“Then let us speak in hushed tones, Jaynea.” The princess interlocked fingers with Jaynea’s. “I have something that I must tell you. Something so serious, it scares me...” The princess’s voice had fallen to barely a whisper.
Jaynea’s face wore a worried look of expression.
“You know you can tell me anything Vannera.”
Princess Vannera nodded in agreement and took a deep breath.
“There is a room, in the north wing of the king’s quarters. Two huge doors mark the entrance to this room. But they are designed in such that unless one was to witness them open, one would not know that they were there.”
“You’ve been spying on the king, Vannera?”
“I have been observing my father. I see no crime in that.” There was a brief pause and then she continued. “No one goes through those doors but him. As far as I can tell, no one knows about that room but him. When he steps into it, there are always six figures sitting around a long rectangular table, waiting for him.” She leaned back into her seat.
“At first I thought they were trusted members of the council he regularly convened with...until a fourth moon ago that is.”
“What happened?”
“I found another way in. It was a secret passageway from the palace gardens that led into the same room. It might have been the one used by his mysterious guests... I don’t know. But... what I heard... Jaynea, all of mankind is in danger.”
At that moment, they began hearing noises outside. Princess Vannera peeked outside her carriage. She called out to the horse back soldier riding on the left side.
“What’s happening, Garreth?”
“Your highness, we’ve spotted incoming riders approaching us up ahead. Please stay in and remain calm. If there is a situation, your safety is our priority.” Garreth flashed a reassuring smile. Jaynea pulled the princess back inside. She had a very worried look on her face.
“What’s wrong, Jaynea?”
“Vannera we’ve been friends for a very long time, but... I haven’t told you everything about me... I’m sorry...”
“What do you mean? Jaynea...”
“No time Princess.” Jaynea was suddenly serious. “You have a good heart and a stronger will than your Father. Unfortunately you’ve dug too far for me to protect you by myself, but maybe for now, I can do one last thing for you.” The princess looked at her clearly confused. It was at that time they begun to hear screams and swords clashing.
“It has begun...” Jaynea said softly as she looked outside.
“What has begun? Jaynea, tell me something!” Jaynea looked back at Vannera to see that she was clearly in distress. Their carriage rocked sideways and shook as the horses became more and more alarmed.
“Vannera, look at me. Breathe... breathe... You have to live. You can’t die with what you’ve learned.”
“What I learned... you mean... my own father...”
“Your mother was an earlier casualty of this battle. It all makes sense now and Matilom was right.”
“Matilom?”
“You must find Matilom and you have to tell him what you found out. He’ll know what to do.”
“How do I find him?! What about you?”
“I’ll make sure he finds you... I know you have a lot of questions, Vannera and by the gods I wish I could answer them. Right now, I want you to know that I love you. You know I always have.”
The battle raged on outside and after each scream, the guttural growls they were sure was being made by the intruders, got closer and closer. Another soldier was screaming.
“Garreth! The princess’s carriage! Jahn’s dead... take over and get a...”
He was cut off as the sound of sword cutting through bone was heard. The next sound was the last agonizing scream of a dying man. One more soldier was dead.
“I love you too.” The princess replied. Jaynea smiled amidst tears from the both of them. She clasped Vannera’s head gently in her hands and whispered in her ear.
“Remember me from time to time. Here is your new life. Be strong.” Vannera looked up at her and their faces inched closer as they locked lips in a passionate kiss. When they pulled back Vannera was in shock. Jaynea looked just like her. Vannera instinctively looked at the small mirror she had kept by her side on their trip. She looked just like Jaynea. At that moment it hit her all over again.
“Jaynea!!! No!!!!”
She turned around only to meet a dagger to her stomach. Vannera looked down at the dagger, almost in disbelief. She looked up and could barely convince herself that it was Jaynea who had stabbed her.
