Andromeda Read online

  Edric chuckled. “Yes, I think you are right. Did I tell you have wonderful she is?”

  Solon chuckled as well. “Yes, many times, not to mention the years she and I spent together before she met you. But you know, Edric, I have never seen her as happy as she is having found you and marrying you. You bring her alive.”

  “Thanks, Solon. She brings me alive as well. I just hope we can find a way to get out of this predicament. I don’t want to be killed with my hands tied and lose the one who loves me.”

  “We’ll find a way.”

  55.323.17

  Kare stood tall, sword in hand, deep in the jungle. To her right, Helen, also with a sword. To her left, Joshua and Samantha, both with their staffs in front of them. In front of her, warriors she had never seen before.

  “You will surrender, or you will die. Those are your only options.” Gurth, the leader of this band of warriors, stood in the middle of the bridge, a narrow, stone-built structure, not more than three people wide. The ravine it crossed was hundreds of feet deep and forty feet wide. The warriors were dressed in cloth coverings but were mostly bare skinned. They had ink writings on their skin and odd hoops in their ears. They seemed dirty but looked fierce.

  “We will cross this bridge. You will either move out of the way, or you will die. Make your choice.” Kare had a look of utter seriousness and determination on her face.

  Gurth laughed. “You four? Three women and one man against all fifty of us? You are mad. Surrender and we will treat you well.”

  “Helen, cover our rear. Samantha, Joshua, follow me.” With that, she took a step forward.

  Gurth stopped laughing. He backed up, yelling, “Get ready!” The warriors held their swords and spears ready. Several had bows, but in this close range they used swords. They were too confident to use their wooden shields.

  Kare continued as Gurth retreated behind his warriors. When she was over half way across, ten warriors appeared behind them. “We have more behind us, but I can handle them. Take out the ones across the bridge.”

  Kare attacked. She stabbed and then aggressively began sword play with the warriors. She cut one, then hit another with the side of her blade, who fell over the edge. She stepped forward and they stepped backwards. Her swordplay was far superior to anything they had ever seen. Once over the bridge Joshua and Samantha came to her sides and using their staffs, began hitting and clubbing them. They turned and fled, having never seen such ferocious fighters. The ones behind them that Helen was fighting also turned and ran.

  Kare said, “I am not sure what happened. Have they never actually been in combat?”

  “It would seem that way.”

  “Perhaps Solon and Edric were surrounded and caught by surprise and did not have time to fight them.”

  “We will see. Let’s move on, but careful, they will likely try and ambush us as well.”

  The four set off and walked slowly and deliberately along the trail. In the late afternoon, they came to a place where a clearing allowed them to see the village of these people. It looked fairly large, with several hundred huts surrounding a large central open space. In the middle of that space appeared to be a larger hut, obviously the hut of the leader. It was still a long way off.

  Beyond the village they could just see the ocean. “Well, if Thomas made it back, at least Tabitha has a chance to get closer to this village.”

  “Let’s keep going. Solon and Edric are down there somewhere.”

  “I don’t think we should continue on this path. They know we are coming. They will be waiting somewhere that is advantageous for them to attack us.”

  “Yes, and another thing. I cannot go any further wearing these robes.”

  They all laughed, the first laughter they shared for days. “Well, Samantha, what do you propose?”

  Samantha said, “Joshua, you will need to ignore our bodies for a while.” With that, she leaned her staff against a tree, took the pack from her back and set it down, then pulled the thick robe she wore over her head and folded it to tie to her backpack. She stood there and stretched out her arms, feeling the slight breeze on her skin, wearing only her underwear.

  “Ahhhh. That is so much better.”

  Kare and Helen did the same.

  Joshua saw them, then said, “Well, if it must be, then you must also ignore my body.” He did the same and was soon standing in only a tight little wrap around his private area. They each then folded and tied the robes to their packs.

  “Better. I also suggest we take a different route, even if it is more difficult.”

  “Through the jungle?”

  “Yes. It may be slower, but it may be safer and give us a chance to surprise them.”

  “Okay.” Kare then started walking as quietly as she could into the thick jungle that surrounded them. Samantha was second, followed by Joshua and Helen. They traveled slowly until evening, finding a small clearing to rest. The next morning, they continued. Kare was trying to work their way to the right of the village, so as to come out in an unexpected place.

  55.324.13

  Thomas made his way quietly back through the jungle to their encampment. He found Tabitha and reported all that had happened.

  “Captured? You are certain?”

  “Yes, Tabitha. We managed to get close enough to some of the warriors on this island and overheard them talking about what they would do the them. Kare said to have you take all our resources and sail around the island to the far side and see if we could find their civilization. That might be where they are being held.”

  “Then what?”

  “She did not say, only that you should use your judgement when the time came. However, I propose we be prepared to launch our small boats ashore with our soldiers in preparation of fighting these warriors and rescuing the king.”

  “Very well. Let me gather the captains together and prepare.”

