All the defenders were sat close in a circle except Elm and Hemlock who were told to sit off to one side so they couldn't hear the conversation. Voices were raised every now and then. Elm caught heated words such as traitor, false rescue and power hungry; he knew they were about him. The discussion soon continued onto a different vain and he heard Oak's name mentioned.
He had one option that would put him in control of them all. He went over it and other ideas but he always came back to the same conclusion. If they sent him back to the camp his fate would be a poor outcome. If however, he presented them with a chance to find Oak, then his own chances would be improved. He would be directing them on where to go and what to do. Through this he might still be able to get rid of Pine as well as Oak.
He drew in a breath. “I have knowledge of Oak that you might be interested in,” he shouted to them. They all stopped talking and looked at him. “I know what has happened to him and in what direction he travels.”
That was only partly true, they could have gone anywhere for all he knew but his calculations were that they were going south across the lake.
Pine was raising himself from the ground and strode toward Elm, the hatred in his eyes wasn’t hidden or masked and Elm was taken aback by it. He would have to be very careful around Pine or he would perhaps find a sword in his back, although, he doubted Pine would do that because of his high sense of morality. It was not so for Elm and he knew Pine would reflect on that and could change his own moral stance because of it.
“Tell us!” Pine grated out from his tightened face, fighting to control his loathing.
“I followed the Citan trail so that I could try to save Oak.” He looked now from one defender to another trying to make them believe his innocence in the accusations that were assailed toward him. “I found the Citans at the point where they sat waiting.”
“Go on!” Pine was standing closer, his eyes attempting to burn out Elm's.
“I saw all of them including Oak get onto an airship.”
Everyone was quiet as they processed the information and Pine even turned his penetrating gaze away from Elm's for a few seconds before continuing his cross examination.
“The Citans are in league with the Aviatilians?”
“Yes!” Elm smirked within; he was one up on him now.
Pine began to stride away. “We must leave for the point. Twenty of us shall follow Oak; the rest of you will go back to the camp. Hemlock you will take Elm back with you under your guard and confine him at the camp until we reappear with Oak. Oak's decision will be final.”
“No!” yelled Elm.
“You have no say in this Elm.” Pine stopped in his tracks and stared back at Elm, his face a sheet of steel.
“I should have a say. I stand wrongly accused; I should be given the opportunity to prove that I am a faithful defender to the Woodlanders and our leader.”
Quiet descended as they all looked at Elm and then Pine. He knew he had Pine now, the defenders wouldn’t allow him to ignore Elm's request. They had vowed allegiance to one another and if one made a request to prove himself it had to be obliged.
He could see Pine grating his teeth together in disdain of their discourse, his feelings deepened across his face as he decided what should be done. “You will come with us Elm but I warn you one wrong move, one step toward being a traitor and I myself will put my sword’s blade into your paltry heart!”
With this Pine spun around and began conversing with Cedar in a low voice so that nothing could be overheard. Elm gave a half smile. He had granted him his way and Elm vowed to himself that it would be he who’d be plunging his sword into Pine's paltry, penal heart.
“Thank you!” he exclaimed loudly interrupting the conversation. “For giving me the chance to prove that I am a faithful and trustworthy defender.”
Pine ignored him and continued his conversation. “Hemlock, you’ll be at Elm's side every minute of the day. You will never, ever, leave him.”
“Yes Pine.” Hemlock looked at Elm his eyes blank of any expression but Elm knew what thoughts lingered behind and he gave an internal laugh at how he would manipulate Hemlock and control Pine further on their journey. He would enjoy all of it up to Pine's final dying moment, which would be one of Elm's ultimate experiences. Oak would be the other.
Pine was organizing the defenders, choosing who would go back and who would stay. He kept nineteen defenders, including Elm and Hemlock. Elm was surprised and curious at the odd number and whispered to Hemlock that he should find out why. He suggested giving the excuse that he would prefer to be at Pine's side rather than travelling with Elm and someone else should be jail-keeper instead. He smiled at this thought, to take Pine in and have him believe that Hemlock didn’t like Elm any more than Pine himself did was a clever plan. Hemlock, dutifully left Elm strategically secured to a tree (to show that he was no fool to leave his charge free to escape) and requested a word with Pine.
Elm watched the conversation and was impressed at the adamant behaviour of Hemlock in expressing his disregard for Elm and distaste at having to be constantly with him. His energy in putting forth his request for a change of guard (although, he could not hear the words Hemlock's expression and hand gestures were very telling) made Elm himself question how faithful Hemlock was to him.
Pine dismissed Hemlock who glared back at Pine with a blackened mien and instead continued to question him further about the trip. Pine most willingly gave Hemlock answers to placate his anger at being warden and even placed a hand upon Hemlock's shoulder as he talked. Hemlock's face changed to one of interest as his head nodded up and down at the words Pine was saying. He placed a hand upon Pine's shoulder and Elm could see the words for the Woodlander's mouthed as he turned quickly away and strode toward Elm.
