“Death.” Rhugzun answered.
“That’s where my path takes me.” Dracon announced, “Gather supplies from their supply wagons.” Dracon ordered Grik, pointing to where the dead army was. “Get ready to leave.” Dracon said to Satana, “You still want to tag along?” He asked Rayna.
“No.” Satana answered before Rayna could.
“I cannot go there, it is forbidden.” Rhugzun stated then walked away.
“What do you wish us to do with Rhugzun the Exiled, my lord?” The Chieftain asked, “His life belongs to you.”
“And I give it back to you, with what is coming for you, I recommend you not act in haste when deciding his fate,” Dracon smiled, “If our paths cross again, remember what I did here for you.”
“Of course, my lord.” The Chieftain bowed then left his presence.
“She can’t be trusted.” Satana announced as Rayna came walking toward Dracon and the group.
Satana knew Dracon had already made up his mind and it infuriated her.
“You said you wished to serve me, do you still?” Dracon asked.
“I do.” Rayna answered arriving before Dracon then eyeing Satana.
“Do you have anything to add?” Dracon asked Alyndra.
“I have no inclination one way, or the other, your choices are mine.” She smiled.
“That’s just great.” Satana said putting her hands on her hips and shaking her head. She pointed at Rayna then said, “I’ll be watching you, don’t give me a reason.”
“Come along, girlie girl,” Grik said to Satana, “Help me find some wine out there in them wagons.”
Satana snarled staring at Rayna a moment longer. She glared at Dracon, then went with Grik.
“Um’Vec,” Alyndra called to the bugbear, “Go help them, scavenge what you can.” Um’Vec wasted no time and followed the pair. Alyndra walked to Dracon’s side and took his arm. She examined Rayna closely.
“You’re an elf?” Alyndra asked then licked her lips, subtly. She felt a pang of hunger, continuing to eye Rayna.
“She-elf.” Dracon corrected.
Rayna nodded a single nod, yes.
“You wish to serve, my husband?” Alyndra asked, to which Rayna cocked her head.
“Your husband?” Rayna asked, “Not the Lady Talila’s husband?”
Dracon closed his eyes and shook his head. He was embarrassed to explain the sisters to people. He was also a little angry at how open the sisters were about it, further embarrassing him.
“He is our husband; our ways are different where we come from.” Alyndra explained.
“I see.” Rayna looked over at the mountain in the distance, “Men do not return from there. These orcs fear it. Everyone fears it. Khu-Hua, The Mountain of Death, they call it.”
“Why?” Dracon asked.
“It doesn’t matter, my love, we are death, to many.” Alyndra smiled and turned her eyes to the sea of dead soldiers.
“It is infested with monsters, mindless, savage, monsters.” Rayna explained, “Many say they are controlled by a Dark Lord residing deep within the mountain. No one knows the truth, no one returns from there.”
“Not a Dark Lord you wish to serve?” Dracon asked.
“He does not call to me… like you do.” Rayna said.
Dracon chuckled, “I call to you, do I?”
“You do.” Rayna stepped closer to Dracon looking up into his eyes. Her eyes were the brightest green, surrounded by dark eyelids. Her hair was black and her skin a pale almond color, “From the moment I saw you, I knew you were a like mind, someone I wished to align myself with. I cannot explain it better than that, I see something within you, a Dark Lord rising, maybe something altogether different, whatever it may be, whatever you may face, I wish to face it with you.”
“You will serve at my side.” Alyndra said, “You will answer to me. I will tell you our Dark Lords will.” Alyndra stepped between them, “Or, you can stay behind with your friends. Other like minds?” Alyndra nodded at the orcs.
Rayna looked at Alyndra, then back at Dracon, “As you wish. I am your servant.” She backed up a few steps.
“Get yourself in order, we leave soon.” Dracon said.
“Will we travel through the night, my lord?” Rayna asked.
“Night or day, makes no difference to us, our eyes see the same.” Alyndra answered, “Isn’t it the same with your kind?”
“Yes.” Rayna said cocking her head, examining a curious look in Alyndra’s eyes that made Rayna very uncomfortable, then she did as she was told.
