by Tonke Dragt
I need to keep going, he thought. But where to? he wondered. To King Dagonaut. But where was King Dagonaut? Where was he himself? In the Wild Wood, to the north of Stoneford.
“That place is so haunted…” Who had said that again? Piak sank back down and curled into a ball. He imagined someone or something walking past his hollow. Any moment now, others would come, stand around him, surround him…
With a jolt, he sat up again. Was he still in the wood? Wasn’t he in some far more terrible place, locked away somewhere as dark as night? He reached his hands into the leaves – yes, they really were leaves, some of them dry and crisp, others moist with earth. He touched something else – his sword, the sword King Unauwen had given him. Tiuri had once told him that you could hold your sword like a cross. Tiuri… That was it, he had to help Tiuri. But how? He couldn’t see anything, and his thoughts were confused. He grasped his sword just beneath the hilt and tried to murmur a prayer. But before he’d finished, he fell back to sleep. He dreamt of the Great Mountains in the west, where the air was fresh and you could see for miles around.
When Piak woke again, the birds were already starting to chirp. He picked up his sword and his bag and scrambled out of the hollow. He still felt stiff and sore. He would soon be on his way, but first he had to know where he was going. “I need to make a plan,” he said to himself, “and to keep to it precisely.” He couldn’t go back to Stoneford. But where would he end up if he kept on going? I should eat something first, he thought. Food always helps. But he could only get down a little of the remaining bread. He realized he was more thirsty than hungry.
To the north of the Black River was the Green River, which was where the Royal Forest began. “That’s where you need to go, Piak,” he whispered to himself. “You have no other choice… to the north, no matter how far it is.” He struggled to his feet. “Then you have to try to find that path back. As far as I remember, it went in the right direction.”
It was possible that they would come after him, now that it was light. During the daytime, ghosts and curses were not as frightening. Even though his pursuers might follow him, he was glad it was daytime. He looked for the path and soon found it. As he walked onwards, he did as he had done the day before: simply one foot in front of the other, one, two… After a while, the stiffness started to go away. He managed to walk at a brisk pace and without stopping for a moment.
Far in the distance, he heard a dog barking. As he thought of Sir Fitil and his men, he tried to walk even faster. Then the path narrowed and he had to take care not to trip over roots and stumps.
The dog in the distance barked again. Piak looked around. Nothing to see. But still he started to run. He raced along until he got a stitch in his side and was forced to rest.
Then he realized he’d be better off leaving the path for a while, so that anyone who was pursuing him would be unable to find his trail. He covered a long distance, crawling, falling and standing back up again, more than actually walking. When he reached a stream, he sat down to drink. Then he waded through the water for some way. “They won’t find my scent now,” he said to himself with satisfaction.
He felt that he could venture back out onto the path; he would make better progress there, with less chance of getting lost. But no matter how hard he searched, he couldn’t find the path again.
As he looked around at a wood that appeared to be getting wilder and more hostile, he tried not to give in to his panic. It seemed more and more like a place where people did not belong. He climbed up into a tree and sat on a high branch, trying to find his bearings. But when he set off again, he wasn’t at all certain that he was heading in the right direction. Maybe he was just going around in circles; maybe he’d be trapped in this wood forever.
But that meant Tiuri and the Fool would have to stay there forever, too.
He had no idea exactly how long he’d been wandering around in the wood.
The bread was finished on the first day and after that he chewed on the occasional piece of bark. Later, the feeling of hunger went away and he had only one wish: to lie down and sleep. But the thought that he had to go on kept him on his feet. I have to get to the Green River, to civilization… to the king… tell him about Tiuri… the tree, and Sir Ristridin…
Sometimes he thought he could hear people chasing him, but it could have been his imagination. He saw wild animals, which ran away from him, but he thought he saw other things, too. Creatures that looked like living tree trunks beckoned to him with claw-like hands, and strange little grey monsters seemed to flee as he passed. The whole wood started to dance before his eyes, and he stumbled and had to grit his teeth and struggle to his feet. But he got back up, over and over again. It didn’t occur to him that he might be ill. Stubbornly he ploughed on, shivering with cold, and then burning with heat.