On his return he untied Elm from the tree but left Elm's hands tied behind his back. Using the rope as a leash he loudly told Elm. “We're leaving now. Cause me no trouble or I will not be as forgiving as Pine.” Elm looked at Hemlock in surprise and then slowly nodded his understanding.
“I’ll cause you no trouble,” he retorted. “As I am innocent of all charges against me and will prove my innocence by helping to rescue our leader.” His words fell on only a few listening ears as Pine and the others were already running through the forest.
“I don't care what you profess. You're in my charge and you'll listen only to me and obey only me.” With this Hemlock pulled on the rope and began to run with the rest of the group towing a stumbling and unbalanced Elm behind.
They travelled for quite a while before Hemlock carefully pulled Elm slightly away from the others and spoke for the first time since leaving.
“Pine intends to ask the Lakellers for their aid,” he whispered under his breath keeping his eyes staring straight ahead so that if anyone should glance over he wouldn’t look to be conversing. “He’s sent Cedar back to camp that’s why we are nineteen. However, Cedar will be returning with goods to trade with the Lakellers for our passage. He is to bring ten watches, five pieces of jewelry, five folding knives from the antiquities building and five bags of fruit and vegetables. Quite a haul for him to carry but it will cover travel for twenty. At least Pine hopes it will.”
“How does he mean to find the Lakellers? They could be anywhere.”
“He was told by some of the defenders that they had seen the Lakellers on land searching for food. Their proximity was close to where your saw the Citans on the point.”
Elm pursed his lips as he began to formulate his new plan. Travelling with the Lakellers would be to his advantage. They could be bought; although they could not be trusted he might be able to form some kind of allegiance with them. Hemlock had fallen silent at his side absorbed in his own thoughts and Elm eyed him, wondering, if it came down to sides, would he support him or betray him?
Elm didn’t believe in anyone but himself, only you were true, everyone else was there only as long as it benefited them. There was no such thing as sacrifice, he disbelieved the books that he'd read that told of heroes giving their lives to save others. He had queried it to the defenders and they'd said it was history and history was fact. How could they prove that? To Elm historical events were just stories, someone else's perception of an incident. How they saw things happen might not be what actually occurred.
He knew himself from incidents that had taken place within the camp how one person’s story of an event could differ greatly from another's. Who was to say that the person writing the records hadn’t thought that certain things were of more interest than others and given precedence to them, therefore giving a skewed angle to the story? He would be writing his own history and it would be perfectly recorded.
They’d been travelling quietly for a long time. Their footfalls were light upon the soft mossy earth and the fragrance of damp lichen and dew had vanished long ago. He could sense clarity in the air, a freshness that meant they were close to the lake. They ran past huge trees, a blur of dark brown bark and bushes their huge green leaves shining back at them from the sun’s rays as she reflected her smile upon them.
He travelled behind the group with Pine dexterously leading them speedily along, picking up the trail of the Citans with little difficulty. As much as he disliked Pine he had to admire his proficiency. He followed the trail with ease maintaining a fast pace and never deviating from it through error. It was a shame that he would have to die; he could have proved valuable to Elm.
The sun was in the west when they arrived at the point. Elm knew she would soon be shining orange and red as she waved farewell for the day. They had little time to find the Lakellers and it was important that they find them now and travel through the night in order to follow the airship across the lake.
The airship travelled slowly but compared to defenders on foot they may as well be trying to outrun the wind. They needed to cross the lake fast so that they could get an idea of which direction the airship was headed and follow blindly as best they could. Elm smiled, the whole trip was fruitless but it was saving him from a worse fate and he would go along with it until he could change the course of the Woodlanders future.
Pine was calling defenders to him and quickly discharging them with orders. They took off as fast as they could in various directions. The rest of the defenders were now at Pine's side including Elm and he listened with interest to what Pine had to say.
“We shall wait here until the other defenders return with word of the Lakellers. There is a chance that we may not be in luck. That they may have already left shore and are making their way out into the lake.”
Everyone looked across the massive expanse of lake. Like a sea she stretched for miles to the horizon, the only land visible was the land they were on.
“If they are not found...” Pine halted for a moment as he too gazed across the lake. “We'll have no choice but to wait for their return even if it is days or weeks. We will not give up our search for Oak. We’ll contact others on our journey and question whether they have seen the airship. From there we'll follow their sighted route to the airship's destination.”
The defenders nodded their heads in agreement and Elm scowled at them. He saw Pine's eyes rest on his and quickly turned away so Pine couldn’t see his expression. The whole palaver was foolish and Pine knew it. Oak was gone for good and everyone should accept that. They should return to protect the clan and their home instead of going on this ridiculous journey that would lead to nothing
Elm couldn’t say anything and no one else had the courage to say a word. Only he was courageous, the rest were just followers. They would be his followers though, soon enough. He wasn’t afraid to fight for what he believed in and he would when the perfect time came. For now he would keep his lips tightly closed, his thoughts would be his own and his concerns would be forgotten. He would dance with the jester for a while longer.