by Clark Bolton
They both looked to Haspeth who was double checking several bulging saddle bags. Much time had been spent in the last month or two copying spell scrolls that they thought might be needed for just such thing as this. Though they all had imagined their first outing would take place in the city.
Turning to the guards that were staying behind, Autbek told them to get word to his three students that lessons would have to wait until his return, he then gave them six silver pieces to pass on to the girls. He hoped Onaleen would understand and so be patient with him. Finally he informed them that they and the servants would have to care for Neustus in his absence. They looked not too happy to hear it but promised they would.
Two guards took the lead, riding side by side followed by Berdtom and Autbek, then Castor and Haspeth followed by the other two guards. Once on Earls-way Berdtom had them pause for a moment so that the packs and saddle bags could be checked then he had the guards in the lead set a relentless pace.
The group was soon strung out as it became tiresome to ride side by side at such a pace. Berdtom would occasionally fall back to check on the others and then ride forward to spur the leading horseman to keep up the pace.
Autbek figured himself a good rider, but this was only his second serious trip in some time with the first being his trip down to Astrum from Runeholden. After a couple of hours of bouncing in the saddle as they occasionally zigzagged passed other travels he found his back and butt aching. He knew Castor must be hurting especially with the way he was gripping the saddle. Not to mention Haspeth who had completely shut up some time ago.
Berdtom rode up and made a strange comment just then, “Castor is going to have to let her out soon! Got to be damn painful to ride like that for long.”
“What you mean … his horse?” Autbek asked as he turned to look back to look at the kid which was kind of hard at the pace they were moving. They had left after noon so Murac had a head start of about four or five hours.
“Nope, Lita!” Berdtom said as he called to the guards in the front. “Hold up, lets walk for a while.”
“Uhhh!” Haspeth immediately blurted as he brought his horse to stop and then proceeded into a slow organized fall from his saddle.
Ignoring Haspeth for a moment Autbek watched Castor get down which he managed to do by slipping from his pack and then gracefully dropping to the ground leaving it to stand behind that saddle. “She can’t fit in there.” He said to Berdtom.
“A gold mark says she can!” Berdtom said as he slid from the saddle.
“Castor!” Autbek yelled to the boy. “What’s in that pack?”
“Stuff!” Castor yelled back.
He was hidden behind his horse so Autbek and Berdtom could not see his face.
“Boy! Let her out!” Berdtom commanded.
Everybody else looked around a bit and then focused on Castor as they wondered what was going on. Haspeth was sitting on the ground with his long legs splayed out in front of him now staring at Castors horse.
“He put a bloody illusion on that pack!” Haspeth announced.
Autbek figured if anyone would know it would be Haspeth as the man was a constant target now of little illusionary pranks by Castor. When Castor then moved to try and pull the pack down he figured he better go and help since the kid was way too short.
Placing the pack on the ground with Castor’s help Autbek stood back and watched the illusion fall apart. It was really quite good he told himself as he watched Lita standup. Apparently Castor had made the pack look about half the size it actually was.
“Hi.” Lita said bashfully as she kept her eyes down while exiting the pack.
“Nice! What else you got in there?” Haspeth asked.
“So Lit’, how's your back side doing?” Berdtom asked, apparently resolved to the fact that the party had grown by one.
Not much for words Lita simply answered, “Okay,” as she walked to the side of the road and then sat down and hugged her knees.
Autbek walked over to her and smiled, deciding he better put his best spin on things. “You too are inseparable, but you can ride behind me if you like. You’re less likely to fall off that way when Castor does.”
“That’s ok.”
“Next time bring a girl for me too!” Haspeth put in as he started walking to catch up with Berdtom.
“Didn’t have enough gold for that.” Castor muttered as he started walking.
“Well, why don’t you borrow it from your apprentice?” Haspeth chided.
Autbek ignored them and called to Berdtom, “How far do you figure to Yesic?” The sun was starting to set and he for one did not look forward to riding or even walking in the dark.
“Couple hours I would think.” Berdtom replied. “We should make it to the inn before dark.”
Berdtom had them walk for close to an hour before having everyone mount up. He then set a hard pace again as the party caught sight of smoke off in the distance, figuring it was cook fires from the town.
Autbek recalled a little of the town from the only time he had passed through it. Yesic was large enough to boast several inns and a decent sized barracks for the Earl’s men that were stationed there. No walls surrounded the town as it was considered close enough to Astrum for protection should it need it.
When they finally came to the edge of the town they still had seen no sign of Murac. Slowing to a walk they searched for the first obvious inn which was not far into town.
“Captain, I think that’s his horse there.” One of the guards in the front said to Berdtom.
“Take the horses around to the side there to the stable. Autbek come with me and the rest of you stay with the horses.”
No one objected verbally though clearly they were eager to make use of the inns many amenities, first of course on everyone's mind was food.
Autbek followed Berdtom through the door and into the main room of the inn. It was large and seemed to be of the typical sort. Several fireplaces, long rows of tables with benches and a long bar to stand at. They spotted Murac right away who motioned them to come over to his table.
