“I thought you said you couldn’t intervene.”
“Normally, we can’t. But your father learned that Helak’s been breaking the rules for a long time, so the ancestors decided we could come to your aid,” She scanned the boardwalk. “I’m sorry we took so long.”
Aibek followed her gaze. Dead and dying enemy soldiers, weapons, and injured villagers littered the boardwalk. The snow had been dyed red around the boundary of the village. His gaze swung north, searching for his best friend.
“Faruz!” he shouted when he spotted the man on the walk.
Aibek ran to his comrade and crouched to his eye level. Faruz didn’t say anything, but his eyes were open and alert. He was surrounded by an alarmingly large pool of blood, especially since some was dripping through the cracks between the boards.
“Let’s get you to the infirmary.” Aibek, relieved that his friend was alive, was alarmed by how pale the army’s captain had become. Aibek hoped he wasn’t too late.
25
Aftermath
His muscles screaming from the day’s exertions, Aibek hefted Faruz into his arms and carried his friend to Valasa’s home, where a small hospital had been set up. Other weary warriors helped the rest of the injured soldiers to the infirmary in a slow procession. Serik and Ahren waited with some of the community elders and the fairies to care for the wounded, and others were ready to feed the exhausted warriors and render aid to those with less severe wounds. Aibek deposited an unconscious Faruz on a cot in Valasa’s den, then returned to the scene of the fight to help the others.
Back at the battleground, the silence was deafening. All Aibek could hear was a constant ringing in his ears from the noise of the day. He thought all the birds and small animals of the forest must be huddled in their homes, hiding from the terrifying commotion. Everywhere he looked along the boardwalk; he saw signs of the day’s violence. The rails were splintered in places, the snow was stained red, and bodies of the deceased lay where they had fallen. The stench of death mingled with the smell of smoke from the fires burning inside the homes. He helped the exhausted villagers tend to their dead. There weren’t as many as he had feared.
The sun would soon set, so the villagers brought their slain loved ones into the chapel to be prepared for the funeral, and covered the bodies of their enemies with blankets and sheets. When the work was finished, Aibek walked slowly among the corpses in the chapel, spending a moment with each. Too many lives had ended today. These were husbands, fathers, sons, daughters, and wives. Could he have prevented their loss? Was it his fault they lay on cold tables awaiting a funeral?
He wept for every villager they’d lost, each smile he’d never see again, and every debate he’d never have with some of the outspoken men who had died. These were his friends, his comrades-in-arms, his citizens. He was responsible for their well-being, and he was responsible for their deaths. Had the old man been right in the beginning? Should they have surrendered? No. They were free. They’d lost much today, but more had survived. Now, they could begin to move forward with their lives.
Tomorrow, he’d have to figure out how to clean up the mess, but tonight he was looking forward to a hot meal and some well-deserved rest. He couldn’t believe everything that had happened that day. From the joy of his first experience with snow to the devastation of the battle and the grief for those they had lost, he felt emotionally drained and wasn’t sure how to carry on. Also, with every moment his muscles stiffened, and soreness settled into his arms, legs, and back.
After dinner, while the village was preparing for the night’s hard-won rest, Aibek went straight to his meditation room. He couldn’t wait to consult with his parents. He had no idea what had really happened today or why they had suddenly stepped in to help. As soon as he entered the darkened room, he knew he wasn’t alone. He felt his way to the mantle and fumbled a moment trying to light the lamp. Finally, the wick caught, and he blinked in the sudden light. Slowly, he turned and looked around at the spirits he could sense nearby.
In the dimly illuminated room, he could see his parents and several other spirits who didn’t look familiar. They watched in silence as he crossed the room and lit the lamps on the table. Now that the room was fully illuminated, he was amazed by how many spirits filled the space. What had happened to bring so many here today? A few whispered amongst themselves in the far corner, but the rest stared mutely at Aibek as he walked to his favorite chair near the fireplace.
Once he was seated, his father approached and patted him firmly on the back. The cold touch was shocking in its strength—the spirits’ touch had always felt like a winter wind before now.
“You learned to lead today. Well done.”
Aibek searched his memory for any event that could have warranted this unexpected praise as his exhausted legs gave way and he dropped into the chair.
He heaved a great sigh. “I don’t know what you mean. I failed. My plans would have led to the death of every citizen without your help.” He dropped his head and stared at the toes of his shoes. The weight of his failure bowed his back and squeezed the air from his lungs. “As it is, far too many good people are dead or badly hurt.”
Eddrick laid a hand on Aibek’s shoulder. “You made decisions based on what was right, instead of waiting to see what everyone around you wanted, and you saved a lot of lives in the process.”
“Um… thank you, I guess. But you—all of you—won the day. We would have lost if you hadn’t stepped in.” He gestured around the room. “What happened, anyway? What made you decide to help us?”
“While you were recovering this week, I did a little more spying. I found out that Helak hasn’t exactly played fair—”
“What?” Aibek jerked his head up and spun in his seat to look at the spirit. “What do you mean?” He was too tired even to try to guess at his father’s meaning, so he stared blankly at the spirit and waited for an answer.
