Chapter 5: Chapter 4: Pledge

“We have our orders, sir,” the messenger said.

“Of course you do,” Elwood thought. He wondered just how much Bard understood of the situation. Perhaps Sen had explained it to him or, rather, could explain it to him. In the meantime, he had to find a way to continue his conversation without these fools on him. Sometimes, he thought, his son could be a real pain.

“I am supervising this,” he motioned to where Bard and Sen still sat. “While gathering information. Why don’t you go tell our leader this,” he finished dismissively.

“But sir, the prisoner, and we’ve been ordered to oversee your protection,” the messenger began.

“Does it look like I need protecting,” Elwood’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

“Well, no sir, but,” he insisted. “You are our only Elder and he is a teka. Besides, there is the matter of the dog.”

“The teka has called his pet off. I am in no real danger here.” Quietly, Elwood began to seethe. His son had chosen his guardsmen well. Too well. They were insistent and in this case a bother. He wondered how he could get them off his case and leave them be. He figured Bard would be more willing to divulge his secrets without more company, and right now, he had a question he needed answered.

“But sir,” this time another member of the guard said. “What’s to stop the teka from simply ordering the dog to attack when your guards down, or to try and make a run for it? The fact is that he is a teka and can’t be trusted”

“That may be true…” countered Elwood, “but I need information that I know he will be much more willing to give if he is not locked up in a cage!” Elwood’s temper was starting to flare, and he said that last statement a bit louder than he intended.

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Bard frowned as he watched the exchange between guards and Elwood. “Well, this is going nowhere fast,” Bard said to himself.

“They’re scared that Kai might hurt Grandpa,” Sen whispered. Kai looked at Bard with an apologetic look.

“Well, It’s not your fault that you are a bit intimidating,” Bard said to his faithful friend with a pat to the furry head. He looked back at the guards and Elwood as their voices rose in volume. He thought about the avenues left to him and sighed. “Sorry, my friend, but it seems it can’t be helped.” Bard shrugged. Rising to his feet, he quietly walked to the group before him. Sen reached out but stopped as she decided to see what he had in mind.

“Gentlemen, I hate to interrupt this, but might I offer a suggestion,” Bard said in fluent Asternum with a simple flourishing bow. All four heads turned to look at him, surprise marking their features and in some, was that a bit of shame? Ignoring their bewildered state, he continued. “If it is my friend the ‘dog’ who bothers you so, then he is willing to be caged while I continue my discussion with Elwood, here,” he motioned to Elwood and then bowed. His mind raced through the implications of his words. He needed peace, not a fight. “If you find this more assuring, of course,” he said as an afterthought. It was their territory that he was in, after all. He inwardly thanked Father for teaching him enough Asternum to handle situations like this, if only he hadn’t gotten so rusty in it, then maybe he could have followed it earlier when tensions were high.

Sen kept back the majority of her laughter in the guise of a chuckle/coughing fit, which drew some glances towards her, but then the eyes fixed back on him.

“Well,” one of the guards coughed. “I don’t know where a teka like you learned our language,” but was silenced by Elwood's sharp gesture. The guards' faces twisted in surprise, their disdain for a 'teka' speaking Asternum clear, but Elwood's gesture cut through their prejudice.

“If your pet and you are fine with that, it shouldn’t be a problem then,” Elwood said. Bard nodded, keeping his head more down and respectful. Elwood turned back to the guards, his eyes narrowing, his calm voice carrying an unspoken command. “You may stay, but respect our laws. I will personally be informing our leader what I discover,” Elwood said with a note of finality in his tone. The guards looked at one another and one shrugged.

“Very well, Elder Elwood,” one of them said, raising his finger to his chin and bowing his head. Bard took note and acknowledged that human movements for respect varied compared to dryadic movements. Sen stood next to Bard, and he wondered when she had gotten there. She looked up at him and placed her hands behind her back, smiling.

“Well done,” she whispered in human tongue. Bard nodded, mutely, then looked at Elwood who sighed.

“If you’ll have him move over to the tree, then I will have him caged,” Elwood said with a bit of a remorseful tone.

“It’s not your fault,” Bard said in human tongue, and Elwood inclined his head to the side.

The two walked over to where Kai sat patiently. Bard looked back at the prison and Kai sighed. He rose to his feet, and the other guards shifted behind them. Kai glared once at them, purposefully avoiding looking at Elwood, as if to say he didn’t like the guardsmen but found the strange and older Dryad to be fine.

Without another sound, Kai padded into the cage and sat, watching silently as Elwood asked the tree to bar the way. After thanking the tree, the two returned to the table, and Bard noted how occasionally Elwood would glance towards where the guards had situated themselves.

“Sorry about the interruption… where were we?” Elwood asked, and Bard thought back. Before he could respond, Elwood’s eyes glinted with recollection. “Ah yes, you mentioned a Father Tree, and I asked why you had left.”

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“Right,” Bard muttered, wondering why Elwood seemed on edge.

Bard paused, his eyes darting to the forest around them, as if listening to a melody only he could hear. He chose his words carefully, "Father raised me until he sent me on a journey to see the world."

“I see,” Elwood remarked, then leaned forward, his gaze piercing, as if trying to read between the lines of Bard's story. Bard wondered what Elwood wanted to hear. He was probing for something.

“Before I continue, Elwood Sir, You wouldn’t happen to know where my belongings were taken?” Bard asked.

“They are safe,” Elwood assured, a glint of light in his eyes. “You travel without a weapon?”

“It’s not as if I can travel without protection of some sort, is what you want to know. Correct?” Bard asked and Elwood nodded.

“How do you travel safely?” Elwood pressed, his curiosity evident.

