Invading Will Chapter 9
#19 of Invading Will
Invading Will
Chapter 9
By: D. C. Henry ("Ahndeleck")
The last several days Matthew had dreams of dark shadows moving between the trees, moving into the trees. He hadn't attempted another waking dream since the night he spoke with the dark figure. The inner circle wouldn't hear of his dream, and some even claimed that Matthew had lost his talent to have waking dreams. Matthew knew that they were lying and just didn't want to hear what he had to say. He worried that something unseen already owned the inner circle. That perhaps the stranger from his dreams was the force behind the trouble with the circle. The dream wasn't of nature, and now the inner circle's actions weren't either. Matthew was scared to make the connection, but couldn't deny the possibility.
The day was cool, and the air was clean. The rains from the night before had refreshed the pines of the forest, which made Matthew's day easier. The druids usually cared for the forest, and the lands surrounding it. When the land was healthy, then the druids could focus on broader things. Normally the inner circle would be looking for flows of nature that were disrupted, or even corrupted. Today however they each had taken to waking dreams rather than communion. Matthew noticed that the circle passed on communion more often than not in the past several weeks. He was beginning to think that he was the only one that had noticed any change.
Matthew walked slowly to where his long time mentor had taken charge. The small valley was simple and pleasant, a place that Matthew would go to see and feel how an experienced druid cared for the land. Nowan had been a druid all his life, and his experience showed. Matthew thought there was more than just experience working with him. Matthew had seen in more than one visit, that Nowan also tended to the land in more conventional means. Matthew noted that the combination of gardener and druid was a natural force to be reckoned with.
The clear skies seemed to fail to shine through the canopy, despite the breaks in the trees, light seemed to struggle down to the ground. Matthew smelt the familiar scent of rot, but it was far stronger than it should have been. The normally well tended grass, bushes, and shrubs were missing or diseased. Even the ground felt too weak to fully support Matthew's feet. The place felt like it was dying, slowly and painfully. Matthew hadn't been in the valley for several weeks, but he could tell that Nowan had stopped caring for it. The speed that the land declined worried him though, it was far from natural.
The path wove between pine trees and around a large boulder that had been covered in moss. Rounding the boulder, Matthew could see the heart of the small grove. In the center, Nowan stood staring out into space, swaying slightly from time to time. Nowan had his back to him and seemed to be completely unaware of his approach. The man wore a dark green cloak, which matched the color of the pine needles. His long stringy gray hair made streams of white down his back. Normally he looked cleaner and the hair was straighter, it seemed as if the man had been in a fight. With a frown, Matthew thought perhaps the old man had lost.
"Nowan," Matthew put a hand on his shoulder, "are you alright? You don't look so great."
"What? Where am I?" Nowan turned and focused slowly on him, "Matt what are you doing here?"
"Well I came to see you. What's wrong though? Come sit down you look like you've been standing there for days rain and shine."
"Oh, I agree." Nowan trembled slightly as Matthew brought him to a stone for him to sit on. "Thank you Matt. What was I doing? I can't remember. I remember getting up this morning and coming here. Then I remember looking around, trying to remember what it was that I needed to do. But, I am sure I will remember later Matt."
"Maybe you were going to get help with your place here Nowan." Matthew waved behind him, "The land isn't doing so well out there. Do you know why?"
"I don't know..."
Nowan turned his head slightly and gazed through the trees. Matthew turned to see what he might be looking at. His friend had changed, he could tell. Nowan was old, he was old when Matthew was still a boy and new to the order. Now the man seemed weathered beyond repair. When he last visited though, Nowan seemed as youthful and full of energy as the day Matthew met him.
"Nowan, would you like me to look after this for a few days? I wouldn't mind if you needed me to. It's not that much and what I'm looking after isn't very far from here."
"No, Matt," The man shook his head as he returned his gaze back to him, "I'm doing just fine really. Anyway, what brings you here to me? I've already taught you everything I know as a druid. You always were the brightest outer circle I'd ever trained."
