Riken attempted to cheer me up by clapping my back with his good arm. “Don’t let the past weigh you down, Ruvaen. Remember, we are free men now. Tonight we will get to sleep in actual beds and drink ale! Just the thought makes my mouth water.”
The soldiers and I laughed at his exuberance. I did my best to leave my past behind me and focus on the present.
As we were with the soldiers, the guards at the gate didn’t impede us in any way. They even saluted us as we passed. Once inside the gate, I gawked at the city full of people. Buildings lined the streets, of different shapes and sizes, some were homes while some were clearly business establishments. As I had heard earlier, there were numerous races as well, all moving along to their own affairs. I saw dwarves, humans, and elves all mingling with each other, though none of the elves had the color of hair as I did.
When we came to a large circular plaza, Riken informed me that this was the city's main market. He explained that this was where most of the city’s trading, purchasing, and selling was done. Everywhere I looked there were stands squeezed into every way possible along the main circling pathway through the market. Hawkers shouted out their goods, buyers attempted to haggle, and children laughed as they played happily.
We continued slowly through the masses on our horses, careful not to run anyone down. In the center of the round plaza was a large fountain with a grand statue depicting a detailed figure of a man holding a sword aloft in both hands and wearing a crown upon his head. He wore full plate armor without the helmet, of course. It was a majestic sight.
Riken noticed my gaze as I stared at the statue that towered before us. “That is a tribute to King Jamys, the very first king of Turinval. They say he combined the small, scattered tribes of people together and formed this country. That was over a thousand years ago.”
I turned in my saddle to continue staring as we went passed, though soon we left the market onto a side street and it vanished from my view. We arrived in front of a large, wooden building with a sign out front with large letters for all to witness. The Broken Barrel. Next to the main building was a lean-to that had stalls at intervals, some had horses in them but most were empty. The guards paid the stableman and we left our horses with him. Not wanting to be remiss in my care of the horses, I began to give them the usual treatment but was stopped by Riken. He explained that the horses would be taken care of by the stableman and that we could go rest up inside the inn.
Still feeling a bit uncertain, I followed the others into the inn. Thankfully it wasn’t crowded and we easily found two tables. Our group was simply too large to seat comfortably around just one. One of the soldiers in our group haggled with the innkeeper for our meals and rooms. I busied myself by looking around at some of the other patrons as we waited.
Two gray-haired, old men nursed their drinks at a corner table while another middle-aged man ate his evening meal at the bar. The elven village I was raised in had never had such a thing as a tavern, and it was interesting to watch the barmaids go about serving their customers. I thought to myself how servitude wasn’t the same as slavery.
Another thing I noticed was that it seemed as if the barmaids’ gazes lingered a bit longer upon me than others. I caught one of them staring while she was serving us drinks, which caused her to blush, turning aside to continue her tasks. Perhaps keeping my hood up inside the city would be for the better. I didn’t want to cause any trouble for our group.
When voicing my thoughts to Riken after the serving girl had left our table, he laughed. “Your hair isn’t the only thing makin’ them stare, kid. And don’t worry so much. Relax and try the ale.” He said, gesturing at my tankard. I took a sip and was pleasantly surprised to find a sweet and fruity flavor. My next sip was much longer and deeper than the first, though Riken cautioned against drinking too fast.
The meal was even better than the meals I had eaten since my time in the arena. Roasted lamb in a thick gravy with a heaping side of potatoes along with a still-warm slice of bread. I never wanted to eat gruel again in my lifetime if I could help it. Not when such wonderful tastes existed.
After my second mug of ale, I began to drink water as did Riken. The soldiers, though, kept on drinking the sweet tasting ale as the night wore on. A musician came at one point and he played a few songs with his fiddle, though I knew none of them. Most of the songs I knew were in elvish while the musician’s songs were all in the common tongue. Still, the two mugs of ale, my full belly, and the music all helped me to reach a very relaxed and comfortable state.
Soon, Riken and I bid goodnight to the soldiers and made our way to our shared room on the second floor of the inn. I was a bit worried about the soldiers wild and loose behavior, but Riken assured me that it was fine and they would be back to normal in the morning. He said that too much ale would muddle the mind, though it wore off with a good night’s sleep.
The room wasn’t very large, though it still exceeded our tiny steel cages at the arena. Removing my shoes, I laid down on the soft, wool-filled bed. Riken sighed in comfort as he too settled into his own bed. I wasn’t sure that I could sleep on such a soft surface, but with my relaxed state I quickly fell into a deep slumber.
Riken and I were the first of our party to awaken. We were lead to a small, secluded area behind the inn where we could wash ourselves. Before I washed, though, I realized that I hadn’t had time to exercise while we had been travelling. I moved my body through a shortened routine and worked up a light sweat before finally washing. The burly general approved though he didn’t join in. His injuries were much improved, though his left arm was still healing and it wasn’t worth risking further harm.
The other members of our group finally arrived while Riken and I were finishing our morning meal. Staggering and groaning, they slumped in their seats, vaguely picking at their meals. They did drink plenty of water, though. While we waited for the soldiers to ready themselves for travel, Riken and I spoke of our destination.
