Griffin's Daughter (37 page)

Jelena waited quietly, along with the rest of the common folk, while the nobles discussed where the hunt would ride next. Lord Sen suggested that they continue east to try the woods further on, and the rest agreed. Several servants were assigned to dress the carcass and carry it back to the castle.

The hunt resumed. The hounds soon caught a fresh scent and followed it into the trees. The hunt mistress cautiously went in after them, signaling to her assistants to hang back outside on the forest’s edge.

Jelena held her breath, afraid that even the softest of exhalations would break the concentration of dogs and hunters. Willow shifted beneath her with a creak of joint and muscle. The only other sound she could hear was the whisper of the wind in the treetops.

The
blat-blat
of the hunt mistress’s horn, along with the explosive barking of the hounds, alerted the waiting field that the game had been flushed.

“
Here they come!” someone shouted. Jelena saw a flash of brown and white just within the trees—a doe on the run. Instead of making a break for it out in the open, however, the terrified animal turned at the last moment and headed back into the forest. The hunt mistress’s horn sounded again, and her two assistants spurred their horses into the trees.

Jelena could see that the nobles really didn’t want to ride among the trees in pursuit. She surmised that they would much rather give chase out in the open where they could have clear lines of sight for shooting.

The barking of the hounds grew fainter as the quarry moved deeper into cover.

Sadaiyo cursed and shouted, “Come on! It’s getting away!” He spurred his horse forward and quickly disappeared from view. Like water through a breached dam, the field surged after the Heir, guiding their mounts as quickly as they could between the boles of the trees. Jelena started to follow, then realized that the common people were all hanging back. She turned to Aneko with a questioning look.

“
They’ll never catch that doe in those trees, not as long as they stay a-horse,” Aneko commented. “None of this lot…” she indicated the walkers with a flick of her hand, “…feel like getting trampled while the noble folk blunder about in there. Naw, we’ll just wait right here ‘til they get tired and come out.”

Jelena fidgeted in her saddle, anxious not to miss out on a single moment of this, her first hunt. She made a decision. “I go in after, “she announced. Aneko shrugged and smiled lopsidedly, as if to say that it was no use, but Jelena could do as she liked.

Jelena drummed her heels into Willow’s sturdy flanks, and the horse plunged eagerly into the cool shadows beneath the forest canopy. Shouts and whistles echoed among the trees, making it difficult to discern which way the hunt had gone. She decided to let Willow choose the path, for the mare strode along with purpose, as if she knew exactly where to go.

Jelena could hear the dogs now, howling joyfully.
They must be closing in on the doe
, she thought.

Without warning, Willow shied violently. Only sheer luck kept Jelena from being thrown. As she fought to control the mare, she caught a glimpse of a heavy, dark shape in the undergrowth. Bushes shook and leaves flew as an enormous gray-black beast exploded from a thicket beneath Willow’s nose and hurtled forward past the plunging horse. An ear-piercing squeal tore at Jelena’s ears.

A wild boar! 

She and Willow had inadvertently blundered into its hiding place and flushed it out, but the tusker appeared more interested in escape than confrontation. It tore off through the trees and disappeared from sight, leaving both horse and girl shaking with reaction.

Having regained control, Jelena urged Willow forward, now more anxious than ever to catch up to the rest of the hunt. Off to her right, she heard a man call out and decided to head in that general direction. Perhaps she would run into Ashinji. Her heart, having just slowed down, sped up again at the thought of seeing the man she loved.

A man astride a big bay horse came into view—Lord Sen. He sat gazing ahead into the trees, his expression thoughtful, as if trying to decide whether to ride on or stay put. Jelena opened her mouth to call out to him, but he kicked the bay and trotted off. She urged Willow to follow.

Suddenly, the thicket ahead erupted with a furious squeal. Lord Sen’s horse screamed in panic and reared, hurling the Lord of Kerala from the saddle. Jelena watched in horror as Lord Sen hit the ground with bone-breaking force and lay unmoving. The horse bolted away into the trees.

