"Abir!!" Zuriel shouted.
Abir did not answer. He stood with his men watching and waiting.
"Curse you, Abir!"
The Caliph's army slowly moved forward. The Al-Elche retreated back to the western canyon, there they turned and held their ground.
"No!" shouted Elwin, who had followed them into the canyon. "Keep going! The river valley is that way." He pointed, but no one moved or heard him.
Then the fighting began. It was fierce, and men from both sides fell. The narrow canyon made it hard for the larger Aleach army to bring its whole force against the Al-Elche. However, the men of the Al-Elche were few, and they were outnumbered. Slowly they began giving up ground, and more men began to fall.
Suddenly Zuriel and Abir faced each other. "Please!" pleaded Zuriel. "You have lost! Surrender!"
"Lost?" Abir smiled. "Today maybe, but there will be other days."
Thrusting his sword at Zuriel, Abir attacked. Zuriel parried and returned with an assault of his own. Their long curved swords crashed together. With a mad fury, they threw themselves at each other. Back and forth they fought across the canyon floor. Soon both men were sweating in the summer heat. The sound of their swords echoing down the canyon. Time seemed to slow as the two fought on. Then suddenly, Abir dropped his guard. Zuriel could not stop his blow in time, and Abir fell to his knees.
"No!!" howled Zuriel. He dropped to the ground next to Abir. Replacing the sound of the swords, his anguished voice now echoed down the narrow canyon.
Abir looked down at his wounded side.
"Why, Abir? Why!?"
Cringing, Abir looked up. "It had to be, Zuriel. The Al-Elche can now fulfill their destiny."
Zuriel shook his head as if he were watching a madman. "There is no Al-Elche. Not after today."
Abir coughed up some blood and slumped against Zuriel, and then he was still. Shivering in his own sweat, Elwin sat up with a start. The Earth Song came to an abrupt stop, only the whispering wind sighed through the canyon. Lying back down, Elwin wrapped his cloak about himself, but he could not go back to sleep.
The following morning, Elwin and Aidan emerged out of the canyon's far side. Standing on the northeastern edge of the foothills, Elwin stared out over the rolling landscape that quickly descended down to the flat lands below. The great mountains now lay behind him and Aidan. Below and beyond the green rolling hills was a vast grassland that stretched out as far as the eye could see. Swaying in the hot, dry wind, the tall silvery grasses looked like waves rolling across a vast sea. Elwin caught his breath. He had never seen such an immense, empty land. "So, this is the High Plains of Aleach," he uttered, knowing that out there somewhere in that vast emptiness, was his sister.
The going was easier now that they were beyond the high mountains and canyon lands, and soon they reached the edge of the foothills. The two weary travelers quickly crossed the foothills of the Gobhair mountains. Cresting the last hill, Elwin saw the Tent City of Caiplich, as well as the blue-gray walls of a small inner city. Even from this height, he could see that a white flag hung at the city's gate. He did not need a closer look to know that on the flag would be the black eagle of Strigiol.
"I thought Aleach was still a free land," said Aidan seeing the flag.
"Rodan once told me that Caiplich is not really a part of Aleach, at least not the inner walled city," explained Elwin. "Rodan told me that the city, or at least it was, a free, independent city that belonged to no nation. The inner city of Caiplich is mostly made up of Kambryians, and that the Aleach rarely enter the walled city, which is really just a trading fort ruled by a guild of wealthy elite. The Aleach do not like walls, the actual Aleach city of Caiplich is the tent city that surrounds the walled center, and most Aleach only come here to trade and sell their horses to the Kambrya business men of the inner city. I guess King Jerran thought that Caiplich was too important of a place to be left free. It is the gateway to grasslands and the horses that the Aleach bread. It is small but a very wealthy city.”
"And the Aleach don't care?"
Elwin shrugged. "According to Rodan, the Aleach believe one Kambryan is as bad as another. I don't think they care who rules in the inner city, as long as they continue to trade with them."
