by R. G. Long
It was a deafening sound. As if thousands marched upon them.
She looked desperately for her scouts, who were stationed around the perimeter of the city. Ithrel placed a hand on her shoulder and pointed to the wall of Ingur. A scout was signaling to Wisym with a bow in one hand and an arrow in another. The signals were those used by elves who were great distances away from one another and so could not hear, but with their elven eyes could still see.
As Wisym saw the signs, she spoke them out loud.
“Men. Goblins. Thousand. Thousand. Thousand. Thousand. West. Fire.”
Her decision was made as she scooped up the young elf.
“To the harbor. There is nothing left for us to defend here.”
She looked down the street that led to the ocean harbor of Ingur and prayed that there would be a ship they could salvage. If they marched from the west, Talgel had fallen as well or was besieged and beyond the help of their small army.
There was nothing to go home to.
“We sail.”
21: Holve’s Surprises
Ealrin carried Blume until the light of day was fading. They decided it would be wiser to make their camp for the night away from the road in case Merc Raiders came looting down that road again. The provisions Holve had found made them a decent supper. Their camp was in the valley of two hills providing them cover from the road. No one would be able to see them or their fire and in the failing light, their smoke would be undetectable.
For a long time, the three sat in silence and ate the small loaves of bread and cooked fowl Holve had managed to kill with his spear. His accuracy with his weapon of choice was incredible to see.
It was Holve, who finished his meal first and broke the silence.
"Blume, I know the past day must have been the worst in your life, but do you think you could share with us anything you had heard about the Mercs before they attacked Weyfield?"
Ealrin could tell that Holve was both trying to be gentle in the asking and to also get whatever information from her he could. Perhaps it would help him learn more about the Raiders activities in the Southern Republic. Still, it may be too soon to expect Blume to give them any pertinent information considering the trauma of the day.
To his great surprise, she answered Holve. Her tone was flat and matter of fact, but she began to tell about how she had heard of the events leading up to today would unfold.
"The traders who came to my mom and dad's shop had talked about the Mercs making them pay for safe passage through the roads south of Weyfield. They all knew it was a payment to ensure that they would not be harmed by the Mercs themselves. That was what they meant by a "safe passage." They were the only bandits on the road to worry about. The merchants kept paying the fees because they knew they could make it back and they valued their necks. It meant that they charged more for their goods. Mom and dad often talked about how unfair it was."
"Then, one day, a shipment of Woodlander Elven cloth was supposed to come into town. Instead of cloths, the cart that came into town carried the bodies of the Elven merchants. Scrawled on the cart were the words "unclean." My friend, the girl elf, had known many of them personally. She was devastated. Then later, the same thing happened with a dwarven shipment of weapons from the west, except this time it was a ship. All who were on board, men, women, dwarf and elf were killed. Again a word was carved into its hull: "filth."
"Two days ago, a man in red robes came through town. His head was shaved, but his beard was long. He had a strange metal collar around his neck, as if he was chained to something. He carried a long pole with a sign on top that simply read: Cleanse the Unclean. He warned us to get rid of all the non-humans in the town or else judgment would come. A couple of the city folk ran him off and called him crazy."
"I guess today was what he warned us about. No one thought that anything would come of it. My family and I have always had a good relationship with anyone who came into our store, human or not. It's so wrong."
At this, she stopped talking and rested her chin on her arms. She had drawn her legs close to her and still huddled under the blanket Ealrin had borrowed from the house of Holve's friend. She stared into the fire, her eyes reflecting the flickering flames.
Ealrin thought for a time. Humans trying to destroy the other races? What was the meaning of this? All the dwarves and elves he had met had been wonderful company. They had the quirks and differences of their race about them of course, but to call them filth? That was beyond ridiculous. But to kill them just because they were not human? That's insanity. It was unthinkable. Who could stir an army of Raiders to believe that killing innocent dwarves and elves as well as other non-humans to be the right course of action? Such a person must truly be evil in their very core.
"Such talk is not unheard of," said Holve as he packed away the remaining food. "There are many who would rather believe that there is someone to blame for their problems."
"What problems could originate with the elves and the dwarves?" Ealrin asked, lost for how such a connection could be made.
"Well," said Holve. "Say for example you had a bad harvest this last fall. In reality it may just be that there was no rain, or it got too hot during the summer, or for a myriad of other reasons. But what if someone convinced you that it was due to dwarven mining."
Ealrin scoffed.
"No, listen," Holve said in answer to Ealrin's frustrated tone. "You could make an argument that their forging and mining had tampered with the minerals in the soil. That if the dwarves stop their mining that your crops would be better. Now, try to convince a dwarf to stop mining. It can't be done! It's their way of life. And so if you can't convince him to stop, you force him to. By whatever means necessary. It is cruel when you think about it. But what if having those crops means putting food on your table? What if having those crops means your family can live? Do you suppose that someone would do anything to keep his family from starving? Men have gone to war for much less than that."
Ealrin thought about his words. Would he really come to terms with such a violent proposition if it meant that those he loved most dear would survive? Would he allow himself to believe that all of his worries were really caused by an entire race or races?
