‘Put me down, Tim,’ the dead body pleaded. Timbul flipped the corner of Araas’ cloak from Jaralina’s face and winked at her.
‘Not yet. I’m enjoying this far too much. Let’s find Aran.’ Jaralina huffed grumpily knowing full well it was pointless to struggle. Aran was found loading a small hand drawn cart with food supplies for the castle. He dipped his head politely to Jaralina and smiled at the two brothers in greeting.
‘I suppose that ruckus I can hear in the marketplace is your doing.’ It wasn’t a question. ‘And now you wish to enter the castle and avoid being seen by another thousand people?’
Timbul nodded.
‘Baker’s coats,’ Aran stated, pointing to several pristine white coats hanging from pegs on the far wall. ‘Just in case someone comes in here before we’re ready to go.’
Timbul lowered Jaralina to a small chair which stood against the wall. He gently loosened the cloak from around her and handed her the smallest baker’s coat. Turning away from Jaralina, Timbul and Araas put the white coats on over their clothing. Jaralina removed the cloak and slid into the coat, tying the belt firmly around her waist. She turned towards the two brothers and laughed openly. The coats were ridiculously small on the tall brothers.
Araas shook his head in disgust. ‘Aran, can we go in?’
‘You can, but the guard in the tunnel only arrived here from Highview yesterday, so he won’t recognize you. And I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to leave him unconscious whilst on duty, or meddle with his thoughts until he’s so confused he can’t do his job properly. I’ll send one of the lads in with a message that you’re on your way, and then I can take you in with the goods. You’ll have to wait whilst I finish loading. Please try to look like bakers,’ he implored. ‘You’ll be the death of me you will! I wonder why the city guards haven’t worked out your little schemes.’ He peered through the rear window of the warehouse and gave a snort of laughter. ‘It’s hard to believe you made such a mess in such a short space of time! I thought the guardians were supposed to be a bit less clumsy. I should lock my warehouse door permanently, I should.’
‘But we’re your friends Aran!’ Timbul smiled at the little baker.
‘Yes.’ The baker turned away from the window. ‘You are my friends.’
Jaralina raised an eyebrow curiously.
Aran turned to her. ‘Timbul and Araas saved my life at great risk to themselves. It was many years ago, but I haven’t forgotten. Of course, they will tell you it was their duty, which is typical of the Daoine Maithe.’ He said no more and returned to loading supplies for the castle kitchen onto the cart, a task which was completed very quickly as Timbul, Araas and Jaralina lent a hand.
To their astonishment there was no interruption from the city guards, and half an hour later they entered the castle through what was known as the baker’s door. A large but inconspicuous door in the warehouse wall led to a tunnel which descended under the road and through the inner curtain wall, sweeping under the motte around the base of the castle and terminating in the castle kitchen. They passed several guards who pointedly ignored them, making them certain that Aran’s message had been received and they were expected. Kelian was sitting on a low bench awaiting their arrival, with kitchen staff working quietly at the high benches having been told to ignore his presence. The Prince was an inch under six foot tall with very black hair, blue eyes and wider shoulders than was usual on his otherwise thin frame. Timbul and Araas followed him through the kitchen door which led into a large dining area. There were several nobles seated at the tables and they looked up as the Prince entered the room. Kelian smiled at the Princess and Duke, his aunt and uncle, and nodded to Dale, their young Squire. This was Dale’s first visit to Castle and he was already proving to be as clever and enthusiastic as his parents had been. He was almost eighteen years of age, a year younger than the Prince, but he still looked more like a youth than the man he would become. Kelian failed to avoid laughing as he passed the scruffy Squire. It seemed no matter how hard the Administrator tried to make Dale look the part of a Squire he was constantly disheveled. His curly brown hair had been very badly cut, his clothing was crumpled, and he had neglected to shave this morning, making him look like he just rolled out of bed.
