Chapter 4: Friends with the Unkown
The sun had not yet risin above the west mountain range, although the sky was begining to turn blue. Simon just finished packing a little food for the small journey. As he was putting the finishing touches thinking about what they would do today, he felt a thump on his back. He turned to see Love smiling and walking into their little stable next to the house. She was dressed in a brown leather like top that was resistant to tear and pants also leather but slightly loose. Simon had a shirt woven from the sheep wool raised on Price's farm. A slit on each shoulder and one on the back kept the shirt from becoming too warm. This leather like stuff they wore was actually made from an animal that does not exist on earth, what they call a razal.
"Everything ready?" Love asked.
"Yea," Simon replied, "You have everything you need?"
"Yep," She said turning her shoulder to show her bow and her full quiver of arrows.
"You know how to use that thing?" Simon asked turning to pick up his supplies.
"Better than you do," she said.
"I'm not denying that," He said smiling and shaking his head. Simon threw the small sack of bread and meat and his sword over his shoulder.
"Do you know how to use that?" She replied. Simon nodded.
"You stick it in your mouth and chew. I've been eating bread my whole life," he replied. Love glared at him somwhat humorously.
"Let's go," Simon said turning and walking. Love followed.
They headed west, and the sun was just now reaching over the west mountains and the smaller, less reflective of the two moons could be seen a ways up racing to make it across the sky before the sun took that part of the world with it's full light.
Back at the main part of the village, Silas got up and slipped on the clothes that had graciously been made for him by the village folk. He stood tall in them and took up his sword. It gleamed with what little light was in the room. The sword was a rather basic but well made design except for the handle. The sword had a blade, and gold coloured hilt made of some other metal and a handle grip covered with a very expesive black clothe, it was rediculously resistant to wear. Silas would wash it every chance he got to make sure he kept it clean, though dirt could hardly get rubbed in. At the end of the bottom part of the hilt was a round ball of highly tempered glass set inside a golden cresent moon. The glass ball had a star made of a shinny, extremely rare metal on that planet, silver. Silas sheathed his most valuble possesion in his worn brown sheath and quietly made his way down stairs and exited the house.
The Elder was standing outside a little ways from his door, which faced west. He watched the sunrise with out wavering. Silas walked up beside him and watched the sun rise with him.
"So your mind is made up?" the Elder said to him.
"It is," Silas replied, "There are two orphans that I need to hunt down in that city and see how they are doing. And I have a promise to keep for a friend. I think I'll follow the path before me." Silas took a deep breath. "And thankyou for all you've done for me. You're going to be alright?"
"Take care," The Elder said to him, "And thankyou for all you have done for us. And yes we'll be just fine."
There was a breef pause, and Silas turned and walked the north trail, to go through the pass and spend the day traveling to Oak where he would get supplies then continue the long journey back home, if that's what he would call it.
Simon and Love traveled through the forest along trails barely left alive by the slow strangling grip of growth and time. The tall cedar trees where here and there with oaks as well leaving small slivers and sizable patches of showers of light inbeween their braches. Some trees were covered by cudzu vines which were infested with beetles. Thick bushes here and thin there lay on the forest floor. Simon had to cut through the trail at times with his sword, which cut through the brush like he was swiping at air. Even the fairly thick trees were cut without trouble. Sometimes they would take a detour to look at some stream or some oak tree that had grown sideways and grafted itself into another tree. Every once in a while a deer would flee from their path to escape. Love had just brought her bow and arrow just incase, but she had no intention of hunting today. The many little creeks kept the soil that collected in the valley well watered. They found a small clearing with a group of fallen cedar trees, and they raced through to see who could make it through the obstacles first. Simon won naturally, but Love made him race again four or five times to make sure before conceding, all the time watching Simon and all his movments. He was so sure of himself in every task, but it was so natural he never thought of it.
The day plugged along as the sun crawled up. And they talked about different things, and Simon told her stories of when his father and he would walk in the woods and the things they had seen. He even told her of what he had seen when he had traveled in the Southern Lands. They goofed around in the woods and climbed some trees while sitting to admire some. After some tiring stunts they calmed down and just walked.
"So what's this special place of your ancestors your taking me to," Love asked.
"You'll see. I don't want to ruine the suprise," Simon replied, smiling at his pun. He was taking her to a ruin just about.
"How long has your family lived in our village," She asked.
"I'm not sure. I've lived in the village ever since I could remember. This placed was a long time before I was born. We're almost to the pass, though." Simon nodded over to his left There was a big stone large and much taller than they were.
"My parents said it used to be a statue of a man, but weather, mainly the rain, has worn it down," Simon explained.
"Looks like just a rock now," Love replied, "Kind of symbolic of your tribes. How sad."
"Yea," Simon said touching to rock.
They felt the rock and looked all around before they turned and continued. They walked until they came to the mountain side or within a half a mile of it anyway and then turned south.
"I thought this mountain was all that was over here," Love said.
"It is for the most part. Except for a path somewhere around the south part. I believe you hunt mostly in the north part?"
Love squinted her eyes at Simon behind his back and kept following. They walked on admiring the dark grey, black and white moutain side that shot almost straight up at least a thousand feet coming to a peek with another taller ridge behind it. Both ridges were covered with green shrubery and plants sticking from the edges, leaving spaces of gray, white virticle striped rock to be seen, but the taller ridge was hazy because even though it could be seen clearly it was still aways away.
They walked and talked about the scenery and the two ridges until they came to a stream that flowed from under the mountain from a clearly visible cave a little up river. Simon and Love looked up through a opening in the tree tops and could see a water fall futhur up that fell from a big hole, dissapearing into the rocks and coming out where they stood now.
"The path is somewhere around here," Simon remarked. He walked furthur west up the bank to a collection of rocks beside the swiftly moving stream. "This is were the bridge used to be," He said, "But it has long since collapsed and worn away." The stones sticking out of the brown, leaf covered ground were covered in green algea. "It's a good thing you dressed appropriatly," Simon said stepping in slightly.
"I don't dress any other way out here," Love said. Then she rushed forward to give Simon a hard shove, but just as Love was about to push him he turned let her fall into the water. He stood and laughed at her as she sturggled to grab a stone jetting out. Her blond and brown hair was strung all over her smooth face; she glared at Simon. The black had subsided and he laughed at her with his emerald eyes.
"That stream will sweep you off your feet," He said still chuckling and stepping back to jump in. His eyes turned black again and he ran and jumped into the middle of the stream with his sword and supplies held up. The water swept him down a little as he held their food above water. He got out on the other side and and sat down to watch Love make it across. She struggled some to get across and ended up a little farthur down stream from Simon because the current was so strong. He walked over to were she was and held out his hand to help her up. She took hold and got out of the stream, sopping wet of course.
"Notice anything different about the water?" Simon asked her as he pulled her up.
"Why is it so warm?" She asked.
"You don't want to know," Simon replied. Love hit him. "What?" He said.
"What kind of hunter are you?" Simon said, "It's fed from a hotspring." Simon pointed. Love looked at the stream that was crystal clear with just a little steam coming up.
"It's beautiful," Love said.
"You haven't seen it all yet," Simon said picking up his things and continuing on.
Love checked to make sure she hadn't lost any arrows. "Great now it's all wet. She thought."
Simon stopped and waited on her. When Love slowly caught up, he lead the way to a path that cut into the mountain. Love saw that it looked like a straight path that gradually went up. They walked up the path, which was cut in between two smooth walls of solid rock. The walls were a good one hundred feet up, and the path slowly moved to meet the top of the walls. Love looked around wondering what they would see up top. She remebered the Elder telling her of cities carved out of stone, but she had no idea what to expect here. She had never noticed anything on the mountain side out of the ordinary. They walked and walked up for what seemed like quite a while and then they eventually came to a cave.
"This is were we kept the animals," Simon told her. She looked at the cave that was cut perfectly into a semi-circle out of the grey stone. It had some elements of wear but she could tell that at one time it was very nice. "Do you want to look inside," Simon asked her. She nodded. "We'll walk inside until you can't see," he said.
"Until I can't see?" She said.
He took her inside and she could noticed the old stables. They walked through until the light faded completely and then they walked back out. Love marveled at the scene.
"Pretty cool huh?" Simon said. Love could see they had walked a long path far up. But the path went up so slightly that she did not know how far up they were and she didn't think to look back. The path was perfectly straight the whole way and she could see a strip of the forest far away with it's spikes of cedar and bulbs of oak trees and the other mountain side far away to the other side of the vally. The path was fairly wide and the sun crept eastward right between the two walls. They weren't quite to the top.
"I've never seen the sun this perfectly between the walls," Simon said.
"It's perfect." Love remarked holding her hands up to the sun. They stood and admired the scene and then Love turned to Simon. "Okay show me more," She said.
"Yes, your highness," Simon replied. He turned to his left, or the north, whichever helps the picture for the reader, and walked up some wide steps. The walls had carvings of knights with swords some of which had, of course worn away. "These are your ancestors?" Love asked.
