The Awakening (43 page)

“The First willing,” Gretchen murmured in the darkness of the hallway.

“The First willing,” Emmeline echoed.

Chapter Forty-five

Esta rode silently at the head of the small group after bidding farewell to Parsifal. The leader of the Knights of Avalain wasted no time, and galloped off in the direction of Talamar as soon as his Queen had departed. He’d told Esta he was anxious to reunite with his fellow Knights and see how negotiations with Duke Kettin and his misguided followers had fared. He believed Lady Margot must have returned by now, and whatever progress, if any, they had made in her absence, she was certain to reverse. He hoped that the inevitable confrontation had not yet come to blows. Her power was considerable, Ormachon had warned, though it paled before the Lalas’ own, he knew that she would not hesitate to use it. He wanted desperately to be there if and when that occurred.

“I seem always to return to my home alone,” Esta said sadly as she watched Parsifal’s silhouette fade into the distance. “Or else, they leave me behind.”

Elion had spurred his mount forward and was now riding beside her, while Tomas with Stephanie sitting behind him, and Preston walked side by side a few paces behind the others.

“You have us, your Highness,” Elion replied in an effort to comfort her.

“Forgive me, Prince. I did not mean it to sound that way. It was in reference to my old friends that I spoke,” she explained.

“There is no need for you to justify your words to me,” he said in an understanding tone. “Besides, I too often feel the same these days. Though now I travel with these two companions, for a long period of time, I journeyed alone, and each time I thought that I would finally have the opportunity to repose with my loved ones, I was mistaken,” he mused. “Fate can have a cruel heart, my Lady.”

“So it can, Elion. And a lonely one too,” the Queen responded. “I will miss Marne dearly,” she then said.

“She was loyal to the last. A noble woman,” the elf noted.

“It is rare to find one as selfless as she. We have been companions for a long, long time.”

“She is at peace now. She has returned to the earth,” he said in a comforting way recalling the burial that occurred not too long ago.

“I thank your friend Tomas for that,” Esta responded gratefully. “He is a remarkable boy.”

“That he is, your Highness. Since the moment he arrived at Pardatha upon the wings of the Selgays, my hope and faith have been renewed. I am honored to know him, and to have known Marne as well, though regrettably that was for only a brief moment,” Elion said.

“You would have liked her, Elion. She had the kindest of hearts, although it was never soft. Marne carried out her duties resolutely. Next to my daughter, she was the closest person to me in this world. Even in Filaree’s presence, she was my confidant more often than not,” Esta reminisced sadly. “What is the heir like?” she then asked, changing the subject abruptly just as the tears began to form in the corners of her beautiful eyes. “Are they identical in all ways? Could another be as gentle as he?”

“All the time that I spent with Tomas’ brother, he was unconscious. But just being in his presence was uplifting. Gazing upon his features was more calming than I could have imagined,” Elion reflected. “He glows with power. I could feel it all the time, even from the first moment I found him. The First willing, my friends have arrived in Seramour and he is awake once more.”

“My daughter, you mean?” Esta asked.

“Yes, your Highness. Cairn of Thermaye and Robyn dar Tamarand as well. They are a formidable threesome,” he said. “Formidable in battle, yet kind and caring too.”

“What is the Chosen one like?” she inquired.

“Robyn? Deep, as one would expect. But so is the scholar,” Elion replied. “Robyn does not reveal himself as easily as the others. He is secretive and reserved, and very handsome. Even the Elfin women find him attractive. Filaree is quite friendly, and she and I had become close in only a short time. She has a wonderful outlook on life. There is much about her that I admire,” he related fondly. “Does she get her optimism from you, your Highness?” he asked.

“No, Elion. She is more like my husband was. Though we have much in common, she is her father’s daughter,” the Queen recounted lovingly. She sensed by the inflection in his voice, as only a mother could, that Elion’s affection indicated more than mere friendship and she smiled to herself, thinking of how extraordinary and unusual a pair they would make. “She was taught to be independent. Filaree has always been her own woman. My husband would have been proud of her if he were alive today.”

They walked in silence for a few minutes, each reflecting upon the recent developments.

