Tranquil Fury (34 page)

Alron and Panry showed up twenty minutes later, “Earth Daughter, Dawnfalcons hath just now returned. They does ride for one hour, directions east and west. Naught new threat does they report. When thine bean juice does be done, we shalt head back to Ironhouse.”

Lauren looked up to Alron, realized it was an official report from her Earth Guard Captain.
My Earth Guard
, “Alron, please sit with me a moment. How do I… What do I…”

 “What does trouble thou Earth Daughter?”

 “A few days ago you told me that you were going to be my Earth Guard, though I am still unclear what that means. Right now, what you said, that was like an official report. It wasn’t a conversation, it was formal. How am I supposed to react? What am I supposed to say? Do I call you Captain?”

 “Thou are Earth Daughter, thou does what Earth Daughter does wish. I am Earth Guard. I protect and serve. Thou may react or say as thou does see fit. As for me, Captain, does be mine title, but mine name does be Alron.”

 “Well then, why am I called Earth Daughter? Why can’t I be called Lauren?”

 “Tradition it does be. Sorry Earth Daughter, once title does be accepted, thou are known to all as Earth Daughter.”

“But the other day you called me Lauren.”

Alron smiled, “Aye, and day other thou did accept thine title Earth Daughter.”

Lauren ran her fingers through her straight hair, and scratched her dry scalp, tried to shake the confusion from her head, “Thank you Alron, I guess. And Alron, quit being so formal.”

 Alron smiled, “Yes Earth Daughter.”

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Once the trip started, Lauren sat at the back of the wagon clutching her tri-wood staff, hoping the gentle swaying would free a brilliant idea, from the jumble of concerns that clouded her mind. It was around noon when she called to Alron. He stopped his stag until the wagon had passed, and followed behind it.

 “Alron, if that army heads this way, how long before they get to Ironhouse?”

 “There does be many things to consider. Days of seven, naught more than ten I does think.”

 “When will we be back at Ironhouse?”

 “Two days.”

 “So as soon as we get back to the mine, we need to start heading south as soon as possible. Otherwise, there is a chance that they could trap us there?”

 “We canst stage Earth Guard at distance long to warn of their approach.”

“If you can see them, it will already be too late. Everybody has fled these lands, headed south. We need to find those people. Tell them the truth, what the black-clad have done. Does that make sense?”

 “Yes.”

 “How far south did they go?”

 “That I does naught know.”

Lauren called to Mirtza, “When you traveled from the south of the Newlands to where you found us, how long did it take?”

 “Three months Earth Daughter.”

 “And if you had not used your bracelets to get us to the north, how long would it have taken by cart?”

 “I would guess another three months?”

 “Crap, six freaking months?”

 “Mirtza can you use your bracelets to get us south?”

“No Earth Daughter. I could take you to some of the places where I got lost, or back to where we started on the dwarf road. I do not have any stones that would help.”

 “I was just hoping. When we get to Ironhouse, please see if you can find a stone unique to the mine.”

 “Yes Earth Daughter.”

Alron gave Lauren a quizzical look.

 “In case we run into resistance too great. We can use Mirtza’s bracelet to get back to Ironhouse and regroup there.”

 “That does be a good idea Earth Daughter.” But Alron did not understand how a bracelet would actually help them.

 “Alron, each time we have ventured from the mine we find stronger groups. While these lands appear to be deserted, I have a really bad feeling that the only reason that they are here, is that sword or me. As we head south, how bad is it going to get?”

“I does naught know.”

Lauren shortened her question, “How bad will it get?”

“I does naught know. The best that I does offer, a guess it does be.”

 “Then guess. And please don’t sugar coat it.”

He looked at Lauren who wanted an answer that was truthful, but he needed a half-truth, something cloaked in shadows, just like the Earth Daughter.

Her voice was not harsh, instead confident, “You are stalling Alron, trying to find the answer that you want, not the answer I want. Your answer now, do not wait. How bad will it get?”

Alron looked to the ground, unable to look her in the eyes. It was true, the last trips they had met with more forces than he realized had occupied the land. He was undecided if they had been lucky or blessed, but heading south, there was only so much luck one could pack. Then there were the words that the Earth Mother had spoken to him, the path was dark to Mother, but the dark is where bad things liked to hide.

