Chapter IV:
The Forest of Heyan
The Great Road
Lord Havoc and Volthamir continued their journey in silence until they had passed through the rest of the city. There was a large settlement on the eastern shore of the river called Estam, which they passed through during the night without so much as a word. The main road then turned sharply toward the northwest, following the shores of the Amla lake for twenty leagues. This portion of the road was well worn and broad. It saw a great deal of traffic both from traders in Ramlos and worshippers at Sten-Agoni, and as a result there were many deep grooves carved into both dirt and stone.
This whole region of Amlaman was arid and flat; little grew there aside from patches of dry grass and thorny bushes. In between these the ground was littered with stones and occasionally a spidery little tree or two. Closer to the lake, however, the land quickly turned to green and there were farms and groves in abundance. The life of that region was tied to the Razrin River; where it flowed, the people prospered. Everywhere else seemed empty and barren.
There were many towns and settlements built along the shores of the lake. These Lord Havoc took some pains to avoid. They left the road for two leagues to pass around a large town called Raysii, because Lord Havoc did not wish to, 'trouble the guards'.
'But we are no brigands,' Volthamir protested as they turned away from the flickering lights of Raysii toward the east.
'Nonetheless, I do not feel like answering questions at this hour.'
So the two walked around the town, staying about a stone's-throw from the eastern wall as they passed.
'We will need to rest eventually, right?' Volthamir said, already feeling his strength leaving him.
'You must grow accustomed to this sort of travel,' Lord Havoc said, ignoring his question. 'If you are to be what your uncle wants you to be,' he added.
'And suppose I don't want to be what the King desires,' Volthamir asked boldly.
Lord Havoc paused for a moment and then said, 'Then you will have even more need of endurance.'
The travelers continued all through that night until they came to a small town called Tamlos-Ami. There the road turned toward the east.
'We will stay here for the day,' Lord Havoc said as they approached the gates of the town. 'There is someone who I must find here.'
They entered the town quietly in the early morning, while the world was yet gray and dark. They managed to pass the guard without being noticed. 'It is a good art to master,' Lord Havoc commented, 'to enter unseen, yet without sneaking or skulking. Then you can have both the trust of your enemies as well as the advantage over them. For they cannot be wroth since you did not deceive them, but they will be caught just as unaware as if you had crawled through the windows like a cat.'
Volthamir gave him a strange look.
'My Prince,' Lord Havoc said politely, 'You will find that almost anything can be made into a lesson. And if you wish to be a master someday, you must first be a student. The better student you are, the better a master you will become. That is my task. So do not be too surprised if you find me lecturing at random.'
They came to the center of the town where the road turned east. There were many shops nearby; there was a cobbler's shop and a blacksmith as well as an inn. They entered the inn quietly and found a dark corner to disappear to. Lord Havoc sent Volthamir to find the inn-keeper and to buy them some ale and some food. In a short while he returned to the table bearing two large mugs of ale and the promise that the keeper would soon follow. Shortly afterwards two small quails were brought to them, roasted and salted. They had eaten nothing since they left Japhrian nearly a day ago, so they made short work of all that was on their plates: Two birds, a large loaf of bread, and a few apples. After they had finished, Volthamir pushed his ale away from him and leaned back. He looked at Lord Havoc intently.
The old knight was not wearing his usual garb, though he still wore a chain shirt, hidden beneath his cloak. But his dark armor and crimson cape were nowhere to be seen. In this way he was able to avoid being recognized while they traveled. As he sat looking at his master, the thought occurred to him that he knew nothing of this man's history. He remembered him from his childhood, always brooding about the palace in his dark armor, or sitting in council with the king with his silver hair neatly combed. But he knew very little else about his new master. He also noticed that, despited all the years that had passed, Lord Havoc seemed not to have aged a day.
'Lord Havoc,' he said after some thought. 'For whom are we waiting?'
'We are not really awaiting a whom, but a what.'
'A "what"?' Volthamir asked.
'Yes, to speak correctly, we are waiting for a whom with a what in tow,' Lord Havoc laughed as he spoke.
'You love to speak in riddles,' Volthamir grinned.
'We are not yet in Ramlos, my prince,' Lord Havoc reminded him. 'Remember, I have promised to tell you all in due time. Have no fear, for I do not lightly make promises.'
'Very well,' Volthamir said before finishing the last drops of his ale. 'But perhaps at the very least you can tell me where you are from.'
Lord Havoc put his mug down on the table hard. He looked at Volthamir with a stern look in his eyes. Volthamir sat there stone-faced, waiting for Lord Havoc to respond. 'I can see that I do not have to hide anything from you,' he said. 'But you are not the only one with ears in this town.'
After waiting for nearly an hour, the inn-keeper arrived with something in his hand. As he approached, Volthamir could see that it was a large black bird, perched atop his wrist. 'Our whom has arrived with our what!' Lord Havoc exclaimed.
'Hail, Lord Havoc,' the inn-keeper said as he tried to catch his breath. 'I have kept the bird, just as you asked.
'And what is this on his foot?' Lord Havoc asked as he fingered the tiny string tied to the bird's claw. 'I asked you to feed the bird, my dear Erkin, not to imprison him.'
The inn-keeper's face turned white and he bowed low, 'Forgive me master Havoc,' he said with a broken voice. 'The bird was intent on flying away, and I was afraid that he would be lost and I would be blamed.'
'Arus will not be easily lost, even if you wanted him to be,' Havoc laughed. Lord Havoc untied the string and the crow hopped onto his shoulder, warily eying the old inn-keeper. 'At any rate, you have done what I have asked at least. Here is your money. One gold coin was our deal, correct?'
'Indeed, my lord,' the innkeeper said humbly. 'A most gracious reward for such an honor.'
