by Candy Rae
-19-
DAGAN – THE OTHER NORTHERN CONTINENT
The Susalai, Andei by name was almost overwhelmed by the problems requiring his attention but he had put all such matters aside when he heard the news from the Gtrathlin about the theft.
Murdoch, he thought, it must have been them. It would have to be dealt with too and who better to find one of their own but another from that country?
He had by now received the report from Artem and Larya.
It wouldn’t be the first time men of Murdoch had used the islands as a means to hide their real identities.
As luck would have it Andei had also just received word about the finding of the remains of the wrecked Murdochian ship and of the existence of the two survivors. One of whom, if the report was accurate, was uninjured. He was also from one of the ruling classes of the kingdom, ideal for his purpose.
“Get word to the Lind of the Holad man who sent in the report,” he instructed one of his attendant Avuzdel. “A matter of urgency and send word to Vya too.”
* * * * *
-20-
THE WESTERN COAST - THE NORTHERN CONTINENT
The doctor asked to see Thalia.
“Stranger and strangest,” he said to her, “my Radya has just received word. This Kellen-Heir Daniel Ross is not to go with us to the Holad Station, he is to go north, to the Gtrathlin. Could you wait with him please, we would but we really need to get the other one to the Station as soon as possible. ”
“Of course,” Thalia answered, greatly wondering. “Does he know?”
“Not yet, better send him over and I’ll break the news. I think he’ll be surprised, shocked that he’ll not be accompanying us.”
* * * * *
“I’m to go where?” asked Daniel.
“The Gtrathlin’s domta. It is north of here, a long way.”
“How long?”
“Many days ride.”
“Ride?”
Daniel know he was looking like and sounding like an idiot but he couldn’t help himself. He knew he was in shock after hearing the doctor’s news and panicky? Daniel had never felt so panicked in his life. He felt he was losing control of his own destiny.
He might have been forgiven for thinking this.
“But I still don’t understand,” he stammered, “why me?”
“You know our Lind are telepathic?” asked the doctor, “that means they can send messages to each other almost instantaneously.”
“Yes, I’d heard.”
“Well young man, an important item has been stolen at Gtratha and the Gtrathlin reported that fact. No point in asking me what the item is, I don’t know, but it is important enough to trouble the heads of persons far cleverer and knowledgeable than you and I. I understand that the item is in some way dangerous. Anyway, messages must have passed to and fro, don’t interrupt and the decision was made. Your orders come from your Ambassador at Vada and I don’t think refusal is an option. To Gtratha you must go.”
“I still don’t understand why me,” protested Daniel, “I am not of the north. Wouldn’t some of you be better, or?” he added after a thought struck him, “is the person who stole this item from my country? Is that why I’ve been selected?”
“That’s a distinct possibility,” answered the doctor, “probable I should say. The message was most insistent that it was to be you. I know that much.”
“So how do I get there?” asked Daniel.
“These are the rtathlians. A mount is being arranged I imagine, I don’t have any details yet. Better go get yourself a bite to eat young man and get some rest. I have the feeling that you’ll not have a bell to call your own soon. Go sit with Thalia and Josei. They’ll look after you tonight. Me, I’m going to continue to stabilise your friend’s condition so that we can move out in the morning.”
“He will be okay, won’t he?”
“Don’t fret lad, I’m a doctor and I don’t lie. I can count the patients I’ve lost on my fingers and I’ve been in this business for years. Your friend will be fine.”
The stunned Daniel did as he had been asked and walked slowly to the fire where sat Thalia and Josei. He sat down, cross-legged.
He spoke not a word for quite a while and Thalia let him be. He would speak when he was ready.
When he did the words tumbled out of him in a rush and Josei and Thalia listened.
* * * * *
“The King of Leithe is behind this,” said Daniel at last. Normally he would not have spoken aloud about his suspicions but this was not a normal day. She was also the only person around with whom he could talk to. In addition, she had saved Ian’s life.
“The King of Leithe?” queried Thalia in disbelief. “By Lai’s wings, why would an island king be wanting to steal an artefact belonging to the Gtrathlin?”
“What is this artefact?” Daniel queried in turn. “Do you know what is kept in the cave?”
Thalia shook her head.
“It must be important, your Lind wouldn’t be getting their tails in knots otherwise. Wonder what it can be? I think I must go there, do as they say, try to find out. Ian will have to manage on his own. He and his family have caused enough trouble already.”
“What trouble?”
“I suppose I’d better tell you. I’m going to need some help getting to this Gtratha place of yours anyway.”
“What’s really going on?” asked the intrigued and mystified Thalia.
Josei moved closer to listen.
What Daniel and Thalia didn’t know was that he was relaying their conversation to a member of the Avuzdel some leagues distant.
“We go nowhere until we hear the story,” agreed Josei settling down on his haunches and tongue rolling in anticipation, an expression Thalia knew of old. Of a certainty he, Josei would not be setting one paw in the direction of the Gtrathlin’s domta until he had heard it all. Without them even discussing it, Thalia knew that Josei was intending to offer him and Thalia as escorts.
