Stronger than Bone

by Sidney Wood

“Good God. It’s you two,” he said in a displeased voice.

  “Master of Swords,” Chase greeted him with a deep bow and a smile. “It has been many years. Please accept my apology for visiting at such an hour, but the matters we are here to discuss are very important. In fact, there is a man that I think you may know, that we desperately need to speak with. Are you acquainted with a man named Lynn Hayes?”

  Kelly immediately stiffened. “No,” he lied. “I don’t know anyone by that name. What sort of business are you here about anyway. Is this about the King?”

  “The King? What would make him think that?” Chase thought. Looking a bit confused he said, “No, this has nothing to do with the King. It has to do with a man who seems to have the ability to rise from the dead.”

  Corvis coughed.

  “Or perhaps, he is just very hard to kill. Lynn Hayes has a history with this man…or creature, and we are hoping he can help us stop him before more people die.”

  “It seems you have a serious problem on your hands, but I’m afraid you’ve wasted your time coming here,” said Kelly. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I was getting ready for bed.”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Lynn said as he walked down the stairs behind Kelly. “I think they might find what they’re looking for here.” He was happy to see the two men, and he smiled to show it.

  “Sergeant Hayes,” Corvis said. “It’s good to see you!”

  “I second that,” said Chase, shaking Lynn’s hand. “We’ve come a long way. Will you hear us out?”

  Kelly started to stammer an objection, but Lynn cut him off. “Of course I will. Is it just the two of you?”

  “No, we have a troop of Royal Guards with us. We’ve been hunting what we believe is the giant from the Valley,” Chase said, and he raised his hands as if holding off any argument. “Before you tell us it can’t be, let me assure you, we’ve seen evidence. Some of the things we’ve seen were…horrible.”

  Lynn cocked his head to the side and thought about that statement for a moment. “That is…interesting. It seems impossible, but I believe you.” He glanced briefly at Kelly, then added, “You and your men should make yourselves at home. I’ll have the kitchen cook up some dinner, and there are plenty of rooms for your men to rest in. Why don’t you get settled and we’ll wait for you in the study.”

  Kelly inhaled sharply, looking furious.

  Lynn gave him a stern look and Kelly exhaled, defeated. He nodded agreement and headed for the study.

  “What is going on here? Kelly is acting like his guest is in charge. What does Lynn have on him?” Chase wondered as he watched the exchange.

  Late in the evening, after brushing down their mounts and eating a hearty meal, the troops hauled their gear to their rooms. The two officers sat in the study with Lynn and Kelly.

  Chase and Corvis recounted the past few days for Lynn, and now they waited for his response.

  Lynn sat forward on his chair with his elbows on his knees and his head bowed in thought. At last, he raised his head and looked at Chase. “Blood magic,” he said. “It’s blood magic. I don’t know much about it, but I’ve heard a few stories. I know someone who has seen what it can do,” he said as he looked around the room. “She believes in its power.”

  “What about the giant?” Kelly asked. “How can you be sure it’s him?”

  “I’m more inclined to believe it’s the same man, than to believe there is another lunatic out there wearing people’s faces for a hat,” said Lynn. “Besides, he came back to life after I killed him the first time. Why shouldn’t I believe he came back to life again?”

  “Bah!” scoffed Kelly. “Magic and fairies… You sound like a bunch of women!”

  “I think you might change your mind, sir, if you had seen the things we have seen,” Corvis argued. “There was magic done at that priest’s cottage, dark magic. I don’t care what else it’s called; black magic, blood magic, or…whatever. It’s evil and it’s real. If you had been there, you would have felt it too.”

  Chase looked at Corvis in surprise. “That jerk has been acting like he didn’t believe it this whole time!” He shook his head and then said, “So we know who he is, and basically what he is. What we don’t know is what he’s after, and why.”

  “I think I have a better understanding of that now,” said Lynn, giving Kelly a look that puzzled Chase.

  Chase and Corvis sat and stared at him, waiting.

