‘That would be appreciated. If we can get word to them in time-’ Kelian stopped speaking as Timbul was already gone.
Chapter 5
Daoine Maithe
The road leading to the edge of the Province of the Guardians was made in the time of Dannicus’ grandfather. After he died, his son Caedmon had visited the ones he called the ‘Good People’ only once, so the unused road had now fallen into disrepair. Caedmon had declared the surrounding area the Province of the Guardians and had decreed that the Good People were free to dwell in the Province of the Guardians and that they may also dwell in or travel through the Kingdom of Alkira as they so desired. The guardians seldom used roads and had preferred to let the surrounding nature gradually reclaim it. Occasionally one of the people from their neighboring Kingdom of Alkira would travel through the Province. All returned unharmed but few could tell details of their visit beyond vague memories of pleasant and relaxing surroundings. Many times the Daoine Maithe had travelled within the Alkiran kingdom and relationships between these travelers and the humans were good, though the Daoine Maithe rarely spoke of business within the Province.
Dannicus had never travelled through the Province of the Guardians. He had studied several old maps which were made by his grandfather, though these seemed incomplete and in some cases one map would contradict another. He felt certain however, that should he enter the Province, his presence would be immediately detected and he hoped he may even be greeted and escorted to Lord Tiernan and Lady Karrijeuiga. The King and his group of personal guards now stood poised outside the borders of the Province. The temperature had dropped dramatically as they climbed towards the Castle Mountains which formed the border, and this coupled with light but persistent rain and a sharp breeze had so far not made for a pleasant journey. Danil kept the soldiers moving more slowly than normal, for which the King was grateful as he knew the King’s Marshall usually set a punishing pace and expected his soldiers to keep up. Danil was a very large and strong man, well over six foot in height, very broad in the shoulders and carrying no fat. He was the youngest King’s Marshall Alkira had ever had, and certainly the cleverest. The King had no doubt his military and tactical skills far surpassed any of his predecessors. He had never married, which had surprised the King as there was a persistent flock of ladies gathered around him at every social function the Queen held. These functions were always a source of amusement for the nobility, as the King’s Marshall showed considerable discomfort in these situations and had once been heard to comment to General Marnol, ‘Surely there must be somewhere else I need to be, General. Don’t we have any enemies?’ The King smiled, remembering the Queen’s face when she had overheard the King’s Marshall’s comment, and he looked over at Danil and wondered if he had placed so much responsibility on the young man’s shoulders that he might never take a wife. Danil ordered a halt to ensure all were clear on the procedure for entering the Province.
‘I’m betting the guardians will already be aware of our presence. We will move slowly over the borders of the Province as we do not wish to look like an attacking army,’ he said to the soldiers, his voice showing his amusement at this thought. Several older and more experienced soldiers laughed at his words.
‘Thankfully we have battled only beside the guardians when they have come to our aid, and we have never faced them,’ said King Dannicus, thinking of the times the guardians had helped them drive the fallen from Alkiran territory.
‘Majesty, for that I’m ever grateful. They are more than a little frightening when they lose their temper.’ Danil was deadly serious in his reply. ‘Though I do wonder when we return, whether we will remember more than what the weather was like.’
‘You will remember what we choose for you to remember,’ a gentle voice stated. A woman appeared before them so suddenly that several soldiers leapt forward with swords drawn. She was slight but of wiry build and attired in dark linen trousers with a black thigh length tunic that crossed at the front and tied at the side of the waist. Her long dark hair was rolled away from her face and caught behind her neck with a strip of leather. A short sword hung from the belt at her waist.
Danil felt a strange leap in his heart as he studied the woman. She was shorter than Danil by more than a head and appeared to be simply a very pretty woman. But there was no doubt in his heart that she was a guardian, one of the Good People, the Daoine Maithe. She looked at Danil for a moment and he saw curiosity in her blue eyes.
