Deltora's Protector
Chapter 15 – News From Home
Previously on Deltora's Protector:
Harry Potter was tortured for months in a prison known as the Island. During his stay he lost his voice and as such can no longer speak. A rescue attempt was made and while Harry managed to get out, it wasn't in England he returned to. He was washed ashore the western shore of Deltora and taken care of by Verity, the spirit girl of Bone Point Lighthouse. Shortly afterwards he met Steven, Nevets and Queen Bee. He was renamed Aiden and spent a few months recovering at Queen Bee's orchard. One day he snuck away to the City of the Rats and became the owner of a fine bracelet. Aiden joined Steven on his rounds and during his adventures became friends with the Ralads, a Dread Gnome, the Resistance and became an enemy of the Shadow Lord.
The seven Great Gems of Deltora have been returned to the Belt of Deltora. Lief of Del has been identified as Heir, and the Shadow Lord has been driven from Deltora back to the Shadowlands.
The adventure continues...
Aiden slept for one day before waking to help with the wounded, much to everyone's dismay. He was still sore from his stomach wound, but he ignored it in favor of easing the pain from the Resistance members who had been injured, and the Del citizens who had been caught in the battle. When he spotted one of his friends making their way towards him he would disappear to another area of the wounded. The children thought it all a fun game, and often helped him to hide. In return for their help Aiden would play his music for them and create little fire figures no bigger than his hand that would dance through the air.
Two days were set aside for burying the dead, and Aiden played a haunting melody of lost love and future promises. Manus joined him with his own music, though the Ralad man hadn't requested Aiden return to have his own injuries seen to. Aiden promised Manus that he would visit Raladin, but he wasn't sure when it would be possible as this moment in time would be most dangerous for Lief as the new King of Deltora.
After the funerals Lief and Aiden hid away in one of the tall towers and talked. Aiden told Lief everything about himself, from living in the cupboard under the stairs, to attending Hogwarts, to being imprisoned on the Island, and finally being rescued. He hypothesized that the creature that had saved him was acting on behalf of Deltora, as the land had sensed that the Protector would be needed again and Aiden had the right qualities that it was looking for.
In return, Lief told Aiden everything about himself, growing up as a blacksmith's son, playing in the city, avoiding Grey Guards, and his quest with Barda and Jasmine. He also spoke of his fears of being King, often feeling like a fraud or inadequate to rule when everyone who looked to him in awe and hope were older than him. He felt that the expectations they placed on him would bury him. And then there was the fact that he needed an Heir of his own, or Deltora would once again be without a ruler and the Shadow Lord would be able to crush them easily.
Doom, over the following few weeks, spent most of his time with Jasmine, getting to know his now grown daughter, but he still also made time for Aiden. Jasmine told him after one of her talks with her father that she had always wanted a sibling. And so Jasmine became Aiden's sister, and Doom became his surrogate father. To celebrate having a family, and a sibling, Aiden and Jasmine played several practical jokes on Doom. Aiden's favourite was when he and Jasmine had swapped all the furniture in Doom's room from one side to the other and everything that was on the walls or desks was turned upside down. Jasmine took it one step further and rearranged Doom's clothes in their draws.
Queen Sharn, who helped Lief by overseeing day-to-day requirements of the palace so that he could focus on the bigger things, had welcomed Aiden into the family as well. She had admitted that while they were in hiding, she and Endon had wanted another child but had never been able to. But as Lief had spoken of him often in his childhood, she already felt a connection with him and requested that he also call her mother. Aiden had a lot of trouble with that, but instead of calling her Queen Sharn, My Lady, or Your Majesty, he had started to call her Sharn. She also presented him with a cloak made from the same material as Lief's cloak, but for some reason it was darker than Lief's.
Aiden never took the cloak off.
Steven and Nevets had remained in Del to help with the healing of the wounded, and the selling of their wares, but they were on their way back to the orchard. Aiden would be going with them before returning back to Del to make sure that Lief didn't get himself killed in his absence.
Due to how magically charged the battle had been, and the fact that Lief still had Aiden's protection over him, the two shared a mental link that could be accessed by focusing on either the Belt or the bracelet, depending on who was initiating the conversation. Aiden thought it also had something to do with how they had been close as imaginary friends, but didn't put much thought into it for he would know of any danger Lief was in no matter where they were.
Sion had had the time of his life during the battle, but had requested to return to the forests where he could brag to his nest mates about what he had accomplished, and the humans he had bitten. Aiden would be seeing him off, and while he would miss the snake, Sion promised that if he was needed again he would willingly come.
So now Aiden was back at the orchard, and reveled in the fact that he could speak to convey his thoughts. Bee was impressed at the tale that he, Steven and Nevets spun, though it was Steven who told her about Aiden's own injuries as Aiden wouldn't have told her on his own.
"So what are your plans now Aiden?" Bee asked as she placed a bowl of stew before each of the boys at the table. "Will you remain in Del with the new King?"
