“Aren't you going to kill him?” Kilren asked, having made his way to the knight's side.
“No,” Darian sighed. “No, I'm not.”
“Alright,” the rogue shrugged. “But isn't that basically why we're here? I mean: he's slaughtered...”
“I know,” the knight interrupted, “and he probably deserves to die. But I was sent to stop him, not to judge him. Lord Andor and King Illfas will do that. For the moment, just tie him up.”
“Up to you,” Kilren replied, shaking his head before doing as his friend requested.
Leaving their prisoner in the rogue's charge, Darian rushed to the aid of the bard; healing him the instant he reached him. He then turned his attention to his other allies. However, they were no longer in need of aid. With the wizard unconscious, his spells were quickly brought to an end. As a result, Tealor's mind was restored and the ice wall surrounding Sarena had begun to melt.
This being the case, the young man more fully healed Kilren before treating his own wounds and those of his unconscious prisoner. He silently thanked the Eilian for helping them all survive; even their formally unknown foe would live to face justice. Thus far, their quest had been successful. They had discovered and stopped the enemy of Innalas. Now, all they had to do was find a way to stop the dark mist; then get themselves, their prisoner, and the Solarin royal family safely back to Talsier.
Chapter 15: Homeward Bound
“Sir Darian,” the warrior said the moment the knight had finished healing their prisoner. “May I speak to you for a moment?”
“Certainly,” the young man smiled, stepping across the room.
The rest of the party also drew near the valiant captain, leaving the aged wizard laying alone on the cold stone floor a short distance away.
“Darian,” the warrior said, his eyes locked on those of the Telian, “I know you value mercy, but I think this is taking it a bit too far. We can't let Saress live; he's far too dangerous.”
“I think Lord Andor can handle him,” the Telian assured him.
“I'm not talking about Andor, Darian,” Tealor replied, shaking his head. “I'm talking about us. He could have very easily killed us all. It was only the grace of the Eilian that saved us.”
“We'll simply have to depend on that grace again,” the knight replied. “We can't harm him; he's our prisoner.”
“Look, Darian...” the warrior began.
“One moment, Captain,” the bard interrupted. “I agree with Sir Darian. He's our captive now, for good or for ill. However, I honestly don't think he's in any position to put up a fight. Darian destroyed his staff and we can take any other magical baubles he might have. As long as we watch him, I think we can control him. There's also the matter of the royal family. I don't know how to thaw them out; but I feel certain he does.”
For a moment, the captain stood, silently gazing at their prisoner.
“Very well,” he replied with a sigh. “I admit, you do have a point. Just make sure you take whatever weapons he may have.”
“Absolutely,” the dwarf nodded. “Sarena, my dear, if you'll assist me.”
“Happily,” she smiled.
The pair carefully examined the defeated wizard. On his right hand, he wore a ring that held a large shining sapphire. On his left was one that bore a smaller jet-black stone. Both were quite magical. The golden crown that had been throw from his head when his staff exploded also glowed with arcane power. Even the robe he wore was very obviously enchanted to the watchful eyes of the sorceress and the bard. All of these items, with the exception of the robe, were confiscated by the pair.
Ian then sang a brief but lively tune that quickly revived their stunned prisoner.
“Duke Saress,” the bard said softly, “those people frozen in the cavern. They are the royal family of Solarin and your kin, correct?”
“Yes.”
“And you put them there?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” Darin asked.
“To preserve them until I rebuilt our kingdom. Once that was done, I planned to release them and return what was theirs by right. I have killed many, Telian. In order to succeed, I would have killed many, many more. I have become a man of blood. I wanted my kin to return to their glory without having to bear that burden. Now, that will never happen.”
“Will you free them?” the bard asked.
“Yes,” the old man replied with tears forming in his eyes. “Yes, I will. I've failed. There's no reason for them to remain bound.”
“We would appreciate that,” the knight nodded. “I'm sure they will, as well.”
“What do you plan to do with me?” the old man asked.
“You'll be taken to Talsier,” Darian replied. “There you'll be judged for your crimes by King Illfas and Lord Andor.”
“It is well,” the wizard replied. “My death has too long been delayed. At last, I'll have peace.”
“Will you destroy the stone?” Tealor asked, gazing down at the aged wizard.
“Even I can't do that,” the old man replied, shaking his head. “But I can do this.”
Having said this, he lifted his hand and the light in the stone died.
“There will be no more mist,” he explained. “As I have been defeated, so my armies will be. Now, Telian, do you intend to take my family with us to Talsier?”
“I do,” the knight replied.
“As I suspected,” the old man nodded. “In that case, I can save you a great deal of time and danger. I'm not going to have my family dragged through troll filled forests to get them back to safety.”
“What would you suggest?” the knight asked.
“The glasses,” the wizard said. “I had one placed just miles from Talsier. It was part of my grand strategy.”
“Is there one near Dalfaen?” the rogue asked, his brows drawn together.
“Perhaps,” the old man replied.
“Do you know how many people you killed in that village?” Kilren asked.
“Many.”
“You're soulless!”
“Yes.”
