The Defender of the Council Hall
Chapter 2 - Part 3 (Voyage of the Dawn Breaker)
The two continued down the street, throwing barbs at each other until they stopped in front of a three-story building with pane-glass windows.
The draoidh examined the building, taking note of the stained-glass windows and the forest scene displayed. “This must be the place,” Rhyslin commented, stepping toward the front doors. He reached out for the door, only to have it open in his face.
“You are up,” a voice stated.
Rhyslin paused as a young Ciad-Ghin woman stepped out and gazed at him. She can't be older than sixteen, he gauged as he examined her. What is a child doing here? He wondered as she blocked his path.
When she placed her left hand on the hilt of her short sword, the draoidh reassessed her. Her shoulder-length black hair was tied in a loose braid that fell down her back. Her clothes, while lightly colored, were designed with ease of movement in mind. There was a playful smile on her lips as she asked, “Why are you here, Aon Socair[1]?”
“I'm here to see Mathair na Coille,” he stated, echoing the calm. “She is here, correct?”
Her hazel eyes sparkled as she nodded. “She is, but you can't go in unless you get past me.”
Fascinating. He thought as he watched her. “May I know the name of the one I must defeat?”
“My name is Vuuroena Seilmatt, daughter of Bhanrigh Ilyriatri of Clann an fhàsaich[2].” She proudly stated as she stood with her feet shoulder-width apart, her left leg behind and slightly bent, and lightly balanced on the balls of her feet.
Does she know what she's doing? He judged as he mirrored her stance, his left hand sliding up eight inches on the staff while his right hand assumed a guard position at his waist. “Very well, Vuuroena Seilmatt, Guardian of the Council Chamber. Shall we fight to first touch or first blood?”
“To first touch,” she giggled. “Mathair na Coille would be mad if I were to re-injure you.”
“So be it,” Rhyslin agreed, starting the bout by tracing a rune with his right finger.
The young woman watched him, her eyes widening as she looked around. What did he do? She wondered as she tried to find the trap. When her shadow reached up from the ground and tried to grab her ankle, she danced forward and slashed her sword through the shadow, dispelling it as her blade flashed. A brief frown crossed her lips as she fixed her eyes on Rhyslin. She flicked her blade back to a high guard position, angling the sword toward him.
“Dall,” she whispered, calling a bright burst of light that caused the draoidh to blink. Got you, she thought as she stepped forward, driving the point of her blade toward his chest.
She growled as she came within inches of touching him, only to have him edge the staff across his body and block her strike. “Hey!” she exclaimed as he curled the fingers of his right hand over hers and trapped her blade between his side and his upper arm. “Oh no, you don't,” she said as she tried to free her sword. When that didn't work, she looked into his eyes, expecting a victorious grin. Instead, she felt his utter calm and slightly shivered as she tasted his icy prana. She felt herself blush to the tips of her ears. “Lasadh,” she commanded, slowly heating the blade. She watched his hazel eyes widen and felt the heat build against his ribs and upper arm.
With a softly spoken curse, he released her blade from the trap. It was her turn to wince in pain as he whispered, “Reothadh,” she felt her fingers freeze to the hilt.
She softly whimpered as she yanked her sword free of his grip and retreated a dozen steps. She glared at the draoidh as she forced her fingers to flex. When Vuuroena could move her fingers again, she gripped the hilt and gracefully walked toward him. “What you are doing is not fair,” she complained, raising her blade in a neutral guard.
Rhyslin gazed into her eyes. “Life is rarely fair,” he stated. “We are sometimes called on to do things that we don't want to do, things that will hurt us,” he released his hold on the staff, and Vuuroena watched in fascination as the staff remained upright as if rooted to the spot. When she turned her attention back to Rhyslin, he was still talking. “Things that will break us and drive us to despair, and just when you think you want to die, you will call out, and Mathair na Coille will save you.”
Can he read my mind? Did he somehow read my dreams? She wondered as she had to blink away sudden tears. When her vision cleared, she found him standing within inches of her. Only then did she feel his right hand rest on her head and his fingers softly stroking her hair.
“What do you know of Despoina's prophecies?” Vuuroena whispered as she lowered her sword and stepped toward him. Her head rested against his chest, and she could hear his heart beating.
“Only what she cares to share,” Rhyslin admitted. His right hand rested between the young woman's shoulder blades. “You will need to know when to obey and retreat.” He bowed his head and brushed his lips across the tip of her left ear.
“I'm scared,” she admitted.
“I know,” he replied, enveloping her in his prana. The young woman drew a slow, deep breath as she savored the calm surrounding her. After drinking her fill, she raised her left hand and placed it over his heart for a few minutes. Then she reluctantly pushed away from him, her eyes lifting to meet his. “If I ask, will you save me?”
“If I can, I will,” he promised. He relaxed his iron will momentarily, and she could read his intent in his soul. With a nod, she returned her sword to the sheath. “If you follow me, I'll take you to the council chamber.” She waited calmly while the ranger moved to Rhyslin's side, pausing just long enough to get the Ebonwood staff and hand it to the draoidh.
[1] Calm One, Vuuroena’s name for Rhyslin
[2] Children of the desert
If you like what you’ve read, please consider buying my book. You can find it at https://books2read.com/u/4A2Wnd.
You can also buy my second novel “Contracts and Chaos” at https://books2read.com/u/bwVkyP
Or if you wish, you can buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/JosephWiess1
A fascinating scene.
What an exciting exchange. Rhyslin is indeed formidable.