“Indeed.”
“I met him in Ogrindal, you know, when we first set out after the giants.”
“What is Ogrindal?”
“It's a city previously unknown to us. It lies in the middle of Thay Iphilus Forest, at the base of the Ruhkan Mountain range. The Horctura recently invaded it, but they were repelled by Sheabor and his followers. I don't have all the particulars. What I do know is that in the recent past, the barbarians launched an all out offensive against the kingdom Forthura and the city Ogrindal, and nearly succeeded in conquering both. But the barbarians were defeated and it has left them diminished. Now, caravans from Forthura have largely been able to move freely through the realm of the Horctura to supply the alliance city. If you send a scouting party, you'll verify what I've spoken.”
“Unlike your friends, we don't send armed warriors through neighboring lands. We respect our borders.”
“A diplomatic envoy then. This is the first time in over a century that we can safely make contact with Forthura without being attacked by the Horctura. It's an opportunity that shouldn't be wasted.”
“Should it not, Captain? Enlighten us as to what else the people of Kester should be doing with their time and resources.”
Bowen straightened his posture.
“Surely you've had contact with some of the Jedra,” Bowen continued. “We came across many of the merchants fleeing the lands of the Horctura. They'll know better than most what's happening in those lands. Surely they'll corroborate what I've spoken.”
“Yes, we've had reports of them recently. But they're no support for your position. They've taken control of one of our outposts with the help of a band of outlaws. A town called Stillguard. They're quite fortunate our attentions are fixed elsewhere. But we will deal with them in due time. You have the misfortune of choosing your friends poorly, Captain.”
Bowen was surprised by the information. It wasn't like the merchant class to be rebellious or warlike. There was rarely any profit in it. Why in the world would the Jedra take over one of their outposts? He had heard of Stillguard. Its commander, Captain Cross, never liked the idea of combining a military fort with a merchant town. He had called for support on multiple occasions to the outpost, Devek, where Bowen was stationed. He had had trouble with a band of outlaws who called themselves the Brotherhood.
“I assume you made contact with the Bearoc warriors,” the commander continued.
“Just Drogan,” Bowen responded. “Most in their war party were killed by the Horctura or the elite force from the Banished Lands. Drogan remained behind to aid Sheabor in the construction and defense of the alliance city. The other Bearoc were wounded and returned to report on the situation.”
“What situation was that, Captain?”
“Sir, we've been over this. A ship landed on the shores of Kester unbeknownst to us. It contained an elite force from the Banished Lands. The giants saw them from their watch towers and came out to meet them in battle. But the elite force moved at remarkable speed and were able to keep ahead of them. We set out after the giants and encountered Sheabor in the city...”
Bowen stopped short in his explanation. He was beginning to prefer a dungeon to this drivel. But he also understood the commander's plight. The commander didn't have the luxury of believing wild tales of ancient enemies and a lost House finally returning. His job was simple – contain the situation on their borderlands and prevent further incursions.
“That will be all for now, Captain,” he declared, but glanced back over his shoulder as if just now remembering the two other men behind him.
“You've been helpful,” he continued. “If you continue to be helpful, you will be kept under guard in private quarters. If not, the darkest corner of the lowest dungeon is all you can expect.”
Bowen was surprised at the generosity of the commander and the sudden change in tone. He suspected the improvement in accommodations had more to do with the two men in finery than in the commander's sense of compassion.
“Do not mistake my leniency for gratitude.”
“There's little danger of that, sir.”
“Guards, take him away.”
Bowen was escorted from the large office and as the heavy door closed, Bowen could hear conversation erupt behind him. The other two men in the room had finally broken their silence. Bowen still had no idea who these men of rank were who seemed to pull the strings but he made it his mission to find out.
Ogrindal
Ariadra and the caravan bound for Ogrindal arrived at the edge of Thay Iphilus Forest. A large pathway of uprooted trees blown down by Malfur during the recent battle stood like a scar on the forest before them, a beacon for anyone who passed by, heralding to the world that something lay hidden at the end of the road. But the barbarian kingdom, Ogrindal's nearest neighbor, had suffered heavy losses and wouldn't be quick to invade a second time – at least not for awhile.
A squadron of soldiers on horseback from the alliance city had accompanied them thus far but were beginning to disband and depart. Ariadra felt a sudden fear at their leaving, which was unexpected, for she was surrounded still by her own people, who headed off into the forest. Ariadra alone lingered, watching until a plume of dust hid the shrinking soldiers bound for the city where Baron awaited her return.
Then she hurried to join the others, walking the pathway until sunset fell overhead. The sounds of night crept into the shadows of the trees, though evening was still a long way off. The creatures of the night always awoke early in the deep forest and it was such a strange sensation to feel the light of day on one's skin yet be surrounded by the sounds of night. It was Ariadra's favorite time of day. It always made her feel like she had entered some mysterious realm, where nothing was as it seemed.
The caravan broke to make camp, erecting their tents before the light faded completely. A fire was started and the group began the evening meal. Ariadra stared into the slowly growing fire, her mind lost in thought.