"Not bright enough, hardly." Matthew sat down on a nearby log near the old man, "You know about the waking dream I've had recently right? I'm sure you would have heard it from someone by now. Seems everyone knows now."
"Ah yes, I've been told yes. What about it?"
"I think that it's something to do with what I've been feeling happening lately. All the arch-druids seem to be just sitting on their hands, doing nothing. I've seen druids ignoring their lands completely, as if they've lost all respect for what the life on the land is. The whole circle seems to be acting strangely now.
"The land itself has begun to feel strange in places. I know what untended land is like, I've traveled and I've seen it, worked with it. This is worse than that, this feels like a rot has run deep through the soil. I think that my dream has something to do with that. I think that visitor in my dream is more than just a message, but something that's real. I think that shadow is working against us right now."
"Matt, I don't know about that. The arch-druids are only doing what they think is best for the circle. You have to see that of course."
"You mean you haven't seen what the arch-druids are doing?" Matthew stared back at him for a moment, "They've isolated us Nowan; we're completely alone out here. They won't let any of the druids outside of the forest to check on the villages. They won't let anyone commune outside of this forest. Its as if they don't want to see or take care of anything but what we're sitting on right now. And what we're sitting in seems to be breaking down, rotting apart. That's not right, that's not what druids are. You taught me that. You've got to see this."
"Yes, the arch-druids have decided that people around here don't care about the world, and that we are not going to be able to care for everything. We must care for ourselves first. We must strengthen ourselves, we must prepare." Nowan squared his shoulders.
"Prepare ourselves for what? Strengthen ourselves for what purpose? "
"That's exactly what I mean to say. We must prepare against our enemies. There are those to the south that are coming. They are not yet on our path yet, but they will be soon. They will surely mean to defeat us, but through strength we will overcome them. The arch-druids have seen this in their dreams, and they will guide us to defend our lands. The arch-druids will crush the south, and then we can build the south into our paradise."
Nowan's words suddenly sounded not like himself. Strength from within was not a druid philosophy, it wasn't a druid's way. Druids used their own strength to help nature use its own power further. The mention of the south, Matthew had heard the stranger in his dream mention the south. Matthew had dwelt on what might be happening to the south for days now. No one knew what was happening, or what would come other than a threat from the south. He could only assume that any mention of a threat from the south would have come ultimately from the shadowy figure from his dreams.
"What sort of paradise will this be?"
"Land that we make of our choosing. We will form the land to what we want it to be and force it to do what we want it to do. It will bend to our will. We will use this land to turn all others towards our way, the right way."
"I see," Matthew said thoughtfully, "We will crush the threat in the south and then spread our ideas through the land."
"Yes, Matthew. It will be wonderful. The whole world will prosper under the watchful eyes of the arch-druids."
"And through our strength alone we can defeat these enemies?"
"Yes, we will have the power to defeat anything they bring against us. And when we've taken them, nothing will stop us. We shall make the world into a paradise."
Matthew felt as if he was in a mother bear's den, and the mother was angry. Things in the circle had changed, they had all changed, far beyond anything normal. Somehow he had managed to escape whatever had altered them. While Matthew prized his sanity where everyone else seemed to be losing theirs, his situation scared him greatly. Deep in his mind he knew he had to escape, or this perverted druidism would destroy everything he had learned and worked for. There was too much force and mystery at work for him to do any good. He would have to seek out help, and he knew it as he listened to Nowan's words.
"Good," He nodded gravely to Nowan, "then we shall stand. I must go and prepare myself. It sounds as if there is much to be done."
"You will see," Nowan called after him, but Matthew didn't look back, "the Will guides."
It was clear he would leave the pine forests he had called home for most of his life. The druids of Snowbough had been the greatest thing in his life. In only a few short days, everything had withered and died. He couldn't see even how a shadow of a man could do so much damage in so little time, but he no longer wanted to find out. Matthew quickly made a list in his mind of what he would need to take with him from his hut. Thankfully the list was short since he had almost no possessions, the land always provided, sometimes with added help. Now he would escape this dying forest and find help. Matthew feared that this rot he sensed would only spread further.
