“You are a descendant of that Nature Walker, Mistress. The first Nature Walker to join with the other Guardians was Draoch of the Trees. He was followed by his daughter, Neia, and then she was followed by her son, Tindrol.”
“Tindrol was my grandfather! I vaguely remember Mama taking us to meet him - to meet her father - but we did not know that he was the Nature Walker.”
The dragon nodded as he nuzzled her hand again. “You have the idea, yes. Your grandfather gave up his position to a council in your tree city, and then we heard nothing more directly from him. Tindrol may not have maintained contact with us, nor did his daughter, but we have always been able to sense their presence. We knew when your poor mother died, the very moment, and we felt our bond pass to her first born.”
“But that is my brother, Cursik, not me,” Gin replied sadly.
“Aye, but it was not meant to be that your brother, Cursik of the Trees, would hold the title. He did not have the…I do not know the word in any other language save Eldyr, but it means the heart, perhaps? He did not have the right heart.”
“My brother had a tremendous heart and capacity to love, sir,” Gin said, trying not to be angry at the dragon. Of course, it could not possibly know Cursik as she had. She took a deep breath before speaking. “He was more accepting than I will ever be, having loved the dark elf that was his mate.”
“That is the...heart that he had that we could not trust, Ginolwenye of the Trees. My elders tell me that they could not risk trusting a Nature Walker mated to our sworn enemy. Draoch of the Trees took in such a soul in D’Ayna, and it nearly spelled his demise.”
Gin sighed. “I cannot be the Nature Walker, please understand. I have returned to the Temple with Ben…Lord Taeben, in exchange for a life, good sir dragon,” she said. “I am not a prisoner, exactly, as I have come of my own free will, but what I do from this point is up to Lord Taeben. It is our agreement. How can I work for peace in the Great Forest when he no longer allows me to visit there? I cannot be the Nature Walker while under Lord Taeben’s control. Does that make sense?” The dragon again tilted his sparkling scale-covered head to one side as though deep in thought.
“But Lord Taeben loves you,” he replied, his emerald head still cocked to one side in confusion. “He worries that you will be hurt, he makes sure you are fed and clothed and safe, is that not love? I admit that I do not understand your emotions, but I did not think them to be as complex as ours. No offense intended, Mistress.”
Gin smiled sadly. “None taken, I assure you. Our emotions are complex indeed. Lord Taeben thinks that to love is to possess and control, because he does not trust. When he apparently brought me here before, in the time I cannot remember, he was not sure that he had me completely in his possession, and I imagine that is why you said it was difficult for me. Now he is sure of my submission, and I fear you will see a different side of him.”
“Know this, Mistress Ginolwenye of the Trees,” the verdant dragon said, looking her directly in the eye and returning to the Common Tongue. Gin was not sure if she heard him with her ears or with her mind, the same way that she heard Taeben. The buzzing remained, just at the base of her skull, and she felt certain that meant that the dragon was still blocking Taeben from hearing them – however he did that. He had mentioned a bond; perhaps she should ask him to explain before Taeben returned. “While we are, in truth, allied with Lord Taeben, make no mistake…you are one of US. You are like the dragonkind to us. You are the child of Guardians, daughter of the Nature Walker, great-great granddaughter of Draoch of the Trees, and that means that there is no sane dragon on Orana that will do you harm. We revere but no longer follow the savage ways of our Mother Dragon or her mad legion of dragonkind. You have haven with us, always.” Gin wiped a tear away and stroked the dragon’s nose as he stared down at her, puzzlement in his amber eyes. “Our alliance to you surpasses any we hold to him, now and when you assume the mantle of Nature Walker. Does this news not please you?”
“Yes, it does, very much,” she said. “I told you that our emotions were complex, did I not?” She smiled through her tears. “I am very happy, and that is why I cry.”
“I will never understand the elves,” the dragon said as he tightened his wing around her. She snuggled close to him for a moment, noting how soft his scales actually were and wishing for a moment that she could just stay there with them in their beautiful temple, learning about the Guardians and her place as Nature Walker, and working toward peace among the races. But she had work to do on Qatu’anari first: she had to stop Taeben before he killed Sath and Khujann and took over the throne - even if it meant endangering everyone that she loved. Maybe she was more Nature Walker than she thought. The dragon released her, but hovered nearby to watch over her, and she sat down on a cushion near the middle pillar to wait for Taeben’s return…and to plan her escape.
