Krieger nodded his understanding and woke Branch and Relin. “Is there reason to expect the news is bad?” he asked Lydria. With a small shake of her head, he moved to stand with her behind a large tree away from the camp and the horses.
“Lydria. The familiar smell – it was Weaver. He is with the Eifen now. Come quickly.”
Lydria told the others and minutes later they were mounted again with clear skies and a bright moon to guide them. Along the trail they met Haidrea who had turned back soon after arriving to lead her friends quickly. They arrived at the camp before dawn and were immediately shown to a small, smelly hunting lodge made from animal skins and held up by poles tied together at the top to make a covered space large enough for several men.
Lydria entered the lodge first and found Haidrea, Drae Ghern and Wae Ilsit waiting. Branch, Weaver, Relin, and Krieger were all invited in as well and when they had sat down, Wae Ilsit spoke first.
“Well met,” Wae Ilsit said. “We have no time for stories. This is a council of war and our stories must wait.”
Lydria spoke for the party and told all she could, leaving out only what they had learned of Haustis. She was followed by Krieger, Branch and Weaver who understood by Lydria’s omission that they were not to not tell Haustis’ story. That was a story for Haidrea, who spoke last.
“Grandfather, father, all you have heard is true but there is some news I must tell,” Haidrea spoke carefully and slowly, but did not become emotional. She spoke as Haustis and not as Haidrea. “Wynter, in addition to his betrayals among the kingdom, has struck the Eifen as well. The woman you knew as Haustis rests now with the spirits by Wynter’s hand. I am now Haustis and through Lydria’s gift, I continue to draw breath and through her magic I remain connected to the spirits as easily as I speak with you.”
She withdrew the circlet with Lydria’s finger from beneath her tunic and showed it to her father and grandfather. “There is one last thing, dear Drae Ghern. From the Haustis most recent, she begs me tell you, she has always loved you and it hurt her gravely to leave your side all those seasons ago. But her path lay with the spirits and they would not be denied.”
The small lodge went still as a stump as everyone’s eyes turned slowly to Drae Ghern, who was motionless as a single tear rolled down his cheek. His mouth opened only enough for his lips to part, a thin white film still straining to keep them together, and he breathed in slowly and closed his mouth again.
“Father,” said Wae Ilsit, slowly turning to the old man and gently cradling his weathered hand in his own. “I am so sorry that you must know this. So many years ago, I guessed the riddle of Haustis and she made me take an oath on the spirits that you could not know.”
Drae Ghern turned slowly to his son and reached his arms out to hold Wae Ilsit by either side of his head and kissed him slowly on each cheek. “My son, I too had guessed at Haustis’ riddle many years ago and wanted only to tell you, so that you would know your mother lived and loved you. I understand the will of the spirits, and it will not be long before we are together again.”
The room breathed for the first time in what seemed an eternity and Lydria noted that all those present were warmed by the father and son had each contained for so long; even Kimi began a slow, even rumble that reached the ears of everyone in the lodge.
“Now, Haustis,” Drae Ghern’s eyes were still damp with happiness, but his manner turned stern once again as he faced Haidrea. “Let us tell you how the world fares to the east.”
For nearly an hour Drae Ghern and Wae Ilsit described how Eifen scouts reported a great mass of horses and men gathering on the plains to the east of Bayside. They rode north, a small party detached from the front to scout their own path. That path brought them eventually to Eifynar.
“We were fortunate to have heard from Krieger several suns earlier,” Wae Ilsit nodded his thanks to the man. “We sent the large part of our people to the west, some for refuge and others, to prepare to fight.”
“The problem,” Krieger interrupted, “is who do you fight?”
“Our people will want to fight Ahlric,” Drae Ghern added. “We left only a small force in the town and several scouts. The kingdom men came and sat to take food and smoke and speak with our people. The kingdom men had sent in a force for talks and while they did so, others crept into the village and set upon our warriors with arrows and knives and burned Eifynar until all that stands now are black stumps. Our people were killed like dogs.” Drae Ghern’s fury flushed his face so that he appeared decades younger and Lydria was sure that given a weapon, he could at this moment, fight with any kingdom soldier and be left standing.
