Chains of the Forest

by Darin Niemann

  Amara stood in the doorway, watching my perusal of the room. “It isn’t much.” She spoke softly.

  I replied, shaking my head, “It is a great deal more than I am used to.”

  She frowned a little in thought, remembering what Riken and I had been through. We stood there in awkward silence for a few moments before her cheeks reddened slightly. “Sorry about earlier.” She said. “In the stable, I mean.”

  I smiled, trying not to chuckle again. “Think nothing of it.”

  She nodded, lifting a hand to tuck her long hair behind her rounded ear. “I’ll see you in the morning, then. Sleep well, Ruvaen.”

  I nodded, “Goodnight, Amara.” She left, closing the door behind her.

  Dousing the candlelight, I dropped onto the mattress. The bed was even more comfortable than the last one I had slept in, and even though I had napped earlier, it didn’t take me long to drift off. I dreamt that night of wide open pastures with horses roaming and of a particular dark haired girl wielding a dangerous looking pitchfork.

  Chapter 4

  Awaking just as the sun started it’s morning ascent, I hesitated at leaving my room. Was it the foreign house and it’s occupants that had me pausing, or that I had been locked in a cell every day for the last two years? Even though it had been weeks since I had gained my freedom, I still hadn’t done much on my own beyond necessities. Riken, and our escort of soldiers, had guided me in most things since leaving Zecresh. The simple act of opening my room door had me frozen with uncertainty and doubt. Not knowing what else to do, I began my usual morning exercise routine, throwing my all into the workout.

  Losing myself in the familiar activity, sweat began to coat my body as the sun continued to rise. I was so focused on my I almost didn’t hear the knock that sounded at my door. Riken poked his head in through the now open door. His single brown eye and eyepatch took in the light sheen of sweat covering my bare torso and my heaving chest. He raised an eyebrow, “Hard at it already?” He asked.

  I shrugged, slipping on my simple cloth shirt. It was the only one I owned, even if it was quite dirty and worn from our travels. I realized that I likely didn’t look much better than the shirt.

  Riken seemed to read my thoughts, “Come,” he gestured, “Let's go and wash before morning meal. I’ll lend you some clean clothes as well, although...” He smirked, glancing between his own thick, stout limbs, and my lean, yet muscular arms. “Even the smallest of mine will be too large for you.”

  The brawny man laughed as I smiled and shook my head. He lead me to a modest place at the back of the house that was secluded and private. He showed me how to pump water into a tub which could then be heated by coals. I declined, preferring the cool water after my vigorous morning routine. Once we were both washed and clothed, with my apparel hanging quite loosely on my slender frame, we made our way to the kitchen.

  As with the rest of the house, the warm and comforting tone permeated throughout the room. A large stove dominated one wall, with cupboards dotting every free space and a square table set with clean, empty dishes. Meriel appeared hard at work fixing the morning meal. Abruptly, Riken went over to her and gave her a deep, lasting kiss. Awkwardly, I moved to a window and attempted to discover the grand meaning hidden within the green grass outside.

  Amara came down the stairs, rubbing her eyes as if she had only recently awoken. Riken took the head of the table, with his family members next to him and myself sitting across from him.

  The simple yet splendid meal of eggs, crispy bacon, and warm, buttered bread was superb. Afterwards, the women talked of the recent happenings in the city. I tried to keep up with the conversation, but the names of the unknown people and places and their relations were lost upon me. I let the words wash over me as I wondered what I would do. What could I do? Fighting was all I really knew. Should I join the military and fight against Zecresh with them?

  “Ruvaen.” Riken said, interrupting my thoughts.

  I looked to him, “Yes?” I said, still somewhat distracted.

  The general grinned, “I was saying that today we should get you some clothes that fit. I have... a lot to take care of so would you mind if Amara took you to the market?”

