The Dragons Egg : XIII : Tree of Meer : Aed : Preview

XIII

Tree of Meer

Aed

“Here give me your hand,” Aed called down to Welsam. The group had paused for a few hours in which to rest, with Uff and the rest of his wolf pack taking to the trees for safety.

“I’m not sure I can climb up,” Welsam said with embarrassment as the rest of the group watched on with curious gazes. Aed could feel the strain and frustration radiating from the young man and felt great sorrow for him. Welsam was out of his comfort zone and his friend had been ruthlessly murdered but a few days ago.

“I’ll help you up,” Cadr announced with a friendly smile. It had dawned upon Aed as the group had ventured through the forest, the close link between the two unlikely friends, both being the polar opposite of one another, it surprised Aed to see Cadr so protective. Welsam exhaling, his face covered in mud and his clothes sharply torn by branches turned to his friend and shook his head.

“Really, I’d prefer it if we just camped upon the ground,” Welsam said with a hefty sigh, his legs shaking with exhaustion.

“No, we take shelter in the trees, dark creatures from the mountains have ventured down into the forest this past week, they are sure to pass beneath us when the moon rises,” Uff said with a regal voice. He sat close to Aed, both of them taking refuge under the leaves of a great and ancient tree which seemed to go on forever. Aed looked across at the wolf prince, wishing to find understanding, instead he found a warrior of steal, his eyes filled with past experiences and a great deal of wisdom.

“Come I will help you up,” Aed said as he reached down to Welsam. “Cadr give him a foot and I will help him up.”

“I will only shame myself and prove a laughing stock to our captors,” Welsam said with red cheeks, the features of the faces of the rest of the group changing abruptly.

“We are not your captors, as I recall we are aiding you in your quest,” Uff said with stiffness.

“Guthad states that the a man or force that has us bound not just by hand and foot but my spirit and mind, serves the purpose of an objective aim, the aim being to take away the freedom and liberties that we gifted upon beings from their first breathe,” Welsam said resolutely.  The young wolf men quite their teasing and seemed to quieten as Welsam spoke with his chin up and his chest out. “You have taken my friend captive and thus we too are your captives. For you would only allow us access to this tree if it serves some ill intent or aim.”

“Who is this Guthad?” Uff said sharply, turning his silver eyes to Aed fiercely.

“He is long dead now, but was once a great advocate of the free people in the north,” Aed replied as he raised his brows. “My friend here is truly a well-read scholar, but whose fate was unfortunate enough to place him within an illiterate village, where books are rare and intelligent thinking rarer.”

“I heard that,” Cadr said with a sarcastic smile.

“I have a great many books young scholar,” Uff said as he climbed down to a branch beside Aed. “This man you speak off, I wish to read his book.”

“I have it here in my satchel,” Welsam said as he took the hand of Aed and placed his foot within the palm of an under spoken Cadr.

“It has been some time since I sat with an illiterate man, but I can assure you that I have no objective in aiding you and your friends, I am merely curious and in aiming to not only serve my curiosity but to also keep you safe, I had to offer my brother leverage,” Uff said with feeling as Cadr pushed Welsam upwards and Aed pulled him up onto the nearest branch.

“And so in theory you are our captors, yes?” Welsam argued as he pushed himself into a comfortable position, his heavy weight causing him to sway from one side to the other, his cheeks still stained red with embarrassment.

“Here catch your satchel!” Cadr declared from below. Welsam turned away from Uff and caught his satchel. With a clean jump, Cadr soon followed Welsam.

“You must climb higher,” Uff ordered as he eyes Welsam seriously. “Come follow me.”

Aed lifted himself up from his branch and upon checking that his companions were alight, he followed Uff up through the thick branches, sure to keep his eyes looking upwards, as the distance put between the ground and himself was extensive. After a hefty hike, Aed felt the air thin and cool and soon he found his head popping out of the tree. His eyes wide and astounded, he realised that he had climbed to the roof of the forest. The sun was still setting behind the great mountain range to the south, and all about him the great forest roof bustled and swayed rhythmically. Below him, Cadr and Welsam had found positions upon the wide and thick branches and were hunched together in conversation whilst Uff appeared beside him, his eyes brighter and more alert than ever.

“The forest goes on as far as the horizon,” Aed said aloud as he scanned the area and felt his lungs soften as the pure air filled them.

“That is a good sign, it means we are near the tree for it lies in the centre of this great place,” Uff said as he took looked about, his eyes lifting to the mountains.

“Your brother will not be pleased with your decision,” Aed said with a knowing glance as he ran his fingers through the leaves.

“My brother and I rarely see eye to eye on matters, I doubt his frustration is a new feeling for him,” Uff said with a growl.

