Jeb beamed with pride as he heard what Merek said. The people around his parents said how proud they must be and will pray for him.
I’m coming with you Tallia Jeb thought as he looked at her and she smiled and nodded to tell him she heard him.
As Jeb and Tallia walked home together with their parents, it became abundantly clear that Merek’s carefully chosen words brought about a big change in people and everyone was smiling and congratulating them.
Chapter V
Tallia was excited but also apprehensive about going to the castle. Excited because not only was she going to take her first trip down the ladders from her home, the only place she had ever known, but she was going beyond the fields at the base of the plateau, and out into the world of Zantalth, something very few people from the Plateau of Skasdiz ever did in their entire lives. She was apprehensive for the same reasons plus the journey is said to be dangerous.
She woke and had breakfast early as she was to meet her guide Poriya at the north wall along with Jeb at the time the sun will begin to rise signalling the start of a new day. As she left her house, the sky was clear, and most of the stars had disappeared as it began to lighten prior to the sun peeking from behind the horizon.
She walked the three doors down to Jeb's house and knocked the door. The door flew open almost instantly, and a very excited, possibly over-excited, Jeb was standing there struggling to escape his mother's clutches. “Mother, please, I have to go.” She kissed him on the cheek and let him go causing him to almost fall out the door. Tallia stifled a snigger and gave his mother a brief smile before being pulled away from the door by Jeb.
“Why have you brought your bow and arrows?” Tallia asks as they walk along the road towards the north wall.
“Poriya will need to know what I have.”
“Oh, I see, I suppose so yes.”
“He may want to see how good I am as well.”
“Oh, I am sure he will.”
When they arrived at the north wall Poriya was there waiting for them. A tall, strong, muscular man with chiselled features and a shaved head wearing leather armour. He looked them both up and down as they stood before him feeling very awkward and not sure if they should speak or not. “Good you’re both on time,” he said in a rough, gravelly voice.
“Good morning Poriya,” Tallia said.
“We will soon see if it’s a good one or not. So you are Tallia?”
Tallia nodded.
“You're quite small.”
“I’m average for my age,” she said defensively.
“Mmm, I’m sure. Well let’s hope you don’t slow me down too much, I’ve never taken a little girl across the plains before.”
“You needn’t worry about me. I am fit and strong, and I am no little girl. I am nearly thirteen.” Tallia said starting to take a dislike to him and his tone towards her.
Poriya then turned to stare at Jeb making him even more uncomfortable than he already was. “I take it you know how to use that,” nodding towards Jeb’s bow.
“Y-y-yes sir.” Jeb stuttered, and Poriya rolled his eyes. “My tutor says I am the best he has ever seen.”
“Really? Well let's see what you can do. Fire an arrow over the wall.”
“What do you want me to hit?”
“Nothing, just get it to go as far as you can.”
Jeb thought this was a rather odd request but did as he was asked. He pulled back on the bow as far as he could and angled so it would fly as far as possible. The arrow soared into the air and arched over and down a long way off. Jeb was rather pleased with his effort and thought that might be the furthest he has ever sent an arrow.
“Not bad at all,” said Poriya a little begrudgingly. “Can you hit anything though?”
Jeb was suddenly feeling much more confident now and said, “Yes, of course I can, name it,” and prepared another arrow ready.
“That,” Poriya said and pointed to a bird flying across in front of them about 30 arms lengths away. He quickly took aim and released his arrow. His aim was perfect and was going to hit the bird.
Tallia screamed “NO.” The arrow suddenly stopped dead in the air, hung there for a second and then fell straight down towards the ground. Jeb and Poriya stared in shock at Tallia who was equally shocked at what she just did.
In the south tower of the castle elder Ruwyn woke with a start. “Who’s there?” But of course, there was no one. “Humph, annoying.” He promptly went back to sleep.
“Well that’s a clever trick.” Poriya said.
“Sorry. I didn’t want the bird hurt.” Tallia said.
“That’s something you are going to have to get over, or we are all going to starve out there. So don’t do that again.”
“I don’t know how I did it.”
“Oh great. This journey is going to be fun,” Poriya said in a sarcastic tone.
“Sorry, I will try not to.”
“Okay, I have seen enough. We leave at first light in two days. Meet me here then. You,” he said pointing to Jeb, “Get together as many arrows as you can carry,” he looked at Tallia, “You're going to need more than usual.” He looked back at Jeb. “And practise more. Try and hit things as far away as you can. Birds in the sky are good.”
Tallia opened her mouth to protest at the same time as Poriya glared at her, so she shut it again. “Preferably a long way from her,” he added.
“As for you,” he said still looking at Tallia. “Try and get some sort of control on your powers. I could do with not waking up to find my hands have turned into pig trotters.”
Jeb eyes went wide and said, “Can you do that?”
“No I can’t,” Tallia snapped then more quietly said, “well I don’t think so.”
Poriya rolled his eyes turned and walked away muttering to himself.
Jeb drew closer to Tallia and whispered. “What was he muttering? Could you hear him?”
“Trust me, you don’t want to know.”
“Oh.”
