Her words rang true and Arwhon’s Ring verified they were, so that evening after they had eaten, Arwhon gave Shiri the infusion. Her sleep was not so troubled and she dozed for long periods without nightmares to wake somewhat improved in the morning ready for a new day. They left with an entourage of Riders provided by the Green River Tribe to escort them to the King’s encampment.
When they arrived at the Royal Camp, the King was still in Belvedere but Riders, sent as swift messengers, had arrived back from the wars to tell of the freeing of Graswyn and to spread the glad tidings of the end of Dominion Rule.
Arwhon’s own news of the death of the Dark Mage and the demise of Empress Martine was cause for great celebration. It was some time before he could speak privately with Queen Mareeta and Princess Verita. They listened intently as Arwhon outlined the proposal he had made to Agmar, the Chamberlain of Debrishar, regarding Verita becoming Debrishar’s Queen. Arwhon hadn’t expected an immediate reaction, time would be needed to discuss such an important diplomatic proposal.
Sowing the seed of the idea was enough for now.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t stay to enjoy the warm Barsoomi hospitality and soon Shiri and Arwhon left the Royal Camp, riding on toward the Darkwood with their Green River Rider escort.
One day on their journey, Arwhon heard a piercing cry and looked up into the sky to see far, far above them, two gryffons circling on thermals. One was Krissi but where did the other come from? Was it a wild one? Escarion’s maybe? Arwhon sent to Krissi and received a jumble of images in return. Yes, the gryffon had belonged to Escarion and was bereft without him. It had followed Arwhon up to Goristoum, flying high and keeping out of sight. Only now, when they were heading away from the mountains, had she shown herself. Without knowing if he could communicate with Escarion’s gryffon, Arwhon focussed his mind upon visions of freedom and high mountain crags while he gazed at the circling speck in the sky. He was gladdened when it suddenly turned and flew north east towards the mountains where Krissi originated. Arwhon wished it safe haven as the beast disappeared from sight.
Three weeks after leaving Goristoum, Arwhon and Shiri bade a grateful farewell to the Barsoomi Rider escort and left them on the Plains as they rode on toward the Darkwood. Shiri had felt their proximity to the Darkwood for the last couple of days and her excitement mounted. Rangers closed in on them as they finally rode in under the trees and Arwhon felt the presence of Ch’ron all around, without having to touch a tree. The Rangers were abhorred at the sight of their Princess and cursed Man with M’Herindar incantations Arwhon could not decipher. After the Rangers had recovered from their dismay, they formed up around Arwhon and Shiri and gave them an escort over the next few days.
All the way to Al’hera.
On reaching the centre of M’Herindar life, Arwhon and Shiri were warmly welcomed by all but that welcome faltered as the M’Herindar saw what had been done to Sihron’del. News of the wounding of Sihron’del dampened the joy all should have felt and many of the M’Herindar lowered their eyes from the sight of what Man had done to their Princess. Arwhon almost felt ashamed to be a Man at that moment.
Later, in the evening, Arwhon had to share the distress of Shiri’s parents, Vehrin’del and Jahron’dal, as they viewed their daughter out of her helm and armour, dressed only in a soft robe. Arwhon still looked after her, catering to her needs and Shiri would have it no other way, leaning on him for support, shuffling along, as walking on her damaged, scarred feet was difficult for her.
Shiri couldn’t remember her capture so it was up to Arwhon to explain to Vehrin’del and Jahron’dal what had befallen their daughter.
“It was the Q’Herindam Mage, the same one who killed Escarion who flung a bolt of magic at Shiri from the back of the drakon he and Martine had ridden into Belvedere’s Plaza. It knocked Shiri unconscious and before I could reach them, Martine had gathered up Shiri and they’d flown off.”
Shiri took up the tale, speaking haltingly with great effort.
“Martine did most of the damage to me, the Q’Herindam Mage thought it beneath him to torture. You know about the stone of course and Arwhon finally using magic to revive and heal me.”
Vehrin’del and Jahron’dal both turned their attention from Shiri to regard Arwhon. A Man with magic? He felt embarrassed at their attention but was becoming more used to being stared at.