He didn't know yet what help he would look for though. He didn't even know what the real threat to the land was. Perhaps he could travel to one of the other smaller circles in the east. Then maybe what he needed to do was to seek help outside of druids, perhaps a mage. Without any clear idea of where to go, Matthew felt lost. His home had died and he had no where to go for certain now. He would walk towards Fort Blister, the people there might remember when he had helped them in the past.
***
As they rounded the corner, Deanna just made out the small path that marked where the dragon's den was. And in the distance below them lay the city of Ravenstone. She looked forward to finally being home after everything that had happened the past several days. Everything seemed so much harder to contain as they got closer to home. She didn't know what she was going to tell the prince at the report that would surely come tomorrow. She had time to wrestle with the ambush and everything they learned in the library. Even with the several days to let her mind turn everything over, and the lack of events on their trip home, she had come to no conclusions. The entire day Raogothcar would try to talk about what they had learned, and each time Deanna told him to wait. Even from when she was young, uncertain ideas never seemed to help in the situations that mattered, where life was on the line, so she kept her thoughts to herself.
"Deanna!" Raogothcar squawked happily, "We're back! May I go back to my den? Its been a very long time since I was there. I would come down to the tower tomorrow morning of course, I am sure everyone would want me to be there after the trip."
"You may, dragon." Deanna said, "Be at the tower in the morning. Prince Alan will want to know everything as soon as he can."
"Thank you so much Deanna. I'll be there tomorrow for certain."
With another happy squawk, Raogothcar hopped and then trotted down the barely visible path towards his den. After the last several days she couldn't see how she could deny the request. She would like to have him present when they arrived in town. She thought that the prince would want to hear everything immediately and having him missing would make the report awkward. His expectant look decided for her though, and she lost any resolve to have him come with the rest of the soldiers to town.
After she waited for a brief few moments, she spurred her horse forward once again. The afternoon sky floated idly above them, pocked with small gray clouds, as the sun shown through. The city of Freeraven stood surrounded by the shadows of the clouds above letting the city shine to her. The tower's light gray stone reflected the light of the sun behind it, the light made a halo of light around it. The city's glow made numerous buildings seem to crowd around the tower. A lone defender that thousands relied upon.
A small smile crept up her face, she liked the city to shine. Deanna still believed that the city would always be an example to all, and she took a spark of pride that it still stood even through the challenges she had helped it face. She would stand with it always, Ravenstone's proud defender.
Then she remembered again what they discovered at the library of Palitos. Suddenly the view before her felt desperate, a city surrounded by shadow needing her protection. What bothered her most of all was she didn't know exactly what to protect her city from. Then the thought of explaining all of these feelings to Prince Alan made all the thoughts even more maddening.
She looked away from the city and watched the trees go by and listened to happy chatter of the guards ahead of her. All she knew was that assassins were using a poison for a dragon that came from the north. When she thought about it in this light, it almost seemed foolish to suggest that war is inevitable. Even with this thought in her mind she wouldn't believe it, she felt war creeping up on her. Her right hand drew across to rest once again on the hilt of her blade. Her sword always brought her comfort in the most difficult of situations, she knew she could always fight.
Their travel through the city had been uneventful, which Deanna was pleased with. The entire time she watched for anyone shadowing them. Each street corner, alley, and shop met her studying eyes, but Deanna never found anyone acting overly suspicious. They traveled for the rest of the afternoon, and arrived at the tower by mid-evening.
"Travis," Deanna dismounted her horse at the front gate of the tower, "go up and tell them we've arrived. Have someone tell the prince that I'll be waiting in the council chamber for him."
"Yes ma'am." Travis tipped himself off his horse and walked slowly into the tower.
"The rest of you," Deanna waved towards the stables on the outer wall of the tower, "get the horses taken care of and then get some rest. You've had a hard trip. Remember, though, don't let this spread till after the king has decided what to do about this."
Helen and Jacob watched her while she talked. When she finished, they both dismounted as well and took the four horses back to the stables. Neither of them talked, and they both looked tired.
