Angvar stood and wrapped his arms around her. “Shh, shh. I know, I’m going to miss you too, but I’ll be back before long.”
She pulled away so she could look him in the eye. “And then what? Time to go again?”
Angvar shrugged. “Doesn’t have to be forever.”
“Doesn’t it? You are your father’s heir, you will not be marrying for love. You will marry for political position and family security. I am certain they have been considering your options since you were conceived.”
Angvar stopped stunned. “You would want to marry me? Give up the capitol and your maps and be the baroness of a small rural barony?”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter what I want, that isn’t the world we live in. It isn’t even a choice and there is no sense pretending that it is. The most we could hope for is that I would leave to be your mistress, and as much as I want to beg you for that...” she sighed, “it just isn’t practical. There is no path forward for us, and that hurts so bad every time I look at you.”
Angvar held her close. “We have tonight if you want it. I leave in the morning. Don’t resign yourself to any fate yet. I still have a say over how my life will be. You’ll see.”
Facing the Music
Ivor once changed and warmed up decided that he had made a big mess of things and needed to set them right. So the first thing he did was found his tutors and fessed up. What followed was humiliation, wrapped in embarrassment, coated with depression. He could still hear Sage Ryan’s mocking laughter.
“Let me get this straight. You decide to just sneak off with a Tzadi’s youngest daughter...”
Sage Sarl cut him off. “No, no, you always miss the details, Elven Tzadi, and a Dutchess no less.”
Ryan shook his head and laughed a deep belly laugh. “Right, Elven Tzadi of the nobility. Our scruffy young Allorn here spirits her away in the night like some rival chief daughter and then wants to know how to make it right.” The laughter continued and Ivor’s spirits sunk to new lows. “Boy, there is no way to make this right. Had you tried to do it the right way in the first place, you would have been told that and not risked being turned into a toad.”
It is why he was so surprised the next day when they told him that proper letters of introduction had been sent to the Dutchess.
Sage Sarl smiled kindly at him. “What? You thought because we had our fun at your expense yesterday as punishment for your misdeeds that we wouldn’t seek to help you in your quest? What do you take us for? Now you wait for your invitation.”
Days passed and Ivor thought he would lose his mind, til one day a message arrived that the Dutchess would see him. He whooped for joy.
Sage Ryan grinned. “Never seen a man so happy to go to his own execution.”
Ivor hesitated and read the invitation. Safe passage was implied but not expressly stated, still this was his one chance to fix things before they spiraled even further out of control.
At the appointed time a scrubbed and neatly dressed Ivor knocked upon the outer door of the apartment. The servants greeted him at the door and invited him in. Nervously he followed the older woman into the sitting room of the comfortable apartment. Seated beside her mother was Esta. His heart leapt into his throat. She flashed him a nervous smile.
He finally tore his eyes from her to focus back on the Tzadi Dutchess Feylynn. He bowed as he had been taught, “Thank you, Your Grace for agreeing to see me.”
In a toneless voice she replied, “When the seneschal of Voivode’s Rest personally sends a letter of introduction, it is usually considered polite to respond.” She watched as his eyes widened. He didn’t know who had sent it to her, that means he has friends here working hard on his behalf. That speaks better for him than she was apt to believe before it arrived.
He nods his head, letting that statement pass since he didn’t have a good answer for it. “I want to apologize for my behavior to date. I should have approached this in the proper manner before. Not to excuse my actions but it just sort of happened and by the time you found us, we, I had more or less accepted the situation as normal. I would still very much like to visit Esta if I may.”
He saw Esta cringe slightly. Feylynn however sighed, “You are not forgiven for your misdeeds, however...” she said louder to override Esta’s burgeoning protest. “My forgiveness must be earned by good behavior showing a true change of the heart. So that you may exhibit this proper behavior you may meet with my daughter for two hours each day, properly chaperoned, and during normal visiting times.” She let this sink in and watched the relief in his young face. “This will begin when we return, for we leave in the morning. Esta will return to you your cloak, and you will have five minutes to say your goodbyes.”
