“I thought that you were going to use the wandering troubadour ruse.” Padraig murmured dryly as they approached the city.
Logan chuckled. “The leader of the patrol pissed me off, and my feet are sore.”
“Well, I hope that you temper has improved, because it looks as though we have a reception committee.”
Logan looked up and sure enough, twenty more knights were exiting the massive portcullis, flanking what was obviously the King and Queen. Logan stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
“What is the meaning of all this?” The portly King asked in a slightly aggrieved voice.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Your guard captain was rude and insulting to me and my companions. I applied some minor chastisement—to teach him humility, or course. It is the duty of the older and more experienced to teach the younger, is it not?”
“Well, I...” The King stumbled. The Queen was trying to conceal her laughter behind a lace handkerchief.
Logan gave the armed men and royalty a florid bow. “I am THE Logan MacKennitt, from the far land of Reachrainn, and these.” He waved an arm behind him. “Are my Troubadours.”
“But why all the weapons?” The king fluttered a be-ringed hand at the swords and the crossbows the squad carried.
“Ahhh.” Logan murmured knowingly, and winked at the King slyly. “Traveling is sometimes difficult, and audiences occasionally unappreciative. We are prepared for either.” There was a guffaw behind him that he chose to ignore.
“I suppose...” The short, slightly frumpy looking Queen stepped forward and Logan bowed again.
“Your Majesty.”
“My name is Krista.”
“Very good, Queen Krista.”
Her laughter was light and merry. “No, no. Just Krista. Please bring your men...” She looked up and blinked in pleased surprise. “And women inside. We have no real music here, and I think it would be just grand to hear you play.”
“It would be our pleasure, Krista.” He winked over his shoulder at Padraig.
The queen gave a swift glare at the escorting troops, and the armored knights quickly fell in, assisting their battered and embarrassed brethren.
The royal audience hall of the King and Queen of Falun was cold, dark and dreary, with unadorned granite walls sporting just a very few sputtering torches. The air was smoky, and smelled of mold and rotten meat. The scent seemed to linger on the back of his tongue, like a bad memory. Logan caught the members of his squad exchanging long glances that he didn’t need to be a mind reader to figure out; Medin, their distant home, was looking better and better. The massive mantled hearth had a small fire, flickering fitfully, and ashes were heaped, flowing onto the cold stone floor.
The Queen, suddenly seeing the hall through the eyes of her guests winced in embarrassment. Krista crooked a finger at a waiting liveried servant, pointed to the smoldering fire and sputtering torches. “Run man!” Logan heard her hiss. The man ran, and the Queen turned to the travelers with a resigned look on her face. “Good help is so hard to find.”
That evening the ale and the music flowed freely. Reel followed reel and jig followed jig. They had been playing for a full two hours, high slotted windows open to the night air, when the King touched Logan on the shoulder.
“You have traveled through the southern woods. There is something you need to see.” Logan set his mandolin aside, motioned to the others to continue playing, and rose to his feet. He was a little surprised to see Queen Krista standing beside her husband. “This way.”
“What’s this all about?”
“You’ll see.” The Queen said mysteriously. Following her husband and a guard captain up a long flight of steep steps to the top of the front wall. Music wafted in the air from the festivities in the great hall.
Medin and Elysium were standing full in the night sky, bathing the land in sharp, hard edged shadows. In front of the main gate, in the middle of the dusty road just out of bowshot stood three monsters, and they were weaving slowly in time with the faint music. Logan frowned, and climbed up between two of the rough crenellations for a better look. Far below, one of the swaying figures stopped, and returned Logan’s look.
“Should we ride out, Majesty?” The guard captain asked, somewhat eagerly. “There are only three of them and we could ride them down easily.”
Logan touched the King’s shoulder. “No, please Your Majesty. Do nothing. There is something else at work here, and those three creatures are no threat to you and yours. I know it.”
