by Blink, Bob
“All of them report to daddy,” she said. “If they see something, I’m certain the word would get back to him. That means we have to be careful. It would be bad for you if he was to find out that we have been sleeping together.”
The revelations got Kaler to thinking about his situation. He didn’t know what it would be like when they relocated to the Baron’s lands, but he started to realize he might be in a situation that had few options and would give Sayn a leverage on him he didn’t think was desirable. Five weeks after they had come to Sulen, word spread through the household that they would be leaving the following week.
“How did you end up in the hands of Duke Cordale?” Rigo asked Kaler when the younger fighter paused in his tale. “It sounds as if you were heading away from the Duke’s lands.”
“I never traveled with the Baron and his entourage,” Kaler said. “While everyone was busy preparing to depart the capital, the Duke arrived in the city for meetings with the King. While he was there I ended up being offered an opportunity to join the Duke’s equivalent to the Royal Guard. It was a better position, more in alignment with what I wanted. It also gave me a chance to escape the clutches of Sayn, who was becoming tiresome.”
“How did that happen?”
“A combination of things. The Legate with whom I’d traveled to Sulen had several friends in the Duke’s Personal Guard, and must have told them about me. I was told that they observed me at practice one day. Looking back, I think that even Sayn had a hand in getting me noticed.”
Rigo looked at Kaler with the question in his eyes.
“The Duke’s daughter Eessa had come to Sulen along with her father. Apparently Sayn had chosen to brag to the other girl about her fighter-lover, and Eessa, a bit of a vixen in her own right had taken the trouble to have a look for herself. Deciding to see if she could steal me away, she had brought me to the attention of the head of her father’s guard. She had also made certain that whispers of Sayn’s activities reached the Baron’s ears. I didn’t know of this until much later, of course.”
“That must have been awkward,” Rigo noted.
“Yes. Sayn came to me all distraught one day and told me I needed to slip away. Her father had suspicions and it would be best if I were to disappear for a while. The whispers that had reached her father’s ears were started by Eessa, of course. Fortunately, I had already been approached by the Duke’s people, so I simply shifted to his camp, and left with them the following morning. Of course, at the time I didn’t know what a bastard the Duke was, nor did I realize what a little vixen Eessa could be.”
“So you and the Duke’s daughter picked up where you left off with Sayn?”
“Not exactly the same. I was one of Eessa many playmates as I later learned. But she sought me out after we were back at the Duke’s castle, and as attractive as she is, I never thought of resisting. Unfortunately, we were caught in her bed. Stupid of me. Apparently the Duke knows of his daughter’s indiscretions, at least some of them. They are cut from the same cloth. Both want whatever they can take. He seems to be more forgiving of her actions when they involve one of the nobility, especially if it is someone who he sees as a potential confederate for his plans. I didn’t meet his expectations.”
“And he had you thrown into the dungeon with the intent of executing you,” Rigo summarized.
“That’s right. And so now here we are, hiding in this cave. I’ve lost my horses, my gold, and my swords. The swords I miss the most, but I can see no way to recover them. I guess if we get away, I’ll have to return to my brother and fall on his charity.”
Rigo nodded. He had lost most everything as well. They had taken everything he had with him when he’d been arrested. He had also lost his gold – a reasonable sum, his Risos pendant – not that it was worth much, and all of the other goods he had accumulated, including the quality dagger he’d taken in the fight on the docks. Other than the clothes on his back, his staff – which no one would really be able to take from him, and the cheap blades they had captured while escaping, he had nothing left from the efforts of months of adventuring since he had left Daro.
Chapter 15
“What do you think?” Rigo asked. “Should we look and see what’s out there?”
They had been hiding in the cave for more than two days and their food, which they had had little enough to start with, was entirely gone and their water nearly exhausted. They had enough water to last the night, but they would need to do something the next morning. That made it seem wise to leave now while it was mostly dark outside. The moon would still be nearly full and would provide them enough light to travel, but the darkness would conceal their movements from anyone watching from nearby hills.
“We don’t have much choice,” Kaler replied. “Besides, after the days in the dungeon and now huddling here in the near dark, I’m desperate to see the sky again. We have to try, and hopefully find some food on the way.”
“Let’s go then,” Rigo suggested, and picked up the empty food sack. They would try and fill it as they traveled. They had become accustomed to the sounds of the cave and were certain that no one was inside the entrance. Guards had come into the front chamber two days before, but after their noisy and inexpert examination of the cave front had left without a serious search. The hard rock at the entrance had hidden any sign of Rigo and Kaler’s entry, and the dark obviously made the guards uncomfortable. Since the chamber appeared to be small with no place to conceal anyone, the guards had given it a pass. Since then, the echoing sound of human presence had been absent.
Before they left, Rigo ran his hands over each of the blades they possessed.
“I told you the strengthening wouldn’t last long. I’ll have to do this often if they are to retain their special durability.” Once again it rankled Rigo that he was certain there was a way to make the effect more lasting, but for the life of him he couldn’t think of how.
