by C. R. Daems
The silver temple of the hi'Blessed towered in the center of the road with the power of six sigils, its eight-story spires capped in gold. The street glowed with the power of the gods.
"Thank you, Rhiannon. How thoughtful of you. However, I'm afraid it wouldn't help me. The Blessed ones have been given the power to create god-gifted sigils on amulets or other objects. Some Blessed ones have the gift of only one sigil, some two or more, and the hi'Blessed all six. But none of the Blessed can give a living sigil. Only the god or goddess of that sigil can do that." The concept of sigils was frequently misunderstood. Many believed that the amulets of the Blessed granted the same power as the living sigils. Others believed that the Blessed could, for enough money, give anyone a living sigil.
"I don't understand, Aisha."
"Imagine the perfect bow made specifically for you. If you were an average archer, an amulet would help you become somewhat better than average. If you had a living sigil, it would help you become a master. The sigil magnifies the holder's innate talent. An amulet is of limited help, whereas a living sigil is without limits."
"But you're—Wouldn't it help you?"
"No. I was tested by a hi'Blessed and the gods refused me all six." I spoke the truth, just not the whole truth.
Rhiannon was quiet for the rest of the day.
* * * *
"What are we doing today, Aisha?"
"A knife." I produced a small wooden knife and leather arm sheath I had had Leszek make for Rhiannon.
"You're going to teach me to fight with a knife?" Rhiannon examined it excitedly.
"No, that would take a year or more. I'm going to teach you how to survive when the Talon can't come to your aid immediately or can't take action directly. You know that I had Mistress Karla sew pockets in my dresses. Reach in my pocket, pri'Rhiannon." I turned sideways for her.
"Your pocket has a hole in…a knife…two knives," she screeched as she bounced up and down.
"You could carry a weapon openly, pri'Rhiannon. It's your right as a noblewoman. But concealing it gives you the advantage of surprise." For the next week I taught Rhiannon where to strap her little knife so it couldn't be seen, how to draw it unseen, and how to use it without being obvious. She was like a frisky kitten all week. I looked forward to and enjoyed my time with her.
* * * *
"You have done well with pri'Rhiannon, Sister," Leszek said. We sat in my room late one evening. "More importantly, from what I've been able to determine, your mountain-woman chaperone act seems to be working well. You are probably the most talked-about person in the castle: bad manners, rude, arrogant, and other less flattering comments. Mothers will soon be threatening their children with you."
"Mountain-women chaperones are terrible people, Brother Leszek, but they get results." I laughed. "Rhiannon has matured over the past few weeks. She learns quickly. Now she knows enough to help us if she should need to."
"I briefed all her guards on what you have been teaching her, so that they know what they can expect if trouble arises. Your timing is good. We will leave for Dassel in two days."
"Ferox visited me last night. He gushed a fountain of information from over the past week. If the nobility only knew how much the servants learned from their conversations, they would be flabbergasted." I smiled. "I used to think Rhiannon's ladies-in-waiting were well informed. Now I know Ferox is a professional while they are amateurs."
Leszek nodded as I paused. His last report had me concerned. "Ferox has heard rumors that there will be an attack on the trip to Dassel. He couldn't be specific, so we must be ready for anything, from a small army to a lone assassin."
"The Talons will be ready, Sister."
CHAPTER FIVE
Road to Valda: Assassination attempt
I wasn't sure what to expect when I entered the courtyard with Rhiannon and her retinue, but it wasn't the massive caravan that had assembled: nobles, soldiers, servants, horses, wagons, and people running everywhere, their arms loaded with provisions. It seemed the entire population of the castle intended to go to Dassel. A hundred mounted soldiers and their officers had joined with the royal Talon guards. Men and women in blue livery scurried about the twenty wagons, loading them with luggage and supplies. Except for a couple of tapestries, I would be surprised if anything was left in the castle.
I knew how to ride a horse but did not look forward to spending countless hours in the saddle, but bouncing for hours in a wagon would have been worse, even on padded benches.
