King of the House Elves by Holly Merry

Author:Holly Merry [Holly Merry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Holly Merry
Published: 2022-11-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28

It relieved Aira that Boroden found no more evidence of the skrikers on his scouting missions. Still, he clearly did not think the brownies were out of danger. As the countryside grew wilder, he advised that they should travel on as long as possible each day.

The ponies grew wearied by the exertion after a week. It pleased Aira to see that Boroden took the welfare of the ponies so seriously as he ordered the brownies to go on foot to give the ponies a rest. Aira’s spirits lifted as she saw this as a sign that Boroden thought danger had passed.

Turning back from leading the clan and coming to Aira’s side, Boroden clasped her hand, pulling her up a little cliff on which gorse bushes stood. He immediately buried his nose in a sprig of gorse blossom, laughing as he got prickled. Aira did likewise, more carefully.

‘Hmm,’ she murmured, enjoying the rich, warm scent.

‘Gorse smells like coconut,’ Boroden said.

‘I’ll have to take your word for that. I’ve never seen a coconut, let alone smelled one.’

‘Carnelian brought one back from his voyages when I was a wee bairn. It was delicious. I daresay you’d be too young to remember it. Would you like some flowers to take along to brighten the journey?’

‘That sounds jolly.’

Boroden cut some, throwing a bunch down to Hëkitarka who was fascinated by anything to do with the sea.

‘Gorse is my favourite flower because it’s such a happy yellow and reminds me of the cliffs of Velmoran where it grew everywhere,’ Boroden said.

As the clan trudged along, Aira took a delicate sniff of the sprig of gorse blossom pinned to her shawl. She peered back at the bushes shining like golden beacons against the browns and greys of the rest of the trees that still appeared in gentian’s grasp, although today the sky was blue, and birds sang. It would not be long before the leaf buds burst and this valley was green.

Aira was glad of her nosegay of gorse, for the sheep track along which the brownies trod looked cheerless. To her right sloped a woodland where trees had been left toppled, their roots gaping in distress. Beyond the wood lay charred waste.

Gretchen shuddered. ‘From what Isla’s patients said about the ogre attacks, this had once been the last human village before the wilds until ogres ransacked it.’

Aira nodded her agreement. Now and then, she passed signs of human habitation; a discarded rag, or a fire bucket holed by rust.

Boroden strode ahead, already having reached a greener slope. Aira quickened her pace, eager to join him. His presence always comforted her.

To her annoyance, Torden fell into step with her. His pack and weapons clanked on his back, making him sound like a big weaving loom at full throttle. ‘You remember how they kept the two princes in the tower?’

Aira shook her head, not sure she would like his story.

‘One was Boroden, the other his brother Ulfmolt. Why they were kept there is only rumour, but I do know that they rarely came out.

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