In a woodfolk flick of movement, Waterstone was suddenly standing on the path ahead of the prince, facing him.
Tarkyn stopped and put his hands on his hips. “Now what?”
“I am sorry, my friend, for being unkind. Just as anger overwhelms you, so does resentment overwhelm me from time to time. We both know the situation was not of your making.” Waterstone grimaced. “I wish I could say that I hadn’t meant to upset you but that wouldn’t be true. The best I can say is that now I have upset you, I am remorseful.”
The prince heaved a sigh, his face shuttered. “Life was a lot easier when it wasn’t an affront to anyone if I issued an order. And life was a lot easier when I didn’t know most of my liegemen. And although you may be remorseful, the damage is done. Your fundamental attitude to me is painfully clear. So, let’s leave it, shall we?”
Tarkyn pushed past Waterstone and continued up the path. Moments later, Waterstone again stood before him barring his way.
The prince’s eyebrows snapped together. “Now I am really getting angry. Get out of my way!”
“No!” The trees on either side of them thrashed in a sudden whirlwind. “Be angry if you like. We must resolve this.”
“There is nothing to resolve!” stated Tarkyn flatly and moved forward to pass Waterstone again.
Waterstone flicked himself backwards several yards so that he was yet again standing in front of Tarkyn.
The prince’s eyes glittered. “Do you know how much restraint I am using to prevent myself from throwing a spell at you?”
Waterstone gave a little bow, “Much appreciated. Although, of course, it would be cheating, wouldn’t it?”
“You’re using magic. Why shouldn’t I?”
The woodman shook his head. “I’m not using it on you. I’m using it on me.”
“That’s a specious argument, if ever I heard one. You’re using it to affect me.”
Waterstone shrugged, “Needs must. We can’t afford to be at loggerheads right now. So stop running away and listen to what I have to say.”
Tarkyn crossed his arms and stared grimly at the woodman. “I’m listening.”
“Tarkyn, you’ve always known I resented you becoming our liege lord. You saw it in my memories and I told you this morning how much I hate the oath. But that is not the most important factor in my dealings with you. Nearly always, you and I are on the same side. I’m not just supporting you because I have to…I don’t have to. You have allowed us the freedom to speak our thoughts. In fact, you have insisted on it. I might wish that that freedom was not at your discretion but that is the best the situation allows.” Waterstone shrugged. “I am not going to stand here extolling your virtues to convince you that you mean more to me than an imposed ruler. You must know that. I just reacted badly when the whole issue of the oath came up again. I can’t undo it. I can only reiterate that I am sorry.”
Tarkyn uncrossed his arms and sighed. “And I reacted badly to your resentment. Stormaway did warn me, if you remember, that I must allow for it.” He started to walk along the path, and this time Waterstone turned and fell in beside him. “So, do you agree that we shouldn’t tell anyone?”
Waterstone smiled, “Yes, although it would be nice to give them one in the eye.”
The prince glanced at him. “I did wonder about that; whether the oath might be creating a class difference, so to speak. The free and the oathbound.”
The woodman nodded shortly. “It is a bit, with, as you know, the home guard on the bottom of the heap.”
“Ironic, isn’t it? In sorcerer society, the home guard would be on the top of the heap.” Tarkyn glanced at the woodman again before chancing his next comment, “So it would be much better if everyone were subject to the oath, wouldn’t it?”
Tarkyn watched as his friend repressed a quick frown of consternation. The woodman glanced at the prince to find him smiling in anticipation.
“Very funny,” scowled Waterstone. “In actual fact, it would be easier for us and harder for them.” He shrugged and after some hesitation added, “But in truth, I wouldn’t wish it on them.”
“No,” said Tarkyn quietly, “Neither would I.”
45
When the woodman and the sorcerer rejoined Danton and Stormaway, they found them deep in conversation with Summer Rain. Stormaway looked around as they arrived and said buoyantly, “She’s cracked it. Summer Rain has come up with the perfect plan for dealing with the wolves.”
