Warhorn

by J Glenn Bauer

  “I see I have caused you much concern. I apologise my friend, but that is why I asked if you were going to Baria.”

  “No need to apologise, Arckat. It is probably the best thing you could have done for us. Without your warning we may have blundered right into these men and we are only three.”

  “I fear the trip back home once our business in Baria is done. We are prosperous, but not so much so that we can afford to hire spearmen.”

  Caros could see the worry in the man’s eyes now and knew this was a serious problem. Although not warriors, they were armed and healthy, yet they were frightened.

  “How many men in each of these bands?” Caros asked.

  “Ten on foot. The horsemen were less. I counted six.”

  Small groups, but dangerous if they took you unawares. This was bad news and Caros would ask Neugen to speak to Alugra about the matter. Peace was fragile and bandits and raiders preying on travellers and villages could quickly lead to feuds and bloodletting.

  “Thank you for the warning, Arckat. We will be extra vigilant for it. What business do you have in Baria?”

  “We have heard that prices for raw and woven flax are much higher in Baria. We will have a large crop this autumn, Runeovex willing, and wish to sound out possible buyers.”

  That made sense to Caros. Flax crops produced the fibres woven to make fine linen and linens of all qualities were much in demand.

  “Maybe this meeting was a good thing for both of us, Arckat. I may very well be interested in becoming a buyer myself!”

  Arckat’s face showed his astonishment. “That is fortunate, I had taken you for a warrior, not a merchant.”

  Caros laughed. “Yes, I own a warehouse in Baria and another in Malaka and have good connections with Greek and Carthaginian buyers, even some Gyptos.”

  “Then you will truly consider buying from us?”

  “Not I personally. Ask for Marc of Baria when you reach that town and mention me to him. He will inspect the bales once it is harvested.”

  Neugen and Ilimic returned from the well looking wide awake and ready to depart. Caros was deeply concerned about the dangers of travelling the road north and told them of the news the farmer had given him.

  Neugen frowned at him. “A few bandits will not stop us, Caros. I am going to Tagilit alone if necessary.”

  “Neugen, it is not whether we continue or not. Rather, it is how we do so.”

  Ilimic and Neugen both simultaneously asked, “How?”

  “You are right, Neugen, I will not allow banditry to stop us, but I am not going to walk blindly into danger either. We need to plan this carefully.”

  Neugen caught on. “Oh, that is all right then. I was worried you were going to go back to Baria.” He smiled sheepishly.

  Ilimic asked the obvious question. “What do you plan to do?”

  “We know one group is mounted and number six riders and the ones on foot are ten spears. Either way, we are outnumbered so we have to see them first. We will need to travel as swiftly as we can and we need to have one rider well out in front at all times. If we spot them first, we can do as the farmers did and skirt them.”

  Neugen looked sceptical. “They will have their own lookouts and this is hilly country. They will see our dust long before we see them if we ever do.”

  Neugen was right; the inevitable dust would betray them. “Then we must ride fast or ride by night.” There was silence at this. No one liked riding the hill roads by night, not even warriors.

  Neugen shrugged and patted his falcata. “We have blades and horses. We have two mounts each. I say we ride hard and change mounts often, to keep them fresh.” It was a good suggestion.

  “Good thinking. Flat Cave or further by nightfall and then we rise early and start out before sunrise again tomorrow.”

  Neugen laughed. “Sure, before sunrise, just like this morning!”

  Caros punched his shoulder. “We were waiting on you as I recall.”

  “Careful, that is my spear arm, I may need to use it again soon.”

  Caros frowned and gave Ilimic an apologetic look. “It will not be easy I am afraid.” He helped her mount. “Do not fear though, I will be beside you all the way.” He reassured her.

  She settled onto the mount with a wince. “That will be nice and with my victorious warrior beside me I will be fine.” She gave him her most wicked smile, the one that sent arrows of excitement of a different kind through his stomach. “However, I cannot say the same for my behind or thighs. I may need a rubbing down after this ride.”

