“No,” she replies. “David doesn’t like games.”
Speaking of our strategist, he doesn’t say a word to anyone, walking off by himself to stare at his map. I could be wrong, but I think he stares at it more with each passing day. “He doesn’t like a lot of things. Will you not do things just because he doesn’t like them?” She shrugs her shoulders. I smile with a slight huff. “Guess we both have a lot to learn.”
“Guess so,” she answers, mimicking my manner of speaking and tone.
Queen saunters over, her hands in her pockets. “You two look comfortable.” In response, Harva yawns. “Need a nap, kid?”
“No,” she replies, with a little blush. “And I’m not that little.”
Queen winks. “Just checking.” She collapses on her back with a sigh. “Because I think I am.” She rolls over on her side. “Wake me up when it’s time to go.” For a long moment, she lays there, saying nothing. With a violent turn, she rolls back over. “I can’t sleep,” she huffs. “How is that possible with how tired I am?”
“Pitiful,” an annoying voice exclaims. “Are you tired already?” Zero drops out of a tree before lunch is ready. He looks around the group, frowning. Shaking his head, he walks over to Queen. “C’mon, get up. The monsters won’t rest. Why should you?” He reaches down to help her up, but she recoils the instant he touches her.
She rolls over, and Zero jumps back, avoiding her chisel hitting him against the side of the head. “Touch me, and I’ll hit you between the eyes,” she shouts, brandishing the spiked hammer.
He laughs. “Feisty. Zero wouldn’t want to see any monster who challenged you now.” Queen huffs and rolls back over. Giving up on her, he strides over to Aurora. “Perhaps there’s a way to heal their weariness,” he proposes.
She returns a slanted glance. “Healing doesn’t work that way, and you know it.” The blunt coldness in Aurora’s voice surprises me. I’ve always seen her best side, a smiling and kind woman. Was it her own weariness that brought out this sudden darkness, or is there more to it? Could I not know as much about her as I thought? The very idea makes me shudder.
“What’s wrong with everyone today?” he asks, looking at me.
“I think we’re just tired,” I reply, hoping that excuse will satisfy him. What am I supposed to say? Everyone hates you, and they think you’ve made the last month feel much longer than it already was. “Yeah. That would go over great,” I mutter to myself
“Zero knows what will fix that,” he declares. “You need to march again.” At that, a collective, disapproving grunt passes through all who heard him. A frown falls on his face.
“Fat chance of that,” Maris scoffs, who I thought was asleep.
“Zero cannot stand watching this any longer.” He shakes his head. “Zero’s never seen a lazier bunch in his life. The problem is that your leader isn’t pushing you. Monsters are a struggle because he isn’t making you work hard enough. On these days of peace, strive to work harder to prepare for what’s to come. Right, Felix?”
“Um,” I stammer, catching me off guard. Why does he want my opinion? “I guess, but we need our rest.”
“You know, Zero thinks he knows the problem. Your leadership allowed you to become weak. Underneath another leader, perhaps you could become true warriors.” My eyes grow wide at this. What good is this going to do? Does he think insulting everyone will make them become more powerful?
“Are you done?” G. roars. I turn to find the large man standing at the end of our temporary camp. His weapon rests in his grip, the tip catching a ray of light. An icy fire burns in his eyes. He glares at Zero with a rage that I haven’t seen from him before. “If you’ve had your say, get lost.”
“Don’t lose your temper,” Zero replies. “Zero only wants to see everyone doing their best.”
“Interesting. Considering how you’ve done whatever you want until now. Why pretend that you care what the rest of us do?” G. retorts. “Tell me. What game are you playing?” He lays his spear over his shoulder and strides across the camp. “Nothing you’ve done has made any sense. So tell me. What’s the point of it all?”
Not surprising, Zero meets him halfway. “Zero’s tired of watching this pitiful display.” The two men stand face-to-face. This is one of the few times they’ve spoken to one another, and it couldn’t go worse. The air is thick with tension. Not since Aliyah have I seen anything like this. G. challenges Zero, the Voice announces. A chill runs up my spine. What’s Zero thinking? How is picking a fight with everyone the best thing? They already don’t like him, and this will only make everything worse.