"No just statues," Simon said, "My ancestors are all dead. That's why they're my ancestors."
"Ha..Ha," Love jeered while Simon laughed.
"Yea, these are my ancestors," Simon replied, "This whole place is so old. The only reason it has survived is because this place is so mild. Cool wind tumbles in from the lower parts of the South and North corners of the mountains and keeps the place cool. But as you can tell, it doesn't get much hotter or colder than this. The cool streams and the cool air from the mountain tops keeps the place quiet nice and calm. Even though it's hot in other places in the north and the south."
"I like it here," Love remarked, "I wish I didn't have to leave and go to some boring old town. I want to go home." Simon looked sympathetically ahead.
The stone steps turned to the west and they reached the top. Love looked at the stone-carved ghosttown that overlooked the valley. The door ways and the streets were still visible, but vines covered some. Apartments were carved out of the stone one on top of another with square doorways. It looked as if it were built on the mountain, and not carved.
"They don't look like they were carved at all, but they had to be because they're so neatly organized," Love remarked.
"We were once very skilled scupltors," Simon answered, "They could make it look as if the mountain just formed that way or like they haulded brick up there themeselves, but it's all solid."
"How did they do it?" She asked.
"The art was lost 1000 years ago," Simon replied walking up to a near-by light-grey door way.
Love saw that trees had grown out of controll in special rectangle gardens carved long ago. Naturally the trees had broken some of the stone and disturbed the smoothness of the street once used. On top of the first set of apartments were more out of controll trees that lined the walk way infront of the second story apartments. Some leaned over off the side and others stood straight. The town was four stories high and the upper stories looked somewhat bigger. The town made of stone had some how been slightly whitened and the town was lighter grey than the rest of the grey mountain. Simon smiled as Love turned around and gasped. The whole valley was laid out like a green sheet with holes in the tree cover where clearings were and tares where rivers or streams were. They were so far up they could see the clearing were they searched for the string leaf. She could see shades from clouds far above covering plots of the land, and she saw the smoke from little fires and the village houses, but it was so far away she could barely make out the houses, at least that's what she thought.
"I wonder what they are doing," Love said. Simon became meloncholy.
"Going about daily buisness like we've done for thousands of years," Simon replied, "But not for long." He sat down on an edge and looked at his village sadly and intently. Love walked over and sat down beside him.
"We're all that's left," Simon said staring out across the valley. "This abandoned town has been over looking this valley for thousands of years," he said still looking at the stillness, "And somehow our family ended up the last one."
"You don't have any brothers, relatives or anything," Love asked.
"My father did. He had three brothers, but the gap between him and the youngest of those was 80 years. It's hard to keep your race alive when you have mostly boys. Now we're it. We don't know our lineage or anything. A fire a very long time ago destroyed many records that we had kept. Only the most important lines were maintained because those are the ones that everyone remembered, but ours wasn't one of them." Simon picked up a near-bye stone and threw it several hundred yards without hardly trying. "I don't know how my family survived; we're nothing." Love stared at Simon sympatheticly. She didn't want him to feel insignifigant.
"That's not true," Love said, "You are something."
"What?" Simon asked. Love thought a little and looked at him smiling.
"My bodyguard," She said.
"Bodyguard?"
"Yes, someone who is supposed to keep me safe. You are going to make sure I make it to that other town safely," She said.
"What?" Simon asked not following Love's logic.
"I'll talk to the Elder and ask if he can let you come with us. I'd make me feel better if someone from this village taveled with me. And you've been trained to fight."
"I'm not sure the Elder will approve of that, especially not with the coming delimma."
"He might," She said. Simon was charmed, but aprehensive about leaving the village at this time.
"Come on," Simon said getting up and grabbing her hand. Love followed wondering what he was doing.
"Do you trust me?" He said to her.
"Yes," she said. He took her to the north part of the village to a nicely carved tunnel on the edge of the apartments. They could see into it until it turned left a little ways away. It was now past noon and they still had quite a few hours, since they ran much of the way there trying to out run one another. Simon's eyes turned black as he looked from her forward. Love's curiosity had now gotten the best of her.
"Wait," Love said stopping him. Simon turned around. Love looked intently into his dark vision. "What...does everything look like when your eyes turn...," She asked. Simon looked at her with his eyes.
"Nothing," He said.
"What do you see?" She asked.
"I don't see anything," He said. Love looked at him suprised and confused.
"How do you know what's there then?" She asked. Simon shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know. I just know. I know more about what's happening around me when my eyes are like this than when I can see."
Love looked at him with curiosity. Simon smiled. "I know how fast the sun is moving how hot it is," He said, "I know when you blink and when your eyes are softly, barely moving when you are trying to keep them still. I know when you are about to do something and when you are doing it. I know if there is something in front of me. I know you feel pain even if you don't say it, I can sense it. I can't explain it, but I don't need to see." Simon's eyes turned green again as he looked up. "Although, I like to see the sun, the green valley, and...other things....," he said looking straight into her eyes.
Love nodded gazing back into his.
"Lead on," she said. Simon held her hand gently and firmly and took her into the dark tunnel. They walked a decent pace, not too fast and not too slow and then Simon told her to duck. As they walked and sometimes crawled, she felt him gently pull her this way and that. When they came to an obstacle, he told her exactly when to step over and when to duck and when she was alright to get up. Simon had no problems leading her through the cavern. They continued to go up, though Love didn't exactly know it. They went up stairs and down some and then up some more. Love did not flinch once as Simon helped her through the pitch black tunnel, slowly, and then quickly they moved. Simon could feel Love's hold tighten and he felt her squeeze as she stepped over rocks. He could sense her heart was beating faster and faster though he could only guess why. They made their way without much talk, except when Simon was telling her where the rocks were.
"We're almost there," Simon told her, "You can see your hands now." She looked down and saw her hands slightly in the dim light. The light grew brighter and brighter and they turned a corner. A smile grew on Love's face as she came out of the cave. In front of them was a lake, crystal clear, and deep. The pool walls near the top were medium type grey, but near the bottom were pink, light brown, red and green strips going all the way around, down to the very bottom. Some stripes were very thick and some were thin and not straight at all.
"It's all natural," Simon explained, "We didn't do any of this. Feel the water." Love stooped down and felt the water. It was very warm.
"It's a hot pool. It's a pretty decent ways from its sorce so it's not boiling. See the water fall?"
Love looked across to see the waterfall that poured into the hot pool. It fell from about ten feet and dumped a good volume of water.
"Come on," Simon urged putting down his things. He started to walk the edge of the pool and she followed after putting down her things. They made their way slowly around the pool looking at the colours that lay beneath the surface near the bottom. Simon pointed. "See that hole. This where the spring you fell in comes from." At the mention of her fall, Love looked and saw that his eyes weren't black. She smiled impishly and took her chance pushing him in. Simon's eyes widened as he tried to catch his balance, but it was to late and Love had put everything she had into throwing him in this time. He fell in after a few swips with his arms, but Love had lost her balance because of the awkward footing and she followed after. They came up and looked at each other with glaring eyes. Simon cracked a smile and turned and swam to where the water fall entered the pool and let the warm water fall down on his head. He watched Love who was following with fixed eyes. After another gazing contest under the water fall, they gave in and slowly moved closer and gently put their lips together. When they pulled away they gazed again with smiles looking at each other through spaces in the falling water. They stayed like that under the water fall for a while longer letting the warm water flow over their heads in the cool mountain air. They hung on the rocks looking at each other and then at the bottom. Finally, Simon pulled himself out and then helped Love out. "We better eat something," He said. They turned and made their way around now teasing and trying to push each other in, but they made it to the food without any incident and Simon picked up his bag. Love sat down next to Simon as he pulled out the food. Some bread and a piece of cooked meat marinated in string leaf juice. Simon divided it and they ate facing the pool with their feet dipped into the water. They didn't wear shoes that often, by the way. They enjoyed the meal without saying a word, and Love sat leaning against Simon's shoulder. They finished and watched the pool as the sun slowly sunk down on the other side of the east mountains.
"I'm sorry, I ignored you all this time," Love said looking at him.
"You're forgiven," He said looking into her eyes. Simon's eyes turned black again and Love looked deeply into them. She could see the little stars that dotted the inside of his eyes, some brighter than others. It was like looking into a marble of space, two night skys right infront of her.
"What are those dots in your eyes," Love asked.
"No idea," Simon replied.
"Hmmmm," She said staring intently. Simon did not take his eyes off of her and they kissed again. Simon briefly broke it off.
"The first moon is already out," He said still looking at her. She looked and saw the smaller of the two moons, full, and vaguely penatrating the top of the evening sky. It looked like a few blue bumps far away. Then she kissed him. More kissing ensued and then they sat and looked at the water and the pool and its many colours.
"How deep is it?" Love asked.
