The Guide

by Trudie Collins

  The next morning they were woken at dawn by the sun’s rays shining on them through the window. Both felt fully refreshed; it was the first uninterrupted night’s sleep they had experienced since leaving the palace.

  “How are you feeling?” Sam asked, a little concerned that Hurst appeared to be squinting.

  “Good,” he replied. “And hungry. I wonder what time breakfast is.”

  “And your sight?”

  “Not so good. I can still see, but my vision is blurred.” He then smiled reassuringly at Sam. “I can still see well enough to detect concern in your expression. Do not worry. I was warned that this would probably happen. I just need to drink some more water. Each day I should get a little better until there is no blurring at all in the mornings.”

  “What about your abilities? Are they affected by your returned sight?”

  “I do not know. I have been so busy taking in as many sights as possible that I have not tried to use them. Come here my dear.”

  Sam did as she was instructed and allowed Hurst to take her face in his hands. His breathing slowed as he concentrated and after a minute he closed his eyes. Shortly afterward he kissed Sam gently on the forehead and removed his hands.

  “Thank you. I am grateful you trust me enough to allow me to experiment on you. My abilities are still there. They are not as sharp as they were when my eyes are open; maybe seeing causes too much of a distraction. With my eyes closed, however, I can read your mind as clearly as though you were speaking out loud and your emotions shouted out to me.”

  Sam looked doubtful and Hurst realised that he would have to prove to her that his abilities were still intact. “What is a tosspot?” he asked.

  Sam burst out laughing. “Okay. I believe you, but I would appreciate it if you didn’t mention to Bellak what I think of him.”

  “Of course my dear. Now let us depart on a quest for breakfast.”

  As they approached the central square, they spied Hanbert talking to a group of women. He was organising foraging parties to go down to the lake to pick fruit and berries for breakfast. He bid them a good morning and enquired how they had slept. They complemented him on how comfortable their accommodation was, then Sam asked if she could join one of the foraging parties as she wished to check on Salabine. Hanbert was delighted that she wanted to partake in their daily morning ritual and handed her an empty basket. He then sent her over to one group of women and drew Hurst aside, asking him about his eyesight. As Sam was herded toward the lake, she looked back and saw Hurst being led toward the fountain. Hopefully he would be able to see clearly again by the time she returned.

  On the way to the lake, the women in Sam’s group took the opportunity to ask her more about herself and how she used to live. Sam didn’t mind the topic of conversation and, in turn, she got to learn more about her hosts. They all seemed to think they had the perfect lifestyle and wouldn’t change it for anything. When asked what happened when someone wanted to leave, they look confused and informed her that nobody had ever expressed such a desire; why would they? Conversation continued as they walked to the far side of the lake and began to pick berries, one team working clockwise, the other anti-clockwise. Sam was shown which berries were ripe enough to be picked and which should be left on the bush. Each bush was completely stripped before the next one was started on. In under an hour the two groups met each other and headed back, their baskets laden. Before the lake was out of sight, Sam glanced back. She stopped and stared at the bushes in surprise; they were full of ripe berries once more.

  “What is going on here?” she exclaimed.

  Noticing the direction of her stare, one of the shaten replied. “We do not know. All we know is that every time we pick the berries, they are replenished and we are eternally grateful.”

  “This really is a magical place,” Sam sighed, before picking up her basket and following the other women.

  They returned to the central square at almost the same time as those who had been sent to gather nuts. The food and water filled jugs were distributed between the tables and people started to appear from all directions, sitting themselves down on the benches ready for their breakfast.

  Sam found Hurst conversing with Hanbert and was pleased to find that his sight had been fully restored once again.

  “Hanbert thinks I only need a few more weeks of drinking from the fountain to be fully cured,” he informed her, grinning broadly. “I have already requested that I be the one to remain behind and my wish has been granted. I hope you do not mind.”

  “I don’t, but I think Bellak might. I am so looking forward to seeing his face when I return instead of you.” Sam then turned to Hanbert. “I have a question to ask you. Everyone joins together out in the open every meal time. What happens when it rains?”

  “That is simple; it never rains.” While they were talking, someone else had joined them at their table and Hanbert suddenly noticed him. “Good morning Brin,” he said in welcome. “Sam, Hurst, I have the pleasure to introduce to you Brin, the first outsider to have joined us.”

  Sam turned to speak to the man sitting next to her, but found herself unable to form words. She was staring at the most incredible looking person she had ever laid her eyes on. The thin, angular features, the sharp almost beak like nose, the dark near black eyes, the green hue to the skin and, of course, the pointed ears, meant there was only one creature he could possibly be.

  “Oh my god,” she exclaimed. “You’re an elf.”

  Chapter 21

  Brin was not the least bit disconcerted by Sam’s evident shock; he merely nodded his head in the affirmative.

  “I’m sorry,” she stammered. “It’s just that where I come from, elves are just mythical creatures.”

  “I understand. The member of my team who was the ‘guide from another world’ reacted exactly the same when she first saw me.” He had a strange way of speaking, pausing slightly in the middle of sentences. His voice was quiet, but quite sharp. It was the sort of voice Sam would be happy to listen to for ages. As she opened her mouth to ask him a question, she noticed Hurst holding up his hand, forestalling her.

