Phen let Oarly suffer his swarm of magic bees until after he had eaten his midday meal. Luckily, the welts and stings disappeared along with the rest of the illusion. Phen reveled in how potent his spells had become, especially with the dragon tear medallion aiding him. A simple illusion had not only caused Oarly pain, it had caused his skin to react by swelling and turning plum red. It seemed to Phen that while the spell was in effect, it was really more than an illusion. He vowed to experiment with those types of spells on the journey.
That afternoon, he and Oarly, along with Lord Gregory and Lady Telgra, inspected the three wagons that were still being loaded.
“It will take years to get through the mountains with all this stuff,” Telgra said, shaking her head in disbelief. “I’ve got a pack and a saddlebag worth of stuff that Queen Rosa and Lady Trella loaned me. That’s all I’m taking.” She turned to Phen. “What is all of this for?”
Phen found Oarly and Lord Gregory staring at him for an answer as well. He hadn’t talked to her yet. The loading of the wagons had distracted him.
“Walk with me, my lady,” Phen said, offering her his arm. “There are a few things you should know before you commit to this quest.”
“I would say so, if you are planning on dragging all this over the mountains.” She hooked her arm in his and they started away. They walked to a quiet place outside the barn where the wagons were staged. The fall breeze was cool, yet the sun was bright. They stopped in the small strip of shade that ran alongside the main structure.
Phen looked at her. “We are going to spend the harsh winter months with the Skyler Clan. They are the people who…”
“They are the ones who climb the sacred cliffs for hawkling eggs,” she said over him.
“Aye,” Phen touched her chin and pulled her gaze to meet his. “What else do you remember?”
“Nothing about myself. So all of that stuff is to get us through winter then?”
“Yes, it is, but I have to tell you more.” Phen smiled awkwardly. No matter how hard he tried, the idea that this beautiful elven girl was staring at a petrified freak made out of marble wouldn’t escape the back of his mind. “We’re not stopping at the Leif Repline fountain… I mean… we are…” he shook his head and grabbed the bridge of his nose. “We’re stopping there, but once we’re done at the fountain pool, we’re continuing on. A friend of mine, Hyden Hawk, is in the clan village we’re going to lay over at. He is a great wizard. He is going with us to the fountain. His familiar, the hawkling named Talon that I told you of, shares the same affliction as me.”
“You told me about Talon on the boat,” Telgra said. “Where are we going after the Leif Repline?”
“On the far side of the mountains there is an artifact, or an enchanted weapon, or something that Hyden says can be used to seal away the demons and the Dark Lord for good.”
“Those lands aren’t even on your maps and yet you’re going there after some magical thing?”
“Yes.” He shrugged, showing that it was out of his control. “I only found out early this morning. I was supposed to tell you sooner, but I got caught up with Oarly and packing.”
“You told me that Vaegon was the one elf who helped the kingdom of men against the demons.” She stood proudly and her wild eyes flared as she spoke. “Now there is another. I will go on this quest into the unknown with you.”
“But what if after you get your memory back you don’t want to continue?” Phen asked with concern. “We won’t be able to escort you home. You could be an elven princess or something.”
“That’s silly, Phen.” She giggled at the idea of it. “I won’t change my mind. You have my word. And if I do, I will suffer my decision on my own.”
“All right,” Phen nodded. His happiness was plainly visible by the huge grin on his stony face.
“What are we going to do in your friend’s village all winter, Phen?” she asked with a grin as wide as his. Her eyes met his and she put her arm around him.
Phen found that he suddenly needed to be thinking about something else.
“The lad is in a fix,” said Oarly to Lord Gregory. “I can see it plain. Humans and elves aren’t meant to be attracted to each other, yet I see she is as smitten as he is.”
“Phen doesn't really appear to be human anymore, though,” Lord Gregory replied. “And you have to admit, she is beautiful.”
“She’s probably a hundred years older than him,” Oarly grumbled. “The boy will get his heart broken.”
“We all do, sooner or later.”
Oarly looked at the Lion Lord and realized it was the truth of it. He nodded and changed the subject. “So the horses that we use to pull the wagons will act as our pack horses next spring then?”
“Aye.” Lord Gregory was glad to be back to business. “You’ll have twelve horses available when you leave in the spring. I don’t know if you’ll use them all or not. Hyden’s cousins, Tylen, Shalloo, or even Little Con, might want to go with you. It will be good if they do because they have experience in the heights and can hunt and scout for the group.”
“It’s too large a group already, I think,” Oarly said. “We’ll attract too much attention. The smaller predators will flee us, but the larger ones will see us as a threat or a meal.”