  I glanced at Riken’s daughter and found her trying not to laugh at the way Riken’s large clothes hung off my frame. I blushed and nodded, “I would be grateful.” I realized then that I had no money to my name. I mentioned this as well.

  Meriel smiled and waved as if to rid me of worry. “It’s fine, young man, don’t fret over such things.”

  Riken barked a laugh, “Besides, I’m sure I can think of a few chores that you could help with around here.”

  I nodded thankfully, helping with any work would ease my mind of any debt between us. I helped clean the table while Amara went to change for a trip to the market. I wasn’t sure what was wrong with the plain gown she had on but the women said that it wouldn’t do to go out in such a state. When we finished with the dishes, Amara had returned. This time she wore a light blue dress adorned with a gentle flower pattern. It made her appear much more delicate and graceful. Looking at my own sagging clothes, I knew that I was going to feel out of place next to her.

  Amara gave her father a big, long lasting hug before we waved them goodbye and began our walk towards the markets. Every so often I glanced at her to find her snickering into her hand.

  “Is it really that humorous?” I asked, trying myself not to smile.

  Her brown eyes sparkled as she laughed again, “You look quite ridiculous in my father’s clothes.”

  I chuckled. The clothes were truly way too large for me. While we walked, Amara pointed certain buildings and landmarks out to me. People that knew Amara greeted her but stared at my odd appearance. My unnaturally white hair combined with the loose fitting clothing made a rather curious sight. More than a few passersby pointed as we made our way through the city. I wished I had at least thought to wear my hooded cloak.

  The cloth merchant we visited nearly cried at the sight of me. I wasn’t sure which surprised me more. The fact that he didn’t once mention my hair color or how distraught he was by my state of dress. He quickly took a few measurements before handing me a fine-looking, dark leather tunic with gray trousers and told me to change in a room set aside for such purposes.

  Moments later I stood before the tailor and Amara. They both stared at me with wide eyes. I frowned, “What’s wrong? Is something amiss?”

  Amara blushed lightly while the tailor stood tall with a prideful arc in his back. “Nothing is amiss at all. In fact, you look quite dashing.”

  I looked askance at Amara and she nodded hurriedly, “They suit you well.”

  The clothes fit much better than Riken’s hand-me-downs. Instinctively, I felt assured that they wouldn’t hinder me in a fight either. The tailor then picked me out a few more sets of clothing before wrapping it into a tight bundle that made for easier carrying. Amara paid the man with the money she had received from her mother.

  “I certainly am good at what I do.” My elven ears picked up the tailor muttering to himself as we left the store.

  Once back on the street, I asked, “Shall we return?”

  Amara thought for a moment before shaking her head. “No, there are a few things that mother wanted me to get. And I want to get father’s favorite sweets.”

  I nodded, “Lead the way.”

  We walked in silence, and I listened contentedly to the sounds of city life. We stopped at a few stalls here and there to grab some of the items that Meriel needed, along with the sweets for her father. Shortly, we had all the items we needed and had just started heading back when Amara spoke up.

  “I heard a little from father, but…” she paused, as if unsure what to say. “When did you meet my father?”

  “We met around two years ago, when I was fourteen.”

  The dark haired girl smiled at me, “We are the same age then.”

  I nodded, “Riken mentioned the same.” I frowned recalling
the arena. “Though when we were…in Zecresh, Riken never mentioned his family. Nobody did. I only learned about you after we had been freed.”

  There was a lull in the conversation as we both were contemplating the past. I glanced at the general’s daughter, discovering a sad and thoughtful look on her pale face.

  I broke the silence then, “I owe your father my life. When I arrived in that hellish place, he taught me how to survive. To fight. If it weren’t for him I would have died wearing that collar.” I unconsciously rubbed at my neck. I stopped walking, causing Amara to halt and look questioningly at me.

  “I… I don’t know what will happen from here on, but I wish to repay your father for what he did.”

