Chapter Twenty: Alone in the World
Tranith Argan: Book 2
Felanar and Dolen the dwarf have been taken prisoner. Meanwhile Kara and Alessa are on their way to Shanaar.
“I cannot believe it! Ravesfel!”
Alessa had frequently repeated this on their voyage to the island of Shanaar. She and Kara had summoned an Erenár ship, which had met them north of Lookout Point. Only Alessa’s presence and insistence had allowed Kara to board the ship, but board she did at last and they had been off. The boat sailed swiftly toward their goal, but it was never fast enough for the queen and elf princess. Ever more they urged the crew to hasten, and meanwhile they talked of their plight or brooded about events, past and future.
“He failed us, Alessa,” responded Kara during one such conversation. “Events overtook us, and he panicked. I do not know if he always sought such power, or if a mood came over him, but the look in his eyes! Oh, it was awful to behold!”
“Surely he did not always seek power,” said Alessa, “for he could easily have taken it long before now. Besides, he could not have hidden such motives from my people. This is a change in him. He must have lost faith in the face of the odds.”
“I have not lost faith,” said Kara. “Why should he?”
Alessa stared at Kara thoughtfully for a moment, and then said, “You are young, Kara. Ravesfel is ancient, beyond even the concept of my people. You have anticipated the throne for but a few months. He has been preoccupied with such hopes for a thousand years! Can you imagine the emotion of a man who sees that for which he has sought for centuries come into his grasp, only to be taken from him immediately? It must have tipped his emotions into a desperate state.
“There would be no more waiting this time, for there would be no hint of further hope of an heir should you and Felanar die. You were already imprisoned and could have easily been killed should the conspirators have chosen to do so. Disaster was facing him now and if he did not act swiftly all that he had labored for over centuries would come to naught. Decisive action, that was what was called for. The throne must be seized by someone with the power to withstand the treachery that would be launched against that person. Strength was needed, strength and courage.”
“Are you taking his side now?” cried Kara with alarm. “You speak even as he did in my cell.” For a moment, doubt and fear crept into her mind, and she involuntarily took a step backwards.
“Nay, fear not,” reassured Alessa, “for I speak not my own mind, but that which I imagine to be Ravesfel’s. This would be his reasoning, but I do not say I agree with it, only that I begin to understand its cause. Can one not know a thief’s motive for stealing bread without necessarily agreeing with the actions?”
Kara closed her eyes in relief. “I understand, Alessa. Yes, you are right. Forgive me, for I have undergone a betrayal where I least expected it, and my mood is fragile. For a moment, I could almost imagine you abandoning me, and the thought was too awful to bear.”
Alessa stepped over and gave Kara a reassuring hug, holding her tight. Kara released her emotions and buried her head in the elf’s shoulders. As they hugged, Alessa whispered into Kara’s ears:
“There is an ancient oath of my people, Kara. It carries meaning beyond the words, for once given it may not be retracted or contradicted, and thus it binds actions to sentiment.”
The elf princess then stepped back and knelt in front of Kara, much to the queen’s surprise. Alessa bowed her head low for a moment, and then looked up at Kara. When she spoke, however, it was with a voice meant for all. “Hear me now, all who witness this event!”
Several of the Erenár crew turned their heads to see what Alessa was doing. Recognizing the stance and manner of the elven oath, a silence descended upon the ship, broken only by the waves, and Alessa’s further words:
“I do knowingly, and with full understanding of the meaning of my words, give this oath this day: Kara, queen of men, and elf-friend, never will I betray thee or thine, nor fail to offer succor and hope. May what I say today be binding upon me all the seasons of my life.”
A cry went up from the crew in response: “So thou hast said, so mayest thou follow.”
Alessa stood again and smiled at Kara. “You need never worry about me betraying you, for even if I now had the inclination, my oath would prevent my actions.”
The surprise of this moment fading, and the relief setting in, Kara rushed over, buried her face in the elf’s shoulders again, and began to weep softly. Alessa held on tightly and whispered over and over again, "Things will turn out right in the end, you will see.”
