Cold From The North, page 17
part #1 of The Onyxborn Chronicles Series
‘It will be difficult,’ Danrin said, his face full of contemplation. He looked at Ogulf and Melcun, absorbed in thought as he continued to thumb his stubble. ‘But I can have that arranged.’
Chapter 19
Ogulf was pleased with Danrin’s proposal. Ogulf had originally been reluctant to involve anyone else in the process but caved to Danrin’s pleas that they inform Lord Hanrik of the plans. The young knight had not wanted to keep his father in the dark about such things at such a sensitive time. Danrin wanted to ensure that Hanrik understood the true nature of the journey and its purpose, that this was not a pleasant trip or an adventure, but would be a perilous mission, one that could be beneficial to all involved in the long run.
Before they could move forward, Ogulf would also have to seek support from his own father. Ogulf felt like his father would endorse their plans, but at the same time he knew Rowden would wish to keep his son close and understood that no father would comfortably send their child to a foreign land being ripped apart by internal warfare. Additionally, they needed to seek answers to the riddle that Wildar had left. If it had been anyone else but Wildar who had tasked Ogulf with this then Rowden would likely have refused to support Ogulf on his journey.
After a few more mugs of mead, the three men left the tavern and made for the palace to retire for the evening. Ogulf felt that they had struck a bond of sorts with Danrin, as they were now entrusted with each other’s secrets; Danrin had shared his worries about the contented stance of his homeland, and in return, Ogulf had told the young knight about Wildar’s last words. Maybe they were not the kinds of secrets that wars are fought over, but they were secrets all the same.
They had not drunk anywhere near enough for it to be the kind of friendship struck in mead-fuelled camaraderie. He liked the Fated Knight and he couldn’t quite put his finger on a reason why, so he decided he didn’t need a reason at all.
Danrin bid them both a good evening as they tiptoed through the corridors. Ogulf wasn’t sure of the time, but the silence in the palace suggested most others here were asleep. As Ogulf and Melcun navigated their way through the palace, they were occasionally nodded at by one of the mute Shingally guards on watch.
‘I am not sure it was wise to tell Danrin about what Wildar said. We don’t understand any of this,’ Melcun said.
‘You’ll be surprised to hear I agree with you. I’m not sure it was the smartest option either,’ Ogulf conceded. ‘But what choice do we have? The more I think about what Wildar said, the more it just frustrates me. It’s like a cruel puzzle, and I can’t keep myself from trying to solve it. If only he said a few more words, maybe then we would know exactly what we needed to do.’
‘Hard to get words out when you’re dangling over your own death,’ Melcun said. ‘Do you trust Danrin?’
‘I do. I don’t know why, but I do,’ Ogulf said as they turned into their guestroom. ‘Melcun, I have to ask, when we were at the feast and Prundan squared off with you, you didn’t seem as ... tempered as you would have been in the past?’
‘You mean that you didn’t see any sparks in my hand this time?’ Melcun said, uttering a light laugh.
‘Well, yes,’ Ogulf said. ‘You’ve always had tension with Prundan, and a few days ago, something far less serious almost tipped you over the edge. I was worried you would do something in that room tonight, though, to be honest I wouldn’t have blamed you if you did. His tongue is sharper than his axe.’
‘I don’t think that kind of thing should be an issue anymore,’ Melcun said. ‘Crindasa taught me how to Harness.’
Melcun said this as if Ogulf would know what he was talking about. Rather than say anything, he let his weary expression fill with confusion as Melcun turned to look at him.
‘Sorry, basically, she taught me how to control my power.’ He held up his palms so that they were facing towards Ogulf. ‘It was fairly simple, she just showed me how to disassociate it from my emotions. So that means, if I am in a situation where I feel threatened or angry, I won’t reach for my ability without realising. Even I was surprised that I got it to work so quickly,’ Melcun said. ‘Crindasa said it’s something they teach to a mage as soon as they show signs of having powers, so most learn when they are children. She said it would be much harder for someone my age to use without previous experience, so you could say I am a natural.’
