The Five Kingdoms: Book 04 - Crying Havoc

by Toby Neighbors

  “He’s lucky to still be alive,” Red said. “That knife could have killed him.”

  “That was the intention,” Quinn said. Then he waved for the innkeeper’s son to come over as Red took a bite of bread he had just smeared with a thick layer of butter.

  “Can you go to Red’s cottage and fetch back my horse? Give it a good rubdown and some oats. I’ll be riding out in the morning,” he said, flipping the boy a coin. If you can have them saddled and ready for me, with their hooves picked and clean, I’ll give you another.”

  “Yes, sir!” said the boy, before hurrying out of the inn.

  They spent the rest of the evening talking. Several of the local villagers joined their table, including the innkeeper, after having the outlaw dragged out of the inn. Quinn learned that the coastal villages were not doing well, since most of the shipping vessels had not been seen for weeks. He told them about the witch in Lodenhime and his journey to stop his son from being lured back there with Mansel.

  They enjoyed a meal of fish stew. There was more bread and much more ale. On the walk back to Red’s cottage the two men leaned on each other. The next morning Red unwrapped Quinn’s leg and washed off the poultice. Then he sniffed the wound again.

  “No sign of putrefaction,” he announced happily.

  Then he applied another poultice and rewrapped the wound.

  “I’m sure it’s painful, but there’s no danger of infection, I wouldn’t think,” Red explained. “Leave the bandage on for five or six more days and don’t get it wet. Then wash off the remains of the poultice and have someone remove the stitches. If you don’t have any foot races, you should be fine.”

  “Thank you Red, I greatly appreciate your help,” Quinn told him.

  “It was my pleasure,” said the healer.

  They went back to the inn, where the innkeeper insisted they have some breakfast. After they ate Quinn found both horses saddled and waiting. He gave the innkeeper’s son another coin and bade the others good-bye. Then he climbed into the saddle, tied the reins of the other horse to the saddle horn, and set off.

  The days went by swiftly, and soon Quinn had to make a decision to either continue north on the coastal road to Black Bay, or turn east and ride for Ebbson Keep. He had no idea where Zollin was, and while he knew he needed to get on Mansel’s trail as quickly as possible, he also knew the young warrior would be far ahead of him. If he turned east, he could miss Zollin and Mansel entirely. It was a difficult choice, but he felt that he couldn’t take any chances. He stayed on the coastal road and traveled north as swiftly as he could.

  Chapter 19

  The Weaver’s Road led Mansel to Fort Jellar. He saw the smoke from the fires long before he was in sight of the city itself. He wasn’t sure what was happening but decided to proceed with caution. He didn’t want to be held up by city officials who may have heard about his previous run-in with the village constable.

  His main concern was getting across the border quickly. He left the road and circled the army encampment. The Weaver’s Road ran straight across the border, and Mansel angled back toward it. He recognized Ebbson Keep from the descriptions he’d heard as a child: the towering stone structure was one of the oldest in the Kingdom of Yelsia, and traveling singers would often describe the great battles that had taken place there. Mansel decided to see if he could learn anything about Zollin at the Keep.

  There was a long line of scouts spread out along the border, and Mansel decided his best bet for crossing would be to wait for nightfall. It was late in the day at any rate, and so he took the opportunity to rest. When night fell, he resumed his journey, leading his horse as silently as possible, when a cloud passed in front of the moon. He couldn’t see the scouts, but there were lights burning at Ebbson Keep, so even in the dark it was easy to keep his bearings, and once he felt he had safely reached Yelsian soil, he remounted and rode to the Keep.

  There were guards stationed at the main gate who told him that no one was allowed in the fortress until morning. He saw to his horse and made camp for the night with a few other travelers who had arrived too late to be allowed into the Keep. The next morning, Mansel was questioned thoroughly before being admitted into the fortress. He explained that he was looking for Zollin, the wizard, at which point he was escorted into the Keep’s main building and told to wait. He was just beginning to grow restless when a guard led Kelvich into the room.