Sen's voice was soft but firm. "Grandpa, he's trustworthy." Her words carried the weight of her belief in Bard, her eyes challenging Elwood to see what she saw. Elwood's hand paused on Sen's head, his response to her a whisper of doubt, "I need to see it for myself." Bard sighed.

“I do apologize, Elwood Sir,” Bard said, drawing the attention back to him. “You seem curious about me, and I am not sure if that is good or bad,” Bard said, relaxing.

“I see,” Elwood mumbled. “Well, it can be good or bad, depending on what I can gather here. If having them around bothers you, I can see what I can do to…”

“No, it’s alright,” Bard said. He really had nothing to hide, but this whole experience was strange. He had thought those branch-like antlers had stood out to him, and he recalled that Father had mentioned that the oldest and wisest Dryad grew them as they matured. Meaning, this Dryad was wise and respected.

“Very well,” Elwood said, and sat comfortable as one could on a stool.

“I do not know how to use a weapon, so therefore, I have chosen not to carry one,” Bard said, resting his arm on the table.

“Interesting,” Elwood commented.

“I would show you how I am able to travel with relative safety, but I am afraid that my belongings aren’t here,” Bard sighed.

“Thus the question as to where they were,” Elwood remarked and motioned for him to continue.

“It was a gift from Father Tree,” Bard explained. Elwood’s mouth curled into a knowing smile, causing Bard to stumble with his words. “It is hard to describe so,” Bard shrugged. “Basically, it is a wooden item that contains the song of Father-” Bard chose his words carefully; some secrets were not his to share.

“Is that how you obtained these?” Elwood asked, procuring a small piece of fabric from a pouch and setting it on the table. Elwood's fingers traced the fabric, avoiding touching the tokens. His eyes held a light of reverence that spoke of ancient knowledge. Bard froze and then sighed in relief in recognition.

“Well, no actually… I was given those…” he began.

The conversation was cut short by a shout that sliced through the air like a blade. "Father, what are you doing!?" Bard's heart skipped. The voice was sharp, filled with authority and disdain.

Bard turned to see the source of the new voice. A tall Dryad flanked by several more guardsmen strutted towards them. He had a regal bearing about him that would have been awe-inspiring had it not been his presence too much like a storm cloud, his scowl turning the air cold. Bard also noted that he too had golden hair like Elwood’s, although he didn’t have antlers.

The man glared at Bard. Bard recognized the harsh Dryadic Asternum, a language he was still mastering, as Amir's orders echoed. “Restrain the teka!” Before Bard could react, hands were on him, pushing him down. The world tilted, and all he could do was listen, the ground cold against his cheek.

Bard's breath caught as he was forced down, his mind racing for any way to defuse the situation.

“Amir!” It was Elwood speaking. “Think about what you are doing.”

“I am Father. Take her away,” this Amir person said coldly.

“No! Ungh. Umph. Let me go!” Sen cried out. Bard imagined a few guards grabbing her and dragging her away. Bard heard a deep growl from the cage, and several of the Dryads on him flinched, probably looking back at the caged creature. Bard took this chance and turned his head to look towards Kai. Kai's growl was a deep rumble, his fur bristling, eyes locked on the guards with a promise of violence. Their eyes locked and he shook his head slightly. Kai stopped, but his hackles never dropped.

“Lock him up,” Amir spoke, and as Bard was hoisted to his feet he saw Elwood approach, obviously angry.

“And what do you intend to do to him?” Elwood asked, sharply. Amir slowly cast his gaze to Elwood to regard him.

“What we should have done in the first place,” Amir answered.

“But, he’s of use to us,” Elwood said harshly, voice sharp with urgency.

“He’s dangerous. That’s all the information I need,” Amir spat back, his face in a twisted snarl, red flush with anger, betraying his calm facade. Bard stumbled as the guards drew him to another tree, fearful of letting Kai have any chance to get at them. He glanced back and saw the clenched fists of Elwood.

“Give me a few minutes with him,” Elwood demanded. "He's not a threat!" Elwood countered again, but it seemed to be falling on deaf ears. Bard’s heart sank as he heard those words. He felt that Elwood was trying to preserve his life, though he wasn’t sure why; but this Amir wanted him dead. He was used to having Dryads wanting him dead, but it still stung. His mind reeled with ways he could get out of this situation.

He heard someone growl, probably Amir.

“I grow tired of this. He’s lived far too long,” Amir said, and the sound of a sword unsheathing from the scabbard rang in Bard’s ears.

There were sounds of struggle and Bard heard some cries of outrage, or was it surprise. Either way, he was surprised as he saw Sen appear next to him. Apparently he wasn’t the only one who was shocked.

“If you kill him, father, you’ll have to kill me too,” her voice rang out loud and clear. “Our lives have already been pledged, and I will protect him, or I will die with him.” Sen's declaration hit like a thunderclap, her voice trembling yet resolute. Amir's face paled, the sword in his hand forgotten. If silence could be tangible, it would have suffocated them all. The guards exchanged looks, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief at Sen's bold claim. Bard felt a mix of relief and confusion wash over him, the term 'pledged' echoing in his mind like a riddle.

Amir’s face contorted as an ugly hue of red burned into his skin. Without a word he turned towards Elwood who held a pained expression of surprise.

An unspoken message passed between the two, and Elwood shrugged. Amir faced some of his guards, “Lock him up. Now. Don't harm him,” Amir growled, his command barely containing his rage. Sen instantly stiffened as a stern finger was pointed at her and a bead of sweat ran down her face as Amir commanded, “And you! Go to your room and stay there until you are summoned. Understood?” Amir gave his daughter a look that indicted that there would be no arguing this point.

“Uh, y…yes, Father,” Sen said, slightly bowing her head. She looked back at Bard, and he could see the relief on her face. Bard's mind raced. 'Pledged'? What did that mean? For now, it was his lifeline.