“We must speak,” said Riyik.
“Kariik, please bring a few of your men and accompany us to the council chambers,” said Orin. “And leave someone in charge of your camp whom you trust to…keep order.”
Kariik clearly understood, and gave several orders in the guttural language of the steppes. “Alessa will translate—“ Kariik looked around for his consort.
“She’s in the temple,” said Kalie. “Helping with the sick. I will translate.” She watched Kariik carefully, searching his face for anger or embarrassment that his woman had left without his permission, but found only a weary acceptance. Perhaps he really has grown into the man Alessa had believed he could be, she thought. Or has at least started the process.
“One thing I don’t understand,” Riyik said as they headed for the bridge. “Why has no one brought word of your arrival? We set up a system that should have alerted everyone from here to Green Bower—“
Everyone turned to the sound of a lone runner crashing through the bushes. He was covered in mud, from the remnants of his shoes to the short spikes of hair that stood above his red and sweating face. “Can you help me find Stonebridge?” he panted to the first person he saw. “I bring an urgent message from the town of Waterfall, but my partner and I got lost during the rainstorm three days ago!” The man shook his head and took a deep breath. “Horsemen are headed this way and…” he swayed on his feet, overcome by a fit of coughing.
“Well, that answers one question,” said Riyik.
“As with any new plan,” Kalie said as they crossed the bridge, “there are always a few nits to work out.”
Two sturdy men helped the messenger across the bridge to where he could get food and rest, while the rest of the party proceeded to the council chambers of the main temple.
Kariik had brought eight warriors with him. Nara was about to instruct them to leave their weapons outside, but a warning glance from Orin stopped her. She sighed as the sweaty, mud-coated men sat in the newly scrubbed room, then began tearing into the food and watered wine brought to them by wide-eyed acolytes. “The room can be cleaned again,” Kalie whispered to Nara. “If a little mud turns out to be our worst problem, it’s a blessing!”
Nara nodded in agreement, and then went to stand beside Orin to begin the meeting. Opposite the horsemen, Kalie and Riyik sat flanked by council members. Melora began to fuss, so Kalie shifted her baby to the front, so she could nurse. A few of Kariik’s men looked offended, but she ignored them. Besides, nursing Melora would do more than keep the baby quiet; it would keep Kalie’s level of stress down.
“So, king of Aahk, what has made you leave your grasslands at such a difficult time for travel?” Orin asked. “And why have you come to Stonebridge?”
Kalie translated, adding her own question: “Where is the rest of your tribe?” While she probably should have been sitting next to Kariik, she had no wish to. They would all be more easily heard this way as well.
Kariik began with Orin’s second question. “We came here because we were told that Riyik and his wife dwell here, and that they are powerful voices in your land. And because we were directed here by many smaller clans who did not wish for us to stay with them.” There was uneasy shifting and muttering among Kariik’s men. Clearly, many did not agree with their leader’s decision to ask for aid—and take no for an answer, rather than simply taking what they wanted. Her opinion of Kariik rose slightly.
Kalie translated and Kariik continued. “Your other questions may be answered together. We fled the steppes when a mighty horde, larger even than the great federation Haraak dreamed of, fell upon us at the start of winter. We fought hard—what you see here is the result of that great battle. Except for the sickest and weakest among us, who were taken in by some of the settlements along the way, we are all that is left of the tribe of Aahk.
There was some whispering among the council, but only shocked silence from Kalie and Riyik. When they had fled over a year ago, the tribe had numbered over two thousand people. More than five hundred were warriors. Barely more than one hundred men had arrived with Kariik.
“This new threat,” Kariik continued. “They call themselves the Wolves of the Gods. They come from the east where, it is said, the land is all but dried up. But the western grasslands are not much better. They will come here. Probably before the summer.”
“Why do you tell us this?” asked Orin.
