Son of Soron Read online

  Ava broke into laughter, no longer able to hold a straight face. “Well it may not have been there the whole time. I might have been holding it and accidentally lifted it when you came around the tree.”

  Nathan groaned. Her lifting the stick just as he was running by certainly did not sound like an accident. “That is not playing fair, tripping and trying to kill me is not part of the game.”

  Ava smiled to herself, getting away from Nathan was getting harder all the time; he was getting bigger and faster. Luckily, she could still outsmart him and was willing to play dirty to win. “Well you always catch me if I don’t cheat. Besides, you are barely bleeding. You are certainly not dying… I swear sometimes you are the biggest wimp ever.” Ava reached down and wiped a small bit of blood off his cut lip. “All better. Now let’s go, we are almost there and I want to pick flowers.” The ‘there’ Ava mentioned was a small meadow hidden within a fortress of thick pines. A gentle flowing creek sliced through the meadow and, at the bottom end of the meadow, ran into a small dark pond that was great for swimming and fishing. It was their special place.

  “Since when do you pick flowers?” asked Nathan. He tried to picture Ava as a demure lady, dressing fancy and picking flowers, but the image didn’t fit at all. Ava was anything but ladylike.

  “Oh shut up, I promised Rose I would bring her some flowers. It was the only way to keep her from tagging along,” said Ava. She didn’t mind bringing her little sister once in a while but sometimes it was nice when it was just the two of them.

  Ava grabbed Nathan’s arm and yanked him to his feet. Side by side, they walked through the forest to the waiting meadow. It was a gorgeous sunny day and despite Ava’s commands to get moving, they were in no hurry.

  While Ava picked through the assortment of wild flowers growing throughout the meadow Nathan carefully tiptoed his way across the top of a mossy log, which had fallen across the creek. Keeping his arms out wide for balance, he carefully walked one foot directly in front of the other over the slippery moss covered surface.

  “If you fall in I will laugh so hard.” Ava said while she sat down beside the pond, placing the flowers at the water’s edge so the stems stayed wet. She gave Nathan a dirty look that warned him not to make any more comments about the wildflowers. “Hurry up and get to your side of the pond. I am going to kick your butt.” There really was no winner to this game but her competitive nature made everything a contest.

  Nathan laughed to himself at Ava’s bold exclamation. As if, he thought to himself as he claimed his usual spot, parking himself beside his left over cache of pebbles. They were sitting on opposite ends of the pond playing their customary game of splash, a simple game of throwing rocks at each other’s feet attempting to get the other player wet without the rock hitting the shore, when mid throw Ava froze. Not wanting to make a sudden move, she slowly lowered her hand and spoke to Nathan in a soft deliberate voice. “Nathan turn around. There’s a wolf behind you.”

  Nathan read the expression on Ava’s now pale face. This was not one of her normal jokes, which she often tried to play on him; there was a touch of fear in her voice. Slowly he turned and scanned the edge of the forest. Ava was not lying; a big grey wolf was sitting there looking right at him.

  Nathan, surprisingly calm, looked back at the large predator. The wolf stopped its advance. For what seemed like forever, the wolf and Nathan just sat there staring at each other. After several minutes, the wolf walked towards Nathan.

  Now nervous and starting to get scared, Ava spoke, “Nathan-”

  Nathan cut her off mid-sentence before she could suggest some plan involving him jumping into the pond and her throwing rocks at the large and potentially dangerous beast. “Shhh, it is okay Ava. He is not going to hurt me.”

  Nathan did not know how he sensed it, but he was certain that the wolf posed no threat. Even as it continued walking closer and closer, Nathan did not panic. Finally, the beast was right in front of Natthan— so close he could reach out and touch the magnificent beast. The wolf had golden eyes, glossy healthy fur and glorious black and grey markings. The animal was now near enough to Nathan that he could hear its breathing. His heart pounded with excitement. Nathan was fascinated by what was happening. The wolf stopped and sniffed at Nathan then studied Nathan’s face. Nathan could tell the wolf was curious about him. He was not sure why, but it was almost seemed like he could understand the wolf, as if he could read the thoughts of the creature. Seconds passed before the wolf turned and walked back into the forest, looking back only once, as if it too was unsure of what to make of this meeting.

