The Deceit of Garos Chapter 21, a bad girls fanfic

Chapter Twenty-one.

The night drew in rapidly and the humans huddled together to keep warm. It wasn't particularly cold but the emotions of the day were catching up with them. Deadened sounds echoed slightly in the air, the horses were fairly quiet, they just heard the odd stamp of the hooves. The occasional munching sound as they ate and contented snorts, the smell was somehow comforting, warm and slightly musty, Nikki had expected it to be invasive and was surprised to find it wasn't.

Once darkness finally arrived, a slight glow emanated off the walls, some sort of phosphorous was embedding within the rock. One of the beds was large so they decided to use that between them. Trish lay down in the middle, separating Nikki and Helen and was the first to go to sleep. Not wanting to disturb her, the others didn't talk. The night slowly and quietly lulled them to join her in slumber.

It was Trish shouting and sitting up that woke them with a start.

"What?" asked Helen, her voice sounding sleepy and groggy.

"Sean," Trish moved so she could swing her legs over the bed. "He's coming to help."

"Come on T, I know things are different here but how on earth could you know that?" Nikki was worried her friend was feeling the strain.

"I'm telling you, I had a dream and somehow he's going to help."

"Sorry," said Helen still yawning. "But if it was a dream then…" She didn't get chance to finish the sentence because a very pissed off blond butted in.

"I'm telling you it's happening," Trish could feel her voice rising in frustration.

"Ok, ok, jeez, sorry, look, tell us what you saw," Helen apologized as she yawned again.

Placated, Trish recounted what she had seen. Everything from Sean's waking, to the cat's reaction and the confrontation between Sean and Fenner. Finally ending with Val's face when she heard what Sean was planning.

"But why would you see all that?" asked Helen puzzled, still trying to rub sleep from her face.

"Don't tell me it's escaped your notice how these two feel about each other? They must be emotionally linked somehow." Nikki noted Trish's discomfort at her directness and added. "Hey, don't be bashful, we all know it, and its time you two stopped pussy footing around and did something."

Before she could stop herself Trish blurted out. "A bit like you and Helen then."

For a conversation stopper it certainly works as an embarrassed silence descended. Helen cleared her throat. "Ah, that's, ah, er, as well, er, maybe, but right now, if this is true, I'm more worried about the direct threat made by Fenner about you."

"And I didn't much like the sound of them wanting us under their control. Damn, I wish Thomas hadn't gone off now," Nikki said. "I'm not sure it's that safe to stay here any longer," before the others could protest she quickly added. "I know, I know, but think about it, if Fenner wants to hurt Trish he won't wait. He'll be here as soon as he can, and if he's here then we shouldn't be."

"But how do we get Trish out, and how do we make contact with Thomas?" Helen pointed out.

"We try the double up on the horse idea, "Nikki was determined. "I'll take that risk, there was a small copse by the valley entrance, we should be able to hide there and wait for Thomas's return."

Not waiting for an answer she went over and started to tack up Horace. Trish and Helen looked at each other, neither of them was happy with the plan, but they knew Fenner would stop at nothing and was likely to come here first.

"Ok," Helen started to tack up her horse. "But we have to leave Trish if your life is put in danger."

"No!" Nikki rounded on her, furious.

Yes," came the emphatic reply. "Trish stands more chance of staying alive by being here if this doesn't work."

Nikki stood seething at Helen's words. "How dare you expect me to leave Trish behind."

Trish went over to her friend and placed a hand on her arm. "Nikki, she's right, think about it, these prisoners have no love for those outside, I'm sure they'll help shield me, and it's you two they really want, I can't put that in jeopardy."

Nikki's anger simmered, but she knew she was outnumbered. Silently she snatched up Horace's reins, spun around angrily on her heel and led him outside. Trish followed and once Nikki mounted, Trish held out her hand to be helped up to sit behind the saddle holding onto Nikki's waist.

Helen, being the better rider made one last attempt to persuade Nikki to let Trish go with her, but Nikki's stubbornness kicked in and she would hear nothing of it.

