Gathered outside, they were packed and ready to go, wearing sheathed swords and leather armor—items that they’d leave at the planned forest camp located outside the slave encampment. But in the meantime, in the event of wandering danger, the additional protection was to be taken. Of course, Treva was well armed. She took the falchion, her preferred weapon, as well as a long sword. She always preferred two swords in battle: a falchion and another blade of some sort. As usual, she also had her daggers hidden in various places on her person—always.
Armed, and on alert, they trudged off. The thick brush and trees soon diminished Greta’s glowing cabin.
While walking, Anah observed her friends. Until recently, she had been a slave her whole life, and wasn’t convinced Marin, Freck, and Felena looked the part. She briskly walked, closing the distance with Marin. She reached up and ruffled his mop of combed black curls.
“H-Ha, Anah. What are you doing?” Gish and Lanico, who were taking up the front, tossed glances at them from over their shoulders. Marin laughed and ducked, trying to avoid Anah’s playful touch.
Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. She wasn’t being playful. “Well, Marin, you don’t look like a slave.” Freck scoffed. Anah turned to look at him and Felena just behind. The pair was taking up the rear of their march. She wrinkled her nose and furrowed her brow at them. “None of you do,” she continued. Unfazed by their dismissive attitudes she said, “Before you three sneak into the slave encampment, I think there will have to be adjustments made to the way you look.” The three would have to enter the encampment and blend in for their mission.
“What kind of adjustments?” Marin inquired with a raised eyebrow and Lanico listened.
“Well, slaves don’t have neat tidy hair”—she gestured to Felena’s clean golden braid “—and they can’t care about their appearance, not really.” Her breathing was ragged at their fast pace. “Make sure when you get to the mountain, you at least get a little roughed up and filthy…it shouldn’t be much of a challenge.” Her previous venture over the mountain had her absolutely saturated in mud.
She then took Marin’s hand and held it up to examine. “Treva.” She glanced to the side of Marin where the Second Lieutenant strode. “Their hands aren’t even purple.” The purple shade of her hand was noticeable in comparison to his – a blatant sign of the years spent toiling in the trillium mines, gleaning the prized lavender hued mineral. The continuous grinding of it into their skin left it discolored.
Treva glanced down at her own hands. It was true. Damn. They hadn’t considered that detail. Despite activity and several baths, she and Anah had taken since their stay, their hands were still the light purple hue and therefore would probably remain as such for some time longer.
The young WynSprigns looked at each other a bit. There was visible concern, uneasiness. Freck felt at the antler bit in his pocket nervously. Last night’s nightmares had been enough, but now this shortcoming?
“That’s good advice, Anah.” Lanico tossed another glance from over his shoulder. He wanted to prevent any further nerve-rattling truths. She was honest, that was all, and she did make sense. Neither Lanico nor Treva had thought of this detail.
“Be sure to hide your hands,” Anah warned. “Or perhaps just keep them dirtied.” Now there was the resolution.
“Thank you, Anah.” He smiled at her. “That is most helpful information and a great idea to hide the problem. If you notice anything else, please feel free to let us know.”
“I will,” she added. And he knew the genuineness of that statement.
Lanico squinted to the sky. “We’d better pick up the pace and take advantage of the light.” He had to handle these troops much like his own troops of the past. That was the only way he knew how to manage them. It would work, their small, young group.
✽✽✽
After Anah’s warnings, the group remained wholly silent, thinking over what was yet to come. Visible signs of their journeyed progress became obvious. The terrain became hilly rather quickly, but the dense trees remained. Treva and Anah, though unspoken, marveled at the length of time it was taking to reach the mountain pass. Winking through trees, they could tell the sun was nearly setting! With Greta, it seemed they had reached her home in only moments and now, they had been traversing a long while.
After some time had passed, Treva broke the silence, “Lan.” She jogged up to the front, inclining her face to peer up at him. Their determined pace had them swaying at an even beat.
