Journey of the Warrior Ch. 01

I acknowledged her statement and said, "I understand."

With this, she started to fade away and the glow around her slowly dissipated. It was then that I grew dizzy. Sinking to the floor, I remember nothing else until I woke up in my room again.

This time I was a bit smarter and didn't try to sit up right away. I looked to where the chair had been the first time and saw that it had been moved closer to the bed. Mellany was sitting in it this time.

She had her eyes closed when I looked at her giving me a chance to really look. Her hair was reddish blond and was cut just below her neck. Her face was a bit narrow by human standards, but it seemed to fit. She had a slender neck and fairly muscular shoulders that seemed rather wide for her build.

Looking at her chest, I saw that she had small breasts but that also seemed to fit her. Because of the height of the bed, I couldn't see much else. As I was looking she said, "Do I pass?"

"You are too beautiful for words," I said. I looked at her face again, and she smiled. Her bluish green eyes seemed to light up like a star when she did. She truly was beautiful in her way.

"Thank you, my lord," she said.

I said, "I am no lord regardless of whether your father adopted me into your family or not. You gave me your name so use mine. I don't remember my true name but what I have, be free with."

Still smiling, she said, "Very well Hawk. How do you feel?"

"Tired and hungry again," I said.

"Good," She said. "I'll send for some food for you." With that she got up and went to the door. Opening it she spoke to someone outside and then came back to her chair and sat down again.

"Someone will bring you some soup and bread in a few minutes," she said. "The healer said for you to rest and no more of the wine for awhile. He thinks that the wine caused you to faint."

I said, "Some tea would be nice. I haven't had a cup of the tea you serve in the hall in some time now."

She smiled and got up to go to the door again. Opening it, she spoke to whoever was outside, presumably asking for some tea."

When she was done she came back and sat down again and said, "I asked for a large pot of tea so that I might join you. I like it too."

"Thank you Mellany Artemus Daughter," I said. "Your beauty and your kindness gives me good cheer."

She smiled and said, "My name is Mellany Hawk's Companion now. However long we may live, that will be my name."

"There is no need to take my name unto yourself," I said.

"It is our custom. When one marries or takes to the trails as the companion to another, we take that name. I am your companion and will take the name with pride for the one who saved my people."

"No debts are owed," I said. "Let us say that what your people did for me five years ago and what you say I did for yours is enough. Let us be friends and leave it at that."

"Very well," she said. "The price for your healing was set by the gods and is in their hands. The rest is done. I wish you to have this back now though," she said, handing me a bag that I recognized.

The bag was something I had made to hold a gift for her and her sister. I had found two stones called dragons eyes. I opened it and took out one of the stones and handed it to her and said, "I intended this to be a gift for you anyway. Keep it."

She looked at the stone and gasped. "I cannot accept such a gift," she said. "It is way to valuable to take."

"It has little value to me," I said. "I meant for you and your sister to have one each after I found the pair. Take it and as a gift to one I love. I will give the other to your sister when I see her next. I wish you both to have one each."

I saw tears in her eyes as she tucked it into her belt purse. It must have been truly valuable to the elves, but I only saw a pretty stone when I looked at it. I kept the pair because they matched and I thought that the two sisters would like them. My way of life had little use for such things and I didn't seek wealth so any value meant little to me.

"Thank you," she said.

I said, "I intended to give the stones to you and your sister under better circumstances, but they were always intended as gifts. You two have given me much over the years and I wished to return it at least in part."

"I'll treasure it always," she said. "

The same servant arrived with a tray containing another bowl of soup with bread and a large pot of tea with two cups. I thanked him for it and asked if he and lady Mellany could help me sit up. I was still weak and needed a bit of help.

They helped me into a more comfortable position to eat and he bowed and left.

Mellany helped me eat the second bowl of soup as my hands were unsteady but I managed the bread alone.

After eating, she poured me a half cup of tea so I wouldn't spill it and then handed it to me. Pouring herself one, she sat in her chair and said, "When you are well enough, father wants to take you to see some horses. He has one picked out for you and wishes to show off the others."

I said, "I already have a good horse. Why would he want to give me another?"

"The one you have is saddle trained only," she replied. "He wishes to gift you with a war trained horse that will be able to fight."