After several hours of last-minute flurry, we left the castle grounds and rode through the town. Well-wishers and spectators lined the streets and crowded our procession. Varius and his daughter smiled and waved to the masses. I searched the crowd for signs of danger, nervous at the potential for assassins to hide among them. Leaving the gates at the city wall, my shoulders ached from the tension.
Taras and I rode with Varius and Rhiannon at the front of the caravan, surrounded by Talons. Looking back, I saw a sizable group of mounted soldiers and a train of wagons and servants stretching back out of sight.
The land had been cleared of forest in the first league, flat and well cultivated. Many small houses dotted the landscape. I soon saw less-cultivated areas, and the tree cover grew denser. By midday we reached woodland so dense it muted the light. The forest fascinated me, but I found it difficult to scan for trouble through the trees.
"Master Taras, does this forest stretch very far?" I asked.
"Yes, the Hazwood Forest stretches from Savona to Dassel to Soumiri in the Salda Kingdom, although it is called the Ebowood Forest when we pass into the Valda Kingdom. The forest exists because of the water provided by the West and East Mystic Rivers." Taras lectured amicably, big brother to little sister. I was forgiven for not keeping him apprised of my actions, and I had gained a little of his respect with my handling of the cyanide incident.
We moved at a pace that barely exceeded a moderate walk. Rhiannon couldn't keep still, moving around and talking to her father, each member of her retinue, and even some of the officers. I stayed alert even though I didn't think there would be any trouble this close to the castle. I still carried my daggers tucked in hidden sheaths. Leszek kept my sword and bow for me. I acted like the nervous chaperone I was supposed to be.
"Isn't this wonderful, Aisha?" Rhiannon said, "An exciting adventure. We are going to stop in Terni and Livorno and will be traveling through the Hazwood and Ebowood Forests. I'm going to see Dassel, the capital of Valda, and meet the hi'Lord Radulf and see his castle." Rhiannon chirped with glee.
"Yes, this will be an exciting experience for you. Not to dampen your enthusiasm, what do you do if there is trouble or you even think there is trouble, pri'Rhiannon?" I knew Rhiannon was too excited to know how to react if something happened unless I reminded her.
"Look for you, then follow your directions, my horrible chaperone." She laughed heartily and nudged her horse in the direction of Silva.
I couldn't remember ever being as free and lighthearted as Rhiannon. Life in my village had been hard, and everyone did their share to survive. Life at the Aerie had required me to be alert every hour of every day. I enjoyed my assignment with Rhiannon and being out in the world, but my duty still required me to be alert at all times.
Varius ordered the caravan stopped around midday to water the horses and to have a cold lunch the cooks had prepared in the wagons. The night's stop occurred well before sunset so that the servants could set up tents and begin the evening meal. The process was fascinating. The servants and soldiers literally created a small city within an hour. They pitched tents for the nobility, cooks erected fire pits to begin cooking, and the servants hobbled the horses and provided food and drink. I watched in fascination but still scanned for signs of abnormalities in people's activities.
I spotted the old, wrinkle-faced man from the castle, except now he had dropped the illusion. He dressed like a minor noble and was in charge of mounted soldiers. I continued to scan the camp for a
ny sign that would give me a second or two warning, an edge that might mean the difference between life and death. Varius and Taras approached.
"Pri'Rhiannon! I believe your father is coming to visit you." She was deep in an animated conversation with Raya.
"Father, isn't this wonderful and exciting?" Rhiannon said as she ran toward her father.
"Yes, it is good to be out in the countryside and to talk with our subjects. A good experience for you." I could see the affection he had for his daughter. He turned to me with a frown of worry that furrowed his brow. "Taras says you received information that we may be attacked?"
"Nothing specific, hi'Lord, only a warning," I replied.
"What good does that do us?" Disappointment rang in the question.
"Better warned and ready, hi'Lord, than not warned and careless." Nobles would never survive the Aerie, I thought as I kept my face blank.
