by G L Roberts
Forever will you be my companion, Mo Anam. Until the stars lose their light.
Go now, Ua said to Meydra’s heart, be not afraid. Athebryn wishes it so.
“Do not worry,” Bryn said. “I will come. I am safe here with Ua.”
Meydra opened her eyes. She looked at Bryn and the single jewel at her forehead. “We will await you at Bynack More, Lady Athebryn.”
Thalynder reached for Bryn’s hands and held them in hers. “Hurry, my love. I can keep the others occupied with thoughts of war for only a short time. They will ask when you expect to return.”
“I will be right behind you and Meydra.” Bryn leaned in and kissed Thalynder deeply. She let go of Thalynder and walked to the mantlepiece. She smiled, and the jewel at her forehead glowed brightly.
“On your way now, we will be together again soon.”
Thalynder got onto Meydra’s neck. The two of them watched as the jewel at Bryn’s forehead spread finger-like tendrils on each side. The tendrils turned to fine silver threads that wove themselves through Bryn’s dark hair. This new crown, now a part of Bryn’s skin, shone with the light of a million stars.
CHAPTER FIVE
The entrance to the longhouse was filled with people who came to see the thing Hansa now possessed. The beam and gem, now fashioned to look like the eye of a beast, adorned the shield she held tight against her chest. King Heardred and his daughter had been summoned to speak with the Tribal elders. Those few whose words still commanded attention, even from the king, and caused many to fear when their presence was requested. Hansa was sure they would ask about the dragon and the gem. They would ask about the stories being told by the survivors of the journey, and she and her father would be asked to convey their side of the story.
Hansa knew in her heart what must be done. She had gone to the navigator’s house, and there she learned about the druids and the dragons.
“The dragons came to our world long before we existed. They ruled great herds of their own kind. They gave birth to the elves and humans. Then in their wisdom, they gave humans the advantage, and in return, they asked for loyalty?” Hansa asked. Staring at words, faded with time, Hansa turned the page of the book in front of her. “I find this all very unlikely. It would have been better for them to become friends rather than expect to be worshiped.”
“Do you not listen? The dragons were the first to arrive. They waited, and when the time was right, they attempted to join with the humans. They did not give birth to anything. They waited for humans and elves to evolve into conscious beings.”
“Conquering them to do their bidding,” Hansa said. “Expecting to be worshiped.”
“Do you know nothing but war-mongering and slavery?” The navigator paced the central room of his humble house. He ran his hand over the carved round stone at the center of the mantle. “Druids are children of the earth, the sea, and the sky. The dragons thought they could join with the druids and live as the druids did on the earth. Cherishing the gifts the earth provided; worshiping all living things.” The navigator returned to the table and sat down opposite of Hansa. He pulled the book toward him.
“The union was tried only once as the first druid chosen was instantly killed.”
“They tried to mate?”
“No! Truly, you do not listen. They tried to become one and the same. The human—a queen, walked into the ashes of a fallen star and joined with the unborn dragon only to perish. The dragon egg hatched after many months, and the being was a dragon, but the mind was the human.”
“That is not very believable, druid.”
“Yet true. Since that time, the dragons have not attempted to join the humans. Instead, they wait until the heart of a human calls to them. It is then the dragon and the human become companions. A bond so strong, only death will part them.”
“Then the shieldmaiden may be dead too,” Hansa said. “I did not intend for such a thing to happen.”
“She is dead only if the dragon was her companion. Otherwise, she lives.”
“She will be angry at the loss of the dragon.”
“That is one possibility,” the navigator said. “If there are other dragons, they may also be angry at the death of one of their own.”
“I would think they would be like the druids often seem to be, forgiving of other's beliefs. If they truly wish to be like the druids, that is. Do you believe there are more dragons?”
“So much time has passed since the beginning of the world, Hansa. We do not know the nature of the dragon anymore. We have lost touch with them here in Götaland. I believe they have forsaken us because we did not respect them as we should.” The navigator closed the book and looked long at Hansa.
“Perhaps, if she lives, the shieldmaiden will come in search of her dragon, and we can find a way to talk with her.”
Hansa thought about the shieldmaiden on the back of the dragon. “It was a wondrous sight,” she whispered. “To command a dragon. Would this not be something worth doing?” Hansa rose from the table. “Thank you for the lesson, navigator. I must go now.”
“There is still much for you to learn. You have yet to ask about the Jewel of legend.”
Hansa turned back to look at the navigator.
“The Jewel of legend? I was told the jewel lies buried deep in the north of Alban. It is something my father covets.”
“The Jewel is not necessarily an object,” the navigator said. “The book tells us the Jewel was once a star. It fell to earth and lay hidden until the need was great. The Jewel could be a leader or an object. The book is not specific.”
Hansa frowned. “More children’s tales.”
“And if they turn out to be true, just as the dragon turned out to be true?”
“Then we will have to rethink our quarrel with the Albans,” Hansa said.
“There is more to tell. Can you not stay a little longer?”
“No, but if time allows, I will return.”
The navigator rose and walked to the door with Hansa. As Hansa walked out into the fog, the navigator called out to her.
