The Legend of Oescienne - The Finding (Book One)

by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

  ***

  The path crawled snake-like along the edge of the rocky tributary that fed Itah Creek. Every few yards or so, the stone path would widen, creating a nice little overlook with benches for sitting. The trail itself rose and fell along the way, and in some places it was only a few feet above the creek where in others it was much steeper. The hillside on the opposite side of the creek was shaded by low oaks, and the ground below them was carpeted with the crimson leaves of the now naked poison ivy branches clinging to the tree trunks.

  Jahrra grinned as she and her friends traipsed down the tidy gravel trail, the crunching of their boots overwhelming the quieter sounds of the canyon. The cool taste of frosty air and the subtle voice of the bubbling stream below followed the trio as they gradually moved farther and farther away from the house, now standing like a beacon in the golden light of the late afternoon sun. Every now and then they would pause to gaze into the deep pools beside the creek, dropping small pebbles in each one and counting the tiny fish as they scattered for cover.

  A half hour after they left the great house they came around a final bend in the path to find themselves at the canyon’s end, or rather, the canyon’s beginning. A narrow ribbon of black water, fenced in by a path of green ferns and moss on either side of it, trickled down the steep hillside and collected in a large pool below.

  Jahrra, followed by Gieaun then Scede, walked down to the edge of the pond where the path spilled onto a stone patio surrounding the pool. More stone benches and statues adorned the dark corner of the gully, and when Jahrra looked up to locate the top of the waterfall, she frowned. Thick, green oak branches completely blocked the view.

  “I bet this pond is deeper after a good rainstorm,” Scede commented as he tapped the shallow water with the bottom of his boot.

  “I bet it makes a great swimming pool in the summer, too,” Gieaun added, plopping down on a nearby bench.

  Jahrra squatted down next to Scede and reached out to touch the surface of the water. It seemed so smooth, so perfect; she wondered if touching it would be like touching the surface of a mirror.

  “Don’t even think about moving any closer,” said a cold voice from above.

  Jahrra yanked her hand back in surprise while Scede turned quickly to see who had spoken. It was Eydeth, of course, with what appeared to be the entire class crowded behind him. Jahrra was stunned, and although her heart echoed loudly in her ears, it didn’t block out the voice she heard next.

  “Eydeth, why on Ethoes did you leave the party to walk out here . . ?” Ellysian said irritably as she pushed her way through the throng to confront her brother. When she saw Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede, however, her gaze of annoyance turned to a one of distaste.

  “What are you three doing down here?” she demanded, thrusting her hands on her hips.

  “We just wanted to get some fresh air,” Gieaun said timidly. “We’ll be heading back now . . .”

  She moved to stand up from the bench she’d been sitting on, but Eydeth’s movement in her direction forced her back down.

  “Oh no,” he said in a chillingly silent voice, a dry smile creeping across his face, “you’ve seen our secret swimming pond. The only way you can leave now is to fulfill a challenge.”

  Gieaun turned white as a ghost, looking slightly blue in the waning light, and Jahrra felt Scede tense up beside her. It was one thing to defy the twins at school but it was quite another to do so here. This was their territory; they were in control and Jahrra had no idea how to get out of this mess.

  She stood and glared at Eydeth, despising him more than ever. “What ‘secret swimming pond’? We saw no sign warning us off. We did nothing wrong.”

  She crossed her arms and waited for him to say something.

  Eydeth turned slightly pink, and as their classmates started to fill in around him, he continued on.

  “Do you think you can just walk past all of us then?” he demanded, waving nonchalantly at the small crowd surrounding him. “You must compete against me in a contest. You have to beat me to the top of the waterfall if you want to leave here unharmed. If you fail, you and your friends will spend the night out here.”

  Jahrra was horrified. She was certain that Eydeth could enforce such a threat at his own home. She glanced at Scede, and then Gieaun. Scede looked like he might have lost his ability to speak and Gieaun looked like she was about to faint.

  Jahrra turned her eyes back on the malicious boy standing in front of her.

  “Alright, I’ll do it,” she said, starting to feel angry and frightened at the same time.

  The crowd began sniggering and whispering amongst themselves, the twins looked wickedly pleased, and Gieaun and Scede looked like they were melting from the inside out.

  “Jahrra!” Gieaun hissed. “You can’t do this, you’ll fall for sure! And your clothes! What are you thinking!?”

  Jahrra was afraid Gieaun would go into hysterics, but she refused to back down. She shrugged off her jacket and handed it to a rather stunned Scede, then pushed up her loose sleeves and stared up the face of the water-slick cliff with stony determination.

  It didn’t look too daunting. The tops of the oak trees grew right up against the wall about twenty feet up, and the top of the falls couldn’t be much higher than that. Jahrra raked her eyes over the damp wall in front of her and saw a system of gnarled roots protruding from stone and soil. She smiled weakly, knowing that these would make the climb easier.

  The two competitors moved towards the base of the narrow fall, Jahrra doing her best to step on the large stones protruding from the pool so that she wouldn’t get her boots wet. She risked a glance at her friends. Gieaun had managed to snatch her suede jacket out of Scede’s hands and was now clutching it in a very distressful way, her brother beside her looking just as anxious.

  Jahrra glared over at Eydeth. He looked her up and down as if she were something unsightly, then turned his eyes towards the canopy above. Everyone crowded in closer to the scene and Ellysian stepped up onto the closest bench, raising one white-gloved arm.

  “On my signal,” she piped, sounding quite pleased. “Ready, set, CLIMB!” she roared and the two children grasped the closest root and began pulling themselves up.

  Everyone began cheering excitedly, and Jahrra had to take a deep breath to clear her mind. Many of the children were cheering for Eydeth but most of them were just making noise.

  “Come on, Jahrra!” Scede managed as his sister cringed.

  The climbing proved slightly harder than she had thought and she lost her footing many times on the slippery rocks. Despite her slow progress, however, she was able to keep up with Eydeth, who seemed to be struggling just as much as she was.

  By the time the two were within five feet of the highest oak branches, Jahrra was ahead. She pushed her way through the leaves and discovered that the top of the canyon was only another ten feet or so away. Alright, she thought to herself, gritting her teeth, you can do this, you can beat him.

  She heard the crowd gasp slightly as she pushed her way through the leaves before Eydeth, smiling a little as she picked up her pace. A few moments later Eydeth rustled through the canopy behind her and the cheering increased. Jahrra risked a look back and saw that he was within three feet of her boots. She also noticed that they had been shielded from view by a thick screen of leaves.

  The sun had already gone down over the western wall of the valley, and Jahrra shivered from the cooling temperature seeping into her bones. The icy water trickling down the wall had successfully soaked through her blouse and skirt, coating her skin with goose bumps and causing her to shiver. She quickly regained her focus and continued to pull herself upward, despite her numb fingers. She was almost there, a few more feet and she would be the winner.

  Jahrra smiled triumphantly as she reached for the final hand hold that would aid her past the top of the cliff. Just as her fingers grazed the rough tree root, however, something tugged on her foot
and she slipped, losing her grip and falling off balance. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that Eydeth was just beneath her, his right hand wrapped tightly around her ankle.

  “Hey!” she shouted in frustration as Eydeth tugged again.

  He was tightly wedged against the cliff with one arm hooked around a sturdy root, the other free to pull on Jahrra. He yanked again, even harder this time, forcing Jahrra to grab onto a clump of weeds, gratefully anchored securely to the soil. She hung from the side of the cliff like a fish on a hook, her now free feet kicking and scraping against the rock wall.

  “What’re you doing!?” she screeched, starting to feel herself panic.

  “Do you really think this was about a competition?” Eydeth breathed. “Please, I wish you weren’t even here, so now you’re going to pay.”

  With a glint of malice in his eyes, Eydeth reached out, grabbed hold of Jahrra’s ankle once more, and jerked down one last time.

  With a stifled scream her grip failed, her icy fingers unable to hold on any longer. Jahrra grasped desperately for anything that might stop her from falling down the canyon wall, but it was no use. All she could get her hands on were the slicks of muddy earth that had been dampened by the fall and a few larger roots that snapped as she caught them.

  She slid down the cliff face at an alarming rate, becoming muddied and scratched as she did so. She crashed into the canopy and broke through, screaming in fear. Just as she prepared herself for impact, something caught her leg and jerked her to a stop, throwing her violently backward to hang upside down fifteen feet above the ground. She glanced up and noticed her entire leg, from the knee down, was entangled in a net of branches. Jahrra swallowed past her tight throat as she tried to fight back the coming tears and overwhelming nausea.

  “JAHRRA!!!”

  The combined voices pronouncing her name sounded familiar but so far away.

  Gieaun and Scede sprinted toward the cold, hard paving just below their best friend. The sight of Jahrra falling suddenly through the tree tops and then becoming caught in the trees’ bows was enough to give them each a heart attack.

  Jahrra simply hung where she was, too stunned to register what was being said to her.

  “Jahrra! Jahrra! Oh no, are you alright!?” Gieaun was screeching in panic, still clinging to the jacket as if this would offer her some comfort.

  Jahrra groaned and tried to piece together what had just happened. She looked around and saw that she was hanging in mid-air; she hadn’t hit the ground. A wave of relief rushed over her, but she soon realized she was stuck, and when the shock of the ordeal gradually passed, she felt the pain slowly crawling up her leg. Oh no, I’ve broken something! she thought despairingly. Master Hroombra is going to kill me! But she knew she couldn’t stay there, hanging and dripping muddy water in misery forever.

  “I n-need help-p-p ge-eh-etting d-down-n-n!” she chattered through clenched teeth and tears of pain, her frustration and embarrassment growing by the minute.

  She was becoming light headed from her upside-down position and her shin felt like it was on fire. She blinked at the strange distorted world below her and wondered if it looked strange because of how she was hanging or because of the sensation of blood filling up her head. She did notice the entire class gathered around beneath her, looking glum and slightly worried.

  “Quick! Someone go get help at the house!” Scede yelled to those surrounding them.

  Two ginger-haired children, a brother and sister Jahrra recognized from coming to her aid before, hurried off to fetch help. Fifteen agonizing minutes later they returned with a servant from the house.

  “Sorry it took so long, but he was the only one who would listen to us! Everyone else was too busy dancing and talking!” the boy yelled up at Jahrra.

  She could barely see the people standing below her through her blurred vision, but she spotted the two children who’d run off to fetch help and a taller, dark-haired young man standing next to them. It was funny how friendly and concerned everyone became when she was in actual danger, Jahrra thought bitterly.

  The young man promptly told Jahrra to hold on just a bit longer and began to climb the tree as fast as he could. Jahrra was comforted that help was finally here, but she was growing cold and tired, and her leg was throbbing, her head pounding.

