Chapter 129: Necklace Keepsake
The Warlord Marek grumbled under his breath and kept his eyes shut tight. He moved from side to side in his bed of furs. He hugged the sleeping Nokuti close to him for a while, snuggled his face into her dark curls, caressed her soft brown skin, and breathed in her comforting faint scent. But, his vampire lover could not help. No matter what he did, blissful sleep evaded him.
Marek had an army to lead, men and women who looked up to him, he needed his rest to function well. Not that his body was cooperating. Five hours and still not even a wink of rest. It seemed sleep would not be in his fate tonight.
He sighed, opened his eyes, and sat up. The silver chain around his neck shifted and dangled the small golden medallion across his bare chest. A creature with a long neck and snout with flowing hair was engraved on the medallion.
It’s called a horse, he recalled his mother’s words. If he closed his eyes and focused he could almost hear her laughter.
Marek brushed the small medallion between his fingers. That was another time…
~~~
Marek was a lanky teenager. His blonde hair fell across his face like a strewn bundle of hay. His body had decided to grow tall as a tree, but as wide as a blade of grass. While being born a dire did grant him a tall stature it did not suddenly grant him bulging muscles.
People always looked at him funny, as if he didn’t belong in their view of the world around them. It didn’t help that he was one of the few humans in a tribe full of vampires and dark elves. And there was one last problem...
“Look who it is. The dire freak of the tribe, the shame of our chief, Marek himself,” one of the boys of the tribe laughed.
Marek sighed but didn’t turn to look at the group of teens.
“Oh, come on, is the chief’s son too good for us?” Another boy called out.
“Beansprout Marek doesn’t have time to waste on unimportant people like us,” a boy mocked.
The boy was right, Marek didn’t have time to spend on being ridiculed. He had an important job to do. One of the hunters had asked him to carry several bundles of arrow shafts to the fletcher to be fletched and readied for battle.
It was one of the few times a hunter had actually asked him for help. Marek was so excited and swore he wouldn’t fail. In an effort to impress, he carried as many bundles he could manage, which was several dozen. He held most of them on his back and the rest between his arms. If there was one thing he was grateful for in his odd body, it was his abnormal strength. Despite having the muscle mass of an infant, he could already lift more tent poles than any of the adults.
Not that it helped his popularity, it just made all the other kids see him as more of a freak. Well, at least most kids.
“Where you going, Marek?” A boy teased. “Off to beg daddy for a spot as a hunter? Or maybe a warrior?”
“Nah, Marek is too scared for any of that.”
“Yeah, if he’s not careful a strong wind might just blow by and tumble him right to the ground.”
The group of boys laughed at their own stupid jokes.
Marek gritted his teeth and turned to face them, “I’m working today. Can’t you just leave me alone for once? I haven’t done anything to any of you.”
A boy placed his hand on his cheeks, “Oh no, did we hurt your lil wee feelings? Whatever shall we do?”
Marek shook his head and walked away.
“Oi, don’t walk away from us!”
Marek ignored them.
“Hey, we’re talking to you!” One of the boys picked up a stone and threw it across the back of Marek’s head.
Marek’s vision went black for a moment. He fell to the ground, the bundles of arrows falling underneath him. He heard a horrible crack.
Oh no. Please, no.
“And there he goes. It really is true, the bigger they are the harder they fall,” one of the boys smiled.
They all broke into laughter.
But, Marek wasn’t listening to their jeers. He shakily pushed himself to his knees and stared at the broken arrow shafts. The hunter had given him only one job. His first actual duty. And he had just failed. He wanted to prove himself and now the hunters would seem as incapable.
Let’s face it, they already do, a small voice in his head mocked.
Marek’s eyes began to water. For once he was grateful to have long hair, at least it would hide his shameful tears.
“Oh, is the skinny giant crying?” A boy pointed.
Or maybe not.
“Just leave me alone,” Marek mumbled.
The boys surrounded him.
