The Fabled Beast of Elddon (10 page)

“It
cannot be,” Loth said, wonder written large across his face. “It was you I saw
riding the beast down from the mountain!” He marched forward to confront the
Northman.

“Aye,”
Ander said. “Tristan and I found the beast at last, and what a ride it gave us.
But there is no time to tell the story in full just yet. We have other business
to attend to.”

Ander
continued on to the top of the rise, until he was standing before Baron
Leofrick. The baron had regained some of his former composure and sat glaring
at Tristan as if he were a stray dog that had somehow wandered into his castle.

“I
do not believe this green boy could have defeated the beast,” the baron said,
not bothering to meet Ander’s gaze. “You might be able to convince these
foolish peasants, but I do not believe it for an instant.”

“He
has done more than that,” Ander said, watching the faces of the soldiers. “He
has also defeated your greatest knight, and he and Ryia have freed a number of
captives, held by the kerram in the ruined city of Ibridion.”

“What?
What did you say?” Now the baron was looking at him and his eyes were anxious
and full of fear.

“Sir
Egan Stroud was a traitor,” Loth said, adding his voice to the conversation.
“He used the beast to extort gold from you and from the people of Elddon, and
gave it to the kerram.”

“What
madness is this?” Baron Leofrick said, growing angry. “How dare you--”

“Sir
Egan meant to depose you,” Ander said, “and to start a war with Linheath. If he
had his way, you would be dead, and Elddon would have been his. Tristan and Ryia
stopped him. If not for their interference, you would have lost everything.”

The
baron chewed his lower lip, gazing out across the lake. “I don’t believe it.”

“Even
now,” Loth said, “Ryia is leading a company of former slaves down from the
mountain, men and women taken by Sir Egan and delivered to the kerram. They
were mining for glow rock and using it to make weapons for his war against
Linheath.”

“All
of those people will attest to Sir Egan’s treachery,” Ander said.

“And
your own soldiers are among them, the men whom Sir Egan sent to fight the beast
when first it appeared. He enslaved them as well and forced them to work in the
mines.”

The
baron looked to his soldiers. The men surrounding him were discomfited by this
news, their faces betraying astonishment and anger. Ander could see the
confusion and hurt in their eyes. That one of their own, a man whom they had
served and trusted, should treat any of them in such a way; it was unthinkable.

“Imagine
the outcry when the people of Elddon discover what a scoundrel your precious
knight was,” Loth said, not bothering to hide his contempt.

“And
what will they say,” Ander added, “when they learn that Sir Egan was stealing
from them, and from you, without ever raising the slightest suspicion? How will
the people of Elddon feel toward their lord when they realize how easily he is
manipulated?”

The
baron frowned. He sat still as an oak tree for some time, pondering the scene
below, watching his people as they continued to talk animatedly with Tristan.

“You
have an opportunity, my lord,” Loth said, “to turn these events in your favor.
When the tale of the fabled beast of Elddon is told, what story will it be?”

“You
have a suggestion?” Baron Leofrick said.

“The
way I see it,” Ander said, “your best recourse is to recognize Tristan for the
hero he is. You’re minus one knight. Who better than a boy from the village to
take his place?”

“Impossible.”

“You
are the Baron of Elddon. Nothing is impossible. Make Tristan a knight and give
him Sir Egan’s lands. That doesn’t seem too much to ask for saving your country
and your people. Tristan will make a better knight than Sir Egan ever was and he
will serve you well, especially if you allow him to marry the woman he loves.”

“People
love weddings,” Loth said. “They will forget all else. And you, my lord, will
have the privilege and honor of giving away the bride.”

“So
much for the fabled beast of Elddon,” Loth said as they left the village
behind.

“Not
much of a story, is it?” Ander said. “In the end, it was all a farce, and there
was no beast at all.”

“Ah,
but there was,” Loth said. “The greatest beast there is--the greed in a
person’s heart, the lust for power, and the desire to dominate others. That was
the beast that plagued Elddon.”

