Dark Wood: Legends of the Guardians (26 page)

She’d
never be rendered helpless by the need for sleep again. Now she could devote
herself to her purpose-protecting the realm as the Guardian’s Emissary.

The
first to approach them was the elder, Zane. To keep his hands from shaking, he
folded his arms tight across his chest. His mouth parted, as if to say
something. Gaze still shifting between Aryaunna and Reign, he kept trying to
speak but found himself not knowing what to say.

Aryaunna
was the one to finally break the silence, “Thank you for waiting.”

Shaking
himself back to the present, Zane tried to keep focus on Aryaunna though seemed
to have a difficult time from it. Though clearly not foe, the presence of the
Dragon made many nervous. “As long as we’ve waited for you, Emissary, we can
spare the dusk now.” To regard one another they both nodded, though Zane had a
difficult time taking his eyes off of the magnificent sight of the Dragon.
“Just incredible,” he whispered awe-struck as he turned away to rejoin the
elders for the lighting ceremonies that wait them.

One
by one, the Drow, and five whom were not, parted ways and reunited around the
six pyres, lined in rows of three.

In
the nearly perfect circle, every few feet, torches lit a ring around them on
tall shafts from a single fire bearer who walked the perimeter. Elizabeth’s
hands rung together as she walked in front of Allos, his hands holding gently
against her arms as they kept very close.

As
Elizabeth came to stand beside Aryaunna, they hugged one another tightly.
Elizabeth barely spared a glance at Reign, though clearly he made her uneasy.
It wasn’t for fear he would hurt them, but none realized just how big the
Dragon truly was. None had seen him up close. None had seen him at all. The
elders stood together: Zane, Nadegia, Mayla, Kolin. Raising her palms up
shoulder height, Mayla’s elbows remained tucked by her sides as she lifted her
chin to speak.

This
was the first meeting Aryaunna had seen where no one needed to call for
silence. The air was laden with it. “Blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh,
all
those gathered here we call kin!” Mayla declared vehemently. “Our hearts ache
this night, as it is our blood spilt upon the earth, our flesh that burns this
night.”

As
if on cue, the torch bearer had lit five other’s torches to flame. As Mayla
spoke of their flesh burning, they walked together and lit the pyres. Sobs
broke out amongst some of the Drow. Children had lost parents. Parents had lost
children. Brothers and sisters alike.

Two
thin arms came up and around Aryaunna’s waist tightly. Wordlessly, Korena and
Aryaunna looked to one another. Hesitantly Aryaunna wrapped her arms around the
young girl and held her as tears begun to fall down from her eyes.

It
was a night of mourning. High in the sky, a red cloud cast over the moon.
Elizabeth whispered so low that only Allos could hear her, “Blood on the moon.”
His arms tightened around her.

Mayla
had continued on, and at one point had begun a sad lullaby. A song of loss. A
song of sorrow. Those able began to sing with her. The night filled with the
lulling ache of a broken lullaby.

“Oh sweet of night, I flee to thee.

Hide me away from the pain.

Take me home to sleep in peace.

Darkness falls, she’s stealing me.

Oh wash away the pain in me, for never again shall
we meet.

Falling away, like rain,

Fare thee well, my sweet.”

In
small groups as the night grew later, Drow drifted back to the Hollow. Kolin
came for Korena, lifting her over his shoulder as if she were a much smaller
child than what she was. For once she didn’t seem to mind being treated as if
she were young.

The
moon had reached high into the skies above when Elizabeth turned to Aryaunna.
Sadness had exhausted her sister completely. Reaching out, Elizabeth folded her
arms around Aryaunna’s shoulders tightly. “You’re freezing,” Elizabeth realized.
She hadn’t noticed how cold she’d been before. The shock of seeing her sister
with the great Dragon blended achingly with the sorrow of the night and she’d
not felt it before.

