Bronze Magic (Book 1) (47 page)

“Thanks.” Waterstone smiled at Tarkyn and then glanced at his brother.
Ancient Oak returned his smile, including Tarkyn in it. In that moment,
the two woodmen and the sorcerer truly became brothers.
After a rather soppy silence, Autumn Leaves could stand it no longer
and cleared his throat, “Harrumph. Anyway, I think Ancient Oak made
a good point. You can’t let them cow you into silence.”
Tarkyn gave a short laugh at Autumn Leaves’ discomfort. “I have
not been cowed into silence. I didn’t want to have yet another public
conversation while everyone sits round, listening and judging. If other
people had been talking, I would have talked too… I can’t help it if they
haven’t enough courtesy not to whisper in front of one, so to speak.”
“What if they keep it up?” asked Ancient Oak.
The prince frowned. “I can’t imagine they all will. A lot of those people
wouldn’t endorse a conspiracy against me. Raging Water, you people, the
rest of the home guard…”
“The what?” demanded Waterstone.
Tarkyn cheeks darkened. “Oops. That’s my own private name for the
woodfolk who have stood by me from the time of the accident.”
Autumn Leaves smiled. “It’s all right. I quite like it.” He looked at
Ancient Oak and Rainstorm. “You two, of course, will have to earn your
way into the home guard.”
Rainstorm’s eyes narrowed. “If we want to be in it.”
“And if I want you to be,” retorted the prince.
“Now you two, no fighting,” intervened Autumn Leaves who had
spent a week watching them indulge in friendly bickering. “So what are
we going to do about the mixed feelings of the woodfolk gathered out
there?”
With a glance at Ancient Oak, Tarkyn gave a resigned sigh. “Tell me
what the upshot of the discussion was.”
“Unfortunately,” put in Waterston somewhat bitterly, “those of us who
have sworn the oath are not accorded much credibility… especially the
home guard,” he added with a quirk of his mouth. “So our influence
on the overall feeling has been minimal. Added to that, the harvesters,
Ancient Oak’s lot, are still unreconciled to the oath, so most of them
are agitating against you. With the exception of the woodfolk you have
already mentioned and couple of dried up old dears you were sitting next
to yesterday, the rest of them are still worried you’re planning to stage
some sort of a take-over.”
“Well, blast the lot of them!” exclaimed the prince angrily, throwing
his arms up in frustration. “They can go and sort out their own problems,
for all I care. If it weren’t for that bloody oath!” He scowled at them.
“What’s the point of becoming a woodman, if no-one is going to trust
me anyway?”
“The point is that we can tell you everything you want to know about
woodfolk now and you can trust us again,” answered Autumn Leaves
succinctly. He swept his arm around. “Anyway, all of us trust you.”
Tarkyn raised his eyebrows at Rainstorm who nodded in response and
said, “He’s right. I trust you too. I mightn’t do what you tell me but I
trust you.” The young woodman cleared his throat. “Trouble is, Tarkyn,
you are quite forceful. The way you speak and act, well, you just assume
that what you’re going to say is important. Even if you listen to other
people’s ideas, you still lead the discussion.”
For a fraught moment, Tarkyn stared at him. Everyone else held their
breath. Then the prince gave a twisted smile, “I told you I was no good at
being equal.” He frowned around at the others. “And when were the rest
of you going to get around to telling me this?”
“I didn’t know you didn’t know,” answered Ancient Oak quickly.
Waterstone smiled at the prince. “We already told you. Remember last
night when we were trying to show Rainstorm how much you negotiate
and basically couldn’t find a situation where you weren’t running the
show…even during the last week when you were unsure of your position.
But now, becoming a woodman has restored your self assurance, and
you’re a force to be reckoned with.”
Tarkyn rolled his eyes. “Fine then. So we know where we stand. I am
so used to leading, that there is little hope that these egalitarian woodfolk
are going to be able to stomach me as I am.”
Rainstorm nodded without hesitation. “That about sums it up.”
The prince gave a rueful smile. “And there is little hope that I will
change because I thought I had already; and obviously I have failed
dismally.”
