his surprise.
“I’d still be the captain of course.” Jon riffled through the maps for one in particular. “She’s asked me to go there and bring something back for her.” Jon pointed at the same Island Rein’s mother had asked him to go to.
“Did she tell you what it was, the thing you are to retrieve?” Rein asked.
“Nah, just to ask for someone named Allaric Crow in the tavern. She said he’d have something for me.” Jon waited for Rein’s response.
“What did you tell her?” Rein asked.
“I told her that I’d retrieve the item if the price was right. But not until the baby was born.” Jon put the map back on his desk. “I told her I’d have to have some time to think about joining her Navy though.”
“I’m supposed to meet someone named Joseph Bailard. She said he’d have a package.” Rein looked out the window behind the captain’s desk at the seagulls flying through the sky. “Whatever she has us both going there for, I’m sure the items go together and it isn’t a coincidence that she has us both going at the same time.”
“I agree,” Jon said and opened the door.
“We can discuss this more when I get back?” Rein patted Jon on the back.
“Hmm.” Jon pursed his lips and watched as Rein and Luc walk to the gangplank.
Chapter 3
“So, are we walking the whole way?’ Luc asked as he picked up sticks, broke them into small pieces and chucked them back at the ground.
“Don’t you think it’ll do you some good to stretch out your legs? You’ve been on that ship for what a week or so?” Rein clapped the kid on the back.
The road to Kahila was lined with oaks, elms, and evergreens. The trees were ablaze with color, fall was in full swing. Pine cones and needles littered the floor of the forest. The ground was hard packed dirt from the lack of rain.
“At least tell me we’ll be back in time for the festival,” Luc said.
“I’ll do my best to get you back in time.” Rein said. “Of course, it might pale in comparison to the greeting we’ll get from the elves.” Rein laughed.
With the help of the dwarves, Rein was sure most of the work would already be completed. He fantasized the colorful houses that would be built with runes carved into the doorways. He imagined the smell of sweet bread baking and sipping cups of elderberry wine.
It was after all his twenty-fifth birthday and surely the elves would find it a reason to celebrate. At the very least he knew his friends would.
Rein hoped the kid wouldn’t want to talk the whole way. A little peace and quiet would be nice. Rein was awoken nearly every morning by the banging in the halls as the soldiers walked around.
He was glad that Luc could keep up with his pace it meant they would be in Kahila just in time for supper. The sun was high in the sky and Luc felt his stomach growl.
“Think it’d be alright if we stop for lunch?” Luc asked.
“Sure.” Rein said and pointed to a large rock they could sit on.
“So, your mom and Jon…” Rein was really bad at small talk.
“Jon has been coming around for a long time, I might have been around eight the first time. My mom seems to like him.” Luc said taking a big bite from his sandwich.
“I don’t recall seeing you or your mother in Hope Falls before. Where are you from?” Rein took a big bite out of his own sandwich. The meat was just this side of rancid giving it a sour aftertaste.
“There’s this little island to the north called Wutend. We’re from there, or at least I am anyway.” Luc gobbled down the rest of his meal.
“I’ve heard of it, but I was led to believe only little people live there.” Rein tossed his food over his shoulder into a patch of tall grass.
“You mean the pigmies. They’re a nasty bunch.” Luc stood and walked back to the path.
“How did you end up there?” Rein followed the boy.
“You’re full of questions,” Luc said under his breath.
“Just making conversation.” Rein was intrigued. The more someone didn’t want to talk about themselves, the more Rein wanted to know all he could. “Got something to hide?”
“No. It’s just…” Luc sighed. “My dad was a pirate and my mom, well she was a slave on his ship. When she got pregnant with me, he left her on Wutend. She had to raise me alone.”
“I get it, sort of. My dad didn’t abandon us, not really. He died when I was just a kid.” Rein tried to seem empathetic.
Something rustled in the bushes just ahead. Luc stopped dead in his tracks. Rein pulled out his dagger and put his finger to his lips to tell Luc not to make any noise.
It rustled again. Rein stepped cautiously toward the bush. Out popped a fuzzy gray wolf pup. The sudden movement made Rein take a step back. Luc roared with laughter.
“It’s just a baby.” Luc managed to say. “Can we keep it?”
“I’m not your parent, so I don’t care.” Rein said. He heard the howl of a much larger wolf nearby. “But it’s your responsibility, you make sure it is fed.
Luc bent over to pick up the pup. “Have you ever seen anything so cute?”
“Adorable. They can be a lot of trouble though.” Rein warned.
The pup sniffed his boot then squatted over it and peed. Rein tried to hold back his laughter but it was no use.
Another howl from the pack and the pup barked. It licked Luc’s face and he scrunched his nose. There’s nothing quite like the smell of puppy breath.
“You might want to clean that off when we get to Kahila.” Rein snorted.
They made it to Kahila just as the sun was setting. What Rein saw he never could have imagined in a million fantasies.
