The Ghost Of Eslenda (Book 1)

by Jim Greenfield

  "It will come to you in time, Father." James grinned and went up to the tower and presented Sena to his mother.

  "Any friend of my son's is welcome. Be at peace, for a little while, Sena."

  "Thank you, Queen Elizabeth. I am in your debt."

  "Nonsense. You are a free person and bound to none."

  Sena looked at James and back to Elizabeth. "I am not sure."

  "Father, the refugees from Riverdowns are numerous. Will they hamper our defense?"

  "I hope not, but I cannot turn them away. They are our people."

  "I agree, but they will tax our supplies. Will they fight? How will they fight?"

  "We are making weapons as fast as we can. Arrows, swords, pikes, knives; we will have them armed. I don't know how effective they will be."

  "The threat of numbers should help us. If we send out soldiers and the walls are still full of defenders it may give Cane pause. I will attack again after Lan Tagjet has arrived."

  "Go and find food for yourself. Rest a bit while you can.

  Horns sounded. The Nunari approached from the far side of the river. Lan Tagjet walked in front with Per Tagjet beside him. The nomads brought over fifty men and two Daerlan to join Hal. The people of Far Greening cheered.

  Hal welcomed Lan Tagjet and offered gifts and food. Lan Tagjet accepted them. Hal announced his guests to the people gathered and they set forth a thunderous cheer. Hal led his guests into the great hall of the castle where he sat on his chair and Lan Tagjet sat next to him.

  "Your welcome is most gracious but I am in an evil mood," said Lan Tagjet. "My youngest son was killed on his naming day, a day he would have become a man in our tribe. This has filled me with foreboding. How do I tell the difference between Eslendians? Who will offer me hospitality and who will offer a sword? The men who killed my son were hired by Cane. You might hire those same men some day or maybe they used to be your men. I cannot trust Eslendians but I can turn nowhere else.

  "The Daerlan have requested that I search for a weapon from ancient times. King Hal, I need your help, but I do not fully trust you. We cannot do this alone. My people must be moved to safer areas to protect them from Howard Cane. Your brother allows him all the freedom he needs to kill my people. This I cannot allow, yet I cannot be with them, I must find this legendary weapon. I cannot spare any of my Bearclaws; there are too few and are needed to protect my people. I ask you to send soldiers to aid me. Will you do this?"

  "Tell me more. Why is this weapon needed?"

  "The Daerlan claim that the Menaloch is real and drives the Turucks northward to destroy the Daerlan."

  "The Menaloch? This is not a fireside tale?"

  "No, it is real," said Elthar. "We fought the Menaloch in our old home, Arda. The last Daerlan King to wield the Kaliga was Navir. But there has been no trace of it since that ancient time."

  "The Kaliga spear is a weapon of magic used to kill creatures such as the Menaloch," said Lan Tagjet. "It was in the possession of my ancestors when it was lost. The Daerlan are insistent that we find it. They have sent Elthar and Gaerhan to aid us, but it is not enough. Will you help us?"

  "I will," said Hal. He looked at James. "In fact, I shall send James with you."

  James' head jerked around.

  "Father, am I not needed here?"

  "You are needed where I send you. Your men are trained well; they will continue to follow your commands while you are gone. I would go myself, but the throne is in question. Without my presence, Edward will solidify his position. I must stay and fight. But I will send my best soldier and captain with Lan Tagjet for the continued friendship of our peoples."

  "I am honored," said Lan Tagjet. "All have heard of your prowess, Prince James. I can leave forty men to assist you to replace those who accompany me. We are not fighters, but we will do what we can. I am sorry I cannot leave more."

  "It is more than enough," said Hal. "For I will only send James and Jed Turlane and their Blueswords. It is a small company of fifteen but they are fighters unlike any you would find elsewhere. Forty for fifteen may not seem equitable, but I assure you it is."

  "Then I shall take your word on it. I believe I will leave my best Bearclaw, Ank Rak, at Far Greening to help defend your home since you have offered such warriors to me."

  "Thank you, Lan Tagjet," said James. "If I may be bold, I have a friend who desires to dance the Nunari mourning dance for your son, Kal." Lan Tagjet's expression was unguarded for a moment and his pain flowed through his eyes.

