Shadow of a Dark Queen Part 01: The Serpentwar Saga, Book 1 by Raymond E. Feist

[Music] this is audible shadow of a dark queen by raymond e feist read by peter joyce book one eric's tale days when the ball of our vision had eagles that flew unabashed to sun when the grasp on the bow was decision and arrow and hand and eye were one when the pleasures like waves to a swimmer came heaving for rapture ahead invoke them they dwindle they glimmer as lights over mounds of the dead george meredith owed to youth in memory prologue deliverance the drums thundered warriors of the saw sang their battle chants preparing for the struggle to come tattered war banners hung limply from bloodied lances as thick smoke shrouded the sky from horizon to horizon green faces marked with yellow and red paint watched the western skies where fires cast crimson and ochre light against the black shroud of smoke blocking the vanishing sun and the familiar tapestry of the western evening stars jawah shashahan of the seven nations ruler of the empire of grass lord of the nine oceans could not tear his gaze away from the destruction all day he had watched the great fires burn and even across the vast distance the howls of the victors and the cries of their victims had carried through the afternoon winds that once carried the sweet scent of flowers or the rich aroma of spices from the market now carried the acrid stench of charred wood and burned flesh he knew without looking that those behind were bracing for the coming trial resigned in their hearts that the battle was lost and the race would die my lord said kabba his shield bearer and lifelong companion jawa turned to his oldest friend and saw the concern etched faintly around his eyes kaaba was an unreadable mask to all but jawa the shashahan could read him as a shaman reads a law scroll what is it the pantathione is here jawa nodded but he remained motionless powerful hands closed in frustration over the hilt of his battle sword tual massock blood drinker in the ancient tongue far more a symbol of office than the crown he had worn only on rare state occasions he pushed its point down into the soil of his beloved tabar the oldest nation on the world of sheila for 17 years he had fought the invaders as they had driven his hordes back to the heartland of the empire of grass when he had taken the sword of the shashahan while still a youth warriors of saul had passed in review filling the ancient stone causeway that spanned the takador narrows the channel connecting the takador sea and the kastak ocean 100 riders a century side by side road past 100 centuries to a jatar ten thousand warriors ten jatar to a host and ten host to a horde at the height of his power seven hordes answered jawas battle horns seven million warriors always on the move their horses grazed the empire of grass while children grew to adulthood playing and fighting among the ancient wagons and tents of the tsar stretching from the city of sybil to the farthest frontier ten thousand miles distant it was an empire so vast the teams of horses and riders never stopping their gallop would take a full turning of the moon and a half again to ride from the capital to the frontier twice that from one border to the other each season one horde rested near the capital while the others moved along the frontiers of the great nation ensuring the peace by conquering all who refused tribute along the shores of the nine great oceans a thousand cities sent food riches and slaves to the court of the shashahan and once a tenure the champions of the seven hordes gathered for the great games at sibul ancient capital of the empire of grass over the span of centuries the tsar had gathered all of sheila under the sharshahan's banner all but the most distant nations on the far side of the world it was jawa's dream to be the shashahan who at last realized the dream of his ancestors to bring the last city into the empire and rule the entire world four great cities had fallen to jawa's hordes and another five had surrendered without a struggle leaving fewer than a dozen outside the empire then the riders of the potter horde had come to the gates of arsenal city of priests soon disaster followed jawa steeled himself against the sounds of agony that carried through the twilight the cries were of his people as they were led to the feasting pits from what those few able to escape had said the captives who were quickly slaughtered were perhaps the fortunate ones along with those who had fallen in battle the invaders it was said could capture the souls of the dying to keep them as playthings tormenting them for eternity as the shades of the slain were denied their final place among their ancestors riding in the ranks of the heavenly horde jawa looked down upon the ancient home of his people from his vantage atop the plateau here less than a half day's ride from sibul the ragged remnants of his once mighty army camped even in this the darkest hour of the empire of grass the presence of the shashahan caused his warriors to stand tall throw back their heads and look toward the distant enemy with contempt but no matter the posture of these warriors their sharshahan saw something in their eyes no lord of the nine oceans had ever seen before in the countenance of a saw warrior fear jawa sighed and turned without words to return to his tent knowing full well that no choice was left still he hated to face the alien pausing before his own tent jawah said kabba i have no faith in this priest from another world he spit the word kaaba nodded his scales gray from years of the hard life on horseback and from serving isha shahan i know you have doubts my lord but your cup bearer and your law master concur we have no choice there is always a choice whispered jawa we can choose to die like warriors softly kaaba reached out and touched jawa on the arm a familiarity that would have brought instant death to any other warrior of the tsar old friend he said softly this priest offers our children haven we can fight and die and let bitter winds sing away the memory of the tsar there will be no one left to chant remembrance to the heavenly horde of our valor while fiends eat our flesh or we may send our remaining females and the young males to safety is there another choice but he is not like us cabba sighed is something this one's blood is called whispered jawa kabba made a sign the cold-blooded are creatures of legend and one of those asked jawa motioning to the distant fire engulfing his capital kaaba could only shrug saying nothing more jawa led his oldest friend into the shah shahan's tent the tent was larger than any other in camp in reality a pavilion of many tents sewn together glancing around the interior jawa felt cold grip his heart so many of his wisest advisors and his most powerful law masters were missing yet of those who remained all looked to him with hope he was charshahan and it was his duty to deliver the people then his eyes fell upon the alien and again he wondered which choice was wiser the creature looked much like the saw green scales covering arms and face but he wore a deep hooded robe that concealed the body rather than the armor of a warrior or robes of a law master he was small by sars standards being less than two arms span in height and his snout was too long by half and his eyes were all black rather than red iris upon white as were the eyes of the tsar where thick white nails should have been black talons extended from his fingers and his speech contained a sibilance from the tongue that forked as he removed his battered helm from his head and handed it to a servant jawa voiced aloud what every warrior and law master in the tent thought snake the creature bowed his head as if this were a greeting instead of a deadly insult yes my lord it hissed in return several of jawa's warriors had hands upon weapons but the old cup bearer second only to kaaba in importance to his lord said he is our guest long had the legends of the snake people been with the tsar the lizard people of sheila like the hot-blooded tsar yet not they were creatures invoked by mothers to frighten naughty children at night eaters of their own kind laying eggs in hot pools the snake people were feared and hated with racial passion though none had been seen in the longest memory of the law masters of the tsar in the legend it was said that both races were created by the goddess at the dawn of time when the first riders of the heavenly horde were hatched the servants of the green lady goddess of the night the snakes had remained in her mansion while the tsar had ridden forth with her and are god brothers and god sisters abandoned to this world by the goddess the tsar had prospered but always the memory of the others the snakes remained only the law master knew which tales were history and which were myth but one thing jawa knew from birth the shahan's heir was taught that no snake was worthy of trust the snake priest said my lord the portal is ready time grows short those feasting upon the bodies of your countrymen will tire their sport and as night deepens and their powers grow they will be here ignoring the priest for a moment jawa turned to his companions and said how many jata survive tusco shahan of the watery answered for and but a part of a fifth with a note of finality in his voice he said no jatar remains intact these last are gathered from remnants of the seven hordes jawa resisted the impulse to surrender to despair forty thousand riders and part of another ten thousand that was all that survived from the seven great hordes of the tsar jawa felt blackness grip his heart how he remembered his outrage when word came from the path of horde of the priest's defiance and refusal to pay tribute jawa had ridden for seven months to lead personally the final attack against assad city of priests for a moment he felt a stab of remorse cut deep into his soul then he silently chided himself could any ruler have known that the insane priests of assad would destroy everything rather than let the tsar unite the world under one ruler it had been the mad high priest maita who had unsealed the portal and let the first demon through there was small comfort in knowing that the demon's first act was to capture might's soul for torment as he ripped his head from his body one assad survivor had claimed a hundred warrior priests had attacked the one demon as it devoured mighty's flesh and none had survived ten thousand priests and lore masters alongside more than seven million warriors had died holding the foul creatures at bay as they battled from the farthest border of the empire to its heart in a war spanning half a world a hundred thousand demons had died but each one's destruction was paid for in dear blood as thousands of warriors threw themselves fearlessly at the hideous creatures the law masters had used their arts to good effect at times but always the demons returned for years the fighting had continued a running battle passed four of the nine oceans children had been born in the shar shahan's camp groaned to young adulthood and died in the fighting and still the demons came the law masters looked in vain for a means of closing the portal and turning the tide of battle to the tsar from the other side of the world they had fought their way back to sibul as the demon army poured through the portal between worlds and now another portal was being opened offering hope for the tsar hope through exile khabar pointedly cleared his throat and jawa forced away regret nothing would be gained from it as his shield bearer had said there was no choice and a young warrior stepped forward of seven sons one to rule each horde you are the last he said bitterly the young warrior said nothing you are jashahan pronounced jawa officially naming him heir to the throne the youth had joined his father but ten days before riding out to his father's camp accompanied by his personal retinue he was but 18 years of age barely more than a year from the training grounds and a veteran of only three battles since coming to the front jawah realized that his youngest son was a stranger having been only a crawling infant when he had left to bring assad to her knees who rides to your left he asked jatok said monis birth companion he indicated a calm looking young man who already bore a proud scar along his left arm jawah nodded he shall be your shield bearer to mourners he said remember it is your duty to guard your lord with your life more it is your duty to guard his honor no one will stand closer to jatuk than you not mate not child not law master always speak truth even when he wishes not to hear it to jatok he added he is your shield always heed his wisdom but to ignore your shield bearer is to ride into battle with an arm tied to your side blind in one eye death in one ear jatok nodded monis was now granted the highest honor given to one not born of the ruling family he could speak his mind without fear of retribution monis saluted his bald right fist striking his left shoulder shashahan he said then looked at the ground the sign of complete deference and respect who guards your table jatok said chiga birth companion jawa approved selected from the same birth crash these three would know one another as they knew themselves a stronger tie than any other to the named warrior jatok said you shall give up your arms and armor and you shall remain behind the honor was mixed with bitterness for the honor of being cup bearer was high but giving up the call to battle was difficult for any warrior protect your lord from the stealthy hand and from the cunning word whispered over too much drink by false friends chiga saluted like monis he was now free to speak to his lord without fear of punishment for in being cupbearer he was pledged to protect jatok in all ways as much as the warrior who rode on the joshuahan's shield side jawah turned to another figure his law master surrounded by several acolytes who among your company is most gifted the law master said shadow he remembers everything jawa addressed the young warrior priest then take the tablets and the relics for you are now chief keeper of the faith you will be law master to the people the acolyte's eyes widened as his master handed the ancient tablets large sheaves of parchment kept between board covers and written upon with ink nearly faded white with age but more he was given the responsibility to remember the law the interpretations and the traditions a thousand words in memory for each word drawn in ink by an ancient hand jawa said those who have served with me from the first this is my final charge to you soon the foe comes the last time we will not survive sing your death songs loudly and know that your names will live in the memory of your children upon a distant world under an alien sky i know not if their songs can carry across the void to keep the memory of the heavenly horde alive or if they will begin a new heavenly horde upon this alien world but as the demons come let every warrior know that the flesh of our flesh shall endure safely in a distant land whatever the shah shahan might feel was hidden behind a mask as he said jatok attend me the rest of you to your appointed places to the snake priest he said go to the place where you work your magic and know that should you play my people false my shade shall break free from whatever pit of hell holds it and cross the gulf to hunt you down if it takes ten thousand years the priest bowed and hissed lord my life and honor are yours i remain to add my small aid to your rear guard in this pitiful fashion i show my people's respect and wish to bring the tsar who are so like us in so many ways to our home if jahwa was impressed by the sacrifice he gave no hint he motioned his youngest son outside the great tent the youth followed his father to the ridge and looked down upon the distant city made hellish in the demons fires faint screams far beyond those made by mortal throat tore the evening and the young leader pushed back the urge to turn his face away jatok by this time tomorrow on some distant world you will be shashahan of the tsar the youth knew this was true no matter how much he would wish it otherwise he made no false protest i have no trust of snake priests whispered jawa they may seem like us but always remember their blood runs cold they are without passion and their tongues are forked remember also the ancient lore of the last visit to us by the snakes and remember the tales of treachery since the mother of us all gave birth to the hot bloods and the cold bloods father putting his hand calloused with years of sword work and scarred by age and battle upon his son's shoulder he gripped hard firm young muscle resisted under his grasp and jawa felt a faint spark of hope i have given my oath but you will be the one who must honor the pledge do nothing to disgrace your ancestors or your people but be vigilant for betrayal a generation of service to the snakes is our pledge 30 turnings of this alien world but remember should the snakes break the oath first you are free to do as you see fit removing his hand from his son's shoulder he motioned for ka'ba to approach the shah shahan's shield bearer approached with his lord's helm the great fluted head covering of the shah shaham while a groom brought a fresh horse the great herds had perished and the best of what remained would go to the new world with the tsar's children jahwa and his warriors would have to do with the lesser animals this one was small barely 19 hands hardly large enough to carry the sharshahan's armored weight no matter thought jawa the fight would be a short one behind them to the east a crackle of energy exploded as if a thousand lightning strikes flashed illuminating the night a second later a loud thunder peal sounded and all turned to see the shimmering in the sky jawa said the way is open the snake priest hurried forward pointing down the ridge lord look turned to the west out of the distant flames small figures could be seen flying toward them bitterly jawa knew this was a matter of perspective the screamers were the size of an adult sar and some of the other flyers were even larger leathery wings would make the air crack like a wagon as a whip and shrieks that could drive a sane warrior to madness would fill the dark looking at his own hand for any signs of trembling jawa said to his son give me your sword the youth did as he was bid and jawah handed his son sword to kaaba then he removed tulle massock from his scabbard and gave it hilt first to his son take your birthright and go the youth hesitated then gripped the hilt no law master would glean this ancient weapon from his father's body to present to the air it was the first time in the memory of the tsar that asha shahan had voluntarily surrendered the bloodsword while life remained in his heart without another word jatok saluted his father turned and walked to where his own companions waited with a curt wave of his hand he motioned for them to mount and ride to where the remaining masses of the tsar gathered to flee to a distant world four jatar would ride through the new portal while the remaining part of the fifth as well as all of jawa's old companions and lore masters would stay behind to hold the demons at bay chanting filled the air while the law masters wove their arts and suddenly the air erupted in blue flames as a wall of energy spread across the sky demons flying into the trap screamed in anger and pain as blue flames seared their bodies those that quickly turned away were spared but those that were too far into the energy field smoldered and burned evil black smoke pouring from their fiery wounds a few of the more powerful creatures managed to reach the ridge where soul warriors leapt without hesitation to hack and chop their bodies jawa knew it was a faint triumph for only those demons whom magic had seriously wounded could be so quickly dispatched then the snake priest howled they are leaving lord jawa glanced over his shoulder and saw the great silver portal hanging in the air what the snake had called a rift through it rode the van of the tsar youth and for an instant jawa imagined he could see his son vanish from sight though he knew it was wishful thinking the distance was too vast to make out such detail then jawa returned his attention to the mystic barrier that now shone white hot where demons brought their own arts to bear he knew the flyers were more of a nuisance than a danger their speed made them deadly for lone riders or the weak or wounded but a strong warrior could dispatch one without difficulty it would be those that followed the flyers who would end his life rents in the energy appeared along the face of the barrier and as they did jawa could glimpse dark figures approaching from beyond it large demons who could not fly saved by magic hurried over the ground running at the best speed of a saw horse and rider their evil howls adding to the sounds of battle the snake priest put forth his hand and flames erupted where a demon attempted to pass through a rent in the barrier and jawa could see the snake priests stagger with the effort knowing the end was but moments away jawa said tell me one thing snake why do you choose to die here with us we had no choice and you were free to leave with my children does death at the hands of those motioned toward the approaching demons hold no terror for you with a laugh the ruler of the empire of grass could only think of as mocking the snake priest said no my lord death is freedom and you shall quickly learn that we who serve in the palace of the emerald queen know this jawa's eyes narrowed so the ancient legends were true this creature was one of those whom the mother goddess had birthed with a flash of anger jawa knew that his race was betrayed and that this creature was as bitter an enemy as those who raced to eat his soul with a cry of frustration the shah shahan struck out with his son's sword and severed the head from the shoulders of the pantathion then the demons were loose among the rear guard and jawa could spare but a moment to think of his son and his companion's children upon a distant world under an alien sun as the lord of the nine oceans turned to face his foe he made a silent prayer to his ancestors to the riders of the heavenly horde to watch over the children of the tsar one form loomed over the rest and as if sensing his approach the lesser demons parted a figure twice the height of the tallest saw more than 25 feet tall strode purposefully toward jawa powerful of form his body looked much like that of a saw broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist large arms and legs well fashioned but his back bore huge wings that seemed composed of tattered black leather and his head a triangular skull much like that of a horse was covered by thin skin as if leather had been stretched across bone teeth were exposed fangs close together and the eyes were pits of red fire around his head danced a ring of flames and his laughter turned jawa's blood to ice the demon pushed past his lesser brethren ignoring those who rushed forward to defend the shah shahan he struck out ripping flesh apart as easily as a saw tore bread jawah stood ready knowing each moment stolen before his death allowed more of his children to flee through the rift then the demon reared over jawa as a warrior stands over a child the shah shahan struck out with as much strength as he could muster raking his son's sword across the creature's outstretched arm the demon shrieked at the pain but then ignored the wound slowing for a second while black talons the size of daggers skewered jawa punching through armor and body as he gripped him round the middle the demon raised the ruler of the tsar up toward his face and held him at eye level as the light in java's eyes began to fade the demon laughed and said you are the ruler of nothing foolish mortal your soul is mine little creature of flesh and after i eat you still shall you linger to amuse me between feedings for the first time since birth jawa shar shahan of the seven nations ruler of the empire of grass lord of the nine oceans new terror and as his mind cried out his body went limp from a vantage above his own flesh he felt his spirit rise to fly to the heavenly horde yet something bound him and he could not leave he perceived his own body being devoured by this demon and in his spirit's mind he heard the demons say i am tugor first servant of great marg ruler of the fifth circle and you are my plaything jawa cried but he had no voice and he struggled though he had no body and his spirit was held by mystic chains as binding as iron on flesh wailing spirit voices told him his companions were also falling with what will remained he turned his perceptions toward the distant rift and saw the last of his children leaving taking what small comfort he could from the site of the rift suddenly vanishing in the night the shade of jawa wished his son and his people safe haven and protection from the snake's deceit on the distant world the pantathions called mid kemia chapter 1 challenge the trumpet sounded eric wiped his hands on his apron he was doing little real work since finishing his morning chores merely banking the fire so he would not have to restart a cold forge should there be new work later in the day he considered that unlikely as everyone in the town would be lingering in the square after the baron's arrival but horses were perverse creatures who threw shoes at the least opportune moment and wagons broke down at the height of inconvenience or so his five years of assisting the blacksmith had taught him he glanced at where tindal lays sleeping his arm wrapped lovingly around a jug of harsh brandy he had begun drinking just after breakfast hoist in a feud of the baron's health he claimed he had fallen asleep sometime in the last hour while eric finished the smith's work for him fortunately there was little the boy couldn't do he being large for his age and an old hand at compensating for the smith's shortcomings as eric finished covering the coals with ashes he could hear his mother calling from the kitchen he ignored her demand that he hurry there was more than enough time there was no need to rush the baron would not have reached the edge of the town yet the trumpet announced his approach not his arrival eric rarely considered his appearance but he knew today was going to thrust him into the forefront of public scrutiny and he felt he should attempt to look respectable with that thought he paused to remove his apron carefully hung it on a peg then plunged his arms into a nearby bucket of water rubbing furiously he removed most of the black soot and dirt then splashed water on his face grabbing a large clean cloth off a pile of rags used for polishing steel he dried himself removing what the water hadn't through friction in the dancing surface of the water barrel he considered his broken reflection a pair of intense blue eyes under a deep brow a high forade from which shoulder-length blonde hair swept back no one today would doubt that he was his father's son his nose was more his mother's but his jaw and the broad grin that came when he smiled were the mirror image of his fathers but where his father had been a slender man eric was not a narrow waist was his only heritage from his father he had his maternal grandfather's massive shoulders and arms built up through working at the forge since his tenth birthday eric's hands could bend iron or break walnuts his legs were also powerful from supporting plow horses who leaned on the smith while he cut filed and shot their hooves or from helping to lift carts when replacing broken wheels eric ran his hand over his chin feeling the stubble blonde as a man could get he had to shave only every third day or so for his beard was light but he knew his mother would insist on him looking his best today he quickly hurried to his palate behind the forge taking care not to disturb the smith and fetched his razor and mirror a cold shave was not his idea of pleasure but far less irritating than his mother would be should she decide to send him back for the razor he wet his face again and started scraping when he was done he looked at himself one more time in the shimmering water no woman would ever call eric handsome his features were large almost coarse from the lantern jaw to the broad forehead but he possessed an open honest look that men found reassuring and women would come to admire once they got used to his almost brutish appearance at 15 years of age he was already the size of a man and his strength was approaching the smiths no boy could beat him at wrestling and few tried anymore hands that could be clumsy when helping set platters and mugs in the common room were sure and adroit when working in the forge again his mother's voice cut through the otherwise quiet morning demanding he come inside now he rolled down his sleeves as he left the smithy a small building placed hard against the outside rear wall of the livery circling the barn he came into sight of the kitchen as he passed the open stable door he glanced at those horses left in his care three travelers were guesting with his master and their mounts were quietly eating hay the fourth horse was lying up from an injury and she nailed a greeting at eric he couldn't help but smile in the weeks he had been tending her she had come to expect his mid-morning visits as he trotted her out to see how she mended i'll be back to visit later girl he called softly to her the tone of the horse's snort revealed her less than enthusiastic response despite his age eric was one of the best handlers of horses in the region surrounding darkmoor and had earned the reputation of being something of a miracle worker most owners would have put down the injured mare but owen greylock the barons swordmaster valued her highly he judged it a prudent risk to put her into eric's care for if he could make her sound enough to breed a fine foal or two would be worth trouble eric was determined to make a sound enough to ride again eric saw his mother at the rear door of the inn of the pintails kitchen her face a mask of resolve a small woman of steely strength and determination frida had been pretty once though hard work and the world's cares had taken their toll while not yet forty years of age she looked closer to sixty her hair was completely gray where it had once been a luxurious brown and her green eyes were set in a face of lines and angles quickly she commanded he'll not be here for some time answered eric hiding his irritation poorly there's only a moment she replied and should we lose it we shall never again have the chance he's ill and may not return again eric's brow furrowed at the unspoken implication of that statement but his mother said nothing more the baron rarely visited his smaller holdings anymore save for occasional ceremonies at harvest it was the custom for him to visit one of the villages and towns that provided darkmoor with most of its wealth the finest grapes and wine in the world but the baron visited only a single vintners hall and the one in the town of ravensburg was among the least important besides eric was convinced that for the last 10 years the baron had intentionally avoided this particular town and knew the reason why glancing at his mother he recalled with a bitter taste in his mouth how ten years before she had half dragged half lead eric through the crowd watching the baron's arrival eric remembered the looks of astonishment and horror on the faces of the town officials guild masters vintners and growers when his mother had demanded that the baron admit to eric's paternity what should have been a joyous celebration of the first taste of the harvest was turned into an embarrassment for all in the town especially for little eric several men of position had come to freyja several times after that asking her forbearance in the future a plea she politely listened to without comment or promise stop your world gathering and come inside freyda demanded she turned and he followed her inside the kitchen rosalind smiled as eric entered and he nodded at the serving girl the same age and companions since babyhood eric and the innkeeper's daughter had been like brother and sister confidants and best friends lately he had become aware that something deeper was blossoming in her though he was unsure what to do about it he loved her but in a brotherly fashion and he had never thought of her as a possible wife his mother's obsession closed off any discussion of such mundane concerns as marriage trade or travel of all the boys his age in the town he was the only one not officially employed at a craft his apprenticeship to tindall was informal and despite his talent for the craft he had no established standing with the guild offices either in the western capital of crondor or in the king's city of rilenon nor would his mother let him discuss having the smith live up to his oft repeated promise of forwarding a formal petition to the guild to admit eric as his apprentice this should have been the end of eric's first year as an apprentice or working at a trade even though he knew his way around a forge better than apprentices two or three years older he would start two years behind others if his mother let him apprentice the next spring his mother whose head barely reached his chin said let me look at you she reached up and took his chin in her hand as if he was still a child not nearly a man and turned his head one way then another with a dissatisfied clucking sound she said you still stained with soot mother i'm a blacksmith he protested clean yourself in the sink she commanded eric knew better than to say anything his mother was a creature of iron will and unbending certainty early he had learned never to argue with her even when he was wrongly accused of some transgression he would simply and quietly take whatever discipline was meted out for to protest would only increase the punishment eric stripped off his shirt and laid it over the back of a chair next to the table used to clean and prepare meats he saw rosalind's amusement at his being bullied by his small mother and he feigned a scowl at her her smile only broadened as she turned away picking up a large basket of freshly washed vegetables to carry them into the common room turning at the door she bumped it open and as she backed through stuck her tongue out at him eric smiled as he plunged his arms into the water she had just abandoned after cleaning the vegetables rosalind could make him smile as could no other person he might not fully understand the powerful stirrings and confusing urges that woke him late at night as he dreamt about one or another young woman in the village he understood the specifics of mating as any child raised around animals did but the emotional confusion was new to him at least rosalind didn't confuse him the way some of the older girls did and of one thing he was certain she was his best friend in the world as he splashed water on his face again he heard his mother say use the soap he sighed and picked up the foul smelling block of soap sitting on the back of the sink a caustic mix of lye ash rendered tallow and sand used to scrape clean serving platters and cooking pots it would peel the skin from face and hands with repeated use eric used as little as he could get away with but when he was done he was forced to admit that a fairly impressive amount of soot had come off into the sink he managed to rinse off the soap before his skin began to blister and took a cloth handed him by his mother he dried and put his shirt back on leaving the kitchen they entered the common room where rosalind was finishing putting the vegetables into the large cauldron of stew that hung on a hook at the half the mix would simmer slowly all afternoon filling the common room with a savory smell that would have mouths watering by suppertime rosalind smiled at eric as he passed and despite her cheerfulness he felt his mood darkening as he anticipated the coming public scene reaching the entrance to the inn eric and his mother discovered milo the innkeeper peering through the open door the portly man with a nose like a squashed cabbage from years of ejecting ruffians from the common room drew upon a long pipe as he observed the calm town could be a quiet afternoon friday but a frantic evening father said rosalind as she came to stand at eric's side once the people tire are waiting for a glimpse of the baron they'll all come here milo turned with a smile and winked at his daughter an outcome to be devotely prayed for i trust the lady of luck has no other plans freyda muttered ruthie has better things to waste a good look on milo taking her powerfully built son by the hand as if he was still a baby she led him purposefully through the door as eric and his mother left the confines of the inn rosalind said she is determined father ah that she is and always has been he said shaking his head and puffing on his pipe even as a child she was most dead strong willful he put his arm around his daughter's shoulder nothing like your mother i'm pleased to say rosalind said the gossips have it that you were one of the many seeking freida's hand years ago milo chuckled they do do they clucking his tongue he added well that's the truth most men my age were he smiled down at his daughter best thing that happened was her saying no and your mother saying yes he moved away from his only child and said most of the boys were after freddie she was a rare beauty in those days green flashing eyes and chestnut air slender but i'm pull where it counts and a proud look that could make a man's pulse race she moved like a racehorse and carried herself like a queen it's why she caught the baron's eye a trumpet sounded from the edge of the town square and rosalind said i'd better be back to the kitchen milo nodded i'm going down to the square to see what happens but i'll come straight back rosalind gripped his hand for a moment and her father saw the concern in her eyes she had hidden from eric nodding his understanding he squeezed a hand for an instant then released it he turned and made his way through the street in front of the inn following the route taken by eric and freda eric used his bulk to ease through the crowd despite his strength he was by nature a gentle youngster and would not use force but his very presence caused others to give way broad of shoulders and arms he could have been a young warrior by his looks but he had a strong distaste for conflict quiet and introspective after work he preferred a quiet cup of broth to curb his appetite while waiting for dinner as he listened to the old men of the town tell stories to the rough housing and attempted girl chasing his contemporary saw as the height of recreation the occasional girl who turned her attention upon him almost inevitably found his reticence daunting but it was nothing more than his inability to think of anything clever to say the prospect of any intimacy with a girl terrified eric a familiar voice called his name and eric turned to see a ragged figure pushed through the press using nimble quickness rather than size to navigate a path to eric's side hello said eric in greeting eric frede said the youth in return rupert avery known by everyone in the village as roo was the one boy freda had forbidden eric to play with as a child on many occasions and the one boy eric had preferred to play with rue's father was a teamster a rough man who was either absent from the village driving his team down to crondor malik's cross or durham's vale or lying drunken in his bed rue had grown up wild and there was something dangerous and unpredictable in his nature which was why eric had been drawn to him if eric had no tongue to charm the ladies rue was a master of seduction at least to hear him tell it a knave and a liar as well as an occasional thief rue was eric's closest friend after rosalind freda nodded almost imperceptibly in return she still didn't like the youngster after knowing him all his life she suspected his hand in every dishonest act or criminal event that took place in ravensburg truth to be told she was more often right than not she glanced at her son and bit back a bitter comment now he was 15 years of age eric's willingness to be controlled by his mother was lessening he had assumed most of the duties around the forge from tyndall who was drunk five days out of seven rue said so you're going to ambush the baron again freder threw him a black look eric merely looked embarrassed rue grinned he had a narrow face intelligent eyes and a quick smile despite uneven teeth even further from being handsome than eric he had something alive in his manner and a quick intensity that those who knew him found likable even captivating but eric also knew he had a murderous temper and lost it often which had caused him to use eric's friendship as a shield against the other boys on more than one occasion few boys of the town would challenge eric he was too strong while slow to anger on the rare occasion when eric had lost his temper he had been a terrible sight to behold he had once hit a boy's arm in a moment of rage the blow propelled the lad completely across the courtyard of the inn and broke the arm rue pulled aside his ragged cloak revealing far better looking clothing beneath and eric saw in his hand a long-necked green glass bottle clearly etched into the neck of the bottle was a baronial crest eric rolled his eyes heavenward anxious to lose a handroom he said quietly in an exasperated tone i helped father unload his wagon last night what is it and selected berry wine he said eric grimaced with darkmoor being the center of the wine trade in the kingdom of the isles the primary industry of ravensburg was wine as it was with most of the towns and villages in the barony to the north oak cutters and barrel makers labored to produce the fermenting vats and aging barrels for the wine as well as corks while to the south glass makers produced bottles but the central area of the barnea was dedicated to growing grapes while fine wines were produced in the free cities of natal and yabon province to the west none matched the complexity character and age-worthiness of those produced in the barony of darkmoor even the difficult to grow pinot noir grape originally imported from baztara flourished in darkmoor as it did in no other place in the kingdom lush reds and crisp whites sparkling wines for celebration darkmoor's finest product brought the highest prices from the northern borders south into the heart of the empire of great cash and few wines were as highly prized as the intensely sweet dessert wine called berry wine made from grapes shriveled by a mysterious sweet rot that occasionally afflicted the grapes it was rare and costly the bottle rule held under his cloak was equal in worth to a farmer's income for a half year and from the crest on the bottle eric knew it was from the barons private stock shipped from the baronial capital city of darkmoor to the ravensburg guildhall for a baron's visit while thieves no longer had their hands cut off being discovered with the bottle could put rue on the king's labour gang for five years trumpets sounded again and the first of the barons guards rode into view their banners snapping in the afternoon breeze their horses iron shoes striking sparks on the stones of the square reflexively eric looked at their legs for signs of lameness and saw numb whatever else could be said of the baron's management of his estates his cavalry always attended to their mounts the riders moved into the square and turned out from the small fountain that sat at its center formed two lines and slowly backed the commoners away after a few minutes the entire area before the growers and vintners hall had been cleared for the coach that followed more soldiers rode past each wearing the grey tabard bearing the crest of darkmoor a red heater shield upon which stood a black raven clutching a holly branch in its beak this group of soldiers also wore a golden circlet sewn above the crest indicating they were the barons personal guards at last the coach rolled into view and eric suddenly realized he was holding his breath refusing to let his mother's obsession control even the air in his lungs he quietly let out a long breath and willed himself to relax he heard others in the crowd commenting rumors regarding the baron's failing vitality had circulated in the barony for more than a year now and his sitting beside his wife in the coach rather than astride his horse at the head of his guards signaled that he must be ill in truth eric's attention was drawn to two boys riding matching chestnut horses followed by a pair of soldiers carrying the baronial ensign of darkmoor the cadency mark on the left banner heralded manfred von darkmoor second son to the baron the mark on the right-hand banner proclaimed stefan von darkmoor elder son of the baron alike enough to appear twins despite a year's age difference the boys rode with an expert ease that eric found admirable manfred scanned the crowd and when his gaze at last fell upon eric he frowned stefan saw where manfred stared and said something to his brother recalling his attention to the matters at hand the young men were dressed in similar fashion high riding boots tight fitting breeches with full leather seats long white silk shirts with a sleeveless vest of fine leather and large berries of black felt each adorned with a large golden baronial badge from which rose a red dyed eagle's feather at their sides they wore rapiers and each was accounted an expert in their use despite their youth freida adjusted with a chin at stefan and whispered harshly your place eric eric felt himself flush in embarrassment but he knew the worst was yet to come the coach stopped and coachman leaped down to open the door as two burgers came forward to greet the baron first to leave the coach was a proud looking woman her features set in an expression of haughty disdain that detracted from her beauty one glance at the two young men who now dismounted their horses confirmed that they were mother and sons all three were dark slender and tall both youths came to stand before their mother and bowed in greeting the baroness scanned the crowd as her sons came to her side and when she spied eric looming over those around him her expression darkened even more a herald called out his lordship otto baron of darkmoor lord of ravensburg the crowd let out a respectable if not overly enthusiastic cheer the baron was not particularly loved by his people but neither was he held in disregard taxes were high but then taxes were always high and whatever protection the baron soldiers afforded the town stroke from bandits and raiders was barely visible since it was far from any border or the wild lands of the western realm few rogues and villains troubled honest travellers near darkmoor no goblin or troll had been seen in these mountains in the memory of the oldest man living in ravensburg so few saw much benefit in supporting soldiers who did little more than right escort for their lord polish armor and eat still the harvest was good food was in bountiful supply and affordable and order commanded gratitude from the citizens of the barony when the cheer died down the baron turned to the notables of the town waiting to greet him and an audible gasp rang through the crowd the man who stepped from the coach had once been equal to eric in size but now he's stooped as if 30 years older than his 45 years though still broad of shoulder his naturally slender build was now dramatically gaunt in contrast his hair once golden was blank and gray and his face was ashen sunken cheeks white as bleached parchment the square jaw and proud forehead were bony ridges that emphasized the look of illness the baron was helped by his younger son's firm grip on his left arm his movements were jerky and he looked as if he might fall someone near eric said so then it's true about the seizure eric wondered if the baron's condition might be aggravated by his mother's plan but as if hearing his thoughts freyja said i must do this pushing past those who stood before her she moved quickly between two mounted guardsmen before they could turn her back as a free woman of the kingdom i claim my right to be heard she cried in a voice loud enough to carry across the square no one spoke all eyes regarded the wiry woman as she pointed an accusing finger at the baron will you acknowledge eric von dartmouth as your son the obviously ill baron paused and turned to regard the woman who had asked him this question each time he had visited ravensburg his eyes searched past her and found her son standing quietly behind her seeing his own image of younger years before him otto let his gaze linger upon eric then the baroness came to his side and whispered quickly in his ear with an expression of sadness on his face the baron shook his head slightly as he turned away from eric's mother and without comment moved into the largest building in the town the growers and vintners hall the baroness fixed a hard gaze upon freida and eric barely masking her anger before she turned to follow her husband into the hall rue let out a sigh and as one the crowd seemed to exhale well how's that then eric said i don't think we'll do this again as freyja moved back toward them rue said why do you think your mother's gonna stop if she gets another chance eric said she won't get another chance he's dying how do you know eric shrugged the way he looked at me he was saying goodbye fredo walked past her son andrew her expression unreadable as she said we have work to do rue glanced back to where the two brothers manfred and stefan watched eric closely speaking quietly together manfred was restraining stefan who seemed eager to cross the square and confront eric rue said you're our brothers don't care for you much do they especially that stefan eric shrugged but it was freda who spoke he knows that soon he'll inherit what's rightfully eric's rue and eric exchanged glances both knew better than to argue with freder she had always claimed that the baron had wed her one spring night in the woodland chapel before a monk of dala shield of the week then later he requested and received an annulment so he could marry the daughter of the duke of iran the records sealed by royal command for political reasons rule said then that's the last of it for certain eric gave him a questioning look what do you mean if you're right next year stefan will be barren by the look of things he's not the sought to hesitate about publicly calling your mother a liar freda stopped walking her face showed a hopelessness eric had never seen before he wouldn't dare she said more a plea than a challenge she attempted to look defiant but her eyes showed she knew rue was right come mother said eric softly let's go home the forge is banked but if there's work i'll need to get the fire out again tyndall certain to be in no condition to do it he gently put his arm upon his mother's shoulder astonished at how frail she suddenly felt she quietly allowed him to guide her along the town's people stepped away giving the young smith and his mother an open passageway from the square all sensing that somehow there would soon be an ending to this tradition begun 15 years earlier when first the beautiful and fiery frida had boldly stepped forward and held out the squalling baby demanding the otto von darkmoor recognize the child as his own nearly every soul in the barony knew the story she had confronted him five years later and again he had not rebutted her claim his silence gave her declaration credence and for years the tale of the bastard child of the baron of darkmoor had been a source of local law good for a drink from passing strangers bound between eastern and western realms of the kingdom the mystery was always in the barren silence for had he denied it but once from that day forward friday would have had the burden of proof put squarely upon herself the itinerant monk was never seen again in that region and no other witness existed and frida had become the drudge of an innkeeper and the boy a blacksmith's helper some claimed that the baron was merely being kind to frida refusing to publicly brand her a liar for while he had obviously fathered her child the claim of marriage was certainly the ranting of a disturbed woman or the calculated concoction of one seeking some advantage others said the baron was too much a coward to proclaim a public lie by saying eric was not his for anyone had merely to glance at otto to see that eric was his very shadow the baron carried shame for a badge where a better man would wear honor for to acknowledge eric even as a bastard son would cast doubt upon his own children's right to inherit and bring down the wrath of his wife upon him but for whatever reason by saying nothing every year he let the challenge stand unanswered eric could claim the name von darkmoor because the baron had never denied him the right slowly they moved through the street back towards the inn rue never want to let two minutes pass in silence back to back said you going to do anything special tonight eric eric knew what rue referred to the baron's visit was an excuse for a public holiday nothing as formal as the traditional festivals but enough so that men would pack the little in of the pintail and drink and gamble most of the night and many of the young girls of the town will be down at the fountain waiting for the young men to drink enough liquid courage to come pay court there would be plenty of work to keep eric busy he said as much roo said they're their mother's sons no doubt of that eric knew whom roo meant his half brothers roo glanced over his shoulder down the street to the square where the growers and vintness hall and the barons carriage were still visible and found that the two noble boys had returned outside ostensibly to oversee the removal of the baron's baggage but both were in hushed conversation their eyes fixed upon eric's retreating back rue felt an impulse to make a rude gesture in their direction but thought better of it even at this distance he could tell their expression was of open hostility and dark anger turning back toward the inn rue hurried his step to catch up to eric darkness brought a lessening of the day's activities everywhere but at the end of the pintail where workers and town merchants who were not of sufficient rank to attend the dinner at the growers in vintners hall gathered to enjoy a mug of wine or ale a near celebratory atmosphere gripped the inn as men told stories in loud voices played cards and dice for copper coins and tested their skill at a dartboard eric had been pressed into kitchen duty as he often was when things got busy while his mother was only a serving woman milo allowed her the position of kitchen supervisor simply because freda was in the habit of telling everyone what they should be doing that she was almost always right in her estimation of everyone's duties failed to mitigate the irritation such an attitude generated many serving women had come and gone at the end over the years more than a few telling milo the reasons for their departure his answer was always the same she was a long time friend and they were not by any reasonable measure they acted the family frida and eric milo and rosalind husband and wife and brother and sister though each slept apart from the others milo in his room rosalind in her own friday in a loft over the kitchen and eric upon a pallet in the barn from awakening to bedtime they played their parts naturally frida ran the inn as if it were her own and milo was unwilling to overrule her mostly because she did a wonderful job but also because he more than anyone understood the pain frida lived with daily though she would never admit it to anyone she still loved the baron and milo was convinced that her demand for recognition of her son was a twisted legacy of that love a desperate grasping at some token that for a brief time she had truly loved and been loved eric pushed open the common room door and carried another cask of ordinary wine behind the bar setting it at milo's feet the old man removed the empty cask from the barrel rack and moved it aside while eric easily lifted the new one into its place placing a clean tap against the bung milo drove it home with a single blow from a wooden mallet then poured himself a small cup to test the content making a face he said why in the midst of the finest wine in the world do we drink this eric laughed because it's all we can afford milo the innkeeper shrugged you have an irritating habit of being honest smiling he said well it's all the same for effect then three mugs of this will get you just as tipsy as three mugs of the barons finest won't they at mention of the baron eric's face lost its merry expression i wouldn't know he said as he turned away milo put his hand on eric's shoulder restraining him sorry lad eric shrugged no slight intended milo non-taken why don't you give yourself a break said the innkeeper i can sense things are quieting down this brought a grin from eric for the sound in the common room was close to deafening with laughter animated conversation and general rowdiness the norm if you say so eric moved around from behind the bar then pushed through the common room and as he reached the door roserin threw him an accusatory look he mouthed i'll be back and she threw her gaze heavenwood a moment in feigned aggravation then she was again grabbing mugs off tables heading back toward the bar the night