Apparition

by Tom Liberman

  Rhia nodded, “Yeah, that’s true. There are a few women around though. They tend the camps, make the food, take care of the children, but they’re not allowed near the arena. There’s not a fight scheduled for tomorrow, is there?”

  Marianna shook her head.

  “Why don’t we head over to the south side of the valley where all the poor families are camped and try to talk to a few of the women? Some of them have to speak Tanelornian a little, don’t they?”

  “I don’t know,” said Mike shaking her head. “I don’t think they get out of the region much. It’s the gnoll traders that speak different languages and those are mostly men.

  “Mike you could go over to the traders pavilion and talk to some gnoll men and see if they are willing to tell you anything,” said Rhia.

  Mike nodded, “That makes sense I guess.”

  “What else is there to do?” said Rhia shaking her head back and forth as if to find inspiration; there was none.

  “Not much,” said Marianna. “I think maybe Lofo sent us here just to get us out of the way for a while. It doesn’t seem like we’re doing any good.”

  Rhia nodded her head, “I was thinking the same thing, but now I’m beginning to change my mind. This Sunbringer fellow is … something strange is going on. I know it.”

  “We’ll do it in the morning then,” said Rhia. “I don’t want to be walking around here at night if we can help it. We should set up watches tonight, just in case.”

  “Do you think that’s necessary?” asked Mike looking at Rhia with narrowed eyes. “I mean, I agree walking around alone at night isn’t a good idea but in the wagon, here in the good part of town we should be fine.”

  “If you don’t want to stay up, I will,” said Rhia.

  “Fine, watches it is,” said Mike having learned when it was useless to argue with Rhia.

  Chapter 11

  One of the stray dogs that seemed to be everywhere in the camp took up residence near Borrombo’s tent that night and whined incessantly. On her watch Mike fed the poor thing some meat and that calmed it for a few hours.

  She turned in later that night letting Marianna take the next watch. The next morning she woke to the sound of someone screaming. She rolled out from Borrombo’s bed that she currently shared with Rhia and shook her head. “What is going on?”

  Rhia looked up at her with sleepy eyes, “Not sure.”

  The screaming came again and she suddenly realized it was the shrill voice of Marianna. “Marianna’s in trouble!” she shouted and rolled to her feet finding her blade where she left it at the side of the bed. Rhia was just as quick and they leapt out the back of the wagon and looked around.

  Marianna was shrieking at the dog that had set up around the camp and whacking at it with the blackened end of a log from the fire pit. “Bad dog! Shut up!” she screamed as the thing danced away from her blows.

  “Marianna!” said Mike her mouth open in astonishment. “What are you doing?”

  The girl didn’t appear to hear the question, bent down, and picked up a rock.

  “No!” shouted Rhia but it was too late. The girl fired off an accurate throw causing the dog to squeal. Marianna then rushed it and thwacked it with the club.

  “Bad dog!”

  Rhia rushed over and slapped the log from her hand before she could bring it down on the creature again.

  Marianna had a wild look in her eye and she turned to Rhia with a raised hand.

  “Marianna!” shouted Mike. “What is going on?”

  “It won’t stop whining,” said Marianna her teeth bared and a wild look in her eyes. “It wouldn’t shut up!”

  “So give it a piece of meat,” said Mike shaking her head. “What were you going to do? Beat it to death?”

  Marianna suddenly stopped and her eyes went wide, “I … I … I don’t … I don’t know.” Then she collapsed to the ground and started weeping.

  Mike looked at Rhia who simply stared in stunned silence.

  “It’s going to be fine,” said Mike and started rubbing Marianna’s back gently. “You didn’t mean it. It’s going to be fine.”

  Marianna looked up and around for the dog which had fled, “Is it all right?”

  “I don’t know,” said Mike. “You didn’t need to hit it.”

  “I don’t know any other way,” said Marianna and immediately began to weep again.

