The Lord Son's Travels (57 page)

Meanwhile
Elenna had given into her own restlessness.
 
She pulled her clothes off of the floor where she had
dropped them and redressed.
 
Once
presentable, she gave in to the temptation that had gripped her since her
return to her bedchamber.
 
She
grabbed her backpack from the bottom of the large storage trunk where she had
cautiously hidden it upon their arrival.
 
She checked the inconspicuous thread she had weaved through the zipper
and was happy to find it was undisturbed.
 
Ever since her argument with Adrien, she had feared discovery of the
objects within and kept the pack hidden.
 
Part of her mind had subconsciously steered her away from the reminders
of her lost home.
 
But tonight she
felt the overwhelming urge to open the backpack and embrace its memories.
 
Before she unzipped, she waved her hand
in front of her face, sweating in the warmth of the overheated, badly
ventilated room.
 
She stood up and
shouldered the pack, after the sudden decision to find somewhere she could go
and get some fresh air and privacy.
 

The
halls were deserted at that late hour, Elenna felt safe enough to carry the
pack across the public areas without a chance of discovery and awkward
questioning.
 
She found a balcony
off the main upstairs hall that overlooked the town and the woods beyond.
 
She settled onto the thick stone
half-wall enclosing the open-roofed terrace, and gazed up silently into the
distant unfamiliar stars.
 
She
still couldn't face the moon; the satellite that was so different than the moon
she remembered clearly.
 
From her
backpack she took her favorite treasure she had stashed deep in one of the side
pockets – her iPhone.
 
She
put in the ear buds she had been so afraid she had left behind that school
morning, hoping that the machinery had survived intact after their rough
travels.
 
Luckily it still
functioned, but the battery warning flashed ominously as soon as she powered
on.
 
She leaned back against the
wall with eyes closed to immerse herself in the music and memories for one
final time before the battery finally died and the technology became
useless.
 
As she listened she listlessly
picked through all of the once essential items that filled the pockets of her
school bag.
 

A
hesitant voice calling her name interrupted her just as the battery warned of its
sad and imminent demise.
 
She
flinched and pulled out her ear buds when she recognized Brendan as the source
of the interruption.
 
Elenna called
a greeting and invited her friend to join her.
 
Brendan smiled and approached slowly.
 
She realized his obvious trepidation
was caused by the contraption she was holding, and quickly shut down the phone
and stowed it back in her bag.

“What
are you doing out here so late?” he asked, perching on the edge of the stone
wall.

She
shrugged.
 
“Lots on my mind, I
guess,” she answered.
 
He glanced
at the piles of papers she had pulled out of her pack and spread on the ground
around her.
 
He picked up a sheet
and studied it with curiosity.

“What
is this?” he asked, frowning at the strange writing.
 
He read out loud down the list she had written, stumbling
over the strange phrases.
 
She had
to laugh at his strange pronunciations.
 
She had grown used to their accents during her time in the Eastlands;
now the old wording sounded off to her.
 
“What is a lat….”

“Latte.
 
It’s a type of drink.”
 
Her smile turned wistful.
 
“My favorite was Starbucks pumpkin
spice latte. It was only available for a few months at a time.
 
I'd get them at the library cafe on the
way to class."

He
answered her faraway expression with pity.
 
“These are objects from your home.
 
What you will miss most.”

“Its
stupid,” she exclaimed with embarrassment, waving her paper with disdain.
 
“I know how many other problems I need
to be thinking about now.”

He
laid his hand on her shoulder.
 
“Elenna,
‘tis natural to miss your home.
 
I
understand.”

She
pulled at her hair, gazing off into the night.
 
“My mom won’t even know I’m getting married,” she shared
softly.
 
As he opened his mouth to
speak she shook her head.
 
“I know
that this is my own choice.
 
Whatever this Skranteen can do, he has the power to send people back and
forth, which means if I really wanted to I can go back.”
 

Brendan
stopped to search for the best words to explain his view.
 
“I’ve never seen him so happy,” he
shared finally.
 
“You have made him
a different man.”

   
“Love is strange,” she
agreed.
 
She shrugged, and Brendan
was glad to see a glint of amusement in her eyes.
 
“I just never dreamed that I would find someone worth giving
up flushing toilets and cable TV.”

   
“Could we keep you
here?”
 
Brendan asked.
 
Elenna paused, biting her lip.
 
Then she rose to her feet.
 
She leaned over the half-wall to view
the silent lands below under the faint starlight.
 
Then she tore up the sheet of paper in her hand into tiny
shreds.
 

   
“At least I don't have to
worry about global climate change anymore!” she declared to the stars, and
hurled the pieces as far as she could into the night.
 
She turned around to gently hug Brendan.
 
“Good night,” she said firmly.
 
“I have a big day planned tomorrow and
I am going to get some rest.”
      

Chapter 54

   
The next morning dawned as
early as all of the previous days but the energy level, especially of the
Allé-dônian faction, was many levels higher.
 
All of the leaders met again for breakfast to arrange for
the last minute preparations.
 