The woman turned to the King. ‘Majesty, on behalf of Lord Tiernan and Lady Karrijeuiga I welcome you to the Province of the Guardians. If you so desire I can lead you through our land to the Dwellings where our Lord and Lady reside, however you must understand that it’s for the Lord and Lady to decide if your memories of your visit will remain with you,’ she paused, ‘or if you will remember only the beauty of the falling rain and the loveliness of the cold mountain breeze.’ The woman laughed and Danil felt her laughter melt into his heart. He stood mute before her, astonished by this deep emotion. He glanced around but no one else appeared to be affected, yet he was completely captivated by the woman.
‘Do you still wish to enter the Province, knowing you might not remember your visit?’ She looked questioningly at the King.
‘We wish to enter,’ Dannicus murmured softly. ‘May we know your name?’
‘My name is Valeska. I’m to lead you and make a clear path for you.’ She paused and a slight frown crossed her face. ‘There have been strange happenings of late, even here in the Province of the Guardians, so between here and the Dwellings I will shield your thoughts.’
King Dannicus made no comment as she continued. ‘If others are planning to use this opportunity to waylay your visit to the Dwellings, it’s probably better if they don’t know who, or how many you are.’ Her eyes lingered on Danil curiously for several seconds before she turned and began to walk towards the trees and as she did, a path became apparent before them.
‘Did you see that path before, sir?’ Danil spoke softly to the King. As he spoke he could once again feel a strong emotion emulating from Valeska. Even with her back turned he knew she was smiling at his question.
‘No,’ said Dannicus. ‘Let’s continue on.’
Immediately Danil moved ahead of the King and the guards returned to their assigned positions. Dannicus glanced back several times as they made their way between the close trees, but the path seemed to disappear behind them as they passed.
The day’s trek was uneventful. They climbed steadily higher and the cold intensified as the rain eased and eventually ceased. Trees gave way to large, smooth expanses of rock, sloping up towards a grey pass in the mountains. It was late afternoon when the group reached the pass and here they rested. Soldiers broke out rations and Captain Danil ordered a suitable meal be prepared for the King. Valeska sat with the group looking out over the mountains and down into the valley spread before them, but she didn’t eat. Several times Danil saw her glance at him questioningly but each time he met her gaze she looked away. The soldiers offered her a share of the food but she politely declined instead sipping from a leather water bag she carried tied to her belt.
For a while Valeska sat silently on the ground gazing into the distance, lost in thought. Then without warning she sprang to her feet. The soldiers leapt up, wondering what was happening. Valeska made a swift chopping motion with her hand.
‘Bithibh sàmhach,' she commanded. Silence was immediate. No-one moved. Valeska flitted silently back towards the rocks at the side of the pass. She looked towards the soldiers and motioned for them to crouch. She drew her short sword and waited. Remaining as still as possible the soldiers gently eased their swords from their sheaths and watched the pass. The sky began to darken. Then with no noise and no warning a dark figure leapt from above and behind Valeska. With unnatural alacrity she turned and drove her sword into the man’s neck almost severing his head from his body. Blood poured from the wound as the body fell to the ground. A second, then a third figu
re dropped beside her. The soldiers ran towards her and they heard the second man’s neck break as Valeska’s sword smashed into the side of his head before he could react. The third man was luckier and managed to gain his footing and raise his sword before Valeska had time to recover and turn to face him. She twisted around just in time to see Captain Danil lunge towards them. He gasped as his normally controlled thoughts were invaded by a feeling of dread that he might fail and Valeska might die. He knew he mustn’t fail and in a strange moment of foresight he knew that his life was about to change. He couldn’t let this woman die. Then his battle training asserted itself and with a shout he swept his sword across and upwards, slashing the wrist of the attacker’s raised sword arm.
The blow should have removed the man’s hand but as was typical of the fallen his speed saved him and the cut was barely more than a deep scratch. The man turned with a snarl and flipped his sword to his other hand. Danil dodged backwards as the warrior’s sword flicked past his neck and then he staggered sideways as several other soldiers flew past him with swords raised and knocked the man to the ground. He raised his sword and brought it down hard across the warrior’s legs. The man screamed and writhed as Danil attempted to slash his throat. Valeska leapt over to Danil and drove her sword up under the screaming man’s ribs.