Kelian wasn’t deceived. The Squire had been awake for hours. The Prince himself had risen at first light to find Dale returning from the stables with wind reddened cheeks and the fresh damp eucalyptus smell of tyalla forest in his clothing. Since the Squire’s arrival at Castle, he and Kelian had become friends. When Kelian suggested that the Squire might like to keep an eye open for possible traitors, Dale had accepted his Prince’s words as a command. Showing surprising discretion and diplomacy, the likeable young Squire had befriended many of the nobles and servants in the castle, gaining people’s trust easily. Dale had also proven to be an accomplished rider. Each morning he rose before the sun and went riding through the forest surrounding Castle with the excuse that this was the only time he had within his busy schedule to be free to ride for leisure. He thought long and hard about the Prince’s suspicions that there were traitors somehow conveying information to the fallen, particularly with regard to the movements of nobles. It was too much of a coincidence that the fallen seemed to appear in just the right places, with just the right number of warriors to prevent travelling nobles from passing through certain areas. It was also logical that if someone was taking information out of the castle, they must be returning, and the early hours of the morning seemed a likely time for a traitor to move unobserved. So Dale decided to make this the time of his first investigations. He could think of no reasonable excuse to go riding any earlier in the night. The undertaking proved worthwhile. For about a week Dale saw no hint of anyone moving through the woods. Then on a particularly dark morning, he saw a shadow moving around in the stables near the city gates. He hid himself as the rider passed and even in the darkness he recognized the man’s uniform. He followed for several miles before the rider glanced over his shoulder nervously and then urged his horse forward. To Dale’s chagrin he lost the man’s trail, so he returned as quickly as possible to the castle wondering if he had made progress, or if he had just disturbed a soldier on a normal patrol or a training exercise. He stabled his horse and made his way to the soldier’s barracks. He decided to wake King’s Captain Borgulnay, and ask him to check if any soldiers were missing, as he was certain the King’s Captain was trusted by Prince Kelian. Dale knew Kelian had asked Borgulnay to be on the lookout for traitors within the garrison, so he was quite confident he would have the Captain’s full cooperation.
The instant Dale’s hand touched his shoulder Borgulnay was fully awake. Dale found himself kneeling on the floor with his arm twisted behind his back and a knife held to his throat. He could not move an inch as Borgulnay’s huge hand gripped his wrist.
‘Squire!’ the Captain whispered. ‘My apologies, you startled me.’ Borgulnay released Dale and helped him to his feet.
‘Captain,’ Dale massaged his wrist, ‘I need you to tell me if any soldiers are missing. Now.’
Borgulnay was gone in a flash. Dale sat on the edge of the bed and waited. About ten minutes later Borgulnay soundlessly reappeared. He quietly carried a chair over and sat before the worried looking Squire.
‘You saw someone, this time?’
‘A rider in uniform. He left from the stables at the city gates. But perhaps he was doing a patrol or training?
‘No. Where did he go?’
‘South west, three miles.’
‘There’s no-one missing Squire, but there is one horse that appears to have been ridden, other than Crocodile.’ The Squire’s stallion was called Leon but had been renamed Crocodile by the Stable Master when the fiery horse had bitten him on the shoulder. The huge animal was putty in Dale’s hands, and a nightmare to almost everyone else. Leon, or Crocodile as he was now called, was impossibly protective of Dale, and seemed to regard every other person as a threat. Borgulnay was one of two ot
her people who had gained the horse’s trust. Maybe he was just big enough that the horse was wary of him, but he had no trouble controlling the huge animal. Crocodile had also taken a liking to seven year old Princess Eijelin. The first time she asked to ride the horse Dale refused to allow her, knowing it would be very difficult for the little girl to control the powerful animal. As soon as Dale left the stables, Eijelin untied the horse. He followed her peacefully and stood completely still as the little girl climbed some high, wooden railings and dropped onto his back. To everyone’s surprise the two became fast friends.
‘I can’t believe I didn’t think of checking the horses,’ said Dale, feeling annoyed at himself.
‘Describe where you were.’
‘There’s a small valley, fairly high up in the hills. It’s so hidden that if you didn’t know it was there I doubt you would stumble on it by accident.’
‘How did you find it?’
‘I stumbled on it by accident. But you need to remember I’ve been searching the area every morning. I need to go and look after Leon. If you would find me after breakfast we will report to the Prince.’