Kariik looked startled. “To warn you. And to offer to help you stand against them when they arrive. It is what we heard; that you plan to fight back. We can add over a hundred warriors and horses to your efforts.”
“Or, this could all be a ruse,” said Janak. Beside him, Garm nodded grimly while Kalie continued to translate.
Kariik looked blank. “Why would you say that?” he asked. Kalie sensed confusion and fear from him, but no sign of deception. Still, that meant very little.
“Your ways are well known to us,” Janak replied, the rumble of his deep voice reaching every corner of the large chamber. “But I suspect our ways are known to you as well. Desperate people fleeing through the winter; how could we not take you in?”
“And then when this horde arrives, you would be well-placed to assist in their conquest,” Sarella took up the argument. Kalie watched as two or three warriors barely contained their rage at being challenged by a woman.
“That is not why we have come!” cried Kariik. “Those cowards laughed when the rags of our army fled! They let us escape as an insult, knowing all that awaited us was a slow death in the snow.”
“And they did not let all of us escape,” said another warrior, whom Kalie thought she remembered as Lornak. “My younger wife, my favorite concubine and two of my daughters were taken captive. They took most of our flocks as well.”
“My sister, youngest daughter of my father, King Ahnaak, and her two young daughters now belong to the Wolf king, Varlas,” said Kariik. “And my son by Mayleen, a daughter of this land, died on the journey.”
Kalie’s breath caught, and she could not finish translating the last part, so Riyik did it for her. Kalie pulled herself back to the job at hand. She could grieve for the child who might have untied their two peoples later. For now, they had to be certain before trusting any of these people. Even Alessa.
“Yet you insist these monsters know of us.” Sarella pressed her point. “Why allow any of you to escape to warn us?”
“They did not ‘allow’ us anything.” Kariik’s eyes were hard and his voice cold. “We knew it might come to this when the enemy was first sighted. Since I myself was swayed by fools who swore they would never leave the grasslands for a life bowing to women, I did not lead my tribe west last summer as I planned. My wife swore we would be welcomed—or at least accepted. Yet still I hesitated. I said we would wait another year.”
“So when the attack came in the winter, a time when no honorable warrior would do such a thing,” said Lornak, “we at least had a plan. Many brave men laid down their lives so that some of us would escape to the west, and someday, avenge them.”
“And many women and children laid down their freedom as well,” Kalie said softly in the horsemen’s tongue.
Some of Kariik’s men looked surprised and angered that the two groups could be compared, but others nodded bitterly. “They, too, bought our lives,” said Kariik, facing down his men. “And will be remembered with honor.”
“I can attest to the truth of that,” came a voice from the open door. “For it was I who decided who would escape and who would be left.” Alessa strode purposefully into the room. None of the warriors showed any surprise or offence. Kariik looked relieved.
“Please, Alessa,” he said, “sit beside me. Explain to your people that we are not tools of the cursed horde who dare call themselves Gods’ Wolves. That we only seek a new life—and revenge against the enemy that nearly wiped the tribe of Aahk from this world!”
Kalie guessed it was the grueling journey, followed by work with the sick and dying that g
ave Alessa her haggard appearance as she took her place beside Kariik. Yet there was a kind of triumph as well. How many years had it been since the gifted healer had been allowed to practice real medicine, surrounded by people who recognized her skill and revered her for it? What must it have taken to tear her away from the temple of healing just now to come here?
“My partner speaks the truth,” Alessa said, meeting the gaze of each person in the room. “The grasslands are dying. I had hoped we would leave the steppes as Kariik said, and arrive here at harvest time.” She did not meet Kariik’s eye. “But perhaps there is a purpose in our newly diminished numbers; an understanding of just what all of us now face.”
“We have much to discuss,” said Nara. “But for now, let our guests receive the food and rest they need. How are those in the temple of healing, Alessa?”
“Most, I think, will recover, praise the Goddess, but a few we will lose,” she replied. “It cannot be helped,” she added, slipping into the tongue of the horsemen.
