Song of the Sword

by K.L. Bauman

Every emotion flooded Ayden in the span of a few seconds. For reasons he couldn't focus on, anger seemed to dominate them all. He shrugged off Volos' hand as he attempted to make his way through the crowd. It seemed as if every person in his path was going the opposite direction, and he ended up further back from where he'd started. Volos finally caught him and shouted over the noise of the crowd, "You may as well wait until this crowd thins out. You'll never be able to get through until it does anyway."

  "But she'll be long gone by then!" Ayden shouted back louder than he'd intended.

  "She won't go far--she has to collect her winnings," Volos said as he gestured with his chin toward a large, brown tent north of the arena.

  As Ayden waited impatiently for the crowd to disperse, Pax and Da'ewyn found their way to him. "What is going on? Do you know that girl?" Da'ewyn questioned with a scowl on her face.

  Ayden was in no mood to discuss anything with the princess at that moment, so he allowed Volos to fill in the blanks. Volos told Da'ewyn how Isabella had been Ayden's girlfriend, and how Ayden had led her into Shae Vale against Freya's instruction--and how Ayden had to convince her it had all been a dream. When Volos finished, Da'ewyn's expression hadn't improved. Directing her gaze once again on Ayden, she questioned, "So why bother talking with her? Obviously she can't be trusted if she's found her way here. I say we get what we need and leave. Let her face her own fate."

  Ayden looked so fiercely into Da'ewyn's eyes that she took a step back. "She was my friend once. It's because of me that she even knows about Shae Vale in the first place. I have to find out what's going on and get her out of here!"

  Ayden spun abruptly on his heal before anyone could stop him and stormed across the dusty ground toward the tent. Most of the crowd had dispersed and he was able to focus on his destination. Just as he approached the doorway to the tent, Isabella emerged holding a bag heavy with coin. Her face held smugness, as she shook the purse and listened to the coins clink against one another.

  Ayden drew closer and, nearly shouting, spoke her name, "Isabella!"

  The girl turned abruptly to face him, her expression void of recognition. When she looked more closely, however, she burst into joyous shouting. "Ayden! Oh, my gosh! I wondered how long it would be before I saw you here!" She floated toward him, causing him to be momentarily distracted from his anger with wonderment at her fluid movement. She reached out and embraced him tightly, causing a flood of mixed emotion to rush through him. He wasn't certain how to react, so he stood stiffly holding his arms at his sides.

  When he didn't respond, Isabella drew away and scowled at him. "What's the matter? We haven't seen each other for so long and you can't even give me a hug?" Her expression soured and Ayden noticed how thin and pale her face was.

  "What are you doing here, Isabella? What are you doing fighting a troll in the middle of Shae Vale? And, how did you learn how to move like that?" Ayden couldn't stop his questions, each edged with the anger that still ruled his emotions.

  Isabella continued to scowl and answered, "I don't know, Ayden. Since this is all just a figment of my imagination, why don't you tell me?"

  Ayden's face heated. "Freya made me tell you that. I wasn't supposed to bring you to Shae Vale in the first place. You don't belong here, Isabella. There are things happening here that are beyond dangerous--you need to go home!"

  Isabella's face contorted with rage. "I am a part of the danger here. You lost the right to tell me what I could and couldn't do the minute you lied to me about this place. How dare you tell me to go home! I have no home anymore. I can never go back to our world!" Her green eyes had gone from fire to water in a matter of seconds. She shook her head, allowing the fierceness to re-appear. "And don't call me Isabella anymore--Isabella no longer exists. I go by Sabina now."

  With that she turned and glided away. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Volos staring down at him. "I don't have a good feeling about her. Leave her be. She can obviously take care of herself."

  Volos' words were like hot needles pricking at Ayden's nerves. He knew Volos never cared much for Isabella--or Sabina. The name change made it even more unnerving. What had she meant about Isabella not existing? "How can you tell me to leave her? Whatever has happened to her is my fault! I am the one who brought her here, and lied to her about it afterwards. If she's in some kind of trouble from coming here, I need to help her."

  As Ayden ran after Isabella, he could hear the padding of his friends' feet in the powdery dirt behind him. He didn't care--he couldn't continue with their journey until he solved this problem.

