Seers of Verde: The Legend Fulfilled: Book One (32 page)

16

Aron Nels checked his bow for stress fractures. He ran his fingers up and down the string, feeling for snags and weak spots. Then he grabbed his quiver of arrows. The Defender was eager to spend time hunting alone. It had been a long time since he had ventured out on his own.

He looked forward to the challenge of wandering the foothills around Temple Darya. It was not a mission of necessity to hunt for food, but he planned to bag any fat trophy he could carry home by himself. For once, no worries troubled him. Farro and a few other young Defender trainees were looking after his cousin, Tevan, while they worked in the horse corrals.

That troublesome Seer Verinya had not shown herself this day. Aron smiled as he strode toward the main gate. The early morning air was crisp, and the sky was a beautiful light blue with only a few clouds drifting overhead. Many people in the marketplace recognized the young Defender and greeted him as he made his way out of the temple.

Just as he reached the main gate, Aron saw Verinya and three of the other Seers examining bolts of beautiful cloth that a vendor had just pulled out for viewing. He frowned slightly at the sight but picked up his pace, hoping the young women would be more interested in their shopping than noticing a passing hunter.

Verinya glanced up as he approached and smiled. Much to Aron’s surprise, a strange feeling gripped his stomach when the Seer noticed him. His first instinct was to ignore her, but he nodded in recognition and kept walking.

“Good hunting, Aron Nels. May your first arrow find its target,” Verinya called out, using the Nuven greeting for good luck.

Aron stopped and exhaled slightly. It would be rude for him not to reply. He had to admit this Seer had studied Nuven ways. “Thank you, Verinya. Hopefully good fortune will be with me, especially with my ancestors’ blessing,” he said with a wry smile.

The Seer laughed at his reference to his religion and waved. He nodded again and strode out of the temple, hoping this would end the conversation. To Aron’s relief, no one else called after him as he left the temple. He turned off onto the trail and headed toward the foothills. He walked along with a contented smile.

Only lovely silence greeted him. No eager cousin begged for attention, no circle brothers jostled him, no vendors called out, and no Seer stood in his way. After a little less than an hour, Aron was scrambling through the foothills with ease. He didn’t see many creatures worthy of wasting an arrow on.

He was not taking care with his approach. The Defender was not stalking the way a hunter would if he was intent on feeding his family. He was just enjoying the outing. As the climb got steeper, Aron occasionally loosened a rock as he walked. He listened with amusement as the stones tumbled down, ricocheting off and crashing into bigger boulders.

A noise startled Aron when he stopped for a moment to rest and get his bearings. Somewhere behind him a few small rocks were jostled and sent tumbling. The sound was similar to when he accidentally jarred stones out of their places. Aron had stopped moving. He had not caused the noise.

The Defender instinctively took cover behind a large boulder. He waited patiently, listening for any further suspicious sounds. Hearing nothing other than the normal chirp of birds and scolding of small rodents, Aron moved silently a few meters up the base of the mountain.

When he reached a boulder with a flat top, the Defender scrambled up to a spot that offered an excellent vantage point. Whatever was below him eventually would have to move either up or down the rocky terrain. When it did, Aron would see who or what had made the suspicious sound.

After waiting far too long with the hot sun beating down on him, Aron was about to abandon his position when he spotted movement below. He forgot his discomfort and settled back down to wait. At first it was difficult to see what was moving among the rocks. Whatever it was, the creature moved slowly, not making a sound. Aron glimpsed movement from time to time — then nothing.

Only one creature moved like that — a human. Suspicious at being followed, the Defender carefully notched an arrow. If it was a Sankari troop, Aron could fire a deadly hail of arrows down on them once they came into view.

The Nuven was at home in the rocky terrain. If attacked, he would prove to be a deadly and elusive target. Aron relaxed a bit when his target came into full view. The person did not move threateningly, but stooped down every so often as if gathering something.

Now more curious than suspicious, Aron relaxed his bowstring and watched intently. Something was familiar about the stranger as the person drew nearer to where the Defender waited.

After a few moments Aron could see what the other person was doing — picking flowers. Long red hair swung in the gentle breeze. When the flower gatherer stood up, the Defender almost swore out loud.

Seer Verinya moved slowly up the same path Aron had taken. It was obvious she was no longer concerned about hiding. Every so often she stood up and stretched, turning her face into the sun and smiling at the pleasant warmth.