‘There was something else,’ said Borgulnay. ‘There was a small amount of dirt just inside one of the doors of ‘Green’ barracks. It may be from yesterday but the soldiers are required to have it all swept out before curfew.’
‘So a possibility…’
‘Dale, someone may have just gone out to the dunnigin.’
‘Who sleeps nearest to that particular doorway?’
‘Mulber, Arty, Bluey, Henal, Simon, Fitzroy.’
None of the names meant anything to Dale. ‘Borg, can I ask you something?’
Borgulnay nodded.
‘Do you actually sleep with that great big knife in your hand? Or was it under your pillow? You scared a couple of years off my life, you know.’
Borgulnay grinned. ‘In the current state of affairs I keep it handy – just in case.’
Dale and Borgulnay had made little progress since then, and Kelian now hoped Jaralina could help to shed a little more light on the subject. King Dannicus had given her the job of following up on Dale’s report, with the hope she could find out exactly who it was that the Squire had seen.
Kelian led his visitors up several spiraling flights of stairs and into a small private sitting area with a balcony overlooking the city.
‘We couldn’t help but notice you had arrived,’ said the Prince. He walked to the edge of the balcony which had a fine view of the devastated marketplace. ‘We have notified the fire guards, the health attendants and the public patrol, all of whom couldn’t restore order to the chaos without the help of our soldiers.’
‘You sent Borgulnay?’ asked Araas. ‘I guess they were just too scared to continue squabbling.’
‘Actually,’ Kelian replied, ‘the hysteria continued until Borg picked up one of the angriest of the merchants and tossed him onto a roof. Borg seemed to feel he was causing more problems than he was solving with his anger, and that the fires might burn out of control if the man was allowed to continue his tirade. He was unhurt, but the good citizens decided it was pointless to join him and calmed down a little.’
The Prince looked at Jaralina carefully, walked to the door and called, ‘Wait here please,’ over his shoulder as he hurried back down the stairs. A few minutes later he returned to the room followed closely by two castle servants bearing trays of baked delicacies and fruit. ‘You’d better eat before you see Father. I don’t imagine our discussion will be short. Jaralina, I have asked my sister Eijelin to find you suitable clothing.’
‘Thank you, Highness.’ Jaralina was relieved at not being presented to the King wearing only a baker’s coat, however tightly fastened. A few minutes later little Eijelin trotted into the room holding several garments in her arms.
‘This way please, Lady Jaralina,’ the little girl said properly, escorting Jaralina into an adjoining chamber. ‘Let me know if they don’t fit.’
Jaralina thanked Eijelin and changed into the undergarments and the more practical of the two dresses. The Princess had included a pair of soft slippers and a comb in the bundle and Jaralina was impressed by her thoughtfulness. Timbul, Araas and Jaralina sat beside the table and tucked hungrily into the food.
‘Where’s your fiancée?’ asked Timbul, dropping a piece of watermelon skin into the scraps bowl.
‘Elena went with Immosey and Louisa to visit their parents in Cullen Ringo,’ Kelian replied. ‘Cassic has a company of his finest foot soldiers accompanying them on the journey, for which I’m ever grateful. They’ve been on a training exercise in that area. Coincidently,’ he added innocently.
Araas laughed. ‘No-one believes it was a coincidence, Kelian.’
Kelian smiled. ‘They’re taking the traveler’s road to Ringo’s Crossing, then by barge down the River Ringo with a timber merchant. All going well, they’ll arrive back here in a few days.’ He jumped backwards as both Timbul and Araas leapt to their feet with shocked expressions on their faces. Jaralina was rising slowly to her feet also, staring at the Prince in alarm. Understanding dawned on Kelian’s face.
‘Jaralina! Tell me!’ Kelian’s voice rose with panic.
‘Three Ways! That’s where the fallen are camped! Oh Kelian, I had no idea Elena was...’
Kelian flew from the room, with Timbul, Araas and Jaralina not far behind. He burst into the King’s private conference room, leaving the three visitors standing uncertainly at the doorway. The King spun around and was beside his son in an instant, at the same time beckoning for Timbul, Araas and Jaralina to enter, and those with whom he had been speaking to leave, though his eyes didn’t leave his son.