was cool fall was full upon them at any moment it might turn bitter cold in the mountains of darkmoor though they were not as high as the cholastius to the west or the teeth of the world in the far north still snow graced the peaks in the colder winters and frost was a worry to growers in any season but summer eric moved toward the town square and as he anticipated a few boys and girls still sat around the edge of the fountain before the growers and vintners hall roo was speaking in low tones to a girl who managed to laugh at his suggestion while keeping an escance expression on her face she was also employing her hands to good effect limiting rules to acceptable portions of her anatomy eric said evening rue the girl's expression brightened as eric came into view one of the prettier girls in town with red hair and large green eyes gwen had attempted to catch eric's eye on more than one occasion she called his name as she firmly pushed roo's hands away a few of the other youngsters of the town greeted the blacksmith's helper and rue said finished at the inn eric shook his head just a break i'll have to head back in a few minutes thought i'd get some air gets very smoky in there and the noise gwen was about to speak when something in rue's expression caused both her and eric to turn coming into the light of the torches set around the fountain were two figures dressed in fine clothing swords swinging at their sides gwen came to her feet and attempted an awkward curtsy others followed but eric stood silently and rue sat open mouthed stefan and manfred von darkmoor looked around the gathered boys and girls roughly the same age as themselves but their demeanor and finery set them apart as clearly as if they had been swans moving among geese and ducks in a pond they had obviously been drinking from the way they moved with the careful control of one who is masking intoxication as stefan's gaze settled on eric his expression darkened but manfred put a restraining hand upon his arm whispering something in stefan's ear the younger brother maintained a tight grip stefan at last nodded once his eyes heavy lidded and forced a cold smile to his lips ignoring eric and roo he bowed slightly toward gwen and said miss it seems my father and the town burgess are intent on discussing issues of wine and grapes beyond my understanding and patience perhaps you might care to acquaint us with some more interesting diversions gwen blushed and then threw eric a glance he frowned at her and slightly shook his head no as if challenging his right to advisor she jumped lightly down from the low wall around the fountain and said sir i'd be delighted she called another girl who was sitting nearby catherine join us gwen took stefan's extended arm like a lady of the court and catherine awkwardly followed her example with manfred they strolled away from the fountain gwen exaggerating the sway of her hips as they vanished into the darkness after a moment eric said we'd better follow rue came to stand directly in front of his friend looking for a fight no but those two won't take no for an answer and the girls rue put his hand firmly on eric's chest as if to prevent his moving forward know what they're getting into with noble sons he finished gwen's no baby and stefan won't be the first to get her to pull up her skirts and you're about the only boy in town who hasn't bedded catherine looking over his shoulder to where the four had vanished into the night he added though i thought the girls had better taste than that rue lowered his voice so that only eric could hear and his tone took on a harshness that his friend recognized rule used it only when he was deadly serious about a topic eric the day may come when you'll have to face your swine of a brother and when it does you'll probably have to kill him eric's brow furrowed at rue's tone and words but not tonight and not over gwen now don't you have to get back to the inn eric nodded gently removing rue's hand from his chest he stood motionless for a second trying to digest what his friend had just said then shaking his head he turned and walked back toward the inn chapter 2 deaths tyndall was dead eric still couldn't believe it each time he came into the forge during the last two months he had expected to see the burly smith either asleep on his pallet at the rear of the forge or hard at work the man's sense of humor when he wasn't sober or his dark moodiness when he was everything about him was etched in every corner of this place where eric had learned his craft for the previous six years eric inspected the coals from the previous night's fire and judged how much wood to add to bring it back to life a miller's wagon had lurched into the courtyard the night before with a broken axle and there would be ample work to fill his day he still couldn't get over tindall's not being there two months previously eric had climbed down from his loft expecting the events of the morning to be as usual but one glance at tyndall's regular resting place had sent the hairs on eric's neck straight up eric had seen the smith drunk to a stupor but this was something else there was a stillness to the old man that eric instinctively recognized he had never seen a dead man before but he had seen many animals dead in the fields and there was something eerily familiar in the smith's attitude eric touched tyndall to assure himself the old blacksmith was truly dead and when he touched cold skin he jerked his hand away as if from a burn the local priest of killian who acted as a healer for most of the poor in the town quickly confirmed that tyndall had indeed drunk his last bottle of wine since he had no family it was left to milo to dispose of the corpse and he arranged a hasty funeral with a quick pyre the ashes were scattered and a prayer was said to the singer of green silence by her priest though smith's were more correctly considered the province of tithonenka the god of war eric felt that somehow the prayer to killian the goddess of the forest and field was appropriate tyndall had repaired perhaps one sword in the six years eric had been around the forge but countless plows tillers and other implements of farming a sound in the distance caught eric's ear a midday coach was coming along the western road from crondor the princess city eric knew that the chances were excellent it was percy of rimmerton at the reigns and if so he will be putting into the pin tail for refreshments for his horses and passengers the driver was a real thin man of enormous appetite who loved freida's cooking as eric had anticipated within minutes the sounds of iron shot wheels and hooves echoed loudly as the commercial coach approached the courtyard then it turned in and with a loud whoa percy arraigned in his team of four the commercial coaches had begun their travel between salador and crondor five years previously and had proved a great success for their innovator a wealthy merchant in crondor named jacob esterbrook who was now planning a coach line from salador to baztara according to gossip each coach was essentially a wagon with a covered roof and sides and a small tailgate that when lowered provided a step into the wagon a pair of planks along the sides provided indifferent seating and the ride was lacking any pretense to comfort as the wagons were rudely sprung but the journey was swift compared to that by caravan and for those unable to secure their own mounts to ride almost as rapid as horseback oh percy said eric eric replied the coachman whose long thin face appeared to have been frozen in a grin surrounded by road dirt he turned to his two passengers a man dressed well and another in plain garments ravensburg says the plainly dressed man nodded and moved to the rear of the coach as eric obliged percy by unlatching the tailgate are you lying over he asked the driver no answer percy we go on to wolverton where this other gentleman is bound then we're done with this run wolverton was the next town in the direction of darkmoor and less than an hour away by fast coach eric knew that the passenger would be unlikely to welcome a meal stop this close to his destination from there i'm going empty to darkmoor so there's ample time and no hurry tell your mother i'll be back in a few days god's willing and i'll have an extra of our best meat pie percy's grin continued to split his thin face as he patted his stomach miming hunger eric nodded as the driver turned his team and quickly had them up to a trot and out of the courtyard eric turned to the man who had dismounted the coach to ask if he required lodging and found him vanishing around the corner of the barn sir eric called and hurried after he circled the barn and reached the forge finding that the stranger had set down his bag and was removing his travel cloak the man was as broad of shoulder and thick of arm as eric though he was a full head shorter he had a fringe of long grey hair receding from his bald pate and a thoughtful almost scholarly expression his brows were bushy and black and his face was clean shaven though the stubble grown while traveling was almost white and he inspected everything carefully he turned to see the young man standing at the door and said y'all must be the apprentice you keep an orderly forge youngster that's good he spoke with the odd flat twang typical of those from the far coast or the sunset islands who are you asked eric nathan is my name i'm the new smith sent up from crondor from crondor knew smith eric's expression showed his confusion the large man shrugged as he hung his travel cloak on a wall peg the guild asked if i wish this forge i said yes and here i am but it's my smithy said eric it's a baronial charge boy said nathan his tone turning firm you might be competent in most things you might even be talented but in time of war you'd be mending armor and tending the balinese mounts as well as taking care of farmers draft horses war exclaimed eric war hasn't touched darkmoor since it was conquered the man took a quick step forward and put his hand on eric's shoulder gripping him firmly i think i know how you feel but law is law you're a guild apprentice no the smith's brows lowered no didn't you must register ya with a guild with conflicting emotions anger and ironic amusement eric said my former master was drunk most of the time i've conducted the business of this forge since i was 10 years of age master smith for years he promised to take the journey to crondor to rillinon to register my apprenticeship with the guild office for the first three years i begged him to send a message by kingdom post but after that i was too busy to continue begging he's been dead for two months now and i've done well enough tending the barone's needs the man stroked his chin and then shook his head this is a problem youngster you're three years older than most who begin their apprenticeship begin said eric his anger now coming to the fore i can match skills with any guild smith nathan's expression darkened that's not the point he roared his own anger being interrupted giving him volume enough to silence eric that's not the point he repeated more quietly when he saw that eric was listening you might be the finest smith in the kingdom in all of mid kamia but no one at the guild knows this you've not been listed on the roster of apprentices and no one with a guildmaster's rank has vouched for your work so you must begin i'll not apprentice for seven more years said eric his temper threatening to get the better of him nathan said interrupt me again boy and i'll cease being civil with you eric's expression showed he was not in the least bit apologetic but he stayed silent nathan said you could go to crondor or illinois and petition the guild you'll be tested and evaluated if you show you know enough you'll be allowed to apprentice or perhaps you'll even get journeyman's rank though i doubt that seriously even if you're the best they've ever seen there's still the politics of it few men are willing to grant to another rank without the sweat to have earned it and there's always the possibility they'll call you a presumptuous lout and throw you out into the street the last came with a hard tone and suddenly eric realized that this man had spent at least seven years as an apprentice and perhaps twice that as a journeyman before gaining his master's badge and to him eric must sound a whining child or you can apprentice here in your own town with your family and friends and be patient if you are indeed as well taught as you claim i'll certify you as quickly as i can so you can petition for a forge of your own eric looked as if he was again going to object that this was his forge but he said nothing nathan continued or you can set out today on your own and become an independent smith with your talent you'll make a living but without a guild badge you'll never set up shop in any but the rudest villages unless you wish to travel to the frontier for no noble will trust his horses and armor to anybody guild master and the rich common folk to no less than a guild journeyman and that means no matter how gifted you are you'll always be nothing more than a common tinker eric remained silent and after a moment nathan said thoughtful is it that's good now here's the choice of it you can stay and learn and perfect your skills and i'll count myself a lucky sod for having a second pair of trained hands around belonging to someone i don't have to teach every tiny thing or you can brood and be resentful and think you know as much as i and be useless to us both there's only room for one master in this forge by an army so there's the end of it and there's the choice do you need time to think on this eric paused then said no i need no time to think about it master nathan sighing he added you're correct there's only one master in the forge uh spit it out boy i've been responsible around here for so long i feel as if it's my forge and i should have been given it by the guild nathan nodded once that's understandable but it's not your fault tyndall was a slacker and my time here counts for nothing none of that boy eric my name is eric none of that eric said nathan then suddenly he swung hard and connected around house right that knocked eric onto his backside and i told you interrupt me again and i'd cease being civil i'm a man of my word eric sat rubbing his jaw astonishment on his face he knew the smith had pulled the blow but he could feel the sting of it anyway after a moment he said yes sir nathan put out his hand and eric took it the smith pulled eric to his feet i was about to say that any time spent learning a craft counts you only lack credentials if you're as good as you think you are you'll be certified in the minimum seven years you'll be older than most journeymen when you seek your own forge but you'll be younger than some trust me on that there are slower lads that don't leave the masters forge until they're in their late twenties remember this you may be coming late to your office but your learning started four years earlier than most boys as well knowledge is knowledge and experience is experience so you should have a far shorter time of it from journeyman to master in the end it'll all work out turning slowly as if examining the smithy once again he said and from what i see here if you can keep your head right we'll get along fine there was an open friendliness in that remark which caused eric to forget his stinging jaw he nodded yes sir now show me where i sleep without being told eric picked up the smith's travel bag and cloak and motioned tyndall had no family so he slept here there's a small room round back and i sleep in the loft up there eric pointed to the only place he'd called his own for the last six years i never thought about moving into tyndall's room habit i guess he led the smith out to the rear door and to the shed that tyndall had used for his bedroom my former master was drunk most of the time so i fear this room's likely to be he opened the door the smell that greeted them almost made eric gag nathan only stood a moment then stepped away as he said i worked with drunkards before adam and that's the smell of sour sickness never seek to hide in a wine bottle eric it's a slow and painful death meechy sorrows head on and after you've wrestled with them put them behind something in his tone told eric that nathan wasn't simply repeating an aphorism but we're speaking from belief i can put this room right sir while you take your ease at the end i'd best make myself known to the innkeeper he used to be my landlord after all and i could use something to eat eric realized he hadn't thought of that the office of guild smith might be granted by the guild and a patent for a town might be exclusive but otherwise the smith was like any other tradesman forced to make a profit the best he knew how and responsible for setting up his own place of business eric said sir tyndall had no family oh nathan put his hand on eric's shoulder who should i be paying for all these tools eric nodded nathan said my own tools will be coming by freight hall any day now i have no desire to take what's not rightfully mine eric he scratched his day's growth of whiskers as he thought when you're ready to leave ravensburg and begin your own forge let us assume they go with you yo were his last apprentice and tradition has it that he ought to pay the widow for the tools as he had no family there's no one to pay is there eric realized what an incredibly generous offer he was being made an apprentice was expected somehow to supplement his earnings so that by the time he reached journeyman's rank he could purchase a complete set of tools and an anvil and have the money to pay for the construction of a forge if needed most young journeymen were able to begin modestly but tyndall for all his sloth in his last years had been a master smith for 17 years and had every conceivable tool of the trade two and three of some with proper care and cleaning eric would be set up for life eric said if you'd like i can show you to the kitchen i'll find my way just come and get me when this room's cleaned up eric nodded and as nathan moved off toward the rear of the inn the boy held his breath and went into tyndall's room throwing open the single window didn't help and eric hurried back outside because of the stench unpleasant odors bothered eric strong as he was in most ways and he confessed to a weak stomach though he was used to the smell of the barn and forge nevertheless the odor of human illness and waste caused the bile to rise in his gorge and he had tears in his eyes from the reek by the time he got tindal's bedding outside the hut breathing through his mouth and turning his head away he hurried to the large iron tub his mother used for washing and threw the filthy linens into it as he was building up the fire beneath his mother approached who's this man claiming to be the new smith she demanded eric was in no mood to battle his mother so he calmly said not claiming his the guild sent him well did you tell him there already was a smith here eric got the fire under the tub going and stood up as calmly as he could manage he said no this is a guilt forge and i have no standing with the guild thinking of tyndall's tools he added nathan's been very generous and is keeping me on he'll apprentice me to the guild eric expected an argument but instead his mother only nodded once and left without further comment puzzled by her lack of outburst eric stood a moment until the crackling of the fire under the tub reminded him he had a still unfinished task he took one of the hard cakes of soap used to wash the inn's bedding and broke it in half tossing the hard soap into the tub he began stirring with a paddle as the water turned a deep brown he thought why no argument from his mother there was an air of resignation from her that he had never seen before leaving the sheets to simmer in the tub eric hurried back to the smith's room grabbing some rags and a mineral oil cleaner he used on a specially filthy tack and tools he removed the balance of tyndall's possessions a single large chest and a sack of personal items a rickety wooden wardrobe he left inside in case nathan chose to hang his cloaks and shirts there he could always haul it away later if the new smith didn't care for it when he had the last of tyndall's possessions outside eric regarded the meager pile not a lot to show for a lifetime he muttered he picked up the chest and hauled it over to one corner of the small yard behind the barn and picked up the sack and placed it on top he'd go through them later to see what tyndall had left that might be of use there were always poor farmers on the outskirts of the vineyards who grew other than grapes and they always could use serviceable clothing then eric took the rags and the cleaner and began scrubbing years of accumulated grime off the walls eric entered the kitchen to find milo sitting at the big table staring across at nathan who was finishing a large bowl of stew milo was nodding at something the smith had just said while freder and rosalind both made busy preparing vegetables for the evening meal eric glanced at his mother who stood expressionless at the sink listening to the men speak rosalind inclined her head towards eric's mother indicating concern eric nodded briefly then moved beside his mother indicating he wished to wash up she nodded curtly and moved toward the oven where the bread purchased that morning from the baker was being kept warm nathan continued what he had been saying when eric entered while i have the neck with iron i'm indifferent with horses truth to tell above the legs i can adjust a shoe to balance a lameness or to compensate for some other problem but when it comes to the rest i'm as simple as anyone then you've chosen wisely to keep eric on said milo showing an almost fatherly pride is a wonder with horses rosalind asked master smith from what you've said you could have had any number of large baronial forges or even a ducal charge why did you pick our small town nathan pushed away the bowl of stew he had finished and smiled i'm a lover of wine truth to tell and this is a great change from my former home freder turned and blurted we scant weeks past burying one smith for the love of too much wine and now with another the gods must hate ravensburg indeed nathan looked at freder and spoke his tone was measured but it was clear he was not far from anger good woman i love the wine but i'm no mean drunkard i was a father and husband who took care of his own for many years if i drink more than a glass in a day it's a festival i'll thank you to pass no judgment on matters you know nothing about smiths are no more cut from the same bolt of cloth as all men of any other trader alike in all ways freida turned away her color rising slightly but she said nothing save the fire's too warm this spread will be dry before supper she made a show of turning the coals though everyone knew it was unnecessary eric watched his mother for a moment then turned toward nathan the room's clean sir freda snapped will you all be sharing that one tiny room nathan rose picking up his cloak and leaning over to retrieve his bag as he hoisted his possessions he said all these children and your wife you spoke so tenderly of nathan's tone was calm when he replied all dead killed by raiders in the sacking of the far coast i was senior journeyman to baron talbot's master smith at tulan the room was still as he continued i was asleep but the sound of fighting woke me i told my martha to see to the children as i ran to the forge i took no more than two steps out the door of the servant's quarters when i was struck twice by arrows he touched his shoulder then his left thigh here and here i fainted another man fell on top of me i think anyway my wife and children were already dead when i awoke the next day he glanced around the room we had four children three boys and a girl he sighed little sarah was special he fell silent for a long moment and his face took on a reflective expression then he said damn me it's nearly 25 years now without another word he rose and nodded his head once to milo then moved to the door freda looked as if she had been struck she turned toward nathan her eyes brimming with moisture and looked as if she were about to speak but as the smith left the kitchen she was unable to find the words eric looked after the departing smith and then back toward his mother for the first time in his life he felt embarrassed for her and he found the feeling unpleasant he glanced around the kitchen and noticed rosalind looking at freda with an expression of irritation and regret milo made a show of ignoring everyone as he rose from the table to move to the tap room eric said at last i better see if he settled in then i'll be seen to the horses eric left and rosalind moved around the kitchen in silence trying to spare freda any more embarrassment after a moment she realized the older woman was silently weeping caught in an impasse as to what to do she hesitated then at last said freda the older woman turned toward the younger her cheeks damp from her tears her face was a mask of conflict as if she wished to vent some deeply buried pain but couldn't let it surface past a sharp retort rosalind said can i do anything freda remained motionless for long seconds then said the berries need washing her tone was hoarse and she spoke softly rosalind moved toward the sink and began working the hand pump her father and eric had installed only the year before so she and freda wouldn't have to carry water from the well behind the inn anymore as cold water filled the wooden sink freida said and stay the sweet child you are rosalind there's too much pain in the world already the older woman hurried from the kitchen on some imagined errand and rosalind knew she just wished to be alone for a while the exchange with the new smith had released something freda had buried and rosalind didn't understand but in her 16 years the girl had never seen eric's mother cry as she cleaned the fruit for the evening's pies she wondered if this was a good thing or not the evening was quiet with only a few locals calling in at the pintail for a quick drink and only one seeking a meal eric finished cleaning the kettle as a favor to rosalind and hauled it back to the hook over the fire now low glowing embers he waved good night to rosalind who was carrying four flagons of ale to a table occupied by four of the town's more eligible young journeymen all of whom were flirting with the innkeeper's daughter more to keep some sort of status with one another than out of any real interest in the young girl passing through the kitchen eric found his mother standing by the door looking at the night sky ablaze with stars all three moons were down this night a rare occurrence and the display was always worth a moment to observe mother said eric quietly as he started to move away stay awhile she said softly a request and not an order it was a night like this i met your father eric had heard the story before but knew his mother was struggling with something that had occurred while she spoke to the smith he still didn't fully understand what had happened in his mother but he knew she needed to speak he sat down on the steps beside where his mother stood otto had come to ravensburg for the first time as baron after his father's death two years before he detended the vintners and growers reception for him and after drinking with the town leaders he'd gone for a walk to clear his head it was brash and quick to dispense with protocol and adored his servants and guards to leave him alone she stared into the night calling up memories i'd come down to the fountain with the other girls to flirt with the boys eric recalled his own last visit to the fountain with a roux and realized the practice was long established the baron came into the lantern light and suddenly we were a bunch of awkward children then eric saw a spark in his mother's eyes and heard an echo of the spirit that had captivated men's hearts before he was born i was as odd as the rest but i was too proud to show it she said with a rueful smile and years dropped away from her eric could imagine the impact such a sight after an evening spent drinking must have had on the baron as he spied the beautiful frida at the fountain he had caught manners and rank and riches and yet there was something honest in him eric a little boy was afraid of being sent away as any other boy he was 25 and young for that age but he swept me off my feet with sweet words and a wicked humor in them less than an hour later he'd bedded me under a tree in an apple orchard she sighed and again eric was put in mind of a young girl not this woman of iron he had known all his life i had a terrible reputation but i'd never known another man he had known other women for he was sure but he was also tender and gentle and loving she glanced at her son in the dark under the stars he spoke of love but the next day i thought i'd never see him again and counted myself just another foolish girl taken in by a nobleman's charms but against any open mind he came to me a month later in the late afternoon alone strider horse flicked with foam from a hard ride from his castle hidden by a large cloak he'd slipped into the inn as we were readying for the night's trade and there he sought me out and revealed himself to my astonishment he professed love and asked for me and she gave a bittersweet laugh i called him mad and ran from the inn later that night i returned to find him waiting at this very spot like a common farm and he again told of his love for me and again i told him he was bereft of sense tears gathered in her eyes he laughed and said he knew it seemed that way but after taking my hand and gazing into my eyes he kissed me once and convinced me this time i knew why i'd gone with him first time not because of his ranking station but because i loved him as well he cautioned me that none must know of our love for each other until he journeyed to rilen on to petition king lyon from your hand for tradition bound him to his liege lord's pleasure but to seal our love and to provide me with acclaim we spoke our vows in a small chapel used during the harvest with an itinerant monk who'd been in town less than a day conducting the ceremony the monk made a pledge not to speak of the vows until otto gave him leave and left us alone for the next morning otto planned to leave to see the king was silent a moment then her tone took on a familiar bitterness artur never returned he sent a messenger your friend owen greylock with news that the king had denied his petition and had instructed him to wed the daughter of the duke of ran for the good of the kingdom greylock said then he said the king had ordered the great temple of dalar and rillinon to declare the wedding annulled and had the order placed under royal seal so as not to embarrass matilda or any sun she might bear i was advised to find a good man and forget otto tears ran down her cheeks as she said what a shock good master greylock got then when i told him i was with child she sighed and reached over and gripped her son's arm as my time neared rumors circulated about who was your father this merchant of that grower but when you were born and quickly became the image of your father in his youth no one denied you were otto's boy not even your father will deny it publicly eric had heard the story a dozen times before but never told quite this way never before had he thought of his mother as a young girl in love or of the bitter rejection she must have felt when news of otto's marriage to matilda had come still there was no profit in living for yesterday but he never acknowledged me either said eric true agreed his mother yet he left you this much you have a name von darkmoor you may use it with pride and should any man challenge your right you may look him in the eye and say not even otto baron von darkmoor denies me my right to this name eric reached up and awkwardly took his mother's hand she glanced at him and smiled her stiff unforgiving smile but there was a hint of warmth in it as she squeezed his huge hand then released it this nathan i think he may be a good man learn what you can from him for you'll never have your birthright eric said that was your dream mother i know little of politics but what i've heard in the tap room leads me to believe that should you have had the i priest of darla himself as witness in the chapel that night it would count for little the king for reasons known best to him wished my father married to the daughter of the duke of ran and thus it was and thus it would always have been eric stood i'll need to spend some extra time with nathan letting him know what i can do and finding out what he wishes me to do i think you're right he's a good man he could have sent me packing but he's trying to do right by me i think impulsively freder threw her arms around her son's neck hugging him closely i love you my son she whispered eric stood motionless uncertain how to respond she spared him the need by letting go and turning quickly into the kitchen shutting the door behind her eric stood a moment then slowly turned and moved toward the barn as the months passed things fell into a routine at the end of the pin tail nathan blended in quickly and after a while it was hard to recall what the inn had been like with tyndall as smith eric found his new master a fout of information as much of what tindal had taught him had been basic solid smithing but nathan knew much that made the work above average even exceptional his knowledge of the different requirements for weapons and armor opened a new area for eric for nathan had been the baron talbot's own armorer in tulan at one time one day the sound of hooves upon cobbles caused eric to look up from where he held a hot plow blade nathan was hammering for a local farmer the slender figure of owen greylock the baron's swordmaster appeared as he rode his mount around the barn from the rear court of the inn nathan took away the blade and plunged it into water then set it aside as eric came to stand next to the horse holding her bridle as greylock dismounted swordmaster said eric she's not lame again is she no said owen indicating that eric should see for himself eric ran his hand along the horse's left foreleg as nathan approached then motioned the youngster to stand aside nathan examined the horse's leg this is the horse he told me off eric nodded you say it was this suspense attendant was it greylock looked on with approval as eric said yes mr smith she'd pulled it slightly slightly said greylock he had an angular face made even more stern by a severe hairstyle high bangs with most of the rest cut straight around the nape of his neck which split into a smile serving to make him even more unattractive for his teeth were uneven and yellowing totally blown i should say master smith puffed up to the size of my thigh and the mayor could barely stand but wait on it i thought i have to send for the knackers for certain but eric had a way and i'd seen his work before so i gave him the chance and he didn't disappoint shaking his head in mock astonishment he said slightly the lads too modest for his own good what did you do nathan asked eric i wrapped her leg in hot compresses at first there's a drawing salve the healing priest at the templar killian makes that makes your skin feel hot i used that on her leg a hand walked her and wouldn't let her pull again even if she got rammy she spirited and wanted to bolt more than once but i put a stud chain over her nose and let her know i'd have none of it eric reached over and patted the mayor on the nose we became pretty fair friends nathan stood and shook his head obviously impressed for the four months i've been here swordmaster i've been hearing of this lad's skill with horses some of it had took to be local pride felt by his friends turning to eric he smiled and put a hand on his shoulder i don't say this likely lad perhaps you should put aside your apprenticeship as a smith and turn your hand to healing horses i'm self-admitted indifferent to healing animals though i will put my shoeing work up against any man's but even i can see this horse is completely sound as if she'd never been injured eric said it's a useful skill and i like to see the horses healthy but there's no guilt nathan was forced to agree true enough a guild is a mighty fortress and can shelter you when no amount of skill can save you from uh he suddenly remembered the barons swordmaster was standing a few feet away many unexpected ends eric smiled he knew what the smith had been about to say had to do with the long-standing rivalry between the nobility and the guilds started as a means to certify workmen and guarantee a certain minimum standard of skill the guilds had become a political force in the kingdom over the last century to the point of having their own courts to adjudicate matters within each guild much to the irritation of the king's courts and the courts of the other nobles but the nobles were too dependent upon the quality assurance of the many guilds to do more than grumble about flouting authority but often one of the craft gills had saved a member from some injustice at the hands of a noble a long tradition of responsible nobility in the kingdom there were always one or two minor earls or barons who thought they could simply ignore a debt having a patent of arms from the king did not ensure wealth and more than one noble had attempted to use rank and position rather than coin of the realm to settle his debts eric distracted greylock swordmaster what cause brings you to ravensburg this day the usually serious swordmaster's face returned to its usual doer expression you eric your father rides to crondor on state business he'll be here this evening i came early to see if i could prevail upon my mother to let him alone greylock nodded he's not well eric he shouldn't be making the journey and i'll do what i can he knew promising was vain should his mother take it into her head to repeat her performance of the last time otto came through the town she may have finally gotten over making me the next baron greylock made a sour face i would be out of place to comment on that then he softened his expression trust me on this if you can stand by the corner of the town road where the sheep meadow ends and the first vineyard begins on the east side of the town before sunset why i can't say but it's important if my father's so ill owen what cause has he to ride to crondor greylock mounted his horse ill news i'm afraid the prince is dead it will be announced to the populace by royal messenger later this week eric said a root is dead greylock nodded he fell and broke his hip i've been told and died of complications he was an aging man nearly 80 if i have it right prince aruta had been a fixture in crondor all of eric's life and his mothers before him father to the king boric who had succeeded aruta's brother liam only five years earlier he had been the man most responsible for peace in the kingdom by all accounts to eric he was a distant figure certainly eric had never seen the prince but he felt a small stab of regret by anyone's measure he was a good ruler and a hero in his youth as greylock turned the mayor around eric said tell me father i'll stand where he asked greylock saluted and lightly touched spurs to the mayor's flanks and she trotted out of the inn courtyard nathan who had come to understand a great deal of eric's history in the months he had been living at the pintail said you'll want some extra time to clean up eric said i hadn't thought of that i was just going to leave at suppertime it was late spring and sunset came close to an hour after supper eric would need most of the hour to make it to the other side of ravensburg and through the vineyards to the sheep meadow but only if he went in his dirty clothing nathan playfully hit eric on the back of the head with his open hand dalt get yourself cleaned up sounds important eric thanked nathan and hurried to the forge below the pallet in the loft where he slept behind the ladder sat a trunk with all of eric's belongings he took out his one good shirt and carried it over to the wash basin removing his dirty shirt he took the harsh soap and some clean rags and worked feverishly to rid himself of as much dirt as possible at last he felt presentable and put on his good shirt he hurried out of the barn and went to the kitchen where food was being placed upon the table as he entered sitting down he drew a suspicious look from his mother why are you wearing your good shirt she asked not willing to share his father's request for a meeting with his mother lest she demand to accompany him and force a confrontation he muttered i'm meeting someone after supper then started noisily eating the stew placed before him milo who was sitting at the head of the table laughed what are the town girls is it this brought an alarmed look from rosalind the color rising in her cheeks as eric said something like that eric continued to eat in silence while milo and nathan spoke of the day's events and the women joined eric in silence nathan had a dry sense of humor that made it difficult at first to know if he was being mocking or merely amusing this had resulted in freda and milo both treating him with some coolness at first but his warm nature and clear appreciation of life's little moments had won over even eric's mother who could often be seen trying to fight back a smile at some quip of nathan's eric had once asked him how he kept so even a disposition and the answer had surprised him when you lose everything nathan had said you've nothing left to lose you got two choices then either kill yourself or start building a new life when i started this new life without my family i decided the only sensible thing in it was to live for the small rewards a job well done a beautiful sunrise the sound of children laughing at play a good cup of wine makes it easy to deal with the harsher side of life kings and marshals can look back and relive their triumphs their great victories we common folk must take what pleasure we can from life's little victories eric hardly touched his food and at last bad everyone excuse him as he almost jumped up from the table and hurried out through the common room milo's laughter of following after he almost ran through the door of the inn and barely avoided knocking rue down as the youngster was about to enter the inn hey wait a minute cried rue as he fell in beside his larger friend can't i have to meet someone roo grabbed the larger youth by the arm and was almost dragged along a step or two before eric stopped what he asked drew impatiently did your father send for you eric had long since stopped being amazed at the town gossip rue was able to ferret out but this had him stunned why'd you ask that because since late yesterday the roads been thick with kingdom post riders sometimes as many as three in a bunch and a company of the barons horse followed by two companies of foot soldiers passed by the eastern boundary of the town this morning heading south and the baron's own personal guard showed up an hour ago at the growers and fitness hall that's what i was coming to tell you and you're wearing your best shirt not wishing to have rue along eric said the prince of crondor is dead that's why he was about to say that was why his father was coming to the town on his way to crondor but instead said all the fuss roo said so those soldiers are heading south to support the garrisons along the keshian border in case the emperor gets ambitious now that a root is dead now suddenly an expert in military matters rue was left standing by eric who had resumed his hurried march seeing he was suddenly alone rue yelled hey and chased after his friend catching up with him as eric left the street of the pintail and entered the main square of the town where you going eric stopped i have to meet someone who it's personal it's not a girl or you'll be heading north to the fountain not east toward the baronial road rue's eyes widened you are meeting your father i was just joking before eric said i don't want anyone to say anything especially not to me a mother i'll keep this to myself good said eric turning around with two large and powerful hands on narrow shoulders go find something amusing to do and not too illegal and i'll talk to you later tonight meet me at the end rule frowned but sorted off as if he had intended to leave eric alone anyway eric resumed his journey he hurried through the businesses clustered around the town square two and three-story edifices overhanging the narrow streets then moved between the modest homes owned by the higher ranking members of the various crafts and guilds then the ramshackle houses used by workers married apprentices and traders without storefronts leaving the town proper he hurried along the east road past small vegetable gardens where push cart traders grew their wares to sell in the town market and the large eastern vineyards reaching the point where the baronial road leading to darkmoor intercepted the main east-west road through ravensburg he waited he mulled over what possible reason he could have been asked to meet his father at this relatively remote location dismissing the most fanciful of all that his mother's dream would somehow be realized and his father would acknowledge him his musing was interrupted by the sound of an approaching company of horsemen suddenly he could see them crest a distant hill a company of riders appearing out of the evening's gloom to the north east as they neared he could see there were the barons own leading the same carriage eric had seen the last time the baron had paid the town a visit he felt a tightening in his chest as they neared and no small apprehension for his two half-brothers could be seen riding beside the carriage the first riders hurried past but stefan and manfred reigned in stefan shouted what you again he made a threatening gesture as if to draw his sword but his younger brother shouted stefan keep up leave him alone the younger brother set heels to his mount and moved to keep up with the vanguard but his older brother hesitated as more soldiers rode past stefan shouted i warn you now brother when i ascend to the baron's office i'll be nowhere near as tolerant as our father if i catch a glimpse of you or your mother at any public function i'll have you arrested so quickly your shadow will have to search to find you without waiting for a reply he viciously dug his spurs into his horse's flank causing the high-spirited gelding to leap forward into a fast canter then a gallop so he could overtake his younger brother then the main detachment of soldiers approached followed by the baron's carriage as they passed the riders moved at a steady canter but the carriage slowed when it was almost upon eric the curtain of the carriage closest to him was pulled back and he could glimpse a white face peering through the gloom at him for a moment father and son locked gazes and eric felt a sudden rush of confused feelings then all too suddenly the instant passed and the carriage rolled away the driver using the reins to urge his team of four ahead to overtake the escort eric stood puzzled and angered as the following troop of soldiers approached he had expected to speak at last to his father not merely share a momentary glimpse as he turned to leave the last rider reigned in and said eric he turned to see owen greylock dismounting for getting courtesy eric vented his anger i thought we were friends master greylock at least as much as rank permitted but you had me trips through the town to this place so that stefan could insult and threaten me and my father peek out from his warm carriage at me greylock said eric it was your father's request eric put hands on hips and took a deep breath so it was his idea to have stefan as much as tell me to leave the barony greylock led his treasured mare to where eric stood and put his hand on the younger man's arm no that was stefan's impromptu performance your father wished to see you one last time he's dying eric felt unexpected emotions break to the surface panic and regret all viewed somehow at a distance as if the warring emotions were taking place within someone else's breast dying his chirogen warned against this but with the prince's death he felt the need to attempt the journey boric has named his youngest brother nicholas to succeed his father until his own son patrick is of an age to rule the western realm nicholas is an unknown everyone expected erlang to take the post it could be a fair political bloodbath in crondor this week eric knew the names boric the king and erland his younger twin brother patrick was the king's eldest son and by tradition one of the two should have taken the office of prince of krondor but the intrigues of the court meant little to eric he asked me here so he could catch a glimpse of me as his carriage sped by greylock squeezed eric's arm for emphasis his last glimpse of you he removed something from his tunic and to give you this eric beheld a folded parchment being handed him by greylock he took it and noticed it was free of any stamp or seal he unfolded it and began to read my son greylock interrupted no one is to know the contents but you and once you are done i'm to burn this i'll stand away while you read this to yourself he led the horse away while eric read my son if i'm not yet dead when you read this i soon shall be i know you have many questions and no doubt your mother has answered some i'm sorry to say that i can give you a little more than that and less satisfaction when we are young we feel passions that are but faint memories when we're not very many years older i think i did love your mother when i was very young but if so then that love like memories faded if i have any regrets it is that i couldn't know you you were innocent of your mothers and my indulgences but i have responsibilities that cannot be set aside because of my regret over a youthful indiscretion i hope you understand and realize that whatever life we might have imagined as father and son was an impossible illusion i hope you are a good man for i'm proud of the blood that flows in both our veins and would hope you honor it as well i have never publicly denied your mother because at least i can allow you a name but beyond this i can do little else your brother stefan will be set against you in every way my wife fears any threat to her son's patrimony and if it is of any comfort to you i've paid a price for remaining silent before your mother's accusations i have shielded you and your mother more than you might know but once i am gone that protection will vanish i urge you to take your mother from the barony there is a growing frontier along the far coast and in the sunset islands and opportunities for a young man of ability you could make something of yourself there leave ravensburg and darkmoor and make yourself known to one sebastian lender a solicitor and litigator with an office at barrett's coffee house on regal street in crondor he will have something there for you i can do no more life is often unfair and while we might wish for justice it is usually an illusion for what it's worth you have my blessing and my wish for a happy life father eric held it in his hands a few moments after he had finished and at last he held it out to greylock owen took the parchment and produced one of the elegant flint and spring-loaded igniters that were all the rage among those who smoked to back he struck a series of sparks until one lodged in the parchment and blew it to a flame holding the parchment by the edge he let the flame grow until it engulfed the document just before his fingers would be burned he let the parchment float away rising on its own heat as it was consumed eric felt empty he now realized that whatever he had expected when summoned to this lonely spot it had been something more than this his attention returned to greylock as the baron's swordmaster mounted was there anything else owen said only this he urged you to count the threat as dire and take the warning with the most gravity do you know what that means not by his words eric but i'd be a fool not to guess it might be considered a wise thing if you are on your way to a new home when we return from crondor stefan has a temper that blinds him and a dangerous nature owen eric said as greylock made ready to ride on what do you think he ever really loved my mother greylock looked startled by the question he paused then said to that i cannot speak your father was a man to hide much within but this i can tell you whatever you read in that missive take to heart and count an honest telling for there is no deceit in the man's nature he rode off and eric found himself alone then he began to laugh everything in his life had stemmed from a deceit either greylock was a poor judge of his lord's nature or otto had reformed his ways after deceiving eric's mother but to eric it was of little significance which was the case unsure of his own feelings he began the trek home but one thing he knew greylock would not take the time to underscore his father's warning if it wasn't real and deadly for the first time in his life eric considered leaving ravensburg he laughed again at the irony of no more than a month's having passed since word returned from the guild that it had approved nathan's registration of eric as apprentice a bitter taste of tin filled eric's mouth and his stomach knotted as he moved through the twilight his desires were few and his needs simple yet it seemed fate had decreed them to be impossible not knowing what he could possibly say to his mother he walked like a man three times his age each step slow and deliberate his shoulders bent under an incredible weight chapter 3 murder eric halted the sound of so many horses who was pounding on the cobbles nearby was unusual in ravensburg he put down the bundle of clothing he had tied a moment before and set it upon the trunk containing his mother's personal belongings the sound was definitely louder now and eric knew a group of riders was heading for the inn he glanced at milo who was speaking softly to freda on the other side of the kitchen the decision to leave ravensburg had been difficult and to eric's surprise it had not been his mother who objected she seemed resigned to never realizing her girlhood dream of our sons being legitimized by his father it was nathan who had been the most vociferous in urging them to stay when it was clear they were leaving he bad them travel to the far coast he spoke in almost reverent terms of the nobles of the far coast duke marcus cousin to the king and his own baron of tulan who had done everything in his power to aid those who had suffered in the massive destruction of the far coast at the hands of pirates a quarter century earlier stefan's threats were repulsive to nathan whose view of the responsibilities of the nobility to the commons was at odds with the experience of most of those at the inn all milo would say was that nobility in the west was vastly different to that in darkmoor eric and freda had been gathering up their belongings making ready for the morning coach that would take them west to crondor eric was to call the hall of the guild of smith's with a letter from nathan explaining that he's leaving the forge at ravensburg had nothing whatsoever to do with his skills it explained more of the situation than eric was comfortable with having known by strangers but nathan had assured him the guild was like a family the letter urged the guild to find eric a position somewhere on the far coast or in the sunset islands the sound of horses entering the courtyard of the inn caused freyda to cast a worried look eric's way it was only two days since greylock had burned otto's message but still she was worried that stefan might act prematurely to harm her son eric opened the door to the rear courtyard and found 20 men in the baronial livery dismounting owen greylock at their head master greylock what is it eric half expected to hear owen say they'd come to arrest him but instead the baron swordmaster took eric by the arm and steered him away from the soldiers your father he suffered another seizure we turned around yesterday afternoon and now we must stop his kyrgin says he will not live to reach darkmoor he's been taken to the peacock's tale the most lavish inn in ravensburg and the rest of the men will be quartered in the other inns around the town another company rides all night to darkmoor to fetch the baroness your father will not live more than a few days eric felt surprisingly devoid of any feeling at the news of his father's impending death the message from him had made whatever childish fantasies about the man evaporate to be replaced by a distant image of a man unable to do the right thing by a common woman and his own child the closest feeling eric could muster was pity at last he spoke i don't know what to say have you given thought to our last conversation mother and i are leaving tomorrow morning good keep out of the town square tonight and see on the coach when it leaves stefan and manfred are understandably distressed and there's no telling what that hot-head stefan's capable of doing as long as the baron's alive he'll probably remain close at hand so if he doesn't catch sight of you all should be well glancing at the soldiers he said i will stay here with this guard until i'm summoned to the barren side eric knew that greylock had intentionally chosen to bring his own