The Caravan Road

by Jeffrey Quyle

  They ate their meal, discussed simple matters about the following day’s trip to Exbury, and speculated about the gardens. “This is our last night in Yangchoo,” Alec said as they finished eating and drinking their wine. “Would you like to take a walk and see the lights before we go upstairs?”

  She looked at him speculatively. Is this another way to avoid going to bed with me?

  No. No, he said affirmatively as he stood. Let’s go see the wonders of one of the Five Cities.

  They walked out past the desk, where Grenda sat filing her nails, and began to stroll along the streets, joining the streams of tourists who walked about enjoying the beauty of the lights. They reached a statuary garden, where lights illuminated the stony figures, shifting patterns of light that created the illusion of movement.

  “Look at that one,” Andi murmured, hanging on Alec’s arm the way so many of the ladies among the other couples around them did. She pointed to a stone horse that stood rearing on its two hind legs.

  “The poor thing has to be getting tired of standing like that,” Alec whispered. He engaged his Stone ingenaire energies and sent a flow of power through the paving stones, across the square, and into the statute, making it lower its front hooves and then kick up its rear ones.

  The crowd roared in delight, and Alec grinned as Andi turned to him and slapped his shoulder playfully. How did you do that? she asked. I didn’t know you could manipulate stone like that!

  There hasn’t been much reason to use that energy, he replied as they resumed their strolling. It’s a very practical energy; it helped me build Ridgeclimb.

  What else can you do? She asked as they turned and walked in the direction of their residence.

  I think you know them all, he counted them off, Healer, Warrior, Spirit, Air, Light, Stone. Six in all. He thought about the Traveler abilities and the Time abilities he had once had.

  Why are you sad? Andi asked.

  I just remembered a time when I had some other abilities, he told her.

  What happened to them? Andi asked. Why don’t you have them any longer?

  My God felt that they gave me too much power, Alec answered.

  What, didn’t he want any competition? she asked scornfully.

  There would be no competition, Alec told her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder in the slight chill that began to set in. I faced a man once who tried to gather all the powers he could; he wasn’t a threat to God; he was only a threat to the rest of humanity.

  I know your heart is good, Andi, so this message is not really needed, but I hope you understand that when you are a functioning Warrior ingenaire, it will be your duty to put your abilities to work for the benefit of others, he sent his message with all the conviction and sincerity he could project.

  Otherwise, we become like the men we’re trying to catch, he finished his sermon as they arrived at the gate of the palace.

  “Just a moment,” he said and paused to send another stream of Stone energy through the road bed, back to the statute he had moved before, restoring it to its original pose.

  He finished his task, then looked down at Andi’s face, and kissed her soundly. They walked together with cozy arms around each other’s waist until they reached their guest palace. They walked past Grenda at the desk without notice.

  Let’s go upstairs, Alec told her, and she sensed the passion in his soul.

  Yes, let’s, she agreed with a smile, and they walked up the staircase holding hands, communing silently with one another.

  Chapter 24 – The Trip to Exbury

  The next morning Alec carried their saddle bags down to the stables and placed blankets and saddles on the horses, rearranging the baggage they carried so that the third horse could carry passengers. He bought a saddle from the tack shop in the stable, to provide for Pierre and Reena, then went back inside and found his three traveling companions all sitting at a table eating fruit and bread.

  “It’s a beautiful day for a ride,” Alec told them cheerily. “Who’s ready to go?”

  “I am!” Reena answered briskly.

  It depends on what we’re going for, Andi told him silently, and gave him a wink.

  He returned a broad smile, then held out his hand and helped her up.

  Moments later they were mounted on their steeds and riding out of the courtyard of the palace, heading due west to the city of Exbury, the Garden City of the Five. They chatted amiably as they rode out of the city and through the countryside. The group stopped in a village at midday and ate lunch at a tavern, then resumed their trip, making good time along the way.

  Pierre and Reena grew drowsy as they rode, and Alec spoke to Andi. Let’s resume your practice.