"How long can you hold your breath?" Simon asked. Love looked at him while getting up to anwer his challenge. Simon got up and Love took a deep breath and dove in. Simon quickly followed. They both went down. Simon then remembered the hole that let the water out of the pool. Love shot back up and Simon quickly followed.
"That was close," Love said.
"I completely forgot about that. Did you feel it?" He asked. Love nodded.
"That's why I came up," She replied. She looked up and studied the sky.
"I guess the sun is getting close to the eastern mountains," Love said.
"Yea, we probably should be getting back," he said.
"I don't really want to right now. I want to stay here for a little while longer." Simon looked at her and then around. They got out and sat just enjoying the seclusive scene without any talk until the other brighter moon finally edged its way over the waterfall and the cliff in front of them. The white moon barely lit the darkening sky and the waterfall began scattering dimonds of moonlight all along the surface of the pool. The stars also began pricking the sky with their twinkles. When they saw the moon completely, they both got up, gathered their things, and left the pool.
Simon guided Love through the cave and back out to the other side where the sun just finished hiding its light in the horizon behind the east mountain ridge. The mountain shadows slowly began to cover the valley and Simon and Love could see the line between the sinking sunlight and the shadow line of the mountains stretch across the valley moving toward them as if the last bit of light were being chased back to the west from where it rose. They stood and admired the view for a little while and then made their way in the night down the steps and to the path out of the abandoned town. The sun was completly out of the picture as they walked down the path and all was dark as they struck out in the woods. They crossed the stream with no problems this time and made their way through the cut path. The two moons showered enough light so that they could see without any problem. They exchanged glances as they walked through the forest, smiling. Love reached and slid her hand in Simon's and they walked that way past Simon's house and into the village later that night. When they came into the village, Price approached them somewhat stunned.
"Where have you two been?" Price said.
"A trip, why what's going on?" Simon replied.
"You mean besides the fact that you two of all people went missing all day and came back holding hands? This." Price turned and pointed to the burned houses and the furniture that was being moved into the Elder's house.
"What are you doing?" Love asked in suprise.
"Those soldiers are on their way in case you two forgot," Price said, "And if they find refugees mixing in with Outcaste then there's going to be more trouble than there already is. We're going to hide the refugees in the abandoned Knight's Town in case those soldiers come into the village."
"They probably won't though; they want nothing to do with us," Simon replied.
"That's true, but The Elder doesn't want to take any chances," Price said.
"Sorry," Simon said. Price shook his head to let him know it was no big deal.
"We just wondered where you two went. The real work begins tomorrow, we've got to cover up the remains of the houses and think of what we are going to do for ourselves. Love, your house was taken down too. You're leaving tomorrow or the the next day." Love nodded and then looked at Simon. She let go of his hand and hurried to the Elder's house. Price looked at Simon. "Well, well," He said.
"I'm just as suprised as you are," Simon replied.
"Women," Price said and then took Simon to where Salte and Claude were dumping sand on the ashes of the last house.
"Where have you been?" Salte said to Simon, "You and Love have been gone all day. Have you seen her?" Price gave Simon a pat on the back and walked to help put the fire out for the night.
"Supposedly they are about a week away," Salte told him, "But we don't know for sure. We have to send Love and her family away very soon." Simon nodded. "Sorry, man." Simon shook his head. When they finished covering the doused ashes, Simon walked to the Elder's house and walked in. Love was talking to The Elder at his desk; she looked at Simon entering and smiled. Simon smiled back and continued up stairs. This exchange did not escape The Elder; his heart was cheered while he talked to Love. When Elder Sel finished explaining the situation to Love she nodded that she understood. Then she took a deep breath to ask him.
"Can I take a body guard from the village?" She asked a little nervously.
"A bodyguard?" The Elder asked curiously, "What do you mean a bodyguard?"
"I mean someone to help us stay safe on the way to the next village," She said. Elder Sel looked at her even more curiously with a slight smile cracked on his blonde bearded face.
"I see. You would feel safer if you had a bodyguard you say. Well then, may I ask who you wish to appoint for this special honor, this...bodyguard?" Elder Sel asked her. Love turned beat red and hesitated. The Elder was enjoying every minute of her embarassement.
"Simon," She squeaked.
"Ahhhh," Elder Sel responded, "Hmmmm." The Elder thought hard about her request, which thrilled him, but at the same time he did not know if he could spare Simon with Calthes in his condition, but he decided that this was at least as important and that Price, Claude, and Salte could handle things with their skills. He raised his head, "I think he would do you good, better than you know, but he could only help you to the town. Even he's not safe in Calton or anywhere on the North Continent. And neither are you, if they know you associate with him, wether you are the princess or not. Also, most towns people will not recognize you. So be careful."
"Why should they care who I associate with?" She exclaimed.
"Because the predjudice against us is that strong and that enduring, we are celebrated as hacrus in most cultures away from Calton," The Elder responded ("Hacrus" would be the equivelant of a "Devil"), "Go upstairs and tell Simon I need to speak with him." Love rushed upstairs and retrieved Simon. Simon walked down stairs and to the Elder.
"Let me speak with him alone, Love," The Elder told her. Love looked at the Elder and then left the house. The Elder looked at Simon.
"I'm going to let you go with her to Pes should you so desire," the Elder told him, "It's a small town on the coast of the North Continent behind some mountains in Sholom. You'll have to travel through some valleys and across another town after Oak. It's a pretty good distance away and Love may be able to come back after this is over, but you will be needed as soon as you can come back."
"I thought she was going to hide somewhere in Calton," Simon replied.
"We were going to do that. But I like this plan better," The Elder replied. Simon nodded with eyes intent on Elder Sel. "I'm letting you go because I wouldn't want to deprive you of this oppertunity to earn furthur favor in Love's eyes. And I would feel better sending her if you were with them. You must guard that family with your life. This is a dangerous task. Understand?" Simon nodded again. "You know as well as I do that these women are very important to a healthy development of Calton, it's people and, possibly, to our release from exile, as late as it is in our existance. This is not a light task to undertake, as I'm sure you well know, even more so now."
"Will everyone be alright here?" Simon asked.
"Yes," Elder Sel reassured him, "But they leave tomorrow morning or the next. It's good she brought this up because I was considering sending someone with her. But I wasn't sure. Go tell your parents your decision and come back down." Simon went up to tell his parents and moments later came back down with his mother.
"Elder? Are you sending our only son on this dangerous journey?" Claire said walking over to him.
"I want to go mother," Simon replied, "Remember?"
"I'm not sending him, Claire. You know I wouldn't presume to send your son without your consent. I have given them my consent to decide to go and am giving him my blessing because he choses to go. I would have asked Salte, or one of the brothers, but Love requested Simon and Simon wants to go."
"Love requesed?" Claire said looking to Simon. Simon smiled slightly.
"Indeed she did," Elder Sel said, "I sent him up to inform you, so he could have your blessing on this trip. I have faith in your son and I think he'll be alright. The Mayor of Oak is sending three of his friends who actually have combat training with the family to make passage smooth as far as the politics go, but Simon could add a touch of physical safety."
"I'm not too sure..."
"It's all right, Claire," Calthes said from the stair case, "You believe in Simon, let him have this opportunity. Let him get out of this cramped village and see something else and persue other interests. He's only twenty. I would feel terrible if he spent all 300 years of his life here when he could have done something noble and heroic." Calthes limped with one leg using a crutch. We walked to where they were talking, and Claire leaned on to Calthes who held her even on one leg.
Claire sighed. The Elder shook his head. "I had no intention of sending him behind your back. He's a grown man now and he's intelligent. There's no need to shelter him," The Elder said. Calthes kissed his wife on the side of her head she leaned her head on his.
"I'm sure one of the villagers will help me out with the farm," Calthes said to Simon. Simon nodded and went to get ready. Calthes and Claire watched their son walk out. Outside, Love was waiting for Simon to hear the news. Simon smiled and Love walked up. "So, what's going on?" Love asked.
"He was just giving me some pointers about traveling and how important you are," Simon replied, "But I already knew that."
Simon offered his hand and Love took it. "I'll walk you home," He said, "You can never be too careful out here." They walked slowly to Love's house. When they got there Simon scratched his head. "I forgot," he said looking on the heap of ashes that was once her house, "Who is your family supposed to be staying with?" Love shrugged. "Well, let's look around," Simon suggested. They went to Salte's house first and that was all it took. Faith, Hope and Sara were sitting at the table while Charity, Land and Ceyes were running around tagging each other. Salte was across the room from the table sitting on a rug reading some book he had recieved from The Mayor sometime back. Simon and Love walked over.
"What are you reading?" Love asked Salte. Salte looked up.
"It's a history of this continent," He replied turning it over and showing them the cover, "but later in the book it seems to be concerned mostly with Calton. It dates all the way up to your father's asention to the throne and back about 3000 years ago, roughly."
"What kind of history does the North have?" Simon asked. Salte looked gravely.
"Our kind," he said.
"Violent," Simon replied.
"The most interesting part to me though is the part on hacrus," Salte continued.