contingency of guards to the inn of the pin tale against the possibility of trouble and he said thank you owen just doing as my lord would want eric now go inside and tell milo i need all his rooms eric did as he was asked and soon the inn was busy with rosalind freda and milo all hurrying to get every room ready for guests each soldier saw to his own mount but eric and nathan had plenty to do fetching fodder into the barn and the large corral on the north side of the barn where 12 of the 20 mounts were herded eric finished bringing in the last bale of hay for the horses and washed up in the forge nathan came to stand behind him and said i'm sorry to hear about your father eric eric shrugged i don't have much feeling about this nathan milo's been the only father i've ever known though he acts more like an uncle you've treated me more like a son in the last five months than otto did my entire life i don't know what i should be feeling nathan put his hand on eric's shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze there's no should to it lad you feel what you feel and that's no right or wrong otto was your father but you never knew him his voice was quiet and calm as he went on it's changing diapers when the wife's too busy with another child's illness all listening to the child prattle after a long tiring day because it's your child's prattle that makes a father not getting a girl pregnant any fool can do that it's holding a child who's frightened at night or tossing one in the air to make a giggle you've had none of that from otto i can understand how you could feel a little at his passing eric turned to regard the burly smith i shall miss you nathan i mean what i said you helped me understand what a father should be like he embraced the older man and they hugged for a long moment nathan said and you've given me a chance to imagine what it would have been like had my sons lived eric i'll treasure that then with a harsh barking laugh only how made it hell to be my next apprentice lad you're a talent and you've got years of experience under your belt i may be short-tempered with some tangle-footed boy of 14 who's never stepped inside a forge before eric shook his head i somehow doubt that nathan you'll be fair with him well let's not dwell on partings let's go inside and grab some food before those soldiers eat everything in sight eric laughed at that and realized he was hungry despite the prospect of leaving the place of his birth and never returning and the specter of his father's death at any hour they entered the kitchen to find freda busy preparing food as if it were just another night at the inn and rosalind hurrying between the kitchen and the common room while milo fetched ale and wine from the tap room eric and nathan washed up and entered the commons instead of the usual loud talk the soldiers were quietly eating and drinking keeping their voices low owen sat alone at a corner table and motioned eric and nathan to join him they did and milo brought over three large glass goblets of wine when he had left owen said where are you bound for tomorrow eric crondle he said to the guild office for another apprenticeship so it's west then yes the far coast or the sunset islands nathan said they've found gems and gold in the mountains near general so the rush is on the trading houses from the free cities as well as every adventurer thief and swindler have descended there but it also means a good opportunity because the duke of christie's asked for additional smiths as well as other craft masters to be sent there owen nodded this place changes little and most of us are born into our lives with small chance of making them different out there with some ambition some thought and a touch of luck a common man can rise to riches or even to the nobility eric said riches with luck i guess but a commoner become a noble owen smiled his crooked smile it's not common knowledge but the king's advisor the duke of rillinon was common born truth said nathan he did some favor or another for the late prince of condor and was given a squires rank when he was but a lad his wit and service to the kingdom earned him a rapid rise and now he's second only to royalty and power he lowered his voice to a near whisper there are those who claim he was not only a common boy but a thief as well eric said that's impossible owen shrugged nothing is truly impossible i think eric said well maybe when he was a boy but that was 50 years ago owen nodded things change once centuries ago this was the frontier eric eric's brow furrowed as if he didn't understand nathan said i grew up on the far coast eric i think what friend greylock means is that you'll find a different stripe out there men who are concerned more with what you know and can do than with who you are or who your father was too many things going on to worry about rank you've got to depend upon your neighbors goblins dark elves bandits and other problems constantly coming at you those make a man glad for help close by you don't have time to worry about a lot of the things that make life here in the kingdom the way it is greylock nodded eric said nothing for a moment thinking about the possibility things might turn out right after all when the front door of the inn opened and rue hurried in he saw eric from across the room and quickly came through the crowded commons to where his friend sat nodding with as much deference as he could muster to the baron's swordmaster he said master greylock they need you over peacock sir owen threw a quick glance at eric his expression betrayed his worry it couldn't be good news he stood said a quick goodbye and left roo took his place nathan said yo a squire these days roo roo made a face as if that remark put a bad taste in his mouth i was hanging around the fountain by the growers in vintners hall and a soldier came out and told all of us to spread out and look for the swordmaster and fetch him to the peacock's tail so i told the other lads i'd come here eric smiled i was hoping you'd come by tonight i would have been here sooner but gwen was at the fountain and eric shook his head so you're back in her favor once again trying to be said rue nathan said how do you like to apprentice at the four drew it was a joke and they all knew it but rue still said what me get all dirty and grimy you get your hands calloused and the horses step on your feet not on your life i have plans eric smiled but nathan said really what sort of plans rue glanced around the room as if fearing to be overheard there are ways to make a living that have nothing to do with guilds and apprenticeships friend smith nathan's brow furrowed you're going to end up in jail roo rue put up his hands as if protesting innocence no nothing dodgy i swear it's just my father's been hauling enough from crondor up to here that i'm getting pretty good at nosing out what the markets are for different things i've saved a little money and i'm going to invest in a cargo one of these days nathan appeared impressed a shipping concern there are syndicates in crondor and salador that routinely underwrite the cost of freight halls from one city to another all cargos for ships bound to distant ports they have subscribers and return nice profits on their investments nathan nodded true but there's risk as well if a cargo isn't delivered on time your profit can vanish worse if bandits take the caravan or the ship sinks you lose everything rue looked as if this would never happen i plan on starting small and building up my capital for a few years what do you plan on doing to eat and put a roof over your head while you invest in these ventures asked nathan rue said well i haven't quite worked that out but how much capital have you rue interrupted nathan onto 30 golden sovereigns he said proudly nathan was impressed quite a beginning i think i'll forebear ask you how you've managed to amass such a young fortune and he turned to eric i'll suggest you get back to the forge and keep out of sight when the coach comes in the morning is time enough for your goodbyes if master greylock needs another word with you i'll send him to you eric nodded and rose rue followed him the two youngsters passed from the crowded common room to the kitchen where rosalind was hurrying to carry a large platter of steaming greens out to the soldiers freda worked feverishly over her stew as if it were just another busy night at the inn and not her last in the home of her birth eric walked outside with roo and as he passed the corral the horses there wandered over to investigate the two boys eric inspected their legs out of habit milo will need to order hay tomorrow he muttered to rue as he slowly walked along the fence this slot will have eaten the entire contents of the loft by the time they've gone rue turned and faced eric while they were walking he seemed to half skip half dance to keep from tripping while walking backwards eric let me come with you eric said why would you want to come with me look you're the only real friend i've got here and i've got no trade i wasn't joking about joining a syndicate i can get a job in crondor and invest my money until i'm rich once you get to crondor you'll see there's better things to do than return to apprenticeship eric laughed and stopped so rue wouldn't have to continue his backward walk what about your father he'd just assume be rid of me as not rue said with bitterness the bastard have a kind word for me since mum died suddenly as if by magic a dagger appeared in rue's hand then equally suddenly he returned it to inside his loose shirt i can take care of myself if i need to now let me come along eric said i'll talk to mother she's not likely to offer any encouragement you'll talk her into it well assume i do you need to get your things together and have some copper to pay the coach everything i have is in a bundle at my father's i'll run and get it eric shook his head and watched rue run off into the night he glanced around suddenly feeling melancholy this would be his last night under the barn roof it was a poor lodging by any measure occasionally leaky and offering too little protection from winter's cold and summer's heat but it was home and he'd miss milo and rosalind as he returned to his place in the loft eric thought of rosalind pretty but not teasing as gwen and some of the other girls were his feelings for her were often tempered by his sense of family she was the sister of his heart if not by blood and while he was as interested in girls as any boy his age something about rosalind made him uneasy in many ways he'd miss her most of all tired from the long day's work and from worry eric quickly dozed off only to be startled awake by a sudden feeling of panic he sat up and looked around the dark barn loft unseen enemies were hovering nearby the sound of men talking carried from the inn and the horses in the corral and barn snorted eric rolled over on his side head on his arm thinking about the strange feeling of danger that had suddenly come upon him he closed his eyes and again saw rosalind's face he would miss her and milo and nathan soon he was dozing again before he lapsed into a deep sleep he dreamed he heard rosalind gently calling his name eric eric came awake with a start as a hand shook his shoulder he had been hard asleep in a deep numbing slumber of emotional exhaustion and he couldn't quite get his bearings eric rue's voice cut through the gloom and eric looked up into his friend's face rue was dressed as he had been earlier but he wore a travel bundle tied around one shoulder slung over his back what is it you better come down quick down by the fountain rosalin eric half leapt down the ladder rue scampering down after him as fast as he could eric sprinted past the corral of horses and as he approached the inn could hear the voices from within what time is it nine o'clock was the last call half past that i think eric knew that with this many soldiers in town some of the town girls would be down at the fountain but rosalind was certainly not likely to be one of them what happened i don't know answered rue gwen can tell you eric ran through the streets until he came to the fountain where a group of three young off-duty soldiers were attempting to impress the local girls with tales of their heroics but the expression on gwen's face as he saw it in the lantern light showed that all thoughts of harmless flirtation were gone she looked very worried what is it demanded eric rosalin came here looking for you i was in the loft said eric gwen said she said she called for you there but you didn't answer eric cursed his sound sleep and said where is she now rue said they say she went off with stefan what eric turned his half-brother's name and gripped gwen by the arm tell me what happened gwen motioned for eric to follow her out of hearing of the soldiers she were going back to the inn when the baron's sons came stefan started saying sweet things to her but there was something about his manner she didn't like she tried to leave but didn't know how to say no to someone of his rank and when he took about the arm she went along but he didn't lead her back to the inn they went off toward the old orchard she pointed off in the general direction it was more dragging her along than escorting her eric eric had taken one step after them when gwen held his arm eric i've been with stefan the last time he was here i went to his rooms at the peacock her voice lowered as if she was ashamed to speak he left marks on the eric he likes to it while he's avenue and when i cried it made him laugh rue had been standing beside eric as eric turned away toward the apple grove roo saw an expression on eric's face that caused him to hesitate an instant while eric moved away with purposeful steps rue grabbed gwen by the arm go to the pin tail and find nathan tell him what happened and to come to the orchard rue hurried over to where the three soldiers watched eric disappear into the night one looked at rue with an open expression of curiosity on his face and rule said if you don't want bloodshed run and find owen greylock and tell him to come to the old orchard rue then ran as fast as he could after the rapidly receding figure of eric the slender boy was one of the fastest runners in town but eric had already moved out of the lantern light of the square and had vanished down the street leading to the old apple orchard at the edge of town rue hurried through the streets his footfall slapping the stones with a sound that seemed to evoke the anger and outrage in the night step sounded like a hand striking a face and with the sound rue felt his blood rise quick to anger slow to release a grudge rue knew a fight was coming and was composing himself to help his friend he didn't like stefan anyway from what he had seen of him but as each stride took him closer to confrontation it was turning into a serious hatred as he left the last buildings behind he caught a glimpse of eric at the far edge of his vision before he faded into the darkness rue hurried after but eric was possessed with an outrage that lent his feet wings rue had never seen eric run so swiftly rue crossed the low pasture and jumped the fence that brought him to the edge of the old orchard a favored meeting place for young lovers on warm nights reaching the edge of the trees cloaked in threatening darkness after the brightly lit town square and lantern-dressed streets rue was forced to slow to a walk he moved between the dark bowls then suddenly was upon eric who turned at his approach eric made a motion for silence then whispered over there i think as he tried to catch his breath rule listened and was about to say he heard nothing over the pounding of his own heart when a faint movement as if someone shifted his weight could be heard the softest rustle of cloth upon cloth it was in the general direction eric indicated rue nodded eric moved like a hunter stalking prey there was something very wrong in all of this rosalind would never have come away with any boy to the orchard for there was only one reason to be here rosalind was still a virgin of that eric was certain still too young to have a lover some girls like gwen matured early and enjoyed the company of older boys while others were shy rosalind was not only shy once outside her father's inn she was intimidated by the company of any boys besides eric and rue even the most innocent compliment would bring a blush to her cheeks and when the other girls started talking about the town boys she would excuse herself in embarrassment eric knew in his heart she was in danger and the silence of the orchard frightened him if another couple had been making love anywhere within this grove sounds would carry this quiet night abruptly both boys heard a sound that made their hair stand on end a girl's cry split the night followed by the sound of a fist striking flesh then silence eric leaped toward the sound rue hesitated an instant then followed eric ran without thought toward where the sound had come from then he saw rosalind and his world froze for an instant the girl lay back against the bowl of a tree her face bruised and a dress in tatters her blouse was torn from her exposing her breasts and her skirt was ripped away with only a tattered rag around her waist eric could see blood running from her nose and she was without motion eric felt something hot and blinding rise up within him a sense of movement rather than anything really seen caused eric to move to his right saving his life a searing pain erupted in his left shoulder as stefan's sword point pierced it with a cry of agony eric felt his knees go weak from the unexpected shock then roo flew past his friend driving his head into stefan's stomach eric almost fainted when the sword point was wrenched from his shoulder his vision swam and his stomach knotted and he had to force himself not to lose consciousness he forced himself back to his feet as he shook his head to clear it the sound of rue's panic stricken plea for help brought him back to alertness in the dark with only the middle moon shining through the branches he could see rue wrestling stefan on the ground the smaller lad had surprised stefan but that advantage was now gone stefan was using his superior strength and size to force himself atop rue only the fact that his sword was designed for fighting at arm's length saved roo's life had stefan held a dagger the boy would surely be dead as roo called his name eric ignored the terrible pain in his left shoulder and with a single step came up behind stefan he grabbed his half brother around the waist and yanked him up in a massive bear hug a primitive cry erupting from his own throat stefan's breath exploded from his lungs as the young smith's powerful arms closed hard around his chest the sword fell from stefan's hand as he was lifted abruptly off roux held above the ground all he could do was kick helplessly backwards at eric and claw at his hands eric stood like a man possessed by an avenging spirit as he attempted to crush the life from stefan he couldn't take his eyes from rosalind who lay in mute tableau a testimony to stefan's cruelty eric had seen her naked as a child for they had bathed together but not since they had grown the sight of her breasts her own blood dripping between them was something obscene to eric lover husband child should have touched that flesh with nurturing love his rosalind deserved better than the rough handling of a jaded and cruel noble rue rolled to his feet his dagger pulled from within his shirt murderous anger flashed in his eyes as he stepped forward stefan struggled with hysterical strength and eric felt his grip loosen as roo reached them eric heard a distant voice shout kill him and as roo drove home the blade eric realized the voice commanding stefan's death was his own stefan stiffened and bucked once then went limp and even when rue yanked free his blade the son of the baron did not twitch eric felt his skin crawl with an otherworldly sense of disgust as if he were holding something profoundly unclean and he let go stefan fell limply to the ground rue stood over him holding the still bloody dagger and eric saw rage was still in his friend's expression he said rue rue blinked and looked down at his blade then at stefan he wiped the blade on stefan's shirt and put it away frustration and anger still pumped through rue's mind and body in need of another target to vent them on he aimed a vicious kick at stefan's body the toe of his boot struck ribs breaking them with a final gesture of contempt he spit on the corpse suddenly the anger drained out of eric rue he repeated and his friend turned to face him eric's expression was one of confusion and rules a mask of equally confused anger a third time eric said his friend's name rule finally answered his own voice horse with excitement and fear what what have we done rue looked blankly at eric a moment then looked down at stefan instantly what had just occurred registered on him he rolled his eyes heavenward and said oh gods eric they're gonna hang us eric glanced around and the sight of rosalind shook him back to more pressing needs than concern over his own fate he crossed the distance between stefan's body and hers and knelt beside her she lived but her breath was shallow and labored and he moved her to a more upright position he watched helplessly not knowing if he should cover her up or see if he could stop the bleeding from her nose or what then she moaned slightly roo appeared with a fancy cloak obviously stefan's and covered her she's in danger said eric so we answered rue if we stay they'll arrest us and hang us eric eric looked as if he were about to pick up rosalind but rue said we must get away eric said what do you mean rue said we've killed a baron's son you idiot but he abused rosalind that doesn't give us a want to execute him eric do you want to go into court and swear that this was only about rosalind if it had been anyone else in the entire world but your own half brother he left the thought unfinished we can't leave her here said eric the sounds of men shouting echoed through the night she won't be undiscovered for long this orchard is going to be swarming with the barren soldiers in a few minutes as if to punctuate the observation eric could now hear distinct voices as the men advanced toward the orchard rue looked ready to run at a moment's notice as he looked around the glade we didn't have to kill him eric if we're putting the document to testify we can't honestly say we had to kill him rue put his hand on eric's arm as if to drag him from the scene i wanted him dead eric you did too we murdered him eric found it almost impossible to keep events clear in his head he knew he had felt something close to murder in his heart as he wrestled with stefan but now that was a distant memory and events were jumbled i've got my money here he indicated his travel bundle so we can make for condor and by passage to the sunset islands why there because if a man lives for a year and a day in the islands and commits no crime he's pardoned for whatever he did before he came there it's an old law from when the islands came into the kingdom but they'll be looking for us rosalind stirred with a faint moan of discomfort rue leaned down and asked can you hear me the girl didn't answer rue said they'll probably think we're going to kesh a man can hide in the veil of dreams and get across the border without much trouble the veil the border between great keshe and the kingdom was a no man's land of smugglers bandits and garrisons along both sides of the frontier men came and went and few questions were asked eric moved his shoulder experimentally and felt light-headed when a stabbing pain answered his movement this isn't right he said rue shook his head if we stay we'll be hung even if we had 20 witnesses manfred will make sure we were found guilty rule looked around as a distant shout split the night someone's coming we have to go now eric nodded i should go back to the in no said rue they'll expect that we must go down the old western trail we'll go all night and cut into the woodlands at daybreak if they send the dogs after us we'd better be across a dozen streams or more before noon mother began eric she'll be safe rue interrupted manfred has no reason to trouble her you were always a threat not your mother a shout from the far side of the orchard caused rue to swear they're on the other side already we're trapped eric said there he pointed to an old tree both had played in over the years the centerpiece of the old orchard the tree was heavily shrouded in leaves and might offer possible haven they crossed the short distance to the tree and rue said how's your shoulder hurts like blazes but i can move it rue didn't hesitate but scampered up the tree he moved as high as he could leaving the slightly heavier lower branches for eric by the time eric was out of sight torchlight and lanterns could be seen coming close roo shook for a moment as he lost balance then regained it and eric was now almost sick with pain fear and disgust stefan's death was still unreal to him he could see the dark shape of his body on the ground and expected him to rise up in a moment as if this were all some mummery put on at a festival then a soldier with a lantern saw rosalind master greylock over here through the leaves eric could barely make out the figures that rushed to where roslyn and stefan lay a few yards apart then he heard owen greylock's voice he's dead another voice asked how is the girl a third said she's in a bad way swordmaster we should get into the kai region then eric heard manfred shout of rage they've killed my brother an almost inaudible oath and a sobbing cry was followed by i'll kill him myself eric caught a glimpse of owen greylock's slender form between the nearby leaves and heard the barons swordmaster say we'll find those who did this manfred eric shook his head the three soldiers who had seen him and rue run after stefan and rosalind would certainly place them at the scene a soldier said i know there was bad blood between the bastard and your brother but why did they beat the girl eric knew then that they had already been identified eric felt his anger rise again a familiar voice said eric wouldn't harm rosalind nathan was there are you saying my brother did this master smith young sir i only know that this girl is as gentle as soul as the gods have placed upon this world she was a sister to eric and one of rule's few friends neither boy would armor then he pointedly added but i can certainly imagine them killing anyone who did manfred's voice rose in anger i'll have no excuse for black murder master smith no member of my family would do this manfred raised his voice to a shout of command i want every man on his horse and combing the countryside swordmaster if those two murderous dogs are found i want them held until i can join whichever soldiers find them i don't want them hung until i'm there to watch nathan's voice cut through the muttering of the gathered soldiers there'll be no hanging them out of hand young lord that's the law and as you are a member of the family that's wronged neither you nor your father can sit in judgment when caught eric andrew were to be bound over to a king's justice or magistrate then nathan's tone became warning eric is a guild apprentice so if you really want troubles young sir try to put my apprentice into a noose without you lit you'd bring the guild into this asked manfred our wood answered nathan eric felt tears gather in his eyes nathan at least understood why this had happened i'll suggest the young lord returns to his father's side someone needs to break this grave news to him and it should be someone he loves to drive the point into the ground he said it should be yo young sir there was a stirring and a weak cry from rosalind and nathan took command master greylock would you ask two of your lads to carry the girl back to the inn greylock gave instructions and began issuing commands to search for eric and roo they remained in the tree while soldiers fanned out in all directions and said nothing to each other until it had been quiet for some time then slowly they dropped to the ground and crouched ready to bolt should any noise indicate they were discovered at last rue said for a while we've looked on our side why they don't think we're behind them as they widen the circle to find us there'll be more places we can slip through any local farmer would think of the old western trail but greylock's probably never heard of it all his trips west have been by the king's highway for a while we can worry about soldiers in front of us not behind us eric said i think maybe we should give ourselves up rue said you may have nathan and the guild to protect you maybe but i don't manfred will get me young before the sun sets on the day they find me and don't think he's likely to worry about the law much if it dawns on him that you're now a threat to his inheritance not stefan's eric felt a sinking in his stomach rue whispered you've made him barren next and i don't think he's gonna want you around to thank you eric we're dead men if we can't make straight to the sunset islands eric nodded he was still light-headed and in pain but he rose to unsteady feet without another word he followed rue into the darkness chapter four fugitives eric fell roux turned and helped his friend back to his feet in the distance the baying of hounds could be heard accompanied by the clatter of horses the boys had been running on and off since leaving the orchard the night before with no more than a few minutes rest at any one time eric's wound refused to stop bleeding though the flow was slight still it throbbed and burned with heat and he felt himself grow weaker by the hour as they worked their way down out of the low mountains of darkmoor the area west of darkmoor and north of the king's highway was still fairly under-populated rocky terrain with little to recommend itself to farmers much of the land had been timbered out but left unplowed thick stands of trees gave way to a sea of stumps only to be replaced by unexpected rocky ridges this region was rich with gullies ravines dead-end canyons and low flat meadows despite their having run down any number of streams the sound of the dogs had been carrying on the wind for hours and as eric weakened the sound was getting closer as the morning sun crested the peaks behind them eric said where are we rue said i'm not sure when we left the old wagon trail i think we turned round a bit the sun's in the right place we're still heading west eric looked around perspiration streaming off his forehead he wiped it away and said we better keep going roon nodded but after three or four fumbling footsteps eric collapsed rue tried to help his friend up why do you have to be so damn big eric gasped for air and said go on without me rue felt the hair rise upon his neck and felt panic slash through his stomach finding strength he didn't know he had he forced eric to his feet and have to explain to your mother how i lost you i don't think so roo silently prayed that eric could hold on long enough for them to find shelter and hide from the dogs rue was terrified one of the heartiest lads in ravensburg eric had stamina almost as legendary as his strength among the boys he grew up with his ability to work from dawn to dusk since the age of ten his ability to carry iron ingots to the forge his ability to withstand the constant weight of draft horses leaning on him while being shot all had given eric an almost superhuman stature among the town's people his weakness was as alien to rue as it was to eric himself rue found it far more frightening than anything else that confronted them with eric at his side he felt he had a fighting chance to survive without eric he was helpless rue sniffed the air do you smell something eric said only the stink of my own sweat over there room motioned with his chin eric put his hand against his friend's shoulder and rested a moment as he sniffed the air charcoal that's it there must be a charcoal burners upwind it might mask our scent said rue i know we can't go much further you gotta rest get your strength back eric only nodded and rue assisted him as they moved toward the source of the smoke through light woods they stumbled as the sound of the dogs grew louder by the minute eric and roo were not woodsmen but as boys they had played in the woodlands near ravensburg enough to know those searching for them were less than a couple of miles behind and coming fast the woods thickened and grew more difficult to navigate darker shadows confusing their sense of direction but the smell of burning wood grew stronger by the time they reached the hut their eyes stung from it an old woman ugly beyond belief stood tending a charcoal kiln feeding small cuts of wood into it banking flames as she ensured the wood burned down properly too hot and she'd have ashes seeing the two young men suddenly appear out of the gloom she shrieked and almost dove inside the rude hut beside which her kiln rested the shrieking continued and rue said she'll bring them down on us if this keeps up eric tried to raise his voice over her shouting we mean you no harm the shrieking continued and rue added his protestations of no evil intent to eric's the woman continued to shriek finally eric said we'd best leave we can't answer drew you're on your last legs now he said nothing about the wound which continued to weep blood despite the rags pressed against it stumbling down a small incline to the charcoal burner's hut they confronted a simple piece of hide that served as a door eric leaned his weight against the mud-covered wall and pulled aside the leather door the woman huddled back against the bale of rags that served as her bedding shrieking all the more eric finally shouted woman we mean you no harm instantly the shouting ceased well she answered her voice as raspy as a wire brush on metal why didn't you say something eric almost laughed he felt so light-headed and giddy roo said we were trying to but you kept screaming getting up off the rags showing a surprising nimbleness for our age and weight easily as much as eric's and he stood a good foot and a half taller than she the woman stepped out of the hut roo reflexively stepped back she was the ugliest human being he had ever encountered if indeed she was human from her appearance she could possibly be one of those trolls he had heard about that haunted the woodlands of the far coast her nose was a lumpy red protrusion resembling a large tuba with one big wart on the tip of it from which several long hairs grew her eyes could only be called piggish and they wept from some sort of inflammation her teeth were blackened stumps with green edges and her breath was as foul as anything rue had remembered smelling that wasn't dead her skin looked like dried leather and he shuddered to consider what her body under that assortment of filthy rags might resemble then she smiled and the effect was heightened come to pay all girl to visit have you she tried to be girlish as she combed her fingers through gray hair tangled with straw and dirt and had the boys not been so tired and frightened they would have laughed well my man has gone to the city so maybe my friend is hurt interrupted rue suddenly the old woman's manner changed again as she caught the sound of the dogs on the wind king's men are hunting you thought about lying but eric said yes rue said baron's men really same thing soldiers she spat the last word well you'd better hide she motioned for them to enter the tiny hut they won't find you in there rue helped eric into the hut and gagged at the stench eric's eyes watered and he gasped i thought tintel's room was bad roo said try breathing through your mouth gert knelt down next to eric and said let me look at that motioning to his bloodstained shoulder eric pulled aside his tunic and the rags the rags pulled the skin where blood had dried and he gasped in pain probed the wound with a filthy finger and said sword wound seen hundred of them swollen around it got the odd sickness in it gonna kill you boy if we don't clean it out you got a strong stomach she asked rue he nodded swallowing hard i'm here and haven't thrown up yet have i hey she almost cackled as she laughed there's more to you than meets the eye rue avery she rose up as high as the low floor permitted and said i've just the thing to put you right be back in a jiffy rue laid back glad to be resting despite the stench of the hut he glanced around enough gaps in the wall permitted light to enter and he saw what looked to be a water jar with a long neck he moved the clay vessel and heard a promising sound of liquid pulling the cork he sniffed and got no odour he sipped and was rewarded with fresh water drinking a huge mouthful he suddenly realized he was ignoring his sick friend he put the neck of the jar to eric's lips and he drank several mouthfuls then sank back into the pile of rags a fly began to buzz around rue's head and he absolutely swatted at it eric drifted off into a difficult slumber his fatigue overwhelming his fear his breathing came heavily and perspiration continued to pour off his brow roo tried to relax wondering if they could trust this strange old woman but knowing that further flight was next to hopeless then suddenly there was the sound of barking nearby and gert's shriek cut the air eric came awake with a start at the sound what he began but rue grabbed his arm dogs could be heard barking nearby and gert shouted shoo away with you then horses approached and the boys heard gert shout get these miserable curse away they'll be biting old gert in a minute a commanding voice said have you seen two men one large and blond the other short and dark and if i do what's it to you they're wanted for murder murder is it there was a long pause punctuated by the sounds of the dog sniffing the area on the occasional odd yelp of inquiry what's their lord eric felt rules hand tighten on his arm at that and the answer was the barons offered 100 gold sovereigns for their arrest that's a bit tired isn't it said gert well i haven't seen him but if i do i'll want the gold check inside the hut ordered the leader here now gert began to protest stand aside old woman eric backed away trying as hard as he could to push himself backward through the dirt wall while rue drew the ragged filthy blanket up below his chin the leather door was swept aside and the light was almost blinding after the darkness a stench said the soldier drawing back go on commanded the leader of the troop the soldier stuck his head back inside and blinked against the darkness then looked directly at rue and eric he looked to one side and then the other and at last pulled his head back out nothing in there but filthy rags and some pots cat and eric exchanged glances of wonder in the gloom what magic was this what's the matter with the dogs asked the captain the man who must have been the houndsmaster said they seem to have lost the scent the charcoal must be confusing them then let's go back to the last place you know they had it and begin again lord manfred will have our ears if those murderers escape the dogs began to bark as the houndmaster blew his whistle commanding them to follow the horses rode away and rue let out his breath held since the soldier stuck his face into the hut what caused that arthrous eric said i don't know maybe it was too dark to see no it was a spell this girt is a witch of some sort eric said the captain said lord manfred my father's dead roo didn't know what to say he glanced at his friend in the gloom he saw that eric had leaned back and closed his eyes after a few moments the leather door was pulled back instead of gert a young woman appeared before them tall enough to have to lean forward to enter her hair was dark black in the gloom of the hut and her features were masked as she was silhouetted against the daylight what began rue saying nothing she replied then turned to eric let me examine that wound something in her manner caused rue to feel uncertain her clothing was none descript at least what he could see of it a simple dress of some middling color perhaps gray perhaps green or blue it was difficult to tell in the dark hut her features were partially visible now that the door was again shut she had a high forehead and a regal nose fine features that would have looked pretty had they not been set in an expression of concentration she pulled back eric's tunic and glanced at the wound this will have to come off help me she ordered rue he helped eric stay upright as the woman gathered up the bottom of the tunic and pulled it up and over eric's head causing him no little pain he lay back perspiration running off his body panting as if he had exerted himself in hard work for hours she touched the wound and he grunted in pain teeth clenching you're a fool eric von darkmoor two three more days and you'll be dead from blood poison rue got a good look at the woman and thought she was beautiful but something very off-putting in our manner made him view it as a distant unobtainable sort of beauty where's gert asked rue softly off on some business for me came the answer who are you i told you to say nothing rue avery you need to learn there are times to speak and times to listen and which time is which when you have need to speak you may call me miranda she set about tending eric's wound from somewhere in the cluttered hut she produced a bag from which she fetched a small vial opening it she poured the contents over the wound and eric gasped the pain then he relaxed she next pulled the cork from a flask of liquid and said drink this eric obeyed and made a face it's bitter not as bitter as untimely death said miranda she quickly finished tending eric's wound placing a poultice over it and then bandaging it by the time she was finished eric was asleep without another word she rose and left the hut roo watched eric sleep for a minute then got to his feet and peeked outside there was no sign of another person and he left the hut looking around he saw only the charcoal kiln smoldering and a pile of dog droppings from when the pack had been nearby but otherwise the area was deserted hello there love came a cheerful voice behind him and rude jumped he turned to find gert approaching with a pile of wood in her arms where is she asked rue where's so miranda gert stopped and made a face miranda can't say as i know any miranda when the soldiers left i went to get more wood to burn i haven't seen any miranda a young woman about this tall he held his hand up a bit higher than his own head with dark hair very pretty came into the hut and tended eric's wound pretty you see gert scratched her chin i think you must have been dreaming boy roo took a step toward the hut drew aside the high door and said did i dream that he pointed to the fresh bandage on eric's shoulder gert stared at it that's a puzzler now into dairy she stood there a minute the old man had a queer folk in the woods though perhaps she was one of those elf creatures here of or a ghost roo said she was the most flesh and blood ghost you'll ever see and she looked nothing like any elf i've heard of he looked at gert and saw her smiling then her expression turned somber well some mysteries are best left alone i've got wood to burn so get back in there and take a rest i have something to eat around here somewhere roo felt fatigue wash over him rest is good he muttered suddenly tired beyond belief the thought of sharing a meal with gert did nothing for his sense of well-being but sleep was welcome re-entering the hut he was surprised he didn't notice the stench this time must have gotten used to it he thought quickly he felt a heavy lethargy sweep over him odd sounds intruded but he found them difficult to identify he lapsed into a deep sleep ignoring the very busy sounds of preparation from outside a chattering from above caused rue to sit upright brushing leaves from his face he looked around then up and saw the author of the scolding racket a red squirrel defiantly challenging their right to be camped under his tree before roo could clearly focus on the creature it vanished around the bowl then he realized he was outside he turned and saw eric sleeping soundly under a clean blanket his chest rising and falling evenly his color good rule looked down and saw he was likewise bundled against the night's chill in another heavy blanket and he felt behind him to where his head had rested like eric's his head had rested on a travel bundle his own was missing he opened the new one fearing he had been robbed inside he discovered a clean tunic and trousers a fresh pair of underdrawers and stockings and at the bottom he found his money pouch he quickly counted and was pleased to find his 27 golden sovereigns and 16 silver royals all there rue stood and found himself remarkably rested of the charcoal burner's hut there was no sign not even ashes from the kiln roof felt he should have been alarmed by this but he found himself amused and close to happy he knelt beside eric and tried to examine the bandage it was still clean and if anything looked as if someone had just changed it he gently reached out and touched his friend on the arm eric he said eric came awake blinking for a moment then sat up wha i just wanted to see how you felt eric looked around where are we last thing i remember a hut and an old woman eric nodded and someone else too but i can't recall who miranda said rue she said that was her name but old gert said she knew nothing of her stood and extended his hand to eric eric took it and let his friend pull him to his feet expecting to be the worst for wear eric discovered he felt fairly fit how's the shoulder stiff he answered as he moved it experimentally but better than i thought it would be rue looked around there's no hut no kiln no good no nothing eric said and what are these he pointed to the two blankets and bundles on the ground someone was taking great pains to see we don't freeze in the night and they've given us clean clothing eric suddenly looked at the clothing he was wearing and then pulled away his tunic and sniffed i should smell like a horse after a day in the field but i don't and this shirt feels clean rue examined his own clothing you don't suppose old gert gave us a bath he found fear rising up rather than humor eric shook his head i don't know what to think then he glanced around it's about nine o'clock from the angle of the sun so this day is a quarter over we better get moving again i don't know why the soldiers didn't find us in the hut but they'll come back and check again i'm certain check your bundle said rue see what's in it eric did as he was bidden and found his was packed much the same as rules fresh shirt and trousers underdrawers and stockings also there was a small loaf of hard bread and a note he unrolled the tiny parchment and read aloud you lads are safe for the time being make straight for crondor and barrett's coffee shop eric you're now in our debt gertz and mine miranda rue shook his head running from the king's justice and now we're in debt to a pair of witches witches what else do you think said rue looking as if a demon were about to leap up from the earth and snatch him to hell he glanced around the color gone from his face look at that that's the same little ridge we had to come down to reach the hut there was a hut and a kiln now there's no sign that anyone's ever been here he walked over to where the kiln had been there's no soot no ashes even if you move the bloody damn thing you couldn't clean up this much he got down on one knee there's got to be something his voice was growing loud as if he was becoming angry at discovering the hut and kill missing damn it eric someone stripped us bathed us cleaned our clothing and dressed us again and we never woke up what else could it be but magic he rose and went over to eric he put his hands on his friend's arms and said we're trapped by a debt to two evil black witches his voice continued to get louder and eric realized anger was quickly turning into hysteria easy said eric as he placed his hands on rue's shoulders and squeezed reassuringly moving to where the kiln had been he looked quickly around there's nothing left to show we were ever here that's for certain he rubbed his chin gurt was no beauty but i don't remember anything about her that smacked of evil rule no one that ugly could be good believe me said rue his tone showing he was obviously not reassured by eric's judgment eric smiled it's a mystery and it makes my flesh crawl too but we were not harmed and i see no way anyone which or not could force us to serve without our consent i know little of this but the priests claim you can only enter the service of dark powers willingly i'll not be obliged for a favor unasked for should the price be a black deed fine you can sound like a litigation solicitor all you wish while demons are carrying you off to the seven lower hells but i'm making straight for a temple when we reach crondor and asking for protection eric shook rude gently by the arm take a breath and let's be off if you're right and we need protection we still must reach crondoll first they may think it likely was striking for the veil of dreams but that patrol last night means they're looking everywhere rue bent down to pick up the bundle and blanket and as he folded the blanket he noticed something eric yes roo see that dog done over there eric looked over partly amused and said what about it i noticed that last night when i went out to talk to gert but look at it now eric knelt and saw the dried droppings these are days old he started searching around and found a place where one of the horses had also relieved himself not too far away three or four days from the look of it he said after causing the horse dung to fall apart with a touch of his boot toe we slept three or four days from the look of it eric repeated can we leave now eric smiled but there was no humor in it he picked up his blanket folded it and tucked it inside the bundle then he swung it over his shoulder saying i think we'd best do so roo gathered together his new bundle shoved the blanket inside in a haphazard fashion and swung it over his back without another word the two lads headed west eric held up his hand they had been traveling for three days moving steadily westward through the woodland north of the king's highway they avoided the occasional farm they encountered and lived off wild berries and the bread they had found in their bundles hard and chewy it nevertheless provided surprising nourishment and kept them going eric's shoulder was healing rapidly far sooner than either young man thought possible they spoke little fearing discovery and fearing also to delve into the mystery of the charcoal burner's hut it had been the second day after leaving that they realized that both gert and miranda had known their names without either young man's having mentioned them towards sundown a distant voice cried out a wordless sound of pain eric and rue exchanged glances and moved away from the narrow path they had followed whispering roo said what's up someone's hurt said eric his voice as low as his friends what should we do avoid trouble answered eric that may be miles away sound carries funny out here neither of them had been too far from their hometown as boys so there was always some background sound of civilization no matter how faintly heard a voice crawling across the vineyards the sound of a wagon caravan moving down the distant king's highway a woman singing while she washed clothing in a stream these woodlands were hardly wild having been heavily forested over the years for lumber but they were infrequently travelled and were therefore dangerous other law breakers besides eric and rue were likely to be hiding in the forest eric and roo moved along at a slow pace reluctant to rush into danger near sunset they found a man lying on his back below a tree a crossbow bolt in his chest his eyes were rolled back into his head and his skin was cold roo said it's funny what's funny he looked at eric we killed stefan but i never got a good look at him this is the first dead man i've had a chance to look at tyndall was the first for me said eric who do you think this is what you mean said rue soldier of some sort he indicated the sword held in loose fingers and the small round shield still on the left arm a simple conical helm with a bar nasal lay a short distance away having rolled off his head when the man fell rule said there might be something useful here stripping the dead is not to my liking answered eric rue knelt next to the man and investigated the contents of a small pouch he won't mind and we can certainly use that sword in the pouch he found six copper coins and a ring of gold this will be worth a bit he said looks like a wedding band observed eric the dead man was young only a few years older than himself i wonder if it was intended for his sweetheart perhaps he was going to ask her to wed roo pocketed the ring we'll never know one thing for certain he's never going to get the chance to ask roo took the sword and handed it hilt first to eric why me because i have my knife and i never used a sword in my life neither have i protested eric well if you need to just swing it like a hammer and hope you hit someone you're strong enough you should be able to do a lot of damage if you connect eric picked up the sword then pulled the shield off the man's arm and put it experimentally on his own it felt alien but he felt better for having it there rue put the helm on his own head and when eric looked at him with a questioning expression he said you got the shield eric nodded as if this made sense and the two set off leaving the nameless man to the scavengers of the forest the idea of burial was ignored as they had no shovel and were concerned that whoever killed the man might still be around a short time later they heard movement in the brush ahead eric signaled rue for silence then motioned that they should circle off to the right roon nodded and began walking with a tiptoed exaggeration that would have been comic if eric hadn't been as badly frightened as his friend they almost walked past the man but he shifted his weight and they heard the brush he hid in russell then a dull thud sounded as a crossbow bolt sped through the air and struck a tree nearby from a short distance away a fearful voice shouted with false bravado i have enough bolts to fail an army you bastard you'd better leave me alone i'll do to you what i did to your friend then from what seemed almost within touching distance a voice shouted leave your wagon and run old man i'll not bother you but i mean to have your cargo you can't stay awake forever and if i set eyes on you again i'll cut your throat for what you did to jaime eric could hardly act he was so startled by the sound of the man's voice so close rule looked at his friend eyes wide in fright and motioned that they should move away eric was about to nod agreement when a voice shouted hey suddenly a man with a sword and shield stood up less than six feet ahead of them he saw eric and rue and leapt toward them brandishing his sword as another bolt flew through the air missing all three of them eric reacted he blindly thrust with the sword not intending to do more than push the fighter away the man tried to parry but he was expecting a faint not a blind thrust and eric's sword slipped along the man's blade and the point took him in the stomach both eric and the man stared at each other with astonishment on their faces then with what sounded like a faint damn the man collapsed at eric's feet eric was rooted in shock but rule leapt away and for his trouble was almost impaled by another boat hey he yelped who is that asked a voice from beyond the brush eric hazarded a look through the brush beyond the man he had just killed and saw a wagon sitting in a small clearing two horses stood in traces beyond it and behind it a crouching figure waited we're not bandits cried rue we just killed the man you were shooting at i'll shoot you too if you come closer cried the man behind the wagon we won't come closer shouted eric a note of desperation in his voice we just blundered into this mess and we don't want any trouble who are you rue pulled on eric's sleeve we're on our way to crondor looking for work who are you who i am is no one's business but my own roo got a familiar look one eric knew meant rue was planning something that usually got both of them in trouble look if you're a merchant traveling alone you're an idiot shouted rue he spoke now in a voice forced to ease he looked green at the sight of the dead man if you're out here you must be a smuggler i'm no damn smuggler i'm an honest trader who's avoiding paying toll on the king's highway replied rue there's no law against that came the answer rue grinded eric true but it's certainly hard way to save some copper look if we come out slowly will you promise not to shoot there was silence then come ahead but i've got a bolt pointed at you rue and eric moved slowly out of the woods into the clearing hands held where they could be seen eric held the sword point down because he had no scabbard in which to sheath it and he had the shield back on his arm so the man could see he was not hiding a weapon in the other hand your couple of boys said the man he stepped out from behind the wagon holding an old but obviously youthful crossbow leveled at them the man was gaunt and looked older than his years long dark hair fell to his shoulders from beneath