The Sacred Woods of Silvernarion (Book 1)

Chapter 2 Falcon Powers

Gloriana walks up the steep and grassy hill falling in some hidden holes occasionally.

“Cursed hill!” she screams.

She then gets back up for the hundredth time. Stars appear as two planets adorn the sky. The blue planet of Venuitta and the bigger red planet of Marekassa sparkle in the night to guide her climb on the uneven hill. With the help of the staff she makes it to the top. She looks ahead to see a town in distance. A curvy road forges its way towards faintly lit towers.

“Well look at that,” Gloriana exclaims. That is at least a half a day way from here!” she says while sitting down and placing Fierce on the ground.

She pulls over her head a satchel, which was strapped around her shoulder and drops it on the ground. Inside she takes a piece of hard cheese and begins to nibble on it. Fierce screeches, as he watches Gloriana eat.

She then rips a piece of a loaf of bread and gives it to the falcon. He tears it apart swallowing quickly. He then jumps into the satchel pecking at a different loaf of bread.

“Stop Fierce!” Gloriana screams.

He ignores her, takes a bigger piece of the bread and jumps away with it.

“You are a crazy old bird!” Gloriana says before stuffing another piece into her mouth.

She then looks up at the stars and begins to dream.

The beautiful arrangement of colorful stars blends into the sky, providing an illusion of pictures one can imagine. The majestic planets fill up most of the sky, as huge craters decorate the red planet. Oddly, the blue planet is untouched of such spots. If there is life on this planet was always a question she had since childhood.

Perhaps there is life on the red planet despite the huge craters that cover it like a spreading malady. She lets out a sigh and puts her hand into the satchel. Inside she sees the wafer and takes it.

“Here take this Fierce. It is supposed to be a gift from the wizard,” she offers still looking at the beautiful sky.

He jumps close to stare at her fingers holding the wafer. He then snips at the thin and crispy cookie.

“Ouch! Not my fingers Fierce!” Gloriana screams now staring at him.

Eventually he grabs the whole wafer and eats it quickly. The eyes of the falcon glow orange before changing into a reddish color. Gloriana moves back to look strangely at her falcon. After eating the wafer, he flaps his wings, which produces oddly a smoke.

He then continues to flap his wings wildly before jumping into the air. Suddenly he turns on fire and flies wildly in every direction. Flames surround him as he screeches and suddenly blows fire from his beaks.

“Oh no, what happened!” screams Gloriana.

She gets up quickly grabbing her staff and pointing it at Fierce.

“Wake up! I need your help!” she screams shaking the staff.

Fierce flies in circles around Gloriana enjoying his new powers. He finally lands near here. The heat rises in the air, as the grass begins to turn on fire.

“Stay back!” Gloriana screams in-between shaking and pointing the staff at Fierce.

He turns his head curiously looking at her confused.

The fire surrounding his body stops burning and he flaps his brown wings putting the rest of the fire out. Gloriana looks at her falcon curiously. She walks slowly towards him. He looks up at her curiously and screeches quietly.

“Did this wafer make you into a phoenix of some sort?” she asks curiously.

The falcon screeches again quietly and jumps towards her. She drops the staff and kneels down sticking out both hands before the falcon jumps onto them.

“You wouldn’t hurt me? I have raised you since a baby,” she whispers looking at the falcon concerned.

She pets him, as he closes his eyes enjoying the love provided by her. Gloriana sits down and eventually lies on the soft grass on top of the hill shaking her head at the event.

After a moment staring at Fierce, she realizes that she is far from home for the first time in her life.

She is astonished at what she had experienced thus far. Just as she begins to lie down to get some rest, murmuring voices are heard from a distance. She gets up quickly to look down the hill to see two shadows from a distance.

“Did you see that fire flying around on top of that hill?” asks a man in a gruff voice.

“Let’s go see what it is,” says the other man unsheathing his sword.

They continue to struggle up the hill falling in small ditches at the attempt.

“We must go Fierce,” Gloriana says grabbing her staff.

She runs down the opposite side of the huge hill.

“Get up you clumsy ox!” screams the skinnier bandit who falls shortly afterwards.

The other bandit who is struggling to get his foot out of a hole continues to climb the unsteady hill. As they finally reach the top, they see Gloriana from a distance.

“Look there she is!” screams the bigger of the two bandits.

The other bandit begins to run down the hill waving his sword. Gloriana looks back quickly before losing her balance. She trips over a root stub, which causes her to part stumble and roll down the hill.

She screams as she hits her knee hard on the ground. Fierce circles one round before suddenly diving and sinking his claws on one of the bandits before jumping off his face and flying back into the sky.

“Argghhhh!” screams the bandit as he waves his hands frantically trying to swap away the falcon.

