Warriormage: Book Three of the 'Riothamus' trilogy

by Rosemary Fryth

  Theaua drew her aside so that the two were out of the men’s hearing.

  “My cycles have not returned,” Theaua said quietly, “It might be the constant exercise, but I believe I may have fallen pregnant.”

  Alissa mouth tightened, “The primal haunting?”

  The mage nodded, “Although Drayden and I have lain with each other since. I do believe that I may have conceived on that night.” She looked up at Alissa, “It occurred to me that if Hela conceived during the primal haunting, you and I might well be pregnant too.”

  Alissa nodded, “I too have been thinking on this matter.” She paused, “My cycles too are late. In all my life my menses have flowed true to the day and time. You might be correct in supposing that the journey may have affected the natural order of things, but it seems likely that the Entity is behind this.”

  Theaua shook her head wryly, “I’ve been talking with Sage Ash. It seems that what we call the primal haunting is referred to as a Ritual of Making, no prizes for guessing what the Entity was intent on us Making that night.”

  Alissa chuckled, “At least we have a number of weeks before we start to show.”

  Theaua nodded, “We have another problem. Genn’s just told me that he’s been able to at last determine the father of Hela’s child.”

  “He Scanned her without her knowledge. I thought that was unlawful?” Alissa was amazed.

  “Yes it is, apparently he did it whilst she slept.” Theaua drew an unsteady breath, “I think he had some suspicions and wanted to check without alerting her.”

  “Suspicions about what?” questioned Alissa. “We know she lay with all the Guard on that night, whatever can be wrong…” Suddenly her voice dwindled away, “By the Goddess, do you mean to say that the father was Sigund?” she whispered.

  Theaua nodded unhappily, “Apparently there’s no doubt of it. It seems that Genn became quite familiar with Sigund’s ‘essence’ as he tried to Heal him on the battlefield. When he Scanned Hela he discovered an echo of the same ‘essence’ growing in her womb. He seems utterly certain that the dead guardsman is the father of Hela’s child.

  Alissa sighed deeply, “Poor Hela, what in Andur’s name are we going to do?”

  Theaua shrugged her shoulders in bewilderment, “At least she has formed an attachment to Guardsman Bennek. If Bennek is happy to raise the child as his own, then there will be no problem. If not, then I don’t know what Hela will do.”

  “Hela will need to be told, and Bennek too,” Alissa said suddenly. “They will both need to come to terms with this, and work out some kind of arrangement to look after Hela and Sigund’s child.”

  “What of our possible pregnancies?” Alissa glanced at the dark-haired Earthmage, “There is no time now. When we stop this evening we’ll get Genn to check. If we are both with child then we will each have to tell our partners the news.” Alissa pulled a face, “However much a shock it will be!”

  *

  “Are you sure?” Aran asked again, his face now totally drained of colour.

  “I’ve suspected as much for a day or two,” Alissa admitted, “However, Genn has confirmed it. What’s more, both Hela and Theaua are in the same condition.”

  “And are you certain it was the night of the primal haunting?”

  Alissa nodded, “Genn said that all four of the unborn are at the same stage of development.”

  “Four?”

  Alissa shot her betrothed a quick smile, “It seems I am carrying twins.”

  Then she suddenly grinned, “Genn says it can be unusual for twins to be carried through into a second generation, but I am not surprised, especially as you are a twin yourself.”

  Aran sat back down on the ground, his legs suddenly nerveless.

  “Does he know if they are boys or girls?” he finally asked.

  Alissa shrugged, “He did not say, I suspect it’s too soon to tell. Besides I think I’d rather wait until they were born to find out.”

  Aran shook his head in bewilderment, “I am to be a father?”

  He suddenly looked up, the ghost of a smile hovering around his lips, “Don’t get me wrong Alissa, I am pleased, but the timing is awful.”

  “Tell the Entity,” Alissa said shortly, “It was its doing.”

  “And Hela and Theaua as well” He shook his head ruefully, “How in Andur’s name are we going to cope with three pregnant women on such a journey?”