  "You honor me," he said, his voice breaking.

  The voice started soft and low building up as the dancer moved into view. Lan Tagjet's intake of breath was audible. All could see the dancer's white hair with its red streak as she paced out the Nuneland Mourning Dance. James' watched Lan Tagjet's face as the paleness left and color flowed upward.

  "How is this possible?" he whispered. "She is dead ten years."

  "The tale does not reflect well on Eslenda," said James, softly. "You shall hear it in full later. But your daughter is returned to you, if you will have her. She offers only the mourning dance for her brother. She does not request your acceptance of the person she has become, but I do so on her behalf."

  Sena danced, slowly, each movement a measured emotion. Her voice soared from a soft whisper to a caress of pain as she danced Kal's life. Silence floated around her as the Eslendians offered their respect to the solemnity of the ceremony. Adult and child alike watched each movement, heard each sound and felt the comfort of the Nunari mourning dance. Most felt honored to be in attendance. Hal felt the impact of Kal's life and again wondered how he could lead his people without suffering each death with them during the coming battles.

  Lan Tagjet took a tentative step forward, and then stopped, unsure of what to do. Per Tagjet, however, felt no indecision. He boldly walked to his sister and joined her in the dance. They moved awkwardly together at first and then slowly the tension left them and graceful now was the dance. His voice joined hers and they sang and danced while Hal and his people watched in respectful silence.

  Finally, Lan Tagjet moved forward and joined his children in the Mourning Dance. The slow movements wove together the life of the Nunari and the song in their language tugged at the heart even without understanding the words. No one was unmoved. Elizabeth cried openly and Hal wiped his eyes.

  When it was done, the three dancers hugged amidst tears.

  Hal called a council meeting to discuss the details of the quest.

  "Lan Tagjet is leading a company to search for the Kaliga, a legendary weapon of the Daerlan. Those who accompany him are charged with the task of bringing the Kaliga back to strike at the Menaloch, a creature of evil controlling the Turucks. It may not be your task to strike at the Menaloch, but the Kaliga must be found and brought here even to the cost of your own lives.

  "It is my task to defend this castle against Howard Cane and the Turucks, if they get this far. No one knows how long the search may take. Do you have a general area to begin?"

  "Yes," said Onyax Lor. "The last stories of our people tell of it being near our northern coast. There used to be a trading settlement there and Navir spent some winters there."

  "Very well. If Far Greening has fallen when you return, follow your best judgment as to your next step. It would be difficult to reach Tag Makk without an army and impossible to reach the Menaloch. However, we must not lose hope. While one of us remains to defy the Menaloch, hope lives."

  Those around him nodded.

  "While you journey northward we will prepare to defend Far Greening and to meet Cane on the field. But we must keep in mind the threat of the Turucks moving north from Masina toward Riverdowns. If Edward stands with only Tucker and May at his side, he will certainly fail. Edward is a devilish fighter on his own but he is no war leader. He needs Cane at his side, yet Cane is a scant league from Far Greening in the midst of civil war. How then can Eslenda stand against its enemies? We need allies such as the Nunari. No man can stan
d solitary in this world. We are not immortal; there is no time for men to ponder the leaves and the waves on the shore. We must act, and act decisively while we still live.

  "Lan Tagjet, may you and I create a new relationship between Nuneland and Eslenda. Let us raise a cup to success and then bend our backs to the task."

  "Fairly spoken, King Hal," said Lan Tagjet. "I pledge that it will be so."

  They drank and clasped hands. Then Lan Tagjet and his company left to prepare for the quest. James saluted his father and hugged him. They parted without words for none were needed. Hal returned to the wall of the city where he stood the night watch, sleep eluding him.

  Chapter 17

  The quest was ready to begin. Hal saluted them at their dawn departure. His words were few and following he spoke to James in a whisper. Hal clasped hands with Lan Tagjet and wished them speed and luck. He watched them ferry across the river and disappear into the northern forest. The trees parted for them and swallowed them whole, even the sound of their passage. Hal stared for another precious moment, and then a messenger came to him from the field.

