by Isaac Crowe
The guard turned to another guard sitting in a corner. “Marcus, detain this lacarna. She is without her owner.”
The guard in the corner stood and moved towards Eve to grab her arm. Eve jerked away in anger. “No, wait, that’s who I’m trying to find.”
Mr. Penna stepped into the guardhouse. “Good evening, gentlemen. The lacarna is with me.”
“Do you have her papers?”
“No. I am not her owner. We were separated. The rest of our party should have already come this way. In fact, we think some of the guards from here might have run across them on the trail. His name is Maxwell Laskaris. He may have been with an acolyte and some diggers. Possibly another man by the name of Tyco.”
The guard relaxed. “Ah, you must be Mr. Penna. One of the diggers never showed, but the rest of your party has been through here. Lt. Biros left yesterday. The rest left early this morning. They mentioned that you would be coming along.”
Eve calmed herself. “Then Max did arrive safely?”
The guard ignored her. Speaking only to Mr. Penna he relayed the events from the past couple of days. By the time he had finished, Eve had grown very anxious.
“Mr. Penna, if we leave tonight we can catch them before they leave the final camp in the morning.”
The guard still did not face Eve. “I’m afraid I cannot let you or any traveler leave until morning. We are under strict orders from Sergeant Kallis.”
Eve started to get angry again. “What do you mean you can’t let us leave?”
Growing tired of her outbursts, the guard faced Eve. “The road is too dangerous. Between the bandit attack and the rumors of a lacarath it would be crazy to travel at night.”
“I can smell the bandits long before they could ever see us and the lacarath attack happened far northeast of here.”
The guard, losing his temper, moved towards Eve, but Mr. Penna stepped between them. “I can assure you we plan on following your directive to wait until morning.”
“But, Mr. Penna.”
Mr. Penna turned, his gaze boring into Eve. “No, Evangeline.”
“But…”
Eve had seen Mr. Penna get mad at Max, but not this angry. “That is enough Evangeline. Outside, now!”
Eve’s jaw dropped. She took a step back. He’s never yelled at me before.
She lowered her head and shuffled out of the guardhouse. Outside she did her best to fight back tears.
I just want to get to Max.
Mr. Penna came out of the guardhouse. Speaking gruffly, he pointed to a spot near the west opening of the camp.
“Take the horses over there, unpack our bedrolls and fix us supper.”
Eve kept her head down, sniffled and mumbled. “Yes, Mr. Penna.”
Eve led the horse to the spot Mr. Penna had indicated. She laid out the bedrolls and prepared a light supper. When she had everything finished Mr. Penna came over, collected his plate, and went back over to the guardhouse without saying a word to her.
Eve let Spook out while she ate. “What’d I do wrong, Spook? Does Mr. Penna really know what I did last night? Maybe I should go back home.”
Once Eve finished supper she lay down on her bedroll and watched Spook play as she mulled over the past two days. She didn’t notice Mr. Penna arrive until he was sitting across from her. He leaned in close, speaking in a low voice.
“I did not think those guards would ever tire. All but the night watchman are asleep now and he is not overly inclined to leave the guardhouse.”
Mr. Penna paused a moment then reached out and softly stroked her face. “I am truly sorry I had to do that to you my dear, but I had little choice.”
Tears started to form in the corner of Eve’s eyes. “I just wanted to get to Max. I’m sorry, Mr. Penna.”
Mr. Penna smiled tenderly at her. “Though I sounded harsh, I did not have any ill intent behind it. I am afraid you will soon find out that such treatment is expected in places like Moenia. Those guards had no intention of letting us go. If I did not act the part they would have been suspicious of us, which means they would have kept us under close watch. That would have made it a bit difficult to slip out without them knowing it.”
Slip out? Eve choked back the tears, not sure she had heard him correctly. “What?”
“I am almost as anxious to reach Maxwell as you are my dear. Now I think we shall have our chance. I hope you can forgive me.”
Eve dried her eyes. “So you only pretended to be mad at me?”