“I don't know what kind of welcome you're hoping to receive,” Dhelgar said, now standing over her. “But know that I'll be making a full report to Whinden on our dealings with the outsiders and their city.”
“A full report to the council, you mean.”
Dhelgar sneered. Though Whinden was the head of the council, Ariadra's father, Tohrnan, was also a member, a fact Baron had exploited to challenge Dhelgar's right to lead. She expected some kind of repercussions for her actions, but she and the others had done what was right. Whatever the consequences, she would accept them gladly. Dhelgar stormed off and Ariadra took a deep breath, banishing her anger that Dhelgar and self-important people like him still couldn't see the light.
Now that she was so close to home, an intense longing to see her family filled her. Nothing Dhelgar could say would diminish her joy at coming home. But a creeping anxiety lurked in the dark places of her mind. Now on her own, she felt strangely exposed and vulnerable, though she never had before. It struck her that she felt safer in the alliance city, with Corcoran's forces on the prowl, than she did among her own people. But Ogrindal was changing. She'd felt it before she'd left. A division had grown and she felt more like one of the outsiders Dhelgar talked about than a native of the city. But she stifled her anxieties and at length drifted off to sleep.
In the morning, the sounds of the forest awakened her and she emerged into the cool damp of the woods to a mist that had gathered, something she'd loved since a child. And though she longed to amble awhile and lose herself in the fog, the rest of the camp was already packing away their things.
Ariadra was forced to do likewise and the group set off. After a few hours of walking, Ariadra began looking for glimpses of the Ruhkan Mountain range in every clearing they came to. But they were obscured by a haze sky and soon the group had plunged into the heart of the forest where the woods grew thick and tangled. After midday, they were met by the Forest Guard of Ogrindal patrolling the forest. Ariadra was surprised they hadn't been stopped sooner, for they had to be
close to the city by now.
But she and the others were too eager to trouble with questions and they quickened their pace for the rest of the journey until, near evening, they arrived at the clearing at the edge of the city. Expecting the city to be a joyous sight, Ariadra was struck by the still charred and ruined state of the wall and many of the buildings within. It looked almost abandoned and it had been little repaired since her departure, which saddened her. It almost made her ashamed to think that she was busy constructing a new city when her home still lay in such disrepair.
The caravan entered the city and many were greeted by loved ones, overjoyed at their return. But Ariadra saw none of her own family and at length was left alone. She stood just inside the city Ogrindal almost as a specter, not wholly absent, but not wholly belonging. Self-consciousness moved her onward, and she moved into the inner city toward her home, many of the citizens of Ogrindal still emerging to come and greet the returning caravan.
Ariadra was surprised at their appearance, for there was a look about them of despair that almost frightened her. What had happened here? Ariadra quickened her pace toward her family home, which was near the center of town. Arriving in less than a minute, she hesitated to approach, her heart beating quickly, strangely afraid of what was soon to greet her.
But she moved forward and pressed open the door, not entering, but standing in the doorway for brief moments, gazing inward. Her father was in the common area with some tools, fixing something on the table that Ariadra couldn't quite see. He heard the door open and glanced toward her.
“Aerova, come tend to the fire, would you?” he asked, resuming his work.
Ariadra didn't answer her father's address, smiling at the mistake he'd made, and tried to think of something clever to say. But nothing came.
“It isn't Aerova, father. It's Ariadra.”
Tohrnan straightened his posture and he froze in his work, but he didn't stand or even turn to look at her. Instead, he seemed to stare at the wall beyond him, and when he finally turned to greet her, his gaze was cold. She took a step toward him, seeking an embrace, but the look in his countenance stopped her.
“Why have you come back?” he asked, finally rising to his feet.
Ariadra was dumbfounded at the question and opened her mouth to share her happy news, but the words didn't come. For long moments her mind sought desperately to understand what was happening. He'd voiced his disapproval of her leaving Ogrindal, but this was something more. The entire town seemed stricken, as though a blanket of despair had fallen on them.
“Father, what's wrong?” she asked, taking another step toward him.
Tohrnan clenched his jaw.
“Your friends were in such a hurry to leave, they didn't think about the city still lying in ruins. Winter has fallen early upon us, and has found us ill-prepared.”
Ariadra and the others, including Baron, had spent weeks after the battle cleaning up the rubble and repairing the city. It seemed to her as though they made good headway but things must have taken a turn for the worse.
“Father, where is mother?” she asked.
His gaze shot up and met Ariadra's, a hint of fury behind his eyes, which scared her. But it lasted only a fleeting moment, and then his gaze softened, his eyes glistening nearly to tears.
“She died in the plague, two weeks after you left.”
Ariadra's strength left her body. She reached for the nearby table for support and stumbled into it, her eyes filling with tears. She felt as thought she would faint. And worst of all, she felt completely alone. After only a moment, finally her father came forward and embraced her as though he could no longer stand seeing her like this. She wept into his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head. But she pushed away from him suddenly.
“Is Aerova okay?” she asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“Your sister is fine. She'll be back soon.”
“What happened, father? What plague? I don't understand any of this. Ogrindal was fine when I left.”