“From here we'll follow the east road, passing through only a few minor towns before finally reaching Osdriff, the capital city. We should make it in a under a week if we don’t dally too much.” As he said this, Riken glanced at the other members of our party and smirked. “Well, likely a full week.”
I chuckled in response, “I’m just glad I heeded your advice and stopped at two.”
My thoughts turned towards the future and I grew somber. “And once we reach the city… are you sure… about me…” I began to ask, when Riken abruptly cut me off mid sentence.
“Of course you are welcome to stay with me, Ruvaen. My house has plenty of room for you.” The burly general’s expression became worried then. “Though it has been five years since I’ve been home. Seen my wife, my child...”
Riken trailed off, lost in thought. I finally began to understand his situation. Five years was a long time to wait for someone you thought was dead. Had his wife moved on? I could only hope she hadn’t, for Riken’s sake. I once again vowed to see Riken through whatever came to pass. I had nothing in the outside world anyway, and I lived only due to Riken’s guidance through the last two years.
I voiced my resolve to the general, “Whatever we find in the city, we will face it together. You saved my life back then when you taught me how to survive. I won’t forget that.”
Riken looked at me for a long moment, then finally he nodded. We sat in silence for a while longer before the soldiers were finally ready to depart. We left the inn to continue our travels towards the capital.
~
Our journey through the country of Turinval was, for the most part, uneventful. We didn’t stop at any more taverns or inns along the way, though we did break near streams or rivers when we came across them. On the seventh evening following our departure from Argem, we crested a hill and beheld the sight of Osdriff, the capital city of Turinval.
Laid out before us, the unfathomably large city stretched far into the distance. Similar to Argem, the capital also possessed a high, solid stone wall,
with soldiers patrolling along the battlements. Tall guard towers braced the city’s main gate, soaring twice the wall’s height into the air. Similar towers dotted the wall at regular intervals and at the other entrances into the city. If Argem had been defensible, the capital seemed nigh impenetrable.
On the far side of Osdriff I could make out a vast body of water that disappeared into the distance. Even from the overlooking hill it was hard to see at such a distance. Riken had mentioned the Lake Rull as a major source of trade for the city and other parts of Turinval. Seeing such grand sights made me feel small in comparison. The elven village I had been raised would fit a hundredfold inside the capital’s colossal walls and likely not even make a sizable dent in its capacity.
The soldiers began to discuss seeing friends and family before heading back to the frontline of the war effort. The reminder that Riken was about to see his family again after five years did little to calm my nerves. How would I fit into all of this as well? I wanted to be there for Riken, but at the same time I didn’t want to be in the way. I turned to see how Riken was faring.
The burly general sat tall in the saddle with a hopeful and eager look upon his face. Soon he would be reunited with his family. A pang of sadness hit me as I was reminded of my mother and father. Never again would I look upon them, speak with them, hold them. I shook my head to rid myself of such thoughts. Now was not the time.
Our escorts took the lead, slowly clearing a path down the now busy road. I decided to keep my hood up so as not to gather too much attention. As had happened in Argem, the gate guards merely saluted us when we passed by. I did take note of how a few guards spared second glances at Riken, whispering to their companions. Perhaps they recognized him?
Once past the gate, we bid the soldiers farewell and good fortune. Riken began to lead us through the maze of the city towards his home. Osdriff was even busier than Argem, with people of many races crowding the streets. We only briefly encountered the market and, even though it was after evening meal time, the inhabitants plied their trades. We passed grocers, tanners, blacksmiths and more before finally diverging onto a less teeming street. The bustle of city life nearly overwhelmed me, but I managed to keep my thoughts focused enough to follow Riken closely so as not to get lost.
The street we now travelled appeared to be a step up from those nearest the west gate we had entered from. The houses kept getting larger as we went, each now had its own yard, though they varied in size and shape. As we went, a large stone structure slowly appeared in the sky. The king’s castle, according to Riken. From where we were I couldn’t make out much aside from the spiraling towers, but it must have been immense to be able to be seen so far away.
Not long after we halted in front of a large house, at least as big as the Broken Barrel Inn we had stayed at previously. A wide yard separated the estate from its neighboring residences. There was even a small stable along one side, though neither of us had moved from our spot in front of the impressive dwelling. I found it difficult to do or say anything, though Riken finally dismounted and I followed suit.
We lead our horses to the stable where I turned to Riken. “I will take care of the horses. Go and see your family.”
He nodded gratefully and headed towards the house. I took my time with the horses, wanting to give Riken and his family as much time as they needed. I didn’t hear anything nor did the general return, which I hoped was a good sign. Removing both saddles, I brushed the horses thoroughly before feeding and watering them. There wasn’t much in the way of supplies in the stable, but it would be enough for tonight. When I had finished with the horses, I sat cross-legged on the ground. Facing the doorway with my back against the inside wall of the stable, I closed my eyes to wait. With my hood over my head, I dozed.
