by Kya Lind
Chapter 16
Before the sunlight even lightened the shadows in the valley, Traven unwrapped his good arm from around the kid and stumbled to his feet. Traven smirked at the outline of the sleeping kid. The boy had his head pulled down into his coat and had tucked his knees up into the garment so that he looked like a turtle. Traven tapped the kid on the boots. And the day’s journey began.
As the sun rose in the east, they rode out of the Shadow Mountains and into the forest that surrounded its base. Traven set Barn to a good pace, as he knew that they would be easy to track now that they were on good soil. They needed to get to the nearest town, get some supplies, and find a guide. . .or a map, and get out as quickly as possible. They were at most only one day ahead of the riders in the mountains, and who knew what awaited them down the road. Traven did not think he could accomplish all those things in the time he estimated they had. He knew that as a kingdom guardsman he was entitled to any supplies he needed, so that wouldn’t be a problem, but he would need coin to hire the guide. Where could he get coin? He could just take it he guessed. He didn’t like this idea, but he needed for them to be in and out in a very short time. He would rather not draw attention to themselves, but that would be hard to do. Traven paused in his thinking. Wait! The kid was a Mirage. How could he use that to their advantage? He remembered what Lady Beth had said about the kid disguising them and the horse before with the kingdom guard. That would work. They could ride in disguised, reveal himself only to the common store owner, demand supplies and coin, and then find a guide. It might work.
Traven explained the plan to the kid over his shoulder as they approached the road. The kid nodded his head against Traven’s back, and they entered the roadway. The kid shifted his arms from around Traven’s middle where they had rested on the outside of his coats and chainmail to slide them up under his shirt, so that his small hands rested flat against the flesh of his stomach. Traven shivered as the cold air crept in through the gap between his trousers and his shirt.
They only passed two sets of travelers in the next several hours.
Each greeted them with respect for his age. “Morning, elder.”
Traven wondered how old he really looked. He looked down at the ancient hand that held Barn’s reins. Did he look that worn and thin all over? Not a pleasant thought. He felt the kid become more and more tense as the town grew in the distance. Traven wondered how long the kid could keep up a mirage. Lady Beth’s warning about taking the kid into large crowded areas raced across his mind. Maybe he was asking too much of the kid.
As they reached the gates, they passed a Kingdom gallan leaving the town. Traven frowned. Why was a Kingdom gallan here and what were they looking for? The troop marched passed them without a backwards glance. Traven let out the breath he was holding. “Good work,” he quietly commented over his shoulder. He rode Barn away from the main street and circled his way through the back alleys to an area he believed to be near a common store. He pulled the kid’s hand from around his middle and dismounted. He scanned the area for a minute and then looked back at the kid. Traven was momentarily stunned. He knew in his head that the kid had changed his appearance, but he guessed the reality of it hadn’t really sunk into his thick brain. Traven gazed in rapt attention to the many details. Barn was still a big horse but now he appeared worn and tired out, his back swayed. His hip bones showed through his scrawny hide. His eyes were old and lifeless. On his back in a wooden hackman saddle sat a young boy about seven or eight. The kids dirty peasant clothes looked cheap and well worn. Traven raised his eyes to meet the kid’s in amazement. “Right good work,” he complimented him again. The kid smiled and dismounted. As soon as the boy’s contact with the horse ceased, Barn resumed his original appearance. Traven noted this. Now understood why the kid had his hand on his skin. Traven frowned, but the last two times the kid had changed his appearance, he had not been touching his skin. The kid resumed his normal appearance.
“Can you maintain the image of the both of us for say an hour?” Traven asked. The kid scowled and nodded hesitantly. He picked up the kid’s hand and held it. Traven blinked and the kid resumed his younger self.
With one last look at Barn, Traven pulled the kid along behind him as he ducked between the buildings. They emerged onto the main road. Traven paused and looked up and down the dirt lane. There were several other people on the street. Traven walked down the street looking for the common store. He felt disconcerted to realize that as they moved they drew the eyes of everyone they passed. Traven watched closely, but no one seemed concerned by their presence.
They passed an open air kitchen. There were several children begging food from a large, robust woman. She was griping loudly about beggars while handing out half pieces of ham stuffed cabbage rolls. The kid slowed to a crawl, pulling against Traven’s good arm as he towed him passed the women and the other children. The kid’s stomach rumbled and he couldn’t seem to tear his eyes from the cabbage rolls being quickly stuffed into the other children’s mouths.
Traven located the common store across the street and hauled the kid behind him to the store.
Once inside the store, Traven glanced around seeing that the store was empty except for themselves and the older lady talking to the proprietor. Traven dropped the kid’s hand. He surveyed the contents of the store and smiled to himself. This could work. He watched the two other occupants. Their business was almost complete.
Traven glanced at the kid. The boy was staring longingly out the window at the woman with the cabbage rolls across the street.
“Even as young as you look those kids are much younger,” said Traven in a whispered voice to his companion. He blinked in amazement again as the kid transformed into a small three year old girl complete with ribbons in her hair and a lovely dress.
