The Uzan Crystal

by Lisa S. Buchholz

  Pendrake was a few years older than Merk. He had blond wavy hair which he wore in a long braid and pale blue eyes. He was dressed and armed as if he had just come from battle. Elise knew that these men would be a valuable part of their party.

  Merk looked as if he had been in a number of battles even though he didn't seem more than ten years older then Angelina. He had dark brown shoulder length hair streaked with gray. He also kept himself well armed. The ladies noticed that he wore a sword strapped to his waist, a dagger fitted into the outside of each boot, a smaller dagger with an ivory handle on the other side of his sword belt and three throwing disks on each side of the leather vest that he wore. These of course were the weapons they could see and wondered how many more he had hidden.

  Angelina was overjoyed to see Sir Taz and the rest of the men and rushed out of the estate to greet them. She hugged each of them and told them how happy she was to see them and how grateful she was that they had chosen to help her. Sir Taz had brought Lord Farley, Sir Asen, Lord Ackbar and Sir Matthew with him.

  She introduced them again to Lord Airic and to Merk and Pendrake. It was late and they had just finished their dinner and had retired to the sitting room when they were informed of the last of the men's arrival. The servants brought in platters of meat, cheese and bread and hot tea and ale for the men. They sat and talked of the party's journey during the meal. They all agreed that it would be best to retire for the evening and begin discussing the situation and plans for the journey the next morning. The servants showed the men to their rooms.

  Angelina and Elise were so excited they were up and dressed early the next morning. They quietly made their way down to the kitchen to have a cup of hot tea and wait for the rest of men to wake. Airic, as they were told, had been up and was in the sitting room looking at maps. The women had their tea and were on their way to join Airic in the sitting room when Sir Taz and his companions as well as Merk and Pendrake came down the stairs.

  Yarma informed the group that breakfast was ready. The group entered the dining room, sat down and began to eat. A few minutes later Airic joined them. There were thick slices of ham and mounds of scrambled eggs. There were platters of freshly baked bread and various jars of jams as well as pitchers of hot tea. The discussion turned toward the impending journey and Airic informed them that they still were unable to figure out the location of Madina's castle. Sir Taz suggested that they journey to Cardel where they could consult with the Elder and he would surely be able to direct them. They would need a few days to gather provisions and decide on their course. Merk mentioned that he had five other men that would be accompanying them and he and Pendrake would leave after breakfast and return with them in two days time. Merk and Sir Taz had talked in private and Merk assured him that these men were good men that could be trusted. It seemed that Sir Taz and Merk had mutual respect for one another.

  Elise and Angelina decided to get some of their things together and that it would be best to trim their hair a little shorter so that it would not be a hindrance to them during the journey. Lady Elise cut Angelina's auburn hair a few inches below her shoulders so that it could be braided easily or pulled up. Angelina then did the same for her. The women packed only one good traveling dress and four outfits consisting of leggings and tunics as well as an extra pair of sturdy leather boots.

  Sir Taz, Lord Farley, Sir Asen, Lord Akbar and Sir Matthew reviewed the maps with Airic to decide on which route to take. When Airic's messenger brought Sir Taz and his companions to Noachiam they were not under any type of spell so they knew exactly where they were.

  Merk and his group returned when he said he would. He introduced the five men they had brought with them. The men were Bishoff, Dax, Koren and his son Corbin, and Thaddious. All the men except Corbin looked as if they had seen many battles. Corbin looked to be not much older than Lady Elise.

  Because of the new arrivals, the men doubled up on the rooms. Airic insisted that they eat an early dinner and retire because they would begin their journey the next day. Angelina sat with Airic and talked for most of the night. Airic still wasn't sure that they should go on the journey but Angelina assured him that it was the right thing to do. And besides, they had enough men to protect them. She had Elise braid a small section of her hair and tie it with a white ribbon before she cut it. She now gave that lock of hair to him and told him that if he had doubts about the journey or worried while they were gone that this was to remind him that everything would be okay and that she and the others would be back as soon as they could. Airic told her that he would keep it with him at all times. He cautioned her to be careful not to write anything about Madina or the mission in case the letter would fall into the wrong hands. Who knows what Madina was up to and to what lengths she would go. There were people loyal to Madina and her evil ways and they had to be careful and remember that Madina would not allow their journey to be easy if she caught wind of it. Angelina promised that she would take care about what she wrote.

  Chapter 22

  The Journey Begins

  The next day brought about mixed feelings for Angelina. She was excited and eager to begin the journey but also hesitant and nervous about actually starting on their way. She also had doubts about if they would find Madina and if so, if they would come away with their lives. She didn't want anyone to lose their life because she had insisted on going on this journey. Elise assured her that each and everyone going with them knew the potential dangers and would not be going if they didn't want to.