Adrien and Elenna announced that they were already scheduled to depart
the next day and wouldn't allow any arguments against their decision.
 
All three of the other royals were
furious, absolutely insistent Adrien stay to command their armies, but he
remained steadfast and they soon enough realized the futility of their
pleadings.
 
They grudgingly
accepted Brendan as their new commander.
 
He acknowledged their less than enthusiastic approval as he spread out
the latest strategy maps and explained the grand scheme behind their coming
offensive.
 
Adrien remained a
passive observer during the rest of the meeting, but as he remained with
Brendan and Tomas most of the day, behind the scenes he was checking and
rechecking their final preparations for the coming fight.
 
The first of the warriors were gearing
up for their march to the chosen battle site.
 
More intelligence reports came in to confirm that vast
armies of monsters were on their way to the valley. At some point the previous
evening the elves had decamped and silently departed for their rendezvous
point.

Elenna
split her time between checking on the stockpile of pistols and ammunition and
packing for the next day’s journey.
 
She had taken over his remaining packing chores, as well as arranging
for food and other necessary travel articles.
 
By late afternoon, every possible preparation was complete,
and there was nothing left for them to do but wait for their departure time.

Somehow
as the sun was about to set, all of the Allé-dônians were able to slip away
undetected from their duties to gather in a field for the wedding.
 
Elenna of course didn’t wear white, but
she had a bouquet of flowers she had gathered quickly from the gardens she
passed through on the way.
 
There
had been no way to arrange for a dress to be dyed red, the appropriate color
for the bride to wear at her debut as a royal.
 
Instead she improvised and wore one of Adrien's formal red
capes over a green dress as a compromise.
 
Elenna had asked for a few changes to the traditional Allé-dônian
ceremony; one was that Brendan stood with them in the combination of roles of
best man and honor attendant.
 
Adrien liked the change, glad to have his friend nearby when the moment
had come to voice his marriage oaths.
 
He had earlier that day finagled a deal with one of the smiths to melt a
few gold coins into a pair of rings like she had described to him the day
before.
 
He was gratified he had
made the effort when he noted her eyes were shining as he placed her ring on
her finger.

After
Tarien finished the ceremony and declared them formally wed, just as the sun
had its final reaching ray of light before slipping below the horizon, the
group returned to the house to gather in the Allé-dônians’ sitting room and
make merry for the last time before battle.
 
They talked and laughed, drank wine and told humorous
tales.
 
When they were sure the
rest of the household was in their beds for the evening, they made the trek to
the main dining room, far enough away from the living quarters that they could
be sure they would not disturb any sleepers and give away their secret.
 
The party continued with raucous
gaiety, as every participant secretly dreaded the passing of each hour with
sadness at the thought of their parting roads the next day.
 
Everyone wanted to push off that moment
and continue their camaraderie.
 
But regretfully they bowed to duty and separated for the night,
promising to meet again for breakfast before their departure.

Long
before the sun rose, the villagers of Trees Man were awaked by a terrifying
sight.
 
The sky in every direction
glowed at the horizon, as if an angry sun was rising from every corner of the
Eastlands.
 
While the first early
risers pondered the unexpected horrible vision, riders from the forests raced
from the forest roads into the village, screaming out alarms as they raced by.
 
The glow wasn’t a distant celestial
event; the forest in nearly every direction had been set afire.
 
Only one road from the west was left
unscorched, and this was now filled by the armies of the Lord of the
Southlands, grimly marching in vast columns towards the village.
 
The soldiers encamped on the grounds of
their Lord’s house roused themselves with fury and geared themselves for
battle.
 
The residents of the House
was awakened next to scurry about in haphazard attempts to regain control of
the situation.

Adrien
and Elenna woke quickly when the first messengers raced down the corridor
bawling out a call to duty.
 
Adrien
immediately recognized the danger, and turned to her with a fury mixed with
despair.

“The
forces from the West tricked us,” he said, pulling on his britches at the same
time he called for Aréal.
 
“Ready
yourself quickly."

Before
he had finished speaking, she had already called Midiral and was nearly
dressed.
 
She kept her voice as
dispassionate as she could.
 
“Are
they in the House?”

“Our
men will hold them the best they can,” he answered, mind racing several steps
ahead of his words.
 
“Where are the
elves?
 
By the Lady!” he swore as
he glanced out the window.
 
“The
woods are nearly burnt to the ground.
 
If the Small Folk escaped this treachery they are nowhere nearby.”

He
pulled open their chamber door.
 
Outside were scores of soldiers who had been sent to guard the royal
parties.
 
Lord Erik and his family,
as well as the foreign royals, were in the process of being gathered to the
upper floor areas of the castle for their own safety.
 
Across the hall Brendan, his sword still hanging in its scabbard,
was arguing with the captain of Roden’s forces.
 
He noted Adrien's appearance and frowned deeply.

“We
were betrayed in our intelligence,” he exclaimed furiously.
 
“All of their forces are here or
rapidly approaching, and many of our men are already lost.”

“My
Lord!” another soldier interrupted them.
 
