Yspaddaden - Chapter 15

 Ynwfn, Dinas Preservation.

"Teach me how to sword fight."

Yspaddaden blinked and tried to shield his eyes from the afternoon sun. The shadow from the tall grass had disappeared with the waning sunlight and now no longer hid his face from the yellow beast. They had spent a worrisome, yet uneventful night, traveling through the strange and dangerous country. Constantly throughout the night they had heard the cries of nearby Dinas, but none had encountered them. He looked up now at Kady, trying to shake the sleepiness from himself. The nocturnal behavior of the creatures of this land caused them to travel at night, staying awake and watchful, while sleeping during the day as their unseen foes also did. Kady stood above him, gently but forcefully nudging him in the ribs with her bare toes. She held his sheathed sword and grinned at his attempts to wake. He grimaced back at her, then rolled over and pressed his hands into the dirt, pushing himself up to standing. He turned to her and she stood there, grinning like a little girl waiting for a treat. He ignored her and walked calmly over to the bag of food that lay in the grass. She patiently followed him and stood by as he took a loaf of bread and broke it into a manageable portion, then chewing off a bite as he fished again for the flask of water. She stood there, staring at him, the sword in her hands, a patient yet expectant look on her face. He chewed thoughtfully, washing the bread down with a gulp of water, staring out over the grass, paying no attention to her. Then, after a few minutes, he finished the bread and took one last swig of water and replaced the flask in the bag. He turned toward her and slowly reached out his hand, silently asking for his weapon. She obediently handed it over to him and he set it aside, turning again to her. The look on her face fell as she grew angry.

"What? Do you think me unworthy to wield a sword? Is it because I'm a woman? Simply because I am made of different stuff than you I must not be able to fight like a man? What are my jobs then, if not to join you in your duties? Cooking and childbearing? Is that all I'm good for here?!"

Her face was red with anger and he almost laughed out loud at her face which contorted comically in rage. But he put his hand out and laid it gently on her shoulder, explaining.

"We only have the one sword between the two of us. Would you enjoy it if I fought with that, while you have merely a stick? I can try to hold back, but I still might cut you apart without even trying."

She seemed truly abashed as she hung her head in realisation.

"Oh. Yes, that's a markable argument. Excuse me."

He grinned now, and picked up the pack bag and his sword.

"Come."

"Where are we going?"

He pointed.

"There's a treeline over there. We may be able to reach it in an hour. There should be some good branches there we can fashion into sparring swords. I do think it's a good idea if you knew how to fight somewhat. Your skills in that area are rather lacking."

She huffed at him as he headed off toward the trees.

"Lacking? Maybe I grew up in a city but my skills are hardly lacking! I've lost count of the number of poor men I've had to fight off because they couldn't pay me."

His words carried back over the top of the grass like the strong breeze that swept through the fields.

"These are the words coming from the mouth of the woman who has twice been kidnapped against her will in the last month?"

She had nothing more to say to him, and so sent low, under-the-breath curses at his back, which he laughed at while he walked.

Yspaddaden lay underneath one of the trees and stared up at the branches. Usually he would have held his hands underneath his head, holding it up like a pillow. But today his fingers and knuckles were too sore from the beating he had received from Kady's stick. He had taught her much and she had learned fast, but her methods were very unlike his own. Where he had been taught stealth, poise, cunning, her mentality included large whacks wherever she might lay them and thrusts so violent that it was downright brutal. He still tried to show her the lighter side to swordplay, the give and take, the dance between the two blades. But she would much rather simply hit as hard as it took to subdue her foe. Perhaps that method would save her life one day.

He rubbed gently at his raw knuckles and gazed thoughtfully into the darkening sky. It would be time soon to head out again, to continue their travels. Already he could sense more than hear the movement of adolescent Dinas, rummaging through the grass, staking out their prey, biding their time when the sun was completely gone and they could attack in darkness. Perhaps this sword training came at just the right time. Hopefully, if they were attacked this night, Kady would be able to defend herself to an extent. Yspa had traveled through this country before and knew some tricks that would be helpful against the beasts, but a fight still might be inevitable. He hoped that was their only danger in these parts and that the soldiers following them had taken the more cautious route along the edge of the preservation. He did not want to think about the possibility of a foe on either side of them. One was plenty.

He sat up and glanced over to where Kady lie. She slept soundly, worn out by their exercises earlier. Her legs were drawn up to her chest and were bare from the knees down. Yspa could not help but stare. She was too beautiful not to. Her blonde hair reflected the evening sunlight, making it glow. Her hands folded neatly underneath her chin. He longed so much to lean in toward her, to take her in his arms, to hold her, to kiss her. He still couldn't understand these strange feelings. Yes there had been females before, yes he had loved woman in the past. But had he really? Was love merely physical or did it have something to do with these desires he felt toward Kady? He would do anything to protect her, to save her from harm. They had been angry at each other in the past, but now that they acted civil toward each other he could look at her with more longing than he had ever felt toward a woman before.