a felt cap with a tarnished badge on it his clothing was old and oft mended and he obviously cared nothing for fashion his tunic was green his leggings red his boots brown and his belt black he wore a yellow scarf and nothing about him was remotely appealing his beard was gray and his eyes were black roo said master merchant you chose a brave course but it almost proved your undoing likely your bandits like those other two he answered making a threatening gesture with the crossbow i should put a bolt through you just to be safe eric was out of patience with this talk and queasy from the bloodshed well shoot one of us damn it and the other will cut you in two the man almost jumped back but seeing eric plant his sword point first in the dirt he lowered his crossbow slightly roo said you have no driver drive myself said the merchant you really keep your overhead down observe rue what do you know about overhead ask the man i know a thing or two about business said rue in the insouciant tone eric knew well it meant rue had almost no idea what he was talking about who are you repeated the man i am rupert answered rue and my big friend's name is carl interrupted eric not wishing his identity known rue winced as if he should have thought of that himself rupert carl sounds that variant to me we're from dartmoor said rue then winced again lots of ad variants stuck in darkmoor rupert and carl are common enough names i'm at varian said the man putting away his crossbow helmut grindel merchant are you going west asked eric no snapped helmet i've just got the horses facing west for my amusement they're trained to walk backwards eric flushed look we're bound for crondor if you don't mind company i do mind snap the merchant i was doing fine until those two murderers tried to boost my cargo and i would have killed the second one i was just about to let fly into that brush when you killed him for me eric said i'm sure look we're going to crondor and it would profit us all if we stayed together i don't need guards and i won't pay for mercenaries eric said uh wait i don't mean you need to pay us rue leptin will share god duty with you for food besides i can drive your team you're a teamster i can drive up to six horses without a problem rue lied his father had taught him to handle four helmut thought about it very well i'll feed you but you're standing night watch and i sleep with my crossbow eric laughed no need to fear master merchant we may be murderers but we're not thieves his bitter irony was lost on the man who grumbling motion for them to approach the wagon we've still got the better part of an hour's light left so there's no sense in dawdling let's get moving rue said get started and i'll catch up that second man had another sword see if he has any gold shouted helmet after him bending over he said to eric he'll probably lie to us both if he finds any it's what i would do not waiting for a reply he clambered up on the seat of the wagon and shouted at the horses as he shook the reins eric watched as the overworked and underfed animals pulled into the traces and the wagon lurched forward chapter 5 crondor the wagon halted helmut grindel pointed crondor eric sitting in the back of the wagon and turned and looked over the shoulders of grindel and rue who had been driving eric had been impressed to discover that for once his friend really could back up his claim he drove the team like an experienced teamster obviously rules father had been good for something besides getting drunk and beating up on him eric looked down the long winding road known as the king's highway they had turned south after grindel had passed the last toll station entering the road near a town called haverford twice before that patrols of armed soldiers had ridden past but at no time did they even pause to look at rue or eric as rue snapped the reins and the wagons started down the road toward the city a patrol of city guardsmen rode towards them eric sat as calmly as he could in the rear attempting to look as much like just another wagon guard as possible rue's hands knotted on the reins and the rear left horse snorted at the tension in the line not sure if she was asked to change pace or direction rule forced himself to relax and the two of them watched as the soldiers approached then abruptly the guards pulled up there's a long way said the guard sergeant grindel asked what's the holdup the king has entered the city southgate by the palace is sealed off for his retinue everyone else is forced to use the north gates he said waving in the general direction grindel's wagon was headed and the gatewatch is searching the wagons grindel swore as the guards rode off rue and eric exchanged glances rue shook his head slightly indicating eric should say nothing about the wagon search in conversational tones he said that's some city that she is replied grindel crondor sprawled at the head of a large bay beyond which an expanse of blue stretched off to the horizon the bitter sea the old city was walled but an extensive foulberg the part of the city outside the walls had grown up over the years until now it was much larger than the inner city inside the walls the view was dominated by the palace of the prince of crondor which sat atop a hill hard against the south side of the bay ships looking like tiny white slips of paper rested at anchor or sailed in and out of the bay rue said master grindel what do you think of the best commodities to ship from this city eric suppressed a groan as the merchant began his long answer in the days since joining up with grindel roo had been pestering the merchant for ideas on making money at first the man was reluctant as if roo would somehow steal a thought from him and he'd be the poorer for it rue made several statements as if they were fact that got the old merchant going telling the youth he was an idiot and would end up ruined before he was 20 years old when challenged as to why he'd open up with a sound argument by cleverly asking questions rue would turn the conversation into an ongoing lecture on how to conduct business rare that's the thing said grindel you can hear there's a shortage of hides from making boots in ilith so corner all hides in crondor you can by the time you reach illith you'll find some lad from the three cities that already imported ten wagon loads of hides and you're ruined but rarities there are always rich men looking for fine cloth precious gems exotic spices and they like glancing around to see was not overheard he continued you can build volume in commodities you can be the largest world shipper in the west but one plague of anthrax on the sheep herds one ship sunk on its way to the far coast and bang he slapped his hands together for emphasis one of the horses cocked an ear at the noise you're ruined i don't know said rue people may not have money to buy luxuries but they have to eat said grindel rich people always have money to buy luxuries poor people often don't have money to buy food and rich people may eat better than poor but one man can only eat so much no matter how rich what about one grindel launched into a discussion and eric sat back turning his mind to the last few days at first bored by the chatter eric discovered there was a lot about the business world that was interesting especially in terms of risk versus reward grindel claimed he was only a modest merchant but eric was beginning to believe that was intentional understatement the cargo in the wagon was an odd mix a half dozen bolts of embroidered silk a dozen small jars carefully lashed together with huge amounts of cotton wadding for protection some wooden boxes with heavy cord tied around them and some odd sacks the boys never asked what was in the packages and grindel never volunteered from the course of the recent discussion eric assumed the man traded in precious goods small but of high value and wore poor clothing and drove a modest appearing wagon to throw off suspicion suspected grindel might have gems or some other cargo of small bulk and large value there the first night together eric had noticed that while the wagon was dirty on the outside it was clean in the back where the cargo lay and it was very well repaired the wheels had recently been reset and the work had been first rate with the hubs properly packed and the iron bands on the wheels carefully attached with more than the minimum number of nails the horses were likewise more than they seemed grindel kept them modestly dirty though not enough to pose a health problem but they were scruffy looking animals until you examined them closely their hooves were trimmed at the proper angle and the shoeing was absolutely masterful as good as any eric had seen the animals were more than sound they were fit and well cared for every night grindel supplemented their roadside grazing with fresh grain from a bag he stored under the wagon seat roo clucked and rustled the reins and the wagon rolled forward again moving in behind a long line of wagons that was stretching along the highway toward the city grindel said this is the longest damn weight i've seen in my life it doesn't look like we're moving anytime soon i'll go look roo handed the reins to grindel eric said i'll go with you and let down off the wagon following after rue as they moved along several wagon drivers were standing up in their seats attempting to see what the delay ahead might be ten or so wagons ahead of grindels they encountered a teamster heading back toward the end of the line muttering curses what's hold up our through the man didn't even look at them as he said some damn nonsense if you ask me they're searching their wagons before they even reach the outer edge of the fallberg couldn't do it at the city gate proper like no they set up a second search point down at the creek bridge i guess they just have to ruin a man's chances of art dinner it'll be hours before we get through the man reached his own wagon five ahead of grindels and swung up to take the reins from his apprentice prince's funeral every noble in the west and half from the east in town and market day yet they're climbing through every wagon and looking at every man coming in like they were on the hunt for the king's own murderer the man's comments descended into general muttering peppered by some colorful obscenities as eric motioned for rue to come away out of earshot of anyone in the waiting line of wagons roo said what do we do eric said i don't know with all this funeral stuff going on it may be something else they're on the watch for but it could be our next if they're looking for us he thought a minute maybe we wait until dark circle away from this road and see if there's another way into town less watched and there's still the problem of getting into the city proper behind the wall one at a time if we can get into the fallberg we can find a way through the walls i'm certain there's always a way in and out of a city for folks who don't want too much attention drawn to themselves thieves and smugglers yeah what if we circle the city and strike out for another port too far said rue i don't know how far land's end is to the west but i remember my father swearing a blue streak when he had to go there almost half again as far he'd say and i don't know what sort of ports there are to the north besides on the road without grindel's wagon we'd stand out like we were painted red eric nodded well we better go back and say something to grindel so he doesn't get suspicious he's suspicious already but he's not overly curious which is better answered rue then with his infectious grin he added besides i think he likes me he says he has a daughter i should meet and i'll bet you she's as ugly as he is eric had to laugh going to marry for money as they approached grindel's wagon roo said only if i get the chance grindel listened as they explained the delay then said are you going on ahead rue said i think so we can get through the gate faster if we go now and you're safe from any marauders so you don't need our company any longer master merchant we've got business near the port and the sooner we can get there the better well then the gods speed to you and if you ever return to crondor drop by and tell me how you're doing to rue he said you're a rogue and a liar boy but you have the makings of a good merchant if you just stop thinking everyone else around you is slower than yourself that will be on doing you mark my words rule laughed and waved goodbye to grindel as eric shouldered his travel bag they walked down the line of wagons until they were sure they were out of sight of the merchant and then they angled off away from the king's highway and toward a small farm to the north eric swatted a persistent fly that refused to stay away from his face got the little bastard he said with satisfaction rue waved away several others and said now if you could manage to kill all his little brothers and sisters as well eric lay back on a bale of straw the farm was deserted looking as if the entire household had gone into the city for some reason it was a well-tended small holding with a house two outbuildings one a privy and the other a root cellar and a barn they had found the barn unlocked and wagon tracks leading away so eric suppose the farmer and his family had been stuck somewhere in that long line of people waiting to get into the city or had gotten there earlier in the day eric and rue were waiting for sundown before attempting to cross the open fields to the east of the city and make their way into the fallberg rue was confident that once they found a likely inn he could find someone to show them the way into the city for a small fee eric wasn't a certain of the plan but had nothing to offer by way of an alternative so he said nothing they sat at the rear of the barn beneath the hayloft eric yes how do you feel not bad my shoulder feels like new no i don't mean that said roo nibbling on a long straw i mean about everything killing stefan and the rest eric said nothing for a long while at last he said he needed killing i guess i don't feel much of anything i felt very strange when he went all limp after you stuck him i felt a lot worse when that bandit got in the way of my sword point that made me feel sick he was quiet for a minute it's odd isn't it i hold my own half brother so you can kill him and don't feel much not even relief because of the way he abused rosalind but a complete stranger a murderer probably and i feel almost like vomiting roo said don't be sad on murderers that's us remember he yawned maybe you have to be holding the blade that rubber dying didn't bother me but i can still feel the way it was when i stuck my dagger into stefan i was sure mad at him then eric let out a long sigh it doesn't do to dwell on this i think we're outlaws and there's nothing to do for it but try to get to the sunset islands there's a legacy of some sort waiting for me at barrett's coffee house and i mean to go there then find the first ship heading west what legacy rue sounded intrigued you never mentioned it before well legacy may be too big a word my father left something for me with a solicitor and litigator at barrett's coffee house the sound of a wagon in the distance brought both young men to their feet rue peered out the door either the farmer got tired of waiting in the line or he's back from morning market in the city but either way the entire family seems to be riding in the wagon and we can't get out without being seen come on said eric climbing the ladder to the hayloft rue followed and found what eric had been looking for a door outside he knelt and said stay back against the wall until they've unhitched the wagons and gone inside then we'll jump down from here and head into the city it should be about time anyway just then the door to the barn was heaved open and a child's voice shouted above the loud creaking papa i didn't get to see the prince a woman's voice said if you hadn't been hitting your sister you would have seen him ride by another male voice an adult said papa why do you think the king named nicholas prince instead of ireland that's the business of the crown and none of mine came the answer as the wagon rolled into the barn backed in by the farmer eric peeked over the edge of the loft and saw the farmer sitting in the wagon seat letting his eldest son push the horses backwards as he kept an eye on things they had obviously done this hundreds of times and eric appreciated the ease with which they ensured the horses did exactly what was asked keeping the wagon intact and those riding in its safe they continued to talk the sun said father what's it going to be like with a new prince i don't know said the farmer seems like a router was ruling there long as i can remember back to before i can remember 53 years on the throne of the west well nicholas is the son said to be the most like his father so maybe things won't change much the wagon stopped rolling get davey out of his traces first and put him away i want you to take brownie outside and walker so i can see if she's really lame on a left front or just acting lazy like usual the elder boy did as he was instructed while from the house the distant shouts of the younger boy and a girl could be heard followed almost instantly by a scolding from their mother the farmer dismounted from the wagon and removed some grain sacks from the back loading them into a pile below the hayloft when the second horse was out of a tracy's father and son left the barn and eric said we'd better clear out if they need fodder for the animals the boy will be up here in a few minutes it's still light out rue complained it's almost sundown we'll just keep the bomb between us and the house for a bit if anyone sees us we'll be two travelers walking across the field heading for town rule said i hope you know what the hell you're talking about eric pushed open the door to the outside through which hay was hoisted into the loft and looked down it's only a bit of a jump but be careful not to twist your ankle i don't want to have to carry you right said rue with thinly disguised concern he looked down to the ground below and found the distance far greater than he had remembered can't we climb back down the ladder and sneak out one door remember and they're exercising a horse right in front of it the creek from out front told eric and rue the farmer was returning lazy creature why should i feed you if you pretended to be lame to get out of work ask the farmer with affection his son's voice carried to the loft as eric lowered himself to hang from the edge then let go i like the way that lameness moves from four leg to back then from right to left depending on which way she's going his laughter showed his genuine amusement rule repeated eric's movements hanging for what seemed the longest moment before he let go expecting to slam hard into the ground and break both legs eric's powerful hands closed around his waist and slowed him just enough so that he landed lightly on his feet roo turned and whispered see nothing to it did you hear something out back came the voice of the sun eric motioned for silence and they hurried away from the barn whatever curiosity the farmer's eldest son might have had the requirements of caring for the animals must have displaced it for no one came to investigate the sound eric and rue hastened along until they were a quarter mile across the field then slowed to a casual walk they plodded down the rolling hillside approaching the outer buildings of the city as the sun went down eric looked at the fallberg as they neared it and said keep an eye out for guards they reached a long row of huts and simple gardens with no clear passage between the buildings in the evening light they could see a few hundred yards to the north of them that another road entered the city they made out movement along the road but neither rue nor eric could tell if it was field hands returning to the city or soldiers on patrol using the thoroughfare rue said look and pointed to what was little more than a clear space between two houses but through which they could reach the first north south street in town without having to use the main roads they stepped over a low fence carefully avoiding the rows of vegetables planted there and made their way to the back of the hut ducking low so as not to be seen through the single window they skirted away from the rear door and moved between the buildings obviously in one of the poorer sections of town this little alleyway was heavily littered with trash they picked their way along trying to be as quiet as possible reaching the street rue peered out and pulled back hugging the wall it's pretty empty do you think we're beyond where the guards are i don't know for at least we're in crundle room moved out into the street then strolled along as eric caught up they glanced right and left and saw only a few locals some of whom paused to study the two young men rue started to feel self-conscious about the attention and motion for eric to follow him into a small neighborhood tavern they entered a dingy smoke-filled common room populated by only two other men and a barkeep who looked at them with suspicion help you he asked with a tone that indicated help was far down his list of priorities rue removed his travel bag and said to the man didn't move continuing to stare at rue after a moment roo dug into his belt pouch and pulled out a pair of copper coins the man took the money inspected it and then put it in his own belt pouch he reached under the bar and produced two empty flagons which he carried halfway down the bar to a large tap he pulled it twice filling each flagon with a frothy brew returning to where rue and eric waited he put them down before the two young men anything else eric said anything to eat the man indicated a kettle hanging before the fireplace on the other side of the room stew's done two coppers a bowl three if you want bread the smell wasn't promising but eric and rue were both hungry having had nothing to eat all day eric said we'll take the stew and the bread the man still didn't move until rue put more money on the bar then he went and filled two wooden bowls with stew and carried them back he produced a couple of small loaves of bread and set them down on the dirty bar next to the bowls then produced two almost clean wooden spoons and put them in the bowls before eric or rue could intercept them rue was too hungry to notice and seeing his friend not suffering from eating the stew eric tried his own bowl it was nothing like his mother's but it was hot and filling and the bread was acceptable if a little coarse as casually as he could rue said what's all the fuss about what fuss ask the barkeep outside at the gate replied rue didn't know there was a fuss eric said we just got to condor and didn't feel like waiting in that long line to eat the barkeep was silent until rue put money on the bar and signaled for two more ales even though the first were only half drunk the barkeep produced another set of flagons and said prince of crondor died we heard that said rue well his son's being installed in the office tomorrow his brothers are here the kings in grondor said eric feigning surprise even though he had heard that earlier that's why there's so much security at the gates said the barkeep there's a pair of murderers they're looking for did in some noble easter here if you believe the story of course everyone and his uncle's pet dog is in town for the festival funeral parade was today which is why everyone took the day off to gawk at the king tomorrow they have this ceremony then another parade so those that couldn't see anything will get their chance after that the king will take his father back to ruling on for burial and the family vault and prince nicholas will come back as the new prince of crondale then we'll have another festival and everyone will drink too much and nothing will get done then all the visiting nobles will go home you don't sound very impressed said eric the front door opened and two more rough-looking men entered sitting down at the table occupied by the first two the barman shrugged why should i old prince knew prince the taxis are the same rue continued to sound matter of fact well now that we're getting some food in us i guess we'll just have to go stand in line like everyone else the barkeep said not i should think rue tried to look uninterested and said you know another way into crundle at this the barkeep's expression changed to one of surprise no just simply close the gate in an hour and you won't be able to get in tonight they close the gate with the king in the city of course answer the barman now interested you have a problem eric was about to say nothing at all was the matter but rue quickly said we have to find a ship and be on it at first like tomorrow plan on taking another then said the barkeep for many of those waiting to get into the city he'll simply sleep before the gate so even were you to leave now and take a place outside you'll be ours getting through tomorrow it'll be like that every day until the king and his family leave next week narrowing his gaze rule said i don't suppose you know of another way into the inner city say perhaps one used by locals and not widely talked about the bar man glanced around the room as if fearing being overheard highly unlikely given that the other four men in the room were lost in their own conversation and said i might but it'd cost you how much how much do you have before eric could plead poverty rue said my friend and i can pay ten gold pieces the barman looked surprised at the amount but only said let's see your gold as rue made to undo his backpack eric placed a restraining hand on his shoulder ten gold pieces all we have in the world it's taken us months to scrounge it together we were going to purchase passage with it you're young and strong you can work your passage there are ships leaving for quag the free cities cash every port you might wish to reach they're always looking for deckhands the bar man nodded and the sound of chairs being pushed away from the table caused eric to turn the two men who had just entered were already closing billy clubs held high rue tried to duck under a blow and for his trouble caught the strike on his shoulder instead of his head his knees went loose from the pain and he fell eric tried to draw his sword but the nearest man was upon him letting go of the hilt eric unloaded a backhand blow that sent the man flying into the one coming behind him the man who was clubbing rue turned and shouted get him eric was starting to draw his sword when a blow to the back of the head stunned him he felt his legs go out from under him and his vision swam two men grabbed him and hoisted him up and before he could resist he was tied like a fatted calf the bar man came around holding the lead-filled club he had struck eric with from behind and said the little one is probably worthless but the big fellow will bring a good price as a galley slave or maybe even as a fighter in the arena get them to the queen buyer before midnight the envoys escort galleys leave tomorrow on the evening tide after the festivities at the palace eric tried to say something and for his troubles caught another blow to the head he slumped down unconscious eric's eyes opened he sat up his head throbbed and his vision went in and out of focus as his stomach knotted he swallowed hard closed his eyes discovered that made his nausea worse and opened them again he found his hands were restrained by heavy iron bracelets and his legs by even heavier shackles he looked around expecting to be in the bottom of a ship bound for quag instead he found himself in a cell a groan from close by caused him to turn around eric found rue likewise shackled and trying to sit up eric gave him a hand and the smaller youngster tried to clear his head sort of a bad day for you too wasn't it said a voice from behind them eric turned to find a man leaning back against a window ledge bars behind him his body silhouetted against daylight the small aperture being the sole source of light he moved away from the window coming to squat down before eric eric could make out his features in the dimly lit room he was a broad-shouldered bullnecked man of middle years with dark receding hair cut close and deep blue eyes there was something odd about his manner and expression but eric couldn't put his finger upon it he needed a shave and was dressed in plain tunic and trousers high boots well cared for but old and worn and a wide belt were his only other garments where are we he closed his eyes as his head swam a minute we were struck from behind some of the locals trying to sell you to queagan slavis said the man his voice was slightly raspy and his manner of speech common eric wasn't sure but there was something about his accent that reminded him of nathan's so he assumed the man was from the far coast the man smiled but there was a hint of meanness behind the smile you were on your way to a less than pleasant ocean voyage with the emissary from craig in the city along with several of his king's galleys the duke of condor thought there might be something like this going on you're not with him i'd assume kiss a goblin as leave a queen slaver alive he glanced at rue who was regaining his wits the man continued the duke's men intercepted the slavers on their way to the docks he was both surprised and pleased to discover that you two were among those heading out the city there's been quite a search on for you my friends then you know who we are said eric with resignation who are you you've heard of the man they call the eagle of crondor eric nodded who that man was and why he was called that wasn't widely known but that he existed was common knowledge is that you the man gave a harsh bark of laughter hardly but i work for him you might call me the dog of crondor i bite so don't irritate me he made a growling noise and snarled in a fair imitation of a dog my name's robert de lanville my friends call me bobby you call me sir roo said what have you to do with us i just wanted to see if you had any serious wounds why asked rue can't hang an injured man bobby smiled at this not my concern the prince needs desperate men and by all reports you two were about as desperate as they get but from what i see that's all you are well pitiful too the prince may have to look elsewhere for his desperate men we're just going to be hung asked eric hardly said the man he got up from his squatting position groaning theatrically as he did so oh knees aren't what they used to be he moved to the cell door and motioned for the jailer to open it the new prince of crondor like his father is a very particular man when it comes to observing the law we'll have a trial then melania he passed through the door and it closed behind him a short time later the door opened again and an old man entered he was dressed in richly fashioned clothing but a plain cut as if designed for one who was active despite his rank and years the man's hair was silver he wore a closely trimmed beard and his eyes were dark and penetrating he studied the two prisoners carefully kneeling before eric he said tell me your name eric von darkmoor sir then he turned to rue you are rupert avery rue said yes and who are you his manner showed he took exception to being treated so roughly and if he was going to be hung he might as well vent his temper on whoever was nearby irrespective of rank the man smiled amused by rue's sharp manner you may call me lord james rue sat up and moved as far as the length of chain that bound his leg shackles to the wall permitted and peered upward through the small window well lord james how long do we rot here in the crondor jail before we're tried and hung you're not in the condor jail my abrupt young friend answered james you're in the prince's palace and your trial will commence the day after tomorrow as soon as nicholas has taken his office unless you're in a particular hurry in which case i could ask the king to preside this afternoon well by all means snap if his majesty isn't too busy i'm sure we'd all just as soon get this over with andy drop everything else just because you asked james smiled and there was a dangerous quality to it i'm sure he would i'm something of an uncle to the king he said i'm also the new duke of crondor standing the duke said have you anyone to speak on your behalf eric said there's one man at barrett's coffee house by name sebastian lender he might speak for me the duke nodded i know him by reputation tricky bastard he may keep you from being hung i'll send for him and have him speak with you about your defense he moved toward the door then i'll see if the king's free tomorrow he said pointedly to rue but if i were you i'd wait until nicholas sits the western throne he's a more even temper than his brother and his majesty doesn't take kindly to those who go around murdering his nobles nobles said rue stefan may have had a father a rank but he was still a swine james smiled again without humor perhaps but as his father died less than an hour before him for a very short time he was barren of darkmoor the door was opened and duke james left eric looked at rue and said so much for the sunset islands rue sat back down unable to see anything through the small window yes so much for the sunset islands eric and roo were moved the next morning without being told why a squad of soldiers wearing the livery of the prince of krondor's own household guards arrived and unchained eric and roo from the wall leaving the shackles and cuffs on they were escorted to a large cell with a long barred wall through which other cells with wooden doors could be seen the cell was partially below ground at head height a long window less than one foot high ran the length of the cell and both prisoners could see it allowed a view of a long gibbet erected at the far side of a large courtyard a half dozen nooses hung from a single long cross beam supported by heavy timbers between each noose eric studied it briefly it would be a simple enough execution the prisoners would be marched up several steps at one end and made to step up on three foot high wooden boxes which were kicked out from under their feet once the nooses were around their neck eric and roo took up places alongside the bars and sat in silence eric glanced around the cell seven other men were likewise manacled and shackled awaiting whatever fate held in store all looked rough and dangerous some more than others eric was used to being the largest boy in his town and had grown to be one of the strongest men but at least two of the men in the cell were his equal in size perhaps in strength as well at midday another pair of prisoners were admitted to the cell these looking as if they had been severely beaten after being apprehended one of the men a hulking brute being dragged by three guards had obviously put up a struggle as he was barely conscious but the other kept up a steady stream of invective as the guards threw him roughly into the cell then left he called after them when i motor here my lads you can bet we'll be settling accounts i have your names every one of you he spoke with an affected speech trying to sound educated while being betrayed by his lower class accent sitting down he added you bloody bastards looking at eric who sat across from him then at his nearly unconscious companion he said old big o don't look so good does he from a corner of the cell another man said better for him if he stays out on his feet won't feel his neck getting stretched er we're not for the gallows old big honey said the other man with fear in his voice we're well connected we are friends to the sagacious man himself who is the sagacious man after from across the cell another man said the leader of the mockers and this lie has been about as close to the sagacious man as i've been to the king's mother you watch said the man who had been boasting we'll be out of here soon the door at the end of the hallway opened and a man entered flanked by two guards he wore a finely made robe and upon his head was a hat eric found comical a short brim around a circular crown fashioned from purple felt a whip cord tie under his chin held it in place on his head he had the face of a scholar or priest thin and pale with a long nose and square jaw but his eyes were alive and seemed to miss nothing as they swept around the room the guards did not open the cell but stood away the man came and stood at the bars who here is eric eric stood up and moved to stand opposite the stranger and rue came to his side americ what is your surname i'm called von darkmoor the man nodded i am sebastian lender from barrett's coffeehouse he studied eric and roo for a long minute as if memorizing every aspect of their appearance then at last he said and you too are in a great deal of trouble so we gathered answered rue i may be able to save your lives said lender but you must tell me exactly what occurred don't leave out anything and don't lie to me eric told him exactly how he recalled things and rue added what he knew afterward lender said with what baron manfred has testified and the girl rosalind has said it's clear that stefan was hoping to lure you into a trap where he could kill you when do we stand trial asked eric two days from now as it's a capital case and one of the king's nobles was the victim you're being tried in royal court here at the palace he was thoughtful the prince is likely to be hard but fair the court of common pleas tends to breed a more cynical justice everyone brought before the justices there is innocent eric said my father said to find yes i was to give you something what an odd legacy i'm afraid a small amount of gold which will be barely sufficient to pay my fees i'm sorry to say and a pair of boots the boots were your grandfather's according to what otto told me and as you were of a size your father supposed they might fit you also there was a fine dagger which i obviously can't give to you here a dagger asked through lender put up his hand over the years i've managed many stranger legacies in any event it is moot until the trial we shall see if that goes as we wish if so we can move on from there what are our chances asked eric thin answered lender frankly had you stayed you might have built a persuasive brief that you killed stefan in self-defense manfred admits that he went seeking his father to gain an order from him telling stefan to leave off some hot blooded plot or another he will not tell what that was claiming only that stefan was looking for trouble will he testify to this he already has said lender he'll be on his way back to darkmoor after nicholas takes office tomorrow and i have a copy of his deposition before the king's magistrate it's very non-committal in places and had i known i was to be arguing on your behalf i would have been a lot more probing than was the king's man can't you ask him more questions asked rue not unless he's compelled by king's warrant answered lender and i suspect the king won't be inclined to agree why not asked rue not entirely sure what was being said the king wants justice doesn't he lender smiled and it was the indulgent look of a master being asked something obvious by a gifted but untuted apprentice our king more than most seems interested in justice something to do with some time he spent in great cash as a youngster i believe but he's also interested in not making it look too easy to kill a nobleman and avoid hanging there's justice and then there's justice eric sighed and we did kill stefan lowering his voice lender said did you go to find him with murder in your heart eric was silent a minute then said yes i guess i did i knew he was going to try something with rosalind i knew what i'd find and i knew i'd end up killing stefan i can't even say i just went to protect her lender glanced at roo the slight boy nodded and lender let out a long sigh oh if that's true i doubt any power can save you from that he pointed out the high window at the gibbet eric nodded and lender left without further comment chapter 6 discovery the creature stirred the woman stood patiently as the creatures companions moved to one side several others huddled in distant corners of the immense hall speaking quietly to one another while those who had been attending the sleeping monster crossed to join them the woman ignored them and studied the waking creature to the mortal eye the beast appeared to be the grandmother of all dragonkind a gigantic being whose bulk massed high above her servants she loomed enormous even in the vast hall that served as a home in distant sconces oil lamps flickered but both the dragon and the woman needed little natural light to navigate the gloom a faint scent of spice hung on the air perhaps as an artifact of the making of the oil perhaps to sweeten the air the woman didn't know at last the dragon opened eyes the size of palace windows and blinked she stretched and lowered her head she yawned displaying ivory teeth the size of flashes the giant two-handed scimitars used in great cash her skin was the reason for the absence of more illumination for it consisted of gems fused over plates once golden in color brighter illumination caused a riot of rainbow light throughout the hall and while capable of arts beyond most human understanding the dragon found the constantly dancing reflections gave her a headache the woman had met dragons before though nothing quite like this one and while little could impress her she conceded to herself that this was indeed an impressive looking being they had spoken to each other using magic arts but this was their first true meeting in the flesh despite attempts at keeping the identity of this creature hidden over the last half century legends of the great jeweled dragon had already surfaced in various parts of the kingdom but the woman knew this was no true dragon despite being the get of dragons at birth the spirit of the original dragon had perished in the great battle that had climaxed in this very hall almost fifty years before inhabiting the vessel that had once known the mind of raith daughter of ruag perhaps the greatest of all golden dragons was a consciousness alien and ancient the oracle of all a great rumbling voice issued from within the throat of the creature greetings miranda how fair you the woman nodded as she said i am well the travel from the statue at malik's cross is disorienting it was designed to be so only those with a certain gift may trigger it and i wish to ensure that whatever talents they possess they are vague about the true location of this hall miranda nodded in agreement understood how fair you time grows short the heat tires me and i sleep more each day soon i shall enter the birth sleep and then shall i end this phase of existence time grows short indeed how much longer will we have your guidance already the future grows clouded and dim to me my daughter will not have the gift for the first 20 years of her life so soon for five years of my birth sleep and twenty years of my daughter's infancy you will be as you were before i came to this world there is more what much of what i should see i cannot which means only that my own future is involved for to all creatures even me knowledge of their own future is denied the oracle of al was considered the oldest being in the universe ancient when the valero rose to challenge the gods during the chaos wars thinking of that miranda turned to look at a death behind the oracle willing a shift in her perception the woman saw the stone flick into existence a fae green in color it pulsed with an inner light she stared at its hypnotic rhythms for a moment then said are they stirring again they are always stirring said the oracle now they move with more vigor somehow they still have influence with those outside who are receptive to their call they were the valaroo the ancient beings known as the dragon lords to most inhabitants of the world trapped by forces even beyond their own ability to understand they were bound in the stone by a mysterious agent from the stone rose a golden sword with an ivory pommel the woman named miranda knew that a half century before a great battle had raged in the city above called sethenon and in this chamber a battle of equal proportion took place the strange half man half valharou tomas inheritor of the mantle and power of ashen sugar the ruler of the eagle's reaches battled a creature of spirit in the form of his ancient kinsmen drachen corrin the lord of tigers at that time pug of stardoc magician of two worlds and macross the black sorcerer nomparai battled to hold closed a tear between two universes aided by two surani great ones magicians from the world of kelawan and the dragon raith battled a dreadlord a creature from an alien space-time whose very touch drained life in the end the valhalla had been trapped within the stone the dreadlord vanquished at the cost of riath's life and all the forces supporting the false prophet of merman dharmas vanquished not one soldier on either side in the kingdom or serving the mardel chieftain knew what the war had been about no one among the highest ranking chieftains of the nations of the north as the dark elves and goblins were called knew that merman dharmas had been a pantathion serpent priest magically transformed to resemble their legendary leader only the king's family and a few trusted friends knew of the lifestone and the presence of the oracle and now the primary defender of the lifestone the magic and physical entity of the oracle dragon was dying how will this change take place asked miranda the dragon lifted her head and nodded slightly to the right where six robed figures stood speaking softly to one another these my husband's servants they are already making their transformation the figures removed their hoods and miranda could see faces that were little more than those of boys the dragon continued when the heat began to rise i made the call and used from around the area those with a certain gift answered they wandered from their homes and came to malik's cross to where the statue stands and then i brought them here those that were lacking the true gifts needed were sent away and thought only that they had been dreaming those who chose to stay were allowed to test and those who failed were also sent away with little memory of their time here but these six are the first of the youths who have proven worthy to stand at my daughter's side six elderly men came to stand next to the sixth youths these who are their teachers will join with me to create that which will be my daughter and when they are done these bodies will die then will the remaining spirit and knowledge enter these six young men to another group on the other side of the hall the dragon motioned and another six older men came forth i hope more of the young who have come to us prove worthy for those who have no successor when it comes time to die their knowledge is lost forever miranda said only 12 of you had pug not fetched us from our dying world there would be none of us and should a thirteenth worthy child come to us before the birthing he too can become one with us if a girl's child comes then another daughter to serve with the first daughter we may yet grow in number we of the all miranda hid her impatience she had other concerns at present then you birth your daughter then my spirit joins with the spirits of my husband's servants and we meld entirely all memory and feeling all pain and joy to one consciousness and that is split again and those boys will be our sons and my daughter shall be formed the new oracle she shall be and what body will she inhabit i see no young girl here this dragon's body is magic it is strong beyond any that the oracle has used since our oldest memory it shall be used again so this is why you will not be with us for 25 years yes she will be a child even though she will have my powers eventually miranda sighed audibly at least she'll be a large enough girl to give anyone pause should they break in for a moment she considered do you know where pug is the oracle closed our eyes and considered he is absent from his island i sense him out there she made a vague gesture with a head among the worlds damn miranda swore i think we'll need him here before your daughter's strong enough to defend this hall she considered something in silence a while how long before you enter the final heat we join in less than a year miranda then i shall be gone for with the reforming something is always lost this is why we who were old when the stars were new why we remember little of our own beginning but in that rebirth more strength and knowledge come and she who follows after me shall be eventually my equal then at last my better miranda muttered if we live that long dark tides are forming they rise against distant shores but shall reach even here eventually i must be gone there's little time and much to be done i fear a great many foolish choices have already been made and that we depend too much on augurey's importance you chose a strange audience for that argument answer the article that you've been useful is without question said the young woman but fate is not immutable i believe i think one can seize destiny if one is but willing to make the attempt so believe those who oppose you said the oracle this is the root of the problem those are deluded fanatics who live in a mad dream that has no basis in reality they bring death and pain for no cause whatsoever true but they share your sense of self-determination on that note miranda said dryly i bid you farewell are you sufficiently protected here our arts are sufficient for all but the most powerful then i shall be gone will we meet again i do not know said the oracle too many possible endings appear to my mind and none clearly marked as likely then fare you well on your journey to immortality and pray that we lesser beings live long enough to greet your daughter when she comes into our own you have my wishes for success said the dragon then the young woman was gone vanished from before their eyes with a little more than a gust of wind filling the empty place where she had stood to the one most senior among her companions the dragon said with a chuckle she is much like her father don't you think that touch of the cynical in her nature could be the weak spot that undoes her i hope fate is kind to her the senior most companion said very much like her father winds swept the figure atop the hill blowing her cloak and robes in billowing wings behind her smoke from distant fire stung her eyes as she beheld the carnage below riders were hunting down stragglers raping and killing for sport using her arts she studied in detail one scene after another men made like animals in the fury of battle now visited pain and destruction on helpless men women and children she bawled her fists in rage but stayed her hand those who commanded the writers would descend upon her in an instant if she revealed her presence magically while fear was not her companion prudence was and she understood her worth lay in being able to accomplish many things between now and the time of true battle when that issue was decided the fate of a world and more would hang in the balance not the lives of these pitiful wretches even at this distance the cries of pain carried on the wind and miranda turned away from them as she moved down the hillside for the time being she willed her heart to stone for while she ached to help these few survivors she knew that far more critical issues demanded her attention as she approached the scene of battle she crouched low ducking behind low rocks she waited as a company of drunken warriors wearing emerald armbands rode by a screaming woman held across the neck of one man's horse miranda felt her face flush in rage she willed herself to calmness losing her head now would help no one skirting the action she came to a village in ruin no building had been left standing a solitary wall here a charred door frame there but nothing that could be remotely called shelter acrid smoke stung miranda's eyes as she searched for any signs of life seeing none she ventured deeper into the village seeking any information that would prove useful in the distance she saw movement and ducking behind a section of wall she waited another company of horsemen rode by less vigilant than they should have been but not the drunken roysters she had seen earlier these were seasoned soldiers miranda calculated these men were not mere mercenaries but those posted to the central companies of the invaders forces by being at this location she now had a fair estimate of the invaders rate of march cursing quietly for it was faster than she had expected she moved away from the center of the village she could will herself away at any time but she was tired and the effort to cloak her presence from her enemies was taking its toll a little undisturbed rest in a quiet place would be needed for her to leave this area and not let her enemy know she had observed miranda ducked through a burned door frame between two still-standing sections of wall and even her iron-willed composure cracked at the site that greeted her gasping she had to put her hand out and grip the door jamb for her knees went weak as the sight of dead children greeted her tiny bodies charred to blackness were piled in the center of the fire gutted building miranda felt a low animal growl of pain and wrath building in her throat and bit it back as rage threatened to overwhelm her composure she knew well that should any of the monsters who had visited this horror on the children blunder within her sight she would destroy him without thought without regard for the consequences to her or her mission forcing herself to calm she took two deep breaths and fought back tears of anguish babies with smashed heads were placed upon older children with charred arrows still protruding from them at least thought miranda the children had been killed before the building had been set alight bitterly she wondered if death from a blade or arrow was in truth kinder than dying in flames bidding peace to the souls of those tormented tiny bodies she left the building she picked her way amid the rubble to the outskirts of the village farthest from where she had last seen the raiders she peered around the corner of what had once been an inn and saw nothing dashing from the village across a rivulet running down from the hills she made it to a cops of trees there she almost died the woman was terrified and so her knife slash went wide but miranda still took a cut along her left forearm biting back a cry of pain miranda reached out and gripped the woman's wrist with her right hand a quick twist and the woman was forced to release the blade hissing in pain and anger miranda said softly silenceful i'll not hurt you then she saw the two cowering children behind the woman all your babies her tone softened a bit she released the woman's wrist and inspected the damage done to her arm miranda saw a shallow wound and she closed her right hand over it who are you said the woman i am called miranda the woman's eyes welled with tears and she said they're killing the children miranda closed her eyes a moment then nodded women the raiders could use a while along the line of march before they finally killed them but children would be useless slavers following the main army might take them but out here at the leading edge of battle all little ones could do was inform enemies of what they had seen gasping through the tears the woman said they picked up the babies and swung them by the heel miranda said enough but her tone while firm was also pained enough she repeated softly ignoring the wetness gathering in her own eyes she had seen the tiny crushed skulls i know then she took account of who stood before her the woman's eyes were wide with terror but would be judged large under normal conditions her ears were up swept beneath blonde locks and possessed no lobes miranda glanced down at the children they were twins miranda's own eyes widened in disbelief as she asked you're what they call of the long lived the woman nodded we are miranda closed her eyes and shook her head no wonder the woman was nearly beside herself those beings known through most of the world of men as elves gave birth rarely and children usually grew up to adulthood decades apart from their siblings some elves lived to see centuries pass and the death of one child was more terrible than humans could imagine but twins were almost unheard of among the el edel as they called themselves for these two little boys to be lost would be a tragedy beyond human imagining for an elf miranda said i know what's at risk the entire village was slaughtered said the woman i took the boys into the woods to forage for food we were to leave tonight we were going to seek out the shandy and ask for shelter there miranda nodded the jachandi numbered a high percentage of the long lived among them and would likely have taken in this woman and her children he didn't think the raiders would be here for another few days her eyes filled again and she said miranda removed her hand from the cut on her arm and inspected it the cut had ceased bleeding and now a pink scar was the only sign of damage she said if he was in the village he's dead i'm sorry she knew how hollow that sounded suddenly the elven woman regained her composure and she said then i must protect the children alone damn said miranda if we can get clear of this murderous mob i may be able to help she glanced down at the two boys and saw enormous