The Black Sword Trilogy: The Four Nations (6 page)

             
“Yes, it has; two years to be precise.”

             
“Not long at all, when you really look at it.  Compared to the rising of the mountains, the growing of the trees and the rivers cutting their way through the lands and to the sea, two years is no time at all.”

             
“No it isn’t I suppose.” Kenner replied looking down at his feet.

             
“And how have you been?” She asked him.

             
“You haven’t been watching?”

             
“I have.  But I can’t read your mind.  I wanted to know how you felt about the last two years.”

             
Kenner sighed.

             
“It’s been quiet.  After just a few days of war, I guess I learned the value of peace and quiet.  I guess you could say I like it.”

             
“Most who have survived the horrors of war do find they prefer peace.”

Kenner looked at the ground and nodded.

              “This isn’t a coincidence, is it?” He asked.  “I mean, you showing up on the same night Terri comes here to try and recruit me for her search for Krall.  That can’t be a coincidence.”

             
“I’m afraid there are no such things as coincidences in these times,” She told him.  Her smile faded as she said it.  “The winds are all beginning to gather and a time we all knew was coming is fast upon us.”

             
“Are you starting to talk about destiny again?”

             
“Inevitability.”

             
“Right.  And I’m supposed to be a part of this ‘inevitability, is that it?”

She smiled again.

              “I told you before; destiny is a choice.  The tools have been placed in your hands, but it’s ultimately your decision as to how to use them.”

             
“And you’re not pushing me at all, are you?  You’re not going to try and influence me in any way.”

             
“I will confess that there is a direction I would prefer you go and I can lead you in that path as I have in the past.  But again, I can only show you the path as I did in the mountains.  It’s up to you to follow it.”

             
“What happens if I don’t follow the path you show me?”

             
“I don’t know.”

             
“What?  You don’t know?  I thought you were all-seeing and all-knowing.”

             
“Hardly,” she said with a soft laugh.  “Although it’s true, I can see things that you can’t, including possibilities, the future is in the hands of those who make it.  People like you decide what is to come, not spirits.  No matter how we may wish to influence this world, we can only advise and guide.  You make the decisions in your reality.  You create the world your decedents will be left with.”

             
“That’s comforting.”

             
“It’s the way it should be.  If gods and spirits made the world as we see fit, there would be nothing left for women and men.  Without a future to mold for yourselves, you would atrophy.  You did not evolve to be mere statues.  You became who you are to be an active part of this world; to be its living and breathing creators and destroyers as you wished.  This world is in your hands.”

             
“That doesn’t sound very wise.  My kind are not known for our sound decision making as far as our own futures are concerned.”

             
“It may surprise you, my friend to discover that we have just as much, if not more faith in your people than you have in us.  Yes, you make mistakes from time to time; sometimes very bad ones.  But I have seen in your history that eventually you figure out the ways that are right for all of you.  That is the beauty of your kind.  You find your own paths and somehow, they almost always turn out to be the right ones.”

             
Kenner looked down at the ground again.  His feet were beginning to feel the cold of the snow and his hair began to feel wet from the snow piling on his head and shoulders.

             
“So,” he said.  “Should I go with Terri or not?”

             
“You already know how I’m going to answer that question, my dear.”

             
“Yeah, yeah; it’s my decision.”

             
“Yes it is.  But I will tell you this.  No matter what decision you make, because of who you are and the tools you have been given, your choice will affect the entire world.”

             
“No pressure there.”

Shadow laugh
ed.

             
“Well, if you’re not here to tell me what to do, why have you come back after two years?” Kenner asked her.

             
“I wanted you to know that no matter where you go on this journey that you and I both know you’re going to decide to do, I will be with you.”

             
“To give me vague answers to important questions?”

             
“To help you understand the decisions that you alone must make.”

             
“Gee thanks.”

             
“This too: even if you decide to go with Terri only to aid her on her journey and not become entangled in the brewing storm, which you can still decide not to do, you will not return to this village the same man.  Everything that is out there waiting for you has the potential to change you forever.”

             
“I don’t suppose you could give me a guarantee that I will return to this village.”

She smiled sweetly and said, “I’m afraid not.”  And then she disappeared.

              Kenner stood staring at the tree thinking seriously for what seemed like a long time to him.  Although mostly lost in thought, his ears were still keen to the sound of footsteps coming up behind him.  Even in the dark, he could easily identify the shape of Terri coming up towards him.

             
“What the hell are you doing out here?” She asked him.

             
“Saying hello to a tree.”

             
“When you gotta go, you gotta go.”

