Homecoming

by Tull Harrison

  There was an awkward silence; everyone had run out of things to say. Finally, a thought occurred to Rebenna, "Smith, can you tell us specifically where the sacred items are in Savann?"

  "I am so sorry; I do not know. Thomas never told me specifically; all he told me was that the royalty of Savann would be able to help those seeking the sacred items. He may not have known himself."

  Rebenna's soul plummeted; she had hoped to get a direct fix on the Items. From the look on Delmer's face, he had hoped so too.

  "It is not your fault that my uncle did not tell you where the items are,” he said. “I would love to stay, but since the items are not here, we have to go."

  "Yes, let's go back to the cold mountain air as soon as possible. I've missed it so much," Rebenna agreed sarcastically. Delmer frowned at this, so she apologized. "Sorry I suppose it was my turn to be rude. This mountain is your home. It is true, though, that we have to be going."

  "It's fine, dear, you were not rude. I may live on this mountain, but it is not my home. Love, you really need to lighten up. I can see her fear of this mountain. It would be foolish not to be scared. I can help you out. Let me use my magic to get you safely down this mountain. In fact, I can get you up to a day's travel away from here, if you want."

  "Smith would you really do that for us? If so, then you may consider your debt to my uncle canceled," Delmer said with a smile.

  "As much as I long for that to be true, you cannot make me abandon Thomas' last wish."

  Rebenna picked up on his point too. "Don't you see, Smith? If you were to help us get down the mountain, then you would possibly save our lives."

  "And I would consider you debt canceled. I am the only living descendant of my bloodline, and therefore the only one able to cancel your debt."

  "You would really let me leave this lonely place, if I help you dears out?"

  "Yes, I will. In fact, I would cancel your debt even if you did not help us."

  "When you're free, where will you go?” Rebenna asked.

  "I will go to Savann and wait for you there, of course. I still cannot believe that you are letting me go! Where would you like me to place you?"

  The pair smiled at Smith and Delmer requested, "We would like you to place as close to the goat herder's settlement as you dare. Can you do that for us, Smith?"

  "Of course I can, love. I could put you in one of their barns if you wanted me too."

  Rebenna laughed. "Beyond the hill closest to them would be fine. Thank you for this, I don't want to face that mountain again."

  "I do not blame you; I can see by that sling that it injured you. I can put you where you want. Oh, and if you ever need my help, just call my name. I will hear you." She smiled mischievously. "One last thing, if you find any body parts missing, I promise I can fix that."

  Rebenna's mouth dropped open in horror. She saw why people generally avoided sphinxes. Delmer put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

  "This will be completely painless. Ready, my dears?"

  "Yes," they replied.

  Smith's tail curled around her body, and she arched her back. Her eyes opened wide, glowing a brilliant sapphire blue.

  Suddenly, they were standing in the midst of hundreds of hills again. The sun was just setting. Its fingers outstretched in a silent goodbye until it rose the next day.

  They had been on Mount Slate two and a half days, and not eaten anything. They did have plenty to drink but were famished. They started walking and quickly crested the hill. On the other side, they could see the goat herder's village.

  As bone weary as they were, they hurried towards it. Towards their animal friends, and people who would most likely give them food.

  It only took them a few minutes time to get to the village. When they arrived, a young boy of about eight ran away screaming. "Ghosts, ghosts," he yelled, startling the sleepy little village. The boy ran and hid behind the man who had offered to take their animals.

  Rebenna quickened her stride and naturally assumed her peacemaking persona, "Do not run. We are not ghosts. We return from a tiring journey. All we ask of you is that you spare some of your sparse food. Please, we will find some way to repay you. We have almost run out."

  The man stepped forward with his arms outstretched, leaving the scared boy behind. He was clearly their leader. "My friends, when you first came and told us your intentions, I never believed you would return. Now here you are here. Your animals have been of great help to us. You are clearly exhausted and famished. Come, we will feed you and then let you rest."

  They managed to thank the man, and dragged their slim forms after the leader of the village.