"Dad didn't believe that," Blume said without taking her eyes off the fire. "He said your problems were your own. That it was foolish to blame others for your own hardships. Some said it was because of the Dark Comet. I don’t believe that either. They did this themselves and should be punished. Dad said everyone is responsible for their own life."
Blume was certainly much wiser than her years gave her credit for. Her parents must have truly loved her to instill such wisdom and knowledge into this little girl.
"I hope we encounter more people like your parents little Blume." Holve said.
Ealrin agreed.
LIGHT BROKE THROUGH the night sky heralding the morning. Ealrin was more than grateful for the coming day.
He had offered to take the second watch of the night and, after being awoken by Holve in the middle of the night, he realized he was more than exhausted. He stoked the fire to provide some extra warmth and sat up as his friend lay down to sleep. They had agreed that they should stay up and look over Blume just in case any raiders or thieves decided to also stay off the beaten path. He watched his two companions; a warrior who had shown himself to be of the highest skill and caliber, and a little girl whose family was violently taken from her and he wondered what their dreams were of. Ealrin could not shake from his mind the visions of violence and bloodshed he had witnessed in the past four days. They haunted him while he slept. He saw Roland being overtaken by the goblins. He saw Blume's brother being run through with the Raider's sword.
He imagined what it might have been like to arrive in Thoran, surrounded by new companions and friends, as well as both Holve and Roland. Would the violence that haunted him now reach him eventually? Surely the Mercs would still have attacked Weyfield? And if Holve and Ealrin had not been there, would Blume b
e alive at this moment? Would she have been left to the despicable desires of the Mercs?
He pushed the thought from his mind.
It would be best to take his own advice, move on from what was past him and seek instead to bring justice to those who had committed the terrible acts of the past week. He would not sit idly by while the innocent suffered. He would do whatever it took to fight back against such terrible evils.
And in his heart, he knew that this feeling was not only familiar, but also right.
AS THE FIST SUN PEAKED over the hill they had camped behind, Ealrin nudged Holve awake.
"Better get a move on, I suppose," he told his groggy companion.
Holve rose to his feet and walked around the camp once, twice, and then a third time. Ealrin supposed this was to get his blood flowing and his mind alert. Waking up was always the hardest part of the day for Ealrin.
"I certainly hope I don't snore as loudly as you do, friend," Holve said, looking down at Ealrin, who was now putting out the fire and attempting to erase the evidence of there ever being one here.
"You both snore and it's quite awful," said Blume, startling both men slightly. She had seemed to be in the deepest of sleep.
Holve let out a grunt, but then bent down to one knee to speak to her.
"Do you think you can walk today little one?" He asked her.
"I will try. Especially if you stop calling me little one," she replied as she sat up, the blanket still surrounding her. "I'm nearly fourteen years old."
"My apologies, Miss Dearcrest," Holve gave a slight nod of his head, bowing to Blume.
Perhaps Ealrin had misjudged his friend. At first he thought that Holve would begrudge bringing her to the next village and not treat her well. He was wrong and glad he was. Holve was great with her.
Blume smiled at him and said, "Apology accepted Mister..."
"Bravestead, milady. Holve Bravestead," he said as he rose to his feet. "And this is the brave Sir Ealrin Belouve. Or at least, we think he is."
Blume's face showed her confusion at Holve's statement. Ealrin stepped in.
"To take your mind off of walking and other things, let me tell you a story: mine so far," Ealrin said, holding out a hand to help Blume to her feet. She took his hand and got up. He noticed she still clung to the chest that Holve had extracted from her house.
After they had ensured that the roads looked clear, they began walking down the path and west towards Breyland.
Telling his tale indeed took their minds off the current tragedy they were facing. Blume asked some of the same questions Ealrin had already heard, but was still unable to answer.
But then, after he finished answering the questions he could, she asked him “Do you think your family misses you?”
Looking down at the little girl by his side, he answered her truthfully, “I hope I have a family at all. And if I do, I don’t want them to worry too much. I intend to find them at some point. Finding them, however, will mean that I’ll need to remember where I’m from in the first place!”
“I hope you do remember,” Blume said, returning his gaze. Her face was sad. It was no small wonder. She had lost everything dear to her. Ealrin had the hope that his family was alive somewhere and searching for him. Blume had no hope for a family. They were gone. Perhaps she clung to hope for Ealrin because she had none of her own?
Ealrin again turned his attention to the road ahead of them. They hadn’t met anyone since beginning their journey and it was nearly midday. Either the Mercs had come this way and it was already too late for Breyland or something else stopped the travelers and merchants from coming south. Ealrin feared they would know soon enough.
“What’s in the chest, Blume?” he asked as he walked side by side with her.
She shuffled it in her arms. It was just big enough to be carried under one arm, but she clung to it with both hands and kept it near her chest.
“It’s our family treasure,” she said warily. Apparently she did not completely trust them. And perhaps she was right not to. Aside from saving her from the Merc raider who was carrying her away, they were strangers to her. While she might have trusted them to watch over her while she slept, she was not yet willing to tell them what lay inside her chest. And that was okay.