Kaler led the way to the entrance, and as they approached, Rigo extinguished the ball of light produced by his staff. That would easily be seen from some distance, and they didn’t need it any longer. As he smelled the fresher air at the mouth of the small passage connecting their hideaway to the front chamber, Rigo realized there was another reason to be leaving. Their alcove now smelled distinctly of human presence. Had the guards come back into the cave, they would have immediately been aware that someone was nearby.
Kaler slithered through the opening silently, then stood up in the other chamber, his sword held ready. As Kaler silently moved toward the mouth of the cave, Rigo slipped through behind him. Moving with the grace and silence of one who was raised so he was comfortable in the woods, Rigo made his way over to Kaler.
“No smell of smoke, nor sounds of horses. I don’t think there is a camp nearby,” Kaler informed him.
“Let’s go,” Rigo encouraged.
Kaler moved soundlessly without replying. Rigo followed five steps behind him. Together they turned to the east, their plan to continue the direction they had been heading when they escaped the castle. The good side to this choice was it would take them away from the Duke’s stronghold and the concentration of his forces faster than any other route. The bad thing was it would take them toward the Great River that flowed from the northern mountains of Branid to the great jungles of southern Kellmore. The river would be seen as a likely destination for escapees. The river offered a quick escape, as did the large concentration of people to be found along the banks of the river. Neither man however, welcomed the idea of heading back to the lands where the Duke ruled with an iron hand. If necessary they would find a way across the river into western Lopal, which even the Duke would hesitate to venture into as it would appear as an invasion and could trip the already shaky foundations of truce. He wouldn’t want to be responsible for triggering the war that many felt was certain to come. His lands would be among the first to feel the crush of enemy soldiers.
As they moved with practiced care up the side of the mountain, the moon shining brig
htly in the clear sky providing sufficient light for them to see where they were headed, they listened for any sounds that would indicate the Duke still had men in the area. Both were surprised they heard nothing.
They moved smoothly at a moderate pace. Moving faster would generate more noise, and despite the fact they hadn’t seen any sign of their pursuers, trouble could come across at any moment. They picked a few apples when they passed a cluster of trees, putting them into the food sack for later. The hours passed quickly, and as the first ruddy indications of sunrise started to appear in the distant sky, they had traveled a substantial distance from the cave where they had hidden.
“I wish we had the foresight to pack a couple of snares or a sling,” Kaler said sarcastically pointing to yet another pair of large rabbits finishing their nightly feast before seeking security in their holes before the sun rose above the horizon. “I don’t see myself getting close enough to bring one down with my sword.”
Rigo looked where Kaler had pointed. His friend was right. They needed meat. The apples and other items they could gather would help, but they had a long walk ahead and it would be fueled better with a solid breakfast.
“I can handle that,” Rigo said.
He started searching the ground as they walked, occasionally stooping to pick up something from the ground. Satisfied, he started watching for more of the laggards that were still out instead of having sought the safety of their holes as they should have.
Kaler touched his shoulder and pointed off to the side. A large hare was sitting watching them, its nose quivering as it decided whether it had been seen and needed to flee.
Rigo had discovered what he was about to do several years earlier. Another of his accidental discoveries. He hadn’t used the ability in this manner before, feeling it was cheating somehow, but now they had a real need and he couldn’t afford to be restricted. Survival was the issue here, not fairness.
Rigo selected one of the small stones he had gathered, and almost carelessly tossed it vertically upwards. Kaler watched him to see what he was up to. As the stone passed the apex of its arc and started down, Rigo grabbed it with his mind and flung it outwards with great force. He could throw stones this way with incredible velocity. So long as they were small enough that is. Nothing larger than the tip of his little finger, and no more than one or two at a time. Even better, he could control where they went. He had only to focus on the stone and use his eyes to direct it to the desired target. Faster than the swiftest arrow the stone flew. Kaler couldn’t know what was happening. For him, the stone had simply vanished.
The hare didn’t have a chance. The stone caught it in the side of the head with such force it passed all the way through, killing the animal instantly. It lay there twitching as Rigo led the way over to his kill.
“You did that with the stone?” Kaler asked. “You are dangerous in ways I never considered.”
“I can only do it with small stones and my range is limited,” Rigo explained. “But it was good enough for this.”
“Gods, yes!” exclaimed Kaler who was already busy skinning the animal. “I suppose that we’ll have to have it raw. It’s too bad. This is a fat one, and the grease would have been good if cooked. There’s no way to make fire. That’s unless you have another handy skill available,” Kaler said looking at Rigo with one eye expectantly.
“Fire’s easy,” Rigo responded without thinking. He was scanning the area around them. There were several places they could build a fire where it wouldn’t be seen from any distance. It was still dark enough any smoke wouldn’t be seen, and with the light breeze blowing back the way they had come, the smells of cooking wouldn’t be carried to any potential searchers. They knew the way behind them was clear.
“Over here,” he said, and started picking up dead wood as he walked toward the spot he had selected for their fire. Kaler followed moments later carrying the skinned rabbit. He arrived where Rigo had arranged the wood for a fire in a small depression hidden by the thick brush and several large boulders.
