by Thomas Rath
“Hey Tryg,” Domis’ voice emerged from the tent, “where do you think you’re going?”
He sighed, stealing his resolve before turning to face the head that had popped from the tent. “I have things to do,” he spat, trying to control the hatred that suddenly flared and leaked into his voice.
Domis’ eyes narrowed slightly. “I agree. But they aren’t in that direction. We need to get the tent packed and today would be a good day for you to start helping.”
Tryg waved him off. “I didn’t sleep in it. It’s not my problem.” Then turning, he stormed off in the direction Jack had gone.
“He’d just get in the way,” Teek’s voice offered from the belly of the tent drawing Domis back in.
“Were all of your people like that?” Domis asked while helping Teek pack up their bedding.
Domis and Teek had made a spot for Tryg in the tent they were sharing with Jack but the boy had refused, claiming he preferred to remain outside. At one point during their first night, Domis awoke to find Tryg standing over Jack. When he called out to him to find out what he was doing, he seemed startled and turned himself back out of doors without the slightest word of explanation. He was beginning to make Domis very uncomfortable.
“Who knows what he has been through?” Teek answered tying one of the bedrolls together.
“Exactly,” Domis replied. “No one knows because he refuses to tell us anything.”
Teek looked away. “It’s not always easy to deal with loss. People handle it in different ways.”
Domis sighed. He and Teek had spoken rather freely about the loss of each of their parents and had found that it helped them both to heal, as well as bonded them as friends. He knew that Teek’s tragedy was still fresh in his mind and that for Tryg it must be even a greater shock still. Though Teek did not remember the boy from home, he had told them that he had been on an Appeasing Journey and hadn’t heard about the demise of their people until Teek told him. Even then, his reaction seemed less than interested. It was as if Teek were merely showing him how to tie a knot he already knew how to fasten.
“I don’t mean to make light of the tragedy you both face or the way he chooses to work through it. It’s just…I don’t know. My hair seems to stand on end whenever he’s around. He’s not like you.”
Teek smiled. “I think I understand what you are saying.”
Domis cheered. “You do?”
“Yes,” Teek said, nodding. “And you don’t need to worry about it. Just because Tryg and I are both Waseeni and you are not, doesn’t mean our friendship will change at all.”
Domis shook his head in disbelief. “That’s not it, Teek!”
Teek just smiled back. “We’re best friends, Domis. And that’s not going to change.”
Domis just let it go at that. He did have to admit that at first he had been worried he would be left out when Tryg first showed up. But he was already beyond that. It was something else. He didn’t trust Tryg, and he was fairly certain it had nothing to do with his friendship with Teek.
* * *
Jack moved quickly away from the camp, anxious to be out in the grasslands alone. He’d been too long around people and just needed a few moments of his own to clear his thoughts and listen to the quiet without having to be constantly interrupted by someone needing one thing or another. He’d forgotten how demanding it had been to be king.
It was only the second day since they left Calandra but the excitement of the adventure had quickly fallen away for most. To move such a large group of people was difficult at best. Few fully understood the reason they were leaving which meant most complained almost incessantly. After the first night, a large group of the merchant class was determined to return to the city. It wasn’t until they were told they would forfeit all their goods and animals and have to walk back without supplies that they finally agreed to stay. And though he knew their tongues would be poison to many of the others, he was not willing to give their lives up so easily; even when they cared less for themselves than he.
He was close to a mile off before he stopped to take in his surroundings. Typical of the area, small patches of trees in various sizes sprang up from the grasslands and dotted the countryside as if at war with the grasses to see which would rule over the landscape. A slight breeze brushed his hair blowing out of the west as the sun was quickly drying the remaining dew that clung tenaciously to the prairie. The land smelled clean and it invigorated his old bones to commune with it alone. Since his authority and royalty was still not well known among even the army, he was still relatively free to move about as he pleased. That, of course, would change once circumstances improved and he was officially recognized. Moments like this would be mere memories of the past once he sat on the throne. He wanted nothing to do with a bodyguard or any of the other pomp that was visited upon the royal household that left him as free as he was—for the moment.
He looked toward the mountains in the northeast just barely visible from this distance and thought about Thane. He’d become accustomed to having the Chufa boy around and wondered how he faired. He knew he would be safe under Jne’s protection and that of his friends, Dor and Tam, but he couldn’t completely be rid of the worry that constantly beat itself into his thoughts. Turning back toward the camp he thought he caught the slightest glimpse of someone approaching but was blinded by the rising sun as it suddenly broke over the distant horizon. Shielding his eyes as best he could, he tried to focus on the area where he was almost certain he’d spotted someone but it was to no avail. Whomever, or whatever, he saw was gone.
Turning back north, away from the sun, he sighed and dropped his hand just in time to meet the dirt with his face as a great weight suddenly toppled him to the ground. Reacting almost by instinct, he didn’t resist the force but moved with it using the momentum of his attacker to throw it off and then regain his feet in a crouch. But before he had a chance to react, the large form was back on top of him, pinning him to the ground where it viciously attacked, slobbering all over his face as its large tongue licked him in delight. Jack started laughing, trying to push the huge hairy beast off his chest.
