Rojuun Read online

  Chapter 2

  “Tathan . . . Tathan . . .”

  He heard the voice and wondered who was calling him.

  “Tathan, wake up. Breakfast is ready.”

  He mumbled while pulling the covers over his head. The bed was too warm to leave.

  “Tathan, please wake up.” The covers were pulled down.

  He sat up abruptly, wondering where he was.

  A young woman stood beside the bed, watching him while caressing a violet flower in her hair. Soft morning light shone through the open shutters.

  In a panic, he realized that his sword wasn’t next to him. He searched frantically for it in the sheets before seeing it against the nightstand. Tathan grabbed it and held it in his lap, running his fingers along the hilt and crossbar.

  “Are you all right, Cousin?” There was worry in her eyes as she stared at him.

  He remembered. The young woman was Liselle and he was home in the valley. Tathan had slept on the road for so long that he had forgotten how marvelous a soft, warm bed could be. “Yeah. I’m all right.” He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. “Did you say breakfast?”

  “Yes. We tried to get you for dinner last night, but you wouldn’t wake up. Aunt Ellin said to let you sleep.” Liselle looked nervously at the sword. “She said that if you didn’t wake up for breakfast, she was going to dump a bucket of water over your head. She’ll do it too.”

  “She did it more than once when I was growing up,” he admitted with a grin.

  Liselle chuckled and relaxed a bit. “Yeah. She’s done that to me a couple of times too. I make it a point to wake up before her now.”

  “That’s probably a good idea. I never succeeded. I liked sleep too much when I was younger.” Tathan stood. For a moment, he considered leaving his sword against the nightstand, but attached it to his belt instead. It had become a part of him.

  “Do you need to carry that?” Liselle pointed at it with obvious distaste. “You’re safe here.”

  Tathan ran his fingers along the steel wrapped hilt once more. The sword was black as night from tip to pommel. The sheath was made of the same dark metal. Unseen to the naked eye were runes that traveled the length the blade.

  “Yes. I must carry it always.” Tathan’s voice deepened as he spoke. “I . . . found it . . . in a dark place. It has magic and they want it . . .” He caressed the hilt.

  Liselle shivered and hugged herself. She took a step toward the door.

  Tathan saw the movement and looked up. When he saw the look on his cousin’s face, he shook his head to clear the dark thoughts. “I’m sorry, Cousin. Something’s been chasing me for this sword . . .” That was more information than he had intended to share.

  Tathan took a deep breath and stepped toward Liselle.

  She backed into the doorjamb.

  “I’m sorry I scared you.” He stared at his hands.

  Liselle took a deep breath of her own before moving forward. She gave him a quick hug. “Hurry before breakfast gets cold.” With that, she headed out of the room and down the stairs.

  It must have taken a lot of courage for her to do that. He didn’t follow right away, instead going to the window. The sun had risen above the eastern mountains and begun warming the cool air. Birds sang their early morning songs. That had always irritated him as a child. What right did they have to be so happy in the morning while he wanted to sleep? Now, however, the sound brought a half-smile to his face. It didn’t last long, but it tried.

  Tathan looked down at the flowers.

  They stared at him.

  It was his turn to shiver. There were definitely more flowers around the house than when he was a child. He pushed away from the sill and headed downstairs.

  The aroma of cooking food swirled around his head, dragging him into the dining room where breakfast and family awaited him. Everyone else had already filled their plates and begun eating.

  “There you are, Tathan. I thought for certain that I was going to have to get a bucket of water from the brook.” His mother winked.

  He grinned and sat next to her, filling his plate with food. Mealtimes were always casual. They didn’t pray to gods like many people in the cities he had visited. Instead, everyone took a share of food and ate until full. Anything leftover was eaten later in the day, saved for the next, or fed to the animals.

  Liselle gave him a tentative smile.

  He tried in vain to return it.

  She giggled. “What in the world are you doing to your face, Cousin?”

  Tathan sighed. “I’m trying to smile. It doesn’t seem to be going well, does it? It’s been too long.”

  His mother put a kind hand on his shoulder. “Stay with us and learn how to smile again.”

  The thought of living out his life in the serene valley with its quiet solitude horrified him. It would be too . . . boring. He liked traveling to new cities where life was dangerous. Tathan had been at the edge of death more times than he could count. His heart needed to race in exhilaration whenever possible. “I’m sorry, Mother. I just can’t do that.” He poked at his food with his fork.

  She looked down at her plate in an attempt to hide her disappointment. Tathan saw it and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close in comfort.

  She clutched him in desperation.

  “Surely you’re not leaving right away. Won’t you stay a few days at least?” Laremy gestured with a fork full of food before shoving it in his mouth.

  Tathan nodded as he released his mother. “Definitely. I thought I’d stay a few weeks or perhaps a month. I’m willing to help with a few of the chores, but I’d like to spend time exploring the valley. After that, I’ll probably travel to Rothton to the east and decide where to go from there.”

  Ellin gave him a wry grin. “I’ve told them how you do chores, Son. I think they’d rather you explore the valley.”