“Or what? What are you going to do? Hit me? Please, I dare you,” the leader of the boys sneered.
Marek curled his fists, but bowed his head and stayed quiet.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. You’re too chicken shit to do anything,” the boy spat on Marek’s head.
“At least he can take a hit,” a voice growled from behind them.
“Huh?” The boy turned around and was met with a fist to the face.
He cried out in pain and fell to the ground with a satisfying thud.
“Who’s next, bitches?” Nokuti grinned, her red eyes alight with anger.
“You’re the bitch!” One of the boys yelled and swung a wide punch.
Nokuti ducked and threw two jabs at his face, breaking his nose and lip.
Nokuti was already jumping on the other three boys before the second fell to the ground. She kicked the third in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. She blocked the punch of the fourth with her forearm and slammed her forehead into his own, dropping him to the grass. The last boy tried to attack her from the back, but she spun and punched him in the throat.
Nokuti ignored the choking brat and planted her knee on the first boy, their leader, who was still lying on the ground.
“You think it’s honorable to pick on one kid versus five? You must be really brave? Well, let me give you some more courage,” Nokuti glared.
“W-wait,” he mumbled.
Nokuti slammed her fist across his face. The boy gasped for a half-second before Nokuti’s other fist smacked into the other half of his face. She pelted him until her hands were covered in blood and his face was swollen as a ripe tomato.
“Next time you try to mess with Marek, remember this day,” Nokuti spat on his face.
The body didn’t respond, he was already unconscious. Nokuti turned to face the others, but they had all run away. Only Marek was left, still on his knees, slowly picking up the broken arrows.
“And what are you doing, just sitting there?” Nokuti stood up and dusted off her pants.
Marek stayed quiet and kept grabbing the arrows.
“This is why they pick on you,” Nokuti groaned. “You never stand up for yourself.”
“I had one job,” Marek muttered. “And I messed up.”
“Oh, come on, who cares about a few broken arrows,” Nokuti rolled her eyes.
“I do! I care! While you're off learning how to fight I’m stuck in my tent learning battle strategies that none of the Valley Tribes will ever use. ...I only do it because my dad knows I can’t fight. No one takes me seriously. I had this one chance to prove myself and I blew it.”
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“The chief doesn’t think you can’t fight, he just thinks you won’t fight. And he’s right. You’ve got the strength of a freaking dire and yet you refuse to swing a single punch,” Nokuti crossed her arms.
“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” Marek stared at his trembling hands. I don’t want to accidentally kill anyone.
“The world doesn’t work that way. Hollow Shade’s patrols won’t hold back if they find us. They’ll kill us all, kids included.”
“Why do we all have to fight? Can’t we just come to a truce?” Marek sniffed.
“Hollow Shade took our land, enslaved our friends, and has been destroying the rest of us little by little. Unless you wanna us to end up like Lunis, then there is no going back, not for any of the Valley Tribes.”
“I wish there was something we could do to stop all the fighting,” Marek sighed.
Nokuti placed her hands on his shoulders, “You’re too nice.”
“And you’re too brutal,” Marek glanced at the unconscious boy beside them.
“Meh, that’s up for debate,” Nokuti winked.
“... I need to get going, the fletcher is still waiting for me,” Marek stood up.
“Let me help you. I’ll explain to him what happened,” Nokuti said.
“No, I have to do this on my own,” Marek shook his head.
“Take it from your best friend, you’re not a coward for not fighting. Sure, you’re dumb, like really dumb... but brave.”
“Best friend? You’re my only friend,” Marek smiled half-heartedly.
“My point still stands,” Nokuti grinned.
After dropping off the arrow bundles, Marek gave no excuse for the damage and stood quietly as the fletcher yelled at him. Once the shameful scolding had ended, he made his way back to his family’s tent. Hopefully, his father had already left for the evening hunt. Hopefully.
Marek pushed back the tent flap and was met with his father looking up at him. Today was just not his day.
