The Dreamer: Origins Act I - A Forgotten Past VIII: A Fellowship Forged As John and Pippy regained full consciousness, they knew they had to decide where to go before more guards eventually passed by. The crater that John had created would be unavoidable, and the report of their whereabouts was inevitable. While most could not recollect which villages they called home, Tony vaguely remembered and would be their guide. Tony began to lead them on a southwesterly path because he recalled that it led to the first of several small villages. When they arrived, they would be able to stock up on the supplies they needed for their difficult journey. With the sun already high, they knew they did not have the cover of darkness to sneak around, so they stayed on the main road only when it was clear and quiet. They avoided any passersby, namely the palace guards. A short time later, after they trekked quietly, they overheard footsteps in the distance, just out of sight. They immediately leaped into a nearby bush just on the side of the road. Out of plain sight, they hid. The heavy footsteps and muffled voices became louder. Another group of guards was about to pass with even more captured kids, who begged for their families no differently than the others they had just seen. Tony, John, and the others looked at one another in concern. They were concerned for themselves, but even more for the young captives who would not survive under the working conditions of the Ice Palace. The guards were now close enough to understand. “I heard those kids are dropping like flies in the palace,” said the first guard, Number Twenty-Six. “Her Majesty has big plans. She has commanded the capture of all able children. If they can lift a chisel, they will work in the Ice Palace,” responded another guard, Number Twenty-Eight. “Shut up, you little runt,” yelled another guard, Number Twenty-Four, who squeezed a boy’s arm so tightly that his face cringed and was beet red. Pippy whispered, “We have to do something!” The lead guard of the group, Number Twenty-One, stopped immediately and commanded the others to do the same. “Did you hear that?” One of the guards, Number Twenty-Nine, clearly not the brightest, responded, “Um…do you mean…our footsteps?” as his eyes crossed permanently. Number Twenty-One yelled back, “No, you twit! How did you make it into our bracket? There was a voice…a young voice…and not in excruciating pain! Look in the bushes. We may be lucky after all and find a runaway. Do you know what the reward is for catching one? Now look!” The kids were nervous, especially Pippy, who had drawn their attention. They counted seven guards, with twice as many children in shackles. The palace guards began to scour both sides of the road as they prodded the bushes with their aged, dull-edged swords. Dim-witted Number Twenty-Nine slowly approached their bush and stopped just shy of it as he began to prod. The sword just missed Ivy’s head and Freddie’s forearm, but it grazed Pippy’s ear, and she did all she could not to make any sounds. Three attempts proved to be enough. The guard moved along. The leaves beneath them began to rustle past Ivy and then Tony before they finally ceased in front of Freddie’s feet. The amalgam of old and new leaves was displaced as green, scaly skin emerged. The reptilian skin was accompanied by two large round eyes with vertical slits, and two large fangs. A gasp escaped from Pippy’s mouth, which Ivy’s hand immediately covered. The dim-witted guard yelled over to the others, “Hey! I think I…I think I heard something over here!” They hurried over to check it out. The snake stared into Pippy’s eyes and then turned its intense gaze toward John as it continued to hiss. Its eyes shuttered, and it swiftly raced away. John felt good about his intimidation, especially as his eyes were not illuminated. He looked at the others, expecting them to be impressed, especially Ivy; however, they returned looks of unease. John was puzzled by the looks, but as he slowly turned around, he realized it was not he who had scared off the usually intrepid poisonous snake. John stared directly into the eyes of a Tiberian leopard with one eye blinded from a fierce battle. Its head was thrice the size of John’s. Fearful silence overcame them. Pippy whimpered because they were suddenly surrounded by a Tiberian leopard on one side and the guards of the Ice Queen on the other. John’s eyes began to illuminate, and this instigated a snarl from the Tiberian leopard. John remained unmoved, however, unlike the others, who rustled the leaves beneath them. The guards were now on high alert; they recognized this snarl and immediately backed away. John continued his stare and whispered, but with a voice that was not his own, “Sandriver…it’s Midwa. We need your help.” Sandriver leaped from behind the bush and into the road. The guards yelled, “It’s Sandriver! Run!” They scrambled