"In time," Aiden admitted. "Barda and Jasmine are protecting him at the moment, and there's no way that Doom would let anything to happen to him now that there is finally freedom in Deltora. And if anything major happens I can be there instantly."
"How will you know?" Steven asked around a mouthful of stew.
"Lief and I are connected through the Belt and my bracelet," Aiden admitted, shaking his arm to emphasize his point. "All he needs to do is call for me and I will be by his side in a flash of fire. My phoenix form allows me to do that."
"I saw that form of yours, during the battle," Steven said with a nod. "For a moment I thought you were an Ol, but you had been wearing the Belt for the journey so I knew that it was you. Dain had melted once the Belt was wrapped around his waist due to the evil that created him. May I see your other form later?"
"Sure."
"So does that mean you will stay here and help me out?" Bee asked, drawing attention back to her.
"For a while, but I also want to visit others who I promised I would," Aiden explained as he drained the last of the stew in his bowl. "The Ralads in particular, and the Dread Gnomes, but most of all I want to head back to Bone Point. I have a feeling that I need to be there, that there's someone I need to meet."
"As long as you don't forget to eat again," Bee warned. "It hasn't escaped my notice that you haven't been eating, again."
"There was no time to eat!"
"You need to keep your strength up," Steven warned. "I don't know if you were paying attention to the adults' gossip when you were distracting the children from the aftermath of the battle, but there are whispers of the slaves still in the Shadowlands. In time there will be requests for Lief to lead an army over the mountains to rescue them."
"If he goes, I cannot follow him," Aiden cautioned. "This bracelet, like the Belt of Deltora, cannot pass Deltora's borders. And I was listening. The children also speak of how their parents, family and neighbours were taken to the Shadowlands. They kept asking me if I would be going to save them with the King."
"And what did you tell them?" Bee asked.
"I told them that if we could find a way to get them home, we would."
"You have such a kind heart, my Aiden," Bee told him, smoothing down his hair as she started to clear the table. "Sometimes I wonder how, knowing part of what you've been through."
Aiden didn't know what to say to that, so instead he remained silent and helped her to clean up.
For one week Aiden remained with Bee. Steven and Nevets left heading west after a few days, and Aiden had waved them off until they were out of sight. Every night he contacted Lief to find out what was happening in Del, and was informed of Lief's plan to find an Heir. Apparently, Adin had had more than one child in fact he had had five children, all who married Torans and had children of their own. Aiden recommended asking Doom for help, as there was no way that Lief would be able to research on his own and look after his new kingdom. He would be burnt out before week's end.
There was also the fact that Lief was being constantly advised about matters of the kingdom by three elderly advisors, which was driving him crazy. The three remembered how the palace had been run before the Shadow Lord took over, but Lief was far too stubborn to be bound to the rules of old. The only way he was able to escape the three advisors was if he snuck away using the tunnels Manus had shown him before he returned to Raladin. Doom, Sharn, Barda and Jasmine were the only ones who knew where Lief ran off to, with Doom joining him often. Aiden didn't think that Lief had spent so much as a single day in the city since being dragged through prior to the Shadow Lord's defeat.
Aiden then spent a few days with the Ralads, all excited now that they could speak to each other. Music was played, stories were told, and Aiden entertained the children with his fire figurines the children of Del had loved so much. From there he flew west to visit Gla-Thon and spent a few days with her and the Kin. They had all seen his phoenix form during the battle, so he had no need to hide it from them.
Near the end of his stay with the Dread Gnomes Aiden was disappointed to discover that Lief had kept something big from him. He had felt a pulse from his bracelet, warning him that something was happening, but it had faded too fast for him to know what it was. It was only after, when he was speaking to Lief that night, that he realised that there had been an assassination attempt.
Lief, I am your Protector. I want to know about these things, Aiden scolded. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, left arm grasping his bracelet, head bowed and eyes closed. To all appearances he was sleeping in the middle of the room. Lief was in his room in the palace, leaning against the wall and hands resting on the Belt.
It was over so quickly that I didn't even think of calling you, Lief replied apologetically. The woman was unable to get close to me, and when she failed she turned the knife on herself. It was over in moments but Barda was with me and he got me out of the Entrance Hall as fast as he could.
Still, I want you to call me next time, Aiden stated.
That depresses me Aiden, Lief pointed out. When you say: "next time."
You are the King of Deltora, but you have only been King for a few weeks, Aiden cautioned. The Shadow Lord isn't going to stop trying to defeat you just because you wear the Belt. As you have discovered, a thrust of a knife will do the job just as well.
That's why I'm looking for my Heir!
Is Doom helping you?
Yes, Lief acknowledged. It's getting harder to dodge my advisors. Where are you at the moment?
Dread Mountain, everyone says hello. And don't stress about the advisors, I'll help when I get back.
Where will you go next?
I'm heading to Bone Point tomorrow, Aiden revealed. Another week and I will be back in Del, unless you call me earlier, then I will be there in seconds.
