Ellas - A dozen years ago

Kane

At the desert edge, I left the Nargu to reclaim Bright, and perhaps gain a few hours respite from, what was becoming, a horror I should have left buried in the deepest recesses of my mind.

Joram greeted me with a wave as I approached. He walked behind a plough, two oxen pulling it through the rich and fertile soil that surrounded his homestead.

He reigned in the oxen and came to meet me, a welcoming smile on his face. ‘You’re three months is not yet up. I had hoped to gain the confidence of that beautiful but stubborn mount of yours… and perhaps even ride him one day,’ he said, with a grin.

I took his proffered hand in mine and grasped it firmly. ‘It is good to see you again, Joram. I had truly thought that it might well be months more before I returned. But luck has favoured me, and my task here is now complete.’

Joran looked at me quizzically for an instant, but when he spoke he asked no questions of the task I spoke of. ‘Will you stay a while, the night at least? Mae has rabbit stew in the pot… a brace I caught this very morning. And the children will be truly pleased to see you again… Dantis talked of nothing else but you, your sword and Bright for days after your leaving.’

‘I would be honoured to accept your kind offer, Joram. My days in the desert have been lonely, and your company and that of your family have been much on my mind during my trek from the Stones.’

‘You were at the Stones?’ Joram asked, quietly, his eyes widening. ‘Some days past there was a storm in the distance… it looked to be where the Stones would be. Even at this distance it was terrifying… the lightening lit up the sky as if the sun itself stood there. The noise after each bolt had Marta and the babe screaming, and Dantis hiding under his bed. Such a thing, I have never seen… It was full day, and yet the sky there was black… black, I tell you…’ Joram drew silent as he realised how his voice had raised as he spoke.

‘Yes, I was there,’ I answered his unasked question. ‘I was at Achra, at the Stones, when the storm came. Strange it was indeed, strange and terrifying as you say, but it was over as suddenly as it came. Come, let us not dwell on such a dark thing. Besides, I have a friend to visit… and I’m sure that with a little coaxing, Bright will allow you and Dantis both to ride him.’

Joram smiled, though his eyes still held questions. But I knew that though he might wonder, he would not ask. My journey to the Stones was my business, and though it might be the subject of many a fireside conversation between him and Mae in the weeks that followed, to bluntly ask was not the way of his people.

‘You go down to the house. I’ll finish off here and join you in a little while. Mae will have tea brewing before you set foot on the step, I’ll wager.’

I clasped his hand once more, and then set out towards the barn – my first stop had to be Bright, Mae’s tea would have to wait; the tea would merely stew, but Bright, who I knew had already sensed my presence, would be difficult for days if I delayed in greeting him.

That evening we all sat around Joram’s table, all save the babe who slept in her crib in the room that Joram and Mae shared.

For only four of them, their homestead was quite extensive – a large living area, with its own hearth to keep it warm, and yet another hearth at the far end with adjoining counter where Mae prepared and cooked their meals; Three separate bedrooms led off the living area, one of which they had graciously given to me for the night.

Joram said the homestead had been in his family for nigh on fifty years, ever since his father had built it. Then, the family had been much larger, and they had needed the extra rooms, one of the barns had also been used for sleeping. But the Black Pox had struck, and only he and his sister had survived. Joran hoped to yet again fill all the space they had with the family that he and Mae planned to have.

‘Master Kane… Sir.’

‘Yes, Dantis? What is it?’

‘Hush, Dantis,’ Mae reproached the young boy.

‘It is okay, Mae,’ I said, with a smile. ‘I have no children of my own, and yours bring to me a joy that I seldom feel otherwise… please let the boy speak.’

At my words, Mae positively beamed, though a blush filled her cheeks.

Dantis remained silent until his mother nodded her assent, and then his words broke from him in a torrent. ‘Master Kane, can I ride Bright again tomorrow? Can I, please? It was so much fun, the best ever. I—’

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‘Slow down, Dear,’ Mae chided, gently. ‘You’re not giving Master Kane a chance to reply.’

Dantis closed his mouth sullenly, but a big grim broke his face at my reply.

‘Of course you may, Dantis. But it will have to be early, very early. Do you think you might be available before breakfast, even. You see, I must leave you tomorrow and be on my way.’

‘But… but you can’t leave. You only just came back. I… I want you to stay.’ Dantis’s eyes welled with tears as he spoke.

‘Hush, dear. Master Kane has said that you may ride Bright in the morning… let that be enough for you—’

‘But, Ma. We’ve never had a warrior to call afore—’

‘Do not interrupt your mother, Dantis, you know that is rude,’ Joram said.

‘Warrior?’ Mae said questioningly, speaking over her husband. ‘Wherever did you get such nonsense? Master Kane is but a traveller. Is that not so, Master Kane?’

Thankfully Dantis spoke again before I could reply, giving me an opportunity to think on how I should answer Mae’s question.