The two stare at each other, tense and ready to brawl. “Stop,” I blurt, jumping up. “Fighting isn’t going to solve anything.” I can’t believe what I’m doing. Getting in the way of the two powerful fighters can’t be good for my health, but I have to do something. If the two of them fight now, who knows what would happen?
Zero’s eyes flick toward me. The corner of his lip curls in strange interest. At last, he raises his arms in a defenseless posture, looking back at G. “Oh well. If that’s the way it is, guess there’s nothing Zero can do. No point in fighting if it’s gonna make everyone unhappy.”
I gulp, realizing that the decision of what happened next relied on one person. G. says nothing, eyes locked with Zero. I hold my nervous breath. Please don’t do it. The waves of rage subside, and the Voice chimes in, G. retracts his challenge. The enormous man turns away, saying, “Very well.” G. doesn’t look back at Zero, and it’s best he didn’t. Zero’s eyes are sparkling with victory. What was that all about?
CHAPTER SIX
No Hero Like Finn
6
With that crisis avoided, I sit with Queen and Harva. After what happened, none of us know what to say. Well, one of us is quick to think of something. “Hey, Felix,” Harva suggests. “Why don’t you tell a story?”
As soon as she says this, Queen and I exchange a glance. We’ve never told her that I have no memories. Telling a story would be difficult for me, verging on impossible. “Um,” I stammer. “I’m not the best at telling stories.”
“Believe me,” Queen interjects. “He doesn’t know any. Best to ask someone else. Like me, for instance.” She raises a finger as if she would begin a grand story. At once, she drops her hand, saying, “Now that I think about it, none of my stories are that great either.”
“What?” Harva whines.
“All of them end with, ‘And that’s why I’m broke’ or ‘That’s when I became an artist.’ Believe me; my old life wasn’t as interesting as some might think.” Harva looks at us with a bit of disappointment.
“If you want a story,” Aurora chimes in as she squats beside the pot, beginning our lunch’s stew. “There’s a story I have loved since I was young.”
“Yes,” Harva says, her face lighting up. “Tell it.” She nestles next to me, watching Aurora with an eager smile.
With a grin, Aurora sits down in front of us, huffing from the exertion. She remains close enough to the pot so she could monitor our lunch. She spreads her dress out so she could curl her legs to the side. Once again, I glance away to not stare at her elegance. Looking over her shoulder, she pauses to see if the others would join. David sits by himself, staring at the map. Blowing off some steam, G. swings his spear at a tree, practicing. Maris lays down far from everyone else, not looking at us. Zero left, and who knows where he went. “I’ll admit that I’m not the best storyteller,” she begins, brushing her hair over her ears. “But if there’s one I can tell right, it’d be this one.” She clears her throat. “Perhaps you’re all familiar with the legendary knight, Finn of Astra?”
“The Finn?” Harva exclaims, her hair shaking with excitement. “Of course. He’s only the most famous man in all of Sorin.”
“Wasn’t he the one who split the ocean in half with his sword then walked across the world through the division?” Queen asks.
“That story was overexaggerated,” Aurora corrects her. “B
ut yes, you’re both thinking of the right man. Perhaps I can tell that tale one day. Now, many do not know it, but he was a dear friend of Lady Iris. It is on this friendship that drives this story.” She pauses, seeing if her audience was ready. The three of us sit in anticipation. “Years ago,” she begins, “Lady Iris was the only viable ruler to take the throne.”
“And she took the throne when she was nine,” Harva chimes in. “Two years younger than me.”
“Do you think you could rule the kingdom?” Queen asks her with a playful wink. The child shakes her head.
“Where did you learn so much about Astra?” Aurora asks.
Harva blushes a little, being put on the spot. “I read it in a book. When I wanted to go to Astra, I decided that I had to learn as much about it as possible.”
“Do you still have it?” I ask. “I’d love to look over it sometime.” Information about Astra. Who knows what I could learn from it?
“No, I lost it in a fire.” Her tone is cold and distant, to my surprise.
