by Philip Blood
The hatred cut off instantly, and the boys felt normal again.
"Who is this that knows my name?” the priest Aerin knew as Malachai asked and the volume of his voice grew louder. It was the first time Aerin had heard it change from the silky smooth tones.
"Come and find out, Egedwa, du taton sumatlack, Deglick" she said, suddenly speaking fluidly in a different tongue.
Malachai's eyes widened and he barked, "Kill her." His two men immediately raised their bows and fired, but Yearl just stepped between them and Mara. In a flash, his two sticks streaked in swift arcs and the arrows were deflected from the air and struck the floor and walls to the side.
Mara's smile never slipped.
Lor grabbed the tunics of the two boys and whispered in their ears, "Let's fade while they aren't looking!"
Aerin wanted to watch, but Lor dragged him away around the corner. Once the battle was out of sight he regained his senses and followed the other two boys at a run.
The boys fled, and this time, Darel guided them through the castle halls. He took them to a rear stairway and up into one of the towers. Once inside Darel sealed the large iron bound doors behind them.
From the tower windows, they watched the fight below until it was over and only then did they emerge. Darel led them down a side hall where they cut through two rooms, and then entered a huge open chamber where an unorganized group of people mixed in loud conversation.
To Aerin, it seemed that everyone was talking and no one was listening.
Someone finally spotted the boys.
"Gedin be praised, there he is!"
Talking immediately came to a stop and most of the people in the room knelt to one knee. Only a small group of robed men remained standing. One of them, a man with fierce bushy eyebrows, that Aerin recalled seeing during their flight, was even scowling.
Aerin whispered to Lor, "What is going on? I thought they might be glad we put out the alarm, but this?"
Lor glanced at Aerin. "Haven't you figured it out yet?"
The captain of the Guardsmen marched in and made his way straight to Darel where he knelt and held his mailed fist across his chest. "Milord Trelic, the Seat is secured. I hereby render my resignation for failing..."
"Oh stop it, Packert, I'll take no one's resignation for this attack on the seat,” Darel exclaimed.
Aerin whirled to face Darel. "My Lord Trelic, as in… Gandarel Trelic?” the pieces fell into place in Aerin’s head as he finally figured out that his friend Darel was actually Gandarel Trelic, Heir to the Seat of Stone!
Gandarel looked very sheepish. "I can't help it, that's who I am."
The man with bushy eyebrows stepped forward. "I'll take care of the rest of this, someone get Gandarel to safety… and I'll want these other boys questioned immediately."
"That's Niler, he's, well, you will see," Gandarel said with a shrug.
He faced the bushy-browed councilman, "These are my friends, so they are to be treated as such. They are the ones who rang the alarm bell that saved the Seat," Gandarel proclaimed loud enough for all to hear.
The voices rose in babble again but then quieted as Captain Packert spoke. "My boys, you have the gratitude of the Guard. You have no idea how many lives you saved, and more importantly, you saved the life of our charge. We are in your debt," he promised, saluting the two boys.
"They are not to be harassed, and are to be released after they answer a few questions from Captain Packert," Gandarel ordered.
Niler looked like he was about to burst in and override Gandarel, but he held onto himself and settled for leading Gandarel away by the arm to a private area where they could settle a few things.
Captain Packert took Lor and Aerin to another room and asked them how they knew to sound the alarm. Aerin did the speaking, and though he left out the part about the dead Guardsman, he told them most of how he had learned about the attack and what they had done.
The guard captain asked them two more questions for clarification and then had them escorted back to the Inn where Aerin was staying. Lor waited until the Guardsmen had left before speaking. "Thanks for not bringing up the dead Guardsman we found in the sewer."
Aerin smiled wanly. "I promised you I wouldn't talk about that, we all promised, besides, I think we have settled the onus that man put upon us.”
Lor nodded and patted Aerin on the back silently before he disappeared into the streets. From the east, the sun was just starting to bring the glow of approaching day.
