Chapter 2

Who is Tylar? Can anyone guess?

The caravan was large and bustling with people. Many of them were Arumeadians returning home. Others were merchants from other lands, just as far away, if not farther than Arumead. It was like a moving city. Whenever a caravan left it was like a mass exodus. And now, we were a part of this exodus. People, especially children, marveled at us. Even dressed in our simplest clothes, we were far finer dressed than anyone else in the caravan. Among the shouts and happy sounds were whispers of who we were. 

The caravan leader stood on top of his wagon and shouted for quiet. Eventually everyone quieted down to listen. He said two words that sent everyone into a jubilant uproar. He said, “We move!” And with that, he jumped off the wagon and set his oxen into motion. Slowly, the huge mass of people and animals made its way towards the city gate that faced the East.

Eventually we made it to the gate and the guards fell away. As we passed under the gate, Father sighed. “We have nothing now.”

Thorne moved next to him and put her arms around him, “Nonsense father. We have each other. We have the money that is coming from the auction. We have a home waiting for us in Arumead.”

He pushed her away, “Don’t you see you silly girl? Without my business, we are nothing. In Arumead we have no royal status. We go to a little cottage in a long forgotten town. We go to poverty. Even if we have money from the auction and from my savings, we are nothing. There will be no suitors for you or your sisters. The best you can hope for now is to become some farmers wife.”

Tears sprung to Thorne’s eyes. Father had never spoke so harshly to any of us. I flung myself to her side. “Don’t blame Thorne. She’s just trying to make the best of things!” I stared up at my father. He glowered at me.

“You.” He hissed. “You are the cause of all this.” I heard Thistle snicker from where she sat. “You have brought this on us.”

I shrunk back, fearful. I had never seen my father so angry. His eyes were filled with malice. My father had always been distant from us, but he had never been cruel to us. I looked to Thorne. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she said nothing. Instead, she briefly met my eyes and then looked away. I knew better than to look to Thistle. I gathered myself and climbed from the slow moving wagon. Thunder rolled overhead, but no rain fell. I wandered through the crowd until I came to the outskirts of the caravan. The plane stretched out before me as far as I could see. Behind me was the city. I walked along, looking at the barren, desolate land before me. There was little color as it was the middle of winter. The grey brown of the plane stretched up to meet the dark sky without a hint of color. The landscape matched my feelings perfectly. 

I didn’t go back to the wagon except to eat and sleep. Sometimes I sought out Thorne’s company. But usually I preferred the company of myself. The news of who I was and what I had done spread quickly and most people didn’t want anything to do with me. I kept mostly to the outskirts of the crowd. I felt numb. The stares and whispers of people went straight through me. I  only ate because Thorne made me. I didn’t sleep much. After about a week, I didn’t speak much either. No one bothered to speak to me anyways. 

It went on like this for about a month and a half. No one but Thorne cared about me. And eventually, she stopped seeking me out. It made father angry. I had quit going back to the wagon a while ago and he said that if I didn’t come back to eat, I didn’t deserve food. But I couldn’t go back and face his and Thistle’s hateful stares or the sad look on Thorne’s face. 

It was a mild winter, but some of the nights were still cold. I tried to build a fire, but I lacked the material and skill that it took so instead I wrapped myself in a blanket and shivered. Suddenly, the was a man beside me. It was the caravan leader. “Let me show you.” He knelt beside me and showed me how to arrange the sticks and grass so they would burn. Then he handed me a flint and rock. “Strike them together so they spark.”

I did as he said. He laughed. “Hold them down near the grass. You want the grass to catch the spark.” I held the flint down and stuck again. This time the grass caught. Soon, I had a small fire of my own. I held the flint out to him, expecting him to take it back. “You keep it. I have more.” He pushed my hand back towards me.

I found my voice, unused for two months now, “Th-thank you.” I stared down at the fire instead of meeting his eyes.

“It’s unfair for them to treat you this way.” His voice was soft.

“Do you know what I did? They’re right to treat me this way.” I shook my head. I was a monster. It was right for monsters to be left in the cold to die.

“I’ve heard the rumors. But I’d rather hear it from you. I like to know the truth about things.” He leaned forward, intent on hearing my story.

