“Hey, you two! I know how hard it must be for you both, but come on now! If not for some of these terrible things, we would never have met. I would still be wandering around in the Thorndars, hiding from my father and embarrassed about how I look! The sorrow and pain cannot just go away, but we do have some things to be thankful for,” Preston said.
“Indeed we do,” Tomas replied, and he smiled warmly at the dwarf. “The fabric weaves of its own will, Preston. I am not one to regret the past, but sometimes I do miss my family.”
“And so do I, Tomas. But I do feel as if all of you have taken their places, at least for now,” the young dwarf replied. “I guess it is easy for me to say, because I can still go home and find my mother and father and brothers right where I left them.”
“My mother would not recognize me if I was standing next to her at this very moment,” Stephanie remarked. “I guess that she cannot be too sad if she does not really remember anything.”
“Perhaps someday her memory will return to her, dear,” Esta said. “Sometimes, when things occur that are so shocking and so upsetting, the mind simply shuts down. She has been through a lot. When things get back to normal, so may she.”
“Normal? What would that be like?” Preston asked no one in particular.
“Until the Gem is found, nothing will ever be normal again,” Stephanie said.
A hush descended upon the group after those words, and they walked silently through the thick woods. Elion led the way and Esta followed closely behind, giving him directions every now and then, suggesting he turn left at a fork in the road and right at a particularly large boulder that blocked their way. As the terrain became more and more familiar to her, the journey progressed rather quickly. Stephanie held onto Preston and Tomas rode beside them both, though no further words passed between them for quite some time.
“We are not far now,” Esta said in as cheerful a tone as she could muster. “We should reach the city before night falls.”
It was difficult for her to return to Avalain without Marne by her side. Since the death of her husband, Marne had been her confidant and her friend. Now, with Filaree absent as well, Esta suddenly felt the weight of all of these losses more profoundly. She tried as best as she could to conceal her sadness from the others.
Tomas urged his horse forward and caught up to the Queen. He trotted beside her and kept pace with her majestic mare.
“You need not be concerned about your daughter. She is safe now,” he whispered as if he knew what thoughts were plaguing her mind.
Esta turned her regal head toward the handsome boy and gazed deeply into his green eyes.
“Is it a gift, Tomas, that allows you to read my thoughts?” she asked sweetly.
“I did not need to peek into your mind to understand how concerned you must be for Filaree. It would be natural, would it not?” he replied.
“It is your timing that I so admire, I suppose. You seem to provide solace when it is most needed,” she said. “Indeed, I was worried. We speak of our losses, each one of us, and mine are no greater than any of the others. We must speak of our gains as well more often than we do,” she remarked.
“Preston seems ever to remember the bright side of things,” Tomas smiled.
“His spirit is so full. It is a pleasure traveling with him. His personality is uncharacteristic of his race. The dwarves that I have known have been so serious and so morose. I always attributed it to the fact that they spent so much time out of the sunlight. Preston on the other hand, is a joy to be with.”
“He is indeed,” Tomas agreed. “We felt an affinity from the first moment we met.”
“What do you know of my daughter?” she finally asked.
Tomas hesitated for a moment.
“I know that she is not presently in danger. Though she was before when we were threatened as well, she is no longer. In fact, I sense something that I am unable to clearly understand that is providing her with protection now,” he replied, and he was concentrating intensely with his eyes only half opened.
“Go on, Tomas,” Esta urged.
“I have little more to say, your Highness,” he said frankly. “But, they are all safe for now; my brother, Robyn, Filaree, Cairn and Calyx as well. They have found a place where they can rest. I sense much power within and much power without.”
“What do you mean by that?” she asked.
Elion slowed his own mount down in order to join the two of them. The path had widened and the trees were thinning out as they neared the perimeter of the forest that surrounded Avalain.
“May I join you, or am I intruding?” he asked.
“You could not intrude upon us, Elion. We have no secrets from you,” Tomas said.
“Tomas was reassuring me about my daughter and the others, Elion. I was basking in the comfort of his intuition,” she admitted, and a satisfied smile turned her red lips up slightly.
“Have they contacted you in some way?” Elion asked anxiously.
“No, not directly. It is hard to explain, but I see images in my mind’s eye, and I just know that they have found the place that they had been seeking. Though they had been called to Pardatha originally, it was never the final location where my brother was to be educated.”
“Things happen as they should,” Elion said.
“As we hope always,” Esta concurred, and she nodded her head.
“Hey, you guys!” Preston called from behind. “What’s going on?” he asked.
Tomas turned his horse around and waited for Preston and Stephanie to catch up to him, and Esta and Elion did the same. They were nearly out of the woods altogether and there was now room for them all to ride abreast.
“We are well-nigh at Avalain,” Esta said to them all.
“Oh my!” Stephanie gasped. “I cannot believe it! Avalain!” she repeated, and the way she said the name it sounded almost magical.
“It is a beautiful city indeed,” Elion replied.
