Yspaddaden - Chapter 3

 Yspaddaden

As soon as Yspaddaden heard the measured breathing and sensed the stillness of Kadyriath, he opened his eyes. He glanced across the fire at her. She was curled up toward him, hands underneath her head, knees pulled to her chest. Her eyes darted rapidly under her eyelids and she kept making small grunting noises. She wasn't used to sleeping outside. He'd better keep this short.

Yspaddaden rose slowly and stood to his feet. He waited another second or two to make sure she was really asleep before reaching into the bag of food and pulling out a smaller case. He looped the string around his belt and crept quietly away from the flickering light. He tread softly, making sure he wouldn't wake her. His short trip was important, but it wouldn't do for Kady to find out that they had actually been camping so close to a town. Not the city he had captured her from, they had left that behind them two days ago. After escaping from the soldiers, he had traveled until he found a good place to camp, then waited for Kadyriath to wake up. When she never did, he slept, and traveled onward again. She had obviously been alive as he carried her through the forrest, but he had become worried when she didn't rouse from her slumber. Thankfully she had this night and seemed to be in good health. But now that one problem was out of the way, it was time to face yet another. It seemed his life was full of them.

He traveled but an hour to the small town that could barely be named such. It was nothing more than a valley carved out of the forrest and filled with a few dozen families. Mostly farmers, the place was very self-contained. Yspaddaden had spent many a day here and stood leaned against a tall tree, observing the sleeping village. Most of the women traded labor for the like, or for food. There were dairy farmers, fruit farmers, vegetable farmers. Trading with neighbors and serving those around them, the people living here had actually managed to stay out of view of the king and his business and created a lifestyle that all seemed to enjoy. Yet it was not the wives or the farmers that Yspaddaden was here to see. It was the woman living in the small hut on the outskirts, the only building with a light still shimmering from behind wispy curtains. The occupant almost never slept and stayed indoors most of the time. Yspaddaden pushed himself up and began walking her way. She probably already knew he was here, though he would have no clue as to how.

He reached the house and grabbed the handle to the door. Instead of calling out to announce his arrival, he simply walked inside. The place was dimly lit and it was full of odd objects that took up much space, crammed into every corner. Most of the things were made of metal. Inventions she had called them once. He had no idea what they were for, and had never asked. Pushing a few things aside so that he could gain entrance, he made his way to the back of the house where he knew she sat, squatting in her tiny carved out hollow within all the junk.

He stepped past a piece of machinery that looked oddly like something one might use to shave a cow and smiled. A small fire was going in the middle of the hollow. Joyill sat exactly where Yspaddaden had last left her, back to him, and she had in her hands her livelihood.

"Yspaddaden. The large wanderer from the north. Long has it been since last you graced my castle."

Yspaddaden smiled and circled her to sit on the dirt floor to her side. His head almost touched the ceiling and the place was no more than a single room with an outhouse. Castle indeed. Joyill smiled at him, her stained teeth shining in the firelight. Last time they had been coloured blue. This time they were a sharp pink. Yspaddaden wondered at how many colours they had been in-between those times. He put a hand on her knee.

"It has been too long. I miss my visits here, yet my life demands I more often be elsewhere. I long for the day I finally am allowed to settle down. It would be here, I have decided that a long time ago."

"And not just you. Don't forget your wife."

"Ah yes. You told me about her. It was a vision you saw her in, correct?"

Joyill did not smile as she spoke.

"Indeed. I hear your voice, and your tone suggests doubt at my prophecy. I have seen it, that be true. Whether you choose to believe it or not is up to you. It does not mean that it will not someday become truth."

"I mean no disrespect. Tell me again of my beautiful wife."

"I never said she was beautiful."

Yspaddaden waited as she turned her head in mock defiance against him. But he and she both knew the charade could not last and she glanced at him again, smiling coyly. He grinned and she laughed out loud.

"Ah Yspa, I have missed you such." She reached out and laid her hand on his chest, patting him fondly. "Milk?"

