The Captive

by Paul Lauritsen

  The captain’s face darkened further, but he kept his mouth shut, watching Sven carefully. The northman was enjoying this, Khollo noticed. Perhaps a little too much.

  “It seems,” Khollo continued, “It is fortunate I found another passenger. In a pinch, you two can act as crew. I would still recommend finding a larger vessel in Ruqvale though.”

  “Trust me, I don’t want to spend any longer on this raft than I have to,” Sven agreed. He glanced at Aralye. “Welcome aboard. I take it you’re the third?”

  “I’m Aralye,” she said inclining her head slightly. “You’re going to Narne as well?”

  “On his orders,” Sven agreed, nodding to Khollo.

  A thought occurred to Khollo and he retreated to Kanin, rummaging in his saddle bags. “You might need more money to get to Narne, now that there’s two of you,” he said, weighing his purse in his hand. It was considerably lighter than it once had been. This recruiting trip was rapidly becoming expensive.

  “Money is no issue,” Sven replied confidently. “We’ve had a recent influx of wealth.”

  Khollo cocked his head curiously. “And where did this newfound wealth come from?”

  Sven nodded to the captain. “In exchange for his life and his raft, I get the currency equivalent of all the goods aboard this vessel upon arrival in Ruqvale.”

  “That should be more than enough,” Khollo agreed, “And, seeing as you were attacked against my express command, seems to be more than a fair deal. I could have had Kanin incinerate him and his raft on the spot.”

  The captain paled, and glanced from Kanin to Khollo and back again worriedly. Khollo was not entirely comfortable antagonizing the man this way, but clearly a stronger motivation not to harm his recruits was needed after the attack on Sven.

  “Well,” Khollo said after a moment. “I’ll let the three of you get back to your journey. I’ll see you in Narne in a week or two. You remember my instructions, Sven?”

  “Yes,” the northerner replied confidently.

  Khollo nodded and scrambled onto Kanin’s back again. “Good. Then I’d best be going. Good luck and fair winds to all of you.”

  Kanin rose from the river, water streaming off of his hard, scintillating scales and plunging back into the river with a musical cacophony of splashes. As he leapt for the sky, the raft was set rocking and pitching as the river itself seemed to heave. Then, the waters settled and the little craft was on its way once more.

  Khollo and Kanin swung east, towards the great plains of Gobel-Tek. Here, perhaps, he would find the final recruit. If not here, then perhaps near the Sabashrin Desert, or in one of the villages of the Renlor Basin. The only issue was the self-imposed deadline of two weeks he had given to his current recruits. He needed to at least meet with them in Narne by then, and get the three he had selected on their way to Ethgalin. There was no telling how much longer the hatchlings would wait.

  They can wait a little longer yet, Kanin assured Khollo, interrupting his train of thought. They know they must wait for the Keepers to come to them, then they will hatch and join us.

  All of them? Khollo asked worriedly.

  Kanin considered this. Hopefully only four, he said finally. But I have no more experience with this matter than you do.

  At least you’re a dragon!

  True, but my own hatching was far from normal. The dragon’s thoughts grew distant for a moment, but Khollo could still sense the pain of Kanin’s early past.

  The Aswul Marshlands crawled by below, endless stretches of festering swamp. Occasionally they would fly over a village, built on a small area of drier land or rising out of the swamp itself on stilts, but for the most part the area seemed uninhabited.

  It was nearly dark when Khollo noticed a change in the lands they flew over. The ground no longer reflected the light wetly, and the trees had all but disappeared. Instead of stunted foliage, mud, and slime, the ground was covered in thick grasses, under which was rich soil. They had reached the plains of Gobel-Tek.

  Khollo looked north and south and realized he could not even begin to see the borders of this vast land. Its sheer size was staggering. Carefully, he unfolded his map and looked it over, measuring relative distances and trying to get a feel for the area. His findings were stunning. By his estimate, Gobel-Tek was a larger area than all the land between the Fells and Ardia!