“I’m
fine. You’re just tired,” Aryaunna reassured, though carefully pulling away.
“I’m returning with Reign to Dia so I can find Sita. I’ll return to the Hollow
then.” Looking to Allos, she motioned towards Elizabeth and went to speak when
Allos cut her off.

“Sita
has found her way.” With the nod of his head, he pointed behind Reign. Indeed,
Sita was grazing in the field, seeming to ignore them all. Of course, the horse
was more used to the Dragon than any of them.

“Huh…”
Aryaunna sounded with some surprise. “In that case, you can take her to see my
sister home. She’s tired, there’s no need for her to walk the distance through
the wood this late. Sita will see you both home to the Hollow,” the way she
said it seemed so final that neither argued. Though perhaps they truly were
just so worn that neither disagreed. It’s not like Aryaunna would be left
alone. Nor did she seem tired at all even.

Aryaunna
called to the mare, who came, though as casually as she pleased. “If we take
the horse, then you must take my cloak.” Despite some argument from Aryaunna,
Elizabeth had pulled hers from her shoulders and held it out persistently with
one hand. The other held out empty but expectantly. “Just shut up and give me
yours. I’ll hang it by the hearth.”

Once
they’d traded, Elizabeth had the stiff frozen cloak from her sister folded as
small as able. Allos held it in one hand, the other around Elizabeth as they
rode for home at a steady walk.

Mayla
was the last to come speak to Aryaunna, Zane and Nadegia both waited for her
near the wake of the forest. “You’re returning to the Hollow?”

Aryaunna
nodded. “Aye.”

“The
elders will meet not long after dawn. We believe it is best you join us…” her
gaze traveled up to Reign, still bewildered but in a most humbled awe. “We ask,
great Dragon, if you might join us as well?”

Reign
seemed to consider things silently. Though a very slight tug pulled at
Aryaunna’s mouth. It was almost a smile. Almost. “I don’t suppose you intend to
meet outside the arena then,” she stated in comment for Reign’s size. He’d not
fit through a single doorway inside the Hollow in fact. Possibly the stables.
If he crouched low, and was careful of his wings.

“Of
course not.” Mayla shook her head.

“Does
the temple of Galdeez still stand?” Reign asked. It was the first time he’d
spoken since their arrival. Mayla’s eyes widened as she’d not truly been sure
he could until now. Nor had she been prepared for the deep, rich baritone of
his voice.

“Indeed,
it does.”

The
temple had been a sacred meeting place for all Faye kind. It had been a place
of great celebration, and equal tragedy. As Faye kind frayed away, the holy
place was abandoned.

“As
I recall, it is not very far from the Hollow. Shall we meet there?” Reign
suggested.

“It
is a very fitting place, I agree. So it shall be. After full dawn then?” The
three came to an agreement. Mayla returned to her kindred and continued home.

“Shall
we fly?” Reign waited to suggest until everyone had dispersed.

“Aye,
over the woodlands. I want my eyes on the trees this night.”

Dead
of winter, the trees were barren. Though much of the snow had thawed, the
ground was still heavily speckled white from snow tuffs as they flew overhead.
Wind pressed hard against her entire body. It was difficult to speak. To get
his attention she pat the side of his neck repeatedly with her right hand. “Do
you see that?” she called above the wind.

From
such a distance it looked like bright yellow stars lying on the earth. “Is that
the pagans?” It didn’t seem like the right place. But she’d only ever been told
where they were. Never had she been to see the pagans.

“The
pagans live on the other side of Brisheer hills. That’s the valley of
Brimshire,” Reign corrected her. His body swooped gracefully in the direction
of the lights. They had to stay high, near the clouds. Though it wouldn’t be
likely anyone would be watching the sky, it was possible. Still, it was clear
what they’d found.

Campfires.
Dozens dotted the land between twice as many tents. Two small torches stood
side by side next to a large white tent. It was too dark to see the flag’s
emblems or colors. That she could see them at all surprised her. Reign circled
over twice before turning back for the wood.

