When the men had emptied their bowls, they laid down their spoons and folded their hands.
The woman appeared at Enono's side holding an empty tray upon which she placed the tureen. One by one, the empty bowls got passed around the table to Enono. He handed them up to the woman who carried it all away. The men remained seated, eyes downcast and again took to muttering.
To Robin, Enono said, “Now that your hunger has been sated, the afternoon service is about to begin. You are welcome to join us.”
“We would not wish to intrude.”
“In that case, I beg your leave.” Enono's shoulders tensed. “I must not be late.”
Robin held out his hand. “Lead on.” He followed Enono down the gazebo's stairs. At the bottom, Dame Deidre fell into step behind him. Robin heard Sir Maxwell whisper “You didn't miss anything” to her. “Neither did you,” Robin muttered to Meeyoo who shifted in the sack.
Enono hastened toward a building taller than any surrounding it and crowned with a dome. A circle emblem was centered under an arch over the door. Though otherwise unornamented, the building had an august appearance leading Robin to think it might be the site of official offices or perhaps a church. Men filed into the courtyard in front of the entrance. Standing evenly spaced, they formed a circle and stood, their inwardly-directed gaze making them appear cross-eyed.
Enono gestured for the king to join the circle. “You, Your Majesty. And you,” he said to Sir Maxwell. To Dame Deidre, he said, “You are welcome to wait inside” and pointed to the church.
Her lips pressed into a thin white line, Dame Deidre glared at the man. “My lord's safety is my responsibility. I will not leave His Majesty’s side.”
Enono's face was impassive. “Women are not permitted to participate in the service,” he said.
Chapter Two
Robin realized all the people in the courtyard were men as had been the case at the meal.
“Women are not permitted?” Dame Deidre fumed.
“Let us not provoke discord,” Robin cautioned her. “Honor the local customs.”
“I will guard the king,” Sir Maxwell assured her.
Enono pushed open the solid wood door. Her lips pursed, her brow furrowed, her back straight, Dame Deidre stepped into the building and Enono followed.
A few moments later, Enono returned carrying a round tray in the middle of which was a basin rimmed by round wafers. Placing one foot precisely before the other, he walked to the circle's center. He turned to the man nearest the courtyard's entrance and bowed. The man returned the bow, selected a wafer from the tray, dipped it into the bowl, and put it in his mouth. With precise movements, Enono served each person in the circle who helped himself to a wafer. At last, he stood before Robin.
No one had dropped dead or otherwise suffered from ingesting the wafers and liquid so with a mental shrug, Robin dunked a wafer and ate it. The wafer proved to be a thin fragile cracker, the liquid something sweet. He no sooner put it in his mouth than the morsel dissolved. It didn't sting or burn and he felt neither dizzy nor nauseated. He glanced at Sir Maxwell. With a nod, he wordlessly communicated that he experienced no ill effects.
Enono walked backward into the building. He returned with leather-bound volumes, again entered the circle, and handed one to each man.
Beginning with the individual nearest the entrance, one by one they trailed their leader, again maintaining equal distances between each other. Robin and his knight followed suit, adjusting their gait to keep pace.
Taking a left at the courtyard’s, the silent procession made its way through the settlement to the meadows bordered by tall trees through which Robin and his knights had just passed. The men moved in cadence, each placing his foot on the spot where the one in front of him had stepped. The king surmised they had the path memorized as they held the books open, reading and subvocalizing as they walked.
Robin opened the volume he had been given. Calligraphy in black ink flowed across creamy vellum pages but Robin couldn't read a word of the unfamiliar language.
Fixed on their books, none of the men moved his head to either side and Robin took care to keep his face lowered, looking out of the corners of his eyes only.
At Robin's back, Meeyoo wriggled and whined in the pack. “Shh,” Robin hissed. “You must stay put for now.”
The procession continued in silence to the outskirts of a settlement and Robin realized they had come full circle to where they started. When they reached the church-like building, the king assumed the march would end but Enono strode past it. They continued the silent solemn walk. Though they again arrived at the starting point, the procession did not end. Robin's patience, however, did.
