by James Wisher
“Rain paid me a visit this afternoon. She’s nervous about the training.” Col said.
Tahlia looked at him and smiled. “The training isn’t demanding physically; it requires mental discipline and focus. Do you think she has what it takes?”
“I don’t know. Rain’s smart, and tougher than I expected, but I suppose no one has ever asked her to do something like this. I believe she’ll find it a challenge.”
“No doubt. Now don’t you know it’s rude to meet a lady and bring up another woman?” Laughter danced in her eyes and Col smiled. Beyond the comfort and ease of palace life he would miss his visits with Tahlia the most.
“Apologies, Majesty, you’ll have to forgive this simple commoner’s lack of social graces.” His tone imitated the snootiest nobles he’d met and she laughed.
Tahlia leaned into him and before he could react she kissed him. Not a friendly kiss, but one that suggested soft sheets and candlelight. Col broke away. He couldn’t go down this path. Not with a queen whose husband, loveless marriage or not, would have his head on a pike.
“What’s wrong?” Tahlia snuggled up beside him. “Isn’t that what you want, what you’ve been thinking about since that first night when you abandoned me for another woman?”
“In my defense, someone was trying to kill her. Joking aside, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. You’re also a queen and married. I’m just…nobody.”
“Don’t say that. Don’t ever say that. I’ve met many mortals in my time on this world and you’re one of the finest. What you accomplished, getting here despite Zarrin’s best efforts to kill you, is remarkable. I’ve known men twice your age and experience that couldn’t have done it. Take pride in that and never say you’re nothing.” She reached into the folds of her robe and brought out a small crystal orb. “Take this. It’s connected to a larger one in my casting chamber. When you need to make contact think of me and when it starts to glow speak your message. If I’m near I’ll answer at once, but if not it will glow and grow warm when I send a reply.”
Col took the orb and put it in his pocket. “Thank you, Tahlia. Not having you to talk to was the thing I dreaded most.”
She kissed him again and this time he didn’t argue.
* * *
Col left Pike’s Cove at sunup. He passed a few fishermen on their way down to the docks. They exchanged nods, but nothing more. He slipped through the gate and headed northwest to the castle. Col kept to the forest. A single man traveling alone on the roads made too easy a target, whereas moving through the forest wouldn’t attract attention.
He set an easy pace, stopping once to have a bite of smoked fish before moving on. A couple of hours after noon he caught of whiff of smoke, stopped, and scanned the sky through gaps in the canopy. A thin column of smoke snaked through the blue sky and he headed toward it. As he got closer to the fire he realized the road wasn’t far off. Who would be stupid enough to build a fire near the road where the beastmen would be certain to find it?
The road appeared through gaps in the trees; not far now. Col drew his sword and crept closer, every sense alert for threats. He crouched behind a big maple at the edge of the road. Before him the remains of a fair-sized caravan lay broken and scattered along a fifty-foot stretch of road. It looked like ten wagons and some horsemen serving as guards—fat lot of good that did them. It seemed clear whatever happened was over and the beastmen gone.
Col left his hiding place and moved closer to examine the aftermath of the battle. Blood soaked the dirt road and four dead boarmen lay in the ditch on the far side, their bodies riddled with arrows. That was what passed for a proper burial among beastmen. He found no human bodies, or animal corpses for that matter. The monsters must have taken them for meat. Of all the horrors the beastmen committed Col found the fact that they ate their dead enemies the most distasteful.
He found nothing of value among the ruins of the caravan, just smashed personal items and spoiled food. From how scuffed the road looked Col figured the beastmen must have numbered close to a hundred. They headed in the general direction of the castle and Col wanted to see where they went so he slipped back into the forest and jogged along parallel to the road. If the group was as big as he feared he wouldn’t have trouble following them.
Night had fallen when Col caught up with the beastmen. He didn’t find as many as he expected, only twenty. It looked like more because they’d captured about fifty human prisoners. A group of men, women, and children huddled together as far as their bindings would allow them to get from their captors. Col shook his head. He’d never heard of beastmen taking prisoners before.
The beastmen built fires and sat around eating meat Col didn’t want to examine too closely. He wanted to get close enough to speak with the captives, but with twenty beastmen keeping watch he didn’t dare. Col slipped away from their camp and found a place to hunker down for the night. He’d follow the beastmen and see what they planned to do with the prisoners. The castle wasn’t going anywhere, and this looked too strange not to check out.
After a restless night Col woke and crept back to check on the beastmen. They’d already moved on, leaving a trail a blind man could follow. He ate a quick breakfast and set out on their trail. He followed them all day, keeping at least a quarter-mile back to be certain they didn’t wind him. The monsters set a brutal pace. He saw no way the little ones could keep up and feared if they didn’t he’d find some little bodies before midday.