  Alissa laughed, and squatted down next to her king, “Don’t mind us; we’ve still eight months to go. We’ll be well and truly out of Thakur by the time we even start to show. Besides Genn has given us each a concoction of some herbal mixture to help prevent the sickness if it occurs.”

  “Sickness?”

  Alissa grinned, “It seems that sometimes pregnant women can’t keep their food down.”

  Aran pulled a face, “Oh joy, so when is this part supposed to happen?”

  “If it does happen,” she corrected, “It won’t be for a few weeks yet. Don’t worry I’ll certainly let you know if it comes on.”

  Aran cradled his face despairingly in his hands.

  *

  It was a quiet and reflective group that gathered for the evening meal that night. All three of the women had told their news, and it was now up to the men to come to terms with it as best as possible. Bennek had taken the news the best of them all. His broad face wore a smile that was wide with delight, and his blue eyes shone happily. He did not seem to mind that Hela was carrying the child of his slain comrade; rather he seemed inordinately pleased that a part of Sigund would live again. Hela for the most part was introspective, trying to remember what she could of the fallen guardsman whose seed she now carried.

  Mage Trenny had not spoken since the announcement had been made. He was obviously furious with the situation, but with Aran immediately ordering no interference in the women’s pregnancies, there was little he could do. He knew that it was not Hela’s fault. He understood that the entire party had been under the grip of the primal haunting. Seeing as he could not blame his young apprentice, he instead contented himself with casting accusing looks at Drayden, as if blaming the High Earthmage for not being able to prevent what had happened on that night. Drayden however was too caught up in his own thoughts to give any consideration to Trenny’s problems. He had dilemmas enough of his own. When Theaua had so matter-of-factly told him of her condition, he had sat back speechless on the ground, for once totally bewildered by the turn of events. It was not long before he had searched out Genn, trying to gain some kind of understanding on what had happened.

  *

  “So she’s told you?”

  Drayden nodded in bewilderment, “It’s impossible, I still can’t believe that Theaua is carrying my child.”

  “Oh it’s yours for certain,” laughed Genn, “And a right little Earthmage it’s shaping to be.”

  “It has an Ability?” Drayden was astounded.

  “As strong as any I’ve seen. In fact I felt the Ability long before I sensed its essence,” affirmed Genn. “How could you expect it not to be so, when both its parents are strong Earthmages?”

  Drayden shook his head again, “But Genn, it’s totally impossible, I mean, I can’t have children.”

  The Healermage frowned, “I’ve known mages that have had children to each other. Why are you so different?”

  “No, no…that is not what I am trying to say,” Drayden muttered, flushing with embarrassment, his flaming face competing with his golden hair. “What I am trying to tell you is that many years ago when I was a lad I had a bad fall from a horse…” he grimaced at the memory. “Well, to cut a long story short, the healer said that I could never father children…” Drayden finished in a flurry of embarrassment.

  “Ahhh…well the healer was wrong then,” Genn was not discomforted by the sudden news.

  Drayden shook his head again, “Don’t you see Genn. Theaua was not the first. Ever since I came to manhood I’ve been with as many women as there are stars
in the sky.”

  The Healermage’s eyebrows lifted at that bit of news, but he refrained from commenting.

  Drayden scratched his head in bewilderment, “I know for certain that not one of those women ever bore me a child, which is until now.”

  He groaned and held his head in his hands, “That is why I have been so free with Theaua. I knew that I was not going to uh, inconvenience her in any way.”

  “Well obviously the Entity thought differently,” Genn said abruptly, “Live with it Drayden. You are going to be a father…”

  *

  “So what do we do now?” Aran mused to the other men, “This is a complication that was never considered.”

  “They are only new into their term,” replied Genn, “I can help with easing their way through the worst of the sickness and discomfort, and hopefully we will be long out of Thakur before the women find it difficult to travel.”

  “That is true,” agreed Drayden.