"I'm not trained for fighting from horse back," I said. "I don't know the first thing about fighting that way. I know how to defend myself, but I am no warrior."

She laughed at that and said, "Cousin Deliand says different. He says that you are the best with a staff that he has ever seen and that he would not want to go against you in a real fight if you had your staff in hand."

"I know a bit about using a staff," I said. "But still, I am not a warrior. I'm a hunter and tracker who wanders the forests and mountains."

"A lonely life for one who is so kind," she said. "I don't know how you can spend so much time alone and not go mad."

"I have company all the time," I said. "When ever you're in the forest you have company if you look around. See whats there instead of thinking that nothing but trees are around you and you won't be lonely. I've shared berries with the forest bears and walked with the deer. I also keep company with one of the mountain cats now and then."

"I never thought of it that way before," she said. "I imagine that if you looked at it that way, you aren't alone in the forest. But one of the great cats? That's almost unheard of. They are usually shy and won't come near anyone. Did you know that they are as intelligent as we are?"

"Yes," I answered. "I never told you the story of how I came to this land, did I?"

"I think you told father something about it, but I never heard your tale."

"I don't know how I got here, but this isn't my world. Where I come from, the Elven people are legend only. Your country would be known throughout the world if this was my world as we have no magic, but our technology is much greater. Even our weapons are more than you could possibly imagine. We are capable of destroying cities."

"I don't know what happened, but I saw a bright flash of light and then lost consciousness," I continued. "When I awoke, I was here. I was to the north of the pass high up in the mountains when I woke up that day. I didn't know where I was, so I started heading down the slope toward the west."

I'd traveled for about half the day when I came upon a dead fall with one of the cats trapped under it. I don't know how it got there, but I didn't have the heart to kill it so I freed it. In doing so, I loosened the log sufficiently so that when I got the cat free it rolled back on me. Thats how I got the broken arm."

"The cat stayed with me for two days, which is when your fathers scouting party found me. By then, I was feverish with infection and shock form the broken arm. Since that day, when I go into the mountains, the same cat finds me and travels with me. We hunt together and she keeps me company until I leave her territory."

Finishing my story, I said, "She's the one who helped me find the dragons eyes. To me they are just stones that are beautiful but of little value. I don't need riches so I decided to give them to two beautiful women who have always had a smile for me when I visit and have always been kind to an old man. Take it as the gift it's intended to be."

"Thank you Lord Hawk. I will treasure it always as will my sister. The gift matters little compared with who the giver is."

I thanked her for her courtesy. Asking for a little help, she and the warrior outside my door helped me to the privy and then back to bed.

After lying down, I went back to sleep.

For the next several days I stayed mostly in my room except when I had to relieve myself, or I went to the bathing room. During this time I met the giant human who told me that his name was Garth. He said that he would ride with me where ever I traveled since it was by his word that I would be safe from outside interference during our duel.

I told him it wasn't necessary as it wasn't his fault but he insisted. He was as bad as Mellany and Eldranna were about it. I finally excepted and after that, we became friends.

I also met the four elves who had sworn themselves to me. I was starting to build an army, I thought. Deliand had said he would accompany me also. Five warriors, two ladies and a kings Knight. Now all I needed was the minstrels and a few dancing girls. I really didn't want this but I was stuck. Honor was starting to look less palatable.

Growing stronger, I started to go outside now and then. I found the practice yard for the warriors soon after and there I started to learn how to use a sword and shield. Surprisingly, I had some talent for it and picked it up fairly quickly, especially for a man almost 50.

Dranco gave me a sword that he said had been in his family for generations and had been last carried by his uncle until his death in battle against a large band of thieves. He also gave me a set of scale armor and an open faced helm. These gifts alone were worth more than all I had made in the five years I'd been in this land.

Lord Artemus took me to his horse pasture one day and introduced me to the young stallion he wanted to give me as a war horse. The horse was large and strong, but surprisingly quick for all that. He could spin on a full circle on his hind feet and strike with his forelegs before having to drop back down.

He could also go from a walk to a full gallop very quickly and was at his full speed with an armored rider in a very short distance. I'd never seen such a quick and intelligent horse before. I became very fond of him quite quickly.