With that she stood and started to leave the room, but hesitated. “Do not make me regret this, or you most certainly will.”
Once she was gone Esta handed him back his cloak. “I’m sorry Mamma is being so insufferable about this.”
He stopped her with a raised hand. “Shh, don’t think like that. She loves you and wants to protect you. We tried this our way and made a mess of it. Let’s try it hers. Still, I will be studying the maps, so if I need to, I can carry you off back to my people. He winked at her.” She couldn’t help it she giggled. She thought the crazy fool was probably just far enough gone to actually try it.
Her mother walked back into the room signaling that time was up. She raised up on her toes and kissed him on his cheek. “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you more.” he said, and Feylynn’s eyes rolled back in her head.
Just like that, he was out in the hall wondering what he was supposed to do now.
The Road to Beit Alon
Pavel was a bit surprised to find that Koloss had a new rider on this leg of the trip. It seems that Esta needed some time with Sha. He didn’t ask, Sha would tell him if it was important. He could tell Feylynn was not happy about it though.
Traveling through civilized lands was fairly easy. Their time in Voivode’s Rest had made the King’s troops very familiar with Koloss and they really had no surprises as they progressed. The weather had improved and with it all of their spirits. One night at an inn and two more at local nobles residents and they found themselves reaching the last human town on the border of the Elven lands.
Beit Alon was not like other human towns. Here the houses were built in around, and even up in the branches of magnificent oaks that were reported to be over a thousand years old. The main industry of the town was wild gathered herbs, barrels, and charcoal. The sleepy town wasn’t big enough for an actual inn, so Feylynn and Esta rented a small room at the town’s only boarding house. Pavel and Sha were staying in Koloss enjoying some much needed alone time. Galan, Angvar, and the coachmen were in tents by the small stream watching the horses.
They were only here for about a week but honestly that was a week longer than anyone needed to see the whole of the town. Still Galan and Angvar got in some quality fishing by the little stream as they waited for word that the passes were clear.
Wild Enough
After two days of fishing, Angvar and Galan were ready to do some more exploring. This area was still fairly civilized, so it wasn’t likely they would run into goblin kin or anything too dangerous. The elves kept their side of the border fairly secure and humans, even untrained farmers and woodsmen, could usually keep dangerous animals to a minimum.
Perhaps this is what gave him the false sense of security that led him into the ambush. Having separated from Angvar so that they could each follow a different tributary of the little stream a ways Galan was completely alone when he felt the impact that drove him from the saddle.
Rolling to a kneeling position out of instinct, Galan found himself staring at his attacker. The size of a large dog, the great winged beast had landed. Its large sharpened beak let loose a shriek of triumph. Galan realizes the scaley beast had mistaken him and his horse for one creature and thinks it has mortally wounded them. Bad plan, h
e draws his pistol and takes aim. The creature seeing him move turns to finish him off. The pistol roars and the creature loses its balance as it was struck hard in the chest. Unfortunately for Galan the chest area is covered with thick scales and the bullet does little real damage.
With the creature off of its feet, Galan seeks his chance to leap on it. He drives his dagger deep in one eye but is batted away by the heavy leathery wing. The creature turns, and Galan thinks it may be running but instead he sees the large barbed tail whipping toward him. He managed to block but the poison sack still opens and he finds himself coated with the thick yellow ichor.
It’s too late to remove the cloak and armor the poison has already begun to soak down and contact his skin. He makes a dive for the creature’s head again grabbing his dagger that is still protruding from its left eye. He twists the blade and hears the beast scream again, but he can also feel the strength draining from him as the poison seeps into his bloodstream. He twists the blade savagely with the last of his strength and can feel the death throes beginning as he looses consciousness.
