Metrus arrived with a pair of hare on his heels, alive still, but ready for the slaughter, a contingency planned for if Edran were unsuccessful in catching some fish. Seeing that they weren't necessary the Druid released the two creatures from his spell and they were off into the wild again with a leap and a bound. They all ate in silence on the steelhead later that afternoon. Stew again, but much better than what Edran had cooked up the other night.
Bhask waited until everyone was done and said, ‘best be prepared when we set out by morning. Edran, if you'd be so kind, I think it is time for us to retrieve our things. At this Kaell's face lit up, but only just. Shala would have missed it if she hadn't been looking right at him.
‘Of course Master Wolf,’ said Edran, first offering to take everyone's bowls away before he led them outside again. Shala was uncertain whether she should follow, rather waiting behind until Bhask peeked in by the barn door again.
‘Come along Princess, there'll be things for you as well.’
Shala hurried to keep up, the lot of them marching through the grass to the secondary building, or rather the main building of the mill.
Before Shala could know it they bunched up in the shed where the mechanical gears were kept .The room was dedicated to their enterprise only and she knew not what business they had here.
‘Did they raid the place?’ asked Bhask.
‘Many times over Master Bhask,’ answered Edran.
‘Suspicious schemers,’ said Bhask with disgust.
‘But suspicious for a reason, eh?’ said Edran.
‘Yes, I suppose,’ said Bhask, finding reason to be amused. ‘Although I’m sure they would never have guessed that they need fear the Wolves again.’
‘No indeed, you have some point to make Master Bhask, these politicians and rioters of men are arrogant, and forget all too quickly how deadly the Savage Art weaves.’
‘Yes, and I would love to take a blade to every fat soft-bellied man who speaks ill-will, but I know beforehand our path will be a quiet one and our mission best served by being quiet. I’ll not have the whole world know of us, even if they should rightly fear us.’
‘Wait! What would they hunt here for? Were there men here while I slept?’ asked Shala.
‘No Your Highness. We speak of times long before we arrived, and so you are not what they were after.’
‘What then?’ asked Shala.
‘Conspirators, or anything that links a man to said conspirators. Looking for caches of weapons or instruments of destruction. They don’t want them in the hands of common men.’
‘They anticipated you?’ suggested Shala.
‘They anticipated something and unfortunately they are well revised with Edran’s past, helping the older Wolves with escape and supplies as he often did.’
‘They didn't hurt you did they?’ asked Shala worriedly.
‘No, never Highness, they don't think enough of me to consider me worthy of much attention. And that's their mistake!’ said Edran with a smile.
‘Would you?’ gestured Bhask at the machine.
‘Of course,’ said Edran, already wrapping his hands on a crank operating the apparatus, and with a tug he disengaged the main shaft propelled by the wheel outside. The wheel in the water still turned and groaned, but all the other devices came to a halt.
‘They of course never expected to look where you suggested,’ said Edran happily, ‘they were so damned sure they’d caught me when they found that cellar at the forest edge – nothing but rats and empty wine flasks down there!’
Bhask strode forward, groping through the gears and shafts established high and low, looking like a man forcing his way through a jungle.
Shala could see those gears tearing a man apart should they move like they were meant to. No wonder the men who came to raid on Edran didn’t look here.
Bhask came to the other end of the room and then trekked back, making a mission of it to stomp his feet on the floor, until he hit that hollow spot.
He hunched over and with his little finger pried open the trap door, lifting a good deal of the wooden floor section away.
From the chamber underneath he lifted a giant trunk, his hands clasped on handles on each end. Suddenly Shala understood why he specifically had to retrieve it; the thing was big and by the look of it, filled to its capacity. With some careful angling Bhask marched back with it, and he set it down as gently as he would a child.
‘At last!’ Eagerly, Kaell flipped open the locks, and lifted the lid. Shala could make little sense of all the contents at first, especially with Kaell rummaging through the tightly packed supplies looking for his own devices, which were odd things to Shala’s eyes.