“Ok,” said Daniel, wrapping Thalia’s spare cloak more securely around his torso, he still felt cold and sitting down on an uprooted tree, “it goes something like this …”
* * * * *
Three bells later and Thalia and Josei were in full possession of all the facts as Daniel knew them. They might not understand it all but were sure that the theft of the artefact was linked in some way to the troubles in Murdoch, however obscure the link was.
: We must go with him : Josei informed Thalia : I will tell who need to know of our decision. Tell the man :
Thalia did. “We will go with you. Josei is asking our superior officers if we can escort you there. He feels that those in charge are right, you will be able to help, to shed some light on the theft.”
“What superior officers?”
“I’m Vada,” Thalia explained, “Vadeln Thalia and Josei of the Thirty-eighth Ryzck to be exact and at your service.”
“I thought the Vada wore uniform.”
“I’m on Long Leave,” she replied, “it’s just ending actually. I’ll ask Josei to send a call out to see if anylind are in the vicinity and willing to carry you. We’ll make better time and you can’t keep up on foot anyway.” Thalia was receiving simultaneous instructions from Josei as she spoke.
“You humans are so slow,” added Josei.
“Thank you,” said Daniel in a dry sort of voice.
* * * * *
“I wouldn’t be in that great of a hurry to return him home,” Daniel told the Holad the doctor as he and his party prepared to depart with Ian. The events of the last tenday or so had made him harbour a great deal of resentment about what Ian’s family had got him into.
“Point taken,” the doctor said, “but don’t panic, he won’t be going anywhere for a long time, at least not until his bones and internal injuries heal.”
Daniel had to be satisfied. He didn’t quite like to ask if he could send a letter to his father. He presumed that a report about his survival would be sent by the Ambassador
at Vada and decided to leave it at that. He could always send a message himself, later.
* * * * *
That evening Thalia, Daniel and Josei set up camp some lindlengths for the shore, deciding to rest and set out fresh at sunup. The Holad had left provisions, another bivouac sheet, food and blankets, also some extra clothes for Daniel.
“Vya will be here when the sun rises,” announced Josei as he settled his bulk into a sandy wallow he’d scraped out with his forepaws.
To Daniel’s surprise Thalia didn’t set up her bivouac sheet under the scraggy nearby trees as he had but wrapped herself in it and cuddled in beside her Lind.
As he in his turn wrapped himself in the donated blankets he wished he could do the same. The night chill was settling in and with it a stiff breeze had arrived. He shivered and wondered if this Vya would allow him to snuggle in for warmth.
He ruefully concluded that she probably wouldn’t.
Josei had been at pains to point out over supper that Vya was coming to them as a favour to him, Josei and that he shouldn’t expect any favours.
As he fell into an uncomfortable and exhausted sleep he wondered what it would be like to ride a Lind. Rumour had it that they could run like the wind and for candlemark after candlemark. His last coherent thought was, I wonder if it is like riding Firefly? Firefly was Daniel’s grey gelding, safe, Daniel hoped, in his warm stable at Castle Markwood.
As she had promised, Vya sauntered to the edge their dom, or campsite not long after dawn. Daniel was stirring the breakfast pot with much goodwill and little skill. Seeing that he was busy she decided to wait a while to assess just what kind of person her temporary partner was.
Porridge, Thalia had declared when, after much shaking, she had ‘persuaded’ Daniel to rise from his blankets. “I’ve lit the fire,” she had said, “and the pot is on, get up and stir it while I go get more water.”
A groaning Daniel had seen no help for it and after untangling himself had staggered over to the fire and begun to stir. Peering into the unappetising looking sludge in the pot he wondered why Thalia was making such a lot. He was sure that he wouldn’t be able to eat more than a duet of spoonfuls.
Josei appeared on soft paws by his side and Daniel jumped.
Gods, they move like cats.
“I like it too,” Josei said, sniffing and wagging his tail.
Can he hear what I am thinking?
Josei suspected what Daniel was asking himself, he had come across suspicion before in those not used to the company of Lind.
“Your face betrays you,” he added, “you think I can hear what you are thinking do you not?”
Daniel gulped and gazed with bated breath at his four-pawed companion then looked away, half afraid of the answer.
“I cannot,” Josei informed him, “I cannot hear you. I would tell you if I could.”
“Can you hear others?” Daniel asked, still studiously staring at his hand as he stirred.
“Yes, a few, some Lind can ‘hear’ many but I am not of their number. I can sense emotions and feelings of some more.”
“Define some,” commanded the still wary Daniel.
Josei considered this.
“Perhaps five or six out of every hundred or so,” he concluded, “although I can sense fear in most. I sensed your fear the day before today but not so much now.”
Daniel shrugged. “Doesn’t appear to be much here to be frightened about.”
“That is good hearing,” said Josei with a quirk of his lip as he peered into the pot. “Almost ready. Just the salt to add and then it will be time.” He licked his lips.
