Chartile: Prophecy

by Cassandra Morgan

  There was a loud crash from Jack and Jayson’s room. Jack and Leo jumped to their feet, hands flying to the daggers that sat on the table before them. The door opened and Jayson stumbled out, the evidence of a fallen tapestry and a broken vase behind him. His friends relaxed and sat back down, shaking their heads.

  “They really didn’t need all that anyway,” Jayson muttered, and joined them. His hair was a complete mess, and stuck up in several different directions. They had discussed having one of the Dwarvik hair dressers give them a haircut a few days ago, but it was the furthest thing from their minds now.

  “Leave anything for me?” asked Jayson through a yawn.

  Leo handed him the fruit bowl. A few berries sat at the bottom and the last chunk of stale bread.

  “Fine dining, isn’t it?” said Jayson, and he popped the berries in his mouth in one bite. “Piper or Dimitri been by?” he asked, berry spit dribbling down his chin.

  “No,” said Jack, and he handed Jayson a handkerchief. “Maybe we should just go find one of the guards. Last I knew the Topaz Quarter and Obsidian Quarter were the last two to be cleared. I’m not sure how much they may have gotten through during the night.”

  “No way, man. We said we would always stay together.” Leo said.

  “Yeah, I don’t want to do anything without Piper,” said Jayson, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

  Jack nodded, swallowed the last of his bread, and headed for the bedroom to change.

  They waited for Piper and Dimitri for nearly an hour. After several rounds of Rock-Paper-Scissors, they decided to find them. Mount Kelsii was eerily empty and quiet. They passed a few haggard looking soldiers on patrols who must have worked through the night to evacuate their citizens. They passed door after door in the Amber Quarter that had been hastily painted with a strange symbol. Leo recognized it as the Draconian rune Brande and Kylani had described as meaning ‘the way is clear.’

  The once bustling civilization, now silent, was unsettling to experience. Jack wondered if Gemari had already fled with her people into the Great Passage, and if yesterday was the last time he would ever see her. His fears were confirmed when every door but Piper’s along the Emerald Quarter corridor had been marked with that familiar rune. Surely Gemari would have gone with the Elders. She was, after all, not trained in War.

  Jayson rang the little bell beside Piper’s door. The door whipped open before the last chime ended. Leo’s hand flew to his sword hilt. Dimitri put a finger to his lips and smiled mischievously.

  “Dude, you scared the crap out of me,” said Jack as Dimitri held the door wide for them.

  “My apologies,” said Dimitri. “Piper is still resting.”

  “We can come back later if you guys wanna sleep in,” said Jayson. “We can bring you some food from the kitchens.” Dimitri smiled at Jayson’s constant thought for food.

  “No, I am sure she will wake soon enough.” Dimitri filled a cup with water from a pitcher and joined the boys as they took seats in the common area.

  “Looks like everyone’s gone,” said Leo.

  “Halil informed me they will have troops stationed at the main gates, and a few scouts in each quarter.” Dimitri said quietly and flopped across the chair, his legs dangling over its arm.

  “How come our doors don’t have that funny mark?” Jayson asked.

  “We are neither citizens nor Dwarvik soldiers. Like the Black Diamonds, we are on our own.” Dimitri’s statement hung in the air between them. The dwarves had been so eager to earn the returned kings to their side, but it wasn’t a mutual ally they sought. Jack, Leo and Jayson had never been offered a place among the refugees to Tutaria. Despite the help they had offered, they were very much alone once more.

  “What’s the plan then?” Jack asked breaking the awkward silence.

  Dimitri opened his mouth to answer, but stopped when they heard a shuffling in the bedroom.

  Piper emerged wearing several layers of sturdy travelling clothes. Her hair had been tied back as well as it could, but she still managed to look rather pretty.

  “Oh, you should have woken me,” she said, and cast Dimitri a shy, sideways glance.

  “It’s okay,” said Jayson. “We just got here.”

