Ellas - A dozen years ago
Kane
‘Time for us to move on,’ Anna said, a grin twitching at her lips.
‘And why is that, Anna? Is it that you finally believe that he has returned… not that I didn’t try to tell you about a hundred times?’ I said, playful sarcasm filling my voice.
‘Yes and No,’ Anna replied, and then she walked away toward the Cook Tent.
She always wins… and always has the last word, I thought as I jumped up and hurried to catch her up.
‘Are you going to explain?’
She smirked as she put her arm through mine as we walked.
‘Yes, because now that he lives we should not remain overlong at any one place, and it has been over a month since your so very rash expedition. So yes we should move on. No, because father has returned from his wanderings… and Gremok is with him.’
I slowed to a halt, forcing Anna to also stop. A grin filled my face as I said, ‘Where? How long have you known? Are they well?’ Questions all rushed, and jumbled together.
‘They arrived at the mountain just moments ago. And yes, they are well, and eager to see us again. Gremok is especially looking forward to seeing you again after all this time. But be prepared, Kane, for he has aged these last few years, or so father tells me.’
He must have, I thought. In a few years my other self will meet Gremok and he truly was aged then. But that I dare not tell Anna. ‘I had thought that he would be as I myself am, and live forever,’ I said instead.
‘Don’t forget, he lived hundreds of years whilst you recovered, Kane. He has enjoyed his life despite what was done to him… and he still has years yet to live I am sure. Anyway, they will rest a while, but Father will dispatch some of his most loyal to escort us. But we must journey overland a while… away from the mountains in case we are watched. It would not do for us to lead him or his servants to the home of the Roken.’
‘We all go?’ I asked.
‘Of course. We build an army, or do you forget? We cannot leave those we have so painfully gathered to sit idly by and expect them to be here when we return. Besides, meeting Father and Gremok, and seeing the wonders of the home of the Roken might, for a while at least, curb Carthia’s constant questioning.’
‘You’ve told her nothing of my past, of Al’kar, have you, Anna? It is important that she knows nothing of me before she joined us, despite that I cannot tell you why.’ Not that you would allow me to speak of it anyway, I thought.
‘She knows nothing of you other than what you yourself have told her, Kane. Al’kar, as far as she is concerned, is an historical figure, a legend perhaps… or even a myth.’
‘Thank you, Anna. I knew that you would not have, but I had to ask.’ Carthia will learn more of me and my life at some future date, a date after she sends my younger self back to his destiny as Al’kar. She could not know of it before, and neither could Anna. I suddenly felt sick at my last though… Anna would not live to see the change she wrought in me, or to see that she was responsible for freeing the one who would become Al’kar.
‘Why the glum look, Kane? Come, we must break camp and be on our way.’
####
So, a day later, we found ourselves travelling almost due East as we meandered through a lush valley along a narrow track at its base. A narrow stream, that struggled in places to live up to the term river, flowed on our left, and a lightly wooded area encroached on our right.
The track itself was overgrown with long grass but here and there, ruts could be seen where some time long ago carts had travelled the same route as us.
I had felt no eyes upon us throughout our journey, and Anna, scanning with her magics believed that we had attracted no followers.
Despite that, since we had entered this valley, I had felt as though there was something. It was a something that tugged at the edges of my consciousness. Not a something that made me uneasy, rather it made me feel comfortable, safe even.
The part of me that Dar’cen created, the always alert, suspicious part didn’t like the feeling, and so fought against it, thinking it some trickery to lull my senses before some trap was sprung. The man I was now, although alert, enjoyed the sensation, but also strove to find its source.
‘What is it, Kane? Is it music?’ Anna asked into my deliberations.
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‘What? Yes, that’s it, it is music. But where does it come from?’ I asked, as I realised that I had been playing the musical melody over and over in my mind long before Anna’s question, and my actually hearing it.
‘And bird song,’ Anna said. Holding her hand up to stop the others, she said, ‘There, look. The birds, pigeons, blackbirds, thrush, and hawks even, they all circle and then swoop down to somewhere just beyond the tree line… and they all sing. I have never seen such behaviour of birds.’
As I dismounted, I said, ‘Let’s investigate, shall we?’ knowing full well that I could not stop Anna, or Carthia for that matter, if I wanted to.
Carthia, who had been riding abreast of Anna, was already striding toward the trees, her horse’s reins held by Tomas, who watched her go.
The boy is more than a little smitten with our Carthia, he’ll have to be as careful of her tongue as of her knives, I thought, as a wry smile crept across my face.
Turning from Tomas, I followed Carthia, with Anna trailing behind, a perplexed look on her face.
Almost as I passed beneath the first tree a feeling of complete calm filled my whole being, even as Carthia turned her head to look at me with a huge smile and a look of contentment in her eyes.
‘What is this?’ I asked looking back to Anna. ‘Magic, some kind of bewitchment? Should we take a care?’