  “It’s damned unfortunate,” growled Trenny, “Although it may not imperil the expedition in the short-term. If however we are delayed in the mountains until after spring, then it will become more and more of a problem.”

  “I don’t agree with that,” replied Darven, “We have always considered this entire business to be a quick trip in and out. The simple fact is that we don’t have enough supplies to afford too many delays in the mountains. This complication will just be added incentive for us to be out of the range by spring.”

  Aran nodded, “Irrespective of this complication, if we are not out of the mountains by spring we starve. I am certain there will not be enough game to sustain us otherwise. Besides, we have heard from our friend over there that the Thakur themselves will be using these game trails as soon as the weather warms.”

  “The plainswomen work, travel and ride right up to the day they give birth,” added Bini carefully. “Surely our two peoples are not so dissimilar in this regard.”

  “All three are strong, capable women,” Genn replied agreeing with the plainswarrior. “I really don’t see this as being an issue…”

  “Besides we know they conceived on the night of the Ritual of Making,” interrupted Sage Ash. “Who are we to gainsay the wishes of the Goddess and the Entity? There may be unknown reasons behind these pregnancies. The Goddess herself knew of the perils of this journey. I am certain she did not gift these women with children in order that they should be a hindrance to us.”

  All the mages, including Trenny nodded silently at this reasoning.

  Aran rubbed his eyes tiredly, “Then we are resolved upon this, not that we had any other choice. It is far too late to turn back now, and the weather is such that all we can hope to do is press on into the mountains, and hope we get a quick resolution to all this.”

  *

  As each long and laboured day took the group further upstream and deeper into the range, the quieter and more introspective the group became. The Weathermages were fully occupied moderating the inclement winter weather, and in the end even they found it tiring having to daily maintain the wards around the group. Whilst blizzards were raging in the mountains about them, only the lightest of snowfalls inconvenienced the group, and for this small mercy they were daily thankful. Guardsman Jede had long since been co-opted into this chore, and with the enforced regular practice of searching for, and maintaining the magepower, had become reasonably adept at lending his hand to the constant weatherworking. Of necessity Aran and Darven had taken the remaining Warriormages in hand, and showed them their own necessary wards against the Warleader’s influence. Neither Aran nor Darven had felt inclined to demonstrate any other Warriormage skills with the enemy prisoner in their group, and especially not with the Warleader’s stronghold only a couple of weeks march away. Instead they contented themselves with explaining to Bennek and Gunthred details of what not to do when the Warriormage rage came upon them. The loss of two members of the group was not publicly brought up again, but Aran could see that the deaths preyed upon the minds of many.

  *

  “What day is it?” asked Aran of Alissa as she bent down one morning to break the ice edging the stream, in order to fill the pan to make one of the herbal teas.

  Alissa looked up, “I honestly don’t know. I’ve lost count!”

  Aran sat back on his heels, and tried to recount the lost time. Finally he shook his head, “I think it’s around fifteen days since we had that run in with the Thakurian patrol, but I can’t be certain of that fact either.”

  He gazed about him at the endless barren mountains draped in cloud and snowfalls, “The days seem to blend into one another in this place.”

  Alissa straightened, and pushed one bright gold strand of hair from her eyes, “If it’s fifteen days since the battle, then it must be getting close on twenty days since we left the Legions.”

  “Almost three weeks,” mused Aran, “If your reasoning is correct, then in a month or so we will be deep in winter.”

  “I wonder how the Legions are faring,” Alissa commented as a sudden gust of cold wind blew open her cloak.

  “A damn sight better than us,” was Aran’s swift reply. “I for one know where I’d sooner be.”

  Alissa had to laugh at that, “Aye, didn’t I foresee long ago, that we would be soon yearning for soft beds and balmy nights.”

  Aran nodded, “For the most part Andur’s Keep may be a cold and austere place; however it certainly wins hands down over sleeping rough in the Trident Range.”

  “No wonder the Thakur are such a cold and hard people if they have to live in this place,” Alissa observed, “It certainly does not inspire any gentleness of spirit.”