“Breathe...” came the words as Vannera fell into unconsciousness. Jaynea looked at her as the carriage toppled over. The impact caused their bodies to suspend in midair momentarily, before crashing back down to the ground. Jaynea looked Vannera over. She was still alive. She then ripped off a piece of Vannera’s garment and placed it under Vannera’s left palm, which she placed on the wound. Finally, she took Vannera’s crown and placed it on her own head. Garreth could be heard screaming as he battled countless assailants helplessly.
“Someday I hope you forgive me.” Jaynea said as she climbed out of the carriage. She looked up and saw the huge humanoid figures of the monsters that had set upon them in the forest. They gnarled at her through lizard like faces and razor-sharp teeth. Their scaly flesh made her skin crawl. But through her fear, Jaynea smiled in defiance and pulled out her dagger.
“You came for me. Well... take me if you can.”
The monsters descended on her at once.
Davydd crept silently through the forest with cat like grace. Stealth had been a skill he had honed as a hunter, and as a thief. He weaved his way through the thick vegetation and crouched down a few paces away from his prey – a deer drinking some water that had pooled together in a clearing in the forest. Davydd pulled out an arrow from the sac strapped around his shoulder. He placed it on the string of his bow and pulled back till it was taut. He steadied his breathing, his coiled finger muscles ready to fire, and his aim true. In that moment, the deer’s ears shot up and it raised its neck looking around anxiously. Soon after, it darted away, disappearing into the bushes. Davydd, putting back the arrow in his sac, was visibly perplexed. Why did the deer run? He was certain it wasn’t him because he had been careful not to reveal his presence. Then, he heard it. The sound of crackling wood as fire consumed it. Davydd broke into a sprint. Stealth wasn’t the main skill needed now. Speed was. If his hunch was right, someone’s life possibly depended on it. As he ran through the thick vegetation, his eyes spotted a carriage lying on its side amongst two others. He could also see the dead bodies of humans and horses alike, strewn across the forest path. The fire had been started on the carriages, and had spread towards the surrounding areas. However, the vegetation was very lush and in time the fire would die out from the forest moisture. Two of the carriages were charred remains of what they used to be, while the third was only partially burned. Davydd looked around for any signs of life but the longer he searched the less hope he had of finding any. After calling out a few times to see if anyone responded, he shook his head in resignation and turned to leave.
“Help.” A soft voice called out. It was so weak it was almost a whisper. Yet it was strong enough to carry its way to his ears. Davydd froze in his tracks, wondering if he had actually heard a voice or if it was a part of him hoping someone had survived the carnage he’d just seen.
“Help... please...”
Davydd ran back to the half burnt carriage. He mindlessly pulled away smoking ember after ember. The adrenaline rushing through him numbed any pain he might have felt. Finally a hand reached out from under the wooden splinters and broken pieces. Davydd grabbed at it and soon he was helping out a beautiful woman with long dark brown hair. Her light hazel eyes looked empty and distant as she collapsed unto him.
“Woman, what’s your name? What happened here?” Davydd asked as he laid her down gently on the grass a safe distance away from
the fire. She had been burned a bit and she was bleeding from a stab wound to her abdomen. Davydd slapped his head in self-annoyance. Now was not the time for questions. She needed help.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get you somewhere safe. Just hold on and trust me. You’ll be fine.”
Vannera was falling in and out of consciousness. She was sure she had died but somehow, something inside her had willed her to live. To whom did the strong arms that lifted her out of her cold well belong? Who owned this voice that seemed to calm her even while her soul was in turmoil?
“Stay alive.” There it was again... that voice willing her to keep breathing, to keep living.
“What’s your name?” The voice asked.
“Va... Jaynea” Vannera was slipping again.
“VaJaynea?”
Somewhere deep inside, Vannera smiled. He was silly. How could she tell the voice belonged to a he? Every sound she heard echoed and reverberated in her ears. She realized she didn’t care whom it belonged to. That voice was keeping her in this world, so she held unto it.
“Vannera” She finally said. “Vannera”
The fire burning in her stomach was finally receding and a cooling sensation came over her as she fell into a deep sleep.