I sighed. “I’m not really sure what happened. My cousin insulted me, insulted my mother. I slapped her. It wasn’t hard. Just enough to hurt. Next thing I knew she’d fallen down dead. There was this weird black mark that spread across her face. I don’t know what it was.”

He nodded. “I see. So you have no control over your powers?”

“Powers? If that’s what you want to call it. No, I have no control.”

“I know your family. Well, I know of them. They have no magic in their blood. But you look nothing like your sisters.” There was a hidden question in his statement.

“No, I don’t. But my father has never said anything about it. And my sister Thorne said she was there at my birth. There is no way I could have magic in my blood.”

He nodded, but there was something in his eyes, something he was not saying. I studied him for a moment. He was around thirty or forty. His brown eyes were soft. His hair was close cut and greying. A trim beard framed his strong jaw. “What is your name?”

I hesitated for a moment, but I felt like if there was anyone I could trust right now, it was him. “Briar.”

He held his hand out to shake mine. It was a commoner's greeting. “I’m Tylar. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask me. And if anyone bothers you just let me know and I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you, but...” I didn’t understand why he would help me. “Why are you helping me? I have nothing to offer you.”

There was a sparkle in his eyes. He turned to the fire. Suddenly the flames turned blue and green and began to dance wildly. I saw faces and figures dancing across the flame. And then is was gone, the flames back to normal. “I have my reasons.” he stood and left. I just stared at the fire wondering if what I had seen had really happened.

Tylar looked out for me. He made sure I was eating and reported how I was doing to Thorne. Even though I saw very little of her, she still worried about me. He set her mind at ease and she was grateful to him for taking care of me.  I was grateful to him for keeping me sane. 

The planes went on and on. It seemed that no matter how far we went they never ended. When I wasn’t talking with Tylar I was looking out toward the horizon. The gray color of them never seemed to change. The sky stayed gray as well. One day, as I stared out over the never ending plane. Tylar appeared next to me. I had long ceased to be startled by his appearing and disappearing. It was no act of magic, simply the experience of someone who knew the planes as well as he knew himself that allowed him to silently and invisibly stand next to someone. He stared at the gray just as intently as I did. “To someone who know it, it’s quite beautiful. I’m sure it looks boring to you.”

I chuckled morbidly, “Actually, the grayness of it all fits me better than you might think. The deadness of it is about how I feel inside.”

He gave me a sidelong look. “Wait another month. When spring hits nothing is gray. These planes are teaming with life. I hope that by then, that will fit you well too. It’s not good to feel gray. I’ve spent far too long feeling gray.”

“You’re right. But I don’t know what to do about it. My family hates me. I don’t know what I did or even how I did it. I’m a monster Tylar. A monster wrapped up in a pretty package.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. You are no monster Briar.”

“I don’t mean how I look Tylar.” I sighed, not even the person closest to me could see past the outside beauty. 

But then he said something I didn’t expect. “Neither did I.” And then he was gone again.

Tylar taught me about the planes. He showed me what plants were edible. He showed me how to find water and build shelter against the winds that whipped across the cold grasslands. He took me under his wing and taught me how to survive if I were ever to be lost in the vast wilderness. He told me that he had a daughter once, but she had died at birth. She would have been about my age. His wife had disappeared soon after that. He told me that the wilderness had become his life after that. The grayness of them had comforted him then as they comforted me now.

It took six months to get to Arumead from Hinterland. The farther we went the colder it got. After the first month and a half we began to see snow. It rarely snowed in Hinterland. I could build my own fires now, but Tylar still checked on me every night to make sure I was okay. He brought me extra blankets. But the snow didn’t stay long. Soon winter melted into spring and what Tylar had said proved true. The planes were far from gray. Everything turned green. The grass grew thick and soft and there were flowers everywhere. However the sky was still gray. I took to wandering more than I had before and for the first time in since my birthday, I let myself think about what had happened. I remembered feeling anger. I remembered feeling fire in my blood. And I remembered that, at the moment my fingers touched Cornelia’s face, there was fire in them too. I told myself that what’s done was done. I knew that in Arumead no one would know what had happened and I would be safe. I also knew, that if my father allowed me to stay with him, he would be trying to marry me off as soon as possible. 

