The Shards

by Gary Alan Wassner

  As they neared the mighty gates of the city, they could see a group of mounted Knights standing guard before them. Parsifal’s silhouette was unmistakable and Esta spurred her horse onward as soon as she recognized him. Lord Markal stood beside him on his large dapple gray steed, flanked by four other Knights of Avalain and one very tall, dark haired stranger whom no one recognized at first though he rivaled even Parsifal in stature.

  The crowd parted reluctantly as this new group of riders cantered toward the entryway, cursing and complaining as the dust flew all around them. When Parsifal noticed the skirmish in the bunch, he turned his horse around to face it and initially he waited patiently for the swirling clouds of dirt to settle down, having grown accustomed to dealing with the many petty disputes that constantly arose among the refugees. This was different though, he recognized rather soon thereafter. Few of the Talamarans had arrived on horseback, and even fewer dared challenge the Knights at the gates.

  “Be on your guard!” Parsifal warned.

  Queen Esta was so anxious to be home, that for a moment she forgot that she had not announced herself, and she led her war horse directly toward the assemblage of guards at a quickening speed. Elion, Tomas, Preston and Stephanie followed closely behind, and their presence caused an unmistakable stir in the crowd. Parsifal drew his sword, as did the others standing beside him, and he stepped forward to meet this newly arrived contingent. They formed a redoubtable wall before the gates that only a martyr or a fool would ever attempt to breach.

  As she neared the waiting group, she threw back her hood and let her long, dark braid fly out behind her in the wind. Her porcelain skin stood out starkly against the blackness of her hair and her eyes sparkled brightly in the sun, though she soon was enveloped by the swirling debris.

  “Hail, noble Knights!” she yelled through the gray haze as she approached.

  Parsifal recognized the voice immediately despite the tumult and dust that accompanied her advance and still obscured her countenance from his view. He leapt from his horse and bent down upon one knee awaiting her arrival. As she approached, he bowed his head respectfully before his Queen. Esta reined in her horse directly in front of him and it rose up upon its hind legs before stopping. She too jumped from her mount, though gracefully and regally as always, befitting her rank.

  “Rise, Sir Knight!” she said to Parsifal with great affection, and the huge warrior stood before his Queen with his head still bowed, though his eyes were locked upon her face. “It is good to be back home,” she exclaimed as she took his large, gauntleted hand in her own.

  “It is good to have you home, your Highness,” he replied. His blue eyes were as piercing as anyone’s could possibly be, belying the intensity of emotion that his voice did not contain.

  Lord Markal too had dismounted and moved to greet the Queen as well.

  “Welcome, your Highness. It is so good to have you back amongst us again,” he said sincerely. “I apologize for this,” he then said, as he swept his arm before the large and motley crowds that seemed to be everywhere that there was a square inch of ground to erect a tent upon. “They sought refuge and I know that you would not have wished us to turn them away entirely. We have not allowed any inside the city, though.”

  “Who speaks for them?” she asked her Master at Arms.

  “The Duke’s former right hand man, Sir Fobush, your Highness,” he replied.

  “I remember him. He was a good man. This cannot be pleasant for such a one as he,” she said. “Send someone for him. He and I must speak.”

  “As you wish, your Highness. He was particularly disappointed that you had not yet returned to the city. He was quite anxious to meet with you when he arrived,” Lord Markal replied.

  “He knew of my absence then?” Esta questioned.

  “Word spread, your Highness. It was impossible to keep it secret after a few days had passed.”

  “Ah yes. Of course,” she replied, though the comings and goings of those in Avalain was rarely of interest to Talamar. “Well, fetch him then and he will have his opportunity to explain what has occurred and to give us his thoughts on his people’s future. As I said, he always struck me as a noble man. It is sad that fate has caught him too in his master’s duplicitous web, though it was inevitable at some point.”