  “Mansel!” Kelvich said in surprise. “This is completely unexpected. How are you? Where is Quinn?”

  “One question at a time,” Mansel said in a testy voice. “I need to find Zollin. Do you know where he is?”

  “No, but you got here just in time. I was getting ready to go in search of him myself.”

  “Did he slay the dragon?”

  “There’s been no word from Zollin,” Kelvich explained. “We set an ambush for the dragon in the ruins at Ornak. I was sent here with a treasure trove of ancient scrolls that we discovered in the ruins. We did hear that Zollin and the soldiers drove the dragon off and that Zollin and Brianna went in pursuit of the beast on their own. They were headed into the Northern Highlands. The dragon hasn’t been seen since, but neither has Zollin or Brianna.”

  “Then that’s where I will go,” Mansel said.

  “We can ride together,” Kelvich said in a merry tone. “This is fortunate indeed.”

  “Are you ready? I don’t want to waste my time here.”

  “Oh, I’ll only be a short while. Tell me, where is Quinn? Did you succeed in escorting Prince Wilam back to Orrock?”

  “We’ll have time to talk about that later,” Mansel said.

  He was trying to keep his frustration from showing, but his self control was waning. He felt guilty at having thrown Quinn overboard. He knew that if he revealed that Quinn was dead, Zollin would insist on knowing what happened. He needed a credible story, both about Quinn and Prince Wilam. Simply revealing that the Prince had stayed with Gwendolyn at the Castle on the Sea would surely make his task even more difficult. And just thinking of the Prince being near Gwendolyn made Mansel angry. His only happiness was daydreaming about how his Queen would reward him when he returned with Zollin. But when he tried to picture Gwendolyn his mind grew conflicted and confused. Whenever he tried to think of what Gwendolyn looked like, he saw a lonely-looking woman and smelled the briny scent of the sea. He had to forcefully push all those thoughts away, and each time he did, he felt his rage increasing.

  “Oh,” Kelvich said. “All right, I’ll gather my things and we’ll be off.”

  “Make haste,” Mansel said. “I’ll see that we have plenty of supplies.”

  Mansel turned on his heel and walked briskly toward the door where a guard stood sentry. Kelvich nodded to the guard, who opened the door for Mansel. Then the sorcerer hurried up to his quarters. The Duke had been impatient for Kelvich to leave, but Kelvich had wanted to bring the translations the scholars had been working on. If for some reason the dragon did still live, there might be information in those texts that would help them defeat the beast.

  He had packed his belongings so that he would be ready to go. He just needed to stop at the scriptorium and get what he could from the scholars working there. He found Jax just outside the scriptorium.

  “There you are,” Jax said in an excited voice. “The Duke wishes to see you. Come on.”

  He grabbed the elderly sorcerer’s hand and began leading him away.

  “Wait, wait, Jax. I need to speak to the scholars first.”

  “But it’s the Duke!” Jax said in surprise.

  “This will only take a moment.”

  Kelvich hurried into the room and told the scholars that he needed to take the translations they were working on. The scholars argued that they weren’t finished, but Kelvich insisted, telling them he would return shortly to collect whatever they had ready. Then he let Jax lead him back up to the Duke’s audience room. As always, there were several people in the room, some talking to the Duke, others talking quie
tly to one another.

  The Duke looked up as they came in.

  “Thank you, Jax, you can wait outside,” the Duke said.

  Kelvich noticed the crestfallen look that crossed Jax’s face, but to the boy’s credit he didn’t argue. He went quickly from the room, and the Duke waved Kelvich over.

  “I assume you know the man who came looking for Zollin?”

  “Yes,” Kelvich said. “His name is Mansel. He was sent south with Zollin’s father Quinn to escort Prince Wilam to Orrock.”

  “Did he succeed?”

  “No, I don’t think so. He’s alone and he’s in a hurry to continue his search for Zollin. I can only assume that he failed and that something happened to Quinn.”

  “You think the wizard’s father is dead?”

  “Most likely,” Kelvich said sadly.

