The Awakening (4 page)

Jahrra grimaced. Was this his attempt at forcing their friendship? She thought they had been getting along quite well, despite the circumstances. Was he angry with her because she had been a bit aloof as they traversed the Raenyan Canyon? She glared at him. If he was going to revert to his demanding ways then she was going to revert to her stubbornness.

The Tanaan dragon frowned for a moment longer then his features melted into a smile. Not a mocking one, but one that held humor.

“I merely wish to ensure your safety. We may be out of the treacherous canyon but this is still the wilderness.”

When Jahrra only blinked up at him, he sighed and let his wing droop a bit. “It’s possible we’ve shaken those who were following us in Oescienne, but now that we’re through the mountains and out of the protection of Raenyan Canyon, we may very well encounter the Tyrant’s men on this side of the province. That and the continued presence of wild animals make me insist you sleep by my side until we reach Lidien.”

And with that he flourished his wing once again.

Jahrra grumbled but obeyed. Jaax was right; they weren’t yet safe. And since she’d been wrong about his intentions she couldn’t very well hold it against him. With a final sigh, she curled up into a disgruntled lump and fell asleep to the rhythm of his breathing and the trickle of ever-present water.

***

The time spent following the shore of Lake Runess took far longer than Jaax had anticipated, what with the saturated trail and the occasional late snow flurry to slow them. The lake itself was like a great sea, vast and curving in the distance, reminding her of the shore of the western ocean in Oescienne. Jahrra passed the time in a mixed state of excitement, fear and loss. During their journey through the great Raenyan Canyon, she had been so preoccupied with surviving the steep, rocky mountainsides and avoiding the dangerous wildlife that she hadn’t had room in her harried mind for reflection on anything else. Jahrra wondered, now that she had the time, if perhaps this was part of Jaax’s plan all along.

Taking a short breath, she cast her gaze forward where the great dragon ambled along smoothly, his head swiveling on his strong neck, surveying every tree and every rock as if he expected an adversary to jump out and accost them at any moment. Phrym nickered tiredly and shook out his mane. They had been traveling since before sunup and it was nearing sunset. They would have to camp soon.

“Jaax,” Jahrra said wearily.

“Aye, I know. Soon,” he replied, sounding just as worn through.

Jahrra nodded, even though he hadn’t turned to see her. She found it strange, strange and somewhat comforting, that they had slipped so easily into their understanding of one another. She reached under her coat collar and pulled the dragon scale that hung from the fine chain out to view. She wondered if this token had somehow worked to connect their spirits more closely together for more often than not, they were able to finish one another’s thoughts.

She had spent so many years fighting against Jaax and his personality flaws but in the past month that had all changed. True, the desperation for escape and tragic circumstances hadn’t given them any other choice but to get along, yet Jahrra hoped there was more to it than that. Perhaps Jaax had finally come to terms with having her around for the long run, forcing him to reflect on how he should treat her.

Despite her fanciful musings, Jahrra was still more willing to accept that it was more likely the need for their close companionship during their flight from Oescienne that caused this familiarity; their lives depended on anticipating what the other thought. She dropped the trinket back inside her shirt and allowed herself a small grin. It was too soon for true laughter, but she was amused by the idea of how well she was now getting along with her new guardian. If Gieaun and Scede could see them now. Jahrra shook her head. Her two best friends would never believe it and it pained her to think of what she had left behind.

Several minutes later Jaax finally stopped walking. Ahead was a clearing nestled amidst a ring of large boulders and tall pines. A narrow creek wound and trickled down the slope on one side, gleaming over polished stones as it crept towards the lakeshore. Jahrra sighed as she slid from Phrym, her sore legs and backside protesting as she stood leaning against his flanks.

A gentle tug at her hair brought her back from the weariness that threatened to take over.

“I know, Phrym, I know.”

Reluctantly, Jahrra began removing his saddle and tack, taking out a curry brush to attend to him before finding a place to tie him for the night. Once her semequin was cared for and happily munching on sweet grass, Jahrra moved over to the center of the clearing where Jaax had gathered several logs and started a fire. He sat facing the lake, acting as a living gate to the opening in the stone ring that led back out onto the path they had been following.