  What bothered her most, however, was the thought of what Hroombra would say when he saw her. She’d ruined the nice new clothes he’d gone to so much trouble to get for her and she’d let her anger and stubbornness get the better of her. She felt hot, fresh tears forming in her eyes again and knew that they were not meant for the pain and humiliation she felt at losing to Eydeth. They were for the shame she felt for letting Hroombra down.

  The young man reached Jahrra in no time and managed to gently untangle her, carrying her back down the tree like an over-sized rag doll. Once on solid ground, he set her down to see if she could stand on her leg, and surprisingly she could, but not without a little help.

  Everyone was gathered around to gawk at her as if she had narrowly escaped death, and Jahrra was starting to think that she had. She shivered and lowered her head, feeling suffocated by all of the staring faces. Her hair had come loose from Gieaun’s earlier efforts and it was now tangled with twigs and dead leaves. Her palms and arms were covered in cuts and abrasions beneath the dirt and grime, and there was a raw scrape running down her shin.

  Gieaun pushed her way through the crowd and flung her arms around Jahrra, her face shining with tears. The force of it knocked her off balance and both girls fell to the ground, adding a few more bruises to Jahrra’s already bedraggled state.

  Jahrra barely noticed. The entire unfolding of events had her dazed and all she wanted to do was get to somewhere warm, even if it meant being in a stuffy mansion full of disapproving, haughty party guests.

  Scede came over and pulled them both up, looking very relieved that his friend was finally safe from immediate harm. Jahrra murmured a weak thanks as the young servant draped a blanket around her shoulders. Once she was able to walk without collapsing, the entire group began the journey back, Jahrra in the middle with the young man on one side and Scede and Gieaun on the other to help. Everyone clamored timidly around Jahrra like guilty marauders waiting to catch a wobbly vase before it crashed to the ground.

  As they began their slow progress back towards the house, it was clear that Jahrra had become the center of attention. It was no surprise, then, that nobody noticed Eydeth’s form climbing carefully down the canyon wall except for his sister. Once both his feet were on level ground Ellysian stalked up to him in that obscene dress of hers and demanded, “What on Ethoes just happened?! Did you push her or did she fall?”

  Eydeth brushed off his mud-stained pants and tunic and turned to his sister with a sneer.

  “I pulled her down, of course.”

  Ellysian was taken aback and donned a patronizing look.

  “What?” demanded Eydeth, annoyed at his sister’s condescending glare.

  “Oh, I’m not disappointed that she fell, that was a nice little trick you just came up with,” she answered haughtily, crossing her arms smoothly.

  “Well, what’s the problem then?” Eydeth growled.

  “If mother and father find out what really happened . . .” began Ellysian angrily.

  “They won’t!” Eydeth cut her off. “And if someone tells them, I’ll just say it isn’t true. Who’re they going to believe, those three Nesnan-lovers or their own children?”

  Eydeth looked like a prize rooster who’d just lost the first fight of his life and Ellysian would have laughed at him, but it wasn’t worth the effort.

  After thinking about the situation for a while, Ellysian saw that her brother was right. She wasn’t about to concede however, without adding her own thoughts. She screwed up her mouth in an unpleasant smirk and said, “Too bad your plan completely backfired.”

  “How do you mean?” Eydeth asked, pausing in his
attempt to scrape off the layers of moss and icy mud. Jahrra may not have been hurt, but she had been ridiculed.

  “Now everyone is sympathizing with her, and she’ll most definitely tell them the whole story. Mother and father we may be able to fool, but everyone else knows how much we despise the Nesnan and her friends.”

  Eydeth stood up straight, dark, muddy water dripping from his hands, and narrowed his eyes. Slowly he began to see the truth in what his sister said and his expression turned from disappointment to anger.

  “Don’t worry,” Ellysian added as they walked back to their house in the growing darkness, “we’ll find a way to get back at her, somehow.”

  -Chapter Fifteen-

  Friends in Unexpected Places

  The sight of Jahrra being half carried, half dragged back to the house by her friends and one of the servants must have been quite a sight for the lord and lady of the great house to behold. Fortunately, they were too busy indulging their adult guests to notice not only the large party now approaching, but also the fact that they had been short twenty or so children for quite some time now.

  The knowledge that she might’ve been missed didn’t bother Jahrra one bit. In fact, she was greatly pleased by it. The last thing she wanted to do was draw more attention to herself by causing a scene among so many disapproving people. The large, strangely-silent mob stopped at the bottom of the staircase leading up to the back patio, eyes still wide with shock from what had happened in the canyon.

  The young man who had come to the rescue turned, left Jahrra to lean against Scede, and addressed the other children, “Now, I’m going to take this young lady into the kitchens so she can clean up. I suggest the rest of you return to the party and enjoy the rest of your night.”

  The Nesnan man, who didn’t look much older than Jahrra’s oldest schoolmates, had a kindly tone of voice and seemed genuinely concerned about Jahrra’s recovery. He also seemed quite aware of how this scene would be received by the host and hostess. Jahrra had a feeling that he knew the master and mistress of the house would be more horrified at the idea of a girl covered in mud than at the fact she’d nearly been killed.

  The young servant looked over the children once again, his eyes dark and his mouth set sternly. He clasped his hands casually in front of him, as if patiently waiting for an unruly party guest to finish a long-winded complaint. It seemed to work because gradually the school children began shuffling their way up the stairs, leaving only Scede and Gieaun remaining.

  “Now, how about it?” he asked, jerking his head toward the stairs after the other children.

  “She’s our best friend,” Gieaun said, tears swimming in her eyes as she hugged Jahrra’s overly-abused jacket. “Can’t we go with her?”

  She looked up at the young man with pleading eyes, and he sighed, dropping all pretenses. “Of course, of course. I just hope you three don’t mind spending the rest of the evening in the kitchen with us lowly servants.” He smiled warmly and Jahrra cheered up a bit.

  The young man went on to explain to them that the two children who came and got him told him all about what had happened.

  “It just isn’t right, treating people so. I know how you feel.”

  He patted Jahrra on the shoulder and instead of heading up the stairs they took a narrow stone path leading under the raised terrace and across a narrow footbridge over the creek.

  “Where exactly are we going?” asked Scede cautiously.

  “To the lowest level of the house, where the kitchens and servants’ quarters are,” he replied. “Don’t worry. The partygoers won’t venture down here. You’ll have a chance to clean up and get something to eat. And if you wish to stay, you’re welcome to partake in our own humble celebration of the Solsticetide.”

  He smiled down at the younger boy and Scede returned the gesture weakly.

  Jahrra thought her rescuer had a charming smile and although his face showed that he was tired, his dark brown eyes laughed when he grinned. At the other end of the footbridge there was another stone deck, one that was attached to the north wall of the house. The young man led the children up to a wooden door and knocked at it strongly. A few seconds later a short, rather round woman jerked the door open in alarm.

  “Lahnehn! Where ya’ been? We been lookin’ all over for ya’!” she exclaimed.

  She seemed quite perturbed and relieved at the same time. Her face was pink and shining with sweat as if she’d been slaving over a stove all day. Her light brown hair was streaked evenly with gray and was tied back tightly in a bun, all except for a crown of lose tendrils that floated around her tired face. Her brow was furrowed and her small russet eyes were narrowed.

  “Many sorrys Mrs. Addie, but you see I was called away for an emergency of sorts,” the young man explained guiltily as he gestured towards Jahrra. “This young lady was enticed up the falls at the end of the canyon by our young master, and she fell only to be caught by a patch of oak branches.”

  “Oh, my!” the older lady retorted.

  Her stern demeanor softened for a heartbeat but hardened once again as she placed her hands on her hips.

  “That youngin’ is too brash I tell ya’, far too brash gettin’ others into trouble. Come in dearie, we’ll fix ya’ up. I’ll call in some of the younger ‘uns to get ya’ cleaned up and then we’ll fetch ya’ somethin’ to eat. Thank goo’ness for the oak tho’. Ethoes herself musta been watchin’ out for ya.”

  The woman shoved her sleeves farther up her plump arms and fluttered off in a flurry of skirts while the young man led the children into what could only be the kitchen. The warmth of the room was welcoming to Jahrra, who was dripping and freezing from the cold mud that coated the entire front of her body.

  As she stood waiting to thaw out, she scanned the large room now surrounding her. There were three long, heavy wooden tables stretched across the floor, all of which were covered in food awaiting preparation. Four great stone ovens were set deep in the wall at the far end of the hall with a doorway and staircase, presumably leading to the upper levels of the house, placed on either side of them. On the right hand side of the kitchen was a great basin for washing and preparing food, and on both sides of this basin was a door leading to another room.

  The kitchen was buzzing quietly with the sounds of boiling water and simmering soups, but it wasn’t yet clattering and roaring with the clamor caused by busy chefs trying to get dinner ready on time. Jahrra sighed sleepily, detecting the subtle flavors of fresh herbs and spices hanging in the warm air.

  A few minutes later Mrs. Addie returned with two younger women, one skinny and sickly looking, the other tall and plump with smallish eyes. Both women looked worn down, but they had kind faces and managed to cheerfully lead Jahrra through one of the two doors near the gargantuan wash basin.

  Jahrra stepped easily into the other room, realizing instantly that it was the living quarters for the house servants. She counted a dozen or so rows of beds with only curtains to give privacy, and just one large window on the far end of the room. Under the window there was an area with a tub for bathing and washing up. Jahrra stood grazing her eyes over the walls, floor and ceiling while the women hauled in hot water, soap, towels and spare clothes. Once the tub was filled, they left Jahrra to soak in the steaming, fragrant water.

  “But my clothes, what’ll I do with them?” she asked sullenly before the servants left.

  “Don’t worry lass, we’ll put ‘em to soak. Maybe they’ll be all well after all,” said the thin woman, smiling warmly.

  After she was dry and bandaged, Jahrra returned to the kitchen to find Gieaun and Scede sitting below the great window next to the staircase leading up to the second floor. The window was recessed into the wall with a wide ledge, perfect for cooling an army of pies or providing a nice place to sit and take a break from kitchen work.

  The window looked out over the creek and although it wasn’t constructed of the beautiful tiny, diamond-paned glass o
f the upper level of the house, it was still majestic in its simple design. The walls on either side of it were draped in garlands of holly, ivy, pine branches and mistletoe and trimmed with delicate gold ribbon. Jahrra smiled at the sight, grateful to be in this wonderful place and not upstairs.

  Gieaun and Scede were sitting on cushions that someone had acquired for them and were now watching the creek run by. Once they caught sight of Jahrra, however, they immediately jumped up from their relaxed position and nearly crushed her lungs with their hugs.

  Once settled, Jahrra informed them of what really happened at the top of the waterfall. Gieaun had to help her hold Scede back when he tried to march up the stairs in search of Eydeth.