It took them a lot longer to make their way back to the entrance in the dark, and they were grateful the sound was deadened, but when they got there, they saw with dismay the Beast had woken. Now it was standing they could see it more clearly, a large animal. It looked a bit like a lizard only with huge wings that lay folded across it back, and it was lumbering about, low growling noises issued deep from within its throat.

Helen reined her horse to a standstill. "Shit."

"Does anything seem odd to you?" asked Nikki.

"Odd, yeah, of course something seems odd, there's a bloody great hulking carnivore standing in our sodding way."

"No," said Nikki exasperated. "I got the impression from Thomas that they were peaceful animals unless provoked, so what's wound this one up?"

"Well why don't you go and ask it?"

Nikki shrugged. "Good idea."

"What, No wait!" The sound of Horace's hooves clattering against the rock drowned out Helen's protest.

"Shit. Will that bloody woman ever learn when I'm joking?" Helen spurred her mount forward and quickly caught up with them. "For God's sake stop, it's suicide."

Nikki looked intently at her. "I don't think it is, something's riled that Beast and I don't believe it's us."

"You're asking me to go with gut instinct again aren't you?"

"Yes, I am."

Before Nikki could explain anymore, the Beast spotted them and giving a terrible roar blocked their path. Helen's horse reared in fright and if she had been a novice rider it would have almost certainly thrown her.

Rancid breath issued from its mouth as it spoke in surprising quiet but rich deep tones. "Who are you and where do you go?"

"Please. We wish to leave." Nikki decided the direct approach was going to be best.

"On whose authority?"

"Our freedom."

"One of you has no mount of their own, why should I listen to your plea?" The Beast slowly padded its way around the horses, inspecting them in detail. Its feet made no sound when they touched the ground.

"We mean no harm, these are troubled times and we need to find protection."

With a wary tone the Beast asked. "You did not answer my first question, so I say again. Who are you and where are you from?"

Nikki knew she had to be totally honest with her answer if they stood any chance of getting out alive. "We are from Earth, these are my friends," in a flash of inspiration she added. "And I am descended from Carod."

"Carod," the Beast roared before it spun around and growled loudly into the night.

Nikki hoped that she hadn't made an error mentioning Carod's name. Saying nothing seemed to be a wise move so she waited for the Beast to resume the conversation.

Seconds later and without warning the night sky was filled with winged Beasts coming from all directions, the air silent despite the massive winds beating through the atmosphere. The group was encircled by half a dozen within minutes and yet more were arriving.

The Beast greeting all new arrivals individually, when it was satisfied they were all present it spoke. "My brethren, we have in our midst a descendent from Carod." It waited for the low mummer that its words provoked to subside before it continued.

At that precise moment Sean had just finished outlining his plan to Val, she had instantly paled. Sean started to pile the swords and shield into a rucksack and she tried to stop him. "Where did you get this idea? Its madness, you have no way of knowing if it will work."

Sean paused what he was doing. "It was thanks to Trish, she had an idea when this first started about looking up local legends, and I expanded that on the Internet, simple," he resumed his packing.

"Please," Val begged him. "Don't."

"Val, I have to try, what's the worst that can happen."

"You'd die and I don't think I could live with my conscience if that happened."

"I am not the sort of person who makes rash decisions, you know that. And we know where a weak point in the Earth's surface is. That's half our job done already."

He threw the rucksack over his shoulder. "Hey, trust me, I'm an idiot."

"Not funny Sean!"

"Maybe not, however, I'm going and I would really like you to be there. Without your help my chances of succeeding are a lot less."

"I'm not going to talk you out of this." Val's tone was resigned, they had left the house and Sean was unlocking the car.

"Nope."

"Then I will do as you ask, just don't expect me to be happy about it."

"That's all I want, to expect more would be unfair."

The Beasts looked apprehensive, Nikki had been right, something had riled them, and Helen hoped that whatever it was it was in their favour.