  Once the wolf disappeared back into the forest, Nathan turned and looked at Ava. Some of the color had returned to her face. He gave her a confident grin. “See I told you it was going to be okay.”

  Ava could not believe what had just occurred. Nathan was not normally that brave. He had just sat there while the wolf came right up to him. “I can’t believe that just happened! Weren’t you even a little scared?” asked Ava.

  “No,” Nathan said before pausing for a moment. That wasn’t totally true, he thought to himself. “Well, I was scared when you said there was a wolf behind me and your face turned white, but when I looked at the wolf the fear went away… I just knew it was going to be okay.” Nathan’s face showed he was just as bewildered by this as she was.

  Nathan and Ava walked back to the village discussing the strange event that had just taken place. “It was so weird Nathan. Like the two of you were talking to each other. I’ve never heard of a wolf walking up to a man like that before.”

  Nathan agreed that he had never heard of such a thing either. And to himself he admitted that yes, it had kind of felt like the wolf had been talking to him. But that wasn’t right either; it wasn’t talking to him as much as connecting to him. Strange… strange indeed.

  Chapter two

  SORON SWUNG HIS hammer, striking the hot metal sitting on the anvil. He enjoyed the work. The methodical pounding of the iron was soothing to him. Soron took pleasure from turning iron into useful tools, or when the opportunity presented itself, into artistic creations. Elderwood was a small village. If not for the traders passing through, he would not have enough business. Luckily, the traders who frequented these roads sought out his talents. He had a reputation as a creator of fine jewelry and tools.

  Soron created items favored by traders for their black color and exceptional quality. Despite his being a foreigner, any question of his origins had long ago been forgotten by the long years he and his family had spent in the village.

  Today, Nathan joined his father in the workshop. Nathan at fourteen was just now growing bigger than the other youths in his village, a marker of his northern heritage inherited from Soron. But one look at his blue eyes gave away that, while his father came from the north, his mother came from even farther away. Velaina’s blonde hair and blue eyes stood out as much as her husband’s size. Her beautiful blue eyes hinted at her lineage being from Balta, a kingdom in the continent of Mithbea.

  Soron handed the pair of tongs, which held the metal rod, to Nathan.

  Nathan eagerly took over. He loved watching his father work, but much preferred it when he got the rare chance to put his lessons into action. He jumped at the opportunity. The biggest challenge with using the forge was the intense heat. Once the metal turned a dark orange, Nathan knew it was time to take it out of the heat. Next Nathan carefully sprinkled graphite and phosphorus dust over the molten hot iron rod. He then placed the rod on the anvil and hammered the metal.

  Soron watched carefully as his son worked on the metal. He frowned for a moment as Nathan let the metal twist. He did not interrupt his son, as he was curious to what his intentions were.

  Nathan rarely pushed the limits of his skills as he did today. As the metal continued to twist, a pattern emerged. An intricate pattern of folds appearing to look like braided metal formed. The process was slow and tedious. Sweat poured off his brow as he took a metal chisel and engraved t
he final touches on his work.

  Soron said nothing while Nathan put the bracelet into a bucket of water. The water steamed as the metal cooled into its final shape. Finally, after a few minutes Nathan brought out the bracelet and nervously handed the finished product over to his father.

  Stepping outside of his workshop, Soron held the bracelet to the light to examine it closely. The bracelet now looked like woven vines with tiny leaves along the side. Impressive, Soron thought as he inspected his sons work. “It is beautiful,” Soron told his boy as he handed back the bracelet.

  Nathan nodded his head and smiled.

  “A very tricky design. What are you planning on doing with it? Giving one of the village girls a present?” Soron teased.

  Nathan blushed and looked sheepishly down at the bracelet. “I didn’t know if it would work or not, I just wanted to try, and no it’s not for some girl. It is for Mother, tomorrow is her birthday,” Nathan said.