‘That’s fantastic,’ Ogulf said, genuinely relieved that he might not have to anticipate Melcun’s every move in fear from now on, whenever they got into precarious positions. ‘You’ll be glad we have a few more days for lessons then, don’t need you turning everyone in Esselonia to piles of ash.’
‘Oh, piss off,’ Melcun said, crossing his arms and falling onto the bed with his eyes fixed on the ceiling as Ogulf let out a laugh he tried and failed to suppress. ‘It got me thinking. Your father said he knew what I could do since I was a boy. Do you think that’s why he didn’t let me fight much during the Rebellion, in case I used it?’
‘Perhaps. How do you suppose you didn’t use it when you did get to fight?’ Ogulf said. ‘I mean, I watched you take some amount of punishment during the skirmish at Glandown and there wasn’t so much as a spark.’
‘I’ve never really thought about it that day, might have been too scared to really comprehend it. I’ll never forget the sound of that shield cracking when that big lad’s greataxe hit it; I called out to the gods for help with a mouthful of splinters,’ Melcun said. ‘You had all been in battle by then, but it was my first taste of that kind of combat, and it was hard to feel frightened or anything, really, when your father made me stay with all the older lot in the rear guard. It was embarrassing. I think that was the first time Prundan mocked me, he called me a–’
‘–Craven orphan of a whore,’ Ogulf finished. ‘I remember, but you weren’t afraid, you were just being obedient.’ Ogulf had had to tell Melcun this numerous times before; no one really thought Melcun was a coward, but Prundan made sure to fan the flames in an effort to mock Melcun.
Both men removed their new Shingally clothes and got into bed. Melcun was snoring within minutes but Ogulf lay awake, powerless to grab hold of the sleep that was evading him. He didn’t mind much – he had things he needed to think about, whole scenarios he would play out in his head over and over while trying to piece together the best way to approach them.
The first was speaking with his father, but he was content with the plan for that. Then there was getting to Esselonia. This part bothered Ogulf because he didn’t have control, so ideas sprawled out like tentacles in his mind, each one leading to a different outcome which then did the same, and so on until he was forced to abandon that line of thought amidst its endless maze of possibilities.
The scenario he dedicated most of his sleepless night to was how he would approach meeting Feda. He wasn’t a diplomat by any means, but he also wasn’t a fool. He had to get an audience with her himself. Even when his mind trailed slightly, warning him that the path to Feda was a dangerous one, he forced the notion aside and accepted that this was how things had to be; this was his will, and maybe even a renewed will bestowed by the gods. Perhaps they wanted to save him and his people after all.
***
The next morning, Ogulf went to visit his father with Melcun. Straight away, he told him of Danrin’s plan to get the pair to Esselonia – time was not something they had a lot of and Ogulf wasn’t one for mincing words.
The plan wasn’t perfect, but Ogulf thought it would be sufficient. A supply shipment would be leaving for North Esselonia the next evening from a port not far from Luefmort. It would be sailing under cover of darkness to a trading harbour in the Esselonian town of Vargholme. The captain of the ship was a friend of Danrin’s, so the young Shingally knight would organise passage for both men. He said the captain owed him a favour.
Danrin was to tell Lord Hanrik of the plan. He warned Ogulf that he expected some resistance but would not go ahead with the plan without the blessing of his father.
‘I think it is a good idea,’ Rowden said. He was sitting at a table in the banquet hall, listening to the Ogulf as he explained the plan. Melcun sat next to him, facing Ogulf, who was on the other side of the table. With only the three of them in the room, the feast hall seemed much larger than it had done before, and Ogulf noticed a slight change in the decor of the space. Now the only ornaments he could see, other than the large shield which had caught his eye the night before, were all made of brass. Each piece was polished and gave off a dull glow. ‘If it means we can get some answers, then I think it will be worth it. Even if the answer is, ‘sod off, I’m fighting a war,’ it’s preferable to having to wait here and hope for the best. Lord Hanrik’s son, does he seem trustworthy?’
‘Yes,’ Ogulf said, slightly surprised he had not met more resistance from his father at this stage. He opted to accept Rowden’s position, though; any prodding or challenging could lead to him becoming less supportive of the plan. ‘I trust him, and he is invested in this as much as we are – he wants to protect his lands and is willing to help us explore any ways that help him do that.’
