‘Callian, would you mind getting them. We need to-’ He broke off as Enri and Alexander came through the door looking curiously from Callian to Dale.
Dale glanced around the group. ‘Get your packs. We leave now.’
There was no comment as everyone moved back to the barracks. Dale stood in silence with Ronden until the Colonel’s curiosity got the better of him.
‘Baron, what has changed to cause this urgency?’ asked Ronden.
‘I had a strange dream last night. Actually it was a completely stupid dream in which I was being…never mind.’ He shook his head as he heard Callian laugh behind him. ‘Do you mind!’ he said to Callian, feeling his face redden. ‘It’s rude to listen to my thoughts when I’m remembering something embarrassing!’
‘Sorry!’ said Callian, trying to keep a straight face. ‘But it was even funnier when you were dreaming it!’
Dale huffed indignantly and turned back to Colonel Ronden who was looking at him with a perturbed expression on his face. ‘What I understood when I awoke was that it’s highly improbable the fallen would attack our group once we reached the garrison here at Sheldon’s Mark. I fell asleep thinking about Nandul’s behavior when he found out Louisa carries Milgorry’s child. He saw this as an insult needing retribution. And for us to have slipped through his fingers… I’m guessing that also calls for revenge. But to have Prince Kelian stroll through Nyinaku, take away his captives, and leave him sleeping soundly is something he will find absolutely humiliating. And Nandul doesn’t strike me as particularly humble. He’ll want revenge. He’ll need to prove himself superior.’
‘Yet you say he won’t come after you here? Or send someone after you?’ Colonel Ronden sounded confused. ‘I expected you to be in a hurry to leave, but that was because I thought you might have an army of fallen warriors on your tail.’
‘Colonel, we went into Nyinaku knowing there was a better than even chance we weren’t going to get out. Nandul knows we’re willing to take risks for those we love. So whilst he would love to kill us all, there are far better ways to bring us to our knees. He’ll want to make us suffer before he kills us. He will see Kelian as the most important target, but he will think that killing Kelian and returning the guardians is far too simple and too quick – not punishment enough for the insult.’
‘What are you suggesting?’ asked Ronden, his eyes narrowing.
‘I’m suggesting there are ways to destroy a man completely without killing him, if you know where the man’s heart lies,’ said Dale. ‘He will wish upon Kelian a fate far worse than death.’
‘So you think he’ll disregard this place and go after…but the list is endless!’ Ronden exclaimed. ‘Kelian’s fiancée, but I suppose she and her sisters are alright whilst they stay with the guardians. But what about their parents? And Kelian has royal cousins and family spread all over Alkira! And the Princess Eijelin! But surely they wouldn’t come after the King and Queen themselves?’ Ronden was almost stammering in shock as the scale of the problem began to register. ‘And from what I know of the Prince, he considers himself and the royal family responsible for each and every citizen of Alkira! It wouldn’t matter who they killed, Kelian would feel responsible!’
‘So we need to get back to Castle. King Dannicus must be warned.’ Dale sighed. ‘I only hope Kelian gets safely away. If he’s killed…’
‘King Dannicus would declare war!’ said Danil, frowning.
‘I wouldn’t be surprised if Nandul decides Kelian’s trespass into Nyinaku is an act of war, Danil,’ said Dale tersely. ‘Not to mention the number of guards we returned rescuing the girls, or the four Enri returned.’ He paused as Ronden glanced at the Squire in surprise. ‘And there are also the hundreds of Tabuls who came to aid Callian, Lias and Danil. After all, they wiped out…I have no idea how many warriors.’ He glanced grimly around at the group who were now standing patiently, armed and carrying their packs. ‘Colonel, I will be absolutely astounded if we haven’t already started a war. Any revenge will be labeled as justifiable retribution.’
‘Is there anything I can do, Baron?’ asked Ronden.
‘Yes. Last night just before we went to the barracks you mentioned there were reports of warriors in the wasteland and around Skeleton’s Rest. But you said they’re hard to track?’ Dale paused as the Colonel’s eyebrows shot up.
Callian laughed. ‘Now you believe me Colonel?’ he asked.
