“Sister Hulda will join us. The convent has a horse and cart we can use to make travelling a little easier. We will leave Milly here; it’s the safest place for her and on the off chance we don’t make it back, then the nuns can reunite her with her parents. She’ll be fed and cared for. We’ll head to Everstead and wait for Prince Aron and Saturnus.”
“Just one thing,” asked the Princess, “how did you two meet?”
Hulda smiled, “Well it is quite a funny story actually. It was many years ago, we were much younger. At the time I was a lady-in-waiting for the young Queen at Ampheus. Your mother I guess. Can you believe that? I was a little skinnier then mind you and a little bit more, how should I say it, ‘refined’.” She chuckled.
“I just joined a self-defence class for the ladies at the castle. Thought it would be useful to ward off the wandering hands and unwanted attentions of the guards. Anyway, I remember the instructor was quite dashing, but a bit full of himself.” Sumnar tutted.
“Puffing his chest out; sounding all important; showing various defensive moves to all these adoring ladies. When it came to my turn he wanted me to twist his arm or something like that to defend myself.
“Instinct took over; I kneed him in the crown jewels; kicked his legs from under him; then rabbit punched him on his way down. Knocked him out cold. I had three older brothers you see. I did not realise that I had trained in self defence all my life!”
Sister Hulda shrugged, “He asked me out as soon as he came round and we got married a month later. But the castle life was not for me, I wanted to help people and so became a nun. Sumnar followed his calling from soldier to, what would you call it? Wandering Wizard?”
Fayette interrupted, “I just want to go back a bit. Did you say you got married?”
She turned to Sumnar, “You did not tell me that!”
He shrugged, “Well it just did not come up.”
Sister Hulda pulled Sumnar’s chin towards her and planted a rather sloppy kiss on his cheek. “He’s my big snuggle bear,” said Hulda.
Fayette shook her head. “Oh dear, oh dearie, dearie me.”
Sumnar hurriedly changed the subject, “So, we’ll travel as a family to Everstead. Just think of yourself as being temporarily adopted.”
The Princess sighed, “As long as you don’t give me a stupid nickname.”
“What’s that munchkin?” said Sister Hulda.
*
Maruq had led Aron and his companions to the mouth of the glacial cave. They sensed that Aron’s mood had darkened over the past day or so. Daylon had shaken his head warningly and so nobody broached the subject with him. They wore the furs that the clan had provided and had the food stashed on the horses, so were well prepared for the next leg of the journey.
“We will be heading to the trading town I spoke of in the next few days. It may make sense for you to return that way, to avoid the Unthank Marshes. It’s called Everstead.”
The companions said their goodbyes to the clan. Then the horses one by one pressed ahead and clambered onto the ice.
Maruq shouted after them, “The cave should be very strong. The bluer the ice the stronger and denser it is. The primary threat is at the mouth of the glacier where the snow is thinner and chunks may fall from the ceiling. Keep an eye on the roof and the walls, but honestly if in doubt press on!”
With that the companions entered the cave.
It was easily large enough for them to traverse on horseback and was breath-taking. There was enough light to guide them, and the ice was the purest blue.
“My memory is a bit vague, but I think the blue is caused by the way the ice crystals scatter light. The bluer it is the more compacted and purer is the ice,” said Ailin.
As they got deeper into the cave, the luminosity of the blue was overwhelming. Streams would flow down crevices in the ice either forming melt water ponds or disappearing into spiral craters and the depths of the glacier. They also passed waterfalls that plunged from the ceiling churning up azure pools of water down below.
The companions were pleased for the furs that they wore over their clothes. However, the farther they got into the glacier a chill permeated the air and despite the protection, the water streaming from the cave roof and walls slowly seeped through their layers making them damp and cold. The horses too were sweating, and their wet coats froze with lumps of ice that clung to their hair. When they paused for a rest, they untied their blankets and covered the stallions to keep them warm.
Aron peered up ahead, “I’m not sure we have much further to go. It appears to be brightening.”
The companions paused. “Just as well,” said Daylon, “I am chilled to the bone. I can’t wait to make a roaring fire and cook some of those sausages. God I am salivating at the thought.”
Without warning there was a piercing crack and an icicle broke free from the cave roof. It splintered into pieces as it crashed into the floor in front of Proud Wanderer.
The horse reared up, its eyes wide with fright and its hind legs slipped and cracked the surface ice of the stream that had been flowing alongside them. Frantic as its legs fell away behind it, Proud Wanderer grappled and just managed to pull itself back onto the path.
However, Aland’s feet slipped out of his stirrups and he flipped backwards towards the ice. The impact shattered the frozen surface of the stream and Aland disappeared under a torrent of water as the shards cracked.
Aron leapt off Wildwind and grabbed a rope from his saddle. In the same motion he tied a knot and formed a loop, as Aland came up again and gasped for breath. The current was pulling him down where the stream vanished back under the ice. Ailin screamed, “Help him!” and leapt down to Aron’s side, but watched helplessly as Aland groped for a grip on the ice while struggling for air.
The Prince shouted, “Aland, the rope,” and threw it in his direction but already his arms were numb and his fingers fumbled to grasp it.
