The Black Stone of Elu

by Darrin Long

  “It was here I know it was,” he said, “but how could it have just disappeared?”

  He looked around to make sure he was in the same location and he was. There didn’t seem to be an explanation for anything that had happened, but it did happen, he was sure of that.

  Scratching his head, Neilan reluctantly turned back and headed home.

  “Ever since the dreams started, strange things have been happening and I don’t like it at all,” he said.

  He was still deep in thought when he heard the howls.

  “Wolves,” he said, as he instinctively crouched and grabbed an arrow from his quiver.

  The huge Mountain wolves were extremely ferocious animals and they usually travelled in packs of five or six. He had six arrows in his quiver and it was a good thing; he may need them all before it’s over. He decided to descend straight down the mountain into the valley below to avoid the wolves altogether if possible.

  “If the wolves have caught my scent, there will be another howl soon,” he thought.

  He reached the valley without hearing another howl and began to relax a little. He decided to walk along the tree line at the base of the mountain just in case the wolves were watching from higher up. He knew it wasn’t a good idea to take chances with wolves. He remembered the first time he had seen one. It was in the forest outside of the village of Mar; he had quickly climbed a tree to escape from being seen. The wolf stood to about Neilan’s neck and had twice the body mass as a grown man.

  “That is not the kind of animal ye wanted to meet in the forest alone,” he thought.

  Chapter 3

  No Longer Alone

  Neilan had just reached a field of wild wheat when he was startled by a large bird that flew up right in front of him. Within seconds he had an arrow out and had determined the rate of speed that the bird was travelling at. He pulled up, took aim, adjusted for the wind current along the tree line then, he let his arrow fly. He had a strange feeling about this bird even before the arrow hit home and the bird crashed to the ground. It wasn’t like any bird he had ever seen; it was much larger than it should have been and its feathers looked strange. There was movement on the ground where the bird landed, so he pulled out his sword and ran over to finish it off before it tried to escape. But when he arrived at the place where the bird should have been, he did not see a bird at all. Instead, he saw a blue-skinned person lying on the ground with his arrow sticking out of its shoulder. Fear gripped him as he looked more closely at it.

  “It’s a girl,” he said, “but she isn’t human.”

  He remembered seeing others like her in his dreams. Her skin was a pale blue, her hair was long and red and her ears had a slight point on top. Then he saw it.

  “That mark on her forehead; it’s the same as mine,” he said.

  Instantly his mind began to race, remembering what his mum had said. She had told him that his da had the same mark.

  “But how can this be?” he asked, “I would not have shot if I had known it was a girl.”

  His eyes darted nervously towards the trees to his right. He was positive that it was a bird that he shot but try explaining that to someone who wasn’t here to see it.

  “She must have somehow changed herself into a bird,” he said, realizing just how crazy that sounded. “But there was no way that she was running, she was flying, I know it.”

  He sat for a moment in shock, trying to convince himself that he was not going crazy then, fear set in.

  “What if she dies?” he thought “I have to get her to the cave.”

  He bent down and picking her up he carried her back to the cave as quickly as he could. After lying her down, he cut the arrow out and put some medicine on the wound, bandaging her up as well as he knew how. Then, the waiting game began and he worried and he worried and he worried.

  “Can I be held accountable?” he wondered “and if I am held accountable, who will I be accountable to?”

  He was sure that she was of the magical folk, like the ones that are told about in stories.

  “But where did she come from and where have they all disappeared to?” he said. “No man has seen any of the magical folk for many years but of course, no one would dare to travel into the far northern country to make sure.”

  Neilan knew that men were happy just pretending that they were the only ones in the land; men had even begun to deny that the magical folk had ever existed. So, even if he told someone about this they would not believe him. He reached out and touched the mark on her forehead wondering why she had the same mark that he had. He sat back on the floor next to the girl and watched her. She was extremely beautiful, even with the pale blue skin, and he found himself staring at her beauty.

  “None of the girls in the village were anywhere near this beautiful,” he said.

  He got up and tried to busy himself with work around the cave but he could not keep himself from stealing glances at her. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

  “And I am the one responsible for shooting her,” he said scolding himself.

  He went to the door and looked out; half expecting to see an army coming towards the cave to avenge her, but there was none.

  “Someone must be worried about her,” he said.

  All day he waited for someone or something to come knocking his door down; to punish him for what he had done. His imagination was running wild.

  “I don’t know how dangerous these people can be,” he said, “And I don’t want to find out.”

  He watched her throughout the day and when she became feverish, he began to worry even more. His torment was now even worse than the dreams.

  “I must find a way to break her fever,” he thought.

  Then, he remembered an herb that his mother told him about that had healing properties. He had to find it, so he grabbed a bag and began to search the mountainside for it. He could not remember what it was called, but he knew what it looked like. He did not find it on the lower mountain, so he climbed to a higher altitude and finally, he found a patch of it growing on the side of a cliff. He had to use an arrow to reach it, but it came loose easily and stuffing it into the bag he headed back to the cave.

