by Melina Grace
The scouts had drawn a rough map in the dirt. Crispin pointed to a small ravine that was easily accessible from the north but cut off immediate access from the derks on either side. “We will fight our way through here; there is clear passage down the mountain once we have passed them. We will be able to outride any reinforcements who cut around the bottom of the ridge to pursue us. We will attack at first light.”
Janen returned with Peteer and Winteen, at dusk. They reported to Crispin before sitting down to eat a cold meal. Kilew wove a tale of courage and victory that lifted the morale of the nervous group. Minkre and Lillin came loping back into camp as he finished. They ate and settled down to sleep, while Silver and Yeelent went to keep watch. Caris sat with Janen a while, his arm wrapped around her for warmth.
“Will you go ahead with the scouts in the morning?” she asked.
“No, I tend to hold them back when I’m not mounted. I was exhausted when I got back to camp this evening; those elves eat up the ground without effort.”
Caris sat sadly, soaking up the privilege of his nearness. Tomorrow, if they succeeded, they would be in The King’s army and everything would change. She didn’t know if she would ever sit with him like this again. There was a very real possibility they wouldn’t succeed and she would never sit like this again anyway. But that can’t happen, we can’t lose the pendant again, and The King must be warned of the enemy at his back. She shuddered to think what would happen if the enemy coordinated an attack from the front and back at the same time.
They didn’t sit for long, it would be an early rise in the morning and they would need all their strength for the fight.
“We may never sit like this again,” Caris broke the silence.
“Why not?”
“Oh Janen, you know why not.” He did not reply and Caris guessed he would be realising that once their new roles were assigned and he was thrown amongst other women, it would not do for a prospective wife to see him so close to Caris.
“We will always be friends though,” she said.
She reluctantly began to rise. Janen pulled her close and gently kissed her on the cheek. She didn’t wipe the tears from her eyes until she was safely ensconced in her roll.
They rose before first light and made their way as quietly as possible off the track and down the mountain in the dark. Minkre and Lillin led them.
The clouds hung low and damp and Caris could not make out anything past the horse in front of her. She understood now, why Crispin had refused to make the attack while the derks were still sleeping. There was no way the horses would be able to navigate this steep descent in the dark at speed. The dark would’ve favoured the derks who could see at night, but first light would favour the humans. The derks would be half-blind until their eyes adjusted.
Caris led Illup behind her; four of the elves had gone ahead on foot to see where the enemy was. The derks milled around constantly and there was no certainty that they still held the same position as they had the night before.
Finally, Lillin and Minkre stopped and the small band waited quietly for first light. As the world began to turn grey, Caris watched Zeep and Noley shuffling on their horses, the young men were excited and eager to face their first battle. Son sat quietly beside Janen. Caris knew he was not yet ready to face a derk with his sword but he hadn’t uttered one word of fear, merely nodding at the instructions to not let go his sword, to stay in the saddle, and to keep as many Horse between him and the derks as possible. Caris hoped he would be okay.
The four elves appeared in their midst and conferred with Crispin before climbing into their saddles. Crispin led them quietly forward until they could see the stirring derks. Caris stared in dismay. The elves had reported two-score derks last night but there was easily three-score there now. She knew there was no other option but to go ahead. They would have to face even greater numbers by any other route, and at least the narrowness of the ravine would prevent all the derks from attacking at once.
Crispin stopped when they were within range of the elves bows. Jeniel and Kilew rode forward to join the other elves and strung arrows to their bows. Caris stayed back, she knew she could not shoot that far. The derks still hadn’t noticed them when, in unison, the elves released their first volley.
By the time the derks realised what was happening and came pounding up the slope toward them their numbers had been reduced by a third. There are still too many of them! The sight of the large fearsome creatures converging on them filled her with terror. Images of monsters tearing her family to pieces overpowered her.
She began loosing arrows, but had only taken down three before the vile beasts were upon them.
The battle seemed to rage in slow motion around Caris, the roars of derks and screams of horses sounded like they were in the far distance as she released arrow after arrow through the gaps of those in front of her. The band was not suited to this type of close warfare. They had only six swords people and three of them were untried.
The bow people stayed behind the others as best they could. Caris was thankful she had spent so much time practising shooting from Indira’s back; to her relief most of her arrows were flying true even while her horse jumped around beneath her.
Before she knew it, the derks lay dead around them and Crispin was yelling “ON!”
They kicked their horses into a canter, not trusting them at a gallop on the rocky terrain, and headed down the mountain as fast as they could. Caris held on to Indira tightly with her knees as her horse leapt a small boulder that lay in her path.
She looked around for Son, worried at how he would manage the dangerous ride. She saw him cantering on the other side of Janen, a big grin plastered across his face. It was only then she realised they had made it. There were derks pursuing them, but they wouldn’t catch them. She let out a whoop of triumph, and then set her mind to concentrating on the perilous descent.
