Daranavo sighed a long sigh and settled himself before he spoke. His words came calmly as he delved back into his memories. He smiled and closed his eyes at first.
4 years ago…At the beginning of fall.
The sun was high and the day grew hot. It was the beginning of autumn and the
plains were alive with color., Two
men raced across the landscape. Two dark forms in front of a backdrop of yellows, oranges, reds, and browns. Their
horses ran swiftly, each gallop between them was timed perfectly with one another. Men, women, children, and soldiers of
the Mark lined an area marked with large poles adorned with the colors of
Rohan. All except for a thoroughfare left for the horses to run through them. A literal split sea of people that cheered loudly in the hot sun. This
race marked the beginning of the fall harvest and to these people, horses and
horse races were everything.
Daranavo: “The fringe is mine this time my friend!”
Jurrick: “Hah, Gaidon will fade like before!”
Daranavo leaned forward in his saddle and spoke to his dark brown gelding.
Daranavo: “Gaidon, like the wind.”
With a new found strength, Gaidon hastened his pace and pulled away from Jurrick and his grey mare. The two approached the fringe of their
Kings lands as they have done each year. However, this year, Daranavo was in the lead. The wind whipped his hair behind him and the wooden marker lay a few hundred yards in front of him. He sat up and gripped the sides of Gaidon with his legs. He slowly let go of his reins, and held his arms outward. He floated upon Gaidon with pure gracefulness for at that moment they were one and the same.
Cheers rose up from the sides as he passed the markers. Petals of colorful flowers were thrown in the air by all. Daranavo crossed the line first, his arms outward, the sky rained with petals.
The cheers of the crowds faded, and the scene changed.
6 months ago…Near the end of Winter.
The sky was clouded and dreary. Wet snow fell upon barren
trees. The grass was brown and wilted by the long winter. A young man ran between the trees, his breath came in gasps and he felt as if his heart would soon burst. His face was reddened by the wind and his exertion. From a distance, a crossbow was fired. It struck the man in the back of the leg. He slipped and rolled into a snow-bank. Blood leaked from his new wound and stained the snow a deep red. Horse hooves could be heard and their beat along the ground had grown louder. The man scrambled to his feet and tried to run but soon fell back to the ground. His leather jerkin was soaked from the wet snow and his sweat. Dark grey legs of a horse came into view and halted just near the fallen man. The man turned his body and went onto his back. The bolt stuck out from his thigh, blood had soaked into his pants all around it. He was short of breath as he pleaded.
Ardel: “Please…no! I won’t say anything.!”
Black boots from the dismounting rider hit the ground aside
the grey horse. He stepped slowly around and stopped in front of Ardel.
Ardel: “I’ll not chirp a word…I swear it!”
Voice: “Now Ardel, if you had not intended to say anything, you would not have ran from me.”
Ardel shook his head frantically, his leg throbbed terribly.
Ardel: “I was afraid ok! He began to sob. “I knew you had found out what I said to Daranavo. But he didn’t believe me. See, I had to tell someone and I knew he wouldn’t believe.”
The boots shifted.
Voice: “So it was
Daranavo who you told was it?
Ardel’s expression changed to sheer disbelief.
Ardel: “You didn’t know? You didn’t know who I told?” He fell back into the snow and weeped.
The boot shifted again and a crossbow was loaded once more.
Voice: “Well that was not nearly as difficult as I thought Ardel, for that I must thank you. I thought I might actually have to get my hands dirty to ring out the name.”
Ardel’s face turned to pure rage and he sat up. He spat at the man across from him.
Ardel: “The King will find out before you take his throne! You will be hanged a traitor just like your father will!”
A black boot kicked him in the face and he fell over. The boot quickly came down upon Ardel’s back and held him down, the left side of his face against the wet snow. He struggled at first, then settled and closed his eyes.
The voice chuckled.
Voice: “Ardel, you always did give up too easily even when we were children. I thought your induction into the Long Riders would have changed you. Apparently it did not.”
