The Troven (Kingdom of Denall Book 1) (8 page)

Chapter 6

Garin opened his eyes the moment the sun began to rise. It was difficult to find a comfortable place to sleep, but now that he was lying on the ground, he didn’t feel any desire to get up. He gingerly pulled the small picture of Fenn from his pocket and straightened it against his leg. When he looked at her, all his aches, pains and discomfort seemed to evaporate. He looked over his shoulder to make sure nobody else was stirring, then leaned close and whispered to the picture.

“I love you.”

Shortly after his moment of silence, Bendar got up off the ground, dusted the dirt off his pants, and looked around the camp. When he made eye contact with Garin, the other boy pointed out into the trees and whispered,

“Scouting ahead. I will be back soon.”

Garin nodded slightly, then put his head back on the ground. He listened as Bendar clumsily made his way through the woods.
Good thing he’s not trying to sneak up on any unsuspecting animals.
Knowing that Bendar’s blundering in the woods would rouse the others, Garin put the picture of Fenn away.

From next to him on the ground, Farin moaned as he rolled over to greet the new day.

“I think I slept on every root and rock in all of Denall,” he said loudly, destroying what peaceful calm was left of the morning.

“Nope, you must have missed one,” Kaz said as he tossed a small stone at his friend.

“How 'bout you brother?” Farin said, turning toward Garin. “Are you alive?”

Garin rolled over and glared at his brother. “Yeah, I'm awake. Just trying to enjoy the silence of the morning. Then you two woke up.”

“So you've been up for a while?” Kaz asked, while rubbing his eyes and stretching out his long arms. “Where's Bendar?”

“Said he’s going to scout ahead. You might have mistaken him for a stampede of cattle,” Garin responded. “Do you think he'll actually come back?” Garin asked sarcastically, exchanging glances with the others.

Kaz was the first to reply. “He is just out scouting like he said. You really need to give him a break. He has plans just like the rest of us, and his plans are bigger than Dungan.”

“Fine, I’ll give him a break if he comes back.” Garin responded.

“Well, if he is planning to leave us, at least we have all the supplies,” Farin said, gesturing toward the crate. “Let's get some food and we can decide what to do with Bendar later.”

While Garin built up the fire and started boiling some water, Kaz and Farin looked through their supplies for breakfast. The boys came to the fire with a small wooden bowl filled with dried fruit, nuts, grain for porridge, honey, and some jerky. The jerky was put aside for lunch and they continued rummaging through the supplies. While they were searching, they heard a rustling from behind a small bush. Kaz took three steps to grab his nearby bow and had an arrow nocked and drawn before he saw Bendar emerge from behind the bush.

“Put that away,” he began, “I only have one spare pair of pants.” Despite his dislike for Bendar, Garin found himself smiling, and the other two boys laughed out loud. “Look what I found,” Bendar began, as he lifted a medium sized bowl to show the group. The bowl was filled with wild raspberries. “I thought they would be nice with the porridge.”

“That's great!” Kaz answered enthusiastically as he pulled out the oats and made his way over to the fire.

Bendar followed Kaz and looked at the pot of water that was just beginning to boil. “With that much water we'll need about…”

Grabbing the oats from Kaz, Garin interrupted. “I know how to make it.” Garin dumped the oats into the pot and began stirring.

Bendar backed away from the pot and looked at the other boys, seeming to sense some tension, especially from Garin, he addressed the group.

“Can we talk about last night?” When no one responded, he continued. “I was always planning to tell you about Hanger, I just needed to wait until we left Dungan.”

“Why does it matter that we’re outside of Dungan?” Kaz asked.

“I do not think my parents would have let me leave if they knew my plans,” Bendar answered. “My father wants me to settle down in Dungan and take over his general store. He feels it is the most logical thing for me to do.”

“Let me get this straight,” Kaz interjected, “your parents don't know?”

