Sylvia gave her shoulders a little squeeze and grinned in that conspiratorial mom look that I shared with her. Then I looked expectantly at Misty. She muttered with a tinge of petulance that spoke volumes of how difficult a teenager she would be when she had her mind set on something, “Fine.”
That was her non-committal voice, and I arched an eyebrow at it. She was already in trouble for stowing away, to begin with, she must have been thinking that a little more mischief wouldn't make her situation any worse when we got back home.
I recognized it only because I had been just as bad when I had been young. It must be a rite of passage that all children go through. The crooked grin on Jace's face as he passed by with buckets to fetch water from the river to replenish the water supplies for the horses on the Condor, told me he recognized it too. He was quite the accomplished little mischief maker himself before mother got sick, then he was forced to grow up too quickly.
Celeste prompted, “Misty?”
I had an ace in the hole though. I grinned at the term. Bowyn and Tennison had taught me a card game that was from the Before that many in Sparo still played. Poker. They never asked me to join in again after I won every hand that night. Seeing my hand before it is dealt helps. They called me a tiny thief, but I couldn't control the time shift my sight gives me very well back then. By the end of that night, I had three gold seven penny to donate to the support funds for Cheap Quarter and the Trough.
I kept my tone stern, trying not to let the smugness of my manipulation color it. “Give me your word as the Templar of the Junior Regiment.”
She made a sound of disbelief, as Jace called from the bank of the wide, slow-moving river, “There is no such thing as the Junior Regiment.”
Misty turned and stuck her tongue out at her young uncle who was more a big brother to the girls, then she looked at me and took on that air of seriousness she got whenever she spoke of her 'duties' as the commander of the Junior Regiment. “I give my word.”
Then she deflated. I knew that was a promise she would keep. Though not many took her seriously about her Regiment, she and a handful of us did.
I smiled at them and said, “Now that you've tended the horses, why don't you go play until the squads are ready to leave? But always stay within sight of the camp.”
That was all they needed to hear, and Ingr grabbed Misty's hand, and they ran off through the bluegrass meadow, giggling. I smiled at them as they ran toward the treeline where a herd of those deer-like animals were grazing. They had short stubby, two-point horns, unlike the traditional racks of the deer in the forests around Wexbury.
Sylvia was the healer of our branch of the Lupei, and also the one who taught lessons for the children, and was more versed in animals of the Before than any of us. She explained when the archers brought one back for the midday meal, and the cooks went about skinning it, “That is a Pronghorn. They used to wander the Whispering Walls in the early days, but were hunted to extinction when the Altii came down from Highland.”
It always saddened me that we Altii were so young and foolish. That anything survived the Great Impact, just to be wiped from existence by us was such a tragedy. But we were slowly learning what the People already knew, and we allowed the wildlife to thrive while only taking what we needed to survive. Most species in Sparo now had a stable breeding base, and none were in danger of being reduced to but a memory by the hand of man.
As Misty made soft clicking sounds in the distance and the heard moved around her, I wondered aloud. “What a miracle it would be to bring some back with us and reintroduce them to Sparo, to correct the travesty that we wrought upon them and our own lands.”
Celeste spoke volumes to me with just a wistful smile for me. She was a woman of few words, but she could convey so very much to me with but a glance. I could see the complexity of the woman I loved below the knight and protector facade she showed the world.
I almost jumped at a male voice beside me. “They flock to her with no fear. Our archers were barely able to bring one down, they keep to the extreme range of their bows like they are used to man hunting them.”
I looked up at Captain Thomas as he watched the girls petting the flanks of the wondrous animals as Dru chuckled. “What do you suppose the people of the Westlands eat, Captain?”
The big man chuckled right back at the Gypsy. “I suppose you're right.”
I couldn't get a good read on the Highlander. He was gruff and prideful about his oversized vessel at times, then quite cordial and almost likable at others. I wondered if he felt he had to project that gruff manner like Celeste did.
I shared with him as he pulled up some of the grass to sniff and pull apart as he examined it. “Misty has a way with animals. She is nature touched.”
He nodded, and a smile quirked before it was gone again. “So I have heard. Stowaway and animal charmer. The men on the airship say that she has found and tamed a creature from the Weigh Station?”
I smiled broadly and nodded.
Sara stepped forward and unrolled part of the map scroll and indicated the Bitsy Rock Hopper, explaining, “It is a small rodent who, from what we have observed of it with the children, uses its hind legs to leap for mobility, then drops to all fours when foraging for food.”
The man nodded in appreciation and showed more depth than before as he said to nobody in particular, “Life is returning the Uninhabitable Lands. One day the entire Earth will be covered in green again.”
I smiled, deciding I leaned more toward liking the fellow than wishing to smite him for handling the children roughly. I'll reserve my judgment for now and spare him my list.
Then he asked me, “You've seen the Great Sea?”
I nodded, and he grinned slyly. “Would you believe if I told you that the world had once been mostly covered in sprawling seas such as that?”
