| Fantasy Fiction posted September 3, 2024 |
  |
Near-immortals try to survive in the modern world
Firstborn
by Mufasa
Northern Wales / 784AD
A Painful Beginning
Cold.
Deep, aching, cold.
That was what she remembered most about the sea cave. She had been there for a night and a day, and soon another night would come. She chewed on seaweed to have something in her stomach, but this made her thirst nearly overwhelming. Her fear of what was outside the cave was all that stopped her from venturing out to find water.
The waves had rushed into the cave mouth all the previous night, slamming into the rear wall and arching upwards, soaking her with spray over and over again. Her skin was coated with dried salt, and cracked and pulled at her when she moved. In that long night, she shook violently and faded in and out of awareness. Her vision was blurred, and she saw things that were not there. Many times she would suddenly sit upright and grasp the large rock nearby, holding it to her stomach. She would drown herself before being taken. The night approached once again.
The waves are calling me, that's it. She heard her name again and thought this. She noticed she was no longer shaking, and the cold seemed to have gone from her body.
“Kala!”
Again the waves. How do they know my name? Wait – there are no waves now. They stopped last night. Is that right? Last night? And why do the waves sound like a boy? She rolled and pushed herself up onto one elbow, looking toward the cave mouth. Someone was there, coming toward her!
“I told you,” someone shouted. “I told you she would be here!”
Panicked now, she tried to rise but could not. She screamed wordlessly, the sound echoing around the cave. She rolled to the edge of the wall and fell. The impact of the water tore the breath from her, and she was under. She heard sounds while falling, eerie and distant, then all sound was gone, replaced by a smothering silence. She inhaled and knew nothing more.
Pressure. Someone was on her, pushing her. She tried to scream but vomited, screaming through the water being pushed from her lungs. She fought against the attacker, swinging her fist backwards and slamming it into something hard.
“She lives, Uncle!” A young boy was standing on a beam and holding a rope to keep his balance.
“Aye Robert, she does at that,” another said.
This one was much older, and had a knife on his belt. If she could just reach it, she might... but she vomited again, heaving very little water out this time.
“Easy lass. Ya' had a rough time of it. Robert, pass the spoon, will ya?”
The boy handed the man a ladle, which he held for Kala.
“It's water, lass. Please now, ya' need to drink.”
Kala tried to hold the ladle but spilled it, cursing. The boy refilled the ladle, and this time the man held it for her while she drank.
“Enough for now, lass. You'll sick it up.”
Kala adjusted herself, sitting against the front of the small boat. The man handed her a piece of flat bread.
“Chew it very good, odderwise you'll be spattering my boat with it soon after ya' swallow it.”
Kala took the bread and shoved a handful into her mouth, chewing as fast as she could.
“Sorry about it bein' hard, we've been tryin' to get to ya' for a while, and them bastards have been watchin' us all the time. We had to fish while they were lookin'.”
She looked at them both while chewing, and taking more water to be able to swallow the stale bread.
“Oh–I bet you're wonderin' who I... we are. I am Allan, and that there young man is my nephew, Robert.” Robert smiled and waved from the rear of the boat. “He pulled you up from the water. Jumped right in afore I could stop him. Sorry about your shirt; he tore it off ya' tryin' to get ya' into the boat.”
Kala then noticed that she was wrapped in a piece of canvas, and they were at sea. “Where are we,” she tried to say, but her voice broke, and she pulled the canvas to her.
“Easy now, you're safe–well, safer than ya' were a few hours ago”
“The raiders–” Kala began.
“No-no-no, you be easy now, they don't know ya' be on the boat, and they don't know where we're headed. You're safe.”
“Safe,” she repeated. “Safe.”
Allan handed her another small piece of flat bread. She looked at him, and through him. “I know what they done to ya', lass. I'm sorry. I don't don't know what else to say.”
Kala shook, and held the canvas to her face. She wanted to cry–tried to cry, but there were no tears in her now. She pulled the canvas tighter, and screamed.
