Chapter 14: Chapter 13: The Scars of War

Bard hummed as he scanned over his things. Knowing that they were to be leaving today, he had risen earlier than normal. Kai sat comfortably next to Bard as he looked over his gear once again to make sure it was all in order.

“Well looks like everything is here and ready,” Bard said to Kai.

Kai looked up with a pleading expression.

“Oh come on Kai, you’ve had over a week without having to carry anything.”

Bard picked up the saddle and turned to Kai, who promptly jumped back and ran to the far end of the room.

“Kai! You’re acting like a child! And you promised.” Bard said, trying to chase after his friend. Unfortunately, Kai’s speed and agility that Bard had so often relied on, was now against him. The game of cat and mouse continued, although the odds were not evenly stacked. The two became so enthralled in the game that nether one of them noticed the new arrival in the room.

“Now, boys, is that any way to act in front of a lady?” Both Kai and Bard stopped as they turned to see Sen standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips and a mock, serious expression on her face.

Bard seeing an opportunity, threw down the saddle, jumped on Kai’s back and began doing his best to try and topple the large beast. Kai stood there unmoving as the young man wrapped his arms around his neck and threw his weight back and forth in order to throw him of balance. Kai’s sheer size and wide stance made such attempts futile. After a moment Kai rolled his eyes and sat down on his hunches accepting his ‘defeat’.

Bard rolled off Kai’s back a little winded and turned to Sen “Sorry… about… that,” he said in between breaths. “Please come in.”

Sen who up to this point had maintained her serious expression, now broke into a wide grin and bound into the room. She walked over to Kai, while Bard grabbed the saddle and begin strapping it on the large animal.

“Now Kai. What are you doing letting that mean teka catch you,” Sen said as she patted his head.

“Hey, whose side are you on?” Bard complained, looking up from his work.

Sen smiled at him saying, “Well now that we’re en…caged, I have to be on your side…”

Bard chuckled, Sen had gotten a lot better at speaking in the human tongue, but she still struggled with that word.

“What?” She asked. He shook his head.

“You’re getting better, but it’s really en-G-aged,” he pointed out. She pouted, but there was a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Before she could refute his comment, there was a knock at the entryway, and Bard stiffened as he saw the golden hair of Sen’s father. His serious expression made the air feel cold, and he struggled to continue with strapping the gear onto Kai.

He heard her father say words in Dryadic and could make out ‘teka’, and something he believed said ‘tell’ but he sighed. While Sen had done wonderfully trying to learn his language, he had slowed, particularly when it came to speed, something her father was very proficient at. This experience stiffened his resolve to learn more of her language and how her people’s nuances changed it.

Sen eventually turned around and half smiled at Bard.

“Father says you need to follow him. He has something to show you before we go.”

Bard stilled. He wondered what sort of demands Amir would make of him. Though if he was just showing him something, what was the purpose?

Eventually he moved his feet and followed after Amir.

Amir eventually stopped and whistled. Bard felt his jaw drop as two white deer came out from behind some trees.

“Get on,” Amir said and Bard followed as the Dryad climbed onto the back of the larger one while he climbed onto the back of the other.

Amir whistled, and the deer took off and began to traverse the wood as easily as Kai would have. Bard held on as best he could and was grateful for his experience riding Kai. They then began to climb up the side of a large hill and continued along it for several minutes. The trees gave way for a bit. Bard saw a mountain ahead of them, and Amir whistled to guide the deer towards it. Bard grabbed the bit of fur that his fingers could grasp as they began to scale it. When they slowed at the top, Bard let his eyes wander, wondering where they were headed.

He froze as his eyes beheld black. It wasn’t the same as a shade, but the color instilled a sense of fear and despair he was all too familiar with.

Amir slowly guided the deer towards the edge where the trees gave way to this black and into the silent grounds. A few small animals scurried at the edge, but as they descended further into this place, the less they saw of them. Finally, they came to a large blackened tree. Amir stepped off and Bard followed suit. He came next to Amir as the deer left them.

