Age of Valor: Blood Purge

by D. E. Morris

  Whether Lilia was playing up her disdain for Rhiamon and her village or not, Mairead couldn't tell. Either way, it would only aid in the dramatics needed to make their parting appear more emotional than it should be. Both of them knew Mairead's stay wouldn't be long, but if Lilia could make Rhiamon believe that Mairead had truly chosen to stay after a passionate plea to dissuade her to change her mind had failed, maybe it would make Rhiamon trust Mairead a bit easier.

  “I will make up my own mind,” she injected softly, her eyes downcast as though shy.

  Beside her, Rhiamon ducked her head to meet her gaze and offered her a smile of encouragement. “You are welcome to stay if you would like, my dear, but you are also free to go if that is your wish. I know that you have only just arrived, but perhaps you have questions you would like to have answered.”

  Slowly, Mairead lifted her head to look around at all of the other tables. Most were engrossed in their own conversations, no one paying them any attention. There were no servants nearby waiting to fill Rhiamon's empty cup or to scoop food onto her plate if she wanted more. She did it all herself, eating and drinking when she felt like it without the entire gathering following her lead. “I suppose,” said Mairead, “I do have some questions. It seems you are the leader of this village and of these people, and yet you sit among them as one of them. Are you not considered above them?”

  “I am both among and above,” the older woman told her. “We do not have titles or ranks here as the royals do in their castles and keeps. We are neither Lord nor Lady, though we respect those that come to us bearing the title should they choose to keep it for a time. I have a name, yes, but it is one my people call me because they love me, not because I demand it of them.” Much of what Rhiamon told her was not new, given the information she'd learned not only from Connor, Rowan, and Lilia, but also in her brief time with Gerwyn, Kyo, and Eira. She was careful, though, taking the time to ask questions someone new would ask and following up with more when answers were vague or if she thought she could get more information. It seemed the more she wanted to know about the lifestyle and the beliefs of Rhiamon's people, the more the older woman warmed up to her.

  When asked about her scars and the reason for her gloves, Mairead told her the same story she'd told Derog. There was enough truth in it to make it real but not enough to make her vulnerable. It softened Rhiamon to her all the more. “Do not ever feel that you must hide here, Mairead. You do not have to keep your hands tucked away under gloves in the middle of summer out of shame, but if that is how you feel the most comfortable, that is what matters. No one will force you to take steps that you are not ready to take.”

  Mairead nodded, weaving her fingers together in her lap. “Thank you.”

  “What have you tried for healing solutions?”

  She grimaced, mentally ticking off the multiple options suggested to her. “I feel as though the list of things I have not tried might be shorter.”

  The older woman gave her a sympathetic smile. “I understand. The world is large and knowledge is expansive. Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to what works and what does not, including me. If you would be open to it, I might have some new ideas you may not have considered before.”

  Mairead heard the soft inhale beside her and turned her body to face Rhiamon, subtly reaching behind her at the same time to grip Lilia's hand in the hope of silencing her. Let me handle this. “I would be very interested in hearing about them.”

  “Wonderful,” Rhiamon beamed. She lifted her cup as in agreement, Mairead doing the same before the two of them drank to seal their new friendship. By the time the meal was being cleared away, she was confident in the feeling that she was quickly becoming a new favorite.

  The tables were carried off by some of the men, and musicians began playing as the sun set. Though it was on a much smaller scale, it was a moment reminiscent of the games, late in the evenings when groups of friends and families gathered together around fires to enjoy each other's company. The same was happening here as groups began forming, small clusters of three or four, mostly women with an occasional man or two to break up the monotony. It was not all together surprising to see most everyone finding company among their own age groups, all except for Rhiamon, who wandered from person to person as though she needed to check in with each of them personally.

  “Does Rhiamon look familiar to you?” asked Mairead as she and Lilia walked across the clearing together.

  Lilia linked her arm with her friend, oblivious as she watched a woman with gray and black hair play an instrument like the one she'd seen being played the other night within the ringstones. Though others played a harp, a flute, a tambourine and even a drum, this one held particular interest for her and Mairead picked up on it right away. For a time, neither of them said anything but simply stood together to watch the musicians play. Some people danced to the music, spinning around to their own rhythm. Younger girls or ones that might have been newer to the carefree ways here were more conscientious of who was watching them and how their bodies moved, careful not to draw too much attention to themselves.

  “Are you sure this is the right decision?” Lilia asked at length. Her head was on Mairead's shoulder as they stood before a fire, Mairead's question completely forgotten by the pair of them. “I can stay, or you really can come with me.”

  Mairead gave a small smile, her attention captured by the flames. “Neither of those options are viable right now. In the morning you must go. It is for the best. Your tongue cannot be trusted.”

  “Because I won't lie.”

  “Exactly.”

  Lilia lifted her head, a wrinkle between her brows. “Promise me that you won't get in too deep. Don't let her make you forget who you are...whose you are.”

  “I promise.”

