Complete Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches

by William Robert Stanek

  Is it all for nothing, Father?

  The day turned to night and back again to day. Seth felt the vitality within him ebb. His consciousness fell to total decay. He could no longer focus his will to maintain him which frustrated him utterly. The forces of nature were all around him, yet he, Seth, First of the Red, could not touch them. He was losing himself and his center. Soon he would slip away to a peaceful bliss that he would have welcomed only a few short days ago. But now he had struggled too long to give in, fought too hard to give up.

  Great-Father, is that you? Have you come to gather me home? What did I do wrong?… I do not wish to go… I could not have stopped the ambush… I… I… did not know. No… I cannot fail. I… I must think. I must focus…

  The sun was mid way in the sky before he finally came back from the endless world of gray delirium and dream. Visions of ships sinking into the dark, waiting waters that surrounded him even now, slowly fell from his eyes—so much needless loss.

  A light breeze played soothingly across his tormented skin. Hidden behind a murky cloudbank, a pale sun looked so distant and harmless, yet its ill effects had whittled away his body and his strength slowly and effectively.

  Rain may come, he mused. If rain came, it may just save them. Then again, the storm unleashed with the rains could drown them just as easily.

  Hours diminished to the pace of agonizing seconds and heartbeats. Ignoring the hunger pains in his clenched and swollen stomach, the brittle dryness of his lips and the tremendous aching of his brutalized body, he attempted to center his thoughts.

  He knew somewhere in his teachings there must be an answer to their dilemma. He searched the indexes of his mind. A wish sprang to mind, a wish that he had learned more about seamanship from Cagan, the crafty sea captain who he had known since childhood and who, since his childhood, had commanded the Queen’s own fleet. Such learning would have proven a worthwhile investment, yet then he had not had time for such foolish endeavors.

  He felt a faint prick of pain in his mind. He strained to focus his thoughts. As he did this, sadness swept over him and in an unexplainable way he knew something was wrong. Is someone in my thoughts?

  A gentle whisper entered his mind.

  Yes? he answered.

  If I told you I was afraid, what would you say? asked Galan.

  Seth reached out for Galan’s hand and took it in his. We all have our fears, Brother Galan. It is not wrong to fear what we do not know.

  I fear death, said Galan sending feelings of hopelessness along with the words. I fear in death I will find only longing and emptiness.

  Great-Father will not forsake— He felt another prick of pain in his mind. —Is that you, Brother Galan?

  You are wrong. For those who have failed, there can be no joy in the next life. The voice nearly inaudible in their minds and edged with bitterness was Br’yan’s.

  Seth disagreed. While blood courses through your veins it tells you that you live.

  I died long ago, said Br’yan.

  Br’yan’s sadness flowed strongly to Seth. It encompassed him and the whole of their bantam raft. Then Seth felt pain again. What are you doing in my thoughts?

  I’m dying, Seth.

  Dying? Seth wheeled about the raft wildly. Frantically he searched for the precious water bag. His aim was to pour its every drop down Br’yan’s throat in the desperate hope that it alone would keep him. It was then Seth remembered they had no more water. He had used the last of it.

  No Brother, said Seth. It is not time, it is not your time! You must hold strong, you cannot desert us. We need you, I need you. There is so much, so very much…

  Br’yan didn’t or couldn’t answer.

  Br’yan, please answer me… There is a way, there must be a way… The dream, the dream, the answers are there, please hold on. I will find them… I will.

  Seth’s eyes flashed to his wrists. The blood coursing through his veins gave him life, it would give Br’yan life.

  Go ahead, Seth, whispered the voice, Br’yan’s voice in his mind. Two must live.

  No Seth, it is already too late for him. It is not yet our time. Mother-Earth still has plans for us.

  Galan cried out in sudden pain.

  Go ahead Seth, it is your fault I die. You owe me your life. You bring shame and dishonor to our kind.

  Paralyzing anguish shot through Seth’s mind. No, Seth, it is his time. Our time is yet to be destined.

  Again, Galan cried out in pain. Hands suddenly gripped Seth’s throat.

  Br’yan, what are you doing? Remember, you pulled me from the water, you saved my life—Ga-lan, he’s choking… me—Br’yan are you mad?

  You still don’t understand, do you, Seth? Br’yan squeezed harder.

  The hands still at his throat, Seth struggled wildly to his knees. Galan made her move and hit Br’yan from the side.

  Seth found Br’yan unexpectedly strong and only with Galan’s help was he able to break the hands from his throat. Together, wobbly and barely able to keep their feet, Seth and Galan fended off Br’yan’s blows. Seth ducked to dodge a blow. Galan lunged at Br’yan, and knocked him off his feet. Together they fell into the sea.

  Seth let out a high-pitched cry of anguish. He scrambled to the edge of the raft.

  Galan and Br’yan broke the surface. They were still struggling. On his belly now, Seth reached out to Galan. He felt the tip of her fingers touch his. Then Br’yan pulled Galan under with him for what seemed the final time.

