Origin Read online

  Origin

  Legends of the Known Lands

  By

  Samantha Smith

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2012 by Ethelwyn Lopez

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the author.

  Dedication

  In memory of my son Jeremy who lives in my heart always. He inspired me to write, to dream, to find enjoyment in the simplest things, and to always remember to laugh

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1 – Reflections

  Chapter 2 – Strange Awakenings

  Chapter 3 – Differences

  Chapter 4 – Unforeseen Danger

  Chapter 5 – Shattered Realities

  Chapter 6 – Reunion

  Chapter 7 – Patience Tested

  Chapter 8 – Shared Truths

  Chapter 9 – Growing Pains

  Chapter 10 – Another Direction

  Chapter 11 – Preparations

  Chapter 12 – Inconsistencies

  Chapter 13 – The Trail Narrows

  Chapter 14 – Port Strabo

  Chapter 15 – Nightmare in the Shadows

  Chapter 16 – Unexpected Delays

  Chapter 17 – A Battle With Despair

  Chapter 18 – Death Defeated

  Chapter 19 – Lost and Found

  Chapter 20 – The Road to Amarni

  Chapter 21 – Perilous Pathways

  Chapter 22 – Anticipation

  Chapter 23 – The Village

  Chapter 24 – Double Trouble

  Chapter 25 – The Diary

  Chapter 26– A Saving Grace

  Chapter 27 – The Wait

  Chapter 28 – Pulling Pieces Together

  Chapter 29 – A Difficult Dilemma

  Chapter 30 – Signs of Trouble

  Chapter 31 – The Stagnant Maze

  Chapter 32 – Following the Scent

  Chapter 33 – Uncommon Friends

  Chapter 34 – A Joyous Reunion

  Chapter 35 – The Road to Silvendil

  Chapter 36 – Silent Killers

  Chapter 37 – The Royal Family

  Chapter 38 – Rhianna’s Sorrow

  Chapter 39 – Friend or Foe

  Chapter 40 – Clues in the Diary

  Chapter 41 – Heir to Two Thrones

  Chapter 42 – Lady Silvenna

  Chapter 43 – Highs and Lows

  Chapter 44 – Ayron’s Challenge

  Chapter 45 – The Bonding

  Chapter 46 – A Loss Recovered

  Epilogue

  Prologue

  Gemma, racing through the night, looked like a drop of white paint running down a black canvas. Twilight had come and gone on the dark, treacherous trail and, even with her sharp eyesight, the only things visible in the blackness were occasional shadows outlining large trees and rock formations along the sides of the path. No moon had risen to light her way and the darkness closing in around her was palatable; the heaviness of it was constantly threatening to steal the very breath from her laboring lungs. Rhianna, her precious cargo had moved beyond tired into an exhausted sleep many hours before.

  “That might actually be a good thing”, Gemma thought to herself, as she fought to extend her senses into the darkness surrounding them. With the exception of the brisk breezes that had developed over the last hour in anticipation of a storm soon to come, the forest on either side of her was unnaturally quiet. This, of course, only fueled her paranoia about the danger that lurked in the dark shadows surrounding them. She and Rhianna had struggled to survive over the past few days and she knew her imagination was working overtime. Several times during the last several hours she was certain she felt, rather than saw someone staring at them from out of the thick brush that banked both sides of the trail. Just before the inky blackness closed in, she even thought she’d glimpsed a pair of glowing red eyes from deep within the cover of the shadows. Her only response to the unidentified threat had been to increase her already reckless speed, hoping to glimpse some sign of civilization on the trail ahead.

  Gemma knew she was almost spent. She hadn’t able to stop the muscles in her legs from quivering for almost an hour now. Eventually she would have to stop or risk death from exhaustion. While she would willingly run herself to death for Rhianna, she was, also unwilling to leave her charge in this wilderness alone and unprotected. Rhianna was her best friend, her companion, and to a very large extent, her responsibility. Keeping Rhianna safe from harm just went along with the territory. But never in her wildest dreams had she thought that a desperate flight like this would ever be necessary, or that Rhianna’s life would ever be in danger from the very people who had sworn to protect her. But here they were, fleeing everything and everyone they knew and rushing into territory unfamiliar to them both on the crazy chance that they could locate a small fishing village and the only man that might be able to keep her precious Rhianna safe.

  After, what seemed like hours, she spotted a small light in the distance. She snorted to alert the sleeping Rhianna, who sobbed in relief. Both of them pushed on depending, at this point, only on adrenaline. After a short time some small thatched-roof buildings came into view. Rhianna was able to flag down an elderly man who looked as if he was trying to reach his home ahead of the storm. At first he seemed reluctant to give her the information she required, but after Rhianna identified herself he quickly pointed out her destination; a few buildings near the edge of the little settlement. As they arrived at the smaller of the wooden buildings, Rhianna slid more than dismounted from her back, staggered over to a heavy wooden door, and pounded on it using, what she knew was Rhianna’s last remaining bit of strength. As the door opened, Rhianna fell into the arms of a well-muscled curly headed man sobbing;

  “Oh Rhys, help. They are trying to kill me!”

