Origin (40 page)

At this point Keroc began to bob his head and hop from one foot to another. Ayron said that Keroc agreed with him and that she should not feel bad about what had happened to either of them.

“Elwyn, it is alright to grieve someone that you have come to know as a friend or a companion, but to try to take on the responsibility of someone else’s sacrifice is wrong. Both Thane and Keroc chose to do what they did, knowing the possible consequences. I hope you can see that this is not your burden to bear.”

Not completely sure that she agreed with her uncle’s assessment, she began speaking to him about her other two brushes with the assassins as she continued on her journey to Kren.

“I took Thane’s advice and attempted to ride straight through to Kren without stopping, except to get water and to let the Gemma and Raffe rest for short periods of time. The first squad tried to ambush me just after nightfall. I shot at two of them and Gemma ran one down. We kept moving quickly and the mist closed in before I could see just how much damage we did. Just before dawn, when a dim light began to filter through the trees, I saw three of them waiting on the road ahead of me. I shot one, fought one, and the morden took care of the third. I noticed one of them was wounded so it may have been the group that attacked us earlier, giving it another go. This time, I got down from Gemma and slit the throats of each one to make sure that they couldn’t attack me again.

I have to tell you, that without the information on the shadow squads and the fighting strategies that I learned from Thane, I doubt I would have made it to Kren alive. Of course the companions were instrumental in helping me not lose my sanity with all that was happening to me. Also, Kierra, the drakenhawk queen, was both comforting and informative during my travels. She kept me going when I felt frightened and alone.”

Elwyn also shared with him that she had just begun to understand the complexities of the relationships between the companions and other races, as well as the companions with each other. Ayron was shocked to hear that the drakenhawks communicated with the morden, and that both the morden and the drakenhawks could communicate with each other over long distances. What she found really fascinating was a fact that she had not yet shared with Ayron; the werecats were able to communicate with all of them as well. She wanted to wait until they had caught up on each other’s adventures and to share the last part of hers with him.

“I have to admit that the last part of my journey was probably even more traumatizing than the first. I was so totally exhausted when I finally saw the village that I could barely hang on to Gemma. As I drew near to the village, my heart sank when I realized that my safe haven was completely abandoned and verging on collapse. I guess what bothered me the most was the nagging sense of danger that kept tickling at the hair on the back of my neck. I will admit that I was able to get some rest while I waited for you in Kren and regain some of the energy I expended on the way there. It gave the companions a chance to rest and recuperate as well. The down side of staying in the deserted village was that I had no idea if another shadow squad would find me and decide to strike while I was there.”

“I have a feeling that, if the assassins knew that you were staying in Kren, they probably just assumed that there were villagers there and stayed outside the area waiting for you to leave. After all,” Ayron said with a laugh. “Who in the world would stay in a deserted village alone if they knew assassins were after them? And no one in their right mind enters Wheryn...it’s a death sentence.”

They both realized that the sheer improbability of the situation was probably what saved Elwyn’s life. Both Ayron and Elwyn felt a bit restless from sitting and got up and took a leisurely walk to where the morden were grazing. It was hard to believe how many hours they had already talked and had barely scratched the surface of what they needed and wanted to discuss with each other. Ayron checked Gerrack’s wounds and praised Elwyn again for her ability to treat them. On the way back to the campsite, they stopped and picked up some more wood for the fire and water for tea. When they got back, Ayron built up the fire, while Elwyn put some deer meat and potatoes on to roast. Ayron made them each a mug of hot tea, and they started their discussions again.

Ayron started the conversation by telling Elwyn something he did know about; her father, Lord Azavon.

“Your father is a very dedicated ruler and has a passion for all the races that live in Silvendil. He throws himself into ruling our nation with his whole heart. Sometimes, though, I think he does it because he still struggles with so much grief. He has never been able to get past the death of your mother and the death of the child they both wanted so much. When Azavon heard of Rhianna’s death, it was as if something in him died as well. He continues to struggle with a terrible sense of guilt, because he was told she committed suicide and he blames himself for not realizing that she was so unhappy.”