Onward they sailed, until finally they reached Shanaar. The Erenár crew knew where their brothers had landed, and thus they were able to leave Alessa and Kara on the same spot where the armies had disembarked. Not being aware of any dangers, and feeling certain that the already fighting elven army was sufficient, the Erenár crew did not offer to accompany them on their journey. Knowing the disinclination of Erenár to fight on land, Alessa did not want to ask.
She and Kara were less at ease over the matter, however, for they had Ravesfel’s words in mind about a betrayal. Still, Alessa thought, such a betrayal could not possibly involve the elves, and thus they would be safe enough on their own as they approached the battle. After thanking the crew, they marched inland and toward the mountains.
They made excellent time and, though they did not know it then, they were less than a day’s journey behind Felanar and the armies. As Alessa and Kara began to climb Mount Drwg that first afternoon on Shanaar, Felanar was approaching the summit and deciding whether or not to camp the night before descending on the city of Shaabak. As night came, the night of Felanar’s wandering through the camp, Alessa and Kara climbed onward.
Thus it was that when the battle was in full force the next morning, the elf and woman found themselves watching from a high vantage point, far above even the line of elf archers Felanar had set up on the north slope. Too late to prevent the battle and warn Felanar, all they could do was watch from a distance and hope to join in where they perceived a need. From there they watched with hope as the armies of Argan and the elves fought back the enemy troops. From there they watched with dismay as new waves of the enemy pressed back. From there they watched with horror as the dragons and the westerners approached. As the army of Argan fled back, far below them on the plain, Alessa and Kara’s eyes were fixed on the last stand of the dwarves.
Seeing the danger that Felanar was in, they began to move swiftly to the west, along the high ridge on which they crouched. Below them, the rout of Argan was complete. The elves, too, were in full retreat. Ignoring all this, their attention fixed firmly on Felanar, they soon found themselves overlooking the troops that held him and Dolen captive.
“Ai! All is undone this day!” cried Kara in a muffled voice. “The betrayal is complete, for both the queen and now the king are taken captive. We must rescue him, Alessa. We must save him. But how can we do this? There are hundreds of troops surrounding them.”
Alessa eyed the scene on the plain below her, and turned to see the city of Shaabak in the near distance. The walls were several hundred yards away. The castle of Vélakk loomed high on the mountain, stretching even higher than the ridge upon which they crouched. Whatever was to be done for Felanar, it would have to be before he was taken to the city. Inside those walls, inside those gates, it would be almost impossible to rescue him.
Glancing back down on the plain again, Alessa saw the futility of rescue here too, for they were grossly outnumbered. Almost as a reflex, she fingered the arrows in her quiver, counting the number of targets she could hit, even as she knew it was far too few.
As these thoughts went through her mind, a new development took place on the plain below. With excitement growing in their hearts, they realized that the troops around Felanar were being sent to fight in the ongoing battle further to the east. Evidently, it was felt that with Felanar and Dolen bound, there was little need for more than a few guards. The rest began to march back up the plain and within a few minutes Felanar was being guarded by only six soldiers.
“Here will be our chance, Kara!” said Alessa. “Six we can handle.”
Kara’s thoughts turned to her weapons. Her bow was still in the palace. She had only the sword Alessa handed her in the prison. She looked at it now to see what she was about to use. It was a double-sided blade with jewels encrusted in the handle. Along the blade’s surface were words engraved in an elven script, in a message Kara could not make out. When she had time, she thought, she would ask Alessa about this blade. Now the time had come to put it to use.
The soldiers were marching Felanar and Dolen west, across the plain toward the city gates. The rest of the armies were all to the east, and the plain was empty between where Felanar marched and the city walls, save for dead bodies that lay everywhere. Seizing their chance, Alessa motioned for Kara to follow and they crept down the mountainside toward the plain. As they moved down, Kara glanced at the gates and saw that there were sentries watching the plain. She judged them too far to fire arrows, but she understood that they would be noticed when they rescued Felanar. They would have to act fast.
Now about thirty yards from the soldiers, Alessa pulled out one of her arrows. Her hand was stopped by Kara, though, and she glanced over in surprise.
