CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
It had been three days since it happened and Nak had not left Eric’s bedside. A sight which amused and bewildered Gillock. He himself had been moving between the twins, trying to figure out what to do. Every spell and enchantment he tried failed. It was as if something was blocking all attempts to reach them. Gillock again glanced over to Nak. The concerned look on the goblin’s face was sincere, and it saddened the wizard to see it.
“Do not fear, Nak. He will return to us.”
Nak looked at Gillock. “Youses nots knowz thats,” he said softly.
Gillock smiled. “With you watching over him, I'm sure of it.” Gillock stood and was about to leave Eric’s side and check up on Koral, when Eric suddenly sat up.
At the same moment, Koral began to glow again and fell to the ground, as herself. Darly ran to get Gillock and came upon him running to see the princess.
“Has she returned as well?” asked the wizard.
“Yes, only just,” answered Darly.
“You must bring Koral to her room immediately.”
Darly nodded and ran back to tell Glavlin what to do.
The entire dwarf town was in a tizzy. Koral and Eric were again themselves, but at the same time different. Eric had been the first one able to speak, but he could not remember anything.
“I remember reading the book, and finding it fascinating. Other than that, my next memory is waking up here.”
Gillock just nodded. “I will let you get caught up with your goblin friends.” Then turning to Nak he added. “Don't stay too long, he will need to eat and rest.”
Nak said he would, and then Gillock moved off to Koral’s room.
When he walked in, he was glad to see she was alert and eating. He moved into the room and took a seat beside Glavlin.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Just hungry right now,” she answered between mouthfuls of food.
When she had finished, she reached out for Gillock’s hand. “I am glad you are here. I saw so much and do not understand what happened. Maybe you can help me figure it all out.”
“Yes, of course,” said Gillock. “You should start by telling me what you remember.”
“Well, it was odd. I felt the need to find a book, and then before I knew it, I was in Glavlin’s room, taking his elven book.” She stopped suddenly, and a look of regret crossed her face.
“It is all right,” said Glavlin softly. “It was not you, it was the book.”
“Please continue Koral,” bade Gillock.
“Well, I kept seeing the same spell over and over, so I decided to recite it. I am not sure what happened next, but I guess I blacked out. A while later, I came out of it and started to see visions.”
“Were you aware of anyone nearby?” asked Glavlin.
“Yes, I knew you were sitting near me, and that Gillock would sometimes be nearby, and sometimes not. It was odd. A sort of detached feeling, but I was aware of you the entire time.”
“What were your visions?” asked Gillock, trying to get her back on track.
“Well, they were odd. There were two of them, repeating. They were of two women, both giving birth to twins. One was human and the other elven.”
Both Glavlin and Gillock gasped, and both hoped when she continued that their assumptions would be wrong.
“What is it?” asked the princess.
“Nothing, please continue,” said Gillock quickly.
“The first vision is of an elf woman in labour. She is in a lot of pain, and when the first child comes out, some men take it away. Again, she is screaming in pain, and the second child is born, this one taken away by someone. It was odd, but I felt as if it was the baby’s father.”
Gillock turned to Glavlin but said nothing. “Please continue,” said Glavlin.
“Then things move about and it goes to the other woman giving birth. Her labour is much easier, and everyone is happy until they find out it is twins. A man leaves the room, very upset. Then something odd happens.” She stopped and looked right at Gillock. “It switches to another time and I swear I saw you, Gillock, dragging the woman who had just given birth, away. She is screaming for her babies, but you just ignore her.” Again, she paused, tears swelling in her eyes. “What does all this mean?”
Gillock, after a few moments, responded. “The first vision was Glavlin’s birth. The second was your mother’s.” He looked at the princess, and could tell she was shocked by the news. “Yes, princess. Your mother was a twin as well. In fact, it was thought that she and her brother may be the twins in the prophecy. Of course, I knew it was not true. Your uncle did not possess any magic.”
“So why have I never heard about an uncle?”
“He died young, and your mother doesn’t like to talk about him.”