Ailin threw herself to grab Aland but struggled to get hold of his wet furs. They could see the panic in his eyes as slowly he lost grip and was sucked into the stream.
Leo shook his head, grabbed Golden Blade, and ran a few feet downstream of Aland and drove the sword through the ice into the streambed.
Ailin wailed as she stared at her hands that had let go of Aland but Aron shook her, “Grab the rope.” Leo and Daylon also jumped forward to help. The Prince fed it into the stream and left it for a moment then fished it back out.
“Try again,” shouted Ailin and Aron fed it again.
All of a sudden it tautened. “Pull it!” shouted Daylon.
“No wait!”
“Now!” exclaimed Leo.
“No!” ordered Aron. “Wait, wait, wait, wait. All right pull.” The rope tensed as they heaved, the burn tearing at their freezing skin. The weight of Aland in the rushing stream of water straining against them but then he appeared, the loop of the rope under his arms and around his shoulders. His head burst to the surface, he gasped for breath, and they yanked him free of the current.
“Quick!” said Daylon. “Undress him of those wet clothes and wrap him in the blankets. The quicker we reach the higher ground and start a fire the better.” Aron lifted his friend onto Wildwind and Ailin collected the reins of Proud Wanderer and they made their way up out of the cave to the escarpment above.
Leo, Halle and Daylon went scavenging for wood. Although it was quite barren on the escarpment, they found enough dried shrubs to start a fire, and it stubbornly hissed and crackled before flaring into light. Aland hugged his blanket and tried to warm himself by the flames, his body still in spasms as it tried to shake off the raw chill. The rest joined him, all too shocked and exhausted to say anything.
“We’ll put a brew on and try and get some hot liquids inside you as well. That will also help heat your body inside,” said Daylon.
After a while, Aland’s sh
ivering ceased and a tint of colour returned to his cheeks, though when Daylon passed the drink to Aland, his fingers failed to grasp it and it clattered to the ground. He seemed confused and started slurring his words. “I’m alright,” he murmured. “I’m just tired, just let me sleep here for a while.”
Leo studied him concerned. “I think his body temperature is still dropping, it’s affecting his speech and coordination. I think if we don’t do something he’ll lose consciousness so we need to heat up his body.” Leo paused. “Look sharing body heat is the best way to do this, so somebody needs to lie next to Aland to warm him up.”
They stared at Leo blankly, so he tried again. “Somebody needs get undressed and lie next to him.”
Aron and Daylon both instinctively turned to Ailin. She tutted, “Oh for god’s sake,” she said, exasperated. “Turn your backs and no peeking.”
Ailin took the blankets and curled up next to Aland. He was still drifting in and out of consciousness and muttering to himself. The rest waited and listened as the night set in, then as it got colder they built up the fire and drifted off themselves.
They were awoken the next morning by a sudden shriek followed by a slap. “Really?” cursed Ailin. “Well I think our patient is better. In fact, I say he’s firmly in the pink of health!”
Aland sat up with a soppy grin on his face, “Did I miss anything?”
*
They packed up camp and headed up the escarpment. Then broached a plateau that led up to the snow peaked Misty Mountains in the distance, whose peaks stretched as far as the eye could see.
“I do hope Saturnus decided to make his home at this end of the mountain range rather than the far side,” said Daylon. “Else by the time we reach Dryw Henge the party will be over.”
Aron caught Halle’s attention. “Halle can you help?”
She signed with her hands and Ailin nodded, “She said there is a monastery a day or so up the escarpment. They should be able to help us.”
Aland asked, “Has she ever heard of Saturnus at all? Do we even know if he exists anymore?”
Ailin huffed, “Ask her yourself, I’m still not talking to you!”
They crested the escarpment and could see the monastery in the distance. It was perched on top of a hill, its white walls a stark contrast to the dark grey granite hills standing watch over it. A zigzag path led up to the entrance and to the fore was a three-storey building, to the rear windows leading up to a golden tipped watchtower. Golden stupa and lines of flags dotted the hillsides surrounding the temple and guided them as they approached and entered the gate to a cobbled precinct and tied up the horses.
A monk received them and beckoned them inside and they were taken to a quiet cloister and met by an older monk. In the background they could hear the soothing prayers echo around the monastery. He smiled, “He said you would come for him.”
“Saturnus?” asked the Prince.
“Well he has many names, we call him Father. He was not sure when, but he said you would come.”
“He is still alive?” asked Aron.
The elderly monk chuckled, “But of course. By his choosing. Of his own volition he could lay down his head and succumb to the body and mind’s desire for peace and tranquillity in the next life. But no, he has sustained himself, perhaps he has waited for you as he knew he would be needed once more.
“He is still rather sprightly for his age. We have been fortunate to send apprentices to learn and study with him over time. He has guided many generations and helped us with our spiritual practices and teachings. Both in mind and body. Many pilgrims come here, not necessarily to seek him out, but to share in our ritual practices at the temple.”
At which point he caught sight of Leo, stopped and scrunched his brow somewhere between an expression of surprise and confusion.
“How can we find him?” asked Aron.