eyes staring up at her from tiny faces no older than four or five years of age they would be counted children for nearly another three decades by their race and would not be considered mature for a century but by either standard human or elven they were beautiful children sighing in resignation miranda said i will save your children how come with me and be silent miranda moved away the woman and the two boys followed and while miranda could have wished they had the legendary wood skills law and gave to their race these three were villagers and were not adept at moving through the heavy undergrowth at least these three were far quieter than a like trio of humans would have been wending their way up the path from the village that they must have used to enter the forest miranda led the fugitives after nearly an hour miranda said is there any place near here where i might rest the woman said there's a small clearing ahead and on the other side the entrance to a cave miranda nodded and returned her attention ahead the raiders might be combing the area for survivors or they might be enjoying the fruits of their looting small villages like this yielded little by way of valuables and if there were few women of suitable age for the men's amusement the captains might have sent men out on patrol simply to avoid conflicts over who could be among the first to rape the women the elven woman tried to lead onward to the two silent boys and after a moment miranda picked up one of the two the woman nodded and picked up the other and they carried them miranda knew that any child frightened enough will go silent instead of crying and these babies were severely frightened without conscious thought she kissed the child on the temple and stroked his hair before starting to walk making their way through the trees they stopped once at the sound of distant horses and waited when the sound receded they continued reaching a heavy growth they moved through the underbrush to a clearing on the other side of which stood a cave it's safe here said the woman miranda put down the child and said wait she advanced into the darkness using her magic arts to see in the gloom the cave was indeed empty and showed enough signs of human use that it was unlikely any animal would attempt to use it as a den she went back outside and said come before she could finish a man crashed through the brush shouting i told you i saw tracks pulling a long knife from his belt he said a couple of brats but the women are young another man answered from behind but whatever he said was lost as miranda shouted get inside the woman grabbed her two children each by one arm and hurried inside the cave miranda pulled a long dagger out of her belt and waited another man followed the first into the clearing both looked like common mercenaries the first wore a ragged tabard over rusty ring mail the design faded and unknown to miranda the second was a tall man wearing a heavy gambazon cut off of the shoulders for it was obviously a size too small and would have confined his ability to fight otherwise miranda waited as the two advanced what you gonna do with that snarled the second man pointing at the dagger he glanced at his companion put that away girl said the first with a nervous smile we'll treat you good if you don't cause problems give us trouble and we'll make it rough for you miranda waited and when the first man stepped close enough to attempt to reach for her she took a quick step forward faster than either man expected and stuck the dagger into his throat she wrenched the dagger out as the second man jumped back in shock and the first died his life gurgling out of his gash throat hey cried the second man his quick moves marking him a dangerous foe no matter his ragged attire his sword hissed from its scabbard and he was ready for any attack before she could close so she moved back a distant clutter of hooves and the man shouted here over here miranda cursed as answering calls rang through the air while he wearily observed her she feigned an attack his sword lashed out and he briefly exposed his arm to her she flicked out with her blade but it slid off the ring male protecting his shoulder he laughed as he unleashed a powerful backhanded blow designed to remove a head from her shoulders but she merely squatted as the blade cleaved air she thrust upward with a dagger taking him in his unprotected groin a shriek of pain and he doubled up as miranda yanked free her blade a cascade of crimson told her she had reached the artery deep in the groin and the mercenary was doomed to death in moments the sound of approaching hooves signaled that miranda also had but a few minutes to live if she did not act quickly hurrying into the cave she knelt before the elven woman what's your name the woman crouching before the two boys replied elia i can save you and the children but i cannot take you to the duchande will you come away with me hearing the riders entering the glade she said what choice have i none said miranda she leaned across ellia as if embracing her and put her hands upon the boy's heads then suddenly everything around them spun into darkness a moment later the air shifted and it was warm night the woman gasped and said oh what miranda fell backwards awkwardly and sat hard upon damp soil we are she began and it was clear she was disoriented elia glanced around as miranda fought the confusion of the transition they were in a large clearing surrounded by thick forest with a broad stream or small river hurrying through it the merry sound of water splashing over rocks was a startling alternative to the sound of men dying elias stood and took a step to miranda's side bending to help her to her feet the dark-haired woman shook her head to clear it a sizzling sound in the distance caught their attention and both looked for its source a faint glow of green appeared in the night sky then it turned into a point of light quickly into the water commanded miranda and without hesitation elia turned and scooped up her two children carrying one under each arm the river was shallow but running rapidly and the elven woman had to struggle to keep her feet on the slippery rocks don't look back shouted miranda and ellia obeyed silently as she waded hip deep in the stream the two boys clung tightly to their mother remaining silent despite the sudden darkness and the cold of the river the searing sound grew louder and soon the boys had their faces buried against their mother's bosom as if in refuge against the harsh sound elia thought her ears would begin to bleed and the children finally could endure it no longer and began to wail a shattering explosion hurled ellia forward and for a panic stricken moment she thought she would lose the children water closed over their heads but she rolled to her backside and forced herself to her knees holding her children close the entire time the boys sputtered and coughed as their heads came out of the icy water but neither had let go the stumble and fall had turned ellia around and she couldn't help but look where miranda stood a brilliant orange light fired down from the heavens a long line of energy that engulfed the young woman miranda raised her arms as if warding off the harsh energies a sudden blast of hot air struck at ellia hot enough to dry much of her head and shoulders above water miranda moved her hands suddenly and a latticework of purple tinged white energy appeared and began to spread along the column of orange light racing back toward its source as it passed up the length of orange energy it burned brilliant white too brilliant to watch ellia turned as rapidly she could in the water shielding the boys as much as possible from the heat wading forward she reached the far bank and half lifted half pushed the boys up onto the grass then she struggled to get herself out of the waist-deep water suddenly strong hands reached down and lifted her easily out of the river three men in green leather watched the fierce display across the water one leaned upon a longbow and spoke to elia in a language alien to her she placed reassuring hands upon her boy's shoulders and said i don't understand the man glanced at the other two and raised an eyebrow in surprise then looked back at elia you speak keshian but not your own tongue his accent sounded odd to elia but she could understand him i speak the language taught to me by my parents the harsh light suddenly vanished leaving the clearing suddenly inky in contrast miranda swayed in the darkness as if drunk then she steadied herself and turned across the river she saw elia and the boys standing with three elven warriors may i enter she called weakly in the king's tongue who seeks elvendar asked one of the warriors one in need of counsel with lord thomas cross if you are able dryly miranda said i think i can manage she waded to the far side and the elven woman said what magic is this these are your people elia these are the eledel and this is the boundary of elvendar elventa she looked confused that is a legend a tale told by old ones to children the leader of the three warriors said i judge there are many questions to be answered but this is not the place nor is it the time come we have two days of travel to reach the queen's court the little ones are tired said miranda and they're frightened the elf looked down and saw the boys his eyes widened slightly a gesture that would have been lost on most humans though miranda marked his surprise twins elia looked at miranda who answered they are another elf warrior said i shall go now and carry word to the court he turned and vanished into the woods the first elf made a gesture and the remaining elf nodded once and followed after his companion to miranda the first said i am called galen my companions are althal who is returning to our campsite to prepare food for you and the other is lalial who will take word to the queen and her consort he shouldered his bow then without asking leave knelt and picked up the two boys as easily as he might have picked up two kittens the boys looked at their mother but neither child voiced protest miranda touched elias shoulder then motioned with a head that they should follow their guide miranda used her natural sight to keep the others in view her arts were depleted by the battle on the riverbank it had been a short struggle but no less vicious for its brevity through her exhaustion miranda felt the satisfaction of knowing that on the other side of the world the pantathion magician who had thrown that tracking energy after her had not expected her counter spell with grim pleasure she knew he was now a smoldering corpse they reached camp without having spoken a word the fire was burning brightly as although placed more wood on it and rich smells of smoke and crisping game reached miranda's nose the boys were now asleep and galen gently set them down upon the ground softly he said it will be light in a few hours they can eat when they awake the elven woman sat heavily upon the ground and miranda knew she was exhausted emotionally as well as physically her home had been destroyed and certainly her husband was dead and suddenly she was in a strange place with people she didn't know without even the most basic personal possessions to call her own in the language of her homeland she said who are you switching into yabanese the language of the neighboring kingdom province and related to the ancient language of keshe the common ancestor of the language spoken by elia gillen as are you i i do not know this word el edel said elia outwardly calm though miranda knew she must be terribly frightened it means the light people in our own language there is much you will need to know but to begin ages ago our race was divided into four tribes for want of a better term those who are eldest among us the eldar are the keepers of wisdom those who live here in elvendar and serve queen aglorana are called eledell there are others glam redel the wild ones and moridel the dark ones some years ago we learned of your people whom we call people from across the sea we are not sure if you are probably glam redel or ele del who have lost knowledge of their own race but either way you are welcome to elvendar we live here he smiled we are like you here you will be safe elia looked pointedly at his face studying his eyes as if reading her thoughts he pushed back his long hair to show her the upswept lobeless ears that marked elvenkind she sighed in relief safe she repeated her tone showed she scarcely believed miranda said you will learn that you're as safe here as any place on this world ellia nodded hugging her knees to her chin as she closed her eyes after a moment a tear appeared upon her cheek and she sighed kelaine left her to our memories and spoke to miranda you make an impressive entrance spitting the word miranda said snakes galain's eyes narrowed the serpent men miranda nodded galen said we will leave as soon as the boys awake and eat sleep now if you can miranda didn't need convincing she lay upon the damp ground where she sat and within moments was fast asleep the boys rode upon the shoulders of gillane and althal while elia and miranda hurried along miranda knew they were not moving as quickly as they would have been able to unburdened but she had to struggle to keep pace only elia's awkwardness gave her some small comfort for it was a lifetime living in the woodlands that gave these elves their sure-footed passage in the undergrowth not their race the boys had awakened and eaten and without discussion the party had left the campsite near the river they had moved for the better part of the day and had paused only long enough to eat some dried meat and fruit at midday then they had moved steadily through the trees until an hour before dusk gellain had gone hunting while although made a fire within the hour gulen had returned with a brace of rabbits while not sumptuous fair for four adults and two children there was enough so that no one slept with hunger pangs morning came too quickly for exhausted children and two tired women but they were again on the trail as the sun rose in the east by noon they encountered a patrol of hunters who quickly exchanged information with gillane and although the conversation was lost upon elia who was ignorant of the subtleties of elven communications and miranda missed a great deal near mid-afternoon they came to an enormous clearing elias stumbled her mouth opening in awe and even miranda was impressed across the clearing rose a mighty city of trees bowls to dwarf the mightiest oak rose high above them blotting out the sky a canopy of leaves formed a massive roof above the trunks that stretched away beyond sight dark green the awning of treetops was punctuated by an occasional tree of a different color some golden others white a few sparkling with emerald or azure lights a soft glow seemed to tease the limits of vision as if a magic haze enveloped the entire area galain said elvenda they crossed the clearing and as they approached the nearest trees miranda could see figures moving workmen laboured curing hides fashioning weapons in forges and carving wooden implements others fletched arrows worked stones or prepared food but the common nature of these tasks took nothing from the impact of the city itself elvendah was perhaps the most magical place upon the world soothing sounds rather than the loud noise of workers filled the air and voices were musical rather than harsh reaching a giant tree miranda saw stairs had been cut from the living wood of the huge trunk if you have a fear of heights say now miranda miranda came out of her reverie and saw galen studying her and elia she said nothing shaking her head and galen led them upward as they climbed miranda saw that some of the larger branches were flat on top forming narrow roadways upon which elves walked moving from tree to tree many of the trees were hollow and what seemed to be small dwellings were fashioned inside the elves who passed smiled in greeting and several were openly delighted upon seeing the twin boys most wore leather brown or green in color but others wore soft robes decorated with gems or beads all were uniformly tall some were fair but others were as dark of hair as was miranda a few wore furs and carried weapons with metal studded armbands and necklaces of gold set with precious stones these looked openly at the women in curiosity and their expressions were less friendly when turned upon gillane as they passed althal spoke the glam radel are still not completely at ease here but then they've been with us but a short time how long asked miranda those two who passed not yet 30 years miranda had to suppress a laugh barely a long visit delane turned and smiled showing he understood her humor she wasn't sure if although shared his understanding to the back of a large branch a platform was anchored and from it rose a stairway of wood and rope mounting it the two elves escorted miranda and elia to another larger platform and along a broad thoroughfare this led to a maze of platforms small markets and meeting areas and at last they reached a gigantic platform dominating the very heart of elvendah entering gelane led them to the center where he faced two figures sitting upon a deus he and although gently put the boys down and bowed my queen galen said and thomas the woman was impressive a regal looking elf with golden red hair and eyes the color of ice blue glaciers hundreds of years old she looked much as a human would in the prime of youth her face unlined and her body still straight and limber her features were chiseled and delicate but there was strength in her bearing the man at her side was even more striking for he was not quite human or elven in appearance six inches over six feet in height he was broad of shoulder and deep in the chest without looking bulky his eyes were an even paler blue than his companions and his hair was sun streaked yellow his features were human even brow with straight nose full but not soft mouth yet somehow an agency had molded those features casting an alien image over them he was too regal to be handsome yet when he smiled a boy's charm appeared the woman rose and miranda bowed and elia looked confused at last she curtsied clumsily while the boys clung to her ignoring formalities the elf queen came up to elia and gently took her in her arms and embraced her then she knelt before the boys and touched each upon the cheek she said something softly and elia said i i don't understand galen said our queen speaks to your companion in the keshian dialect most like elias aglarana said i said you bring us treasure your sons are beautiful we are so much the richer for their joining us elia's eyes welled with tears as she said they look like their father thomas rose and as he crossed a stand before elia he said it is not the way of my wife's people to speak the name of those who have traveled to the blessed isles in his sons he lives on you are more than welcome here to although he said take these newly come to us and find them a home see to their needs then he addressed elia you are safe here and under my protection no harm will come to you or your sons in elvendar at first our ways will seem strange to you but you will come to know that they are your ways truly and that your father's fathers had been apart from us too long welcome to your true home weak with relief elia allowed herself to be led away one child holding fast to each of her hands when they had left thomas said and who are you a friend of your sons answered miranda galen leaned upon his bow and said i thought your name familia thomas's expression remained neutral he motioned for miranda to come away from the deus and led her over to a table where several elves had placed refreshments motioning for a few members of the queen's court to attend he said how is caelis disturbed answered miranda has he told you his mad plan by the fearful expression on aglarana's face she could see he had tomas nodded well for better or worse i'm helping him then she shook her head how much good i'm doing is she picked up a pair and bit into it chewed and swallowed now the snakes know someone with some talent was snooping around their army she explained what had happened her scouting the advancing army across the sea the encounter with elya and the boys her escape and the final attack at the bank of the river after she was finished aglorana said it was unlikely they'd think their mad campaign would escape the notice of those with power for long it may be they think you one of any number of magicians or priests miranda nodded and they have no way of knowing where i am the one who found me is in no condition to tell them the others might suspect i'm here but they won't attempt to breach your defenses yet tomas said we can speak more of these matters in the morning you should rest night is almost upon us and you look fatigued oh that's what i am agreed miranda but by morning i plan on being a great distance from here there is much to be done and little time in which to do it i must seek out your son and confer with him and next convince some otherwise reasonable men to agree to our most foolish and dangerous undertaking then i can be about other business i hadn't planned on coming here straight away but now that i'm here can you tell me something what where i can find pug thomas glanced at his wife and said we've not seen him for years the last message i had from him was seven years ago he said he was concerned over the reports my son brought back from his last voyage to novindus he had consulted with the oracle of al and and what prodded miranda thomas's blue eyes regarded miranda for a moment as if measuring her he said at last he said he feared that his own powers would be lacking in the coming battle and he needed to seek allies miranda smiled and there was nothing of humor in that smile his powers were lacking she shook her head who else on this world matches him in power but save you even my powers pale compared to what pug can do if need be answered tomas my arts are set by my heritage and are as they were at the end of the rift war 50 years ago but pug he studies and learns and masters new things yearly and it may be no one since macross the black can approach his might at the mention of macross miranda made a sour expression much of what is alleged about his prowess was based upon his listeners being gullible by all reports thomas shook his head i have been places you could only imagine woman and i stood at macross's side in the garden of the city forever and i saw the creation of this universe he may have been a man given to overboasting at times but not by any great margin i will avow his powers approach the gods and his skills would be welcome in the coming fray miranda said still by all reports the black sorcerer is 50 years vanished from his realm so then whom could pug be seeking aglarana said find the where and that may tell you who thomas said if he's not upon this world then i suspect you must go to other worlds have you the arts miranda said if i don't i can find those to help me who do but where to begin the search she looked at thomas reputedly you and pug were his brothers you would know where to begin the search thomas said i can think of only one place but it is much as if i said search the sea for a particular fish for the place to begin searching is as vast as any place in all the myriad possible universes miranda nodded saying the whole of worlds thomas nodded too the hall of worlds chapter 7 trial rue stirred he felt a hand on his leg and in his sleepy state he brushed at it weakly he felt it clamped down and suddenly he was wide awake an ugly face loomed over his leering and grinning you're an ugly sod boy but you're young it was the nervous man with affected speech of the day before who was now fondling rules leg uh shouty roo keep away from me the man laughed hey just having a joke my lad he shivered damn cell will get my mana's death now shut up and go back to sleep and we can both get warm the man turned over back to back with roo and closed his eyes the brute called biggo who had regained consciousness an hour after being tossed into the cell said don't terrorize the lad slippery tom this is the death room he's too much on his mind to be thinking of romance his speech had the lilt of cornac men of deep taunton rarely heard in the west slippery tom ignoring the jape and the accompanying laughter said it's a cold morning biggle seeing eric now awake big o said he's not a bad sort for a liar and a murderer is slippery tom he's just scared roo's eyes widened who isn't he said with a frantic note in his voice he closed his eyes tight as if to shut out everything by force of will eric sat back against the unyielding stone wall he knew rue had spent a fitful night awakening several times shouting in his sleep as he wrestled with personal demons eric glanced around the cell other men slept or sat quietly in their place as the night wore on eric knew that the bravado rue had exhibited since awakening in the cell the day before had been some sort of madness he couldn't accept the inevitability of his own death biggo said spanking young bottoms is common enough in the prison gangs but slippery's just looking for someone warmth to cozy up to lad roo opened his eyes well he smells like something died in his shirt last week tom said and you don't exactly remind me of flowers youngster now shut up and go back to sleep big o grinned and his bear-like face looked nothing so much as out of an overgrown child one with broken and crooked teeth the beating administered by the guards the day before had done nothing to enhance his appearance blue purple and red lumps decorated his visage i like to sleep cuddle with someone warm like me held me she was sweet he sighed as he closed his eyes too bad i'll never see her again you talk like we're all going to be convicted said roo this is the death cell milad you're here because you're going to be tried for your life and not one in a hundred who sat here lived two days past his trial you think you've got a way to beat the king's justice boyle asked biggo with a laugh well good on you if you do but none here are babes and we all knew what the deal was when we took to the dodgy path get caught take your punishment that's a way of it for a fact he closed his eyes leaving the two young men to their own thoughts eric had been awake most of the night falling asleep only a few hours before wrestling with the same questions he had never been a religious sort going to temple on the festival days joining the vineyard workers in the blessings of the vineyards every year but he hadn't given much thought to what it would be like to face limbs kragma in our hall he vaguely knew that every man came to stand before her to account for his deeds but he always thought of that as some sort of priest talk what owen greylock had called a metaphor where one thing said stood for another now he wondered would he simply end when the box was kicked out from under his feet and the rope either snapped his neck or choked the life from him would it turn all dark and meaningless or would he awake in the hall of the dead as the priests claimed joining the long line of those waiting for limbs cragma's judgment those found worthy were sent on to a better life they said while those found wanting were sent back to learn those lessons that had eluded them while living there was talk that at some point those who lived pure lives of harmony and grace were elevated somehow beyond human understanding to a higher existence eric turned his mind away from the question again there was no answer he knew until he actually faced death either way he thought with a silent shrug it'll be something interesting or i'll not mind he closed his eyes on this thought finding it strangely comforting the door at the far end of the hall clanked open iron bands striking cold stone two guards with drawn swords led a prisoner into the hallway another two guards walked before and after him holding wooden poles looped through iron rings on a wooden yoke set around his neck the pressure on the yoke kept the man from being able to reach either guard and the awkward procession made its way to the door of the death cell the prisoner was otherwise undistinguished he seemed a young man little older than eric or rue though this was hard to determine as his race was alien to the two young men from ravensburg he was one of the yellow-skinned men from keshe from a province called isalani a few had passed through ravensburg from time to time but they were still the object of interest to the provincial residents of that town this man was plainly dressed in a simple robe with an empty carry cloth a large cloth used to carry belongings in place of a backpack hung around his neck his feet were bare and his head was uncovered showing a thatch of thick black hair roughly cut above the ears but falling long in back black eyes regarded the unfolding events without expression when the door was reached the first guard unlocked it and ordered the prisoners to move to the far end of the long cell once they had obliged him he opened the door and the two men with the poles have steered the prisoner to the opening with practice dexterity the lead guard unfastened the neck yoke and the two guards slipped the poles out the collar was removed and with unnecessary force the remaining guard put his boot to the prisoner's back and shoved him into the cell the prisoner stumbled one step but caught himself and stood motionless the others looked on in curiosity what was that all about asked one man the new prisoner shrugged i disarmed a few of their guards when they tried to arrest me they objected to that you disarmed them said another prisoner how did you do that the young man sat down on the vacant stone bench i took their weapons from how else would you imagine i did it a few of the prisoners asked the newcomer his name but no conversation was forthcoming as the new prisoner closed his eyes while remaining seated upright he crossed his legs before him each foot resting upon the opposite thigh and put his hands palms upward on his knees the other prisoners looked at him for a few minutes then returned to sitting and waiting for whatever fate would bring them next an hour later the whole door opened again and a company of soldiers entered the man eric had met before lord james walked in then the men in the cell began to mutter as a woman entered followed in turn by a pair of guardsmen the woman was old or at least she appeared that way to eric older than his mother at any rate her hair was a startling white and her brows were pale enough for him to think her hair had always been this color the lines in her face notwithstanding eric thought she was nice to look at and she must have been beautiful when young her eyes were an odd blue almost violet in the darkness of the cell and she carried herself with the bearing of nobility despite an expression of sadness on her face eric wondered what could be the cause of this expression of regret could she have some sort of feeling about the men who would be tried in the prince's chamber this day she stopped before the bars and the sullen prisoners were completely silent for some reason eric found himself standing feeling the urge to touch his forelock as he would to any lady of quality who passed on the road in her carriage rue followed his example and soon the other men were standing as well the woman ignored the filth and wretched stench of the cell as her hands closed upon the bars she was silent while her eyes searched out every face and when her gaze at last turned upon eric he found himself suddenly afraid he thought of his mother and rosalind and thinking of rosalind made him think of stefan and suddenly he was ashamed of himself he couldn't look at the lady any longer and lowered his eyes for long minutes the woman stood silently her rich gown becoming dirtied by contact with the rusty iron of the bars as she leaned against them eric glanced up and found that as she looked from man to man only the new prisoner could return her gaze and at one point he even smiled slightly but for several of the men her penetrating gaze was too much and they began to weep then at last her own eyes began to fill with tears and she said enough lord james nodded kirkley once and motioned for the two guards to escort her out of the cell when they were gone he said you men will face trial this afternoon kingdom justice is swift those of you found guilty of capital crimes will be brought back to this cell and in the morning will hang you you'll be given one last meal and time to make your peace with the gods priests of the twelve orders will come for those who ask for shriving and for the rest of you don't wish to speak with a priest well you can spend time contemplating your sins if you have an advocate he will be allowed to speak for you before prince nicholas if you don't you must speak for yourself or the crown will convict you by default there is no appeal so make your brief persuasive the king is the only man who can overrule the prince and he's busy without another word the duke of crondor turned and left the cell block a guard waiting in the connecting hall reached in and pulled the door shut behind him the men stood silently for a long minute then one the man called slippery tom said something about that witch give me a chill it was like having me mum finding me with me brother's sweets on festival day said another slowly they sat and when every man was back in his place roo turned to eric and asked what was that all about eric shrugged you know as much as i do she reads your minds said the newcomer as he returned to his contemplative what came from several of the men she read our minds without opening his eyes but with a very faint smile the newcomer said she was looking for some men then suddenly his eyes opened and he glanced from face to face i think she may have found them his eyes lingered on eric and he said yes i think she has the midday meal was plain but filling the guards brought in a platter of bread loaves and a round of hard cheese as well as a bucket of a vegetable stew no knives forks or other potential weapons were permitted but dull-edged wooden bowls were provided for the stew finding himself suddenly hungry eric shouldered through the press at the bars as the guards handed out the food here now shouted a guard there's enough for all you though why you'd have any appetite when you're gonna hang tomorrow is beyond me eric took a bowl and grabbed a loaf of bread broke off a hunk of cheese and returned to where roux sat aren't you gonna eat anything rue said if the guard's not lying there'll be more when i get to the bars he rose slowly and moved to where the press of prisoners was lessening then took his bowl and held it close to the bars as the guard filled it with a metal ladle then a loaf of bread and some cheese was given to him and he returned to eric's side one of the prisoners said the food's better here than at me mum's that brought a weak laugh from two of the men but the rest ate in silence shortly after the meal the guards came to escort the prisoners to the prince's court each man's leg irons and shackles wrist irons and collars and all the chains were inspected the newest prisoner the islani stood silently as the wooden collar was presented to him he said i will cause you no difficulty then with an enigmatic smile he said i am interested in what is about to occur the guard sergeant seemed to think about it but the man walked quietly out of the cell and stood in place behind the man who had been led out before him the guard sergeant made a curt nod indicating it was all right and the other prisoners were put in the line all right any of you makes a break we shoot you down and that's the end of it so if you prefer a crossbow bolt to the rope now's your chance but be warned if the bolt doesn't kill you out right it's a messy pitiful way to go saw a man with his lung punched out of him that was a sight now move the prisoners along the company of crossbowmen lined the hallway where they marched and the prisoners now numbering 12 were led through the palace up to the prince's hall dirty poor and miserable these men were ushered into the presence of the second most powerful man in the kingdom nicholas prince of the western realm of the kingdom of the isles brother to king boric heir apparent to the crown the prince was a man of forty some years of age and his dark hair was still almost entirely without gray his eyes were dark brown and deeply shadowed the stress of burying his father was obvious etching deep lines on his face he wore mourning black and his only badge of office was his royal ring he sat in the large chair at the end of the hall raised upon a desk the chair next to his he used by his mother when his father ruled only days before was empty the dowager princess anita was in seclusion in her quarters standing beside the throne was the duke of crondor lord james and beside him the mysterious lady who the islani said red minds the prisoners were ushered into the prince's presence and the guard sergeant had to order them to bow the man made an awkward attempt and at last the court was called to order several onlookers lined the sides of the halls and eric noticed sebastian lender among them that made him feel slightly better than he had in days the first prisoner was called before the prince a man named thomas reed and to eric's surprise the man called slippery tom moved before nicholas nicholas looked down on slippery tom what are the charges james the duke of crondor nodded to a scribe who said thomas reed stands accused of theft and aiding and abetting in the murder of the victim a spice merchant named john corwin late of condor how do you plead ask james slippery tom glanced around the room and tried to present as pleasant an expression as possible to nicholas you majesty he began highness interrupted james not you majesty your highness grinning as if this social gaffe were his worst offense he said you heinous it were this week james interrupted how do you plead suddenly angry eyes regarded the duke as he said i was attempting to explain this to his highness sir plead first then explain said prince nicholas tom seemed to think of his options a moment well strictly speaking i guess i would have to say i was guilty but only in a sense of it and other plea said james do you have anyone to speak on your behalf just biggle said tom biggo said nicholas james said the next defendant oh well then tell me your story tom began to spin an improbable tale of two poor workmen attempting to do the right thing in a bargain gone sour with a spice merchant of dubious character who cheated the two basically honest workers when confronted with his perfidious acts the spice merchant had pulled a knife and in the ensuing struggle had fallen on his own blade the two wronged men regretting the malefactor's death had taken his gold only in the amount they were owed which happened to be all he was carrying and that's not all he orders said tom nicholas looked at james corwin honest for the most part said james what i could find out tells me he occasionally received some keshian spices without benefit of duty but that's not unusual nicholas said why did john corwin owe you money with a feral light in his eyes tom said well truth to tell you highness we was bringing the merchant some keshian spice without bothering to call it to the attention of the duty office of the port authority if you see we was only doing it to support our families nicholas glanced at the woman who had remained silent and eric followed his gaze she looked at tom for a moment then briefly shook her head no nicholas said what's the state's request james said thomas reed is a habitual criminal a self-confessed member of the guild of thieves wait a minute lord shouted thomas i was just making some idol boosts trying to get some respect from the gods james ignored the interruption the state asks for death granted with that single word slippery tom was sentenced to die the next morning eric looked at rue and wondered if the terror he saw in his friend's eyes was as apparent in his own slowly each man was brought before the bar of justice and each time at the end of the plea eric saw the prince look at the woman each time she shook her head no save for once when bigger was on trial when she nodded yes slightly but it seemed to make no difference fabio was condemned to the gallows with the others when there were fewer than half to be tried the scribe called shopai the isalani was brought before the prince and james recited the charges show pi a citizen of cash highness arrested for brawling he killed a guard your plea asked the prince the islamist smiled plea i have none highness the facts are as recited then enter the plea as guilty said nicholas have you anything to say before sentencing the smile broadened and the islami said only that facts and truth are not interchangeable i am but a poor student formerly a monk of the order of dala i was sent to find my master your master asked nicholas seemingly interested in the story decidedly different than the run-of-the-mill please heard so far today who is he this i do not know i was an indifferent student at the monastery where i was trained save in the art of fighting i admit to being unworthy of the calling the abbott sent me out telling me that if i had a master he was outside the order and to seek him in a city where men brawled daily the man shrugged often in jest truth is revealed and i meditated for days upon what my former abbot said given some insight by hunger i decided to seek my master in your city though it was far from my own land i traveled and worked and found myself in condor but a week ago since then he's been arrested three times said james the man named shopi shrugged unfortunately this is true i have many flaws and the temper is among them i was being cheated at cards and when i objected a struggle ensued and when i pleaded my innocence to your city watch i was attacked i merely defended myself during the struggle he killed a guardsman said james is this true said nicholas regrettably but in my defense may i say that it was never my intent to kill the man i was merely trying to disarm him i had taken his sword from him when he unexpectedly twisted away from me pushing himself into his companion who threw him forward upon the sword i was now holding it is very sad but it happened he spoke as if he were reciting a lesson without emotion not pleading for his life the prince looked at the woman who nodded slightly then he said what is the state's request the state requests 30 years labor in the prison gang granted said nicholas for reasons eric couldn't understand chopin seemed amused at this as the guard escorted him back to the prisoner's dock two more men were ordered to their death then when eric and rue were all that were left their names were called sebastian lender stepped forward with eric and james said your highness we have a special case here eric von darkmoor and rupert avery are charged with the murder of stefan baron von darkmoor how do you plead us nicholas before either young man could speak lender said if it pleases your highness i would ask that it be recorded the two youths before you plead not guilty nicholas smiled and leaned back in his throne lender isn't it you used to cause my father no end of irritation now i see why very well he looked at eric and rupert do you have something to say again before either young man could speak lender said i have here highness documents sworn before the high constable in darkmoor and two priests of local temples under oath on behalf of these young men he opened a large leather document case and pulled from it a copious sheaf of papers not only do we have the sworn testimony of one rosaline daughter of milo owner of the inn of the pintail i have a testimony from several guardsmen who were witness to events leading to the conflict and from baron manfred von darkmoor as to his brother stefan's state of mind before the incident he handed them to james who looked irritated at the need to peruse such a large amount of information in a short time while my duke of condor looks over these documents master lender i would be pleased to hear the young men tell what happened eric looked at rue and with a nod indicated he should begin it started at the fountain your highness the one before the growers in vintners hall in ravensburg i was there with some others just talking when rosalind came looking for eric while i was talking to her stefan and manfred the baron's sons come came up to us and began talking to rosalind manfred kept telling stefan they needed to get back to their father otto who was dying at the time but stefan kept talking about eric's girl and now she was too sweet to waste on a bastard blacksmith and things like that nicholas sat back and seemed intent on the story as rule recounted all he could remember up to where eric took off after stefan and the ensuing fight when he was done nicholas asked eric for his story eric told it calmly and without any attempt to avoid responsibility for his taking his half-brother's life when the story was told and nicholas said why did you run eric shrugged i don't know it seemed he looked down a moment then back up locking gazes with nicholas it seemed impossible that i could kill the swine and not be young for it did you hate him that much eric said more than i thought highness inclining his head at his friend he said rue saw it coming long before i did he told me once that i might have to kill stefan someday stefan and i met only three times before that night and all three times he sought me out to cause problems calling me names insulting my mother claiming i wanted his inheritance was there any truth to it eric shrugged i don't think so i never thought much about being noble or having office i'm a smith and i'm the best horseman in darkmoor ask going greylock the barons swordmaster if you doubt me i only wanted a guild badge and my own forge no more than that my mother only wanted me to have a proper name it was her passion that made stefan fearful but even if she dreamed i might someday be a noble it was never any during my mind i had the name already his voice lowered and his tone became almost defiant that was at least one thing my father did allow me he never publicly denied me the name von darkmoo and i'll take that to the grave with me rue visibly winced at the phrase nicholas sighed this is very convoluted lord james have you a suggestion james was still leafing through the papers given to him by lender anus may i suggest you take this case under advisement and after supper i'll have the state's recommendation for you granted said nicholas court is adjourned guards motioned for the prisoners already in the dock to leave and eric and rule found themselves being marched back to join the others eric looked at lender what happened he asked lender didn't look hopeful he'll think about it you should know after supper watching the prince rise from his throne and leave the hall to enter his private chamber lender said it will be decided by morning either way guards moved them into line behind show pie and rue said what do you think is going to happen if you had not run and had told this story at once i think nicholas would have been inclined to believe you but you ran and that counts against you he was silent as the guards chained the prisoners into line and lender said if it goes badly the gallows if it goes better 30 years on the work gang the best i can imagine is service in the royal navy for 10 years the guards ordered them to move out and suddenly chopin looked over his shoulder at eric or something else he smiled enigmatically at the remark eric thought his behavior odd for someone facing 30 years of hard labor the prisoners marched out of the hall back to the death cell those who had been condemned to die alternated between numb despair and frantic rage slippery tom was the most antic with fear he paced the long death cell concocting plan after plan to overpower the guards and escape the palace he was convinced the mockers were waiting for any sign of revolt to launch a raid into the palace to set their captured brethren free after an hour big o stood up and said give it a rest lad you're gonna hang slippery tom's eyes widened and with a scream he lunged at his friend grabbing him around the throat big o gripped hard on tom's wrists and forced the hands away from his throat and as he spread his hands tom's face came close to his own suddenly biggo headbutted tom whose eyes rolled up into his head as he lost consciousness biggo deposited the limp form of slippery tom in a haystrewn corner that should quiet things down for a while he said another man said is that what you want peace well you'll have all the peace you'll ever need come tomorrow morning big o maybe tom's right and we should die fighting guards big o laughed with what wooden balls you anxious to die demanded the man big o rubbed his chin everyone dies laddy it's just a question of when as soon as you took to a dodgy path you were doomed to the gibbet like it or not he sighed and looked reflective doesn't seem right to be killing guards for doing their job we're gonna die anyway so why spread the misery some of them are wives and children he leaned back resting his elbows on a ledge behind the stone bench he sat upon hanging may not be so bad either your next cracked he snapped his fingers and you're gone or it chokes you choking's not so bad i'm thinking i was choked once in a fight you get sort of lightheaded and everything collapses around your vision and there's this bright light now me boyo it'll be over quickly another man said give it a rest big o we're not temple goers like you it was that very choking i spoke of that made me a religious man aaron why if shaky jake hadn't busted a chair or billy the sly's head i'd have died right there i decided then it was my time i got righteous with the gods i did so i went off to limb's cragma's temple and talked to a priest and gave an offering and i don't miss a holy day unless i'm too sick to walk he sat back and crossed his arms tomorrow when i'm in the death goddesses hall and she says to me big o you're a liar and a thief and a murderer even if you didn't mean to be one but at least you're a pious bastard i'll smile at her and say that's right your goddessness that should count for something eric found it hard to find anything amusing in his present circumstances and rue was close to tears for fear they would be joining those sentenced to die the only three men not under the death mark were chopin eric and roo show pie would be transferred to the work gang after the hanging which he would watch as a lesson he seemed unfazed by the prospect of spending the next 30 years hauling rocks out of the royal quarry or dredging out the royal harbour it was rumored some young men had survived their thirty years so it was possible he might emerge alive someday a broken man in his fifties who might somehow forge a life for most men it only put off death the door at the far end of the cell opened and eric jerked around to see who was there half hoping how fearing it would be lender instead it was guards with the evening meal more bread and cheese but this time the stew had beef in it and there was a cup of wine for each prisoner eric found himself hungry despite his worry but rue simply ignored the food curling up and falling into a sleep of emotional exhaustion most of the men ate in silence save the islani who came to sit next to eric he said you think you will go free eric looked off into space for a minute no i think had we stayed and faced down our accusers maybe had they seen the blood flowing from my shoulder from stefan's sword maybe then as it is now i think we're probably going either to be hung or to spend out our lives working next to you on the labor gang the islami said i don't think so what makes you say that that woman i don't know why but it was important that you see what we were thinking when we were before the prince if she was reading minds like you claim then it was to see if we were telling the truth no something else what i'm not sure maybe what kind of men we are eric finished his meal and when roo offered no protest he drank his wine as well the evening stretched on and the door opened again eric turned and was astonished to see manfred von darkmoor enter flanked by two guards wearing the livery of darkmoor and two others wearing the prince's colors manfred motioned with his head to eric to come to the far end of the cell where they could speak privately eric got up slowly and the guards stood away as the two half brothers reached the far end of the cell eric said nothing waiting for manfred to speak after looking at eric a moment manfred said well i suppose you wonder why i'm here i would think that was obvious said eric i'm not entirely sure why i'm here truth be told perhaps it's because i have lost one brother and i'm about to lose another whom i don't know i may not be lost brother said eric dryly the prince has taken the evidence under advisement and i have a very gifted solicitor arguing on my behalf so i've heard manfred looked eric up and down you do look a great deal like father you know but i suspect you have your mother's steel in you why do you say that you never knew our father he was a weak man in many ways manfred said i loved him of course but it was difficult to admire him he avoided fights mostly with mother and he hated being in the public eye with an ironic smile he added i on the other hand find that i rather like it picking an imagined speck from his sleeve he said i don't know if i should hate you for killing stefan or thank you for making me barren but either way mother is up talking to the prince right now ensuring you go to the gallows eric said why does she hate me so manfred said i don't think she hates you really fears you is more like it it was our father she hated eric looked surprised why father liked the ladies and mother always knew he had been forced into marrying her from what i gathered after i was born they were man and wife in name only it was mother who ensured we had only male servants or ugly women working in our castle father had an eye for pretty young girls even with mother's precautions father found every pretty woman within a day's ride of the castle stefan was a lot like him in that respect he really thought he'd hurt you if he took your girl and had his way with her rosalind want my girl said eric she was more like a sister even better said manfred he would have delighted in knowing that if he could have taken your mother while you watched he'd have liked that even more his voice lowered stefan was an evil bastard eric a mean-spirited pig who delighted in causing pain i should know because i was on the receiving end of it most of the time it was only when i caught up with him in size and could defend myself that he left me alone almost whispering he said when i first saw him dead i was angry enough to have killed you myself that minute after the shock wore off i realized i felt relief that he was gone you did the world of favor by killing him but i'm afraid that fact won't help you at all mother's going to see you hung i guess i'm here to tell you that at least one of your brothers doesn't hate you brothers you're not fathers only bastard eric you may have a score of brothers and sisters out there but you were the oldest and your mother made sure the world knew it i guess that's really the reason you are going to hang tomorrow eric tried to muster as much courage as he could we'll still see what the prince has to say of course said manfred if you do somehow come out of this without being hung and after you've spent your time on the prison gang send me a letter he turned and walked away then turned to look back at eric but don't enter darkmoor if you wish to stay alive eric stood alone for a minute after manfred left then returned to his place next to the sleeping room time dragged on and eric found himself unable to sleep several others fell into fitful doses and only biggo and the islani seemed able to sleep comfortably a couple of the men sat in silent prayer at midnight the door opened and a handful of priests entered from various orders and each stood across from the prisoner who wished to take comfort this continued for an hour or more then the priests left and still no word from lender eric at last fell into a half-sleep with panic waking him up several times his heart pounding and his chest constricted as he fought against the rising terror suddenly a loud clang echoed in the otherwise silent cell block and eric was on his feet a sebastian lender entered the room eric lightly kicked roo awake and the two hurried to the far end of the cell eric looked at what lender carried and his chest constricted in terror a pair of boots fashioned out of soft leather with high tops that folded down were clutched in the old man's hands they were a horseman's boots well-made and artfully crafted and eric knew why linda carried them eric said were to die lender said yes the prince gave the order less than an hour ago lender handed the boots through the bars to eric i'm sorry i thought i had built a persuasive brief but the mother of the man you killed is the daughter of the duke of iran and has much influence in this court as well as the kings the king himself was consulted and in the end you were both sentenced to death there's nothing