Vedientir

  "Nai."

  "Sounds like they cannot," said Aris, and Dion nodded to confirm.

  "And what now?" asked Aris.

  "A letyt prav dol an dam? An Arnos? Sah porukah?" asked Dion.

  "Dne byt," answered Charn. "Ada, ak prav dol," confirmed Bel.

  "There," said Dion and turned back to Aris. "They said they can follow the road since it is daytime and they only have to go straight."

  "That's good," said Aris and looked towards the horizon in front of them that was hiding behind the treetops of Wissa.

  "Hm," voiced Dion. "It has just come to me that I don't even know how many words or sentences they can remember. They may have to fly multiple times to convey our plans in full to Arnos and Daedar."

  "Then send them now, as soon as you can."

  "What if someone catches them?" worried Dion now that he decided to send them over a battlefield.

  "How to protect the message?" wondered Dion out loud. "Do I split it in half? Not enough if both are caught, and will probably confuse the birds if it's hard to remember. Something simple. Simple..."

  He closed his eyes and wandered through the corridors of his mind, and a few moments later he snapped his fingers.

  "Aris che dohodyt na mei roysnydan," he said to Bel.

  "Opetuy," Dion added after a pause. "Repeat."

  The raven repeated the whole sentence without any issues and Dion smiled.

  "Wsy este zvany an slavie kot Teikosa!" he said to Charn then, and the black raven too repeated his sentence correctly.

  "Letyte dol!" he said finally and pointed down the Northern road towards Mara and Echa.

  "Grak! Grak!" the ravens confirmed their order, but did not fly away at once. Instead, they ran across the dragon's spine, climbed over his neck and then jumped off from the top of his head, one after the other. Zmai bit the air behind their tails intentionally loudly but then grinned as the birds flew away.

  "What did you say to them?" asked Kerkio who rode behind the dragon.

  "The first message is: Aris is coming to my birthday. The second message is: All of you are invited to the celebration at Teikos's place."

  Kerkio and Aris fidgeted in their saddles and looked at Dion in wonder, almost anger. Eya looked at him with suspicion also, but knew too little about him to form an opinion.

  "What kind of messages are those?" asked Kerkio. He was almost shouting.

  "Protected," answered Dion calmly. "Meant exactly for specific recipients, and even if someone caught the ravens, made them talk, and understood the old language, it would sound like an invitation to a birthday party."

  "I hope Arnos will understand. The second one seems especially convoluted," said Aris.

  "They will understand the most important piece, and that is that you and the legion are coming. My birthday is the day after tomorrow, so he will know the exact day when we arrive. I admit that the other message is harder to understand, but he knows that Teikos, Kerkio's father, lives in Tialoch, so it is possible that he might understand. Anyway, we'll send better messages once we no longer have to hide."

  ✽✽✽

  Aris's vanguard cleared the road in front of the legion and sent the several wagons that were already on the road heading for Tialoch to the side of the road. The wagons were transporting the elderly that couldn't walk all the way to the capital, and behind the wagons went the village's cows - they were too valuable to leave behind.

  The streets of the village were overflowing with life, and not a single person stood idly. Mara looked like a disturbed beehive with everyone going here and there, packing belongings onto carts and wagons, throwing useless things away. A smile, even one of courtesy, was to be seen on very few faces. It was carried away by the order from the king that they had received in the morning.

  "All who can survive the journey to Eborum should go there," was the king's message. "Those who cannot go on such a long journey must come to Tialoch. They will share our fate. Mara must be abandoned by early morning tomorrow."

  The people from Phares had already prepared the camp for the legionaries on the west side of the village, and the villagers also made their houses available to accommodate those for whom there was no room in the camp.

  The children, free from other duties, were tasked with taking the legionaries to the houses where they could sleep. The children's was the only audible laughter in this night that appeared to hasten more than usually to wrap the world into silence.

  "I am painfully tired," groaned Dion. "It must be that the body has figured out on its own that we have reached our destination."

  "If we are going to Galinos, the bed is mine this time," said Kerkio. "You can take the chair that I was in last time, it's most comfortable."

  Dion's laugh was short-lived.

  "Ustarius," he heard Aris speak, and Dion saw three older men coming towards them up the road. Aris stopped his horse and dismounted to greet the men on his own two feet.

  Their handshake was long.

  "Kavalis, from Inner Mara," said the second man whom Aris did not know.

  "Grelgar from River Mara," the third man said and extended his hand.

  "The three elders of Mara," whispered Dion to Eya and Kerkio, remembering what Galinos had told him.

  "We have stayed here for too long, waiting to see which fire would engulf us first," said Ustarius to Aris. "The fire that we did not expect to reach us first did so, but with it you have also come. Are you going to rein in the fire in the south or will both fires reach Mara in the end?"

  "We are headed south, but we don't hope to rein in the fire. We are going to pluck out of it anyone who we can still save. We are already grateful, and will be grateful for any assistance Mara can offer. There will be hungry and sick people when we return to Tialoch, if we return."

  "We lose Echa?" asked Ustarius with a mournful voice, and Aris confirmed with a nod.

