The Exodus Sagas: Book IV - Of Moons and Myth (3 page)

“I am.”
I lied, by name I was
I suppose
, but the powers that be had placed me here after my release, it was not mine by blood or inheritance.
Though no one would likely ever know besides myself.

“Ye’ don’t look like him, unless ye’ be growin’ younger.
And yer’ accent sure ain’t Shandorian neither, me lord.
”

“He passed away
,
seven years ago actually
, I was raised, north of here
,
shall we say
.”

“Ah, sorry to hear
of it. So ye’ be the new lord
Azarris then?”

“Yes, Sodom, and my son
here
,
is
Alessandeir.”

“Well met my lord, little lord.
I
be captain Kamderr Joudeppe, royal guard of the Moon
H
ammer o’ Vundren. We o’ Fazurand had permissions then to pass through yer lands when we traveled to Marlennak. Willborne be not a land we care to march through, hostile and
treacherous and
all. Would ye’ keep the same permissions then?”

“What’s the Moon
H
ammer?” Alessandeir struggled down again, standing now next to this dwarven captain
, his head coming up to the dwarfs chest at only four years
.

“Son, the captain is surely busy, come on---“

“No, no, my lord. Tis allright. The Moon
H
ammer is the voice of our God, Vundren, the God o’ the mountains and forges, God o’ the dwarves. He lives in a place, a big old mountain in the heavens, called Mount Maonell.
We protect the Moon Hammer, and he blesses the sons o’ our kings and High Hammers between the dwarven kingdoms.” Kamderr Joudeppe smiled and took a knee next to Alessandeir
, now eye to eye with my
boy
.

“Can we go with Dada? Can we?” He looked up to me, then to Kamderr, then back to me as the
entire
honor guard for their high priest stopped, all thousand at once.

I looked to the dwarf and smiled, he nodded to me and put his armored hand on my son.

“Sorry lordly lad, but this be official dwarven business, besides, the mountains are too darn hot her
e
in harvest time. Ye wouldn’t have much fun marchin’ for a week straight.
Here
.” Kamderr dug in his pouch, found something by the raise in his brow, and put it into Alessandeir’s hands.

“What is it?” My son held up a golden necklace, the warhammer flanked by two crescent moons on a pendant, all solid gold.

“Captai
n, that is not necessary, I appreciate the
---“

“Tis fine, Lord Azarris.
That
, little lord, is the hammer and moons of Vundren. That was me brothers, he passed on a few years back
in a war in the Zuran Mountains
. I think you could have---“ Kamderr stood as Alessandeir ran back to the keep as fast as he could, pendant in hand.

“My apologies, he is but four years old. Thank you captain
Joudeppe
, tell your men they may pass and I shall honor whatever the previous lord had
arranged
.
” I smiled, amazed at the formation and discipline of the dwarves of Fazurand that had undoubtedly marched for three weeks in this fashion.

“Thank ye’, Lord Sodom, much obliged and all.”

“Do not mention it, what is the occasion, if you do not mind the pry?”

“King Rallik finally has a baby boy and he needs a blessin’, and King Therrak just had his third
or fourth
girl. To Marlennak we go, the Moon Hammer commands and such. Any news of the north, Shanador or otherwise?”

Captain Joudeppe took a drink of something that smelled of stale dark beer and smiled. He offered it to me, I refused with a smile, so he took another swig.

“The Shields of Shanador have been ordered by the council of kings and the Aldane. Fifty thousand to Kivanis. They mean to retake Rugeness from Altestan.” I hung my head, knowing that many would die there, and also that Ranny’s sons and
grandsons would likely be ordered
to fight.

“Ye’ would think with ten low kings, one high king, a hundred knights, and a hundred more lords and
four
dukes, that Shanador would
come to their senses and stop sendin’ their men to die i
n every other country
. Marlennak has two kings, and that is too much sometimes.
We have just one in Fazurand, but
e
leven
? Not adding to the wisdom much, far as I can see. No offense, my lord.”

“None taken, my vote was to the
nay
of sending our men. But, democracy means everyone votes, and the fear of Altestani soldiers
and royalty
on Agarian soil
,
means panic.”

“And panic means send a large force n’ kill everything with dark hair and
dark
eyes. Them northerners deserve it mind ye’, but surely a better plan coulda’ come from that conclave. What’s yer boy doin’ then?” The captain looked past me, toward the hill my
son was running down, arms in relentless grip
of
a leather sack
he was dragging.

I
watched him struggle, the sack
as big as he was, but his dete
rmination won out as he set it
at the dwarven captains feet. He caught his breath and smiled.

“What be this then, young lord Alessandeir?”

“For you and the Moon Hammer. There is grapefruits, oranges, sausages, bread, and
here
.” My son handed the feathered cross of Alden, silver on a silver chain, to smiling Kamderr.

“I don’t like the church, so if you have this, I can stay home with my Dada.” Clever indeed, Alessandeir smiled from under his sweaty curls, from ear to ear.

“Ha! Ye’ best get the okay from yer father though.
Ha!
”

“Tis fine.”
H
ow could I say no to my son after such an effort.

“Well then, well met Lord Sodom Azarris, little lord. My thanks and the
thanks of Fazurand upon ye’
.” Captain Kamderr Joudeppe waved his hand, picked up
the sack
of food, and put the feathered cross in his pouch.