He was making small talk. I think to get into our good graces after what happened with the children. He seemed genuinely well-meaning though he seemed to share the misconceptions others had of me, but even as a commoner, I was a learned woman. Mother had made sure that Jace and I could read and do our maths, we did our lessons almost daily. I had even snuck into the Great Library to see the scrolls when I was young and saw these great bodies of water on the map scrolls there. Now, I lived in the libraries, consuming knowledge at every opportunity.
There was so much knowledge contained in the tomes and scrolls that I doubted anyone could possibly learn it all. Well with the exception of Emily that was.
With her eidetic memory, she had gone through everything in the Great Library of the Techromancy Scrolls of Wexbury and was now consuming all she could from the Penny Library. I envied her ability to retain everything she saw.
I smiled politely and inclined my head. “The Oceans of old.”
He tilted his head in slight surprise and inclined his head in acceptance of my education. He glanced around at the Gypsies, who didn't look surprised at his revelation either.
We needed to work on the Altii misconception that Gypsies were simple folk just because they had no settlements and preferred to be constantly on the move in their wagons. In truth, they were more educated and civilized than we could ever hope to be. The Altii were young and had much to learn. Technology didn't equate to superiority.
I smiled at my inner self and its flip-flopping, I, we, them, us, I was both Altii and Gypsy, and it sometimes got confusing.
My own mother had shared with me that our scholars believed that much of the water from those vast oceans still exists in some form or another as it would be virtually impossible for it all to have vaporized when the Earth was bombarded by debris from the Impact. They surmised that much of it was below the continental shelf we were on. This was proved out by deep core drilling.
Though it rarely rains away from the mountains in Sparo, there are enormous amounts of groundwater, which is why the forests and grasslands thrive. If water is needed anywhere away from the sparse streams and rivers on the plains, a shallo
w well could provide all the water needed.
I looked toward the slow-moving river, with the colorful fish swimming just as lazily in it, the species of which none of us recognized, and the life the river provided to the surrounding wasteland. I wondered aloud wistfully. “Is it possible that life here is creeping out as fast as the Fringe back home?”
The thoughtful looks around me told me I wasn't the only one with these idle thoughts.
We had seen that the river narrowed to nothing about fifty miles from our location. When pressed when we saw it from above, Bex had surmised, “I believe it is actually going subterranean at that point instead of just diminishing to a trickle. It still has a good amount of volume to be seen at our altitude. I wonder where it comes back out...”
Always thinking, that one.
Celeste exhaled as her eyes seemed to devour the alien lands around us, clearly not wanting to say it as she enjoyed this new landscape. “It's time. We need to get the squads moving if we're to crest the ridge by sundown.”
I inhaled the air as I nodded my agreement. It even smelled off, the distinct scents of nature, of the trees, grasses, and flowers perfuming the world couldn't mask the slight sulfur smell and another odor that smelled passingly familiar, but I couldn't place it. It was almost industrial in nature.
I smiled broadly, we had arrived, and now it was time for another adventure to begin. We would find the Cristea, and we would aid them. Politics be damned.
I felt a bit guilty about my excitement, but this was something new, more knowledge I could consume to feed that ravenous hunger my mind has since I had been little. My hand absently went to my shoulder, I didn't realize I was touching the whip scars I received for sneaking into the Great Library. It wasn't until Celeste placed her hand on mine that I realized I was doing it. It always distressed her.
I gave a reassuring smile, and then we all started toward the airships as men and women went to round up the free grazing horses. I had to grin at the female knight who, with the aid of two other knights, was trying to get Goliath to move away from a thick clump of grasses. He wouldn't budge as he ate and it was actually quite humorous watching them trying to move him with the tether line they had looped over his thick neck.
I gave the poor knights mercy and whistled. My big, beautiful boy looked up, the white blaze on his muzzle the only thing marking his shiny midnight black pelt. And he trotted lazily toward me as we went to join the rest of the squads, the woman was being dragged behind him as she was determined not to let go of the tether.
I gave her an apologetic look as Goliath sidled up to me as we headed to the Condor, the girls came darting over from their herd of pronghorns who were thoroughly enamored by them now. I patted Goliath's leg as we stopped at the Condor.
Celeste was calling out unnecessarily as everyone was already in motion upon seeing us, “Everyone gear up and saddle up, teams Able and Bravo we head out in ten!”
Jace joined us as Alexandru plucked my saddle from me. I had hoisted it then tried to figure out how I was going to saddle my Percheron, I felt embarrassed that the stable-boys had always done it for me ever since I became a noble, and before that, I had only hitched him to the family wagon.
Dru said, on the verge of laughter, as he stretched to saddle my mount, “Does my Sora need help?”
I almost died of embarrassment when our Greva, the Wexbury Knights, and the children all called out, “Just a little,” in the ongoing joke about my height that all of Wexbury teased me with. I was above such immature behavior, so I just crossed my arms in defiance and stuck my tongue out at the whole lot of them. Truth be told, I have to admit, that in some perverse manner, I sort of enjoyed it as it showed that they all cared and were comfortable joking with me.
Only those who have ridden into battle with Celeste ever tease her, and I think that sort of isolates her on an island of close friends or comrades at arms. That, unfortunately, insulates her from the sense of belonging that the young Trapper girl deep inside her longs for.
