After many hours at sea, they moored the boat, and set out on foot to the home village of Aris that lay just over the hills overlooking the vast Azure Sea.
"What exists North that my mother believes I must go there to stop the Empire." Tiernan asked in a hoarse voice from remaining silent up until now.
"I will explain when we arrive at the house of my parents." Aris gruffly replied.
It was nearly dusk when they arrived at the rustic village. Pens of goats surrounded small clay brick houses Tiernan had rode past such villages many times but never stopped to see them up close. This was where the peasants lived, the lowest of the citizens of Thyraza if the city-state still even existed. Tiernan knew his parents were dead, slain by traitors who were likely driven by fear and greed into submission by the Empire. It was sickening.
Curious and wary villages stopped their activities to stare at the strangers approaching, but as soon as Aris removed his helmet, they seemed receptive and even called out in welcome. Aris led them to a modestly sized house, fashioned as those in the city's poorer districts but possessing a courtyard, with a barn attached for their animals. Aris knocked, and waited until the main house door opened.
"Oh sir!' A woman's voice exclaimed, "We were not expecting you!"
"I bring grime news, I must see my father."
The woman, likely a slave opened the door allowing Aris, Tiernan and the other two guards inside. A grey-haired portly man strode out from the main room of the house into the courtyard carrying a small oil lamp.
"Aris? Why have you come?"
After everyone was settled into the kitchen to warm up as the chill of night was upon them. THe scent of hot food being warmed up for them from earlier that day caused Tiernan's stomach to rumble in hunger. Yorgos, Aris' father sat listening as his son regaled him about everything that transpired, and that that the palace was taken, Thyraza was no longer. Or no longer as it had been, free and independent. Just another vassal of the Empire.
"Of course you will stay here the night. But why does the Lady Danai send her only son North?" Yorgos queried, mostly to his son rather than Tiernan.
"I shall inform you both," Aris turned to hand Tiernan a bowl of lamb stew. "Lady Danai original came from the northern nation of Finnros, her people for many centuries have gone to a city called Caeru seeking wisdom, the people living in Caeru purportedly possess magic and she believes they can aid us against the Empire."
"Why has she never spoken to me about this?" Tiernan heard his voice tremble, and bit his lip to keep from sobbing. He had to act like a man now.
"Your mother kept much of her traditions and beliefs to herself wanting to integrate with her husband's culture. Their marriage was already unpopular as is. I should know I have served your parents for nine-teen years." Aris answered honestly. "In Finnros you will be safe with kin on your mother's side."
He felt great sorrow for their loss. It was a travesty. But he could continue his service for them by protecting their only child. Going far away was the best decision. He hoped taking Tiernan to Finnros to be with his last living relatives would be enough. The idea of magical people living up North was too fanciful even for Aris. It seemed like a fool's errand. He was not a believer of any god or spirit. There were hundreds worshiped by many, how could they all be right? Who was wrong? How could one tell? Sometimes Vissarion teased him telling him in another life he might have been a scholar with his deep thoughts and questioning nature.
"It is good you take the boy to Finnros, his family can take care of him there," Yorgos commented between slurping his own soup.
"You will take me to this Caeru won't you?" Tiernan quickly realized it very much sounded like Aris did not want to take him further than the land of his mother.
"Getting you to Finnros first is most important, from there we shall think further on it. I know not much else about Caeru or these people. We shall be enlightened when we enter Finnros." Aris replied carefully not wanting to further upset the young man.
Yorgos' wife, and her female slave entered the kitchen after preparing a room upstairs for Tiernan. Aris would sleep in the kitchen, and the other guards in the barn with thick wool blankets. Tiernan began to tire of the pity in everyone's eyes, and was glad to be alone for once. Slowly his mind finally began to process the trauma of the day. Parents dead, nation fallen, and his future uncertain. So he clung to the task given to him by his mother. To honor her, but to get revenge. Curled up on his nice, Tiernan clutched the blanket tightly in anger as hot tears poured down his cheeks. He'd do anything to see the Empire fall, and kill the man responsible, the bastard Emperor.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Somewhere in the forests of Finnros
No matter how much he tried to disguise his face, obscure it with a hood, or pulling up his collar, Anlon kept drawing unwanted stares.