Lief acknowledged the subtle hint before ending the conversation. Aiden opened his eyes with a sigh and went outside again. News from Del was troubling, but expected. However, as much as he wanted to, Aiden knew that there was something in the west that he needed to find before returning, his opal was telling him that much at least.
He flew down to the main road before settling in one of the trees as a human. The Dread Gnomes knew that he preferred the open air as opposed to their caves, and only requested that he let them know when he was going instead of disappearing. He pulled his flute from his shirt and once again started to play random songs. There was something that he wanted to experiment with, and that was creating specific images from fire that was manipulated by his music. It was a lot harder than creating fire figurines on their own as he had been doing with the children.
"Do my ears deceive me? Or is that young Aiden playing in the trees?"
Aiden looked down and a broad grin spread across his face, fire figurines fading away. Dancing far below him along the road were the Masked Ones, though the caravan that Bess, the woman who wore an owl mask and leader of the Masked Ones, was riding on had stopped. Aiden grabbed his phoenix mask from his bag and slipped it on before sliding down the tree trunk.
"Pyro!" Aiden laughed as Zerry, a young boy in a polypan mask and a friend Aiden had made when he was last with the traveling group, collided with him in happiness.
"Long time, no see Zerry," he said. Zerry jumped back, and even with the mask covering his face Aiden knew that his mouth had fallen open in shock.
"When did you learn to talk?" he asked.
"I already knew how to talk," Aiden told him, gently tapping Zerry's head with his flute. "But as my throat was damaged, Queen Bee Honey helped to heal it. Now I can talk. It's so much easier to talk than it is to write."
"I'm thrilled to hear that Aiden," Bess stated. "Climb up and tell me all about it."
The woman indicated the seat next to her on the caravan and Aiden nodded. He looked back once over his shoulder and played a short tune on his flute to attract the nearest Kin. The nearest Kin also happened to be Prin, the young Kin who had assisted Lief, Barda and Jasmine when they were still recovering the Emerald.
"Aiden! What do you need?" Prin asked excitedly. "Who are your friends? Why are you wearing a mask? Are they staying for dinner?"
"Prin, please let everyone know that I'm leaving early," Aiden interrupted with a laugh. "These are the Masked Ones, and I have travelled with them before. If you or the others need me send word to Del and Lief will be able to contact me."
"I'll miss you," Prin stated tearfully. Aiden hugged her, pulling off his mask and winking at the youngling.
"I'll be back one day, don't cry," he told her. "You need to set a good example for the new little ones."
Prin promised that she would be brave as Aiden pulled his mask back down over his face and jumped up next to Bess. The caravans started to move again, and Zerry ran back to inform the others that Aiden had come back.
"You're friends with the King?" Bess asked softly, her tone strange. Aiden looked at her and nodded.
"The King is my age, and as trouble prone as I am," he explained. "I am Deltora's Protector, as I'm sure you've gathered from the rumors spreading across Deltora."
"So you protect the King?"
"I protect Deltora," Aiden corrected. "You don't like the King? He's still young, I know, but he will grow and gain experience."
"Us of the Masked Ones have never supported the Kings or Queens of Deltora," Bess told him. "Long ago, they turned their backs on us, and we have learnt to fend for ourselves. We will never support the line of Adin."
"That's alright," Aiden said, once again turning his attention to the front and listening to the chatter behind them. "As far as I'm concerned, you're still Deltoran, and therefore under my protection. Whether you support Lief or not, that's your choice."
"Deltora made a fine choice in selecting you," Bess praised. "Few would accept our beliefs as you do, without first trying to sway our opinion."
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and belief," Aiden preached. "I will still protect them as best I can, as long as they're not trying to kill me."
"Fair enough," Bess laughed. "Where are you leaving us this time?"
"Bone Point Road," Aiden supplied. "I'm meeting someone there."
"That we can do. Now play your music! I have desired to hear it for so long!"
Aiden laughed and started to play again. He was glad to be back with the happy people of the Masked Ones, and after stopping he was also glad to catch up with all his friends and actually communicate with them.
All in all, Aiden spent four days with the Masked Ones before leaving them at Bone Point Road. Once they were out of sight he took to the air and didn't return to his human form until he was at the lighthouse. The door opened easily under his touch, and he let himself in.
"Verity? Are you here?" he called. Soft laughter greeted him and a partially transparent figure appeared in front of him. Now that he could see clearly, he noticed that Verity was quite attractive, with long red hair and a yellow dress that flowed around her as easily as water. Her feet were bare, but she didn't seem to mind as her smile was bright and vibrant. She looked to be around sixteen years old, but as Aiden was a bad judge of age she could have been older or younger.
"You look a lot better than the last time you were here," Verity observed.
"I feel better," Aiden admitted. "And I want to thank you for that. I know I would have died on this beach if it hadn't been for you."
