Palim became far more concerned and absentmindedly put his sword away while he spoke. “Did you not take Telder and Enor to the cliffs?”
“We did,” Kircom answered. “We left them there to fend for themselves, but ‘tis possible they went back for Sarinna.”
Whildon was just as concerned. “I fear they took Gincar too. Kircom will you show me where you took Telder and Enor?”
Kircom Mobbox nodded. Thus one Mobbox and one Carbollo started off to discover what had become to their cherished women. Palim Mobbox looked at the Carbollo fighters, shrugged, and chose four Mobbox men to follow him. Not to be outdone, Traker Carbollo chose his four and followed.
After they were out of sight, Boon Carbollo sat back down. “They no longer need us.”
“Perhaps they never did,” Boon Mobbox whispered as he too returned to his seat. He expected the crowds to disperse, but they stayed, waiting to hear the news.
THE MEN WERE GETTING close to where the land of Extane became the top of the high cliffs. Not a man among them was without fear of falling off, so when Kircom Mobbox held his hand up to stop them, all the men gladly halted.
“Tis here we left them,” Kircom said. When he examined the ground, there were plenty of footprints in the dirt, none of which went close to the edge.
“Spread out and look for more tracks,” Whildon Carbollo ordered. If the Mobbox were reluctant to obey, he did not notice, intent instead on studying the footprints. Just then, he saw something sparkling in the sunlight. He cautiously walked to a bush, took hold of the object, and then held it up.
Kircom gasped, “’Tis the diamonds Sarinna wears in her hair. ‘Tis proof they took her!”
Whildon handed the string of diamonds to Kircom, “I count four sets of footprints, two men and two women.”
“I see the same,” Kircom confirmed as he put Sarinna’s diamonds in his pocket. “ANY OTHER TRACKS?” he yelled to the searchers.
“NONE SO FAR,” was the answer.
Whildon and Kircom followed the footprints through the bushes. However, a short distance away, the footprints abruptly ended. Whildon was hard-pressed to understand the meaning of such a thing. The land in front of where the footprints ended looked completely undisturbed. He got as close as he dared to the edge and looked, but he saw no possible way they could have gotten down.
A second thought occurred to Whildon – a very unpleasant thought indeed. He walked out of the bushes, went as close as he dared to the edge, and then laid on his stomach. A second later, Palim Mobbox grabbed ahold of one leg and Traker Carbollo took hold of the other. When Whildon looked back, he nodded his appreciation to both. Slowly, he inched closer to the edge until his head was far enough over to see all the way down.
“They are not dead,” he said, as the men pulled him back. “At least they did not fall here,”
“Then why do the tracks end here?” Kircom Mobbox asked. “If we know not what happened, what do I tell Sarinna’s mother...and Nerratel when he comes back?”
Whildon got to his feet and sadly shook his head. “First a murder and now a kidnapping? I fear we were never taught the right words of comfort in such a situation as this.” Whildon rubbed the back of his neck. “Raxton and Nerratel shall be furious when they learn what Telder and Enor have done.”
“I know Nerratel well,” said Kircom, “but even I do not know what he is capable of.”
“If they are not down there, they must still be up here,” Palim Mobbox said, “They must yet be on Extane.”
“I agree,” said Traker Carbollo. “They hide the women in one of our cities.”
“Yes, but where?” Kircom asked. “We have already looked everywhere.”
“Have we?” Traker Carbollo asked. “We did little more than ask if anyone had seen Gincar.”
“We did the same,” Palim Mobbox admitted. “There are closets and rooms we did not search, for we expected to find Sarinna with friends or at one of the lakes.”
Until now Sallig Mobbox had kept his thoughts to himself. The more obstinate of all the Mobbox, he tapped his leader on the shoulder, “You trust the Carbollo? They could have left a string of diamonds on a bush to mislead us.”
Those Carbollo who had given up the search, quickly bristled at that remark. “And how do we know...” Traker Carbollo started.
