The Shadow's Heart

by K J Taylor

  Kullervo stood up and touched the boy reassuringly on the shoulder. ‘All right. It’s all right. Calm down. I didn’t know this was your tent, and now I do, I’ll give it back. Senneck and I will find somewhere else to stay.’

  Red looked horrified. ‘But I couldn’t make you leave.’

  ‘It’s fine. Don’t worry about it: I’m choosing to leave. Isleen will probably have made her mind up by now anyway, so I’ll most likely be leaving Liranwee today.’

  Red finally relaxed. ‘Then that’s all right. But if you do stay, you can use my tent.’

  ‘I can’t do that. It’s not mine.’

  ‘I’ll share it with you,’ Red insisted. ‘There’s plenty of room.’

  Kullervo grinned. ‘Thank you, Red.’

  Red cringed. ‘What happened to your teeth?’

  ‘Oops.’ Kullervo quickly hid them again. ‘Sorry. They got broken a while back, and sometimes I forget I shouldn’t grin any more — it scares people!’

  Red giggled. ‘It doesn’t hurt, does it?’

  ‘Not any more,’ said Kullervo. ‘Now then, I should probably find something to eat. Is there anything around here that’s soft?’

  ‘I think there’re some eggs. I’ll go see!’ Red hurried off to search the tent.

  Senneck had long since lost interest. ‘Groom yourself; it is time for us to see the Eyrie rulers again.’

  ‘Right.’ Kullervo unrolled his bundle of possessions and found a comb. ‘Where’s Seerae?’

  ‘She is exploring the city,’ said Senneck. ‘Learning about the griffins here. I am teaching her, and she is learning well.’ There was a note of pride in the brown griffin’s voice.

  ‘Do you think she’ll find a new human while we’re out here?’ Kullervo asked as he tried to do something with his always unruly hair.

  ‘I do,’ said Senneck. ‘She will stay with us as long as she chooses, and when she is ready she will leave. Until then she will be helpful to us. I am her mother, and she wishes to impress me.’

  Kullervo sighed. ‘Yes … I can imagine.’

  Red returned at this point, proudly clutching a small basket with some eggs in it. ‘I found ’em! Do you want them boiled? Why do you look so sad?’

  ‘Yes, please,’ said Kullervo. ‘And I was thinking of my mother.’

  ‘Mine’s dead,’ said Red. ‘She died when I was little. Is yours dead too?’

  ‘Yes, but I never knew her. Never knew my father, either.’

  Red looked solemn. ‘Where are you going after you leave?’

  Kullervo gazed thoughtfully at the comb in his hand. ‘I think … I think I’d like to go to Eagleholm. That’s where my father came from.’

  ‘Mine too,’ said Red. ‘And my mum. But Eagleholm’s a dead place. They say it’s full of ghosts. Murdered men walk the streets.’ Red looked ghoulishly delighted by the idea.

  ‘Yes, I know,’ said Kullervo. ‘And I probably wouldn’t find anyone to negotiate with there. But I’d like to see it anyway, if I can. I think … maybe I’ll find some answers there. About my father, and how this all began.’

  ‘Kullervo!’ Senneck had gone over to the entrance. ‘Stop talking and come! We must not keep them waiting.’

  ‘Right, right.’ Kullervo dropped the comb and hastily pulled on his boots. He had slept in his clothes.

  Red, quickly picking up on the situation, went off to boil the eggs. ‘I’ll have ’em ready when you get back,’ he promised.

  ‘Thanks, Red.’ Kullervo smiled gratefully at the boy, and darted off after Senneck with his wings dragging behind.

  Senneck loped out briskly into the sunlight. ‘It is good to have a servant here,’ she remarked.

  ‘Host,’ Kullervo corrected.

  Senneck ignored him. ‘The Council has met again this morning, while you were sleeping. They will be ready for us now.’

  ‘Good.’

  Kullervo could already see people coming toward him. He gritted his teeth, and decided to pretend they weren’t there.

  ‘Senneck, I was thinking about where we could go once we leave here, and I thought … would you like to go and see Eagleholm?’

  Senneck turned her head sharply. ‘Eagleholm? Why there?’

  Kullervo started. ‘I know there’s not really any point in it, but this might be my only chance to see it. It’s my father’s birthplace — ever since I found out for certain who he was, I’ve wanted to go there and discover where he came from.’

