Beyond The Vale

by Brian D. Anderson

  “Calm yourself,” said Maliel. “They are not as they appear.” “They appear Bomar.”

  “They are under my protection,” said Maliel. Krigar stepped forward. “And mine.”

  “I see.” He cast his gaze over the remainder of the group, then turned his focus back to Maliel. “We thought you dead.”

  “It is a long tale, one I am pleased to recount. But we have traveled far and are weary.

  Surely you will offer us hospitality.”

  There was a long pause as Utaliel’s eyes darted from Maliel to Drake and Lenora. “They must wait here until leave is granted.”

  “I will stay as well,” said Krigar. “If they are not welcome, neither am I.” Utaliel raised an eyebrow. “You stand with them?”

  “I am sworn to do so.”

  “And should the council decide they must die?”

  Krigar squared his shoulders. “Then I will die with them.” “No,” Lenora interjected. “I will not allow that.”

  “It is not for you to decide,” said Krigar. “But I wouldn’t worry. My kin will tell them what has happened. They are only being cautious.”

  Drake looked over to Maliel, who was tight-faced and clearly unhappy. “He’s right.

  There’s nothing to worry about. We’ll return shortly.”

  As the Nelwyn filed away, Drake could see the anxiety written in Lenora’s expression. “Are you all right?”

  She forced a smile. “I’ll be fine. I’m just tired.”

  Drake helped her to the ground and sat beside her. “I am too. I never knew how much I would miss sleeping in a bed.”

  Lenora leaned her head on his shoulder. “What do you think is happening in Vale?”

  Lenora had not mentioned Salazar since their departure. Drake could only imagine what his actions must be doing to her. Even as calloused as he had become, it had nearly broken his heart when he realized that his once best friend intended on killing the entire population of the provinces.

  “We could just go back,” he said. “We could tell him what we found beyond the barrier.

  Maybe he doesn’t know. It could change his mind.”

  Lenora shook her head ever so slightly. “It’s too much to risk. Besides, the high mages would never allow it. My brother might not know about this place, but rest assured they do. Our people need a fresh start. One unburdened by the oppression and selfishness of the nobles.”

  Drake was about to point out that she was a noble, but held his tongue. She did not misspeak. “So what will you do once your brother is gone?”

  “I don’t know.” She tilted her head up and smiled. “You look so worried. Please, don’t be. I may not know what the future holds, but at least now I know there is something better. Something pure. The moment I saw the forest, I knew…things would never be the same. Change is coming to Vale. One way or another.”

  Drake did not like the fatalistic tone in her voice, as if hope were gone and she had accepted her own end. “With you on the throne, Vale will endure.”

  “Me on the throne…yes. With Salazar gone, I will rule. And like you said, Vale will endure.” She took a long breath. “But have you ever asked yourself if it should?”

  Drake had no reply. Her words dug into his mind like talons. Vale had to endure. Surely with the barrier down and the high mages vanquished, life would return to the land. The sickness that plagued it would be cured, and there would be enough for everyone.

  “So you will remain in your prison?” Krigar plopped down a few feet away.

  “What do you mean?” asked Drake.

  “You have told me about your land. Are your people not imprisoned?”

  “Well, yes. In a way. But only because the high mages are keeping the land sick. Once they’re gone, Vale will be able to provide enough for everyone.”

  “I see. So you will not tell people about the world outside?”

  “We’ll tell them,” Drake replied. The implications of Krigar’s words crept in. “But Vale is their home.”

  Lenora let out a mirthless laugh. “Is it? That might be true in Troi. But outside…you more than anyone should know better.”

  Drake felt strangely defensive about what they were suggesting. He had always imagined Vale one day becoming a land of plenty for all. Even after seeing what lay beyond, it had never occurred to him that the people of Vale would not choose to remain. But Lenora was right. Unless you were a city dweller, a land where food was abundant and life flourished would be a mighty temptation… one which many would not be able, or even want, to resist.

  They sat in silence for a time. Krigar was stoic by nature and could remain quiet seemingly indefinitely. Drake found it oddly soothing that he wasn’t required to make idle chat when he was giving him lessons. Not to say that he wouldn’t hold a conversation, but most of what Krigar said had a specific point.

  Maliel returned after about an hour, wearing a grim expression that set Drake’s nerves on

  edge.

  “What did they say?” asked Drake in a hushed tone so as not to startle Lenora, who was

  dozing.

  “The elders have accepted that you are not Bomar,” he replied. “But they have given me news that makes me unsure as to the wisdom of bringing you here.”

  Lenora stirred, smiling upon seeing Maliel. “You’re back.” Drake gently helped her up. “What happened?”

  “The Bomar…they want you to…” he paused. “I should wait until you have spoken to the elders.”

  Drake glanced over to Lenora. She needed rest. But it would have to wait. They were safe, and that would do for now. Whatever the elders had to say would be dealt with.

