by Jake Yaniak
'You must grow accustomed to this sort of travel,' Lord Havoc said, ignoring his question. 'If you are to be what your uncle wants you to be,' he added.
'And suppose I don't want to be what the King desires,' Volthamir asked boldly.
Lord Havoc paused for a moment and then said, 'Then you will have even more need of endurance.'
The travelers continued all through that night until they came to a small town called Tamlos-Ami. There the road turned toward the east.
'We will stay here for the day,' Lord Havoc said as they approached the gates of the town. 'There is someone who I must find here.'
They entered the town quietly in the early morning, while the world was yet gray and dark. They managed to pass the guard without being noticed. 'It is a good art to master,' Lord Havoc commented, 'to enter unseen, yet without sneaking or skulking. Then you can have both the trust of your enemies as well as the advantage over them. For they cannot be wroth since you did not deceive them, but they will be caught just as unaware as if you had crawled through the windows like a cat.'
Volthamir gave him a strange look.
'My Prince,' Lord Havoc said politely, 'You will find that almost anything can be made into a lesson. And if you wish to be a master someday, you must first be a student. The better student you are, the better a master you will become. That is my task. So do not be too surprised if you find me lecturing at random.'
They came to the center of the town where the road turned east. There were many shops nearby; there was a cobbler's shop and a blacksmith as well as an inn. They entered the inn quietly and found a dark corner to disappear to. Lord Havoc sent Volthamir to find the inn-keeper and to buy them some ale and some food. In a short while he returned to the table bearing two large mugs of ale and the promise that the keeper would soon follow. Shortly afterwards two small quails were brought to them, roasted and salted. They had eaten nothing since they left Japhrian nearly a day ago, so they made short work of all that was on their plates: Two birds, a large loaf of bread, and a few apples. After they had finished, Volthamir pushed his ale away from him and leaned back. He looked at Lord Havoc intently.
The old knight was not wearing his usual garb, though he still wore a chain shirt, hidden beneath his cloak. But his dark armor and crimson cape were nowhere to be seen. In this way he was able to avoid being recognized while they traveled. As he sat looking at his master, the thought occurred to him that he knew nothing of this man's history. He remembered him from his childhood, always brooding about the palace in his dark armor, or sitting in council with the king with his silver hair neatly combed. But he knew very little else about his new master. He also noticed that, despited all the years that had passed, Lord Havoc seemed not to have aged a day.
'Lord Havoc,' he said after some thought. 'For whom are we waiting?'
'We are not really awaiting a whom, but a what.'
'A "what"?' Volthamir asked.
'Yes, to speak correctly, we are waiting for a whom with a what in tow,' Lord Havoc laughed as he spoke.
'You love to speak in riddles,' Volthamir grinned.
'We are not yet in Ramlos, my prince,' Lord Havoc reminded him. 'Remember, I have promised to tell you all in due time. Have no fear, for I do not lightly make promises.'
'Very well,' Volthamir said before finishing the last drops of his ale. 'But perhaps at the very least you can tell me where you are from.'
Lord Havoc put his mug down on the table hard. He looked at Volthamir with a stern look in his eyes. Volthamir sat there stone-faced, waiting for Lord Havoc to respond. 'I can see that I do not have to hide anything from you,' he said. 'But you are not the only one with ears in this town.'
After waiting for nearly an hour, the inn-keeper arrived with something in his hand. As he approached, Volthamir could see that it was a large black bird, perched atop his wrist. 'Our whom has arrived with our what!' Lord Havoc exclaimed.
'Hail, Lord Havoc,' the inn-keeper said as he tried to catch his breath. 'I have kept the bird, just as you asked.
'And what is this on his foot?' Lord Havoc asked as he fingered the tiny string tied to the bird's claw. 'I asked you to feed the bird, my dear Erkin, not to imprison him.'
The inn-keeper's face turned white and he bowed low, 'Forgive me master Havoc,' he said with a broken voice. 'The bird was intent on flying away, and I was afraid that he would be lost and I would be blamed.'
