by Toni Cox
“There is to be a meeting at the Elder Hall. It says By Invitation Only. It does not bode well. I fear there is bad news we will hear today,” Maia replied with a frown on her face.
Closed meetings were only held for news so disturbing, that the general population had to be shielded from it; at least for a while. She wished Jaik was with her now; she did not have much experience in politics and she did not know what she could possibly contribute to the meeting. As their Elder, Baltor Owen would most likely be invited as well. She looked around the dining hall, but he was not present. She wished Riker was here now, so she could ask his advice.
“They will not permit you inside,” she said to Rothea. “But you will be allowed to stand guard outside the doors. I hope it will not take too long.”
Maia poked at her fruit, but she had no appetite; she had a terrible feeling about this meeting.
“Good morning, Lady Maia. And to you, Rothea.”
Maia turned at the sound of Riker’s deep voice. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts about the meeting, that she had not noticed him approach. He was freshly bathed; his wet hair bound at the back with a leather thong; and smelled of soap and manliness. It distracted her for a moment from the troubles of the letter, but as he pulled up a chair to join them at their table, she noticed that, he too, held a paper in his hand.
“I am not so sure the morning is all that good,” Maia replied. “I see you have received an invitation as well.”
“Yes, it was brought to my room this morning. It can only mean ill tidings.” He studied Maia’s face for a moment, then amended his comment. “But we should not jump to conclusions. Let us hear what they have to say before we label it bad news.”
Maia appreciated his efforts to make her feel better, but she knew that feeling deep inside of her and she knew she could trust it. Something had gone wrong and whatever it was, she was not going to like it.
They took some time after their meal to check on the horses. Fire had settled nicely into the routine of being stabled and he was nibbling contentedly at his hay net. Maia was glad that he had become used to sleeping within the confines of a stable; their journey was not yet at an end and he would have to spend a few more nights indoors.
After the stables, they briefly visited the main market plaza, but not even the sheer amount of smells and colours and sounds of the trading stalls could lighten Maia’s mood.
Eventually it was time and they made their way to the Elder Hall. Besides Maia, only Elder Owen, Riker, and Commander Ridgewell had received invitations; none of the Nobles had been invited to the meeting.
“Keep your eyes and ears open,” Riker quietly instructed Rothea. “I see there are other guards waiting outside; maybe you will be able to pick up some information that might be useful later.”
Rothea nodded before taking her position outside the doors. Maia and her companions entered Braérn’s large Elder Hall, which seemed to echo dully with their footsteps. Only nine other people were present so far, all seated on the lowest rung of benches. Lord Kyreon Swiftfisher was already waiting for them on the speaker’s platform. Quickly they also found their seats, but it took little while longer before the last people arrived. Maia noticed that only four Elders of Braérn were present, including Dorien, who ran the library of Braérn and whom she had met on her last visit. He was the one who had told her about Soul Reaping and had warned her that her actions of bringing the Humans to Elveron might have terrible repercussions.
Besides the Elders, there were also three members of the Guard of Braérn and the Commanders of the Regiment and Legion, as well as a number of Scouts. Maia wondered why Scouts would attend such a meeting, but she did not have to wonder long. Once everyone had been seated, Lord Swiftfisher immediately opened the meeting.
“I am sorry to bring you all here on such short notice. We have been keeping an eye on occurrences within the region for a while and they have recently escalated alarmingly. We are all aware of the threat the remaining Vampyres pose to our people, but what most people are unaware of is that the number of Vampyres within Grildor seems to be increasing.”
A murmur went through the small group seated in the hall. Every city had been actively searching and hunting Vampyres ever since the war and their numbers should be decreasing. Although Maia had taken Rothea’s assumptions seriously, she had always harboured the hope that Rothea might be wrong. But with the number of Vampyres increasing, it could indeed be possible that the Vampyres were gathering for another war. She shivered, suddenly feeling cold.
