For a moment, Kilren sat in silence staring at his friend.
“What I'm saying, Darian, is that you can depend on a tree,” the rogue continued. “It stays where it is, holding up its limbs, and its leaves, and whatever else a tree may hold up. It offers support and protection day after day. You can count on it.”
“I suppose I see what you mean.”
“Right,” the rogue nodded. “And I don't seem that way. My parents own a very successful business, but do I get involved with it? No. Instead, I run around making a living doing odd-jobs and worse and constantly moving on. I certainly don't look like I could offer Erana much of a life, do I?”
“Well, maybe not to him, but I know you better.”
“That would be great if I were trying to marry your daughter, but I'm not.”
“No,” the knight replied. “You make a good point but, what can I do? You want me to talk to him?”
“No,” Kilren said. “Well actually, I might. Although, I was hoping you would do something else first.”
“What's that?”
“Well,” the rogue began, throwing out his chest as he spoke, “I think, Sir Darian, that during these past few weeks I've shown you what kind of a man I am. I've risked my life time and again in your service, and I've arguably saved your life more than once. I've slept in the wilds, and marched ever onward even when I was wet, tired, and hungry – without the slightest complaint. I've faced armies of men and monsters at your side and I've never blanched.”
“All true,” the knight replied.
“And, well,” Kilren continued, “I was just thinking that maybe you would want to make me a Captain of Solarin, that's all.”
“I'd love to...” the Telian began.
“That's great!” the rogue interrupted. “Wonderful!”
“But, I can't,” Darian said, continuing his statement.
“What? Why not?”
“I don't have any lands yet,” the knight explained. “And, I can't speak for Andor.”
“Ah,” Kilren sighed, “I understand...”
“However,” the Telian said raising his hand, “I could make you a sergeant. I'm positive Andor would approve of that, and I would be well within my rights to offer you that commission.”
“Oh!” the rogue said excitedly. “Yeah, that'll be fine. I mean: if I have an official position, I think it would go a little way with Lord Erandal. Thanks! So, what will my duties be?”
“Basically, just what you've been doing,” the knight said. “Since I commissioned you, you serve me. And, you're already pretty good at that.”
“Am I?” the rogue asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I mean: I think we're already a pretty good team,” the Telian chuckled.
“Oh, yeah. That's a fact,” the rogue smiled. “So, is there some ceremony or something we need to go through?”
“Not now,” Darian said, “We'll probably want to when we get back home, though. Andor may want to make you a captain so, we'll just have to see what happens.”
“Sure,” the rogue replied. “I suppose I should wear some emblem or something?”
“Yep. When we can get you one.”
“Does the job come with any pay?”
“It does. But, I don't know anything about it. Lord Andor handles all that.”
“Sure, sure. Do I get back pay for of all this?”
“I'm sure you will,” the knight chuckled.
“That's good,” Kilren said. “A man has to think about things like that if he wants to be sturdy.”
“No doubt,” the Telian nodded.
“Sir Darian,” Gwendolyn called out as she and the elvish maiden made their way up to the two young men. “I have news that I believe may be of interest to you.”
“Yeah?” the young night replied. “What is it?”
“Can you believe that?” the maiden asked, a mock-tone of injured pride in her voice. “Erana, did you hear how he addressed me?”
“I did, my lady,” the ranger sighed. “I wouldn't have expected it. Not from a Telian knight. Especially not from one I've heard such good things about.”
“Nor would I,” the young sorceress agreed. “And that's not even considering the fact that he's a so-called Knight of Solarin.”
“So-called?” the young man asked, his brows drawn together.
“I guess they just don't train them like they used to,” the elvish maiden said, shaking her head slowly.
“So it would seem,” Gwendolyn replied, staring at the young knight with a false look of sympathy on her face.
“Alright you two,” Kilren chuckled. “What are you talking about? Darian's never going to get it unless you just say it. And I have to admit that even I'm not sure what you're on about at the moment.”
