| The Start of the Journey |
| Chapter Two |
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| A short while later, the two redheads returned to where Emory stood waiting for them. In silence, Corbin climbed up onto the patient horse. Once he was settled, he leaned over and helped Kenton up behind him. �Let�s go,� Emory said softly. At his brothers� nods, he took the reigns of the animal and the small group started down the road that would take them to the capitol � and hopefully to the answer they sought. *** That evening, Corbin was walking beside the horse while Emory and Kenton rode. Kenton was seated across Emory�s lap with his head resting against his older brother�s chest. He was unused to traveling, as were his brothers, but he didn�t seem embarrassed to show his weakness. Emory, on the other hand, was struggling to stay awake and Corbin sighed deeply. �Maybe we should stop for the night,� he suggested gently. His older brother scowled, but then glanced at Kenton and sighed. �Maybe we should,� he admitted softly. �According to the map Elder Greenmeadow gave us, there should be clearing coming up. It might be a good place to set up camp.� �I just hope it isn�t far,� Corbin agreed. �My feet are sore from walking.� Emory nodded. �We�ll be able to go farther, faster after a few more days,� he stated. �We just have to get used to the exercise.� Corbin smiled and had turned to gaze back at the trail, when Kenton suddenly came fully awake. The boy�s lavender eyes seemed to glow in the gathering gloom when he looked up into Emory�s face. �Something�s coming,� he said fearfully. Emory nodded and, in spite of his thoughts that morning, helped Kenton off the horse and then leapt down beside him. The three drew their swords and glanced around cautiously. �Are you sure it wasn�t� a bad dream?� Corbin asked after a moment. Kenton shook his head, but wasn�t able to voice a response before shadowy forms emerged from the forest around them. �Guess that answers your question,� Emory said, as he turned to make sure none would be able to sneak up behind them. Kenton was trembling as the forms advanced to close in around them. �They aren�t human,� he said fearfully. Emory frowned, but blocked the blow that the nearest one swung at him. He stepped forward and attacked the form. As he slashed at his foe, it seemed to dissolve into thin air. The young man gasped and shook his head. �Definitely not human,� he said. �But they die easily enough.� Kenton glanced at Corbin for reassurance and his older brother offered him a smile before swinging his own sword through one of the shadowy forms. Kenton swallowed nervously and turned to face the nearest foe. When his sword past through it easily and it dissipated, he breathed a sigh of relief and turned to face the next one. The three brothers made short work of the shadow-warriors. When Kenton swung his sword through the last warrior, he felt more resistance against the blow. Almost as thought it was more solid that the previous ones. Once the battle was over, he collapsed to the ground, trembling slightly. While Emory searched for their spooked horse, Corbin knelt beside his brother to make sure he was all right. �Kenny?� he queried gently. Kenton offered him a weak smile. �I�m just tired,� he said softly. Corbin nodded and turned to get his feet when something caught his eye. �What�s that?� he asked no one in particular. �Hmm?� Kenton replied softly. Following Corbin, he stepped over to where the last shadow-warrior had stood. It had seemed different from the others. Where the others had been surprisingly easy to dispel, this one seemed more substantial. As they drew near the object that had caught Corbin�s eye, Kenton felt a dark presence drawing near them. He shuddered and grabbed the object off the ground. The presence departed the second his hand touched it and Kenton looked down at the object with shock. It was a crystal, cut into the shape of an almond, with grooves through the middle. Gazing intently at it, it seemed to Kenton that the crystal resembled the eye of some animal. �What is it?� he asked, holding it out for Corbin to inspect. �I don�t know, Kenny,� Corbin replied, scowling. �But I think you should hold onto it� I think it�ll be safer with you.� Kenton nodded and slipped the crystal into the lining of his kimono. �Alright,� he answered softly. Corbin nodded silently and turned toward a rustling in the bushes. He smiled warmly when Emory stepped out, leading their horse. �Let�s get to that clearing,� he announced softly. �After that, I�m even more tired than I was before.� Corbin and Kenton nodded in agreement and the three continued the short distance along the trail to the clearing where they�d set up camp. While Corbin got their dinner together, Emory started a fire with some wood he�d gathered along the way. Kenton busied himself setting out their bedrolls. The boys ate a quick supper and the two youngest settled in to sleep while Emory kept watch. They didn�t need any of those shadow warriors to attack them while they slept. Although they were easily defeated, that wouldn�t help if you didn�t see them coming. Emory glanced over at his brothers and frowned when he noticed that, while he was sound asleep, Kenton was very tense and fitful. Sighing, he walked over and gently pulled the younger boy into his lap. Smoothing his red hair away from his eyes, Emory began to sing the lullaby their mother had always sung to them. �Huna blentyn, ar fy mynwes, Clyd a chynnes ydyw hon; Breichiau mam sy�n dyn amdanat, Cariad mam sy dan fy mron. Ni chaiff dim amharu�th gyntun, Ni wna undyn a thi gam; Huna�n dawel, annwyl bientyn, Huna�n fwyn ar fron dy fam.� By the time Emory had sung the first verse, Kenton�s brow and smoothed and he had relaxed into Emory�s arms. The dark-haired boy sighed again and went back to keep silent watch, but kept his brother encircled in his arms. He�d have to ask in the morning what was troubling Kenton. |
| The song Emory sings to Kenton is a relatively well-known Welsh lullaby called Sou-G�n. Some people might know it from the movie "Empire of the Sun," which begins with Christian Bale as the young J. G. Ballard lip-synching the song. The words are by Robert Bryan and the first time I heard it was on Charlotte Church�s album �Voice of an Angel.� I don�t own the rights to it, but I thought it would be appropriate for that part of the story. I only put the first verse here. If you want the whole thing, buy the cd. I got the information about the song from: |