Elder Kircom interrupted him. “I refuse to face Sarinna’s mother unless we have looked in every possible place for her. Therefore, since the Mobbox do not trust the Carbollo and the Carbollo do not trust the Mobbox, I say the Mobbox shall search the Carbollo side and the Carbollo search the Mobbox side? That way, there can be no suspicion remaining on either side.” He waited for objections, but there were none.
Even Sallig Mobbox was satisfied with the idea, though he had a reservation. “We must ask the Boons first.”
“Why?” Whildon asked. “Always we ask the Boons, but are they truly wiser than we? I think not and neither does Raxton. We are quite capable of making sound decisions on our own.”
There was amazement in Kircom’s expression before he happily relented. “Indeed we are.”
“Though,” Whildon said, “We should limit the searchers to just us, for fear we frighten the women. Raise your hand if you object.” He looked at each man, gave them enough time, and when there were no objections, he led the way back to the castle.
REVEN CARBOLLO DID not care who saw her or what anyone said, when she went to the gazebo to comfort Sarinna’s mother. To her surprise, no one said a word, not even her husband. She handed Delsic Mobbox a cloth with which to wipe her tears, and then put an arm around her distressed friend.
“Thank you,” Delsic said. She looked at Reven’s extended stomach and asked, “May I?”
“Of course.” Reven took Delsic’s hand and placed it right where her baby was kicking. “We are hoping for a girl this time.”
It raised Delsic’s spirits considerably. She quietly felt the life in her friend’s stomach, and then withdrew her hand. “Perhaps you should not. Girls are much harder to raise. By the time their hair turns red, they are convinced they already know everything.”
Reven laughed. “Boys are the same, although they are older when it happens.”
“If only Nerratel were here. He would know how to find Sarinna.”
“I wish both of the them were here to help us.” When Reven looked, she was surprised to see her husband coming to the Gazebo. She was prepared to disobey him or perhaps even ignore Lamine, but she was in for a surprise.
Instead, Lamine sat on the other side of Delsic, and offered her a drink of water from his flask. “Reven always thirsts after she cries,” he said.
Delsic accepted his offer, drank and then returned the flask. “Thank you.”
There were a few disapproving looks from people on both sides, but no one seemed brave enough to say or do anything about it. After all, either Reven or Delsic was destined to be the mother of their next king.
CHAPTER 20
RAXTON WAS STILL UPSET about having to leave his third bell on the bridge, but he did have hope. The floor of the path to the ocean began with cobblestones, and then turned to sand. They had not walked far before the path widened and then stopped. Raxton and Effrin marveled at the waves in the ocean, just as Nerratel and Lasun had. The water indeed had no land in sight on the other side, just as it was depicted in the picture they saw in the long, thin room in the castle.
“All the other kings have seen this too,” Effrin muttered.
“And their challengers,” Raxton reminded him. Mesmerized by the splashing of the water against the rocks, it took a while before he spotted a half buried bell in the sand. He went to it, picked it up, and then wiped the sand away as best he could with his hands. Next, he unwrapped the other two, chose a different colored thread, and marked it as the third bell.
“’Tis the fourth bell,” Effrin reminded him.
Raxton scratched his forehead. “True, but we need not fret over that until later. For now, we must
keep looking for the rest of the bells.”
“I could stay here forever. The sun is warm, the sound of the ocean is indeed soothing, and I am reminded of Catrick.”
“Catrick?” Raxton asked. “You love her?”
Effrin chuckled. “’Tis what she keeps telling me, and perhaps she is right.”
“Why have you not yet married her?”
“I have often asked myself that question. But suppose I marry her and then find another. So many Carbollo have made that same mistake, and I think to wait.” Effrin took a deep breath of the glorious ocean air and then exhaled. “Do you truly love Sarinna Mobbox?”
“It was quite by accident, I assure you. Nerratel found us together and forbade me to see her again, but...”
“But you are a Carbollo and you do not let a Mobbox tell you what to do.”
“I do not,” said Raxton.
