Legon Awakening: Book One in the Legon Series (8 page)

“I don’t care if you were looking for your arrow, you
can’t just wander around the field like that,” Kovos said
angrily.

“There’s no one else out here. What’s the big deal?”
Keither said in a defiant voice.

“Are you sure there’s no one here? Did you look
around before you walked across the field? No, I don’t think so.
Legon and I walked straight to our targets and moved them. You were
walking along the row of targets. What if you got hit?”

“Blah blah blah. You worry too much. Nothing could
have happened.” Keither waved his arms lazily.

It was true. The field was still empty, but Kovos’
anger was warranted because Keither never took the time to think
about what he was doing. Once he had walked onto the field while
others were shooting and a stray arrow had only been missed him by
a hair’s breadth.

“Well, look before you do that again, ok?” Kovos said
imploringly.

Keither didn’t answer him but gave a “Harrumph.”

* * * * *

Legon shook his head and took his place next to
Sasha. They all pulled back their strings and shot another volley.
The arrows hissed down the field again and this time they only
heard Sasha’s hit the target. Both Legon’s and Kovos’ arrows hit
their mark, but they were too far away to hear. Legon spoke to
Kovos as he knocked his next arrow.

“So do you still think you want to leave town with
me?” After saying this he fired again, hitting the target in the
center.

“I’m not sure. It’s a big decision, and I know I’ll
have to leave Salmont, but I’m not sure if I know enough yet, you
know?” said Kovos after a shot.

“Yeah, I know what you mean, but you’re pretty good.
You know enough to make a go on your own.”

“Yeah I’m sure I’ll end up going, but I don’t much
feel like leaving and striking out on my own. I wish there was
enough in Salmont to support two blacksmiths.”

“And two butchers,” said Legon flatly.

“Why can’t you both stay here?” asked Keither,
puzzled. Kovos lowered his bow and stared incredulously at him.

Legon responded in a patient voice, “Because we have
to pay taxes and feed ourselves.”

“Yeah well, why don’t you just say you can’t afford
the taxes?”

Legon shook his head. “Because they make you a slave
then, Keither. Have you not been living here your whole life?”

Kovos turned toward Keither and said, knocking an
arrow, “I’m going to shoot him. It’s better we put him out of his
misery now.”

“Kovos!” Sasha said loudly.

“No Sash, it’s better this way, trust me,” Kovos
said, giving Sasha a sideward glance.

“Ha ha, very funny. Can we go home now?” asked
Keither.

“Go home?” Legon said, surprised. “We’ve shot three
arrows! No, we can’t go home. Come on, Kovos.”

They continued shooting the targets for awhile, and
after an hour or so they decided to go home. They would have stayed
a bit longer, but Keither had managed to lose most of the arrows
they brought, and Legon and Kovos were forced to walk down the
field to get their arrows every five or six shots. The arrows
Keither shot were gone forever. They were on the field somewhere,
but the field was large and people were starting to show up to
practice, and Legon and Kovos were not excited about becoming a
human quiver while trying to find the arrows.

They made it back to Kovos’ house in time for lunch
and they spent much of the afternoon there talking and having a
good time. After a few hours Legon and Sasha decided to start for
home. They walked out of the house and headed toward the edge of
town. They would often skirt around the town to take more time
getting home and to give them a chance to talk. It felt good to
walk after sitting on a wood bench all afternoon. The sun was
starting to set and the sky was beginning to turn a variety of
colors, the grey clouds taking on hues of pink and lavender. The
valley was soon covered in shadows and they could hear crickets
starting to chirp. Legon noticed that Sasha wasn’t talking
much.

“Why so quiet, sis?”

“I don’t know. I guess there’s a lot on my mind,” she
said softly.

“Well, like what?”

“Like, what’s going to happen when you leave? I’ve
spent my whole life with you and I’m not sure what it will be like
when you’re gone.”

“I’ll visit, you know. I’m going to try to go to a
town within a few weeks of here. But I suppose it won’t be like it
is now. I’m going to miss you, too.”

That was a lie. In truth he wasn’t entirely sure how
he was going to live without her. It was like they were linked.