“Where will you go when you depart Avalain?” Esta finally inquired.

“I do not really know,” Elion answered honestly. “We do not exactly have a plan or a destination. We await Tomas’ inspiration. He finds the answers when the moment is upon us. I have accepted his inclination to change his mind. He always does so for a reason.”

“What of the girl, Stephanie? Will she accompany you? He seems quite fond of her,” Esta observed.

“I have no idea. I had not really thought about it. We have not had a moment to discuss that subject, though he did tell us that they were childhood friends. She clearly has his best interests at heart, as he does hers.”

“Perhaps she can remain in Avalain. The castle will be so empty without Marne and Filaree. There is much she could assist me with.”

“We should talk this over with her and with Tomas then,” Elion responded. “I think that she might welcome the opportunity.”

Stephanie had been inadvertently drawn into the mix, as had they all it seemed. Her mother remained alone in Pardeau, and in her weakened state, she worried that the older woman would be unable to survive on her own. Ormachon had assured Stephanie that her mother would always be provided for and that she need not trouble herself about that. He also promised that no one would bother her mother any longer, and that she could rest assured that she would be safe from harm. He could not of course, assert anything about her deteriorating health, and Stephanie knew that the old woman was not getting any younger.

Tomas offered to escort her back in order to say goodbye. But Stephanie did not want to endanger him any further, and she knew that Gumley and the rest of his cronies would be looking for her after she left so precipitously from the gathering. Besides, she knew that her mother would barely recognize her anyway. It was not difficult for her to decide that leaving Pardeau for Avalain was the better of her choices.

“The roadway is wide enough,” Elion shouted back to his friends, turning in his saddle as he spoke. “Why don’t you join us?” he asked, and he glanced up inconspicuously at the ominous clouds forming in the sky overhead.

Tomas and Preston spurred their mounts forward and caught up with the Prince and the Queen.

“The air is damp,” Tomas remarked. “It feels like rain,” he said, looking toward the south.

“Damp, yet warm. So unlike it should be this time of year,” Queen Esta responded.

“The wind blows from the south,” he said, and he had a curious expression upon his face. “It feels unnatural to me,” Tomas finally remarked. His voice was suddenly tinged with concern.

“It will pass. We could use the rain anyway,” Esta replied casually, not catching his worried tone.

“If it is merely rain that travels upon this wind,” Tomas commented, while he scrutinized the southern horizon more carefully.

“What else do you anticipate, Tomas?” Elion asked, alarmed by his statement, having grown accustomed by now to the boy’s premonitions.

“I am not certain, but I sense Colton’s design amidst the pattern of clouds. This aberrant weather is no mere coincidence. It has followed us all the way from Pardatha. But now it seems to be coalescing,” Tomas replied watchfully.

“So far north?” Elion questioned. “Maybe it is just a summer storm,” he said.

“I wonder what it is like in the Thorndars, if it is so warm here. Pardatha must be sweltering too,” Preston surmised.

“And Seramour as well. Thank the First that it is high in the air. It is always cooler above than upon the ground. The breezes flow more freely,” Elion recalled fondly.

Tomas closed his eyes and remained silent for a while, as the rest of the group continued its conversation. Stephanie held tightly to his waist and listened intently to what was said. All the words they spoke were generating fantastic images in her mind of all the far away places, though some of what was said caused shivers to run down her spine. It had been so long since her father had died, and her conversations had been severely limited when he was no longer there to participate in them. She was fascinated by her new companion’’s worldliness, and disturbed by it as well. But, with her arms around Tomas, she felt safer than she had in a very, very long time.

“How far is Avalain from here?” Stephanie asked.

“Two days’ ride, if we are not forestalled by anything unexpected,” the Queen replied. “Have you never been there?” she asked, surprised.

“Me? Oh, no your Highness. I have barely been outside of Pardeau. When I was very young, my father and I went to Talamar to purchase some polong oil, but he never took me there again. He felt it was an unsafe place for a young girl like me,” Stephanie recalled. “It was rather wild, as I remember, and I did not enjoy it at all. The people were not very friendly.”

