The first few days passed quickly, excitement spurring them on. The thrill didn’t last long, however, before the monotony of the treeless landscape began to wear on Aibek. Each day, his eyes searched the unchanging horizon for a house, a scrubby bush or some small landmark he could use to mark the passage of time and distance. His legs ached from the endless hours of walking, and each evening he yearned for the sight of the Zobe River ahead of them.
After several days of traveling the wretched, never-ending plain, Aibek finally spotted trees ahead as they topped a small rise.
"Yes! The river. We're almost there," Aibek shouted, dashing toward the wood.
"Wait," Serik called. "It might be best to sleep here tonight."
Aibek didn't hear him. Though the afternoon light was waning, he rushed into the dim forest and instantly understood his error. His friends followed him into the murky, muddy bog. Relief flooded Aibek when Serik fashioned a torch from branches to light their way through the darkness. The old man walked just ahead of his two companions, holding the torch off to the side to avoid blinding the younger men. The stagnant air reeked of rotting vegetation and foul water. Aibek gagged repeatedly and wrapped his handkerchief around his face to keep the stench from his nose.
They trudged through the swamp for two days without stopping, since there was no place to set up camp or even to sit and rest. They took turns carrying the torch and leading the way through the bog. Tall trees with drooping branches surrounded them and blocked out almost all sunlight.
The eerie atmosphere made Aibek uncomfortable. His skin prickled with the feeling of eyes boring into his back. With every step, he expected to be accosted or attacked by whatever lurked in the dimness. Serik kept his eyes on the partially submerged path before him and pressed onward, his face a mask of grim determination. Only a slight tremor in his hand gave away his unease.
Aibek kept his hand on his sword and repeatedly startled at the sound of something massive moving through the water and mud nearby, though he never caught even a glimpse of the source.
"Hey!" Aibek shouted in alarm when something wrapped itself around his leg above his boot.
He splashed ahead a few steps, but the animal was gone before he could see what sort of foul creature it could be. Faruz stayed close to the others, alert but apparently unconcerned. He never once drew his sword but hummed quietly to himself as if this were a predictable stroll down the road near his home. Aibek didn’t understand how his companion could be so relaxed in such a place, and the cheerful humming grated on his nerves.
After hours of gritting his teeth against the happy tunes, he exclaimed through clenched teeth, “Would you please stop singing?”
Faruz startled and dropped the bit of jerky he had just removed from his pack. It sank into the murky water beside him and vanished.
“What was that for?” He pulled another strip of the tough jerky from his pack. “A little music helps keep my mind off this place.” He gestured around him with the dried meat.
Aibek shook his head and held his tongue. He didn’t want to fight with his friend. Faruz chewed noisily and resumed humming, though he kept his voice a bit quieter than before.
The road was barely discernible, and they trusted it merely because it was the only place not wholly covered with water. They trudged for hours through the ankle-deep mud, repeatedly bitten by mosquitoes and swarms of other flying, biting insects before they finally made it to the rise that marked the end of the swamp.
There, they stopped to enjoy a short break in the gathering twilight. Splashes of colorful clouds painted the sky in a brilliant palette of pinks and oranges as the scarlet sun descended toward the horizon.
Aibek sighed in relief but perked up his ears. A growing noise behind him caught his attention, and he frowned. A flurry of squeaks and clicks carried on the breeze. He turned to ask Faruz if he heard it but froze without a sound.
Before he could say a word, a colony of enormous bat-like creatures with brilliant blue eyes besieged the travelers. They came out of nowhere and caught Aibek by surprise. The flying rodents flew close to the travelers and brushed the men’s hair and clothing as the animals ate their fill of the insects that swarmed around the three men's warmth.
Aibek fought the urge to scream as he shook his head and batted at the huge flying creatures. He had never seen anything like these bats. They were at least three times the size of the ones he had seen in the city, with scalloped, leathery wings beating against the evening air and brushing within a hairbreadth of his shirt and hair. They were close enough that he could hear the incessant clicking sounds as they located the tiny insects they hunted.