“As beautiful as Seramour?” she asked.
“You are asking that question of the wrong person, Steph,” Tomas said. “Ask me instead. I can be more objective,” he laughed.
“Why? When were you ever there?” she questioned him. “I thought you went directly to Pardatha when you left Pardeau with Cairn and Calyx. Isn’t that what you told me?”
“I never have been there. But I have seen the city nonetheless,” he said mysteriously.
“What are you talking about, Tomas?” Preston chimed in. “What trick are you playing on her now?”
“No trick, Preston. Through Ormachon, I have seen many things that I have not experienced directly. Avalain just happens to be one of them,” he answered.
“It cannot be the same as actually being in the city,” Esta remarked. “Avalain is more than buildings and landscape.”
“And so is seeing it through my bond-mate’s eyes, so to speak,” Tomas replied. “In fact, in that manner I see depths to the city that many others will never see. A Lalas’ perception is not quite the same as ours.”
“Despite what you say, I am sure you will be even more impressed by the actuality of it regardless,” Esta avowed. “And by the way Stephanie my dear, to answer your original question, Avalain is quite remarkable. Though I am a bit biased, it stands with Seramour in its beauty. You will soon see for yourself and then you may judge.”
“Me, your highness? I have barely been beyond the borders of Pardeau. Seramour is but a dream to me too,” Stephanie said. “I am not the one to make such a judgment.”
“I meant only that you will judge Avalain, Stephanie. It need not be in juxtaposition. Beauty is a quality that exists independent of comparison. Am I not right, Elion?” Queen Esta asked.
“Absolutely!” he concurred. “They are two entirely different cities in all respects, yet both stand out as pinnacles of their craft.”
“And both cities bear qualities that rival all others in their hearts,” Tomas added. “Cities do have hearts, you know,” he said.
The city was enormous. The massive spires of the castle gleamed in the sun, and the pale white walls surrounding the entire expanse gave the appearance of impregnable permanence. They were constructed out of huge blocks of carved and polished granite perhaps fifteen feet thick. A large swath of open space fifty yards deep surrounded the entire city, and it sloped slightly upward as its green grass neared the stark walls. No openings or gates within eyesight interrupted the continuity. The group had arrived from the southeast, and the main entrance to Avalain was more westward from where they now stood. Esta led them in the direction of the gates.
When what is now the kingdom of Altair was no more than a confederation of small towns, the village that was the home of the fledgling House of Avalain emerged as a dominant force in the countryside. It gained its power and prominence by virtue of the incomparable skills of its fighters, coupled with an intense desire on their part to utilize these inherent skills for the good of the many, not merely the welfare of the few. The primary reason for Avalain’s ascendance was the noble heart of its leaders, not simply their physical prowess.
The city grew quickly into a secure center of commerce and trade, and the House of Avalain prospered. A great Lalas flourished in the nearby woods and it bonded with the young King, a pattern that it would follow during the many tiels to come. The Knights of Avalain emerged as the premier fighting force in the entire area, and though Avalain never had imperialistic aspirations, the knowledge that the Knights loyalty to the royal family was unequivocal compelled every town near and far to accept its guidance and seniority. This order of the Knights was so morally pure and so fundamentally righteous that none even thought to question its allegiance. And thus Avalain grew, both in size and stature.
The finest craftsmen were drawn to the city and they plied their skills on all aspects of the city’s growth. Each monument and each public structure was a work of art. When it came time to design and build the castle for the royal family, the best of the best in all trades lined up to volunteer, anxious to leave their mark upon what they knew would be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. They were honored to be chosen to participate in the construction of Avalain.
“Do you see what I see, Elion?” Esta asked the elfin Prince, and her brow was furrowed with concern.
“You are referring to those tents up ahead?” he asked.
“Yes. There are hundreds of them. Who would be camped so outside the walls of Avalain?” Esta asked, though she did not expect an answer. “Do you see any banners flying above them, Elion? Your eyes are far sharper than mine.”
“It appears that you have guests from Talamar in residence, your Highness,” Elion said, scanning the horizon with his eyes. “The colors alone seem to indicate that.”
“Talamar? That is odd indeed. What reason could bring all of these people from there to here? Our two lands have not been on the best of terms of late,” Esta said questioningly. “Put up your hoods until we know what we are dealing with here. It is best if we do not announce ourselves so obviously yet. Ride with care. They may not be friendly.”
“It looks more like an assemblage of commoners rather than an organized entourage,” Elion observed, as he covered his head with the brown hood of his cape. “The tents are strewn around in a haphazard manner, and I can see no headquarters marked nor even any guards or soldiers.”
“But they are definitely Talamaran?” she asked again while tucking her hair inside the folds of her tunic.
Tomas, Stephanie and Preston followed suit, and they too concealed their identities from the crowds, though anyone with a keen eye could tell that a dwarf rode with them by the heavily studded black boots that stuck out conspicuously from under his long mantle.