Aerin walked up the stairs to his room tiredly, and suddenly he remembered breaking his promise and wondered what Mara would say and do to him when she returned. He had not seen Mara since he left her with the priest and his minions, though he couldn't really say he was worried; there was an odd strength in the old woman. Besides, with Yearl and Tocor there to protect her he doubted an entire Togroth army would get through.
Aerin opened the door and found Mara sitting at the table alone, waiting for him. He took a deep breath to try and explain, but Mara interrupted him, "Shush, there will be no talk about this. Just come here so I can try and wash some of that filth off you."
Aerin was speechless, but he stood quietly as Mara stripped off his clothes and tossed them in a pile in the corner. She cleaned him with a basin of water she had heated on the fire and then pushed him to the bed and tucked him into the covers. It was all done in silence until he was safely in the bed.
Mara sat next to him, he couldn't make out her face because of the fire behind her, but her voice was not angry. "Look, if you're going to get into this kind of mess in the future you'd best be better prepared. You do have an affinity for trouble, don't you? But with the power that is driving your destiny, this is to be expected. Tomorrow we begin your training."
"Training?” he asked sleepily.
"Hush, and sleep, you'll need your strength and your wits if you're going to learn to kill Togroths. Now sleep, young rescuer."
"But how did Yearl...” he started to ask, but Mara's soft finger on his lips stilled his question.
"I always know more than you think, Aerin, didn't I tell you that? Yearl and Tocor are pursuing the Deglick; you are in no danger now, so sleep without worry. Good night young hero."
Chapter Five
"And in my vision the teacher came to him, but he chose when he was ready to be taught."
- From the Prophecies of Gold
Later that morning Tocor entered the room, which awakened the tired Aerin. Mara, as usual, was already up and looking over some papers at the small table.
"We lost him," Tocor said without preamble.
Mara nodded.
"The Deglick hit us with a squad of Togroths, just when we thought we had trapped it at a river. I don't know how that thing managed to get over the water, but it was gone when we finished off the Togroths."
"Chai E'tan is an old Deglick, its powers are great. It has had a long time to build up the hatred, and during that time, it has also learned to be cunning. I don't blame you, but I would sleep better if you had ended that fell creature."
"I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of its evil," Tocor rumbled.
"No doubt, but the time is nearly here when I can finally..." she paused, "Good morning, Aerin, I see that you are finally awake!"
Aerin stretched and then pulled the covers over his head.
Mara put down a piece of paper and looked at him. "I'll be going out on an errand soon, but I want you here at noon when I return, so we can start your lessons, understood?"
Aerin nodded under the covers, but he figured that Mara understood, somehow she always knew what he was thinking.
A moment later she left.
Aerin got up and sat at the table for a few minutes eating some cheese.
Tocor seemed preoccupied and sat staring into the small fireplace; the golden flecks in his irises seemed to spin in circles.
Aerin pulled on the rest of his clothes and went out to see if one of his friends was out and about. He only had unti
l noon, but they had lots to talk about with yesterday’s adventure still fresh.
He combed the streets looking for Dono or Lor and had just about given up when he saw Mara heading up a street. The area was vaguely familiar to Aerin, and then he remembered where he had seen it before. This was where Mara had stopped the wagon on the first day they had arrived in Strakhelm.
He decided to see what she was up to, though he knew he was playing with fire. He followed her at extreme distance, hoping that would help.
Mara paused at each of the abandoned building that lined the desolate street, obviously looking for something. At the third open doorway, she peered into the dark interior and then entered. Aerin waited a moment and then moved closer until he finally reached a window in the building. He peeked in over the edge of the windowsill into the dark interior.
Mara was inside, near the back corner of the room. She sat on the floor before a man dressed in rags. Aerin couldn’t tell for sure if it was the same man as before, but he believed so. Then Mara did something that surprised Aerin; she leaned forward and sniffed the man. He snarled and she lowered her head but didn’t stop. After a moment, she moved back and sat with her legs held up against her chest. It was a totally non-aggressive position.