Deanna felt tired, the trip had been long and hard, and the saddle seemed to grow harder with each day. She was used to riding for long periods of time, she had done it several times in the past. But recently, she had stayed at the tower, nothing quite as important had happened for quite a long time in Freeraven.
She walked toward the staircase in the grand hall as she thought. She knew that there was a mage leading a group that was out to kill the king. What she was unable to guess was if this was a plot from the north, or just some madman's personal plot. Whatever the plot was, it seemed impossible that she couldn't stop it yet. Despite everything she had done, she had almost nothing against whoever was trying to kill the royal family.
It wasn't long before she had reached the floor with the throne room, and the council chambers. She saluted to one of the guards on duty making his rounds while she slipped into the chamber. The large oak table lay in the center of the room, surrounded by comfortable blue padded chairs. The walls held numerous maps, family paintings, and even some of the decrees from before Freeraven was a nation. In the center on either side of the rectangular room, were the large embroidered maps. The stains on each of them, as well as their frayed edges and small tears in places, showed their age. She had made a point never to touch either map out of respect, though it seemed that few held the same philosophy. She walked up to one and stood staring up at the small section that held the nation of Torland.
One of the doors leading into the throne room opened and Prince Alan quietly entered he room alone. Unlike his normal dress, he wore a simple blue shirt and pants. He apparently had the chance to have the evening to relax. Deanna couldn't see if he was annoyed from the interruption from his own free time.
"Good evening Deanna," he stopped for a moment and looked about quickly, "He's not with you?"
Deanna turned away from the map, "He decided to stay at his den for the night Prince Alan. There wasn't going to be any convincing him otherwise. He will be here tomorrow morning."
Alan rolled his eyes as he made his way across the room towards Deanna. "Well, I hope your travels were as quiet as our time here?"
"We were attacked. Near the border to Ryland the assassins trapped us on a bridge. With the dragon's help we managed to force their retreat. We also learned that the assassins have some sort of connection to the Northlands." She stood facing him, but wondered if he wanted her to continue.
For a time the prince stood there, his face covered in a thoughtful expression. Then with a small sigh he looked back to Deanna, "Go get some rest. When Raogothcar arrives you can give the full report directly to us all. I know you would prefer it that way anyway. Thank you Deanna."
"You're welcome Alan." Deanna walked past him and neared the door.
"I missed you, Deanna." Alan said behind her.
Deanna turned away from the door. Alan had turned away from the map. He looked concerned, and Deanna thought she could see a hint of pain in his eyes. She waited for him to say something else, since there was clearly something on his mind.
"I was worried that you would see those men, whoever they are. I've thought that it might have been better if I had asked you to take a few more guards with you. I'm glad that Raogothcar went though. Especially glad if he was able to save you like he's saved me."
"We were all lucky this time Alan, but shouldn't you be worrying about your lady Elenor?"
"I love Elenor yes, but that doesn't mean I can't worry about you as well Deanna."
He had stepped forward, as Deanna lifted her head and reinforced her hard gaze at him. They stared at each other for a moment. She wondered why he even cared about her. He had found his match in Elenor, and she knew they both knew it. The only thing his words served at this moment, were torment. Deanna couldn't guess why he would want to torture her with the past, but she resolved not to let him win.
"I'm sorry, Deanna." He stepped back and turned back to the map beside him. "I shouldn't have said anything. Goodnight Deanna."
She bowed, then headed out of the room leaving the prince to stare up at the map. The guards watched her as she made her way slowly to the stairs. She hadn't expected his sudden outburst, especially after such a long trip. She had for a moment thought about shouting at him. He had let everything go back then, then he found her. And now he thrust his worry at her; his words were harder to parry than a blade. She shook her head of the thought.
The stairs seemed to last forever as she climbed towards her room. At the landing of the next staircase, she turned towards one of the halls leading in towards the center of the tower. Not long she stopped at her door.
