by Blink, Bob
Kaler continued to survive and advance. Finally there were no more tiers. The remaining fighters were combined in a single grouping. He was the lone survivor from the lowest ranking, and one of two that had been in the middle group. The remaining fighters had all been in the top tier initially. That night he received his second summons. A nervous looking young woman brought him a gift and a request from her mistress. Kaler decided he had no choice but to go, so nodded his acceptance and followed the young servant out of the arena.
This time it was different, and they went to a much smaller estate that consisted of a large central house and several smaller structures located in the back. Kaler was taken to one of the houses in the back where once again he was offered a chance to bath and change. Then he was taken into another chamber in the front of the smaller structure. A woman waited for him, standing with her back toward him, looking out a window.
“That will be all Elsa,” a soft voice said.
“Yes, mistress,” the servant girl said, and quietly withdrew.
Kaler waited to see what was going to happen. After a moment, the woman turned around and faced him. He was surprised. She was young. Younger than him by a couple of years and quite attractive.
“I’m Sayn,” she said nervously.
Kaler could sense she was as uncertain as he was. He told her his name.
“Yes, I know.”
Idiot, he thought. Of course she knows his name.
Sayn walked closer to him, her blue eyes sparkling in the candlelight. She wore a gown that emphasized her figure, which was shapely, although slight.
“I have never done something like this before,” she said softly. “My father would probably have me whipped if he knew. We are from Branid, here on an assignment for the King. I came along. We have no games like this at home, and the customs, as explained to me by my counterpart here, are forward and exciting. I had to try and experience the thrill.”
Kaler suddenly had an insight that this young woman was probably more than a little problem for her parents and probably already had several lovers back home chosen from the young Lords that would be plentiful. He was in an uncomfortable situation, but there was no way he could think of to extract himself without serious repercussions now.
Sayn suddenly became bold and walked up to him, letting her hands wander across his powerful chest. She looked into his eyes and made a decision. She stepped back, did something to the back of her dress, and moments later stood naked in front of him. Her eyes boldly met his, then indicated he should disrobe. Shortly afterwards they were together in the large bed.
Kaler didn’t stay the night. Sayn had to be back in the main house before retiring, and so he was escorted out before midnight.
“Will you come again tomorrow?” Sayn asked hopefully as she clung to him before he left. Apparently his performance had been adequate.
He wondered why he agreed, but found himself wanting to enjoy the eager young woman’s arms again, and so submitted. He won the rounds the next day, and found himself in Sayn’s embrace that night.
Somehow, against all odds, Kaler had reached the semi-finals. He was paired, supposedly by random selection against the son of a Viscount who was the games favorite to win. His opponent was of the same age as himself, and of similar build. He was also skillful as Kaler had observed when he could watch the other fighters between his own bouts. Extremely handsome, more so than Kaler by a wide margin, if a little shorter. Kaler could tell that the young women knew who he was and suspected he had already made serious inroads into the ranks of the available ladies.
Their battle was scheduled to be the first that day, with the other two fighters to follow. Now facing his opponent, one of the young nobles who had made it clear he shouldn’t have been allowed in the games, Kaler wondered how this would go. The man was clearly a favorite with the crowd. The winner would be judged by the combination of the official judges and the crowd. The King himself would resolve any dispute or uncertainty. Given the man’s popularity, Kaler knew he must win decisively if he were to carry the day.
His opponent came at him with every intent of ending the conflict quickly. Obviously the other had been watching Kaler as he advanced through the ranks and knew something of his fighting style. Their swords clanged as they met, the shock of the blows running up the length of Kaler’s arms. Damn, the bastard was strong. This was clearly the most difficult opponent he had faced, and Kaler suspected from what he had seen, the best fighter he would face. If he could prevail in this encounter, he was certain he could beat whoever won the other match.
Their swords blurred as the two men fought, each attempting to get past the defenses of the other. Both landed minor blows to the other, but nothing that constituted a clear win by the rules of the games. For a while Kaler felt himself being pushed back, giving ground as he defended against a particularly intense onslaught. Then the rhythm would shift, and he would gain the upper hand, driving the young Lord back in return. Clearly they were well matched. The battle lasted longer than any other face off of the games thus far. Suddenly, without warning, Kaler felt his sword yanked from his hand after a particularly solid impact of sword on sword. He backed away, sensing where his weapon would land, aware that he was probably eliminated, his dreams dashed. As he recovered the weapon and turned to face his opponent, he noted that the young Lord had also lost his sword as a result of the severe blow. That made them equal. Reassured, Kaler started toward the other when the trumpet sounded, indicating the match was suspended.
The two men stood facing one another, breath coming in deep gasps as they waited to see what would develop. The official who regulated the contests, waited between them while the judges made a decision. The encounter was over they ruled, and would be judged.
The official judges called it a tie, but the people stood behind their favorite, declaring the young Lord the winner. Kaler was certain the King did not agree by the look upon his face, but when he stood, hesitating for a long moment, he finally said in a deep clear voice, “Let the will of the people stand.”
