The Awakening (9 page)

Jahrra bit her lip and sipped more of her tea, grateful that the somewhat unpleasant stuff was easing the pain in her head. No, she wouldn’t have had Hroombra. Jaax had been right. No one else could have raised her as well, she was sure of that now. Taking a deep breath to ease the pain of her memories, she eyed the bonfire more closely, noticing that the smoke looked strange to her.

“Why is the fire smoke red Jaax?” she asked sleepily.

She remembered the fire from the Sobledthe festival back in Lensterans; how the celebrants had added herbs and their very own magic to taint the smoke.

Jaax tilted his head, just enough so that Jahrra knew he was talking to her. “For you, Jahrra,” he answered quietly.

Sighing, she leaned her head against his rough scales, surprised to think they felt smooth and comforting. Equally surprised that she felt so comfortable doing so. Listening to the sound of the flute and the laughter of the elves of Crie, both young and old, Jahrra felt herself drifting off to sleep once again.

***

They left the next morning, Jaax claiming he would like to try for that shipping barge after all.

“I’m still a bit leery about it Aydehn, but what you said made sense and it’ll probably get us to Lidien much easier than if we were to travel on foot, especially since Jahrra is still a little under the weather from yesterday’s incident. And the sooner we’re away from this valley the sooner you’ll be out of danger as well.”

Jaax knowingly eyed the young children chasing each other around the embers of the fire from last night, their shrieks a match for the grumbling complaints of the livestock. By the look on the surrounding adults’ faces, Jahrra concluded that this argument would prevent any protestations of their leaving too soon. The Tanaan dragon gave Aydehn and Thenya a particularly stern look. Reluctantly, the Resai elf nodded as he pulled his wife close.

They said their goodbyes, the adults seeming wistful, the children teary-eyed. Jahrra hoisted Phaea up into a sweeping hug as the girl bawled and rubbed her eyes.

“If I ever get a chance I promise to come and see you again,” she vowed, fighting tears herself. “But for now I need you to stay and look after all our friends.”

The girl, her bottom lip quivering, nodded and tried to be brave as she snuggled up to Nerrid.

Taking a deep, lung-clearing breath, Jahrra glanced around the village one final time, fixing its every detail into her mind. Once satisfied, she climbed atop Phrym and drew the reins, nodding for Jaax to lead the way. Before her semequin even took one step however, Thenya rushed up, offering her a gift.

“I can’t,” Jahrra started to protest.

Thenya shook her head and opened her closed fist. It contained a small wooden bead, similar to the ones wrapped around her wrist. This one was smooth as well and boasted its very own rune, different from the others. Jahrra glanced down at her bracelet. She was pretty sure she didn’t have this bead with this rune, but Yaraa and Viornen had told her it contained the wood of all the Trees of Ethoes. She then gave Thenya a look of puzzlement, wondering when the sly older woman had noticed Jahrra’s bracelet.

“It is mistletoe,” she said with a grand smile, “mistletoe collected from the Oak.”

Jahrra drew in a breath. This bead was special indeed.

Thenya took Jahrra’s hand and placed the bead in her palm, closing her fingers over it.

“It will protect you and keep you safe,” she whispered.

Jahrra nodded and accepted it, immediately unlacing her bracelet so that she might add it to the others. Once the mistletoe bead was secure all of the beads flared brightly, their runes glowing in their very own unique colors for a few moments. The mistletoe, Jahrra noticed, was a beautiful violet. The tingling in her wrist lasted a bit longer than she was used to but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

Thenya backed away, tears in her eyes. “So we say goodbye to you again, dear Drisihn.”

Jahrra felt one of the tears she had been holding back trace down her cheek. She hardly knew these people but they were dear to her.

“The barge will stop about a mile down river,” Aydehn said after clearing his throat. “The stop is marked with a sign and there is a small dock. Captain Thomin is the name of my cousin. Tell him who you are and he’ll be glad to take you.” The Resai man paused. “He is loyal to Ethoes and an ally to us so you have nothing to fear.”