“Never mind,” I answer with a cough.
“You’re a clever child. Perhaps you would have what it takes to lead a kingdom,” Aurora says with a wink, making Harva grin again and lightening the mood. “Well, Lady Iris had no choice. Only she could lead the kingdom. It was expected from her since birth. Being a youthful woman of only nine, she was not sure what the best way to proceed would be.”
“Once she took the throne, many of her family’s servants swore their loyalty to her and few were more important, or welcome, than Finn. Having the greatest warrior in the kingdom on your side would sway most to follow his example, but whenever a throne is empty, there are those that desire the power for themselves. One man sought to claim the throne. Though the inexperienced girl did not know it, this ominous figure worked in the shadows, waiting for his chance to take everything important to her.”
“Who was it?” Queen asks. “When I was young, I remember hearing that some skirmish happened, but no one was too clear on the details.”
Aurora turns and swirls the soup around. “His name is of little consequence. He was a general and considered a trustworthy man. When Lady Iris took the throne, he waited to see what would happen during her initial days of leadership. As most would imagine, a child’s first time ruling a kingdom didn’t go so well. Her duties and position overwhelmed the poor child; all the while, she struggled to cope with the loss of her loved ones. Her challenges were many, and the greatest of all was about to come, though she didn’t know.”
“And with the days ahead growing dark, the people became displeased and looked for a savior from their dilemma,” Harva recites with her eyes half-closed.
Aurora grins. “Very good, but that’s one point that the history books overlook. Everyone was already unhappy. Even before the previous king and queen perished, Astra and Sorin were suffering. A child on the throne didn’t improve their situation.” She shakes her head. “Starting an uprising wasn’t difficult. Within a week of declaring his intentions, the general had an army with its eyes set on Astra. They stood outside the city, ready to take the throne by force, and Lady Iris didn’t know what to do. The insurgents had connections with Raka. Why Raka involved themselves is a mystery, but the army was under their protection. If any of them died, Raka would declare war on Sorin. With Astra in a weakened state, Lady Iris could not afford such a travesty. To prevent the war, she had to relinquish the crown to the general.”
“But she didn’t, right?” I interrupt with a little embarrassment. I’m the only one who doesn’t know any the historical facts of this tale.
“She almost did,” Aurora admits. “By their deathbed, she swore to her royal mother and father that she would always do what was best for the kingdom, no matter what it meant to her own well-being. Though she had the royal blood in her veins, she knew that if stepping down was best for the people, that was what she would have to do.”
“But she didn’t,” Harva interjects.
“No,” Aurora answers with a grin. “Many expected Lady Iris to attempt a peace treaty with the insurgents, and offer their leader some of the power that he desired. Others expected her total surrender. She took a different path; one she didn’t know she had. On that decisive morning, the general waited before Astra’s gates with his entire army, howling for the blood of war. With the enemies threatening to storm the gates, citizens fled to the palace doors, crying out for their queen to save them from this nightmare. The gates opened, and the legendary warrior Finn exited.”
No one breathes a word as she continues her tale. “Finn was growing older. Most rumored all of his best years were behind him. They considered it a waste for such a man to maintain such a powerful position in the palace, serving as an advisor to the Queen. Still, no one challenged him, fearing the legends that preceded the man’s every footstep.” The way Aurora talks about him, I feel the greatness that accompanied this man. I wish I could meet him.
“Finn stepped out of the city with none of his signature weapons, tools that other men fled at the sight of. He even left his great dual blades in front of the throne. To the surprise of all, he carried a mere sweeper’s broom. It was his request. No one understood why he did this. Everyone believed that the elite warrior was digging his own grave, but he grinned, saying, ‘If I use anything else, I might kill someone.’” My mouth hangs open in shock. She pays no attention, wearing a nostalgic grin. “What happened next is something that many doubt happened unless they witnessed it themselves. He faced off against the insurgents. It was unlike anything Astra had seen before, nor would they see it again. With that broom, Finn fought the army, not giving an inch of ground before the city gates.”