“I’m not sure how much I can say…” the older man glanced around at the other spirits in the room.
Aibek followed his father’s gaze and answered, “That’s all right. I don’t have to know all the details.”
“Well, I’ll just say that he hasn’t been following the same rules we have. If Helak’s ancestors had followed the Dictates of the Eternal, he never would have known that the Tsari exists, and Nivaka would never have been invaded.”
Aibek frowned in confusion. How could that be? Nothing his father was saying made any sense. Were they speaking the same language?
He sat silently for a long while, so Eddrick continued. “The ancestors decided that since he’s had extra help, you should have some, too.”
The spirit paused for a moment and looked at the crowd of spirits crammed into the small space. Aibek bit his cheek and waited impatiently for his father to continue.
“Everyone here is related to a council member or warrior. We all want to see you succeed. Eddrick took a deep breath. “I’m just sorry it took us so long to show up. That was truly a vicious fight.”
Aibek nodded. “Yes, it was. It would have been worse if you hadn’t come when you did. Thank you.” He glanced around the room at the crowd of spirits. “I thank all of you. We would have lost without you.”
Aibek stared at the darkness beyond the window, realizing again how close they’d come to failure and death. How much worse would it have been if so many of the enemy soldiers hadn’t been feverish and weak? He silently thanked whatever fates had sent him that disease less than a week before the assault. Finally, Kiri broke the silence and startled Aibek out of his reverie.
“You’re falling asleep sitting here. You should get some rest. We’ll talk more tomorrow.” She crossed the narrow space and kissed his forehead, then ushered the others out of the room.
Aibek stared after her for a moment after the door closed, then forced his aching body upright and extinguished the lamps before he trudged to his room and the welcome oblivion of sleep.
* * *
Early the next morn
ing, Aibek rushed through his breakfast alone, then hobbled on aching legs down the icy boardwalk to Valasa’s house to check on his friends. This time, he didn’t bother knocking. His knees nearly buckled with relief when he spied Faruz sitting up on the bed and enjoying a cup of famanc.
Aibek pulled up a chair and examined his best friend’s pale face. “Are… are you all right?”
Faruz smiled a wan smile. “I’ll heal, I suppose. Valasa said the sword cut into the muscles above my knee. It’s a good thing it missed all the major blood vessels, or I wouldn’t be here, but it’ll be tough to walk after this.”
His grin widened a little, and he pointed to the empty plate on the table next to his bed. “At least Valasa’s letting me have real food and isn’t pushing any of his vile concoctions. He says I need meat to heal.”
“Well, that’s a good thing.” Aibek mirrored Faruz’s smile. “Those tinctures and potions are awful!”
They laughed together for a moment, then Aibek looked closely at Faruz. He thought his friend looked more pale and tired than he had a few minutes ago. He gently excused himself and promised to return later in the day. Dizzy with relief from knowing Faruz would be all right—provided he didn’t catch a fever—he left his friend to rest and went to check on the other injured soldiers.
Aibek was pleased to see that many had only minor injuries and would return to their homes that day. Only about twenty, including Alija, were injured severely enough to require prolonged care. Alija had bandages around his head and chest, and smaller ones tied around both arms. The old man sitting nearby told him Alija hadn’t regained consciousness since the battle.
Aibek stayed with his friend for a while, talking softly to the unresponsive man. His aunt had told him once about a man who was injured and slept for several days, but when he awoke, he recalled what his loved ones had said to him. Aibek rambled about the weather and the damage to the boardwalk. He told Alija about Faruz’s injury, and couldn’t contain his joy that Faruz would recover. He tried to keep his tone light and cheerful. An injured man certainly didn’t need to hear bad news. When he ran out of things to say, Aibek stood and went to visit with some of the other soldiers.
He tried to find a moment to talk to Valasa, but the healer was busy tending to some of the more critically wounded men and didn’t have time for conversation. Instead, Aibek made his way out into the bright, wintry day. A fresh layer of snow had fallen during the night, making the village look peaceful and lovely. He stretched his sore arms and shoulders and trudged toward the north end of town.
All along the boardwalk, villagers and visitors worked side by side to clean up the mess and begin the repairs. The hoist system, normally used for moving dead trees, had been modified and was now being used to lower the bodies of their enemies to the ground. The warriors had carried their fallen comrades to the chapel the night before so they wouldn’t freeze solid on the icy boardwalk. The loss wasn’t as bad as Aibek had feared; a hundred and twenty of their soldiers had fallen during the battle. A funeral ceremony was being arranged for the next day.
As he wandered through the village, Aibek frequently stopped to speak with the workers and lend a hand with challenging tasks. While he was helping a group lift a new rail into place, the archery captain approached.
“Good morning, Mayor. I’ll take over for you here. They need you at the east entrance—there’s something about a visitor.”
Aibek stepped away and allowed the other man to take his place at the rail. “Thank you, sir. I hope nothing's terribly wrong; I don’t know of anyone who would be visiting today.”
They hadn’t sent fairies out to inform their neighbors of their victory last night since Valasa had been occupied tending the wounded. It was unlikely to be anyone from the neighboring villages since they probably didn’t know the battle had even taken place. Who else could it be? The more he thought about it, the faster he moved toward the appointed entrance.
