*
Rebekah’s Seventh Day was quite a different experience. In Haven, the Sabbath begins at sundown. So, what would have been Friday night for Rebekah back on Earth was the beginning of a full day of worship. The entire community, save some guards, gathers in the various rooms of the sanctuary. There they share a meal, weekly news, and discuss the messages within the Bible. The smaller groups take turns coming together in the central hall to sing praises and hear a reading of the Word. After several hours, the people of Haven disperse. A smaller service is held for the guards as the watch is switched out.
Then dawns the morning. Once again the population of Haven gathers in the sanctuary, packing the central hall and the street beyond. In unison, they sing a song of thanksgiving. Following this, three acolytes, from different locations in the main hall, cry out, “Go good people of Haven. Go strengthen your community. Do as the Word commanded: love your neighbor as yourself, and thus honor God with all your heart, body, and soul.”
Haven explodes with life on the Sabbath. Those that cannot leave their houses are not without continuous company and comfort. The storehouses are opened, and goods are freely given to those in true need. The children decorate houses with flowers or branches. Choirs roam the streets, stopping every now and then to sing praises. Meals are shared, and fellowship is found in abundance.
Rebekah was in awe of it all. When she finally had to retreat to her room due to exhaustion, she found the Owl perched on her windowsill.
“This is all so wonderful!” Rebekah said breathlessly. “Does this happen every Sunday?”
“Every Sabbath, or Holy Day, or Seventh Day, yes.” The Owl said. “Days of the week here are based more on the old calendars than the Georgian one you are used to. The citizens of Haven have been honoring the Holy Day like this for generations on end. It is the reason Haven has the least amount of demonic activity. A community this strong has very few ills on which demons can prey. The gates into town even have a little bit of a threshold force that helps to prevent lesser demons and Void beings from entering.”
“I feel safe here. I feel surrounded by love and caring. I see why Alawnwee dreads leaving this place.” Having said this, she fell into silence and absentmindedly rubbed her stomach.
“You must leave, though,” the Owl broke in quietly. “David will be able to protect and educate your children anywhere. To hide here in Haven would put the entire town and your children’s future at risk. Besides, if your family does not have a presence in Dauntalus before it becomes fully known what you all are, the consequences can be catastrophic. Trying to lay siege to the Central Kingdom in order to gain that throne would most likely destroy the Way World. The ruling lord of Dauntalus is many things, and one of them is a stickler for traditions and honoring his word.”
Rebekah waited for the Owl to say more, but it didn’t. She had fears, but tried hard to release them to God. She had come to trust the Owl and the Fox, which was lying at her feet. She trusted David, even though she was still upset about his not confiding in her. She recognized all these forces as being placed in her life by God, and she tried hard to trust Him with her future and the safety of her family and herself. She tried, but it was difficult.
Chapter 15
When Rebekah dreamed, it was of her husband and her family. She longed for what she did not have, and her dreams flowed in that direction.
“Rebekah,” she heard her husband calling to her. She saw him in the distance holding a hand out to her, “Rebekah.”
“Rebekah, it is morning.” The words broke through her dreams, and tears of frustration formed behind her closed eyes. “Lady Rebekah,” Alawnwee called, “it is time to make our journey.”
Rebekah put her hands to her eyes and tried to hide the tears which fought to leak out.
“The carriage is packed and the coachmen are harnessing the horses into place. Goodness, they are large horses! Brother Carefrin has breakfast ready downstairs, and wishes us to eat before we leave.”
Rebekah finally opened her eyes after she rubbed at them, wiping away the sleep and unshed tears. Methodically, Rebekah rolled over in bed and then sat up. Without a word, Alawnwee began helping Rebekah change from her sleep gown into comfortable traveling clothes. Halfway through changing, Rebekah realized what was going on and laughed as she shooed Alawnwee away.
“Thank you, Alawnwee, for letting me experience what my children must feel like when I have to rouse them out of bed. Thank you for your help, but I can take it from here.”
