“That is what Nero said, but I was hoping you could cut short our journey.” Evisar stepped next to Austen so that only he could hear what was said next. “I also don’t completely trust Nero, so I also wanted someone else to corroborate his story.”
Austen nodded his head in understanding. He backed away and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “I am afraid the Sorcerers of Kentar are your only hope. But before you leave for Kentar, there is something I need to do for all of you.”
_______________________________________
Ellen sobbed into Mestel’s shoulder as he led her into the priest’s room. That the Krone would kidnap a girl of only seven was reprehensible. They had no honor, and they would burn in one of the seven hells. Once they got into the room, Mestel gently let go of Ellen so he could shut the door.
Ellen said, “I shouldn’t have let her go. I shouldn’t have let her out of my sight.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t you see? It’s my fault. Faye asked me if she could go and play in the streets, and I said yes. I should have been more careful.”
“Ellen, you can’t watch her every moment of every day.”
“Yes, I can! Damn it! What do you know? You’re not a father.”
The words stung at Mestel’s pride. He didn’t have any children, and as Martel’s chosen voice on Tellus, he probably never would. That was part of the price he had agreed to pay, but he had at least hoped to be a father figure to the girl. Mestel didn’t take offense to Ellen’s words. He knew she was just lashing out in anger and didn’t mean what she was saying. He could sympathize with her loss, but he could never empathize with what she was going through.
“What I do know is that from the time a child is born, a parent’s job is to prepare that child for the real world. Part of that preparation is letting the child go. As a parent you have to slowly back away from your children until they can stand on their own two feet.”
“How did this happen? How? I let her go outside to play, and she ends up being abducted by the Krone and carried off for gods’ know what purpose. I can’t lose her, Jefon, I can’t.”
At that moment of weakness, Mestel made a promise he didn’t know if he could keep. “I’ll get her back.” Mestel moved closer and grabbed Ellen by both shoulders and said, “I will. I’ll find her and bring her back to you.”
“You don’t know that. You can’t know that.”
“Yes, I can. Yes, I do. The Krone out there said Faye left on horseback with another Krone only half a day ago. That means it’s not too late. He doesn’t know we will be chasing after him, and his horse is carrying two people. It’ll take days for him to ride all the way to Locus, and he will have to cross two rivers to do it.”
Ellen looked at him with a glimmer of hope. “Do you think it’s possible?”
“I know it is.”
Ellen hugged him fiercely and when she pulled away she said, “I love you.”
Mestel was caught completely off guard by her outpour of emotion. What could he say? He knew his feelings for this human woman were misplaced. Martel said he needed to devote himself utterly to his cause, and even though Ellen now worshiped Martel, his feelings for her were not a part of Martel’s plan. Nevertheless, he found himself saying, “I love you too.”
Ellen pulled away from him and said, “But I’m coming with you to find Faye.”
Mestel immediately said, “No you’re not. I will find Faye myself or die trying. I swear it by my god’s name. You don’t need to come along. I’ll go faster without you.”
“No, I have to come. I have to do something. I’ll die of worry if I stay here at Wessex waiting for your return.”
“You don’t have to come.” Mestel moved closer to Ellen and softly said, “I don’t want you to come. I can’t worry about your safety and look for Faye at the same time.”
Mestel knew that Ellen could easily take what he was saying the wrong way, but she did not. Their love was an honest one, and Ellen knew he just wanted to keep her safe. At first it was plain to see that Ellen understood, but then her face hardened with resolve. She took a step back, dug into her pocket, and brought forth the platinum coin of Martel that he had given to her not more than a moon’s turn ago. She stuck the fist-sized coin out in front of her to emphasize what she was about to say.
“By the grace of Martel, you saved my life and gave me this coin so that I would always remember. I am now a true follower of Martel, just as you are, and so is my daughter. There are three bedrock principles that define the god we follow: self-sufficiency is the path to a righteous life, bring down those points of authority who abuse their power, and suffer no one to be falsely imprisoned.”
“I know better than anyone what Martel’s three pillars are.” Mestel took two steps forward and slowly reached out his hand to grab the coin of Martel. His hand grasped the coin at the same time Ellen held it out in front of her. He pushed the platinum coin back toward her, saying, “Put the coin away. You don’t need it to remind me that Faye has been wrongly taken and imprisoned.”
Ellen got angry. “Apparently I do! She is my daughter and there is no way …”
Anything else Ellen had planned to say was lost for all time as the platinum coin of Martel started to glow with its own light. Ellen and Mestel watched in wonder for a few moments, neither one wanting to do or say anything that would upset the moment. Mestel eventually took his hand off the coin and backed away. The light of the coin began to fade and soon disappeared entirely. Without saying anything, Mestel moved forward and grabbed the edge of the coin once again. As soon as Mestel touched the coin, it started to glow with an inner light. Both Ellen and Mestel stood in silence as the coin grew brighter and brighter until its luminosity filled the entire room. Mestel again let go of the coin and backed away. The light of the coin slowly disappeared, and Ellen put the coin away.
Mestel knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what the sign from his god meant. He said, “Martel wants you to come on the journey to find Faye. Together, you and I will search for your daughter until we are reunited with her, or we are dead.”
