The Elf King

Qenn sat huddled next to Prevost under the tarp listening to the steady tapping of the rain, his knees pressed against his chest with his arms wrapped around them as he stared out into the gloomy mist, feeling the boat rock in the waves. They were traveling north up the Spira in a long, flat, wood-planked fishing boat, moving slowly with woods and plains to the east and the Shard Peaks to the west.

  Rain began to fall shortly after they had departed Skadar Port and had not lessened in two days. Visibility was less than twenty yards in any direction, with the mist and the low hanging clouds blending with the rain to form a grey shroud around them.

  Prevost found a tarp and Qenn helped him string it up to posts belonging to a room long since removed, creating a make-shift roof to keep them somewhat dry. Kamen Ode remained apart from the group, both mentally and physically, holding his own at the front of the boat, saying nothing at all. Through the pattering of the rain, though, Qenn thought he could make out the big man weeping. He dared not ask; no one bothered him.

  They had departed the sinful city with nightmares still fresh in their minds. Kamen Ode had carried his mother aboard and laid her at the front of the boat. A burial would be set once they were ashore someplace safe. The demons would not feast on her, he cried. They had done all to her that they would.

  Qenn and Prevost had carried Kandish’s limp form and laid her next to them where they had tented the tarp. She was in a comatose state from the strain of her power, they thought. But they could only speculate on that, and the fact that she was still breathing allowed them hope that she would survive whatever process her body was struggling with.

  And out of all of Kamen’s men, only three remained alive. They stood watch at the corners of the boat, one of them stood looking ahead, more of a watch to their sunken leader than anything. None of them spoke.

  The only conversations that took place were between Prevost and Qenn, and the topics were mostly of Kandish. They spoke softly about what she had done for them, about the possibility of her death, and what they thought her body was going through. They skirted the issue about her power, though neither saw it as a downfall. She was special, they agreed.

  Qenn saw her uniqueness in a different way. Prevost noticed.

  “I think she likes you, too,” Prevost said with a slight smile, watching Qenn’s head turn quickly from her face to his. “I am simply observing.”

  Qenn shook his head incredulously. “What are you talking about?”

  “Tell her how you feel about her.”

  Qenn was stunned and slightly embarrassed. He was quiet for a moment. He was not sure how he felt about Prevost reading him as he had done. “She’s sick. I just want her to get better.”

  Prevost laughed hard. He patted Qenn on the shoulder. “Is that so?”

  “Doesn’t matter anyway.” Qenn turned his attention back to her. “I don’t think she likes me at all.”

  “I wouldn’t be so quick to jump to conclusions.” Prevost stared out across the Spira. “Women don’t always want a man to know how they feel.”

  “Why do you think that is? I mean with Kandish.”

  “She keeps herself well protected.”

  “What do you mean?” Qenn brushed a few strands of her red hair away from her ears.

  “I mean, she’s a tough girl. She probably didn’t start out that way. And now she keeps everyone at a distance so she doesn’t get hurt.”

  Qenn didn’t respond. He remembered the first time he saw her, shackled in the wagon. Prevost was right. She was tough. She had to be.

  “You’re going to be okay,” he whispered into her ear when he thought no one was looking.

  Qenn spent the first day and night doing nothing but stroking her red hair and using his body as a shield against the wind. He wanted to be there when she awoke, he wanted her to know how important what she did was. He remembered the last words she gave him, and only now understood why she did so. The pain and worry he saw in her eyes then was still fresh in his memory. She was so beautiful, he thought. She shouldn’t have to carry such a burden. Prevost was right again when he thought she must have been through a lot because of what she could do. That would explain why she was so distant, Prevost had told him. But she was wrong about him. When she awoke, he wanted to make her see that she had nothing to be ashamed about.

  As nightfall crept in and the temperature dropped, the rain became that much more cumbersome. Qenn brought up the idea to Prevost of landing the boat and finding some shelter for the night, but Prevost shot down the idea almost instantly. He told Qenn that they would put as much distance between them and the nightmare they had escaped from. Turning inland would leave them open to the demons lurking, maybe even following.

  Qenn offered no retort, finding the other’s last statement discomforting. They had been followed it seemed from the moment they left Meadow. Why would he think it should be otherwise now?

  Prevost offered Qenn to sleep, assuring him that he would be woken if Kandish’s condition changed at all. Qenn sighed, then lied back, struggling to get comfortable. He tossed for several hours. It was well into the night by the time his eyes remained closed and his mind shut down long enough for him to sleep.

