At long last, and with no small amount of grumbling, the hastily marching quartet accompanying Gunther finally reached the edge of his woodland demesnes. The sign of their proximity was embodied by the appearance of a couple of very large Jaghuns, which suddenly leaped forth from the brush to greet their returning master.
Lee and the others involuntarily flinched at the rapid emergence of the large, broad-muzzled beasts from the quiescent surroundings. Their tails wagged furiously, and their exuberant energy boiled over as they sprung about the ground excitedly on their wide paws.
The large, dog-like beasts quickly regarded the quartet of newcomers with great interest, just as the four Jaghuns that had been escorting the group through the forest also emerged from the surrounding trees.
The curiosity of the two new Jaghuns was certainly piqued, as they sniffed and eyed the newcomers carefully between their spirited bouts of bounding and leaping about Gunther.
Even though his mind urged him otherwise, Lee was gripped by a primal fear. He grew very still, and was quite unnerved by the scrutiny of the fearsome creatures as they set their attentions directly upon him.
Gunther warmly embraced his four-legged companions, vigorously rubbing their massive heads between his large hands. He picked them up by their front paws, such that they stood eye to eye with him, and engaged in many more forms of greetings and gestures of familiarity. Lee could perceive that the woodsman’s spirits were instantly improved by the Jaghuns’ presence.
Erin, Lynn, and Ryan appeared to be very relieved to see the stern man’s suddenly buoyed spirits. For his own part, Lee recognized another dimension to the ardor of the woodsman’s greeting.
The man’s fervent embrace of his creatures was such that he seemed to be reaching for the Jaghun that he had lost, even while seeking a little comfort from those who still remained. When he turned back to them, the sheen on the woodman’s eyes was unmistakable. The woodsman was rife with raw emotion, even though he was making an effort to stifle the expression of it in the face of Lee and the others.
Lee said nothing, not knowing what he could even possibly say at such a time. After a few more minutes, Gunther rose back up to a standing position, as his demeanor quickly grew more serious again.
“We should move onward; we are not there yet,” he announced curtly.
“So we are not done marching?” Erin queried with a petulant tone, continuing to nervously eye a Jaghun that had cautiously approached and begun to sniff at her.
“He is not going to hurt you, and no, we are not done marching. You may be happy to know that the distance from here is short,” Gunther responded firmly, with no trace of humor.
Without another word, the big woodsman started forward with one of the Jaghuns loping along at his side. The others bounded ahead and moved farther off to the sides of the group.
From the first steps into the outskirts of Gunther’s territory, the mood of Ryan, Lee, and Lynn continued to lift up. Though tired, the strain of the march seemed lessened with a destination in range. It was a comfort just to know that there was a physical destination to begin with, after having so recently faced the prospect of wandering aimlessly in the wilds.
At the very least, Lee knew that the end of their day’s travel was imminently approaching. Only Erin remained dour, her face exhibiting a sulky expression as she seemed to be trying to stare holes right through Gunther’s wide back. Her jaw was set firm, and her mouth held tight.
Lee paid her little heed as he focused on his footing through the uneven ground, already irritated enough with her acrimonious attitude. The ground had become noticeably more pronounced in its rises and falls, as they found themselves amid some hills of moderate size. It was to one of the larger hills that Gunther guided the wide-eyed newcomers.
Though the land before Lee had not been entirely cleared of trees, the growth of trees and brush had certainly been purposely thinned to accommodate the woodland homestead that subsequently came into sight. A two-story structure of timber had been built right up against the steep slope of the large hill. The structure was formed around a timber frame supported by thick posts of wood. Horizontal planking covered the spaces within the supportive framing. The steeply pitched roof was densely thatched with straw, and a large wooden door of rough-hewn planks served as the principle entrance to the structure.
There were a couple of small rectangular buildings set off to the right side of the main building. Both were freestanding, shorter in length, and of one level. They were gable-ended, and constructed of timber in a similar fashion to the larger, two-level building. There was also a spacious, fenced holding pen set to the front and left of the building. The space within it was currently empty, and the gate into the pen was closed.