  “I am glad you are here,” she replied, and began rummaging in an inside pocket of her vest. She pulled out the small slip of parchment from Valar and handed it to Jayson who sat closest to her. “This was delivered to Nefiri and then to me yesterday. It appears to be from Valar, but I do not understand it.”

  “No-cal-no-den,” Jayson sounded out very slowly, and looked at Dimitri. “Is that some Dwarvik word or something?”

  “I am afraid not,” said Dimitri.

  “We believe it may be a code, but we do not know what it means.” Piper gazed hopefully between Jack, Leo and Jayson.

  Leo snatched the tiny bit of parchment from Jayson, pushing his glasses up his nose and squinted at the wide looping script.

  “noCalnoden. Wait a minute. Do you have a pen and paper?”

  Piper hurried to the table the portraits of her family had been laid upon the day Nefiri and Valar had come to visit her. She pulled a piece of parchment, an inkwell and a stubby calligraphy pen from the center drawer, and rushed back to Leo.

  For several minutes, Leo worked quietly, writing on the parchment, scratching things out, and rewriting. He had never used a calligraphy pen before, and the excess ink began to bleed into his fingers from the nib. Finally, he leapt to his feet and triumphantly held the paper aloft.

  “Aha! It was out of order!” he exclaimed.

  “Huh?” asked Jayson.

  “Look,” said Leo, and he pointed to the word at the very bottom of the parchment. It spelled Cannondole. “Cannondole. It is where we’re supposed to meet Valar before we go to the castle.”

  “We already know this,” said Piper.

  “Why would he send us a message for something we already know?” asked Dimitri, squinting his eyes at the paper in skepticism.

  “I don’t know,” said Leo shrugging. He set the parchment back on the little table in front of him, then immediately jumped back up again.

  “Wait!” he said, looking at Jack. “Didn’t you say the dwarves can’t find the elven soldiers?”

  “Yeah,” said Jack tentatively, “Frejah said none of the scouts can find anything.”

  “Dimitri, you said this was sent to Nefiri, right?” Leo turned to face Dimitri, who still lounged across the chair.

  “Correct,” replied Dimitri, shrugging his shoulders. “Nefiri believed it appeared to be Valar’s writing. She assumed it was meant for Piper.”

  Leo shook his head and smirked.

  “I think Taraniz’s troops are in Cannondole, and Valar was trying to tell Nefiri.” Leo pushed his glasses up his nose again, and nodded curtly.

  “Cannondole is only two days from here,” said Dimitri. “It is one of the main cities the dwarves trade with. We would know if Taraniz had stationed her troops there.”

  “Not if she’s using magic to conceal them,” said Leo, and his smile deepened.

  They looked at one another, their eyes slowly widening as the revelation hit.

  “We must inform Nefiri immediately,” said Dimitri. They nodded, and tore from Piper’s room, nearly forgetting to close the door behind them in their haste.

  The number of soldiers had dwindled even further, and it took them some time to track Nefiri down. They eventually found her in the armory, calculating the weapon stores with Frejah and some of the other commanders. Brande was there to offer his knowledge of the weapons the Diamonds had within their possession.

  Jack, Leo and Jayson burst through the door to the armory, completely out of breath. Piper and Dimitri followed close behind, though far less winded. The Dwarvik soldiers in the armory were tense and staring, some with their hands poised over the hilts of their swords and daggers. Nefiri, Frejah and Brande looked equal bewildered at the sudden intrusion. Dimitri shouldered past the boys
and stopped a few feet from Nefiri.

  “Empress, we have an important matter that must be discussed regarding the recent message sent to Piper.” Dimitri held the slip of parchment in his hand for the Empress to see. She nodded, and dismissed the group around her.

  “I think Frejah and Brande should hear this too,” said Leo. Nefiri’s harsh eyes made him blush, but she nodded, and the two rejoined them, Brande closing the armory door behind the last soldier.

