CHAPTER FIVE
Richard sat with his face searching the clear starlit night for an answer. The sobs and tears of Elise had finally ceased and all was still and silent in the cool spring evening. He was not sure how long he had been sitting there, as time had seemed to suddenly stop when his mother had told him her story. His life had seemed to end abruptly as she spoke of Elise’s bloodline and how they would never be able to marry. All their dreams of living together on the farm his father had built came crashing down. Their future together was now totally changed. How could he go on without her at his side?
“It is time we should be going I think, is it not my dear friend?” Skeet was at his side gently nudging his arm. “We should leave soon if we are to make good time of it. Come inside and gather what goods we will need. Your sorrow will have to wait, my friend. You are needed for much bigger things than just your heart.” The strange bird looked up at him with love in its eyes.
Richard took a deep breath and sat up straight holding his knees in his arms. “My life I have always dreamed of has been shattered forever. The pieces will never fit together again. Everything has changed for me now, Skeet.” He took a deep breath and picked up a small pebble at his feet then tossed it into the blackness of the night. “I will never be the same person. Everything will be very different for me, will it not Skeet?” The feathered creature bent its small head down. “I love her with all my being and in loosing her I have lost myself. And it hurts so very much.” He buried his head into his knees and arms trying to hide the tears from Skeet.
“I am not of human form but I do know love. It is something you will never loose and will hold deep inside for all time. Have faith my friend, things do have a way of working themselves out for the best.” Skeet nudged Richard’s arm again. “Come, let us gather our things, and be on our way.” He ruffled his feathers. “There are many who love and feel strongly for others and their well being is what is important here, not just that of one man and one woman, but many. It is your destiny to help them now and leave your aching heart aside.” Skeet flew up to the door of the house. “Come my friend, we must be on our way.” He then disappeared into the house and at the doorway stood Anora, clenching her hands together tightly.
Richard got up and wiped off the red dust from his pants. Looking up he saw his mother standing in the doorway. Slowly he walked toward her and gently put his arms around her. “Oh my dear mother, I can only guess how hard this must have been for you. Have heart, I know things will work themselves out.” He softly kissed her forehead. “Now, Skeet and I should be off. I want to get a good start before the sun is high and hot in the sky.” She put her arm around his waist and they walked inside.
Peter was sleeping on the bench by the window. He still had his clothes on and his mother had just put a blanket over him. Skeet was on the back of the chair at the table, his long tail touching the floor behind it. Anora had packed most of Richard’s pack and stuffed it with as much food and supplies that she could possibly fit inside it. Richard lifted it and frowned at her, then smiled, as she looked at him in question. She had also set out a plate of food and a cup of wine for him to eat before he left. Richard sat down and began to eat.
Suddenly Anora’s eyes grew large and she rushed out of the room. Just as quickly, she returned carrying a long package wrapped in a strip of leather. Holding it out to Richard she said, “I think this is a good time to give this to you. It was your father’s and he wanted you to have it when you came of age, but I had forgotten all about it until now.” Pushing it at him she said, “Take it, it is yours, and you might need it now.”
Richard reached over and took the parcel. Slowly he unwrapped the soft fine leather and found it to be the finest broad sword he had ever seen. He looked up to his mother with eyes of wonder as he pulled it from the leather. It looked like it was brand new and never used. The blade was of the finest steel he had ever seen, shining in the light of the lamps. On the blade was etched the finest detail of a dragon. The hilt was of gold and embedded in it were gemstones of reds and greens that sparkled when he moved it.
“Where did this come from?” Richard was in shock.
“It was your father’s sword.” Anora turned her head away quickly. “He was captain of the guard at Drummond Castle
Richard stared down at the sword, lost for words. He clutched the golden hilt with both hands and held the sword tightly to his chest. “Thank you, mother.” He gathered up his pack and strapped the sword’s sheath to his belt. “I will treasure this always.” He walked over to her and hugged her tightly. “I must be off. I will stop and see Morga on my way. I will give her your best. Please tell Peter I said good-bye, I do not want to wake him and make sure he cares for the fields. He knows what to do.” He gathered his pack and motioned to Skeet. “I will be back as soon as I speak with Hardorin. Please ask Domi if you need anything, okay. Promise me you will?” Anora nodded her head. “And please tell Elise we will talk when I return.”
“Yes, I will tell her. Now off you go before the sun is up. And both of you be careful on your trail.” She hugged him once more and stroked Skeet’s head.
At that, Richard walked out the door following Skeet and the two of them disappeared into the night. Anora stood watching until she could no longer see them. Tears streaked her ivory cheeks as she felt she had lost her son to his destiny.
She stood at the door for a long while, pondering and mulling the last two days in her mind. She knew that life had forever changed now for her and her sons and all she could do was hold on to what she could. She looked at Peter’s soft and gentle face, peaceful as he slept. He too would never be the same.
Peter stirred and slowly opened his eyes. “Are you still up? How long have I been sleeping here?”
“Not long, son. Perhaps we should both go to our beds. It will be easier on our backs.” She smiled down at him, his face so pale and innocent.