***
No one had seen the ship that landed on the northern coast of Gwyned. They had probably come ashore at night, and crept inland to replenish their stores. The few villages that they encountered were destroyed–the people in them butchered. Men, women, children, animals… everything. Anything that was not useful or that could not be carried away was put to the torch. It was as if they were not human, but demons set about to ravage everything that they encountered. The flames were seen from where Kala had been - a small village, no more than twenty people. No one dared believe that Saxon raiders had landed this far north. When they first saw them, they had no idea what they were. Some screamed that Saxons were attacking, but Kala had seen Saxons, and when she heard their shouts and battle cries, she immediately knew what they were: Northmen.
She had seen them before, beyond the gap. She watched as they unfurled their red sails and came ashore in their sharp-prowed ship, and had listened to their vulgar language without understand ing it. Kala had thought them scavengers, searching the coastline for anything of value. She was partially correct. She had watched them depart as well, sailing quickly west. Luckily, there had been nothing in their landing spot that was of interest to them, but they had left something behind. Kala picked up the talisman where it had fallen on the beach. She had never seen its like. She wrapped it in a cloth and placed it into a pouch that she wore under her clothes. Later, a merchant in Market Square had explained to her what it was.
“It’s a troll cross.”
“A what?” Kala frowned.
“Bloody Northmen have a god for everything,” the merchant went on. “Rocks, trees, thunder, everything. That there is ‘spose to keep trolls and such away from ya'. They say that’s about all that they fear; spirits and such.”
“Trolls.” Kala repeated.
They had burst from the forest like wolves, screaming and swinging sword and ax. None could stand before them. There were no fighters in these small villages, and no weapons to speak of. It was slaughter.
Kala was snatched from her hiding place and groped and fondled by an unknown number of them before one of them shouted something and she was tossed aside, nearly naked. She watched as two or three exchanged words and shouts, then the fight ensued. One was cut nearly in two by another's sword and one was stabbed, but did not die. He raised his hand and lowered his ax, showing defeat. The horror then began in earnest for Kala.
At some point during that night, the animal had fallen asleep. His snoring shook Kala's hair, and every move she made threatened to wake him. She managed to retrieve part of her clothing and was about to sneak away when she saw the blade. She listened for a moment. Hearing only snores and crackling from the fires, she eased the blade from the leather scabbard and slammed it into the animal's throat, ripping left to right. She clamped her hand across his mouth and pushed downward with all that she was. Bloody froth sprayed into her face and onto her body, and then it was still. Her head snapped around to see if anyone had heard. Nothing moved. Kala removed the blade, and still shaking with rage and fear, stabbed it again and again into the animal’s groin. She slashed across his fat stomach, opening it so that the entrails bulged outward and fell onto the fur that he was lying on. She cut the small satchel open that was still tied onto her dress, and removed the troll cross. She crouched, and placed the talisman into the animal’s mouth. Looking again to make sure that she had not been seen, she bolted from the camp and into the darkness.
***
The rocking boat made her sick. She had nearly lost the bread and water several times during the first few hours of the journey. Allan told her to lie flat in the bottom with her hands by her sides, looking up at the clouds. This seemed to help somewhat and she was able to keep the food down.
They were headed for the Gap. If Allan had read the tide correctly, they would enter just after the tides turned inward. Their small, nearly flat-bottom boat would draw far less than any large sailing vessel, as the larger ones were always hard pressed to make it all the way through to the south end without running aground at least several times.
“The wind is on us,” Robert said, grinning at Kala.
“Aye, it is at that my boy,” Allan yelled, smiling back. The small boat raced southward. Within a short time, Kala saw the sea once more. They exited the Gap near what was known as “The Chin,” although Allen could not explain why it was called that.
“We need to find somewhere to hide out for the night,” Allan said. “We need to get ya' on land for a bit, and we need fresh water and a fire to cook these fish.”
Kala's mouth watered at the idea. A far cry from what she was feeling only a short while ago. She had slept several times today, but she was still exhausted and very weak. They sailed until nearly dark, finally locating the cove that Allan was looking for. They lowered the sail and rowed the small boat into a shallow inlet, on the back side of a huge section of rock and earth that had long since fallen away from the cliffs above. The tide would leave them stranded here tonight, but it would be almost impossible for anyone to see them, either from the approach from the sea or from the cliffs above.