“Yes,” the Telian agreed. “What are you talking about?”
“I suppose we'll just have to explain it,” the young sorceress replied with a sigh.
“It looks that way, my lady,” Erana nodded.
“Alright,” the human maiden said. “We'll start at the beginning so as not to lose Sir Darian.”
“That sounds like a reasonable suggestion,” the rogue smiled.
“Sir Darian,” she began, “You're a Telian knight, correct?”
“This is silly...” he replied.
“Would you please just answer me?”
“Yes.”
“Well then, answer.”
“I did, I said yes,” the knight replied.
“Good,” the young sorceress nodded. “And you're also a Knight of Solarin because, under Solarin law, all Telian knights are considered knights of Solarin?”
“Yes,” he replied, a slight tone of irritation in his voice. “You already know that. Would you just get to the point?”
“I would!” the maiden exclaimed. “But, I want to make sure you don't get lost.”
“No,” Kilren said with a nod, “she's right.”
“Alright,” the knight sighed. “Please continue.”
“Right,” she continued, “You're a knight of Solarin because we all live under Solarin law. Correct?”
“Yes...” he said, the irritated tone in his voice becoming clearer. “Would you please get on with it?”
“I'm trying to!” she exclaimed. “But, you keep interrupting me.”
“Fine,” he sighed again. “I'll try not to. But please tell me what you're talking about.”
“Well,” she continued, “as we are all under Solarin law, including my father who is now living at the fortress. You are Sir Darian, and Lord Andor is Lord Andor...”
“I know all this!”
“You interrupted again...”
“Sorry,” he replied, rolling his eyes.
“Anyway, that also means that my father is Sir Faelor. This makes me, as his eldest child, Lady Gwendolyn.”
“So it does...” the knight replied thoughtfully, a smile slowly spreading across his face. “You're absolutely right, of course! It's funny that I hadn't thought of it before. Either way, congratulations, my lady.”
“Thank you very much, Sir Darian,” the maiden replied with a regal nod. “Of course, the revelation does come with certain responsibilities.”
“Like what?” the rogue asked, gazing at the young maiden.
“Well,” she explained, “once the kingdom is restored, my father will receive my grandfather's old estate. Now, as you know, that's right on the border between Mikral and Solarin. And that can be a very dangerous area.”
“Only if there's a war with Mikral,” the knight replied. “And that's only ever happened once.”
“True,” she admitted. “However, that was all it took to lose our lands.”
“She's got a point there,” Kilren agreed.
“Exactly,” the young sorceress replied. “Which is why my family needs powerful allies. And that got me thinking.”
“Oh, I'm sure it did,” the rogue chuckled.
“Yes,” Erana replied, “it did. Go on, Gwendolyn.”
“Oh, I don't doubt that,” the rogue asserted.
“Kilren,” the ranger said, “Lady Gwendolyn is trying to make a point.”
“Certainly,” he nodded. “I'm sorry, please continue. Your thought process is simply fascinating.”
“Yes,” the maiden replied, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. “And then I realized that, if we could find some way to unite our houses, both would be better defended in the future.”
“Oh, undeniably!” the rogue agreed.
“Kilren!”
“Sorry.”
“Well, then I realized...” she began, pausing a moment before she continued. “I realized that we could unite our houses by marriage if we could find someone from each house willing to wed.”
“Yes...” the knight mused. “I can see your point. An alliance of marriage is sacred. Of course, the word of a Telian is just as binding. So, really we wouldn't have to go to all that trouble.”
“Seriously...” Kilren said, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Shut up, Kilren!” Erana exclaimed.
“Trouble?” the maiden asked at almost the same moment.
“Well, I just mean it's a lot simpler than that,” the knight explained. “All we have to do is have Lord Andor draw up a contract of alliance and have me and your father...”
“Excellent!” the maiden interrupted. “That is truly excellent. You've certainly found a good way to go about it without causing anyone any trouble.”
