Karn smiled. “Morgiana told me.”
“I see,” Sól said. “Well, no. They’re not here yet. There are preparations to be made.”
“A lot, I’d imagine.”
“Yes.”
Sól looked over the city and across the harbor to the strait. “Queen Heptapshu told me about Berring’s Cove. She’s in the city, by the way. Visiting. And Morgiana... she told me about the dragon from Drach’nsvoiya. You did well Karn.”
Karn shrugged. “I hardly scratched him, Shaala’s palace was completely destroyed and I barely escaped with my life.”
“You wounded him,” Sól said. “You’ve shown the lord of Drach’nsvoiya that he’s not invulnerable and this will gnaw at that arrogant creature for some time. Besides, if you’d had some more weapons at your disposal, I believe you could have vanquished him.” She put a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “You’ll get another chance, Karn. I’m sure of it.”
Karn gave her an odd look. “Yes. Although I’m not quite sure that’s a good thing.”
“Well, I suppose that would depend on how you met him again,” Sól said. “Whether you waited here for him to attack the city or if you struck out on your own terms. Morgiana’s also told me about your plan.”
“Yes. We’re just waiting until she can find a way to reveal Shaala’s memories to someone who doesn’t have the gift.”
Sól smiled. “I don’t believe you’ll be waiting long. You know Morgiana. Always the scholar. She’ll find a way.”
“She puts the rest of us to shame,” Karn said.
“Well, Tal and myself, maybe,” Sól said. “But not you, Karn. Tell me, would you like some men to accompany you or would you rather just go with Shaala?”
Karn thought about it for a moment. “Well, if I need help when I get there, I can always find some of your scouts. You still have a few men near the borders of Carcasia and Aracea?”
“Yes.”
Karn nodded. “Good. Then I think for the first leg of the journey, I’ll just go with Shaala. We’ll move faster with just the two of us. I’ve already crossed the strait with her. It’s no problem. We’ll ride north of Ketchyin and take a small boat down the Elendar River till we reach Un’vari and then head overland to Illisden.”
“And then where?”
Karn shrugged. “We’ll see.”
Heavy rain was falling on the northeast borders of Erahil and, from under a hooded cloak, Keld’s eyes darted back and forth across the swift flowing water of the Avahast River.
“The water’s rising too quickly,” one of the men shouted. “Maybe we should turn around.”
Keld shook his head. “There’s no cover back there. There’s a good ford around here. A good wide ford. I’ve used it in worse weather than this.”
He turned away so the man couldn’t see the tension in his face. It wasn’t a lie exactly. He had used the ford under such conditions. But if he told the group how he had done it, they might not take a step closer to the water.
Then he found the spot, a small rock on the northern bank that served as a marker.
He pointed the way. “This way. Follow me. Single file.”
He led the way into the water, going about nine or ten yards and then he turned around to the others. “It gets a little interesting here!” he shouted, giving them all the best smile of reassurance he could manage. Then he pointed to a section of the northern bank fifty yards or more to the west. “That’s where we’re going. And this is how we’ll get there.”
He urged his steed on another yard farther, on the shale covered bed of the river, and then both he and the horse plunged into the current and were swept downstream... and then the horse found its footing again on the other side of the river, fifty yards down. Not really one ford but two halves that a number of the better traveled Arahir knew about and the Angdar did not.
As he emerged from the rushing waters, Keld grinned and waved to the others to show them that it was safe. One by one, they followed, trusting their steeds and the current to bring them to the other bank safely. And then, one by one, they emerged on the northern side by the woods there. Obscured by the rain, low hanging clouds and mist, the grey shapes of large mountains were faintly visible. Part of the Eles’mae range that reached enormous heights as it fanned westward, culminating in the towering peak of Ismene Langvari.
“Are we camping in the open?” Lorial asked.
Keld shook his head. “No. We’ll keep going. We can reach the foothills of the mountains a few hours after dark and there are a number of caves there.”