“My child, I would never dream of treating you in such a way. It pained my heart to even pretend to do so.”
Eve gave a weak smile. “In that case, I forgive you.” Her smiled faded. “I wonder if Max would have done that?”
Mr. Penna snorted. “Maxwell has the heart of the young and foolish. He would pretend nothing despite the consequences. To tell you the truth, I have a feeling that will never change. At least not when it concerns those he cares about.”
Eve giggled. “I like that about him.” Eve saw Mr. Penna smile the same way her mother did when she talked about Max like that.
How is it they can tell so easily?
Eve changed the subject. “So what do we do now?”
“We get the horses and leave as quietly as possible.”
Eve looked at the all things she had unpacked; their bedrolls, plates, cups. “Do you think we can pack things up without them noticing?”
“No. That is why we are going to leave anything and everything that is not already packed. We will be at the final camp by morning; in Moenia by nightfall. We will not need this stuff anymore, at least not until we start back. We will worry about that when the time comes.”
“So we just get on the horses and go?”
“Not you, I need you on foot leading. I cannot see all that well in the dark, or in daylight for that matter.”
Eve laughed then covered her mouth before the night watchman could hear her. When the fit passed she removed her hand.
“That’s fine with me. Can you carry Spook though? I may have to stay close to the ground. I don’t want her slipping out of my pocket in the dark.”
Mr. Penna sighed. “I guess I owe you one for earlier, hand her over.”
Eve gently took hold of Spook, who had worked her way up to Eve’s shoulder. She placed her in Mr. Penna’s hands, and he reluctantly deposited the mouse in his shirt pocket. He stared right at Eve.
“Are you ready?”
“Yep!”
Mr. Penna stood, gesturing to the open gate. “Then lead on.”
Eve got up, glancing back at the guardhouse to make sure no one watched them. With no one in sight she slipped out the camp gate. Mr. Penna got on the mare and followed after Eve, being sure to stay within eyesight. Starlight, still tied to the mare’s saddle, followed along.
An hour passed before the night watchman noticed that Eve and Mr. Penna had departed. He knew he would be in trouble with Sgt. Kallis when he returned, but not enough to run after the two in the dark. Instead he stayed in the camp and used his time to find a good excuse for their disappearance.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The morning after the bandit attack, Max gave no resistance to leaving for the final camp. With little time to sleep, he was too exhausted to argue with Sgt. Kallis. Instead, he tried to use the day’s travel to figure out the best way to convince the Sergeant to wait for Eve and Mr. Penna. Unfortunately, the several hours ride didn’t help, leaving him at the last camp without a plan.
The following morning, with only his determination, Max stood by his horse refusing to budge until Eve could arrive. Behind him stood Melody, cringing at the impending argument. Sgt. Kallis towered over Max, no more than a foot in front of him.
“Maxwell, we are leaving now. Lieutenant Biros is expecting us in Moenia.”
“He can surely wait one more day. Eve and Mr. Penna are only a day behind us.”
The vein on Sergeant Kallis’s forehead grew larger. “We can take care of that later. Now get
on the horse!”
Melody raised her hand halfway. “I myself would like to wait another day to see if Zeth makes his way here. He is a good friend, and I don’t want to give up on him.”
Sergeant Kallis growled at her. “You stay out of this, acolyte.”
Max leaned forward an inch. “We’re staying here.”
Sergeant Kallis reached out to grab Max. “Listen here, kid…”
Max grabbed the handle of his sword, sliding it partway out of the sheath one of the other guards had loaned him. He had taken to wearing it rather than packing it on the horse. He wouldn’t be caught weaponless again.
Sergeant Kallis snickered. “Maxwell, my boy, you don’t want to mess…” He tilted his head up to look past Max. “What the…?”
Max felt insulted that the Sergeant lost attention in his threat, until he heard what the Sergeant saw.
“Maaaxxxyyy.”
