by Candy Rae
Jenny shook her head as she poured herself a mug of kala.
“The one family unit so far. This is going to be another bad winter if these early snowfalls and blizzards are anything to go by. There’ll be more of them in the months to come.”
By Fourth Bell, Jess, Mlei and the vadeln-pairs under her command were running out of the station and heading towards the mining camp. This camp had only recently been set up, a vein of copper having been surveyed last summer. The Northern Continent was not over-rich in terms of ore metals and miners would brave many dangers for copper. Jess knew that the camp was a small one, twelve miners strong, which was what made their situation all the more dangerous. A gtran family could be double that size especially during the first months of winter when hunger and accident had not yet thinned out its ranks. If the gtran were still prowling round the camp Jess and Mlei knew that a fight was inevitable. They would have to kill the lead male of the family and set the remainder to flight.
The mining camp was reached at Sixth Bell, a pallisaded stockade with three wooden cabins inside. There were large paw prints in the snow outside. The gtran had been here recently; snow was falling but had not yet covered their tracks.
: Can you see where their tracks are headed ? : asked Jess of Mlei.
: Into the lian :
This was not good news. The gtran could climb, unlike the bear-like wral. That was how they hunted, lying in wait in the branches of trees and leaping down on to their unwary prey.
Jess most definitely did not want to lead her Vadryz into the woods.
The burly man who met them approached her, recognising her as being in command by the silver rank stripe on her sleeve.
“Thank the Lai you’ve arrived, these blasted creatures have been prowling around all night. Slunk off a half bell ago, must’ve sensed you approaching.”
“You are doubtless right,” agreed Jess as she dismounted. Her left hand was promptly crushed in a thank-felt grip of relief.
“Vadryz Jess and Mlei,” Jess introduced herself, “Ryzcka Jenny got your message.”
“Where is Brin?” he asked, “we’ve been worried about him. He left for your station two nights ago.”
“He met up with one of our patrols,” explained Jess, “who took him to the station. It was a brave thing he did, going out in a snowstorm to get help and on foot too.”
“Aye, but he’s born and bred in these mountains, said he’d have more chance on his own.”
“How many of the gtran are there?”
“About a dozen,” the mining chief supplied the information.
“Young?”
“Didn’t see any smaller ones though that’s not to say they aren’t around.”
“We’ll have to deal with them but I don’t want to lead my vadryz into the woods. That’s a sure-fire way of getting killed. We’ll have to tempt them into the open.”
“Been thinking they think of me as their next meal,” the man said with a gap-toothed smile
“They’re drawn to the kura as much as you and your miners. You have kura here?”
“We keep them in the outhouse in the winter; too cold outdoors and there’s nothing for them to forage anyway with the snow lying as it is.”
“We’ll tether one of them outside the walls,” decided Jess, “lure the gtran to us.”
As Jess had predicted, cautious gtran began to appear out of the woods as soon as they had tethered the unfortunate kura buck to a suitable tree and had withdrawn but, after sniffing around the terrified kura, they ran back into the woods refusing to stay around long enough for the Vadryz to reach them. The gtran didn’t even attempt to kill the terrified animal.
Jess sighed.
“I don’t think we’ve got much choice. The rest of the Ryzck is miles away and if we don’t deal with them here, now, they’ll move on down the valley. There are farmsteads there, families, young children.”
Angus agreed. Older than Jess and with thirty years experience, he was one of those solid dependable vadelns who had never looked for promotion nor wanted it; content to serve. He liked and respected Jess and believed she would develop into one of the best Ryzckas in the Vada during the years to come.
“You’re right. They’re not hungry either, look how they left the kura, surprised it didn’t die of fright.”
Mlei was restless, he kept moving his paws around, raising first one then the next and placing them back in the exact point in the snow. None of the Lind was wearing protective paw-shoes, they would need their sharp chelas for the fight ahead. He kept complaining about the snow-melt that was sticking to the his paws.
“I know my Mlei,” whispered Jess in his ear as she checked his armour and adjusted the fighting harness to their satisfaction, “once the fight is over we can get back inside the camp and thaw out.”
“Mmmm,” he murmured. His whiskers tickled her neck.
Jess checked the buckles of Mlei’s breastplate. It was made of hardened leather and was fashioned to fit exactly, protection yes, but not enough to restrict movement, a necessary thing in a battle. Such plates would stop all but a direct sword-sweep and it was a very brave and courageous enemy indeed who would try to get close enough to an angry Lind to complete the down-sweep.
At last they were ready. The Vadryz fanned out in line abreast and trotted towards the treeline.
Angus gave her the thumbs up. His Lind had sighted the first gtran.
: Halt :
Jess settled her helm, drew her sword and was conscious of the men and women under her command doing the same. Unlike horse cavalry there were no jingles of bits, saddles, metal and armour.
Jess was thankful she didn’t have to cope with the encumbrance of reins and the need to have to guide and control her mount. How do the cavalry manage? She ordered the advance.
They were underneath the first branches, the first trees.