“What happened here?” Bard asked, keeping his hand on Father’s token. There wasn’t a lot of shadows here, but he couldn’t help but shiver. The idea that this might be a trap, began to cross his mind. He stilled the idea. He was pledged and had the blessing of the forest too. He should be safe.

“You asked why War… Defender changed his name.” Amir said. Bard’s mouth formed an 'o' as he quietly looked at the place a bit differently.

“If it’s easier… you can explain it in Asternum. Though, if you could do it slowly, that would help me understand it better.” Bard said in the best Asternum he could muster.

“You never cease to amaze,” Amir said back, and Bard was thankful for the obvious slowing of his words.

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“So, what did happen?” He asked again.

“This used to be my home.” Amir said softly. “Before the teka came and burned it down. And this tree, was Defender’s sister.”

Bard looked about the forest. He could sense what Amir was saying, but why hadn’t anything grown here since. Amir seemed to imply that what he talked about was shortly after Sen was born. Bard knelt down as a bit of white caught his eyes and he rubbed at the dirt. He felt the unnatural gritty white material and closed his eyes. Saltstone. This land was decimated and probably wouldn’t heal for a long while still.

The wind blew, picking up some of the dust and charred material. Bard covered his eyes against the wind and waited while Amir collected his thoughts. The dryad's hair moved with the wind, an unnatural occurrence.

“You are rather quiet. What are you thinking?”

“Nothing much. Just listening,” Bard answered. Amir snorted a disappointed sound.

“Typical.” Bard watched Amir stride to a charred log and sit down, looking annoyed.

“What made Defender change?” Bard asked, and Amir looked at him with confusion and disbelief.

“I told you. His sister was killed, burned by the teka,” Amir reinstated. Bard sighed.

“And it was just that?”

Amir sat there quietly. Bard knew that it took more than something like that to change the ways of an elder. They saw more time and more passings than even the oldest of Dryads, their patience was tempered, and their understanding was sound.

“A small event like that wouldn’t be enough,” Bard mused as he closed his eyes.

“Just how well do you know elder trees?” Amir asked.

“I was raised by one. From the age of six years. And I’ve met many others.” Bard answered. Amir seemed to eye the tokens and sighed a guttural sigh of defeat before looking skyward.

“Yes, that was the final straw. After years of wars and with the unification of these woods to survive, Defender went to look for a place farther from the humans and when we all returned the forest was burned, his sister barely holding on long enough to explain what had happened. The teka had taken many dryadic women and guardians with them, and when we arrived to save them, they were disfigured beyond what words can describe. Including…” Amir paused, a pained look on his face. Bard closed his eyes, trying not to imagine the sight.

“Sen’s mother…” Bard supplied, and he looked to see Amir gritting his teeth. “I’m sorry.”

Amir shook his head and looked at him with a fierce anger that was barely contained.

“If you dare harm her, you’ll face a fate worse than death.” Amir said, and Bard bowed his head as he placed his hand by his tokens.

“I will remember that… I promise to take care of her. This pledge will be honored,” Bard said solemnly.

Amir somewhat smiled, perhaps touched by the gesture, but his disgusted face returned, and he looked out at the charred landscape.

Bard stared at that same landscape, and then he reached for the tokens. An old memory stirred, and he grabbed then, with as much reverence as he could, he moved to the old charred elder and found a bit of bark that still held its form. He pulled it back and the sound garnered the attention of Amir.

“What? Stop!”

“Do not interfere with the ways of the Elders,” Bard glared at Amir. This practice may be old, but he had thought the Dryads would recognize it. Amir gritted his teeth and his eyes glared back with unrestrained suspicion and scorn. Bard walked past him and pulled loose a single string from his clothes. He then loosened a strand on his hip and a small metal spike came out. He took it in hand, noting Amir’s ever present stare. After using it to make a small hole, he threaded the bark with the string and put the metal spike back in its place. Then he moved to a boulder and placed the makeshift token on it. He then quietly took a few steps back and with the other tokens in hand he closed his hand and let the tokens hang.

