Frozen Prospects

by Dean Murray

  "I know. To answer your question, there is some kind of large group of bandits out there who keep attacking the Guadel walking the circuits."

  "Like they did you and your sponsors?"

  The pain was still very real, but the sharpness of the memories was starting to fade slightly, and Va'del found he could now mention it in passing without tears trying to take him over. Why does that make me feel so guilty?

  "Y-yes, just like they did to us. I'm not positive that they are telling us now each time a Guadel family is killed, but we know that it has happened at least three times."

  Jain clutched at Va'del's arm and buried her head further into his shoulder. "Why would they do this to us?"

  "I'm not sure. Our instructors keep pointing out that we can't even survive without trading to the lowlanders for some of our food. The fact that the mountains are so inhospitable has always served to discourage any attackers. Why come and try and invade us for the jewels when they can always just wait for us to mine for them, and then trade at fairly favorable rates for something as simple as food?"

  "You know something else. What is it?"

  Va'del sighed, "This is little more than guesses, but they have had us run several simulations where we're attacked by bag'ligs--larger than normal groups like the ones that I'rone killed shortly after they sponsored me."

  Jain didn't seem to understand, but Va'del knew it wasn't because she was stupid. She just hadn't been trained to think in terms of strategy and tactics yet. "I think that attacks like that are happening and they are trying to use the beginning strategy class to try and come up with answers that they haven't been able to find through other routes. They don't know how to respond for sure, but they don't want to panic us by saying that there are bag'ligs crawling all over the mountains right now."

  Jain's near gasp told Va'del he'd worried her, but when he stopped talking she squeezed his arm again. "Keep going. I want to know."

  "Ok, but you can't tell anyone else, especially not the other Daughters. The instructors would kick me out if they thought I was letting these things get out and causing a panic."

  "I won't tell anyone."

  "Alright. Remember that I don't know any of this for sure, it is just guesses based on what they are having us do in class, and the fact that it seems like they aren't working from a script anymore. It is like they prepare our lessons the night before class, even. It's been that way for a couple of weeks now. I think that the Guadel are worried about the food convoys. Maybe none of them have been attacked yet, but they've had us run simulations on the runs up from the lowlands, the supply runs from the Capital out to the villages, and the runs between villages."

  Va'del could tell that Jain was trying to be brave, but he knew she was worried, so he hastened on to the good news. "I know it all seems scary, but eventually we'll find where they are operating from, and then a strike force of five or six Guadel with some guardsmen in support could probably wipe out the whole group of bandits in half a cycle."

  "Why haven't they found them yet?"

  "Probably because of the season. It is always windy this time of year, and we get more snow than other times too. By the time we find where there has been an ambush, the tracks we could otherwise use to track them back to their base are already covered."

  Jain nodded. "That makes sense. When the snows and winds die down we should be able to find them then, right?"

  "Yep--if nothing else it should just be a matter of time."

  "I'm scared, but I won't tell anyone else. I don't suppose that any of us are old enough or trained enough to be out there hunting, so it would just worry them for no reason."

  Va'del smiled and kissed the top of Jain's head. "I suspect you're right. Things would have to be awfully bad before they sent all of us out there."

  Suddenly Jain's hands were pulling Va'del's face down to hers, and neither of them worried about anything for the next few minutes until she had to sneak back to the dormitories.

  Chapter 18

  On'li shifted positions on her metal chair, convinced that the gurra wool pad that cushioned the hard steel had somehow grown thinner over the last two months.

  Jo'sep and Garth, Master of Strategy and Master of the Guards respectively, were obviously uncomfortable with delivering their latest batch of bad news.

  Jo'sep finished his report and waited for questions. Ja'dir was the first to start pointing fingers despite the fact that the fierce-looking Master of Strategy belonged to an allied bloodline.

  "So what you're telling us is that an entire village was raided by these animals? That numerous people were killed, that a month's supply of food was taken, and nobody even considered that this might be a possibility?"