Arwhon felt close to tears as he helped Shiri shuffle around that evening, nearly overcome by the desecration of such a beautiful being, now home under the Tree among her own people where she’d always been most radiant. He loved her dearly and clung to a fervent hope he’d carried with him from Goristoum, that there was a chance Shiri could be healed and made whole again. The next morning, in the early quiet, he carried Sihron’del to the Tree in the centre of the Darkwood. Placing his hand on the trunk, he emptied his mind as best he could and welcomed Ch’ron into it.
“Arwhon and not Arwhon. Greetings, you who I know so well. You have changed yet again. What do you seek?”
“Mighty Ch’ron, I ask a favour. In the war with Evil, we have won a major battle and a Dark Mage of the Q’Herindam is no more. Without him, Empress Martine withered away. But in that winning, one of your favourite daughters was damaged beyond all ability of Man or M’Herindar to repair. I love this person with all my heart and humbly beg you do for her what you did for me. Repair her please Ch’ron.”
“Arwhon, you do not have to beg. I felt the Dark Mage leave the world and it is a better place for it. There are others of the Q’Herindam almost as strong in Evil magics and just as malignant and they too are also aware of the Dark Mage’s passing. You have won a battle but not the war. For you, it is not a favour I grant but rather a gift. Place Sihron’del in front of me, naked, as she did for you.”
Arwhon whispered comforting words in Shiri’s ears as he took her robe off and supported her gently against the trunk of the Tree. A fissure opened up, which widened until it was big enough to accept Shiri’s body. Arwhon kissed her gently as soft tendrils wove about Shiri in a tender embrace, drawing her inward to the core of the tree. She made no sound throughout, having seen how Arwhon was treated by Ch’ron and trusting the heart of her home whom she’d known all her life.
Arwhon returned to Al’hera to face an anxious and displeased Vehrin’del.
“Where is Sihron’del Arwhon? She’s not in our abode and as she’s maimed and has to be virtually carried any distance, you are the only one who would know where she is.”
Arwhon drew himself up, standing straight. He had done no wrong but an explanation was in order.
“I took Sihron’del to the Tree of Ch’ron and asked that he heal her as he did for me.”
“And you did you not see fit to discuss this with us? It is not your choice to make. The Wise Ones should have been involved. We all should have.”
“I was thinking only of Sihron’del. I wanted to save her the embarrassment of being paraded in front of so many people, looking as she did, before a decision was finally reached. She has suffered mightily in her task as Shield and I feel partly responsible, although I did not give her the task. I love her. You may not be able to accept the fact but I will not have her shamed and humiliated. I spoke to Ch’ron, who has already worked on me. I trust him more than any in the Darkwood. He is the Darkwood and he lives for one reason. The M’Herindar. You are all his children and he will do whatever he can for you.”
Arwhon had spoken openly; perhaps he’d gone too far but he was totally sick of conflict, so he took himself off to Kuiran’s room for a while to relax in peace.
From the next morning on, Arwhon took the small tent he and Shiri had travelled with and camped beside the Tree. Ch’ron budded food from his trunk for both he and Krissi, who waited with him, although hers was very different food from his. Duran and Rancid, grazed nearby, taking their fill of the tasty nutritious grass growing everywhere under the trees. Every so often Arwhon felt the feather touch of contact with his grey stallion as Dur
an checked on him. Krissi and Arwhon often sat together for a whole day at a time, he with his hand on the trunk ‘talking’ to Ch’ron, relating everything which had transpired in the world of Man. Krissi just sat, happy to be close to Arwhon.
Arwhon found he could also ‘talk’ to Shiri but did not like to interfere with her conversations with Ch’ron. She was learning more about the properties of Earthmagic and how to draw endless amounts without help from Ch’ron. Shiri was less complicated than Arwhon for Ch’ron to repair as he was used to M’Herindar anatomy. He was able to open up pathways within Shiri which enabled her to use a greater range of the depth and breadth of available Earthmagic, something which both the Tree and Shiri now shared.
