Endless Flight

by A. C. Cobble

  “Does that happen often?” asked Ben.

  “Nah,” answered Harry. “An experienced crew won’t lose their craft. But like I said, it’s worse this time of year because there’s more traffic and inexperienced hands working the barges.”

  “That doesn’t sound too bad,” remarked Ben.

  “See how you feel after the first long run.” Jonas yawned. The man slept nearly all day. Ben couldn’t fathom how he slept at night.

  “First long run?” queried Amelie.

  “Aye, you can’t tie up in the rapids. The current is too fast,” explained Jonas. “We call it a long run. There’s a few of them that will take us almost two days to pull through. Gotta watch out for other barges, boulders, and keep a strong hand on the tiller. It’s a long shift. With a crew this small, we won’t get much sleep. Not sure we could have made it without you two.”

  Amelie looked nervous.

  Ben reassured her. “Remember, they do this because it’s easier than hauling in wagons. It can’t be that bad.”

  ***

  At the bottom of the first rapid, a line of barges was waiting to start up the turbulent waters.

  They weren’t as violent as the rapids Ben remembered from around Farview, but he’d never tried to pull twenty wagon loads of goods up those.

  “Now what is this?” Ben heard faintly from the front of the barge. He rose up on his tiptoes and saw Jonas clambering back toward him.

  “What’s going on?” asked Ben.

  “Not sure,” muttered the barge man. He ducked down below the tiller and came up with a short-bow and quiver. He then climbed onto the potato pile, which was the best vantage point on the barge.

  Ben looked worriedly at Amelie. They both collected their weapons as well.

  Jonas called from his perch, “Harry, what is it?”

  The barge captain looked back and raised his hands uncertainly.

  Ben saw it now. Beside the river road, there was a military-style encampment, one large tent like a commander might use with a scattering of pup tents around it. A few armored men were visible milling around the area.

  Lawrence, the third barge crew member, darted ahead of Harry and the horse team to see what the commotion was.

  While they waited, the barge crept closer. Amelie whispered to Ben, “Do you think we could slip over the side and swim across the river?”

  “Remember what happened when we tried to swim away from the Sanctuary?” he replied ruefully. “Also, Harry and his crew would probably tell them where we went. They have no reason to protect us.”

  She gripped the hilts of her weapons grimly. If the arms men wanted to search the barge, there was no where they could hide. Flight seemed futile. Not that fighting would be any better, thought Ben.

  Shortly, Lawrence returned and briefed Harry on what he learned. The captain shrugged and they kept moving forward. Jonas, seeing the exchange, relaxed as well and slid off the potatoes.

  Ben shouted to the shore and asked what it was.

  “Nothing involving us,” yelled back Harry. “They’re looking for some highborn lady.”

  Ben met Amelie’s eyes.

  Slowly, they approached the line and certain discovery. Ben’s mind worked frantically. If they tried to escape, Harry and the crew were certain to give them away, but on the other hand, if they didn’t run, what chance did they have? Fighting a company of soldiers was suicide.

  “Come on,” he urged Amelie. “We have to go.”

  Resolutely, she followed him to the side of the barge. They both stood tall, preparing to jump down into the water, wade to shore, and then run. If they got enough of a head start, maybe they could keep ahead of the men in heavy armor.

  Standing on the gunwale, Ben tensed for the leap. He paused when one of the arms men appeared from around their horse team. The man paused momentarily then shouted, “Lady Amelie!”

  Ben’s hand dropped to his longsword, but Amelie placed her hand on his arm. “Those are Issen’s colors.”

  Ben noticed the pale blue tunic the man was wearing.

  “Lady, I can’t believe we found you!” exclaimed the arms man.

  “That’s an Issen accent,” breathed Amelie. “I think we’re safe.”

  Ignoring Jonas’ stunned look, Amelie tossed her travel pack and weapons to shore then plunged into the waist-deep water. Ben followed right behind and thrashed after her to the bank where the arms man was offering Amelie a helping hand.

