The Descendants Book One: The Broken Scroll (18 page)

Egan grinned slyly at his friend, “How did you come about getting a piece of property like this?”

“Hard work, my friend.  I’ve made quite a business of translations lately.  Everyone seems to be very obsessed with folklore literature these days.  And a lot of it isn’t in the common tongue, as you know.  I bought this home just one half year ago with the earnings from those jobs.  It is grand, is it not?”

Egan nodded dramatically.  “Indeed.  Are you still doing historical research and scribing odd jobs then?”

Liam frowned, “Not as much as I would like.  I preferred that sort of work, but you know as well as I that I would not afford a home like this on that kind of pay.”  He was silent for a moment, then his frown turned into a smile and he drew his arms out wide in a welcoming gesture. “But that is old news.  Now, let us go inside and relax, yes?”

Davin listened carefully to their conversation.  He didn’t want to miss anything important.  There was good chance that he could learn a lot about the world and the past lives of these men if he paid attention.  If he missed something there was no guarantee that Egan would inform him later.  The last thing he wanted was to be left in the dark again.  He wanted to know the kind of people he was associating with, considering he might be tied them for a while. 

Liam led them through the front door and into the living room of his home.  The living room was the size of the three of four of Davin’s cabins put together.  It had a warm, inviting look, the kind that bread contentment and relaxation.  The room and its furniture were all darker colors of maroon and brown that danced tranquilly against the fire.  Davin felt more at peace already. 

“Welcome, my lords, to my humble home.  I hope it is adequate.  I will show you where you will sleep later.  For now, I feel we should eat.  I’m certain it has been a long while since you’ve had a good meal.  Fear not, you shall eat well tonight.  I shall speak with the cook about dinner.”

With a quick turn he stepped out of the room into the kitchen and out of sight.  At the mention of food that Davin realized he was famished, and his stomach grumbled uncomfortably.

“What a sight this place is,” Teague commented as they took seats on the furniture in the living room. 

“Yes.  I have to admit, I never thought he would do this well for himself,” Egan replied, taking in all of the historical artifacts on the walls.

Davin asked the question that had been burning in his since they got here.

“How did you meet him?”

“It is a story we will most likely get to hear tonight, but not right now.  I’ll let him tell it.  He
is a better story teller than I.”

Davin felt content with that answer for now.

Liam returned from the kitchen and let them know that dinner was on the way.  He was holding four glasses brimming with frothy pale ale.  Davin had only in Roland’s home had any sort of beer before.  It was bitter and wonderful at the same time, the kind of brew that tasted expensive. 

Egan and Liam chatted lightly before dinner while Davin and Teague sat quietly and listened.  The excitement and laughter they shared was a keen insight into how close they actually were.  And it brought on a pleasant, light-hearted mood.  Davin was fine with simply sitting back and enjoying the atmosphere. 

While the other two talked, his eyes drifted around the room.  There were all kinds of different unique looking artifacts and knickknacks from all over Talamaraon.  And most that looked like they were from the far away places of the world. 

Some things resembled old rusted tools, while others were cracked, faded, or broken things like maps and vases. 

He must be a collector of antiquities. 

Over where they came in, Davin spied a rather cumbersome and bulky looking suit of armor. It looked greatly outdated, as if came an era when the armies of the kingdom wore it as common attire.  He had spent several minutes pouring over a map of the kingdom on wall when the cook came in with an announcement. 

Finally dinner was served and the three travelers had trouble keeping their excitement contained.  On the table were a fat stuffed turkey, a bowl of giant baked potatoes, corn on the cob fresh from the fields outside of town, and a bowl of succulent looking fruit. 

“Well, my friend, will this be sufficient for you?” Liam asked, smiling as they sat down at the table.

Egan answered with a mouth full of turkey, “You did not have to go to all this trouble.  We are not that deserving.”  All three travelers being equally ravenous, they dug into the feast without another word.  

Nonsense,” Liam brushed Egan’s comment off.  “I will make an effort for a friend I have not seen in many years.  You and your colleagues will sleep well tonight, I assure you.”  And with that he started on his own meal. 

It didn’t take long for the food on the table to become leftover scraps.  When dinner was finished the cook cleared the table and brought out some different mead for them all to enjoy.  They moved back into the living room and became comfortable. 

When they were all settled Davin decided now would be a good time to bring up their past.  He asked Liam how he and Egan had met.

Liam cleared his thoughts and looked away, either trying to remember all the details, or unsure what to say.  “Egan did not tell you, did he?  He has always thought I was the better story teller.”  Liam turned to his friend and saw he his eyes had become distant.  Davin knew why.

“I suppose there is no better time for me to tell you this disturbing news, Liam,” Egan started.  “My memory has been a mess from t
he moment I left the Secret City until recently.  I remember little of the last twenty years.  But I do not want to dwell on it right now.”

There was a heavy silence.  But in a matter of seconds, Liam’s grimace turned into a warm smile. “And we won’t, my friend, if it troubles you so.  I
will wish to discuss it at some point, but not tonight.  I will tell the story.” 

Liam began the telling as if nothing significant had happened a moment ago.  “You see, lad, I was working down at the docks at the time. 
I was much younger, just trying to get into the business of scribing and translating. He and, what I can only assume was his beautiful wife, came off the ship looking weather worn.  She was with child, though I didn’t learn that until I was told because she showed no signs of it yet.” 

Davin gaped at Egan.

“What a second,” Davin started, “you never told me you had wife and she was carrying your child.” 

Egan shrugged.  “I have vague memory of a woman being with Liam and me during our initial studies together, but that is all.”

“Where had they come from?” Davin asked quickly, sneaking a glance at Egan, who was not looking his way.  

