The Uzan Crystal

by Lisa S. Buchholz

  Ambushed

  It was the next afternoon when they came to one of the bridges that spanned the Shodd River. It was at one of the narrower areas of the river. The bridge that they would cross was not more than a sixty foot span. The wooden bridge was secured on both sides of the river with large metal spikes and there were stone pillars that rose out of the water that supported the center and ends of the bridge. There was a small handrail that ran on either side. There was just enough room for the wagon to pass without touching the sides of the bridge. The water was still high from the recent rains and the current was strong. They had heard the roar of the river before they actually came within sight of it.

  Lord Farley, Sir Asen and Sir Matthew started across the bridge first. Corbin with the wagon followed behind them. Angelina and Elise came after the wagon with Sir Taz, Bishoff, Thaddious and Dax. Merk, Pendrake and Koren brought up the rear. Just as Lord Farley, Sir Matthew and Sir Asen reached the far end of the bridge, the attack came. Six armed men rushed at them as eight men rushed the back of their group. It took the women a few seconds to comprehend what was happening as the men engaged in battle. Angelina drew her sword but was commanded by Sir Taz to stay where she was.

  They could hear the clash of steel upon steel and the cries of men being injured or killed. Elise noticed one of the men closing in on Koren and drew upon her teaching from Airic to pull the magic into herself and direct it. She gathered the power and aimed it in the form of a white blast. It streaked across the space separating her and the man about to strike at Koren. The man was hit full in the chest. The blast lifted the man from the ground and threw him backwards. There was a thud as his body slammed into a nearby tree and slid to the ground.

  Angelina glanced back in time to see Elise beginning to slide from her saddle. She dropped her sword and grabbed Elise. She looked around to see the men being beaten back onto the bridge. It was at that moment when she felt the bridge shift and was almost thrown from her horse when it spooked at the movement. She quickly got down from her horse and helped Elise from her saddle. She and Elise moved between the horses and the back of the wagon. The bridge shifted again. The horses were beginning to snort and stomp. Angelina glanced over at the river bank. There were teams of horses on both sides of the river. The horses were pulling ropes which were attached to the stone supports of the bridge.

  Angelina told Elise to hold onto the wagon and she quickly leaned over the bridge to see how badly damaged the supports were. She could see where the stones had been hammered loose and again felt the shift of the bridge. She stood up and pulled Elise to her feet. She yelled out as loud as she could to let the men know that the bridge was going to crumble. She turned back to Elise to see her pale and frightened face and wondered if she also looked as fearful. She didn't have time to wonder about that much as the pillars were pulled free of the bridge and the bridge fell into the water.

  The river was deep and swift and the horses were swept away. Angelina noticed that Corbin had cut the horses free from the wagon. Angelina and Elise had grabbed onto the wagon but it was lifted by the waters and began to be pulled by the current. Elise was too weak from using her magic to hold on and was swept away. Angelina saw her hold slip and let go of the wagon to try to grab her. It was too late, the current was strong and they were pulled away from each other. As she turned with the current she glanced back to see one of the men standing on the shore laughing at them. He had a long scar across his face. She only saw him for a few seconds because she was pulled under. She quickly got her head above water and was having a hard time keeping it there. Her clothes were weighing her down. She managed to unclasp her cloak and let it be pulled from her. This helped a little. She caught a glimpse of someone in front of her but couldn't tell who it was. She didn't know how far she was being pulled down river but knew that it had to at least be a mile. She tried to grab onto rocks and tree limbs as she swirled by but she was pulled from them by the current and continued to be swept away further down the river. She did see one of the horses climbing out of the water but did not see any of her companions. She feared the worst for Elise because she had used her strength on the spell and might not be able to pull herself from the water.

  It seemed like an eternity before she was able to get close enough to the bank to grab hold of a rock and to pull herself out of the water. She crawled a few feet more before she collapsed. She was afraid that the men would search for them and kill them. She also knew that she needed to take cover and get out of her wet clothes. She forced herself up and scanned the banks of the river for signs of life. She didn't see anyone and wasn't sure what to do next. Should she try to go back up river in case that's what anyone else would do or should she try to get dry first? She decided to make her way back in case someone was injured and needed help. She prayed that everyone would be okay.

  She pulled the dagger she had from her waist and slowly and carefully began to make her way along the riverbank. She kept a close watch on both sides of the river. Her legs and body were bruised and she was exhausted from fighting the river. She felt weak and was shaking from the cold. It wasn't easy trying to walk along the bank while shaking. There also were rocks and obstructions of trees and bushes everywhere. She had to move further into the forest to maneuver around some of the huge rocks that jutted out into the water. It would be getting dark soon and she didn't want to be caught without some kind of shelter in which to hide.