“Not yet,” said Kara. “As soon as you hit one, the rest will scatter. Wait until we are closer, or until we are noticed, and then begin to fire. I don’t want them to panic and get away from us at the end.”
Alessa nodded and they continued to jog ever closer to the soldiers. They were on the plain now, and in full view of anyone who cared to notice. When they were fifteen yards from the soldiers, a cry went up from the walls. They were spotted! The soldiers turned in surprise and, as they did so, the first one fell with an arrow in his chest. Alessa had acted quickly once the alarm sounded, and as Kara raced forward, sword in the air, the elf strung another arrow and let it fly. A second solider fell.
By this time, Felanar and Dolen realized what was happening, and they immediately broke away from their captors and began running toward their allies, hands still bound behind them. In the confusion that followed, one of the guards ran after the prisoners, one ducked low to avoid further arrows, and two ran toward the city to escape this new threat. None were armed with arrows, only swords, and they had little protection from the elven arrows. Even as they ran, one of the two fleeing toward the city fell, an arrow in his back.
Kara met the one soldier rushing toward Felanar, and thus toward her, and the ensuing sword fight was brief and one-sided. The soldier fell immediately before her fury. Kara rushed to her brother and sliced his bonds with the elven sword. She freed Dolen as well, who thanked her and said, “Wait a moment”, and ran back the way he had been led. Kara’s confusion soon cleared as she saw him pick up his axe and Felanar’s sword from the ground where they had been taken prisoner and then run back towards them.
Meanwhile, Alessa had dispatched the cowering soldier, leaving only the one soldier who was even now reaching the city walls. Ignoring him, Alessa ran over to Felanar and gave him a quick hug.
“How did you ever find us?” asked a stunned yet grateful Felanar. “What are you doing here?”
“Talk will come later, and there is much to discuss,” replied Kara, as she glanced at the walls. “For now, we are not out of danger yet and require speed, not words. See there! Soldiers are approaching!”
The other three turned and saw that Kara was right. Soldiers were pouring out of the city gate. They had to flee immediately if this was not to be a temporary escape.
“Which way do we go?” asked Felanar.
“Neither east nor west, for one way lies the city, and the other way lie the armies of our enemies,” said Kara.
“Not south,” said Alessa, “for that way lies the heart of this evil land.”
“Then north it is,” cried Dolen, “to the ships.”
They followed his lead in climbing back up the mountainside, half running, half scrambling where the footing was loose. Their pursuers were a couple of hundred yards behind them on the plain and had not yet begun to climb. They did have archers among them, however, so distance was essential. Besides occasional rocks, the ground held few places of shelter. The summit was near though, and that motivated the climbers to press on quickly. Glancing back, Felanar saw their pursuers, thirty or so in number, had begun to climb. They were wearing armor, and that slowed them somewhat among the rugged terrain. Felanar turned back and kept climbing.
When they reached the summit, they paused for a moment to catch their breath and survey their pursuers. The soldiers were still two hundred yards behind, but were climbing relentlessly. They knew their land well, thought Felanar, and would have the advantage. It would be good to deter the pursuit, if at all possible, he thought.
“Alessa,” he said, between breaths, “can you hit them from here with your bow?”
The elf looked down for a moment and said, “Yes, certainly, but it would not be the best use of my arrows. We have few as it is, and killing a handful will not stop the rest. Better to use my arrows when need is truly upon us.”
“Then let’s keep running,” said Kara. “They are getting too close and will soon be firing upon us.”
The four began to run down the far side of the mountain slope, sliding in the snow at times. They made good time, even if their course was erratic. Soon enough, however, they heard the shouts of the soldiers behind them, and they knew they had reached the summit too. Kara had just finished one slide down a snow bank and was regaining her feet again when an arrow whizzed past her head. Spinning around anxiously, she saw the archers, now high above them on the slope, were firing waves of arrows.
“They are using the height as an advantage,” cried Alessa, as they continued stumbling downward. “Do not be overly concerned, though, for that same height differential will throw their aim off. They are not used to firing at such an angle.”
“Don’t be so sure,” replied Felanar, “for they live on a mountain, and the archers of Tranith Argan are skilled at such maneuvers.”
