Their new companion, Arianne, Keira and Celene learned, had been a Watch Guard since the restoration of the kingdom.
They knew she came from beyond the Burning Plains, across the desert where the men who had dared to cross that parched land had settled when they had found fertile ground. Lylea had spoken of kingdoms with such exotic names as Rayan and Chaldea while Melia herself admitted her people were called the Nadira. Unlike the elves or dwarves, men had an insatiable need to explore, and Arianne could very well believe they were willing to slip beyond the reach of the known world to conquer new frontiers.
If this Melia had come from those faraway lands than she had been travelling for a great many years.
Arianne knew that Dare appointed many Watch Guards to protect the lands surrounding the Green from Berserkers or any other threat that might befall that gentle race. Before the war hardly anyone had known about the existence of the villagers in the Green. Since the defeat of Balfure, the revelation that a couple from the Green had given refuge to the future King might encourage remnants of the shadow lord’s army who wished revenge for the part it played in his ascendancy. As a result, Watch Guard towers were establish near the Green, and each tower had a cohort of Watch Guards, who patrolled the area and kept a vigil on those lands.
With the end of the occupation, people were travelling freely from one end of the kingdom to the other. No longer afraid to visit other cities and free to leave Carleon’s borders for other lands, people were embarking on lengthy journey’s across the kingdom. Furthermore, with commerce and trade being re-established between Carleon, Angarad and Lenkworth, it seemed that the Watch Guard’s duties were being expanded to include the protection of these travellers.
It may well be that in the future, the reach of the Watch Guards could be much expanded over Carleon.
What quest had brought Melia to this part of the world, however, was something she felt no inclination to reveal. She did explain that shortly before the war against Balfure, Melia joined the defence of Cereine and served with a captain who would become one of the Watch Guard when it was over. He had invited her into his ranks and Melia accepted. Her duties usually found her assigned to the eastern face of the Baffin, but on occasion she crossed the mountains to attend to business of her own.
It almost seemed like Fate’s Arrow had directed her to be where she needed to be to help them escape the Berserkers.
*******
‘Are you determined to travel through Wyndfyre?’ Melia asked after they settled in for the night.
Outside the snow had abated, and although there was still a frosty bite in the air, it was nowhere as tumultuous as it had been the previous evening. Keira had taken charge of the cooking duties once again, and so the small station was soon warmed by the heat of the fire that Celene had started and the aroma of hot food from the stores not plundered when the horses were taken by the Berserkers. Celene and Melia had agree to take watch through the night so that they were not caught unawares by anything else that might stumble upon them.
‘I had hoped to see my home,’ Celene answered honestly. ‘My family were unable to journey to Sandrine for the King’s announcement and I was hoping to see how they are.’
Of course, being practically minded, Celene had no difficulty sacrificing the visit if necessary. Still, it would be disappointing.
‘I can appreciate that,’ Melia said sympathetically. ‘But. if you wish to reach your destination within the time allotted to you, it will save a number of days if we travel straight across Angarad and avoid Wyndfyre. There are many villages that would be able to provide us with supplies on the way across.’
Celene knew this herself after all, Angarad was her home. She was fairly certain she knew a few places that Melia wasn’t familiar with herself. Still, it was disappointing not to be able to go home even for a brief visit.
‘We can see them on the way back,’ Keira suggested, aware that despite Celene’s tough exterior, sometimes put on for the benefit of those who might think her less of a warrior because she was a woman, she felt things deeply. ‘I’ve always wanted to go to Wyndfyre.’
‘Yes that’s true,’ Celene replied with a forlorn sigh. She agreed without question that Melia’s suggestion was expedient, and also found it very much in keeping with Keira’s nature that she looked at their quest with such optimism, convinced they would all come home unscathed. ‘You are right, we need to shave some time off the trip. We should abandon the stop at Wyndfyre.’
Arianne’s heart sank a little for Celene because she knew that the Angarad had wanted very much to see her family again. If she missed the opportunity to see them during the quest, Arianne did not think an opportunity would present itself again so soon. Unfortunately, the need to make haste to the Frozen Mountains meant the sacrifice was necessary and Arianne felt guilty that Celene had to miss the chance to see her family for the demands of the quest.
‘Thank you, Celene,’ Arianne said to her friend. ‘We will see Angarad when we return. I promise.’
‘I will survive not seeing them for a little longer.’ Celene assured the Queen there was no hard feelings on her part. ‘We have more important things on our minds right now.’
‘I will take first watch,’ Melia offered as Keira spooned hot stew onto her plate.
‘Wake me when you’re ready for some rest,’ Celene answered as they sat down eat.
‘Tell me,’ Melia looked up at Arianne after a few minutes of silent dining, ‘what brings the Queen of Carleon to the edge of Avalyne?’
