Into the Gilded Walls

chapter twelve

“Ah, Jrack! My good ole pal! Where’ve you been?” The bald guy slapped Jack on the shoulder, then put his arm around it. Gilian saw that Jrack tried to move away but the man's grip was strong.

“Well, I had to help these two out of the mining tunnels.” Jrack motioned to Gilian and Valri.

“Oh fer the love of the Wolves! Untie them! If they're friends of Jrack they're friends of mine!” Gilian noticed his deep accent, making him hard to understand.

Gilian rubbed his wrists as they were untied, and when the gag was taken off, he sighed. Valri glared at the ninja-like people. Then they disappeared into the woods to Maker knows where.

“Come, come! Let's head back! Jrack is back! We have much to catch up on!” The man laughed and still with his arm around Jrack's shoulder, walked down the path. Gilian followed, contemplating something. Finally, he decided to speak his mind.

“You're a shapeshifter?” the words were blurted out. Jrack looked back at the boy, and opened his mouth to say something but was cut off.

“Darn right he is! And a good one at that! Aye, aren't ya? Well, I’d hope so! I wouldn't want to be friends with a spy now, huh?” The bald man laughed and it took a while for Gilian to understand what he said with the thick accent.

“And… who exactly are you?” Valri spoke, in a slightly accusative voice.

“Ah, I'm Mitchal! I lead the rebellion!” He grinned, and Gilian caught up to walk by his side.

“Wait! So you can help free my family!” He grinned. Jrack and Mitchal exchanged a look, and Mitchal sighed.

“Well, lad… it's not as easy as it sounds.” He took a deep breath. “And… we don't have enough people to send a rescue party…”

“Hate to say I told you so.” Jrack gave Gilian an empathetic look. Then his brow furrowed, “not enough people?” he looked back at Mitchal, who dropped his hand to rub the back of his head nervously.

“The old camp, ya know? We got ambushed by, well, a dragon. Aye, took out more than half our warriors…” his brow scrunched up, “that’s why everyone's here, at Middle Mark.”

“I… missed a lot I see… Yes, lots to catch up on.” Jrack sighed, then the four walked into a clearing. A few people looked up from a campfire that was in the middle of a ring of tents.

One of the guys who looked a couple years older than Gilian, looked over, then grinned and called out, “What doth thou hast hither, Mitchal? Newcomers? Good day! I be Wilamar, how goes't?”

Gilian and Valri shared a glance and Valri shrugged. Jrack whispered to the two. “That's Wilamar, he’s been looking into early Galadanraian. And now refuses to stop speaking it.”

Wilamar walked up to them, and shook their hands, a grin still on his face.

“Uhm… I'm Gilian.” Gilian nodded at him as he shook his hand.

“Valri…” She gave him a look, Wilamar didn't pay attention to it, but continued to smile. “Welcome to Middle Mark!” He looked like he came from one of the Woodlander colonies, having the green eyes of one, and the light brown hair.

“You're going to scare them!” a girl scolded as she walked up to them. She gave the two friends a shy smile, “I'm Sahrah. I'm sorry about my friend here.” She shot a glare.

“Worry not, mine friend I be sure they're not frighted! Why would they be?” he flashed another smile, “Join! to the fire, I shall say to thou of stories from mine travels!”

Gilian looked for Jrack, but he had disappeared, along with Mitchal. There goes his chance of asking questions. And escaping Wilamar.

“Well?” Gilian looked over at Valri. “Shall we?”

She gave him an exasperated look, but nodded, then they followed Wilamar and Sahrah.

“So… you're the rebellion?” Gilian asked Sahrah, and she nodded. As they sat down, she introduced everyone. First herself, she came from the island fishing colony. Wilamar, as suspected, came from a woodlander colony. But he had traveled all around Galadanra, as bards do.

Fellix and Novar, who were the son and daughter of Mitchal and Britnae, his wife. They came from the Northern Mountaineer Colony. Harkel was a farmer And Savahn was from the northern woodlanders. They all chorused a “hello” except for Savahn. She didn't say anything, just nodded and looked back at the fire.

“Wait.. this is the rebellion? Where are all the warriors?” Valri raised an eyebrow.

“They were either killed by the dragon, or they are scouts, keeping us safe from the danger of the woodlands. 'Tis dangerous out there. 'Tis dangerous everywhere.” Wilamar sighed, then played with the strings of a lute softly.

“I want to know more about this dragon.” Valri gave everyone a skeptical look, and Wilamar nodded.

“Ay, of course. Yet there is not much to say to. It came as a monster, burned half the camp to the ground. It tore houses apart, as 'twere like paper to it. We ran aroint, to Middle Mark, we had to brow many dangers. Thankfully, some warriors were spared. Yet many of us didst not survive the trek." The people around the campfire quieted down as they were deep in thought, remembering lost ones.

“I thought dragons were extinct.” Gilian spoke up after a few minutes, trying hard to not sound accusative.

“Well, they're not anymore. Apparently.” Sahrah poked the fire with a stick, sighing. Everyone was silent again, the soft melody of the lute in the background.

The silence was broken as Fellix and Novar bomboarded Gilian with questions. He tried to answer all he could, but soon he was feeling tired. All the events that had happened crashed down on him. He yawned and leaned onto Valri's shoulder, falling asleep.