Sauragia: Journey to the Red Mountain

Chapter 8

Alyssa did indeed check on Bard later, and again the next morning. Emerging from the room, she slammed the door behind her using her tail while carrying a tray laden with tea and biscuits in her claws. She was quite good at this sort of balancing act, even when upset. Astron could see his mate’s predicament and approached to lend a claw.

“Need some help there, dear?” he asked. “You look a little put out.”

“And so would you if you had to deal with that creature in there,” said Alyssa in a huff. “It’s no wonder he doesn’t have any friends.”

“Still nagging at you, is he?”

“Nagging is hardly the word for it! Insulting is more like it. I just asked him how his leg was and he said, ‘Fine, nursey, may I go now?’ The nerve!”

“What’s so bad about that?”

“He’s mocking me, Astron! I try to help make him better, and he gives me back chat. Why do some dinosaurs always have to be so…so…inordinately stubborn?”

“I ask myself the same all the time,” stated Astron with a smile.

“You think it’s so funny? You take this to him, then!” She shoved the tray into his claws and stormed off down the corridor. Astron merely sighed and shook his head. Even after all these years he could not completely understand Alyssa’s strange moods. And so, opening the door carefully with one claw, he entered Bard’s room.

Bard looked up as Astron came in with the tray and tried clumsily to close the door with his tail. He was not nearly as good at this as Alyssa. He walked over and set the tray on the side table. Smiling cheerily, he spoke:

“Morning, Bard! How’s the leg, eh?”

“Alright, I s’pose,” replied Bard. “It’s not as painful as your wife’s nagging, no offence mate.”

“None taken,” said Astron as he poured a cup for the traveller. “She’s always been a bit…distant toward strangers, though I daresay something about you really gets to her.”

“So I’ve noticed,” spoke Bard, taking the tea that Astron held out to him.

“I imagine it’s just because you two are both so stubborn,” mused Astron, pouring himself a cup. “She’s not used to having others stand up to her so steadily.”

“Not even you?”

“Sometimes. When it’s about the young ones, especially, and she usually gives in.” He shook his head as he sat down. “Sometimes I think she’d smother them if I weren’t around. She does fuss over them so.”

“Yes, mothers will do that with hatchlings, I suppose,” said Bard thoughtfully.

“You speak as one who knows.”

“Certainly. I was a hatchling once. And I wasn’t that different from you at your age.”

“How do you mean? You’ve been married, Bard?”

“Once,” replied Bard tersely. “A looong, long time ago.” He went silent and sipped his tea. Astron sensed that he had ventured into a touchy subject with this question. It was as though Bard sank into some sort of deep memory. Deep and painful. He would have normally asked where Bard’s wife was now and whether they had any children, but decided that it would be better if he did not. Therefore, after a pause he started anew.

“So, what is it that you’re planning to do once you reach the Sauragians, if I may ask? You mentioned taking care of a few things.”

“That’s right,” said Bard, again rather tersely. “I’ve got a few personal matters that have been haunting me for a number o’ years now. There’s one particular dinosaur there I’d like to conclude business with once and for all.”

“Sounds pretty final. Who is this dinosaur?”

“The lowest, scummiest reptile who ever walked on two legs,” responded Bard with fierce hatred in his voice and eyes. “A Gorvosaur by the name of Oric. Some call him the Red One. I’d much prefer to call him the Dead One.”

“What did he do to make you hate him so?” asked Astron, fascinated almost to the point of letting his tea go cold.

“He’s done a lot of rotten things in his day. He’s a real rogue wherever he goes. A thief, a robber, a cheat, a murderer, and…” Bard’s voice trembled a bit as he added, “a kidnapper.” He paused to sip his tea, then continued. “He’s the leader of a bandit g**g called the Red Claw. The biggest, most efficient band to walk the lands.”

“That sounds pretty horrible. I wonder why we’ve never heard of them.”

“They were more active in the north and east when they started out. They’ve only begun venturing out this way in recent years, ever since the old Slayer died some time back.”

“How is it you came to know him?”

“I knew him from way back,” said Bard. “It’s a bit of a long tale, I’m afraid.”

“Well, do tell on. It’s a winter’s day, we’ve got a fire going, and there’s plenty more tea where this came from. I’ve got nothing better to do, if you’re willing to tell.”

So, Bard launched into the lengthy story of his life:

“Like I said, I was quite a rascal myself in earlier days. Me and Oric were pretty close as youngsters, causin’ trouble and all. When we got older an’ decided to make our own way, we had a diff’rence of opinion. He wanted to gather together a band of a few friends and others an’ go off seekin’ adventures an’ such with us as the leaders. I was more of a loner by nature, an’ decided to go off on me own. So, we parted ways an’ that was the end o’ that.

“I dunno what he did all those years with his band, but I spent the time doing quite a bit o’ wand’rin’. Travelled around the north from the Sauragians to the coast and every place in between. I even made my way as far north as the Star Point Islands for a while. They were supposed to be mystical and full o’ treasures. Very alluring for a young dino like me.”

“Did you find any treasure?” pried Astron.

