The Song and the Serpent

Kian was up to his old tricks again.

He grinned at his best friend, Adan, who didn’t share the look of enjoyment that was playing across Kian's dark features. Kian held his sword up, ready for a fight. Adan stood with his arms crossed and his sword in its sheath.

“I’m not doing it,” Adan said.

Kian rolled his eyes. “Where’s the sportsman in you, my friend?”

The two of them stood on the main deck of a longship carrying them up the coast. A hundred other warriors lined the sides of the ship, sitting idle among oars and watching the two young men closely.

The salty wind tousled Kian’s brown hair and he jabbed his blade forward.

Adan stood still, ignoring the gesture. He knew his friend wouldn’t hurt him-- not intentionally, at least.

“This isn’t how the son of Lord Hathian behaves on his first trust,” Adan replied.

Kian laughed. “Why not?”

“It’s unbecoming.”

“Unbecoming? How is it ‘unbecoming’ to show these men who the best swordsman in Farel is?”

Adan put a hand on his sword hilt. “They already know who the best swordsman is. There is a reason why I’m your bodyguard and not the other way around.”

Several warriors gave exclamations of excitement.

Kian raised his eyebrows. “Oh really? Very well. You leave me no choice. As the son of Lord Hathian, I command you to duel me.”

Adan chuckled. “You command me? Then as your bodyguard, I must refuse your order, since it would put your esteemed personage in harm’s way.”

“Well then why don’t you just prove it and put our doubts to rest?”

“Do it!” several of the warriors shouted.

Adan rolled his eyes as he drew his sword. Some of the warriors cheered as he took a fighting stance on the deck and shook his head.

“What makes you think this will end any differently than the last seven times?”

Kian shrugged. “That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

Adan raised an eyebrow before lunging at his friend. Kian parried his blow and returned with a slash toward Adan’s side. Adan blocked it easily and returned Kian's stroke with one of his own.

They exchanged several blows, feeling each other out as they moved back and forth on the deck. They had dueled so many times before that Adan anticipated Kian's every move. Adan bided his time, waiting for Kian to try something new.

Despite Adan's protests, a smile crept over his face as they dueled. The day was cool, but the sun shone above like a warm, blazing beacon. Esta's flag flapped above them in the salty wind, and Adan felt invigorated as his heart rate increased. It was a pleasure to work his arms and legs again, although he hoped he wouldn't embarrass Kian.

The men around them watched with wide eyes while the two youths thrusted, parried, and lunged toward each other.

An unexpected lurch from the ship beneath them threw Adan off balance. He cursed his sea legs and tried to regain his footing.

Kian, who was more accustomed to the movement of the ship, pressed his advantage by shoving Adan to the floor. Adan toppled backwards and Kian lunged forward with his blade. But at the last second, Adan flicked Kian's sword aside and grabbed Kian’s sword arm.

Kian jerked back, unintentionally pulling Adan back on his feet. Adan bent his knees for extra balance as he swung his blade quickly and decisively. With two deft strokes, he flicked Kian's sword out of his hand. The blade soared through the air and clattered to the deck behind Kian.

Before Kian could dive for his blade, Adan flicked his sword up to Kian's chest.

“Good try,” he said, breathing heavily. “Just not good enough.”

Kian held his hands up in defeat as cheers erupted along the sides of the ship.

“I thought the movement of the ship would give me an advantage,” said Kian.

“It did,” replied Adan “but you got too excited. You let yourself get carried away.”

“So you admit that all those pleasure cruises I used to take weren’t a waste of my time?”

“Only when they didn’t take you away from your studies.”

“Alright! Fun’s over!” a deep voice thundered behind Adan “Get back to rowing!”

Adan turned to see a broad shouldered man walking toward them. A thick, red beard rendered most of his face invisible, and flowed down his massive chest. A steel battle-axe hung from his belt.

The men watching them turned back to the oars lining the side of the ship. Someone at the back of the ship began to beat slowly on a drum. The men rowed in time with the drum beats, propelling the ship forward.

Kian retrieved his sword and slid it back into its sheath.

“That was some fine swordsmanship,” the large man said, coming to stop in front of them both. “But too many distractions will slow our progress north. The men need to keep rowing since the wind isn’t working for us.”

“Our apologies, Captain Ryland,” said Kian, bowing slightly. “But it’s been three long days since we set sail from Farel and we wanted some excitement.”

“You wanted some excitement,” Adan corrected.

Captain Ryland chuckled. “You’ll have your fill of excitement by the time we return home to Farel.”

“Unlikely,” said Adan. “You and I may have our fill, Ryland. But Kian will still be itching for an excuse to pull out his sword.”

“Well as you just proved, I need more practice,” replied Kian.

“You need more than practice. You need to go back in time and pay closer attention to what Master Grimmel taught you.”

“Oh, have it your way.”

“Not only do the men need less distractions,” continued the captain, “but my second-in-command, Rocco, needs you to answer some trading questions in my cabin.”

The burly sailor pointed to one of the two cabins that sat in the center of the deck. The two rooms, like two boxes stuck together, were the only quarters that sat above the main deck. The single mast of the ship rose between them.

“Very well,” said Kian. “I shall humor the second-in-command and see what dull numbers he wants to discuss.” He made his way to the indicated cabin.

Adan sheathed his blade, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and turned toward the front of the longship. He walked past the rowing warriors and the shields that lined both sides of the ship until he came to the front of the vessel, where the starboard and port bows united in the form of a great carved serpent. The head of the prow rose and fell with the waves. The young bodyguard walked carefully, still getting used to the constant motion of the ship. He ran a hand through his blond hair and felt the salt on his hand.

