The Dragonwalk Highway: The Fellowship of Thirteen

17 - The Forest of Angst and Regret

The rock field rolled into the Forest of Angst and Regret, a dark and desolate forest full of dead trees with gnarled limbs and cold, indifferent stone cutting through the dusty earth. No birds sang and no squirrels frolicked in this forest. It was silent and still. It was the perfect setting to lament one's misfortune.

Zelda, Oron, and Mo ran deeper into the forest leaping over the gnarled roots and sharp rocks, Lozen's desperate cries and empty threats echoing in their memories. The dead trees leaned over the road closing in on the remaining members of the Fellowship. They ran and ran until Zelda tripped over a root and remained on the ground. Oron tried to help her to her feet, but she shoved him away. Then Oron knew they were done running. Two clear streams ran down her cheeks, cleaning the dust from her face. No sobs or cries accompanied the tears.

It was in the silence of that ancient forest that the realization first struck them...all three of them. There were three of them left. Three. They had entered Lockhaven with nine members. Now there were three. Three of thirteen.

The Fellowship was over. Now they were just a guy, a girl, and a goat.

Zelda buried her face in her arms as she spoke. "You can go. Just go. I can't keep you here anymore. The quest is over. I failed."

Mo started to walk away, but Oron grabbed him by the tail and dragged him back.

"I get the sense you're taking the whole 'everyone-on-our-quest-died' thing kind of hard," Oron said. "I—uh—have a confession to make. This may shock you—"

"You betrayed me, Oron! I'm not a fool. But it was my call to go to Lockhaven. It was my call to trust you. It was my call to go through with the trade. I did this. Melthiar tried to warn me but—I wouldn't listen. Now everyone is dead—because of me."

Oron knelt down next to the Princess and picked several twigs out of her hair. "I tried to warn you. The road is an unforgiving wench, and it could care less if you're royalty. It's very progressive that way. It will knock you down and spit on your corpse. It's just a matter of how many times you're willing to dust yourself off and get back to your feet."

Zelda raised her head and wiped the streams from her cheeks. Then she slowly, slowly rose. Then she slapped Oron across the face. "That's for selling me out to Lozen." Then she leaned forward and kissed him where she had just slapped him. "And that's for not going through with it."

"Talk about mixed messages," Mo said. "Hey, I didn't go through with it too, ya know!"

Zelda turned and slapped Mo across his snout. Then she knelt and kissed him, too.

"Thank you for getting me this far, you two," Zelda said. "I release you from your debt. You're right. Tears won't get me to the Tree of Wisdom. Only my feet will. Farewell and good luck."

Oron offered her a small salute and Mo dipped his horns in her honor. She dusted herself off and marched blindly into the woods. She had only made it a few dongs before she turned around and found that Oron and Mo were following her. They froze when she turned around and spotted them.

"Farewell," she said.

"Bye," they said together.

She started marching again. As soon as she started walking she heard Oron and Mo start up again. She whipped around and, again, they froze.

"You don't have to follow me," she said. "I'll be fine."

"Yeah, we're not following you," Oron said.