Evening fell, but the nightmares in his sleep mirrored what he saw during the day.
Then morning came – and he found himself on a path.
A path! But which one? He was vaguely aware that he had to go to the north. Rays of sunshine fell through the trees. If that was the east, the path would probably lead him to the Green River. Fine. Onwards, then.
When it was evening again, and he lay down to rest, his head felt a little clearer. If I don’t reach the Green River soon, he thought, I’ll never get there. But it could be nearby, perhaps just a few steps away.
It wasn’t completely dark; the moon was shining through the branches. He could easily walk for a little longer. Before long he was following the path again, slowly feeling his way. Ahead of him, he could see that it was becoming lighter. And the trees were such a strange shape… No, they weren’t trees…
He went closer – and found himself standing before a gate.
Piak wasn’t even surprised. He walked on, through the gate, and stopped again.
In front of him was a clearing in the forest, with lots of buildings in it. It was an entire city: houses, walls, towers, stairs – all illuminated by moonlight. The city was white and black, eerily white, with black shadows between. It was a dead city, dilapidated and abandoned, the houses in ruins – and yet still mighty and beautiful.
Piak stood for a while, just staring. He felt that he should know what this city was, but he could not remember anything. He had found something he hadn’t been looking for, but right at that moment he could no longer remember what exactly it was that he had been looking for.
A dead city, a forgotten city…
Then one of the shadows broke away from the others, a shade that moved and came towards him.
Piak was seized by fear. He turned and fled back through the gate and into the forest. As his foot caught on something, he fell. And everything went black.
3 THE GUARDIAN OF THE FORGOTTEN CITY
Someone was singing in a low, rough voice:
I heard tell of a city of stone,
that stood by rivers wide…
Who’s that singing? thought Piak.
The voice continued:
That once was so, but is no more,
for there, by riverside,
there now stand only trees.
Dreams, schemes…
“Calm, calm,” said a soothing voice above the song, a different voice. “Hush now, go to sleep.”
Who… thought Piak and then he realized he had been singing himself. He opened his eyes and looked up into a face he didn’t know. As he tried to focus, the face blurred, but he didn’t have the strength to be afraid.
“Come, just sleep,” said the voice again. A cool hand touched his forehead.
But it was a human voice… thought Piak. Now he could see the face clearly again – a long face, with a thin beard that made it seem even longer, and dark-rimmed eyes that looked at him with concern. Beside the face was a flickering light.
“Who…?” began Piak.
“Sssh! You have nothing to fear,” said the face. “You are tired, you have a fever, and you need to sleep. Sleep! Soon you will wake up well.”
Piak closed his eyes. He could still hear the voice speaking. “I am the Guardian of the Forgotten City and I will remain by your side. Sleep!”
When Piak looked up again, he saw a flock of birds against a mottled white and grey sky. He looked at them in astonishment. No, they weren’t flying – they were painted on a vaulted ceiling. He noticed then that he was lying on a bed or couch, and covered with furs. He was in a small, round chamber, with an open door. A ray of sunlight fell into the room, so it must be daytime. Piak felt too drowsy to wonder where he was and how he’d got there. He felt so comfortable, so peaceful and safe.
A tall, thin man came into the room and said cheerfully, “Aha, so he’s awake. How do you feel?”
Piak recognized him. “The Guardian of the Forgotten City,” he said.
“Ah, so you can remember that much,” said the man, sitting down on the bed beside him. “Or you can call me Adelbart. But I understand that the Forgotten City was not unknown to you, the city of stone that stood by rivers wide. Well, actually, the rivers are poetic licence. They’re not really that close.”
“Which rivers?” asked Piak. “Where am I?”