Jahrra plopped down upon a blanket and for a moment almost let her mind sink back to the dark thoughts she’d been chasing away for the past month. If she wasn’t careful the memories of Hroombra’s death forced their way through the barriers she had built only to strangle the breath from her. No, she wouldn’t let them out of that place she kept them, locked away in her mind, at least not while it was still daylight. She was now far away from that tragic place and she wasn’t going to let it haunt her forever. It was bad enough they invaded her sleep, a place where she had no defenses.

She grimaced as that thought hung heavy in the air. Once upon a time she did have a way to fight off the bad dreams but he hadn’t shown himself since Hroombra’s death. No, the hooded figure who often gave her comfort in the world of her subconscious had been strangely absent these past several weeks. She briefly recalled the strange dreams she’d had just after her old guardian’s death, the dreams concerning the fall of the Tanaan humans, dreams that belonged to another.

Could the invasive memories of the stranger be a reason for this? Had someone infiltrated her mind, feeding her horrible recollections that had somehow managed to chase away her green clad savior? Jahrra shivered, hoping it wasn’t true. She had feared the recurrent figure when she was a child but as she grew older and faced sorrows she couldn’t deal with in the waking world, he had given her comfort, helping her through the worst of it. She hoped dearly that he wasn’t gone for good, just absent for the time being.

Sighing, she stood up and walked the dozen steps or so to her guardian. “Should I try to find something to eat?”

Jaax shook his head, his eyes still trained on the endless stretch of water that began several yards ahead of them. The sun was setting and its bright rays had turned the dark water to gold.

“No. I’ll hunt in just a while. It’s been a week since I last ate so I’ll catch something big and you can have part of it.”

He turned and glanced at her, his mouth quirking in a small smile. Jahrra frowned. He looked weary, as if their struggle through the mountains of the Raenyan had taxed him more than he was willing to admit. It had been harrowing, she had to admit, but it had been two weeks since they emerged at the base of the eastern Elornn Range to find the ocean of a lake spreading out before them. But maybe it took a dragon longer to recover when they over-exerted themselves.

Jahrra nodded, then turned back to sit beside the fire.

“You should try to get some sleep,” Jaax called over his shoulder. “We traveled far today and we’ll need to travel farther tomorrow. I hope to make the headwaters of the Saem River within the week and we cannot do that if we are over-tired.”

Jahrra didn’t argue but fetched her bedroll from beside the log where Phrym had settled for the night, trying not to wonder if her nightmares would return now that she felt a little more relaxed on their new path. She hated the idea of being helpless against her dreams. To be so overtaken by fear felt like weakness and Jahrra knew she had survived too much to become weak now. Jaax had assured her many times she was the farthest thing from fragile, that she had no control over her dreams, but she couldn’t accept that. There had to be a way. For now, she would try to get some sleep and pray to Ethoes and all the other gods and goddesses that her dreams would remain untarnished. But if they had to torment her, then the least the goddess could do was send her green cloaked companion along to help.

A few minutes after settling into her blanket, Jahrra heard the rustle of Jaax’s wings as he left to hunt in the dim twilight. She must have dozed off, because it only seemed a few moments later when the sound of her name startled her. She looked up, blinking away bleariness from her eyes as the dim firelight danced in front of her.

“I saved a haunch for you. It’s roasting over the fire,” Jaax said quietly.

Jahrra craned her neck and caught sight of the deer meat, skinned and nearly ready to eat. Jaax had let her sleep and she hadn’t dreamed. Feeling somewhat rested, she sat up and yawned, reaching for the dagger she always kept beneath her bedroll when she slept. She murmured her thanks and gingerly cut off a piece of the meat. It would be too much to eat but they could leave the remainder of it behind for wild animals.

The night drew on and Jaax took his spot at the opening of the stone cairn, curling up and resting his head upon the ground. Jahrra watched him as he fell into sleep, wondering, not for the first time, who he really was. She thought she knew him well enough and Hroombra had trusted him completely, but there was still so much about this strange dragon she didn’t understand.

She reached for her dragon scale pendant once again, her mouth quirking into a smile as she recalled her thoughts from just a few weeks ago. Would she and Jaax ever be good friends? Would she ever trust him as much as she had trusted Hroombra? She thought about that for a while as the sky grew darker and the fire burned lower. Trusting someone was not examining all of their flaws and secrets and then deciding whether or not they were dependable. Trusting someone was to accept them as they were, follies and all, and to know that, despite their misgivings, they would do their utmost not to let you down.