Ellen nodded her head in understanding and said, “I just need to go home and gather a few things.” The two did not say another word as they joined hands and walked into the sanctuary where everyone was still arguing about what to do next.
As Mestel walked out into the sanctuary hand in hand with Ellen, the room fell silent and everyone stood up. Evisar moved toward them with Austen close behind. Evisar did not waste any time.
“Everything we feared about the ring and the portals is true. Only the Sorcerers of Kentar can strike the ring from Valihorn’s hand, and the longer we wait the worse things are going to get.”
Mestel nodded his head and said, “So Nero was right all along.” Nero was standing close by and locked eyes with him in acceptance of the compliment. “Ellen’s daughter, Faye, is being taken to Locus on horseback by a single Krone who is half a day ahead of us.”
Austen stepped forward with a sly grin on his face. “As it happens, Locus is on the way to the Kentarian capital of Jewlian.”
Mestel said, “The Krone won’t know we are coming after him. If we leave immediately, we should be able to catch up with him before he reaches Locus.”
Evisar said, “Fine then. Let’s get packed and get moving.”
Evisar turned to leave until Mestel stepped forward and grabbed him lightly by the shoulder. Evisar turned around and Mestel said in all seriousness. “Ellen is coming with us to find her daughter.”
Evisar reacted with anger almost at once. “She isn’t a warrior! She won’t be able to help us.” Then he turned to Ellen and said, “I’m sorry, Ellen, but I think that is a bad idea. We will have to move quickly in order to save your daughter, and we don’t need any distractions.”
Ellen responded with some heat of her own. “Are you saying I can’t keep up? Faye is my daughter. I promise that not only will I be able to keep up, but that you will have trouble keeping up
with me.”
Evisar shook his head, but before he could say no and force Mestel to pick sides, Mestel said, “Brother, I am going with Ellen to find her daughter. We can travel together as far as Locus, but if we haven’t found her by then, you will have to ride on to Jewlian without us. Faye has been wrongly taken and my god demands her freedom.”
Suddenly it seemed as though Mestel had knocked the wind out of his brother. Evisar looked down with defeat and replied in a sad voice, “Fine, but I won’t be responsible for her safety.” Mestel opened his mouth to speak when Evisar raised his arm and cut him off. “You’ve said your piece. Let’s go.”
Austen looked somber as he witnessed the tension between the elven brothers. “Unfortunately, there are two more details that need attending.” Valihorn, Nero, and Xander moved closer to hear what the old wizard had to say, while Mestel and Evisar sighed with frustration and took a step back.
“Ellen, I am afraid your late husband kept a vital secret from you.”
Ellen looked at Austen, fearing what he would say next. “What was it?”
“He never told you, but at one time he was one of the most powerful wizards in all of Tellus.”
“What?”
“I am afraid it is true. He and I were both Sorcerers in the service of Kentar, only he was much more powerful than I could ever hope to be. We were both betrayed by our fellow wizards and forced to leave, each of us for separate reasons. I came to Wessex over twenty years ago, and your late husband followed me here several years later. When he came to Wessex, he was so disillusioned with anything having to do with magic and wizardry that he renounced his powers and lived as a simple farmer.”
Ellen stared numbly off into space. “Then why did he marry me? I’m just a farm girl.”
Austen stepped forward sympathetically and took Ellen’s hands. “Because he fell in love with you. He saw how remarkable you are. He saw what all of us see in you. You are an amazing woman, Ellen. He wanted to live out the rest of his years with you.
“When Faye was born, we both realized right away what an incredible wizard your daughter might be when she was older. You may not know this, but only one in a thousand babies has any magic potential whatsoever. Most never receive any kind of training, live, and die without ever knowing what they could have become. Not only was Faye born with magic potential, her potential was a thousand times more than the average wizard. When Faye was old enough, I planned to take her as an apprentice and train her in the ways of arcane magic.
“Your husband and I both watched over Faye to make sure she was safe, until your husband died. Then it was my job to protect Faye from outsiders.” He looked down with shame. “I am sorry I failed both of you in my sworn duty.”
Ellen came forward and gave Austen a warm hug. “It’s alright, Austen. You did your best. He may have put aside his powers, but he was a great man to me and my daughter. I … I think he did love me.”
“More than life itself. You and Faye were everything to him.”
Ellen let go of Austen. She nodded her head and moved back over to Mestel. Evisar filled the void with an edge of annoyance in his voice. “Let’s get going then. Every moment we waste, the Krone carrying Faye moves farther away, and Valihorn’s ring attracts more unwanted attention.”
Austen looked at Evisar and spoke up with a little more cheer. “That brings me to my second point.”
“And what is that?”
“No one in Kentar has seen or heard from an elf in over three hundred years. You will be objects of ridicule and suspicion wherever you go. You are as likely to be thrown in prison or killed on sight as you are to get anywhere near the Krone carrying Faye.”
Evisar said, “That may be true, but other than covering our heads, I don’t see any way around that fact.”