“Well done,” said Tarkyn, falling into the natural assumption that their actions were aimed at pleasing him. After a moment, he frowned. “But I didn’t know you could use magic.”
“I can’t,” replied Summer Rain. “But magic is not the answer to all problems.”
“True. So what have you come up with?”
“Poison. Stormaway can dope the wolves’ food. It doesn’t have to be lethal, just enough to put them to sleep for a few hours. Stormaway and I can easily concoct something.”
Tarkyn beamed. “Brilliant! We were all so focused on using magic that we forgot straightforward ideas. Now all we have to do is come up with a distraction.” The prince gazed around at them all. “That will be easy enough. I’ll just shoot a ray of my bronze magic up into the sky from a safe distance, and they will all come rushing to look for me.”
Three people looked at him in consternation while Waterstone said dryly, “That would work, certainly.” He continued sarcastically, “Of course, it would give your presence away and give them a signpost to the location of the rest of the woodfolk in the expedition, but other than that, great idea.”
“Do you think?” said Tarkyn, laughing at their reactions. “Actually, I was thinking that I could probably link up with the horses in the encampment and ask them to create a distraction. What do you think?”
“Much more sensible,” replied Summer Rain repressively.
Tarkyn’s eyes met Waterstone’s and lit up with amusement. Danton spotted this and looked quickly away, experiencing a stab of envy that he quickly repressed as being unworthy. Amidst this group of strangers, Danton suddenly felt very lonely. Gradually he became aware of a wash of quizzical understanding seeping into him, and looked up to see the prince watching him.
“I’ll tell you later,” mouthed Tarkyn silently.
A little ball of tension disappeared inside Danton as he smiled back and nodded.
The five of them were walking along a winding path through a grove of tall spreading beeches catching the last of the afternoon sun when Danton was finally able to speak to the prince.
“So what was that all about with you and Waterstone and Summer Rain?”
Tarkyn raised his eyebrows, “Very good, Danton. You got their names right.” He smiled, “Summer Rain has no sense of humour. So Waterstone and I were just smiling about it. It can be very daunting if you crack a joke and she reacts totally seriously. I’ve done it often, much to my discomfort. She’s a competent healer, though. She brought me through after my run-in with Andoran and Sargon.”
“What happened? Stormaway said you were badly injured.”
Despite himself, Tarkyn couldn’t bring himself to reveal everything to his friend. “I fell out of the tree that I had escaped into. The fall dislocated my shoulder and broke several ribs. Apparently, I hit my head several times on the way down and was unconscious for nearly two weeks.”
“Stars above, Sire!” Danton’s eyes were round. “Those men should be horse-whipped for what they did to you.”
Tarkyn smiled wryly. “Unfortunately the opposite is true. If they had succeeded in returning me, they would have been rewarded instead.”
“And what is the reward, I wonder?” asked Danton in an unnervingly thoughtful voice.
Tarkyn flicked a sideways glance at him. “I don’t know, but I’m sure it would be enough to set you up comfortably for the rest of your life. I would be offended if it were any less.”
Danton rubbed his hands together and grinned. “Good then. I’ll just wait my chance, bung you over my
shoulder and away we go. Then I can live comfortably for the rest of my life, battling it out with my conscience.”
“Thank heavens for me that you do have a conscience,” said Tarkyn, as lightly as he could muster.
The guardsman shrugged. “I don’t actually think it would matter much if I didn’t. You are strong yourself and very well protected. But even if I killed you, the woodfolk wouldn’t let me take in your body for the reward. So there would be no point to it.”
The prince frowned down at his friend, “Danton, you are beginning to unnerve me. Why this fixation on the reward?”
Danton glanced up into the depths of Tarkyn’s amber eyes, then looked back at the path ahead. “Because you still don’t trust me. I am trying to show you that you can.”
“You have a funny way of going about it. You have me more worried than ever.”