“I understand a grief so strong that it can consume a person. My uncle Rhys sounds much like my father. Within a few weeks time he lost the two people he loved more than anything else in the world. He has never been able to get past the death of his wife Alesia and their unborn child. And, I believe that most of the hope for a bright future died in him as he also had to watch his twin sister die before his eyes. He has never been able to talk about Alesia or my mother since that time, so he stays stuck in that terrible sinkhole of grief for his losses, and guilt because he couldn’t do anything to save either of them.

I hope that when my father learns that my mother didn’t commit suicide, it will help him to get some closure and to move on. Having read my mother’s diary while I was in Kren, I can tell him that she was full of life until she passed on. The diary, even toward the end, was not about lying down and dying, but about living and loving.”

As she talked, tears filled Ayron’s eyes, for he had loved Rhianna as well and had always wondered why he had not been able to sense that she was so unhappy. He and Azavon were both shocked when they returned from Grimsfyne to find that she had committed suicide only days before their return.

“I hope that when we get to Findara, my father will read the diary. It should certainly, in my mother’s own words, free him from feeling any guilt. While I was in Kren, I read the entire diary, hoping that I would find answers to some of my own questions, and I have. I definitely have a much more positive view of both you and my father, as you were two of the three people that my mother trusted with her life.

I have to be honest with you though, the diary also planted some concerns in my mind. I am now well aware that my mother’s enemies might still be in Findara and will probably be less than thrilled to find out that she lived long enough to have me.”

“I agree with you, Elwyn. Your uncle brought up some of the same concerns with me before I left to join you. He and I both hope, as we travel north together, we can try to put the pieces together and figure out who our enemies are.”

Elwyn did bring up her concern about Lady Alysan and how cruel she had been to her mother. Ayron was shocked that his sister had openly behaved that badly toward Rhianna.

“I know my sister didn’t particularly like your mother. I don’t think that it had anything to do with her as a person; I think it was just because she was a human. For some reason she has always been very concerned about keeping our family’s bloodlines pure and openly disapproved of Azavon’s marriage. She became even more obsessed after our father died. When she heard that Rhianna was pregnant, she felt sure that the people of Silvendil would never accept their child as the next ruler.

She has lived a very politically correct, but empty life. She married an elf who was the son of one of the cabinet ministers, not for love, but because it was a sound political decision. I know that her marriage has not been a happy one, but she did her duty and produced a son. To be honest, I feel sorry for her. I suppose I could be wrong, but as misguided as my sisters views might be, I do not believe that she would have been part of a conspiracy against your mother. I don’t think she could bring herself to commit treason.”

Ayron felt that he and Elwyn would have to explore the dynamics surrounding his sister a bit more before they arrived in Findara. For all he knew, his sister thought that her son Remi would be the next ruler of Silvendil. Lord Azavon never remarried, he was a bachelor with no desire to rule, so that left Alysan. He didn’t think his sister wanted to rule, but she might have a very strong desire to see her son on the throne. If that was so, Ayron could see how Elwyn’s presence might definitely displease her. Not to mention, there was also a definite possibility that her husband and his family would also be unhappy. They would see their chances to have their bloodline infused into the next ruler and any future heirs lost. And there was also the influence they might be able to exert over the throne of Silvendil. All of those dreams and plans would quickly disappear as soon as Elwyn appeared and took her place as Azavon’s daughter and heir.

Elwyn and Ayron were both shocked to notice it was nearing dusk. They both spent some time seeing to the morden. Gerrack’s wounds seemed to be healing nicely and Ayron thanked Elwyn again for seeing to him earlier that day. Ayron dug out the food that Zuri, Hodari’s wife, sent along with him. He had not eaten much of it and, to Elwyn, it looked like a feast. There were dumplings, salted meats, and even some dried fruit. She also sent along a generous supply of tea and several small bags of dried herbs that could be added to their meals as they cooked. Ayron put on another pot of water for tea, while Elwyn set about steaming some dumplings to go along with the roasted deer meat and potatoes. While dinner finished cooking, Ayron and Elwyn began to discuss the werecats and their request for help from Silvendil.