  This reminds me of Ethgalin, Kanin remarked quietly. Not the stronghold, but the northern rivers and plains where the herds roam. They are similar in appearance, but I think this land may be even more bountiful.

  Seen any herds yet? Khollo asked curiously.

  Kanin snorted. The herds are sleeping now, as all animals with any sense should be.

  Go ahead and land, Khollo replied quickly, checking the flying straps. We can pick up the search tomorrow.

  The emerald dragon turned slightly and began his descent, gliding on the still air. Khollo enjoyed the sensation of drifting downwards, exulting as he always did in the wonder of flight. Sometimes, he wondered how he had ever remained earthbound.

  Easy, Kanin interjected. You have no wings, so you could not fly.

  Khollo sighed inwardly, wishing the emerald dragon wasn’t always quite so literal.

  They landed in a patch of field that was indistinguishable from every other area within a league as far as Khollo could tell. Tall grains waved gently in a slight breeze, those that Kanin had not crushed underfoot.

  No fire, Khollo warned, looking around. We don’t want to raze the whole plains.

  No matter, Kanin replied. This land is a little warmer than the north. We will be fine.

  Khollo nodded. At least roll over this space a few times, make a nice flat space for us to rest.

  Kanin obliged willingly, stomping the grasses flat in a wide circle, then rolling over and over to make sure they stayed flat. When he had finished, the dragon curled up on his side, creating a tent for Khollo with his wings. The young Keeper crawled into the warm, dry space and fell asleep within minutes.

  The next morning, Khollo woke to a wondrous sight.

  The previous night, he had only seen a uniform and shadowy landscape, nearly featureless from above. In the warm light of day, the plains of Gobel-Tek were transformed.

  Various shades of gray were now a vibrant mixture of greens, browns, and golds, intermingled as far as the eye could see. The grains themselves were full and heavy, swaying ponderously in the breeze, their stems sliding and scraping against each other. The soil underfoot was dark brown, almost black in some places. Khollo scooped up a handful and crumbled it between his fingers, marveling at the loamy texture.

  Yes, Kanin said, looking around. This very much reminds me of Ethgalin. Do you think there are any herd beasts about?

  Khollo shook his head in amazement. If there are, they will surely be the largest and tastiest of their kind. I’ve never seen anything like this. Look, Kanin, some of these plants are taller than I am!

  Most of them, I think, Kanin replied drily. Such a living place, he added quietly. The dragon snorted contentedly, and small flames flickered in his nostrils. Khollo eyed the tiny flames warily, looking around at the vast field of combustibles.

  Let’s be extra careful to keep your fire under control, the young Keeper warned. Wouldn’t want to have to explain to Relam how all of his farmland got burned to a crisp.

  I’m always careful, Kanin sniffed. But to make you feel better, I will pay even more careful attention.

  Thank you, Khollo said. He stretched, muscles popping, joints cracking. So, where do we start searching?

  We find a village, Kanin replied. Just like we have always done, yes?

  The dragon extended a foreleg and Khollo climbed aboard. He secured the flying straps so Kanin could take off, then started rummaging in his belongings for breakfast. He settled on some bread and cheese, both more than a little stale, and munched on them quietly while Kanin soared over the plains.

  The first cluster of buildings they came to was small, no
more than a homestead really. Khollo could make out a central house, and maybe two others as well. A little apart from the dwellings were two large barns and a series of sheds. Behind the barn was a fenced-in pasture, filled with several dozen cows.

  You were right, Kanin observed, eyeing the herd from afar. Fat and tasty-looking.

  They are not for you, Khollo scolded sharply. Keep flying.

  Kanin gave a rumbling chuckle of laughter, but made no further comment on the appearances of the farmer’s herd. Khollo relaxed, sitting back in the saddle, and went back to scanning the surrounding lands for any larger settlements.

  Late in the morning, they happened on a small town. There was no distinguishing feature or landmark that made it obvious why a town had been built here. There was no defensible change in elevation, no river to assist with moving goods to market. As far as Khollo could tell, the town existed simply because there wasn’t one for a fair distance in any direction, and the farmers from the surrounding area needed a place to gather and sell goods or else ship them off to somewhere else.

