Walking into his house Aedon removed the latches from the harness which held Ahoun to his back. Then sliding it around, tossed the sword onto the nearby table. Then pouring a cup of tea, and headed out onto the porch. He did not take a single sip of the fae brew, but paced back and forth a few moments then turned and tossed his drink, cup and all into the ocean.
At first he paid no attention to Nemira as she watched him. The large, swallow-tailed kite sat perched on the railing, cocking her head one way, then the other, She had often been the only witness to Aedons anger, and always seemed to half smile as she watched. Turning suddenly towards the Bird, Aedon blurted out;
“What the feck is wrong with them? The whole bloody lot seems far beyond being a wee bit bonkers and well into toodleville.”
Nemira showed little interest in the question but seemed to regard Aedon with a look of quiet bemusement. Again Aedon paced the stone pavers a few more times then continued.
“Really though, can they not all see that the danger ahead is not for Yew alone, but for the whole blasted lot of them? Pah, I swear Nemira, I have had it up to hear with childish bickering and spoiled brats.”
Leaning in towards the birds face he asked;
“Can you tell me please, for the life of me why the hell I ever came back to this sanity forsaken land?” I could be at home right now enjoying the company of my wife and child. Or maybe on a sea voyage with them enjoying some peaceful years after a bloody long period of service”
Aedon pounded the railing a few times as he finished his words. The Bird never moved, did not seem to flinch. Straightening up a bit, Aedon sought to calm himself down a bit. Looking to the bird he sad slowly and deliberately;
“They are all going to die Nemira. They are going to sit there in the middle of their petty spats while one by one, town by town the Hand picks them all off. Oh and those that live will have it even worse. They will live the remainder of their sad little lives under the dominion of mad men.”
Running his hands through his hair, Aedon walked to the other side of the porch and gazed out into the water.
“That was my favorite tea cup you know.”
Lowering himself into a nearby chair Aedon’s thoughts went back over events of the past days. The attacks, the killings, the signs posted on trees and buildings if Yew demanding that all swear fealty to the Hand. It was all happening again, just as it had so many years ago. The only difference is that back then people come to their senses and learned to stand as one.
“Who can we count on these days?”
PGOH seems wrapped up in only those things which take place within their borders. And even if they were asked to help, they were so busy punishing Thom for daring to retire that they had little time to look at the larger picture. But Aedon felt that when the threat was fully seen, they would at least step up to protect their city.
The Rangers, arrogant in many ways, childish in a few and yet they had a love of the forests that ran deep. It was in them that Aedon had at first placed his trust. But a deep held grudge held against Gillian for leaving the Spiritwood and moving to Yew blinded them to all sensibility. He could not count on their aid, and yet something within him held on to some degree of hope.
Dramora was of course there now, and in a fight against the Hand she would prove her worth many times over. But a tension had grown between her and Governor Gillian from the day they first met. All of them, each and every one in who’s hands he had placed the hopes of Aegis and the security not only of Yew but of the Realm itself were far too busy fighting one another to stand against the tide which was poised to overtake them.
As he sat looking down hopelessly at his hands as they lay palms up in his lap, he heard the flutter of wings as Nemira took flight. He soon heard her return, but was so engrossed in thought, he did not look up. Soon she could be heard returning and there was a soft skitter across the pavers as she hopped towards Aedon. Hopping up on his knees, she dropped the china tea sup in his upturned hands. As she flew back and landed on the railing, Aedon’s hands closed around the cup.
“I thought you were gone.” He said softly. “And yet, with the help of a friend, you are still here.”
Standing, Aedon looked at the bird as she sat preening her feathers;
“You are right Nemira, I should not yet abandon all hope to despair. I will try again tomorrow, and then the tomorrow after that. Some things, some lands, some people are well worth all the effort we can put into them.”
Heading inside his house again, Aedon placed the cup in the wash basin, and then headed to his room to sleep. Tomorrow he would send out new messages, seek meetings and hope that as Nemira had seen his need the people of Sosaria would see the needs of Yew, and take pity on a people who had already suffered enough for several lifetimes.
Lying on is bed, he looked to the ceiling and pictured the faces of Jan and Kylee. He thought of the life he had forsook the days he had lost with his family to be here at this time. He had wondered many times as he did tonight, why he had bothered, and just as he closed his eyes he whispered.
