Dark Wood: Legends of the Guardians (10 page)

“Aryaunna!”
Her eyes shot open. It was dark in the room but that meant nothing. There were
no windows in here. She reached under her automatically for the knife she kept
under her bed but it wasn’t there. She realized then that she wasn’t in her
bed. They’d left her to sleep on the table under a pile of blankets. “Aryaunna,
get up,” the voice sounded more familiar and she sat up, grabbing the blanket
to her before it fell, realizing she was naked beneath.

“Allos?”
she questioned groggily as her eyes tried to adjust in the darkness.

“Get
dressed. Now,” he ordered. Something was wrong. He was tossing fabric at her,
which she swiftly realized was a folded set of clothes. She slinked off the
side of the table and dressed in the dark. He’d stood staring at the door, but
she’d taken care to keep her back to him.

“My
boots.” Two soft thuds hit the table she’d been asleep on. Hurriedly she donned
knit stockings and slid her feet into the boots in such a rush that she
struggled to get her heel in. Her hair was held in a tied bun that her sister
had made the night before as she’d been in the bath. “Belt.” A noisy clunking
hit the table and she felt for the ends before slinging it on and wrenching it
tight. “Let’s go.”

Her
right hand held tight on the hilt of her sword, still hung sheathed in the
belt. It was an added comfort. “What’s going on, Allos?” she kept her voice
low. It was still dark outside. As she’d left her cloak the night air was brisk
in winter but it did well to wake her and sharpen her senses.

He
said nothing.

“Allos,
you will tell me,” Aryaunna snapped at him when he didn’t answer.

Stopping
suddenly, he half turned to face her. Lowering his head near hers, he kept his
voice quiet as he spoke, “A boy was found in the wood. He was crying out you
and Elizabeth’s names.” Aryaunna’s eyes narrowed as she thought on this. That
made no sense to her at all. She nodded her understanding and said something
that surprised him, “You can trust in me to do this.” She knew Allos meant to
take her to the boy to discover his identity, at any cost.

“I
wouldn’t have come for you if I didn’t.”

The
entrance to the arena was a dark stone cave. Upon entering the cave a person
had to know just where they were going for the stairs began immediately,
winding down a long ways to a vast opening below.

Aryaunna
had learned that there were many structures above ground, many even in trees.
But below ground was a whole other world. There was a city below the surface of
the Hollow. The stairs wound down for what seemed like forever, because the
arena was so deep under the earth’s surface. The Drow would not impact the
growth of the wood, and thus to build had found it necessary to build deep
under the surface.

Allos
took the stairs two at a time, as did Aryaunna who was practically running down
them. If he’d have stopped at the bottom she’d have plowed into him.
Fortunately he’d seemed to realize this. Side stepping, he stopped her by
taking a careful hold on her arm. She’d been exhausted, worn to the bone and
had slept maybe three hours before being woken.

The
brisk cold of winter had done well to wake her and sharpen her senses but he
knew sleep would fog her mind still. She’d be brash, and not as cautious as she
needed. “Stop,” he bid of her as her body ran on auto pilot. Allos had to
tighten his grip and jerk her to him suddenly to keep her in place. They stood
right against each other. “You will follow my lead,” he said seriously.

“You
must believe that I mean you no disrespect but this is new territory for you,
Aryaunna, and a deadly one at that. There’s no going back after this.” His eyes
begged her to understand. She nodded hastily. As if realizing how he was
holding onto her and its disrespectful nature he suddenly released her arm. “My
apologies.”

“Don’t
be sorry, Allos. You’re doing your best to keep me safe and guide me on what
must be done.” Her arm was sore, but her whole body was tender. She didn’t
blame him for his anxious behavior.

With
nothing more said he gave her a nod and continued on through the dark towards
the arena. Light show dimly through lit fire held in sconces on the wall. It
was a fittingly gloomy atmosphere. The warm glow danced along the walls, not
quite reaching its golden light to the center of the arena. In the center was a
wooden straight-back chair. It held the boy bound tightly with rope.

Aryaunna
was impressed he wasn’t in worse shape. A trickle of blood seeped from his
nose. He hadn’t been here long. Allos had come to get her immediately. She was
grateful for that respect.

The
boy’s hair was dark, not like the night, not like Aryaunna’s, but dark brown.
He was filthy but this wasn’t exactly unordinary for a peasant of Kenan,
especially a Church servant. Through his filth there was a distinct and
peculiar scent of hickory smoke and fish.

Allos
stayed directly to Aryaunna’s right. This was symbolic in many ways, but
ultimately it said that she was in charge. “Tell us your name,” she demanded in
a hoarse voice that was cold as ice. Allos was surprised by her steely
conviction, emotionless and demanding of obedience.

The
boy glared defiantly. An actual peasant of Kenan may have been frightened, but
this boy was not. Whoever he was, he’d been used to abuse. He’d been prepared
for this treatment and had seen it and worse. “You’re from the Church,”
Aryaunna said. His confirmation was a knowing gleam in his eye, while he
remained quiet.

The
boy likely couldn’t even see Aryaunna, for where she stood the torches barely
reached, casting much of her into shadow. The torches had not all been lit.

“Your
life will become much easier if you tell us what we want to know,” she pushed
him again.

“I
will say nothing until I see Elizabeth and Aryaunna,” his voice was rough, as
if he were fighting a winter’s illness. Many in the Church had grown ill over
the harsh winter. Not even the Church’s priests had avoided the sickness.

“You
think they’re here? That we’ve any idea who they are?” Allos had been tense
until Aryaunna had responded this way. Any indication that the Drow knew these
names would be admitting more than he’d wanted to. That she’d be wise enough to
know this had been not just surprising, but reassuring.

