Dragon Raider
Page 18
“There is more!” Another witch stood up, with black skin like Afar’s. “I thought nothing of it at the time, but a year ago we had scouts reach our shores in Torvald colors, searching for something. When we trapped them, and asked what it was that they dared to cross into our lands – they said that it was none of our business – but when pressured, they admitted that they were searching for weapons to stop a great darkness.”
“Do you know where these people came from?” Afar asked.
“I do not think that they were true Torvald citizens,” the desert witch said. “The young king and queen have been very courteous towards our people, and we do not think they would be so rude. “If they are from Torvald, then they are acting without their ruler’s consent.”
“There is also the possibility that they were not being honest with you,” Afar mentioned.
“But why would these emissaries lie? We know that there are many great evils lying dormant in the world,” Cala argued. “There are the Ghasts to the far north, there are the dragons themselves, the powers of the undead, the ancient necromancers…” As she spoke, many of the other witches were nodding in agreement with her.
“Don’t forget the Ogre Brood! Everyone forgets the Ogre Brood!” a voice shouted.
“Precisely, my sisters. Which is why I and Sister Ohotto summoned you all here.”
“Ohotto Zanna?” Lila hissed under her breath, her fists clenched as Cala continued.
“It is our belief that the West Witches have been dormant for too long. We have been hiding here, gathering our knowledge as Chabon directed us – at the time it was a matter of survival, we had to do so otherwise the Dark King Enric would have stretched out his evil even to us! But now…? Can we West Witches trust that the two regents of distant Torvald will be strong enough to put right all that is so very wrong with the world? It is time that the West Witches come out of the shadows and act!”
“And what does Sister Afar think?” someone shouted.
I looked at my old tutor. She was silent and still for a moment, and I remembered the way that she was could carefully sift through all of the information in front of her before she came to her conclusion.
“I think that the people who have come before the council to speak, the sisters who have travelled far and wide to get to us, have justifiable concerns,” she started, and there was a shout of celebration from some quarters. Even Cala shared a smile. “If it is true that the dead walk again in the north, then the witches must do something, surely. But what my sister Cala here is advocating is for the West Witches to become a true power in the world. Rival to that of Torvald, or Roskilde, or any other. This is not Chabon’s way, and I am hesitant to throw aside all of the lessons the great Matriarch has given us.”
Far more shouts and loud claps agreed with her this time.
Cala shook her head. “Then what would you have us do, Afar? Sit here and wait for Chabon to wake up? We must act against this evil, and if you are too hesitant to stand proud as a witch yourself,” Cala suddenly grinned victoriously, “then I think that there is a way for the West Witches to play a part in the world without endangering our way of life.”
“Impossible.” Afar was adamant.
“Just as the Dragon Academy supports the throne of Torvald, it is my wish and that of Ohotto – a senior sister and student of Chabon’s here, I do not have to remind you – that we West Witches choose a regent to support. Lord Havick of Roskilde!”
Lila flinched like she had been struck and hissed.
“Silence,” Cala said to her, and Lila’s eyes narrowed. She looked murderous, but she wouldn’t get far with all of these witches sitting around us, able to curse at will.
“Lila,” I said warningly. I just pray that Afar was right when she said that we would talk later…
“No,” Afar said. “Lord Havick is not a regent worthy of the support of the West Witches.”
“And who are you to judge, sister Afar? Who else is strong enough to fight for us, against whatever evil is coming? We all know that Torvald is too far away. The Sea Raiders are a broken force, the islanders are weak and have no leader, and the southern desert peoples have no worthy champion!”
“Hey!” someone shouted angrily from the back of the crowd.
“I will not stand here and listen to this nonsense,” Afar said abruptly, nodding to me and Lila. “These two will come with me, where I will deliver their punishment.”
There was a general outcry, but Afar did not pause as she strode out, up the steps to the door, with us at her heels. As soon as we were through and the door banged shut to muffle the sounds of argument, I saw my old mentor visibly weaken in the dim light.