Gloriana gets back up and limps as fast as she can towards the main road. The skinny bandit waving his sword trails behind.

“I will get you!” he screams.

Fierce’s eyes turn red before quickly changing into a phoenix.

“Look!” screams the bloody faced bandit, as he unsheathes his sword ready for the attack.

“That falcon is on fire! If only I can capture it alive. It would be worth so much!” he continues to scream, forgetting the brutal agony of talon marks on his face.

A loud screech happens, as the falcon dives once again.

“Come here you beast!” the bandit screams waving his sword challenging the falcon.

Fierce dives, evades the swing and claws the bandit’s face once again. He screams dropping his sword. He then holds his face falling to his knees.

“My face is burning!” he screams.

Fierce lets out an eerie screech, before diving for a second attack. The bandit hearing the war cry quickly gets up and runs blindly for his life.

“Come here little girly!” screams the skinny bandit gaining ground on Gloriana.

She reaches the road and continues to limp down it. The bandit is drooling, as he gets closer. She looks ahead and barely sees under her teary eyes the towns walls from a distance.

“I will never make it,” she cries struggling to move ahead on her bashed knee.

The trampling of horses is heard, as she looks frantically in the direction. Loosing her balance, she falls on the road exhausted.

“I can’t run anymore,” she mumbles.

The bandit approaches with his two hands on the hilt of the sword raised high over his shoulders. He is breathing hard showing his rotten and crooked teeth. Gloriana looks up holding her staff. She squeezes it hoping it will awake like it did in the forest, yet nothing happens. Just as he is about to swing downwards to slice Gloriana in half, a blunt side of a sword hits his head.

He turns staggering backwards. Two men on horses sit calmly. One has his broadsword unsheathed. They are wearing shiny steel armor with matching helmets. The man on the horse looks at Gloriana.

“A young woman should not be alone outside the town’s walls. She should not see a man’s death either. Get up!” he commands.

Gloriana slowly stands up. Her face is full of tears. The soldier then looks at the bandit in disgust. He then points his broadsword at the bandit.

“Do you dare challenge me fool?” he asks in a gruff tone.

The bandit walks slowly backwards holding tightly his sword. Terror stricken, he drops it and runs as fast as he can away. The soldier then sheathes his sword and looks at Gloriana. The other soldier hops off his horse to pick up the bandit’s sword.

“Come give me your hand. I will take you into town,” he says.

She takes the soldiers hard grip and lets him pull her onto his sturdy horse.

“Put your arms around my waist,” he orders.

She puts her arms around his waist. He then rides quickly, as the other soldier on horse follow. They gallop steadily down the one road towards Nurenhill.

Gloriana is exhausted as she tries her best not to let go of the soldier’s slippery steel waist. Eventually they reach the main gate, as two guards on a tower holding torches look down.

“Open the gate!” screams one of the soldiers.

Rattling and clinking sounds draw a huge metal spiked gate to rise upwards, allowing both soldiers to gallop in quickly before the guards order to begin closing the gates again.

High, pointy, and murky roofed buildings add a gloomy ambiance to the dark alleyways of the town. Besides the sounds of screaming guards high up on towers, faint music escape rusty windows of local taverns. Merchant’s stands are sealed and covered with leather flaps. A few off duty guards walk to their quarters show how the town as shut down for the day.

“This is as far as I will take you young one,” the soldier says.

“There are taverns throughout the town that can offer you a room for a fair price. In the future do not travel at night. It is too dangerous for you. There will not always be a soldier to rescue you,” he finishes with a frown.

He lets Gloriana down from his horse and trots down a cobblestone road towards a narrow alley without looking back. The other soldier laughs, as he shows the two handed sword to his partner. I may get a few gold pieces for this weapon can be faintly heard before they disappear. Gloriana looks at the astonishing town. She has never been in such a big town before.

The odd shaped buildings and people who wear colorful tunics are strange to her. A man with a white wig walks loudly in fancy black shoes around a fountain. He smiles at her, before walking graciously down another street. Fierce lands at the fountain looking at Gloriana. She opens her hands, as he jumps on them and eventually jumps onto her shoulder, enjoying his favorite spot on Gloriana.

She looks curiously at the well-lit fountain that shows a small statue of a woman pouring green water out of a vase. Looking away and then back again the statue pours red water. Amused she looks away and back again many times seeing that the statue pours each time a different color of water.

“How interesting?” she murmurs to herself.

She then looks beyond the fountain to see where to spend the night for the day. A tavern suggested the humble soldier who saved her life tonight. She then looks in every direction to see that the red cobblestone roads turn into alleyways that eventually end in darkness.

Looking across from the fountain, a building with lights appears faintly next to a dark building.