  Senneck walked in silence for a few moments. Then, without looking at him, she spoke. ‘I have not thought of Eagleholm in many years. But I am connected to it as well. I was hatched there, and it is where I met Erian — and your father as well.’

  Kullervo frowned. ‘You mentioned that before, I think. Where did you meet my father?’

  ‘He came to work in the Hatchery where I lived, after his disgrace,’ said Senneck. ‘He even tried to present himself to us to be chosen a second time. I bit him for his insolence. He was there when Erian came to us — he tried to trick Erian into making a fool of himself, but he underestimated my Erian. He presented himself, and your father watched in dismay as I chose him.’ Senneck sounded almost dreamy. ‘We pushed him aside with contempt as we left together, and my future looked clear. How could we have guessed that the ragged blackrobe would destroy our city only one night later? Kssssshhh …’ She hissed a slow, weary hiss.

  Kullervo walked beside her, frowning as he tried to imagine that fateful day. So odd to think of his infamous father as a grubby Hatchery employee, cleaning up after the griffin who now walked beside him.

  ‘I see no profit in it, but I too would like to return,’ Senneck said abruptly. ‘I feel a need. And perhaps it is fitting. I was hatched there, like my mother and all the mothers before her who made me. I would honour them by doing as they did.’

  Kullervo glanced at her. ‘What do you mean?’

  Senneck’s tail flicked. ‘I am going to lay eggs. My time will come in three full moons — enough time to reach Eagleholm.’

  Kullervo felt the warm sun soaking into his bones. ‘That’s wonderful, Senneck. So we’re agreed?’

  ‘Yes. We will go to Eagleholm, and I will lay my eggs there. But for now, we must speak with this council.’

  ‘Right.’ The Eyrie’s foundations were ahead, and the day’s building work was already in full swing. The Council had gathered in the open space just in front of the half-completed doorway, and were standing in a semicircle, waiting patiently.

  Lady Isleen stood in the centre, and received Kullervo with a big, overly bright smile. ‘Prince Kullervo,’ she said, without waiting for Senneck and Arak to greet each other in the proper way. ‘Welcome in Gryphus’ holy name. Did you sleep well?’

  No, Kullervo thought. ‘Yes, thank you, my Lady,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry if I kept you waiting.’

  ‘There’s no need for apologies, my prince,’ said Isleen, still smiling. ‘My council and I have spoken, and have reached a decision.’

  ‘Give it, then,’ Senneck said tersely.

  The smile flickered briefly when Isleen looked at the brown griffin, but returned in full force when she returned her attention to Kullervo. ‘We accept your Queen’s offer of a peace treaty, and we will send a message to Guard’s Post, to be passed on to Malvern. But while we will send emissaries, we have decided that we must wait. Our city needs its leaders here while we finish our planning and build our new government. So if we can, we would like to request that you come back here on your return North. When you leave us again, our emissaries will go with you. Is that acceptable?’

  Kullervo tried not to let his delight show on his face, and failed. ‘I accept. I can’t say exactly when I’ll be back here, but I will come back, once I’ve visited the other Eyries.’

  ‘We can wait,’ said Isleen. She glanced at her fellows, all of whom looked happy with this state of affairs. ‘Can I ask when you’ll be leaving, Prince Kullervo?’

  ‘Soon,’ said Kullervo. ‘I have a
long way to go. If there’s nothing else you want to discuss, I think I’d prefer to leave today.’

  Lady Isleen nodded politely. ‘Of course, you’re more than welcome to stay for as long as you want.’

  Behind Kullervo, a crowd had already begun to gather, presumably hoping for more ‘divine revelations’. Kullervo felt himself starting to sweat. ‘Thank you, but I want to leave today.’

  ‘We understand,’ said Isleen. ‘But before you leave, there is someone who wants to speak with you.’

  Kullervo put all his willpower into stopping himself from looking around. ‘Send them to my tent, please.’

  ‘I will.’ Isleen bowed slightly, giving Kullervo permission to leave.

  He did, very smartly. Senneck had to hurry to keep up with him.

  ‘It would have been more polite to stay,’ she said.

  ‘I don’t care,’ said Kullervo, using griffish. ‘I’m not spending one more day here with people trying to worship me. Stop that!’ This last shout was in Cymrian, and aimed at a woman who had just made a grab for his wing. She let go very quickly, and cringed when Kullervo glared at her.

