Heirs of Vanity- The Complete First Trilogy Box Set

by R J Hanson

  “Yes, Sir Roland,” Locab said. “My family could accomplish much with such a fine start.”

  “How much coin would it take to purchase the supplies you need?” Roland asked.

  “A few tools, nails, seed, and the livestock should cost perhaps one hundred and forty gold coins,” Locab said. “I know those prices are high but Skult is a city of demand, not supply.”

  “You have a wife, three strong sons, and one younger daughter, is that right?” Roland asked.

  “Yes,” Locab said. “Our oldest son and youngest son taken by raiders.”

  “I am sorry for your loss,” Roland said. “Here is two hundred gold coins. Spend a few days purchasing what we discussed, resting, and eating well. Once you begin for your new home you and your family will need to be well rested and well fed.”

  “Yes, Sir Roland.”

  The two shook hands and Father Gadriel drew up a deed that both men signed. The deed was for thirty acres that Locab would farm for Roland and sixty acres Locab would farm for himself and his family, to include grazing for the livestock.

  Roland almost corrected Locab on his calling him ‘Sir.’ ‘There is no sir to it,’ came to his lips quickly. However, he realized there was a ‘Sir’ to it now. As a child he anxiously awaited the day he would be called ‘Sir’ or ‘Lord.’ Now he had a greater understanding of those words, those titles. Any man who wore them as glory was either a fool or traitor to what they really stood for. Each time Locab called him ‘Sir’ he was calling him ‘protector.’ To Roland it served as a reminder of his duty. It also reminded him of a dirty and burnt doll that he still carried in his pack.

  Roland and Eldryn next traveled to the stables near the Keep of Skult. They found Kullen busy shoeing a horse in the back while having what appeared to be a one-sided conversation with the animal. The stable master, a sallow chap bent by years and yellowed by ale, sat at a ledger table near the front mumbling numbers to himself.

  Roland was relieved to see Kullen. The seed of doubt Eldryn had inadvertently sewn had fully sprouted in Roland’s mind by the time they arrived in Skult.

  “Excuse me, we’d like to ask you about the boy,” Roland said. “About Kullen.”

  “What about ‘im?” the stable master replied as he leaned back from his book and turned to face the two knights.

  “I’d like to hire him,” Roland said. “I’m looking for workers for the farm.”

  “Why ya not ask about hirin’ me?” the older man said. “Bent Thom too old, too bent for ya?”

  “I assumed you owned the stable here,” Roland said. “Is that not the case?”

  “It is the case,” Bent Thom said. “I do own the place and wouldn’t work for ya if ya asked.”

  “Then why bring it up?” Roland asked, genuinely curious.

  “Just wanted to know,” Bent Thom said as he turned back to his ledger.

  “Is Kullen in contract with you or not?” Roland asked as his patience began to wear thin.

  “Nope,” Bent Thom said, not looking up from his numbers. “Take him for all I care. He eats more than he’s worth anyhow.”

  Roland and Eldryn walked to the back of the stable where Kullen was finishing up the shoeing, and the conversation, with a fine bay mare. Kullen led the horse into a nearby stall and walked over to stand before Roland and Eldryn. Kullen was smiling widely.

  “RRRRRoad PPPPPPounder said you…wwwanted…you wanted… to hire me,” Kullen was finally able to say. “He says… he sssays you don’t like ssss… cities none too. TTTThat’s why you walk ttthat way.”

  Kullen demonstrated by hunching his shoulders up and stiffening his neck comically.

  Neither Roland nor Eldryn realized how they carried themselves when in a town or city. Both had spent the vast majority of their lives in the vacant forests or on the vast plains of Lethanor. Now that their attention was called to it, they both realized they walked with a tension in their shoulders and necks when surrounded by city walls and crowds of people.

  “And what does Lance Chaser have to say?” Eldryn asked, playing along.

  “He ssssays you…you… you tttalk a lot,” Kullen said. “It’s okay… though. He… he…he likes… it.”

  Roland’s burst of laughter surprised both Eldryn and Kullen. The boy took a quick step back but then began to giggle. Eldryn seemed to be the only one who didn’t find it funny.

  “Well then, we should discuss wages,” Roland said. “What would you have? We’ll provide room and board, of course. What would you want in terms of pay?”