  “I’ll kill him!” he breathed.

  Shortly after Jahrra assured her friends she would be fine, the young servant who’d helped her earlier came out of one of the rooms beside the basin carrying a bundle of blankets.

  “I know they aren’t much, but with the fire from the ovens they should keep you warm.”

  He grinned and dropped the bundle on top of them, causing them to laugh for the first time that day.

  “Now,” he continued with a sly grin, “I’ve got to go check on the guests right now, but later I hope to see you three drinking cocoa and cream and listening to the tales and music of these fine people down here.”

  He winked and left them just as the kitchen grew busy with life. There were many servants, young and old, men and women, of all shapes and sizes, but all Nesnan from the looks of it. There were five chefs and bakers, two men and three women, who prepared and cooked the food. The meat that had already been roasting when the three friends first arrived was now being removed from the spits and cut and placed on ornate dishes. Soups and stews were ladled out, fresh baked bread sliced and buttered, fruits and vegetables roasted and sugared. Puddings, pies and cakes were put into the ovens or arranged beautifully on plates.

  The clanking and scuffling of utensils and feet upon the worn stone floor filled the air and blended with the hum of voices and the minute crackle of the oven fires. Jahrra’s mouth began watering as the aroma of roasting meat and vegetables, creamy soups and baking pastries spread throughout the room. She leaned into her soft pillow with a contented sigh and wrapped the thick quilt more tightly around her. Her leg was feeling much better now that she had soaked it in the hot water, and the steaming tea that one of the kitchen workers handed her was easing the pain in her head. The only discomfort the three friends felt was their growing hunger, made worse by the tantalizing aromas of the feast.

  After several minutes, Jahrra’s rescuer returned from upstairs quite flustered, almost overlooking the three children he’d left on the windowsill.

  “Oh, forgive me,” he said once he finally noticed them. “Some of those high society types can be quite frustrating. Sing and dance for them indeed!”

  The children giggled into their blankets and the young man soon forgot the rude guests.

  “I’m terribly sorry, I never introduced myself,” he said lightly once the children recovered from their amusement. “I’m called Lahnehn, and you three are?”

  Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede introduced themselves in turn, shaking hands and smiling.

  “Pleased to meet you all,” Lahnehn remarked. “Now, I can only assume that you’re growing quite hungry?”

  They all nodded vigorously and Lahnehn invited them to join him in making a plate from the food on the tables. Along the way, he introduced them to the many servants and cooks, all of whom were delighted to have such young visitors in the kitchens. Once the four had their food they returned to the windowsill to watch the twilight sky turn inky blue. Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede sat back onto their cushions and Lahnehn pulled up a stool.

  “So, where do you three come from?” he asked as they began to eat their meal of roast turkey, herbed potatoes, wild berry casserole and spiced apple cider.

  “We come from the Great Sloping Hill to the south, but we go to school in Aldehren,” Scede replied around a mouthful of stuffing.

  “Ah, and this is how you became classmates of my young masters then?” Lahnehn commented with arched eyebrows, “How do you like school?”

  “It’s horrible,” replied Jahrra truthfully. “I’d much rather learn all my lessons from Master Hroombra.”

  “Master Hroombra? I’ve never heard of a teacher by that name.” Lahnehn stabbed at a few chunks of golden potatoes with his fork, and then turned his head back to Jahrra, waiting for her answer.

  “He’s my guardian,” Jahrra replied, then added confidently, “he’s a great dragon who knows everything there is to know.”

  Lahnehn looked up quickly, choking somewhat on his food. “A dragon? Here in the southern part of Oescienne? I’ve never seen such a thing!”

  The look on his face was a mixture of delight and surprise.

  “Do you travel south of the Raenyan Valley often?” Jahrra queried rather casually.

  “Nay, once or twice a year I’ll travel into Aldehren or to the coast, but that’s as far as I go. I mainly stay here or visit Kiniahn Kroi.”

  “Well,” interjected Jahrra rather pertly, “Master Hroombra rarely travels also. He can no longer fly and walks slowly, so he mainly stays at the Castle Guard Ruin where I live.”

  Jahrra lost her gumption when she suddenly remembered why she was in the kitchen in the first place and not up in the main part of the house. She’d let Hroombra down, and her dread and guilt suddenly returned at the memory.

  Lahnehn sensed a change in her demeanor and tried to continue the conversation casually. “You live with a dragon? That must be quite interesting. What’s he like?”

  “He’s kind, and is patient with me when I make mistakes. He’ll not be happy with what I did today,” Jahrra answered sadly, suddenly uninterested in her dinner.

  Lahnehn realized he’d brought up a sore subject and tried to redeem himself. “Don’t worry, he’ll understand. He may seem angry at first, but it’s only because he cares for your safety. Come now, let’s talk about something else.”

  And so Gieaun and Scede took their turn at conversing and briefly told Lahnehn about their lives while Lahnehn told about his, how he was from the city of Glordienn to the east and how he’d once been a slave.

  “I worked on a farm there with my family, and the man who owned my family had a bad crop and was forced to sell me. I knew as a slave I had no rights, but my master always treated my family well, so I tried not to be angry with him.

  “I feared that my new master would be terrible, and when I was taken to the auction in Glordienn, I was bought by a rich stranger I’d never seen before. He wore a hooded cloak, and as soon as he bought me he told me that I was free, all the while not showing his face. He said he was a wealthy merchant who inherited most of his money and spent it freeing what enslaved people of Ethoes he could. He gave me a job on one of his merchant ships and I spent a few years at sea, saving what money I earned to set my family free.

  “After those few years, I returned to Oescienne to find safer work here. My benefactor wished me luck and told me there was a city to the west of Glordienn called Kiniahn Kroi where I could find work as a house servant and make a decent wage. So here I am, no longer a slave and eternally grateful to the man who gave me the means to free my family.”

  Jahrra felt her spirit suddenly lifted by Lahnehn’s story. She always despised the slave traders and the slave market, but she was glad to hear this story of hope. She also felt strangely disturbed by the story. As soon as Lahnehn had spoken of a hooded figure that had liberated him from slavery, she immediately thought of the stranger that had so often entered her dreams. Could this be the same man? Was she somehow connected to a freedom defender?

  The eager questions of her two friends pushed Jahrra’s secret thoughts to the back of her mind.

  “Was the man who rescued you another Nesnan, or Resai? Ooooh, maybe he’s a rich elfin king from the east!” G
ieaun clapped her hands excitedly, her green eyes bright with delight.

  “I don’t know for sure,” Lahnehn answered, mussing his black hair with his free hand. “He never told me his name, and I never saw him without his hood on. Now that you mention it though, he did act as an elf would.”

  “How does an elf act exactly?” asked Scede seriously, setting his empty plate down on the windowsill, its dull clink against stone having no effect on the kitchen’s simmering bustle.

  “Well,” Lahnehn mused, mimicking Scede’s action with his own dish, “this man stood in a rather dignified manner without coming off as smug. He never spoke unnecessarily and he had an aura of class that can only be natural, not learned.”

  Scede nodded his head, apparently accepting this answer as satisfactory.

  After some more discussion of whom the mysterious liberator was (“Maybe a Nephaarene!” Gieaun squealed excitedly. “Why else would he hide his head in a foreign land?”), a bell was rung signaling the end of the banquet. Lahnehn and the three children had been so absorbed in conversation that they’d missed the hectic run of dinner to the upper levels and were now invited to take some dessert. Lahnehn rose and picked up one of the small pies and carried it over to the windowsill. He then grabbed four plates and some spare forks and the new friends happily delved into the fruit filled pastry.

  As they ate, the cooks and servants began cleaning up the kitchen, recruiting the help of Jahrra, Gieaun, Scede and Lahnehn when the pie was gone. They splashed happily in the hot, soapy water as they were handed plates, bowls and utensils to wash and rinse. The cleaning only took about a half hour and as they were finishing up, the music suddenly grew louder upstairs signaling to the party goers it was time for dancing.

  “That’s the signal for our party to begin, too,” said Lahnehn, winking once again as he disappeared through one of the doors beside the sink.

  He returned a few minutes later with a banjo. Another male servant left and returned with a fiddle. One of the women pulled a harmonica from her apron and another pulled out a flute. The group of musicians grabbed wooden stools and climbed atop a section of raised stone floor that was situated against the back wall. Everyone gathered together and lifted and carried the large tables to the sides of the room, clapping cheerfully once the instruments began peeling out a festive tune.

  Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede climbed up onto one of the tables and began dancing with many of the maids and cooks. Even the reserved-looking butler replaced his serious scowl with a genuine grin as he leapt and jumped to the tune. The dying firelight from the ovens and the low glow of the candle-lined walls gave off just enough brightness to see everyone’s cheery faces. Soon the whole room was dancing and clapping, thoroughly enjoying the rhythm of the banjo, fiddle, flute and harmonica.

  Once everybody had worn themselves out from the merriment, the adults took turns telling stories. Gieaun, Scede and Jahrra returned to their windowsill lookout and, quite exhausted, lay down to rest as the tales were shared. Lahnehn put down his fiddle and fetched mugs of cocoa and cream for the children, pulling his stool up against the wall to listen to the folktales with them.

  Gradually, the oven fires turned to smoldering coals and the atmosphere became much more inviting for the legends of lore. The maids and servants repeated accounts of faeries and magic from years past, while others told simple tales of good deeds and rewards. Some of the servants spoke of witches and goblins that roamed about during the winter time, often turning children stone cold as they slept in their warm beds.

  Jahrra especially liked the tales about the pleasant spirits. These good spirits, or sephyres, showed themselves on Solsticetide Eve only if there was a full moon that night. They slept in the depths of the earth and were awoken when a portal, created by the light of the full moon casting a shadow behind a stone, opened to them. They brought good tidings and luck, and if anyone were fortunate enough to capture one or find one that was unable to make it back to their portal before moonset, they could keep it as a pet until the next full moon on Solstice Eve.

  Jahrra listened in wonder as the storyteller described how a lost sephyre would take the guise of a white cat with rusty colored ears, paws and tail, and with eyes the color of deep amethyst. The sephyre would keep its finder free of misfortune for as long as the creature stayed in the mortal world.

  Gieaun closed her eyes and donned a mystical smile, giving Jahrra a sudden, sneaking suspicion of what her friend wanted for Solsticetide. Jahrra herself imagined what it would be like to have a sephyre and wondered how it would help her evade Eydeth and Ellysian at school. She smiled once more and yawned, suddenly realizing just how tired she’d become since the festivities began. She grinned ironically as she recalled the unlikely day, the warm, comfortable room forcing her eyelids to droop.

