by D.E. Dunlop
“Did not.”
“You said you were going to last week and last night someone did.”
“Somebody, but not us.” Ezbieta lied.
Jas’n interrogated them silently with his eyes.
“Sure, we broke in to look at it, but it was already gone when we got there.” Ren said.
“Yeah, uh hunh.” Jas’n accused.
“Yeah, uh hunh.” Tinne concurred as if to insinuate Jas’n was a fool.
“Alright. Fine then. What are you guys so excited about, then?” Jas’n inquired.
“The adventure of a lifetime.” Ren piped up. “We’re going to seek out the Field of Lords.” He continued with much enthusiasm.
“Isn’t the Field of Lords…?”
“Yeah.”
“Tinne’s crazy uncle talked about…”
“Exactly.”
“But…”
“Ollie showed us a book full of legends and myths and the Field of Lords was in it.” Ezbieta explained sarcastically. She accentuated the words myths and legends when she said them.
“If we find it, and we will, it will prove Earl was who he said he was.” Tinne added.
Jas’n forced a pensive frown and nodded at each of his companions.
“Anyway, we’re leaving tomorrow.” Ren said.
“You guys are nuts.” Jas’n laughed.
“That’s what you love about us.” Ezbieta said.
“Yeah, yeah it is.” Jas’n said thoughtfully. “I’d love to join you, but you know how it is; things to do, people to see, yada yada yada.”
“Yeah, right.” Ezbieta laughed. “As if you do anything other than lay around under trees writing your poetry and playing your guitar.”
“Hey, now. Sometimes I sleep under the trees.” Jas’n retorted with a broad smile. “Speaking of poetry, check out these two. I just finished them. He unfolded a couple pieces of paper and slid them on to the table.
Early on this morn’
Whilst I walked mine singular path
Spied I, a raven hidden high
Asked he, I
What hath?
In many mocking voices shrill
His words from he to quill
What hath hath not.
In human shame I did hang my head
And passed quickly from ‘neath his tree
I then walked to the forest nigh
To see what was to see.
Within found, I
A rippling brook
Asked her, I
What sayest thou?
Babbling, trickling voice a quaint
No secret there doth underlie.
Again I turned
And passed from by her side.
Twixt rows of trees walked I
Asked they, I
What doest thee?
In silent private whisper hushed
Thine sheltered head ask not
For naught we ask of thee.
Now truly saddened quickly passed
I from these justly trees.
**********
In the days of fantastic tales and heroic deeds
An angel fell from atop his mighty steed
As he lay
Battered and racked with pain
I heard him calling out
My low and humble name
“If your boot doth fall firmly on this path
And your humble heart takes hold.
An adventure like no other
Before you shall unfold.
(No story ever heard
Shall conquer the one you’ve told.)”
From that awesome shock I did quickly shake myself.
And I threw my feet from that barren and dusty shelf
His friends expressed their opinions of the work and the four sat drinking coffee, discussing poetry, talking about Ollie’s books and ancient mysterious things and told more stories about Peter the gnome; Peter the gnome becomes a pirate, Peter the gnome finds Sasquatch and other crazy tales.
Chapter 9
The Field of Lords
The sun rose quietly, as always, to reveal Ren and Tinne packing their horses with gear. When they finished Ren gave Ezbieta a long embrace and a kiss and the two men rode off. At first they rode fast because they were so excited, but soon enough it dawned on them how far they were to travel and they slowed to a more casual pace.
“So, why is it, again, you don’t have a wife, or at least a girlfriend?” Ren pried.
“Oh, I dunno.” Tinne mumbled, not wanting to have the conversation.
“I’m tellin’ ya, it’s the bong, man.” Ren encouraged. “I don’t see how anyone wouldn’t want one; hugging, kissing, mhmm. So why?” Ren pressed.
“It’s discouraged in the brotherhood.” Tinne answered.
“That’s crazy.” Ren said.
“It is believed that a man gains power as he grows older and that power is lost to the woman when he has relations with her. So, when a man maintains his purity he only grows in strength and power, thus increasing his magic.” Tinne expounded reluctantly.
“You believe that?” Ren asked.
“Yeah. Besides, even if it’s not true, I think I want to be High Priest of the order, someday, and it’s a requirement for that.”
“I think a man is not a man without a woman. She gives him that Je ne c’est quoi, that strength to do impossible things.” Ren shared.
“If he gets his strength from her then she is the man and he is only a vessel for her to channel her strength.” Tinne said. “In order to be all he can be his strength must come from within and not be wasted on trivial emotions and momentary pleasures.” He continued.
“Trivial emotions? Surely you’ve never been in love. Emotion is more powerful than magic any day and the relationship between a man and his woman is so much more than the momentary pleasures. Look at Bee and me. We’re both strong people. We’re different yet our differences strengthen each other.” Ren debated passionately.
“I see what you’re saying and in this realm that sort of thing is plausible, but one of the goals of the Order of Anon is to rise above the sum of one’s parts; to be in the world, but not of the world.”
