Retribution Ch. 1 and 2

Retribution


The sun was shining warmly in the bright blue sky, caressing the lush green valley with warm light. Birds sang to one another near the little stream. My beautiful palomino Avalon drank quietly from the stream as I rested beneath the tall trees, admiring the beauty all around me. With my back against the tree, I slowly drifted to sleep.
As I dreamt, I saw my father, Joshua, working in the field near the house. I smiled as I walked towards him, realizing that although we had little money to speak of, he often worked unreasonably hard to provide me with my heart's desires. He glanced up from his work and smiled warmly at me. We were all each other had left, since my mother had died one year earlier in the hottest summer our lands had ever seen.
Suddenly, a dark looking man on a large black horse galloped between us. I could hear my father's voice calling to me, but I could not understand his words nor see his face.
I awoke with a start, quickly jumping onto Avalon's back. Riding faster than my blood was racing through my veins, we arrived home within moments. As I reigned Avalon to a halt and dismounted, a dark man galloped past me. This time I heard my father's voice clearly... "Run Pezarra! For your life my child, RUN!"
Shock overtook me as I saw the dark man storming towards my father and drawing his sword.
"You have stolen much, Joshua," the evil voice sneered. "I hope your life is worth your thievery!"
My father did not even plea for his life, and I was too frozen to utter a sound. Screams and cries whirled inside my head, but my lips were silent. A bright, brilliant flash caught my eyes. The beautiful morning sun glinted off the blade of a swinging sword. When I was young my father had spent a few precious moments teaching me the art of swordplay. Now, however, the blade was not aimed for a wooden block statue. This time, it was real, and the blade was directed towards my father's throat.
Showing no mercy, nor thought of my presence, the dark man sliced my father's throat. A crimson flood soaked the previously peaceful garden. I found myself screaming with a passion I had never felt before. It was as though my lungs and my heart were on fire and no amount of water could extinguish them. Even now I witnessed my father's body growing colder as the warmth he had carried for all slowly left his body.
The murderer wiped his blade clean with a silken cloth before finally taking notice of me. As he turned I recognized his sinister face, Lord Valpheron. I had spent many days playing in the courtyard of his castle as a child. Unfortunately, his wife had died recently, just as my mother had. She and my mother had been the dearest of friends. When Lady Valpheron died, a dark shadow had fallen over the land, as well as Lord Valpheron.
"Ah, the daughter of a thief. I take no great pleasure in destroying a masterpiece of beauty such as yourself, but you must understand that I must not leave any witnesses. Come now, I'll make it quick for you."
"MURDERER!!!" I cried. "You lying wretch! The iciness of your eyes reveals your cold heart to me. Kill me quickly? HA! Mercy and kindness are no longer a part of you."
"Murderer am I?! Your father stole money from my treasury!" he screamed. "I will not tolerate thieves, even if the money is paid back in full, nor will I tolerate insubordinate spoiled brats such as you!"
With that he ran at me, his sword waving in front of him. With speed and agility I reached for Avalon's mane and pulled myself onto his back, quickly galloping into the trees. I could hear Lord Valpheron cursing loudly as he mounted his horse and began to chase me.
Though Avalon was fast, the overgrowth of trees and vines entangled him, and Lord Valpheron was closing fast. He was nearly on top of me when suddenly, beautiful golden wings extended from Avalon's sides, and he shone with a light most pure. He swiftly carried me high into the sky, far from Lord Valpheron's sword and horrible threats.
He flew deep into the woods before descending near the river to rest. As night fell, I rested against Avalon's side and he enfolded me in his wings. I shivered, though the night was warm. My mind was coming back to reality from the horrible nightmare I had just experienced. Drifting back into reality, I heard a voice calling my name. I crept from under Avalon's wings and we followed the voice on the wind, but it faded before we were able to determine its source. Though I no longer heard the voice calling to me, I could see lights dancing between the branches of the trees.
We walked quietly towards the lights, soon realizing that the light emanated from several fires. Motioning Avalon to stay hidden amongst the trees, I ventured forth to see who had lit these fires. When I emerged from the trees, I was faced with a small hamlet of elfin folk. They did not appear to wish me harm, but rather looked at me in wide-eyed amazement. Finally, an elderly elfin woman came forward.
"Be still child, you will not be harmed. My name is Perennia and I am the leader of the Delenar. No human has ever found our camp before, surely destiny must have lead you to us!" she proclaimed with such certainty that I was almost frightened. "I apologize for my ramblings, you must be tired and hungry. Come, follow me." With those words she held out her hand to me.
Young and afraid, I trembled. Questions ran through my mind. Could I trust her? Who was she? Who were these people? Where did they come from? As I thought these questions, a gentle breezed circled past me. A soft voice whispered in my ear... "Trust her. Take her hand." Though this was strange to me, there was something familiar and comforting about the voice, and my instinct told me to trust it.
