The Misadventures of Ka-Ron the Knight (60 page)

All gathered round the young knight, honoring his life and character.

Despite his age, he was bravely going into his dark sleep.

"Dorian," En-Don whispered.

The dwarf, still camouflaged as a male, stepped forward.

"Yes, boy?"

The young man put out his hand, silently asking the dwarf to take it.

Uneasily, Dorian did as En-Don wished.

"Allow me to see you as you truly are."

Dorian awkwardly nodded. The dwarf grew in height, expanded, bloated outward, and deflated to become the wondrous female glory that she secretly was. Upon seeing this miracle, even Kai was astonished - she had never seen such magic.

"Is this to your liking?" Dorian asked, absently running her fingers through her hair.

En-Don smiled. "Behold! Beauty."

The young man started to cough. A small trickle of blood trailed down the corner of his mouth.

Kai stepped forward, hovering her hands above the man's body. All eyes fell upon her. She looked at all in the room, shaking her head negatively.

En-Don had lost all time.

"Dorian," the young man forced, fighting to say each word. "Promise me&"

"Promise what?" the dwarf asked.

En-Don fought the urge to die.

"Promise me that you will always remain in this form. Rohan will need the simple joy of beauty in the seasons ahead." En-Don paused, his eyes looking far away. "Promise&me&"

Dorian started to cry, realizing that she was losing a friend. Respectfully, she kissed the young man upon the forehead, causing him to smile weakly.

"Upon the honor of the dwarf kings, I so swear."

A golden light soon surrounded the dwarf, and a psychic explosion filled the room with a fantastic force. Dorian had made it possible for her to never change into anything&ever again. Her female form magnified, showing even more beauty and strength. All inhibitions were gone. She was as she had been born: a woman.

There was a long and sacred silence to help honor the moment.

"It is good," En-Don forced himself to say.

Meekly, the man called forth his parents.

Ka-Ron shook with a terrible fear.

"My son," the knight whispered, kissing his hand.

"I love you, mother," En-Don confessed.

"And I, my son, love you."

Jatel rubbed a hand upon En-Don's head.

"Safe journeys, my son. May your sword always be sharp."

En-Don looked as if he had wanted to say something, but he soon stopped. His eyes grew wide and his body stiffened. There was something he had become aware of that was far beyond the abilities of mortal beings. He seemed both frightened and excited about the things to which he was secretly a witness.

"Let us go beyond the hill and&" En-Don's voice trailed off.

The man's breathing stopped.

En-Don had passed into the next life.

Molly and Ka-Ron collapsed in their grief.

Dorian, Rohan, and Rolmore prayed to their gods.

Keeth wept openly, and Kai was beyond comfort.

"It seems that both you and the knight have another hard fact in common," Keeth had managed to state to Kai between fits of sadness.

"What is that, wizard?"

Keeth took hold of the tortured Wicca Master's hand.

Suddenly, the hut became incredibly small and dark.

"You both now know the pain of losing a child."

Kai's eyes shut.

Her pain was almost as great as Ka-Ron's.

The funeral was a short one. All very traditional.

En-Don's body had been placed on board a small boat, dressed in what had formerly been his mother's armor. Her sword was spared, and given back to Ka-Ron by the final wishes of her son. Under normal circumstances, all Idoshians were laid to rest with their weapons at the ready. But, since En-Don was not a knight, this last was allowed. The sword would serve as a constant reminder of her son's bravery.

The body was pushed out into the middle of the village's only lake and set ablaze. The fire was brilliant. All were assured that En-Don's spirit was rightfully taken up to the gods.

In their hearts, all knew that En-Don would be waiting for them on the other side - a helpful guide, always there when comfort would be needed.

Molly was allowed, with both Jatel's and Ka-Ron's blessing, to wear a white gown, showing all in the village that she was the young man's worldly love. The woman took her loss well. She cried, suffered, and shook with grief - this was to be expected. Dorian, now forever female, took hold of her, providing much-needed support. Both women cried.

The men bowed with respect.

Such was the way of the world.