“People at the heart of it all are mostly good, and there in lies the hope of us all.”
At first he paid no attention to Nemira as she watched him. The large, swallow-tailed kite sat perched on the railing, cocking her head one way, then the other, She had often been the only witness to Aedons anger, and always seemed to half smile as she watched. Turning suddenly towards the Bird, Aedon blurted out;
“What the feck is wrong with them? The whole bloody lot seems far beyond being a wee bit bonkers and well into toodleville.”
Nemira showed little interest in the question but seemed to regard Aedon with a look of quiet bemusement. Again Aedon paced the stone pavers a few more times then continued.
“Really though, can they not all see that the danger ahead is not for Yew alone, but for the whole blasted lot of them? Pah, I swear Nemira, I have had it up to hear with childish bickering and spoiled brats.”
Leaning in towards the birds face he asked;
“Can you tell me please, for the life of me why the hell I ever came back to this sanity forsaken land?” I could be at home right now enjoying the company of my wife and child. Or maybe on a sea voyage with them enjoying some peaceful years after a bloody long period of service”
Aedon pounded the railing a few times as he finished his words. The Bird never moved, did not seem to flinch. Straightening up a bit, Aedon sought to calm himself down a bit. Looking to the bird he sad slowly and deliberately;
“They are all going to die Nemira. They are going to sit there in the middle of their petty spats while one by one, town by town the Hand picks them all off. Oh and those that live will have it even worse. They will live the remainder of their sad little lives under the dominion of mad men.”
Running his hands through his hair, Aedon walked to the other side of the porch and gazed out into the water.
“That was my favorite tea cup you know.”
Lowering himself into a nearby chair Aedon’s thoughts went back over events of the past days. The attacks, the killings, the signs posted on trees and buildings if Yew demanding that all swear fealty to the Hand. It was all happening again, just as it had so many years ago. The only difference is that back then people come to their senses and learned to stand as one.
“Who can we count on these days?”
PGOH seems wrapped up in only those things which take place within their borders. And even if they were asked to help, they were so busy punishing Thom for daring to retire that they had little time to look at the larger picture. But Aedon felt that when the threat was fully seen, they would at least step up to protect their city.
The Rangers, arrogant in many ways, childish in a few and yet they had a love of the forests that ran deep. It was in them that Aedon had at first placed his trust. But a deep held grudge held against Gillian for leaving the Spiritwood and moving to Yew blinded them to all sensibility. He could not count on their aid, and yet something within him held on to some degree of hope.
Dramora was of course there now, and in a fight against the Hand she would prove her worth many times over. But a tension had grown between her and Governor Gillian from the day they first met. All of them, each and every one in who’s hands he had placed the hopes of Aegis and the security not only of Yew but of the Realm itself were far too busy fighting one another to stand against the tide which was poised to overtake them.
As he sat looking down hopelessly at his hands as they lay palms up in his lap, he heard the flutter of wings as Nemira took flight. He soon heard her return, but was so engrossed in thought, he did not look up. Soon she could be heard returning and there was a soft skitter across the pavers as she hopped towards Aedon. Hopping up on his knees, she dropped the china tea sup in his upturned hands. As she flew back and landed on the railing, Aedon’s hands closed around the cup.
“I thought you were gone.” He said softly. “And yet, with the help of a friend, you are still here.”
Standing, Aedon looked at the bird as she sat preening her feathers;
“You are right Nemira, I should not yet abandon all hope to despair. I will try again tomorrow, and then the tomorrow after that. Some things, some lands, some people are well worth all the effort we can put into them.”
Heading inside his house again, Aedon placed the cup in the wash basin, and then headed to his room to sleep. Tomorrow he would send out new messages, seek meetings and hope that as Nemira had seen his need the people of Sosaria would see the needs of Yew, and take pity on a people who had already suffered enough for several lifetimes.
Lying on is bed, he looked to the ceiling and pictured the faces of Jan and Kylee. He thought of the life he had forsook the days he had lost with his family to be here at this time. He had wondered many times as he did tonight, why he had bothered, and just as he closed his eyes he whispered.
“People at the heart of it all are mostly good, and there in lies the hope of us all.”