The hardest part of Ch’ron’s work was remodelling neuronal pathways in Shiri to wipe the terror of her ordeal by removing the memory of it from her mind. She would never really notice a little time was missing from her memories and it was a small price to pay for having the horror of her torture expunged.
Three weeks from when Arwhon first held Shiri up to the Tree for Ch’ron to engulf, she was expelled from the silvery trunk. Remembering his own renewal, Arwhon assisted Shiri. Supporting her in a sitting position after Ch’ron pushed her out, gently patting Shiri’s back to help clear her airways until her breathing eased. Shiri was covered in slimy goo which dried quickly and he counted her fingers and toes as she practised breathing once again. Her nipples were woody looking but Arwhon knew they would change and his biggest relief was when she eventually opened her large amethyst eyes, blinking tearily in the dim light and looked lovingly up into his face.
Shiri drew breath and spoke aloud for the first time in three weeks.
“I was sad because I thought I would never see you again. Yet, here we are.”
She laughed joyously and magic rippled through the air with the sound, his laughter joined hers and the woods rang with the music of it. Krissi leapt up and down, delighted to have Shiri back, bunting her gently with her head to be stroked just so. Rancid and Duran presented themselves and Shiri just had to scratch Rancid between his ears and accept kisses from big, rubbery mule lips.
A quick dip together in the pool upstream and then Shiri dressed in the gown Arwhon had ready for her. She was even more beautiful than he remembered and simply glowed, an aura of Earthmagic all about her.
They walked back to the house trees of Al’hera together, Krissi cavorting with delight at having Shiri back. Rancid and Duran also followed close behind. Arwhon and Shiri attracted quite a crowd as they passed through the centre of the clearing and when they stood before her home, Vehrin’del rushed down to hug her daughter tightly to her, tears in her eyes, before stepping back to survey her daughter. Shiri spun, her gown twirling and everyone cheered and clapped.
Before long the celebrations began and in true M’Herindar fashion, lasted for two days. It was during these celebrations that Shiri and Arwhon drew Vehrin’del and Jahron’dal to one side and asked if they could marry. Vehrin’del was troubled and looked to Jahron’dal for help in making a decision but he only smiled, glad to have his daughter back in one piece and full of admiration for this young Man who had been through so much to overcome Evil. Eventually, unable to make a decision, Vehrin’del promised she would leave it up to the Wise Ones to decide.
The very next day, the young couple slipped down to see the Wise Ones in their underground cavern and asked if they would agree to a union. It was Mahlin’del, the Eldest who answered them, a peculiar twinkle in her eye.
“Man who is not a Man.
M’Herindar who is not M’Herindar.
Your blood will bring strength to us all.
We approve.”
Arwhon and Shiri hugged in pure delight at this pronouncement but Mahlin’del had not finished with them yet and although the old Wise One was happy for them, there was more to come.
“It will be many years before you will find true peace together and even that is not assured. Evil has reared its head over much of the world. Nowhere is safe from its shadow. Not even here in the Darkwood. You have many tasks ahead of you Arwhon and some will take you far away from both the Darkwood and Sihron’del but you will always be True.
Now away with you. Up into the light. Enjoy your many blessings. You’ve earned them.”
The betrothed thanked the Wise Ones sincerely and dashed off to give Sihron’del’s parents the good news. Jahron’dal was very pleased, mostly because his daughter was and Vehrin’del, although a little disappointed at her daughter not marrying a true M’Herindar, took comfort in the fact Arwhon would not live forever and by the time her daughter became Queen, he would probably have died of old age.
The M’Herindar viewed betrothal as a time when a couple could come to really know one another, finding out if they were truly compatible in every way. Lying entwined with Sihron’del was beyond all that Arwhon could have imagined but their sweet solitude was not for long. There was yet more work for them to do in the world of Man.
Every day Arwhon thought about the lands he had travelled and the people he had freed from injustice and servitude. Evil was vanquished for now but according to the forecasts of The Wise Ones, ever ready to re-emerge. He was restless to see with his own eyes how the peace was progressing. He would just have to go and see for himself and Sihron’del, his Shield, would accompany him. They could be alone together, out of the Darkwood, for quite a few months. During that time he could try to tweak Fate a few times and make some lives happier.
