"This isn't about that, exactly,” Taren explained. "I want to ask your professional opinion on something.”
Hope was dumbfounded. "You mean you are not mad?"
"No,” Taren smiled as he answered. "If we'd had that same discussion a week ago, I would have agreed with you whole-heartedly. There are just too many things that have happened since then for me to discount what Shaunna said earlier. This brings us to my question. When I activated the Sword of Star Fire, something happened to me. Suddenly the pain in my head subsided, and I was able to concentrate more on the issue at hand. Do you know how this occurred?"
Hope stared at the floor for a few minutes before offering the only answer he could come up with. "I don't know what caused your mind to repair itself. Very little is known about the mystical sword you hold,” Hope paused a moment as if to consider whether or not he should continue. A look of satisfaction crept slowly across his face and he continued. "I can tell you the legend behind it.”
Taren just nodded for him to continue.
"According to legend, there are three of these swords. Naratha himself forged them in the fire at the heart of a star. He holds one, and the Grey Lords hold the other two. Mortal beings are supposed to perish at the mere touch of the sword’s fire, ensuring that only the gods are able to wield the divine weapons,” A large grin exploded onto his face. "Apparently there is a flaw in the legend.”
Taren held the purple cylinder toward Hope. "Would you like to try?"
The smile instantly vanished from Hope's handsome face. "No thank you, your majesty. You may be an anomaly. I am not willing to risk my life to test whether or not any mortal can use it.”
Taren nodded, putting the cylinder back into his pocket. "Let's go back to our rooms then, so we can prepare to leave in the morning.”
Hope bowed his head in respect. "Yes, your majesty.”
Taren shook his head slightly. "Please call me Taren; I'm not the king yet.”
Back in his room, Taren lay on the bed thinking of the drastic turn his life had made. He finally had a history. Even though the history did not fit into any of his wildest imaginations, it was much less believable. Truth is truly stranger than fiction.
He didn't know how long he lay there thinking, or when it was he had fallen asleep. A sudden knock on the door brought him out of the most beautiful dream. As soon as he opened his eyes, the details of the dream blurred and faded. The knock sounded again.
"Yes, come in,” Taren spoke in a voice that was still very heavy with sleep.
The door opened slowly and then shut again with an almost silent click; Taren did not look up. The candles had all burned out while he was asleep, so the room was bathed in a blanket of darkness that warmed the soul with a promise of protection.
The mattress of the bed bowed as the weight of a body came to rest on it. "Taren, are you awake?" Shaunna's soft whisper floated through the warm blackness gently pulling his mind the rest of the way into wakefulness.
"Yes, I am,” Taren answered into the darkness.
The form sitting beside him began to slide closer to him on the bed. The warmth of Shaunna's body was welcome as she snuggled up to his body. Her breath on his neck was warm and exciting.
"I'm scared,” Shaunna's voice quivered as she spoke. "I haven't been to the dark elf village since I was a child. They don't like me there. And they like unwelcome visitors even less.”
Taren didn't know what to say, so he just wrapped his arms around her to try and comfort her. As his embrace enfolded Shaunna, she nuzzled even closer to his neck. So close that he could feel the moist tears as they fell from her eyes.
"I'm really scared.”
An unexpected feeling began to well up inside of him as he lay there with the crying Shaunna in his arms. An overwhelming need to protect her from anything that might threaten her, a need to keep her safe from all harm, built up inside of him so powerfully that he felt as if his chest would burst from the pressure.
"Everything will be ok, as long as we stay together,” The words sounded inadequate as he spoke them.
He felt Shaunna lift her head slightly. The next thing he knew, he could feel her breath on his lips. She hovered there for a moment before she spoke.
"Thank you, Taren,” Then she kissed him.