Unexpectedly The Beast spoke directly to them. "I now share a great honour with you, do not abuse that trust, my name is Alastrine I am a secret Guardian of the human race, this was a pledge made to Lucan, and our kin are known as The Tutelory. You must follow me."

It turned and led them towards the copse that Nikki had mentioned earlier. When they reached its edge they could see that some of the trees were perfect camouflage for smaller Beasts. Alastrine growled a low greeting before it indicated that it wanted them to go into the trees.

"Our younger brothers will guide you to a safe place, we will meet again there."

It turned as if to leave them when suddenly Helen said. "Alastrine, sorry, but we have another to our party."

"You refer to Thomas?"

"Yes," Helen wondered how Alastrine knew Thomas's name but she wasn't going to push their luck any further. "He went to try and get some information for us, he has no idea that we were forced to move."

"Do not fear, our brethren will inform him of where to go."

Alastrine padded away indicating that it felt the conversation was over, the last they saw of it that night was an imposing sight as it growled to the others who gathered around.

Sean got out the car. "Well, I thought I had seen the last of this place, at least for time being."

Val looked at Stonehenge in the near distance. "So let me get this right, we don't need to be in the centre of the stones?"

"Nope," Sean handed her some bent metal. "It's an area just outside that we need."

She shook her head as she nervously handled the metal Sean had given her. "I just wish I could be confident."

"You'll be fine, now, are you ready to meet the ancestors?"

"To think Nikki went through all this without any prior warning, I don't know how she managed it. I think I would have had a heart attack."

Sean showed the way and for the first time Val got a feeling she couldn't fully explain. It must have shown because Sean asked. "You have got a connection haven't you?"

Val nodded, "I must have, and it's really strange. It's like a tingle is working its way up through the ground and slowly going from my toes to my head."

He reached out and took her hand reassuringly. "Only a few more paces and we'll be in the right place."

Then, exactly as it had happened before, only Nikki and Helen had been standing in that spot, there was a light that emanated between them. Visible only to those who were meant to see it, gradually the figures of Carod and Anharod appeared. The moment the pair saw Val and Sean concern passed across their features, and instantly Anharod stated. "Something has gone wrong."

She turned her attention to Val and her face softened. "My child, I always believed you would never give up and lose faith."

Val stuttered a bit from the emotion that she felt flowing uncontrollably through her veins. "So that part of me that never gave up came from you?"

"It did my precious one. But we have more important things to discuss right now, what has happened?"

It took Val and Sean about five minutes to fully explain what had happened, but once they reached the bit where Sean's plan was being outlined Val fell silent. Sean started to prepare the items he had brought with him as he talked.

"It is indeed a bold plan," Carod's voice resonated with that richness that others found so hypnotizing.

"But do you think it will work?" Val asked.

"It might. You realize the part you play is important?"

"That's what worries me."

"Do not let it."

Both Carod and Anharod moved towards her, to Val's surprise the figures felt solid as they placed their hands on her head. Instantly she felt a different person, a fission of power raced through her body, every nerve end tingled, the world seemed to spin around her but she didn't feel dizzy. The moment they removed their hands Sean took over.

He stood on the shield directly in front of her, and held both swords, one in each hand. He needed to shout to make his voice carry above the chanting that Anharod and Carod had begun, the language they spoke was the same Thomas had used earlier. "Val, you need to dowse for the Earths energy field now."

She grasped the metal rods like he had shown her, and remembering what Nikki had done in the past Val tried to clear her mind of everything except the magnetic forces from the Earth. Her eyes scrunched up tightly from the concentration. She felt Sean touch the tips of the metal rods with the sword points, then without warning everything went deathly silent. She didn't dare open her eyes. The fear of failure still plagued her. If they had not succeeded she knew Sean's body would be lying in front of her and they would not be able to revive him.

She found herself praying in soft tones. "Please let have worked, please let it have worked."