“Enough, Erl!” he cried helplessly as his long missed companion continued his soggy assault. “I have missed you too, old friend,” he gasped, reaching up and scratching behind the wolg’s ears while trying futilely to avoid his lapping tongue. “But it won’t do for you to drown me in slobber!”
With another heave, Erl finally moved away long enough for Jack to roll over and regain his feet. Erl whined, his whole body gyrating with the constant wag of his tale. Jack knelt in front of his formidable companion, embracing him around the neck while rubbing his ears.
* * *
“It’s good to have you back, my Lord,” Myles said while saluting his approaching king, his eyes darting to the wolg at his side that casually kept pace with him. “I see you have found your friend,” he added, pulling at his horse’s reins to hold him in control. Word had gone out about the king’s strange choice in companions but that did not mean anyone was comfortable with the idea of having a wolg walking around the camp. The refugees seemed less apprehensive about it since almost none of them had ever seen a wolg before, let alone knew that all but Erl were fierce enemies. Still, his size alone, kept any from getting very close. Jack had to smile. He’d not wanted a bodyguard but it appeared he had one after all.
It was just two hours past midday and the large mass of bodies was relatively quiet now as they marched along the road spread out to either side for close to a quarter of a mile. Colonel Braxton had been too busy with the business involving his troops and their role in the escape to seek out the king himself. Few could meet the relief he’d felt when Jack finally revealed himself in Dagan’s court. It was his honor and sense of duty that had kept him from doing anything that would go against his sworn king, even when he knew the true king was present. Until Jack remade his claim to the throne, he’d been duty bound to Dagan and would have still remained in the court at that m
oment, waiting for certain death with his liege, if Jack had not come forward. But it was not that that relieved him so. His life would have been offered without regret. No, his relief came from the realization that their people might finally have a chance against the enemy.
“I told you, Myles,” Jack said gruffly as he pulled his mount up next to the colonel’s to walk beside him, “Call me Jack.”
Colonel Braxton smiled. “You’ve been away from court too long, old friend. The title is your right and the mere mention of it gives you greater authority in the eyes of the people. No one will follow Jack. But all will pick up and trail after their liege, the king.”
Jack frowned but nodded his head. “I suppose you are right,” he conceded, looking around at the faces closest to them but none looked back at him with anymore recognition than they would have given to any of the many common soldiers milling about. The only looks that were passed around belonged to Erl alone. “But, I don’t think any of them know me.”
Myles made to disagree but noticed the blank stares. “They are happy to have you, nonetheless,” he replied, “even if they are not aware of it as of yet.”
Jack harrumphed. “Where’s Wess?”
Myles nodded toward his right shoulder. Turning, Jack caught sight of him carefully picking his way though the crowd of people leading his horse so as not to accidentally step on anyone. Reaching the other two, he quickly took his seat in the saddle, saluting to Jack as he did so and nodding a warm welcome to Myles. “Looks like we’re all back together again,” he said, smiling contentedly and then looking at Erl added, “plus one.”
“Well,” Jack returned, taking stock of the man who at their last meeting was crawling about in the gutter, “at least this time I recognize you.”
Wess smiled and bowed his head. “A circumstance in which I would still be in if not for the mercy of your grace.”
Jack bristled at the formality but didn’t say anything more about it. “And your men?”
“All accounted for, thanks to your friend and his large body guard. Didn’t take much explaining I hear, once the guard had a sword at his throat and the royal seal swinging in his face.”
“Good,” Jack said. “We’ll need every last one before this is over.”
A horn suddenly blew at the head of the line as a ripple of fear seemed to race through the crowd as they suddenly turned and started running back to Calandra. The three men halted their mounts and looked westward where a large, dark form quickly materialized in the distant sky. Erl growled low in his throat.
“Dragon!” Jack shouted, turning around to look down the road. About a quarter of a mile back, a large grove of trees stood as sentinels on a rising knoll just to the north. Grabbing Myles’ arm he pointed to the trees. “Get these people under cover!” he barked and then turned to Wess. “Follow me!” Kicking his horse into a hard gallop, Jack raced toward the approaching dragon.
By this time, the dragon fear had spread throughout the mass of refugees that suddenly trampled over each other while running in all directions feeling a desperate need to escape. Those crushed in the initial panic would never know why their lives had unexpectedly been snuffed out.
Jack tried to press his horse forward calling for archers as he did so, but his progress was slowed by the mass of people cutting in front of him as he tried to make ground toward the dragon. He watched in horror as the great form suddenly dipped for what could only be an attack on the refugees still bunched together on the road, the dragon fear paralyzing them where they stood. Jack caught sight of a ragged line of archers gathering just to his left pulling back their bows and preparing to fire. “Hold!” he called out to them knowing their arrows were useless and that when they ricocheted from the dragon they might take out some of the people huddled together below. He felt helpless as he watched. The only one who had ever brought a dragon down was somewhere in the Shadow Mountains.