  She had walked for a long time and was still shivering and it was an effort to take each new step. She hadn't found any one nor seen supplies or horses. She decided to find a safe place to get out of her wet clothes and rest for the night. She resheathed her dagger and traveled a little way into the woods to where there was a thicket of bushes. She pushed her way through and found a small clearing in the center. She was just about to pull off her wet tunic when she heard the noise of someone walking. She quickly crouched down and pulled her dagger from its sheath. Someone was advancing toward where she huddled. The person stopped on the other side of the bushes. They were too thick to allow her to make out who it was. The person pulled back the bushes to reveal himself. She breathed a sigh of relief and hadn't realized until then that she had been holding her breath. She almost wept when she saw it was Sir Matthew. He had seen her climb through the bushes but did not want to call out for fear of anyone hearing him who might wish them harm.

  "Undress and wring the water from your clothes as best as you can," he instructed her. "I'll keep watch."

  Her hands were shaking from the cold and she was having a hard time getting the clothes off. It was even harder to put the cold damp clothes back on but she quickly dressed as Sir Matthew had instructed. Wringing the water from her clothes didn't help much in getting her warm but it did relieve the heaviness of the water weighing her clothes down. "Did you see anyone else?" she asked hopefully.

  "I saw that Bishoff had helped pull Elise ashore but they were on the other side of the river. I told Bishoff that I was going to backtrack a little upriver to see if anyone was able to get ashore earlier. We agreed to then meet downriver at the next crossing." He helped Angelina from the brush. "We'll walk upriver for a mile or so and then retrace our path to this location. The bushes will offer some camouflage and we could probably start a small fire and dry off during the night. Try to keep as quiet as possible and not to speak unless absolutely necessary."

  They took their time and walked back upriver. They found one horse which was standing on the bank of the river and it was shivering. It took Sir Matthew a few minutes to calm it down and get near enough to it to grab the reigns. They walked the horse a little into the forest and Sir Matthew removed its saddle. They both then picked up handfuls of pine needles and rubbed the horse down. This would get the excess water from the horse and warm it up a bit. It also helped to warm Angelina up a little. They left the horse tied to a nearby tree and continued on.

  Unfortunately they encountered no one. It was beginning to get too dark to see much so they d
ecided to return to the safety of the bushes for the night.

  Angelina had stopped shaking from the cold and had actually begun to get warm from the exertion of walking and maneuvering around the rocks and debris. Her hands still felt cold and her feet felt numb. It was hard to keep their footing on the rocks. Some were slippery with moss and others were wet from being splashed by water. Sir Matthew stopped abruptly and pulled his sword free. Angelina saw this and grabbed her dagger, looking ahead for the danger. "Hold friends," called Lord Farley.

  Angelina instantly recognized his voice and said a quick prayer of thanks for his safety. Sir Asen and Corbin were also with him. "Have you found anyone else?" she asked as she hugged him.

  "No, I'm afraid not," he replied. "We did come across a horse that was tied."

  "We found that on our way upriver. Bishoff and Elise were able to make it ashore on the other side of the river. I told them we would meet up with them at the next crossing downriver," Sir Matthew explained. "I suggest we get a fire going and try to dry off. We will begin the search again in the morning. There is a small clearing about a half mile downriver. We can clear out the smaller brush in the center and get a fire going."

  "Well then, we should make for that and get some rest," agreed Sir Asen. "I believe the rest of our party will be thinking the same."

  The small group entered the patch of brush and quickly cleared out the smaller brush on the inside of the bushes. They cleared two small areas for fires and had them going in no time. They wanted to keep them small so that they would not be noticed. One fire was made for the men and the other for Angelina. They rigged a few small saplings with a couple of the men's tunics to create a partition between the princess and the men. They needed to stay close in case danger struck but allowed her a little distance for privacy.

  When the fires were burning low but hot, the men drew back to their side to leave the princess in privacy. Angelina stripped down to her undergarments, sat on the ground and huddled near the fire. She propped her tunic and leggings up on sticks near the fire and set her boots as close to the fire as she could. She sat with her legs pulled up close and wrapped her arms around them. She rested her head on her knees. She dozed off for a little before adding a few more pieces of wood to the fire to keep it burning. Her undergarments were almost completely dry and she felt warm. She checked her tunic and leggings but they were still damp. She turned around to allow her other side to warm and her clothes to fully dry. She didn't realize until she was about to drift off to sleep again that she was hungry. The last time they had eaten was that morning at breakfast. She awoke one other time during the night to add more wood to the fire and check her clothes. She awoke the next morning to Lord Farley calling her name.

  "Angelina, it's time to get up and get dressed. Let us know when you are ready."

  She wasn't sure what time it was but knew it was early because it was still dark. Her tunic and leggings were dry and she gratefully put them on. He boots were a little damp but there wasn't time to wait for them to dry. She called out to let the men know that she was dressed and ready.

  The fires were put out with dirt and they set out. They traveled as close to the river as possible. They were hoping to find any supplies that might have washed ashore.

  It was beginning to get light out when they met Lord Akbar. He had managed to round up three horses. All three were missing saddles though. He said he had tried to pull Sir Taz and Koren out but the current was too strong and they were pulled further down river.

