Warriormage: Book Three of the 'Riothamus' trilogy

by Rosemary Fryth

  Theaua nodded, “Mage Trenny is being difficult. I wish he hadn’t come.”

  Drayden pulled a face, “Hela seems fairly reasonable, but it’s getting to the stage that most of the other Weathermages are impossible to reason with. It is a pity that Hela felt indebted to come along, for in doing so, her presence in the party guaranteed that Trenny had to be along as well.”

  “I wonder what Hela will be thinking,” added Theaua. “She lay with all six of the Guards on the night of the primal haunting.”

  “Then let us hope she does not conceive a Warriormage,” Drayden replied sourly. “For that imagined piece of treachery, she would be thrown out of the Weathermage enclave, despite her highly regarded talents.”

  On that depressing note, Drayden and Theaua went back to their tasks and within minutes the party was yet again mounted and heading off into the depths of the forest.

  *

  “How soon to Glade?” called out Aran to Drayden at the head of the column.

  The mage pulled up his horse and glanced back.

  “Not long now, an hour or two only,” he replied.

  Aran looked up through the breaks in the canopy to where he could see brief glimpses of the sun high in the sky.

  “Good, it’s well past midday. Should we press on or stop for a meal now?”

  “Let’s continue on,” advised the mage. “We will be able to rest and eat at our leisure once we reach Glade.”

  *

  Aran yawned, and shook his head to prevent himself from dozing off in the saddle. After two nights of interrupted sleep, he was finding it difficult keeping awake, and the green monotony of the trees did not inspire alertness. Keeping his eyes open was an act of sheer willpower, and Aran almost missed the ornately carved wooden post standing so strangely and alone, surrounded by a particularly dense clump of woodland.

  “A ward, my lord Aran,” called out Drayden. “We are getting close to Glade!”

  Aran snapped awake, and stared in some consternation at the carved post which depicted in lithe and sinuous forms, the images of leaf and animal. Quickly he spurred his horse into a faster walk to join Mage Drayden, where he waited by the ward.

  “Wards against what or whom?” Aran asked, whilst gazing at the post in amazed fascination.

  “The energies of the forest,” replied Drayden. “A ward similar to what we maintained last night, only in physical form. This one I believe tempers it so they still receive the beneficial energies of the forest, yet have not the problems of the Primal Hauntings.”

  “Are there many of them?” Aran questioned, his eyes searching about for others.

  “At least eight that I know of,” the mage said. “Although the forest energies are not harmful, they can be distracting over a long period of time, and must be controlled. What you see now are the outermost defenses of the forest village.”

  “They also have wards?”

  “Oh yes, the village is sited in a large clearing, and is surrounded by a tall timber palisade. The houses too are built high off the ground on timber poles. Every wooden structure, including the palisade and pole houses, has been carved with protecting and deflecting wards.”

  Meantime the others had ridden up and were interestedly overhearing the conversation. Alissa urged her mount forward, questions heavy on her lips.

  “Didn’t the forest Entity object to so much timber being cut down?”

  Drayden shook his head, “No, the villages were built before Nay Forest went wild.”

  Alissa frowned, “Went wild? Was it ever tame?”

  Drayden gestured at the heavy foliage about him, “Of course, didn’t you know this was originally a planted forest?”

  Aran was astounded, “Planted! When, and by whom?”

  “The Ancients,” Drayden replied. “Mind you, it was planted when they first came to this land over two thousand years ago. It was much smaller then too, less than a third of its present size. Glade and the other forest villages were never intended to be built within the forest; they were just swallowed up by the encroaching woodlands.”

  “And the Entity?” asked Alissa. “When did that first come to the forest?”

  Drayden shook his head, “These are things of which the Sages should speak. Do not be impatient, you will soon hear of these secrets.”