“Our Scouts have travelled the country ever since the war and the reports they bring back are alarming. Attacks are on the increase, as are sightings of not only Vampyres, but Werewolves too. Attacks have plagued even Crook Island, begging the question as to how the Vampyres are crossing the sea. Vampyres have been spotted in the strangest of places, often very close to populated areas and some reports speculate that they may be receiving assistance from within our own community.”
Now there were shouts of outrage from the assembled crowd, but Kyreon quickly restored order.
“Other reports tell of a Death Wolf stalking the land, often seen together with the Vampyres. At first, we thought that it might be a Werewolf, but as the numbers of sightings increased, any doubt was erased. We believe that Death is, indeed, working with the Vampyres and that he is aiding them to achieve their ultimate goal. How else could they have managed to infiltrate our country to the extent that they have? The gates are guarded night and day; only a Prime Elemental would have the ability to cloak the arrival of groups of Vampyres and we believe that is how they have managed to come through.”
Maia stopped shivering; feeling cold no longer. She had gone numb; her head swimming with what she had just heard. Could it be true? Was that why he had been avoiding her? He had fought on their side during the war and had it not been for him, they would have surely lost. But he was Death and what did Maia truly know about death? Did he hunger for death as she hungered for life? A single tear rolled down her cheek as Lord Kyreon continued.
“Rumours are already spreading and the people are restless. They fear to travel and we have noticed a decline in trade. Certain commodities are already in short supply, including steel for our weapons, which come from the Crystal Mountains over the sea. Messenger birds have been sent to your father,” Lord Kyreon said, looking towards Maia, “as well as the Lords of all the other cities in Grildor. So far, we have kept this information from the smaller settlements and the folk that dwell in the countryside, but soon they will have to be warned of this too. It is imperative for now, that we retain calm and order among our people, which is why the presence of Princess Maia is so important to us right now.”
There was a murmur of agreement, but Maia did not acknowledge it.
“The people need to know that they are being protected and we, as the Lords, are doing everything in our power to prevent more harm coming to them. My Lady,” he said, turning towards her yet again, “I know that Braérn was to be your final stop of your journey, but in light of these dark tidings, I was hoping that you would consent to travelling to Crook Harbour and Arrow as well. They had wanted to be present during your visit to Braérn, but are too fearful to make the trip. There is a clipper leaving for Crook Harbour in the morning. If you consent, then we would postpone the memorial we had planned here until your return. What say you, My Lady?”
Every pair of eyes turned towards her. A trip to Crook Harbour and then Arrow would add at least ten to twelve days to their journey. The time meant little to her, but she knew Riker and Rowlean would worry about the security arrangements of an unplanned trip. She would go, if it would help her people, but she could not make the decision without her companions’ approval.
“Lord Kyreon, of course I would be willing to do as you suggest, but I must confer with Commander Ridgewell and Guard Riker. They are my security detail and the decision will ultimately rest with them.”
“That is wise, My Lady,” Lord
Kyreon said. “Commander, what are your thoughts on the matter?”
“If Lady Maia wishes to visit the cities, then I am confident in our ability to get her there safely.” He briefly looked towards Riker, who nodded. “However, we are travelling with some other citizens from Shadow Hall and I recommend that they stay within your city until our return. There is no need for them to accompany us there. That will cut our number to about twenty and will make travelling easier. Will we be able to take our horses aboard the ship?”
“There will be space enough, but if your horses have never been aboard a ship, then they might find it disturbing.”
“The horses will not be a problem, My Lord,” Maia cut in. She was confident in her ability to keep them calm during their sea voyage. “For how long will we be on the water?”
“Depending on the wind, it usually takes the clipper about three hours to reach Crook Harbour. It is a fast vessel and we have favourable winds and calm waters.”
“Then it is decided,” Maia said, nodding to Lord Swiftfisher, “you can make the arrangements for our passage upon the ship in the morning.”