  Caros choked. “Every owner of a good filly knows how important that is. I will not forget.” He slapped her horse’s rump. “Off we go now.”

  She laughed gaily for a moment as the horse started off and then groaned, “Ow!”

  They spent the afternoon keeping up a good pace along the ever-climbing road. They passed two other people, a young boy herding a flock of goats to new pastures and a surly blacksmith on the way back from a funeral. On both occasions, Caros stopped to ask of the road ahead. The shepherd boy knew nothing of bandits and was clearly terrified at the prospect. He had shooed his family’s few goats off the road the moment Caros rode away and in the blink of an eye had disappeared, goats and all. A useful quality, Caros mused wryly. He regretted scaring the boy. The blacksmith had heard nothing of bandits either. From the wafts of odour exuding from the man’s very pores, he had clearly consumed more than a few flagons of ale at the funeral the previous day, so Caros was frankly surprised he could remember he had been to one at all.

  The sun sank beyond the bulk of the interior’s mountain ranges. Caros had hoped they could ride far beyond Flat Cave, but neither Ilimic nor Neugen could go much further. Reluctantly he led them off the road and to a grassy patch beside the stream that flowed from the mountains. They were all coated in dust, a fine, grey powder that reached into every fold of cloth and skin. The cold waters of the mountain made short work of washing away this film, but it left them shivering in the cool of early evening. Caros was tempted to light a fire, but on consideration decided that darkness served them best.

  Neugen took first watch and Caros was glad to have Ilimic curl up in his arms. There would be no mischief though for she winced in pain as she lay beside him. He fell asleep breathing in her rich scent, touched with a lingering smell of their dusty ride. Caros woke in the dead hours to take the final watch and he uncurled Ilimic’s arms from his chest gently before rising. “All peaceful then I take it?” He asked Neugen quietly.

  “Nothing moving other than owls and mice.”

  Neugen fell swiftly asleep, leaving Caros to watch over their sleeping forms in the faint glow of the starlight.

  Caros woke them before first light with cheese and bread. A small skin of ale served to wash their breakfast down and add some warmth to their bellies. The men packed the horses while Ilimic washed. When all were ready and Caros and Neugen had donned their armour, they took to the road again. The sun had not risen yet, but the birds were wide-awake and singing through the hills. It would be a long morning, but by the time it was too hot to ride they would have broken the back of the trip to Orze.

  Caros spent the better part of the morning well ahead of the other two, spying out the road ahead for signs of bandits. He wore his shield on his left arm rather than have it hang as usual at his knee. He had three javelins quivered on his back and held one more in his throwing hand. Neugen, riding beside Ilimic, was similarly prepared and alert. By noon, the sun had so heated the road that Caros often saw figures in the distance that turned out to be waves of heat dissipating into the already warm air. Neugen rode up not long after the sun had passed its zenith. “We are going to have to rest, Caros.” He shifted to accommodate a cramping thigh. “My butt is on fire, but Ilimic is really struggling.”

  As much as Caros regretted the harsh pace he had set and the discomfort it caused them, he reasoned it was better to suffer a few travel sores than to fall prey to bandits on this lonely stretch
of road. He vowed to get Alugra to bring warriors down the road to sweep the bandits away.

  “Sure, there is a place not far ahead with good water. We will halt there.” He sent Neugen back to let Ilimic know they would rest soon.

  The place was a steep-sided valley, torn through the hillside by countless floods. The stream that tumbled along the rocky bottom was nothing like the raging waters that stormed down the ravine after heavy rains in the high hills. They dropped stiffly from their horses and while Ilimic lay in the shade of a strawberry tree, Caros and Neugen changed the reins to the fresher horses as they had planned. When that was done, Caros loped from rock to rock down to the stream below and filled their water skins with fresh, cold water. Removing his helm and breastplate, he splashed his head and face, washing away the grime and fatigue. At this pace, they would arrive at Orze before this time on the morrow. He had secretly hoped they would be there this evening already, but Ilimic was already too sore to be expected to ride any harder. At least they would only have to spend one more night on the road although he was not sure where they would camp. He was struggling to judge where they might find themselves on the road come sunset. They would need to find water for the horses and it would have to be another night without warm food. Unfortunately, there was no village between here and Orze where they could rest in comfort and security.

