by Adam Bishop
“So why did you then? Why leave a life you speak so highly of?”
William became still and stone-faced. The candlelit shadows danced on his cheeks, and his blue eyes stared back at Baldric full of pain and sorrow.
Baldric could tell that his question had struck the wrong cord. It brought William to a place he wasn’t ready to visit, at least not for long enough to explain it in words. Baldric had a knack for reading people, and the last thing he wanted to do was dampen the mood of their celebration with unwanted questions. “Forget I asked, Will. We’re celebrating our freedom, after all. There’s no room for sad stories or memories alike. But there is room for more wine!” Baldric filled their glasses to the brim and added, “I must say, everything about the Elves has been quite impressive thus far. I can’t help but wonder what it would be like to lay with one of their women.”
William’s grief was left behind him as he burst into laughter. “I may have to reconsider. You are insane, my friend,” Will said through a deep-bellied laugh.
“Oh, come on … they’re practically the same as humans, aside from the ears.”
“It’s not that I find them ugly. Far from it, actually. It’s just that … well, you actually believe you could persuade an Elf to sleep with you?” William said.
“Oh! And why shouldn’t I? Am I not handsome enough? I'm tall and in good shape, I'm well-spoken and still in my youth. I may not be as young as you, but old age has yet to reveal itself.”
“And just how young might I be?” William asked, doubting Baldric would know.
“Well. You’re still quite short. I'd say you couldn’t be a day older than seventeen. Eighteen at most.”
“Seventeen!” William shouted in disbelief.
“Sorry if I insulted you, but you do look quite young,” Baldric said, holding back a smile.
“I’m twenty-five! And I’m not that short,” Will declared as he stood from his chair. He walked over to Baldric with the hint of a wobble. The effects of Elven wine was hitting him. “Well, stand up then,” William demanded, now swaying in front of Baldric.
“Alright, alright. Don’t get all worked up before your bedtime now,” Baldric jabbed, before slowly rising to his feet. “Meh. So you’re not that short after all. However, I am quite dru—” Baldric fell to the floor with an empty thud. “Drunk,” he finished, letting out a shameful laugh. “That Elven wine has quite a kick doesn’t it?”
William fell into Baldric’s chair laughing. “You may have worked in a tavern for six years, but you’d never be able to keep up with a fisherman on a night of drinking.”
Baldric fell asleep before he could think of something clever to say, and William was quick to follow. The two new friends slept through the rest of the night as free men, with food in their stomachs and laughter in their hearts.
***
William woke to the sound of Baldric dragging an Elven corpse into the dining hall. “What are you doing?!” he asked, his mouth agape.
Baldric continued pulling the body further into the room. He dropped the corpse at Will’s feet and took a second to catch his breath. “He should be … about your size, wouldn’t you say?” Baldric asked in a cheery tone. He spoke as if he didn’t see anything odd about lugging around a dead body.
Just before William was about to reply, he noticed that Baldric was already wearing a full suit of Elven armour. Shin-high leather boots laced his shins and ankles. Braided Iron-Bark crisscrossed through his light gray breeches, a beautiful leather cuirass covered his torso, and a long emerald cloak hung from his shoulders. He could have easily been mistaken for an Elf in his new attire. He even carried an Elven sword at his waist, with a bow and quiver to match.
William shook his head. “What do you think you’re doing? You can’t take clothes from the dead! You said yourself we should show much respect.”
“We can, and we have too! Did you think we were going to travel across the land wearing those tattered rags the Braxi left us in? We need weapons, armour, and a sturdy pair of boots. How long do you think you’d last in the wilderness barefoot and unprotected?”
William quickly realized the truth behind Baldric’s words. Going on an adventure called for proper attire, what the Braxi provided them with wouldn’t do. He walked over to the corpse Baldric had so gracefully brought him and began judging the measurements of the armour. “It should fit,” he said, still uncomfortable with the idea of wearing a dead Elf’s wardrobe.