Kaler was out. His chance at the Royal Guard was over.
“There’s no way to appeal?” Sayn asked that night as they cuddled, naked under the covers after an extended bout of lovemaking. Kaler’s frustration had fueled a particularly energetic coupling, which Sayn had seemed to enjoy.
“The ruling of the King is final,” Kaler replied. “It would be politically embarrassing to change his decision now. I think I sensed he favored me, but submitted to the will of the people. It was a wise political decision. He needs the support of both the nobles and the people if war comes. It is an unsettling time.”
“So what do you do now?”
“I was told that based on my performance I am automatically invited to participate again next year. Perhaps I could advance farther then. A whole year!”
Sayn snuggled closer. “Come with us. We will be leaving now that the games are over. My father’s mission here is complete and we will be returning to Sulen.”
“What would I do there? I know nothing about Branid. Here at least I have friends and employment of a sort.”
“I can speak with my father’s guardsmen. I can get you a position that will pay well enough. It will also allow you to meet others who might need services like yours. Besides, we can be together.” She rubbed her smallish breasts against him to emphasize the benefits.
Kaler considered the proposition. He had made some enemies among the young nobles by how far he had advanced in the games. He wondered if there might be repercussions there. Clearly, staying here offered nothing beyond what he had seen the past months, which meant a future that was uncertain and not what he hoped for. He suspected the Count would offer him employment, but that was uncertain. What he had been doing was also somewhat boring. He longed to explore and see more of the land. He had a full purse at the moment, and going with Sayn to Branid would take him to a new place. She would help him get settled, and there were obvious side benefits. He di
dn’t have to think long before he agreed.
Chapter 14
Sayn had been right about one thing. The captain of her father’s personal guard had been quite happy to have Kaler join them. He had witnessed several of Kaler’s bouts and had been impressed with his ability. In addition, the Legate, the King’s appointed leader of the regimental troops who had escorted the Baron and his family on their mission to call on the King of Kellmore, had also seen Kaler in the games and had a favorable opinion of his ability. As a result of their being familiar with him, he soon found himself a member of the force that would supply protection for the nobles on their return to Branid. They had provided him with a horse and agreed he could use his own weapons, which were better than those most of the men carried anyway.
Since the mission was one of arranging a meeting hopefully leading to marriage between the children of the two kings, there was no danger from the forces of the host country, but thieves and vandals were a constant threat in the open lands between the cities. A group as large as theirs was not something that would be attacked by most of the bands that roved the wilds, but there were bands that numbered a hundred or more, and official emissaries had been attacked in the past. Fortunately the Legate and the captain of the Baron’s Guard did not judge a man by the country of his birth, but by the ability he had demonstrated and the character he displayed so Kaler being a citizen of Kellmore rather than Branid did not factor into the decision.
The Count had been disappointed to see Kaler leave, and had offered him a place with his own team. Kaler had considered carefully but in the end wanted a chance to travel and see more of the lands. Going with Sayn offered him a chance to see another country, and he was excited at the prospect. Unstated, but on his mind, was the secret hope that he might be able to use the offered opportunity as a stepping stone to something better. He was pleased that the Branid leaders appeared more flexible in the guidelines for electing their troops.
They left early several days after Kaler had been accepted into their ranks, heading north along the southern fork of the Triempol River. The river, the main branch of which formed the recognized border between Kellmore and Branid, split somewhere to the north. It would take them almost two week’s ride to reach the fork, where they would cross into Branid turning to the northwest as they continued the journey into Sulen. The Royal party rode in the middle of the group, surrounded by the twenty-three troops who watched over them. Kaler rode in the rear group. Even though this was his country, he knew less of the path to be followed than several of the Branid scouts.
Kaler found the men to be open and amicable, and by the end of the second day he was on good terms with several of the Baron’s guardsmen. He had also had a chance to talk with the Legate, who rode along side him for more than an hour one day, curious about Kaler’s background and how he had come about his training. Kaler recounted his uncle’s background and how he had trained Kaler with the swords. Kaler also revealed he had participated in the games in hopes on winning admission into the Royal Guard, but that hope had been dashed by his failure to take the contest.
Of Sayn he saw very little. The nobles were clustered together and under close watch most of the time. There was no opportunity for her to slip away from the rest of her family or from the sight of the guards tasked with keeping her safe. That meant that there was no chance for her and Kaler to be together. She slept in one of the coaches, while he slept on the ground with the rest of the troops, catching only an occasional glimpse of her. Once he had passed close to her and after a quick check to see if anyone else would notice, she gave him a wide smile. Otherwise, he might as well have not existed for all the attention he received from her.
