Taylon (13 page)

As he took his first conscious breath, Fret’s lungs
coughed with the cry. It tasted of smoke. Hambone’s face was back
filling his view. “I’m…okay.”

“He says he is okay,” Hambone repeated to the group.
Someone shooed the Dwarc away. One more cough snuck out of him as
he tried to sit up.

As he opened his eyes again, Fret let out a quick
gasp. Before him, where the Dwarc’s face had been, was a gorgeous
blonde creature. Fret’s brain said creature because she had ram
horns coming from her head.

“Bua…who...” Words sputtered out as he stared up at
the lovely beast. She had a bowl of something that she offered to
him.

“Sweet child. Drink up. This’ll heal those lungs of
yours.” Her voice did not fit her visage. Deep, but feminine, and
curled with a hint of a lisp. Fret obeyed her command and sipped
the liquid offered.

Warmth trickled down his throat and immediately
spread through his body. He rose up to cough, but no fit came
forth. Strength infused his muscles, as his mouth wanted more.

“More…please?” His eyes studied her smile as his ears
rang with her infectious laugh. Another spoonful was offered and
eagerly taken.

“Dare, dat should do you just fine. Need to save some
for da others.” And she was gone. Fret quickly sat up, or at least
tried to with his newfound strength. His body still ached. It took
him three tries to get to a sitting position.

The blonde woman-creature retreated, her skirt
swaying behind her, barely covering her hooves. Fret had to look
again, but Hambone was in the doorway studying him, a big smile on
his face.

“Yea, I remember that look. Ginger will do that to
you without even trying.” He let out a chuckle.

“Ginger?” Fret said shaking his head. He looked
around. “Where am I?” And after that question, came another. “What
happened?”

Hambone came farther in the room and sat down on a
seat opposite the bed. “Full of questions. I don’t know everything,
but I will try to fill in the pieces for you.”

Fret looked around, again. He noticed on his right
hand, Ynob’s ring sparkled, the blue stone a dark solid color. He
had a sudden urge to pull the thing off, but another idea cajoled
to keep it on. Hambone began speaking, not noticing that Fret’s
attention had drifted.

“It was as I was coming back from my place that I
noticed the smoke from Snow’s house. As I ran closer, Gantha ran
past me. I did try to call out, but he kept going. I hurried on and
found Ra’na collapsed against a tree. Snow followed her, shaking
uncontrollably. I ran to the blazing house where you were dragging
the wizard.”

Fret looked away from the ring when he heard himself
mentioned. “I pulled the wizard out.” His thoughts drifted back.
“Yeah, elves attacked us. One shot Ynob with an arrow. I think
Ra’na called one of them Kerlick.”

“Yes, I didn’t see him There was another assailant
about to finish off Ra’na. It was just lucky that I found a log. I
picked it up and hurled it at him. Smashed his head right in. If I
had been a second slower.” The Dwarc trailed off.

The boy stood up and put a hand on the Hambone’s
shoulder. “They were trying to kill us. Don’t feel bad.” As he said
this, the ring on Fret’s hand glowed a light blue.

“I know….”

Suddenly the goat lady was at the door again.
“Hambone, she waking up.” Without another word, the Dwarc stood and
left. Fret followed, unsure of what
she
they were talking
about.

The room they left reminded Fret of Snow’s house, but
the one they went to looked nothing like anything he had ever seen.
He had to do a double take to make sure they were still inside.

On a bed that appeared like the forest floor, Ra’na
lay. A canopy of vines stretched overhead forming a flowering quilt
of purple and orange flowers. The floor had grass growing, but not
normal field grass. It looked perfectly manicured. The short, thin
blades looked like they would be soft on bare feet.

Hambone stopped partway in and looked down at Ra’na.
When she smiled, he moved in closer and sat on the bed. Ginger
stood in the doorway with Fret.

“She’ll be fine, Hambone. A little sore, but
otherwise just fine.” Hambone gently embraced Ra’na.

Ginger guided Fret out. “Give them a moment.” It took
a second for him to realize that he was alone with the beautiful
creature. His head became all swimmy and his eyes clouded over in a
dream-like state.