A couple of small Jaghuns, clearly adolescents of their breed, barked, whined, and yipped excitedly at the sight of the returning group. The little creatures brought a rapid smile to Lee’s face, as they expressed their own enthusiasm, albeit in a high pitched, non-intimidating tone that was a far cry from that of their older brethren. One of them tripped over its own legs in its haste to run up to them, going down awkwardly in a ball of uncoordinated muscle and fur.
“Ah, little Skyheart. You have not yet mastered your own body,” Gunther remarked, deftly bending over and scooping up the little creature, cradling it tenderly.
The little beast panted rapidly, and started earnestly licking Gunther’s face. The woodsman put his mouth to the neck of the juvenile creature, and blew while making a humming sound, eliciting an excited squeal from the little Jaghun as it flailed with its paws.
Laughing, Gunther set the young beast back down. “There you go, now try and make sure you can at least stand up!”
The beast padded around Gunther, looking a little wobbly on its chubby legs.
“And you, Darkmane, could perhaps help your sister in this matter,” Gunther quipped, as he greeted the second young Jaghun.
Its movements were a little more sturdy than those of its sibling, Lee noticed, as he watched the creature lick Gunther’s hand. A little thicker and taller of build than Skyheart, it displayed a line of black fur that ran down from the middle of the back of its head, continuing along the center of its back down to its tail. It was little mystery as to how Gunther had come up with its name.
Gunther looked back to his four new guests. “I do not often have visitors, but there should be plenty of room inside my home for all of you. It may have little in the way of luxuries… but it is a different manner of place than you will find in the villages around this area. I used some ideas that I gained during my former travels. Made some use of a hillside, two-story house design I saw within a Saxan burh, and came up with some things of my own. Took some time to build. Had some failures. But I got it done. It is solid, it is distinct, and this has been my home for some time now.”
Gunther sounded both proud and unapologetic as he spoke of his dwelling. Though Lee knew that there were more than a few stories yet to be told by the woodsman, he saved any questions that he might have asked then for a more opportune moment. Gunther was not forthcoming with anything else, commenting no further on his homestead as he strode up to the wooden door leading into the main, two-level structure.
It was not locked, as Gunther unlatched the door and pushed it open. The woodsman then stood to the side, to allow the others to enter first. Lee led the others as they walked inside the woodsman’s dwelling, slowly filing into the front room.
The air was a little denser inside, something that Lee noted on his first inhalation. Shadow surrounded them in the dim interior, as the bulk of the light coming into the room entered through the door opening behind them.
There were no windows within the walls of the lower level. Despite the low ambience, it could still be seen that the spacious, open room had some wooden shelving fitted along the right wall, and there were a few rectangular chests lying upon the ground. The floor itself was earthen, hard-packed and smooth, though strewn about with some old rushes that lent a musty scent to the air.
The outside wall planks of rough-hewn timber were covered to a large extent on the inside with great, capacious fabrics. Some of the hangings appeared to have designs woven upon them, but in the dimness Lee could not make out much detail.
A shallow pit or small hearth had been dug out near to the center of the room. Lined with stones, it was filled with cold ash and embers left over from the last fire that had burned within it. A large iron pot was currently suspended over the hearth by a chain, which hung down from the center of an iron tripod.
Looking up, Lee saw that there was an opening set high in the ceiling, visible through the second level. A little further light made its way through the opening in the roof overhead, giving highlight to the central, open shaft. Some wooden steps running up from the back of the room, just off to the left, led on up to the second story loft.
The light through the front door also revealed a last, intriguing feature in the room, which quickly drew the interest of the four guests. Lee became aware that all of his companions had settled their gazes upon it, even as Gunther followed the direction of their stares.
There was another large wooden door centered in the rear of the room, set right in the hillside’s outer surfacing.
“Yes, I suppose that doorway looks like a mystery. And yes, it is of importance. I once had a habitation not too far from here… and I relocated myself to this place, after I had learned a little more about these woods. It was a little easier to fashion two levels using the hill, but I chose this particular location for a very good reason, which you will learn about soon enough. But not just yet,” Gunther said, disappointing Lee’s curiosity once again.
The woodsman unbuckled his leather belt as he walked closer to the wall with the shelves, setting the belt with its attached leather pouches down upon the ground. Straightening up, he removed his great hunting bow and leaned it against the wall, proceeding to place his quiver down next to it. Finally, he removed his baldric, propping his sword in its leather scabbard up against the wall as well. Gunther then directed his four guests to set their own weapons and other belongings down, near to his weapons.