“This way!” he shouted to the group and, turning his steed to face the east, he led the party on.
Several hours later, they found a small opening in a low cliff. It was large enough for the group and it was sheltered from the rain. They gathered some wood for kindling and put it at the back of the cave to dry out. Then a couple of hours later, they were able to get a fire going and have some cooked food. Afterwards, Keld told everyone to rest and took the first watch. Gandon would take the next.
A few hours later, the rain stopped. All was quiet, save the sounds of leaves rustling in the breeze, and the moon came out from behind the clouds, illuminating the woods in front of the cave with its silvery glow.
Under her now dry cloak, Lorial stirred and sat up. She saw Keld sitting on a rock outside and walked over to sit beside him.
He smiled. “Can’t sleep?”
Lorial sighed. “I don’t know. Bad dreams. Maybe it’s Ishtvan.”
“Ishtvan’s not really dead,” Keld told her. “As long as he’s not forgotten, he lives on in those who knew him. In us.”
“Is that what they taught you in the Orishelm guard?”
Keld shook his head. “That’s just what I’ve learned in life.” He turned to Lorial. “Don’t you carry your mother and father with you?”
Lorial smiled and nodded. “I know what you mean. I guess I just need some time.”
Then a pensive mood came over her.
“You’ve fought in many battles,” she said. “Does it ever get easier? Losing people?”
“No,” Keld said, his gaze flitting down for a moment. “But to be honest, I’m glad I don’t. The day it didn’t matter any more...” He trailed off.
“If you didn’t care, then there’d be nothing left of you,” Lorial said.
Keld nodded. “Something like that.”
“Tell me about the other wars you fought,” Lorial said, changing the topic, “before the fall of Orishelm.”
“Those wars were with people who lived to the north of our city,” Keld said, “near Wyvern’s Peak. They’d often attack our borders and Valahir’s as well. We fought them for years. Sometimes we would come to the aid of Valahir and they would sometimes come to ours but usually, we handled our own affairs. Although, when we wiped out their soldiers and found where they’d come from, it wasn’t much of a victory. Their women and children were starving and the men had been desperate. They’d just wanted some land of their own. Sure, they went the wrong way about it but we didn’t exactly conduct ourselves in an honorable fashion either.”
“I’m sorry,” Lorial said.
Keld shrugged. “No, it’s all right. We live and learn.”
“What about your first encounters with the Angdar? What were they like?”
Keld thought about it. “Well, Ishtvan and I found an Angdar patrol close to the city shortly before it was attacked and that was the first time we’d ever seen them. We got the better of them that time. We attacked their encampment in a night raid and killed every last one of the things. Unfortunately though, they were just the forward scouts of the main column. Once we knew what was really going on, we sent riders to Maharei to ask for aid. Liulfur... that’s my brother. He led the group actually, as he was our best rider.” He shook his head. “But they never made it to Kalishar. They were ambushed and killed just north of Ketchyin, although I didn’t find that out until later.”
“You couldn’t have done a
nything more for your city,” Lorial told him.
Keld looked at her for a moment. “I don’t know. I’ve often wondered how things might have been different. By taking out those forward scouts, did we make the rest of the Angdar hesitate before attacking, giving us time to get most of our women and children to Erahil? Or did we provoke them into attacking sooner? Because maybe they sacked Orishelm in revenge. I don’t know.”
“But you did what anyone would have done in your position.”
“I imagine you’re right,” Keld said. “But I still wonder sometimes.”
“I think I understand,” Lorial told him with a little smile. “Well, why don’t we talk about something else? Why don’t you tell me about Orishelm?”
Keld looked at her in surprise. “You never saw it?”
Lorial shook her head. “No.”
“But you’re from Arahir too.”
“I know. I just never had a reason to go there.”
