All Things Impossible: Heartstealer, page 6
"Absolutely I would. It won't change my mind though."
Tom's verdant eyes narrowed to slits. "What does it take to get you to go away?"
"Near fatal wounds and war."
He nodded thoughtfully. "You may get a war soon enough."
The captain removed his helmet. "And what exactly-"
"Oh, you're an elf." The young man smiled stiffly. "Well, the evening is growing old. I must be going." He unfolded himself from the table. He bowed his head and clicked his heels. "Derora Saxen, until we meet again."
She shook her head. "We won't. Farewell."
Jakkobb watched him leave through narrowed eyes. "There's something very odd about that man."
"I noticed. He started out being nice, but then he just seemed irritated." She rubbed her forehead. "I think he's maybe a magic user too. Magic users are weird." She looked up at him blearily. "You're an elf, man, you should be able to just somehow know these things, like what's weird about him."
"I've always been a warrior, not a magic user, you know that."
"You're a strange elf, sir. All the stories say that all elves know magic. And yes, I know better, but you're still strange."
"In all fairness, you're one of the strangest part elves I've ever met."
"I'm one sixteenth. I'm just human."
"Fair enough." Jakkobb looked back to the door. "I can't think of what was wrong with him."
She pressed her fingers to her temples. Her head still ached. "Probably his magic then. You can't trust that stuff."
"Right. We'll keep watches tonight, and we'll leave before dawn."
* * *
"I still can't believe you gave away our reward money." Kelin shifted his weight in his saddle and ducked under a low branch. He glared ahead.
"It was a good deed!" Der frowned at the back of her horse's ears.
"But not very practical. The nuns will care for them, and we could use the money."
"We have enough cash and I don't fight for money."
"Good intentions or not, you have to pay for meals like the rest of us."
She more or less hurled him her coin purse. "There. That's what's left of what Edillon gave me to come home."
He weighed the bag in his hand. "You couldn't have spent this much in Riversbridge."
"I gave most of it to my family."
"And now they're as rich as the Count." Kelin tossed the purse back. "A person can't sleep on a bed of honor, Der."
"Yes, I can. It's made of dirt."
"What? What does that even mean?"
She ground her teeth. "It means that I do have a bed of honor, even if it's just the ground."
He sighed. "Alright, alright."
She narrowed her eyes. "You didn't used to be this way."
"Did you think that you're the only person who can be reckless and successful?"
"You mean lucky," Jakkobb said. "Try spending a long time with Thistle, Der. Your attitude will change too."
"I have before, sir. I'm still me."
"Only a lot better of a swordsman," Kelin remarked.
The knight suppressed a grin. "Yes, Der, but you are also one of the most stubborn things ever created."
Kelin finally grinned. "Cast iron bends easier than you."
"Indeed." Jakkobb exaggerated his nod.
"But, I feel funny when I'm not in danger," she protested.
"No, Der," Kelin corrected, "That's feeling safe."
"It's still awkward."
"Have you ever turned aside a challenge?"
She started to shake her head but stopped. "I did, actually, last night. There was a man asking for my help in the tavern."
"That was because it was the smart thing to do." Jakkobb's face darkened.
"I'm still not certain about walking away."
"Now, Der, we both know something was wrong with him."
"I know, but what if there is a girl?"
"A girl?" Kelin asked.
"Then it wasn't truly about him, was it?"
"We don't know that." The knight raised a warning finger. "Just forget about him."
"What girl? What man?" Kelin demanded.
"Some dark and mysterious character propositioned Der in the tavern last night."
"Uhh..." His eyes fell wide open.
Der scratched her head. "I just don't understand it."
"I don't think you do," Kelin said carefully.
"He just didn't seem the kind of man who would care about a child. Then again, if there is... Oh, I don't know."
"Der." Jakkobb's voice was metal. "Forget about it."
"Alright, sir." She sighed. "Why are mysteries always complicated? Why can't I deal with a simple mystery?"