Max re-sheathed his sword, a grin appearing on his face. Eve could distract anyone. He turned to face her, relaxing his body as he did so, waiting for the inevitable impact from her pounce. Eve ran straight for him, but to his surprise, she didn’t leap into the air. Instead, she smacked right into him, wrapping her arms and legs around him in the process. However, the result was still the same; Max fell backwards, flat on the ground. He grinned from ear to ear.
“Hi, Eve.”
Eve’s face was buried in his chest, muffling her voice. “Hi, Maxy.” She gave him a brief squeeze then popped her head up, cheerful as ever.
“Well, I guess you can leave now that I’m here. Let’s go.”
Max had an incredulous look on his face. “What? Don’t you even want to know what happened after I left you guys?”
Eve hopped to her feet, waving a dismissive hand at Max. “Oh, I’m sure you got into some sort of trouble. How you got out of it without me I don’t know, but you can tell me about it along the way. Besides, Mr. Grumpy behind you looks like he’ll throw a tantrum if we don’t get moving.”
Max tried desperately not to laugh, but a snort still managed to escape. He made sure not to face the Sergeant as he got to his feet.
“Mr. Grumpy there would be Sergeant Kallis. He happened to rescue Melody and I the other night.”
Eve turned her nose up. “Humph, must have gotten lucky. I bet he had lots of help.”
Max thought he heard the vein on Kallis’s forehead pop. “Alright, that’s enough! Get on your horses and get moving!”
Without another word, Sergeant Kallis and the two guards he had selected to escort Max and Melody mounted their horses and started out of the camp. Max walked over to where Mr. Penna, who seemed rather amused by the whole scene, held Starlight’s reins. Max patted her on the side, receiving a gentle nip at his shoulder in return.
“I missed you too, Starlight.”
Max swung himself onto the saddle while Eve took her place beside them. Mr. Penna turned to Melody, who was mounting her horse.
“You should have spent the last eleven years with the two of them.”
Melody, who had kept quiet so as not to draw any more of Sergeant Kallis’s anger, laughed joyfully. “I can only imagine. I needed the laugh though, as I take it that you haven’t seen either Bastiann or Zeth.”
Mr. Penna shook his head as he climbed onto the horse loaned to Max. “Perhaps they await you, safe and sound, in Moenia.”
“I can only hope.”
The four set out after Sergeant Kallis and the guards for the final leg of their trip. Earlier, Max had learned from one of the guards that the distance between the final camp and Moneia was half that of the other camps. Max’s excitement at seeing the city came back in full force now that everyone was back together. To help distract himself, he recounted everything that had happened since he left Eve, finishing with the argument that had erupted between him and Sergeant Kallis. He waited anxiously for Eve’s response only to be disappointed when she said nothing, but, instead, let out a big, long yawn. With Max starring at her, she realized her mistake.
“Sorry, I haven’t slept since yesterday morning.”
“Were you even listening?”
“Of course I was. It was very exciting”.
Max snorted, shaking his head slowly. “You have always been a lot more adventurous than me.”
Eve smiled. “Only because I had to get you out of trouble.”
Max started to argue, but a concerned look came over Eve’s face.
“What’s wrong, Eve?”
“Well, you said the horse you were riding ran off, right?”
“Yes, that idiot of a bandit sent him running.”
“And it had all your stuff on it?
“Yeah, but I can replace everything before we leave Moenia again.”
Eve stopped in her tracks. “So the horse never showed up at the camp?”
Max signaled Starlight to stop. “No, it never came to our camp.”
Eve grabbed her tail, twisting it so hard Max thought she would break it. “Max, my papers, they were with all your things.”
Max’s stomach dropped. He had forgotten all about the papers. “Oh no!”
“What’s wrong with you two?”
Eve and Max jumped, startled by Mr. Penna’s voice. Neither had heard him or Melody catch up to them. Max dreaded telling Mr. Penna what had happened. Mr. Penna had, after all, specifically warned Max about losing the papers. Max knew; however, that if anyone could find a solution it would be Mr. Penna.
“Mr. Penna I don’t have Eve’s papers. They were on the horse I lost when I went after Melody.”