William quickly took a liking to his new attire after putting on the clothes. Not only was it comfortable, but it was all weightless and sturdy, too.
“Lighter than it looks, eh?” Baldric said, admiring his new armour.
“It is quite comfortable,” Will said.
“Ha! I knew you’d approve. To be honest, it makes you look older,” Baldric said with a playful grin.
“Oh, fuck off,” Will shot back. “I’m three years older than you. Get used to it.” William figured he would soon have to grow accustomed to Baldrics childish antics—to this, he smiled and rolled his eyes.
“So, how do fried potatoes and onions sound for breakfast?” Baldric asked.
“Sounds good to me. I can’t remember the last time I smelled fried onions.”
A smile stretched across Baldric’s face. “Well, fried onions do smell great. But onions fried in butter smell even better. I found some next to the rack of smoked fish, so prepare yourself for the best fried onions you’ve ever tasted.”
The savoury smell of breakfast filled the dining hall. Soon they were satisfying their hunger once again. The two of them could have lived off the food from the Elven pantry for weeks to come, but the risk of staying in a fallen Elven Kingdom was far too great.
As Baldric swallowed his last bite, he spoke the obvious. He had to make sure that his new friend, Will, was on the same page as him. “Well, as much as I love this place, we should be on our way. We can’t be sitting here like a couple of fools when the Braxi or whomever else decides to show up.”
William nodded. “I'm assuming you have another plan then ... one that doesn’t involve a fiery death, I hope?” Although he was joking, he spoke with a hint of concern, fearing what Baldric might say next.
“Hmm, yes,” Baldric chuckled. “You're right. I do have a plan. But worry not. No fire or death shall join us on this path ... yet.”
“What do you mean, 'Yet' ?”
“Nothing, nothing. Worry not, my friend. You need to see things as I do. A great journey lies ahead of us. Trying to plan what’s going to happen will only end in disappointment. I can’t guarantee our safety, but I can guarantee an adventure. We may run into a little danger here and there, but nothing I can’t handle … especially with this!” Baldric said as he unsheathed his new Elven sword. “Ah! Yes, look at that. An Elven blade forged for a King. This sword is sharp enough to cut through bone like butter, you can feel it!” He swung the blade down into the table where Will was sitting.
William shook his head. He watched as Baldric struggled to free his blade from the wooden table. “Right. Well, good luck with that. I’m gonna go look for a bag and start gathering supplies for the road. I’ll meet you back here shortly.”
***
William left the dining hall in search of rope, a large blanket, and any sort of leather bag or pouch he could find. He walked through the beautiful Elven hallways, welcoming the warmth of the sun as it shone through the open-holed ceilings. He had a good feeling about finding supplies, but he doubted he would find the castle’s undercroft. He knew he was at a disadvantage, being a fisherman and all. His knowledge of a castle’s architecture was near non-existent. He felt like he was blindly navigating seas as he wandered the Elven hallways.
He came to a sudden halt when he realized the cylindrical tower he was approaching was not made of stone, but of wood. Here was the largest tree he had ever seen. The colossal hardwood towered high above him, making him feel like a rabbit lost in the forest. The trunk of this giant tree had been hollo
wed out and acted as a pillar branching out into other hallways. He slowly entered the wooden base of the tree, finding himself surrounded by gorgeous carvings and what he assumed was Elven scripture. He never knew such beauty existed on land. Again, he found himself inspired by the Elves. He took a left, leaving the tree behind him, but not without turning around for one more glance.
William quickly lost hope. He had opened many doors, none of which held what he was in search of. The next corner he turned presented a large wooden rectangular door, opposed to the smaller arch-top doors behind which he had only found disappointment. As he pushed open the heavy wooden door, two birds flew out. He fell to the floor in panic. But then he rose back to his feet, laughing nervously. The room was dark compared to the rest of the Kingdom. William took this as a good sign, telling himself that he’d finally found what he was looking for. As his eyes adjusted, he was met with a pleasant surprise. He had finally found a storeroom. He snatched two leather backpacks and filled them with rope, blankets, iron pots and pans, and pretty much anything else he deemed useful. He made sure to leave enough space for food, even though he knew he would be capable of catching fish. And though he was unsure, he hoped Baldric could use the bow he carried. After a second look through the storeroom, William was satisfied. He made his way back to the dining hall.