He gathered all his things in a pack and without a further word Kaell walked off with it, leaving their company, and rushed straight out the door, surprising Shala. Bhask attended to the rest of the contents, checking to his satisfaction that they were well supplied and equipped. There were bags and packs, each with water skins and pots and foods that preserved well. Bhask took a bundle of cloth and handed it to the Princess. ‘This is for Your Highness, we anticipated a change of clothes for you, they are a very common cut, but they will fit you just fine if my eyes are to be trusted.’
‘Did you truly believe all along it would come to me running scared across the country?’ asked Shala, sounding more cynical than she intended.
‘No Highness, for both your father and yourself this would have been the worst play of events. We had Kaell in the castle to possibly stop a betrayal like the other night, but it seems little will avail against Swarztial’s malice.’
‘I will not falter to him!’
‘Not that I expect you to my Lady, only now we have to ensure your safety and in the same stride, best plan to return you to the throne.’
‘What if Patrick takes the throne?’
‘Those loyal to you will stall proceedings, I’m certain, but we’ll make haste either way. Till then, its best you carry this on your person,’ said Bhask handing her another object wrapped in cloth.
‘A poniard Highness,’ said Bhask as Shala let fall the cloth from the knife almost as long as a short sword, the Princess already pulling it from its sheath.
‘Short and sharp, don't bother swinging it around - an underarm stroke rather, straight out if anything attacks you,’ he said demonstrating with one arm punching below the other. ‘Pray you never use it, but it may protect you where the light within the waters can't. Unfortunately not all enemies are of pure darkness. Most are of flesh and bone.’
Shala stroked the tapered length of the blade, avoiding the needle sharp point. ‘Edran said that you have a plan for us to leave the continent.’
Bhask thoughtfully scratched his stubble on his chin. ‘Ah, and there’s my trophy,’ said Bhask as Metrus uncovered it at the other side of the trunk. Stooping Bhask swept up a smoking pipe and a large flat packet that had a pleasant earthy smell to it. ‘How I’ve longed for my pipe. Highness let’s talk outside. My mind is often sharper after a smoke.’
Outside he took a knife and flint and struck sparks, of which enough caught the weed in the pipe. With some long forgotten satisfaction Bhask puffed rhythmically and then pulled deeply, blowing clouds of sweet smoke skywards. It had the scent of berries.
‘Well?’ asked Shala, wondering if Bhask had forgotten her question.
‘You see my Lady, Metrus tells me of goblin movements all across the north. The wraith-kind now seem welcome here, as they were never before, and Swarztial will have alerted all of our “rogue presence.” I would say, leave the continent, if only to regroup.’ Bhask did not see satisfaction on the Princess's face. ‘But I take it you have a plan as well, Your Grace?’
‘Yes. I don't sorely think fleeing that far is a bad idea, but I believe my case must be taken to the Crimson City, before the Grandmaster there, and before His Benevolence.’
Bhask bit his lip. ‘A good plan Highness, but you must know the Wolves are not welcome in Allandiel.’
; ‘I know, but by the look of this dress you laid out for me I would assume we stay covert anyhow, I would have us go to Allandiel quietly, and you will only be my loyal escort, no one needs to know better. I will be a commoner or better yet, a minor noble if it's a more convincing disguise.’
This made Bhask thoughtful again. ‘It is a bit further than I intended to travel, but I must admit, this plan of escape was firstly set in place for a haunted pilgrim wishing to travel as far as Nem Nemuris, to answer the Dream. The Crimson City is but half of that travel, so I would certainly not complain.’
Shala suddenly blinked, struck by a thought. ‘That door we opened in the Dragonwell, it had the horn on it...’
‘Yes Highness, like I said, your father put it in place, knowing Evrelyn was the last eligible House, knowing enemies might target Evrelyn for exactly their responsibility to the tradition. The door was made to aid a speedy journey to Nem Nemuris.’
‘Is that why you all came for me? I had thought differently, but if it is something that I must do then-’
‘No!’ said Bhask. ‘Not in any way Highness. The Wolves were established to protect you as a light-bearer, and nothing else. We have no expectation of you other than your conduct being noble. To us, it is all the same if you take to the Dream or take to the throne.’