“Ahlric is ill and sees foes at all sides.”
Krieger’s statement was said so that all those who heard his voice knew his statement to be true. He said it as a fact; as a fact he had known for a long time but was determined to ignore, to pretend wasn’t true. The massacre of Wae Ilsit’s people, however, proved even more than he could allow.
“For many years Ahlric has been a sensible, some would say enlightened, ruler. He opened up Wesolk to new ways of thinking, he judiciously avoided war where possible and met it with fierceness when necessary. In his early years he was a friend of the Eifen in court and changed the minds of many lords regarding our brothers of the woods. In many respects, he has been everything the people have needed. Of late, however, he shifts between the old Ahlric, and a sick, fearful, at times ponderous man who finds conspiracies at every corner. Within the court, we hide his less wholesome nature as best we are able. If word got out that a king without an heir was ill, the lords would start taking sides.
“While we were in his court, we saw Ahlric at his weakest and it is this face of the king we have tried to hide. In the sicknesses grip, he appears weak and feeble, he coughs and the cloth he carries with him is now often covered in blood. His mind, however, is sharp, but in it he sees only the carrion birds waiting to carry him away.
“He was becoming paranoid when only swords and men threatened him. When he heard of the power of Wynter, he became sure the throne of Wesolk was the target. For the better part of a year, Ahlric has waited for an invasion from the north that has not come and against all council, he could not be deterred from moving north to meet this new threat.
Krieger turned to Lydria and lowered his eyes. “In his court, when the king and I spoke privately, it was then he asked me to renew my allegiance and put a knife in your back. He knew of your power, for he has spies of his own and Wynter is clever to use them to his own ends.
“Regardless of what he knew or thought he knew, he was correct,” Krieger continued. “Even without seeing your collar, you presented a threat he could see and dispatch without the cost of an armed expedition. Since our unexpected departure,” Krieger smiled before continuing, “I have had scant information from Bayside. You can be assured that if you walked into the city today with your collar visible, your story would be well known, and the people would fear you.”
There was a lapse of several moments before Branch, who sat patiently next to Relin, broke the silence. “Would Ahlric then not send a force to the Folly? If he knows we have traveled together, and given my former position, would he not want to ensure the outpost doesn’t represent a threat on his western flank?”
“It is possible, but I think Ahlric focuses his vision to the north and the north alone. He is not all together wrong to believe that Wynter threatens him. He would do us a favor to kill the man,” Krieger said.
“I sense you have misgivings about this course.” Wae Ilsit was looking carefully at Krieger, his own instinct as a commander, putting the pieces together.
“The only misgiving I have, is that he may do it. We all know the power Wynter commands.” Krieger spoke slowly to reinforce the seriousness of his belief. “Wise and noble kings have marched for less than the threat Ahlric perceives from the north; although none have marched against a greater threat. Killing Wynter would be a just result, but the costs could be staggering an
d then where does it lead? Does he search the countryside for Lydria? He won’t simply stand down his forces knowing she’s out there.
“And there’s an outcome that will bode ill for all Wesolk - win or lose, Ahlric’s forces will be depleted. By this season’s end, word of Wynter and Lydria will have made its way beyond the borders of Wesolk. Some may think it is only a story to scare children, but some will believe it. All of them will have their soldiers ready. If word gets out that Ahlric has defeated Wynter at great cost, those armies may march on Wesolk.”
Everyone could appreciate the consequences of such a war. With the bulk of Ahlric’s troops to the north, Wesolk could, at best, lose large parts of its eastern holdings.
“What do you recommend, then, friend Krieger?” Drae Ghern spoke softly but directly, his old hands still and firm on his knees.