  “Ccccould…could I…could I have a dog?” Kullen asked sheepishly. “He’ll bbbe a ggggood dog. I ppp…pp…promise! I know a man, Bbbbilly. He’s…gggot puppies. Hhhee…he says they’re for www…work. Bbbut…but…but they’re smart!”

  Roland and Eldryn exchanged a look and communicated in a way that only life-long friends could. Both remembered begging for a dog when they were just a few years younger than Kullen.

  “Of course, we’ll get the dog,” Roland said. “But how much do you want to be paid?”

  “Cccoins?” Kullen asked. “Bent Thom, he says…he says ssstupid kids dddd…ddd…don’t need ccc…coins. Ssssome…some are ppp…pretty, though.”

  “Kullen, you shoe a horse better than anyone I know or have ever heard of,” Eldryn said. “Anyone that can shoe a horse like you is leagues from stupid. Sounds like Bent Thom is the stupid one for letting you go.”

  Kullen smiled an open and guileless grin.

  “I tell you what,” Roland said. “I’ll give Father Gadriel…do you know Father Gadriel?”

  Kullen nodded emphatically. He opened his mouth to say something but changed his mind and just nodded again, smiling.

  “Good,” Roland said. “I’ll give Father Gadriel five gold coins today. Every month you work for us I’ll give him a silver coin to add to that to hold for you. If you decide to leave, or if something happens, he’ll have your money. How does that sound?”

  Kullen nodded again and then looked down.

  “I…I…I hhhhad a ccccoin one time,” Kullen said. “I…I ssss…swallowed it by aaaa…accident.”

  “Get your things,” Roland said. “Let’s go pick out a smart pup.”

  Kullen moved to the back of a stall where a small canvas bag sat amongst the hay. He hoisted the sack, which couldn’t have contained more than perhaps an extra shirt, and returned to stand next to Roland and Eldryn.

  A short walk took them to Billem’s dry good store. Billem, Billy for short, had done well for himself having arranged to buy goods through an agent in Modins. Those goods where then shipped to him in Skult. The markup in Skult covered the cost of the shipping and then some. His business had grown from operating out of a trio of wagons to a two-room store fully stocked with goods, a small warehouse, and set of stables. He had also taken to breeding sled dogs for some of the local farmers. The dogs were cheaper than other draft animals, were easier to upkeep, and worked very well for the few freehold miners in the region.

  While Roland paid Billem, Kullen had a brief conversation, one sided conversation of course, with the puppies. Kullen finished by nodding his head and picking up a black pup with one white paw. The pup’s fur was thick and soft, and it had light blue eyes.

  “Travelin’ Jack, huh?” Billem said. “Watch him cause that one is always slipping out of their pen and sneakin’ off.”

  Kullen laughed at something. An innocent and full laugh. The sort of laugh that refreshed the soul. The sort of laugh that could only come from a heart that knew no malice.

  “Tttt…ttttttt…thank…yyyou,” Kullen finally managed as he looked up to Roland and Eldryn.

  Claire met them in the yard as Roland, Eldryn, and a young boy, who looked no older than ten or twelve, arrived home that evening. She was terrified the boy would shrink from her or scream and flee. Instead, Kullen walked over to her after being let down from Roland’s saddle still holding his new puppy, Travelin’ Jack, in his arms. His smile was large and Cl
aire thought it was beautiful.

  “Jjjjack sssays…says you sssss…smell funny,” Kullen said to Claire with a giggle. “You sure are pppp…pretty.”

  Claire’s nervous tension revealed itself when she let out a giggle of her own. She put her hand to her mouth and smiled.

  “Let’s get you and Jack something to eat,” Claire said.

  The next morning Roland rose, dressed, and walked out to the barn to check on Kullen. They had arranged a room for him that Kullen had described as ‘wonderful.’ The room, which was essentially a stall they had closed in and furnished with a bed, chair, table, and lantern, was extravagant in Kullen’s eyes.

  Roland found Kullen playing in the hallway between the stalls with Travelin’ Jack and invited him in for breakfast. Boy and pup trotted along behind him and they were joined by Eldryn and Tindrakin at the table in Roland’s small home. Claire had prepared a breakfast of eggs, bacon, bread, and fresh milk for those gathered.