Jaax thanked them all once again for their hospitality, as did Jahrra, and soon they were on their way. They had been lucky so far not to encounter trouble, but until they were safe within the city walls of Lidien, Jaax would remain cautious and guarded as ever.

-
Chapter Six
-

Traveling on the Saem

Jaax and Jahrra found the barge an hour later just as Aydehn had said, docked beside an old pier jutting out into the wide expanse of the placid river. Men bustled about, shifting cargo and unloading small boxes and passengers who lived in the secluded hills around Crie. After a quick inspection of his surroundings, Jaax stepped away from the relative safety of the trees and approached the dock unhurriedly, Jahrra atop Phrym just behind him. The men working the boat spotted them and after the dragon explained his intentions, they immediately produced their captain.

Captain Thomin, Jahrra noted, was taller than his cousin with a neatly trimmed beard, a broad chest and thick arms, suggesting he had worked these river barges for many years before acquiring his own boat. Jaax carefully and discreetly explained who they were once again and upon hearing their story the captain gladly welcomed them aboard. They managed to find a place for Jaax, wedged within the great room that functioned as a sizeable shed in the middle of the barge.

“We use this when transporting grains and dry goods from the lake islands,” a ship hand explained. “We don’t need it now though, seeing as we’re just coming out of winter. Nope, won’t need it for a good several months yet.”

He whistled through a gap in his teeth as he helped the others clear a few boxes and move a few piles of heavy rope to accommodate the great Tanaan dragon.

Jahrra watched in amused interest as Jaax tried as discreetly and delicately as possible to comfortably wedge himself into the somewhat confined space. When he cast her an abraded glare after her failure to hide a snort of humor, Jahrra gave in to a full bout of hysterics. It was a good thing Jaax was so incapacitated or else she might be in trouble.

After the dragon was settled the crew of the barge, a vessel fondly referred to as the River Mule, found a place to secure Phrym. Last but not least, Jahrra helped them stow the few items they had managed to carry with them from the Castle Guard Ruin. An hour after arriving at the dock they were pushing away, several of the stronger crew using massive wooden poles to push the heavy vessel into the current that would take them downriver.

Jahrra watched the dock slowly disappear around a bend as the River Mule rocked and glided over the lazy surface of the Saem. Sighing, she pushed away from the railing she’d been leaning up against and wandered over to where Jaax was quietly contemplating their new surroundings. She found a somewhat comfortable crate and sat down, her back leaning against the frame of the large shed.

Jaax seemed to squirm uncomfortably, so Jahrra asked, “Why didn’t you just swim or fly or follow us along the river bank?”

“If I were to fly or walk,” he said through gritted teeth as he tried to un-wedge his shoulder, “I would be easier to see, and if I were to swim, the current might be too strong for me. Besides, if anything is to happen I prefer to be close at hand.”

Jahrra nodded her head in contentment, watching the scenery change and sweep by as they moved farther and farther west.

Time seemed to stand still on the river and as they traveled and the days passed by, Jahrra wandered about the deck, asking questions and offering help. The men were friendly and generous with answers to her questions. Some of them even taught her how to fish from the boat’s deck. When she could, she leant a helping hand. The crew of the River Mule, as rough and tumble as they appeared, were uncommonly proper and insisted that a lady not be forced into manual labor. Jahrra only scoffed, proving that she was anything but a fine lady and that she had no qualms in helping where help was needed. It took a few days for the captain to give in but eventually they allowed her to do a few small chores like lighting the lanterns that hung about the deck on foggy mornings or in the evenings when it started to get dark. She was also given the task of bringing in fish, especially when they were forced to guide the barge around one of the Saem’s many small islands, their progress slowing almost to a stop.

