Myths & Magic: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection

by Kerry Adrienne

  The barmaid came to take our orders and our conversation resumed. “And you? How have you managed with all of this?” Jonas asked.

  “I am a survivor, as all Guardians are. I am used to change, and I welcome it. The only thing I dislike…” Kaden nodded toward some guards dressed in uniform sitting at a table across the room, “is them.” The table of men wore grey tunics with a red band across their left bicep.

  “The king’s guards?” Jonas sounded surprised. “What about them? They weren’t such a big deal back in the day. The Guardians did most of the patrolling and held more power as far as security goes.”

  “It’s changed. With the barrier up, the king’s guards took a position of power. The Guardians roles had to be redefined as there was no danger from outside. Our job focused on hunting and trapping and the King’s guards took up security. Larkin, Vintras’s son, manages them. Honestly, that kid was always trouble. I think Vintras put him in charge of the guards just to give him something to do.” Kaden shook his head. The barmaid returned with our drinks. Kaden took a big swig before adding. “Biggest mistake our king could have made.”

  I wondered if Kaden disliked the king’s guards because he was envious of their status in the village. With the shift in importance making the rank of king’s guards higher than Guardians, there was good argument for bitterness.

  “What’s so bad about them?” Torin asked.

  Kaden leaned forward, keeping his eyes on the king’s guards, and lowered his voice so that it was barely audible. “They, or he, hungers for control. With the barrier gone, people want to leave. But if they go, the village and kingdom will fall. And that is a problem if you are a prince, waiting for your father’s last breath so that you may take the crown and throne for yourself.” Kaden let out a loud and satisfied belch and returned to normal volume. “Drink up, then I’ll show you where you can sleep.” Kaden tipped his cup back to drink anything left in his mug. I finished my spiced berry juice that reminded me of cranberry with a hint of honey.

  Kaden led us through the village center and down a small alleyway before stopping at a small stone and wood house “It’s not been touched since Kyra passed.” He opened the door and walked into the building. “It’s not much, but there’s a bed, blankets, and it provides shelter from the cold nights.”

  “Who was Kyra? The name is not familiar to me.” Jonas asked as he looked around the scarcely decorated single room home.

  “She was a few years younger than myself. She trained to be a Guardian but abandoned her pursuit as the king’s guards became more powerful.” Kaden bit his bottom lip. There was a sadness about him as he spoke of Kyra. “She was one of my students, but hunting and gathering in the small confines of the barrier wasn’t enough for her… She wanted more.”

  “Were her parents Guardians?” Jonas asked.

  “Her father, Tanus, was a Guardian.”

  “I knew him. He was a few years older than me.” Jonas seemed excited to recognize the name. “Is he still alive?”

  “No.” Kaden shook his head. “He also passed from illness several years ago.”

  “How did Kyra die?” I shouldn’t care, but I found myself curious about the cause of someone’s passing, especially someone young.

  Kaden cleared his throat. “Kyra organized a group to leave Yardis. She talked about finding a new life in the free world. The king’s guard held a public execution to teach others that leaving Yardis was wrong,”

  “Vintras signed off on that?” Jonas scratched his head in disbelief. “Why? Why would he order something like that?”

  “I don’t believe he did.” Kaden pushed off from the wall he had been leaning against and headed for the door. “Anyway, you’re welcome to stay. I had better get back.”

  Jonas looked more concerned than ever but approached Kaden with his hand out to shake. “Thank you friend.”

  They pulled close into a man hug and then Kaden left.

  Jonas turned to us. “I don’t like what I’ve heard. A lot has changed since I left, and I don’t know what we’ll find at the king’s stronghold. We’ll need to be cautious. Now, let’s leave our bags here and head to meet your father, King Vintras.”