“Somewhere in the Unknown Lands I can only assume.  I am certain you have been told of the power of the Descendants’ city,” he replied. Davin gave several quick, disappointed nods before Liam had fully finished the answer, indicating he knew this. 

Liam continued.  “I recall this very vividly, mind you, because they were doing something that, looking back, was very foolish.  I’d never forget it.  They were looking for more of their kin by means of showing Driocht to complete strangers.  Naturally, very few people in the modern world know what Driocht orbs truly are.  I watched this and wondered what caused them to search so drastically, so I knew I had to do something before they attracted the wrong attention.”

Davin interjected, “How did you know what they were carrying at the time, and that it wasn’t dangerous?”

Liam raised his finger, “I was just getting to that.  You see, one of my newest hobbies at the time was Ancient lore.  And I was most assuredly one of the few people who knew who they were and what they were carrying. 

You might say I was drawn to them.  I lead them into my home with open arms, ecstatic to learn more.  Egan and I became friends quickly.  When he found out all that I knew about their kind, he began helping me with my research.  Nataeli, his wife, was always skeptical about my intentions, though I believe she came around in the end.” 

Liam bent down and took a big gulp of his mead, quenching his palette.  He glanced at Egan as if checking if the details were correct.  Egan said nothing. 

“Days passed to months while they stayed with me.  Before long, Nataeli began to act strange, not herself.  She carried on about how she had to ‘leave it all behind’.  We didn’t know what it meant.  We argued with her to stay and help us continue our research but she was determined.  She grew wild and out of control, not in her right mind.  It came down to a duel and Egan refused to fight her.  He had to let her go.”

Egan rose out of his seat at this point and stepped swiftly out of the room.  Liam stopped for a second and bowed his head, looking troubled. 
 
Davin understood Egan’s reaction and felt for him.  Egan was being forced to live the same pain he had felt twenty years ago as if it was the first time.  Davin couldn’t image having to go losing his mother again.  It would take a heavy toll.
 

Still he wanted Liam to keep going and encouraged him on. 

“After several weeks of turmoil, he decided to go out after her.  I did not see him for some time…several months I think.  He finally showed back up on my doorstep a broken hearted man.  After all that time, he told me he never found her or any of their kin.  We picked back up our research, but he wasn’t the same.  After about a year, he decided to try to return to his home.  He said he stowed aboard a ship back to the Unknown Lands and I have not seen him again until now.”

Davin was amazed at what Liam had said, though he hoped he didn’t show it too much.    So Egan and he had both lost someone dear to them.  Pity welled up in Davin chest as he turned to stare at the place where Egan had left the room. 

Egan came back around the corner after a few seconds of silence.

“Major sections of my memory between those time periods feel like they have been, for lack of better explanation, wiped from my brain.  When I was picked up in the North Desert military post and placed as prisoner, I don’t know I got there.”

“That’s when you were brought to Daust, fought the governor, and escaped to Lemirre,” Davin finished the story for him lazily. 

Two people in the same room claimed to have the same type of unexplained memory lapses and he was supposed to take both of their words on everything.  He felt Egan’s misery enough that he believed his story.  It was Radash he wasn’t so sure he believed. 

Egan eyed him intuitively, seeing right through Davin blank expression.  “I wanted you to trust me Davin.  I didn’t think telling you about my past incompletely was the best was to go about doing that.”

“I don’t think I do, honestly,” Davin answered.  “It actually makes
less
sense now.  But it doesn’t matter, I guess, you seem to be alright.”  Shaking the confusion away, he decided it wasn’t worth the energy.  He was getting sleeper by the minute anyways.  The food had settled nicely in his belly.

Liam clapped his hands together loudly enough to bring Davin back from his post meal stupor.  He then put his arm on Egan’s shoulder and smiled warmly.

“Well, my good friend, as much as I would like to believe this was just a social visit, I have entertained the notion that it is not completely so.  Am I right to assume this?”

Egan seemed to have forgotten all about their real reason for being here until now.  He straightened and suddenly became more alert, not hiding his gladness at the change in topic. 

“Yes you are.  I cannot deny it.  Simply put, I wish Davin to be trained to use Driocht.  I had hoped that you would be willing to help.  You know as much about the Ancients as I do and your home would be a safe haven to instruct in.  At least, for a short time.”

Liam couldn’t contain his excitement at the idea.  “Yes, yes of course,” he answered quickly as if he should have known that was what Egan was after.  “I have a gymnasium that I use for fencing and other recreation.  It will be perfect for you.”

“Thank you Liam.  Your friendship is most appreciated.” 

“I would expect nothing less from you, dear Egan.”  He shook Egan’s hand, and patted it a couple times.  Then he turned to Davin, his smile fading.

“The real question is do you feel that you are ready, Davin?  Leaning the skills of the Ancients is nothing to be taken lightly.”

Davin had heard nearly the same thing from Egan.  It made him a little weary, but he refused to show it. They were trying to scare him and it wasn’t going to work.

“I will work hard.  I don’t care how difficult it will be.”

“Good, you will need to,” Liam replied, mollified. 

“I am curious though,” Davin admitted, trying to sound more casual then he felt, “what exactly does this training entail?  Are there a lot of different things I must learn?”  He hoped there wasn’t.  The training would not take as long that way. 

Egan chuckled lightly, “We will begin more thoroughly tomorrow, but I will tell you that there is mental training, physical combat training, and then finally you begin to use Driocht.  Th
ey all go hand in hand.”

Davin thought about the steps.  It sounded more complicated than he expected.  He wasn’t going to let it bother him though.  He used to trudge through the Ancient Forest all the time while others steered clear all together.  That was courage to be noted, in his opinion.