“Tre,” his voice was rough from the time spent without speaking.
“I think we may have somehow taken the wrong way. When Anah and I arrived, the walk didn’t take nearly as long. We’ve walked for hours, or nearly an entire day.” She wasn’t quite sure. The tree cover was very thick.
Lanico huffed a small laugh. “Tre, my mother was responsible for that.” He looked forward again. “You see, one of her gifts is the ability to travel fast. So fast, that she can—when needed and if the conditions are right—travel at the speed of lightning.” His teeth glinted. “Though, that was in her earlier years, centuries ago.”
Treva arched an eyebrow. “Really?” She mused. It made sense, then.
Lanico nodded. “It’s likely she did this for protection when all three of you were being pursued.” His breathing was ragged. His mother was something. “Full of surprises that Fray.”
Treva smiled, it was true. She looked him in the eye. “Greta certainly keeps things interesting.”
He raised an eyebrow and his sidelong smile revealed his pink gumline. “You, have no idea how interesting.”
They set up camp. It remained a marvel to Anah and Treva who, until this point, had no idea of the speed at which Greta had cast them before. It was further proof of her mysterious Fray powers—powers that despite that amazing feat, were said to have dwindled exceptionally. The group woke well before the sun, and without a delay, set off for more walking.
They passed the small mountainside lake fed by glacial streams and a waterfall. Treva and Anah, during their previous travel, didn’t walk along the river when they ran from the Mysra. The urgency had them running straight forward and into the dense woods beyond this point. It was astounding what Greta had been able to do, and that they hadn’t even been able to notice. So much so, that they missed this lake and its waterfall entirely!
Lanico looked up and squinted at the mountains with Gish still ambling close to him. Anah, Marin, Freck, and Felena stared at the beautiful lake and waterfall in the other direction. Wonder filled their eyes. None of them had ever seen something so amazing as this. Treva looked at the young WynSprigns dazzled faces.
“Can we stop for just a moment, Lan?” she asked. “They want to have fun—for just a bit. You could even jump in to feel refreshed. The water would be cool since the sun hasn’t had chance to warm it thoroughly yet.” It was true, the air had grown warm, but mountain-shade still covered the body of water.
Lanico leaned to view the lake beyond Treva. His eyes flicked to the dark, murky waters; the floating waterweeds. He frowned. “No thanks,” he said most uninterested. He remained unmoved by their awe-stricken faces and wanted to keep marching onward as planned; plus that water looked revolting.
Treva smiled at him. “Pleeeease?”
He sighed and said sharply, “Fine.” Frustrated, he rolled up one of his maps. It crinkled in response to his hurried movements. “But only for a moment, let’s not forget there are slaves that need our help on the other side of these mountains.” Gish, who was paces ahead of them all remained as silent as the stone his Mysra ancestors had been crafted from.
Treva shot Lanico a look—as if he could speak to that. To the slaves on the other side and of their conditions.
And then he shot a glance right back at her in response.
The younger ones took advantage of this opportunity, of their leaders’ preoccupation. They dropped their bundles and bounded for the lake before any adult objection was voiced. The warriors’ shouts
and laughs and then splashes echoed as Lanico and Treva still glared at one another.
Gish kept his mouth shut and remained in the background, focused on the mountain-scape. His nerves were still on edge from his purposeful lack of trillium. He preferred to keep occupied, moving. But he wasn’t about to swim. He had absolutely no interest in water activities.
“Treva,” Lanico grumbled, “we need to keep moving.” His voice smoldered in irritation. Visibly annoyed, he flung his hair back from his face. These were not troops under his command, as he previously allowed himself believe. These were mere young adults and the woman he loved. He couldn’t make them do as he wanted. It. Was. Absolutely. Exasperating. Exceedingly exasperating. He heard a low, uncontrolled growl escape his throat.
