A New Chief

Bard asked for Elvira and Ruegar the next day. He wanted to understand why they believed this death walk would be better than staying and resolving the situation.

Their arguments were quite compelling as they detailed what Holger did and thought. The Chief had been gravely injured. Holger wanted to kill them all for not attacking the Dryad. The fact that Elvira had struck him and said he wasn’t even chief so she didn’t have to obey him, had bruised the man’s ego and bought them a bit of time, as he didn’t have a counter to it… yet. Especially when over half the village agreed with her. Though, it was only a matter of time till the chief passed away, and that would be the point of no return.

While they discussed, a man came and asked for Elvira. She returned and asked for Bard and Sen to follow her. Bard could tell from her tone that something was going on, something that would affect their course of action. He remained calm and listened as they walked into town.

People watched them, some with hope and pleading, others with scorn and bitterness. Even the children, unless far too young, showed their expressions of fright and worry, and a few came over and interacted with them, asking questions until their parents came and fetched them. Elvira was patient with their walk, no rush or anticipation to her movements. It helped Bard and Sen to remain calm. When they turned to the chief’s house, Bard stopped. Elvira and Sen looked back at him, and he took a breath to show his discomfort with being here again. Sen grabbed his hand, and they walked inside, pushing the heavy fabric that draped across the entryway aside before opening the door.

It was warm and smelled of herbs and incense inside. Something Sen sighed in comfort at. It vaguely reminded them of her forest.

“Elvira,” a voice said, sounding far more worn down than the last Bard had heard it. The chief wasn’t long for this world, by the sound of it.

“What are you doing here?” Holger scrutinized, and Bard stepped between Sen and the man as he glared at Elvira.

“I asked them to come, to say my farewells,” the chief said, and Holger’s expression went soft as he looked back at his father.

“Oh. My apologies, father.”

“Please, my son. Let me speak to them alone,” The Chief said calmly.

“But-” Holger’s dispute was cut off with a firm movement from his father. He bowed his head and left, but as he passed, Bard noticed the hostility and glare pointed at him and Sen. Elvira nodded to the remaining people and they left. Once it was just the three of them and the chief, Elvira approached The Chief and bowed, touching the ground with her fist.

“Hello, Chief,” she greeted.

“Won’t you call me papa, for old time’s sake, Elvira?”

Elvira shook her head.

“I’m no longer a part of the family, and you know why,” she answered. Bard lowered his head as he approached with Sen.

“That is why I asked Bard and Sen to come.”

“You asked for us?” Sen spoke, and the Chief shifted farther under the covers.

“Yes, though forgive me that I tire so easily. I will keep it brief.” He coughed a few times and winced. Elvira looked on in worry, and Bard could see that this was very hard for her. “Elvira, for this time you are in here, I want you to be my daughter and receive the final gift I can give as your father,” the Chief said and Elvira hesitated but shortly nodded. “Bard, under the bed is a small box. Please grab it.”

“But papa-” Elvira interjected as Bard reached under with Sen. Her voice stopped, meaning the Chief asked her to be quiet. Bard found a small stone box with ornate carvings on it. He pulled it out and hefted it up. It was lighter than it would appear, but still a bit heavy. As he set it on the bed, the chief opened it. From inside, he procured a simple metal band and then blue and brown leather bracers. He also procured an ornate feather head-piece with blue and brown feathers. The feather head-piece, he placed in his lap, and then the bracers he handed to Bard.

Bard, with hands outstretched, received them and looked at the chief with a questioning gaze.

“Do they fit?” the chief asked with a knowing look. He handed the metal band to Elvira, who looked surprised. Bard tucked his chin as he looked warily at the chief.

“What does it mean if I put them on?” he asked, and The Chief laughed before coughing.

“You are smart lad, it will take you far. Those bracers signify the right of chieftainship at the passing of the previous chief.”

“But, that would mean…” Sen spoke up, looking at Bard and peering around to look in his eyes. He was shocked, scared and then a bit angry.

“But I don’t want this. You know that.”

“Bard. You, not Holger or Elvira, have been listening and gathering information these past few days. I know you just recovered, but I feel Holger will kill me soon since I began to recover. I no longer have the strength I once had to oppose him. And when I pass, he will slay many of the people, old and young, male and female, and the children who speak out. He is a weak leader when it comes to inspiring people. You, however, do not seek to lead, but people follow you. Your reasoning is sound, and your plans are well-thought-out. It is the duty of a chief to protect those in their care,” he said firmly. Bard’s eyes glazed over as he was transported in memory to being under Father’s boughs, hearing what it meant to be an Elder and what a representative would do.

“And as Chief, I want you to take care of my people.”

Bard looked over at Sen, who was excited and had a triumphant look. His gaze flicked to Elvira, who smiled wanly, but nodded encouragingly.

“I… I can’t,” Bard said as he moved to return the bracers. Elvira stopped him.

“Bard. You won’t be alone. If you are refusing because you can’t handle the responsibility alone, then stop.”

“It’s not that,” Bard said, trying to set the bracers on the bed.

“Bard. Stop. We can make this work,” Sen said, and he whirred around and frowned. She kept that spirited smile on her face, and Bard growled.

