The Tribes of K'haren - Completed

Chapter 28.2

'Remember, you have to surround them and make sure they stay together. If we meet any other creatures, tell them to go away. Nobody has to get hurt.' Kran rode next to Nume, shouting so everybody could hear him.

The army was in sight now and it had stopped marching. Maybe they hoped for the tribe to have changed its mind and attack now, but if so, they'd be disappointed. Nume and Kran led a line of loyal followers around the army in a big circle, closing in slowly. High up above, Zar'gno was flying and observing them. They'd met the dragon not long before when he'd been on his way back. He'd then decided to come with them and make sure the army would actually not attack them. He didn't seem to believe anything Mersha said. As they rode past, Kran could see the surprised expression on the soldiers' faces. They surely didn't know what to make of that. A group of less than twenty people, unarmed and by no means in any formation dared to come up to them.

'What are you playing at?' Kran recognized Elgron, an officer who had already spoken to them earlier on.

'We won't let you hurt anybody anymore.' His reply was simple and yet effective. Laughter went through the enemy's rows.

'Really? How do you think to stop us?' Raf had spoken but Kran could tell that he wasn't himself anymore.

'We know you can't attack unless attacked first and we'll be sure to spread the news!' Nume shouted nearly hysterically. Her friend knew why she was so upset, the dead family was still on his mind, too.

'Do you really believe people will listen to you? Didn't you say you'd fled these lands yourself?' Elgron seemed to be a cunning man, Kran had to give him that.

'What about you, you've been sent here all on your own, is that supposed to be the queen's full army?' Kran yelled back. Theoretically, they could have talked normally since Kran's umeno was standing right in front of Raf and Elgron, but he wanted to make sure everybody heard them.

'Our brothers and sisters are spread all over K'haren, we're just the only ones down here since we can easily handle a bunch of cowards like you.' Elgron replied coldly. Was it a bluff? Or were there really other armies? Mersha had only been able to tell them that the queen herself had not yet returned. 'It's time for you to get lost, we have things to do, you know. Greet your mommy from me, boy, will you? You can tell her we'll find her and have some fun...'

Kran swallowed hard and looked at Nume to calm his temper. He remembered what he'd told his people not long before. Don't listen to them if they try to make you angry. They just want you to attack so they can take you down. Don't fall for their tricks: do not listen!

'I'm not a fool, I won't fall for your tricks. Go ahead, do whatever you want, we'll be right behind you.' Kran finally managed to say in a somewhat relaxed voice. Some of the fauns shouted in agreement.

For a moment, nothing happened. People stared at each other in the middle of nowhere, not moving. Kran could only assume Elgron was thinking about what to do next. At one point, he glanced over at Raf and seemed to be expecting something but the half-dretho held one hand to his temple and looked to the ground. He was probably having a really bad headache, Kran thought to himself.

'What's wrong with Raf?' Nume asked in that very moment.

'Don't know.' Kran replied in a whisper. Feyn stood not far from them and had seemingly been listening for she now stepped forward and walked towards the man. 'Should we stop her?'

'No, leave her, I want to know what will happen...' Nume muttered as everybody's eyes turned to the harpy. Only Raf was still looking to the ground, unaware of what was going on around him.

'Hello sweetheart...' the harpy said just loud enough for most people to hear when she stood right in front of Raf. He didn't even look up. 'What a lovely sword you have...' she continued, reaching out a hand for the hilt of it. In one smooth movement, Raf stepped back, drew his sword and held it up to her neck. 'Oh!' Feyn said with faked shock and hurt in her voice. 'Would you really do that to me? If you could, I mean...'

Raf didn't say anything, he just stared at her with a frown.

'Feyn, that's enough, come back, please.' Nume shouted, but the harpy didn't care.

'I want you to tell me what exactly happened to you...' Feyn demanded. 'You don't remember me, do you?' This time, the pain in her voice wasn't fake.

'Who are you?' Raf finally said, still holding his sword to her neck.

'I could ask you the same question. You know me, we've met before.'

'I'm Corvaer, commanding officer of the queen of the night...' Raf spoke. A few steps away, a soldier said something about him also being the queens lover in a voice that was just a tad too loud. Within a heartbeat, Feyn ducked under Raf's sword and grasped the soldier who'd spoken by his throat, lifting him clear off the ground. Moments later, the harpy flew up high with the man in her claws.

'Feyn, don't!' Nume shouted in panic. 'Zar'gno!' The dragon was already on his way, he caught both Feyn and her captive out of the air and landed beside the army, still not freeing his pray. Moments later, Nume was already with them.

'What do you think you're doing?' she shouted at Feyn. Kran rode up to her and got off, demanding Zar'gno to free the soldier.

'I didn't attack him! I just wanted to show him the lovely view...' Feyn hissed through her prison of claws.

'That's enough! Soldier, get back in row, we're leaving!' Elgron angrily shouted some more commands and the army started marching off.

'What's going on?' Kran shouted desperately before recalling his position. 'Follow them as planned!' he added, riding up to his people, leaving Feyn to Nume and Zar'gno.

'Get yourself together!' Elgron was talking to Corvaer, using the momentary headstart which caused them to be out of earshot. 'You're supposed to lead your groups to cause chaos and panic so people attack, now look at that, they're peacefully following us! You have to do something so my men can smash them with the discipline your rows clearly lack!'

Corvaer didn't reply, he was furious and any reply he could come up with involved a lot of swearing and some physical violence which was intolerable towards another officer. If just the voice in his head would stop shouting, it was so annoying. He was now pretty sure that he had once been that Raf these strangers kept talking about. Thus they probably were no strangers indeed, but he couldn't remember them. The voice on the other hand knew them very well indeed. It had told him that the harpy was called Feyn and had met him in a tavern long ago where he'd seemingly also met Tarlequin, one of the fauns.

The voice even went so far as to claim Raf had had mercy on Nume and Kran, sparing their lives when he'd been supposed to take them somewhere. Even if that Raf had once been him, Corvaer didn't like the guy at all. He seemed to be rather weak and foolish. What point was there in showing mercy and giving up a good bounty?

The siren told you to spare them.

What siren? Now Corvaer was even more confused. Elgron was still talking to him which made it difficult to listen to the conversation that was going on inside his head.

Sethara.

All of a sudden, a picture formed inside Corvaer's mind. He saw a woman with blue skin and a charming smile. Sethara. He remembered her. He remembered how she had died and how he had promised to protect Nume and Kran. Then he looked up at Elgron who was still talking, drew his sword and held it up to the clueless man's throat.

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