~
It hadn’t been long when footsteps alerted me to someone entering the stable. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I looked up to find a human girl standing in the stables doorway. As I stood, she quickly grabbed the pitchfork that resided next to the door and hefted it as a weapon. I nearly laughed aloud at the absurdity of it all. In all my days fighting in the arena I had never been threatened by a young woman with a pitchfork.
A closer look found her to be quite pretty, though the fierce glare she sent my way diminished such thoughts. She was shorter than me, though not by much. Long, dark hair flowed down past her shoulders, framing her porcelain face. The darkened leather riding breeches and loose, white blouse gave her a eye-catching appearance. I would place her around my age, though I wasn’t certain. Her brown eyes reminded me of Riken, and I hazarded a guess as to who she was.
“Who the hell are you?” She asked obtrusively, her feminine voice light though still filled with displeasure.
I couldn’t help myself. A short chuckle escaped from my lips. If anything, this made her angrier and she hefted the fork in my direction as if to remind me that she had a weapon.
“Answer me.” She demanded.
I attempted to calm myself of humor, holding my hands up in a peaceful gesture. “Amara, right? I’m... a friend of your fathers.” I wasn’t sure what my position was exactly, but that was close enough of an explanation for the moment.
Confusion spread across her face, “My father? My father is dead.”
I slowly shook my head. “No, that’s merely what everyone had thought. He was held captive for these five years, only recently being set free due to the war effort.”
Clearly she didn’t believe me from her expression. I indicated in the direction of the main house. “Go see him yourself. He’s inside.”
I leaned back against the stable wall crossing my arms before my chest. My hood still sat atop my head, fully hiding my unique features. Amara kept glancing between me and the direction of the house before finally backing out of the stables, taking the pitchfork with her. I smiled at her actions, though I couldn’t blame her. An unknown man sleeping in your personal stable would be a strange sight for anyone.
After a few moments had passed, I moved to the door of the stable and found a horse standing idle nearby. The girl’s mount, I assumed. It was sleek and yet strong, it’s coarse hair nearly as white as my own. The horse's hide shone pure as well with not a single marking that I could see. It was slightly smaller in stature than the horses that Riken and I had borrowed from the army, though that didn’t make it weak at all.
Removing my hood, I calmly approached the mare to introduce myself as Riken had taught me. I gently stroked her long neck, letting her know that I meant no harm. In no time at all, I was leading her into the tiny stable, which was now nearly full. Removing the saddle, I set it near the doorway before brushing her down while she fed from what little supplies were left. More would have to be acquired for tomorrow. Once again, I took my time with my task to allow the family some privacy.
It was dark when Riken returned. His single eye, red and misty from the tears he had shed, contained a radiant, joyous gleam. The wide grin he wore also affirmed that everything had worked out. I was relieved and immensely happy for him.
“I take it all went well?” I asked him brightly.
“Hah!” he said, “That it did.” He scratched his neck subconsciously. “Sorry for leaving you out here.”
I shook my head, “No need for apologies. I understand. Besides,” I smiled ruefully, “I had the pleasure of meeting your daughter.”
I quickly described the short encounter with his daughter as we left the stables and moved towards the main house. Riken had the same reaction as I had, chuckling in amusement.
Following close behind the burly man, I stepped inside his sizable home. The interior of the wooden home was brightly lit with candles and even a few objects that appeared magical in nature, as they had no flame yet still glowed. Flowers, tapestries, and trinkets decorating the walls and furniture conveyed a feminine influence upon the dwelling place.
I discarded my shoes and cloak in the foyer before we made our way down the hall into a sitting room. A short, long ta
ble separated two comfortable couches which were each flanked by two plush chairs. Amara, who I had met in the stables, sat in one of the chairs while another middle-aged woman sat on the sofa. Meriel, or so I assumed it was her, appeared similar to Amara in many ways. The long dark hair and brown eyes were a perfect match to Amara’s. Even though she wasn’t exactly young anymore, she still retained much of her beauty.
“This is Ruvaen.” Riken introduced me. We stood in front of them both, and I could see by their eyes that both had also been crying recently. They also both stared openly at the sight of my white hair and pointed ears. Elves weren’t that rare, but white haired ones? They were uncommon to say the least.
I inclined my head to each of the women slightly, “Meriel, Amara. I… I’m sorry for interrupting.” They both jumped slightly, as if startled by my voice.
Meriel quickly stood, “No, it is quite all right, Ruvaen.” She spoke in a warm tone, a gracious smile appearing on her face. “Riken has told us of your situation. You're very much welcome here.”
Riken coughed, “It is getting late. Perhaps we should speak more in the morning.”
“Amara,” Meriel began, “would you please lead Ruvaen to one of the guest rooms?”
The general’s daughter nodded and stood, grabbing a candle. “This way.” She gestured.
I bid goodnight to Riken and his wife before following Amara through the house. We went up a flight of stairs to the second level and down another long hallway before halting in front of a closed door. She opened it, entering to light another candle inside. The room was small, though homey. There was a single bed in the right corner, a nightstand beside it, and a desk. A window looked out over the backyard, though even my elven eyes didn’t allow me to make out much in the dark.
Chains of the Forest Page 3