The boar stood poised, his small black eyes glittering with porcine fury. His massive head, adorned with a pair of wickedly curved tusks, swung from side to side, snout twitching. Jelena could feel Willow preparing to bolt. Just then, Lord Sen stirred and groaned. With a snort, the boar charged.

Later, Jelena would have no explanation for what happened next; perhaps the One Goddess guided her hands, perhaps the magic within her aided the deed.

She felt her consciousness tear loose from her body and float free to hover above the scene now unfolding in slow motion below her. She watched as, seemingly without enough time to make a shot, she raised her bow, withdrew an arrow from the quiver at her knee, nocked, drew, and fired. The arrow ignited in a flash of blue flame and impaled the boar through its right eye, killing it instantly. The beast crashed to the ground and slid forward in a tangle of limbs to fetch up against the semi-conscious Lord Sen.

Jelena’s mind slammed back into her body with such force that she nearly tumbled from her saddle. Shaking her head dizzily, she scrambled off the trembling Willow and ran over to crouch beside Lord Sen.

“
My lord! Can you speak? Are you hurt?” she cried, struggling not to gag on the rank aroma of the dead boar. Lord Sen’s eyes fluttered open and for one terrible moment, Jelena saw only blankness, then a heartbeat later, a glimmer of recognition.

“
My messenger. Where did you come from?” Sen asked. He sounded genuinely puzzled.

Jelena sighed with heartfelt relief. “Do you know what now just happened, my lord?” she asked. He struggled to sit up, and Jelena gladly lent her shoulder for assistance. She peered intently into his face. He looked pale and shaky but seemed more or less intact.

“
I startled a boar. My horse threw me. The last thing I remember is thinking that I was going to be very sore tomorrow after taking such a fall.” He let out a small chuckle, then gasped and clutched at his side.

“
You hurt, where in pain, my lord?” she asked, but he just shook his head, staring first at the slain tusker, then at the bow Jelena still clutched in her hand.

“
You saved my life, girl,” he said slowly. “Do you realize what that means?” He pointed at the arrow protruding from the boar’s eye. Jelena shook her head. “It means that you have earned the right to ask of me whatever you want, and I am obligated to give it to you, no matter the cost to me.”

Jelena drew in a sharp breath, not quite believing what she had just heard. Lord Sen regarded her intently, and Jelena saw something in his eyes that she had never before seen in the gaze of a powerful man—respect. She shivered with awe.

“
Here, take this,” Sen wheezed, his right hand pressed tightly to his injured side. He fumbled with his other hand to release a small ivory horn from his belt. “Blow three short blasts, then three long ones. It will signal the others that there’s a rider down.” He held the horn out to Jelena, who took it and pressed it hesitantly to her lips.

Her first effort produced a sickly squawk. “Blow harder,” Sen instructed. Nodding in understanding, Jelena took a deep breath and blew with all the strength she could muster. Sen bobbed his head in approval.

Almost simultaneously, several horns sounded nearby, answering the distress call. Jelena could feel the vibrations of approaching riders in the litter-covered earth beneath her knees. She glanced worriedly at Lord Sen and silently prayed for them to hurry.

Ashinji reached them first. He tumbled off his horse and threw himself down beside his father. “Father! Are you hurt? What happened?” he cried.

“
I’m all right, Son,” Sen soothed. “Just a little fall, that’s all.”

“
He is being brave…for you,” Jelena stated quietly. “He fell…very hard.”

Ashinji looked at Jelena, then his eyes skipped over to the dead boar. “Jelena, you shot this boar, didn’t you?” He reached out to touch a fingertip to the bow in her hand. “You saved my father’s life.” Love and gratitude sparked in his eyes. Jelena wanted to break down and cry; only sheer willpower held back her tears.

Ashinji turned his attention back to Sen. “Father, you must not try to minimize this. Please tell me where you hurt.” His tone indicated that he would tolerate no nonsense.

Sen held up his hand as if in surrender. “I think I may have broken a rib here on my right side. That’s the worst of it,” he said, almost meek in the face of his son’s stern concern.

“
Great Goddess! Father, you’re down!”