“I
know they are.” His chin rose boldly. Fresh blood still ran from his nose. It
must’ve been broken, she thought. The blood was stained down his chin and had
dripped onto his tunic.

“We
will not go around in this circle of questions for much longer. I will not ask
you again.” The warning was clear, but to emphasize the matter her hand holding
tightly to the hilt of her sword drew it easily, as if she’d done no more than
pulled a lose thread from her tunic. The blade placed into her open left hand
gently. This was his last chance.

His
chin held high, but quivered slightly. It was a miniscule movement, but it
didn’t pass her notice. Leisurely, deliberately, she walked forward until she stood
before him. His jaw trembled, so he tightened his clinch as his teeth ground
together. She could respect how stubborn he was. Being so close to him now,
standing above him, the light of the sconces cast against her features but
spread long shadows as well. He could see her, but not yet clearly.

There
was no recognition in his eyes. But Aryaunna felt a spark of remembrance.
Somehow she knew this boy, not yet a full grown man but old enough that some
would call him such. He was her age, possibly even older, it was hard to tell.

With
a swift careful motion, the tip of the blade rested just below his bobbing
Adam’s apple. He was not an attractive man. He was thin, as were many servants
of the Church of course. His cheek bones jutted out of his skin and his chin
was rigid with a deep unnatural divot dug deeply in its center. His skin was
sickly looking and unclean. She kneeled down, just inches from his face, and
allowed him to really look at her as the light cast her features into better
view.

Nothing.
This boy did not know her, she was certain. “What business do you have with
these women?”

“Elizabeth
is in danger. I am here to see to her safety,” he croaked the words as the
blade’s tip dug painfully though it hadn’t yet broken skin.

“Why?”
Aryaunna demanded harshly. Speckles of blood hit her face as he spoke. It was
the boy’s blood that dribbled still over his lips. She didn’t even flinch. He
sneered up at her, again refusing to say anything. The tip of her blade
punctured his flesh just to draw a single bead of blood. “Why?” She asked more
sharply, nearly yelling in his face.

“Because
I love her!” he screamed angrily. She would never be sure what shocked her
more. His declaration or the tears that fell from his cheeks as he sobbed. From
his choking sobs she had to withdraw her sword to keep from running him
through.

This
was unexpected. She had no idea what to do. It was clear this man could not
mistake Aryaunna for her sister. He wouldn’t have been foolish enough to say
such things if he did not know what Elizabeth looked like. Though he clearly
had no idea what Aryaunna looked like.

Withdrawing
her blade, she let it rest in her hand at her side. Backing up a step she
nodded to one of the Drow standing nearby. She recalled his name. An older man
named Raif. “Gag him.” Raif nodded and a slow smile pulled at his dark lips in
a most unnerving way.

Shifting
her weight she twisted herself to the door, eyeing Allos significantly. He
followed her without question. “Follow me, we can’t speak freely in here,” he
whispered. Into the dark she followed him by only the lightness of his shirt.
He moved carefully but without question of where he was going.

A
corridor was hidden behind the staircase where they’d entered. She followed him
into another dark room, lit with only one torch. The shadows it cast would have
been frightening to some.

“Is
there truth to his words?” Allos asked with a tight jaw.

“Elizabeth’s
never mentioned anyone to me that she cared for. He is afraid, but that doesn’t
mean he’s lying. I just don’t know.” Aryaunna shook her head. Something wasn’t
right about this. The hand on her sword was so tense it had practically seized
up as her other rubbed the back of her neck.

“Well
I imagine anyone with a sword at their throat would find reason to know fear.”
Allos’ remark went past her. He could have meant she’d been too harsh, but
Aryaunna didn’t believe she had been. “How did you know he was from the
Church?” He seemed very interested in this.

She
took a moment to consider. “While the people of Kenan are not treated well by
any means, only people of the Church would be so accustomed to abuse like this.
He wasn’t afraid of being hit, which is why I drew my sword. This isn’t the
first time he’s been in a similar situation, likely being beaten.”

Allos’
brow arched as he considered what she said. This was a lot of wisdom from one
so young. Good to know none the less. “Yourself and Elizabeth, too?” he found
himself asking though he regretted it the moment he did.

“Yes,”
she answered simply, yet briskly, not wanting to give more detail than she had
to. “The town’s people would be more accustomed to the stocks than physical
beatings unless they were thieves, but a thief that’d been caught at any time…
Well he’d have been missing some important parts.” A hand or fingers if the
theft was petty.

Allos
nodded, understanding what she’d meant. “That was an astute assessment. You’re
doing well. Exceptionally, I might add.” He didn’t seem surprised, but
certainly impressed.

“This
isn’t as unknown to me as you might think. Though granted it’s the first I’ve
been on this side of things.” That, too, was clear enough without further
exaggeration. “I need to know if he’s lying.”

Aryaunna
looked to Allos for help. “If we can get his name, maybe Elizabeth will recognize
him?” he inquired. It was their only hope without bringing Elizabeth in to
identify him. There was something familiar about the boy, but Aryaunna just
couldn’t place him. She’d spent her years in the Church trying not to be seen,
which meant trying not to see others. Aryaunna explained as much to Allos. It
was hard not to feel guilty when she could have known him had she paid better
attention.

“Go
get my sister. Bring her to this room and wait for me. I’ll have you a name in
short time.” Aryaunna turned to leave as his hand fell heavily to her shoulder.

“Try
not to forget that you’re not alone in there. They’ll follow your lead. They
want only to support you.”

She
tried to force a smile but it fell short. Her hand placed over his in thanks
before she walked on into the darkness.