Jahrra shook her head. Now was not a good time to have such philosophical thoughts. She was willing to admit that she didn’t know everything about Jaax and she was comfortable with that for the moment. After all, he didn’t know everything about her even though he thought he did. Jahrra grinned. In a way she felt like she had the upper hand, for Jaax may find himself surprised on several occasions, but Jahrra had braced herself for truths she may not be able to handle.

Besides, what could be more shocking than learning you were the only human being in Ethoes and destined to free a world from its curse?

Nothing
, she thought as she smiled and allowed her mind to wander off into sleep,
nothing could ever surprise me more than that.

-
Chapter Three
-

Crie

A few days later and just before it was time to make camp for the evening, Jaax, Jahrra and Phrym turned from the main path that followed the lake and began traveling beside a great sluggish river.

“The Saem River, Jahrra,” Jaax murmured over his shoulder. He motioned his head to the far side of the bank, hundreds of feet away. “On the other side is Felldreim.”

Jahrra thought he still looked weary from their weeks of travel but a spark of excitement lit up his silver-green eyes.

Tilting her head and cocking an eyebrow, Jahrra pursed her lips and waited for him to say more.

Jaax smiled. “We’ll follow this river for another day and then we’ll be in Crie.”

Jahrra twitched in the saddle, causing Phrym to glance back at her in inquiry.

“Crie? You mean, the village where I was found?”

The Tanaan dragon smiled more broadly this time and for a fleeting moment Jahrra thought it suited him but in the very next breath the apprehension she felt returned. The place where she was found, abandoned and parentless, beneath an oak tree. No, beneath Ethoes’ sacred Oak. The wood bead bracelet wrapped snuggly around her wrist seemed to tingle, but Jahrra was sure it was all in her head. She thought about the time she’d touched the sacred Apple Tree, almost a lifetime ago, in Ehnnit Canyon. What would brushing her fingers against the Oak do to her? She shivered and swallowed hard, urging Phrym to move up next to Jaax. When she bothered to look up at him she noticed he was no longer smiling.

He sounded slightly troubled when he asked, “You don’t fear going back, do you?”

“No,” was her automatic response, then she shook her head slightly. “Yes. What I mean is, I don’t know. I’m not afraid, but it, it–” Jahrra seemed to have lost the ability to think.

“It’s daunting nonetheless,” Jaax finished, casting his glance out over the wide river once again. “Returning to a place of great significance after a long absence often causes that exact feeling.”

Jahrra tightened her jaw and nodded. It was precisely as Jaax had said. Though she could not remember Crie, it had still played a major part in her life. It was the very place where her life had begun.

On the second day after meeting the Saem, and nearly a month and a half after leaving the Castle Guard Ruin behind, Jahrra and Jaax found themselves looking down into a quaint little village from the small hill they had just climbed. Jahrra stared, not knowing what to think, as Jaax exhaled behind her, ruffling her hair.

“Crie,” he said, his voice somewhat stoical.

It was a little before noon and the spring sunlight was drifting through the new leaves of the oak, aspen and sycamore trees growing on the shelf of land that stood near the edge of the river, casting emerald shadows upon the forest floor. The tiny settlement of Crie was much smaller than Jahrra had imagined but the strange, beehive-shaped houses reminded her a little of the huts in the fields back at home. The people roaming around below, mingling and setting about their daily chores, were hard to see from this height and distance but the friendly chatter of neighbors greeting one another blended nicely with the rush of the river.

Jahrra wondered if they were all elves but didn’t voice her questions. She turned and looked at Jaax who was studying her the way she had studied the buildings and people below. Sometimes his gaze was too much to bear as if he was trying very hard to see past her outer shell to determine what she consisted of just beneath her skin. Jahrra had grown used to Jaax in the past few months but she wasn’t sure if he was comfortable having her nearby on a constant basis yet. She had a feeling that, habitually, Jaax was a solitary creature.

Jahrra straightened in the saddle once again, her lips drawn tight over her teeth, and tried to convince herself she was reading too much into her guardian’s scrutiny.