The Defender caught himself admiring the young woman as she carefully plucked the colorful, sweet-smelling wildflowers. His interest stirred as he watched her weave a string of white flowers with large petals together into a small wreath and then place it on her head.

Aron smiled as he begrudgingly conceded he was attracted to the beautiful Seer. Curiousity about why she had followed him now crowded out his suspicions. When Verinya walked within twenty meters of his perch, she stopped and looked around, clearly searching for something or someone.

After waiting patiently for a few minutes, the Seer found a clearing between several boulders, sat down in the soft, long grass and started to pull out the contents of a basket she had draped across her shoulder. The spot Verinya chose to relax in was almost directly below the boulder where Aron was perched.

He watched as she uncovered the contents of her basket. The Seer removed a large blanket and spread it on the ground. Then she pulled out a loaf of freshly baked bread, a hunk of pale cheese, some fruit, and what looked like a bottle of fine ale.

The smell of the bread made Aron’s stomach growl. He smiled mischievously when he remembered how startled Verinya had been when he and Tevan had surprised her in the marketplace.

Pulling himself slowly up into a crouching position, Aron was about to launch himself beside the unsuspecting Seer, when she cupped her hands to her mouth and called out: “Defender, I know you are watching me from somewhere. Why don’t you join me for second meal?”

Aron briefly sank back down on his stomach, disappointed his surprise had been thwarted. He needed no further cajoling to leave his perch. He was sweating profusely from lying in the sun and he was hungry and thirsty.

In one fluid motion, he launched himself from the top of the boulder and landed with a soft thud only a few meters from where Verinya was sitting. She looked startled for a moment but said nothing.

“It’s a beautiful day to pick flowers,” Aron said with a smirk as he plopped down on the other side of the blanket. “I’m glad I could be a guide for you. If I’d known, I would have walked faster.”

The Seer smiled. “Then I would have gotten lost and you would have had to rescue me.”

Aron shook his head, but laughed at her cleverness. He then took a long draft from his water pouch. “Tevan is not here to amuse you. Why do you follow me, Seer?”

Verinya coolly met his gaze. “Your cousin does not amuse me, Defender. I truly enjoy his company. He is pure; a true innocent. I appreciate that.”

Aron nodded. “Yes, he is an innocent. Sometimes that is a blessing. Sometimes it is a curse. You did not answer me, Seer.”

Her eyes glinted with amusement. The candor and directness of the Nuven people was different from the reverence which the Seers were accustomed to receiving.

When common Verdans approached this honored class of women, they normally spoke in hushed, respectful tones. Many Seers would be insulted if they were addressed with such informality, but Verinya found it refreshing. That is why she enjoyed Temple Darya’s marketplace so much. The Nuven vendors were unafraid to argue for a bargain, unlike the meek Verdan merchants who almost fought over the chance to give their wares to a Seer.

With a casual shrug, Verinya decided to be as direct. “Have you not guessed my interest after we last spoke?” She cut off a piece of cheese and bread and handed them to him.

Aron took a bite, but eyed her suspiciously. “I thought you were playing games with me.”

Verinya smiled, took a short sip out of the bottle and passed it to Aron. He took a careful sniff, detected the sweet aroma of a fine Verdan ale, and took a hearty swig.

“We Seers do not play games when a male interests us,” she said with unusual candor as she looked into his eyes. “Do I need to explain my intentions?”

Aron stopped chewing. It was his turn to be surprised. He had no experience with romance. Witt Peyser had made sure the circle brothers were well versed with the physical act of sex. He purposely exposed his young charges to willing young women in some of the villages.

The steward did not want his Defenders yearning for the tenderness of a lover. He wanted to keep them sharp. For a reward after arduous training sessions, they were encouraged to find willing girls to bed.

Aron blushed. He did not know what to say. Witt had warned him and his circle brothers not to associate with the Seers, but here he was sharing a meal with one of the mysterious women.

Verinya smiled sweetly and reached for the jug of ale. She took a much longer sip this time. “When you ask a question, do not be surprised when you get an honest answer, Defender.”

The pair ate in silence for a while, sharing the food and drink. Verinya asked what had happened to Tevan to leave him in his childlike condition.

Aron took another long draft and slowly started to tell her the story. The words came haltingly, but she listened patiently. When he finished, Aron frowned, thinking of the accident that had frozen his cousin into a childlike state.