'If it is too gracious, perhaps I ought to give you only half.'
The innkeeper's face turned white again and he opened his mouth, but no sounds came out. Lord Havoc laughed and handed him a shining golden coin. 'Do not worry, Lord Havoc does not hold back his wages.'
When the innkeeper had left them they began to speak again of their journey and their mission. Lord Havoc gave the crow scraps of the meal they had just finished. 'Education, and the defense of Ramlos,' Lord Havoc said soberly, 'Neither of them are small matters. But I have a feeling that you are very nearly ready for the task. But before that we must make our way to Ramlos. We have had a good start, but it is still many leagues away.'
'How far is it along the road?'
'It is nearly two hundred leagues by the northern road, but our own journey will be somewhat longer. I intend to pass through the Heyan Forest, which will slow us down quite a bit.'
'Why would we need to pass through Heyan? The western road will take us to the north more quickly.'
'We will make it to the north in due time. There are things in Heyan that you must first see.'
'Remember your promise, Lord Havoc. You will unravel all of these riddles when we get to Ramlos.'
'Indeed. I will unravel everything, and perhaps some things before we even arrive. But I will say nothing so long as we are within the borders of Amlaman.' Lord Havoc fed another piece of meat to the crow. He looked at the crow for several minutes with an intent expression, as though he were li
stening to someone's speech. Finally he turned once more to Volthamir and spoke, 'Ah, I have forgotten to introduce you to Arus!' Lord Havoc moved his hand up to his shoulder and the bird hopped lightly onto his wrist. 'This is Arus,' he said, 'the greatest of all black crows. He is a very cunning bird, as far as they go. He has been my companion on many long journeys.'
'Why were you waiting for him here?'
'Your uncle doesn't trust him,' Lord Havoc laughed. 'And who can blame him? Didn't I just say that he was cunning? So I left him with Erkin; that way I would not have to trouble your uncle. He is convinced that little Arus here is a spy.' Lord Havoc grinned, 'And he may be a spy for all we know. He disappears for long periods of time to nobody knows where and then returns suddenly with no explanation at all. I'm sure your uncle imagines that he is flying to Titalo or some other unseemly land to spread rumors and tell tales.'
The two men left Tamlos-Ami just as the sun began to set. They restocked their sacks and made their way through the eastern gate, following the main road. They walked all through the night, stopping to rest only three times. Volthamir was no weakling, but he was still awestruck by Havoc's endurance.
For two nights they followed the road toward Daufina. But just when they were about half way to the mountains, Lord Havoc stopped and turned toward the north. 'This is where we must part with ease and strike out off the road,' Lord Havoc said. 'The Heyan forest lies within a half-day's march to the North from this spot. If we can make it to Soleya by tonight we will be safe from this accursed wind for the better part of our journey.'
At first this part of their journey was quite difficult. There were many thick bushes and tall weeds growing on the northern fields that blocked their way. When they couldn't find a way around them Lord Havoc chopped them away with his mighty blade. In this way they hewed themselves a path away from the road and through the wilderness that lay between them and the forest. After three hours of this they came to a more open country. The ground began to rise gently, but the bushes and the grass became tamer. Here and there they passed by farms and villages, some abandoned, others lively with busy peasant farmers going about their business. They passed all of these without stopping. Lord Havoc seemed to have it set in his mind that they would make it to Soleya by nightfall.
The Master of Soleya
Sure enough, just as the sun went down they found themselves walking into a small hamlet under the protection of many tall fir trees. Almost at once the cold winter winds were beaten back by the thick trees of the forest and the air grew still. When they neared the center of town an old man hurried out to greet them with a torch. 'Lord Havoc!' he called with a glad look on his face. 'You've returned to the north!'
'Indeed,' Lord Havoc responded, 'And I have brought with me young Volthamir, the prince of Amlaman.'
Upon hearing that, the man bowed low to the ground with some difficulty. Volthamir looked away, not caring for the adoration. 'We are honored beyond words,' the man said, still on the ground.
'Rise, old father,' Volthamir said coldly.
'The prince has come to help us in our war against the goblins,' Havoc said proudly.
The old man rose from the ground and smiled. 'Then we will be safer than we've yet been. For we have heard that Lord Vars himself trained the young man. If he is half the man Vars is, he will do well.' The man paused for a moment and then continued, 'But I am sure that the prince will prove himself better than his master in due time.'
'Of that I have little doubt,' Lord Havoc said with a polite laugh. There was a brief silence and then Lord Havoc spoke. 'We have been walking without rest for some two and a half days. A room and a bed would be a very welcome change.'
The old man's eyes lit up and he bowed low again. 'Then you must follow me, my lords. You will stay with me, for I am the master of this village, if a village it can be called. I know it is a far cry from the thick palace walls at Japhrian. But we have wool blankets and roaring fireplaces that can at least beat the hospitality of the cold wilderness. Follow me, lords,' he said, 'I am called Effren. If you need anything of me, do not hesitate to call me or one of my servants.'
Soleya was a pleasant little village, built in a large clearing at the southern tip of the Heyan forest. There was a small road that led out of the village and curved swiftly to the west. They followed this road for about a half hour until they came to the center of the town. The road was smooth and well kept, and along it there were built several shops and many nice homes. Being the southernmost settlement in Heyan, they profited greatly from the furs and berries that were gathered in the woods. They kept a sizable force of hunters and trackers employed in the preservation of the trails and in the security of the southern woods. For this labor they exacted a significant levy from all those that sought to pass through their territory with merchandise. This traffic made them wealthy; and it made Effren, the elder of the village, even more wealthy.
They were led to a large log house on the northern side of the village. Just as the door opened, Arus flew away into the darkening sky and vanished. Lord Havoc sighed and followed the old man into the house.
