Kell's Legend

breeze to stream through her hair, gasped.
    “What is it?”
    “There! That narrow river. To the left. Follow it!”
    “What did you see?”
    “Just follow it! Maybe I am going insane.”
    Anu nudged the brass barge up the narrow river, and they travelled for maybe a quarter of a league; the water grew deep, channelled between two towering four thousand feet walls of sheer black granite, polished and gleaming with ice, and they emerged into…
    Into a lush, green clearing.
    The water ended in a circular flat pool, and beyond the water’s edge stood a proliferation of trees, plants and flowers. Colours and perfumes raged through the clearing, and Anu brought the barge to a halt, bumping against a natural sloped jetty of rock.
    Alloria jumped out onto the jetty, and stood with hands on hips, smiling. The sun was shining, beaming down, warming her face, and she turned back to Anu and laughed. “What is this place?”
    Anu climbed from the boat, wary, aware that when on the boat she had some small sanctuary from the Harvesters. She shook her head. “I do not know.”
    “Vashell talked of such a place,” said Alloria.
    “He did?”
    “Yes, he said it led to…the Vrekken? Whatever that is. He said there would be green trees and flowers; and there would be a tunnel. Follow the tunnel, and the foolish traveller would find the Vrekken.”
    Anu turned, and her eyes narrowed. In the far wall there indeed was a tunnel opening. It was too perfect, so obviously man-made as opposed to a natural occurrence. This made Anu even more suspicious.
    “Did he say anything else?”
    “No. Look! Fruit!” Alloria ran to a tree and pulled down an apple. She took a bite, and laughed through juice. “It’s wonderful! Fresh and clean. I can’t believe this little…garden exists amongst the mountains. And can you smell the flowers?”
    “I can.”
    Alloria tossed Anu an apple, which she caught and bit. Juice ran down her chin, and she felt her mood lighten a little. Alloria was right; this place, with thewinter sun shining down between towering walls of rock, was a serious uplift to the soul.
    “We cannot stay. We must stock up with supplies. We must continue.”
    Alloria sighed, and waded through flowers to look deep into Anu’s eyes. “What are you searching for, Anu?”
    “My father. You know this.”
    “Truly? And to what end?”
    Anu opened her mouth to reply, then closed it again. What she wanted more than anything was to be accepted in the Silva Valley; to be accepted as pure vachine. But that had gone, now. Denied her from an early age by the very same father she sought to save; but he’d had his reasons, hadn’t he? For forcing her to become outcast? And, she realised suddenly, what she wanted more than anything was for Kradek-ka, the great inventor, to make her whole again. To put right that which he had twisted. But it was too late for that. Her chance had gone.
    “I would seek acceptance,” she said, finally.
    Alloria nodded, and gazed off through the trees. Birds sang in the distance. It was an uplifting sound. “Vashell said there was a path, here; a path that leads south, away, out from the embrace of the Black Pike Mountains.”
    Anu stared at her. She licked her lips. “You wish to leave?”
    “Yes. I would return to my husband. I would return to my children. You understand this, surely?”
    Anu sighed. “Yes. I understand you. But it will be a harsh and terrible journey. I believe the paths are…treacherous.”
    Alloria nodded. “I would suffer anything to see my family again.”
    “Then go. With my blessing.”
    “You could come with me,” said Alloria. “I heard what Vashell said; about this place, this Nonterrazake. And the Harvesters who reside there. You don’t even know if your father still lives! It is insanity to go on.”
    “You listen well,” said Anu, a little stiffly. “No. I will travel there. If nothing else, I will discover the truth.”
    Queen Alloria moved forward, and gazed into Anu’s eyes. “I know I have been…distant.” She licked her lips. “but…thank you, for saving me, from the soldiers. I find it hard to comprehend your ways, but hopefully, one day, if you arrive at my lands in Falanor, I will be able to extend you some form of courtesy; some help.” She paused, awkward, not really sure what she wanted to say, her mind awash with conflicting thoughts.
    Anu smiled, leant forward and hugged Alloria.
    “It will be as you say.”
    Anu stepped back onto the