"Please." He took the proffered cup and drank deeply. The cat in Joyill's lap meowed in protest. The milk of this settlement was a closely kept secret and none spoke as to its origins. But it was one of Yspaddaden's favourite drinks and he drank deeply. She looked on with mirth. Her blue/grey eyes darted back and forth as he drank. She clicked her coloured teeth absentmindedly as she waited. Her simple clothing told a lot about her, and also nothing. A short, knee length brown dress was accentuated by the single blue undershirt that could be seen at her arms. She went barefoot, her callused toes whispering secrets. Yspaddaden had many the time guessed at her age, but it was impossible to tell. She could have been as young as fifty, but on some days her knowledge and wisdom insisted that she was at least two hundred years. She was of the sort that you didn't try too hard to figure out. It was pointless to and, he suspected, if he knew everything about her, it would not be as exciting as the stories that his imagination could conjure up for lack of truth. Handing her the cup for a refill, he told her why he had come.

"You know of course my quest. Yours was the first stop along the way for answers. There are many things I'm going to need along the way and I was hoping you could help me with one of them."

Joyill handed him his cup back and held out her hand. "Let me see."

Yspaddaden rose and drew his sword. The yellow blade shone in the firelight, reflecting on the sod walls. He sat again, handing the blade to Joyill. She took it reverently, scanning it carefully, scrutinizing every detail. When she got to the pommel she sighed in awe. She fingered the broken stone that sat there. It was yellow as well, shining, but not from the fire. It seemed to posses an inner light, a glow that never went out. No one could know what type of jewel it was, no one could even guess. The sword had been forged years ago by order of AethelKil and given to Yspaddaden for his journeys. The jewel had several rumours surrounding it, but nothing was actually known.

Joyill touched the stone, smelled it, listened to it, licked it. She muttered under her breath the entire time she examined it, words Yspaddaden didn't know. Possibly elvish. She held onto the sword for several minutes, memorizing everything about it. Then suddenly she handed it back to him and stood up. The cat complained and darted off to find its brothers. Joyill said nothing as she retreated back into the junk and began moving things about. Yspaddaden couldn't see her but he could hear, as she threw things to the side, muttering in her strange language. She seemed frustrated, but also excited. After a minute of that, she reappeared, grinning like a drunk man, a tiny box in her wrinkled hand. She knelt down next to him, laying the box on the dirt in-between the two. She opened it up and took out several pieces of paper. Sorting through them, and replacing the ones that didn't matter, she eventually found the needed piece. She unfolded it and smiled when it was confirmed.

She held it out to him to examine. Yspaddaden took the paper and spread it out on the ground. Upon it was a drawing. Nothing more. It showed a jewel in the shape of a Minotaurs head in profile. The back of the skull was cut out, seemingly broken. Yspaddaden smiled as he studied the picture.

"It does seem to fit." He held up the pommel to his sword and compared. The jewel in his sword seemed to fit the cut out of the jewel in the picture. If the drawing was accurate. He turned to Joyill. "Where did you get this representation? Legend has it that no one knows what the jewel looks like."

"That is a secret for myself alone. Yet your legends are human in nature. This jewel as you call it has many names. The most widely known one is The Star of Aszka. Named for the Minotaur who found and cut it. It is called the Aszkastone. No one around here could tell you anything about this stone. Yet if you traveled to Finngal and talked to the Minotaurs there, you might be pointed in the right directions. It is after all one of their own legends."

"Finngal. They would never accept one such as me in their country."

"You never know until you try."

Yspaddaden nodded and folded up the piece of paper. He handed it to Joyill.

"No. You keep that. You may need it along the way."

He nodded his thanks. She looked at him curiously, then spoke.

"I have heard other rumours surrounding this jewel. One in particular. Is this why you travel with the young woman?"

Yspaddaden smiled. He was not surprised that the old woman knew about Kadyriath. Humans themselves were not magical, but she somehow knew things that were not possible to know. He simply nodded. She smiled slightly.

"You do not ask me how I know of this. Has your curiosity waned that much since last I saw you?"

"If I had asked, would you have given me a straight answer? Your words are constantly shrouded in mystery and more questions. I sought to save us both time by simply accepting your statement and moving on."