that can be done he pointed to the boots that eric now clutched before him these were your father's last gift to you i thought it would be unfitting for you not to have them at least for a few hours before the angus whispered rue eric pushed the boots back through the bars sell em master lender you said the gold he left me wouldn't cover your fees lender pushed them back toward eric no i failed and i'll give you your gold to whoever you instruct me to there is no fee eric eric said then send the goal to my mother at ravensburg she's at the inn of the pintail and she has no one to care for tell her to use the gold wisely for it's all i'll ever be able to give her lender nodded and said i pray the gods will be gentle with you eric and you as well rupert you have no evil in your hearts even if you have done this violent thing lender looked close to tears as he turned away leaving the two young men from darkmoor alone in the far corner of the death cell eric looked at his boyhood friend and said nothing there was nothing to say he sat and stripped off his common boots and pulled on the rider's boots they fit as if they had been fashioned for him hi to mid-calf they were soft and clung like soft velvet instead of harsh hides eric knew that if he worked for a lifetime he would not have been able to afford their like he sighed he would at least wear them for part of one day from the cell to the gallows he only regretted he didn't have at least one opportunity to test them on horseback rue sat on the floor back against the bars he looked at eric his eyes wide with fear and whispered what do we do now eric tried to smile reassuringly at his friend but the best he could manage was a crooked grimace we wait nothing more was said chapter 8 choice the door opened eric blinked surprised to discover he had dozed in a numb emotionally exhausted sleep guards heavily armed against the possible rebellion of the condemned entered last through the door was the strange man robert de launfield listen you dogs he shouted his gravelly voice striking them like a leather glove with a twisted smile he said you come one bitten and die like men he called six names and the last of the six was slippery tom tom held back as if somehow he could hide among the group who would be hung second thomas raid get out here commanded to loungeville when slippery tom only crouched lower behind his friend biggo de loungeville sent in a pair of guards swords drawn the other prisoners stepped aside and the two grappled with tom a moment then dragged him from the cell he started to cry out for mercy and wailed the entire way to the gallows no one in the cell spoke they all listened to the sound of tom screaming as he was carried farther and farther from them then turned as one to look out the cell window as the screaming grew again in volume the first six prisoners were marched in line saved for tom who was still being dragged his voice reached a near shriek in terror repeated cuffing from the guards who carried him only seemed to increase his panic and short of knocking him senseless they had no way to shut him up if they were put off by the screaming they showed no sign tom obviously wasn't the first man they had dragged shrieking to his death he would be silent soon enough through the bars eric watched with a mixture of revulsion and fascination as the first five men plotted up the six wooden steps that led to the gallows in some distant corner of his mind he knew he would soon be following them but he couldn't bring himself to accept that reality in his heart this was all happening to someone else not to him the man stepped up on the high boxes placed under the nooses and tom was carried up to where he would die he kicked and spit and tried to bite the guards who held onto him tightly then they lifted him up to the box while another jumped up beside him and quickly placed the rope around his neck two more guards held him in place lest he kick the box over and die before the order was given eric didn't know what to expect an announcement of some sort or reading of a formal verdict but without ceremony robert de loungeville came to stand directly in front of the condemned his back to all the men still in the cell his voice carried across the yard as he said hang them guards kicked hard at the boxes under the men's feet in one case twice to move it from under the man who slumped down in a faint at the loungeville's command slippery tom screaming was choked off abruptly felt his stomach not at the site before him three men went limp a sign their necks had snapped one jerked twice then died but the last two kicked as they were slowly choked to death slippery tom was one of the two and it seemed to eric he took an impossibly long time to die the slender thief kicked striking one of his guards with a heel and big o said should tie a man's legs you'd think robs him of dignity kicking around like that rue stood next to eric tears of terror streaming down his face as he said dignity biggo said not much else left to a man now letty man comes into the world naked and leaves the same way clothes on his body don't mean anything he's naked in his soul but bravery and dignity that counts for something i'm thinking maybe nothing to anyone but someday you never know one of these guards might be telling his wife i remember this big fellow young once he knew how to die eric watched as slippery tom kicked then twitched then at last ceased moving robert de loungeville waited for what seemed a long time to eric before with a motion of his hand he shouted cut them down the soldiers cut the dead men from the gibbet and while they were being carried down to be placed on the ground other soldiers hurried with fresh nooses and put them in place suddenly eric realized they were coming to get him his knees began to shake and he put out a hand to steady himself pressing his palm against the rough stone this is the last time i'll feel stone against my hand crossed his mind robert de loungeville motioned for a company of guards to form up and they marched out of sight of the waiting prisoners through the walls they could hear the tread of boots upon stone as the guards marched from the yard to the death cell closer and closer they came and eric alternately wished that they were here and it was over and that they would never reach the death cell he pressed his hand hard against the wall as if the rough feel of it against his flesh somehow denied the approaching end of his life then the door at the end of the hall opened and the guards marched through the cell door was opened and a loungeville was calling their names rue was called forth eric fifth and chopin as the only one who would not be hung was last rue got into line and looked around panic on his face one of the guards put a firm hand on his shoulder stay in line lad that's a good fella roo stopped moving but his eyes were wide with tears running down his face while his mouth moved saying nothing that eric could understand eric glanced around and felt a sick numbness in his stomach as if he had been poisoned then his bowel tightened and he felt the need to relieve himself and was suddenly fearful he would fill his pants when he died he found his chest tight and had to will himself to breathe sweat dripped down his face and ran from his armpits and groin he was going to die i didn't mean it said rue pleading with men who had no power to save him the sergeant-in-command gave the order the prisoners were marched from the cell and eric wondered how he was managing to keep in step for his feet were leaden and his knees trembled roo shivered visibly and eric wished he could have touched his friend's shoulder but the shackles and manacles prevented such movement they left the long hall next to the death cell the condemned moved down a long corridor to another that led to a short flight of steps they walked up them turned another corner and out through a door into daylight the sun was still not above the walls so they moved through shadow but above them a blue sky promised a beautiful day eric's heart almost broke wishing he could see that day rule cried openly making inarticulate noises punctuated by a single word but he managed to walk they moved past where the first six bodies lay in the yard as a charnel wagon was being drawn close enough for the dead to be loaded into it eric glanced down the dead men he almost stumbled he had seen death before having found tindal and having looked at stefan and the nameless bandit after he killed them but he had never seen this the men's faces were contorted especially those of tom and the other man who had strangled their eyes bulging from their sockets the other four whose necks had broken still looked ghastly with eyes staring lifelessly at the sky flies were already gathering on the corpses and no one was bothering to shoo them away all at once eric was being moved up the steps and he felt his bladder weaken he had not needed to relieve himself and suddenly he felt an overwhelming urge to ask for permission to do so before he was hung a wave of childish embarrassment swept up from some deep well of memory and he felt tears coursing down his cheeks his mother had scolded him at an early age for messing his bed during the night and for reasons beyond his ability to understand the thought of messing himself now was the worst fate he could imagine from the reek of urine and excrement others had already lost control he didn't know if it was those ahead of him or those who had already died he felt a desperate need not to lose control and have his mother get mad he tried to look at rue but suddenly he was stepping up on the box a guard stepping up next to him to place the noose expertly around eric's neck without hesitation then step down without upsetting the box below eric's feet he tried to look over but for some reason he couldn't see rue eric felt himself tremble he couldn't make his eyes work and images of bright sky overhead and dark shadows under the walls made no sense he heard a few mumbled prayers and what he thought was rules softly pleading no please over and over he wondered if he should say something at the end to his friend but before he could think of anything to say robert de loungeville came to stand before the condemned men with astonishing clarity eric could see every detail of this man who was to order his death he had shaved in a hurry that morning for a slight stubble had turned his cheeks dark and there was a slight scar above his right eye eric hadn't noticed before he wore a fine red tunic with a badge that eric could now see depicted the seal of crondor an eagle sawing over a peak above the sea he had blue eyes and dark brows and his hair needed to be trimmed eric wondered how he could see so much so quickly and felt his stomach rebel he was about to be sick from fear the only prisoner not slated to die was brought to stand beside the lounge reel who turned to him and said watch this and learn something keshian nodding once to the men on the gibbet he ordered hang them eric sucked in his breath in terror as he felt a powerful blow knocked the box from beneath his feet he heard rue's shriek of terror and then he fell the sky spun for eric as he moved through the air his only thought was of the blue above and he heard himself cry murray as he felt his body hit the end of the rope a sudden jerk made his skin burn as the rope tightened around his neck then with another jerk he continued to fall instead of the expected crack of his own neck all the sudden choking as his windpipe was crushed he felt a numbing slam along his face and body as he fell hard against the wooden floor of the gibbet suddenly robert de loungeville was shouting get them to the fate rough hands dragged eric upright and with a half day's sense of being somewhere else he looked around and saw stunned men returning his confused expression roo gaped like a just landed fish and his face was spotting a red mark from where it had struck the boards his eyes were puffy and red and snot ran down from his nose as he cried like a baby big o glanced around blood running from a cut on his forehead as if trying to understand this evil prank that robbed him of his meeting with the goddess of death the man next to him billy goodwin closed his eyes and sucked in breath as if he was still choking eric didn't know the name of the man at the far end of the gibbet but he stood silently his expression as stunned as the others now listen you swine commanded robert the lounge reel you are dead men he glanced from face to face he raised his voice do you understand me they nodded but it was clear none of them did you are officially dead i can have anyone who doubts my word hold up again and this time we'll tie the rope to the cross piece of the jibit or if you'd prefer i'll happily cut your throat turning to the keshian prisoner he said get over there with the others the shackled men were being pulled roughly down the steps to stand next to the bodies of the dead soldiers cut short the rope hanging from each of the five men and two placed a similar noose around chopin's neck you'll leave those on until i tell you to take them off shouted to lounge real he came up to the five still stunned men and looked each in the eyes as he walked slowly before them i own you you're not even slaves slaves have rights you have no rights from now on you will draw each breath at my whim if i decide i don't want you breathing my air any longer i'll have the guards close that noose around your neck and you'll stop breathing do you understand me some of the men nodded and eric said yes softly the loungeville nearly roared when he said when i ask you a question you will answer loudly so i can hear you do you understand me this time all six men said yes delangel turned and began walking along before the men again i am waiting it was eric who said yes sir coming to stand before eric delangero put his face before eric's so their noses were less than an inch apart sir i am more than a sir you toads i am more than your mothers your wives your fathers and your brothers i am your god from this moment on if i snap my fingers you're dead men in truth now when i ask you a question you will answer yes sergeant de loungeville is that clear yes sergeant delangel they said almost shouting despite raw throats from the mock hanging now load those men into the wagon you swine the lounge real commanded hiv attack one big o stepped forward picked up the body of slippery tom and carried him as a man mighty child loading him into the wagon two gravediggers stood in the charnel wagon and dragged the corpse deeper into the wagon bed to make room for the next eric picked up a body not sure what the man's name or crime had been and carried it to the wagon placing it where the gravediggers could grab it he looked at the man's face and didn't recognize him he knew it was one of six men he had seen for two days and probably spoken to but he couldn't recall who this man was rue looked down at the man at his feet then tried to pick up the body he struggled tears from an apparently inexhaustible fount streaming down his face eric hesitated then moved to help him get back down there von darkmoor commanded the loungeville he can't do it said eric discovering his voice still hoarse and his neck saw from the rope burn delangeril's eyes narrowed menacingly and eric quickly added sergeant to landfill well he'd better said the lounge drill or i'll be the first one of you sent back to hang he pointed back up the steps with a dagger he now held eric watched as roo struggled to find strength enough to drag the corpse to the wagon the ten feet must have looked like a mile eric knew rue had never been a strong boy and whatever vitality was usual his had fled days before he looked as if his arms were damp rope and he had no power in his legs as he dragged hopelessly on the corpse finally it moved first a foot then two and after a moment more another grunting as if he were carrying suits of armor up a mountain rue pulled until he got the body to the foot of the wagon then he collapsed delangeril came to stand over him crouching down so his face was level with rules he shouted so loud he nearly screamed what do you expect those honest workmen to climb down from there and finish your job for you rue looked up at the short man silently pleading to die delanger reached down and gripped rue by the hair pulling him to his feet holding the dagger to his throat you're not going to die you useless piece of pig snot he said as if reading the boy's mind you're mine and you'll die when i tell you it's my pleasure that you die not before if you die before i tell you i'll reach into the death goddesses hall and yank you back to life and then i will kill you i'll cut your belly open and eat your liver for dinner if you don't do as i tell you now get that dead meat into that wagon rue fell backwards hard against the wagon's tailgate and barely kept himself from falling he leaned down got his arms under the body's arms and heaved you're no good to me boy bellowed the lounge roll if you don't get him in that wagon by the time i count to 10 you're worthless slug i'll cut your heart out before your eyes one roo heaved and his face betrayed panic tow he forced his own weight forward and got the corpse sitting up three he lifted with his legs and somehow got himself half turned around so that the dead man rested against the tailgate four roo took a breath and heaved again and suddenly the man was halfway into the wagon five rue let the body go and reach down quickly gripping the corpse around the hips he ignored the reek of urine and feces as he healed with his last reserve of strength then he collapsed six screamed a loungeville leaning over the boy who sat at the base of the wagon rule looked up and saw the man's legs were hanging over the end of the tailgate he struggled to his feet as delangel shouted seven and pushed as hard on the legs as he could they bent and he half pushed half rolled the dead man all the way into the wagon as de loungeville reached the count of eight then he fainted eric took a step forward delangeril turned took a single step and delivered a backhanded blow to eric that brought him to his knees lowering his head to lock gazes with the stunned eric robert delanger delangero said you'll learn dogmate that no matter what happens to your friends you will do what you're told when you are told and nothing else if that's not the first thing you'll learn you'll be crow bait before the sun sets straightening up he shouted get them back to their cell the still stunned men moved raggedly along not certain what had happened eric's ears rang from the blow to his head but he risked a glance back at rue and saw that two guards had picked him up and were bringing him along in silence the men were taken back to the death cell and herded in rue was unceremoniously tossed in and the door slammed shut behind the man from keshe shopi came to look at rue and said he'll recover it is mostly shock and fear then he turned to eric and smiled a dangerous look around his eyes didn't i tell you it might be something else but asked biggo what was all this vicious mummery the keshians sat down crossing his legs before him it was what is called an object lesson this man the loungeville who works i imagine for the prince he wishes you to know something without any doubt whatsoever now what asked billy goodwin a slender fellow with curly brown hair he wants you to know that he will kill you without hesitation if you do not do what he wants but what does he want ask the man whose name eric didn't know a thin man with a grey beard and red hair closing his eyes as if he were about to take a rest show pie said i do not know but i think it will be interesting eric sat back and suddenly giggled biggo said what is it finding himself embarrassed before these men he said a lord in my pants then he started to laugh and the laughter had a hysterical edge to it billy goodwin said i don't need myself too eric nodded and suddenly the laughter was gone and he found to his amazement he was crying his mother would be so angry with him if she found out rue roused when food appeared and to their astonishment it was not only abundant but good before they had gotten a vegetable stew in a heavy beef stock but now they were served steaming vegetables and slabs of bread heavy with butter and cheese and meat rather than the usual bucket of water there were cold pewter mugs and a large pitcher of chilled white wine enough to slake thirst and ease the tension but not enough to get anyone drunk they ate and considered their fortune do you think this is some cruel thing the prince is doing to us ask the grey-bearded man a raudacion named luis de savona biggo shook his head i'm a fair judge of men that robert de loungeville could be cruel like this if it suited his needs but the prince isn't that sort of man i'm thinking no like our keshian friend ear says is ilani corrected show pi we live in the empire but we are not keshian whatever said biggo what he said about this being a lesson is right that's why we still have these on he flipped the length of rope that still hung from around his neck to remind us we're officially dead so that whatever happens next we know that we're living on sufferance billy goodwin said i don't think they'll have to remind me anytime soon he shook his head goat i can't remember what i was thinking when they kicked the box from under me i was a baby again i'm waiting for my mum to come fetch me from some difficulty i don't think i don't tell what i felt like the others nodded eric felt tears start to gather as he remembered his own feelings as he fell pushing that aside he turned to rue how you doing rue said nothing only nodded as he ate eric knew he was looking at something powerful changing in his friend something was marking him and making him different from what he had known all his life in ravensburg he wondered if he was changing as much as his friend guards arrived later to remove the trays and pitchers and no one spoke soon the cells fell into darkness and the single torch that illuminated the hall outside remained unlit i think it's to loungeville's way of telling us to sleep as soon as we can said big o show pie nodded we will get an early start on whatever it is we do tomorrow then he curled up on the stone shelf and closed his eyes eric said i'm not sleeping in my own filth he removed his boots and trousers then took them to the slop's bucket and did his best to shake loose the dirt there using a bit of the drinking water to clean them as best he could it was a gesture nothing more and the pants were still dirty and again wet when he put them back on but he felt better for trying some others followed his example as eric nodded at rue who sank back into a corner with his arms wrapped around him despite the fact it wasn't at all cold that night but eric knew his friend felt a chill inside that no fire would ever drive out eric lay back until his astonishment felt a warm fatigue sink into his bones and before he could ponder the amazing events of the day he was asleep get up yo scum shouted to laundrial and the prisoners stirred suddenly the cell erupted in a cacophony of sound as guards slammed shield against the iron bars and began to shout get up on your feet eric was standing before he was fully awake he looked at rue who blinked like an owl caught in a lantern's light the door to the cell was opened and the men ordered out they came to stand in the same order they had marched to the gibbet inn and waited without comment when i give you the command to right turn you will all turn as one and face that door understand the last word wasn't a question but a harsh command right turn the men turned feet shuffling the shackles making any quick movement difficult the door at the end of the cell block opened and de loungeville said when i give the order you will start forward with your left foot and you will march behind that soldier there he pointed to a guardsman with the chevron of a corporal on his helm you'll follow him in order and any man who fails to keep his place will be back on the gallows within one minute are we clear on that the men shouted yes sergeant delanger march the first man in line billy goodwin moved out but it was obvious that big o and luis didn't know they're left from their right and it was a ragged group that set out after the corporal they followed through a long corridor away from the courtyard where they had endured the false hanging the day before they climbed a long flight of stairs and were taken into what appeared to be the palace proper their chains clanked as they moved quickly and suddenly eric was self-conscious as they were hurried past some court officials who glanced at them and returned to whatever discussion they were having eric realized he was still filthy as were all the other five men though chopin was only in need of a bath the rest had soiled their clothing and had infused it with the reek of terror the bit of cleaning the night before had done nothing to rid the clothing of the stink usually untroubled by the smell of honest sweat a constant companion to a blacksmith eric was now repulsed by the stench that intruded on his nose in there said de laundro and eric realized it was the first time he had spoken in a calm voice in two days they entered a large chamber with six steaming tubs of water each as high as a man the door was closed and eric heard it bolted from outside guards came and unlocked the manacles and shackles strip off those rags said the corporal biggo started to remove the rope from around his neck but the lounge rolls shouted leave that there swine your dead men and that's to remind you strip off the rest the men removed their clothing eric put his boots in a corner and watched as a serving boy gathered up the ragged stinking clothing you're going to meet someone very important said de loungeville we can't have you stinking the place to eye evan i don't mind but i'm lowborn like you swine and have no tender ways others aren't so tolerant emotion and other boys dressed in the livery of palace squires carried buckets of soapy water without warning they lifted the hot soapy water and poured it over big o and billy goodwin and then returned to the tubs for more washed down shouted delaundrel i want you as clean as you've ever been in your life the men began to clean away weeks of grime body filth and stench harsh salves were brought to rub into their hair to rid them of any lice and eric thought he'd have no hair left yet by the time they were done he stood shivering but revived he hadn't felt this clean since the night before he and rue had killed stefan he looked at rue who nodded and gave a pale imitation of his former smile he hugged himself as water dripped off the only thing he wore the noose around his neck he had scant body hair and eric was astonished how much he looked like a little boy clothing was produced plain gray tunic and trousers and eric was allowed to reclaim his boots as the others with foot gear were biggo and billy went barefoot they were lined up and inspected by robert de loungeville who said you'll be allowed to go without chains for a while the noise and sight of them might be off-putting to some of the more tender natured of those we are about to mate but first you'll follow me the corporal ordered them to return to line and they did so falling in raggedly in the same order they had entered the bathing room they were marched to a small courtyard and there brought to a halt along the top of the wall guards with crossbows were stationed while every fifth man held a long bow those fellas up there with the big bows are pathfinders said the lounge drill they connect a sparrow at a hundred yards they're up there to keep any of you from becoming inspired during our next little demonstration he motioned and a guard handed him a sword anyone else come think they know how to use this the prisoners looked at one another saying nothing do you bellowed the loungero into the face of luis de savona i'm a fair and with the sword sergeant he said softly the loungeville reversed the sword and handed it to de savona then airs the tail run may throw with this and you can walk out of the palace a free man desavona looked around and after a long moment shook his head throwing the sword to the ground pick that up rage delaundrel i'll tell you when to put something down you pick up that sword and run my throw with it or i'll have that man up there he pointed to one of the pathfinders put a cloth yard shaft through your thick skull is that clear desavona said either way i'm a dead man de loungeville came up to the taller rhodesian and shouted into his face do you doubt my word i said if you killed me you would be a free man are you saying i would lie to you when de savona said nothing robert de lounge will struck him across the face are you calling me a liar luis bent grabbed the sword and as he came up he moved forward lunging he abruptly found a lounge will had easily sidestepped the sword and suddenly he was on his knees with delangero behind him the noose now pulled tightly around his neck as he struggled for air delangel said i want you all to listen every man your mate from now on is your better each of them can take any weapon you have away from you like you were a baby each of them has proved himself 100 times over to may and i will grant any and all of them permission to cut your throat strangle you bludgeon you with a club kick you to death or whatever else they feel like if you so much as fart without my permission is that clear the men mumbled something and he yelled i can't hear you desavona was beginning to turn crimson from lack of air if he dies before i can hear you you'll all lang yes sergeant delandrio shouted the men and lounge will let go of the noose around the savona's neck the rhodasian lay gasping for breath and after a moment he got to his feet and staggered into his place in line remember every man your mate from now on is your better motioned for the guards to move the men out and the corporal let them back into the palace they moved quickly through a long passage and abruptly they were in what appeared to be a private quarter of the palace they were led into a good-sized chamber one far smaller than the grand hall where the court had been conducted and there they saw the prince of crondor duke james the strange woman who had come to see them and who had been at their trial and other nobles of the court the woman stood stiffly as if this was a difficult place for her to be and she looked from face to face and jerked slightly when she looked at shopi some silent communication seemed to pass between them and at last she turned to lord james and the prince and said i think they will do as you wish may i be excused now sir the prince of crondor said i can only imagine how difficult this was for you my lady you have my thanks you may withdraw the duke whispered to the woman a moment and she nodded and left the hall de loungeville said sir the dead men are here the prince said what you started was with my father's knowledge and permission bobby i'm still trying to make sense of it all james said nikki you've seen what the snakes can do with your own eyes you were at sea when a router agreed to callus and bobby's plan you'd still be at sea if we hadn't sent for you when your father died don't doubt for a moment it's necessary the prince sat took off the circlet of office he wore and studied the prisoners who waited silently after studying them for a long moment he said was all this really necessary james said it was every condemned man would lie to you about his willingness to serve they'd give up their mothers when the box was being kicked from under their feet now these men are the six who could be trusted the most among those condemned to die nicholas looked from face to face and said i still don't see the need for the charade at the gallows certainly that was cruel beyond reason de loungeville said excuse me sir but these men are now officially dead i've made that abundantly clear to them all they know that we can execute them at whim and they are to a man desperate to stay alive what about the keshian ask the prince james answered he's something of a special case but my wife feels he will be needed the prince sat back and let out a long sigh coming to this office wasn't easy boric agonized long hours about who should sit on this throne until prince patrick is old enough to come take my place and i can return to the sea that's three years of this i'm a sailor damn it i haven't spent more than a month in port in 20 years this administering james smiled the light in his eyes making him look far younger than his years you sound like amos the prince shook his head as a faint smile graced his lips i guess i do he taught me all there was to know about the sea he looked at the men have they been told yet robert de loungeville said that's why they hear sire the prince nodded to lord james who said each of you men is being given a choice listen carefully so you'll understand what is at stake robert de loungeville said by the grace and generosity of his highness execution of your sentence has been postponed you've not been pardoned nor have you had your sentence commuted are you clear on this the men glanced at one another then several nodded james said you men will all die the only question is how and when robert delangero said the kingdom needs something done and we need desperate men who are willing to do it to this end we've pulled you from the brink of death and we offer you this advice any man who is enough at peace in his conscience to face the death goddess can ask and we will take him from this hall to the gallows and execute him that ends his worries in this lifetime he glanced around the room and no one said anything not even the previously pious biggo good you're gonna be trained for this job that needs to be done and when we're finished we're gonna sail halfway around the world and we're gonna go to places few men in their kingdom have ever gone before and live to tell about and while we're going and while we're there you may bloody well wish you'd elected to go to the gallows this afternoon but if we somehow get through it all and get back to crondor nicholas said your sentences will be reviewed and you will be paroled or pardoned depending upon whatever recommendation lord james makes to me and that will depend on what recommendation is made by those who lead you said james so if you have any hope in you that someday you might again be free do as you're told the prince nodded and de loungeville said turn around the prisoners did as they were commanded and they were marched out of the hall instead of being returned to the prison block they were taken to a small courtyard where a wagon waited it was a shallow bed affair with a buck board two drivers and two benches in back where the men could sit three to a side with a guard at the rear a company of horse soldiers moved in to flank the wagon and delangero shouted get in that wagon the men did as commanded and soldiers quickly chained each prisoner's right ankle to an iron ring under the small seat delanger mounted a horse brought to him by a groom and gave the order for the company to move out the gates to the courtyard were opened and as the wagon rolled through eric could see they were leaving by a gate that led to a small road at the far end of the road they could see a private dock which must be for the palace they turned away from the dock and moved toward the city itself they reached a second gate and guards swung this wide letting the procession leave the palace grounds the hooves of the horses beat a loud clang as irons struck paving stone and the horses snorted to be outside and moving eric looked around it was barely past noon so much had passed since that first glimpse of sky at dawn the sun had burned off whatever morning fog and low clouds had gripped the city and now a glorious fall day was upon them warm sunlight caressed his face as cool ocean breezes carried the sound of gulls and the tang of salt he remembered the stab of pain he had felt when he had thought he would not see the day and the terror and panic that had gripped him as rough hands had placed him upon the gallows returned eric felt a choking sensation in his own chest and suddenly without any ability to control it he began to weep rule looked over and nodded and tears began to run down his face too but no man in the wagon said anything soldier or prisoner after a few minutes eric got himself under control and he sat back feeling the breeze cool him and vowing to never again be that afraid chapter 9 breakdown eric groaned he struggled to carry the bag of rocks up the hill his feet slipping on the treacherous mound of stone the hill was formed by the rocks being hauled by the six prisoners up its unstable side reaching the top eric paused took a deep breath a sweat poured down his face and swung the heavy bag off his shoulder he upended it and rocks went cascading down the side of the mound causing those behind to curse as they were forced to dodge the stones he knew the guards would allow him a moment to catch his breath before he negotiated his way down the dangerous stone mound to continue this pointless task he let his vision sweep the vista below the mound of rocks rose up in the midst of a military camp he had never seen a soldier's compound but he guessed this was unlike any other such installation in the world a huge square it was surrounded by wooden walls upon which centuries patrolled as much to ensure no one approached from outside as to keep prisoners inside a good 300 yards of woodlands had been cleared around all sides providing that no one could get close enough to the camp to witness what occurred inside in the midst of the camp were three large buildings also fashioned from logs ten large tents each designed for six men were arrayed along the north wall of the compound a familiar sound carried through the morning air and eric looked toward the southern wall where stood an armory leather shop and cook shed von dartmouth shouted a guard and eric realized he had lapsed into daydream the next warning would be followed by a fouling blunt an arrow with a hard ball of lead covered with leather that could break a man's arm if it struck there usually it just knocked the hapless target from the peak of the hill followed by a rough ride down the rocky slope that would be followed in turn by an equally rocky berating from robert de loungeville the sergeant stood a short distance away watching as the men moved slowly up the rock pile trying not to dislodge stones onto the men behind he spoke softly to the corporal whose name was foster they pointed at various men as they struggled to get the rocks up the hill rue moved toward eric and he puffed mightily as he said holy two three more trips i figure the scrawny boy from darkmoor had never been one for labor eric knew but over the last week he had managed to keep up with the others part of it eric knew was the food none of them had ever eaten that well in their lives and while they were aroused from sleep at dawn they turned in early enough so they were sufficiently rested eric had felt his old strength return and if anything he was even more fit than before he and biggo loaded up more than the others because they could carry more but every man pulled his share of rocks up that slope eric made one more transit from the small mounds dumped by the wagon to the growing hill when he got to the bottom he saw robert de loungeville wave him to stand nearby when all six prisoners were finished standing in ragged line de loungeville came up to them tired he asked his face set in a friendly smile the man muttered they were and he nodded in understanding i bet he said could be you're as tired as you've ever been in your life the men muttered agreement he rocked back and forth a little on his feet then shouted and what do you do when your enemy hits you when you're tired suddenly eric was slammed into from behind his assailant taking him down a man in black moved away as eric rolled over on his back out of breath and heart pounding the others were likewise on the ground save show pie who danced nimbly away as a black-clad man lay face down in the dirt the loungeville said here now how did you manage that chopin said by never for a moment assuming i'm safe sergeant the lounge roll raised his brows and with eyes wide with respect nodded that is an attitude i can appreciate he moved with almost a saunter as he approached show pie yeah would do well he said to the others to follow this man's example without warning he levelled a flying kick at shopi's knees which the isalani deftly avoided suddenly the islani was a blur of motion as he sidestepped the smaller but solid man he kicked out with his right leg and tattooed the lounge drill with a series of kicks to the face and chest then he swept with his leg coming full circle and took de langeville's feet out from under him the men who were still on the ground laughed at the sight of their tormentor humbled but that laughter turned to silence as two guards ran up pointing crossbows at shopi forcing him away from the loungeville robert delandreal sat up shaking his head and then jumped to his feet did you think that was funny none of the men spoke i said did you think that was funny the men shouted no sergeant de lounge returned and said i'll show you something funny his voice rose to the near shriek the men had become used to over the last week that pile of rocks is in the wrong place eric bit backer groan as he knew what was coming next you will take that pile apart and move it over there the loungeville pointed to a place where the wagon now empty stood then when i've decided exactly where i want the rocks i'll have you move them again is that clear without thought eric shouted yes sir now get started eric didn't look to see what the others were doing he stood shouldered his sack and started to the pile of rocks he reached the edge and bent over to pick up rocks but the loungeville's voice cut the air from the top down von darkmoor i wanted to move from the top down eric winst and without comment started the dangerous climb to the top of the rock pile halfway up the slope eric heard billy goodwin say i'd like one good shot of that bastard from even farther down the slope eric heard biggo say with your luck you'd probably kick him in the ark and break your foot eric couldn't help but laugh and suddenly he realized it was the first laugh he had experienced since stefan had died suddenly his foot slipped and he half fell slamming both knees into the rocks as he winced in pain and regained his feet he cursed the day he had first seen this camp a week earlier five miles to the east of crondor the wagon he had ridden in had turned south leaving the heavily traveled road from crondor to darkbore but it wasn't the main road southeast that headed toward the vale of dreams and the border with cash rather they had followed an old wagon trail to what looked eric to have once been a farming village near a small lake surrounded on three sides by sheltering hills the crown had obviously taken over this area for several guard posts had been erected along the way and three times they had been forced to stop while robert delangeville had shown proper passes eric had been curious for with all the guards riding with them and the tabards of the prince's own household guard the guards along the way had still appeared cautious the other thing that had piqued eric's interest had been how veteran those soldiers guarding the way to this camp had appeared all the men had been older not one smooth cheek in the crew and many had borne scars and most wore differing tabards some the black with the golden eagle of baztira others the golden gull on brown of cried a guard sergeant at the gate had greeted de loungeville by name calling him bobby but still looked over his pass once inside the compound eric and the others had their first glimpse of the camp a dozen men all wearing black tunics and trousers had been practicing with bows in a corner of the compound as the wagon had rolled through the gate and as the large doors were swung shut eric caught sight of a dozen more practicing their horsemanship he had gawked as the wagon had ground to a halt and the prisoners had been unchained the men had been forced to run from the wagon to stand in front of the main building for over an hour toward what end eric had never understood as he had waited he had reveled in the simple fact of still being alive his experience on the gallows had left him alternating between black depression and gideolation he had entered the compound in good spirits which hadn't worn off as he had waited before the nameless building de loungeville had gone inside for over an hour and had returned with a man who appeared to be some sort of chirogen who had examined all the prisoners and had made several comments on their condition eric hadn't understood for the first time in his life he had some sense of how horses felt when he examined them for fitness the prisoners had been run through some strange drills and asked to march around this had brought rude comments and mocking observations from those men in black who were standing around while the prisoners drilled at the end of the day they had been ordered to the second large building the mess fully half the tables were unoccupied after the men in black were seated young boys in the livery of squires of the princess caught in condor raced between the tables heaping abundance beyond eric's dreams on them breads hot and slathered with butter pitches of cow's milk cooled by ice brought down by riders from the nearby mountains meats chicken beef and pork surrounded by vegetables of every description was set down next to platters of cheese and fruit eric was suddenly hungry beyond belief and ate he lay almost comatose in a tent next to rue that night the next morning training had begun and they had been ordered to build the mountain robert loungeville had ordered them to pick up seemingly endless piles of rocks and move them half the distance across the compound to build this hill his reverie was broken by chopin saying i apologize eric reached the peak and as he knelt and started filling the bag with rocks said for what my temper got the best of me and i let him knock me down we would not have to do this over eric finished loading up his sack oh i think he'd have found a reason you just provided a convenient excuse moving carefully down the hill as chopin took his place at the summit eric said it was worth it to see him dumped on his pratt i trust you feel that way tomorrow friend eric despite aching shoulders and legs and black and blue marks all over his body from the constantly rolling rocks eric knew he would get out of there you dogs eric and roo were out of their bedding and on their feet before they were fully awake corporal foster looked at the six men billy goodwin big o and luis were on one side of the large tent while eric and rue were on the other with show pie all six stood what they had come to learn was the approved stance what the soldiers called at attention head back eyes forward hands to either side of them palms in feet at an angle together at the heels each man before the foot of his wood and straw bed if this morning was like the others they would be working for an hour or so before the morning meal when they would be required to sit in silence at a table removed from the 40 or so men who occupied the compound they had been forbidden to speak to the other men and those black-cloud soldiers had shown no inclination to speak to the prisoners that they were soldiers was beyond doubt to eric they spent long hours drilling climbing the wooden walls jumping barricades riding horseback practicing with all manner of weapons instead of being returned to the rock hill for the third day of moving the rocks to robert loungeville's newly chosen location they were marched before the big building where eric was now convinced the officers lived they were told to stand at attention and weight while delangel entered the building a few minutes later he re-emerged with another man behind the second man struck eric as looking somewhat odd though he couldn't place why he was slender blonde and youthful no more than twenty or twenty five years of age but de loungeville showed obvious deference to him as they spoke these are the last six he said the blonde-haired man nodded saying nothing i don't like this de loungeville continued we planned for sixty men not thirty-six the other man spoke at last and there was something strange in his speech soft and well-mannered yet different from what eric had heard among the nobles and wealthy merchants of darkmoor and ravensburg eric had heard a lot of foreign accents in his day but he couldn't place this one agreed but conditions force us to make do with what we have what about these they have promised kalis but with months of training ahead who are they asked the man called chaos robert delaundrell moved before biggo this one's called big o strong as an ox and almost as intelligent quicker than he looks calm doesn't rattle easily he stepped before the next luis de savona radazian cutthroat likes to use a knife andy where we're going then he said billy goodwin looks like a simple lad but he'd cut your throat for the fun of it too mean when angered but he can be broken he came to stand before eric this is von darkmoor's bastard probably too stupid to live but he's almost as strong as big o and he'll do as he's told then he was before rue rupert avery he's a sneaky little rodent but he's got potential he then grabbed roo's ever-present noose and pulled him forward almost off balance as he shouted into his face if i don't kill him first for being so damned ugly then he let go and rue almost fell backwards overcompensating as de lounge will step before show pie this is the question i told you about could be very useful to us if he can learn to keep his temper more dangerous and goodwin this one doesn't show it when he's getting angry then he turned to the six prisoners do you see this man here asked to loungeville the prisoner said yes sergeant delangel said be afraid of him be very afraid he looked from face to face he is not what he seems he is the eagle of condor and wise men keep out of sight when he flies above khalis indulged himself in a slight smile at the rhetoric nodded and said you men will live or die as the kingdom requires i will see you dead before i will let you jeopardize the mission we will be upon is this understood the men nodded they had no idea what mission they were to be a part of but it had been driven home daily that it was vital to the interests of the kingdom and that each of them would instantly be killed if they appeared in any way to threaten its success eric was certain he had never been more convinced of any single fact in his life than he was of this kayla studied each face then said you have two weeks bobby two weeks i watched you i had three more months with a hint of a distant sadness kaelis said aruta is dead nicholas was not told of his father's plan until the day after hearing of his death it was a shock he's not convinced of the wisdom of what we do he turned and looked at the lounge drill two weeks and any man who isn't reliable hang him without another word he returned inside the building de loungeville glanced from face to face one more time then said be very afraid the next morning the hill of rocks was gone the men in black had been ordered to remove it and 30 of them had made quick work of the pile eric and the others had been taken to another part of the compound by corporal foster he had stood before them and said any of you murdering mother lovers think you know how to handle a sword the men glanced at one another but no one spoke they had learned within a few hours of arriving at camp that when foster or de loungeville asked a question you had better be absolutely sure of the right answer if you opened your mouth i thought so said foster easy enough to club a man from behind in an alley a big o he grinned without humor foster moved down the line or slip a dagger into a man's back when he's drunk in a tavern hey louis when he got to eric he said or you can just hold him from behind while your little rat-faced sweetheart sticks a knife into his gut eric said nothing to de landrille had a harsh nature and was a tyrant but didn't seem to find particular pleasure in his work corporal foster seemed to enjoy insulting the prisoners billy goodwin had lost his temper with foster the second day and had endured the humiliation of being soundly drubbed by the experienced soldier before the entire company in the compound the men in black had gathered to laugh at the thrashing two soldiers approached each carrying three swords well said foster these two lads and myself are gonna attempt to show you a thing or two about using this weapon so you don't hurt yourself if you happen to find one in your hands someday taking out his own sword he said better men than you have managed to cut off their own foot the soldiers passed out a blade to each man eric held his awkwardly it was a common kingdom short sword heavier than the fast rapier shorter than the broad bastard and greatswords used by some fighters it was he had been told as a boy the simplest weapon to train with pay attention said to loungeville your life will certainly depend on it so began an intensive week of arms study for a half day they stood in the yard slamming away at one another with wooden practice weapons until every one of them was covered in black and blue welts then after the midday meal they were taken to the stable area who's a rider here asked to loungeville eric and lewis raised their hands two horses were led toward them and the loungeville said get aboard and let's say what you know lewis quickly mounted but eric walked around his horse and inspected the animal de lounge real said waiting for him to invite you up von darkmoor ignoring the sarcasm eric said this animal in sound what asked robert the loungeweel he looks sound enough to me he's off in left rear eric reached down and ran his hand along the animal's left rear leg and the gelding obligingly raised his foot a thick mat of dirt hay and dung was packed in the hoof eric reached for a pic that hadn't been on his belt for a month and smiled to himself ruefully old habits he looked up without a word one of the two grooms handed eric a hoof pick and he pulled the mask loose even standing a few feet back de loungero could smell the stink eric held the hoof inspecting it thrush that won't make him lame until the hoof rots off but there's certainly something else here eric dug into the frog and the horse protested and began to pull away old shouted eric and gave the horse a backwards slap with his hand more in admonishment than any real punishment sensing he was being treated by someone who knew what he was doing the horse quieted though he obviously wasn't pleased got a rocky small one but in there good suddenly it popped out and blood and pus oozed after it a couple of days of soaking that ufo time or two in hot salty water should fix him right up just needs to be packed with poultice to keep it from festering he let go of the leg someone's not taking proper care of these horses sergeant de loungeville said someone is going to find himself shipped back to the shemata garrison at first light tomorrow if there's one other lame horse in that stable tonight to one of the grooms he shouted bring another mount as the horse was led away the loungeville asked how did you now eric shrugged it's what i do i'm a blacksmith i can see little things most don't notice delangero rubbed his chin as he thought then softly he said get back in line while waiting for a fresh mount to be brought the loungeweel said let me see y'all take the yard at a trot to savona luis moved the horse easily forward and eric nodded slightly in approval the rhodesian had a good seat and didn't sort the horse's mouth he over balanced a little and his legs were somewhat out of position but overall he was a fair rider the afternoon wore on with each of the men taking a turn riding roo sat well enough despite his having little experience and chopin seemed to have a natural aptitude good balance and a relaxed seat big o and william were both tossed before they made it halfway around the compound and by the end of the day every man but eric and lewis was complaining of muscles in his legs he never knew existed now stretched and beaten for the first three days after meeting kalis eric and the other five prisoners were put through intensive weapons training as well as at least two hours of riding each day eric was developing a fair sense of how to use a sword as was rue who used his quickness to good advantage no one asked but it was clear that they were being trained for combat and that their ability to prove something to robert de loungeville was critical to their future survival no one spoke of calis's final instruction to de loungeville that any man found unreliable was to be hung no one cared to speculate on what would constitute reliability in two weeks time each man's strengths and weaknesses began to emerge as the weak wore on biggo was fine as long as he had clear instructions but when something unexpected arose he was indecisive rue was daring and took chances and as often as not received lumps and bruises for his