As she limps closer, the sights and sounds of the tavern’s nightlife are heard, as slurred voices escape open windows. Dogs are barking, as she comes closer to the tavern, as the sudden surreptitious whispers between two dark figures behind some empty crates stop. Four eyes stare behind some hoods, as she hurries towards the front door.

She looks up at a wooden sign and reads the Green Dragon’s Inn. She quickly turns the knob of the door and enters before the two odd strangers had a chance to approach her. Woman in colorful dresses are dancing on tables, as men sitting on long benches swallow gulps of ale from huge mugs.

A round table filled with off duty guards play a game of cards. A bard is playing his fiddle and singling old folklore songs. No one acknowledges her entering the tavern, as she walks slowly across the room towards the bar where a large man stands polishing a mug. He greets her with an earnest nod before speaking.

“Welcome, young one. My name is Ogaern.”

A delicious aroma of food fills the room. A nice warm plate of food would do well, as her mouth begins to water. Her stomach begins to grumble, as she draws closer. Ogaern looks at her, as he puts a mug aside.

“What is a young woman like you doing out so late?” he asks.

Hesitating, she rubs her stomach.

“That is an interesting falcon you have sitting on your shoulder. I will give you a plate of our finest deer fillet, but then you must leave and go back to your home,” he offers.

She nods and the big man disappears into the kitchen. She feels relaxed in this dark, oaken, aged wooden tavern.

The three guards who are playing cards laugh loudly. Ogaern eventually returns with a steaming plate of deer fillet and potato dumplings smothered in dark gravy sauce. She thanks him and eats quickly. Ogaern shakes his head and disappears again into the kitchen. The woman laugh, as they dance in circles waving their dresses back and forth. Eventually the bard stops singing and lays his fiddle on the table.

He sits next to one of the woman interested in her company. She frowns, because she has to stop dancing, but quickly giggles when the bard whispers something into her ear. The other men are having a serious conversation about some kind of a foul merchant. After the meal, Gloriana stands up weary for the day. She yawns and looks at her knee. The blood had dried up, but her throbbing continues.

“If only we can stay the night here in one of the fine rooms this tavern has to offer. I have no gold,” she practically whimpers to herself.
“We should leave as promised,” she says petting Fierce’s neck.

One of the guards laughs loudly as he gathers the gold pieces he just won in a card game. He then looks up at Gloriana.

“Hey there pretty one. Why don’t you join us in a game of cards?”

Gloriana looks back at the other guards and then at the gold on the table. They swallow large gulps of fuzzy blue drinks. The heaviest of the three continues to stare at her as he pours another mug of the odd drink from a small wooden barrel.

“Let her go!” screams Ogaern who just comes out of the kitchen.

The heavyset guard looks at the barkeep and sighs. He then counts his gold pieces, as the other guard deals a new set of cards. Gloriana leaves the tavern and walks out of the tavern. She rubs her eyes and begins to yawn. Next to the tavern is a small stable with its huge doors opened. Inside are two horses eating some hay. Fierce flies up on a spot on a ledge, which is holding a part of the roof. She walks in the stable quietly and drops her staff on top of some hay.

“Ouch!” screams a small man popping his head out of the hay.

A curly, blonde boy rubs his head and looks at the staff.

“What do you think you are doing? This is my spot. Go find your own,” he says oddly in a manly voice waving his fist.

“I am sorry,” says Gloriana now standing up.
Fierce’s eyes open staring hard at the small boy.
“You are small to be a human,” she says.

“I am no human! I am a halfling and I don’t like to share my spot with you,” he exclaims.

He rolls over on the other side of the haystack.

The two horses continue to eat hay on the other side of the stable unconcerned what is going on in their environment.

“If I had gold, I would stay in one of the tavern’s fine rooms, yet I have none,” says Gloriana stretching, before lying back on the hay.

“Those rooms are overpriced anyway. The beds are no more comfortable then the haystack you are lying on now,” replies the halfling with annoyance, as Gloriana makes her spot next to his.

He then looks at the staff with curiosity and attempts to pick the staff up, as Gloriana slaps the halfling’s hands and slides it closer to her side.

“That is a fine staff you have there,” he says rubbing his hand still staring at its shaft carrying the red stone on it.

“It is of no concern to you half human,” she says in a gruff tone.

“Halfling,” he corrects now lying down.

“Well, since you are not leaving, I suppose we will have to share this haystack for the night,” he says a bit agitated.

It begins to rain and lightning illuminates the stable quickly showing a rat scurrying back into its hole. The horses shriek as they trample a little before settling down. Voices are heard as the halfling panics.

“Quickly hide under this haystack,” the halfling urges, as he throws patches of hay on top of Gloriana’s head.