***
The fire was already out. “No need for it in this wind, Allan told her. “It'll be better if we stay as dark and quiet as we can.”
No matter. The fish were all cooked and Robert had found the wall spring that Allan knew was there. Their bellies were full, and their flasks and skins were full of fresh water. They even had a few fish left over for the rest of the journey.
“You said you knew I would be there,” Kala said this looking towards Robert, who now squirmed under her gaze. “How?”
Allan patted the boy's shoulder and told him to answer. “It's alright boy, she's not gonna' hurt ya.”
Robert sat straighter and took a deep breath. “I knew what they--what he was going to do. I don't know how I knew--I just knew.”
Kala nodded. “Go on Robert. It's alright. How did you know I was alive after--after that?”
Robert frowned, but continued. “I saw you--not then, I mean--but before morning. I watched them from the forest and I saw you sit up and--and--”
Kala went to the boy and sat next to him.
“I didn't want to believe you were dead,” he whispered.
“It's alright, Robert.” She kissed his cheek, causing him to redden like a sunrise.
“He left the boat to see after you,” Allan added. “We was already leaving and he decided that ya' were the prettiest girl that he had ever seen and had to try to save ya'.”
Robert flared at that last. “Uncle!” He stomped off down the beach out of their field of view.
“Never thought twice about it; told me he was goin' and that was the end of it. Bravest thing I ever did see, other than jumping into that slosh inside the cave, tryin' to save your pretty neck again. At least he managed that time.”
Kala lowered her head.
“Here now, there'll be nunathat. You're alive lass, and the dog that hurt you is... well, from what Robert tells, he's in hell–in pieces!” Allan held out his hand and she took it. He patted her hand and nodded, giving her a tight smile.
They slept in the boat; Kala in the back, curled up in canvas and a blanket, Allan and Robert in the middle and front. The waves were not speaking that night, and she slept without dreams.
A First Book Chapter contest entry
Northern Wales / 784AD
A Painful Beginning
Cold.
Deep, aching, cold.
That was what she remembered most about the sea cave. She had been there for a night and a day, and soon another night would come. She chewed on seaweed to have something in her stomach, but this made her thirst nearly overwhelming. Her fear of what was outside the cave was all that stopped her from venturing out to find water.
The waves had rushed into the cave mouth all the previous night, slamming into the rear wall and arching upwards, soaking her with spray over and over again. Her skin was coated with dried salt, and cracked and pulled at her when she moved. In that long night, she shook violently and faded in and out of awareness. Her vision was blurred, and she saw things that were not there. Many times she would suddenly sit upright and grasp the large rock nearby, holding it to her stomach. She would drown herself before being taken. The night approached once again.
The waves are calling me, that's it. She heard her name again and thought this. She noticed she was no longer shaking, and the cold seemed to have gone from her body.
“Kala!”
Again the waves. How do they know my name? Wait – there are no waves now. They stopped last night. Is that right? Last night? And why do the waves sound like a boy? She rolled and pushed herself up onto one elbow, looking toward the cave mouth. Someone was there, coming toward her!
“I told you,” someone shouted. “I told you she would be here!”
Panicked now, she tried to rise but could not. She screamed wordlessly, the sound echoing around the cave. She rolled to the edge of the wall and fell. The impact of the water tore the breath from her, and she was under. She heard sounds while falling, eerie and distant, then all sound was gone, replaced by a smothering silence. She inhaled and knew nothing more.
Pressure. Someone was on her, pushing her. She tried to scream but vomited, screaming through the water being pushed from her lungs. She fought against the attacker, swinging her fist backwards and slamming it into something hard.
“She lives, Uncle!” A young boy was standing on a beam and holding a rope to keep his balance.
“Aye Robert, she does at that,” another said.
This one was much older, and had a knife on his belt. If she could just reach it, she might... but she vomited again, heaving very little water out this time.