He
landed on the hillside, where the pyres had burned down to nearly ash and bone.
It was nearly dawn. Aryaunna slid down and walked to the peak of the hill.
Staring in the direction of Kenan, she drug her hand down her face and rubbed
her fingers against her chin. Reign had followed her wordlessly.

“That
was an army. Wasn’t it?” she asked doubtfully, looking up to him with a dull
hope that he’d tell her it wasn’t.

“Judging
from the amount of men, tents, fires, and carriages, I’m afraid so.” A steaming
sigh let out from his maw.

Turning
away from him she began to pace back and forth. After about two minutes of
doing so she stopped and looked at him. “A single person could make that walk
in a day if they were diligent, without a horse. How long would it take an
army?”

“Not
much longer.”

Moving
toward him, she walked close to Reign’s side. Automatically he knelt down.
Gingerly she climbed onto his back. “Get to the Hollow. There’s not enough
time. Not enough time,” she said to herself again as he took to the sky.

Dread
made her muscles ache, never mind the cold of the wind. Mere minutes passed for
how fast Reign pushed himself. The woods of this region were vast as that of a
small ocean. Within the great woods there was only one place not overly thick
with trees. The largest of which had been burned.

Reign
landed in the Hollow with no amount of finesse. Those who were not heavy
sleepers were likely woken, as he’d taken out a small tree on his descent.
Aryaunna stumbled off of him. All the time in the air, having been so cold had
been hard on her body though she didn’t seem to notice it.

“Wait
here!” she called as she ran for Mayla’s. Bursting through the oaken door, her eyes
swept the apothecary. It’d once been much fuller than this, but the sudden
attack had taken no little amount of supplies to tend to the wounds of the
injured.

She’d
half expected Mayla to be here, working. Truly the past two days had taken a
painful toll on the Drow village. Opening the smaller door between a set of
shelves, she took the stairs in leaps of three at a time. To keep from hitting
the door, her boots skidded on the floor to a stop. Her first pounded on the
wood.

It
only took a few seconds for Mayla to jerk the door open. Clearly the elder had
been asleep. Her long white hair, so usually silken smooth was a halo of frizz.
Eyes red rimmed and blood shot, she stared out into the dark, trying to see
clearly who had woken her.

“Aryaunna?”
she seemed not just startled, but confused and worried as she clutched at her
chest.

“Get
ready. We have not the time to wait for the sun.” It was too easy to forget
that it was only Aryaunna now who didn’t need sleep.

The
thick cloud of dread in Mayla’s heart clutched at her, tiring her body ever
more. “Wake the others,” she instructed with no energy as she turned back for
her room to dress. Aryaunna did so, running harder than she’d ran in a long
time between the dwellings. Kolin had lost his home to the flames so he’d been
staying with Nadegia.

Aryaunna
seemed a little embarrassed to find them in bed together, and that they didn’t
mind making that easy to see. They came to answer the door to Aryaunna’s
pounding fist together naked.

Running
her hand back and forth over her forehead, she wiped her palm slowly down her
face. She didn’t have time to deal with emotions like embarrassment. Or any
emotions for that matter, she thought to herself. “Get dressed. We’re meeting
now.”

Nadegia
looked startled while Kolin’s brow furrowed in concern. “What’s going on?”

“We
have a problem, and it must be addressed,” she said cold and frustrated as she
turned away from the open door.

“Aryaunna!”
Nadegia snapped. She wasn’t used to elders being disregarded.

She
stopped on a dime. Staring straight ahead for a beat, she slowly turned her
chin to them. “We’re going to war. Now hurry.” She tried to keep herself
distant from the emotions. The fear, worry, anticipation, but it seeped into
her eyes.

When
she turned away, she heard Kolin ask Nadegia where his trousers were. Her gaze
lift to the limbs, trying to forget that image as she sprinted briskly to find
Zane. Zane was asleep in a rocking chair, made from limbs that had been bent
and twisted into the body of the chair. His front door had been barely wedged
shut, enough so one could look through a thin crack where the door was ajar.