  The man led them directly to the large military tent. The nearby soldiers bowed in respect when they saw the dripping wet and shivering Amelie. Ben was nervous, but at least so far, they weren’t being clapped in irons or dodging razor sharp blades.

  Inside the tent, Ben instantly felt relief and irritation. Seneschal Tomas was reclining on a comfortable-looking camp chair and reading a thick book. A half-empty decanter of wine sat on a table next to him, and an empty crystal wineglass dangled from one hand.

  A sly smile split his face when he looked up and saw them.

  “Tomas!” cried Amelie.

  “You,” answered the seneschal, eyeing her up and down, “have looked better, my lady.”

  She blushed furiously. “We’ve been having a bit of a rough time. What are you doing here?”

  “I can imagine,” the small ferret-like man responded dryly, not answering her question. He stood up. “First things first, let’s get you bathed and into some dry clothes. After that…” He raised his glass. “Some wine and a good meal.”

  “That sounds wonderful,” murmured Amelie. “We’ve been stuck on a barge the last week, and before that, well, I can tell you the rest after we get cleaned up. I must know though, what news do you have of Issen? We heard there was a siege.”

  “A barge, you say?” He glanced at the original soldier, who nodded. “Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t oversell the meal then. We will still have one, but not as fine. We can discuss the situation at Issen then. I’m afraid it will be a long discussion, and there’s no sense getting started until we can finish.” The man set his hands on his hips. “Frankly, I do not have good news, but there is nothing to be done about it this evening.”

  Amelie pursed her lips and nodded in agreement.

  “As for supper,” continued Tomas, “Raphael normally does my cooking, but he may need to sort out this barge crew. You.” He pointed at the soldier. “Take Raphael to see the barge and anyone else who saw Lady Amelie. Then tell your friends outside to get some hot water for bathing started.”

  Raphael detached himself from a back corner of the tent. Ben jumped. He hadn’t seen the hulking man standing there.

  “How many?” asked the swordsman.

  Ben and Amelie stared back at him.

  “How many men were on the barge?” he asked again, patiently.

  “Oh. There were three of them,” answered Amelie. “I really worry they may have trouble without us. I’m not sure that is enough men to make the rapids.”

  Flat-faced, Raphael replied, “I will make sure it isn’t a problem.”

  Silent as a cat, the big man brushed out of the tent, the soldier that brought them in trailing behind.

  Tomas smiled sweetly at Amelie. “My tent is yours, my lady. Take your time getting ready, and I’m eager to hear your story. I will tell you all I know about your father.” He walked to one side of the tent and flipped back the lid of a glossy mahogany chest. “We don’t have any suitable clothing for you, but you are near my size, and it is clean. Take whatever you like.”

  The seneschal swept toward the tent flap to exit, gesturing for Ben to follow. “You, boy, come with me. We’ll get you cleaned up as well. Maybe the soldiers have something you can wear. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised you’re still around.” The mousy man sighed dramatically.

  Ben followed without comment.

  Seneschal Tomas was undeniably rude, but Ben had to admit, the man did know how to run a comfortable campsite.

  Washed, changed, and feeling safe for the first time in wee
ks, they relaxed around a rickety folding table in Tomas’ tent. The food was simple military fare, but the wine was excellent.

  “Tomas, I’m glad you found us, but what are you doing here?” asked Amelie once they settled.

  The small man fidgeted in his seat and then replied smoothly, “After we got back from Akew Woods, we knew something was wrong. You were gone from the Sanctuary, they were cagey about what happened, and then we got the news about Issen. I discussed it with my colleagues at the Consulate. We decided that finding you should be our first priority.”

  “Akew Woods, of course. I had forgotten you went there,” replied Amelie sheepishly.

  “You’ve been through a lot, my lady.” Tomas smiled.

  “Saala went with you. Where is he now?” she inquired.

  “We didn’t know where you would go.” Tomas reached across to the wine decanter and refilled his glass. “We assumed Whitehall and Northport were the strongest possibilities. Once you found out about Issen, I knew you would try for one of them, so we split up. Raphael and I covered the river road to Northport. Saala went to Whitehall.”