The raggedy man moved forward on all fours and sniffed her tentatively. After a few moments, he too pulled back and crouched on the balls of his feet.
Mara slowly unfolded her legs and assumed the same crouched position on the floor facing the man. She proceeded to speak to him in a low voice. Aerin couldn’t hear all she said clearly but caught an occasional word.
“So, how are you doing today? I … you don’t reme… how to answer… all right. I am just going to talk… begin to remember. How are you doing? I’m hoping that you… …resume your… …days soon. The time is coming soon when the world will need… …and I am hoping you will come back into your own. I’m training a new NexLord named, Gan… …but that is not… … replacement… …I haven’t told… …but… …need to know that… …is not lost forev… …but will return in their darkest… …
Suddenly the raggedy man leaped past Mara and headed straight for the window where Aerin was watching.
Aerin nearly fell down as he scrambled back. He dashed around the corner of the building and didn’t stop running until he cleared Netter Street and made a couple of turns. He quickly worked his way back to the Inn.
Around noon, Aerin went out into the courtyard to see if Mara had returned. Aerin was surprised to see Gandarel entering from the street.
Six Guardsmen escorted the future Warlord. They promptly took up positions around the area, two standing near the entrance.
"Darel, or should I call you Gandarel, or Warlord or something?" Aerin asked, with a little embarrassment.
Gandarel scowled, "Call me what you always called me, I'm no different today."
"Except for the guard escort," Aerin said, nodding toward the warriors by the gate, "I'm surprised they let you out after all that business last night!"
Gandarel lowered his voice, "So am I! Gedin take me, I thought they'd lock me in a tower until I was thirty-three! But this morning Head Councilman Corbin told me I had a new instructor to add to my schedule. `Oh joy', I thought, like I really need another instructor trying to teach me more worthless stuff, but then Councilman Enolive took me OUT of the Seat into the city with these six Guardsmen as an escort. He left me at the Inn's gate after explaining he would be back to pick me up in two hours."
"That's strange, he brought you here?"
"Yes, I asked him what I was to do, he told me to wait here for my new instructor. He seemed rather peeved about the whole thing, but he explained that my rescuer of the night before had been offered any reasonable reward for saving my life. Get this, as her reward she asked to teach me two hours each day in the art of discipline. Gedin help me, this is just what I need, another discipline instructor!"
"But why did they bring you here!" Aerin asked in surprise.
"Answer me that and I'll kiss a toad," Gandarel noted.
"And well that they did bring you here," Mara said from a few paces away, leaning on her knobby wooden cane and smiling a sly smile, "for I am your teacher, Gandarel Trelic."
Gandarel leaned over and whispered to Aerin, "She's the one who got us away from that priest and his false Guardsmen, remember her?"
"Of course, I remember her," Aerin answered in a normal level voice, "she's my..." and here he paused as he tried to think of the proper title, “...my friend, and..."
"How about, 'guardian'?" Mara suggested, filling in his pause.
"Oh," Gandarel exclaimed, "that explains why they brought me here. Are the other two men still following that priest?"
Mara shook her head, "Unfortunately the Deglick escaped, so my friends have returned. They will be here shortly to help in Aerin's instruction, and yours. For the next three years, I am going to be your discipline instructor two hours each day."
"You, Mara?" Aerin asked in surprise.
She graced him with an arched eyebrow and knowing that look Aerin chose to be quiet for a bit.
Gandarel frowned as he said, "I do thank you for my rescue, but I don't think I need any more teachers right now."
Mara laughed a clear and truly amused laugh from deep in her old body. "You have no other teachers, boy, I am your first."
The laugh made Gandarel defensive. "I don't want to be taught."
Mara nodded and replied, "Suit yourself, I don't teach those who don't wish to be taught, but you must still come here and sit for two hours each day. That is the reward I was offered for saving your life, is that too much to ask?"
"No, but I don't HAVE to learn anything?" Gandarel asked, this new tact taking him by surprise.
"Let's say you don't have to choose to learn anything and I won't force you," she agreed.