“Don’t let me find out that you are afraid of the mist monster,” Lord Gregory chuckled. “All those tales of ice dragons and dread wolves are just campfire stories.”
“They’re more than stories, man,” Oarly argued. “Those tales came from happenings. Embelished maybe, but I bet my boot flask they aren’t just made up.”
“No, they are not,” Phen said as he and Telgra returned. “There are razor-toothed snow worms, gargantuan shagmar bears, and giant mountain-trolls up there. There’s a hundred other things as well.”
“What in the fargin hells is a snow worm, lad?”Oarly asked with concern showing plainly on his face.
“They burrow through the snow and snatch you under as you’re walking along,” Telgra said, with hand animations adding to the effect of her words. “Shloop!” she sounded loudly, making a falling-through-the-surface motion. “Just like that, you’re gone.”
Phen and Lord Gregory both laughed at the wide-eyed look on Oarly’s face.
“You should be on the training yard watching the High King, lady,” Lord Gregory said after a moment.
“Why?” Telgra asked.
“He is choosing your escorts today. It is amusing. It seems that all the men who are capable of managing a wagon and a four-horse team aren’t capable of wielding a sword.”
“The wagon drivers can return with you and the empty wagons,” Phen said.
“Aye,” Lord Gregory agreed. “That’s what I told him.”
“By Doon, there’s going to be a hundred men on this trek before nightfall.” Oarly stormed off toward the horse pen where Mikahl was practicing.
“I’m going to speak with Queen Rosa and the ladies,” Telgra said. “Finding guards is men’s work.”
“I’ll escort you,” Lord Gregory said. He was still grinning over Oarly’s discomfort from the snow worms. “I need a word with Lady Trella anyway.”
“I guess I will go with Oarly,” Phen said reluctantly. He'd actually hoped to spend some more time with Telgra. He’d have plenty of time with her soon enough, he told himself. Thinking about Oarly’s warnings, he decided he would probably have too much time with her.
After a half hour of sparring with the wagon drivers, Mikahl decided that Lord Gregory was right. He had already chosen two archers and was now watching several matches on the yard to see who he would choose as swordsmen. He liked the youngster named Jicks. He was originally from Wildermont and had been held as a slave in Dakahn for a time. Jicks was only sixteen or seventeen years old, but that was close to Phen’s age. Mikahl liked the way Jicks improved during every session, and the way he strove relentlessly to prove himself.
His second choice, Mikahl decided, would be someone with battle experience and years under his belt. Mikahl felt sure that with Oarly’s proficiency with the axe and hammer and his ranger skills, along with Phen’s magic, two archers, and Jicks’s sword, the group would be able to handle any trouble. Hyden’s ability as an archer was second to none, but he tended to take wild risks. A man with a cool head, a sure blade, and the reasoning of many years in the field is what Mikahl wanted to add. Lord Gregory would be perfect for the job, but he wouldn’t dare take the Lion Lord away from Lady Trella for more than a few days. He himself needed the Lion Lord’s wisdom to manage the realm far too much to do without him anyway.
“I like Jinx,” Phen said as he stepped up.
“It’s Jicks, and he is in,” Mikahl replied, not looking away from the training yard. “Phen, go over to that group of archers and tell them that on my command they are to start loosing on the men sparring.” Mikahl scratched his chin. “Tell them to send high arcing lobbers, and use target tips. Remind them that we don’t want a bunch of injuries.”
Phen nodded that he understood the command. “What are you up to, Mikahl?” he asked, knowing that any use of title was forbidden on the practice yard.
Out here, a stable boy could whip the High King, or any ranked solider, without worry of retaliation. If he had the skill. Mikahl was extraordinary with his blade, though. The best swordsman in the realm could barely last five minutes with him. And that was without Ironspike. If Mikahl used his magical blade, the fight was over before it got started. Phen admired the fact that even now, as High King, Mikahl went through a vigorous ritual each and every morning. His dedication was admirable.
“I want to find out who of the lot is calm under fire,” Mikahl answered Phen’s question with a grin. “Besides that, Oarly is out there.”
A moment later, Mikahl called out, “Attack! We’re under attack!”
As arrows came raining down around the combatants, some men dove for cover while some scrambled about. Oarly went streaking straight for a weapons rack to grab up an axe, which impressed both Phen and the High King. Jicks took up a defensive position in front of his king and ignored the falling arrows.
Mikahl scanned the yard and the chaos that had taken it over. He saw his man standing with his sword still clenched in his fists. The man was looking at the archers angrily with his wooden shield over his head to protect himself. His opponent had run off.
The man was at that age where gray starts to streak the hair over a man’s ears and the rest of it starts to thin out. Not as old as Mikahl would have preferred, but old enough to command his own respect from Oarly and Hyden. Mikahl was even more pleased to see sergeant stripes on the man as he strode over to him.
