Knights: Legends of Ollanhar (24 page)

Chapter
13:

The Lake of Legends and Bones

 
After leaving the
Oldermar Hills, Aldreya and the others waited two days for Lannon to catch up,
but he never appeared. As they camped in some boggy lowlands, their lone
remaining Elder Hawk searched far and wide for him, circling for hours through
the distant sky, but to no avail. Unable to delay the mission any longer, they
finally broke camp--in spite of a strong protest from Dallsa--and moved on.
Aldreya remained confident Lannon would settle whatever business was delaying
him and eventually rejoin the group. She insisted that Dallsa's fear that
Lannon had been unable to escape from the Malrogs was irrational.

Meanwhile, Bekka Nightspear's strength continued to grow.
Still haunted by the Ghoul's bite, she trained furiously every day while they
were camped. These training sessions left her soaked in sweat and so sore she
could barely do her camp chores. She reached deep into her Knightly essence,
demanding her power expand, and her mind and body responded. The fire in her
sword grew hotter.

As Bekka's skills increased, so did her hatred for the Deep
Shadow. It had caused her suffering so terrible she could not explain it to the
others, and she was eager to return the favor. Her goal was to destroy Tharnin,
and if she couldn't destroy it then she would slay its servants and bring
misery to the great beast.

As they rode, Bekka had time to rest and recover, but she
didn't welcome it. Hours spent on horseback did nothing to develop her skills,
and so she chose to put off sleeping at night so she could train. This behavior
left her exhausted, and she frequently found herself asleep in the saddle.

By the time they reached the shores of Legend Lake, several
days after Lannon's departure, even Aldreya had begun to wonder if some grave
misfortune had befallen him. But there was nothing to do but continue on. They
were well aware that Lannon could travel faster than them, and if he was still
following, he would eventually catch up.

They'd had no further encounters with Ethella and her
warriors or the Blue Vultures. While a bit of spying revealed that Ethella's
party was still following them from a distance, there was no sign of the
barbarians. This led Aldreya to speculate that the Blue Vultures had given up
and returned to their homeland, but Brakthas and Galandra insisted there was no
chance of that. They believed the issue with the barbarians would still have to
be settled by bloodshed.

It was another beautiful fall day, with a clear sky and a
warm breeze, as they approached a dock. They paid a hefty fee of thirty silver
pieces to take a boat to the island where Wolfbine Kingdom stood. The large,
sturdy boat was rowed by a dozen muscular oarsmen, and it featured comforts
such as food and drink, a bard who played songs on a flute and read poetry, and
padded benches. They brought what goods they could carry but left their horses
and wagons behind in the care of the dockmaster.

The weather was perfect for traveling across the enormous
lake, and the captain seemed friendly enough. There was no obvious reason to
anticipate trouble. But Bekka was suspicious of the situation right from the
start. Something seemed odd to her, though it could have simply been paranoia
on her part. She thought she noticed a hostile gleam in the eyes of the captain
and crew. Yet when she whispered her thoughts to Aldreya, the Green Knight
dismissed her concerns with a shrug. Without Lannon's power to glimpse the
truth of things, they had no way of knowing what those men were thinking.

Ultimately, Bekka decided she was imagining things. She
forced herself to relax and enjoy the breeze and the delightful scenery. As the
shore receded into the distance until it vanished from view, and all they could
see was open water, she took time to just enjoy the comfortable ride--though
somewhere deep in her mind a nagging voice whispered to her that they were in
peril.

***

After a few hours of travel upon the waves, they
encountered a series of rocky islands that they navigated between. Towering
cliffs rose up around them, from which colossal statues were carved--statues of
legendary warriors from ages past. The ship seemed like a tiny speck on the
waves compared to some of these ancient monuments. The Knights gazed upward in
awe.

The captain smiled. "Now you know why this is called
Legend
Lake
." He was a short and stocky man--built almost like a Dwarf--with
a large belly and a thick black beard. Only a couple tufts of hair remained on
his head. His face was scarred as if from battle, and from his belt hung a
curved sword.

