by P D Atkerson
Could Enrick really have changed that much since he left? The boy who’d risked the Dubh-Woods to help a friend, wouldn’t burn a village down. Would he? Aroron wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting. He should have realized it was likely Enrick would be there. After all, he was the second most powerful figure in Karlay.
“I knew that Munay sent someone, but I hadn’t expected Enrick.” Aroron said, finally breaking the silence that had hung in the air.
Slanslot frowned at him. “And why wouldn’t you?”
“I don’t know.” Aroron said, shrugging. “It’s just, King Munay’s never trusted him to do something like this before. “Come on, we need to get back inside.” Aroron whispered, pulling on Slanslot’s cloak again, this time back towards the inn.
“Why are you afraid of him?” Slanslot asked, yanking himself free.
“I’m not afraid of anyone!” Aroron said, crossing his arms. “I’m definitely not afraid of Enrick.”
“Then why are you hiding?”
“Because, King Munay wants me dead.” Aroron whispered. “Would you want him to know you were here, if you were in my place?”
Slanslot sighed. “No, I guess I wouldn’t.”
“Then can we please go back inside?”
* * *
After another restless night's sleep, Prince Enrick found himself wandering through Hatter in the early hours. He was just moving across the street, when someone stepped on the edge of his cloak and nearly ripped it from around his neck.
“Watch it!” He growled, turning around to face the person. “Dregana!” he hissed, under his breath.
“No, you watch it!” she hissed back, glaring at him. “I was here first.”
Enrick rolled his eyes, as he looked at her. “What the heck are you wearing?” he asked, looking at the strange clothing he was sure she hadn’t been wearing before.
“What did you just say to me?” she asked, stepping towards Enrick. “How dare you speak to me like that. It doesn’t matter to you what I’m wearing! Do I make myself clear?”
“Just because Dasety has some kind of connection to you, doesn’t mean I have to like you!” Enrick hissed. “It makes me like you less.”
“And why would I care if you liked me or not? You’re just filthy little Vreck!” Dregana spat.
“Oh, no! Not a Vreck.” Enrick scoffed. “You Shenockiens really know how to hurt someone's feelings.”
Dregana looked at him. “A Vreck is a blood sucking snake. See the resemblance now?”
“Wow! I can see why Dasety likes you so much, Dregana.” Enrick said. “You’re such a charmer.” He hissed. Oddly enough, a flicker of shock crossed her face, but only for a second, before she caught herself.
She stood up tall and took a step towards Enrick. “If only I could say the same thing about you.” She whispered, running her hand through her blond hair.
Before Enrick could respond to her, one of his men came running up to them. Out of breath and sweating. “Prince Enrick,” he gasped, bending over. “Dasety wishes to see you, right away.”
“Well, if Dasety wishes!” Enrick hissed.
The messenger looked taken aback. “I didn’t mean to upset you, my lord.” He said, ducking his head.
“It’s not you.” Enrick said, taking in a deep breath. Just because Dasety had turned on him, didn't mean he needed to alienate his own men. “I did not mean to snap at you. Return to camp and tell Dasety that I will be there, when I’m there.”
The messenger bowed, then without another word, he turned around and hurried back in the direction of their camp. As he watched him go, Enrick felt a little sorry for him.
“What does Dasety want from you?” Dregana asked.
Enrick shrugged. “You’d know better than I!” he hissed. “You two being so close and all.”
“Well, I have no idea.”
The prince just rolled his eyes and turned away. “If Dasety’s turned on me, who will help me show my father I’m worthy of being Crowned Prince?” Enrick asked himself out loud.
Dregana smiled at him. “You know what would make your father proud of you? If you burnt down Hatter.” She whispered, smiling at him as she gently placed her hand on his shoulder. “Wouldn’t it, your majesty?”
Enrick eyed her. “But I said I would do that only if you didn’t show yourself, which you did.”
“Exactly!” She cried; her blue eyes ablaze. “Wouldn’t he be impressed. Isn’t it just the thing he’d do if he were here? Isn’t it what you should do to prove yourself to him? Isn’t that what you want?”