"What does it say," Love asked.
"Well, according to this hacrus are manifestations of a malicious negativity. Evil so concentrated it takes physical form," Salte explained, "According to legend, hacrus appeared when the void of virtue filled with malicious intent in a city actually festered too much resulting in this type of evil residue in the spirit of the town. Eventually, the residue would become so strong and so potent, it would take physical form, usually of a person. The hacrus, who were powerfully charged with hate and destruction, where beyond human power to conquer and control, would destroy that city or country and leave the area a wasteland for 1000 years." Simon and Love stared at Salte who was smiling.
"So we should learn to control ourselves before we are destroyed by our sins," Simon replied.
"If nothing else that's the moral of the legend," Salte said, "But people will never head the ideals of a legend."
"What would happen to the hacrus after that? Would they terrorize other cities," Love asked.
"No, this book says that according to Sholomian doctrine, which is were the word 'hacrus' originated, the hacrus could not live outside of the void that helped spawn them, they are the final result of a culture of decay. But that's not the interesting part. The harcus have markings that give away their origin."
Simon and Love gave Salte their complete attention.
"They are characterized as having a discoloured hands, necks and eyes. Anything out of the normal, pretty much," Salte said.
"I bet alot of misfortunate births were killed because of that legend," Simon added.
"Indeed, people didn't start acknowleging birth defects until about 500 years ago. So many infants were killed for birth marks on their hands, or just having hazel eyes. But I'm willing to theorize," Salte continued, "That we were not allowed to enter the North because of something that happen to us.
"Us?"
"I'm sure we somehow got mixed up with the hacrus of their legends; the great evil of the Southlands might have had a great impact on the development of the harcus legend or in solidifing it in their beliefs. Now they don't know exactly why we are cast out, but many attribute us to the harcus of legend especially those outside of Calton, but most just think we are trash and that's why we are not aloud to enter the North."
"They've hated us for so long," Simon deduced.
"Some cultures see this pass to our village as the gate way to ultimate decay called Hecros even," Salte said flipping through the book, "And Calton was considered a wasteland, except by people who dot the mountain sides of its borders, but they have lived here for thousands of years ever in fear of harcus and Hecros."
"Is this belief common to all the Northland cultures?" Simon asked.
"Yes," Love said, "I've heard the terms used by people from every culture, but I never knew what they meant."
"The religions of the Northland all differ, and use different words to speak of this land of final decay, but they all believe in it, except in educated circles. Sholom is the unified language of the continent and Hecros is a word everyone knows though they all believe in variants of it."
"So the hacrus carry cities off into Hecros," Simon said.
"No, Hecros is more of a poetic embodyment of the ultimate death," Salte said, "The hacrus are responsible for manefesting Hecros conditions to the already decayed or something like that. It's more like a state of being." Simon and Love gave Salte a 'what-the-heck' look. Salte nodded his head with a smile.
"It gets deep and the book just briefly skims it," he said, "Ask the Elder if you want to know more."
"I'll pass," Simon replied, "Are there any other good legends."
"Yes, there is one that's pretty interesting, if not romantic. Sara likes it," Salte said, "It's of a man named Aljick, who had a birth defect on his left hand. His father could not bring himself to kill the boy and said he would rather see his kingdom destroyed than to be the death of his own son. Durning the time when the North Lands were begining to decide it was wiser to ally themelves with each other or just plain take over, the boy grew into a well known warrior named Aljick. We he would go out he would wear a glove and he was therefore a left-handed warrior. Once upon a time he requested the hand of a princes named Selea. The father of the princess had userped the throne from a more nobler king and did not wish to have any heir, so he banished his wife and never saw her. Then he killed the first man to request the hand of his daughter. Aljick was from another rival country and had loved Selea the first time he set eyes on her and so worked hard to earn her attention and then love. He made unsteady peace with the king whose name was Cotsheere of Grenabve, though Aljick was only a prince at this time, he was a very shrewd man, but honorable. After years of friendship, he won Selea's affection and the two fell in love. But Cotsheere would not have it. Aljick offered all of his inheritance to convince Cotsheere to allow them to be together, but The King still would not budge and Aljick's father was not happy. Aljick assured his father that should he give the foolish king of Grenabve his whole domain he could get it back again, but even if not, Selea would be worth it. Aljick's father told him that he would rather send his son to Hecros than see the kingdom in the hands of Cotsheere and that he was blinded by love, how ironic. All that because of the hate of another person. The king had other heirs and so banished Aljick from their kingdom, Cotsheere would have nothing to do with Aljick after that.
Aljick made a life for himself building boats, fishing, even fighting and became the leader of a town between the sea and what is now the Aljick Mountains. The town was out side what was most coveted at that time and so was ignored by his father, and it was way out of the way of Cotsheere. Aljick made a name for himself as a fisherman, hunter and warrior and had gained much wealth again and had actually built a small empire of his own. He was very smart. After many secret visits to Selea while still poor, Aljick, now wealthy, asked for the hand of Selea again from Cotsheere and Cotsheere of course denied him saying that only if Aljick sailed around the world in the treacherous open waters, then he would grant Selea his daughter's hand in marriage. Aljick took him up on his offer and began studying with his best seamen, the seas to build a ship that could withstand the might of the violent waves of the open waters. When he was satisfied, he sent word to the King of Grenabve and set sail to make it around the world.
The king of course was furious that Aljick had the courage and possibly the ability to take him up on his offer and so gave Selea to another wealthy warrior in marriage while Aljick was gone. But Selea never stopped hoping for Aljick to return victorious and safe. Grenabve and Coastshire began to battle over some territory while Aljick was gone. During this fight the King of Coast missed his son who was very cunning and valiant in battle, and good with the soldiers, and he cursed the day Aljick ever met Selea. Aljick remained gone for many years and the King of Coast lost the war with Grenabve giving Grenabve almost all of the continent. Selea had two children who grew to be teenagers.
Then one day on the coast of what is now Sholom a man appeared out of the sea with a crew of men on a great ship. The ship could not come into the harbor and they deployed other ships smaller but still almost as large as a normal ship. The people were shocked when he told them his name was Aljick because he was well known for his foolish and great feats. He told them he was planning to claim his future wife's hand in marriage and they informed him that she had already been given away and had born two sons to a murderous man." Salte took a deep breath and then continued.
"Well, needless to say Aljick was furious and he immediately set plans to hold the King to his word, even if it ment murder. But a wise man stopped him and told him that the way back to his love was not through murder, but justice. Aljick traveled to Grenabve with many servants whom he had trained exhaustively in battle and who were completely loyal to him and presented himself to the King who was now getting old. All were shocked even Selea who had almost given up on him. He challenged Selea's husband to a duel by the laws of Grenabve, by challenging his honor as a warrior. He knew that Stectem, the man Selea was married too, was a lover of bloodshed as were his sons. Aljick was now 40. Stectem had to accept the challenge or be shamed as a warrior of renown. He arranged for Aljick to be killed by his two sons before making it to the duel."
Love lifted her hand for him to stop. "Does he die?" She asked.
"I don't want to know until the end," Simon clipped, "Keep going, Salte."
"Selea found out and slipped out during the night to tell Aljick. After informing him, he dressed his servants who were formally hunters and fishers before they were warriors and sent them out through the town to keep a lookout. Aljick went through the town unharmed and arrived for the duel while the two sons of Stectem and any other men sent out to kill Aljick did not. Aljick drew his sword and Stectem his ax and a very hard fought battle ensued that lasted almost all day in the town square. Finally, Aljick managed to deliver a fatal blow to Stectem after cutting Stectem's ax in half. No one mourned the death of Stectem or as it turns out the death of his two sons. The King ordered the death of Aljick right there, but Selea rushed out and clung to Aljick. The king then ordered that both of them be put to death, but the sevents of Aljick who were loyal to the death came to his rescue in the town and fought their way to Aljick and then to the king before the king could mass enough protection. Aljick then took controll of Genabve and almost all of the Northland except Calton because it was considered a wasteland of sorts. He married Selea and they had three sons who divided the kingdoms into three sections when their father died: Sholom, Coast, and Skiit, and though these kingdoms faded in and out of existance during the time between then and now, these are the enduring kingdoms now, in honor of a civilization founded on love, though it hardly seems so now."
"Awww," Love said.
"Sailed acround the world?" Simon replied.
"Yea that's what got me too," Salte said. Sara got up after Faith went to bed and walked over to the three.
"I hate to interrupt story time," Sara said softly and tearing, "But Love has an early long day tomorrow if not the day after." Love got up from her chair.
"And so do you," She said to Simon smiling as he smiled at her.
Simon got up and gave a quick glance to Salte who had noticed a difference in the way they were treating each other since they came into the cabin. Salte nodded his head with a slight smile and got up to get ready for bed. The night was actually well past midnight, but no one could really sleep anyway. Simon and Love walked outside the front door. They faced each other staring like lovers do. They kissed and Simon looked at her smooth brown eyed face.
