Chapter Two
Rhyas
Here is the link to Chapter One-Part Three: topic57250.html
I read the letter; it very nearly broke my heart. I read it again and again and I still could only think of one reason why Arithal would leave, North Wind. I drew my bow and arrow and walked into North Wind’s room.
“She’s gone.” I said.
He stared dumbfound, “What do you mean she’s gone, is she dead?”
I said, “She might as well be, she left us because of how hard on her you were yesterday.” North Wind strode past me, into her room. Her bed was empty.
“How do you know she just didn’t go to market?” he inquired. I reluctantly showed him the note.
“I am going after her, no questions.” I said. I went outside. I did not know where she would go, but I doubted she would go into enemy territory, so I headed in the direction of Gyssarnith.
I rode for only a day, for the passage was short, before I arrived at Gyssarnith. I walked into the small village, and people stared, for I wore the cloths of the enemy. Before I could say anything, two strong looking elves came up to me. By one I was tossed from my horse, the other bound my hands. With no questions asked I was lead to a castle. The palace was grand, I must admit, but it made me long for my friend and companion, Silver Blade.
The guard each held fast to one arm, but it was useless. Even if I wasn’t bound, I would have not the spirit to run. I thought only of Silver Blade. Soon they reached a heavy looking, wooden door. The door was opened, and I was lead into darkness, I tripped several times, for I had little night vision. I heard a door shut, and I was put into darkness, then nothing.
How much time passed, I didn’t know, it could have been weeks, or months. I survived it, solely, for the love of Arithal. It may have been only an hour later, but eventually food was brought down. Unfortunately, I dropped the tray due to quaking hands, and when I asked for another, I was strongly refused, with a hard shove, which brought me pain in the shoulder as I slammed into something hard.
I soon lost feeling in the shoulder, but was to sick from lack of food to care. Then one day a guard came for me, and I was lead back through the walls of the palace.
Soon I stood before the queen, and a sorry sight I was, with my hair a mess, and dirty, for I hadn’t bathed since I went down there.
The queen’s words were gentle, but firm, “State your name, Kingdom and Skill.”
“My name is Rhyas of Gyssmitor, I am a messenger to the tyrant king, and I excel in sword and bow skill.” She nodded.
Then she asked, “Please tell me, traitor, how did you come to be here?’
I sighed, “My explanation will be long, forgive me, but you wouldn’t understand any other way. I was requested, by the tyrant king, to deliver a message to a person in Arkenia. Now, this had gone and been done many times, but this time was different. I carried only a bow and a few arrows, but no horse. As I went to travel to Arkenia, on the road I was attacked by trolls, outnumbered seven-to-one. I managed to kill two, but the rest captured me, and I was dragged to their underground lair.” The queen let out a slight gasp, and I continued.
“The torture I was given, I will spare you of, but I still have not fully recovered. My magic was lessened to the point where I can no longer use magic, though no one else knows this. But in the dungeon, a dying fairy lay, and she gave me a small bottle. In it contained wine, in mixed with a sleeping drought. The trolls, greedy as they were, were more than eager to try the ‘wine of the gods’.”
“After releasing me so that I could give them the bottle in an ‘honorable way’ they fell asleep from the draught. I was able to escape, powerless from that stink hole and get to the Fox and Hound inn, where I met the beauty Silver Blade. At first we told only lies to each other, but after I recognized her by her wear, she opened up to me, and we began to travel together. But her horse went into the worst type of frenzy, and she suffered a blow to the back of her head. Back at a different inn, she mended to a healthy status. After a rage poured on her by North Wind, she left. Thinking she might come back here, I traveled here, only to be attacked and bound. That is my tale.”
The queen sat back in her chair, thinking. Then she smiled at me, “Companion to Silver Blade, if all is true you said, then you have been treated unjustly, and I apologize. The guards will show you to a bathing chamber, and I will have someone bring you fresh clothes, while I decide what to do with you.” A servant came in, and I was lead away.
I was lead to a small room with a tub of water in the middle. I stepped in, and bathed my wounds, slowly, for they hurt. Soon a fresh bit of cloths was brought in, and I changed into them, and then walked back to the throne room.
The queen said to me, “If you indeed are a friend to Silver Blade, go and find her. Bring her back, and there will be something in it for you.”
“There is nothing I want more,” I said, “then to see Arithal.”
