“And to me also,” he said, going silent for a moment. William stared uneasily at his plate before looking up. “I suppose it’s not much to offer, but I request that you allow me to go with you to Rhiál. I’m not a professional soldier, but I owe it to my brother to have a part in this fight, however small or inconsequential.”
Eucádus was impressed by the boy’s heartfelt offer. He noted a hint of trepidation in Liana’s face, yet knew that he couldn’t possibly refuse such a petition after what William had been through. Ramsey nodded his approval as well.
“Will, after we arrive in Drumaya and schedule an audience with King Cedric, I would like you to speak with him about the invasion of Montavia as your brother had originally planned,” he suggested. “If the King is made to understand the seriousness of the blight spreading over our lands through your words, then that will be a vital contribution to our cause.” But before William could voice any objections, sensing that he was already being forbidden to join the fight, Eucádus held up a hand to silence him. “And after our meeting, regardless of the outcome, if you still wish to accompany us over the Kincarin Plains to Rhiál, I will not object. You deserve to chart your own fate out of respect for your brother.”
“Thank you,” he said gratefully, his heart welling with mixed emotions. He vowed to do everything he could to train himself to be a capable leader in honor of his brother. As he picked up his fork, he realized that his first test in that arena might be both the greatest and the last one of his short life, but he promised to see it out to the end regardless of the consequences. His road to one day being a king started now.
CHAPTER 35
A Loose Tooth
William, along with most of the adult men in the Star Clearing, started the dawn march to Grantwick two days later. Any other men staying behind with the women and children were either too young to fight or too old for such a long journey. A second contingent also remained to man the outposts and help run the day-to-day operations. But regardless of who stayed back at the Star, Oak, Fox, Pumpkin and Haystack Clearings, all five communities would be rendered somber and lonely in the coming weeks, their remaining inhabitants constantly questioning if loved ones would ever return. Tears flowed and hugs were plentiful before the journey commenced. And when the marchers finally disappeared into the deep shadows of the towering trees, armed with swords, bows and daggers, and weighed down with food and other supplies, family members with anxious hearts and knotted souls looked helplessly on, all wondering if their lives were ending beneath the withering leaves of fall.
William’s march back to the forest’s border was tiring, tedious and swift. After a while, passing tree after tree and hearing the rhythmic footfalls of his fellow travelers, he grew unaware of the passage of time and felt as if he were drifting along on the edge of a murky dream. They stopped for brief meals and talked little, but as the miles progressed and daylight waned, he grew accustomed to the tempo of the woodland trek and paid more attention to his surroundings. The scent and texture of the trees and the variations in sky color as the sun shifted positions registered more sharply in his mind rather than rushing by in a blur. His eyes soon anticipated the bright green patch of a distant mossy rock and his ears the sound of an approaching stream instead of merely being pleasantly surprised by them. And though William knew he would probably be lost in these woods if he were alone, the young prince, nonetheless, cultivated a higher level of confidence because of this task. He had always relied on Brendan to make most of the decisions whenever they were together, and though Eucádus was in charge, he felt an empowering sense of solitude among the hundreds of men marching alongside him. Perhaps this was just a small part of the process, as Brendan had often told him, of preparing oneself to be a leader. William recognized the growth inside him yet wished with all his heart that his brother could be at his side flinging a wisecrack or playfully punching him in the shoulder.
They stopped a final time a couple hours before twilight, enjoying a bite to eat along a swift stream. While many of the men quenched their thirsts and refilled empty water skins, Eucádus found a moment to speak with William near a large, mossy boulder. The man from Harlow wore a dark green, weather-stained poncho over a brown hooded jacket. With a long sword at his side, boots splattered with mud and a day’s growth of beard, he reminded William more of the man he had seen at the war council than of the gentleman he had shared dinner with two nights ago.
“How are you holding up, Will? You’ve covered many miles these past few days.” Eucádus took a drink from his water skin. “Sleep should take hold as soon as your head hits the ground.”
“I think you’re right,” he replied, noting a vague sadness in the man’s eyes despite the smile on his face. “And how are you holding up?”
“Excuse me?”
“You must miss your wife, though we’ve only traveled a day.”
Eucádus nodded, unable to deny the fact. “Liana is always in my thoughts as I’m sure that the wives and children of all these men are in theirs.” He noted a similar emptiness in William’s expression. “I would conclude that Brendan is a part of your mediations as well.”
“He is.”
“Your brother is on our minds, too, though some of us have not yet found a proper moment to commiserate with you.” Eucádus patted William on the shoulder as if he were the boy’s father. “But we will one of these days. In the meantime, walk with me the rest of the way to Grantwick. I have spoken enough of military matters to my fellow soldiers during this hike and would prefer a bit of regular conversation. You can tell me about Montavia. I’ve never been to your kingdom and have many questions.”
“You’ve come to the right person,” he said, delighted to tag along. “And you can tell me about Harlow and the other mountain nations, especially Kargoth. I’m embarrassed to say that Brendan was a finer student of history and geography than I ever was.”