Seeing his sadness, Verinya moved to his side. “Aron, it was not your fault that Tevan fell. You were young boys playing. His slip was an accident,” she said, holding his face in her hands.

The Defender was thrilled at her touch. The smell of the flowers in her hair was intoxicating. He pulled her hands to his lips and softly kissed them. She was so close he could feel her warm breath on his face. Their first kiss came naturally. They both leaned into each other, their lips melting together.

At first tentative, their embrace and kissing became more passionate. The pair gently drifted down to the blanket. The food was carelessly tossed into the basket. They were solely intent on exploring each other. Clothing was quickly pulled off as their bodies slid passionately together.

Aron and Verinya held each other tightly. Legs were wrapped around each other’s bodies as they rocked back and forth, gently at first and then faster and more urgent until their passion reached that sweet crescendo. Both were breathing heavily and drenched with sweat when they unlocked with reluctant sighs. Neither had felt such a complete connection to another person before.

Aron rolled over onto his back, but locked his gaze on Verinya’s face. She shifted on her side and laid her head on his chest. This moment was theirs to savor. Neither Nuven nor Verdan worried about their respective missions or how this would change their lives.

They had just experienced that sweetest of human experiences — the act that had bonded man and woman together for thousands of years in the past and would forever link them in the future.

Aron and Vernya luxuriated as they lay in each other’s arms. After a short nap, their hands started to explore each other’s bodies again. With the energy only found in youth, the two made love again and again until exhausted. They finally fell asleep. As the sun slowly set, the pair reluctantly returned home hand in hand until they reached sight of the temple.

After a long, lingering kiss, neither said a word as they parted. Aron watched as Verinya walked through the main gate, then he slipped into one of the temple’s secret entrances.

17

No singing could be heard in Juso Reyna’s inn. The normally jovial and boisterous crowd was somber. News of the slaughter of the fishing village had spread like a spring storm through Verde City and the smaller settlements. The inn’s patrons were in a dark mood. They stood in small groups, talking in hushed, heated tones.

The volume of the crowd grew steadily as more ale was consumed, until the room reverberated with an angry buzz. This was the moment the two men in the corner had been waiting for. One of the two violently rose from his stool, sending it crashing to the floor. Many of the patrons paused to see what had caused the commotion.

“Something should be done to those killers!” the standing man shouted. “Babies were killed. Young girls were raped. Their parents all murdered in their beds by guests they had given food and drink to.”

He paused, listening. The inn had gone silent. “In … their …beds,” he repeated, emphasizing every word. “I don’t care what other Verdans say. I think the Sankari may be right. Kill those damn Defenders, then send the rest of the Nuvens back to their cursed valley.”

Several young men shouted their support. Others chimed in and soon the whole inn echoed with shouts of bravado and revenge. The man who had kicked over his stool climbed onto a table and called for silence.

“My friend and I leave in the morning to search for the killers,” he said, gesturing toward his drinking partner. “We are joining Verdan warriors who have had experience fighting Defenders.”

The speaker paused, eyeing the crowd. “I have heard a lot of brave talk in here tonight, but do any of you have the stomach to fight for Mother Verde?” Again, the inn erupted in shouts of bravery and promises from every young man present. The man on the table held up his arms for silence.

“I’m proud to see such brave young Verdans willing to fight for their fallen brothers and sisters. We’ll leave immediately from here after first meal. Pack sparingly. Only bring food and weapons.”

The speaker started to step down from the table but changed his mind and climbed back up. He looked around the inn solemnly as if memorizing each face. “My brothers, look around at your neighbors here tonight. Anyone not joining us tomorrow will be remembered as a coward.”

With a wave, the man jumped from the table with a flourish, gathered his friend and strode out of the inn, slapping many young men on the shoulders. Shouts of promises and farewell followed the two men out into the night.

The two men walked for a while before speaking. The man who kept silent while his partner addressed the crowd in the inn glanced over his shoulder to make sure they were not being followed.

“That was impressive, Lieutenant,” he said with a chuckle. “I think you recruited every Verdan capable of carrying a javelin to join us.”

Torvild Zullon smiled. “Thank you, Captain. I am accustomed to leading worship.”

Manor Stillinger grinned at his companion. “If all our people were half as successful as you were tonight, we soon will have an army of thousands to march on the Nuvens.”