'Arus will not be easily lost, even if you wanted him to be,' Havoc laughed. Lord Havoc untied the string and the crow hopped onto his shoulder, warily eying the old inn-keeper. 'At any rate, you have done what I have asked at least. Here is your money. One gold coin was our deal, correct?'
'Indeed, my lord,' the innkeeper said humbly. 'A most gracious reward for such an honor.'
'If it is too gracious, perhaps I ought to give you only half.'
The innkeeper's face turned white again and he opened his mouth, but no sounds came out. Lord Havoc laughed and handed him a shining golden coin. 'Do not worry, Lord Havoc does not hold back his wages.'
When the innkeeper had left them they began to speak again of their journey and their mission. Lord Havoc gave the crow scraps of the meal they had just finished. 'Education, and the defense of Ramlos,' Lord Havoc said soberly, 'Neither of them are small matters. But I have a feeling that you are very nearly ready for the task. But before that we must make our way to Ramlos. We have had a good start, but it is still many leagues away.'
'How far is it along the road?'
'It is nearly two hundred leagues by the northern road, but our own journey will be somewhat longer. I intend to pass through the Heyan Forest, which will slow us down quite a bit.'
'Why would we need to pass through Heyan? The western road will take us to the north more quickly.'
'We will make it to the north in due time. There are things in Heyan that you must first see.'
'Remember your promise, Lord Havoc. You will unravel all of these riddles when we get to Ramlos.'
'Indeed. I will unravel everything, and perhaps some things before we even arrive. But I will say nothing so long as we are within the borders of Amlaman.' Lord Havoc fed another piece of meat to the crow. He looked at the crow for several minutes with an intent expression, as though he were listening to someone's speech. Finally he turned once more to Volthamir and spoke, 'Ah, I have forgotten to introduce you to Arus!' Lord Havoc moved his hand up to his shoulder and the bird hopped lightly onto his wrist. 'This is Arus,' he said, 'the greatest of all black crows. He is a very cunning bird, as far as they go. He has been my companion on many long journeys.'
'Why were you waiting for him here?'
'Your uncle doesn't trust him,' Lord Havoc laughed. 'And who can blame him? Didn't I just say that he was cunning? So I left him with Erkin; that way I would not have to trouble your uncle. He is convinced that little Arus here is a spy.' Lord Havoc grinned, 'And he may be a spy for all we know. He disappears for long periods of time to nobody knows where and then returns suddenly with no explanation at all. I'm sure your uncle imagines that he is flying to Titalo or some other unseemly land to spread rumors and tell tales.'
The two men left Tamlos-Ami just as the sun began to set. They restocked their sacks and made their way through the eastern gate, following the main road. They walked all through the night, stopping to rest only three times. Volthamir was no weakling, but he was still awestruck by Havoc's endurance.
For two nights they followed the road toward Daufina. But just when they were about half way to the mountains, Lord Havoc stopped and turned toward the north. 'This is where we must part with ease and strike out off the road,' Lord Havoc said. 'The Heyan forest lies within a half-day's march to the North from this spot. If we can make it to Soleya by tonight we will be safe from this accursed wind for the better part of our journey.'
At first this part of their journey was quite difficult. There were many thick bushes and tall weeds growing on the northern fields that blocked their way. Whe
n they couldn't find a way around them Lord Havoc chopped them away with his mighty blade. In this way they hewed themselves a path away from the road and through the wilderness that lay between them and the forest. After three hours of this they came to a more open country. The ground began to rise gently, but the bushes and the grass became tamer. Here and there they passed by farms and villages, some abandoned, others lively with busy peasant farmers going about their business. They passed all of these without stopping. Lord Havoc seemed to have it set in his mind that they would make it to Soleya by nightfall.
The Master of Soleya
Sure enough, just as the sun went down they found themselves walking into a small hamlet under the protection of many tall fir trees. Almost at once the cold winter winds were beaten back by the thick trees of the forest and the air grew still. When they neared the center of town an old man hurried out to greet them with a torch. 'Lord Havoc!' he called with a glad look on his face. 'You've returned to the north!'