  Roland noticed Kullen carefully measured three spoon-fulls of scrambled eggs to add to his plate. Then he measured a piece of bread by comparing it to his closed fist for size; taking great care to avoid getting too much.

  “You can eat your fill,” Roland said. “There is always more, and a growing boy must eat.”

  Kullen’s grin, a smile that could light up the darkest of moods, spread across his face. His appetite that morning rivaled even that of Roland and Eldryn.

  Roland, Claire, Eldryn, Tindrakin, and Kullen took turns feeding scraps of bacon to Travelin’ Jack who scampered about them under the table.

  “Alright, Jack,” Kullen said. “We need to check on Road Pounder and the others. Then we can check on the fun smell!”

  With that, Kullen trotted out the door following his new furry friend.

  “Roland,” Claire said. “He’s wonderful.”

  “He’s very good with the horses,” Roland said.

  Eldryn looked at Claire and shrugged.

  “I mean to say, he’s a delightful boy,” Claire said.

  “Oh, yes,” Roland said. “He is that.”

  The work continued that morning. Trees harvested, hewn, and placed as the barn and stables continued to take shape. Kullen had made himself quite busy staking the horses out on fresh grass, rubbing them down, and running through the surrounding area chasing Travelin’ Jack.

  That evening Tin took up his fishing pole and headed for the river. Eldryn worked with Lance Chaser on new commands and tricks. Claire sat with Roland behind the barn while Roland read from the Book of Bolvii to Kullen as Kullen sat with Travelin’ Jack in his lap.

  “I think he’s supposed to be here,” Kullen said to his puppy.

  Roland looked up and Kullen simply pointed into the woods as Kodii emerged with four large rabbits slung over his shoulder. Kodii walked to his skinning tree and Kullen walked over to him.

  “Kodii, this is Kullen,” Roland said. “He is going to be working for us.”

  Kodii nodded and commenced with his work. Kullen watched intently with Travelin’ Jack sitting at his heel.

  “I know you’re excited,” Kullen said to the pup who sat obediently next to him. “But those are his, not yours. We’ll teach you to catch your own.”

  Kodii looked at the boy curiously.

  “You hear?” Kodii asked to Kullen.

  “Yyyyes,” Kullen said. “I…I…they ttttalk tto me.”

  “Who teach you?” Kodii asked.

  Kullen only shrugged. Although very intrigued as to where this conversation was going, Roland did enjoy the fact that Kodii was answered with one of those simple shrugs that Kodii himself so often employed as a sole reply.

  “No one teach you?” Kodii asked.

  Kullen shrugged again and shook his head.

  “Always hhhh…hhh…heard them,” Kullen said.

  “Just dog?” Kodii asked.

  Kullen shook his head.

  “All…all…all of them,” Kullen finally managed. “Hhhhawks and ssss…sssssss…some ddddogs are mean, though.”

  Kodii shocked them all then by taking a knee in front of Kullen. He reached forward and kissed the boy’s forehead, then knelt and kissed his feet. No one knew what this meant, or what to do. Especially Kullen.

  “Boy blessed,” Kodii said. “Ferrune, you call him Bludu, blessed boy. He god of all wild, all animal. Only great shaman, only best, can pray enough. Then can only speak one. Some speak birds, like Fynyll. Good for scout. Some speak dog, good for tribe.”

  “You’re saying that Kullen actually hears what they’re saying or thinking?” Roland asked.

  Kodii nodded.

  “How?”

  “Boy blessed,” Kodii said standing. “Fynyll no shaman. Maybe taught by one. Maybe taught by trocado…changers. But boy, boy is blessed.”

  “I’ve read of trocado,” Claire said. “I didn’t think they were real. Not anymore anyway.”

  Claire took one look at Roland’s face and continued, as his expression made it clear he was lost.

  “Trocado were, are, creatures that can change their shape and their size,” Claire went on. “Shaman of the Zepute, and a few clerics and paladins of Silvor, are said to have learned how to speak to different creatures after being visited by a trocado. Some even learned to change into different creatures that way.”

  “You’re joking,” Roland said. “You’re talking about skinshifters?”

  “Sort of,” Claire said. “Skinshifters are different, but the two can be very similar.”