Panicked, Aibek swatted and shook and ran alongside his friends until they rid themselves of both the bats and the insects, then struggled to push their tired legs over a couple of higher inclines before they stopped and set up camp.
When the sun rose, Aibek groaned and burrowed into his bedroll. He wasn’t ready to face another day of travel. Thankfully, neither were the others. They spent a full day resting from the ordeal of the swamp. They spread out their clothes to dry in the glorious morning sun while they slept on the soft cushion of grass.
They napped until late afternoon when Aibek’s hungry stomach drove him to find food. He managed to snare a pair of rabbits while Faruz and Serik scrounged for wood. They scraped together enough for a tiny fire, just large enough to roast the meat. To Aibek, the gamey, unseasoned rabbit tasted like a king’s feast after days of living on Faruz’s jerky.
The friends rose at dawn to continue their journey. Finally, just before sunset four nights later, they saw the buildings that marked the border of Kainga, a small city nestled against the banks of the Zobe River. They agreed to spend the night in the river town, and they would complete the journey to Nivaka the next day.
Aibek walked a little faster as they entered the town, his head held high. Giddy excitement bubbled up in his chest, and he grinned at the expectation of a home cooked meal and the luxury of soft feather beds. Serik arranged for a room while his younger companions stood close behind. Aibek kept his eyes on the floor in front of his feet. Standing in the close hallway, he couldn't avoid the knowledge that they were dirty and smelled awful. His own odor assaulted his nose, and he tried to stay as far as possible from the other patrons. It had been several days since they'd last seen a stream, and a few days more since they'd had a full bath.
"Do you have a bathtub we could use?" Serik asked, echoing Aibek's thoughts.
"Yes, that'll be an extra two pieces of silver," the young innkeeper answered, smiling.
Serik glanced at Aibek and Faruz, who nodded their approval.
The tall young woman who showed them to their room was talkative and friendly. She showed no signs of noticing their unbathed state as she gave them information on where they could obtain any supplies they might need before they continued on their journey. While they climbed the steep wooden staircase toward their room on the second floor, she told them about the boat that ferried travelers across the river.
"If you want to catch the boat, you'll need to leave here by sunrise, though it's only a few blocks away. If you miss the first one, it'll be back in a couple of hours." She grinned and pointed toward the window. Aibek stared at the tall mast jutting into the sky outside the inn.
"It runs back and forth all day," the woman continued. "Of course, if you don't want to ride the ferry, you can take the South Road to Imah and cross at the bridge there."
"Oh? How far is it?" Serik asked.
"It's about two hours south, not much if you're looking to save some coin." The woman pulled out a key and opened the door to her right.
"Thank you for your help," Serik said quietly, stepping into the room.
"The maids will be up shortly with your bath." She vanished down the hall in a swish of skirts, and Aibek dropped into the soft chair.
The single room had two fluffy beds piled with pillows and covered with plain yellow quilts that looked heavy. A
smallish, faded red couch sat against the wall next to the single window, and a large, comfortable-looking, dark brown leather chair sat near the sofa. It looked like heaven to Aibek after nineteen days of hard travel. They each took a turn in the modest claw-foot tub that the maids set up behind the screen on the right side of the room.
Once all the men were washed and dressed, they headed down to the tavern for the evening meal. It was a large, noisy room with tightly packed wooden tables and chairs. Aibek couldn’t believe how much wood they had used to decorate the building. Surely, they must be near the forest by now. Otherwise, how would the innkeepers have afforded such a luxury?
Revelers surrounded nearly every table, but Serik found one in the corner farthest from the loudest patrons. The simple country fare of rabbit stew with roasted vegetables and fresh bread tasted delicious to Aibek after the unspiced rabbit, fowl, and fish he'd eaten for nearly three weeks. There was butter for the rolls and vegetables, and the stew was well-seasoned and aromatic.