“Salt? I thought we’d be adding sweetening.”
“Salt,” answered a decided Josei, “it is in that blue box in Thalia’s saddlebag, look, next to my harness.”
“I meant to ask Thalia about that,” said Daniel, deciding to conveniently forget about the existence of the salt. The sludge as he called it looked (and smelt) bad enough already, no point making a bad situation worse.
“I think I’ll need some sort of saddle to be able to stay on when this Vya arrives.”
“My Thalia has already thought of that. You and Vya will use ours until we reach the nearest Supply Station. They will have other harness in their rooms of stores for travellers and Vada. Vya is about my size and there are buckles that can adjusted be.”
“Won’t, won’t that inconvenience Thalia? I mean, how will she stay on?”
Josei wheezed with laughter.
“Thalia does not need harness to ride me and not fall off.”
* * * * *
They had finished breakfast and were washing the crocks and pot when Vya arrived. Daniel had found the porridge quite tasty after all, even after Thalia had insisted on adding the salt.
Josei had eaten a huge amount and then had licked the pot clean so washing it was, as Daniel found out, as easy as pie.
Vya stopped in front of Daniel (he had not heard her approach).
Not knowing what else to do Daniel stood up and executed a bow of welcome which seemed to please her. Her eyes crinkled in a friendly way and her whiskers relaxed.
She greeted Thalia by name.
“Dedta dom Vya,” Thalia greeted her, “you made good time.”
“It was not far,” was her simple reply. “This is the southern man I am to carry?”
“Yes, this is he. His name is Daniel.”
“Can he ride?”
Daniel decided to answer that one for himself.
“I’ve been riding since I was a little boy,” he said.
“Horses?” Her voice-tone was derisory.
“Yes.”
“Poof. They are not fast nor can they run as far as me without rest. Harness? I do not wish to be forever stopping so he can pick himself up from the ground on to which he will fall again and again.”
“You can use mine and Josei’s until we reach the McAllister Supply Station,” offered Thalia. “He’ll stay on, we can tie him on if necessary.”
Daniel privately resolved to circumvent that indignity at all costs.
“I’ll expect I can manage,” he said, “and thank you for offering to take me.”
“The Gtrathlin sent word,” Vya answered, “I agreed. I have no young to care for nor old to tend.”
She sniffed at the air.
“Porridge? I smell porridge. Is there any left?”
“I ate it all,” admitted Josei.
“Next time leave some for me,” she commanded. “I like porridge.”
Daniel groaned. It looked as if porridge would be on the menu for a long time to come.
* * * * *
After some discussion the four of them decided to wait another night before setting off.
Daniel’s bumps and bruises were still hurting and he needed a good night’s sleep.
Vya was quite decided on this. She too would be pleased to rest. The journey ahead of them would be long and arduous and there was always the prospect of an extra pot full of porridge to look forward to.
* * * * *
-21-
THE NORTH CARAVAN ROUTE
Chad took a deep breath when the caravan passed through that indefinable line that marked the difference between Vadath and Argyll but he wasn’t out of the woods yet (and he meant this quite literally), not by a long shot. The forests extended quite a ways each side of the border though the trees were neither as thick nor as abundant as those further west.
Not that he allowed his relief to show. He continued to play the shrewd merchant character he has assumed before he joined the caravan, paid to join it. Drellor was an able businessman, Chad couldn’t fault him for that and had, in Chad’s opinion, charged an arm, a leg and then some for his place then had topped it with ten per cent commission on all sales. But to assume the identity of a jewellery salesman had been a stroke of genius, no pack string of horses to worry about and due to the valuable nature of his merchandise, no-one thought it strange when he kept himself to himself.
&
nbsp; Of course, Chad hadn’t needed to talk. Young Zeb did all the talking for him, gleaning an abundance of information and all without Chad having to utter a syllable.
The boy was quick but Chad knew that he wouldn’t be quick enough to outsmart him when the time came. Age and duplicity wins against youth and enthusiasm every time, he thought, never mind the fact that Nonder had told his nephew to stick to Chad like glue. Not that that wasn’t just fine by Chad, for the moment. Zeb would however become an inconvenience and then Chad would disappear. To remain at liberty and also make a good living, a thief of Chad’s calibre learned so much patience that it was by now second nature. He could put up with the brat’s constant chatter for a while longer. He might even teach him some more tricks of the trade meantime, as a thank you for his help.
“So why do we have to bunk out of the caravan now?” asked Zeb.
“You ask too many questions.”
“I only wanted to know,” Zeb answered in an aggrieved voice, “No harm in asking is there?”
Chad ground his teeth together before donning a smile and answering.
“Stupid to stay. The caravan is too slow and too predictable in its direction. That was good whilst we were in the woods of the Lind and in Vadath but we have to assume that they’ve realised by now that the box is gone and will be coming after us.”
“So we go to a safe place?”
“Safest place in the world,” Chad assured him, and a perfect prison for you my lad when it’s time for me to go collect my earnings.
“So we go there? All innocent like? Where is it exactly?”