"I'll protect you my queen," He said. She gave him a quick kiss and he left for the Elder's house. Simon gave a quick look back and she watched him all the way until he dissappeared in the darkness, and then she walked inside. She walked inside slightly stunned and somewhat flustered. And so the night passed quickly.
"Everything ready?" Love asked.
"Yea," Simon replied, "You have everything you need?"
"Yep," She said turning her shoulder to show her bow and her full quiver of arrows.
"You know how to use that thing?" Simon asked turning to pick up his supplies.
"Better than you do," she said.
"I'm not denying that," He said smiling and shaking his head. Simon threw the small sack of bread and meat and his sword over his shoulder.
"Do you know how to use that?" She replied. Simon nodded.
"You stick it in your mouth and chew. I've been eating bread my whole life," he replied. Love glared at him somwhat humorously.
"Let's go," Simon said turning and walking. Love followed.
They headed west, and the sun was just now reaching over the west mountains and the smaller, less reflective of the two moons could be seen a ways up racing to make it across the sky before the sun took that part of the world with it's full light.
Back at the main part of the village, Silas got up and slipped on the clothes that had graciously been made for him by the village folk. He stood tall in them and took up his sword. It gleamed with what little light was in the room. The sword was a rather basic but well made design except for the handle. The sword had a blade, and gold coloured hilt made of some other metal and a handle grip covered with a very expesive black clothe, it was rediculously resistant to wear. Silas would wash it every chance he got to make sure he kept it clean, though dirt could hardly get rubbed in. At the end of the bottom part of the hilt was a round ball of highly tempered glass set inside a golden cresent moon. The glass ball had a star made of a shinny, extremely rare metal on that planet, silver. Silas sheathed his most valuble possesion in his worn brown sheath and quietly made his way down stairs and exited the house.
The Elder was standing outside a little ways from his door, which faced west. He watched the sunrise with out wavering. Silas walked up beside him and watched the sun rise with him.
"So your mind is made up?" the Elder said to him.
"It is," Silas replied, "There are two orphans that I need to hunt down in that city and see how they are doing. And I have a promise to keep for a friend. I think I'll follow the path before me." Silas took a deep breath. "And thankyou for all you've done for me. You're going to be alright?"
"Take care," The Elder said to him, "And thankyou for all you have done for us. And yes we'll be just fine."
There was a breef pause, and Silas turned and walked the north trail, to go through the pass and spend the day traveling to Oak where he would get supplies then continue the long journey back home, if that's what he would call it.
Simon and Love traveled through the forest along trails barely left alive by the slow strangling grip of growth and time. The tall cedar trees where here and there with oaks as well leaving small slivers and sizable patches of showers of light inbeween their braches. Some trees were covered by cudzu vines which were infested with beetles. Thick bushes here and thin there lay on the forest floor. Simon had to cut through the trail at times with his sword, which cut through the brush like he was swiping at air. Even the fairly thick trees were cut without trouble. Sometimes they would take a detour to look at some stream or some oak tree that had grown sideways and grafted itself into another tree. Every once in a while a deer would flee from their path to escape. Love had just brought her bow and arrow just incase, but she had no intention of hunting today. The many little creeks kept the soil that collected in the valley well watered. They found a small clearing with a group of fallen cedar trees, and they raced through to see who could make it through the obstacles first. Simon won naturally, but Love made him race again four or five times to make sure before conceding, all the time watching Simon and all his movments. He was so sure of himself in every task, but it was so natural he never thought of it.
The day plugged along as the sun crawled up. And they talked about different things, and Simon told her stories of when his father and he would walk in the woods and the things they had seen. He even told her of what he had seen when he had traveled in the Southern Lands. They goofed around in the woods and climbed some trees while sitting to admire some. After some tiring stunts they calmed down and just walked.
"So what's this special place of your ancestors your taking me to," Love asked.
"You'll see. I don't want to ruine the suprise," Simon replied, smiling at his pun. He was taking her to a ruin just about.
"How long has your family lived in our village," She asked.
"I'm not sure. I've lived in the village ever since I could remember. This placed was a long time before I was born. We're almost to the pass, though." Simon nodded over to his left There was a big stone large and much taller than they were.
"My parents said it used to be a statue of a man, but weather, mainly the rain, has worn it down," Simon explained.
"Looks like just a rock now," Love replied, "Kind of symbolic of your tribes. How sad."
"Yea," Simon said touching to rock.
They felt the rock and looked all around before they turned and continued. They walked until they came to the mountain side or within a half a mile of it anyway and then turned south.
"I thought this mountain was all that was over here," Love said.
"It is for the most part. Except for a path somewhere around the south part. I believe you hunt mostly in the north part?"
Love squinted her eyes at Simon behind his back and kept following. They walked on admiring the dark grey, black and white moutain side that shot almost straight up at least a thousand feet coming to a peek with another taller ridge behind it. Both ridges were covered with green shrubery and plants sticking from the edges, leaving spaces of gray, white virticle striped rock to be seen, but the taller ridge was hazy because even though it could be seen clearly it was still aways away.
They walked and talked about the scenery and the two ridges until they came to a stream that flowed from under the mountain from a clearly visible cave a little up river. Simon and Love looked up through a opening in the tree tops and could see a water fall futhur up that fell from a big hole, dissapearing into the rocks and coming out where they stood now.
"The path is somewhere around here," Simon remarked. He walked furthur west up the bank to a collection of rocks beside the swiftly moving stream. "This is were the bridge used to be," He said, "But it has long since collapsed and worn away." The stones sticking out of the brown, leaf covered ground were covered in green algea. "It's a good thing you dressed appropriatly," Simon said stepping in slightly.
"I don't dress any other way out here," Love said. Then she rushed forward to give Simon a hard shove, but just as Love was about to push him he turned let her fall into the water. He stood and laughed at her as she sturggled to grab a stone jetting out. Her blond and brown hair was strung all over her smooth face; she glared at Simon. The black had subsided and he laughed at her with his emerald eyes.
"That stream will sweep you off your feet," He said still chuckling and stepping back to jump in. His eyes turned black again and he ran and jumped into the middle of the stream with his sword and supplies held up. The water swept him down a little as he held their food above water. He got out on the other side and and sat down to watch Love make it across. She struggled some to get across and ended up a little farthur down stream from Simon because the current was so strong. He walked over to were she was and held out his hand to help her up. She took hold and got out of the stream, sopping wet of course.
"Notice anything different about the water?" Simon asked her as he pulled her up.
"Why is it so warm?" She asked.
"You don't want to know," Simon replied. Love hit him. "What?" He said.
"What kind of hunter are you?" Simon said, "It's fed from a hotspring." Simon pointed. Love looked at the stream that was crystal clear with just a little steam coming up.
"It's beautiful," Love said.
"You haven't seen it all yet," Simon said picking up his things and continuing on.
Love checked to make sure she hadn't lost any arrows. "Great now it's all wet. She thought."
Simon stopped and waited on her. When Love slowly caught up, he lead the way to a path that cut into the mountain. Love saw that it looked like a straight path that gradually went up. They walked up the path, which was cut in between two smooth walls of solid rock. The walls were a good one hundred feet up, and the path slowly moved to meet the top of the walls. Love looked around wondering what they would see up top. She remebered the Elder telling her of cities carved out of stone, but she had no idea what to expect here. She had never noticed anything on the mountain side out of the ordinary. They walked and walked up for what seemed like quite a while and then they eventually came to a cave.
"This is were we kept the animals," Simon told her. She looked at the cave that was cut perfectly into a semi-circle out of the grey stone. It had some elements of wear but she could tell that at one time it was very nice. "Do you want to look inside," Simon asked her. She nodded. "We'll walk inside until you can't see," he said.
"Until I can't see?" She said.
He took her inside and she could noticed the old stables. They walked through until the light faded completely and then they walked back out. Love marveled at the scene.
"Pretty cool huh?" Simon said. Love could see they had walked a long path far up. But the path went up so slightly that she did not know how far up they were and she didn't think to look back. The path was perfectly straight the whole way and she could see a strip of the forest far away with it's spikes of cedar and bulbs of oak trees and the other mountain side far away to the other side of the vally. The path was fairly wide and the sun crept eastward right between the two walls. They weren't quite to the top.
"I've never seen the sun this perfectly between the walls," Simon said.
"It's perfect." Love remarked holding her hands up to the sun. They stood and admired the scene and then Love turned to Simon. "Okay show me more," She said.
"Yes, your highness," Simon replied. He turned to his left, or the north, whichever helps the picture for the reader, and walked up some wide steps. The walls had carvings of knights with swords some of which had, of course worn away. "These are your ancestors?" Love asked.
"No just statues," Simon said, "My ancestors are all dead. That's why they're my ancestors."
"Ha..Ha," Love jeered while Simon laughed.