  She would’ve done anything to skip this ill-fated party, and up until the point that Lahnehn brought her into the kitchen, dripping and freezing miserably from Eydeth’s attack, she’d held firmly to this opinion. Now she wished the night would never end. She smiled to herself as she finally gave in to the waves of drowsiness, imagining the faeries of the frost and the shadowy forms of sephyres dancing around her head.

  It only seemed a second later when Jahrra was suddenly woken by a distantly familiar voice, “Jahrra, Gieaun, Scede, it’s time for you to go now. The party’s over upstairs and your classmates are returning home.”

  Jahrra tried to blink the sleep from her eyes as she looked up at Lahnehn. He was smiling but he looked tired from the celebration the night before. Jahrra sat up, feeling stiff and sore and suddenly remembered the ordeal from the day before. A wave of guilty dread flooded over her, but she shook it off as Gieaun and Scede slowly rose from their window perch. The early morning sun streamed through the windows, painting the empty kitchen with golden bars of light. Jahrra peeked out through the warped glass. The day looked very cold and the ground was coated with a layer of fresh, white frost.

  “Uhhgh, did we sleep in?” Scede moaned, rubbing the back of his neck and fighting to keep his eyes open.

  “Oh no, I made sure that you were up on time,” Lahnehn responded. “We servants must be up early to tend to the masters and their guests.” Lahnehn made a small face that forced Jahrra to stifle a giggle.

  Mrs. Addie came bursting in through the door leading from the women’s quarters. Jahrra, Gieaun, Scede and Lahnehn all jumped around, thoroughly surprised by the sudden spout of energy.

  “Ohh!” she yelped. “Wha’ are you children still doin’ en here? The carriages are all lined up! Here young’n, quickly, get into your dress things, they’re dry an’ good as new.”

  Mrs. Addie quickly led Jahrra through the doors to the women’s quarters and she was back in five minutes time, dressed in her clothes from the night before. They didn’t look as bad as she’d imagined, but it was still obvious she’d been climbing up muddy walls in them. She looked warily to Gieaun and Scede, who’d climbed down from the windowsill in their own wrinkled clothing, but they just shrugged. Oh great, I can’t wait to get back home. I think I’d rather stay here under the wrath of the twins then have to tell Master Hroombra what happened, Jahrra thought miserably as Mrs. Addie and Lahnehn hurried them up the stairs.

  The two servants led them into the main entrance hall and wove them between couches draped with snoozing patrons from the night before. They managed to get through the front doors without too much trouble, but Jahrra suppressed a shiver of unease once there. The entire class was lined up outside, small groups climbing into each white carriage as they pulled up. No one seemed to notice the three friends and the young man and older woman who accompanied them, that is, everyone except Eydeth and Ellysian.

  The twins stood at the top of the arched staircase, right beside the door they had just stepped through. As the three friends approached, the twins turned and looked at Jahrra. No, glared. Eydeth’s stare was almost frightening and Ellysian’s was poisonous.r />
  Jahrra didn’t let it get to her, however, and as she walked past the two children she turned and said, with an amount of bravado that surprised even her, “Thank you so much for a lovely evening. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a great time before.”

  She smiled, gave a rough curtsey and even stifled a laugh when she saw the look of shock on both the twins’ faces. She could feel Gieaun and Scede tense up next to her, but when she looked back, Mrs. Addie appeared rather smug and Lahnehn looked as if he’d just heard a particularly intriguing bit of gossip.

  Jahrra and her friends were lucky once again to get the last carriage all to themselves. They waved goodbye to Lahnehn and Mrs. Addie, and told them, if by any stroke of luck they were invited back, they would be sure to come. As the caravan passed down the great drive and through the gates of the estate, the sun was just peering past the northern ridge of the canyon.

  The morning was freezing, but the three companions were still glowing with the excitement from the night before. It had been wonderful, after all, and it was finally Solsticetide. Later on they would be enjoying the company of their families while exchanging the gifts of the season.

  Jahrra used the long ride back to dream about the festivities to come. She’d made a bracelet out of shells for Gieaun and had finished an illustrated book of local birds for Scede, leaving many blank pages for him to add more. She’d crafted a cover out of dried fall leaves for the book and had spent months collecting the shells for Gieaun’s bracelet.

  For her friends’ parents, she’d collected winterberries and made them into pies, a difficult thing to do when all she had to cook them in was the great fireplace in the Castle Guard Ruin. For Hroombra, she’d saved up old pieces of cloth all year to fashion a massive cushion for him to rest his forelegs on as he studied his documents and maps at the great desk in his study or by the fireplace. Gieaun and Scede had helped her with this, and it had taken her all year to finish.

  Jahrra felt gloomy once again as she thought about Hroombra. She decided it would be better if she didn’t tell him what really happened. She didn’t want him to worry about how bad Eydeth and Ellysian had become; she felt that she could handle it on her own. She sighed and allowed herself to be distracted by the beautiful spectacle of Kiniahn Kroi on Solsticetide.

  “I never thought I’d be saying this,” she said aloud after some time, “but I wish we could’ve stayed longer.”

  Gieaun and Scede nodded in agreement and soon started talking enthusiastically about all that had happened as the glistening city of Kiniahn Kroi disappeared into the distance.

  The rest of the day passed as pleasantly as if the accident in the canyon hadn’t happened at all. Hroombra, Nuhra and Kaihmen all accepted Jahrra’s invented story of a slip into the creek while chasing after a frog. It helped that Gieaun and Scede backed her up.

  After getting everyone settled into the Castle Guard Ruin, the girls got to work helping Nuhra prepare honeyed bread, potato cheese soup, herbed pork and winterberry salad. Scede and Kaihmen, with a little help from Hroombra, got the fire started and dragged blankets, pillows and old chairs into the main room. Later, Kaihmen pulled out his flute and played a few holiday songs.

  As the food roasted, baked and simmered, the gifts were passed around. Hroombra loved his patchwork cushion, Gieaun adored her shell bracelet and Scede his book, and Kaihmen and Nuhra insisted on adding their pies to the upcoming feast. Jahrra was thrilled with the bulbs and seeds her friends gave her and cherished the small, brass telescope from Hroombra. After exchanging gifts the feast was ready, and once the children, adults and dragon were fed and lazing on the many layers of thick blankets, Hroombra began his traditional Solstice tale.

  Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede snuggled deeply into their quilt mattress as Hroombra took his place next to the giant fireplace. The logs had burned down to giant coals and the flames were no longer a crackling yellow but a whispering deep orange. Nuhra passed fragrant hot cider to the children and then carried away two cups for herself and Kaihmen, joining him on a chair against the western wall. The shadows cast by the fire made Hroombra look like a statue, and as he drew breath to start his tale, Jahrra could’ve sworn the flames of the fire danced higher for just a wink of time.

  This year’s tale was about the creation of the Great Rhiimian Gorge, a huge canyon that cut through the middle of the Norwester continent. Hroombra explained to his listeners that the Samenbi Desert once stretched from the western edge of the Aandhoul Plain to the eastern reaches of Terre Moeserre, before the gorge came to be.

  Jahrra listened, eyes wide with wonder, as the Korli dragon described the stubborn dwarves of Doribas who risked everything to keep their treasure out of the hands of an evil king, hiding their gold and jewels in the great lake below their mines. She gasped when the king discovered their trick and broke the dam holding back the lake.

  Scede clapped his hands over his gaping mouth when Hroombra described how the water spilled southward, taking the sunken treasure with it across the great desert as it cut a gash into the earth. Gieaun even whimpered slightly when they learned that the treasure eventually became the cursed gold dust dunes of Ehrann.

  At the end of the tale the three children lay silent and still, allowing the tragic story to soak in. The king never got his hands on the coveted treasure, but the elves had lost everything in the process. The story made Jahrra think of what had happened with Eydeth. If she hadn’t been so stubborn, if she’d only realized that Eydeth was baiting her, she would’ve left Kiniahn Kroi unscathed. Oh well, she thought with a mental sigh, I won’t let it happen again.

  Hroombra eventually broke the silence by offering to show everyone a map of Ethoes. Gieaun, Jahrra and Scede jumped at the idea and eagerly pored over the parchment the dragon unrolled in front of them. It was in the common language, Jahrra noticed; not a single letter of Kruelt in sight. She immediately pointed out the gorge to her friends.

  Hroombra gazed down upon the three young children, all looking enchanted in the soft glow of the firelight. The great dragon smiled and breathed out a small laugh, enjoying their innocence for a moment, if only for a moment. These young ones knew nothing of the world that surrounded them, nothing at all, but he was almost glad of it.

  Solsticetide evening carried on this way for a few more hours, with the children making up their own adventures across the map of Ethoes and the adults sitting back and reading or simply enjoying the peace. Jahrra brought out the maps she was working on and Gieaun and Scede happily started their own, Scede copying them down in the book Jahrra had given him.

  In two days she’ll be eleven. Hroombra sighed inwardly as he rested like a great guard dog by the fire. It seemed just yesterday Jahrra was a squirming little creature enveloped in cloth, and now, now she was only a few years away from becoming the distinguished young woman she was destined to be.

  Hroombra shivered, grimacing at the thought of Jahrra growing up. The older she got, the sooner he would have to let her go. No, I won’t think of it that way. She’ll not be lost, the old dragon sternly told himself.

  Outside the Ruin in the nearby wood an owl hooted across the clear, frozen, endless night. The stars stood witness to this scene, where a dragon once again taught the children of men and elves, and where Hroombra secretly hoped that Ethoes herself was watching as well.

  -Chapter Sixteen-

  Chasing Unicorns

  The day looked very promising. The sun was out, the air was warm and it was the first day of the weekend. Jahrra lay in bed wondering what she would do this fine spring day. She yawned one last time and stretched herself out of bed, smiling gleefully at the thought of having the entire day free to do whatever she pleased. A chorus of birds camped out in her garden only added delightful charm to the mood of the morning.

  Jahrra stood and moved to the window of her small room, looking out across the field to the stables. Huh, she thought with a grin, I swear he can read my mind.


  Phrym had stuck his head out of his stable and was looking across the grounds right back at her, his face a tiny gray splash of color no bigger than her fingernail. He tossed his head a few times and let out a good natured whinny, weakened by the distance between them, but enthusiastic all the same. You’re right Phrym, Jahrra thought dreamily, a ride sounds just fine.

  Things hadn’t changed much since winter. The days had gradually grown warmer and longer, and school had started up again, but life still went along as it always did. The landscape had gradually turned from brown and grey to green and gold, and although it was still a few months off, Jahrra was already counting down the days to summer.

  The schoolyard, not surprisingly, was still the last place she wanted to be. Eydeth and Ellysian were just as horrible as usual, but Eydeth seemed to have taken more of a role in terrorizing Jahrra. Before the mishap in Kiniahn Kroi, he usually just stood back and let his sister do all of the talking and sneering. But ever since the Solstice, Eydeth had been more willing to be the frontrunner in Jahrra’s torment.