  “Yet compare this place to Glade,” Aran replied softly, making certain Mage Ash was nowhere within hearing. “I believe that the Thakur are hard because the elements and environment have made them so. Yet the Sages and people of Glade are no less uncompromising, and they live in a virtual paradise compared to this place.”

  “They have their own particular problems,” replied Alissa, “Mind you they have chosen their lot as have the Thakur.”

  “I think the Serat had very little choice of where to go after Warleader Andur won the Great Uprising,” observed Aran blandly. “I believe it was either into the sea or the mountains.” He grinned at that, “Faced with drowning, or carving out a hard life in the mountains, it’s no wonder that the Trident Range won.”

  “Do you now pity the Serat?” Alissa said wonderingly.

  Aran shook his head, “No of course not, they deserved everything that came to them. All I am trying to illustrate is that given circumstances even the most gentle of people can become hard and callous.”

  “The Serat were never gentle,” Alissa replied with some asperity.

  “No love, you misunderstand me,” Aran corrected, “Look around you; living here would make anyone hard and embittered.”

  Alissa frowned, “Of course, but I don’t see the similarity between Thakur and Glade”

  “That the people of Glade could have long abandoned their home if they really hated the rules and imposition upon them,” Aran explained, “Yet they have learnt to live with it.”

  He shook his head, “Neither you nor I could live that sort of life, but they have accepted it, and have become hard and callous because of it.”

  “You think of the Sages as hard people?” Alissa questioned.

  “Aye, there is no way I could abide to live under such a hard rule.”

  Alissa stared at Aran, “But you are their King. Why don’t you just tell them to move?”

  Aran shook his head, “You know, and I know, that I can’t do that. The people of Glade have made their own choice to abide by the dictates of the forest. I may be their king, but I can’t force anyone to give away something that they have obviously chosen.”

  Alissa frowned again, “If you so disagree with how the people of Glade live their life, then surely you have the power and right to change it?”

  Aran shook his head aga
in, “I might have the power Alissa, but I certainly do not have the right of it. Until what happens at Glade starts to affect the rest of the Province, I will not interfere. What they do amongst themselves is their own business—it is not my right to interfere in the day to day running of an independent town.”

  Alissa slowly nodded, “I think I understand now what you are getting at. How the people of Glade are obviously a case in point of how environment can change the soul of a people”

  “Aye…”

  “And so the Serat became the Thakur,” replied Alissa dropping the subject of Glade. “I wonder why they changed their name.”

  Aran shrugged, “Ask the Scout…he’s the only one who is likely to know.”

  *

  With the weather worsening daily about them, the group fully appreciated the hazards and perils of journeying into the mountains during winter. Little conversation was exchanged, as each individual tried to conserve their strength for the endless daily march, and the constant battle against the intrusive snow and freezing air. Despite the warding by the Weathermages, the winter was beginning to take its toll on the travelers, and Genn was kept busy attending to racking coughs, snow blindness, and frost nipped fingers and toes. Also each day’s march seemed longer than the day before, and it seemed to the weary journeyers, that despite the pain and the discomfort, they had not progressed any further into the mountains. All about them the heavy, oppressive clouds hung low, with the brooding, snow-covered mountains a constant reminder that they were the intruders here. There seemed to be no respite from the snowstorms, for it was as if this high and barren place of rocky, cold peaks had given birth and awareness to the endless storms, and that their sole intent was to batter this small group into abject submission.

  Each day the group set out with fierce and determined resolve, only to end it shuffling and weary beyond words, to face again the round of setting up camp amidst the ice, snow and broken rocks that bordered the now frozen stream. To Aran it seemed that the mountains had thrown the gauntlet of winter in his face. He felt that it was now up to him to see this through to some kind of completion. To their dismay, the extreme cold had already taken its toll on the pack horses, for of the three they had started out with, only one was still alive. Bini was devoting all his time and energy to supporting and encouraging the sole remaining animal, but when it too was discovered to have died one night, the group voluntarily gathered around for an urgent conference.