  “You probably do not realize, but questioning an elf, unless you know him well, is extremely rude. Elves are a very quiet race. They keep to themselves and do not like being questioned directly. If they wish to talk about themselves, they will do so on their own terms and only when they are ready. It takes a long time to earn the trust of an elf and until you do so you will learn nothing about him or his people.”

  “I’ll ask you then. All of the books I have read claim elves make the best trackers and archers. Is that true?”

  It was Brin who answered her. “It is true.”

  “See,” said Sam smugly to Hurst. “You just have to ask the right questions.”

  Conversation continued while they ate, though most of Sam’s questions were answered by Hurst or the shaten. Brin remained quiet, asking no questions and rarely joining in the conversation, but he did seem to be watching Sam a great deal, as though she intrigued him for some reason. As Sam had already been informed, the elf had spent most of his time in the school house with the children. He possessed no skills that were of use to the shaten, so he turned to teaching and was surprised to find that not only was he very good at it, but he also enjoyed it. The children were all slightly in awe of him so their behaviour around him was impeccable. Once they got onto the subject of Salabine, however, his attention was grabbed.

  “You are a dragon friend and the dragon is now in the lake?” he asked. Sam nodded, unsure as to why he was asking. “Dragons are sacred creatures to the elves. It would be the greatest honour for me to meet one.”

  “No sweat. Got time before school starts?”

  Brin instantly rose to his feet. “Have I your permission to be late for classes today?” he asked Hanbert, who waved him away.

  “Go see the dragon. Take the day off.”

  Brin did not need telling twice. Without saying a word he turned his back to
everyone and ran off.

  “Wait,” Sam called after him. “You will need me to call her.” She looked at the other faces around the table. “Sorry, but I had better go after him.”

  “Do not be so sure,” Hurst informed her. “Ancient tales tell of elves conversing with dragons in High Elven, a language all but dead now, but to which a dragon will always respond, even without being addressed by name.”

  “I’d still like to go.”

  “It looks like you are not the only one.” Looking around, Sam saw that a number of the young shaten women had departed from their tables and were heading off toward the lake.

  “Brin is very popular with the ladies,” Hanbert informed her. “Though I do not think he has noticed. They spend all of their spare time flirting with him and he simply ignores their advances. Not in a rude manner, I hasten to add. It is almost as if he thinks their conversation is just their way of making a stranger welcome.”

  Hurst accompanied Sam on her trek through the trees. It had been many years since he had heard anyone speaking High Elven and he longed to hear it again. As they stepped out from between the trees, they noticed that Salabine was already approaching the elf, who stood grinning like a schoolboy in a chocolate factory. A large number of the shaten women stood nearby, none of them brave enough to approach. A strange silence had descended, broken only when the elf called out.

  “Brethen nachet oj nankel savatt,” Brin welcomed Salabine, as her head emerged from under the water.

  “Brethen kolli onnot yabba,” came the reply. Brin bowed deeply then sat upon the ground, crossed his legs and continued the conversation, oblivious to the audience listening in.

  “What happened to his speech impediment?” Sam whispered to Hurst.

  “What?” Hurst whispered back without looking at her.

  “You know, the funny way he speaks, the strange pauses he puts in the middle of sentences.” Hurst reluctantly pulled his eyes away from the elf and the dragon, but Sam interrupted him as he was about to respond.

  “Hang on a minute. Why can’t I understand them?”

  Hurst shrugged. “They are speaking a very ancient language. Maybe the spell only works on current languages. As to your first question, all elves seem to have problems with the flow of human languages, whereas they make their own language, especially High Elven, flow smoothly.”

  As Sam listened, she realised that it did not matter that she could not understand what was being said. Brin’s soft tone and Salabine’s melodic response were pleasing to listen to and she did not experience the feelings of guilt she usually suffered when eavesdropping. Everyone lost track of time until they were startled out of their reverie by angry shouts from the menfolk, demanding to know why no work was being done. Reluctantly, the shaten departed. Sam and Hurst accompanied them, leaving Brin and Salabine to continue their conversation in peace.

  As soon as they re-entered the central square, they were accosted by Hanbert. “We were about to send out a search party,” he said jovially. “It is time for Sam to be tested.”

  “Tested? What do you mean tested?” There was a slight trace of panic in her voice. Nobody had told her anything about a test.

  “We have to make sure that you truly are from another world. I cannot hand over the next clue until I am convinced, I am afraid.”

  He led them both to the meeting hall, ignoring Sam’s protests. Inside were eleven men seated around a table, in the middle of which was a small bowl filled with a clear liquid. Hanbert indicated to Hurst that he should take one of the empty seats and instructed Sam to remain standing. The formal ceremony immediately got under way.

  “We, the twelve leaders of the shaten, have gathered here today to hear the petition of outsiders. Standing before us is one who claims to be from another world. This is in doubt. To prove this, she must drink the poison from the bowl in front of her. If she is lying, she will die. Only by living can she display the honesty of her claim.”

  “What?” shouted Hurst and Sam in unison. “You expect me to drink poison!” Sam continued.