  "There is no Mara without Echa," continued Ustarius. "This is permanent. This is the end."

  "We will do what we can for you while we still have Mara," added Kavalis.

  "Can River Mara help in any way?" asked Grelgar. His question made Aris think, but he shook his head.

  "Can I help with something?" then asked Aris, seeing that none of the men were leaving, and that they were glancing behind him at the dragon.

  "Just one more thing, before our tasks lead us away," said Ustarius. "Which one of your men is the Treewatcher?"

  "No one, as far as I know," replied Aris, struggling with the question somewhat.

  "The men say that the name of the Treewatcher is Dion from Echa," explained Kavalis. "The savior of Aquia and the tamer of rivers. The rider of dragons we heard they call him in Tialoch. The people from Phares say that he is with you."

  "Just look at all the titles they have given you," said Kerkio and burst into laughter, but Dion wasn't laughing.

  "A friend of a dragon," he corrected them and dismounted when Aris turned to look at him in wonder.

  "The other names are superfluous and far from the truth also," he continued as he walked to join Aris and the three elders, and Eya followed every word and each step that he took.

  "No offense or misrepresentation was meant. You have been so described by the men who brought our late kin's children from Aquia."

  "Dion, son of Arnos of Echa Rei," he introduced himself officially to the elders and extended his hand. Ustarius took it and pulled him into a quick hug and patted Dion on the back.

  "We are in your debt," whispered the old man and then let go of Dion.

  Dion shook his head.

  "No debt is owned. Kerkio and I wouldn't have made it without Galinos and the woodsmen of this village," said Dion. "They came exactly when it was needed, and they are needed once again. I will need Galinos and all the woodsmen tonight. Have you people that can help pack their families while the woodsmen help us?"

  "We will find them," answered Kavalis.

  "Before you go..." said Ustarius before Dion could return to hi
s horse. He left then to his inn that was close by, on the right side of the road, without explaining his actions.

  "I should really go," Dion excused himself to the remaining two elders, but remained waiting for a few more moments. He turned back when he saw no sign of Ustarius, and was about to mount his horse when Eya stopped him, and pointed towards the inn.

  "Sinelea, my sister's granddaughter," said Ustarius when he returned from the inn accompanied by a freckled girl with wild curly red hair and eyes that were the color of almonds.

  Dion squatted so he and the girl would be of the same height.

  "She said she wanted to meet the man from Aquia ever since she heard the story of what had happened."

  She hugged Dion and her hug lasted much longer than the old man's earlier hug lasted. Dion turned carefully on his heels to look at Kerkio who wasn't laughing anymore.

  "What do I do?" he asked Kerkio by moving his lips in complete silence. "I don't know what to do!"

  "Be quiet," answered Kerkio in the same fashion, forming words with his lips. "Savor. Remember."

  The girl then whispered something into Dion's ear and he drew himself out of her arms and jumped to his feet. At first he panicked and tried to hide it, but then he calmed down and smiled widely.

  "I would love to," he explained himself, "but Treewatchers aren't allowed to marry princesses.

  "Too bad," she said, quickly losing interest in the Treewatcher.

  "Too bad," repeated Kerkio, laughing merrily once more.

  "Sinelea, come here," said Ustarius, pulling her back gently. "I am sorry. I did not know what she was going to do."

  "It's more than all right," replied Dion at once, feeling more rejuvenated and lighthearted than he had felt in a long time.

  "Let's get this day to its end," said Aris and the magic of the moment disappeared. "Another tough day is ahead."

  "Save me a place in one of the tents," said Dion to Kerkio. "I want to go to Galinos alone but I'll be back quickly."

  ✽✽✽

  "Finally," said Dion to himself when he spotted Galinos' house. He was already beginning to doubt his decision to go alone but then he finally found the house. There were two carts in front of it, already packed full and ready to move. Galinos was still home. Dion could hear his laughter reach the yard.

  "Yes?" answered Galinos when Dion knocked at the door.

  "Galinos," said Dion and pushed the door to open them. "Dion."

  He found Galinos lying on his back on the floor with his knees bent slightly. He held Leut under his armpits, and helped the boy practice walking on his stomach.

  Perhaps startled by the guest, perhaps by habit, Leut jumped forward and stepped on his father's throat. Galinos choked and coughed, but Leut smiled at the sound his father made and threw himself back and landed with his head onto Galinos' crotch.

  Half smiling, half crying, Galinos turned sideways and placed the boy on the floor. He got up to his feet eventually and waved for Dion to wait.

  "He can't walk, but he can hit where it hurts," said Galinos. "What are you doing here? You look bad."

  "And that's how I feel, in more ways than one. I need you again."

  Galinos' face grew serious, and then Avia appeared in the room to see who was at the door.

  "Come in," offered Galinos but Dion refused.

  "The legion has arrived to Mara and we need you and the other woodsmen. The elders have already promised to take care of your family in your stead. Are you willing to help us?"

  Galinos nodded right away, and only then turned to Avia who looked worried but said nothing.

  "Dion, I beg you, do not let something happen to my husband," she pleaded even though she was aware what he had already done for them.

