* * *
Once she returned to Mattingly, she spared no time tracking down the reeve. He was sitting out front of his home, watching the passers-by as she approached.
“Back so soon?” he asked.
“I’ve found something,” she said, “but I need help to figure out what it means.”
“What is it?”
She pulled the unusually large feather from beneath her tunic. “This,” she said. “Have you any idea what it is?”
“It’s just a feather,” he said. “Stop wasting my time. You need to get back out there and follow whatever trail you can find.”
“Do you know what type of feather it is?” she asked.
“How should I know,” was the retort. “I don’t know the first thing about birds, isn’t that your job?”
“Is there anyone around who might be able to help me? It’s important. It may lead to a clue concerning our mysterious visitor.”
The reeve pursed his lips as he thought, “You might try the old hermit, goes by the name Aldus Hearn. He knows all kinds of things about the creatures in these parts.”
“And where do I find him?” she asked, her curiosity peaked.
“He lives in an old shack to the southeast of town, up near the edge of the wood. You’ll know it when you see it.”
She nodded her thanks and set forth to find this mysterious hermit.
-Interlude VIII-
Bodden
Summer 960 MC
“Did you have any idea what it was at this time?” asked the baron.
“Well, naturally I thought it was a giant bird,” offered the ranger.
“Are there really birds that large?” asked Beverly.
“Why wouldn’t there be?” answered Albreda, in response. “Do you think that only mammals grow large?”
“I’ve never seen a giant bird before,” explained Beverly.
“And I’ve never seen a ship. But just because I haven’t seen one doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”
“I see your point,” offered Beverly.
“You’re the Druid,” commented the baron. “Do you have giant birds in the Whitewood?”
She smiled mysteriously, “Perhaps you’ll come visit and see for yourself. The Whitewood holds all kinds of mysteries.”
“I look forward to it,” offered the baron.
“Can we please get back on track here,” insisted the princess. “You two can make eyes later, when the tales are done.”
“Make eyes?” said Fitz in surprise.
“You know what I mean,” said Anna. “No offence intended.”
“I must protest,” said Albreda, “I think you’re misinterpreting my intentions.”
“Is she?” the baron asked, turning to the Druid.
Albreda blushed, “No, she’s not, but perhaps there’s a better time and place to talk about this.”
The baron cleared his throat, “Yes, by all means. Now, back to the story. You were on your way to see this Aldus Hearn person.”
“Yes, that’s right,” said Hayley, “on the outskirts of Mattingly….”
Hayley and the Beast Part: II
Near Mattingly
Summer 958 MC
The directions were somewhat imprecise, and it took some time to finally locate the man's abode, but now, as she stood before it, she wondered if she had made a mistake.
It was a wooden structure with walls of mud lathered over some type of frame, which could be seen through holes where the mud had fallen off. The cedar shingle roof appeared to be in the same state of disrepair, and she wondered how it would ever protect anything from the rain. The structure looked abandoned, as if it hadn’t been used in years. There was no door, only a leather skin covering the entryway which she approached with trepidation.
“Hello,” she called out, “is anyone home?” There was no answer, and so she moved closer, knocking on the frame of the doorway, “Hello?”
Hearing a rustling behind her, she turned to see a man approaching from the forest. His long brown robe was tattered at the edges and seemed to be in the same state of disarray of his lodgings. His bushy grey beard and rough cut hair stood in stark contrast to his alert grey eyes.
“Can I help you?” the recluse offered.
Hayley smiled, trying to put him at ease, “Why, yes. I’m Hayley Chambers, a King's Ranger. Are you Aldus Hearn?”
A pair of teeth revealed themselves as the man smiled, “That’s me, though I wonder what brings a King's Ranger to my door.”
“I’ve come seeking some information,” she pressed. “Can you help me?”
“Well,” he mused, “that depends on what kind of information you’re looking for. Why don’t you come in and we can discuss it.” He walked past her, moving the leather drop aside to enter the hut.
She followed him in, only to be astonished by the state of the hovel. She had been expecting the inside to be as dilapidated as the exterior, but what she saw was a pleasantly normal looking room. He ushered her to the far end, where a small table was set up near the window, the sun streaming through the open shutters.
“Please sit,” he invited. “Would you like something to drink? I don’t get visitors of the two-legged variety very often.”
“Thank you,” she responded, “that would be nice.” She watched him as he started a fire in the small hearth and then put a kettle to boil, hanging it on a hook over the fire. “I was told in Mattingly, that you’re the local expert on wildlife in these parts.”
“Well, I’m flattered they think so,” he said. “I don’t get into town much, my studies keep me busy out here, but I’ve found the villagers to be friendly enough.”
“What is it you study?” she asked. “There doesn’t look to be much out here.”
“Oh, you’re quite wrong, there's much to study here. I’ve devoted my life to understanding nature and its elemental forces.”