‘There’s another!’ Valeska gasped, pointing her sword towards someone leaning from the rocks above them. The figure turned and ran and then to the astonishment of the soldiers below, there was a dull thud and silence.
A voice from above their heads broke the silence. ‘Vali?’
‘Yarra!’ Valeska said with relief in her voice. She lowered her sword. ‘Is he returned?’
‘Yes. I’ve been tracking them since they crossed our borders. They were moving fast!’
‘Are there any more? We returned three.’
‘That’s all. The three you returned, and I returned the leader who was bravely watching your battle from a safe distance.’
‘Returned?’ The term did not make sense to Danil.
‘All must eventually return to face their Creator.’ Valeska smiled at Danil as she gestured to the bodies. ‘These are fallen, and we have returned them, so their fate is no longer our concern.’
Danil gazed at her intently and he heard her voice in his heart. ‘Though your fate has become my concern, soldier.’
‘Why?’ he wondered silently.
She continued to look at him for a long time but didn’t reply.
‘It’s alarming to find the fallen so far east,’ Danil commented, looking concernedly to where a tight group of soldiers surrounded Dannicus. ‘We have continual problems along the border south of Khynol and at the eastern end of the Ice Coast. Sometimes I think they’re just playing games with us, letting us think we have any sort of control over our own borders. If it came to open warfare, we’d be up to our eyeballs in...’ His face reddened as he looked towards the King. ‘Er...we’d probably not do as well as I’d like to think.’ Dannicus pushed two soldiers aside and walked over to join Danil and Valeska.
‘Yarra, are you coming down?’ Valeska looked up to the top of the rocky ridge some twenty feet above their heads. There was a swish of air, and a guardian dropped lightly beside her, his feet barely making a sound as he landed on the rocks. Valeska turned to the King. ‘Your Majesty, King Dannicus of Alkira, may I introduce Yarrabyth of the guardians.’
‘I’m in debt to you both.’ King Dannicus looked up at the guardian who stood at least a foot taller than himself.
Yarrabyth lowered his head. ‘There is no debt, Majesty. It is our duty.’
‘Are you to return to the borders?’ asked Valeska.
‘I’ll accompany you to the Dwellings,’ Yarrabyth answered. ‘We must make camp here tonight and continue on to the Dwellings as soon as we’re rested.’
‘Yarra, I don’t think we should stop here,’ said Valeska.
‘The humans have to sleep to regain their strength,’ said Yarrabyth.
Danil laughed aloud. ‘We may be human, guardian, but we can do without sleep for a night or two when needed.’ As if in answer to this statement the soldiers shouldered their packs and moved into position around the King.
Yarrabyth shrugged. ‘Then we shall continue. Though I doubt we’ll get far. There’s going to be a heavy storm.’
Just before Valeska resumed her lead, she turned and stared into Danil’s eyes. Once again he felt a powerful surge of emotion as he looked at her. He felt as if she could see into his soul and he desired for her to be pleased with what she saw. His mind raced back through the encounter with the fallen. At the moment his sword had made contact with the warrior he felt a stab of emotion from Valeska, as though she screamed out in terror, and the terror wasn’t for her own danger, but for his. He couldn’t take his eyes from her, and he was suddenly longing to wrap his arms around her, to protect her.
Valeska smiled as he gazed at her. His heart began to accelerate and he felt a strange thrill of ownership race through him. Once he would have been skeptical had any suggested a man could fall in love so quickly, but he had no doubt about what was happening. He didn’t move as these new emotions flooded through him. Adoration, devotion, and as she gazed into his eyes he knew the feelings were mutual. He wondered if this was normal for the guardians.
He felt a hot flash of desire and she stepped back, turned away and started down the trail. Danil stood still for a moment, calming his mind, and then he followed Valeska.
They had moved only a short way down the mountain when the wind began to blow in earnest and smattering rain fell. Within minutes the rain was torrential and the already damp group was soaked. It became difficult to negotiate the smooth rocks without slipping and several times King’s Marshall Danil reached out and steadied King Dannicus to prevent him sliding awkwardly down the mountain. Valeska looked back anxiously towards Yarrabyth.