"Yes, but if the mystery was simple and straightforward, it wouldn't be a mystery," Kelin remarked. "Fair enough, but I'd still prefer it that way."
"Oh, if life were that simple."
After that, they rode in silence for a while. Der started a traveling song but her spirit wasn't in it and it faded quickly.
They made camp before long. Der drew first watch. So, she stayed up, idly tossing some more sticks in the fire and listened to both men snoring. She hadn't known elves to snore, but she never really thought of the captain as an elf. He was everything elves weren't. What was strange was the fact that it was normal to her, she mused.
Strange... like the stranger in the tavern. Tom? That was his name, right? She yawned; even thinking about him seemed to make her drowsy. She frowned into the dancing flames. She couldn't figure him out; too many things were just a little bit out of place. Those incredibly fine clothes in such a horrible little tavern, and yet, no one else seemed to see that. He should have been bloodied and his coin purse stolen in under a minute.
Oh, well. Another mystery. She pondered if she'd always wonder what might have happened if she'd gone with him.
She fed the fire another branch. Silver Dawn's Horizon, she thought and felt the tingle rise in her throat. The unconquerable stronghold of the most legendary of the dragoon orders. And she was going there! She saw herself, sitting straight backed on a mighty steed, with her own banner flapping smartly in the wind as she approached the fortress. She had just come from an amazing victory and-
And there was Tom, standing right in the path. She blinked and sat straight up. No one was there, of course. She looked around the campsite, and was surprised to see that the fire had burned off most of its fuel. She chanced a glance at Jakkobb and sighed in relief. He was still sleeping. She'd half expected to feel the flat of his hand on the back of her head for drifting off.
The rustling of cloth and leather exploded in her ears. She snatched up her sword and jumped to her feet before she was fully aware of herself. "Alarm! Alarm!"
It was him! Tom had found her! She launched her arm for the Pallens sword, and stumbled to her feet.
The small figure bent over Kelin's saddlebags seemed to shrink and freeze. Der stopped with her sword halfway out of its sheath. That most definitely was not Tom.
Jakkobb and Kelin struggled into consciousness while Spike trotted up silently behind the lithe thief. The culprit, a mere sliver of a girl, dropped what she'd gathered in her hands. Packaged food tumbled to the ground.
"Who are... you're one of the slaves." Der narrowed her eyes, still holding her sword halfway out of its sheath. "You thief!"
The raven haired girl dropped her eyes. Her wide face paled even further.
"What's going on here?" Jakkobb demanded. His hand was on his axe, but he hadn't drawn the weapon.
The girl dropped to her knees, weighed down by the tears springing from her jet black eyes. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I was just so hungry!" She covered her face with her hands, revealing intricate tattoos all over them. They were just patterns; at least there were no symbols that Der could recognize.
Kelin set his weapon down and held up his hands. "Wait. It's just a little food. No harm, alright?" He knelt next to the food that had fallen and lifted it off the ground. "Here, just take it."
The knight cocked his head. "They would have fed you at the temple. Why aren't you there, young miss?"
The young woman's hands clasped the proffered food. She tried to swallow a sob. "It's - it's - they were asking too many questions when they washed our feet in that stupid ceremony of theirs. And - I - I couldn't talk about it. You know, what had happened to me." She choked. "They - those men you killed - they did horrible things to me... and the other women." She broke off in tears. "And - and at the temple, they asked... I got scared, so I ran." She raised her hands up against another bout of tears.
Jakkobb's face softened. "Well, you're certainly welcome to share some food."
Der scowled. "You could have just asked; you didn't have to try to steal it." Both of her traveling partners glared at her. She said, "What? She was stealing." She rolled her shoulders against the heat of her best friend's stare.
Meanwhile, Spike began to walk in a slow circle around the girl.
Kelin dropped his eyes back to the young woman, "What's your name?"