“No, I have only told you,” Bendar said, gesturing to them. He rummaged through the supply crate and pulled out a small piece of paper that was neatly folded and had a dried wax seal on it. He held out the note to Kaz, “It has been difficult not sharing this with anyone.”

“What is it?” Kaz asked.

“Just read it,” Bendar responded, as he sat down, using the corner of the crate as a seat.

Kaz took the paper and carefully unfolded it.

“Bendar, my friend,” Kaz began. “The information you have collected from Pike Point, the observations you made in Dungan, and the conclusions you have come to, show your potential. Let this note act as an official acceptance into Hanger University as my research assistant. On your journey to Hanger, keep your eyes open for any data to substantiate your hypothesis in regards to the sixth gift. We will discuss more when you arrive.” Kaz turned the note over and looked at Bendar. “Who is it from?”

Bendar reached out and took the note back. “It is from Professor Exovia. He has spent his life studying the enhanced gifts we have and their corresponding marks. It is fascinating how the region you are born in and your parentage do not always determine the gift you will have. From some of my research and observations, I have begun to question the existence of the gift of scent. Have you ever seen anyone with a mark on his nose?” The boys shook their heads. “Exactly. What if that gift is not real, or maybe it has gone extinct…”

As Bendar droned on about some professors he had been in correspondence with, and about theories he had, Garin began to be filled with some remorse for how he treated the other boy. He turned back to stirring the thin but lumpy porridge, and the others sat down around the fire. After he finished talking about his studies, Bendar moved next to him.

“Garin, can I help with that?” he asked, indicating the mush.

“I don't need help with the food,” Garin responded, then he looked up to see Kaz and Farin. The two boys looked down at the pot of food, then back up to Garin pleadingly. “Fine, maybe I do need some help with the food,” Garin admitted, cracking a halfhearted smile. He turned to Bendar and continued in a lower, somewhat embarrassed tone. “Let’s just forget about last night. I just don't like being here. I'm tired and sore.”

“I understand,” Bendar said, then he moved to the pot over the fire and began crushing the small lumps to make a smooth porridge.

“Besides,” Garin said as he stood up, “the thought of coming all the way back here with just Kaz for company turns my stomach.” He made a gagging gesture.

“The thought of you cooking all the way back turns mine,” Kaz responded.

“So what are we taking with us?” Farin asked as he rummaged through the crate.

“We need the weapons, tools and food,” Bendar began, “we won’t get far without that.

Kaz pulled a small knife from the crate and strapped it into his boot.

“I also think we can leave the canvas shelter behind. It is very heavy, and we can sleep in the open, or make a lean-to when it rains,” Bendar observed as the other boys shifted the shelter to remove their supplies.

Farin nodded, and Garin was also happy when they placed the bulky fabric into the crate.

“Your book,” Garin said, pointing down at the gift from Bendar’s parents. “I guess it wouldn’t be too bad for you to take one book from Emer.”

Bendar smiled kindly. “I thank you for your consideration, Garin. However this is not Emer, it contains prophecies about The Changing.” Noticing that the topic piqued their interest, he opened the book, “The section I am reading now has some old legends and myths about magical stones. Perhaps I can share them with you while we travel.”

“Fine by me. It’ll break up the monotony of the walk. Speaking of stones,” Garin interjected as he made sure he had Kaz’s attention. “I’ve changed my mind about your gran’s necklace. I think I rolled over it about a hundred times last night. I’ll keep it during the day, you keep it at night.”

“It’d be easier to just throw it away,” Kaz argued, but Garin glared at him until he conceded, “Fine. I’ll take it at night. By the way, I think it looks very good on you,” he teased, and Garin shoved it under his shirt.

As they discussed the necessities of their journey, the boys filled up their backpacks, strapped knives to their belts, filled their quivers, and each took a bow for hunting. With their packs ready, they buried the rest of the supplies and hid the signs of the fire, then set out on the second day of their trek.