  The increasing support from some of her classmates made it easier, but this only aggravated the twins more than ever. Granted, Jahrra’s classmates weren’t exactly walking over and befriending her, but they seemed to react less to the twins’ remarks and often shot them small looks of disgust.

  In fact, the siblings who’d run for help at the party in Kiniahn Kroi were the only ones who’d purposely approached Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede with offers of friendship. They introduced themselves as Pahrdh and Rhudedth one day after school and from that point on, they became good friends. Perhaps things were looking up after all.

  Jahrra sighed and returned her thoughts to the present. I won’t think about school, I’m going to do something fun today, she told herself.

  She quickly dressed and headed toward the main room of the Castle Guard Ruin. Hroombra was already there, studying his books and manuscripts as usual. He peeked up over his reading glasses and smiled tiredly.

  “Where are you off to this morning Jahrra?” he asked casually.

  “Oh, just for a ride,” she answered in all truthfulness. “Then maybe I’ll go over to see what Gieaun and Scede are up to.”

  She often had something more mischievous in mind than a simple ride, but today she could explore with a clear conscience.

  “Whatever you have planned, do be careful,” Hroombra replied, looking back down at his work.

  “Of course, I always am.”

  Jahrra quickly grabbed a few chunks of bread and cheese and packed a small lunch for later. As she crossed the uneven field that stood between the Ruin and the stables, she gratefully breathed in the fresh air. It was full of moisture and flavor and smelled and tasted of the rain that had fallen only a few days ago. Its scent was of warm, moist earth combined with the unique smell of new growth; the comforting aroma of spring.

  She closed her eyes as she walked and happily imagined the field covered in blossoms, nodding and brushing softly against her skin; the bright yellow sun daisies, the blue and indigo lupines, the red paintbrush, the creams, butters, lavenders and violets of the wild pea plants, the deep yellow ochre of the fiddle necks, and the brilliant orange of the poppies. Jahrra began to skip as she got closer to the stable, and Phrym, sensing her gusto, joined in with a dancing of his head.

  “Alright Phrym, I’m here,” she laughed. “Ready for a ride?”

  Phrym greeted her with a rough nuzzle, nearly knocking her over. She sighed in admiration, remembering when his shoulder came up to her own. Now it was above her head.

  Jahrra saddled Phrym in record time and soon they were cantering across the lush fields, kicking up condensation and startled doves. Jahrra decided to take Phrym along the western edge of the Wreing Florenn and then on towards Wood’s End Ranch. Gieaun and Scede were helping their parents with the sheep this weekend, and Jahrra figured they would be in one of the back pastures. Every spring, Nuhra and Kaihmen counted their stock and helped the ewes with the new lambs. Scede and Gieaun were now old enough to work alongside their parents and Jahrra wanted to lend a hand as well.

  Jahrra kept Phrym a good hundred yards away from the looming forest as they traveled; she was still a bit leery of its deep shadows and strange quiet. When they were halfway to the ranch, Jahrra pulled back on the reins for a short rest. She and Phrym caught their breath and took in the wonderful scenery of the vast rolling fields spreading out all around them.

  It was then that Jahrra had a sudden urge, almost as if someone were whispering into her mind, to glance over at the edge of the Wreing Florenn, only a stone’s throw away. The tall trees looked suddenly peaceful, not menacing, in the bright, warm sunlight. Her whole life, Jahrra had been warned away from these woods. Kaihmen’s tales and her own father’s warnings from her earlier years had frightened her away from the Wreing Florenn. But now, seeing the silvery blue and green of the eucalyptus leaves and the cool, inviting depths of the wood, she had trouble curbing her sudden curiosity.

  “I did tell Gieaun and Scede that I’d go in there someday, when I was braver,” Jahrra whispered to Phrym while keeping her gaze glued to the forest’s edge. With an unexpected spurt of gumption that seemed to come from nowhere she added, “Well, I feel brave now. How about you Phrym?”

  Phrym let out a nicker of apprehension as Jahrra slowly led him towards the forest’s edge, her eyes snared within its depths as if she were under a trance.

  “It’s alright Phrym, we won’t go in too far,” she encouraged, patting his neck gently.

  They slowly approached the edge of the trees and Jahrra let out a quiet gasp when she noticed that their branches were covered in thousands of butterflies. Many were dancing around in the air all around them, their burning orange and golden-beige wings flashing vigorously like falling leaves.

  “You see! Anything that attracts so many butterflies can’t be that bad!”

  Phrym, who was now stepping nervously and eyeing the shadows suspiciously, didn’t seem as sure as his rider. Nevertheless, with a gentle nudge from Jahrra’s knees, he crossed the barrier between field and forest and they immediately became engulfed in a sudden, profound silence.

  Jahrra gazed up in wonder at the trunks and canopies of the massive trees. They were the tallest she’d ever seen in Oescienne, and they were absolutely beautiful. Beneath Phrym’s unsure feet was a game trail littered with blackened leaves, stiff sheets of bark and fallen branches looking like the skeletons of tiny houses. Shoots of thin wild grass, imitating bright green needles, poked through the layers of leaves and bark. A soothing scent of eucalyptus oil, wild mushrooms and a strange smell Jahrra didn’t recognize drenched the air, and her skin prickled warmly as if a magical breeze flowed over it. The silent forest seemed almost unnatural, particularly since Phrym’s footfalls barely made a sound. Wait until I tell Scede and Gieaun I was in the Wreing Florenn! she thought smugly. They’ll never believe me!

  Just as Jahrra was imagining Gieaun’s frightful reaction to going into the forest alone, something moved in the corner of her eye. She quickly turned her head and caught another flash of movement, the strange magical feel of her surroundings bending for a mere second. Something was retreating into the forest. It was too big to be a boar or a fox, too small to be another horse, yet it couldn’t have been a deer.

  Jahrra gazed into the depths of the forest, trying hard to catch just one more glimpse of the strange animal. Phrym drew closer to where Jahrra had seen the creature, and she saw movement again, this time deeper in the forest. She thought the blaze of color was gold, but she knew that nothing living in southern Oescienne could be that particular shimmering metallic color.

  Making up her mind in a hurry, Jahrra clicked at Phrym, who had suddenly dropped his fearful anxiety and now seemed just as curious as she was. If Phrym isn’t afraid anymore it can’t be too dangerous, she mused.

  The semequin stepped forward, snapping a large twig as he moved onward. It w
as the first sound he made after stepping past the tree line, and whatever it was that Jahrra had seen took off running into the heart of the woods.

  “Yaah!” Jahrra kicked into Phrym, causing him to bolt abruptly into a quick sprint.

  The beast, whatever it was, moved quickly and smoothly, almost as if it had been born to slide like liquid past the tree trunks and branches that hindered Jahrra and Phrym’s way. It dashed and darted and zigzagged like living smoke, making it difficult to follow.

  Come on Phrym! Keep up! Jahrra encouraged in her mind as they crashed awkwardly through the underbrush. After about ten minutes of pursuit Jahrra pulled Phrym back. He was exhausted from the constant ducking and dodging and both of them shared a good number of scratches and bruises from the trees.

  “What was that thing?” Jahrra wondered aloud, out of breath from the excitement.

  She was a bit discouraged they hadn’t caught up with the animal, but the realization that they’d run deeper into the Wreing Florenn greatly out-weighed her disappointment. They stayed for a little while in the shade of the trees in order to recover from their pursuit and discover where they’d ended up. Jahrra grimaced when she realized they’d lost the trail they’d been following. A sudden chill prickled her skin as she wondered, not for the first time, if all the rumors about monsters and robbers were true.

  The film of magic that had surrounded them at the foot of the forest had dissipated, and now Jahrra felt nervous and edgy. After a few minutes passed, she turned Phrym around to try and make out which way they’d come when suddenly the semequin turned his head and gazed back towards the center of the forest. His nostrils flared and his ears perked forward.

  “No Phrym, we have to find our way out of here before we get even more lost,” Jahrra hissed, pulling on the reins firmly. But Phrym kept on looking in the same direction and snorted with a small nicker.

  “No Phrym, no!” Jahrra pleaded, trying to keep the panic down in her voice.

  Phrym began walking farther toward the heart of the forest and Jahrra kept whispering threats to him as she tried desperately to get him turned back around. He had never disobeyed her like this before and she again wondered, with cold dread, what it was they had chased. After another fifteen minutes of walking, trotting, and unsuccessful attempts at getting Phrym turned around, Jahrra and her semequin came upon a tall row of thick brambles.

  Jahrra stopped fighting Phrym and looked up at the wall of thorns.

  “Where are we now?” she asked as they followed a small path leading to an opening in the thick wall that stood over her head.

  Phrym walked right up to a small slit in the bramble hedge and peered through, his smoky eyes wide with interest. Jahrra leaned forward in the saddle to see what was so fascinating to him and almost fell off his back in surprise.

  There, in a large clearing in the woods, stood a small herd of unicorns. Jahrra had never seen unicorns in her life and had only been told by Hroombra what they looked like. He’d once told her that they’d inhabited Oescienne hundreds of years ago, but had since vanished from the province. Yet here she was now, gazing upon some of the most magical creatures in existence.

  Jahrra rubbed her eyes and took a few breaths, thinking she was hallucinating, but when she glanced back through the gap in the wall they were still all there. The small, horse-like creatures looked like the many illustrations she’d seen in Hroombra’s books and manuscripts: they had slender, petit bodies and were a little larger than a deer, a little smaller than a standard horse. Their necks and feet were feathered with generous amounts of corn silk hair and their tails, almost like that of a lion’s, were smooth, ending with a generous amount of that same satiny hair at their tips.

  The most interesting characteristic about the unicorns, Jahrra thought, were their horns. Not straight and twisted the way many people believed, but smooth and curved back slightly over their foreheads like a bow. Jahrra remembered Hroombra telling her that this was because it made it easier for branches to pass over the horns as the unicorns made their way through the thick forests they inhabited.

  As Jahrra gawked at the magical creatures before her, Phrym moved ever so slightly and Jahrra’s attention was shifted to a single animal. He had a mane and coat of gold and was slightly bigger than all of the others, and his horn was almost twice as long. This must be the stallion, Jahrra decided. He must’ve been the one we saw at the edge of the forest.

  The stallion stood proud and tall, the filtered light of the forest glancing off him like a great bronze statue. His color was breathtaking; like the sun reflecting off rippling water in the late afternoon, like the dew drops on a spider web caught between the morning light and the fading darkness. Jahrra had never seen such a color on any living creature before, and she was captivated by it.