Chapter
Nine

             
Terri was sleeping on the floor of Kenner’s front room and dreaming of the beautiful Kayla, her wavy brown hair and her sweet smile when she was awoken by Kenner kicking her in her butt.

“Up and at ‘em, blondie.” He told her.

She sat up and stretched her sore back.  Looking outside, she noticed that it was still dark.

             
“Great Lady, the sun’s not even up.” She moaned.

             
“Yeah well, we got a long way to go, don’t we?” Kenner answered.

             
“So you’ve decided to go?”

             
“I can’t let a delicate rose like yourself face this dangerous world alone, can I?”

She answered by swatting him on his own rump.

              Kenner cooked a breakfast of bacon, eggs and the worst biscuits Terri had ever had.  They were harder than the floor she slept on and had way too much salt.  Kenner noticed her finish two flagons of ale while eating.

             
“Ok…now I’m ready.” She said after swallowing the last gulp.

             
As the first light of dawn began to filter out the night, Kenner and Terri went out the front door and noticed Shela and her kittens being extra affectionate to each other.

             
“I think they know we’re leaving.” Kenner said at seeing this.

Several villagers began to gather around Kenner and Terri as they were getting their horse and battle cat ready.

              “And where do you think you’re going?” Migran told them as they continued to make ready. “Who’s going to protect this village?”

He saw Kenner glare at him and took a step back from him.

              “The kittens will do a good job of keeping an eye out for strangers.  But if that fails, I suppose you could always try using my father’s sword.” Kenner told him.

             
A little later, the red-haired girl approached him with a pack of her own.

             
“I’ve packed you some bread and sausages for your journey.” She told them.

             
“Thank the Lady,” Terri said.  “I was afraid I’d have to eat more of Kenner’s biscuits.”

Kenner gave Terri a mock angry look and placed the pack on Shela where the girl could see them.  As he climbed on Shela’s saddle (the one he had been given before his last battle), the girl took his hand gently.

              “I’ll keep the fire going in your hearth so your house will be warm when you get home.” She told him. 

Her eyes had a loving look that he’d never seen a woman give him.  He smiled and squeezed her hand.

              “I may be gone for a while.” He said to her.

             
“I don’t care how long you’re gone.  I will wait for you.”

             
“Do you have any sisters?” Terri asked.

             
“Actually, I have three…” the girl began to say.  Kenner turned around and said to Terri, “It’s time to go,” as he saw the knowing smile on Terri’s face.

             
After leaving the village, they stopped at the tree Terri remembered from the previous night.

             
“Is there something special about this place?” Terri asked.

             
“This is where I buried my father.  He wanted to be buried instead of burned so his body could be consumed as part of the circle of life.”

Kenner stayed there silently for a few moments.

              “He used to take me to this tree all the time and talk to me about the truth of the world and the way things worked.”

             
“Sounds like a wise man.” Terri added.

Kenner sighed sad
ly.

             
“He was a sad, bitter man who rarely smiled.  The only time I ever heard him laugh was when he took me hunting or fishing.”

Terri found herself remembering her own father; a happy, funny man who could smile only with his eyes.

              “I’m sorry to hear that.” She said.

She saw a sad face come across Kenner’s face.  He then turned Shela and they rode away.

              Terri led the way to a road cutting through the forest and they stayed on it for about half the day.  At midday they stopped, ate and talked more about the past two years. Kenner noticed that she drank from a small jug she had on her horse.

             
“You seem to be drinking a lot.” He told her.

At first, she gave him a slightly angry look which surprised him.

              “If you’d seen the things I’ve seen, you’d be drinking more too.” She answered him.

             
“The war?”

She took a thoughtful draw from her pipe.

              “That and other things.”

             
The two stopped at an abandoned cabin in the woods and settled for the night.  They finished the good food that the girl had given them and started a fire.  After their meals, Terri produced two more cigars.

             
“Where did you get these things?” Kenner asked.  “I know they’re not cheap.”

             
“Kayla gives me a couple of boxes whenever I visit.” Terri answered.

             
“How often is that?”

             
“At least twice a year.  King Melkur has this absurd notion that Kayla will join him in the war at some point.”

             
“What are the chances of that happening?”

             
“Not good, I’m afraid.  Kayla and a few others disagree; but the general consensus of her council is that it’s Walechia’s war and none of the Blackwood’s business.”

             
“That may be true now, but it probably won’t stay that way.”

             
“No, it won’t.” Terri said morosely.  “There seems to be some malevolence at work in this war; something that seems to want more than just Walechia.”