The journey was uneventful, and after days of travel they reached the border crossing. The Triempol River was deep and swift, but near the fork it widened as it spread out to surround several islands. These conveniently placed spots of land had been connected by a series of large bridges that provided easy passageway between the two countries. In several places the bridges were quite high, allowing boats to pass underneath carrying goods either direction. Kaler was told that a half-day’s ride down river toward the west was a large city, and there one could take boats across the river as well. A brisk trade existed between Kellmore and Branid, with a number of prosperous towns scattered along the length of the Triempol on either side. As easy as that they crossed over into Branid.
They had been in Branid two days when the party halted travel early and made camp alongside a large pleasant lake. Kaler noted the more relaxed attitude of his fellows and asked about the stop.
“We are on Duke Rodelos’ land,” one of his new friends explained. “He oversees a large section of southern Branid for the King who is necessarily distant in Sulen. As the King’s proxy, he has absolute rule. This particular section of the Duchy is the Duke’s personal property. This lake and the nearby forest are well known to the Baron. We stayed here on the way to Kellmore. The Duke has a reputation for keeping his lands free of bandits and other vagrants. The chances of a problem are all but non-existent here. The Duke deals very harshly with those who violate his decrees and they have taken the hint and moved elsewhere. We will be able to relax somewhat, and will be given half shifts. Everyone will have a chance to rest before we make the final push on to Sulen. It is likely we will be visited while we are here by the Duke’s men who scout the land regularly.”
They stayed two days, mostly because the Baron and his family wanted a chance to be free of their coaches for a while and not because the guards needed the additional time. Kaler was somewhat at a loss what to do with himself, and was resting on a padded grassy embankment overlooking the lake when Sayn’s servant Elsa crept up and whispered to him.
“Pssst. Your Lordship.” She said quietly.
Kaler looked up from his reverie and turned to the direction of the voice. He spotted Elsa hiding behind a tree. He’d tried to break her of referring to him as a nobleman, but she insisted. Now she was urging him to follow her with hand signals.
“What’s up?” he asked once he caught up to her.
She put her finger to her lips to indicate he should speak softly and then pointed.
“Where are we going?” he asked softly as the servant girl continued to lead him through the thick trees.
She smiled and said nothing, but finally pointed toward a cluster of bushes alongside the lake that didn’t look particularly different than any number they had already passed.
Kaler looked at her in confusion.
Elsa sighed in exasperation. “Sayn,” she said in a whisper and pointed again.
He started to repeat the name, but Elsa pushed two fingers against his lips and nodded.
Kaler turned and made his way toward the bushes, and then pushed his way through. On the far side was a small, secluded beach. At first he saw nothing else, but then, with a hint of a giggle, Sayn stepped out of the bushes where she had been hiding. With a playful smile, she reached behind her and caused the only garment she was wearing to drop to the sand.
Ten days later they finally arrived in Sulen. Kaler learned that the Baron had a place in the city, as well as his ancestral lands and a much larger home near the ocean further to the west. He used the home in the city during the times he was in residence, leaving behind a small staff that kept it maintained in his absence. They rode directly to the Baron’s home in Sulen, arriving to find the staff urgently trying to get the house in readiness. Word had been sent ahead the previous night, but it would take more time than a single day before everything was fully back to normal.
Many of the soldiers continued on to the castle to report back to the regiment, led by the Legate. Kaler found himself one of the much smaller force that made up the Baron’s personal guard that stayed behind. He was assigned to a cot in the common room set aside for the guardsmen, and shown where his gear was to be stored and his horse stabled. The household was well enough managed, but Kaler found it lacking compared to the much larger and bet
ter organized estate of the Count back in Pagner. He would have to reserve judgement until he saw the country estates of the Baron, but he couldn’t help wondering if he might have been better off staying where he’d been.
Daily life quickly fell into a routine. The Baron was escorted into town to the castle almost every day where he spent the better part of the day pursuing his duties to the King, which had to involve more than simply reporting the results of the expedition to Branid’s Ruler. Sayn’s mother took over the chore of running the estate. That and making not infrequent trips into the shops of Sulen where she often made purchases. Kaler knew this was so as he was part of the assigned escort of the mother almost as often as he was for the Baron. Kaler much preferred providing escort for the Baron. The Baron paid little attention to the guards, and once at the castle they were mostly free to pursue their own interests so long as they were readily available. At the castle Kaler had made a number of casual friends, and found that he could mingle freely with the members of the regiment, including joining in some of their practice sessions. The workouts helped him stay in shape, and word of his skill slowly started to spread.
Some days he remained at the estate even when both the Baron and his wife were out on errands. He’d have thought those might be opportunities for Sayn and him to spend some time together, but that didn’t happen very often.
“I don’t trust the servants here,” she’d confided to him on one of the times they did get together. “I have allies among the staff at home. I grew up with most of them. Like Elsa, some are close to me.”
What she meant was they were under her thumb or indebted to her in some way and she could count on them not to reveal her secrets. Kaler had started to see characteristics in Sayn he hadn’t noticed before. She was selfish and petty. Even with Elsa, who seemed to adore her, she failed to reciprocate the trust and friendship. Kaler had thought the two were closer than he now knew was the case.