“I think you’ve changed,” said Ancient Oak, “But maybe that’s because
you’re now in my family.”
Autumn Leaves snorted. “Of course you’ve changed. Only two weeks
ago, we were debating whether we should all stand up when you arrive
and wait to be spoken to and what else was there? …not bend over you
and… I’ve forgotten the other ones.”
“Bow. Not raise our voices to you,” filled in Waterstone dryly.
For a moment, as the prince raised his eyebrows, he looked quite
disdainful. “And there are many more, that I didn’t even bother
mentioning.”
Ancient Oak and Rainstorm both watched this interchange roundeyed.
Rainstorm shook his head a little to clear it. “So. Given where you’ve
come from, you’ve probably come as far as you can, for the time being.”
Tarkyn nodded abstractedly in response, as he thought. Suddenly he
sat up and smiled. “Aha. I know what I’ll do. I’ll just go back in there and
read them the riot act. Then tomorrow morning, I’ll go off to find Falling
Rain as we originally planned. Anyone who wants to come with me can.
The rest can go hang.”
“What about your part of the oath?” asked Rainstorm, frowning.
“No problem at all. Ask Autumn Leaves. It’s dangerous and
logistically too difficult for woodfolk to congregate together for too
long, isn’t it? So, I have achieved what I set out to do which was to
stop the threat of woodfolk killing each other over me. We’re never
going to attack those huntsmen by main force anyway.” The prince
beamed around at them all and concluded, “So, all we have to do
is sort out what each group of woodfolk is doing about the threat.
Then they can keep us informed so that I will know if, and how, I am
needed as guardian of the forest.”
“So you’re going to breeze back in there, are you, and tell them all what
they have to do?” asked Rainstorm in some amusement.
Tarkyn’s eyes gleamed with laughter. “Yes. I think that sums it up. I’ll
do what I do best and lord it over them. If they hate me at the end of it,
it won’t matter particularly, because I’m leaving in the morning anyway.”
he woodfolk did not continue their silent treatment during the
afternoon and evening but Tarkyn made sure that he did not speak
to anyone unless there were other conversations to cover the sound
of his voice. There was an undercurrent of tension, and the resentment
from many woodfolk was palpable. Tree Wind could often be seen at the
centre of a discontented group. She seemed to spread dissention wherever
she went.
Raging Water and Falling Branch were determined to ignore the
general unpleasantness and spent a lot of the afternoon talking to the
forest guardian about his powers and what the dangers ahead might be. If
they noticed that he spoke quietly and did not try to engage others, they
said nothing about it.
The prince didn’t make his move until after the evening meal. When
he was ready, Tarkyn asked his home guard to stay together. Waterstone
did not know why and was a little concerned at the reason for the request,
but complied nevertheless.
The woodfolk were seated comfortably around the firesite as the
guardian of the forest rose to his feet. A hush fell. Tarkyn towered over
them and let his gaze sweep across them.
“My friends, many of you have been dreading this moment, the
moment when I decide to take control.” His voice resonated uncannily
around the dark edges of the firelight. With some satisfaction, he watched
the woodfolk freeze with shock. “It will not be for long, I promise you.
Do not reach for your arrows. I will only put up a shield. If I choose
to use it, with or without the oath, my power is far greater than your
combined force.” Looks of consternation swept his audience. “I have not
tricked you or misled you. I have no intention of ruling you or making
anyone else take the oath. I came here in good faith and I have had no
greater joy in my life than being accepted as a member of the woodfolk.”
Tarkyn put up a hand to quell the mutterings of confusion that broke
out. “This morning, I tried to work with you to prepare for the coming
dangers. I tried to be accommodating and diplomatic but it hasn’t
worked. Too many of you are unwilling to accept what I have to offer
you as forest guardian. Those of you who know me, will know that I am
a man of little patience. I have no intention of spending precious days
and weeks winning over the doubters. So tomorrow morning, I will be
leaving to continue on my trek to find Falling Rain. Anyone who cares to
accompany me, may do so.”
“What about your oath to protect us?” growled Raging Water.
