Yspadadden - Chapter 7

 Yspaddaden

Yspaddaden crouched in the tall grass at the edge of the clearing in the middle of the forrest. It was difficult to hide there, because he was so tall! It was both a blessing and a curse, his great hight. Yes he could reach things that most could not, but it was not fun banging his head on multiple branches that the normal person would have easily walked underneath. Even now his legs strained at the knees with the effort of keeping him hidden. He gazed out at the clearing and contemplated the situation.

Ten soldiers sat in a large circle around the fire, laughing, telling tales, playing games. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, and Yspaddaden was quite jealous. If Kil had still been king, it could have been Yspa among those men, making merry and laughing. But no it was AethelBald and his prejudices that prevented him from traveling with these men, from participating in the adventures they went on. He had his own adventure, that was true, but apart from Kady, and she was sitting tied up at the moment, he had no one to be with, no one to travel with, no one to joke with. He longed for a male companion that could be with him on his quest. Men loved the company of beautiful women, and Kady was among the finest of them, but no man could be left without male friends for long without succumbing to the insanity that women brought with them wherever they went.

He glanced over at the woman that he traveled with. She seemed well, not hurt too bad in any way. Her left eye was swollen from a bruise, but it was the only visual injury he could see. He could only imagine how much pain her arms and shoulders were in at the moment. He had to admit, the way in which she was tied at the moment was quite ingenious. It left the prisoner with no room to wiggle, no way to free oneself. He would have to keep this method in mind for later, if he ever needed to tie someone up. Which he was certain was something that would happen at some point in his future.

There was a commotion in the camp and another fourteen men rode in on unicorns, disrupting the free time the present soldiers had been enjoying. The man in the lead was one Yspaddaden recognised. Marus, captain of the guard. He seemed to have been promoted to general by AethelBald. And to have lost an eye. He rode a stallion that would make any man jealous. The black unicorn strode forth, stopping at the firelights edge, and stomped several times before settling down enough for Marus to dismount. Its white horn shone in the firelight, seeming itself to catch ablaze. Its muscles rippled underneath taut skin, showing years of training and decades of breeding. This steed was no accident. It had come from the stables of a fine horsemaster indeed, no doubt some elvish establishment in Najja. Those were rumored to be the best places to go to when one needed a steed possessing the qualities of both calmness and fortitude in battle. How he envied Marus and his position in the army. He had known the man when they both worked for the king in their younger years, living in the dormitories that young soldiers stayed in. After Yspa had served his time and transitioned to becoming a free mercenary, Marus had decided to stay on as a soldier, working his way up the ranks. His hard work had paid off. Good for him.

Marus walked quietly over to Kady. The rest of the men were relatively silent now, waiting, some of the bolder ones watching as Marus dealt with the prisoner. Yspa was not close enough to hear anything that was being said, but he cringed and his blood boiled in anger as Marus touched her. He seemed drunk with her beauty, yet his eye betrayed his inner anger. His touch was gentle, yet even Yspaddaden could see how Marus fought to restrain himself from strangling Kady where she sat. She did nothing, simply sat there, eyes closed, moveless. It wasn't until his hand disappeared that she opened her eyes to glare at his face. They both stared at each other for several seconds and Yspa felt the heat from their hatred, even at the distance that he sat at. Marus leaned over and whispered into Kady's ear and she seemed to restrain herself from laughing. Marus always was one to say things without thinking about them. He seemed not to enjoy her reaction. He stood.

Yspa almost lost his nerve and leapt from the grass when Marus slapped Kady. Her head snapped to one side and she seemed to only suffer physical pain. But Yspaddaden's pain and anger burned within him like a capped volcano, pushing its way violently against the top, the lava and ash held in place only by the will of his mind. How dare he lay his hands on her! She hung there for a second, gasping for air before he finally pulled her up. Yspa's hands gripped the grass and slowly twisted, ripping the blades silently from their bodies. If Yspa hated Marus before, he despised him now. The only thing that restrained himself from running into the clearing and ripping his head from his neck was the fact that he needed these men to stay behind. It would not do to annoy and anger the king into sending even more men after him. This quest needed to be made without the pressure of soldiers following and hunting him every day. He hoped that he could accomplish that.

Yspaddaden stood slowly and turned toward the forrest when Marus kissed Kady. He knew if he stayed any longer his rage would become too great for his will to handle, and blood would be spilled. As he walked into the darkness, a plan forming in his mind of how to rescue Kady, another slap echoed through the trees. Yspa ground his teeth together in anger.

Marus would die. That Yspaddaden vowed to himself.

Tylosse

The young man named Tylosse stared at Kady from across the clearing. She was so beautiful! He knew not why it was exactly that he felt for her so, but he pitied her. He wished her pain to stop. He had joined the army at the insistence of his mother, to help provide for the family. Now that she was two years dead, he had no real ties to this life, and he wondered about it everyday. Why did he not just leave? What kept him attached to the soldiering life? Maybe it was because nothing better had come along? Until now. He wasn't sure if he had feelings for the prisoner…what was her name?…but he did wish her to stop suffering. The position they had her tied up in was unkind and brutal. He looked at her. She sat in the heat of the day, panting like a dog, trying not to fall over into slumber that would kill her. It was not right. Tylosse looked around the camp, noticed that Marus was away with a raiding party in the village, and made up his mind.