I began to think about that. He would try to marry me off to the first man who came along. And even in a small town there would be many men, both young and old who would be vying for my affections. Something inside me told me that it was very unlikely that any of the men would be someone I wanted to marry. I wanted to marry someone who saw me for who I was. I wanted to marry someone like Tylar.

I talked to him about it. He laughed. “Someone like me.” He nodded his head and gave a short laugh that sounded more like a snort. “You don’t want to marry someone like me. I’m far to old for you for one thing.”

“Oh come on Tylar. You’re not a day over thirty-five. Men your age marry girls younger than me all the time.”

“Thirty-five?” he half choked and then burst out laughing. “Thirty-five. You flatter me. I’m far older than I apparently look.”

“How old are you then?” I found it hard to believe that he was much older than thirty-five.

“Girl, I am forty-seven.” He shook his head. “You’ll find a good young man. Someone far better than I.”

I looked to the sky, “There is no better man than you Tylar.”

He snorted, “Were that true it would not be a world I would want to live in. I give thanks every day that there are men better than me out there.”

“None I’ve ever met.” I tied my long hair, thick hair back and helped Tylar shift an old wooden trunk to the front of his wagon.

“They’re out there. Sometimes you just have to do a bit of searching. Sometimes they have yet to grow up. Sometimes they need a good woman to slap some sense into them.” He wiped his brow. We’d been moving things all day, helping people rearrange their belongings so there was more room in their wagons. Since Tylar had begun having me help out around the caravan people had become less hostile to me. No one really accepted me, but they didn’t scorn me as they had before. 

“Is that what happened to you?” I teased him.

“I thank the stars for my mother.” He raised his hands in mock thanks. “I had to be slapped every day.”

I laughed and then went back to work. But not before I looked up at the sky. The clouds had thinned and the sun was breaking through.

It was several weeks later that we reached the border of Arumead. Tylar called me over and pointed off into the distance. “See those jagged edges on the horizon? Those are the mountains. The town where you stop, Bridgehaven, is at the foot of them.”

“I only stop there if my father decides to take me back.”

“What will you do if he doesn’t?” He glanced at me.

“I don’t know. Maybe stay with you.” I glanced back at him.

“I’d welcome your company. But I think your father want’s to keep you.” He put his arm around me. “But if you ever need me, I’ll be there.” He paused. “I’ve got something for you. He pulled out a necklace. It was a delicate thing, made of gold. The slender chain held a medallion with a small red stone in the center. “If you ever need me, this will help you find me.” He fastened it around my neck. “It’s a family heirloom. But seeing as how I have no family.” He looked into my eyes, “You’re the closest I’ve got Briar.”

I touched the medallion and then threw my arms around him. “I don’t want to leave you Tylar. You’re the closest I’ve got too.”

He pulled away, tears in his eyes. “You’ve got your father and your sisters. Listen Briar, you know about my gift. Remember the first night? The fire?”I nodded. I hadn’t expected him to bring up his magic. “I can’t explain how, but I know that you have to go with them. It’s very important. If I could take you with me I would. But it’s far to important that you go with them.”

I bit back the tears, but somewhere inside, I knew that he was right. The closer we got to Arumead the more a sense of urgency grew within me. I knew that I had to go with them.

Tylar wiped the tears from his eyes and then from mine. “Look here though. As long as you’ve got that medallion, I’m with you. You’re a strong one. Don’t let them beat you down. Look to the planes and remember me. When it’s hard, remember that I’m out here somewhere, praying for you.”

I took a shaky breath and nodded. Before either of us could say anything else I heard someone calling my name from behind me. I turned to see Thorne running toward me. “Briar, father wants to see you.”

My heart dropped. I didn’t want to see him. I glanced up as a cloud covered the sun. Tylar gave me a nudge in Thorne’s direction. I nodded and followed her. She walked slowly. “Tylar’s told me you’ve been doing well.”

“I have. He’s been kind to me.” I spoke softly.

“He’s been making sure you’re eating?”

I smiled, Thorne was always the mother. “Yes, he’s made sure I eat.”

“Good. I’m sorry that I haven’t come to see you. Father’s not been well.”