“Very well,” the queen said, “then go get a horse and find her. Knowing Silver Blade, she probably went to the woods, good luck.”
I bowed, and walked to the magnificent courtyard, where a fine horse sat, tied to a post. I untied its reigns, and got on. The horse slanted one ear back; it started a slow walk through the village.
Soon we were out of Gyssmitor. I sped the horse to a canter, heading for the woods right outside where the Fox and Hound was. I was confident nothing would stop me. I arrived at the Fox and hound inn. I checked in, and gave the inn keeper my money. She smiled her thanks, and I was led up to a small, humble room. I put my hands in my head, and sighed. I had a long journey ahead of me. Who knows how long I was in prison, and how far Arithal was. But it didn’t matter, I would find her.
I found myself wondering, where in the world was Simketh right now, and was he okay? Then I remembered what he did to Arithal, and regretted the second thought. Actually, I wouldn’t care if trolls got him, as long as it didn’t affect me. Quite frankly, I hope they did, it would teach him a well learned lesson. I walked down the stairs, and who would be there, but North Wind himself. I curled my lip back and drew my bow and arrow. Simketh saw this, and walked up to me.
“There is no need for violence.” He whispered.
“I see a need. While Arithal could be out there dead, you sit here, not even doing what your queen asked you.” I said, grinding my teeth.
“You do not know she is dead, and don’t you think I would be going after her if I rightly could. Unfortunately I have suffered a blow to the right arm, and therefore cannot fight if attacked.” He said, pulling back a sleeve to reveal a wound.
“Use your magic and heal it, you are a warrior after all, this should be simple for you.”I said.
“Why don’t you?” he asked, sneering.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Nor did you answer mine.” We stared at each other the longest time. He drew his sword, slowly, but with confidence.
“Try me.” I said. As was custom, I made the first move, but he had a shield and blocked my arrow easily.
“You’re not going to win with sticks.” He taunted. I looked at him. I looked on the wall, two swords lay crossed over the fireplace. I went and grabbed one.
“Now we fight fair.” I said. Each blow the other blocked, we both knew one slip up could be the end.
“You’re not much without Arithal.” I said. He frowned, and aimed the sword at me, it would have killed me too, but something, or someone, came between me and him. But I never saw what it was, I had already blacked out. I woke up in my room a short while later. A nurse was in the room.
She said to me, “You’re lucky that elf stepped in, she’s very pretty, and might I add. If it wasn’t for her, you’d be dead, or a lot worse than the few scratches you got.”
“Wait, what elf?” I asked.
“Uh, let me see, how to put it. Well, she had silver-blonde hair, blue eyes, and her sword skill was sharp as ever. With a nice sword like that, it’s no wonder she had the other guy down in a second.”
“Arithal,” I whispered.
“Well, is that her name, she never said. She just pinned the other guy down, then left. Didn’t kill him, though.” I lay down and thought, about what this meant. Maybe Arithal was alive, but this could just be someone similar. She had been there, and I knew it. So close, but she never spoke to me. But now I would have to find her again.
I set out the next day, as recommended, to the forest. The horse, as good as it was, was uneasy in the woods for reasons I didn’t know. I rested it by a steam of water, and it drank thirstily. I took the pouch from beside me and took a sip, not trusting the safety of the water.
I looked around me, the leaves slowly blew around with the wind and the sun was shining its happy tune. I sat down on a log, and soaked in the warm sun.
Then, out of the woods stepped a dwarf. Dwarfs, despite reputation, were actually only about half a foot shorter that the average human. Now, I was not concerned, until five more stepped out. One I could handle, but six I could not. They had me tied up without a struggle, which would only end up with blood loss and weakness, two things I didn’t need.
“Take the horse too.” One said. The other grunted a reply I didn’t catch. As they forced me to walk, I thought about what had happened to Arithal. She probably had found another guy and gone off with him; the thought almost brought me to tears.
“Move faster,” A dwarf grunted at me. I stepped up my pace. A dwarf tripped me, and the rest laughed. The leader took a bow from my bag, “Very nice,” he commented, “Elvin made, this will fetch a good price at the market after we kill you.” I thought to myself, why couldn’t all races get along, instead of just humans and elves? We walked for the rest of the day. We stopped at a creek, and while they forced me to make them camp, they killed my horse for food.
“He’s almost as obedient as the other girl we picked up yesterday.” One said.