"Yea, these are my ancestors," Simon replied, "This whole place is so old. The only reason it has survived is because this place is so mild. Cool wind tumbles in from the lower parts of the South and North corners of the mountains and keeps the place cool. But as you can tell, it doesn't get much hotter or colder than this. The cool streams and the cool air from the mountain tops keeps the place quiet nice and calm. Even though it's hot in other places in the north and the south."
"I like it here," Love remarked, "I wish I didn't have to leave and go to some boring old town. I want to go home." Simon looked sympathetically ahead.
The stone steps turned to the west and they reached the top. Love looked at the stone-carved ghosttown that overlooked the valley. The door ways and the streets were still visible, but vines covered some. Apartments were carved out of the stone one on top of another with square doorways. It looked as if it were built on the mountain, and not carved.
"They don't look like they were carved at all, but they had to be because they're so neatly organized," Love remarked.
"We were once very skilled scupltors," Simon answered, "They could make it look as if the mountain just formed that way or like they haulded brick up there themeselves, but it's all solid."
"How did they do it?" She asked.
"The art was lost 1000 years ago," Simon replied walking up to a near-by light-grey door way.
Love saw that trees had grown out of controll in special rectangle gardens carved long ago. Naturally the trees had broken some of the stone and disturbed the smoothness of the street once used. On top of the first set of apartments were more out of controll trees that lined the walk way infront of the second story apartments. Some leaned over off the side and others stood straight. The town was four stories high and the upper stories looked somewhat bigger. The town made of stone had some how been slightly whitened and the town was lighter grey than the rest of the grey mountain. Simon smiled as Love turned around and gasped. The whole valley was laid out like a green sheet with holes in the tree cover where clearings were and tares where rivers or streams were. They were so far up they could see the clearing were they searched for the string leaf. She could see shades from clouds far above covering plots of the land, and she saw the smoke from little fires and the village houses, but it was so far away she could barely make out the houses, at least that's what she thought.
"I wonder what they are doing," Love said. Simon became meloncholy.
"Going about daily buisness like we've done for thousands of years," Simon replied, "But not for long." He sat down on an edge and looked at his village sadly and intently. Love walked over and sat down beside him.
"We're all that's left," Simon said staring out across the valley. "This abandoned town has been over looking this valley for thousands of years," he said still looking at the stillness, "And somehow our family ended up the last one."
"You don't have any brothers, relatives or anything," Love asked.
"My father did. He had three brothers, but the gap between him and the youngest of those was 80 years. It's hard to keep your race alive when you have mostly boys. Now we're it. We don't know our lineage or anything. A fire a very long time ago destroyed many records that we had kept. Only the most important lines were maintained because those are the ones that everyone remembered, but ours wasn't one of them." Simon picked up a near-bye stone and threw it several hundred yards without hardly trying. "I don't know how my family survived; we're nothing." Love stared at Simon sympatheticly. She didn't want him to feel insignifigant.
"That's not true," Love said, "You are something."
"What?" Simon asked. Love thought a little and looked at him smiling.
"My bodyguard," She said.
"Bodyguard?"
"Yes, someone who is supposed to keep me safe. You are going to make sure I make it to that other town safely," She said.
"What?" Simon asked not following Love's logic.
"I'll talk to the Elder and ask if he can let you come with us. I'd make me feel better if someone from this village taveled with me. And you've been trained to fight."
"I'm not sure the Elder will approve of that, especially not with the coming delimma."
"He might," She said. Simon was charmed, but aprehensive about leaving the village at this time.
"Come on," Simon said getting up and grabbing her hand. Love followed wondering what he was doing.
"Do you trust me?" He said to her.
"Yes," she said. He took her to the north part of the village to a nicely carved tunnel on the edge of the apartments. They could see into it until it turned left a little ways away. It was now past noon and they still had quite a few hours, since they ran much of the way there trying to out run one another. Simon's eyes turned black as he looked from her forward. Love's curiosity had now gotten the best of her.
"Wait," Love said stopping him. Simon turned around. Love looked intently into his dark vision. "What...does everything look like when your eyes turn...," She asked. Simon looked at her with his eyes.
"Nothing," He said.
"What do you see?" She asked.
"I don't see anything," He said. Love looked at him suprised and confused.
"How do you know what's there then?" She asked. Simon shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know. I just know. I know more about what's happening around me when my eyes are like this than when I can see."
Love looked at him with curiosity. Simon smiled. "I know how fast the sun is moving how hot it is," He said, "I know when you blink and when your eyes are softly, barely moving when you are trying to keep them still. I know when you are about to do something and when you are doing it. I know if there is something in front of me. I know you feel pain even if you don't say it, I can sense it. I can't explain it, but I don't need to see." Simon's eyes turned green again as he looked up. "Although, I like to see the sun, the green valley, and...other things....," he said looking straight into her eyes.
Love nodded gazing back into his.
"Lead on," she said. Simon held her hand gently and firmly and took her into the dark tunnel. They walked a decent pace, not too fast and not too slow and then Simon told her to duck. As they walked and sometimes crawled, she felt him gently pull her this way and that. When they came to an obstacle, he told her exactly when to step over and when to duck and when she was alright to get up. Simon had no problems leading her through the cavern. They continued to go up, though Love didn't exactly know it. They went up stairs and down some and then up some more. Love did not flinch once as Simon helped her through the pitch black tunnel, slowly, and then quickly they moved. Simon could feel Love's hold tighten and he felt her squeeze as she stepped over rocks. He could sense her heart was beating faster and faster though he could only guess why. They made their way without much talk, except when Simon was telling her where the rocks were.
"We're almost there," Simon told her, "You can see your hands now." She looked down and saw her hands slightly in the dim light. The light grew brighter and brighter and they turned a corner. A smile grew on Love's face as she came out of the cave. In front of them was a lake, crystal clear, and deep. The pool walls near the top were medium type grey, but near the bottom were pink, light brown, red and green strips going all the way around, down to the very bottom. Some stripes were very thick and some were thin and not straight at all.
"It's all natural," Simon explained, "We didn't do any of this. Feel the water." Love stooped down and felt the water. It was very warm.
"It's a hot pool. It's a pretty decent ways from its sorce so it's not boiling. See the water fall?"
Love looked across to see the waterfall that poured into the hot pool. It fell from about ten feet and dumped a good volume of water.
"Come on," Simon urged putting down his things. He started to walk the edge of the pool and she followed after putting down her things. They made their way slowly around the pool looking at the colours that lay beneath the surface near the bottom. Simon pointed. "See that hole. This where the spring you fell in comes from." At the mention of her fall, Love looked and saw that his eyes weren't black. She smiled impishly and took her chance pushing him in. Simon's eyes widened as he tried to catch his balance, but it was to late and Love had put everything she had into throwing him in this time. He fell in after a few swips with his arms, but Love had lost her balance because of the awkward footing and she followed after. They came up and looked at each other with glaring eyes. Simon cracked a smile and turned and swam to where the water fall entered the pool and let the warm water fall down on his head. He watched Love who was following with fixed eyes. After another gazing contest under the water fall, they gave in and slowly moved closer and gently put their lips together. When they pulled away they gazed again with smiles looking at each other through spaces in the falling water. They stayed like that under the water fall for a while longer letting the warm water flow over their heads in the cool mountain air. They hung on the rocks looking at each other and then at the bottom. Finally, Simon pulled himself out and then helped Love out. "We better eat something," He said. They turned and made their way around now teasing and trying to push each other in, but they made it to the food without any incident and Simon picked up his bag. Love sat down next to Simon as he pulled out the food. Some bread and a piece of cooked meat marinated in string leaf juice. Simon divided it and they ate facing the pool with their feet dipped into the water. They didn't wear shoes that often, by the way. They enjoyed the meal without saying a word, and Love sat leaning against Simon's shoulder. They finished and watched the pool as the sun slowly sunk down on the other side of the east mountains.
"I'm sorry, I ignored you all this time," Love said looking at him.
"You're forgiven," He said looking into her eyes. Simon's eyes turned black again and Love looked deeply into them. She could see the little stars that dotted the inside of his eyes, some brighter than others. It was like looking into a marble of space, two night skys right infront of her.
"What are those dots in your eyes," Love asked.
"No idea," Simon replied.
"Hmmmm," She said staring intently. Simon did not take his eyes off of her and they kissed again. Simon briefly broke it off.
"The first moon is already out," He said still looking at her. She looked and saw the smaller of the two moons, full, and vaguely penatrating the top of the evening sky. It looked like a few blue bumps far away. Then she kissed him. More kissing ensued and then they sat and looked at the water and the pool and its many colours.
"How deep is it?" Love asked.
"How long can you hold your breath?" Simon asked. Love looked at him while getting up to anwer his challenge. Simon got up and Love took a deep breath and dove in. Simon quickly followed. They both went down. Simon then remembered the hole that let the water out of the pool. Love shot back up and Simon quickly followed.
"That was close," Love said.
"I completely forgot about that. Did you feel it?" He asked. Love nodded.
"That's why I came up," She replied. She looked up and studied the sky.