  Tabitha told them to abandon the encampment and load everything they could back onto the ships. They would sail with the tide at sunrise, and sail around the eastern side of the island to see what was on the other side of these hills.

  “Remember, our King has been captured. We must sail with speed, rowing if we must. When we arrive, assuming we are not too late, and we find a village or someplace where these people live, we will drop boats and immediately go ashore. They have captured the best of us. We must be careful and strong, but we will rescue our King.”

  “We sail at first light.”

  55.328.09

  “I am so thirsty.”

  “Me too. I don’t know how long I can survive this heat without water.”

  “Be strong. We have to live.”

  Solon and Edric had been moved and tied to posts in the middle of the open space in front of the chief’s hut. They had been tied there after the fight when Kare defeated the warriors crossing the bridge. That was five days ago. The heat was oppressive. They were watered twice a day and given food once a day. But it wasn’t enough, and they were losing weight, losing their minds, and their skin was burned since their clothes had been removed.

  The plaza was filling up with people. Solon said, “Well, it looks like today might be our big day.”

  “One way or another brother, this will end.”

  The crowd surrounded them, leaving a circle fifty-feet around them. A path remained to the Chief’s hut. After a while, the Chief, dressed in his grandest leaves, sea shells and feathers, walked from his hut and stood in front of them.

  “You are invaders to our land. Where did you come from?”

  Edric spoke first, so they would not know Solon was the King. “We are not invaders, but visitors from another island.”

  “You were not invited! You did not ask!”

  “How could we ask when we did not know you were here?”

  “You lie! Bring me the Tolnet.”

&nbs
p; Kare brought them to a halt. “Listen.” They could hear the Chief talking loudly. They were right on the edge of the clearing beyond the outer huts, behind a large, long hut. Kare looked, and seeing no one, ran up behind the hut. She peered inside and saw their soldiers tied. She stepped inside, and seeing no guards, held her finger to her lips for silence. The soldiers saw her, and while glad to see her, remained quiet.

  “What happened here?”

  “They took the King and Prince to the central plaza several days ago and left them in the sun. All of the guards left a while ago, so I think today they will punish them. We remain here, waiting our turn.”

  “We’ll see about that. Helen, free everyone. Joshua, Samantha, find their weapons and arm them. When you are ready, follow me. I am going to see what is happening.”

  She made her way out of the hut and slowly through the maze of smaller huts, following the Chief’s voice. At last, she was beside a hut that was elevated so she could see what was happening.

  “The Gods will show us if you tell the truth! When I place the Tolnet on your head, you will scream truth, more than you believe you have ever known!” He walked towards them. He had two warriors hold Edric, and as he raised it up to place it on his head, a voice was heard, “You will not place that object on his head!” They all turned to see a wild tall blonde near naked woman running at them with a raised sword.

  The Chief yelled, “Spear! Spear!”

  The warriors pushed everyone back and took up a line in front of the Chief with their spears at the ready. That did not slow Kare. She was determined to stop this madness. She ran until she was ten feet from them and stopped.

  “You will not put that thing on his head.”

  The Chief smiled, and said, “You shall watch.” He raised his hands to put it on Edric’s head when an arrow landed in the ground at his feet. He was startled, and looking up, saw that all the soldiers they had captured were fully armed and approaching in a line to fight.

  The warriors with spears were shaken and turned to see what they should do. Kare took this diversion in stride and quickly pushed past them and held her sword to the Chief’s chest.

  “Put that thing on the ground away from him, or you die.”

  The warriors all dropped their spears and ran to be with their wives and children. The Chief set the Tolnet down and also moved away. After the soldiers had pushed everyone away and formed a line protecting them from the warriors, Kare and Helen untied Edric and the King. At that moment, three ships came around the bend in the river by the village and Tabitha launched ten boats with one hundred soldiers towards the shore, also fully armed.

  Kare looked at the Chief, and said, “You have harmed our King for no reason. We came here on a peaceful exploration to see who was here. We meant you no harm. Now we must ask if we can trust you or be friends with you, or if we must fight and destroy you.” She looked at Solon and Edric, then said, “Bring us water, now.”

  The Chief ordered his servants to get water quickly. Then he said, “How were we to know? We found armed warriors on our land, moving inland towards our home. We had to stop this, otherwise we may have been harmed.”

  Solon slowly stood. He held onto a soldier but turned to the Chief. “Perhaps we could put this Tolnet device on your head and see if you are telling the truth.”

  “No! You do not need to do that. I am telling the truth, I swear on all my family’s graves! But please, do not put the Tolnet on my head.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it only kills.”

  “So, you intended to kill me?”

  “No, we would kill the other one, then know you would tell the truth when we threatened to use it on you.”

  Edric, also standing, said, “Thanks, Chief, for your compassion. I do have a question though. This Tolnet thing seems to scare all of you, and it doesn’t look like anything you have here. What is it?”

  The Chief turned to the witch, saying, “Tell them.”

  The witch, a wild looking old woman with bones on strings around her neck, said, “The Tolnet comes from the cave of the demons. We have it because one foolish person went there and brought it back. When he put it on his head, it killed him.”

