Defenders of the Sacred Land: Expanded and Re-Issued (The Sacred Land Legacy Book 1)

by Mark E. Tyson

  The rain still fell as Dorenn made his way to the stables. Rennon was waiting at the side outer wall. Together they stalked to the side wall of the stables and waited for Tatrice, not sure what she might do. They did not have to wait long. A scream cut the air and a black mare bolted from the stables, followed by the stable master and his hands. Tatrice ran after them and then stopped, searching frantically.

  “Here, Tatrice,” Dorenn said.

  “Come on, there are four saddled horses. If we hurry we can make away with them.”

  Dorenn and Rennon bolted for the stable door, and the three quickly mounted up. They rode out into the courtyard before Dorenn realized the gates were still closed. They were trapped in the Vale. “The gates!” Dorenn shouted. “They will be closed tight.”

  “There has to be a side gate somewhere,” Rennon yelled back. They rounded and headed for the sidewall to the east where only one man guarded the gate they found there. Rennon drew a dagger and threw it forward. It cut the rope holding the counterweight in check, causing it to fall. The gate shot up on its pulley so fast, it broke off its frame. Rennon was shocked when he looked into his hand and saw that the dagger he had just thrown had returned to him. He sheathed it even though he was uneasy about the magic it possessed. The three rode off into the rain toward the woods. Once under the cover of the trees, the rain lessened, and Dorenn could see much better despite the darkness. He led them to a path that he had seen when they had returned from Signal Hill. They rode hard south on the trail for what seemed to be an hour until they emerged from the woods onto the road. From there they turned back east toward the Southern Road and Brookhaven.

  The rain subsided, but the road was muddy, causing the horses to tire quickly, so Dorenn slowed them to a canter. He knew of a resting spot not far, and he thought maybe he could rest the horses there. Tatrice and Rennon were beginning to show signs of fatigue. They had not recovered from the trek from Signal Hill well enough to start another excursion. Dorenn began to wonder if the two would make it to Brookhaven. He, on the other hand, showed no signs of fatigue. Without warning, Dorenn felt essence surge through his body. Unable to control himself, he fell out of his saddle and onto the muddy road. His hair stood on end and his ears were ringing. When he opened his eyes, Gondrial stood above him. “Gondrial!” Dorenn said surprised. “But how did you…”

  Gondrial held up the book with silver runes and pointed to it. “Magic travel spell. Remember?”

  “I thought the use of that would alert the Enforcers, or anyone else, to our whereabouts?”

  “Brilliant, Dorenn, it will, but what choice did you leave me? Get back on your horse. We have to get to Cedar Falls by nightfall.” Dorenn did not move.

  “We are going back to Brookhaven,” Rennon said.

  Gondrial clinched his teeth, pulled Rennon off his horse by the lapels of his cloak, and thrust him to the ground. He pointed his index finger three inches from Rennon’s face. “You are a fool, Rennon. Have you not learned anything? Brookhaven is being watched. If you return, you will not only forfeit your life, but you may very well get Brookhaven destroyed in the process.” Gondrial took the reins of Dorenn’s horse. “Now mount up. Lady Shey and Enowene are meeting us in Cedar Falls. We must travel to Symbor and catch a ship bound for Adracoria, if the Enforcers don’t catch up with us first.”

  Rennon pushed himself out of the mud and met Gondrial face to face. Dorenn watched with trepidation as Gondrial fell to his knees under Rennon’s intense stare. Gondrial’s eyes rolled up into his head and blood began to flow from his nose.

  “Rennon, stop it!” Dorenn said, rushing to him and pulling him away from Gondrial by his shoulder. Gondrial fell to the ground unconscious.

  “What did he do?” Tatrice asked.

  Dorenn chose to ignore the question. “What do we do with him now? We can’t leave him here.”

  Rennon looked at Tatrice and then lowered his head shamefully. “We have the fourth horse. Distribute the provisions and we will slump him over the saddle.”

  After they managed to get Gondrial up onto the extra horse, they continued on to Brookhaven. They were in sight of Watch Hill when they were met by a party of men on horseback traveling back the way they had come. They wore Enforcer cloaks.