  He looked into her wide open eyes and the fear emanating from them made him realize what he was to her family. He was war to them. He entered their house and their lives, and was about to take their husband and father away.

  "I promise," he vowed, afraid to lie to those eyes. "He will always be behind the army," he continued, careful to remember every word he said to her. "He will return to you."

  She teared up.

  "A few moments?" asked Galinos when he saw his wife's reaction.

  Dion nodded and closed the door in front of him.

  ✽✽✽

  "What do you need from me?" asked Galinos when he joined Dion in the yard.

  "I need you to help save the people of Echa," said Dion and called Galinos forward to look at the map he had spread atop one of the carts.

  "Here, just to the south of the legion's training camp near Echa and at the intersection leading to River Mara are our two best locations to prepare our blockades. I want you to have men cut the trees but not fell them until the very last possible moment..."

  "We'll have to leave for the camp tonight," said Galinos after Dion explained his Tialoch plan to him.

  "I was expecting that, and hoping you'd be willing," replied Dion. "I know it's a lot of work. That's why I came to find you at once."

  "First I need to get my tools and then we can go and gather the rest of the group."

  Galinos went into his shed and returned carrying two large axes. His hands looked even stronger than Dion remembered. They looked like they could wield these axes in battle for days before tiring, and for a moment Dion wanted to bring him along to fight for Echa, but Galinos' task was as important, if not even more important than the battle itself. He also remembered the promise he had given.

  "Put them in that second cart, with the rest of the tools," said Galinos and handed over the axes to Dion.

  "Now I just need to persuade one of my donkeys to come pull the cart at this time of day," he said and left again.

  "Grak!"

  Dion's heart almost stopped when he heard the raven's call.

  "Lyud!" they called him and landed onto the map that was still spread on the cart. The white raven looked tired, sad, or perhaps both. Dion couldn't be certain. The black raven seemed agitated, nervous. Both acted very strangely.

  "Nothing?" asked Dion, and started thinking about joining Galinos to get closer to Echa to try and send the message again, but then the black raven spoke and the words that came from the bird caught Dion off guard. He teared up when the white raven spoke the second message passed to him.

  "Son! What are you doing?" was the message the black raven brought with him.

  "Happy birthday," was the message given to the white raven.

  Chapter 23 - Sons of War

  Morning came to Road Mara and it was greeted first by the eyes of the village's women. Not one of them slept the entire last night, not even after they had readied everything that was needed for their life in refuge. Before dawn, during the blue night sky, they began dusting off old the equipment that was stowed away in their houses - there were some whose plan was not to run away to Tialoch, Eborum or any other place in the world.

  The legion began leaving their tents and assembling on the main road in the dark of the young morning, but soon found that the main road south was blocked. On the south edge of the village, ready to move, stood the men from Mara - all who still had their own military equipment. More than three hundred veterans of the civil war with Renk that had forged the kingdom of Aelan stood there, waiting for the legion. Instead of plows, scythes or tools of a craft, their hands once again held long spears and round shields that were in use before the forming of the legions and of the current kingdom. The veterans stood on the grassy earth to the right of the road, three deep, and their formation was no less perfect than that of the legion's segments.

  Kavalis and Ustarius stood in front of Mara's veterans and waited in silence for Aris to approach them.

  Aris dismounted not far from them and removed his helmet as he walked towards the two old men. They wore leather armor reminiscent of the armor in use by the king's legion, but were adorned with the imagery of the stork, the symbol of the village of Mara. Aris hadn't seen this armor since he was a young man, a
nd regardless of the dulled colors of the old armor that the Marans wore, the sight of it brought him comfort and a feeling of safety, the same feeling that he had felt in those far away days of the war for the kingdom.

  "Ustarius shall lead the women, children and old folk to Eborum," spoke Kavalis. "They will gather people from the other villages along the way, and lead them too to safety. The rest of us who are here on the road will march with you to Echa."

  Aris watched the old men in reverent silence. Their skin was sun burnt and wrinkled but their eyes were clear, and there was no fear in them. They knew what was waiting for them at Echa. They'd been through it once before.

  "Has it really come to the veterans?" Aris asked them and Kavalis responded by shaking his head.

  "I hope not. But this time we veterans wish to go to make sure the battle does not come to need us."

  "Thank you," said Aris and took a sincere bow.

  Mara's veterans turned in place and began walking south on the soft earth next to the road. The horse segments of the legion followed the veterans, but took the road. They were followed by the Pharesian archers and their leather-covered wagon. Behind it moved the vast number of supply carts from Phares, and on the earth to the right of them marched the legionary segments. The left of the road was left empty to account for messengers and unforeseen plights.

  Not long after the army began their march south, Ustarius came to the head of the column of women, children and old folk, and began leading them north. The abandonment of Mara had begun.

  ✽✽✽

  "I need to speak with you," Dion said when he looked out of their tent and saw that there were still legionaries who were exiting the camp. "We have a little bit of time left before we too have to move. It'll take them some time to empty the camp entirely, and that is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. I will go with the legion to Echa, but I would like the three of you not to go. Even you, Kerkio."

  "I would like you to not go," answered Kerkio as soon as Dion finished speaking.