“Remember the stories. The dragons were first, not the other way around.”
Hansa glanced back once and watched as the fog thickened and the house and the navigator disappeared into the twilight.
The stories the navigator read, drove home the need to remain vigilant should the druids seek revenge. A powerful ally the druids had in the dragons. And she learned the one she had taken was not the only dragon around. What of this jewel? Hansa thought, Does the jewel command or restrain the dragons? Dragons—the stories spoke of legions of dragons. Legions, she repeated. How could her people defend against so many?
A truce must be sought. Hansa knew all too well that her father would never abide by a treaty. The fate of her people lays in the hands of her ruthless, revenge, and hate-filled father.
“It may be time to take the fate of my people into my own hands.”
As he approached the longhouse, King Heardred peered at his daughter. He saw the gem in her shield as it gleamed in the light of the setting sun. It caught the sun’s rays and held the brilliant fire deep inside the impenetrable shell. It appeared to be on fire, but Heardred knew the gem was cool to the touch. As cold as ice, he thought. Like my daughter’s heart. She will try to claim my throne, this spawn of Rán. And I, the King of Götaland, summoned to the elders like a whelp. I should take their heads and mount them on a stake.
King Heardred continued to watch the people who stood at the opening to the longhouse as they watched Hansa pass them. All eyes on the gem on her shield.
Hansa walked into the longhouse and stood at her usual place. Across from her bench was the long bench of the elders. On the other side of the king’s seat was a seat for the heir to the king’s throne. Until today, the position would have been for her brothers or her cousins. Today, the bench would remain empty until another was chosen to rule when the king died. It should be mine, she thought.
King Heardred saw Hansa take the sm
all bench to his left. Good, he thought, she still knows her place. He walked to his seat and stood there until the elders sat down on the long bench across from him. Once they were seated, the king sat down, followed by Hansa. The king waited. Propriety dictated that the elders speak first, and the king had to wait. He fidgeted. Heardred was not a patient man. Still, the elders did not speak.
“Well, why have you summoned me like a commoner?”
The senior elder tilted his head at Heardred and gave the king a small wry smile. The elder turned to Hansa and pointed at the shield she held against her chest. The gem sparkled in the firelight.
“Is it warm to the touch?” the elder asked Hansa.
“No, it is cold.”
“If we have come to talk of this gem of the beast, why was I summoned?” King Heardred asked. “I have much to consider, and this is a waste of my time.”
“Silence,” the elder said. “You have not been addressed.”
King Heardred snorted. “I am your King, and you will address me first!”
The elder pointed at Hansa and her shield. “The maid is being addressed, and you will remain silent.”
Hansa remained very still. She knew her life could be forfeit if the king released his anger. She understood her father would not strike an elder, and she was the closest to him. She held her breath.
King Heardred shot a heated glare at Hansa, then turned back to the elder. “Address her then.”
“Describe the beast, Hansa.”
Hansa nodded at the elder. She told those gathered in the room what she remembered of the little dragon. The size, the scales, the toughness of the skin, the jewels at the beast’s neck.
“Was the beast fierce?” asked one of the elders.
“No, the dragon was calmly resigned to go with me and allowed itself to be tethered to the boat.”
“Dragon? Did you call the beast a dragon?” the senior elder asked.
“Yes, it is the name the shieldmaiden used.”
“Was there anything remarkable about the shieldmaiden?” another elder asked.
The room grew very still as if everyone held their breath, waiting for the answer.
“No,” Hansa started.
The elders relaxed their shoulders.
“But she was cloaked.”
The elders all turned their gaze on Hansa.
“Her sword was unique, and she used our words to speak with me. I did not see her entire face.”
The senior elder frowned. “She used our speech?”
“Yes, and very well.”
“What has that to do with anything?” King Heardred asked. “Many enemies use the same trick.”
The senior elder stood up. “You will hold your tongue, or you will be removed from this room!”
King Heardred reached for his axe. As he did, the elder drew a sword.
“Make this easy on me and wield your axe,” the elder said. “You will see the doors to Valhalla sooner than expected, and you will wait outside the great hall for eternity.”
King Heardred placed the axe on his lap. He sat still as best as possible, though his face was deep red with anger.
The elder sat back down on the bench. “It is true. Our enemies often learn our speech to distract us. This particular enemy, though has been sought in words and deeds for hundreds of years. This enemy may well be the one to defeat Odin himself. We have waited a very long time to hear the Jewel has been released.”
The room was filled with whispers. ‘The Jewel found?’ ‘The Jewel is real?’
Hansa remembered the navigator’s words. ‘The Jewel could be a leader or an object.’
“Quiet,” the elder said to those gathered in the room. “Hansa, you saw nothing about the maid? No shield, no crown?”
“Nothing such as those,” Hansa said. “She was tall and dark. Much like our druids here. She held a sword with runes etched into the blade. Her manner was strong and resolute.”
“Then perhaps the Jewel is still lost,” the elder said.
“If lost, then we may find it.”
The senior elder turned to the king. “King Heardred, you have no heir.”