  Chapter 12

  The village leader led them to the biggest structure they had seen since leaving Windy Hollow. Even so, it was still meager.

  Inside it, there was a slanting table and rickety chairs. Rebenna stared on in horror. There had been poverty in Ironton, but it hadn't been like the goat herder's village. There was no glass in the windows; the place had a rough wood floor, and four rooms. There were two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a dining room.

  A younger woman ushered them in and seated them. Delmer occupied the head of the table, with Rebenna across from him. The village leader and his wife sat along another side, with three children before them. The eldest of the children, and the only male, was the boy who had ran from Rebenna and Delmer.

  After everyone was seated, there were introductions. "Again, welcome, my guests. I am Senden. This is my wife, Danielle, and my children, Paul, Kelsey, and Maddie. I apologize for our hastening your journey earlier. We do not get many visitors, so we were suspicious, to say the least. May I inquire as to who you are?"

  Rebenna cast a long look at Delmer, not knowing what to say. He shook his head slightly, then answered Senden with their agreed-on names. "Thank you for your hospitality. I am Jonathan, and this is my wife Grace. We heard a legend of odd objects near these mountains and decided to come and take a look. You could call us treasure hunters of a sort."

  Danielle's brow furrowed. "That seems a strange reason to risk your life, and everyone knows that those are just rumors."

  Rebenna's smooth façade almost cracked when she heard that there were rumors about the items. "Well, yes, but we were in a desperate situation." She gave them a sheepish grin.

  "How did ya get hurt, Madame Grace?" Kelsey asked, trying to sound grown-up, her eyes wide in excitement. The adults spoke smoothly and with little accent, but the children's dialect was heavy.

  "There was a good amount of ice on the mountain," she replied evasively.

  "Did ya find anything on the mountain?" Paul asked, innocent as a kitten. Kelsey and little Maddie listened eagerly for the reply.

  Seemingly unfazed, Delmer answered, "Not exactly. All we found was more clues."

  Rebenna firmly steered the conversation in a different direction. "By the way, how did our friends act for you? I hope they were useful.”

  Danielle smiled. "Yes, it has been wonderful to have your friends around. Especially Morag. Because of her, we don't have a rodent problem anymore."

  As if she had heard her name, Morag sauntered into the room. Catching sight of Delmer, she broke into a sprint. Knocking him out of the humble chair, she licked his face.

  Rebenna looked on wistfully. Animals are so loyal to their friends. Unlike humans, who are constantly changing alliances. Including me.

  Delmer hugged his dog fiercely, and then pushed her off. Maddie squealed in delight. "Doggy, doggy!" She looked as if she had just had ten pieces of cake, she was so happy.

  Kelsey shushed Maddie, but Delmer just smiled. He picked the small giggling girl and lowered her so she could reach Morag's sleek coat. By this point everyone in the room was smiling at the joyous reunion.

  For some time they talked, and then Danielle showed them to their room. She and Senden had given up their own bed so Delmer and Rebenna could have a place to sleep.

  Rebenna surveyed the room: it was small, with a large bed
occupying most of the floor space, and a fireplace in the corner. A small, shabby stool sat there. Unable to resist, she strode over to it and sat.

  Out of her pack, she took her harp case, she tentatively pulled her arm out of the sling. Wincing at the sharp pop, she stretched her injured arm and then tuned her harp. Delmer looked on in mute protest but did nothing.

  "What song will you play? A war song?" he asked finally, his curiosity getting the better of him.

  Rebenna shook her head. "You may never have seen actual combat, but you know war songs are nothing like true fighting. I refuse to play songs like that, because they give young men the idea that anyone can be a hero; that war is all glory and no horror. Sadly, both of us know that this is not the case. There can only be so many heroes. The rest are forgotten, hated, or dead."

  "Well said."

  "Most love ballads are just as bad, but at least the worst they can do is to create hopeless romantics." She scoffed. "No, what I will play is popular among Low-born in Noenna. I doubt you have heard it."