  Per Tagjet and the Daerlan led the party of thirty-five. Lan Tagjet spoke softly with his daughter, unburdening himself of his grief and apologizing for not finding her. Sena kissed his beard and asked him to speak no more of her missing years.

  "I am here now, Father. I do not want to be the creature I was. I am a Nunari and free."

  "You are my daughter. You are one of us again. We will not speak of darkness, only the light of your returning which has eased my grief at Kal's death. Bittersweet, but I embrace you once more, as I never expected in this lifetime. You will be welcome in my tent when we return to the tribe. We will hunt and feast in your honor."

  He kept looking at her in surprise as if he expected her image to vanish. He grinned and hummed to himself.

  Sena walked close to James who was accompanied by Jed Turlane, the Blueswords brought up the rear. Lan Tagjet looked at the tall warriors walking with them and nodded his head to his son Per.

  "They are mighty warriors. Akin to Ank Rak, I think."

  "You are correct, Father. The young prince is unbeatable in battle, so I heard."

  "And he seems to be a comfort for your sister."

  "It is good to see her again. I never expected it this side of the dream world. She has helped me ease Kal's passing and I can feel her sadness lifting already and not all of it is due to seeing us again."

  "No," Lan Tagjet chuckled.

  "But her attachment to Prince James troubles me."

  "Be patient. I understand your feelings. He helped her to freedom so it is natural she is drawn to him. In time, she will seek out a Nunari hunter. There is no place for her in Eslenda."

  "Good. I am glad for your words. I began to wonder if my resentment toward James was only my poor manners. I shall try to be patient and she will come to her senses. I am glad she is back with us."

  "But I am troubled by her experience. I believed King Henry to be my friend, yet my daughter was a known prisoner. Why would he not tell me - if only to ransom her?"

  "I cannot answer, Father. It is enough for me that it also troubles Hal and James. That they cannot reconcile the facts either eases my mind. They are our allies now. We can trust their word."

  "As much as I wish to agree with your reasoning, Per, I cannot forget that I trusted Henry also."

  "We shall keep our eyes unblinded by the whiteness of their smiles."

  "Ah, good saying, I like it. We should present it to the tribe as a word of wisdom."

  "What? Per is showing wisdom?" asked a voice.

  "It happens," said Per. "It is not exclusive to the wise, Onyax Lor. I will return to Elthar." He moved up to the head of the column.

  Onyax Lor joined his leader, walking strongly with his staff, belying his age. He walked in silence and Lan Tagjet knew that when the Wiseman was ready, he would speak his thoughts.

  Per Tagjet and the Daerlan conferred on their route, but the rest of the company traveled in silence. The forest quickly drew close muffling the sounds of their passing. They headed north through Nuneland to the northern seacoast. The land rose and the temperature began to drop. The overcast skies threatened moisture but held back for the moment.

  "I have thought much on this Kaliga, the spear of the Daerlan," said Onyax Lor. "It bothers me that Navir was the last Daerlan to wield it and that it passed to our forefathers afterward. Navir was the greatest of the Daerlan and the stories say that he cast the Kaliga aside and forbade any Daerlan to touch it. I do not know if our companions can add to this even if they were inclined. Much of the Daerlan past is unknown even to them."

  "Do you believe handling it is dangerous?"

  "That is what I think," said Onyax Lor. "Remember Faelir's message? We must find the spear and destroy the Menaloch with it. He did not ask us to find the spear and give it to the Daerlan so they can destroy the Menaloch. There is much more here that we do not know. I wish I knew how to contact Navir."

  "Navir? Isn't he dead by now?"

  "I have not heard the tale if he is. He left his people centuries ago to wander the earth. He had experienced too much war and grief according to the tale. Navir is now akin to a holy man living in solitude. He seldom has contact with any beings although the stories say that in his youth he did aid humans in their struggles. Perhaps that Navir no longer exists. I cannot say."

  "But if he does still live, why didn't the Daerlan ask him about it?" asked Lan Tagjet.

  Gaerhan approached Onyax Lor and Lan Tagjet.

