Ky of Yazuac Chapter 2: Daret, an inheritance cycle fanfic

Daret

"Halt! Put your weapons down. You're surrounded by sixty archers. They'll shoot if you move." As if on cue, a row of men stood up on the roofs of the surrounding houses.

"What do you want?" asked Brom calmly.

"Why have you come here?" demanded the man.

"To buy supplies and hear the news. Nothing more. We're on the way to my cousin's house in Dras-Leona."

"You're armed pretty heavily."

"So are you," remarked Brom. "These are dangerous times."

"True." The man looked at them carefully. "I don't think you mean us ill, but we've had too many encounters with Urgals and bandits for me to trust you only on your word."

"If it doesn't matter what we say, what happens now?" countered Brom. Eragon looked around at the archers, they hadn't moved. They must be well disciplined. He looked towards the archer nearest him, about ten yards to his right. He had an impenetrable face, short brown locks of hair, and stern grey eyes. The man looked to be no older than 18. Eragon knew that to mess with men who could discipline young men would be trouble.

"You say that you only want supplies. Would you agree to stay here while we bring what you need, then pay us and leave immediately?

"Yes."

"All right," said the man, lowering his bow, though he kept it ready. He waved at one of the archers, who slid to the ground and ran over. "Tell him what you want."

Brom recited a short list and then added, "Also, if you have a spare pair of gloves that would fit my nephew, I'd like to buy those too." The archer nodded and ran off.

"The name's Trevor," said the man standing in front of them. "Normally I'd shake your hand, but under the circumstances, I think I'll keep my distance. Tell me, where are you from?"

"North," said Brom, "but we haven't lived in any place long enough to call it home. Have Urgals forced you to take these measures?"

"Yes," said Trevor, "and worse fiends. Do you have any news from other towns? We receive word form them rarely, but there have been reports that they are also beleaguered.

Brom turned grave. "I wish it wasn't our lot to bring you these tidings. Nearly a fortnight ago we passed thought Yazuac and found it pillaged. The villagers had been slaughtered and piled together. We would have tried to give them a decent burial. But two Urgals attacked us."

Shocked, Trevor stepped back and looked down with tears in his eyes. "Alas, this is indeed a dark day. Still, I don't see how two Urgals could have defeated all of Yazuac. The people there were good fighters—some were my friends."

"There were signs that a band of Urgals had ravaged the town," stated Brom. "I think that the ones we encountered were deserters."

"How large was the company?"

Brom fiddled with his saddlebags for a minute. "Large enough to wipe out Yazuac, but small enough to go unnoticed in the countryside. No more than a hundred, and no less than fifty. If I'm not mistaken, either number would prove fatal to you." Trevor wearily agreed. "You should consider leaving," Brom continued. "This area has become far too perilous for anyone to live in peace."

"I know, but the people here refuse to consider moving. This is their home—as well as mine—and they place its worth above their own lives." Trevor looked at him seriously. "We have repulsed individual Urgals, and that has given the townspeople a confidence far beyond their abilities. I fear that we will all wake up one morning with our throats slashed."

The archer hurried out of a house with a pile of goods in his arms. He set them next to the horses, and Brom paid him. As the man left, Brom asked, "Why did they choose you to defend Daret?"

Trevor shrugged. "I was in the king's army for some years."

Brom dug through the items, and handed Eragon the pair of gloves, and packed the rest of the supplies into their saddlebags. Eragon pulled the gloves on. Being careful to keep his palm facing down. "Well," said Brom, "as I promised, we will go now."

Trevor nodded. "When you enter Dras-Leona, would you do us this favor? Alert the Empire to or plight and that of the other towns. If word of this hasn't reached the king by now, it is cause for worry. And if it has, but he has chosen to do nothing, that too is cause for worry."

"We will carry your message. May your swords stay sharp!"

"And yours."

Eragon snuck one last quick glance at the grey-eyed archer to his right. Their eyes met and the older boy held Eragon's gaze. Eragon turned away and shuddered; who could be so stone hard stern? Yet as he recalled the look of the older boy, he realized something that hadn't been there before in those grey eyes…dread?…grief?…worry?

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Ky sat waiting on the verandah of his small home in the town Daret. He ate an apple with his bow in his lap, an arrow already set on the string. Ky was taking his shift as a guard incase any unwanted visitors came and decided they wanted trouble.

As he waited with the afternoon sun beginning its decent towards the horizon, he reflected how at home, in Yazuac at this time, he would be at the shores of the Ninor River with his friends. They would see who could skip a flat rock over the surface the most or maybe who could get the biggest rock from under the freezing water or even what the cute girls did today.

But now that Ky had given up his position of the Peacer, the boy who took care of all the fights that went on in town between the other boys so as to keep 'peace', most of the boys had now started looking for jobs elsewhere and were probably spending their time separately.