‘Even though I still don’t understand it all, Wildar obviously did,’ Rowden said. ‘But giving you my blessing to do something like this is not easy, Ogulf,’ he added, stroking his beard. ‘There is no way Wildar would ask this of you unless he felt it was absolutely necessary. And though he might not have told us everything he knew, there must be a reason for that. I think he knew more about the invasion than he was letting on. Especially when you take time to think about the counsel we have received from Lord Hanrik and Trayvan since we arrived. This invasion will come here, the Shingally’s need to find a way to stop it. We must get Lord Hanrik to prepare. Otherwise I fear the gate to the Shingally Empire will fall like Broadheim.’
‘Danrin is worried about the same thing, so he is going to speak to Lord Hanrik,’ Ogulf said. It satisfied him to hear Rowden speaking this way. ‘Perhaps it’s worth you offering to help with the preparations while Melcun and I are gone. I’m sure any help would be appreciated.’
‘I’m not sure they would listen. The Shingally’s have their ways, they have generals here and a military council.’
‘I think a fresh perspective could be useful. And don’t be so hard on yourself, you know as well as I do what that mind and that axe hand are capable of. They would be lucky to have you. It will keep our people busy, too – well, the ones who are willing to fight, at least.’
Rowden stroked his beard again. ‘I suppose you’re right. I just feel lost in a way. I am the earl of a pile of ash with only half my townsfolk, no chieftain, and a butcher, farmers, and an innkeeper for captains.’
‘I bet you wouldn’t say that to Sadie’s face. She was the best swordswoman in all of Broadheim in her day,’ Ogulf said in an attempt to lighten the mood. ‘You’re still our leader. We need you now, more than ever. This will be good for all of us.’
Rowden nodded. His eyes told Ogulf that he was still guarded about this idea, but willing to see what it could lead to.
‘I’ll discuss it with Danrin,’ Ogulf said.
‘Do you think they’ve gone through Broadheim yet, the army?’ Melcun asked.
‘Yes,’ Rowden said. ‘I can only assume it’s ash and bone now. Just thinking about it turns my blood to ice, my heart to stone. I can’t accept that any miracles or wonders from the gods could have stopped such an onslaught; the gods have forgotten about Broadheim now.’
‘Maybe we should as well,’ Melcun said.
Before Ogulf could say anything, they all heard the sound of light footsteps echoing up the corridor that led towards the room. Ogulf stiffened and tried to peer over Rowden’s shoulder to see who was coming in. His stomach flooded with joy when he saw it was Runa. She was walking slowly, every step seemed full of pain, but she fought through it to show a half smile when she saw Ogulf looking at her.
‘Thought I would come and see you all, sitting in that room is torture,’ she said, sitting down gingerly next to Ogulf.
Ogulf exchanged a glance with his father as Runa shifted to find a comfortable position in her chair. As if he knew what his son was thinking, Rowden looked at Ogulf and gave him a reassuring nod.
‘Runa, Melcun and I are going to Esselonia,’ Ogulf said.
‘Ogulf, please. I have something I need to tell you.’
For the first time he could remember, Runa looked vulnerable. It wasn’t because of her injuries; it was obvious to Ogulf that she knew something that she didn’t necessarily want to share. As much as Ogulf didn’t want to cause his friend any distress in her current state, he had to know what this was.
‘It’s difficult to say out loud. I only found out late last night, and by the time I wanted to come and tell you all, everyone seemed to be drunk or asleep.’ Runa bit her lip then looked to Rowden as if she was searching for protection or reassurance from the earl. The cracking pops of her knuckles told Ogulf just how anxious she was.
‘I asked Lord Hanrik for a book on Esselonia. The one he gave me chronicled everything about the place from its founding and runs right up to about ten years ago. I was searching in it for anything about an axe or a prophecy, but I couldn’t see anything.’ She paused and took a breath. She pulled the book from a pocket in her gown and opened it at a pre-marked page. The text was miniscule, so much so that Runa was hunching over the table to read it. The text was split into two long columns on each page.
