The Dread King: Book One of The Larken Chronicles

by R. L. Poston

  “Home,” said Eleas, who had accompanied Larken to the watchtower.

  Larken sensed the relief behind the words. He took it as a compliment that the Elf had allowed him to sense so much of his feelings.

  The small company of four Warders and two Elves continued their journey on foot that afternoon, leaving the cavalrymen and their mounts in the care of the Warders of Wayland. They began their way on a winding trail up into the foothills. The walking was not hard at first, and the Warders enjoyed the change from riding. Soon, however, the trail became steeper and increasingly broken and rocky. Finally, the trail disappeared altogether, and they were guided solely by the Elves’ knowledge of the area.

  The climb became increasingly strenuous. Larken tolerated the constant climbing better than Gahen, and Gahen far outstripped both Daniel and Joseph. By the early evening, Daniel and Joseph were drenched with sweat despite the cool autumn air. The Elves, however, strode easily up the steep sides of the mountains. Larken began to understand how the light-boned Elves could outfight any invader in their mountains. Heavy-boned humans would be reduced to a literal crawl up the mountains’ sides, while the Elves could run up the mountain with ease.

  When they had left the Traveler’s Road, the only sign of the approaching autumn was the clarity of the afternoon air. As they advanced up the mountain, the air grew chillier, and signs of autumn increased. They walked late into the night and stopped for only a few hours’ rest before beginning again in darkness. By the time the sun rose again, the trees around them were definitely showing their autumn foliage.

  The Elves frequently met and conferred with others of their race at a distance to the rest of the party. When they stopped at midmorning, Gahen asked Algowinon about these meetings.

  “The Council is concerned about your welfare,” answered Algowinon. “They also are concerned about the slowness with which we have traveled.”

  Larken, who had been sharing thoughts with the Elves, volunteered, “They are setting up a meeting place that we can reach by dusk. They don’t have permanent buildings as we do since they don’t live in large groups. They don’t like to be crowded. They live in what we would call tree houses and change their locations often so that they will not overuse one area.”

  “And so that no one can find them,” growled Gahen, who did not like being out of control of any situation.

  “Now you know how they feel when they come to our city,” laughed Larken.

  “Except we don’t make them climb mountains,” complained Daniel.

  “If it makes you feel better, I’ll tell you that they are impressed with how much ground we have covered this morning. Their concern with our travel came from how long we took to get to Wayland,” said Larken. “They understand the need for secrecy, but they seem to think that a crisis is coming quickly.”

  “Well, that’s why we’re here,” said Gahen. “Warders may not be mountain goats, but we always come through in a crisis.”

  “I don’t know,” murmured Larken.

  “What do you mean by that?” asked Gahen.

  “Probably nothing,” said Larken. “It’s just that I learned as an apprentice that the only thing that mattered when you tested something was how strong its weakest part was. A lot of what’s happening now seems to involve me, and I’m feeling like the weak link in the chain right now.”

  “Let me tell you a secret, kid,” responded Gahen. “We all feel that way from time to time. The trouble is, no one thinks anyone else feels exactly the same way, but we all do.”

  * * * * *

  When they started again in the late afternoon, Daniel took the front position, followed by Gahen, Joseph, and Larken. This allowed Gahen to give Daniel some support and assistance while Larken supported Joseph. At times, the Warders helped each other get over particularly difficult sections of the mountainside. The thought of fighting their way up the mountain against nimble Elven archers helped them appreciate fully just how effective the mountains were as a defense.

  Just before dusk, their progress was blocked by a large outcropping of rock. Eleas led them along its base to the north to a spot where they could climb up a stair-step crack in its side. When they reached the top, they found a small company of Elves waiting for them with a hot meal of stew and bread, accompanied by a delicious pale wine. They ate and drank watching dusk gradually darken their view of Wayland, the Traveler’s Road, and the surrounding hills.

  “I could stay here forever,” sighed Daniel.

  “You get that wish partly,” said Eleas. “The Council has decided to meet you here in the morning. You are at the end of your climb.”