  The morning of the second day brought no hope to anything, as Qenn woke up to find everyone in their places and the rain pouring steadily. Sometime during the night however, Kamen had brought his mother’s body over to rest with them. Qenn was unsure why it had mattered now, and his questioning look to Prevost went unanswered. Prevost looked as if he had not slept at all, and none of them had anything to eat, he knew. He quietly asked Prevost what the odds were that they would stop long enough to forage for some food. Prevost thought about it for a moment, then rose and met with Kamen at the front of the boat. Their talk was very brief, and when Prevost returned, all he told Qenn was, “Soon.”

  It was then that Qenn brought up the subject of their whereabouts. As he began talking, he noticed Kamen Ode listening.

  “Where are we heading?”

  Prevost was relaxed as usual. “North.”

  Qenn was hoping for a better response. “Thank you, Prevost. But north to where? Where is this river taking us?”

  “Do you know where it is that you need to go, elf?” Kamen responded, his voice was laced with bitterness. “You do, don’t you? Did she show it to you as well? Did you see it?”

  Qenn was uncertain what the other was referring to, but he knew Kamen was serious. He thought about his wording carefully. “I know that Kandish and I are on a mission of great importance. I know that the war is coming and that we have to act to stop it. Exactly where we are going, no, I don’t know.”

  “Did she tell you that?” Kamen was turning angry. “Did the Seer show you a vision?”

  “No. A sorcerer showed me. Before we left Skadar Port, he found us and told us what was happening. He showed us a vision of what would happen if the demons were not stopped. Tane went with him to fight with the army. When he took my brother, he told me what I must do. He also said that I would have help. I believe that help was you.”

  Qenn stared into the angry eyes of Kamen Ode for a brief second, then looked away as if he had done something wrong.

  Kamen walked over to them, stopping at the edge of the tarp, still standing in the rain. His face was a tangle of angry lines. His eyes held dangerous thoughts. “And what if I don’t help you? What if I have my own plans?”

  Qenn shrugged. He had not given that thought. “Then help will be found elsewhere.”

  Kamen Ode was furious. “Do you have any idea what help you will find? None! No one would be foolish enough to go where it is you need to be! No one!”

  Kamen stormed away to the bow, then wheeled back sharply. “You are going to Creatia! A swampland infested with disease and horrors that you have never seen before. The home of the demons that attack us! You will never make it out of there alive! We will all die there!”

  Kamen stopped screaming, though his face and eyes were still washed in anger. “We will
search for a Faerie creature and take something from it, something powerful. We will carry that weapon down into the earth where the Takers are born, the very origin of the monster that hates us! And no one can help you after that! No one can save you!”

  Qenn stood to his feet, angered. “That is where I must go! I don’t care if you come or not! Port the boat and I’ll get off now if you’d like!”

  Qenn calmed, realizing that he was screaming. His tone eased, his voice turning into more of a plea than a demand. “My brother went off to fight this war and is counting on me to help. I will go alone if I must.”

  Kamen Ode screamed in response and returned to his position at the bow, mumbling viciously to himself. Qenn took his seat next to Prevost. “What was that about?”

  Prevost shrugged. “He knows something. Whatever it is, he doesn’t like it.”

  “He doesn’t have to help me.” He regretted his attitude right away, knowing well and full that he would hate leaving his current company.

  Qenn turned then to Prevost, his anger gone. “I didn’t mean what I said. I mean, it’s true. None of you have to go with me. But I don’t think I would make it without you all.”

  Prevost smiled. “I doubt you’ll be by yourself, Qenn.” He pointed to his left, far across the wide span of water. The mist was thinned and the Shard Peaks were visible. “Shard Peaks. Impassible to any man.”

  Qenn saw the mountains and thought they resembled broken glass. All angles and slopes, jagged tops split like scissors for as far as the eye could see. The base of the mountains ended on the western bank of the Spira, making Qenn feel small. He was in awe at the sight, momentarily forgetting everything he was concerned with.

  Still staring off in the distance, he said to Prevost, “You’re right. I do like her. Since the first time I saw her.”

  Prevost kept his gaze fixed on the mountains. “Well, what are you going to do about it?”

  Qenn looked back down to Kandish’s face. “I don’t think she’s ready to let someone in yet. Not me, anyhow.”

  Prevost moved in close to Qenn. “Would you rather live all your life not knowing what could have been?” They were quiet for a moment, then Prevost added, “Tell her. It might change your whole life.”

  “Have you ever been in love, Prevost?”

  Qenn saw Prevost’s face shift then, the look in his eyes made Qenn wish he could take back his question. He scrambled then, thinking of something else to say, but Prevost began talking.

  “When I was young. There was a girl in a village. I was too unsure of myself back then, so I said nothing to her.” Prevost paused, lost in a distant memory. He turned suddenly and stared hard at Qenn. “You tell her how you feel while there is time, Qenn.”