The second day of trekking was much different than the first. There was no initial excitement of heading out, and no farewell ceremony; only walking. After walking for almost an hour, the pack straps were digging into Garin’s shoulders, and he was starting to get bored, “Hey Bendar, got any good stories from that book of yours?”

Bendar looked over his shoulder, “Yes, actually there was one I think you all might find interesting. Although the origins are unknown and the authenticity cannot be verified, it is rather entertaining.”

Kaz tapped Bendar on the shoulder and shook his head sadly at his friend. “You can’t start a story like that.”

“I was just giving some background so you could…”

“We don’t need background,” Kaz interrupted. He stepped up on a rock and held his hands out dramatically. “Unless it’s ‘On a dark and stormy night deep in the northern maple forest’ or something like that.” He dropped back to the hard packed road.

Bendar stopped walking for a moment and looked at Kaz in complete confusion. “This is why oral history is so inaccurate.”

The twins burst out in laughter. “While that is true,” Kaz admitted, “It’s still a lot more fun that way.”

Bendar began walking again, and the others gathered around expectantly. “While I have not yet committed the tale to memory, I will relate it as accurately as I can from what I read. More than two hundred years ago, six magicians were charged with delivering six magical stones. Each stone was connected with one of the special abilities granted to mortals by the ancient sorcerers. The magicians traveled to all parts of the known world delivering the stones to each owner the stone seemed to choose. When the stones were delivered, the magicians were done with their tasks and were never heard from again.” Bendar looked to the other boys. They waited in silence for a moment as they continued to walk.

“So what happened?” Garin finally asked when it seemed Bendar was not going to add anything else to the story.

“I just told you,” Bendar replied. “The stones were delivered, the magicians were never heard of again.”

Farin shook his head, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I liked Kaz’s version better.”

Not waiting for approval from Bendar, Kaz stepped up onto a stone wall that lined the road and dramatically began making up his own version of Bendar’s more factual tale.

“In Gulpond village just north of the Coffall Desert, the hot sun rose early as the mysterious rider dismounted and walked through town toward the inn. His purposeful walk drew every eye that his peculiar tan robes and snow-white desert stallion had not already gained…”

Throughout the trip, Kaz continued to entertain the boys with made up stories about the magical Stones of Power. After the first tale, Bendar stopped protesting the historical inaccuracies and quietly kept pace with the others. They continued until late afternoon when Bendar announced that they would be stopping for the night in a stand of trees just off the main road. They dropped their packs and sat for a time on the ground before moving to the tasks that needed to be done.

“Which do you want more -- food or sleep?” Farin asked to nobody in particular.

Kaz was the first to respond. “I don't think I care about food at this point. I could just lie down and sleep for three days.”

“I know what you mean,” Garin added. “I don't care if Mordyar himself came into this camp, I'm not getting up.”

Bendar turned toward the idle conversation and sternly silenced them. “SHHH! Do not talk like that!”

“Calm down Bendar, it’s not like he can hear me,” Garin said with a smirk.

“You have no idea what he is capable of, Garin Sigris, nobody does. Mordyar is the most powerful sorcerer who has ever lived, and we are lucky his attention is not drawn to our island.” Garin looked quizzically at Bendar, waiting for him to crack a smile or give some kind of sign that he was joking, but it never came.

“Are you serious?” Farin asked. “You really think Mordyar is coming here?”

“I did not say he is coming here, I said we should not do anything to draw his attention.” Bendar answered in a hushed tone.

Farin covered his mouth trying not to laugh out loud. “I don’t think he knows every time someone says his name. Besides, I’m pretty sure the king and his army could stop anyone or anything that steps foot on Denall.”

“I wouldn’t be so confident. Unlike any of you, I have traveled beyond the Northern Plains. Many merchants who trade at Pike Point tell of the destruction that Mordyar leaves in his wake when he sets his mind on conquering.”