“Now, why would you want Hatter to burn? Isn’t it a safe haven of some sort for your kind?” Enrick asked. “Why would you want us to destroy it?”
Dregana smiled. “They may be my kind, but that doesn’t make them my people. I have my reasons for wanting to see it burn. So, what will it be? Do what Dasety wants? Or show your father what you can truly do?”
* * *
“We should be quiet, in case Lilay’s still sleeping.” Slanslot whispered to Aroron, as they drew nearer to their room.
“The sun's already high in the sky.” Aroron said, glancing back at the door they entered through. “Do you really think she’s still sleeping?”
Slanslot shrugged. “She’s been tired ever since we left Glunot.” He said, shoving their door open as quietly as he could.
For a second, they both froze from what they saw. Lilay lay pale and lifeless looking upon the bed, her eyes still closed, as if she were just sleeping. But there was something unnatural about all of it.
The Eloun was the first to do something.
“Lilay!” Slanslot cried, running over to her, he dropped to his knee next to her and grabbed her hand. “She’s freezing.”
“Was she like this when you left?” Aroron asked, standing next to the bed. He had no clue to what was going on. He’d never seen someone look the way she did.
“No.” Slanslot said, shaking his head. “I’m sure she was fine when I left. She was just sleeping soundly, but not this deeply. Lilay, wake up!” She didn’t move. Something was definitely wrong with her.
“Something must have happened while we were gone.” Aroron said, quickly looking around the room. “Look at the way she’s laying. She wasn’t sleeping like that. Her head’s not even on her pillow.
“Yes! And look, her bag's open. She must have been doing something with it.” Slanslot said, reaching for it. He took one look inside, yelled and tossed the bag across the room, quickly moving to stand between it and Lilay.
“What’s wrong?” Aroron asked, jumping back too.
“There’s a Fatole in her bag!” Slanslot hissed, drawing his sword. “It must have bit her, or something. That’s what’s wrong with her.”
“Are you sure?” Aroron asked, inching his way towards the bag.
“What are you doing?!” Slanslot snapped. “Don’t go near that thing.”
“I’m just making sure you saw what you think you saw.” Aroron said. Carefully, he drew his sword and he poked at the bag with the tip of it.
Aroron jumped back, as the spider scurried out of the bag and towards him. His heart thudding in his chest. He had no idea what to do! The creature hissed at him and he yelped, the blade slipping from his hand. Maybe touching the bag hadn’t been a good idea after all.
He wasn’t sure if he could really trust Slanslot or not. Obviously, when it came to Lilay he could.
“Foolish mortal!” Slanslot spat. “You really think I’d lie about a Fatole?”
“Well, I don’t know you that well!” Aroron snapped back. “What do we do?”
“I don’t know!”
Aroron took in a deep breath. He needed to think! Quickly, he looked around him. He needed his sword! He was just reaching for it when one of the dragons leapt from his sword and towards the Fatole.
The dragon screeched and the Fatole stopped dead in its tracks. Then, before the spider had a chance to escape, the dragon opened its mouth and lashed out with
flames. Within seconds, all that was left of the Fatole, was a small pile of ash, still sizzling from the heat.
“Well… that happened.” Slanslot said, standing next to Aroron.
The little dragon looked at Aroron, let out a small puff of smoke, then leapt back onto the hilt of his blade and grew still once again. Turning back into the metal of which it was made.
It wasn’t until that moment, Aroron had even thought about what the Dragons could do. He had no idea how powerful they might be. If they could melt the Elouns’ whole city, what else could they do? He didn’t have a clue.
Finally, Slanslot turned back to Lilay. “We have to get her help now, or she’s going to die!” he said. “What do we do?”
Aroron rubbed his head and tried to think. “We need to get help, so we should take her down stairs.” He said, turning towards the Eloun. “It’s the only thing we can do.”
Slanslot quickly nodded.
Without hesitation, he moved back towards the bed, lifted Lilay off the bed and hurried towards the door.