Phen called the archers off, and after he saw who the king was moving to speak to, he jogged over to Jicks and introduced himself properly. Phen liked the fact that Jicks was from Wildermont. Brady Culvert, who had gone on a different quest with him and Oarly had been from there as well. King Jarrek made sure all of his soldiers were competantly trained. The two younger men eased close enough to hear what Mikahl was saying to the sergeant.
“So, you’re from Highwander then?” Mikahl asked, seeing the insignia on the his leather protective gear.
“I am,” the sergeant said. It was clear that he had a hard time keeping himself from adding a “Your Highness” or at least a “sir” to his answer. “I fought those stinking corpses both days, first at the west gate, then again at the breach near Whitten Loch.”
“Aye,” Mikahl nodded, respectfully noticing the scars around the man’s mouth. During the battle of Xwarda, the west gate was where the demon wizard’s undead army came through into the city. It was one of the bloodiest, most gruesome battles ever fought.
“What’s your name, Sergeant?”
“Welch. Buxter Welch.”
“Are you married, Lieutenant Welch?” Mikahl asked.
“It’s Sergeant, Highness,” the man corrected kindly. “My wife died in the battle, along with my unborn son.”
Mikahl clasped Buxter on the shoulder. “It’s Lieutenant Welch now, even if you don’t choose to go on the quest.”
Lieutenant Buxter Welch smiled a smile filled with broken teeth. It appeared that at one time he had taken a sword hilt or a mace to the face. “I wouldn’t have been out here fooling with these youngsters if I didn’t want to go, my king.”
Mikahl laughed. “You’re going to hold rank over the rest of the escort. Jicks here is your main blade.” Mikahl gave the young swordsman and Phen a hard look that told them both what he thought about their eavesdropping. “Come, I’ll introduce you to the archers.”
Once they were away from Phen and Jicks, Mikahl continued speaking. “Phen, Master Oarly, and especially Sir Hyden Hawk, are not under your command, but you are not under theirs. I expect you to respect Sir Hyden Hawk’s wishes, but I also expect you to draw on your experience and speak your mind with them openly. They’ll risk their lives for the most trivial things if you don’t remind them what they are about. I need you to be the voice of reason among them. Now, let’s go find those archers.”
Later that evening, after dinner, Lady Trella spoke to Telgra quietly in the ladies’ sitting room. Queen Rosa was there, as well as a few of the younger ladies in attendance. Trella had hoped for something more private, but didn’t want to offend Queen Rosa. Trella was also certain that Rosa would love to comment because the topic of this conversation was going to be her hero, Pin. Lord Gregory had brought several things to his wife’s attention in hopes that she would speak to the elven girl. It was awkward, but she agreed there was reason for concern. Phen was well loved and no one wanted to see him hurt, or pulled too far from his studies.
“He adores you, you know,” Lady Trella said, getting to her point delicately. “He doesn’t understand the differences between elves and humans. At least his urges won’t allow him to see reason.”
“I adore him as well, my lady,” Telgra admitted. “I suppose I hadn’t paid any mind to those things either. When I’m with Phen, I forget that I’m an elf. I can’t quite explain it.”
“You’ll live to be a few hundred years old, the gods be willing,” Lady Trella said. “If he’s lucky, he might live to be eighty. Are you ready to watch him grow old, and are you willing to force him to watch you stay young while he withers?”
“Oh, my lady.” Telgra wiped away a stray tear. Nervously, she scratched Spike behind his prickly ears as Trella’s revelations hit home. “I don’t ever want to hurt Phen. It feels so right when I’m with him. What should I do?”
“Follow your heart,” Queen Rosa said. “Pin is very special to me, but I see plainly your love for him. To deny him that now is as wrong as to hurt him later. You must choose.”
“Very well put, Your Highness,” Trella said.
“I’m not even sure he likes me in that way,” Telgra said, biting at her bottom lip. “He gets quiet and distant when we are together; it’s as if he is thinking of something else entirely.”
“Oh that.” Lady Trella gave a blushing grin. “It seems our dastardly dwarf has put something in Phen’s head. It’s awkward, but my husband explained it to me today when expressing his concern about your feelings.” She was blushing and had to look away before she could continue. “It’s about his manhood…”
As she told her, the shrill giggles and shocked gasps that came from the ladies’ sitting room could be heard echoing through the whole castle.
Unknown to anyone, Phen had been listening to the entire conversation through his link with his lyna familiar. Spike was in Telgra’s lap. If he could have blushed, he was sure he would have glowed in the dark with embarrassment.