  “Hallelujah!” Gahen grinned. “I always did think you Elves were a great bunch of guys.”

  Daniel and Joseph could not stop laughing at that remark. The four Warders found themselves giggling like schoolchildren while the perplexed Elves looked on. The longer the Elves gazed at them without saying anything, the more hilarious the Warders found the situation. At last, they got themselves under control.

  “The wine,” said Gahen. “It must be really strong.”

  “Also, the air,” laughed Larken. “We forgot about the effects of the thin air.”

  “I think we’d better stick with water from now on,” gasped Daniel. Joseph tried to agree but relapsed into another round of giggling.

  “The wine is more potent than the wine humans normally drink. Should we not have given it?” asked Eleas of Larken.

  Larken told Eleas that, while they appreciated the wine, it would be better now to use only water for slaking their thirst, considering their lack of acclimatization to the thin air of the mountains.

  Daniel and Joseph fell promptly asleep, but Gahen and Larken stayed awake as the Elves took their leave.

  “Well, that was embarrassing,” said Gahen to Larken when they were alone.

  “Only for them,” said Larken. “They blame themselves for giving us the wine. In Elven society, the community is totally responsible for someone’s welfare once they have welcomed them.”

  “Still embarrassing,” said Gahen.

  “Maybe,” said Larken.

  Something in Larken’s tone alerted Gahen that all was not right with Larken. “All right, Larken. Are you going to tell me what’s eating you, or am I going to have to keep guessing?”

  Larken didn’t say anything for a long while, and Gahen respected his silence. Finally, Larken let out a sigh and turned to Gahen. “You decide,” he said. “Would it be fair to ask you to keep a secret out of friendship that might conflict with your duty as a Warder?”

  This time Gahen didn’t respond for a long time. Then he answered, “That’s a real conundrum. If you ask me to do it for friendship with most people, I’d refuse. A Warder doesn’t have that kind of freedom about his vows, but something about this seems important. So, go ahead and tell me. I’ll keep your secret until you tell me not to or until I judge that you would have told me not to if you were around. Fair?”

  “Fair enough,” said Larken. “OK, Gahen, there’s a distinct possibility that the Dread King may be my father.”

  “And you’re just now figuring that out?” asked Gahen. “You must be slower than even Melona thinks. Where have you been, kid?”

  “What?” gasped Larken. “You knew that?”

  “Figured it out a long time ago,” said Gahen. “Look, you’re the strongest Talent we’ve ever seen. You’re the son of a Dark Elf and a human. Galren certainly wasn’t your father. He found your mother when she was already pregnant. Furthermore, you believe that you struggle with a dark power that wants to conquer the world, and now the Elves say that the Dread King has been alive for years and has enslaved the Dark Elves. Who couldn’t figure that out?”

  “My god,” said Larken as he lowered his head to his knees. Then, speaking into his knees, he asked, “Does Melona know?”

  “You think she’s stupid?” asked Gahen. “Of course she knows.”

  “Who else knows?” asked Larken, raising his
head to look at Gahen.

  “You mean besides the whole Council, all of the Healers, most of the Warders, and a good portion of the castle staff?”

  “My god,” said Larken again, putting his head back on his knees. “Does everyone know every secret except me?”

  “Just about, kid. Is that all that’s been worrying you?”

  “Is that all?” exploded Larken. “Is that all? I’ve been walking around with the biggest secret of my life, and everybody knows. I’m carrying a power inside that could destroy me, and you’re acting like I’m going to a picnic. Am I completely out of touch here, or is there something else I don’t know?”

  “Both,” said Gahen. “Look, Larken, there’s a lot you don’t know. Most people around you have been around a lot longer than you have. We’ve seen more trouble than you can imagine exists. If this Dread King is your father and he’s coming to eat us alive, we’ll figure something out. That’s part of the Warder code and life. We face things that would scare others to death. About the thirtieth time that you’ve done that, it becomes routine.”