  Chapter 11

  In my mind, I imagined the king living in a grand castle sitting upon a grassy hill, with grey stone walls reaching for the sky, turrets on each corner and flags raised high in honor of the king and his people. But the Castle of Vintras looked far from what I had imagined. Its basic structure reminded me of the Texas Roadhouse over by the Walmart in Midland, only this place was much bigger. “Hmm, I expected something more…castle-y.”

  Torin chuckled next to me. “Is that even a word?”

  I shrugged.

  “I’m with ya, though. Suddenly, I’m hungry for a steak and some rolls with sweet cinnamon butter.”

  I looked at him in disbelief. “And a bucket of peanuts.”

  Torin laughed and clapped me on my back.

  “Very funny you two. Look around you. Without concrete mixers and heavy equipment, building anything this solid and large was a challenge. It may not be castle-y but it works.” Jonas sounded a little defensive. But the king’s “castle” was impressive. Stones formed a solid foundation around the entire structure and also framed the main entrance and windows. The rest of the structure was several stories high and made from solid logs and was topped with a thatched roof.

  Guards walked along the rooftop spying down at us, holding some unseen object in their hands. Jonas noticed them and looked back to Torin and I. “Listen, I have no idea what it’s like in there, but we should mind Kaden’s warning and be cautious of Larkin and the guards,” Jonas warned, speaking softly.

  Two of the king’s guards stood on each side of the large wooden door, spears in hand, swords hung from their waists. Leather armor protected their vulnerable parts.

  Jonas stepped before them. “We are here by the request of King Vintras. I am Jonas, and I am here with two young men he has asked to meet.”

  “One moment.” The guard on the right turned and entered the building, closing the door behind him. The other guard stood directly in front of the door staring at each of us. He looked younger than Jonas but older than Torin and I.

  The door opened a short moment later and the second guard returned. “You may enter. Follow me.” He led us into the building which opened up to an airy central room with tall ceilings and large colorful tapestries hanging from the walls along with, animal skins, antlers and a bear’s head mounted above what looked to be a stone fireplace. Large wood beams stretched across the interior of the thatched roof, while narrow windows did an impressive job of illuminating the large room during the day. Large wooden chandeliers with several candles hung from the beams above. One was centered over a long wooden table with about eight chairs placed around it. I wondered if the candles would provide sufficient lighting for the large room in the evening hours.

  “This way.” The guard led us up the staircase and down a short hall to a set of double doors that had another set of guards on each side. “These are the king’s visitors.” One of the guards opened the door, revealing a bedroom larger than my parent’s room, with a large square window on one wall. The massive bed, crafted out of ornately carved wood, occupied most of the room. A man with grey hair and a short beard sat up in the bed studying us. Another man, dressed in a white tunic sat to his left reading a book, paying us no attention.

  Jonas fell to one knee and bowed his head. “My lord, it has been a long time since our last meeting.”

  “Jonas.” The man’s voice sounded rough. “Come. Have you brought my boys?”

  Jonas rose. “I have. Both have grown into fine young men as they’ve recently celebrated their eighteenth year.” Jonas motioned for us to follow him as he walked toward the bedridden man. “This is Raynar. Jaron and Lysa have cared for him these years. And this is Torin, my responsibility.”

  The king looked older than Jonas. His pale face exaggerated the dark shadow
s under his eyes. Deep wrinkles lining his face told of the village’s troubled past and his worries for its future. He took Jonas’s hand in his.

  “Thank you for doing this, for caring for my children and bringing them back to me.” His eyes filled with tears. “I am so eternally grateful.” He shook Jonas’s hand and squeezed it before looking past him at the two of us.

  Jonas took a seat by the large window while Torin and I stepped closer.

  “Thank you for making the journey. I have thought of you both often, wondering if you are well and what you might be studying. I would like to spend some time getting to know you both over the next few days and letting you ask questions of me. I’m afraid that I do not have much time left, but I would like to get to know you both before my time ends.”

  My fingers found the charm that hung from the chain around my neck.