Messengers had been sent to Kainga that morning to fetch home the villagers who had evacuated ahead of the battle, but they hadn’t had time even to reach the river city yet. What if it was another wave of enemy soldiers? No one had accounted for the enemies who scattered into the woods. The walk took an eternity as he ruminated on such thoughts.
Finally, he came close enough to see the entrance. A large group of villagers had gathered in a close circle next to the entrance. He couldn’t see the focus of their attention, but he didn’t hear any fighting or shouting, so he relaxed a little. Whoever was visiting must not be much of a threat, but also hadn’t been invited further into the town. His curiosity intensified. As he slowed his stride and approached the group, Wayra looked up and nodded in his direction.
“Aibek! There you are. There’s someone here to see you.”
Out of breath from his run-walk across town, Aibek smiled and moved into the circle. There, standing at the top of the lowered staircase, was a single elf—the same one who had led him repeatedly to the cave-room to meet the king and queen. The villagers had circled him, effectively keeping the visitor from proceeding farther into the town without overtly guarding him.
When Aibek stopped short, the elf stepped forward and raised his hand in a traditional greeting.
Aibek returned the gesture, then greeted his guest. “Hello. It’s good to see you this morning. What can I do for you?”
“I’m Aylan. I’ve been sent to bring you a message from the king.”
“Are you alone?” Aibek cocked his head, regarding the visitor with curiosity. “I’ve never known elves or dwarves to travel unaccompanied.” He looked pointedly at the elf’s unadorned waist. “Or unarmed.”
“My companions are armed, but they prefer to wait below. I shouldn’t be long. Is there a place where we can speak privately?”
“Of course. Follow me.”
He led Aylan to his home, the group of villagers trailing behind, then invited the elf to join him in the small office near the front door. He ushered the visitor into the most comfortable chair available, then sat next to him in the other visitor’s chair.
“You said you have a message for me?”
“Yes.” Aylan pulled out a letter and passed it across the small space. Aibek broke the seal and eagerly perused the short memo.
Dear Mayor Aibek,
Congratulations on your victory. We were extremely pleased with the outcome of yesterday’s battle. I wanted to make you aware that our warriors eliminated those enemy fighters who fled into the forest. We are pleased to be rid of them, at least in this corner of the Tsari. Good luck to you as you attempt to resume a normal routine in your town. Please remember to keep the terms of the old treaty.
Sincerely,
Turan
King of the Elves
Aibek smiled as he read the missive, then lowered it and considered his guest.
“I’d like to send a gift of thanks, as long as it won’t offend your king… Or the queen… I’m still not quite familiar with all the traditions.”
Aylan sat up straighter and smiled at the mention of gifts. “A gift would be appropriate and would not offend.”
“Hmmm…” Aibek looked around the room. What would be an acceptable gift for the elf king? A sudden breeze ruffled the stack of furs lying on a chest in the corner, and the elf shivered.
Aylan asked, “Is your home always so drafty? Was it damaged in the fighting?”
Aibek cocked his head to the side, trying to suppress a grin. “Maybe it was damaged. I’ll have to inspect it more closely this afternoon.”
Of course, there was no damage; the fighting had never moved beyond the edge of the village. Still, he was grateful to his parents for the hint. He stood and crossed the room to the furs and ran his hand over the thick pelt on top.
“We have an abundance of furs from hunting to feed the army this fall. Would these be an appropriate gift of gratitude?”
The elf’s eyes widened at the prospect of carrying home the luxurious pelts. “Yes, they would be much
appreciated. Winter has come early and may be long.”
Aibek tied a length of cord around the gift, making the furs into a soft bundle, then ignored his complaining muscles as he lifted the roll to his shoulder. Maybe it would be wise to haul it to the entrance himself, where the other elves could help carry it home. His guest didn’t protest but smiled and followed him from the house.
The growing crowd of villagers moved aside, staring silently as Aibek carried the bundle past them and down the stairs. Once on the ground, he handed the pelts to a small group of elves, again thanked Aylan for the message, and waved the unusually cheerful ground folk on their way.
Once he’d made his way back to work in the village, Aibek sought out the uninjured council members and relayed the information he’d gained from his meeting with Aylan.
Kai frowned. “It was probably a good idea to send a gift, but did you have to give them the furs? We could’ve used those to get through the winter.”
Dalan shook his head. “We’ll get through the winter just fine, but our extra hunting didn’t leave much for the ground folk.”
Wayra’s eyebrows rose. “Who cares? Let them freeze. That means fewer of them to attack us when we’re not looking.”
Aibek held up a hand. “Regardless, they did help us, and they do deserve our thanks. I’d rather hoped this could be the beginning of better relations with our neighbors on the ground.”
His last words were drowned out by Kai and Wayra’s laughter, but he held on to a sliver of hope that things could be better.
26
Goodbyes
Later in the morning, Aibek was helping repair the boardwalk when he overheard some of the workers whispering about a celebration feast. Again, he sought out the council members where they were working nearby and asked what they thought of the idea.
The Nivaka Chronicles Boxed Set Page 29