"Deltora wanted you to live," Verity explained as her form jumped onto the couch, pulling her feet under her as she did so. Aiden sat next to her, but twisted his body so that he was facing her.
"But you were the one who healed me," he insisted. "Maybe Deltora made that possible, but I am still grateful to you."
"You're very kind," Verity giggled. "What can I do for you, Mr. Protector?"
"To update you on what has happened in Deltora, if you haven't heard it already."
"I have heard whispers from the birds and the land, but I would like to hear it from you."
Aiden grinned and explained everything that had happened since he had left the lighthouse. His story telling took the greater part of the rest of the day, but Verity was an attentive audience and once he started he couldn't stop. As the sun set she pulled him outside, the magic of the lighthouse and Deltora giving her partial substance and they walked along the beach hand in hand as Aiden finished his story.
"Deltora is happy that the Shadow Lord has been defeated," Verity whispered. "But there is still darkness. Have you felt it?"
"Yes," Aiden admitted. "There are whispers demanding that Lief lead an army to the Shadowlands, but an army would be decimated before getting close to the Shadow Lord. And then there's something else…there are days when it's like the very land is zapping my strength."
"The land is dying," Verity agreed. "A poison is draining the land of life, on dark days I feel it more keenly."
"What happened to you Verity?" Aiden asked softly. "You are bound to the lighthouse, forever unchanging. What evil bound such a free spirit as you?"
"I could blame the Shadow Lord, but in truth I bound myself here after I died," Verity admitted. "Captain James Gant, of the Lady Luck, tricked my father into gambling away more than he could afford. To repay him, James told my father that either the light would go out, or I would be taken from him. The light could not be allowed to die, so James took me to his ship where we waited for days. The Shadow Lord destroyed the Belt of Deltora while I was aboard the Lady Luck. I admit that I angered James, forcefully bound him to his oath and his crew. He stabbed me through my heart and my blood dripped into the ocean. My body is still preserved on the Lady Luck."
"Where is the Lady Luck?" Aiden asked.
"Out there," Verity indicated with her head. "Just beyond Deltora's border. It drifts endlessly, following Captain James. You cannot help me Aiden, you cannot pass the border."
"I will find a way," Aiden promised, turning so that he could take both her hands in his. "I promise you that I will find a way to free you. You deserve to be free, not chained to this place."
"I will hold you to that promise," Verity whispered. "Thank you."
"You saved my life," Aiden whispered back as he pulled her into a hug. He was only a few inches taller than she was and could just see over the top of her head. "It's the least I can do to repay you."
Verity returned the hug before pulling back. Her eyes looked over the ocean's horizon, and Aiden followed her gaze. He hadn't expected to see anything, but the small white speck on the horizon set his heart racing and a smile appeared on his face. He would recognise that silhouette anywhere.
"Hedwig!"
Hedwig had been torn between harshly pecking Aiden's head and cooing at him fondly. In the end Aiden's hands had been bitten often enough that he was sure scars would remain. Hedwig had since curled up on his chest and showed no indication that she would be leaving his side any time soon. Verity had found the entire performance amusing, but then left to haunt the lighthouse.
All night Aiden talked to Hedwig repeating the same story he had told Verity only hours earlier, and made himself comfortable on the first floor of the lighthouse. He showed Hedwig his phoenix form, and she appeared excited that she could now fly with him. Aiden had promised that they would have time for it, but first she needed to rest.
The following morning Aiden received a call for help from Lief, and only briefly warning Hedwig that he would be back, he transformed and appeared in the Entrance Hall of Del Palace in a flash of flames. A man with a set of crutches next to him had a death grip on Lief's throat, and the young King was struggling to break the hold. His guards were also helping him, but none had the strength to free him. So Aiden transformed and grabbed the would-be assassin's head, channeling his magic into the man's muscles and forcing him to release Lief's neck.
Lief fell backwards as the hand released him, struggling to breathe, but Aiden saw that he would be fine. The would-be assassin was carried away, but before he could be taken far, another person darted through the crowd and slit his throat so that he would never be able to talk, and then he died before Aiden could reach him. Aiden wanted to run after the assassin of the would-be assassin, but Lief needed him more so he walked after the King. The remaining guards had carried him from the Entrance Hall as soon as possible and Aiden followed them to a sitting room. He healed Lief's throat as soon as he was next to him, and grinned.
"Trouble find you again?" he asked.
"Always," Lief replied rubbing his healed throat in gratitude after Aiden stepped back. "Thanks."
"No problem."
"Come, we can speak in my room and I know that mother will be after you to eat something once she knows that you're here," Lief ordered.
"Sounds good, but I have one more thing that I need to do," Aiden said as they began to walk. "Give me ten minutes and I'll be back in your room."
With that he transformed so that he could return to Hedwig, and give his farewells to Verity. Hedwig would fly to Del once she was recovered, and Verity had wished him luck. Aiden smiled at her and returned to Del, arriving in Lief's room before the King.
