Card Tales - 5. Tale 5

They had been on the road for two full days and Dart had yet to speak to Riva, who chattered unceasingly about everything. Cardanniel's nerves were raw as they set up camp. Death-bringer was higher in the sky than she had been on any of the previous nights and Cardanniel was starting to wonder if she would be beginning her descent again soon. Tonight, he tended the horses that Dart purchased and his donkey which he refused to give up as he had on the previous nights as they set up camp. Riva proved to be useful by cooking over the fire that Dart could seem to make form nearly any natural materials. Their surroundings had changed as well with the desert to the east and the mountains to the northeast; the ground here was fertile and flat with grasses, shrub, and the occasional cluster of trees.

After filling their bellies with a tasty stew, Cardanniel separated himself from the siblings for some quiet meditation. He needed to consult Aglaia concerning his two companions.

When he returned, Dart was sleeping in his bedroll which was laid out next to Cardanniels, both of which were across the fire from where Riva sat on her bed roll, reading a small book by the fire light. "What are you reading?" He asked as he sat down and pulled off his boots. He hated sleeping fully dressed, but he could not risk using magic around her, not yet. Not when he still was not sure what happened when he tried to heal her.

"A book that belonged to my mother a long time ago," Riva said as she looked toward Dart, "before he was born."

Cardanniel looked down at the sleeping form of Dart who looked to be not more than twenty. "That wasn't so very long ago, now was it?"

"Longer than you are thinking," she sighed, "I'm not going to be able to protect him much longer." She dug around in her bag, "He trusts you, my father will never forgive me for what happened, but maybe he will let Dart live. If I die… give him these. Tell him he must drink one on each of his next two birthdays."

Cardanniel accepted the two small vials of liquid. "What is it?"

"A potion made of his birthing blood, those are the last of it."

"Riva, that is witchcraft."

She looked at him blankly and he sighed.

"Do you at least know what you are doing?"

"I didn't make it, mother did. She doted on him. Father punished her by tying her to that tree. He would never let her free." She stroked the book, "The man you set us free from was our father's agent. Nel and I knew this, but Dart did not. Mama wouldn't let us tell him so many things. Our service to him kept Dart free. We didn't know what to do when he started trying to buy our freedom. He's so innocent."

"He's not all that innocent," Cardanniel chuckled, recalling how their bodies had reacted to each other.

"You were the first to choose him," Riva stated flatly then re-opened her book, "I'll take first watch."

Cardanniel did not know what to say, so he kept his mouth shut. The first to choose him… and the boy had been putting their bedding together each night. It was obvious he wasn't the only one who had chosen and at this point in the game he couldn't even pull the 'but I'm a priest' card. Cardanniel sighed and laid back. Then he rolled slightly and pulled Dart next to him. The boy turned and snuggled to his chest, sighing happily in his sleep. Cardanniel still felt prickly, but he attributed it to death-bringer and attempted to sleep while he could.

Messenger was absent from the sky when Cardanniel woke to absolute silence. Dart, although still snuggled up against his side, was also awakened by the abrupt lack of night sounds. A dark shadow passed over them, then Riva spoke into the darkness. "Father."

Dart trembled against Cardanniel, who held the boy, wondering if he were going to be an only child or an orphan before life-giver came again.

"Riviskara," his voice rumbled into the darkness.

"Your theatrics do not impress me," she said as she walked toward a hulking shadow that vaguely resembled a dragon from the angle Cardanniel could see. "I am capable of the same tricks if I so desired."

"Truly daughter? I thought you would have taken after your mother."

"What makes you think I didn't?" she sneered, "You bed one of the most powerful witches and force her to bear your young, why shouldn't we take after both of you?"

"Did she tell you she was forced?" he sounded truly appalled. "The only force I used was to save the youngest -- the male. She said she would not bear a warlock into the world. I argued he might not take after her."

"He does not, thankfully. There have been no signs at all."

"Then why did he order his mother killed? That is one of the first signs of a young warlock coming into power."

Riva sighed. "I don't know. Nel needed a proper burial? It was the only good wood around? Who knows what was going on in his head?"

Cardanniel could not believe his ears. Dart trembled but did not move to contradict his sister.

"I need to speak to him."

"He is over by the fire with his lover."

"Lover? Didn't your mother educate you children at all! Males can not…"

"Can not what?" Cardanniel asked, sitting up as Dart's father stood at the end of his bedroll. Dart clung to his side like a frightened child rather than the half grown man he was or the full-grown man his sister claimed him to be.

"Dartildon can not take a lover, especially a male lover," his father said firmly. "Unhand my son."

Cardanniel looked from father to son, but did not move. "I do believe he is old enough to make his own choices." Dart trembled, but moved away, so he could stand.

"Papa…" he began softly, but his father backhanded him flat again. Cardanniel rose to his feet during the exchange and pulled his sword from its place.

"Do not touch him again."

"It must be determined what he is," Dart's father snapped.

"He belongs to me, I bought him," Cardanniel snapped back, "he is to be a sacrifice to the maiden."

"A priest?" Riva cried out. Cardanniel smiled at her and she had the decency to look shocked.

"So, if you are a priest, then you have not bedded him." Dart's father said as he scratched his chin. "Why does he cling to you?"

"He is afraid. His eldest sister died in his arms, then his mother was killed, and now…" Cardanniel shrugged, "he belongs to me. I keep him close. It's easier than shackling him."

"Is this true Dartildon?"

"Yes, papa."

He nodded and turned on his daughter who seemed prepared for this. A burst of red energy popped from her hands toward her father who blocked it with ease throwing the first of four small metal stars at her in quick succession. Cardanniel managed to throw himself over Dart and shield them both from the second misdirected blast, but the horses pulled loose from their picket and ran. Cardanniel did not watch as the next few blasts were exchanged, he did however look up as a herd of elephants, no taller than his knee, galloped through the camp and disappeared. When the blasts were finished, Cardanniel allowed Dart up to help him access the damage. Riva had been changed into a duck and their father a stick with two feet.

"What do you want to do, they are your family."

"I don't know how to change them back."

"Well, this could always be dinner," Cardanniel suggested holding up the duck that used to be Riva.

"She did order my mother killed, and try to blame it on me," Dart said, "But it would be wrong. We can always find our own dinner."

Cardanniel smiled, that was the answer he wanted to hear. He let Riva loose and she flew away. He hoped she would find her river. "And this interesting walking stick?"

Dart picked up the hatchet. "Looks like firewood to me."

The stick ran from Dart.

"Looks like it might be smart," Cardanniel laughed. "Maybe we should keep it for a while, never know it might come in handy."

Dart eyed the stick suspiciously, but nodded. "I guess I should go find the horses."

"It's dark, put some wood on the fire, and they'll come back," Cardanniel said softly, "I didn't like lying to your father about your innocence, but with your sister watching we've not been able to do anything. She's not watching now."

Dart giggled, "She's not now is she?" He hurried to do as requested, and by the time Cardanniel and Dart were ready to go to sleep, the horses had returned.