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Invading Will

Chapter 22

By: D. C. Henry ("Ahndeleck")

The morning light broke through the thick clouds in small patches, which made flying for Raogothcar mostly pleasant. He didn't enjoy the surprise bursts of light through the clouds. It had been over a week since he arrived near Longdock, and began his search for Deanna.

After he got close enough to the clouds, he turned northward to begin his morning search for the day. The first day back he had spent nearly all of it in the air, only to find boats didn't move very fast. The second day he only flew a wide arc around the town, and spoke to the captains of each ship. Each day he performed this exercise, and each day he heard nothing about Deanna.

The water below him sparkled in the few patches where light managed to filter down to the water. The ceiling of foggy clouds made the air feel cool and moist, spring never leaves it only finds sneaky places to hide the rest of the year. Below him, Raogothcar could only see two ships that he'd approach today.

He glided slowly towards the ship, it didn't look remarkable. White sales, a single mast, but he didn't know what else about it might make it special. On the decks he could see several humans milling about and working with various chores. One of them pointed in his direction after he had come half way down from the clouds. This ship looked too small to land on, so he would have to fly around it this time. His last descent he circled around the ship and began the slowest circle he could.

"Hello," he shouted over the distance, "Do you have any passengers?"

"Why would we have passengers?"

An older man shouted back to him. He was hard to hear.

"I'm looking for a woman named Deanna, have you heard of her?"

"I don't think I-"

The old man turned and looked at something on his boat. Raogothcar guessed he was listening to someone he couldn't hear. Then three other people poured out of the inner workings of the boat. His heart leapt at the sight of Deanna, she made it back.

"Deanna! You're safe!"

"What are you doing back? I thought you left us for good."

"I," Raogothcar hesitated for a moment, "I changed my mind about it. Are you landing in Longdock?"

"That's right, shall we meet you there?"

"Hurry, I want to talk to you all, and soon."

Raogothcar banked away from the ship and headed directly for the town. He landed on the wide wooden docks. No one seemed to pay much attention to his presence, and he guessed they had heard about his presence. He sat and waited silently, and mostly unbothered until noon when Deanna's ship came in.

The ship inched over the water, and Raogothcar wanted it to be there right then. It took forever to watch the ship finally come to rest at the dock. He nearly jumped aboard the ship when Deanna came back on the top. Soon she, Thomas, Matthew, and the old man came down the walkway on towards the dock itself.

"Dak, thank you again for your help," Thomas was saying to the old man, "I'll go talk with the dock master about the situation and see to it that you're taken care of. Good words for your crew as well, maybe I can get some sort of agreement at a tavern for you all or something."

"We'd all like that. Just having my ship back is more than enough."

"Deanna," Raogothcar stood and trotted up to her, "I've been waiting for such a long time. I'm glad you made it back finally."

"It's good to see you too."

Raogothcar took a breath then frowned. For days he dreaded what would happen next. He looked down at his feet, preparing himself for whatever she'd say.

"Deanna, about the church, I'm very sorry about what I said. I had to think a little after I left about everything I said. I think I'm wrong." He glanced up at her expressionless face, "I can't remember everything I said then. What I've realized though is that you are a friend. I don't like many things that have happened, and things that I've learned about humans. That shouldn't stop me from having a friend though. It would be a poor thing to waste. I'm sorry."

Deanna laid a hand on his neck and nodded. Then a small twitch broke her face for a moment. It was the closest sort of a smile he'd seen her do in his direction.

"Raogothcar," she said, "everyone gets mad sometimes. I'm sorry that I've been harsh, I shouldn't be. Now let's talk, for a while because I think there are still things to do, and we could still use your help.

******

Raogothcar agreed to her plan this time. Everything made more sense now that he could listen to her without being angry. He hated himself for not flying to Ravenstone and telling Prince Alan about the whole thing already. He should have thought things through a little better.

They had talked for an hour or better in Longdock. Raogothcar agreed to fly back to Ravenstone and explain everything. If he kept hurrying, he could tell Prince Alan by night fall about Kyle. Deanna had warned him about what Kyle might do when he arrived. He didn't relish the idea of fighting again, but if he had to he would. It almost seemed unavoidable.

The last rays of the sun were falling behind the distant horizon behind him, the last blasts of red and orange draining from the clouds around him. Down below the lights of Ravenstone shone upward, a circular glow in the ground below him. In the center of the light stood the tower, the end of his journey.

Coming up to the first balcony, Raogothcar cupped his wings and slowed himself to drop onto the stone floor. He kept his momentum and ran through the curtains into the central part of the tower. He glanced around, and found two guards openly astonished at his sudden appearance.

"You two there," Raogothcar barked at them, "Where is Prince Alan? I have to see him now."

"We heard you were dead." One of the guards stammered, "What happened to-"

"Where is he human?"