away as the Tiberian leopard stood tall in the middle of the road and released a growl that caused some guards to trip over one another. Sandriver was no ordinary feline. He stood as tall as the guards, with a body frame that could not be challenged by any other. The leopard growled once more to display his dominance as the warrior king of the jungle. John, Tony, Ivy, Pippy, and Freddie all emerged from the bush. The young captives were still shackled, and many cried for their parents, but at least they would not be imprisoned in the Ice Palace and forced to become slaves of the Ice Queen. John walked over to Sandriver and looked him in his good eye. He thanked him and understood that the warrior king had heeded Midwa’s call. From the near distance, Ivy yelled excitedly that she had located the key that would unshackle the young captives. John looked over only briefly, but by the time he turned back around, Sandriver had already begun to run off through the thick leaves of the jungle. Ivy freed the children one by one and suggested they follow the young captives to their villages so they could be reunited with their own families. Tony hesitated before he replied. “You…you won’t remember who your family is.” Ivy replied, “Maybe they’ll remember us. I guess it doesn’t matter for you since you still have your memories.” Tony had no more words and proceeded to walk ahead. He signaled the others to follow along. Almost an hour later, they reached a simple village filled with modest homes framed with logs and sheltered by large hibich leaves. Each property accommodated a small garden, which was home to an abundance of wildlife. Frogs and swallows made their ways from one garden to the next. Pippy looked upon the freed kids as they went to their homes to reunite with their parents and siblings, who were too weak to wield chisels and other tools of the palace just yet. This was a moving moment for them to watch, but also a reminder that they may never see their families again. A young mother emerged from her home in the distance and gasped in their direction. John, Ivy, Freddie, and Pippy looked at one another nervously. Tony put his hand on Pippy’s shoulder. “Go on. She is your mother.” Pippy glanced at Tony and then at the lady who raced hastily toward her. With her eyes filled with tears, she yelled hysterically, “Oh, my baby Pippy!” She embraced her with a mother’s love. As Pippy walked away with her family, she looked back at the others and whispered, “I remember!” Her grin disappeared, though, when her eyes locked with Tony’s, who struggled to look back at her. John looked at Tony. “Well, that brings us down to four.” Tony replied, “It may be just three of us by the time we pass through the villages.” They continued on to the next village as Tony explained that they needed to pass through just a few more before they would reach the town center. Along the way, Freddie’s name was yelled, which prompted them all to turn around. Freddie ran over to the woman who had called after him. She was clearly his mother, as she shared the same long nose. John, Tony, and Ivy watched the reunion from a distance. Freddie sprinted back to them, out of breath, but soon caught it once again. “Mother insists you join us for supper! We have to eat in the basement since the guards will have another search sweep this evening, but it’ll be fun!” Ivy immediately accepted the invitation, since she had built up an appetite. Tony kindly rejected it. He claimed that he was not hungry. John echoed the same. “I’m not that hungry either. I’ll go with Tony. He can help me find my parents.” Tony fell silent. With a beaming smile, Freddie said, “It’s amazing! My memories came back as soon as I hugged my mother!” Ivy spoke up excitedly. “I’m starving! I’m going with Freddie. I’ll find my parents after.” Tony remained silent as Ivy and Freddie ran off for supper. He looked at John. “I guess it’s just the two of us now. Let’s go and get something to eat.” John looked confused. “I thought you said you weren’t hungry.” Tony’s face became straight as he replied, “I had to say that. Look, John, there are things you don’t know…and you may not understand.” John’s apprehensions began to build up once again. “Why aren’t you looking for your parents?” Tony was able to defer the discussion by answering, “We should talk about it over some grub.” John followed Tony into the town center. Several shops stretched from one end to the other, with a few pubs and inns scattered throughout. There were a few elders who walked along the roads as they chose among the few run-down pubs that remained after the fanciful saloon did not take them in. The sun began to set as Tony led John to the fanciful Palace Pardons. John stopped short of the entrance. “Tony, I don’t think we’re allowed to enter.” Tony replied, “It’s OK, mate. Don’t worry. They know me here. Anyhow, they serve juice and milk as well.” As