She was still grinning and looking downwards when Aaron called out from just behind her.
"Hey, that road up there looks different."
Heather pulled her eyes from the ground in front of her horse, cursing herself silently as she did so. Her whole body had tensed up at Aaron's words, but she relaxed almost at once. It was a highway and it was the very road she had hoped to come across. She glanced up at the sun. They had made better time than she had thought. She hadn't expected to reach this road until tomorrow some time.
She looked backwards, "It's all right." Aaron and Mikela had been riding side by side behind her and Enton had pushed right up on their heels. "It's the road east of Falda."
"What now?" Enton called. "Are we going east?"
Heather nodded, "Yes. We'll follow the road east until we hit Alandell Lake." She cut off abruptly; she hadn't decided where they were going from there. Should they go southeast to Helum or north to Telur? Her gut wanted to go to Helum, but her mind said that her friends were long gone.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Mikela asked. "I mean, this is the very road we were supposed to take when we left the caravan."
Heather nodded, "I know, but I think that makes it the last road they will expect us to take."
Enton chuckled from the back, "They'll never suspect that we're as dumb as we are." Both Aaron and Mikela snorted in laughter and Enton's eyes immediately widened at the look on Heather's face. "I didn't mean anything by that. I was trying to be humorous."
After a moment, Heather grinned. "Keep trying, maybe you'll get it right one day." She liked the sight of Enton being cowed by her. She wouldn't go so far as to say he was scared, the man probably wasn't scared of anything. She suspected he would gladly attack a dragon with nothing more than a spoon. Still grinning, she nudged her horse forward, towards the highway.
Traffic on the highway was steady but not excessive. At first, they were a little apprehensive when passing the other travelers but the glares that Aaron and Enton were directing at the others on the road began to make them pull their wagons and horses to the far side of the highway.
Heather pulled on the reigns of her horse and motioned Mikela to go on pass. "Aaron, Enton, come here."
Enton and Aaron shared a look, reminding her of two boys getting into trouble, and then they moved their horses up close. "Yes?" Aaron asked apprehensively.
"Stop scaring everyone."
Both men appeared completely blank and then they shared another one of those infuriating looks. Heather ground her teeth together, "You're scaring everyone we pass."
"So?" Enton asked, still looking confused.
"So they will remember us," Heather said, taking a deep calming breath. "And if people are looking for us, the last thing we want to do is give them a reason to notice and remember us."
Aaron nodded, and after a moment Enton did also.
They traveled the rest of the afternoon, coming across a small village just about sundown. There were a handful of buildings on the left side of the road, including a tavern and several small shops. On the right side of the road was a forge, but what really drew their attention was an inn. It was on the right side of the road, directly opposite from the tavern, and was called The Drunken Wench.
Heather stopped in the road and the other three clustered around.
"What do you think?" Mikela asked, a note of pleading in her voice. None of them had slept in a real bed in weeks, not to mention a hot bath.
"I think we should go around and make camp on the far side," Heather said, after a moment.
Both Aaron and Enton looked a little grumpy, but Mikela looked as if she might burst into tears at any moment.
"Do we have to?" Aaron asked, looking longingly at the inn. "It's been so long since we slept in a real bed."
For just a moment Heather considered relenting, then she sighed. "I think it's best. There are people looking for us and we don't even know who they are. Chances are good that someone in this village has heard our descriptions." She shook her head, "No, let's go on through."
They continued on in this manner for the next ten days. Heather rourefused to allow them to stay in an inn, although she did relent and allow them to stop at a small tavern for lunch one day. The food, stew with fresh bread, had seemed like a banquet and they each had gotten seconds, but she absolutely refused for them to spend a night at an inn.
As they traveled, the roads slowly began to fill with more people. There were people on foot and mounted, farmers driving a wagon or two, and enormous wagon caravans. They were all heading east. The highway led east from Falda to Eled Aminor, and they were getting close to Eled Aminor. One good thing about the throngs of people on the road was that it would make it much more difficult for anyone to find four travelers.
Early in the afternoon on the eleventh day, they rounded a bend in the road and saw the city of Eled Aminor spread out in front of them.
Heather pulled her horse to a stop and gazed at the city. It was truly a city, large and magnificent, not as big as Telur but big nonetheless.
"You know," Enton said, moving his horse up beside hers, "this is a huge city. Even though people will probably be looking for us, chances are they won't find us in there."
"Yeah," Aaron added, moving his horse up to join Enton. "Besides we're likely to stand out more if we don't enter the city."
What they said was true, but it also had the feeling of something they had practiced. Trying hard, Heather managed to hide her smile. "Well," she began, glancing back at the city, "it would be nice to stay in an inn."
"Have you decided where we're going when we leave?" Mikela asked.
"No," Heather answered honestly. Truth was she felt she should take them north to Telur, but it felt like she was abandoning her friends. The people on the road were having to part and flow around them; it was causing a bit of a disturbance. "We'll talk about it after we find rooms."