“Most definitely! I can see the crest of the House of Dumas upon at least two of the tents now,” Elion replied.
As they rode closer to the outskirts of the group and turned around a bend in the thick wall that surrounded the city, it became clearer just how many people were actually gathered outside of the gates. Perhaps half of Talamar it seemed was in abidance! Not only were there tents and people, but children, animals, household items, carts, donkeys and all manner of personal possessions were littering the ground as well. These people were clearly not here for a simple visit. They had taken up residence outside of Avalain.
“I see no arms amidst the people here,” Esta observed now that they were all close enough to view things. “Keep your words to a minimum and follow closely behind me. Take care not to get separated by the crowds.”
As they rode slowly by, they could hear bits and pieces of conversations and discussions.
“Have we no more wine?” an overweight matron asked a boy who bore a striking resemblance to her, though he was much slimmer in stature. She was reclining upon a makeshift lounge chair that appeared to be much too flimsy for her bulk, and she was fanning herself furiously with an elaborate, feathered fan though it was not at all hot out. “It is almost suppertime. What are we going to eat tonight? I cannot bear another evening of gruel. Is there nothing else you can get for us?” she whined. Her gown was too elaborate for the circumstances, though it was none the better for wear.
“It is gone! I swear it. Totally gone!” a young man said to an older gentleman who stood beside him, in a tone of disbelief “I could not even tell where the gates had been! It was as if it had never existed.”
“He brought this upon us, that wretched, spoiled boy!” another aging man commented as they walked by.
“It was our own fault, grandfather,” a handsome, dark-haired young man replied. “What did we do to stop him? Nothing! We did nothing.”
“What could we have done?”
“Fight, grandfather! We could have resisted. I am glad to be gone from there. It was a shameful way to live.”
They maneuvered their horses gingerly between the crowds, careful to keep their faces concealed. They did their best not to draw attention to themselves, and amidst all the tumult, it was less difficult than they had expected to remain inconspicuous. Their ears and eyes remained open nonetheless.
“Everything is lost. Everything! How am I going to live this way?” another porcine woman lamented from the middle of a squalid campsite. “Where will we get money from? Our oil is gone, our house is gone. I don’t even have a decent dress to put on!” she said to the younger girl who was standing beside her and holding a squirming toddler.
“But you must pay me mistress. How will I feed my own son otherwise?” she replied.
“Pay you? How am I to pay you?” she asked in an astonished tone.
“Then I must seek work elsewhere,” the maiden answered downcast.
A small group of men who were sitting around a spitted and roasting rabbit exchanged angry words with one another as the Queen and the others sidestepped their campfire.
“His father was a good man. How was I to know?” one said defensively.
“You worked in the castle! When was the last time you saw him? Did he ever get out of that big bed of his?” another asked.
“It was the woman from the south. She was the evil doer! Duke Leonardo’s son was just a pawn. He was never a leader. It all started when that ambassador from the south arrived,” a short, stout man said, and he cursed under his breath.
“It’s too late for regrets now,” they heard one of them say as they walked on past.
The conversations they continued to overhear were all too similar to one another. If they did not hear incessant complaints and gripes about having to live under such trying circumstances or abou
t the lack of food of their liking, they heard tales of shock and surprise over the destruction of their city. Though no discussion of resistance of any kind was mentioned by any but a few, they were certainly bold enough now in their criticisms of each other’s inaction. Many of the younger people were not quite so disappointed as the older ones, it appeared to them by the words they overhead. A spark of hope still burned amidst some of the youth of Talamar, though it was by no means a bright light shining in the darkness. Rather, it was merely a flicker, though it was surprisingly still alive despite Margot’s attempt to snuff it out entirely. One thing that all their comments had in common was a disdain for the woman called Margot.
“She did not make friends during her tenure in Talamar,” Preston commented.
“Nor did she try to!” Elion replied. “It seems she accomplished what she went there to do in any case.”
“Why would anyone want to destroy a city?” Stephanie asked. “What good would that do her?”
“Destruction and devastation is what he seeks, Steph,” Tomas explained. “It brings the physical place one step closer to the void.”
“And it brings the problem of all these refugees to the gates of Avalain!” Esta said, as she surveyed the vast numbers of people who had taken up temporary residence everywhere. “This will strain all of our systems to the limit. To have an entire population un-housed and unfed before winter sets in upon us? How can we focus upon the Quest when we are forced to deal with issues such as these. Colton must know how difficult this will be for us all here.”
“And there may yet be elements within this population who are loyal to the Dark Lord!” Elion observed. “They will attempt to infiltrate Avalain, as they did Talamar. We must be careful, your Highness.”
“They will have little success here in that regard,” Esta asserted. “The people of Avalain are strong of spirit. They would not succumb so easily to his overtures. Let him try to still the hearts of my people!” she said defiantly.
“Besides, your Highness, you are here now!” Stephanie said proudly, and Esta dipped her head gratefully in response.
The Shards Page 29