Page 45 of Stormlost

‘Erann, listen to me. I’ve been here a long time. Not a day’s gone by that I’ve not walked through this dusky tunnel and hoped for a way out. I don’t know if I’ve walked in circles, or followed a trail, or where I’ve been. All I know is, I’ve found no means of escape. The tunnel keeps me alive with food and water but doesn’t allow me out.’ Ramon’s voice faded into anguished silence, and silence grew between them.

Erann was desperate to deny his father’s word. Yet, Ramon hadn’t returned home when he should, and Erann knew his father would have done everything possible to do so.

Erann didn’t know what to say. To deny it seemed ridiculous. His father’s presence spoke of long containment.

‘So, what did you do after you went to the Librarian?’ It was by no means the most pressing question for his father but it was something to talk about aside from their desperate situation.

‘He welcomed me warmly. He allowed me to shelter within his rooms throughout the Long Night. It took a long time to reach him. I left it too late to make the journey during the Long Day, even though I thought I’d planned it better. I made use of the light of the stars and the planets above our heads. I’d managed to store some wood and brands for my own purpose. By the light of a tiny flame, when I could ensure it stayed alight, I made my way towards him at the beginning of the Long Night.’

‘All the way from the Eastern Quarter, in the darkness of the Long Night.’

‘I had nowhere else to go, Erann. No one would have taken me in. I couldn’t risk going to Uncle Thorkell. And once I’d started my journey, I couldn’t turn back. I continued onwards, even though the weather was bitter. I arrived exhausted and almost beyond conversation. I was weak and frail. It took me weeks to recover, with the help of Freya and Ralf.’

Erann didn’t know who Freya and Ralf were and didn’t ask either. Evidently, they lived with the Librarian.

‘To this day, I’m not sure if the Librarian would have sheltered me if I’d been able to explain who I was and what my purpose there was from the beginning. Yet, he was eventually very helpful after I regained my health and he understood the nature of my enquiries. After all,’ and here Ramon broke off to cough again. ‘Sorry, my voice. I’ve not used it for so long. But, after all, he is neutral. It was his place to know the laws. All of them. He’d not been consulted by the jarls. That tells you a lot about Rankil and the others.’

‘Anyway, he showed me the laws that I could have used to argue for my innocence. But, I confess, another mystery presented itself to me in the comfort of the Long Night spent within the Library. What a place. Hagon had told me of it, but I didn’t believe him. Then, I did. His death. I heard of it there. The bastard.’ And again, Ramon broke off to cough. Erann wished he had more to offer him than the metallic tasting water.

‘But, I discovered the mystery of the marker stones, Erann. I knew what they were, of course, and yet, I suspected there was something else to some of them. During my journey, I’d stumbled over a few different ones. And while the Librarian was researching, allowing me access to the archive, I discovered more about them. You’ve seen one, haven’t you, Erann?’ his father asked excitedly, the sudden change from the previously rambling tale jolting Erann from the memories of his own desperate travels in the first few days of the Long Day.

Erann found himself nodding, and then realised his father couldn’t see.

‘I have, Father, yes. In fact,’ but his father, Erann could sense, was nodding eagerly at his words, and he hurried to continue.

‘Well, Erann, once I knew the laws of our land, I needed to bide my time until the Long Day arrived. And I became consumed with the markers. There are many of them. I know they’re called markers. We all know they’re called markers. But what do they mark? The more I read, the more I realised they were important for some reason, although what that reason is, I don’t know. The Librarian didn’t seem to know either.’

‘Well,’ Erann tried to interject, but Ramon was gabbling his words now.

‘When the Long Day came, I decided to examine them while I made my way back to the steading. I intended to keep helping your mother and the servants again, although I knew I could never let them see me. But I found a script with an explanation for what the markings on them meant, or might mean. I wanted to see if I could decipher them.’ Again, his father’s voice was filled with excitement. Erann didn’t share it. Not after. Well, not after what had happened to him.

