Illara Chronicles: Swordplay

The Oaths We Take As Children

The road approaching the stable yard was unusually quiet, for this early in the night. The sound of the hard rain on the rooves may have drowned out the usual din of farm animals and chattering townsfolk. Or perhaps the unsettling speech on the wind may have blown away the villages love for murmured gossip. Thrilling reports of monsters and missing men lose their luster when the lost man was your neighbor, and the monster could be lurking in any shadow. In every shadow.

Kelith could see Clynne and Orabeth in their kitchen window, and he heard raised voices. "...and for what!? Every time things get even a little bit hard- we can't do this!" The broad shouldered man stepped into his wifes space, and Kelith looked away, setting his eyes on the stable doors. 

He'd let Kendreth take this far enough, the time had come to protect his friends --- the creature had to go. Kelith set a hand on the door, steeled himself, he heard Devra scream and he burst in. He would have made his way straight for the hay pile and the pitchfork stuck in it, but the scene sprawled out before him stopped him in his tracks.

Kendreths kid sister held onto a rope, anchored to the ceiling, and lept off of a horse stall and swung legs out towards Taldren, Kendreth, and the grellion who stood with their eyes shut. Kendreths eyes opened as the door burst open, just before his sister swung her feet into his chest. He fell backwards with her in his arms, and they all laughed. 

They were playing. The grellions chortle sounded like gargling marbles. Kelith meant to sound stern, and full of conviction, but he couldn't help but smile as he asked, "What is this?"

"Droop has never played 'Blind Pirates' before! I wanted to teach him." Devra crawled across Kendreth to wrap the thing in a hug.

"We are learning games." Droops voice was a high pitched rasp, Devras with Devras little arms wrapped around his neck, her face smushed against his.

"Droop?" The Grellion nodded his head and Kelith caught on to his namesake, those pointed ears that were so tall they bent and flopped. He was dressed in a red riding tunic that Devras mother had bought her for next summer. Its brass buckles and leather straps made Droop look like a goblin prince. The idea of a grellion, especially Droop, on any throne made a laugh swell in his chest. Kelith pictured the dead guardsmen, and their families, and the humor was banished.

"Isn't he dangerous? The captain said that guards have gone missing, and Claudia-"

"He couldn't hurt a baby bird."

Droops ears fell as he approached Kelith with a four fingered hand out to shake. "My name Droop." He placed the other hand on his chest.

Kelith looked at Taldren as he shook the strange hand. Taldren just shrugged and shook his head. 

"It's nice to meet you Droop. I don't mean to be suspicious, I've just...never met a grellion before...and our town has been troubled."

Droop just smiled. "He doesn't know a lot of words yet." Devra cut in. "I'm gonna teach him!"

She jabbed her thumb into her chest. Her round face and light blue eyes were framed by a waterfall of sandy brown hair. She was missing one front tooth, and waving her arms as she explained all the ways she was going to help. "...and manners, and cooking, and..." She raised a hand to her mouth and gasped, scanning the room. "...Horseback Riding!!"

Just like her brother.

"I don't think he can stay here." Taldren stood from the bale of hay where he'd been seated

"I agree." Kendreth knelt to Devras eyeline, her brows already wrinkling in protest. "We have to get him home."     "But that's not fair!" Tears started to well. "He's our friend and, he needs us! You told me 'friends, are family!'"