"The greatest warriors in history," the captain
went on, a look of reverence in his dark eyes. "Men and women who did
seemingly impossible deeds and shaped the future of our continent of
Gallamerth. You have the look of warriors yourselves, a formidable group. So
where are you from?"

"My apologies," Aldreya replied, "but we
choose not to share our business with strangers." She gave him a polite
smile.

The captain nodded. "Not a problem at all. Your
business is your own, of course. I was just curious. You're such
powerful-looking men and women." He pointed at Jace. "And that fellow
is one of the largest Noracks I have ever seen. What have you people been
feeding him?"

Jace didn't reply, his face impassive.

The more Bekka listened to the captain speak, the more she
disliked him. There was something about him that unnerved her--perhaps a sly
look that kept appearing on his face. He seemed to sense that, and he
approached her.

"You're a beautiful maiden," he said. "You
have the body of a goddess. You're probably stronger than most men, including
my crew." He studied her for a moment, then said, "You have the look
of an Aramat, but darker of skin and more fierce. I sense you are a great
warrior."

"I'm not an Aramat," said Bekka. "I'm a
Norack. I have never heard of Aramats." She could smell wine on the
captain's breath. Her hand slipped close to her Flayer hilt. The captain's
cunning eyes seemed to notice the move.

"Aramats are peaceful," said the captain,
"but seldom seen in these parts." He gazed at Prince Vannas, Lothrin,
and Aldreya. "I would assume you are Aramats as well, with that bronze skin
that seems to have been baked by a strange sun. He ran his fingers over
Lothrin's cheek. "How strange." His fingers encountered Lothrin's
ear. "Why, it's pointed! I've not seen the like of it!"

"We're Birlotes," said Prince Vannas, smiling. He
seemed to like the captain. "Surely you've heard of us. We come from
Borenthia."

"Impossible!" said the captain, his mouth hanging
open. He took out his wine flask and sipped at it, then grunted and shook his
head. "What are Birlotes doing in these lands? Birlotes never leave their
precious tree city."

"You're mistaken, my friend," said Vannas, with a
chuckle. "We do journey to other areas, in particular..." He
hesitated, as Aldreya shot him a warning glance. "I'll just say that we
sometimes leave Borenthia."

"What about you, my dear?" he asked Galandra.
"Your hair is like flame and your eyes like emeralds. Remarkable
beauty."

"Thank you," she said, smiling. "I'm just a
simple Ranger like my friends here." She motioned to Saranna and Brakthas.
"Surely Rangers are as common in these lands as everywhere else on
Gallamerth?"

"Indeed," said the captain. "Several of my
friends are Rangers."

"Then you keep good company," said Galandra.

The captain sighed. "Noracks, Birlotes, and Rangers
traveling together--along with a pale giant. How remarkably odd. And you...such
a strong fellow." He patted Jerret's muscular arm. "You look like you
could break a man in two."

Jerret seized the captain's hand and moved it away.

The captain's eyes widened. "Didn't mean to
offend."

"No offense taken," said Jerret, but his voice
was cold.

"Good to hear," said the captain, nodding.
"And I better remember my manners. I'll bet you've broken more than one
fellow's jaw in your time. Am I right?"

Jerret shrugged. "I've been in a few fights."

The captain poked his fingers into Jerret's arm.
"You're a handsome fellow too. I'll bet the ladies are fond of you. A
handsome face can make up for a lack of intelligence, so I've always been
told."

Jerret removed the hand again.

"That's enough, Captain," muttered Daledus.
"Keep putting hands on Jerret and you'll get a fight." The stout
Dwarf rose from the bench.

Jerret's face was sullen, his eyes narrowed.

"Ah, a Dwarf," said the captain, looking
displeased. "Always quick to anger. I'm just trying to get to know my
passengers. Is that a crime?"

"There will be no fight," Aldreya said.
"Jerret, the captain is simply curious about us. I don't think he intends
any insult. Daledus--sit down."

Reluctantly, Daledus sat.

The captain bowed to Aldreya. "I certainly would never
want to insult a passenger. Especially one with more muscle than brains."

Jerret said nothing, his face stony.

Prince Vannas chuckled. "Everyone relax. Obviously the
captain is just having a bit of fun. Isn't that right, Captain?"