‘My father left a note you know, one that still rings in my mind. He made it sound as though I must complete the Dream. He said Evrelyn would come to an end!’ said Shala.
‘And yet he asked himself to be sealed in his own body afterwards?’ said Bhask.
Shala was taken aback for a second. ‘I forget that Kaell would have told you much in his visits to the infirmary. That’s right however; I think he was growing enormously desperate as his strength waned.’
‘Yes indeed. Desperate to save his only daughter and his family. Highness, he knew your disposition, and he knew you would shoulder the burden of the Dream if you must, if you were left alone in it and the world turned to chaos. I did not know the man in his last days and I cannot speak for him, but I would guess he himself stared at that note and refused it. That is why he asked you afterwards to seal him, it was a plan he made, hastily and frantically, but maybe it would give you the chance to simply make your own fate as Queen.’
‘And yet Swarztial quashed that plan. My father rests buried now and the magic sealing him will wane! I don’t know what it is I must do...’
‘Highness, look at me,’ said Bhask, ‘the world and all its people cannot decide for you. The Dream and whatever it contains needs conviction if nothing else. I of course know of a Kingdom that will desperately need its Queen, and will certainly fail without a sound ruler. The world will not fall apart, not if we have faith in the Crimson City, but Attoras may very well be in peril and no Dream will save it. If I was allowed to make any suggestion on your course, I would say do not leave the people of Attoras unattended. Let us go to the Crimson City, let us make a prayer and a plea there, and see you restored as you should be. As Queen, Evrelyn will live on, and in time should you take a husband, Evrelyn will have heirs. Out of that many more of the healing hands could come, and even a son or daughter that will, at the ripe end of their lives, gladly take to the Dream.’
Shala's face broke into a smile. ‘Thank you Bhask. Your insight has lifted my spirits. You must know that I’ve felt robbed of allies of late, it is good to have your loyalty even when I’m unmade as Queen.’
‘Not yet Highness, not unmade yet. Now, let us plan a route. There’s a map inside...’
‘I don’t need a map,’ said Shala, realizing she sounded rude she added, ‘I mean, unless if you want to have a look at it...’
‘No need Highness, I am a wanderer of note and have no need for maps. Very well, I would say; our best course lies first east and then south through Cuddenheim and Harowan. After that we’ll find the railways, where we may take a locomotive carriage, which should speed our way to Allandiel considerably.’
Shala opened her mouth and closed it again, swallowing her retort. She had always wanted to ride the trains through the Rivver continent, but getting there seemed to her like a troublesome road.
‘Say what you would say Highness, we speak openly to each other, and I would have your input on the matter.’
‘I’m only afraid that we might find hassles in Cuddenheim and Harowan, there would be no escape in the sprawl of a city. Why don’t we take the first leg of the continent? It is much nearer anyhow.’
‘For a good many reasons my Lady,’ said Bhask clearing his throat, ‘the Mighty Eraffilas river bends and warps the landscape on the first leg. It is a very difficult journey if one is not prepared for water, and we have no craft for it. Second, I hope to hide in the sprawl of a city. On the road we are exposed. Besides in cities we’ll replenish our stocks much more easily. We could of course take a craft over the Celecethian sea, but as of the moment I know of no reliable ship masters that could guarantee us both safe passage and anonymity. Lastly Highness, I grow weak when I am not wandering. Sitting still for a day or two does not bother, but I'll be left weak and powerless taking a boat or ship.’
Shala frowned at the last of Bhask's statement, but did not ask him what he meant by that. She trusted his judgement.
‘Then I'm content as long as we make it to Allandiel. We'll go east the moment we have horses.’
‘Good!’ said Bhask, taking to his pipe again. ‘We will set out by morn, until then, rest and recover your strength my Lady. And if you so wish, the waters here are fresh. We'll grant you some privacy to clean up. If you follow the river upstream you'll find a particularly pleasant pool.’
Dream of Embers Book 1 Page 26