  After a few deceptively simple fingerings, she began to sing softly.

  As the song continued, Rebenna felt her eyes tear up. It was crudely worded, but set to an elegant melody. The emotion behind it always touched her. Seeing Danielle and Senden's house had reminded her of the song. In Noenna, it was sung quietly by the poorest Low-born, and they made sure that nobles never heard it. However, no one ever noticed if a poorly dressed woman quietly listened while they lamented in taverns. It reminded her that the reason she had become an ambassador was to help people. She didn't know what had compelled her to sing it for Delmer.

  As she stopped, she glanced over at the errant king. Delmer's head was lowered and she could not make out his expression. She slowly and painfully put her harp away, slipping her arm back into its sling. It ached deep in the joint, but the pain was bearable.

  When Delmer spoke, his voice sounded choked. "I have done a great disservice to my people. Not only neglected them, but then left the capital, thereby enabling the High-born to oppress them further."

  "'Those in a position of power are in the best position to help.' That was a saying my father lived by. It was my reason for taking over his post after he died. You will make a difference." Rebenna spoke quietly as she walked over and placed her good arm on Delmer's shoulder.

  Meeting each other's eyes, they quickly glanced away. They were suddenly aware they were in a room alone for the first time since the Coronation Ball. They looked at the bed.

  "Rebenna, you can take it. I'll sleep on the floor."

  She frowned. "I intend to go sleep out in the stables."

  "Don't be ridiculous, your arm is still in a sling! What if someone saw you? It would seem rather conspicuous, wouldn't it?"

  "I suppose it would, but wouldn't it be conspicuous if our hosts saw you sleeping on the floor?"

  "They won't, I'm an early riser. Besides, if I sleep on the floor it allows me easy access my sword."

  "There you go again. Delmer I can protect myself!"

  "For goodness’ sake, Rebenna, at times you can be so...so...confounding! If you insist, I'll take the bed, but where will you sleep?"

  "Why, I'll sleep on the floor."

  "You will not! You are a lady; you should not be sleeping on the floor if you are given a choice. You are also still injured."

  "I am not a lady now, I am an ambassador, and have been sleeping on the ground the last week. Besides, you are a king."

  "You realize, Rebenna, that I was just trying to be courteous."

  "I do realize that Delmer, but your chivalry is unwanted. I am not a court lady right now, nor can we afford the luxury. You should save your chivalry for those who can."

  "I'll remember that, but that doesn't mean I'll stop trying. Right now, I'm tired, and I know you are too. How about if all three of us share the bed?"

  She sighed resignedly. "Fine, Delmer, but it will be just the two of us.” She pointed at Morag, which had already curled up by the fireplace.

  Not even bothering to change into the more comfortable, faded clothes they had bought as nightgowns, they slid into the bed. Their swords were sitting next to the bed, and their bows were propped up against the nearest wall.

  They laid in silence for a while, but there was still one thing on their minds. "Delmer?" Rebenna asked quietly, to see if he was awake.

  "Yes?”

  "I was just thinking what we are going to do next."

  Delmer turned towards her, the dim glow of the dying fire just lighting up his face. His eyes seemed to be fire too, they glowed so orange. "I'm not sure what to do now, Rebenna. We could go to Savann and pursue the items. It's just that I'm worried about my kingdom. What if the pirates attack, thinking that the items are in Kingdom Cove? They probably have an informant who has told them I'm gone."

  They talked quietly, but they seemed to understand each other.

  "Truthfully, that's what I was thinking too. I know you won't like this suggestion, but what if I were to go onto Savann alone? In the meantime, you could go back and keep an eye on your subjects. A kingdom tends to get into trouble without its king."

  Delmer was silent for so long that Rebenna thought he had fallen asleep, or that she had gone deaf. Finally, he broke the silence. "You're right Rebenna. I don't like this solution at all, but it seems to be the only one that makes any sense. I think we need to go different ways in the morning. Are you sure that you can make it through Noenna without giving yourself away?"

