Madya Wingfeather: Adnventurer. Pt. 8

THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A FEW SPOILERS.

"Your Majesties." The guard bowed. "We have bad news."

Everyone's attention turned to the guard.

"What is it?" Nia asked, growing worried.

"Fangs have attacked Lorryshire." The guard said, getting nervous.

Kalmer sighed. "Have any troops moved to it?"

"Yes, we sent out 3 regiments an hour ago. They should arrive there any minute."

"But how is it that the fangs reached Lorryshire? Even though the town is by the water, we have Annieran ships that watch the sea." Galya said.

"Yes, but somehow the fangs managed to slip past them. Probably at night." The guard said.

"Those green fangs can swim. What kind of fangs attacked?" Kalmer asked.

"Green, and a few grey. But mostly green." The guard answered.

Kalmer sighed. Artham stood up from the table. "Captain, send out regiments to each town in Anniera. We will not let those fangs take us again. We know their weaknesses and strengths. That should be some help to us."

The guard saluted Artham then walked out.

"Galya, where are the children?" Nia asked.

"They are still with Freva. There are a few guards with them too." Galya answered.

Artham sighed. "We have another war on our hands."

Sara spoke up. "And of course, just when we need him, Janner isn't here."

Madya slowly climbed out of the tree, trying not to be seen by the man.

"Those fangs never knew what hit them." The man muttered.

Madya was confused a lot. Why did the fangs have the man? Madya looked at him. She decided to try to talk with him.

Madya sighed as she stood up, and came out from behind the tree.

"Janner, I can explain."

Janner turned to her, without even showing a hint of surprise from seeing her.

"You'd better. I've been out looking for you for days, everyone has."

"I know, I know, but I have a reason."

"How can you have a reason for running away from your family?"

"You of all people should understand me!"

"Well, we will only know if you tell me why."

Madya took a deep breath. "I wanted to have more adventure, but Pa wouldn't let me."

Janner considered what she said. Then he smiled. "I understand you more than you can imagine. Did I ever tell you the story of my 12th year?"

Madya looked confused. Neither she nor any of the other kids had ever heard the story of how their parents overthrew the fangs. Madya had only ever heard small stories of the fangs.

"No, I don't think so." Madya answered.

Janner chuckled. "Well, let's sit down and I'll tell you. It's pretty long, but it's actually how me and Sara met, how Leeli and Thorn met, and how Kalmer and Galya met."

Madya nodded her head. Janner continued.

"Well, before your grandfather was even born, there was a man named

Bonnifer Squoon. He was the chief advisor for the king of Anniera. Well, before he was made advisor, he fell in love with a young woman named Madia. She turned out to be the future queen of Anniera, but she had fallen in love with another man name Ortham Greensmith, a Hollish man. Ortham and Bonnifer had been friends, so when Ortham married Madia, he ordered Bonnifer to be his chief advisor, and come live in Anniera. Bonnifer hated to see Ortham and Madia happy together, and he wanted to impress Madia with money. So he started to do business with a man living in the mountains. The deals were mostly that Bonnifer would sell random animals to the man, and the man would give him large amounts of money for them. Well, one day the man had a strange request. He offered Bonnifer a huge amount of money if he would give him a human child. Bonnifer couldn't pass this offer up, because he was so greedy for money. And it just happened that Queen Madia was pregnant. This child would be the future king or queen, since this child was Madia's second baby." Janner paused to take a sip of water from Madia's water skin. The he continued.

"Annieran customs say that the king is to wait in his chambers while the queen gives birth. It doesn't really make much sense to me, but to them it did. Well, Bonnifer was required to be present for the birth, and it turned out that Madia had been carrying twin boys. The elder one, the future king was born deformed and ugly, while the younger was hale and whole. Bonnifer saw the deformed child, and took it quickly away from the nurse. But, Madia wanted to see both of her sons, and named them both before she passed out. She held the deformed one with a special love. When she passed out, Bonnifer took the deformed child, and charged the nurse not to tell anyone about it. The nurse quickly obeyed, being scared of Bonnifer. So Bonnifer took the child, and hid him in his house. He also took the nurse, and ordered her to take care of the child. Bonnifer told the king and queen that the child had died, and told them not to let the kingdom know about him, to spare them from grief, in his words. Ortham quickly agreed, and told nobody about him. Bonnifer then took the child and nurse, and headed to the man that he was doing business. As Bonnifer was traveling, he killed the nurse that was charged to take care of the child. Once he had arrived at the mans house, he discovered a great secret." Janner drank some more water, while Madya was being tortured with the suspense. Then he continued.