  The town was not like any Khollo had seen before. It sprawled in a low density, amorphous mass. A small cluster of five or six buildings centered the area, but beyond that there was only a scattering of farms. The farms formed a rough ring around the other buildings of the town, their fields extending out from there.

  Land near the central buildings, Khollo said to Kanin. It’s time we met the locals.

  Kanin banked sharply and began his descent. A few moments later, the two Keepers landed lightly in the center of the town. There were only a few people out and about, but the moment they noticed Kanin they all fled, screaming, to the nearest buildings.

  The dragon flinched in surprise and Khollo watched in dismay as the people ran. “Don’t panic!” he shouted belatedly. “We’re here on a peaceful mission.”

  But there was no one left to hear his words.

  Kanin looked around quizzically. Why did they run? he wondered innocently.

  Khollo sighed. Because dragons do not look like peaceful emissaries, he replied quietly. I suspect we would have gotten a reaction like this sooner if we had not had the good fortune to encounter mostly people who already knew about us, or had heard of dragons and Keepers at some time in the past.

  The northerners attacked us, Kanin reminded him. That was hardly what I would call fortunate.

  Khollo shrugged. It brought Sven to us. In Ardia, everyone was close enough to the war that they had heard of what we did at Dun Carryl. In the north, Sven attacked us for glory and we were able to subdue him and persuade him to join us. Aralye had heard of the Keepers in legends, so she was easy to convince. But here –

  Nobody has heard of us, Kanin finished. So they are suspicious and afraid. They are wrong. He bent and licked at his fore claws, cleaning them.

  Yes, well, we can’t exactly tell them they’re wrong when they run at the first sight of us, Khollo grumbled.

  Then come up with a different strategy. They run from me, yes, but maybe not from you.

  Khollo nodded thoughtfully. Kanin, you may be on to something. Let’s make camp nearby and plan this out. He looked around the small town critically. Hopefully the inhabitants will go back to business as usual by tonight.

  What happens tonight?

  Khollo grinned. Tonight, I come back and they welcome me in as a weary traveler needing a place to stay.

  Oh. And what about me?

  You stay where you won’t scare them all off.

  Kanin sighed heavily as he took off. How come you get the exciting job? he complained. I always have to hide. No scaring the villagers, no eating their herds, no fires.

  Khollo ignored the dragon and instead focused on his plans for the coming evening. If all went well, Kanin wouldn’t have to lie low for very long. If he was lucky, one short visit to the town would help him identify a likely recruit. Then, the two Keepers could go meet that individual in person.

  Over the rest of the afternoon, Khollo ironed out the wrinkles in his plan, with Kanin’s help. He worked on everything from his appearance to his background story, doing his best to construct a believable disguise despite the fact he had no experience in this line of work. When the sun began to sink in the west, Khollo reluctantly realized his preparation time was up and he set off for the town.

  * * *

  Cailluf had been the innkeeper for the small collection of farms that was Edgarton for as long as any living soul could remember. Longer, actually. Cailluf had been around since there were only a half-dozen farms in the area, and now there were more than twenty. He had watched Edgarton grow into a proper little crossroads, a place where farmers could bring their wares to ship them off or sell them. It still wasn’t a town, not really. There was no dedicated smithy or tanner, no cobbler or weaver. Just a few small businesses like his combination inn and tavern, the Golden Stallion. In his opinion, there was no finer establishment in the village, nor in any of the neighboring villages for that matter.

  The small taproom was crowded tonight, unusually so for a weeknight. The majority of the patrons here were farmers, the sort who were up and working before dawn and still working when dusk came. Normally, they couldn’t afford the cost in time or money to come to the inn and spend the evening drinking.

  But today was different. The dragon sighting had stirred them all up, well and truly. Cailluf was convinced the few hairs he’d had left that weren’t gray had turned snowy white when he saw the beast land on the main road. The furniture in the taproom had jumped when the beast landed, and a row of his best mugs had toppled over and cracked. At least, Cailluf reflected, the beast hadn’t turned on his precious inn and set fire to it. That would have been the end for him. Cailluf was too old to learn another trade, too old to start over from scratch.

