One Crown & Two Thrones : The Dragons Egg ( Book Two)

Chapter Twenty- Seven - Branna - Aed

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Branna

Aed

The company had journeyed west for more than a day through Dulga Forest, passing through the devastated vegetation and the carcasses of dead animals which had been horrifically drowned by the vast tidal surge that had swept through the western areas of the forest, destroying everything in its path. Aed, Welsam and Cadr had travelled in silence, the probable death of Gil too much for any of them to bare. Even the sun seemed to fade into shadow this day, Aed so dumfounded in grief that he cared not for the rays that filtered their light down through the weeping branches of the trees. Such a change had occurred since entering the forest that Aed thought himself unknown, his reflection in the receding waters so unalike the reflection he had grown up with. There were so many things that had been left unsaid between himself and Gil, the most prominent being the love he had for his younger sibling and the terrible guilt he carried for not having paid him enough attention or for not having stood shoulder to shoulder with him against their father. Such was the disgust that Aed felt when his mind reached back to the events of yester morrow, when he had met the ancient council of Meer and his fate had been shown to him. He tried to summon any type of emotion as he walked through the thick forest, but found himself numb and unable to reach any emotional thread within. Instead he fiddled with his growing beard, his fingers anxious and his heart hammering against his chest. They were close to the edge now, and within the next hour or so he would either return to his village and find them alive and well or he would return a widow and orphan.

"Everything seems so quiet," Cadr said aloud as he used the tip of his blade to do away with stray branches. Aed looked across at his friend, his brows sullen and his eyes troubled.

"You fear our return?" Aed returned, watching Welsam's bottom lip tremble at his words.

"Our families will be safe, our village safe," Cadr said, his eyes betrayed his confident words.

"And if they are not?" Aed said with a grim smile as they crossed a small stream, their leather boots awash with water.

"Don't speak such words," Cadr returned with a sharpness that almost cut at Aed were it not for his newly armoured heart.

"Our fathers will welcome us with meat and wine!" Welsam said with a half-smile as he closely followed his protector. "The Gods will smile upon us." As he spoke, the three wolf men stopped walking and turned to him, shaking their heads in disbelief.

"No Gods smile on us this day," the elder said. His name was Havador and he was a few moons younger than Aed, his eyes a sapphire blue and his hair a deep silver. He was close to Kya, and since the great quake had been in a state of perpetual discontent as he guided Aed and his friends through the forest. "They have forsaken us long ago. Tell where do you see the hand of our Gods now?" Havador lifted his hands into the thick air and turned himself about, his silver brows high and his smile aching with sarcasm. Aed held still and saw Welsam's eyes dip into reality. To his side he could feel his friends temper rise and gently placed a hand over his wrist, giving him a knowing look.

"Forgive my friends," Aed said with a calming smile. "They are anxious and mean you no harm." Havador eyed Aed a minute before dropping his hands and turning, once again journeying through the forest. Aed turned to Cadr. "He has lost his tribe, be sensitive."

"And we have returned with all of our own?" Cadr said under his breath as he swerved his sword about in bad temper. "How exactly are you going to explain Gil's disappearance and Quill's execution?"

"I'm not sure," Aed stammered. The group fell into an uncomfortable silence once more and for the next half hour travelled under a cloud of oppression and forbearing. Aed felt the air lighten and when he lifted his eyes from the muddy ground below he found himself gazing at the edge of the forest. With renewed energy and need to find his wife he began to run at full speed until he burst forth from the forest and was drenched in a great light. He lost his balance for a moment as he tried to focus his eyes against the winter rays. Beside him he felt the rest of the company glorifying in the fresh air and warm light. Aed lifted his dark eyes to the sky above and smiled, he felt free and with an unintentionally surge of happiness he lifted his arms about him and fell to the moist grass below, kissing the long strands with his lips before raising his eyes and finding his companions, who unlike him stood together, their faces turned from him and aimed in the direction of their village. Aed, finding his breathe stood up and turned about, his smile instantly fading. The village was aflame, with great streaks of red and orange flames bellowing up into the air, creating a great cloud of grey ash. He felt his hands fall to his sides as he slowly, his feet losing balance made his way to Cadr, whose own sword had fallen upon the grass before him. Welsam turned to Aed, his fat face riddled with tear stains as he strove to find the words, any words in which to communicate. "No," Aed said quietly as the wolf men turned to him with sympathetic faces, unsure of what to do next. Suddenly anger and disbelief gripping his very core, Aed began to run like the wind towards the village, his eyes on his once round house which was now falling to the ground in great clouds of heavy ash. Behind him the rest of the company followed.