“Riyik,” said Orin, “these men were once your spear brothers. Is there anything you would say to them before they return to their camp?”
Riyik and Kalie both stood, but it was Riyik who spoke. “It is the honored priestess Alessa I would speak with in private, for it was her prophecy that this day would come. For those I once called brothers, my message is simple: your lives now depend on your wisdom and self-control—and your respect for the people of this land. Your first test comes in but a handful of days, for my daughter is to be married then. You are all invited, but if anyone spoils her wedding, I promise you need have no fear of the Wolf pack. You will die long before they arrive!”
Some of the locals looked shocked, but Kariik and most of his men nodded with understanding and respect. Some smiled. Only one scoffed.
“Daughter, Riyik?” called a mocking voice. “When you fled our tribe you had only a crippled son. How then do you have a daughter old enough to wed? Surely you’re not speaking of that slave girl your foreign wife brought to your tent!”
Kalie glared at the man who spoke, trying to remember his name. Kelvin, that was it. A close follower of Haraak, back when he held the power. To Kalie’s surprise and delight, Kariik turned and struck the man across the face with greater force than Kalie had ever seen him do anything.
Riyik only raised an eyebrow and said in a bored voice, “Of all people, you brought him, Kariik?
“With so many men gone, I had little choice. He has been loyal to me and fought hard by my side.” He looked around the room, his gaze moving between Riyik and the priest and priestess. “I humbly apologize.”
Kelvin sputtered, and seemed to be trying to lunge at Riyik, but the other men in Kariik’s retinue restrained him with ease. They followed two of the oldest acolytes out of the temple. Only Alessa remained behind.
“Well, said Orin as the room cleared. “At least we know the coming seasons will not be boring.”
Chapter 19
“It is hard to believe I’m finally home,” Alessa said to Kalie and Riyik over a meal at their table. “After so many dreams, I fear this is only another one.”
Kalie smiled and did not point out that what Alessa was calling home was a town she had never been to, nor that she had chosen to stay with the horsemen, rather than leaving with Kalie over a year ago. “You told us Kariik would one day lead his tribe to the Goddess Lands in friendship. It seems you were right.”
“More like desperation,” said Alessa. “But if all goes well, it will lead to the same place.” She helped herself to more grilled fish with mint sauce, and closed her eyes, savoring the taste. “I don’t think I will ever get tired of the food of my homeland.”
“I felt the same way when I first returned,” said Kalie. “And I’ll give you the same advice I got: take it slow. Your body—“
“—has to readjust to fruit and grain vegetables. Yes, I know.” With a sigh, she pushed her chair away from the laden table.
“How many will we have to worry about?” Riyik asked.
“Difficult to say,” Alessa replied. “Kariik did a good job of explaining things to the men. It helped that they were so shaken by their defeat—not to mention the loss of their territory and nearly everything they owned. Such a shock makes men more open to the concept of change.”
“It may also make some men eager to replace what they have lost, and salve their injured pride with new conquests,” said Riyik.
“I won’t deny the possibility,” Alessa said, meeting Riyik’s gaze. “But Kariik was clear on a few things. Every one of those warriors knows that their survival depends on this alliance. We’ve told them that every woman here is to be viewed as the wife of a king.”
“You’ve told them; they’ve heard the words,” Kalie said. “But is that really going to change a lifetime’s belief that these people are just sheep for the taking?”
A slight tremor in Alessa’s hands was all the nervousness she betrayed. “You’ve already seen Kelvin. There are ten or twelve more like him. The rest, I truly believe are ready to try new ways. Or are simply too used to obeying their king to do anything else.”
“We’ll need to do something about those men,” Kalie said.
Riyik shrugged as if the solution were obvious. “Introduce them to some of our students,” he said.