‘Lady Valeska,’ Danil shouted over the now roaring wind and rain, ‘it will be a miracle if one of us doesn’t fall off the side of this mountain!’
Valeska shouted back. ‘The mountains are riddled with caves. We’ll take shelter until the rain passes. Yarra, can you scout ahead please?’
Yarrabyth disappeared into the rain. The group huddled together under a small overhanging cliff face which did almost nothing to lessen the impact of the pelting rain and deafening wind, and waited in hope that the guardian would find proper shelter quickly. Yarrabyth took longer to return than Danil had hoped, and he could hardly believe it when the storm worsened. They moved away from the cliff face and slightly higher, as water began to pour over the overhanging rocks sending chunks of stone flying over the edge with the torrent. Yarrabyth seemed to appear out of no-where and gestured for the group to follow him. He led them back up the track they had recently used and then turned aside and scrambled higher up the rocky mountain side with Danil close behind him.
‘There is a small cave just there,’ Yarrabyth called to Danil, pointing to the rocky mountainside, ‘but it’s not large enough for all of us. We need to go a little further north.’ A moment later they were inside a reasonably dry, deep cave and out of the howling wind and rain. There were masses of old sticks and branches which had been washed into the cave in previous storms but were at this moment well out of reach of the puddle of water forming at the entrance to the cave. Danil wondered just how bad the storm had to get to push branches of that size so far back into the cave.
‘Start a fire then strip off and dry your clothes,’ Danil ordered the soldiers. ‘Your Majesty, I’m sorry, but dignity must be forsaken in preference of relative comfort.’ King Dannicus said nothing but began to peel off his wet clothing, whilst two soldiers quickly kindled a fire as close to the entrance of the cave as practically possible. Valeska stood next to the fire looking out into the rain, with her back to the naked soldiers. Danil, who was still wearing his drenched uniform, walked up to the Lady and placed his hand on her shoulder.
‘King’s Marshall,’ she
said, without turning her head.
‘Danil, Lady Valeska.’ Valeska turned and smiled at Danil and ran her hand down the sleeve of his wet uniform, sending a shiver through his body.
‘Lady,’ said Danil hesitatingly.
‘Valeska.’
‘Valeska,’ said Danil softly, as to be unheard by the soldiers. ‘We need to dry your clothing. My cloak is as close to the fire as I dare place it. As soon as it’s dry, you may use it while your clothing dries.’
‘I’m not cold, Danil,’ she said smiling. ‘But I am uncomfortable,’ she admitted. Yarrabyth, who was also still clothed and dripping, made his way forward to stand with Danil and Valeska.
‘Vali, there’s another small cave only about fifty paces back, which I pointed out to the King’s Marshall as we were climbing. If someone were to take you back to it, you could kindle a fire and have privacy while your clothing dries.’
‘You know I can always find my own way, Yarra,’ said Valeska.
‘After the last attack, I’d rather you didn’t go alone. Perhaps the King’s Marshall would be willing to go with you?’
Valeska looked questioningly at Danil who nodded.
‘Allow me first to attend His Majesty, and then with his consent I will be happy to help, Lady.’
Minutes later Danil grabbed his almost dry cloak from beside the fire, rolled it tightly and pushed it down the front of his uniform. He picked up his pack and he and Lady Valeska darted from the cave into the howling storm. It took only seconds to rush to the small cave and soon Danil and Valeska had a decent fire burning within. Danil stood uncertainly, not wishing to leave the Lady by herself, though he reminded himself that as a guardian she was easily able to defend herself and it was unlikely anyone would find this tiny cave in such terrible weather.
Her thoughts came to him. ‘Please don’t go.’
His heart beat wildly, but he managed to think back to her. ‘I’ll stay as long as you wish me to stay.’ He pulled the rolled cloak from his tunic and handed it to Valeska then turned away as she peeled off her clothes and placed them on rocks around the fire.
The Fallen (Book 1) Page 5