  Chapter 1 – Reflections

  Elwyn flew across the golden sand as fast as her legs would carry her. As she ran, her sandals kicked up small wet clumps of the golden granules that seemed to cling like glue to the bottom of her sage green skirt. She began to slow down, not from fatigue, but from fear that the new skirt she and Clayre just finished sewing that morning would become noticeably stained. If she returned home with a dirty skirt, she would have to endure yet another lecture from her Uncle Rhys. Elwyn sighed as she thought about the lectures she’d been receiving, in greater numbers, lately from her uncle and Clayre. Over the past several months she’d come to the realization that she wanted to be away from her village, her apprenticeship as a healer, and even her uncle more with each passing day. She felt smothered living in the settlement of Tarlon. Unfortunately, to date, she’d been unable to come up with an acceptable alternative.

  As she relaxed and began to meander further down the beach, the sea breezes whispered in her ears and played with locks of her unruly reddish gold curls as they fought to escape from the leather tie that attempted, with increasing failure, to hold them prisoner. As she walked, she reached up absentmindedly from time to time attempting to tuck an errant lock, freed from captivity, behind her ear. It was a beautiful day. Elwyn followed several large lazy clouds drifting slowly across a cobalt sky with her eyes, wondering enviously where their travels would take them. The warm yellow sun beat down upon her face with such intensity that her large violet eyes were forced into a squin
t to block out its harsh brilliance. The soft rhythm of the gentle waves lapping over small rocks at the water’s edge failed to penetrate her troubled thoughts. Even the gentle whispers emanating from the tall grasses as the breezes swept through them brought her no peace of mind. Her mind was not on the sun or on the beach this late spring afternoon, but upon a heaviness that weighed down her heart, like stones in a sack.

  As Elwyn glanced back at the remnants of her village curling around an old dilapidated wooden wharf, she sighed. Tarlon had once been a thriving seaport like the large cities of Strabo and Galba that straddled it. Then, after a strange illness swept through its population when she was a month old, both the trade ships and the merchants began avoiding its docks. The city began to die and over the next few seasons slowly shrank to the status of a small village. One by one the businesses, shops, and inns disappeared until all that remained were some large dilapidated buildings and a few dozen small homes clustered around an ill kept village square. Elwyn had no memory of the days when Tarlon teemed with life. To her, this place had always represented nothing more than a dead end. The problem right now was that she was afraid that her life would end up like her village; sad and stagnant. There were times when she wished she felt more like the other young people who lived here. They were looking forward to following in their parent’s footsteps; young men taking over a trade from their fathers, and young women looking forward to the joys of marriage and motherhood. Something inside Elwyn yearned for much more.

  Today of all days she had every reason to feel elated. This was the day that the Annual Rite of Passage was being celebrated, and her village had been chosen to host the festivities. The neighboring towns had chosen to honor Tarlon this season, because she was the only person of age representing her village in the celebration. The same illness that brought ruin to the city sixteen seasons previously had also ended the lives of all the children less than two seasons of age. Last season, there were no young people to represent her village in the festivities. This season, she would stand alone and represent Tarlon. All of the villagers were celebrating as if it was the end of a curse. In a few hours, Elwyn and all the young people from the surrounding area who had reached sixteenth seasons were being honored and presented to the community as adults. To Elwyn, the celebration generated mixed feelings. Visitors from neighboring towns and villages had been arriving all day to join in the festivities. She had to admit to some excitement at being able to listen to the merchants hawking their wares and exchanging news from far off places.

  Unfortunately, this ceremony did present a new set of problems that Elwyn would now have to contend with. After the conclusion of the celebration, she was considered old enough to marry. Even though she currently had no suitors, Ston the village elder would seek out a suitable mate for her immediately. He encouraged the young women of the village to marry and begin a family as soon as they came of age. It was his way of encouraging the village to grow and it had also been a long standing tradition. Unfortunately, Elwyn could think of no worse fate than being confined to a hut, busying herself with the wifely duties of a fisherman or a hunter, and never experiencing any more of the world than this small abandoned port on the Miervari Sea. Currently, the only other option open to her was to formally accept the position of apprentice healer. The problem with that path was that it would commit her to becoming the next village healer and having to live a solitary life like Clayre, without a husband or children. Right now, that option didn’t sound appealing either.

  Elwyn jumped suddenly, startled as an angry sea gull squawked, complaining about missing a potential meal. Realizing how far she’d strayed from the village square, she turned and slowly began to meander back the way she came so as not to be late for the start of the ceremony. She hated public functions and tried earnestly, earlier in the day, to convince her uncle to let her skip the celebration, but he would not hear of it. He seemed so proud and excited that she was representing the village, that she hadn’t the heart to disappoint him. Unfortunately for her, occasions such as this one only served to remind her just how different she was from her neighbors. She had different interests, different skills, different aspirations, and was definitely different in appearance from any of the other young women.

