Flash Fiction #408 -- Lost in Elsewhere/18

The Griblic king came straight at me, his long-bladed sword raised above his head as he screamed his challenge.  I probably should have been afraid or something.  Instead, it just annoyed me more.

I don't think he expected me to have a sword, and especially not an Iceling sword.  I didn't expect the sword to cut straight through the blade of his, so I guess we were both surprised.

The Greblic king backed away in haste.  He dropped his broken sword -- and then he gave a howl, spun, and ran away.  The rest of his people kept close to him, and they almost trampled each other on their way out.

We had silence then.

Edmond moved forward a few steps, checked the broken sword, and then looked back at me.

"Mark, where did you get that sword?" he asked.

"I found it.  I think one of the Icelings dropped it.  If they want it back --"

"That's not an Iceling sword," Lord Snow replied.  He came closer and sniffed -- and then leapt away, his ears back, his tail bushy.  Edmond had done the same.

"What the hell?" I asked, more than a little put out with the behavior.  "I thought I'd helped, you know."

"Akanthursta," Lord Snow said.  I had no idea what he meant.  "The sword, Mark, is Akanthursta.  She's ancient, powerful, and she disappeared a long time ago."

"So, why do I have her?"  I looked at the long, thin blade.  I had taken it for ice, but now I could see that it was actually glass.  "And why is it so cold?"

"I don't know why it's cold," Lord Snow said.  "But you'll need a sheath for it.  Don't set it down.  I don't think we want it to disappear again.  Why it came to you ... I have a theory."

"Yes?"  I switched it to my other hand before the fingers went completely numb.

"I think you are going to do something significant for Elsewhere -- but right then you ran the risk of being killed.  The sword and whatever power is behind it, didn't want that to happen."

He was telling me that I had come close to dying.  If I hadn't picked up the sword --

"I think I need to sit down."

"Let's go back to the cavern," Edmond suggested.  "I think they left the food."

That was as good as anything.  The Icelings had the entrance covered.  I suspected they'd have the place they took Maggie and Lady Lorla out covered as well.  I wanted to sit down and think.

It was possible, I hoped that Lord Snow was wrong about the sword.  I glanced his way, but I could see the consternation even on his cat face.  Edmond looked bothered too, but that might only be worry that the food was gone.

It was not, but I wished more that Maggie and Lady Lorla were here.  It's not that I mistrusted my current companions, but I wanted someone more akin to me right now.  They might know more about the sword and what it meant to my future.

I found bowls and gave Edmond and Lord Snow both their share of the stew.  I took half a bowl and a spoon, but after I sat down, I found myself playing with the food rather than eating it.

"Where do you think Maggie and Lady Lorla went?" I asked.  I shifted the sword where it sat on my lap.  It was still too cold.

"Either somewhere safe," Lord Snow began and gave a slight shake of his head.  "Or else they have gone to try and find help for us.  I can't say that would be unwise, either.  I think, Mark, that there is far more going on here than a kitten with a spell that went awry.  Tell me what happened."

"Six said that he'd read something in the library and wanted to repeat it for us," I said.  I sat the bowl aside.  "We were in the safe room, so it wouldn't have been that bad -- but Maggie opened a door right then --"

"How did a kitten like Six get hold of such a powerful spell?"

Now there was a question that needed an answer.  "That does seem unlikely, doesn't it?  The people in the castle library are always happy to have him come by and study, but I don't think any of them would have given him such a spell.  So it was likely a set up from the start."

"I would suspect so," Lord Snow said.

Edmond gave a soft growl, his ears back.  "Someone did that to my kitten?  I will find out who."

Well, that sounded troubling.  I was glad to have Edmond on my side, especially when Lord Snow gave a nod of his own.  No, not the two I would have wanted to face.

"It's possible someone wanted Maggie and me -- and Edmond -- out of my father's castle," I suggested. Never forget to add in the cat.

"Oh," Lord Snow said.  "That sounds possible.  I do hope your father took note --"

"He wasn't in the castle," Edmond said.  "A pixie came by and asked for his help with a downed tree.  That could have been a ploy to get him out in the open -- but then why work so hard to get the rest of us away?  I think it was just luck that he wasn't there.  But --"  Edmond stopped, and his ears went back again.  "The rest of the kittens were still there."

"We'll get back and help them," I promised.  I moved the sword again.  "Let's find something to use as a sheath.  Then we'll rest for a bit longer and figure out where to go from here -- as long as the Griblics don't attack again."

Nods from my two companions.

"Eat your food," Edmond ordered.  "You really don't know when you'll get a chance at anything warm again."

Wise words from the black cat.  I ate that bowl and a bit more.