Slowly, she peaked with one eye, and to her relief saw no body, opening both eyes fully she could see that Sean had disappeared, the only sign that he had been there was a scorch mark on the ground where the shield had rested. "My God, it worked!"

Val jumped when Anharod replied from behind her, for some reason she had not been expecting either of them to still be there. "He is a brave and clever man, Trish is lucky to have him. Even we had not thought of getting to the other realm that way,"

"He's all that isn't he," Val couldn't help but smile with pride as she turned to face them. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but why are you still here?"

"Because you are our kin, it would not be fair to vanish without a proper goodbye."

"Will I ever see you again?"

Carod was the one to answer that question. "Even I cannot see what is in the stars, but if our loved ones succeed, then yes, we will always be able to see each other."

"I'm glad, it would be nice."

Silently Anharod and Carod touched her face in a tender embrace goodbye, she leant into their hands briefly, tears pricked the back of Val's eyes and unable to trust her voice she nodded her thanks. The figures slowly drifted into the dawn sky leaving Val alone knowing she could do no more, with a heavy heart she made her way back to the car and drove home.

The Beasts had taken them to a village that obviously housed more of their kind. On the way, they had shown considerable stealth skills for large animals. Not once did any of them speak, and soon as they reached their destination they just pointed to the shelter that was used as stabling. Patiently they waited while the horses were tethered before they led the way to the large and very tall round house that was in the central section of the dwellings. The way the village was laid out and the construction of the buildings reminded Helen of an Iron Age site that was being excavated when she had first arrived in Wiltshire. The archaeologist in her knew she would want to reappraise that dig when they got back.

Even Trish who was the shortest of the three had to duck slightly to get through the doorway. Wider than most it was obviously built to allow the Beasts to enter crouched on all fours. Eyes soon adjusted to the dim light, a large fire roared in the central grate. Smaller rooms were partitioned off all around the outer wall, with a huge central bench running right around the fire. Opposite the door the bench was wider than at any other point and it was there that a smaller version of Alastrine sat. Several other Beasts stood a discrete distance away.

On their arrival the smaller Beasts pointed towards the bench. "Please sit."

Once they were comfortable the Beast spoke again. "I am Gildas, husband to Alastrine."

"Pardon?" Nikki spluttered. "Alastrine is your wife?"

"I see that you have made the mistake that all humans make." a low chuckle accompanied his statement. "In our society the order is reversed, once the females have produced children they continue in the warrior role and we, the males, stay and tend our homesteads. Many people on seeing us for the first time assume that the larger animal is the male."

"Wow, I like that idea," said Nikki in awe.

"Hang on. So, you're telling me that the Beasts we saw were female?" Helen couldn't keep the doubt out of her voice.

Nikki swore she saw the Beast smile as he replied. "The smaller ones, no, we all fulfil the warrior's role until we are joined with another, but the larger ones, yes, that's correct."

Helen coughed as if to clear her throat. Nikki decided to interrupt something fearful Helen might unintentionally insult their hosts. "Actually, there are cases in the wild where the male is the smaller of the species... "

Helen raised her hand to forestall what Nikki was going to say. "I get it, a house husband," she shrugged. "I can live with that."

"Well that could be a bit simplistic," counted Nikki.

Gildas laughed a throaty sound. "Please, I take no offence, it may be simplistic but it is about as accurate as you can get," his tone became grave. "However, enough for now, I must discuss with you the events of this past day."

"You mean the attack on us?" said Helen.

Gildas nodded. "It has left this realm in terrible turmoil and unless something is done soon I fear that all within this universe will be torn asunder. First I must stress that our tribe of Beasts are known as the Tutelory and in the past our role has always been clandestine. In these troubles times our species is being split apart and we need to keep our identity separate from other Beasts. From now on we stand in the open and proudly declare who we really are. We must no longer be afraid to go by our chosen personality. The cowardly atrocity against you changed our realm for ever."

"Do you have any idea who could have committed the act?" asked Trish.