  Garth looked for a moment as if he would lose his temper, but Jo'sep restrained him with a barely-noticeable gesture. "No Councilor. What I'm telling you is that we considered the possibility, that it was pointed out to this body, but given our shortage of trained personnel it was decided that other areas were more likely to be attacked and therefore a higher priority."

  Ja'dir looked as though he was about to say something characteristically cutting, but Va'ma stepped in to defend Jo'sep who was a member of his bloodline. "The decision to focus on protecting other vulnerabilities was made as much or more by the Council as it was by our Master of Strategy. Trying to assign blame at this juncture is pointless."

  Ja'dir looked somewhat repentant, possibly realizing that he might be pushing his ally too far.

  "Agreed, but we have to find a way to stop this from happening again."

  A'vril nodded, "Of course, but as I understand the realities of the situation we've already stripped the Capital and stronger villages nearly bare in an effort to cover the food shipments, and help ensure that the Guadel walking circuit were more protected."

  Ja'dir waved away the concern with a casualness that betrayed his almost complete lack of understanding. "So we pull the necessary men from somewhere else. The parties searching for the bandits' base of operations have been completely useless. Reduce the number and size of those groups."

  This time it was Jo'sep that looked ready to lose his temper, but he was saved from saying something brash by the fact that Javin slammed his fist down on the gray stone table. "That's suicide. If we do that we completely give over the offensive and the bandits will be free to continue to pick targets of opportunity until they've completely wiped us out."

  Jo'sep and Garth both shot Javin looks of gratitude, and Va'ma nodded. "He's right, finding those Powers-blasted bandits is our only hope of bringing this to a successful conclusion."

  The argument raged for nearly half a cycle before On'li stood, and after being recognized by A'vril, began laying out a plan. They aren't going to like this. None of them are really going to like it, but it's the only way to come up with additional bodies who have even a chance of doing us some good.

  ##

  Va'del was more than a little surprised when a messenger tracked him down and delivered a note requesting he come by On'li's rooms. Then again, nobody else has arrived at class yet today, not even the instructor, so something must be going on.

  After stopping a number of people for directions, the teenager finally found himself standing before the appropriate corridor.

  A clear 'come in' answered his questioning clap. Va'del entered to find On'li reading through a report.

  "Please sit down."

  "Yes, Guadel On'li."

  "We need to talk."

  Did I do something wrong? Did Jain get caught sneaking back into the dormitories?

  Va'del felt his insides tense up as he realized that there was a much more obvious reason for the Guadel to have to talk to him. They're pulling me from the classes. They finally made a decision, and I won't ever be sponsored.

  "Don't look at me like your world is about to end, boy. You haven't done anything wrong that I know about, and you aren't being barred from attending classes. You are however, about to be put into some very difficu
lt circumstances."

  The relief that he wasn't about to be banned from classes was enough to offset any worry about what the future might hold, and Va'del waited expectantly for On'li to continue.

  "I've been talking to Jo'sep, and he thinks you've probably figured out much of what is going on based on the coursework you've been given in his class the last month or so. If that is the case you won't be surprised to find out that the bandits are pressing us quite severely."

  Va'del nodded cautiously, unsure why the Guadel would go to all the effort of trying to keep the fact secret from the younger candidates only to have On'li tell him now.

  "We just got a report that Black Rock Village was attacked. In addition to a fairly large cache of gemstones, the village also lost half their guardsmen and most of their food. The Council has had to come up with ways to reinforce the villages without pulling people away from the search for the bandits' base of operations. It's vital that we find them."

  On'li paused just long enough for Va'del to nod in understanding, and then continued.