“Easy lass. Ya' had a rough time of it. Robert, pass the spoon, will ya?”
The boy handed the man a ladle, which he held for Kala.
“It's water, lass. Please now, ya' need to drink.”
Kala tried to hold the ladle but spilled it, cursing. The boy refilled the ladle, and this time the man held it for her while she drank.
“Enough for now, lass. You'll sick it up.”
Kala adjusted herself, sitting against the front of the small boat. The man handed her a piece of flat bread.
“Chew it very good, odderwise you'll be spattering my boat with it soon after ya' swallow it.”
Kala took the bread and shoved a handful into her mouth, chewing as fast as she could.
“Sorry about it bein' hard, we've been tryin' to get to ya' for a while, and them bastards have been watchin' us all the time. We had to fish while they were lookin'.”
She looked at them both while chewing, and taking more water to be able to swallow the stale bread.
“Oh–I bet you're wonderin' who I... we are. I am Allan, and that there young man is my nephew, Robert.” Robert smiled and waved from the rear of the boat. “He pulled you up from the water. Jumped right in afore I could stop him. Sorry about your shirt; he tore it off ya' tryin' to get ya' into the boat.”
Kala then noticed that she was wrapped in a piece of canvas, and they were at sea. “Where are we,” she tried to say, but her voice broke, and she pulled the canvas to her.
“Easy now, you're safe–well, safer than ya' were a few hours ago”
“The raiders–” Kala began.
“No-no-no, you be easy now, they don't know ya' be on the boat, and they don't know where we're headed. You're safe.”
“Safe,” she repeated. “Safe.”
Allan handed her another small piece of flat bread. She looked at him, and through him. “I know what they done to ya', lass. I'm sorry. I don't don't know what else to say.”
Kala shook, and held the canvas to her face. She wanted to cry–tried to cry, but there were no tears in her now. She pulled the canvas tighter, and screamed.
***
No one had seen the ship that landed on the northern coast of Gwyned. They had probably come ashore at night, and crept inland to replenish their stores. The few villages that they encountered were destroyed–the people in them butchered. Men, women, children, animals… everything. Anything that was not useful or that could not be carried away was put to the torch. It was as if they were not human, but demons set about to ravage everything that they encountered. The flames were seen from where Kala had been - a small village, no more than twenty people. No one dared believe that Saxon raiders had landed this far north. When they first saw them, they had no idea what they were. Some screamed that Saxons were attacking, but Kala had seen Saxons, and when she heard their shouts and battle cries, she immediately knew what they were: Northmen.
She had seen them before, beyond the gap. She watched as they unfurled their red sails and came ashore in their sharp-prowed ship, and had listened to their vulgar language without understand ing it. Kala had thought them scavengers, searching the coastline for anything of value. She was partially correct. She had watched them depart as well, sailing quickly west. Luckily, there had been nothing in their landing spot that was of interest to them, but they had left something behind. Kala picked up the talisman where it had fallen on the beach. She had never seen its like. She wrapped it in a cloth and placed it into a pouch that she wore under her clothes. Later, a merchant in Market Square had explained to her what it was.
“It’s a troll cross.”
“A what?” Kala frowned.
“Bloody Northmen have a god for everything,” the merchant went on. “Rocks, trees, thunder, everything. That there is ‘spose to keep trolls and such away from ya'. They say that’s about all that they fear; spirits and such.”
“Trolls.” Kala repeated.
They had burst from the forest like wolves, screaming and swinging sword and ax. None could stand before them. There were no fighters in these small villages, and no weapons to speak of. It was slaughter.
Kala was snatched from her hiding place and groped and fondled by an unknown number of them before one of them shouted something and she was tossed aside, nearly naked. She watched as two or three exchanged words and shouts, then the fight ensued. One was cut nearly in two by another's sword and one was stabbed, but did not die. He raised his hand and lowered his ax, showing defeat. The horror then began in earnest for Kala.
