Chapter 2.8.- Old Friends
They had been on the road for almost two weeks. Lassanides was more than worried: they were too big a group and the others were either duenxies who didn't know how to see danger or monks who only knew how to pray. He missed Frey Kaistos... He looked at those who accompanied him and became even more desperate. The two young and strong brothers, Arbil and Eilos, had gone with Prince Erevin to do something with the Imperial Navy.
The duenxies were already up to mischief again: laughing and singing as if it were an excursion. At first, they had been quiet and formal (most of them, some hadn't been without doing some kind of mischief for a single minute) because they were afraid of their pursuers. But for a long time, they hadn't seen anyone dangerous, so there they were, playing hide-and-seek, singing songs and telling jokes. “At least,” he said to himself, “they were now singing and joking about things that little kids could listen to… because some of them were telling outrageous things that had even made him blush.” He then looked at the brown molosser dog Uzi, the pair’s brown dog who was still at his side: “this dog has more common sense than some humanoid beings.” He sighed with forbearance.
Image by Jörn from Pixabay. Spanish Mastiff.
Suddenly, the dog sniffed the air and looked at him as if to warn him. But the worrying thing was not the dog: it was that all the duenxies practically at the same time fell silent and disappeared. He then located a group of rocks among which several trees grew and rushed to hide there, followed by the monks who, with their white robes, would be easily distinguishable for those coming down that path in the opposite direction and whom he waited for, so that they would not be visible to those approaching. They needed to get off the path: he had told the fat man who was the leader of the duenxies but he had not listened. Now he knew why: they knew how to hide. What he still did not know was how they had done it: humans needed to learn that technique…
The horses were approaching: there were few of them, about five, but they were heavy cavalry. Who knows what they were going to do in those parts… that was very far from Bonardia but it was even further from the sea and five knights were not so many. He and his group had at least a week to reach the foothills of the Snowwind Mountains, at the rate they were going… Where were those knights going then?
The horses were right in front of where they were hiding: Lassanides was restless. He did not want to end his days there, but if that was what he had to do, he would not hesitate for a single minute. And then he heard a laugh that transported him many years back… to the war with neighboring Smedriania…
Foto de Iván Aleksy en Unsplash.
Ten years ago…
- Bombaaaaaard1 - shouted a soldier.
The truth is that those bolaños, those new projectiles were helping them a lot in their war against those sissies from Smedriania. They had not wanted to fight much in open field because they knew they were going to lose, so there they were, hidden behind the walls of that castle, which, on the other hand, was not a very important construction either. But that was how that war had been: on the one hand, that way of fighting produced many deaths on both sides, because it forced them to fight without rest in different strongholds that had to be besieged; but on the other hand, it prolonged the war, so the casualties also increased.
This time, however, that bolaño did nothing more than be a nuisance: everyone saw where it was going to fall and where, so he did not cause any injuries. And then came the disaster: some clever guy had lit an arrow with some flammable substance and when that Bolaño fell he got distracted and shot where he should not. The arrow landed on one of the rams that besieged the castle. Lassanides shouted some profanity and spurred his horse to try to save whoever was there, but not before giving a murderous look to that red-haired imbecile who didn't know that in battle one must only keep an eye on one's target and, if not, refrain from shooting.
When he arrived, he climbed up one of the walls and tried to get as many people as possible to come down while the fire spread very quickly and his own horse whinnied in a warning cry. The last boy - he couldn't have been more than 16 years old - who he threw down so that they could catch him from below before he could fall to the ground and the flames couldn't reach him, was wearing a peculiar type of cloak: a blue background with a magnificent heraldic shield.
- Captain - said another boy, blond and clean-shaven - he is the eldest son of the Margrave of Bonardia.
Lassanides looked at him:
- Is he a friend of yours?
- Yes, several of us have come, we have been given orders to come and fight here. The truth is that we were looking forward to it but...
- Yes, son, war is not what they say. It is necessary like when a barber pulls out a tooth, but there are no songs or beautiful ladies watching to see who is the bravest, like you see in a tournament. Here you die by being speared, crushed, stoned, bled to death... or burned.
Another boy very similar to the previous one but sullen and darker joined them and soon another arrived who was similar to the previous ones.