“I too seem to have a strained relationship with my brother,” Aed acknowledged for the first time. Uff stopped moving and glanced his way.

“So I observed,” he said with a smile. “He is young and rebellious, he is nothing like my brother, who is a great deal older. Your brother is as he should be at that age, arrogant, cocky and outspoken when he should practice shutting up.”

“It may seem surprising if I were to tell you that he once was very much like Welsam, engrossed in books especially the tales of old,” Aed said with a regretful sigh. “I’m afraid I haven’t spent much time getting to know him, and so his anger towards me is fair and just.”

“He showed great courage when my brother ordered you and your friends to fight,” Uff said with raised brows, his great locks of hair blowing about in the subtle wind.

“He is courageous, I don’t believe I have ever given him enough encouragement,” Aed replied. “He was a twin, until she passed away a few years ago and since then he has been rebelling against all those who face him. He is a great warrior and makes it his mission to break as many hearts as possible in my small village, but he has lost himself along the way. His feelings are not what they should be.”

“Grief plays many games with our soul and mind,” Uff said with kindness in his fierce eyes. “He will soon grow out of it, if not by now I would expect.”

“I have seen change in him these last few days,” Aed admitted as he lifted his nose to the sky. “Which is to be expected of course.”

“I am sorry for your loss,” Uff said as he waved away a strand of hair from his severe face, which didn’t seem to soften even when attempting to be kind.

“And I for yours,” Aed returned with a nod.

“I believe it was my niece that gave you the sword.”

“She did?”

“Indeed, as it was I that gave it to her,” Uff admitted much to Aed’s surprise.

“Why?” Aed asked in a state of confusion. “I killed her mate.”

“He was going to face his imminent death soon, so his loss isn’t really surprising,” ff said plainly without emotion.

“He was?”

“He and some of his young friends have been plotting a coup these last few months,” Uff said as he brought out his dagger and turned it about in his hands lazily. “My brother wouldn’t hear of him doing such a thing, but I had my spies and if truth be told I wasn’t very happy at the prospect of him mating with Kya. She is too young and her eyes wonder away from this forest, she wishes to be free from the burdens of my people and her father and I wish it for her. She is no match for a wolf man, only a man who is worldly will ever satisfy her needs.”

“I don’t know whether I should applaud you or fear you,” Aed said with mixed emotions.

“Both will do,” Uff smiled deeply as he looked up from his blade. “I have been trying to tell my brother of the risk our tribe now faces, but he refuses to listen to the messengers who come to me from far and wide bearing news from the outside world.”

“I thought you were not allowed outside of the forest?”

“In theory yes, but you don’t really think that we all abide by the rules, do you?” Uff said with a mischievous gaze.

“Well I had you down as a traditional kind of leader…”

“What kind of a leader would I be if I didn’t enquire about the events of Meer?” Uff said with a raised hand.

“Well a poor one,” Aed said truthfully.

“Exactly! Oh I know about the goings on of our Kings, and I have had my eyes on Beon’s black guards who are wreaking havoc along the edge of the forest!”

“They are rounding up troops and food for the war to come,” Aed said with downturned eyes. “My village will soon be next if I do not return quickly.”

“Do not fear, I have sent my wolfs to the edge, they will keep an eye out for your village,” Uff said, his again looking up at the mountains. “I can feel her presence everywhere and so can the trees and all living things within this forest. She has brought the plague of darkness upon us and will likely leave her trace.”

“Leave her trace?”

“She knows you are here, she knows that we know what she looking for, she will not leave this forest without seeking us out,” Uff said with a groan. “I’ll wager she will soon find the caves and retrieve the bones of Belnun and destroy anything that lies in her way. She is a wicked and vile woman, and her eyes…I have never seen the like.”

“You have gazed upon the witch?”

“I led a group of my men up the mountain two days ago, we followed her tracks and those of the guards protecting her,” Uff said. “Do you see the four peak to the right?” Uff outstretched his blade in the direction of the mountains. Aed turned about, careful of his footing and sought out the peek.

“Yes.”

“There lie the caves of Belnun, we got as far as caves but were forced to turn back due to the drop in temperatures and erratic avalanches which are now a daily occurrence since she entered the forest,” Uff said with disgust. “I pleaded with my brother to evacuate the caves but he is stubborn and will not be moved by Ethla.”

Aed suddenly felt afraid for his brother’s safety and looked again at the mountains.

“Kya is smart and intelligent, she will keep your brother safe.”

“I hope so, he is all the family I have and I made my sister a promise,” Aed said quietly.

“I think my niece is fond of your brother,” Uff said with a smile. “So I wouldn’t worry about his safety, when my niece looks her gaze on something that takes her fancy, she is not likely to look elsewhere.”