“Please feel welcome in my home. It is about as safe as a place can be in this age,” Gunther said invitingly, turning to face the four. “Let me show you where you will sleep. Soon you will eat your fill, though I have only a humble fare, and then you will rest.”
Lee was more than ready to take the woodsman up on both offers. Even Erin seemed not to be overly bothered about the rather stark nature of their surroundings, or at least she kept any misgivings to herself. Under other circumstances, Lee had no doubts that a pompous veneer would have shined forth from the young woman.
“This way,” Gunther remarked.
He gestured towards the staircase, as he moved forward and led them up to the second level loft. It was difficult to make out all of the features in the upper room, but enough light leaked in to reveal that it was fairly barren.
At present, there was just one rather plain, straw-filled mattress, with a rough-spun woolen blanket heaped atop it, and a couple of hides set to one side. Gunther walked over to the end of the room opposite the top of the stairway, and pulled forth several more coverings out of a deep pool of shadow, mostly turning out to be hides.
“It may not be the most in comfort that you may find within this world, but for now you will have to make use of it,” he said, indicating the skins. “I cannot say I was prepared for several visitors, but I have accumulated some extra hides which you may use for warmth, and to cover the floor surface. You may use the mattress as well… though it is for you to decide who amongst you will do so. For the time being, I will sleep below.”
He then bid them well, and informed them that he would see to the preparation of the evening meal. Exiting down the stairs, Gunther left them to their own devices, as he turned his attentions to stoking a fire in the cold hearth.
The others remained silent as they quietly listened to Gunther bustling about the hearth below.
“Not the best I’ve had, I’d say,” joked Lynn in a low voice, looking around the room. Walking to the edge of the room’s central area, she looked up at the square opening above them, before glancing down upon the cooking hearth on the first level. Lee casually strode over and joined her.
He looked up to the ceiling as well. There was a raised square of timber positioned just above the roof opening, designed to deflect the bulk of any rains out, while allowing smoke from the hearth below to exit.
“I would have to agree,” Ryan stated, as he drew up next to Lee, resting his hands on his hips while he looked around. “I come from a poor family, but our little house was a mansion compared to this.”
“Well, I don’t know about you all, but right now I could use some rest, at least until there is some food to be had,” Lee said, as he turned and walked away from the opening.
He pulled one of the large animal skins that Gunther had brought out over to an open space. Lee spread it out along the rough wooden boards that formed the flooring, and lay down upon its surface. He immediately made a little grimace, shifting about as his sore, tired body adjusted to the unforgiving floor surface. He moaned, “Ooohh… I think this is going to take some getting used to.”
He rolled his head to the side, looking to see what the others were doing.
With little hesitation, Erin all but dived down upon the straw mattress. A triumphant look was splayed across her face as she stretched out. “I will take this one. Called it first.”
Lee saw the irritated looks crop up on the faces of Lynn and Ryan, and also observed that Erin was alert enough to take account of them as well. “For the time being,” she quickly added, suddenly seeming a little abashed at her own rash impetus.
“Good diplomacy, Erin,” Lynn said, with a noticeable edge to her voice, as she followed Lee’s example in pulling out another large skin and claiming a spot on the open flooring.
“Wonder where that door downstairs, in the back, goes to,” Erin stated from where she lay, looking back towards the staircase.
“Who knows? Maybe we’ll find out after we get a little of our strength back,” Lynn said.
“I’ll go with that,” Ryan said, unleashing a wide yawn as he dragged a skin over, laying claim to some space that was close to the central opening.
“Be careful,” Lynn said, watching Ryan lie down. “There’s no railing there.”
Ryan smirked, and retorted sarcastically, “I think I’ll be fine… but thank you for your concern, Mother…”
Lee chuckled. If Ryan tumbled over the edge, he would not fall terribly far, and would likely be rewarded with a nice singe. All the same, Lee was not too worried over the likelihood.
Letting their bodies relax, and looking forward to dinner, the full effect of fatigue began to descend upon the four.