Suddenly Peter bolted up. “Where is Richard? Did he leave with out waking me? I wanted to tell him good bye before he left.”
“He told me to say his good byes to you and for you to take care of the fields while he was gone.” She reached over and put her hand on his shoulder. “Now come, let us get to our beds. It will be dawn before we know it and we both have a busy day tomorrow.” They both hugged each other and went to their rooms.
Morning came much faster than they wanted and both were in the kitchen at the same time. “I will go feed the chickens, mother while you prepare our breakfast. Would you like some fresh eggs too?”
Anora smiled at him, “Yes that would be nice. Then afterwards I must go into Paite and see Elise. We have to plan our trip to Morga’s. Would you like to come to town with me?”
“Okay, but I must tend the livestock first.” Peter quickly grabbed the feed basket and run out the door.
He seems to have grown overnight she thought. Yesterday he was a child and today a man. Her heart filled with pride.
Far to the west, Richard and Skeet were making good time. Richard looked to the morning sky and saw the clear blue, another cloudless day. His heart grew fearful of what that meant. The townsfolk would never survive a drought this soon after the blight. Perhaps mother was right and Tierk was behind all this. He had to get to Hardorin and find out for sure.
He wanted to be past the Sacred Forest of Light before nightfall. Although the name of the forest was pleasant, much that lived there was not. Night would be a very dangerous time to be passing through that forest. Aunt Morga lived just beyond it in the Marshes, which too was not a very safe place at night but seemed a better risk as Richard had trained there with Hardorin often. He was more familiar with the creatures good and bad that lived there. He knew better on how to deal with them or hide from them if need be. Skeet was acting as his aerial scout, searching and watching for any signs of danger ahead. At this pace, he was sure to be at his Aunt Morga’s by morning.
The air was growing cooler and the forest much thicker. Soon night would be upon them and they were almost to the end of the Sacred Forest of Light. The Marshes were just ahead when Skeet suddenly screeched in the sky above. Richard quickly ducked into the shrubs and squatted down out of site. He heard something approaching but it was a strange sound for these parts. Whoever they were, they certainly were not hiding the fact they were there. Grunting and laughing in deep husky voices, they stopped in front of Richard about fifteen yards away. He could just make out their shape and recognized the colours of the Drummond guard uniforms. However, what were wearing them were not the usual people. They were squat and very husky with long hairy arms that hung almost to the ground as they walked. Gruff and filthy, they seemed to be arguing amongst themselves about something.
As Richard watched, he could barely make out what it was the three of them were pulling and ripping apart. He was not too familiar with their kind. They seemed half-animal and half human. Their skin was rough, thick, and their eyes dark and very yellow. Their nose broad and on their bottom jaw protruded two large teeth. Drool and spittle dripped from their wide thick lips as they tugged and argued over their package. It was then with horror, Richard realized what they had. It was the leg of a human that appeared to be ripped from its owner’s torso. He quickly turned his head in disgust and quietly moved away. While they were fighting over their prize, he could make a silent and fast exit.
Very quickly, he made tracks from those creatures, but so many questions filled his thoughts. This made his travel even faster. He now felt a much more urgent need to speak with Hardorin. An urgency to get home to his mother, brother, and his Elise, filled his heart with dread. What if these beasts were headed towards any of his loved ones? He had to hurry now, move faster than he had before. All his energy was now focused on getting to Morga’s. She must know something of this.
It wasn’t long before he reached the Marshes. Night had fallen and the creatures of the dark had emerged. Now was the time for extra caution for what lived here in the night was far worse than the beasts he had seen earlier. It would not be long now before he would reach Morga’s. His stomach was still heaving at the thought of what he had seen earlier, but it fed his feet.
Skeet had come down closer to him now for it was very dark and Skeet’s vision was impaired at the higher altitude. Richard looked up at him quite often to make sure he could be seen.
Off to the right of him he saw the lights of Morga’s hut. The croaking of frogs was almost deafening here and he knew they were his Aunt’s lookouts. When they stopped, she would instantly know someone or something was approaching. Like clockwork, they stopped as Richard approached. He smiled to himself when he saw a lantern move to the doorway.
“Who dares to wake me from my slumber?” demanded a crackling old voice. “I warn you, answer me, or suffer dearly.” She was tall and very slim, grey hair hung down her back in long smooth waves like the waves of a spring waterfall. Her face was wrinkled and rough from the years, but her grey eyes danced in the light of the lantern held by her long knotted fingers. Her clothing was plain and fell just above her ankles, while around her shoulders wrapped a knitted black shawl.
Richard laughed, “Are you threatening me old Witch? It is I who should be threatening you.”
She lifted the lantern and laughed loudly. “Richard! Richard is that you my boy? Oh Goddess be with me, you made good time here from home.” She reached out for him with her free arm, hugging him around the neck. “Goddess, just look at you. I swear you have doubled in size since last fall.” She pulled back looking him over. “And you are a fine looking young man too,” she cackled and winked at him. “I suppose all the maidens are dancing for your attention, hmmm?” She was the oldest of the three sisters and in her day must have taken the breath away from many a young man herself.