Gildas sighed. "We suspect a side, but do not yet have an idea as to the person or persons involved, without that, it may be the only way to stop the destruction could lie with you."

"But we're human," objected Helen. "What good could we possibly do?"

Before Gildas could answer there was a commotion outside, he immediately sent one of the other Tutelory out to see what was happening. Within seconds they were back. "Sire, Thomas has been spotted a few leagues from here."

"Good, send the sentinels to fetch him, the sooner we can intercept him the better. He has been far too skilful in avoiding our scouts until now. Remember to show the flag of truce. With luck he will recognise our colours."

"As you command Sire."

"And now back to your question human, before I answer, I will ask, why do you think you were attacked?"

Helen shrugged. "I really don't know, we thought we were only going to be negotiating a truce, not be in a war zone."

"Except you had the scrolls and since they left these lands something unexpected happened."

"What was that?" Nikki was curious, for some reason she thought the answer lay with her, she was right.

"Carod fell in love. An event nobody had foreseen. But, let us wait until Thomas arrives, it may give us a stronger understanding of what has happened."

Gildas went quiet. The others sensed it would have been a breach of protocol if they had carried on talking so they fell silent. Subconsciously Helen reached out and grasped Nikki's hand. She was comforted by the light squeeze Nikki gave her in return.

After a fairly short time they heard horses coming through the trees. Gildas looked towards the entrance. "Ah, our sentinels return and I hear the hooves from an unknown horse. Thomas must be with them."

Sure enough, a few minutes later Thomas strode into the hut. "Gildas," he bowed as he approached. "Sire, it is indeed an honour to have your protection in these times."

Gildas stood from the bench and went to where Thomas had stopped, placing a paw on his shoulder he commanded. "Thomas, Realm's protector and defender, never feel the need to bow within the place of our kin, you have proved yourself worthy to be our equal." He swept his paw aside towards the others. "As have you humans."

"That is indeed an enormous privilege, we thank you Sire." Thomas was obviously deeply moved by Gildas's generosity.

Gildas strode back to the bench. "And so to business, I take it the scouts explained why the humans are here," he only waited for a brief nod off Thomas before he continued. "Good, then they have done their job well, so please tell us what you have discovered."

Taking a long breath Thomas told them of his time away. "I first went to a cousin's house to find that they, along with all my other family have been arrested without charge. Everybody is too scared to talk but I finally managed to find an old friend within Lucan's ranks who would help me. The news is not good. Lucan has been murdered."

"Ah," understanding dawned on Gildas's face. "That would explain everything. Do we know who commented this atrocity?"

"We do, it came within his own ranks. Kealad was responsible. I also heard that he now seeks revenge on us for surviving the blast."

Gildas shook his head. "I always worried about Kealad. Lucan was a brave man to challenge Garos, and he appeared to do so for all the right reason. However, to trust a man such as Kealad and to hold him so close was, in my view a step too far. Lucan confided in me a few leagues back. He was sure there was a traitor in his ranks and that the scrolls held the key to that Guardian's identity."

Nikki whispered to Helen. "That would explain why Lucan was hesitating about using the scrolls when we were meeting the envoys. Wasn't Kealad the one who was accused of murder in the scrolls?"

"Yes, and if I remember rightly that's one of the stories you read from the scrolls. According to them, Kealad defence is he killed Abrais fairly, in battle."

Helen raised her voice so the others could hear. "Just out of interest, were any questions ever raised about how Abrais died?"

Thomas answered her. "Yes, there were, after Carod left with the scrolls Lucan held an surprise inquiry into some of the killings made on the battlefield, that was one of deaths looked into. Kealad denied that he had deliberately ignored Abrais's pleas to be spared. The Guardian who witnessed this event mysteriously disappeared. It now looks as though he may have been killed to prevent him testifying, why do you ask?"

"The scrolls partly support Kealad's version of events, I'm puzzled by that, if Lucan was sure what had happened why sent that scroll with Carod."