The morning dawned bright on the day they readied the horses to head for home. The visit to Rathaés had been short, only three days and four nights, but it had been a success. It was a wondrous city, built on the slopes of Smoketop Mountain and Jaik marvelled at the resilience of the people. The volcano did not erupt often, but during the long history of Grildor, Rathaés had been rebuilt four times. They had arrived in Rathaés just before the Dancing Lanterns Celebration. The crossing of The Divide had taken them five days, plus one extra day to reach the next lodge, Pilgrim’s Rest. It had been hard on them and he was relieved that on their way home they would take the Trade Route that passed the southeastern tip of Nithril Deep, which was lush with vegetation due to the proximity of the lake. It was an easy road to travel and he estimated that they would reach home within ten to eleven days.
He was eager to get home; he missed his sister and although he could feel that she was safe now, he knew that her trip had been perilous at some point. He hoped she would arrive home not long after him. The other thing that worried him was the information he had gathered while in Rathaés. The people there had told tales of increasing Vampyre sightings and almost half the population of Renden, a small village to the south of Rathaés, had been killed in an attack. Then a bird arrived the day after the celebrations, sent from Braérn with dire tidings. He knew a great many of the Scouts of Braérn and knew that they were some of the finest Elves Grildor had to offer. Their information would be correct and could be trusted. The assumption that Death could indeed be involved with the Vampyres sent shivers down his back. His sister had been so close to him, Blaid he called himself, during the war and he now wondered if Blaid had ulterior motives then already. His sister could have been killed.
Eager to be on his way he mounted his horse. It was a sturdy gelding from their general stock of riding horses. He was strong and willing, but he missed the spirit of Stormborn; he had been a magnificent Stallion.
Turning to his men, he gave the order to move out. The people of Rathaés were lining the streets, waving small flags of farewell, and shouting well wishes as they rode past.
Once they reached the outskirts of the city, Jaik urged the gelding to a trot. At this speed, their horses could go for hours and he knew that they would have covered at least sixty miles by nightfall. Getting home was now his most important mission.
“Steady there,” She whispered softly into the horse’s ear.
Most of the horses had settled easily within the simple box stalls upon the deck of the clipper, but their Bird Master’s young mare was terrified of the constant dipping and rising of the ship. Maia stood by her, her hand firmly pressed against the mare’s neck, letting her energy flow into the frightened horse. Fire stood in the stall next to her, calm in the knowledge that Maia was close.
“I wish I could do that.” Rothea spoke behind her, gently stroking her own black gelding, which was contentedly nibbling on the hay net that had been provided.
“By the look of Black Rain,” Maia said, tilting her head towards Rothea’s gelding, “I would say you already can.”
“He is always this calm, it takes no great talent. But I am glad to have him. He has been with me for over twenty years and has never failed me.”
Maia smiled at Rothea. They had become great friends in the time they had spent together, even if their initial encounter had been a little strange. Maia still felt embarrassed about the incident. But Rothea had proven to be strong, loyal and level headed, as well as good company and intelligent in conversation. Maia was not surprised that she served in the First Regiment, which only took the finest soldiers.
“Lady Maia, may I ask you a personal question?”
“Of course,” Maia said without hesitation.
“I was wondering about the request for you to travel to Crook Island. If the people deem it to be too dangerous to travel to Braérn, what would make them think that it would be safe enough for you to come to them? To be honest, I think it rude and thoughtless of them to put you in danger like this and I am amazed that Sir Riker and Commander Ridgewell agreed to it. Do you not fear for your safety?”
“It is a good question, Rothea, and one that we discussed in length, I assure you. The Commander is confident in his ability to protect me should we be attacked, beside the fact that Midnight will be with us the entire time. The people do not know this, of course, so the question as to why they would put me in danger like this remains. But there is a simple answer and one that you might not approve of. Only the people that know me personally see me as a real person; to everyone else I am something more, something other and they believe that because of what I am, I am untouchable. By now, everyone has heard the stories about the war and what I did. No-one believes that anything could happen to me.” Maia paused for a moment, stroking the mare’s soft nose. “It is sometimes difficult to live with; I do not like to be treated differently. But they are my people and I love them and I hope that one day, they will all get to know the real me. Until then, all I can do is be there for them and protect them if I can.”