Elwin pointed at the clusters of tents that stood around the city walls. Some of the clusters were made up of several dozen tents, while others had only a few in them. Yet each looked tiny compared to their herds of horses that grazed around them. "In the spring and summer, the clans roundup their horses and bring them here. In the Aleach language, Caiplich means 'place of wild horses' It makes sense. When the clans have sold or traded the last of their horses, they will pack their tents and go home. For now, Caiplich is a city of tents, yet in the fall and winter there is only the inner city.” Elwin nodded towards the plains. "Out there is the real Aleach."
"The city looked smaller before," sighed Aidan. From the air, everything looks smaller.
Elwin stopped and stared at Aidan. "You have been here before?"
Feeling Elwin's eyes upon him, Aidan looked away. "Come. The road is this way."
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
There it was. Caiplich, the city of horses. Surrounding its gray-blue stone walls of the inner town was also the tent city of Caiplich. Caiplich was actually two cities, there was the inner town where the Kambryan citizenry resided, and the outer city of Aleach tents. It was an impressive view of the city rising out of the plains, dominating the green and silvery grasslands that stretched out behind it. Elwin smiled to himself; he had made it to Aleach. He looked up the dirt road. The dusty road ran directly towards the city. But now what? I have no money and no idea where Pallas and Colin could be. They might not even be here yet. We could be the first to arrive. It is also possible that they're not coming. What if Colin and Pallas were captured back in Aonach? Elwin shook his head. There was too much to worry about.
"Now what?" asked Aidan, as if he had read Elwin's mind.
Why ask me? He though. Because I am a prince? "I am not really sure," Elwin admitted out loud. "We need to find Pallas and Colin, but I don't know where to start. And what if they are not here yet? They could be days behind us." He refused to accept that they were not coming.
"We could find some jobs," offered Aidan. "And search for them when we're not working."
Elwin shook his head and laughed, "Us? The son of a king and an Elf from the Green. What would we do? Neither one of us has been trained in anything practical. I don't think your wood lore will be a big seller in the High Plains of Aleach. There are not too many trees around. Horsemen find jobs here, and neither of us have great skills in that area."
"We can't just live off the streets," exclaimed Aidan. “Are we to be homeless beggars?”
Elwin frowned. "Street people are invisible to most. It could be an excellent cover. We could hide right under Strigiol's eyes, and they would never see us. However, I don't think it will come to that. We will just have to do the best we can. We will start by searching the inns one by one. If Colin and Pallas have not spent all that money I gave them, then they should be able to afford a room. And they will be searching for us, too. That should make things easier. But we will have to be careful. Like Aonach, this is an occupied city, and we do not want to end up in the temple again."
"Right. But what if we can't find them? I really don’t want to be sleeping in some alleyway.”
Elwin sighed. "If we have not found them by sunset, we will leave the city and spend the night back in the foothills, then we will try again tomorrow,"
Aidan smiled. He preferred being outdoors to the crowded streets of the city. It was the first time in days that Elwin could remember seeing Aidan smile. It was a welcome change.
To reach the inner city gates, they would first have to pass through the city of tents that surrounded the Kambryan part of the city. As they approached the tent city, the smell of horses became intense, and the dirt road became muddy and branched off in different directions. The tents
themselves were divided into groups or clusters. Elwin knew from his readings that each cluster was an Aleach clan or clan. In between the tribal tents, tents were the large herds of horses.
It was almost noon, the hottest part of the day. It was the time of day that the Aleach went into their tents to stay out of the intense heat the blew in off the grasslands. Few people were out on the road and those who were had dark olive skin and even darker eyes.
Suspiciously, the few Aleach outside watched Aidan and Elwin walk past.
Aidan turned his nose at the smell of so many horses in one place. "How can they stand that smell?"
"Be careful," warned Elwin, "These are Aleach, and they probably like the smell. And I don’t think they like strangers much.... What?!"
"Excuse me," an Aleach approached them for a nearby tent. He was a tall, thin man with an oily mustache that matched his dark oily hair. Stepping out in front of Elwin and Aidan, he forced them to stop. "You seem lost." In one hand, he held the hem of his white robe, keeping it out of the muddy road. With his other hand, he gestured dramatically as he talked. "The tents can be confusing. Some say it is like a maze. May I be of some assistance? Help you find your way?"