“She’s a mystery.” Dracon commented, watching Rayna walk away, he looked at Alyndra by his side. She had a look in her eyes, like she was starving, her mouth hung open, on the verge of drooling, “Are you ok?”
Alyndra turned away from Dracon, quickly wiping her mouth, then turned back to him with a smile, “Yes, of course.”
“I’ll gather the horses,” Dracon said, Alyndra grabbed his arm and walked with him, he paused and looked at her.
“I’ll come with you,” She said, “I have no things to gather, no tasks to perform, my place is by your side.”
“Have you ever saddled a horse?”
“No.” She chuckled.
“Well, I’ve never taught anyone how to saddle a horse. So, a new experience for us both?”
Alyndra watched as Dracon prepared the horses and packed up every one’s belongings, explaining what he was doing as he worked. She assisted with a strap here and there, but mostly she watched and smiled as he took great care showing her every detail of what he was doing and why he did it. The group gathered at the eastern edge of the village, the orcs were breaking down the village and preparing to move into the hills to the south, the same hills Dracon came through to get to the secluded village.
“Where do you suppose that army came from? A larger way through the foothills?” Dracon asked Satana as they rode away from the village that was getting smaller every minute.
“An army of that size?” Satana pondered.
“I imagine the hills taper down further west; they probably went around.” Grik offered from behind them.
“This is a dead-end,” Rayna announced trotting alongside Grik, “There are mountains there, to the north and there ahead, there is no way through, not any known to the living.” She said pointing at the mountains in the distance around them.
“If you mean to frighten us, you’re wasting your breath.” Satana glared over her shoulder at Rayna, “Our whole lives have been wrought with daring to go where others fear, the unknown and known alike.” She looked at Dracon, who nodded back at her with a smirk of agreement.
“It’s not meant to scare you, whatever your name is, it’s meant to inform Lord Dracon of the area around him.” Rayna said with disdain for Satana.
“She is Satana.” Dracon introduced, “The one beside you is Grik Forgeson, the Nail of the North. You know Um’Vec, Lady Talila’s champion.” Dracon nodded at Um’Vec who jogged alongside Alyndra’s horse. He ignored their conversation.
“And you, elf, what’s your story?” Satana asked, “What brings you to serve the Dark Lord?” Satana chuckled.
“I have come to serve him, that is all.” Rayna answered, then slowed her horse a bit to give herself distance from the rest of the group. Satana turned in her saddle, watching Rayna fall back.
“Don’t feel like talking anymore?” Satana ruminated with a chuckle.
Dracon said nothing, still smirking.
“Did you forget my name?” Alyndra asked, giving Dracon a sideways glance.
“I beg your pardon, my lady, I’ll introduce you properly when we stop next.” Dracon said with a tilt of his head. He urged his horse to pick up its pace to a gallop. The group matched his gait as they rode toward the mountain, called Khu-Hua.
They reached the eastern base of the mountain an hour after nightfall, having travelled all day. The lands behind them were dark and flat for as far as the eye could see. They could no longer see the l
ights of the village; they were so far away. They rode along the base of the mountain to the south, which was rocky with no passageway through. Dracon called a halt to the travel after a fruitless hunt for a safe passage for the group and the horses. Alyndra made their tent with hardly a whip of her hand, drawing Satana’s curiosity.
“Why is it you have a tent, but when I come looking for you, you’re never in it?” She asked Dracon.
He smiled wide and shook his head amused before he answered.
“Well,” he said, then took another moment trying to remember what Alyndra said, “We’re in there, but then again, we are not.”
“Oh, ok, that clears it up.” Satana said sarcastically.
Alyndra walked over to Satana.
“Come, see for yourself.” She offered Satana her hand.
Satana narrowed her eyes then took Alyndra’s hand cautiously. Alyndra led her to the opening of the tent. She moved the flap out of the way, then ushered Satana into the tent. A door shut behind the two women. Satana spun to see an iron and wood door in place of where the tent flap should have been. She spun back to the palatial room with a fireplace and a balcony.
“Where are we?” Satana stepped away from Alyndra, her eyes wide, scanning the room.