"I guess the sun is getting close to the eastern mountains," Love said.
"Yea, we probably should be getting back," he said.
"I don't really want to right now. I want to stay here for a little while longer." Simon looked at her and then around. They got out and sat just enjoying the seclusive scene without any talk until the other brighter moon finally edged its way over the waterfall and the cliff in front of them. The white moon barely lit the darkening sky and the waterfall began scattering dimonds of moonlight all along the surface of the pool. The stars also began pricking the sky with their twinkles. When they saw the moon completely, they both got up, gathered their things, and left the pool.
Simon guided Love through the cave and back out to the other side where the sun just finished hiding its light in the horizon behind the east mountain ridge. The mountain shadows slowly began to cover the valley and Simon and Love could see the line between the sinking sunlight and the shadow line of the mountains stretch across the valley moving toward them as if the last bit of light were being chased back to the west from where it rose. They stood and admired the view for a little while and then made their way in the night down the steps and to the path out of the abandoned town. The sun was completly out of the picture as they walked down the path and all was dark as they struck out in the woods. They crossed the stream with no problems this time and made their way through the cut path. The two moons showered enough light so that they could see without any problem. They exchanged glances as they walked through the forest, smiling. Love reached and slid her hand in Simon's and they walked that way past Simon's house and into the village later that night. When they came into the village, Price approached them somewhat stunned.
"Where have you two been?" Price said.
"A trip, why what's going on?" Simon replied.
"You mean besides the fact that you two of all people went missing all day and came back holding hands? This." Price turned and pointed to the burned houses and the furniture that was being moved into the Elder's house.
"What are you doing?" Love asked in suprise.
"Those soldiers are on their way in case you two forgot," Price said, "And if they find refugees mixing in with Outcaste then there's going to be more trouble than there already is. We're going to hide the refugees in the abandoned Knight's Town in case those soldiers come into the village."
"They probably won't though; they want nothing to do with us," Simon replied.
"That's true, but The Elder doesn't want to take any chances," Price said.
"Sorry," Simon said. Price shook his head to let him know it was no big deal.
"We just wondered where you two went. The real work begins tomorrow, we've got to cover up the remains of the houses and think of what we are going to do for ourselves. Love, your house was taken down too. You're leaving tomorrow or the the next day." Love nodded and then looked at Simon. She let go of his hand and hurried to the Elder's house. Price looked at Simon. "Well, well," He said.
"I'm just as suprised as you are," Simon replied.
"Women," Price said and then took Simon to where Salte and Claude were dumping sand on the ashes of the last house.
"Where have you been?" Salte said to Simon, "You and Love have been gone all day. Have you seen her?" Price gave Simon a pat on the back and walked to help put the fire out for the night.
"Supposedly they are about a week away," Salte told him, "But we don't know for sure. We have to send Love and her family away very soon." Simon nodded. "Sorry, man." Simon shook his head. When they finished covering the doused ashes, Simon walked to the Elder's house and walked in. Love was talking to The Elder at his desk; she looked at Simon entering and smiled. Simon smiled back and continued up stairs. This exchange did not escape The Elder; his heart was cheered while he talked to Love. When Elder Sel finished explaining the situation to Love she nodded that she understood. Then she took a deep breath to ask him.
"Can I take a body guard from the village?" She asked a little nervously.
"A bodyguard?" The Elder asked curiously, "What do you mean a bodyguard?"
"I mean someone to help us stay safe on the way to the next village," She said. Elder Sel looked at her even more curiously with a slight smile cracked on his blonde bearded face.
"I see. You would feel safer if you had a bodyguard you say. Well then, may I ask who you wish to appoint for this special honor, this...bodyguard?" Elder Sel asked her. Love turned beat red and hesitated. The Elder was enjoying every minute of her embarassement.
"Simon," She squeaked.
"Ahhhh," Elder Sel responded, "Hmmmm." The Elder thought hard about her request, which thrilled him, but at the same time he did not know if he could spare Simon with Calthes in his condition, but he decided that this was at least as important and that Price, Claude, and Salte could handle things with their skills. He raised his head, "I think he would do you good, better than you know, but he could only help you to the town. Even he's not safe in Calton or anywhere on the North Continent. And neither are you, if they know you associate with him, wether you are the princess or not. Also, most towns people will not recognize you. So be careful."
"Why should they care who I associate with?" She exclaimed.
"Because the predjudice against us is that strong and that enduring, we are celebrated as hacrus in most cultures away from Calton," The Elder responded ("Hacrus" would be the equivelant of a "Devil"), "Go upstairs and tell Simon I need to speak with him." Love rushed upstairs and retrieved Simon. Simon walked down stairs and to the Elder.
"Let me speak with him alone, Love," The Elder told her. Love looked at the Elder and then left the house. The Elder looked at Simon.
"I'm going to let you go with her to Pes should you so desire," the Elder told him, "It's a small town on the coast of the North Continent behind some mountains in Sholom. You'll have to travel through some valleys and across another town after Oak. It's a pretty good distance away and Love may be able to come back after this is over, but you will be needed as soon as you can come back."
"I thought she was going to hide somewhere in Calton," Simon replied.
"We were going to do that. But I like this plan better," The Elder replied. Simon nodded with eyes intent on Elder Sel. "I'm letting you go because I wouldn't want to deprive you of this oppertunity to earn furthur favor in Love's eyes. And I would feel better sending her if you were with them. You must guard that family with your life. This is a dangerous task. Understand?" Simon nodded again. "You know as well as I do that these women are very important to a healthy development of Calton, it's people and, possibly, to our release from exile, as late as it is in our existance. This is not a light task to undertake, as I'm sure you well know, even more so now."
"Will everyone be alright here?" Simon asked.
"Yes," Elder Sel reassured him, "But they leave tomorrow morning or the next. It's good she brought this up because I was considering sending someone with her. But I wasn't sure. Go tell your parents your decision and come back down." Simon went up to tell his parents and moments later came back down with his mother.
"Elder? Are you sending our only son on this dangerous journey?" Claire said walking over to him.
"I want to go mother," Simon replied, "Remember?"
"I'm not sending him, Claire. You know I wouldn't presume to send your son without your consent. I have given them my consent to decide to go and am giving him my blessing because he choses to go. I would have asked Salte, or one of the brothers, but Love requested Simon and Simon wants to go."
"Love requesed?" Claire said looking to Simon. Simon smiled slightly.
"Indeed she did," Elder Sel said, "I sent him up to inform you, so he could have your blessing on this trip. I have faith in your son and I think he'll be alright. The Mayor of Oak is sending three of his friends who actually have combat training with the family to make passage smooth as far as the politics go, but Simon could add a touch of physical safety."
"I'm not too sure..."
"It's all right, Claire," Calthes said from the stair case, "You believe in Simon, let him have this opportunity. Let him get out of this cramped village and see something else and persue other interests. He's only twenty. I would feel terrible if he spent all 300 years of his life here when he could have done something noble and heroic." Calthes limped with one leg using a crutch. We walked to where they were talking, and Claire leaned on to Calthes who held her even on one leg.
Claire sighed. The Elder shook his head. "I had no intention of sending him behind your back. He's a grown man now and he's intelligent. There's no need to shelter him," The Elder said. Calthes kissed his wife on the side of her head she leaned her head on his.
"I'm sure one of the villagers will help me out with the farm," Calthes said to Simon. Simon nodded and went to get ready. Calthes and Claire watched their son walk out. Outside, Love was waiting for Simon to hear the news. Simon smiled and Love walked up. "So, what's going on?" Love asked.
"He was just giving me some pointers about traveling and how important you are," Simon replied, "But I already knew that."
Simon offered his hand and Love took it. "I'll walk you home," He said, "You can never be too careful out here." They walked slowly to Love's house. When they got there Simon scratched his head. "I forgot," he said looking on the heap of ashes that was once her house, "Who is your family supposed to be staying with?" Love shrugged. "Well, let's look around," Simon suggested. They went to Salte's house first and that was all it took. Faith, Hope and Sara were sitting at the table while Charity, Land and Ceyes were running around tagging each other. Salte was across the room from the table sitting on a rug reading some book he had recieved from The Mayor sometime back. Simon and Love walked over.
"What are you reading?" Love asked Salte. Salte looked up.
"It's a history of this continent," He replied turning it over and showing them the cover, "but later in the book it seems to be concerned mostly with Calton. It dates all the way up to your father's asention to the throne and back about 3000 years ago, roughly."
"What kind of history does the North have?" Simon asked. Salte looked gravely.
"Our kind," he said.
"Violent," Simon replied.
"The most interesting part to me though is the part on hacrus," Salte continued.
"What does it say," Love asked.
"Well, according to this hacrus are manifestations of a malicious negativity. Evil so concentrated it takes physical form," Salte explained, "According to legend, hacrus appeared when the void of virtue filled with malicious intent in a city actually festered too much resulting in this type of evil residue in the spirit of the town. Eventually, the residue would become so strong and so potent, it would take physical form, usually of a person. The hacrus, who were powerfully charged with hate and destruction, where beyond human power to conquer and control, would destroy that city or country and leave the area a wasteland for 1000 years." Simon and Love stared at Salte who was smiling.