“You’re an Elementalist?”
“No, not exactly. I prefer the term Animalist, though I suspect you’d be more familiar with the phrase, Earth Mage.”
“So you’re a mage? You haven’t been experimenting with animals have you?” The look of shock on the mage's face told her at once that he hadn’t. “Sorry,” she apologized, “it’s just that some strange creature has been killing livestock.”
Aldus Hearn knitted his brows. “Tell me more,” he encouraged her.
“I found this at the scene of the latest attack,” she said, withdrawing the feather from her tunic and placing it on the table. “Have you seen anything like tit before?”
He picked it up, holding it to the light to see it better. “Fascinating,” he muttered, more to himself than anything. “It’s quite a good specimen.” He ran his fingers across it, and then lifted it to his nose to sniff it. Placing it back on the table, he moved across the room to a cluttered shelf, withdrawing an old book .
“This,” he said, “is a book I picked up some years ago.” He laid it on the table, careful not to cover the feather. “If I’m not mistaken, this will have the answer.”
He began flipping through the pages, and Hayley saw all manner of sketches and notes.
“Are those yours?” she asked.
“This book,” he replied, “was handed down to me from my mentor; he got it from his and so on. It's been passed down through the generations. I have added a few observations of my own, of course, but the bulk of the work is not mine. Ah, here it is,” he said, at last, stabbing a finger down. “It appears you have found a gryphon!”
“I thought gryphons were only legends,” said Hayley.
“Even legends are based on fact. Tell me, what do you know about them?”
“Well,” she replied, searching her mind, “they’re a cross between two creatures; some say they were created by mages. They have beaks and forelegs like a bird with rear legs like a great cat, don’t they?”
“Gryphon’s are not some strange abomination. They’re creatures that have been around for thousands of years. Peo
ple try to explain things they don’t understand by comparing them to what they know.”
“What can you tell me about them? Are they dangerous?”
“The creatures are extremely rare, and it’s unusual for them to attack livestock. They normally hunt wild animals, perhaps smaller deer or hares.”
“So why would this one be attacking cows?”
“Good question,” said Aldus. “Tell me, what’s happened recently?”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand?”
“What events have transpired in the last few months?” he prompted.
“I’m not from around here,” she replied, “so I’m not sure.”
“Oh, well, in that case, let me fill you in. Some months ago a group of Norlanders came across the river; it’s a common enough occurrence. The local deer have most likely fled, and now the gryphon needs an alternate food source.”
“Wouldn’t a gryphon just follow the herd?”
“Something must be keeping it here,” he said, a smile creeping across his face. “What do you think that might be?”
“Eggs!” she said at last. “It must have a nest. It can’t leave its young behind.”
“There you see, you’ve figured it out. Of course, it might be hatchlings, I've no idea how long it takes gryphon eggs to hatch.”
“So, I’ll have to find its nest. Any idea what type of terrain it likes?”
“It’ll no doubt have a cave somewhere, most likely on a cliff face to keep the eggs safe.”
“How do I kill it?” she asked.
A look of horror crossed the old man's face, “Kill it? You can’t kill it; you’ll upset the balance.”
Hayley was stunned, “The balance? What are you talking about?”
“This creature is the top of the food chain. It keeps the other predators in check.”
“Then what am I supposed to do? I can’t let it kill off all the livestock.”
“I would suggest you find its lair, and observe it. It’ll likely move on once its eggs hatch, and then the cattle will be safe. Besides, if you try to kill it, you’ll only make matters worse. An angry gryphon could do frightful damage.”
Hayley sat in silence as she thought it through, “I’m still not sure I understand everything. Haven’t the raiders been coming for years?”
“On and off, yes, why?”
“So why would the deer flee the area now? Wouldn’t they have fled years ago?”
The old man blushed, “I’m afraid that was my fault. I might have warned them to leave. Of course, I didn’t realize there was a gryphon in the region.”
“You warned them? You mean you can talk to them?”
“More or less, yes,” he replied.
“What d’you mean, ‘more or less’?”
“Well, I can communicate with them at a rudimentary level. I have much more success talking with the higher level creatures.”
“You’re full of surprises, Magister,” she said.
“Oh please, call me Aldus, I’m not one for titles.”
“Anything else you can tell me, Aldus? If I’m going to find this creature, I’ll need all the help I can get.”
“A creature like this fears little. Chances are it’ll fly straight home after making a kill. It’ll want fresh meat for its hatchlings.”
“I already know the direction it flew off in, so that’s good to know.”
The old man smiled, “You appear quite resourceful for one so young.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I am a King's Ranger, after all.”
He stood to make the tea, dropping some herbs into the kettle, “So, what’s your plan?”
“I’ll return to the pasture then head due east into the Artisan Hills. Any idea how far away it might have its lair?”