Jahrra enjoyed this work not because it was particularly enjoyable but because it gave her something to do other than sit around and dwell on things that she shouldn’t dwell on. Nevertheless, during the evenings when she would curl up somewhere close to Jaax and when a few of the men would pull out a harmonica or flute and play out a doleful tune, she would find herself thinking of home and Hroombra and even of those few friends she made in Crie. She would also think about her reaction to the Oak Tree and drive herself crazy trying to puzzle out whether what she saw and heard was a plea for help, a piece of advice, or simply a random memory shared for no other reason than that she happened to be someone to share it with.

Often times Jaax would speak quietly to her, always using Kruelt if the discussions were of a personal matter. He had developed a knack for discerning when she was distressed and to her profound relief, he was able to talk her through the pain and frustration. Jahrra didn’t have the time to marvel at how the brusque Tanaan dragon had gone from being an extreme annoyance to her new foundation of strength but she wasn’t too proud to admit to herself that she was glad of it.

The evenings were hardest, when it was calm and quiet, and Jahrra found herself relishing the daylight hours when the barge was bustling with people working and going about the business of maneuvering around the sandbars and through the rough patches of the Saem. Although the distance from Crie to Lidien wasn’t great, the unique geography and sluggish current of the river made it a lengthy journey. Sometimes when they were experiencing a particularly slow day, Jahrra passed the time by visiting Phrym, tethered securely to a pole in the center of the boat.

“So he don’t try jumpin’ out and makin’ a swim for it,” one of the crew members had said with a wink.

Despite their concern, Phrym seemed quite content munching his oats and watching the landscape drift by just like his master.

As the days passed Jahrra felt her mood, somewhat dismal since leaving Crie, lighten a bit. She spotted several different animals along the banks of the Saem and hurriedly dug her sketchbook out of Phrym’s saddle bags. On many a morning she could be found sitting atop one of the several crates at the rear of the boat, wrapped in her cloak and sketching furiously. The animals on the northern side of the river were especially interesting, mostly being the magical creatures of Felldreim. On a few occasions she was sure she spotted the predators the children of Crie had told her about.

Near the end of their journey Jahrra spent more of her time keeping Jaax company. After all, he was cramped up in that seemingly all too small cabin, forced to keep still as everyone else around him hustled about with the busy work of directing the boat down the great Saem. Jahrra imagined this was the longest he’d ever gone without taking to the sky and this forced immobility had to be wearing down on his nerves.

“Do you think we are close?” she asked as she abandoned her sketching post for the day.

Jaax shifted infinitesimally to get the blood flowing back in his wings and the River Mule rocked slightly, sending a rolling wave to lap at the distant river bank

Jahrra planted her feet and cast him a discerning look. “Remember what the captain said? This boat is barely big enough to keep afloat with you on it.”

“Am I to lose my wings due to a lack of oxygen then?” he asked wryly with a pinch of pent-up exasperation.

Jahrra gave him a pointed look. “I bet the ride would go more smoothly if you didn’t speak. I think the boat just rocked unnecessarily again. And perhaps you should keep your blinking to a minimum as well.”

She briskly walked away with the air of someone on a mission, leaving Jaax to stare after her in stunned silence.

After a while, the dragon grinned. It was a rare occurrence for Jahrra to be in a teasing mood since leaving Oescienne so he merely snorted, saving his retort for another time. It had been a relatively easy journey and Jaax was almost certain it would be a day or two more before they reached Lidien. He could manage his confinement for at least that much longer without going completely mad.

Jaax glanced up and spotted Jahrra standing on the stern of the boat, her hair being gently lifted by the wind. He couldn’t say for sure but he had the wonderful feeling that perhaps the nightmares and horror of what they left behind in Oescienne might finally be receding. Jahrra still had troubles, he knew this all too well for he was the one to offer her an ear when she just needed someone to listen to her. But he also knew that as the days crawled by it took less and less time for her to talk her worries away. Jaax suspected the visit to Crie and Thenya’s gift of the mistletoe bead might be partly to blame.