  "Part of those reinforcements are coming from the Guadel and guardsmen who normally teach full time. Parts of the Council will take over guarding the caravans going to the nearest villages, which will free up additional manpower. Since there aren't going to be any teachers here for you youngsters to learn from, you'll all be going out to the various villages to double as a kind of improvised guard until we can root out these villains and thin out the uncommon swarms of bag'ligs currently running around up here. Then we can bring you all back and things can more or less return to normal."

  It all made sense, and in fact Va'del couldn't help but wonder why something similar hadn't been done previously, but it didn't account for the 'difficult circumstances' On'li had mentioned, and the teenager couldn't help the trace of puzzlement he felt make its way to his face as he nodded.

  "The difficulty comes in that you're being fostered out with a pair of Guadel who would like nothing more than to see you fail."

  On'li sighed and rubbed her temples as if fighting a headache. "This whole plan of cleaning out the Capital like this to reinforce the villages was our idea, and certain people on the Council are worried that our stars will rise too high if the plan works, so this is their way of trying to set things up so that there is a brake on us later. We tried to fight the decision, but they pushed it through because they are sure that you'll give them cause to throw you out of the training programs. Your failure will then reflect negatively on us, preventing any kind of new power block on the Council from forming. It's not fair for you to be treated as a pawn in the political intrigues some on the Council seem to love so much, but there is nothing else Javin and I can do at this point. The survival of the People has to come before even the needs of our Bloodline."

  Javin and Mar'li both appeared from the other room and each gave Va'del a smile that bolstered his spirits somewhat as On'li continued. "All that means to you is that you have to be very careful. You'll be going through Black Rock. Those are still members of the People out there, but they're going to be scared. They may very well try to blame you and those with you for what happened, but you absolutely have to make sure that you don't do anything to make relations worse."

  "Yes, Councilor. I'll do my best."

  Satisfied that Va'del was taking her seriously enough, On'li waved him to his feet and out the door. "You'll be leaving tomorrow morning. I'll have someone drop by later to see what additional cold-weather gear you'll need. Get packed, and then stay out from underfoot. Everyone is going to be scrambling to get ready, and more than a few tempers are going to be strained."

  Va'del nodded, and then paused at the privacy corner. "What will happen to all of the Daughters?"

  "That hasn't been decided yet. Most of them have no real experience traveling in the snow, but there is no doubt but they'd be useful out among the villagers if we have more casualties."

  His real question still unanswered, Va'del turned once again to leave when Mar'li spoke up. "She'll do what she can to see that Jain is stationed in the same village as you if they do go, Va'del."

  On'li snorted, but it wasn't an unkind sound. "She's right, and I shouldn't let myself get quite so caught up in the doom and gloom. I know that you're fond of each other and I'll do what I can. Just make sure you both behave."

  ##

  Va'del rubbed sleep out of his eyes and checked over Hungry and Sleepy again. Both of the gurra had been happy to see him despite their long-suffering disappointment that he hadn't brought them some kind of treat.

  Stable master Callan had conscripted Va'del as soon as he'd arrived and put him to harnessing up the two gurra while the rest of the party filtered into the bustling stables.

  Working out of habits developed while on the trail with I'rone, Va'del quickly harnessed both animals and then tied his many small packs to Sleepy. As he finished, someone stopped by and left another pile of packs, but he knew better than to tie them to Hungry. Jasmin always said knowing where you'd put every piece of your gear could save your life. "No Guadel worth his oaths lets someone they didn't know extremely well pack his things or tie them to his gurra."

  By the time Va'del had double checked both gurra, and Callan had been by with a rare word of praise for the job he'd just done, the rest of the Guadel seemed to have arrived.

  A weathered, old Guadel waved Va'del over and presented him to another pair of Guadel who looked roughly as old as Javin and On'li.

  "You'll be Va'del?"

  "Yes sir, I am."

  "Good, I'm Si'mon. This is Guadel Cindi and Guadel Oh'scir. You'll be under their direction for as long as we are away from the Capital. Unless you have an order otherwise from me as the Caravan Master, you do exactly what they tell you."