When they entered the house they were met by a very welcome blast of hot air that seemed instantly to drive the cold winter chill from their bones. They could see a large fireplace just in the other room with a strong flame whipping about. Effren brought them into the room and sat them down at a low table and called for his daughter. Ethla, answering her father's call, bowed low and without a word she brought a pitcher of water and a bowl to wash their hands and feet. Volthamir would have refused her, but Lord Havoc gave him a harsh look. He relented and allowed her to wash his feet with a soft rag. When she was done, a great meal was carried in by two servants on large wooden platters. They placed these on the center of the table and started to place portions on each plate.
Ethla left for a few minutes and then returned, now dressed in a pleasant green dress with a fur shawl over her shoulders. Following after her entered Effren's wife, Arani. The two ladies took their place at the master's side, the daughter on the left and the mother on the right. In the bright firelight they seemed to shine with health and beauty. 'The ladies of Soleya are truly enchanting,' Lord Havoc said with a gleam in his eye. 'Their beauty is only beaten by their hospitality,' he said. The daughter's cheeks turned red and the mother bowed low.
'And my lord's words are too kind,' Lady Arani said.
The meal consisted of roasted lamb, flaky biscuits with mounds of butter, and tall mugs of cider. When they had finished, the servants returned and washed their hands. Then they brought out a platter piled high with dried fruit and small honey cakes.
'Tell me, young Volthamir,' Effren asked when they had all finished their meal. 'What brings you to Heyan? Would it not have been much faster to follow the eastern road along the foothills? I am indeed glad that you chose the slow and winding forest paths, but if I can spare you some difficulty in your coming journey as well as grant you rest from that part you've already finished, I would be more than happy.'
'I am following Lord Havoc,' Volthamir said coldly. 'And he insists upon this road, so I will take it.'
'We are not making for the Daunrys immediately,' Lord Havoc explained politely. 'We are first going to Ramlos to give orders to the army there. Then we will set out along the northern road with a great force to make an end of the goblins of the coasts.'
'This is more than you've told me,' Volthamir complained.
'Don't worry, my prince,' Lord Havoc laughed. 'You will know more than old Effren when we get to Ramlos. But I have not mentioned it until now because I had not yet been fully decided on our course.'
After they had talked a little more, the servants returned and cleared away their dishes. Arani and Effren bid them goodnight and left them in the dining hall. Ethla rose and beckoned them to follow her. Her unshod feet gently sailed over the wooden floors as she led them through a long hall and brought them at last to two large rooms. She lit a candle in each of them and then bid the
men goodnight, kissing each softly on the hand.
In the morning, Lord Havoc woke Volthamir from his sleep with a loud knock on his door. Volthamir rose swiftly and was standing at the door, dressed and prepared to leave before he could knock a second time.
'You are ready to leave already?' Lord Havoc asked.
'I see no point in remaining here any longer,' Volthamir said.
'And what about rest?' Lord Havoc asked.
'You are always trying to mock me,' Volthamir complained. 'You know as well as I do that you have no intention of remaining here. Nor do you want me to desire such a thing.'
'You are a swift learner, my prince,' Lord Havoc laughed. 'Come, we will eat and then take to the road. We will now travel by day, for the forest is filled with black wolves, and it would be folly to try and make it past them in the darkness.'
They ate breakfast with the master and his wife ere they departed. They were given generous portions of ham along with toasted bread with cheese. When they finished this the master of the house rose and took each of their hands in turn, saying, 'Thank you for granting me the honor of serving you, my lord and protector.'
They left the house and made their way east to a small dirt road, which they followed north for the rest of the day, stopping only twice to refill their waterskins. 'The streams in this wood are all clean,' Lord Havoc said. 'While you wander about in Heyan, you at least can rest easy that you will not die from thirst. But that is not to say the forest is safe. Even as he spoke, a long howl ripped through the air. 'The black wolves are cunning hunters,' he said. 'But they fear fire, as do all wild beasts.'
'Then we had better gather some extra wood tonight,' Volthamir said, stooping low to grab a dry branch from the path.
In a short while they had a large fire going, and alongside it a great pile of logs and dead branches. Lord Havoc had gone to fetch one last bundle of wood ere the darkness came. He returned, just as the light failed with Arus upon his shoulder. 'He is truly the cleverest of all crows,' Havoc told Volthamir when he was finally seated in front of the fire. Another howl rang out in the darkness, this one was much closer than before. It was followed by two more from somewhere to the west. The howls grew louder and nearer as the night wore on. 'Did you know that master Arus can chase away wolves?'
'No, I did not know such a thing,' Volthamir answered, looking stone-facedly into the fire.
'He can,' Havoc explained, 'If I give him the command, he will lead these brutes far away.'
'Do as you wish,' Volthamir said. Lord Havoc whispered something to the bird in a strange language. Arus almost immediately sprung from his shoulders and flew out into the darkness away from the fire.
At first they could hear sounds like growling in the bushes nearby, but as time wore on the sounds grew more distant. Even the howling faded away little by little until finally the forest was silent. Then, as though relieved of the fear of the wolves, all the noises of the woods returned and filled the empty woods with strange and wild tones.
'How long will we be in Heyan?' Volthamir asked when some time had passed.
'We have another day at least until we find the Darvnas River, which flows north from the Daunrys Horn. We will follow that until we come to Ferwur. From that village we will go due east to the main road. Then it is another hundred leagues to Ramlos, and you will finally see the old home of your uncle. But that part of the journey will take at least a week on foot.'
Volthamir shook his head ever so slightly.
Arus and the Black Wolves
Arus flew into the darkness and made his way swiftly through the trees. In less than a minute he came upon a pack of wolves as they roamed through the woods. He landed silently upon a branch above them and watched them in secret for some time. 'What prey do you hunt tonight?' the bird said, breaking the silence with his shrill voice.