***
Upon his return, William noticed that Baldric’s Elven sword was still wedged in the long wooden dining table. But his friend was nowhere to be found. William figured he would return soon enough, so he began filling their new leather sacks with fresh food.
An hour later, William finally started to worry. Baldric had yet to return, and William couldn’t help but assume something bad had happened. He sat at the table alone and afraid, hoping his friend would return. Every passing minute felt like an eternity. He wanted to go look for him, but he knew that would only prolong his dilemma. He figured Baldric would most likely make his return the minute he left. During his wait, he found himself pondering his time spent in the dungeons of Havelmir, thinking back to his days of darkness and imprisonment. He wondered how long he had spent in the darkness, locked away from the world. That suffocating feeling of hopelessness still stuck with him somehow. It laughed at him, made him feel as if his newfound life of freedom was a mere mirage.
The sound of distant beating hooves then entered the dining hall, ending his nightmarish thoughts.
“Will ... Will!” Baldric shouted. “We have to leave, hurry!”
William jumped, startled and confused. The sound of Baldric’s voice brought him much relief, but his friend’s urgency to leave only diminished this satisfaction. He picked up both backpacks and rushed out of the dining hall without a moment’s hesitation.
“What’s wrong? Why are we running?” Will asked. “Where were you?”
“There’s a man on horseback approaching. I saw him from the balcony above the dining hall.”
“You think it’s the Braxi?” Will questioned with grave concern.
“It very well could be. I found a way out through the back when you were gone. Follow me!”
William and Baldric franticly charged through the Kingdom of Rhan, leaving the beautiful safe-haven behind. They both hoped the lone rider hadn’t noticed them on their way out.
Baldric led them to a secret pathway along the cliffs of Tullin’s Bay—the same path Arnion and his friends had taken as they fled their home. The rocky pathway climbed across the body of cliffs like a maze, weaving and bending through the stone. Neither Baldric nor William knew where they were going as they ran. All they knew was that the further they were from Rhan, the safer they were from the grasps of death. They slowed their pace after a while, realizing they had successfully escaped.
“Alright. I think we're safe now,” Baldric said as he attempted to catch his breath. “If the rider had seen us we would know by now.”
William looked over his shoulder for good measure. All he saw was a long stony pathway. The only things following them were their shadows. “That was close,” he said. “It’s a good thing you found this trail. Where did you go for so long?”
“I was looking for something,” Baldric replied.
William waited, expecting Baldric to explain further, but he just kept walking. “Did you find what you were looking for?”
“Well, I can see you sure did,” Baldric said as he slipped off the leather pack Will had found for him. “Bloody heavy though. What did you put in here?” Baldric rummaged through the leather pack.
“Don’t avoid the question,” William said, now even more curious to know what Baldric had or hadn’t found. “What were you looking for?”
“This,” Baldric said, tapping the golden hilt of a beautiful Elven sword.
William now understood why Baldric had left the other sword stuck in the dining hall table. “Yes, it’s very pretty. But there must be something else. I mean, for a guy who never stops talking, you're being awfully quiet … What are you hiding?”
Baldric chuckled. “Hiding? What would I hide? Do you think I found a magic ring or something? I found this sword and this pathway that saved our lives. That’s all.”
William wasn’t convinced. He knew Baldric was up to something, but he decided to let it be. “Fair enough. How did you find this path anyway? The entrance was almost impossible to see. I would have walked right past it.”
“I’m just very clever,” Baldric replied with a grin.
Will shook his head and tried not to laugh. “Do you know where this path leads?”
“Not a clue, but we’ll both know soon enough.”
