“Not so long,” Esmiralla said, obviously quite pleased with her reaction. “I'm good with my hands. Now, I expect that you might find it a bit strange that I would weave such a garment from something as common as grass. But you see, this is a very special gift.”
“Yes, I can see that,” Liliana told her quickly. “And I thank you very much for it.”
“Now, now, I am not finished,” the woman said, holding up a hand. “I have a small request. The next time that you curl up for the night to sleep, I would like you to wear my gift.”
“Wear it? To sleep in?”
“Exactly. It would mean a great deal to me if you would do so. The sweet smell of the grass will aid your rest and you will find it quite comfortable to have on, even while you sleep. Would you do that for me?”
What an odd thing to ask of me, Liliana thought. Maybe the poor woman has lost her wits, living all alone in a place like this.
Esmiralla was watching her keenly, and the paladin had the uncomfortable feeling that the woman could tell what she was thinking.
“As you wish, madam,” she said, trying to sound sincere. “To honor the amount of work that you have put into it, I will happily do as you ask.”
“Wonderful! And it is Esmiralla, remember?”
“Yes, of course. Forgive me.”
“Not at all. Now, I have something else for you. Not a gift this time. Rather, it is information that I think you might find useful.”
“What kind of information, madam? I mean Esmiralla.”
“That's better. Information that will be quite useful to you and to your quest, my dear. You are heading out of the city today, are you not?”
How does she even know that, Liliana wondered.
“I had intended to, yes.”
“Good. Now, this is what you must do. Follow the western highway out of town. I think you probably would have gone that route anyway. If you do that, you will eventually come to a crossroads. And at that crossroads, you will find a camp.”
Liliana sat up straight.
“A camp? Whose camp?”
“Refugees. There are perhaps a dozen of them now. But who knows? By the time you reach them there may be more. They are some of the very few that fled Moscow when the first dragon attacks began and survived. They have traveled back toward the city but have set up camp at that crossroads because they fear that the capital is still too dangerous for them. A rather justified fear, would you not agree?”
“Absolutely.”
Liliana felt a rush of joy at the thought that some people had actually made it, just as she had. She wondered who they were and what they were like. Had some of them Changed as she had? Or where they simply regular people who were trying to survive? Either way, she would certainly lend them her aid if they needed it.
She looked at Esmiralla, who was watching her affectionately. The woman seemed to appreciate her reaction to the news.
“If I may ask, Esmiralla; how do you know this? I mean, no offense, but you don't look like someone who does a lot of traveling.”
The other woman glanced down at herself and the glittering silver dress she was wearing and laughed.
“No, I don't suppose I do, do I? But how I received my information will have to remain my own little secret, at least for now. Someday in the future, when we meet again, I will share that with you. But not today. Today you must focus on starting your journey. Those people are not safe, not in this new world that we are living in. And you must join them as quickly as you can.”
Liliana rolled up the grass tunic and slipped it into her pack. She stood up and looked down at the woman.
“Esmiralla, how can I ever thank you? Both for your gift and your knowledge?”
The delicate woman remained seated on the grass and smiled up at her.
“There is no need to thank me, child. But if you want to show your gratitude, wear my gift tonight when you go to sleep. And get to those people as soon as possible. They are your main priority now.”
“I will, I promise you. Will you be safe on your own though?”
Esmiralla laughed again.
“Oh yes, I am perfectly safe. Now go. We will meet again one day, I promise you.”
Liliana hesitated and the woman waved her off.
“Go, go. Time is short and you have a long way to travel.”
The paladin bowed again and Esmiralla nodded once. Then Liliana turned and hurried off, filled with a new sense of purpose. It would be hours before she realized that she had taken orders from a complete stranger without any hesitation and wonder if she was losing her mind. Perhaps she was.
That evening, Liliana camped for the night on the roof of a petrol station. The building was intact but almost empty. Looters had stolen anything useful out of it months before. It had been abandoned like all of the other stations and garages once cars and trucks had ceased to function.
A battered old ladder was lying next to the building and she used it to climb up to the roof and hauled it up after herself. The roof itself was littered with old leaves and refuse. There was a low shed standing in the center of the roof that had a few old tools and empty plastic bottles in it and Liliana settled down on the side that protected her from the night wind. It was fairly warm after dark and, as long as it didn't rain, sleeping under the stars was easy for her now.
She ate some canned peaches and then lay her shield down by her side. She pulled out Esmiralla's gift out of her pack and examined it.
The grass still smelled sweet and the tunic itself almost seemed to hold in the warmth of the day. There was no evidence yet of the stalks drying out or becoming brittle and Liliana wondered how long it would take for that to happen. Several days maybe? It was only grass, after all.
Should she wear it? That was the question. It seemed like an absurd thing to do; put on a garment weaved from grass and then sleep in it. Why would that strange woman even ask her to do that? And who had she been anyway?
I would say that she was mad, Liliana thought pensively, but there was something very strange about her. Otherworldly.