The wolves started and began to growl and snap at the crow. But Arus was too high for them to reach.
'Come,' he said, 'I will lead you to some carcass that you may fill yourselves with.' Just as he prepared to fly off and bring them to some fallen beast or some slumbering animal, he was answered from among the wolves.
'Who are you, little one,' the voice asked, 'that you would command my pack?' A very large black wolf now approached him in the darkness. He was much larger and fiercer than the others; as he passed they moved aside to create a path, lowering their shoulders toward the ground and whimpering in submission.
'I am Arus, Lord of Crows,' the bird answered, 'Or so I am called.'
'Called by whom?' the wolf growled.
'I am called that by myself,' Arus laughed, 'And I am called that by the men that you hunt this night. What are you called, Wolf-lord?'
'I am Ghastin,' the wolf snarled, 'and we are all very hungry. It has been some time since we were able to fill our bellies with the flesh of men. The woodsmen are too cautious these days.'
'So I have guessed right,' Arus said gleefully, 'You are indeed hunting the two that are encamped nearby.'
'We are,' the wolf affirmed, 'but what business it is of yours I cannot imagine.'
'I have come here to help you and to warn you. The men you are hunting are no mean warriors. The one is Prince Volthamir thos Amlaman, the other is Lord Havoc, of whom I trust your keen ears of heard.'
'I fear neither,' the wolf said coldly, 'and the meat of a prince would be welcome in these cold months.' Arus just laughed. The wolf snapped and leapt against the trunk of the tree on which the bird perched. He coiled himself against the middle of the trunk and sprung like a serpent up to the branch upon which Arus stood. The bird was too swift, and Ghastin's razor sharp teeth snapped through the branch. He fell back to the ground and landed softly on skillful feet. He spit the wood from his mouth and growled.
'If you do not fear Lord Havoc, lord wolf,' Arus said, now perched on a much higher branch, 'then you are more foolish than your brutish servants. But there is more to be feared for you than he alone.' Arus looked the wolf in the eyes and for a moment the crow's eyes gleamed like flames in the darkness. 'There are powers greater than Lord Havoc at hand.'
The wolf's lip curled in anger, revealing long white teeth. But he read something in the crow's eyes that gave him pause. 'What then would you have us do?' he asked, suddenly seeming to almost fear the crow.
'I think it is time for you to take your pack to the eastern land. There are many deer to hunt in the forest of Noras; beyond the Daunrys.'
The wolf nodded and then let a howl ring through the woods. He snarled once more at the bird and darted off toward the east. His pack followed obediently behind him. As he ran he howled more and more until there were hundreds of black wolves in his train. They ran through the eastern edge of the forest and charged across the plains to the foothills of the Daunrys. They vanished into the wilds and were not seen in Heyan again for many years.
Justice
For the whole next day they walked without stopping, save to drink from whatever streams they happened upon. Again they made a great fire to guard themselves from wolves, though they had not heard even a single howl since the previous night.
When they had their camp in order and when they had eaten some of their provisions, Volthamir was surprised by an unexpected sound. It began as a low hum, but gradually rose into a song. Lord Havoc had mastered many arts, but for some reason or another, Volthamir had not thought that music would be among them.
Oh Silver wolf of all green Heyan lord,
Who has seen you at the Darvnas ford?
Oh shining wolf who stood so proud,
What soul has heard your howl loud?
Oh bright wolf of all the forest king,
Who has heard your many servants sing?
Songs to moon and stars so bright,
Where's your voice in the empty night?
Long ago the fell black wolf came,
How did he triumph o'er your name?
Heyan wolf, so noble and true,
Your righteous ways we nev
er knew.
Silence filled the forest as though every tree and creature were listening. Even the wind seemed to halt in anticipation. But he did not speak, he just sat there in silence as though he was remembering something from the ages past.
Volthamir finally broke the silence. Even as he opened his lips it seemed that the night sounds returned to the forest and all was as it had been before the song. 'What became of the Silver wolf?' he asked.
'He was betrayed,' Lord Havoc said with a strange expression on his face. 'He was betrayed by his own brother you might say. It was many long years ago, but these woods still mourn the loss of the nobler creature.'
Lord Havoc sat in silence for a while and then suddenly his mood changed and he spoke to Volthamir in an almost wizardly tone. 'Your uncle told me to teach you what I taught him about Justice. But I think it would be better if I simply told you the truth. So here it is, my own account of the greatest virtue. Nay, not the greatest virtue; for Justice is not just one virtue. It is all of virtue wrapped up together.'
'Ages ago in this very forest there lived two distinct kinds of wolves: The great silver wolves, who are now little more than a legend, and the fell black wolves that dwell here still. This is the first reason that we have taken the forest road rather than the western road beside the stones of Razzun. I want the howls of these nasty beasts to be clear in your thoughts so that you can better understand my description of Justice. For there is no description in any book that could better instruct you than your own ears and eyes.
'These two sorts of wolves dwelt in Heyan from the earliest days of human reckoning. The Ancients said that they came to dwell there at the very foundation of the world. But I would not put too much trust in their words, my prince. As you will learn in due time, even the Ancients made errors. But that lesson I will leave for a more appropriate time.
'The people who lived in Heyan in those days were terrified of them. They could neither tame them nor exterminate them, for they were too clever and too numerous. Neither could they drive them out of their lands. All they could do to survive was to travel in groups by day, and lock their homes and flocks up tight by night. Many left the woods altogether, finding distance to be the only sure protection.