  Jahrra twitched convulsively when, suddenly, the gilded animal before her slowly, yet attentively, turned his head to look directly at her and Phrym. The stallion’s gaze was cool and calculating, and Jahrra was sure he was debating whether or not the curious semequin and his rider were a threat to his mares. The stallion stared at the pair a bit longer and then turned his eyes back onto his herd. Jahrra realized, with a satisfied thrill, that they weren’t considered a threat and the herd kept on grazing in peace while she and Phrym watched in wonder.

  Over the next half hour or so Jahrra carefully counted seventeen mares, the one stallion and about six foals. She especially liked the foals. They looked very much like Phrym had when he had been young. The youngest ones didn’t have horns yet and their feet were free of the fine, silky hair of the adults. The older foals had anything ranging from small nubs suggesting future horns, to several inches of new growth.

  The colors of their coats were just as amazing as the creatures themselves. There was, of course, the golden stallion, but the mares and foals ranged anywhere from bright pearly white to dark silver, gold-red and copper. All of the unicorns had a metallic sheen to them and some of them had slightly darker manes than their bodies. Their hooves matched their coats, but appeared more metallic, as if made of pure gold or silver or bronze, and their horns were the same. The mares had horns that ranged between one and two feet and the stallion’s horn looked almost three and a half feet long.

  Jahrra took it all in, every last detail, because she knew that she may never see this sight again. Suddenly she had an idea. She quietly took out the journal she kept in Phrym’s worn saddle bags and quickly began sketching the animals.

  As she drew, Jahrra started looking around at all of the other details of this enchanted scene. The meadow the unicorns grazed in consisted of thick patches of dark green, mottled clover that was bursting with pink blossoms. Creamy yellow buttercups and periwinkle bluebells dotted the terrain and a faint burbling sound pulled her eyes towards the far end of the meadow where she spotted a shallow pool.

  For the first time since arriving to this magical meadow, Jahrra noticed that the towering trees were not of the typical eucalyptus found in most of the Wreing Florenn. Aspen, elder and birch had taken their place, and instead of the thin, scraggly grass on the forest floor there grew the delicate clover, soft mosses and feathery ferns found near damper soil.

  Butterflies, dragonflies and what Jahrra couldn’t help but imagine were fairies, fluttered around the meadow lazily in the filtered, mid-morning sun. The entire scene was exactly what Jahrra would imagine finding in Felldreim or Rhiim, but not here in Oescienne.

  A soft breeze soughed through the golden-green leaves above and jerked Jahrra’s attention back to the stallion and his herd. He was looking back at Jahrra and Phrym again, bowing his noble head ever so slightly. The unusual gesture caught Jahrra off guard and she had to grab onto Phrym’s mane to keep from falling. Had the stallion really greeted them?

  While Jahrra sat wondering about the unicorn’s acknowledgment, he reared up and emitted a melodic, chime-like whinny. The sound sent more shivers across Jahrra’s skin and she smiled, tears
welling up in her eyes against her will. She had no idea the sound of unicorns could make someone feel so happy and carefree. It was such a beautiful resonance, and it held a joy that reached straight into the soul.

  His mares answered back in various chime-like tones, and Jahrra felt every scrap of sadness lingering in her heart shatter like a thin sheet of ice upon a stone floor. The stallion then turned and slowly led his herd out of the meadow and deeper into the Wreing Florenn while Jahrra and Phrym watched them leave. Once the very last one disappeared into the beckoning trees, the magic that had buzzed in the meadow seemed to seep away with the breeze. The brilliant colors of the scene faded away into the dull, ordinary tints of the world. The rich emerald turned to olive, the bright bluebells faded to cobalt and the rosy pink clover blossoms blanched nearly white.

  Phrym had no objections to Jahrra turning him around now; he seemed mesmerized by what had just occurred and was easily led. When Jahrra had Phrym faced the way they came, she was surprised to see a tiny trail leading through the underbrush and back around the tall eucalyptus trees. Jahrra smiled, knowing that the trail was probably there the entire time; she’d just been too distracted to notice it.

  Several minutes after leaving the meadow they came out of the forest exactly where they had entered it and soon Phrym was running across the field, heading south towards Gieaun’s and Scede’s ranch. They approached the familiar fence surrounding the back pasture, and Jahrra was pleased to see the family was nearby with a group of ewes and their newly-born lambs.

  Jahrra pulled Phrym right up to the fence and called out to her friends enthusiastically, “Gieaun! Scede! Wait until you hear what I saw!!”

  The two siblings looked up and then glanced at their parents. Jahrra saw Kaihmen and Nuhra nod and Gieaun and Scede came trotting over on Bhun and Aimhe.

  “Mother and father said we could be done for the day. So what did you see?” Scede said, not sounding too excited.

  “Come on, I’ll tell you on the way,” Jahrra replied, smiling impishly.

  “On the way to where?” Gieaun asked suspiciously, opening the gate from Aimhe’s back.

  “You’ll see!” Jahrra replied in exasperation.

  The three walked their horses down the dusty road for about a mile before Jahrra finally stopped Phrym.

  “Alright, you have to promise you’ll believe me and promise you won’t tell anyone!” Jahrra hissed in all seriousness.

  Gieaun and Scede both adopted a worried look on their faces that said, “Great, Jahrra has gone and done something foolish again”.

  “Alright,” Gieaun finally said aloud.

  “We promise,” Scede added, holding his hand to his heart.

  Jahrra pulled out her journal and opened up to the page where she’d drawn the unicorns. “Look,” she said, holding up the book and smiling from ear to ear.

  “Are those, unicorns!?” Scede gaped in disbelief, grasping Bhun’s saddle horn to keep from falling off.

  “Jahrra! Where on Ethoes did you see unicorns!? Are you sure they’re unicorns?” Gieaun added, unable to contain her excitement.

  “This is why you have to promise not to tell anybody!” Jahrra said sternly. “Phrym and I were riding in the fields and I happened to glance over to the edge of the Wreing Florenn. I know I promised not to go in there alone, but I thought that just going in a few yards wouldn’t hurt.”

  “Oh, Jahrra! Are you crazy!?” Gieaun moaned in vexation. Aimhe shifted restlessly beneath her.

  Jahrra just gave her a guilty look and continued on with her story, “Well, anyway, we only went in about ten feet, I swear. But then I saw something, something strange. I couldn’t resist going after it.”

  “Jahrra!” Gieaun hissed again, her eyes wide with horror, “It could’ve been anything! It could’ve been a boarlaque!”

  Jahrra ignored Gieaun’s dramatic claims and continued on, “We chased after it for fifteen minutes or so, and then stopped. It was then I realized we had gone too far into the forest.”

  “You think so?” Scede inquired sarcastically, crossing his arms across his chest and giving Bhun free rein to pluck lazily at the field grasses.

  Jahrra made a face at him and kept talking. “I wanted to turn back but Phrym started walking forward, farther into the forest.”

  “Oh, sure, blame it on Phrym,” Gieaun huffed, placing her hands on her hips and giving Aimhe the same freedom as her brother’s horse.

  Jahrra pushed on, undeterred. “After awhile we came upon a small meadow surrounded by thick bramble bushes. Phrym stepped up to a gap in the wall of thorns and looked in. I stood up in the saddle and looked in as well, and there, before my very eyes, was an entire herd of unicorns!”

  Jahrra sat back in the saddle with her hands resting on the pommel. She gazed, unsmiling but attentive, at her two friends. Gieaun looked flabbergasted and Scede had a smile of surprise on his face.

  “Do you think they’re still there?” he asked energetically, forgetting his officious posture.

  “No,” Jahrra said in a disheartened manner, “they left the meadow and that’s when I left the forest.”

  “Maybe some of their hair got caught on a branch or something,” he mused, shrugging slightly.

  Jahrra sat up quickly in the saddle and stared, wide-eyed at her friend. Phrym nickered in slight irritation.

  “I didn’t think of looking!” she blurted.

  “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Scede asked, unable to hide his grin.

  “NO!” gasped Gieaun, horrified, knowing exactly what they were planning on doing. “We’re NOT going into that forest. Are you nuts?!”

  But Scede and Jahrra had already urged Phrym and Bhun into a steady trot down the gentle slope and Gieaun had no choice but to follow after them.

  “You two are going to get us killed!” she yelled after them as she tried to catch up.

  By the time the three friends reached the edge of the forest it was just before midday. They sat upon their horses several feet away from the woods, gazing into the trees.

  “You go first,” Scede suggested timidly to Jahrra.

  “Are you afraid, Scede?” she teased.

  “No! I, uh . . . you just know the way already, that’s all,” he recovered rather clumsily, fidgeting with Bhun’s reins.

  Jahrra shook her head with a smile and walked Phrym down the trail that led to the meadow. This time she paid attention to where she was going.

  “Come on you two!” she called when she saw they weren’t moving. “There’s nothing to be afraid of!”

  She could hear the two siblings arguing and finally, Gieaun stepped in followed by Scede. Jahrra could barely hear the other girl grumbling about “death” and “monsters”, but she only grinned and focused on the path ahead of her. After a half an hour the group found themselves in the place where Phrym and Jahrra had first stopped.

  “Where are we?” asked Gieaun nervously, looking up at the trees as if their branches might reach down and strangle her.

  “It’s only a little while longer. This is where we stopped the first time.”

  Jahrra turned Phrym slightly to the right and up the tiny trail she hadn’t seen before and in no time they reached the solid wall of brambles.

  “We’re here!” she exclaimed, causing her two friends to flinch.

  Jahrra led Phrym into a quick walk and they came around the corner and up to the break in the wall. Phrym and the other two horses could easily step through, but Jahrra wondered if the unicorns wouldn’t come back if they did. They tied up their horses and slowly stepped into the meadow.

  “Wow!” Gieaun exclaimed. “This looks like a scene right out of one of Master Hroombra’s fairytales!”

  After soaking up the peace of the meadow for a while, Jahrra led her friends to where she’d last seen the unicorns before they disappeared into the forest.

  “The stallion bowed his head at me. Then he led his herd this way.”


  “He bowed his head at you?” Gieaun asked in disbelief.

  Jahrra nodded and Gieaun looked over at Scede. He simply shrugged his shoulders and continued after his friend. The way the unicorns had left was quite obvious; there was a large break in the brambles straight ahead and a well worn path leading out.

  As the three approached the opening, Jahrra kept her fingers crossed that the unicorns had left some of their corn silk mane behind. She was the first to reach the brambles, and as her eyes raked the edge of the opening, her heart skipped a beat. Not only was there a chunk of unicorn hair, but there were several in a variety of colors.

  “Wow!” Scede breathed, sounding more excited than Jahrra could ever remember.

  “Real unicorn hair!” Gieaun put in, running the small distance to the opening in the hedge.

  The three happily began to gather as much as they could shove in their pockets and carry back to their saddlebags.

  “Too bad we can’t show mother and father,” Scede said, sounding slightly disappointed. “They’d kill us if they knew we went into the Wreing Florenn!”