  “What do you know about the siege?” asked Amelie. “We only heard about it a few days ago.”

  Tomas frowned. “I’m afraid it doesn’t sound good. Issen is surrounded and the Coalition’s force is larger than anyone expected. Your father was preparing for war, of course, but how ready was he? I’ve been gone so long that I really don’t know.”

  Amelie laid down her cutlery and looked between Ben and Tomas. “I think it is clear then. We must continue to Northport and do whatever we can to enlist Lord Rhymer’s help.”

  Tomas shook his head slightly. “No, my lady. I do not think that is wise. I believe the best course of action is to go to Whitehall and speak to Argren. You will be safe there.”

  “Argren has not sent reinforcements to Issen yet. Do you think he will just because we ask him?” demanded Amelie.

  “We won’t know until we do ask,” argued Tomas. “Saala is there. He is a military man and has a head for these kinds of situations.”

  Amelie pursed her lips in frustration.

  “I don’t know…” she started.

  “He is your liege lord,” reminded Tomas. “There is an obligation there. You should go to him first. If he does not support you, then you can try Northport. If you ask him in person, I am sure he will agree to send help. The other lords in the Alliance won’t stand with him if word gets out that he refused a personal request from a vassal. It wouldn’t be much of an Alliance then, would it?”

  Reluctantly, Amelie shook her head yes. To Ben, Argren shouldn’t need Amelie’s request before he sent reinforcements to his banner man, but he didn’t understand the world of lords and ladies. They played mysterious games. Ben knew he had to trust the people like Tomas who knew those games best.

  The next morning, the camp was a kicked anthill of activity. The soldiers were packing up tents, tables, chairs, and a wide variety of other equipment. They had commandeered a wagon from someone and loaded it high. Ben, who was used to traveling light and camping in the rough, watched on amused.

  Beside him, a high-pitched voice remarked, “A bit silly, isn’t it.”

  Ben jumped and glanced over his shoulder to see the hulking bodyguard Raphael standing right next to him. The man moved as silently as the wind.

  “My Master Tomas does enjoy his comforts,” continued Raphael, nodding toward a heavy barrel of wine the soldiers were rolling to the wagon.

  Amelie came over to join them. Raphael bowed shallowly to her with a sly smile.

  “That’s unnecessary,” she told him uncomfortably. “I’ve gotten used to being treated just like everyone else. Also, I don’t think it’s wise to give away I’m highborn.”

  “A good idea, my lady,” murmured Raphael.

  The heavyset bodyguard padded away.

  Amelie remarked, “That man has always made me uncomfortable.”

  “You know him from Issen?” asked Ben.

  “As long as I can remember, he has been with Tomas,” she replied. “He stayed mostly in the background at my father’s court. I’ve heard he’s a deadly fighter. The guards there said he was a blademaster, though he doesn’t claim the sigil. I’m not sure why. He is a very strange man.”

  “I agree. He’s creepy,” grumbled Ben. “He keeps sneaking up on me.”

  “Better to have men like that by your side than behind you,” concluded Amelie.

  Finally, the soldiers got all of the equipment loaded onto the wagon and they were ready to begin. Tomas and Raphael took the lead. Ben and Amelie walked together in the middle of a ring of steel. Twenty armored soldiers of Issen walked around them.

  As they started walking, a plainly dressed woman appeared and kept pace with Tomas.

  Ben frowned and nodded ahead. “Who is that?”

  “I’m not sure,” answered Amelie. She turned to one of the soldiers. “Excuse me. Who is that with Tomas?”

  The man shrugged, causing a sharp scrape of metal on metal from his armor, “I’m not sure, my lady. I believe she is from the Consulate, a diplomat, though I don’t recognize her. She’s been with us since the City.”

  “That’s strange,” said Ben. “I was in the Consulate many times visiting Saala. I don’t recognize her.”