After several hours of meditation and planning, Gin suddenly looked up at the small dragon, a tentative smile crossing her delicate features. “You said no dragon on Orana may harm me, yes?”
The drake nodded. “No sane dragon, that is true. Sadly, Lord Taanyth and Lord Kalinth cannot be counted within that number any longer, so you would do well to avoid them if you can. But as for those on the Dark Side of the world and those few of us here, no, they may not. Once you are a Guardian, my Lady, it is forbidden,” he replied. “Most of our kind know you because… ah, it is hard to explain in your languages. It is…within you, my Lady…”
Gin stroked his nose. “Please, call me Gin,” she said. “My Lady is far too formal and I am not the mate of your Lord Taeben.”
The dragon looked puzzled, his eyes widening as he again cocked his head to one side. “Not his mate?”
“No. Well, at least not yet,” Gin said sadly.
“Oh, my Lady…Gin, that is very good news.” The dragon beamed a toothy smile at her that gave her a momentary pause. He seemed to be glowing a bit as she considered him, and for a moment she was afraid that dragon’s fire was coming. She took a step away and he frowned. “I am sorry, but we have been watching for you for so long, another Nature Walker and Guardian to bring peace and…” He stopped talking suddenly, clearly feeling that he had said too much. Though Gin desperately wanted to hear more about the Guardians and this bond, she remained silent. Perhaps Taeben was returning. “A Guardian has returned to us, as prophesied,” he said happily. “Lord Omerith will find this to be good news indeed.” Gin felt something click within her, and the buzz returned to the back of her mind, though somewhat diminished. Now Taeben could hear her again - clearly the dragon had held the wizard at bay as long as he could. She remembered that she wanted to ask after Lord Omerith and opened her mouth to speak, but the dragon shook his head so she nodded in response. Hope had returned, if only a tiny bit.
Six
Teeand stumbled into the grand hall, having spent a few too many platinum pieces at his favorite tavern in the Outpost. An hour or so in the spa would sober him up enough to return home to his family and not catch an earful from his wife. He leaned against the heavy stone door a moment, willing the ground to stop undulating under his feet.
Guilt threatened to overcome the dwarf when he thought of his wife and children. While he was certain that Nehrys knew that he was out hunting in order to provide for them, he was also certain that she resented being home without help and unable to hunt with him, as they had done before there were children to care for and a home to keep. Teeand paused a moment and tugged at his beard as he did when deep in thought. Those had been good days. He remembered venturing into the forest and meeting the leader of the Fabled Ones for the first time, and promising his blade to their cause. He remembered the young elves that had come to the grand hall seeking mentors, and how he could not serve in that capacity without bringing them back home with him. Nehrys had been happy to have more young ones at her table, or at least he’d thought she was.
A soft moaning sound caught his attention and drew him back to the present. He s
tood still a moment, his warrior senses still alert despite the pickling he’d given them earlier. “Who’s there?” he called out. “What is it with this guild hall and beggars?” Another moan greeted him in answer. Teeand’s mace seemed to spring into his fingers as he strode across the great room of the hall toward the source of the noise. There was a small splashing sound and Teeand turned to his right, moving quickly into the room containing the healing water. The sight that greeted him stopped him cold.
“Blimey, is that wee Tairn?” he said softly. It had been many seasons since he’d seen her, and as had all the others, he assumed that she’d died in the Keep.
“Tee,” Tairn whispered. She was still sitting in the magical healing water where Gin had left her. “Tis good to see you again, sir.”
Teeand rushed to her side. “Are you hurt, child?” he asked, concern filling his eyes. “What can I do?” Tairn smiled up at him sadly. Tee had always treated all the younger members of Fabled as his children; and even in her short time with them before being taken prisoner in the Keep, she had happily filled that role. His presence soothed her instantly, even now.