  The king noticed, “You wear a Guardian’s medallion. Did Jaron and Lysa give you one of theirs?”

  I nodded my answer.

  “They were excellent Guardians, as were you, Jonas. Those were different times, better times. I wish I could have been a better king to my people.” He looked at Torin and me. “I wish I could have been a father to you both.”

  The door opened behind us and in walked a tall guy about our age with three king’s guards behind him. His white hair was short with longer messy bangs pointing in various directions. His pale blue eyes matched those of the king’s. They narrowed as he took in everyone in the room. “What is this father? Who are these outsiders?”

  “Larkin! Come, we have visitors.” The king motioned for Larkin to come closer. “I want you to meet your brothers, Torin and Raynar.”

  Larkin looked at us both, then fell into a fit of laughter. “Oh father, it seems the medic has given you too potent a dose. You’re delusional. I am your only child. These intruders fool you. Guards, seize them!”

  His guards started towards us but the king called them off. “No, no. Stand down!” He commanded to the guards. “Larkin, you are wrong. They are my guests, and I speak the truth. I know this is shocking news, but it’s truth. They were born outside of the barrier and have returned to me now that we are free. You should rejoice. You have brothers, Larkin!”

  Larkin did not appear to be rejoicing at our appearance. His jaw worked with agitation as he glared between Torin and me.

  The elated king smiled. “I only wish you had known them all along, but Malora…” He shook his head at the memory. “But now that the barrier is removed, we can get to know them.”

  Larkin approached Torin and me, sizing us up. “I apologize for my father. He has been ill for some time, and I’m afraid his medicine has played a trick on his mind. My mother died in childbirth. There are documents stating such, and my grandparents never spoke of any other children. I’m sorry if he has troubled you.”

  “Your mother, Shara, is not their mother.” King Vintras corrected.

  Larkin’s demeanor shifted and he shot an icy glare at the king. “I see. You are full of surprises today father.” He bit out before storming out of the room, the three guards followed, closing the door behind them. A loud crash sounded from behind the wooden doors.

  “I’m sorry for his rudeness. This is news to him, and he needs time. I refrained from telling him and maybe that was a mistake. But I wanted to be sure you both were alive and well before I revealed the truth. Forgive him.” The king began coughing and reached for a cup made out of bone and took a sip. “Henrick, are there rooms for our guests?” He asked the medic.

  A man with reddish hair who looked to be in his thirties looked up from his book. “Every room is taken Sire. But I can make a place in one of the storage rooms where they could sleep.”

  “No, thank you. We have accommodations in the village.” Jonas answered. “In fact, we should probably head back and get some provisions for the week.” Jonas stood and approached us.

  “Very well. I would very much like to have a meal with one of my sons this afternoon, if you think that’s possible.” The king looked to Henrick. “Am I cleared to eat in the great hall?”

  “Let me check.” Henrick came over and pulled back the covers. He pushed one finger on the king’s shin and removed it. The indentation remained as if the finger was still compressing the skin. “You’re too swollen. Lunch will be served in here with your feet elevated.” Henrick helped the king get into a comfortable position and propped his feet upon some pillows and animal skins.

  “Torin, stay with King Vintras. Tomorrow Ray and the king can have time together. See you back at Kyra’s this evening.” He clapped Torin on the shoulder. “It is good to see you, my lord.” Jonas bowed his head to King Vintras.

  I nodded toward the king. “Nice to meet you.”

  “You as well, my son.” The king smiled at me with a genuine happiness that could be seen in his eyes.

  Jonas and I stopped back at the house to retrieve his bag before we headed out in the village to pick up dried meats and mushrooms to snack on back at the house.. Jonas offered them coins he still had from when he’d lived here but gave them an option of trading their goods for a jar of honey. Many opted for the liquid gold, One woman broke down in tears as she explained they hadn’t had honey since the barrier spell went up as it physically kept them from maintaining the hive. I knew of the many uses of honey as Jonas had encouraged my parents to use it for many of my cuts, coughs, and stomach upsets. Although the small jars of honey seemed like treasure, a few bees would be worth so much more to the villagers.