  Soron grabbed the boy by the shoulder and pulled him in for a hug while messing the boy’s dark and shaggy hair with his free hand. “It is a wonderful job and a present worthy of a queen. Your mother will be proud to wear it.”

  After Nathan finished at the blacksmith shop with his father, he spotted Ava coming out of her family’s house. He walked over to her. “Hey Ava.”

  She smiled. “Hey wolf boy, let’s go for a walk.”

  Nathan did not mind her teasing; she was his best friend and despite her sharp tongue was always there for him. They walked through the village, stopped and chatted with the widow Noggin.

  She was on her front steps sweeping up dirt a patron had dragged all over her plank floors. “Hello Nathan, Ava. What are you two up to?”

  “Oh nothing much, just going for a walk, maybe head towards the creek,” Ava replied.

  “I am going to make some pies tonight. If you bring me back some apples I will pay you in pie.”

  Nathan and Ava jumped at this deal. Widow Noggin was an excellent cook and made the best pies in the village. “You got yourself a deal” Ava piped up for the both of them. Nathan grabbed the large empty basket from Miss Noggin and ran to catch Ava, who was already running towards the orchard.

  As they picked fruit, Ava climbed up one of the biggest trees. She liked to climb to the middle and top branches where, she insisted, the best fruit came from. Nathan knew it was just an excuse to climb, but there was no point arguing about it as long she picked apples while playing on the high-up branches. While working they discussed the previous day’s adventure.

  “I thought that wolf would eat you, and then I would have to drag your half-eaten carcass back to the village to show your dad that a wolf killed you and not me.”

  Nathan laughed. “Mom is the one you would have had to worry about. She knows all about poisons, she would make you a tasty pie and poof your belly explodes and you are dead.”

  Ava scrunched her face up. “That’s gross Nathan.”

  “Hey, you were the one who was carrying my half-eaten carcass into town.”

  Ava laughed. “Yes but you getting eaten by a wolf is possible. Your mom poisoning me is ridiculous, she likes me.” As she explained the flaw in Nathan’s logic, she picked a worm-eaten apple and threw it at Nathan.

  Nathan dodged the projectile, taking a seat, refusing to get into an apple tossing fight with his friend. He had lost way too many already. Besides her quick wit, one of her best qualities was that she threw with more accuracy than any boy in the village did. Any contest involving throwing was a losing proposition. “Well, I really don’t think I was in any danger. It seemed like the wolf knew me.” Nathan knew it sounded strange but he really had sensed that the wolf posed no threat.

  “I don’t care, it is just really weird. Have you told your parents about it yet?”

  Nathan was not sure he wanted to try explaining to an adult how a wolf walked right up to him, looked him over and then walked away. It sounded a little unbelievable. “No, but I suppose you are right for once. I will tell mom about it.”

  Another apple whipped by Nathan’s head. He barely ducked in time. “What do you mean ‘for once’?”

  Chapter three

  VELAINA LOVED THE days she got to spend with Nathan. She and Soron shared the responsibility of training their son. On Soron’s days, they worked in the blacksmith shop, on hers she took her son out into the forests and swamps to learn about the different plants and wildlife. Velaina came from a family of healers and herbalists. Her potions and salves sold to healers all over the continent. Her herbal skills were as much in demand and as valuable as her husband’s metal works.

  Today they were on the edges of the Great Northern swamp. A vast isolated murky and vile land thought by most people to be cursed. She knew this swamp released a large amount of methane. If you weren’t careful it would cause you to pass out, usually into shallow water were drowning often followed. A few foolish travelers and injured animals had died this way and the bones left future travelers to wonder at the deadly swamplands. These bones were at the heart of the curse stories but Velaina discarded the stories for the misinformed gossip they were.

