Authors: Lana Axe
Hearing scratching against her windowsill, Nera
grabbed a nearby vase and crept toward the window. Raising the vase to strike
the intruder, she nearly brought it down on Kwil’s head. Recognizing her
friend, she immediately set her weapon aside. “Kwil,” she whispered. “Is it
really you?”
Grinning, he nodded his head. “It’s me.”
Nera couldn’t contain her excitement. She leaned
toward the window and kissed his forehead. “I’m so glad to see you,” she said.
Now she would not have to play along with her father’s plans. “How did you get
up here?”
Raising a hand to show her the resin, he said,
“Sticky hands.”
Nodding slowly, she asked, “How am I going to get
down?”
Kwil wasn’t sure. The spell probably wasn’t strong
enough to carry the two of them.
“Hold on,” Nera said, moving away from the window.
Grabbing a tapestry of her family crest from the wall, she tossed it to the
floor. Taking the rope attached to it, she returned to the window and presented
it to Kwil.
“That’s only two feet long,” he said. “That’s not
going to get you to the ground.”
Rolling her eyes, Nera replied, “Use magic on it.”
Slightly embarrassed, Kwil took the rope in one
sticky hand. Focusing his mind to the rope, he spread a soft white light over
its surface. The rope began to grow, twisting itself as it stretched toward the
ground. Once it was long enough, he handed it back to Nera.
Tying the rope to her bedpost, Nera said, “All
set.” Sitting on the windowsill, she grasped the rope in both hands before
swinging her feet outside. Surprising even herself, Nera proved a nimble rope climber.
Kwil moved slowly at her side, prepared to catch her should she fall, but she
did not need his help. Her feet reached the ground in safety.
“Let’s get out of here,” she said.
Shoving his feet back inside his boots, Kwil
agreed. “The horse is this way,” he said, leading her away from the manor.
To their delight, the horse was waiting for them
only steps from where Kwil had left him. He neighed softly at the sight of
Nera. Climbing aboard the saddle, they galloped away toward freedom.
A
fter riding
through the night, Kwil and Nera found themselves near the College grounds by
morning. There was little activity, most of the students having not yet risen
from their beds. Kwil wondered what the day’s lessons would be, but it mattered
not. In a few hours, they would be back at Rili’s house, where he could
continue to learn.
“We don’t want to linger
here,” Nera cautioned. “My father may have paid off Mistress Tress, but that
doesn’t mean she’ll actually keep her mouth shut. There could be people looking
for you.” After a pause, she added, “Looking for both of us.”
Nodding his
understanding, Kwil spurred the horse forward. The path was dry, providing them
with easy passage. Many other travelers crossed their path, but none paid them
any heed. Kwil was grateful for that. Word of Nera’s escape had not yet spread
through the area, and he hoped they could make it safely to Rili’s before it
did.
By evening, the two
arrived at the manor house, and Rili stepped out to meet them. With his arms
crossed against his chest, he scowled at the pair. “At least you’ve returned my
horse,” he said, scolding.
Climbing down from
the saddle, Kwil said, “Forgive me, Master. I could not leave Nera to an
uncertain fate.”
Nera said nothing.
She knew Rili would ask her to leave, and she was prepared for it. Her presence
would bring trouble and prevent Kwil from learning. She had to leave.
Sighing, Rili said, “I’m sorry, Kwil. I won’t be
able to teach you.”
Kwil stammered as he started to speak. “Because I
disobeyed you?” he asked. “This was a special situation. Believe me, it won’t
happen again.”
Shaking his head, the master wizard replied, “It
makes no difference. Her family won’t stop looking for her, and this is where
they will look first. I can’t risk having trouble like that around here. It
would jeopardize everything.” With guards poking around, he would likely be
discovered as a proponent of abolishing slavery. His operation would be brought
to a halt, and escaped slaves would have to travel weeks in the wilderness to
find help.
“Please,” Nera begged. “I will go away and never
return, but you have to teach Kwil.”
“The guards will undoubtedly return,” Rili stated.
“One of them might recognize Kwil, and I’ll have no way to protect him.” His
voice was full of regret. He truly wished he could help young Kwil, but it was
impossible.
“It’s all right,” Kwil replied. Turning to Nera,
he added, “I wouldn’t want to stay if you left. I’d be worried about you.”
“I can take care of myself,” she said. “I’ll join
a troupe somewhere, and then I can write to you. You have to learn. Please,
Master Rili, teach him.”
“I’m finished repeating myself,” Rili replied.
“Take your lute and leave this place. I’m sorry, Kwil. I will not mention to
anyone that you passed this way again.”
“Where will we go?” Kwil asked.
“If you still want to learn magic, you might find
help in the Dark Forest,” Rili said. “Mistress Seela lives in a cottage a few
days’ journey from here. She took me as her apprentice when no one else would. She
taught me many things, and there is much yet I did not learn. If you truly wish
to learn great things, learn from her.”