'Indeed,' Lord Havoc responded, 'And I have brought with me young Volthamir, the prince of Amlaman.'
Upon hearing that, the man bowed low to the ground with some difficulty. Volthamir looked away, not caring for the adoration. 'We are honored beyond words,' the man said, still on the ground.
'Rise, old father,' Volthamir said coldly.
'The prince has come to help us in our war against the goblins,' Havoc said proudly.
The old man rose from the ground and smiled. 'Then we will be safer than we've yet been. For we have heard that Lord Vars himself trained the young man. If he is half the man Vars is, he will do well.' The man paused for a moment and then continued, 'But I am sure that the prince will prove himself better than his master in due time.'
'Of that I have little doubt,' Lord Havoc said with a polite laugh. There was a brief silence and then Lord Havoc spoke. 'We have been walking without rest for some two and a half days. A room and a bed would be a very welcome change.'
The old man's eyes lit up and he bowed low again. 'Then you must follow me, my lords. You will stay with me, for I am the master of this village, if a village it can be called. I know it is a far cry from the thick palace walls at Japhrian. But we have wool blankets and roaring fireplaces that can at least beat the hospitality of the cold wilderness. Follow me, lords,' he said, 'I am called Effren. If you need anything of me, do not hesitate to call me or one of my servants.'
Soleya was a pleasant little village, built in a large clearing at the southern tip of the Heyan forest. There was a small road that led out of the village and curved swiftly to the west. They followed this road for about a half hour until they came to the center of the town. The road was smooth and well kept, and along it there were built several shops and many nice homes. Being the southernmost settlement in Heyan, they profited greatly from the furs and berries that were gathered in the woods. They kept a sizable force of hunters and trackers employed in the preservation of the trails and in the security of the southern woods. For this labor they exacted a significant levy from all those that sought to pass through their territory with merchandise. This traffic made them wealthy; and it made Effren, the elder of the village, even more wealthy.
They were led to a large log house on the northern side of the village. Just as the door opened, Arus flew away into the darkening sky and vanished. Lord Havoc sighed and followed the old man into the house.
When they entered the house they were met by a very welcome blast of hot air that seemed instantly to drive the cold winter chill from their bones. They could see a large fireplace just in the other room with a strong flame whipping about. Effren brought them into the room and sat them down at a low table and called for his daughter. Ethla, answering her father's call, bowed low and without a word she brought a pitcher of water and a bowl to wash their hands and feet. Volthamir would have refused her, but Lord Havoc gave him a harsh look. He relented and allowed her to wash his feet with a soft rag. When she was done, a great meal was carried in by two servants on large wooden platters. They placed these on the center of the table and started to place portions on each plate.
Ethla left for a few minutes and then returned, now dressed in a pleasant green dress with a fur shawl over her shoulders. Following after her entered Effren's wife, Arani. The two ladies took their place at the master's side, the daughter on the left and the mother on the right. In the bright firelight they seemed to shine with health and beauty. 'The ladies of Soleya are truly enchanting,' Lord Havoc said with a gleam in his eye. 'Their beauty is only beaten by their hospitality,' he said. The daughter's cheeks turned red and the mother bowed low.
'And my lord's words are too kind,' Lady Arani said.
The meal consisted of roasted lamb, flaky biscuits with mounds of butter, and tall mugs of cider. When they had finished, the servants returned and washed their hands. Then they brought out a platter piled high with dried fruit and small honey cakes.
'Tell me, young Volthamir,' Effren asked when they had all finished their meal. 'What brings you to Heyan? Would it not have been much faster to follow the eastern road along the foothills? I am indeed glad that you chose the slow and winding forest paths, but if I can spare you some difficulty in your coming journey as well as grant you rest from that part you've already finished, I would be more than happy.'
'I am following Lord Havoc,' Volthamir said coldly. 'And he insists upon this road, so I will take it.'