Elwyn quickly filled him in on the details given her by Madrigal. When Ayron heard the description of the creatures she described, he became very concerned.

“It sounds to me as if Salissia is positioning itself to either attack Silvendil or take over Unity. Either one of those would be unacceptable to Silvendil, Urafiki, and Grimsfyne. I’m not sure how the other nations would feel about it. It is possible that the Salissians have been making agreements with the some of the other nations without our knowledge. I’m sure that Azavon will want to investigate that further and aid the werecats if he can.

When I get the chance, I would like to find out what happened to the survivors from the village of Kren. I’m sure that the assassins destroyed the village and the villagers to keep them from finding out what they were up to in Wheryn. I hope that my friend Owen and his family survived the massacre. When things have been resolved in Silvendil, I would like to search for them and help them return to their village, if they chose.”

“I would like to come along with you when you do that, uncle. I know that I will get restless if I am put like a fish in a glass bowl. I like to experience things myself and love being in the outdoors.”

Ayron could see that there were going to have to be a lot of adjustments made within the Council of Elders before they would be able to embrace Elwyn and the way she viewed and chose to experience life. She was much more like his grandmother, Lady Silvenna, than the other women at court. And, until they figured out who was behind and part of the conspiracy, there would be the issue of protecting her life. That was a problem they were not going to solve here and now so he continued listening to his niece speak about her encounter with the werecats.

Even after listening to Elwyn describe what the werecats knew, he still had no idea what the large black creatures were, or what the Salissians were trying to do in the swamp. He did know that the Salissians were the best scientists in the Known lands. He also mentioned that he thought they were harvesting serpents from the swamp to make their poisons. He was aware of other times that they’d entered different lands without permission, and stealthily tried to steal resources they needed. The large black creatures were another thing altogether. Ayron had no idea who and what they were, or their purpose for being in Wheryn. He also had no idea why the morden, drakenhawks and werecats were unable to connect with each other or anyone else located outside of the swamp itself.

Darkness fell as dinner finished cooking at last. Ayron, Elwyn, and Keroc were very hungry. The only noises intruding upon the sounds of dinner being consumed were the occasional impact of morden hooves as they moved around the meadow and the light scratching of talons landing on tree limbs as the drakenhawks guarding them shifted positions in the surrounding trees. They both felt it would be a good idea for the drakenhawks to make sure to hunt before they resumed their travels the next day. Elwyn communicated that to Toruk and could hear but not see them as they flew north to seek game. It was late and Ayron suggested that they both turn in early so they could get as much rest as possible before they set out. He asked Elwyn to try to contact Madrigal in the morning, to tell her that they both agreed to deliver her request for help and would also encourage Azavon to act on it. He also asked her to tell Madrigal that they were ready to move on toward Silvendil. Elwyn agreed and as she lay down on her bed pad, Toruk assured her that the drakenhawks would be back in position by morning and would have all hunted. He also told her that when he hunted earlier that day, he communicated with Kierra, who couldn’t wait to contact Elwyn herself. She let Toruk know that they were definitely planning to continue on to Silvendil the next morning and fell asleep to feelings of relief and joy as Toruk shared the good news with the other five drakenhawks.

E
lwyn was awakened bright and early the next morning by Keroc, bobbing his head and rubbing his scaly body against her side. Feeling of hunger permeated her mind. She reached up and patted his head, sending him a mental image of affection and tranquility. She looked up and was surprised to see her uncle by the fire heating up water for tea and making porridge for them to eat for breakfast. Elwyn rose and rolled up her bed pad. She went down by the little pond to bathe before joining Ayron for breakfast. She sat on a large stump drinking a mug of hot tea and surveyed the landscape that surrounded her. Other than plant life, the only signs of life her eyes could discern were the drakenhawks perched in the trees and the morden in the small meadow.