That, of course, and Jahrra’s own resolve, the same resolve that, no matter what awful things happened to her, she always managed to fight back and recover. Jaax would have to count on this tenacity to help Jahrra in the future because there was no doubt in his mind that she would face even more terror and darkness before this grand journey was through.

***

Just before dawn, on their eighth day down the river, the barge left the waters of the Saem behind for good. The River Mule, moving sluggishly in waters that had gradually widened and slowed even further, came around a final curve to reveal a great bay.

Jahrra had been snoozing, curled up on one of the crates with a blanket, when the voices of the men working the barge woke her. She rubbed her eyes, stretched and nearly gasped aloud when she caught sight of the change in scenery. Lidien, the City of Light, towered above her in a terrace pattern up the many hillsides surrounding the massive inlet. Even before the morning sunlight could touch it, Jahrra noted its beauty. It was a massive city, far bigger than Lensterans or Kiniahn Kroi, its many buildings perched upon the hills like well-placed chess pieces, dominating the northern side of the great bay in a labyrinth of stonework.

The pale rose, peach and lemon colored structures gleamed and glittered like thousands of beacons, their cheery colors painted in the richer tones of the approaching sunrise. Green patches dotted with color indicated several gardens, while narrow ribbons of white portrayed the neat roads that crisscrossed the city like veins in a leaf. The houses climbed up the vertical landscape in a beautifully chaotic staircase and Jahrra was sure she was taking part in a waking dream.

A few shouted orders were issued and Jahrra found herself scrambling to get out of the way. The River Mule rocked and the crew started the work of bringing it into port. As the large vessel maneuvered its way towards one of several docks in the distance, Jahrra tried to calm her heart as she let her eyes take in the wonder that surrounded her once again. The bay itself was enormous, almost like a small sea. Ships and boats of every size and design were scattered about like bobbing ducks, eager to start the busy day.

Jaax lifted his head from his hiding place in the center of the boat.

“Breathtaking, isn’t it? Outside of Oescienne it’s the most beautiful sight in all of the western part of Ethoes,” he said quietly, nodding to the grand cityscape spreading out before and above them.

Jahrra started but turned and gave him an enchanted glance. She simply nodded her head and returned her attention to the scene before her; the sprawling city, the water of the bay reflecting its image in shards of pinks and golds. The seabirds glided overhead, cackling and calling to one another as a cold salty breeze brushed against her skin. Shouts and whistles poured from other barges and boats, their crews posturing in mock outrage as open places along docks were snatched up or vacated before one last crate was loaded.

Finally deciding she was well enough out of the way of their own crew, Jahrra took a seat atop a pile of tarp covered boxes and pressed her back against a thick rope trailing from the roof of Jaax’s shed. Not for the first time, Jahrra wondered what her life would be like in the city of Lidien and how long she and Jaax would stay. She had fought coming here, what seemed like a very long time ago, wanting to stay in Oescienne to care for Hroombra and enjoy life with her friends. But Hroombra wasn’t here anymore and she wasn’t the simple Nesnan she thought she was. For so long Lidien had been a dream, a legendary place that, in her mind, didn’t really exist. But here they were, finally at its feet and it felt as real as any place she had ever been.

Jahrra sighed and ran her hand through her hair. She had spent the last few months with Jaax running for her life. During those many weeks she hardly had any time to really contemplate what they were running towards. She only hoped that they would stay in Lidien long enough for her to catch her breath. But right now she was going to enjoy looking upon a city that might very well be the grandest thing she had ever seen.

“It
will
get better, Jahrra,” Jaax murmured beside her. “Your pain and confusion.”

Jahrra nearly jumped, forgetting she had moved so close to him. Had Jaax somehow read her thoughts?
No
, she reminded herself a bit churlishly,
he’s just become so good at reading me.

She swallowed, her words sounding hoarser than she had wanted.

“How do you know that it will get better?”

Jaax didn’t answer for a while and all Jahrra could do was sit and listen to the sounds of a bayside city, waking up at the break of dawn, and contemplate the smell of salt and sea life on the air.