“Well,” Keld said with a smile, “some might have said that seeing it was a good enough reason. But let’s see. What can I tell you? The city was built on the Avahast as it passed through the vale of this mountain range –”
“I’ve seen maps,” Lorial said, chuckling. “I know where it was. But what was it like?”
“It was beautiful,” Keld told her. “There was always a mantle of snow on the mountains above that would glisten in the morning sun, even in high summer. And streams from snow melt ran through the forests around it. And the city was built with that white limestone you find so easily in Erahil and down in Ilara too. There were a few high towers, but nothing overwhelming. And good strong walls protected the city from the time of Kelahil the Wolf–Hearted until its fall. You should have seen it.”
Lorial clasped his hand and smiled. “Maybe when the fighting’s over, we could bring it back. Rebuild it.”
Keld smiled back. “That’d be something, wouldn’t it?”
He then looked away again, his gaze coming to rest on the moon hanging low over the trees. “Who knows? Anything’s possible.”
Then he turned back to her and sighed. “Ah, Lorial. Sitting here beside you, I wish I were ten years younger. Someday, you’ll find someone who can be more than just a friend for you. And when you do, he’ll be the luckiest man in the world.”
Lorial blushed and put her arm on Keld’s shoulder. “Well, you know, if you ever find someone of your own, I think she’ll be pretty lucky too.”
Keld gave her a wry look. “Do you really think so?”
“Absolutely.”
They were quiet for a moment. Then Lorial gave Keld a nudge and pointed at the sky. “Is it just me or is the moon almost behind that tree now?”
Keld smiled and pushed himself to his feet. “You’re right. I think it’s time to wake Gandon.”
XVIII. The Journey North
The following day, Tal and a small band of companions were riding towards the small town of Ketchyin. Then a couple of men spurred their horses on faster and disappeared over a small rise.
Tal motioned the remaining men to be on their guard. Then after a short wait, the forward scouts appeared again, this time accompanied by a group of Ulak. Everyone put away their weapons.
“Greetings, Tal,” the head of the Ulak group said.
“Greetings, Amoraak,” Tal replied as he recognized the great warrior he had the privilege of addressing. He climbed down from his steed and clasped Amoraak’s hand in his own. “What news?”
“We’ve evacuated Ketchyin. The people are safe behind Kalishar’s walls. Or at least, they’re as safe as they can be for the time–being.”
“Is Sól there right now?”
“I think so,” Amoraak told him. “In the meantime, we’ve built new encampments on the western side of the mountains for our old, and our women and children. I doubt any Angdar brutes will find them there.”
“Well, hopefully, no ‘Angdar brutes’ know the Ulak even exist, right?”
Amoraak smiled. “Well, a few forward scouting groups briefly found out about us.”
Tal smiled back. “Briefly?”
“They won’t be telling their friends about us,” Amoraak replied.
“Tell me about those scouts.”
“They know they’ve lost the garrison to the north. They know that our communications down this side of the mountain are close to being reestablished. And they know that Kalishar is readying itself for war. They’re trying to disrupt these things in whatever way they can, although I think that’s all they’re doing. They seem scattered to me. They’re confused.” A dark expression crossed his features. “They attacked us when we were burdened with people unable to fight for themselves. They disgust us.”
“You’re not alone there,” Tal told him. “And that’s probably a taste of what’s to come, I’d say. How bad was it?”
“We protected the people in our charge,” Amoraak said. “The Angdar clearly weren’t expecting fights with warriors who matched them in strength and size. They are, shall we say, unaccustomed to fair fights.”
“That’s what Sól’s counting on,” Tal said. “Me too. I’m glad to have your people on our side.”
“And we are glad to fight alongside you,” Amoraak answered in kind. “Farewell, Tal. We’ll meet again soon.”
There was a light tap on the door and Karn got up from the sofa to open it.
“It’s Morgiana,” Shaala told him with a smile on her lips.
Karn paused and glanced back at her. “How do you know?”