“Murac, any luck?” Berdtom asked quietly as he sat down and motioned for some ale to the nearest wench.
“Berdtom, pleased you could make it. Yeah, found our man likely as not. He is down the road there a bit, bedding down in one of the stables.”
“Stable, why is that you figure?” Autbek asked as he waited eagerly for his ale.
“Poor, or too cheap for an inn I think.” Murac replied with a smile.
He did not look like he had ridden hard like the rest of the party did, Autbek noticed. Though now he was wondering why Murac was not closely watching the stable, concerned the man could slip away.
“He doesn’t know you're following him?” Berdtom asked.
“Nope.” Murac said with a shake of his head.
“Ok, good I would think at this point. Autbek you want to inform the others they can come in.”
“Sure, Tom.” He said as he sipped his ale. He was quite willing to leave details to these two men as he had enough things to worry about. Spell preparation being one of them.
“Have Castor and Lit’ eat quickly, they need to locate out ‘red man’ and then one should report back to me while the other stays close by. They'll know.”
“I think you're right, Tom. If anyone knows how to spy it’s those two.” He replied in all seriousness.
Asking for the nearest door to the stables, Autbek quickly located the rest of the party and happily informed them they could come in. Pulling Castor and Lit’ aside he gave them their tasks, which they accepted readily enough.
After a long slow meal of various courses of meat, sausages and vegetables they were happy to have Castor report back the man was sleeping soundly. Berdtom had the four guards rotate shifts out in front of the inn where they could see the stable the fellow was bedding down at.
“At the end of third shift I want the horses saddled and packed.” Murac told the guards who my now had come to acc
ept his authority. They seemed impressed with the man and some had even taken sword lessons from him when Murac was in the mood to give them.
“Sounds good.” Berdtom said to Murac. “Don’t need to take the chance he will slip away before day break.”
Their concerns turned out to be unwarranted as the “red man” waited for first light to arise. And then after eating what he had brought with him he started down the Earls-way again. As the man walked out of town Autbek got his first look at the fellow, who turned out to be pretty common looking for a man in his forties.
His tunic was a dark shade of red as was his cloak and except for a long knife on his belt seem to be unarmed. He carried a large bag with rope attached to it that he used to sling over his shoulder as he walked. The man seemed in no hurry though he did not take time out to do much except eat and walk.
Murac followed the man from a distance while the rest of the party hung further back. The going was much slower than the day before and most were happy not to have to ride unless they choose too. By the close of the second day things were getting a little routine. The man stopped again at a stable for the night in a small hamlet that fortunately also had an inn for the rest of them to stay in.
“I get the idea he is familiar with this road and has some way to go yet.” Murac commented as they ate supper in the inn.
“I agree, he does not ask questions of others as far as I have seen and seems to time his walking according to the next stable.” Berdtom added.
The party had picked up what they were lacking in Yesic from the Earls barracks there and so now they were fully prepared to camp along the road if need be. Autbek just hoped it would be sooner rather than later that the man reached his destination and theirs.
“If you have more correspondence I would have it.” Cachner informed Fesmbol as he paced about a bit behind his writing table as the younger man read through the stack of parchments.
“No, what I gave you is all I have.” Fesmbol remarked. He had decided long ago that he didn’t really like Cachner though at first he was willing to overlook this fact as the man had been instrumental in getting his birth recognized by his father the Earl. But now he found it difficult even to be polite to the man who was now obviously using him for political ends.
“You’ve been watching that tower outside the city?” Cachner asked.
Fesmbol looked up in annoyance. “As I told you some of the city guard glance at it from time to time, no more than that.”
“Yes, but you know Berdtom is out of the city?” Cachner growled.
“A group rode out toward Yesic a few days ago and Berdtom has not been seen since.” Fesmbol added as he finished reading. “Now I suppose Valice has to pay for his absence, is that it?”
“Don’t make it sound vindictive, and do have some grace when you come here and speak to me.” Cachner replied as he gathered the stack of parchments and began binding them with a leather cord.
Fesmbol decided to let the comment go as Cachner had a great deal of authority in the palace, something he himself had none of. “However it sounds neither he nor the Mage-Councilor will be pleased upon their return.”
“Yes!” Cachner snapped with a leer. “A pity and a lesson all at the same moment.”
Fesmbol winced a little the man’s harsh sense of humor. The letters he had intercepted and made copies of that were now in Cachner’s hands were not enough in themselves to earn his father’s ire, but with the others he had just been allowed to read he was guessing Valice would find himself in the dungeon at the very least. Not that Valice had done half of the things Cachner had to win this little power-struggle going on between him and Berdtom.
“You’ll have the Comusa about you from this point forward?” Fesmbol asked expectantly. “I can’t help but think you’re going to upset a number of mages.”
“They will be around to keep your Vis Mage-Councilor in line, don’t worry!”