He wasn't quite sure how to react to the kiss. Here was Shaunna in his bed kissing him, having just confessed that she was terrified of going back to the dark elf village. Tears were still streaming down her face, falling onto Taren's cheeks as they fell from hers. When she finally broke from the kiss her head moved to rest on his shoulder. Within minutes she was asleep in his arms.
Taren's mind was racing. He couldn't believe what had just happened. She had come into his room, apparently seeking comfort. She had confessed her fears and then she had kissed him, and he had liked it.
He didn't know what was happening to him. It had only been a few days since Parel had disappeared. He didn't really believe that she was dead; the bard had told her that she would find her past on this journey, and as far as Taren knew, he had never been wrong.
He knew that it would never work out between him and the human woman, but was this dark elf woman any different? The Dark Elves were hated above all other things in this world, with good reason, according to Shaunna's story. But those things happened eons ago. He just couldn't believe that the world's racial memory extended back far enough to even remember what the Dark Elves had done to deserve the hatred. He figured that, as an angry baby forgets why he's angry, the races had forgotten the reason for the hatred, they hated the Dark Elves just for hatred's sake.
I will protect this woman as if my life depends on it. The thought startled him as it raced through his head. He unwrapped himself from her embrace very carefully so as to not wake her. Being as quiet as he could, he opened the door to leave. As the light from the outside passageway entered the room, Shaunna raised her head.
"Where are you going?" she asked softly.
"I'm going to go soak in the bathing chamber,” The answer was given in innocence.
A mischievous tone crept into Shaunna's voice. "Would you like some company?"
Taren took a step back, almost stumbling over a stone. "No thank you.”
Shaunna lay down again, burying her head in Taren's pillow.
He hurried through the corridors toward the bathing chambers, eager to be someplace where he could be alone with his thoughts. He vaguely remembered a pool in the bathing chambers that was just off the main pool, where the water wasn't quite as deep and continually bubbled. His head had been hurting too much the last time he was in there to be certain he hadn't imagined it.
He looked around upon entering the bathing chamber, trying to locate the small pool he had come to relax in. It wasn't difficult to find. It was located just above the main pool. The water from the smaller pool spilled in the larger pool.
In the bubbling water of the smaller pool sat a very old Canavar. He was looking at Taren with mild curiosity.
"What brings you here, young king?" The Canavar's voice was smooth, not gruff like Grathius' voice had been.
"I... I wasn't expecting anyone to be here,” Taren stammered, staring at the large wolfman.
"Nor was I expecting anybody to come in and disturb my late night relaxation,” The gentle eyes never left Taren's face. "Since you are here, come have a soak, and we'll talk about what's bothering you,” He paused long enough to allow Taren to undress and lower himself into the pool. Once the young man was situated, the old Canavar offered his furry hand in friendship. "I am Ranan Moonwalker, the elder of this tribe.”
Taren took the hand in a firm handshake. "I am Taren Elloy, the future king of the Elves, but you know that don't you?"
The old Canavar nodded. "You have much of the look of your father in you. Enough, now that we are properly introduced, why don't you tell me what's bothering you?"
Taren shrugged indifference. "Who says anything is bothering me?"
Ranan laugh
ed, a sound distinctly different from Grathius' laugh. "Why else would you come to the bathing chambers in the middle of the night to be alone?"
Taren couldn't argue with the logic so he just kept quietly looking around the chamber as if he had never seen it before.
The old wolf-man just sat watching him silently waiting for an answer to his question. As he waited he remembered a night very much like this one. It had been a different young man then. It had been this young man's father.
Neither of them knew how long they had been sitting there before Taren finally began to talk. He began somewhat slowly, but in a short time had told the Canavar almost everything that was bothering him. He talked about the price he had already paid to gain the throne that was rightfully his. He spoke of friends lost. Parel had been taken by the Mother Dragon. Cyan's heart stone had shattered and was definitely dead.
"How many more have to die before I finish my quest?" The question had been asked simply enough, but it enveloped most of Taren's fears.