“I can sense her in my mind,” Shaala replied.
Karn smiled back and opened the door. “Hello, Morgiana. We were just talking about you.”
“Were you just?” Morgiana replied.
“Good news?” Karn asked, stepping back to let her inside.
“Yes,” Morgiana said.
Lorial looked at the vale in the moonlight. “There’s not much left, is there?”
“I’d say the Angdar scavenged everything they could for that ugly garrison down south and whatever they’ve got to the north,” Keld said, looking down at what remained of his city. “Actually, I’m more surprised by the fact that there aren’t any enemy soldiers posted here.” He shook his head. “That’s not right. It’s the only passage between the south and northern regions of Arahir for over a hundred miles. There have to be some sentries here.”
Beside him, Gandon shrugged. “Maybe there were but the Angdar took too many losses at Ensildahir and the garrison so they can’t keep all their outposts manned. Remember, we are sort of counting on this fact.”
Keld turned to his friend. “But they wouldn’t leave this place abandoned. I think we’ve been seen and the Angdar and their friends are waiting to ambush us when we cross through.”
“All right,” Gandon told him. “So what should we do?”
“Think like our enemy for a moment,” Keld said. “Where would you set your trap if you saw us?”
Gandon shrugged. “Farther up this path, I’d suppose. Around the bend.”
“This side of the river?”
“Well, of course this side of the river. This is where we are.”
Keld smiled. “Good man.”
Then Lorial smiled too, pointing down to the vale below. “We’re going back across the river, Gandon. But thankfully, there’s a bridge this time.”
“Kindly provided for us by the Angdar,” Keld added. “And who says they never do anything good for us?” He turned his steed around. “Come on. Let’s go back for the others. Can you shoot while riding?”
“I pride myself on it,” Gandon told him.
“Good,” Keld said. “Let’s hope that some of the others can as well.”
When they were ready, they urged their horses on to a gallop, racing down the path and then veering off, thundering down a grassy slope to the plain before the river. Somewhere above them, voices roared out in frustration.
Gandon and two of the men turned around in their saddles as they rode, and took so
me shots at their would–be assailants. There were some grunts as several Angdar collapsed and one bellowed as he fell.
Then Keld’s group raced across the Avahast over a crude wooden bridge and into the dark on the far side, riding north until they reached a safe place to ford the river once more so they could continue up the western side.
“Do you think we’ll run into any more ambushes on the way?” one of the men asked once they had camped.
Keld, for obvious reasons, had not allowed a fire that night. He paced in the dark.
“No,” he said. “Arahir is emptied and the people of Valahir are hemmed in between the east and the west branches of the river. That’s where the rest of the Angdar will be.”
Another man frowned, the expression lost in the evening light but his puzzlement clear in his question. “I don’t understand why the Angdar don’t go around either branch of the river and attack from the north.”
Keld smiled. “Because the northern region of Valahir is horse country, Araimis, and the Angdar are not horse people. The Valahir soldiers would trample them into the ground in a day and compose a few songs about it in the afternoon.”
“Why don’t we all get some rest?” he then suggested. “We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. There are some hidden grain storage rooms around here and we have to find them and stock up for the horses before we go much farther. Once we cross the border into Valahir, I expect we’ll see some of the Angdar’s scorched–earth policy at work.”
The group nodded. “Right.”
“Good,” Keld said. “Lorial. You and Gandon will take the first watch. Araimis and I are on the second. Aedon and Talahast, you take the third.”
Sól was studying a map on his table when she heard a knock.
“Come in,” she said, looking up.
Tal stood in the doorway, a wry smile on his face. “We’ve been summoned,” he said.
Sól followed him to an antechamber next to the main hall of the palace and there she found Queen Isabelle, the matriarch of Maharei, a youthful woman with alabaster skin and long black hair. Beside her was Queen Heptapshu. Commanders Bacara and Avari were also present and so was Morgiana.
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