Before very long, the first tendrils of smoke wafted up through the opening in the center of the floor, accompanied by a glow of light. Shortly thereafter, the scents of something cooking over the hearth reached up to Lee from beneath. It was enough to make his mouth water, but not enough to rouse him.
Despite the discomforts, all four had drifted into sleep by the time that Gunther unmercifully awoke them with a rather forceful greeting. Lee jerked awake, feeling immediately as if his aching body had begun to turn into stone. He felt the series of cricks in his stiff neck as he turned his head to look towards Gunther.
“Come on, get up now! Evening meal is ready!” the woodsman told them, with little expression to his face. He stood at the top of the stairs, and did not depart until he was sure that they were all waking up.
Many winces and groans were elicited from the four newcomers, as they slowly sat up, stretched, and tried to dispel the greatly increased degree of soreness in their bodies. Lee’s muscles throbbed with the rigidity caused by napping upon the hard floor surface.
Lee grimaced further as he arched his back, filling the air with some audible pops and cracks. Seeing Ryan’s mirthful grin as the youth eyed him, he responded in jest, “You find it funny, don’t you? Time is merciless, and will be my avenger, which I guarantee you will discover someday.”
“I’ll enjoy the here and now, you don’t get out of it that easy,” Ryan retorted. “Come on, Lee, it’s time to eat.”
With a little effort, they all got to their feet and went back down the stairs to the first level.
Gunther had set up the room for the meal. There were a couple of narrow wooden trestles, resting upon plain stools. A few other three-legged wooden stools had been pulled up for the guests to sit on.
A few bowls made of undecorated pottery were sitting upon the wooden planks, filled with a steaming pottage. A large hunk of dark bread rested by each bowl. A small wooden bowl held a full portion of some kind of nuts. A clay jug finished out the general arrangement, next to which was a trio of wooden cups.
“I do not have many drinking vessels, so you will have to share what I do have. It is not the offering of a lord or king, but it will fill you up and bring strength back to you,” Gunther said without apology.
The others took their seats at the various stools. Erin stared down at the bowl in front of her.
“Does this have meat in it?” Erin said, wrinkling her nose slightly.
Lee listened with amusement, knowing what was about to come.
“Oh yes, and you are very fortunate, as it is some of the best western boar that you can find in these woods. It is the same quality of boar that a great thane would be proud to have served to honored guests in a longhall. And it is all I have until I get to attempt another hunt, which you and your friends interrupted. I admit that what I had left is a bit salty, as I had to store what remained from my last hunt, before I left on the sojourn that ended up with finding all of you.
“It seems that you do not know much of this world, but be assured, you will feel strong again in no time. I may have said that I did not have the full meal of a king to offer you, but even a king would be hard pressed to exceed such fine meat,” Gunther replied with a hint of pride. He paused for a moment, before adding in a voice laden with seriousness, “Truthfully, many good men have gotten killed hunting the type of large boar whose meat you will enjoy tonight. It is a very dangerous quarry, for even the best of hunters.”
Gunther’s brow furrowed, and Lee followed the woodsman’s look to see the open grimace spread upon Erin’s face. It was exaggerated by the flickering shadows cast by the fire blazing nearby in the hearth.
“She does not like to eat meat,” Lee interjected quickly, not knowing how else to explain her sour reaction to the woodsman. He knew that the man would likely find it to be a very odd disposition for someone to have. “It is a belief of hers.”
Gunther looked at her for a moment. “It is not one of the fasting days of the Church, if that is what you are worried about. Second day of the week. You should not worry needlessly.”
Lee was puzzled for a moment, before comprehending that Gunther had attributed Erin’s reluctance to some sort of religious practice familiar to his own world.
“No, it has nothing to do with religious belief,” Lee informed the woodsman. “She just… cannot bring herself to eat meat, at anytime. Please do not feel offended.”
“What a terrible affliction,” Gunther replied, his eyes widened somewhat with surprise. The man’s response was not sarcastic, or in jest, as he had a genuine look of sympathy. “I could not bear to be stricken with such a burden. Your misfortune is truly bad.”
Erin said nothing, staring glumly down at the bowl in front of her.
“Well, I do not have such a burden, thank the All-Father,” Gunther said with a shrug, leaning over and taking the bowl back from her.