Joyill laughed outright. Her mouth opened wide and her teeth shined. The noise was reflected around them.

"If you knew the secrets of my statements, you would not be so impressed, young Yspa. I am not so mysterious. Yet the answer to this one is quite simple. Your companion stands just outside in the darkness. I knew her gender by the smell of you. Never have you tasted so sweet to my nose than you do now."

"She waits outside?" Yspaddaden stood up, sheathing his sword. "That woman is as sly as a faery. I left her sleeping hours ago! How was it she followed me here?"

Joyill said nothing as Yspaddaden made his way back through the junk to the front door. He peeked outside through a crack in the wood and noticed Kady moving stealthily toward the hut. Joyill had quite cleverly guessed that he traveled with a female, but she still had not explained how she knew Kady was here. The old woman was still keeping secrets. Kady moved noiselessly, her bare feet making not a sound, the top of her skirt brushing the tall grass. She seemed to be heading directly toward the place where Yspaddaden stood hidden. She seemed not to know he was there. He allowed her to come within a few feet of the door, then slung it open, banging the wooden door against the dirt wall of the house. Kady fell backwards onto her bottom in surprise and shuffled back with her hands until she realised it was Yspaddaden standing there. Once she saw him for who he was, her face went stern, and she leapt to her feet, brushing the dirt off her backside as she did so. She faced him with defiance and challenged him with silence. Yspaddaden stood there stoically. They stared at each other for several seconds before Yspaddaden spoke.

"What are you doing here?"

"That's a question that could easily be asked by myself. Why did you not tell me that we were close to a village? Why did you sneak out without me? I could have traveled with a merchant back to my own city."

"That is why. I cannot have you leaving. You must stay with me."

"Why? You never gave me any reason to! All you did was hit me over the head and spirit me away from my life!"

"You kidnapped her?"

Joyill had come up behind Yspaddaden like a wraith. Yspaddaden groaned as Kady nodded profusely.

"Yes he did! Without telling me why or giving me a chance to come willingly!"

"If I had explained myself fully, you would not have come."

Joyill slapped Yspaddaden on his shoulder.

"Despite your journeys perilous and urgent nature, you still should have given the girl a choice. Taking her from her home was a very rude thing to do."

"The situation did not allow me the luxury of pretense. I had to take her or my quest was futile. There was no other choice."

"There's always a choice Yspa."

"Yspa?"

Yspaddaden glared at Kady, but all she could do was attempt to hold her laughter inside. She contained herself.

"Never mind that. Tell me why you took me from my bedroom. Tell me why you led me from the only life I knew."

"You would not like it."

"Tell me! I deserve to know why I am accompanying you! Tell me or I shall leave and go home."

"I wouldn't call that place a home."

Kady stepped to him with fire in her eyes and slapped him across the cheek. His head barely moved as he took his punishment. A single tear came to her eye as she whispered venomously, pointing at him with her finger.

"Don't you dare say anything about the life I've chosen to lead. There are some of us who are not as privileged as the rest of the world. I lie on the outskirts of society because I must, not because I choose to."

"There's always a choice."

Kady spun to Joyill.

"And you keep your flashing teeth inside your skull!"

Joyill mirrored Kady's earlier facial expression of pent up laughter. Kady still had her finger raised and she pointed it again at Yspaddaden.

"Now, I don't care how much it pains you, or what I might learn, or whatever, but I want to know why I am traveling with you. Why did you think me so necessary that you kidnap me and bring me with you?"

"There is a prophecy regarding my quest and you are in it."

Joyill's eyebrows raised significantly and Kady's finger lowered.

"A prophecy?"

"One of the, uh, the sorcerers of Anzety. It came to me a month ago. The king sent me on my quest and I was to travel to you and bring you with me."

"A prophecy?"

Yspaddaden rolled his eyes.

"Yes, a prophecy. It didn't speak of you by name."

"Then how did you know to take me?"

Yspaddaden glanced at Joyill and her expectant eyes. She stood with her arms crossed, waiting also for his explanation. He stepped toward Kadyriath and put a hand on her arm.