Lauren’s voice had a new calm authority, “Alron. My answer, now, please.”

His reply was soft, barely a whisper. He only spoke one word, three letters. It hit Lauren hard, she did not hear a whisper, she heard a scream echo in her head.
Bad.
She kept hearing it over and over. Some questions, should never be asked.

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Mirtza tried to coax Lauren to the meal with a pot of hot tea, but the aroma was not enough. Instead, she wrapped herself in the dancing shadows that night at camp, shunning all advances from Gingaar and Alron, but Logan was immune to her powers of desired seclusion. He took her over a cup of hot tea, sat down beside her, and waited for her to acknowledge him. He was her twin, knew what she was thinking. In his head, he counted to ten with her, but when they got to the fractions, he got all messed up.

“Go away Logan, I want to think.”

 “Can’t call Mom here to scold me away. What’s wrong?”

Lauren’s expression changed, “I haven’t thought about Mom and Dad in a while. You don’t think we will forget about them, do you?”

 “No, I wouldn’t let you do that. What’s wrong?”

 “What’s right? They are coming for us, that damn sword or me. For us to find the people they scared off, that fled these lands, we will have to go through them. A couple dozen at a time, I figured those testosterone filled Earth Guards would be enough. If the Ironhouse clan tags along, sure sixty against twelve, it might still be a fair fight for us. But a couple of hundred, I didn’t think we would see that many. I thought they had a small army, and were using the plague as a hoax. If they have that many up here, I think they have a bigger army than I was expecting. How do we... how do we… I mean. What the…”

Logan cut her off, “Well, first take some enjoyment that a female force now pulls my strings the way I pulled yours. I feel like a damn puppet. I am sure before we find a way home that Sister will adopt the name Lauren once she gets to know you better. Second, if they back you into a corner, just unleash your inner Mother. I still think Eric has a few big aces up his armored fitted sleeves, and when we get back to the mine, we can see if Zack can make any sense of this. I also think it’s time you started to talk to Ryan, forgive him. It’s been so long, and you shunning him, it still hurts him I think. Maybe back at school, back in town, you two could keep your distance. But let’s face it, here the five of us need to hang pretty close together. Making him an outcast, it just makes everybody uncomfortable.”

 “Six, you forgot John,” Lauren reminded her brother.

 “We really need to ask Zack why he is able to make more sense than John. Crazy world.”

 “I just have this feeling of impending doom, like I just woke up, and realized that I forgot to study for a science exam.”

Logan’s reply was quick, “Hey do not use the S word here. This place doesn’t seem to have any of that shit, I sort of like it. John may not, but I do.”

 “When we get back to the mine, we need to start making plans to head south. I have a feeling it will be like trying to push a thread through a brick wall.”

 “Well in that case, they picked the right person to be their Earth Daughter. Because you are so stubborn, that brick wall really doesn’t stand a chance. I think the thread that you are trying to push through it, is really primer cord. And when they try to deny my sister, I know it will produce explosive results. They don’t know it yet, but in this game of rock-scissors-paper, they are paper and you are rock, you will smash them.”

 “I thought paper beat rock?”

 “That doesn’t make any sense, how can paper beat a rock. You’re tired, go get some sleep.”

Lauren did not try to explain the game to her brother, just smiled as she headed to her bedroll, but the image of a huge black-clad army, smothering her, that image invaded her dreams.

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As they continued their travels the next day, Lauren spent the morning explaining rock-scissors-paper to Logan, and around noon, he finally started to understand. Lauren repeated it one more time, “Scissors triumphs over the paper because it can cut the paper. It doesn’t beat the paper as it triumphs over it. Rock triumphs over scissors because it can smash them. Yes, I know, smash and beat sound like the same thing, but beat and triumph are not the same thing. Rock triumphs over scissors because it can smash them. Paper triumphs over rock because it can smother it. Do you understand now?”

 “That doesn’t make any sense, a rock can’t beat paper?”

“A rock can beat a paper, but it can’t triumph over it.”