“Sire,” Sir Maxwell breathed, “We have been going in a circle.”
“We agree, Sir Maxwell,” Robin whispered back.
“He calls himself the sentinel. If he is a guard, there must be something to guard. A path somewhere, perhaps to Perooc.”
They continued for a few minutes. “Enough of this,” Robin muttered. “This is not getting us closer to Hewnstone. Let us return to the church, collect Dame Deidre, and return to There. Hang back and allow the men to leave us behind.”
When the men had moved out of sight, Robin did an about-face. “This way,” he whispered. He and the knight hastened back to the church.
Sir Maxwell took the two steps at one bound and knocked on the sturdy wooden door. After a few moments, he knocked again. “Dame Deidre. It's Sir Maxwell here with the king. Come out, we're moving on.” When he received no reply he pounded on the door. “Dame Deidre,” he yelled. “Open the door.”
Concerned the women might be at prayer, Robin was about to caution his knight when behind him a voice said, “The women are sequestered. They are not to be interfered with.”
He spun to find Enono. Beyond the courtyard, the men had completed their circuit and begun another.
“We meant no harm.” Robin and Sir Maxwell handed back their books. “We appreciate your sharing these with us. We could not read them.”
Enono gave him an apologetic smile. “No, I did not expect you could. It is written in the ancient form of our language. Our citizens study so as to be able to read it.
“That was but one of our practices. As we walk we review the Laws, we recite them, the better to fix them in our mind. We evaluate our behavior, how many Laws we have followed, how many we have failed to follow. Perfect adherence will make us worthy. We will teach you the Laws. We will teach you the ancient language. You may practice with us.”
“Thank you, no. If you would bring out Dame Deidre, we will be on our way.”
“As you wish.” Enono went into the church. A few moments later he emerged, Dame Deidre behind him. Over her clothes, she wore a robe like the other women.
“She wishes to stay,” said Enono.
“She does not,” Sir Maxwell sputtered.
“Is this true?” Robin demanded.
Dame Deidre would not meet the king’s eyes. Instead, with her head and her gaze lowered, she nodded. “There is something here to learn, Sire,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Deidre!” Sir Maxwell cried.
“Your Majesty, you and your knight are also welcome to stay and learn. Otherwise, you must leave Near as you will be disruptive to our practice.”
“We will stay until our knight is ready to accompany us.”
Enono shook his head. “At the risk of seeming inhospitable, I must insist you leave. Your presence will be troublesome. We can have nothing interfere with our practice.”
“We will not intrude.” Sir Maxwell planted his feet shoulder-width apart and crossed his arms over his chest.
Even with his eyes crossed, Enono managed to look menacing. “Leave. Leave now.”
Having completed a circuit, the men strode into the courtyard and formed a semicircle around Robin and Sir Maxwell. The sand crunched as step by step they tightened the circle. No one spoke but Robin could hear panting and low thr
oaty grumbling. Though their eyes were downcast, their brows were knitted, their lips pulled back from gritted teeth. They clenched and unclenched their fists.
Robin’s breath shortened and his pulse raced. His muscles tensed in readiness to flee or fight. Not long ago, he had faced a similar throng of angry men with crazed expressions and deadly intent. “We will go,” Robin said.
“But Sire,” Sir Maxwell protested.
Robin silenced him with a scowl. “Let us be on our way.”
With a nod, Enono escorted Dame Deidre into the church. The semicircle of men parted to allow the king and his knight to leave the courtyard, ushering them out with growls and grunts.
When the two had reached the settlement's outskirts, Sir Maxwell blurted, “Sire, with all due respect, we can't leave Dame Deidre there.”
“We will for now. We are armed but there are only two of us and a whole village of men.”
“We could have taken them. I could have taken them.”
