Yonn stood in the middle of the ring, arms up and blood trickling down his left brow. In front of him stood another man near his age and size. Both men stood shirtless covered in sweat and bruises. Like bears fighting over their hunting grounds both men circled each other. Arms up, muscles tense, and crowed cheering the men itched to throw another punch.
Like lightening, Yonn’s opponent threw a right hook. Yonn blocked with his left and jabbed with his other. The other man, who had an e-steed tattoo on his right upper arm dodged but didn’t lose his composure. They exchanged a few more strikes each. Horse tattoo made contact with Yonn’s side and Yonn got a good shot on the man’s jaw. Even with these strikes neither lost their composure. Sweat started dripping down onto the floor making the ground a little more slippery. The crowed was ecstatic. Some shouted for them to attack, others tried giving advice to either Yonn or horse tattoo, and still others could be seen making bets.
Elyar had made his way toward the edge of the arena. He looked at the two giants and wondered if he could beat a man their size. Both men stood a foot above him with muscles the size of Elyar’s legs.
Now they were circling each other again, neither forfeiting. Then, with a savage yell, Yonn charged horse tattoo and made two quick jabbs, which the man blocked, but he made a mistake. He dropped his guard just enough for Yonn to tackle him taking him to the ground. Yonn was not on top of horse tattoo striking him again and again. The man had his arms covering his head, but Elyar could tell the man was getting tired. A few more strikes and the man smacked the ground two times with his left hand.
The crowd erupted in screams and many men rushed Yonn. Standing up he reached out his hand to his opponent. Exhausted, the man grabbed Yonn’s hand and allowed him to lift him from the floor. They embraced and Elyar thought he saw them mouth how it was a pleasure fight ing and some other things he couldn’t read.
The crowd continued to be excited even as the men started moving away from their arena. Edaam approached his son and gave Yonn and giant hug. They it was a silly boxing match, his win brought honor to their family and the Feud. If war ever occurred the local fiscs knew they could count of Yonn to fight well.
Elyar looked over to see what Kristiana thought of the events. Her eyes were looking here and there, but he couldn’t tell if she had been inte rested in the fight or not. “What did you think?”
“It was an even match. Your brother performed well.” She answered evenly. There was no hint of accitement or disgust.
Elyar decided that was enough of an answer and moved on. He was about to ask another question when a different commotion caught his eyes. A man wearing strange clothes pushed through the crowd. He wore steel armor that did not look like any Elyar had ever seen. Each piece seemed connected to the next as if it was one complete steal armorment. He carried his helmet in the cusp of his left elbow. His hair was short, brownish, and was matted with sweat.
He walked into the center of the room and shouted for everyone to quiet. As soon as he saw him Lord Cane approached the man and they whispered for a moment. As they spoke a few other lords approached including Lord Edaam. As Elyar watched them talk he got the feeling they seemed to recognize who the man was.
The crowd began to hisper shortly after the intruder’s shout. Their initial interest was waining and many looked like they wanted to get back to the feast. The lords began scurrying away and the intrudor straightened up and looked at the waiting crowd. Lord Cane and Edaam were still standing next to him.
“Lords and ladies of Korax! Servants of the realm I wish to first apologies for ruining your festivities. But I have news that cannot wait.” He
cleared his throat and continued, “the Supreme has summoned his lord
electors to his side! A war council will be prepared!”
The crowd went fully silent. A silence that could hear the dead wake. Just as fast as it had quieted the room erupted into whispers, side chats, and men shouting wanting to know why a war council was coming.
“Silence! Silence!” Shouted Lord Cane. “If answers are to come, you must allow him to have room to speak!”
Slowly the room went quiet again. After a few beats the messenger started again, “I know this knews is shocking. The fiscs haven’t been called to war in centuries. Though Lord Edaam did lead a small batallion a few years ago. But he lead the Supreme’s men. But there are rumors on the borders of a great armor preparing to invade. The Olacs are awake.
They are angry. And they are preparing for war. At least that is what the rumors and whispers at court say.”
Lord Cane placed his hand on the messanger’s shoulder and stated, “all things will come to light eventually. For now the festivities will continue. Go! Be merry and forget this perilous news for now!”
With that the crowd began moving away from the center of the room while the band began playing cheerful music once again. Elyar turned back to Kristiana. Her face looked concerned and her lips were pursed.
