Being awakened in the dead of night to go running in pitch darkness without torch or lamp would normally have the Aesir Chief ready to cut off someone’s head! But on this night, being roused by the Valley Knight to accompany him on an errand for the Priestess put out all fires raging within him. The Chief had to admit, with all his men off on the perilous journey back to their homeland while he stayed behind left his spirits at an all-time low.
However, his word had been given to the Priestess to train the young interlopers who awoke the Mountain for their duties as its guardians. Except for the odd wanderer in from the desert, no one who lived in the valley was foolish enough to ascend the Mountain to look for the glowing yellow stones.
To be once more flying into a potential battle shook the long growing cobwebs from the Chief’s body and spirit. He thanked Odin for giving him the wisdom to run with the youth’s in training these past months or he would be dead by now! As always, the Knight had little to say. The Chief could respect that. There was nothing worse than a man with a loud mouth with only empty words spewing out.
The Knight was not completely aloof. Many times when invited to drink and gamble he attended and then matched cups with any who dared challenge him. However, the black-skinned warrior never lost his composure whether drinking or throwing dice. His uncanny cool as his winnings grew was unnerving.
The Knight did answer one personal question the Chief asked of him. It concerned how he had been chosen by the Priestess as her husband. With his usual cool, the Knight merely said, “Many men wanted her. I wanted her more.” When the Chief asked others about the selection they said many men fought to become the Priestess’ protector and the Knight had beaten them all. The Chief did not doubt the account for he had looked into the eyes of the Knight that fateful day upon the Mountain and saw the eyes of a killer stare back at him.
At last the gravel covered roads gave way to the wooden walkway leading up the Dam. After reaching the top of the winding ramps, the Chief looked out over the vast Lake. Though his home had similar expanses of water such as lakes and fjords, the view of sparkling stars upon the calm waters always took his breath. It was hard to believe in an age long past this was once a mighty river in constant war with the Mountain. According to the Priestess, just like the Mountain, there was a Goddess living within the mighty Lake. After seeing a bare glimpse of what the Mountain was capable, the Chief wanted no part in angering the Lake!
Both men swiftly and quietly followed the hidden path through the cypress forest yards away from the lake shoreline. In the near total darkness of the forest, it was all the Chief could do to keep up with the Knight. Thankfully, the light toned patch of fabric at the back of the warrior’s dark skirt made it possible. When it seemed both his lungs and heart were ready to give out, the Knight slowed and then stopped. Crouching down among the high and broad leafed ferns covering the forest floor, the Knight gestured for the Chief to come beside him.
Doing his level best to control his ragged breathing after so long an interval of running, the Chief came alongside the Knight. Whispering the also winded Knight said, “There is still a short distance remaining until we reach the forest’s end at the mouth of the river. We will move slowly from here to give us time to catch our breath. By the time we reach the river mouth, it will be nearly dawn.”
More than pleased to hear they would get a respite from running the Chief asked, “Did the Priestess tell you who this traveler is or what they look like?” Slowly shaking his head the Knight replied, “No, she did not. But, she gave warning to treat the traveler with the utmost respect.”
That made the Chief’s thick eyebrows frown heavily. After seeing the Priestess’ true form when she confronted the awakened Mountain, the Chief wondered who could have such influence as to cause her concern? It was a question that would have to wait for the Knight quietly padded off through the ferns and the Chief moved to keep up.
Just as the Knight predicted, upon reaching the forest’s end and the river mouth the first faint red glow of dawn could be seen through the tree line up ahead. Now the pair moved as did hunters stalking prey ever-watchful for the slightest movement or disturbance in the forest. Except for the singing of awakening birds and the occasional gnat buzzing nearby, all seemed as it should.
That was until they heard shouting coming from beyond the trees! In single-file, only the tops of the two men’s heads rose above the ferns as they drew closer to the disturbance. Just short of the tree line’s end they split off two spear lengths distance and stopped still. The Knight listened carefully for the direction of the shouting until his sharp ears pinpointed its position. Giving the barest of head nods to the Aesir Chief, the Knight moved from the cover of the ferns and out to the edge of the trees.
The Knight knew this area well. Years ago after having lost the caravan he’d wandered the desert until by the grace of the Gods the mouth of the river lay before him. Once clear of the trees, the Knight placed the hammered bronze shield upon his back and the Great War Spear along side him as he belly crawled through the knee-high grass. Off to his side, the Knight saw the Chief do as he did and together they moved closer to the nearby road.
Peering through a gap in the grass, both the Knight and Chief saw the cause of the disturbance. In the growing rays of dawn, a youth covered in black ash with strange gray ash markings was trying to fend off a circling pack of cackling hyenas with nothing more than a long tree branch. Behind the youth lay a small cart with a broken wheel. Upon the cart cowered an old man covered in a plainspun blanket. The Knight noted that brave as the youth’s effort was, the hyenas were gaining their courage. Once they did....
© 2011 H. Wolfgang Porter. All Rights Reserved.
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