While they ate, Aibek enjoyed the energy and enthusiasm of their fellow travelers, many of whom had sampled the ale and were happily drunk. The conversations and laughter echoed through the room; the bare wood flooring and furniture did nothing to dull the sound. After the quiet solitude of their journey, the ruckus was deafening.
Aibek laughed along when a young man took a seat at the spinet and played a hilarious song about falling in the muddy waters of the swamp. He was still chuckling when the song came to a sudden stop.
“Sing something different!” someone shouted. “No one wants to think about that awful swamp, especially since they finished the new road and we ain't gotta go near it anymore.”
Faruz and Aibek both stared wide-eyed and slack-jawed at the man who had interrupted.
What new road?
Serik leaned over and whispered something to the tavern maid, who laughed cheerfully and answered in a thick accent, “Yep, they just finished it last year. It’s a bit longer now, but worth it to stay out of that miserable mud.” She paused, then shuddered. “I’ll happily walk an extra day to avoid going through that again.”
Stunned, Aibek could only gape at the woman. He struggled to hide his reactions from Serik; the old man was already upset by the news and didn’t need to feel worse.
Oblivious to the reactions of the patrons at the table, the thickset woman straightened and cleared the dishes. She moved quickly and had the table cleared and wiped down in less than a minute.
“Excuse me,” Aibek caught her attention before she could move away.
She turned to him and tapped her foot impatiently.
Not quite able to meet her eyes, he said, “I know you have work to do, and I won’t keep you long, but do you know why they would have made the road go through the swamp in the first place? I mean, if they could avoid it.”
The woman cocked an eyebrow at the young patron, then smiled. “Well, it wasn’t always a swamp. I’ve heard stories that it was once a lovely valley that has slowly sunk and filled with water over the past few generations.” She laughed and wiped at a spot on the table. “Now, I don’t know that for certain, it’s all just stories now. Like you said, no one would want to build a road through that bog.”
Full from their meal and deflated by this revelation, the weary travelers trudged to their room for a good night’s sleep.
4
Arrival
Serik closed the door behind him. “I had no idea.” Head down, he trudged toward the bed by the window where he would spend the night.
Aibek shook his head. “There’s no way you could have known. We’ll just keep the new road in mind if we ever travel this way again.” He sighed and sank onto the bed, kicking off his boots. Aibek thought back to the discussion they’d had at that crossroads, and how he and Faruz had wanted to turn right onto the wider, smoother road. Of course, Serik had kept them on the path he knew would lead them to Nivaka. Aibek hoped Serik wasn’t reliving that same moment, though the dejected look on the servant’s lined face indicated he was.
“I didn’t mind the swamp so much,” Faruz blurted, startling Aibek back to the present. “At least it was a change from the boredom of the plains and… well, we’ve some great stories to tell, though I don’t know who’ll believe we were attacked by giant bats.” He laughed at the memory and climbed into the soft bed.
Aibek raised his eyebrows and tried to see his friend’s perspective. He gave up after a few moments and extinguished the only lamp before he crawled under the covers. He and Faruz shared the larger bed near the door, so Serik could sleep comfortably in the other bed.
* * *
Faruz stared at the ceiling in the darkened room and wondered if he’d be allowed into the village when they arrived tomorrow. He thought about the old man’s warnings when they began their journey.
What if they turn me away?
He hoped he wouldn’t have to make the return trip alone. He didn’t know the way around the swamp, but he didn’t think he could face that awful bog alone.
Surely, they’ll let me into the village, right? Well, if not, I guess I could make his way back to this little town and find someone to travel with.
He lay awake for a short time pondering before sheer exhaustion overtook him and he fell into a deep sleep.
* * *
Aibek stared at the sliver of light sneaking through the curtains until it vanished with the fading moonlight. He wasn’t ready to lead his own division, let alone a whole village.