  He had a make shift splint on his left arm from the elbow to the wrist and explained that he had banged against some rocks and it seemed to be fractured. He could still move it, but with great pain. He had placed a few sticks around it to hold it straight and tied it with strips of his tunic. He was still damp but insisted that they continue on. Besides he had been in worse shape before so this was nothing. There might be someone else in need of help and he didn't want to waste time.

  The men led the horses because of the rocks and obstructions along the bank of the river. It would have been impossible for anyone to ride. Corbin and Sir Asen ventured further into the woods to try to round up something to eat. The current of the river was still too strong to try to catch fish. At one point Angelina lost her footing and fell forward onto the rocks in front of her. Sir Matthew helped her up and everyone asked if she was okay. She assured them that she was and they continued on.

  She actually did not feel okay. She knew that she was going to have bruises from that fall. She figured the bruises would just blend with the ones she already had from being banged on rocks while she was being swept down the river.

  It was nearing noon when Lord Akbar and Corbin returned. They were able to come up with a large wood snake and two rabbits. The group decided to stop and eat. They ventured a little into the woods but not too far. They wanted to keep the river in sight. Sir Asen had the fire going and the food was prepared and cooked. Each person took their share and ate. Angelina wasn't that fond of snake but ate every last bit of her meal. It wasn't enough to fill them up but it would keep them going. The meal was finished and they continued on.

  Sir Matthew and Lord Farley estimated that it would be another day or so of journeying until they reached the next crossing. This was putting them a little south of Eldorfess. They would have to journey back through the woods to reach the main road. It was a blessing that the days were getting warmer and what didn't dry the night before was drying out in the sun.

  Angelina could feel her boots rubbing her ankles and knew she was going to have blisters. Her leg was also throbbing from the fall on the rocks earlier that day. She was sure that she wasn't the only one that was hurting and knew that none of the men would complain, so she would have to bite her tongue and live with the pain. If she did, they would surely insist she rest and that would hold everyone up. She was hoping that Elise fared better than she did.

  The group was a little disheartened when they made camp that evening. They spotted no one else nor any supplies the entire day. Their evening meal consisted of berries, a small pheasant and a handful of mushrooms. The afternoon meal hadn't filled anyone up and this was even a more sparse meal. If they had more time to hunt it would be different but there wasn't time to stop and wait. They were, however, thankful for what they were able to eat.

  Angelina was happy to lie down near the fire and sleep. She was exhausted from walking all day. Again she was awakened before dawn and they moved on. It was a repeat of the previous day, walking the bank of the river where they could and circling around where they couldn't. It was a relief to everyone to see the bridge up ahead.

  While the party moved a little into the woods, Sir Matthew and Sir Asen cautiously made their way closer to the bridge. They didn't know if another ambush awaited them. When they neared the bridge, Sir Taz stepped out from behind a tree.

  He told them that his group was a mile up the trail and had secured a site where they were holed up. This was the second day that one of them had watched the bridge in hopes of finding the rest of the party. They had taken shifts so that there was someone waiting at all times.

  Each asked who was in their group and it was a relief to all to hear that everyone was safe, except for just a few wounds here and there. Sir Matthew hurriedly returned and gathered the group. Angelina was so happy that no one had gotten killed. It was a welcome greeting and Angelina ran over to hug Sir Taz and Lady Elise. Everyone was a bit weary and worn from their adventure but at least they were alive. Since Sir Taz's group had been there for a few days they were able to set traps and there was more than enough rabbit and pheasant to go around at their next meal.

  Lady Elise and Princess Angelina took a look at everyone's wounds and helped clean and bandage where necessary. Lord Ackbar's arm was badly bruised but at least it wasn't broken and Sir Taz was pretty sure it wasn't fractured either.

  There was much discussion that evening on who the attackers were and why they did what they did. Their best guess was t
hat Madina had been keeping an eye on Airic and the men were sent to dispose of them. It didn't seem to fit the normal robbery scenario, but there was still the question of why they would let them live and not cut them down while they were trapped on the bridge. Their group had killed at least seven of the men. They were also surprised that the men hadn't followed them downriver to make sure they were dead.

  "Does anyone else think this is strange?" began Elise, breaking the silence. She received questioning looks from her companions and began to explain her remark. "If it was Madina behind the attack, why would she send someone to do her work? She could easily have disposed of us herself. Why didn't she strike out with her magic and destroy all of us and be done with it? It's very strange."

  "I agree," responded Dax. "I've been thinking about it also, as I'm sure everyone else has. Maybe we've overestimated her powers? Or maybe she has a certain reason to keep us alive." He scratched his beard in contemplation. "I'm just glad we're alive and all together."

  Lord Ackbar spoke up, "Things are definitely not the usual here and I think that from now on we all need to be extra cautious of what's going on around us. If Madina has a plan for us, then we had better be wary of anyone and everyone."

  Everyone agreed that it would be to their advantage to be extra cautious from that point on. They finished their sparse evening meal and found a comfortable place to sleep for the night. Elise and Angelina huddled close to each other and fell fast asleep. It wasn't long before everyone else, except for the lookout, was sleeping.