  “It’s fine,” said Mike with a look at Rhia. “You’ll learn to do it differently next time. Come on, I’ll go talk with the traders while you and Rhia talk to those women if you can.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Marianna still crying.

  “It’s fine,” said Rhia helping the girl to her feet. “Come on. Forget it.”

  To get to the women they needed to cross over to the other side of the river where thousands upon thousands of gnolls were camped. It was their first trip across the river and they paid a small fee to use the ferry rather than walking some miles to a place where they could ford it on foot.

  “It’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” said Marianna sniffing the air, apparently mostly recovered from the incident with the dog. The gnolls apparently knew enough to keep their waste away from the main camp. There were hundreds of little tents scattered all over the little copse of wood and most of the small plants were beaten down leaving many trails leading down different directions.

  As they entered the little wooded area a group of three gnoll boys and two girls, all without clothes, approached them brandishing sticks and made a mock charge. Rhia smiled, whipped out a dagger with a little shout, and they all turned and fled quickly enough; although she had the feeling that any weakness on her part might have engendered ferocity when it came to the furry children.

  “Don’t let them intimidate you,” she said to Marianna who had stood almost paralyzed when the children darted forward. “They can smell your fear and I don’t know what might have happen. They’re wild things.”

  As if to prove the point they came across another group of gnoll children in which four of them were hurling small stones at a fifth whose bloody face indicated several hits already.

  “Stop that!” shouted Rhia and the children turned to face her with amazed looks in their eyes. Only when she pulled out her sword did they drop their rocks and run. When the two walked over to the bloodied little boy he snapped at them with his sharp teeth and then followed his tormenters deeper into the woods.

  “I don’t like this,” said Marianna her eyes wide.

  “Nor do I,” said Rhia shaking her head as she watched the boy flee. “Life’s not for liking all the time. It’s for doing.”

  Marianna nodded her head and looked down the trail where the little gnoll ran off, “I know what it’s like to be bullied,” she said. “But why did he snarl at us?”

  Rhia shook her head, “We don’t know how they raise children here. We can’t assume anything. I saw a lot of things in my travels and not all good.”

  They continued walking down the path and eventually came across a small campsite where half a dozen gnoll women, in their full body coverings, were busy preparing food, chopping wood for the fire, and doing other mundane tasks.

  “Hello,” said Rhia stepping forward.

  The women immediately moved toward each other and gathered up the dozens of children of all ages that were scattered around the camp. There were many small babies and infants, at least one for each of the gnoll women, and fewer older children.

  “Hello,” repeated Rhia. “Do any of you speak Tanelornian?”

  One of the women stepped to the front of the others although still clutching a small child to her bosom, “I speak your language,” she said with a harsh accent. “Who are you? Why are you here?”

  “I am Rhia,” said Rhia. “And this is Marianna. We’re here for the high chieftain battle and wanted to speak with some of your kind. I’m glad we ran across someone who speaks our language so well.”

  “I am Ralana,” said the woman. “I was born in the
southern tribes but captured and brought to the north as a young girl. I learned your language long ago. You mean us no harm?”

  Rhia shook her head, “No, of course not. We came to learn more about what is happening in the battles below.”

  “That is man-talk,” said Ralana bowing her head.

  Rhia nodded her head and smiled, “Yes, but we women hear all that men say and know their hearts more fully than they know their own, is this not true?”

  The gnoll woman grinned showing off sharp little teeth, “You must have some gnoll blood in your veins,” she said. “But that is still man-talk. Come and sit by the fire, we will make milk tea for our honored guests.” She turned to the other gnoll women and barked out a series of words that set them scurrying about the camp to turn out little pillows to sit upon and soon cups with a thick and hot drink arrived. The drink was sweet and delicious and both Rhia and Marianna drank it with pleasure.

  “This is quite delicious,” said Rhia with a smile.

  “It is the milk from the goat,” said Ralana nodding her head. “It is a good drink for women who cannot stomach the curdled fire that men consume. It also allows us to keep level heads.”