“Shall we make ourselves known?” Jaax queried after a few moments.

Jahrra merely nodded, kneeing Phrym forward towards the narrow trail that descended into the village.

It didn’t take long for someone, a young boy playing with a wooden toy, to notice them picking their way down the hillside. He glanced up at the sound of Phrym’s soft nicker, eying Jahrra curiously then dropping his toy as his eyes grew huge. Jahrra didn’t have to turn to know he had spotted Jaax behind her. Everyone had that reaction when seeing the Tanaan dragon for the first time.

The child scrambled off between two houses, calling out to his mother or father along the way. Within seconds of the boy’s departure the rest of the village began to gather around, noticing their visitors. Soon a small murmuring crowd had collected and Jahrra suddenly felt like one of the strange insects she, Gieaun and Scede used to capture and study.

“Raejaax!”

The exuberant shout caused Jahrra to start. An older man was pushing his way through the mêlee, trying to get to them as quickly as he could, his faded brown, fly-away hair giving him a disheveled look. Finally he managed to break through the sea of people to stand before them.

“What in all of Ethoes are you doing here?”

There was laughter in the man’s breathless voice and he was careful not to look too long at Jahrra as he spoke. He obviously knew Jaax but something told Jahrra he wasn’t quite sure about her. Surely he must suspect who she was. Why else would Jaax be traveling with a girl who matched the age of the child they had handed over to him seventeen years ago? Jahrra shook her head. Maybe they didn’t realize just how much time had passed since Jaax took her away.

“Aydehn,” Jaax said.

Jahrra heard the smile in his voice but she glanced back to make sure. It was more of an excuse to escape the eyes of the townspeople than to prove what she suspected.

He took a breath and continued, “Allow me to present Jahrraneh Drisihn.”

A dead silence ensued. Jahrra suddenly felt very uncomfortable atop Phrym, even more so than she had two minutes ago. She held his reins slack but her knuckles whitened as she tightened her grip. Swallowing several times, she braved a look at the people all staring at her.

A heartbeat or two passed and then everyone did something exceptionally shocking. As if following a silent order, every last villager, from the older man standing in front of them down to the small boy who had run off to announce their arrival, lowered themselves to their knees, their gazes no longer curious but filled with reverence.

Oh no, this was not good. Jahrra tried to say something but the words got stuck in her throat. She turned once again towards Jaax, her eyes saying it all:
Why are they doing this? How do I make them stop?

Jaax, curse him, merely grinned and bowed his head slightly, taking a smooth step back as if to detach himself from her presence. Jahrra’s mouth dropped open, both in horror and from a feeling of abandonment. She was utterly alone. This entire village was kneeling before her as if she was a queen and Jaax had left her all alone with them.

Finally, the man who had recognized her guardian rose tentatively, licked his lips, and cleared his voice. He addressed Jahrra without looking her in the eye, something that seemed more disrespectful than the deference he was so obviously trying to display.

“Drisihn, Jahrraneh, Lady,”

He was clearly having trouble deciding what he should call her.

Jahrra opened her mouth to speak, grateful to discover she had finally regained her voice, “Please, call me Jahrra, and please do get up, all of you. You don’t have to treat me like a royal.”

Jaax snickered behind her but Jahrra ignored him. All those days on the road he remained as serious as a headache and now he decided to be in good spirits? When the man continued to stare at her, mute, and when the people of the village remained where they were, Jahrra huffed a breath and swung herself off of Phrym.

“Really, I don’t deserve nor do I want this generous respect. Please, treat me as an equal. It would be better than what I got from some of my peers back in Oescienne.”

Reluctantly, the multitude of people slowly rose to their feet. Jahrra scanned the crowd as they did so, noting that the majority of them were Resai, including the man Jaax had called Aydehn. They hadn’t been far removed from their elvin ancestors, however; she could tell by their features. Some of them may have even been first generation Resai, but Resai they still were.

“Please,” Aydehn said, stepping aside and gesturing, “come join us in the town square where we can hear your story and perhaps tell you a little about your beginning. And you must be tired from your journey.”