Even if Marek was over a foot taller than his father, under the chief’s glare, Marek felt like a small child.
“Hello, father,” he smiled shakily.
“Out of the way, boy. If you have time to talk, you have time to learn how to fight. Maybe then you won’t get your ass beat by a couple of stupid teens.”
“There were five of them. What was I supposed to do?”
“You’re my son! The son of the chief! You were supposed to command their respect, not be beaten like a baby lamb. Fight back for once, dammit! How do you think this reflects on me, huh? Did that thought ever cross your mind?” His father tapped Marek’s forehead.
“...I’m sorry, father,” Marek bowed his head.
“Ugh, I don’t have time for this,” he looked at his son with aversion. “Get out of my way.”
The chief pushed Marek aside and left without another word.
“Honey, you’re bleeding,” Tamora ran up to Marek and touched his cheek.
He hadn’t even noticed. Blood had trickled from the back of his head, down his cheek and neck. “I’m sorry, mom.”
“You don’t have to apologize to me, you did nothing wrong,” Tamora looked at him with worried eyes. “Lower your head for me.”
Marek was 7 ft tall and his mother was fairly small, barely standing at 5 ft. Marek crouched low and bowed his head. Tamora placed her hand over him, her hand glowed a soft white, the healing spell mending the cut.
“Thanks, mom... I’m sorry for being so useless,” he whispered.
“You’re not useless, you’re kind. It’s a virtue the Cairn tribe has seemed to have forgotten. Don’t worry about your father, he is simply worried about you.”
“I doubt that.”
Tamora ran her fingers through his hair, “Your father is a cold-hearted man, but do not doubt his love for you, his only child. He is the first human chief of the Cairn Tribe and that comes with a lot of doubt from the elders. He needs to prove himself at every turn.”
“Father is strong, the elders cannot deny that.”
“True, but they can still try and that’s what worries him. You know your father won his position as chief through a duel with the previous chief. Once your father is gone, you will inherit his position as chief. Your father and I worry you will be challenged when that time comes.”
“You’re worried that I’ll lose,” Marek bit his lip.
Tamora smiled sadly, “You must learn how to fight for yourself or it could cost you everything.”
“I wish I could just inherit your white magic. At least that way I could be a healer instead,” he sighed.
“Maybe you will, your 18th birthday is only a few weeks away, you never know. But, that still won’t solve your problems as future chief.”
“I wish Hollow Shade could just stop hunting us and we could live our lives freely,” Marek grumbled.
“Maybe they can…”
“What do you mean?”
Tamora reached behind her back and unclasped her necklace. She held it up in front of him, “Do you know what this is?”
Marek stared at the golden medallion, “Your necklace?”
“Yes, but do you know what animal it depicts?”
He furrowed his brow, “A really weird dog?”
“It’s called a horse. They aren’t from this Realm and I doubt there are any left in the Ebon Realm. My ancestors... our ancestors, brought them over from the Jade Realm. The horse is the symbol of my House.”
“House?” Marek’s eyes widened. “You're from a Named House?”
He knew his mother wasn’t from the Cairn Tribe, he just wasn’t sure from where.
Tamora nodded, “I am. Your father captured me when I was traveling the countryside. My twin sister told me I should take more guards with me before I left, but I was careless. Coupled with the fact that I can only cast the healing spell-form and well, you can imagine the rest.”
“...I didn’t know father captured you, I always just assumed you were from another tribe,” Marek frowned.
“Your father liked to keep my surname a secret, only the elders know the truth… Your father then made me his wife, it was his crowning achievement, and I have been here ever since,” Tamora wiped a tear from her eye.
“You’re his prisoner,” Marek said in horror.
“The daughter of House Helene is a difficult prize to give up,” she sighed.
“Helene?” The name sounded familiar.
She brushed his cheek, “My son, your full name is Marek Helene, son of the Great Named House Helene. We are one of the Seven Ruling Families of Hollow Shade.”