The women exchanged glances with each other, wondering whether or not the Queen ought to answer Melia’s question. Although they trusted Melia to a point, Arianne was uncertain whether or not the Watch Guard should be told the purpose of their quest. She knew that Keira considered Melia no danger, however, Celene was a little more wary and still doubted to some degree the accuracy of elvish senses. Melia had been reticent about her reasons for being on this side of the Baffin instead when she should have been patrolling the terrain near the Green.
‘Why were you on this side of the mountain?’ Arianne asked, deciding that if Melia wanted their trust, she had to afford them the same courtesy.
Conscious that the question was being made by the Queen of Carleon and that made Melia duty bound to answer, she hesitated a moment as she decided how to respond.
Finally, she spoke after a long pause, ‘I was searching for my mother.’
Judging by the reluctance in which she volunteered the information, Arianne guessed that the matter was intensely difficult for her to confide in others and she waited for Melia to continue at her own pace, which she did a few seconds later.
‘My father visited these lands in his youth where he met my mother, who apparently lived along the banks of the Yantra River. They were together for a time, but after I was born my mother grew weary of being wife to a husband and a mother to a child, so she left us. Eventually, he returned to his people and I was raised in Nadira with my father's family. He told me little about her, and when he passed on I felt that I had to find her. I travel between the Baffin and the Yantra every few months, hoping to find her while serving as Watch Guard.’
‘Would it be simpler to continue the search instead of moving back and forth from the Baffin?’ Keira asked, unable to imagine such a commute to be an efficient way to search.
‘I was a stranger when I arrived in these lands. The Captain of the Watch Guard was a soldier of Cereine. He recognised my skill and accepted me as one of his own during the defence of that city during the war. I owe him my loyalty, and when he asked me to serve as one of the King's Watch Guard after the war, I could not refuse. Besides, it serves my purpose—I often meet travellers who can give me valuable intelligence for my search.’
‘Such men are rare,’ Celene agreed readily, understanding all too well how men who could see past their gender were few, and she herself had sworn her allegiance to Dare for that very reason. ‘But they do exist.’
‘The Yantra is a great river,’ Arianne pointed out. ‘Your search may take years.’
‘I know,’ Melia answered not blinded to that reality for one instant. ‘That is where being a part of the Watch Guard is useful for my search. They are the eyes and ears of Avalyne. They can help me in my search.’
‘And your mother?’ Keira asked. ‘What do you know about her?’
‘Very little,’ Melia confessed with a frown.
Arianne wondered if that was the truth or if Melia had reached the limits of what she was willing to impart to them about her purpose. Arianne could understand her reluctance. It was a deeply personal issue for her and Melia appeared to have spent many years searching for her mother—a quest that was no doubt fraught with disappointment and frustration. Such emotional turmoil must have made it difficult for her to make friendships or confide in others.
‘I know that she is of a people who used to dwell along the river and that there were not many of them,’ Melia continued to speak. ‘Her name was Ninuie.’
‘I do believe that is an elvish name,’ Arianne revealed. ‘The River Elves, to be certain. Have you sought her among the elves that dwell along the Yantra? They may know of her or her people in Eden Halas.’ Arianne made a note to make inquiries on Melia’s behalf when this was all over. Queen Syanne took an interest in the human folk that lived in the area surrounding Halas, even if her husband disliked the idea of becoming friendly with their neighbours.
‘I will be certain to do so now,’ Melia replied, taking in her suggestion. ‘For now, however, I would like to know why it is you are journeying so far north.’
Now that Melia had told them the truth about her origins and Arianne could sense the sincerity of her words, she could not deny the Watch Guard the same courtesy. It seemed only fair, now that Melia had become their guide in the northlands, she would share the same risk if the Enemy chose to hunt them down.
‘I am on a quest,’ Arianne said finally and saw the surprise in the woman’s eyes at the statement.
‘A quest?’ Melia remarked with some astonishment. ‘Since when is it the duty of the Queen to embark upon quests? Is that not the duty of the King or some other warrior in his service?’
‘This is a quest that I alone can fulfil,’ Arianne explained sombrely. ‘Celene and Keira have chosen to accompany me, for they are too thick headed to let me do this thing on my own,’ she threw them a smile.
‘And even though one is an elf Queen and the other Warrior Princess, neither can cook so I thought I'd better come along to make sure they don't starve,’ Keira grinned at Arianne and Celene.
‘You are funny,’ Celene made a face at Keira who laughed at the tongue pointed in her direction before she addressed Melia. ‘My Queen requires my sword and she is my friend, how could I do any less?’