“If you become king, you will marry her against her brother’s wishes?”
“If I must.”
“In that case,” said Effrin, “I think to stay here and let you go back to your war by yourself.”
“War?”
“Think you the Mobbox will allow it, even if you are king? Yes, a war and a bloody one at that.” Effrin got up and began to walk along the beach. He paused to watch a large white bird land on the water. It rode a wave until it was about to hit the rocks, and then flew away. It made him smile. He glanced back, saw that Raxton was following, and kept going.
The first animal Effrin saw was the dreaded Slewworth. He stopped short, and then began to slowly back away. That’s when he noticed that the Slewworth had a shadow and it was not afraid of it. Effrin studied the creature a little bit more, “Is it not a bear? A bear the same as ours, but with white hair instead of brown? He watched as the Slewworth stood up on its hind legs, and walked into a grassy area where several other animals were at play.
“Look, ‘tis what we saw through the gate.” Effrin sunk to his knees and allowed a large cat, seen only in the mountains, to climb into his lap. It was heavy, but he didn’t mind, and as he stroked it, the cat began to loudly purr. “I have wished to touch one for years.”
Raxton was just as enchanted. He watched a lamb playing with a dog, a mouse chasing a cat, and another large cat allowing puppies to nurse. One of the puppies was looking for dinner but going away from the cat instead. Raxton picked it up and turned it around. Next, Raxton looked for Nerratel and Lasun, but it appeared they were long gone.
“Why do the animals at home not let us touch them?” Effrin asked.
“The cats are friendly with the Mobbox.”
“True, but even the cats shy away from us.” Raxton looked once more toward the ocean. “We must look for a way back. Perhaps Oberra will tell us why the cats shy away from us.” When he started to walk back down the beach to look for the way they came, Effrin followed. Instead of the one they came out of with a sandy path, they discovered another archway. Together they entered, walked down the dirt path, through another archway and back into the garden. As they hoped, Oberra was there and the archways in the gazebo had decreased by one.
Effrin was relieved as he went to sit again on the bench opposite Oberra, but Oberra was more interested in Raxton. “Did the ocean calm you?”
“Some,” Raxton answered, as he too sat on the bench.
“I suppose one must see the ocean more than once to feel truly calm,” said Oberra. “Tell me, do you know where you are?”
“Inside a mountain,” Effrin guessed.
Oberra smiled. “You are in Upper Extane.”
Raxton asked, “Is there a Lower Extane?”
“There is,” Oberra answered. “’Tis a wondrous place as well. Perhaps you may see it someday.”
“Can we not see it now?” Effrin asked.
“You are not yet ready,” said Oberra. “You will need courage to go to Lower Extane.”
“Do you mean we shall have to fight?” Raxton asked.
Oberra explained, “True courage is not a test of a man warrior skills, but his willingness to sacrifice what he wants most for the sake of others.”
“Why would he have to?” Raxton asked.
Oberra changed the subject. “Have you noticed that the Mobbox have love songs and the Carbollo do not? Do you not have a song in your heart for Sarinna?”
Raxton answered, “I have her song in my heart.”
“Good. That is as it should be. But do the other Carbollo men have songs in their hearts? Your father, perhaps?” Oberra pressed.
Said Raxton, “I do not know. I did not ask.”
Again Oberra changed the subject. “Sarinna’s mother hears more laughter in Mobbox City than she hears from the Carbollo.”
“Sarinna told me the same,” Raxton admitted.
“Wait.” said Effrin. “You imply the Mobbox are more kind and gentle than we, yet it is the Mobbox who want to banish us to the Lowlands.”
“Yes, that is a problem,” Oberra agreed. “They suffer resentment. . .”
“Even though,” Raxton interrupted, “they have as much as we, and sometimes more. I have never understood their resentment.”
“The animals shy away from the Carbollo, and the Carbollo shy away from the Mobbox because...” Oberra left his words hanging in the air.
“Because,” Effrin tried, but he could not quite come up with the answer.
