Journey to Hope-Chapter 6

Notes: The notes and links to previous chapters will now be at the end of the post cuz they’re getting pretty long.

Chapter 6 Bibes and Blackwood

For the first few minutes as the Wingfeathers, O’Sallys and the Keeper drove through the quiet back roads of Ban Rona, they met no one. Nia sat with a gentle hand on Janner’s covered head, conversing with Biggin and the Keeper. Leeli and Thorn sat whispering together, casting occasional glances at Kalmar, who was sitting alertly in the back of the wagon, gazing around nervously. Sara sat by his side, eyes wide as she took in every detail of this new place. She glanced back at Janner, laying motionless in the bottom of the wagon. Her eyes started to smart with held back tears.

You would have loved this so much. You did love this so much. That makes me love it even more. Artham was in a corner of the wagon, legs hunched to his chest. His head was dangling between his arms which were resting on his knees. No one said anything to him, unsure what to do when he was so deep in thought. Their peace did not last long. Once a few people had seen them, their wagon was like a basket of fruit attracting hundreds of ridgerunners. People started to swarm around the wagon, a hum of conversation peppered with shouting. Everyone recognized Artham, Nia and Leeli, but all were confused at the absence of Janner and Kalmar, and the unknown faces of the renewed Kal and Sara, who none of them had ever seen.

“Where’s the King? And the Throne Warden?”

“Who’s them folks?”

“What’s going on?”

“Where are ye goin’”

“Why aren’t ye in Anniera?” Keeper Clout tried to keep the wagon moving, but the people clogged the streets. The wagon was forced to a stop. Kal was on the verge of shouting in frustration. Why did it seem to be so hard to get Janner to their goal? Why were they hampered at every turn? He turned around, toward the inside of the wagon and drew himself in as if hunching would make him disappear. Artham stirred himself, straightened his back, and started to try to explain to the Hollowsfolk what was happening. The clamor of talk rose and rose, until it was on the verge of becoming a riot. The Keeper sighed and put his head in his hand. He then stood up on the wagon seat and raised his arms to the people.

“Quiet, quiet!” The sight of their Keeper silenced the people, and their roaring changed to a murmur. Guildmaster Clout sighed again.

“Hollowsfolk! I know a lot of things are going on now, and we are all confused. Even I don’t know the whole situation. As soon as I can, I’ll tell ye what is happening. Now please, if only out of respect for your Keeper and for the royal family of Anniera, go home! We need to pass!” The people clearly respected both their Keeper and the Wingfeathers. A few of them went home immediately, but most stayed, moving and shifting their position so that the wagon could pass through. Artham and Kalmar were relieved to see that while the streets remained clogged with wide eyed gawkers, they didn’t follow the wagon. While it would usually have taken only a quarter of an hour to get to the Keep, it took nearly twice that long. When the family reached the Keep, they closed the doors with a bang and breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m hungry. Anyone got something to eat?” Kalmar asked, making Leeli giggle.

“What? Stress makes me hungry!”

“I had planned to have the conference before we eat, but it took us much longer to get here than I had expected. The Orchard Inn and Cookery isn’t the closest, but Elenna is…well…she dealt with this kind of situation last time you came unannounced.”

“How are we going to get there without being mobbed?” Nia asked.

“Hold on. I’ll see how many people are still out there.” Artham said as he carefully cracked open the huge oak doors. He closed the door again quickly and turned to see the family.

“They’re all gone!” He looked confused. Nia, Biggin and Clout all looked outside in turn. The Hollowsfolk, assuming that the Wingfeathers would not be emerging from the Keep anytime soon, had returned to their homes and jobs to discuss the event with their families and friends, spreading the word even more.

“Well then, let’s head to the Inn while the streets are still quiet and get some bibes,” said Biggin. The family then walked quickly to the wagon and headed to the Inn. The streets were quiet for the first few moments, and Keeper Clout touched the whip to the horse’s flanks, and the horse began to trot. While they made good time for a while, the people crushed against the wagon again after a few of them had seen the Wingfeathers. A similar scene ensued, the people shouting, asking questions, the family, especially Kal and Artham becoming more and more frazzled, and the Keeper urging the people to go home. When they reached the Orchard Inn, they stopped the wagon and barely made it into the door. Elenna had seen them approaching, and quickly closed the door after them.

“Oy, your Highness. Good to see you again. Keeper, what in Aerwiar is going on? What were all those people doing?”

“I’m not exactly sure, Elenna,” the Keeper said. Elenna looked at the family, especially at Sara, Kalmar, and Artham’s bundle. Kalmar stepped forward.