“I don’t doubt that it will be safe with you, Blume,” Ealrin said. He hoped this conveyed that he had no desire to remove it from her. It was what she desired to remember her family by, he guessed. Let her hold it for as long as she liked.
He desired to change the subject, and asked Holve another question.
“What do you suppose the Merc’s are trying to accomplish by raiding cities that harbor nonhuman races?”
“That is a question I’ve been thinking on since we came to Weyfield. I don’t understand their reasoning. When the elders of the Republic hired the Mercs originally, they were nothing more than a group of mercenaries who sought to make money. The trick was they had incited the rebellion they were meant to crush. No one was sure of their meaning then, and I’m surprised by their resurgence. And I must say that it takes a lot to surprise me when it comes to the goings on of Ruyn. Like the goblins. I can’t help but wonder that the two are interconnected in some way that I cannot yet see.”
With this, Holve had given Ealrin something to think about. But first...
“What do you mean by elders?” he questioned him.
“Ah. I forgot that you’ve no clue what’s going on around you,” Holve said back to him in a mocking tone. Ealrin didn’t mind too much. He was almost certain Holve was joking with him.
“The Southern Republic is made up of three different races: Dwarves, Elves, and Man. By all accounts, men outnumber the dwarves and elves by ten to one. However the other races were here long before man. It must have been around one hundred years ago that a treaty was made. There was strife between the factions of man as well as the Woodlander Elves and the Dwarves of the Southern Range. A war with the goblins and trolls from the north caused them to unite. Assured that the three races could live in peace, the Southern Republic was formed. For each of the ten settlements, whether man or other race, two representatives are sent to the capital city of Conny. Six of them are the cities of men, two are the forest dwellings of elves, Talgel and Ingur, and the other are the mountain city and forge of dwarves, Cardun-Addush and Kaz-Ulum. Kaz means that it’s a dwarven mining city.”
“Each of these settlements designates its own elders and they speak for their people. So on the council there are twenty all together: four dwarf, four elves, and twelve men. By allowing each of these a vote, they are able to keep peace between the two races. Though the men outnumber the other races, it is never wise to always go against them for every decision. For example, say your settlement voted against the dwarven right to mine a new mountain because you feared for damage to your crops? Well, what if that mine would allow for you to arm the guards meant to protect your city? There are trade-offs at all levels and that's what has kept the peace between the races who share the southern peninsula. For the last one hundred years, it has kept the peace between man and dwarf and elf. Until ten years ago that is."
Ten years ago. Ealrin remembered that was when the rebellion first occurred in the Southern Republic. Holve had mentioned that just the other day.
"One of the elders of Conny, the capital city, began to make a case for an entirely human country. In other words he wanted to either remove the others forcibly or exterminate them. Of course the talks didn't start that way. He spoke of better lands for elves and better mines for dwarves. Not all could see through to the end of his dire plan. Some sided with him. He was removed by the vote of the council, as well as with the recommendation of the Head Elder, the closest thing to a single ruler the Southern Republic has. Disgraced, he fled to Seagate and tried to stir up a coup. The Mercs were sent in to deal with him, but were really sided with him. It was then that Thoran came to help drive the rebels to the mountains."
"Now they are a threat again. The qu
estion is: what is their end goal this time? And what purpose could be served by burning down an entire city?"
Holve let out a frustrated sigh. He stretched out his arms and let them fall to his sides. Apparently this journey wasn't going how he had anticipated it either.
"So now we travel to inform the king," he said. "Perhaps the army of Thoran could be used once again to put down this threat. Crush it so that the Mercs no longer loot and pillage innocent cities and kill its citizens."
And what role would he play in it? Ealrin wondered. He had seen the destruction first hand. He had witnessed violent acts that spawned from a senseless hate of other races. This was not the time to sit idly by, he thought. He would do whatever he could to bring justice to those who had committed these wrongs.
"Yes, I pray that the king will be able to make sense of what is happening here," Holve continued. "And take the necessary action to aid the Southern Republic in resolving it."
Ealrin wanted to know what he meant by "necessary action."
"Twenty years ago when the Southern Republic called for the Kings aid he quickly and decisively deployed his army," Holve said. "I was one of the generals who helped him fight that battle."
"You? A general?" Ealrin asked, not hiding the surprising his voice.
Holve had been withholding that piece of information from him. Ealrin had assumed that he was a knight of some kind, or perhaps a warrior or adviser to the king. But a general? That was a true surprise.
Holve chuckled as he replied, "Do I not seem like a leader of men?"
Ealrin was glad to see that a small smile had returned to Holve’s face.
"I suppose now that you tell me it makes sense, but why was the general of an army spending time on the island of Good Harbor?" he asked.
"I told you that I was in service to the king," Holve replied. "But I am not a true citizen of Thoran. The king values my advice and my leadership during times of trial and war. There has not been a war on the continent for the last 10 years, so I was assigned the job of gathering information and bolstering the ranks of the Kings personal knights."