they entered the saloon, it was already rowdy. Fists flew in all corners. Retired guards of the Ice Palace frequented the establishment because the mead flowed from the tap. Tony did not believe his presence would be a concern with the guards’ inebriated state. It was likely that they would not have yet heard of his escape, as they were preoccupied predominantly with mead. The owner of the establishment, an elder gentleman named Wilbur, struggled to keep pace with the palace guards. He could not pour the drinks quickly enough to keep up with the demand. John overheard them speak behind the bar. “That’ll be one silver, thank you,” Wilbur said as another palace guard had already yelled another order into his ear. “Here you go!” the obnoxious palace guard yelled as he tossed over a piece of shoe leather. “One sliver for the pint. Ahahahahaha!” “I said one silver for the—” Wilbur began to speak, but the drunk palace guard cut him short as he grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him down hard onto the wooden bar. He cut his chin on some nearby shattered glass that had landed there as a result from a brawl that ensued off to the side. “Well, that is definitely going to leave a mark!” the obnoxious palace guard yelled as he laughed. “Eat that sliver of my boot now!” “I’ll get sick!” Wilbur pleaded desperately to be let go of. “Now!” the palace guard demanded, and Wilbur soon extended his tongue to eat the leather sliver and further humiliate himself. “You idiot!” a voice yelled, and the palace guard was struck from the side with a bar stool and knocked unconscious as he released Wilbur from his humiliation and fell to the floor. “If he gets sick, who will serve us?” the voice of another palace guard said. “I guess he won’t be answering my question tonight. Ahahahahaha! Now, Wilbur, get me four pints! And I would like to pay in slivers as well! Ahahahahaha!” Wilbur’s humiliation would not end anytime soon. As he went to the tap to pour the pints, he looked up and noticed a distorted but familiar face. A guard on active search duty followed Wilbur’s eyes to the young fugitives. Tony suggested they leave immediately. “I think I’ve been recognized by the wrong people. We need to go now.” “But I thought you said—” Tony interrupted. “Now!” The saloon teemed with guards on active duty who sought them out. Tony covered his face and began to retreat. “I know another place just down the road.” They quickly exited the pub, but not before one of the guards who had noticed Wilbur’s gaze caught a glimpse of Tony’s distinctive face. “Hey!” the guard yelled, but they could not hear it over the racket. Tony and John arrived at a small, cozy pub named Pint-accio at the far corner of the road; it was basically barren, with only a few regulars. It served the best combination of mead and pontaccio; that was its reputation, at least. The pub’s owner, an elderly man who walked with a limp from one end of the bar to the other, mumbled under his breath, “Darn Wilbur, taking all my business, he’s just giving away his mead over at that Palace Pardons…” From the corner of his eye, he noticed the boys walk in and spoke up. “You look a bit young. I won’t be serving any mead to either of you. I’ll have to see if I have any milk left.” Tony replied, “Come on, Gavin. How about some of the world-famous pontaccio?” Gavin grinned as he decided to engage in the dialogue. “Sure…if you have coin, that is! Hahaha. Wait. How’d you know my name…Tony? Tony, is that you?” Tony now wore a huge grin himself. “It’s me, Grandpa!” Gavin’s grin subsided slightly. “What…what in the world happened to you? Did Her Travesty do this to you?” But before Tony was able to answer, Gavin looked behind the boys and fell silent. John and Tony looked behind as well. A rough voice grumbled, “Oooh, Tony’s been a bad boy…just like his father! How does it feel, Tony? Your father fled the palace knowing you’d have to take his place and capture all those innocent little children yourself. I guess you couldn’t take the cries any more either, eh? You’re weak just like your father. You’ve been caught, boy, and you’ll pay with your soul just like he did. Your exiled family will never see you again. I can’t wait to see the look on Her Majesty’s face.” John jumped in nervously. “Leave him alone…” The guard looked at John. “What are you going to do, boy? Hey, Gavin, get this boy a glass of milk!” Gavin was frozen in place. “Go on, Gavin! Get this boy some milk! Are you deaf?” Gavin apologized. “I’m sorry, milord. I’ll get some right away.” Tony interrupted. “No, Grandpa. John, do something!” The guard stared at John, who stood there unassumingly. “Who do you think you are, boy?” John spoke no words as his eyes illuminated bright blue and reflected against his clothes. The palace guard quickly transitioned from arrogant to confused, and then settled in at frightened. “You…you’re the one that Her