“Are you saying I’m less of a man than you?” Ren accused defensively.
“No.”
“Yes you are.”
“That’s not what I meant. I only meant that when you’re dealing with magic all of your energy must be stored up.” Tinne explained, but Ren wasn’t listening anymore.
“If that’s how it is let’s go. If you wanna go, I’ll go ya. Right now, you and me. Fists or swords?” Ren challenged half in jest.
“Um, let’s not. Just in case one of us is more of a man and hurts the other before we find our field.” Tinne waived.
“Fine, then, but as soon as we find that field we’re goin’.”
“As soon as we find the field.” Tinne agreed.
**********
Sky landed on the ground without hearing or feeling it. The dog landed just beyond him and stopped. He raised his nose and sniffed the air curiously. Sky scrambled to defend himself, but found the dog sitting on its haunches with its tongue hanging out and sporting a very contented look on his face.
“What the hell is going on?” Sky asked after brushing his long coppery red hair out of his face. He attempted to discern the strange muted light through squinted green eyes. The trees and everything were bright enough, but cast no shadows. “Why has the dog suddenly relaxed? Where are we?”
“We’re in another realm.” Earl answered.
“A realm of peace, I suppose?” Sky questioned sarcastically while watching the dog wag its tail.
“Not exactly. We entered through a protective circle.”
“What’s that sound?” Sky asked in reference to a sound that was a mix of voice and wind.
“Sittyan soldiers. They’re a little confused.”
“Can they hear us?”
<
br /> “If they listened very closely they would, but they would only dismiss it as wind. If you look close enough you can see them.” Earl informed while pointing at an apparently empty space. Sky looked closer. He strained his eyes and was just about to give up when he thought he saw some movement. The object was barely darker than the air.
“That’s freaky. Can they touch us?” He inquired.
“No they can’t touch us. We occupy the same location, but not the same space.”
Sky looked around the area. “So how long do we stay here, then?”
“Until they leave.”
“So, we’re stuck in this circle until they leave?”
“No. You can walk around. We just can’t open the circle.” Earl explained.
“Well, how long’s that gonna take?” Sky complained.
“How should I know?” Earl replied. “Besides, it won’t matter. You’ll find the time they’re in will pass a lot differently than the time we’re in.” Earl’s words proved true as, within what seemed to be only a few minutes, their pursuers began to prepare for the evening.
When it appeared the last soldier was asleep Earl opened the circle and let the dog out. In the morning when the soldiers awoke they believed the dog had simply been wandering in the woods somewhere.
“See? I told you he just got off track.” The dog’s trainer explained.
Earl and Sky dared not to risk being picked up anew by the dogs and remained in the circle until they were certain the coast was clear.
**********
Ren and Tinne rode for days and weeks and months. It took much longer than expected because there were no roads to circumnavigate the immense lake. Sometimes they led the horses rather than rode because the terrain was uncertain or contrary. By day they were scorched by sun and crushed by humidity. By night the rains poured heavily, threatening to wash away their tents. They rode through forests and swamps, over fields and meadows. In and out of valleys they continued through the midsummer.
“I’m gettin’ low on supplies.” Tinne announced late in July. “I thought we’d be there by now.”
“Me too. We should be close to the bottom of the lake, anyway.”
“I think we’re gonna need to go back to the Bradford road and find a town or at least a wealthy homestead...”
“To rob?”
“To trade with.” Tinne corrected.
They made their way back to the road running south that wasn’t really much more than a wagon trail lined with maple and spruce. The horses plodded lazily through the sticky heat while robins and wild canaries flitted back and forth across the lane.
“Have you ever been to Bradford before?” Tinne asked.
“No, why?” Ren answered coming out of some daydream.
“I was just wondering if we were gonna have to go all the way to Bradford to get supplies or if there was another town or something before; ‘cause I think Bradford is more south than we wanna go.”
“I’m sure there’s something before we get that far.” Ren answered.
Within a couple of hours the forest opened up to corn and wheat fields on both sides. They stretched nearly one hundred acres on each side with a single row of trees dividing every ten acres. After a kilometre or so the crops gave way to pasture where various cattle, jersey and angus, lowed and roamed contentedly.
As the sun began to set beyond the cattle pocked fields there was still no house in sight. They pitched their tents by the side of the road and laid their saddles over the cedar rail fence. The darkening shadows of the trees enveloped the hazy, dying summer light.
Tinne’s eyes had barely closed when they snapped open again.
“Did you hear that?” He called out from his tent to Ren.
“No. I sleep with clumps of dirt in my ears, Schmuck.” Ren answered sarcastically as another coyote began to howl. “Get out here.”
By the time Tinne emerged into the moonlight Ren was already on his horse.
“Grab your bow.” He said. “If we get a coyote or two we could get some serious brownie points with the land owner.”
“Coyotes don’t attack cattle do they?” Tinne asked as he threw a blanket over his horse’s back. They expected the coyotes to attack at any moment so they didn’t bother with saddles.