  She was shocked; she had expected Delmer to argue with her. He had caught her off guard. But she quickly recovered. "I'm sure I can make it through. I doubt even my own mother would recognize me the way I look now. Besides, the common people can't know that I'm a traitor yet." She said the last part with uncertainty.

  "I can probably make it to Savann's border in about a week and a half. Then, if I change directions and travel northeast, I can probably make it to Lenna Queeka, Savann's capital, in another six days. I might be able to cut that time down if I head northeast to begin with and press Trouble as hard as I dare. The problem is that if I were to do that, I might not be able to manage Savann's woods. I'd be off the beaten path. The earliest I could get back to Kingdom Cove would be in about a month."

  "I'll have to lend you Tymon,” Delmer said. “He can guide you, take care of him. I will be ready for your arrival when you return. I suggest you stay in humble clothes when you're in Savann."

  "I will gladly take that advice. Good night, Delmer.”

  "Yes, good night."

  Rebenna was excited to be sent on a mission, but she couldn't help feeling regret. She wouldn't be able to spend any more time with Delmer for a month. But at least she would be helping out his cause.

  Before, she had studied all the nuances of politics, but now she found herself overwhelmed by the intrigue. She could not see how Delmer was expected to keep a greedy council at bay while simultaneously worrying about his subjects. She never wanted to be in a position of supreme power, ever.

  After what took an eternity in her eyes, Rebenna finally fell asleep. Even in her sleep, she could sense Delmer's restless thrashing.

  Delmer had not had such a troubled night for a long time. It took him what seemed like marks to fall into an uneasy sleep. By the time he awakened, Rebenna was gone. She must have left quietly, because even in his sleep Delmer was alert.

  He changed into fresh clothes, slung his bow over his shoulder, and went outside. Morag must have left with Rebenna, because she was gone as well.

  He immediately looked around for Tymon. He had fiercely missed the gyrfalcon’s weight on his shoulder. He heard a shrill shriek and whirled around. Tymon was sitting on a curiously bare tree. It had no leaves, and it should have, as it was still late summer. He stretched his hand towards the falcon, and immediately regretted it. Tymon took a sharp bite out of his index finger. He yanked back his hand, and the bird reluctantly let go. Then the falcon let a series of angry squeaks.

 
"I'm sorry, my friend. There is no way you would have been able to survive on the mountain. Please forgive me."

  At those words he heard a familiar laugh behind him. "Well, Delmer, I see not all your pets are happy about you being back."

  Delmer gave an ironic smile. "I can't imagine that Trouble took your absence too well."

  "I didn't expect she would." Rebenna shrugged. "I saddled Lancelet for you, he's in the barn. I am afraid that I have to be going now."

  Delmer stiffened. "Yes, I suppose in order to make any time at all, you will need to leave now. Here, take this." He handed her a small jingling pouch. "It's the last of my money. Go on, take it; you'll need it more than I will."

  Not even bothering with useless protests, Rebenna gently reached towards the money bag. "Senden and his village provided me with food, but it won't last. I will have to hunt. Thank you for this."

  Just as she touched the bag, Delmer gently took her hand in his. "Be careful."

  For what seemed an eternity, everything was silent. Even the sun seemed to pause on the horizon, watching what was going on. At this point, tactful as ever, Morag came charging out of the shabby barn towards Delmer, breaking the silence. She stopped abruptly in front of him, her paws skidding on the slick dirt.

  It was then that Delmer strolled towards Rebenna, Morag plastered to his leg. He did something he hadn't dared do since the night of his coronation: He embraced her. Startled, she put her arms around him, and they hugged fiercely.

  For goodness’ sake, two months ago I wouldn't have even known who she was. But now, letting her go feels like I am giving up a part of myself.

  She had buried her head in his neck, and he breathed in the scent of her. "I'll miss you, Delmer. You know that, don't you?"

  "I do know, and I'll miss you. Just come back safely," he murmured in her ear. He was taller than she, and had to stoop.