“Oh he is not mine, my lord, Lady Sema reminds me almost daily to keep my distance from her mage. I’ve yet to attend a meeting or a diner with him since you had Tenric thrown out.”
“No matter.” Cachner shrugged after which he dismissed Fesmbol with a hand gesture. The younger man looked like he was about to say something before leaving but changed his mind. He found Fesmbol smart but not yet experienced enough to help him with little more than simple things, like skulking about the palace in search of secrets. However, the letters Fesmbol had given him would be useful when placed in front of Lord Bloew, the high magistrate.
“Later, my lord.” Fesmbol said with a nod as he closed the door behind him. “Fool doesn’t even realize there is more than one mage in this palace.” He muttered happily to himself as he walked away.
Chapter 17
Four days later they found their fourth inn, so it had been only two nights so far that they had to sleep on the ground and cook their own meal. In addition to meals and beds the inns sold smoked meats and other easy to carry foodstuffs that had usually provided the noon meal.
The “red man” had not caught on to them yet they figured as they kept most of the party way back beyond sight all the time while one or two persons on foot stayed within sight of their target. The man so far had chosen the main roads, though they had left the Earls-way a couple of days ago. Since the roads had been running almost exclusively through open terrain, filled mainly by small farms and pasture land, it had been easy to keep track of him even at half a league’s distance.
“You think that’s a bearded tree?” Haspeth asked for about the tenth time in a week. The tree he gestured toward had some ropes and leather harnesses hanging from some of the limbs.
“Yeah sure.” Castor remarked without even looking.
Haspeth seemed too tired of walking to make a sarcastic reply. Autbek shook his head and kept walking as he tried to think of something useful he could occupy his time with. Other than short breaks there just was not much opportunity do much more than talk.
“At least we see more trees.” Murac remarked as he walked by them leading his horse.
That was true as they had finally gone down into a large river bottom where farms and pastures were becoming fewer and farther between. At the end of day, their seventh on the road they entered a true forest which got them thinking again that perhaps they were nearing their destination.
“How about we just ask him how bloody far to the first tree with a beard!” Haspeth suggested, and not for the first time.
“You're starting to make sense.” Castor said dryly.
“Well thank you! And by the way I got a charm spell ready and waiting!” Haspeth looked to Autbek as he said this.
“Hmm.” He grunted as he gave it serious thought again. Until now he had thought it immoral and even evil to take ones will away, but to perhaps just tweak someone a little to get them to cooperative in a plan that really could be in their own interest seemed more and more attractive but he refused to admit it to anyone.
That night they slept on the ground which allowed him to toy with some heat generating runes he had come across in his research. Drawn on blankets and even on stone they heated up a small area giving considerable comfort to an otherwise cold winter night. It took a lot of work on his and Haspeth part to get enough runes in enough of the right places to satisfy everyone, but it had shown its worth over the course of a night.
The next morning they found themselves traveling through some lowlands packed with trees of all sorts. The temperature too was significantly higher than it had been before and as a result they came into a number of bogs that in other parts of northern Bene Aimont would have been frozen.
“Great, mud and lots of it!” Haspeth whined as he skirted another marshy part of the road. His preoccupation with complaining about it was what caused him to miss the first bearded tree.
“I think we are there gentlemen!” Berdtom declared as he came to a halt.
Great mounds of moss were hanging about some of the trees out in the bog, not at all unli
ke beards on some ancient giant. Murac was already tying his mount to one of these trees so that he could walk among them more easily.
“Thank the gods!” Haspeth exclaimed when he noticed what everyone else was looking at.
Autbek lost his skepticism immediately as he walked about them. “I think you're right!” He told Berdtom.
It had been harder for the last day or so to follow the “red man” from a distance as the road twisted and turned through the forest. On more than one occasion they had taken a wrong turn only to have to backtrack to catch up with their forward scout. Now they decided to close in on the man a little more and so sent their best spy forward.
“Castor, take point then I’ll travel shortly behind you.” Murac commanded.
The kid nodded and moved quickly to relieve the guard who was on point at the moment. He left his horse with one of the other guards as did Murac. Lita soon rushed to follow them, which surprised no one.
It was toward noon when they got the news from Murac that the man had turned down a lane leading to a farm and looked to be greeting warmly someone there. The party decided to wait until Castor returned to confirm their hopes.
“Yea, I think he lives there. He hugged and even kissed the old lady there, so either she is his wife or he came a long way for a roll.” Caster informed them in an uncharacteristically long explanation.
Berdtom nodded then turned to examine the trees opposite the start of the lane the man had turned down. It was there that most of the bearded trees could be found. “Let’s get off the road some.” He announced as he nodded toward the trees.
They walked their horses in for about a quarter mile before Berdtom called a halt. There was plenty of cover now from the road and the place he picked was not marshy. Surveying the site Murac motioned them over from a small knoll.
“There is something not far in that direction.” He said as he pointed further into the forest. “See there, I can see and smell smoke. It’s a large camp or farm perhaps.”
