Knights: Defenders of Ollanhar (Ollanhar Series Book 1)

by Keller, Robert E.

  Aldreya seized his head, and Taith seemed paralyzed. She focused for a moment, her eyes closed. Then she removed her hand.

  “He can go with you, right?” Blix pleaded.

  “No,” said Aldreya. “I sense a very weak Knightly essence within him, and his character is lacking. He is not worthy of being a Squire.”

  “Snobby Birlote!” Taith hissed at her.

  Blix clutched his head in horror. “But you have to take him! I can’t stand being around him anymore. He is destroying my life. He won’t listen to me. He is horribly lazy, disrespectful, breaks things, makes threats, tries to harm animals, and steals anything that isn’t nailed down.”

  Aldreya shrugged. “Perhaps you need to increase your discipline. It’s your duty as a parent to find ways to punish him for such behavior and not the job of Divine Knights. I have no urge to look after a spoiled, arrogant child. My duties demand my full attention.”

  Lannon felt sorry for Blix, but he too had no urge to look after Taith. “If he had Knightly essence, he could possibly be made a Squire. But lacking that, there is no way Dremlock will take him.”

  “Ollanhar will not accept him either,” said Aldreya. “Agreed, Lannon?”

  He nodded. “We cannot accept him. Sorry.”

  Blix hung his head. “Then I will never have peace. I thought the Divine Knights would help me. Seems I was terribly mistaken.”

  “This is not our fault,” said Aldreya. “It is yours. You were the one who raised this child, and you seem to have failed in asserting control.”

  “I drank too much,” Blix admitted. “After my wife left me for another man, I…I let things go even more. It has turned my son into a monster.”

  “We must move on now,” said Aldreya. “Farewell.”

  “Actually,” said Lannon, “I’m hungry, and this is a good place to camp. Why don’t we stop for lunch?”

  And so they did—but the farmer and his boy rode off swiftly in the direction the Knights were traveling without looking back.

  The Knights hoped that was the last they would see of them.

  ***

  After lunch, however, the Knights rode on for a few hours and then encountered the boy again. He was muddy and standing alone in the foggy road. Taith still had the defiant look on his face, though there was a shadow of pain and fear as well. There was no sign of his father.

  “Leave me alone!” the boy snarled at them.

  Aldreya sighed. “Where is your father, Taith?”

  Taith shrugged. “Don’t know and don’t care. He abandoned me and rode on. Shoved me right off his horse, and I hurt my arm.” He rubbed his forearm. “I think that’s the last I’ll ever see of him. He told me he didn’t want to raise me anymore, that I was worthless. He’s right—I am worthless.” His hands knotted into fists. “I don’t care, though. I don’t need him or anyone else.”

  “You’ll need food and shelter,” said Lannon. “We will look after you until we find your father. I’m sure he couldn’t have gotten far.”

  “You won’t find him,” said Taith, “and even if you do, he won’t allow me to stay with him. He’s done with me forever. I don’t have a father anymore.” For an instant, he looked like he might cry. Then he shrugged it off and glared.

  Aldreya nodded. “Regardless, you will be cared for. If we can’t return you to your father, we will find you a suitable home. If nothing else, you can serve as an Orange Squire at Ollanhar Tower.”

  “I won’t serve anyone,” Taith snarled, “and I don’t want any stupid family. If you take me with you, you’ll regret it soon enough.”

  “We won’t regret it,” said Lannon. “And neither will you.”

  “Climb on my horse,” said Aldreya. “You can ride with me.”

  “Better do as they suggest, lad,” said Jace, leaning toward him. Taith shrank back from the sight of the huge, cloaked sorcerer. “I’ve seen this sort of thing before. A boy like you could starve to death out here or be eaten by Goblins.”

  “I’m not afraid,” Taith insisted.

  Aldreya motioned to him. “Come and join us, Taith.”

  He didn’t move. He simply gazed at the muddy road with a sullen expression. Some of the Knights began to grow impatient.

  “How are you going to eat?” Lothrin asked him. “Can you hunt for food? Where will you sleep? I know all about wilderness survival, my young friend. I am a Ranger. I can tell you that if you don’t ride with us, you do indeed stand a good chance of dying out here.”

  “My cousin speaks true,” said Prince Vannas. “Heed his wisdom.”