“It is far worse than I had feared. Cala works for Ohotto,” she said, nodding towards the Library Hut. “Come, you two, we do not have much time before Cala and her agents will worm their way into the hearts of the other witches, and wrest control from Chabon.”
The older woman strode fast on her long legs, her staff making thumping noises as we had to jog to keep up with her.
“Ohotto Zanna…? The witch who wants me dead? I should have cut that Cala’s heart out when I had the chance,” Lila said savagely.
“You didn’t have the chance,” Afar smirked darkly. “The sisters would have cursed you where you stood.” She nodded at the library, which was a large hut with several doors leading inside. My mentor took out a large set of keys and opened it, leading the way and closing the door behind us.
I had been inside the Library Hut before, of course, but not for long periods. I always had to be supervised whilst inside, either with Afar herself or with one of the older-than-me witches. It was pure chance that I got a glimpse of the prophesy at all! The first sight that met us were the tall stacks of scrolls and books like walls.
“We need to see the prophesy,” Lila said impatiently.
“Which one?” A smile ghosted across Afar’s features, as she directed us down one of the avenues.
“Afar?” I asked. “What do you mean, that Cala and Ohotto want to wrest control from Chabon? That would be madness, wouldn’t it? Chabon has been guiding the West Witches for….” I shook my head. Forever, it seemed.
“Precisely, Danu. Chabon is old. Very, very old. She fell into a sleep just a few moons ago, and she has not resurfaced yet.” Afar looked sad. “I fear that she may slip away and not come back to us – and then we really will have a problem on our hands if we have to elect a new Matriarch.”
I nodded. “Ohotto has been going there for years, apparently, and meeting with Havick.”
“But why?” Afar shook her head in alarm, her eyes sparking furiously. “That is insane - to ally oneself and the witches with that brute Havick!”
“To destroy the Raiders! To find me!” Lila rolled her eyes behind us. “These witches of yours must know that I have a legitimate claim to the throne.”
“If in fact you do have a legitimate claim,” Afar said, her steps slowing, “it is to the crown, Lila. The Sea Crown of Roskilde. It is a very ancient magical artefact, forged in times when magic wasn’t as rare as it is now.” I could see Afar’s eyes narrow. “That must be it, Lila. For whatever reason – Ohotto and Cala have decided to side with Havick to take control of the Sea Crown, and I fear that without Chabon’s influence, they will use the threat of darkness and evil all around to take control of the West Witches as well.”
“Then we have to stop them,” I said, looking to Lila. “You can stop them.”
“Me?” Lila asked, but I could see from the serious look in her face that she knew precisely what I meant.
“Here we are.” Afar turned a corner in the shelves, reaching a section where the scrolls were overlaid with a deep rime of dust. I watched as she moved slowly halfway down the shelf, and then went the shelf down, and pulled out a scroll, which she offered to me. “It is about time that you read the entire prophesy, Danu.” Afar’s eyes flickered to my friend at my side. “And you, too. It is about you, after all…”
“A girl is born from the waters, rising from the north-east sea, under a dragon’s angry call and upon her head is a crown made of leaping waves.”
“The Sea Crown will be lost, and then it will be found once more, but the one who finds it will not come from the royal line. A girl will rise from the sea to seize the crown, with a bloody sword in her hand, and in her other she holds fire.”
“A boy with a forked tongue accompanies this girl. They will bring with them blood and fury, and before them and behind them, there will be the dead.”
“The boy and the girl with the crown will turn the islands upside down, the girl must take her rightful throne, but the crown will still fall into dark waters. Roskilde is surrounded by dangers and dark deeds, but there is a slim chance that the throne will be restored…”
It sounds awful, I thought. ‘The boy with the forked tongue’ – is that me? And ‘behind them there will be the dead…’ What did that mean? That more people were going to die?