“Over here!” shouted one of the vadelns and Jess’s head swivelled round towards the voice, as did Mlei’s.
It was then it happened, as Jess was peering through the snow-laden branches.
She felt the weight on her back. The pain as the claws ripped through her leather back plate was excruciating. She felt Mlei twist beneath her as he vainly attempted to reach the throat of her attacker. She heard the growls and shouts of the other vadeln-pairs as they leapt to her rescue. Mlei crashed to the ground.
She did not see, but she felt, for a pain-racked instant, the claws of the gtran as they reached her throat.
Jess was choking, choking in blood, her blood.
Unconsciousness brought relief as agony disappeared into oblivion.
News travels fast in Vadath.
Tana was teaching when Tavei interrupted her with the devastating news.
The cadets watched wide-eyed as their favourite instructor dropped to her knees and burst into tears.
She was unaware of the excited speculation around her.
She did not resist when Weaponsmaster Rhian arrived, summoned by one of the more quick-witted cadets and guided her out of the salle.
* * * * *
Quest (1)
Hannah and Beth were upset at Jess and Mlei’s deaths but it was Tana and Tavei who felt their loss the most keenly.
She and Jess had sworn a sister-oath.
Beth and Xei were at Vada when the news came in and it was in Beth’s arms that Tana cried out her sorrow and about what she had to do next.
“I must go,” she insisted some days later. She can’t do it so I must.”
“Jess wouldn’t have wanted you to destroy your career.”
“That’s the chance I’ll have to take. Don’t try to dissuade me Beth, my mind’s made up.”
“How you getting there?” demanded her friend, “boat?”
“No, we’re going via the Islands.”
“There are guards,” Beth warned.
“I know, but we’ll get through, the Avuzdel do it all the time.”
“When you get into Graham, what then?”
“South to Fort.”
“There might be a way,” mused Beth, “you’ll need help. Leave it with me and I’ll get back to you later. When do you intend to leave?”
“Short leave in three tendays, perfect excuse, I can say I’m going to visit my family at Settlement. You’ll not say?”
“I’ll not tell anyone until you’re missed,” agreed Beth, “by then you’ll be in Murdoch and it’ll be too late to stop you and whilst you’re there, pick up what intelligence you can, will you?”
“Intelligence?” Tana’s face was a picture.
“Didn’t you wonder what I do or have you been so full of your own ploys to think straight?”
Dawning realisation appeared on Tana’s face.
“Got it yet?” teased Beth.
“You’re not, you’re not?”
“Yes you donk, I’m with the Avuzdel, have been for months. Quite a change when you think about it, duke’s daughter undergoes metamorphosis into professional spy. Someone should write a book about it.”
“Maybe someone will.”
Beth’s head came up, “must go, I can hear the patter of paws and booted feet so I deduce in time-honoured fashion that your next class arrives.”
“First years,” answered Tana, “most spend more time on the ground than in the saddle. You should stay and watch, it can be quite funny.”
Beth laughed. “I beg to be excused, I remember my first attempts, got work and thinking to do.” With a wave and a laugh Beth was off, leaving Tana wondering anew at the change. Who would have expected that the timid and shy Contessa Elisabeth of Graham could have turned into this bright, confident and courageous young woman?
It was as Tana dismissed her last class of the day that she was approached by a yellow-striped male by name of Andrei who, in a polite voice, asked if he could join her and Tavei on her journey into Murdoch.
Just how he had become aware of her plans Tana never discovered although she suspected Beth and Xei had had something to do with it.
“You need to pass through Graham,” advised Beth, “avoid inhabited areas if you can, my father’s demesne is wooded, few venture into the murky depths of the forests.” She traced out the route with an elegant finger, “but you will not make it to the palace accompanied by Tavei and Andrei without internal help. I will give you a letter. It is my business to know what happens in Murdoch, my cousin James, he is but a year younger than me, commands my father’s border patrol to the east of the castle. You must find him and give him the letter. He will help you for my sake, we were always close. In fact, if my father hadn’t been so set on my marriage to the Brentwood heir I might have liked to marry him.”
“The Brentwood Heir? Tom Brentwood? That’s the man that Jess believed her sister Ruth would have to marry.”
“Then south along the eastern borders, down through the Duchy of Smith then west along the river to Fort where the palace is,” Beth instructed, ignoring the last.
* * * * *
Quest (2)
Tana, Tavei and Andrei were three quarters of the way across the island chain. The journey so far had been very wet and unpleasant and it didn’t look like it was going to get any better.
“There’s a cave on the other side of this island, shelter and fresh water. Beth told me about it,” Tana said aloud, “I vote we try to find it. I would like to sleep dry for a change.”
Tavei and Andrei agreed and they turned west following in the footsteps, had they known it, of three fugitives from the South who had fled north during the very first year.
They found the cave and went inside. Tana made haste to shed her wet garments and wondered if they should risk a fire.
“Better not,” said Tavei, “I have seen no tracks but that is not to say that the Larg do not know of this place. At least we shall sleep out of the wind and the rain.” He settled down on the sandy floor and wagged his tail.