"Always," said the captain. "I live for fun
and the bump of the waves." He made a wave motion with his arms and did an
odd little dance, moving close to Bekka. He tried to kiss her hand, but she
yanked it away from him.

"No need for that," she said sternly.

The captain turned away from her. "We should have some
celebration, my friends. What a fine day it is out on these magnificent waters.
Who would like some food and drink? Don't worry, it's already covered by your
payment. Better eat up, as we still have a long journey ahead. I have meat,
cheese, bread, fruit, and other things. Also wine and ale. And pipe leaf."
He turned and nodded to Jace. "I'm guessing a giant like you wouldn't pass
up a chance to eat."

"You guess correctly," said Jace. "I'll take
some of everything. And a bit more of everything. And don't forget the pipe
leaf."

"I think we all would like to eat," said Aldreya.
"We appreciate your hospitality, Captain. My companions have seen many
troubles lately, and they are quick to anger. Forgive us for showing hostility."

"All is forgiven," said the captain. He snapped
his fingers. "Just like that. I'm not a man who holds grudges--not in the
least. I just earn coin."

Jerret watched the captain like a wolf studying its prey.
Bekka felt what Jerret was feeling--that this captain was deliberately trying
to antagonize them. It was some sort of game to him, but where was it leading?

The captain rubbed his hands together. "Soon we shall
eat." He blew a kiss toward Galandra, and she laughed. She returned the
gesture.

"You're a jolly fellow, Captain," she said.
"I like you."

The captain gave a huge sigh. "So many beautiful
maidens on my ship. This vessel has never looked so good." He shook his
head. "I think I'm falling in love. First one to give me a kiss will have
my eternal gratitude."

Jerret cracked his knuckles.

Vorden leaned close to Jerret and whispered, "This
fellow must have no idea who he's dealing with. Unless he
does
know and
is testing us."

"I have no clue what his game is," Jerret
whispered back.

Bekka had seen enough from this captain, and she wished
Aldreya would stop trying to be polite to him. Surely this man was a snake who
was plotting against them. Why couldn't Aldreya see it?

Yet the Green Knight sat rigidly on the bench, seemingly
unaffected by the captain's antics. Bekka wondered what would happen if the
captain tried to kiss Aldreya's hand. Would she be so tolerant then? Or had
Bekka simply lost her sense of humor from so many trials and tribulations? It
was possible the captain was just a harmless oaf and nothing to be concerned
about. She didn't want to turn into some eternally offended, humorless warrior.

The captain took to singing in a dramatic fashion as he
walked back and forth on the deck. This singing was occasionally interrupted by
sips of booze. Some of the oarsmen took to singing with him.

Bekka's feeling of dread arose again.

"This man is dangerous," she whispered to
Aldreya. She was certain of it, but she couldn't explain how she knew. It
seemed to be pure instinct. "I'll bet he's a thief or even a notorious
pirate. We may be in for a fight."

"Perhaps," Aldreya whispered back. "Or he
could just be a bit overbearing. There are people like him all over the land,
and sometimes we have to tolerate them. We require the use of his boat. Making
him angry is not in our best interests. And if he is a pirate, he likely
wouldn't dare attack us. He's smart enough to know we're formidable
warriors."

Bekka considered Aldreya's words. "I suppose he could
just be a drunken fool. And his crew doesn't appear to be heavily armed."
The oarsmen had only curved daggers for weapons and were bare-chested.

Aldreya shrugged. "Regardless, he is taking us where
we need to go. Our first stop is the Temple of the Great Light on the island's
southern coast--a place where we should be welcomed. Just try to stay calm
until we get there."

"Not sure I can," said Bekka. "If he tries
to kiss my hand again, I just might punch him in the nose. Something about this
man makes my flesh shiver. Surely his heart is rotten. Can't you feel it,
Aldreya?"

Aldreya frowned at her. "Control yourself, Bekka.
You're giving in to irrational fears, with no evidence to support them. You are
making grim accusations against a man who, aside from a slight lack of manners,
could be completely innocent. I trust that you will share your thoughts with no
one else."