  Several older Yardinians recognized Jonas and warmly greeted him. They asked questions about life outside of Yardis. Some seemed curious to see these modern sights with their own eyes while others spoke nervously of the different life that existed many miles away. A few of the men pulled him close to whisper secrets of the village in his ear.

  All the while the king’s guards patrolled the village, taunting and bullying the craftspeople.

  The village of Yardis looked like something out of a medieval encyclopedia. Yet there was no cosmic portal that had spit the village out into our modern century. No, Yardis existed in this remote location where roads did not venture and civilization had deemed it uninhabitable. They had made a place for themselves here and had managed to survive even without the help of modern technology.

  Jonas and I dined at the same tavern where we had shared a drink with Kaden earlier. There were more patrons this time of day, and thankfully, they seemed appropriately staffed as we did not wait long for a beverage.

  “What’s the history of Yardis?” I asked Jonas. “Like how did this village end up here, far from the rest of the world?” Many more questions spun around my head but this seemed to be the one I was most curious about.

  “We are descended from Vikings and came over from Scandinavia many years ago. Our people, the Yardinians, disagreed with the radical beliefs of the new leadership and made the decision to sail to the New World in search of a place to call home and where we could hold onto our beliefs and old ways. Our ancestors crossed the ocean and navigated the waterways to this area. They struggled at first because they were a small group and building a place where they could manufacture goods to trade with other lands took time. For the first few years, they focused on surviving, establishing the village, and building relationships with the natives. Our people were not liked by the local tribes. They saw us as wild, barbaric people pushing our way onto their lands. And they were right. The first Yardinians to step foot on this soil were led by no one. There was no order order or civility—they took what they wanted, when they wanted, and it angered the natives. But the natives rallied together with a shared goal—drive out the barbarians. They pushed us to the land within the circle of oaks and created the Swampy Cree Treaty, which stated that we elect a king and enforce rules for our village and they, the neighboring tribes, will leave us alone in peace.”

  “Interesting.” Hearing the Treaty mentioned again made me think about our driver and wonder what his version
of these stories would be.

  “Honestly, before the barrier spell, we were finally making positive strides.” Jonas stared off remembering a time years ago.

  “What were the radical beliefs that prompted their departure?” I asked.

  “The new leader believed our misfortune with crops and hunting was due to our inadequate offerings. He ordered a seasonal human sacrifice and those that were against it, packed up and sailed across the country to start their new lives.” Jonas took a sip from his cup.

  “What happened? What or who created the barrier?” I asked.

  “Malora. She was a witch who lived in the northern wood outside of the village boundaries. King Vintras’s father, King Erik, disliked magic users outside of our race, but he especially disliked Malora. I couldn’t tell you why, though some theorized that her hut was too close to the village, while others believed she’d tried to trick Erik into wedding her. All I remembered was the hatred he had toward Malora. Many of the villagers followed the king’s lead blindly, and hated her and her daughter, many except your father. Your father was always a kind man who cared for all, even back then when the village was full of hate for anyone different.” Jonas set his cup down and motioned for the barmaid.

  She refilled his drink, and then brought over two bowls of stew.

  “What made the barrier disappear after all these years?” I asked.

  The doors of the tavern flew open and a patrol of about ten guards entered, rushing toward an occupied table at the back. They grabbed the seated patrons and stood them up. One protested, and a guard quieted her by slitting her throat. The tavern crowd gasped while the guards removed the rest of their prisoners from the building.

  “What’s happening?” Jonas asked the passing barmaid.

  “They are part of Kyra’s rebellion. I’d cautioned them to halt their plans, but they had decided to move tonight while the village sleeps. And now they have been caught.” The barmaid shook her head and walked away.