He smiled his broad handsome smile at her. “And you dear sweet Auntie are the loveliest flower in the swamp.” He hugged her once again and they walked into the hut while Skeet perched atop the doorway keeping watch.
“Come sit by the fire son. It is damp and chilly out there. I’ll make you some hot tips to warm your insides.” She leaned over the hearth and put a large pot of water on the fire. Her face hardened as she turned back to Richard. “Things are afoot out there, things that are not supposed to be.” She walked over to the old rocker beside the hearth. “I suppose you have seen some of the odd things haven’t you?”
Sitting on the bench in front of the fire, Richard folded his hands together and stared at the flames as they danced up the side of the pot of water. “So many things have changed around me these last days.” He bent his head down and looked down at his hands. “My heart is saddened by all of it.”
“Ah, my dear boy, I have heard from your mother of your love. I am so very sorry. Destiny does not always bode kindness.” Standing up she reached in a basket on top of the mantel. From it, she took a handful of herbs and sprinkled them into the boiling pot. “Some of us are not meant to have a love of our own my dear.” She took a deep sigh as though she remembered someone from long ago. “You are meant for other things like it or not. You have a different path you must follow. There are things only you can attain.” She took two cups down from a shelf beside her chair. Slowly she stirred the boiling pot, and scooped out the liquid into each cup.
“You are destined for great things. I have seen it and your Aunt Etrana has seen it. We have seen much that is very disturbing.” She handed Richard a cup. “It is all in here. All that we are is shown here for us to see and sometimes it is preferable not to see it.” She held up a crystal, clear as a stilled brook. Inside the very center of it glowed a soft pink cloud, pulsing like a gentle heart. It was large, about a foot high and a half foot wide and the air around it seemed to vibrate with its strong energy.
“This, my love, is the Crystal of Love. Your Aunt Etrana is the keeper of the Crystal of Knowing. The Crystal of Hope is your mother’s charge.” She placed it back on the small table beside the hearth. “They are the Tri-Narg’s power. The three stones are linked to the Black Crystal at the High Drummond’s Castle. With them, we keep the land safe and together. With them, the land will prosper and all want will be satisfied. However, as you know by now, the link has been broken. The Black Crystal has been used by a male Drummond which will only cause evil.” She sipped her cup and stared into the fire. “Such a pity too, this land was so fertile. I shall never understand why someone who has everything wants more.”
Richard turned his head sideways and looked at the woman puzzled. “You say my mother has the Crystal of Hope? If that is so, I have never seen it.”
The old woman smiled up at him. “That is because you never looked for it. It has been there with her all these years, but she did not use it. She felt so guilty for leaving the Tri-Narg to marry the man she most loved.” She let out a deep sigh. “She did what her heart told her to do and followed what she felt and not what she was told. I never told her this, but I always admired her for that. Look at the happiness she obtained from doing that. She married and loved the man of her dreams, had two wonderful children, and had a truly happy life though it was brief. In that brief time she had more love and happiness than she could ever had achieved in a longer than usual life with the Tri-Narg.”
She stopped abruptly and wiped a tear from her cheek. “None the less, what is happening now must be righted and things put back to the proper ways.”
Richard put his cup on the floor. “Mother said there are three young girls who are to be trained as the new Tri-Narg now and she will be training Elise to be High Drummond. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that is true. My two pupils shall be here this afternoon to begin their training. Your Aunt Etrana will be teaching the other, and as you know, your mother the rightful High Drummond.”
Richard carefully chose his words. “Is it not also true that this only happens when one or more of the current Tri-Narg will die?”
His Aunt’s eyes flashed at him sharply. “Why do you ask?”
He placed his hand on hers, “I fear I will loose one of you and I am not ready for any of you to leave just yet.”
Tears clouded the old woman’s eyes as her face softened and she looked at his questioning expression. “Yes, it is true. We also know who is to die too, but do not ask for I cannot tell you.” She pulled her hand back and stood up quickly pouring more of the boiling brew into his cup and hers. “It is destiny and has been foreseen by us all. We all know who will die and when.”
Richard’s heart felt as though it would stop beating. He lost his Elise to her destiny and knows he would loose someone else who is very dear to him. How much pain would the Goddess give him before this was finished. He took the cup from his Aunt and slowly sipped it in silence. He knew she would not tell him no matter how hard he begged her. He let it go, understanding it was meant to be.
“Come, drink up. I will fix you some food and then you must rest. Hardorin will be here later today with my two charges. You can return to the Tower of Light
Richard sat on the bench staring into the flames thinking of what has gone by and what may come. He had many questions for Hardorin and a good sleep would clear his head.
Once he finished his meal and lay on the small bed he slowly drifted off to sleep and dreamt of Elise with her soft skin and sweet smelling hair flowing in the wind as she danced in circles in front of him. As he slipped softly into slumber, he could see her gentle smile and his love filled him up.
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