Sadaiyo had arrived, along with Misune and Lord Dai. He jumped from his horse and strode over to where Sen lay. “Out of my way, girl,” he growled, shoving Jelena roughly aside, sending her sprawling. He squatted beside his father and said, “Are you hurt?”

Jelena scrambled to her feet, still clutching her bow, spitting leaves from her mouth. Her face burned with humiliation. She saw Lord Sen’s eyes narrow in anger. “My messenger here shot this beast while I lay helpless. If she had not killed it, you would now be Lord,” he said tightly. “I owe her my life.”

Sadaiyo raised one eyebrow in surprise and turned to look at Jelena, his expression speculative. She felt a chill race up her spine.

By this time, most of the other nobles had arrived, dismounted and had gathered around the fallen Lord of Kerala.  Everyone talked at once, completely ignoring Jelena, although many exclaimed in astonishment over the slain boar. Jelena stood quietly, just outside the noisy circle of people, wishing she could stand beside Ashinji.

As if he had somehow heard her wish, the crowd parted, and Ashinji stepped through and walked up to her. He took her hand and led her into the center of the group where Sen, now up and leaning heavily on Sadaiyo, awaited.

The Lord of Kerala cleared his throat as the crowd fell silent. “This girl here, Jelena is her name, came to Kerala last spring. My son Ashinji found her, wounded and lost, and needing my help. She is in search of her elven kin, and I promised that I would aid in her search. She has been in service to me as my messenger these last few weeks.”

Jelena felt like an exotic species of insect pinned under a glass for examination. She kept her eyes firmly affixed to the toes of her boots. Ashinji had released her hand but remained standing beside her, and the steady warmth of his presence gave her comfort.

Lord Sen continued. “When I flushed the boar, my horse reared and threw me. I lay unconscious…helpless. I thank The One that Jelena came when she did. T’was her shot that skewered the great, ugly beast, straight through his eye! I couldn’t have done better myself. I owe this girl my life, and she shall have her reward…Whatever she desires.” A ripple of shock flowed through the crowd.

“
Jelena…Look at me, girl,” Sen commanded. Hesitantly, Jelena obeyed. “You shall be the honored guest at my table tonight,” he announced, “and I’ll make sure that you get the choicest morsels from yonder porker! Now, that’s all I have to say. Get me back home, sons.” He looked to Ashinji and Sadaiyo, grimacing in pain.

Jelena’s head reeled. The reversal of her fortunes had been both swift and shocking. As Sadaiyo and Ashinji assisted their father, Lord Dai assumed command of the hunt. Two riders were dispatched to fetch servants and bring them back to assist with the boar. A frenzy of barking heralded the arrival of the hunt mistress and the pack. Jelena overheard her telling Lord Dai that the carcass of the doe awaited dressing and removal.

Since nothing more seemed required of her, Jelena went in search of Willow. She found the chestnut mare quietly munching shoots a spear’s throw away. “There you are, girl,” she said, stroking the mare’s velvet nose. She hung her bow across the saddle horn, gathered up the reins, and scrambled ungracefully into the saddle.

Then it hit her.

A storm of trembles seized her body. Her thoughts tumbled over each other in a swirl of confusion.

What just happened? Did I really leave my body behind? Is this what it feels like to float on the aether in spirit form?

How did I cause the arrow to burst into flame, and why was it not consumed?

She hugged herself to stop the shaking.

The flame was blue! Blue fire…Magic!

The nobles had all remounted and were moving off. Ashinji and Sadaiyo had assisted Lord Sen back onto his horse and rode along on either side of their father in order to steady him, if needed. Jelena fell in behind, trailing the group at a respectful distance.

When they at last broke the cover of the trees, word had already reached the common folk of the events that had just transpired. A knot of riders immediately surrounded Jelena.

Aneko spoke first. “Is it true, Jelena? You really killed a tusker about to gore Lord Sen?” Jelena nodded weakly, still too shaken to speak. “D’you know what this means?” the older woman exulted. She didn’t bother to wait for an answer. “It means that you’ll get what you want, Jelena.” She reached over and gripped Jelena’s hand and squeezed hard. “It means that there’s
hope!
”