Kady stirred and stretched. She yawned and shivered in the chill that accompanied the oncoming night. Yspa did not look away, but stared still, allowing her to notice him looking at her. She grew still and stared back, arms still above her head in mid-stretch. She looked at him curiously, a tiny smile ringing her lips. She sat up, then stood, brushing the leaves and grass from her backside.

"What? Why do you stare?"

Now Yspa smiled sheepishly and shook his head as he glanced down at his feet.

"No reason. You were resting so peacefully I hardly dared wake you. I'm glad I didn't have to. We must leave soon. It will be dark and the Dinas will be out. I pray they don't provoke us tonight."

"We shall be safe. I know how to use your sword now remember?"

He laughed out loud at her claims.

"No, you know how to smash a mans hands to bits with a stick. I promise you, a Dinas fingers are much tougher than mine and they can ignore pain easier. If we are accosted this night, you must stay close to me. Dinas have terrible eyesight, so if we are seen by one, the best defense is to stand still. They will hopefully become confused. Now you have the advantage here. I've never personally killed a Dinas while you have a single one to your name." She smiled at his praise. "Nevertheless, we both must be careful. They are stronger than we are, taller, and…" He stopped mid-sentence as the voice of a far off Dinas pierced the air. They both looked up and noticed that the sun had dropped lower than they had expected. The tree now cast yellow-white shadows, the moonlight predominating. The sun would disappear completely soon. The first Dinas was joined by another, and then several more. Eventually the entire area around them echoed with the cries of the beasts. Even the unicorn, though usually unaffected by their cries, whinnied in protest. Their voices combined into a simple song, rising and falling, creating a beautiful song with no words, only loud, haunting music. Kady stepped toward Yspa and gripped his bicep. He laid a hand on hers until the sound died down. They stood still, not making a noise. It was a full minute until the crickets started their chirping again and the faeries started to glow once more.

"Was that a war cry?" Kady asked in a whisper.

Yspaddaden shook his head.

"No. No one knows exactly what that noise is. It's unique to the Dinas and they only sing it when night falls. I've heard stories from people who have seen the Dinas cry out like that, and they all agree that it must be some sort of worshipful call, as they lift their heads and voices to the sky. Semi-sentient, yet able to sustain a rudimentary religion? It's one of the many curiosities of this world."

Kady nodded and held his arm closer.

"I didn't like it. We must go."

He simply nodded and reached to pick up the sack of food. They had a long night ahead of them.

Marus

Marus heard the call of the Dinasese, and smiled. Maybe his work here would be simple? Perhaps Yspaddaden had overshot his abilities in entering this land. Perhaps the brutal creatures would be too much for the warrior to handle. Marus imagined bringing the bloody corpse of Yspa back to AethelBald, near unrecognizable, knowing himself that the cause of death had been a mauling by the Dinas, and not the heroic tale he would tell the king. It warmed his heart and he hoped with all his might that that would be the outcome of the night. But if it were not so, if the giant somehow escaped the creatures, it was up to Marus and his men to be waiting for him on the other side, ready to capture, torture and kill the two of them. Those thoughts also brought a smile to his face. He couldn't decide which scenario was the more appealing. The one where he strung Yspaddaden up by the thumbs to beat to death with his own sword, or the one where he took the whore for himself, riding her to her death. He vowed, right then and there, that this campaign would not fail. He touched his face and fingered the patch that hung over the place where his eye used to be. He blamed Yspaddaden for his loss and cursed him everyday for it. Marus knew in his heart that if he did not capture this man and bring him back to the king, that his life was forfeit. He would truly have to do as the king instructed. Either finish the task or go and live on the other side of the world. Marus thought of his wife and son and daughter, living even now in the capitol. He shook his head. They would have to figure out how to live without him. He would have Yspaddaden back in the kingdom. Or die trying.

He turned around and walked the few paces back to his men, sitting and lying around in a circle, awaiting his instructions. He barked at them to get ready to ride out and they obeyed, if not a bit slow. Marus wanted to yell at them again to move faster, but stopped at the last second and shut his mouth. Why did he do that? He knew what needed to be done, what needed to be said. But for some odd reason he usually refrained from saying it. That discretion had gotten him far in the ranks when Kil was king. It was a whole new matter now.

He walked over to his own mount and cursed under his breath. The horse that awaited him was small, barely taller than his head. The pale steed whinnied and tossed his head, angry at being asked to go out again. Marus couldn't care less. He longed for the day he could take his own steed back from the traitor. Winning that unicorn had been one of the luckiest things he had ever done, and he was proud of himself that day. Now he was being defiled by The Cursed One, Yspaddaden. Was there no end to the slights that the giant could pile upon one man?!

Marus leapt up on his ride and called out to his men, instructing them to file up behind him. He called his tracker forward and had him ride ahead, scoping out the terrain, reporting back as to where they should travel. If all went well, they would have Yspaddaden and his prostitute companion in shackles by daybreak.

Oh Pwyll, give me the strength to do what needs be done!