Melody tensed. “That’s going to be a big problem at the gate. They will want to do an inspection.”
An inspection, that doesn’t sound good. “I’m going back to find the horse.”
Mr. Penna held up his hand. “Now wait a minute, Maxwell.”
Max twisted the reins in his hands. “But, Mr. Penna, you yourself said they won’t let her through the gates without ownership papers.”
“Settle down, Maxwell. You know as well as I that going back is not an option. Our escorts ahead have already noticed that we have stopped. They are not about to let us go back. Besides, I doubt the horse made it back to camp. There are a lot of things out there that would have long since made a meal out of it.”
Eve gave her tail another twist, pulling a few strands of fur lose as she did so. “Then what are we going to do?”
“Well, as it happens, I had noticed when arriving this morning that you were missing your things. I assumed that included Eve’s papers. I have since formulated a plan that should take care of any problems we may face.”
Max and Eve leaned in toward Mr. Penna. “Well, what is it?”
Melody eyed Mr. Penna suspiciously. “Yes, what is it? Our order has tried several times to get undocumented lacarna in to the city with little luck. What do you have in mind?”
“I do not want to say yet. A better and more favorable idea might present itself before our arrival. Rest assured; however, we will get her in one way or another. For now, let us keep moving. Our escorts are growing impatient.”
Mr. Penna maneuvered his horse past the others and continued down the trail. Melody bowed her head slightly.
“I’m sorry, Max, Eve. If we had not acted so foolishly by leaving in the middle of the night this would not have happened.”
Max shook his head. “No, Melody. It’s not your fault. I was reckless.”
“It’s okay Maxy. I’m glad you helped Melody.” Eve gave a weak smile and shrugged her shoulders. “This is just what happens when I’m not there to keep you out of trouble.”
Max rolled his eyes. “Let’s go”.
The three started down the trail once more. Melody stared in deep thought at the back of Mr. Penna a little farther ahead.
“I wonder what Mr. Penna has up his sleeve?”
Max shrugged his shoulders. “He’s probably going to lecture them on some pointless historical fact until they fall asleep. Then we can walk right by.”<
br />
All three laughed, hoping for their own sake that wasn’t his plan.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
They reached the western cliff of the dead lands in the mid-afternoon. Unlike the eastern side of the dead lands, here, a finely carved ramp, gated at the base, led straight through the wall into the center of Moenia. The city itself was surrounded by a ten foot high stone wall. At the sight of the city, Max, along with Eve, Melody and Mr. Penna, drew closer together into a tight clump.
Max sat in awe. “You don’t simply walk right in to Moenia, do you?”
Melody grunted, “You don’t simply walk out either.”
At the gate, while Sergeant Kallis stated the party’s names and their purpose for entering the city, Max took note of the guards. Unlike those in the camps, the four that stood at the gate remained alert and well-kept; ready for anything that might come. Max had the sense that if he had drawn his sword his life on Velrune would have come to a sudden end.
Their purpose announced, the officer in charge turned to Eve. “Who is this lacarnian’s owner?”
Max hesitated at the sudden question giving Mr. Penna a chance to answer first.
“I am.”
The guard held out his hand. “Her papers.”
Mr. Penna didn’t flinch. “I am afraid I do not have them on me. I was in such a rush when I left the city a few months ago that I left without them.”
The guard eyed Mr. Penna with suspicion. “You should have been asked for her papers before leaving the city.”
The other guards moved their hands towards the hilt of their weapons. Mr. Penna took note of the movement, but remained calm. Eve, on the other hand, grabbed Max’s leg, squeezing.
“Unfortunately, you know as well as I do that many of the guards are all too happy to see a lacarnian leave the city, seldom bothering to check their papers. I am sure if you had been there when I left such a lapse in security would not have occurred, keeping me out of my current predicament.”
The officer swelled with pride. Max chuckled to himself, Mr. Penna could flatter anyone. The officer relaxed, the other guards moved their hands away from their weapons.