"So, how goes your plans?" Aiden asked once Lief appeared.
"Well, I've begun forging another Belt, a decoy," Lief began. "Doom's idea, but one I support wholeheartedly. We're making progress on Adin's bloodline, I'm guessing that there's another three hundred years to go until I reach living relations."
"Need some help?" Aiden asked. "Not with the forging, I know nothing about blacksmithing, but I can attempt to help with tracking down the bloodline of Adin."
"Doom and I are usually in the library, and with this latest assassination attempt I think I might just barricade myself in there."
"And the Room?"
"You know about that?"
"Lief, I may not have been in Deltora long, but I can definitely sense the evil in that room. Have you tried to destroy it?"
"The first two weeks that you were gone," Lief admitted. "It was horrible, I lacked the strength to do it on my own, so I barricaded it and forbid anyone from entering it."
"I could have a go?"
"No, leave it for now," Lief ordered. "What have you heard on your travels?"
"The whispers are getting louder for you to lead an army over the mountains. They're spreading discontent with the people to the west and north. They have lost a lot during the Shadow Lord's reign, but there's nothing that either of us could do."
"Not until I have an Heir at least."
"You need an Heir, yes, but I don't have one. I won't be able to go to the Shadowlands with you, and I have a really bad feeling about removing this bracelet."
"What do you mean?"
"You remember what I told you about the Dark Lord?" Aiden asked. At Lief's nod he continued. "Before I came here I could easily sense his emotions, and at times see through his eyes. But after putting on the bracelet I haven't felt anything. I have a feeling that he believes me dead, but taking off the bracelet will not only inform him of my survival, but also lead him to Deltora's shores. With the threat of the Shadow Lord still hanging over us, introducing another Dark Lord is only going to permanently cripple this land."
"So once the Shadow Lord has been defeated you'll leave?"
"Despite everything, this is now my home," Aiden sighed. "If we can defeat the Shadow Lord, and I can get a message to my friends, we'll see. I don't want to leave if that's what you're worried about, but I will if my staying here proves to be too dangerous."
"You leaving would be dangerous," Lief told him seriously. "As Protector you have a closer link with the land than I do, but even I can tell that the land sings when you're here. It may sound odd, but I've noticed that the plants and crops grow stronger when you're near."
"Wherever I go the land draws upon my power," Aiden confirmed. "Something is slowly killing the land, and wherever I go it pulls upon the energy that I have to sustain life."
"The land is killing you?" Lief asked in sudden fear. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because at the rate that the land is taking from me, I regain most of that energy from food and rest," Aiden reclined on Lief's bed with a sigh. "If it was anything serious I would tell you."
"You don't think your health is a serious matter?"
"My health is fine."
"Even I can tell you're exhausted," Lief informed him. "Mother will be up here soon. You can eat and then sleep right where you are. I'm meeting Doom later to work on the Decoy-Belt some more."
At that moment there was a knock on the door, and Lief answered with a grin. Sharn walked in with a tray of two meals. Aiden smiled as he realised she was feeding Lief as well.
"Aiden!" she gasped in shock after putting the tray down. "What happened to your hands?"
Aiden looked at his hands curiously before grinning in realization. The gouges in his skin from where Hedwig had shown her displeasure at him were still red raw, though no longer bleeding. He casually sent some healing energy into them, closing them over but leaving the scars as a reminder not to upset his owl.
"The lovely lady that I was meeting in the west was displeased at my long absence from her life," he explained. "She'll be here in a few days if she obeyed my order to rest, or tomorrow if she didn't. I have missed her so."
"A lovely lady?" Lief asked with eyebrows raised. "I didn't realise that you had time to woo a lady."
"Woo?" Aiden asked, before his eyes widened and face reddened as he realised how his statement had been considered. "It's not what you're thinking. Hedwig, my owl, has made it to Deltora's shores, and I was meeting her. She has flown a long way and I wanted her to rest before flying here, but she is as stubborn as a certain King I know so I doubt that she would rest."
"An owl?" Sharn asked.
"You'll meet her soon Sharn," Aiden promised. "How goes palace life?"
Sharn began to explain how life after the Shadow Lord's reign was progressing, watching the two boys eat the food she had provided for them. At times Aiden burst into laughter at her annoyance of other palace staff, but sympathized with her under her stern gaze. He couldn't understand how anyone considered her to be nothing more than a painted doll. She had a back bone and wouldn't allow anyone to tell her what to do.
By the time the boys were finished eating, Aiden was all but asleep where he was sitting. Lief pushed him flat on the bed and ordered him to sleep. Aiden waved his hand dismissively, and the other two left. In the morning Aiden would return to the city and see what his child fans were up to. For now though he would sleep, a soft melody ringing through his mind.