  As she continued to walk slowly back toward the square, her hand automatically reached for the beautiful golden pendant hanging from her neck. She hadn’t taken it off, even once, since she received it from her uncle and Clayre at her recent birth celebration. She looked upon the pendant as a gift from her mother. The delicately carved piece of jewelry was, in fact, the only evidence she had, beyond a few stories, of her mother’s existence. Elwyn’s mother Rhianna died shortly after giving birth to her. When she was very young she hadn’t missed her mother’s presence. She’d always had Clayre in her life, nurturing her and acting as a female role model. However, as she grew older she found herself wishing, with increasing frequency, that her own mother still lived and could provide answers to the questions that constantly plagued her. Why was she so tall? Why was she more athletic than most of the males in the village? Most important, why did she look so different from her uncle and from all the other people she’d seen? If her uncle Rhys, with whom she lived, knew the answers, he wasn’t willing to share them. He always got upset when she inquired about the past. Only once in her sixteen seasons, had Rhys shared anything with her about the events surrounding her birth.

  One winter evening, after several flagons of ale, Rhys broke down and spoke to Elwyn about the events that occurred prior to her birth and the tragic illness that, to this day, had him trapped in grief.

  “It was late one night when your mother came to me. Alesia and I were already asleep. I can still vividly recall her tear-streaked face and look of total exhaustion. As she fell through the door into my arms, it was clear she was terrified. Tears streamed from her eyes as she looked up at me, begging me to take her in.”

  “What happened to her, uncle?”

  “I can only guess that she was mistreated by those I believed would care for her. Her eyes spoke how frightened she was; not only for herself but for you, her unborn child. She arrived at our home with only her horse and the clothes on her back. I was shocked when I got a good look at her. She was great with child, but the rest of her body showed cruel neglect. She was so thin and frail, I was almost afraid my embrace would crush her.

  I quickly asked Alesia to summon Clayre, who back then was a midwife. After she examined your mother, we learned that she was both malnourished and dehydrated. To make matters worse, she was only about three weeks away from her expected delivery date. It was hard for me to hide my rage. No woman in her condition should have been allowed to get as sick and weak your mother was. I was furious at how she must have been treated and even angrier at the husband who forced her to run from him. The Rhianna that appeared at my door was very different from the happy and excited sister I remembered giving away in marriage the previous year.”

  As he spoke the next part, Elwyn could see water pooling in his blue eyes. She could actually feel just how much talking about the past pained him. Her uncle was the bravest man she knew and rarely ever became emotional. She knew that only unbearable anguish could cause his tears to fall.

  “Rhianna was always so joyful and full of life. She fell in love with your father the day they met. I couldn’t imagine what could have happened between them to make her so fearful and determined to leave him that she’d risk her life and yours.

  I desperately wanted to make things better for her. I’d always felt we had a special connection. We looked alike, thought alike, and even shared our mother’s womb. Even though she was born first, I always felt the need to protect her. She could look so delicate and ethereal at times, she almost resembled the faire folk you hear about in children’s stories.”

  The tears were flowing freely now as her uncle seemed lost in his painful memories.

  “Of course, Alesia and I offered her our spare room. One of the things tha
t upset and worried me most was how depressed and withdrawn she seemed. No matter how hard I tried, I could never get her to do any more than exchange small talk with us at meals. But my heart broke each night when I heard her crying herself to sleep through the thin walls of our home.

  When your mother went into labor a few weeks later, Alesia and Clayre served as her midwives while I paced back and forth in front of the fireplace, wondering if she would survive the rigors of birth in her poor physical condition. All of us felt a moment of pure joy when you came into the world, little one. We were amazed at how perfect a little girl you were. And for a short time, we were able to give ourselves over to the bright hope for the future that you brought with you.”

  Elwyn could not stop the tears from flowing down her own cheeks as she listened to her uncle speak of her birth and the happiness she brought to those that loved her.

  “For a few weeks after your birth, both Alesia and Rhianna worked hard every day, making clothes for you and putting food by for the coming winter. I think my favorite moment during that time was when I gave your mother the cradle that I’d been carving for you to sleep in. She laughed happily and seemed to overflow with joy. Her laughter was like music to my ears.

  It was still heart wrenching for us to hear her crying herself to sleep at night, but Rhianna continued to stubbornly refuse to talk about what went wrong. I kept getting the feeling that she was waiting for someone to show up, but no one ever did. I think the few weeks after you arrived were the happiest of my life. I was married to the woman I loved, I was expecting my first child, and I had my beloved twin and her daughter close by my side.

  I was actually planning to build the two of you a small house next to mine, so that both of you would always be close. Alesia was planning to help by making curtains and linens in your mother’s favorite shade of blue. It was to be our surprise for you both.”

  The tears started to flow from my uncle’s eyes again as he described how his happiness was shattered by grief and despair, when a strange illness brought death to the lives of his loved ones and friends.