CHAPTER TWO: The Arrival of the Death Class
Ovar sat nervously on his chair, shifting his weight from side to side and drumming on his armrest with his fingers. The sound bothered him, but he couldn’t stop. His mind was racing with thoughts. Davydd had gone hunting the previous afternoon and was to return later on in the evening. During that period, news had reached Gor, Windhaven and other neighboring towns in the southern region of Angweleth that robbers had attacked the princess’s caravan. Everyone had been killed, including Princess Vannera. Her companion on that trip was apparently nowhere to be found.
Robbers. Please, Davydd let this not be your doing.
Despite his worries, Ovar was pretty sure this was not Davydd’s work. He and his gang operated within certain rules and one of them was that none of their victims was to be hurt by any member. Another important rule was to try as best as possible to steal without the victim knowing he had been stolen from... at least for a while. Finally, Davydd never went along with a robbery plan that was too risky and could endanger the lives of his men or himself. Robbing the princess of Angweleth was such a risk. Besides, all those highly trained elite soldiers were decimated. Ovar knew Davydd was an excellent marksman but that was as far as his combat skills went. So the question remained, who out there was capable of annihilating an entire elite soldier unit? And was Davydd somehow caught up in this as a victim? Ovar had to find out and to do that he would have to go into the misty forest. There was only one problem. Most of the towns around Gor including Gor itself had been put on a curfew since word of the princess’s death spread. No one was allowed out of their home after the first sign of dusk. Ovar clenched his right fist in anger and suddenly lifted his frame out of his chair. On his face was an expression of unwavering resolve. He had to find Davydd, curfew or no curfew. Ovar slung a black robe over his clothes and then made his way to his room. Beside his bed, lay a long box made of dark oak wood. He reached down and opened it, revealing a long sword, encased in an ornamental sheath. Its hilt was golden and carved in with intricate patterns. Ovar stared at it for a while. All these years and I hoped I’d never have to wield a sword again. Ovar shook his head, silently chastising himself. It was more a hopeless wish than a hope. This day was always fated. He bent down, picked up the sheathed sword and strapped it to his belt. Finally, he put on his hat and made his way out of the house. After making sure he wasn’t seen, he disappeared into the night.
All around her, she could hear the sound of the forest. It was as though it had two souls and when the forest’s daytime soul departed with the last ray of daylight, the soul of the night and its sounds slowly but surely took over. Owls hooted intermittently, crickets chirped incessantly and every now and then, she could hear the hiss of a snake, as it tasted the night air hoping to catch the scent of a nearby prey. She opened her eyes and saw the figure of a tall man seating next to her. They were lying on an intermeshed hammock he had probably built. She stared at him for a while. He was a well-built man but not overly muscular. He had long straight but unkempt brown hair that fell to shoulder length. He wore a dark blue tunic and brown pants with black leather boots. His eyes seemed like they missed nothing as he stared into the blackness that was the misty forest at night. His facial features were strong and she found him strikingly handsome. He turned to look at her. She suddenly found herself short of breath and it slightly annoyed her.
“You are finally awake, I see.” He said leaning forward towards her. Vannera panicked and began frantically trying to crawl away. As she turned to flee, she felt his hand grab her by her upper arm.
“No sudden movements. If you destroy the hammock, we’ll be taking a nasty fall. Besides, you don’t want to worsen the wound on your stomach, you know.” Vannera looked down to see that the hammock was a bit up high and connected at its ends to four tree trunks. When she turned back, the man had drawn nearer and as she turned, he placed his hand on her forehead.
“Your fever is almost gone.” He smiled. “That’s good... VaJaynea.” He chuckled as he sat back on his side of the hammock. Vannera looked perplexed for a while but then she remembered. It was mostly a blur to her but she couldn’t help but smile a bit. The smile soon vanished as an overwhelming emptiness and sadness engulfed her. As the tears fell down her cheeks, she covered her mouth to keep from wailing loudly. She looked over at the man and could see the look of concern written all over his face. She pulled her knees close to her chest and buried her head in them as she tried to gather her thoughts. What could she do now? Her own father had tried to assassinate her and the only person she could trust was dead.