He stood and threw his uneaten meal into the fire. No one noticed as he crossed over to the prostitute and began to untie her bonds. He wasn't even sure if she noticed his hands pulling at her ropes. The thoughts of a beating were pushed far into the back of his mind as he lowered her limp body down to the ground. He undid her hands and tied them in front of her. He then decided to lash her to the tree, sitting up, but without the pressure on her neck. She began to immediately breathe lighter, and Tylosse felt good. He brushed her hair out of her face and her eyes flickered open to look at him. He smiled at her, and after a few seconds of contemplation, she gave him at least the attempt of a smile. After which she slumped over into sleep.

He watched her sleep for a while, chest rising and falling in measured breathing. Her dress was stained with dust and grass, the bottoms of her feet black with dirt. Tylosse had no idea why they were keeping her prisoner. Was this the life he wanted to lead? Following orders that he didn't understand? Obeying a man that never explained himself? Had this woman even done anything wrong?

He stood and walked back to the fire. He fully expected a solid beating when Marus rode back into camp. But Tylosse was okay with it. If he wasn't allowed to travel with the woman and her huge companion, then at least he would aid them in any way possible. He wasn't entirely sure when he had made up his mind to do so, but he vowed that whenever the giant Yspaddaden came to rescue her, Tylosse would do everything in his power to help this strange woman.

Yspaddaden

Yspaddaden watched the soldiers ransack the village from inside Joyill's hut. The men went from house to house, entering, then exiting a few minutes later, laden with valuables and food. He was waiting for a time when all of them were out of sight so he could leave this house and retreat back to the woods. This was a prime opportunity to attack them and possibly kill several, but his skills were still weak and the sun shone too brightly for him to attempt such a task. Marus sat on his unicorn next to the gazebo that overlooked the valley, watching his men raid the town. Yspaddaden watched him, the fool sitting regally on his steed, observing all. The man was so pompous it was infuriating! Yspaddaden's hands itched to do some violence, but he knew it wasn't the right time or place. It was all he could do to restrain himself.

After a while, after the men had combed half the valley, Marus shouted something to them and they all began to retreat, joining him on the hilltop. They loaded a cart full of their bounty and began to transport it back to the forrest. Possibly they would come back later or the next day to finish off the rest of the village. Yspaddaden had to thank them in his mind for at least piling the bodies of the people they had murdered in a pyre and burning them. On the night of the raid Yspaddaden had led the people he could to the river than ran through the forrest and gathered them there. They had thanked him, then sent him on his way. Their journey to find a new home was one he was not to be a part of. Yspaddaden had felt guilty. It was his own fault that half of their friends and family lay dead, the fire turning their flesh into ash. So he could not comfort the rest of the people, could not shelter them. But he could avenge them. That he did quite well.

Yspa turned when the soldiers had crested the hill and followed the path through the junk into the back of the house. He sat down at the small fire that was blazing there and stared into it. What had his life led him to? Was this to be what followed him? Burning? Darkness? Death? He wasn't sure he could handle that. What happened when all he loved and cared for were gone? Was this quest still a venture that was needed? At what price did this journey become too valuable and he had to abandon it? Yspaddaden shook his head and lay his hands in his lap. A hand snaked out and patted his forearm in comfort.

"Don't fret Yspa. With the events that have found you thus far, you are justified in feeling cursed by fate. But nothing you have done has been wrong. You cannot blame yourself for the actions of evil men."

Yspaddaden looked at his companion and nodded.

"I know. It's just hard to accept at times."

Joyill smiled and patted his arm again.

"You will accept it. In time."

"Another of your prophecies?"

Joyill stroked the fur of the lone cat that had seemed to survive the massacre. She did not smile this time, she simply spoke forcefully.

"Yspa. You know my jokings about your future wife have been in jest. No one is capable of true prophecy, at least not in this time. I wont dare try to set limits on the god's whims. But you have to understand this."

"I know. But you have to admit, your insight often appears mystical in nature. I am still trying to learn at how you understand so much while knowing so little."

Joyill stared at him. The fire reflected her pink teeth.

"Then when are you going to admit the same thing to young Kadyriath? When are you going to tell her the truth as to why you stole her from her life? She deserves to know Yspa. And you are not allowed to keep it from her. She has been lied to her entire life. If you tell her the truth, she will be angry, yes. But if you don't and she learns of it, she will hate you. Anger is more easily overcome than hate."

"I understand. But if I tell her who she truly is, I must also reveal to her the reason at why you faked your death to her. Are you sure you want me to do that?"

Joyill sighed and rubbed the cats back smoothly. It purred in contentment, eyes half closed, staring into the fire. Its tail twitched back and forth, casting odd shadows on the wall. Joyill sighed again and looked at Yspa.

"You must do what you must. I wish that certain things were not known, but the truth is always better then lies. Remember that Yspa, for the future. It may come in handy."

Yspaddaden nodded.

