Of Gods and Elves

chapter Twenty-One


Consciousness came slowly... and painfully. The world around Lee spun violently. Realization washed over him. Feeling anything at all meant he was still alive. Yanti must have spared him. But why?

He opened his eyes and let the light filter in. The wound on the back of his head throbbed, but he knew he had to sit up. He had to find out if Millet and Dina still lived. He took a deep breath and struggled to his knees. As his vision cleared, he saw that the horses had been tied to a fallen log and their gear neatly placed beside them. Millet and Dina were tied and blindfolded just off the road. Jacob was bound and blindfolded just like the others, only judging from the bruises on his face, he had been beaten.

“Millet... Dina,” called Lee. “Are you hurt?” He struggled to his feet and stumbled towards them.

“We are both fine, my lord,” said Millet. “Yanti decided to leave us unharmed.” Lee was about to search for a knife in the gear, but saw that his weapons had been placed beside Millet. He cut their bonds and helped them to their feet. Dina immediately noticed Jacob and ran over, seething with fury. She stood over him momentarily, then spat on the ground.

“If he wasn't your son,” said Dina. “I'd slit his throat here and now.”

“I wouldn't blame you,” admitted Lee, gingerly touching the back of his head. “But his fate is in my hands, and I alone must decide what to do with him.”

“Well, that can wait,” said Millet. “First I must treat your injuries.” Lee didn't protest and allowed Millet to examine his wounds.

“Your skull is made of stone to have taken such a blow,” Millet muttered. He retrieved some medicine and bandages from their gear and finished the dressings.

“What happen after I was knocked out?” asked Lee.

Millet's face twisted in anger then relaxed as he regained his composure. “He told Jacob to bind and blindfold us. After that I heard Jacob arguing with him that he should kill us all and be done with it. But Yanti just laughed at him. Next thing I heard was a thump and what sounded like a body hitting the ground. I can only assume it was Jacob. After that, he must have tied off our horses and searched through our gear. Before he left, he told us that you were still alive and once you woke up there would be a gift waiting for us. I suppose he was referring to Jacob.”

“How could your own son betray you like that?” asked Dina, still furious. “And his own mother...”

“I know,” snapped Lee. “I know,” he repeated, this time more calmly. Millet placed his hand gently on Lee's shoulder. “What will you do?”

“I'll keep my word,” Lee replied. “I will save my wife.” His eyes fell on Jacob. “And he will go with me.”

“You can't be serious,” Millet protested.

Lee never took his eyes off his son. “I've never been more serious. Yanti knew what he was doing, leaving me alive.”

“What do you mean?” asked Dina.

Lee glanced sideways her. “He wants me to go north, and wants me out of the fight. If I am captured attempting to rescue my wife, then they will try to turn me. If the Dark One was able to empower Yanti so much as to make short work of me, his own power must be unfathomable. If I went with him willingly, he would worry about treachery along the way. This way I deliver myself into their hands. And he knew exactly what he was doing by leaving Jacob behind.”

“I still don't follow,” said Dina.

“By doing so,” Lee explained. “He leaves me with an impossible choice. If I decide to return to Gewey, and continue aiding him, I will be forced to kill my own son. I cannot trust Jacob, therefore I cannot take him with me. Nor can I simply let him go.”

“Why not?” argued Dina. “He clearly wants you dead. Why not just leave him to return to his masters?”

Lee looked at Dina angrily. “He's my son. He is what he is because I abandoned him. I'll not simply leave him to his fate. No. If I can save him, I will. And if we are killed, we'll die together.”

“And I will go with you,” said Millet.

Lee smiled at the man with intense affection. “No, my friend. You must continue what I cannot. You must return and aid Gewey, as best you can.”

Millet opened his mouth to protest, but Lee held up his hand, silencing him.

“You must do this,” pleaded Lee, his eyes welled with tears. “I have never given you a command, dear friend... until now. I must break the oath I made to Gewey, so you must have more honor than I. You must keep the word of the house Nal’Thain, as you are bound to do. But you will not do so as my servant.” He walked over to his pack and retrieved a sealed parchment. “From this moment on you shall be known as Millet Nal’Thain. I empower you with the rank and privileges of Lord and Patriarch of my family. I officially step down from all titles and pass them to you.” He held out the parchment.