  “Empress,” said Piper, and she stood beside Dimitri, bowing in the elven style, “The message you gave to me was in fact from Valar, but it was always intended for you.”

  “How can you know this?” asked Nefiri. Her features remained emotionless, though her tone sounded intrigued.

  “My Lady,” said Jack turning to Frejah, “You said your scouts haven’t found any evidence of Taraniz’s army, correct?”

  “Yes, this is true,” said Frejah. She shifted her weight uncomfortably from side to side.

  “However, spies within the elven palace, and the information you yourselves brought to us certainly speak volumes that Taraniz is planning an attack on us. It would take great numbers and much time to coordinate enough power to storm Fortress Kelsii. I do not believe Taraniz to be quite so ignorant to the contrary.”

  “Look,” said Leo, snatching the little piece of parchment away from Dimitri. “If you unscramble the letters, it spells Cannondole.”

  Nefiri, Frejah and Brande passed the parchment between them, looking at the tiny letters and listening.

  “We think Valar was trying to tell you that Taraniz’s army is in Cannondole,” Jack explained.

  “Plus, she’s probably using magic to hide them. That’s why no one can find them.” Jayson folded his arms and nodded smugly.

  “I suppose it is entirely possible,” mused Brande. “Cannondole is one of the largest Elven cities, and is almost perfectly positioned between here and the palace.” He stroked his beard and paced. “They still have to cross the river, but, there are a number of places where the water narrows, and a small bridge could be built in only a few hours. How far have your scouts been looking?”

  Frejah answered the man without hesitation. “Cannondole is more than a day away, and I do not like to send my troops too far. The last time anyone would have received reports from so far away would have been before the Council met. This theory is entirely plausible, if we are to believe the rumors that Taraniz, is indeed, using magic.” She pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow. “We have such little evidence to support any of this.”

  “Leo has never steered us wrong before,” said Brande, clapping Leo hard on the shoulder. “These are our kings, dear ladies. It is our destiny to trust them.”

  Leo smiled, though his stomach sank a bit. They were closer than ever to the destiny the prophecy had laid before them – whatever it was.

  The two women exchanged looks and nodded.

  “You know what this means then?” said Piper, staring at Nefiri.

  “It is time.” the Empress answered. “May Rashiri watch over you all.” She bowed very low to them and held her pose for longer than usual.

  “Fear not,” Brande whispered to Leo, “I have everything taken care of.” He winked and hugged the boy.

  They turned to leave, their bodies feeling heavier as they went when a voice behind them called out.

  “Dimitri!” Nefiri called. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. Nefiri took a single step forward then stopped. She reset her worried face and sighed. “Please, be careful, my son. I wish more than anything for Rashiri to return you safely back to me.”

  Dimitri looked at her for a long time. He blinked and followed his friends into the hall without reply.

  

  Jayson made doubly sure that their first stop was the kitchens. It was deserted, and most of what remained were perishable items such as cheeses and raw meats. They scrounged for what they could find that would last them a few days during their travels. They packed their bags and nibbled at the fresh fruits and cheeses as they worked. Jayson stuffed the last of his breakfast into his mouth as they reached the Black Diamonds’ mine. It was eerily quiet, and they did not linger. They headed out the door at the back of the market square, and set a well-hidden trap as planned long ago with Brande and Kylani. Any elves who may have been working with the Black Diamonds would have known about this entrance into the mountain, and it meant they may try to use it. When the door was opened, it would set off a chain of cascading boulders and alert someone to the matter, as well as kill a good number of elves in the process.

  The food the boys had eaten sat heavy on their stomachs as they walked down the little path and away from the mountain. Their trap also meant the mines the Black Diamonds called home would be destroyed. Once again, these people would be homeless. If permitted by the Council to be called a new Quarter, they would be forced to start over. It was the first time they felt the weight of the necessary evils of war, and what it meant to sacrifice something you loved to protect something you loved even more.

