Journey of the Horn

Chapter 18

I looked up to the top of the archway to make sure I went into the right tunnel. Sure enough I did. I had gone into the tunnel with the griffon at the top. I got up, gathered my things and started my way down the tunnel. It was dark and had cobwebs in every nook and cranny. There was a single torch flickering on the wall. I grabbed the torch, mainly so if I fell off a cliff I could say it's not because I couldn't see anything. But rather just my lack of balance or noticing. The wound on my side still stung with pain as I walked, but I couldn't stop. I had to get out of these caves, and fast. I knew where I wanted to go, but that was not an option open to my use.

As I walked down the tunnel my mind started to wander. I imagined what the worst outcome of me being Lord could be. But the mass slaughter of my people wasn't very pleasant. I then remembered the first time father had ever taken me hunting. I was nine and my first little brother had just been born a month before hand. He came up to me while I was brushing my teeth one morning and placed his hand on my shoulder and for once smiled at me as he said. "Hey Son, why don't you and I go on a hunting trip today? How does that sound?" I remember I was so excited that I ran to my room and grabbed the bow I had at the time....I still have that bow somewhere. We had walked all around the mountains that day. For most of it we didn't see a single game animal. I was so disappointed, I thought it was my fault. But my father just smiled down at me. "Don't be upset Son. Not every hunt is fruitful, but that doesn't make it any less important." I remember looking up at him confused. "What do you mean Papa? Now we won't have food." He just laughed. "Oh Son, we have plenty of food." I was still confused. "Then...then why are we hunting?" He crouched down to my level with his hand on my shoulder. "Because Son, it is something I can do with my boy. Spend time together as father and son. Besides you'll need to learn how eventually." Looking back on it now, I think that was one of the few times my father smiled at me. Like that true, genuine smile that a father gives his son. After a moment his ears pricked up and he picked me up and crouched behind a log. "Alright Son, stay quiet now. We don't want to scare them away." We both peeked over the top of the log. "Scare who Papa?" But then when I looked up I saw a giant bull elk and a cow elk run up over the ridge. My heart started pounding with excitement. "Alright Son, we're going to shoot the bull alright. The cow might have a calf." I nodded my head with my eyes wide. "O-okay." My father lifted my bow, placing his hands over mine as we both drew back the bow. "Alright, just breath. Focus, nothing else matters. Close your eyes, and breath..." I obeyed my father. "Now open, and shoot." We both let the arrow go, it whizzed through the air faster than a falcon. Only stopping when it struck the bull elk in the chest and the cow ran away. "I-I did it." I said shaking with excitement and adrenaline. Which made my father laugh. "That you did my boy, that you did." He got a slight look of longing and sadness. "We better get this elk home for cleaning."

To this I was oblivious, I now knew why my father had turned distant to us. Because he knew that a lot of us wouldn't make it out...he didn't want to hurt again. I promised to myself that I wouldn't do that to my sons, if I had any. I would make every moment I had with them count. I would never turn cold to them, no matter how much it hurt knowing that some of them would die trying to get the throne I passed down. I walked for another minute or two before stopping to take a drink. A wish of where your heart most wants to be? I thought to myself. Where did I want to go? I did not know the answer to this, but in that moment I wondered where Alpine could be. If he was safe and actually taking care of himself. My baby brother was the only light I could see in this great battle. I hoped that the Roshfire hadn't changed that. His innocent, youthful mind was too precious to destroy. I continued on my way for a while without incident before coming to another large room, but there was a major difference between the room of the kelpie and this one. This room...was pure gold. I looked around in ah. As I did a small gnome like creature came out from behind a mound of treasure. "Welcome, welcome to the seòmar òir. My name is Sgaoileadh. And you are?" I looked at him confused "Nubian." He jumped up and clapped excitedly. "Oh the eldest prince. Yay! It is a pleasure to meet you dear prince." I maintained my confusion. "Likewise? Do you know how to get out of here?" He clapped again. "Oh yes of course. You see dear prince one of these things is not like the others. Find the thing you seek and you can go anywhere you wish to go outside of the valley of the ring." Oh great a riddle. I thought to myself, I've never been very good at them. "Is there any way you could help me?" He jumped up in the air to look me in the eye, keep in mind my hoof alone was half of his body height. "Yes dear prince, I can answer three questions you happen to have. But no more than three."

I stopped to think, three questions? What should I ask? I thought and thought before deciding. "May I save my wishes for later?" The Sgaoileadh looked at me in shock. "I suppose you can. But why would you want to?" I looked down at him with a hopeful look. "I only wish to be with my little brother Alpine. My only wish is to be taken to him." Sgaoileadh thinks a moment, holding his bearded chin between his stout thumb and dirty fingers. "That can be done. Come along." He walks over to a large book and opens it, muttering words of the old language from the page. I suddenly felt much colder than before, Like a blizzard had wrapped around me and me alone. Sgaoileadh continued to mutter while I got colder and colder until eventually I was no longer in the cave. But rather in the snow with a blinding blizzard all around me. I looked around but all I could see was white. "ALPINE!" I called "ALPINE!" and in a shivering whisper I heard. "...Here."