My magics quested for her as I reached a hand out leaving trails of mist, her's meeting mine halfway, our magics twining tightly. It was but a moment, but it told me she had been feeling that longing before we released each other. We were getting more and more in tune with each other's moods and feelings as each day passed. In that moment of contact, I had conveyed the three things she needed most, “I am here”, “You are not alone,” and, “You are loved.”
The message was received as she straightened and the strong leader with unwavering courage was there before us all as she surveyed the groups as they all started mounting up, and the group pulled from her strength.
I checked my saddle packs on Goliath then almost as if we were in a choreographed dance, Celeste and I and our Greva all checked each other's leathers and weapons while the knights of the squads did the same. Then Celeste turned to Verna and Bowyn and checked them.
A part of me was saddened that this check seemed so normal to me. That it was normal for me to be sure those around me were ready for battle should the need arise, took a little part of my innocence. I wondered if I had any innocence left in me. After all the violence and destruction I have wrought in a few short years, all the people I had... killed. I had more links in my chains of sins than any other living in Sparo. Was there any part of Laney Herder left inside me?
A hand in mine pulled me from my thoughts, I looked to see Misty with a worried expression on her face. I smiled, and she beamed her smile right back. She was answering my question as my heart swelled with love for her. If I could love, then I was still me.
I pulled her into a hug, reaching one arm out and Ingr joined in, and I kissed the tops of their heads. “Love you girls. We'll be back before you know it.” I looked at Jace who was standing tall and proud. He will make a fine knight one day, and that thought made me both proud and sad at the same time. “Take care of the girls. Tie them to the airships if you need to.”
He gave me a silly salute and a wink. “I've got this, you go do your thing...” Then he added sarcastically like only my little brother could, “...Sora.”
Smiting list, dear brother, smiting list.
Our Greva mounted up, and I had to smile at Captain Thomas as he joined us and bent down beside Goliath and cupped his hands for me gallantly for me to mount. I heard a snort from someone, and I sighed at the well-meaning man. The day I cannot mount my horse is the day I am no longer fit to be a knight of Wexbury... unless I'm injured... again... my life is so strange now.
I winked at him and just vaulted over his hands and snagged the saddle horn with my silk-gloved hand and swung myself up and into the saddle, leading wispy afterimages behind me as the white mists swirled then caught up with me.
The man chuckled and stood mumbling with a grin, “Right then.” Then he teased, “You look ridiculous up there, my Lady.”
I cocked an eyebrow, shifting my eyes to my clothing then his eyes and he inclined his head slightly.
“I mean, Sora.”
I couldn't blame the poor man, I got confused as to which capacity I was working under at any given time. The way I was dressed was the reminder to myself and others on how they were to address me.
I found it all quite tedious, the title game. Things were so much easier as a serf. There were all of us, and there were the nobles, rank didn't come into the equation as all us commoners were the same. That is why I identified more with Gypsy culture. There was a Mother for each band, for everyone to look to for leadership and guidance, then there were the People. All equal, all working for the same, the enrichment and betterment of all. And of course to tie all the bands together was the Great Mother, who kept the peace between all.
Our Greva moved in front of everyone, and Celeste said, “Captain, you have base camp. We'll leave spotters at the peak. We've supplies for three days. If you don’t hear from us by then and are not signaled for an extraction, your orders are to retreat immediately back to Sparo. If these are truly the Great Wizards threat
ening the Cristea, we don't have any idea what they are capable of, and word will need to reach the Crown.”
Thomas and all the men and women of Squad Charlie had sour looks on their faces. They knew the realities of it, and it didn't sit well for any Knight to retreat while their comrade's fates were unknown. But they also knew the necessity of it.
I understood their discontent all too well, as it is a lesson I have never learned. It is one of my shortcomings, as I have never learned how to retreat. I have so many scars to show as the price for that same shortcoming.
I turned to the volcano as Celeste did, Sylvia and Sara sliding up beside us. I knew without looking that Dru would be directly behind us. Then Celeste draped her hands loosely over her saddle and looked at me expectantly. The cheeky woman, she couldn't come up with anything profound to say in this historic moment, when Sparo rides into the Westlands, so she was leaving it to me. Fine. I called out, “To the Westlands, Sparo, the Cristea await! We shall not tarry!”
My girl was smirking at me, and I crinkled my nose and just gave Goliath a bit of pressure with my legs, releasing the reins. He needed no more encouragement and ran flat out. He loved when I gave him all the rein he wanted. As I left the others behind in a rush of wind, I heard my wife chuckling as she said, “You heard her.”
Then the chase was on. There wasn't a charger in the habitable lands who could pace my Goliath.
Chapter 10 – Rescue
I let up after the sounds of pursuit had fallen away and we slowed to an idle trot as I gave the slightest bit of pressure with one leg to turn Goliath around. I watched the others as they galloped toward us while I retrieved the reins to hold loosely in my good hand.
I couldn't stop the smile spreading on my face, seeing two full squads of knights charging up the steep slope, led by four riders, their Gypsy hunting cloaks billowing behind them. It was quite a scene, and if you didn't know what you were seeing, one might almost think the knights were pursuing the quartet of Gypsies through a strange new land.
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