Yspaddaden - Chapter 13

 Ynwfn, Dinas Preservation.

Kady sat by herself, trying to process all that Yspaddaden had told her the night before. He had given her a lot to think about with his words. She sat quietly on the log, contemplating. Did she dare trust him? Were his words true? She still couldn't forget the fact that this was the man who had kidnapped her, not even a month ago, had taken her from her house, from her life, from her whole world. She still felt angry at him for disrupting her way of living. She had been content, happy! Now she was on the run from the government, traveling with a man who may be telling her the truth, but just as well may be lying for his own purpose. And yet she could also not help think of the times he had rescued her from imminent danger. When the soldiers had taken her. When the Dinas had cornered her. Could such a kind hearted man be capable of deception? His actions supported his words, but were both true, or neither? His tale was strange, outlandish. And yet she felt in her heart that it was not a lie.

She picked up a flower that had been growing next to the fallen log. This land was barren. The woods extended a mere hundred feet inside the compound, but after that were fields, stretching all the way to the horizon and beyond. The tall yellow grass rose above her head and it made her nervous walking through where she could not see before her. Yspaddaden's head was just tall enough to peek over the grass, but even he had a hard time navigating through the weeds. She had asked him only last night why they had to travel through the preservation, and he assured her that, while there were still numerous dangers in these parts, the soldiers that chased them would never dare to enter. They would have to travel all the way around the preservation and it would take them weeks longer than Kady and Yspa to reach the other side. She trusted his steel, that much she knew she could count on. She had seen more shows of his bravery and determination that the fear of traveling with him was lessoned greatly. But could she trust his words as much as his skill with a blade?

She rose, deciding to talk to him once more before they had to venture out again. While she was still unsure about his claims, she knew that if she left him now her life would be in danger and she would surely die within the week. So she had to stick with him, at least until they reached the other side of this place.

She backtracked a bit through the tall grass, following the trail that she had made to get to the log. Yspaddaden had reassured her that the Dinas people were nocturnal, and few of them would be out at this time during the day. And those that were would be tired from hunting all night. She walked but a little way to the makeshift campsite Yspa waited for her in. There was no campfire, for the smell of smoke attracted the Dinas more than anything. Yspa had brought a single bag of food, but he had again reassured her that hunting in these parts would be easy. There was much game to be had in the preservation.

Yspa sat on his own log, studying the parchment that he had shown her the night before. His steed stood nearby, munching at the grass complacently. He looked up when she entered the clearing and smiled. She gave a small shy smile back to him, which seemed to reassure him and he stood, stuffing the parchment inside a hidden pocket in his jerkin. She shuffled over to where he was and sat on the log next to where he had been sitting. He waited until she did, then sat as well. So chivalrous! Her emotions ran rampant inside her stomach, the turmoil being almost too much to bear. It took her a second to work up the courage, but she eventually spoke.

"You are a seamster, are you not?"

Yspaddaden looked curious.

"I know how to sew, yes, but that hardly makes me one skilled in the craft. Why do you say that?"

"You weave such fanciful tales, I assumed you were of the trade. Perhaps I was wrong."

Yspaddaden lowered his head in silent laughter. His grin made Kady feel good. He looked up at her and stared deep into her eyes.

"They are not tales if they are truth. I did not lie to you last night Kadyriath. I understand if my story may seem peculiar, but I assure you, it is all true. At least as true as I believe it to be."

Kady smiled, then grew somber. She stood and turned, hiding her frustrations from him. He simply sat patiently, waiting for her to speak. She clenched her fists and tried not to lash out at him. She had to be sure that he spoke the truth! Or at least believed it to be true. She turned back around to him, her anger still there, but her mind open, ready to accept what he told her.

"You reveal to me things that I have no knowledge of, which could be true, but also of which I cannot refute, and so my hands are tied, I am to trust you blindly. How can you expect me to believe things that I cannot find the truth of, except by your own words?"

"Trust me."

"You kidnapped me! Your story explains that very well, but I am still where I started, not knowing whether to trust you or not."

"Trust is always blind. There is nothing more I can do than to reiterate my words. They will not change. Trust is hard, I know. But there are times when one must step into the darkness, hoping that the light is there, just beyond their reach. It is only when one grasps the candle to light it, when solid evidence proves the story, that you can truly believe me. But you still must walk into the darkness. Either that or stay here, without me. Because I go on whether you come or not. I'd like you by my side, but if I can't have you there, I can't help you. I must go on. Will you be with me?"