| English Version (By Frank Petersohn from a literal translation by J. Mark Sugars): Sleep my baby, at my breast, 'Tis a mother�s arms round you. Make yourself a snug, warm nest. Feel my love forever new. Harm will not meet you in sleep, Hurt will always pass you by. Child beloved, always you�ll keep, In sleep gentle, mother�s breast nigh. |
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| �Kenny,� Corbin said softly, gently shaking his younger brother. �It�s morning. You need to get up.� Kenton sat up and knuckled his eyes. �It�s so early,� he mumbled. Sighing deeply, he looked into his brother�s emerald green eyes and frowned. �It wasn�t a dream, was it,� he said sadly. �Mama is really�turned to stone.� Corbin sighed. �It�ll be alright, Kenny,� he said gently. �Come on,� he added, getting to his feet. �Emory is getting the supplies together. I want to get some breakfast into you before we have to set out.� �Alright, Corey,� Kenton replied, climbing out of bed. �I�ll be down shortly,� he added, moving toward the chest where his clothes were stored. Corbin nodded and quietly left the room. He went down to the kitchen and finished preparing the soup that would serve as their breakfast. As he was setting the bowl down on the table, Emory entered the cottage. �You ready?� he asked tersely. Corbin smiled gently. Since he was the oldest, Emory felt that he had to be their leader on this excursion. Corbin just hoped her remembered that they were all really young, especially Kenton. He nodded and said, �We can leave right after breakfast.� Emory made a face and said, �We have to get on the road.� �Emory,� Corbin argued. �All of us should eat something or we won�t make it until noon on the road. The delay won�t be more than twenty minutes.� Emory sighed and nodded his assent. �Sorry,� he said. �It�s just �� �I know,� Corbin interrupted. �Call Kenton down while I get the bread on the table,� he said, turning back toward the kitchen. �Kenny!� Emory called up the steps. �Coming!� they heard Kenton reply. Their youngest brother appeared a moment later, with his backpack slung over one shoulder. �I just figured I�d pack my own bag,� he explained, setting his pack next to his brothers�. Emory frowned. �We have to travel light,� he said sternly. Kenton scowled. �I know,� he sighed. �It�s only important stuff, like clothes,� he added quietly. Emory nodded and said, �I�ll saddle the horse.� He flashed a half-smile at Corbin and headed back outside. �What else did you pack?� Corbin said softly. Seeing the dismayed look on Kenton�s face, he smiled. �I grabbed a brush, a few ribbons and my journal,� he added. �Emory�s right, we can�t bring a lot of things, but we don�t need to live like paupers.� �I grabbed my picture of Mama and Papa and my top and�� Kenton trailed off, looking down at his feet. �And Fox,� Corbin prompted. When Kenton nodded shyly, his older brother nodded. �I think I�ll throw some soap in my pack too,� he added, moving into the kitchen. �Sit down and eat your breakfast before it gets cold.� Kenton smiled at Corbin and nodded. While they were all taking the situation quite seriously, Corbin understood better then Emory how hard this would be on Kenton. Not only was the boy afraid he�d lost his mother forever, he had the added fear of venturing into the unknown. For someone who�d never even been as far as the next village, a trip to the capitol was both frightening and daunting. A moment later, Emory returned and sat at his usual place at the table. He served himself a bowl of soup and grabbed a slice of bread. Glancing over at Corbin, he said, �You and Kenton can ride while I walk beside you.� Corbin frowned. �I agree that Kenton should ride,� he said. �But you and I should take turns riding. It isn�t fair for you to walk the entire way.� �I�m the oldest,� Emory said sternly. �By eleven months,� Corbin pointed out. �Think about it, Emory,� he said reasonably. �There�s no reason not to take turns. I�ll ride until noon and you can ride until evening.� �Alright,� Emory sighed, knowing better than to argue with Corbin. He turned to his youngest brother, to find that the twelve-year-old was scowling into his soup. �What�s wrong, Kenny?� he asked irritably. �I�m not a baby,� Kenton mumbled. Looking up at his brothers, he said, �You don�t have to treat me like one. I�ve got as much training as you two have.� Emory sighed, but Corbin smiled and set a hand on his younger brother�s shoulder. �We aren�t trying to baby you, Kenny,� he said earnestly. �You�re not?� Kenton said doubtfully. �No,� Corbin replied. �It�s just that, if we do have trouble, you�ll be less distracted riding than you would walking.� �That makes sense,� Kenton said, scowling slightly. He glanced at Emory, who threw him a bright smile, and then he shook his head. �Alright,� he said softly. �I�ll ride.� Emory sighed in relief. Although he�d never admit it, he felt Kenton would be safer if danger struck riding than he would be walking. If bandits attacked them, a person on a horse had more chance of escaping than someone on foot would. |
| End of chapter two... |
| *** After they had cleaned up their breakfast dishes and locked up the cottage, Emory took Kenton and Corbin�s packs, as well as one with provisions in it and hooked them to the horse�s saddle. His own pack, he settled onto his back before he turned to see if his brothers were ready to leave. �Corey?� he called gently. The fifteen year old was standing just outside the barn, gazing inside with one hand pressed to his lips. When Corbin turned to face his older brother, there were tears in his eyes. �Kenny wanted to� say goodbye to� Mother,� he said, his voice breaking. Emory nodded and said, �I� I said goodbye last night. You can� if you want to.� Corbin rubbed his eyes and forced a smile. Nodding, he turned and headed into the barn. Emory sighed and shook his head. The Fates only know what they�d encounter on the road, but� together they could face anything. |
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