Eleanor

by S. F. Burgess

  “He’s been waiting for you,” she said. Conlan took the reins, brushing more of her hand than was strictly necessary. Not looking at the horse, he stared at Eleanor. Freddie came back from behind Meran and unconsciously wrapped an arm around Eleanor’s waist. Conlan dragged his attention from Eleanor to the horse in front of him, running a careful hand over his back and studying the changes.

  “Freddie, want to join me? I’m thinking of taking this fine beast out for a run,” Conlan said as he swung himself gracefully into the saddle. Meran began to step from side to side in eager anticipation of his first run with his new master. Conlan reached forward and scratched behind his ears.

  “Sure, but no lizard slippers, OK?” Freddie said, grinning as Conlan laughed again.

  “Lizard slippers?” Eleanor asked, confused.

  “Don’t ask!” Freddie and Conlan said together, dissolving into more laughter.

  “Are we going somewhere? We only just got back,” Merl grumbled, watching Freddie pull his packs off his horse, abandon them and then remount.

  “Freddie and I are going to have a run, you stay here,” Conlan ordered without looking at him. He stared at the open gate and the empty horizon with anticipation. Meran leapt forward, going from a restless stand to full gallop in a matter of seconds. Freddie turned Pal around. “Cheat!” he called at Conlan’s back, digging his heels into his horse’s side and urging him to catch up.

  Will and Amelia watched them go in stunned silence. Slowly, Will turned his head to look at Eleanor.

  “What has Freddie done with Conlan?” he asked in English, with a totally straight face.

  Eleanor smiled. “That’s who he always was,” she said, knowing all her love for him was in her voice.

  The sun was setting when Conlan and Freddie arrived back. Eleanor was still in the stables. Horse had decided, since Meran was now Conlan’s responsibility, that Eleanor should be spending time pampering her and had demanded a bathing, brushing and oiling. Merl had been in to sort out his horse and Will’s, as Conlan had borrowed it. Eleanor had asked him how the trip had gone and the older man had smiled, telling her he had not laughed so much in years. Eleanor had nearly finished Horse’s grooming session when she heard the sound of friendly chatting and hooves as Conlan and Freddie led their horses into the stables.

  “… not fair, you have a fresh horse that Eleanor’s been pampering for nearly two weeks, while Pal has been carrying me around for days. Of course you’re going to win!” Freddie was saying.

  “That’s true, poor Pal having to carry you around, no wonder he didn’t have the strength to keep up for more than half a mile,” Conlan said teasingly. There was a pause and Conlan chuckled as the entered the stables. He noticed Eleanor, a pleased smile spreading across his face. Handing Meran’s reins to Freddie he strode forward and pulled her into a tight hug.

  “Thank you for restoring Meran, he’s wonderful,” He stopped and pulled back slightly while smiling indulgently. “Freddie’s right, you stink. I think you need a bath.”

  “He’s an amazing horse and he’s so quick to learn – want to see something really cool?” Eleanor asked. Conlan nodded and then helped her to remove Meran’s saddle and bridle and store the equipment. Running a gentle hand down Meran’s nose, Eleanor smiled.

  “Let’s go for a ride,” she said softly, taking a firm handhold of his black silky mane. Meran lifted his front leg so she could use it as a step to mount. Eleanor began giving him the simple one-word instructions she had taught him.

  Lifting both his front legs off the ground, Meran twirled with ballet-like grace towards the stable’s exit, moving out into the corral and Horse following behind to watch. Eleanor put Meran through his paces; showing off for his new master, the excited horse gave it his all, his hooves snapping up as he walked. Eleanor got him to side-step, move backwards, do the pirouette turns again and rear up, kicking his front legs in the air, all to the verbal commands she had taught him. She then got him to trot in a wide circle. Once he had found a regular rhythm, Eleanor brought her feet up underneath her, using her arms to balance while making very sure that she did not look at how far away the ground was. She stood up. Moving lightly on the balls of her feet in time to Meran’s movement, she let the horse carry her for a few circuits. Still using verbal commands, she directed Meran towards the yellow mountain of straw in the corner of the corral. He stopped in front of it and at Eleanor’s command he bucked, his rear flying high in the air, propelling her off his back, up over his head and into the straw. Scrambling out, Eleanor saw Freddie and Conlan rushing to help her.