At some point during that night, the animal had fallen asleep. His snoring shook Kala's hair, and every move she made threatened to wake him. She managed to retrieve part of her clothing and was about to sneak away when she saw the blade. She listened for a moment. Hearing only snores and crackling from the fires, she eased the blade from the leather scabbard and slammed it into the animal's throat, ripping left to right. She clamped her hand across his mouth and pushed downward with all that she was. Bloody froth sprayed into her face and onto her body, and then it was still. Her head snapped around to see if anyone had heard. Nothing moved. Kala removed the blade, and still shaking with rage and fear, stabbed it again and again into the animal’s groin. She slashed across his fat stomach, opening it so that the entrails bulged outward and fell onto the fur that he was lying on. She cut the small satchel open that was still tied onto her dress, and removed the troll cross. She crouched, and placed the talisman into the animal’s mouth. Looking again to make sure that she had not been seen, she bolted from the camp and into the darkness.
***
The rocking boat made her sick. She had nearly lost the bread and water several times during the first few hours of the journey. Allan told her to lie flat in the bottom with her hands by her sides, looking up at the clouds. This seemed to help somewhat and she was able to keep the food down.
They were headed for the Gap. If Allan had read the tide correctly, they would enter just after the tides turned inward. Their small, nearly flat-bottom boat would draw far less than any large sailing vessel, as the larger ones were always hard pressed to make it all the way through to the south end without running aground at least several times.
“The wind is on us,” Robert said, grinning at Kala.
“Aye, it is at that my boy,” Allan yelled, smiling back. The small boat raced southward. Within a short time, Kala saw the sea once more. They exited the Gap near what was known as “The Chin,” although Allen could not explain why it was called that.
“We need to find somewhere to hide out for the night,” Allan said. “We need to get ya' on land for a bit, and we need fresh water and a fire to cook these fish.”
Kala's mouth watered at the idea. A far cry from what she was feeling only a short while ago. She had slept several times today, but she was still exhausted and very weak. They sailed until nearly dark, finally locating the cove that Allan was looking for. They lowered the sail and rowed the small boat into a shallow inlet, on the back side of a huge section of rock and earth that had long since fallen away from the cliffs above. The tide would leave them stranded here tonight, but it would be almost impossible for anyone to see them, either from the approach from the sea or from the cliffs above.
***
The fire was already out. “No need for it in this wind, Allan told her. “It'll be better if we stay as dark and quiet as we can.”
No matter. The fish were all cooked and Robert had found the wall spring that Allan knew was there. Their bellies were full, and their flasks and skins were full of fresh water. They even had a few fish left over for the rest of the journey.
“You said you knew I would be there,” Kala said this looking towards Robert, who now squirmed under her gaze. “How?”
Allan patted the boy's shoulder and told him to answer. “It's alright boy, she's not gonna' hurt ya.”
Robert sat straighter and took a deep breath. “I knew what they--what he was going to do. I don't know how I knew--I just knew.”
Kala nodded. “Go on Robert. It's alright. How did you know I was alive after--after that?”
Robert frowned, but continued. “I saw you--not then, I mean--but before morning. I watched them from the forest and I saw you sit up and--and--”
Kala went to the boy and sat next to him.
“I didn't want to believe you were dead,” he whispered.
“It's alright, Robert.” She kissed his cheek, causing him to redden like a sunrise.
“He left the boat to see after you,” Allan added. “We was already leaving and he decided that ya' were the prettiest girl that he had ever seen and had to try to save ya'.”
Robert flared at that last. “Uncle!” He stomped off down the beach out of their field of view.
“Never thought twice about it; told me he was goin' and that was the end of it. Bravest thing I ever did see, other than jumping into that slosh inside the cave, tryin' to save your pretty neck again. At least he managed that time.”
Kala lowered her head.
“Here now, there'll be nunathat. You're alive lass, and the dog that hurt you is... well, from what Robert tells, he's in hell–in pieces!” Allan held out his hand and she took it. He patted her hand and nodded, giving her a tight smile.
They slept in the boat; Kala in the back, curled up in canvas and a blanket, Allan and Robert in the middle and front. The waves were not speaking that night, and she slept without dreams.
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