But the prophesy seemed unequivocal. That a boy – me – would stand at the side of the dragon-girl, and that together we would be in the center of a storm of fury and blood and battle. I was scared, I could admit that, but only about the strife and fighting that we might have to go through – not about standing at Lila’s side.
“I am the girl who rose from the sea?” Lila spoke in a small voice.
“Well, you are a Sea Raider,” I said. “And do you remember the first time that I saw you? You burst from the water with the plume of spray like a crown around you, to the north-east of here. And you have to admit that it was under the dragon’s call—the mother Blue dragon’s when she called her warning to you.”
“Well, the rest of it doesn’t look very appealing.” Lila pointed to the other sections. “What is this about me holding a bloody sword and fire?”
“Maybe all it means is that you are a Sea Raider?” I frowned. Even to me that sounded a bit harsh. In fact, it made it sound like Lila was the enemy, not the savior in all of this.
“And the boy with a forked tongue…” Lila tapped her lip, before pointing at me. “That’s got to be you, Danu. You lied to me about knowing the prophesy, didn’t you?”
“Hey!” I was hurt. “Maybe it’s more to do with my ability to talk to dragons?”
“Enough of this! I have broken enough rules now.” Afar shook her head. “I have still to punish you for bringing a dragon and a non-witch to the island, Danu.”
I looked at my mentor in alarm. She was severe enough to consider that this wasn’t a joke. “But Afar… This is important!” I started to say, before she cut me off with a sharp motion of her hand.
“Here is your punishment for breaking the customs and conventions of the West Witches, Danu Geidt – not that there will be any West Witches for long after that council meeting – I charge you with safekeeping the Prophesy of Roskilde. I charge you with keeping Lila of Roskilde safe. I charge you to keep the spirit of the West Witches alive. Do you understand me?”
None of these things were duties that I hadn’t thought of fulfilling anyway, but now they took on a greater significance as I realized that this might be the last task that I could perform for the ‘true’ West Witches before Cala won the others over.
“I will do as charged, Master Afar.” I bowed my head.
“Good.” Abruptly, it was done, and Afar was gesturing for us to leave. “The stars alone know just what will happen when the council meeting is done. Cala may already have figured out who you are, Lila, and she may be coming for us. She may decide to send a contingent of fighting witches to Havick, or she may decide to try and silence Chabon, and imprison me…”
“No!” I said aghast.
“If she gets the support of the council, she can do anything. So, you two must get off the island, now. You have the prophesy. You know what you must do – you must see that the prophesy is fulfilled, you must do all that you can to beat Havick.”
It was true. Since the moment Cala had proclaimed the West Witches should support Havick, I had known that somehow I must ensure that it was not Havick, but Lila who wore the Sea Crown. Havick could not wield such power, not with the care and consideration with which I knew Lila would.
Afar led us back to the door where, suspiciously, we looked at the main Council Hut where muffled, angry voices could still be heard.
“But what about you, Afar? You should come with us!” Lila offered.
“No. My place is at Chabon’s side. Something that Sister Cala forgot to mention in there – was that the Matriarch Chabon had two acolytes that she trained. Ohotto was just one, and I was the other. There may be some of the loyal witches of Sebol who will rally to Chabon’s side. Whatever Cala gets them to agree to in there, they will have a fight on their hands if they try to come to Chabon’s sanctuary!”
I felt myself grinning fiercely. I didn’t doubt it. “Then good luck, my teacher.” Was this the last time that I would see her?
“You are almost ready, Adept Danu.” My old tutor held my gaze as I turned to go. “If we both survive this, then I am sure that you will be ready for the final secret of the mage training…”
I was still confusedly opening and closing my mouth as Lila pulled me back along the walkways and Afar disappeared into the gloom. To be honest, since the moment in the meeting when I heard the witches voice support for Havick, I hadn’t even considered my future at all. There seemed to be too many problems in the world to worry about my own training. What had changed in me so much, from the boy who was determined to receive the full mage training? Lila and Crux happened, didn’t they? But now my dreams were back on the table. Did this mean that Afar was going to train me? But I would have to use that power for good, not just to be the only mage in existence, I now thought. It wasn’t about me, it was about helping the islanders, and Lila, and the dragons. If we survived, I remembered. If I kept my promises.