“I am sure it has only gotten worse since then,” Elion commented. “The young Duke does not have the best of reputations. Besides, if I understand correctly, Lady Margot rules there anyway, not Kettin.”

“Yes,” Esta said sternly. “And we know what she is like, don’t we?”

“I would rather not remember,” Preston said, spitting upon the ground.

“It would serve you well to never forget,” the Queen replied. “We have not seen the last of her, I fear.”

“She is just one of many who succumb to the Dark One’s power,” Elion said. “But, we defeated him at Pardatha, and we will do so again when the time comes,” he said with confidence.

“My brother is awake,” Tomas whispered through half closed eyes, interrupting the conversation as if no one was even talking.

“What did you say?” Stephanie asked, uncertain whether she had heard him clearly.

“Davmiran has been revived. They have succeeded,” he said, his face practically void of expression.

Elion held his pony back and waited for Tomas to catch up to him. Queen Esta did the same.

“That is wonderful news,” he replied, smiling from pointed ear to pointed ear, while reaching over and placing his hand on top of Tomas’ in a gesture of comradery.

“Yes, it may be, but he is in danger,” the boy responded, still trance-like. “They do not know it yet,” he continued, as if describing a scene that was playing out before him.

“In Seramour? Are they all still in Seramour?” Elion questioned, fidgeting anxiously.

“Colton has begun his assault upon the city,” Tomas said, continuing his narration. “Even the winds we feel here are of his doing.”

The group had come to a standstill while Tomas spoke, and they all listened intently to his words.

“Is there nothing you can do?” Esta asked.

“Me?” he asked surprised. “No, nothing. But my help is not needed now. There are others whose hands will ply the loom,” he said as cold as stone.

“Tomas?” Elion questioned him. “Can you tell me anything about my parents? Are they well? Will the city come to harm?” he asked, his concern mounting rapidly now.

“I cannot tell you more, Elion. I know little else than I have said already,” he answered.

“I must go to them,” Elion replied. “Maybe I can help,” he said. He was growing more and more troubled and distressed.

“Your place is here with us, Elion. That much I am certain of. Others go to their aid, as I said. I sense no role for you now,” Tomas said calmly while grabbing Elion’s arm.

“I feel so powerless here. Is there nothing at all we can do?” the Prince inquired, greatly agitated. “How can I continue on here when my people are endangered? I shall not be able to live with myself if I do nothing to help.”

“Everything that we do makes a difference. Just because we are not present in Seramour, does not mean that our actions are ineffectual. Distance is not the barrier that you suspect it is. That belief is an illusion,” Tomas said. “You must realize that being in the midst of it all is not the only way you can help. Sometimes, we serve them better by being farther away.”

“What is it exactly that we are doing to help them then?” Preston asked, not understanding fully what Tomas was saying.

Tomas looked at Preston as if he had just asked him the most difficult and confusing question he could have thought of. He agonized over it for a few moments, his face wrought with concern and distress, and then he lifted his eyes to the others and they could see that his features were calm and serene once again.

“After we escort Queen Esta and Stephanie back to Avalain, we will go to Odelot,” he stated.

Elion and Preston looked at him with bewildered expressions upon their faces.

“Odelot? The dead city of Odelot? Why?” Preston inquired.

“What can we possibly do there? It has been deserted for tiels,” Elion commented. “How can we help anyone if we are so far away?” he asked. “It will take us weeks to get there. Are you sure, Tomas?” the Prince asked his friend, though he never questioned his judgement before.

“Yes, Elion,” Tomas replied softly with a quizzical look upon his face. “I am quite sure, though I know not why myself. I wish I could spell out to you how I know these things, but I cannot,” he explained, though he was clearly troubled by Elion’s concern. “You must trust me. I know that I ask a lot of you both,” Tomas said, frowning. “There is so much at stake, and I am not even able to give you reasons for what I ask. Truly, you are good friends,” the boy remarked, full of emotion.

“I am sorry I questioned your judgement Tomas, but it is hard to be so far away and yet hear that my loved ones are in danger as we speak,” Elion replied. “I know you would never lead us astray. But the news about Seramour is very disturbing, and I want to do something to assist them,” he said, stirring restlessly in his saddle.