She gulped. "Mora. Morana Kemprial." Her tattooed fingers explored the details of the burlap packages of food in her hands. She didn't look up. Some of her thick, long hair had drifted in front of her face. Her entire body trembled against her tears.
"Mora," Jakkobb said, "You may have the food you require. However, if you try to steal from us again, you will be running back to Ahtome's door and we'll be hardly a step behind."
She gasped. "I didn't mean to - I was just so hungry! I didn't know what to do!"
"Staying at the temple would have been wiser," the knight replied evenly. He shot Der a look just as her mouth was beginning to open, and she clicked it closed.
"How were you captured by the slavers, my lady?" Kelin helped to open the cloth wrappings around their meat and cheese.
She twisted her finger around in her thick hair, still staring at the soft dirt. "There was this accident and my cottage burned down. And I was lost on my own and I just wandered around in the forest, and they found me. They already had the others chained up by the time they found me, so they just added me to them."
Kelin fumbled his cheese. "And they just chained you? No questions at all? Where did this happen?"
She plunged her face into her hands and just started sobbing.
Der scowled. "I've never heard of things like that happening in this kingdom. And that still doesn't excuse you stealing."
Jakkobb's hand appeared faster than the wind and slapped her on the back of her head.
"Ow!" She stumbled forward. "But, her story doesn't make sense, sir! There aren't slavers here, and she just happened to be caught after a fire? Everyone knows you go to your village."
He exhaled. "Well, the slavers are here. You killed them. And after what she's been through, I wouldn't expect a complete saga of what happened. Hell, I couldn't believe that you didn't have problems trusting people after you were tortured by the chemmen."
Der threw up her hands. "Exactly!"
"Derora!" Jakkobb snapped sharply with steel echoing throughout his voice. "Enough."
She opened her mouth.
"Der, shut it!" Jakkobb raised a stern eyebrow. "We will hear her side of the story first, in its entirety after she's calmed. We elves did the same for you and Kelin when you were caught in much worse circumstances."
"She stole! At our trial, we hadn't done anything wrong, sir."
He exhaled as loudly as his horse. "There are worse crimes than stealing a little food. Hell, I've done it. I thought you were a little older than you're acting."
Mora's voice surged through her tears, "I'm sorry! But, if something this horrible ever happened to you..."
"Oh, it did." Der started to pace. "I've been tortured with acid. And, yes, I cried. I'll admit that, but at least I didn't break my honor and steal something the next day!"
"Der!" Kelin barked.
"Go for a walk," Jakkobb ordered softly. He continued in elvish, "Look, I know you don't understand because crying isn't your way and stealing most definitely is not. But, there are times when it's forgivable. And, you're both just on the cusp of adulthood, which I've learned in humans usually means insolence. But, it looks sincere enough to me. She's frightened and is acting out of fear - whereas you don't seem to comprehend fear at all. So, just take a walk to cool down and think about things for the first time in your life!"
She matched his gaze, and then slouched. "Yes, sir." She paused, "Dad."
He raised a warning finger. "And if you keep acting like a child, I'll tan your hide like your dad."
Her eyes darted around as she considered it, but then, she spun on her heel and left. The knight sighed exactly like his horse. "I don't deserve this."
Mora curled in on herself even tighter. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to cause trouble. I just didn't know what to do!"
"You're not in trouble with us," Kelin soothed. He couldn't take his eyes off her. "Please, have some food." He thrust whatever was in his hands forward.
Her fingers wrapped around the proffered cheese. "She's upset with me."
Kelin shook his head. "Don't mind Der. She just doesn't know how to handle life when she's not in immediate danger of torture and painful death with the fate of a kingdom in her hands."
Mora coughed. "Are you serious?"
Jakkobb shrugged. "Probably."
"I didn't mean to cause trouble!"
Kelin hesitated, but patted her on the shoulder. "You're safe now. It's alright." His mouth dried when she brought her dark eyes around to him. Behind that mask of fear, he saw her beauty's potential and she was gorgeous.