  Seth lay still. He stared into the dark waters through red and burning eyes. Despair ravaged his heart.

  Chapter Three:

  Awakening

  “Isador?... Isador, I saw him. I saw him!” screamed Adrina, as she roused from a feverish state. “He is hurting. He needs our help!”

  “Princess, it was only a dream,” said an alarmed Father Jacob. The sound of Adrina’s voice had startled him. He took the moist towel from her brow, dipped it into the cold water of the basin beside him, then reapplied it to her forehead. The fever must have finally broken, he thought.

  “We must hurry,” continued Adrina heatedly.

  “It was only a dream,” repeated Father Jacob. He patiently dabbed the girl’s forehead with the cold towel.

  “His eyes were the bluest blue. He spoke to me in the dream.” Adrina lurched up in bed, then after putting feet to floor, she stood. She looked around the unfamiliar room and stopped. A puzzled frown crossed her face. “Fa-ther Ja-cob?… Where am I and how did I get here?”

  The room started to swirl around her, twisting and turning round and round. She began to lose her balance. She fought to steady herself. Father Jacob caught her and ferried her back into bed. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and imploring, and said, “We must leave now. I know where he is. Just as the lady said, the ship did not reach Alderan.”

  Father Jacob was sure Adrina was talking gibberish again. She had said many things in her fevered state. “Child, you must rest. Tomorrow will bring a new day. The others will return soon enough.”

  “No, you don’t understand. Get Keeper Martin. He understands, he will listen to me.”

  “I am afraid they have already departed. You have been asleep for quite some time. Now please get some rest, my child,” said Jacob. He pulled heavy blankets up around Adrina to keep the girl warm.

  Adrina wanted to say something else but Jacob silenced her and again bade her to sleep. As Jacob turned away, she grabbed his arm and squeezed as hard as she could to gain his attention. She didn’t want to sleep—at least, not yet. Once she had his attention, she stared straight into his eyes and stated in a calm, portentous manner, “When did they leave?… We must go now before it is too late.”

  Father Jacob was taken aback by her words, something told him to listen to her. “Slow down, Adrina. I am afraid I don’t understand. Tell me of the dream?”

  After a brief moment of silence, Adrina said, “It was in my dreams, father. I saw Prince William and he spoke to me. I know whe
re he is and he urgently needs our help… There is something wrong.”

  “You are full of fever. Prince William is in Alderan. No harm could have befallen him there.”

  Adrina closed her eyes for a moment though she did not let go of Jacob’s arm. “No, the ship from Wellison did not complete the journey. The voices, the message, Father Jacob, it was all real… You must believe me. If only Keeper Martin were here. He would understand.”

  “I believe you, young princess,” said Father Jacob, “but you are in no condition to travel.”

  Adrina regarded Father Jacob with serious eyes. “Are you patronizing me?”

  “You close your eyes and rest now. I’ll see if I can arrange travel accommodations.” Jacob nodded his head wearily. He wasn’t convinced it was a good idea to leave Fraddylwicke Castle. He departed Adrina’s chamber with troubled thoughts filling his mind. His hope was that the girl would be fast asleep when he returned.

  But as soon as Father Jacob left, Adrina gathered her strength and sat up. She stretched her arms and her sore back with a hefty, stretching-yawn. A few minutes passed without movement as she attempted to shake dizziness away. Eventually the room did stop moving. She slipped over to the side of the bed and placed her feet on the floor.

  Carefully she reached out, grasped her boots, then slipped her feet into them. A bit wobbly, she stood up and looked about the chamber. Bright daylight pouring in through a terraced doorway instantly caught her attention. She walked out onto the balcony and squinted at the bright orange of the sun, which to her astonishment was midway in the sky.

  She rushed back into the chamber, which seemed suddenly dark. She stumbled. She had moved too fast. She pressed up against the frame of the door and held herself there for several long breaths while her eyes slowly readjusted to the dimness of the interior.

  After a quick scan for belongings in the unfamiliar room, she prepared to leave. Instinctively, she checked her hair in the large mirror that stood beside the door on her way out. Her hair was a mess. She ran her fingers through it to straighten it. Abruptly she stopped what she was doing and stared at her reflection. Something wasn’t right. It took her a moment to realize she was wearing a nightgown. To have put her boots on while she still wore bed clothes. Whatever was she thinking?

  She wasn’t thinking.

  Her head ached on one side—a dull throbbing that numbed her awareness—as if she had been kicked, and a large swollen area on the right side of her skull attested to this fact. She touched it gingerly and winced.

  Think clearly, think clearly. She tensed up and took a couple of deep breaths, trying to concentrate. All right, now what was I doing?

  It took her a moment to remember and only after staring into the mirror again did she finally realize what she needed to do next.

  “Riding clothes, riding clothes,” she muttered to herself.

  At the opposite end of the large chamber was a partial wall-divider, which she finally realized was where the dressing area must be. I knew that. Where was my brain?

