Rojuun

by John H. Carroll

  ***

  “They won’t attack you,” a voice said from the forest. Three young women walked into their clearing with assorted food, setting it down on the table. Steamed fruits made taste buds water.

  The one who had spoken was pretty, with blonde hair and green eyes. She wore a green tunic with short sleeves that left her arms exposed. A tattoo of leaves spiraled around her right arm from wrist to shoulder. She had an airy voice like the breeze. “They don’t attack anyone walking up to the fortress.”

  “That’s good to know. Will they let us in?” Liselle asked.

  “As long as you aren’t a Druid, yes. The Rojuun have a magical device that can tell if a person is a Druid. It sets off alarms if one passes the wall whether through the door or over the top. Anyone else can go in.” She poured juice into their cups. “My name is Donna, by the way.”

  “Hello Donna. My name is Liselle.” Liselle took a sip of the fruit juice. It was refreshing. She looked at her cousin who seemed content to let her talk to the girl while he attacked the food. Turning back to Donna, she asked, “Do you think we’ll just be able to walk around and talk to people?”

  The young woman shooed the other two Druids off after they finished serving the food and drink. “A few people have escaped the fortress. Usually, they’re people who have been sent to forage for food. The Rojuun tell those people that we’re dangerous monsters who snatch people, and to run for safety should they see a Druid.”

  “I wouldn’t imagine those people see the Druids unless the Druids want to be seen,” Sir Danth said.

  Donna chuckled. “Yes, well, there is that.” She turned back to Liselle. “We usually let a person see us from a distance in case they want to get away from the fortress. If they do, then we take them to the Kingdom of Kethril where they can find their own way.”

  Tathan laughed aloud, surprising them all. “So the Rojuun send people into the dangerous forest. Some of those people disappear, but not all of them. It makes stories about Druids snatching people all that more real.”

  Donna blushed as she sat down. “I suppose it does at that. The people we rescue tell us they’re allowed to roam freely through the lands of the Rojuun. The Rojuun have extensive caverns throughout the Caaldith Mountains. There are also numerous valleys and plains in the mountain range few humans have ever visited.”

  “Oh yes! There are lots of valleys.” Vevin was sitting down, but his head still bobbed in time with his invisible music. “There are lots of canyons too. It’s fun to fly through them!” He put his arms out like wings then leaned back and forth as if he was making sharp turns in the air while making a whooshing sound.

  Tathan shook his head in amazement. “Liselle and I were both raised in one of those valleys south of here. It’s difficult to get through, though the range isn’t as thick there as it is here in the north.”

  “Exactly. The Rojuun have humans farm and raise livestock in those places. They have others mine in the caverns. Many live in the Empire of Iynath and their labor goes to the Empire as well as the Rojuun.”

  “Mining is bad work,” Tathan interjected. “I would imagine those who do it suffer?”

  “The people we’ve rescued say the Rojuun make certain humans don’t suffer. In fact, some say it’s better to work for the Rojuun than any king or lord.”

  “That’s not what I expected.” Tathan went back to eating.

  Donna brushed aside a strand of hair. “Keep in mind that this is just what we are told, so we can’t verify the information.”

  “From what you are telling us, Donna, it doesn’t sound as though the Rojuun are truly evil,” Liselle said in confusion.

  “In many ways, they aren’t. Rojuun are rather naïve and childlike. However, they believe that they’re a race of destiny and humans exist to serve them.” The expression on Donna’s face became serious. “The Rojuun believe humans were put on Ryallon to prepare the way for them. Now that the Rojuun are here, humans can use all we’ve learned to take care of them.”

  “What about dragons? They don’t think dragons should take care of them do they?” Vevin asked.

  “I don’t even know if they’re aware that dragons exist.”

  “Can I eat them?” Vevin asked hopefully.

  They all stared at him.

  “We’re not allowed to eat humans you know. Dragons and humans agreed long ago not to hunt or kill each other. Some dragons eat people and some people kill dragons, but that sort of thing is punished quickly by specific individuals, both human and dragon. Dragons don’t have an agreement with the Rojuun, so can I eat them, and do they taste any good?” Vevin asked Donna.

  The young Druid stared at Vevin for a moment with her jaw open. “I . . . I really don’t know.”

  “I think it might be best to avoid that when we go to find out information about them,” Liselle said, trying to think of the best way to handle it. “Perhaps finding out if dragons are allowed to eat them can be one of the things we learn.”

  “Oh! That’s a very good idea, Lady Liselle! But I don’t think they’re protected, so I may taste one just to see if they’re any good.”

  Liselle gulped as the party and Donna exchanged looks. Tathan took a deep breath. “I would ask that you wait until we find ourselves in a position where we have to defend ourselves against the Rojuun, Vevin. Then you can taste one.”

  “Oh yes! I will wait until we are in danger and then eat one . . . or more if they’re yummy.”

  Tathan sighed as he went back to eating. Donna stared at Vevin for a moment longer and then continued with her story. “One thing you should know about the Rojuun is that they are artists.”

  “Artists?” Sir Danth asked.

  “Yes. They create music, paint, and sculpt as well as things I don’t comprehend. Much of their time is spent performing,” Donna said. “Part of the reason humans can go wherever they want is because the Rojuun spend so much time on their art that they don’t care what humans do as long as it’s not disruptive.”

  “That’s amazing,” Liselle said. “You said humans farm and mine, but how do we explain Sir Danth in his armor, or Tathan’s sword, or Vevin’s teeth?”

  “The Caaldith Mountains have dangerous creatures throughout them. It’s said that caverns and tunnels go throughout all of Ryallon, even through the center of the world.” Donna sounded as though she was reciting something she had learned from a teacher. “In these tunnels are many creatures. Some are harmless, but others are very dangerous, just as in the forest.” Donna gave a satisfied nod as though she had just passed a lesson. “Rojuun hire adventurers to kill the creatures that are dangerous to them.”

  “What do they pay?” Tathan asked.

  Donna smiled shyly at Tathan. “They have gold, silver and gems. Word from the people we rescued is that the Emperor of Iynath turns gold into coins for their use.”

  Liselle realized Donna was attracted to Tathan. She didn’t know how to feel about it.

  Tathan smiled at Donna. Apparently, he realized it too. “I’m sure the emperor keeps some of the gold for himself. So, we could go in there as adventurers and say we heard there was money to be made?”

  “Yes, that is an excellent idea. I think it’ll work,” Donna agreed.

  “Then that’s what we’ll do,” Tathan proclaimed. “Let’s stay here through tomorrow night and leave the morning after. That’ll give us time to rest with as much traveling as we’ve done. We’ll travel to the fortress as adventurers and discover everything we can about the Rojuun once inside.”

  They all agreed, excited now that they had a plan.