  “Of course,” Hanbert replied in a mild tone of voice, as though it was a perfectly harmless and reasonable thing to do. “Is there a problem?”

  “Yeah, there’s a problem,” Sam snapped. “According to Bellak I am not from another world but from another time.”

  The twelve leaders talked quietly among themselves for a few minutes before addressing Sam once again. “We think that should be alright.”

  “You think. You want me to risk my life on a think.”

  “Well, yes.”

  “Do not do it Sam,” Hurst urged. “Too many people have died for this quest already. It is not worth the risk.”

  Sam sighed, dejectedly. “What alternative do I have? I was dragged away from my entire life just to perform this one task. What happens to me if I don’t do it? The only thing that is stopping me completely going to pieces is the fact that there is a reason for me being here. How can I turn my back on that?”

  Hurst opened his mouth to reply, but words failed him. She was right.

  “If I don’t make it, say goodbye to everyone for me and tell them that I don’t blame them for my death.” Shaking slightly, she carefully raised the bowl to her lips and drank. It tasted unexpectedly pleasant. Placing the empty bowl back onto the table, she looked toward the shaten leaders, all of whom were smiling. “Is the poison fast acting or will my death be long and painful?”

  Hanbert laughed out loud. “There is no poison; you drank water from the fountain, nothing more. We are a peaceful race. We would never willingly cause the death of another.” Sam stared at him in disbelief.

  “Is this some kind of joke?”

  Hearing the anger in her voice, Hanbert stopped smiling. “No, of course not. We had to test that you genuinely believed you met the criteria and could find no other way of doing it. You willingly risked your life, therefore you have successfully passed the test.”

  Hurst, too, was staring at him incredulously. “Are you saying that whether she is really from another world or not is irrelevant, it is only her belief that she is that matters?”

  Hanbert nodded, as did the other shaten seated around the table. “Sam, you are now free to recross the desert and return to your companions; if Hurst is still willing to stay, that is.”

  Concern crossed Sam’s face when Hurst remained silent. He looked as though there was something he wanted to say, but he was unsure as to how to phrase it. Eventually he gave it a try. “Why do you want one of us to stay?”

  “We already told you, we wish to learn more about outsiders and give them time to learn more about us.”

  Hurst shook his head. “That is not the only reason, is it?” There was no emotion at all in his voice now. Sam could not tell if he was angry or merely inquisitive and a feeling of deep dread took hold of her.

  Hanbert looked around the table and each of the leaders nodded in turn. “Very well. Let us go for a walk and I will explain.” He rose and headed out of the door, not stopping to see if Sam and Hurst were following. They stared at each other, shrugged their shoulders and went after him. He was just passing the fountain when they caught up with him, silently falling in step along side. He remained silent until they passed the last building and nothing but sand was ahead of them. He turned around and looked back, like a King surveying his kingdom.

  “My people have lived here for many generations, isolated and alone. We are happy with our lives, but our population is decreasing. Did you notice how many of the houses we just passed are empty?” He did not wait for a reply. “We have reached a stage where we are all related by blood, though some more distantly than others, and this worries us. We fear this is the reason for the decreasing birth rate and hope fresh blood will alter this downward spiral.”

  Sam worked out where the conversation was going quicker than Hurst did. “You want your people to breed with outsiders,” she exclaimed.

  Hanbert winced. “That is not exactly how I would pu
t it, but yes, that is what we wish, though so far we have not had any luck.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You are the first humans we have seen. It never occurred to us that our visitors would be anything other than human, so you can imagine our surprise when Brin and his friend turned up.”

  “But the clue stated that they had to be from another world. What on Earth did you expect?”

  “I do not know,” Hanbert replied, wringing his hands in distress. “I did not expect it to be taken so literally. Yes,” he continued, anticipating Sam’s question. “Brin’s companion genuinely came from another world. I will leave him to provide details. Brin agreed to remain behind with us, but elves and other races cannot interbreed. There have been times when they have tried, but no young ever survived infancy.”

  Sam sympathised with Hanbert. He had only been trying to help his people and now he was worried that it had all gone wrong. “We are only the second team to arrive here remember, and we are both human. Maybe all of the other teams will bring at least one human with them and will agree to help you out.”

  Hanbert tried to smile and failed.

  “I will stay,” Hurst suddenly announced. “Though I may be too old to be of any use to you.”

  A glimmer of hope crossed Hanbert’s face. “You may surprise yourself. The water from the fountain has many effects on the body, as some of our more elderly have discovered.”

  “First you restore my sight, then you dangle the potential of becoming a father in front of me. Is life here really as good as you are making out?”

  Hanbert looked a little uneasy. “For my people, yes. We are used to the isolation and know how to keep ourselves entertained. As for outsiders, I cannot comment I am afraid.”

  “Are you really sure you want to do this?” Sam asked Hurst, who nodded. Turning to Hanbert, she continued. “Will he ever be able to rejoin the rest of civilisation?”

  “Of course. Brin, for example, will be leaving with you, if you will allow him. We are expecting a number of other visitors so there will be the opportunity for Hurst to depart with them.”