Kalie nearly dropped her berry tart, but caught it just in time. This late in winter, it would have been an offense against the Mother to waste something so delicious. “Riyik,” she said calmly, “even the best of the locals have trained for only a year. Men who have trained their entire lives would cut them in half before—“
“There are two or three who fight and ride like they were born to it,” Riyik argued. “And one of them is a girl. Well, woman now, I think. Warriors of the steppes are used to training boys without killing them. Although we’d have to make sure they used only practice weapons. And watch them carefully until they learned some respect.”
For a moment, all three sat silently imagining what it would be like the first time a warrior like Kelvin was beaten by a woman. Sweeter than this pastry, Kalie thought, washing the last of it down with lavender rose tea.
“I would want Borik to supervise,” Riyik added.
“Good idea,” said Kalie. “And if that doesn’t work, we’ll introduce them to Otera.”
Riyik shuddered. Alessa raised an eyebrow in question. While Kalie told her old friend the story of the band of female warriors and their leader, Riyik began to clean up, Melora woke up crying and Varena came home with a small crowd of people who had business with all three of the leaders who had just finished their evening meal. Hurrying back to the urgent demands of living, everyone dispersed.
As if her half-serious remark about Otera had conjured it, a messenger arrived the next morning to inform everyone that the great woman herself would be arriving in Stonebridge the next day, or possibly by nightfall. Kalie groaned at the news, but was too busy to give it more attention than that. Despite the chaos and potential danger swirling around the nomad camp, Kalie wanted her main concern to be Varena’s upcoming nuptials.
Not surprisingly, this was not easy.
Few of the merchants and other wanderers had as yet left the town, so the additional two hundred or so people had a greater impact than if they had arrived later in the year. Kalie refused to leave the house until the last of the gifts for Varena and Noris were ready and the food she was going to contribute at least planned out in her head.
Then, steeling herself, she marched through the busy town with her head high, strode across the bridge and approached the nomad camp. And while she planned to assist with translations, or anything else that was needed, for a time, all Kalie could do was stare with her mouth open and her legs frozen.
In her dreams, she had never been completely free of the scene before her. The sound of dozens of conversations in a language that had once threatened to wipe her own from the earth, the sight of women wrapped in shapeless black felt moving furtively
among the tents, even the smell of meat cooking in oil mingling with odors of people who rarely bathed, threatened to overwhelm her. Kalie searched the crowd for familiar faces, fingering the knife at her waist.
Most of the men were away from the camp, engaged in mock battles. But Kalie recognized some of the women, and that was just as frightening. One limped out of her tent, stooped with the weight of the boy she carried. When one of the healers from Stonebridge came over to examine him, realization hit. The woman was Kara, who had once taunted Kalie about her tales of life in the west, while her son and some other boys taunted Yarik for his crippled foot. Kalie had stood up to that woman back then, but had longed to do more. There were probably others here with whom she had scores to settle.
Yet, for the good of her people, for their future, she could not. And as Kalie looked around, she saw others standing like she was, still as statues, and they too stared at those who had hurt them. Or those they loved.
Darva stood smiling, as if planning her own revenge, but Kalie saw how she trembled and clung to the man beside her. Ranal, her partner, had not left for his first hunting trip of the year and watched who Darva watched, his arm protectively around her waist. “They will make me a slave again, if you let them,” she hissed.
“That will never happen,” Ranal said firmly. Kalie noticed that he did not offer to kill anyone who tried, but Darva seemed reassured.
Tarella, on the other hand, walked proudly among the hungry, exhausted women, tossing her long blond hair, adorned, not with the veil of a modest tribeswomen, but with jewels, and flaunting her fine clothes and well fed body. Looking for the wife who had once tormented her, Kalie guessed, and so far not finding her. But that didn’t seem to diminish Tarella’s enjoyment. Kalie should probably tell the bitch to either help out or leave, but somehow couldn’t bring herself to stop Tarella from doing what Kalie herself longed to do.
Keepers of the Ancient Wisdom (Kalie's Journey Book 3) Page 15
