Council of War

by Richard S. Tuttle

  Back on the narrow street, the soldiers on the first wagon grew impatient as the local wagon before them was blocking the entrance to the alley. One of them vowed to ring the neck of the local wagon driver, but before he could get off the wagon to do something about it, the local wagon started moving again. With a great deal of frustration and impatience, the soldiers turned their wagon into the alley, and the other two army wagons dutifully followed. Inexplicably, the second local wagon halted, blocking the entrance to the alley. After a few minutes, the wagon started rolling again, but the mouth of the alley no longer existed to those traveling the street. In place of the alley was a vision of a tall, crude shack.

  * * *

  The soldiers on the first wagon tried to close the gap with the officers leading the procession, but the alley was extremely narrow, and the driver dared not risk brushing the walls of the alley. There was barely enough room for a man to pass between the walls and the wagon, so he kept the wagon at a slow, steady pace. The soldier gritted his teeth as he saw the officers disappear around a bend in the alley before him.

  "What kind of path are these fools taking us on?" he scowled. "We are almost bouncing off the walls now. Look at that turn ahead of us."

  "Just take it slow," advised the other soldier. "At least there are no mobs of people swarming all around us. I would rather take a narrow, easy trip home than pass through crowds of those diseased people."

  The first officer raised an eyebrow as he rounded the bend. "There is truth in your words," he commented more calmly. "I can't imagine why anyone would take a caravan through this part of the city. I will never volunteer to do so again."

  "We didn't exactly volunteer this time," chuckled the second soldier. "It's not like they give us a say in where we go."

  The driver did not respond to his partner's quip. Instead, he stared dumbfounded at the alley before him.

  "Blazes!" he cursed. "How do they expect us to follow them? There is no way that these wagons will fit through that."

  The second soldier raised his eyes and stared ahead. The alley narrowed considerably. The officers continued to ride away as if they expected the wagons to follow, but it was impossible. Where a man might have fit alongside the wagon before, the alley before them was too narrow for even the wagon to pass through. He started shouting at the officers, but they acted as if they could not hear him. The driver was forced to bring the wagon to a halt.

  "Run after them," he said to the other soldier.

  The second soldier immediately slid off the wagon and raced after the officers as the other wagons slowed to a halt. The driver slid to the ground and started walking back towards the other wagons to let them know the reason for the halt. As he drew alongside the second wagon, his eyes scanned the alley behind the wagon. Instead of the soldiers he had expected to see, a crowd of hundreds were racing towards the wagons.

  "We have trouble!" he shouted. "Where are the soldiers?"

  The other four soldiers slid off their wagons and peered at the approaching crowd. The citizens shouted angrily as they charged, and the soldiers looked at one another for ideas. The thought of five soldiers standing between a mob of starving people and three wagons of food suddenly seemed somewhat foolish. Without a word spoken, the five soldiers turned and ran.

  Chapter 13

  Heading North

  Although the sun had risen, the sunlight breaking through the canopy of the Forest of Death was dim at best. An eerie stillness pervaded the woods as the Alceans began to break camp. Karl and Max had taken a trip outside the clearing to see if they could find any trace of the creatures that they had encountered the night before, but there were no signs of anything. They found the four arrows and each of them was imbedded in a tree.

  "Look at this arrow," frowned Max. "I am sure this one is mine, but it couldn't have been fired from the clearing. It is sticking in the wrong side of the tree."

  Karl said nothing in response as he walked to where they had seen the last arrow. He looked at the hole in the tree and then turned to gaze at the clearing. Max followed the Knight of Alcea and watched Karl in silence. Karl completed the trip around the clearing, stopping at each of the trees that had been hit.

  "They are all off," Karl said softly.

  "What?" questioned the Ranger.

  "The arrows," explained Karl. "None of them were found in places that could have been hit from the clearing. It is as if all of the trees have moved."

  "That is impossible," frowned Max. "Trees don't move."

  "These do," retorted Karl. "While we may find that hard to comprehend, it is the only explanation for where we found the arrows. Unless you think someone came out here and moved them."

  "Not possible," Max shook his head. "I had to work to get the arrows out of the trees. It is not as if someone could have taken one out and shoved it back in a different spot. They would have had to have fired it from a bow, and we would have heard the noise."

  "I agree," stated Karl. "I think that spinning sensation we felt earlier was the forest moving in some way that we cannot understand."

  "That just adds one more unbelievable tale to this Forest of Death. I will not waste my time worrying about that when we have a group to get out of this forest."

  "We have to consider it." Karl frowned as he gazed upwards at the canopy. "Think about it for a moment. Without the ability to see the sky, how are we determining which direction to leave the campsite?"

  "We know what direction we were heading when we stopped for the night," answered the Ranger. "We should leave the clearing in the opposite direction."

  Karl didn't respond, and the Ranger suddenly saw the problem.

  "We could end up going in circles!" he exclaimed.

  "Exactly," nodded Karl. "Let's get back to the clearing. I want you to bring Clint out here and show him where we found the arrows. Maybe he can make sense out of it all. He seems to have a knack when it comes to mapping unknown places."