"I will think on your advice. But telling Kady the truth is not the event that is pressing on my mind most."

At that Joyill smiled and reached across him. She grabbed the hilt of his sword and pulled it out a bit, allowing the yellow steel to shine in the orange firelight. She patted him once more on his shoulder.

"Go Yspa. Rescue her. Kill men. Make me proud."

He smiled and stood, re-sheathing his sword.

"I shall."

He leaned down and cupped her wizened face in his hands. He stared into her deep eyes, then kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Thank you for everything, Joyill Razenkil. I hope to see you again some day."

She smiled up at him.

"Before your quest is complete, I promise you."

He then rose and turned, striding from the house without looking back. He swung the front door open and glanced toward the east. The sun was sinking slowly behind the treetops. Perfect. It was time to get Kady back.

Nighttime Guard

The young soldier grunted silently as he stoked the fire with a stick. It wasn't fair! Why did he have to take watch now? The second to last shift was always the worst. You get most of a good nights sleep, then wake up, then when your watch is over, you still have two hours until you're supposed to get up again. It almost wasn't even worth it to try and get back to sleep. But he endured. He found if he played with the fire enough, the time passed quickly and he could fall asleep easily when he was allowed to. He swung his stick up into the air and smiled as the ember on the end glowed in the night air, before being blown out and the smoke curled up toward the stars. It was a quiet night. The crickets chirped, the birds had already begun their cries, and the faeries were starting to calm down after a night full of antics. He placed the stick back in the flames to let it heat up again. Simple pleasures. Those were the best.

He looked over his shoulder at the prisoner that was still tied up to the tree. Her head hung down in slumber. He was glad that they had placed her in a position that would let her sleep and wouldn't cause her as much pain as she must have been in before. Tylosse was a good man to have done that for her. She hadn't deserved that kind of treatment. It wasn't her fault that she had been kidnapped by the wrong man. She was not to blame.

He started at a sound in the trees. He turned to face the forrest, glancing about everywhere, searching for the source of the sound. He circled the fire, looking everywhere. There it was again! A branch falling? A twig snapping? He couldn't be sure. After an hour and a half of lazy playing, his mind was not working as fast as it would have on a better day. He watched the trees closely, trying to sense if anything was out there. Wouldn't it be exciting if the giant decided to return on his watch? His mind began playing out the scenarios that would happen when such an event occurred, when he stopped in the middle of his pacing. His mind faded into nothing as he noticed the shadow coming from the wood. The man must have been seven feet tall and well over four hundred pounds in weight. He gasped and could not move as the shadow detached itself from the woods and began walking toward him. The fire slowly lit him up as he stepped into the clearing, into the camp, and stopped but a few paces from the young soldier. He was huge, muscular, and intimidating. The young man almost pissed his breeches when the giant put out his hand and laid it gently on his shoulder.

"If you wish to live, run."

The young man only had to think about the proposition for a second before leaping toward his bedroll and gathering up his possessions as fast as he could. The giant stood and watched as he did so. He seemed content to literally allow the soldier to leave. Which he was glad to oblige. He stopped at the edge of the clearing and watched as Yspaddaden made his first move toward the soldiers. He wished he could stay and watch. But he was afraid that if he did that, his head may no longer sit comfortably on his neck. Which was the main reason behind him turning around and calmly running as fast as possible in any direction that led away from the blood bath. Scary.

Kadyriath

Kady woke slowly to the sounds, and as she did, they registered slowly in her mind. First there was a slight shuffling. Then footsteps hurrying away from the clearing. After that came the thuds, more footsteps, then finally screams. Grunts of anger, cries of fear. Swords sang as they leapt from their scabbards, horses and unicorns whinnied in annoyance, yells flew back and forth. She slowly opened her eyes to see what all the noise was about.

As soon as she did however, a huge bucket of water was thrown onto the fire and the clearing went dark. The only things she could see were the embers of the fire, the shadows that passed in between them and her, and the moonlight reflected off the swords. As she listened to the yells and screams of dying men, she smiled. He had finally come. Yspaddaden was here to rescue her! She tried to move in delight, simply sat there, waiting for him to arrive and set her free. The commotion around her was drowned out by the cries of joy in her heart and mind. She would taste freedom this night!

Hands grabbed at her wrists and began to untie the knots that held her. She sat there, allowing them to work. The smell of blood and sweat wafted into her nose. Her eyes began to adjust to the light and she noticed a huge figure, running about, swinging a large yellow blade, ending lives wherever it could. Wait. Then who was untying her hands?

She could not think on it more as the ropes fell from her wrists and the hands grabbed her at her waist. Her legs would not work for exhaustion and she allowed the unknown man to escort her to a horse. He helped her up onto the beast and she leaned down over the mane. The horse snorted and stamped, angered and annoyed at the commotion. She sat there for a few seconds, before the same pair of hands handed her the reigns. She still could not see who was helping her. Yspaddaden fought for his life in the middle of the clearing and the man who had rescued her leapt on the horse next to hers and kicked, causing both steeds to leap forward in flight. They passed right through the clearing and into the woods.

To freedom.