“Wae Ilsit, Drae Ghern, we have known each other for many seasons, and you know the respect I have for you both and your people. I ask no such thing lightly, but we must be the ones to kill Wynter. We must arrive in Solwyn before the armies of Ahlric. Your warriors can move like spirits in the forests and harass his forces. Strike quickly at the back of the train and sparingly at the scouts. Within a day, they will change their traveling tactics to protect the carts – it will slow them, but they travel with an overwhelming force, so the delay will be prudent to them.
“There are those close to Ahlric who do not understand, or believe, the power of Lydria and Wynter, but they will have heard stories of what happened in the castle. Every unseen attack from the woods will instill in them the fear of that which they do not understand. They will travel slowly, some may run. This all works to our advantage.”
“Drae Ghern, Relin, Haustis,” Wae Ilsit looked at those he had called and commanded the attention of the entire lodge. I tell you this because you should know all as we prepare for war. I have known Krieger for many seasons, and it is I who am his ears and voice within Eifynar; for I too, have consulted the spirits with Haustis, my mother, and they showed me that this man stands in the middle of the Grey, between peace and chaos. But only now do I understand how he does so. But Krieger is correct, we cannot allow Ahlric to battle Wynter. The destruction of Ahlric’s army would invite invasion and we have no understanding of the men who would come. Our people would be hunted like deer and fare no better. We must try to do what Krieger says. It is the only way.”
FORTY-ONE
The company moved the same day leaving Wae Ilsit and Drae Ghern before the sun had reached its height. Weaver remained with Wae Ilsit to help delay Ahlric’s advance.
With the camp behind them, Lydria’s group moved swiftly through the forest. Kimi maintained a connection with Lydria and she shared his eyes and ears as he pointed out landmarks and trailheads. The collaboration made for a remarkable pace and soon the woods thinned, and they continued to the northeast.
“In this thin forest hiding will be impossible,” Krieger said. “We must travel in the open and make for the most western town along the ring of villages Wynter has taken under his domain, Brookfield. It lies in the shadow of the Frostspine Mountains and used to be little more than a small village of farmers and those who wanted a quiet life away from cities. In a short time, it has become a large town with trade and a road being built east to Solwyn.”
“Perhaps we can blend in with the people who have migrated north in the recent months,” Lydria suggested. “It would make our journey easier if we could use the road from Brookside and travel openly.”
“What about me? I’m hardly able to travel through town without attracting some attention.”
Lydria gave voice to Kimi’s concerns and with the cat lopping alongside the horses, Lydria closed her eyes and pictured Kimi – but not Kimi.
Haidrea was the first to notice Kimi no longer seemed so out of place. Instead of a fully-grown bobcat, their road was now shared by a large tom cat with ragged and dirty orange fur and a perpetual scowl. By the time Kimi himself realized what had happened the others were all trying to suppress laughter.
“What have you done to me? This is not acceptable – this is degrading and humiliating...”
“Oh, pretty puss, would you like to ride on the horse?” Lydria felt sorry for Kimi but felt that the magical deception was worth it as Kimi’s eyes and ears were far keener than any of their own. To leave him on his own in such a sparsely vegetated place would make him a target for hunters. “There are many more people nearby now, Kimi, and they need to eat. We do not need you avoiding arrows at every turn. Come up here and ride with me.”
Kimi stopped and watched the horses walk down the trail before accepting her idea and sprinting forward to leap onto the horse’s back, realizing as he did that his body felt no different than it had before, and that his movements were not impeded by the spindly legs and insignificant claws he saw in front of him. When he landed on the horse’s back, the animal huffed and started to rear before Lydria calmed him, and when he took his place in front of Lydria, she said that he felt as heavy and fat as ever. Kimi pushed as much of his weight as possible against Lydria’s bladder and went almost immediately to sleep.
“Lydria, this magic, does it pain you?” Haidrea had been watching both Kimi and Lydria for the last several minutes, trying to discern if there were any physical difference in her friend.
“I feel none, but situated as I am, that may not be the case. If I got off this horse, I might find that my legs will not hold my weight – but as far as I can tell, there is no effect.”