“Ginger. I am of da satyr race.” The words were
pretty much meaningless to Fret, and he smiled stupidly to show it.
“Ah, I forget my effect on mortal races. Come to da kitchen.” She
led him through the house.

It took him a moment to come to his senses as they
moved past a few more doors and into the kitchen. Night peeked in
through several windows. Jesset sat at a table, a mug of some warm
liquid in his grasp.

“Fret.” his eyes lit up as the boy came into the
room.

“Jesset, would you mind kindly to get Fret some
drink. Ra’na has awoken and Ham is in there with her now. I’ll just
check on da others.” Ginger trotted off. Both humans stared at the
empty space where she had been a moment before, Jesset recovering
quicker.

“Sit down and rest. It has been one crazy night.” As
Fret claimed a chair, Jesset brought forth a mug, dipped it into a
simmering pot on the range, and set it in front of Fret. The boy
stared at it for a moment, unsure. Inside his cup was a greenish
liquid.

“Um, what is it?”

“Mulled apple wine. Don’t mind the color. It is
fantastic.” Jesset demonstrated with his own by taking a drink.
Fret followed suit. It was delicious, so much so that he almost
finished his whole cup.

“Hold on. Ginger said don’t drink it that fast or it
will go right to your head. I wanted to do the same as you when I
first tried it.”

Disappointedly, he set the cup aside for a moment.
“So how did we get here?”

“It wasn’t easy, that I can tell you. You and the
wizard are pretty heavy.” Jesset chuckled a bit.

“Where is Ynob?”

Jesset made a face, which was half-hidden with his
cup of wine. “He’s in another bedroom. Not doing so well from the
sound of it. Ginger thinks that the arrow was tipped with some
poison or disagreeable substance. The head is still buried in his
shoulder.” Jesset stood to refill his mug. Fret quickly gulped his
down and extended the cup out. The old man winked as he refilled
the boy’s.

“And the attackers?”

“Don’t know. Hambone showed up and we knew we needed
to get you away from the fire. Plus, night was coming. The Dwarc
thought of Ginger and we quickly set off.”

“So, the rebel elves just ran off? Snow’s house is
burned to the ground?” Fret struggled to keep the anger from his
voice.

“There was no stopping the fire by the time you
emerged. We didn’t know how hurt you or Ra’na were. Gantha had run
off, so we didn’t even get to look for him. I think one of the
attackers was still inside the house as it burned, and I am sure
the one the wizard shot with the fireball is out of commission. But
I don’t know, Fret.”

Both sipped from their cups again, letting silence
fall. “Gantha didn’t come.”

Jesset shook his head. “We aren’t sure where he
went.”

Ginger appeared back in the doorway, an urgent look
on her face. “You two better come. It doesn’t look good for the
wizard.”

Chapter Thirteen

They made their way quickly and quietly through the
woods, Warren directing the way. Kara was worried about the wolves,
but so far none had come stalking. After what seemed an hour, they
stopped by a tree, which on closer inspection, had a ladder that
climbed into its branches.

“Up,” Warren said in his commanding monotone. Kara
looked at the brownie for a moment before ascending. Five rungs
higher, she came to a platform barely big enough for her to sit
comfortably. The ladder didn’t go any farther up.

“Here.” Again with his same flat voice.

“Here? I think I can just barely sit down.”

“You will be fine. Morning will come and then you can
go.” Warren still held no emotion in his words.

Kara decided to try the platform out. Carefully she
tested it with a firm hand. It was pretty sturdy. With a glance at
Warren to make sure it was not some sort of joke, she pulled
herself onto it.

Once she had a better view, more wood floor expanded
in between the branches. It looked like the floor of some house
that was never completed. A bit small for a human, but a small
brownie could have been comfortable.

The brownie climbed off Kara’s shoulder. He stood,
unmoving for a long time. Kara watched, not sure what to expect.
Finally, when Warren turned around, there was a hint of a tear in
his eye.

“Is everything all right? Did you get a splinter?” It
was the first thing to come to her. Kara often got splinters with
wood because she liked the feel of rubbing back and forth against
the grain.