As this tale unfolds, I sit with my muscles trembling in excited awe. How could any man do such a thing? “Swords snapped, shields shattered, and armor crumbled to pieces, but the broom did not break,” Aurora declares, “and neither did Finn’s will. He fought them from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same. In the last light of the day, he was the only one left standing on the battlefield. No one died. He won. The army fled from him, and that general never darkened the gates of Astra again. Lady Iris continued ruling as queen, with Finn’s legend protecting her from any that would oppose her.”
As Aurora’s story comes to a close, a reverent quiet holds my tongue. I couldn’t believe that such a man existed. Such strength. Courage unlike anyone. That’s what I want. There has to be a way for me to reach a little closer to that ideal. How can I be like Finn?
Of all people, David breaks the silence, getting up from his seat, and folding his map. “I’ve heard that story myself, but I’ve never heard it told with such authority. Where did you hear it, if you do not mind my asking?” he asks, his eyebrows raising over his spectacles. He approaches the pot and dips a figure into the soup. Drawing it back, he laps up the drops of broth with approval.
“There was no hearing it. I saw it for myself,” Aurora smiles. “I used to work in the palace.”
“What?” Harva exclaims, her face glowing with excitement. “You did? Did you meet Lady Iris?”
“Not just anyone gets to meet royalty,” Queen interjects, with a dismissive way. After her pause, she leans forward with slight anticipation. “Right?”
“Yes,” Aurora replies with a hint of melancholy. “Though I have seen her plenty of times.”
“What is she like up close?” Harva persists.
“Oh, she’s a little of this and that,” she answers. Glancing at the child, she knows that an answer like that wouldn’t be acceptable. “Okay, there was this one time that I saw her in the garden. She has a little place in the palace where she keeps plants from all over the world. The Lady tended to them all herself, not allowing any servants to even step inside. However, there were walkways around it where you could watch her. I had a load of laundry, and I glanced over the side.” She pauses. “She took my breath away. The lady sat beside a plant, whispering to it and patting one of its leaves. It was as if she were
trying to encourage it to grow. It was the first time I’d ever seen anyone do that.”
“What happened to the plant?” Harva asks, her voice raising in excitement.
Aurora places two fingers on her lip. “If I remember right, that tiny plant was five times its original size when I saw it next.” Harva gasps in delight.
“What’s the moral?” G. calls.
“What?” Queen asks, rolling over.
“You know,” G. says, leaning against his spear. He wipes the sweat off his forehead. “Every story needs to have a moral. It gives it a purpose.”
“Nothing,” Aurora replies. “I just thought it’d be a pleasant tale since Harva wanted one. It’s not the orator that gives the story meaning. That’s up to the listeners.” She pauses, allowing herself to think. “What did I think when I first heard it? If I had to give it one, I’d say that we shouldn’t lose faith yet. If we keep working, everything will turn out. At least, that’s the way I look at things.”
That brings a smile to my face. No one argues with her, seeming satisfied with this moral. I’m glad they are because, in this forest, we need a little hope. Some days, it feels like we’re walking toward a destination that doesn’t exist. I hope with all of my heart that we reach the end of this journey and when we do everything will be all right. Until then, we have to do all we can to make it happen. To ensure that for everyone, I need to have a little talk with Zero.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The Test
7
As soon as everyone drifts to sleep, I open my eyes. It was hard not to fall into the world of dreams myself. The long day’s march and all the fighting took their toll on me. Funny how the night I need to be awake, sleep wants to accompany me. Getting up, I’m careful not to make any noise. It’d be awful if G. and David woke up. We’d have a good laugh about it later, if I lived through the experience. Before walking away from the fire, I grab the end of a single stick. You got a torch. G. and David have a technique that keeps the fire burning all night. One day they might teach it to me, but for now, I’m content with borrowing a little of their fire. Taking my staff for protection, I stride off into the forest. At night, it’s almost impossible to see where one is going. Without this little fire, I’d trip and fall over every other root that sprouted from the ground.
Mind's Journey 2: Of Monsters and Men (A Gamelit Fantasy Adventure - Book 2) Page 7