  "Isa--I mean, Sabina, wait!" He ran after her to the edge of the trees where she had approached another figure holding the staff that she'd used in the ring. At first, all Ayden noticed was the bird sitting atop the white staff, its enormous wings stretched out as if challenging him. But it wasn't the bird's pose that drew his attention. He'd never seen anything like it in all his life. Its body was shaped and colored like a peacock; scale-like chest feathers changed from deep blue, to deep purple, to deep green as it moved in the sunlight. The wing feathers were colored like the rainbow as were its extremely long tail feathers that trailed nearly to the ground. Its eyes gleamed shiny and gold and it let out a clear, loud call as it vigorously flapped its wings, sending tufts of down through the air. It was the most beautiful bird Ayden had ever laid eyes on.

  Sabina and the figure holding the staff where momentarily forgotten as the bird drew all attention to itself.

  Sabina's voice jerked Ayden's focus away from the hypnotizing bird. "It's okay, Nya. He's an old friend of mine. He's a jerk, but he's basically harmless," she said, glaring over at Ayden and his friends.

  Ayden tried to ignore Sabina's insult as he watched Nya and the bird. A soft voice emanated from the girl in a language foreign to Ayden as she stroked her pet's chest with her index finger. The bird immediately calmed and perched quietly atop the staff. Ayden paid attention to the figure for the first time.

  Next to the glory of the bird, the girl appeared dull. A cream colored dress hung loosely from bony shoulders and a tall, lean frame. The hem of the dress was tattered and dirty, and soiled bare feet stuck out from beneath it.

  Ayden directed his attention to her young face. Her layered, mousy brown hair hung loosely and rested on her shoulders. Her eyes, which were set a little too far apart, caught his attention; they seemed to be dimming as Ayden looked at them, like watching something white hot cool rapidly. Ayden stared, mesmerized, until the whiteness dissolved and tender lavender eyes stared back at him. Her features were soft and smooth as she smiled warmly.

  "Ayden, this is Nya. Nya, Ayden," Sabina quickly introduced. She then turned to Nya, and spoke in the strange language. When Sabina finished, she turned back to Ayden.

  "I've told her how rude you are. You haven't even introduced me to your friends. Uh, except for Volos. Good to see you again." She nodded to Volos who scowled back at her.

  "That's not really important right now," Ayden said, feeling impatience tug at him again. "How did you get here? What's happened to you? Why are you here and why are you fighting for money? And what did you mean that you were a part of the danger here, or that 'Isabella' no longer exists?"

  "All of that, my dear old friend, is not your business. But, I will tell you that we needed the money," she jangled her winnings in his face, "for supplies, which we will now get and be on our way." She walked over to Ayden, looking deeply into his eyes. "It really was good to see you," she said softly. Sadness shadowed her face again, and she turned away before Ayden could stop her.

  His anger was joined with frustration and worry, but he didn't know what to do to stop Sabina from leaving. He didn't have time to mull it over as a commotion drew his attention to where they had tethered their horse. The animal was squealing in fear as someone was attempting to steal him.

  Before anyone could blink, Da'ewyn had shot
an arrow and the perpetrator lay sprawled on the ground. "So much for being inconspicuous!" Ayden yelled and ran to the fallen body. Da'ewyn was quicker, however, and as she reached it first, she drew another arrow and held it ready over her victim's body.

  "You'll be still if you wish to continue existing," she spat.

  The man was ragged and thin and there was darkness in his eyes that reminded Ayden of the men in the gray area at prison, Hosgrow. He shrugged away a shiver as he came beside Da'ewyn and held his sword to the man's throat. Volos and Pax joined them, forming a circle around the man, leaving no room for escape.

  "What do you have to say for yourself?" Ayden asked.

  The man merely looked each of them up and down purposefully before giving an evil smile. Da'ewyn shot her arrow a fraction of a second too late as the figure suddenly disappeared with a wisp of black smoke.

  "Th-that c-can't be g-good!" Pax stated.

  "Ya think?" Ayden said and little more fiercely than he'd intended. Pax fiddled with the pouch on his belt and cast his eyes to the ground.

  "We have to leave now!" Da'ewyn said. "I don't like this place and whatever that thing was, it wasn't good."

  "D-Do you th-think we're b-being fffollowed?" Pax asked nervously, continuing to rattle the contents of the pouch.

  "If we are, it's best to get a move on. We'll lose whoever it is in the trees," Volos said in a tone that was not all that convincing. Ayden's stomach knotted and he instinctively surveyed every inch of the area around them for shadows.