Logan thought about it for a few minutes, “I will have to ask Zack about it.” He then thought about last night, where this conversation actually began, or so he was told, “Well in that case you are scissors, you’ll shred them.”

She pushed Logan away, “Get away from me, you moron. When I am done with your—”

Logan cut her off, “Yes, when you are done with my half of the brain I would like it back.” He then crawled up beside Gingaar to see if she could explain the game to him.

Lauren chuckled to herself.
He has to be adopted
. In the distance, she could start to see the mountain tops of the central range start to peak their heads over the flat horizon, and welcomed the view with equal amounts of relief and dread.

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Ryan, Eric, and John were sitting in the dining hall, having just finished the first meal of the day, and were discussing what they could do to kill the boredom. Their conversation came to a quick end, when they heard the Ironhouse brothers arguing in the grand entrance hall, and went to investigate.

Bor looked furious, “No doubt! Sure you are?”

Hakk repeated his words, “Pony missing. Saddle and all. Stable door, open it is.”

Bor slapped the mountain wall, “Iron and Ore. Forge Slag. Gor, stay here you will, should he return. Hakk, ponies four, saddle. Aaro, Fen, and Fodu. Armor, axes now. Hakk, last to leave. Countryside, search we must.”

As the three boys stood back, Hakk raced down to the stables. Bor, Aaro, Fen, and Fodu went to their rooms to fetch their armor and weapons.

John went over to Gor, “What happened?”

 “Pappy, Master Weapon Smith. His mind, lately wanders it does. Today went with it he did.”

Eric had a fondness for the little crusty old man, “Can we help?”

 “Friend Eric, dangers outside, many there be. Brothers, this task suited best for. Wait here, best it is.”

Twenty minutes later, the four dwarves came clattering down the stairs in their metal armor, axes with blades almost half their size resting on their shoulders. As they headed down the stairs, Hakk came running up, headed to his room to retrieve his armor and join the search.

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The Master Weapon Smith had risen early that morning, saddling up his pony before heading out alone. “New fabric, merchant should have. Dress Fodu will make, wife happy she will be.”

It was about two hours into the day, when the Master Weapon Smith stopped his pony on an open section of the road, and looked at the rising suns to the east.
Suns, quickly they set, dark soon it will be. For last meal, late I will be.
He then dug his heels into the pony, picked up his pace as he headed south, away from the mine.

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IT sat perched on the rocky ledge, sniffing the breeze. Wrong.
Something wrong. Danger. Climb. Where wrong? Not good.

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The four Ironhouse brothers fanned out as they left the stables, but the sun had burnt all of the dew from the grass. They could not spot any tracks of their father’s pony, and were apprehensive about the possible outcomes. “Direction none would Pappy give. Pony east or south, wander it would, “Fen, Fodu. East.” Bor and Aaro then headed south cursing under their breath,

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From above, IT spotted the Master Weapon Smith, cursed.
Stupid old man. Bad Men. Too far. Too late.

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The Master Weapon Smith scanned the surrounding countryside, could not understand why the mountains were so close, “Road to village, did I miss? Directions, young lads, help they will.”

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As Aaro and Bor crested the long hill, in the distance they saw their father approaching the black-clad soldiers. And when they saw him pulled from his mount, they dug their heels into the ponies. Racing to the rescue, they watched the horrified scene play out before them. Then a white frost bear exploded out of the trees, ripping into the soldiers who were assaulting their father, and they pushed their ponies even harder. The action was too intense, the speed of the ponies too great, neither brother could understand what was happening. The bear positioned itself between their father and the soldiers, protecting the motionless dwarf. Huge claws flexed from its massive paws, ripped through metal and skin, severed muscles and veins alike. The bear roared, exposing huge snow-white canine teeth, which clamped down onto the fearful soldiers. When it roared next, white teeth no longer visible, a thick red liquid now coated them. Aaro and Bor pushed their ponies harder, their Pappy on the ground had not moved since they had crested the hill, the white frost beast, still terrorized the dark figures. They were still a hundred yards away, when the frost bear picked up the last soldier, claws punctured skin, found lungs, and extinguished his scream.