  For a moment we simply looked at each other. Amara slowly nodded. I knew that it was hard for her to understand what Riken and I had gone through as slaves, but she was trying. She opened her mouth to reply when another voice shouted out.

  “Amara!” The voice called. We turned to find a small group of young men and women our age approaching. They were all well dressed, in similar fashion to what Amara and I wore. They waved merrily to the general’s daughter. As they came closer, they saw me standing with her and studied me curiously.

  “Amara! You didn’t meet up with us today!” A tall, brown haired young man intoned. He looked questionably at me, as if to decipher my presence.

  Amara smiled weakly, “Sorry, things happened at home.”

  A short blonde girl in a pink skirt came awfully close to me, peering up at my white hair and pointed ears. Her closeness was affecting me and I unconsciously thought of the arena. Instinctively, I thought of three different ways to kill her before I mentally brushed such horrible thoughts aside. I wasn’t an arena slave any longer.

  The blond girl glanced between Amara and I before stating bluntly, “You’re hair is white.”

  I nodded, “Yes, it is.”

  She continued. “It’s very pretty, did you color it?”

  “Rania!” Amara admonished, narrowing her brown eyes at the blonde girl.

  The girl named Rania pouted, though she did take a step back. “I’m just curious.”

  Amara rolled her eyes and sighed.

  The tall, brown haired man smiled. “Sorry about Rania, she can be rambunctious at times. My name is Percy.” He stuck out his hand in greeting, and after only a moment’s hesitation I grasped it, shifting the goods we had purchased to my other hand. “I’m Ruvaen.”

  I ended up shaking a few more hands, though the other girls of the party were content to curtsy slightly. My body tensed up at each physical contact. I wasn’t used to having people this close to me without fighting against them to the death. It was a draining experience. Amara must have noticed how uncomfortable I was and tried to excuse us.

  “Sadly, we need to be getting along home. Mother is waiting.” Amara indicated the things I was carrying.

  Percy nodded, “I see. We wouldn’t want to keep Meriel waiting. Be sure to visit soon so we can talk.” He once again gave me a curious look before leading his group away. Rania waved back merrily, “Let’s meet again!” She shouted back to me and I nodded with a strained smile.

  Once they were gone, I sighed in relief. That had been intense to say the least. We continued making our way through the city towards the general’s house.

  “Are you all right, Ruvaen?” Amara asked softly. She looked at me in concern, her brows furrowed with worry.

  I kept silent for a few moments as we walked, not sure if she would think poorly of me due to my answer.

  I spoke hesitantly, “I… Being close and in contact with people has become… difficult for me.” I paused to consider what I should say. “In the last two years, the only time that happened was… in the arena.”

  Her eyes widened a bit at the revelation. “But surely you know that they mean no harm?”

  I nodded, “I do... though my instincts were screaming at me the entire time…” Again I paused, looking away. I continued softly, “...to fight.” And to kill, I thought to myself.

  Amara had heard me, even as soft as my last words had been. “I see.” She said, looking lost in thought.

  This time, the silence lasted much longer. I wanted to say something to reassure her, but I wasn’t sure that I could. I wondered how long I would have lasted in Zecresh before I completely lost my humanity. I wondered how Riken had survived over twice my time there, and he didn’t seem at all anxious around people. I would have to ask him.

  When we arrived, I helped Amara and her mother find places for all the things we had bought from the markets. Once everything had been put away, Meriel gently patted my arm and offered me a thanks. The sudden touch made me flinch, and I quickly excused myself to my room, saying that I was tired from the trip. I didn’t see the worried glances the two shared as I went upstairs. Alone in my room, I went through a light routine to calm my nerves. I would speak to Riken when he returned from his errands.

  ~

  Riken returned before supper, and we all ate together. As we dined, the general told us of his meeting with the king today. The ruler had been overjoyed to see Riken alive, though saddened at what had befallen him during the last five years. As expected, he had been removed from his position of general due to his long absence though he had been immediately offered his previous command. It seemed that Riken was somewhat renowned as a general. After all he had been through, the former general merely wanted to be near his family. Hearing this, the monarch then suggested he take a position near home. Specifically, Captain of the Guard.