  “He was not as fortunate as we to serve a leader as honorable as you, my Queen,” Lord Markal replied and he bowed humbly. “I will send for him right away,” he said and then he dispatched a runner immediately to locate the man. “It is good to have you back, my Lady,” he said again as he turned toward her. “You were sorely missed. Your absence, unannounced as it was, was rather difficult to explain to a worried population. It was no less arduous for me as well,” he confessed. “Sir Parsifal informed us of Mistress Marne’s heroic demise. We all grieve with you,” he said.

  Queen Esta dipped her chin in acknowledgment and fought back the tears that, unbidden, filled her eyes.

  Another Knight stepped from behind the others and slowly walked forward until he was standing beside Parsifal. His eyes were bright and attentive, and he looked adoringly upon the Queen.

  “Sir Etan,” Esta proclaimed. “You look well. Avalain appears to have been the right prescription for your health.”

  “Indeed, your Highness,” he said, and he bowed low before her. “Thanks to you.”

  “And no thanks to the demon’s surrogate, the Lady Margot,” she replied with disdain.

  Sir Etan blanched at the mention of her name.

  “No, your Highness. No thanks to her,” he frowned.

  “It seems we have a situation on our hands, Lord Markal,” Esta said diplomatically. “Have you made arrangements to deal with it?” she asked.

  “We have begun to organize the Talamarans, my Queen, though they seem so reluctant to work even for their own benefit. There is a group to the north digging ditches for latrines and another group foraging in the brambles yonder for nuts and berries, and yet another organizing a council of sorts to administer the masses in the absence of the Duke. They have only just arrived two days ago, your Highness,” he replied almost apologetically.

  “What is the news of Duke Kettin?” the Queen asked.

  “According to all accounts, he perished within his city, your Highness,” Lord Markal replied.

  “Has that been confirmed?” she questioned, though she was neither surprised nor particularly saddened by the information.

  “Yes, your Highness. It has been confirmed,” the Master at Arms said, though he offered no further explanation at the moment.

  “I see,” she said. “Only two days ago,” she commented to herself as if the timing was significant in some way.

  Esta surveyed the situation for a moment before speaking again. She could not help but notice the crowds gathering upon the ramparts as the news of her return swept the city. She was beloved by the people of Avalain, and they were one and all overjoyed to hear of her safe return. But hearing of it was not sufficient for a population so enamored of its leader. They needed to see her with their own eyes in order to be satisfied once and for all, and she could see them now as they jockeyed for space atop the massive walls.

  “Elion! Tomas! Preston! Stephanie! Join me,” she beckoned to her friends who were still sitting on their horses a few paces behind her.

  They had been drawing the gazes of all of those in the area even while the Queen addressed them. It was not a common sight to see an elf and a dwarf riding side by side into Avalain. Parsifal had already acknowledged their presence with a subtle nod of his majestic head and a warm smile, whilst Lord Markal looked upon them with many questions marking his expression.

  They each dismounted, Preston helping Stephanie to the ground, and they walked a few paces until they were standing beside the Queen. She extended her arms and encircled them as best as she could, indicating clearly to all those present just how devoted to them she was. This one gesture spoke a thousand words to the people who were looking on from the gates as
well as to all of those within the city who had assembled upon the walls.

  “It is humbling to have amongst us such a noble contingent,” she said loud enough for all to hear. “My friends here, all of them most noble of blood…”

  Stephanie gasped audibly as Esta spoke, and she blushed a deep crimson while Preston beamed from ear to ear.

  “…found me in my time of need and rescued me from the clutches of a very evil woman and her cohorts. Had it not been for them, I would likely be a prisoner of the Dark Lord in Sedahar by now, held hostage in order to coerce my daughter, Filaree, to forsake the path she has been called upon to follow,” the Queen continued, as a great cheer arose from the populace gathered above them. “As you have been told, my dearest friend Marne, died in service to the crown. She gave to me willingly the most precious of gifts, the gift of life, by virtue of her sacrifice,” she related sadly. “Her name shall be inscribed into the Book of Heroes and henceforth her day of birth shall be commemorated by celebration throughout Avalain!”

  Esta closed her eyes and bowed her head. She was silent for a moment, while everyone else around her held their breath until she began to speak again.