“We are well aware, Sir Maxwell. We do remember.” It was under those similar circumstances that Maxwell, then a squire, had displayed the heroism that earned him his knighthood. “We will collect the rest of our troop, return, and secure her release.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Sir Maxwell groused. “Sire, did you think her to be bewitched like the other people in Near?”
“It is hard to say, Sir Maxwell, but we would think not. We suspect Dame Deidre has a plan of some sort.”
“But Sire!”
“Fear not. Dame Deidre does not lack for valor.” She could, in fact, be deadly and had earned her title by dispatching an enemy with lethal force. Robin paused to release Meeyoo from the sack. She stretched out her rear legs, then her front legs, and shook out her fur. Robin set off, Meeyoo trotting alongside. “As we make our way to There, keep your eye out for the other wall.”
“What other wall?”
“Think about it, Sir Maxwell. The settlement called There was inside an enclosing wall, the one we topped. And we found Near encircled by the second wall, the one with the tunnel through which we passed. I suspect there is yet another wall surrounding yet another settlement. Picture the emblem they all wore in Near: a circle within a circle.”
“So these settlements are arranged in a set of concentric circles?”
“That's our theory. We suspect we'll find another wall there.” Robin stood with his back to the wall with the conduit through which they had passed and pointed ahead. “And on the other side of it, possibly another settlement exists, one we hope could be of use to us.”
“Maybe the circle in the circle is Perooc,” said Sir Maxwell.
“The circle within the circle within the circle,” Robin replied. “Which would make their emblem inaccurate. It was only two rings.”
“Maybe they don't know about the other two settlements. Only theirs and Perooc.” Sir Maxwell took off at an angle.
“We are not looking for Perooc but someone damn well had better know where Hewnstone is,” Robin grunted.
The knight made no attempt to be stealthy as he plowed through the wood, thrashing low-hanging branches out of his way and crunching twigs underfoot. “Yes, yes!” he shouted. “I see something.” The crashing and crunching grew louder and more frenzied.
Robin scooped up Meeyoo, quickened his pace, and followed the trail of broken brambles until he caught up with the knight. They stood at the base of yet another wall.
“The people in Near must know about this.”
“There must be a way over, or through.”
“‘Through’ would be my preference,” Sir Maxwell said with an apologetic grin.
Robin's ire rose. “We cannot believe Enono is unaware that Near lies between two walls.” He tapped his foot. “Sir Maxwell, we will return to Near and get answers. They know more than they are telling us, and that includes the location we seek.”
“Perooc?”
“No, Sir Maxwell, Hewnstone.” Robin tucked Meeyoo into the sack and charged back toward Near, the knight close behind.
“And Dame Deidre? We will not abandon her, will we, Sire?” Sir Maxwell sounded anxious. “Is it not wrong to leave a fellow knight behind on the battlefield?”
“We're not at war yet, Sir Maxwell but be assured. We will not leave Near with Dame Deidre's well-being in question.”
They reached Near and found the streets empty.
“To the church,” Robin said.
The church was deserted, the courtyard vacant.
“Sire, you don't suppose they're all gone? Magically whisked themselves away?”
Chapter Three
“Magic?” Robin spat. “No, Sir Maxwell. They are likely at supper or prayer. Let's get someone's attention.” He strode to the church door and pounded on it. “Dame Deidre! Enono!”
As he hoped, the door opened. Enono stood framed in the doorway, a book in his hand. Robin peered into the church seeking Dame Deidre but the glow of a few candles did little to illuminate the interior.
Enono slipped the book under his arm and greeted them with pressed palms and a bow. “You have reconsidered, Your Majesty. I am pleased. I promise, Sire, we will administer your training with the utmost care and attention.”
“We are not here for training,” Robin retorted. “We are here for answers. You know and you will tell us.”
Enono took a stumbling step back.
“Where is this place, where is Perooc, and where in the hell is Hewnstone?” Robin demanded. “Is it on the other side of the wall?”