Haunted eyes looked up at the human, a slight glimmer
of emotion. “Thank you for bringing me here.” The words sounded
lighter than his usual dull drone.

“I should be thanking you. You helped me escape, and
I was taking your directions.”

“But you carried me here. I would have easily been
eaten by the wolves had you not come.” Warren found a spot and also
sat.

Kara thought about this. She didn’t want to take any
credit, but she had to admit he had a point. “You’re welcome…
Warren is it? My name is Kara.” She felt like extending a hand, but
she held back to watch the brownie’s expression.

Warren looked away, ignoring her. He looked at the
tree and then the floor. “This was going to be my home.” His voice
returned to its blandness.

“Really? Did Melina capture you before you could
complete it?”

Silence. Kara grew annoyed by his nonchalant
attitude. She waited, but the brownie stared at the ground. A wolf
howled in the distance—a muted, faded cry. Kara looked out among
the trees and then glanced up. Tree branches blotted some of the
sky out, but a full moon glared from above.

The moon had always intrigued Kara. No one knew what
played in the night sky, or at least no one knew she asked. But
that added to the mysterious quality and made it ever so much more
enchanting. At home with her father, they would stare up into the
sky together, making up stories of what it could be.

“A full moon. Lives won and lost by it. Future
foretold by it.” The brownie stared skyward, an almost longing on
his face.

“Do you know what it is? The moon?” Kara asked,
praying she would get an answer.

Warren remained silent until he turned to look at
her. “It is the bringer of the night. The wolves’ mistress. We
think it brings magic during the dark hours, but a full one spells
danger.” Kara started to lose herself in his poetic words. This was
not typical Warren. Even if he wasn’t making a lot of sense, Kara
preferred a talking brownie to a silent and sad one.

“So what does it bring us?”

“Memories of the past.” As soon as the words left the
brownie, Kara had flashes of her house burning, her father
screaming, being lost at market, being kidnapped… Her eyes glazed
with tears, but she fought hard not to cry. If this small brownie
could show no emotion, then she would be strong too.

One tear escaped. It ran and dropped to the wood
floor. Warren saw it go. It seeped into the grain and was gone. He
slowly looked up at her.

“I was a slave for almost five years.” His voice
changed. It wasn’t the dull, uncaring voice.

“What?” She wiped away her forgotten tears.

“Van, Melina’s helper, captured me. A gnome catching
a brownie.” Warren spoke as though Kara should know what he was
talking about.

Kara was still surprised at the change in Warren’s
attitude. She wanted to know what caused it, but was afraid to ask.
Silence passed between them as they both stared at one another. He
looked away first, studying a far tree.

“I had been on my way to get medicine for my love.
She had eaten some poisoned willow root.” The emotion drained from
his words. It sounded like a lecture instead of an impassioned
memory.

“You never made it back?” Kara felt for the little
brownie, even if he didn’t feel for himself.

“Slavery was my penance. I failed her. I failed
them.”

“Warren, you did not. Them?”

“Yes I did! I was responsible for her and my
child-to-be! I failed!” Raw emotion burst forth from the little
man. Anger and self-hatred shot out from his eyes like sunlight.
Kara almost lost her balance due to her shock. But as quickly as
the uprising had come, it disappeared. Night swallowed up and
coated everything with a blanket of silence.

Kara wanted to be comforting, but she was at a loss
for words or even advice that sounded coherent. Warren looked up at
the moon, his face showing no signs of remorse—or anything for that
matter.

“This was to be her gift. A new home.” Warren stood,
his eyes still gazing upward. “If I had not been here, she would be
here.” He looked down and met Kara’s eyes. The cold stone gaze
reflected back in his eyes.

She started to speak, but the brownie shook his head
before she could start. “No more. It is done. You should get some
rest.” The brownie walked away, in his never-to-be house.

***

The morning dawn caught wafts of campfire smoke as
fires were extinguished and men suited up to move out. Word passed
down that today they invaded the Territories. Euphoria had a plan,
and the new captain was going to lead them to victory.

Even though it was early, the men were ready. They
had been for almost a week now—since the wall had come down. A few
had ventured into the forest for some minor combat, but today they
would all get a piece of the action.