The fact that Esmiralla had looked like she had just stepped out of a fairy tale was what really kept bothering her. Liliana cleaned up as best she could every day, but she was quite sure that to her old self, she would have looked like a wild-eyed homeless person. But Esmiralla? She had been pristine; her dress, her hair and skin, everything about her had been clean and pure. And with the world the way that it was, that was impossible. And yet the meeting had happened. The grass shirt was proof of that.
Liliana stroked the garment gently and then shrugged.
Why not, she decided. I gave Esmiralla my word that I would wear it. Besides, what harm could it do? I can throw it away in the morning if I want to and not feel guilty about it.
And so she took off her belt and kept her sword close to her side and then slipped the tunic over her head.
It's so soft, she thought as she smoothed out the garment over her body. How can it be so soft? And the smell. It's like I'm sitting in a meadow filled with flowers. Delightful.
She put her pack down and used it as a pillow as she lay back and stared up at the stars.
What a strange day it's been, was her last thought as she drifted into a deep sleep, the scent of wildflowers tickling her nostrils.
The rising sun warming her body woke Liliana the next morning. She opened her eyes and listened motionless to the birds singing their songs to greet the new day.
She smiled at the natural music and yawned widely.
That may have been the best sleep I've had since the city was lost, she thought happily. I wonder if I have Esmiralla's grass shirt to thank for that?
She patted her chest, expecting to feel the dried grass garment. Rather, she hit a hard surface with her palm and heard a metallic sound, like a low gong.
What?
Liliana sat up and looked down at her body.
“Oh my God,” she gasped.
The grass tunic had disappeared. I
nstead, she was wearing armor. Silver armor. And not just across her torso. Her legs and feet were covered in protective plate armor as well, and it all shone like a mirror in the sunlight.
She awkwardly pushed herself to her feet. The armor was certainly heavy and she was clumsy inside of it, but it didn't really impede her movements.
“Is this the gift that Esmiralla really meant for me?” she asked out loud. “Who was she? My God, what was she? How is this even possible?”
She stood still and examined the armor piece by piece.
She wore gauntlets on her hands that rose up to protect her wrists. The backs of the gloves were jointed metal but the palms were leather covered with steel mesh.
Easier to grip a sword hilt, she thought.
She took off the gauntlets and dropped them on to her pack. Next she looked at the boots and leg armor.
The footwear was also leather, with thick soles, and was covered with metal that was jointed at her ankle. She walked several steps back and forth across the roof and found the motion to be natural and effortless. Liliana doubted that she would be able to run very far in the armor, but she wouldn't be walking around stiffly like some kind of robot.
The plate leggings were hinged at the knees and at the hips, allowing her to sit down comfortably if she wanted to. All very functional and well designed.
The breastplate itself was beautiful. Shining as if freshly polished, it was fitted for her perfectly, with just the right curves to keep her comfortable. The sleeves were hinged at the shoulders and elbows and were lined with leather like the leggings and breastplate.
Now, how do I get out of this, Liliana wondered.
She smiled ruefully at the thought that she might be trapped inside of all that metal.
But it was a fairly easy process once she found all of the buckles and clasps that held the armor together.
The sleeves detached from the breastplate at the shoulder and the chest armor itself opened on the side once she had undone, several sturdy buckles.
The boots slipped off and the leggings were removed like a pair of very stiff pants.
When she was finished and stood unarmored in the sunlight, Liliana stretched and eased her shoulders and back a few times. It would take a while to get used to wearing all of that gear, but she estimated that her chances of surviving a run-in with the undead had just increased exponentially.
Thank you, Esmiralla, she thought gratefully. Wherever you are. I hope that we actually do meet again, so that I can tell you that in person.
Liliana used the last of her water to get cleaned up. Then she packed her things and began the task of putting the armor back on. She stopped when she picked up the chest piece again and stared at it. She hadn't noticed that there was a crest engraved into the center of the armor.
A crescent moon, she observed in wonder. The symbol of the goddess I met in my dream.
She resumed putting on her gear with a sense of reverence. It seemed that Esmiralla might have been sent by the lords of Light and, if that was true, at least it meant that they were still trying to help humanity. She held on to that thought like a lucky charm. It gave her a bit of hope for the future.
When she picked up her pack, a metal object that had been lying beneath it rolled off with a squeaky whine. Liliana grabbed it hastily and picked it up.
“A helmet!” she said in surprise. “So that's where you were hiding.”
The helmet was very plain and reminded her of pictures she'd seen of old English knights. The front portion of it was open but there was a metal visor that could be lowered to protect the face, with two slits to see through. She tried it on but found it too constricting and shoved it forcibly into her pack.
“I may use it when it comes to a fight,” she said as she swung her shield over her shoulders and slipped the pack on top of it. “But not when I'm walking around in the burning sun. This armor will be hot enough as it is.”
Lastly, she secured her sword belt around her hips and adjusted it to a comfortable fit.