The houses were no longer throughout the treetops. They were brightly colored cottages down on the ground nestled in the remaining trees. It would be years before the ones that had burned would be replaced with new growth.
Each cozy cottage had a lantern hanging by the front door. The dwarves had outdone themselves with the carving of woodland animals and flowers on the round doorways and windows of each home. The elves had made flower boxes which hung under the windows. And each roof was made of thick grass.
Strung high from one rooftop to the next, connecting the houses as if they were still in the tops of the trees was a vine. From the vine, hung paper lanterns glowing from the candles within.
Elven children ran around laughing and chasing lightning bugs. When they caught them, they put them in glass jars with lids. Luc was in awe of the glowing bugs that lit up the evening. He couldn’t help but smile as the children danced around his legs.
“Rein,” Gwen ran from her front porch and threw her arms around his neck. “It is so good to see you. It must be nearly your birthday by now.”
“You are a sight for sore eyes, Gwen. Have you been keeping our boy in line?” Rein lifted her off the ground and squeezed her gently avoiding the fact that it was his birthday.
“Almon?” She chuckled. “With Bram around who’s to keep either of
them in line.”
Rein set her back on her feet and kissed her cheek. Luc cleared his throat reminding Rein that he was there.
“Oh, sorry about that.” Rein said. “Gwen this is Luc he’s my new traveling companion.”
“You make it sound like I’m your dog,” Luc said. “Nice to meet you, ma ’me.”
“You must be starving. I can’t seem to make smaller meals so there is plenty. Most of the dwarves have gone home and the villagers have taken in the children or at least a great many of them so, the house is less crowded.” Gwen led them to her cottage.
Almon and Bram were happy to see Rein. It had only been a week but that was the most time the friends spent apart in over a year.
They dined on rabbit stew, sweet bread and drank their fill of elderberry wine. Rein caught them up on the job his mother had for him and on Jon’s big news. They told him about the build and the setbacks that occurred. Everything had come together nicely in the end.
Gwen added logs to the fireplace to keep the house warm through the night. Almon joined her in their bed. Bram, Luc, and Rein stayed up talking in the living room until one at a time they drifted off to sleep.
Good food, friends, elderberry wine, and many laughs. Rein couldn’t think of a better way to spend his birthday then he realized Alya was the one thing missing. If he wanted to see her, he’d have to find her in his dreams.
Chapter 4
Luc woke the next morning to the wolf pup whining and licking his face. Rein wasn’t kidding when he said it would be trouble. He stretched his arms and legs, trying to open his eyes.
“Would you please take that dog outside, before it pisses or shits somewhere.” Bram groaned.
“Common pup.” Luc jumped up from the floor and headed to the door.
“You guys ready for some breakfast?” Almon asked as he set a plate of bacon on the table.
“I can always eat bacon.” Rein yawned.
He folded the blankets he had been laying on and tossed them on the couch. He knew it wasn’t completely helpful but thought Gwen would appreciate the gesture anyway.
Luc brought the puppy back in and Gwen sat a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon on the floor. She placed a bowl of water beside the plate and smoothed the fur of the happy puppy.
Sitting around the table there wasn’t much conversation, they were too busy filling their bellies with eggs and bacon.
“I thought elves didn’t eat meat,” Luc mumbled, his mouth full of food.
“How many elves do you know?” Bram asked and lifted his cup of goat milk to his mouth for a large swig.
“It’s just something I heard,” Luc said.
“Rein, you said you were looking for parts of Ares sword.” Gwen interrupted.
“That’s right.” Rein looked up from his plate.
“There is an old story my father used to tell me when I was just a girl.” Gwen smiled. “He said Ares was the God of war and when he tried to strike down his brother Hephaestus the god of fire and metalworking, his sword broke into three pieces. The hilt was taken in by the humans and it would help the wielder form a great army. The middle of the sword, the blade, found its way into the hands of ice giants would slice through the hordes of their enemies. And then there was the tip of the sword the most damaging was left to the elves to stab back those who would try to destroy us. It is said that when it is made whole it’s true power will be too much of any mortal.”
She stopped to take a drink from her cup before continuing. “Many people have tried to find the pieces but no one ever has. When they try, they always end up dead. Most of them at the hand of the ice giants.”
“What does that mean, dead?” Luc asked leaning forward on the table with his eyes wide and his mouth agape.
“Just what it sounds like, little man.” Bram bit into another slice of bacon.
“Who are you calling little?” Luc laughed and dropped a piece of bacon down to the wolf pup.
“So, the tip is here with your elves?” Rein asked.
“It is just a story, no one has ever seen it,” Gwen said pushing her chair back. “There are a few dark elf elders that I could ask if you want. I would have liked to ask some of our own elders but of course, it’s too late for that.” A far-off distant look came to her eyes and a few tears when she thought about the recent fire that destroyed Kahila and most of the elves that lived there.
“No,” Almon said. “I’m not letting you anywhere near them.”