Rothea was silent for a long while after that and when she finally looked up, Maia saw a tear running down her cheek.
“I am sorry, My Lady. I have never considered how hard this must be for you. Everyone expects so much of you. How do you do it?”
“It is in my nature to care for my people, I cannot help it. Healing, whether it be wound, or nation, is what I was born to do. There is no need to feel sorry for me, Rothea. I have friends like you that keep me strong in times of my own need and that is what always gets me through. But let us not dwell on this subject. I think we might be close to Crook Harbour by now and even this little lady,” Maia said, patting the horse on the neck, “has settled down. Let us join the others by the prow to see if the harbour is in sight yet.”
Blaid had run all night, not caring where he went. His paws were sore. Now the sun was rising, casting light over the little hollow where he had finally lain down to rest. As he sat up and looked around, he noticed that he was in a small stand of trees not far from the twin peaks that were some of the most northern outreaches of the Grildor-Bron Mountains. The Trade Route skirted them on their southern side, but he was further north, so in little danger of encountering many people.
He was thirsty. And still so tired. It all seemed so useless now; his hunting the Vampyres and trying to assist the people of Grildor; all in the vain hope that the people might accept him. The thought that he might reunite with Maia after all the danger had passed was what had kept him going all these Moons. Now though, with her attentions on another man, he had nothing further to hope for. He might as well give up, return to his wandering, maybe even travel south, cross the equator. He had never been there. It would be warm there, all year round, and the thought was tempting. He might even run into some more Vampyres while he was on his way; he would be able to let his fr
ustrations out on them, rip them to shreds and kill as many as he could before leaving Grildor for ever.
But then another thought struck him. Maybe that was not his only option. Quickly he changed into his own body; being the wolf sometimes interfered with his thinking. It was still early and the morning cold. He shivered. If he were to be himself, then he would have to find some clothes. For now, though, he stepped out onto the plain naked, grateful for the weak morning rays that warmed his body.
He was a Prime and he had the power to change the world. Maybe he had been going about this all wrong. Maybe his role in this was not to hunt the Vampyres; there could be other ways. Of one thing, though, he was certain; Maia belonged with him. He would not give up on her that easily. Yet he would have to hurry; if he waited too long, he might lose her forever. Determined, he strode out across the plain, heading towards the river that would ultimately lead him to Nithril Deep.
Bringing the clipper into the harbour had been exciting. Although fairly sheltered from the larger swells of the lake, the waters within the harbour were choppy and there was a cross wind, playing havoc with their navigation. But their skipper was competent and it was not long before they moored the ship against the pier. The gangplank was lowered and it was Maia that led the frightened horses across the unsteady contraption. Once offloaded, though, the horses settled down quickly. Much to Maia’s, and Fire’s, delight, Crook Harbour’s chief Horse Master, Evert Bluecrow, greeted them in person and took them to a large, grassy paddock, where the horses were free to graze. No stable for them tonight.
Lord Silverman and some Elders then greeted them formally and their possessions were taken to their accommodations. Maia had never been to Crook Harbour before and she looked around with interest. She had expected the houses to be built in a similar style as those of Braérn, but to her surprise, the houses of Crook Harbour were built out of wood. Although not quite as elaborate as the tree houses of Shadow Hall, the log homes looked nonetheless inviting. Most of them had steeply angled roofs, sprouting some kind of carved design along the front fascias. The area around the harbour and the city itself was fairly flat, but behind the city, the terrain rose to a small mountain range that shone a deep orange in the mid-day sun. Maia was told that it was a certain type of heather that grew on those slopes that gave it that colour.