Millet took a step back. “My Lord,” he cried. “You cannot do this. I am your servant, and shall remain so. I refuse this.”

Lee smiled and pressed the letter into Millet's hand. “You cannot refuse. As the Lord Nal’Thain, it is my right to choose my successor. You are the only man I can trust with the challenges that lie ahead. And I am sorry. I leave to you a broken house of a broken land, and it will be up to you to heal them and restore our honor. I likely ride to my death and even should I survive, I cannot return to my former life. I beg you to do this service.”

By this time, Millet was weeping openly. “I cannot restore your honor. I could only maintain it. The honor of Nal’Thain is embodied in you. I will not fail you, my lor--” He took a step back and bowed. “Lee.”

Lee smiled, then bowed low. “I know you won't, my lord.” Jacob began to stir. “You must leave before he wakes,” said Lee. “I don't want him to see what direction you are going.”

“What about Yanti?” asked Dina. “Do you think he will follow us?”

“I doubt it,” Lee replied. “He doesn't consider you a threat. The only reason he left you alive was to confuse and hinder me, making my choice more difficult. If he had plans for you, he would have taken you with him. No doubt, he has the means to transport you north or have you imprisoned here. Still I suggest you ride hard until you can take rest within a temple.”

Jacob groaned.

“Now go,” Lee commanded. He embraced them both and helped them repack their mounts. Millet glanced back one last time before they spurred their horses to a run. “Good luck, old friend,” Lee whispered.

“Wh..what's happening?” Jacob moaned, struggling with his bonds.

Lee took a deep breath and knelt down beside his son. “What's happening is that you've been abandoned, left in the hands of your foes. Lucky for you, that foe is also your father.”

Jacob stiffened. “Yanti... that dog. I will kill him for this.”

“Shut your mouth, boy!” barked Lee. “You have much to answer for... both of us do. If you choose, I will give you a chance for redemption.”

“Just kill me and get it over with,” Jacob grumbled.

“Why do you think you deserve such a kindness? You have betrayed your mother, you have betrayed your father, and you have dishonored your family name.” He cut Jacob's bonds.

Jacob pulled down his blindfold and rubbed his wrists. “And what have you done, Father? What crimes have you committed? How are you any better than me?”

“I have committed crimes I can scarcely describe. And for those crimes I suffer, and will continue to suffer.” Lee stood and offered his hand.

Jacob stared at Lee, and then sneered. “You should kill me now. If you don't, I will kill you.”

“And in whose name will you kill me?” Lee asked. “Will you kill me for the Dark Knight, the Reborn King of Angrääl? The one who just left you behind, now that your usefulness is over? Or perhaps you will kill me in the name of your mother? Or do you mean for her to die? Do you? Has the Dark One blackened your heart so much that you turn your back on the one who loves you the most?”

“Loves me?” he roared. “She loves you... not me. She never loved me!”

“Of course she does,” said Lee, withdrawing his hand. “I have never known her to love anything more than you, and if you don't see that, then you are as blind as you are foolish. You think she wept for me?” He paused. “She wept because she knew you had to grow up without a father. She wept because of my absence in your life. She wept because I had stolen something precious from the true love of her life. Did she love me? Yes. And I love her still. But you do not know the depths of your mother as I do. The moment you came into this world you became her reason for living. It was I who was second in her heart, not you.” He re-extended his hand. “Come with me to Angrääl, and I'll prove it.”

Jacob hesitated a moment, then allow Lee to pull him to his feet. “I'll go with you,” said Jacob. “If only to take my revenge.”

“That's good enough for now,” said Lee. “If you can refrain from killing me, at least for the time being, I may even be able to show you a thing or two about the power that flows in your veins.”

“As I said,” he replied. “I'll go with you. I promise nothing else.”

“I suppose that will do,” said Lee. “Perhaps together we will both find retribution and redemption.”

They loaded the horses and began making their way north. Lee whistled a traditional Hazrian travel song. Jacob did not join in at first, but after a time started to hum along.