‘Da said that Kane… sorry, Master Kane, was a warrior… and he has a sword, Ma, a great big sword… He has to be a warrior.’

Joram coloured up something awful, and Mae’s look took me in as if seeing me for the very first time. ‘Lots of folk carry swords these days, Dantis,’ she said, ‘but it doesn’t mean that they are all soldiers or warriors. They just do so to protect themselves.’

Her gaze then fell on poor wilting Joram. ‘I don’t know why your father has been filling your head with such nonsense, but Master Kane is merely a traveller. That is correct, is it not, Master Kane?’ Her look dared me to contradict her words.

I smiled at Dantis. ‘Your mother is right, young man. I carry the sword for protection only. Having the sword at my side is all the protection I need… Bad folks see the sword and think better of bothering me.’

I was quite pleased at being able to avoid an outright lie, but the way Mae regarded me, told that despite her wish for me to be a simple traveller, she saw straight through my words.

‘There you have it then, Dantis. And now it is time for bed… if you are to be up in time to ride, you must be abed nice and early—’

‘But, Ma. I want to stay and talk with Master Kane… it’s not every day we get… a traveller calling.’

‘Listen to your mother, son. You cannot have it all your own way. Say goodnight to Master Kane, and give your Ma a goodnight kiss… and then off to your bed.’

Sullenly, Dantis climbed down off his chair and walked around to his mother. Kiss dutifully given, he turned to me. ‘Goodnight, Sir,’ he said, his voice reflecting his disappointment at being sent to bed.

‘Sleep well, young man. For tomorrow I will let Bright have her head, and you will ride as you never have before… and, if your mother and father allow, I will teach you the little I know of sword play before I take your leave.’

The boy’s eyes lit up like candles, and a huge grin split his face. Joram too smiled, though Mae did not look at all happy at my words. But seeing the excitement on Dantis’s face, she said, ‘That’s very kind of Master Kane, is it not? Now say thank you, and then off to bed with you.’

The next morning I awoke long before the sun. A strange dream had visited me in the night, a troubling dream, and yet on awakening, that was all I could remember of it – it was strange and it had troubled me. That feeling, the worry the dream had left me with, and trying to remember the dream itself eventually forced me from my bed.

I stole from my bedroom and left the house as quietly as I could; that Joram was an early riser, I did not doubt, but I did not think that he would thank me for waking him quite so early.

Bright snickered as I entered the barn, his eyes somehow gleaming in the almost total darkness of his stall.

‘Did I wake you, my friend?’

Another snicker and what I took to be a shake of his head.

Do you really answer me, Bright or am I truly a madman? I thought.

This time Bright whinnied, as close to a sound of derisory laughter that a horse could possibly make.

I laughed. ‘Well, one of us at least, is mad. Come on, let’s get you saddled up. The sun is up soon and the place will be ablaze with activity. I’m sure young Dantis is already up and dressed, and hard pressed not to be out here himself.’

I led Bright out from the stable, the huge Destrier’s head playfully nudging my shoulder as we went. ‘Lay off, Bright. You’ll get your oats soon enough once Dantis has had his ride.’

The house door opened and Joram stepped out. Seeing the two of us, he approached. ‘You’re an early riser, Kane. Eager to be away?’

‘Sleep eluded me, Joram. I hope I did not disturb you?’

‘No, no. The homestead will not take care of itself, so I dare not waste the light. Mae has tea on the stove… and Dantis begs to go wake you.’ Joram laughed. ‘He still believes you abed.’

I, too, laughed. ‘Poor lad. Go get him, Bright,’ I said, as I dropped his reins.

Bright trotted away toward the house, and Joram’s eyes followed questioningly. Bright reached reached the porch that surrounded the front face of the house, and began to bray and wicker, his hoof stamping, almost in tune to his calls, on the wooden floor of the porch.

Joram laughed, a deep belly laugh, just as the door was thrown open and an obviously angry Mae stepped out, a grinning Dantis at her heels.

Seeing the horse mere feet in front of her, Mae started, but Dantis darted past her to reach up and smooth Brights lowered head.

Mae turned her angry gaze towards Joram’s laughter, and them back to Dantis, who too had begun to laugh. Slowly, a smile crept over her face.

‘Men!’ she said, with mock exasperation. ‘All children, every last one of you.’ And with a laugh of her own, she turned to walk back into the house, calling out, ‘Breakfast in an hour. Don’t be late,’ over her shoulder as she went.

‘I’d best get on then,’ Joram said, his voice still full of laughter.

‘You behave for Master Kane, Joram. You do all he tells you…’ Turning to me, he said, ‘As to the swordplay, Kane, do you mind if I come see, too. Not ever seen a real sword in use, not in practice let alone in… well never at all.’

His last words were spoken quietly and he looked somehow embarrassed.

‘Riding first, isn’t that right, Dantis? And then a hearty breakfast before swordplay… you and your father can practice together after I’ve given you both a short lesson.’

Joran smiled almost as much as his son did as he walked away to be on with his morning chores.