'We are not making for the Daunrys immediately,' Lord Havoc explained politely. 'We are first going to Ramlos to give orders to the army there. Then we will set out along the northern road with a great force to make an end of the goblins of the coasts.'
'This is more than you've told me,' Volthamir complained.
'Don't worry, my prince,' Lord Havoc laughed. 'You will know more than old Effren when we get to Ramlos. But I have not mentioned it until now because I had not yet been fully decided on our course.'
After they had talked a little more, the servants returned and cleared away their dishes. Arani and Effren bid them goodnight and left them in the dining hall. Ethla rose and beckoned them to follow her. Her unshod feet gently sailed over the wooden floors as she led them through a long hall and brought them at last to two large rooms. She lit a candle in each of them and then bid the men goodnight, kissing each softly on the hand.
In the morning, Lord Havoc woke Volthamir from his sleep with a loud knock on his door. Volthamir rose swiftly and was standing at the door, dressed and prepared to leave before he could knock a second time.
'You are ready to leave already?' Lord Havoc asked.
'I see no point in remaining here any longer,' Volthamir said.
'And what about rest?' Lord Havoc asked.
'You are always trying to mock me,' Volthamir complained. 'You know as well as I do that you have no intention of remaining here. Nor do you want me to desire such a thing.'
'You are a swift learner, my prince,' Lord Havoc laughed. 'Come, we will eat and then take to the road. We will now travel by day, for the forest is filled with black wolves, and it would be folly to try and make it past them in the darkness.'
They ate breakfast with the master and his wife ere they departed. They were given generous portions of ham along with toasted bread with cheese. When they finished this the master of the house rose and took each of their hands in turn, saying, 'Thank you for granting me the honor of serving you, my lord and protector.'
They left the house and made their way east to a small dirt road, which they followed north for the rest of the day, stopping only twice to refill their waterskins. 'The streams in this wood are all clean,' Lord Havoc said. 'While you wander about in Heyan, you at least can rest easy that you will not die from thirst. But that is not to say the forest is safe. Even as he spoke, a long howl ripped through the air. 'The black wolves are cunning hunters,' he said. 'But they fear fire, as do all wild beasts.'
'Then we had better gather some extra wood tonight,' Volthamir said, stooping low to grab a dry bran
ch from the path.
In a short while they had a large fire going, and alongside it a great pile of logs and dead branches. Lord Havoc had gone to fetch one last bundle of wood ere the darkness came. He returned, just as the light failed with Arus upon his shoulder. 'He is truly the cleverest of all crows,' Havoc told Volthamir when he was finally seated in front of the fire. Another howl rang out in the darkness, this one was much closer than before. It was followed by two more from somewhere to the west. The howls grew louder and nearer as the night wore on. 'Did you know that master Arus can chase away wolves?'
'No, I did not know such a thing,' Volthamir answered, looking stone-facedly into the fire.
'He can,' Havoc explained, 'If I give him the command, he will lead these brutes far away.'
'Do as you wish,' Volthamir said. Lord Havoc whispered something to the bird in a strange language. Arus almost immediately sprung from his shoulders and flew out into the darkness away from the fire.
At first they could hear sounds like growling in the bushes nearby, but as time wore on the sounds grew more distant. Even the howling faded away little by little until finally the forest was silent. Then, as though relieved of the fear of the wolves, all the noises of the woods returned and filled the empty woods with strange and wild tones.
'How long will we be in Heyan?' Volthamir asked when some time had passed.
'We have another day at least until we find the Darvnas River, which flows north from the Daunrys Horn. We will follow that until we come to Ferwur. From that village we will go due east to the main road. Then it is another hundred leagues to Ramlos, and you will finally see the old home of your uncle. But that part of the journey will take at least a week on foot.'
Volthamir shook his head ever so slightly.
Arus and the Black Wolves
Arus flew into the darkness and made his way swiftly through the trees. In less than a minute he came upon a pack of wolves as they roamed through the woods. He landed silently upon a branch above them and watched them in secret for some time. 'What prey do you hunt tonight?' the bird said, breaking the silence with his shrill voice.
