Tranquil Fury (32 page)

The Earth Mother then held her hands out to Alron Icefeather. He had been in her Earth guard for one hundred years, and their shared history was great. “Friend Alron, sorry I does be to saddle thou with such burden great. Earth Daughter Lauren, on a fence she does waver. Her gift does be strong, so does her doubt, and both forces does battle each. Thine challenge does be to stoke the fire under thine gift, fan the fire, naught the doubt. Alron, Lauren does be the keystone. Should she fall, all wilt crumble around her. It is thou that must confidence build. Thou does need to push back the timid, bring forth her courage. It does be there, thou must make her believe. Alron, canst thou rise to this challenge?’

Alron, knowing this was the last time he would ever talk with his oldest friend, fought back the tears, “Earth Mother, Morning Rose Huntinghawk. Naught once hath I let thou down in years of many, and naught now will I start. Lauren, Mother Chosen. Greatest of all Earth Mothers she shalt become, to thou this I does promise. Take thine news to Mother, thine tasks complete, duty well serviced, rest well deserved. Proud of Lauren both shalt be.”

 “Well-appointed thou does be Alron, and I does know thine word does be good, but I does fear thine challenges.”

 “Protect and serve. I does be Earth Guard. Thine bond of two thousand years, broken naught wilt it be. Thine task does now be ours, naught once hath we failed, naught now wilt tradition be broken. Morning Rose, go to Mother, thou hath done all that thou canst.”

The Earth Mother pulled Alron close, kissed his forehead, and blessed him. He then helped her stand, steadying her as he walked her to her tree. She stopped in front of the massive frame, hugged it, and then slowly crawled inside its large opening, not once looking back.

Before they left the tree, Alron walked over to Lauren. There he bent down, whisked away all the stray leaves and branches to expose a large patch of dirt, reached to his back, pulled one arrow from his quiver and drove it into the newly exposed dirt. There was a reserved anger in Alron’s voice, “Here thou wilt make thine mark, any mark. Something that thou wilt know. Tomorrow when we does return, tree reborn, I does want thou to know this spot does be true. That naught trick does be played on thou. Perchance when thou does see this tree tomorrow, then thou wilt believe in Mother finally.”

Lauren stomped her foot into the moist dirt, knelt down and wrote
L+S BFF
beside her shoe print. When she stood up, Alron nodded to Panry, and the group moved out into the forest to make camp for the night.

Chapter 23

They rode for two hours in silence before Alron called for them to set up camp, but while their travel stopped, the silence continued. As Mirtza was preparing the meal, Logan wandered over to Lauren, “So what happened between you and the Earth Mother?”

 “It felt like she was pushing me into a corner. I already told her I would lead like she asked, but it was as if she wanted me to sign a deathbed contract. I don’t understand any of this, but I am supposed to accept it, without question. She told me that the Earth Guard, my friends, and the Ironhouse dwarves would all help me, which is great, but what happens when that is not enough? What happens when I lead left when we should go right? What happens if somebody surrounds us, there is no way out?” Laurens voice went quiet, “What happens when somebody dies?”

Logan thought of the Earth Mother’s speech, and of his promise to save his sister. Her words still rattled inside his head like a bag of spilt marbles in an earthquake,
Her life in my hands, great peril, great burden, great dangers does seek thine sister
, and the most terrifying of all words.
Thine sister Lauren, above all else, nothing does matter. If Lauren’s life is in danger, then others will also face the same dangers, and people are going to die.
He looked down at his hands as Lauren continued to talk, heard the words as if the Earth Mother was standing in front of him, ‘it is thine hands that wilt save her.’

 “Logan, are you listening to me?”

Logan gave his head a quick shake, tried to force the words and images out. He looked over to Lauren, “What? No, I mean, yes.”

 “What did I just say?”

 “I don’t know?”

 “What did the Earth Mother tell you that has you so flustered?”

 “She told me you were going to save the lands. All the fame would go straight to your head, and that you would make my life a living hell. She told me she was sorry for the way you would treat me, when you became famous, but that it was all necessary. Oh, and that you would marry Zack.”

 “You’re lying.”