“I am hurt, and while my condition is not important, Tee, I do need your help.” She paused a moment, drawing in a deep breath before she continued. “I’ve done something awful, to someone I love very much and those she loves, and I need to make it right.”
“Oh, what could you have possibly done that’s all that bad, Flower?” Teeand asked. “I can’t imagine you harming anyone…well, no one that didn’t already have it coming, that is.” He grinned at her, but the grin faded against the serious look on her face.
Tairn took a deep breath. “Okay, here it is: It has been a long time since I have seen you, Tee. Much has changed. Gin is…back with Taeben and Sath’s sister is dead and it is all because of me,” she said in a rush. She knew if she didn’t get that out, she’d choke on the words before she said them. Teeand’s eyes widened, and then narrowed to an angry glare. “I told you it was…”
“You’d better start explaining yourself, Tairneanach,” he growled. Tairn winced at his use of her full name, but knew that she deserved far worse from the dwarf.
“You knew that I was in the Keep, yes?” Teeand nodded, but said nothing. “I was there for a long time, Tee,” she continued, her voice rock steady but hollow. “Lord Taanyth used me to test a spell that he and Taeben were researching, and I was very close to death for most of the time. I don’t really know how long I was there, but as I had nearly given up hope of living long enough to see freedom, Taeben came to my cell. He told me that he could get me out. He told me that he wanted to be a better man, and I believed that he had changed and wanted to make amends. It wasn’t until I was free of the Keep and back in my home in Alynatalos, that I learned the price of my freedom.” Tairn paused a moment and pressed her hands to her face in an effort to suppress the tears that were building behind her eyes.
“Your tears won’t change a thing, girl,” Teeand snapped as he pulled her hands away. “Get on with your story.”
Tairn drew in a breath, collecting herself as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Right. Sorry. Taeben told me that I was to stay with Gin at first, and just keep an eye on her. I soon learned that it was because he was watching her through me. He had magic to let him see through my eyes,” she said. “When Gin decided to go to Qatu’anari to see Sath’s son one last time, I suppose Taeben saw an opportunity. My next instructions were…they were to…” Tairn bit her lip to get herself under control before she continued speaking. “I was to charm his sister, Kazhmere, and then instruct her to kill her brother.” Teeand’s eyes grew wide in horror. “I cast a Qatu illusion on Gin to help her get past the guards and in to see the Prince, and then I took Kahzi aside to cast the charm spell and give her the mission to carry out. But something went wrong, I suppose,” she said. “As soon as I’d sent Kahzi on her way, I left Qatu’anari to come back here, to somewhere far away from the palace so that that Taeben couldn’t see what was happening.”
“Ah, right,” Teeand said. “I see. You sent poor Kahzi off to do your dirty work and then you cleared out before anyone connected you to the crime is more like it, I think.”
“I am not looking for forgiveness here, Teeand.” Tairn said, her tone grim. “I feel quite sure that telling you what I have done may be the last thing I ever do, and I’ve made my peace with that.” She swallowed hard and then continued her story. “Before I knew that something had gone wrong and it was not Sath at all that had died, but poor Kahzi, I was still horrified and ashamed that I’d traded my very soul for my freedom. Taeben confirmed that Kahzi had failed, and that Sath still lived. He told me that I would have other chances to make up my debt to him.” Teeand growled and flexed his hands, his knuckles cracking loudly and making Tairn jump. “Before Taeben could reveal more of his plan, Gin and Sath magically transported into the hallway across from where I was hidden in the palace. I assumed he was still in my mind, watching. I listened to as much as I could of the story of what actually happened with Kahzi, staying hidden…”
“Like the coward you are,” Teeand muttered. Tairn’s eyes narrowed.
“You sound more and more like that gnome every day, Teeand, with your lack of patience. Seriously, kill me now if that is your plan. Just make it quick if you’re going to, because this interrupting is driving me MAD!” Teeand glared at her and immediately she was fell silent, realizing she’d pushed him too far.
“I should bash your skull in,” Teeand said through clenched teeth…then burst out laughing. Tairn stared at him, not understanding. “I’m sorry, that’s the first bit of the old Tairn I’ve seen and she’s a bloody sight for sore eyes. It is true that I’m angry at you, m’ girl, but I’m also chuffed to see you alive.” He quickly lost his grin and resumed a scowl. Tairn wasn’t sure if she should be afraid or amused. “Go on then, what happened next?”