  “Are you leaving to begin your search?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good,” the Duke said. “Please convey my sympathies but also share the urgency of our situation. If the army at Fort Jellar attacks, I’m not sure how long we can hold them back.”

  “I understand,” Kelvich said. “I’ll do my best.”

  “Jax is staying with us,” the Duke said.

  “You’ve spoken with him about it then,” Kelvich said in surprise.

  “No, and neither shall you. You know how I feel about the boy. I think it is better for us all if he stays.”

  “That should be his decision.”

  “In more idyllic times I would agree. But it appears that we are on the brink of war, and I need every able-bodied man I can get.”

  “Or perhaps you are using him to lure Zollin here,” Kelvich said, and the room fell silent. The other men in the room were all military officers, and none of them had ever heard anyone confront the Duke before.

  “Don’t be absurd,” the Duke said. “I’ve come to love the boy as if he were my own. I wish him here, where I can keep him safe.”

  “You just said if the army at Fort Jellar attacks you could be overrun. Wouldn’t Jax be safer leaving the fort with me?”

  “Somehow I doubt that,” the Duke said in a cynical voice.

  Kelvich held his temper in check. He respected the Duke and appreciated all that had been done for him, but he despised the fact that he was seen as nothing more than an old man. He had powers that would shock the Duke and, under the right circumstances, destroy his precious Keep without lifting a finger, but he knew his anger wouldn’t serve him well now. He needed to get his things and catch up with Mansel.

  “Very well,” Kelvich said. “I’ll leave Jax with you. Is there anything else you need?”

  “I don’t suppose your friend has any useful intelligence about what is going on?”

  “I doubt it,” Kelvich said. “My guess is Quinn was killed and Mansel is returning to give his friend the news.”

  “Fine, go quickly. If you need anything tell my steward,” the Duke said, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture.

  Kelvich hurried out of the room and found Jax standing not far away.

  “I have to leave the Keep for a while,” Kelvich told the boy.

  “You do? Where are we going?” Jax asked.

  “We aren’t going,” Kelvich said. “That is what the Duke wanted to talk to me about. He said he needs you. I’m just a bothersome old man, but the Duke has come to depend on you and wants you to stay.”

  “He said that?” Jax said proudly. “He said he needs me?”

  “Yes, now I want you to listen to me. Do everything you can to help him. He’s a good man, but he’s under a lot of pressure. Listen to him, keep your ears open, and pay attention to what is going on. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

  “Yes,” said Jax seriously.

  “You’re a good boy and you have a bright future, but don’t try to be a hero. I want you to start looking for a way out of the Keep in case there is fighting. Always have a plan for an emergency.”

  “Yes, Master Kelvich,” he said.

  “I will come back for you,” Kelvich said. “I’ll bring Zollin back here and we’ll make things safe again. Until then, you do all you can to help, but stay safe.”

  “I will. You can count on me.”

  “I know I can,” Kelvich said. He hugged Jax and then looked him in the eye. “I’m very proud of you.”

  Jax seemed to light up from the inside at hearing those words. Then he was off, hurrying back into the Duke’s audience chamber, and Kelvich’s eyes blurred with tears. He hadn’t realized how fond he’d become of the young orphan.

  After gathering his belongings and the copies of the translations the scholars had finished, which had been collected into a stiff, leather portfolio, Kelvich went quickly to the stables. He found the stable master waiting with a fine-looking horse already saddled.

  “She’s a reliable mount,” the man told him. “Her shoes are in good condition, and I’ve seen to everything.”

  “Thank you,” Kelvich said.

  “Take care of her,” the man said.

  “I will.”

  Kelvich stuffed his belongings into the empty saddle bags and climbed up onto the horse. He hoped that Mansel had been sincere when he offered to get their supplies, otherwise Kelvich would have to stop and buy them for himself before leaving the Keep. He didn’t even have a canteen or water skin.

  He rode through the crowded courtyard and found Mansel waiting for him just outside the gate.

  “It’s about time,” Mansel said. “I have the supplies. Let’s get moving.”