They had left the derks far behind when Crispin slowed to a walk. Caris looked around at her comrades and was surprised to see tears streaming down Lillin’s face. Startled, Caris looked around at the others. Minkre was not with them! Horror filled Caris, she looked back the way they had come but the scene of the battle was long gone. She checked again and was relieved to discover no other absences, though Zeep was clutching a bloody arm, and there was a wide slash on Ontro’s leg. They had fought bravely and well and Caris was sorry that she had ever underestimated them.
She stole another look at Lillin, feeling at a loss as to what to do. Sadness filled her; there was a deep incongruence between the laughing, musical, beautiful elves and battle. She couldn’t believe that Minkre had died at the hands of a derk. She had liked Minkre; she will never achieve memre with rocks now. We cannot even bury her.
They hadn’t gone far when they neared a ledge. As Caris approached it, a sea of people filled her vision in the valley beyond. With shock she realised they were grey people. She had never imagined so many people in one place ─ behind the grey people were derks without number and in the far distance she could see silver glinting in the sun, that could only be the lizard people she had seen in her vision.
Behind them was a black wall of creatures that Caris could not decipher. She pulled Indira to a stop, too scared to move forward; she had never dreamt the Dark One’s army could be so massive.
Kalen pulled alongside her, “Why have you stopped Caris?”
“The battle is lost, The King can never defeat that army, even with the pendant to turn the grey people, there are just too many derks, lizards, and whatever they are in the distance.”
Kalen looked at her, “Caris you cannot see clearly from here, come.”
She urged her horse forward. When Caris didn’t follow her, she grabbed Indira’s bridle and pulled the mare after her. As Caris approached the edge of the ledge, The King’s army began to come into sight. As she got closer, it grew and grew until Caris stood at the edge looking down on a valley filled with an army three times the size of the enemy’s.
“Come,” called Crispin to the band who sat frozen around Caris. “The derks still pursue us, we cannot linger.” He led them to a steep path that wound down the last length of their journey.
It was late afternoon when they reached the bottom. They had been sighted making their way down and word had spread. They entered the camp to be greeted by a group of familiar faces. Caris leapt from Indira’s back and ran to throw her arms around Bonny.
“Oh, I knew you’d be okay! I knew it!” Bonny exclaimed. They hugged until Kalen appeared at their side and Bonny released Caris to throw her arms around Kalen. Strong arms wrapped around Caris and Garner was lifting her off the ground and swinging her in circles. Caris laughed for joy at having rejoined her friends and finally being safe.
When the first wave of greetings were finished, Bonny led them to a place where they could camp while Crispin and Syngar made their way to a massive tent that lay not far away. Bonny took charge of their horses and demanded they sit and relax around a large fire with an eppet roasting over it on a huge spit. Meanwhile, a group of volunteers saw to setting up tents for them.
Caris felt guilty when she saw the elves take themselves apart to mourn Minkre but her relief was so great at finally having made their destination and her excitement at seeing her old friends so euphoric she found herself unable to dwell on her sadness. Kalen and Caris saw to Ontro and Zeep’s wounds, while their friends talked excitedly around them. The wounds were serious, but Kalen showed Caris how to stitch them and said that with proper care they would heal well.
The afternoon passed quickly as the group settled in to their tents and swapped stories with old friends around the happy fire. Caris was pleased to see Bek healed and sitting comfortably talking to Janen. They ate early, Caris gorging herself on the succulent eppet.
She was just wiping her hands clean when Garner, who had hardly left her side all afternoon, reseated himself beside her, draping his arm over her shoulders. Caris cringed, feeling uncomfortable. Not wanting to offend him, she resisted moving away. She laughed happily at a story Syngar was telling and looked across the fire to see Janen’s reaction to the tale. He refused to meet her eye, but sat unhappily staring at the ground.
Kalen returned to the group and, kneeling beside Caris, said, “The King wants to see you.”
“Wants to see me?” Caris asked in alarm. The feeling of frantic insects filled her stomach.
“Come on,” Kalen said, gently pulling on her arm. Caris disentangled herself from Garner and rose to follow Kalen.
“You will love him Caris; he has the ability to see into your very soul and know you like no other. There is no greater joy than being with The King.”
Fear filled Caris; she didn’t want The King to see her soul, to know how she had let down her mother, to know all her weaknesses and failings that she tried so very hard to hide. It was bad enough that everyone could see her ugly outside; she didn’t want someone to see her ugly inside as well. Caris’ knees felt weak and she didn’t know if she could make it to the tent that now seemed way too close. If she could refuse to go, she would but he was The King and she couldn’t disobey his command, so she squared her shoulders and followed Kalen into the tent.
The King was sitting on an immense golden throne, but Caris hardly noticed it. The King drew all of her attention; he was large and magnificent, filling Caris with awe. She fell to her knees, head bowed to the ground, barely daring to breathe. A hand grasped hers and The King pulled her to her feet. She continued to look at the ground but he placed a finger under her chin and gently raised her head. He placed his hands on her shoulders like her own father used to do and stared deeply into her eyes.