"The man was Ouster Will."

Madya shook with fear. Ouster Will, Ouster Will. The old nursery rime came to mind.

Janner saw her face. "The Carriage Black was the one that terrified me most."

Madya nodded, and then Janner continued.

"So, Bonnifer gave the child to Ouster Will, then left immediately. The child roamed the halls of the mans house, which turned out to be a castle in the Killridge mountains called Throg. As the child grew, he was known as Gnag the Nameless. One day, Gnag noticed flaws in Ouster Will's work. He had been melding animals with animals, and Gnag knew that it should be an animal with a person. He confronted Ouster about it, but he wouldn't listen. So Gnag killed him in his sleep. Then Gnag took over the operation, along with two women called the Stonekeepers. He captured people and melded them with animals, mostly wolves, bats, and snakes. Once Gnag had learned that he was the rightful king of Anniera, he set out his armies of wolf people, aka fangs, and attacked Anniera. That was when I was 3, Kalmer was 2, and Leeli was a baby. Throughout all of this, Bonnifer had helped him, while acting like the advisor for the king. Only us three, along with our grandfather, and mother made it out alive. My father and your father were captured, along with countless other Annierans. It became a wasteland. The

Green Hollows brought back as many survivors as possible. My family lived in Skree for a while, until I was 12. I met Sara when I was 11. Well, it all started because of little Nugget. He was Leeli's dog at the time. He tripped a fang. So Leeli kicked the fang. The fang then tried to attack Leeli, but then me and Kalmer arrived. We fought back, but then a Ridgerunner threw a few rocks and knocked the fang unconscious. The fangs then started to hunt us. We were thrown in jail, but my mother gave the commanding fang some jewelry to let us out. Well, the fangs noticed that the jewelry was Annieran. They then suspected that we knew where the jewels of Anniera were. Gnag had been hunting those jewels for years, hearing that they carried great power, power that could overthrow him. So they hunted us. Well, we got help from a man named Peet the Sock Man. He could kill 20 fangs in less than 5 seconds."

Madya looked surprised at that, obviously not knowing who he was.

Janner smiled at her surprise, then continued.

"Well, Peet was captured, and he turned out to be my uncle, your father."-Madya looked even more surprised-"And he saved us many times too. Kalmer had been fanged, but he still remembered who he was. We traveled to Dugtown, where I saw Sara for the first time in a year. She helped me escape from the Fork Factory, so once we had arrived in the Green Hollows, I sent your father back to Skree to help her. Well, the fangs discovered where we were, and came after us. They found out that me, Kalmer, and Leeli were the jewels of Anniera, so that didn't help us. After months of living in the Hollows, I turned 13. That was when things started spinning downhill."

Madya nearly choked on a nut she had been eating. "It sounds like things started spinning downhill before you were even born."

Janner laughed. "Yes, but for the time we were in the Green Hollows, life was easy. Well, while your father was in Dugtown with Sara and Maraly, Thorn and Leeli had become good friends. Galya had also been fanged like Kal, but she didn't remember anything. The fangs started a war against the Hollows. Gnag melded himself with a sea dragon, but he was redeemed when he found out he had a name. And then, after that, Anniera was restored. The fangs and cloven were healed and became the Annierans we have today."

Madya looked about as surprised as you can imagine.

"Wow." Was all she could say. Janner sat back with an amused smile.

"But, what does that have to do with me wanting adventure?" She asked.

Janner smiled. "Because I had been wishing for adventure when I was 12, and literally the same day, Nugget tripped the fang."

Madya looked even more surprised. "Wow."

"The point is, be careful what you wish for. Maker knows I got more than enough adventure in my 12th year."

"I'll try to remember that. Thanks Janner."

"You're welcome."