Unlike
how she’d woken the others, she was silent here. Silent as the snow fall she eased
the door open. Clutched in his hand was a slab of pale wood, on it was the
sketched portrait of a woman. Aryaunna could see that much from the dull glow
in the fireplace. A white shall was clutched in his other hand to his chest,
rising and lowering with his steady deep breaths.

Here
more so than at Nadegia’s, she felt as if she were intruding. Her hand held to
the back of her neck as she turned to face the door. “Zane,” she said his name
softly, not wanting to be rude about waking him.

A
snort sounded as he started awake. “Huh?” he rumbled as he tried to come out of
sleep. Another grunt and then he asked her name. When he realized he was awake,
he jumped to his feet. Aryaunna turned slowly to look up to him. “Something’s
happened,” he said more to himself as he shook the sleep off of him.

Still
wearing even his boots, all he had to do was grab his cloak. “Do you need a
couple of minutes?”

“No,”
he croaked through a yawn as he pulled a thick old cloak on around his
shoulders, crafted mostly of fur and leathers. “Ah, wait.” He grabbed another
cloak, much like the one he was wearing but rather than the brindle mix of furs
from different animals, these were all grey and black.

Not
giving her an inch of argument, he hooked it over her shoulders over the thinner
fabric of her sister’s. “Now let’s go,” he instructed, waiving a hand at the
door. As they passed through the door, he reached his hand out and snatched the
large staff that sat propped by the door.

Zane
lived in a very small hut just outside of the main path. It wasn’t far from
where Reign remained waiting. He’d been watching Aryaunna run from place to
place by the light of the moon. Mayla stood waiting next to Reign. Surprisingly
she seemed much more alert than Aryaunna expected her to be.

Zane
took notice and seemed relieved as he moved to stand next to Mayla. “Did you
happen to bring enough to share?” he asked looking awfully hopeful.

“Of
course.” In her hand beneath her cloak she held a pale green glass bottle.
Lifting her arm out, she handed him the bottle. Inside, thick blue liquid
sloshed as he took the flask, mumbling his gratitude.

Aryaunna
ignored them, passing up a drink offered to her as she watched for Nadegia. At
one point she heard Mayla ask Zane what was going on, but she ignored them when
he redirected the question to Aryaunna. “What’s taking them so long?” She’d
begun to pace, rather than sit idle.

It
wasn’t long before Nadegia and Kolin approached. True to Nadegia’s behavior she
was well dressed, her hair swept back beautifully in an eloquent knot. Kolin
was dressed as he was at the pyres, looking only a bit more disheveled.

“Are
we going to the temple?” Mayla asked hesitantly, looking to Aryaunna.

“No
time.” Lacing her finger behind her back, Aryaunna turned to address them all,
as they’d gathered into a close circle. “Reign and I were flying over the wood,
watching the Hollow for any trouble. In the valley of Brimshire we saw fires. A
few dozen or so. Taking a closer look, we discovered an army.”

Wordlessly
they stared at her, eyes wide, mouths agape. Nadegia reached out and took
Kolin’s hand tightly. Zane and Kolin looked away from Aryaunna to each other.
Zane’s mouth pressed into a fine line. “There’s not a thousand people in this
village all together. Over a dozen are too young to hold a blade, maybe a dozen
children of age who could defend themselves.” Everyone else ranged through the
years of adulthood. They were not all warriors, but they could hold their own.

The
Drow were natural fighters, survivors.

“How
many people?” Mayla asked in a whisper, almost afraid to voice it.

“A
few dozen campfires, usually four tents to a camp… That’s sixteen men to a
camp,” Kolin supplied. Waiting a beat, he thought to himself. “Maybe six-to
–seven-hundred men. We’ll equal them in numbers if everyone fights, but we need
people to get the younglings out.”