Two young men enter the stable.

“We need to unsaddle these horses quickly and tie them up. The weather is going to get nasty,” he says to a shorter man holding a lantern.

Two clashes of thunder occur, as one of the horses jumps up.

“Hold it! Hold it!” he shouts trying to calm the frightened horse.

He then takes off the saddle and ties him up quickly.

“Good that should do it. Now let us get back to the tavern,” the taller man says.

They close the doors before locking it.

“Great we are now locked in here,” says Gloriana getting herself out from underneath the hay.

The halfling gets out and tries to see in front him.

“It is so dark in here that I cannot see my own hands,” he says.

Screeech! The halfling grabs Gloriana’s arm and shivers.

“What was that?” he asks frightened.

“Don’t worry that is my falcon. He will do us no harm,” she reassures holding the halfling’s arm.

“My name is Billibon Strudeln. I come from the hills of Dilan,” he says after a long silence.

“It is nice to meet you Billibon. My name is Gloriana Pettybraun and I have traveled from Augshill,” she replies.

“You traveled by foot from Augshill,” he says curiously.

“That must have taken you at least three days to achieve. You must be very tired,” he continues.

“As a matter of fact, I am exhausted,” she replies giving a small yawn.

“It has only taken me one day to get her though," she continues.

“Really, only one day.” “Impossible,” he finishes now letting go of her arm.

“It is a long story why it only took one day,” she replies.

“What is a halfling doing in Nurenhill?” she finally asks after a long silence.
Lightning illuminates quickly the stabile showing the halfling who is now lying on his back.

“It is a long story, but I am willing to tell you if you like,” he offers.

“Alright tell me,” she replies turning over to lay more comfortable on the haystack.

“It started a half a era ago when I tried to sell my ox to a merchant here in Nurenhill. He was worth at least fifteen gold pieces. Every merchant wanted to negotiate a lesser price for Moemoe.” Billibon begins to sob a little before continuing.

“Everybody back home is doing badly since we are not selling any grapan anymore,” the halfling explains.

“What is grapan?” Gloriana asks in-between a yawn.

“Why that is the prized possession of our lands.
We grow a special type of root in and around Dilan. These roots have a unique, exotic, and sweet taste to them. We distill the root three times before filling them into aged oak kegs. After three years, we pour them in handcrafted long neck bottles. Practically every race in these lands has a growing demand for grapan.

Unfortunately, the last two seasons has been bad. I had rented fifty acres of land growing this root. The root stopped growing and I couldn’t keep up with my payments. I ended up selling everything I owned. Everybody changes when you have nothing. All of my neighbors and friends began to ignore me. No one helped me and I was devastated. Therefore, I left Dilan to Nurenhill. It had taken me two weeks to get here. I rode with a caravan of merchants for protection. As I tagged along, I had to sell my ox. He was such a great animal. He had helped me plow the fields. He transported my goods to everywhere I needed to go. I was living a good life,” Billibon explains.

He gives a big sigh before continuing.

“I got rid of Moemoe for five gold pieces,” he says disappointingly.

“You sound like you really miss your ox,” says Gloriana.

The lightning continues following with a few pummeling thunders.

“I do,” Billibon says quietly.

“At least you are doing better then me,” replies Gloriana.

“It seems no one back home thought about giving me gold pieces,” she continues.
They both begin to laugh.

“Why are you here?” he asks.

“Many people are mysteriously spell stricken.
They are not dead, yet they do not move as if they are paralyzed or in some kind of an eternal sleep. We are unsure of how it happened. Oddly, I was not affected. The villages’ wizard has sent me to find an ancient tree named Brombear. This tree is supposed to tell me why I have survived such an atrocity,” she finishes.

“It looks like we are both not doing well,” Billibon replies.

“Perhaps we can help each other out. I mean I could accompany you on your journey. I don’t have anywhere to go or anything better to do at the moment,” he offers quietly.

“I don’t know,” she says slowly.

“I don’t know which way to go and it can be dangerous. I banged up my knee bad just trying to get here. I was harassed by wood elves and then made friends with them. Then bandits were chasing me, before I was rescued by a soldier of this town. I am lucky that I am alive today,” she finishes.

“Well there you go! You have to know how to travel safely through these lands. I know how to do that. What do you say?” he asks.

“That would be great!” she says excitingly without thinking about it.
Billibon sheds a smile.

“We better get some sleep though,” he says yawning.

Gloriana follows with a yawn and adjusts herself into a more comfortable position on the itchy haystack.

“Goodnight Billibon,” she manages to whisper before falling asleep.

“Goodnight,” he murmurs.

To continue go to chapter 3 Banned from Home - http://mingle2.com/topic/show/195585