Alessa nodded. “You may be right, for all I know are gentle hills.” As she said this, another arrow narrowly missed her body.
They had reached the edge of the snow line, and their footing became surer. Trees appeared, twisted and dried out, but shelter nonetheless. This gave them some protection from the arrows that were flying down. The soldiers continued to descend, causing momentary break from the archers. As they drew closer, the archers would stop descending, fire more arrows, and then descend once more. Those pauses became a pattern that Alessa noticed, and whenever another wave of arrows started, they took shelter behind a tree or stump. When the wave ended, they began to run again.
It took an hour of this, stopping for shelter, starting again down the mountain, before they reached the plain on the far side of the mountain. Their pursuers had not managed to close the gap; if anything, they were further away for having stopped along the way to retrieve arrows that had been shot. With a quick glance behind her, Alessa judged that they now had a ten-minute start on the soldiers. Looking ahead, she saw the dry, wasted land of Shanaar stretching out before her. To the east lay the bay where the Erenár ships would be waiting. After stopping briefly to catch their breath, they began to jog along the uneven ground of the foothills toward the water.
They were running by landscape that undulated along hills, preventing a clear sight to their pursuers. They knew this also meant the archers had no clear view of them. Kara looked at the grey sky and saw that it was late afternoon. It would take them until after dark before they reached the water. If they could just reach the bay, they could contact the Erenár and escape this land.
Then what, she wondered gloomily, as the events of the past few days crept back into her mind, the imminent danger from archers temporarily having lessened. Where shall we go, to Tranith Argan? Ravesfel could have descended into madness by the time they got there. Home to Brindledown? How long would they survive in that small town, exposed to the world? Her thoughts were interrupted by the sight of an arrow arcing toward the ground about twenty feet ahead of her and to her left.
“They cannot see us through these hills,” Felanar complained. “How can they shoot at us?”
“They can see us at times,” responded Alessa, “for we appear and then disappear through these foothills. They must be guessing at their targets, but take care. Even an arrow fired with uncertainty can kill.”
Though tired from their flight, they picked up the pace, spurred onward by the occasional sight of another arrow. Most landed far from them, but now and then one would land uncomfortably close. As dusk descended on the already grey land, they reached the base of the foothills and approached an open plain that led down to the water. Although they were now more exposed to sight, the diminishing light made them harder to see, especially with their cloaks behind them. This gave them courage to move swiftly along the plain, rejoicing in the lack of light that would foil the archers.
Just when they felt the worst was behind them, however, a new development occurred. As they were running, Alessa suddenly stopped and held up her arm in command to the others. They stopped in confusion and turned to the elf. Alessa seemed lost in thought for a moment, then spoke softly.
“There are soldiers ahead of us.”
“Have they doubled around ahead of us?” asked Felanar in alarm.
“Nay,” said Alessa, “and keep your voice down. These are other soldiers; I can hear them talking. They are not talking about the battle, or of us. I think they are guarding the way back to the shore.”
“We are surrounded then,” cried Kara, in a low voice. “The Evil One has anticipated our every move.”
“I do not think these soldiers guard against us, Kara,” responded Alessa. “It sounds as if they were sent to prevent the forces of Argan from returning unhindered to the ships.”
“I see no soldiers,” said Felanar, peering into the murky twilight.
“Nor do I,” said Alessa, “yet I hear them plainly enough. They do not attempt to hide their position, and they talk loudly amongst themselves. Jubilant, they sound. From this, I gather two things: They know the battle went well for them, and there must be many of them waiting ahead.”
“Many?” asked Kara. “How do you know?”
“They are standing against any retreat from the Argan and elven armies, and yet they sound confident. That says to me that there are many with them. If we pass through this copse to the other side, perhaps we may see what I hear, and confirm my suspicions.”
They moved quietly ahead through the thicket of trees that was blocking their view. By the time they reached the far side, even the others heard the voices ahead. Alessa had been right, they sounded boisterous and triumphant, and many in number. They peered from behind the last group of trees into the twilit plain beyond. What they saw shocked them.
“Do I see right, Alessa?” whispered Kara. “Are there really that many men ahead, or do the shadows play tricks with my mind?”