  Rhia laughed, “I’m afraid I didn’t follow that sage advice recently and our friend here was even worse off than me.”

  The gathered gnoll women laughed when Ralana translated this bit of information and more food and tea arrived for consumption. “We came across a boy being tormented in the woods earlier,” said Marianna to the Ralana. “When we drove off the other boys he did not seem grateful. Can you tell me why?”

  “He must grow up to be a strong gnoll warrior, of course,” said the woman. “Anyone who must be helped by a woman is shamed. It is likely the boy is dead now for his friends will kill him for such a shame.”

  “Oh,” said Marianna her eyes suddenly brimming with tears. “We didn’t know.”

  “It is no loss,” said the woman. “A young gnoll who allows himself to be so bullied cannot survive long. The other boys would kill him soon for his weakness anyway. To survive one must be strong.”

  “Strength is not the only thing that makes a man strong,” said Rhia trying to mask her horror at this information. “Intelligence, kindness, and goodness of heart are all qualities that make a man a good father and a good leader as well.”

  Ralana laughed that barking laugh and translated her words to the other women who reacted in a similar fashion, “A boy who cannot fend for himself cannot fend for a family. It is our way. It is the only way. You see all the babies, yes?”

  Rhia nodded and steeled herself for what must certainly be coming.

  “The boys die young often. If they are not strong their father or uncle kills them. We expose them to the elements not long after they are born and they must be strong to survive that night. Many die but we are strong because the weak do not survive.”

  Marianna started to say something but Rhia put her hand on the girl’s knee to stifle the words, “Are you strong?” she asked the gnoll woman.

  “We are. Our men are the strongest warriors in the world.”

  Rhia had heard enough, “Your men, your husbands, your sons, are slaughtered again and again and again every time they dare stick their paws one inch into the territories of Tanelorn. A nation of free men and women where children grow up without fear bests your sons in battle. You may think you are strong, you may believe you are strong, you might listen to the lies your men feed you but I will not.”

  “That shame may change soon according to the Sunbringer!” said the woman suddenly standing and pointing while speaking a high pitched squeal. “You are right that we are shamed by our many defeats to the Gray Knights and the Gray Druids. I have lost brothers to their skill at arms but the day may soon come when we shall avenge all those defeats. The Gods know our pain and punish us for our weakness. But we shall call upon the name of Arioch and do His bidding.”

  Rhia nodded her head, “What does the Sunbringer say?”

  “He says Arioch has called upon us to rise up against you of Tanelorn. It is time to take what is ours by right of Divine proclamation. The Five Nations should be vassals to Grelm! The elves of Acanthus should be destroyed for their blasphemous religion, as should be the dwarves. We have treated you as guests and you have insulted us. You must leave now. Do not return!”

  Rhia stood up and pulled Marianna with her, “Thank you for your kind hospitality,” she said and bowed her head. “The food and drink were delightful. I’m sorry but we must be going now.”

  The woman snarled at her, they turned, walked down the trail, and away from the encampment, “Walk quickly but do not run,” said Rhia in a low whisper. “Don’t look back. Just keep walking. We need to get out of here as quickly as possible. Sunbringer is going to bring a lot of trouble if he wins the tournament.”

  Marianna nodded her head and kept walking. It only took them half as long as when they came this way to emerge from the wood and find the ferry.

  “That was not good,” said Marianna trembling.

  “It was excellent,” said Rhia. “Now we know exactly what is going on. Sunbringer is being positioned to come into power and he wants war. We need to find out more about him and as quickly as possible. We need to stop him from winning the tournament if we can.”

  “Lofo said …,” said Marianna.

  “Lofo is not aware of how dire is the situation,” said Rhia gritting her teeth, her hand once again at the hilt of her sword. “We have to make our own judgment now. We can’t depend on anyone else. Come on, let’s hurry back.”