After letting herself in, and setting her sword on a stand next to her bed, she looked about the room to see if anyone had moved anything since she had last been there. It was a simple room, she had little she felt she needed. Close to the stand for her sword lay a small table and chair with a whet stone, and tools for armor that she occasionally had to repair. Though lately she had been ignoring the chain mail she had been given when she became a guard for Freeraven long ago. On the other side of the room was the bookshelf, with mostly ignored books, she found less pleasure in reading than the dragon did.
Her pleasure lay in her servitude to Freeraven. The nation had given her family hope, and a chance to live. Then all that had been stolen from them. She felt she had to keep the land free, it was her responsibility now. No one had saved her family when they needed it, but she would be there to save every family.
She sat down in her small chair near the bookshelf. On the nearest shelf she pulled out a small basket with many collections of small colorful threads bundled separately. Her mother had taught her when she was young how to embroider. Deanna had taken years to learn on her own after her family had been murdered, but she was satisfied with her skill now. Whenever she wasn't needed to save the kingdom, she was content to work on small projects. She rarely used anything she made, but it gave her hands something to do.
She smiled to herself slightly as she took a seat and picked up her latest project. She felt it still needed some touching up, and she didn't feel as tired now as before. Working some before bed seemed like a good idea, she decided.
***
Kyle had been admiring her beauty without the watchful eyes of Prince Alan getting in the way. He liked what he saw very much. Her continuous wishes to know about the Northlands bothered him, no woman should have the gall to try and pry into matters of the barons. These thoughts passed guarded through his mind in an instant, his face never gave way from the smile of pleasant interest in the conversation.
"You've said," Elenor continued as they waited, "that the Northland's practice of slavery has been diminishing, is that true?"
"This is true Lady Calaspy, there are fewer slaves now than there has ever been in Torland. There has been a trend in the younger barons to keep fewer slaves and leave the people under supervision rather than the whip.
Elenor leaned back in her chair, her expression had changed to curiosity as he finished talking. "You are a Baron are you not? What do you think about slavery?"
Just by the tone of voice she asked with, Kyle could tell she was disapproving of the whole topic. He wrenched his attention from her figure once again to focus on how to word his answer. He decided to gamble and hope she hadn't heard of the beatings and killings on his land.
"I follow the philosophy that a well treated person, is a good worker. I've been speaking for the eventual release of slavery. There are many powerful individuals that wouldn't hear any argument to their way of life of course."
Elenor smiled as he gave his lie to her. "It's good to know that there are people like you working to bring freedom to the north."
He could barely stomach her love of such freedom. He was inwardly pleased at the same time, because the whole nation gave to him a weakness he could prey upon. Kyle had been working with Peter to find ways to spread their influence. So far, his new plan was working. They were inside the castle and getting closer to the royal family.
The door across the room unlatched and opened. Alan stepped into the room, his favorite part of visiting the royal love birds had ended. With him in the room he couldn't drill into Elenor anymore. Alan closed the door and strode towards them.
"Deanna and Raogothcar have returned," Alan said as he took a seat near Elenor, "Although it seems Raogothcar decided to stay at his den, and he'll be here tomorrow morning."
"I hope Deanna brought good news?" Elenor started collecting the cards on the table.
"Well, it doesn't sound like there was much good news. It does seem they found what they were looking for. They were even attacked."
"They were attacked? Were they the same one from the feast?"
"She didn't say, but I think they were. She's a threat to them, and she's hot on their trail. We'll have to hold a council meeting tomorrow for her to tell us everything."
"If you will both excuse me," Kyle stood slowly, "I'm going to retire for the evening. Especially if you are going to talk about council meetings."
"Kyle," Prince Alan said, "I think with everything you've been for Freeraven in the last couple days, your input would be important. Of course I would let the council have their say first, but then I would like you there."
"Thank you Prince Alan. Another chance to work with Freeraven, and you, is an honor."
"Think nothing of it, Kyle." Alan turned back to Elenor, "As you said when you arrived, if we work together, then we can achieve a peace that we've been striving for."