  Larken didn’t respond. He just shook his head in amazement. Then he had a thought. “If Melona knows, is she angry at me for not discussing it with her?”

  “Probably not,” Gahen answered. “There’s an unwritten code that says that Healers and Warders don’t discuss Council business outside the Council, and your lineage is definitely Council business. If she hasn’t brought it up, she probably accepts that rule.”

  “I wish that someone would have said something,” said Larken. “I’ve been worrying myself sick.”

  “Well, then this is a lesson for you,” responded Gahen. “Don’t worry alone. There’s always plenty of folks around to help you worry.”

  * * * * *

  The next morning, they were awakened by Eleas who brought them a breakfast of fruit and nuts. When they finished eating, they were joined by a dozen more Elves on the outcropping. These Elves were the oldest Elves that the Warders had seen so far. They wore no special clothes or emblems, but they somehow seemed more official and dignified than either Eleas or Algowinon. Half of them were female, smaller and softer of feature than the males. The females were also more animated, smiling at their guests and trading soft words with their neighbors. Finally, the most ancient of the Elven males gestured for them all to sit. Following his guidance, they seated themselves quietly in a loose circle. Larken seated himself next to the ancient leader after being invited to do so. The other Warders interspersed themselves among the Elves in the circle and waited for the silence to be broken. Larken stretched out his mental abilities but found that there were no Elven mind transmissions at the moment. Finally, the ancient Elf spoke.

  “I am Algar, first among the Elven,” he said. “We welcome our Warder guests to our home and to our Council.”

  “I am Gahen of the second rank of Shropanshire Warders. I thank you for your words and bring greetings from King Andreas, our High Council, and Commander Jaris,” returned Gahen. “We have come at your request for the assistance of one of our Warders, Warder Larken. How may we assist you?”

  Algar nodded acceptance of Gahen’s words. “We are thankful that you have come. Within one month, our land will be invaded from the north. Our future and yours are now joined. That much you know, and messages have already passed between the Elves and the three kingdoms to prepare for that invasion. We believe that Warder Larken’s assistance will be crucial to the effort, but we wish to assure ourselves of the wisdom of using his powers. We have called him here for a testing of his Talent.”

  Larken had expected to be tested by the Elves and, therefore, was not surprised by Algar’s request. Gahen, also, was not surprised at the words. He had been coached for just such an exchange. “We agree with your need to test Warder Larken,” he said. “However, we request that we be briefed on the manner and limits of the testing before we give final approval.”

  A minute of silence followed Gahen’s speech. At last, Algar replied, “There is no option but to test Warder Larken, and since he is part of the Fellowship of the Elves, we will insist on the right. However, we will explain to you the testing since you will have a part in it also.”

  This last remark caused the Warders to trade questioning looks. Just as Gahen began to frame a question, one of the Elven females to Gahen’s right touched his shoulder and said, “I will explain the testing and your part in it.” This Elf, who gave her name as Glenera, began to explain the procedure to the Warders. “We will join our minds with Larken’s. This is called a meld. From this meld, we will understand all that is within him.”

  “I see,” said Gahen. “It is very similar to the testing that our Healers use to test new candidates for Bonding.”

  “If I understand it correctly,” answered Glenera, “your Healers look through the memories, feelings, and thoughts of the candidate.”

  “Yes, that is basically what they do,” said Gahen.

  “What we will do with the meld,” continued Glenera, “will be different. We will merge our minds together. Larken will gain as much as he will give. The meld will not be a just us looking through his mind. It will be a joining of minds into a shared consciousness that will be guided by the mutual will of those that are involved.”

  Gahen frowned at this last part. “What if the strongest mind decides to do something that the others don’t want? Can the strongest mind use the powers of the others against their will? Something like that almost happened at Larken’s testing by the Healers.”

  Glenera answered, “It is true that the strongest part of a meld can sway the course of the meld, but the meld is not a collection of minds, it is a different thing. It is not something to be controlled; it is made of all the parts of it. Always, the better parts have more influence, since they bring wisdom and understanding to all.