“You implied you can start a fire,” Kaler said, not sure what to expect.
Rigo glanced at the kindling and it suddenly burst into flame. The small flame he had triggered rapidly grew in size until a satisfactory cooking fire had been established.
Kaler grinned and spitted the rabbit which he carefully placed across the fire to cook. Before long tantalizing aromas and the sizzling sounds of grease dripping into the flames could be heard. They had filled their water skin earlier that night, and with the fresh apples they were about to enjoy their first meal in a long time.
“You’ve never met another who can do these things you find so easy?” Kaler asked.
“No one,” Rigo replied. “It hasn’t been something that I can talk about though. People have some odd notions about magic.”
“From what you told me you don’t really know where you came from. Perhaps there is a whole village or race of people who have your abilities.”
“That’s what I hope to learn,” Rigo said. “It’s why I want to explore. I sense that there is something out there I’m meant to discover.”
“So, assuming we actually get free, what are your plans?”
“I found nothing helpful in Sulen, and from what you have told me, I’m unlikely to learn much anywhere in Kellmore.”
“I don’t know that much about the country. My travels have been somewhat limited as well,” Kaler corrected.
Rigo nodded. “That’s true, but the attitudes seem to mirror what I have seen in Branid. If there were a group of people with my abilities, it would be known I would think.”
“So where does that leave you?”
“I have decided that I want to travel to southern Kellmore. There is a monastery there I read about while in Sulen. In addition to their duties as disciples of the Trinity, the scholars gather books on every topic. Nothing is forbidden to them. Perhaps they might have some suggestions where I might have come from.”
Kaler was silent for a moment. “There cannot be more than one. If we are speaking of the same place, I have a brother there. It’s weeks of travel even by boat,” Kaler explained. “Far longer if you are to travel by foot. How would you fund such a journey?”
“I have some coin. I will have to use it to increase our fortune as I have in the past.”
“Where would you hide coin? We were both stripped of all our possessions when we were thrown in the dungeon.”
Rigo smiled and reached for his staff. He wrapped his fingers around the upper double hand span of the shaft and concentrating carefully he gave a sharp twist to the wood. Kaler was surprised to see the wood rotate and unscrew. Rigo removed the top section and extended the lower section of the staff so Kaler could see. Embedded in the wood, held so closely they could not move or make a sound, were three gold Royales.
“Gods!” exclaimed Kaler. “It looks as if the wood grew around them,” he remarked.
Rigo smiled and brought the end of the staff back toward him and held it over his hand. Suddenly the coins dropped free of the wood and into his palm. He passed them over for Kaler to examine. After a moment’s inspection Kaler passed them back.
“That’s enough to get you started, but not enough for the journey you plan.”
“There will be games. I told you how I am at gambling. There will be those who cheat which mark them as fair game. Once we reach the river there will be many places where we can expand our wealth.”
Casually Rigo placed the coins back in the cavity in the wooden staff. Somehow the wood wrapped around to grasp them firmly once again. Then he brought the upper section close and fitted it over the top concealing the coins, giving the shaft a half twist once again. He started to lay the staff down when Kaler motioned for him to pass it over. Rigo handed his friend the staff.
“There’s not the smallest sign that there is a break in the wood. Nothing to indicate the staff can be broken apart. How is it done?”
“It is one of the capabilities of the sta
ff. I don’t know how I learned of the hiding spot. It’s as if the staff can lead me to such things. Often it controls me as much as I control it.”
Kaler shook his head and handed the staff back. “You frequently say “we”, Kaler said, returning to their earlier discussion. “You appear to include me in your plans.”
“I had hopes of convincing you to journey with me. Knowing you have a brother there makes it all the more reasonable. But perhaps you wish to return home. I’ll not stand in your way, but in the short time we have been acquainted I have come to value your company. Clearly you have skills that would help my journey and it would give you a chance for a bit of adventure. What do you think?”
Kaler didn’t have to consider the offer long. The idea of returning broke to his elder brother certainly did not appeal, and there was little path to a position of any significance left in Branid. He could return to the Count and hope for a better showing next year in Kellmore, but he knew the young Lords would target him for elimination at any subsequent games. The chance to see his brother Nyll had a certain appeal, although he wondered what kind of greeting he might receive. Besides, something about Rigo drew him. What was this magic and what adventures might be ahead in the man’s life?
“It is something I need to think on, but my inclination is to join with you on your journey. Let us see if we are truly free of the Duke and his guardsmen, and then decide where our future will take us.”
“Fair enough,” Rigo agreed. He pointed to the rabbit which was now fully cooked. Carefully they extracted the hot flesh from the fire, which Rigo quenched as easily as he’d brought it into existence. Once the meat cooled, they consumed every bit of the succulent flesh. Afterwards they buried the fire pit against the chance of someone discovering they had been here, and they set off once again. They would continue for a few more hours and keep their eyes open for a secure spot to bed down for the afternoon.