He was young, shivering in fear despite his best efforts.
 
“The villagers…”

“Bring
them in the House!” Brendan barked in reply.
 
“As well as what livestock and supplies can be brought here
as well.
 
We may be in for a
siege.”

The
soldier nodded briskly.
 
He turned
on his heel and left to fulfill his commands.
 
Brendan glanced to Adrien, who nodded slightly.
 

“Hold
as long as you can,” he told his friend.
 
“I hope the elves and the rest of our men will be able to come to your
aid.”

“You
still travel?” Brendan asked with fervent hope for a change in his plans.
 

To
his disappointment Adrien nodded. “Here I can do no more than any other soldier.
 
There, I may be able to remove the
source of his power.”

“What
about the weapon stockpile?
 
Are my
weapons still secured?” Elenna demanded.
 
Brendan nodded.
 
“Good, that
should help,” she sighed.
 
She
turned to Adrien, “We’d better go.”
 
Her eyes darkened at his momentary uncertain expression.
 
Finally he nodded.
 

Brendan
swallowed deeply, then first turned to Elenna.
 
“Lady go with you, Lord Wed, ” he said as formally as he
could manage.
 
She held out her
hand, which he grasped tightly.
 

“God
bless you, Bren,” she said, blinking back her tears.
 
“Keep yourself safe.”

“And
you.
 
Come back to us!” He
admonished with a bitter smile.
 
He
closed his eyes, then turned to Adrien.
 

“Lord
Son,” he started, then stopped to clench his eyes against the wetness that had
come unbidden.
 
Instead he clasped
his friend in a tight brotherly hug.
 
When they released, Adrien gripped his shoulders.
 

“For
Allé-dôn,” he declared.

“For
Allé-dôn,” Brendan replied emphatically, then broke away.
 
He turned his back towards his friends,
barking out orders for their defenses.
 
Adrien and Elenna returned to their rooms to shoulder their traveling
bags, then weaved their way through the noisy crowds of soldiers and others now
filling their hall.
 
They each
thought about the other friends and companions they were leaving behind, but
they could not risk taking the time for good-byes.
 
They pulled their cloaks over their faces to prevent their
recognition before they threaded through the frightened crowds of nobles they
had come to know during their visit.
 
When they reached the main floor, they ran into the groups of citizens
now huddling for safety in the rooms in which they had celebrated only the
night before.
 
Whole families
huddled together on the floor in tightly bound circles to comfort each other
with assurances that their brave soldiers would soon defeat the invaders.

“To
the stables,” Adrien pointed towards the rear of the building.
 
They pushed their way through the
gathered masses until they reached the corridor leading back to the main
stables.
 
Here they encountered
more soldiers with weapons drawn in unsteady hands, afraid of the noises of the
battles that had begun at the edge of town.
 
Adrien guided Elenna past them to the stables.
 
He dropped one of his traveling bags to
the floor and rifled through until he found the objects he was looking
for.
 
One of the talismans he had
received from the Lady of Evendor was a set of cloaks that rendered the wearer
somehow unnoticeable.
 
Both pulled
on their cloak and realized with wonder that to each other's eyes, the covered
parts of their bodies had turned as shimmery as the air in the distance on a
hot humid day.
 
The disguise worked
best while mobile; it wasn't perfect but should help them avoid detection if
they remained in constant motion and didn't get too close to any suspicious
observers as they fled the castle.
  
“Which way do we go?” Elenna
demanded.
 
Adrien surveyed the
scene.
 
Most of the local people
had fled the town center and the grounds of the house for the relative safety
within the stone walls.
 
The
majority of their surviving fighters were now stationed on the grounds
encircling the castle and outbuildings.
 
The great armies of their enemies flowed toward them down the only
functional road, then widening out into a thick line of attack.
 
They had never known how outnumbered
their troops were, especially without the aid of the elves.

“Where
are my gunners?” Elenna craned her neck to search for her men.
 
Adrien urged her forward instead.

“Brendan
will see to their best use.
 
Come,
we must leave now before that becomes impossible.
 
Follow me.”
 
He
ran down the drive leading directly to the fighting, trying to hide his legs
underneath the flapping cloak.
 
Elenna followed with no guess of his plan but with blind trust in his
instincts.
 
The soldiers stared for
a moment as they felt a presence and saw something pass by closely, then gave
up on their curiosity and turned their eyes back to the advancing line.
 
Soon enough the enemy warriors would be
close enough for the main battle to begin.
 
Adrien guided them to the rear of the mass of their
troops.
 
Elenna struggled to keep
up with his longer stride, afraid she would lose sight of him in the swirl of
combat.
 

He
cut right suddenly, following the curve of the line of troops as it encircled
the House behind them.
 
The
monsters were now near enough for their men to glimpse their silent inhuman
faces.
 
A few men weakened at the
sight; some ran, some screamed, a few dropped to their knees in terror, but due
to their own courage or their training most gripped their weapons tighter and
waited for the signal to attack.
 
The battle horn sounded, and with a defiant roar the front men raised
their blades and rushed their enemies.