I grasped the old woman's hand and paused to beckon Avalon out into the clearing. As he came towards me, I noticed the cautious yet weary look in his eye. I could tell he was exhausted, it had been a very rough time for us both, and we had eaten nothing since that morning.
"Please madame," I beseeched Perennia. "I do not wish to be rude, but my horse and I have traveled far and suffered much. Would it be possible to impose upon you and see him housed and fed?"
As they turned their glance towards Avalon, I heard them all gasp as one. The moments that followed passed in a strange and eerie silence. I stood, uncertain, Perennia still holding one of my hands, while the other clung to Avalon's strong shoulder. Finally, after several moments of extreme unease and anxiety on my part, a young elfin man approached me. I released Perennia's hand, bringing my own to my side in hopes of giving myself some small sense of strength and security.
"I am Elwyn, leader of the Delenar warriors. We have never seen a winged horse before, so you must excuse our poor manners," he apologized. "However, it was written in our ancient legends that the champion of the people would come to us in the company of a winged horse and lead us to peace with the human realm."
I must admit that I was quite taken aback by his appearance before I his words ever actually reached me. He was quite handsome and emanated an essence of strength, as well as purity, gentleness, and trustworthiness. His eyes were bold and soft, staring deep into mine with many questions backed by an ancient hope. Though his eyes were a mystical blue that seemed capable of piercing me through the heart with one glance, I did not sense any ill will within him. In fact, from him I could sense only respect, and a mutual immediate sense of fondness. Unfortunately, his words finally reached me and his eyes had frozen me so that I was able only to express the shock and uncertainty I felt.
"What?!! Me? A champion? A leader? I don't understand. I, I....." my voice faltered and trailed off into a desperate and overwhelming sense of uncertainty.
Elwyn came nearer and laid a gentle hand on my arm, ever under the close watching eye of my exceedingly protective companion. He stomped his hooves somewhat in protest and displeasure, but a gentle movement of my hand on his shoulder and a gentle whisper quieted him.
"You are to be the champion of both your people and ours. Look around at the pain and oppression your people suffer. Don't you see that they need a leader? They need someone to fight for them. They need YOU," Elwyn pleaded. "As do we, if our people are to have any hope of reuniting in friendship and peace with our brothers of the human realm."
"This is much to take in all at once, but if what you say is true, then I will do whatever I can. I do not know how I can help, but I will do what I must, for this suffering must not be allowed to continue," I promised. "But what can I do? I am only slightly experienced in the art of swordplay and have never truly fought anyone before. How then will I be a leader?"
At this, Perennia spoke up. "We shall help you, my dear. You may live among us until the day that you are ready to lead the people into freedom. All that we know, we will pass on to you, for all our hopes and dreams for the future lie with you."
Great, just as long as there is no pressure! I'm the only hope for the future of these people? Oh if only father were here...... As I thought this a gentle breeze whisked past me and I felt a sense of comfort, courage, and determination. It was as if the wind had spoken to me to give me courage, as though it knew this was my destiny and it wanted to make sure that I knew it as well. At that point I determined to never give up, and do everything they asked of me, no matter what.
"Come child, I would be honored if you would live in my household. I will treat you as my daughter and care for you as my own."
Perennia's kindness and faith both honored and amazed me. She did not even know me, and yet she was willing to raise me as her own child and teach me everything that she knew! How did she know I would not betray her? Perhaps it was something that she could sense, that I would do exactly what was asked and expected of me.
"And I will help you as well," Elwyn offered. "You may train with our warriors and, as leader of the warriors, I will personally teach you fighting, archery, more advanced swordplay, and anything else that you wish to know."
"I thank you all, you possess great honor and I am sure much wisdom as well. To stay here amongst you and learn all that you would offer honors me more than I can say. I must tell you, however, that my motives for learning these things would not be totally unselfish. My father was murdered before my eyes and I will do whatever it takes to see that he is avenged, no matter how long it takes."
"We understand child, your pain is great and I know that you loved your father very much."
How could she know that? It would seem that she knows very much about me... I wonder how this can be. Perhaps I was right in thinking that she was able to sense things about me that she could not otherwise know.
"Trust us, my dear. Stay with us. You may find that your destiny and your desires are entwined and go hand in hand."
After seeing Avalon housed and fed in the stables, Perennia and I walked back to her home. She showed me a room that could be my own, and introduced me to her only child, a son, named Tenshar. He was not much older than I, perhaps 17 years of age, but strong and wise. He was strong not only in body, but mind and spirit as well. I knew that I would be able to trust him and that I would always be able to depend on him. How I knew this I do not know, but when he embraced me and welcomed me into the family, I could feel it. It was as though he already cared for me as his sister, though he knew me not.