Majesty speaks of,” he said as he sprinted over to the front door. However, before he could reach it, John slammed it shut with a motion of his hands. The guard began to tremble as he attempted with all his might to open the door, an act of futility. The guard then ran toward a nearby window to jump through, but the shutters slammed shut as well. “You’re not going to tell anyone that you saw us, OK?” John yelled out. The guard cowered in the corner as he pleaded for his life and avoided eye contact. With a gesture of his left hand, John grabbed the guard by his collar and pulled him closer as he suspended him in midair. He slowly tightened his grip and cocked back his right hand, which was now illuminated bright blue as well. The guard continued his plea. He swore that he would not say anything, but the blue-lit boy did not loosen his grip because there was no sincerity in his words. Tony yelled from behind, “Come on, John! Knock him out! You can’t trust him!” John stood still as he stared into the guard’s terrified eyes, conflicted and unable to deliver a final blow. “I…I can’t…” John mumbled. But as soon as he said this, Tony came out of nowhere and slammed a glass mug into the guard’s head and knocked him unconscious. A loud thump on the pub floor followed. “Come on, John. We have to go now! It won’t be long before he wakes up and alerts the other guards!” John and Tony rushed out of Pint-accio and out of sight into the nearby bushes, where they waited impatiently. They whispered to each other and tried to determine what their next move would be. They knew they would need to regroup in order to have any chance to make it across to the Fire King’s castle. However, this was not going to be easy, since Pippy and Freddie had already been reunited with their families. John whispered inquisitively in spite of the desperate situation that had developed around them. “Tony…what happened to us? Where’s my family?” These were questions he needed to have answered. Tony whispered in reply, “Well…for the past several years or so, every year, all villages must offer three children, and just as many men, to the Ice Queen; she only chooses one of each. The men will be palace guards, and the children slaves of the palace. The young are eligible at seven years of age, while the men must have already fathered at least one child. Children remain in the palace until they are of age or have outgrown their cells, usually around thirteen years. At that point they are sent away to the lands outside of the three kingdoms to act as spies for the queen. They are not suspected of their true activities because they appear as unassuming paupers. They must report everything of note back to Her Majesty throughout the various spy channels at their disposal, whether it’s through their own kind or through the animal kingdom. She has spies everywhere. Each one of us has a role in Her Majesty’s ambitious plans. She is aware of almost everything that transpires in the world. Some are able to return after their tour, but some are stationed outside the kingdom permanently, especially if they have become particularly skilled in the art of spying. “I have heard of people from afar with different cultures, skin and hair colors, eye shapes, languages, accents, you name it. Maybe one day we will see them for ourselves. It is rumored that many, including Manny Petty and Messy Jesse, are from other lands, even Norman as well with his ginger hair. There have been several rumored instances of children being born afar when the spies come of age and fall in love. However, this occurs out of wedlock because of the laws of our kingdom. The bastard children are kept secret and then eventually smuggled back into the kingdom when their parents are summoned to become normal citizens of Belghan. “She steals specific memories of the chosen ones because she doesn’t want anyone to work for her that is still attached to their past. The silver lining is that it becomes easier to live such a life when you’re detached from everything and everyone you’ve ever known and loved. The year my father was chosen, the Ice Queen decided not to put a memory loss spell on him.” John asked, “Why would she do such a thing?” Tony went on to explain in detail, “She did it out of spite…didn’t like the way my father spoke back to her as she sat obnoxiously in her frozen throne. He humiliated her in front of all the guards and captives. My father wasn’t afraid like most of the others. The same went for Jacob’s and William’s fathers, who were best friends. She made examples of them all and assigned them to claim children from the villages each year. Over the years, however, she’s become supremely ruthless and now demands the capture of any child who is able to do any sort of meaningful work around the palace. Most guards couldn’t remember their fellow villagers, but our fathers could. “The three of them would occasionally