'But these wolves held one another in perfect balance for many long ages of the world. The silver wolves hunted by day, while the black wolves took the night hours. The silver wolves would seek out the secret thickets where the white deer lay hidden during the day and then all at once the pack would strike, slaying all in an instant. The black wolves, on the contrary, would laze about somewhere during the daylight. But the moment the Lord Moon began to shine they would burst from their dens with a frenzied hunger. They would simply dart out into the wild forest scaring everything in their path. They would snap at birds and squirrels, and whatever else they could manage to catch. They hunted the common deer, who foolishly wander about during the night in search of food. They would rush through the leaves like wild pigs, without a thought for secrecy or surprise. But their swift feet, their sharp teeth, and their stubborn endurance would win out in the end and they would feast on the flesh of many creatures, men included. So it was that the two wolf kinds survived together for many ages of the world hunting their prey in turns.
'This strange arrangement caused them to be worshipped among the foolish and superstitious woodsmen. The creatures became a symbol of justice and equity. Every dawn the Noble Silver Wolf who ruled over the day would drive the Fell Black Wolf into his secret hiding place until it was time for Lord Moon to rise again. In turn the Fell Black Wolf would chase the Silver Wolf away to bring the darkness of night upon the forest.
'There were endless tales and legends invented about these creatures by these superstitious fools; some of these fables were so shamefully false that there are some who have come to doubt whether the greater of these two beasts ever truly hunted in the Heyan forest at all.
'But both of the animals were quite real, and it was also true that for ages of this world they lived and hunted in the same woods. That much I can say without any doubt.
'Lady Arie, the goddess of Nature, as she is called, rules her domain with a cruel and merciless law. And she enforces this law with a scepter of fire.
'This law is that of survival; and only those who obey this law will be saved by her. All others will perish in the trial of flame and hunger that the Lady sends upon all those who are not strong enough. Lady Arie is constantly at work among her creatures; pruning and trimming them here, slaying and burying them there, and raising and recreating them again in another way and in another place. Something unexpected happened in the Heyan forest. Something that led to the survival of the one kind of wolf and the extinction of the other.
'The Black Wolves began hunting the White Deer as well as the common. Perhaps some stray wolf wandered by chance into a thicket and discovered the helpless White Deer fast asleep under the shade and decided that it would be easier to slay these fatted brutes and be filled than to chase down its regular prey in the black night. Or perhaps the hunters of Heyan slew too many deer and forced the starving black wolves to seek their fortunes by the light of the sun. But whatever the cause was we will never know, but the result was as rapid as it was dramatic.
'In the course of forty years, the black wolves doubled in number and the Silver wolves vanished from the world forever.
'That is the judgment of Lady Arie, and there is no mercy in her heart. Only strength and power are acceptable sacrifices in her eyes. All those who cower and beg will be dragged away and cast into the pits of hell; there to burn with the weak and frail and all those who lack the strength to stand upon their own two feet. Behold it! Learn it! My son, this is the Law of Nature!'
'But what part of this is Justice?' the prince asked, not quite understanding Lord Havoc's words. He had been sitting quietly, leaning upon a tree without motion thus far, but with each word he grew more and more perplexed.
'If you listen closely you will realize that justice is precisely what I have been speaking of this entire time.'
'Please explain, master, you know as well as I that the riddles of the wise are above the minds of even a prince.'
'I abhor flattery, my son. Remember that.'
'I will my lord,' the youth said with great interest in his eyes.
'Tell me my prince,' Lord Havoc said in a friendly tone after a brief pause, 'What did you take for supper before we left the palace?'
'For supper? I had lamb, if I'm not mistaken.' Volthamir smiled.
'Ah, yes. Of Course. But you have lamb every evening when you are at home in Japhrian,' Lord Havoc grinned. 'Is that not so?'
'It is not so,' the pupil protested, 'We have pork and beef also; from time to time.'
'You are very fortunate to have any food at all, my prince,' Lord Havoc interrupted in a strict voice, indicating that he was resuming his lecture.
'You take the life of these stupid creatures every day to fill your belly. Tell me, my child, what do you give them in return?'
Volthamir was silent and began to look away.
'Do not avert your eyes, child!' Lord Havoc boomed in a loud voice. 'It is cowardice alone that forbids you to look me in the face.'
'Sorry my lord,' Volthamir said as he lifted his face toward his teacher.
'And never apologize. Not ever. You are a prince! Apologies are to be made to you, not by you.'
Volthamir straightened himself and fixed his eyes upon Lord Havoc's face.
'You have taken from the flock and have not returned what you stole. You are, therefore, an unjust man. But you have not done anything that has not been done by wolves before. What I will teach you to do, you will do with more fervor and more confidence than any brute can ever hope for. I will make you one of those Fell Black Wolves, and all your enemies will be made into powder and smoke.
'I see your trembling lip,' Lord Havoc continued, in an almost compassionate voice. 'That is natural, but it will pass away in time, and then you wi
ll be lord over your enemies. You will be a god to your people.
'I mentioned your fear. I called it natural, and this is true. You fear doing injustice, as every man does. But had the black wolf any sense of justice, it would never have come to rule over both night and day; it would never have triumphed over it's ancient rival. And, who knows, it may have been the one in the songs, and not the one feasting upon the flesh of man and beast.
'It was the dictates of the Law of Nature that the Silver Wolf perish. He took what belonged to him and when that was taken away from him he did not require it back. He perished because of his justice and is no more to be seen among the living. A dead memory was his reward. There are some foolish teachers that would have us believe that justice is better than injustice. But they are all fools with no knowledge. For you do not think that it would be good to have justice done between you and your dinner lamb, would you?'
'Certainly not.' Volthamir answered confidently.
'Injustice, therefore, is better than justice when it is between a man and his prey. But why then should justice be suddenly better than injustice when it is between two men? Justice was not better than injustice for the Silver wolf, since it led to his destruction; even as justice leads to the destruction of many great men. And justice is not better than injustice for the Black wolf, who otherwise would never have gained the ascendancy. The Black wolf, therefore, merely chose what was best.