‘Father, Elena is-’ He broke off and turned to Jaralina. ‘Explain!’ he shouted.
Tears of shock and distress came into Jaralina’s eyes as she gathered her thoughts wishing to make a clear and comprehensive report.
‘Patience, Kelian!’ Timbul’s voice cut like a knife and his blue eyes blazed.
King Dannicus held up his hand to forestall Timbul’s defensive anger. He turned and placed a hand on Kelian’s shoulder. ‘My son, you gain nothing by venting your anxiety upon your friends, and Timbul,’ he continued calmly, ‘you will address my son as Prince or Highness when you are within our conference room.’
‘Yes Majesty. I apologize, Highness.’
Dannicus gestured to the long lounging chairs. ‘Now, we will be seated and Jaralina will take her ease as she presents her report.’
Chapter 2
Information
All remained standing as the King and Prince were seated and then they took their places. Kelian sat on the edge of his seat, with his hands rolled into fists on his knees.
He addressed Jaralina. ‘I also apologize, lady Jaralina. I can see the fear in you.’
‘Highness, it wasn’t you who put the fear into me. I tracked two of the fallen for three days before they met with Nandul. They were clever in the forest but didn’t have the skill of emotional discernment, or someone was hiding my thoughts.’ She glanced uncertainly at Timbul who nodded slightly. They had no idea I was following them. They moved as quickly as you would expect of the fallen and I was exhausted when they finally came to their meeting place. Nandul was waiting there. This information I am able to confirm. Our garrison has certainly been infiltrated, though the fallen gave no clue as to the identity of the traitor. Moran was definitely a traitor. The two men you sent to watch Moran must have been loyal soldiers because the fallen said they told them nothing under torture that they weren’t sure Nandul already knew.’
King Dannicus sighed. ‘I suppose he killed them?’
Jaralina nodded. ‘He said he got what he wanted from Moran, and then he killed him too. From what I heard, they’re searching for someone or something he referred to as ‘the one’.’
‘The one?’ King Dannicus considered this information. ‘Continue.’
‘They have an encampment along the River Ringo not far from
Three Ways and I think they’re using this as a base for their search. The only other thing that happened was that Nandul passed a pouch to one of the fallen. It was small like a coin pouch, but it didn’t have coins in it. The one who received it opened it and took a little bit of whatever it was and rubbed it between his fingers. It sprinkled like sand. The only comment they made about it was that one of the warriors asked if it was strong enough to do the job, and Nandul said it was, if it was burnt. Then…well, the water is cold so high in the mountains…’ Jaralina’s voice faded as she turned to look at Araas.
‘Nandul could sense Jaralina’s growing fear, and so could I,’ Araas addressed the King. ‘Majesty, she was hidden up to her neck in icy cold water. We concealed her emotions from Nandul and when she feinted from the cold I circled around and led them away. Timbul dragged her from the water before she drowned. We were gone before Nandul could arrive back with trackers which he most certainly will have done. Even if he saw us, he wouldn’t have come after us with only two other warriors, but if he returned with numbers we might have been in big trouble.’
The King closed his eyes, perturbed by Jaralina’s report. ‘And now Elena, Louisa and Immosey travel through the very area in which Nandul has made his camp.’ He paused. ‘And he’s looking for something, or someone, he refers to as ‘the one’. This makes no sense. The fallen rarely stay within their borders, but to travel this far to the east is disturbing. Anyone who strays into Nyinaku is taken for a slave, or murdered outright. No one ever returns. Jaralina, you are one of the few exceptions - your skills are remarkable. So, they’ve made their way across the land and have established a camp from which they undertake this search for who knows what. I need more. I need to know more of the fallen.’
Kelian sat forward. ‘Father, I have to warn them. I have to stop them before they reach Three Ways. They mustn’t-’
‘Kelian, the girls are protected by Cassic’s company. So unless you think you can do a better job than the King’s Captain, you will stay here! Assuming they’re on schedule, it would be very difficult to reach them before they pass Three Ways. I’ll send Borgulnay with a few specially chosen soldiers to meet them. He’s the fastest and most likely to reach the barge before it comes to Three Ways. You’re not going.’
The Fallen (Book 1) Page 2