“Kilren,” the bard interjected, “perhaps it would be best to save this discussion until after we’re all safely back in Talsier. Duke Saress, you said one of the glasses could get us there.”
“It can,” he replied. “In fact, it would be wise to take it with us. I have another in the cavern near my family... I would visit them... from time to time... In any event, we can use one to reach the cavern and take the other along with us.”
“That sounds like an excellent plan,” the warrior observed.
“Let's do it,” the Telian nodded.
The entire party first passed through the teleportation glass that led from the chamber they occupied to the wizard's own. The men helped the old man change into more suitable, and less magical, attire while the ladies allowed him some privacy. The final result was that their foe was far less powerful than he had been when they faced him not more than an hour before.
The band then made its way back to the chamber filled with the teleportation devices. The aged wizard waved his hand before one of those filled with an image of darkness. Instantly, light filled the cavernous room it led to. The old man had Tealor, Darian, and Kilren remove another from its rack and take it with them as they passed into the cave.
A short distance away was the room that held the royal family frozen in ice. The wizard approached the block that contained the old man. He moved his hands in an intricate pattern and intoned words of arcane power that echoed off the walls and ceiling. As soon as he finished, the ice began to evaporate. In moments, the old man stood gazing around the room in confusion.
“Uncle Saress?” he asked, as his eyes fell on the aged wizard.
“Yes, Calmon,” the wizard replied.
“What happened?”
“It's a long story, my nephew. We'll discuss it later. For the moment, I need to focus on freeing the rest of our family from their icy prisons.”
Minutes later, th
e entire royal line of Solarin stood, talking merrily together in a joyous, but rather confused family reunion. The band then made their way outside the cavern. Rragor jumped up from where he lay a short distance away as soon as the party emerged, running back and forth excitedly in front of his mistress. The horses stood nearby grazing on what little vegetation they had been able to find. For the few hours that they had been in the wolf's charge, he had taken good care of them.
The glass that led to Talsier was placed against the cliff face. Once again, the wizard waved his hand before the device. The image that instantly covered its surface was that of a small chamber, seemingly contained within the trunk of an exceptionally large tree. After a brief discussion, the ladies and Rragor, along with the horses and the royal family, passed through the magical portal. The men and their prisoner, however, returned the device to its stand within the tower before rejoining their companions.
In consideration of the comparatively low level of danger within the borders of Innalas and the number of children in the band, the royal family shared most of the group's horses amongst themselves. The knight and the warrior led the party sitting atop their mounts, riding a short distance ahead in order to spot any potential attacks before they encountered them. They soon discovered a patrol of wardens who immediately agreed to escort them back to the capital. It was with a great sense of pride and relief that the knight saw the city rising in the distance before him. They had succeeded.
As they covered the short distance that stood between them and the capital, the elvish maiden and her betrothed approached the young sorceress.
“Gwendolyn,” Erana said, smiling at the maiden through tear-filled eyes. “We wanted to thank you for saving Kilren's life.”
“I'm not sure I did,” the young sorceress replied with a smile of her own. “I'm sure Darian would have reached him in time.”
“I'm not,” the rogue chuckled. “And whether or not he would have doesn't matter. The point is that you did and you have our thanks.”
“You're very welcome,” the young sorceress replied. “And, really, I didn't have a choice. I've never been a maid of honor before. I couldn't let the chance just slip through my fingers.”
At this, all three laughed.
“How did you manage it, by the way?” Kilren asked.
“Just like I did last time,” she replied. “I just filled my mind with the desire to heal you. I really think I failed with Darian because I knew I didn't have to succeed. I mean; he can heal himself and he wasn't even hurt very badly. But in your case... it was different.”
“Very different,” the ranger said softly.
“Well,” the rogue smiled, “it's all over now. The main thing is that you did it and we know that you can when you really have to.”
“I hope you're right,” the human maiden replied.
“Don't worry,” he smiled. “I am.”
As the party drew near one of the bridges that led into the city, a large and tumultuous crowd of elves gathered to greet them. The news of their success had preceded the band and they were heralded as heroes of Innalas. The royal guards quickly escorted the group through the throngs of cheering citizens into the courtyard of the palace. Steward Calndorn rushed down the steps to greet them and immediately ushered them into King Illfas's court.
The Telian and his allies strode proudly through the chamber, their prisoner and the Solarin royal family just steps behind. As they crossed the room, the young knight noticed two people standing behind the throne of the king and queen. The familiar face of Jalek was a short distance behind Illfas; behind his bride, stood a young man Darian had never seen before.
He seemed to be two or three years older than the young knight and was at least that many inches taller. Truly regal clothing of a deep blue color, that perfectly matched his piercing eyes, covered his large and muscular frame. His long blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail that hung down over one shoulder. As he stood staring at the band, a wide smile on his face, the Telian had to admit that whoever he was, he certainly looked like royalty.
Darian stopped a few feet from the dais and knelt, along with his allies, waiting to be addressed. The Solarin royals, with the exception of Saress, followed his example.
“Arise, heroes of Innalas,” the king said immediately, “And arise, fair cousins.”
“Why did he call them his cousins?” the knight whispered to the bard.