Caris almost sobbed as a wave of love engulfed her; it flooded out of The King, filling her, making her feel like her whole body was expanding to contain it. A deep sense of peace, as she had never experienced before washed over her, wiping away all the hidden fears and anxieties she had held so deeply. As she stared into his eyes she realised she wasn’t worthless, she wasn’t faulty. She was a treasure; she was cherished by The King.
Finally, he spoke, “Daughter, I am glad to finally meet you. I have been waiting for this day for a long time. You are so precious to me and so beautiful, I made you especially beautiful.” He smiled at her and for some reason Caris believed him. “I am so proud of you, my child. You are lovely, worthy, so wonderful to me.”
He wrapped his arms around her in a fatherly hug and all the hurt Caris had been carrying for years melted away. She sobbed against the bottom of his chest, until she felt utterly drained, but somehow light as a feather and completely new. Finally, she drew back and smiled up at him, no longer afraid to look at him.
“Come,” he said smiling. “I have something to show you.” He led Caris to the back of the sparsely furnished tent. A large golden framed mirror rested on a stand. Caris approached it slowly, awed by its beauty. She looked into it and was shocked to see dark pictures flowing across its face. She realised in horror that it was the derk invasion of her home.
“No!” she protested, stepping back from it.
“Just watch, trust me daughter, this is something you need to see.”
So she watched as her mum ran toward the ladder, she watched herself quickly knocking an arrow to her bow string and firing with lightening speed and precision at a derk who still managed to kill her mum.
“No one could’ve gotten that shot off any quicker,” Caris whispered.
“No one could’ve,” The King agreed. She began to turn to him but he said, “There is something else I want you to see.”
She watched as the mirror’s picture changed to show a beautiful waterfall. Caris recognised the pool she had camped beside with Crispin and The Singer. And there was Crispin by the water’s edge, but it was not her with him, it was Kalen, laughing, her long black hair shining in the sunlight. She is beautiful, Caris realised for the first time. She looked closer. It wasn’t Kalen at all, it was herself. She watched in amazement. I’m beautiful. She remembered Syngar telling her, Jeniel telling her, Kalen telling her. Why didn’t I believe them? My own parents didn’t believe me beautiful.
“They were blinded by ignorant prejudice and they were wrong,” The King said.
She stared at the mirror as the picture changed once again, this time showing her reflection as she stood gazing into it.
“I am not ugly,” she said wonderingly.
“All my children are beautiful,” The King said from behind her.
She turned to smile up at him and this time she hugged him. He laughed a laugh so full of joy that Caris couldn’t help but join him. They walked to the door together but before she left, he stopped and collected a bundle from a table.
“I have something for you, child.” He placed a uniform into her arms.
“Oh thank you so much! I have wanted one of these so badly!” she laughed. “Thank you for everything.”
“Thank you Caris, for everything you have done for me and mine. I know of your sacrifices, your acts of courage, and your efforts to improve your ability to serve, and I am grateful.”
She bowed her head and, humbled, left the tent.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
I have to tell Janen; she thought, as she raced back to the fire, he has to meet The King. He will love him. She stopped in her tracks. I am not ugly! I can be with Janen, I can be with Janen! She laughed and started running with renewed speed to find him.
She reached the campfire and looked for him but he was not sitting with the others. Jeniel came to stand by her side.
“Where’s Janen?” Caris asked softly.
“He went to his tent.”
Caris looked around; she didn’t know where his tent was or who he was sh
aring with. She felt entirely too uncomfortable with the idea of seeking him out in his tent and so discarded the idea.
“I’m for an early night,” Jeniel said.
Caris looked around at her friends by the fire. She didn’t want to join them. If she couldn’t share her joy with Janen then she wanted to savour it on her own.
“I’ll come with you,” Caris said. She took Jeniel’s hand, “I’m sorry about Minkre, she was lovely. I really liked her.”
“I really liked her too. It is a tragedy for an elf to die so young,” replied Jeniel.
Caris supposed it was a tragedy for anyone to die young, but in light of how long elves usually lived, she had been deprived of most of her life.
They walked to the tent they were sharing in silence. Caris entered it, feeling like it was a palace. It was just large enough for four bedrolls but had been allocated only two and set up with a beautiful red curtain dividing the room in half. Caris luxuriated in the privacy she hadn’t had since Telvendor. She readied herself for bed slowly, her mind full of thoughts of The King.
It was early when Caris woke; she was instantly alert and full of excitement. She had met The King and he was wonderful! She dressed quickly and proudly in her new uniform and raced to find Janen. She found Crispin at the still burning fire, putting on a pot of tea.
“Have you seen Janen, Crispin?”
“I have,” he replied sombrely.
“Is he up? Where is he?”
“He is gone.”
“Gone?”
“The King received word about Kalen’s betrothed during the night. She left on a rescue mission before sunrise with a small band. Janen went with them.”
“Why wasn’t I invited?”
“You cannot go Caris, you are a seer. It would be selfish for two seers to travel together while others fight with none. You are needed here.”
“But then why did she have to take Janen?”