“That's what I was saying...” the knight replied slowly, doing his best to judge the expression on Gwendolyn's face. “You're mad at me again... I think...”
“What would make you think that?” she asked, her voice slightly edged.
“I've seen that look before,” he nodded. “And the last time you looked that way, Kilren said you were mad at me. He seems to know a little more about women than I do.”
At this, the rogue burst out laughing. His example was quickly followed by his three companions.
“I'm not really mad at you, Darian,” the maiden said with a sigh. “It's just that sometimes you say things I don't expect.”
“Don't feel bad,” Kilren replied. “He says things that nobody expects.”
“That's certainly true,” Erana laughed. “Either way, now you're a lady and that's a blessing in my mind.”
“Yes,” Gwendolyn agreed. “Thank the Eilian for answered prayers. And may they continue to listen to those that are yet unanswered.”
“I'm sure they will,” the rogue smiled. “You just have to give it time. Speaking of which, Erana, have your prayers been answered yet?”
“Some of them,” she replied with a coy smile.
“That's not exactly what I meant,” he replied, gazing into the eyes of his love. “I mean, your prayers to Selvios. Has anything changed there?”
“If you mean: do I understand anything about magic yet? Then the answer is no,” she said.
“Nothing's happened at all?” the knight asked. “I had hoped something would. Still, the Eilian do things in their own time, not ours.”
“That's certainly true,” the ranger agreed. “To be completely honest, I'm not sure if anything's happened or not.”
“What do you mean?” the Telian asked.
“Well,” she began, “I had a strange dream night before last. The first night we spent in the tower.”
“What was it?”
“Well, I was walking alongside a lake, or it might have been a river, I can't really remember. Either way, suddenly Selvios walked up to me and started asking me questions.”
“Really?” the rogue said. “What did he look like?”
“That's actually one of the really weird things,” she replied. “Selvios, at least according to our legends, looks like a giant elf with long golden hair and burning blue eyes. But, that's not how he appeared in my dream.”
“What did he look like?” Kilren asked.
“He was a pure white stag.”
“Then, what made you think it was Selvios?”
“I didn't think it was him; I knew it was. You know how it is in your dreams.”
“Yeah, I can see that.”
“Either way,” the elvish maiden continued, “he asked me a bunch of questions. I can't remember what they were, but I know I didn't have a lot of the answers.”
“Hmmm,” the Telian said thoughtfully. “That could be a sign.”
“You think so?” the ranger asked.
“Possibly,” he nodded. “The Eilian do speak in dreams, after all.”
“What could it have meant?”
“Well, if I had to guess,” he began, “which, obviously, I do; I would say that maybe you don't know enough about Selvios yet. Hence the unanswered questions. You may want to make it a point to more closely study your people's religion.”
“You could be right,” Erana admitted.
“I could be,” the knight replied, “Whether I am or not, the study won't hurt you. So, you might as well give it a try.”
The hours and miles that made up most of the remainder of the day were filled with similar conversation as the party traveled ever westward. The glow that guided the band grew brighter until, at last, they could make out a beam of pure green light shooting into the sky on the horizon. With this in view, they pressed onward, hoping it would lead them to the enemy they sought.
With just an hour of daylight left, they came to a sheer cliff face. The eerie light seemed to be emanating from above it and Kilren thought he could just make out the top of a tower in the distance. The party traveled along this rock face for just over a mile before discovering an ornate doorway cut into the stone. On each side of this portal stood stone statues of human warriors. One held a sword and shield, the other a long two-handed spear.
“Well, this is something,” the captain said, bringing his mount to a stop.
“Aye,” the bard replied, “that it is. I'm not sure exactly what, but it certainly is something.”
“We'll have to take a look,” the knight pointed out. “It could be a passage to the top of the cliff.”
“That thought had occurred to me, Sir Darian,” the warrior chuckled.