Austen smiled broadly. “Ah, but there is. I can cast a spell that will transform you into humans.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that anyone who sees and talks with you will see a band of human travelers. As long as no one reverses the spell, or looks at you with Truth Vision, you will blend in and look like any other Kentarian citizen.”
Evisar nodded his head. “That would be a great advantage.”
With the decision made, everyone but Ellen gathered into one spot and the spell was cast. Afterward, the companions took a while to look at themselves. Mestel could scarcely believe what his eyes were telling him. The sharp features, pointy ears, and slimmer bodies of his companions had been replaced with hardier, rounder, human frames. They were ready for whatever came next.
Chapter 88: Marching to War
Jon knew he was being played; played first by the Talon Guild and then by Rafa. He managed to figure out the Talon Guild’s angle with his refugees, albeit too late, but how Rafa was using him was still unclear. He was not practiced in politics or currying favor, in part because it was beyond his upbringing, and in part because it was beneath his upbringing. He was a simple soldier who had managed to exceed his own abilities by advancing to the rank of captain. As a consequence of his new rank, Jon was quickly finding out that being charged with the safety and wellbeing of others sharpened his senses and increased his awareness like nothing else in his life before.
In the days following his ride into Jewlian, he had noticed a significant increase in the tempo and pace of everyone around him. People spoke more quickly and moved even faster. When he first arrived, the castle had been on guard and people had hurried about the halls conducting the usual business of Kentar, but now things were different. Now people scurried about from place to place getting ready for some great event. It was as though his mere presence had caused an uproar that had yet to work itself out.
After telling the story of Endwood’s destruction to Rafa, Jon received orders to remain at Jewlian Castle and wait for new orders. Since that time, the pale moon that lit the night sky had gone from waxing full to a waning half circle. He was beginning to wonder if his superiors had forgotten about him but had made up his mind to wait until the new moon before saying anything. In truth, Jon was grateful for a temporary reprieve from what had become his reality. He filled the empty days by sleeping long past sunrise, taking naps, and eating leisurely meals at the mess hall. He also wandered around the castle performing menial tasks below his station and instructing soldiers where he could.
Jon’s superiors assigned him a modest room near the barracks. It was outside the royal keep but still inside the castle wall. His rank made it inappropriate for him to room with ordinary soldiers, but it did not stop him from training with them in the yard. His modest room meant he didn’t see many of his fellow officers, but it didn’t stop him from conversing with them in the mess hall. Unfortunately for Jon, neither the common soldiers nor his fellow officers knew why everyone was in an uproar, or else they knew and no one was saying anything. Of course, living in a barracks outside the royal keep meant Jon wasn’t exactly privy to the most current information. Jewlian Castle was a huge place and there was a distinct difference between the inner keep where the royal family lived, and the rest of the castle.
His friend, Lieutenant Capstone, had stopped by his room a few times and unwittingly given him a few sparse details about what was happening. The entire Kentarian Army was apparently being mobilized to march to the eastern frontier. For what purpose, Jon did not know.
Jon trusted his King and the leadership of the Sorcerers, just as he trusted his chain of command, but he didn’t understand why the army was being called up, who the enemy was, or why it was such a secret. That is, until one night when Rafa came quietly to his room to discuss the situation.
Jon was in the middle of writing a letter to his wife and son, who lived in the city of Delphi to the west, when he looked up to see Rafa standing next to the door. Jon was startled half to death as he bolted to his feet, flinging the letter halfway across the room. He reached for his dagger before he recognized who was in front of him.
Rafa said, “Be at ease, Capta
in. I apologize for the sudden appearance, but I thought it best that no one know about this particular meeting. Please be seated, I have new orders for you.”
Jon did as he was asked, but he placed the dagger on the table directly in front of him for easy access. The message was not lost on the acting High Wizard, who remained standing and made no effort to approach the table.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you again,” Jon said.
“You are a captain in the Kentarian Army. There are less than two dozen soldiers of your rank in the entire kingdom. That alone makes you worthy of parlay, but that it is not why I am here. The Kentarian Army is on the move and I need you to join General Donell’s staff and travel with him to the front lines.”
“And what enemy are we attacking?”
“The Sorcerers and the army march east to find and destroy the mythical elves. Since you are the only ranking officer with any experience against this enemy, General Donell desperately needs you on his staff.”
Jon was completely caught off guard. “What? What are you talking about? What have the elves done to deserve the war we are bringing to their doorstep?”
“You must know. You were the one who brought me the evidence. You said the elves came to Endwood claiming we were violating some kind of treaty.”
“Yes, but that is not provocation for war.”
“You also brought me the black arrow that killed Captain Sheval. If killing one of our captains is not enough to justify war, then certainly the elven assault on Endwood is justification enough. They drove you from the town and left you to die out in the wilderness.”
“What? They did no such thing.”
“Please do not tell me you are that naive. You rode out from Jewlian with a full battalion of soldiers and established a logging town inside Glenmyr Forest. You yourself said things were fine for several turns of the moon. Then one day four mythical elves show up at the gate talking of treaty violation, and a few days later chaos breaks out as if the wrath of the gods themselves descended upon the town. What other explanation is there?”
Do the Gods Give Us Hope? Page 9