He looked to his right and saw the waves stretching out between them and the coast. Snow-capped mountains rose above the haze that hid the shoreline. Adan turned and looked left, to the western horizon. The waves danced in the sunlight as far as his eyes could see. He wondered what lands might lay in the far west, beyond that horizon. Then he looked ahead, to the north.

"Ah," said a deep voice behind him. "Beautiful isn't it?"

Adan turned in surprise. Captain Ryland had followed him to the prow of the ship.

Adan grunted an affirmation before turning to face their heading again.

"Do you suspect the rumors are true?" he asked.

Ryland stepped next to Adan and looked north with the younger man. "There's always a grain of truth in these kinds of rumors. The real question is how much is true, and what may be waiting for us."

"We might know the answer to that question tomorrow," Adan said.

The captain nodded.

For a moment, Adan heard only the waves hitting the ship, the beat of the drum, and the oars pulling in unison.

"We've no clear notion of what awaits us in the north," said Ryland.

Adan nodded.

"And the rumors are still very vague..." the captain continued, still looking ahead.

Adan nodded again.

"But I can assure you of this, our little expedition will be no pleasure cruise. Lord Kian has chosen a difficult task for his first trust."

"He knew that when he chose it," said Adan.

Captain Ryland glanced over at him.

"I'm glad to hear you say it," he said, before looking north again. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say your master was on holiday, or on another one of his sailing excursions."

Adan stifled a chuckle. "He does seem high spirited, doesn't he?"

"Indeed," the captain looked back at the spot where Adan and Kian had dueled. "You'd think the occasion would sober his spirits."

"You'd be a fool to think that about Kian. We could be hurtling to our deaths in a maelstrom and Kian would be making some kind of joke. It's his way of keeping morale up and coping with difficult situations. Don't think he doesn't take our endeavor seriously."

"I'll take your word for it," said Ryland. “You know his mood better than any. He's fortunate to have you by his side."

Adan shook his head. "Not as fortunate as I am to have him for a friend."

Captain Ryland glanced at Adan, "Oh?"

"Everything I have, I owe to Kian," Adan stated. “Without him, I would be nothing."

Ryland looked at Adan for a moment, then he turned and walked back to the rear of the ship.

Adan contented himself by standing at the prow to watch their progress. As he felt every surge of the ship caused by the oars, he felt excitement in his chest, excitement and anxiety.

Were the rumors true? What unseen danger awaited them in the north? Was it Raiders? Was it warriors from Alvaro, the land east that lay beyond the desert?

Whatever the case, he thought, we'll know more tomorrow.

As Adan stood facing north, he heard someone creeping up behind him. Adan didn't need to turn to see who it was. There was only one person on board who would sneak up on him. He waited patiently for Kian to make his way to Adan's back.

"Nervous?" Kian shouted in his ear.

Adan didn't even flinch. He simply put one finger in his ear and pretended to clean it out.

"I'm not so deaf that I can't hear you walk up behind me like a drunk cow," he said. "Or at least I wasn't until you shouted."

Kian smiled at him. "It was worth chancing. So, are you?"

Adan looked puzzled. "Am I what?"

“Are you nervous?"

"Oh." Adan looked back out to sea. "I wouldn't say nervous. I'm anxious to find out what we're up against."

"I didn't mean about the rumors," Kian said with a hint of exasperation.

Adan gave him another puzzled look. Then seeing the mischievous look on Kian's face, he realized what he was talking about. Adan rolled his eyes and looked away again.

"You still on that, are you?" he asked in a bored tone.

"Yes I am. Do you seriously plan to land on Enys Island tomorrow and not even try to find her?"

"We've been through this," said Adan. "It's been eight years since she left me and my father. She may not remember me, or she may be married, or dead. I told you it wouldn't be worth it."

"And I told you to stop thinking like a fool, but you seem insistent on acting like one. You don't really think she's forgotten you?"

"Possibly not."

“Possibly not'? Layla was more head-over-heels for you than any nine-year-old lass could be. She would have to have brain fever to forget you."

"She used to be, but people change. I certainly have."

"True," Kian said with a grin. "You have changed. You're only the finest swordsman in Farel and personal bodyguard and friend to myself, the heir to the seat at Farel. You're right. She'd probably despise you now."

Adan looked at his friend. "So you admit I'm the finest swordsman in Farel?"

Kian's smile disappeared. "Did I say that?"

"You can't take it back now."

"Don't change the subject. The fact remains: Layla would be proud of what you've become, and more in love than before."

"Please drop it.You aren't going to change my mind on this."

"I won't drop it, because I know that deep down, you still want to find her."

"You're hopeless," Adan said before storming off toward their shared quarters.

I should have known Kian would try to play match-maker, he thought. Anything for some excitement.

An image of a little girl with green eyes and blond hair smiling at him flashed through his mind. He wondered what Layla looked like now, eight years later.

He shook his head. That memory was from another life, one that was long gone. He entered the cabin shared by Kian and himself and closed the door. He stood for a moment with his eyes shut.

More images from his past danced before him: He and Layla playing together in the stables, or hiding under the wharf at the docks.

Adan rubbed his temples and sighed. He didn’t want those memories, so long suppressed, to resurface again. They reminded him of who he was, of what had happened so close to his ninth birthday, and why Layla had been forced to leave Farel, leave him, behind.