Including his and Shiri’s.
Getting the idea past Vehrin’del was not easy. For every reason Arwhon gave, she had a logical argument which didn’t allow for him and Shiri to leave the Darkwood in the foreseeable future. Arwhon was becoming frustrated. He didn’t know why but he just had to go. Fate had some unfinished business for him.
Rather than discuss it with her yet again, Arwhon approached Vehrin’del once more, not to seek approval but to state his intention.
“I’m sorry Vehrin’del but I’m going. There’s more for me to do yet, out in the world of Man and I want to be certain of my back before I continue on with cleansing all the lands. I must go.”
Arwhon waited for the expected rebuttal but it never came. Vehrin’del sat forward on her seat.
“You’re right of course. It’s not we who are bearing the trials and tribulations of war. You’ve rid the world of a Dark Mage which has undoubtedly improved the world of Man. You obviously have a need to go and I think you should take your Shield. As much as I would like to keep her here, Shiri will not stay without you.”
“Thank you Vehrin’del. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and break the news to Shiri.”
Arwhon left and sought out Shiri. Soon they were discussing plans for leaving. It didn’t take them long to make a decision and they were quite ready to leave the next morning, the small tent split between the two of them, supplies filling saddlebags along with a few necessities. They were now old hands at travelling and knew exactly what they needed to take.
Although they tried to ride away early, quite a few of Al’hera’s populace turned out to wave them a cheery goodbye. Arwhon did not begrudge the time it took for farewells and it wasn’t long before they were riding alone under the trees of the Darkwood. Arwhon visibly relaxed in the undisturbed serenity surrounding them which also had a calming effect on Shiri. It was so pleasant to be away from others in a peaceful, muted environment with only occasional bird calls and the muffled rhythm of the horses.
Arwhon and Shiri rode south, taking their time and stopping early each day to swim in clear pools and enjoy each others company in peace. Nearly four days passed before they saw a brighter light under the trees and they were soon at the edge of the Darkwood. A couple of Rangers showed themselves and gave the pair a farewell salute as they exited onto open country. The fire which destroyed the Barsoom Plains hadn’t reached this far west and the country Arwhon and Shiri now rode was rolling, tree studded grassland.
For three da
ys, Arwhon and Shiri meandered along, their world completed with each other. Their solitude bound their betrothal deep and true. Soon their idyllic isolation came to an end as midday on the fourth day found them entering Crossroads. Shiri cast a glamour over them so they would blend in a little better, although it was hard to go unnoticed with a small riderless pony trotting around behind them.
It felt strange for Arwhon and Shiri to be back in the world of Man again. Incidental noise was all around them, intruding into the peace of the day. As they drew closer to the centre of Crossroads the general hubbub of life in a city increased. They could hear hawkers and market stall owners calling out their wares and folk shouting to each other across the street. Adjusting to the cacophony, they soon found their way to an inn Arwhon remembered from his first time in Crossroads, The Black Butt, coincidently the one Redbeard had chosen. Arwhon paid for a room for a couple of nights as well as stabling for the horses. He’d almost forgotten to bring coin with him, as Chalc, once his Servant, usually dealt with the money. Luckily, Arwhon had remembered during the final minutes before leaving the Darkwood and had dashed back into Kuiran’s old room looking for a few coins. When he’d emerged, empty handed, Vehrin’del had given him a clinking purse filled with small golds.
“Something for your trip. I want my daughter to have a roof over her head at every opportunity and make sure she eats properly too.”
Arwhon had gratefully accepted the offering but still wondered where Vehrin’del had come by golds.
Krissi was also a problem which Arwhon solved after a little thought. He made mental pictures of the area south of Crossroads where the Great South Road left the open grasslands and entered the trees for the first time and also of the game which could be found there. He tried to picture three days but couldn’t, merely sending a wait message instead. The gryffon paced back and forth for a moment checking no one was watching then launched herself up into the air out of the stable yard. With a few flaps of her now nearly mature wings Krissi flew high and turned south. Soon she was out of sight.
The Fall of Belvedere Page 36