Bronze Magic (Book 1) (46 page)

“Someone had to stay with him to uphold the oath on behalf of all
who swore it,” protested Autumn Leaves. “Just be glad we took the
burden from the backs of the bulk of you.”
“And we are proud,” came Lapping Water’s gentle voice, “to have been
the first to realise that a new forest guardian had come among us and
to have saved his life so that he can fulfil his role as our protector in the
times to come.”
“Bravo,” said Waterstone quietly, as he headed off to seek out Tarkyn.
But as soon as he had rounded the first bend in the stream, a voice
behind them said, “Not so fast, Waterstone. No doubt you’re off to let
your new brother know what is being said. You remember me, don’t you?
I’m Mudslide.”
Waterstone sent Ancient Oak a brief mind message to go in his stead,
and turned to face her.
Mudslide was stringy but tough, and she was not alone. Driving Rain
stood solidly beside her, arms folded. He was a strongly built, muscly
woodman, his nose a tribute to past fights.
“Out of all of them, Waterstone, you are the greatest disgrace to our
nation.” Driving Rain unfolded his arms, and closed the gap between
them, balancing on the balls of his feet. “You have no excuse for the
inordinate amount of time you have spent with that sorcerer. You spent
days with him when he was injured. We know. And for someone who
is supposed to be such a strong advocate of woodfolk ways, how can
you betray your values by seeking power and privilege at the side of that
interloper?”
“He is an interloper no more. He is a woodman and my brother,” said
Waterstone, keeping his temper on a very tight rein.
“Well done,” sneered Mudslide. “You were quicker than the rest of us
to realise an opportunity. Now you have a powerful sorcerer in your back
pocket...and a forest guardian, as it turns out. That was a real coup. You
must be loving the reflected glory.”
Waterstone’s eyes narrowed, “And I can now include generations of
kings and queens in my family’s archive. Don’t forget that.”
Driving Rain pushed Waterstone hard in the chest with one beefy
hand, forcing him to take a step backwards. Waterstone flicked back
several yards but the two woodfolk just flicked to land the same
distance in front of him. But it had given Waterstone the slight respite
he needed.
“Oh what? No Tarkyn to protect you?” Mudslide closed in to
Waterstone’s left and jabbed him in the bicep. “Where is he when you
need him?”
Alarm flashed in Waterstone’s eyes. “Leave him alone.”
Driving Rain smiled unpleasantly, “Oh, we have no intention of
risking our forests. It is you we object to. We don’t like toadeaters.”
He followed his words by aiming a crushing blow at Waterstone’s
midrift. Waterstone wrenched himself out of the way, not to his right as
they had expected where Driving Rain’s left fist was waiting for him but
to his left, straight into the woodwoman. As Driving Rain’s fist grazed
past his stomach Waterstone, copying one of Tarkyn’s manoeuvres,
grabbed Driving Rain’s fist and used the impetus of the woodman’s own
attack to drive him past.
Unfortunately, Driving Rain was heavier and better balanced and after
a couple of recovery steps, the heavy woodman swung his whole shoulder
into Waterstone just as Mudslide recovered and shoved him hard from
behind. Caught between them, the air exploded from his chest and he
doubled up, winded. Mudslide bent over and swung her full weight
behind her shoulder to send the stricken woodman flying.
Just as Driving Rain strode over and grabbed him by his shirt front to
pull him to his feet, a deep voice rumbled, “That’s our friend you have
there... I suggest you leave him alone.”
Driving Rain hauled Waterstone upright by his shirtfront. “What?
This conniving weasel? You admit friendship with him? You’re all as bad
as each other. You can have him back when I’ve finished with him.”
Almost before he finished speaking, Driving Rain’s eyes rolled up in his
head and he sank to the ground. As Mudslide made a move towards him,
Thunder Storm said calmly, “I will have no compunction about knocking
you out too, if you make any further move to hurt Waterstone.” She
looked around to see a deadly little slingshot aimed at her head.
As Waterstone disentangled his shirt from Driving Rain’s slack hand,
Autumn Leaves walked over to him and put his arm around him to help
him up.
“Mudslide,” said Autumn Leaves over his shoulder, “I don’t think
much of your taste in men.” He turned back to Waterstone, “Come on
me old mate, let’s get you away from this unwholesome company you’ve
been keeping.” He frowned as Waterstone wrapped his arm around his
chest, still trying to catch his breath. “No permanent damage, I hope?”