"Yes, I guess so. Do you want additional guards?"
"No, hi'Lord. We don't know if the attack will be against you, your daughter, or both. Nor do we know if it will be a few assassins already with us, some who will attempt to infiltrate the caravan, or a large external force. The Talons are sufficient against assassins, but you may want to assign your soldiers to specific people or places to rally around them in the event of an armed attack to minimize confusion." I looked to Taras for support.
"I agree with Mistress Aisha, hi'Lord. Surprise is usually your enemies' greatest advantage. Assigned positions could greatly reduce indecision and improve our response to an attack."
"I will call a meeting of my officers after we dine. We can work out a response plan in the event of an attack. I pray you are wrong Mistress Aisha, but I will not dismiss you again." Varius turned to go.
"Do you really think someone will attack this caravan, Aisha?" Rhiannon asked. Her face grew grim and flashed with fear. "There are over a hundred soldiers and twenty Talons."
"Yes, I do. The assassins have shown that they are determined, and this probably is their best opportunity. I think they'll try a diversion followed by a direct attack on you or your father. What do you think, Leszek?"
"A diversion. If anything happens, pri'Rhiannon, we will rally on Mistress Aisha and you, no matter what else is happening. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Leszek Talon." Rhiannon nodded.
"Leszek, I will leave a kit outside our tent tonight. Have someone put my sword, bow, and quiver into it. I need all my weapons near at hand. Pri'Rhiannon will also prepare a kit. Whoever is on guard duty will keep both kits." My mind raced as I tried to plan for any possible need.
"What do I put in my kit, Aisha?" Rhiannon asked.
"Comfortable shoes and clothes, so you can run and hide, a blanket for sleeping on the ground, something to hold water and make fire, and trail food."
"We won't need to run or hide or sleep out!" Rhiannon wrinkled her nose and looked skeptical. "And I don't have anything to make a fire or trail food."
"We will find them for you. We must be prepared for anything that might happen. Leszek, please add those along with my weapons."
Leszek nodded.
I turned to Rhiannon. "Humor your chaperone. She worries about your health."
"Yes, Mistress Aisha. I still think you are being too cautious." Rhiannon walked toward her tent.
**I agree with her, Sister,** Leszek signed.
**Brother,** I signed, then added aloud, "I survived in the mountains because I was more devious and better prepared than others. Being overprepared cost nothing, but being underprepared can cost you your life." I had to be cautious about signing with so many people milling about. Although I mentioned surviving the mountains, Leszek would know I meant the Aerie.
"What about Silva, Raya, and Irenka?"
"They will be fine. Nobody wants to kill them." I had to pity young Rhiannon. The thought of people hunting her must be terrifying.
Rhiannon's tent was large by normal standards, but five women and all their belongings made for cramped quarters. I chose to sleep close to the entrance; an assassin would have to pass me to get to Rhiannon. I lay quietly for a while, absorbing the night sounds, before going to sleep. Any foreign sound would wake me, ready for battle.
* * * *
I awoke early and would have loved to work out, but had nowhere I could do so without being seen. The cooks had the fires burning as more and more soldiers appeared, and, finally, the nobles. I found it hard to believe the lavish meal set for the hi'Lord, Rhiannon, and other nobles while traveling.
Rhiannon and her retinue sat to her father's right. I managed to squeeze in between her and a noble I didn't recognize. He sneered at me but said nothing, because he was listening to Varius and couldn't interrupt.
The server pouring the berry drinks caught my eye. His hand trembled. He fumbled as he reached for Rhiannon's goblet. When I saw no one looking, I picked up Rhiannon's drink and tasted it. Setting it down near me, I pushed my drink closer to her. She was involved in conversation with several others and didn't notice, but I detected cyanide in her berry drink. This conspiracy ran deeper than just a few people.
"Leszek, please get Rhiannon another glass of berry juice and bring it to the tent." Leszek stood guard behind Rhiannon. Talons didn't normally fetch and carry, and I hoped Leszek realized the seriousness of the request. He would if he had seen me switch drinks.