Alawnwee bowed slightly, and Rebekah had a strange thought: when her children were royalty, would she be treated like this all the time? She waved the thought away, and then finished changing. She followed Alawnwee to the kitchen where Carefrin was supervising the packing of some food. He motioned the women to the waiting table and still warm food.
“Eat,” he said, “the coach is ready, but there is time to eat.”
The two ladies sat and filled their plates. Rebekah noticed that Alawnwee was picking nervously at her food, eating very little. Haven was Alawnwee’s home, her security. She had never left it since coming to the Way World, and had grown accustomed to the safety its walls provided. In addition, the stories she had heard of Dauntalus were not comforting. Once, Dauntalus had been like Haven in strength of faith and its ability to repel evil. However, Dauntalus grew as the Crossroads grew, and soon the castle became a town, the town a metropolis, and the metropolis a massively fortified city state. It was true that the darkness could not easily get into the Central Kingdom, but it had found ways to creep in and once it did, it hid and preyed quietly on the population. Now the city had evil oozing through all the streets, tainting not just the city, but all the kingdoms.
Neither of the ladies knew what to expect from Dauntalus, but they knew there was hope still in the city. Crime was not running rampant through the streets, and the guard within the Central Kingdom tried to deal quickly and efficiently with the most heinous of crimes. Good people were found throughout the city who tried to invigorate the population to reject the evil and embrace God fully. In fact, after helping Rebekah, this was to be part of Alawnwee’s work at one of the local temples.
Both of the ladies’ minds were flopping back and forth with thoughts of hope and fear. Trust in God. Dauntalus had become a central point for the apathy, corruption, greed, lust, and many other sins that were poisoning the Crossroads. Have faith that hope and love will win out. The Central Kingdom held a dark unknown, and evil could inflict a great deal of damage before the end. If God stands for you, who can stand against you? On and on and on their thoughts wandered.
Rebekah reached out her hand and grabbed Alawnwee’s. When Alawnwee looked up, Rebekah quietly said, “Thank you for coming with me. Trust me; I know following the Lord’s path can be trying, frightening, and disconcerting, but I’m glad to be traveling it with you.”
Alawnwee smiled weakly. “If I am to go, I’m glad I will be in your company. Still, I can’t stop thinking about all the dangers I’ve heard Dauntalus holds. I will pray during the trip, asking the Lord for his strength and courage.”
The women ate in silence for a few moments more until Carefrin came to check on them. “Have you eaten well?” He asked. When both women nodded, he continued. “Good; the coachmen say they will ride the whole journey today. Leaving now, you will be on Haven Road for just over an hour. Once on North Road, the ride should be smoother. You should arrive at Dauntalus just before nightfall. The Coterie who are traveling with you will stay with you at Dauntalus for the night, before leaving in the morning for their homelands.”
Alawnwee heard the last statement and looked markedly relieved. Carefrin smiled, knowing the young acolyte was worried. “You will stay at North Temple during your time at Dauntalus. They will care for you and protect you as necessary,” he said laying a reassuring hand on Alawnwee’s shoulder. “Now, come; you must be off.”
The carriage was an impressive sight. It could easily seat six people, and possi
bly eight. The frame and chassis were all solid wood, thick and sturdy and covered in decorative, yet defensive, metal studs. The wheels were formed of metal a finger thick, a hand-width wide, and five feet round. The wheels, therefore, held the carriage two and a half feet off the ground.
Rebekah and Alawnwee looked toward the front of the carriage and were greeted by the two drivers seated up on their perch. The women returned polite bows, then continued to admire the carriage and the six massive horses harnessed to the front. When the drivers heard the ladies’ quick intake of breath, they smiled.
The youngest looking of the two drivers stood up. Rebekah was surprised to see that the young man was of mixed blood, as she had not seen much blending of the different races since she had been in Haven. He had the look of the Coterie and elves together, but the telltale signs were muted. His ears were not as pointed; the ridges about his hands and face were softer and smaller than any she’d seen till now, and his skin was a light sunburnt red.