  “Absolutely not!” said Kelly whispered hotly to Lynn. He stood and said, “Gentlemen, if you’ll please excuse us…”

  “Kelly, sit down,” said Lynn very calmly. He seemed to be struggling with something internally, but he kept his bearing and waited for Kelly to stop stammering and to sit down as he was told.

  Chase and Corvis gave each other confused looks.

  “The man you’ve been hunting was hired to kill me,” Lynn said. “He and his crew were trying to kill me up in the hidden valley, and he is most likely still on the job. His was just one of many crews that were hired for that purpose.”

  Chase wrinkled his brow. “No offense, Sergeant Hayes, but why are you so unpopular? I mean, why would someone be so motivated to have you killed? It must cost a fortune to hire so many cutthroats.”

  Kelly was turning red and sitting ramrod straight on the edge of his chair. Despite looking ready to burst, he didn’t say a word. He just pursed his lips and listened as Lynn told the country’s greatest and most dangerous secret to the two biggest “children” in the King’s Royal Guard. “Of all the people to tell, he’s telling these two knuckleheads!” Kelly thought. He looked at each of them in turn. He acknowledged they were grown men, but he also remembered how talented and promising they were as kids, and undisciplined all at once.

  “Until yesterday, I would have said, there’s no reason to want me dead,” said Lynn. “Well, aside from the rebels, of course. They want any military man who has fought, or is fighting for the King, dead.”

  He stood up and walked over to one of the book cases along the wall He appeared to browse the titles as he thought of how to say what was next.

  Chase looked sideways at Corvis, who glanced and then looked back to Lynn. They were on the edge of their seats with anticipation.

  “You men know me as Sergeant Lynn Hayes. My whole life, that is who I believed I was.” He looked at Kelly and said, “Only a few people, including the Master of Swords here, know who I really am.” He began to pace.

  “God, I need a drink,” Lynn said.

  “I’ll second that,” answered Kelly, and he jumped up to get them drinks. He appeared all too eager, in Chase’s opinion.

  Unable to wait any longer, Chase interrupted. “You mean you aren’t Sergeant Lynn Hayes? You aren’t the Hero of Bloody Beach?”

  They all looked at Lynn.

  “Well, yes, I am…and no, I’m not. Just let me finish and I think you’ll understand,” Lynn said. He looked to Kelly for help, but Kelly just smiled flatly and turned back to pouring the drinks.

  “I was raised as Lynn Hayes, the son of William Hayes. That is who I am...or was. Yes, I was in the battle for Bloody Draw, and then at Bloody Beach. I did the things you’ve heard of.” Lynn was quiet for a moment as thoughts of those battles flooded his mind. When he regained his composure he continued, “I married shortly after Bloody Beach, and raised a daughter. We lived a normal life in a quiet village, and I would have been happy doing so until the day I died. My wife passed on when Charity was just a baby, and I raised her the way my father…and the old man who cared for me after he died, raised me.”

  Kelly brought him a drink and sat back down. Lynn nodded thanks and took a long drink. He swallowed and set the glass on a shelf.

  “But that was all a lie,” he said. “It was all a ruse to keep my true origin a secret, and for a very good reason.” He looked at Kelly again.

  This time Kelly seemed calm, even accepting, and he gestured at Lynn to continue.

  “William Hayes, was not my father. He was a
soldier, and very close friend of Lady Evelynn, the Duchess. Lady Evelynn was a Lady in Waiting at the time, and was present when Prince Thurmond was born.” He took his glass and swallowed the rest of the contents before continuing. He looked at Kelly once more, who simply nodded and sat back.

  “Prince Thurmond was not the only baby born to the Queen that day. My…mother…gave birth to twins.”

  “What?” exclaimed Chase.

  Lynn walked over to the decanter and refilled his glass. “Lady Evelynn, Kelly’s sister, arranged to have me taken away and kept safe against a time when another heir might be needed. Everyone knew the King would have seen me as a threat. He was never told of my existence.

  William was my guardian, and he was tasked with raising me in complete secrecy. No one, not even my mother the Queen, Lady Evelyn, or Kelly knew where he had taken me. When Thurmond died, not long before Bloody Beach, Kelly and Lady Evelynn tried to find me, but William had long since died and they didn’t even know what he had named me.”

