“Who, who are you?”
Kneeling, she moved in closer to him. Holding her hair back with her hand she leaned into him and whispered.
“Gareion, it is Arweyn. You scared the life out of me; I thought you were going to die.” Her gentle voice at once put him at ease, and her scent warmed his heart. Gradually breathing easier, he moved his feet from side to side; he had feeling again in his legs.
“Why are you dressed like an Outlander Gareion? I do not understand. Those creatures could have killed you. If I had not followed you from Malgar having just come from my herbology lesson, you would most probably be dead now. You were so lucky I had my potion bag with me and Mistress Cromer had the foresight to give me the dacara leaves. Please tell me what is going on. Are you in some kind of trouble?” As she turned, her long dark hair tumbled down in front of her. She hooked it behind her ear, and then carefully tore a piece of material from her underskirt. Picking up some herbs she placed them in her small bowl pouring on some ointment. Then using her pestle she mixed it into a smooth paste, tipping it all onto the material. Turning back to Kainan she attempted to place the material on his face.
“What are you doing?” he whispered, raising an eyebrow at her.
“This is glarehawn, it will help heal the cuts on your face and bring the swelling down, but it may sting a little,” she warned, as she gently placed the cloth over the cuts. He winced, but almost immediately they began to heal, he looked at her, she was absolutely stunning. Her eyes caught his and she looked deeply into his dark eyes, his into hers, and for a moment they held each other’s gaze. A shiver ran down her spine and she turned away. What was this she was feeling? Gareion was like a brother to her, married to her cousin Alys. Yet something didn’t feel the same at all.
“Gareion what were you doing with those Gorzars, and where did they come from? I thought they were all banished in the Great War, and does Alys know what you have been doing? And who is this poor woman?” she asked, packing up her herbs and bowl into her bag. Kainan’s brow creased at all the questions and he turned towards the body.
“She is my mother,” Kainan sighed sadly. Folding his arm across his chest he sat up.
“Your mother! Gareion what are you talking about? That woman is not your mother.” She looked at him with a puzzled expression, maybe he had concussion?
“Why do you keep calling me Gareion? My name is not Gareion, it is Kainan, and she is,” he stopped, sighing with a broken heart. “Was; my mother.”
With the pain in his body almost completely gone, he turned to look at his mother; the young woman had covered her with her cloak. Holding his head in his hands he sighed audibly. He had failed her, just as he had failed his brothers. Looking down at his bloodied chest, he ran his hand across gently. There was no sign of any injury left at all. Buttoning up what was left of his shirt he looked at her puzzled; in all his life he had never seen this kind of healing. Warily he moved his legs; but they had both healed and he felt no pain at all. Turning back to the young woman who had helped him he smiled at her.
“Thank you for healing me.” Reaching his hand out he touched her. Arweyn’s body felt electrified by his touch, she flinched, pulling back away from him. Kainan pulled his hand back too; he had suddenly felt a strange sensation of connection to her, recognition of a familiar soul. He didn’t understand this feeling at all.
She stared at him; how could this not be Gareion? What magic spell had enchanted him? She looked deeply into his eyes, they were a gorgeous dark brown, full of honesty and kindness, almost hypnotising. Yet, she perceived, although he looked extremely similar to Gareion, there was something very different about him. As the swelling around his face subsided she could see that his face was much firmer, stronger looking and she could see a roughness about him that Gareion didn’t have, and she was absolutely positive that Gareion had green eyes like his mother, not deep dark eyes like his.
Frowning as she looked at him, she replied softly, almost in a whisper with a slight edge of fear tinged in her voice.
“I don’t understand you look like Prince Gareion. Who are you?” she questioned nervously, staring hard at him.
“My name is Kainan, and I….” he hesitated, feeling so confused. Glancing back at her, he felt like he knew her, but how could he? His head was still cloudy and it hurt like hell. Turning his face away from her he held his head in his hands and mumbled.
“I don’t know who I am anymore.” Sudden realisation took over that in fact he really didn’t know who he was anymore; his whole identity had been taken away from him, and now with his mother gone, how would he ever find out who he really was?
“Look I’m sorry but I just don’t understand what’s going on. I followed you from Malgar. You look like Gareion, and I mean not just look like, you could easily be his double. How did you get through the portal, only the Elders and their children have the key to pass through?” This time her voice was harder, more forceful.
Kainan turned and looked at her, searching hard to remember.
“I got out the same way I got in. I’m not from Malgar. What I mean is, I am I think, but I grew up in the forest in a village a few days from here. We were attacked by the Gorzars; they killed my entire family and everyone in the village. Then they brought me here,” he gestured to the clearing. As she listened Arweyn started to edge away from him, and her hand reaching down to the bottom of her skirt, grasped the dagger from the side of her boot. She had been right they were Gorzars, but who was he if he was not Gareion? What if the Gorzars had found some way to counteract the magic? What if they found another way to send people through the portal? Perhaps he was a changeling sent to trap her, but then she looked at him, at his blooded shirt, then down at the blood all over her dress. His blood had been red; he could not have faked that. He definitely could not be a changeling.