Traven snickered, “Cute baby girl, but I don’t think you should consider begging in Noble’s silks and silvers, my lady.”
The child looked down at her clothes and then out the window at the other children. Then the clothes changed to the same rags that the other children wore. She looked up at Traven and held her hand out pleading, her eyes enormous in her small elfin face. Traven was more impressed by the minute with this kid’s talent. He almost wished he had something to give the fairy child himself. Traven glanced up to see the customers moving toward the door. He looked at the small beggar child and pointed toward the door. “Hurry up and get back here.” The small child grinned at him in delight and followed the old lady out of the store. Traven shook his head. How did that kid do that? And how had he made that little girl’s eyes look exactly like Lady Beth’s? Traven bought his thoughts back to the matter at hand and approached the store owner.
Traven had been forced to evoke royal law, but finally the owner had agreed to his taking supplies, and billing the closest Kingdom guard armory, but flatly refused to part with coin. They had compromised and Traven now had two full saddlebags with food, supplies, and even bedrolls.
He stopped at the door of the shop and peered out at the street. The small girl was standing on the wooden sidewalk begging coin from the passing locals. Traven opened the door and barked for her to come inside. The child looked up at his summons and smiled happily to the man who had given her the shiny copper. Then she skipped merrily into the common store. Traven looked around and was relieved to realize that the owner had gone into the back.
“What are you doing?” Traven demanded.
The child stopped, grinned delightedly up at him and produced six coppers and a cabbage roll that she laid in his hands.
He frowned. He had turned the kid loose for thirty minutes, and now he was an accomplished beggar. Traven could just hear Lady Beth now. He turned back to the kid who had resumed his regular appearance. Traven handed the bedrolls to the boy, and slung the saddlebags over his good shoulder. With the coppers tucked into his pouch, and the cabbage roll quickly swallowed in two bites, he caught the kid’s hand and they strolled out of the store.
This morning when Reya had woken up, lying huddled on a rock ledge, she had known it was the end of the world. There was no way they could make it without food. She had never been so hungry. She had complained silently for the last week about the fact they only had salt meat and biscuits. She dreamed of vanilla sorbets and hot buttered rolls, and steak filet minion. But this morning she would have given almost anything for a hard biscuit and a cup of hot black coffee. She had sat behind Captain Traven without hope. How could they possibly get out of this crisis? But she should have known better by now, than to underestimate her champion’s resourcefulness. He had explained his plan to her as they approached the road into town. Reya had been hesitant about placing her hands up under his clothing, but Lady Talone had told her that direct skin contact makes miraging more than one person easier. She hadn’t done this the other times, well, because there hadn’t been any time. She smiled to herself. Yes, it definitely made everything easier. Reya had been so tickled with Traven’s compliments on her abilities. She had never had anyone be amazed at her gift before. Sir and Lady Talone always expected her to achieve more, to project more. Sir Talone, especially, never seemed impressed.
She had felt as though she was floating on air as Captain Traven had dragged her toward the main street. She smiled remembering his expression when he had first seen the mirage of Barn and herself, and then again when she had changed into the little girl.
She had never realized before how easy it was to get people to give her things. She had smiled up at them and they had produced gifts of coins and cabbage rolls. She ate two cabbage rolls, and had taken one back to the captain.
For some reason, he had not seemed happy with her gifts. He scowled like Sir Talone when she had done something stupid. She could not think of what it could have been. She had even brought him back breakfast. What did the man want?
Captain Traven maneuvered them between the narrow buildings back to Barn. They remounted and Reya slid her hands across the Captain’s firm abdomen again. His skin felt so warm and safe. She pressed her nose to his back trying not to be distracted with his closeness and concentrated on their mirage. The old plow horse, carrying an ancient old man and his young grandson, moved under the city gate and disappeared down the road and into the forest.
Traven spent most of the day weaving in and out of the surrounding area, steadily working his way west of the mountain range. Even when Reya knew they were safe from others, she still kept her hands pressed against the warm flesh of Captain Traven’s midriff. She loved the feel of his skin the way he muscles rippled when he moved. She told herself she kept her hands there in case they needed a mirage, but she knew she was lying to herself. She smiled at his back. And he didn’t even guess. She mentally patted herself on the back. She had been riding as her true self without mirage for days now. He couldn’t see what was directly behind him and the coat was great at hiding her face if he tried to turn around. Her arms tightened around his middle. She pressed her cheek against his back. Definitely the best place to be.
Traven hoped their movements through the countryside made tracking them harder. He needed their pursuers confused. He needed enough time to get into the next town, find a source of coin, find a guide and get out. They traveled with only short breaks all day and into the night.
About third watch, Traven called a halt, beside a creek. The kid gathered up sticks and started a fire. Traven made a meal of the standard salt meat, biscuits, and coffee.
As the kid stuffed his face with food, Traven frowned down at the fire. The kid stopped eating and looked at him inquisitively. Traven kicked himself for what he was thinking, but it seemed the quickest possible solution to the coin problem. Now he just had to convince the kid and Lady Beth.