Noon came and went without bodies and Col sighed in relief. The adults must be carrying them. That would buy a little time, but eventually their strength would give out. Where the hell were the ugly brutes taking them? Col snuck up to their camp a little after dark. The humans looked more ragged than the night before and some of the kids had fallen asleep already. Col clenched his fist. He wanted nothing more than to draw his sword and kill the monsters where they sat. He fought the impulse down; he’d accomplish nothing getting himself killed. When they got where they were going maybe he’d have a chance to do something.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Rain tapped on the door before entering the austere cell where Michael tried to teach her to connect to the sword that was her birthright. Two cushions sat on the floor and a Light globe floated near the ceiling, giving off a dim white light. Michael hadn’t arrived yet, which was a first. Rain sat on one of the cushions and closed her eyes; maybe she could get in a little practice before he arrived.
She took slow deep breaths, tensing each muscle before relaxing it, and then focusing on the faint buzz in the back of her mind. Michael said that buzz represented the sword reaching out to her, the last of her line. The sword wanted to connect with her; all she needed to do was open herself to it. She understood all the words, and even the concept, but creating the correct frame of mind eluded her.
The muscle of her calf relaxed an instant before the door opened and Michael entered. She opened her eyes and started to stand, but he waved her back to her seat. “My apologies for my late arrival, the queen received a message from Col. It seems he’s finished training the first resistance group and moved on to search for the next.”
“So he’s okay?” Rain tried to keep the anxiety from her voice and failed miserably. Ever since he left she’d worried about what might happen to the squire. He seemed far too young to be in charge of training others to fight beastmen, but it sounded like he was doing all right, which was more than she could say for herself.
Michael smiled. “He’s fine. Her Majesty says he sounded quite optimistic about his progress. Are you ready to begin today’s lesson?”
She took a breath and let it out. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
He patted her shoulder and sat on the cushion opposite her. “It’s all right. This is a difficult process for someone not used to it. It took me three years before I managed to channel the Light for the first time. You’ve only been practicing for six weeks.”
“How old were you?”
“Eigh
t. Now enough about me, let’s begin. Close your eyes and feel the connection, the little buzz in the back of your head. Picture a door in your mind, open it, and invite the presence in.”
Rain did as he bid. She pictured a door, a dark-stained oak door that opened into her old room in Castle Finegold. She pushed it open and held out her arms. Come to me.
In her imagination Col stepped through the door and into her open arms. He held her and she felt certain everything would be okay. She blinked. Damn it! That wasn’t what Michael wanted her to picture.
He must have seen she was having trouble for he said, “It’s all right, try again.”
She closed her eyes and without even being aware of it reached for the amulet Col had given her before he left. Instead of focusing on the door and her connection to the sword she remembered her final conversation with Col.
* * *
She stood outside his door trying to work up the nerve to knock, which was stupid, it wasn’t like she found him intimidating. She gritted her teeth and knocked. A few seconds later he opened the door. She said, “So you’re leaving?”
He nodded. “It’s time. Nobody’s tried to kill me in a couple weeks and I’m getting bored.”
She laughed then sniffed back tears. It was just like him to make a joke to put her at ease. “I’ll be all alone.”
“You’ll be fine. I’ve seen you with the other nobles, you’re a natural. Queen Tahlia seems to like you.”
“I’m just good at the game.” She brushed past him and sat on his little bed, not much more than a cot really. “So this is where they stuck you. This whole room would fit in the sitting room of the suite they gave me.”
“It’s not bad.” Col sat beside her and her cheeks warmed. She’d thought about him almost nonstop since he saved her from Callion. “If you’d seen the shack I grew up in you’d realize this is luxury living for me. What’s bothering you, Princess?”
“I talked to Michael this morning, about the training he wants me to do. There’s magic and resonance and all sorts of things I don’t understand. I’m not sure if I can do it.”
“You can do it; have faith in yourself. Remember, they’ll train you, no one expects you to know this stuff at the start. You’re smart, and if you give it your best I’m sure you’ll do great.”
She leaned against him and Col put an arm around her. By the Light that felt good. They sat that way for a while, not talking. Finally Rain said, “Thanks, I needed a pep talk.”
“Sure.” He reached under his tunic, pulled out his bronze squire’s amulet, and handed it to her. “Take this. I remember when Sir Geris gave it to me after two years serving as a page. He said, ‘There’s no going back. Your real training begins now.’ I was so excited and at the same time terrified I would disappoint the man that saved me from a life on the streets. I don’t know what your training will be like, but remember as long as you do your best you won’t let anyone down.”
She slipped the amulet over her head, buried her face in his shoulder and cried like a little girl. When she got herself under control he smiled and asked, “Better?”
“Much, thanks.”
Col squeezed her shoulder. “Anytime, Princess.”
He’d sailed away a few hours later and ever since, she thought about him more than when he had been with her.
* * *
Col followed the beastmen and their prisoners for three days before they reached their destination: a group of crude, makeshift pens made from rough-cut tree trunks, filled with filthy, half-starved humans. Even from a distance the stink from the pens made his eyes water. The monsters led their captives down the road like they owned it, and without anything resembling an army to oppose them he guessed they did. Col circled around through the woods until he reached the top of a little hill overlooking the pens.