Ky had decided to find work three weeks ago when he realized his adoptive parents of eight years were finding it hard to support him and wished him to find work.

Ky smiled to himself as he thought again how his father had actually told him to find a job. He had stormed in the house one night and walked straight up to Ky who was sitting on his bed, pointed a huge sausage like finger in his face and bellowed, "Ky!!! Get off you ass and find yourself a job so we won't be gettin' damn charity from all those damned people who think we need help gettin' through life when we've done well enough for the past forty years, your takin' up all our money!!!

Ky had replied with the obligatory 'Yes, sir' and that had been the end of it.

He hoped that his adoptive parents who-felt-like-real-parents were faring well now that he was gone. He decided to send them some of the spare money he had earned while living here in Daret, so to thank them for everything. Ky doubted they would accept the so called charity but it was worth a try.

He wished that his strong father, Hank, who had once been a man in the king's army and knew just about every use of any weapon, would be a little less prideful. He would never accept help of any kind, even in the guise of gifts.

Ky sighed as he thought about his mother, Sara, who was so soft spoken and always gentle and kind and polite. She knew just about every herb there was and how to use them for cooking, healing, or anything else. He missed her. Her gentle words, her loving actions, her wonderful food. Around his mother, it seemed, you could always escape the plight of the world.

Not for the first time in his life, Ky wondered how two such different people like his parents, one who inflicted pain and one who healed pain, could live together for so long and so happily. But Ky loved them all the same.

So there was Ky, the eighteen-year-old boy from Yazuac sitting as a guard on the front of his small hut in Daret waiting for the turn of the shift so he could hopefully get some sort of exercise in this town.

He looked around and saw the activity of a happy yet subdued town, children ran through the street, men talked in the roads, and lovers hid in alleys enjoying each others' presence.

But over it all was an air of wariness. The mothers never let the children out of sight and would fret if they turned a corner. The men talked not of business but of ways to better improve the defenses Daret. And the lovers held one another as though they would never see each other again.

The bandits had come recently and had killed one of the townsmen; that had caused much grief. Then before that the horrid, bulky, oversized men with horns protruding from their temples, called Urgals, had attacked. Even though only one or two had appeared at a time, and each fight the townspeople had won, they still sent a shiver down spines, for they were ruthless.

With all the attacks and sightings of strange creatures, thought Ky, you'd guess there was a war approaching.

A few minutes passed before Ky noticed some dark smudges on the horizon. They were on the main road that led into the town were traveling at a steady pace. Above them, Ky noticed, there seemed to be an eagle following their trail. Ky dismissed it as a coincidence for there were other matters to consider.

It would be about twenty minutes before the riders arrived into town. That would be just enough time to hide everyone and prepare for the worst. He looked again and confirmed that they were not Urgals but that didn't mean they weren't enemies.

Ky quickly got up, apple finished and bow in hand and trotted over to Trevor, the leader of Daret's forces.

Ky announced his presence. "Trevor."

Trevor turned at his name and saw the new boy from Yazuac who had arrived only three weeks ago and had settled in such a short time.

This boy is uncanny, thought Trevor, he has the sharpest eye and has deadly accuracy with a bow and arrow. With his grey eyes of steel he probably would kill an enemy with a glance before he could get in a hit. And he's so distant. He watches us from his hut and does just that; watches. He never talks or tries to greet anyone, much less respond when we greet him. He's unnerving, he is.

The boy pointed along the road leading out of town. At first Trevor was unsure of what he should be looking at. Then he saw them, vaguely of course, but he still saw them two riders cantering towards town. Once again he was bewildered by this boys sighting ability; no one would have noticed that for another five minutes.

But there was no time to be bewildered, the time now was to get all the women and children along with the elderly into the barn so they would be safe. Then he had to post his archers along the roofs of houses and get the wagons ready. Trevor looked again and saw the riders more clearly now; they were making time and quickly. He cursed and immediately started giving orders.

"Bill, Gabriel, and Kollin, get the elderly, women, and children into the barn. Joseph and Hurst, you round up the archers and post them along the town entrances. I'll see to the wagons; Jin you come with me."

As the activity of the town increased, Ky could sense a growing fear. Who are they? Will they harm us? Do they pose a threat? Will there be a fight? Are they enemies?

Who knew? In times like these anyone could be anyone but you could never be sure until the last moment, and that was too late.

Ky went and followed Joseph and Hurst, waiting for a post to be ordered out. The other men looked just as ready to defend their home, danger or no. Once the posts were given out, every archer scrambled to hide before the strangers arrived.

Ky was posted right where the strangers were to be cornered. Good, he thought, some action.

Trevor looked around and was thoroughly pleased with the efficiency of his town. Not ten minutes had passed before everyone was well hidden and out of sight. His archers effectively hidden on roofs, families out of danger, and traps prepared. Just like we planned.