¶ ¶ ¶

The Defenders slowly made their way out of the mountains. They built the traditional funeral pyre and mourned their circle brother who had died fighting the murderous Sankari.

Haral Kaut recognized all the Sankari who had murdered the people in his village, including his mother and father. Pent-up emotions exploded in the youth when he saw the bodies of the Defender impostors. Screaming in a rage, Haral flung himself on Lanzo’s body, pounding it with his fists until he collapsed from exhaustion. The young man was still weak from his journey after following the attackers.

The sympathetic Defenders made sure Haral didn’t hurt himself during his outburst then gently guided him away from the scene. Ranar Matao knew it was imperative his circle deliver Haral quickly to the Seers in Verde City. The youth was the only one who had witnessed the Sankaris’ admission they had posed as Defenders.

Without Haral to convince the powerful women that Sankari were behind the murders, then Defenders surely would be blamed. Ranar was troubled as they scrambled through the mountains. The killers had wanted Defenders to be blamed for the villagers’ deaths.

Murdering their own people was such a desperate move. Ranar wondered how widespread the plan was to incite hatred against the Defenders, and maybe even all Nuvens. With these suspicions, the group avoided all the Verdan villages they traveled near.

For the first two days of their journey, Haral had trouble keeping up with the Defenders’ fast pace, but now into the sixth day he strode along as if he were one of the circle. The group traveled in the classic Defender formation — every other man walked to the left or right of the one in front. They kept plenty of space between each other, but stayed within sight of the man in front.

Haral was placed in the middle so he could be helped from any direction. If danger arose, the circle could react to whatever direction the assault came from. The formation made it difficult for any foe to wipe out the group with a surprise attack.

Ranar stopped by a large tree when he came to a river that meandered through a heavily wooded canyon. A series of low whistles sounded behind him as his circle brothers signaled each other to take cover.

The Defender scoured the valley, looking for any suspicious movement. He watched for birds sounding alarms and listened for rodents scolding unwelcome strangers. Hearing nothing unusual, Ranar slowly made his way into the valley. The whistles sounded again, this time signaling an all-clear message.

The circle moved easily through the canyon. The Defenders and Haral zigzagged through the trees. When they came to a clearing where the river widened, they stopped again before venturing out into the open. Something bothered Haral about this site, but he could not determine the cause.

The circle entered cautiously, but they were greeted by nothing but silence. Birds and smaller creatures had called and squeaked as they traveled through the trees, but now there were no sounds.

Ranar had almost made it to the other side of the clearing when a suspicious movement caught his eye. Only a moment after he called out a sharp warning whistle, javelins swooshed through the air, striking trees, the ground, and felling three of the Defenders and Haral.

The surviving circle brothers leapt for cover as their attackers crashed through the underbrush in an attempt to surround them. The remaining six Defenders managed to notch arrows and kill a few of the attackers before the fighting turned to hand to hand.

Screams filled the woods as the Defenders fought bravely. Their knives expertly slashed out at the attacking Verdans, wounding and killing many. The much larger number of attackers proved to be too much. Every Defender was swarmed over by the furious Verdans.

Ranar was the last to die. He backed up against a huge tree and valiantly fought off his attackers until a javelin pierced his chest. The Defender gasped and fell back against the tree. With a shout of glee, his foes attempted to overwhelm him, but Ranar leapt into the crowd. His knives slashed open two more Verdan throats before he finally fell.

Manor Stillinger shook his head at the number of Verdans the Defenders had killed. Even when wounded, the Nuven warriors fought fiercely, killing almost three times their number.

Curious about the lone survivor, the Sankari captain strode over to Haral, who lay against a tree badly wounded by a javelin that had struck him in his side.The youth weakly waved for the Manor to come near. He was surprised to see the young Verdan.

“What were you doing with these vermin, youngster? Did they capture you?” Manor knelt to examine Haral’s wounds.

The youth struggled to speak through the pain. “Defenders did not attack my village. They were impostors. These Nuvens killed them. They — they helped me.”

Manor’s eyes narrowed as he studied the young man. “It was your village that was attacked?”

Haral nodded. “Yes. These Defenders were taking me to the Seers to tell them the truth.”

The Sankari captain knelt close to Haral. “Oh, don’t worry, young one. I will tell the Seers what happened here. Are you the only witness to the impostors?”

The word “yes” had barely left Haral’s lips when a knife savagely plunged into his chest.