Dale ignored the interruption. ‘Don’t try to track them, and don’t send out soldiers to guard previously unguarded areas. We need to talk to anyone you trust completely between Khynol and Cullen Ringo and find out what they’ve seen. Ordinary people like farmers, traders and townsfolk. They notice more than your soldiers will ever be allowed to see. Ask them to keep their eyes open – but discretely. They can report back to you and we’ll see if there’s a pattern. I’m sure His Majesty would be quite interested if they’re moving towards Alkira.’
‘Actually, Principal Smith of Warbilla has been doing exactly as you suggest Baron. His wife Caity seems to have no difficulty in gaining information,’ said Colonel Ronden with a grin. ‘She wanders about selling her needlework, talking to everyone, reporting back to her husband and then I make sure I journey to Warbilla on occasion.’
‘And you can get this information to the King?’ asked Dale.
Colonel Ronden waved towards the southern end of the building. ‘We have birds. Admittedly the messages have to be short, and sometime the birds just disappear into the sunrise and are never seen again, but most times they get through to Castle.’
‘Most times?’ Enri was a little perturbed. ‘What if as message is lost? I mean found. I mean lost by us and found by them.’
Ronden smiled. ‘We have our own code, different for each recipient. Your parents have no difficulties in deciphering my messages, Squire.’
‘Oh. That will explain why the crenels along the old wall at home are covered in pigeon... That explains all the pigeons.’
‘Good,’ said Dale. ‘Send a message to the King immediately please. I would like to think he was forewarned if there is an army of fallen heading his way.’
‘Understood.’ Colonel Ronden pointed to Dale’s pack. ‘You will find your packs now have enough food to take you from here to Warbilla.’
‘Thank you Colonel. We’ll be on our way,’ said Dale. ‘The faster we get to Warbilla, the sooner we get to Castle.’
‘I have horses ready Baron,’ Ronden stated.
A smile spread over Dale’s face. ‘You really were prepared for us to leave in a hurry,’ he said. The group turned and followed Dale down the stairs. Lias stopped before Colonel Ronden. He smiled and patted the hilt of his new sword. ‘Thank you Colonel,’ he said. ‘It really is a very good sword.’
‘A good sword is only as good as the hand that wields it, Lias. It’s fitting that you should have it.’ He gazed towards the Khynol mountains. ‘Where will you go?’
‘I have no idea. I cannot go home. Not yet. I’ll wait until Milgorry returns to Nyinaku and then I’ll go with him.’
‘I think you need to go to the Daoine Maithe. Just for a visit. They can help you.’
Lias stared at Ronden expressionlessly. ‘I will consider this.’
‘Fair enough!’ said Colonel Ronden. ‘Good luck, warrior of the free.’
‘I wish you well Colonel.’
Chapter 46
Ice Mountains
Gilgarry ground his teeth together to stop them chattering. He leaned back against the black rocks and remained still but he knew it was hopeless. They would surely be seen. He silently cursed the bright moon that was illuminating the snow and the black rocks. He could easily see Kelian standing with his sworn drawn in front of the three girls in their inadequate hiding place. He leaned forward and squinted across the snow in surprise. He couldn’t see Milgorry at all, though he had been clearly visible seconds before. He flexed his numb fingers as he gripped his sword, fearing that his frozen hand would drop the weapon
the second he needed to use it. They were perched on the rocky side of a mountain, with a huge slope of snow and rocks spreading out and falling away beneath them, then dropping away abruptly at vertical cliffs. They had climbed up the slope as quickly as they could when Milgorry saw dark shadows following, but had found no suitable hiding place.
For a second Gilgarry thought he saw a movement against the black rocks and his heart began to race. He moved his weight forward and very slowly stepped sideways to give himself room to swing his sword. If they were going to be attacked he would be ready and he hoped he could keep anyone away from Kelian and the girls at least until Milgorry reappeared.
He saw a flicker of shadow again, closer now and he breathed out, deliberately calming himself. He brought up his sword and stared at the rocks where he had seen movement. A hand rested on his shoulder. He spun around, stifling a shout as he found himself looking up at Borgulnay.