'Mankind is the very same sort of creature. The Great Ape rose above his fellows not by justice but rather by injustice. He took that which he desired and thereby made himself lord, not only of the other apes and goblins, but he made himself lord over all the beasts of the earth. It was not justice that accomplished these things. It was not justice that made man become man. Man is man because he is unjust.'
'Will you condemn the black wolf, my son? Will you make him pay for what he has stolen? Will you make the wolf cough up the deer that he has slain? Will you restore all things? Will you make all things new?'
Volthamir just stared, unable to answer.
'Then you must be unjust also. And if it is your fate as a man to live unjustly, then oughtn't you at the very least master this most human of arts?
'It is only by acting according to our nature that we can truly say that we are doing good. And if it is our nature to be unjust, then so be it. Let us become good by becoming unjust. I have not the power to alter the stars in their courses. I cannot beg for mercy from the Fates. My course is set and I must follow it. You will follow after me, child. You will accomplish what I cannot accomplish. You will go farther than even I am able. You will be the first true king of men. I will make you a king who is unafraid to do that which is required of a truly human king.
'You see, in the same way that something strange took place in Heyan, and led to the death of the Silver wolves, something unexpected happened to man in the ancient days. He became wise. And in so doing, he was able to subdue all the other apes. The goblins look like us, but they cannot think. They are perfect beasts. It is to us alone that the Fates have granted this gift of wisdom. And why should we not use it to our advantage?
'It is as I have told you. The Lady of Arie, the goddess of Nature, has made her law. That law is survival, and survival comes by injustice. Therefore, righteousness comes by injustice too.'
'But then what about justice?' the student asked. 'You have said much about injustice, but very little about the very subject of our lesson.'
'Justice is surrender, my prince. You see, in the same way as it is natural for the dark wolves to take from the silver, and for both wolves to take from the deer, it is natural for mankind to take from the other apes. But what good would it do man to take from his fellow man? For as soon as he takes from his neighbor his neighbor in turn will take from him. Now tell me, where does this get anybody? Is this wisdom? No, a man restrains himself from robbing his fellow man as a compromise, so that he may go on defrauding the rest of nature without his neighbor's interference.
'Have you ever observed an infant, my prince?' Lord Havoc said, suddenly speaking in a very gentle tone.
'Yes, my lord' Volthamir answered.
'And what is it that an infant begins to do as soon as he gains control of his hands?'
'I suppose he will try to grab things.'
'That is right, and as soon as this stage is come, the child will not only grab, but he will desire to grab. Very often he will desire things that he cannot have, or things that belong to another. It matters very little to him whether he has a right to it, or whether it is another man's possession. Justice is certainly not a part of humanity by nature. The whole being is born and bred in a state of injustice, a state of wanton craving and demand.
Lord Havoc began speaking more passionately now.
'I have seen a child scream and wail for his own brother's bread without so much as a hint of compassion. It is no concern of his whether his brother has bread or not. He wants the bread for himself. Those who do not watch these infants closely will very likely come to believe that the babe perceives that something is not fair; that his brother has been given something to which he is entitled to have in equal measure. These careless people come to believe that mankind is good by nature and only desires justice to be done. But if you are diligent and careful in your observation it will soon become clear that it is not equity; it is not justice with which the infant is concerned. It is possession. He does not want justice, he wants to do injustice. He wants what is not his, and he does not concern himself with sharing his own possessions. He is a raw human being, untempered by the ideas and philosophies of so-called learned men!
'Learned men indeed! People who pine after justice and deny what we are. The simple truth is spoken from the mouth of a suckling child! "Give me!" he cries! The only truly human command! It is the infant who teaches us who we really are. But it is the philosophers and sages who spend their lives in quiet contemplation, carefully and subtly trying to convince us that we are otherwise. They are fools, every one of them.
'I say that justice is surrender because the child will come to realize that he cannot possess what he desires because others have power. And to acquire that which he wants, he must acquiesce to their demands. He must obey. Then he learns that if he will do no injustice to his brother, then his brother will do no injustice to him. And so they meet in the middle, neither doing injustice and therefore, neither getting what they want.
'I will teach you, my son, that which we forgot when our mothers succeeded in replacing the truth of our primitive natures with the folly of our civilized pretensions.
'I will teach you to do that which we are born to do. I will teach you to be a King!'
When Lord Havoc finally stopped speaking, it seemed to Volthamir that a storm had ceased its raging thunder. He stared in awe at the man as though he had seen him for the very first time. 'This is not what you've told my uncle,' Volthamir said quietly. 'For I am sure that he would have turned you out at once.'
'Will you turn me out, my prince?' Lord Havoc said in a soft and fatherly voice. 'All these long years I have watched over you; I have watched over you and waited for this day. And now you must make a choice: You can follow me, and learn to be a king, the sort of which your uncle long ago proved himself unworthy of becoming. Or you can return to your uncle's halls and grovel at his feet and kiss his murderous hands.'
'But you were there too!' Volthamir said, suddenly remembering the dreadful day of his father's death. 'You were just as much a part of it! You put my uncle up to it, no doubt. With your cunning words, and soft spoken counsel. I have no reason to trust you; no reason to choose you over my fool of an uncle.'
'I am offering you a chance, young man,' Havoc said rising to his full height. 'You can kill your uncle at any time to avenge the pathetic creature that was your father. But what will you have done? You will have done nothing more than taken vengeance upon a rat for killing a flee. I do not want you to have something so petty and brutish as empty revenge. Follow
me, and you will gain the power to take what you need and the courage to take what you want.'