  Resuming her comfortable position, Lilia looked over the flames to a small group of men on the other side who were walking by. It was hard to make out faces through the fire, but she was certain she saw the tallest one among them raise a hand and wave at them. Curious, she lifted her head one more time and drew herself up on her toes to try for a better view. “I think one of the men just tried to get our attention.”

  Mairead lifted her eyes as well, forcing her gaze away from the fire to the group on the other side. A light of recognition wrinkled her brow and turned up the corners of her lips. “It is Derog.” She raised her hand to wave back at him, much to Lilia's confusion.

  “Who?” The tall man broke from the group to circle the fire and join the two, looking much more at ease than he had at the gate. “Oh,” Lilia breathed as he drew closer. “If it isn't the man who thought he could stop me.”

  He grinned down at her. “And the woman who's only option to get past me was turning into a bird and leaving her friend behind to shame me into staying put so I didn't chase after her.”

  Lilia couldn't help but return the grin. “You're much more handsome when you smile.”

  “And you're prettier when you're not threatening me.”

  “I've been told that before.”

  “I don't doubt it.” Turning to Mairead, Derog's smile turned more friendly and less flirtatious. “I'm glad to see we haven't scared you off yet.”

  “Your people have been nothing but welcoming,” Mairead told him. “If I am being perfectly honest, this is the first time in quite a while that I have not had people staring at me as I walked about. Even sweet little Esther treated me as an equal and looked at me no differently when we met earlier.”

  “Because you are no different,” Derog assured. “When I told you that I had seen worse, you can believe that I wasn't just speaking for myself.” He turned to stand beside Mairead and look out at everyone who was so familiar to him. “Aside from that, where the world values outer beauty, we know there is much more to a person than outward appearance, and that often the more attractive faces hide the darkest souls.”

  “And yet you stand on the side of her that isn't scarred,” Lilia teased.


  Derog smirked, one eyebrow rising. “That's because I wanted to stand next to Mairead and not you, pretty girl.”

  Narrowing her eyes, Lilia studied his face. “Why do I feel like that was an insult?”

  “Derog.” Rhiamon seemed to appear out of nowhere, her eyes lit with curiosity and amusement as she took in the small group standing together. “There you are.”

  He dipped his head, an apologetic grimace darkening his features. “Forgive me, Mother. I was momentarily distracted. I will go and fetch the oils as you asked.”

  “There is nothing to apologize for.” She had been unhappy with him earlier; Mairead remembered the scathing look Rhiamon had given him at the gate and the severity with which she'd even spoken his name. Now, there was warmth and a quiet affection about the way she regarded him that was so different. “It is good that you should be friends. The first days in a new environment are always the hardest, especially when you are on your own.” She turned to Lilia. “You will be leaving us soon, after all.”

  Lilia bit down on both of her lips to keep whatever she wanted to say from being spoken and only nodded.

  “Come along, girls,” Rhiamon continued. “The women are gathering for a purification ceremony.”

  Taking the unspoken hint, Derog gave them one last grin and a nod, then rejoined his small group of waiting men to carry out whatever task they had been given. Mairead watched them leave as she and Lilia followed Rhiamon in the opposite direction. “He called you 'Mother,'” she pointed out.

  The older woman gave a wan smile over her shoulder. “Here, everyone is my son and my daughter, no matter their age.”

  Lilia waited until Rhiamon turned back around before looking at Mairead. The two of them shared a glance that almost made the other laugh. With lips pressed together in resolution, they faced in opposite directions as they walked on, careful not to make a single sound.

  ~*~*~*~

  Connor stared out the window of Kyo's kitchen toward the mountains as though waiting for some sort of signal. The tangy smell of soup bowls empty from supper sat before him just waiting to be washed, growing more pungent in the humidity of the stale air within the house. The curtains had been open for a few hours that morning, but as the day progressed and more people moved about, all of them felt it was safer to keep wandering eyes from peering in on the off chance that Connor was seen and recognized from his last trip there. Alone in the house at the moment, he couldn't help but wonder how Lilia and Mairead were faring. He knew he should have been exploring the underground tunnels with Badru and the other two men, making a mental map of every turn and exit as Badru had been doing almost since the girls had departed that morning, but he couldn't concentrate on anything like that. His stomach was in knots knowing Lilia was inside that mountain village with nothing to defend her but her sharp tongue, something that got her into trouble more often than it got her out of it.

  “The boys still below?” A female voice behind him made Connor turn to see Eira slipping in with a bag slung over her shoulder.

  “Last I knew, Badru was making a blind run of a few different routes, trying to see if he could do it without light to determine just how well he's got it all down or not.”

  Eira laughed and slipped the bag from over her head before sitting at the table. “He's an interesting one, him. I don't think I've ever known a man with more than one wife, let alone enough children he could start his own village. Can he really get all of those tunnels in his brain in one day?”

  Connor shrugged and joined her at the table to look at the books she was pulling from her bag. “I don't really know him that well, to be honest. It's possible, I guess. Gerwyn and Kyo have been helping him all day.”