"We have Allies in Tharsish," Rolmore stated, pointing his fingers upon a rolled out map. "We can start there."

Both Rolmore and Rohan had been spending cycles looking over plans of attack. Now that Ka-Ron had reached her goal, it was time to consider their needs to serve their people.

"Upon our arrival, the king of the land has promised us a supportable army."

"This is good, considering the force we will soon be facing."

Rolmore stopped. His eyes turned sad.

"What has become of our father, Rohan?"

Rohan placed a hand upon his brother's shoulder. Both had lost much over the last few suns. Their freedom. Their land. Everything.

"Dorian has informed me of a small creature that is attached to our father's neck, near the top of his back. It was her impression that the thing had control of him."

"I saw no such creature, dear brother."

"Rolmore, Dorian would not make up such a thing. Not when it is this important." he paused. "Perhaps the creature, not knowing of dwarf females, could not bring up defense against her?"

Rolmore rolled up his maps, thinking. "If that is true, the dwarfs could become important allies."

"True!" Rohan agreed. "We must consider them, at the very least."

"Your speech has merit, Rohan."

Dorian soon approached her newly-adopted family. She had changed her clothes and was now dressed in full female garb - a last respect to a fallen comrade.

"How goes the planning?" she asked.

Both elves looked upon the dwarf woman with wonder. She was starting to "show" more and more each day.

"Dorian," Rolmore asked, "how may we approach the dwarfs for their assistance in this matter?"

"They will be angry with me for breaking the trust," the dwarf advised. "I may find myself a wanted criminal for the doing. The fact that we hide our women has been a long-standing tradition. We must proceed with caution."

"Agreed," both elves stated.

"Well, my friends, it is time we say our goodbyes."

Both Rohan and Dorian turned sad.

"It is a hard thing to leave friends." Rohan stated.

"Perhaps," Rolmore agreed. "But they, too, will be affected by this war. We will have need of them as well."

The task was put into motion.

All went to pay final respects, and to say goodbye.

Ka-Ron and Jatel, knowing of their tasks, waited outside Kai's hut. The knight's eyes filled with tears: tears of sadness for her current loss, and for the grief of friends soon to part.

"Fair journeys to you," Jatel wished, his hand extended in salute.

Dorian and Ka-Ron hugged.

"Have you decided?" the dwarf asked Ka-Ron, whispering.

The knight shared the secret, talking into Dorian's ear. She pulled away from the knight, smiling. The dwarf seemed to approve.

"Then all is good." the dwarf replied.

Both women held each other's hands, secretly celebrating.

The men, of course, were both totally mystified and left out.

There was a small commotion on the outskirts of the village. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that a group of elves, refugees from their native lands, had gathered, hoping to join both Rohan and Rolmore in their cause.

After the initial surprise, both elfin brothers turned sad.

"It has begun," Rolmore said tiredly.

"So soon?"

"War has a way of sticking to its own timetable, brother." The sea captain respectfully nodded to both Jatel and Ka-Ron. "Come, my sister, it is time for us to leave."

"I hope the best for thee," Ka-Ron solemnly wished. She kissed Dorian on the cheek.

"And I you." Dorian returned.

For a moment, no one wanted to move.

It was as if each, seeking the right words and movement, relived each experience they had shared together. Friendship had a way of reflection that seemed most painful at separation.

Then, the moment came.

One of the elves from the refugee group threw up a warning hand. It was time to leave. King Rakamore's reach was growing both far and powerful. He had spies everywhere.

"We go, my friends," Rohan said, helping Dorian upon a nearby horse. "Until we next meet."

All bowed their heads.

In a cloud of dust, the elves were gone.

The woods helped in the way only nature could. All traces of their visit were covered over with leaf, twig, mud, and wind. Rohan and Rolmore had their hands full. And only time provided the appropriate outcome.

"They will be missed."

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel discovered that they were not alone.

Kai and Keeth had joined them in their pains of seeing a friend off to uncertain ends.

"Yes," Ka-Ron agreed.

Kai stood studying the knight. The Wicca Master seemed to know something that was only privy to the inner gray regions of Ka-Ron's own thoughts. What the witch saw was uncertain.

