Journeying through the northern lands hasn't been easy. It seemed that he'd left Ironstone ages ago. In truth, he had no clue how long had passed, but Dakran found solace in the fact that the Inari village lay not far ahead.
Dakran sighed, Corvin had behaved for most of the ride over, and he was grateful for that. He had no clue what he was thinking, but he didn't want to poke and find out. That mouth, Dakran frowned and glanced over to Corvin. After their little tiff early on, about his choice of words around Maya, and Edýia, Corvin had spent most of the journey sulking.
" What will you do if Haren is in trouble?" Corvin broke his thoughts, looking at the fur-felted huts that glowed in the night. The Inari tribe was nomadic. It hadn't always been like this, but things have changed. They kept moving from one patch of land to another.
" I don't know. I will have to speak with him first to know for sure." Dakran sighed and checked one last time his sword, and the dagger he'd shoved in his boots. He had no clue what to expect, but he expected the worse. He hoped that Nya wouldn't be her usual self, troublesome, insufferable. Despite being so far out, his heart and mind weren't there with him. It had remained behind, in Ironstone with Maya.
An arrow whizzed past his ear, and planted in the ground just behind him " We are here to talk, not to fight" Dakran shouted to whoever had shot the arrow at him. This was the usual greeting when one approached the tribe.
Issare cawed above him circling in the air waiting for him to reach out his hand. It was time to send the usual missive to Maya. The moment of silence was broken when a young boy, appeared out of the shadows, carrying a bow, and his arrow strapped on his back.
" What brings you to this land?" The young boy asked halting just a few paces in front of them, sombre. Just like every other tribesman and woman, he had a swarthy complexion, a common trait among the tribe, distinctive.
Dakran pulled on the reins to a halt " We need to have a word with the Kaishin." Dakran threw a glance at Corvin who gripped his blade. Just like Haren, his first instinct was to get into a brawl before anyone had a chance to say anything. One wrong move on the boy's part and his head would fall off his shoulders.
The boy turned around, with slow steps leading the way to the village. Many Inari tribesmen and women had survived, considering the size of the village. The proof that they were skilled warriors, laid right before his eyes.
The boy cooed, and a door opened letting out the light from the hut and the figure of a woman appeared on the threshold. It was no surprise when Nya appeared before them wearing a conceited smile, full of herself.
" Dakran" Nya crooned, feigning delight in seeing him, but he already knew it was far from it. She was most likely expecting him to show up at her doorstep, at some point. Haren was his weakness, he couldn't forsake his brother. The family ties were strong, and renouncing his own blood was something he couldn't do.
Dakran jumped off his horse " Haren. I'm here to speak with him" Dakran didn't even bother with the pleasantries. It wasn't a courtesy visit. Nya was the last person he wanted to see.
Nya sniggered " Not wasting any time. It was to be expected" Nya's haughty tone grated his tired nerve, but he was in no mood to bicker.
" Haren?" Dakran didn't trouble himself to ingratiate Nya. Out of respect, for all the help the tribe had provided over time, Dakran kept his spirits steady.
Nya scoffed " Resting. Come back later, if you wish to speak with him. " Nya waved him off and turned on her heels to enter the hut, sniffy. Obviously, she was thorny for some reason that eluded him.
" I have come far. I would like to speak with him, now" Dakran grabbed her arm and pulled Nya back before she had a chance to slip back inside.
" Not yet, son" The screeching voice of an old man behind made him let go of Nya.
Dakran turned on his heels to face the man he'd known since he was a young boy," Chieftan Akema" Dakran curtly nodded " What is the meaning of this?" He was surprised to see that Nya's father was still alive and kicking. Akema had kept a quiet life after he'd passed down his seat to Nya.
The old man licked his lips and waved him inside the same hut where Nya had come out of.
" Father?" Nya looked surprised at her father's decision but nodded when the old man gave her a pointed look. Not many men could stand up to Nya but it seemed that Akema was the one still very much leading the tribe, using Nya.
" I think I will stay out here," Dakran stood aside the let the man enter, making sure that he kept close enough to reach with his sword either of them.
" Afraid, son" The old man smirked and poked him in the leg with his staff.
Dakran chuckled " No, but I'm not that foolish to willingly enter the wolves' den," Dakran smirked, glancing inside the hut, hopeful that he could catch a glimpse of his sleeping brother. He doubted that he was asleep, judging by the old man's and Nya's frame of mind.
" Foolish?" The old man chuckled " Willful, I would say." He added, with a trembling voice. Not because he was afraid, he'd lived longer than most people. He was quite decrepit, he needed a cane to walk, wrinkled skin, and hallowed eyes, but he had plenty of fight left in him.
" One last time" Dakran huffed, at his witts end " Haren? I will not ask again." Dakran cautioned and took a step back when the old man raised his cane to poke at him again.
" Resting. I think we should talk first" The old man stood his ground, and that was a good enough reason to make him suspicious. All the chasing around the tail led somewhere, and he desperately wanted to see what Nya and Akema wanted.
" Say what you have to say here, and now" Dakran gripped the hilt of his sword " Before I have a change of heart " He added, unsheathing his sword. The old man frowned, when he didn't budge, and licked his lips.
" Nya is with child. A Vamadar, no less" The old man glanced at Nya who smiled and cradled her belly. It couldn't have been his. So Haren.
" Haren? How do you even know now? It hasn't been that long" Dakran doubted that Nya carried Haren's offspring. It couldn't have happened so fast.
" I know things, son. Like I know that she will be the only one to provide an heir to the Ironstone seat. The wife that you took, is as barren, as these lands." The old man indeed knew things that no one else did. He was the only one that knew about Maya and he didn't breathe a word of it to any other soul than Maya. Somehow, the old man had his eyes on him.
Dakran mockingly chuckled, " Chieftan" Dakran scoffed " If you think that I will let Nya and Haren's children take the seat. You're crazier than she is." Dakran mocked and clicked his tongue. " If there was at least one shred of sanity in them" Dakran sighed, amused " I would step down, right this instant, but there isn't, and you know it." Dakran rubbed his forehead, at odds with himself and glanced at Nya " That's why you slept with me, didn't you? " Dakran broached the matter that had been bothering him for quite some time" Don't waste your breath" Dakran turned his attention back to the old man when Nya opened her mouth to answer. There was no need to hear anything coming out of her sly mouth.
" What do you want? It must be a lot since you two" Dakran waved his blade at Nya, and then at Akema " Have gone through so much trouble. Chasing after me, Maya and now you have Haren probably dozed up on one of your cursed elixirs." Dakran drew his conclusions, shaking his head in disbelief. It had gone from bad to worse faster than he'd foreseen.