sneak away to see their families during their village visits, while the other guards got smashed properly at the Palace Pardons. My father taught us how to hunt and survive, and we’d even find time to play sometimes. “The first several years were fine, but then it started to hit my father: within a year, I would be eligible to be offered. My father couldn’t accept that. He persuaded Jacob’s and William’s fathers to form a plot together. They would flee with their families to the West before we could be claimed. They agreed to the plot…but they got caught. Their punishment was to watch their sons serve as guards, while their families were exiled. We had to claim children until the Ice Queen was no longer amused. Our fathers were then frozen for eternity by Frostbite…and we were thrown into prison along with the children we had helped capture for the queen. I hated myself almost as much as I hated her. William and Jacob blamed me at first since it was my father’s idea. Jacob eventually forgave me when we became best friends; however, William never did. He’s always held a grudge against me, especially as he lost his best friend to me. Everyone wanted to be friends with Jacob. “I would stare into the sun for hours on end. I nearly blinded my left eye. I tried hard to stay unrecognizable in case the kids got back their memories somehow. I did not want them to know that I had helped put so many of them there. I’ve tried to hide my shame, but now my face is returning to normal because I haven’t been soaking in the sun for the past days. Soon everyone will be able to recognize me and that has me worried. Jacob and William bottled up their guilt in other ways. Jacob tried to make all the kids feel better any way he could. He looked after them. As for William, I don’t know…He hardly spoke. He harbored all of his hatred internally and nursed it over time. I think that’s why he looked at Jacob the way he did—” John interrupted. “Shhh, there goes the guard.” The guard whom Tony had knocked unconscious had just stumbled out of Pint-accio and sprinted over to the Palace Pardons—after he fell over a few times. Tony said with a sense of haste, “We have to go now, John.” John was insistent. “Wait, we need to get the others first. Midwa said so.” Tony was not confident in this plan. “We can try to convince them, but it’ll be tough, especially since Pippy and Freddie remember everything now.” John asked with concern, “What about Ivy?” Tony replied, “Ivy…well, she won’t be able to remember.” John’s inquisitive mind continued to get the best of him, even during this pressing time. “Why’s that?” Tony explained as swiftly as his lips allowed. “Her mom put up a fight when they tried to take her. And when she did…when she did, they burned down their house…with the whole family inside except Ivy. But that’s not the worst part. The Ice Queen has a sick sense of humor; she assigns each palace guard to his own house if he has a child to be offered. Poor Ivy, she had to watch as her father forced her pleading mother back into the house with her younger brothers and sisters. Ivy’s mom…she just screamed at him. She begged him to remember that they were his family, that they loved him. And the little ones…they never did find the bodies of her family… There is some hope. Perhaps they returned to the West, from which they came. I was there that night. They told me to keep her from running back to her family. She was strong, but I was stronger. That’s why I feel such a need to protect her. I don’t want anyone to hurt her again. She doesn’t deserve any more than she’s already been through. I think that’s why I lo…I’m sorry…I can’t talk about it anymore.” John felt terrible for Ivy. “I…I don’t know what to say. I would never hurt her.” Tony’s eyes appeared to be welling up with tears. “Yeah, I know. I hope she never remembers her past.” John attempted one final question as time pressed. “What about my past…my family?” But the doors of the Palace Pardons flew open before Tony could answer. The guards flooded into the streets; many of them stumbled over one another and passed out as they fell to the ground. Tony whispered, “Sorry, John, another time. We have to move now. They’re about to search every house for us, from the basement to the attic. If they see the others, they will take them away to the queen.” Tony and John needed to stay out of sight, so they treaded carefully in the bushes behind the pubs. They watched as the guards stormed recklessly into each home. They kicked most doors open and pushed aside the elders who tried to block them. The houses did not take long to search because they were so small. The guards were only a few houses away from Freddie’s home, where he, along with Ivy and his family, still dined in the basement. Tony and John knew they had to rush, so they needed to risk a sprint out in the open road. They emerged from the bush and maneuvered