  There was much activity that morning as everyone was getting things together to leave. Angelina and Elise were wearing their traveling dresses which looked liked dresses but the skirt was actually slit and was formed into pants. There were 14 in all that would ride out of the Noachiam estate to begin their journey. They had one supply wagon which was covered with a cloth dome to protect the supplies it held. Two horses pulled the wagon and Corbin took the reigns. Everyone was eager to begin the journey and had quickly eaten breakfast, organized the provisions and climbed into their saddles. Angelina stopped on her way out of the estate to hug Airic and to kiss his cheek. She also wanted to again assure him that they would be careful and do what they could to bring the Uzan crystal back to him.

  Airic felt as if he were dreaming as he watched the party slowly make their way out of the courtyard and onto the lane that would take them to the main road. How many times he had stood there and watched people leave. But today was different, The party was leaving on a quest to help him. Not on a quest to return home and forget about him. He shivered in the cool morning air. He hoped it was because of the cold and not a foretelling of what was to become of the group that had just left. He was bitter that he could not join them and perhaps help them during the journey. It was going to be hard for him to sit and wait. But then again, that's what he had been doing for most of his life. He reached into the pocket of his cloak to feel the softness of the lock of hair Angelina had given him. He smiled as he thought of her before he turned and went back inside.

  The morning was a bit chilly and Elise and Angelina had their cloaks tightly pulled about them. Fog was still thick and would not disburse until the sun was shining. Angelina glanced over at Elise who was riding next to her. She was looking ahead lost in thought. Merk, Pendrake, Bishoff and Lord Farley were riding in front of them. Corbin and the rest of the group followed behind. They had decided to make their way to Wayferd, then Gressingham, then across the Shodd River to Eldorfess, and then to Cardel. Sir Taz knew the way to Cardel from Eldorfess when he was younger but had not journeyed over the White Sea in many years. The White Sea shifted slightly each year and if you were not familiar with the new formations of sand, you could possibly get yourself lost and would surely die of thirst. It was a dangerous place to be.

  Angelina had wanted to try to stay clear of any place where her family would be. She wanted to try to keep as low a profile as possible so not to draw attention to themselves. It would be hard enough as it was because she, Lord
Farley and Sir Asen were well known throughout the land. Merk, Sir Taz and Lord Farley agreed that they should try to keep things quiet but didn't think that they would be able to make the journey without being recognized. Everyone was to make sure that any aspect of their mission only be discussed among themselves and when there wasn't a chance of someone overhearing them.

  The day seemed long and Angelina was glad to retire for the night. Lord Akbar had suggested they bring a small tent so that the women would have some privacy. It was rather small and with both of the women in it, it seemed cramped; however, the women were grateful for the privacy. After everyone had eaten their evening meal, they retired for the night. Princess Angelina and Lady Elise removed their boots before they crawled into their blankets. They could make out the outline of the campfire through the tent flap but otherwise it was dark and cozy.

  It was just before dawn that the women were awakened by Dax. They wanted to get an early start. The women could smell breakfast cooking. They climbed out of the blankets and pulled on their boots. When they exited the tent, Corbin handed each a wet cloth so that they could wash the sleep from their face and wake up more fully. As they ate the men that had already eaten began to break camp. The women helped get the dishes cleaned and packed and the party was again on their way. It took almost a month to reach Wayferd. They found an inn that would accommodate their entire party. Angelina and Elise shared a room. It was a relief to them to be able to soak in a hot tub and get the chill and dampness out of their bones. The rains had continued on and off throughout their journey to Wayferd and the muddy ground had made the trip longer. Angelina let Elise use the bath chamber first. While Elise was soaking in the tub, a servant brought up two steaming bowls of stew, a loaf of bread and a thick slice of a soft tangy white cheese. The servant asked her what she should bring them to drink. Angelina asked for a pot of hot spiced tea. She took her time eating and left the cover on Elise's bowl of stew so it would stay warm.

  "I feel human again," declared Elise as she came out of the bath chamber and walked over to sit near Angelina. She was wearing a soft cream colored robe and her damp hair had been brushed. "I told one of the servants that I was finished and for them to drain the water and fill the tub with fresh hot water for you."

  There was a separate door to the bath chamber that led into the hall so the servants would not disturb the guests. The room they shared was small but it was one of the best rooms that had been available and they were only going to be there for one night. There was a large bed, a table and four chairs, a dresser, a fireplace and a small bath chamber. The servant knocked on the door adjoining the bath chamber to the room and announced that the bath was ready. She quietly closed the door behind her and they heard the door to the hall open and close.

  Angelina finished her meal and drank her tea before she headed into the bath chamber. Elise was still eating her meal when Angelina lowered herself into the steaming water. It felt good to relax and let the water soothe her tired and aching muscles. By the time she had finished her bath, the servants had cleaned up the dishes from their meal and Elise had climbed into bed and was fast asleep. Angelina put on the nightshirt that was provided to them by the mistress of the inn and carefully climbed into bed as not to disturb Elise. Her hair was still damp so she flipped it up over her pillow to dry.