  The two Alceans returned to the clearing. While Max took Clint back out into the woods, Karl studied the clearing. He sighed heavily as he compared the clearing to what he remembered about it when they had first entered it the day before.

  "Trouble," Prince Rigal said softly as he approached Karl.

  "Perhaps," Karl said distractedly. "The spinning of the forest may cause us to lose our way."

  "That wasn't a question," replied the elven prince. "I meant that we have trouble with Lyron. He has gotten worse during the night. I have not been able to wake him this morning. I am not sure it is safe to move him."

  Karl turned and gazed across the clearing at the stricken elf. He saw two of the sailors beside him with the litter, but Gerant was in their way and he didn't appear to be willing to move.

  "We can't leave him," Karl stated, "and we are not staying here until Lyron dies."

  "Perhaps Gerant and I could stay behind until he dies," suggested Prince Rigal. "We could give him a proper burial here. I do not think it will be long now, and we could catch up to you."

  "Out of the question," Karl retorted. "Nobody separates from the group until we are safely out of the Forest of Death." Karl saw the frown on the prince's face and he sighed heavily. "I understand your desire to treat your kinsman with respect, Prince Rigal, but the truth is, we cannot trust anyone who has been separated from the group for any period of time. You know what happened to Alando. Can you imagine what might happen to this group if you and Gerant caught up to us, but you were not the people that you are now?"

  "You have a valid point," conceded Prince Rigal, "but I cannot leave Lyron here to die alone, and I am not anxious to move him."

  Karl had spent enough time with the elves to understand what was going through Prince Rigal's mind. "His head will have to be severed when he dies. I know that is what you are trying to avoid, but we cannot take any chances with our dead. I understand that such a desecration is abhorrent to the elven ways, but my thoughts are for the living. We have a responsibility to all of the men here
to get them through this safely. Please don't let your customs get in the way of that task."

  "The Elderal taught you well," frowned Prince Rigal. "I didn't think you would understand."

  "I understand the problem well," replied Karl, "and I am saddened to have to make this request of you, but it can be no other way. I am sure that you understand why I am being adamant about it."

  Prince Rigal nodded and walked away. Karl watched as the elven prince called Gerant away from the litter so that the sailors could carry Lyron. Clint and Max returned to the clearing, and Karl pushed the elven problem out of his mind.

  "What do you think, Clint?" he asked.

  "I've never seen a stranger problem," answered the Ranger. "If you don't mind, I would like to take the lead today. I have a fair idea of north, but we can check it later when the sun gets higher in the sky."

  Karl merely nodded as the group formed a line and prepared to leave the clearing. Clint took the point and led the group out of the clearing.

  * * *

  Morro joined the Alceans in the common room of the Bluff House Inn for the morning meal. He had a broad smile on his face, and the Alceans looked at him questioningly.

  "The people of Farmin are indebted to all of you," the elven thief announced. "Juggler sends his regards and looks forward to working with you again in the future."

  "So there were no repercussions?" asked Garth.

  "Not for the people of Farmin," answered Morro. "I imagine a few soldiers are not feeling too happy this morning, but that certainly doesn't break my spirit."

  Garth glanced at Kalina with a victorious grin on his face.

  "I am pleased that it worked out well," conceded Kalina. "I am glad that we do not have to alter our plans regarding the trip to Valdo. When are we leaving?"

  "In the morning," stated Garth as he looked at Natia. "Did you learn all that you needed to learn about the reeducation center?"

  "As much as I will be able to learn," replied the gypsy princess. "The building is remarkably similar to the one in Giza. The only thing I was unable to determine was their reaction to an alarm. If Kalina had been willing to blow something up while I was inside, I could have learned more."

  The men laughed softly while Kalina smiled and shook her head.

  "I think we can deal with your lack of knowledge in that particular area," Kalina chuckled. "I am quite glad that we have set off no alarms during our stay. I am anxious to see the rest of the Federation."

  "It sounds like we will have that chance soon," remarked Tedi. "What are we going to do today?"

  "I want to see a jeweler today," answered Garth. "It is time to make a transaction to maintain my cover. It should only take an hour or so. I think we should use the remainder of the day to rest up for the journey south."

  Suddenly, a patrol of Federation soldiers barged through the door into the common room. The officer's head swiveled as he gazed around the room. His eyes landed briefly on Kalina and Natia, but the gaze lasted only a moment. He shouted orders to his men, and they split into two groups. One group ran up the stairs while the other group moved into the kitchen. The officer approached the innkeeper and started talking to him. Morro, Garth, Tedi, and Natia watched anxiously, but Kalina's eyes were riveted on the window at the far end of the room. Without a word to the others, she rose from the table and slipped out the door to the outside. Garth signaled for the others to remain seated as he rose and casually followed his wife. His long stride enabled him to catch up to her without appearing to be in a hurry.

  "Where are you going?" he whispered.

  "I have a debt to repay. Join me, but remain quiet."

  Kalina led the way around the side of the inn to a small garden. She paused for a moment as her eyes swept over the garden and then she walked to a small gazebo and sat on a bench. She patted the seat next to her for Garth to join her. Garth quietly sat down with a puzzled frown on his face, but he didn't say anything.