Suddenly a white blur caught his attention as it shot passed him on the right bringing a surge of hope to his heart. The giant bird shot up in a direct course to overtake the dragon. In the press of the moment, Jack had forgotten about Teek’s large ally. He knew the bird would not be able to do much damage to their foe but he’d seen Tchee use her smaller body and quick maneuvering to harass and chase a dragon away before.
Tchee came at the dragon from the side, aiming for its wing but struck its chest instead. Seeing the great bird approach it had suddenly veered to protect itself and then reached out a claw, as Tchee struck, and grabbed the bird’s leg. Jack gasped as for a brief moment it appeared the dragon had Tchee and would certainly take her life but her beak shot out at its exposed wing. In an instant, she was free once again, quickly extricating herself from the dragon’s clasp. The dragon cried in frustration and anger but nonetheless turned away southward toward the Underwoods Forest and flew away.
Chapter Ten
“Turn back!” Dor screamed at the roc above the din of the raging storm. “Turn back, I can’t see them anymore!”
The roc let out a tremendous scream in reply as it continued to fly away from their companions, now left on the mountainside possibly injured or worse. They had seen what had happen to the bird Thane and Jne had ridden as it was slammed to the ground by the powerful winds that continued to berate them. The roc Dor and Tam rode had let out a terrible screech at seeing its companion dashed against the rocks before it turned upward, overshooting the shelf and continuing east away from their friends. Dor tried, without success, to get the giant bird to go back, worried his friends, who he’d seen catapulted toward the solid wall of rock, were also injured. But their mount either did not understand his desperate cries or it was ignoring him as it descended over another peak before dropping into a mountain meadow where they landed somewhat roughly, but intact.
Dor kicked at the birds sides trying, like a horse, to get it to move again, but it’s wings remained firmly tucked against its sides, a low rumble of warning vibrating through its chest that Dor felt rather than heard. Tam grabbed his leg, also feeling the bird’s discontent at Dor’s treatment. “We have to get this thing to take us back,” he cried to her his voice barely audible above the storm.
“I know,” she replied, “but it’s obvious we’re not going right now. I’m just as worried as you are, but we can’t get to them safely in this weather. You saw what happened to Thane and Jne.”
“I did. That’s why we need to go back. They might be hurt. From the way their bird hit the mountain, I wouldn’t be surprised if it were dead. We need to go back.”
Tam laid her head back against Dor’s shoulder. “I know,” she said softly in his ear, the emotion breaking in her voice, “but there’s nothing we can do right now. What help will we be if we kill ourselves? We need to find shelter and wait out the storm.”
Dor took a deep breath, the smell of her hair almost intoxicating. She was right, and though he wanted it to be otherwise, he knew the choice was not theirs to make. Without the roc they would not be able to reach their friends, let alone find them in this weather. He nodded his head and then reluctantly let go of her as they both slid off the giant bird’s back. As soon as they touched the ground the roc’s large wing reached outward and engulfed them pulling them close in a cocoon of protection against the raging storm. At first they resisted, uncertain of the bird’s intentions, but it quickly became evident they were being treated as if they were its young. It was warm and dry nestled among the bird’s downy feathers while the storm raged just beyond its protective wing.
* * *
Thane slowly opened his eyes and blinked to try and bring them into focus. Jne was leaning over him, her voice a distant echo as she cradled his head. He could see her lips moving but the sound was lost in the storm bearing down on them and the one now raging in his skull. The top of his head was throbbing but other than a few scratches, he didn’t think he was hurt. He concentrated on the pain which seemed to focus his mind and Jne’s voice that suddenly rang in his ears at full volume.
<
br /> “Thane, can you hear me?” she yelled. “Do you know who I am?”
Suddenly regaining his full senses, he nodded slowly and then gingerly sat up. “I’m fine,” he shouted against the wind, which didn’t help the pain that crashed like waves against his skull. “Are you hurt?”
Jne shook her head though he could see a small trickle of blood flowing down her left arm. Seeing that he noticed, she eyed him, almost daring him to make reference to such a minor injury but he just smiled and nodded. “Where are the others,” he asked, searching the small precipice, his eyes landing on the large bird. At first it appeared it had died on impact, its head resting on the wet rock, its eyes closed. Seeing it, he shot to his feet, forcing back the nauseated feeling that rose in his throat.
Jne followed him, pressing her body close to his for support and warmth. “I don’t know, what happened to the others. Before we hit, they were close behind us.”
Thane didn’t reply as he bent down and tried to discover if there was any life left in the roc. The blowing wind ruffled its feathers making it difficult to determine if it was breathing or not. Its right wing was obviously broken by the way it was extended out to the side. Timidly placing a hand on the bird’s head, its exposed eye suddenly opened and a gurgling rumbled in its chest.
Thane let out a slight sigh. “It’s still alive,” he breathed, but looking at the broken wing he realized that there was no hope to save its life. A bird without flight, even one as large and powerful as a roc, would not be able to feed itself or defend itself for long. It was lost. Thane sat back on his heals and looked up at Jne. “We can’t save it.”
“You must tell it,” Jne said flatly, as if speaking to a bird was the most natural thing. Of course, for Thane, it was but he didn’t see the point. Rocs were extremely intelligent. It would know there was no hope for it. Telling it so seemed almost profane. He resisted.