  “I’m fine,” she assured them, giggling as they pulled her up. Conlan absently picked straw out of her hair.

  “Can you teach Pal how to do that?” Freddie asked, a wide grin on his face.

  She shrugged. “Maybe some of it. Pal is a lovely horse but he’s not nearly as bright as Meran,” Eleanor said, cringing at Freddie’s look. “I’m not saying Pal is stupid, Freddie, because Horse couldn’t do half this stuff either. What I’m saying is Meran is remarkable.” Hearing his name, Meran trotted over and stretched a foreleg out, bending the other against his body and bowing to Conlan, his head almost touching the floor. Conlan raised an eyebrow at Eleanor. She rolled her eyes.

  “That wasn’t me, Conlan, that’s all him. Meran has a few interesting habits of his own.”

  “Remarkable,” Conlan said softly, echoing Eleanor as he reached out to stroke Meran’s nose with affectionate wonder.

  The Crown

  They left for Katadep two days later. Half the fortress had come to see them off; Laurice, Urerla and Nials gave them all hugs and handshakes, having already stocked them up with provisions. Eleanor was torn between wanting to get back on the road, wanting to find the crown, wanting to make the next small move towards making Conlan a king and wanting to hide under the blankets in her bed. For no reason she could put her finger on she had a profound sense of dread about this journey, even before she had taken a single step.

  Katadep was just over halfway between Laurice’s fortress and the Central Tower. They would reach it by skirting the edge of the central mountain range for several months and then turning west. They were taking a slightly roundabout route, but it meant they would avoid large pockets of civilisation for as long as possible. That way, they would be able to forage and camp, saving what little money they had left between them for the nights they would have to stay in the city. Conlan had never been to Katadep but Merl had, telling them it was a more impressive city than Baydon and that it housed the largest Protector stronghold outside of the Lords of Mydrens’ towers. Merl had a permanently excited look on his face, and his animated chat was light and friendly, which helped to dispel some of Eleanor’s anxiety. As they travelled they went back to taking watch each night, Merl taking his turn; there had been no objections.

  They soon settled back into their comfortable travelling routine and Eleanor relaxed slightly. Conlan seemed content, and he and Freddie spent quite a bit of time together with the result that Conlan laughed a lot more. Eleanor also noticed he was more tactile, occasionally even giving her and Amelia quick hugs. Eleanor never pushed him on this, not wanting to be rejected again, but when Freddie occasionally wrapped his arms around her she would drape an energy string around Conlan’s shield, hoping he would understand that she would like to hug him, too.

  As they got closer to Katadep they discussed plans, Merl explaining that his friend, Arran, would be at the Protectors’ stronghold on the south side of Katadep awaiting Merl’s contact. Conlan had asked what Arran wanted for the risk he was taking, and Merl had laughed: ‘an awful lot of money’ had been the reply. Conlan had looked confused, wondering how they were going to pay him when they had barely enough money for a few nights in an inn. Merl had smiled; apparently there was no need to worry about it, as Gregor would be taking care of any and all financial requests from Arran. Eleanor again felt her worry for the old man’s safety – they were going to have to check he
was OK.

  Freddie had voiced his concerns that they could be walking into a trap. Conlan had listened as Freddie had explained his concerns. What if the Protectors had some secret weapon? ‘Even superman had kryptonite,’ he had said. Will had pointed out that Avatars had been destroyed before and the book had been very hazy about how this had been done. Conlan had told them that he trusted Merl’s judgement; however, Freddie and Will’s concerns had not gone unheeded.