‘Where are they?’ he whispered, his heart pounding in shock.
‘Do you mean Tim and Araas or the bunch of warriors who are hiding behind that ridge of rocks?’ Borgulnay pointed towards the rocks not more than two hundred paces from where they stood.
‘I meant the fallen,’ Gilgarry replied, ‘but I’d give quite a bit to know where Araas and Tim are, too.’
‘They’re with Kelian and the girls.’ Milgorry’s voice came from behind him and Gilgarry spun around once again.
‘I told you to find a hiding place for the girls,’ said Borgulnay.
‘There are no hiding places!’ Gilgarry whispered crossly.
‘Follow me,’ Milgorry ordered, and he led them up the rocks. He motioned to Kelian and the Prince sheathed his sword and waved to the girls, who rushed to their side closely followed by Timbul and Araas. ‘We need to go up,’ said Milgorry, pointing to the steep incline of snow.
‘Up?’ said Gilgarry dubiously.
Milgorry didn’t reply, but turned and started up the mountain with everyone close behind. They came to a place where masses of snow had accumulated on the side of the mountain beside an outthrust spur of rocks. Milgorry pointed to the rocks. Borgulnay grabbed Gilgarry and lifted him until the soldier could pull himself up onto the rocks, and then one by one they pushed and dragged Louisa, Elena, Immosey and Kelian until they were above the snow. Gilgarry reached down and pulled Borgulnay up beside them. Timbul and Araas stayed beside Milgorry, staring down the snowy slope to the rocks below, where moments before they had been hiding.
‘Surely they can follow us up here,’ said Louisa uneasily.
‘I’m counting on it,’ Milgorry answered softly, not taking his eyes from the path.
‘Borg said there was a bunch of them Mil!’ Immosey’s voice was high with fear.
‘Be calm, little sister,’ Milgorry answered confidently. He moved his right foot over the rocky edge and rested it on the snow.
‘Mil-’
‘Shh!’ Milgorry raised his hand and Immosey fell silent.
There was movement below and they saw dark shadows flit across the snow and begin climbing the rocks towards them. Araas glanced at Milgorry questioningly, but he shook his head. ‘Not yet. Almost…’ The shadows climbed closer.
‘Now!’ Milgorry shouted and he slammed his foot against the snow. Timbul and Araas mirrored the movement. There was a ‘whoomp’ sound and the side of the mountain fell away. It fell slowly for a few seconds and then suddenly a mass of snow was racing down the slope, gathering momentum as it moved. With increasing speed the avalanche engulfed everything in its path. It made a strange hissing and rumbling noise as it rushed over rocks with bushes crushing and tumbling along with the snow and ice. Elena turned away feeling a little sickened by the sight of the avalanche as it swallowed the shadowy figures who had only seconds before been climbing vigorously up the slope, and then the mass of snow and debris shot over the cliff edge where the slope ended. She glanced at Immosey who was also looking simultaneously horror stricken and relieved.
Milgorry stood staring silently at the slope for several minutes before turning away. ‘Quickly,’ he said, and he lifted the girls one by one from the rocks. ‘There’s a chance someone might have survived that.’
Clouds passed swiftly over and very soon there was neither moon nor stars to be seen. Immosey sighed heavily as she peered at the dark shapes of the huge mountains which stood in their path. They seemed endless. Over the last days they had climbed up and down, winding their way through the rocks and snow, stopping for short rest periods and to eat and sleep at night. The girls were exhausted and to Immosey the task of passing the mountains now seemed insurmountable. She hoped they would find a cave or some other shelter soon. Each night they slept in caves and Milgorry had deemed it safe to make a reasonable fire inside. They slept close to the fire but even so it remained cold enough to make sleeping difficult.
They moved very carefully down the mountain, suspecting if they moved too quickly they might start another avalanche. It started to snow and the wind strengthened, blowing the snow uncomfortably into their faces. Milgorry veered away from the most promising looking path and began to climb almost straight up the side of the mountain. Nobody wasted breath commenting, but followed silently even when their path led them back around the mountain in what appeared to be the wrong direction. They were surprised once again when their climb led downwards at a sharp angle and then they pushed their way through thick masses of prickly pine needles. They found themselves standing on a small flat area next to a tiny stone hut. They had not been able to see the hut until they were practically touching it and even now as they gazed around they were unable to see past the thick branches surrounding them. Milgorry strode around the hut and dragged open a small door. Everyone rushed inside, relieved to be sheltered from the blowing snow.