The following day, after they had spent most of the day traveling along the northern road, Volthamir risked an uneasy question, 'Why did you choose to spare me? It seems to violate everything you have said thus far about justice. Isn't it perilous to take your victim's son into your bosom and train him with the sword?'
'Ah,' Lord Havoc said, pausing awkwardly. 'That is a matter for another time perhaps.'
'More riddles?' Volthamir folded his arms and looked sternly at the old man. 'You promised me the truth about everything, yet there are still dark corners of this house you've built.'
'In time,' Lord Havoc said. 'I will tell you all, but it must be in the proper order. For now I will say only that it was not my choosing that saved you in that day. It was a combination of your uncle's foolishness and the wisdom and foresight of a very clever bird.'
'Arus?' Volthamir said with surprise. 'I remember now. He was there that day on the balcony. But how could he have such foresight? He is a mere bird.'
'Of that you will learn more in due time,' Lord Havoc said as looked up through the canopy of leaves at the fading sunlight. 'But for now let us rest. We will continue our discussion in the morning, after we have breakfasted.'
'One question more,' Volthamir begged.
'Very well,' Lord Havoc said with a sigh.
'You said that my uncle's foolishness saved me. What do you mean by that?'
'When he had followed my every word and executed our plan with precision, and when he had the pathetic Voltan thos Amlaman at his mercy, when all these things had finally come together, he hesitated. For a moment he felt merciful, and that is not what I have sought for all these years.'
'I cannot help but feel that you are, in all of your efforts, working for your own good and not for mine,' Volthamir said softly. 'For clearly you seem to have turned on Vulcan the moment he became of no use to yourself.'
'If that is what you feel, you are already much wiser than your uncle. You say that I turned on your uncle, and you are correct. And why not? If your horse could no longer bear you, would you not find another?'
The Stricken Old Man of Ferwur
They left their camp at first light and continued along the old road into the heart of the forest. The road brought them to a small village that was built along a large stream that flowed out of the Darvnas River. It had no more than twenty log huts, all of them guarded by a decaying fence of wooden pikes. This village they passed without stopping, save for a word or two with some of the children. They came running up to them with smiles on their faces, shouting, 'Lord Havoc! Lord Havoc!'
Lord Havoc patted their heads and turned them back toward their homes with a grin.
'You are more beloved in Heyan than you are in Amlaman, my lord,' Volthamir said after they left the village through the northern gate.
'It is because the people of Amlaman live very far from danger. They have little need of swords and arrows in the palace these days. But here the people are constantly vexed by the marauding goblins of the Daunrys. When a man's life is in peril, he is more thankful for a sharp sword than for wise and crafty words, such as the counselors of Vulcan desire.'
For two more days they traveled along this stream until they came at last to a small town, nestled between the arm of the stream and the Darvnas River from whence it flowed. There was a high wall of stone and wooden beams erected around the entire town. On the southern side there was a large gate with a watch house built on the left hand side. Lord Havoc knocked loudly on the gate and was soon greeted by a strong looking young man with a sword hung upon his shoulder.
'Lord Havoc!' he said with a bow. 'It is an honor.'
The gate was opened and they were warmly welcomed into the village. 'Welcome to Ferwur,' the young man said.
'Tell me young man,' Lord Havoc asked politely. 'Is old man Hashias still living?'
'Old man Hashias?' the man said with a puzzled look on his face. 'You mean the old man who lives out in the north woods with...,' the man paused for a moment and looked awkwardly at his feet, 'with that girl?'
'Yes, that same man,' Lord Havoc answered.
'As far as anyone around here knows, the man still lives. Though it is another question whether or not it is right to call that living. But every now and again someone will go by and check on him. There are some kind ladies who bring him food now and again, or so I've heard. But he does not come near the village anymore. They say that he lives like an animal these days; that he has utterly lost his mind.'
As they came to the center of Ferwur, an old bent figure of a man came rushing out in front of Lord Havoc, seeming not to even notice him. He wore a tattered brown robe with a rope tied about his waist for a belt, a hood was over his head and in his hands he carried a large staff with a long curved end and a small leather sack. He kept running with his eyes fixed on the ground. Lord Havoc stopped and watched the man with wonder, expecting him at any moment to look up and stop his mad charge.
But the old man did not stop. He ran straight up to Lord Havoc's feet and then stooped low to the ground scooping with his arm as he grabbed something right out from underneath Lord Havoc's feet. As he grasped, he bumped Lord Havoc's legs and sent him reeling backwards with surprising force. Volthamir quickly helped him up and drew his sword.
'Old man!' Volthamir shouted, 'Mind who you charge so foolishly!'
The old man rose from the ground and stood up tall. He was cradling something small in the palm of his hand. Lord Havoc came to Volthamir's side and put his hand on the younger man's shoulder. 'No harm done, my prince,' he said softly.
The old man seemed to be unaware of them altogether. He opened his leather sack and slipped a small mouse inside before closing it up again and tying it tightly shut. When he was finished packing the animal away and hanging the sack over his shoulder he finally turned his eyes to the two men. 'Mind the little things,' the man said with a warm laugh, 'And they will often mind the bigger things for you.'
'Wise words, old father,' Lord Havoc said with a grin. 'I see by your crooked staff that you are a shepherd, yet I see no sheep, and there are no pastures within Heyan for your animals to graze.'
The man looked politely at Lord Havoc and answered, 'I am a shepherd, but I have no sheep as of yet. But my sheep will have little need of grazing.' He laughed as he said this and looked them in the eyes. 'I have what I have come here for, however, and I must be leaving.'
'Farewell, old father,' Havoc said politely. 'May you find your flock soon.'
'I have already found some of it,' he laughed. 'Till we meet again,' he said with a warm smile as he turned away from them and walked away toward the west, leaving them standing still and confused.