  Adrina touched the lump on the side of her head. She screamed out, “Ouch!” Her brain was there—in pain.

  It was a slow methodical shuffle to the divider and even slower changing into her riding clothes that were clean and thankfully dry—she recalled now that they had been wet, that she had been wet.

  A dull thump sounded at the door as she was dressing and Adrina shouted, “Just a moment—”

  “Oo, ouch!” she moaned. Her head throbbed with pain. No more shouting.

  It took a few more careful minutes before Adrina finished dressing and walked over to open the door. She opened it to find Father Jacob standing solemnly, a deep-set frown on his face.

  “I was hoping you would be fast asleep when I returned,” he said, as he stepped into the chamber.

  “No such luck,” said Adrina with heedful volume so as not to cause her head to pound any more than it already did.

  “You are still flushed with fever. A day’s delay will cause little harm. I am concerned about your health, child, more than anything else. That was a nasty fall. You need to rest.”

  “There will be plenty of time to rest later, Father Jacob.”

  Father Jacob started to reply. Adrina reached out and took his hand in hers. “I must do this, Father Jacob.” She spoke with sincerity.

  She started to lead Jacob into the hall and as he stepped back into the corridor, he stopped. “Wait a minute, am I crazy? I didn’t want to do this, but if I have to… Get back into that bed this instant, you will sleep!”

  Adrina stepped deftly passed Father Jacob. “This will not wait, father. He is dying, I know it. Did you know—” Hesitant, she stopped herself from saying anything more.

  Jacob took a step toward her. “Go on,” he said.

  “It was only the voice at first, calling out, but then I started to see things. It was as if I were traveling a great distance. There was so much I know I saw that I cannot recollect, so much, Father Jacob… The vision first led me out to sea, then to the southern coast—”

  “Did you?” asked Jacob, “No, of course you didn’t, did you?”

  “Did I what, Father Jacob?”

  “At any rate, we cannot leave until Captain Brodst recovers. I would not hear the last of it if I left him in Fraddylwicke Castle with the Baron and Baroness.”

  Adrina nearly fell as the words hit her. Father Jacob fought to ferry her back to bed but she wouldn’t let him. “Who leads the column to Alderan?”

  “The second in command was Captain Trendmore. He assumed command after Captain Brodst’s unfortunate accident. He waited until late this morning, but couldn’t wait any longer. With Prince Valam’s arrival in Alderan in three days, he had to leave. It will take a miracle—” Jacob glanced heavenward. “—for them to make that march in three days. I am sure Captain Brodst said it would take at least five.”

  Adrina’s face turned deathly pale. Now she understood why the detachment had turned south for Quashan’. Now she understood why so much was at stake in Alderan. “Prince Valam is to meet the ship from Wellison, the ship carrying Prince William?”

  The lady’s words flooded into her mind and piece by piece she started to put the puzzle together. The ship from Wellison has a most precious cargo, the heir to the throne of Sever. At this very moment King Charles lies dying in his bed… King Jarom sees himself seated in the throne room of Imtal Palace. He means to plunge the kingdoms into war. To be sure, he will use the death of Charles and the fears of the heir to his own ends…

  She decided right then to confide in Father Jacob. She recounted the meetings with the strange lady. She told him of the first meeting in the palace tower at Imtal and the second meeting in the forest on the night of the heavy rains.

  As she watched, it was clear a flood of awareness swept over Father Jacob. He was silent for a time then he mumbled words she barely understood. “This is the very message Great-Father sent—the message I have puzzled over these long past days.”

  “Father Jacob, are you all right? Is there something I can do for you?”

  “Just let me stand here a moment, child.” Father Jacob paused, took a deep breath then added, “On second thought, let’s sit. Perhaps over on the bed…”

  Father Jacob regarded Adrina with marvel. “I told no one about the voices and the portentous messages that brought me to Imtal Palace on a dark night, what seemed so long ago. I did not even tell the cunning Keeper Martin… Great-Father does sometimes work in mysterious ways. Messages in dreams are not uncommon and the Lore Keepers often use them for long communication.”

  Father Jacob again became quiet and the wrinkles around his eyes grew thick. “You are right, child,” he said at long last, “we cannot wait. May Great-Father speed us on to Alderan…”

  Soon after the baron convinced Father Jacob that they should not leave Fraddylwicke castle until the following morning. It was true that by the time preparations were made and they were ready to leave it was late afternoo
n, but there still were a few hours of daylight left. What harm would a night in the swamp have brought? Adrina thought, but the baron assured her the swamp was no place to be after dark.

  When morning came the baroness was dead set on having tea after breakfast. Adrina declined. Who drinks tea at daybreak? she thought to herself. She approached the low portcullis that separated thick walls midway along the castle’s southerly bastion. She continued past it to the stables where a stately wagon was being prepared. The Lord and Lady Fraddylwicke chased after her every step of the way from the inner courtyard to the wall, but neither the baroness’ “Your Highness, please, the tea is ready,” or the baron’s “The wagon would have been ready in another hour,” would slow her down.