“Then each of us will commence with our first lesson posthaste,” he said as he weaved his way back to the front of the line with William in tow. “There are many wonderful tales I can tell you about Harlow and just as many horrible ones I can spin about Kargoth. Which would you prefer?”
“Choose a cheerful account to start with,” William suggested as the lines of soldiers reformed. “I’m in the mood for something easy on the mind, if you understand.”
Eucádus let out a pleasant laugh. “We could all stand a little cheer right now amidst the trees and the growing darkness. I promise to do my best,” he said before signaling for the troops to move out, eager to reach the forest’s edge before the sun set on this last day of Mid Autumn.
They covered the final miles to the border of the Ebrean in record time as all looked forward to breathing the open air and setting up camp. Evening fast approached as William observed the lines of fading daylight through the distant trees. His heart leapt knowing that they had finally reached the end of a long and arduous journey. He glanced at Eucádus, noting the silent look of delight upon his face. But though the first leg of their mission was over, he couldn’t imagine where the tumultuous waves of the following days would sweep him.
The men exited the woods about a quarter mile south where William and Brendan had made camp three nights ago. The city of Grantwick lay just to the southeast, splashed in the last rays of golden sun descending behind the Northern Mountains. The Bear Moon, about four days from full, ascended in the eastern sky. Everyone felt as if a massive weight had been lifted from their shoulders when they stepped into the cool open air, their spirits for a moment, untroubled and festive.
“At last,” William said as he walked upon a patch of dry grass. “Though I’m miles away from Montavia, I feel as if I have arrived home.”
“The Ebrean has not been kind to you, Will, so it is no wonder,” said Ramsey who walked up behind him. “May the future look kinder upon the prince of Montavia.”
“Upon all of us,” Eucádus softly uttered before pointing to the north along the tree line. “Look, o
ur friends await us.”
William glanced north, and after a flurry of soldiers parted before him, an amazing sight was revealed. Less than a half mile away, a series of bonfires were spread out across the open field like a scattering of stars. A multitude of small tents of gray, brown and white material had sprung up as several thousand men from the other four Clearings milled about, some eating and telling stories while others attended to the ordering of the enormous encampment. He was impressed to see such a grand display silhouetted against a crisp autumn sky in the deepening twilight where just days ago there had been only grass and quiet.
“I’m dumbfounded,” he said as he, Eucádus and Ramsey walked to the encampment. Some followed as others continued to spill out of the forest. “How many are there?”
“Counting the Star Clearing, I estimate we’ll have close to four thousand men,” Eucádus said. “Though now I think we can call ourselves soldiers, for this is the fate we have willingly accepted.”
“But as impressive a gathering as it is, it is still a small force,” Ramsey added. “Still, we’ll fight hard if it comes to that. And with help from King Justin, we’ll have an opportunity to strike a deadly blow at one of Vellan’s allies.”
“All the better if we can convince King Cedric to join us,” Eucádus said. “He must listen to reason.”
William chuckled. “Merely by looking over his fence, he’s sure to see this astounding sight. Maybe that alone will give him the encouragement your previous pleadings have failed to provide.”
“I hope you’re right, but with or without the King, we shall leave these parts soon.” Eucádus glanced up at the handful of stars winking in the sky, contemplating his dear wife and the beauty of springtime in Harlow, wondering if he would ever return to either one. “It would be of much comfort to have the men of Drumaya accompany us across the plains, but we’ll know for sure tomorrow. For now, let us join our brethren and set up camp. I have an appetite in search of a meal, be it only a bowl of soup and a stale biscuit.”
“Sounds like a feast to me,” William said.
The smell of wood smoke and damp grass stirred William from a deep slumber. He lay upon a thick blanket folded in two while wrapped snugly in another one draped over his coat. He had fallen asleep by one of the bonfires with several soldiers after talking long into the night about their upcoming trek to Rhiál across the vast Kincarin Plains. The sun rose in the southeast while the waning crescent Fox Moon drifted higher like a white gemstone, soon to be obscured in the morning sky by the glare of the fiery yellow orb.
After shaking the lingering sleep from his head and storing the blankets with his other supplies, William grabbed two apples from a sack of food and hurried to visit the two horses he and Brendan rode when they set out from Morrenwood. After having arrived at the encampment last night, William was delighted to see that his horses had been taken care of by the soldiers who had arrived earlier. He even found the spot where he and his brother had made camp, happy to discover their supplies still untouched, including his store of apples. When he offered the two steeds the sweet, crispy treat in the frosty air, they were delighted as they munched on an early breakfast.
“I thought for sure, Will, that we were going to have to wake you up this morning after the paces we put you through yesterday,” Eucádus said a short while later, happy to find the young prince in such good spirits.
“I guess I’m getting used to life outdoors,” he replied as he stroked the horses, each animal a rich brown color, though William’s horse was a shade or two lighter than Brendan’s. He looked at Eucádus, slowly exhaling as his ghostly white breath rose into the awakening blue sky. “As I can only ride one horse, I’ll happily give you Chestnut if you require a steed. It was Brendan’s horse, though both were lent to us compliments of King Justin.”