Traven cleared his throat. “Ah, kid, that is impressive. . . the way you mirage.”
The kid smiled broadly at his compliment.
“I was wondering. I mean, can you do a mirage, say like, . . . . “
The kid tilted his head at Traven in a question.
“I mean, can you do someone like . . . . Benette.” The kids mouth dropped open. He sat up indignant and moved away from the Captain.
“I know, listen I would not ask this if it wasn’t important to the mission.”
The kid stopped moving and listened.
“We need coin to hire a guide, and begging as a little girl works, but we need a large amount of coin if we’re going to get a guide to take us to the Shadow Mountains in the winter. We need money now, and lots of it. Do you remember how much those men gave to see Benette? In one hour, we would have enough to hire a guide. I can’t think of an easier way to come up with that much coin without robbing someone.” Traven came to a pause in his pitch.
The kid just sat across from him thinking.
After several minutes, Traven started up again, “unless you can think of another idea that would raise that much coin in that short a time. I think this is a smart way to solve the problem.” Traven paused and then added, “We don’t have much time. Remember those four riders in the mountains are still tracking us, and that gallan of Kingdom guards are not here for a picnic. Our time is running out. We have to get to the tower before it starts snowing or we are just out of luck.”
They stared at each other for a couple of minutes, and then the boy began stuffing his face with the remains of his meal, refusing to make eye contact with the Captain again that night.
Chapter 17
Lady Beth answered the door on the Captain’s first knock. He ushered her into his mother’s parlor. She stood in the middle of the large room undecided. Traven had followed her into the room. When she stopped, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her mouth in a quick greeting. She immediately stiffened and tried to pull away, but Traven kept his arms locked loosely around her waist.
“Why do you insist on doing that?” she demanded wiping her mouth with the back of her hand as though she found his kisses offensive. Traven ignored her gesture.
“I have decided to collect tribute for my service.” He smiled into her eyes.
She watched him wearily, “What kind of tribute?” she demanded; her voice held just the right amount of indigent snobbery that Traven chuckled.
“Only a couple kisses on each visit,” he stated pleasantly.
She looked at him with a glare that said she neither believed his outrageous demand nor trusted him in this matter.
“I risk my life for you each day, while you sit in your ivory tower, fed and well rested. I think a few kisses are, but a small thing to ask.” Traven explained.
Reya almost laughed out loud at this statement. Oh, if it were only true that she was safe and back in her own world, well fed and rested.
Traven released her and waved for her to have a seat. He acted as though the matter had been settled. Reya let it go for a moment; there were more important matters to be discussed. She swept her skirts in a wide arch on the settee, making it impossible for him to sit down next to her and asked if she should pour the tea. Captain Traven inclined his head.
“We need to discuss the matter of the coin, My Lady” Traven jumped right into the matter at hand.
“I cannot believe you think this is a good idea. It is morally questionable and degrading to ask . . . the boy. . . to do such a thing,” she ended, her voice filled with disgust.
“I wouldn’t ask if I could think of another way. The only other option is to rob a rich Noble on the road. Which there aren’t any rich Nobles just wandering the highways with lots of coin and no guards, and besides, such a decision would endanger the boy’s life.”
“But Benette. . . you want him to impersonate. . . Benette.”
“I don’t care if he does Benette or someone like her; just I figured he had seen Benette so he could copy her. . . You act like I am asking you to do it, instead of the kid. Look I know you think it is not in the best of taste, but it is the safest route, and will make us the coin we need quickly.”
Reya paused at his words. He
was asking the boy and not the Lady. She sat in silence for several minutes contemplating the situation. Traven sat across from her watching the expressions that crossed her face.
“You will have to have different clothes; you cannot escort a gypsy dressed as a soldier.” Traven nodded his head in agreement. He could see that she was not in total agreement yet, but at least she was considering the details that would be required.
“And the kid will have to have a bath,” added Traven.
“A real bath in a tub with soap and hot water?” questioned Reya, her voice filled with longing.
Traven looked at her inquisitively and nodded his head. “Yes, I planned to go to a roadside inn first, get a room and scrub up. We cannot have our gypsy smelling like a horse blanket. The kid can bathe while I arrange for some kind of music.”
“Music?”
“Well, yes, for the gypsy to dance to.”
“So the boy gets a bath and clean clothes, and all he has to do is dance around until we get enough coin?”
Traven was confused as to why the kid getting a bath seemed to be so important to the Lady agreeing to this plan of action. “I promise he will get a hot bath,” he emphasized, “and clean clothes. He will smell like roses.”
“All right, then I agree. The boy will dance around like an idiot for exactly one hour. But you must keep your end of the agreement.”
Traven frowned. There was a little more to it than that, but he would talk to the kid about those details.
“What if we run into another Persuader?” asked Reya. “We have no more silver.”
Traven raised one eyebrow. She always referred to the situation as though she were in the middle of it with him and the boy. That struck him as odd, sometimes.
“Maybe you should tell me more about the Magics. Even as a Noble son, I know little to nothing about them, and yet you seem to think they are everywhere. I did not even know that Nobles wore silver to stop Magics.