Finding rooms was easier said than done. The first five inns were full and they only managed to get rooms at the sixth inn by convincing the old inn keeper that they were two married couples. Apparently, he didn't want any "trollops" staying at his establishment.
It was getting dark as the innkeeper led them up the rickety old stairs to the last two rooms he had available. The first one he gave to Aaron and his "bride" Mikela. The second room was for Enton and Heather. It was a situation that neither of them were looking forward to, although the sight of that lovely wide bed was almost enough to bring tears to Heather's eyes.
The room was barely bigger than the bed. There was a couple of feet on either side of the bed, a small table with a pitcher of water on it, and a single chair. There was a small window on the left hand wall, but she couldn't see anything due to the shutters being closed.
After the innkeeper left, closing the door behind him, Enton turned to Heather. "The old man said there's hot baths in that little room on the first floor."
Heather nodded, brushing some loose hair back from her face. "I know, but I really just want to lay down for a moment and rest. Maybe a quick nap." That was the last thing she remembered for a long time.
Heather's eyes popped open at a soft rapping noise. She bolted from tarohe bed and frantically looked around the small room, horrified to see that Enton had been sleeping beside her on the bed. The knocking was coming from the door to their room and she realized that light was streaming in the window around the closed shutters.
She paused on her way to the door and retrieved her belt knife. Holding the knife in her right hand, she opened the door with her left. She exhaled deeply at the sight of Aaron standing alone in the hall.
He quickly stepped in and closed the door behind him.
Motioning backward, in the general direction of Enton, Heather gritted her teeth. "I thought you and Enton were going to share a room and Mikela was going to come in here with me."
"I know. I know." Aaron said, glancing around Heather at Enton. "The last thing I remember was laying down to
get the feel of the bed and then I woke up a few moments ago."
Heather nodded. She probably shouldn't blame them for doing the same thing she had done. It was hard to imagine they were that tired. "What time is it?" she asked yawning.
Aaron grinned, "Noon."
"What!" Heather exclaimed, causing Enton to sit bolt upright in bed. "Noon?" She repeated, quieter.
Aaron nodded, "Guess we were more tired than we thought." He motioned back towards the door, "I passed the innkeeper in the hall and he said we're going to have to pay for a second day now." He shrugged, "Might as well enjoy it."
She considered that. Her intention had been to stay the one night and then begin the trip home. She hated even thinking that, but there wasn't any reason to go to Helum now. As long as they were paying for the room for a second night, might as well take advantage of the situation.
The four of them met up several minutes later in the large common room on the ground level. It was a large room, taking up a good half of the first floor, and there were twenty or thirty tables scattered around. It was located just inside and to the right of the front door of the inn.
Heather hadn't expected for there to be many people here at noontime, but maybe half of the tables were occupied. Some of the guests were recovering from an excess of alcohol from the night before, while others were just getting started on an excess of alcohol for today.
Breakfast, actually it was more of a lunch, consisted of fresh bread, grilled beef, and fruit. The fruit was the best part of the meal. It had been weeks since they had enjoyed fresh fruit and dried fruit just didn't compare.
Mikela was done first, followed closely by Heather, neither Enton or Aaron showed any signs of slowing down. Mikela nodded out the arch that led to the main entrance, "On the way to breakfast, I found the room where the tubs are. There are two huge tubs in there," She paused, grinning at Heather. "Let's find a maid and get them changing that water and getting it hot for us."
Heather didn't need to be asked twice. They left the men to their third or fourth helpings and tracked down a maid. Ten minutes later, they kicked the woman out of the room and each claimed a smoking hot tub. Sinking into the steamy water was pure heaven and Heather allowed herself to just soak. The hot water was causing little pleasurable pin pricks aol ll over her body.
The bathroom was a small room with the two large tubs and a stove in the back left corner that was used to heat the water. The walls and floor were made of rough cut wooden planks. There were several barrels of water in the back right corner of the room. A bench ran the whole length of the left wall and a mirror hung next to the door.
Neither one spoke for a long time. Instead, they just enjoyed the pleasures of a hot bath. After a while, Mikela sat up in her tub and began washing her hair.
Sighing, and silently cursing the other woman, Heather too sat up and began lathering up her hair.
Much, much later, both women were through with their baths and dressed in clean clothes. Mikela was sitting on the bench fiddling with her boots, so Heather picked up the brush and headed to the mirror. She casually glanced at the mirror and then nearly screamed, just managing to choke back the exclamation. In addition to the bathroom and Mikela, another woman's reflection was in the mirror; a woman who was not in the room.
The brush fell from Heather's hand and thumped into the floor, but she didn't even notice. She swallowed hard, staring at the unknown woman.
"What is it?" Mikela demanded, rushing to join Heather. She gasped at the sight of the other woman. "Cassandra? Is that you?" she asked hesitantly.
"Oh, thank Adel!" the woman in the mirror exclaimed.
Heather turned to Mikela, "You know her?"
"Of course, and so do you. She's the king's magician."