  “Hail travelers.” The lead man said.

  Dorenn reined in his horse. “Hail.”

  “Trouble on the road?” The man asked, indicating Gondrial slumped over his horse.

  “No, no trouble--- He’s drunk.”

  “Aye, he’s always drunk!” Rennon added.

  The lead man eyed Dorenn. “Where you headed?”

  “Brookhaven.” Dorenn said. “My father owns an inn there.” He mentally kicked himself for blurting that out.

  “Oh, which inn?”

  “The Grinning Goose.” he lied.

  The lead man put both his hands on his saddle horn and leaned forward. “The Grinning Goose Inn. Your father owns the Grinning Goose?”

  Dorenn could sense something was wrong. Then he remembered that the Grinning Goose was owned by two sisters. “Did I say father? I meant my aunt.”

  The man drew his sword as did the two other riders. “Why don’t you get down from your horse young fellow. I think we need to have a talk.”

  “No thanks.” Dorenn said. “I think we will be going.”

  “To the Grinning Goose to meet your aunt.”

  “Aye, that’s right.” Dorenn said.

  “The sisters that own the Grinning Goose happen to be my sisters and I don’t remember ever having a nephew.”

  “One small oversight!” Dorenn said as he spurred his horse into a dead run. “Ride!” he yelled back to Rennon and Tatrice.

  Chapter 27: A Sense of Purpose

  As soon as Dorenn set his horse to full gallop, he could feel the Enforcers drawing essence. He grabbed a hold of his saddle horn to steady himself, but he felt the sleep come across him in waves and his bid to remain on his horse failed. The ground came to him fast as he fell hard onto it.

  Dorenn opened his eyes to bright white. There was no definition or color, only a vast, white lit, emptiness. Then, slowly at first, an image began to appear and then it was there all at once. A blonde headed girl of about sixteen seasons stood before him dressed in all white. She smiled at him sweetly.

  “Am I dreaming” Dorenn asked.

  “Aye, you can call it that.” Her young voice was melodic and pleasing to the ear.

  “I think I fell off my horse.”

  “Aye, you did. I believe you have hit your head as well. But don’t worry, Gondrial was already waking when you rode away from the Enforcers and they didn’t know to put him to sleep as well. He will rescue you. Also, his companions are not far behind his travel spell.”

  “You know a lot about what just happened. Who are you?”

  “I was sent to you at this moment, in this dream, to offer you a new sense of purpose.” She said.

  “Sent by whom?”

  “Fawlsbane Vex. You see, the gods are not supposed to interfere with the events unfolding directly by his own decree. He sent me here to deliver a message…indirectly.”

  “All right.” Dorenn said, absently.

  “Don’t go back to Brookhaven. When you return home, the village will meet its doom. Go to Adracoria and consult with Ianthill.”

  “What? Brookhaven will meet its doom if I return? Why?”

  “You are about to be awakened. I will return to you at a later date to answer more of your questions. Remember! Don’t return to Brookhaven yet, go to Adracoria.”

  When Dorenn awoke, he was lying over his saddle face down. He heard voices. Enowene and Lady Shey were talking.

  “Dorenn is awake,” he heard Enowene say.

  “Where are we?” Dorenn said, trying to right himself.

  Gondrial rode next to him. “About half a day’s journey out of Cedar Falls. I have managed to keep you asleep most of the way. You took a nasty bump on the head.”

  “Hol
d on Dorenn. I will help you,” Enowene said. She rode up beside Dorenn and steadied him so he could sit upright.

  “Rennon is awake,” Lady Shey said. “I will help him.” She moved beside him.

  “What happened?” Dorenn asked. “Where is the girl in white?”

  “When you bolted off, the Enforcers put you in a sleep. You fell from your horse onto your head. You’re lucky I came to and was able to rescue you.” Gondrial said as he looked uneasily at Rennon. “What girl in white?”

  “Never mind the girl in white, what happened to Rennon and Tatrice?” Dorenn said.

  “The same. They were put to sleep and you all were arrested. Lady Shey and Enowene showed up and together we managed to defeat the Enforcers and get you free.”

  “Wait, where did you say we were? You didn’t take us home!”