"No, thank you," Elwin returned. "We are fine." He tried to get around the man, but the Aleach would not let them pass.
"Please," he said with a thick accent. "Let me be of help. You are strangers to this place, no? Have you come from the west?"
"Thank you again." Elwin tried to keep his voice steady. "But we are fine."
"I am called Inan. I have friends. They can help too."
"No thank you!" Elwin pushed past him. Finally stepping aside, Inan let them go.
"What was that all about?" asked Aidan.
"I don't know. Maybe he was trying to help us or maybe he hoped to rob us. Either way, I don't trust him. Let's keep moving." Elwin looked over his shoulder. Inan had vanished between two tents.
The tent city was a maze, and the two were slowing picking their way towards the inner city.
Aidan pointed down the road. "Look! It's that fellow Inan again. And he is not alone."
Somehow the Aleach had gotten in front of them and now there a were a half dozen men with the dark skinned Inan. In a threatening pose, they stood before them blocking their path, each of the Aleach men was dressed all in long white robes and holding long curved swords.
Elwin and Aidan stepped back and turned to run, but close behind them were another six men holding the same long curved blades. The Aleach quickly encircled them, giving Elwin and Aidan no chance to escape.
Inan stepped forward. "Now come, please." It was not a request.
"Where are you taking us?!" demanded Elwin.
"Move," Inan said and gave Elwin a push with the point of his sword. "You will see."
Not having many choices, Elwin let Inan and his men guide them into the tents and away from the road and away from the inner city walls.
Elwin thought they were thieves, but Inan made no attempt rob them. Instead, the Aleach took them to a large compound of tents that were well removed from the others.
"In," he said, pointing at a small tent.
"What do you want from me?" asked Elwin. “We don’t have any money.”
Two men grabbed Elwin and tossed him inside. Inan poked his head inside the tent. "You will stay here until you are sent for," he ordered. "Do not try to leave. There will be guards outside."
Once Inan was gone, Elwin decided to look outside, but a guard shoved him back inside.
An hour passed.
The tent was small but comfortable. There was no furniture. However, there were a few large silk pillows to seat on and a richly carpeted floor. It was a pleasant space, at least for a prison cell. In the center was even a large bowl of fruit. Why did they let us keep our weapons? Elwin wondered, sitting among some of the pillows. I was a fool to think that the temple would not have someone watching for us. He now suspected these men knew who Elwin and Aidan were and were probably hoping to collect a reward.
Several more minutes had passed before someone arrived. Turning, Elwin saw the tent flap being pulled back as two men ducked into the tent. Elwin jumped to his feet and grabbed his sword hilt. One had dark hair and had the traditional look of an Aleach. However, he was dressed from head to foot in black riding leathers instead of the traditional white robes of the plainsmen. The other man wore a long brown robe and carried a long staff.
Elwin gasped. "Lord Rodan, Faynn?!"
"So it is you," Rodan Macay said as he fully stepped into the tent. He sounded angry and more than a little relieved. "We were beginning to wonder if something had happened."
"How did you get here? Are we prisoners?"
Rodan shook his head. "No, you are not a prisoner. But you are very lucky you are not. There are Strigiol men all over the city. What were you thinking of? Running off and leaving Reidh like that! You are still a boy and a foolish one at that. You could have been killed! It is lucky that we found you before you tried to enter the walled city. It is full of black soldiers and spies."
"But how did you get here?"
Rodan placed his hands on his hips and scowled. "Lord Dovan sent us. We have been here for five days now, waiting for you. It did not take much thought to figure out where you would go. You were going to try to cross the High Plains, weren't you?" Rodan went on without waiting for an answer. "What were you thinking? You would die out there! The grasslands are no place for a Ceredigion boy."
"I am not a boy, and I was not going to go alone. I planned to get a guide to take me."
"To the Karr al-Isma?!" exclaimed Rodan. "No one would ever take a non-Aleach to the sacred mountain!"
Elwin sighed. "Okay, what happens now?"