“Yes, of course,” the Telian replied, gazing carefully over the scene. “Either way, I don't see any enemies.”
“That's a plus,” the rogue nodded.
They quickly dismounted and tied their horses to some nearby bushes before making their way to the empty doorway. Darian and Tealor led the group, striding forward shoulder to shoulder. The moment they reached the portal, however, the statues that stood at the entrance sprang to life. Fortunately, the warrior and the knight were both seasoned soldiers. As a result, both successfully blocked the unexpected attacks that flew at them.
The Telian faced the guardian armed with sword and shield; the captain engaged the spear-wielding statue. At first, all the pair could do was lift their shields and fall back before the rapid and powerful blows of their stone adversaries. However, within moments, each had drawn their weapons while their companions quickly took up positions to support them.
Kilren and Erana had their weapons readied and aimed in seconds. At the first opportunity, both fired. Each of the projectiles rattled off their enemies as if they had just shot blocks of granite. Neither left more than a scratch on the surface of their foes.
“That's not good,” the rogue observed.
“No,” his bride-to-be agreed. “It isn't.”
The warrior held the Telian's sword tightly in his grasp. It was well made; crafted by dwarves and etched with runes that gave it power. He hoped it would be enough to overcome the unnatural warriors they now faced. His enemy struck, stepped forward and struck again. The warrior waited. As his foe moved to attack once more, Tealor spun around; dodging the blow and slashing the statue on the shoulder with all the force he could muster.
A chunk of stone shot into the woodlands beyond. The blade would be enough.
Darian was a skilled swordsmen and the Eilian had filled him with their strength the moment he had been attacked. With speed and dexterity, he blocked one blow after another before returning them with unrestrained might. Sparks flew from his sword as time and again he struck his foe. The young knight drew back and swung at the neck of his adversary with all his strength. The blow landed with a force that shattered the blade in his hand. He stood for a moment, contemplating what had happened before his enemy once again began to drive him back; huddled behind his shield.
A jet of acid shot from Ian's outstretched palm, striking the warrior's enemy in the face. Unfortunately, it seemed to do very little to damage or deter his foe.
“Darian,” the bard cried, his attention having been attracted by the sound of the knight's shattering sword. “You can't fight these things with normal weapons. They can't cut stone.”
“Yes, thank you,” the knight yelled over the din of his foe's stone blade ringing against his metal shield. “Even I had managed to come to that conclusion, but I appreciate you pointing it out.”
“Fall back, Darian,” Sarena called out. “Let's see what fire can do.”
The knight didn't need to be told twice. His shield arm was already throbbing and there didn't seem much point in fighting on without a weapon. He didn't like the idea of turning heel and running but, under the circumstances, there was little else he could do. Fortunately, the stone warriors were incapable of such speed. The statue pursuing the knight followed him at a slow, but steady march. As soon as the Telian was clear, the sorceress wrapped their foe in flames. It was difficult to tell whether or not this did any damage, but it did attract attention.
“Well,” the sorceress sighed, “that could have gone better.”
The ranger threw down her bow and instantly drew her scimitar.
“Rragor stay!” she cried before rushing to the aid of the embattled captain.
“Can our swords even hurt these things?” the rogue asked as he ran alongside his betrothed.
“Mine will,” she assured him. “I doubt yours can.”
“Figures!” the rogue observed.
The warrior was doing well, but he was already drenched in sweat from the exertion and had done little more than chip the stone soldier in several places. The ranger jumped on their enemy from behind, slashing it again and again across the back. For several moments, it seemed to completely ignore her before it twisted to the side and hit her in the gut with the blunt end of its spear. It then turned; intent on driving its weapon completely through her prostrate body. However, before it could accomplish this, it was struck from the side by a massive rock. The stone hit the statue in the head with such force that it knocked it slightly off balance, causing it to miss the killing blow it had aimed at the elvish maiden.
The Beasts of Areon (The Chronicles of Areon Book 2) Page 26