  Now? Here? On horseback? she asked.

  It’s worth trying, he replied. If you can’t find the energy doing it under these conditions, that’s fine. It would be extraordinary if you could; we’ve got time on our hands, and you’re a good student, he encouraged her.

  It’s not easy to focus, Andi admitted in frustration five minutes later.

  I know, Alec soothed her. He sent his spirit to be with hers, waiting for her to enter the space between the barriers, offering support.

  Minutes later she did it, then did it again, and again, three efforts in a row.

  Very good! Alec congratulated her. Now, let’s go to the portal and you can enter the energy realm.

  Alec watched her, sitting atop her horse as they rode through the pastoral countryside, as her eyes glazed over and her attention was entirely turned inwardly. Her spirit was in the Warrior realm, and he waited for her attention to return, either because she had failed to bring the energy with her out of the power realm, or because she had succeeded. The seconds passed, and became minutes.

  “Andi? Andi, can you hear me?” he gently prodded her shoulder and called to her, knowing the futility of doing so. There was a problem, he knew; she had been lured into the energy realm, seduced by the promise of enormous fighting ability. He sat and sucked in his breath, worried, then took the step he felt compelled to take, and transported himself into the axis mundi, the very center of the energy realm.

  He’d been there many times before, times that were vivid memories. He remember the time he had come to the axis mundi to fight the demon there, the visit that had changed his life, deprived him of his chance to grow old with Bethany and Kinsey and all the others of his generation. And after that, after the long battle with the demon, which had scarred and altered him forever, he had returned to that same chamber, and used it as a means to enter many chambers, picking up the skills that he used so regularly even now in his life.

  Now he was in the axis, looking for the path to the Warrior chamber of the energy realm, so that he could go in search of Andi’s lost and wandering spirit. He knew his route, and he moved rapidly across to the boundary where the Warrior abilities resided, and stepped within, his body instantly ready to sprout all accouterments of warfare.

  Alec cavalierly shrugged away the swords and shields and maces, and began to race deep into the energy realm, looking for the movement that would be Andi. He ran about for what seemed an endless time, searching and calling. He came out once, when he faintly sensed some disturbance in his physical world. He found Pierre addressing him, trying to arouse him by shaking him.

  “I can’t talk right now,” he spoke in a rush, half his spirit in his body and half of it still within the energy realm, “unless it’s an emergency, wait for us to return.”

  “It’s no emergency, do whatever you’re doing,” Pierre said, and then Alec was back in the energy realm, searching for Andi. He found her at last, when an arrow passed through his spirit, and he turned to see a distant figure with a crossbow. He rushed at the figure, and confirmed that it was Andi when he came face to face with her.

  She was engorged with Warrior energy.

  “Andi, you need to leave the energy realm. You can take the power with you, but we have to find our way out,” he told her.

  “Alec, I
am like a warrior queen! I can do anything! I could fight an army by myself and win. You never told me it was like this,” she was intoxicated with the promises the power made to her.

  “This power in here is impotent, Andi,” Alec told her. “There are no armies to fight in here. There are only empty promises. The only enemy you will find in here is death, death if you stay too long.

  “Let the power go. Go back to the physical world. I’ll meet you there, Andi,” he promised.

  “No. No, I belong here, invincible,” she said, and she pointed the crossbow at him again.

  Alec closed his eyes, and embraced his Spiritual power. Standing within the Warrior realm and embracing the power of an alternate energy was debilitating, and he felt his body begin to rise, to seek to travel to the source of the Spiritual power.

  As he felt the power begin to pull him away, he also felt its enhancement of his abilities, and he used the strength it gave him to drive his spirit directly into Andi’s once again merging the two personalities into one.

  Alec, what are you doing? She cried, as his spirit enveloped hers. He felt his spirit image being pulled away from the energy of the Warriors, and he held tightly onto Andi, taking her with him. He felt the chains of the power upon her snap as her spirit moved beyond the boundaries of the realm, and he hastily flung her back towards the space between the barriers.