  “But the search was noticed,” added Kelly. “My sister’s husband, Duke Dennison, has his own royal aspirations. When he found out there was another heir, he had his spies track him down. Then, when the King became ill and he saw his own chance to seize the crown, he tried to eliminate the one person with a greater claim to the throne. That is why men have been hunting Lynn, and that is why no one…NO ONE…can know who or where he is. Do you understand?”

  “What?” asked Chase again.

  The next day Chase and Kelly were in a goodnatured fencing match. That’s what Chase thought, anyway.

  “I don’t understand,” said Chase. “How is it beneficial to keep him in the shadows when he is needed so desperately?” He asked Kelly as they sparred. He ducked and then jumped back to avoid the following thrust.

  “What benefit do you see in having him killed before he can get the crown?” argued Kelly as he stepped left and spun to parry the quick response from his former pupil.

  “Get ready for a much needed lesson in humility!” thought Kelly as he doubled his efforts and pressed Chase harder.

  “You underestimate how much the people hunger for a true leader and a hero!” said Chase as he expertly fought off Kelly’s attack. “Besides, do you really think Oglefurth will win against Dennison’s nobles and the Rebels?” He slapped Kelly’s thigh with the flat of his sword and parried another thrust aimed at his torso. “Without a real leader, loyalties within the army will be divided at best.”

  “Ouch!” thought Kelly. “He is faster than I remember. Credit to the teacher I suppose,” he told himself. He desperately wanted to show Chase that he was still his superior, but things were not going as planned. “I understand the situation Captain! It’s a delicate matter, and high above your station! Remember that!” he snapped as he saw an opening and swung mightily at Chase’s legs.

  “Oh my…” Kelly thought as he realized his mistake.

  “Ungh!”

  Chase’s foot caught the old man squarely in the jaw as his body arced and twisted in the same aerial maneuver he had mastered in the academy practice ring as a boy.

  Chase stood over the Master of Swords and spoke softly. “I may not understand all of the details, my Lord, but I understand action. I can tell when action is needed, and make no mistake…that time is now.” He held out his hand and offered to help the older swordsman to his feet.

  Kelly lay on the ground and considered the offered hand. After a moment, he begrudgingly took it and stood. Trying to catch his breath he panted, “You understand that we’ll be outlaws and traitors until our man takes the crown?”

  Chase nodded his head and patted Kelly on the shoulder. “The King has the church. We have a hero.” They both looked at Lynn sparring viciously with Corvis in the next ring. Both men were sweating profusely, and it was obvious from the look of frustration on Corvis’s face, that the smaller man was getting the better of him.

  Chase smiled. “I have an idea that will ensure the Army will be on our side.”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  (Present Day: 237 Cycles into the Light)

  Joszette walked quietly behind Charity as she searched for the herbs and flowers they had been discussing. Charity was a quick study, and Joszette found herself smiling more in the past few weeks than she thought possible. It was so good to have another person to talk to, “and a girl!” she thought. “I feel like my life has meaning again.”

  Cuddles was chasing through the bushes, but staying close these days. They had been working with her on obedience, and although she was very strong-willed, she was also very smart. She obeyed more consistently, and would often anticipate what was expected of her.

  Charity stooped to pluck a waxy leafed plant that grew near the base of a rotten stump when she heard a branch snap in the distance. She knew Cuddles was much closer than whatever had broken the branch, and she froze. The dog had also stopped moving and stood still to listen. Charity heard a growl from Cuddles about twenty feet through the brush ahead.

  Joszette gently touched Charity on the shoulder to let her know she was there. Charity looked back at her quietly, and they shared a concerned look.

  Turning back toward the noise, Charity pulled the knife from her belt and crouched. Joszette crouched slightly behind her and the two waited anxiously to see what new challenge they would face today.

  Charity heard Cuddles growling and running through the brush toward whatever had been moving out there. The growling turned to loud barking and then a sharp yelp.

  “Cuddles!” Charity called in a loud whisper. She could hear her dog’s soft whining in the quiet forest and then the sound of men’s voices. She started forward, but Joszette held her back.