Five of the rough wooden pens filled a hay field that now resembled a mud pit. Three of them looked full. He made a quick count and guessed each pen held a hundred humans. The beastmen he’d followed led their prisoners to a half-full pen and shoved them inside. The slavers approached a saberfang that appeared to be in charge of the guards and after a brief exchange marched out the same way they’d entered.
Col shook his head. What the hell were they doing? In all his studies and limited experience he’d never seen or heard of beastmen doing anything like this. On the far side of the camp another trail led west toward the mountains. He snuck through the forest, alert for any guards. He didn’t meet any, they all focused on the pens and the humans inside. They didn’t appear concerned about an attack from outside.
He studied the trail from the edge of the trees. It looked like an army had marched through, though he suspected that hundreds of slaves had stomped the grass flat. The trail led to the mountains, and the beastmen had villages up that way, or so he’d heard. No one had ever dared venture that far out of civilized country. The life expectancy of a human in beastman territory was vanishingly brief.
There didn’t seem to be anything more he could learn here. Col retreated deeper into the woods. The castle wasn’t far from the slave pens; the refugees might tell him something about the beastmen’s plans. Even if they didn’t know anything he wanted to check in, make sure everyone was okay.
He turned away from the pens and headed toward the castle. No matter what happened he would find a way to help those people.
Col reached the castle before dark. The portcullis was down and there was no sign of movement; the keep looked deserted. He frowned. No way would they have abandoned a secure position like this and he saw no signs of battle so the beastmen hadn’t forced them to flee. Maybe a guard hid out of sight.
“Ged! Mara! Anyone here?”
Something clattered a moment before two men in mail and carrying familiar crossbows stepped out from their hiding place. “Who the hell are you and how do you know the boss and his wife?”
Col grinned. He knew that voice. “Is that any way to speak to the man that bandaged up your brother?”
Hal stepped closer. “By the Light! We never thought to see you again, Col. It’s a friend, open the gate.”
A minute later Col ducked under the portcullis and into the yard. He’d barely taken two steps when the gate clanged shut. They walked toward the keep.
“Ged sure will be surprised to see you. How’s your sister?”
“Rain’s fine. We made it to Celestia and she found a job at court.”
“That’s good. It meant the world to my brother to have her sit with him at the end.” Hal led Col away from the main gate. It appeared they used one of the servant’s entrances.
“You don’t use the main gate?”
“No, Ged said it would be better to make the keep look empty to keep any curious beastmen away. Since we’re still alive I guess it’s working.”
“Looks that way.”
They reached the door and Hal rapped on it. A viewport opened and a pair of blue eyes stared out. “Fetch the boss. We got a visitor.”
The viewport slammed shut and the door opened. Hal motioned Col inside. “I’ve got to get back to my post. See you later.”
Col nodded and stepped inside. The little room behind the door had two hard-backed chairs and a door leading deeper into the castle. The man with the blue eyes pointed to the chairs and stomped off, presumably to fetch Ged. It would have saved time to let Col come with him, but he probably had orders not to let anyone deeper into the castle without permission. The man carried his ax slung over his shoulder like someone used to chopping wood not flesh and Col suspected if he wanted to get through, the guard wouldn’t provide much of an obstacle.
After his long hike even the hard wooden chair made a welcome resting place. Col sat in one chair and put his feet up on the other. Ged better hurry or he’d likely find him asleep.
A few minutes later the door opened and Col sat up. Ged entered, saw Col, and grinned. “Welcome back. I didn’t figure we’d ever see you again. Where have you been?”
“It’s a
long story. We need to talk, and I can update your map.”
“Good, good, we haven’t added anything since you left. We seldom even send out scouts.” Ged led him out of the entry area and they headed toward the war room. Col didn’t need a guide; he’d made a point of exploring the place when they first arrived.
They passed a few people on their way, some of whom Col recognized, more that he didn’t. It looked like they’d picked up a few new arrivals. “So you don’t know what’s happening in the area?”
Ged shook his head. “We’ve tried to make this place look abandoned. The fewer people coming and going the better. We send out hunters once a week to augment our food supply, but that’s it.”
“What do they report?”
“Not much. At the first sign of beastmen they head the other way. After that battle at the fort no one’s interested in attracting attention.”
They reached the war room. Ged went in and lit a lantern. The map looked the same as Col left it. He shouldn’t be disappointed; these were farmers and fisherman mostly, not soldiers. He’d hoped they’d have some information about the area.
Col went to work, first putting a green pin to mark Pike’s Cove as a friendly location. Next he marked all the skirmishes they’d fought. He finished up with a yellow flag for the slave pens, which indicated uncertainty as to its function.
He stepped back and crossed his arms. “There, now you know what I know.”
“No, I don’t.” Ged looked at the map then back at Col. “What does it all mean? Tell me the truth. Who are you, really?”
Col sighed. Rain was safe now so he couldn’t see any reason not to tell Ged the truth. “I’m a squire, the last survivor of the Knights of Corinthia, at least as far as I know. That girl wasn’t my sister, she was the princess and my job was to get her out of the kingdom. I’ve returned to scout the beastmen’s positions and train resistance groups. That green pin is Pike’s Cove. It’s the base of the first group I trained.”