- Your friend has lost consciousness. The smoke has made him faint, you must get him out of here and go to the quack's shop so he can see him.
They looked at each other and he burst out laughing as the bombard continued to fire. The boy with the sullen look looked at him and said:
- Sir, we can't find his father whom we saw galloping with his sword raised towards a postern to see if he could get inside. I'd like to go and see if he's still alive.
He looked at his coat of arms: the one with the sullen face was the Baron of Nirandomir’s son. And the other one, that blond one was… oh no, he carried the coat of arms of the Imperial House of Sinardia: he was undoubtedly Prince Everingen. “What the hell is the Crown Prince doing in this war?”, he thought. No, it had nothing to do with the absolutely devastating war that had taken place 115 years before. But it was no place for that blond one who looked so childish…
- Captain -said the boy- we must go see what is happening with your father. We do not have much experience. Will you accompany us?
Lassanides lowered his horse and was about to go there, when a big, strong hand grabbed his shoulder.
- No, no -said that deep voice he knew well-, if you are going to walk into the lion's den, I'm going too.
- Come on -said Lasánides, a little more animated-. There will be time for hugs and introductions once we’re out.
They skirted the drawbridge and put up large siege shields to protect themselves from the arrows, stones and spears that were thrown from above. They went as quickly as they could and soon reached the place where the postern was half open. The father of the fainting beardless man had managed to get in and they simply followed the same passage by which he had entered.
Suddenly, they heard a scream and everyone ran: the Baron was surrounded by the castle's defenders who had opened several wounds in his body. But Lassanides and the big guy disarmed them and threw them into the moat without any consideration. Then they left two soldiers in the Baron's care and continued forward: the one they were sure was the prince patted him on the shoulder and pointed him towards one of the corridors. It was true that someone was approaching: they walked backwards and hid behind some tapestries that reached the floor. They immediately heard footsteps and Lassanides rushed forward and caught the one who was passing by unawares, feeling safe: it was the warden. In a few minutes, the castle had fallen. One less to end that skirmish… Well, the Prince looked like childish but Lassanides was honestly impressed: that boy had stayed really calm.
… THE current moment:
That laughter was unmistakable. Lassanides came out of his hiding place and shouted:
- Vintoooo, what are you doing here?
The big man got off his horse and the laughter was heard again.
Image by Valerio Errani from Pixabay.
- Well, we have come just to meet you. Desa Akrovia and Leovildo told us that Prince Erevin had informed them that you were coming by travelling to Naras and that it was better for us to accompany you... It's possible that later you'll have to help us locate His Highness Prince Everingen...
Lasánides was stunned.
- The heir... has disappeared? - then, he looked down and said - the truth is that I'm not surprised at all. After seeing those snakes...
And then he saw the beardless man he had saved from the flames 10 years before. Lassanides went to bow but the young man got off his horse and gave him a hug.
- You will never have to kneel before me, my Captain.
- Nor before me... - said another redhead of the same age. Yes, it was the one with the arrow. The Duke of Sdaloren.
- I'm glad you've come, because we have a difficult journey ahead of us - He looked at them and laughed - next to you, I feel very old - and they laughed out loud.
Suddenly, the duenxies had reappeared. Vinto laughed.
- So these are the rascals you're accompanying to Naras. Yes, their hiding technique is well known: they carry leaves, moss and roots2 hidden in their bellies and put them on as soon as they see danger. That way, no one ever finds them, right?
A chorus of laughter arose, as the monks, now more certain that nothing could happen to them, had also come out from behind the stone. But Uzi was still worried: something else was approaching.
"They have followed you," said Lasánides. "Someone else is coming after you."
They hid again and, after a while, they saw a giant snake coming along the path, sniffing around. Lasánides pointed it out to Vinto who opened his eyes wide. None of the newcomers had seen such an animal. Suddenly, it unfolded enormous wings and began to fly: that was their worst nightmare, now they even had wings3. Someone called to the snake and then they saw a completely cloaked being, with a strange black sword that had appeared on the path.
Foto de " Breizh Clichés ".
Something moved beside them and Vinto and Lassanides were about to crush two duenxies that had moved towards them. But they soon realized that they were two of those mischievous ones... who, however, from their expressions, had taken the masked man very seriously.