  They all laughed at that, even Tathan. It was true he had never liked doing chores much, sneaking away whenever possible to go exploring and leaving things undone around the house.

  “In any case, you’re welcome to stay as long as you like.” Scott sat at head of the table where Tathan’s father used to sit. It was odd to see someone else there. “You’re family and this will always be your home.”

  “When you go to Rothton, I’d like to go with you,” Liselle said.

  Silence dropped over the room.

  Liselle held her head up in a defiant pose.

  “I travel alone, Liselle. The world is dangerous and trying to protect you would be difficult at best.” Tathan heard collective sighs of relief from around the table. He didn’t bother to mention to them that his decision had nothing to do with their feelings. He really did travel alone.

  Liselle set her jaw in anger and stared at her food for a minute. Then she threw her napkin on it and ran out of the room.

  Sherrie stood to follow her daughter, but sat back down when Scott shook his head at her. “It’s best to let her get over her anger. You know that.”

  She glared at him. “Yes, but I’m the one stuck doing her chores, Husband.”

  Scott sighed and turned his food with his fork.

  Sherrie relented and went back to eating.

  Tathan knew how Liselle felt. The difference was that he had left by the age of fifteen and Liselle was already seventeen.

  A few minutes later, Liselle walked back in and sat down to eat without another word.

  Scott and Sherrie exchanged surprised glances.

  When they were done with breakfast, Sherrie said, “Ellin, go with your son and sit in the living room awhile. Liselle and I will take care of the chores.”

  Ellin nodded gratefully while Liselle glared at her mother.

  Tathan and Ellin went to the living room and sat next to each other on an ancient couch that had been reconditioned countless times. It was still comfortable.

  Tathan fidgeted and ran fingers
through his hair while trying to decide on what to say. “How are you, Mother? You seem to be doing well.”

  “I am well, Son. The question is, how are you?” She arched an eyebrow. “You don’t look well. You look skinny and haunted.”

  Tathan sighed. Being mysterious was part of his personality and mothers never seemed to respect that sort of thing. “I’m fine, Mother.”

  “Do you expect me to believe that?”

  He snickered. “No.”

  Her mouth twitched in a half grin. “Come now. Tell me of your life, Tathan. What grand adventures have you had these years? That’s what you set out for, isn’t it? Adventure?” There was a challenge in her voice. Ellin hadn’t wanted Tathan to leave. She didn’t think it was responsible of him. There had been complications when he was born and she was unable to have any further children. She didn’t think it fair of him to leave when he should have gotten married and inherited the homestead.

  “Yes, I wanted adventure and I found more than I ever imagined.” It hadn’t been the adventure one fantasized about: with dragons, maidens, knights and treasure. Most of it included dark alleys, knives, and a primal struggle for life at the lowest levels. “It’s been hard a lot of times, but I would do it again, though I know it upsets you.” The look he gave her was a sad one. He didn’t like to make his mother unhappy, but couldn’t see making his own life miserable just to please her. That didn’t make him feel any less guilty though.

  She grunted and patted his thigh. “You were going to go off to explore the world no matter what anyone said. Your father understood that, but it took me a while. I’m still upset with you.” Tears welled in her eyes.

  He wrapped her back up in his arms and held her. They sat there like that awhile, letting closeness ease the passing of time. She eventually patted his arm and sat back. He wiped her tears and kissed her forehead respectfully. “I’m sorry I upset you, Mother.”

  “I know. Tell me about the world, Son. What’s it like?”

  Tathan considered for a moment. There were things he wouldn’t tell her, but many of the sights that he had seen were marvelous. “Well, the most amazing thing is Dralin at night. There are so many lights in the city that you can see the glow from miles away.”

  “You can really see the lights from miles away?” she asked in wonderment. “Go on. Tell me more.”

  At that moment, the men strolled in from chores and sat in nearby chairs. Sherrie walked in from the dining room with drinks for Tathan and his mother, saw the men who wanted to listen to the stories as well and called for Liselle to join.

  Liselle ran into the room and jumped into a chair with an eager look on her face.

  They listened in fascination as Tathan spoke. The world was an extraordinary place with adventure to be had no matter which direction a person traveled. Cities were filled with fascinating people who built fascinating things. He told them about the vast oceans to the west. Tathan relayed details of vistas that had left his jaw hanging open in awe.

  Next, Tathan told them of places he had heard about, but not yet visited. There were tales of deserts to the east and fantastic cities made of silver. Other oceans and lands existed in the south with exotic cultures. His family listened intently the whole time. They were fascinated and asked for details about things that interested them.

  A few hours later, it was time for lunch. Tathan yawned and stretched as Sherrie and Liselle brought the food in. He continued to tell about other adventures, but by the time lunch was done, he was rubbing his eyes, wishing he could go to bed. His mother shooed him off to get sleep, telling him that they would listen to more stories over the next few weeks.

  Upon reaching the room, Tathan took his sword off and leaned it up against the nightstand once more. He stretched out under the covers and fell into slumber. For the first time in years, there was an easy smile upon his face.