“W-what? I d-don’t understand,” Marek mumbled.
“It means you have a very important legacy. I am Tamora Helene, heir to House Helene and as my only son, you are my heir. I’m only telling you all of this now because you will soon be an adult... One day I will escape this place and if you come with me to Hollow Shade, I will show you how great your legacy truly is.”
“Why would I go to Hollow Shade? They hate the Valley people.”
“You are not just a Valley tribesman. You are an aristocrat and the future family leader of our House. Our founder, Lady Helene, was known to have brokered many truces with the Valley tribes. One day, as leader of our House, you can do the same. You could put an end to the conflict between Hollow Shade and the Valley people once and for all.”
“The fighting could end?” Marek swallowed. Life could be different, things would be different.
Tamora placed the necklace in his palm and pushed his fingers closed around it, “This is yours now, my son. May it help you remember where you come from, always.”
~~~
Marek looked down at the necklace with a mixture of pain and regret. “I am not an aristocrat. I am a child of the Valley, now and always.”
Nokuti murmured sleepily beside him. He smiled warmly at her. He thanked the gods she had been by his side even after all this time. He didn’t wish to wake her, so he got up and walked out of the tent.
The night crisp air filled his lungs. The Valley was beginning to freeze, the first snow of winter would be upon them any day now.
“Long night?”
Marek whipped around to find Crow sitting on a rock nearby the tent.
“What are you doing here so late?” Marek narrowed his eyes.
“I couldn’t wait. But, as usual, I came prepared to wait,” Crow took a sip of tea. His mask was slightly tilted up to reveal his smiling lips.
Marek glanced at his own bare chest and necklace briefly. “Give me a moment, let me get a shirt on and we can discuss what was so important that you had to come here in the middle of the night.”
“There’s no need to hide your Helene necklace from me.”
Marek froze, “You know what this is?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t be in charge of information gathering if I didn’t recognize the crest of one of the Ruling Families. And I also know what it means for you to be wearing that specific necklace, Lord Helene.”
Marek’s eyes darted around, searching to see if anyone else was here. Thankfully, they were not.
“Don’t worry, I have no interest in sharing the secrets of others,” Crow said.
“You knew who I was and you still followed me?”
“Oh, I see. You’re afraid of what might happen if your people knew that you weren’t one of them.”
“I am one of them,” Marek growled.
“Not in their eyes, at least if they knew the truth about your bloodline. I am of a different view, however.”
“...What do you mean?”
“When the day comes that Hollow Shade’s armies are defeated and you have conquered the city, how do you think the rest of the Realm will see us?”
“As the people who finally toppled the City of Shades.”
“Wrong,” Crow said calmly. “They will see us as a bunch of savages who are a threat to their way of life. The other Great Cities will most likely attack us.”
“You’re only telling me this now? Why?”
“Because it wasn’t relevant. You see, if a savage didn’t conquer Hollow Shade, but instead an heir of one of the Ruling Families did,” Crow pointed at him. “Then the Realm would see you as a family leader seizing power. The man who managed to control and unite the Valley tribes. A feat none have ever managed. You’d be hailed as one of the greatest Lords in history.”
“I would be throwing away my pride as a son of the Valley,” Marek frowned.
“We all make sacrifices,” Crow shrugged.
“Marek, are you talking to someone?” Nokuti called out sleepily from within the tent.
Marek’s eyes widened, he glanced at Crow.
“I know of her too and for the life of me, I do not understand why you insist on keeping your relationship a secret. Half the camp already thinks you're sleeping together,” Crow said.
“Why did you come?” Marek asked.
“I found it,” Crow lifted a book from within his feathered cloak.
“You mean?”
“The location of the weapon to destroy Hollow Shade.”
Marek smiled, “Finally.”
Crow stood up, “Grab your coat and assemble the crew. It’s time we find the fabled village of Mirror Springs.”