King Heardred spat on the ground. “All were lost on that druid infested island.”
“For her loyalty and her own resolve, Hansa of the House of Heardred shall sit at your right hand.”
“Unheard of!”
“Until now,” the elder replied. “If Alban is ruled by a maid. Then perhaps we should meet like with like. The Albans will not venture here, but soon, you will return to Alban. The Jewel must be found. Send your daughter to treat with this shieldmaiden.”
“Myth and legend of a dead lost age is not reason enough to go to war,” King Heardred said. “And are you certain there is a jewel?”
“As sure as there are dragons.”
❦
Bryn kept her word and allowed Ua to continue her education. Ua showed Bryn what happened when dragons fought for humans.
“The death and destruction came at a lofty price,” Ua continued. “The dragons became feared and hunted and killed. The men who commanded them were also killed. Companions were lost, and the dragons fell away from humankind. They retreated to lands where there were no humans. No one knew the dragons anymore.
“The dragons eventually become myth, and so does the Jewel. Then, after millennia, the Jewel finds a way back to the light, and dragon and human, are once again Companions. The lessons learned have been forgotten. The myth is no longer myth. Legend is no longer legend. Truth is once again known, and this is where the line is drawn. Step over the line and history will repeat. And this time, the truth will be lost forever. You are the thread that holds the two worlds together.”
“I am a tenuous thread. I can be broken.”
“Not so long as you remember the past and the lessons learned. You can lead these humans, and you can bring them a peace in which they can again thrive. In a far country, there also is knowledge of the Jewel legend. You can unite not only Alban but all the druid lands,” Ua said.
“I am a maid with a sword, a crown, and a dragon. I know the hearts of Alban follow me, but how do I reach the people of these other lands? I am not a magician.”
“With my help, you can rule them all.”
Bryn paused and took an unsteady breath. “What did you say? I can rule them all? I have no wish to rule anyone. I wish to lead and show them a better way.”
“You were always stubborn,” Ua said.
Bryn closed her eyes. There in her mind, she saw the heart of Ua, and it was dark and menacing. Ua had always wished for a different outcome with humans. Bryn opened her eyes and there in front of her was Ua, standing at eye level. Bryn stared into Ua’s eyes. There she saw the years of the earth slipping backward in time. Ua disappeared into the vision. Bryn watched as the dragons began to fall as stars to the Earth below.
The twin stars remained in the sky. They moved in tandem, swirling around the sky until together they fell to the earth. As they touched the ground, Ua stands as a dragon more magnificent in appearance than any other dragon Bryn has seen. The dragon Ua grows in height, dominating the landscape. The remaining twin star began to take form, shapeshifting from dragon to elf, elf to human, human back to dragon. The shifting continued until all disappeared and what is left is a bright light more brilliant than the stars. The light swirled around Ua, covering the dragon until Ua becomes one with the brilliance.
“You are my twin,” Bryn said. “You could not relinquish your form for the earth after all.”
“No, I could not. You outshone me and tried to convince me I was wrong.”
Bryn looked behind Ua at the dark wall of the cavern. She saw a vast sea. “You were angry with me.”
“I could not best you. I could not convince you.”
Bryn moved toward the image.“So you retreated here. Far away from the others, and I tried to return to the sky.”
“Yes, without me, you could not do so.”
“I fell back
to the earth.” Bryn felt the sting of tears in her eyes.
“As a promise to the earth,” Ua said. “A promise, where one day you would again be born Athebryn to fulfill our original destiny.”
“A destiny you nearly lost for us.” Bryn reached out and touched Ua’s cheeks. “You have paid dearly for millennia; staying here, alone with only the hope of finding your other half.”
“A twin star without a twin does not shine as bright.”
“No, Ua, it does not. What now?”
“You are the hope of our kind. You are the hope of all humankind, including the elves. Unite them, Athebryn. Take to the dragons and unite them all. Destroy those who will not listen. You must protect this place, this Alban.”
“The dragons will not be involved.” Bryn took a step away from Ua. “I will not allow the dragons to harm humans.”
“Then, how do we fulfill our destiny?” Ua asked. “You are still stubborn. Have you learned nothing?”
Bryn turned quickly and glared at Ua. The jewel on her forehead pulsed and filled the vast cavern with white flames. “I have learned. You have not!” she cried. “Our destiny was to bond with the humans and live here until such time as we would return to the cosmos to watch and guide them from afar. We were never given dominion over humankind. Of that, you have forgotten.”
“And, thankfully, you have not,” Ua said. “You have passed the test, twin.”
“What are you babbling about?”
“I have been your judge. Prompting you to find your inner light. Urging you to stand up to me. You are truly the Jewel.”
“And what if I had failed the test?”
“You would be dead. You are the twin star fallen to earth to wait for the right moment to unite those in need. For the humans are in great need. They have strayed far from their origins, and it will be the death of the race.”
“Yes,” Bryn said. “I have seen it in the eyes of the elves. They are already on the path to extinction. Humans are only steps behind them.”
“There is still hope for both. Unite the elves and humans, encourage them all.”