  "One of us needs to get our supplies. That was the whole reason for stopping here in the first place," Ayden said.

  "If you hadn't decided to watch that stupid fight and have a chat with your old girlfriend, we could've been gone already, and none of this would've happened," Da'ewyn growled.

  "Would you shut up? How was I supposed to know that she was the one fighting?" Ayden shouted back. He was about to continue railing on the Veela, but Volos interrupted.

  "This is no time for one of your quarrels. We need to get out of here. Now, who will get the supplies?"

  "I-I can d-do it," Pax offered.

  "No, you're too important--you carry the map," Da'ewyn stated.

  Ayden fought back the impulse to punch her square in the mouth. "Sssh! Do you want everyone to hear you?"

  "I'll go. I know what we need and I have plenty of money," Da'ewyn said, ignoring Ayden. He began to protest, but she cut him off before he could speak. "You are even more important than Pax, and Volos may be recognized. I'll be quick. Wait for me in the trees past the tent." She turned abruptly and was headed for the merchant's tent before anyone could protest.

  Ayden grew more and more impatient as they waited for Da'ewyn to return. His mood was still sour over the whole Sabina incident and the smoky figure. If those were the types of creatures they were up against, how would they ever reach their destination without being followed or captured?

  After what seemed an hour, Da'ewyn finally re-joined the group. She handed out the new water skins and tied the bag of feed to the horse's pack. "Take long enough?" Ayden said, annoyed but also awed at Da'ewyn's strength--that bag of feed couldn't have been light.

  "There was a large crowd," Da'ewyn replied and then turned up the trail. Ayden was a little taken back--he'd been expecting more of a fight. However, relief over leaving that area overrode his annoyance and he followed the princess down the path.

  Everyone was jittery over the next couple of days. Every little sound caused Ayden's nerves to jolt though him like lightning as he was certain they'd be under attack at any moment.

  Pax periodically fiddled with the pouch on his belt which nearly drove Ayden to insanity. "What in the heck do you have in there anyway?" he finally asked toward the end of the day.

  Pax looked startled and confused, as if he had no idea what Ayden was talking about. When Ayden jerked his head toward the pouch, Pax abruptly stopped fiddling and explained. "Th-thay're marbles. I-It's h-habit, I-I guess. I-I d-don't even r-realize when I'm d-doin' that. Sarry."

  "Just try to stop; it gets annoying after a while," Ayden said a little more calmly. Pax nodded and released the pouch as they plodded on.

  Later that night, Volos and Da'ewyn patrolled the area to make certain it was safe to set up camp for the night. They had been eating cold food again to avoid lighting a fire and drawing attention. As Ayden finished his meal, Da'ewyn approached and sat down beside him. "Did you love her?" she asked point blank.

  Ayden looked at her and shook his head. "You're just dying to know every little detail, aren't you? Well, I'm not going to tell you anything." He said calmly and turned back toward the fire. He could see the Veela out of the corner of his eye scowling at him, and he couldn't keep the smile from creeping across his lips.

  "I was just trying to start a conversation," she said.

  Ayden couldn't hold back his laughter. "That's one heck of a conversation starter. 'Did you love her?'" This was the most fun he'd had in days.

  Da'ewyn looked at him coolly and said, "There's something wrong with her, you know. I saw her at the merchant's. She wasn't buying normal supplies for a human."

  Ayden was suddenly serious. "What do you mean? What was she buying?"

  Da'ewyn looked smugly at him and said, "Oh, this and that. I couldn't tell really; there were too many people."

  "You didn't see anything. You just trying to get me riled up," Ayden said uncertainly.

  "She's not all that pretty, you know. I can't understand what you saw in her."

  Ayden looked at Da'ewyn, amused. "Are you jealous of Sabina? You are, aren't you?" he asked and nearly burst into laughter.

  "I am NOT jealous! Why would I be jealous of a human? You're talking nonsense!" she blurted, her cheeks blazing red. She stood and stormed off to the sound of Ayden's laughter.

  Suddenly, the sound of Ayden's laughter was sliced by a shrill scream emanating from the darkening trees. All four companions leapt to their feet with weapons ready as they attempted to determine which direction the sound had come from. They didn't have to wait long as another scream echoed from the path not far ahead of them.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Suspicions