Kady had already decided to follow him in her heart, but her stomach again got in the way of telling him.

"I'm hungry."

He grinned at her randomness, then walked over to the pack that lay on the ground next to the black unicorn. He picked it up and reached inside, pulling out a large package, revealing it to be a large piece of meat, pre-cooked, salted to preserve it. He turned back to her and presented the meat.

"Then let us eat."

"When AethelKil first learned of the Aszkastone and its possible magical powers, he became obsessed. He researched and learned all he could about it. But sadly, within a month, he had learned all there was. Not much is known for sure about the stone, and he despised the rumours that surrounded it. Not being very patient with such things, he began to travel. He went first to Idris, for that is where the earliest records of the stone lie. Then he went to the Najjans, to the Tabaris. He spent much time in Amah, a city in Tabari. He would be gone months, years. For that time, his country degraded. The men he left in his stead began to conspire against him and spread false truths that he had died in Idris. They began to rule themselves, oppressing the people, slowly so that no one noticed the changes being made. So it was that when he returned, he was furious and executed many of the conspirators. His trips did not seem to satisfy his lust for knowledge of the stone, so he dropped it. He forgot all about the Star of Aszka and focused again on ruling his people. He became a king that everyone loved and enjoyed following.

"Many years passed. The king became old. Not in the physical sense, but mentally, emotionally. His people still loved him, but again conspirators rose up to challenge his rulings and usurp him. He was very quiet about his role, but I believe our new king, AethelBald, to be very instrumental in the plannings of these men. AethelKil held onto his reign for a long time, but he eventually grew too old to deal with all the pressure. I was with him at his deathbed, so I know he was not assassinated as some rumours might say, but the stress is what killed him. He had no will to live, at the end. If he could have picked a successor he would never have chosen such a snake as Bald had become. Sometimes I wish our country did not vote on their new kings. Only sometimes.

"One day, near the end, AethelKil called me into his rooms. He was feeling strong that day and stood by the window, watching the people below him mingle in the street. He welcomed me in and told me the tale of the Aszkastone, and about his youthful obsession. I thought it a curious tale, but was happy to listen. He sounded like he needed to tell it. Then, after the telling was over, he produced a parchment. It was old, at least a thousand years or so. Written on it were three words, one inscribed in Libni, one in Salayka, and one in the human script. The two words in human and elvish had already been translated and read Popor and Prize. The other word had not been. AethelKil told me a new tale, one in which mercenaries from Kil had traveled to Uisnech and stolen the parchment from men of Tabari. The king told me that he had not spoken of the mission to me, for he knew that I would object and demand that he do no such thing. He admitted to doing wrong, but he also told me of how he did not care. He had reached a point in his life where simple thievery did not matter to him. I was saddened, but understood.

"He told me of the possible connection to the Kind, and to the stone. It was intriguing for sure. He charged me with bringing back the stone to him before he died, and I took on the mantle readily. Even though the parchment had been stolen, I understood the possible power and need for the stone. The Minotaurs were simply hoarding it, keeping it to themselves out of selfishness and greed. Maybe they haven't even discovered the full potential of the stone. Maybe it never will be known. But AethelKil's curiosity was overwhelming and infectious and I pledged my lifes quest to the retrieval of the Aszkastone, and to bring it back to him. That was when he presented me with my sword, Dreck. He told me of the rumours about the stone in the pommel, and I was instantly intrigued. But the Star was not the only thing that he charged me with obtaining on this quest."

Kady put aside the bone that had before been full of meat, and stared at him solemnly.

"Me."

Yspaddaden nodded.

"You never knew your father, did you?" Kady shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry that you will never be able to truly know him. He was a fine man. The greatest king that Ynwfn has seen in generations. A mighty warrior. One of my best friends."

Kady smiled thankfully at Yspa, then looked confused.

"But why? Why did he need you to bring me along? As you have admitted, there is no great prophecy tying me to the Aszkastone. I am not important in this."

"You are more important than you realise. But no, AethelBald has pledged his reign to removing everything from the kingdom that Kil started. He knows of you, and your parentage. He would have you killed, even if to simply spit on the grave of a dead man. His spite knows no bounds. But I promised your father that I would take you and bring you with me, protecting you in any way I can. That was my pledge to Kil, and that is what I stand by."