  “I know. I saw a fat lady with a heavy coin purse outside of Gerwyn's shop earlier. She was none too happy he was closed and I reckon he'll be pretty upset he lost such a big sale. Literally.”

  Laughing, Connor shook his head. “So what are all of these?”

  “Old topography books I had laying around. I thought they might help you figure out some of your map stuff. Or make it more confusing.” She chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. “I dunno, just trying to help. You seemed distraught so I thought a distraction might be a good idea.”

  Connor smirked. “That obvious?”

  Eira narrowed one eye and spread her arms wide. “Only by about that much. Is she your betrothed, the one with the wings?”

  “We're not there yet. Our relationship is...I don't know. It is what it is and somehow it works.”

  “No judgment from me.” She pulled one of her books to her and flipped it open. “I brought this one because it talks specifically about the ghost island that turned out to be Ironedge, the one you said your friend Gia lived on before it fell into the ocean. Apparently it's been a sailor's tale for quite a few years.” As she passed the book across the table to Connor, voices could be heard from the open hatch to the tunnels below, drawing Eira's attention toward it. “Oi! Keep it down, you lot!” She shook her head and sighed. “They'll get us found out before the week's through, mark my words.” Connor only smirked as he looked over the book she'd given him.

  The three men ascended the ladder all snickering at something, Kyo wiping a tear from his eye when his feet were on the solid floor of his kitchen. Eira raised a brow in a look that was somehow curious and disapproving all in one, but it did nothing to dim the good humor of the three older men. “We nearly lost Badru to the river,” Kyo explained. When it was obvious she didn't see what was funny, he shook his head and waved her off, chuckling. “You had to be there.”

  “How goes the mapping?” Connor asked absently as the hatch was closed and the wobbly bookcase was shoved back over top of it.

  “Good,” Badru said with a snicker as he sat, “for the most part.”

  “I brought you books,” Eira reported with a proud grin.

  “I see that.”

  Gerwyn glanced outside and cursed. “I have to get home. The missus will have my head if I'm out late again tonight. See you all tomorrow.”

  “Where's your map?” Eira asked as Gerwyn left. “Maybe we can piece together where the rest of these supposed places of power are.”

  Connor nodded toward the stairs that led to the loft. “Upstairs in my pack.” He was too absorbed in his reading to take much notice or even care when she got up to go get the map for herself. Even Badru was already finding things of interest in the old books that littered the table, all of them having to do with histories of dragons, Gaels, Elemental legends, and Celtique lore. For a long time, it was silent in the wide room with little breaking the monotony but the turning of a page or the closing of a book and the opening of another. Kyo did the dishes Connor had neglected, but after those were done, even he joined them at the table to do some reading.

  “I know you already have two maps going,” said Eira after a time, “but I've started my own here. No continents or anything, just the twelve points of light drawn in the circle.” She pushed some of the books aside to move her parchment closer to the middle of the table for all of them to see. “I've labeled the places so we have them in a clean circle and all in one place. Do either of you know without a doubt of any one of these places that would belong to any specific Elemental?” She looked at Connor as though he was the authority on the matter, but he looked right to Badru, who took his chin in his hand with a thoughtful sigh.

  “Not for certain, no. There have been educated guesses, of course-”

  “How educated?” she asked.

  Badru shrugged and shook his head. “As educated as these books, I would say.” Without giving away the fact that he was an Elemental himself, there was little Badru could reveal about his sources and how old they were, or how reliable. He knew they were among people who had taken an oath to protect people like him, but he was not yet ready to divulge everything about himself. If for some reason they found themselves in the hands of the enemy, he did not want them to have information that could be used against his kin
dred.

  “King's Crown,” Connor said, pointing to the representative spot Eira had drawn where southern Ibays would be on a real map. “For generations it's been said that the kingdom that used to be within that mountain range used to be ruled over by the first Elemental of Water, and that he was the one who commanded the sea to come up and swallow his kingdom in an effort to protect his people from the outside world. Years ago, a friend of mine made it into the middle. No one has been able to do that in my lifetime as far as I know. It was the end of winter and everything was still frozen, there was still snow in places, but she said in there the grass was green and the water wasn't frozen, like it was truly the faery kingdom it was rumored to be.”

  Eria's eyes were wide and full of wonder. “That sounds incredible. And plausible. So for the sake of having some place to start, let's say that this, that King's Crown belongs to the Water Elemental. That leaves us only eleven to figure out.”

  “There is a pattern to everything,” Badru muttered, his eyes moving across the parchment to the point in the circle directly across from where King's Crown was marked.

  “And everything having to do with the Elementals is based around opposites,” Connor added. “Killian and I were talking about the very same thing. It stands to reason that this point over here could very well belong to...” His eyes lifted to Badru's face. “...Fire.”

  Kyo and Eira looked between the two men, missing the significance of the moment. “Great!” said Eira after a moment. She scribbled their assumption down and looked it over. “Right. So if we look at your map it makes it some random spot in the ocean, but a modern map places it somewhere in eastern Braemar.”