Oh Jaynea, you fool! I can’t do this without you.
“You must be hungry.” The man sitting across from her said.
“I cooked some tortoise meat while you were unconscious. Would you like some?”
“Tortoise?” Asked Vannera visibly troubled by the thought of eating tortoise for a late night dinner. The man shrugged.
“I know it’s not your everyday meal, but it’s really not that bad.”
“I’m really not that hungry... thank you.” Vannera’s stomach groaned. She glanced over at the man and quickly back down. The man smiled and handed her a sizeable morsel of tortoise meat on a clean wooden plate.
“Eat.” He scooted back and began to look into the darkness again. Vannera watched him for a while and once she thought he wasn’t looking, she grabbed the plate and began biting into the meat like her life depended on it. Right now, anything edible was good enough for her.
“Good?” The man asked. Vannera nodded a yes while still biting into the surprisingly delicious meat. After she was done, the man handed her a small leather container of water with a cap on it.
“I thought you’d be thirsty.” He said smiling. Vannera took it and drank till it was almost empty. She felt like a little kid being pampered by her parents. The analogy made her sad again.
“Father...” She stopped herself, realizing she had spoken out loud.
“What was that?” The man sat up as he asked the question.
“Nothing.” Vannera looked away.
“Did your father die in that fire? Or was he killed by your attackers?”
“No... just a good friend of mine... all good friends of mine.”
“Then you must have people looking for you.”
Vannera nodded. “Yes...”
“That settles it then. Tomorrow I’ll take you to the Gor outpost. I haven’t seen you around Gor but I’m sure they’ll be able to take you back to wherever...” The man stopped as Vannera held his hand while shaking her head.
“No, no. I cannot go back please... don’t take me back.”
“Relax. Everything will be fine. Once you are at the outpost, and on your way, you’ll be
safe.”
“No! You don’t understand! I won’t be... nowhere is safe for me in Angweleth!” Vannera burst into tears once more.
“What could you possibly have to fear so much so that you cannot feel safety anywhere?” The man reached out and wiped her tears. His touch was gentle and cautious. His caution was probably for fear of scaring her, but the truth was that she wasn’t. He was wrong about her not feeling safe. Right now the hammock they sat on was probably the safest place for her in all of Angweleth. But it wasn’t just the hammock. He made her feel safe and she had only just met him. Yet he had already saved her life, nursed her back to health and fed her. Despite probably having a life to get back to, he had stayed with her and was even trying to get her back to where he believed was her home. She did owe him the truth but she couldn’t risk it.
“Thank you.” She finally said. “Thank you for everything.”
“No need. Look, let us sleep and then at dawn you can decide what is best for you.”
“Yes... I agree.” She nodded.
“Good.” The man lay back down.
“What is your name?” She asked.
“Davydd.”
“Davydd... Goodnight.” She lay back down thinking about the name and the man who went by it. Davydd suited him. Somehow she couldn’t imagine him being named anything else. ...At dawn you can decide... The truth was she had already made a decision. At least she had gotten the chance to express gratitude. She closed her eyes. It was time to rest; after all she would need all the strength she could use.
Davydd opened his eyes. He had been asleep for a while but he could tell from the light purple color of the early morning sky, that day was almost breaking. He thought it odd, that he would wake up now for he usually didn’t until the rays of the sun hit him. It was almost as odd as the girl’s life he had saved. Vannera. Somehow, the name just didn’t suit her. She was beautiful but for some reason he wouldn’t have picked Vannera. Her looks did not compliment her personality. If he didn’t know better he would have thought she was a soul living in another person’s body. He peered over to watch her sleeping and then almost turned white in terror. No one was there. She was gone!
Metal and Magic: A Fantasy Journey Page 62