Heather turned back to the mirror and studied the woman. It did look like Cassandra, but Cassandra always looked perfectly kept; this woman looked like she had been riding a horse for a week or so. Now that she mentioned it, there was a herky jerky movement to the woman, which implied, if not a horse, then at least a wagon ride.
"Do you recognize me?" Cassandra asked, the ghost of a smile playing across her lips. "I must admit that I look a little different than normal."
"I know you," Heather answered, "but why are you popping up in my mirror?"
Cassandra did not answer immediately. "Where are you? Are Enton and Aaron with you?"
Heather sighed. She did not like being ignored and considered not answering Cassandra's question until the magician answered some of hers, but that was just being petty. "We're in an inn in Eled Aminor, and yes, Enton and Aaron are with us."
Cassandra's reflection quit rocking back and forth and two other men joined her in their mirror. One of the men Heather recognized immediately. "Atock!"
Atock's reflection smiled in relief at Heather and Mikela. There could be no mistaking the prince of Entucca; his skin was dark black. He wore a cap, which he had taken to after shaving his head at Fort Mul-dune. It wasn't something he normally spoke of, but Heather got the impression that the men of Entucca had their heads shaved only when they were buried. It seemed embarrassing to him that his hair was still so short.
"Heather! Mikela! Thank the gods. We have been trying to find you for weeks. Did you say Eled Aminor?ot " Atock's reflection frowned, "Are you coming back from Helum?"
"We never made it there," Heather answered, a little embarrassed at her failure, "we were taken hostage by a caravan and we just escaped several weeks ago." Now it was Heather's turn to frown, "Where are you?"
"We're on the Southern road, about halfway to the Telurian border."
"Halfway?" Heather repeated puzzled, "You should be on your way to the Silver Mountains by now."
"Been there and we returned with the sword."
Heather frowned at this. Maybe they could have been to the sword, but not already back to Telur.
"We can meet you in Arnum." Atock said quickly. "It's almost due north of Eled Aminor."
Heather nodded, "I know where it is." She frowned, something didn't seem quite right. "What's wrong?"
The other man, an older wizened man leaned closer to the mirror. "Flare has taken the sword and fled Telur. He has claimed it as his own. If you return to Telur, then your lives are forfeit."
There was a moment of silence where Heather and Mikela tried to comprehend exactly what the words meant. Heather recognized the speaker, it was Dagan, the king's sorcerer.
Finally Heather spoke, her words were quiet and hesitant, "What do you mean he's claimed the sword and fled?" Her stomach was twisted in knots and she desperately hoped she had misunderstood something.
Dagan sighed, "Just that. The King took the sword from him after promising Flare that he would be able to possess it."
"But he's the king," Mikela interrupted. Her eyes were wide and her skin had gone the color of milk. "He can do that if he wants to."
"Yes," Dagan agreed nodding. "And Flare chose to steal the sword and flee with it."
Mikela's eyes closed and Heather thought the magician might pass out. She steadied the other woman with her hand before speaking. "So, why would our lives be forfeit? We had nothing to do with this."
Dagan smiled, "My dear girl. The Church believes that Flare will now try and resurrect the Dragon Order and they are most determined to see that he fails. As his most trusted friends, all of us would be," he paused, searching for the right word, "encouraged to help them find him. I'm quite sure they will not believe us when we say we have no inkling where he went."
"The Dragon Order?" Heather repeated quietly. She was beginning to feel as sick as Mikela looked. "Surely that's not what he's doing!"
Dagan did not answer immediately, and Atock and Cassandra dropped their gazes. It was answer enough.
Mikela sat down, rather heavily, on the wooden bench. Heather leaned back against the tub. She was feeling more and more like she might be sick.
"Listen to me ladies," Dagan said in a commanding tone. Both women looked
up at him. "Do either of you think that Flare is some kind of madman or that he is a sadistic killer?&quheiot
Neither woman answered right away, finally Mikela shook her head and Heather said, "No."
"Neither do I," Dagan agreed with a somewhat passable smile. "Until he gives us a reason to do otherwise, we have to trust Flare to be the person we all know he is."
After another moment, both women nodded. Heather took a deep breath, "So we'll meet you in Arnum?"
"No." Dagan answered, causing Atock to glance questioningly at the old man. "We'll come to you in Eled Aminor."
Chapter 3
It was late in the day when Flare pulled his horse to a stop in the shadow of a large tree and looked back the way he had come. He sat there for several moments, first watching and then he closed his eyes and listened. Nothing. He was sure that he was being followed; he just wasn't sure how close his followers were.
It had been nearly three weeks since he had stolen the sword and fled Telur. In all that time, he hadn't spoken to a single person. He had avoided villages and towns, even the farmers in their fields. Any person he spoke to would remember him and inform his followers.
His pursuers had to be getting close, despite his best efforts to lose them. All the false trails that he had left for them would only work so long and besides they probably had remounts, meaning they didn't have to be as careful with their horses as he had to.
Valley of the Ancients: Book Three of the Restoration Series Page 4