  “Skinshifters are real?” Roland asked, wondering if his wife was teasing him.

  To that Claire simply smiled and turned to Kullen.

  “Kullen, what did you mean when you said hawks and dogs are mean?” Claire asked, ignoring Roland’s continued questioning looks.

  Kullen wrinkled his eyebrows and shrugged again.

  “Hunters,” Kodii said. “Animal not man. Man travel together. Man live together. Hunters alone. Hunters think of kill, of food. Hawks hunters. Dogs hunters, but dogs live in pack. Dogs more like man. Horses herds. Horses more like man. When shaman speaks to great hunters, shaman change. Shaman kill tribe.”

  “Great hunters?” Roland asked.

  Kodii took a stick and began to draw a figure in the dirt. Claire wasn’t surprised at Kodii’s skill in drawing the creature. She had studied the Zepute and knew they usually communicated by drawing a scene. They even preferring drawing to speaking because speaking could cause them to be found by the large predators said to inhabit the jungles of Janis. As the figure took shape and form Roland saw that it had leathery skin, long well-muscled arms and legs, an elongated, bony head, and a mouth of jagged teeth.

  “How big is it?” Roland asked.

  Kodii answered by drawing a stick figure of a man next to it. The stick figure rose almost to the ‘great hunter’s’ knee. Kodii then pointed to the barn.

  Over the days following Kullen and Kodii ‘talked’ much. They seemed to be always together with Travelin’ Jack never far from Kullen’s side. Roland, Eldryn, and Tindrakin began making regular patrols of the area, ranging farther and farther out each trip.

  Roland met with Locab, and his family, and together they had placed markers for the crops and Locab’s deeded land. Locab’s family would build a homestead nearer to Skult, on the edge of Roland’s estate. It was only a little over a thousand yards from Roland’s own home, separated by a slight hill and a grove of trees. Although a short distant away, the settling farmers stayed mostly to themselves. Roland assumed it was because they had much to do in building a home and barn and planting crops. Claire assumed it was because of her reputation.

  Chapter V

  Symbol of Life

  Claire awoke one morning hoping to find her husband in bed next to her. She missed him when he went on his patrols. When The Great Sir Roland was home they were frequently visited by merchants who wished to gain the friendship of one of the Prince’s favored knights, retired soldiers looking for work, or other knights who
would come by to ‘visit’ and ask if Roland wished to join their patrol groups. While Roland was away, the mood of the people of Lawrec toward the daughter of the Warlock of the Marshes was quite different.

  Roland, however, was not next to her this morning. She rose and heard him, Eldryn, and Tindrakin speaking in the next room in low tones.

  “He is planning something,” Eldryn said. “You don’t fight so hard and lose so many men just to abandon your efforts at the first defeat.”

  “We all agree he is planning something,” Roland said. “What he is planning is the question.”

  “What are you talking about?” Clairenese asked as she entered the room to begin preparing breakfast. She saw that someone had already boiled the coffee and each man had a cup.

  “Nothing to concern yourself with dear,” Roland said.

  “Sir Roland,” Claire said with a tone that captured his attention immediately. “I will have you know that I sat at a war counsel table before you were born. Furthermore, I am as dangerous in combat as any of you.”

  “I did not mean to be condescending,” Roland said in earnest love for his wife. “I simply don’t want you to worry. Not in your current…condition.”

  “I don’t think I could worry about you and your patrols any more than I already do,” Lady Clairenese declared. “My ‘condition’ is well in hand. What is it that you speak of?”

  “What is it that you speak of?” Eldryn asked.

  Claire blushed and Eldryn caught the way that her hand dropped to cover her stomach. Roland looked out the window. Eldryn had seen Roland look off like that many times. It wasn’t avoiding the question; he was trying to choose his words.

  “You didn’t know she was pregnant?” Tindrakin asked Eldryn.

  All eyes then turned to Tin.

  “What,” Tin said lifting his hands to his sides. “I thought everybody knew. You couldn’t tell?”

  “Well, that announcement was less…less prepared than I’d hoped for,” Roland said. “Yes, she’s pregnant.”

  “Is that why you’ve been so eager to discover Daeriv’s plan?”

  “Among the reasons, yes,” Roland said. “If there’s to be a fight near here, I would have it now. Before…before she…”