“Nah, she was much feistier, did you see the fire in her eyes as she swung that blade. She killed Htunath and Durthanath.” The other replied.
“But once Gynathath brought out the whip she was tamed in a second.” He smiled and evil, sinister smile.
I hoped I was imagining what I was hearing, they must have gotten Arithal.
“Nearly killed the wretch with that whip, he did; took all the fire right out of her.” One grunted.
I wanted to say something, but at the same time wanted to hear her fate.
“Still in the dungeon, I think.” Another said.
They went on to talk about other things of little interest to me, and I fell asleep on the forest floor.
I was awoken by a hard kick on the shoulder, and picked up with rough hands.
“Get up boy, we must move on.” We walked again, this time towards a small cave. When we got there, the leader dwarf muttered a few words, then the cave opened up, and we marched below. I was lead through a seemingly endless cavern with many stone doors. The leader finally opened one, and shoved me inside. I heard the click of a lock being locked, and then nothing.
I heard a shuffle nearby, and thought, rats! But I realized the noise was too loud for rats,
“Who’s there?” I asked, hesitantly.
“Fisae,” a weak, staggered, voice answered.
“Arithal?” I asked in partial delight.
“Oh, is that you, Rhyas. I thought I would never see you again; I have been down here so long, but maybe it was only a day. I missed you so much, but how did you come to be down here?” she still sounded weak.
“Arithal, I have missed you more than you know. But, despite your letter, I did come looking for you. The demons got to me, and now we are both here.” I found her in the darkness, and hugged her I felt tears on my shoulder. As I touched her back, I felt something wet, blood!
“Why do you cry?” I asked.
“For we will both be killed here, or die of starvation. Don’t you see, Rhyas, they took Bael Avel; I have nothing. Wait, you can use your magic, I can’t, because I have little, and not enough strength, but you can.”
“I have no magic, it was taken.” I told her.
“So we will die.” She said.
“Do not yet give up hope.” I told her.
“I have no choice. Many die from the dwarf’s cruel hand.” I thought, only for a minute.
“How often are we fed?’ I asked.
“I do not know; time passes so slowly.”
“Well, if we can restore your strength, you can use magic to escape and break the lock.”
Then two large, ugly dwarfs came in. One followed after the other. They looked at Arithal. “Fisae, you are of no use to us here. You shall at least make yourself and your friend useful and work for us.” She nodded quickly, and I knew why. Our choices were work or die.
We were led out of the room. Now I saw her in the light, there was a long blood line across her shoulder blade. As she turned around to face me, I saw one on her face, along her cheek and down her neck. Not bleeding but red. I opened my mouth to say something, but she shook her head no.
A dwarf caught her looking at me, and violently slapped her across the face. She didn’t turn around again.
We were led to a room. In it was a dwarf, prettier than most. She looked young, maybe a year or two younger than me, but I hated her all the same. The dwarf who led us here said, “Frisatha, your new workers.” She looked us over.
“The girl will be good for sewing; the boy can deliver the clothes to our customers.” Her voice was gentle, kind almost.
The guard grumbled and left. She looked us over again. “You will need new clothes; I will give the girl the cloth to make it.”
She went to the back and got out two rolls of brown cloth. “You may work on it in your spare time. But first I have two questions: What is your name, and can you sew?”
Arithal spoke clearly, “My name is Fisae, I can sew well by Elvin standards.”
“And fine standards those are, I will show you to your room.” She led us up a flight of stairs. Through a door was a room with two small cots, two blankets, and two pillows. “Your rooms.” She said.
She led us back downstairs. She handed Arithal a piece of paper. “Start on this, small stitch, blue and red cloth, size 4. She handed me a bundle. Take this to house 334, there all numbered and in order, I hope you can read.” Arithal went to were the cloth was, and I left the room.
It seemed like we were in a big house, for instead of everyone having a separate home, there were only doors carved in the stone. Each door led to a multitude of rooms, and that’s how everyone lived. O went up to door 334. I knocked on the door. A dwarf came, looked at the package in my hand, took it, grunted, and tossed a few coins at me. I scrambled to pick them up.
I went back to the shop. “What are the coins for?” I asked. Frisatha smiled.
“They are a tip, and all you will have to buy food.” Now deliver this package. As I walked through the halls, all I got was hateful, evil, stares. The day, and each consecutive day after that seemed the same; yet life continued.
That's really good. I can see that happening, but poor horsey 