  *

  Drayden urged the column forward again, and the riders fell back into their customary positions in the line. Aran meanwhile, was trying in vain to see some indication or pattern in the forest that showed that these ancient trees had been planted by human hand. Gazing about him, all Aran could see was the heavy and moist darkness of the deep woodland. Any pattern of planting had long been lost to the generations of wildings growing up for light and air in the sunlight-dappled spaces between the ancient trees. Finally, Aran began to notice faint traces of recent human presence, in the narrow trodden paths and tracks which meandered around the denser clumps of trees and scrub, but which led unerringly on deeper into the forest. At last, at the very limit of his non-mage awareness, Aran could hear the distant sound of human voices, and intermittently, the deeper heart sound of a rushing, tumbling river. At the crest of one small hill, the column paused as one to look down from their scant height, into a small, green grassed river valley, dotted with tall pole houses and ringed by a formidable wooden palisade.

  “Welcome to Glade” said Drayden, “The most secret jewel of the province of Andur.”

  And a jewel it was! Aran could see that the village of Glade had been built in a beautiful river meadow valley, lush with verdant grass, and dotted with late summer wildflowers. The palisade encompassed all the meadow, and in most places its walls brushed up against the very forest it was set to withstand. The palisade however was not complete, as two large gaps had been constructed to accommodate the Trident River, which meandered through the very heart of the village and valley. Within the confines of the palisade were the surrounding meadows, with herds of goats and sheep taking advantage of the sweet tasting flowers, and obviously succulent grass. Nearer the centre of the valley was Glade itself, with its neat, stone paved streets surrounded by the curious pole houses. Under each pole house was a gently shaded spot, which was obviously designed to be used as extra living quarters during the height of summer, or during inclement weather, and then behind each small cluster of homes was a small patch of green, which Aran rightly assumed to be some form of communal vegetable garden. Aran saw that Glade was barely a village in size; he estimated by the number of houses that only a hundred or so people resided in this enviable spot in the province.

  “It’s beautiful,” breathed Alissa. “I wonder why more people do not choose to live here?”

  “Few find their way in,” admitted Drayden. “The Entity dissuades all save the most persistent, and of all those who try, the most determined have been the Earthmages. Glade, as you will soon see is comprised almost entirely of Earthmages and their families.”

  “I’ve often wondered why the School of mantled Earthmages is so small on Glaive,” said Healermage Genn. “Looking at this place, I now understand why!”

  He turned to Drayden, “Do all Earthmages end up here?”

  Drayden shook his head, “No, but all, at one point or another in their lives, will spend some time in the forest, and in Glade itself. Only a few, the older termed forestmages, will end up spending their lives within the confines of the forest, and only a handful remain to die here,” he added enigmatically.

  “And the forestmages are the Sages?” asked Alissa curiously.

  “Some,” replied Drayden, “The ones that are most attuned to the forest energies and the Entity itself are honoured with the name of EarthSage, or simply, Sage. It is not a common thing, indeed there have only been a dozen or more Sages in the past hundred or so years.”

  Then he looked out across the valley and his face brightened, “Come,” he said happily, “They are expecting us.”

  The horses carefully picked their way down the mossy slope, until
at the foot of the hill they came to the base of the timber palisade, and the narrow well-trodden path that ran around its outside perimeter. Turning left at the base of the wall, Drayden led the group along the cleared path, until they came at last to a stout wooden gate surmounted by a single wooden tower.

  “Welcome to Glade, mages all,” called out the watchman from high above them. “We were told that you would be along today. Have you had a good journey?”

  “Good enough,” replied Drayden, “Open the gate, you have visitors of importance waiting.”

  “Aye, the king himself I have heard tell,” said the watchman, as he swung himself down the steep ladder, and then suddenly disappeared behind the stout walls of the palisade. Moments later the gates swung inwards, and they were greeted by the ruddy complexioned watchman himself.

  “Come in, come in!” he urged. “They have prepared meals, and accommodation for you and your beasts. Come, it grows late, and I would have the gates closed against the late-afternoon onset of energies.”