“That can’t be all that’s on your mind Sash. What
else is bothering you?”

She took her time answering him. “It’s your tattoo. I
noticed yesterday that it’s changed from that dark green to purple.
Why would it do that?” There was a hint of concern in her voice,
and even a bit of fear.

“It’s what? Sash, tattoos don’t change color,” he
said confidently.

“I know they don’t, but yours has… I saw it just last
night.” Now the concern was evident in her voice and face. “If it
has changed colors then that mean that it must be…”

“Magic,” Legon finished. He felt his blood turn to
ice and his heart beat faster.

Magic was rare in humans, which scared Legon, because
magic was treated with great fear and respect. Iumenta and Elves
could use it, but he didn’t know of any Elves in their area.

“Do you think it was put there by an Iumenta?” he
asked Sasha quietly.

“I don’t know. I hope not, but it may not be much
better if it was put there by an Elf. The queen hates them. And if
it was a human, then who knows what it means.”

They walked silently, neither wanting to talk about
Legon’s tattoo. They opened the distance between them and the town
and soon they couldn’t hear the town at all. The only sound was
that of two sets of feet stepping on the soft ground. The town was
surrounded by farms and fields, all green with spring’s life. The
sun was almost below the mountain’s high peaks, and sat above them
like a crown of gold and fire. They both felt themselves relaxing
as the air started to grow cool. Legon looked over at Sasha. Her
face seemed to glow in the orange light and the last shafts of the
sun’s rays danced in her hair. She still looked a bit worried; he
could see it in her eyes. He could tell that there was more she
wasn’t telling him.

Sasha broke the silence. Her voice was
conversational. “So, have you given any thought to where you are
going to go when you leave?”

He took his time answering. “Yeah, I’m thinking
Salkay. It’s just a bit south of here. The town is growing and they
don’t have a butcher. Also, they’re still under Regent Kooth’s
control, so it should make it simpler.”

“Hmmm. Salkay, huh? That’s only about four days from
here, isn’t it?”

“Yep, that’s the idea. I want to be close, and Salkay
is about as good as I’m going to get.”

Sasha looked like she was thinking. “But it’s still a
small town. You won’t make a huge amount of money, or at least not
enough to start a family. Speaking of which, do you think you will
be able to find a wife there? Wouldn’t Salez be better?”

Legon stumbled over his words a bit. “Well, Salez is
a big city, and as far as Salkay goes, I will make a decent amount
of money. I’m not worried about it.”

Sasha didn’t pursue the subject any more. They got
home just after dark. When they got in Edis greeted them. “Your
mother had to go. Arkin cut himself or something like that.” He saw
worry instantly cross Legon and Sasha’s faces. “Oh, it’s nothing
bad, he’s fine. I think he got a small cut today. He didn’t even
want her to come over, but you know your mother.”

Sasha gave a deep sigh and said, “We know her.” She
looked around the kitchen. Something was off. “
There’s no smell
of food cooking. She must not have made dinner,”
she thought.
Edis was smiling politely at her, that kind of smile you give to
your daughter to tell her she’s the most wonderful thing in the
world or…

“Sash, dinner!” Legon said in a commanding voice and
snapped his fingers.

She turned and scowled at both of them. Legon winced,
but Edis, having gotten many of these looks from his wife over the
years, kept smiling as if this act would somehow make her feel
better. “What, you two aren’t capable of making dinner?” she
spat.

“Puddin,’ it’s not tha…,” began Edis, whose smile was
beginning to fade.

“Don’t you give me that! Why do I have to cook?”

Legon spoke, “Dad, Sasha is right. Why should she do
it?”

“Thank you,” she said.

“We can make dinner. Come on, we do it all the time
when we go hunting,” Legon said to Edis.

At this something clicked in Sasha’s head.

“Oh… well… that’s ok, I really don’t mind,” she said
in a much calmer and placating voice.

“No Sash, Legon’s right. We’ll cook. I’m sorry, that
was pig-headed of me.” Edis gestured for her to sit down. 

“No, no I insist. I can do it. You two set the table
and sit down, I don’t mind.” She swept over to the counter and
began putting on her blue apron.