“They
need to move now. The more time we have to get them out, get them some place
safe, the better.” Aryaunna’s arms folded in front of her. “We need to get
everyone armed. And we should move to the hills. Meet them before they can get
to the village. What good is it if we survive but destroy what home you have
left?” Aryaunna explained, though she wasn’t asked.

“Do
your people have the weapons?” Reign spoke for the first time. Though he kept
his voice soft, it seemed to startle Nadegia.

“The
armory is stocked… We can make do.” Zane supplied. A worried brow pinched
together on his forehead, mouth still draw into a hard line. “Do we have any
idea what army this is?”

“Is
it possible the army is on the way to Kenan, not from it?” Nadegia questioned
with false hope.

Though
the Drow would fight, they were not warriors by trade. Practiced soldiers, even
half in numbers, may as well have been a legion of foes.

Mayla
shook her head. “No, I’m certain they’re coming here. It’s been seen. We just
never imagined it would be so soon.”

Aryaunna’s
eyes caught Mayla’s. “Seen,” she repeated without question. Mayla stared back
for a long moment before casting her gaze down low. “Elizabeth,” she breathed
out, turning her back to them.

Before
she could get one step, a large clawed hand braced her shoulder. “We need to go
to Dia. They need weapons.” Gravity seemed to pull her a sluggish step forward,
despite his grasp. “More importantly, we need a plan of action.” He wasn’t
chastising her, just trying to help guide her.

His
fingers squeezed lightly onto her arm. His closeness, his strength, grounded
her back to the reality of the moment. She was the Emissary, and her priority
was these people. Taking the last private moment to herself for what would
likely be a very long time, Aryaunna took in a deep breath and clinched her
eyes shut tightly. Their time was up. They had to act now.

As
she exhaled, her eyes opened. As she turned back to face them all she seemed
calmer, steadier on her feet. “Zane and Kolin are to go to the armory, prepare
what arms we have here. Nadegia, you must ring the bells, call our people
together in the main hall. We must have people to lead the younglings and
injured to safety. They must walk to Dia. The great valley will give them
shelter.”

With
a heavy sigh she turned to Mayla. “That elixir, it’s Vitality?” Aryaunna
motioned to the bottle that Kolin was holding as she addressed Mayla. The elder
woman nodded, without much response. Perhaps she seemed a little ashamed to
need it. Aryaunna had certainly been through much more but didn’t seem at all
physically tired. Oh to be young, Mayla thought longingly. “You have more?”

“Yes,”
she started, preparing to explain when Aryaunna cut her off.

“We
need every drop. Have someone help you bring it to the hall. Save every drop
for those who will fight.” Her eyes cast to Nadegia, demanding her attention.
Nadegia stared wide eyed. “Tell everyone who intends to fight to bring a flask
with their supplies. We need every advantage we can get, and our people are not
well rested.”

She
stood silent for a beat, waiting for them to do something. Reign dropped his
shoulder down, expecting her to be ready. “No. I’ll take Sita. I need to get my
gear. Get back to Dia, start bringing the trunks out. Leave them at the base of
the mountain. If I can load up when I get there, we can be back in half a day’s
time.”

The
sun was just starting to show through the trees. The fog of dusk before dawn
was thinning gradually as golden rays began to filter through the grey sky.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Mayla’s breath fogged the air as she turned away
without a word. One by one they dispersed.

Reign
and Aryaunna were left alone in the middle of the Hollow. A charred and wounded
little village. Aryaunna stared out, looking lost to another world as if she
were not seeing. That wasn’t true though. She was seeing everything, all too
clearly. She’d not stopped to look at the burnt stone, the mud of ashen water
and blood, the remnants of burnt dwellings, the black fractured trunk of their
once great tree surrounded by fallen limbs and tinder.

“Go,
Reign. I’ll be right behind you.” Looking to one another, they stood still.