  The door to the taproom opened and a shorter man entered, wrapped in a cloak against the late-evening chill. His clothes were rough and worn, but he wasn’t dressed like a farmer exactly. The others in the taproom paid the man little attention, but Cailluf kept an eye on him, waiting for the newcomer to come to the counter and make his business known.

  Sure enough, the stranger crossed the room, pushing back the hood of his cloak as he did so. He was younger than Cailluf had expected, barely more than a youth. He seemed to clank as he walked, and Cailluf noticed there was a pack on his back. The clanking sound emanated from within.

  “Good evening,” the youth said pleasantly as he stopped in front of the counter. “I don’t suppose you’d have a room available for the night?”

  Cailluf nodded slowly. “I have one,” he replied. “Ten royals a night, another one if you need a candle, two for a lantern.”

  The stranger pursed his lips. “Hmm. It will have to do, I suppose. What do you have to drink?”

  “Almost everything,” Cailluf replied.

  “I’ll have ale then,” the stranger decided. “Just a small one, mind.”

  Cailluf nodded and fished out a tankard from behind the bar. He filled it quickly, then passed it to the youth. The stranger tipped his head back and drank deeply.

  “That’s better,” he said a moment later, setting the mostly empty tankard back down.

  “What’s your business here?” Cailluf asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

  “My business? Why, business, of course!” the young man replied, laughing. “I’m a traveling tradesman, tinker, blacksmith – whatever the fine people of this village need, actually.”

  Cailluf suspicions were instantly aroused. Tinkers were renowned as thieves. He quickly checked to make sure everything was on the counter that should be, and none of his property had been slipped into the stranger’s pack.

  “I see,” he said after a moment. “When did you get into town?”

  “Hmm? Oh, only a few moments ago, I haven’t had a chance to look around yet. Why?”

  “You missed the excitement,” the barkeep said as the young man took another drink. “A dragon landed in the center of town ear
lier, scared everyone half to death.”

  The youth spit out his ale in a foaming cloud that narrowly missed Cailluf. The old man reared back in disgust and surprise. The young man wiped ale from the counter in front of him, still spluttering, and looked up at Cailluf. He had strange eyes, green with gold flecks in them.

  “A dragon?” he asked incredulously, “Warn a man when you’re about to break news like that. Nasty shock to the system. Are you quite sure it was a dragon?”

  “Saw it as clear as I see you now,” Cailluf said firmly. “Everyone here saw it.”

  “Hmm. Interesting.” The traveler turned away, surveying the room. He turned back quickly, leaning forward over the bar.

  “If there is a dragon – and I would never doubt a man who makes such excellent ale as this – then perhaps I had best be moving on tomorrow. Although I would like to make my services available to these people, I’d also like to avoid becoming lunch for some ancient beast.”

  Cailluf nodded sympathetically, though he was inwardly pleased at the traveler’s reaction. If the man was a tinker and a thief, then the sooner he was gone the better.

  “The thing is,” the youth continued, “I was hoping to pick up a traveling companion, someone who could share the burden of the work as it were. A strong, willing lad with a yearning for adventure. Know anyone like that around here?”

  Cailluf was shaking his head before the stranger finished speaking. “Not in Edgarton,” he replied. “If you’re looking for help, you might want to try one of the larger towns. Callowfiel is the closest, just a little ways to the east.”

  “Splendid,” the traveler said eagerly. “I shall set out on the morrow then. Now, let’s see I owe you ten for the room, two for a lantern – ”

  “And a further two for the drink,” Cailluf replied.

  The stranger pursed his lips. “And here I thought we were getting on well,” he said to nobody in particular. “Ah, well, here you are my good man. Fourteen all told.”

  Cailluf took the coins and squirreled them away behind the counter, tossing the youth a key as he did so. “Room three,” he said curtly. “Second one on the left, down that hall over there.”