  Qenn looked down to the water. He did not wish to intrigue further. But the feeling was new to him, and he was worried. “What if she shuts me out even more?”

  “What if you’re the one she’s been waiting for all this time?” Prevost patted him lightly on his shoulder and gave him an encouraging nod. “Take a chance, my friend.”

  Kamen barked for everyone to be alert then, as they passed through a pocket of thick fog. Prevost joined Kamen at the helm, watching for rocks, until they were through. Qenn didn’t move, other than to hold Kandish protectively. The fog disappeared and Prevost returned by his side. He patted Qenn on the shoulder for support, and they were about to continue their conversation.

  Then Kandish spoke.

  “Where are we?” her voice cut the silence like clouds through the Shard Peaks.

  Qenn turned to her immediately, and found she was already looking at him. Her eyes held his and the corners of her lips bent upwards. But in a blink of an eye, that was gone and she turned quickly away from Qenn, walking away to stand in the rain.

  “Kandish?”

  As Qenn rose to follow, Prevost reached out and held him in check. “Let her be. She needs time.”

  Qenn had a hard time with that, but he did as directed. He simply stared at the back of her, waiting for her to turn and rejoin them.

  “I’m not so sure I can tell her, Prevost.”

  Before anything further could be discussed, Kamen Ode directed the boat to the eastern shore where the bank was low and sandy and the forest was thinned out enough for them to come ashore. By the time they had the boat landed, the rain began to diminish, though the sky around them remained ash-grey. Kamen and his rugged men pulled the boat ashore, pulling it far enough out of the water that the current would not pull it back. Qenn noticed that Kandish didn’t look at anyone. She kept to herself. Even more-so than Kamen.

  Once on land, the group split up and foraged for food. Kamen Ode brought his mother’s body into the woods and began to dig a grave for her. The others tried to help, but he quickly dismissed them. None of them pressed the issue. They simply went off in pairs, fishing or foraging, leaving the big man to his sorrow. An hour passed and the groups returned with fruit and fish. With the area as clear as it was they decided they would permit a small fire for cooking. If someone were to come up on them, they would be seen in time for the group to prepare, or even to launch back into the cold Spira. But the meal went uneventful, and when finished, the group was in no hurry to leave the warmth of the fire.

  Until Kandish and Qenn made eye contact.

  “How are you feeling?” Qenn asked her. Qenn sat next to Prevost, across from Kamen and Kandish, with the other three filling in the gaps on both sides.

  “I don’t need you looking after me.” Kandish shifted around uncomfortably.

  “I didn’t think—”

  Kandish rose to her feet suddenly. “Just leave me alone! Everyone.”

  There was a fire in her eyes that matched the one burning between them as she stared at Qenn until he looked away. Angry with herself, she turned and walked back to the boat. No one said a word until she was out of earshot.

  “Give her time,” Prevost said softly to Qenn. The others didn’t seem to care enough about it to give them any sort of attention. They had other concerns that seemed more important than a red haired girl who wouldn’t speak.

  “I don’t think time will help anything.” Qenn looked back to the boat, but could only barely make out her form as she sat wrapped by her arms. He sighed.

  “She’s scared,” Kamen Ode grunted. He picked at the fire aimlessly with a stick. His face was a mesh of anger and bitterness.

  “What would she have to be scared about?” Qenn defended.

  “She’s scared, Qenn, because she has a power. I don’t think she knows how to handle it. She could kill us all.”

  Qenn was on his feet instantly. “If she wanted you dead, you would be.” He kept his voice hushed, but his tone was not overlooked. Without really thinking about what he wanted to say, he added, “She’s probably the only one out of us all that is not scared. She knows what has to be done, and she’s still here. She’s not talking about leaving because it would be too dangerous.”

  He regretted what he implied the moment his mouth shut. Now all of Kamen’s men turned towards him. They all looked offended. Prevost was the only one who merely shrugged it off and went back to staring at the red and yellow flames. Qenn knew he over stepped his ground and would have apologized but Kamen began his retort right away.

  “I know what is going to happen, too. I was shown before we left Skadar Port.” He moved close to Qenn now, within arm’s length. “And even before that. When I was a kid, I was shown an image. One that promised of my mother’s death. I did everything I could to change that. To fight it. To make her see that those dreams and visions did not always come true. But I was wrong. They do. They always do! We’re cursed, all of us!”

  Kamen kicked out the fire with a few sweeps of his legs then stormed back to the boat. His men followed. Prevost rose and stood next to Qenn for a moment, watching the others scramble to put the boat into the water.