We sat and supped together near the fire as I recounted the events that had brought me to them. The house was warm, even though the windows were left open to allow the starlight to shine through. Tenshar and Perennia listened with open ears and open hearts, knowing that the words I spoke were painful for me. They comforted me when I faltered and helped me to cope with the pain and terror of my memories. As I finished my account of my father's death, a warm breeze swept through the open windows and swirled around me. I suddenly felt a sense of peace, and as I looked at the faces of the elves before me, I realized, I was home. I had found a family, a true family. My greatest loss had brought me the greatest treasure I would ever have.




Chapter 2
As time passed, I learned and lived and became a respected member of the Delenar. They held back no information from me. I learned to cook, make clothing, make weaponry, and train my creatures. More importantly, they taught me to follow my heart, listen to nature, and not control animals, but coincide with them. They taught me to ask the animals to help me and to befriend them, rather than command them. Integrity, courage, and determination, as well as love, were driven into my soul from living with them. All their goodness and warmth, as well as their knowledge was bestowed unto me.
All forms of kindness swirled around me, and yet, my heart was still filled with thoughts of revenge. My dreams became nightmares filled with the visions of my father's death. However, the end result was not the same. I used my newfound skills to fight Lord Valpheron, finally pinning him to the ground, my sword to his heart. As he lay sneering at me and telling me that I did not have the courage to commit such an act, a young child, a girl, would always walk into the scene. Her face was innocent, confused and clouded.
The only words she ever muttered were: "Daddy? What's happening, Daddy?"
When she spoke this my anger grew even more, but my heart became heavy knowing what I could not stop myself from doing. I would scream at the top of my lungs and cry tears of salt that mixed with the blood dripping from my face. Out of a fog that surrounded us, the Delenar would then appear, watching and waiting. Never a word did they speak, but I could see their hearts in their eyes. Perennia, Tenshar, and Elwyn stepped forward. They waited to see if my heart was cold enough to not only take a man's life, but to take it while his child looked on. I myself feared that I would; I was torn between an old wound that had bled for years, and a new heart that had changed me forever.
Each time this dream came, I awoke sweating, crying, and screaming. My brother would awaken at my screams and rush to my side. Protective and forever loving, Tenshar always worried for me; I loved him dearly. He always came to me when he heard me scream, usually bringing his sword, afraid there was someone after me. However, when he got to me, he would see that the dream had come again. I would shiver and cry, confused and frightened.
We would go downstairs and he would light the fire in the hearth. For some reason, it always made me feel better to have the window open with the moon shining in. Tenshar and I sat in the moonlight and talked all night long. We merely spoke of our lives, how they had been before and what they had become; we shared our most secret thoughts, hopes, and dreams. Tenshar and I shared everything together. My brother was, with the exception of Avalon, my best friend in the entire world. We were inseparable.
Sometimes, though, I did not scream when I awoke from my nightmares. Yet, I was tormented all the same. On these occasions, I would grab my cloak from beside the door and slip out into the night air. It helped to calm me down and set me at peace when I walked under the stars and strolled beneath the outstretching arms of the mighty trees. Somehow I felt safe and strong, and the cold vengeful thoughts of my heart quieted. Often times, Avalon would follow from the stables. It helped to have him as a companion, for being completely alone frightened me.
However, during on such late night stroll, I found that Avalon and I were not alone. We were coming out of the thick woods into a small clearing when we saw someone already out there. At first I was frightened, not knowing who this could possibly be, as all the Delenar were soundly sleeping. I could not see his face, but as I watched, he practiced his fighting tactics with amazing skill. Some motions were those that I had never seen before. As I watched, I moved closer, trying to figure out who he was. Suddenly, Avalon came up behind me and stepped on a twig, causing a loud snap to resound throughout the woods. The man spun around, his sword pointed towards where I stood.
Then, I recognized the braid of the Delenar warriors hanging just to the left side of his face. (I had received mine just recently, after I completed my training and come of the age of 21.) I walked into the clearing, leaving Avalon to graze the soft grass at the wood's edge. The young warrior lowered his weapons when he saw me, and smiled as he came closer. Owls and wolves sounded their calls all around us, making the night seem brighter than before.
As the young man came into the moonlight of the clearing, I realized that it was Elwyn!
"Elwyn? What are you doing out here so late?" I asked.
"I practice the art that only the leader of the Delenar warriors know. It's peaceful out here and it clears my mind, helps me focus," he replied with a sigh as he took in the beauty of the world around him. Then he looked back at me an asked, "Why are you out here alone so late?"
