Ep.34 - The Year Of The Bear
(Start at the beginning)
There was obvious pause as Carmel simply looked on, Julia and Kodiak too. Even Dolev who had just asked after the Big Bear seemed to skip a beat as she turned over some thought in her mind. "Big Bear, you sound tired," Dolev's voice came with a hint of confusion, clearly sensing something wrong by ear alone. Big Bear let go a breath, more of a wheeze, where a bellow or laughter seemed more appropriate. Still he smiled, which was strangely warming despite everything else.
"Tired, now there's a word for it," He agreed with a nod that labored him.
"What happened to you?" Carmel asked.
Big Bear shook his head, opened his mouth to answer, but before he could say anything the men surrounding the table began to answer for him.
"Poison is what it is,"
"It's a curse, got to be,"
"It's the maladie, sure as I ever saw it,"
"The Yos, doesn't matter what it is, it's their doing."
Big Bear held up a shaking hand causing all stipulations to fall silent. Dolev filled the gap, "Sorcery."
"He is feeble, worn thin, like Mathias at the settlement below Ipswitch, only worse." Julia uttered in Dolev’s ear..
"It’s true, the will of the Yos is against me but what else is new? I’m hardly the only one to suffer.”
“He fell ill shortly after we parted ways,” Brown Beard said, “has only gotten worse since.”
“At least my vision is still clear, what happened to yours?” asked the Big Bear.
“A trade, for the information we went to find,” Dolev answered a little solemnly but Carmel could see the want to put on a brave face.
“Struck blind by a Serpent from a past age more like,” Julia dissented, not allowing the deed to go without its merit. Carmel’s own beef aside, Julia out of them all seemed next in line to ever grind the axe, taking the outcome particularly hard for some reason he had not been able to figure out. “A cruel trick devised on malcontent. We got what we went for but Dolev paid an unjust price.”
“The spy has returned, I didn't think I’d see you again,” Big Bear pondered at the thought but had not much else to say. All seemed curious at her announcement, as mysterious as it sounded.
“The Bears need not burden themselves with this trouble, I’ve taken it on myself, on a Wilderman’s honor. Let’s stick to the heart of the matter, the Yos, and the resistance of the North. We’re at war.”
There came a collective ‘Aye!’ as at least half of the assembled men rose up in heartfelt agreement. Many of the others who were a part of the recent disagreement remained silent.
“War, yes, it would seem so, but no war we’re accustomed to,” an older Bear cut in from the crowd.
Carmel continued, “This war has been going on for centuries, through ages past, hot at one time with the marching and clashing of armies, laid low and become dormant, then changed to a cold in which the enemy worked without anyone taking notice. Finally it has become one of subterfuge, where through the trickery of the Yos, the ancient foe Yob seeks dominion over all. His is a name lost to memory, and scrubbed from every text and craft to hide his second coming. His kingdom lies to the west, and it is said that the answer to his undoing is carved upon his very hand. This word is a word of power and has the ability to undermine the influence we have seen with the Yos, to take back our people, to relieve them of the maladie, to turn them back from madness, and to reverse the withering of even our strongest kin to their former strength.” Camel gave the Big Bear a stern look and a nod. “Mercy, born of pity was the reason Yob’s blight had been allowed to endure. By my reckoning he had his chance to set himself right, so my intention is to seek out the heart of the Yos threat, find the word of power, and put an end to this plague once and for all.”
There came a murmuring as the host of Bears deliberated over the news.
“That was a good speech,” Julia offered as the host was busy, sounding a little more surprised than Carmel might have liked. Dolev smirked and put a tender hand on Carmel’s shoulder, “It was.”
“Just one man to stave off the plight of us all?” One of the Bears scoffed, a broad looking man with black hair and a black beard, arms thick, bare, and covered in scars. “Who even is this man that we trust what he’s saying? Could be more Yos lies.”
“He’s not even a Bear, has the look from over the High Pass,” the Bear beside him added.
“He’s a Wilderman, that much we know, I was there to see him get into a scuff with the Yos in Ipswitch some months ago,” a more familiar Bear said. Realising it was Coddington, Carmel gave him a nod.
“It matters not,” Kodiak stepped forward, planting his hands on Carmel’s shoulders, an easy feat for such a tall Bear. “I’ve traveled with him for as long as he’s been known to us, and I’ve seen enough to put my name alongside his. Besides, he left out the most important part, that I’m going with him. Carmel is his name, and he and Kodiak will see this job done, on my honor as a Bear.”
Another murmur arose as many deliberated the new facts.
“If Kodiak is willing to stake his name on the Wilderman then I’ve no qualms with it,” one voice was heard to say. Carmel saw the bare armed Bear with the black hair give a curt nod, a sign of approval if ever he saw one. Still, others were skeptical.
“What of the Yos threat while they’re gone? What of our townships and families? How long are we expected to wait while we watch the border to our lands?” There came a fresh uprising of the previous dispute as emotions ran high despite the news. Through the din, amidst the sudden chaos, Big Bear raised his arm for quiet.
(Continue to Ep.35)
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