Seeing the sudden look of fear that came across her face Kainan reached out his hand to reassure her.
“No, please, don’t be afraid of me. I will not hurt you I promise.”
“I don’t understand,” Arweyn questioned, standing up and backing away from him. Her voice became more forceful. “What happened to that woman?” Using the knife she pointed to the body of his mother. Kainan stood up and walked over to his mother’s body and kneeling down beside her he pulled the cloak back off her face. Reaching his hand forward, gently stoking her brow he was quiet for a few moments. Then sighing sadly he looked up at her; she stood hovering a safe distance away from him.
“This was my mother, at least I thought she was my mother.” Shaking his head with a sad smile he covered her face again with the cloak. Sitting himself down on the grass next to his mother’s body, he put his elbows on his knees and his face sank into his hands. He was so overwhelmed that he could not take it all in; everyone he had ever known was gone.
Clearing his throat, he looked up at her feeling numb and confused.
“When the Gorzars took me from my village they told me she was not really my birth mother, but my real mother’s nurse who had stolen me as soon as I had been born. She took me away from Malgar and brought me up in Oakhurst, a village a few days from here,” waving his hand he gestured behind him. Turning he looked at his mother’s body. “I never got the chance to ask her if what they had said was true.” A tear rolled down his cheek. Quickly he wiped it away swinging her a fleeting glance, he would not show any weakness by crying.
She had noticed and her face softened; as much as part of her wanted to run, her instincts knew for sure he would not harm her. As he lifted his hand to wipe his tear she noticed the mark on his left palm.
“What is that mark on your hand?” she questioned, pointing to it.
Kainan, turning his hand over looked in his palm.
“This? I don’t know. It appeared on the morning of my twenty first birthday and no-one in the village could explain what it was. The Gorzar said it was a key to get through the gate to Malgar.” She walked back towards him. He was still sitting on the
ground hugging his knees. Taking a deep breath and raising her skirt she knelt down on the grass next to him, placing the knife onto the ground beside her.
“May I?” She gestured to his hand; Kainan nodded and held it out. She took hold of his hand and it felt rough, he was obviously a hard worker a land worker. Gareion’s hand would have been soft. Kainan looked at her then looked down at his hand as she held it. Her hand was warm, very soft and delicate and he felt a sudden pleasurable shiver go through his body as she touched him.
“Look,” she said, turning over her left hand to show him her palm. Kainan gasped in disbelief, for on her hand was exactly the same mark.
“I have one too. I got mine when I was eighteen last summer. This is the mark of a member of the Royal Elders. I am the daughter of Lord Glanber. Females get the mark at eighteen.” She touched a finger to her lower lip as she thought to herself. That at least explained how he was able to get through the portal. She was relieved that the Gorzars had not somehow found a way to counteract the magic that stopped them from coming through, but it still did not explain who he was.
Pausing, she looked searchingly at his face, waiting until he met her gaze. “Who are you? You bare the mark of a Royal Elder, and you look like Gareion.”
Pulling his hand away from hers he held his head in his hands.
“I really don’t know who I am anymore. My name is Kainan Woodsman and up until a few nights ago I had a home, a family, and my life was pretty ordinary. Then the Gorzars arrived and tore my world apart,” shrugging, he breathed a deep sigh.
“I’m sorry,” Arweyn replied sympathetically, her fingers lightly touching his arm. He shook his head sadly as he remembered.
“I tried to fight them but they caught me, tied me up and brought me here.” He looked over to the body of his mother. “This morning they sent me up to that cavern and told me it was the entrance to Malgar. They said it was where I came from; where I was born they said if I got what they wanted they wouldn’t kill her.” Covering his face with his hands he dug his nails into his hair. “The bastards lied.”
“Get what for them?” she questioned, pulling his hands gently away. “What did they want?” He looked up; as his eyes met hers he could see they were searching him for an answer. Rubbing his brow nervously he looked away. He really didn’t want to tell her what he had done. He knew for sure now that it had been something of great importance, something he should never have taken. Even back on Malgar he had not liked the way it had felt when he pulled the Crystal from the device; he knew it was wrong. Every sensible part of him told him not to do it, but his heart had taken over, his heart had told him he had to do it for his mother. Taking a deep breath he looked her straight in the eyes.
“To bring them something they called the Ardor Crystal. It was a sword shaped crystal from the triple Dome on the other side of the city.” Arweyn’s skin went icy cold and she stared wide eyed at him. Suddenly she blinked hard, trying to comprehend what he had just said. The look of horror that then escaped across her face said it all. Kainan blinked at her shocked expression, and then looked away shamefully.
“Oh no you didn’t; please tell me you didn’t take the Crystal. I cannot believe this, is that what was in the sack they took from you?” she snapped, glaring at him. He nodded his eyes sombre. He just could not bear to look at her.