- We know who that is.
- How? - said Vinto. It's not that he hadn't heard them, it's that he couldn't even consider that they really knew who that being was.
- Yes, do you remember that with the snake in the Sinningen tunnels there was a strange being with a particular voice?
Lasánides looked at them trying to hide his anxiety: they had withheld something from the rest.
- Yes, of course - he said, staring at them.
- Well, normally they spoke our same language. But there was a moment when they didn't.
- And you, how do you know?
The duenxies looked at each other.
- Because our leader Daringar told us to spy from another place in the cave. It's a place that only a few of us knew about. I don't doubt that that horrible being had a feeling that someone was spying on them but he couldn't see where we were and that's probably why they ended up leaving. Well, that disgusting man said that some other murderers were coming: they wanted to eliminate their enemies.
He stared at them, as if he wanted them to remember what he was going to say:
- That's why he has sent this individual here.
The Duke of Sdaloren made a gesture: the snake had come down again and the cloaked man was speaking to it.
- I know - he said in a slow and raspy voice - I know there is someone around here whom you would love to catch. But our mission is not here and we have to hurry: we have to be in the Western forest in a few days: our objective is the sorceress. We need to get ahead of the dragons.
Saying this, he mounted the creature and, after it spread its wings, they rose into the air and, after a while, they disappeared.
One of the monks, who carried a special object in front of his eyes when he read, said to them:
- Do you have any way of notifying the sorceress in question?
The others looked at each other without knowing very well what to say.
One of the duenxies stepped forward:
- We have Azulete and Zulina too - and pointed to a tamed aziorón and a gamizula they had with them. We can go and alert that lady and then come back.
Daringar, the duenxy chief, stepped forward.
- Dirion and Latida are the most intelligent duenxies we have. They will know how to get there and do it quickly. But they will not go alone. We will send some others with them: our gamizulas are especially fast and the aziorones serve as spies and messengers. That snake will not go faster than them.
Lassanides smiled and said:
- The only problem is that we will not be able to protect you…
Dirion answered him:
- We will know how to get in touch - he said and winked at them.
Six duenxies mounted their respective gamizulas and galloped off followed by a few aziorones that flew higher and higher. In a few moments, they were not visible: they were hidden in the undergrowth and soon they could not even hear the little sound they made as they moved away towards the Western Forest.
The Duke of Sdaloren looked at Lasánides and said:
- After this, we have no time to lose.
Vinto nodded.
- Yes, we have to hurry. We must do our best to reach Naras in less than a week if possible.
The duenxies, impressed by the murderous snake-rider, decided that they should report another path, which their leader did solemnly.
"There is an ancient duenxy path that runs through the Snowwind Mountains. It will be a comfortable shortcut."
"All right," said Lasánides, "we will follow you."
"We will go hidden, but we will give you instructions."
"And the horses?" asked the Margrave.
"Don't worry, knight. They will get through fine, as will our gamizulas."
The party began to walk. Despite all the noise, they had gone unnoticed.
In a dungeon, a figure writhed weakly in the damp and cold. During the day, some sunlight came in and his wrists and ankles, sore from being shackled for so long, warmed up and his situation improved. But the night brought with it an extreme cold and humidity that made his teeth chatter and made him shiver with cold.
He looked at the moon, the only one of the three that could be seen through the small window of the prison. And then, something sounded on the wall... someone handed him a note: "Do not lose heart, help is near."
The prisoner stood up, smiled and looked at the moon: it did not matter that in the end it was not true, he had stopped feeling so cold.
If you haven’t read the story from the beginning and would like to do it, click here.
The bombard is a type of primitive artillery weapon that began to be used in the 14th century. For example, it was used in the siege of Algeciras in 1342, when very old projectiles called bolaños were fired, which can still be seen in the surrounding area.
In Cantabrian mythology, there is a type of elf, the trentis, who are dressed like this in order to: “pull the skirts and pinch the calves of girls, and then run away through the walls. Although they are pranksters, they can also help men without them knowing, and they have a special fondness for children. They help the shepherd find his cattle after the storm or the mischief of the Ojáncanu and they help old women who cannot take care of themselves.”
It is a dragon called Amphiptere. However, in this story its origin will be revealed later.