  "If I may be bold, I heard the name of Navir. I would be of service if I may."

  "Thank you, Gaerhan," said Onyax Lor. "We were wondering whether he still lives."

  "He does."

  "I will be plain," said Lan Tagjet. "Why didn't your king contact Navir?"

  "They are estranged. Navir is King Faelir's grandfather. Elthar told me Navir would not speak to any of Faelir's overtures."

  "Not very helpful. I would like to learn more about the Kaliga and Navir once wielded it. Can Navir be found?"

  "No. If he wants to find you, he will. Otherwise, he is elusive as dreams. He does not dwell in Liannest with the rest of the Daerlan. He wanders Landermass and no one knows where he may be. There are ways to send messages to him, but very few know how. Elthar is one who knows but he will need to be convinced of the need. The summoners are very protective of their privilege."

  "Would you ask him to speak with me?" said Lan Tagjet. "When we stop for the night I wish to speak to him of our reasons."

  "I will," said Gaerhan. "But remember, if Elthar decides to try and does succeed in contacting him, Navir may be on the other side of the world. It may be a false hope." He bowed and moved off to speak with his comrade.

  The miles grew long as the land became wilder. The rolling hills were giving way to rocky barren land broken and twisted. The Nunari rarely walked this part of their land, preferring to remain closer to the herds. James soaked in the sights of the wilderness that few people had ever seen. The wind blew harsh in this land and the trees and bushes were small and bent. The dry grasses did not grow tall and the silence of the land gathered James' attention. Sena walked close to him, not always with him, but close enough for her comfort. Per turned back and saw her in James' shadow and he frowned.

  No one spoke for a long period as they passed across the countryside. A silent column walked steadily among the rocky ground, troubling few of the creatures that lived there. They stopped for food once, then continued without a word, each one's thoughts occupied with the enormity of their challenge.

  The company stretched in single file down a switchback to a riverbed. Prince James brought up the rear with Jed Turlane. Per Tagjet led the company and now all walked in silence. A wood rose up ahead of them. Short gnarled trees shrouded by mists. The birds were silent. Sound seemed to be swallowed by the wood. James looked to Lan Tagjet.

  "We seldom walk this wood," Lan Tagjet whispered. "There
is a fell creature here and we must move swift and silent. Keep your sword ready."

  The hollow they entered was rimmed with mist and James' breath rose before him. The mist dampened sound and their own breathing was all they heard. Shadows seemed to dance around them in the swirling mist. It was as if they left the world they knew and entered a far older realm.

  "The air is cold here, colder than it should be," James whispered.

  "She is watching," said Onyax Lor. "Be ready."

  "Who is watching?" asked James.

  The mist thickened around them but where they stood was clear. The ring of mist was impenetrable.

  "Don't enter the mist," said Onyax Lor. "You will not return."

  "What can we do?" asked James.

  "We wait," said Lan Tagjet.

  "I do not fear her," said Elthar. "Let me speak to her."

  "I am not here to speak with Daerlan," said a voice in the mist. It was difficult to guess its origin or if the speaker was male or female. A round dark shape floated across the underbrush into the hollow. An old woman, gnarled and grey grinned at them.

  "Onyax Lor! You still live! I am impressed, yet disappointed you have not visited me in ages."

  "One gets wrapped up in one's work, Gerta Fine."

  "Clever speech for an old man. Lan Tagjet, tell your men to relax. I shall not harm anyone this time, and when I have said my piece you may go." She looked around at the faces and cried out.

  "I knew it!" She hobbled to Sena. Her good eye glinted a pale blue her other eye an opaque white. She peered closely at Sena. "I knew you weren't dead. The mists told me the seer would return. Are you well?" She stroked Sena's white hair.

  "I am improving."

  "Ah, I see. Good, good." She smiled a toothless smile at James. "You are no Nunari. Eslenda?"

  "I am James."

  "Ah, I know who you are, my Prince," said Gerta Fine. "You are everywhere in the mists. I know a lot about you. I know you can protect Sena. She is very important."

  "Yes, she is," said James. Sena blushed.

  "I can protect Sena," said Per Tagjet. "She does not need help from an Eslendian."