How can anyone expect me to take over as the mayor of a town I’ve never even seen?
He flopped to his other side and tried to find a cool spot on the pillow but found himself looking at the back of Faruz’s head.
How is Faruz snoring so loudly; isn’t he nervous at all?
Aibek flipped onto his back and stared into the blackness above the bed.
What if I can’t find a way to beat this army? Surely, they have some kind of plan in mind already.
He tossed for most of the night, falling into a fitful slumber a few hours before dawn.
* * *
Eddrick grinned. “I’m so glad we decided to go ahead with our plan. And now Aibek’s on his way home.”
“It looks like they’ll arrive tomorrow, barring any trouble crossing the river.” Kiri smiled as she sat on the comfortable sofa. “They’ve made good time.”
“I wonder…” he trailed off as an older man walked through the door.
“Well, Agommi, I didn’t expect to see you again so soon," Kiri said. "I hope all is well?”
“Not exactly.” The visitor shook his hat as if to remove the rain and stomped his immaculate boots on the doormat. “We need to talk about the rules… You can’t interfere with the living.”
Eddrick spoke slowly. “I’m not sure what you mean. I’ve only chatted with one person, and even then I just answered direct questions.”
The old man shook his head, advanced farther into the chamber and pointed at Eddrick. “You know very well that’s not what I’m talking about. You planted weapons and ideas for those young men who assassinated Tavan, and have changed the course of their lives, perhaps forever.”
“Well, we had to do something!” Kiri jumped from her seat on the couch. “That’s our son. We couldn’t let him walk into an ambush! What would you have us do?”
Agommi gestured to Eddrick. “You know I understand; it was awful to stand by and do nothing when my own son was killed. But the ancient laws exist for a reason. We have to let them live their own lives! You have changed the course of time. None of the ancestors knows what will happen now.” As he spoke, he walked to where Eddrick sat. “They sent me here to inform you of your punishment. You are to be confined to this room until Thrimanca is full again—”
Kiri interrupted, “But that’s more than a month! Now? It’s such a critical time. Aibek's due to arrive in Nivaka tomorrow. Please let me see my son come home!” She sank onto the couch.
At the same time, her husband leaned
forward in his chair. "That can’t be right! I know I’m not the only one that's helped his family. There are hundreds of stories throughout history.”
But the old man just shook his head. “Most of those stories aren’t true, and the few true ones centered on advice that was given. None have blatantly interfered as you did. Your sentence stands according to the ancestors.” He placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, but the younger man shook it off.
Eddrick stood and crossed the room to sit with his wife. “Is there really no other way? We won’t interfere again. We just want to see the day our son returns home.”
Agommi bowed his head and stared at the floor. “I’m sorry. The ancients have decided. It could have been much worse. Forty-two days is nothing but a blink of an eye in the vastness of eternity.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the visitor vanished from the room, leaving the couple distraught, trying to cope with their sentence.
Eddrick ran out after him, only to reappear before the door an instant later. Again, he struggled to leave, and again he was instantly transported back into the room with his wife. His shoulders slumped as defeat washed over him. He trudged across the room and sank onto the couch.
* * *
Aibek woke to Serik’s voice and a firm hand on his shoulder in the predawn light. He groaned and struggled to hold onto the blissful slumber. He felt like he’d just fallen asleep. He rolled to the side away from the lamplight, but the old man was persistent. Finally, Aibek sat up and focused his bleary eyes on his friends.
Faruz sat on the edge of the bed rubbing a hand over sleep-reddened eyes. The realization that today was the day they’d arrive in Nivaka rolled over Aibek like a fog. He sat surrounded by blankets for a moment longer, then dressed quickly and headed down to the pub with his friends for a morning meal before they embarked on the final leg of their journey. They had decided they would cross the river here, by ferry. It would take too long to walk to the bridge.
The Nivaka Chronicles Boxed Set Page 4