8
He was making more noise than he needed to, so he must be feeling polite today. This was good, because I wasn’t. His politeness reached the level of apology when he circled and came from up-wind, allowing me to know who he was and his intention. Perhaps his change of attitude came from a lashing from his queen. Would this be an example of what awaited me back there? No, I would need to be one of her men- and that would not happen.
Adian, her tiger, his long straight white hair moving like harp strings in the wind, walked into the clearing with his hands in his pockets, looking around at the damage. “Is he dead?” he asked. His voice was neutral, as if he didn’t care what the answer would be.
“No,” I told him. “He’ll live to bully another day.”
“Shame. Now I have to care for him. After seeing your back trail my hopes were lifted. That’s quite a letdown.” He looked at Víðarr, still sitting slouched against the rock face I tossed him against. “He never had a chance to change. So, this is his true power.”
To say, you’ve seen nothing yet, would be true, but trite. And, why give him warning? Fact was, anyone my age could have overpowered young Víðarr just as easy, and caused as much damage. The skill lay in not killing him - but why mention that part?
“He changed, it just didn’t do him much good after the second tree. She wants him back?” I asked, remaining seated.
“No,” he said, sitting down on a low rock, with his back against the trunk of a tree, making both look like the most comfortable objects in the universe. “My queen wishes him to return alive to his master, whoever that is.”
“Should be a seal on the scroll. You could check,” I suggested.
“You could’ve as well, but you didn’t. Why?” Adian asked.
“I know who marked him,” I said, then shrugged, “perhaps in my anger I jumped to a conclusion that they were the same person.”
He narrowed his eyes, but then relaxed, and walked over to his patient. Bending at the knees he examined the man, looked into his unconscious eyes, felt his pulse, then stood. “He’s going to be out for many hours. He should have changed the moment you grabbed him. Pride will kill this one, within two years I suspect.”
The man’s future held no interest to me.
Adian returned to lounging on the rock. “It seems I’m going to be out here most of the night.”
We sat in silence for a time. Truth was, I was tired myself. I hadn’t had much sleep in the last few days, and the output of energy here was more than I was used to. Also, I had nothing to eat for more than a day. If I didn’t watch it, I could starve a mile away from ready food.
Adian looked at the sky, and then said, “I would like to ask of you a story. My queen, earlier today, said several things about you which have been puzzling me.” Adian continued looking up into the puffy clouds. “However, it’s a personal question, and I don’t wish to offend you. I’m sure you get asked all the time. But I would be willing to pay with real coffee and fresh meat, if you would honor me with the telling.”
“That’s quite the courtly manner you have there, Adian,” I pointed out.
He shrugged. “I don’t want to fight you, but I’m curious. She’s a good judge of situations and character… in my experience. And my judgment is far from hers in this case.”
“It’s a good offer,” I mused. “Which story?”
“The one I have no chance of ever hearing true. Why, and how were you exiled?”
“Why, and how,” I mumbled. It was a good choice of wording. I would be bound by honor to be completely honest, if I accepted. It was so long ago, I wasn’t sure I remembered all of it. I didn’t think on it much since then. “Fresh meat?”
“Yes, and cooked over a flame,” he agreed.
“Agreed if it comes soon,” I bargained.
I saw him grin, and then he was gone. He… was… fast. I had to give him that much. He could keep pace with me, or at the very least, he wouldn’t be far behind.
I leaned back against the tree behind me and stretched out my legs. Where to start, that was the question. It may not have been a wise bargain, he was certain to tell the tale to Myriana. But then, perhaps it was time for Myriana to hear these tales. Why her mother kept them from her, I couldn’t fathom — but humans confused me often.