He tore off a piece of bread from his chunk and dipped it into the pottage, waiting for a moment to let it soak, before scooping up a nice portion of it with the bread.
Putting it into his mouth, he chewed on it slowly. After swallowing, he remarked to Erin, “They say that you cannot live on bread alone, but beyond this stew, you will have to do with bread only if you are hungry. Except perhaps for some nuts, I have nothing much else to offer you, until I can scout tomorrow.”
Erin’s eyes narrowed and her expression darkened. Lee knew what was passing through her mind. She was realizing that Gunther truly deemed her situation to be her own problem to handle, and not his to worry about.
Out of the corner of Lee’s eye, he saw Lynn shoot Erin a sharp, warning look. He agreed with Lynn’s sentiments, hoping that Erin did not do or say anything to annoy their host.
Erin’s face relaxed a little, catching the warning glance.
Lee felt the hard bread, flat and far from leavened, and rather coarse in texture. To his best estimation, it was wheat bread, but he understood quickly why Gunther had dipped his in the pottage.
The others had made similar discoveries, and imitated Gunther as they tore off pieces of the bread and dipped it into their own bowls. Lee could see why Gunther waited for it to soak for a second, as the bread was harder and tougher than any bread that he had ever been given before.
The pottage was predominantly a mix of legumes, grain, and the salted boar’s meat. As hungry as he was, Lee was not about to complain. The food was palatable enough. Chewing the bread thoroughly, Lee glanced towards their host.
Gunther was facing towards Ryan, who had an alarmed expression on his face. Ryan had evidently tried to take a bite without waiting long enough for the bread to fully soften, as Gunther commented to the young man, “The bread is good wheat bread. It is not too old. But you must be a little patient and allow it to soften.”
Gunther picked up the clay jug and proceeded to pour a dark, rather thick liquid into each of the alderwood cups. Erin sat sullenly, but did not object as the last vessel was filled to the brim and handed over to her.
“I hope your burdens do not include well-crafted mead, for you will not find a better drink in this area. I had been saving this in a small barrel for a special time. I suppose that this is such an occasion,” he remarked. “It took my best hunting skills to gain enough to trade for it.”
He passed around the other two cups, letting the others drink first before he took a deep draught himself. Gunther gave a light grin as he smacked his lips, a light foam settling upon his beard and upper lip. He uttered a contented sigh, as he refilled the cup in his hands.
Lee had taken a substantial sip, but realized that the mead would be an acquired taste, very different from anything that he had ever imbibed. Though made from the honey of bees, and containing a certain level of sweetness, the drink felt very thick as it traveled down Lee’s throat.
One among their number, however, was more than ready to embrace the beverage. Ryan soon was exhibiting the potency of the beverage, after draining a couple of cups. Lee’s own blood had already begun to tingle after taking just a few more draughts, and he was not in the least bit surprised that the effects were showing quickly on his young friend, who was downing the mead at a much faster rate.
“I think I will come to like this very much,” Ryan announced, the foam giving him an artificial moustache of his own. He looked to be a little lightheaded as he spoke to Gunther, “Can I have more?”
“A man with some good taste,” complimented Gunther, who appeared more than happy to oblige the young man. His serious expression was brightened by the trace of a mischievous smirk. “It looks like the mead has chosen to give you the moustache of a Saxan thane.”
Ryan, his mouth full with a large bite of bread sopped generously in the porridge-stew, replied slowly, in a muffled voice. “I think I could get very used to this.”
Gunther shook his head, and let another amused smirk escape. “We will not always be able to drink so well, though you are fortunate that I am a good hunter, and can hunt these woods freely.”
There was no arrogance in his voice, the tone simply being that of a statement of fact. The woodsman then shot a quick glance towards Erin. “Meat is much more scarce in the villages, and I get good trade value for it. Mead, on the other hand, is a real luxury. Elfrida, wife of Leodulf, from the village near Dragon’s Back Ridge in Beordenshire, is most skilled in the making of mead. Ale is much more common in these lands. I live with no woman, so I have learned to make my own ale. I will give you some of it soon, so that you can judge my skill for yourself.”
Ryan finished off another cup of the treasured mead.
“Slow down, young lad,” Gunther cautioned Ryan. “You may not yet realize the full power of that mead. Elfrida puts great strength into it. Nonetheless, I do wish to provide you all a good welcome feast, as best I can.”