Never a Dull Moment
Sha was reading an herbal tome picked up in Voivode’s Rest when Angvar comes racing into camp with her naked half frozen brother draped over his saddle. “Wyvern poison.” he gasps before he too falls from the saddle.
Seems he managed to wash most of the poison off of Galan, at the price of dosing himself. Screaming at the top of her lungs for Pavel and the coach men she carefully wraps her cloak around and under Angvar’s arms to form a type of sling. Pavel is swinging down from Koloss at a speed that doesn’t approach safe. “What’s happened?”
She is kneeling by Galan infusing him with strength to keep fighting the poison’s effects. “Drag Angvar to the stream and let it run over him. Let the water wash him, touch nothing but my cloak. Keep him there until you’re worried he will either drown or freeze.” Pavel didn’t hesitate, but dragged the young man unceremoniously over the rugged terrain and into the frigid waters.
She had sent the senior coachman running for her mother and Esta, before this was over she would need them both. The younger coachman was in a panic but she put him to work getting water on to boil and preparing what ever blankets he could find. These next few hours were going to be telling.
Entering the Elven Lands
New Boots
Angvar had been the first to recover, having gotten the lightest dose. He had taken Pavel back to the young wyvern carcass and helped to recover Galan’s equipment and skin out the wyvern. The leathery wings were the easiest to prepare so the local tanner and cobbler could have a new pair of boots made for both Angvar and Galan by the time Galan woke to need them.
The rest of the hide would take longer to properly finish off, so arrangements were made to collect it on the way back. Galan was to have a long road to recovery of more than a week, but fortunately Koloss could allow him to rest in relative comfort while still not falling behind in their schedule.
Angvar thought the greater concern was Feylynn. She wasn’t looking well. The strain of this trip was showing, and he found himself spending a little extra time each evening just making sure she had what she needed. Galan would be fine, but the fright he had given his mother might take a lot longer to mend.
It hurts, I must be alive.
Galan opened his eyes. The light hurt. Closing them hurt too, felt like sand was scraping over his eyeballs. With a groan he tried to wipe at his eyes but his hands felt too heavy to lift. He was just about lash out in frustration when he felt a cool cloth descend on his eyes and a soft voice he didn’t recognize reassuring him.
“Stay still. You have rheum on your eyelids that still hold the toxin. Rest for a moment and I’ll clear it away. Shh...” the soft voice was relaxing. “You’re going to be ok, but you took a big dose of the venom, the juvenile wyvern have a more potent venom than the adults and it looks like you ruptured the whole venom sack.” She kept slowly cleaning away the gunk from his eyes as she spoke soothingly to him. “Killed it too, all on your own, and with only that little knife. Elven warriors would expect songs to be sung over such deeds.”
Galan’s throat was on fire but still he couldn’t help a derisive laugh. “Still needed rescuing though.” His tongue was thick making his voice sound harsh and his words slurred.
The cloth on his eyes quit moving for a moment and just felt cool and a wet, a welcome relief from the burning of a few moments ago. He felt the horn spout of a wine skin touch his lips. “Just a sip,” the voice said as he felt the burning liquid scalding the inside of his mouth and throat, it was like a liquid fire that cleaned away all the slime and grit. Just as fast as it came it went away, and he found himself trying to rise to get more of the liquid. The voice scolded him in an amused tone. “I said just a sip. Medicine is not to be drunk for thirst. Give the medicine a moment more to coat your throat, and once your eyes are clear, we can see about some watered wine.” The whole time skilled hands were carefully ungluing his eyelids. “There, now you should be able to open your eyes.”
Galan gave it a try, and the light was still painful but it wasn’t the same kind of pain. His eyes adjusted and he realized it was actually rather dark. He was lying on a makeshift cot in his mother’s coach. The voice belonged to a beautiful Elven woman, not much older than he. He felt his brain kick him, Elven woman, means she’s eighty if she’s a day. Even living with the consequences of his Elven blood on his own apparent age every day of his life, he still found it hard to judge elves. A situation the elves themselves are probably quite content with. Her honey colored hair and large pale blue eyes, could have had her passing for Feylynn’s daughter.