“It’s good to see you again, Elenna. Thank you for- for last time.” Elenna took Kalmar’s outstretched hand and shook it slowly. She stared deep into his eyes, and Kalmar looked back unflinchingly.

“Kalmar? No, no it can’t be…what happened?”

“It’s a long story. Keeper? Can Elenna come with us to the Keep after we eat? If she’s going to help us, I think she deserves to know.”

“Oy, you're right Kalmar. Can we get something to eat, Elenna?” Elenna was overflowing with questions, but she saw that the family was tired and hungry, so she resolved to hold in her questions until the family was ready to talk. She nodded slightly and showed the family to a table. They threw off their packs and sank into the chairs with a sigh, all but Artham, who stayed standing, his pack hanging on one of his arms, carrying Janner. Elenna saw and said quietly,

“I can show ye a room, and ye can put yer packs and…well, I’ll show you a room if ye like.”

“Yes please, Elenna,” Artham said courteously.

“I’ll help, Artham,” Sara said as she gathered up some of the family’s packs as Artham grabbed the others. They followed Elenna as she led them up a flight of stairs and down a long hallway, to a door that opened up into a bright, airy room that smelled of pumpkin bread. After standing quietly for a moment, Elenna walked out after giving Artham the room’s key, the door open behind her, leaving Artham and Sara alone. They set down the packs and Artham laid Janner gently onto the bed, laying a taloned hand on this thin, blanket covered chest.

“Are you okay, Artham?” Sara put a hand on his arm and leaned against him. She had found out that when someone was touching him, his answers were more clear and he acted more calmly.

“N-no, I mean yes, I’m sot nure, sot-not-not- sure, Queen Sara. Thank you.”

“Will you come down? Please? You need to eat.” Artham looked at Janner, laying motionless on the soft bed, and shook his head adamantly.

“Lan’t ceave him, can’t leave him, not again, have to stay with Esben, Jesben, Janner.” Sara frowned sadly. She thought for a moment, and said,

“Artham, please. We can lock the door going out. Everything will be safe here, including him.” Artham was unresponsive, so Sara tried again.

“Artham, if you want to get everyone to the First Well safely, you’ll need to eat for strength. Come and eat, for your family.” Artham thought for a moment, then smiled at Sara.

“For you, Queen Sara, I’ll come eat. For the Telwels joo. Er, Jewels too.” Sara smiled and filed away this method of getting Artham to eat and drink and maybe even sleep. Artham stroked Janner’s thin chest one more time and stood, allowing Sara to lead him out of the room by the hand, locking the door on the way out. Artham and Sara walked down the flight of stairs to the murmur of conversation and crackle of fire. Elenna had just finished taking the family’s orders, and hearing Artham and Sara descend the stairs, turned to ask them what they wanted. Artham barely heard Sara order, and he absentmindedly asked for henmeat stew and water. He was pulled into a chair by Sara and put his head in his hands. The family spoke quietly. Nia was discussing with the Keeper who would need to attend the meeting in the Keep. The Keeper and Biggin agreed that only Clout, the O’Sallys and Elenna would need to be there, since Nia wanted to keep the situation as quiet as possible.Thorn was talking with Kalmar and Leeli, trying not to create an awkward situation, and doing just the opposite.

“So, uh, Kal, how do ya feel, bein’ you know…human?” Catching his fathers’s reprimanding glare, he said,

“Oh, uh, never mind, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Kal answered.

“Mostly, I feel really, really grateful. To Janner, and to the Maker,” he continued. He bowed his head until his hair almost touched his food, hiding his face. Leeli placed a silent hand on his shoulder, and shook her head at Thorn, signaling him not to continue the conversation. The meal went by quickly and the people braced themselves to head into the streets again. Artham returned to their room and with Sara and Kalmar’s help, retrieved the packs and Janner. Another chaotic scene ensued when the group ventured to the Keep. They finally reached the heart of the Hollows, and after securely closing the huge oak doors and sitting down at a large table placed in the middle of the room, proceeded to lay out their plan of action.

“Kalmar, lad. I think now is time for that long story ye were talking about earlier,” the Keeper commanded.

“Yeah, I think so.” When Kalmar said those words, Artham shuddered and began to flit around the room, between Janner, the large oak door, and the huge boughs of the Keep Tree. Kalmar began to tell the story of Janner’s sacrifice. He told of the Fane of Fire, the melding stone, and Janner’s burning, unstoppable love for his brother. How the old Fangs had passed away, and the Cloven had become new. His eyes shone with tears he refused to shed and his voice cracked, but he talked on, trying to honor his brother with his words. Nia and Leeli added parts here and there. When Kalmar finished talking, the group around the table were in stunned silence. Sara spoke first. She was crying and leaning against Nia’s loving shoulder.