The next day Aiden escaped from the palace before anyone noticed him so he could walk through Del in peace. There was a warm and gentle breeze winding through the streets, causing Aiden's hair to fly up. Over the duration of his stay in Deltora his hair had grown long enough that it now brushed his shoulders, making it that much more manageable. He figured that he would need to start tying it up, or cut it again, but he almost shuddered at the thought of the rat's nest he used to call hair returning.
"Protector! Protector! You're back!"
Aiden turned slightly and grinned as he caught sight of Molly, a blonde haired seven-year-old who had taken to following Aiden around whenever he was in the city. Behind her were several other children, most of whom were still shy around him.
"Good morning Molly, children" Aiden greeted. "Have you had breakfast this morning?"
"Yes!" Molly answered. She skipped forward and captured Aiden's left hand in her own. "Can you play with us?"
"What would you like to play?" Aiden asked. With Molly hanging from his arm he was unable to continue walking, but with him standing still it allowed the other children to come closer.
"Can you play your music some more?" Aaron, a shy three-year-old asked. He had his thumb in his mouth, and clung to his brother Greg who was six. Aiden hummed thoughtfully before spotting an old fountain near the city's center. He pointed to it and made sure that all the children knew where he was gesturing.
"I will play for you on that fountain," he said. "Go ahead and get comfortable."
With a cheer the children ran off, except for Molly who was still holding his hand, and sat down surrounding the edge of the fountain. Aiden strolled after them, Molly already humming one of his favourite tunes that he liked to play, and walked along the fountain's rim until reaching the seat the children had picked out for him. All together there were around eight children, with more children appearing after seeing that Aiden was back.
As he sat down Aiden noticed that the parents of the children surrounding Aiden were standing off to the side where they wouldn't interrupt, looking from their windows, or standing near food stalls to keep an eye on their brood. He smiled at them, and knew that all of them were wondering how he could be Deltora's Protector. Stories of the Protectors of the past never indicated that they had much tolerance for children, and that they spent their time travelling the land or protecting the line of Adin. Aiden, however, knew that Lief was well protected on his own with Barda and Jasmine looking after him, and was happier playing with the children than fighting.
"Play Hope," Molly requested. She had managed to squeeze into the front row and with him sitting she had both her hands resting on his left knee. Her bright blue eyes stared up at him innocently and Aiden couldn't help but agree to her request. Hope was a song that he had written himself, but where it started slow it sped up, the notes flowing together harmoniously. It was a song of loss, of sorrow, but it promised a future where there would be no pain or fear.
To make the song even more interesting, he created little of wisps of flames escaping from the flute to form the figure of a man. This fiery figure battled against invisible foes, but he always won. As the song continued two more fiery figures joined, and warmth spread across the children as the recognised the two as a friends. One of the children whispered that it was King Lief, Barda and Jasmine fighting to protect them. Aiden nodded in the child's direction, much to their joy.
The trio of flames then changed, becoming prancing animals, living together peacefully. The animals became birds and shot up into the air, creating an aerial ballet that brought cries of surprise from the children and an applause from the adults. As the song drew to an end Aiden forced the birds to collide, ending with small sparks falling towards the children, but disappearing before they could get hurt.
He laughed as he put his flute down. It had been harder than he thought to maintain the fiery figures and play at the same time, but well worth the result. The children begged for more but Aiden didn't think he had the energy to play another song, never mind stand up to play with them. He raised his hands for silence, something that happened instantly, but before he could speak one of the children near the back let out a gasp, eyes directed skyward. Aiden followed the child's gaze and his face broke out into a grin as he spotted the flying projectile.
"Children, do not be alarmed, she is my friend!"
The flying projectile was of course Hedwig, and she landed on his shoulder, pecking his ear harshly once for leaving her again. Aiden winced at the bite but otherwise grinned. He directed Hedwig onto his lap and pet the top of her head.
"This, children," Aiden began as the children crowded closer in curiosity. "Is the smartest owl in the entire world, and one of my best friends. Her name is Hedwig and she flew all the way from my home far beyond Deltora's borders to find me."
"She's really pretty," Molly stated. She reached up to touch Hedwig's wing, and giggled. "And so soft."
Knowing that she was being talked about, Hedwig extended both her wings, displaying her feathers, and all the children giggled. One by one they came closer so that they could pet Hedwig, with Aiden keeping a close watch on how gentle the children were trying to be, and how tolerant Hedwig was. She endured the pampering the children were giving her, however, and only once all the children had pet her did she climb back to Aiden's shoulder.
"My lady has spoken," Aiden said dramatically. "I must leave now so that she can continue to be treated like the magnificent creature she is."
"Aww," the children groaned as one.
"I will be back tomorrow, I promise!" Aiden cried as he stood up. "And! I think that if every one of you finish all your chores, and you get permission from your parents, I will give you a tour…of the palace."
The children gasped in excitement before running off to their parents. Aiden had one last condition for them, and his voice also reached the parents who were watching.
"I will be checking with your parents to see if you have done your chores properly and have permission, so no lying or cheating!"