“This city lies between two rivers: the Black River to the south, and the Green River to the north.”
The Green River! That was where Piak had to go! He sat up really quickly, but then noticed, firstly, that he was dizzy and, secondly, that he had no clothes on.
“Lie down!” said the man who was called Adelbart. He gently pushed Piak back down and covered him up. “Your clothes are outside in the sun. They were a bit of a mess. And as far as you’re concerned, when I found you, you were in a pitiful state, so there’s no way you can go running off yet.”
“Yes, but… I have to keep going, to the Green River,” Piak weakly protested. “I… I have no time to lose.”
“Time is not yours to lose,” said Adelbart. “And if you lose your life, then you will have no time at all. Please, be calm. Soon, if heaven is willing, you will be able to get up and go wherever you want. I’ll even help you if needed. Wait there.”
He stood up and left the room. A moment later, he returned with a bowl and a spoon. “Could you eat something?” he asked, sitting down on the bed again. “This is soup, nourishing, good soup, even if I did cook it myself.”
It smelt delicious, and Piak realized that he could indeed eat something.
“I’ll feed you,” said Adelbart, holding out the spoon.
Piak felt himself becoming stronger with every mouthful, and when the bowl was empty, he said, “Now I really could…”
“No,” said Adelbart, kindly but firmly. “You were singing and talking all night. First you need to sleep and then we’ll talk some more.”
“How did I get here?” asked Piak. “Am I in the… the Forgotten City? Who are you? What day is it, and what’s the time? And the Green River, how far is it from here?”
“That’s an awful lot of questions all at once,” said Adelbart. “But fine, I shall answer them, or you might not be able to sleep. You are in the Forgotten City – Terraverdis is its old name – and no one lives here, except for me. I saw you coming last night, but when I approached you, you fled as if the devil were after you. A little later, I found you by the gate, in a dead faint. It’s about ten o’clock in the morning now and the Green River is nearby. There are your answers. Now sleep tight.”
Piak wanted to reply, but he fell asleep before he could figure out what he wanted to say.
When Piak woke again, he didn’t know how long he had been sleeping. It was still light and Adelbart was sitting on a bench near the door, looking at a sword. Piak watched him and wondered what kind of man he was. He looked a little strange, with his long, sallow face and his sunken eyes. His clothes were colourful but ragged, and he had various weapons hanging from his belt. The Guardian of the Forgotten City looked up and nodded at Piak.
“Well?” he asked.
Piak stretched and gave a deep sigh. “I feel fine,” he said and he sat up, this time without any difficulty.
“Then we can talk,” said Adelbart, getting to his feet. “Your clothes are at the foot of your bed, but you should stay lying down until I’ve brought you some food. Here’s your sword – a magnificent weapon! How did you come by it?”
“It was given to me,” replied Piak. “By King Unauwen.”
“By King… Unauwen?” Adelbart repeated in amazement. “Who are you?”
“My name is Piak. I am the squire of Sir Tiuri with the White Shield.”
“Most impressive!” said Adelbart. “But come, I’ll prepare some food for us. I’m feeling rather hungry myself.” He left the room.
Piak stood up and started to get dressed. He was still a little shaky, but the thought of his friends was now tugging at him. He had already lost so much time! I don’t understand how I came to collapse, he thought with annoyance. I never get sick. Maybe it was because of the Dead Stone. Or could the water of the Black River be to blame?
Buckling on his sword, he walked to the door and looked outside. He saw a courtyard, surrounded by walls that were almost entirely hidden by wild creepers. A few scrawny chickens were scratching about, and Adelbart was bent over a log fire in one corner. It all looked very different from the city he had seen last night. Last night… Or was it longer ago? He had to move on as soon as possible!
Adelbart looked up and called, “The food’s ready!”
A few minutes later, they were sitting together in the round chamber and tucking into soup and a chicken leg. Piak proved to have a huge appetite. “That’s a good sign,” said Adelbart with satisfaction.