 “That you would have twenty kids, all daughters. They would all look and act like you, and you would hire me to be their nanny. She then gave me the winning numbers for next week’s lottery, and told me that if I had not come here with you, that I would have been rich beyond my wildest dreams. That was when I started to cry.”

 “You can be such a bastard.” Lauren turned her back and went over to sit beside Mirtza.

Logan watched her walk away, looked back down at his hand.
Bastard with your life in my hands, what am I going to do?

Lauren poured herself a mug of hot bean juice, and began to chat with Mirtza, “What did the Earth Mother tell you?”

“That my service to Mother, bringing the Earth Daughter to her, it was all greatly appreciated. She also told me that my family still lives, that one day I would embrace them again. What did she tell you Earth Daughter?”

“Mother apparently did not leave me any messages. She said Mother would talk to me directly.”

 “Is that why you are upset?”

 “No, I am tired. I will see you in the morning.”

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The forest was still dark when Alron shook Lauren awake. He had two stags ready for the ride beside him, “Earth Daughter, I shalt take thou to visit Earth Mother now, then we does head back to Ironhouse.”

“Can I have something to eat first?”

 “Mirtza does naught be awake yet. When we does return, then thou may eat. On thine feet, many hours of travel we does hath.” Alron helped Lauren onto her stag, and they headed silently back down the path to the tree, but Lauren was still upset at ‘
being forced
’ into something that she really did not want, and Alron was wondering how to build confidence in Lauren. After two hours, Alron finally stopped both stags, and helped Lauren to the ground. He pointed to a large tree, with a base of ten feet or more, and it was alive. All of the branches gently swaying in the breeze, none were broken. Instead, brilliant green leaves sprouted from each one. No large hole was in this tree, it was vibrant and alive. Alron walked over to where he had thrust his arrow into the ground, retrieved it.

 “Is this thine mark that thou did make?”

Lauren went over beside Alron, and saw her shoe print, saw the letters she had scratched into the dirt.
L+S BFF
. She turned and looked at the tree, went to it, caressed the moist bark, walked completely around it. She thought she could feel an energy, or something different from the tree, but was uncertain if it was not some form of guilt.

 “How can this be?”

 “This does be Mother, her power. Her daughter rejoined, reborn, now she does be part of Mother. Other things thou hath seen, heard, said. All did cause thou to doubt, wonder if trick or something else does be. Mother Chosen thou does be. Would one so capable of this act, that does hath so much power, so much love for her daughters, would that one select thou, if thou were naught worthy?” Alron was hoping he was getting through to Lauren, making her believe, “The force that does this, force same that does guide thou. Earth Mother and Mother does ask thou to lead, but naught alone wilt thou be. Embraced thou shalt be by Mother, thine Earth Guard, friends new and old. I wilt naught lie to Earth Daughter. Perils great, yes, we all shalt face. Dangers, already we hath seen this to be true, as black-clad attacked does be thine proof. Death? The cold embrace does stalk Mother’s lands. But if thou does naught act, feast of death, great it shalt be.”

“What happens when I lead us into a trap?”

 “First, thine Earth Guard, finest of all Earth Guards, it does fall on mine shoulders to ensure thine safety. Thine friend Eric, giant with sword mighty, I does think words great does wait for him. Thine brother Logan, Sister Chosen, to protect thou he does be. Thine staff, power and knowledge gifted to thou. Already I hath seen thou kill with it. Even I does naught wish to quarrel with Earth Daughter. Thine friend Ryan, I does think that gifts also does he receive. Mighty would trap be, for thine army now, small it does be, but its power, it hath naught been seen before.”

 “No Alron, what happens when Eric, Logan, and Ryan are somewhere else? The Ironhouse clan is away fighting another battle. It’s just my Earth Guard and me? Hundreds attack us. What happens then?”

 “Wilt Earth Guard die? Yes. Proud and honor filled shalt death be. Know this we does, when oath we does accept. But it does naught be Earth Guard thou does need to consider, for graves thou hath seen, innocent filled. If thou does naught lead, how many more does be filled. Innocents, naught war trained, their chances be naught. Candles in breeze they does be, but naught one candle. Thousands upon thousands of candles embraced by winds of death, light extinguished, naught to be seen again. Thou can stop this slaughter, protect Mother’s children, protect her innocents. A force great does guide thou, it does be named Mother. A force unknown does walk these lands, and it name does be Lauren. Mother Chosen.”