The King laughed harshly. “You would think that you are the monster’s agent, Mister Logan. They don’t know you from the next man.”
“Don’t be too sure about that, dear.” The Queen said softly.
Far below, three faces were staring up at Logan, standing on the top of the massive wall. The music slowly faded away to silence and then, before their unbelieving eyes, the three fearsome monsters slowly set their weapons down on the ground before them, turned, and unhurriedly trotted off into the darkness.
None of the four spoke for some time. The Queen finally broke the silence. “You know, Mister Logan, you might be right. There is definitely something going on here.” Her voice was just a murmur in the chill night air.
Chapter 16
Logan hadn’t mentioned his experience the night before to anyone in the squad, so it stood to reason that everyone knew about the strange occurrences on the front wall, or at least had an inkling of what went on.
They were all sitting for a breakfast of hot meat porridge and fruit when he made the announcement. “Listen up, everyone. You have all heard that we had an odd occurrence last night, outside the walls. Our musically appreciative friend was back with two of his buddies. I stopped the castle guards from riding out and the Zzzkntti knew, somehow, and showed their appreciation by leaving their weapons. If that isn’t a sure sign that they want to negotiate, then I don’t know what is. I plan on testing that theory tonight.”
There was a buzz of excited voices around the table.
“So, what are your plans, oh fearless leader?” Padraig drawled, sipping his strong black tea and giving Logan his best ironic grin.
Logan looked around the table. “Just before we came out of the woods yesterday I noticed a modest meadow, surrounded by trees, with a small stream running through it.” He took a deep breath. “I would like to go back there tonight to put on an impromptu concert for our four armed friends.” He was greeted with silence.
“Are you well and totally out of your mind?” Bel growled, with Tiana nodding vigorous support. Logan opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off.
“I don’t think so.” Maeve had a thoughtful expression on her face. “Something is going on, and a concert in the woods won’t be any more dangerous than our trek reaching here was.”
“Don’t forget,” Logan chimed in, “our job is to solve the Zzzkntti riddle, and stop the fighting before all the humans on these islands are killed. I’d like to remind you that time is running out, folks. We have to take some chances.” He looked around at the intent faces. “If you want to come tonight, feel free. If you don’t, I won’t hold it against you.”
Tanden Barr laughed. “You can’t even hold a beat by yourself. I guess I’d better go along too.” There was a long pause.
“Well,” Bel said grudgingly, “I guess that you will need someone to pull your ass out of the fire again.” Tiana nodded her blond head. “We’ll come.”
The rest followed in a wave despite their misgivings and Logan couldn’t have been more proud of them, than if they had been his own children. “We’ll set out three or four hours before sundown. That will give us time to reach the meadow, set up a small camp and have dinner.” He grinned at the squad. “I have another little thing I’d like to try, too.”
“Don’t be coy with us now, Logan.” Aileen grumbled. “I don’t like last minute surprises.”
Logan laughed. “Good enough. The Zzzkntti are meat eaters, primarily. They left us weapon
s last night. Tonight I’d like to leave them with a few fat fish to eat - instead of us.” There was a nervous titter around the table. “If things get too anxious, we can always run back to Medin, or had you forgotten?” There were a few red faces at that remark. “The rest of the day is ours, so see to your weapons and your musical instruments.” Logan had a strange look on his face. “They may be equally important, in the end.”
The voice in his head chuckled. >There is more to you that you can imagine, Logan MacKennit.>
He saw the Queen as he stood to leave, standing in the shadows at the back of the room.
“Interesting discussion.” She said mildly, turning. “Walk with me.”
“As you wish, Krista.” She took his arm, although she did the guiding.
“You are not troubadours.” She said bluntly, as they passed into a small, comfortably furnished sitting room.
“We also play instruments.”
Krista sat down in a well-padded armchair and clapped her hands, ordering a pot of tea from a slim scurrying maid. She gave him a hard look. “Who do you work for?”