“How will I know her?” Kwil asked, suddenly eager
to get going.
“I doubt you will encounter many Gatans in those
woods, and none like Seela,” Rili replied. “She is a Feles.”
Nera gasped in surprise. She had seen one Feles
before as a child, and the sight had stuck with her.
“What’s a Feles?” Kwil asked. The term was
entirely foreign to him.
“A Feles is a Gatan of special birth,” Nera
explained. “They are small and walk on four legs. It’s said they are the
manifestation of our ancestors.” Wrinkling her brow, she said, “They are
usually revered, and people pay a lot of money to see them. I can’t imagine one
living in obscurity in the Dark Forest.”
“That is all I’m prepared to say,” Rili said. “You
may seek her out and tell her that I sent you. Otherwise, you may go where you
will.” Grabbing the horse’s lead, he walked away toward the stable.
“Dark Forest it is then,” Kwil said.
Nodding, Nera said, “Looks like it. Let’s get our
things.”
The two entered the manor one last time to collect
their few belongings. Caressing her lute case, Nera realized how much she had
missed holding it. Never again would they part—not for her father, nor any
other villain who would try to destroy her spirit.
As they exited the house and headed toward the
woods, they saw no sign of Rili. Kwil wanted to say goodbye, but Nera stopped
him. “I’m sure he feels bad about this,” she said. “He does want to help you,
but he also wants to help other slaves. With my father’s men keeping watch over
him, he wouldn’t be able to do either.”
“I couldn’t turn my back on you, Nera,” Kwil said.
“Even if it means I can’t learn magic.”
Kwil’s loyalty made Nera feel small. Was she
worthy of such dedication? “Kwil, I would see you live your dream,” she said.
“I wouldn’t expect you to follow me while I pursue mine. The time may come when
we are forced to part.”
Kwil stared down at his feet. “I couldn’t leave
you to suffer at your father’s hands,” he said. “You would have come for me.
But if you want me to go on without you, I’ll respect that.”
“We’ll find Seela together,” Nera replied. “After
you’re settled, I might have to leave. I don’t think she can teach me music.”
She managed a weak smile, hoping her friend understood. “It wouldn’t be the end
of our friendship, you know. You can come see me play, and I can marvel at your
great feats of magic.”
Kwil laughed. “It’s a deal,” he said, throwing an
arm over her shoulder. They’d come through too much not to remain friends, even
if their separate paths meant they couldn’t always be together. For now, he
would enjoy her company and not dwell on what was to come.
A servant stepped out of the manor and approached
the travelers at the tree line. “Master Rili asked me to bring you some food
for your journey.” Extending two bundles toward the pair, she nodded before
turning away.
“Thank him for us,” Nera called after her. Peeking
inside the bundle she saw fresh bread, dried fruit and strips of meat. “It’s
better than eating pinecones,” she said with a smirk.
“That’s probably all we’ll find on our own,” Kwil
replied, taking a pinch of bread. Having snuck out the previous night without
dinner, he was already famished.
“I wonder why he wouldn’t give more details about
Mistress Seela,” Nera said.
Shrugging, Kwil replied, “Maybe she practices dark
magic. That would certainly make her an outcast.”
Her eyes wide, Nera asked, “Would you want to
study with someone like that?”
“I don’t have to learn anything evil,” he replied.
“If she can teach me what I need to know, then I’m willing to learn. Besides,
just because someone knows dark magic doesn’t make them evil.”
“What does it make them?” she asked.
“Well read?” he replied, a little uncertain. “It doesn’t
matter,” he added. “No one else is going to teach me. We don’t know why she
lives as an outcast, but I imagine we’ll find out.” Slinging his pack over his
shoulder, he marched through the trees.
“Wait!” Nera called after him.
He paused to look at her. “What is it?”
“Do you know which way to go? Have you been to the
Dark Forest before?”
“Not exactly,” he replied. “But my former mistress
used to love scary stories that took place there. Didn’t you ever read those as
a kit?”
“I was never allowed to read anything
interesting,” she responded.
“Well, I saw a map in one of her books. It lies
southeast of here.”
“And you think that’s reliable?” she asked,
crossing her arms. “Maybe we should go back and get better directions.”
“The Dark Forest is a place of magic,” Kwil
replied. “I can sense its pull as we get closer. Trust me.” He gave a crooked
smile and cocked his head to the side.
Sighing, she said, “All right. Just don’t take us
near that cockatrice.”
“It’s that way,” he said, pointing the opposite
direction. “I don’t think it’ll bother us.”
Wrapping their cloaks tightly around them, they
tried to block out the cold. It was a windy day, and the exertion of walking
still wasn’t enough to keep them warm. After an hour, Nera could bear the
silence no longer.