  He finished washing and was reaching for his armour when he noticed a footprint. There was little mud on this rocky streambed due to the speed of the water, but in the lee of a small boulder, was a little sliver of washed sand, just large enough to accommodate the single footprint. Neugen was the tracker and would possibly be able to tell more, but it looked fresh enough to Caros. Suddenly alert, he hastily donned his armour and grabbed the water skins. Climbing quickly out of the ravine, he strode over to the others.

  “Here we go. Get some of this inside you before you sleep.” He offered the skins to Ilimic who looked done in. “Neugen, come have a look here.” He scanned the hillside above them and then the road in both directions.

  Neugen grimaced and rose stiffly. “What do you see?”

  “Not here, in the ravine. I spotted a footprint.”

  “Ha. You have learned. I make a great teacher if I say so myself.”

  They returned to the ravine and the little patch of sand. Neugen gestured to Caros to stay back and then hopped to the boulder sheltering the sand. He crouched there briefly, examining the footprint before scanning the rocks and streambed. He remained silent, frustrating Caros.

  “Well what do you see?”

  “Honestly, a footprint. A man’s and freshly set.”

  “Well?”

  “I see just one set of tracks.”

  “One man?” Caros felt relief.

  “The bad news is he wears heavy sandals, like a warrior’s.”

  “What?”

  “It is as I say. Some warriors have taken to sticking iron nails into the soles of their sandals. It is said that they stand firmer when swinging a shield and sword.” He shrugged, “I do not know about that, but it is what some do and the owner of this pair of sandals has these studs.”

  “Still, he is only one man.”

  “One pair of feet sent to fetch water for many?”

  “Curses. Right, let us get Ilimic mounted and out of here then.” Caros felt awful when Ilimic’s face fell as he broke the news to her that they needed to ride on.

  “It was just one man though. Surely even if he is a bandit, he would not attack us?” Ilimic sat up, staring at Caros. “Can we at least rest for a little while longer? Honestly the skin on my legs is this close to breaking.” She asked plaintively.

  Caros wavered and Neugen spoke instead. “We just need to put some distance between us and this stream. Just in case this fellow has companions up in the hills.”

  Caros stared up at the hills. Nothing moved beyond a vulture floating high above them on outstretched wings. “Neugen is right. It makes no sense to risk remaining here. In any case, we would get no rest if we stayed here now for worrying.”

  Mounting up, Caros sensed even his mare was reluctant to continue on so soon after stopping and in the worst of the day’s heat. He steeled himself and led them back onto the road. They did not go fast or very much further. The road twisted and turned along the hillside and after passing through two wide turns and leaving the ravine two hills behind, he spotted a likely looking shady spot to rest up. There was even a stream here although the water barely trickled between the sun-warmed rocks along its bed. At least the horses could reach the water here and they would not have to haul the water to them.

  “Neugen, before we dismount, have a look around and see if you can spy any tracks.” Caros thought this would be better than dismounting only to have to bolt a second time. Neugen tracked from left to right along the stream before waving for them to dismount. Ilimic heaved a sigh of relief as Caros helped her off the horse. “I am sorry. I promise I will take care of you once we are at my home.”

  “It is not your fault I have cheeks as soft as a babe’s.” She smiled gamely at him. He kissed her deeply, tasting the sweetness of her mouth. “Hmm. That was good. Now go away, I need to sleep and I am hot and sweaty.”

  He feigned a hurt look. “I thought I was your victorious warrior?”

  “You have a lot to learn about me. For a start, I do not like being hot and sweaty.”

  “You win.” He laughed. “I will keep watch over you. Sleep now.” She mouthed a kiss at him and shut her eyes. Caros smiled down protectively at the sleeping girl. Not long now and you will be safe he promised her silently before turning away with a heavy sigh.

  Neugen had hobbled the horses and was casting about on the near side of the stream. Caros made his way through the scrub.