  “Sir Parsifal was as stalwart as ever; a beacon of virtue and loyalty in my hour of darkness and want,” she said, and she stared directly at him. “Together, and with the help of a Lalas fast and true, we have returned to Avalain! Welcome them as you do me!” she proclaimed, and she included both Parsifal and the others in her gesture.

  Trumpets blew and cheers rang out everywhere, so deafening in their volume that they would have undoubtedly drowned out anything else Esta could have wanted to say.

  “I can hardly hear myself think!” Stephanie yelled into Preston’s ear.

  “Neither can I, Steph. What an amazing way to come to Avalain!” Preston said.

  “Who would ever have imagined?” Stephanie replied.

  Tomas and Elion stood beside one another, but their expressions were more pensive than the situation seemed to dictate. Esta noticed them, as did both Preston and Stephanie a moment later. The Queen did not wish to cast a shadow upon the happiness of her people, so she did not acknowledge their concern openly. Rather, she walked to Tomas, grasped his hand in her own and squeezed it knowingly. She glanced at Prince Elion briefly but meaningfully, and then she urged them to follow her. Dipping her head down momentarily and feigning an abundance of emotion at the crowd’s enthusiasm, she whispered to them both so that no one else could hear, “Need I be concerned too?”

  “It is best that we enter the city as quickly as possible, your Highness,” Tomas said in a calm and steady voice.

  “Ah, yes,” she replied at once. “I understand.”

  Esta handed the reins of her horse to an attendant and then she beckoned to the others to do the same. She swept her cape behind her regally, maintaining her composure all the while, and raised her head high into the air. The crowds continued to cheer and cheer, and she refused to do anything to limit their delectation. Slowly and steadily, without a hint of concern marring her beautiful features, she led her friends through the broad gates of Avalain.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Will you come to his aid?

  No, he answered, no hint of emotion in his tone.

  What will become of them?

  The fabric weaves of its own will. We must wait and see.

  We have intervened before. Why not now? The Dark One seeks the map, yet he strays.

  Yes, he strays, he replied, dismayed. And I grow weary.

  Your Chosen is vulnerable and yet you will not assist him?

  I cannot. Some sacrifice is necessary if our goal is to be reached. It is greater than the parts, he related coldly. We must exert our influence where we are sure to have the most impact.

  A difficult decision. Has the other the shards still?

  Yes, though there will yet be more that must be gathered, he said sadly. He does not yet have the eleventh.

  I cannot sense it. My reach has been limited. Who will retrieve that now?

  That is uncertain, he replied and then paused before continuing. The sapling thrives outside of the circle.

  Will it choose?

  In time perhaps. In time.

  Chapter Thirty

  “What shall we do, my Lord? If the crowds continue to grow, it will be difficult to maintain an orderly viewing,” Grogan said, wringing his hands.

  “It is not for us to limit access to the tree. Just the sight of it brings hope to all who visit. We are no more than its steward now,” Baladar replied soothingly. “Perhaps it will choose soon. Then its bond-mate will instruct us.”

  The Lalas, the seed of which Tomas planted before he and his friends departed Pardatha, was thriving in the fertile soil beside the River of Tears. It was so beautiful that it humbled anyone and everyone who gazed upon it. No longer small, it towered over the bushes and shrubs that grew in its vicinity, and it dwarfed nature’s boldest attempts at competition. Lush, silver-green foliage dominated the branches. Beautiful, platter shaped leaves, intricately veined and paper thin, graceful beyond measure, bowed and fluttered in the wind, and responded to even the slightest of breezes. The gusts rippled through them creating waves of motion up and down the delicate offshoots. The bark of the trunk resembled finely tooled silver, darker at its thick base and lighter and more burnished as it reached out over the branches, until it was almost translucent by the time it terminated in a myriad of web-like tendrils that hung so exquisitely from the tips. It illuminated the entire area within which it grew whether the sun shone upon it or not, and it radiated an inner light that was both remarkably beautiful to gaze upon as well as profoundly comforting to bask in.