  The next morning they were awakened by a knock on the door and the servant bringing in their breakfast. "My lady and your highness," she began as she placed the tray on the table. "Lord Farley asked me to bring this to you and to tell you that he and a few other gentlemen from your group will be gathering supplies for your trip. He also wanted you to know that it may be a few more hours before they are back and ready to leave."

  "Thank you," mumbled Angelina as she rubbed her hands across her face and through her now dry hair. She still felt tired.

  The servant curtsied to the women and quietly left the room.

  "Well I guess it was too much to hope for that we wouldn't be recognized," stated Angelina as she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

  "You really didn't think that we would be able to make the journey without anyone noticing us and our companions, did you," replied Elise as she too got up out of bed. She didn't expect an answer. They just looked at each other.

  The meal smelled wonderful so they hurriedly got dressed into a pair of leggings and a tunic. Each helped the other to braid and fasten their hair then they sat down to eat. The bread was still warm and the butter melted on it. They ate that with their eggs and thick slices of bacon and drank the warmed Nectris. They were in the middle of their meal when they heard a knock on the door.

  Lady Elise got up and opened the door. It was Merk. "May I come in for a moment my ladies," he asked even as Elise stepped aside to allow him to enter. She closed the door behind him.

  Angelina caught a shared look between Merk and Elise and wondered if it was her imagination or if Elise had taken a liking to Merk. She made a mental note to ask her about it at another time.

  "I have a message from Lord Farley and Sir Taz." Merk came over to where Angelina was seated and Elise again took her seat. He quietly continued. "They think it best if we allow people to believe that you are journeying to see your family as they are spread out over both kingdoms. We of course are your escort and protection. It also would not be untrue because we are heading to those places. Word travels fast and your family will know you are traveling anyway. I'm sure you have both noticed that we aren't going to be able to journey about without someone recognizing us."

  "Yes we did notice that," replied Elise.

  "I had hoped we could, but since we can't we do need a second plan of action," agreed Angelina. "Would you care to join us for breakfast?"

  "Thank you but no. I have already eaten. There is one other thing," be continued as he smiled at the women. "Lord Humphrey and Lady Sereen have heard of your arrival and will be expecting to visit with you before you leave." He found it more amusing when the princess grimaced.

  She noticed his amusement. "Don't get me wrong, Lord Merk. I would love to visit with them, it just means that our journey is going to be put off longer and I want it completed as soon as possible." She sighed and glanced at Elise. "Would you like to join me?" she asked hoping that she would say yes.

  Elise of course agreed.

  "Well if you'll excuse me," Merk said as he quickly bowed toward the women and departed.

  The women finished their meal and packed their belongings back into their packs and left with their escort of Sir Matthew, Corbin and Lord Akbar. They made their way through the streets to the Cyan estate. Lord Verin and his wife Lady Jennifer greeted them at the door. They were escorted into a lavish sitting room where Lord Humphrey and Lady Sereen were waiting. Lady Chelsea and Lord Jason, two of Lord Verin's seven children were also present. Lady Chelsea was Elise's cousin. Both were a little older than Angelina. They sat eating various cakes and drinking tea while they talked. It was almost three hours later when the women thanked the Cyans and said that they really must be going. Angelina had enjoyed herself despite the fact that they were taking time away from their journey. Lord Akbar also enjoyed seeing one of his boyhood friends, Lord Verin.

  The women and their escort returned to the inn to meet the rest of the party. The men were sitting in the inn drinking ale and awaiting the women's return. They all mounted their horses and made their way out of Wayferd and toward the Adrian Forest. The rains had lessened and the journey was made easier. Angelina enjoyed the trip through the forest. The horses' hooves were quieted by the carpet of pine needles and fallen leaves which blanketed the path. It was only a few days travel before they left the serenity of the forest. They decided to follow the trail which ran along the Shodd River and had agreed to avoid the small towns unless they needed supplies. It would be faster if they camped near the trail.

  When they reached Gressingham, Angelina's stepsister Maypre insisted that the group stay at her husband's estate. Maypre was excited
to tell Angelina of her being with child and was surprised that Angelina was traveling without her husband. Angelina explained that he wasn't feeling up to making such a long trip but sent his well wishes.

  Maypre was out to impress her guests, so she had the kitchen staff prepare and roast a fresh pig and five of their best chickens. It was a huge feast and Angelina noticed that the men were enjoying the food as well as the wine and ale being served. Maypre always made sure to impress her guests. She also insisted that they stay for a few more days. Her husband Lord Mikal and his mother Lady Katheryn agreed. It was actually a blessing because a few of the men were hung over the next morning from drinking too much. The women visited the shops and had lunch at a nearby inn. Angelina found a wonderfully made cloak for Airic and Maypre offered to have it delivered to Airic's estate for her. Angelina graciously accepted and included a note with the package to let Airic know where they were and that things were going just fine. When their visit had ended, the party headed out to cross over the Shodd River and make their way to Eldorfess. Angelina was looking forward to seeing her grandparents and family. She was starting to tire from being in the saddle so much and knew they had a long way yet to go.

  Chapter 23