  Go back, Andi, go back to your body! He called to her, and then he felt himself pulled rapidly into the Spirit realm, where he landed with a virtual crash. Oh Father, help her to be whole and safe, he prayed.

  She will be Alec. Go and tend to her, a voice emanated from all around him.

  He shut his eyes, and wished himself free of the energy, back in his own body. When he opened his eyes, he was once again riding atop his horse, next to Andi.

  There was a dazed look on her face, but no longer was there a vacancy in her eyes.

  “Andi, are you present?” he asked. He leaned far out of his saddle to place his face close to hers, and grabbed her shoulders to shake her.

  “Alec?” she focused on him, and her hands came up to her face.

  “I can’t believe I shot that arrow at you! I am so sorry. Thank the hills you’re alive,” she told him. “That was intoxicating. I had so much power! It made so much possible.”

  “You’re back here now,” Alec answered. “And you know how dangerous it is. I want you to go right back there right now and take control of it this time. As soon as you feel the power, turn your body, and beat the energy – show it you’re in control – then bring it out here with you. Show it your strength!” he told her.

  “I know you have the determination; I’ve seen it in you. It’s one of the things I love about you,” he told her fiercely. “Now go right back there and do this.”

  She held his eyes in a steady stare, then gave a crooked smile. “You better make this worth my while,” she said, then her eyes were empty again, and her spirit was on its way to the energy realm.

  Alec nodded his head in approval; he doubted that he would have had the courage to dive back into the energy realm so quickly if he had suffered the entrapment Andi had fallen into.

  He looked back at Pierre and Reena. “We’ve been training to learn some new powers,” he explained lamely. “Andi’s very good to be able to do our lessons while riding a horse.”

  He heard a grunt, and turned quickly to look at Andi. Her eyes were sparkling.

  “I’ve got it,” she said through gritted teeth. “I’ve got the power with me!”

  “Hold on to it,” Alec told her. “Hold on; get a feel for being the master this time.”

  “It’s slipping,” she whispered. “I can’t hold it much longer.”

  “Just hold for as long as you can,” Alec urged. “You have to grow used to the strain.”

  She closed her eyes and contorted her face, then suddenly relaxed. “It’s gone,” she said as she let out a breath.

  “You did well,” Alec told her proudly. “Are you ready to do it again?” he asked.

  And so they continued for two more hours, until sweat was beading on Andi’s forehead as she concentrated on the control of the energy, and bringing it forth.

  “That’s enough,” Alec told her finally, worried that he might push her too far too fast. “Let’s enjoy the rest of the ride into the city of gardens.”

  The countryside around them remained a landscape of farms, but the crops looked lusher and more fruitful that Alec remembered the land around Yangchou had looked at the start of the day.

  “There’s the city, up ahead,” Pierre noted a growing profile on the horizon.

  “We’re going to see my daddy today!” Reena spoke up.

  “He is going to be the happiest man in the world when he sees what a beautiful daughter he has,” Alec told her, making the little girl’s smile widen even more.

  “How will we know where to go once we’re in the city?” Andi asked. “Will we just get directions at the gate?”

  “I expect that Spencer will be waiting for us at the gate himself. I sent a note from Yangchoo, after you were injured, telling him where we were, and that we would be delayed for a day or two waiting for you to heal,” Pierre told them.

  “He’ll be able to take us on a walking tour of the city as we enter,” Pierre added in a satisfied voice.

  As they rode nearer to the city, it rose higher and higher from the flat horizon, and the profile of the city took on a greenish hue. When they arrived at the gate, they found Spencer waiting to meet them. All four in the party dismounted, Alec and Andi watching the tears of joy and murmurs of appreciation the small family enjoyed as they reunited with one another.