‘I found this section. It’s a history of the royal family on the island, and it states that the last monarch was Kelan Essel. It actually lists him as currently reigning king in this edition, but I can only assume this is the recently deceased king. It mentioned a daughter, Feda, and a son, Elundar.’
‘We know that Feda’s a princess, she’s trying to stop her uncle from taking her crown,’ Ogulf said.
‘That’s not all,’ Runa said, scratching at her throat nervously.
‘What do you mean?’ Rowden said.
‘The king had a brother. One that appears in this text as presumed dead for over twenty years. Not a word is written about him other than that and his name.’ She closed her eyes and took a long breath through her nose. ‘His name was Wildar.’
‘What?’ Rowden said, his voice sounding noticeably higher pitched than usual.
‘But it said that Wildar died,’ Melcun said.
‘No, it said it is presumed he died. Not confirmed.’
‘But he’s from Paleways. He’s not from Esselonia,’ Melcun said.
‘That’s what I thought too, but this is all too specific. He wanted to go to Esselonia, he needed you to get to Feda, and he needed you to take his axe to her to stop a prophecy that he never mentioned to any of us before he was about to fall to his death.’
‘Are you saying you think Wildar was related to Feda?’ Ogulf asked.
‘That’s exactly what I am saying. There is no way this can all be coincidence, Ogulf,’ Runa said. ‘Wildar was Feda’s uncle.’
‘Impossible. That man was Broadheim to the bone,’ Ogulf said.
‘Do you know if he was born on Paleways?’ Runa said. ‘He came to Keltbran when you were a boy, only the gods know where he was before that. Or should I say, who he was.’
‘If he had a history like this, he would have told us!’ Ogulf said. ‘He was one of us.’
‘It looks like he was, and at the same time, he wasn’t,’ Runa said. ‘And don’t think for a second it doesn’t pain me to learn of this.’ She pointed a finger towards Ogulf but grimaced and jolted in pain as she did.
‘Enough. This isn’t a development we should be arguing about. If anything, perhaps it makes your journey a little easier, Ogulf.’
Ogulf couldn’t hide his confusion. How could this make things any easier? If anything, this made everything more complicated.
‘If you can prove you’re a friend of Wildar’s, perhaps it will be easier to get an audience with the princess,’ Runa said. Rowden looked at her and nodded, then glanced back to Ogulf.
‘And what proof do I have exactly?’ Ogulf asked, standing up from the table and cracking his neck as he felt tension run up his spine.
‘Well, you’ve got that for starters,’ Runa said, motioning toward Wildar’s axe as it hung from Ogulf’s hip. ‘Didn’t he say she would need that if she was to stop this prophecy?’
‘He did,’ Ogulf said, nodding absently and replaying Wildar’s final moments in his mind again.
The four sat silent for a few moments. Rowden tapped his fingers lightly on the table and Melcun just stared ahead blankly.
‘Okay. So, it’s settled that we’re going then,’ Ogulf said. ‘I don’t want it to look like we’re just abandoning everyone, though, so how should we explain this to the rest of the captains?’
‘Leave that part to me,’ Rowden said. ‘Let’s hope Lord Hanrik is supportive of this and let’s keep all of this between the four of us for now. You two,’ he said, looking at Ogulf and Melcun. ‘Do you think we should tell the Shingal about Wildar being related to Feda? Perhaps they might be able to shed some more light on this.’
All three nodded in agreement, then they sat in silence in the banquet hall for quite some time.
Chapter 20
After leaving Runa, Melcun, and Rowden in the palace, Ogulf began to wrestle with his feelings. Losing Wildar was affecting him more than he would care to admit. Dying was accepted as a normal passage in Ogulf’s culture. Lingering on a lost loved one was normal, but he didn’t have time for such emotions if he was to stay focused on what he had to do. If only he hadn’t lost Wildar so suddenly, maybe then it wouldn’t have hurt so much. But he could still see Wildar’s body plunging into the Banespit whenever he closed his eyes, that was a sight he would never get rid of.