"I liked that young elf," Keeth mused, rubbing his fingers through his beard. "The woman, Dorian, has an important aura of destiny shining around her. I wager that we have not heard the last of that one. I am honored to call them both friends. They served well. And that, if anything, is a great tribute to have."

There was a long period of silent self-reflection.

Keeth cleared his throat.

"If you will all excuse me, I have to see to the
Argo's
refit." the wizard gleamed with pride. "The ship is faring quite nicely. I am thinking about adding a machine which will allow the passenger to explore the outer blackness of the in-between spaces of other worlds. I am so excited about the possibilities."

Ka-Ron could not help but be amused.

On returning to his ship, Keeth absently tripped over a root growing from a nearby tree. Picking himself up and brushing dirt off his clothing, the wizard awkwardly waved his goodbyes. Keeth appeared to be humming a childhood tune to himself and thinking.

Kai approached both Jatel and Ka-Ron with caution.

"Come," the Wicca Master instructed. "We have business to conclude."

A troubled expression crossed Jatel's face, which, to his credit, he controlled well. Upon seeing the expression, Ka-Ron took the squire by the hand. Her eyes met his.

"Hold," the knight requested. "Let us talk of this, please."

The Wicca Master listened. And, for the first time in a rather long time, Kai was delightfully surprised.

Kai helped Ka-Ron put on her new dress with shaky hands. Both were enjoying the moment, and had a chance to share certain delightful things that women, in private, could do. The morning was proving itself to be quite wonderful indeed. There was a pleasant breeze blowing in from the harbor bay, bringing with it a crisp feeling of life renewed.

It was a delightful way to have a wedding.

"So, you have made this choice, knowing full well, that once completed, there is no way back?" Kai asked while buttoning Ka-Ron's wedding gown.

The knight turned. "Dear woman, I love the man."

"Then, it is good."

Both hugged.

"At first, Kai, your actions were what they had intended to be: a curse. Then, little by little, the sufferings cause life to became more enjoyable. I felt more alive."

Kai gave the knight a puzzled look.

"I cannot explain it more clearly than that," Ka-Ron stated in response. "All I know was that each time I fell deeper and deeper into despair, there was Jatel. Never once did he question, and never once did he falter."

The Wicca Master held out a hand in caution.

"Dear child, he was also under my spell."

"At first," Ka-Ron took hold of Kai's hands. "At first, he was. But there are forces in this universe, I have discovered, that can break any spell. I will agree that you held him at the beginning, but, his hearts took hold, later, and he did not let go." The knight's eyes began to tear. "I do love him, Kai. As sure as I know that he treasures me."

"Then, my child, do not let go!" Kai pleaded with her, holding tightly. "True love, however improbable in a changing world, can never be allowed to go unnoticed. It is the most powerful spell known, and the most desired."

"Yes," Ka-Ron agreed.

"But, take heed, child," the Wicca Master warned. "Once married, you can never turn back into a man. You will remain a woman for the remainder of your life."

"Is such a fate so bad?" Ka-Ron asked, adjusting herself in her dress.

"I should say not."

It was time to get the wedding underway.

The ceremony itself was conducted simply, with just Keeth, Kai, and Molly in attendance. The whole thing was performed under a huge tree - the oldest in the village.

"One of the most sacred acts of a wizard or witch," Keeth solemnly said, holding an ancient book open in front of both Ka-Ron and Jatel, "is the bonding of two elements into one stable solid. Of all the acts and chain of events that evoke them, love is the greatest of mysteries."

Jatel stood, quite nervous and out of place, as Ka-Ron tugged at his arm. The squire had donned his combat armor - something he rarely did outside the arena of war. He looked taller, nobler, and indeed gallant. All were impressed.

"Perhaps it is right that no wizard or witch can create love. That is what gives the act so much power."

Ka-Ron's eyes met those of her lover. They were soft and accepting. There was something the knight had always wanted, and secretly waited for - a place to call home. Who knew that she could find it via a curse and the kind heart of a lowly squire?