Raogothcar had advanced upon the man and bared his teeth. He hadn't meant to sound so angry, but now that the words had left him, he would keep playing the part.

"He's um" the guard looked panicked, and his hand went to his sword, "He's in his room I think."

"Good, now make sure no one leaves the tower, there's a murderer in our presence."

Raogothcar leapt down the narrow stairs as well as his wings would allow him to. The first two bounds and he made it to the first landing. Above him, he heard the guards raising the alarm to the rest of the guards. At least they were taking him seriously. Deanna had warned him they might even be turned against them. Raogothcar felt relieved there wouldn't be any Freeraven guards' blood shed.

Several bounds later, he passed a group of guards running up the stairs. Raogothcar leapt over them, and ignored their shouts. The guards further up would explain he hoped.

"Prince Alan!" Raogothcar shouted Raogothcar, "Where is he?"

One of the guards pointed down a hallway, and Raogothcar nearly lost his footing on the landing and he turned himself. Half way down the hall he saw his head poke out of a doorway flanked by two very alarmed guards.

"Raogothcar," The prince stepped out of his room, "you're not dead."

"Prince," Raogothcar trotted up to him and pointed with a wing behind himself, "You have to make sure no one leaves the tower, Kyle can't escape."

Prince Alan turned to his two guards, "Make it happen, and ensure that the ambassador is under guard. Now Raogothcar, you need to tell me right now why I've risked a diplomatic relationship on what you just said."

"Kyle sent us into a trap. The Snowbough Druids are lost, but they didn't attack us, it was Torland itself. We were captured at Fort Blister, they never meant to work with us, they want you Prince."

Prince Alan glared thoughtfully at him for a split moment. Then he waved for him to follow. Raogothcar hoped that the Prince would believe him. The two of them walked down more stairs and after a short time, arrived at the guest rooms. Several guards stood around the room, all of them watched them approaching.

"Is the ambassador inside?" Prince Alan asked.

"Yes, your majesty. He and his aide are inside."

"Good. Two of you come with me. The rest stay here and make sure he doesn't leave. Raogothcar you come too."

The guards opened the room and Prince Alan walked inside followed by his guards. Raogothcar swallowed and went inside as well.

The room was open other than a small table in the center of the room. Kyle and his aide stood from chairs at the opposite side of the room when they entered. Raogothcar could feel the searing burn of their angry eyes. Now wasn't a time to back down.

"Why have we been-" He straightened and his scowl turned even more sour, "The dragon. Where are the others?"

"Then it's true." Prince Alan said.

"So Mayor Hemming couldn't do his job. I can't believe he could have failed when I set everything up so well."

Prince Alan pointed the two guards towards the two men, "Bind them in chains before they start a circle. I want them alive. They'll tell us everything."

The guards approached cautiously, their weapons drawn. Kyle stood glaring, tight fists at his sides.

"It's safe," Raogothcar said, "he needs time to draw a circle."

The two guards began ushering the two men from the room.

******

Deanna walked out onto the balcony of the tower. The sun would rise several hours later over the mountains. It would be a warm summer day, once the sun began its work. She looked forward to the day, since the council would officially call for the recall of their troops from the coasts.

"Deanna?"

"Out here Matthew."

"Why is it that you're always out here before I am?"

"It's my job isn't it?"

"Well will you have a day when its not your job and you can come out with me sometime? We could meet the sun together."

"I don't know Matthew. I'm not one to name trees."

"Ahh, well I'll ask again tomorrow I guess."

He had joined her at the balcony and looked up at the mountains. His gaze followed the edge of the mountain, pastel colors flowing above the deep shades of plants and land waiting the first rays. She smiled, because she could share what she had on the balcony with someone that could understand. They had their differences, he loved the land and she the people.

"I still find it a little funny that we thought that Torland really was out to crush us."

"We couldn't have seen it any other way." Deanna said, "The entire time we followed madmen. Thank the gods you broke out of that circle."

"I know, if I hadn't Torland would be marching on me as we speak."

"Another thing is that Kyle told the truth about the druids in a way. They really were to blame for everything."

"I grew up there," Matthew turned to face her, "it's hard to believe that my home turned so sour. I sat in the middle of the rot and it all died around me. I hope nothing like that happens anywhere else."

"It won't. Torland will cut it out from the world, and that will stop it, just like Freeraven did for the Red Fingers years back."

"Maybe you could tell me more about it on a walk. We could head down south maybe. I haven't named the trees down there yet, and I would love your company."

"Let me go finish some things before you leave. I'll come with you."

Deanna walked back inside the tower and headed downstairs. She would give her orders to the rest of the scouts. Then she would go with Matthew, and leave the rest of the work to everyone else for the day. She looked forward to it too, she hadn't done that in years.

The End