“Your eyes are not lying,” the elf responded quietly. “I see legion upon legion descending through the plain, even to the water’s edge beyond.”
“This cannot be,” said Felanar with anguish in his voice. “Does the Evil One have this many soldiers, that he can send an entire army just to wait for the stragglers from the battle? Were our scouts this wrong?”
“Those are not soldiers of Shanaar,” said Alessa. “See their insignia? The scimitars? These are westerners, soldiers of the autarch.”
“Westerners!” exclaimed Kara. “They couldn’t have reached this side of the mountain so quickly. This must be another group that sailed into the same bay we did.”
“Ai! The Erenár must have failed, if that were so!” Alessa’s voice now had a tone of anguish. “If they sailed into this bay, the western fleet would have to have encountered them. The Erenár would have fought fiercely, but look at their numbers! They would have overwhelmed my brothers.”
“Then is all done,” said Dolen morosely. “Better should I have died with my father than as a rat caught here.”
“What do we do now, Felanar?” asked Kara, ignoring the dwarf’s words.
“I don’t know, but we must decide soon for our pursuers must not be far behind. It may be getting dark, but if we are surrounded, our invisibility will do us no good.”
“There seems no point in going toward the bay now,” said Alessa. “Even if the Erenár escaped the greater numbers of the westerners, they are no longer waiting idly for a signal. By now they must know that the battle has gone against us, and they will be fighting for themselves alone.”
“In that case, we are on our own,” said Felanar with a tone of finality. “Let us use the cover of darkness and break off in a new direction to throw off our pursuers. We see our way blocked to the east, and we are pursued from the west. Let us go where no one would expect us to go: to the north.”
“What of the waef murch?” asked Alessa urgently.
“The winter creatures may be the least of our worries at present,” Felanar replied. “Let us take our chance with beast, since man is against us here.”
They moved back into the trees and turned northward. After ten minutes’ travel, they found themselves back in the open air. They sky was dark, and clouds hid the moon. As they looked behind them, they could no longer see the legions of troops in the plain, nor could they see any sign of the soldiers that had been pursuing them. It was too dark to tell, though, so they marched on over the rough flat land.
After a couple of hours further marching, they decided to stop for a break. Alessa assured them she would hear if anyone pursued them, but they needed to rest. They had been on the move all afternoon and into the evening, and this after a battle of several hours’ duration for Felanar and Dolen. They found a small cluster of trees and they sat down on the ground under their shelter. Kara brought out some light provisions from the pack Alessa had given her. They ate quietly and hungrily, with Alessa keeping a careful ear for intruders. When they had finished eating, and still resting their weary legs, Kara told Felanar of her experiences at the palace and how they had come to be here this day.
Dolen was indignant at this news, and could hardly contain his wrath. It was his father and brother, after all, who died as a result of this treachery, and it was several minutes before Alessa could convince him to lower his voice.
Felanar was silent. He sat there so long, with no movement and no sound, that Kara began to wonder if he had fallen asleep from exhaustion. She peered through the dark to where Felanar sat just a few feet away and tried to see if his eyes were open. He began to speak at that moment, however, and she realized he had been thinking carefully about all she had said.
“Then we are truly alone in the world, Kara. Alone in the world, with nowhere to go.”
He said this with such sadness and resignation in his voice, that Kara crawled over to give him a hug of reassurance. He waved her off, however, and continued speaking.
“Thank you, Kara, I know of your concern and support always. I am not despairing, however. I am disappointed, of course. I never would have expected this of Ravesfel. Now it seems we will have two Evil Ones with which to contend. What it that, though, when placed in the context of this day? We have been betrayed by our scouts. I have been betrayed by the captain of the High Guards. We have been attacked from sources we little suspected, both westerners and dragons. We have seen the brave dwarves fall in battle. Even the elves were nowhere around when I was captured― “
“That is unfair,” interrupted Alessa. “I saw the battle, and they went to aid the men of Argan from the attack of the westerners and the dragons. They never saw you in danger, for you separated from your men and went to aid the dwarves alone.”
