A Wood Worth Fighting For

Danica noticed a change in her companion during their long and dismal walk. It started with Cadderly glancing all around, staring into Shilmista's shadows, his gray eyes rimmed with wetness. But the tears never came; they were replaced by an anger so profound that the young scholar could hardly keep his breathing steady, could hardly keep his fists unclenched.

He dropped out of the retreating line and pulled his pack off his back, offering no explanation to Danica, Rufo, and the dwarven brothers as they moved beside him.

"A bit of reading for the road?" Ivan asked, seeing Cadderly take out the ancient book of Dellanil Quil'quien.

"It should have worked," Cadderly replied firmly. "The words were spoken correctly. Every syllable was as King Dellanil spoke them centuries ago."

"Of course they were," said Danica. "No one in all Shilmista doubts the sincerity of your attempt or that your heart was for the forest."

"Flattery?" Cadderly barked at her, his voice more full of anger than it ever had been toward his love.

Danica backed away a step, stunned.

"Oo," moaned Pikel.

"Ye've no right to be speaking to the lady that way," Ivan said, slapping his axe loudly against his open hand.

Cadderly nodded in agreement but would not let his embarrassment steal his mounting determination. "The summons must work," he declared. "We have nothing else shilmista has no other hope."

"Then we have nothing at all," Ivan replied evenly. "Ye heard the wood sprite yerself. Ye're in the wrong place, lad. Shilmista will not come to yer call."

Cadderly looked around at the trees that had deceived him, searching for escape from the apparent finality of the dryad's claims. A thought struck him then, one so simple that it had not occurred to any of them.

"Hammadeen did not say that," Cadderly told Ivan. The scholar turned to include the others in his revelation.

Danica's head tilted curiously. "The dryad's words were direct enough," she argued.

"Hammadeen said we were in the wrong place," Cadderly replied. "We took that to mean that Shilmista was the wrong place. Hammadeen said the trees of the region had heard the call. How wide a region was she speaking of?"

"What are ye babbling about?" Ivan demanded. "What other place might there be?"

"Think of where we were when Elbereth read the incantation," Cadderly prompted.

"The clearing," Ivan replied at once.

"But the trees around that grove!" Cadderly said. "Think of the trees."

"I'm not for telling one tree from another," Ivan protested. "Ask me brother if ye're wanting to know - "

"Not the trees' types," Cadderly explained, "but their age."

"The camp was surrounded by young growth," Danica realized. "Even the circling pines were not so tall."

"Yes, too young," Cadderly explained. "Those trees were not alive when Dellanil intoned the ancient words, not alive even when Galladel tried to awaken the wood. They did not exist when magic filled Shilmista's air."

"Would that matter?" Danica asked. "A magical -"

"This is not a magical spell," Cadderly interrupted. "It is a call to a once-sentient forest. The new trees might still speak so that a dryad would hear, but they have lost the ability to walk beside the elves. But the oldest ones, the ones from Dellanil's time, may not have."

"If any of those remain," Danica stated.

"Not likely," Kierkan Rufo had to add, fearing that Cadderly's newest revelations would keep them all in the forest longer than the angular man desired.

"Oh, but there are," came a voice from the side. An elf that none of them knew rose from the brush just a few feet away and smiled at Ivan's glower and the others' stupefied expressions.

"Pardon my eavesdropping," the elf said. "Your conversation was much too interesting for me to interrupt, and I only speak now to tell you that there are indeed trees in Shilmista from the days of King Dellanil: a grove of huge oaks, west of here. The place is called Syldritch Trea, the Most Ancient Trees."

"Did King Galladel go to Syldritch Trea when he failed in his attempt at the summoning?" Cadderly asked, already suspecting the answer but eager for confirmation.

The elf thought for a moment, then answered, "No, I do not believe he did. But neither was King Dellanil in Syldritch Trea when he called the trees."

"Bring Elbereth, I beg, and hurry," said Cadderly, ignoring the elf's last statement. "Shilmista's day may not be past."

The elf nodded curtly and was gone, disappearing into the surrounding brush in the blink of an eye.

"Ye cannot be thinking . . ." Ivan began slowly.

"Indeed I can," Cadderly replied evenly.

"He just said that Dellanil -" Danica started to protest.

"Do not presume anything about the ancient forest," Cadderly interrupted. "Perhaps, in that time, the trees called to each other after Dellanil began the enchantment. Perhaps the trees spread the summons throughout Shilmista."

Ivan's look reflected his doubts. Even Pikel, so hopeful when they had first tried to awaken the trees, frowned.

"It will work," Cadderly growled at them, so determinedly that even Ivan did not try to tell him differently. Danica hooked his arm for support and gave him an approving wink.

*****

Elbereth arrived a short while later, accompanied by Shayleigh and Galladel. The three had already heard of Cadderly's latest revelation, and Galladel in particular seemed hardly pleased.

"Syldritch Trea," Cadderly said as soon as they arrived, giving the pessimistic elf king no time to quash his momentum. "The summons will work in Syldritch Trea."