Then he wanted to find out how Piak came to be in the wood. “No one’s been here for months,” he said. “I know you want to go to the Green River – but why? What exactly are you seeking?”
Piak hesitated for a moment before answering. After all, no matter how friendly Adelbart might seem, he knew nothing about him, this Guardian of the Forgotten City in the Wild Wood. “I have to go to the City of Dagonaut,” he said finally. “Is that far from here?”
“Well, yes, it’s quite a way,” replied Adelbart. “About a week from the Green River – that’s if you’re a fast walker.”
“That far?” said Piak. “Isn’t there somewhere nearby where I could get a horse, or a castle with a knight who can be trusted?”
“A knight who can be trusted?” repeated Adelbart. “To be honest, I’ve never really trusted knights that much. I’m not on such good terms with those fine gentlemen, you understand. I prefer to hide away in my city, ever since Sir Ristridin and his friends did their damage here.”
Piak almost dropped his soup bowl. “Sir Ristridin?!” he exclaimed.
Adelbart froze. “Do you know him?” he asked.
“Yes… no… I’ve never met him,” replied Piak. “But I’ve heard a lot about him.” He took a good look at Adelbart and asked a little uneasily, “But you know him, don’t you? How? He… He’s not an enemy of yours, is he?”
“In a sense, yes, he is,” said Adelbart slowly. “But don’t be concerned,” he added. “Just enjoy your soup. I’m not going to hurt you, not after I’ve nursed you all night.” He looked pensively at the chicken leg in his hand before continuing, “Last year I was living here with a band of friends… Until Sir Ristridin and his men came along and drove us out. Nearly all my friends were captured and, as far as I know, sent to the capital. I had a lucky escape because I happened to be out hunting some distance away. I hid in the forest and didn’t return here for a while.”
“But… but what had your friends done?” asked Piak, although he thought he already knew the answer to that question.
“Eat up your soup! We were robbers, and this was our base. A fine place… no one ever dared to follow us here… until Sir Ristridin came.”
“Oh,” said Piak, not knowing what else to say.
“Sir Ristridin doesn’t know what I look like, and I know him only from a distance,” said Adelbart. “So I find i
t hard to judge whether I should consider him my enemy or not. What do you think?”
“I don’t know either,” said Piak hesitantly. “But you do know that highway robbery is…” He fell silent.
“Illegal and immoral,” said Adelbart, completing his sentence for him. “I know.” He threw his chicken bone onto the floor. “I’ve always been a wastrel, a good-for-nothing,” he continued. “A jack of all trades and master of none. That’s what my mother used to say. I never planned to become a robber, I truly didn’t. But I just couldn’t hold down a job. Finally I went to a monastery. That was the last resort, I thought. I have a rather contemplative nature, you see, and I hoped I might like it there. But I found that boring, too, so I ran away. I ended up in the wood, where I fell in with the robbers. They were a fine bunch of fellows! So I joined up with them and I found I liked their way of life: completely free, and no griping or groaning. As far as the robbery part was concerned – well, a man has to make a crust somehow, eh? I didn’t join in very often. I cooked for us all, and guarded the city. It was me who showed them this place. I discovered the city years ago on one of my long walks.” He looked at Piak with an apologetic smile. “So now I’ve told you almost my whole life story without you asking for it,” he said. “And all because of Sir Ristridin. So you know him, then?”
Piak looked at him thoughtfully. He felt that he had nothing to fear from this man and was surprised to realize that he actually found it hard to see him as a robber. He’d always seen such people as the epitome of evil, but there was nothing wicked about the Guardian of the Forgotten City.
“I still haven’t thanked you,” he said.
“Oh, don’t start that!” said Adelbart. “What was I supposed to do? Just leave you lying there? I’d rather you told me what you have to do with Sir Ristridin. Is he the reason you’re roaming around the wood?”