“Alone he was not,” cried Dolen angrily, “for accompany me he did, and thank him our people always will for his loyalty. Yet could not aid be had from the elves this day, or did my brothers have to die while men be rescued?”
“You speak of what you know not,” responded Alessa sharply. “Our people would never abandon yours if they knew you needed aid.”
“Yet that is what they did, and my father and brother died this day because of it!”
“Hold!” cried Felanar. “I need no more betrayals. Let us hold our tongues until calm returns. We have all suffered grievous losses this day. I do not know what the elves knew or did not know, for the confusion of the battle was great. Yet never have I known elves to act dishonorably, and I will not assume so now.”
“Then where are these elves?” asked Dolen bitterly. “No ships await, no armies descend from the mountain. Vanished, have they?”
“Enough!” cried Alessa.
“Yes, enough of all of this!” interrupted Kara. “This will do us no good. I mourn with Dolen, for I saw his noble people fight fiercely to the end, and he has suffered a loss today that can never be repaired in his heart. I mourn with you, Alessa, for many brave elves died this day. My heart grieves for eyelight lost from each elf that died this day. I mourn with you, Felanar, for your kingdom was snatched away by greedy and evil men. I mourn for Argan, for her enemies are many. I mourn that we know not where to turn next. One thing I do not mourn, however: We are alive, and we are together, allies always. Never let us forget this.”
“My sister speaks truth,” said Felanar quietly, after a pause. “We all need no further betrayals this day, for each of us has had our fill.”
They sat in further silence for a few minutes, until Kara spoke again.
“We are headed north, I know, but for what distance? Once we are sure our pursuers are gone, what do we do next?”
“I have my vote,” said Alessa quietly.
“I think I can guess it,” said Felanar. “Elaria, I suppose?”
“Yes.”
“I’m inclined to agree,” he responded. “I do not believe Ravesfel’s words about your father. I do not think he will stand by while the guardian takes power. In Llarand, at least, we have an ally. To Elaria we should make our way.”
“What do you think he will do, though?” asked Kara. “He said it was already difficult to mobilize his people to aid us. I can only imagine how the elf lords will look upon our plight now that they have lost so many of their own this day.”
“I do not know, Kara,” said Felanar, “I do not know. But at least he will shelter us for now, will he not?”
Alessa agreed.
“What of me?” asked the dwarf. “Elaria is not my home, and with my people do I belong.”
Felanar breathed in sharply. “I just realized, you are now king, Dolen!”
Dolen acknowledged this reality, but was taken aback when he heard Felanar laughing softly to himself.
“Why do you laugh?” he asked with rising anger in his voice.
“I’m sorry, Dolen. I mean no offense, especially on such a sad day. It’s just that it seemed so absurd, our position. Here we have the king of men, a queen of men, the king of dwarves, and a princess of elves. Such a concentration of nobility in the world as is hardly ever together, and yet we find ourselves not in a place of honor but alone in the world, hunted, abandoned in the wilderness. No courts, no grandeur, no servants, no glory. Just four tired, discouraged persons in the middle of nowhere. It is a ridiculous position to be in, and I had to laugh at the absurdity of it all.” He shook his head slowly as he said this.
Dolen acknowledged Felanar’s words and then repeated his question.
“What of you?” repeated Felanar. “You are free to do what you wish, of course, faithful dwarf. It’s just that it seems to me that you would do well to stick with us for now, if only until we can find a way off this island. Unless you think you can sail alone?”
“Ah, a point you have,” said Dolen. “Cursed island, cursed boats that take us to islands.”
“I promise you, our people will take you home from Elaria,” said Alessa.
Dolen said nothing in response, but Felanar thought he knew what was going through Dolen’s mind.
“I promise this as well, if you prefer my word,” he said.
“I do, and I thank you,” said the dwarf quietly.
Kara put her hand on Alessa’s arm to settle her down at this affront, and it worked, for the elf held her tongue in check.
“Then Elaria it is,” concluded Felanar. “We will find a way to sail to Elaria and then begin our work.”
“Our work?” asked Kara.
“Wresting back the throne, of course,” he said quietly, as darkness enveloped them in this strange land.