"So we should learn to control ourselves before we are destroyed by our sins," Simon replied.
"If nothing else that's the moral of the legend," Salte said, "But people will never head the ideals of a legend."
"What would happen to the hacrus after that? Would they terrorize other cities," Love asked.
"No, this book says that according to Sholomian doctrine, which is were the word 'hacrus' originated, the hacrus could not live outside of the void that helped spawn them, they are the final result of a culture of decay. But that's not the interesting part. The harcus have markings that give away their origin."
Simon and Love gave Salte their complete attention.
"They are characterized as having a discoloured hands, necks and eyes. Anything out of the normal, pretty much," Salte said.
"I bet alot of misfortunate births were killed because of that legend," Simon added.
"Indeed, people didn't start acknowleging birth defects until about 500 years ago. So many infants were killed for birth marks on their hands, or just having hazel eyes. But I'm willing to theorize," Salte continued, "That we were not allowed to enter the North because of something that happen to us.
"Us?"
"I'm sure we somehow got mixed up with the hacrus of their legends; the great evil of the Southlands might have had a great impact on the development of the harcus legend or in solidifing it in their beliefs. Now they don't know exactly why we are cast out, but many attribute us to the harcus of legend especially those outside of Calton, but most just think we are trash and that's why we are not aloud to enter the North."
"They've hated us for so long," Simon deduced.
"Some cultures see this pass to our village as the gate way to ultimate decay called Hecros even," Salte said flipping through the book, "And Calton was considered a wasteland, except by people who dot the mountain sides of its borders, but they have lived here for thousands of years ever in fear of harcus and Hecros."
"Is this belief common to all the Northland cultures?" Simon asked.
"Yes," Love said, "I've heard the terms used by people from every culture, but I never knew what they meant."
"The religions of the Northland all differ, and use different words to speak of this land of final decay, but they all believe in it, except in educated circles. Sholom is the unified language of the continent and Hecros is a word everyone knows though they all believe in variants of it."
"So the hacrus carry cities off into Hecros," Simon said.
"No, Hecros is more of a poetic embodyment of the ultimate death," Salte said, "The hacrus are responsible for manefesting Hecros conditions to the already decayed or something like that. It's more like a state of being." Simon and Love gave Salte a 'what-the-heck' look. Salte nodded his head with a smile.
"It gets deep and the book just briefly skims it," he said, "Ask the Elder if you want to know more."
"I'll pass," Simon replied, "Are there any other good legends."
"Yes, there is one that's pretty interesting, if not romantic. Sara likes it," Salte said, "It's of a man named Aljick, who had a birth defect on his left hand. His father could not bring himself to kill the boy and said he would rather see his kingdom destroyed than to be the death of his own son. Durning the time when the North Lands were begining to decide it was wiser to ally themelves with each other or just plain take over, the boy grew into a well known warrior named Aljick. We he would go out he would wear a glove and he was therefore a left-handed warrior. Once upon a time he requested the hand of a princes named Selea. The father of the princess had userped the throne from a more nobler king and did not wish to have any heir, so he banished his wife and never saw her. Then he killed the first man to request the hand of his daughter. Aljick was from another rival country and had loved Selea the first time he set eyes on her and so worked hard to earn her attention and then love. He made unsteady peace with the king whose name was Cotsheere of Grenabve, though Aljick was only a prince at this time, he was a very shrewd man, but honorable. After years of friendship, he won Selea's affection and the two fell in love. But Cotsheere would not have it. Aljick offered all of his inheritance to convince Cotsheere to allow them to be together, but The King still would not budge and Aljick's father was not happy. Aljick assured his father that should he give the foolish king of Grenabve his whole domain he could get it back again, but even if not, Selea would be worth it. Aljick's father told him that he would rather send his son to Hecros than see the kingdom in the hands of Cotsheere and that he was blinded by love, how ironic. All that because of the hate of another person. The king had other heirs and so banished Aljick from their kingdom, Cotsheere would have nothing to do with Aljick after that.
Aljick made a life for himself building boats, fishing, even fighting and became the leader of a town between the sea and what is now the Aljick Mountains. The town was out side what was most coveted at that time and so was ignored by his father, and it was way out of the way of Cotsheere. Aljick made a name for himself as a fisherman, hunter and warrior and had gained much wealth again and had actually built a small empire of his own. He was very smart. After many secret visits to Selea while still poor, Aljick, now wealthy, asked for the hand of Selea again from Cotsheere and Cotsheere of course denied him saying that only if Aljick sailed around the world in the treacherous open waters, then he would grant Selea his daughter's hand in marriage. Aljick took him up on his offer and began studying with his best seamen, the seas to build a ship that could withstand the might of the violent waves of the open waters. When he was satisfied, he sent word to the King of Grenabve and set sail to make it around the world.
The king of course was furious that Aljick had the courage and possibly the ability to take him up on his offer and so gave Selea to another wealthy warrior in marriage while Aljick was gone. But Selea never stopped hoping for Aljick to return victorious and safe. Grenabve and Coastshire began to battle over some territory while Aljick was gone. During this fight the King of Coast missed his son who was very cunning and valiant in battle, and good with the soldiers, and he cursed the day Aljick ever met Selea. Aljick remained gone for many years and the King of Coast lost the war with Grenabve giving Grenabve almost all of the continent. Selea had two children who grew to be teenagers.
Then one day on the coast of what is now Sholom a man appeared out of the sea with a crew of men on a great ship. The ship could not come into the harbor and they deployed other ships smaller but still almost as large as a normal ship. The people were shocked when he told them his name was Aljick because he was well known for his foolish and great feats. He told them he was planning to claim his future wife's hand in marriage and they informed him that she had already been given away and had born two sons to a murderous man." Salte took a deep breath and then continued.
"Well, needless to say Aljick was furious and he immediately set plans to hold the King to his word, even if it ment murder. But a wise man stopped him and told him that the way back to his love was not through murder, but justice. Aljick traveled to Grenabve with many servants whom he had trained exhaustively in battle and who were completely loyal to him and presented himself to the King who was now getting old. All were shocked even Selea who had almost given up on him. He challenged Selea's husband to a duel by the laws of Grenabve, by challenging his honor as a warrior. He knew that Stectem, the man Selea was married too, was a lover of bloodshed as were his sons. Aljick was now 40. Stectem had to accept the challenge or be shamed as a warrior of renown. He arranged for Aljick to be killed by his two sons before making it to the duel."
Love lifted her hand for him to stop. "Does he die?" She asked.
"I don't want to know until the end," Simon clipped, "Keep going, Salte."
"Selea found out and slipped out during the night to tell Aljick. After informing him, he dressed his servants who were formally hunters and fishers before they were warriors and sent them out through the town to keep a lookout. Aljick went through the town unharmed and arrived for the duel while the two sons of Stectem and any other men sent out to kill Aljick did not. Aljick drew his sword and Stectem his ax and a very hard fought battle ensued that lasted almost all day in the town square. Finally, Aljick managed to deliver a fatal blow to Stectem after cutting Stectem's ax in half. No one mourned the death of Stectem or as it turns out the death of his two sons. The King ordered the death of Aljick right there, but Selea rushed out and clung to Aljick. The king then ordered that both of them be put to death, but the sevents of Aljick who were loyal to the death came to his rescue in the town and fought their way to Aljick and then to the king before the king could mass enough protection. Aljick then took controll of Genabve and almost all of the Northland except Calton because it was considered a wasteland of sorts. He married Selea and they had three sons who divided the kingdoms into three sections when their father died: Sholom, Coast, and Skiit, and though these kingdoms faded in and out of existance during the time between then and now, these are the enduring kingdoms now, in honor of a civilization founded on love, though it hardly seems so now."
"Awww," Love said.
"Sailed acround the world?" Simon replied.
"Yea that's what got me too," Salte said. Sara got up after Faith went to bed and walked over to the three.
"I hate to interrupt story time," Sara said softly and tearing, "But Love has an early long day tomorrow if not the day after." Love got up from her chair.
"And so do you," She said to Simon smiling as he smiled at her.
Simon got up and gave a quick glance to Salte who had noticed a difference in the way they were treating each other since they came into the cabin. Salte nodded his head with a slight smile and got up to get ready for bed. The night was actually well past midnight, but no one could really sleep anyway. Simon and Love walked outside the front door. They faced each other staring like lovers do. They kissed and Simon looked at her smooth brown eyed face.
"I'll protect you my queen," He said. She gave him a quick kiss and he left for the Elder's house. Simon gave a quick look back and she watched him all the way until he dissappeared in the darkness, and then she walked inside. She walked inside slightly stunned and somewhat flustered. And so the night passed quickly.
posted by Joel Obadiah at 5:53 AM
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