  Dimitri led the way, as he was far more familiar with the Belirian Forest having run errands and messages to the surrounding elven cities and to the elven palace. They had long ago decided to stay off the main roads, even though it would take them longer to reach Cannondole. Now that they knew, or at least suspected, that Taraniz was hiding her army with magic, they kept a watchful eye out for anything strange.

  “There is nothing worse than stumbling right into the middle of the army of the person you are attempting to bring down,” Dimitri had said.

  The Belirian Forest was thick with underbrush and brambles, slowing their pace the deeper they went. The trees seemed perfectly spaced to let just the right amount of sun in while keeping its travelers well shaded. Dimitri slashed at the undergrowth in front of them, which did little to ease the way. Piper suspected it was doing more to relieve his frustrations over Nefiri’s final words to him.

  Unlike when they had first traveled to Fortress Kelsii, they remained rather silent, lost within their own thoughts. They ate their midday meal as they walked rather than stopping to make camp. As it neared evening, Piper insisted Dimitri cease his slashing and bashing of the forest so as not to attract unwanted attention.

  “We would be foolish to believe Taraniz has not sent scouts out. She has to suspect I would come looking for Gran once I learned of her disappearance.” Piper placed a comforting hand on Dimitri’s shoulder.

  “Piper, we have to keep moving,” said Dimitri, pulling away from her. “We have little time to get to Cannondole and then to the palace before the army attacks.”

  Piper sighed. “Dimitri, we do not know Taraniz’s plans. She could be there now for all we know.”

  Dimitri huffed and turned away from Piper, slashing at one last bush. “Alright,” he said and took a deep breath, stretching to his full height. “But we keep moving for a while longer.” He turned, sheathing his sword and pushing his way through the tall grasses and brambles.

  Darkness came to the forest faster than any of them had expected, and this slowed their progress further. They agreed to look for a small clearing to make camp when the forest broke away before them and gave way to a swiftly moving river several feet below.

  “Is there a bridge anywhere?” Leo asked.

  “I am afraid not, Leo,” said Dimitri. “I hope you all can swim.”

  Leo looked at his feet and kicked a stone down the steep bank into the water. “Actually, I can’t,” he said.

  In the end, they tied the ends of all their ropes together securing one end to a tree. Dimitri swam easily across the river, and tied the other end to a tree on the opposite bank. Jayson, Jack, and Leo held onto the rope and pulled themselves across the deceptively swift current. It was only twenty yards or so, but it was the longest trek Leo had ever taken in his life. Once, an undertow caught Leo, pulling him down enough that a wave splashed over his head. He spluttered, and nearly let go of the rope. Jack caught him by the coll
ar of his shirt just in time. When they reached the far bank, Piper undid the rope on her side of the river, and they all helped to pull her across. They were all soaked and soon gave up any idea of continuing on until they had dried their clothes a bit.

  They had skirted around a small elven village called Serestell to avoid being seen, and this had delayed them a further half day. Cannondole was at least another full day’s journey ahead of them yet, and none of them could say they were excited about it. They did not sleep well, and were awake and ready to set out again at the first sign of light.

  “I never thought I’d miss sleeping on that weird mattress,” said Jayson, stretching his back as they walked.

  “Yeah, it was kind of weird sleeping outside again,” said Jack.

  “I will never complain about my bed again when I get home, that’s for sure!” Jayson cried, but his laugh gave way to an uncomfortable silence.

  A realization had fallen over Jack, Leo and Jayson. In a few short days, they could be home again. If they fulfilled the prophecy, then whatever had brought them to Chartile would surely send them home again. At least they hoped so.

  “Piper, does the Elven castle have, like, a library or anything?” Leo asked breaking the quiet.

  “Really, Leo?” said Jayson. “What could you possibly want to look up right now?” He rolled his eyes and, not paying attention, ended up with a face full of branch he had not grabbed from Jack as they trudged deeper into the forest.

  “There might be some old scrolls or something from the time of the old kings that could tell us how to get home.” Leo glared at Jayson and stuck his chin out defiantly.