  As they got closer and closer to Katadep, Conlan’s smiles disappeared and he retreated into a dark mood which seemed to get worse with every step they took. Eleanor could feel his fear. Only Freddie seemed able to get more out of him than snapped monosyllabic remarks. By the time the huge stone battlements of Katadep’s outside wall were in sight, even Merl was silent and apprehensive. They entered the main gates of the city as they were closing for the night, the four Protectors on duty giving them a slow look up and down but waving them inside, the sun setting behind them cast long, eerie shadows. The further north they had travelled, the colder it became, as winter was still in its final throws through most of Mydren and Katadep was cold, wet and grey. Remnants of the snow that had fallen was still piled high in side streets and unused doorways, the once dazzling white reduced to grey, slippery sludge. Eleanor sighed, thinking of the beautiful mountains of home and the high lake covered with ice. A pang of homesickness, intensified by the fear that was steadily growing inside her, shook her body. Horse felt it and shuddered with her. The city was quiet, which was not surprising for a cold, dark wintery evening, but Eleanor did not like the silence. Their horses’ hooves echoed loudly down the near-empty streets. Everyone seemed tense and hyper-alert, jumping at every noise – a yelling voice in the distance, a dog barking from behind a wall, two cats fighting in an alley. The horses were so spooked by the nerves of their riders that Eleanor had to enter their minds in an attempt to calm them down, as she was scared one of them was going to bolt. The only exception to this rule was Meran, who held his head high and like Conlan searched the streets and alleyways they passed for threats; he had lost one master, and it was not going to happen again. They eventually found the inn Merl had recommended. They had definitely stayed in better. The lovely inn in Drent sprang to Eleanor’s mind, and by comparison this place was a dump; however, it was affordable and slightly warmer than sleeping on the streets. Merl obtained three rooms. Eleanor opened the door to the one she and Freddie would be sharing and sighed at the damp brown walls, peeling paint and the battered furniture; a musty, stale sweat smell hung heavy in the air.

  “Not up to your standards?” Merl asked with an amused smile, unlocking a door on the other side of the corridor.

  “I suspect my horse has stayed in better,” Eleanor replied. Merl’s laughter followed him into his room. The sound caused goosebumps to erupt all over her body, and for a moment she froze as nameless dread overtook her and she shook. Her paralysis was broken by the others coming down the corridor, carrying the bags they had taken from their horses. Eleanor walked into her room, still shaking slightly. She sat on the bed, which creaked ominously. Freddie came in, dumped their bags and closed the door. Looking round the room, disgust registered on his face.

  “It might be more comfortable sleeping in the stables,” he commented. When Eleanor did not answer, he looked at her. She was unable to hide her fear. He moved quickly, dropping onto the bed next to her. The frame groaned louder. Putting an arm around her, he pulled her close.

  “It’s nearly over, Eleanor. Merl and Conlan are going to send a message to Arran tomorrow morning, and then we find out where the meeting is going to take place.”

  Eleanor shuddered again, tears filling her eyes, her fear tearing round her insides like a hurricane.

  “But what happens then?” she whispered.

  Freddie shrugged. “We go to meet Arran. Either he gives us the crown or the Protectors spring their trap and we fight.”

  “This doesn’t feel right, any of it. Conlan should’ve listened to you.”

  Freddie gave her a small smile. “Conlan did listen. We’ve discussed it and we have some ideas for plans if it’s a trap.”

  “Why didn’t he discuss this with all of us?” Eleanor asked, irritated at not being included.

  “He wanted to think about it for a while – it’s why he’s been so quiet and moody recently. He’s been working out contingency plans. He’s going to discuss it with us all once he and Merl have sent the message to Arran.”

  “I can feel his fear, Freddie, what else have you been discussing?” Eleanor asked.

  Freddie sighed. “I think we’re far too confident in our abilities. The Lords have been in power a long time, so I’m sure they have a few secrets of their own. We’re assuming they know nothing about fighting Avatars; however, we have a book of instructions, so maybe they do, too. Conlan and I have been trying to think of ways they could kill us, so we can be better prepared if it is a trap.” Eleanor felt her fear surge through her again, her thoughts spinning.

  “Freddie, if this is a trap, would telling someone who can help us be a good contingency plan?”

  “Probably. Who did you have in mind?”