“Tomorrow we make the last push and arrive at the edge of the Duchy of Graham,” said Tana, “I wonder what we will find there?”
* * * * *
Quest (3)
Tavei was careful as he manipulated Tana’s mindset. He knew that the Larg could sense emotions emanating from human minds.
Tana, as with the other vadeln-paired had very strong telepathic abilities although unlike Tavei she could not converse or mind-link with anyone other than him. A Larg scout might be able to sense her mind and so he had to take steps to make sure that her thoughts were blocked to all but him. He himself was in no danger of detection, a situation for which he was very grateful. With care he insinuated the telepathic blocks. Now her thoughts and emotions would only be detected if the Larg were within pouncing distance and he had no intention of getting that close.
Tana was not aware of what Tavei was doing. As far as she was concerned, so long as she kept her emotions tight and didn’t consciously ‘send’ a message to Tavei they were safe.
It was quite amazing, Tavei was thinking as he completed the procedure, how little the humans really knew about telepathic abilities, even after so long.
A few had suspected; one long-dead human, Winston Randall by name, had written a treatise on the subject. He had been ‘encouraged’ not to disseminate the information and after his death the treatise had mysteriously disappeared. In fact, it had been taken to the repository deep within the rtathlians where dangerous items were kept out of harms way. Of the great secret, only two humans had ever learned of it and both had taken the knowledge with them to their graves.
Beth’s cousin James Graham was frankly admiring of Tavei and Andei.
“I trust my cousin Elisabeth, whatever the real reason is for your need to visit Fort, no, do not tell me. After you have delivered the message to the Master-at-Arms, he is waiting for it, you must approach the Captain of the Guard at the palace, he and I are old friends, he will help you if he can. Philip Ross is his name, remember it. The horse I’m lending you is a fast one, she’ll get you there and remember, your Lind must not be seen.”
“Thank you,” said Tana.
“Now, more of Beth. She is well?”
“Well and happy.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’m glad she made it to the North and in the Vada too! Perhaps one day we’ll meet again and you can tell me the full story. Now, you’d better be off. Good luck. I’m thinking you’ll be needing it.”
* * * * *
Quest (4)
Tana found it difficult to adjust to riding a horse.
Once I am home I am never going to ride one of these dratted animals again, she vowed.
She had left the two Lind deep in the great forest and was making the rest of the journey by herself. It would be too dangerous to take her two friends any nearer to Fort and the more populous parts of the kingdom.
She felt that she had never been so alone.
For the last ten years her mind had been linked to that of Tavei; she felt lonely and frightened but she kept going. She owed it to Jess.
Oh Jess, why did you have to die?
* * * * *
Quest (5)
Fort Baker was every bit as imposing as Tana had been told.
She traced the Master-at-Arms and after she had delivered James Graham’s ‘official’ message she asked where she could find the Captain of the Palace Guard. “I have a personal message from Count James Graham.”
“He is across the water at the royal palace lad, surely you know this?” He looked suspicious.
“Yes sir,” she answered without hesitation, “but I wondered if the court might be here and him with it.”
“Never been here before have you?”
“No sir,” answered a blushing Tana, thinking how bang on the truth he was.
“You’ll find him when you approach the guards at the palace gates. Ask for him there. That way, over the ford and follow the paved road. Won’t take you more than a candlemark.”
“Thank you sir.” She kneed her horse away and thanked the Lai for the journey-dust t
hat hid her features. The man had been examining her too closely for comfort.
He for his part was admiring her poise and posture.
“Lad?”
Tana half-turned in the saddle, hiding the spasm of fear. Had he realised that she was not what she seemed?
“A fine lad like you,” he said, “is wasted running with border guards at Graham. If you feel like a change, come back and ask for me. The cavalry would be glad to enlist you. You could do well.”
“I’ll remember that,” answered Tana with a grin and a jaunty wave, “now I must be off.”
She touched the mare’s side, how awkward it was to have to give commands this way and trotted off, a slim and erect figure sitting in the saddle as if born to it.
Tana forded the river and approached the palace gates preparing to face yet another bout of questions and scrutiny. She need not have worried. The Sergeant of the Guard recognised the Graham livery and passed her through with a wave, directing her to the stable block where she was to hand over her horse to the stable-slaves. The Captain, she was informed, was in his office next to the enlisted men’s barracks; his name was on the door. If he wasn’t there she was to wait for him.
Philip Ross, he was named after his father, the Lord Marshall, received the letter with some surprise.
“Another letter from James!” he exclaimed, holding out his hand for it, “and I have not yet replied to the last.”
“Yes Captain,” said Tana, “he said that it was most urgent and I was to ask that you read it immediately.”
Philip Ross broke the seal and read the letter’s contents, glancing at Tana more than once as he did. He then bade her sit.
“This needs some thinking about. You are from the North and are a friend of his cousin, the one who went missing some years back? You require an audience with Her Majesty. A private audience no less. Why?”