The front of a loaded crossbow came into view pointed downward. Without a sound, the bolt leapt forward.
The scene faded into a blanket of white.
2 months ago….summer begins.
The night sky was overcast and filled with rain. The moon and the stars were veiled. In the rain, three men stood around a small fire and discussed dark deeds yet to be done.
Voice1: “Ha ha ha, it still amazes me that the King still has no idea.”
Jurrick: “Well that was the idea Kailen.. If he knew he was about to lose his throne, we would never get close enough to him.”
Voice2: “When will Farran make his move?”
Jurrick: “When the two of you carryout your side of our agreement.”
Kailen: “Pretty soon then if you brought our payment.”
Jurrick reached into his jerkin and tossed out onto the ground a small bag, filled with coins. *chink* went the bag as it hit the ground.
Jurrick: “You can count it if you wish, however, I assure you it is all there.”
Kailen bent over and picked up the bag, happily.
Kailen: “No I trust you heh heh, we will be there just like we said we would.”
Voice2: “Hey, you guys hear that?”
The three men stopped talking immediately.
Jurrick: “It sounds like…a horse.”
Just then, a spear pierced Kailen through the middle, he dropped to his knees, and fell forward, dead.
Jurrick: “Its Daranavo!”He yelled as he scrambled over to his grey mare.
A dark brown horse jumped over the two men, its front left hoof struck the unnamed man in the head and knocked him out cold. Jurrick, jumped upon his horse and gave chase.
Lightning crashed and the thunder rolled as Jurrick bore down upon Daranavo. With a steady hand, he loaded his crossbow, pointed it forward at Daranavo, and shot it. The bolt struck him in the shoulder but he did not unhorse him immediately. Daranavo knew that Jurrick would reload and that he was deadly with a crossbow. He knew he had one chance. He had to unhorse him. Daranavo leaned to his left and back, and let his reins fall. He removed his right leg from the stirrup, and fell to his left. He rolled several times, and came to a stop on his back. He did not move after his fall. Jurrick came up short and halted. He pointed his crossbow at Daranavo and rested his finger on the trigger. With a grin he removed his finger, slung the crossbow behind him and dismounted. He drew his long
knife and slowly approached Daranavo.
Jurrick: “I will miss our races Daranavo. You were always a better rider than I.”
He stepped closer, the knife blade poised to strike him in the throat. Without warning, Daranavo kicked up with his right foot and struck his crossbow. The bolt disappeared into the rain.. With his left foot, he kicked him in the hip, and sent him staggering backward. When Jurrick righted himself, he was now face to face with Daranavo, his rapier in his hand. Jurrick drew his and flipped his long knife around along his arm.
The two moved and circled about. Blades tested the air and each other. A quick slash, and a tight thrust. Both skillfully blocked. The men circled one another and furiously tried to break through the others defenses. Jurrick blocked a slash with his upturned long knife and moved in for a killing thrust. Daranavo turned aside his blade, and caught his arm. Their blades mingled briefly and Daranavo ducked almost to a knee. As expected Jurricks blade slashed too high, and Daranavo thrusted his rapier into Jurricks chest.
Jurrick gurgled blood from his mouth and let his blades fall. Daranavo pushed his rapier to its hilt into Jurricks chest, the end pierced through his back. Jurrick blinked in disbelief and felt his legs begin to go. Daranavo grabbed hold of him and together he layed him down upon his side. Daranavo went to a knee over him. With tears in his eyes he spoke his lasts words to him.
Daranavo: “You fool, you killed us both!”
The scene faded into darkness and to the sound of the rain.
The Present
Daranavo had tears in his eyes and became silent. He tilted his head down, his eyes still closed. His wounds had all but faded except for the pain of the betrayal that he relived before her very eyes. The pain of a good friend that took everything away from him in one fell stroke, and silently he began to dispair. He did not feel that Tiriviel had taken his hand in hers.