Kady stood, pacing back and forth in the clearing. She had her arms folded and her feet made not a sound on the bent down grass as she walked. Yspaddaden simply sat and stared. He didn't fully understand the feelings that had arisen in him toward this strange girl. She was beautiful, that was sure. No one could deny it. And even now, with dirt on her dress and her feet dark with travel, her hair mussed and her clothes smelling of smoke and warm air, he still felt desire for her. He glanced down at the slightly less dirty circlet around her ankle. The white skin almost shone through the dirt, contrasting against the dark tan that surrounded it, reminding him always of what she was, or at the least used to be. Courtesan of Ynwfn. He had heard tales of Kady even before he ever met her. That she was the most beautiful and experienced of the girls who lived in the compound, deep in the heart of the city. Could she ever be different, could she ever choose freely to settle down with just one man, deciding to be satisfied by only one, for the rest of her life? And if she ever chose so, was it possible that he could perhaps be the lucky one? He tried to rid the crazy thoughts from his mind. For before he contemplated what she might choose, he had to first decide if that was something he wanted. Could he be with a girl such as her, just now becoming a woman, one that had been with too many men to count, one that was far more experienced than he was in the ways of the world? He had traveled much, seen many strange and wondrous things, but nothing compared to the skills she had acquired over the years. Yes, he first had to choose his own path, then, if it could possibly include her, to see if that was something she could live with as well. His thoughts were pulled abruptly from his mind as Kadyriath finally spoke.

"I will choose to trust you." Yspaddaden's heart thrilled and he smiled at her. "But, before you become too joyful, I have a few things to say myself." He nodded and bowed his head to her so that she could speak her peace. "First, I cannot just freely give you my trust. It must be earned. No more lies. No more deceptions. I don't think I could bear it if you were to continue with that. If I am to be a part of your journey, or quest, then I must know everything. All you learn, all the information you gather, share with me. I don't want to be merely the shy female that travels with you, cooking and washing your clothes. Which I'm not going to do anyway." Yspa smiled, and nodded. "I want to be a full partner in this. I know what you know, I go where you go, and if there be any reward in the end, I get equal share.

"Second, you must trust me as well. I know you think me to be nothing more than a lowly vuzhong, worthy of nothing more than satisfying the appetites of men." Yspaddaden tried to interject, tried to explain to her that that was not how he felt toward her, but she stopped him with a raised hand. "I've seen the way you glance at my bare ankle. I do thank you for taking the band from me. The life I led before, I know nothing else, and it's still hard to understand that that is not who I am anymore. But I was never just a courtesan Yspa. I have a mind. I have other skills than what simply lie beneath the hem of my dress. I will not lie to you, and if I say I know something, it's true, and you will trust it. It goes both ways. You can never give trust and not expect to be trusted the same." Yspaddaden nodded gravely, hoping that he could someday explain to her that she was more to him than simply flesh to be desired. But he also knew it was not the time for it at the moment. She still had more to say.

"Third. I wish to know more of my father. My mother never spoke of him. I never knew him. The man I knew as king was simply an unknown face, exacting laws and sitting on his throne behind veils. I wish to learn more about him. I regret that I never knew him, but maybe I can, in part, through your stories."

"I promise to tell you anything you wish to know about him. He was a good friend of mine. I know he would have liked to meet you, had he known about you."

Kady smiled, then sat once more, picking up another piece of meat.

"Good. Then I have only one more request."

She took a bite and Yspaddaden waited patiently for her plea. When she gave none, he realised that she wanted him to ask.

"And what would that be?"

She grinned mischievously. "I want you to buy me some shoes at the next town we reach."

Yspaddaden couldn't help but laugh along with her. Her laughter was infectious and melodious. He gave his word, then they spent the rest of the evening sitting there, on opposite sides of the log, not speaking. Simply being. And enjoying.

Marus

Marus reigned in his steed at the edge of the large fence that blocked his way and looked upward at the barrier. The horse underneath him snorted and he kicked it into submission. Out of all the stunts that Yspaddaden had pulled on him, taking his prized unicorn was among the worst. Marus had raised the beast from a small colt, bringing it up, rearing it. The animal he sat on now was unruly, unresponsive to his commands, unworthy. He seethed inside at the man who most assuredly sat inside the preservation even now, smugly defying him, no doubt zhonging the whore in the grass, simply to spite him. He despised Yspaddaden, and everything that surrounded him. He called to one of his men and ordered that a hole be cut in the side of the fence.

"But sir. The fence is on fire. How are we to get a hole through?"

Marus turned on his subordinate.

"Throw yourself against the fence. Hopefully your rotting corpse will burn a hole big enough for us to travel through. I don't care how you get through, just do it before the sun sets!"

He would have Yspaddaden within the week. Or die trying.