  "Sisters of Justice," Kalina said softly, "I am a friend of Tsarana. My name is Kalina. How may I help you?"

  Garth's brow creased as he glanced around the garden. He heard rustling in the bushes behind him, but he fought the urge to turn around and look.

  "There are soldiers searching the Bluff House Inn at this moment," Kalina continued. "I promised Tsarana that I would aid her people in any way that I could. I assume that you know who I am talking about."

  A woman's voice spoke softly from the bushes. "Do not turn around, or you will both die. Tell me why I should believe your offer of help. No strangers ever enter our homeland and live to leave it."

  "I did," Kalina answered calmly. "I needed some barrels of resin that were only available from that place. Yortana and Tsarana helped me to obtain them. I promised to help their people whenever I could."

  Whispers emanated from the bushes, but they were too soft to understand. Eventually the voice spoke again.

  "You know Yortana?"

  "I do," answered Kalina. "She has a much brighter disposition than Marfor."

  "Now I can believe your words," the woman replied with a hint of laughter. "We are in great danger. We have done what we came to Farmin to do, but the Federation found out about us. They seized our horses before we could get to them, and we cannot buy any in this city no matter how much we pay."

  "Why has the alarm not been sounded?" asked Garth.

  "It will be if they don't find us soon," answered the hidden woman. "The soldiers who took our horses made a serious mistake. They should have captured us instead of the horses. They are trying to fix the problem themselves rather than admit that they failed in their mission, but if they cannot find us soon, they will have to call for closing down the city."

  "Then we need to move quickly," stated Kalina.

  "How can you help?" asked the Rhodan warrior.

  "We have horses," answered Kalina, "but you need more help than that. Your clothing will make you stand out in this city. Do you have anything else to wear?"

  "They have all of our belongings, and we cannot afford to wait until dark to get out of the city. We will just have to make a run for it. Will you sell us the horses?"

  "You would never make it to the gates," replied Garth.

  "We can help you," declared Kalina. "We have clothes upstairs that you can use, and I think we can get you out of the city."

  Garth frowned at Kalina, but she did not notice. Her eyes were fixed on the soldiers who had just rounded the corner of the inn. The men made a quick survey of the gardens and then retreated. Kalina watched as they marched to the next inn.

  "My husband's name is Garth," Kalina said. "I want one of you to accompany him up to our room. We have three other friends with us. I will send two more men out to escort each of you. Proceed one couple at a time. It will draw less attention that way. I will go get them."

  "One of them is an elf," interjected Garth. "Do not be afraid of him."

  A woman stood up and moved into the gazebo as Kalina returned to the common room. She was a young woman in brown leather with her long brown hair tied in a tail. She smiled anxiously at Garth.

  "My name is Chimene," she said. "My partner is Panas."

  "Let us be off, Chimene," smiled Garth. "Walk casually like we have known each other for a long time. We will take the back stairs up to the room and get you something less conspicuous to wear."

  "Have you also been to my homeland?" Chimene asked as they left the garden.

  "I rafted down the Calusa River once, but I have never entered your homeland. Kalina went alone to get the flamorweed."

  "I heard about that episode, but I did not remember Kalina's name. I was afraid when she mentioned Tsarana because the Federation might have picked her name up, but they would not know Yortana or Marfor. How is it that you have spare horses?"

  "We don't have spare horses," frowned Garth. "You will be leaving on our horses."

  "Then how will you get out of the city?" asked the Rhodan warrior as they climbed the stairs.

&n
bsp; "I am not sure yet," admitted Garth, "but Kalina's word will not be broken. We are very grateful for the help your people extended to us. We will get you out of Farmin and then try to deal with our own problems later."

  Garth stopped outside his room and unlocked the door. Chimene cautiously entered the room and Garth followed her. Kalina was already in the room and she had laid out some clothes for Chimene.

  "Natia is going through her things in the next room," Kalina said. "We will find something for all three of you."

  "Three?" questioned Garth. "I thought there were only two of you."

  "Only two Sisters of Justice," smiled Chimene. "We also have a woman with us that we need to get to the jungle."

  Garth turned and stared at Kalina. "We could ride double with three horses, but how will we proceed to Valdo with only two?"

  "We will get some more horses," Kalina replied. "Right now we need to get these women out of Farmin. Go get the horses ready. You and Tedi will each escort one of the women out of the city. That means that one of you will have to make the trip twice."

  "We will take them out through the slums," stated Garth. "Chimene and I will leave as soon as she is ready. Have Tedi bring one of the other two to the building that you stood upon yesterday, and I will take her out from there. It will be quicker that way."

  "Alright," nodded Kalina. "I will bring Chimene down as soon as she is ready."

  * * *

  Tedi and Panas rode into the forest and stopped in the clearing that Garth had described. Chimene immediately appeared and smiled at Tedi.

  "The Sisters of Justice will never forget what you and your people have done for us this day," she said to Tedi. "I will mention all of your names to Tsarana when we reach home."

  "I am happy that we were able to help," Tedi replied. "Ride swiftly before the soldiers decide to look outside the city."