“What are you thinking?” Elyar asked.
She didn’t respond for a moment while she collected her thoughts. “Why now? Korax and the Olecs have been at peace for centuries. What
has changed that has brought their wrath upon us? What have we done to deserve such evil?”
Elyar’s face flushed as his conversation with Pyke flashed through his mind. The war started by Korax for power and magic. The devistation they wrought on an undeserving people. Then he remembered that she didn’t know any of that. She was just a girl living in the northern reaches of Korax far away from that world. He was too, but he had Pyke.
The anger dissipated as his anger turned to empathy. For her and for those who did not know the truth. “Sometimes a wrong, even if done long ago, never heals.” He began before pausing a moment. “They may not see what we have done as a blessing. They may feel bitter toward our wealth.”
She looked at him a moment before a small smile spread across her pretty face. “I don’t know what that means, but it sounds nice.” She said as she grabbed his hand.
“Where are we going now?” Elyar asked while a smile replaced his concerned face.
She grinned and led him toward a group of men and women in the back of the hall. A man and woman broke from the group and came toward Elyar and Kristiana. Kristiana hugged the woman before turning back to Elyar and declaring, “these are my parents! I only felt it right to introduce you since we are betrothed and all.” She laughed and turned toward her father.
He was a large man, though not as tall as his father. He had a mustache with no beard, strong brown eyes, and short chestnut hair with some pepper in it. He wore similar clothes to him, but he looked more comfortable than Elyar felt. The man gave him a look over before saying, “you were much smaller when your father and I made our agreement. I was hoping you would look more like your brother Yonn. Now that is a man made to lead!”
Elyar couldn’t help noticing the man’s lip curled into a slight sneer at the end of his statement. Kristiana and her mother looked at the man with a strange mix of faces. Elyar couldn’t tell if they disaproved of what he said, or that he said it. Kristiana looked hurt more than anything. Her mother, who wore a navy blue dress like that of the ocean at midnight with some gold jewelry around her wrists, let go of Kristiana and grabbed her husband’s wrist. She quickly tugged him away and Elyar saw where Kristiana got some of her spunk from. He hadn’t known her long, but he was getting the feeling that the women in their family got what they wanted.
As the two regained their composure they could hear loud whispers from the two. Kristiana turned back to Elyar and said with a soft, embarrased voice, “I’m sorry about father. He has a weird idea about presence and how a person should look.”
“It…it’s ok.” Elyar stammered back. He really wasn’t sure how to handle what had happened. Luckily his name was called and when he loo ked he saw Pitre waving him over.
He turned back to her and reluctantly said, “I guess I am needed.” With that he quickly turned around and walked toward his brother. He was confused, embarrassed, annoyed, and a few other emotions he wasn’t sure how to process. As he walked up to Pitre, he saw a group of men with the messanger heading toward the exit.
“We are making plans.” Pitre said as he began walking with Elyar.
“Plans for what?” Elyar asked keeping stride with his taller brother.
“I am not quite sure. I know Father has to go to the Supreme, but I
do not know how that affects us or the market tomorrow.”
Elyar had completely forgotten about that. With all the events of the last few days, the market had slipt his mind. He quickly looked up at
Pitre and said, “hold on, I need to go ask Kristiana something.”
Pitre stopped walking, but he looked a little annoyed. Elyar didn’t move at first. Pitre waved his hands at him shewing him off. He turned and ran through the crowd back to where he had left Kristiana. She wasn’t there. He stopped and looked around trying to spot her through
the crowd. He finally spotted her and yelled, “Kristiana!”
She didn’t hear him. He started running toward her again and after weaving through many groups and running into at least two servants who looked very upset he finally reached her. He paused while he caught his breath. She stood in front of him, smelling wonderful like roses freshly plucked on a summer morning. After he didn’t start talking she cros sed her arms and he could tell sher was trying not to say something.
“Do you want to go to the market with me tomorrow?” He finally blurted out.
Her demeaner became more pleasant and she smilled. “I can’t go in
the morning. But I could meet you there later if you would like?”
He smiled and replied, “I would love that. I’ll find you.”