Waterstone shook his head, and managed to get out between breaths,
“No. A bit of bruising maybe. Mostly just winded.”
Behind them, Driving Rain groaned and raised himself groggily on
one elbow. He was shaking his head trying to clear it, just as Falling
Branch rounded the bend with Raging Water hobbling behind in hot
pursuit.
“What’s gong on here?” demanded the old man.
“That bastard shot me,” mumbled Driving Rain, pointing an accusing
finger at Thunder Storm.
“Yes, and I will again if you’re not careful.”
“Good shooting, Thunder Storm. You knocked him out for less
than a minute. That takes some finesse.” Autumn Leaves transferred
his attention to Waterstone, “You all right to stand on your own now?”
When Waterstone nodded, he let go and addressed Raging Water, “Those
two miscreants attacked Waterstone. We’re not totally clear why. We just
came when he called.”
“They object to my friendship with Tarkyn, and think I deliberately
developed it so that I can use his power.” Waterstone kept his eyes trained
on his shirt as he brushed dirt off it. “Of course, they’re not the first to
think that. Tarkyn thought exactly the same when he first knew me.” He
raised his head to look at Raging Water. “One of the joys of being around
a power wielder.”
“Stars above, Waterstone,” rumbled Thunder Storm, “That was very
poor thanks for all those hours and days you put in at his bedside. Fancy
mistrusting you after all that time.”
Waterstone gave a wry smile. “Don’t think badly of him, Thunder
Storm. All his life, he has been used for his influence, and cast aside when
there is no more profit in associating with him. You think about it. His
own brothers and two of his friends were willing to see him hanged. Why
would he suddenly turn around and trust a complete stranger?”
“Why did he trust you then?” asked Thunder Storm.
“I’ll tell you later,” said Waterstone shortly, glancing at Autumn Leaves.
“You wheedled your way into his confidence. That’s why,” sneered
Driving Rain.
Waterstone shrugged, “Think what you like. Whatever you say or
however you threaten me, I won’t leave Tarkyn’s side.” He didn’t tell them
that Tarkyn had forbidden him to leave, because he would have said the
same thing anyway. He smiled. “Just as I won’t leave Thunder Storm or
Autumn Leaves.”
“And what does your daughter think about this?” asked Mudslide
casually.
“She is pleased to have Tarkyn as her uncle,” replied Waterstone, his
whole body tightening at the underlying threat in her question, as he
wondered how to keep his daughter safe.
But Raging Water had no such qualms. He stomped up to the
woodwoman and put his hands on his hips, “Mudslide, if anything ever
happened to Sparrow, or to Waterstone or Ancient Oak, we would hunt
you down... and Driving Rain. And we would bring the full force of
woodfolk law to bear on you. You would never see your home forest
again.” He thrust his face up close to hers and hissed, “I will make known
your words to all woodfolk gathered here. Don’t you ever threaten a child
again.”
When Driving Rain and Mudslide had slunk off, Falling Branch
turned to Waterstone, “You know, when you offered to become Tarkyn’s
blood brother, I thought you were brave because it would be so strange
to have a sorcerer – and especially that sorcerer – in your family. But now
I realise that by doing that, you have also undertaken to shoulder some
of the resentment directed at Tarkyn and to endure the suspicion some
people will have of your motives.” He clapped Waterstone on the back.
“So, I just want to say that you have my support.”
“And mine,” growled Raging Water.
Waterstone smiled. “Thanks. You haven’t been around Tarkyn as long
as we have. I walked into this with my eyes wide open. All three of us
know that being around Tarkyn is hard work.” His smile broadened, “But
luckily, he is worth it.”
hen Tarkyn and Ancient Oak returned to the firesite, lunch was
underway. Consumption of food and drink had mellowed the mood
a little but many people patently ignored Tarkyn or threw measuring
glances in his direction.
Autumn Leaves looked up with a slight smile, “Over your huff now,
are you?”
“Yes, thanks,” said Tarkyn, as he sat down, refusing to be baited.
Sun Shower handed him a freshly baked flat bread rolled around dried
berries, soft cheese and thin strips of some sort of meat without speaking
to him.
“Thank you,” he said, but without looking at her.