“I
suppose.” Ander glanced back at the castle on the hill. Baron Leofrick had seen
fit to provide them with new clothes and horses. Their packs were full and
Ander had a new hauberk of chain mail. Hanging from his saddle was a fine
shield, heavy oak, banded in iron, and painted with a bear’s clawed footprint.

“Will
you miss him?” Loth asked.

“Tristan?”
Ander shrugged. “I suppose. He’s a good lad but requires some looking after.
Truth be told, he’s not much of a fighter either. Mostly he told stories and could
sing a song every now and again. He’s a good singer.”

“But
you were willing to come here, to help him find Ryia so he could marry her. You
risked your life for both of them.”

“Aye,”
Ander said, “I owed him, for saving my life. He’s no great warrior, it’s true,
but he has the heart of a lion. He’ll make a proper knight once he gets used to
it. And he belongs here with his people, not wandering about the world with
brigands like me.”

“Why
not take the credit yourself?” Loth asked. “You could have been rich, with
lands and titles of your own. Isn’t that what all men want?”

“Some
men. Not I. And I’m not much for staying in one place. I need to breathe the
air, if you know what I mean. But what about you? You fought and bled as much
as I. You could have asked Elddon for more than just a horse and new breeches.”

“I
don’t belong here anymore than you,” Loth said. “Less so. Besides, I have a
quest of my own to fulfill. I have to find the Rindaya.”

“What
exactly is a Rindaya?” Ander asked.

“The
Rindaya is a person, one who spends their life searching for wisdom and enlightenment.
They only come along once in a generation. It is a rare honor.”

“If
you say so.” Ander said. “And how long have you been looking for this Rindaya?”

“Forty
years.”

“Forty
years! Are you mad? That’s an entire lifetime! Why on Kirion’s green earth
would you spend forty years looking for a single person?”

“She’s
my mother,” Loth shrugged and gave him a weak smile.

“Is
she indeed?”

“Yes.
Besides, my lifetime is much longer than yours. The elluen do not consider anyone
under the age of fifty to have yet reached maturity.”

“How
old are you, then?” Ander asked.

“It
is impolite to ask,” Loth said, “but if you must know I am eighty-seven.”

“Eighty-seven?
Onar and Iden,” Ander swore, “I’m traveling with an old man. No wonder your hair
is all white.”

“I
am barely out of my youth,” Loth said indignantly, “and my hair is the color of
white gold. It is fine and luxurious, like all my race.”

“Hah!”
Ander laughed. “And vain to boot.” The two rode on in silence for a time,
climbing up out of the valley into the hills above Elddon. When they reached
the top of the first peak, they paused, turning their horses to take in the
view. Neither spoke, and soon they turned away and rode on.

In
the afternoon they came to a fork, with one road angling toward the east and
another turning south before disappearing into a forest. Here, they paused once
more.

“That
road leads south to Angolis,” Loth said. “That one to Falcott, and from there
to the borders of the Rowanin. Which way are you bound?”

“I
hadn’t thought,” Ander said, looking from one to the other.

“You’re
welcome to travel with me for a time,” Loth said. “I cannot promise any
adventures so grand as the one we’ve just been through, but one never knows.”

“Where
is it you’re going, then?” Ander asked.

“I
thought I might visit Asiron, and then the Rowanin. I’ve heard tell that the
Rindaya was living among the tra-elluen for a while, though whether she remains
there or not is anyone’s guess.”

“You’re
going to see the tra-elluen?” Ander said. “Wonderful. The tra-elluen talk to
trees and worship the ground they stand on. They are all mad, or so I have
heard.”

“I
have heard the same of men,” Loth countered, “but isn’t it more true that we
are all mad, elluen and men alike? I think it is more a matter of degree.”

“Hah!”
Ander laughed, remembering all that he had endured at the hands of Baron
Leofrick and Sir Egan, and of the choices he had made that brought him to
Elddon in the first place.

“I
cannot argue with that.” Ander dug his heels into the horse’s flank. “Come
along then, my mad friend. I want to find an inn before the sun sets, and we’ll
see if you elluen can drink as well as you talk and fight.”

“You
may be sorry you asked,” Loth said.

“I
may at that,” Ander grinned. “But I’m willing to risk it.”