“Oh, yes, quite a bit. I rather liked it there, actually. But after a few years I started to miss the mainland and I came back. Continued trav’lin’ near an’ far, fought all sorts o’ bad creatures an’ spent some time as a mercenary for the King of Umbria.”

“That’s quite an impressive life you’ve led, Bard. One might say you were an Evandrian to have done all that.”

Bard shook his head as he put his cup down and swallowed.

“Only in part,” he said. “My great granddad was one o’ them, or so I’m told. It’s very rare to find a full-blooded Evandrian outside o’ their Basin these days. But they’re out there, believe me. Mostly in the north. I’ve run into a couple in my travels. Noble creatures them, but dangerous at the best o’ times. Part of their trainin’ and all that. Best not to bother ‘em too much.” He paused as he sipped again. “Hard to believe they’re the same species as us, really.”

Astron thought for a moment. “Hard to believe, all right.” But it was intriguing all the same.

Astron had heard of the Evandrians since he was a hatchling. This ancient sub-species of Alvarosaurus was a favourite subject of bedtime stories, as they were so mysterious. They could supposedly be identified by their narrower, straighter snouts and dark green and brown skin, but Astron knew no one in Saurahall or even all of Cardolin who had seen one. It was said that they had once had an empire that covered most of the world, including Cardolin, and that the ruins of their castles and cities could still be seen in places. The modern Evandrians were supposedly descended from that once great empire. Now they wandered the woods and roads of what were once their lands, protecting travellers and keeping the peace wherever conflicts arose. One thing that everyone agreed on was that Evandrians were a force for good in the world. Killing or otherwise hurting one on purpose was unthinkable to any halfway decent dinosaur.

“Anyway,” resumed Bard, “I spent quite a few years like that ‘til I finally settled down. Bought a farm and married a girl from my home town named Flora.”

“A fine name,” commented Astron.

“Aye. And a fine dinosaur. She had a good influence on me, helped me put aside my rough ways and all that. We did well together, an’ soon we had a hatchling named Beth.” Here there was a long pause ere Bard continued, as though it pained him to even say the name. “She was such a darling, caring thing, our little Beth. She an’ her mother brought meaning to my life after all my pointless wanderings, an’ for once I was perfectly happy. Then Oric came back.

“It was some years on when he came to my farm. Evidently he’d heard o’ me an’ my wealth on his own travels an’ decided to stop by for a visit, or so he told us. Said he’d become a merchant an’ done right well for himself. Even introduced me to some of his colleagues, as he called ‘em. Rough-lookin’ dinos the lot, especially the one he called Bandor. Anyway, it didn’t take long to betray me. His g**g surrounded us with their weapons drawn. I gave out a couple b****y snouts before they hit me on the head. They thought they’d knocked me out, but through the blood in my eyes and ear slits I could see and hear it all. They murdered Flora outright an’…an’ they took Beth.”

Bard clenched his fists and trembled with rage at the mere memory.

“In a single day they took everything from me, including all my money. They burnt down my house with me in it, but I managed to crawl out before it came down completely. I collapsed in a field an’ didn’t wake for a day and a half. When I did, I saw the extent of their work. They were pretty thorough, but when I searched the ruins, I found they’d missed one thing.”

He reached under his pillow and pulled out the long-bladed knife, then drew it from the sheath.

“This dirk was given to me by an old lady in the Star Point Islands for saving her son’s life. It’s saved my life many times since. I buried it along with a bag o’ silver in a chest under the bed, just in case something like this ever happened. My sole purpose in life ever since has been to kill that treacherous Gorvosaurus an’ find my little Beth, if there’s even the slightest chance she’s still alive.”

He slammed the dirk into its sheath.

“That was about ten years ago. I’ve chased Oric all over the lands north an’ south, east an’ west, and I’ve come close. But now I’m sure I’ve got him. It’s said he’s building a stronghold up in the heart o’ the Sauragians. A secret hideaway, if you will. I’m headed there, to the Red Mountain, so I can finally take my revenge on the Red Claw. And if Beth’s alive, I’m sure she’ll be there too.”

A long pause ensued during which neither of them moved nor said a word. The teapot was now completely empty, and the accompanying biscuits no more than crumbs on the tray. Astron stared at the bottom of his cup, weighing carefully everything that Bard had told him. He suddenly felt a connection with this strange dinosaur, like he had just been told a deep, dark secret. He breathed deep and set his cup down with a sigh before he at last spoke.

“I understand why you hunt this Red One,” he said slowly. “I know if he’d done that to me, I would want to kill him too.”

“I’ve no doubt about that. You’re a fighter born and bred like me. But I hope you never have to go through what I did.”

“So do I.” Another pause followed. “Well, I’ve kept you up longer than I probably should. Alyssa’d have my tail if I kept you up any more, so I’ll leave you to your rest now.”

“Alright,” said Bard as Astron gathered up the components of the tray. “See you ‘round, then.”

“Right,” said Astron as he opened the door and stepped outside. “See you ‘round.” Closing the door behind him he added in a soft murmur, “Rest up, my friend. You’ve got a rough road ahead.”

He then went off to take the empty tray back to the kitchen, his mind buzzing with thoughts all the way.