With the little bit of wind, their melodies hummed on the strings, ready for the next moments. Bard opened his eyes and raised the tokens before spinning them around. The forced air caused a mixture of humming that soon reached a harmonious sound. As soon as the sound stabilized, Bard moved. He couldn’t move the same as a tree, let alone an Elder Tree, but he could still move the way Father Tree and the Elders had approved. With the sound as his backdrop, he shifted and moved, almost like a dance. The wind shifted, and a few slight sounds came from the makeshift token before silencing. The last call of the Lost Ones. Bard stopped moving and then slowed the tokens till it was silent. A final parting from the Elders.

He then took the token from its stone dais and proceeded to bury it at the base of the tree.

Amir watched silently. Bard noted his countenance was far more at peace now. As Bard finished and wiped his hands clean of the dirt, Amir bowed his head to him. “Forgive me Bard. I thought ill of you. Thank you for that.”

“Do you know of the significance of those with tokens?” Bard asked. Amir stood up straight and looked at him questioningly.

“No.”

“To act as an Elder when none is present or able to perform their rites. To carry on the knowledge and teach the rising generation in their ways, and to protect the lives of those to come.” Bard answered. “This is the way of those acknowledged by the forest.”

Amir closed his eyes as if contemplating something deeply.

“Forgive my rudeness, Bard.” He bowed respectfully.

“Well said,” another voice said, drawing their attention to a brown deer that came quickly over. “We are well met, Elder Bard.” Elwood jumped down, still as spry as a young man. “You surprise me in your knowledge, especially for one so young. But I shouldn’t be surprised with all those tokens in your possession.”

“You knew?” Amir said startled.

“Your ignorance is going to be your downfall,” Elwood chided. “The forest and trees whispered of your conversation, and birds told of your hostility. I came, but heard word of the rite. So instead, I’ve come to offer my thanks.”

“Thanks?” Bard asked, trying to avoid the evident family problems. He would deal with that if he made it back in time. Now was not the time.

“Indeed. I could not perform such a fantastic rite, and Defender had forgotten his ways so that he was unfit to perform it himself. Though, I am surprised to hear of your dance. If I had but arrived a bit earlier. I would have loved to learn it.”

“Perhaps I will teach it to you when I return,” Bard said with a friendly smile.

“That would be fine. I have still many years left to live. No doubt longer than you.”

Elwood’s friendly demeanor and comfortable atmosphere spoke volumes that he was very much in agreement to have him join the family. Amir seemed grumpy at best about this.

“Now I’m sure I’ve ruined the good feelings you had towards Bard,” Elwood said as he looked at Amir. “But Sen also sends word. She is ready and waiting to depart. I showed her all the locations you will need to go, and she was quite shocked at how little time you two have.”

“What is this about?” Amir asked and Elwood chuckled.

“I did warn you that all those tokens will be challenging. Fifteen, and now you will be getting sixteen of them. It’s a marvel that you have so many. I should consider you my older brother of the forest,” Elwood chuckled.

“Father,” Amir warned, and Elwood smiled.

“I may have had an impressive amount in my day, but I only managed to get eight. You must have been traveling most of your life and taught well to receive much.”

Bard nodded. It was rare to have anyone know the effort and depths it took to receive these. There was a certain kinship that those sorts of challenges gave to those who completed them.

“Someday, when you return, I ask that you teach me what you know from the Elders…” there was a wistful excitement in his voice. “But for now, I am going to take you back to where the lovely Sen is waiting.”

“Father!” Amir said and Elwood laughed again. His eagerness had nearly caused him to overlook the other Dryad who was present. “Bard. Promise me you two will return in time.” Amir said, and Bard smiled before bowing as respectfully as he knew how to Amir.

“By my breath and the protection of shady woods, I will bring her back in time.”