"I am going to take you to Mythra. There you will be safe."
We will see about that! thought Elwin. "How did you get here before us?" Looking down at Elwin as if he were seeing the youth for the first time, Faynn hesitated, and then said, "We must have passed you along the road. We arrived in Aonach a few days after you. It did not take long to discover that you had been there. You left a strong impression on that city. My guess is that after you escaped from Aonach the two of you went off into the mountains. That is probably what saved you. The roads are no longer safe." He glanced at Aidan for a brief moment and then turned back to Elwin. "What I do not understand is how you managed to find your way through the hills. The foothills of The Gobhair Mountains are known for their dead-end valleys and boxed canyons. Even with an Elf as a guide, it should have taken you weeks to find a pass."
Sensing Aidan tense up, Elwin replied, "We found our way, we stayed close to the road, and we tried not to wander too far into the hills." It was a lie, but, Elwin did not care. He was not going to tell them the truth. Elwin wasn't even sure what the truth was, though he had guessed it had something to do with the silver feather that Aidan wore around his neck.
With doubt in his voice, Faynn simply said, "Interesting... You are becoming a fascinating young man, Prince Elwin."
Rodan's dark eyes narrowed. He did not care how they got here, only that they had, and that they had disobeyed Count Murray's orders. "Did you have to destroy the temple?" the dark-haired lord asked harshly. "It's all that the Aonach people will talk about; the Ceredigion prince that burned down the temple and killed the High Priestess. In the name of the Three Gods! What were you thinking?"
"But I ..."
Angrily, Rodan Macay cut Elwin off. "Unlike the druid here, I do not care how you did it. No doubt it was an accident, but destroying the temple was the stupidest thing you could have done. Getting you to Mythra will be just that much harder. The roads for a hundred miles, as well as this city, are crawling with the Strigiol soldiers, the Black Army, Strigiol soldiers, and the Severed Head are everywhere. They are all looking for you. You have been named an outlaw! There is even a price on your head."
"They are calling you the Renegade Prince," added Faynn, with a thin smile. His calm voice sharply cont
rasted with Rodan's anger. "You are somewhat of a legend."
"A legend!" spate Rodan, as if that were the worst possible thing. "What did you think you were doing? The temple? Are you mad? You have made yourself the most wanted man in all of Kambrya! After what you did in Aonach, the King of Strigiol himself will be out looking for you!"
"But I did not ..."
"This is not the place to talk." Rodan cut Elwin off once more.
"What about Pallas and Colin?" asked Aidan, speaking up for the first time. "Has anyone heard from them?"
Rodan lowered his voice and let out a long sigh. "They are here too. And luckily, they are safe as well. As soon as I can make arrangements, all four of you will soon be on your way to Mythra. Once safely there, we can figure out what comes next. Most likely it will be another war.”
"Who were those men that brought us here?" asked Elwin finally getting to complete a sentence.
"Friends of a friend," Rodan stated. "Now come with me, before you can cause any more trouble."
Outside they saw more Aleach, most stopped and stared, saying nothing as they followed them with angry, accusing eyes, as if the mere presence of outsiders was a great insult. Moving deeper into the compound, the group of outsiders passed the tall white tents topped with bright red flags, there did not seem to be any logic to where the tents were placed, making it hard to tell exactly where they were headed. Finally, they came to a small clearing of trampled grass. At the center of the clearing stood the largest and grandest tent in the compound. Unlike the others, it was not white but dyed sky blue and was lined with a gold fringe. At the tents top, a red flag triangular fluttered in the hot breeze. Among the sea of tents, this was a palace.
Two guards stood before the large tent flap. In their black robes and matching turbans, they looked like statues. Around their waist, they wore a silken sky blue belt and a large red buckle. Armed with long curving swords and spears, the guards watched the four outsiders approach with cold hard eyes.
As the outsiders entered the clearing, one of the Aleach guards lifted his spear in a threatening manner and pointed its silver tip at them. "Who approaches?" He spoke in Aleach. Elwin, who had studied the language, recognized it as a northern Aleach dialect.
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