  “Also, Friend Larken has already demonstrated that he was stronger than the threat within him. The meld will receive that strength along with the strength of the rest of our Council. That strength will be enough to withstand even the Dark One himself.”

  Glenera went on to explain that there would be yet another reason for confidence in the meld. She explained that Elven maids brought their own gifts to the meld. Unlike Elven males, whose Talents lay in mental prowess and telepathy, Elven maidens possessed the empathetic ability to read and understand emotions. More than that, they could influence emotions in others, even within a meld. They were, by tradition, the keepers of the emotional stability and tranquility of the Elven community.

  Larken wasn’t as sure as Glenera about the safety of the meld but agreed that the meld was necessary. Daniel was fascinated by the Elven maidens’ Talents. “Is that why the Elves are always ruled by a queen even though the Elven Council is headed by a male?” he asked.

  Glenera answered affirmatively but urged Daniel not to think of Queen Aletha as lacking in firmness or resolve. The Elven females could fight when they had to, she said, but their Talents usually allowed them to bring agreement out of most disputes, and that was their primary focus. Fighting was regarded as a failure of their efforts. Also, Elven maids did not travel as far or as often as the males, so they rarely were involved in disputes beyond their community.

  Finally, when all their questions were exhausted, Algar proceeded to inform the Warders of their role in the meld. “You must first remove all Blades far away from Larken so that he will not have access to their power. For this, you must surrender your own Blades. Eleas and Algowinon will take them away and keep them safe for you.”

  “That’s a lot to ask of a Warder,” said Gahen. “How far will he have to take them?”

  “Far enough that Friend Larken can’t touch them with his Talent,” answered Algar. “It is a lot to ask, but we pledge to you their safe return.”

  This caused the Warders some concern, but Larken settled the matter by handing his Blade to Eleas. Joseph and Daniel followed his example.

  “Very well,” said Gahen, withdrawing and handing
over his Blade to Eleas.

  Eleas bowed to the Warders. “I will keep them safe and return them to you after the meld.”

  Larken had only one more question for Glenera. “I noticed the similarity between your name and my mother’s, Glendra. I know that Elven names run within families. Were you kin to her?”

  “I don’t know,” replied Glenera. “Remember that we lost touch with the Dristan Elves long ago. With the similarity in names, it is very possible that we are related. It would have been generations ago, however.”

  With this, Algar indicated that the Council was ready to begin the meld. Larken stayed in the circle, but the other Warders were positioned behind Larken. They were instructed to try to break the meld if the Council members showed signs of distress or alarm. Algar emphasized to them that it was their duty, but he assured them that it would be extremely unlikely that they would need to act. Hearing the assurances again did little to ease the tension among the Warders. They didn’t trust the meld process and were already tense from being without their Blades.

  Algar instructed Larken to relax and close his eyes. As Larken closed his eyes, Algar said, “Friend Larken, we do not know how much you will be able to participate, but the melding of minds will hopefully make you a part of us and us a part of you. If you wish not to continue, speak now. If you wish to continue, open your mind to ours.”

  For a long moment, Larken hesitated. He feared that the meld would empower some part of him that waited for just the right moment to seize control. Despite all that the Healers had told him about repressed childhood trauma, he still believed that some part of him was truly evil and needed to be kept tightly under control.

  Larken didn’t expect the meld to exonerate him, but to turn away from the meld wouldn’t be acceptable. Too much was at stake.

  Larken took a deep breath and tried to open his mind to the Elves’ thoughts. As he forced open his mind and forced down his shields, he felt the presence of those nearby. Suddenly, he felt like he was falling. At first, he panicked, but then the others were with him. They became a part of him, and he was a part of them. He was aware of each history, each thought, and each experience of those in the Council. Larken felt part of an entity that surpassed individuality. The meld did not actively think. Instead, it shared the thoughts, wisdom, and experience of the participants. It did not make decisions. Instead, by the accumulated wisdom of its participants, it understood what should be done.