  Maliel led them to the tents where several Nelwyn were standing about, all eyeing them with undisguised apprehension. Drake recognized the look on their faces. It was the same as the people in the provinces wore when they saw the royal guard passing by. This was more than enough to tell him what they thought of the Bomar, even had he not been previously informed. A few of the Nelwyn with whom they had traveled were among them, speaking in hush tones, presumably explaining their presence.

  The tents were arranged in three evenly spaced rows with one more, roughly twice the size of the others, a few yards beyond. Two Nelwyn women stood on either side of the flap, clad much the same as the men, with short knives attached to their belts. To Drake’s eyes they seemed to be physically stronger than their male counterparts, with more muscular arms and slightly broader shoulders. A stray thought passed through his mind. Would he be training an army of women to fight? There were plenty in both the magistrate as well as the royal guard. But it was never expected that they be able to perform with the same physical prowess as a man, though since most altercations involved the use of a firearm, this was rarely an issue. And while training with a blade, he preferred them to their male counterparts, finding their actions more strategic and precise.

  From within the tent he could hear raised voices, and a strange, sweet scent struck his nostrils. The two women eyed Drake and Lenora for a brief moment, and then the one on their right pulled open the flap.

  Maliel turned to Krigar. “Prepare them somewhere to sleep.” Krigar frowned. “Am I not welcome?”

  “You will learn the news soon enough,” Maliel replied.

  Krigar’s jaw tightened, but Drake placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s all right. We’ll talk

  later.”

  Krigar glared at Maliel for a long moment before spinning on his heels and striding off. “What was that about?” asked Lenora.

  “He feels slighted,” answered Maliel. “Those that cannot feel the power of the Mother sometimes believe that they are excluded from important matters.”

  “Are they?” asked Drake.

  “No.” Without another word, he ducked inside the tent.

  Drake took Lenora’s hand and followed. Four Nelwyn were seated in a semi-circle on a round blue and gold carpet. Their dress did not distinguish them from those outside, though from the lines around
their eyes and the corners of their mouths their age was obvious. Two had shaved heads and a thin silver hoop hanging from each ear, while the two in the center had shoulder-length blond hair with thin, black strands of cloth woven into a long braid on either side of their head. The elder on the far right held a thin wooden pipe, the apparent source of the odor.

  Maliel took a seat to the left end, pointing to a spot facing the elders.

  “We welcome you among us,” said the Nelwyn to their far right. “Please forgive our caution. Much has happened since our brother found his way to your land. I am Gyshia, and I will speak on behalf of my people.”

  “We understand,” said Lenora. “Maliel has explain to us your troubles with the Bomar.

  There is no need to apologize.”

  “You are the one who brings us fire magic?” he asked.

  “I am,” she replied. “And my companion has skills as well.”

  “Yes. So we have been told. And while they would be of great value to us, I am afraid there will be no time for him to pass them on.”

  Drake could see the poorly concealed anxiety in Maliel’s expression. “I won’t leave Lenora, if that is what you are thinking.”

  “If you desire our help, you must,” replied Gyshia. “Our enemy has acquired a weapon.

  One that could end the Nelwyn entirely. It must be destroyed before it is unleashed upon us.” “And you want us to destroy it?” asked Drake.

  “We want you to destroy it,” he replied. “The woman will stay with us.” Drake leveled his gaze. “That’s not going to happen.”

  “She will be safer here,” said Maliel. “Lenora can instruct us during your absence.” “Where is the weapon?” asked Lenora.

  “We are not sure exactly,” answered Gyshia. “All we know is that it is somewhere in the Bomar city of Malizar.”

  Drake regarded the Nelwyn elder for a long moment. “You don’t even know what the weapon is, do you?”

  “Unfortunately, we do not.”

  “Then how do you know it exists?” pressed Drake.

  “Our scouts captured a Bomar soldier four months ago. He told us that soon their armies would no longer need to march. That we would soon be no more. We already knew that their armies had been slowly retreating back to their towns. The last time that happened was when they had crafted a new weapon.”

  Drake huffed a derisive laugh. “And you want me to go based on that? Are you insane? Or do you think I am?”

  “He was questioned after taking the nectar of the Tulani flower. He could not have lied.” “Tulani nectar has strange effects on the Bomar,” added Maliel. “It makes them incapable

  of lying. You have my word that we would not ask this of you if there were not good reason.” “We cannot go ourselves,” said Gyshia. “But you can pass as one of them.”

  Drake looked to Lenora. “I don’t like the idea of leaving you alone.” “This is the price,” said Gyshia, “if you wish us to help your people.”

  It was clear that Lenora was conflicted. Drake knew her well enough to see that she feared for his life. The choice must be his. “If I attempt this, I want your promise that you will help us whether I succeed or not.”

  “If you fail, there might not be anyone left to help,” said Gyshia. “But I will give you my word that we will do what we can should you not return.”

  His words caused Lenora to shift nervously. “How would I get there?”

  “Three days south is a great machine that will take you to their city. It brings people and material to their towns. You will need to find a way to get aboard.”

  Drake screwed his face into a scowl. “Not exactly what I’d call a well-thought out plan.”