Gildas and Thomas looked at each other, and in an absentminded manner Thomas said. "That would make sense, if Kealad found out what Lucan planned he might have slipped that scroll in with the others to give himself an alibi but if came to light now it could have ruined him. Of course by the time Kealad realized he couldn't retrieve Lucan's real scrolls, Carod fell in love with Anharod so not only did he become mortal but his soul stayed on Earth, eternally linked with Anharod and their kin. The inquiries took a long time to set up, I suspect by then Carod had died and the knowledge of the scrolls died with him. Kealad didn't dare do anything until events had run their natural course and the scrolls been recovered, if he had made a move any sooner it would have given his game away. He must have hated Carod for that."

"Lost except to those of Wade blood, Carod hid the scrolls, if Kealad's the sort that goes in for revenge that means I was the one he wanted to kill with that blast. He just didn't care about whom else died. He wants me," Nikki didn't often feel nervous about anything, but she was frightened now. Kealad had proved he would stop at nothing.

Sean landed up in a wheat field, the wind completely knocked out of him, and he was sure his eyebrows were singed from the electric charge that had been created by combining the swords and rods that Val was holding. Certainly his hands had been slightly burned by the impact. He'd come prepared, and removed the first aid kit that he'd packed in the rucksack before Val had got to the house. He rubbed some salve onto his fingers and debated whether or not to put some bandages on, looking at the skin it wasn't blistering so he decide not to bother.

Sean knew Val wouldn't have agreed with him, but he felt as though the easy part was over, even though he was in a strange place, and Jim Fenner was on the loose. Where the others were was a complete mystery. Sean certainly wasn't going to risk going up to the first person he saw. Carefully he packed up the artefacts, before he picked a direction to travel. Not having a clue about where he was or where he needed to go he just went with what seemed right.

A few hours of hard walking and he was beginning to regret his decision, the terrain had got rockery and hillier and as the miles were covered, the sun started beating down sapping his remaining energy. Deciding to stop and rest, Sean realized he'd not really had any sleep for 48 hours. 'Not the best way to carry on with a rescue,' he wryly chastised himself. At least with the rocky outcrops were a few low overhangs that would give him good protection from the elements while he slept. He was very carefully in choosing one. The shelter also needed to stop prying eyes from seeing him.

Finally Sean was satisfied with the choice, as luck would have it the place he opted for had an earth base, unlike the others that had been made entirely of rock. Grateful for small mercies Sean used the rucksack as a pillow, pulled his jacket up around his neck and fell asleep before he could even wonder about the fate of his friends.

Helen made the first move to comfort Nikki.

Thomas carried on talking to Gildas in low tones before he joined the two women. "Gildas tells me you decided to move because you didn't feel safe, what made you take such a risk?"

"Shit, we forgot to tell you about Trish's dream," Helen could have kicked herself for forgetting.

Thomas turned to Trish. "Dream? What sort of dream?"

She told him what had happened, and that she was sure, more than ever it was actually a premonition. To her relief Thomas didn't question what had happened but went straight back over to talk to Gildas.

Within minutes Gildas had sent some of the other Tutualory outside before he and Thomas moved into one of the small rooms to discuss things in more detail. Realizing they would make no useful contribution the others stayed where they were, worried about Nikki's future.

Nikki turned to Helen. "I know I'm the one Kealad really wants, but would you consider keeping the scrolls with you. That way he has less chances of success."

Helen gently hugged Nikki. "I'm ahead of you on that one. I took the scrolls out of your saddle bag at the valley. I didn't say anything because you were so worried about getting Trish to safety but the moment she mentioned Fenner had said that they needed something from us I guessed the scrolls might be involved."

Sean stretched in the dark and immediately regretted it, his body was finally protesting about the mistreatment it has been receiving the last couple of days, his muscles felt like lead, and he was so stiff he could hardly move, he groaned loudly, as much out of frustration as anything. Suddenly a big pair of eyes glowed in front of him and a voice that sounded anything but friendly said. "Well, well, what do we have here?"