Logan almost groaned. “How liberal are your beliefs?”
The Queen laughed. “My husband Vidor calls himself a pagan, but he really doesn’t believe in anything. I’m tolerant.”
“We work for the Goddess Rhiannon.”
“She’s dead.” Krista was frowning. “Try again.”
“The reports of her death were greatly exaggerated. Rhiannon was held captive in a land with no moons, so she couldn’t use her powers to get her home. My squad and I just happened to be passing by, so we rescued her. She was so grateful, and so impressed with our prowess that she gave us all jobs.” Somewhere inside his head he could hear Jade laughing. “Finding a job commensurate with our abilities was difficult, even for a goddess, but she finally tasked us with ridding these lands of the scourge of the Zzzkntti, more commonly known as the four armed green monsters you’ve been fighting for years.”
Her look hadn’t softened in the least. “What a crock of shit. One word true out of ten. Tell me the truth.”
Logan glared at the Queen. “We work for Rhiannon. Our job is to rid the world of the Zzzkntti, or the four armed green monsters, before they kill every man woman and child on the world. We have significantly less than a year left to accomplish this small feat. We saved the city of Gjøvik from a sneak attack, but the city of Kolding was destroyed by the time we reached there with our warning. Now we’re here.”
The Queen stared at him for long moments, her gray eyes thoughtful. “That’s better. What warning do you have for us?”
“The Zzzkntti are now developing weapons and some technology. They use clubs regularly now, and they floated down to Kolding on rafts and snuck over the walls with ropes and grappling hooks to lower the gates and let in their main force. We rescued ten survivors.”
“Ten?” The Queen sounded shocked. “There were hundreds living in Kolding. It was a prosperous city.”
“Not anymore. Pieces of bodies littered the fields, and the only crop that wasn’t burnt was the crows.”
Krista slumped in her chair. “We’re doomed then.”
Logan gave her a thin smile. “Not necessarily. On our way here, and again last night, we noted that the Zzzkntti seem attracted, and even soothed by music. I don’t know what it means, or how we can use that information to save mankind, but it’s all we have to go on right now.”
“Just the ten of you?”
“Well, there are a few more in reserve, but they can’t move around as easily as we, and they’re not as experienced.”
“So, why don’t you just get all your forces together and wipe out the threat? I’ve seen you fight.” Krista’s eyes were bright.
“There are a total of one hundred of us, and thousands of Zzzkntti. We wouldn’t last one battle before they tore us apart. So we use a small squad of troubadours and subterfuge. It’s all we have.”
She studied the man sitting in front of her with shrewd eyes. “I see why she picked you. Would you be interested in a job, when all this is over?” There was a smile in her eyes.
“Our home, my home, is Medin, Majesty.” He replied a little sadly, as he thought of his chances of ever returning there alive.
“Lucky goddess.” She murmured, more to herself than to Logan. “Now, what can I do for you?”
“Well.” Logan was grinning. “I could use a half dozen big fish.” He held his hands about a shoulder-width apart. “The biggest you can find.”
“I can do that. When do you want them?”
“Two or three hours past lunch. Make sure the fish are raw and whole, Majesty.”
“I will, Logan. Is there anything else?”
“No, Your Majesty.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “Thank you for your understanding.”
Her eyes were sparkling when he turned and left.
“Why do I always have to carry the bloody fish?” Grady was grouching as he hitched his pack a little higher.
“Because you have the shoulders for it.” Aileen replied cheerfully, striding alongside the big man. The sun was warm and the birds filled the airs with their songs. It was a good day to be out. “And because you generally have the disposition of a nice docile ox.” Grady took a swing at her and she jumped aside with a laugh. “You’ll have to get faster than that to touch me, big man.” Grady mumbled a curse under his breath.
Farmers looked up from their fields curiously, watching the small group heading into what they thought was almost certain death in the woods. Logan smiled and waved. He knew that it would drive them crazy wondering.