  “Charity! No,” she said firmly. “We have to move. Those might be rebel soldiers!”

  “But my dog!” pleaded Charity. “She’s hurt!” and she tried to pull away again.

  “We’ll come back for her,” soothed Joszette. “Right now, we need to keep you safe. Come on, I know a good hiding place. I promise, we’ll come back for Cuddles soon.”

  She took one more look toward the sound of her injured puppy, then turned and followed the older woman away from the voices.

  As silently as they could, they ran through the woods. After about ten minutes, they came to the bottom of a steep hill. On one side there was a natural overhang that provided concealment once they slipped behind the hanging wall of vegetation. Charity saw that there were blankets and buckets of water already placed in the small hideaway.

  “I’ve used this spot to avoid several difficult situations,” smiled Joszette. “Go ahead and get comfortable for now. We’ll give it some time and then we’ll go back and get Cuddles, I promise.”

  Charity nodded and sunk down onto one of the bundled blankets. She put her head in her hands and tried not to hear the echoes of her puppy barking and then yelping in pain. They kept replaying in her mind.

  “Where are you dad?” she thought. “I need you!”

  An hour later in the same forest, Guy was feeling low. He had been going over the incident at the cabin relentlessly in his mind, and he still couldn’t reconcile losing control so completely. It simply wasn’t him.

  “Was it me?” he thought. “Am I really capable of killing a stranger in cold blood?” He stopped walking and ran a hand through his wet hair. It wasn’t raining this morning. He was sweating from the work of hobbling through the woods on only one good leg, and he was tired.

  His wrist and torso ached where he had been injured. He looked at the wounds again, but he couldn’t see anything new. There was ugly scar tissue, but by all appearances the wounds had healed. Guy let his shirt fall back into place and looked around for a place to rest. Settling for a mossy spot next to an old stump, he sat down heavily. He had sores on his bad leg where the cloth wrapping on his stump had come undone and the leather was rubbing his skin.

  Carefully, he untied the straps and pushed the wooden leg away from his stump. The relief was
immediate although slight. He sighed and sat back against the stump.

  He heard a slight whimpering not far off.

  Suddenly he sat up again. “Is that a dog?” he wondered. Putting aside his fatigue and discomfort, Guy hurriedly unwrapped and re-wrapped his stump. He pulled the wooden leg back on and cinched the leather straps tight. With more effort than it should have taken, he managed to get back onto his feet. “Where are you little buddy?” he wondered as he slowly made his way through the brush toward the whimpering sound.

  “Cuddles?” he said out loud when he finally found the pup. “Is that you? What are you doing here?” He immediately turned in a slow circle, looking for any sign of Charity and Lynn. “Well, how did you manage to get out here by yourself kiddo? And more importantly, how did you get hurt?”

  “Huh,” he said as he knelt down and looked her over. “I don’t see anything obvious.” Cuddles wagged her tail slightly and looked up at him with pleading puppy eyes. Guy smiled and gently pet her on the head. “Let me take a better look, ok?” He carefully palpated along her limbs.

  The puppy yelped when he touched her right front leg below the shoulder. Out of nowhere anger boiled up and Guy nearly lashed out. He physically pushed himself back onto his heels and took a few deep breaths.

  Gaining control of himself he thought, “Whoa! Where did that come from?” The puppy was looking at him and whimpering softly. He took one more calming breath and rocked forward onto his knees.

  “Okay, the first thing we need to do is put a splint on that leg so it can heal.” He looked around and found a stick the width of his finger and about the same length of Cuddle’s leg. He used a strip of cloth from his new shirt and tied the stick above and below the break, immobilizing it. Cuddles licked his hands and whined while he was working.

  “Don’t worry little pup. I’ll get you back on your feet before you know it.” Guy gently lifted Cuddles, careful not to move her leg too much, and began walking east again.

  “I’m not sure what happened to you, but I know a little girl who will be very upset if you aren’t taken care of. I’ll get you better and maybe we can find a way to get you home…wherever that is.”