  “I don’t understand how those women could be so polite and nice and yet at the same time completely insane,” said Marianna her eyes almost spinning. “They have no problem with their son’s killing one another for no reason!”

  Rhia sat back on the bench and cast a narrow gaze on the gnoll ferryman, “Be cautious what you say and where. We do not know who speaks our language and who does not.”

  Marianna looked over at the ferryman who returned her gaze with a simple, toothy smile and continued to pull them across. Eventually they reached the opposite shore and disembarked from the little vessel. “I don’t want to ever go back there,” said Marianna with a shudder. “They are crazy, this whole place is crazy.”

  “That’s all they know,” said Rhia. “Remember Adusko’s mother. She told us all of this in her own way but once she escaped, she learned that life doesn’t have to be so brutal, so cruel.”

  Marianna nodded her head, “I suppose that’s true. If anyone grew up like this they’d have to be a little crazy just to survive. But is Ada teaching those children to stand up for yourself not the same thing?”

  “Standing up for yourself is different than killing those who are weak,” said Rhia although the image of Adusko with his foot on the neck of the gnoll boy immediately popped into her mind. “Maybe there is a little of it though. Still, those children at her house seemed nice enough and their games weren’t vicious, we watched them all day. They were just kids having fun, not tormenting one another.”

  “I don’t know anything anymore,” said Marianna. “I thought I had the worst possible life anyone could have, but now I see children everywhere have it just as bad or worse.”

  Rhia said nothing and they walked slowly back to the campsite.

  “What did you find?” were the first words out of Mike’s mouth when they got back.

  Borrombo was sitting by the fire in a finely tailored outfit smoking his pipe with a satisfied look on his face.

  “Nothing good,” said Rhia.

  Mike looked to Marianna.

  “Sunbringer wants to do everything Lofo was worried about. He wants to unite all the gnoll tribes and wage war on Tanelorn.”

  “And the Five Nations, Acanthus, the entire region,” said Rhia. “He claims the gnoll gods want this.”

  Mike gave off a little laugh, “And he thinks people will believe that he speaks directly to the Gods? That he is their messenger on earth
?”

  Rhia said nothing but nodded her head, as did Marianna.

  “That’s ridiculous,” said Mike. “No one would believe such nonsense. These gnolls may have strange religious beliefs and the way they keep the women covered and hidden is silly but they wouldn’t wage a war like that based on the claims of one crazy gnoll?”

  Borrombo gave off a hearty laugh, “You think not, Mike?”

  “Of course not,” said Mike. “The gods, if they exist at all, do not take such an interest in our affairs. My mother believes in some of the elf gods and my father those of the dwarf, but they laugh at anyone who claims to speak for the gods. Anyone in Tanelorn would say the same. We make our own destiny; it is not made for us by some god. Every race, almost every village has their own gods and they would be in constant war with one another if they all took such an active role in the world. It is nonsense!”

  “It is nonsense to those born in Tanelorn, to you,” said Borrombo blowing out perfect smoke rings one after the other. “There are other people in the world who were raised differently. Some people are raised to believe the Gods are manifest in their everyday life. That the Gods watch over them at all times and every choice they make is preordained by the Gods to carry out their bidding.”

  “That’s just silly,” said Mike with a laugh and she looked around to Rhia and Marianna to confirm her dismissal but they were not smiling nor laughing.

  “It’s silly!” repeated Mike. “To think that some group of Gods could be watching over everything I’m saying right now, watching everything I’m doing, guiding me in everything I do.” She picked up a fork from the table where they ate their meals. “Is a God watching me now? Telling me when to drop this fork?” She pretended to drop the fork. “But no, that wasn’t the destined time for me to drop the fork, God is staying my hand. Now?” She again motioned as if to drop the fork. “Now? Now?” And then she did finally drop it with a clatter onto the table. “I guess the Gods foretold that exact moment of fork dropping!” She laughed. “It’s utter nonsense! Who could possibly believe it and if they did how can anyone take them seriously?”