"Are mortals always so rude!" his companion, a remarkable woman named Elin grumbled as they entered the tavern.
Eigil, her brother smirked, "Mortals always admire beauty, and you my fear friend Anlon are utterly ethereal!"
Anlon shot Eigil a glare as they all took a seat at the farthest table they could. Already they drew too much attention. Here the folk wore well worn clothes that showed great wear and tear. Many dirtied by the days work, taking respite at the tavern. Many were loggers and other laborers who called this remote spot of Finnros home.
A woman well past her prime sauntered over with a dirty tray giving them a good look over. "Well we don't see such fancy folks up here too often. We only has the house ale, brewed right here in town. To sup' we only got meat pies made from whatever beast the master hunted and cooked up."
"Ale is fine my dear lady," Eigil smiled up at the woman.
Her eyes which were once hard and suspicious suddenly glazed over and a grin appeared on her face, "Of course good sir. Right away!"
Elin smacked her brother, "You cannot glamour mortals so brother."
"I didn't sister, I merely used my charm! Lady probably has to deal with scum and rude men, a little kindness and a warm smile go a long way."
Anlon watched the siblings make jibs at each other with an almost forlorn passivity. Such teasing reminded him of someone. Someone they left in search of. The whispers they received in the Valley did not bode well, but Anlon and his companions were sent to confirm these rumors, and to bring back their wayward brother, friend, and fellow Deathless.
The ale was brought, and Eigil having taking a fancy to the beverage drank it almost all in one gulp. Elin sniffed and took a minor sip finding it too bitter. Anlon left his untouched. Eigil soon took his and finished it off.
After another round of ale, the locals in the tavern seemed at ease with their presence. Enough so that Eigil rose and joined men at a table where they played a game of dice. He quickly caught on, and soon was laughing such as boisterously as the mortals. Elin and Anlon sat quietly until Elin had enough silence.
"Do you believe he could do the things they say he has done?" she asked.
Anlon looked at her coolly, "The man I knew would never. It's not within his nature to do so."
Elin did not want to argue, Anlon was closest to Rixa more than anyone. And as far as they knew from their short travel into Finnros, the Emperor was a mortal and there was no evidence otherwise. The only thing that caused concern was the Empire's rapid rise over the past decade that coincided with Rixa's leaving. It could all be a coincidence. There was no possible way, a Deathless, a Child of the Golden Goddess would invade nations and rule an Empire. It was absurd. Still Rixa left and they were to bring him home. The Council of Elders knew Anlon was the best choice, no one else was closer to Rixa besides his own parents. But Anlon would not be hindered by family bias and emotion. Although he and Rixa were friends, Anlon adhered to the edicts of the Goddess. Elin was told Anlon was asked to leave with Rixa but he refused. She wanted to ask him what state of mind Rixa was when he left. If they left on bitter terms, than the chance of convincing Rixa to return would be problematic.
Eigil finally returned to their table with news. "It seems the Empire has yet to turn their eyes on Finnros. However, it appears a princess of Finnros, Diana? Danielle? Or something like that had married the current king of a place called Thyraza which just got invaded and was killed alongside her husband. A man at the dice table has a sister in the capital and it's all the talk. The king of Finnros is in mourning but there is no talk of retaliation."
"But where is the Emperor?" Anlon did not care what Eigil had just told him.
Eigil shrugged, "We should go to the capital, Aluvaine. People here don't know much about the political going on's of the Empire much less the whereabouts of the Emperor."
Eigil was correct, Anlon concurred, "We shall go to Aluvaine and make inquiries there."
"I think I want to try the meat pie here." Eigil said turning to look towards the kitchen.
Anlon rolled his eyes but there was no point in arguing. They'd leave at first light.
ns 15.158.61.16da2