  The Guards were a contingent of soldiers stationed within Osdriff. They were the last line of defense for the capital city and, therefore, never left it. The current Captain was getting on in years and had been looking for a successor to recommend to the king. Riken had decided to discuss it with his family before taking the position. Meriel said that it was a wonderful opportunity but only if he wanted to. Amara voiced her support for her father, regardless of what he did. Riken nodded thoughtfully as we finished the meal.

  I helped the family clean and put away the dishes before getting Riken’s attention. “Can I speak with you?”

  Curious, Riken nodded and lead the way to his study. As this was my first time being there, it was quite a surprise. The furnished room had little of the influence from his wife. I supposed that this was one of the few places in the house that was solely Riken’s. The room had a more masculine appeal, with little decorations aside from a few trophies or trinkets here and there. What also surprised me was the vast amount of books that littered the massive, wooden shelving that covered most of the wallspace. An exception to the rule was a large, framed map of the country of Turinval and the countries surrounding it. I paused in front of it and Riken stood beside me. He gestured to the large country of Zecresh. It wasn’t quite as large as Turinval according to the map.

  “It’s doesn’t seem so far when looking at it from here.”

  I nodded without speaking as I continued to study the map. There were many towns and cities dotting the country but I took note of the borders. To the north, Turinval was topped with a large, almost never ending mountain range called the Azek Mountains. To the west lay Zecresh along with another smaller bordering country named Kograna, although only a small northwestern portion of Turinval touched Kograna. In the east and south, there were the far-reaching Corethan plains that stretched until they met a massive body of water marked as the Sea of Scars. At first, I was confused by the name but then I notice the long, thin islands in the sea that could be seen as scar-like.

  Riken left my side and seated himself behind a large mahogany desk, gesturing to a seat across from him. As I sat, I continued to look around at the books and wondered what they contained. Riken’s chuckle focused my attention back on the burly man.

  “Surprised by my personal collection?” Riken asked, gesturing at the bookshelves.

  I nodded, “It wasn’t what I was expecting.”

  He smiled, “Ah, but most
of these books are of history. History contains an abundance of useful information. Strategies that worked and those that didn’t. Mistakes that were made can be learned from and prevented.” Riken’s smile was eventually replaced by a look of curiosity. “Enough of the past, what did you wish to speak of?”

  Remembering what I came here for, I explained the encounter with Amara’s friends and my instinctive reaction to their closeness. I told him that I didn’t want to hurt someone on accident. I also asked if he had any similar reactions since coming back to the city.

  Riken pondered what I had told him with a concerned expression on his face. Eventually he shook his head, “No, I don’t have those instinctive reactions, though I may know why you do.”

  I sat up straighter, “You do? Can it be fixed?”

  He nodded slowly, “I think that it can. The reason you have such… animalistic instincts are likely because you learned to fight in such a harsh environment. I can’t say for certain, but I believe I have a way to cure such thoughts.”

  “What is it?” I asked excitedly, hope raising my voice a bit more than I had wanted.

  Riken smiled, “What else? Training of course.”

  I frowned, “But I complete the training routine you taught me everyday.”

  The former general kept smiling, “Ah, and that is good, but the thing you are missing is sparring.”

  Even more confused now, I asked, “Sparring?”

  At this the general’s smile faded, and sadness crossed his face. “It is a wonder that you have learned to fight so well without sparring, only fighting to the death.”

  I turned away from his uncomfortable gaze, “You were there. We did what we had to. To survive.”

  The former general spoke softly, “Indeed.”

  For a few moments, we sat there in silence, thoughts of the past clouding our minds. Abruptly, Riken’s cough shattered the quiet and brought us back into the present.