  “We have clothing that will help you blend in,” added Gyshia. “And you’ll be going to a place where the Bomar dig for iron. Workers come and go quite often. We think it is the best place for you to enter.”

  “Couldn’t I just go to the capital?” asked Drake.

  “It would take many weeks to reach it on foot, and much of the land is dry and barren. The great machine of the Bomar will get you there in a few days.”

  Drake could only assume that it was a train or truck of some sort. It was a terrible plan. That he looked like the Bomar was the only advantage he had. He knew nothing of their customs or laws. It would be like wearing his Royal Guard dress greens and trying to pass unnoticed in the provinces.

  “I suppose I’ll have to improvise,” he muttered sourly. “Drake,” said Lenora. “If you don’t think –”

  “I’ll be fine,” he said, forcing a smile. “It’s not the first time I’ve had to blend in to an unfamiliar situation. You just concentrate on teaching the Nelwyn.” He turned to Gyshia. “How soon can I leave?”

  “We can tell you what we know about the Bomar tonight. It should help. You can leave at first light if you wish.”

  “No,” Lenora interjected. “You can tell him tomorrow. I assume you have a spare tent?”

  Upon setting out from Vale, Drake would have objected. He still had to face the fact that they would not end up together. But given the situation, and the likelihood of failure…

  He took her hand. “If they don’t, we’ll take this one.”

  Gyshia gave them a knowing smile. “Of course. One will be provided. And as I intended to send Krigar as your guide, he can tell you what you need to know along the way.”

  The Nelwyn rose in unison. “As this has been settled.”

  Drake and Lenora stood and followed as they filed from the tent. Fires were now blazing, one of which was roasting a beast – though Drake did not know what kind. Gyshia approached Krigar, who was standing a few yards away, and told him that he would be accompanying Drake. He still appeared unsettled about being forced from the tent, but simply nodded his compliance.

  “I am truly sorry,” remarked Maliel. “For what?” asked Drake.

  “For asking you to put yourself in such a great amount of peril.”

  “Do you really think the Bomar have a weapon?” asked Lenora. “One that can kill all of your people?”

  Maliel thought for a moment before answering. “The elders are speaking truthfully. They would not attempt to deceive you.”

  “But you don’t know if they’re right,” said Drake.

  “The Bomar are clever,” he said. “It could be an attempt to draw us out or to frighten us into fleeing. The last weapon they brought was devastating, though. It leveled entire villages and killed hundreds. In time we learned to avoid it by spreading our forces and moving with speed, but not before vast numbers of Nelwyn perished.”

  Drake nodded. Misinformation was a tactic he had employed on occasion himself while in the royal guard: Leak out something your enemy thinks vital. Something they cannot help but act on. Then lie in wait. On the plus side, they would not be expecting someone like Drake, even if that were the case.

  “No use dwelling on it,” said Drake.

  “And no more dark talk,” said Lenora, slipping her arm around Drake’s. “If you’re leaving in the morning, I don’t want to waste what time we have left.”

  The Nelwyn had broken in to several smaller groups, each sitting around one of the fires. Drake and Lenora joined Krigar, Maliel, and the others they had traveled with and ate a portion of the bread and fruit provided. The meat, identified by Krigar as being a lomma, was then carved up and placed onto a large flat wooden tray. The Nelwyn each retrieved a portion, though both Lenora and Drake declined as politely as they could.

  Krigar let out an uncharacteristic laugh. “It is better than Bomar food. You should take advantage of it while you can.”

  At this prompting, Drake tasted a small piece. It was not dissimilar to beef in texture, though it had a strong, unfamiliar flavor that left him rather unsure as to whether he would spit it out or swallow.

  “Wild game is different from the food in Vale,” explained Maliel, smirking. “Better.” “I think I’ll pass,” said Drake.

  Conversation was centered p
rimarily on the Bomar. From what Drake gathered, each year their incursions in to Nelwyn lands had increased, forcing the Nelwyn to adapt and become more aggressive.

  “We push them back,” said a grim-faced male with several deep facial scars. “But they always return in greater numbers. It seems impossible there could be so many. They spread like a brush fire.”

  Some were more optimistic, made so by Lenora’s presence and the prospect of finally being able to outmatch their foe, but others remained doubtful. And a few seemed a bit repelled by the notion of magic as a destructive force.

  After the meal, Krigar pointed to the far end of the camp, where a small tent had been erected. Drake felt himself becoming nervous and self-conscious, as he had been all those years ago when first they had fallen in love. If Lenora felt the same way, it did not show in her expression. Instead she took his hand and guided him to the tent, glancing back to give him a seductive smile that sent his heart pounding wildly.

  Inside, the floor was covered in thick blankets, and several pillows were arranged in a semi- circle at the far end. A dim lamp hung from the support posts, setting the mood perfectly. Lenora turned to face him and draped her arms around his neck.

  Any reservations he’d had were gone. The future be damned. He would not deny himself this. And as their lips met, he knew that she would not be denied either. They needed no more words between them. There was nothing left to say.