“This is turning into a long, cold trip,” she
said. “I can’t play my lute and walk, so you’ll have to entertain me.”
“You want to see some magic?” he asked.
“Only if it involves getting warm,” she replied.
“Talk to me. Tell me a story or something. Maybe one about the Dark Forest.”
Kwil thought for a moment. “There are ogres living
there, you know.”
“I don’t want to hear that story,” Nera replied.
“Are there any nice stories about where we’re going?”
“There’s one about a little girl and a bear,” he
said. “But the bear eats her at the end, so I guess that isn’t exactly nice.”
“No, it isn’t,” Nera said. “Tell me about your
father. You said you’ve dreamed of your mother, but you didn’t mention him. Do
you ever see him?”
“I don’t,” he admitted. “To be honest, I’m not
sure if he ever saw me. I don’t think slave breeders care to keep families
together for long.”
Frowning, she replied, “You’re right about that.
I’ve seen toddlers auctioned off.” Even as a child, Nera felt slavery was
wrong. With her own eyes she’d seen humans inspected like cattle and sold to
the highest bidder. Children were ripped away from their parents, and husbands
were taken from their wives. How could her people justify such behavior? Her
father had told her that humans do not feel love the same way Gatans do. But
that wasn’t true. To look into their eyes as they were separated from their
families was all the proof she needed. And then there was Kwil. He was
completely devoted to her, even though he was no longer her servant. If only
all Gatans could see humans the way she did. Her heart heavy, she said, “I
guess that didn’t turn out to be such a nice subject either.”
Kwil paused in his walking and turned to face her.
“Maybe my father was some magical creature,” he said, attempting to lighten the
mood. He seriously doubted it was the case, but it was worth a shot to cheer
his friend. “Maybe he was a unicorn.”
Nera laughed. “Maybe he was,” she replied,
grinning.
Walking again, Kwil said, “You could have magical
parents too, you know. Maybe you were adopted.”
Still smiling, she replied, “They stole me right
out of my crib. My dragon mother was devastated.” Laughing, she added, “Maybe
Mistress Seela can teach me how to breathe fire.”
They both laughed and continued joking back and
forth until the sun had nearly disappeared from the sky. Choosing a suitable
place to spend the night, they dropped their bags and settled in.
Kwil prepared a fire and fed the flames with magic
to increase the heat. “That should keep us warm till morning,” he announced.
“Will it keep predators away?” Nera wondered.
There were bears in this area, and the cockatrice wasn’t far enough away for
her liking.
“I can take care of that,” he said proudly.
Walking in a circle, he placed a ring of magic around their campsite. “This
will protect us,” he said. “No one can enter this space without my permission.”
“Unless it’s a wizard,” she pointed out. Someone
with greater magical knowledge could easily break his spell. She hadn’t had
much interest in her studies at the College, but she’d seen enough duels to
know that wizards often tried to best one another.
“I don’t suspect a lot of wizards will be walking
around here tonight,” he said dismissively. “Most of them have nice homes to go
to. Bandits might be more likely.”
“You’re probably right about the wizards,” she
replied. “Bandits usually stay closer to the road. It’s easier to rob merchants
that way.” Scooting close to the fire, Nera took out her lute. “Do you mind if
I play a while?” she asked.
“I’d enjoy it,” he replied.
She plucked softly at the strings and hummed along
with it. When she finished, she strained her ears to the night. “It’s so
quiet,” she commented. “No owls, no wolves, nothing.” The silence was
unnerving, so she played another song to ease her mind.
Kwil lay back on the ground and stared up at the
stars, falling asleep to the sound of Nera’s lute. His dreams filled with
visions of music, and all the colors that accompanied it. A vision of his
mother also appeared, her soft voice singing along with the strumming of the lute.
Nera played late into the night before finally
drifting off to sleep, her lute still clutched in her hands. Images of travel
came to her mind, the cold wind blowing as she walked. Fear and panic overcame
her as she realized she was alone. Kwil was nowhere to be found. She called for
him, but he did not respond. The snow grew deep beneath her feet, and the
gusting wind blinded her. She was lost in the Dark Forest with no one to help
her find her way.
Sinking to her knees in the snow, she wondered
where Kwil had gone. Had he been hurt or had he simply abandoned her? How would
she survive? Looking up to the sky, she saw the silhouette of a dragon, its
massive wings fanned wide. It was her mother come to fetch her and return her
to the nest. Standing, she held her arms wide, ready to embrace the dragon as
it descended toward her. As the creature alighted beside her, she awoke,
finding herself still in the forest, Kwil snoring softly near the fire.
Sitting up, she stared into the fire and tried to
recall all the images of her dream. It was silly to imagine a dragon as a
parent, but it was far better than reality. Dragons were free, as she was now.
Smiling to herself, she realized how much she and Kwil truly had in common. Reclining
once more, she settled in for the night, welcoming the dream dragon’s return.