The monk switched his attention back to the Prince. “He is but a couple of days trek from here, but the climb is steep and fatiguing. Where he dwells is above the clouds and the air is thin and can tire even the strongest of men.
I suggest just the Prince and the boy seek him out. The remainder of you can stay here. I am sure you endured an arduous trip to get this far. Rest; recuperate, for the journey ahead of you will be toilsome and tiring I have no doubt. Sire take some lunch and then a guide from the monastery will take you to our Father.”
The Janshai watched from a distance.
Chapter 4
Saturnus
The guide from a local tribe led them up the mountain. Aron used a walking pole to steady himself over the loose ground and Leo carried the Staff of Talisien. It was cold but they soon stripped off their furs as they sweated from the exertion. The Prince had commented that they better be careful not to become too dehydrated from sweating too freely as it would weaken them in the latter stages of the climb.
Leo’s head started throbbing, and as they rested, he said, “I think the altitude and the thin air are making my head pound.”
The guide reached into his woven pouch and pulled out a handful of leaves and ash and handed them to Leo. “Roll up the ash and the leaves in a ball and chew them. The ash will soften the leaves and dampen their sharp flavour. It will help with the sickness. When you are not chewing you can pouch it in your cheek so you will gradually absorb the ingredients.”
The next time Aron looked back at Leo he was smiling happily. “It is tingling, it’s numbed my tongue a little,” he said, as green juice frothed from his mouth and dribbled down his chin as he chewed.
They rested and ate and drank regularly. On the second day they climbed through the night as the guide followed a pathway that zigzagged up the mountain. The trail had dug into the surface of the slope over time, causing a high head trench that they walked through and at times it appeared deeper than they were tall.
Leo was third in line and the two men in front kicked up dust that made him choke and retch so he covered his mouth with a scarf to try and filter it out.
As they got higher it started to snow a little, blinding their visibility. The snow fell on Leo’s face and eyes and the cold seeped through his gloves and feet. Leo’s toes were numb even when he scrunched them, which was probably not a good sign.
He would stop and stamp them now and again and clap his hands to try and help with the circulation. His arms and legs were aching, his head still throbbing. They trudged ever upwards and onwards. Why anyone would want to live up here was beyond Leo, but he put the thought to the back of his mind. He refocused on singing songs in his head to lift his spirits and keep him pushing forward.
The guide paused once more and they sat on a ledge as the sun rose. It started with a warm glow milking the night sky. Then the beams burst over the horizon casting golden shadows across the snow-clad peaks and Leo had to cover his eyes with his arm to protect them from the light. Down below, the clouds clung to the sides of the mountain like another plane, one that you could stroll across from mountain peak to peak.
“Oh,” said Leo. “Now I can see why someone would want to live here after all!” The guide smiled and pointed above them to the mouth of a cave perhaps a hundred yards away or so.
*
King Armanar, Logar and Urien sat around the hearth of the fireplace looking into the fire and feeling the warmth on their faces. They were drinking ale in silence. The King straightened himself up and leaned forward turning his mug in his hands.
“So Gorath appears to have halved his forces. Perhaps ten thousand men to the east to Windstrom, and ten thousand to the south to Aquamura. It stills leaves a formidable number of Horde here, but why do I fear this endgame is being played out elsewhere? I feel Ampheus is looking more and more like the last piece of the puzzle rather than the first. If he captures the other totems and my family, he may make the defense of Ampheus superfluous.”
“I agree sire,” sa
id Logar. “The more I think about it, the clearer it seems to be, that the only purpose we are serving by staying here is to give Gorath free range over the Four Realms.”
Urien nodded, “Our cavalry; we could cause havoc behind his lines if we had the chance.”
“Agreed, but what is the most critical undertaking to thwart Gorath?” said the King.
“Saturnus, ensuring Saturnus gets to Dryw Henge,” said Logar.
“I think I agree,” said Armanar.
“The castle guards are more than sufficient to manage Ampheus for the time being, so I think we ride the cavalry out of here. We need to time this right: first we need to catch them by surprise; then second, we’ll cut down anyone that gets in our way. Say, two hundred knights, it’ll pack a hell of a punch!”
“Logar can brief Dorf and Keilif,” said Urien. “I’ll ready the knights, prepare them for battle. We’ll find a way to manage provisions so we can be as self-sufficient as possible. We’ll just need to choose the right time to break the stronghold over the castle.”
“From the commotion we hear, I think Gorath releases the ale barrels every Saturday night.”
“I think you are right, there are a few more of them running around naked and swimming in the lake. So I suggest Sunday morning then, when they are sleeping off their hangovers!”
“Next Sunday it is,” said the King. “We ride at dawn.”
Urien banged the table with his fist. “That’s more like it, let’s kick some Horde butt!” Then a little abashed by his outburst, “Err and Troth to the Realms.”
The King laughed, “I think you were right first time round. Let’s kick some Horde butt!”
*
The Aquamuran Army snaked from the barracks to the south of Lumines and headed to the north, to Ampheus. A couple of days into the march there had been a shout from the east. They found Ambassador Kelton and some of his men. They were dead. They were unarmed and cut down where they stood.
Dryw Henge Page 4