“I don’t know why I am not comforted by that statement,” Aed said with surprise.

“I am not either, it is forbidden to mate with a being,” Uff said quiet plainly and without discomfort, much to Aed’s shock for he felt great discomfort. “If they are caught…well he will be executed and she will be banished.”

“Just another problem to add to the on-going list of problems,” Aed said as he lowered himself down into the tree once more and sat upon a branch with his back to the trunk. Uff joined him and from his bag, brought out an apple and handed it to Aed.

“Do you believe in visions?” he asked as he cut apart his own apple and ate it.

“You refer to the vision of my wife and child?” Aed returned as he found his own knife within its sheath.

“Yes, among my people we are great believers in vision’s, our ancestors told us that they were sent from the elders,” Uff said as he munched down on his apple and gazed out across the darkening forest.

“I am not superstitious, but this vision felt real,” Aed admitted. “Despite the ending.”

“You say she was killed?”

“Yes by black guards,” Aed said as he closed his eyes, the image unfolding before him as it had done many times since that day.

“But your daughter was walking yes?”

“Yes, why do you ask?” Aed said as he turned to Uff, a flash of hope streaking through him.

“Well it means that there is hope, your wife has not yet given birth and so there is time in which for you to change the course of the future,” Uff said simply, his eyes upon Welsam and Cadr who were now flicking through books, despite the lack of light.

“You think so?” Aed asked with a desperate plea in his voice.

“I do, and if events take a turn for the worst, I will be at your side if you seek vengeance,” Uff said with a growl.

“But you hate me?”

“No, no I do not hate you, I respect you,” Uff said with a mystified glare. “I must act as though I am a villain in this strange and interweaving story we are entwined in, but I do not hate you. I have to keep the respect of my men, if I lose their favour well…”

“I understand,” Aed said with a raised hand. “My father is the leader of our village and he too rules with an iron hand and for that reason the men respect him, they may inwardly despise him but on a professional level they would never dare be disloyal. I suppose I have tried and in some ways failed to mimic his ways, and if I am being honest, I suppose this is why I have lost the favour of my brother. I am too stern, too judgemental and I do not abide his ways, but in truth I am jealous and envious of the freedom he has, even if he suffers inwardly. The men of my village look to my father first and myself second and it is a hard task to keep yourself favourable when you are in competition with your own father.”

“Then I would counsel you to stop trying to mimic your father, you are your own man and I have seen first-hand the great skills you have as a leader,” Uff said with feeling as he shuffled about upon his branch. “The way that you fought, the way in which you tried to be diplomatic with my brother only earned you my respect, which is why I will not see any harm come to you, your brother or your friends.”

“I thank you,” Aed said with a smile as he threw away the remains of his apple.

“Your young friend is very smart, I think I should enjoy spending time with him in conversation,” Uff said as he looked downwards at a quiet and retreating Welsam, who sat wrapped in his cloak with a thick book between his hands. “He is a bit of a baby and would greatly benefit from a night of pleasure with one of your women, but he is useful in ways that a sword and arrow are not.”

“How many of his friends have tried and failed to connect Welsam with his cock,” Aed laughed quietly. “I think he may be a little flat.”

“Or maybe he seeks the gaze of his own sex?” Uff said with a smile. Below, hearing their voices, Welsam looked upwards at them. “Put away your book boy and rest, we have a long day ahead of us and you’ll find that it won’t be books that keep you safe but rest!”

Welsam looked across at Aed.

“Do as he says Welsam, leave your books for another time,” Aed said with a wave of his hand before working with his cloak and bringing it about his body.

“Maybe you can pass me your book by this Guthad?” Uff asked aloud.

“Only if you promise to give it back?” Welsam returned as he rummaged through his satchel.

“I never make promises,” Uff said seriously.

“Then what leverage can you offer me?” Welsam said with a slight grin upon his face, which coaxed Uff into a fit of laughter.

“Not to cut your cock off when your sleeping!” he laughed, the other members of his group laughing alongside him. “Book, now! I am after all your captor and so you must submit to my rules.”

Welsam’s grin disappeared as he got up onto his feet, swaying slightly. Aed a little unsure of how to react, jumped down through the branches and took the book from his friend.

“He only jests, now sleep I will keep watch for you,” Aed said with kindness as he took the book from Welsam and returned to his place upon the branch, handing the book across to Uff.

“I was teasing,” he smiled as he took the book and turned away from Aed. “I will keep watch, you sleep.”

“I thought so,” smiled Aed as he rustled himself into a sleeping position and closed his eyes, his fingers clasping onto the seed upon his chain.

*



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