  It was late in the afternoon when he arrived back at the cave and he tried to be very careful as he approached; just in case they were watching. He was glad that no one was waiting for him there. Remembering his mum’s instructions, he made the herb into a tea and very carefully poured it into the girl’s mouth, allowing her time to swallow. Then, he took some of the herbs and placed it under her tongue, and he waited.

  “Please be ok,” he said to her.

  He stared at her beauty as she lay there, but he was not sure how friendly she was going to be once the fever broke. He thought about tying her down for her own safety and his, but he could not bring himself to do so.

  “It’s my fault that she is wounded,” he said. “I deserve everything that I might get.”

  He made up his mind that if she attacked him, he would not fight back.

  “It will be my punishment for the wrong I have done her,” he said as he took his weapons and put them in a chest he made and covered it with a blanket.

  Her fever broke about two hours later, but he was sure to keep an eye on her just in case it returned. That night, Neilan slept on the ground beside the fire, hoping that the morning would bring good news. He was awake and sitting by the fire when she stirred for the first time. Her eyes opened just a little and then they closed again. He was sure it wouldn’t be long before she awoke completely, and two hours later, that is exactly what happened. She awoke with a great fear in her eyes and pushed herself up against the wall like an animal in a cage.

  “It’s ok,” he said to her, “yer in no danger here.”

  He did not want her to feel threatened, so he knelt down and lowered his head, only looking up slightly to see her reaction. Though she was afraid, he hoped she could see his humility. She reached up and felt the bandage on her shoulder, but nev
er took her eyes off him. Moving slowly and trying not to scare her, he placed a piece of bread on the blanket in front of her and then moved back. He had a lot of experience with animals in the forest and he had learned how not to scare them. So that she wouldn’t think the bread was poisoned, he picked some up and started eating it.

  “See,” he said, “It’s ok.”

  She quickly looked around the room trying to decide if she was a prisoner or not then, she cautiously picked up the bread and began to eat it. He sat very still eating his bread in silence.

  “I wonder if she can speak my language,” he thought.

  He could see from her eyes that she was trying to plan her escape and he didn’t want her to think she was his prisoner. So, he stood up and slowly walked over and opened the door then, he went back and sat down leaving a clear path for her if she wanted to leave. A few seconds later, with unbelievable speed, she made her way to the door and ran out. She had a slight limp; probably caused by the ground when she hit. He did not follow her but just watched her from the doorway. She ran a few steps and turned into a bird trying to fly, but could not.

  “Those aren’t feathers,” he said, “they are more like scales.”

  He could see that her strength was failing her and exhausted, she turned back into her real form, kneeling down on the ground and breathing heavily. She glanced back at him standing in the doorway then, with a sigh, she stood up and limped back to the cave. As she entered the cave very timidly, she instantly collapsed into his arms.

  He lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the blanket. Her wound was bleeding again and he laid her back down so he could change the bandage then, checked her leg to make sure there was no permanent damage. The stone walls of the cave could sometimes be very cold, so he covered her with one of the blankets that he had bought from Mr Bram. They had served him very well since he arrived at the cave. She slept for another full day before she finally opened her eyes again. He was cooking stew over the fire when she awoke and this time she did not seem afraid of him.

  “Hello,” he said, as he sat a bowl of stew and some bread on the floor in front of her.

  They sat quietly and ate together and he tried not to stare at her beauty, but he was not able to keep his eyes off her. Her eyes were the most beautiful green; they almost drew him right into them. She caught him looking several times which made him blush and look away. Then, when he looked back up, she would have a small smile on her face and they would giggle. He was glad to see her smile and he wondered if she knew it was he that had shot her. What would she think of him if she knew?

  After they had eaten, Neilan opened the door and motioning said “outside?”

  She gave him a weak nod and he helped her to her feet. They stepped out of the cave and sat down on the bench outside the door. Both of them took a deep breath at the same time and then laughed when they realized it. Every time she smiled, his heart leapt in his chest; he had never felt this way before.

  He held his hand on his chest and said “Neilan,” but she did not answer; she just smiled back at him.

  They sat for awhile then, he noticed she was shivering, so he helped her back into the cave. She was still very weak and fell asleep quickly once he had laid her back down. While she was asleep, Neilan went out and hunted for more food. He knew he would need more if he was going to feed two people now. It felt good to get out of the cave again and to breathe the fresh mountain air. As he hunted, he wondered about the old man, but he did not go looking again.

  “I am sure that he can not be found unless he wants to be found,” Neilan said.

  Two hours later he returned to the cave with four birds. He cleaned them outside, then took the meat inside and roasted it over the fire. It felt strangely good to have someone else in the cave to cook for. Living alone was never his choice it just seemed to be the natural outcome of things. Men did not understand him and women were afraid of him, but she seemed different; not like men. He sat and watched her sleep wondering if she had a boyfriend back home. Then he shook his head.