  Once they’d gathered enough hair to make their own unicorn if they wanted to, the three friends returned to their horses and began the journey out of the forest. They decided to spend the rest of the day helping Jahrra in her garden and then perhaps try talking Hroombra into telling them a story or showing them another map of Ethoes.

  The ride back through the trees passed quickly but not uneventfully. By the time they reached the field, Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede were overcome by a fit of laughter. Gieaun had been trailing behind when she thought she saw someone in a red cloak following them. She instinctually tensed, spooking Aimhe and frightening the other horses into a run. When Scede and Jahrra looked back behind them, all they could see were several shrubs in full scarlet bloom. They laughed at Gieaun and told her she was paranoid, but something behind them made a crackling noise and all three screamed, urging their horses past the last row of trees.

  “There very well could’ve been someone following us!” Gieaun said, trying to catch her breath.

  “Yeah, the terrifying shrub monster!” Scede wheezed, barely able to stay in Bhun’s saddle.

  Gieaun just crossed her arms and tried to look annoyed. “Nothing is blooming right now, Scede. It’s too early!” she insisted, but gave up when she couldn’t hold on to her composure any longer.

  “Come on. Let’s race back to the Castle Guard Ruin,” Jahrra said, wiping a tear from her eye.

  “Oh, you always win! You have Phrym!” Scede complained.

  They raced anyways. Phrym, Bhun and Aimhe tore across the rolling fields heading north. After several minutes they met up with the Danu Creek and turned to follow it westward. Jahrra and Phrym streaked far ahead of everybody else, frightening birds and other creatures that were bathing, drinking or foraging for food in the creek bed below.

  Within ten minutes Jahrra came into view of the crumbled structure she called home. She gradually slowed Phrym to a walk and then turned him around to see where her friends were. A few minutes passed before Jahrra finally heard the horses thundering up the trail. She turned Phrym back toward the Ruin and kicked him into full speed once again, hoping Gieaun and Scede got the impression she wasn’t too far ahead.

  Jahrra smiled as Phrym trotted up to her home, her two friends and their horses trailing far behind. She turned and waited for them, grinning as they pulled up.

  “You two almost beat us!” she laughed, knowing it wasn’t true.

  “Yeah, right!” said Gieaun. “You were so far ahead we never would’ve caught you!”

  Jahrra smiled. “Sure you would’ve!”

  Jahrra was so intent on convincing her friends she hadn’t left them in the dust that she didn’t notice the shadow of the Castle Guard Ruin suddenly growing larger behind her. Nor did she see the look of sudden disquiet crossing both her friends’ faces or the sudden unease of Bhun and Aimhe.

  “No, they wouldn’t have,” said an overbearing, stony voice above her shoulder. “You were much too far ahead.”

  Jahrra’s smile instantly faded and her blood turned to ice water. She knew that voice, that cool, calculating, dominating voice. It had been a long time since she’d last heard it, but it wasn’t a voice she could easily forget.

  She turned her head, hoping that it wasn’t who she thought it was, that her hearing had been affected by the magic in the meadow. She slowly looked up at the dominating figure standing just behind her and almost melted when she saw the large, unyielding Tanaan dragon smirking down at her. She closed her eyes and slowly realized that her perfect day had just come to an end.

  -Chapter Seventeen-

  Dueling with Dragons

  It took a few minutes for Jahrra to realize why the sight of Jaax made her uneasy, and how long it had been since she’d seen him. Four years ago, she thought, when he brought her Phrym. Then it struck her; why she received a stabbing pang of distaste when she’d heard the dragon’s voice. For three years now she’d subconsciously been blaming him for the death of her parents. She’d forgotten her anger in time, just as she’d learned to deal with her sorrow, but seeing the dragon now had the same effect as throwing stones at a hornet’s nest.

  Jahrra took a deep breath and forced herself to look Jaax in the eye. Cold, granite eyes, she thought with a shiver. “What are you doing here?” she finally said, her throat feeling constricted and her mouth feeling dry.

  “I’m here on business,” the dragon said simply, his voice holding a hint of amusement.

  Jahrra still found Jaax imposing, despite the fact she was sitting high atop Phrym, and she wondered how she hadn’t spotted him when they first approached. He must have been waiting for me inside the Ruin, spying, she decided with distaste.

  She released a short breath and asked as pleasantly as she could, “Where’s Master Hroombra?”

  “He’ll be out shortly. I couldn’t help but overhear you shouting so loudly at your friends, so I came out to greet you all.” He paused and then cocked his head to the side, eyeing her like a bug he was considering squashing. “Do you always take pleasure in deceiving your friends, Jahrra?”

  The question took Jahrra by surprise, like a punch in the stomach. She glared up at Jaax, but he just kept looking at her as if she were insignificant. Jahrra turned her eyes away and suddenly felt the way she did when Eydeth or Ellysian looked at her. Who is he to judge me? she thought furiously. I don’t deceive my friends!

  Gieaun and Scede shifted on their horses somewhere behind her. She moved slowly to look at them, reluctant to turn her back on her enemy. They’d noticed Jaax before she did and had wisely stayed put where they were. Now they were giving her a fragile look as she sought them out with desperate eyes.

  “Hello,” Jaax said cheerily over Jahrra’s head. “You are Gieaun and Scede if I’m not mistaken? I remember you two from last time I was here. You’ve grown quite a bit.”

  He smiled freely at them and they seemed to relax a little, both grinning sheepishly.

  What?! Jahrra thought with her mouth hanging open. How can he be so nice to them and treat me like dirt?!

  “Can you breathe fire like Master Hroombra?” Scede blurted, interrupting Jahrra’s thoughts and taking everyone by surprise.

  The boy blushed slightly at his own outburst; clearly he hadn’t meant to be so forward. Jaax looked down at Scede and grinned, then took a deep breath and let out a huge burst of flame, blue in the center and green around the edges. Aimhe, Bhun and Phrym all backed up and pulled at their bits nervously, but Gieaun and Scede were ecstatic with joy.

  “Whoa! How can you do that?” Gieaun remarked, not noticing the look of irritation on Jahrra’s face.

  “I’m not quite sure Gieaun, but all dragons have the ability to breathe fire, steam or ice,” Jaax answered, as if discussing the weather. “I happen to be a fire-breather.”

  He then began to blow smoke rings, which
only encouraged Gieaun and Scede to jump from their horses in delight. The next minute they were laughing and coughing as they tried to leap through the giant loops of misty smoke.

  Jahrra remained seated on Phrym, infuriated that the dragon should put on such a show for her friends while treating her with such disdain. It was almost as if Jaax had charmed them with magic. Why is he so rude to me but nice to them? she wondered miserably. Then she remembered that she hated him, so it really didn’t matter in the end.

  “Gieaun, Scede, do you want to put the horses away now?” Jahrra said quite rudely as she finally climbed down from Phrym’s back.

  “Oh, yeah, in just a minute,” Scede said shortly without stopping his game of dodging the smoke rings. “You go ahead, we’ll catch up to you.”

  Jahrra shot one more angry look at Jaax before leading Phrym away.

  “Is she always so bad-tempered?” he asked the siblings once Jahrra had turned away.

  “What are you talking about?” Gieaun asked, allowing a stray smoke ring to pass through her.

  “Never mind, it’s not important,” Jaax sniffed.

  The Tanaan dragon narrowed his emerald eyes as he watched Jahrra march away across the pasture. So, he thought with a scowl, that’s how it’s going to be, is it? He’d been testing the girl, searching for weakness, knowing now she wasn’t going to accept him back so easily after his long absence. What had happened to the young girl he met four years ago? She’d been impressed and eager to make friends then, now she seemed guarded and distant, a slow anger burning inside of her.

  What’s causing this anger? Jaax wondered, absentmindedly blowing another dozen smoke rings in Gieaun and Scede’s direction as he watched Jahrra lead Phrym away. He wondered if it might still be the effect of Abdhe’s and Lynhi’s deaths. After all, it really wasn’t that long ago . . . His brow furrowed and his mood darkened for a moment. That could be it, but not all of it. She was cheerful until she saw me.

  He sighed and realized that he would have to figure this out in due time, but for now he was going to make good use of this opportunity to check in on Jahrra’s progress. The business of the outside world had kept him away from this task for far too long, and though his time here would once again be short, he was going to make good use of it.

  Jaax smiled wryly as he continued to watch the fuming girl kick irritably at stones and swat at the swaying grasses as she moved closer to the stables. Yes, this will be interesting indeed . . . he mused.

  “Ugh!” Jahrra puffed angrily as she pulled Phrym up the sloping field alone. “He thinks he’s so clever! They only like him because he can breathe fire!”

  Phrym whinnied softly, as if voicing his agreement.

  “I’m glad you’re on my side Phrym,” Jahrra said dejectedly, reaching over and pulling his head into an appreciative hug. Phrym just nickered cheerfully and shoved Jahrra softly forward with his nose.

  Once they reached the stable, Jahrra let out a tense sigh. She was grateful to be away from that stupid dragon and her credulous friends. She looked over at the small yard attached to the enclosure and smiled as Phrym trotted around, trying to con Jahrra into playing with him.

  “Not today, boy, maybe another time. I’m not in the mood.”

  Jahrra grabbed her pack from the saddle bags and turned to walk back to her traitorous friends and their unpleasant visitor. Phrym watched as Jahrra trudged back towards the Ruin, then shook his head and occupied himself with eating his oats.

  As she moved closer to the crumbled building, Jahrra saw that Hroombra had finally joined the crowd. Master Hroombra won’t let Jaax be so rude! she thought hopefully with a tiny smile. Once she was within a few yards of them however, she noticed that both the dragons were watching her intently and her two friends had their eyes to the ground. They all seemed like statues, standing stark still and rigid. Something that felt like an icicle slid down Jahrra’s throat and settled in her stomach. Why is everyone so quiet? What has happened? she thought with a twinge of uneasiness.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked warily.

  “Scede here was just telling us about your day,” Jaax answered, his face for once without expression.

  Jahrra glanced over at Scede, who looked as guilty as a fox in a henhouse. She then looked to Gieaun, who happened to be giving her brother a nasty look.

  “What did he say?” Jahrra asked carefully.

  “He said that you’d seen the most amazing thing today, and just as he was going to tell us he suddenly stopped talking, refusing to go on.”

  It was Hroombra this time, but his tone sounded more curious than accusing.

  Jahrra looked daggers at Scede, and he cowered even more. Great! Now what am I going to say! she thought furiously. I can’t tell them I chased after a unicorn into the Wreing Florenn! Master Hroombra will kill me, and for Jaax to know too! He already thinks I’m a trouble-maker! Jahrra fished around for an excuse in her head, and decided that the best method was to tell the truth, at least part of the truth.