‘Always, Kane,’ was all Anna said, as she walked past me and on under the trees.
Catching up, the three of us walked abreast toward the bird song, for that was now the music we heard, and yet the same ‘bird’ melody played over and over in my head, almost like a song too often played that forces itself upon your mind.
Less than a hundred paces through the trees, a clearing came into view. A clearing with a grassy mound at its center, that was covered with animals of all kinds. Deer led on the grass with what looked like wild dogs, large cat like creatures, all black like panthers, sat contentedly as birds perched upon their back, and even a huge brown bear was curled up at the foot of the mound as if asleep. And all around the mound, birds swooped down from the trees, trilling their so very common song, to land amongst the creatures on the mound, only to fly off again seconds later, almost as if in play.
The whole scene before me was breath taking… a wondrous sight.
‘It’s beautiful,’ Carthia said.
I agreed with her; it was amazing, but what was it about this place that drew the animals and the birds, and drew us too, and with such a feeling of contentment.
Anna too, stood and stared, a look of wonder in her eyes. ‘I have heard of this thing,’ she said, quietly, almost as if to herself.
We both looked at her, waiting for her to say more, but she just walked past to the mound, and then sat down amongst the panther like cats. Within seconds, birds and butterflies circled around her, slowly coming to rest on her outstretched arms, legs, and even on her head. The birds chirped their song, and all faced Anna, almost as if they sang to her, and her alone.
Anna’s smile was the smile of an innocent child at play with her first puppy dog.
Carthia and I walked slowly to the mound; Carthia two steps ahead of me, while I followed, alert and aware, and yet strangely at peace.
No creature stirred at our approach, and when we made to sit amongst them, it was as if they moved slightly to make room for us.
To me it seemed as if they welcomed us.
Even as we sat, more animals came from the forest, rabbits side by side with foxes, squirrels, badgers, and even a few rats. Others stood, vacating their places on the mound, and slowly made their way back under the trees.
It was incredibly strange. Strange and yet comforting. I didn’t know what to make of it.
Slowly, not wanting to disturb the creatures around me, I turned to Anna. ‘You said that you’d heard of this… whatever this is,’ I said. ‘What do you know?’
Anna looked up, her hand absently stroking one of the puma like cat’s head as it purred appreciatively. Her whole face was filled with joy. ‘This is wondrous, Kane. If only everyone could feel as I do now, as all of us, all these beautiful creature, do. All would be well with the world… no strife, no wars, just peace and love.’
I nodded, ‘Yes, it would be. And if we can defeat him once and for all, perhaps, just perhaps we may have a world just as wondrous.’
Anna abruptly stood, shook herself, and in an instant her face and demeanour were all business again. ‘Come, we should get back to the others. Father’s escort will be waiting for us.’
‘Cannot we stay a while longer?’ Carthia asked, as she slowly stood.
‘Seems not,’ I answered, as I too pushed myself to my feet, and turned to walk back to the trees.
I only managed two steps before I realised that the music had stopped, not just the audible song of the birds, but also the melody that repeated in my mind.
Looking back to the mound, all the animals were leaving; every one of them. It was as if the spell was broken, and the peace and tranquillity had left the clearing. But as I looked away, out of the corner of my eye something flickered on top of the mound. It was only an instant and it was gone, but it had been there, an outline of a creature; very large, wolf like, predatory even.
‘Did you see that?’ I asked of either of my companions.
‘Yes they leave, Kane,’ Anna answered, while Carthia sighed as she said, ‘I hope I will feel such again.’
Was that what made the music that played in my mind, and the feeling of contentment? I asked myself. For I was in no doubt that what I had seen was real. It was like a wolf, I though, But very much larger.
Suddenly words filled my mind. Grall, not tame dog, not wolf… Grall!
The shock must have shown on my face because Anna took hold of my arm and said, ‘Are you well, Kane. You look bemused, in shock even.’
Others cannot hear, cannot see. Only you. Do not speak of Grall.
I turned and scanned the whole area for signs of what I’d seen, but there was nothing.
‘Kane?’ Anna and Carthia spoke together.
I ignored them both. What are you, Grall? I thought, rather than voice the words, assuming that whatever it was could hear my thoughts.
Almost instantly, the melody began to play again in my mind, followed by a single word, Friend.
I smiled because I felt it to be true. I didn’t know who or what Grall was, but deep inside something told me that he was my friend, and despite knowing nothing at all about the creature I trusted my feelings.
‘Nothing,’ I said. ‘The loss of the music and the feeling of calm, made me more cautious. That is all. Sorry if I worried you.’
And so we joined the others, and resumed our journey to our rendezvous.
All the way the music continued in my mind, and a degree of contentment filled me. And on rare occasions, as I glanced behind us, out of the corner of my eye I again glimpsed the flickering outline of my friend, Grall, following us.