  “Crazy thought,” he said, “how would it look to others to see us together?”

  He instantly lowered his head in shame when he realized what he had just said and he poked his finger into the dirt as the anger in him began to boil. He hated men and their strange ways and he was angry with himself to have thought like men think.

  “I am tired of trying to live a certain way so men will accept me, because no matter what, they never do,” he said.

  He decided then and there that he would live his life for him from now on and if anyone has a problem with it, they can argue with his bow. That night his dreams were horrible. Watching those people being tortured was just too much for Neilan to bear. The tears rolled down his face as he tossed and turned in his sleep.

  “These poor people,” he said, “why am I dreaming about them if I can’t help them?”

  Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone standing and watching him. He turned quickly and saw the girl with the green eyes.

  “How did ye get here?” he asked, but she didn’t seem to hear him.

  He could see the horror on her face and the tears in her eyes then, she called out to him.

  “Neilan,” she said, “Neilan”.

  With tears streaking down his tormented face he walking over to her and they held each other and cried.

  “How did she get here?” he wondered as the dream faded around him. He noticed that they were now floating in a cloud far from the pain and sorrow.

  He ran his hand down the side of her face and neck causing her to close her eyes and tilt her head back ever so slightly. All the pain and anguish had disappeared, even the tears were gone.

  “I wish we could stay here together forever,” he thought.

  The next morning when Neilan awoke, the girl was sleeping in his arms.

  “Was it real,” he asked himself, “was she really there in my dreams and is she really here in my arms?”

  She stirred and he stayed motionless; he didn’t want this moment to end; he had never been this close to a girl before and she smelled wonderful. He brushed her hair out of her face and ran his fingers down her cheek and over her chin enjoying the feeling of her body against his.

  “So beautiful,” he said “so incredibly beautiful and she smells so good.”

  She opened her eyes and smiled at him, but then she realized where she was and her eyes filled with fear. Pulling away from him, she retreated to the blanket next to the wall and huddled there. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes; she seemed confused about what had happened. He smiled at her to comfort her, then sat up and started poking at the fire.

  “Iri,” she said in a very small and delicate voice.

  Neilan looked up to see her motioning to herself.

  “Iri,” he repeated with a smile and she smiled and looked down. He lowered his eyes as well.

  “I am sorry,” he said poking the fire again. “I did not mean to stare.”

  “Why is your home in a cave?” she asked.

  Neilan looked up, surprised to hear her talking to him.

  “Well,” he said with sadness in his eyes. “I don’t fit in with men; I don’t fit in with anyone so, I live alone, here.”

  He returned to poking the fire, then grabbed another log and placed it on the embers.

  “I use to live in a village of men called Mar, with my mum,” he said, “but she got sick last year and died. Because I am different, the villagers of Mar wouldn’t let me stay there anymore, so I left.”

  “I am sorry,” Iri said.

  Neilan nodded, but no words would come to his lips. He stood up, walked over and opened the door then, glancing back with tears in his eyes he gave her a forced smile and went out closing the door behind him.

  For far too long he had tried to belong in the world of men. For far too long he had put up with their hatred and jealousy. He hadn’t known peace until he found the cave, but he was still alone. A thought c
rept into his mind as he stared across the Glen. Will she be leaving soon and will he ever see her again? He heard the door open then, felt her hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked into her beautiful green eyes. Could she see the effect she was having on him? He brushed the hair out of her face and his body brushed up against hers sending a shiver through him. They stood and looked out over the Glen for a few moments, just enjoying the cool breeze that was coming down from the mountain. The heather was beautiful in the Glen and the sun shined on it like a huge green blanket. He was filled with so many emotions and he was sure that there would be many more before the end.

  “Hungry?” he asked.

  She nodded and they walked back into the cave. As he prepared the food, she took off her bandage and was moving her arm around. He could see that she was healing remarkably fast. Soon, she would be completely healed; soon, she will be gone.

  The thought brought him great sadness and he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, she had replaced the bandage and had lain down on the blanket. He finished the food and they ate together by the fire.

  “How did you get the mark of the Dragoine?” she asked him, pointing at his birthmark.

  He reached up and touched it.

  “What…this? My mum said my da had one” he said, “but I never knew him. What did ye say it was?”

  She reached up and touched her own forehead.

  “It is the mark of the Dragoine; my people,” she said. “Do you think that he was one of my people?”

  “I don’t know,” he said, “it is possible.”

  He could see that she was in deep thought as she ate. Perhaps it was against the magical laws for a human and a Dragoine to be together. He smirked at himself. He was a bastard in both worlds, how nice.

  After they had eaten, Neilan gathered up the dishes.

  “Would ye like to walk?” he asked her.

  She smiled and stood up reaching out for him to give her assistance. He took her by the arm and led her to the door, though he was sure she could have done it by herself. As they walked she held his arm tightly as if she would fall at any moment. He was glad because, it felt good to have a woman on his arm, even if it was only for a short time.