The woodfolk ate in silence, many obviously mind talking. Handy
being able to mind talk, thought Tarkyn. It doesn’t interfere with eating
in the way normal talking does.
Looking around the group, Tarkyn felt that all-in-all, he had lost
ground. All his careful negotiations with his home guard were in tatters.
No one was including him in any conversations and in the present
climate, he couldn’t insist on it. He wasn’t about to start a conversation
and be accused of trying to dominate the group again. If people had been
talking out aloud, he might have been able to chat to Autumn Leaves or
Ancient Oak but not when that would be the only audible conversation.
How the pendulum swang. He now felt isolated again but for different
reasons.
He toyed with his food, finding he couldn’t bring himself to eat the
meat that might be one of the creatures he had linked with over the
past few days. He picked at the his food for long enough to be polite
then stood up and walked back down to the stream. This time, Autumn
Leaves, Waterstone, Falling Branch, Ancient Oak and Rainstorm
followed him. Ancient Oak and Rainstorm had not been a party to the
attack on Waterstone but they could tell something had happened from
the straight-backed defiance of the other three as they left the clearing.
By mutual unspoken consent, they found a comfortable grassy place
to sit, away from prying eyes. Waterstone suppressed a grunt of pain as
he sat down.
Ancient Oak directed a worried frown at him but when he received no
response, spoke to Tarkyn, “You mightn’t be consulting them but you are
certainly allowing them to dictate your behaviour.”
Everyone looked at him in surprise.
“Good heavens, Ancient Oak. That was remarkably profound,” said
his older brother, keeping the tone determinedly light. “Do I understand
from that, that Tarkyn said he wouldn’t consult with anyone? What
about? About how he should act?”
Ancient Oak nodded.
“Oh well done, Tarkyn,” said Waterstone scathingly. He spoke again
to Ancient Oak, “So I suppose you now think he is totally autocratic, do
you?”
Ancient Oak put his head on one side. “Actually, I did when he first
said it. But that doesn’t fit with everything you’ve said and the way he acts
the rest of the time when he’s not on his high horse.” He smiled, “No, he’s
just a bit spiky, that’s all.”
The prince glared at them. “What is it about me that makes people
feel free to discuss me as though I’m not here? I haven’t seen you doing
it to each other.”
Waterstone grinned. “Sorry. It’s just that you’re so much more
interesting to talk about than the rest of us.” He gingerly changed
position, only to find Rainstorm’s eyes on him.
“Something’s wrong, isn’t it, Waterstone?” asked the young woodman.
“Something has happened that you and Autumn Leaves and Falling
Branch are not telling us about.”
Waterstone rolled his eyes. “Save us from nosey little teenagers.”
Rainstorm drew himself up, “That wasn’t kind. I am only concerned
for you.”
“Sorry, Rainstorm. It’s just that I don’t want anyone feeling that they
have to do something about it.”
“You mean me, don’t you, Waterstone?” said Tarkyn slowly. He gave a
wry smile, “I would not interfere unless you agreed, you know.”
Waterstone’s strained face relaxed. “Not to mention that we have an
agreement to share information with you that we can once more honour.
Very well.” He took a breath. “While you were off with Ancient Oak,
two thugs accused me of currying favour with you and underlined their
remarks with physical force.”
“Autumn Leaves and Thunder Storm came to his rescue and Raging
Water sent the thugs about their business, in no uncertain terms.” Falling
Branch smiled proudly, “He’s a feisty old man.”
Tarkyn frowned, realising that this was a sanitised version of events.
“Would you have told me if Rainstorm hadn’t forced the issue?”
Waterstone cleared his throat. “Yes, eventually. But I didn’t want you
to feel bad about the reactions our family may have to face, especially so
soon after your inauguration.”
Tarkyn gave a shy smile, “You asked me into your family to share with
you the joys and trials of kinship, so that we can call upon each other’s
strength in times of need. Remember?” He glanced at Ancient Oak. “I
know people around me become subjected to those sorts of pressures.
It has happened around me all my life. I promise I won’t rush in and
champion your cause if you don’t want me to. I can see that defending
you could well reinforce people’s suspicion that you have me at your beck
and call. But, at the very least, I can be here to talk to about it. After all,
I have vastly more experience of it than you do. And if you request more
than that, you may have that too.”