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The two riders, Ky noticed from his perch on the straw roof, hidden from onlookers, did not approach the town directly. Once they seemed to notice the village was emptied, they redirected their path so they entered from a side entrance.

If they thought the town was abandoned, why didn't they turn back? They must be desperate, mused Ky. Smart of them to come along a different road other than the main one. They must have been through some sort of attack before…The nearest town they could have come from was Yazuac.

Ky smiled to himself. Of course my people are defending themselves well.

The riders had now entered town, they were looking around for a sign of life. The younger rider was edgy, as though he was worried for he worst. The old man on the white horse was inspecting the ground. He looked up and was suddenly wary. He quickly mounted and said something to his companion. They turned to leave town but hadn't gone a horses stride before the wagons rolled out in front of them, blocking off their exit.

Trevor quickly marched out from a house and, with his bow strung and ready, started speaking.

"Halt! Put your weapons down. You're surrounded by sixty archers. They'll shoot if you move."

That was their cue. The archers quickly showed themselves and sighted down their arrow shafts aiming for the two strangers.

There was a slight pause. Suddenly Ky noticed something out of place. It was very faint, like a breeze in the trees, but it was there. Not something you could see with your eyes or hear with you ears, but…it was with his mind that Ky noticed this disturbance.

Ky saw the old man seemed to be inspecting Trevor, as though testing his will.

"What do you want?" asked the old stranger calmly.

"Why have you come here?" demanded Trevor.

"To buy supplies and hear the news. Nothing more. We're on the way to my cousin's house in Dras-Leona."

"You're armed pretty heavily."

"So are you," remarked the old stranger. "These are dangerous times."

True, thought Ky.

"True." Trevor looked at them carefully. "I don't think you mean us ill, but we've had too many encounters with Urgals and bandits for me to trust you only on your word."

"If it doesn't matter what we say, what happens now?" countered the old stranger.

Don't fool our leader with your fancy words, Ky warned mentally. You have no right to be here so we have every right to kick you out!

Ky suddenly noticed the younger stranger, who had been quiet all this time, was looking around at the archers. He seemed to be worrying about something. Ky realized that he was the closest to these strangers, for they were only ten yards away from the house in which he had been posted on. Then the young stranger was looking directly at Ky.

Ky only stared straight back, ready to release his arrow if this stranger decided he wanted to do something foolish.

The stranger looked away but Ky wouldn't allow this traveler to do anything stupid that would jeopardize this town.

Trevor and the old stranger talked some more. He decided that these men meant no harm and that they could buy what they wanted but we had to bring it to them. Trevor called over Kollin, he was to take the list of items and look for them.

"The name's Trevor," said Daret's leader. "Normally I'd shake your hand, but under the circumstances, I think I'll keep my distance. Tell me, where are you from?"

"North," said the old stranger, "but we haven't lived in any place long enough to call it home. Have Urgals forced you to take these measures?"

"Yes," said Trevor, "and worse fiends. Do you have any news from other towns? We receive word from them rarely, but there have been reports that they are also beleaguered."

The old man turned grave. "I wish it wasn't our lot to bring you these tidings. Nearly a fortnight ago we passed thought Yazuac and found it pillaged. The villagers had been slaughtered…

No!

Ky went cold. He heard nothing more. It took all of his will power, every last thread, to not cry, to not shout at the stranger for telling lies, to tell them that his people would not let it happen!…it wasn't true!

Two Urgals couldn't defeat my people…no…

"There were signs that a band of Urgals had ravaged the town," stated the stranger. "I think that the ones we encountered were deserters."

"How large was the company?"

The strangers seemed uncomfortable. "Large enough to wipe out Yazuac, but small enough to go unnoticed in the countryside. No more than a hundred, and no less than fifty."

"If I'm not mistaken, either number would prove fatal to you. You should consider leaving," the old man continued. "This area has become far too perilous for anyone to live in peace."

Kollin hurried out of a house with a pile of goods in his arms. He set them next to the horses, and Brom paid him. As Kollin left, the old man asked, "Why did they choose you to defend Daret?"

Trevor shrugged. "I was in the king's army for some years."

"Well," said the old man, rummaging through his new items, "as I promised, we will go now."

"We will carry your message. May your swords stay sharp!"

"And yours."

Once the strangers had left the village and were well out of eyesight, families in the barn were permitted to come out. The news of the Yazuac's massacre spread like an infectious weed. How could such a wonderful town with such talented fighters be destroyed?

Through all the grief and sadness at the loss of Yazuac, everyone knew that their despair was miniscule to that of Ky's. Even though he never talked, the town knew that was where his home was and where everyone he loved had lived. Now they were gone.

Gone.