  Amelie breathed deep. “We’ll have to ask Tomas about her when we stop.” She stretched her arms above her head and swung them loosely. “I’ve gotten so used to hiking with a pack on that I don’t know what to do with my arms without one. It’s nice to be walking without all of that extra weight.”

  Ben grinned. “I feel the same.” He was carrying only the Venmoor steel longsword Rhys had given him after Snowmar and the hunting knife Serrot gave him right before Ben left Farview. His and Amelie’s packs were lying in the back of the wagon.

  “We can find some extra armor if you want to try walking in that all day,” grumbled the nearby soldier good naturedly.

  The travel with Tomas and the armed guards was vastly different than the mad scramble away from the City or even the initial journey with Lady Towaal.

  Each evening, they sat around a fire and sipped wine while the soldiers set up Tomas’ tent. Raphael did most of the cooking for them and he was an expert chef. The meals he created over an open fire were just as good as any of the ones Ben had at nice taverns in the City.

  Early in the mornings, while the soldiers were still packing everything away, Raphael offered to practice the sword with Ben. At their request, Raphael added Amelie to the exercises also.

  The man moved with a lazy sort of grace that belied how quick and strong he was. Ben found he had just as much trouble landing a strike on Raphael as he did Saala. Raphael’s style was similar to Saala though, so Ben didn’t completely embarrass himself.

  With Amelie, Raphael was patient and instructive. He slowly walked her through handling her two blades at once, and while she wasn’t adept at it yet, she started to get a feel for what was possible. Just like Black Bart, Raphael advised using the weapons for defense and counterattack. He showed her a few attack sequences but was keen to point out their weaknesses.

  In all, Ben started to relax and enjoy the odd man’s company. He was a quiet and kind counterpoint to Tomas, who loved to hear himself talk and was constantly rude to Ben. Despite Tomas’ demeanor though, Ben became comfortable with him as well. He didn’t like the man, but it was so obvious the man didn’t like him either that Ben felt he knew where he stood with the seneschal. It was refreshing in a way, to drop the pretense of false friendship.

  The soldiers were also nice to Ben and very courteous to Amelie. The advantages of being a highborn, Ben supposed. Anything she needed, they were quick to do it for her.

  The outlier was the strange woman who stayed near Tomas’ side while they were on the move then frequently disappeared when they stopped. She rarely spoke. She claimed she was employed at the Issen Consulate in the City but neither Ben nor Amelie could recall ever seein
g her. For a career diplomat, she was strangely uninterested in Amelie.

  Ben and Amelie speculated over what secrets the woman was hiding but eventually shrugged it off. The mystery and sense of danger around one odd woman was nothing compared to the fear they felt over the last two months. The ring of Issen steel around them did a lot to dispel fears of the Coalition finding them.

  Ben mentioned their concern about mages, but Tomas brushed it off. “Mages don’t go out into the world for manhunts, boy. They have soldiers and hunters for that kind of thing, and we are well prepared for whatever attack those types throw at us.”

  Ben wasn’t so sure, but Raphael, who constantly loitered around Tomas, smiled serenely. Ben felt a little better. The bodyguard was a force to be reckoned with.

  ***

  They approached Kirksbane again, this time from the north. Ben couldn’t help but feel a tingle of trepidation. It felt like he was being watched or like he had a constant itch in the middle of his back that no amount of scratching would soothe.

  Amelie felt it as well. They both stayed close and cleared the hilts of their weapons.

  The soldiers around them continued on like they had the entire trip, coarsely joking and laughing with each other. Their homeland was under attack, but near Kirksbane, deep in the heart of the Alliance, they felt no fear.

  Raphael noticed Ben and Amelie’s tension and hung back to walk with the young people.

  “Feeling a little jumpy today?” he asked in his soft voice.

  Ben shrugged uncomfortably. “Last time we were here we got involved in a deadly fight in a tavern. Then we were attacked again right outside of town. It was a bad two days. The time before that, an assassin tried to murder us in the middle of the street in broad daylight. I’m starting to not like this place.”

  “Don’t worry. You have Tomas and me with you this time. Tomas has a plan,” assured the swordsman.