For a moment I was stunned, not by what he said, but by the fact that I actually wanted to tell him what had caused me to rise and venture out into the night alone. It scared me so much to desire to tell him something so terrible and so personal. I imagined how crazy he would think I was and how he would scoff at me, but then the moonlight hit his eyes and I looked deeply into them.... Perennia said they were the windows to the soul. His eyes were soft and kind, yet strong. I felt that he would somehow understand and that he could be trusted with so personal a matter. After all, he had taken me as a student and taught me to be a warrior and we had become quite good friends, though we had never gotten very close. It was odd that we had not, though, as he was only 2 years my senior.
Finally, I decided to tell him. He listened with an open heart and an open mind as I told him of my painful and frightening dreams. He comforted me when I wept, telling me that I wasn't crazy. These dreams were not hallucinations but rather a foreshadowing, a warning, symbolic of things to come and what was in my heart. It put me at ease to hear him say this and to know he understood. He swore to never tell another soul what I had told him. Also, he promised to teach me the secret art of the leader of the warriors to help me prepare for what would come. We stayed up all night that night, talking until sunrise.
Every night for months after, I met him in the woods. That is, every night that my brother did not wake up and stay with me. We kept our meetings secret, him teaching me ancient fight techniques, me telling him of my dreams and my past. Elwyn and I grew very close over this time, even Avalon approved of him.
Teaching and learning from each other, we became closer than ever. He was my best friend and I trusted no one more than him, except for my beloved brother. We shared our secrets, our troubles, and our pains. We shared laughter, memories, and joy. It was if by some unspoken bond we were connected, knowing each other's thoughts.
One day, one the way home from training with the rest of the warriors, Elwyn asked me if I thought my brother would be at home.
"I need to speak with him," he said. "It's important."
"What's wrong? Is there a problem?" I asked, worried.
"No, it's nothing like that. I just need to talk to him about something. Don't worry."
I felt uneasy, he never kept anything from me, but he would not tell me what he so needed to talk with Tenshar about. Not only that, but he seemed anxious and nervous, and he knew my brother well. There was no reason that he should feel that way about talking to my brother. They were very good friends and always watched out for one another. This, of course, pleased me as they were the two most important people in my life. It was almost as if we had been cut from the same piece of cloth, like our souls had been linked before we even met. Something far stronger than us had pulled us together, and nothing could tear us apart.
When we arrived at my hut, Tenshar was inside by the fire polishing his sword. He rose to greet us, and Elwyn asked if he might speak to him.... in private. I was shocked and worried, they were shutting me out!!! They looked at me, dismissal in their eyes as it seemed. Faltering for a moment, I sought the words to say but could find none. Rather than lose my dignity and cause a scene, however, I simply said, "I believe Avalon needs brushing and watering. I'd better see to him."
Suprisingly, Elwyn replied, "As soon as I have spoken with Tenshar, I'll assist you, if you like."
Not knowing what else to say, I merely, "As you wish," and ventured out to the stables where Avalon waited.
While fetching his food and water, I continued to ponder what the two men could possibly be talking about. What were they hiding? I took the comb and began to brush Avalon's silky, golden coat, becoming so deep in thought that I began to speak those thoughts aloud.
"Why are they shutting me out? What are they hiding? Do they not trust me? Was I wrong to trust them?"
A strange, warm wind then bristled past me..... "Worry not, everything will be alright."
It was the voice! It was that strange, familiar voice! I bolted out the stable door, my eyed darting in every direction, hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever this might be. Sadly, the voice was gone and there was no one to be seen.
I looked around in every direction thinking that maybe I had missed something, but I hadn't. However, I did see Elwyn and Tenshar emerging from the house. Cautiously, I watched them, noting their pleasant demeanor and jovial looks. I took care, though, that they think I was only busy hauling a water bucket from the well and not watching them.
The two men walked towards me, still smiling, but I turned my back on them completely, leaving no doubt that I di not care what they were doing. Unfortunately, this didn't last long, for Tenshar called me over to him, and I could not pretend that I did not hear his shouts.
"Sister, sister please come here for a moment."
"Yes brother?" I said tentatively. I was unsure what was to follow, and it made me feel very vulnerable.
"Don't worry," he said as he smiled at me. "It's nothing bad. I have just spoken with Elwyn and he has told me something very important."
I looked at Elwyn with a questioning glance, but he seemed as nervous as I was.
"He has asked me to allow him," Tenshar continued, "to formally court you."
"Um, but, uh, only if you want to of course. I mean, you know." Elwyn stammered. I had never seen someone so strong and regal look so nervous and uncertain.
For a moment I was in complete shock, I had no idea that this was what they were talking about. When it finally set in, I smiled and laughed joyfully and threw my arms around Elwyn's neck. We were so happy!!! He picked me up and spun me around in the air while Tenshar looked on approvingly. I felt so free, it was almost unexplainable. Little did I know how short lived this happy freedom would be, our world would soon change forever.