“Because they're all royals,” the dwarf replied. “Now be quiet.”
“So, Sir Darian,” the king said, smiling at the young Telian. “It seems you’ve succeeded.”
“We did, my lord,” the knight replied.
“You have done well,” Illfas said, bowing his head as he spoke.
“Indeed, they have, my lord,” Jalek added. “It appears that one can count on Sir Darian's wisdom, as well as his strength.”
“So it would seem,” the king agreed. “Now, Sir Darian, I would ask you to enjoy our hospitality for a few days while arrangements are made for me to express my thanks properly.”
“I need no thanks,” Darian replied.
“I believe you may recall, Sir Darian,” Illfas said, smiling at the nobles that filled the hall, “that we've discussed this before.”
This statement was met with the sound of merry laughter.
“You also have to consider that Lord Andor is still in the field,” the king continued. “I think you'll agree that we should wait on him before we celebrate or attend to our other affairs.”
“Yes, sir,” the knight replied. “I certainly do agree.”
“Excellent!” Illfas replied. “In that case, I'll take charge of your prisoner. You, along with the rest of your friends and allies, can enjoy a brief rest.”
The royal guards immediately stepped forward to take charge of Saress. With this done, Calndorn led the entire group to the rooms that had been hastily prepared for them. Shortly after their rather late lunch, Darian and Gwendolyn decided to take a stroll in the courtyard along with Kilren and Erana.
“So, your father's not here?” the human maiden asked.
“Not at the moment,” Erana sighed. “Apparently, he rode out with Lord Andor. Still, they should all be back in a few days, including Galinral.”
“And then you're going to ask him again?” the young sorceress asked, a tone of excitement in her voice.
“We are,” the rogue replied firmly.
“That's wonderful,” Gwendolyn said. “I'm sure you'll get his permission this time. After all, marriage is such a beautiful thing. Don't you think so, Sir Darian?”
“What?” he said, turning his attention back to his friends. “Yeah. It's alright, I guess.”
“You know, Darian,” Kilren chuckled, “You really worry me sometimes.”
As the four wandered along admiring the verdure, Jalek and the unknown young man approached them.
“My friends,” Jalek said with a smile, “allow me to introduce you to Gregor.”
“It's an honor to meet the heroes of Innalas,” the handsome young man said with a deep bow.
Gregor took each of the young men firmly by the wrist in turn, before raising Gwendolyn's hand to his lips and gently kissing it. When he attempted to offer this same homage to Erana, the rogue caught him by the wrist with a wide smile on his face.
“Sorry,” he said with a wink. “She's spoken for.”
“Of course...” the young man stammered, “I certainly didn't mean to...”
“No worries,” the rogue laughed, slapping him on the shoulder. “I just wanted you to know the score, as it were.”
“Well, I assure you,” Gregor replied with a laugh of his own, “I do now.”
“Were you summoned here to help, as well?” the Telian asked, as the six of them began strolling along together.
“No,” the young man replied, shaking his head. “No, not at all. In all honesty, had I known, I might not have come here. I only arrived a few days ago and didn't reach Talsier until late last evenin
g. By the time I realized there were trolls ravaging the countryside, it was the nearest refuge I could reach. I'm very glad fate did lead me here, however. Otherwise I might not have met you all.”
As he said this, the Telian thought the young man shot a smiling glance at Gwendolyn. He couldn't be sure, of course, but it certainly seemed that way to him.
“And I feel fortunate to have done so,” Gregor continued. “It's always good to make new friends, especially ones that are so... exceptional. Sir Darian, Jalek tells me that you serve the kingdom of Solarin.”
“That's true,” the knight nodded.
“He also says that it fell twenty years ago.”
“It did.”
“And yet, you serve it still?”
“I do,” the Telian nodded, “and I hope one day to restore it.”
“That's remarkable,” the young man replied with a smile, “truly remarkable. It's always an honor to meet those who serve the cause of right no matter what the odds. And it seems that you may be as dedicated to your cause as I am to my own. I won't weary you with my presence at the moment. I hope that, when Lord Andor arrives, you'll introduce me to him.”
“I'd be happy to,” Darian replied.
“Then, for the moment, I'll bid you farewell. Sir Darian, Kilren, Lady Erana it has been a great honor to meet you all,” the young man said, taking each of the young men by the wrist before once again raising the human maiden's hand to his lips. “It's been an extraordinary pleasure to meet you, Lady Gwendolyn.”
Darian gazed at Gregor, brows knitted, wondering exactly where and when the tradition of hand kissing originated. With his farewells said, the young man turned and strode quickly back to the king's tower.
“He seems like a nice guy,” Kilren observed as soon as he had left.
“He does,” Jalek nodded. “But I don't know much about him. All we could discover last night is that he's a noble living in exile. He wouldn't say much more than that, other than he was innocent of any wrongdoing and hoped that King Illfas would offer him temporary sanctuary. Whatever happened, it's still fresh enough in his mind that he doesn't want to talk about it.”
“That's unfortunate,” Gwendolyn said, her gaze turning to the tower behind them.
The Beasts of Areon (The Chronicles of Areon Book 2) Page 31