“Lan,” she kept her voice low and controlled. “They are about to go into dangerous territory, none of them have seen such a sight as this.” Her voice dropped to a hushed level, “What if they never get to see something like this again?” She sighed. “Just give them a few moments of happiness before we continue on.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. Treva dramatically rolled her eyes at his maddening hair-raking response. She preferred he chop it all off already. But then, the familiar, enticing scent of leather drifted from his movements and Treva found her resolve and flashed her molten glare at him anyway.
Heated, they both turned to watch the young warriors, now splashing and rollicking. Honestly, the General Prince and his Second Lieutenant would rather dispel their anger at one another in other ways, but that was out of the question. These days were spent thinking of one another, the unspoken exchanges, the powerful temptation that nearly had them undone, so many times now. Oh, fires! And this heightened exchange, it was getting to be too much.
Marin had taken his boots off and was now running through the small sandy shallow beach. Anah sat on a boulder watching, giggling. Freck was waist-deep, playfully splashing water at Felena. The golden sun-filled water covered her hair, face, and shoulders. Felena squealed in delight. Freck laughed loudly at her response.
Treva softened. She bit her lower lip watching them from the distance trying not to laugh at their play. Her eyes caught a glimpse of a disturbance in the water. She narrowed her sight to the area. Nothing. Probably one of the youths, she thought.
“Fabulous!” Lanico blustered. He whirled toward a waiting Gish, who had just redirected his attention to the mountaintops. Lanico joined, holding his hand over his eyes to shield them from the brightening sun. He continued squinting at the mountaintops, in search of the lower pass that Treva and Anah had previously used. He knew they were getting close. He knew it was farther onward. Perhaps only a mile or so. They stomped on.
Treva knew how important this mission was for Lanico—for all of them. She decided she’d turn this situation into a benefit.
“Yes! Good idea!” She called out to Felena, “Get your hair wet! Make it tousled! Remember what Anah said?” The young warriors stopped and looked at her with attention; Anah’s face brightened. “You cannot have neat, tidy hair!” She answered and decided to clarify for the other set of ears still near enough to her. “Tumbling it up in the water and getting yourselves to look bedraggled will aid in your concealment!” She held her hand over her eyes looking at them. A satisfied smile spread over her face.
Lanico, having overheard this, felt his stress reduce slightly, but still grumbled over the loss of time. He continued stomping off with Gish to review the mountain-scape. He’d make the most of his time and locate the pass. Damn it. He and Gish would do it together.
Facing the young warriors, Treva beamed. It was a joy to see them having fun for once. All the time spent training didn’t necessarily equate to enjoyment. Minutes passed as she watched over them from her position on dry land.
Felena dared to dip herself under the water just near Freck and he loosed a girlish squeal at the tickling of his ankle. “Felena!” He laughed high “Felena, stop that!”
Felena reemerged from the water yards away, and Freck’s smiling face subdued. He shot a glance down. The water was above his waist and dark. He felt nervous at the continued clinging to his leg. The grip tightened. His eyes widened.
Felena’s face grew somber at his sudden expression.
His voice now urgent, “Ah, hey—hey, guys. Uh—” Plunk! Instantly, he was plucked into the water.
Everyone straightened. Frantic eyes looked to where he was, where he had been. Treva took urgent steps toward the waterline. Her head swiveled, taking quick account of the warriors. No, they were all there except Freck. Shit! Her heart pumped.
There was a splash that broke the surface and a quick scream “Hel—!” before he plummeted again.
“Everyone out!” She commanded, running into the water, jumping in and making quick thrusts and kicks swimming to his spot. The water leveled under her chest. Her eyes darted, searched, scanned. Her hands padded her body, searching for a weapon of choice. Got it! She thrust a dagger handle into her mouth and submerged herself.