Ariadra broke down again and crumpled into a nearby chair as she wept into her hands.
“You couldn't have known,” he responded, his tone changed to the father she always remembered. “With the main wall breached and many of the homes damaged in the fire, the wind moved through the city like never before. Many of our people caught cold and turned ill with the onset of early winter. And death still lingered from the battle with the barbarians. We buried the bodies, but it wasn't enough. A plague set in and ravaged our people. With many of the healers gone to the new alliance city, the plague took hold. You know your mother. She was never one to hesitate. She volunteered to help the overburdened healers. She was strong. I thought for certain she would prevail.”
He stopped and stooped his head, holding his eyes in his hand to keep the tears at bay. Ariadra reached out her hand to him and he took it in his, squeezing tightly.
“I can't,” he said and began to lose control of his emotion. But he closed his eyes and calmed himself. Then he looked up at her to meet her gaze. “She asked for you...at the end.”
Ariadra fought back another wave of emotion.
“I'm so sorry.”
He finally pulled himself together, even offering the semblance of a warm smile.
“You're back now, and that's what matters.”
Ariadra opened her mouth for reply but was lost for words. How could she tell him now, at a time like this, her happy news? Her father saw the indecision in her eyes.
“You're not planning on staying.”
And all at once, the tenderness left his eyes.
“You don't understand,” she said. “I'm to be married to one of the leaders of the new city. I have to go back there.”
Tohrnan clenched his jaw.
“Then go. Forget about Ogrindal. And never return.”
“Please!” she pleaded.
Tohrnan resumed the work he'd been doing and she stared with mouth gaping. How could this be the home she'd come back to? How could this have happened to Ogrindal? Ariadra felt a wave of rage come over her. Sheabor and the others had led Malfur's army to her home and then left again with Ogrindal still reeling. She clenched her fists as angry tears fell from her eyes. But the feeling soon passed. She knew Sheabor's heart. He was a good man. He would never have left Ogrindal in such a state if he knew it was about to take such a hard turn. But the rest of Ogrindal didn't know Sheabor like she did. They were angry and bitter, and they had a right to be.
Ariadra turned her gaze to her father who was visibly conflicted. He didn't wear the same look of harshness, but she couldn't tell what he was feeling. When he looked again into her eyes, his was one of resolve.
“Ariadra, you must leave this place,” he said.
He seemed genuinely afraid for her, which frightened her. She spoke up to protest, but he cut her off.
“Since you and the others left to help Sheabor and the new alliance, Whinden has been gaining more power. He's used the plague to close off the hearts of the people to the outside world. He won't be happy you've become engaged to one of the outsiders. I don't know what he'll do if he finds out. He mustn't know.”
A streak of anxiety flashed through Ariadra's heart. Dhelgar would be informing Whinden even now about how she and Baron had thwarted his attempts to bring their people home. Once Whinden found out she was here, she would be a target for certain. How could she have been so foolish to think that Whinden and the other leaders would welcome her back with open arms after how she'd opposed Dhelgar? Her father was right. She had to leave and the thought nearly broke her heart.
Ariadra was frozen fast in place. She couldn't force herself to get up from the table and depart her family home forever. There had to be another way. But as she sat there, her emotion grew moment by moment more difficult to control. Her father placed his hand on her shoulder and she breathed in deep, standing at last to her feet.
“Please tell Aerova I love her very much.”
The two embraced tight
ly for long moments and Ariadra left her family home, glancing back one last time as she sped toward the wall. The city looked largely abandoned, with most of the citizens already holed up in their homes, bearing out the early winter. It broke Ariadra's heart to see her home in such a state.
Was she doing the right thing? Shouldn't she stay? Her eyes blurred with newly forming tears. How could things have happened like this? She had come home with joyful tidings, bursting to tell her loved ones the news. Now she was being driven away, her mother gone and her father grown bitter.
Ariadra passed quickly through town, turning her gaze away from the infrequent passersby shuffling down the largely empty main road. Then reaching the wall beyond, she slowed her pace, knowing the gap in the wall was under twenty four hour guard and the guards would be hesitant to let her pass this late into the forest. But she approached them with mustered confidence.
“What's your business in the forest?” one of the guards asked.
“I'm going to visit the grave of my mother,” Ariadra said, her eyes blurring with tears. “I've just learned...”
Ariadra struggled to control her emotion, struck by the fact that she may not ever get the chance to visit the final resting place of her mother. The guards glanced to one another.
“Night is falling,” said one. “Return soon.”
Ariadra nodded but didn't lift her eyes from the ground, wiping away the tears and passing between them. Then she hurried away from the city, at first toward the burial site of her people and then veering east. Soon she was alone beneath the trees, even the daylight swiftly abandoning her. The thought of spending a night alone in a dark forest scared her, but she had made her choice.
After a few minutes of running, Ariadra slowed her pace, making far too much noise as she stumbled about the forest. Would they look for her...send out a search party? Or would they just let her go? What would she tell the Forest Guard if they found her? Was she really a fugitive from the home she loved?
The Banished Lands- The Complete Series Page 59