between the shadows, just as they had done at the Ice Palace. John and Tony were able to sneak past the guards as they searched the house before Freddie’s. Tony gave the secret knock that they had used for their secret meeting; Ivy and Freddie immediately knew it was a friendly knock. Freddie signaled his mother that it was OK to open the door. She closed the door as soon as the kids had entered. Freddie and Ivy were hidden in the shadows of the attic, where the lights had been turned off. They had been moved there immediately after they were alerted by the commotion outside. Tony whispered to them, “Hey, guys, we have to go now and get Pippy!” Freddie and Ivy raced down the steps from the attic; however, just as they reached the bottom, there was a loud, obnoxious knock on the front door. “Let us in now! We know you’re harboring one of Her Majesty’s children!” yelled the guard as he continued his obnoxious knocks. Freddie whispered to the others, “Come on. There’s a window in the back we can escape from. Just be careful not to rile up the pontaccios.” They sprinted as light-footedly as they could as Freddie’s mother approached the front door. Freddie was the first out the window to make sure the grounds were clear of any pontaccios that roamed, as they possessed many. He gave the signal to the others that it was clear, and Ivy jumped out next. Freddie’s mother opened the door to an anxious, belligerent, drunken palace guard, who nearly shoved her out of the way, but she pushed him back. She was a feisty one. But she needed to be at this moment, as she needed to buy the kids a few more precious seconds to escape. John jumped out next and landed on his feet, but he let out a small grunt. Unfortunately, the sound traveled to the front of the house, where Freddie’s mother argued with the guard as a diversion. The faint grunt caught the guard’s attention, and he looked toward the back, which fortunately was partitioned off from the living area. The guard grumbled, “What was that?” as he pushed her out of the way and rushed toward the back of the home. As Tony overheard this, he leaped out of the window; however, he lost his footing, slipped on the windowsill, and began a plunge face-first toward the ground. Tony’s face had a grimace as if it had already hit the ground. But it had not. He was suspended a few inches above the ground, while John’s left arm extended toward him with his palm faced upward, as if it were holding Tony up. John’s eyes were once again illuminated. His right arm was arched backward, and his elbow pointed forward. The guard ran over to the window and looked outside as the kids knelt on the ground, nervous. The guard saw nothing. He scratched his head and mumbled to himself, “I better stop drinking so much,” and he stormed out of the front door and on to the next home to continue the search. The kids looked over to John, who was no longer in a trance. He released Tony, who felt a small, unexpected impact from the drop. “I think I’m getting the hang of this. I put up an invisible shield around us so no one could see us. It’s as if Midwa is treating me as an apprentice from within.” Freddie replied, “Pretty soon, you won’t even need Midwa!” “I don’t know about that, Freddie. But it’s like he’s giving me more control each time.” Tony interrupted. “That’s amazing, guys…but we really have to go after Pippy before it’s too late!” They ran off and maneuvered through the shadows of the dirt paved roads. They eventually reached Pippy’s house, but they were too late. The guards had already begun to drag her away; it was the second time her mother had to bear witness to the horrific scene. Freddie whispered to the others, “We have to do something. John, you have to do something!” John was silent. Tony spoke up. “Freddie, there’s nothing we can do now, not without alarming all the guards. I’m sorry.” Freddie was now silent. John broke his own silence. “Freddie, don’t worry. We’ll get Pippy back. We’ll get all of them back, but we’ll have to work together, OK?” He looked at Tony, then Ivy, and finally Freddie. “We stick together, OK? We can’t do this without each other. We’re already down one. We can’t afford to lose anyone else.” John extended his hand and whispered, “A fellowship forged.” Tony, Ivy, and Freddie each followed suit and took an oath of fellowship. It was official. A fellowship had been forged. They were bound by their word, and their loyalty could not be broken, even under the direst circumstances. They were beyond the point of no return. John looked at them and spoke the final words of the evening. “We depart at dawn for the desert. Nothing will stop us. We do this for the greater good, for all the children imprisoned at the Ice Palace, for Pippy…for Jacob.” Coming Soon: IX - Sandstorms
Posted on: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 12:58:40 +0000
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