“We are inside the tent. A pocket of creation, my own. No one out there can see us or come in without me. We are safe from eyes, ears, and danger.” Alyndra explained then pointed at the balcony. It was daylight.
“How?” Satana walked out to the balcony, where there was a table covered with food.
Satana abandoned her desire for an answer and walked briskly to the table. She grabbed a slice of meat from the table and tasted it cautiously, after a few bites, she attacked the table, devouring various treats quickly and hungrily. Alyndra laughed aloud at her wanton abandon on the table and her loss of interest in answers. Satana grabbed a goblet of wine from the table, greedily spilling it all over her face, she paused from eating, then swallowed and caught her breath.
“No wonder he stays here for so long?”
Alyndra could hardly understand her, her mouth was so full, which made her laugh again. Satana wiped her face and smiled sheepishly.
“I’d like to think it was my company that keeps him here for so long, not the food?” Alyndra chuckled.
“So, while we sleep on the ground, the two of you sleep in here and eat like kings?” Satana swallowed what was still in her mouth.
“He is a king, Satana, our king.”
“We aren’t royalty, I’m not a commander anymore, he’s not a king anymore, we are no one with no kingdom to rule, no people to look after, just ourselves.” Satana looked back at the table, scanning the delicacies. She spotted bread on the table, soft white bread, she grabbed it and bit a chunk out of it, then grabbed a slice of roast beef, chasing the bread with it, bite for bite. She took another long drink from the goblet, finishing it, then wiped her mouth, gasping for air. “Ok, I’m ready to go back.” Satana said once she caught her breath. Satana walked past Alyndra to the door, “That’s a nice bed, by the way.”
“Satana?” Alyndra stopped her, “What do you think of Rayna?”
Satana grabbed the handle of the door to the room, she looked back at Alyndra.
“What do you want to hear? I don’t like her, I don’t trust her, I am not as quick as Dracon to find trust in people.”
“And if she disappeared in the night?”
“How do you mean?” Satana turned around fully, facing Alyndra.
“Just a thought.” Alyndra considered Satana closely a moment.
“I doubt there is any chance she’s leaving on her own, what are your thoughts? Do you care to elaborate?” Satana asked, Alyndra held her tongue, “You know, if we do anything, Dracon will not like it? And if he finds out…”
“I suppose you’re right. We’ll have to let her be then, maybe she’ll leave on her own?” Alyndra walked to the door and opened it for Satana.
It was considerably darker outside in the real world than it was in the magical suite. Satana paused a moment remembering what was outside, then she took a long look around the room, shaking her head.
“I want to eat like you do.”
“Done,” Alyndra smirked, thinking about Satana trying to feed on an elf like she and her sisters did. She knew what Satana meant however, and decided to make her an ally, for the small price of food.
Satana did respect Alyndra more than she did Talila. Alyndra was measured and extremely intelligent. Satana could see it and hear it, she did not lash out but took careful consideration of every situation before she spoke, what’s more, she kept her thoughts to herself, rather than interjecting her opinion in every conversation like Talila was prone to do.
“I didn’t know time stopped while we were in there too?” Dracon commented about how long they spent inside the tent.
Satana walked past him to the others who had finished setting up camp, she stood near Rayna, who was kneeling and starting a fire. Rayna glanced up at her, then returned to making the fire.
“Did ya have a good time, girlie? While the rest of us made your tent?” Grik asked sitting on a large rock, whittling a piece of wood with an ax.
“Shut up.” Satana snapped at him making him chuckle.
“I see ya don’t have a tent, elf girl, not prepared to be out in the open, are ya?” Grik asked Rayna who struck her steel together making the fire ignite.
“I don’t need a tent; I’d say I’m more prepared to be out in the open, than a cave dwarf.” Rayna stood up and went to her horse, rummaging through her saddle bags.
“Are we going to eat soon, I’m starving.” Katlin asked sitting down next to the fire, “It’s going to be a cold night tonight, I wouldn’t mind a tent of my own, or maybe we can share a spot next to the fire?” He asked smiling at Rayna who ignored him and continued what she was doing.
“Where the hell have you been?” Dracon started toward the fire.