troubles billy goodwin lost his temper in a blind rage while chopin lost his temper and became intensely focused in a fashion that made eric consider him the most deadly of the company luis de savona was a fair swordsman though he claimed he excelled with the dagger and a decent horseman but his vulnerability was his vanity he could not say no to any challenge chopin was naturally gifted and never repeated a lesson he sat effortlessly in the saddle and used a sword easily mere hours after having been shown what to do five days after kalis had inspected them training in the camp changed the six prisoners were ordered out with an equal number of men in black and the dozen of them were marched to a distant area of the compound where two soldiers waited wearing the brown and gold tabard of the duchy of crydee on the ground before them lay a host of strange-looking objects some of which appeared to be weapons others which were incomprehensible the two soldiers a captain and a sergeant began a lecture on these alien weapons quickly demonstrating what each was capable of doing after that demonstration was over the men were marched to another area where a man who appeared to be a priest of dala began to instruct them in the basics of caring for wounds by the end of the day eric had a firm picture in his mind of one thing they were going to war but from the unspoken urgency of each man's instruction this day they were going into war with the dearth of preparation the sound of horses winning in greeting brought eric awake he rolled from his bunk and moved aside the door flap of the tent looking out he saw a company of royal crondorian lancers entering the compound some distance away he glanced toward the east and saw the sky already lightning they would be roused from sleep in another hour he started to return to bed but something caught his attention for a moment he stared at it without recognition then it struck him he watched until he was almost sure of what he saw then moved to roo's bunk kneeling he shook his friend awake covering his mouth to keep him from waking the others in the gloom he made a motion for his friend to follow him they crept out of the tent and then roo said what miranda she just rode in with a company of royal lances are you certain said rue no that's why i'm going to get a closer look eric turned and hunkering down so those marching posts on the wall wouldn't notice him moved off the centuries weren't there to keep eric and the others inside he was now certain but to ensure no one outside got close the two young men circled around to the far side of what eric had come to think of as the officer's quarters at least that was where delanger retired every night and where chaolis seemed to reside they ducked along keeping away from the line of lancers who sat their horses easily as they turned their mounts around and began riding back toward the gate eric glanced at them long enough to realize they weren't heading out again merely moving away from the command building eric had a suspicion but said nothing to rue the two of them darted along behind the building and crept under a window faint voices carried eric motioned for rue to remain silent and moved to another window here he could barely make out the sound of conversation need to be gone before the camp rises every man here see me at least once it would not do for my presence to be detected too many questions a man's voice eric thought it sounded like chaos answered i agree something urgent must have brought you here what is it nicholas received a warning from the oracle she begins her mating with the eldest of her attendants and the new oracle will be conceived this summer chaos was silent a moment then said i know as much about the lifestone as any living miranda save those who saw it at sethenon i'm not certain i appreciate the significance of what you tell me though miranda laughed and eric thought it a sound without humor it seems that as we embark on this dangerous course the oracle of all begins a mating birth and death cycle that will take the better part of five years in other words just as we seek to end the danger to the lifestone the oracle is going to mate give birth to her successor and die we will be without the oracle's visions for the next 25 years until the daughter reaches maturity kayla said i know little of the ancients of all save the legends about them i take it this mating is a surprise to you miranda mumbled something eric couldn't hear then said the limit of seeing one's own future i suppose a rebirth that limits the oracle's abilities for a 25-year period once every thousand years is little more than an inconvenience from that perspective but it's certainly ill-timed from ours is nicholas thinking of cancelling our plans miranda said i don't know i can't read him as i could his father he's so much like him in some ways yet so different in others i've only met him twice before and i have no doubt he would have little trust for me were it not for you and james vouching for me you've convinced us of your sincerity and commitment to stop the enemy even if you're damn unbending and revealing much about yourself he paused the moment what's the upshot of all of this asked chaos it means we need to move even sooner than we thought it means you should dismantle this camp starting today and have your ships ready to depart next week chaos was silent then he said i have six men who are not trained and were barely half the number we had planned on i cannot depend on how i had mercenaries too many good men died last time because i made that mistake i need he stopped himself you know all the arguments bobby and i made them to a router three years ago if we must go with only 36 men i will take the next nine days to evaluate the last six i'll hang them myself before i let them become a weak link in the chain we're forming but i'll at least give them that little bit of time to prove themselves miranda's voice rose i have been through a great deal to select these men kayla's i think i know each one well i think you have only two who might break goodwin and de savona the others will do as we need might break he repeated that's the problem you think if i knew they would break i'd execute them tonight if i knew they would stand fast i would leave tomorrow but if we judge wrong and if one of them breaks at the wrong time nothing is certain there was a dry chuckle and chaos said working with an oracle has given us something of a false illusion of certainty i'm afraid if we return to the certainty that nothing is clear before it happens we might survive this venture i'm leaving if you insist on lingering the next nine days so be it but nicholas is adamant we should move as soon as possible we've captured two agents and they know we're up to something dead now they are camina read both men before they died and found out little we didn't already know but it's clear the snakes are closing in on this facility you've done well covering your tracks for the last year but now they know something unusual is happening outside of condor the next bunch of spies they send won't be sniffing around the palace they'll be out here in the woods looking for this encampment once they discover it was here we've taken every precaution someone who loaded a wagon of beef will say something in someone the palace will let a list of prisoners be seen while he's out of an office it will take time but within a year not only will the snakes know you're in their way again they'll have the name of every man with you chaos was silent then said something eric couldn't make out suddenly there was a sound of a door opening and closing and eric motioned for rue to follow him in a hurry they returned the way they went and made it back to their tent moving back to their bunks eric was silent for a moment as he caught his breath then he woke big o quiet wake the others when lewis chopin and billy were awake eric said some time before you were caught did you run into a woman named miranda the four looked at one another and it was show pie who spoke first dark of hair and with intense green eyes eric nodded she spoke to me outside of shomata while i was on the road to crondor there was something about her that i noticed at once she has power what did she tell you show pie shrugged we talked of things of little importance i found her very beautiful and was flattered at the attention but her interests seemed more abstract than carnal and i was curious why i sensed she was so much more than she seemed was there anything she said that got you tossed into jail show pie said nothing i can remember the others talked about their encounters billy and lewis saying she had used a different name but it was clear that all six men had encountered the woman at some point less than a month prior to being arrested big o said that girl gets around him if she was talking to you he pointed at show pie at shimada the week before running into eric and roo near darkmoor how does she know us asked louis eric said it has something to do with an oracle who reads the future we're important in some way but only if we survive the next nine days i don't know why we were saved from the gallows and i don't know what we might be to these people if we continue to live but i have no doubt of this if kalis thinks we're dangerous to his plans he'll hang us all before he breaks camp in nine days if he thinks we're trustworthy he'll keep us alive it's that simple billy said it means we gotta work hard we've been breaking our backs complained lewis i mean work hard at being what they want show pie said billy is right he and i must stem our temper he rose and returned to his own bunk where he sat back resting on his elbows big o must begin to show he can think for himself what of me said lewis obviously fearful of not being judged trustworthy in nine days time you must put aside your pride you must stop acting as if every order is an insult and every task beneath you your arrogance will get you hung i'm not arrogant demanded lewis obviously ready to take offense eric saw a fight coming and thinking quickly to stem it he said there's more said biggo if one of us fails we all fail what said billy if one of us is judged unworthy they're gonna hang all six of us rue looked at eric a moment then nodded we're a team we live or die as one lewis glanced around the tent and saw all eyes upon him i will work on humility when that little cabroni tells me to shovel dung i will cheerfully say si may commandante how high big o grinned if there's a stiffer neck bunch around the new bloody rhodacians it's them sorani up in la mutt but not by much looking at show pie he said i've gotten by for years playing dumb so that folks won't expect much of me i guess it's a habit now i'll try to look a little brighter show pie said and you rupert you must stop trying to be so clever it will get you killed you are not as clever as you think nor others are stupid eric said what am i show pie said i do not know eric von darkmoor there is nothing you do that is obviously wrong yet there is something i do not know a hesitancy perhaps you need to be more decisive further discussion was halted by the arrival of corporal foster and the men leaped up to stand before their beds the corporal looked around for obviously something had been occurring just before he arrived but nothing was obvious so after a moment he shouted all right outside and fall in your worms we don't have all mourning foster stood over billy screaming insults at him the prisoner looked as if he was about to leap to his feet and attack the corporal a man in black stood not ten feet away puffing heavily from the exertion of the recently ended combat they had been dueling with billy getting the upper hand when suddenly foster had tripped goodwin then before he could react the corporal was standing over him as if it were billy's fault then foster said and your mother was a as he turned away billy leapt to his feet before he could charge foster eric hit him with a tackle driving his shoulder into billy's waist they went to the ground and rolled eric using his strength and weight to keep billy under him suddenly soldiers were hauling them apart and foster was shouting here now what's this about eric blood running from his nose from one of billy's elbows said keeping him from doing something stupid corporal foster regarded eric a moment then said right turning to billy he said gonna jump me from behind you swine well i'd you like to try it from in front he backed away pulling his own sword let him go the soldiers obeyed and billy stood with his own weapon ready then biggo stepped between him and the corporal wouldn't be smart for billy would it corporal what were those lads on the wall unlimbering their bows and all would it billy glanced up and saw that a pair of longbow men had strung their weapons and knocked arrows and were watching closely stand away big o you overblown pile of cow dung commanded foster i'm gonna cut a few pieces off this dog meat luis came over to stand next to big o with shopi a step behind rue joined them and eric shook off the two soldiers who held him and joined the other five was this mutiny shouted foster no answer show pie just trying to keep the situation from becoming dangerous i'll have that man hung shouted foster as robert delangeville approached to see what was occurring biggo said then i think you should hang us all robert de loungeville said what's this then volunteering to go back to the gibbet big o turned and with an affable smile said sergeant if one of us is to be young for thinking we'd like to murder the good corporal then you better hang us all because we all think it at least a dozen times a day and i'd rather you get it over with now than make us work for another week of this soldier drilling i'm kind of tired of it with all respect sergeant de loungeville raised his eyebrows in surprise this man speaking for y'all they looked from one to another then eric said i think that's a way issa suddenly delangel was standing nose to nose with big o having to rise up on his toes to accomplish the feat you you're not being told to think what makes you imagine we care what you think if you're thinking that means you have too much time on your hands i can fix that turning to the two guards who had held eric a moment before he said we need to stable swept get these murderous dogs down there and have them pick up everything they find and i don't want them dirtying perfectly good brooms and pitchforks they can pick everything up by hand now move them out the two soldiers motioned for the prisoners to fall in and quick march them out of sight as they vanished foster looked at the lounge drill and said i think it's starting to work bobby delaundrel scratched his chin as he pondered i don't know we'll see but he did better we're going south short-ended and i hate to have to hang this lot the day before we sail foster said if billy goodwin didn't cut my throat for calling his mother a she was but he's touchy about it then i think he's learning and the way they stuck up for him the lounge roll nodded maybe you're right or maybe they're being clever we'll have to see won't we without waiting for an answer he turned and headed back to the command building chapter 10 transition the alarm sounded drums beat as the camp turned out it had been three days since eric had overheard the discussion in kayla's office and the six prisoners had been training hard focusing their attentions on doing whatever was necessary to remain alive foster became even more of a tyrant abusing the men at every turn and de loungeville studied them closely looking for any sign they might fail to meet his demands now a new day began with an unexpected twist the prisoners moved out of their tent a good half hour earlier than usual and saw that the other men who lived in the compound were all hurrying to the command building as they followed they were intercepted by a guard a soldier named perry of whitcomb who said fall in behind me and stay together no talking the six fell into their usual order with biggo at the lead and show pie at the rear billy luis rue and eric in between they reached the building as the door opened and caleus and deloungeville emerged delangel held his hand up for silence and said listen up kalis said we've been discovered two of our sentries were killed last night a muttering broke out among the men in black and de lonesville had to call for quiet again kalis continued you all know what to do we break camp now instantly the thirty men in black raced to their tents and the majority of soldiers began hurrying to their assigned places foster turned to perrier whitcomb and gave instructions the soldier jested to the six prisoners and said you lot come with me they followed the soldier through the frantic but organized activity and he led them to a large tent not far from the blacksmith's shop find clothing that fits he ordered and put it on the six entered and in the gloom saw a pile of common clothing eric stripped off his boots and then his tunic and trousers throwing the ragged grey garments into the corner he joined the others in rummaging through the pile picking up tunics and judging their size casting aside those that were obviously too small luis and billy as well as chopin found clothing quickly being a more average size but rue because of his diminutive stature and big o and eric because of their bulk took longer to find clothing that fit eventually all six stood wearing fresh garments eric had found a dark blue tunic with an open collar and long sleeves a pair of sailors trousers were the only pair of pants he could find that fit he gave up trying to push the flared legs into the top of his boots and let them fall outside laughter caused eric to turn and there he saw rue with an angry expression it's the only one that fits he said as billy and lewis made rude observations the shirt was open to the waist and a lured purple color making matters worse the only pair of trousers small enough were a bright crimson then pick one that doesn't fit said eric trying hard not to laugh rue peeled off the offending shirt and looked some more finding a plain white tunic that was only slightly too large he tucked the voluminous tails of the shirt into his loud red waistband and eric nodded now you look only slightly ridiculous instead of completely ridiculous rue grimaced then smiled red's my lucky color get out of there called perry and the prisoners came out of the tent get to the smithy and get aboard the last wagon in line there'll be two mounted crossbow men behind you so don't imagine you'll get a chance to go for a stroll he started to move away then turned and said and tuck those nooses out of sight the six prisoners had grown used to being required to wear the nooses at all times outside their tunics they had put them back on after changing now they tucked them inside so they wouldn't be seen biggo had to quickly strip off his tunic and put on the noose then put the tunic on as the neck of his shirt was close fitting louis said bit lumpy for high fashion my friend but it'll do since coming to the compound from the prison eric had noticed lewis was vain in addition to having a temper and being arrogant but he still found himself liking the rhodacion knife man he had shaved off his gray beard but let his moustache grow as well as keeping his shoulder-length hair neatly trimmed lewis was becoming something of a peacock the clothing he had selected was as fashionable as possible given the choice eric had no doubt lewis was not simply speaking of high fashion in the abstract but was a man who had dressed for court functions before his temper and violent nature had brought him to low state he had said nothing of his past but once had mentioned having been friends with the son of the duke of rhodes they hurried to the smithy and eric noticed with a sense of awe just how fast the forge and other equipment were being carried out of the building everywhere they looked men were hurriedly tearing down all signs of occupation newcomers to the camp workmen from somewhere probably crondor were now starting to tear apart the three buildings that dominated the compound foster was waiting for them at the smithy and motioned for them to climb into a wagon two guards sat atop the buck board and two more climbed in after the prisoners who sat three to each side of the wagon as they had when arriving two more guardsmen on horseback moved in behind the wagon and they set out eric glanced around rue seemed half excited half afraid of the significance of what was occurring lewis watched carefully as did biggo billy seemed amused and chopin was looking off into the distance some of the men whom eric recognized as having been dressed in black were now dressed as were the prisoners in a variety of clothing ranging from almost ragged to noble's finery some rode on horseback and others in wagons and more than a dozen were leaving the compound by foot two more riders approached and eric saw they were robert de loungeville and corporal foster de loungeville pulled up next to the wagon and said all right listen up i was talking to cailis about hanging you all this morning but we couldn't take the time nothing spoils my breakfast like a rushed hanging kalis agrees with me that we can do it later when we can be more leisurely and do things properly young men are gonna live a few days longer but don't think we've fallen in love with you those two lads behind you with a crossbows i've ordered to shoot anyone are you foolish enough to try to get down from this wagon understood yes sergeant they all said and another thing until i tell you no more of that shouting yes sergeant it'll call attention to you and the tension's too much of what we have right now so keep your mouth shut and do as you're told until we get where we're going without another word he put heels to his horse and cantered off foster followed only a length behind eric looked around and noticed no one else seemed willing to risk a crossbow bolt by saying anything so he settled down as best he could in the jouncing wagon and tried to relax along the road to crondor they passed groups of men on foot many dressed as common mercenaries farmers or labourers others rode in wagons and kept to themselves a few passed by on horseback each appearing oblivious to the others other traffic appeared on the road heading toward the capital of the western realm farm wagons heavy with late summer crops and the first of the early fall harvest rumbled toward crondor traders with their goods piled high and the occasional nobles carriage joined the traffic there was no roadblock and eric and the others moved rapidly down the road leading to the southern gate to the city the one closest to the palace in which they had all been condemned to die in the midday light the palace looked splendid rising up as it did above the harbour towers were a flutter with banners and the city spread majestically around the ancient hill upon which the first keep of the first prince of condor had been constructed at the southern gate guards waved them through and the wagons started a convoluted course through the city at last they entered the docks area near the poor quarter and foster suddenly appeared without raising his voice he said you lot get out that wagon and get into that boat down there he pointed to a long boat that bobbed on the tide at the bottom of a flight of stone stairs leading down from the keysight eric and the others hurried down the stone steps and entered the boat each being told where to sit by a pair of sailors as soon as rue last to enter was seated foster joined them and the sailors pushed off expertly the two sailors rode the longboat toward a ship in the harbour eric knew nothing of ships but this one dwarfed most of those nearby it had three masts rising high into the sky like bare trees and it was painted a daunting black other ships near it were green or red or blue and there was even one that was a gaudy yellow making the black ship all the more impressive for its sombre appearance the longboat reached the side of the ship and foster said up you go pointing to a net hung over the side eric rose and gripped the netting like a ladder and started to climb the weight of those below pulling on the net caused him to twist and dip a little but he made it safely to the rail where sailors half-hauled him aboard a man in a strange uniform blue coat cut high at the waist white trousers and a saber hanging from a baldrick slung across his shoulder motioned for eric to stand away when the others were aboard foster called up that lot is to be kept together mr collins the man in the strange uniform leaned over the rail and said in were the others yes answered foster as the longboat pulled away but in a corner mr collins aye aye corporal foster the man named collins turned and ordered follow me he moved down a strange ladder narrow and steep into a square hatchway forward of the main mast eric was the last into the hold and his eyes took a moment to adjust to the gloom they entered a cargo hold that had been reconfigured to act as a barracks eric saw that 20 triple bunks had been fastened to the bulkheads ten to each side of the ship lengthwise creating a fairly wide aisle between the head of one set of three bunks and the next foot of the next set large trunks had been affixed to the deck in which men were busy stowing gear collins motioned for the six prisoners to follow him he led them to the two sets of bunks farthest from the other man set against the starboard bulkhead those across the hold on the port side were empty he motioned for them to occupy the bunks this is where you'll sleep you'll eat on deck unless the weather's too rough when you'll be eating here you can store your gear in those two trunks he pointed to the trunk closest to the bulkhead at the aft of the cargo hold and the one between the two sets of bunks they were assigned rue said we got no gear the man said you'll call me mr collins or sir when you address me i'm the second mate on trenchard's revenge the first mate is mr roper and the captain it you call him captain is that clear rue said mr collins but they didn't give us any gear sir that's not my problem your officer will get you what you need i'm sure it's a long voyage and you'll have ample time to get organized now stare until you're sent for he left biggo took one of the lower bunks with chopin and billy goodwin above him while rue eric and luis took the other bunk in descending order what do we do now our through big o grinned nothing i'm for a nap he added cheerfully eric realized that he was also tired but nervous waiting to discover what fate held in store for them next still the lulling of the ship as it moved gently on ground swells in the harbor quickly soothed his nerves and soon he was asleep as well a clutter from above and a sense of motion and eric sat up striking his head against the bottom of the bunk above wincing at the pain he almost stepped on roux as he got down from the middle bunk a grinding sound from above and a change in motion coupled with the shouts of orders from above and it was clear they were underway the six prisoners stood unsure of what to do while the thirty men at the other end of the hold seemed amused by their confusion one of them a large man nearly biggo's size said why don't you run up and tell bobby to landrill that he's been thoughtless in not telling you we was leaving this soon this brought a burst of laughter lewis said why don't you go ask him if he knows who your father might be your mother certainly didn't the man on the bunk was on his feet and two strides on his way toward lewis when chopin intercepted him now a moment my friend said the islami you're no friend of mine counted the large man now obviously ready to fight with anyone as he put his hand on chopin's chest to push him aside suddenly the man was on his knees pain etched on his face a show pie held his hand in a torturous grip pulling thumb back and palm reversed so the hand twisted back hard against its own wrist a gospel agony was the only sound he made i was going to suggest said show pie that as this is going to be a very long and tedious voyage it would be in all of our best interests to make peace and try to consider one another's feelings i'm sure my friend here is more than willing to apologize for impugning your mother if you'll graciously grant him pardon louis was now amused and with a gesture of removing a non-existent hat he bowed like a courtier and said sir i was aboard and acted rashly and without thought my behavior shames me i crave your pardon sir the gasping man whose eyes were now watering so that tears streamed down his face said granted it was hardly more than a croak of pain chopin released his hand and the man almost fainted from relief billy helped him to his feet and escorted him back to his own companions trying to keep from grinning as he did the man kept rubbing his hand as if expecting something to be broken but nothing was he shook it a few times as billy returned to his own side of the hold the hatch above slid aside and two figures came down to loungeville and foster foster said listen up to loungeville stopped about halfway down the companion way so he could look around at all the men we're underway which no doubt you know unless you're unconscious or even more stupid than i thought we'll be between 90 and 100 days at sea weather permitting there's plenty of work to do and i'll not have you run into fat because you're not sailors besides we may be coming home shorthanded he got a far away look for a second as if that meant more than what it sounded like so knowing your way around the ship will prove useful mr collins will come down later with assignments and you'll do as you're told no questions asked he has as much rank as night captain in the king's army so don't go forgetting that because he looks like a common sailor he moved down the ladder walked over to where the six prisoners were waiting and motioned for them to gather around i'm only going to tell you this once luthien slavio because the lady of luck has seen fit to keep you alive a little longer i was given two weeks to judge if you're fit to live and as things were going you were all heading back to the gallows he glanced from face to face but i'll convince kalis that i could angel from the yard arms as easily as i could from the gallows in condor so you've only gained time the next three months are going to be harsh you'll work a full watch like every man on this ship and another watch will be given over to some training you haven't had and those others have he hiked a thumb over his shoulder to the men at the other end of the hold o spoke to everyone's surprise are we to learn why why what are still on drill why this great gallop in charade robert delanger sergeant darwin sir you don't spend the prince's gold and dragoon soldiers from all parts of the kingdom then go through all this to save murderers and thieves from fair justice you want something from us and you're prepared to give us back our lives in exchange fair enough and no questions asked but men more stupid to me would know that it's better for us to know what's ahead and rest certain in that knowledge then let imagination stir up horrors that might make us do something rash and foolish if we get ourselves killed we're not happy and you're not happy the lounge rules studied biggo's face for a moment then his face split into a grin i liked you better when you were stupid big o he turned and as he left he said stay alive long enough and i promise you you'll find out more than you want to know as he reached the companionway he turned again to add but for the time being the trick is to stay alive he climbed the stairs foster as ever behind him and as the hatchway closed biggo said well that's not really what i wanted to hear lewis said what do you think is he trying to scare us chopin said no i think the problem is he's trying very hard not to scare us eric returned to his bunk and with a cold feeling inside he knew that chopin was right days passed the first day they had been allowed up on deck eric saw another ship traveling a short distance away a sailor had told him that it was the freeport ranger another ship under kayla's command eric said he had thought all kingdom ships were called royal this all that and the sailor merely nodded then went back to work eric didn't care much for the work but it was outside and the weather was clement despite its being early fall rue hated being a sailor having some trouble with the heights but he had the agility to get around in the yards that biggo and eric lacked luis and billy with steady hands and chopin took to the tasks put before him with the same easy grace he had shown in the camp after two weeks eric had gotten his sea legs and calluses on his feet he had put his riding boots away because they were dangerous on a ship and the salt water was bad for the leather only officers wore boots for they never had to climb the rigging eric and the other men below went barefoot like the sailors and were learning the sailors craft in a hurry a landlubber of the worst thought he was no longer confused by such terms as running out a sheet or securing a yard as in the camp the hard work was accompanied by good food a fact remarked upon by more than one sailor that they were eating better than was the norm was not lost on eric and he joked that they were being treated like prized horses being ready for a competition among nobles he decided not to mention that such competitions frequently ended with an animal down with a broken leg or a rider thrown to serious injury or death even rue averse to hard work his entire young life was showing the effects of the hard regime and good food there was wiry muscle on his scrawny frame and he moved with a self-assurance eric had never seen before rue had always laughed as a child but there was a mean dangerous edge to him and his humor had often been cruel now he seemed more involved with the moment as if it was slowly dawning on him what life was as opposed to the mind-numbing fear the death was only a moment away eric sensed something had changed in rue but he couldn't rightly say what that change was chopin observed that whatever awaited them de loungeville wanted them fit and ready each day was an equal mix of hard work and battle training the second day out chopin had gone up on deck during his off watch to practice a series of controlled movements that looked like nothing as much as a dance to eric graceful and flowing they still held a sense of menace as if to quicken the action would turn graceful motions into killing blows after he finished and returned below decks luis said what was that you were doing up there keshian isalani corrected show pie then as he swung into his bunk he said it is called kata and it is the heart of the arts i practice it is a sense of movement and it taps the power around you to give you balance and ease at the moment you need to draw upon that power eric sat up in his own bunk is that the trick he used to disarm the soldier it is sad to admit the same but it is not a trick it is an ancient art form and it can be used to harmonize the self with the universe as well as for self defense biggo said if you could show me how to kick the loungeville around the way you did i'd be interested in learning that would be an abuse of the art said show pie but should you wish to practice with me you are welcome qatar will relax you calm you and refresh you billy said sure you look so relaxed and calm when you kick the loungeville luis grinned ah but it was refreshing they all laughed suddenly eric was visited with an unexpected and extraordinary affection for these men murderers all the dregs of kingdom society yet in each he sensed something that made him feel kinship he had never experienced such a feeling before and it troubled him as much as it felt natural lying back on his bunk he pondered this odd turmoil by the end of the week eric and the others had joined luis in taking lessons in qatar from show pie for an hour after their watch the six would stand in a relatively clear area of the deck between the main hatch and the foremast and follow his lead eric found the admonitions to think of a spot of light or a soft breeze or some other relaxing image while he moved vigorously through a long series of classic isalani movements silly at first after a time he sensed the calm that would come with accepting show pai's advice despite the long hard hours of work the additional exercise didn't tire it refreshed and eric had never slept better in his life a sailor a la matian whose father had been a sorani warrior asked to join as well he claimed that much of what chopin taught was similar to what his father had shown him as a child part of the heritage of the sarani way of the warrior after the group had been practicing for a week the large man whom chopin humbled came over to watch after a few minutes he said can you show me how to do that thing with the thumb show pie said it is but a part of this you will learn many things the man nodded and stood next to eric chopin nodded to eric who said put your feet like so he showed him now balance your weight so it's neither too far forward nor too far back but just in the middle even on both feet the man nodded name's jerome handy he said eric won dartmouth show pie demonstrated the four moves they would practice and slowly led the men through the series then instructing them to try it again he moved quickly among them correcting position and balance from the quarter deck foster and de loungeville stood watching foster said what do you make of that the lounge will shrugged odd to say charlie it could be something just to kill the time or it could be something that saves some lives that keshian could just as easily have killed me is embarrassed me with those kicks he pulled him despite the fact he was mad at me he was silent for a while then said let it be known that i won't mind if the others follow andy's lead it's about time our last six birds joined the rest of our flock slowly over the next few days more and more of the other 30 men joined the group until at the end of the third week all were practicing qatar under shopai's supervision you're all prisoners ask louis incredulity on his face yamane said an ebony skinned man from the veil of dreams named jado shati each man here took the fall in bobby delangero's little drama each of us looked the death goddess in the eye or at least thought we were going to he grinned and eric found himself smiling in return the man's smile had that impact as if all the sunlight and happiness reflected of teeth made brilliant white by the contrast with his dark skin the blackest eric had ever seen in the short time he had known jadao eric had discovered he had the ability to find some humor in almost any situation he also had a way of putting things so that eric almost always ended up laughing rue threw up his hands then why were you such a bloody bunch of bastards when we first came to camp they were all sitting around in the hold barracks over the last few days after practicing with show pie the men had begun speaking with one another and the barrier between the six men eric had come to think of as us and the other thirty he thought of as them had started to weaken jadao spoke with the patois common to the veil a no man's land claimed at various times by the empire of great kash and the kingdom where languages blood and loyalties tended to be mixed it was a musical sound softer than the harsher king's tongue but not as guttural as hi keshian man that was a drill don't you know each time a new group came we were to give them bloody hell bobby's orders not until he knew he wasn't going to have to hang us did he treat us better than dirt on the sole of his boot don't you see then we gotta take off the damn ropes man then we began to think we might live a bit longer jerome handy sat across from eric the biggest man in the group after big o and broader across the shoulders jadow and me were among the first six four of our mates died two tried to go over the walls and those pathfinders picked him off with their longbows like quails on the wing he made a flying motion with his two hands as if throwing shadow puppets on the wall and made a funny flapping sound with his mouth then suddenly he turned his hands over and made a sign of a wounded bird falling eric had delighted in discovering that as rough and intimidating as handy could be he could also be very amusing given anything remotely like an audience one lost his temper and died in a sword drill the other he glanced at jado oh that was bad man raja was his name supplied the veil man right roger he was young when he killed a guard trying to escape how long ago was that asked eric more than a year man he ran a hand over his bald pate which he kept free of hair by dry shaving with a blade every morning while most of it was naturally hairless the little fringe around the ears was persistent enough that eric winced each time he saw the man give himself a trim a year asked billy goodwin you've been at that camp a year jadao grinned man consider the alternative don't you see he laughed a deep-throated version of a child's delight the food was sumptuous and the company he cast a mock belleful look at jerome diverting if nothing else and the longer we were there what are through it was bigger who answered longer they weren't added toward wherever is the loungeville and the eagle are taking us exactly you've been playing soldier for a year then ask lewis more and i don't call it playing when men die said a man named peter bly jerome nodded we 30 are what's left of 78 who were put through the false hanging over the last year and a bit chopin said then this would explain why corporal foster and what is robert de loungeville's real rank when first i saw him i took him for a noble does anyone know jerome shook his head sergeant is all i've ever heard but i've seen him give orders to a knight captain of the king's own he's the second in command after the elf elf said eric lewis said what some of the older gods call the eagle it's no joke they call him that but there's no disrespect in it but they say he's not human he does look a little odd said rue jerome laughed and jado said look who's talking about looking odd all the gathered men laughed and rule flushed with embarrassment waving off the remark i mean he didn't look like the rest of us no one looks like the rest of us said show pie we know what you mean said another man whose name eric didn't know jado said i never been to the west though my father fought there against the surrounding in the rift war man that was some fighting to hear the old man talk he saw some elves at the battle in the valley in the great towers when the elves and dwarves betrayed the treaty he said the elves are tall and fair though their hair and eyes are much like yours from brown to yellow and don't you know yet he said there's something uncommon about them and they carry themselves with a different grace as if dancing while the rest of us walk is what he said to me chopin said the man called eagle is that he is one i'd not wish to face yo said eric you've taken swords out of our men's hands i would have thought you were afraid of no one i have taken the sword from an armed man's hands eric but i never claimed i was fearless when i did so his expression became reflective there's something very dangerous in the man called chaos he's stronger than he looks said jerome with a frank look of embarrassment early on in the training before he left everything to bobby delangero that's when i thought to bully him and he knocked me down so hard i thought he'd broken my skull too thick man much to take said jado and the others laughed no i i mean it i pride myself on taking a blow with the best but i've never felt anything like it and i was certainly surprised he looked at show pie as surprised as i was when you twisted my thumb that time same thing i moved and suddenly i was on my back and my head was ringing like a temple gong jado said he never saw the blower man and neither did i truth to tell keyless is fast he's not human said another and there was general agreement a warning creek on the companionway stairs had the men scrambling for their bunks before corporal foster was through the hatch as he touched boot to deck he shouted lights out ladies say good night dear sweethearts and get your rest give a full day tomorrow before eric could get completely under the woolen blanket the lantern was doused and the hold plunged into gloom he lay back and thought what it must have been like to live in that camp for a year to see men you didn't know come in and see them die suddenly something chopin had started to say registered eric whispered show pie what what were you about to say about something explaining why foster and loungeville were doing something or whatever when you asked about the loungeville's rank i was going to say that having so many men fail even after the testing before and during their trials even after having the woman read minds explains why they are so worried about the six of us what do you mean more than half the men saved from the gallows died before we got to the camp by rights three or four of us you me rue billy biggo and luis we shouldn't be on this ship we should be dead the loungewell's taking a chance even after all of this we still might fail eric said uh i see he lay back and sleep was a long time coming as he thought fail at what chapter 11 passage eric yawned while things were never dull on trenchard's revenge there were moments of boredom and this was one he had finished his exercises with the other men who formed what he now understood was robert de loungeville's hand-picked band of desperate men evening chow was over and he felt like some fresh air while the others were lounging in their bunks below decks eric waited by the four rail overlooking the bow sprit listening to the sounds of the sea as the ship sped through the night the deck officer called out the hour's orders and the lookout above answered that all was clear eric smiled at that how the man knew all was clear was beyond him unless he had some magic device allowing his mortal eyes to pierce the darkness what he meant thought eric was he couldn't see anything yet that wasn't entirely true there was a sea of stars above with a little moon just rising in the east and the middle and large moons not due to rise until just before morning the familiar pattern of the stars above gave silver highlights to the water below a half mile to starboard the freeport ranger was holding a parallel course her presence marked by lights upon her bow stern and masthead any other ship in the night should be running under lights as well so if they were near they'd stand out like a beacon fascinating isn't it eric turned startled that he hadn't heard anyone approach chaos stood a few feet away gazing at the sky i've been on ships any number of times and when the moons are down and the stars are like this it still makes me pause to watch and wonder eric didn't know what to say this man had spoken to them so rarely most of the men below were in awe of him and de loungeville seemed to take great pains to keep them in awe of him jado and jerome's narrative about him helped further that cause eric said uh i was just stay said kayla's coming to the rail next to eric bobby and charlie are playing cards and i thought i'd get some air i see i'm not the only one feeling the need eric shrugged it gets close down below sometimes and sometimes a man likes to be alone with his own thoughts isn't that true eric sometimes said eric not knowing why he said but i don't dwell much on things it's not my way rue now he worries enough for all family but but what maybe it was my mother said eric suddenly missing her she was always worried about this all that and well i never really had much on my mind most of the time no ambitions just to earn a forgimine someday chaos nodded the gesture half seen in the dim light of a nearby lantern a respectable goal what a view eric was suddenly embarrassed at his own presumption but khalees smiled my goals he turned and leaned upon the rail both elbows resting on it as he gazed into the darkness it would be hard to explain eric said i want trying to pry sir kayla said start calling me captain eric bobby's our sergeant and charlie's the corporal and you're part of the crimson eagles the most feared mercenary band in our homeland sir said eric i don't understand kayla said you will soon enough looking at the horizon he said we'll be there shortly well sir captain sorcerer's isle i need to speak to an old friend eric stood silently uncertain what to do or say next until khalis relieved him of that burden why don't you go below and join your companions he suggested yes captain said eric and started to move but stopped uh captain should i salute you or something with a strange smile what owen greylock called ironic eric thought cailis said we're mercenaries not the bloody army eric eric nodded and turned away shortly he was back in his bunk while jadal regaled the others with tales of women he had known and battles he had single-handedly won eric lay half listening half wondering just what kalis had meant captain eric paused as he secured a line the sound of the lookout's voice had carried a troubling note with it what do you see came the captain's reply summing dead ahead sir lights or lightning i don't rightly know eric quickly made the line fast and turned to look ahead it was near dusk but the sun off the port bow made it hard to see anything he squinted against the sunset glare then saw it a faint flash of silver roo came to stand next to his friend what is it lightning i think said eric oh great a storm at sea said rue it had been pleasant sailing for almost a month as they had fought attacking course out of crondor toward their destination one of the sailors had said that had they been heading the other way they could have made the trip in one third the time you boys got nothing to do came a familiar voice from behind them and eric and roo would back up the rigging before corporal foster could inform mr collins that they needed to be assigned more work reaching the top yard on the main mast they began securing lines that really didn't need securing they wanted a look at the coming storm as the sun lowered beyond the horizon there were no clouds ahead but they could clearly see arcs of incredible brightness what is that asked rue nothing good said eric and he started making his way back down toward the deck where you going to report to mr collins i've secured the lines and to get orders no sense staring at whatever's ahead rue we'll get there soon enough roo hung back watching as the bright arks reappeared against the darkening sky silver bolts that arched into the heavens he imagined they carried thunderous booms or sizzling discharges but from this distance they were silent he felt chilled yet the evening air was warm he glanced down and saw that half the crew was straining to see what was ahead he lingered a moment then headed down after his friend throughout the night they drew closer to sorcerer's isle near dawn the first of the cracking sounds that accompanied the energy displays could be heard by the time the day watch was to be roused no man on the ship was asleep word of their destination had circulated through the crew though eric had told no one what kaelis had told him sorcerer's isle home to the legendary black sorcerer some called him macross while others said his name was a sarani one and still others said he was the king of dark magic no one knew the truth eric decided but everyone who spoke knew of someone who knew someone who would talk to another who had barely survived a visit to the island terrible stories of mayhem and horus so vile the death was the least of them were passed around between sundown and dawn so by the time eric and his companions came up on deck the mood of the ship was fearful eric almost exclaimed at the sight that greeted him an island lay off the starboard bow large enough that it would take hours to sail around and dominated by a high wall of cliffs atop the highest point of that cliff face a black castle a malignant looking thing of four towers and stone walls rose high against the sky it sat atop a massive stone chimney an up-thrust finger of land separated from the rest of the island by tidal action which had cut a cleft as impassible as any moat a drawbridge could be lowered to cross the cleft but it was presently raised the castle was the source of the terrible arcs of energy silver flashes that rose high into the sky vanishing in the clouds accompanied by a sizzling wine that hurt the ears blue lights shone from a high tower window overlooking the ocean and eric thought he detected movement upon the walls von darkmoor robert de loungeville's voice brought the young smith out of his reverie sergeant said eric yo big o shadow and jerome will come with kalys and me get the longboat over the side eric and the others named aided by four experienced sailors got the longboat off the davits and over the side in quick order kalis came up on deck and without a word to anyone scampered down the ladder to the boat to loungeville and two sailors came next then eric led the designated prisoners as eric reached the rail he was handed a sword and scabbard and a shield by corporal foster he slung the baldrick over his shoulder secured the shield to his back and went down the ladder this was the first time he had been handed a weapon when it wasn't a training exercise and it made him nervous the boat pushed away from the ship and headed toward a small beach that swept away from the rocky pinnacle upon which the castle rested the sailors were experienced and eric and bigger were strong so the boat made quick time getting into shore when they landed kayla said keep alert you never know what to expect here robert de loungeville nodded a wry smile on his face that's the god's awful truth suddenly a figure reared up out of the bushes near the top of an overlooking ridge beside a small path that led up from the beach the creature was easily 10 or 11 feet tall clothed in black and waving long arms within huge sleeves a spectral voice issued from within a giant cowl hiding the creature's face despair all who trespass upon the black one's island are doomed flee now or be destroyed in agony eric felt the hairs rise on his neck and arms big o made a sign warding off evil while jado and jerome both drew their swords and crouched low kalis stood motionless while robert de loungeville pointed a thumb at the creature with a backwards wave of his hand i think he means it he said with a grin facing the advancing creature de loungeville said why don't you come on down hear me darling and i'll give you a big wet kiss eric's eyebrows shot up and kalis smiled at his friend the creature tilted as if the brashness of delangeril's words caused it to lose its balance then eric was astonished to see it collapse he saw long wooden sticks fall within the hooded robe and a small man emerged from inside the folds of black cloth he was a bandy-legged fellow obviously an esolani from his appearance and he wore a tattered robe of orange cloth slashed at the knees and sleeves bobby he said then his face split in a grin and he let out a yelp of pure joy kellys he raced down to the sand and almost leapt into the loungeville's arms eric thought the two men daft as they slapped each other on the back kalis embraced the little man that's quite a show you have going there knuckle the little man's face split into a grin and suddenly eric realized that he was standing with his sword drawn while his heart was still beating rapidly he glanced around and saw the others were also holding their weapons ready the man called naco said had some trouble with some queen pirates a few years back that little blue light didn't scare them away so i added those lightning bolts impressive i think he added with a self-congratulatory note it starts whenever someone gets close enough to see the island on the horizon but when you kept sailing toward us i thought i had better come down here and scare you away he pointed to the fallen contraption of robe and sticks the black sorcerer said robert for the time being answered neko with a grin he glanced at the four guards and said tell your men i won't hurt them kale is turned and with a wave of his hand said put your weapons away he's an old friend where's pug asked to loungeville gone said knuckle with a shrug left about three years ago said he'd be back one of these days do you know where he went asked kayla's it's very important shrugged it's always important with pug that's why he left i think all the troubles down south you know said kayla's knack or grinned some you can tell me the rest you want something hot to eat kayla's motioned yes a knack all waved for them to follow told the two sailors take the boat back to the ship and tell the captain he's to do as i instructed and have him send word to the ranger as well to eric and the other three guards he said follow along and don't be alarmed by anything you see there are some very odd-looking creatures about but none will offer you harm the little man named neko led kayla's and de loungeville up the path eric and the others followed behind they reached the crest of the ridge but rather than follow the path toward the castle they paused