"Yes Protector!" the children called. Near the end of his song there had been close to twenty-five children, and he knew that there would be more in the morning. With a smile on his face he started to leisurely walk back to the palace, he figured that Lief would need to be told he was inviting children into his new home, and he wondered if there were any who would be interested in helping him chauffer everyone from room to room. The cook would need to be asked as well, as Aiden wanted to feed the children lunch as well.
"There you are. Where have you been hiding?"
Aiden looked off to the side and grinned as he recognised Doom's tall form leaning against a building. His grin remained in place, but his joy faded as he took in Doom's appearance. The man was clearly pulling the same hours as Lief, as he had dark circles under his eyes and there was a tired slump to his shoulders.
"I have been keeping the children from worrying about what is happening in the Shadowlands," Aiden told him. "And introducing them to Hedwig. She followed me from my old home."
"Hedwig, huh?" Doom stated. He walked closer so that he was towering over Aiden. Hedwig snapped her beak at him before dismissing him and cleaning the feathers of her wings. Doom laughed and pushed Aiden back in the direction of the palace.
"I see she has your temperament," he observed.
"Hedwig has been my friend since I was eleven," Aiden calmly remarked. "I don't know what I would have done without her."
"Well, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Yes, dad?" Aiden asked cheekily. He used the patriarchal endearment to convey that he would do what was in his power to do.
"Brat," Doom sighed, ruffling his hair. Aiden shook his head and tried to smooth his hair down again. "Your opal, may we use it?"
"Your jewel hunt hitting a few snags?" Aiden asked, lifting his hand so that he could touch his opal under his shirt. He hadn't taken the small stone off since Bee had given it to him.
"No opal we have is as close a match as yours."
"Will I ever get it back?" Aiden whispered.
"It will be cut so that it could fit, so it is unlikely."
"What if I could get you one exactly like the one you need?" Aiden asked, eyes darting up again. He was really attached to the stone and was reluctant to part with it.
"How soon could you get it?"
"I would be back before the children come tomorrow."
"What are the children doing tomorrow?" Doom asked suspiciously.
"Oh, I'm giving them a tour of the palace for being awesome. I was on my way to tell Lief."
"Tell him? You're not going to ask for permission?"
"Nope, I figured that he could do with a break. I'm sure that you're aware with how little sleep he's getting? And how uncertain he is about being King of a dying land? And his birthday is tomorrow isn't it? First birthday as King."
"You're right, he turns seventeen tomorrow according to Sharn. She is organising something small for him and his closest friends. And I know that he hasn't been sleeping," Doom admitted quietly as they walked through the gates. "But, dying land? We're still recovering from the Shadow Lord's reign."
"This land has been dying for longer than seventeen years," Aiden told him sternly. "Something is poisoning the land, and to maintain life the land is drawing upon my power. You are not to tell Lief, but with the rate that the land is dying, even if we can somehow free the slaves in the Shadowlands, Deltora will not be able to support us for much longer."
"What does that mean for you?" Doom asked with a touch of fear.
"Without my energy, I will die."
"How long?"
"Two, three years?"
"And you don't want Lief to know, why?"
"As soon as the slaves are rescued I'll tell him," Aiden promised. "Right now, however, his thoughts are on Deltora's border, and getting the Deltorans home."
"I'll hold you to that," Doom warned. "Or I'll tell him myself."
Aiden nodded and darted away, Hedwig now flying above him. Doom shook his head in amusement, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Aiden hadn't told him the worst of the news he had. The fact that he was slowly dying didn't seem to bother him. No, Doom feared that the main cause of Aiden's worry lay with his owl, and with the news that she had from his former home.
At the kitchens Aiden paused and spoke to the cook, discovering what she was to make for Lief's birthday. He changed her plan a little and requested a large lunch for a group of children, one he would make sure Lief was a part of, and then they would have a small dinner in the garden. The cook was very happy to prepare food for the children, a less formal birthday party before the main one, and shooed Aiden away when he offered to help cook. Satisfied that the meals the following day were organized, Aiden took off again to find Lief and inform him of what was happening.
Naturally, Lief had been hesitant to waste a day playing, but in the end agreed to help give the children a tour. He was also happy to realise that he wouldn't be annoyed by his advisors during the children's visit. Barda and Jasmine offered to help as well, and Hedwig struck up a lively conversation with Kree and Jasmine. Aiden wished that he could understand the birds as well as Jasmine could, but the extent of his abilities allowed him to understand how they were feeling.
"Hedwig says that the war has gotten worse," Jasmine stated. Barda, Lief and Aiden turned to look at her, Aiden looking worried. The four of them were in Lief's room, where they would get the most privacy to talk.
"How so?" Aiden asked.
"A lot of families had been killed, and those that survive are staying in a place called…Hogwarts? Hedwig has been staying there also, with the man who is human and dog."
"Sirius?" Aiden asked excitedly. He hadn't considered that his godfather might have been alive.