Jahrra nodded politely as she pulled Phrym forward. Jaax stepped up so that he walked beside her. To her dismay, the crowd parted to give them space, bowing their heads obsequiously as she passed. All of this was simply too much to take in. It would have been overwhelming enough if they had simply greeted a small village after being alone in the wilderness for so long, but to enter a village and then to be gawked at as if she were some sort of goddess? That was even worse. Jahrra shook her head and considered the dragon walking smoothly beside her. She frowned and moved closer to him.

“They treat me as if I’m of royal birth,” she hissed in Jaax’s direction.

“Yes, and you had best get used to it. We’ll meet several people who will do so; the people of Crie just happen to be the first.”

Jahrra cringed. “You don’t treat me like royalty.”

Jaax smirked but it was more of a grin.

“Aye, and I don’t intend to. Besides,” he added with a wicked lilt to his voice, “how can you be so sure it is not I they bow to?”

That made her laugh. True, it was tinged with bitterness and disbelief, but it was still a laugh. She hadn’t laughed since . . . since before Hroombra died.

As they moved through the village, Jahrra felt her unease dissipate. Though the ground they walked on had patches of mud in several places its location was ideal. So long as the river never rose and overflowed the beehive houses would be safe.

Jahrra took a deep breath and let her eyes wander freely. Beyond the river bank she could see several small islands she was sure were one of the reasons for the river’s placid nature. Already some wildflowers had begun nodding their showy heads in the breeze. She returned her focus back on the community sprawling out before her. Several pens had been constructed to hold goats, sheep, ducks, chickens, geese and rabbits. Jahrra eyed the animals with curiosity, wondering how the villagers made use of them. It seemed these people of Crie lived a simple life, even more simple than the life she had led in Oescienne. Jahrra grinned. It heartened her to know she had come from such an unpretentious upbringing. It made the villagers’ initial behavior towards her seem even more ridiculous.

Eventually she and Jaax came upon a great circular clearing near the town’s center where benches were placed all around a soot-stained fire pit. The crowd filled in silently around them like a thick fog rolling in for the evening. But their relative silence was interrupted by the sudden arrival of a woman. She looked like a whirlwind, her white-streaked, chestnut hair coming loose from the braid that trailed down her back. She scanned the crowd and spotted the Resai man who had invited them over.

“Aydehn!” she cried. “What are you up to now? You’re supposed to be milking the goat, not out here lollygagging about.”

It was at that moment the woman took note of Jaax. Her eyes widened and she stopped short with a gasp. “Raejaax! What on Ethoes?”

But her eyes had wandered from the dragon and had instead fallen upon Jahrra. For the breath of a moment her hazel eyes were obscure with confusion, but in the very next heartbeat they flickered with realization.

“Drisihn?” she whispered, her hands moving to cover her mouth.

Before Jahrra could respond the woman was upon her, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. Unlike the other villagers, this Resai woman threw her arms around her and burst into tears.

At first Jahrra was stunned, but instinct won out and she returned the embrace, trying to comfort the woman who was sobbing against her. She smelled like hard work and baking bread and Jahrra had a sudden, sharp memory of her own foster mother.

“Come now, Thenya, you’ll frighten the girl,” Aydehn clucked awkwardly as he tried to pull her away.

The Resai woman called Thenya reluctantly released Jahrra but continued to hold her at arms’ length. She sniffed, then drew a sleeve across her eyes to wipe away the tears.

“Oh, do forgive me but I haven’t seen you since you were a new born babe. Oh Aydehn, look at how beautiful she is!”

Jahrra felt suddenly discomfited again. If she wasn’t being pinned in place by Thenya’s strong arms she was sure she would have bolted. She took a brave look at Jaax, who had a strange mix of humor and pride on his face. Jahrra blinked in slight shock. Jaax feeling pride towards anyone but himself? Now that was a frightening thought.

“Now, Thenya dear, you’ve embarrassed the poor girl. Do release her.”

Jahrra was sure her face was pink, if not crimson, but Aydehn’s words made her blush even more. She wasn’t used to so much attention and she didn’t dare look at her guardian again.

Reluctantly, Thenya let go and backed into the crowd to stand among them. Jahrra cast her a look every so often and got the impression the woman was barely holding onto her desire to fling herself forward again. But Jaax remained by her side, perhaps to keep the eager villagers at bay.