“Perfect,” she muttered. “Well, I may not be a real warrior yet, but at least I look the part. Now, let's just hope that all this shiny metal doesn't attract a dragon. I doubt that it's fireproof.”
Chapter 18
Liliana stood up and patted Valiant.
“Amazing story, don't you think?” she asked him.
The stallion snorted as he grazed, but didn't raise his head.
“You know, I did find that camp. It was exactly where Esmiralla said it would be. And the people there did need my help. I actually arrived just in time to fight off a drake attack.”
She stretched and squinted across the river.
“Ironically, I managed to keep most of those poor people alive for a few years, until the survivors were carried off by drakes to serve as sacrifices for the primal white dragon. God, such a waste.”
She shook her head and looked at the horse.
“I'm going back to Nottinghill Castle tomorrow. I'm hoping that you will carry me there. Will you?”
Valiant raised his head and returned her look. Something seemed to pass between them and then he resumed grazing.
“Yes, I think that you will,” Liliana said softly. “Well, we'll find out in the morning.”
Since she was standing next to a pile of split logs, the paladin gathered up a handful and brought them with her as she returned to the cottage. She went inside, piled the logs neatly next to her fireplace and picked up a broom.
Might as well give the place a good cleaning if I'm going to be away for a while, she thought as she began sweeping. It does get so dusty in here.
Liliana spent the day puttering around her home and getting ready for her trip. Her armor was as pristine as usual, but she washed the leather inside because she felt that it kept it soft, and then left all of the pieces out in her front yard to dry.
She felt a pang of regret as she remembered Esmiralla again. Except for Argentium, the silver dragon had been the only other of her species that Liliana had ever trusted. Her loss had been heartbreaking, and a blow to those who fought on the side of the Light.
She believed that one day the Chaos lords would find a way to invade the Earth, no matter what others said, and Esmiralla would have been a powerful ally against them. Well, she would not be there for them when that day came, and they were all weaker for it.
Grom wandering in and out all day. He would plunk himself down and watch her working, head resting on his paws. Liliana would chat with him whenever he appeared and the wolf, like Valiant, listened with apparent interest. Again, she had no way of knowing how well either animal understood her, but she talked to them anyway.
That night she slept restlessly. It was unusual for her, but her mind kept bringing up memories from years before and she got out of bed and stared out of her bedroom window several times, trying to calm herself.
What is wrong with me, she wondered each time. Why can't I stay focused on the here and now?
She finally managed to fall into a more restful sleep halfway through the night and slept until dawn.
Liliana got up and hurried to get ready to travel. As much as she enjoyed being home, it was good to have another task to perform and she was eager to get on with it.
After a hurried breakfast of cold rabbit and dried fruit, she went down to the river to bathe. Valiant was still down at the water, but this morning he wasn't eating. Instead, the great stallion was standing statue-still, watching her approach.
“Good morning!” she exclaimed when she saw him. “Were you waiting for me?”
He whickered gently and walked over to her. Liliana stroked his neck and then shook a finger at him.
“Now, I don't want you to buck me off later, all right? I'm not an experienced rider and you aren't a pet, so we have to meet each other halfway.”
Valiant bumped against her chest with his nose and snorted. She wondered if he was laughing at her in his own way.
“I'll accept that as a yes.”
She slipped out of her tunic and trousers, dropped them on the sand next to her towel and waded into the water. She shivered at its coolness but gamely ducked her head and then began to lather herself up.
After her bath, Liliana hurriedly dried off and walked back up the path to the cottage, carrying her clothes over one arm. She doubted if there was anyone spying on her and she had gotten over her innate shyness years ago.
When she heard heavy footsteps behind her, the paladin looked back and chuckled. Valiant was following her.
She went back indoors, got dressed properly and began the process of putting on her armor. Over the years since Esmiralla had gifted her with the magical apparel, Liliana had become quite adept at slipping on the various pieces. But armor was still armor and there were a dozen straps and snaps that needed to be secured to get the entire suit working properly.
When she was finally fully dressed, she strapped on her sword belt, picked up her pack and walked outside again. The moment of truth had arrived.
Liliana closed the door behind her, turned and stared at Valiant in surprise. The horse was already saddled and bridled and standing a dozen feet away. He tossed his head when he saw the paladin and neighed loudly.
“How on Earth did you do that?” she asked blankly.
Of course he couldn't answer her, but the stallion seemed to have an amused glint in his eye and Liliana remembered what the argent dragon had told her; a paladin's horse had certain powers of his own. Apparently so.
“Well now, at least step one is complete. Let's see how the rest of this goes.”
She walked over to him and hung her pack off of the saddle horn. Then she glanced at the front gate, saw that it was locked up tight and walked around the cottage to the rear entrance. Valiant trailed along behind her as she thought he might and, when she stopped next to the gate, he slipped through.
Liliana picked up the plank that covered the ditch and put it inside of the wall. The she secured the barrier and walked down to the river again. To her surprise, Grom was sitting there.
The First Paladin (The New Earth Chronicles Book 1) Page 23