Danton pointed his finger at the prince, something he would never have done before. “There. You see. You are worried about me. I knew it.”
Tarkyn sighed and smiled. “Stop it, Danton. You’re getting all fidgety. I do trust you. I am trying to trust you as well as I know how.”
“You didn’t tell me how you escaped.”
Light dawned. “Is that what this is all about?” Tarkyn considered him for a moment. “Why are you so anxious to know?”
Danton gave a quirky little smile. “Because Stormaway wouldn’t tell me. He said it might give you one less chance next time.”
“Which only holds true if you are the threat.”
“Exactly. And I’m not.”
“So you want me to prove my faith in you by telling you how I escaped, even though I have already proved it by showing you the woodfolk?”
“Yes.” Danton took a little breath. “Please.”
The prince shook his head, smiling, “Danton, you are hopeless. All right. I will tell you. But if you ever betray me, the world will not be big enough to protect you from the woodfolk.”
Danton smiled sadly. “You see? And you are struggling so much to tell me. You keep avoiding it.” His voice became brisker, “Look, don’t worry. Let us leave things as they are. With luck, you will come to trust me again in time.”
Tarkyn felt as though he was trying to clear a big hurdle but couldn’t. He had gradually come to trust most woodfolk but he had had no practice with the people who had betrayed him. He shook his head to clear it. “No. I’m not being rational. You are being tarred with the same brush as my brothers and those other two and that is not fair.” He took a deep breath and said quickly, “I translocated.”
“Did you?” responded Danton matter-of-factly. “Well, that’s impressive. And I presume that’s how you escaped from the Great Hall as well? That explains why you left me no trail to follow.” The guardsman beamed. “So, well done! That is a marvellous skill to have. Maybe I could learn it.”
Tarkyn let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding and smiled, more relaxed than he had been since Danton's arrival. "Maybe you could."
IX
The Rescue
46
On the day before the planned rescue, the sun climbed into a clear cold sky behind the dense foliage of the forest. As it rose above the tree line, the intensity of its light threw the woodland into relative shadow, making it almost impossible for any guard who might be scanning eastward for signs of life to see more than a few yards into the forest. There was no wind to carry the woodfolk’s scent into the camp.
Just beyond the forest’s edge, Running Feet and Tree Wind flitted along the branches from tree to tree showing the other woodfolk, particularly those who would be involved in the raid, the layout of the encampment. They had planned their reconnaissance to be early so that when they approached from the east, the glare of the morning sun would shield their presence.
Heated debates had raged, both vocal and silent, about what each person should do. The best marksmen and women would target the guards while the fastest, strongest and most level-headed were chosen to enter the encampment and carry out the actual rescue. Autumn Leaves would lead the rescue because he knew Golden Toad, and thus would be most likely to keep the captive woodfolk from panicking.
Rainstorm and North Wind had been relegated to keeping guard over Tarkyn. Despite their previous eagerness to be part of the home guard, neither one was happy about his role. For perhaps the tenth time, Rainstorm pointed out that he was an excellent marksman.
Autumn Leaves nodded amiably, “I agree. You are. Which is why we need you to protect the prince.”
“Thunder Storm will be there with him,” protested Rainstorm.
“That is true,” replied Autumn Leaves. “And he too is an excellent marksman. But he will be minding the children while Creaking Bough helps with the rescue. You can’t expect him to abandon the children if they are attacked. We need more people with the prince, especially while he’s concentrating.”
“The truth is that you’re still a little too hot headed to be in the front line, Rainstorm,” said Waterstone quietly.
“Then I’ll be no use to the prince if we’re attacked, will I?”
Waterstone heaved a sigh. “I’ll tell Tarkyn then, will I, that you aren’t prepared to support him?”
Rainstorm shrugged, “Do what you like. He will understand completely. He’d rather be here himself.”
“So what are you planning to do with yourself then? Because you’re not staying near the encampment, no matter what,” said Tree Wind firmly.