  “See anything?”

  Neugen shrugged. “Too many tracks really. Not surprising as we are right beside the road. Nothing that should worry us though.”

  “Good. Go get some food and take a rest. I will keep watch.”

  “You sure? You have been pushing as hard as us.”

  “What? You volunteering?”

  “Haha, nope, just being polite.” Neugen laughed and slapped Caros as he limped back to the shade of the trees.

  Caros climbed the face of the hill, finding it hard work in the heat. When he reached out to catch his balance, the rock he leaned on burned hot against his skin. He stopped half way to the summit and looked south, studying the road they had travelled for any sign of movement. He saw nothing, nor any telltale plume of dust. To the north it was equally still. No travellers, no bandits, no warriors. The road was deserted as far as he could tell. He made his way to the scant shade of an ancient oak where he sat in the shade and removed his helm. Sweat dripped from his sodden hair and he wiped the salty moisture from his eyes. He squinted across the bleak hillsides that hid the occasional verdant valleys.

  He wondered what was happening back in Orze. Had the villagers begun rebuilding or had they moved to the castro? A small part of him felt guilty for leaving the village just as it reeled from the ravage and chaos of the raiders, but he knew what he had done was the right thing. That they had managed to return much of the rustled herds and slay some raiders was incidental. Rebuilding and mourning had their own season.

  He hoped Ilimic would find life in Orze pleasant. Surely, she would come to love the natural beauty of the valley and the peaceful nature of the villagers there? Once the homestead was rebuilt, they would raise a family of their own to bring laughter and joy to the shadows under the oak and cedar of the valley. Catching himself dozing, he jerked awake and then cursed himself for not bringing any water with him. He must have some he knew, or he risked falling ill. He had once felt the sun sickness when as a boy, he and Ximo had gone searching for the eggs of eagles in their high eyries. The wind had blown cool across their brows all day, but they had not thought to take water and by afternoon were parched. By that evening Caros could not see from the pain in his fevered head and for th
ree days his mother had had to nurse him as he shivered and sweated. He shook his head at the memory. They had never found the eagle’s nests either. He scrambled back down the slope and crossed the road to the shady spot in which Ilimic and Neugen lay.

  Neugen opened an eye lazily. “Rest, Caros. It is quiet on the road. Not even a bandit would be idiot enough to travel in this heat. It is early summer and already so hot.”

  Caros slaked his thirst and splashed some water over his head. He reckoned Neugen was right and besides the horses would signal if anybody approached. Yawning, he flopped down on the thin grass. Ilimic lay sprawled on his cloak and he did not want to disturb her. For once, he fell into a dreamless sleep.

  A hand on his shoulder shook him. He grunted in annoyance, wondering why anybody would disturb him. Could they not tell that he was asleep? Asleep! He should not be asleep! He woke frantically, rising and groping for his falcata.

  “Caros! Time to move on. Whoa, you were really fast asleep there!”

  His eyes focused on Neugen’s face before sweeping about and noticing the position of the sun. The bright road now lay swathed in the shadows of the hills.

  “Oh gods, I slept so long. Look how late it is!”

  “You needed it. We can still make a fair distance before last light.” Neugen smiled again and patted him on the shoulder. Caros was not placated and cursed himself silently. He should have been pressing them to speed along, not lie sleeping like an old hound in the sun. He grabbed his helm from the grass and rose, dusting himself off. Donning the helm quickly, he did not bother tying the strap; instead he slung the javelin quiver across his shoulder and stalked over to the stream.

  Ilimic turned at his approach. “Nearly done here, sleepy one.” She said brightly as she filled the skins.

  “There is plenty of water. Come we must get going.” He snapped.

  “Why, look who woke all grumpy!” She scooped the waterskin out of the stream and tossed it to him without bothering to cork it. Snatching it from the air, water spurted from the spout, splashing him. He caught the curse at his teeth. Ilimic was staring at him, her eyes burning with anger. By the gods, she looked beautiful. The lowering sun lit sparks in her hair and made her skin soft and golden.