“He’s been sick?” I ignored people stares as we meandered past. 

“For a little while, just a few weeks. He’s feeling better now.”

I nodded. “That’s good.”

Father sat in the wagon. He motioned for me to sit across from him. I did as asked. Thistle scowled at me from beside him. “Briar, I don’t know what you’ve got in mind, but I hope you know that despite these last six months, you are still coming with us.” He stressed the word us as he spoke. 

I nodded. “That was my intention.”

“Good, good. I want to apologize for my treatment of you on this trip. It was wrong of me.” 

I sighed. I wish that I could say that there had been sincerity in his voice, but there wasn’t. Thorne must have put him up to saying such things. I said nothing.

After an awkward moment of silence I asked to leave. I told him that I had things to attend to. He waved me off. As I walked away he called after me, “Just be with us when we reach the town. I don’t want you to slip off somewhere.”

I wandered back to the front of the caravan. We were on the move at the moment, growing closer to the small town of Bridgehaven every moment. I bit back tears. I could see what I was to my father now. It had shown in his eyes as he spoke to me. He hoped to get a good bride price for me. I was nothing but an investment to him. Me and both my sisters were simply an investment. Thorne and Thistle had no idea that that’s what was in his mind. But I could see it. Tylar was beside me in an instant. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m nothing but money to him Tylar. I’m nothing but a possession for him to sell to the highest bidder.” I choked back a sob.

Tylar dried my tears and smoothed my hair away from my face. “I can’t take you with me Briar. I can’t.”

“I don’t want to go with them. He’ll just sell me to the highest bidder without any thought for what I want.”

Tylar wrapped his arms around me. “It’ll be alright. That’s not going to happen. You’re far to important for that to happen.”

Only once he had stilled my tears did Tylar leave me. There were many preparations to be made before we arrived in Bridgehaven and he had to see to them.

The next three days were dark and stormy. Tylar and I did not talk much. I helped him get everything ready for inspection. There was an outpost just beyond the town where soldiers inspected everything. Apparently Arumeadians were very superstitious of foreign wears and everything had to pass inspection before it could cross the mountains into the greater part of the country.

On the third day Tylar stopped the caravan just outside of Bridgehaven. He walked me to my family’s wagon. My father smiled when he saw me. “Let’s go to our new home, my daughters!”

Tylar had explained to me that the caravan had to make it to the outpost by nightfall, so they wouldn’t be staying long. He had just enough time to show us where our house was. It was a comparativly large cottage outside of the village. After he had helped us unload our cart he stood in the walk as if waiting for something.

“I wish you and your family well.” He spoke to my father.

My father simply nodded. Thorne however stepped forward, “We wish to thank you for being our guide and ensuring our safe arrival. I would also like to thank you for caring for my sister.”

Tylar bowed his head. “It was nothing. She’s a good girl. A strong girl.”

Thorne smiled, “Yes, she is. We all wish you well on the rest of your journey.”

“Thank you.” Tylar nodded and turned to leave. I ran after him. 

“Tylar, wait!” He stopped and faced me. I threw my arms around him. “I know I have to stay. But I want you to know that I love you.”

He hesitated and then wrapped me in his arms. “I love you too you silly girl. You’ll be fine. And remember what I said to you. If you ever need me.”

I shrugged off Thorne’s gentle hand. “He needs to leave now Briar.” Her voice was soft, understanding.

Suddenly Thistle’s hands were on me and she was far from gentle. She ripped me away from Tylar. “Get inside.” Her voice was shrill. She pushed me towards the house, knocking me down in the process. Tylar lurched forward to intervene, but then he pulled back. I looked to him, hurt by his hesitation. But then his eyes met mine. His heart was broken to leave me. His heart was broken to see me treated this way, but this was my fight from here on out. I gave a slight nod and pulled myself off the ground. 

“Don’t touch me Thistle.” I hissed at her. She backed off, not used to being threatened, and there was a thinly veiled threat in my tone. I took Tylar’s hand. “Be safe. I’ll miss you.”

There were tears in his eyes. “I’ll miss you too Briar.” He pulled his hand away and turned down the walk. I turned and went inside, followed by Thorne and Thistle.