"Not as many have died as you might think. The Mother Dragon prefers to use live bait to trap her prey. I doubt she has murdered your friend, at least not yet.”
Taren pondered the answer briefly. If Parel were not dead, if she came back and joined the group, it would place Taren in an awkward position. He was becoming rather fond of Shaunna, and Parel probably wouldn't understand.
When he voiced his fear, the old Canavar just smiled and offered what advice he could, but the advice did little to ease Taren's fears.
"There are forces at work here that are beyond you, beyond me, even beyond the force of love (which some people claim to be the greatest force in existence). There is an oath that must be fulfilled.”
Taren was extremely confused. "Oath…? What oath?"
Ranan was surprised at this reaction. "You do not know? Then I have said too much.”
Taren was about to object but was stopped by Ranan raising his hand. "I cannot tell you more, I am sorry. All will be revealed to you in due time.”
Feeling disappointed, Taren rose from the pool "I must be going now,”, quickly dried himself "nice to meet you", dressed in his nightclothes "thank you for the advice", and rushed out of the room, "good night.”
The cold of the corridor he had just entered was almost painful after the heat that permeated the bathing chamber. Quickly, he traveled the space between the chamber and his bedroom trying to keep the thoughts in his head from traveling paths he did not want them to. As he entered the room, the dim light from the corridor showed the outline of a body in his bed. Shaunna was still there. He briefly wondered what he should do. Should he wake her and send her back to her room?
Shaking his head, he resigned himself to the inevitable and climbed into the bed. She shifted her body closer to his. Her warmth was comforting, and he fell asleep quickly
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Journey
“All hail the Faerie Queen.” - Faeries Flight
Taren was startled awake the next morning by the sound of wolves howling. The mournful sound echoed through the halls of the Wolftracker den, making it sound as if the whole pack was standing outside the door of Taren's room.
Trying to ignore the sound, Taren rolled over, burying his head under the heavy down pillow. The feather filled pillow did much to muffle the sound, but it could not block the sad sound out completely. The sound chased away any vestiges of sleep from Taren's tired body. He sat up, looking around the room to see if Shaunna was still there. The spot where she had lain on his bed was cold. No scent of her could be detected in the pillow where her head had been. No indentation creased the mattress where her body had been.
"Did I dream the whole thing?" He didn't mean to speak out loud, and the answer that came startled him more than the sound of his own voice had.
"No, it was no dream.”
Taren's gaze snapped to the spot the voice was coming from.
Shaunna Nightshade stood in the doorway fully dressed in her traveling clothes. (A green blouse and brown skirt; belted around the waist by a thin line of rope. A small pouch and a dagger dangled precariously from the rope.) "We slept in the same bed last night. Beyond that, nothing happened,” She answered the question before he had even asked it, just as he had thought of it.
"What's that noise?" Taren indicated the echoing howl that was still reverberating through the caves.
Shaunna suddenly looked very uneasy. She glanced behind her before she answered. "That is the death howl. The Elder of this pack died yesterday afternoon. They just found the body.”
The answer was very discomforting to Taren.
"What time did I go take my bath last night?"
She thought for a moment. "I didn't come in until past midnight. It was after that,” A look of curiosity crept into her eyes. "Why?"
"Are you sure Ranan died yesterday afternoon?"
Shaunna looked alarmed as Taren spoke the elder's name. "Ranan?"
"Ranan Moonwalker, Elder of the pack;” A sick feeling began to build in the pit of Taren's stomach.
"Ranan Moonwalker died a hundred years ago. Nathal Trapspringer was the elder that died yesterday,” She was watching Taren carefully.
Taren looked suddenly frantic. "I spoke with him in the bath chamber. I shook his hand. He told me that an oath had to be fulfilled.”
"Did he say what oath?" Shaunna was alarmed.
"No.”
"What were you talking about when he made the statement?"
Taren blushed. "You and Parel.”