‘What is this place?’ said Immosey through chattering teeth as she watched Milgorry pull several boards away from the floor.
‘My father built this a long time ago. He kept my mother and me here until I was a few months over two years old. My father must have been afraid she would try to escape because he never left her unguarded.’ Milgorry froze in thoughtful silence for a moment before he tugged at a particularly resistant board. The board finally broke loose and a pile of neatly stacked wood was visible. ‘Flint?’ he asked, looking at Araas.
‘It’s a lonely and harsh environment for a human,’ Araas commented as he placed his flint and steel and a wooden tinderbox beside Milgorry.
‘Three years of hell and then he killed her,’ said Milgorry bitterly, beginning to stack the smallest sticks on the stone platform which was a typical feature of most huts they had seen in Nyinaku. ‘Once someone told me that guardians had come through Nyinaku looking for her, but I have no idea if that was even true. I doubt they would have found her up here in the mountains, even if they were looking for her.’
‘Three years? I thought the fallen killed the human mothers as soon as their child was born,’ said Kelian sadly.
‘They usually do, and the child is raised by one of our women or by the slaves. But Nandul kept my mother here to care for me until I was taken to Tarl.’
‘Do you remember your mother Mil?’ asked Elena gently.
‘I remember very little, just an impression of someone warm and loving.’ He sat staring blankly at the neatly stacked wood. ‘And I remember she was rarely allowed to go outside the hut and only ever at night. I think she was ill...or maybe just very weak.’
Elena watched him pityingly. ‘Who took care of you in Tarl?’
‘There were human slaves. But Nandul never let them live long enough for me to become attached.’ He sighed as he held a small wad of tinder across the flint and then struck the steel across the sharp edge. ‘That would have been a sign of weakness.’ His voice was filled with angry sarcasm.
‘Letting the slaves live or letting you become attached?’ asked Kelian.
‘Both, I suppose,’ Milgorry replied. He looked around the weary group. ‘Sleep,’ he ordered.
No-one wished to leave the hut the next morning. The wind and snow increased, and whilst this decreased visibility and hid them from trackers, it meant the moment they moved outside they were miserably cold. The humans were wearing every stitch of clothing Milgorry had provided, but even so the wind seemed to find its way through the fabric and the blowing snow bit into every exposed piece of skin. For hours they trudged through the snow and Elena wondered how Milgorry knew where to go. She also wondered how long her feet could remain so cold before it would be too late to save her toes. Immediately Timbul moved up beside her.
‘Take off your boots,’ he said. She sat on a convenient rock and removed them. He placed his hands over her toes. ‘It’s not too late,’ he said reassuringly. ‘Actually they’re not too bad, just painfully cold. It’s when they’re not painful any more…then you have a big problem.’ Gentle warmth flowed from his hands into her feet and she sighed with relief. ‘It won’t last long,’ he warned her, passing her boots back to her. They continued south and by mid-afternoon Elena was wishing she had never suggested this path. Her feet and legs were so cold and tired she was finding it difficult to walk and her teeth chattered uncontrollably even with Araas and Timbul stopping periodically to warm everyone as best they could. The rocky mountainside was steep, slippery and dangerous and everyone needed to use their hands continually to prevent themselves from sliding down the mountain to meet sudden death. Just when Elena was thinking longingly of a warm coverlet of snow, the wind died and it stopped snowing. It happened quite suddenly. They stopped to try to warm themselves and by the time they were ready to move on the clouds were giving way to blue sky.
Milgorry was not pleased. ‘That’s not good,’ he said uneasily.
‘The sun is good!’ Immosey remarked leaning her head backwards and closing her eyes.
‘Wonderful,’ said Timbul grumpily. ‘Now we can be seen by anyone within a hundred miles of us!’
The Fallen (Book 1) Page 45