  “I didn’t mean what I—” Qenn tried, but Prevost cut him short.

  “He’s not
mad at you, elf. His inner demons are tormenting him. He has already lost his battle. It’ll take some time for him to settle, if he ever could.”

  “What are you talking about?” Qenn whispered.

  “His mother, of course.”

  Prevost moved in closer to Qenn and they slowly walked for the boat. “He knew since he was a kid that she was going to die. For some odd reason, she had shown him what was to happen. It scared him that he could not save her. He blamed himself right away. He fled Skadar Port, thinking that if he wasn’t around, then her vision would not come true. Then this business with the Takers started and all the Seers began dying, and he knew he had to return to find her, to save her.”

  Prevost paused, looking to Qenn as they stood at the water’s edge. “I would not think that he is scared of anything now. Not with nothing to live for.”

  Qenn watched Prevost turn and get on the boat. He followed a step behind, aware of the others watching him. He said nothing to anyone. He simply looked at the planked deck and walked over to sit beneath the tarp once again, feeling the boat shift away from shore and back into the rough current. He tucked his legs under his arms and pressed them close to his body, resting his chin on his forearms. Everyone was upset with him. He might think twice about speaking to any of them again, he thought.

  A hand patted his shoulder. He heard Prevost whisper. “It’ll clear. No worries.”

  The remainder of the day went without incident. The weather was warmer going into evening, with no sign of rain going into the night. As the group took turns at watch, the others found places to rest through the night. The sky was open overhead, stars shining luminously within the light of the moon, which was somewhere beyond the tree-line out of sight. The Spira bent and twisted around towering jagged rocks that looked like teeth in the darkness. All aboard the flatbed boat were asleep, save for Kamen Ode, standing at the bow, staring forward into the night.

  It was sometime a few hours before sunrise when Qenn awoke. He could see Kamen on watch, but it took him a few minutes to realize that the other was staring back at him. From what he could see in the mask of shadows, Kamen was looking right at him. Qenn thought about closing his eyes, but decided to sit upright. Within a few moments, he found the courage to stand. Nothing stopped him then from walking over to the big man.

  “I’ll take watch, if you want to sleep.” Qenn offered, but saw right away the other’s refusal. “I can’t sleep anyhow.”

  He stood next to a silent Kamen Ode for a few moments, listening to the water splash against the boat, staring off into the distance. Qenn felt uncomfortable, and wanted to make things right with Kamen.

  “Sorry about what I said earlier. I was scared that you would leave. I don’t think we can get there without your help. I don’t know where to go. Kandish spent more time with the Seer than I did. Maybe she knows. But she’s not talking.”

  Kamen Ode kept staring straight ahead. “We are about half way up the Spira. We’ll have to shore the boat at Tannindell.”

  He grunted to himself, turning towards Qenn. “We’ll travel west then, through the Pikes and into Creatia. Very dangerous, all the way.” Kamen laughed. “Tannindell makes Skadar Port look like a sanctuary!”

  Qenn had no response. He waited for the big man to finish, knowing that he had a history in the prison at Tannindell. Qenn said nothing about it though. If Kamen wanted to share, he would do so on his own choosing. Qenn did however spit out one question.

  “Will you help us then?”

  Kamen stared at him for a moment before answering. “I will take you as far as I can.”

  Qenn heard his words, but saw something else in the big man’s eyes. He wasn’t sure what Kamen Ode was keeping secret, but knew whatever it was, he didn’t like it. “Well, thank you. I mean, for changing your mind.”

  “It was never my decision.”

  “Sure it is. You could leave now. That would be your decision.”

  Kamen’s head arched back as he stared skyward. “Goodnight, Qenn.”

  Qenn remained where he was for a moment longer, hoping Kamen would change his mind and continue their conversation. But as his lingering became awkward, he said his goodnight and returned back to sitting under the tarp. He stayed awake for a while, just watching Kamen, thinking about what he had said, and wondering what he purposely left out.

  He looked to his left, his head barely turning to where Kandish slept. She was curled into a ball, her long coat covering her, her right arm was her pillow. Red hair moved slightly in the breeze, covering the soft features of her face. He turned his thoughts over to her, as if he had a choice. It took him a long time to fall asleep again, but when he did finally drift away, there was a smile on his face.

  Kandish stared at Qenn through the breaks in her hair, her eyes open to barely a crack. She had been watching him since before he had sat up and went to speak with Kamen. She had been thinking of him since long before even that. He was in her mind at the time her magic released, there even when she was unconscious from its usage. When she had come to, and saw him looking over her, her worries were washed away momentarily and the only thing she wanted to do was to stay next to him, close to him and let everything else fade away.

  CHAPTER TWENTY