  It only took a few minutes for the column of sixteen riders to dismount, and lead their mounts and packhorses through the narrow gate, and into the open, welcome brightness of the meadows beyond. As soon as the last horse was through, the watchman carefully shut and bolted the gate, and turned to them with a welcoming smile.

  “It’s not too far a walk down to Glade, and I’d dare say you’d all be thankful to stretch your legs after so long a ride.” He pointed down to the river and the village, “As soon as we received word of the numbers in your party we made certain there was a large enough guest house available for your stay.” He smiled, “We’ve had to move a couple of our Questers into another smaller house, but they didn't mind, especially not after hearing that the King and Queen-to-be, and High Earthmage Drayden were a-visiting.”

  Aran smiled at the cheerful volubility of the watchman, and opened his mouth to speak but before he could utter a word the man was off again.

  “We’ve all heard of course of the troubles on the border, but we didn’t think that we would see any of it with us being so deep in the forest here,” he said cheerily. “Everyone’s been talking about the army encamped on the near plains, and we heard rumour that there’s been a tremendous battle already. The forest is fair abuzz with word of dead Thakurians lying piled in heaps as high as a tree.” He grinned again, “Mind you, a battle can’t be any worse than what happened to the earlier lot that tried coming through the forest…”

  “What,” Aran had to interrupt. “Have you had Thakurian soldiers here?”

  The watchman stared curiously around at Aran, “Oh aye. About a month ago, a largish group tried to strike directly for Glade by entering into the forest where the Trident River flows through. They didn’t get far. They were only under the canopy for less than half a day when the Entity was altered to their presence, and set the wolves and the energies onto them.”

  He grimaced cheerfully, “We finally got through to them a day later, but there wasn’t much left for us to find. Even their armour was broken and made useless by the fury of the trees. We took what we could salvage of the metal….” He grinned apologetically, “For we don’t get much trade coming through here, and iron and steel are always needed for tools and tins.”

  Aran had to laugh at that, it seemed only fair that Thakurian swords and breastplates should be melted down, and turned into cook pots.

  Taking an immediate liking to this cheerful and honest fellow, Aran thrust out his hand, and quickly introduced himself and the others of the party to the unsurprised watchman.

  *

  It took them only twenty minutes or so to make the pleasant walk down through the flowery meadows, and soon Aran and his group reached the outskirts of the town. Barely had they crossed the first flagstones of the wide, sun-lit streets, when they were greeted by half a dozen men and women dressed in dark green robes with wide-brimmed woven straw hats on their heads.

  “Sages,” murmured Drayden to Aran. “We have been honoured. This is their entire number now living. I had only expected to see perhaps one or two whilst we were here, but it seems that they have quickly understood the importance of our quest, and have responded in kind.”

  One of the Sages stepped out from amongst his peers, and bowed deeply to Aran and Drayden.

  “My Lord High King, Lord High Earthmage Drayden of Glaive, Lady Alissa. All others of note and name are most welcome to Glade. I am Sage Oak, and am named Foremost Keeper of this place.”

  Aran inclined his head, “We thank you for your welcome Sage Oak.” He glanced about, “In truth, you have a most fair village and valley. Never had I thought that such a wondrous place existed in the province.”

  Oak smiled and his bright blue eyes twinkled from under the wide brim of his hat.

  “In this place my lord, winter barely touches, and we have year round gentle seasons of growth and rebirth.”

  “We also bid welcome to our kinsman from the plains,” said a light and tender woman’s voice. “Bini Stardreamer, be most welcome here. It has been many generations indeed since one of our plainsbrothers has journeyed into the trees.”

  Bini looked up at his name, and he stared in startled fascination, as from the group stepped forward a young and lovely woman. Carelessly she removed her hat of straw, and freed from its constraint, her ash-blond hair cascaded down to her waist in bountiful shining waves.

  “My daughter, Sage Beech,” introduced the elder man. “She has only just passed her eighteenth summer, and already she is the closest Attuned of us all.”