  “You have enough for both of us?” Kelvich asked. “I don’t have food or water.”

  “Yes, I have enough. Let’s go.”

  They rode through the day, Kelvich trying to keep up with Mansel, who was in no mood to talk and who pushed his mount as hard as he could. They stopped just before dark and made camp. It was quiet, and the stars were bright and the moon was almost full. Kelvich was sore from riding hard all day. Once he had seen to his horse, giving her a good rubdown and making sure she was hobbled where there was plenty of grass for her to eat, he unrolled his blanket and lay down.

  “Should I start a fire?” he asked.

  “No,” Mansel said. “We don’t need one.”

  He handed Kelvich a few strips of dried meat. Kelvich looked at the rations, his stomach growling with hunger, and sighed.

  “I miss the meals at Ebbson Keep already,” Kelvich said.

  “Sorry this isn’t some fancy dinner, but it’s enough to keep you going.”

  “Do you want to tell me what happened now?” Kelvich said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, what happened to Quinn?”

  “He was captured.”

  “What happened?” Kelvich asked sadly.

  “He was captured,” Mansel repeated.

  “By whom? The Mezzlyn? I didn’t think the assassins took hostages. Where is he?”

  Kelvich waited, but Mansel didn’t volunteer any other information.

  “Is that all you’re going to say?”

  “It’s all that’s important.”

  “Are you mad? Quinn was my friend. I have a right to know what happened.”

  “No, you don’t,” said Mansel. “You have a right to be quiet and keep up, or you’ll get left behind. I don’t answer to you or anyone else. You can help me find Zollin or do whatever you want to do, but don’t bother me with questions.”

  Mansel walked away, into the darkness. He was so angry he knew that if the old man pushed him he would snap, just like he had done in the village and with the constable. He didn’t want to hurt people, but he couldn’t stand being questioned all the time. He just wanted to find Zollin and get back to Gwendolyn.

  Kelvich sat in the darkness, stunned by what he’d just heard. Mansel not only seemed evasive, but dangerous. The elder sorcerer knew better than to push his luck with the young warrior. Mansel reminded Kelvich of a bear that had been cornered by hunters. With nowhere else to turn, th
e beast was twice as dangerous. Making up his mind to hold his tongue until they found Zollin, he rolled himself up in his cloak and went to sleep.

  * * *

  For two weeks the armada of ships from Osla and Falxis beat their way up the coast. Offendorl was impatient, and although he had hoped to land at Tragoon Bay and sail up the Tillamook River rather than marching with the armies, he had finally relented and made landfall just up the coast from Winsome on the southwestern edge of Yelsia near Angel’s Shelter. The soldiers were rowed to shore and almost immediately met by scouts from the Yelsian army, who watched their every move but did not engage.

  Offendorl wasted little time once the soldiers had landed. He met with King Belphan of Osla and King Zorlan of Falxis to plan their attack. They had four legions of foot soldiers and half a legion of cavalry. King Zorlan was a quiet man, content to stay out of the planning. The truth was, he was only participating to save face with the other kings, and he was afraid of Offendorl. Belphan postured and acted the part of the royal commander, but as always he deferred to the Master of the Torr. They sent scouts ahead and began slowly making their way north. Skirmishes between the scouts of both armies were common, but no major action had taken place. They were just south of Valeron when a small company of knights flying a white flag from their lances approached the army.

  “Go and see what they wish to do,” Offendorl told Belphan. “Go with him, Zorlan, and each of you take one knight with you as an escort. Return to me with their demands and I shall instruct you on how to proceed.”

  Both kings did as they were told. Offendorl was traveling in a very large wagon with a padded bed and his most valuable books. When the army camped, his mute eunuchs erected a tent next to the wagon and set up camp chairs with thick cushions for the ancient wizard. There was also a trap door in the ceiling of the wagon so Offendorl could sit on top of the large vehicle and have an unobstructed view of the army encampment and beyond. He used a small awning to keep the sun off his almost transparent skin, but that wasn’t necessary on this day, as clouds rolled in like a thick blanket being pulled over a bed.