"I certainly hope we can reach it Prince Alan, I see great things for Freeraven with you as its ruler."
"We all do," Elenor said, grasping his hand across the table. "Alan's just what we need, a fair and good leader, just like his father."
"Very true," Kyle stood and bowed, "Goodnight to you both."
"Goodnight Kyle." Alan nodded in returned the bow.
He strode from the room and headed towards his own rooms. When he first arrived in Ravenstone, the Hearers had told him to contact them the night before the council meeting. Now that the two were here, Kyle didn't want to talk to the Hearers. He felt threatened by both the dragon and the scout, each had stopped each of their attempts. What more could the Hearers do from the heart of Torland that he hadn't already done?
Kyle guessed that they would both be at the council meeting. That was the last thing he wanted to happen. Each one seemed deadly and terrible to him, and he would be there in a room alone with them. He hoped that the Will would guide him out of the situation. He would have to think of some sort of plan to save himself should the Hearers be wrong.
Kyle had managed to wander down some large stairs and through a hall to his room. It was across the hall from where the dragon stayed the night after Peter's attack on the throne. He stepped into his room and shut the door. Like the other diplomatic rooms, Freeraven filled his room with the finest they had to offer. Fine stuffed sitting chairs around a small table in a corner, a fountain in the wall to one side. The parlor was a nice room, and he wondered what his future throne room would be like.
"Peter!" Kyle slammed the door and stormed to the center of the room.
"Yes Baron?" After a few moments Peter's door opened.
"It's started. They're going to call the council tomorrow. The Will was right, but I had hoped it would take them longer to return."
"The scouts travel fast," Peter closed the door and stood beside it, "and they had horses, baron."
"I know that. It still doesn't help that I'll be walking into a mad dragon's den tomorrow. If I say anything at all wrong, then we'll all be dead within the night with that scout back in the tower."
"That could have happened the entire time we've been here baron. Nothing has happened to us yet."
"That doesn't matter!" Kyle paced in a circle around the room, "The council will have representatives from all over this pea sized nation and they'll want to know everything. Councils always want to know everything. I hate councils."
"You always do well with councils and trials and-"
"Peter, I don't want your encouragement right now. What I want is to not have to go through this talk with the council. There's too much at stake, and all on the damned predictions of the Hearers. What sort of preparation is that to send the zealous girl with a sword to her death? And the dragon, do we even know if the dragon will follow her?"
"The Hearers did mention that when they send the scout to Fort Blister, all our enemies will be in their power. Maybe the dragon will leave if she goes so far away."
"I doubt it, that dragon seems content to follow her around like a lost puppy. What I want you to do is kick that puppy into the river."
"You want me to kill Freeraven's most beloved dragon?"
"No, no. That would be impossible at this point. We don't even know how powerful that dragon is. I want you to get rid of him. Make him sick, Injure him, make him scared of his own damned shadow if you have to. I don't want that dragon anywhere near us, or that sword throwing servant to the crown."
"Maybe I could scare the dragon off, make the people hate him or something."
"That's a terrible idea." Kyle stopped near one of the tables, slamming his fist into the wood, "Wait, that might work. You can see at a distance he's a young dragon. That means he's also an impressionable dragon as well."
"How can you tell he's so young, baron?
"When you own as many as I do, you have an eye for such things." Kyle waved a finger towards Peter, "What you need to do though Peter, is gather your men as soon as you can and be sure that they push the people of Ravenstone- No, all of Freeraven against this dragon. I don't care how you do it, but I want everyone to hate him.
"When they hate him, the Tower of Freeraven won't be able to keep him. He'll have no safe place to call home here. He'll leave, and that will allow me some protection against the sword throwing thorn in my side. She won't be able to stop me even if she does discover my plan. Peter, get that dragon out of here."
"Yes Baron." Peter bowed and then left through the main door.
Kyle smiled. Now that he had that major frustration out of his mind, he could focus on the council awaiting him tomorrow. He sat down in one of the chairs in the room and thought back to the Hearers' directions, and what he could remember about the soon to be his Freeraven.