“Perhaps another bell will help you discover the answer. Try that archway over there.” He pointed the hand with only four fingers toward the one to his extreme right.
When Raxton and Effrin went to the archway, they were unsure if they would need their provisions. However, when they looked back Oberra was gone. They decided to pick them up just in case.
BY THE TIME THE MEN returned from looking for Sarinna and Gincar at the cliffs, most of the Mobbox and Carbollo were still waiting for the news. Elder Kircom Mobbox first looked for Sarinna’s mother, and was surprised to find her in the Gazebo with not one, but two Carbollo. He pleasantly nodded to Reven Carbollo, and then took Delsic’s hand. “We did not find her. We looked, but she did not fall off the cliff either.”
Delsic released her held breath. “And Gincar?” she asked.
He reached in his pocket and pulled the string of diamonds out of his pocket. “We found this on a bush. ‘Tis likely Telder and Enor took them both.”
“Took them where?” Reven asked.
“That, we do not know,” the elder answered. “We shall search all of Extane until we find them. “He patted Delsic’s hand and then went to join the rest of the searchers.
The Boons looked on with fascination, but neither of them said a word as the searchers took off their weapons and laid them on the ground. Whildon led the Mobbox searchers toward Carbollo City while elder Kircom took the Carbollos to the lands of the Mobbox.
After they dispersed, Boon Carbollo turned to Boon Mobbox. “Might the women have gone into the castle?”
Boon Mobbox considered that for a moment. “If they did, we may never see them again.”
“True. Perhaps we might simply go to the throne room and shout for them?”
“Perhaps you might go inside and shout for them. I prefer to stay out here.”
Boon Carbollo thought better of the idea too. “We surely would have seen them go in. Besides, Sarinna’s diamonds were found on the bush.”
“Yes, yes, her diamonds were found on a bush, far, far away from the castle.”
Boon Carbollo relaxed once more in his chair. The mist had not returned for once, and the land of Extane, as well as the sky above, seemed just a little brighter than before.
THE NEXT PATH OBERRA sent Raxton and Effrin on was wide enough for them to walk side-by-side, with lush green grass on the ground. The flowers had not yet bloomed, and the trees were saplings.
“It is true, you know,” said Effrin. “We have no such love songs, but then, our women do not require them. If they did, they would tell us.”
“Never are they bashful about tellin
g us what they want,” Raxton agreed. “Yet, there is something in a song that warms a heart.”
“Perhaps our women do not ask because they do not know?”
“Perhaps. A better question is; why do we keep ourselves well away from the Mobbox?”
“We have been taught to, but now that you ask, the reason must be something other than our children learning the ways of the Mobbox children.”
Raxton expected the path to split, or at least twist and turn, but it did not. Instead it continued to widen, the flowers began to bloom, and the trees grew taller. “This is a wondrous place.” When Effrin did not answer, he stopped and turned around. Effrin’s eyes were wide with fright and when Raxton looked to see what disturbed his friend, he saw a thick mist swiftly coming up from behind them. “It is just the mist.”
“It is more than a mist. Do you not hear it?”
“I hear nothing save your heavy breathing.”
Effrin started to back up, until the trunk of a tree stopped him. “RUN!” He turned, and started to race on down the path. When he reached the archway, he turned and looked back, but Raxton was not behind him. “Raxton?” he whispered. When he received no answer, he raised his voice. “Raxton, are you coming?” Still no answer, so he shouted as loud as he could – RAXTON!”
Effrin was about to panic. Raxton had not answered his calls, and when he went back through the archway and tried to retrace his steps, the pathway was blocked with thick trees. “Noooo,” he moaned. “Raxton?” With no choice other, he continued on to the garden. Oberra was not there, but his chair was, so Effrin sat, waited, and watched to see which of the four remaining archways Raxton would come through. Never had the time passed more slowly, that is, if time had not completely stood still in such a place. With no sun, it was impossible to tell.
The Kings of the Seven Bells Page 16