They restocked in Ferwur and refilled their water-skins in the stream. Then, crossing the north bridge, they struck out into the forest. Lord Havoc left the road after about a half an hour, following an old road that could barely be seen for all the vines and roots that had now overwhelmed it. The day drew on and night fell fast, bringing cold winds with it. The trees were somewhat thin in this region, and there was little protection from the cold. It grew dark and the moon was covered by thick clouds.
'Where are we heading in all this?' Volthamir asked.
'We are going to see an old man,' he answered.
'And that is all?'
'Yes,' he said. 'That is all.'
It began to rain heavily as they came upon the remains of an old gate. There was nothing standing now save for the two posts and the metal hinges upon which two great wooden doors had once hung. The shards of the gate could be seen laying nearby, covered with moss and rot. They passed through and followed a broken path toward a dilapidated old house. It looked as if it had once been a great estate. There was a lot of land that might be used for farming, but it was overgrown with tall grass and thorn bushes, save for a small patch where the remains of a little garden still rose from the gr
ound. The house itself was quite large, but a considerable portion of it had fallen in and was now separated from the rest of the house by wooden boards.
Lord Havoc knocked on the door gently. There was no answer. He knocked once more, but when nobody came he pushed the door open with his left hand. It groaned on its rusted hinges and skidded across the stone floor as it opened. The two men entered and quickly pushed the door closed behind them. 'At least we are out of the rain,' Lord Havoc said as they looked around at the little room.
Around them they could hear the house creaking and groaning from the strength of the cold winds. The room they entered was covered with dust and there was a horrid smell of decay in the air. Arus flew from Havoc's shoulder and lighted upon a shelf somewhere in the darkness.
'Lord Havoc?' a woman's voice called from a darkened corner of the room. On their left side there were the remains of an old stairwell, but it seemed that the entire upper level of the house had caved in some years ago, and the stairs soon after. Neither had been repaired. On the right side of the room there was a small fire struggling against the cold of the winter in a crumbling stone hearth. Near to the fire sat a young woman.
'It is good to see you, my lord,' she said as she rose from an old wooden chair. 'It has been many years since you last came to us. We were afraid that we were forgotten.'
'Nay, I cannot forget the old master of Ferwur,' Havoc said as he took the woman's hand into his. She was no more than twenty years of age, but to Volthamir it seemed like she was an old woman for the great many woes that hung upon her face. She was looked thin and exhausted, her face was dirty with soot from the hearth, and her brown hair was pulled back behind a kerchief. After she had greeted Lord Havoc she took Volthamir's hand and kissed it, bowing low. Volthamir pulled it away immediately when her obeisance was finished.
'Where is Hashias?' Lord Havoc asked thoughtfully. 'And is he well?'
'He is in the other room,' she answered. 'Mother died four years ago, when the roof fell. That is when my father stopped speaking. Now he only hums, and even then only softly.' She looked down and a tear fell from her eye, 'The years have not been kind to Deria.'
'Then Deria is still living?' Havoc asked, sounding somewhat amazed.
'Yes, she was hurt when the roof caved in, but father rescued her. She cannot walk any longer. Now we have a bed for her in the kitchen. It is easier for father to look after her there.'
'Then he is as caring as ever,' Lord Havoc smiled.
'Indeed, and that is the cause of half his sorrow,' the girl said turning her eyes away. 'He thinks that she is going to die soon.' The room became silent for a while. The girl seemed to be struggling to hold her tears back. 'Do not weep, Sarya,' he said in a comforting tone. 'Take me to your father. I want him to meet young Volthamir.'
They followed her into the other room. There was no door separating the rooms, only a thin curtain hung with nails from the frame of the doorway. In the other room there was a large stone fireplace and a great mess of pots and jars, some waiting to be washed, and others seeming to have no place to be stored. In a corner of the room there was a small wooden bed. Upon a small wooden bed in the corner of the room there lay a very sickly looking young girl and, kneeling beside her, a haggardly old man.
'Hashias!' Lord Havoc's voice thundered.
The man turned and looked at him. He was wrinkled and gray, his hair was long and his beard was even longer, hanging almost to his waist as he sat. He held the withered hand of a the sickly girl in his hand. 'Deria!,' Havoc lamented when he saw her. 'It is a shame that she suffers so.'
Hashias said no words, though in his face there was a gleam of joy. He rose from the floor and approached the two men with a glad face. He first took Lord Havoc's hand into his and bowed low putting his forehead to the back of Lord Havoc's palm. He mumbled and cried, but spoke no words.
Volthamir braced himself and with some frustration endured a similar greeting. The kitchen smelled even worse than the first room, and every inch was covered in dust. Volthamir shuddered.
The girl at whose side he knelt was named Deria. 'She has been like this for many years now,' Lord Havoc explained to Volthamir, 'And with each passing year she has withered more and more. By the time she was eleven, she looked older than her grandmother. It is a sad thing to see.'
For most of the evening Volthamir remained silent, just standing still as a statue and watching as Lord Havoc talked with this stricken family. The next morning, after a very uneasy and uncomfortable sleep, Lord Havoc told Sarya that they would be leaving that afternoon. She wept and begged him to stay, but he insisted upon their departure.
'It would do you no good for me to leave the goblins unchecked and stay here to till the farmlands. You know that as well as I. But here is some money. Do not let your father see it, for he has always been too proud. Use it wisely; do not use it all at once, lest he suspect that you have received such a gift. You know the man better than I.'
'Indeed,' Sarya said with tears in her eyes, 'I will use it wisely, Lord Havoc. Go now with our blessing, and with the blessing of Agonistes. You are more kind to us than we deserve. Were we all immortal we could never have the time to repay you.'
'Farewell,' Lord Havoc said, and then they passed out into the cold once more and left the broken down house behind them.