Koral was going to ask about his part in her mother’s birth but decided against it. It was apparent that he didn’t like talking about such things either. Not wanting to press the matter, she turned to look at Glavlin. “I am so sorry, highness.”
Glavlin smiled weakly. “It is not your fault, and I am sorry you had to relive that awful moment over many times.”
“Someday soon I will want to hear your story, elf king,” she stated.
“Someday, I will tell it to you,” he answered.
A knock at the door brought the two back to reality. “Enter,” shouted Gillock.
“Beggin’ yer pardin’,” said Grund moving into the room, “but it be seemin’ the prince be rememberin’ somethin’.”
“I will go and see what this is all about,” said Gillock. “You two need to talk I think.”
Gillock did not turn to see their expressions; instead, he just walked out and headed back to Eric’s room.
“Now, what is this all about?” he said, moving into the room.
“I remember something, Gillock. It is not much, but it is something.”
“Well then spit it out, boy”
“I remember seeing dragons and wizards fighting. Two in particular. Both appear to be very powerful and quite intent on killing the other. It is odd, but I feel like I know who they are.”
“And that's all?” questioned Gillock.
“Yes, maybe I will remember more later, but that is all for right now.”
“I'm going to go back to my room,” said Gillock after a moment of silence. “If anyone needs me I will be in there for the remainder of the day.” Then he swiftly moved out of the room and headed for his own.
“Gillock, wait,” came Grund’s voice. “I be needin’ to speak to ye.”
Gillock slowed to allow the dwarf to catch up. “What is it?”
“The council be thinkin’ it time ye all left. Eric be a bit too much fer em after the burnin’.”
“I thought they might feel that way. Very well, let them know as soon as the twins are able to travel we will leave.” Then he turned and headed quickly to his room.
Grund made his way to Urlick’s chamber. As head of the council, he figured this would be the person to go and tell. When he arrived, Grund hesitated before knocking. It bothered him that the council was just throwing this group out on their own. Sighing, he knocked and when it was answered moved into the room.
“The wizard said they be leavin’ once the twins be well enough.”
Urlick grimaced. “Me thinks they should be leavin’ now.”
Grund was stunned by the forcefulness of his statement. “The humans still be weak. Sendin’ them out now be their death.”
“That not be me problem. It be theirs. This be the wishes o the council.”
The last statement was to let Grund know there was no one he could go to for help on this. “If it be the council’s wish, then I be leavin’ with em.”
Urlick jumped out of his seat. “You be goin’ when the council be forbiddin’ it?”
“It be me choice.”
“Then ye be banished,” said Urlick smugly, not at all concerned h
e would never see this dwarf again.
“That be me choice too.” Grund left the stunned council leader to his thoughts and headed back to Gillock.
“We be findin' horses in Tress, don't ye worry,” said Grund. He had just informed Gillock of the council’s order, and the wizard had gone into a most colourful rant.
“But how can they be so utterly cruel? Those poor children have been through quite an ordeal and to just throw them out is horrible.”
“I not be knowin’ what the council be thinkin’. All I be knowin’ is that I be comin’ with ye. Now, we can go through the mountain. It be quicker than goin’ around. The council will not be carin’ which way we be goin’. But they be carin’ when we be goin’ so we best be gettin’ everyone ready.”
Gillock sat down on his bed exasperated. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sway the council’s decision, so instead he just set about planning the rest of the journey.
The company was ready to move out within two hours, much to the delight of the council. Grund felt even more offended when not one dwarf came out to bid them good journey. Something was wrong with his village, and he was glad to be leaving it. The twins were placed in wagons pulled by oxmifs. They were curious little creatures that resembled the ox of the above world, only a third of the size. It was a rough way to travel, but they were both still too weak to walk.
Grund and Drundle, who had joined up with them as they left the village, led the way. The route they were taking was rough, but it would bring them out near a small dwarf fishing town. Behind them followed the wagons, then Gillock and Adora were next. Behind them were the goblin’s followed by the elves. Without a word, they began their trek through the mountain.