  “I’ll make do alone,” Taith said, but his eyes showed uncertainty.

  “Very well,” said Jace. “Stay if you must, alone and unarmed, and we will ride on. I wish you luck—for when the darkness comes, as it surely will, you will need all the luck you can get. Sometimes the darkness is hungry in these lands. It creeps up on those who walk alone. You should know the truth of this.”

  Taith gazed at Jace and shuddered. Then he hurried over to Lannon. “I’ll ride with you. Not her.”

  Lannon nodded, then lifted him onto the horse.

  Jace winked at Lannon, and they set off.

  ***

  Lannon found the boy to be miserable company. Taith complained about everything and constantly shifted about in the saddle. He kept poking Lannon in the ribs to get his attention and then had fits of anger when Lannon’s response was not adequate—at one point punching Lannon in the spine hard enough to cause a flash of pain. Lannon tried to be kind and patient, bearing in mind that Taith had just been ruthlessly abandoned by his father, but it was difficult. Taith seemed to find ways to deliberately irritate Lannon.

  “Can I hold that sword?” Taith asked, reaching for it. Lannon pushed his hand away. “Is it made of bones? Are those human bones?”

  “Dragon bones,” Lannon mumbled, then instantly regretted it.

  “From a real Dragon?” Taith sounded skeptical. “I thought Divine Knights weren’t liars, so why are you a liar?”

  “I’m not a liar,” Lannon replied. “They are Dragon bones.”

  “Sure,” said Taith. “Probably the bones of someone you killed.”

  “Human bones wouldn’t make a strong sword,” said Lannon, though he knew it was pointless to argue.

  “They would if cursed with evil,” said Taith.

  “Divine Knights aren’t evil,” said Lannon.

  Taith again punched Lannon in the spine—hard enough to make Lannon wince. Lannon’s face grew hot with anger. “Enough of that nonsense,” he said, turning. “If you do that again, you won’t be riding with me.”

  Taith balled up his fist, but Lannon froze him with Eye. When Lannon released him, Taith looked horrified. “What…what did you do to me?”

  “Sorcery,” said Lannon. “And I have more of it, so beware.”

  “I knew you were evil,” Taith muttered.

  “I’m not evil,” said Lannon. “Just angry right now.”

  “Well stop being angry,” said Taith. “I thought you were a wise Knight, not someone who gets angry at children.” He shoved at Lannon’s back. “You must be a sorry sort of Knight.”

  Lannon clenched his teeth and didn’t respond.

  “Taith, that’s enough,” said Aldreya, in a harsh tone. “If you continue to misbehave, you will eat only vegetables for dinner.”

  “Good,” said Taith. “I hate meat anyways.”

  “Then you will only eat meat,” said Aldreya.

  “Good,” said Taith. “I hate vegetables.”

  Aldreya’s lips tightened. “You will learn to listen.”

  Taith made a rude gesture at her.

  “Do that again,” said Aldreya, “and you will eat nothing this evening. You will go to bed without supper. Is that understood?”

  “Hey, I thought you were supposed to be nice,” said Taith. “Why are you being mean to me when my father just abandoned me? Do you want to starve me? Lannon wouldn’t starve me—right, Lannon?�
�

  Lannon nodded. “But you will receive proper discipline.”

  Taith shoved Lannon again.

  “I’m not being mean,” said Aldreya. “I’m teaching you proper behavior. If you misbehave, there are consequences.”

  “Like beatings?” said Taith. “That’s what my father used to do, with a plank of wood. But later I learned to pay him back for it—so he quit doing it. I told him I would cut his throat in his sleep.”

  “You won’t receive any beatings,” said Aldreya. “Not when you ride with us. But you will learn manners and respect. Trust me on that. I’m sorry about the things that have happened to you, but they are beyond my control and yours. We must focus on the here and now.”

  “Focus all you want,” said Taith. “I could care less. Focus is a stupid waste of time. Right, Lannon?” He took to drumming his fingers on Lannon’s back and humming loudly. “No focus! No Focus!”

  Lannon suspected that getting Taith to behave was going to be a long and difficult process for whoever ultimately undertook the task. Lannon had no intention of being the one to do it and he pitied whoever opted to fill the role. In fact, the idea of facing Tenneth Bard again in a duel to the death seemed preferable to dealing with this young man. Lannon couldn’t wait to get back to worrying about the dangers of strange lands and war with Bellis.