They walked back slowly towards their homes in silence both mulling over their encounter with Poriya and what they needed to do. Jeb was trying to work out how he could get lots of practice without using any arrows because he was told to bring as many as he could carry and that was a lot. Tallia was wondering how she stopped that arrow mid-flight. She needed to think, alone.
They reached her house first and said their goodbyes and Tallia went inside, shut the door and waited long enough for Jeb to reach his house and go inside. Since her mother was not there, she slipped out the house again and headed for her special spot on the western wall.
She sat and stared out over the forest. So it was me that pushed Jeb over. And now it seems I can also stop things moving. But how? She thought. Getting down off the wall she found a small stone laying on the ground, picked it up and placed it on the wall. She stared at it trying to will it to move, but nothing happened. It just sat there, where she put it.
She tried again but harder, concentrating as hard as she could. She suddenly gasped and realised she was holding her breath, but the stone was still stubbornly still. She tried again and again and again for ages, but it just sat there as still as a rock, exactly the way the gods designed it to act.
Tallia became more and more frustrated and more and more angry. “Why will you not move?” she said. “ARRRGHHH.” Suddenly the stone flew off the wall and into the distance like it had been hit by a stump ball bat only much, much harder than anyone could hit it. She gasped and put her hand over her mouth. Oh the gods she thought it’s anger. I do these things when I am angry.
She had spent all morning trying to move the stone, and the sun had passed it’s highest point some time ago, and she was feeling hungry. She decided to try it again before going to get some food. Finding another stone, she placed it on the wall and tried to get angry with it.
Anger was not something that came easily to Tallia who had always been a very calm and accepting person. Besides the time she had got angry with Jeb, she cou
ldn’t remember the last time she had been angry with anything. She just couldn’t get angry with it no matter how hard she tried. Eventually, her grumbling stomach got her undivided attention, and she gave up and headed for home very annoyed at herself.
What she didn’t see as she walked away was the stone suddenly flew off the wall in the same direction as the other one.
Tallia slept in rather late the following day having exhausted herself the previous day from trying to move even more stones but with no success at all. She climbed the ladder up into the house, and the smell of freshly baked bread filled her nose. “Mmmm that smells nice.”
Her mother turned and smiled. “Morning, want some for breakfast? Mrs. Pace has just dropped some fresh butter off for you.”
“Yes please. That was nice of her. For me? How come?”
“No idea really, just said it was for you and asked if you could pop by to see her today.”
“Oh, okay. I wonder what she wants.”
“Well don’t forget to thank her for the butter.”
“Don’t worry mother I won't.”
While they were eating, there was knock at the door. Tallia and her mother exchanged looks. “Another visitor?” Eynam said as she went over to open the door.
“Why hello Mr. Pedish,” said Eynam “How can I help you? Is your wife okay?”
“Yes, yes, she is perfectly fine, thank you. I wish to speak with Tallia if I may.”
“Of course, do please come in.”
Tallia heard this and wondered why he would want to see her. As he entered she stood up to greet him with a smile. Mr. Pedish‘s face broke out into an enormous grin when he saw her. “Hello Tallia, I am glad you are home. I have a small gift for you. I do hope they fit.” From behind his back he brought out two new pairs of brown boots.
Tallia was very surprised. “Err thank you Mr. Pedish. I am very grateful but please may I ask why?”
“You have a long journey ahead of you, and I am praying to Skasdiz that they will be good enough to serve you well.”
“Mr. Pedish you are so very kind,” she said as she accepted the gift. “These are beautiful thank you and very well made.”
“Thank you. They are my best work I have ever done and made with the best hide I had. I made you two pairs, so you had a spare pair, just in case.”
“Mr. Pedish,” said Eynam, “please let me pay you for them.”
“No-no-no, definitely not. Tallia is the chosen one, and it is my honour to give them to her for her long journey ahead.”
“I am sure these will last me for many journeys,” Tallia said.
“Now come on, try them on in case I need to make any adjustments. Don’t want them rubbing or too tight.”
Tallia tried them on, and they were a perfect fit. “These are the most comfortable boots I have ever had. Thank you, Mr. Pedish. I will think of you every step I take in these.”
Mr. Pedish blushed and said, “I am so pleased they fit. I must be going now. May the gods walk with you.”
Eynam closed the door behind him and said. “Well, that was very nice of him.”
“Yes, it was. Although a bit strange, I hardly knew him.”
“I guess he wanted to help our chosen one.”
“I’m not sure about this chosen one thing. I wish Merek hadn’t of said that.”
“Better to be thought of as the chosen one rather than a witch. Anyway, don’t forget that Merek will have a better insight into the gods will than any of us.”
“I suppose, I just don’t feel very chosen. More forcibly drafted.”
“Oh Tallia you do come up with some funny thoughts sometimes. Right young lady or should I say, chosen one.” Tallia rolled her eyes. “You had better get round to Mrs. Pace’s and thank her for the butter.”
As she passed Jeb’s house, he came bounding out looking very excited. “Tallia, Tallia, look, I’ve got a brand new bow.”
“That’s great Jeb.”
“No, you don’t understand. This one is incredible.”