Taking another mouthful of food, Gunther stood up and took the empty pitcher over to a corner of the room, where he refilled it from the contents of a small wooden barrel. Returning back to his stool, he leaned over and refilled Ryan’s cup again, up to the brim, with a little sloshing over the edge.
“If it would okay to ask you, where does that door go to?” Lee asked Gunther, as the woodsman settled back down, pointing over towards the closed door in the back of the room.
Gunther nodded slowly to Lee, his mouth occupied for a moment as he took another prodigious draught of the mead. He set the cup down upon the trestle board, glancing briefly towards the door as all of his guests waited expectantly for his answer.
“To the abode of the Unguhur. It is the reason why I chose this place to build my home… once I made myself known to them, and knew of their presence here,” Gunther began, as his eyes took on a more faraway gaze.
“I discovered it all only by the whims of fortune. I had heard of them in tales before. The Stone Hides, they were once called, dwelling in a forested land populated by an alliance of tribes, which lies to the east of the Gallean kingdom.
“Better yet, not long after I discovered them, I was able to befriend them. Not an easy thing, when they diligently keep to themselves in their underground world, and do not concern themselves with the surface kingdoms of humankind.
“Rest assured, they know of the door. It would not be there if they objected to it, believe me,” Gunther commented, with a low chuckle. “In a way, I guard an entrance into their world. They do not have to worry about the smaller minds among us, who might try to go down to attack or hunt them, though it would be great folly to even try to do so.”
“What are Unguhur?” asked Lynn curiously, posing the question that was on Lee’s own tongue.
“They are a strong race that dwells under the surface of the world. A very strong race… of fierce appearance, but quite gentle in nature. You will see for yourselves soon enough. Much taller than a man, and so much stronger. Thick skin… almost like a leather jerkin for a man. There is a good reason why those tribes called them Stone Hides, believe my words. There is a world under this world, and the Unguhur are no small part of it,” Gunther informed them.
“Do you go there often?” asked Ryan, nearly finished with his next cup of mead.
Ryan’s head was evidently feeling much lighter, as he was swaying a little, and a silly smile was now beginning to emerge upon his face. The young man would have to be cut off from quaffing more mead before much longer.
“I go there when I may. Sometimes they have even let me hunt and fish within their realm,” Gunther replied. “That is no small wonder, for one who naturally inhabits the surface world.”
“So, what brought you here? To this… place…” Ryan asked, his inhibitions lessening. “You don’t live in a village. Just out here by yourself, with all of your creatures… out in the woods. What made you want to live here? Why not around people?”
For a brief moment, Lee could have sworn that Gunther’s eyes misted over. If they had, the woodsman made a quick recovery, but he also made it abundantly clear that the question concerned a topic that he did not yet want to address.
His voice was low and steady as he responded to Ryan. “We will speak of it perhaps another time. Good fortune seldom drives a man to live by himself. That is all I can say, and want to say at this time. Do not press me further on this.”
Ryan nodded, his mirth curtailed somewhat by the somber tone of their host. Ryan was not so far gone into his drink that he was unable to retract the grin on his face. Lee felt quite relieved for that lingering sensibility, as he could tell that the subject was very sensitive to the woodsman.
“And your creatures? Do you raise them?” Lynn asked, clearly sensing the need to change the subject of conversation between them.
“The Jaghuns? I have raised every one that you have seen here, from their birth,” Gunther remarked with a flare of pride in his voice and expression. “The only ones you will see anywhere, except for where their kind naturally lives within the Shadowlands.”
“The Shadowlands?” queried Ryan.
“A very dark and brooding land… very, very far from here, to the east. My travels carried me there, many years ago… such a dark and dangerous land… I was fortunate to get away from there,” he told them, staring off with a grim look on his face, as if remembering old fears that had rested dormant in him.
He paused for a few moments, swallowing a mouthful of food, and taking another drink out of his mead cup, before resuming. “I found two Jaghun cubs stranded in the wilderness. Their mother had clearly been killed, as I would have likely been dead to come upon two cubs otherwise. In that terrible land, they stood no chance… I decided to take mercy upon them, and I took them with me. To my later fortune, one was a male, and one was a female.