"Yes, Mistress Aisha," he said and disappeared. After eating, I pulled Rhiannon and Leszek aside.
"Pri'Rhiannon, put your finger in this glass and taste it." She surprised me when she did it without question.
"Now, this glass."
"It tastes…different…a little like bitter."
"That taste is cyanide." I poured the contents on the ground. "From now on, take my drink, as if by mistake, and I will take yours."
"But what if it has cyanide? Oh, I see." She stared at me thoughtfully.
The practiced ease with which the servants disassembled the camp and loaded everything onto the wagons surprised me. We were off only a few hours after sunrise. We followed the river south, but I never saw it because of the dense forest. I heard the rushing water or felt a misty dampness as we passed near a waterfall or narrow rapids. The well-traveled dirt road, hilly and a little rough in places, ran parallel to the river, a half league inland. I found the forest interesting, comparing it to the Camori Mountains with their taller pines and barren, snow-covered peaks.
Rhiannon refused to believe we might have to abandon the caravan and thought I was being overcautious. I didn't blame her for thinking that no one would attack a caravan as large as this one. I didn't care. I believed Ferox's information accurate if lacking in detail. I would rather appear foolish planning for a large attack that didn't come than be unprepared. If I survived such an attack, but Rhiannon didn't, I would rightly have to answer to the clan about why I failed in my duty, and I would have to live with having let the young woman die.
On the fourth day, the land leveled out as we approached the town of Terni. I had my first good look at the river since leaving Savona. Unlike the river at Savona, the river at Terni was wide and negotiable. As a result, Terni was a busy trade city. Supplies moved every day between Savona by land and by river between the southern towns of Livorno in Granya, Dassel in Valda, and Soumiri in Salda.
As we approached Terni, I decided the town would be hard to defend. The walls didn't enclose the docks, warehouses, or most of the merchants' stores but only surrounded a small castle and the houses of nobles and rich merchants. The bailey didn't look big enough to bring everyone inside in an emergency.
Second Lord Tadzio, Third Lady Castor, and a welcoming committee of other dignitaries met us at the city wall.
"Hi'Lord Varius, pri'Rhiannon," Tadzio said, "I am honored. I have prepared quarters for you and your party. After you refresh yourselves tonight, a celebration will be held in your honor."
Tadzio led Varius and the other nobles through the town and into the castle. The grooms led the horses to the
stables, while servants collected the luggage and whisked it off to the assigned rooms in a demonstration of efficiency. Tadzio had had advance notice of our arrival and knew exactly who was in Varius's party. Rhiannon was assigned her own room and her ladies-in-waiting an adjoining room. I was assigned a room in the servant's quarters with two of our maids. Much to Irenka's displeasure, I stayed with Rhiannon while she bathed and dressed, and I used her room to bathe and change myself.
* * * *
I still found the nobles' idea of a feast excessive. The food must have cost hundreds of gold scrules. Every noble and wealthy merchant in Terni seemed to have been invited. I had to give Rhiannon credit that she held her composure when Lady Castor came over to talk with her father.
"Do you think she was responsible for the death of my mother, sister, and brother?" Rhiannon whispered to me with tears in her eyes after Lady Castor wandered away.
"I think she was one of them, and she will pay, pri'Rhiannon, I promise."
Rhiannon bit her lip and stared at the woman's back. "Thank you, Aisha." She gave me a small, thin smile. I pretended to be interested in the food and entertainment, which were excellent. Tadzio had hired jugglers, acrobats, trained wolves, and several fighting matches, with and without weapons. I focused my real attention on the people, in particular, on Castor and everyone she talked to. She and Wrinkle Face spent time talking in a secluded corner. I doubted they would try anything in their own domain, but if they did, the surprise would be on them.
* * * *
"You can't sleep on the floor, Mistress Aisha." Rhiannon protested, but I did not intend to use the room I had been given, even though Rhiannon's Talon guards stood watch outside her door.