“I waited for Sath to leave and decided that I needed to sneak away while I was still invisible. Sath was there and I think he could smell my presence but he couldn’t see me. It was then that he confirmed that Kazhi was dead and that he knew it was my doing.”
“Right, I don’t mean to interrupt again, Flower, but how did our Gin come to be back with the wizard?”
“I’m getting to that!” Tairn exclaimed. “I heard Gin cast a spell to transport herself to the Great Hall, so I followed her there. When I tried to confess to her and warn her, Taeben was listening. He came into the Great Hall before I knew he was even nearby. He almost killed me, and only stopped when…when Gin offered to go with him so that he would let me live,” she said, biting her lip. “She made him swear that Sath and his son would also be safe, and he agreed - but I don’t trust that and I hope that Gin knows better.”
“Aye, that sounds like our girl,” Teeand said, sadness creeping in around the edges of his voice. “Our Gin can’t help but put herself in harm’s way in the place of others. Now, what do we need to do to make all of this right?” he asked, smiling at her. Tairn’s eyes popped out in surprise. “Oh, I was furious with you, my girl, don’t mistake, and I’m sure that I still am. But the thing is, we’ve all been in situations before and we’ve all done things… Well, I can’t imagine what you went through, darlin'’,” he said, touching the side of her face with a stubby hand. She smiled at the Qatu term of affection. “I’m not the one to decide your fate, that’s up to our Gin and Sath.” Tairn shuddered. “They’re both fair, Tairn, you know that, and for what Sath lacks in patience our Gin tempers with her presence in his life. Now, shall we? Are you well enough?” he asked.
Tairn nodded and stood up, shaking off the magical water from her robes that seemed to dry as the drops fell away. “I’m ready,” she said. “Thank you for going with me to see the Rajah. I will do what I can to make this right, but I don’t know that I would be given the chance without you there to vouch for me.” She did not feel Taeben in her awareness, and hoped that he was preoccupied with Gin and would not see her wit
h Sath. She needed the time to build a wall against the wizard’s push into her mind.
Teeand chuckled. “This seems to be my lot in life, mediating between Sath and the rest of the world,” he said as he pulled Tairn into a hug. He frowned once he was sure she couldn’t see him, unsure that this time even he would be enough to change his old friend’s mind.
The Qatu Rajah crept through the Forest, thankful for the black armor that allowed him to blend in with the shadows of the trees. He knew that he was heading south, because he could just see the spires of the high citadel of Alynatalos ahead of him. “Gin? Better yet, Tairn? Where are you, little girl?” he hissed, swinging up into a tree and perching in a branch to get a better view of the front gate. “Oh, look at that.” A familiar white haired high elf male in cobalt robes passed quietly into the city. “Seems it’s my lucky day. Two for one.” Sath popped the cork on an invisibility potion, downed it, and dropped silently to the forest floor as he faded away from view and hurried along after Taeben. He followed the wizard past the drawbridge and into the residential quarter of Alynatalos, more than once having to almost come to a complete stop to avoid running past the elf. Once they were alone in a corridor, Taeben stopped and spun around to face Sath.
“Well, Qatu, I can’t say it’s a pleasure to see you,” he said, grinning maliciously. “But it’s not a surprise, either. What can I do for you?” Sath stood still, and then looked down at his own body. Had the potion worn off? Taeben chuckled, condescension clear in his sharp features. “Really? You’ve never heard of spells that allow one to see the invisible?” The wizard shook his head, clucking his tongue. “I’m not sure how you ever became Rajah. Are all the Qatu as thick as their king?”
Sath growled. “We have a score to settle, wizard,” he snarled. “My sister’s death is on your hands.”
“Ah, no, I think not,” Taeben said. “But with your limited knowledge of magic, I shouldn’t have thought you’d know that. You see, my dear Rajah, there are spells that we wizards do not know how to cast, astounding though that may seem, and charming another individual is one of those spells.”
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