Overcome with a wave of emotion at the warrior of Angarad, Arianne extended her hand and was met by Celene's in a quick, affectionate squeeze.
‘Besides,’ Celene faced front again, ‘how do I explain to her husband that I let her ride off on her own?’
‘Well, I am a Watch Guard in the service of the King, your husband,’ Melia said turning her attention to Arianne as her own mind was made up about this quest that the Queen was embarking upon. It could be no small thing if she was willing to ride beyond the safe borders of the kingdom into the peril of the Frozen Mountains, Melia thought silently. ‘You have my solemn oath that I will not reveal a word of what you tell me, unless you first permit it.’
‘Thank you,’ Arianne said appreciatively, believing the sincerity of her words before explaining the situation. ‘I am with child. The announcement was made but a few days ago, so the rest of the kingdom may not be aware of it. My mother revealed to me that an evil presence seeks to harm my child. The Enemy desires to infuse my unborn babe with the spirit of Mael.’
‘Mael?’ Melia’s exclamation of shock was equal to almost everyone else who had been told this news.
‘You know of Mael?’ Celene stared at her.
‘My people know the legends of the Celestial Gods and their battles with the dark lord Maelog who was also called Mael, the Crucifier of the Elves. We know that Balfure was once his disciple and that the Gods vanquished him to the Aether. This is indeed foul work.’
‘We have until the next full moon by which to reach the Enemy, or else Arianne’s babe will suffer the consequences,’ Celene explained now that Arianne had fallen into silence.
‘I see the reason for your haste,’ Melia replied. Thoughts of her own quest could wait for now, because if it were true, if Mael’s evil was attempting a return to the world of Avalyne, then they would all suffer. ‘The Enemy is at the Frozen Mountains?’
‘We believe so,’ Keira answered. ‘I've heard terrible stories about the place. Are they all true?’
Melia shrugged. ‘I have encountered some who had travelled that far north and the reports vary,’ she answered honestly. ‘However, the mountains are perhaps the oldest in Avalyne. I am told at one time they were the border of Mael's lands.’
‘I know of that tale,’ Arianne looked up and rejoined the conversation. ‘We believe that Sanhael wasn't completely destroyed—that it lies beneath Mael's Pit, intact. The Enemy has been drawing the remnants of Balfure's army to him. Taking Balfure's place as their master.’
‘That might explain some of the activity that the Watch Guard has witnessed of late. The Berserkers are travelling north for certain. Not just Berserkers—there is rumour of shifters on the move too though these cannot be confirmed.’
‘Shifters?’ Keira turned to Celene and Arianne in question. ‘Like the Disciples?’
‘No, not like the Disciples,’ Celene answered. ‘These are true shifters. They can assume the shape of any person or creature for as long as possible. Even years.’
The thought that a being could maintain the charade of becoming someone you knew for years chilled Arianne to the bone.
‘The Enemy is giving Mael an army worthy of him,’ Arianne replied, glancing at her belly and shuddering at the fate that might await her baby.
No, she told herself resolutely, I will save you little one. No matter what I am forced to do, I will not allow you to be taken.
‘Then it was fortunate that I happened along,’ Melia answered, noticing the subtle shift of Arianne's hand against her belly and felt for the Queen facing such a terrible threat to her child. ‘Though how much, I did not know until this moment.’
‘It will get worse the closer to the mountains we get,’ Celene met Arianne’s gaze. ‘You know that.’
‘I do,’ Arianne whispered softly. ‘But our hope lies in secret. He does not know I am coming. He may still think that I am in Sandrine and it is Dare who is riding out to face him.’
‘The less he knows, the better,’ Celene added.
‘In that case, we should not remain in one place long,’ Melia added. ‘We should make for Angarad at first light. The journey is four days away on horseback, but if we stay off the roads and travel by night, we may maintain our anonymity.’
‘And we need fresh supplies,’ Keira reminded them. ‘We lost a bit thanks to those Berserkers, and we're going to need winter gear if we're going into the Frozen Mountains.’
‘That is as good a plan as any,’ Celene nodded her approval. ‘What say you Arianne?’
‘I am disposed towards it,’ she smiled at Melia. ‘And I thank you for joining us in this quest. It cannot have been an easy choice for you to aid us. The risks are great.’
‘The risks are even greater if your Enemy is allowed to do what he desires,’ Melia returned Arianne’s smile with one of similar warmth. ‘It was difficult enough vanquishing Balfure from Avalyne. I think preventing a similar darkness from falling across the world is the shared responsibility of all who live in it.’
Arianne had not thought of it quite that way, but she was glad to hear Melia’s words nonetheless and felt herself considerably fortunate to have the companionship of such brave women. It gave her hope enough that there would be an end to this nightmare that would see her back with her beloved Dare.