“Not usually, but there’s probably smaller livestock around and they love that.” Ren answered.
The two men followed the noise of the coyotes west around the perimeter of the pastureland. When they felt they were close enough they dismounted and went on foot. They stayed close to the forested edge so as not to be seen and confused as rustlers. In the bright moonlight they could see sheep or goats on the rolling hills. They couldn’t tell which at first; they were just white spots washed with blue. Knowing they were close to the prey they crept closer until those spots morphed into sheep and began to move. Darker and harder to see spots appeared and the livestock bunched together before running straight at Ren and Tinne who were laying nearly flat in the pasture. The two men watched and wondered if the sheep would reach them before the coyotes struck or if they would have to make a move. They were suddenly aware of another movement. Less than twenty metres ahead of them, up wind and completely unaware, two coyotes crouched in ambush with their backs to their enemies. Ren and Tinne took full advantage of the situation and released their arrows. One of the coyotes yelped briefly as it expired. The disturbance distracted the chasing coyotes and the hunters became the hunted as Ren and Tinne took chase.
The following day the sun beat down on our traveling friends as they approached a large homestead. It was a large ranch style home painted pale yellow with a wrap around veranda and four or five smaller homes for ranch hands. The sign over the gate read, “Fennell”. The house sat back from a cross roads on a knoll and was surrounded by various maple, willow and spruce trees. The lawns were well manicured and two Border Collies bounced out to meet Tinne and Ren as they rode up the lane with their offerings. The landowner was in for his lunch and was very pleased with the four coyotes Tinne and Ren presented to him.
“Them blasted kai-oots been terrorizin’ me sheep fer months.” He explained to them. “The name’s Fennell. Me ancestors started this here ranch more’n five hundred years ago, durin’ the Void. Fennel’s the largest ranch headin’ south to the marsh; one of three raisin’ cattle and the only one with sheep for three or four hundred kilometres. So you can imagine how happy I am to see you sportin’ dead kai-oots. The wool from me sheep counts fer fifty percent of me income.”
Fennell arranged for Tinne and Ren to stay in one of the bunkhouses for the night. In the morning he gave them, for the coyotes, a month worth each of preserves and dried goods as well as two large woollen blankets. “Case yer not at yer destination by autumn.” He said. Tinne also traded a large portrait of Fennell’s family for a dozen of his wife’s fresh butter tarts. “Makes the best tarts north of the marsh.” Fennell boasted.
When they left the ranch they found they were a little further south than they wanted so they backtracked some until they reached the lake.
With August came the winds, whipping at them fervently, making conversation almost impossible. At this time they had already started around the southernmost tip of the lake and were headed north again. The landscape began to change. There were more cedar and juniper; more rocks and the grasses were much shorter; almost as short as moss.
Tinne stopped his horse and sat still while Ren rode in a small circle around him.
“What?” He asked, looking at his friend and obviously wondering why he had stopped.
“I think we’re here.” Tinne said, looking around pensively.
Ren stopped and looked around too. They dismounted and continued looking at and taking in the scenery. The August winds had blown the humidity away and objects that were once hazy with the look of French Impressionist masterpieces were now crisp and clear. The rocks and trees were so crisp they co
uld have been cut outs pasted on a backdrop. Tinne stood as though he were attempting to get his bearings. Ren wandered on ahead a short way and turned back from a rise in the ground.
“Tinne.” He called and then beckoned with his hand as his friend turned around. “Over here. I think you’re right!”
Tinne ran up the rise to see and just beyond the ridge was a large meadow like field, riddled with rocks and large dolmen like stones; many of which lay spreading from a central point in the middle of the field. A number of crumbling foundations also protruded from the ground in various places. There were no trees or bushes in this field: only the rocks and very low-lying florae.
“The Field of Lords.” They both whispered in unison.
“It’s all true; the myths, the legends, Earl.” Tinne muttered and then ran down the slope to catch up to Ren.
The sky was a clear and solid blue overhead and the field was a solid green under their feet.
“This is frickin’ incredible.” Ren exclaimed from the centre of the field. “This is where history is made.”
“This is where the future is made.” Tinne said in disbelief. Their entire long journey had not truly prepared them for this. As much as they were hoping it all to be true there was still a fair sized piece of their minds that said it couldn’t possibly be. Every two centuries for countless thousands of years a secret society of men and women met in this very place and forged the future. The two continued to stare, dumbfounded at each other and the Field of Lords.
“Do you know what this means?”
Childhood memories flooded Tinne’s mind; pictures of the stream and the big rock with earl sitting on it and of course Earl’s warning, “Katharine has the silver and the gold stones. If she gets the Black Dragon too she will control the future and the world”.
“We have to find that dragon!” Tinne exclaimed.
“Didn’t Ollie’s book say it was last seen in Simcoe?” Ren asked.
“According to legend it was seen with a Story Teller who was travelling north from the Holland Marsh. So it’s possible it’s in Simcoe. I just figured we should look here first, ‘cause who knows when we’ll get back to try again.” Tinne explained.