  Gondrial sniffed. “No, we didn’t, but before you have some kind of fit about it, let us explain.”

  Dorenn rubbed his bruised head and decided that he would hear them out, they rescued him so he owed them that much, he reasoned. “All right. And this better be good.”

  “Enowene, you want to explain it to him?” Gondrial asked.

  “Dorenn,” Enowene said. “What do you know of a man called Naneden?”

  Dorenn blinked. “Well, I know he is king of Scarovia. The soldiers that come to the inn talk about him. They say he is mad.”

  “What else do they say about him?”

  Dorenn thought hard for a moment. “I never really paid much attention. I was usually busy working.”

  Enowene reined her horse closer to his. “Did you know he has been amassing an army. That is why the soldiers of Symboria have come to your village. The king of Symboria believes Naneden plans to invade.”

  “Aye, but what are you getting at?” Dorenn asked.

  “My knowledge is limited so I can’t tell you much, but I can tell you that Naneden is indeed mad. He does plan to invade Symboria by force, and Brookhaven is likely to be one of the first to go.”

  “Then I must go back to defend my village and warn my parents.”

  “Trendan has been sent to Brookhaven for that purpose. We hope that by taking you to Adracoria, you will be able to persuade the kings of Trigothia to join Symboria in defeating Naneden. That is a much better way for you to help your village.”

  “Me? How could I do that? I am but a simple innkeeper’s son.”

  “Sylvalora believes you to be much more than that. She has researched your linage and found that you descend from the nobility of the Trigothian kingdom of Ardenia, the strongest of the Trigothian kingdoms. If we can prove your linage to the king of Ardenia, you may be able to incite their help. Ianthill sent Lady Shey to Brookhaven to find you under the guise of searching for the highlord’s murderer. She met with the elders of your village and persuaded your mother and father to let you travel to Symbor. She was to evaluate your strengths.”

  “What, that can’t be true,” Dorenn said disapprovingly.

  “Oh, did you really believe the village elders and your parents would allow you to just traipse off with a wielder so easily? The wagons were meant to be taken back to Brookhaven without you.”

  “This makes no sense. If I descend from nobility then why not take my father or mother to Ardenia to get help?”

  “Because it is from your mother’s side that you descend from the kings of old. They would never accept the council of a woman. Ardenia and all of the Trigothian kingdoms hold fast to tradition. Only a male descendant would have any hope of rallying them.”

  “Actually, the Ardenian line does come from his father’s side.” Lady Shey corrected.

  Enowene wrinkled her nose, “Oh, well then I don’t know why, only that Ianthill wanted you to come along.”

  “Then what is your involvement?”

  “All in good time, Dorenn, too much knowledge may actually work against you.”

  “Nonsense!” Dorenn said. “If you are to convince me to continue with you, you are going to tell me who you are.”

  She leaned in even closer so she could whisper, “I control a group of…well there is no good way to put this…spies that keep close to Naneden and his kind. I deal in information, it’s what I am best at.” She leaned back. “We will talk again later. I have told you what I have in the hope that you do not plan any more escapes. Once we get to Adracoria, Ianthill will instruct you further.”

  “Rennon will say this is all some kind of wielder trick.”

  “You must not tell him or Tatrice. You must keep this to yourself until we reach Ianthill. Your friend, Vesperin, will join us in Symbor. Kerad has instructed him to be your council of Loracia and to look after your well-being, much as Kerad is council to Morgoran. You may confide in him if need be, but only to him.”

  I am not keeping this from Rennon and Tatrice. Dorenn thought.

  Tatrice sat up on her horse and then rode next to Dorenn. “Where are we?” she asked.

  Because he was still in thought, Dorenn didn’t answer right away. It took him a moment to realize she was awake and talking to him.

  “What is wrong, Dorenn?”

  Dorenn glanced at Tatrice. “You seem to be asking me that a lot lately.”

  “Well, then tell me and I’ll stop asking.”

  “We are going to Symbor to meet with Vesperin.”

  Tatrice eyed him suspiciously. “Dorenn Adair, I have known you too long for you lie to me. You are not telling me something.”

  “Tatrice, don’t be so sure. We are going to meet with Vesperin.”