“Could you try that on all of us,” Relin suggested. “It may be wise if we need to conceal ourselves quickly; but if you cannot, it would be best to discover this now.”
He was right, and so Lydria looked closely at Branch who was closest to her and within a second she heard gasps and saw that where sat the former Captain Commander of Steven’s Folly, now sat a crone of considerable age with blackened teeth and rotting gums. Lydria started to laugh and turning to the side, threw up.
“Serves you right,” Kimi muttered and continued to purr.
“I am well,” Lydria said. “My stomach is upset but I think it will pass soon. At least now we know.”
It was two days later when Branch, returned to his normal self, saw a group of travelers heading toward Brookfield from the southeast. There were about a dozen of them in carts and wagons, with several horses.
“Kimi says there are eight men and at least four are armed with polearms or spears,” Lydria told the group. “They are not soldiers, however. They have some small collection of livestock following behind. There are women as well, perhaps as many as the men, but they show no weapons.”
“It is time then, that we make some friends,” Krieger said.
Lydria thought for a moment and all of them looked dirtier and more ragged than they had a moment before. Even the horses looked less well fed, as if a good day’s work might be the end of them. Again, her stomach complained, but not as badly as when she had changed Branch’s appearance. The only appearance she had changed noticeably was her own. On the suggestion of Relin, Lydria had changed herself so that anyone who looked saw only a plain girl with thin hair and brown eyes. The blue collar of the stone, however, would not be concealed by magic, so Lydria wrapped a light scarf around her neck to hide that which only she, Wynter, and beneath his fur, Kimi, wore.
Krieger rode out alone and slowly to the travelers heading north and stopped to speak with them for some minutes before motioning his comrades to join him as the group moved slowly forward again.
“My friends,” Krieger announced, “this is the extended family of Lem the ferryman. They make their way to Brookfield and away from the devastation that makes its way north. They have agreed we can join them, but we must ride up front and set up a camp.”
Lydria and the others nodded thanks to the ferryman’s family and set off at a trot to distance themselves somewhat from the wagons and Krieger described the family’s move north. “The youngest of the lot, Lem’s grands
on, I believe, came south to find the family and bring them north, claiming there was work and food and people who were well looked after in Brookfield. There is a governess there who is in charge and is said to be an able and fair woman. We can stay with these people tonight and be in town tomorrow.”
“Is it wise to enter an unknown place with so much at stake?” Relin asked. Branch nodded his agreement and Krieger started to speak before changing his mind and turning to Lydria and Haidrea.
“What do the spirits say, Haustis?” Using her formal title told Lydria that Krieger not only accepted Haidrea as Haustis, but also that the spy believed her information might better help them with what was to come.
“Speed is our friend and the enemy of Wynter,” Haidrea replied. “Going to the town makes sense if we are posing as travelers. We can ask there about the road to Solwyn and whether it remains open against the coming of Ahlric. But more than this day we cannot delay – we must arrive at the Cobalt Tower soon. It would be unwise to believe that Wynter is not ready.”
The track for several miles into Brookfield was a forest of stumps. As far as they could see, the only signs of trees were saplings and those upon the mountains. Every tree that could be used to build had been hewn down.
“The animals have left to the west and to the mountains,” Kimi told Lydria. “I can smell fear – and not just from the wonton destruction of the forest.”
They arrived at the new wooden gates of Brookfield late the following day. To call it evening would be incorrect, because as summer approached the sun stayed in the sky for many hours longer than they were used to in Bayside.
Krieger and Branch studied the fortifications that were being constructed around the city. Men and solid women, worked in homespun or leathers, pulling logs, cutting, hauling and nailing. The sounds of hammers maintained their pacing like an army’s drummer, and everywhere it seemed people moved quickly. They weren’t just working, they were actively engaged in building. Despite the dirty and scuffed up, often blood smeared appearance of legs and arms, it was beyond doubt these people were happy – as if they were hurrying to build their wedding night roost.
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