  Tabitha walked up with her soldiers following. “Sire, what orders for us?”

  Solon thought for a moment, then said, “Chief, I will make you a deal. Allow us to establish a village on the other side of the island, somewhere we can anchor ships, so we can harvest some of the food from your island, and we will leave this side of the island alone. Plus, you can come and go as you please, even in our village. We do not mean you harm.”

  The Chief turned to his people and they were agreeable, so he said, “Then we can live in peace? No fighting?”

  “Yes, we only want peace and to enjoy the beauty of this, your island.”

  The Chief smiled. “Then, yes! We, the Holdren, declare peace!” The villagers clapped and smiled, knowing they would be fine.

  “The Holdren. We are from two islands, Quadlibet and Shirfalla. Let us hope we can always find a way to be at peace with each other. There is another thing. Can you show us this cave of the demons?”

  “Why would you want to know that?”

  “We would go there to make sure no other weapons are there to harm our people, or yours.”

  “You do not fear the cave?”

  “No, we do not.”

  “Very well, we will show you. But first, you must eat and rest. It is a hard journey into the mountains.”

  Solon took his people and went to their ships. He left a solid contingent on the shore to prevent the Holdren from secretly attacking them.

  “You both look terrible.”

  “Thanks, Kare, for arriving when you did.”

  Edric added, “Yes, dear. Another few moments and I apparently would not be here to rescue. I love you.”

  “I love you. We thought something bad happened. But how did both of you get captured?”

  “We were surrounded on all side and from the trees above us with these apparent warriors. It happened so fast, we didn’t even have time to draw a sword.”

  “Yes, same with us. They seemed much fiercer than they are today.”

  “I still don’t trust them. They could be hiding a dark side behind this apparent child-like behavior.”

  “Well, for now, lets eat and drink water. Tomorrow will be another long day.”

  55.329.09

  The next day, a bit rested and prepared, they departed for an unknown destination. The Witch lead the way. It took two days, climbing higher and higher into the mountains. Finally, she said, “We can go no further.” She pointed to the highest mountains, and said, “The cave of demons is between the two highest peaks, through the gap between them, inside a cave on the far side of the highest peak.”

  Solon did not yet trust these people. He said, “Why can you not take us all the way”

  “Because we fear the demon who created the Tolnet may have other powers and do not dare to disturb him. You may go, but the price of disturbing the demon will be paid by you.”

  “Very well. Let’s move on.”

  Solon then lead the way along the rough, unused path, upwards to the peaks. It took another day of hard climbing to get there. The view from the mountains was spectacular. To the west you could see the village of the Holdren, nestled between two arms of the mountains beside the lazy river that lead to the sea. To the east was the vast expanse of ocean they had crossed to get here. South the mountains tapered off into the sea. North, the island continued for some distance, green and lush, but too, ended in the sea.

  “It sure is beautiful.”

  “Yes, and not as cold as our snow-covered mountains.”

  “Which I do miss, but not too much.”

  “So where is this cave?”

  “Sire, I believe we have fou
nd an opening.”

  Solon walked over to the cave entrance, a small entrance, only about waist high. “I think this was for rather small people. Okay, if we are going to find anything it will be on our stomachs. Edric, you follow me; Kare and Helen next. Tabitha, stay here and remain on guard. If we do not return by nightfall, make camp and send someone inside to find us.”

  Solon then got down on his stomach and crawled inside the cave. Edric, Kare and Helen followed. As he crawled, he noticed the surface changed. Where it had been rough cut dirt and rock, it turned into something smoother. He also noticed a greenish glow ahead.

  “There is some devilry happening here.”

  “How so?”

  “There is some odd green glow in the tunnel ahead. I can’t tell what it is, but it is not any kind of light I have ever seen.”

  “Should we back out?”

  “No. We need to know what this is.”

  He continued crawling, and the tunnel suddenly was much bigger, he could stand. He stood there and waited until the others were also standing. They looked down the tunnel, which had a sheen to it and reflected the green glow. They pulled knives, while Solon, in the front, pulled his sword. Slowly, they continued down the tunnel.

  When they entered the room, they stopped. They didn’t know what this could be. As they walked around and looked, they saw green, red and yellow lights that seemed to be mounted on flat metal walls. The lights had letters written on them, like AC, ELT, ASG, and others, that made no sense. There were things on shelves. They saw two more Tolnets, and several other items, all made from the same shiny silver metal.

  “I do not understand this.”

  “No,” said Kare, “But one thing is for sure, this is not a devils work, but the work of humans.”

  “Yes, but for what?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I don’t think we can take the bigger wall mounted objects with us, but let’s take all the smaller ones and go home. We need to see if we can understand what these are. Edric, Kare, I want the two of you to take charge of this mystery and see if we can understand what these things are. Helen, you and I will go back and visit the Holdren, just to make sure we are safe with them, then we will all board Tabitha’s ships and sail for Quadlibet.”