  ***

  When they stopped for dinner near a Knightly Shrine, Taith wandered freely about the camp, irritating people. Finally, when everyone sat down to eat, they realized he was missing—along with several items.

  “He must have fled,” said Lannon. “I’ll go find him.”

  “I’ll go as well,” said Aldreya, her face showing frustration.

  They hurried off into the dense fog, following Taith’s trail. Lannon was easily able to track him down. They caught him standing near a little stream, the bag of stolen items slung over one shoulder.

  Aldreya snatched the goods from Taith’s hands. “That is theft, Taith. And being a thief is offensive to the Divine Essence. It is also clearly immoral. I am very disappointed in you.”

  “I don’t care!” Taith shouted at her. “You should have let me leave with those goods. I could have sold them and bought food. You’ve ruined everything. If you force me to come back to camp, I’ll do something to your horse when you’re sleeping.” An evil glint shone in his gaze.

  Aldreya’s eyes widened. “You certainly will not!”

  “Never make such a threat again,” said Lannon, feeling disgust. “The Greywinds are noble and innocent. Why would you ever harm one?”

  “I will do it,” Taith insisted, his voice cold.

  “For one thing,” said Aldreya, “it wouldn’t be wise. These are war horses, Taith. They’re fully trained to defend themselves. They can kill quite easily. I would hate to see something bad happen to you.”

  Lannon had had enough. He seized Taith’s shoulder. “Come with me to the Knightly Shrine. I want to show you what Dremlock is all about.” When Taith didn’t respond, Lannon raised his voice. “Do as I command, Taith.”

  “Fine,” Taith muttered. “I don’t want you using that weird and horrible sorcery on me again.” With that, he followed Lannon through the fog. At one point Taith stopped, and Lannon turned to gaze at him.

  “Keep following, Taith,” Lannon ordered. He raised his hand. “I can make you follow against your will. You know I can.”

  Taith shuddered. “No need for that.”

  Soon the Knightly Shrine stood before them—an ancient stone dome with two statues of Dwarven Dark Knights on either side of the door. It was a beautiful little shrine, the white stone blocks overgrown with vines and a fountain ringed with fairy statues standing next to the path. Lannon paused at the fountain drink the cold, delicious water. Then they proceeded on.

  A notice was inscribed on the stone door:

  ONLY THE PURE OF HEART SHALL ENTER HERE:

  THOSE WHO TREAT OTHERS KINDLY

  THOSE WHO HONOR THE DIVINE ESSENCE

  AND THE CHILDREN OF OUR LAND

  “What does it say?” asked Taith, looking fearful.

  “Can’t you read?” Lannon asked.

  “Not very well,” said Taith. “Just some of the smaller words.”

  Lannon winked at Taith. “It says you can enter.”

  Taith looked skeptical. “Why? I’m not a Knight, and I don’t care about your stupid Divine Essence. If I enter, I might get struck down.”

  “You won’t get struck down,” said Lannon, pulling the stone door open. “Follow along now, Taith.” With that, he entered the shrine.

  They stood in a circular chamber that contained stone benches, a rectangular altar, and statues of famous Knights, including, of course, Kuran Darkender—the original and greatest Lord Knight of Dremlock. The most powerful and noble warrior who had ever lived, incorruptible to Tharnin, towered over the other statues, yet at his feet lay a serpent-like figure with evil eyes—a warning that some unknown servant of the Deep Shadow below Dremlock had slain this seemingly invincible Knight. It was a chilling image that sent shivers down Lannon’s spine.

  The shrine was clean and smelled of recently burned incense. Lannon lit some incense that was in a brass holder and some candles, and the two of them sat down on a bench facing the altar. Lannon sat in silence for a time, letting the soothing atmosphere settle over them—hoping that young Taith would be enlightened. The presence of the Divine Essence was strong here—perhaps strong enough to seep into Taith’s soul and bring about some changes.

  But Taith was not so easily swayed.

  “Are we going to sit here all day?” Taith groaned. “This stupid shrine is boring, and the statues are ugly. At least take me back to camp.”

  “It’s peaceful,” said Lannon. “Don’t you think? Look at the statues of those great Knights, who once brought peace and justice to Silverland.”