He turned and bowed to us, and marched ahead with the royal brigade to the west. We waved, Alessandeir more than I, and he even received a few back here and there from the
occasional curious
dwarven
soldier
as they passed toward the Misathi.

“Dada?”

“Yes son?”

“Is that the first dwarves you have ever ever in your life ever met?”

“No, I know several in truth.”

“Yeah, but not a
Moon Hammer
or a
king
.”

“Actually, I do. Do you remember Azenairk Thalanaxe?”

“He is a
Moon Hammer?!”
Alessandeir smiled, running back toward our keep, yet pausing to wait for me. I followed, listening to the faint sounds of the marching dwarves fade beyond the foothills.

“No, but I should tell you about his family I suppose. For he is related to kings, did I tell you
this
already
?”
I remembered right where I left off, just a few weeks ago.

“Really?
No, umm, maybe you did. Tell me anyway, dada.
”

“Are you certain son? Tis a bit scary
,
this part
.”

“Tell me, tell me, dada. Please, and let’s have some more juice.” Alessandeir ran back toward our home. I followed, still keeping my awareness about me, still feeling as though my past could catch up at any moment, from any shadow.

“Very well.
It was the dreams of home, his childhood, and the myths
of his forefathers
that had haunted his sleeping mind
since he had left Boraduum.
Azenairk
did not know it then, but his grandfather always spoke of the mines of Kakisteele and their family of
Thalanaxe somehow being tied to---
”

“Dada?”

“Yes son?”

“When does it get scary?”

“Soon son, soon. May I continue?”

“Allright.”

“So it began when he was
very
young, still working for study time at the Temple of Vundren in Boraduum. His grandfather was out as usual, and his mother and father were…”

Azenairk IV:I

City of
Boraduum, Bori Mountains 294 A.D.

“
Wisdom is not a virtue, it is a gift that all who pay attention to life around them, shall be rewarded with in due time. The feeling of necessity to pass it on to each generation,
now
that is the blessing of Vundren.
”
---from the sermons and teachings of Wikramm Miniander, eighteenth Moon Hammer of Fazurand. Circa 1325 B.C.

“Aye!
And they say that the blue eyes is for outside, got no luck for nothin’ in the mines or underground. Tis’ why you and your drunken father is nearly outta money!” She slammed her fist on the wooden table in the kitchen.

“
Oh aye
? Well these blue eyes done fought in four wars for the king, and me father expanded
the
Thalanaxe mines after fightin’ in three others, Rhosda!” Kimmarik slammed his fist on the same table, legs creaking with each blow.

“Aye! And the mines expanded into nothin’, brave husband, and he done drank what we did have to near less than nothin’. Pentrik Thalanaxe is a known
meadpounder now, his drinkin’ be all that be left o’ his legend.” Rhosda Thalanaxe tied her black hair back, not letting her fierce brown eyed stare leave her hu
s
bands.

“
Oh aye?
Watch yer words with me father, woman!
He done received this
here
hammer from the king himself back---“ Kimmarik was cut off.

“Aye!
Previous
king, wars done back o’er a century or more now! We got nothin’ Kimmarik, and no king givin’ us anything for all that fightin’, we barely had coin for the bread and to pay yer workers
in those dead end mines
this month.” She caught her breath and started to cough. Her chest had been aching for over a decade, the arguing had not helped it either.

Kimmarik rubbed her back, cooling his temper, looking around their new, smaller, home in the lower south side of Boraduum. Brown
rough
stone reflected the candlelight and the orange fr
om the hearth. They had only three
rooms for sleeping and one main room for cooking and sitting now. It had not always been so, and he hung his head knowing that his wife, mother of their three sons, was speaking nothing but the truth. Kimmarik just refused to accept it.

“I will see what I can do, love. Maybe bishop Dalurthain got some ideas, or hells, even prayers.
Got lots on me mind now, battle comin’ n’ all that.
”
He stroked his graying black beard as he calmed down.

“Father?”

“Aye me boy, me youngest, me pride. Don’t ye pay mind there Azenairk, yer mum and I just be discussin’, tis’ all.” Kimmarik looked at little Zen
who was half hidden around the corner
, smiling
at his boy who had just turned thirteen
, rubbing his wifes back to help her cough.

“Father, one o’ the Granvangs is at the door, he wants to talk to ye’.”
Azenairk rubbed his stubble, hoping to have a beard like his brothers and father someday
, and the family
war
hammer
.

“Aye? Likely trouble down at the tavern again. Get the boys, Kimmarik.” Rhosda managed to sit, eke out a few words inbetween coughs, and then reached for some water.

“Aye. Come on little
Agrvund
, me warpriest o’ the boldest small stature. Let’s get yer’ older brothers and see what the issue be then, shall we?” Kimmarik had the hammer in one
hand and Azenairk’s hand in his
other.
He could not afford to send Zen to the temple of Vundren for training, so his youngest, blessed as they all knew he was, had been helping out there in exchange for tutelage.
He walked out the door to his home and stopped in front of his visitor.

“Thalanaxe, yer’ father got a bit o’ tab that is unpaid as o’ now, care to settle it here?” Erden Granvang tapped his pouch, pulled his black braids of beard, and smiled showing his missing teeth in the front.