  After several affectionate minutes, Pierre remembered his manners. “These are the travelers I wrote to you about. This is the Lady Andi,” he introduced first, as Spencer bowed over her hand gracefully and kissed it, bringing a smile to Andi’s face.

  “You’ve never done anything so elegant for me,” she told Alec.

  “And this is the great lord I mentioned, the man who has the powers of many old ones, all combined in him as if he were a walking legend, the Lord Alec,” Pierre embarrassed Alec with his introduction. As he did, another man stepped out of the crowd to join Spencer.

  “My lord, thank you for your kindness to my father and daughter,” Spencer told Alec. “I hope our hospitality can repay your generosity.

  “Here is one of our Old Ones, the Lord Amane, who was astonished by the descriptions my father provided. He wanted to meet you in person when you arrived,” Spencer said.

  Alec studied the man carefully. His face appeared honest and open. It was a handsome face, with eyes that were appropriately bright green, and dark hair that was almost shoulder length.

  “We are honored by the visit of such a legend from the past,” Amane told Alec, holding out his hand to shake.

  Alec took the hand and clasped it firmly. As soon as he released the grip, Amane turned to Andi.

  “I did not expect that such a jewel would come walking into our city along with you,” he said with a smile, staring at Andi’s face. He too took Andi’s hand and bowed low over it, offering a lingering kiss that made Andi offer a roll of her eyes to Alec, though he felt the thrill that went through her body.

  “Would you like to show us to our lodgings?” Pierre asked Spencer.

  “Yes, by all means,” he replied. “Let’s head onto the city to the guests’ palace.”

  “Oh Spencer, let’s bring them to the family lodgings,” Amane interrupted. “Such a great lord deserves a higher level of luxury. It will give us the opportunity to converse and learn from him.”

  They entered the city, and the travelers turned and looked in all directions in wonder as they traveled along the main road. Every building was draped or hidden in greenery. Vines hung over balconies, trees provided living pillars, bushes screened the sight of stone walls, and above them they saw buildings built among the upper limbs of massive trees. Flowers bloomed in the
median of the roadway. It was as absolutely stunning a scene as Yangchoo had been in the evening, and Alec missed much of the travelogue Amane and Spencer provided as he looked about.

  Several minutes later they arrived at the home of Amane’s family, a building that was tall trees and large slabs of stone, with flowers below every window and above every door. A thick, impervious hedge grew as protectively as any wall around the property.

  “Welcome to our home,” Amane told them as they allowed grooms to lead their horses away. “Let me make arrangements for your lodging,” he excused himself and returned with the house steward.

  “We’ll provide a room for Pierre in the west wing, and one there for Lord Alec as well,” the steward spoke, calling upon porters to lead them to their rooms. “Lady Reena, you may have a room next to your grandfather for this night. I’m told you’ll move into your father’s home in a day or two. Is that alright?” the steward consulted Reena with a serious face.

  “Yes, that’s lovely,” Reena said after thoughtful consideration.

  “And Lady Andi, Lord Amane thought you might enjoy the view from the east wing, where the sunrise is always so lovely,” the steward said.

  “I’ll bed with Alec,” Andi said simply.

  The porter who had her small saddle bag of clothes and supplies stopped in midstep, and Amane’s face drained of color.

  “Of course, my lady,” the steward said smoothly.

  Aahh, Alec said to Andi with a tone of appreciation. So much communicated in so few words.

  You weren’t going to claim me, it seemed, so I thought I better speak up for myself, Andi said.

  It would hardly seem appropriate for me to demand you as my sleeping companion, Andi, Alec told her, as the two looked at each other. I may desire you, but I’ll never force you to come to me.

  I know, Andi said in a gentler voice.

  “They’re talking to each other, mind to mind,” Pierre observed aloud. “I don’t think I mentioned that in the letter I sent you.”

  “We heard legends that long ago there was an ancient race such as that, but when our race of plant growers left the mountains and came down to the plains, the mind-speakers stayed behind and perished,” Amane said, trying to regain his footing after two unexpected comments.