“How can a bow be incredible?”
“It’s the best one there ever was. Way better than any others. It can shoot an arrow further than any others, and it’s been specially made for me.”
“Specially made for you?”
“Yeah, my archery tutor came by this morning to give it to me. He had been up all night making sure it was balanced perfectly so I would have it this morning so I had all day to practice with it.”
“All night? Wow.”
“Yeah and get this, he has all the boys making arrows for me, they have made hundreds and going to keep going all day today as well.”
“I guess that solves your arrows problem.”
“Err yes, look I got to go, I want to try this out.” Jeb ran off down the road leaving Tallia watching him go and thinking that he didn’t give her a chance to show him her new boots. She was thrilled that he was so excited though.
Mrs. Pace’s door was open, so Tallia knocked and went in calling out hello. Mrs. Pace’s head popped up from her shaft entrance. “Oh hello my little elf. Thank you for coming.”
“Hello Mrs. Pace. Thank you so much for the butter it was delicious.”
“Oh never mind that dear. I just happened to have some spare. What I really wanted is for you to try something for me.”
“Of course. What is it?”
“Well I have been working on something for sometime now but after Merek’s announcement and you having to go to the castle it, kind of, spurred me on and I think I have it just right but wanted to check with you first.”
“You wanted to check with me?”
“Yes, yes, naturally, I’ve done this for you.”
“Me?”
“Stop asking questions and try this.” She handed Tallia what looked like a dark brown baked biscuit but was quite heavy for its size. “Go on, try it, see if you like it.”
Tallia took a small bite. It was quite hard but also very chewy. It tasted of fruit, honey, and oats, well that's what she thought anyway. Tallia rather liked the taste but never had anything quite as heavy and chewy. “It’s very nice. What is it?”
“I have no idea what to call it. If I have got it correct, and I think I have, one of these biscuits should give you enough food for the entire day. Although I would suggest you eat it slowly over the whole day that way you won't feel hungry at all. Anyway so you're happy with it?”
Tallia finally swallowed the small piece she had been chewing. “Yes, very, it’s quite unusual and takes a lot of chewing.”
“Ah that’s because I have had to get such a lot of ingredients packed into it.”
“May I take the rest of this one?”
“Yes please do. I will have enough made for you, Jeb and Poriya ready for the morning. Now run along I have lots to do.”
“Thanks again Mrs. Pace. Oh, by the way, I think you should call them Mrs. Paces’s all day food bars.”
“I just might do that.”
As she headed for home, she met her mother coming the other way. “Tallia, good. I found you. I’ve just had Mr. Tanthide come round. He asked if you could visit him in his workshop this morning. He stressed it was very important and must be this morning.”
“Oh okay. Did you hear about Jeb’s new bow.”
“Yes I just spoke to his mother, she had never seen him so excited. Now run along to Mr. Tanhide’s he is waiting for you.”
“What does he want.”
“He didn’t say, but he seemed very agitated about something.”
Tallia’s brow furrowed. “Mmmm, everyone is acting so odd today.”
“Seems to be everyone is rather excited about you. Now get before he has to start looking for you.”
“Yes mother.”
Tallia arrived at Mr. Tanthide‘s workshop to be greeted rather excitedly by the small middle-aged man. “Tallia, thank you for coming over so promptly. I have such a lot to finish off I got Jeb’s measurements all wrong you know. Let’s hope your one is better.�
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“Sorry, my measurements?”
“Oh yes, silly me, come down the back with me all will be obvious.”
Tallia followed him into the back of his workshop where she saw two sets of leather armour hanging on the wall. He reached up and took one down. “Here, try this on. Let me help you.” He helped her put the thick leather vest on over her head and tightened the straps at the sides. “Good, good, not a bad fit at all, How’s it feel?”
“Heavier than it looks but comfortable thank you.”
“Yes, it will be heavy, very thick leather and several layers. Should protect you well.” And he slapped her hard on the back nearly knocking her off her feet. A look of horror shot across his face. “Oh the gods I am sorry. Please don’t hurt me.”
“Why would I hurt you?”
“I hit you harder than I should have.”
“That’s okay you were just showing me how good it was. Anyway, how could I possibly hurt a strong man like you?”
“I heard that you nearly killed Jeb, accidentally I mean, sorry no offence.”
“Oh, that and no I didn’t nearly kill him I just knocked him over, and yes it was an accident. Oh and no, of course, no offence was taken at all. Please, everyone is perfectly safe around me. Now I know what caused it I won't be having any more accidents or even doing it on purpose.”
“Phew that's a relief. Shall we get on?”
“First please tell me what all this about.”
“What? Eh? Oh, I see. It’s armour to keep you safe on your journey to the castle. We can’t have our chosen one getting accidentally killed by bandits or beasts or whatever other nasty things there are out there. Sorry I’m probably frightening you now.”
“No, it’s fine. Who asked you to do this for me?”
“Who? No one.”
“Not my mother or Merek?”
“No, not at all. After Merek told us all who you were and what you had to do I was laying in bed that night and just thought you were going to need armour to protect you, so I got up and got to work.”
Zantalth: The magic is returning Page 4