It took Rebekah a moment to realize he’d started talking and to focus on his words. “. . . They are the normal breed for pulling and speed. We were told to transport you as quickly and safely as possible, so we added two more than normal. We should make it to Dauntalus’ gates before sundown with no problem. Since you didn’t have much baggage, we stored it in the carriage. As soon as you are aboard, we’ll be off.”
Carefrin opened the door and withdrew the carriage steps. He helped each of the ladies up before handing them two small food sacks to add to the gear already aboard. Without being noticed, the Fox slipped in before Carefrin shut the carriage door. The Owl was already in the carriage, roosting in a corner.
As the carriage took off, Rebekah was amazed that the movement was not as bumpy as she thought it should be. After sitting a few moments and watching the scenery, she lay down on the wide, padded bench. The slight swaying of the carriage soon rocked Rebekah to sleep.
Alawnwee was not so easily relaxed. She tried to read. She tried to knit. She tried to doze, but the apprehension inside her would not quiet down. She looked out one of the window slits of the carriage, but could see nothing to hold her attention. Finally, she closed her eyes and began to pray. However, it was not the destination she should have been worried about; rather, she should have prayed about the journey.
*
After his meeting with the Fallen Star, Ferreter was left with very explicit instructions. Only the Lord of the Demonic Host would have the power to sentence any of the new twelve to death. Therefore, Ferreter was to continue tracking the missing twelfth child, but under no circumstances was he to kill it. So Ferreter continued his journey to the Second Kingdom.
Once Ferreter made it to the Second Kingdom, he headed straight for Haven. Almost every new arrival into the Way World who entered into the Second Kingdom found their way to Haven, so this was the best place to start the search for his quarry. As he circled Haven, he found the trace scent he was looking for. He was surprised, however, to find only half the scent. Searching his scent memory, he quickly realized he must have found the children’s mother. However, there was no child with her.
He traced her trail back for several miles. He confirmed she was traveling with an angel, but still no child. Ferreter was becoming concerned he might be following a false trail when the hound found a spot where the woman had relieved herself. Ferreter knelt next to the hound and touched it so they could combine senses. This is when the revelation came. There within the dried urine was the subtle trace hormones that indicated pregnancy.
Ferreter dismissed the hound to find shelter against the coming dawn and smiled. The twelfth child was not yet born. Still smiling, he followed the mother’s trail to within sight of Haven. As it was nearing dawn, Ferreter dared not get any closer to Haven than the distant woods. As he peered through the distance he noted the woman’s trail only went in, not out. Looking closer at the trail markers around him, Ferreter noted their age.
“Several days old,” Ferreter mumbled to himself. “We returned to the Here Between at the beginning of a night, and lost the day thereafter. She must have stayed in the woods that first night and made it to Haven sometime that first day.”
Ferreter kept calculating time until he counted off four days and five nights. As he reached this number he cringed, for the melodic chimes of many bells filled the air, followed by a quick, panicked wail. The bells were clearly from Haven’s sanctuary, ringing out the dawn call. The wail, Ferreter surmised, was from some Void creature holed up in the woods. He shook his head in disgust; clearly the demons had not been expecting the bells or were affected by their power more than he, as they were fresh from Hell.
Ferreter walked deeper into the woods and quickly found a hollowed out tree the demons were using as a shelter. He crawled in and found a large gallery in which he could easily sit up. In nearly every direction from the main gallery there were tunnels, no doubt leading to small burrows. The two demons he had recruited in Dead Hollow lay curled up in the far reaches of the large chamber. As the sound of the bells died, down they too slowly recovered.
Ferreter spat at them as he spoke. “Stupid haunts, so fresh from Hell you haven’t proofed yourself against church bells! Report, or are you so worthless you don’t have any information for me?”
The taller of the two looked at Ferreter and spoke without preamble. “We arrived quickly enough, traveling as you advised. It was full day, and we spied the city but dared not journey close. The goblins found this hollow and enlarged it. One or two watchers have been spying the road and the town since.”