“I would suspect no more than a day or two overland. It won’t want to go too far if it’s got a nest on the go. I envy you, you know.”
“Why is that,” she asked.
“Gryphons are extremely rare; most people live their entire lives without seeing one flying, let alone up close.”
“Maybe I’ll tame it," she joked. “It would be nice to have one as a steed.” The sudden look of dismay on the mage's face made her instantly regret her words, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t serious.”
“This is no laughing matter,” he gently chided, pouring some tea into an earthenware mug. “You can’t ride a gryphon, it’s not large enough to carry a Human. It’s not a dragon, after all.”
“A dragon? Are those real too?”
“Of course, though I haven’t heard of any around these parts. The ancient tales mention them quite extensively. They’ve never been common in this land, but across the sea they say the Kurathians have managed to tame them.”
“Tame dragons? That would be a sight to see,” she said.
“Dragons are known to be highly intelligent. It’s said they speak a language akin to the language of magic.”
“Magic has a language?”
“Well, we know that the magical runes are universal. It only makes sense that they might support a language, but we're getting off topic.”
“Sorry,” she offered, “but I love learning about such creatures. What was it you were saying about gryphons?”
“That they’re not big enough to carry a Human. Their body is not built for it. Imagine how difficult it would be to run while carrying someone on your shoulders, then imagine trying to fly? It just can’t be done.”
“Disappointing, but I’ll keep that in mind,” she responded.
“There have been instances in the distant past when gryphons have befriended mages,” he said, “and there's a least one story of one coming to a wizard's aid during a fight. Perhaps you’ll make a new friend?”
“I can only hope,” she said, sipping the tea. “Do they travel in flocks like birds?”
“No, they are solitary creatures. Likely this is due to their size. If they travelled in groups, they’d quickly hunt their prey to extinction.”
“You’re a wealth of information, Aldus. Thank you,” she said.
“You’re quite welcome,” he replied. “I must say, it’s pleasant to have a visitor. The townsfolk never come out this way, though I can hardly blame them.”
“Why is that?”
“I think the villagers fear me. I’m the crazy old man who lives deep in the woods. They’re more than polite when I come to town, but they likely see me as slightly potty.”
“You don’t seem crazy to me. What do you do out here, all by yourself?”
“I am a student of nature. I study animals, though I tend to specialize in plant life of various types. I’m fascinated by trees, in particular. What other form of life lives so long and yet is unbent by nature?”
“I have to admit,” said Hayley, “I’ve spent long hours learning about wildlife. I can easily see the temptation. How do you support yourself?”
“I grow food,” he said, “or I pick it from the woods. There’s much to be found if you know where to look. Perhaps, when this is done, you might come back and visit me. I’d be pleased to teach you a thing or two about plants.”
“I’d like that, Aldus,” she confessed, “though I fear my ranger duties would prevent a stay of any length.”
“Even a short education is better than none,” he added. “Feel free to think about it. I’m not going anywhere.”
Hayley looked out the window to see the sun casting its afternoon shadows. “I’m afraid I must be off. I need to gather my things. The terrain around here looks rough, and I don’t want to take my horse if I have to climb a cliff.”
“A good idea,” he offered. “I suggest you set off from the village at first light, you’ve likely got a long way to go.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for your help, Aldus.”
“My pleasure, Ranger Hayley,” he said.
She quickly downed the rest of her tea and stood,“I’ll let you know how things work out.”
The old hermit parted the
leather hanging for her to leave, “I would appreciate that, thank you.”
She made her way back to town, her head full of possibilities. This was going to be the greatest experience of her life!
* * *
Three days later Hayley was standing on a hill overlooking a ravine through which a river snaked. It was a precipitous drop, and Hayley was thankful she had left her horse behind. She dropped a small rock over the edge, only to hear it crash into the trees below.
“Doesn’t appear to be too far,” she said aloud. “Time to find a way down.” It wasn’t the first cliff she’d climbed, and she was sure it wouldn’t be her last. The entire hills needed a new name, she decided, perhaps the Artisan Cliffs would be a suitable label.
The roar of the river grew louder as she descended, her fingers and toes becoming sore from gripping the stone. Finally, she reached the ground and took a moment to shake out her limbs. She was only thirty paces from the water's edge here, with the sound of the running water drowning out all else. Standing at the bank looking upstream, she saw another set of cliffs across the water, but it appeared impossible to climb. Better to cross here, she thought, and try to make her way up top.
She looked down at the water; it was crystal clear here, the rocks plainly visible beneath its surface. She used a stick to steady herself and made her way into the running water. The far bank was only a stone's throw away, but now, with her feet in the cold mountain water, it seemed like an unreachable target. Stepping in, she felt her foot slip on the rocks, forcing her to return to the bank. This was going to be trickier than she had expected.
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