  “And then…?”

  “And then we will travel to Adracoria and meet Ianthill,” he said, trying to sound commanding. He was not sure if it was the dream or Enowene that convinced him but he had made up his mind.

  “Why would we do that? What does Rennon say about this?” She glanced back at Rennon. Lady Shey was talking to him while he nodded.

  Dorenn could feel her panic. “Tat,” he said. “I am convinced the best way to help Brookhaven by going to Trigothia.”

  “Dorenn?” Tatrice pleaded.

  Dorenn wasn’t about to keep secrets from Tatrice, except perhaps, the dream of the girl in white, there was no need to bring that up to anyone. “War is coming to Brookhaven and all of Symboria; you know this. That is why the soldiers are traveling through Brookhaven. We are not being taken against our will, we are going to help Symboria.”

  “How can we help?”

  “I am not entirely sure. Vesperin says he has been given a quest, and Enowene has persuaded me that we should help him as he asked us to do in the Vale.”

  “Rennon will not like it,” Tatrice said.

  “As I said, we are not going against our will. He is free to go on back home if he so chooses. I am sure they will need his help defending the village. You may return as well if you are so inclined.”

  “Dorenn,” Tatrice scolded. “Rennon is your best friend.” She shifted in her saddle. “And I am going with you.”

  Dorenn nodded. “True, he is, but you know how he can be. He’s so distrusting.”

  “He trusts you.”

  Dorenn bowed his head. “I see your point. If he will come along, I would be glad to have him.”

  “We will arrive in Symbor just before nightfall,” Gondrial announced from the lead. “We will be riding straight through to the docks. No side trips.”

  Dorenn sped up to ride beside him. Gondrial looked over at him and grinned. Dorenn was not amused. “No more secrets, Gondrial. If I ask you a question I expect you to answer…directly!”

  “Me, keep secrets?” He said. “Not I.” He glanced back at Rennon. “On second thought, as long as that one stays clear of me you have a deal.”

  Chapter 28: Adracoria

  Upon reaching Symbor, Gondrial insisted on taking the short roads to the docks and procuring passage there. Dorenn found Gondrial’s manner puzzling. He hid his face from the guards and slinked about as if someone might recognize him. At last, Lady Shey booked pass
age aboard the Sea Hag, bound for the port of Adrontear, Adracoria.

  The day of departure was dismal. Summer was giving way to Autumn, and the ocean brought cold rain from the west. Dorenn imagined the Jagged Mountains to the east had snowcaps, and Brookhaven probably had snow on the ground by now. He missed the snow and wondered if he would ever see it covering Brookhaven again.

  Lady Shey watched the captain of the Sea Hag pace on his deck from the dock. She looked off into the city, shaking her head at Dorenn. “Gondrial is late again, and Captain Esterly grows impatient.” She put her hand to her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun.

  “What business did he have in town?” Dorenn asked.

  “He would not say. He said he had to face it alone. I have my suspicions, but I don’t know really.”

  The captain shouted down from the deck of the ship. “I can wait no longer, my lady. I must leave port. The easterlies will not wait.”

  “One more moment, my good captain,” Lady Shey called back to him.

  Soon Dorenn saw a horse speeding in from the distance. As the steed and rider neared, he saw it was Gondrial. Dorenn pointed. “There he is, and he’s coming in fast.”

  “Well it’s about time.” Lady Shey turned to the captain. “Our friend approaches. Cast off the lines.”

  The captain raised his hand in a circular motion, and the men began casting off lines. Dorenn squinted. “Something is not right here. Gondrial is not slowing. I think he means to jump aboard ship.”

  One of the men securing the gangplank nodded at Dorenn. “Methinks you are right, young one,” he said.

  “Shove off, shove off!” Gondrial yelled. He spurred his horse, and with a whinnied roar, it leaped through the air and landed with hooves skating to a stop at the center of the deck.

  Gondrial dismounted and led his horse into the hold. Dorenn turned his attention back to the dock where he saw several guardsmen searching to no avail. After a moment, Gondrial appeared on deck, hiding behind a mast not far from where Dorenn stood watching the guard’s frantic search. “Did they see me board?” he asked.