Legends Lost Tesnayr

by Nova Rose

  Chapter IX

  Rescue

  Constant scraping against his raw cheek woke Jarown. Groggily, he sat up in the darkness knocking Turyn off of his chest. Jarown rubbed his aching head. It hurt immensely. Tenderly, Jarown touched his wet cheek and winced a bit from its sting. “Where am I?” he asked.

  “Still by Diamond Rock,” replied Turyn.

  “Tesnayr!” Jarown bolted to his feet as the memory of what had occurred rushed back to him. Instantly, his world spun forcing him to slump back to the ground.

  “Gone,” said Turyn. “They left over two hours ago. I’ve been trying to wake you up.”

  Jarown glanced about him, but the darkness prevented him from being able to make out any detail. And he was far from the path.

  “Come,” said Turyn. “We must go.”

  Jarown shook his head still disoriented. “I do not know the way back to the path.”

  “Follow my voice,” said Turyn as he bounded off through the thick forest.

  Carefully, Jarown stood up leaning against a tree for support.

  “Come on,” repeated Turyn, impatiently.

  Jarown took a step forward using his foot to feel the solidity of the ground beneath him. He put his weight on the foot. Painfully, Jarown repeated this process of feeling the ground with his feet before taking a step forward. In addition, he held his hands out before him navigating his way through the trees by touch.

  Not once did he hear Turyn, except when the cat spoke. Jarown felt so turned around, he wondered if he would ever get out. Snap! Again he broke a twig as he clumsily moved through the forest making so much noise that anybody could hear him.

  “This way,” said Turyn forcing Jarown to turn to his left.

  “OOMPH!” Jarown slammed into the ground as his foot caught on an upturned root causing him to lose his balance.

  “Sorry,” said Turyn. “There’s a root there.”

  “No kidding,” mumbled Jarown.

  “There is a bit of an incline here,” said Turyn. “Put your hand here.”

  Jarown placed a hand where Turyn’s voice came from.

  “Now place your other hand here.”

  Jarown placed his second hand where Turyn had indicated.

  “Now, pull yourself up.”

  Sweating immensely, Jarown did as ordered. His muscles burned from the effort of hauling himself up the embankment to the solid ground above him. Panting, fresh air hit him in the face as he rolled onto the path and away from the trees.

  “You did it,” beamed Turyn, brushing against Jarown’s leg. “It should be easier from here on out.”

  Exhausted, Jarown rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself to his feet. He swayed for a moment before taking a step.

  “Just go in a straight line,” said Turyn. “There are no trees here to worry about.”

  Each step was harder than the last. His boots plopped on the gravel as he dropped them, his muscles refusing to work. A stabbing prick stung the back of his calf. “Ouch! What did you do that for?”

  “Keep moving,” said Turyn as he sunk his claws into Jarown’s leg for a second time.

  Silence ensued as he and the cat made their way back to the camp. Jarown could only guess about the amount of time that had been wasted with him wandering aimlessly. If not for Turyn, he would have gotten lost.

  Once more, he faded in and out of consciousness.

  Prick.

  “Stay awake,” said Turyn.

  Eyes opening wide, Jarown moved faster with renewed vigor from the cat stabbing him with his claws. The sound of a hammer caught his attention. “You hear that?”

  “Yes,” replied Turyn, “We’re close.”

  Running down the path with Turyn close behind, Jarown used what reserves of energy he had left to make it to the camp before he passed out. His boots pounded the soft dirt of the narrow trail. Shouts up ahead alerted him that the sentries had spotted him. Before Jarown knew it, arms grabbed him forcing him to a halt.

  “What happened? Where is Tesnayr?” demanded Nigilin.

  “Betrayed,” whispered Jarown. “Krulak betrayed us. The orcs have Tesnayr.”

  “Krulak,” said Nelyn in disbelief. She was well aware of the lifelong friendship between Krulak and her father.

  “Where did they take him?” demanded Nigilin.

  Jarown shook his head. “I do not know. There was a scuffle. I fell and remember nothing until I came to.”

  “Turyn, scout down the mountain and report back to me when you have discovered where they are holding Tesnayr.”

  Turyn bounded away.

  “Take him to where he can rest.”

  A couple of men led Jarown away.

  After Jarown had recovered, Nigilin called a meeting. Nelyn, Nedis, Nular, Nylin, Jarown, Arnin, and a few others were all there. “By now, you all know that Tesnayr has been captured. Betrayed by Krulak to the orcs. My question to all of you is: what do we do about it?”

  “Rescue him,” Nelyn said matter-of-factly, “And those who say otherwise are cowards.”

  “Now see here,” said one of the other men, “Such an attempt would be futile. We cannot blindly attempt a rescue without first knowing where he is and if he is even still alive.”

  “No one is disputing that,” said Nigilin.

  “Nelyn is right,” said Arnin.

  Nelyn looked at him in surprise as it was the first time Arnin had ever agreed and defended her. “We cannot let Tesnayr suffer at the hands of the orcs. He has given us much. Could any of us live the rest of our days knowing that we turned our backs on him?”

  “What do you three say?” Nigilin asked the triplets.

  The three brothers smiled at one another in agreement. “You tell us what the plan is and we will follow you to the end,” said Nylin.

  “Even if it’s crazy,” said Nular.

  “Especially if it is crazy,” Nedis added.

  “What we need is a plan,” said Arnin.

  “I need a dress,” said Nelyn, abruptly.

  “Nelyn,” said Jarown, “This is hardly the time to act like a woman.”

  Nelyn glared at him. “Men have aligned themselves with the orcs. A woman’s charms have been known to distract them from their duties. And the orcs like to use women for sport.”

  “Where did you learn all this?” asked Jarown.

  “I listen,” replied Nelyn.

  Nigilin caught on to Nelyn’s plan and ordered one of the soldiers outside to find a dress about her size. He remembered Tesnayr speaking to him once about how many men had joined the orcs in exchange for false promises. “Any other ideas for the rescue?”

  “I volunteer the triplets to cause a distraction while the rest of us sneak into the camp,” said Jarown.

  “How very cordial of you, sir,” said Nedis.

  “Yeah, we love being volunteered,” said Nular.

  “Do not start this again,” interrupted Nigilin. “Will you three do as Jarown has suggested?”

  “Of course,” the three brothers said in unison.

  “What do you plan to do to distract them?”

  “That is our trade secret,” said Nylin.

  “Do we even know the layout of their camp?” Idæas peeled away from the shadows. No one had thought to invite him, but he showed anyway.

  Mentally, Nigilin kicked himself for overlooking such a thing. “Turyn should be here by now.”

  Just then, laborious breathing entered the tent. In crawled Turyn dragging a large, rolled up map on the ground. He hauled it into the lamplight placing it neatly by Nigilin’s feet. “I apologize for taking so long,” he puffed.

  Nigilin scooped up the map and placed it on the table. “Is this—”

  “Yes,” replied Turyn. “They stupidly made a map of their own encampment. They aren’t far from here.” The cat splayed out on the floor and laid his head down in exhaustion.

  “Very well. Jarown, pick a small group to accompany us on this mission. You,” he pointed at another soldier, �
�Lead the rest of the army to the Perili Mountains. If we succeed, we will meet you all there. Idæas, I am certain that you will be needed on this mission.”

  The elf nodded reservedly.

  Nigilin eyed everyone before dismissing them. “If there are no more suggestions I suggest we get going. We leave in the morning.”