She gave Galan another sip, this time of watered spiced wine. He found after a moment he could speak without pain. “If I’m in the coach, Mama’s where?”
“Don’t you worry about her. She’s on my horse Dappel, he’s a super intuitive mount that not only will carry her but should have her relaxed and back in touch with the land before we reach home.” She was beaming with pride, happiness? “When I heard that my aunt Feylynn was finally coming home after so long away, I completed my training two weeks early just so I could be on the honor guard to see her home.”
Galan tried to sit up but, but the lights exploded behind his eyes as he nearly passed out. Finally, after a moment as breath returned to him, “What do I call you?” he croaked.
The light amusement returned to the voice. “Shh, go back to sleep. You need your rest. I need to let your mother know you’ve woken again. Next time you wake, you can call me Aelah.” Her hand brushed coolly across his forehead as she said this, and he found his eyes too heavy to remain open.
Making Camp
Feylynn was ever so glad of the honor guard of six Elven warriors. Seeing Aelah again and almost grown had been good for her. She had missed time with her own people. Just riding in the open air with them, catching up on the major events of the last thirty years had been a balm to her soul after the stark terror Galan’s injuries had brought on. Aelah was right, a ride in the sun had done a world of good for her. She was disappointed when her honor guard told her it was forbidden to go to the Green Spire. They could see it off in the distance not more than a couple of miles, but we’re allowed any closer. She wasn’t buying the “unsafe” argument at all, sure it worked to keep kids out of an old barn, but the Green Spire wasn’t something that deteriorated with age.
She could tell by the look in Sha’s eye that it would not stop her, so she was happy for the excuse of Galan recovering consciousness to ask to camp early. The elves looked surprised, but with her subtle nod toward the human coachmen and Angvar, they agreed with suppressed mirth.
As the tents were set up and food put out, she noticed a change in Sha’s behavior. She was playing childish games with Esta and acting appropriately for an elven child of her appearance. Feylynn would normally have been concerned as this would go against everything she would be seeking to prove to her grandfather, but she realized the
young tzadi was showing the guile that had been their hallmark from old. If she was seen as a child by this honor guard, she would be ignored as a child by them as well. So it was as night fell. Feylynn checking on Galan in the coach and tucking Esta in with Sha in Koloss.
Aelah raised an eyebrow. “Sha sleeps?”
Feylynn chuckles, “No, Sha casts Dream Sender, and invades her foster brother's dreams. It’s how she visits with Echal. They work on puzzles he’s up against at the Red Spire.”
Aelah’s eyes widen. “I wouldn’t have thought of using it that way. The Red Spire? So it has really been found after all of this time?”
Feylynn smiles back to her. “Why would you have thought of it, elves don’t dream? Besides even the humans rarely use it like this because they need their sleep. Oh, it’s a little rough on Echal some nights I’m certain but you know how much help it can be to have a new set of eyes on a problem. Sha does have four years of training in the White Spire, for humans that is almost enough to stand for the test.”
At this point, Pavel joined them around the fire, and the conversation turned toward the subject of male tzadi among the elves.
Green Spire
Since the elves had met them just on their side of the border, Sha had been running a scam. She had been showing the other elves exactly what they wanted to see. Harder’s misgivings aside, Sha had noticed that they were inclined to discount her, so why not let them? Sure enough, they thought they could just post something as historic as the Green Spire off limits and that would suffice. She didn’t know what they were hiding, but she knew no other good reason to keep them away.
She was just trying to come up with a good excuse to stop for the evening when her mother of all people provided the perfect excuse. Still getting away would not be easy. She could pretend to go to bed, the elves would know better, but it was easy enough to claim she was visiting Echal. She began casting some basic enchantments she might need tonight. Nothing fancy but enough to get her past the camp guard.
Life Legacy Page 6