  Va'del nodded as he tried to unobtrusively examine the pair On'li had warned him would be trying to ensure that he never got the chance to become a candidate.

  Si'mon smiled. "Good boy, I'm told you've been out on the snow before. Keep your head on and you'll do just fine."

  Guadel Cindi sniffed delicately, as if she were too polite to say what she really thought about her young charge. On such a large woman, managing a delicate sniff was a fairly impressive feat.

  Oh'scir smiled absentmindedly at Va'del as he rubbed the top of his bald head, and then looked around. "We're supposed to have someone else traveling with us. I'm not sure why she isn't here yet. What was her name? June, maybe?"

  Cindi shot her husband a long-suffering looked. "Jain. Her name was Jain. She probably over-slept which means we'll get to leave her behind. The whole caravan can hardly wait for one truant teenager."

  Va'del's momentarily elation at finding he was going to be able to travel with Jain was washed away by worry that she wouldn't arrive in time.

  He debated trying to sneak away to find Jain, but quickly discarded the idea. His odds of making it back in time were dismal and if he was late, Cindi would no doubt jump at the excuse to leave him behind.

  Jain arrived a few seconds later, out of breath and barely recognizable under the many layers of clothing she was wearing.

  "Child, you shouldn't put your coat on until you are almost ready to go outside. Otherwise your body gets used to not having to work as hard to stay warm, and you'll freeze once you're out in the cold." Oh'scir made the statement in a much more kindly manner than his wife probably would have, but Jain still looked crestfallen as she started half-heartedly pawing at the fastenings on her coat.

  As soon as both of the Guadel had turned away, Va'del stepped forward and undid the fastenings with practiced ease. As he helped Jain out of the coat, and the heavy wool over shirt she'd been wearing he whispered to her. "It's ok. Pretty much everyone makes that mistake their first time out. We need to try and make sure that you don't get a chance to sweat though. Gurra wool does a pretty good job of drawing moisture away from your skin, but anytime you start feeling hot you need to open up your coat or do something similar to cool down a little. Otherwise
sometimes it cools against your skin and steals your body heat."

  Jain nodded, "There is just so much I don't know. I'm not used to feeling quite so useless."

  Va'del patted Jain on the arm, and then took the last pack she'd brought with her and looked over at the pile next to Hungry. "These others are yours right?"

  "Yes."

  Jain looked back and forth between Va'del and the two Guadel who were conversing with some of their peers.

  "I'm so scared. I didn't think it would come to this; things must be worse than we thought."

  "It will be ok. The odds are we won't see a single bandit, and that the cold will be our only really enemy. Hungry and Sleepy here both took good care of me the first time I was outside. Stick close to them and they'll do the same for you. Now let's get everything tied to a harness."

  ##

  The caravan made very poor time the first day. The cold journey was brutal for the old and young alike. Va'del's daily weapons training sessions had helped keep him fit, but even so he had muscles that were burning from unaccustomed usage by the time the Caravan Master called a halt for the day.

  Poor Jain, she's got to be in even worse shape, but she's kept plugging on, regardless.

  From his position at the tail of their little party, it was obvious to Va'del that Cindi was struggling as much or more than Jain, but he found it hard to be very sympathetic toward the older woman.

  Cindi had used every single rest pause to find something wrong with Va'del. Everything from the amount of slack on Sleepy's lead rope to the way his coat had been fastened, had come under condemnation at some point. Watching Jain get steadily slower and more exhausted, it had been all Va'del had been able to do not to snap back at Cindi that she needed to shift her 'kindly' oversight to Jain, who actually needed the help to ensure she didn't end up with a bad case of frostbite, or worse.

  Va'del rubbed the soft brown wool on Sleepy's head while waiting for the front of the caravan to make its way into the cave that would shelter them for the night. Jain suddenly started to collapse, and only the fact that he was standing so close allowed Va'del to catch her before she hit the ground.