"You cannot know that," Elbereth replied, though the elf prince appeared intrigued.

"And we cannot afford to waste precious time," King Galladel added sharply. "You have seen the despair your false hopes have given us, priest. It would be better now for all concerned if you continued on your way home."

"Home," Cadderly echoed wistfully, aiming his remark at Elbereth. "Quite a concept, that. A place to be defended, perhaps. At least, that is what I, who have never had a true home, was once told."

Danica winced and gave Cadderly's arm a jerk as Elbereth stormed over to stand before them.

"What do you know of it?" the elf prince demanded. "Do you believe it is with light hearts that we leave Shilmista?"

"I do not believe most of you wish to leave at all," Cadderly replied, not bending an inch under Elbereth's cold glare. "And perhaps you need not. Perhaps . . ."

"Ware his twisted tongue!" Galladel cried. "I understand you now, young priest," the elf king roared, wagging an accusatory finger Cadderly's way. "You have come to encourage us to continue this hopeless battle, to sacrifice us, that your precious home might be saved."

"The library is not my home," Cadderly muttered, but his words were lost in the ensuing explosion of protests aimed at the elf king from Ivan and Danica, a "Hey!" from Pikel, and even a few stern words from Elbereth.

When things quieted again, Cadderly gave Galladel's accusation not another thought. He looked at Elbereth, and at Elbereth only, as he made his case. "The summons must work," he said. "I believe in it with all my heart. This is no ruse, no deception to encourage an elven sacrifice. It is a hope that your home will not fall under our monstrous enemy's shadow, that the elven dance will continue throughout my lifetime in this forest so dear."

"Syldritch Trea lies to the west and north," Elbereth replied. "To get there, I will have to cross the enemy lines once more, and far deeper this time. If the summons does not work . . ."

"You'll not go alone," Cadderly vowed, and he shot a glance Galladel's way.

"He'll not go at all!" the elf king growled.

"What say you, Elbereth?" Cadderly continued, holding the elf prince's gaze from his father's scowl. "Back on the paths of the Snowflakes you told me you would fight for Shilmista, that you would kill every invader without mercy. You were correct in your assumption I have no home but I will go with you, fight with you and die with you if that must be, on this last chance for the forest."

"As will I," Danica asserted.

"Seems we're going for another walk, me brother," Ivan piped in. Pikel's head wagged in full approval.

Elbereth looked around to all of them, his smile growing wider with each second. "You have given me hope, friend," he said to Cadderly. "I will read the words in Syldritch Trea, then let the forest decide its fate."

"And yours," Galladel snarled. "What will you do when the trees do not awaken? You will be caught in the open and vulnerable, surrounded by our merciless enemies. I hoped I would not live to see my son perish, but never would I have imagined that his death would come from his own foolishness!"

Shayleigh, for so long biting back her increasingly bitter thoughts, broke her silence at last. "Not foolishness," she cried. "Courage. Many will go with you, Prince Elbereth, entrusting their lives to your hopes and to the forest."

"That would not be wise," Elbereth replied, but for purely practical reasons and not because of any doubts he had concerning the ancient summons. "A small band might slip through without a fight."

"Then we shall meet your return," Shayleigh promised. "With the trees of Syldritch Trea beside us, we will drive the enemy from our land!"

"I am still king of Shilmista," Galladel, standing some distance from the conspirators, reminded them.

"You wish to come along and read the summons?" Cadderly asked, for he knew well that Galladel had no desire to do any such thing. Beside him, Danica gasped at his impudence.

"I could strike you down for that remark," Galladel growled at him.

"I don't think so," Ivan remarked, his axe bouncing prominently on one shoulder.

"And you, dwarf," spat the elven king. "When this is ended . . ."

"Aw, shut yer mouth and get in line behind yer son," Ivan snapped. Galladel cast a murderous glare at all of them, turned about, and stormed away.

"How dare you speak to the king of Shilmista like that?" Danica scolded Cadderly, amazed, though obviously not as upset as her words made her sound.

Cadderly looked away from her, to Elbereth, more interested, in this instance, in what the elf might think. Elbereth said nothing, but his nod was one of approval.

"You have inspired my father's hopes as well," Elbereth said sincerely. "I do not doubt that King Galladel will be among those awaiting our return from Syldritch Trea, waiting to fight beside the forest itself to rid our land of the foul invaders." The elf prince and Shayleigh followed Galladel away then, with many plans to be made.

*****

Kierkan Rufo didn't know what to make of Danica's approach, or of her grim visage. Sensing another telepathic intrusion from that wretched imp, Rufo had wandered off alone, away from Cadderly and the others.

"And so I shall return to the library alone," the angular man said meekly to the approaching woman. "To tell of your bravery, and of Cadderly's, and to hope that all goes well in this ancient grove of oaks, this Syldritch Trea that the elves speak of so reverently."

"Your hopes for our success had better be sincere," Danica replied, "for you are coming with us."