Koral and Eric, with the help of Gillock, were fast asleep for the first day of their journey. When they awoke, most of their strength had returned so they both decided to walk. The road was unusual, like nothing they had ever experienced. Gillock made sure the way was lit by magical means, which he felt was much more effective than torches. All the twins could do was marvel at the wonders they were seeing.
The village of Xamblers may have been an awesome sight for them, but the caverns they came into were extraordinary. Sometimes their way was nothing more than a trail on the side of an immense cliff. Many times the twins stopped to marvel at the depths.
“How deep is this gorge?” asked Eric.
Grund smiled, having heard the question nearly a hundred times already on this trip. “This one I not be knowin’, prince. Me thinkin’ it's been round longer than Gillock.” Then he snickered at Gillock’s obvious scowling face.
“What Grund means to say, is that some mining areas were done by dwarves in times past. Some of these go very far down, so do try and stay away from the edges.”
Eric moved back at Gillock’s request, but was still curious. “I see other tunnels across the way. Where do those lead?”
“I not be knowin’ some o them,” said Grund.
“Rumour has it, some of them were trading routes to the Eastern Lands,” commented Glavlin, his elven ears hearing the entire conversation.
“Wes heards rumours toos,” said Nak. “Bads thingses thats ways.”
Eric stared off into the distance. He heard the remainder of the conversation, but the only thing which stuck in his head was, Eastern Lands.
“Someday I would like to travel to the Eastern Lands,” he said, not realizing he had spoken aloud. No one commented on it though and everyone moved off further down the road.
On the fourth day of their travels, they arrived outside. Everyone, save the dwarves, was glad to be out in the fresh air again. Since evening was fast approaching, they needed to get organized.
“We be campin’ here tonight,” said Drundle once everyone was out of the tunnel and into the makeshift campsite. “Tomorrow we be goin’ down and gettin’ supplies n' horses from Tress,” she finished, pointing to the small village off in the distance.
“How far away is it?” asked Koral.
“Only half a day’s walk,” responded Darly, coming up from behind. “From there it is only two days ride to Keenley.”
“I thought this was the quick way around,” stated Eric, obviously annoyed.
“It is if you want to be supplied and unharmed the entire way,” was Mekken’s response.
Eric was going to comment, but thought against it and instead grabbed some things and began setting up the camp.
Adora moved closer to Gillock, so she would not be heard speaking to him. “Things are going quickly and the twins are not ready. Maybe they should be told about Keenley. They have not ever experienced it and I am not sure how they will react.”
Gillock leaned down as if picking something up. “They have been told, but I don't think they believe. This is going to be the hardest part of our journey. As for their training, I think they are ready. Their trips into the unconscious world have boosted their powers. I have shown them how to create the mist. They achieved it perfectly on their first try.”
Adora gasped. “They should not have been able to do that yet. What does this mean?”
“I don't know,” he answered truthfully. “All I do know is that we need to be worried. They are becoming very powerful, very quickly, and it could cause problems.”
“What type of problems?” she asked, worry creeping into her voice.
“With power this strong anyone or thing possessing magic may be able to sense them. It could very well give away our position, as they do not know how to hide it yet. I'm afraid our journey is going to get more difficult, not easier.”
Adora moved off, not wanting to question him anymore. She was afraid of what she might get as an answer.
Glavlin, Darly, and Mekken exchanged glances. Their ears had heard the entire conversation between wizard and gypsy. None of them understood what had transpired between them, but they were now all worried. Not just because of the twins power, but because two of them had thought she was in league with either the Order or Malena. The other elf, of course, had been doing everything possible to make it look that way. Now Moray had another task; setting the camp against Gillock so suspicions would still fall on Adora. Malena would not like him doing it, seeing how she had told him to help in any way he could, but Moray did not care. Soon he would have no need for the foolish queen. Smiling, he moved off into the distance to make his report to Malena, carefully leaving out the fact he was about to cause chaos within the camp.