nakol closed his eyes and waved his hand in the air and the lightning suddenly stopped he put his hand to his forehead a moment then said oh shutting that off gives me a headache then he turned and led them all down another path that led into what appeared to be a small valley overgrown by a thick forest then suddenly the forest vanished and eric almost tripped he was so startled instead of thick woodlands he was now staring at a pasture that stretched away for nearly a mile in the middle of it sat a large sprawling estate a low white house with a red tile roof and several outbuildings all surrounded by a low stone wall in distant fields eric could make out horses and cattle and what might be deer or elk around the estate figures moved but they didn't appear to be entirely human but keeping in mind kayla's instructions he decided to trust his leader and follow orders they reached the small yard before the main house a knack or opened the gate in the low stone wall they entered and from the door of the house a creature appeared eric glanced at jado jerome and biggo and judging by their expressions all were as astonished as he the creature was tall man size and had blue tinge skin large ears and a bony heavy forehead it smiled revealing an impressive array of teeth its eyes were black and yellow eric wasn't sure but the creature resembled every description of a goblin eric had ever heard but it was dressed in the height of court fashion a tight-fitting blue jacket cut at the waist over a loose billowing sleeved white shirt tucked into a wide waistband of black silk tight grey holes and ankle high boots finished the ensemble and the creature looked like nothing so much as one of prince nicholas's caught dandies refreshments are served said the creature goddess kalis greeted it master khalees replied gottis it's so nice to see you again it has been too long between visits and master robert good to see you as well kayla said did pug leave you in charge knuckle with a squint eyed grin the little man said no gottis runs everything i'm still just a guest kayla shook his head guessed for what 20 years now knuckles shrugged lots of things to discuss lots of things to study let those fools in starduck become constipated with their rules and vows of secrecy and orders and the rest of that foolishness he made a chopping motion with his hand this is where the real learning is taking place kayla said no doubt gotti said i'll cheat your god sir. khalees and robert went inside followed by knackle the creature turned to eric and the others and said you men follow me he led them around the building and eric was surprised to discover that it was larger than he had first suspected as they had walked down the path from the ridge above the building was essentially a large square with entrances in all four walls through one they passed eric could see that the building was also hollow in the center a large fountain at the heart of a garden glimpsed briefly as they walked past behind the building a pair of very odd-looking men black as soot and with eyes of red hurried by and as the four guards turned to gawk gutty said come along please he led them to the door of a large outbuilding and motioned for them to follow him inside you'll see many beings here you might count strange or fearsome but none will offer you harm that was again reassuring to hear because within the building they found what could only be called in eric's judgment a demon jado had his sword half out of his scabbard when the creature turned and struck him across the knuckles with a long wooden spoon put that away it said with a deep rumbling growl jedi let out a yelp and release the sword hilt letting the sword slide back into its scabbard that hurt he exclaimed while sucking on his bruised knuckles don't talk with your mouth full admonish the creature motioning for the four guards to sit at a table eric paused and realized he was in a kitchen the demon was a red creature about as big as jerome looking as if its skin was two or three sizes too large it seemed to droop around the creature's body in folds and creases and to be thick like hide a large head without hair was dominated by two horns which rose in front of fan-like ears to arch back to points just behind the head it appeared to be nude save for the large white apron it wore pulling a big bowl of fruit from a shelf it placed it upon the table and said i'll have soup in a minute gotti said alika will care for your needs and send someone with you to show you where you'll sleep as the cook crossed to the other side of the room gutty slowed his voice she's very sensitive so say something nice about her cooking then he hurried off biggo said she in low tones jadao grinned and shrugged taking a large pair from the platter and biting deep into it he closed his eyes as juice dripped down his chin and made a satisfied sound now eric noticed the smells suddenly he was ravenous as hot spices filled the air and he remembered what food not cooked aboard ship tasted like he took an apple and bit into it finding it crisp and sweet and savoring the taste then alika was back with a large platter of bread and cheese placing them on the table she turned away eric hesitated briefly before he said thank you the creature paused and rumbled you're welcome soon the four men were eating as well as they had back in camp with far more leisure as the cook produced a thick soup of creamed vegetables with spices a full roast chicken for each man and steaming greens piled high buttered and spiced ale cold and foaming in pewter mugs was placed at each man's elbow and eric hadn't recalled drinking anything quite so thirst quenching between mouthfuls biggo said i don't think i would have believed any man who told me of this place and these creatures jado said man it's far easier to imagine evil spirits and black sorcery than this and you say the creature could cook he mimicked someone questioning him yeah man she cooked better than my own mother the others laughed jerome said i wonder why we came here wondering is not good for the health said jado jerome said one thing we learned in camp you follow orders you stay alive don't volunteer don't cause trouble each day after the gallows is a gift eric nodded he still had trouble not wincing when he remembered that fall with the rope around his neck the sour taste of fear in his stomach was one he wished never to repeat the cook came back with more bread and biggo said alika the cook paused yes uh what are you the creature fixed big o with a narrow gaze as if weighing the nature of the question then she replied this student i work for my instruction no i mean where are you from targaryen i never heard a targaryen said jadao it is far away she said turning back to her work they ate in silence after that when they finished a young girl no more than 10 or 11 by her appearance but with gray hair and maroon eyes escorted them to a room in a voice tinged with alien nuances she said sleep here water there she pointed at a basin and picture relieve yourself outside she said making a general down the hall an out the door gesture you need you call i come she bowed and departed big o said i swear that child's feet weren't touching the ground eric removed his baldrick and sat on the nearest bed a thickly padded feather mattress with two pillows and a heavy comforter against the chill i'm through with being amazed he lay down with an exaggerated stretch this is the first bed i've been it he stopped and grinned at his friends this is the first bed i've been in big o laughed you've never slept in a bed with my mother when i was a baby i guess but i've been sleeping in the hairlift as long as i can recall then prison the camp and the ship well enjoy eric von darkmoor said jerome as he lay down on his bunk i plan on sleeping until someone makes me get up to work with that he closed his eyes and raised his arm to cover his face man that is a fine notion said jadao eric and biggo followed suit and soon the room was silent saved for the sounds of heavy breathing and snoring eric awoke to the sound of voices sitting up he was disoriented for a moment then remembered where he was the voices were coming through a window one that looked out upon the garden the familiar voice of robert de loungeville carried through the night as he and someone else approached never seen him like this before he has a great deal on his mind said another eric recognized the speaker as being their he took that last mission hard we've had setbacks before but nothing like that if he hadn't carried me half the way i'd have died on the banks of the vader river of the two thousand of us who went only 60 returned hmm i had heard it was difficult whatever you heard it was worse eric felt awkward he didn't think it was proper to eavesdrop but this was the room he had been assigned and nakor and robert weren't taking pains not to be overheard i hear this and i hear that said knackle an eric could tell they had stopped moving it was the biggest battle so far kayla's put us in with haji's red hawks and a half dozen other companies that usually work out of the eastlands we joined up with the other defenders at kismahal a town between hamster and kilbar ran into the westland army skirmishes as we beat them back then their leading elements rolled through us and drove to the gates of the city we fortified the garrison and beat back three assaults on the walls and we sallied a few times burning their baggage train and causing him a great deal of pain then the second wave of westland infantry showed up and we were surrounded 265 days of siege knuckle and those damn magicians nothing like those sarani during the roof war was supposed to have done but enough to make a man hate all magic the king of hamsa's magicians barely kept us free of most of the worst the lightning fires the freezing spells but they couldn't protect us from the rest and it was almost as bad flies and mosquitoes in clouds appearing out of nowhere every barrel of wine in the city turned sour after the first 150 days we ate hard bread and drank foul water and we survived after 200 we ate maggots in green mate and we ate insects when we could find them and were thankful we were close to eating our dead then when the city surrendered kalis took the head start rather than sell out the contract and join the invaders eric heard bitterness in robert's tone half our men were injured or sick half of those still living i should say we got our one day's grace then they turned their cavalry after us if we'd headed south along the river that'd run us down for certain we turned east and hid robert was silent for a time then when he spoke again eric could hear the barely held back emotions in his voice as if he had never told the story to anyone before we killed our own wounded rather than leaving behind as it was the rest of us barely made it to the steps the duchamp covered our retreat from there and the snakes were smart enough not to get into a running fight with them in their own territory they shandy fed us and nursed us and we eventually got back to the city of the serpent river nako said i remember the first visit 24 years ago there was a moment of silence kalis was very young then he still is by the measure of his race now he has much responsibility and lacks aruta or nicholas at his side to instruct him and now you plan this very dangerous thing desperate thing said robert to loungeville it was a long time in the planning and getting the right men for the job was harder than we thought these men these desperate men they will be able to do this where so many experienced soldiers could not there was another long silence de loungeville finally said i don't know knuckle i don't know eric heard the sounds of the two men walking away and after a moment he could hear them speaking again though he couldn't understand what they were saying eric lay awake a long time trying to puzzle out the significance of what he had overheard he had never heard of those places hamza or kilbar and didn't know who the djishandi were but there was a note in delangero's voice he had never heard before it was an overtone of worry perhaps even fear eric found sleep came slowly and when it at last found him he didn't rest well nakor carrying a travel bag slung over his shoulder was waiting with kayla's when robert delangel called eric and the others out of their room the four guards said nothing but fell in behind chaos and the others nacho kept up a nearly non-stop narrative of some of the things he had been involved in since the last time kalis and delangel had visited from what eric overheard it sounded as if nacor and kalis had known each other for a very long time eric remembered knackles having said something the night before about a visit somewhere with kalis 24 years earlier which hardly seemed possible to eric as chaos didn't look much older than 24. then eric remembered what nakor said about his race meaning calises and then the other remarks made in camp about kalis not being human eric was so caught up in these reflections he hardly noticed when they climbed out of the veil and crested the ridge he was surprised to see that the beach was covered with men his own shipmates and the full company of soldiers who had been aboard the freeport ranger they stood quietly waiting on the sand eric recognized a few faces from the rangers company as guards who had served at the camp but now they were dressed in all fashion of clothing in the same manner as the revenge's company de loungeville motioned for eric and the others to go over and stand next to their shipmates and he mounted an outcropping of rock next to the trail so he could look down on the men listen up he shouted kalis took his place on the rock and said some of you know me well and others here have never spoken with me most of you know by now who i am or think you do he glanced from face to face i am called kalys i serve prince nicholas as i did his father before some call me the eagle of crondor or the prince's bird of prey he seemed amused by these titles twenty-four years ago a great raid was launched against the far coast some here might remember the destruction of cridey cass and tulan a few of the older soldiers from the ranger nodded those events led us to travel halfway around the world to the land called navindus none of the men from the rangers said anything but eric's company looked at one another amid a few muttered questions quiet now commanded the loungeville what we found down there was a plot to destroy the kingdom again there was some stirring among the men from trenchard's revenge but no one spoke chaos continued twice since i have traveled to this far land the last time with some of you the men from trenchad's revenge almost to a man turned to regard the guards from the compound veterans from many different garrisons around the kingdom those looked at caelis with a steady gaze as if they understood exactly what was being said so you who aren't with us know i'll tell you a few things ten years ago word reached prince aruta that a great army was massing in that part of navindus called the westlands that army swept down from an unknown place along the shore of an ocean they call the green sea the first city to fall was point pont in this land there is nothing like our kingdom army cities may have militia but most fighting is done by mercenary companies there are rules of conduct and established protocols for how they are treated by those who are victorious in warfare the conquerors gave the defenders of the city called point punt the choice of serving or one day's grace to withdraw that is normal but what wasn't normal was that every man in the city was ordered to serve under arms or watch his wife and children mother and father impaled before his eyes after the first executions the entire male population of the city joined that army they then marched on the city of arabic and after bitter fighting it fell then port salt then all the towns along the manstra river eric had never heard of any of these places but he listened fascinated from point pont they launched an invasion along the river d seeking to enter the area known as the midlands and they were unopposed until reaching the foothills of the rattangary mountains dwarves much like the race who live in the west of the kingdom turned them back for three years at last this army of invaders threw up a stable frontier of fortifications and sought another way across novindus they came through the forest of arabic darker and more fearful than our own green heart they died in numbers getting through but at last they did and then they struck the city of hamza the king of hamsa ward for five years with this army and hired mercenaries from as far away as the city of the serpent river at the other end of the continent we have dealings with this city which is how we came to hear of this invading army kailis paused prince aruta suspected who was behind this invasion and sent agents to discover if he was correct of 30 men one returned barely alive and confirmed our worst fears six years ago i was given command of two thousand men and sent to bolster the defenses of the city of hamsa every man listening to kalis was motionless only the sound of waves breaking on the rocks below the castle and the cries of seabirds broke the silence there is a race of creatures who live somewhere on navindus some of you may have heard of them as creatures of legend they are called the pantathions eric turned to look at his companions and saw jadao make a sign against evil the pantathions were called the snakes who walk like men and were creatures of law conjured up to frighten children into behaving unlike trolls and goblins who were natural creatures living in the distant wilds of the frontier the serpent men were legends like dragons and centaurs and no one believed them real as if reading eric's mind kalis said these are not legends i have faced them and so have these men over here he motioned to the company from the freeport ranger you aboard trenchard's revenge will have the opportunity along the way to talk to these men your former guards and to get the benefit of their knowledge they can tell you from bitter experience how all too real the pantathions are two thousand men in ten ships went south to navindus to battle enemy as far from home as we might and only sixty men came home if you want the full story there are others who will tell it of that 60 the 58 still living are here looking directly at eric for a moment then at the other former prisoners around him he went on less than one in 20 who went before returned and now five years after returning home we go to find these invaders again only this time they are more powerful more entrenched and more aware of our part each town they conquer joins with them or dies and when hamsa fell of six thousand defenders four thousand swore oaths to the invaders those mercenaries who would not were given a day's truce before they were hunted down this army means to conquer all of novindus more it means to sail here to the kingdom and conquer us after some of you might think that such chaos would be your perfect chance to escape eric glanced around and saw that more than one expression confirmed kayla's remark if you attempt to leave without permission at any point along our line of march robert de loungeville and i will personally hang you from the nearest tree if you manage to escape know that you are living on stolen time for eventually that army will reach any part of navindus you may hide in and you will serve or you will die why chance dying now rather than later he was silent as the men thought on his question because answered caelis these creatures these serpent men will not end at conquest they will eventually destroy everything and you will die there was a bit of muttering at this and to kayla's surprise it was nako who spoke next the bandy-legged little man said you foolish man listen to me i have seen what these creatures do they sought to send a plague to us nearly 25 years ago they sought to kill everything in the kingdom jerome made bold to speak why would any creature do such a thing shrugged i could tell you but i scarcely think you'd understand jerome whose temper was as bad as lewis's narrowed his gaze at the izalani i may have to take abuse from my officers little man but i'm not as stupid as you might think if you speak slowly enough i just might understand knackle glanced at kayla's who nodded nakor said very well the pantathions are not natural beings when jerome handy gave him a puzzled look nakor said i'll speak slowly some of the men laughed but it was a nervous laugh callus said continue there was ages ago on this world a race called the dragon lords some of the men made signs against evil and others scoffed openly legends shouted one yes said kalis legends but based upon history those beings once ruled this world and one of them a powerful member of her race created the pantathions as her servants they are an ancient race raised up by this dragon lord from serpents in the swamps of novindus artificial they may have been in their beginning but they were bred to serve this one she was called alma lodaka when the dragonlords vanished this race of twisted creatures believed that they were to abide until her return by means i will not reveal they have found a way to call her back from the place she resides the unfortunate consequence of such an act would be to destroy all life on this world no no said several men that can't be possible said another possible ass knuckle what is possible he reached into his sack and drew out an orange he tossed it to jerome then he took out another and threw it to eric and another to another man after a few minutes at least a score of oranges came out of the sack kalis said i thought it was apples i went back to oranges a few years ago said knackle as he kept pulling more and more oranges out of the little sack he held up the sack and showed everyone that it was empty even turning it inside out then he reached in and drew more oranges out and started throwing them to the other soldiers until more than five dozen oranges had come out of that small sack possible he asked he walked up to jerome handy looked up at the big man and said do you think it possible that i could force you to your knees with one hand jerome's eyes narrowed and his complexion flushed and he said no i don't eric cleared his throat and when jerome turned to look eric nodded once towards shopi who stood behind him jerome saw the other isalani raise a questioning eyebrow then he turned to knakor and stared at him for a long moment lowering his voice he said but maybe you could do it with two hands nakol glanced over at shopi and grinned turning away he said only need one to the assembled company he said take it on faith you desperate men this the pantathions can do they can end life as we know it on this world no bird will sing to greet the dawn and no insect will buzz from flower to flower no seed will take root no child will cry for his mother's breast and no thing that crawls walks or flies will survive a young man eric didn't know well david gefflin said why would they do such a mad thing because they think this dragon lord this alma ludaka is a goddess a powerful being she was but no goddess yet to these sick creatures whom she created from snakes she was their mother goddess they call her and they believe that to return her to this lifeless world will bring them into a state of grace with her but she will make them first among all the new creatures she creates so they believe and so they act and this is why they must be opposed how can they do this asked billy goodwin how we will not say answered caelis we will only say that the king and a few others know this secret no others need no all we need know is that it is our job to stop them oh demanded biggo you lost almost two thousand men from what you've said their armies now twice the size of the one you faced chaos looked around because we don't travel to navindus to face this conquering army biggo we travel to novindus to join it chapter 12 arrival eric winst the roundhouse kick knackle caught him with had been pulled but it still stung you still charged like a mad bull scolded the isilani his face was like wrinkled leather but his eyes showed a youthful merriment chopin watched closely as his older countryman spun again unexpectedly eric moved just in time to keep from getting kicked in the chest again and snapped off a kick of his own coming quickly back to a defensive position why shouted knuckles scolding why did you draw back eric blew out hard sucking in air as perspiration poured from his face and body puffing he said because i would have been off balance that kick was to get you to back off not to hurt you if i'd followed up you would have broken my neck knuckle grinned and once more eric was struck by how this strange man aboard their ship for less than a month now had come to be so liked by everyone he told outrageous stories almost certainly all lies and his habit of winning consistently at cards caused eric to think him probably a cheat as well but if a liar and cheat could be said to be trusted knuckle was shopi came to stand next to knuckle it is wise to know when to regroup just as it is wise to know when to press he bowed and eric returned the bow at first like the others he had thought all the rituals strange and had mocked them but now also like the others he performed them without thought in fact he now admitted to himself that the rituals helped keep him focused master began show pie i tell you again boy don't call me master the man laughed chopin had decided at some point during the week following nako's arrival that naco was the master he had been sent to find this had brought a consistent stream of denial from naco that was now in its third week at least once in every conversation chopin called knuckle master and knuckle demanded he stop choping ignored the instruction i think we should show the men shitokou shook his head you'll show them i'm tired i'm going to go over there and eat an orange eric flexed his left shoulder stiff from the blow to his chest show pie noticed that is bothering you eric nodded caught me here he said pointing to just below his right pectoral muscle but i can feel it all the way through to my neck and elbow my shoulders tightening then come here said show pie knack all watched and nodded a show pie indicated eric should kneel he made a gesture with his right hand then laid his hands upon eric's shoulder eric's eyes widened as he felt heat flowing from shopi's hands the throbbing in his shoulder quickly diminished as he knelt there eric said what are you doing chopin said in my homeland it is known as reiki there is healing energy in the body it is what helps you recover from injuries and disease as the heat loosened the bruise muscle eric said can you teach me to do this it takes a great deal of time began show pie ah shouted knuckle moving from the rail he tossed a half-eaten orange over the side and said more monastic mumbo-jumbo reiki is no mystic meditation there is no prayer it's a natural thing anyone can do it show pie smiled slightly as knackle waved him aside standing over eric he said you want to do this eric said yes nakor said give me your right hand eric held it out and knackered turned it over palm up he closed his eyes and made some signs then slapped eric's hand hard eric felt his eyes water from the unexpected blow what do you do that for he demanded wakes up the energies now hold your hand here naka moved eric's hand to his shoulder eric felt the same heat flowing from his own hand he had felt from show pies without prayer or meditation it flows instructing knuckle it's always on so whatever you touch you will heal now i will show you what to touch to show pie he said i can teach these men to use the power in two days boy none of your mystic nonsense the temples claim this is magic but it isn't even a good trick it's just that most people are too stupid to know they have the power or how to use it show pi looked at naco and feigned a serious expression but his eyes were amused yes master and don't call me master shouted knuckle he instructed the men to circle around and began talking about the body's natural healing energies eric was fascinated he thought back to those horses he had treated the ones who should have gotten better but didn't and the ones that recovered from injuries against any reasonable expectation of success and he wondered how much of it was their spirit this energy is made of the stuff of life said naco i think you are not stupid men but you are also men who do not care much for those things i find so fascinating so i will not try to explain to you what i think this stuff of life is leave it to say that this energy is everywhere in all things living chaos came up on deck and caught knackles eyes something passed between them as nakhor said all living things are connected eric glanced back at where roo sat and noticed his friend and also caught the exchange nakor went on to explain about how the body can heal itself but that most people don't know how to accept their own power he demonstrated a few things the men needed to know to take full advantage of the reiki where best to place their hands to achieve the desired effect how to identify different types of injury and illness but the energy seemed always to be there whenever they touched themselves or one another after nacho had awakened the power in their hands by midday all the men had been slapped on the hand and had spent hours practicing healing energies on one another nakor and shopai had led them through a series of exercises designed to help them identify the sources of common problems and how to recognize the flow of energies in another's body at the midday meal the men were joking about this laying hands on one another but they were also obviously impressed at the ability of this simple act to relieve aches and reduce swelling and generally make them feel better lunch eric and roo was sent a loft relieving sailors on the day watch so they could eat securing a sail that the captain had ordered reefed as the wind freshened rue said what do you think of all that eric said what knuckle said it's a useful tool i don't care a fig for what show pi says about it's being a mystic thing it works i'll use it with a near-wistful note in his voice he added i wish i'd known about it when i was tending greylock's mayor it would have made her come back faster i think rue said i think anything we know that can keep us healthy is good eric nodded there was a grim reluctance among the men to consider the eventual end of their journey after caelis had announced his intention to take them to join this invading host he had briefly outlined their mission they would land a small party on a beach below a cliff where ships didn't normally pass the 36 prisoners and 58 survivors of the last campaign with foster de langeville nacho and kalis would climb this cliff face once atop the plateau they would travel over land to meet some allies of calyce's then moved to intercept the invaders at a city called kai poor their mission was to discover what weakness if any existed in this host and chaos and nakol would be the ones likely to understand what that would be but when it was discovered what that weakness might be then it was every man's duty to return to the city of the serpent river with the information to get back to trenchard's revenge and get the critical intelligence back to prince nicholas if they could contrive a way to bork the onslaught before the invaders could muster a host big enough to cross the waters and assault the kingdom all the better but khalis drove home again and again the risk that hung over everyone eric remembered his last words on the subject no one will escape this plague of invasion is but the first part of the destruction dark magic beyond your ability to comprehend will be unleashed in the end and should you hide in the deepest cave in the farthest mountains of the northlands or in the remotest island on some distant sea you will die if we do not stop this host we all will die he had looked from man to man that is the only choice win or die now eric understood why robert de loungeville had needed desperate men because for all intents and purposes they were about to stick their neck back in a noose eric absently fingered the one he still wore mercy said rue bringing eric out of his reverie what speak of a demon knee appears in that owen greylock silver scalp i see over there on the fordic of the ranger eric looked hard and saw the tiny figure on the nearby ship it could be about the right size and the hair is that silver streaking through it i wonder why we didn't see him at the beach eric finished off tying a line maybe he didn't come ashore maybe already knows the tusks at hand rule nodded in all of this there's still some things i don't understand who was this miranda woman anyway every man i'll mention her to is meta sometimes under different names and greylock was your friend maybe but if he's on that ship did he have something to do with our being captured eric shrugged if that is grey lock we'll find out when we get where we're going as for the rest who cares we're here and we have a job to do thinking about why ain't going to change that rue looked exasperated you have to accepting a nature my friend when this is all done if we survive i plan on getting rich there's a merchant in crondor with a homely daughter who he wants to marry off i may be just the lad for her eric laughed you can be ambitious for both of us through they continued to work and when eric glanced over at the ranger the figure who might have been owen was gone weeks passed they sailed through the straits of darkness without mishap though the weather was difficult for the first time eric felt what it was like to be at risk aboard ship hanging from rigging as weather buffeted him the old hands joked that this was a mild passage for the time of year in the straits and wove stories of impossible conditions with mild high funnel clouds and waves the size of castles it took three days and when they had passed through eric had nearly collapsed on his bunk as had his companions the experienced sailors could sleep through the storm on their off watch but the former prisoners weren't that blase about it as life aboard the ship became more routine the relationships between the men evolved they would talk for days about the grim purpose behind their mission then more days would go by without comment speculation would lead to dispute followed by silent acknowledgement that each man in his own way was afraid those former soldiers who came over from the ranger to train with the prisoners were just as likely to give long narratives about the previous venture south as they were to remain silent it depended upon the man and his mood eric did discover one thing khalis was nothing human if the older soldiers were to be believed far more telling than jadaos and jerome's tales of his prodigious strength was one old soldier a former corporal at cass who said that he had first met kalis 24 years previously when the corporal had been a raw recruit and kalis hadn't aged a day since rue was learning to curb his temper if not entirely master it he had gotten into several arguments but only one had come to blows and that had quickly been ended by jerome handy's picking roo up carrying him up on deck and threatening to drop him over the side the crew laughed as drew dangled over the water with jerome gripping his ankles rue had been more embarrassed than angered by the incident and when eric had spoken to him about it afterward he shrugged it off he said something that had stuck with eric ever since he looked his boyhood friend in the eye and said whatever happens i've been afraid eric i cried like a baby and peed in my pants when they took us to the gallows that what is there left to be afraid of eric enjoyed the sea but he didn't think he could live the sailor's life he longed for his forge and horses to tend he knew that if he survived the coming battles that would be his choice a forge and maybe someday a wife and children he thought about rosalind and his mother milo and ravensburg he wondered how they were doing and if they knew he was alive manfred might have mentioned it to a guard who might have told someone in town but there was certainly no one who cared enough about him or his family to ensure that his mother or rosalind knew he had thoughts of rosalind and found them strangely neutral he loved her but when he imagined a wife and children rosalind wasn't there no one was rue had already made up his mind he would return to crondor and marry helmut grindel's homely daughter every time he said that eric laughed as the days wore on the men became more proficient in every aspect of their training the stories of the surviving men from the last mission and their example their own grim determination to excel spurred on the former prisoners to match their achievements as well as they could aboard ship they practiced their weapons and on calmer days kalis worked with them on archery the weapon of choice was a small bow used by the horsemen of the eastland steppes the djishandi kalis had his own longbow stored in his cabin but used the shorter weapon with ease about half the men turned out to be good to excellent with the weapon rue was better than eric but neither youngster was among the first 30 bowmen those would be issued bows kalis had said but he wanted every man at least familiar enough with the weapon to have some chance of hitting a target that seemed to be the underlying pattern to the training to loungeville and foster would drill men with every weapon they might be forced to use from long pole arms to daggers each man was marked down in a journal as to his strengths and weaknesses but none was spared the hours of drills even with the weapons for which he showed no aptitude what had begun at the camp outside of crondor continued aboard ship each day eric spent a half watch using a sword spear or bow a knife mauler or his fists but always he was expected to improve the hour with shopi and knackle became the high point of the day for eric and the other men seem to enjoy the exercises as well the meditation was strange at first but now it refreshed him and made his sleep better by the third month eric was adept at open-handed fighting as he thought of the strange islani dance chopin taught them no matter how strange at first the movements wove themselves into an arsenal of moves and counter moves and often without thought eric found a sudden response completely unexpected coming from him during a combat drill once when using knives he almost cut lewis who said something in rhodesian as he studied his one-time death cell companion then he had laughed your dance of the crane has turned into the claw of the tiger it seems both were moves taught him by show pie and neither had been conscious on his part eric wondered what he was becoming land hall cried the lookout for the last two days tension on the ship had mounted sailors had mentioned that they were close to the point where they should be making landfall and now every man was conscious of how long he had been confined to the ship these large three masted warships were provisioned well enough for the long four-month voyage but the food was now stale or old and tired only naco's ever-present oranges were fresh eric went aloft and made ready to reef sail as the captain took the ship through a treacherous series of reefs moving past a clear patch of water eric looked down and saw what appeared to be part of a ship lying under 10 feet of water an older sailor named marston standing next to him said that's the raptor lad old captain trenchard ship once the royal eagle out of condor we sailors of the king became pirates for a time he pointed toward the rocky shore a handful of us washed up there 24 years ago and young calis with the prince of crondor nicholas not his dad and duke marcus of cridey you were among that party asked rue on his other side there's a handful of us still alive i was on my first voyage a semen apprentice in the king's navy but i served on the best ship under the finest captain in history rue and eric had heard several versions of the story about kalys's first voyage to the southern continent where are you going once we're dropped off marston replied city of the serpent river revenge is gonna wait for you men while rangers gonna refit and go home with the current news that's what i hear anyway scuttlebutt they called it in the navy but it was the same gossip they'd heard further conversation was cut off by the order to reef the sails and eric and roo got to it when they were done scrambling around enough to take in their whereabouts they saw they were lying off a long empty beach beneath a huge wall of cliffs easily 100 feet high the breakers and comas indicated the area was thick with rocks and eric was impressed with the captain's ease at reaching this relatively safe anchorage master on deck came the command and eric and roo scrambled down to the deck with the others de loungeville waited until the entire company was settled before he shouted we get off here ladies you have 10 minutes to get below and gather up your kits and get back up here the boats will be putting over the side at once we don't dordle no one will be left behind so don't get cute ideas about dodging into the rope blockers eric was convinced the warning was unnecessary the conversations he'd had with every other member of this company led him to judge that everyone understood there would be no quick escape from this mission some might not believe that everything was as callis had said but nakor's words seem to have reached all of them and whatever the truth of it this band of desperate men would meet the challenge face on horsemen waited at the top of the cliff the climb had been relatively easy as a rope and wood ladder had been installed on the face of the rocks anyone in poor health might have had difficulty with the long climb but after four months of ship's duty hard upon the heels of the training at the camp eric had no trouble climbing with his backpack and weapons at the top of the bluff eric saw a pleasant oasis hard against the edge of the cliff a large pool of water was surrounded by date palms and other greenery then he caught sight of the desert gods he exclaimed and rue came to his side what asked the smaller youth big o and the others came and looked where eric pointed i've seen the gel poor said billy goodwin and it's a mother's kindness compared to this in every direction rock and sand greeted the eye save where the cliff showed ocean there was only one color a slate gray dotted with darker rock even this late in the afternoon the heat shimmer rising made the air ripple like bed sheets on a line and suddenly eric felt thirsty big o said i did not wish this on a hound of hell the attention of eric and his five companions was diverted by foster suddenly shouting all right ladies enough time to take in the scenery later fall in they moved to where de loungero waited he pointed to a group of six men the one that included jerome and jado shatti eric knew them by name and had spoken to each from time to time on the long voyage this is the oldest team of six i have they've been training for three years then he motioned toward eric and his group this is the newest group they'd been training for only a few weeks before we left he addressed eric's group watch them do what they do if you get into trouble they'll help you if you make mistakes they'll help you if you try to escape they'll kill you without another word he moved away and calling foster's name he shouted instructions to get the men organized for a march the horsemen conferred with kalis then turned and rode off a short distance away large bundles were tied down under canvas staked to the ground by peg and rope foster ordered a dozen men to uncover them and when they had finished eric saw a cache of arms and armor kalis held up his hand you are mercenaries now so some of you will dress like rag pickers while others will look like princes i want no squabbling over who takes what the weapons are more important than the finery leave your kingdom made weapons here and take what's under the canvas rue whispered wish they told us we wouldn't need all this armor before we lugged it up the cliff kalis continued remember this is mummery nothing more booty isn't our objective the men gathered closer for caillous rarely addressed them and they were still not privy to much of what lay before them you know what you've been told he continued now you will know the rest in ancient times a race was created the serpent man of pantathia instead of the usual muttering the men were wrapped in silent for they knew their lives depended upon knowing as much about this mission as possible this race has law as ancient as the chaos wars they think their destiny is to rule this world destroying all else who abide here looking around at the men as if memorizing their faces the young looking elf kin said they have the means i think or at least it's our task to discover if they have the means we came here 12 years ago some of us he nodded to a knot of soldiers from the last campaign we thought in simpler terms then we would lend our weight to the struggle and turn back conquerors we now know better all the surviving soldiers of the first campaign against the pantathions nodded in agreement whatever these creatures plan it is more than simple land grabbing or raiding for booty twenty years ago they came against a small city on the far side of this continent arabic and since then any land they take falls behind a curtain of death and fire we have no word from any place they have conquered those of us who face them on the walls of hamza know what they are mercenary companies such as we pretend to be lead the wave but behind them are fanatical soldiers there are human officers and cadres of well-drilled fighting men but more there are also serpents who ride horses 25 hands high eric blinked at this the largest war horse he had seen in baron otto's cavalry was 19 hands he'd heard of some being twenty hands used by the cron door heavy lancers but twenty-five hands that was nearly eight and a half feet at the withers not even the biggest shire horse he'd seen came close to that we've not seen these creatures continued careless but we have reliable reports and behind these creatures come the priests themselves some men we are told are rewarded by being placed high within this company of well-drilled fighting men but all of them are willing servants of those who seek to dominate this land our mission is simple we must get as close to the heart of this army of conquest and discover as much about it as we may then when we have learned all we can we must flee to the city of the serpent river and from their home so that prince nicholas can prepare for the coming invasion there was a moment of silence then biggo said so that's all we need to do and then we can go home suddenly there was laughter eric found he couldn't hold it in rule looked at him seemed to struggle to hold in his own before then abruptly was laughing as well chaos let the mirth go on for a moment before he held up his hands for silence many will not return but those of you who do will have earned your freedom and the praise of your king and if we can defeat these murderous snakes you may have the opportunity to live out that life as you choose now get equipped we have a long march across a difficult desert before we meet with friends the man fell upon the arms and clothing like children on gifts at the midwinter feast and soon comments and friendly insults were flying eric found a faded but serviceable blue tunic over which he strapped on a breastplate of alien design with a worn and faded lion's head embossed on it a simple round shield a long dagger in his belt and a well-made longsword filled his needs as men tried on various items and discarded them a conical helm with a nasal bar rolled to his feet he bent to pick it up and a chain neck guard fell out he tried it on it fit comfortably so he kept it as the men made ready the mood turned somber chaos saw they were finished and held up his hands you are now kayla's crimson eagles if anyone recognizes that name your men from the sunset islands those of you who served before can tell the others what they need to know about the eagles if they're asked we are the fiercest fighters in the kingdom and we fear no man or demon we got our backsides booted when last we came this way but that was 12 years ago and i doubt there's one man in a thousand alive who remembers so form companies we're mercenaries but we're not rabble and check your rations each man's to carry three full water skins we're marching at night and sleeping during the day follow instructions and you'll live to see water again as the sun sank foster and a lounge wheel got the men ranked into companies chaos faced west toward an angry sun and led them into the heat eric had never been so hot tired and thirsty in his life the back of his neck itched yet he couldn't spare the energy to reach up and scratch it the first night had seemed relatively easy the air had plunged from hot to brisk within hours and as sunrise approached it was cold yet even then it had been a very dry cold and the thirst had begun as instructed they drank only when permitted by foster and loungeville a mouthful every hour near sunrise they were ordered to make camp and quickly had small tents erected each large enough to shade six men they quickly fell asleep hours later eric awoke with a start as the breath in his lungs seemed barely to hold enough air to keep him alive he gasped and was rewarded with a dry lungful that was close to painful opening his eyes he saw waves in the air as heat shimmer rose off the hard pan other men moved and tried to get comfortable in the heat a couple had left the small tents thinking the heat outside might somehow be less than the heat radiating through the canvas and quickly their return to the tiny shelter as if reading minds foster's voice had cut through the air warning any man caught drinking would be flogged the second night had been arduous and the second day terrible now there was no rest in lying in the heat only less energy expended than attempting to move the night offered no relief as the cold dry air sucked moisture from the men seemingly as quickly as the day's heat they marched on foster and alondra were careful not to lose sight of each company ensuring that no one at the rear stumbled and was left behind eric knew they were also ensuring that no one dropped any vital piece of equipment because they were fatigued now it was the third day and eric despaired of ever seeing water and shade again adding to the cruelty of the trek was the rising terrain before them it had begun gently enough but now it felt as if they were walking uphill ahead chaos stopped but motioned for the others to come up to him when they reached the crest of the rise eric could see that they had reached grasslands and that from the crest downward rolling hills of green led to a scattering of copses where broad branch trees offered shelter in the distance a line of trees meandered across the countryside and it was there caelis pointed the serpent river you can drink your fill now eric pulled up his last waterskin and drained it finding it was almost empty he was surprised he had thought he had more water left as he hadn't been allowed to drink enough to drain three skins chaos looked at a lounge roll and said that was pretty easy eric glanced at rue who shook his head the order to march was passed along and they moved toward the distant river horses milled in large corrals and kayla spoke to a pair of horse traders they had been at this place before a prosperous looking trading post called shingazi's landing one of the older soldiers said it had been burned to the ground when kalis had first come to this land 24 years ago but had been rebuilt even though shingazi had died in that fire years before the new owners kept the name so they were presently enjoying the hospitality of brex at shingazi's landing the food was simple but welcome after the rations of the last three days as were the abundant wine and ale the men waiting for them weren't the same riders that had met them on the bluffs those had been riders of the dish andy eric had been told while these were city men up from the city of the serpent river a company of guardsmen were stationed with them and their captain was known to chaos they had gone inside the tavern to talk while the mercenary company was left to itself outside every man had bathed in the river drank his fill and now they were resting before mounting up to ride eric watched the horses with interest here was something he could understand he saw that each mount was being given a snaffle bit a cavalry saddle with a breast band and saddlebags with room for a sleeping roll or rolled up tent behind the saddle's candle foster was walking nearby when eric noticed something corporal he said foster halted what that horse hint sound what eric moved between two rails of the corral fence and pushed past the milling horses nearby one of the horse traders handlers shouted at eric he had tried to learn the language of this land on ship and knew that man was ordering him to stay away from the horses but he didn't have enough confidence in his ability to say he just wanted to look he waved at the man as if returning a greeting reaching the horse he ran his hand down the left four leg picking it up bad oaf foster said damn their greedy arts the wrangler reached them shouting at them to leave the animals alone you haven't made yet they are not yours foster unleashed his legendary rage gripping the man's shirt in one meaty hand he raised him to his toes and screamed in his face i should have your liver for lunch get your master and tell him if he's not here before i lose my good mood i'll kill him and every cheating or son of a city man within five miles he half pushed the man as he let go of his shirt and the wrangler fell back against the horse who snorted in protest and moved away turning the man ran off to find his employer this exchange wasn't lost on the guards who came with the horse traders and suddenly there were armed men in all directions moving to get ready for a fight eric said corporal was that wise foster only grinned a few moments later the horse trader was upon them demanding to know why they had assaulted his man foster said assault i should have your heads on pikes look at this animal the man glanced at the horse and said what about him foster looked to eric and said what about him eric suddenly found himself the center of attention of every man within view he looked around and saw khalis and the leader of the city guardsmen coming out of the tavern someone had obviously alerted them to the possibility of danger eric said he has a bad oath it's cracked and festering and it's been painted over to look healthy the man began a stream of protests but then kalis said is this true eric nodded it's an old trick he moved to the horse's head and looked into his eyes then inspected his mouth he'd been drugged i don't know what but there are several drugs that'll deaden the pain enough to make him not limp whatever they gave him is wearing off he's starting to show itch in his walk careless came up to the horse trader you were given this commission by our friend reagan of the lion clan were you not the man nodded attempting to bluff i was my word is bond from the city of the serpent river to the westlands i will find whichever one of my misguided retainers is responsible and have the man beaten obviously someone is attempting to carry my favor but i will have no cheating of good friends kalish shook his head fine we shall inspect every animal and for each one we reject you will be fined the price of a sound horse as well this is one that means we get one other sound mount for no charge when the man looked to the captain of the company that had accompanied the horse man he smiled sound seeing no relief the man touched his hand to his heart it is done as the defeated merchant stalked away kayla said hatonis this is eric von darkmoor he'll be inspecting each animal if you would see he's not interfered with i would be in your debt eric extended his hand the man shook it with a firm grip he was a soldier of middle years but only a little grey took away his youth he was strong and looked like a seasoned fighter my father would come back from the grave to haunt one such as that if he cast shame upon our clan said the guard captain turning to eric khalis said can you vet more than a hundred horses by first light tomorrow eric glanced around and shrugged if i must you must said kayla's walking away foster watched a moment then turned to eric well don't just stand there get to it eric's sighed in resignation and looking around called for some of the men in his company to lend a hand he couldn't get another expert to magically appear but he needed men to walk and jog the animals and move the vetted ones to another location taking a deep breath he began with the closest horse

Channel: AudioBooks & Beyond!

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Rating: 4.6842103 out of 5

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Id: Y9tCfKNhk-E

Length: 625min 17sec (37517 seconds)

Published: Sat Mar 20 2021