"Come. Let's go elsewhere. I will explain everything. We must let Joyill rest."

The old woman laughed outright this time.

"I need not rest youngster. Stay as long as you need. I'd be eager to hear your story as well!"

"Still, we should be going. Thank you for your advice and knowledge Joyill. I'm sure I'll see you again."

"I hope so, Yspa."

Yspaddaden turned and led Kady into the darkness toward the village center.

Kadyriath

Ynwfn, Village.

Yspaddaden led Kady to a gazebo in the middle of the valley. He sat down and motioned for her to sit as well. She smoothed her dress over her legs as she did. Maybe there was a shoemaker in town. After getting up to follow Yspaddaden she had lost him halfway to the village, her bare feet slowing her down. She was actually quite surprised that he had not detected her following him, as she had made a lot of noise.  She had had to stuff the anklet of bells with mud to lessen the clamour. For one so large and warrior looking, he did not pay much attention to his surroundings. His mind must have been on other things. After losing him she kept on, heading in the general direction he had been traveling. It was sheer luck that she stumbled on the stream that led into the valley, and even luckier that she came out near a mill that was set back in the woods. All she then had to do was follow that creek and once she had reached the village she headed toward the only light that was visible. That had led her directly to the man that had kidnapped her two days ago.

She shook herself out of her thoughts and looked up at the large man. He seemed unwilling to start the conversation, yet content to sit in silence. Kady observed him as he sat there, eyes tracing the wood floor. His muscles were immense. Kady had never before seen, or even heard of such a large man. She wondered if he was fully human or a mix of some kind. That kind of size was unnatural. Magical? No, impossible. But something about him was strange, that was for sure. She was curious about him. Not curious enough to continue to travel with him though. But even though she did not know him well at all, she sensed something from him. Something that said she could trust him. Kidnapping and assault aside, she knew he was kind and good. She had no idea how she knew.

"What do people call you?"

The question startled her again out of her thoughts. It took a second for her to come up with an answer.

"Um, the girls back home call me Kady."

"I wish you would stop using that word."

"Home? It is. It's the only thing I've known since…" Kady stopped as the memories came back to her. Yspaddaden glanced her way.

"Since what?"

"Nothing. Never mind. I believe you were going to tell me why I am with you? Why you kidnapped me, what is so important about your quest?" She paused and took a deep breath. "And why you claim to have heard a prophecy about me?"

"The tale of my quest and its purpose are long and full of words. A tale better suited for another day, when the sun isn't beginning to shine over the hill tops."

Kady looked and saw he was right. The hills to the west indeed showed signs of early morning as the tops of them glowed orange. Her forgotten weariness caused her curiosity to wane slightly.

"Fine. Just the prophecy then."

"You won't like it."

"Tell me."

Yspaddaden took a breath and seemed to be thinking awfully hard. He unsheathed his sword and raised it aloft. The sun peeking over the hills glinted off the tip.

"In short, I seek the stone that belongs with this broken piece here. Our previous king, AethelKil, charged me with the quest to find it and bring it back to him. Unfortunately he has died, as you well know. AethelBald is unfamiliar and unfriendly with me. He does not approve of my mission. But I assure you, it is very important. Not to simply me or our late king, but to the entire nation."

"You were right before. I am tired yet wish to hear this story. Please simply tell me why you think I am so important to your…quest. Can we stop using that absurd word? Journey, or challenge sounds much better. Quest sounds…childish."

"Yet quest it is." He smiled and Kady knew he received pleasure out of taunting her. "I do apologise. An old woman once came to AethelKil, mere days before he died. She told him of a mighty warrior who would seek the Aszkastone." He held up his sword to touch the broken pommel. "She mentioned his companion, one that would travel with him to the end." He paused in his story.

Kady sighed and crossed her arms. He looked into her eyes and spoke gravely.

"The woman who was to travel with this warrior would come from the city you live in. She would posses an ornate hairpiece." Kady's mouth fell open and her hand went to the side of her head to touch the hairpiece. Yspaddaden took in another breath.

"And she would be the fairest Courtesan Ynwfn had ever seen."