“It was a long journey back, fraught with many perils, but they made it to Saxany alive and healthy with me. Those special two have since departed from this world, after living a full measure of life, but their blood still lives on within Ave. Their blood has grown and multiplied with me here in the Saxan woodlands, and they will never be forgotten.”
Lee greatly desired to question Gunther further about the Shadowlands, but held his impulse back in order to respect the woodsman’s earlier admonishment to avoid asking questions regarding his past. He would have to be content with the information that Gunther was willing to offer, though he hoped that it would not be long before the woodsman was more favorably disposed towards indulging his curiosity.
Lynn then ventured a safer question, which still addressed some of his curiosities.
“So, what are the lands surrounding your home?” she asked him, dipping another piece of bread. “We really have no idea where we are right now.”
“The Kingdom of Ehrengard lies to the west of Saxany, connected by a narrow stretch of land. To the north, across the ocean waters, is a land of dense forests and hills, populated by tribal people. A few of these tribes formed a kind of alliance, known as the Five Realms. They have a fierce love of their ways and land, and I am certain that they are not very favored by the Unifier,” Gunther said, as an inkling of a grin played about his face. “I truly admire their heart, and my hope is that they are left to their own will.
“Gallea rests along the western borders of those tribal lands. It is a large kingdom, and powerful. Avanor was once a province of that land, giving fealty to Gallea’s king, though the Unifier recognizes no sovereign. The Unifier holds His court in Avalos, the great capital city of Avanor, which lies on the western edge of Gallea.
“To the south and east, across ocean waters broken only by scattered islands, is Midragard. The people of Midragard are masters of the sea, and few can match their prowess in arms and war. They were fearsome raiders, whose terror spread far and wide. Even these lands felt the wrath of their plunderers at one time.
“It is good for all lands that strong kings began to rise among the Midragardans, and that a very good and powerful king’s influence is felt there now. He is a man of wisdom, who desires different ways for his people other than raid and plunder…
“Kiruva lies across the ocean to the east. A massive land. Many rivers… which cross through many great, grassy plains. An abundance of forested flatlands, too. It is a land whose rule I do not understand well, with many princes, and one that is recognized as a Grand Prince.
“Beyond the east of Kiruvar, across another sea, are the Shadowlands that I have spoken already to you of. There are many other lands and peoples in this wide world. Saljuka, Fahtma, the Coastal Kingdoms established in the First Holy War, the Empire of Theonia… all are in the Sun Lands to the far north. Lambar, Paleria… to the farthest west… It is even said that there are lands of great splendor and exotic ways located to the farthest east… homelands to an ancient and honorable race of men. And who knows what other lands might not yet be known of?”
For a moment, Gunther appeared to become lost in his thoughts. The mention of the far eastern lands had summoned up a mixture of emotions, the nature of which were shrouded within the mind of the woodsman. His mouth tightened, and he stared down into the cup in his hand, though Lee knew that the woodsman was not looking at the mead that remained within the drinking vessel.
When Gunther finally continued, it seemed almost as if he was talking aloud to himself. He slowly shook his head.
“At one time, I wanted to be one of the few to see those lands to the far east… I wanted to travel the Rising Sun Road. But I was held back, right on the cusp of doing so… Maybe I should have gone ahead and taken that road anyway, right from the beginning. Might have been a better path for me to take.”
The woodsman’s chest heaved with a long, slow intake of breath. “You see, to get to those far eastern lands, you would have to journey through Theonia. An empire forged of the natures of both east and west. I called Theonia home for some time, though that time is many years past. Theonia. A land I most want to return to… and a land I least want to find myself in. Creates quite a problem for me, if ever I wanted to try and go to the far east, does it not?”
A deep sadness clung to the slight, bittersweet grin that came to his face, and his voice had suddenly seemed laden with a heaviness of heart. He drew into himself further, for a few moments becoming much more distant.
Whatever the woodsman’s past contained, it was clear that Gunther still carried an open emotional wound in regards to Theonia, something that Lee quietly took to heart as he looked upon the man’s weighty, pained expression.