“What about the pledge? You know both are lives are at stake if we don’t complete that,” he reminded and she nodded.

“Pledge?” Elvira and the Chief asked. Bard sighed, and Sen stepped in between him and The Chief’s bed. She winked and then turned to Elvira and the Chief.

“Bard and I aren’t exactly married yet. Just engaged,” she said, and Bard was relieved she was saying the word right, and she was keeping her voice down. “We didn’t want any major problems with Holger, so Ruegar suggested we behave as if we were already married. We have a long journey through the mountains and across the deserts to bring back the items we need to have our engagement ratified by the Elder in my home so we can be wed. We have a year to do it, and we are about one third of the way through that. Bard is worried we won’t make it if we have to move you all to avoid Holger’s wrath.”

“What happens if you don’t make it back in a year?” Elvira asked.

“My father will come and kill Bard. He doesn’t exactly like that we are engaged…” Sen said, biting her lip. Bard hung his head. All their cards were laid bare. He expected the Chief and Elvira to resend the idea of him becoming chief. He barely was making it work with their pledge.

Elvira moved beside him and cuffed his shoulder. Bard yelped a bit and looked back at her in confusion.

“That’s for hiding things and trying to handle this on your own. Your bride-to-be is smart to share this. If we had known, we could have helped you both.”

“It has nothing to do with you guys, so I didn’t feel that it was-”

“That you should let us know? Oh, Bard,” Elvira sighed out the last word. “You aren’t going to be a perfect chief, and you will make mistakes, like this one here.”

“Mistake?” Bard asked incredulous.

“Yes. If those around you are choosing to rely on you, they need to be communicated to about your own situation. Besides, you can’t solve all your problems on your own, especially when they start to involve others.”

“But this doesn’t”

“It involves Sen, and it involves us as well.”

“Not if I’m not chief,” Bard quipped back.

“Bard…” Sen spoke up. Bard paused and looked at her. Her expression reminded him to calm down. He realized that he had been rising, trying to be even or taller than Elvira, and his voice also rose. This would create more problems if Holger overheard what he had just said.

At that thought, he chided himself. He was already thinking about the people in this village and what his actions would cause them. Had they been here long enough to consider themselves as part of the community? He struggled with the idea.

“You do this when you realize you’re going to be accepting responsibility. But that is what creates life’s adventures and life’s rewards,” Sen remarked. Bard was about to comment when she continued. “I’ve been relying on you to get us through, and didn’t realize you were stressed about it getting done. But, do you really believe this is what an Elder does? Abandon these people to their fate? Especially after all they’ve done for us?”

“But, we wouldn’t be in this predicament if we hadn’t come,” Bard pointed out.

“And they would be dead from the shades, the harbinger of death,” Sen said.

“The one with the six eyes?” Bard asked, amused she knew that word. Sen nodded and Bard sighed.

“Fitting name…”

“But you saved them. You talked with the Chief, you came up with the framework of the plan and got everyone involved to protect the villagers, even though you could have just kept us two safe,” Sen huffed to control her breathing. “How is this any different?”

Bard looked away. From that perspective, she was right. Perhaps there was something he would gain from helping, and if nothing else, he wouldn’t have their souls on his conscience. He thought about what would happen to those people outside if he didn’t guide them away, and his heart ached.

“But, how can we do this?” he asked softly, and Sen came over and touched her forehead to his.

“Together. That’s how. We aren’t alone, either. Elvira was raised in the house of the Chief. She knows more about what the people do in their daily lives and how to take care of them. And I was raised to be the next leader by my father. We can help with what you are lacking, but you do need to talk.”

Bard smiled as he rolled his eyes. She was right. Both of them were right. He wasn’t alone, traveling the world to meet Elders and search for the target of his quest. He was engaged to a very determined Dryad and had met some humans who would be willing to move past the war. Perhaps he and Father’s dream could be a reality… he just wasn’t expecting it to happen like this.

He looked at Elvira and the Chief and bowed his head.

“I’m sorry. I hadn’t considered all your points. I was too focused on myself.”

“It’s fine, Bard,” Elvira chuckled. “You came around to it yourself… well, with a bit of help from your wife.” Her gentle laughter caused Bard and Sen to flush in embarrassment.

“If you both handle your disputes like that, then I see you both having a successful marriage,” the Chief said with a closed-eyed smile. When he opened his eyes, they were very serious.

“I’m dividing the tokens of a chief among you two, and I will present this one to Holger to placate him. He doesn’t know there are three pieces and if two go with you, you can be assured that those outside his circle will follow you both. I would recommend leaving during the night, but with the presence of shades… that is too risky.”

“We could get them drunk on that grain-oil,” Elvira suggested. “As for your… pledge? You can’t do it with this snow, so what is the route you can take for now?” she asked… Bard paused, and then his eyes grew wide. Before he could answer, she motioned for them to stay quiet. She signaled to the door, and Bard and Sen realized she knew they were being listened to. Elvira went outside and Holger’s voice was quite apparent. Bard helped stash the box with the headpiece and hid the bracers under his cloak. Sen had the metal band in her cloak and after being dismissed by the Chief, they returned to Ruegar’s home.