Leslie Moore - Griffin's Daughter

Jelena fidgeted in her saddle, anxious not to miss out on a single moment of this, her first hunt. She made a decision. “I go in after, “she announced. Aneko shrugged and smiled lopsidedly, as if to say that it was no use, but Jelena could do as she liked.

Jelena drummed her heels into Willow’s sturdy flanks, and the horse plunged eagerly into the cool shadows beneath the forest canopy. Shouts and whistles echoed among the trees, making it difficult to discern which way the hunt had gone. She decided to let Willow choose the path, for the mare strode along with purpose, as if she knew exactly where to go.

Jelena could hear the dogs now, howling joyfully. They must be closing in on the doe , she thought.

Without warning, Willow shied violently. Only sheer luck kept Jelena from being thrown. As she fought to control the mare, she caught a glimpse of a heavy, dark shape in the undergrowth. Bushes shook and leaves flew as an enormous gray-black beast exploded from a thicket beneath Willow’s nose and hurtled forward past the plunging horse. An ear-piercing squeal tore at Jelena’s ears.

A wild boar!

She and Willow had inadvertently blundered into its hiding place and flushed it out, but the tusker appeared more interested in escape than confrontation. It tore off through the trees and disappeared from sight, leaving both horse and girl shaking with reaction.

Having regained control, Jelena urged Willow forward, now more anxious than ever to catch up to the rest of the hunt. Off to her right, she heard a man call out and decided to head in that general direction. Perhaps she would run into Ashinji. Her heart, having just slowed down, sped up again at the thought of seeing the man she loved.

A man astride a big bay horse came into view-Lord Sen. He sat gazing ahead into the trees, his expression thoughtful, as if trying to decide whether to ride on or stay put. Jelena opened her mouth to call out to him, but he kicked the bay and trotted off. She urged Willow to follow.

Suddenly, the thicket ahead erupted with a furious squeal. Lord Sen’s horse screamed in panic and reared, hurling the Lord of Kerala from the saddle. Jelena watched in horror as Lord Sen hit the ground with bone-breaking force and lay unmoving. The horse bolted away into the trees.

The boar stood poised, his small black eyes glittering with porcine fury. His massive head, adorned with a pair of wickedly curved tusks, swung from side to side, snout twitching. Jelena could feel Willow preparing to bolt. Just then, Lord Sen stirred and groaned. With a snort, the boar charged.

Later, Jelena would have no explanation for what happened next; perhaps the One Goddess guided her hands, perhaps the magic within her aided the deed.

She felt her consciousness tear loose from her body and float free to hover above the scene now unfolding in slow motion below her. She watched as, seemingly without enough time to make a shot, she raised her bow, withdrew an arrow from the quiver at her knee, nocked, drew, and fired. The arrow ignited in a flash of blue flame and impaled the boar through its right eye, killing it instantly. The beast crashed to the ground and slid forward in a tangle of limbs to fetch up against the semi-conscious Lord Sen.

Jelena’s mind slammed back into her body with such force that she nearly tumbled from her saddle. Shaking her head dizzily, she scrambled off the trembling Willow and ran over to crouch beside Lord Sen.

“ My lord! Can you speak? Are you hurt?” she cried, struggling not to gag on the rank aroma of the dead boar. Lord Sen’s eyes fluttered open and for one terrible moment, Jelena saw only blankness, then a heartbeat later, a glimmer of recognition.

“ My messenger. Where did you come from?” Sen asked. He sounded genuinely puzzled.

Jelena sighed with heartfelt relief. “Do you know what now just happened, my lord?” she asked. He struggled to sit up, and Jelena gladly lent her shoulder for assistance. She peered intently into his face. He looked pale and shaky but seemed more or less intact.

“ I startled a boar. My horse threw me. The last thing I remember is thinking that I was going to be very sore tomorrow after taking such a fall.” He let out a small chuckle, then gasped and clutched at his side.

“ You hurt, where in pain, my lord?” she asked, but he just shook his head, staring first at the slain tusker, then at the bow Jelena still clutched in her hand.

“ You saved my life, girl,” he said slowly. “Do you realize what that means?” He pointed at the arrow protruding from the boar’s eye. Jelena shook her head. “It means that you have earned the right to ask of me whatever you want, and I am obligated to give it to you, no matter the cost to me.”

Jelena drew in a sharp breath, not quite believing what she had just heard. Lord Sen regarded her intently, and Jelena saw something in his eyes that she had never before seen in the gaze of a powerful man-respect. She shivered with awe.

“ Here, take this,” Sen wheezed, his right hand pressed tightly to his injured side. He fumbled with his other hand to release a small ivory horn from his belt. “Blow three short blasts, then three long ones. It will signal the others that there’s a rider down.” He held the horn out to Jelena, who took it and pressed it hesitantly to her lips.

Her first effort produced a sickly squawk. “Blow harder,” Sen instructed. Nodding in understanding, Jelena took a deep breath and blew with all the strength she could muster. Sen bobbed his head in approval.

Almost simultaneously, several horns sounded nearby, answering the distress call. Jelena could feel the vibrations of approaching riders in the litter-covered earth beneath her knees. She glanced worriedly at Lord Sen and silently prayed for them to hurry.

Ashinji reached them first. He tumbled off his horse and threw himself down beside his father. “Father! Are you hurt? What happened?” he cried.

“ I’m all right, Son,” Sen soothed. “Just a little fall, that’s all.”

“ He is being brave…for you,” Jelena stated quietly. “He fell…very hard.”

Ashinji looked at Jelena, then his eyes skipped over to the dead boar. “Jelena, you shot this boar, didn’t you?” He reached out to touch a fingertip to the bow in her hand. “You saved my father’s life.” Love and gratitude sparked in his eyes. Jelena wanted to break down and cry; only sheer willpower held back her tears.

Ashinji turned his attention back to Sen. “Father, you must not try to minimize this. Please tell me where you hurt.” His tone indicated that he would tolerate no nonsense.

Sen held up his hand as if in surrender. “I think I may have broken a rib here on my right side. That’s the worst of it,” he said, almost meek in the face of his son’s stern concern.

“ Great Goddess! Father, you’re down!”

Sadaiyo had arrived, along with Misune and Lord Dai. He jumped from his horse and strode over to where Sen lay. “Out of my way, girl,” he growled, shoving Jelena roughly aside, sending her sprawling. He squatted beside his father and said, “Are you hurt?”

Jelena scrambled to her feet, still clutching her bow, spitting leaves from her mouth. Her face burned with humiliation. She saw Lord Sen’s eyes narrow in anger. “My messenger here shot this beast while I lay helpless. If she had not killed it, you would now be Lord,” he said tightly. “I owe her my life.”

Sadaiyo raised one eyebrow in surprise and turned to look at Jelena, his expression speculative. She felt a chill race up her spine.

By this time, most of the other nobles had arrived, dismounted and had gathered around the fallen Lord of Kerala. Everyone talked at once, completely ignoring Jelena, although many exclaimed in astonishment over the slain boar. Jelena stood quietly, just outside the noisy circle of people, wishing she could stand beside Ashinji.