Gunther then looked over towards Lee, as he slowly came out of the momentary trance. His voice lightened a little. “What is done is done, but I still am fascinated with thoughts of the far east. It is hard not to be. I have heard it spoken that the lands in the far east are rich and bountiful lands… filled with a proud and wise people, with spectacular, huge cities teeming with all kinds of splendor. All manner of different and amazing creatures are said to live within those lands as well.”
Gunther paused as he continued to gaze upon Lee, as if making some sort of appraisal.
“From what few of those people that I have seen, it would seem that they are indeed akin to yourself… the hue of your skin, the angle of your eyes. I know little else of their mysterious realms, only what is said, and that is often several times removed from the few adventurers and merchants that have made the great journey on the Rising Sun Road.”
“All of it sounds fascinating,” Lee said, highly intrigued to hear of the open comparison to himself in regard to the eastern lands.
“And I have only told you of some of the lands that exist within Ave… There is the great island of the Northern Elves, the strange lands of Yanith, with its towering forests, the green bounty that is Gael, the lands to the north of Kiruva, where some titanic creatures dwell, and many, many other amazing places,” Gunther responded, with an air of reminiscence. “Ave is filled with strange and incredible sights, and a great many lands, whose call pulled me as a youth from my own homeland. Lots of absolutely enthralling places, many that I have seen, and many that I have not.”
“Lotsss offf placesss… verrry niccce… verrrry niccceee…” Ryan murmured with a dazed expression, a significant slurring to his speech.
The mead was now exhibiting a potent, highly visible effect. Ryan wavered back and forth, his eyes fluttering, before his head nodded down heavily with a noticeable thud on the trestle table. He just missed plopping his face into his largely emptied bowl of porridge, by just a few mere inches.
“I think he has had enough mead for now,” Lee quipped, unable to stop a grin from forming. The image of Ryan’s stupefied expression was emblazoned on his mind, pushing out some open laughter even though he was a little nervous as to how Gunther would react to the display.
“I believe that we are all in agreement… even him, as I do not think he will argue,” Gunther commented, looking at the youth with a glint of amusement in his eyes. “One must learn to hold their drink well!”
As if to emphasize the difference between the veteran and the youth, Gunther imbibed an extended swill of the mead, emptying his nearly full cup. Some traces of foam held onto his beard as he set the cup down. He casually reached over, grabbed the clay pitcher, and filled it up again.
“Anyone else?” Gunther queried, indicating the pitcher towards the other three remaining conscious guests.
For the first time that Lee had seen, a ray of pure, joyous mirth emerged through the smile that spread on Gunther’s face. The big woodsman rumbled with laughter and shook his head, regarding the facedown form of Ryan.
Erin and Lynn laughed heartily, though both indicated that they had taken enough mead for one night, as did Lee. The laughter finally subsided, though it had felt so pleasant, and had relieved a great amount of anxiety in seconds.
Lee smiled as he looked back to Gunther, his inquisitiveness again coming to the fore. “And you’ve traveled all over many of these lands? That is just amazing.”
“A vastness of oceans and lands,” Gunther remarked, before adding with a tint of sadness that Lee almost felt guilty for inadvertently evoking, “though I have seen quite enough of it all, and do not have any desire to explore it any further.”
The group finished their meal, sharing only a few idle bits of conversation before they finally begged leave of Gunther. The woodsman offered to help with Ryan, though Lee politely declined, as he felt that they had imposed quite enough on the man’s hospitality.
Lynn aided Lee as he worked to get their intoxicated friend to his feet, to help Ryan up the stairs so that he could lie down. Ryan groaned as he was jostled, but roused himself enough so that he was not an entirely dead weight.
As Lee reached the base of the stairs, he glanced back to where Gunther was still sitting.
The trance-like look had returned to the man’s face, crossed with flickering light and shadow from the hearth fire. The woodsman had retreated inside of himself again, descending to some safe and distant refuge that he had fashioned within his mind.
Lee had a thousand questions that he wanted to ask, but one look at the man dissipated any urgency that he felt. He wondered what paths their host had taken in his life, and what far travels he had undergone. Gunther carried the weariness of tragedy and dreams abandoned, still resounding with the echoes of trauma, as well as the sobered countenance of experience.
He knew that there was much more to the solitary woodsman before his eyes, but his interests would have to wait until a time of Gunther’s own choosing.
Section VII