Aroron could hear him whisper to Lilay, “You’re going to be okay,” as he carried her through the doorway and hurried down the stairs.
Shaking his head, Aroron followed after him. He really did hope everything was going to be okay.
“Help, our friend's very sick!” Slanslot cried, as he hurried down the stairs and towards the main room of the inn.
Several of the guests looked towards them, but only the innkeeper’s wife came over to see what was going on. The heartless people! Aroron thought to himself. But would he do differently in their place? He wasn’t sure he would.
“What happened to her?” the inn keeper’s wife asked, looking at Lilay’s pale skin.
Slanslot glanced towards Aroron. “A poisonous creature bit her. Is there anything you can do for her?” he asked the woman.
The woman seemed to think for a moment, then she nodded. “Yes! There's a physician who lives here in the city. He should be able to help you.”
“Is he any good?” Aroron asked. What good physician would be there, instead of in a lord’s house or a palace somewhere?
“I’ve never heard of anything he couldn’t… heal.” She said, clearing her throat. “If you want to help her, he's your only hope.”
Aroron eyed her. Heal? Odd choice of words. He thought to himself, he decided not to make anything of it. “Alright. Where can we find him?”
The inn keeper’s wife’s face turned red and she glanced around. “He’s probably at the tavern.”
“The tavern?” Aroron repeated. Oh great! “And how do you know he’ll be there?”
“Because, he’s always there.” She said. “Come, I’ll show you where he is.”
The woman led Aroron and Slanslot inside the tavern, and to the one person in the place Aroron had hoped it wouldn’t be.
The man he’d met the day before. The rude drunkard who’d tried to fight with Aroron.
“This is your physician?!” Aroron spat, motioning to the man. “He’s a drunkard. How could he be any good?”
“People aren’t always what they seem.” The man mumbled, taking another sip from his mug of ale.
“Walner, the girl needs your help.” The innkeeper’s wife said, grabbing his arm. “Won’t you help? You’re the only one who can in the whole city!”
Walner slammed his mug down and turned to glare at Aroron. “And why should I help someone who stole from me?”
Aroron returned his glare and crossed his arms. “I didn’t steal from you.” He growled. “You tried to attack me and failed, I just took my payment for the insult, that is all.”
“You’re a fast talker, aren’t you?” Walner asked, standing. “I don’t like fast talkers. So, no. I don’t think I’ll help you.”
“I’ve met people like you, you don’t care about anyone other than yourself!” Aroron said, turning away. “We’re wasting our time here.”
“What hope do we have, if he won’t help us?” Slanslot asked, grabbing his arm. “Please, Aroron, just be quiet and let me talk to him.”
“Fine, waste your breath talking to him.” Aroron hissed. “But he’s just a drunkard, and he’s not going to help us. I’m leaving.” With that, he headed towards the front door of the tavern.
“Leaving so easily?” Walner yelled after him. “And you called me a coward!”
“You know what?” Aroron said, spinning around to face him again. “I doubt this is the first time you were too selfish to help someone else.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” he hissed, stepping towards Aroron.
“Your reaction tells me, I’m right. Will you help my friend, or not?!” Aroron snapped. “Because, you’re selfish if you just let her die, because of me.” Walner studied him for a long minute, but Aroron didn’t break his gaze. “So, what will it be?”
“I will not look at her here.” Walner said, lowering his voice. “Take her outside and I’ll look at her.”
“Thank you.” Slanslot said. How he was still holding Lilay, Aroron didn’t know. Maybe it was because he was an Eloun, or because of how much he cared for her. He turned and hurried out of the tavern.
Following after him, Aroron went outside, half expecting Walner not to come, but surprisingly, he did.
Still holding her hand, Slanslot placed Lilay on the ground and looked up at Walner. “So? Is there anything you can do for her?”
“What happened to her?” Walner asked, kneeling beside her.
There was no reason to hide the truth from him. “A Fatole bit her.” Aroron said. “But it’s dead now.”