The smaller demon recovered enough to be ambitious and said, “Yesterday a carriage arrived.”
Ferreter grabbed the demon before it could finish. “Did it leave?”
The demon shook its head and pleaded. “No, no; please let me go! The carriage has yet to leave.”
The taller demon stood up and spoke again, “Master Rider, the carriage has not left via any gate. We have watchers at all gates.”
Ferreter flung down the smallish demon and nodded. “Very good; we can pull the watchers from all the gates except the one that leads to the Central Kingdom. We must arrange to waylay the carriage when it leaves. I’ve no doubt they plan to transport my prey this way in deference to her condition. I must make one thing clear about this operation; I seek a woman, so when we attack leave any women alone unless I say otherwise. Now, what forces do we have at our disposal?”
Chapter 16
The journey along Haven Road was uneventful. Rebekah slept the entire trip, and Alawnwee finally found peace enough to relax. Just over an hour had passed when the carriage pulled into Way’s Crossing, the crossroads where Haven’s Road and North Road met. Situated off to the side of the merging roads was a sanctuary. Alawnwee woke Rebekah as the carriage came to a halt. The two ladies got out of the carriage at Alawnwee’s insistence. The coachmen were checking the horses and the harnesses; the Coterie were checking their own mounts. One of the warriors looked up as the two ladies passed by.
“Don’t wander off too far, please,” he said quietly. “We will be moving out again soon.”
“Yes, thank you,” Rebekah replied. Then everything went wrong.
The first sign of trouble came when one of the Coterie mounts reared, screaming in pain, and knocking its attending rider to the ground. The first horse was quickly joined by another, then another. Then a Coterie warrior cried out, and everybody saw the black shaft buried deep in his left thigh.
“Remount and secure the ladies; we ride hard!” bellowed the senior Coterie warrior.
As quickly and gently as possible, Alawnwee and Rebekah were hauled into the carriage. As she got into the carriage, she saw the drivers strapping on pieces of armor and securing the reins. She turned just before the door closed and saw the three wounded horses fall to the ground, frothing at the mouth. The pierced warrior was on his knees, breathing hard as he broke the shaft in his leg in half. Rebekah didn’t see him fall to the ground, his mouth, too, fu
ll of foaming spittle. However, she did see the remaining Coterie warriors gallop off in every direction.
The second passed and the carriage door closed. The whip of the reins cracked loudly and Rebekah was thrown back against the padded seat. Alawnwee was quickly by her side, making sure she was okay. The Fox growled out the window; the Owl was nowhere to be seen.
Outside, the ambush turned into a running battle. The two minor demons had taken possession of several animals. The smaller of the two was holding half a dozen ravens in sway, while the tallish one was in possession of two large mountain cats. A goblin rode upon each one. These goblins were followed by fourteen more. Half of them were also mounted; their mounts were black, hairless rats the size of ponies. The other goblins ran behind, alternating between running on just their legs and scrambling on all four limbs (as goblins often do when in a hurry). Ferreter kept himself and his mount concealed in the shadows. Without the strength of the Void, it was not worth his joining the fray just yet.
Three Coterie warriors had stayed close to the carriage, and they now rode between the vehicle and the oncoming attackers. Two of the goblins, daggers in their teeth, scrambled and leapt ahead of their group. Their acrobatics brought them upon the rumps of the rear most Coterie horses. One warrior acted quickly and backhanded the goblin off his mount. However, the other goblin was faster and, latching onto the horse’s side with its clawed feet, it rapidly stabbed the warrior in the back. Before the warrior could recover, the second goblin was also upon the horse, crawling down its side and cutting the warrior’s legs. The poison in the two blades acted quickly, and the warrior’s legs became numb as his spine seemed to catch fire. The warrior lost his grip, fell, and disappeared under the mass of trailing goblins.
The New Guard (Crossroads Book 1) Page 14