With that he ran off back to Pitre. They exited the large room and walked down back into the room they ate in earlier that day. The group of men included Lord Cane, his father and brothers, the messenger, and a few other lords Elyar did not recognize. Once in the dinning hall they walked through one of the side doors he had observed whle eating. It opened into a smaller room, but still big enough for three times their number. It had a large circular table in the middle and held armor, weapons, and a map of Korax on the table. It was unlike any Elyar had ever seen. The map rose from the table and he could see mountains soaring above rivers and plains. There were different colors across the map, but he was not sure what each one meant. The peak of mountains were white, then the color went to purple or red. At the bottom the color was always green.
Elyar was motioned to a chair after everyone entered. He was far away from the messenger and his father, but the room was small enough that he didn’t have trouble hearing anything.
“Now we are away from the feast we can speak more plainly.” Lord Edaam said while Lord Cane nodded his head.
Cane continued, “please tell us the news again, but do not hide the details like before.”
The messenger took a moment to compose himself and then retold his tale. “The Olacs are amassing a large army. We do not know where it is nor where they intend to strike. The Supreme wants to muster a counter army and strike before the Olacs have the chance to complete their goal. To that end, the lord electors have been summoned with their armies to gather and then make a pincer attack into Olacia. That way they
will have to split their army which will hopefully make them to weak.”
He paused for a moment. It looked like he was debating on whether he should continue. But after a few moments, he continued. “There is talk that the Supreme desires to end the Olacs. He wants to conquer th eir land and bring them into the empire.”
“That’s preposterous!” Shouted one of the lords. “There has been peace for centuries. I’ve even heard some fiscs have begun trading within the Hinterlands.”
“Those rumors are just that. No honorable fisc would trade with th ose barbarians!” Answered another lord across from the first.
Men began arguing, shouting about rumors, wars, false peace, and
the like. Elyar sat on his side of the circular table confused by the words flung around him. His thoughts started wandering back to the part of the evening he did like.
“Men, please!” Lord Cane bellowed. He gestured back to the messenger.
“I cannot tell you the inner thoughts of the Supreme. But I can add this before I leave your pressence. The High Priest of Kleros has felt a darkness like never before. His priests have begun spreading their own rumors. Rumors of darkness within the forests and mountains of the Hinterlands. A darkness they call the Soul Weaver. Some say he has the power to raise the dead. Others claim he can control your mind.” Silence fell over the room. With that the man stood, bid the lords farewell, and left.
Elyar sat and wondered. An evil in the Hinterlands. What could this mean for Korax? Is he part of the Fae Pyke spoke of or is he against them as well?
“It is late and I know some would like to return to the feast. But we must take a moment to prepare our next steps.” Said Elyar’s father as he stood arms raised. “As lord elector, it is my duty to fulfill my obligation. Lord Cane and Lord Dale will come to the council. The other lords under my charge need only supply their allotted men-at-arms and supplies as the law requires. I have business at the market tomorrow as we all do.
My men and I will leave the day after. May Theos protect us all.”
There were some other statements said after, but Elyar was having trouble paying attention. He hoped he would be spared and allowed to stay home. A month ago he would have jumped at the idea of seeing the empire and fighting the barbarous creatures out west, but now…now he wasn’t so sure. He knew who the Olacs were. And this “darkness” made him uneasy.
While he thought he had not noticed the men shuffle out. His father and brothers had stayed back to discuss their plans. He looked up and saw worry in his father’s eyes. It was a look he had never really seen.
At least not the deeply.
“My sons.” He paused. Then began again, “tomorrow we get what we need for another year. Nothing has changed there. But Pitre I am going to send you back with the wagons to gather our forces. You will take most of our men back home with you and then muster our forces and meet at the Point of Forks. Yonn, you will accompany me and Lord Cane to the Forks and wait for our armies. Then we proceed to the Supreme. Elyar… I need to think on something. I will tell you my wishes tomorrow.”
Pitre and Yonn nodded their heads. Elyar absently did as well. Or at least he thought he did. He wanted to talk to his father about what Pyke had told him. But he knew now wasn’t the time.
“You coming?” Yonn asked as they stood by the door. He hadn’t noti ced them start to walk out of the room.
“Yes, yes I am coming.” Elyar said while jumping up to follow. “You going back to the feast?”
Pitre and Yonn both replied that they probably needed to sleep. The sun would rise early and they both had an exciting enough evening.
Elyar agreed and the three brothers headed to their room to sleep.
But Elyar wasn’t sure how much sleep he would get. His mind had a lot to think about. Too much to think about as of late.