Enono's crossed eyes did not meet Robin's but his brow furrowed. “The other side of the wall. That is There.” He shook his head. “Your Majesty does not wish to waste his time with those people. They do not know the Laws. They have nothing of use to tell. Those people will never be worthy.”
“Not that wall. The other wall!”
Enono sucked in his lower lip. “Ah. Yes. The other wall. I swear, Your Majesty, I know nothing of Hewnstone or the other place about which you inquired. But Perooc. Indeed, Perooc would be beyond that wall.”
“Then why all this?” Sir Maxwell asked, including the church and the prayer circuit with a sweep of his arm. “Why not simply climb over the wall?”
Enono took a moment to respond. “Perooc cannot be reached that way.”
“So Perooc is not on the other side of that wall?”
“One cannot simply breach the wall and hope to attain Perooc. Only by learning the Laws and obeying every one can one hope to be worthy of reaching Perooc. We invite you to learn with us.”
“No. We have another approach in mind,” the king said.
“You cannot waltz through the door—”
Sir Maxwell stepped nose to nose with the man. “There's a door?”
Enono took a step back. Robin detected a chink in the man’s stoic demeanor. “Yes, there is a door.”
“Where is it?”
Enono recoiled. “I cannot tell you. It is forbidden.”
“Forbidden by whom?”
“By our most learned and revered teachers. Teachers of old, who wrote the book.” Enono hugged the volume to his chest. “They were close to the treasure, closer than any of us has ever been. Ever could be. Unless we master the Laws.” Enono clasped the king's arm. “If you think to find the door or simply climb over the wall, you cannot. Perooc cannot be attained that way. You must follow the rules. You must earn access. You must be worthy!”
“Unhand His Majesty,” said Sir Maxwell.
Enono dropped his hand. “You are doomed to fail. You are not deserving. It can't be done that way. You must take instruction from accredited masters. You must study for years, for a lifetime. You must follow the Laws to the letter. You must proceed in one way and one way only.”
“And what way is that?”
Enono avoided Robin's glare. “Well, no one really knows,” he mumbled. He shook himself loose. “Please, stay with us. We will teach you. You may join your lady who has chosen to study the Laws, the better to merit
the treasure of Perooc.”
“Chose?” Sir Maxwell grabbed the man by the neck of his tunic. “Dame Deidre would never choose such a life. She is a warrior, a champion!”
Robin grasped the young knight's arm and pulled him back.
“You have been warned,” Enono called after him. “If you do not follow the Laws, you risk spending an eternity in Hell.”
“What utter nonsense. In the Chalklands, lawbreakers go to prison, not Hell,” Robin muttered. He stomped away from the church, Sir Maxwell trotting behind.
“I can't believe these people live inside this huge ring and not a one has tried to get over the second wall.”
“Perhaps one has,” said Sir Maxwell. “And met with failure. Or worse, death. Not everyone can battle a dragon.”
They crossed the meadow. Once they were well out of sight of Near, Robin released Meeyoo from the sack so she could stretch her legs—all four of them.
Sir Maxwell blazing a trail while Robin and Meeyoo followed, they threaded through the wooded area until they reached the third wall rimmed by a wide grassy margin dotted with stumps.
“Does it appear to you the trees near the wall have been felled?” Robin said.
Sir Maxwell grunted. “I'll bet they did it to keep anyone from using one to get over the wall, the way we got down from the first wall.” Sir Maxwell snorted. “That wouldn't stop me. It's clear the people in Near know perfectly well where Perooc is and how to reach it. They want to keep the secret of the treasure to themselves.” He paced before the wall. “Enono said there is a door. I'd like to search for it.”
“You've done enough climbing for one expedition, haven’t you?” Robin asked.
The young knight squared his shoulders. “I am ready and able to do whatever my king needs to be done. Your Majesty need only to say the word.”
“At ease, Sir Maxwell. You may be ready to scale another wall but we're not. Let's search for this forbidden door.”
Wayward Magic (Magic Underground Anthologies Book 2) Page 30