"Yes, I'm serious," Jasmine replied hotly. "That's what Hedwig said."
"No," Aiden replied with a laugh. "Sirius is the name of my godfather. He can change into a dog the same way I can change into a bird."
"Oh," Jasmine replied, cheeks flushing slightly. Lief and Barda laughed at the misunderstanding before she continued. "Anyway, the war started after you were taken Aiden, but got worse after the failed rescue attempt. There's only a small effort being made to fight, but there is no hope left."
"Did Neville get out?" Aiden asked, looking at Hedwig hopefully. She hooted affirmatively and Aiden breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, I guess this means that I need to write a letter."
"A letter?" Barda asked. "Why would you need to do that?"
"To give them back their hope," Aiden replied. He went over to Lief's desk and pulled out his stationary. "And I want to let them know that the rescue attempt didn't fail, it just didn't work the way they were expecting it to. They need to know that I live."
"Will you be leaving then?" Lief asked carefully.
"No, but maybe one or two could come here," Aiden replied. "I really want to see my friends again…but how could they get here? Port Key and apparition won't work, they need to be able to visualize their destination. Boats won't work because the lighthouse is dark, flying? Was it hard getting here Hedwig?"
"She said it was," Jasmine translated, not knowing what Port Keys or apparition was. "But she knew that you were alive and that she had to get to you."
"How'd she know you were alive?" Barda asked. "From the other side of the world, no less."
"She said that it was like a veil was lifted, and she just knew."
"When the Shadow Lord was driven back to the Shadow Lands," Aiden hypothesized. "The darkness that was over Deltora was lifted, and therefore by link with Hedwig became visible."
Aiden finished off his letter by letting a few drops of blood drip onto the paper, as proof of who he was. He rolled it up and put as many protective charms on it as he could think of. The paper glowed slightly when he was done, but Aiden knew that it would get to the person it needed to.
"Take this to Sirius," he requested his owl. "Rest where you can, but if anyone wants to follow you back here make sure that there is no more than two. Deltora cannot have a sudden influx of strangers, not in this dark time."
Hedwig nodded and accepted the letter regally. Aiden gave her one final pet before she took off out the window and back to Hogwarts. He watched her go until he could no longer see her, before turning back to the others. He smiled at them.
"I'll be back tomorrow, there's something that I need to get."
"You're going? So soon?" Jasmine asked.
"I'll be back before the tour," Aiden promised. "But as I recall there is a special event tomorrow, and I need to acquire a gift."
"Aiden, no," Lief begged. "The last thing I need are gifts!"
"What's tomorrow?" Jasmine asked.
"Lief's seventeenth birthday," Aiden said with a wink. Lief groaned and put his head in his hands.
"I don't need a birthday party," he moaned. "Mother's already doing something, the advisors are pestering me about table decorations, I'm not allowed out of this palace without an armed guard, and I'm going insane!"
Barda and Jasmine looked at each other quickly before their eyes returned to Lief in concern. Aiden shooed them out of the room. The two of them left hesitantly, but Aiden knew that Lief wanted to keep his plans a secret from them.
"You want to tell me what's wrong?"
"This time last year, all I knew was that I was the son of a blacksmith, and one day I would take over the forge from my father," Lief explained. "Now I am the King of Deltora, and everyone wants my opinions and wants me to make decisions on the spot about things I have no knowledge of. I never wanted to be King. All I wanted to do was retrieve the Gems and hand over the running of Deltora to the Heir. Why'd it have to be me?"
"Because there is no one else I would rather serve and protect," Aiden told him seriously. "There is not one single person out there at this very minute who could wear the Belt of Deltora and watch over this land the way that you will. You are not like the Kings and Queens of old, you can empathize with your subjects. That is another reason why I wanted the children in the palace tomorrow. This is your first birthday as King, what better way could you celebrate than by doing it with the future of this country? These children will always remember that instead of locking yourself away, you welcomed them into your home to make your birthday a good day. They already know me from when I hide in the city, but as you said earlier, you haven't been beyond these walls. Hiding in the blacksmith forge doesn't count as no one knows you're there. You are their hero, you saved them, and meeting you will give them hope."
"You really think that?" Lief asked.
"I do," Aiden replied. "Don't doubt yourself, my King. Just be yourself and everything will work out in the end. You will find a living Heir, you will find a way to save everyone from the Shadowlands, and you will be happy. Now, I'm off to get you a present, I will see you tomorrow."
"Wait!" Lief cried. "Before you go, take me to the forge? I want to be somewhere I feel safe, just for tonight."
Aiden nodded and flashed both of them to the forge. Lief retreated to his room, and Aiden renewed the protection on him for the hour or so that he would be gone. When he got back he would sleep in the forge, and bring them back to the palace before the sun rose. Lief's spirit needed to remain unbroken, for otherwise Deltora would fall. Aiden wouldn't let that happen.
Too much depended on him.
Next up in Deltora's Protector:
Chapter 16 – The World Beneath