***
The secret pathway along the cliffs of Tullin’s Bay had two exits. One wrapped around the Kingdom of Rhan and led to the fields of Dale. The other zigzagged down the cliffs and led to the beach below. William and Baldric took the latter.
William could hear the soothing ocean’s song as they neared the bottom of the cliffs. The fresh smell of saltwater blew along the stony pathway, greeting him like a distant friend. Months had passed since he last saw the ocean, and now he was eager to look out at its endless beauty once again. As they walked out onto the sands of Tullin’s Bay, they were greeted by the stunning view of a sunset reflecting off the vast surface of the sea.
Even Baldric was taken by the view. He could understand why William spoke so highly of his home. “I must say, Will. She is beautiful.”
William simply smiled as he walked toward the sandy shoreline. He removed his leather boots and let the tide cover his bare feet. He could feel the saltwater healing his dry skin almost instantly.
“I think I’ll leave you two alone for a while. Let you get reacquainted and such,” Baldric snickered. “I’m gonna go catch us some dinner. The Elven food was good, but I need some red meat. Those iron pots you found would look much better filled with rabbit stew.”
“So you know how to use that bow you carry?”
“I may have worked in a tavern for most of my life, but I’m best known for my skills in archery. Some might even say I’m as good as the Elves.”
William laughed. “I’m sure you are. I’ll ready a fire. I couldn’t think of a better spot to spend the night.” After a short swim, William set up camp. He made sure to do so far enough inland so that the tide wouldn’t creep up on them in the middle of the night. He was looking forward to falling asleep with the sound of the ocean, and the last thing he wanted was to be wakened by a rush of cold water. The small bay hugged the cliffs, protecting them from prying eyes.
For the first time since William had washed ashore, he felt safe.
***
Baldric returned smiling and with two rabbits slung over his shoulder.
“Ah. So you can use that bow,” William teased. He was building a fire into the peak of burning branches.
“I told you, my friend. Archery is my gift,” Baldric sat in front of a wide flat rock and placed one of the rabbits down. “I’m sure you can skin a fish faster than a whore removes her clothes, but c
ome over here and I’ll show you how to skin a cony.”
William got up and made his way over to Baldric. “Good size, that one. Looks like we’ll be full-bellied again tonight.”
“That we will … now watch,” Baldric removed an Elven dagger he had brought from Rhan and cut a notch into the hide of the rabbit’s upper back. He then pulled downward, removing most of the rabbit’s skin in one easy tug—similar to the way someone would take off their sock. “It’s pretty simple really. Once you see how it’s done, you can try it yourself … here,” Baldric handed Will the other rabbit and watched as he succeeded in skinning their freshly caught dinner. “I filled this waterskin at a spring I came across just up around the bend. All we need now are a couple of chopped vegetables, some spices, and we’ll have a pot full of savoury rabbit stew. Take half the meat and put it aside. I’ll smoke the rest after letting it sit in a simple brine for a bit.”
“A hot meal and an ocean view. I guess living on land can be nice when you’re not in chains,” William said.
Baldric shot out a confident laugh. “Stick with me and I’ll show you the perks of the land, my friend.”
William started cutting up potatoes and onions as Baldric gutted the rabbits. Next he filled the iron pot with plenty of Elven ingredients. “Some garlic, thyme, parsley, a bay leaf, and butter of course. Then a pinch of salt. If we had some bacon, Will, this would be the same as the stew I made back in Havelmir. We even have wine left over from the other night.”
Their stew boiled over the fire just as the sun dipped under its horizon. A steaming aroma of garlic, onions, and fresh meat shot into the air.
William walked to the shoreline after they’d both devoured three bowls. He stared into the great abyss of the sea, finding himself thinking back to his days aboard the Alkyon. “Last night, you asked me why I left the sea.”
Baldric looked up from his bowl in surprise. He remembered the look of sorrow on William’s face when he asked, and figured he would never find out. “I did, but I asked unaware of the pain behind my question. Don’t revisit your demons on my account.”