“A Fatole! Where the heck did you find one of those?!” Walner asked, glancing from Aroron to Slanslot. “They haven’t been around for hundreds of years.”
“Does that really matter right now?” Slanslot asked. “Can you please just help her?”
Walner sighed. “I’ll try, but I’ve never worked against Fatole poison.” He said, closing his eyes as he waved his hand over Lilay and grimaced.
“You’re not a physician, are you?” Slanslot asked, looking over at Walner. “You’re a Healer. I can see it now.”
“Yes. Now, be quiet.” Walner whispered, placing his hand against Lilay’s forehead. “She’s very close to the edge.”
“But you can save her?” Slanslot asked.
“I’m trying.” Walner growled, just as a strange white light seeped from his fingers and around Lilay’s head, then it spread out across her whole body.
Then, just like a fire doused with water, the light was gone. Lilay’s eyes opened, sitting up, she gasped for breath.
“Lilay!” Slanslot cried, clutching her hand even tighter. “I thought… I thought I was going to lose you.”
“I’d never leave that easily.” Lilay said, smiling at him.
Without a word, Walner and Aroron both moved back to let them have a moment alone.
“Thank you.” Aroron mumbled, staring at the ground. He didn’t know why, but he had such hard feelings towards the man, for seemingly no reason. He just felt anger whenever he looked at the man.
Walner shrugged. “Whatever.” He mumbled. “It was nothing, really.”
“I don’t think Lilay would agree.” Aroron said.
Walner eyed him. “Who or what are you? A Fatole hasn’t been seen in hundreds of years, everyone believes them to be legends, and don’t think I didn’t notice your friend's hair.”
Aroron just shook his head. “You’re better off not knowing.”
“Really? Interesting.” Walner mumbled, crossing his arms as he turned back towards the Elouns. “If I didn’t know better… well, never mind.” Aroron just shook his head. The man was obviously still drunk. “See you around, kid. If you need me again, you know where to find me.” He mumbled, stumbling back towards the tavern.
How someone with his gift could just waste it, Aroron didn’t know. His gift… was Aroron wasting his too? He was still thinking about it, when Lilay shoved herself back to her
feet and both the Elouns moved towards him.
“Aroron, will you please tell him I’m fine.” Lilay said, smiling as she took a step away from Slanslot. “He seems to think he need to hold me up, or something.”
“Well, you should take it slowly.” The Inn Keeper’s wife said. Aroron had completely forgotten that she was there. “Why don’t you come in and I’ll make all of you something to eat, on the house.” She said, with a wink to Aroron.
The Inn Keeper slopped three bowls of soup down onto the table, then without a word, he left again.
Both Lilay and Slanslot made faces, as they swallowed the first spoonful.
“There’s something off about this stuff.” Slanslot mumbled, stirring the soup around. “It tastes… weird.”
Lilay nodded. “I thought it was just me.”
Aroron shrugged it didn’t taste that bad to him. “Well, it’s the only food we have, so you’d better eat it. It’s free, so don’t complain.” He said, taking another spoon full.
It tasted pretty good to him.
Maybe it was just because they were Elouns. But then again… they hadn’t had a problem the night before. He shook away the thought and continued to eat. He was sure it was nothing.
Chapter 10
Friend or Foe?
Something in their room groaned.
Instantly, Aroron sat bolt upright and glanced around the chamber, his whole-body tense. Everything looked normal to him, but he felt that something was off. He could feel it in his bones, something was not right.
It was as if everything was too normal.
Lady Lilay slept soundly on the bed, her chest rising and falling as she breathed. Slanslot lay snoring loudly on the ground on the other side of the bed from Aroron. Neither of them seemed to stir at all.
Aroron was sure he’d heard something, but the Elouns obviously hadn’t.
Maybe he was just being jumpy, because of everything that had happened to Lilay yesterday. Maybe that was it.
He was just about to lay back down again, when he spotted a shadow moving, in the corner of his eye. He could tell at a glance that it was an armed attacker. The metal of the blade glittered, even in the dim candlelight.