Alyndra put her hand on Dracon’s arm gently stopping him from continuing after Katlin.
“Our guide knows how to make himself scarce, when trouble starts.” Satana walked behind Katlin, bumping him with the top of her thigh and giving him a rough shove.
“That’s the truth,” Grik laughed, “Give us some ale, maybe some wine, easier than an explanation, boy-o.”
“I suppose…” Katlin smiled and gave Grik a nod.
“Tell me, he-elf,” Alyndra walked over to the fire, “Did you leave for fear that my lord would not be able to handle the coming conflict, or simply because you would have been useless to us?”
“He’s just an elf, my lady, no he needed.” Rayna informed her.
“So, only elf or she-elf?” Alyndra asked.
“Half-elf, and I would prefer, Katlin, your grace.” Katlin added.
“Your grace?” Rayna asked with a chuckle, “You need a lesson in etiquette as well?”
“She is a princess, a Vordalyn Princess, isn’t that correct, your highness? Am I saying it correctly?” Katlin asked Alyndra.
“That is correct.” Alyndra smiled.
“Forgive me, your grace, I did not know.” Rayna walked over and took a knee before Alyndra.
“Please, get up.” Alyndra smiled.
“A word, my love.” Dracon growled.
“Of course.” Alyndra walked closer to Dracon who was grinding his teeth.
“Inside my tent.” He growled, Alyndra nodded then walked into the tent, Dracon followed immediately. She knew he was angry with her for some reason, “You talk too much! You are too free with your words, explaining everything to anyone who asks!” Dracon slammed the door behind him, “I am not a king! You are not a queen!”
“I never once said I was a queen, Dracon, but I am a Vordalyn Princess, you cannot deny me that!” Alyndra snapped right back, she surprised Dracon, he thought she would simply agree with him and promise not to do it again, “I do not rely upon your crown, or you, for that matter, to define who I am! Whether you are a wander
er of the wastelands or the king of the world, I am still a Vordalyn Princess!” as she spoke, the magical world outside the balcony slowly turned from day to night, mimicking her mood change.
Dracon eyed her a moment, she reminded him of Talila in her ire, he could suddenly see the similarities between the sisters. She turned away from him and walked out onto the balcony grabbing the railing and shaking her head, while looking up at the beautiful moonlit night. Dracon smirked at how he had never noticed the similarities between the sisters, until then, in anger. He had always thought they were so different from one another. He walked slowly to the balcony, all the while she was still shaking her head. It amused him further, he wondered just how much like Talila, she would rage against him and what she might say next.
“You’re right, of course,” Dracon stood in the doorway of the balcony, “You are… were… a Lady of Qinkas, before you ever met me. Venalina made you Vordalyn, I… what did I ever bring you but a war between siblings? Promises I couldn’t even keep?”
Alyndra giggled and turned to face Dracon.
“You kept every promise you made to us. The rest was not your doing, Dracon. But you are chaos, all around you, chaos.” Dracon looked down embarrassed, “Why did you get so angry with me?”
“I am uncomfortable talking about us, especially to people we don’t know, it always leads to more questions. Questions I don’t want to answer.” Dracon walked out onto the balcony and admired the view, joining Alyndra’s side at the railing. He took a deep breath of the clean night air.
“You are ashamed of us?”
Dracon couldn’t look at her.
“Of course not!”
“Look at me, then.” Alyndra demanded.
“I am not ashamed of you, Alyndra, but it is not a usual thing, being married to five…” He stopped, “Four women.” Dracon looked down again, after correcting himself.
Alyndra put her hand to his cheek, turning his face to look at her.
“It hurts, still, doesn’t it?” she almost cried when she spoke. It did hurt. Dracon loved Venalina with all he had, her death was… wrong. He planned to walk the earth with her, for eternity. Alyndra forced his reluctant eyes to look at her, “We are still with you, Dracon, we still love you, serve you, we are your wives.” She kissed him, “I love you,” she whispered in his ear. He held her tight, “Let me explain us to people, don’t concern yourself with it anymore.” Dracon pushed her back.
Dracon and the Edge of the World Page 23