"Safer, at least." The knight sighed. He looked up to see Spike approaching. The equine had been circling as if on patrol. The horse lifted his eyebrows imperiously.
The raven haired girl gazed upward at the warhorse. He snorted his challenge, and sprayed the contents of his nose all over the already weak campfire.
She backed away from the massive horse. "My gods! He's huge! What's his name?"
"Spike," Jakkobb replied.
Immediately, she looked him up and down. Spike turned his head as if he was at a horse show. "Why is he called that? There are no spikes on him."
The knight shrugged.
"I've never seen a horse this big before."
"That's because he's not a horse."
"Then what is he?"
"A monster," Jakkobb replied definitively. Spike immediately tried to take a bite of his plate mail, but the knight moved faster.
Kelin chuckled. "Yes, you have a point there, sir." He turned back to Mora and felt flushed again. "So, please, eat."
She blushed and looked back down with a small ghost of a smile.
* * *
Der bit into the jerky she carried in her belt purse. It tasted like leather and it wasn't too far from it in its makeup either. She chewed and tried to think about Silver Dawn's Horizon. She masticated as heavily as she could as she plodded through the dark forest.
Eventually, she stomped to a halt and exhaled. She knew what she could do to feel better.
Der eased the Pallens sword reverentially from its sheath. When she closed her eyes she could still see it in its true glory. The sapphire shone brighter than the moon. Still with her eyes closed she guided the perfect sword through a series of parries and attacks. It moved the same as it had before, and she felt like she was fighting with sharpened starlight in her hand. She lost herself to the motions of the weapon.
And, she slowed to a stop. There was something rubbing against her ears on the wind. Something that had been moving along with the rhythm of her practice. Some sigh of the wind or some hum of a late night bird. It had been in sync with her movements. Odd.
She dropped the sword point. It wasn't a bird, but a flute's song whispered along the edge of hearing. She listened, but only caught a few fragmented notes.
Der slammed the sword home in its sheath, and set out in search of the eerie song's origin. The music grew louder only by inches, and it took her some time to find the melody. The night was calmly quiet, no insects even joined in a chorus to the flute. Nothing else made a sound. That was odd too, she observed. She glanced back in the direction of camp, but felt the reassuring weight of her sword on her hip. She let her hand dangle over the hilt. More notes drifted around the leaves.
The Song of Mendelin and Tara! Everyone knew that tune! She frowned. What was anyone doing out here playing it? She brushed aside the thought of wood nymphs and fairies; they weren't known to be in Thealith.
The ancient elvish prince's legend was as strong today as it had been before the fall of the Empire. Mendelin loved to travel abroad and crossed upon a lost human peasant girl one day. She was starving and dying of a disease no human could cure. He nursed her back to health. They fell in love. When old aged claimed her, almost in the blink of an eye for an immortal, and the prince could not bear the weight of grief. He tried for many years to overcome it, and when he could not, journeyed to the end of the world to find her soul. He supposedly sang to the spirits the very melody from which his epic was composed.
Her spirit came to him, drawn by his music. However, now they were worlds apart and she could not touch him and he could not reach out to her. Alone, he returned to the elven kingdom of Arborn, climbed the highest tower of Long Range Palace and took one short step off.
The thought made her look down at her own feet. The music flowed like wine, and her head seemed to start to hum. She sighed in relief, having confirmed her feet were on the ground. Then, she frowned; only elvish music had made her lose her thoughts like that before. She bunched her fists and stepped ahead.
But, the song continued its siren call and the legend brightened in her mind again.
The gods pitied the prince and spared his distraught spirit. They made him the brightest star in the night sky. Der often wondered when stargazing how turning him into a star helped him and his lover with their problem. She always got irritated glances whenever she'd asked.
The solo flute amplified the loneliness of the tale. The achingly beautiful music sounded almost elvish, but she'd never heard such a haunting undertone in Arborn. It wasn't hollow, as she first thought, but instead full of spirit and emotion, just not in the same rhythm with the rest of the world.