“If it makes you feel better you can come with me.” Gwen shrugged wiping away the tears that rolled down her cheeks.
“While Almon and Gwen find out what they can about the sword tip, I’ll come with you and Luc to get the blade from the ice giants.” Bram took his plate to the sink.
“Sounds like a plan. But we need to make a stop at banshee lake.” Rein put his plate in the sink as well.
“Woah, wait just a minute,” Luc spoke loudly to be heard. His puppy yipping the whole time. “Are we going to be back in Hope falls for the festival?”
“No one said you had to come.” Bram stood toe to toe with Luc.
“This doesn’t seem like a very good plan,” Almon said as he pumped water into the sink.
“I’ve got this,” Gwen kissed his cheek. “They have been really helpful since the fire and Lord Tariel’s death.”
“It might not be a great plan but it is a plan.” Rein said and pulled on his boots. “My mother has the hilt and has promised it to me. You and Gwen find out what you can about the tip and the three of us will go to the ice caves and see if the blade is there.”
“How will you know if you have the right blade?” Almon asked folding his arms across his chest.
“It is made of dwarven steel,” Bram said. “I’ll know if it’s the one.”
Almon couldn’t hide the worry on his face. “This is very dangerous. Why do you have to do it? Are you sure you can trust your mother?”
“I promised the Gods. I won’t go back until I have the other two parts. If the stories are true, my mother will be sorry if she doesn’t keep her word. Besides not finding it and not returning it is even more dangerous.” Rein pulled on his jacket.
“What do you mean by, more dangerous?” Almon asked.
“It doesn’t matter.” Rein said and opened the door. “This is something I have to do, with or without your help.”
“I have to stay here and help Gwen. We’ll talk to the dark elves and hopefully, when you get back, we’ll have the sword tip.” Almon said.
“Thanks, my friend.” Rein said and patted Almon’s back.
Gwen handed him a sack, “It’s just a little food.” She winked.
Rein took the sack and put it in the bag that was flung over his back. Gwen kissed Bram on top of his head. She knew he’d be happy with Rein. He was becoming more restless now that the work was almost done.
Bram hadn’t spoken much about his wife or the baby girl but Almon let her in on all the unpleasantries. Keeping busy was the only way Bram could keep his mind off his unfaithful wife and his prick of a brother.
It was his own fault though. He was always gone. Off on some adventure leaving his young wife with no way to pass the long nights than in the arms of his brother.
“Take care of him. Don’t let him do anything stupid.” She told Bram.
“I’ll do my best. It might be hard to keep him from doing stupid things. Of course, Alya isn’t around to antagonize him.” Bram smiled and followed Rein through the door.
Luc saw Rein and Bram heading down the path to the west through the trees and ran to catch up. The wolf pup did the best he could to keep up.
Rein listened to the howls of the pack. They seemed to be getting further away, though it could just be wishful thinking. He hated the thought of that pack out there looking for Luc’s new best friend. Maybe they were circling around, waiting for the right time to make their move.
“Looks like we’re about to get some rain.” Bram pointed at the darkening sky.
“You’re powers of observation astound,” Luc grunted.
“Look that might be a farm just ahead. Maybe they’ll let us rest for a bit.” Rein pointed out a small house in an open field.
There was a wooden fence corralling a small horse with a limp and a skinny cow with a misshapen head. Behind the house was a large family garden. Most of the vegetable had been harvested. Only a few stalks of corn and some leafy greens remained. Birds circled overhead looking for something to scavenge.
A girl about Luc’s age was pulling down sheets from a clothesline and humming a sweet tune. Luc walked toward her mesmerized by her beauty. She was tall and slender with long blond hair. Soft curls fell over her shoulders as she worked. Her skin was pale with a soft rosy flush. Her large blue eyes never left the three men once she noticed they were there.
Chapter 5
The young girl’s eyes darted from one man to the next. She held the top of her dress closed in a tight fist. Rein held his hands out in front of himself in an attempt to not look so intimidating. It didn’t work.
“We don’t want any trouble, miss.” He said as he inched his way closer. “We are just looking for a place to wait out the storm.”
Thunder rumbled through the clouds. The air blew through the tops of the trees bending them nearly in half. The strong smell of dirt wafted in on the breeze. The storm was close and was sure to be a bad one. Rein could sense that.
“Maybe we should get inside?” Rein asked. “We have food. We won’t be any trouble and we’ll leave as soon as the storm passes.”
The young girl looked past Rein to Luc’s smiling face. He looked harmless enough holding that tiny wolf pup. The puppy might be more trouble than she wanted but there was something about that boy she couldn’t quite put her finger on. She loosened her grip on her dress and nodded. Rein took the basket full of sheets and followed her into the small house.
“Where are your parents?” Luc sat at the kitchen table and took the wooden cup that was offered to him.
“Luc that’s rude,” Bram said.
“It’s ok.” The girl’s voice was mousy.