Lauren fell to her knees, wiping away the tears, “Alron, I don’t know what I am doing, or why Mother selected me. I want to help, I just don’t know how. I don’t know if I can suffer seeing somebody I know die. Die because of something I did or said, their blood on my hands.”

Alron went over and knelt in front of Lauren, “If thou does naught embrace the lands, Mother’s children, they shalt be bathed in blood.”

 “That’s not fair. I didn’t start this. I didn’t order their deaths. I don’t want to be here.”

 “Lauren, Earth Daughter. I does know mine comment does naught be fair. Does it be fair that innocents does be slaughtered, naught chance to defend themselves. Does naught think of the deaths, instead of lives thou does save, that does be thine purpose. Lauren, Mother Chosen, thine mission does be to save her children. But first we does need Lauren to believe in Lauren, Mother Chosen, champion of innocents.”

A vision of Samantha came to Lauren, an innocent dying. It was not fair to her, how many more families would share the same fate, or worse, if nothing was done. She wiped the tears from her eyes, “You do know that Mother had seven billion people to choose from. She could have made a better choice.”

 “Thine correct choice Mother does make, for if thou does embrace that which Mother does ask too readily, concern I does hath. Thine acceptance naught should it be fast, thoughts great does be required. Thou does care, this I canst see, and worthy does Lauren be. Now, I canst be Alron or Earth Guard, but to be Earth Guard I does need one to protect and serve. Today, does I be Alron or Earth Guard?”

 “You are Earth Guard, but just remember, you asked me, I didn’t ask you for this.”

Alron sat down, smiled and pulled out Panry’s flask, and offered it to Lauren, “Thou choice does be right, Earth Mother and Mother, both does smile on thou. Happy thou hath made them both. Mother’s children, they may naught know thou, but pleased they does be as well.”

Lauren took a mouthful of the sweet liquid, “Is there anybody who is disappointed with my choice?”

Alron took the flask back, smiled at Lauren, “The black-clad. Today their reign of fear does end, their days does be numbered. Earth Daughter, black-clad hath naught met thou, but soon thou wilt strike fear into their hearts.” Alron took a mouthful from the flask, “Now the journey home, it does be long, time does be short.” Alron stood to help Lauren up, whistled, and the two stags that had been eating tree leaves immediately came to his side. Lauren took one last look at the tree, still in disbelief with its transformation. But now Lauren understood why the Earth Mother was so overjoyed about going to her tree. It was neither a retirement nor a funeral. Just a new stage in her life.
Crazy world.

Alron whistled, and both stags started back towards the camp.

“So Alron, what’s next?”

“First we does head back to Ironhouse. There we shalt consult with dwarf brothers. I does think that plans canst wait for a few more days.”

 “I don’t know. They attacked us twice the last time we left the mine. Somebody is bound to miss those men and go looking for them. From the sounds of it, there is nobody left this far north. If they find us at the Ironhouse Mine, they will trap us. If we are to save the children, we first need to find them. They need to know that the plague was a hoax. The black-clad probably have a small army, which is why they cooked up the whole plague thing. So all we have to do is find the people, and show them the truth.”

Lauren continued talking the entire trip back to camp, repeating herself a number of times, but started to prioritize their actions, asking questions and more. Alron rode beside her, nodding his head, answering questions when he could. He looked up to the sky.
Mother, may I present to thou, thine Earth Daughter Lauren.

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It was late morning when they arrived back at the camp, where the smell of bean juice and breakfast finally derailed Lauren’s train of thought. The forest welcomed the silence, as Lauren fought her hunger with stacks of fried meats and vegetables, fresh rolls and fruit. When Alron was afraid that Lauren might actually empty the magic chests that Mirtza had brought, he ordered everybody to head back. The Dawnfalcons took to their stags, heading out as front guards, and Mirtza loaded the wagon, Logan taking the seat beside him. Gingaar and Lauren crawled into the back, but instead of using the cushions and blankets that had comforted the Earth Mother, they methodically rolled them up, afraid that they might disturb the last remnants of her.