The warriors stood by, watching the water’s surface calm before hearing a splash and loud gasping inhalations of air. Treva’s and Freck’s bodies flew high up, riding fleshy tendrils—no—tentacles! Massive, huge tree trunk–sized tentacles that had smaller tendrils that swirled like vines around them. The creature was cloaked in slimy lake-muck. Truly repulsive. While submerged, Treva had freed her arms and was already hacking away with her falchion. Her dagger was no longer in her mouth and likely lost in the deep. Her efforts caused an inhuman shriek that vibrated the water and the surrounding ground. The lake surface rippled with seismic waves, patterned at the sound. Anah, Felena, and Marin covered their ears at the piercing sound, their lungs struggling for methodic breathing through the vibrations. Freck was futilely hammering his fists into the monster’s flesh. Another chop had Treva’s body free-falling back into the lake. The bloody tentacle stump lolled in the air following her. Freck’s shouting echoed. Felena screamed, urging him to fight harder. The monster—the mass of its body still hidden—moved and more tentacles sprang up.
Where was Treva?
Just then, at the shared thought, she was spotted climbing the same arm that Freck was coiled into. Grasping tentacles slammed trying to claim her. She growled and grimaced as she climbed, fighting to avoid sliding from its sludgy body. With great effort, she found purchase at the crook of the monster’s tentacle-arm and began chopping, keeping another dagger anchored into the flesh for her stability. In that way, it was much like climbing a sharp mountain wall. The monster’s movements beneath caused the lake itself to rock at its flailing. Then, the monster, most irritated at Treva, grew in size. Suddenly a mound of thick tentacle-arms and a colossal head surfaced. Huge! The creature was, it seemed, about the size of the lake itself! Collective gasps and screams sounded.
“Help!” Freck shouted at his grounded comrades.
That didn’t matter, the monster knew—heard the onlookers nearby and was now moving toward the waterline! There was only a moment of brief hesitation before, “Charge!” Anah commanded. In a split second they grabbed their blades, ran, trudging into the water to collide with the fetid water beast.
The creature’s thick arms flung out, seeking, grasping for legs, bodies, for anything. It found attachment on boulders and trees and hauled itself. The ground quaked as the body-mound grew in enormity. An eye. An eye the size of a full-length war shield surfaced and peered at the foes though a filmy translucent lid. A lid that was immediately sliced through by Felena’s blade. Another monstrous shriek filled the air as blood and connected tissue oozed from the horrid wound.
After the sting of Felena’s blade, the creature rolled, taking Freck and Treva higher into the air. A jagged maw surfaced, roared open, and displayed row upon row of hooked teeth.
“What the—” The loudest thundering roar blocked the slurry of curse words that flew from Anah’s shout. The creature’s full voice unhindered by water now was truly deafening. But, Felena rema
ined relentless, she didn’t stop to stare and curse. Focused, she swung her blade deep into the monster’s body. The others continued their attacks as well. Slicing, cutting, stabbing the creature from any and all exposed ends.
The roar carried itself across the land.
“Keep going!” Treva ordered, standing over the monster and hacking away at Freck’s trapped body, still tangled in vine-like tentacles.
With one lethal blow, Felena arched her sword at an angle that entered the creature’s rib cage. A vital organ was penetrated—which one? She didn’t know.
It was a stomach-flopping, crashing dive that the group took, plunging into the lake and upturned mucky silt.
✽✽✽
Lanico’s heart hammered against his ribs. He heard and then felt a reverberating roar followed by yelling—no, it was shouted commands. He ran. His focus was so intense on saving his most beloved, he didn’t wait for Gish’s lumbering steps, now yards behind and growing. Pumping his arms at his strides, he was just about at the clearing when the upset water twinkled within view. His eyes traveled across to the waterline and then he could make out a gigantic motionless mound that hadn’t been there before. His eyes lashed panic realizing it wasn’t just a mound. It was a creature! The massive water-monster carcass remained as his weary crew emerged from the water. As they quickly closed the distance, he could see they were covered in muck and filth. Lapping waves of sinewy refuse pattered at their heavy steps toward the shoreline. The lake has become one large mud-blood puddle.
The Legacy of Lanico: Return of the Son: Book two of the Legacy of Lanico series Page 11