Shaunna's almond-shaped eyes went wide with fear. "What exactly was said in the conversation?"
Taren blushed even deeper. "He told me that Parel is probably still alive. Silax likes to use live bait.”
"What else?"
He didn't know what was making her so nervous, but it was unnerving him. It felt like all the blood in his body was rushing to his face. He didn't know why they were even having this conversation. He didn't want her to know what he had said about her, but the look on her face told him that he should tell her. So here he was, about to repeat everything that he had said the previous night to the spirit, or whatever it was, of Ranan Moonwalker.
"I was telling him of the dilemma I would be in if Parel came back,” He could feel the heat radiating from his face as he spoke. "I am not sure I love her, and I am coming to care for you in ways that extend beyond mere friendship.”
It was Shaunna's turn to blush.
Taren continued. "That is when he spoke these words to me: There are forces at work here that are beyond you, beyond me, even beyond the force of love (which some people claim to be the greatest force in existence). There is an oath that must be fulfilled. " Taren shook his head as he continued. "He wouldn't tell me what the oath was. He just said that I would find out in due time,” Sudden insight flooded his mind. "You know what the oath is, don't you? That's why you want to know what was said.”
She turned around to face the corridor outside the open door. "I know nothing about it.”
Taren knew she was lying, but her tone of voice clearly stated that it would not be wise to pursue the matter.
"The others are all waiting for you. We are ready to leave,” After delivering her message, she walked into the corridor, closing the door behind her.
"What was that all about?" he wondered out loud.
He quickly changed his clothes and gathered the few belongings that he had with him. He made sure that the little purple cylinder was easily accessible to him. He scanned the simple bed, the bedside table, and the lamp. Those were the only furnishings this room had. "Had my father slept in this same room?" He didn't dwell on the question long, for it had no immediate answer. He would have to ask Grathius later.
Without further delay he left the room through the only door, closing it carefully behind him. He quickly crossed the distance that led to the main area, still surrounded by the sad howls of the pack. When he reached the assembly area it looked like the whole pack was there.
&n
bsp; The pack was huge. There had to be at least two or three hundred of these creatures gathered around the bier in the center of the room. Some of them were standing on their hind legs like men. Others were down on all four legs like the animals that they so closely resembled. Others were sitting, very canine-like. All were facing the stone in the center of the room, and singing a dirge in a single voice.
The Canavar in the center of the room looked so unlike the one he had spent time within the bathing chamber last night that again Taren wondered if he had dreamed the encounter. The fur on the body was blacker than midnight. The muzzle was a bit longer than most in the room with a jagged scar running the length from his nose to his eye. He had to have stood about seven feet tall when he was on his hind legs.
Glancing around the room, he noticed the rest of his party, except Grathius, standing near the entrance to the clan dwelling. Each of them held a hiking pack on their back, and there was another bag on the floor between them. Taren assumed that the bag had to be his to carry.
He made his way as quietly and unobtrusively as he could, not wanting to disturb the strangely beautiful yet sad song that the pack was singing.
As he approached his companions, only Shaunna noticed him approach. A smile spread across her face when she saw him, making her more beautiful than he had ever imagined possible. She met him halfway around the room and, wrapping her arm around him, led him to the rest of the companions.
"This is not our grief, let's wait outside,” Taren said as he stooped to pick up the small bag from the ground.
The others all agreed and quickly left the chamber. Before leaving, Taren took one last look around the home of Grathius' pack. He saw Grathius across the room wearing a hiking pack and holding a very small pup. The pup was trying to bury itself into the fur of the larger Canavar.
Shaking his head and not wanting to intrude any longer than was absolutely necessary, the young would be king turned and left the home of Grathius Wolftracker.
They waited for their last companion to join them, all the while the woods around them echoed with the sad song the Canavars were singing. The travelers didn't speak at all; they just listened to the song.
Master's Mind: The Dagger of Dragon Rose: Book 1 Page 16