“I-I didn’t know all that happened.” Her voice was shaky with tears. “Kal, when we were in the Fork! Factory!, all he wanted to do was to get out so he could protect you. And he did. I still can’t believe he died.” Sara turned and buried her face into Nia’s shoulder. Nia began murmuring quietly to Sara and stroking her hair, like she had with her own children when they were young and crying from a bruised knee or scraped elbow. Thorn was the next person to find his voice.

“Oy, that was quite the story!” Oskar was scribbling in an old notebook of his. The Keeper was staring wide eyed at Kalmar. Slowly, he said,

“Well. Let’s see about gettin’ ye to the Blackwood. Do ye already know how yer gettin’ there?”

“Yes, Keeper,” Nia began. “The dragons are waiting in the harbor. They will fly us there.”

“I’ll set some Durgans to clearin’ the streets so ye can get to that magic water thingy as soon as possible.”

“Thank you, Keeper.” Nia said.

“Yeah, thanks.” Kal said quietly.

“I can’t send any Durgans with ye, though. Most of them are off in Ban Soran fighting the ridgerunner raids. But I must warn ye. After Kalmar left for Anniera, the Fangs that stayed fled to the Blackwood, comin’ out frequently to try to attack and kill our people. We fought them off, and killed many. I’d assume whatever stayed in the wood has been eaten by toothy cows by now, but there may still be some out there. Be careful.” Keeper Clout strode out into an adjacent room, and the people could hear him talking with someone. A few minutes later a door closed. The Keeper walked back out.

“That was Danniby. He’s headed out with a troop of Durgans now to clear the streets. You’ll be able to head out in a few minutes. And Kalmar,” he said, turning to look at the boy king, “know when yer out there that the Hollowsfolk await ye in hopeful expectation, and will welcome ye with open arms when ye return. Ye go with my blessing.”

“And yer welcome at the Orchard Inn at any time.” Elenna stated.

“Thank you,” Nia said graciously. She turned around and looked up with concern at Artham who was flying through the boughs of the Keep Tree, and called up to him that they would be leaving soon. He seemed not to hear.

Artham did hear Nia calling to him, but made no response. Every moment he grew more and more afraid. He hated the idea of going into the Blackwood. He was having to fight the voices more and more often now, but he reminded himself that he was going for Janner. He would not fail him again. He tried to steel himself against the trial he knew was coming. He flew around the Keep, stretching his wings, knowing that very soon his freedom would be restricted by a cage of thick black trees and the accusing voices.

. . .

A couple hours later, the family was well on their way, on the backs of the dragons, soaring over the rolling hills of the Hollows. The Durgans clearing the streets had helped them get back to the Watercraw much faster than they had anticipated. They had said their hopeful goodbyes and set off, continuing in their journey to hope. Artham could now see the jagged Killridges stretching across the far horizon, and tried not to guess which mountain was Throg. Closer though, lay the Blackwood. From far away, it looked like an expanse of black fog sitting low over the land. Artham’s mind was flooded with memories, but he desperately pushed them back. He was flying just over the green dragon, and his eyes hardly ever left Janner’s still form.

Protect. Protect. Protect. Artham allowed the words to pulse through his soul, reminding him of who he was.

But you didn’t protect Esben! You ran from the very wood in front of you, cowering, leaving your brother to die! Hah! Some thronewarden! Artham cringed at the feel of the voices. His flight faltered, but he regained balance. He gazed all the more intently at Janner below him, struggling to hold on to himself, to not let the raging feathery beast inside gain control.

A while later, Artham still had his eyes locked on Janner, when the green dragon dipped suddenly and began to wheel in circles. Artham looked up sharply and saw that they were on the edge of the Blackwood. His heart skipped a beat, and adrenaline rushed hot through his whole body, making his ears ring and his head throb. He continued flying, but only by muscle memory. The dragons landed, but Artham stayed flying in place. When Nia called to him from below, he wheeled and slowly landed. His heart felt like a wild bird trapped in his chest struggling to escape. He walked unseeing to the green dragon where he unstrapped and lifted Janner. His nephew’s weight grounded him a little, serving to remind him who he was and why he was there. He clutched Janner to his chest and walked bravely alongside his family into the Blackwood.

Notes:

• Artham & Sara are so sweet. She and Leeli are like his safe spot.

• Poor Artham😭 brace yourselves, it gets worse.

• Any more canon I messed up?

Thanks for reading! 🍎(For ridgerunners) 🍪(For humans, orcs, ect.)