  “Well,” she began delicately, “we were riding in the fields between here and Nuun Esse on our way back from Wood’s End Ranch, and I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I looked towards the forest and saw what I thought was a herd of deer. But they weren’t deer; they were unicorns Master Hroombra, real unicorns!”

  Jahrra barely heard the gasps of relief, and disbelief, coming from her two friends. Jaax looked taken aback and Hroombra just gazed at her, as if trying to comprehend what she’d just said.

  Jahrra continued after a while, “When they saw us, they went running into the trees, so Gieaun, Scede and I decided to see if any of their hair got caught in the brush they were grazing near. And it did, look!”

  Jahrra reached into her bag and pulled out a wad of the hair the three children had collected in the meadow, hoping this proof would distract the dragons from questioning her honesty. She knew she shouldn’t have lied, but at least this way she’d told them some of the truth, and she wouldn’t have to tell them she’d been in the Wreing Florenn. Hroombra was the first to step forward, with Jaax looking over his shoulder. Both dragons stared down at the unicorn hair as if in a trance, even Jaax, who always seemed to keep his true feelings hidden.

  “Jahrra, did you happen to sketch them in your journal?” Hroombra asked, sounding like he could barely hang on to his excitement.

  “Yes.” Jahrra smiled and pulled out her journal. She opened it up to the pages where she’d drawn the stallion and some of the foals.

  “Incredible!” Hroombra proclaimed, his multitude of wrinkles bunching around a huge smile.

  Jaax, however, wasn’t as enthused. He sat back on his haunches after looking at both the silky hair and the sketching. He glared at Jahrra as if she were someone untrustworthy, his usual cool gaze back once again.

  “Jaax! Do you see this?” Hroombra asked, his voice still filled with awe.

  The other dragon looked at Hroombra and said simply, “Has she seen drawings of unicorns before?”

  Hroombra’s expression went from complete joy to slight confusion. “Why, yes,” he answered, his brow furrowed. “I’ve shown her many sketching and drawings of the creatures of Ethoes. Why?”

  Jaax took a deep breath and said, “Isn’t it possible she is making this all up? She could’ve drawn these from memory or copied them from your manuscripts.”

  Hroombra looked rather befuddled, and Jahrra gaped blankly at Jaax.

  “What?!” she breathed, her blue eyes turning storm-cloud gray. “I didn’t copy these from any other drawings, I saw the unicorns just today, I swear it! Here, I even have their hair to prove it!” Jahrra thrust out her hand, clutching the unicorn hair. “What more proof do you want?”

  Jaax looked down at the hair wadded in Jahrra’s hand. Then he moved his cool green eyes up to Jahrra’s angry ones, saying quietly and calmly, “Some horses have fine hair. Your friends told me that their parents breed palomino horses
. You could’ve taken the hair from them.”

  Jahrra couldn’t believe that Jaax was accusing her of lying. She was severely tempted to kick him as hard as she could, but knew it would hurt her more than it would hurt him, not to mention give him one more thing to smile about. Alright, Jahrra thought miserably, I did lie about where I saw them, but I saw them! And how can he tell I’m not being truthful anyways? She knew it shouldn’t bother her that Jaax didn’t believe her. She hated him, so why did it matter? But for some reason it did.

  “I’m telling the truth!” she demanded. “They were gold and copper and silver, they had one long horn that curved back over their forehead, and when they whinnied, it sounded like chimes!”

  Then she added weakly as her shoulders drooped, “It made me feel very happy.”

  Hroombra, who’d remained quiet and pensive for the last few minutes, shot his head up immediately, his yellow eyes blazing.

  “You heard them Jahrra? I never told you what they sounded like.” His smile returned once again. “Jaax! There’s no question about it, she did see them! She might’ve known what they looked like, but she didn’t know what they sounded like!”

  Hroombra was as giddy as the children had been the second they found the unicorn hair.

  Jaax looked unnecessarily unhappy with this information and Hroombra’s reaction to it, but for some strange reason, Jahrra didn’t think it had anything to do with her.

  “Jaax! Unicorns!” Hroombra said once again, wondering why the younger dragon was staying so calm.

  Jaax turned his gaze to Hroombra and said simply, sternly, “Unicorns have not been in Oescienne for . . .”

  “Nearly five hundred years.”

  Hroombra finished the statement with both a tone of wonder and revelation. Jahrra just stared back, not knowing what to say, not understanding the relevance of this fact.

  The young dragon looked back to Jahrra, trying hard to read her expression. There was a glimmer of truth in the young girl’s eyes; he couldn’t deny that. But there couldn’t be unicorns in Oescienne, it just wasn’t possible . . .

  “Hroombra, you and I know that what she claims is impossible!” Jaax snapped, growing irritated with his own thoughts.

  He was no longer concerned with whether or not Jahrra was telling the truth. He was just concerned with what it meant if she was telling the truth.

  “Jahrra, you may go and play with your friends now, we’ve detained you three long enough,” Hroombra said, sounding serious all of a sudden.

  Jahrra turned to Gieaun and Scede, grateful to be free of her small ordeal but wondering what had turned Jaax’s mood so quickly. She shook her head in annoyance. The last thing she wanted to do right now was to untangle the inner workings of the mind of the great Raejaaxorix. Instead she began walking with Gieaun and Scede as they led the other horses up to the stables. When they were far away from the dragons however, Jahrra began chastising Scede for mentioning the incident with the unicorns.

  “I’m sorry! I completely forgot. Those smoke rings were distracting!” he said between tight teeth.

  “I’m sure they were,” Jahrra answered sarcastically.

  “Oh, it’s alright!” she continued after seeing the crestfallen look on Scede’s face. “We didn’t have to tell them exactly where we went, so there was no harm done, after all.”

  They trudged along uphill in the warm afternoon sun, too busy chatting to pay any heed to the two dragons watching them carefully.

  As soon as they were out of earshot Jaax immediately cut into Hroombra, “What could you possibly be thinking?” he snipped.

  “Jaax, unicorns,” Hroombra breathed dreamily, unaffected by the Tanaan dragon’s shortness. “You can’t ignore this. The return of unicorns to Oescienne was foreseen in the prophecy.”

  “You mean an amendment to the prophecy. Don’t forget who it was that claimed to have foreseen unicorns returning,” the young dragon growled. “The girl has a great imagination, you’ve told me so a number of times. She most likely saw a deer and let her thoughts run away with her. And that nonsense about hearing them, that was a coincidence. She could’ve heard about a unicorn’s voice anywhere. She might’ve stumbled upon the description in one of your books.”

  Jaax forced out this last remark with a finality that stated the conversation was over. He turned aggressively and started walking more briskly toward the Ruin in what appeared to be a fouler mood than was necessary.

  “Besides,” he shot over his shoulder, “we can’t follow the prophecy word for word. It’s still possible that it’s only a way to give us poor creatures hope in a time of hopelessness.”

  “There’s always hope, Jaax,” Hroombra retorted, “and I believe more than anything in this foretelling, I must. I’ve waited too many years and have seen too much suffering.”

  Jaax answered Hroombra without turning around this time.

  He merely spoke louder so that the older dragon could hear him, “I’m through with this conversation Hroombra. The prophecy is and always has been simply a code to give false hope. I’ve spent hundreds of years trying to decipher its meaning and message to no avail. There’s nothing absolute about it. Every claim and every statement within it can have a hundred different meanings. I’ve spent too many years getting my hopes up when I saw the signs, only to have them dashed away. I wouldn’t rely on it if I were you.”

  “If that’s the truth,” Hroombra said with renewed determination, “then why did you bring Jahrra here to begin with? Why did you spend so many years looking for her? Admit it Jaax, we all cling onto hope, even if we have to wait centuries for our hopes and wishes to come true.”

  Jaax couldn’t see Hroombra smiling, but he could hear it in the old dragon’s voice, “I don’t know what has happened since I last heard from you to bring you to say such things, but I know it’s only a passing phase. You’ll trust in the prophecy again, I know it.”

  The younger dragon eased a bit and nodded stiffly before he stalked off to go and rest in the main room of the Ruin. His journey had been long, and he’d been traveling farther and more frequently than usual. He’d flown to Oescienne almost non-stop from Nimbronia, the great city in the Hrunahn Mountains to the north. The king of the Creecemind dragons was still refusing to choose sides in the festering turmoil that could boil over any day now, and Jaax was beyond frustrated with him and his people. Did they not realize the magnitude of the threat in the east?

  It was this frustration that had put him in such a dire mood just now, and he regretted it. He now took the anger and disbelief he’d aimed at Jahrra and focused it on those who refused to help with the resistance of the Crimson King, especially the dragon king of the north. Jaax had been told to return only when he had the chosen one with him. He couldn’t see how presenting an eleven year old girl to the Creecemind dragons would sway their allegiance to his side, and there was no way he could take Jahrra on such a long journey without telling her the truth. All Jaax could do was forget the north for now and hope the Tyrant remained inactive until Jahrra was older.

  Jaax sighed as he suddenly remembered the main reason he’d made this journey to Oescienne in the first place. Jahrra may be too young to know the truth, but she was old enough to prepare for her future, even if she had no idea what that future was. His purpose in coming back to Oescienne now was to make sure she was learning what she needed to learn, and one of the things she was lacking in was self defense and basic fighting skills. Someday she would be taking on many foes, both elf and beast alike, and she needed to be prepared to defend herself.

  Jaax laughed softly at this thought. She was only a child, what level of fighting skills could she possibly possess? That didn’t matter, however, for no matter how ill-prepared she might be, she could become better with the proper training.

  Jaax had expected this; he knew that Hroombra would not have thought of defense lessons. What he hadn’t expected was this nonsense about a herd of uni
corns in the fields just beyond the Ruin. And her reaction to seeing him . . . He’d expected the girl to be a little distant, but he hadn’t expected the cold dislike that practically oozed from her. Now Jaax allowed himself to give this a little thought. Had Hroombra somehow left out some form of discipline on Jahrra’s part? Had he softened because of her great loss and been easier on the girl than he normally would have?

  Jaax had already seen signs of a lack of discipline in the young girl. Had she not been disrespectful the very moment she saw him? That was all he needed, an out of control little brat and her wild stories about magical creatures to make this visit less than unpleasant.

  Jaax shook his head to clear his mind. If Jahrra was turning out to be an impossible child, then he would just have to find a way to work around it, or repair it. He already knew she would be averse to the trip they would be taking the next day, so Jaax decided to go to bed early and enlighten her in the morning.

  I’ll need all the rest I can get if I’m to spend the day with her tomorrow, he thought to himself as he stepped through the dragons’ entrance of the Castle Guard Ruin. He walked into the great room and curled up in the corner away from the fireplace and slowly drifted off to sleep, trying not to think too much about the prophecy or of unicorns.