The forest guardian began to pace slowly around the firesite. “I have
not forgotten; and I will do everything I can whenever I am needed.
However, I do not see the value of staying here, watching my presence
sow seeds of dissension among you.” He paused, “Before I go, there are
some things I need to say.”
The prince turned to Tree Wind and her cohort. “Firstly, you people
have sworn an oath to honour, serve and protect me. Nothing I have seen
today has honoured or served me. I have no doubt that somewhere the
forest will be suffering for your efforts to undermine me.” As he spoke,
the woodfolk looking surreptitiously around the clearing, realised that
leaves had fallen from the nearby trees, well in advance of the end of
autumn and blotches of unhealthy fungi were marring many of their
branches. He stopped before them and glared down at them. “More than
that, you dishonour yourselves and all woodfolk when you betray your
oath.”
Watching him, Waterstone was shocked. Never before had Tarkyn
used the oath as a weapon of control. If anything, in the past, he had
abhorred its existence.
The prince paused, “One more thing, and this applies to everyone.
If something important is being discussed, I wish to be included. I was
deeply offended by being excluded from all conversations at lunchtime.
In a time of crisis, you play games like that at your own peril.” Without
letting his gaze linger on any one group, he swept his eyes around the
assembled woodfolk. “I know it is hard to include one who does not
mind talk. But if the legends of the forest guardians are true, then my
actions may determine your people’s future. If I act in ignorance, you
place your future in jeopardy.”
Tarkyn continued his pacing until he stood before his own group
of woodfolk Waterstone shifted a little uneasily, wondering what was
coming. Tarkyn made sure he had the full attention of his audience then
indicated his home guard. “I would like you all to take a careful note
of these people. These are the woodfolk who, alone out of those who
took the oath, have had the courage to stand by me when they did not
know how I would treat them. They are the people you can thank for
still having a forest guardian. And in the coming times of conflict, they
are the people who will be the lynchpin of any action that the woodfolk
may need to take. They will be the line of communication between all of
you, and me.” Tarkyn’s eyes glinted in the firelight. “I would not like to
hear again that their opinions were not being respected by their fellow
woodfolk.”
Tarkyn moved on around the fire until he was standing before the
oathless woodfolk.
“Although you have not sworn the oath, if you care for your future as
woodfolk and for the future of the forest, then you owe me allegiance
as your guardian of the forest. I do not know what lies ahead of us but
whatever happens, I would expect your support as you can expect mine.
I know I already have it from many of you.”
The prince began his slow circuit of the fire again. “In general, I am
assuming that you will organise you own actions. However, because I am
not prepared to enter into a debate that will be based more on whether
I should order you around, rather than on the issues themselves, I will
stipulate some basic guidelines.”
He ticked them off on his fingers as he talked. “Firstly, I think you
should increase the number of lookouts you have and rotate them more
often so that they don’t tire. Secondly, some woodfolk need to keep a
constant guard on the encampment of sorcerers and make regular reports.
Make sure you stay downwind of the wolves. If the encampment is too
far away for mind talking, you will need to station people along the route
to transmit information. Thirdly, we need a group to keep surveillance on
the people travelling through the woods to find out what is happening to
them and if there is any connection between the brigand attacks and the
encampment. Fourthly, all woodfolk should make sure they can contact
all other woodfolk. So you may need to set up other communication
routes. Finally, make sure that there is a minimum number of woodfolk
together at all times in case there are more wolf attacks.”
The guardian of the forest spread his hands and gave a courtly bow and
a smile. “Thank you for your attention. That is all I have to say. I am now
relinquishing control.”
Tarkyn walked back over to where he had left his wine glass sitting on
a stump. Ignoring everyone, he retrieved it and refilled it from an earthen
jug. Then he made his way back to his home guard and sat down among
them. For a few long minutes there was a stunned silence. Tarkyn buried
his face in his glass and smothered a smile.
Slowly, around the firesite, the odd conversation started up and soon
the air was filled with animated chatter as the woodfolk digested what
had just happened. Once there were other conversations to mask their
own, the prince’s home guard finally regained the power of speech.