‘I made copies of the script and set out with the good wishes of the Librarian. Only a day later, I came across my first marker on a windswept glacier. When I hunkered down to examine it, I could see one or two shapes etched into its inky black surface. I was convinced there must be more on the marker. But it was largely buried under the ice. I wasted precious days trying to hack away the ice with my hands and some handy pieces of stone, to read what else it said. Finally, I gave up and walked away, unhappy, but resolved to my original purpose of returning to our steading to help you all. I’d deciphered the beginning of the message and had to be content with that. The two symbols stood for “marker” and “here,” according to the script. It was a worthless, half-complete solution but I resolved to abandon the mystery of the markers.

‘I’ve cursed myself so many times for allowing those damn markers to consume me. I think it was a tactic to fill my mind with something other than Rankil’s accusations. You have to believe me, Erann, I did not do what he said. Rankil must have been watching my every move for rotations, and he fastened upon the smallest indiscretion, and the only one I’ve ever made. I didn’t realise, until afterwards, that Rankil had more than likely bought the services of the Hrofonsons and the Egilsons. I don’t doubt they’re now high in his favour?’

Erann was caught up in his father’s narrative, listening despite himself, the fear gurgling in his stomach. It took him a moment to realise he’d been asked a question.

‘Yes, Father, those families have done well out of Rankil but I think even they tire of his demands. From what I’ve heard, mainly from Sereh, who was a servant in his steading, they make requests of Rankil and he refuses to meet them, and then counters with his own. Even though he’s sure of being confirmed as Jarl of the Eastern Quarter at the Full Council Meeting, there have been stirrings against him. I don’t think it’ll be enough, but it’s given me hope not everyone’s as gullible as I once thought. I’m sure when you were Jarl, men were less devious.’

His father laughed, the sound joyful, and in stark contrast to their surroundings.

‘I appreciate your support, Erann. I assume times are harsher than before I went into exile. That will make men and women more ruthless in their needs, I assure you.’ His father spoke knowingly.

Erann felt his forehead furrow. ‘What does that mean?’

‘Ah, Erann. You were too young when I left. There was no time to explain before I was taken away. I used to keep a journal in which I recorded the length of the Long Night and Long Day.’

‘Yes, yes, I found your journal,’ Erann interjected quickly. ‘I should even have it with me. Not that we can see. But why did you do that?’

‘I was instructed to do so by my father, and he by his father, and so on back through our line. There’s a prophecy. A terrible prophecy. In the rotations to come, a Long Night will come which will last for rotations, and not half of one. The land will grow colder and become ice-locked. Our people will struggle to survive. So, in our family, we’ve always watched and waited. I don’t know of others who are aware of the prophecy. I do suspect the Librarian knew more than he let on. I’d spoken of it to your mother, but I assume in the upheaval of my leaving, she forgot about it. Before I came here, I’d been aware the Long Day had been growing shorter at a fast rate during my life time. Again, I don’t think others had noticed. But even a few extra days to either side of the Long Night could be catastrophic. Tell me, Erann, is it worse now than when you were a child?’

Erann gasped at his father’s words. He could see those columns of numbers now as though he held the journal before him, and so much made sense. How hadn’t he noticed? Why hadn’t his father told him? If only he’d known. He could have warned people, surely. Although, why would they have listened to him? But, no, he needed to think not of what his father had told him but what it meant. It couldn’t be true, surely?

‘The Long Day was slow in arriving,’ he murmured. ‘The Long Night felt too long,’ he tried to reason it out.

‘It doesn’t please me to know the prophecy’s proving to be correct,’ his father’s voice was sombre.

‘I don’t think people have made the connection that the Long Day’s growing noticeably shorter. They’ve noticed the Long Night elongates. Especially this rotation. Uncle Thorkell spoke of it. I noticed it too. I think it was weeks and weeks longer, but there’s hope now for a longer Long Day, isn’t there? Isn’t it just a freak occurrence? Surely, such has happened before?’ Even he could hear his desperation as his thoughts skewered towards Sereh and his mother, brother and sister, left to fend for themselves, while he was here. And so was his father.