Chapter 26
Lila, dragon-traitor!
We rushed out of the village as night fell, racing back along the twisting paths that led through the witches’ forest, but this time there was no chance of getting lost as I could feel my dragon in my mind – and he was growing impatient.
“Did you find your bits of paper?” he greeted me amusedly as he stood on the mossy boulder, shaking his scales to release the dew that had gathered there.
“I did,” I said, patting the fold of paper that Danu had given in me, and I had hidden in my leather vest. It felt odd to think that Chabon could have dreamed and written about me, so many years ago.
“Not so strange, Lila wave-rider,” Crux sagely informed me as we climbed up to take our places on his back. “The dragons believe that all things are connected. A dragon may dream of its newt many decades before it is born, or remember a time when it was itself a different being entirely…”
“Really?” I said, stunned, the thought too large for my human mind. For just a moment, as the dragon surged and we leapt into the air, joy spread through me and the dragon both. We were a part of one thing, and larger beyond that, I thought, as Crux turned and wheeled high over the Haunted Isle of Sebol, and launched us towards the east.
“Lila?” Danu said, breaking my moment of realization as we swept high into the sky.
“Yes?” I turned to him, seeing that, even though his eyes were wide with so much recent worry, there was a small grin.
“I am glad that I am here, with you – and not still training down there in the dark,” he called, and I nodded, feeling embarrassed. I wasn’t quite sure how to take that, but I realized that I felt the same – this prophesy of Danu’s was real, and it was about me. It was something that was too big for me to even think about alone— but I wasn’t alone. I had Danu and Crux both here with me. Not that I would tell either one any of that!
A girl rising from the waves, with a bloody sword in her hand… I kept o
n pondering the message of the prophesy as we flew back, first towards the small island where we had stopped before, and then further south and east, towards Malata. And death follows them…
What if that was true? What did it mean? Would someone I know die? Would someone I love, die? The words kept bothering me, waking me up in the night as we rested on one of the abandoned islands, and weakening my appetite when we ate breakfast and lunch.
“Lila – look!” Danu pointed below us. It was our second day of flying home, each of us eager to get back to Malata as quick as we could to talk with the Sea Raiders. Now that I knew that the prophesy was real – and that the West Witches were probably allied with Havick – I was even more aware of how I couldn’t defeat Havick alone. I would need Danu and Crux; I would need the strong sailors of the Sea Raiders if I were to overthrow a king. Someone had to stop him, and right now, the only free peoples left in the Western Archipelago aside from the witches were us Raiders.
I had been too wrapped in my musings to see what Danu now pointed out to me: a thin line of smoke rising on the horizon.
Malata? I thought in alarm for a moment – but no, it couldn’t be. We were still many hours away, by my reckoning. It was one of the Free Islands though, one of the small number of atolls and outcrops that housed people, but who were only nominally under the rule of the Roskildeans.
“Father doesn’t raid there,” I said. “They wouldn’t have anything worth stealing, and half of them would have brothers or cousins who seek to become Sea Raiders anyway!”
“So what could have happened?” Danu said, and, not needing any further reason, I urged Crux to take a closer look.
“I smell fire and blood,” Crux informed me as we descended and a second and a third thin column of smoke appeared behind the headland of the first. The dragon’s wings ate up the leagues, and soon we could see the ruins of a burnt-out fishing village. No, not a village – a hamlet, really, I thought. It was a typical sort of Free Islands village. Small, with wooden-built houses on stilt platforms, with the only scrap of shaped stone they had used to build a small quay. I knew that these places were little more than fishing hamlets really. They rarely received traders or villagers, and mostly kept themselves to themselves.