“I’d be honored.” Eucádus smiled, caressing the horse along its nose. “Though men from the Haystack Clearing have been breeding horses on the Ebrean’s northern border for just this day, we do not have the numbers to supply an army of our size. There are enough for the leaders, their captains and our scouting parties, and of course some to use for moving supply carts. With Chestnut in the mix, Ramsey can have my horse.” He stared at the animal, sensing a quiet pride beneath its genial nature. “Aptly named, too.”
“Brendan and I named our horses on the road for something to do to pass the time. I kidded him for picking such an obvious one.” The boy rolled his eyes. “Chestnut.”
“Oh, so what did you name your horse?”
William grunted. “I decided to call him Lester. I figured after I teased Brendan, I had to come up with something a bit unusual. Don’t know why that name came to me, but Lester it is. My brother had a good laugh as I expected he would.” He continued to run his hand across the horse’s silky mane. “It was a great afternoon we spent together that day. Ordinary, but I’ll always remember it.”
“That is wisdom speaking,” Eucádus said as he gently patted his horse. “An appreciation of life’s simplicity will help keep you grounded in reality. That is a good trait for any leader to possess.”
“I’m far from being a leader yet.”
“But it is best that your training begin many years in advance so you’re not caught unawares when the time comes.” He placed a foot in the stirrup and climbed upon Chestnut. “Now accompany me for a brief ride around the perimeter and then we’ll find something to eat. After that, we’ll form a small party and ride to Grantwick. The west gate is open by now and I’m sure King Cedric is expecting us. Whether he will be cooperative is another story.”
William mounted his horse and stood proudly at Eucádus’ side. “Then let’s not keep him waiting. But as you said, breakfast first. I always think better on a full stomach.”
Eucádus grinned. “There is it again–wisdom!”
The unarmed party set out to Grantwick two hours later to seek an audience with King Cedric. They totaled sixteen–the leaders of each of the Five Clearings, two of their most trusted captains each, and William, prince of Montavia. They rode across the wide expanse of grassland at a leisurely pace to the city and then proceeded through the streets of the capital to the west gate as the sun inched higher in the southeast.
The wooden barricade surrounding the inner city was constructed of a series of narrow tree trunks anchored into the ground and rising eight feet high, each secured to the next one with sturdy pegs and iron spikes. Four main gates were built into the fence facing north, south, east and west. All were attended to by the King’s guardsmen around the clock, though people were free to pass coming or going during daylight hours. King Cedric and his family, along with his staff and ministers, resided in a three-story structure of dark stone and wood called King’s Quarters. The inner city of Grantwick thrived around it. But even after the enormous fence had been built years ago, Grantwick continued to grow outside the protective barricade, predominately to the south and east. There were a few farms and residences in the north, while the area beyond the west gate and streets all the way to the border of the Ebrean remained an empty field for riding and grazing.
As Eucádus and his party passed through the west gate, some uniformed soldiers on duty smiled and said hello to those men they recognized from previous visits. Some silently hoped to join their military campaign against Vellan. While these soldiers admired King Cedric, many believed their monarch was too cautious a man when dealing with Vellan. Though Drumaya was still free, its citizens could feel the growing threat of the menace in the Northern Mountains.
As the guards watched Eucádus and the others pass by, several thanked them with heartfelt nods, knowing that these exiles from the mountain nations had served as a silent army over the years. Though never needing to call upon them, the people of Drumaya were confident that the men of the forest wouldn’t have thought twice about rushing to their aid if a crisis arose. But now that the woodland forces were preparing to march east across the Kincarin Plains, citizens of Drumaya were certain t
o feel less secure and more vulnerable to Vellan’s presence, knowing that the Ebrean Forest had been vacated of their silent and invisible allies.
“May your meeting with our King prove fruitful,” one of the guards quietly said to Ramsey who rode in back of the line with a few other captains.
“We’ll try our best to make a strong case,” he replied in kind.
“Who is the boy?” another asked, indicating William after he and Eucádus had passed by.
“Our secret weapon perhaps?” Ramsey said with a grin to the puzzled amusement of the captain riding next to him.
“Well, good luck with that,” the guard muttered to himself, scratching his head while he and his fellow soldiers watched the sixteen men disappear down the lane into the center of town.
“Here we are at last,” Eucádus said to no one in particular as he dismounted Chestnut under a line of sprawling oak trees in front of King’s Quarters. The others did likewise, tethering the animals to a rail along a line of water troughs. “Let us see if the King will grant us an audience today.”
He led the group beneath the shade of the oaks until they reached a stone walkway perpendicular to the line of trees and leading to the front entrance of the building. A second row of oaks continued along on the other side of the stone path. They ascended a set of five granite steps leading to a long porch extending the entire length of the building. A series of small recesses had been craved into the front of the building at regular intervals from one end to the other, each containing a stone carving of a hawk, eagle or falcon native to the region in various poses. Two armed guards stood at attention at the main arched entrance while several people casually strolled across the porch to either of the narrower staircases on each end. One of the guards, having met Eucádus and two of the other Clearing leaders before, cordially greeted them as they approached.
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