"Fine, I think I'll just relax over here then," Gandarel decided, walking to one of the small trees and sitting down in the pool of shade.
Mara nodded, a small smile tugging the corner of her mouth.
Aerin followed Gandarel over to the shade and they sat down. Mara headed for the stable where her wagon was parked.
Lor and Dono chose that minute to show up. The two street boys landed on one of the outer walls from above and then hopped down before approaching Gandarel and Aerin.
"I ought to punch you in the mouth, and I would too if I wasn't afraid of being arrested," Lor declared to Gandarel.
The future Warlord scowled at Lor, "Go ahead girly-boy, I won't arrest you, I'll just kick your ass."
"You and what army?" Lor countered, and then laughed.
It took Gandarel a moment to understand that Lor had been kidding, and then he too laughed.
At that moment, Yearl and Tocor came out of the Inn and also headed for the stable.
Gandarel looked intently at Yearl and then shuddered. "I wasn't sure back at the Seat last night, but that's a Wiggin, or I’m a Togroth!" Gandarel said, his voice dripping in disgust.
Now it was Aerin's turn to frown. "Yearl? Yes, he is a Willowman, but what has he done to you to make you sound so disgusted? He saved your life! He's the one that saved the three of us in the church, which allowed us to sound the alarm. Then he saved you from that slimy Malachai."
Lor spoke up, "Now there is a bastard to hate."
"Besides," Aerin asked, still puzzled, "what makes you dislike him?"
"Well, he's a Willowman," Gandarel stated as if that was excuse enough.
"And that is a crime? Where did you get a fool idea like that?" Aerin asked. Then he looked at Lor and Dono, "You two don't feel that way, do you?"
Dono shrugged, "I don't hate 'em, but they are unclean."
"Unclean... that’s ridiculous, Yearl is one of the cleanest people I've ever met!" Aerin said, nearly exploding. "And, he's my friend. Who taught you guys this crap anyway?"
Dono and Lor just shrugged, but Gandarel was thoughtful for a moment before answering. "Hork, High Priest
of The Hand. He's always spouting on about the lower races and how they are spies for the Dreadmaster. He says that we can only trust true humans and that all others are just spawn created by the Skyentim."
"Skyentim?" Lor repeated in a puzzled tone.
"They’re some kind of angels who fell from paradise to burn forever or something," Gandarel stated with a shrug.
Aerin shook his head, "I don't know what this Priest has been feeding you, Gandarel, but have any of you actually known a Willowman, or a Quarian?”
"Quarian!" Dono shuddered, "Those beast men who live in the wastelands and feed on the Togroths? I heard they are fifteen feet tall and have snakes for hands!"
"I’m appalled, and again I ask, who feeds you guys this stuff?" Aerin said in disgust. "My father taught me about the other races; they aren't evil or monsters, they are just different! Do you believe this Priest… this Hork?” Aerin asked Gandarel.
Gandarel smiled. “Actually, no; I think he’s full of crap about just about everything.”
"There, you see?” Aerin said.
"Well maybe I’m wrong about willowmen, but your father was wrong about Quarians! Anyone who has ever seen a Quarian has been eaten by them," Dono informed them with terrible logic.
"You look pretty good for a guy who has been eaten," Aerin said with a smile.
"What do you mean?"
"Tocor is a Quarian," Aerin explained, just as the large man came out of the stable carrying a large bundle.
"You're a liar!" Dono exclaimed.
"Suit yourself," Aerin said with a smile.
The three other boys looked at the large hooded man intently.
"Naw," Lor said, denying the truth.
"You're just pulling our leg," Dono decided.
Aerin raised an eyebrow, "Yearl is a Willowman, why can't Tocor be a Quarian?"
"I've seen a Willowman before," Dono explained, "but no one has seen a Quarian."
"You have today," Aerin answered. "Remember, he is my friend, and I expect him to be treated with respect. I don't trust those Priests that taught you, Gandarel, I would rather trust a snake."