  “They come from everywhere, my Lord,” Grogan said while staring out of the large, leaded windows at the throngs assembled on the plain below. They wore the colors and carried the banners of every village, town and city across the land.

  “As they should. As they should,” he replied, and he nodded his head in acknowledgment. “They will respect the tree.”

  “But will they respect one another, my Lord? When it was just the citizens of Pardatha, I was more confident. But now, they arrive from all comers of the earth,” he replied. “I can no longer vouch for their behavior.”

  “We cannot impose rules here, Grogan, providing no threat exists for the city itself. The tree will make its own in time. I understand your concern, but you must have faith. You need not fear for the Lalas,” he replied convincingly. “It is a great privilege for us to be able to see it each morning when we wake and each evening when we retire. Everyone else who so desires must have this opportunity as well.”

  “I would be remiss in my duties, my Lord, if I did not assure those who come here a safe viewing,” Grogan said.

  Baladar shrugged. “Very well then. You are correct of course. You may station guards around the tree, but make sure that they are inconspicuous, and that they do not impose upon the crowds,” he agreed, though reluctantly. “Until it chooses, all are free to congregate around it. I hope the presence of our militia will provide a sufficient incentive for them to remain civil.”

  “It is so beautiful, my Lord,” Grogan said wide-eyed, staring out through the glass once again. “I cannot imagine it causing anything but happiness in any who are near it.”

  “Indeed,” he agreed. “Would that the others could see it now. Surely their hearts would fill with joy at the sight,” he said with a faraway look in his eyes. “Now you must go,” Baladar said, as he regained his concentration. “Advise your men of our decision.”

  “Yes, my Lord. At once,” he replied. He saluted crisply and left the chamber.

  Baladar stood there for a moment and watched his trusted friend walk down the wide hallway. He listened as the clicking sound of his boot heels upon the stone floor faded into the distance. Soon, there was nothing but silence to be heard, and he walked back into the room, slowly pushed the heavy door closed, and then he carefully and fastidiously se
t the seals. He sat down at the large, wooden table that dominated the center of the room and leaned heavily into the cushions of the high-backed chair.

  The sun streamed through the tall, leaded glass windows that formed the easternmost wall of the chamber and ran almost entirely from the ceiling to the floor. It illuminated the intricacies within the noban planks from which the massive table had been hewn so many tiels ago. Baladar ran his fingers over the natural designs in the wood, but his mind was elsewhere.

  “Tis a new dawn, he thought to himself. Why is it that I feel so melancholy? The tree thrives, but still there is no news of the twins. Oh Briland! I miss you today, he reflected on his beloved wife whose memory was never totally gone from his consciousness. How you would have adored this tree.

  He fidgeted with the heavy gold ring that he wore upon his index finger, twisting it around and around. It was totally silent within the room, and he was suddenly so tired that he practically dozed off to sleep for a moment.

  What harm could it do if I rested briefly, he thought to himself. It seems these days that there is little more for me to do than greet visitors and maintain civil order. The difficult tasks have been assumed by others, and I do not even know where they are anymore.

  He closed his eyes and slid the ring back upon his finger so that he would not drop it in the event that he did fall asleep.

  Curious, he mused. My ring is warm. Far warmer than usual.

  He pulled it off and laid it on the wood before him. There was no mistaking it; it glowed ever so slightly!

  There is surely meaning to this! It has been dormant since the boy left, he recalled Tomas’ departure along with the others. And now it has come to life once again! Just what I have been hoping for, he thought, shrugging off his former drowsiness as if it had never existed.

  His excitement mounted as he reached for the small, suede pouch that hung from the inside waistband of his tunic. He untied the braided cord and loosened it as quickly as he could, and then he spilled the contents upon the table. A handful of gems of various and disparate colors glinted and glittered as they rolled in different directions until they each came to rest within a few inches of one another. He reached for the ruby one first and placed it to the right and toward the back of the large ring. He then picked up the sapphire stone and placed that one at the back left comer. Next, he slid the green one to the near right comer, and finally, he carefully picked up the black stone and completed the square by placing it on the left in the front.