  There was a knock at the door as Eleanor finished explaining about Remic’s knife and the dwarves’ spies. Freddie got up to open it and let Will and Amelia into the room. They had brought food, as there was not enough money left for them to eat the inn’s questionable cuisine, but given the state of the bedroom, Eleanor was actually grateful for this small mercy. As they sat and ate the meagre provisions, Freddie repeated what he and Eleanor had been discussing, asking Will and Amelia for their input as they did their best to make plans, despite the large amounts of unknown factors.

  Eleanor lay in the darkness, Freddie’s arms wrapped tightly around her, and listened to the rats move through the walls and occasionally across the floor. Freddie could not sleep either, which was unusual for him. He did not want to talk but just lay still, holding Eleanor in a death-like grip, his breath flowing warm air across the back of her neck. Her mind endlessly analysed the information they had available to them and churned through plans and possibilities. Eleanor waited for morning.

  “Where do you think you are going?” Conlan snarled at her. He and Merl had found her and Freddie walking down the corridor, heading for the exit. He grabbed her arm and marched her back to their room, Freddie and Merl trailing behind.

  “We wanted to get a message to Remic, ask him to check that Gregor was OK and to make sure someone who could help us knew where we were,” Eleanor said, pulling her arm free and glaring at Conlan.

  “You should not be taking decisions like that without speaking to Conlan first,” Merl chastised.

  Eleanor flashed him an irritated glance. “If Conlan had been in his room, I would have asked. This is too important to wait.”

  “Remic is miles away, how is he going to check on Gregor?” Conlan asked softly, his anger gone and concern in his eyes as Eleanor returned her gaze to his.

  “The Dwarves have a spy network. I need to present the knife Remic gave me at the right shop and they will help us.”

  Conlan looked surprised. “I wondered why you were so attached to that knife…”

  “This is a Protector-run city, Conlan, it is not safe for her to go wandering around,” Merl said, frowning.

  “Give me the knife, tell me which shop and I will go,” Conlan said, holding out his hand.

  Eleanor shook her head. “No, I do not think you would be accepted, they would be expecting me.”

  “The knife, Eleanor,” Conlan ordered. His voice was quiet, but the irritation was clear. Eleanor stubbornly shook her head.

  “Eleanor, your master, your creator, has given you an order. Do you not understand that it must be obeyed?” Merl asked softly. My master? Eleanor looked at Conlan. His eyes held hers with one of his mystery looks, but he did not deny Merl’s assessment of the situation.

  Eleanor glared at Merl. “I am not some mindless slave he c
an order about! He is my friend, my love, my hope for the future, but he is not my master,” she spat, and turned abruptly from Merl’s open-mouthed shock and back to Conlan.

  “I need to be the one who hands over the knife,” she insisted. “I am trying to help, so stop barking orders at me and let me get on with it.”

  Conlan held her gaze in silence, body still, face expressionless while Eleanor counted time with her pounding heartbeats.

  “Conlan, you want to be king and you cannot control even her. Why are you bothering to argue the point? Just take it from her!” Merl huffed. “We are wasting time.”

  Conlan glanced at Merl and then back to Eleanor. She realised he was quite capable of taking Remic’s knife from her – time to remind them of the power she had at her disposal.

  “You wish to disarm me?” Eleanor asked in disgust. “And who is going to do that, Merl? You?” She pulled a tiny amount of energy from the earth, and with a splitting pop she exploded the chair Merl was leaning against, depositing the man in a graceless heap on the floor. Floundering amid the splinters of wood and stuffing, Merl huffed and cursed himself back to his feet. Conlan’s face was a mask of fury as he strode across the room, towering over her but very purposely keeping his clenched fists at his sides. Freddie took a step towards Conlan, while Merl put an arm across his chest and shook his head. Freddie glowered at him but stopped, his body stiff with the effort and indecision on his face as he tried to work out if he could take on both Conlan and Merl.

  “We are in the middle of Protector City and you are using magic?” Conlan snarled. “Apologise to Merl!”

  Dropping her gaze from his blazing green eyes, Eleanor nodded.

  “I am sorry, Merl.”

  Merl said nothing and Conlan was motionless. She raised her eyes. He was looking at her thoughtfully. Will and Amelia entered the room behind them.