  Fortunately nobody had invaded the tent — probably thanks to Seerae, who had returned from exploring the city and was waiting for them. Red was there too. He had boiled the eggs as promised, and made up a platter of bread and cheese to go with them.

  Kullervo sat down very gratefully to eat. Nearby, Seerae chirped at Senneck to come to her, and offered her a rather gruesome lump of meat.

  ‘Thank you for this,’ Kullervo said to Red. ‘Here, you have some too.’

  ‘Thank you, sir!’ Red took some bread.

  ‘You don’t have to call me “sir”,’ said Kullervo.

  Red nodded shyly. ‘All right.’

  The four of them had just about finished eating when a call from outside made Senneck look up.

  ‘Holy One?’ The voice was muffled.

  Senneck hissed. ‘What is it now?’

  ‘May we come in?’ the voice called.

  Wearily, Kullervo got up and went to lift the flap aside. ‘Yes?’

  The visitor was a young griffiner, plainly dressed, wearing his fine brown hair in a small ponytail. ‘My name is Resling. You asked for me to come and see you here?’

  ‘Er — ’ Kullervo remembered. ‘Oh, right.’

  Resling’s partner, a female with yellowy feathers, lifted a forefoot to scratch her face. ‘I am Keera.’ She seemed content with that, because from then on she said nothing else.

  Kullervo wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries. ‘What do you want?’

  Resling coughed nervously. ‘Uh … Holy One, I just wanted to say that — ’

  ‘I’m not holy,’ Kullervo said flatly. ‘Call me Kullervo or go away.’

  The young man reddened. ‘Er … sorry. Prince Kullervo — ’ He bowed hastily. ‘I saw you yesterday when you arrived, and listened to what you said. I saw your wings. Afterwards I thought that I had never felt so inspired in my life. I prayed to Gryphus, and now I believe he has spoken to me, and given me a purpose.’

  Kullervo scowled. ‘What purpose?’

  ‘To follow you,’ said Resling.

  Kullervo gaped at him. ‘What?’

  Resling bowed again, with more certainty this time. ‘My Lord, with your permission, I want to go with you. Keera and I could be your escort on your sacred pilgrimage to bring Gryphus’ word to — ’

  Kullervo hissed at him. ‘Go away.’

  Resling looked shocked. ‘What — ?’

  ‘Go. Away.’ Kullervo pulled the tent flap down and went back inside.

  ‘Who was that?’ Senneck asked. Red had gone off to clear up from the meal.

  Kullervo stalked back to his seat and slumped into it. ‘Nobody.’ He picked up another egg and started to peel off the shell.

  ‘I heard a griffin’s voice,’ said Senneck. ‘Who was it?’

  Kullervo growled to himself. ‘Some young griffiner. He wants to be my disciple, for gods’ sakes. The sooner I get out of here, the better.’

  ‘Disciple?’ Senneck repeated. ‘What is that?’

  ‘You know, a follower,’ said Kullervo. ‘He wants to come with us.’

  ‘What?’ Senneck stood up. ‘Kullervo, you must call him back, now.’

  ‘I don’t want followers,’ said Kullervo.

  ‘Fool!’ Senneck snapped her beak. ‘Are you blind? Do you know how hard it is to win the loyalty of another griffiner, when you have no Eyrie of your own? Go and find this griffin at once, and tell her human they may both come with us. They would be invaluable.’

  ‘My mother is right,’ said Seerae. ‘This journey of yours is far too dangerous. Another partnered griffin would be a powerful ally. She could fight for us when we are attacked, and make the Eyries trust us more for having such a follower.’

  ‘But I …’ Kullervo trailed off.

  ‘Think of it,’ said Senneck, almost gently. ‘This human wishes to learn from you. He is wrong to think you are holy, but you could teach him the truth.’

  Kullervo opened his mouth, then shut it again. Senneck’s idea wormed its way into his mind, and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Yes … she was right. A whole crowd was too big and unruly to truly listen to him, but one man alone could hear him properly. Maybe he could explain things properly to Resling. And maybe then Resling would want to help him. Two were always better than one.

  ‘You’re right,’ he said at last. ‘It could be good to have him with us. I’ll go and find him.’

  He hurried out of the tent.

  Kullervo returned a little while later. ‘They’re coming with us,’ he said shortly. ‘Once they’re ready, they’ll come back here.’