  “Who cares?” said Taith. “Some old dead Knights who fought wars. And it stinks in here. That incense smells like dung.”

  “It smells of fine spices,” Lannon argued.

  “Dung,” Taith insisted. “I hate it in here.”

  For an instant, Lannon’s will faltered. Taith seemed to have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. He could sit in this wondrous shrine and feel nothing but boredom and contempt, while he plotted to steal, irritate others endlessly, and perhaps even attempt to torture the horses (that last one really made Lannon’s blood boil). Lannon suddenly felt he was wasting his time.

  Yet Lannon shored up his patience and tried again. “Look there, Taith,” he said, pointing at a stone plaque that listed The Six Gluttonous Demons that Divine Knights—and all people in general—were supposed to be wary of. These demons were, supposedly, the greatest threat to humanity:

  The Six Gluttonous Demons

  Lust of the Eye

  The eye seeks pleasure but is never satisfied, as the body and world decays. And so we learn the fate of many kings who waste away on silk and furs. Let the dancers dance, but let the eye look upon many great accomplishments. The enemy of this demon is Hard Work.

  Wine and Related Concoctions

  The mind is dulled with pleasure, while the body and world decays. The common enemy of this demon is Strict Moderation, though to truly be safe from this sly foe one should practice Utter Avoidance.

  Love of Coin and Gem

  The purse is full, but the soul is empty and so the purse seems empty. This is the fate of those who hoard treasure uselessly in dark places and live in fear that it will be discovered by thieves. The enemy of this demon is Appreciation of Wealth.

  Lust of the Mind

  Cast your gaze from the beautiful maiden, oh Knight of the Divine Order, lest your feet take command and carry you to ruin. The enemy of this demon is Purity of Thought, to prevent it from entering.

  Justification of Anger

  Anger will grow to consume everything under the illusion of being justified. The enemy of this demon is Patience, for the more patience grows, the m
ore anger shrinks.

  Smoldering Hatred

  The heart is driven by pain to hate, but the hate in turn keeps the heart in an injured state. The enemy of this demon is Forgiveness, which is not to be confused with exempting a lawbreaker from being held accountable for evil actions.

  Lannon read them aloud, pride in his voice. When he was finished, he said, “So those are some demons to be wary of that could cause you grief, Taith. They have led many great Knights to ruin throughout the ages.”

  Taith yawned. “I think what you read is actually quite stupid. How can a purse be full but empty at the same time? If it’s full, it’s not empty. And how is wine a demon? It’s a drink you pour down your throat. Do you drink a demon? I could write better stuff than that and it would make more sense.”

  “It was originally written in a different language,” said Lannon, “called Birlote Secondary or Birlote Divine. It might not be a perfect translation, but these are warnings from the Divine Essence itself.”

  Taith shrugged. “They don’t make sense.”

  “I could try to explain it,” said Lannon, “but I’m not going to. I guess it doesn’t matter. You’re not going to be a Divine Knight anyway, so you won’t have to worry about all of our silly rules. Actually, I’m not sure why I even brought you here.” Lannon’s mood was sinking by the moment, and he felt weary. Taith seemed to mock everything Lannon cared about, and even though Taith was only a lad, it bothered Lannon. He knew some of what the Divine Knights believed seemed laughable to those outside the kingdom, but Lannon had always embraced the teachings wholeheartedly. It was a way of life for him and he had wanted Taith to share a bit in the joy of it. Instead, the lad was bored out of his mind.

  “Can we go yet?” asked Taith.

  Lannon rose. “Yes, we can leave.” He glanced at the altar, where words were written in the Sacred Text that only a Dark Watchman could read. To everyone else, the runes would simply appear as meaningless mystical symbols.

  The inscription read:

  IF YOU CAN READ THIS,

  YOU ARE A DARK WATCHMAN

  Lannon smiled. The Divine Essence had a sense of humor that, although displayed only rarely, was legendary at Dremlock. This was one of the best examples of it Lannon had ever witnessed. Their god was a strange creature, demanding that no one worship it but allowing for prayer. It believed itself merely to be a servant of a more powerful god that existed above a mountain. Yet it was thought of, and treated like, the lone god of Dremlock Kingdom. It was the earthy link to the Great Light—something that had a physical presence in the world and made decisions that directly affected the land.