Three weeks had passed by this time. I was now strong enough to walk up stairs to the second level so I was given a new and larger room on that floor. Eldranna told me that it had been her uncles and hadn't been used since his death. Artemus added that as long as I lived, it would be kept ready for me to use whenever I returned to the castle.

I thanked them both for the honor.

The new room was actually a suite of four rooms. One for my weapons and armor, one for a servant, one for a study and the master bedroom. The master bedroom contained two closets both full of clothing that Lord Artemus said now belonged to me. The other was full of womens clothing.

I checked the mens clothes and found that all the contents had already been altered or made to fit me. There were also several pairs of boots and shoes of various types from scale armored cavalry boots to soft soled house slippers. All fit me perfectly.

That night, I found out that the womens clothing was for Mellany and Eldranna. I think I almost had a relapse of my illness when I found that out. They expected to take turns sharing my bed now that I was stronger. It was at this point that I decided that Elven honor would be the death of me either by the surprises or the expectations involved.

I didn't know what to say, so I did the smart thing when dealing with a woman. I didn't say anything. That was one thing I'd learned real well over the years!

After looking around the apartment, Eldranna, Mellany and I went back down stairs to their fathers study. We went in and I saw that Dranco and Deliand were with Lord Artemus.

They were looking at some maps when we walked in the door and talking quietly. I heard the word 'bandits as we walked over to the desk where they were sitting.

Lord Artemus looked up at us and smiled as we approached and said, "Welcome, Hawk. We have need of your knowledge of the northern forest as it heads up into the mountains. Specifically Dragons Ridge and The Roost.

I said, "My lord, I haven't been there for quite a while, but I'll answer any questions you might have. I heard one of you say bandits as we walked in, so I assume you have a problem in the area."

"Yes," he agreed. We have had two groups of merchants robbed and several were killed in that area over the last week. I'd like to have a party scout the area and see what they can find."

"I'll go if you wish, my lord," I said. "I know the area well and I might have an ally or two up there."

"We go, you mean," said Mellany. Her sister nodded in agreement.

"Not on this," I said. "I need a few warriors to go with me, but they need to know the forest. I know what you'll probably say, but not this time. Neither of you have the skills for what we must do."

I looked at Deliand and asked, "How are you in leather armor and stealth? I need people who can walk through the woods without telling the whole world that they're there."

"Fairly good," he said. "I know a few others who are good too. Two of them have already sworn oath to you as their liege, so that won't be a problem."

"OK "I'll want two or three more, thats three so far," I said. Eldranna said, "I understand why you don't want us with you, but I do know one other. The giant one. He can sneak up on a shadow and surprise it."

"A thought," I said. "I'll ask him later. Two more now. A battle mage would be nice, but I doubt one is here."

"You thought right," said Lord Artemus. "But there is a druid living close by that can help, maybe. I'll send word to him."

He went to the door and had one of the guards send for a messenger and going back to his desk, he wrote a quick message.

When the messenger arrived, he gave the sealed letter to him and said, "Take this to the wise one in the forest. Bring his answer to me right away."

The messenger departed. Lord Artemus turned to me and said, "That leaves one more."

Dranco said, "The Master of the kennel. He was a forester in his younger days, and he's still fit."

"My lord," I asked, "can you send for the ones suggested? We need to plan this out well. We also need to get together our supplies and such, but no horses. The route we'll be going is to dangerous for horses."

Lord Artemus said, "How bout a mounted party to accompany you part way to take your horses? You'll travel faster that way and then they can meet up with the party I'll send up the main roadway. They can wait for you further on and you can have aid close by if you find anything."

I said, "Thats a good thought." I looked at Eldranna and Mellany and said, "Since you are so determined to help, you may as well accompany us part way and joint the rest of the warriors. I don't like the idea, but I'll not argue if you wish this."

They both smiled at me and agreed.

I told them, "I mean this though. You go with the main party. Don't try to follow us as you'll be endangering us as well as yourselves. I need people with woods craft skills. You don't have those skills as yet although I'll try to teach them to you later. Will you agree to this or must I ask your father to lock you in your rooms until we return?"

They both swore to the Lady that they would do this so I said that they might accompany the war party. I was truly afraid for them, but it was their choice and not mine to make as long as they stayed with the larger group.

As we discussed the coming scouting trip, the others who might join started arriving. Soon their were five more and only the druid was missing.

To be continued in chapter 2