“How are we ever supposed to gain experience if we aren’t allowed to take part?” demanded North Wind.
Running Feet looked from one to the other. “You gain experience in hunting parties, where our kin’s lives and the whole future lives of woodfolk aren’t at stake.”
“But this might be our only chance,” protested Rainstorm.
“I would like to think that were true,” answered Waterstone gravely. “But I very much fear there will be other opportunities in the future. I don’t think these people are going to stop looking for us just because they’ve suffered a setback – if we’re successful.”
Tree Wind glared at them. “The fact that you’re distracting us from our task at the moment is evidence enough of your inexperience. Just be glad you have been allowed to come with us now so that you can have some idea of what we’re dealing with.” She turned pointedly away from them and waved her hand at the camp. “See? There are hundreds of these white canvas tents. Golden Toad could be in any of those away from the perimeter. We’ll have to wait for further information from Stormaway and Danton before we make our final plans.”
As they reached different vantage points, Waterstone went out of focus to share the information with Tarkyn. While they stood scanning the sea of tents before them Waterstone suddenly jumped in fright, but quickly gave a short sigh of relief.
“What was that all about?” asked Autumn Leaves.
“That was our novice image-talker asking me where the wolves are. Tarkyn sent a truly fearsome image of a snarling wolf, followed by a query.” Waterstone gave a rueful grin. “I’m sure the delay between the two was unnecessarily long and the image of the wolf unnecessarily fearsome. I think our young sorcerer is feeling bored.” He swept his gaze across the tents, sending the image as he did so. “I can’t see the wolves from here but I can hear them from time to time. They must be around the other side.”
Suddenly Rainstorm reeled back then quickly recovered himself.
Waterstone raised his eyebrows in query.
“An image of galloping horses coming straight at me, then a query,” replied Rainstorm laughing. “Well, at least that’s easy enough to answer. I can see a few from here. The rest must be behind that tent.” He sent the image to Tarkyn.
Tree Wind shook her head. “I think you young men all belong together, well away from here. The prince is showing no sign of possessing the sort of temperament needed for this type of undertaking.”
“Oh come on, Tree Wind. We’re just having a bit of fun,” prot
ested Rainstorm.
“My point exactly,” she replied repressively.
Lapping Water relayed her view of this conversation minus the words to Tarkyn. The contents of the discussion were clear just watching Rainstorm and Tree Wind.
Moments later, she saw Tree Wind’s eyes widen as she swayed and clutched at the tree trunk to stop from falling. A jet black raven soared up out of the trees and flapped its way slowly around the encampment. When it had finished its circuit, it glided lazily back towards the tree line. Just before it reached them, it flapped its wings to gain height then swooped down onto a branch just above them and sat calmly ruffling its feathers, watching them out of the corner of one eye.
Tree Wind was scowling furiously. “That was not funny.” She received a strong sense of contrition mixed with laughter. Despite herself, she could feel herself beginning to unbend.
“That must have given you a good view,” said Lapping Water innocently. “You may have to share that with us.”
Tree Wind nodded reluctantly. “Yes. I know where the wolves are now. And you’re right, Rainstorm; the rest of the horses are behind that tent, tethered with those we can see from here. I still don’t know where Golden Toad’s tent is, preoccupied as I was with staying up in the tree here.”
“How come you’re the lucky one to go flying with the raven?” demanded Rainstorm.
Waterstone glanced at Lapping Water before answering, “I suspect Tarkyn thought Tree Wind needed the chance to mix work with fun.”
“He’s an absolute menace, that prince of yours,” said Tree Wind with a half smile. “I nearly fell out of the tree.”
“But you didn’t. And he may be my brother,” added Waterstone, smiling to take the sting out of his words, “but he’s your prince too.”
Although she gave a small sigh, Tree Wind’s smile didn’t disappear. “Yes, I know.” She looked around at the other woodfolk. “And to be honest,” she said slowly, “I think we will be all right with him.”
Bronze Magic Page 55