  ‘Well done,’ said Senneck.

  Red had been watching silently. ‘What’s going on, s — Kullervo?’

  ‘Hmm?’ said Kullervo. ‘Oh, a griffiner asked if he could come with us. I just went to tell him yes.’

  Red nodded. ‘I heard Lord Resling wanted to join you. He’s very religious.’

  ‘I noticed.’ Kullervo rubbed his eyes. ‘But I’m not going to teach him anything about Gryphus.’

  ‘Kullervo?’ said Red.

  ‘Yes, Red, what is it?’

  ‘Can I come with you as well?’

  ‘What?’ Kullervo put his head on one side. ‘Why would you want to?’

  Red looked nervous, and sad. ‘My dad’s dead, and I dunno if they’re gonna let me keep his tent. I got nowhere to go. And I thought maybe if I went with you I could help. Do stuff for you, like making food.’

  Kullervo opened his mouth to say no, but one look at the orphan boy’s hopeful expression made his mind up for him. ‘Of course you can come. But it might be dangerous.’

  Red grinned. ‘I ain’t scared. My dad taught me how to fight when I was little.’

  ‘All right, then,’ said Kullervo. ‘But no running off or doing anything silly. And don’t get in the griffins’ way. They bite.’

  ‘I know about griffins,’ Red said confidently. ‘My dad’s partner even let me touch her once. They’re not so scary.’

  ‘I could scare you if I wanted to, human pup,’ said Senneck. ‘Kullervo, he cannot come with us. He is not a griffiner, and I will not carry him.’

  ‘Nor will I,’ said Seerae. ‘I will only carry the human that I choose.’

  ‘Then I’ll carry him,’ said Kullervo.

  ‘You are too small,’ said Senneck.

  ‘He’s not so big,’ said Kullervo. ‘I can do it. He’s coming with us, Senneck. I’m not going to leave him here to starve.’

  Senneck sighed. ‘Very well. Bring him if you must. Perhaps he will be useful to us.’

  ‘Right. I should make the change now, then — give myself some time to recover before we go.’ Kullervo mulled it over, then turned to Red. ‘Red,’ he said, breaking into Cymrian again, ‘do you know somewhere I could find some privacy?’

  Red looked puzzled. ‘Why?’

  ‘I’m going
to change my clo — ’ Kullervo began to lie, and stopped. He should probably explain it now. ‘I’m going to use my magic. But I have to do it somewhere people can’t see me.’

  Red’s eyes widened. ‘What sort of magic?’

  ‘I’m going to turn into a griffin,’ said Kullervo.

  ‘You can do that?’

  ‘Yes. These wings aren’t just for show, you know! But it’s best if nobody watches me do it.’

  ‘Why, do they go blind or something?’ asked Red.

  ‘No, it’s just not very nice. Do you know somewhere I could hide? I’d rather not have to leave the city. People would follow me, anyway.’

  ‘Er, well, you could use this,’ said Red, going over to a corner and unfolding a wooden screen. ‘You go behind it to change your clothes if there’s someone else here.’

  Kullervo inspected it. ‘Yes, this should work. How do I set it up?’

  ‘I’ll do it.’ Red opened the screen all the way, and stood it up in a zigzag shape so it wouldn’t tip over. ‘And then you just stand behind it, see?’

  ‘Thanks.’ Kullervo sat down to take off his boots, and put them with his other belongings on top of his unrolled blanket. He put that behind the screen and turned to Red. ‘Now you’re going to hear some nasty sounds while I do this, but don’t be scared. It’s not dangerous. But I’d be grateful if you’d make sure nobody came into the tent. If Resling comes back, just tell him to wait outside.’

  Red nodded excitedly. ‘I’ll stand guard.’

  ‘One other thing,’ said Kullervo. ‘While I’m a griffin, I won’t be able to talk to you — griffins can understand human speech, but they can only speak griffish. But it’ll still be me in there; I’ll just look different. I’ll do my best to tell you things in other ways, so just try to understand. When we leave, you’ll have to fly with me. Do you think you can do that?’

  ‘You mean you’d carry me?’ said Red.

  ‘Yes. Actually, is there a spare griffin harness around here?’

  ‘My dad had some,’ said Red. ‘I know how to put them on.’

  ‘Good. You can put one on me, then. I’ll do my best to fly gently, but you’d better hold on tight.’