Apparently the story had gotten around the castle very quickly. As Logan and his squad made their preparations to leave, people greeted them with smiles and friendly touches. Their noon meal, usually modest and cold, was close to a feast, with roast duck and fresh spring vegetables served up by the platter-full. The squad gave Logan many long looks, as though they wondered what he’d done to deserve such accommodation. When the Queen herself saw them off, many gave Logan knowing looks, and stealthy winks.
Under the spreading arms of both fir and hardwood trees the woods were cool, with deep fluid shadows. Squirrels played in the branches, making angry skittering sounds as the squad walked past. At a quick hand gesture from Logan, Bel and Tiana disappeared into the woods to return in minutes.
“The meadow is over there.” Bel spoke softly and pointed. “There is no sign of anyone about, but...” She paused, frowning.
“Go ahead.”
“It felt like someone was watching me. The trees were too quiet. No squirrels and just a few birds.”
Logan took a deep breath to quiet the flutters in his stomach. “Lead on, Bel.”
The meadow had a circumference of a quarter mile, set in the deep woods. Grass filled the wide dell, green and lush while a rocky brook, almost a small river, sat at the far side, just at the edge of the trees.
“Set up camp on this side of the stream.” Logan pointed. “Grady, you take the fish and lay them out on the grass at the other side of the clearing.”
“As far from us as you can. I hate the smell of fish.” Megan complained.
“Now, now.” Logan chuckled. “Fish are good for you.” He glanced at Grady arranging fish on the far side of the clearing. “Especially these fish.”
As twilight crept stealthily through the tall trees, the first shadowy chill of approaching evening fell upon them. Birds retreated to their roosts, squirrels to their nests, and soon the crickets began their own sad songs.
Logan tapped the wattle out of his new pipe into the fire, looking across at Padraig, who was also smoking the sweet fragrant leaf they had picked up in Falun. “I suppose it’s time for the show, my friend.”
/> Hansen tapped his own pipe clean, stuck it in a pocket and frowned. “I suppose you’re right.” He opened the flute case that had been sitting near him and blew a few experimental notes, and then a long complex trill. From out in the woods on the far side of the meadow there came something like a long sigh. Padraig swallowed. “It appears that our audience has arrived.”
“It does.” Logan threw a couple more logs onto the fire and picked up his mandolin. “Let’s jump right into it tonight with the Tea Merchants.” Logan strummed a chord and off they went.
Jig followed reel, fast followed by slow followed by another fast piece. They were all puffing when the last of the ten song set was finally completed. Logan and Tanden played a slow classical piece as the others packed their instruments, and again they heard the sigh from the dark forest. Overhead Medin and Elysium were just coming over the treetops, spidery shadow fingers creeping across the meadow. Logan set the mandolin down and bowed silently to Tanden Barr, who grinned and returned the courtesy.
In the morning they awoke to find that the fish was gone and, surprisingly, they were all still alive. Logan nodded to himself as he looked down on the spot where, obviously, several Zzzkntti had watched their performance.
“We’ll do this one more time, and then go back to Medin for a meeting I think.” He told Padraig on the way back to camp. “Anyway, we need to beg some more fish, or a side of beef.”
“Shopping for Grady again?” Padraig laughed.
“Nope. Grady eats more.”
They were still laughing when they reached the small camp. “We have two choices. We can all go back to the castle, pick up fish or beef for our audience and come back here to set up again, or a couple of you can pick up the food for the spectators. Remember, we have to keep the spectators happy.” There was scattered nervous laughter at his poor joke.
“We’ll go.” Grady and Tiana stepped forward, sheepish looks on their faces.
Logan rolled his eyes dramatically. “All right.” He gave them a level look. “Don’t spend too much time in the woods, and be back here well before sunset.” The two faces both turned bright red. “Get out of here!”
The Darkness at the Edge of Noon: a Thalassia novel Page 21