  “You did not think to send her to Glaive for training?” Drayden asked curiously.

  The Sage nodded, “Until only a few weeks ago we thought to send her onto Glaive with the returning Questers, and then we heard of the encroaching war, and what with the Thakur already attempting the forest’s defenses, we thought it best to keep her here until there was some kind of resolution.”

  Aran nodded, “A sound policy. This place seems as well defended as Glaive Island itself.”

  Beech stepped forward and took the startled plainsman’s hand in her own, “Come all, we have lodgings prepared, and there is a meal waiting.”

  *

  “This is pleasant,” said Alissa whilst breathing deeply of the fragrant air, and leaning on the rail before her.

  Aran and the others in the group had ascended the steeply inclined stairs of their Guest House, and were standing on a wide shaded front verandah, which had magnificent views across the valley to the heavy greenness of the forest beyond.

  “If we should ever tire of Andur’s Keep, I’d like to stay here for a while.”

  Aran grinned, “I am King and you will be Queen my love. I think the people of the province would not be happy, if their anointed rulers hid themselves away in the middle of a remote and secluded forest.”

  Alissa turned, “A pity, but you forget that Andur’s Keep is as remote as this place.”

  Aran nodded, “That is true, but it is far more accessible. In order to reach this place one must be an Earthmage. Else the forest would bar the way!”

  Alissa nodded, “True, but I must admit that I feel very much at home here. Almost as at home as in Andur’s Keep!”

  Aran glanced back to where Bini, and the young Sage Beech, were standing close in quiet and intimate conversation.

  “There is one who also feels very much at home here,” he observed wryly.

  “Perhaps she, and not the Entity is responsible for Calling him,” said Alissa looking back at the young couple.

  Aran frowned at them, “This is a very new side of Bini. For such a hardened plainswarrior he is acting very moonstruck. I only hope that I am able to persuade him to leave when it is time for us to go.”

  Alissa smiled, and jabbed her fingers playfully in her betrothed’s side, “Oh let them be Aran. You know full well what a fierce and dedicated fighter Bini is. Let him be calf-eyed now, we will all soon have a hard enough time of it when we reach Thakur.”

&nb
sp; “I wonder how often they have to renew the timbers?” said Darven suddenly, fingering the fined grained, smooth wood of the balcony.

  “I don’t think it has ever been replaced,” answered Drayden. “I believe these are the original homes built by the Ancients almost two thousand years ago.”

  Aran frowned and examined the timber, “Are you certain of your facts?” he asked. “This wood looks barely ten years old, not two thousand.”

  “The energies of the forest sustain Glade,” said Sage Beech, breaking off her low conversation with Bini. “Although the village is warded, enough of the energies seep through to prevent the wood of our homes and buildings from rotting. Besides, we do not get the extremes of seasons; we scarcely feel winter, and summer’s heat is softened and moderated. The Earthpower makes it perpetually spring or early or late summer” she said smiling.

  “It’s marvellous,” Theaua sighed. “I think that I too would like to finally stay here one day, it sounds like a real haven for Earthmages.”

  “You will come back soon enough,” replied Drayden obliquely, “Your Quest is planned for next autumn.”

  Theaua glanced at Drayden, and nodded her understanding.

  Hela frowned, “I still cannot understand how a forest can affect the weather.” The young Weathermage shook her head in puzzled disbelief, “The power and type of weather we experience is determined by the seasons, and we know the seasons are regulated by the movement of the great celestial bodies across the sky. Saying it is the Earthpower is all very well, but I find it difficult to image how even the Earthpower itself could halt the inexorable advance of the seasons.”

  “Hela is correct,” added Trenny, “Use of the Earthpower to moderate even one season for one year would drain dry of power all the Weathermages of Glaive. How is it that the forest has continued to do this for countless generations?”

  Drayden stepped forward, “Perhaps it is time now for the Sages to tell the history of Glade and the forest Entity.”