“Are you sure?” asked Legon one last time.

“Yes, I’m sure,” she said as she began to get out
pots and pans. As Legon sat down, Edis mouthed to him, “Good one,
son,” and gave him a thumbs up. The fact of the matter was that
both Legon and Edis could cook. They were not as good as Sasha or
Laura, but they weren’t bad. Sasha didn’t know this, of course,
since she had never let them cook on the two occasions when she had
gone hunting with them. Legon had thought the for sure that she
wouldn’t fall for his trick, but she had, and this bothered him. It
meant that there was a lot on Sasha’s mind that she was not telling
him.

Coming of Age

“
Life is a series of decisions, each
moving us along the ropes of fate. How to make the right decision?
This is a question that all ask yet few understand. As options are
weighed and consequences revealed we see bondage, but in reality we
are free. Look up the rope of fate and choose your place, then go
to it. Let that guide your decisions today.”

-Diary of the Perfectos Compatioa

The day after Legon and Sasha had gone over to see
Kovos, Legon found himself walking into his house after an
uneventful morning. There was almost nothing to do in the shop; it
was one of the famine days as far as work went. The only thing that
Edis could find to keep himself busy was making sausage, and for
that he liked to have Sasha’s help. Legon didn’t mind; he hated to
make sausage and it was a great opportunity for Legon and Sasha to
switch roles. He would help his mother if she needed it, and Sasha
got some time with Edis.

When he got inside, his mother was sitting at the
table sorting herbs, or at least he thought that was what she was
doing. There were a lot of dried plants on the table and she was
sifting through them. She was wearing a brown dress and a white
apron. She was sitting on a chair hunched over, her hands moving
quickly over the herbs. He was amazed that the little plants didn’t
crumble as she picked them up. She looked up at him, smiled and
gestured with her head for him to sit down. She was deep in
concentration and he knew that she would get to him eventually, so
he contented himself with sitting and pulling his shoulders back,
feeling the muscles across his broad chest stretch and relax.

“How are you today dear?” she said, not looking up
from her work.

“I’m doing good mom. What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to get these sorted out. They fell off
the wall and got all jumbled up.”

On either side of the fireplace were herbs drying on
the walls, and sure enough there was a spot that was missing a
patch.

“Do you want me to fix it? I don’t think it would
take long,” Legon said, gesturing to the wall.

Laura didn’t see him point as she was still hunched
over the herbs. “What dear? What would you fix?” she looked up,
confused.

“The wall,” he said flatly. She looked over and shook
her head as if she was ridding herself of day dream.

“Sorry. You know I can be a flake when I’m
concentrating. Let me finish this and we can have some tea.”

An image of the look on Sasha’s face from two days
ago when she had “some tea” rushed through his mind like a herd of
stampeding cows.

“Oh… I feel great mom… I don’t need anything. Not
thirsty, really. You have stuff to do, so I’ll just…” his mind
reached into what seemed to be nothingness, coming up with a reason
to avoid tea. “I’ll fix the wall, that’s what needs to be done.” He
instantly knew this hadn’t worked. As soon as he said it she looked
up at him, and he could see she was trying not to laugh.

“We’re not going to have that kind of tea, just good
old mint will do today,” she said with a chuckle in her voice.

Legon sat back and sighed with relief. Soon she was
done, and before he knew it she seemed to make mint tea appear out
of thin air. As he sipped it he felt the hot liquid flow down his
throat to warm his belly. They sat quietly for a bit. His mother
broke the silence.

“You’ll be eighteen in a month. How do you feel about
that?” Her voice was soft and carried with it all the sincerity in
the world. This subject had been playing over and over again in his
head for the last few weeks.

“I don’t know how I feel about it. There’s a part of
me that is excited about coming of age but… there’s a bigger part
that is terrified, you know what I mean?” He looked at her and she
nodded a bit. He continued on.

“I just feel… I feel like I’m racing toward something
I can’t control and something…” he seemed to have a hard time
thinking of the words.

She tried to help him. “Scary?”

“Yeah, but not like the scary you would think. It’s
not the excited scary.”