She could feel her heart racing, this time through sheer uncertainty and fear. Grabbing her knife, she jumped up and began pacing. Thinking, she waved her arms up and down in fury, shaking her head. What a fool he was. What should she do? She would have to get back home, tell the King. They probably already knew by now, the power was probably already fading. She turned around to scold him further.
“I’m sorry,” Kainan pleaded, raising his hands defensively before she had a chance to speak. “I had no idea what it was, until it was too late.”
Pointing the knife at him angrily her voice changed tone, it was no longer kind and gentle, it was hard and threatening.
“You really have no idea what you have done do you?” Kainan looked away from her scolding eyes and down at the ground shaking his head.
“Well I shall tell you shall I! That Crystal is the life force of our world. It gives us our light, our warmth, everything. Without it our world is nothing but a desolate place, why would you do that to us?” She was furious; she had just saved the life of a man who had condemned her world to die.
Kainan looked back up at her. Her face was so full of anger she looked like she would explode. He opened his mouth as he searched for the words.
“Please believe me Arweyn; I am really sorry for what I have done. I honestly didn’t know. All I knew was that by getting that Crystal it would save my mother’s life.” He looked across at his mother’s body. “I should have known they would have killed her anyway.” Looking back up at her the expression on his face was pleading. “I had to try don’t understand that, I couldn’t just stand by and let them kill her. I had already lost my brothers and all my friends; I didn’t want to lose her too…” His voice trailed off as he sniffed and wiped his nose, trying desperately to hold back his emotions. He would not cry in front of her. “I didn’t want to be alone,” he whispered, eyes down to the ground.
Looking down at him she hooked a piece of hair behind her ear and folded her arms under her chest. Pausing for a moment as she thought, silence hung between them. As much as she tried to be angry with him something stopped her from hating him. She could not understand why, after all he had placed her whole world in danger. Why could she not get cross with him? In fact her heart ached with pity for him. He was a strong man yet as he sat before her he looked so confused, so full of anguish and guilt.
She placed her dagger back in her boot; she didn’t need it that was for sure. She thought as she looked at his hunched shoulders, and his head held down in shame, that perhaps it was not really his fault. The fury in her eyes faltered, changing to doubt. If she was to believe his story, he had been tricked after all, deceived by these creatures. Then she thought of her own parents. If she had been in his position and there had been a glimmer of a chance of saving either of them, no matter how small, would she have done the same? She took a deep breath; probably.
Stifling her anger she turned to him.
“Look I’m sorry Kainan, I didn’t mean to get mad at you it was just such a shock that’s all. You understand?” She continued in a lighter tone, without waiting for a reply. Pacing up and down, she waved her arms about as she talked.
“I suppose had it been my mother whose life was in danger and under the same circumstances and ignorance which you faced I may, and I stress may, have done the same. I am sure you didn’t realise the devastation that you would cause with your actions. The only ones really to blame here are the Gorzars.” Her voice softening again she dismissed his guilt with a wave of her hand. Drumming her fingers on the side of her face as she thought, she looked out towards the forest. None of this made any sense whatsoever. She turned, looking at him; he was obviously a Groundling that she was sure of, but why did he have the mark of a Royal Elder; and why did he look so much like Gareion? She had to dig deeper, she had to find out more, more about who he was and where he had come from.
Stopping her pacing she sat down next to him, hugging her knees. She drew her face close to his.
“A long time ago Kainan, there was a great battle in this land. The Gorzars are an extremely evil race; they killed thousands of innocent people. They were banished to another realm by a great magic, but somehow these ones must have got left behind.” Pausing, her mind searched through the possibilities.
“Why did they want the Crystal? And how did you get past the guards at the Dome?” Arweyn questioned looking at him for an answer, her eyebrow raised.
“I don’t know what they wanted with it Arweyn,” Kainan replied honestly. “The big one, Hadzor he called himself, said something about getting revenge for his people. And there were no guards at the Crystal Dome. In fact I didn’t
come across anyone trying to stop me,” he shook his head at her then looked away again. In light of it all he wished they had stopped him, killed him if need be.
“This really does not make any sense at all. There should be guards on duty all the time. It should not have been that easy for you to get the Crystal.” Then she remembered the Gate Room, there had been no guards there either. Something very strange was going on. Her face stared uneasily at him.
“The guards in the Gate Room, you didn’t, you know, do anything to them?”
“No, I promise, I didn’t see anyone.” Studying his face as he lifted his head briefly; she concluded that he was telling her the truth. She shivered as a gust of wind blew sharply, pulling her long hair across her face. Reaching up she pulled it back as she looked up to the sky, the sun was fading rapidly now with the close of the afternoon, and in the distance a lone wolf howled. Shivering again she looked across at Kainan, she did not like the sound of that wolf.
“Look, it’s getting dark. We had better get out of the forest. I don’t suppose it is safe to be out here at night. Come on, there is not much we can do tonight. I think maybe it would be best if we spend the night in the cavern and try and figure out what to do before we go back to Malgar.” She diverted her eyes to his. “You are coming back with me?”
Deragan Sword Prophecy: Book 01 - Kainan Page 7
