After an hour’s rest and refreshment, the crew assembled on the promontory where the shipwreck was perched. The boys separated out their possessions. Jon was pleased when Keith gave a public apology to Fidra, who accepted it in good humor. Soon, the crews began ant-lining the treasure from above into the wagons down in the glade. The treasures and coins were loaded into the empty wagons and distributed so as not to overburden the axles. Karl had some of the boys soak the spare wooden wheels to keep the tires tight so they could be switched for the old ones. By the time the wagons were loaded, Jon ascertained that the road down would be too dangerous in the dark, so he ordered the boys to pitch camp under the open skies. Fires were built, and guards were posted by the fyrd.
As the boys were finishing their scanty meals of hard tack and jerky, a boulder flew through the air and crashed near where they stood. They scattered for cover when a log, ten feet in length, hurtled into the camp, landing with a great thud. The trolls were attempting to claim back their jungle nest.
Redelfis stood behind a wagon for cover. He shouted to the guards, “The log came from the snake grass at point nine on the medicine wheel. He swiftly ran to his bedroll to retrieve a bow and quiver then took cover once again by the wagon. He ripped strips of cloth from his tunic and tied them around several arrows. Another hefty boulder came crashing in and he was able to see where it originated. After setting fire to the cloth at the nearest campfire, he answered the challenge by sending the flaming arrows directly at the feet of a troll. With a scream of terror, the trolls broke cover, turned and crashed through the dark wood. In the silence and palpable relief that followed, Jon looked about at the pristine beauty of the area. The last rays of sunlight upon the mountain’s top reflected in the dark pool so well framed by the lush tangle of jungle surrounding it. He thought, there can be no more beautiful place on the earth.
Jon announced, “You all have been so interested in the treasure that you have failed to see the true treasure of this place. Look about you. What do you see?”
After a long silent stare several of the boys moved over to water’s edge to bathe, which turned into exploring the pool.
Going Snake broke off a willow branch. Whittled it to a spear point, and gigged a bullfrog that was the size of a small chicken. Holding it up for all to see, he said, “These frogs are going to make a fine meal and I’ll bet this grass is loaded with them.”
Some of the others rushed to cut their own gigs, and before long they had amassed quite the stack of frogs. Darkness moved over the land and the campfires grew brighter as they cooked the frogs along a large spit.
“Looky there, ain’t that the damnedest thing you done ever saw!” Fidra the Green pointed at the pool.
Going Snake gasped, “Water demons and nixies, just like Brekka said.”
Bnimmin frowned. “What are we going to do? Do they come out on land after you?”
“If they are knuckers, they will pull you in and drown you in the depths of their seaweed nests.”
Before Going Snakes fear ran contagious, Jon said, “Those are nothing more than luminous eels. I’ve seen them before in the pools by the Great Falls. They are totally harmless.” What he didn’t say is that these eels were much larger than the eels at the Great Falls, some, maybe, as long as thirty feet.
Herewose studied them carefully for a moment. “The eels are weaving streamers of red, pink, blue, and green streaks over the surface. It’s a lightning storm under water. What a sight! I must record this in my journal.”
“This is a sacred pool. A holy place,” Aelfheah declared. “Perhaps it is sanctified by the joining of many tribes, each weaving a distinct pattern as they engage the others.”
Indeed, to Jon, it did appear like a lightning storm across the surface, but he had to marvel that a young rowdy man like Aelfheah the horse-breeder, could speak with such great depth. In the same spirit of awe, Jon pronounced, “We shall call this place the Dragon’s Hoard Pool. Here we discovered great treasure together.”
The following day at day break it was difficult for Jon and Karl to prod the youth up, but up they came. They ate a swift breakfast and Jon announced. “It will take two half days to reach the main road and then a day to get to Godeselle. Before we go, I think it would be a favorable gesture to leave something shiny for our troll friends so that they can have their jungle nest back. And, perhaps, Aelfheah and Ruhm could leave an offering of frog legs for the eagle-owls.”
Jon turned to observe his son, Ruhm, praying while placing some bull frogs on a stone for the eagle-owls to eat. “I promise we will give them a good life and always care for them. We will call them Uhu and Ugle. Please accept my small token of gratitude, my sky friends.”
Jon was now confident he had done the right thing to let the boys keep the owlings. After Ruhm had secured the owlings in a basket Karl gave him, Jon ordered the boys to mount and get ready to depart.
As Karl pulled himself up into his wagon seat and grabbed the reigns, he turned to Jon and said, “My friend, I’ll have to count this the most successful mission I ever went on. I am now a rich man.”
* * *
Sur Sceaf and Redith greeted the returning road party with great fanfare. Additionally, they were greeted by musicians and singers, while blossoms and leaves were strewn in their paths by the fair maidens of Godeselle. Once the crew and the wagons were all fully inside the courtyard, Sur Sceaf took Jon in an embrace and then embraced Karl with a backslapping hug. “Well done, my good and faithful brethren. Well done. The runners have already born the tales of treasures, beautiful glades, and great success in blazing trails in the direction of Moon Door. Come, bring us some of the treasure, and feast with us around the festive board whilst you fill our ears and hearts with the stories of your trials and tribulations, as well as your blessings in training these young hot bloods to work as one. Then I will tell you the progress of the bridge Muryh is building over the Great Falls at the dragon’s back and discuss with you our final plans to enclose and connect the entire land and the four regions with it.”
THE END
Author Biography
Russ Howard was born in the north end of the Shenandoah Valley. He grew to manhood in rural West Virginia, where the mountaineer culture conveyed to Russ a sense of fierce independence, which is a running theme in his books. In his youth his first passion was for the animals he kept, an assortment of creatures from owls and pigeons to chipmunks and foxes. As he entered adolescence he developed an obsession for running and became an accomplished cross-country and track athlete.
His education spanned across international borders. He attended four major Universities in three states and for a number of years he lived abroad as a student in various German cities as well as Kitzbuhl, Austria. During his stint there he learned to love and appreciate the German tongue and culture.
He is greatly influenced by English Literature, Germanic, Keltic, and Slavic Mythology. He is an admirer of the operatic genius Richard Wagner, the political innovator and democratic theorist Thomas Jefferson, and reveres J.R.R. Tolkien as the greatest modern story-teller. Russ’s spiritual philosophies have been condensed from sources of mysticism and Kabballah. He especially praises the works of Rudolph Steiner, Bruno Bettelheim, and Martin Buber.
Most of his life he worked as a Mental Health Investigator, and a Marriage, Family, and Child Therapist. Now Russ lives with his wife Kathryn, a dancer, in Roseburg, Oregon. He spends his time as an avid gardener, small-scale farmer, and shepherd.
Thank you for reading The Bok of Syr Folk. I hope that you fell in love with the heroes, hated the villains and laughed with the jesters.
The Bok of Syr Folk is the fifth book in the eleven book series, The King of Three Bloods, which follows the many trials and tribulations faced by the freedom-loving Syr Folk. If you enjoyed this, the fifth installment, you are humbly, though excitedly, invited to continue your journey with all the many colorful characters in book six, The King-Queen.
Be sure to check out
TheKingofThreeBloods.com for future book releases, articles by and about the author and other news concerning the series.
The Bok of Syr Folk Page 44