Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK II - Scene XLV

After about thirty minutes of walking Eartaria was beginning to feel annoyed. The half-tail had said it wasn't far to the settlement, but that clearly wasn't the case. Uncharacteristically he only expressed this inwardly though, focused as he was on his hopes of persuading them to aid his cause. Celalah and Allakat, on the other hand, had begun to enjoy the excursion, and now they were back amongst their own kind - and far away from the war - it was becoming a refreshing holiday. The earlier tiredness disappearing like a forgotten dream. As they made the trek each offered to carry the large jug of water that the female half-tail carried effortlessly on her head, but each time the offer was deferentially declined. Eartaria gave no such offer.

The uphill nature of the journey especially added to his annoyance, and he kept thinking of the boat plush with weapons that they'd left far below. Hidden away, and undoubtedly safe on the Terrella coast, but still, a little too precious to be left unguarded. Pressing the war in the Northern Kingdom was why he was here he kept reminding himself. A commission he'd taken upon himself. Like an orphan among strays. His sense of purpose solely derived from circumstance, rather than any sense of forethought. As he brushed another sweep of branches from his face he could now feel the wound in his shoulder reawaken too. The pain stabbing intermittently in the damp heat. It reminded him of when he first entered Once Woods. The arrow that took him down, then the strange submerged fantasy that followed. Of golden-haired mermaids and rainbow coloured clays; of lava and tumbling mountains. Not to mention his brother, ghostly in the ocean deep. In turn it brought to mind the sea-swept woman ..and King Brijsk. He felt a brief light-headedness as these thoughts skipped by, and he braced himself to go tumbling again, but this time it passed. The pain in the shoulder coming back stronger as his senses recharged to full power. Then, just as his mind regained the turf of reality, he heard voices off afar. The dense jungle opening up before him to reveal a near city, half built. Wooden huts and trees houses. Freshly cut timbers lying ready to finish those still being crafted. Rope bridges and pullies, all hanging like vines from the endless mesh of demi-forest. And most noticeable of all the countless half-tails working away.

An army Eartaria thought to himself.

The two half-tails that had guided them quickly disappeared into the throng. The woman eager to take the water wherever it was needed, her bobbing tail now just one of many in the crowd. Then, just as quickly, as if by magic, the head half-tail came out to greet them. As friendly as the other two.

"Let me guess, you want to bring the rest of the half-tails here? No problem, bring them. Tell the northern king he can have his Northern Kingdom. Give up the war. We have the space, you're much better here than there."

"Not quite," replied Allakat, "We want your help to win the war."

"We want you to join us in the fight," interrupted Eartaria, eagerly, "We have black powder now. We can source it here - this place looks perfect. We can use this island as a springboard. Then we can take back all of Once Woods."

The head half-tail didn't look impressed; his facial expression dropping from friendly to doubtful. Allakat and Celalah read the response and gave a sheepish look in return.

"You do realise that when Once Woods falls this island will be next," pushed on Eartaria, the slight falsehood of this statement making Allakat and Celalah feel further abashed.

The head half-tail pondered for a moment, thinking for a reply. "Follow me." He then led them deeper into the forest village, speaking as he walked. "We don't need the distraction of war. There are signs in the sky. The war is nothing. You should come here and wait for it to pass."

As they headed towards the centre they could see half-tails weaving and hammering boats up in the tree branches. Like huge canoes, that sailed amongst the tree tops. From the high vantage point the workers could see down across the green island. The sea rising to the eye in the steamy distance.

"Why are you building boats up here, in the higher ground? You should build them down river," noted Eartaria, instructively, with little thought as to why they would be constructing them up-mountain in the first place.

"The river may come to us," replied the head half-tail, only mildly aware himself of how odd this comment sounded to the three visitors. It reminded Eartaria of the brazen sea-swept woman once more, but he ignored his thoughts.

"So you won't help us?" he bemoaned.

"We can help you - you can come here. All of you."

"No. We want real help - help to fight the war that's at our throats right now. Our lands - all our lands - are being conquered. Not just the half-tail lands, my island too. Everything will be gone. We need to come together. The mainland are rolling over everything like a giant wave ..everyone will end up in the chains of slavery."

"We can't help you fight your war. I'm sorry. You should stop fighting. Forget it. Come here."

"What if we just use this island to source the materials - for our black powder," pleaded Eartaria, "You won't have to do anything. Just a few men as helping hands, that's all we'll need."

"No," affirmed the head, his words finding an added stubbornness, "The war is not our problem. We have things to build, to protect our animals as well as our people ..and time is running out." At this many of the male half-tails came silently over, as if to emphasise the point being made by their tribal leader. Their serious faces aimed fully in the direction of the Brynnyfirdian stranger.

"The war isn't our problem," repeated the head, "There are more important things to contend with. You can come and live here peacefully if you wish - we'll welcome you openly - but we'll have no business with your war."

For all the embarrassment they felt over Eartaria's careless, war hungry words, the dismissive words of the head half-tail rankled Allakat and Celalah a little too. The idea that they should abandon their homeland en masse, and make an exodus over the sea to the tiny island feeling almost a tad heartless. The added notion that, "signs in the sky," were more noteworthy than the relentless bloodshed they'd experienced on the mainland making it feel even more so. They had always known that the island half-tails were different, with different ways - and they still felt a sense of guilt for attempting to bring the war to their peaceful shores. However, the five minutes of conversation quickly made the small differences seem much larger. The previous hour or so of happy reacquaintance a false prelude to a truer reality. In many ways the Once Wood half-tails did indeed have more in common with the other mainlanders than they did with their tree-hopping cousins.

"We need to head back," said Allakat disappointedly, realising how much it had been a mistake to have listened to Eartaria. The detour bringing nothing but delay and bad feeling. Still, at least the pleasant nature of the half-tails they'd met reminded them what they were fighting for. The Once Wood half-tails would have to be the sword that guarded the edge of paradise he thought to himself with diligence as he turned to leave. He then looked back at the chief. The two men made eye contact, then stepped towards each other for a warm embrace. "Thanks you for your hospitality ..and your offer," Allakat expressed, with a sincere gratitude. Celalah nodded in agreement and hugged the chief in turn. Eartaria, not one for hugs, just shook his hand. He then looked around one final time at the busy community to lament the wasted potential. If he had these hands just sourcing the raw materials it would've have been a huge advantage. Whether they actually fought or not. It was a futile plan though. Like trying to persuade the birds in the trees to join in the war effort. The three fighters then headed back down the mountain to their boat. The Once Wood half-tails would be fighting alone.