  After collecting some of the swamp reeds that grew along the banks of the dreaded swamp, Velaina and Nathan retreated to higher ground to have a quick lunch, they sat together under tree watching the birds flying above and diving into the swampy waters, preying on the fish beneath the surface of the murky waters.. Later they would continue further into the swamp in search of other valuable herbs. Many such as bilbub ferns, a dark purple flowered plant with a sweet almost candy-like aroma grew only in the treacherous lands.

  Velaina opened her small basket and brought out their lunch as they sat under a large willow tree, enjoying the shade it provided from the bright sun above. As she handed Nathan his lunch he took the sandwich from her outreached hand and returned a small handsomely wrapped package in its place.

  Velaina, surprised at this unexpected offering, looked at the package wrapped in balsam leaf and twine. “What is this?” she asked.

  Nathan smiled at his mother. “You didn’t think I would forget your birthday did you mother? It is your gift.”

  Velaina was very proud of her thoughtful son. With curiosity, she opened the package; inside she found a beautiful bracelet. In the shade of the tall willow, the dark metal seemed almost black, yet the speckles in it caught the leaf filtered sunlight and sparkled like tiny stars on a dark night. The intricate pattern of woven leaves reminded her of ivy curling around the base of a young cherry tree.

  “It’s gorgeous, Nathan, thank you so much. You must have done a lot of bargaining to get your father to make such a bracelet that won’t be sold.” Velaina put the bracelet onto her arm. The dark metal contrasted perfectly with her light golden brown skin.

  Nathan smiled with pride. “No mother. I made it for you myself. Father let me forge my own rod yesterday.”

  Velaina cast her eyes back and forth from her young son, who was beaming with pride, and the beautiful piece of artwork that now decorated her arm. She knew Nathan was not lying to her but the bracelet was a very intricate and detailed piece of work. She could not help but be impressed that her young son had done this himself. After the initial shock of discovering the depth of his talent, she realized that it shouldn’t have been that big of a surprise. Nathan was a clever and creative child. His northern strength mixed well with the creative mind and dexterity of hand that came from her people.

  While watching her son, Velaina thought about the many hours training and education that she and Soron spent on their son. One day he would need all the skills they could pass onto him, but that was a darker thought for another day. Velaina pushed that thought away. It was far better to bask in the beauty of the day, be thankful for their quiet life, and enjoy her son’s wonderful gift. Life had not always been so good. Tranquility was to be enjoyed.

  “Mom, I need to tell you something.” Nathan gave her a serious look as he spoke. “The weirdest thing happened to me. The othe
r day, Ava and I were sitting in the meadow by the pool…” Nathan paused for a second to gather his thoughts.

  “Nathan, Ava is a beautiful girl. It is natural for you to like her, I just hope—.”

  Nathan looked at his mother “What? No, mom. That is not what I am talking about. Nothing happened between Ava and me."

  Velaina gave a sigh of relief; whatever Nathan was going to tell her now was not nearly as terrifying as where she had thought this conversation was going. “Sorry son, I thought we would be having a birds and bees conversation. I’m glad to hear it is not time for that yet... Now what was so weird?”

  Nathan gave her a funny look. The birds and bees? What was she talking about?

  She laughed, sensing his discomfort at this idea. “I’m sorry son. Continue your story.”

  He cleared his voice before continuing. “We were sitting on opposite sides of the ponds just playing around when Ava tells me there is a wolf behind me. I turn and there is a big grey timber wolf sitting there watching me. I stare back at it just watching. Then it slowly walks right up to me, sits there for a few minutes, sniffs me a couple times then turns around and walks back into the forest. That was the weird part. What do you think it means?”

  Velaina’s heart raced, despite her calm exterior. She had expected that one day she would have a conversation like this but still was unprepared now that it was happening. Pretending to be calm and indifferent, she replied. “Well it means that the wolf did not feel like having you for lunch, and for that I am grateful. If something ate you, who would make me such nice jewelry? Now let us pack up, it’s time to head home,” Velaina replied as she gave her son a big hug. Picking more herbs would have to wait. Velaina needed have to have a discussion with Nathan’s father before she admitted the truth of the wolf to her son.