Rufo nearly toppled at the announcement. "I?" he balked. "What use could I be? I am hardly a fighter and am not knowledgeable of the woodlands in any way."

"It is not for your value that I insist you come," Danica explained. "I fear the consequences of leaving you here."

"How dare you speak such words?" Rufo groused.

"I dare not hesitate to speak them," Danica retorted. "I do not trust you, Kierkan Rufo. Know that and know that you shall accompany us."

"I will not!"

Rufo didn't even see her move, but suddenly he lay on his back, looking up at the stars with a burning pain behind his knees. Danica bent over him and scowled.

"You will not be left behind," she said evenly. "Understand that, for the sake of your very life."

*****

By the time the sun began its ascent in the east, Elbereth, Shayleigh, and two score of other elves had found their way back to Cadderly and his companions.

"It is decided," the elf prince announced. "We three you, Danica, and I shall go to Syldritch Trea."

"Ahem." Pikel cleared his throat.

Elbereth looked to Cadderly and Danica.

"They did save your our lives," Cadderly reminded the elf prince. "And I would honestly feel safer with the brothers beside me."

"Why would you wish to come along?" Elbereth asked Ivan. "This journey could prove ill-fated, and even if it is not, the gain will mean little to you."

"Me brother likes trees," Ivan answered without the slightest hesitation.

Elbereth shrugged hopelessly; Cadderly thought he saw the elf quickly dismiss an appreciative smile. "Then we five shall go - "

"Six," Danica corrected.

Even Cadderly turned on her curiously.

"Kierkan Rufo insists that he come along," Danica explained. "He fears being left alone in the forest with only the elves, who he does not understand."

The notion seemed absurd Rufo had already been left with the elves but when Cadderly looked to the angular man, he was nodding his head, if somewhat gravely.

"Six, then," said Elbereth.

"None of yer own folk got the belly for it?" Ivan asked.

"Perhaps when all of this is ended, I should get in line behind Elbereth and King Galladel," Shayleigh answered sternly, before Elbereth could explain. She tried to cast a threatening glare but could not hold it in the face of Ivan's amused chuckle.

"My people will be there," Elbereth explained. "All of my people. Even my father. They'll be not far from us, unseen in the boughs. They will bring about the distractions to allow us to get through to Syldritch Trea, and they will be ready to begin the final battle when the summons is complete.

"You must understand the risks," Elbereth continued, mostly to Cadderly. "If the trees do not come to my call, then many, perhaps all, of Shilmista's elves will die. In light of that, tell me again of your confidence in the ancient words."

"If the trees do not answer, then my life, too, will be forfeit," the scholar replied in defense of his claims. "As will Danica's, which I treasure above my own."

Danica glanced sidelong at Cadderly. He didn't return the look, intent on Elbereth, but she knew he understood her approval of the change that had come over him.

They set off immediately after their morning meal, the company of six with a host of elves slipping all about them, clearing their path.

Kierkan Rufo was not pleased, though he was smart enough to keep his complaints silent. Merciless Danica had left him no choice, and so he had come along.

So, too, in Rufo's mind, had Druzil, the imp.

*****

Dorigen got the news of the departure only an hour later. She sat in her tent in Ragnor's camp, trying to decide what course to take.

"They tried once before to awaken the trees," Druzil reminded her, hoping to ease her obvious torment. "Why should we believe their luck will be any better this time?"

"We would be wise to fear anything involving the young scholar and his resourceful friends," Dorigen replied.

"We can catch them," Druzil said, eagerly rubbing his plump hands together.

Dorigen shook her head. "Not again."

Druzil's bulbous eyes narrowed. "Has Dorigen lost her courage along with her barbarian lover?"

Dorigen's answering glare stole the bite from the absurd remark. "Dorigen's wisdom has grown with her failures," she corrected. "Our last defeat cost me much prestige in this camp, and in Ragnor's eyes. I doubt the ogrillon would lend me the soldiers to capture that crew and that number, I fear, would be considerable."

"He is just a boy," Druzil remarked, "and his friends as unlikely a group of heroes as ever there was."

"He is a boy who nearly destroyed you in mental combat," Dorigen reminded him, "and whose friends include an elf prince and a woman able to dodge lightning! Must I remind you of the mighty dwarves as well? Ogres, a dozen orogs . . ."

"Enough, enough," Druzil conceded, not wanting to hear the disastrous battle recounted. "I had only hoped that we might discover some method to regain our advantage. Their course might prove dangerous to us all. I had thought to lessen -"

"You are correct," Dorigen interrupted, rising determinedly from her seat. "This is too important to be concerned with the petty squabbles of Castle Trinity."

"You are going to Ragnor?" Druzil asked. "What of the young priest?"

"I am," Dorigen answered. "As for Cadderly, we two will look for a way to take him, as we had originally planned. If that way cannot be found, then he will die with the rest of them."

She left the tent in a rush, leaving Druzil to sit alone on the small table with his private thoughts. "People," the imp muttered.